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</b></p><div><b><b style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:16px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><u><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">For Immediate Release</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u>For More Information Contact</u>:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">February 4, 2018 </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Vicki Dansby (216) 282-7172</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b> </b> </p></span></b></b></div><div><b>
<b style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;font-size:medium;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(34,34,34)">Cleveland</b><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;font-size:medium;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(34,34,34)"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;font-size:medium;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(34,34,34)">–</span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;font-size:medium;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(34,34,34)"> </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;font-size:medium;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">After playing to sold-out houses, standing ovations and an extended run at Weathervane Playhouse, one of Akron's premiere theatre companies, "<b><i>Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill</i></b>" is coming to Cleveland under the play's award winning director, <b>Terrence Spivey</b> with Akron native, <b>Ms. Marissa Davis</b>, reprising her role as <b>Billie Holiday</b> along with Cleveland musicians <b>Ed Ridley</b> and <b>Bradford McGhee</b>. </span>
<br></b></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><span style="color:black"><font size="3"> </font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><font size="3"><b><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Marsha Gross</span></b><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> of Pepper Pike stated, "I traveled from Cleveland to see this beautiful Weathervane production in Akron! I look forward to seeing it again with lots of friends!"</span></font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font size="3"><br></font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><font size="3"><span style="color:black">The critically acclaimed play will be staged by the collaborative and exciting new theatrical team </span><b style="color:black">Powerful Long Ladder</b><span style="color:black"> and </span><b style="color:black">Holy Trinity Cultural Arts Center</b><span style="color:black"> from </span><b style="color:black">Thursday, March 15 to Sunday, March 25 </b><span style="color:black">in </span><b style="color:black">The Underground</b><span style="color:black"> at </span><b style="color:black">Holy Trinity Cultural Arts Center</b><span style="color:black">, 7209 Woodland Avenue in Cleveland’s historic Fairfax District. </span><br></font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><font size="3"><span style="color:black"><br></span></font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><font size="3"><span style="color:black">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline">The mission of this Consortium is for the Arts to make theatrical, dramatic, thought provoking visual and performing arts available to urban centers across our city; to become a creative force and an educational resource for the community; and to harness and build upon legacy and the economic vitality of the arts.</span>
<br></span></font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><span style="color:black"><font size="3"> </font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><span style="color:black"><font size="3">Showtime for Thursday through Saturday night performance will be at 7:30 pm. Showtime for Matinee performances will be at 3:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Every performance will offer limited priority seating. Group sales are also available. This production is intended for mature audiences only.</font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><span style="color:black"><font size="3"> </font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><span style="color:black"><font size="3">“<b>The Underground</b>,” the company’s theatrical venue, will be transformed into Emerson's Bar and Grill where Billie Holiday, played by Ms. Davis, will mesmerize and touch souls.</font></span></b></p><p class="gmail-MsoBodyText" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:normal"><b><font size="3"> </font></b></p><p class="gmail-MsoBodyText" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:normal"><b><font size="3"><b>“<i>Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill</i>” </b>is a musical drama<b> </b>written<b> </b>by <b>Lanie Robertson</b>. <span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">The time is 1959. The place is a seedy bar in Philadelphia. The audience is about to witness one of <b>Billie Holiday's</b> last performances, given four months before her death. More than a dozen musical numbers are interlaced with salty, often humorous, reminiscences to project a riveting portrait of <b>“the lady”</b> and her music.</span></font></b></p><p class="gmail-MsoBodyText" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:normal"><b><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font size="3"><br></font></span></b></p><p class="gmail-MsoBodyText" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:normal"><b><font size="3"><span style="color:rgb(75,79,86);white-space:pre-wrap"><b>Melanie YC Pepe</b>, Weathervane’s Chief Executive Artistic Director says of the extended run, “Weathervane Playhouse is thrilled that this production will continue after its recent sold-out, critically acclaimed run. It is an honor to work with these outstanding artists on this important play, and that the work created at Weathervane will be seen by a new and larger audience.”</span> <br></font></b></p><p class="gmail-MsoBodyText" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:normal"><b><font size="3"><br></font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font size="3">"It was an amazing experience directing this heart wrenching, but wonderful play at Weathervane Playhouse” said director <b>Terrence Spivey</b>. “There were constant sell outs and standing ovations accompanied with great reviews. I spoke to <b>Pastor</b> <b>Clark</b> and told him, we must bring this show to Cleveland to honor Women's History Month in March!” With the blessing of Weathervane's innovative Executive Artistic Director Melanie Pepe, it's coming to town with the same cast.</font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><b><font size="3"> </font></b></b></p><p class="gmail-MsoBodyText" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:normal"><b><font size="3">This show will sell out quickly! A limited number of Club and Stage Level seats are available.</font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13.3333px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><font size="3">For group sales/ticket information, call 216.417.4571 or visit <a href="http://www.trinityculturalarts.org/" style="text-decoration:underline;color:blue">http://www.trinityculturalarts.org</a>.</font></b></p><b><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline">
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