Beck Center to Stage Conor McPherson's SHINING CITY, 4/1-5/1

Beck Center for the Arts presents the regional premiere of Shining City April 1 through May 1, 2016 in the intimate Studio Theater. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are now on sale. Buy early and save with promo code GHOST to receive $5 off each adult/senior ticket purchased by March 31, 2016.

Written by the Tony nominated and Olivier winning playwright Conor McPherson, this haunting play begins when a guilt-ridden man reaches out to his therapist after seeing the ghost of his recently deceased wife. Wrestling with his own demons, the therapist can only do so much to help. Their sessions soon become a gripping struggle to survive through parallel journeys of self-discovery. Praised by The New York Times, Shining City is "as close to perfection as contemporary playwriting gets."

Having previously performed at Beck Center, the award winning Bernadette Clemens now returns as director for this psychological thriller. Trained at Columbia University and the British American Drama Academy (BADA), Clemens currently serves as the Co-Artistic Director and Co-Producer of Mamaí Theatre Company. "McPherson is a known playwright, and audiences will walk into the Studio Theatre assured of his proven gifts," said Clemens. "What they may not be prepared for, is this gem of a play."

The talented cast of four includes Ursula Cataan as Neasa, Nicholas Chokan as Laurence, Robert Hawkes as John, and Adam Heffernan as Ian. Cataan and Heffernan appear courtesy of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA). "Three men and one woman navigate a transient struggle as McPherson manipulates our allegiances from one scene to the next," Clemens continued. "Shining City ultimately leads us to the final moments of the play with a hair-raising, mind-bending twist. It's a train ride, a ghost story, and possibly a lesson."

Tickets are $31 for adults, $27 for seniors (65 and older), and $12 for students with a valid I.D. A $3 service fee per ticket will be applied at time of purchase. Preview Night on Thursday, March 31 is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of four or more. Purchase tickets online at beckcenter.org, or call Customer Service at 216.521.2540 x10. Beck Center for the Arts is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

This production of Shining City is presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. It is generously sponsored the residents of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and the Ohio Arts Council.

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional theater productions on two stages, arts education programming for all ages and abilities, including dance, music, theater, visual arts, and creative arts therapies for individuals with special needs, outreach education, and free gallery exhibitions.

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