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<p class="MsoBodyText" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bent
</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Touches on Timely Themes at Beck Center<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Landmark drama now playing in the Studio Theater<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Lakewood, OH—</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">B<span style="color:black">eck Center for the Arts proudly
</span>presents <i>Bent<span style="color:black"> </span></i><b><span style="color:black">June 1 through July 1, 2018
</span></b><span style="color:black">in the intimate Studio Theater. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays.
</span>Tickets are now on sale. Buy early and save with promo code: <b>TRIANGLE </b>
to receive $5 off each adult/senior ticket purchased by May 31. <i>Bent</i> contains adult content.<span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ground-breaking play<i> Bent
</i>is about of group of gay men finding ways to survive persecution before and after the Night of the Long Knives. Within the confines of a concentration camp a secret love affair illustrates how the selfless love of one person for another can overcome oppression,
even under the most extreme circumstances. When <i>Bent </i>was written, there was little awareness about the persecution of homosexuals by the Nazis. The play helped increase education and historical research. The original West End production starred Ian
McKellen, and Richard Gere played the role on Broadway that premiered in 1979 and later nominated for a Tony Award® for Best Play.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“With world events unfolding every day, this is perhaps the most timely play of the season,” remarked Beck Center Artistic Director
<b>Scott Spence</b>. Directed by <b>Matthew Wright</b>, Professor of Theater at Oberlin College, the talented cast includes
<b>Brian Altman, David Bugher, Antonio DeJesus, Luke Ehlert, Nate Homolka, Andrew Gorell,
</b>and <b>Geoff Knox</b>. Gorell and Knox both appear courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA).</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt">
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tickets are $31 for adults, $27 for seniors (65 and older), and $12 for students with a valid I.D. A $3 service fee per ticket will be applied at
time of purchase. Preview Night on Thursday, May 31 is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of four or more. Purchase tickets online at beckcenter.org or call Customer Service at 216.521.2540 x10. Beck Center for the
Arts is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">This production of
<i>Bent </i>is presented through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. It is generously sponsored the residents of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and the Ohio Arts Council.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional theater productions on two stages, arts education programming
for all ages and abilities, including dance, music, theater, visual arts, and creative arts therapies for individuals with special needs, outreach education, and free gallery exhibitions.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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