CMSD Students Present MEMPHIS as 16th Annual All-City Musical This Weekend

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) will present its sixteenth annual All-City Musical, MEMPHIS to crown the District's 2014-15 series of All-City Arts Programming. The production features the talents of nearly fifty CMSD students from across the District and will take place on the stage of the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square, this weekend, May 22 - 24, 2015. Tony Sias, Director of Arts Education / Cleveland School of the Arts Artistic Director for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, co-directs the production with the CMSD All-City Arts Program's Managing Director, Kimberly Brown.

The book and music for Memphis were created by Joe Dipietro with music and lyrics by David Bryan. Memphis is based on a concept by George W. George. The CMSD All-City Musical production is presented through special arrangement with, and all authorized performance materials are supplied by, Theatrical Rights Worldwide (570 Seventh Avenue, Suite 2100, New York, NY, 10018, (866) 378-9758, www.theatricalrights.com).

The sixteenth annual All-City Musical is presented with generous support from The Human Fund and the United Black Fund. Community partners include the City of Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

The All-City Musical is an enriching experience for the students involved in the production, according to Sias. "The All-City Musical is an extraordinary program that provides students with a structured arts-based experience that refines individual talents, stimulates critical thinking, focuses creativity, strengthens social skills and affords students an informed perspective on the world," said Sias in a recent interview about the upcoming production. "These young people are amazing."

Set From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Memphis. Inspired by actual events, Memphis is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. The musical invites audiences to join the pair as they trek to the ends of the airwaves together on a joyful journey filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll that aims to inspire.

The production team for the sixteenth annual All-City Musical is a distinguished group of professional artists from across northeast Ohio. Dr. David Thomas will serve as Musical Director for the production. Kevin Marr II and Jessica Spurlock will co-create the choreography for Memphis. Terry Martin will serve as scenic designer while Inda Blatch-Geib will design costumes for the production. Colleen Dowling will design lights.

Opening Night for the sixteenth annual All-City Musical Memphis is scheduled for Friday, May 22nd at 7:30 p.m. The production will continue with a Saturday evening showing on May 23rd at 7:30 p.m. and a closing matinee performance on Sunday, May 24th at 3:00 p.m.

All tickets for the sixteenth annual All-City Musical, Memphis are $15 and are available by phone at (216) 241-6000, online at www.playhousesquare.org or by visiting the PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office. All seating is general admission.

Memphis was originally produced on Broadway by Junkyard Dog Productions, Barbara and Buddy Freitag, and Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff, Latitude Link, Jim and Susan Blair, Demos Bizar Entertainment, Land Line Productions, Apples and Oranges Productions, Dave Copley, Dancap Productions, Inc., Alex and Katya Lukianov, Tony Ponturo, 2 Guys Productions, Richard Winkler, in association with Lauren Doll, Eric and Marsi Gardiner, Linda and Bill Potter, Broadway Across America, Jocko Productions, Patty Baker, and Dan Frishwasser, Bob Bartner/Scott and Kayla Union, Loraine Boyle/Chase Mishkin, Remmel T. Dickinson/Memphis Orpheum Group, Shadowcatcher Entertainment/Vijay and Sita Vashee.

The Cleveland Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, orientation, age, religion or disability.

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