*PRESS RELEASE* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 8/24/2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contact: Andrew Rothman From: Chagrin Valley Little Theatre 40 River Street Chagrin Falls, OH 44122 Phone: 440-247-8955 E-mail: cvlt@cvlt.org Website: www.CVLT.org <http://www.cvlt.org/> CVLT opens 94th Season with world-premiere of Vietnam drama "1970" by Scott Lax *Subheading:* World-premiere of play adapted from "The Year That Trembled" novel by local author CHAGRIN FALLS, OH - Chagrin Valley Little Theatre will begin its 94th Season of plays and musicals with the world premiere of 1970 by award-winning novelist and journalist Scott Lax. CVLT will stage the play on Fridays 9/22 and 9/29 and Saturdays 9/23 and 9/30 at 7:30 PM. Sunday matinees will be at 2:00 PM on 9/24 and 10/1. Tickets are $21 with a $4 discount for students, seniors, and military. Group discounts available. Adapted from Lax's acclaimed novel "The Year That Trembled," 1970 is a story about war, but also about friendship, love, loss, and forgiveness, among a small group of friends. This coming-of-age story is set in the fictional village of Chestnut Falls, Ohio during the Vietnam draft. Lax's first published his novel in 1998 and then produced it with Tyler Davidson as a feature film in 2002. The film, written and directed by Jay Craven, starred Jonathan Brandis, Marin Hinkle, and Fred Willard among others earned accolades at the Cleveland International Film Festival. Lax then adapted his novel again for high school drama groups. The school version was staged in 2003 and 2013 at University School under the direction of Carol Jaffee Pribble. In 2020, finding himself struck by the parallels between the draft era and the turmoil of the COVID pandemic, Lax set about rewriting the play once more; this time it would be reworked for professional and community theaters. After several cuts, additions, and revisions, he offered Chagrin Valley Little Theatre the opportunity to premiere the new incarnation entitled 1970. CVLT's production, under the direction of Brian Westerley, stars Keenan Carosielli, Alison Matas Smith, Brett Heidinger, Matthew Andrus, Alex George, Donna Longfellow, Erin Moore, Cori’en Harvey, Abegail Zee, and Barry Moses. With a limited two-weekend run, this event is expected to sell quickly. Tickets for 1970 can be purchased online 24/7 at CVLT.org or by calling the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre Box Office at 440-247-8955, Tuesday - Friday afternoons from 1:00pm - 6:00pm. Early reservations and arrival are highly recommended. CVLT is located at 40 River Street in historic Chagrin Falls Village. ### Chagrin Valley Little Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded through individual and corporate contributions. Our programming is made possible in part by the citizens of Cuyahoga Country through Cuyahoga County Arts and Culture and by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.