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<div style="color:rgb(32,33,36);font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:medium;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;min-height:100%"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-a4O" style="width:1706.67px"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-bkL"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-no" style="float:left;display:flex;width:1706.67px"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-bkK m_8371656964342183838gmail-nn" style="min-height:1px;float:left;overflow:hidden;width:1463.65px"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-ar4 m_8371656964342183838gmail-B"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-aeI"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-AO"><div id="m_8371656964342183838gmail-:4" class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-Tm m_8371656964342183838gmail-aeJ" style="padding-right:0px;background:none;overflow-y:scroll;height:701px"><div id="m_8371656964342183838gmail-:2" class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-aeF" style="padding:0px;vertical-align:bottom;min-height:511.333px"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-g"><table class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-Bs m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-iY m_8371656964342183838gmail-bAt" cellpadding="0" style="padding:0px;border-collapse:collapse;width:1378.67px;display:block"><tbody><tr><td class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-Bu m_8371656964342183838gmail-bAn" style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;margin:0px;vertical-align:top;padding:0px;display:block;background:rgb(255,255,255)"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-if" style="margin:0px 16px 0px 0px;padding:0px"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-aHU"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-hx" style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(34,34,34);min-width:502px;padding:0px"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-h7 m_8371656964342183838gmail-ie m_8371656964342183838gmail-nH m_8371656964342183838gmail-oy8Mbf" style="clear:both;padding-bottom:0px;max-width:100000px;outline:none"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-Bk" style="margin-bottom:0px;border-width:0px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:initial;border-bottom-style:initial;border-left-style:initial;border-top-color:rgb(239,239,239);border-right-color:initial;border-left-color:initial;border-bottom-color:initial;border-radius:0px;width:1354.67px;float:none"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-G3 m_8371656964342183838gmail-G2" style="padding-top:0px;background-color:transparent;border-right:0px;border-bottom:0px rgba(100,121,143,0.12);border-left:0px;border-top:none;border-radius:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-right:0px"><div id="m_8371656964342183838gmail-:1v3"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-adn m_8371656964342183838gmail-ads" style="border-left:none;padding:0px;display:flex"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-gs" style="margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 20px;width:1290.67px"><div class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-"><div id="m_8371656964342183838gmail-:1v0" class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-ii m_8371656964342183838gmail-gt" style="font-size:12.8px;direction:ltr;margin:8px 0px 0px;padding:0px"><div id="m_8371656964342183838gmail-:1v1" class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-a3s m_8371656964342183838gmail-aXjCH" style="overflow:hidden;font:13px/1.5 sans-serif"><div dir="ltr"><span name="City"><span name="place"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:center;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;color:black;text-transform:uppercase;background:white">AURORA COMMUNITY THEATRE </span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:right;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Contact:<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:right;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Christine Patronik-Holder<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:right;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">330-562-1818<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><i><u><span style="font-size:16pt;color:black;background:white">Award Winning</span></u></i><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:center;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><i><span style="font-size:20pt;color:black;background:white">NEXT to <span>NORMAL</span> </span></i></b><i><span style="font-size:20pt;color:black;background:white">Opens </span></i><i><span style="font-size:20pt;color:black">June 29</span></i><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><i><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">NEXT to NORMAL</span></i></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">, featuring an electrifying pop-rock score, opens </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">June 29<span style="background:white"> at Aurora Community Theatre, 115 E. Pioneer Trail for a seven-performance run at </span>8 pm<span style="background:white"> Fridays and Saturdays through </span>July 14<span style="background:white">, plus </span>3 pm<span style="background:white"> </span>Sunday July 8<span style="background:white">.<span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Tom Kitt</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> composed the music with book and lyrics by <b>Brian Yorkey</b> of this American musical, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, three Tony Awards, including Best Musical Score, and the designation as “one of the year’s ten best shows” by critics around the country, including <i>The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone </i>and <i>The New York Times.</i><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><br><b><i>NEXT to NORMAL</i></b> tells the story of the Goodman family. Dad’s an architect, teenaged daughter and son are bright and wise-cracking, while mom rushes frenziedly to pack lunches, pour cereal and cope. Audiences will warmly embrace each character in this story of a modern suburban family as they struggle to manage normally under the mantle of mom’s bipolar disorder*.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">“A brave, breathtaking musical. It is something much more than a feel-good musical: it is a feel-everything musical.” ---<i> The New York Times</i><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Marc C. Howard</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> directs and choreographs this deeply moving piece of musical theatre with<b> D. Keith Stiver</b>, musical director and<b> Tina Davis</b>, assistant director.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Jessica DeFrange</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> takes on the role of Diana Goodman with <b>Paul G. Josell</b> as her husband, Dan; <b>Libby Kendzerski</b> as their daughter Natalie, and <b>Logan Soland </b>as son, Gabriel “Gabe.”  <b>Stephen Blauch</b> plays Natalie’s boyfriend, Henry, while <b>Ron Davis</b> takes on the dual roles of Dr. Fine/Dr. Madden.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background:white;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Erin Matson</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"> is the producer,<span> </span><b>Ann Nyenhuis</b>, stage manager/technical director, with<b><span> </span>Dave Nyenhuis</b>, assistant stage manager.<span> </span></span><b><span style="color:black;background:white">T.L. Codella</span></b><span style="color:black;background:white"> designed the<b> </b>lighting. <b>Maggie Hamilton, </b>in charge of sound, also serves as board liaison. <b>Marianne Gingras</b> designed promotional posters and signs.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt"><br><b><span style="background:white">Todd Plone</span></b><span style="background:white">, set designer and scenic artist, also assisted with construction, which was managed by<span> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Ann Nyenhuis. The construction crew also<span> </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;background:white">included<span> </span><b>Joe Mira, Dave Nyenhuis, Neil Rubin, April Sike, Craig McCloud, Katie Hintze, Rollin R. Devere III, Tim Steiner,<span> </span></b>and<span> </span><b>Jerry Schaber,<span> </span></b>who will serve as run crew.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Musical director<b> </b>Stiver </span><span style="color:black;background:white">will serve as pianist while he conducts the live orchestra featuring: <b>Jonathan "Skip" Edwards</b>, bass, </span><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Rochelle Hylton</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">, </span><span style="color:black;background:white">cello, </span><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Tyler Harding</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">, </span><span style="color:black;background:white">percussion, <b>Heather Kovach</b>, violin, and </span><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Dustin Oliver</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">, guitar.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="color:black;background:white"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">*American Psychological Association</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> defines bipolar disorder as “a serious mental illness in which common emotions become intensely and often unpredictably magnified. Individuals with bipolar disorder can quickly swing from extremes of happiness, energy and clarity to sadness, fatigue and confusion. These shifts can be so devastating that individuals may choose suicide. All people with bipolar disorder have manic episodes — abnormally elevated or irritable moods that last at least a week and impair functioning. But not all become depressed.”<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background:white;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><i><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">“NEXT to <span><span>NORMAL</span></span></span></i></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"> is fabulous; make time to see the show. The script zings, both funny and painful. The music pulses, keeping a tough subject palatable—even entertaining.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:windowtext">"</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"> <b><i>Psychology Today</i></b><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">“Beg, Borrow, or Steal to get a ticket to this show … It’s a fantastic piece of musical theater…you will be entertained, touched, moved, and devastated, all </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">in two hours<span style="background:white"> with electric guitars. Trust me, it works.” Tara Kennedy <b><i>Onstage blog</i></b><span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background:white;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">“The music is outstanding. That’s much of the reason we chose it,” said director Howard, who also serves as </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:windowtext">the president of</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:crimson"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Aurora Community Theatre’s Board of Trustees and chair of the play selection committee. <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">AMAZON.com patron music reviews of the original Broadway recording of <b><i>NEXT to NORMAL </i></b>as 4.7 out of 5 with comments such as:<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:black;background:white">§</span><span style="font-size:7pt;color:black;background:white">    </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">“<b><i>NEXT to NORMAL</i></b> is a breath of fresh air on the Broadway stage. Very rarely does a show this fantastic come along.”<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:black;background:white">§</span><span style="font-size:7pt;color:black;background:white">    </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">“It is so rare nowadays to hear music written in the traditional AABA musical theatre structure in a pop style that truly compels you to listen and draws you into the dramatic conflicts of the story. So many pop musical scores are bland and generic, but not this little treasure.”<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:black;background:white">§</span><span style="font-size:7pt;color:black;background:white">    </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">“I have not had a musical touch my heart like this in years. I can't stop listening to it.” <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">AUDIENCE ADVISORY: <b><i>NEXT to NORMAL</i></b> contains strong language and <br>adult situations that some may find offensive.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><b><i><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">NEXT to NORMAL</span></i></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. </span><a href="http://www.mtishows.com/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:rgb(17,85,204)">www.MTIShows.com</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> <span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">Aurora Community Theatre is located at </span><a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=115+E.+Pioneer+Trail&entry=gmail&source=g" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:rgb(17,85,204)">115 E. Pioneer Trail</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white">, near the intersection of SR 43 and 306, at the gazebo, in the center of <span><span>Aurora</span></span>. ACT extends appreciation to The Denise G. & Norman E. Wells, Jr. Family Foundation for their generous underwriting of the Wells Main Stage.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:black;background:white"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><i><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:black;background:white">ACT, celebrating 58 successful seasons in 2017-18, annually presents three Main Season shows, a summer stock production, benefit show, plus two children’s summer workshops, reaching an annual audience of over 7,000.</span></i><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"><span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black;background:white"> </span></p></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-Bu m_8371656964342183838gmail-yM" style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;margin:0px;vertical-align:top;padding:0px;width:0px;background:rgb(255,255,255)"></td><td class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-Bu m_8371656964342183838gmail-y3" style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;margin:0px;vertical-align:top;padding:0px;width:0px;height:100px;background:rgb(255,255,255)"></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color:rgb(32,33,36);font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:medium;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><div></div></div><br class="m_8371656964342183838gmail-Apple-interchange-newline">

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