<div dir="ltr"><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><span id="m_-5432072394826421149gmail-docs-internal-guid-df5dc5eb-7fff-9cdc-7bf4-89c83f949ecf" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">For more information contact:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ray Caspio</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="mailto:raycaspio@gmail.com">raycaspio@gmail.com</a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">PRESS RELEASE</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“The Wall” explores isolation, self-discovery, and fear</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">around the metaphorical barriers created during COVID-19</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cleveland-based performance artist Ray Caspio’s “The Wall” reveals the artist’s inner</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">struggles in quarantine while challenging participants to confront barriers constructed by</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">society and self.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cleveland (March 31, 2023)</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> – Isolation. Fear. Mortality. As a global society, we faced these challenges head-on during the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic. While these are universal concerns, the pandemic only further separated society - creating walls between each other and within ourselves. Cleveland-based performance artist Ray Caspio explores these themes in “The Wall,” a portrait of self, society, and confronting hidden truths, in which the artist dissolves their walls through visual art and durational performance.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“The Wall” is centered around a 6’4” x 6’4” wall of text from Caspio’s studio composed of </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;white-space:pre-wrap">automatic writings recorded during their 18-month isolation. The result is a dreamlike meditation on loss, Self, sexuality, and memory inviting participants to face the walls we erect around ourselves. “The Wall”'s raw vulnerability and immersive reflection in a time of lies, chaos, and fear of "the other" is a journey of acceptance toward the wholeness of ourselves, and each other, before our time is through. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"The space and performance will evolve throughout the seven-week process,” said Caspio. “It will be an organic performance as I respond to who and what is in the space each time, culminating in a nine-hour performance to close the installation."</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">WHEN/WHERE:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Performances: Fridays, April 14, 21, 28, May 5, May 12, May 19, 6-9 p.m.; and Saturday, May 27, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">1300 Gallery at 78th Street Studios, 1300 W. 78th Street, Ste. 101, Cleveland</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Performances are ticketed and Pay-What-You-Can, with a suggestion of $25 via </span><a href="https://www.raycaspio.com/thewall"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">https://www.raycaspio.com/thewall</span></span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Free, limited parking is available onsite. N95, KN95, or surgical masks are required at all performances. Ages 18+ due to subject matter.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Created, designed, written, and performed by Ray Caspio, with space construction by Bobby Ayala Perez, “The Wall” brings the story to life through paintings, audio, video, and automatic and homoerotic drawings, with performance uniting all of the elements. Those present are encouraged to witness, reflect and leave their mark on the space.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“The Wall” is supported by The Satellite Fund, administered by SPACES, and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Regranting Program. It is co-produced by Caspio and Ohio City Theatre Project.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">About Ray Caspio:</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ray Caspio (b. 1979, they/he) is a performance and conceptual artist, painter, and teaching artist. Their art is one of exposure. Caspio creates atmospheric works ranging from confessional to comedic in an inquiry into memory, Queer identity, loss, the grotesque of society, and profound emotion. They possess a visceral vulnerability and irreverent humor that opens an authentic conduit between the artist and their audience collaborators. Their performances have been recognized as “magical” and “intensely honest and unflinching,” with Ray being called “a shapeshifter” and “one [person] tour de force.” Caspio’s creations have been performed at The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA), BorderLight Fringe, Theater Ninjas, and Cleveland Public Theatre’s Pandemonium. Caspio’s work appeared on “Best of” lists for Scene Magazine and WCPN’s The Sound of Applause. Ray was profiled by Scene as “The Thespian'' of 2014. Caspio founded Michael Chekhov Center Cleveland to share their understanding of Chekhov’s psychophysical performance principles with Northeast Ohio artists. Ray received a 2016 Creative Workforce Fellowship for their performance work. Through the revealing of cathartic truths of their inner life, Caspio inspires the questions: Who am I? Who are you? Who are we? What is this space we inhabit, together? And what does it mean to be alive?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">        </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">  </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">       </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">  </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">About Ohio City Theatre Project:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Actively involved in the Cleveland area since 2012, Ohio City Theatre Project (OCTP) strives to create world class theatrical experiences that are experienced intellectually and touch the heart. OCTP uses creative innovation to drive civic dialog about contemporary issues and connects with regional partners to develop synergistic opportunities for local artists to produce new theatrical work and impactful education programs.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">OCTP is led by Executive Artistic Director Pandora Robertson. OCTP has produced the premieres of new works by Northeast Ohio artists, which include the film </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">But to work!</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (2021) as well as the plays </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Central Concern</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (2019 premiere, 2022 Borderlight Festival Producer’s Choice Award), </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Incendiaries </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(2016 premiere, 2018 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award for playwriting), </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Snake Oil </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(2015), </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Free Radical and The Late Night Sketchbook </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(2014), </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Summer Storefront </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(2013), </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Living Storefront: A Night of New Theatre </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(2012), as well as productions of Eugène Ionesco’s </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Bald Soprano </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(2013) and Matt Larsen’s </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kid Mystery </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(2012).</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">###</span></p></span><br style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div><br></div><span>-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">James Kopniske<div>Freelance Writer</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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