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<p class="s12" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="s12" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center"><span class="s13"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Beck Center For The Arts Announces Caribbean Delight,
</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="s12" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center"><span class="s13"><b><i><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Once On This Island</span></i></b></span><span class="s13"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
</span></b></span><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="s12" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="s12" style="margin:0in"><span class="s9"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Lakewood, OH</span></b></span><span class="s10"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">–</span></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.beckcenter.org/"><span class="s11"><span style="color:blue">Beck
Center for the Arts</span></span></a><span class="s10"> is pleased to announce the Tony Award nominated
</span><a href="https://www.beckcenter.org/shows/island"><b><i>Once On This Island.</i></b></a><span class="s10"><b><i>
</i></b>Running July 7 to August 6, 2023 in the Senney Theater, this musical offers patrons an escape to a refreshing vacation, perfect for all ages.
</span></span><span class="s10"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="s12" style="margin:0in"><span class="s10"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Based on the award-winning novel
<i>My Love, My Love</i> by Rosa Guy, <b><i>Once On This Island</i></b> tells the story of Ti Moune, a young peasant girl who falls in love with a wealthy boy from the other side of the island. Set by the sparkling Caribbean Sea, this musical explores themes
of love, loss, and the power of community in the face of adversity. With echoes of
<i>The</i> <i>Little Mermaid </i>and the struggle of young love in <i>West Side Story,</i> this production blends elements of folk and fairy tales with modern storytelling techniques.
<span style="letter-spacing:.1pt">The essence of the story is captured with the depiction of Afro-Caribbean inspired spirituality and rituals.
</span> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Featuring music by the renowned composer
<a href="https://www.mtishows.com/people/stephen-flaherty">Stephen Flaherty</a>, book and lyrics by
<a href="https://www.mtishows.com/people/lynn-ahrens"><span style="color:windowtext">Lynn Ahrens</span></a>,
<b><i>Once On This Island</i></b> won critical acclaim for its unforgettable songs, including "We Dance," "Mama Will Provide," and "Why We Tell the Story."
<a href="https://www.mercurytheaterchicago.com/meet-the-team"><span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt">Christopher Chase Carter</span></a><span style="color:#313131;letter-spacing:-.3pt">, Artistic Director of Mercury Theatre in Chicago directs and choreographs.
Musical direction by Beck Center Resident Musical Director, Larry Goodpaster brings to life this heart-felt musical with talent like
</span><span class="s10">local actress and singer powerhouse, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-stump-4381774b/">Tina Stump</a><span class="s10">, an Actors’ Equity Association member.
</span><span style="color:red"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="s12" style="margin:0in"><span class="s16"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s16"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Scott Spence, producer, and Artistic Director of Beck Center, says, “</span></span><b><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Once On This Island</span></i></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
has an amazing history and pedigree on the Broadway stage. I was very inspired by the recent revival at Circle On The Square and thought it was absolutely time to revisit this early musical by Flaherty and Ahrens---the team that brought us
<i>Ragtime</i>, <i>My Favorite Year</i>, <i>A Man Of No Importance,</i> among others. The storytelling aspect of this musical speaks directly to why American Musical Theatre is such a special artform.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="s12" style="margin:0in"><span class="s16"><span style="color:red"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><span class="s9"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Run dates are July 7 – August 6, 2023 in the
</span></span><span class="s10"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Senney Theater</span></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> with
<span class="s10">additional performances July 27, and Aug 3, 2023. </span><span class="s16">Ticket prices range from </span><span class="s17">$38 (adults), $34 (for seniors 65 and older) $17 for students with valid ID, and $12 for children between five and
12 years of age. A $3 service fee per single ticket will be applied at time of purchase. </span><span class="s16">Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays.
</span><span class="s17">Preview performance is 7:30 p.m. the Thursday before opening night, with general-admission seating for just $10. Smart Seats® are available for each performance at just $10 per person. For more information on
<b><i>Once On This Island,</i></b> please visit </span><a href="https://www.beckcenter.org/shows/island"><span style="color:windowtext">beckcenter.org</span></a><span class="s17">.
</span></span><span class="s17"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><span class="s17"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#313131;letter-spacing:-.3pt">This
</span><span class="s10"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">locally produced premiere, according to
<i>Variety, </i>is “just what a weary world needs now.” </span><span style="color:red"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><span class="s21"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">This musical is presented through special arrangement with</span></span><span class="s10"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></span><span class="s21"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Music
Theatre International (MTI). </span></span><span class="s25"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><span class="s25"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="s8" style="margin:0in"><span class="s25"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">All performances are at theaters inside </span></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.beckcenter.org/"><span class="s29"><span style="color:blue">Beck
Center for the Arts</span></span></a><span class="s16"> located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available. For more information visit </span><a href="http://www.beckcenter.org/"><span class="s29"><span style="color:blue">beckcenter.org</span></span></a><span class="s16">.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="s15" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="s10"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Beck Center for the Arts is proud to be a part of Northeast Ohio’s professional theater landscape, operating under a letter of agreement with Actors’ Equity Association. We are a Small Professional
Theater (SPT) based on the number of seats, number of our performances, and the maximum weekly hours of work we provide to actors. We produce every show on our stages, by choosing the play, casting and rehearsing it, building the sets, props, and costumes,
directing and performing the live music, and designing lights and sound. We proudly utilize regional resources and talent.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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