*NEWS RELEASE * Media contact: Lisa Craig, 216-832-0370, email *lmcraigoh@gmail.com <lmcraigoh@gmail.com>* *New Equity Musical Theatre Company Brings Tony Award Winners to Cleveland* *November 11, 2015* (Cleveland, OH) - Professional musical theatre now has a new stand-alone organization in Northeast Ohio. Cleveland Musical Theatre (CMT) is a new non-profit theatre company dedicated to providing the region with high quality, engaging, and locally produced musical theater. Founder and Artistic Director Miles J. Sternfeld announced a partnership of CMT with Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus (Tri-C East) for its performance venue in the newly remodeled Simon and Rose Mandel Theatre, and with Making It On Broadway (MIOB) for educational programming. In addition to professional Equity performances at Tri-C East, CMT offers local workshops, master classes and week-long intensives led by New York City’s finest musical theatre professionals for students and rising professional actors who want to “make it on Broadway.” Sternfeld, along with Managing Director Sean Patrick, was inspired to create a way to consistently support and spotlight musical theater in northeast Ohio after seeing how many Clevelanders populate the theatre community of his current city of residence, NYC. “I became dedicated to create a home where aspiring professionals from Cleveland and around the country can gain professional experience, work alongside performers with substantial Broadway credits, and train under the best educators in the country,” says Sternfeld. "A testament to the importance our community places on the arts is seen by the vast amount of talent that Cleveland attracts to some of the best musical theatre college-programs in the country,” Sternfeld continues, “and so many of those students have moved on to successful careers on Broadway.” *THE MUSIC MAN: Inspiration and Act One* Sternfeld, currently studying English at Fordham University in NYC, already made an impression in the Cleveland area right after graduating from Orange High School, producing and directing a benefit performance of “The Who’s Tommy” for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, featuring Broadway performers Nick Blaemire, Adrienne Warren and Jodie Langel. While rehearsing for “The Who’s Tommy,” Sternfeld began to brainstorm with Langel on future collaborations. She founded Making It on Broadway in 2005, which has grown into a premier musical theatre training program in New York. Given the bevy of talent in Cleveland, they decided to hold a workshop over the summer. They hosted a one-week MT Intensive in July of 2015, and MIOB quickly sold out the program at 40 students, 15 of whom resided out of state. Based on the overwhelming response, it became clear that Making It On Broadway would be a welcome addition to Cleveland's artistic landscape. *THE SOUND OF MUSIC: Educational Programming* CMT, in conjunction with Making It On Broadway, plans to offer a one-week summer program, a one-week winter program, and various other options during the year. Tony-winner *Patina Miller* will join the upcoming winter training program as a master-class teacher. CMT's educational programming is open to students of all ages, young and old alike, to provide them with solid musical theatre training -- all taught by a staff with Broadway credits. “We want to help people who are looking to make theater their career,” says Patrick. “I am so excited and thrilled to be the education director of Cleveland Musical Theatre,” proclaims Langel. “We all have the same vision, to bring the highest level of education and theater to Cleveland. Because there is so much talent in Cleveland, we have the unique opportunity to combine local talent with Broadway professionals.” *APPLAUSE: Theatrical Programming* In the summer of 2015, CMT made its first foray into producing with a workshop-style production of the Elton John/Tim Rice rock-opera, “Aida.” The cast of 24 included 12 local actors paired with 12 Broadway and NY-based guest actors. The workshop was directed by Sternfeld, with Martin Cespedes as choreographer and Patrick as musical director. It was presented twice at Tri-C's Metro Campus to an invited audience of prospective donors and interested parties. It featured a full 16-piece orchestra comprised of Cleveland's renowned musicians. “When the curtain came down, it was clear that ‘Aida’ was a smash hit. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and not just from the audience. The NY-based cast members had an exceptional experience and were really overjoyed to be a part of such an exciting new initiative,” raves Sternfeld. “Moving forward, it's our hope to go into full production of ‘Aida’ in the Summer of 2016,” says Patrick. “This would be our first public production. Beyond that, we would hope to expand to do multiple shows each summer.” *COMPANY: Making Cuyahoga Community College a Home* CMT needed to partner with a venue that would be able to house the quality and size of productions that it hoped to mount. They approached Cuyahoga Community College about their Eastern Campus performing arts center. President of Tri-C's Eastern Campus, J. Michael Thomson, was enthusiastic and agreed that a partnership could be beneficial to both CMT and Cuyahoga Community College. The Simon and Rose Mandel Theatre is undergoing large renovations, says Patrick, and CMT “is honored to be the first theater company to utilize this gorgeous facility after its renovation. We are happy to call Tri-C East our home base, and we look forward to a developing partnership with such an amazing institution.” *DREAM: The Inaugural Gala* On January 11, 2016, CMT hosts its first fundraiser with dinner, drinks, a feature performance by *Alice Ripley* and several other Cleveland-native Broadway artists, and an auction. Individual tickets start at $95 and table sponsorships are available for $6,000. This evening will be held at Tri-C East in the Simon and Rose Mandel Theatre. “ It will be truly a beautiful night of song, food, and great company,” proclaims Sternfeld. *Full details are available at www.clevelandmusicaltheatre.com <http://www.clevelandmusicaltheatre.com>.* *CMT Leadership* Founding Artistic Director - Miles J. Sternfeld, Managing Director - Sean Patrick, Director of Education – Jodie Langel. Board of Directors: Miles Sternfeld, President; Sean Patrick, Vice President; Jeffrey Grover; Peter Dougherty; Kyle Stefanski; Kelly Hoy; Cassandra Goldbach; Robert Sternfeld.