*PRESS RELEASE* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 8/28/2024 ------------------------------ 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 95th Season with one-woman comedy about Erma Bombeck* *Subheading:* Paula Kline-Messner stars in "Erma Bombeck: At Wit's End" by Chagrin natives Allison and Margaret Engel CHAGRIN FALLS, OH — Chagrin Valley Little Theatre opens its 95th Season with Allison Engel and Margaret Engel's wildly funny one-woman show *Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End* on September 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29. Performances will be at 7:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, 2:00 PM on Sundays at CVLT's Main Stage, 40 River Street in historic Chagrin Falls. $23 admission, with $3 discount for seniors, students, and military. Although Erma Bombeck started out as a journalist for the Dayton Journal Herald, she transitioned to full-time motherhood and homemaking in the early 1950s. In 1954, she started writing a column for the Dayton Shopping News which later gained national syndication. Bombeck's column, characterized by her keen wit and poignancy, focused on the everyday trials of suburban motherhood and married life. Eventually it reached 900 papers, making it one of the most widely syndicated columns in America, and launching Bombeck into the popular culture as a TV guest and author. Chagrin Falls natives Allison and Margaret Engel grew up reading the column. The identical twin sisters also pursued journalism careers, and in 2010 penned a play based on the work of journalist/humorist Molly Ivins. The play caught the attention of Bombeck's agent, who suggested they make Erma the focus of their next project. Already fans, the sisters were eager to oblige. They not only read and watched everything they could find from Bombeck's career, but also visited with Bombeck's husband and children for their first-hand accounts of their wife and mother, who passed away in 1996. The result was *Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End*, which premiered to critical acclaim in 2015 and was staged at Cleveland Play House in 2023. Chagrin Valley Little Theatre's production stars Paula Kline-Messner (SAG-AFTRA) under the direction of Mark Seven. Ms. Kline-Messner has appeared in numerous productions in NE Ohio and national tours, including a half-dozen tours of *Menopause, The Musical*. She is a former television host and producer of several nationally syndicated programs and a four-time Emmy Award Winner for her work as a television writer, producer and on camera talent. On opening night the theatre will host a $25 VIP reception with wine and hors d’œuvres beginning at 6:00 PM. After the premiere performance, all audience members are invited to stay for a talkback session with the show’s playwrights. Tickets for *Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End* 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, especially with a major reconstruction of the bridge above the Chagrin Falls underway. CVLT's 95th Season also includes *The Sound of Music, Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Jersey Boys, Clue: On Stage,* and* Freaky Friday.* ### 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. -- Unsubscribe <https://multisend-unsubscribe.gmail.com/p/AJkpobwcxyeLBZG5UsjdltAduCYv-x3oxes3zDfa0LnXhogswGEEpHeW9UOdI7SzQzXJ9Cp6D0HW2pUFYw7AC4H4ve-cYLCvWOXZIXjOUNnt6qHOrKTRNYKJgZROxxxPU9AtL8jFknU_DyNR9avz1HmMUEYeCeivcW_VtlExOIrV9zsRES9tfItlxKa12ub_fQ95MfCGsLAkuycbZ77BmywWTgwON9QYmUJtavYsI-uy>