<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-861bdcb1-7fff-b58a-4402-42d4b5461f65"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">
<span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-49bb5ab1-7fff-0947-ad2f-47d51bbe686f"><span style="font-size:16pt;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">North Pointe Ballet to present </span><span style="font-size:16pt;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Beauty and the Beast</span><span style="font-size:16pt;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> April 21-23.</span></span>
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">North Pointe Ballet (NPB) is pleased to return to the historic Lorain Palace Theatre to present </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Beauty and the Beast</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. NPB</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:12pt;white-space:pre-wrap"> will premiere its new ballet interpretation of the story of Belle, the book-loving daughter of a merchant. </span><b>NPB’s<span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:12pt;white-space:pre-wrap"> signature live verbal and sign language narration will guide audience members through the tale where enchanted objects come to life, drama unfolds through exceptional artistry, and loveable characters show that you can’t judge a book by its cover.</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">From Friday, April 21 through Sunday, April 23, a</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">udience members will be captivated by NPB professional dancers performing alongside students from local dance studios.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">During a special Sensory-Friendly matinee on Saturday, April 22, participants from NPB’s partner site </span><a href="https://www.murrayridgecenter.org/services-for-children/school-age/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Murray Ridge School</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> as well as NPB’s A Chance to Dance program will join the cast. NPB’s A Chance to Dance program gives</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> dancers with diversabilities meaningful dance experiences that allow them to work alongside dancers in the professional company as well as their typical peers. This performance </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">will also be live streamed via </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4WsACnXd1VLqia3liHO8g" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">NPB’s YouTube channel</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> at no cost to viewers in further effort towards accessibility. Sensory-Friendly performances</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> provide accommodations to reduce loud sounds and adjust dramatic lights, provide a space for taking a sensory break, and allow for a relaxed theater environment. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;background-color:transparent;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ms. Dziak hopes to convey an important message through this ballet: “We all have a story - our own lived experiences contribute to our attitudes and our behaviors. Those who are considered villains to some are considered heroes to others; and what seems ‘normal’ to some is</span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;background-color:transparent;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(204,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;background-color:transparent;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">considered ‘crazy’ to others. Taking time to get to know someone and understand another's story can create that empathy that we all hope for in our own lives.”</span><br></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">TICKETS: </span></p><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tickets can be purchased via NPB’s website: <a href="http://northpointeballet.org/beauty-and-the-beast">northpointeballet.org/beauty-and-the-beast</a> or by phone via the Lorain Palace Theatre: 440-245-2323. Ticketing questions can be directed to </span><a href="mailto:kayla@lorainpalace.com" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">kayla@lorainpalace.com</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></span><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><font face="times new roman, serif"><b><br></b></font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><font face="times new roman, serif"><b>Leanna Ruegg</b><br></font><div><font face="times new roman, serif">Community Engagement & Operations Manager, North Pointe Ballet</font></div></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif">515-460-3695 mobile</span><br></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><font face="times new roman, serif"><img src="https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1Z0m7G0XxiYZ0kvwsIfdk0RUrRA8v_aQa&export=download" width="96" height="53"><br></font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><b><i><font face="times new roman, serif" size="1">Making Classical Ballet Accessible to Our Community</font></i></b></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><font face="times new roman, serif" size="1"><a href="https://northpointeballet.org/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Website</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/northpointeballet" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Facebook</a>  |  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/northpointeballet/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Instagram</a></font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>