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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Contact: Julie Gilliland, Director of Marketing,
</span><a href="mailto:jgilliland@beckcenter.org"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">jgilliland@beckcenter.org</span></b></a><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 14, 2022
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Beck Center For The Arts Announces Youth Theater Production
<b><i>Bugsy Malone</i></b>, A Musical Comedy Classic For All Ages<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Lakewood, OH–</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.beckcenter.org/"><span style="color:blue">Beck Center for the Arts</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> is
pleased to announce the fourth production of their </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.beckcenter.org/youth-theater">2021-2022 Youth Theater Season.</a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> The 73<sup>rd</sup>
season continues with a funny classic, </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.beckcenter.org/youth-shows/bugsy"><b><i>Bugsy Malone</i></b></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">,<span style="color:red">
</span>written by Allen Parker, with music and lyrics by Paul Williams, running May 6 to May 15, 2022, in the Senney Theater.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;letter-spacing:.8pt">Based on the hit 1976 film, and featuring a catchy, swinging score by the composer of
<i>The Muppet Movie</i>, <b><i>Bugsy Malone</i></b> is good, clean, comedic fun. Two gangs comprised completely of children, square off in a 1920s rivalry of Capone-ian standards. Bugsy Malone, a one-time boxer, is thrust not-so-willingly into the gangster
limelight when all he really wants to do is spend time with his new love, Blousey, but that just isn’t in the cards for our hero. A master class in musical comedy, this show is a fun escape for adults and children alike. Musical direction is by Heidi Herczeg.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Sarah Clare, Associate Director of Theater Education at Beck Center, and director and choreographer of
<i>Bugsy Malone</i> says of this production, “One of the things we have discussed many times in this show, is how mean and ‘bad’ the characters in the play are. We talk about how it is everyone’s choice to treat people with kindness, or to treat them poorly.
At the end of the show the characters reflect on the choices they have made, and how they could have chosen a different path. One of the main reasons for doing this show, was to ultimately have a fun time and get to be silly characters. But another,
<i>even more important, </i>reason is the chance to have conversations with our students, about who they want to be, and how their choices lead to who they become. The lyrics ‘You’re gonna be remembered for the things that you say and do,’ are a constant reminder
to make choices that allow us to be better friends, acquaintances, and people in this world.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">This production is
<a href="https://beckcenter.na.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/1363">now on sale to the public</a> with a 7:30 pm curtain on Fridays, May 6 and 13, Saturdays, May 7 and 14, and 3:00 pm matinees on Sundays, May 8 and 15, 2022 with a student matinee on Thursday,
May 12, 2022 at 10:00 am EST. All performances are live and in person at Beck Center for the Arts.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Tickets are on sale to the general public. Please call 216-521-2540 x10 for group rates, and to schedule a spot in the student matinee. Ticket prices include $12 Adult/Senior and $10 Children/Student
(18 & under). Reserve tickets at <a href="https://beckcenter.na.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/1363">
beckcenter.org-youththeater,</a> call 216.521.2540 x10, or simply stop by Beck Center Customer Service at 17801 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH, 44107. Patrons attending live performances at Beck Center should visit
<a href="https://www.beckcenter.org/new-page-1">this page for COVID protocols</a>, please.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Beck Center for the Arts’ Youth Theater alumni include Michael Chernus (<i>Orange Is the New Black</i>;
<i>Manhattan</i>); Dee Hoty (three-time Tony Nominee); Isabela Merced (<i>Dora and the Lost City of Gold;</i>
<i>Transformers: The Last Night</i>); Rory O’Malley (<i>Hamilton</i>; Tony Nominee,
<i>Book of Mormon</i>); and Daniel Reichard (Drama Desk Nominee, <i>Jersey Boys</i>).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Patrons are invited to arrive early and view the visual arts display,
<b><i>Budding to Blossoming</i></b>, of which some items are available for purchase at Customer Service. This free exhibition takes place just outside the Senney Theater in the main building and includes the work of talented local Beck Center student artists.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Programming at Beck Center for the Arts is made possible through the generous support of the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center gratefully acknowledges the generous funding provided by the citizens
of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="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 in dance, music, theater, visual arts,
early childhood, and creative arts therapies for individuals with disabilities, free gallery exhibits year-round, and outreach education programming.</span></i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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