GLTF Fall Repertory Pairs THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD With TWELFTH NIGHT 9/24-11/1

Great Lakes Theater Festival (GLTF) will commence its 2009-10 season in the company's revolutionary new home at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, with a Fall Repertory that features Rupert Holmes' Tony Award-winning, audience-interactive musical, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, and William Shakespeare's enchanting comedy, TWELFTH NIGHT. The productions will be performed in rotating repertory September 24 - November 1, 2009. The Fall Repertory features GLTF's resident artistic company of actors performing two alternating plays on the same stage over six weeks. Veteran Festival artist Victoria Bussert will direct THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and GLTF's Producing Artistic Director Charles Fee will direct TWELFTH NIGHT.  25% of the seats at every performance are priced at $25 or less.

GLTF's Fall Repertory commences with Rupert Holmes' audience interactive, Tony Award-winning musical, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD. Who's responsible for the mysterious disappearance of Edwin Drood? The audience decides! Join the Music Hall Royale, a hilariously loony Victorian musical troupe, as they present their outrageous rendition of Charles Dickens' final unfinished novel. When the dashing Edwin Drood disappears during one stormy Christmas Eve, murder is alleged and everyone is a suspect. The fate of the characters hangs in the balance until an audience vote determines the guilty party and the ending! A winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD is a joyful, whodunit romp that will keep audiences on The Edge of their seat. (The original Broadway production of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD was produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Joseph Papp, Producer.)

William Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHTcompletes the Festival's season-opening Fall Repertory. After a shipwreck on an unfriendly shore and the loss of her twin brother Sebastian, young Viola must pose as a man to survive. Shakespeare's sophisticated comedy of gender-bending mistaken identity is full of passionate longing and bittersweet romance. TWELFTH NIGHT is an irresistible and poignant comedy that is one of the Bard's most luminous plays.

GLTF's 2009 Fall Repertory directing corps is comprised of familiar Festival faces. Charles Fee, GLTF's Producing Artistic Director, will stage William Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT. Fee's acclaimed productions of THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (2009), MACBETH (2008), HAY FEVER (2007), THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (2005), THE COMPLETE WORKS OF William Shakespeare (ABRIDGED) (2004), HAMLET (2003), and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (2003) have led to an artistic and financial renaissance for Great Lakes Theater Festival.

Victoria Bussert will complete the Festival's Fall Repertory directing duo when she helms Rupert Holmes' THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROODood. A Festival veteran, Bussert will celebrate her 23rd year at Great Lakes Theater Festival this season. Her work was last seen by Festival audiences in 2008 when she directed INTO THE WOODS and staged A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Over the past two decades, she has directed a host of memorable productions including A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, PRIVATE LIVES, ANYTHING GOES, GYPSY, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, SHE LOVES ME, THE MOST HAPPY FELLA, ROUGH CROSSING, BLITHE SPIRIT, LA RONDE, THE SCHOOL FOR WIVES, NOEL AND GERTIE, THE THREEPENNY OPERA, and LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL.

Great Lakes Theater Festival will offer a new pricing structure this fall designed to increase accessibility for its audiences. As part of the program, 25% of the seats at every GLTF Hanna Theatre performance are priced at $25 or less. Furthermore, adult tickets for every performance always begin at $15 and all student tickets are $11 - making the Great Lakes Theater Festival experience one of the most affordable entertainment options in the region. "It is absolutely vital to the mission and long-term health of our organization that we create affordable opportunities for every person in our region to experience live theater," said GLTF Producing Artistic Director Charles Fee.

Great Lakes Theater Festival's award-winning home at the Hanna Theatre features a visionary "Great Room" inspired design concept that integrates the artist and audience experience into a single unified environment. Hanna patrons select from a variety of seating opportunities including traditional theater seats, club chairs, lounge/bar seats, banquette couches and private box seating. Boasting a fully flexible hydraulic thrust stage, a complete array of state-of-the-art theatrical systems and an intimate 550-seat house arranged in a thrust configuration, the Hanna is one of the most innovative theaters in the country.

Great Lakes Theater Festival will continue to afford patrons extraordinary access to the artistic process in 2009-10. The Hanna always opens its doors ninety minutes before each performance allowing patrons to observe the complete pre-show preparation process of GLTF's actors and technical staff. Elements traditionally hidden from audiences such as stage combat rehearsals, dance calls, prop/scenic pre-sets, technical cue rehearsals and actor warm-ups will be conducted in full view of patrons, offering GLTF audiences an amazing glimpse into the theatrical process.

The Festival will also continue its unique series of social enhancement programming this season at the Hanna. The programming, organized by day of week, is designed to augment the patron experience and highlight the Hanna's new amenities.

* "Salon Thursdays" will feature an engaging pre-show discussion/presentation beginning one hour before curtain with a Festival artist or local scholar. (Offered: Oct. 15, 22, 29)

* "Happy Hour Fridays" afford patrons the ability to avoid the commute home from work and back to the theater in time for the show. On "Happy Hour Fridays," audience members are invited to meet at the Hanna's bar and lounge immediately after work to enjoy a fine assortment of savory hors d' oeuvres and a complete range of beverages for sale beginning ninety minutes before every performance. (Offered: Oct. 2, 16, 23, 30)

* "Night Cap Night Saturdays" are designed to encourage audience members to stay after the performance and mingle with friends and family in the Hanna's bar and lounge. The Hanna's bar and lounge is open until ninety minutes after the performance on "Night Cap Saturdays. (Offered: Oct. 3, 17, 24, 31)

* "Ice Cream Social Sundays" offer patrons the opportunity to enjoy a London theatre tradition brought state-side with family and friends. Audience members are invited to purchase a cool personal ice cream treat before the show or at intermission. Ice cream will be offered at every performance in GLTF's Fall Repertory, but on "Ice Cream Social Sundays," the treat is half price. (Offered: Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 & Nov. 1)

Opening Night performances of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (September 26th) and TWELFTH NIGHT (October 10th) have been scheduled for Saturday evenings with preview performances of both productions scheduled for the preceding Thursday and Friday nights. The Friday previews of DROOD (September 25th) and TWELFTH NIGHT (October 9th) have been designated as "Press Previews" - public performances that will also accommodate theater critics and other media representatives. These nights also feature a half-hour pre-show discussion with the director beginning at 6:30 p.m. Curtain times for all evening performances will remain at 7:30 p.m., with a 1:30 p.m. curtain time for Saturday matinees and a 3:00 p.m. curtain time for Sunday matinees. Both productions in GLTF's Fall Repertory will continue to offer sign-interpreted and audio-described performances as well as the popular Playnotes pre-show discussion series. Visit www.greatlakestheater.org/calendar/ for complete performance calendars.

Single performance tickets for Great Lakes Theater Festival productions range in price from $15-$69 (Student tickets are $11 - any performance / any seat) and are available by calling (216) 241-6000, by ordering online www.greatlakestheater.org/tickets/ or by visiting The PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office. Groups of ten or more receive discounts of up to 38% by calling the Great Lakes Theater Festival Group Sales Department at (216) 241-5490 x302. (Additional handling fees may apply and may vary depending on point of purchase.)

Since 1962, Great Lakes Theater Festival, through its main stage productions and its education programs, has brought the pleasure, power and relevance of classic theater to the widest possible audience. The first resident company of PlayhouseSquare, Festival programming reaches 85,000 adults and students annually.

Great Lakes Theater Festival's second season at the Hanna Theatre is presented with generous support from The Cleveland Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council. In addition, Great Lakes Theater Festival is generously funded by the citizens of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. The production sponsor for Twelfth Night is The Reinberger Foundation. Media sponsors for the Festival's 48th season are Cleveland Scene, The Plain Dealer, WCLV 104.9 FM, WCPN 90.3 FM ideastream and WKSU 89.7 FM.

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