Photo Flash: THE ART OF LONGING by Lisa Langford Comes to Cleveland Public Theatre

Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) is proud to announce the world premiere of The Art of Longing, an adventurous and surreal new play by Lisa Langford, directed by Jimmie Woody. The Art of Longing is onstage October 26 - November 18, 2017, in CPT's James Levin Theatre.

Set in Cleveland, The Art of Longing follows the lives of three "third-shift" people-those who guard and take care while the rest of us sleep. The characters' secrets mask deeply held yearnings that manifest in fantastical abilities and anatomical switch-ups. Race, gender and the nature of art are at the focal point of this theatrical experiment. The Art of Longing fashions a world where dreams and reality interpenetrate each other.

According to Lisa Langford, "It's experimental in nature and adventurous in scope. I started writing this play after a visit to the museum where certain pieces of art seemed like characters I wanted to explore. I wanted to discover a more imaginative way of achieving the kind of ekphrastic exploration of character. The Art of Longing foregrounds people of color and is an opportunity to challenge actors with the kinds of roles and styles of acting that aren't always available to African Americans in Cleveland. It also explores issues of class and status within the African American community."

According to The Art of Longing producer and CPT Executive Artistic Director, Raymond Bobgan: "Cleveland Public Theatre supports work outside the aesthetics of the mainstream theatre world, and The Art of Longing is one of those plays that is totally unconventional and unlikely to be produced in the prevailing arena. Yet, it is an amazing, beautiful, lyrical play. The Art of Longing emerges from the legacies of Derek Walcott, Adrienne Kennedy and José Rivera, who not only led the charge for inclusion of minority voices, but did so in a way that challenged the narrative and stylistic status quos established primarily by white men in the 19th and 20th centuries."

The cast is India Nicole Burton, Kevin Marr, Nailah Mathews & Greg White.

The Art of Longing was written by Lisa Langford. The production team is Raymond Bobgan (Producer); Jesse Reagan Hernon (Stage Manager); Inda Blatch-Geib (Costume & SFX Designer); Wes Calkin (Lighting Designer); Douglas Puskas (Scenic Designer); Quinton "Q" J (Sound Designer).

The Art of Longing (October 26 - November 18, 2017) previews Thursday, October 26, 27, 28 & November 2 (no show October 30).Press Night is Friday, November 3 and the show runs through Saturday, November 18. Performances are Thursday, Friday, Saturdayand Monday nights at 7:00pm in CPT's James Levin Theatre, located at 6415 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102, in the heart of the Gordon Square Arts District.

Tickets are $12-30. Students/Seniors receive $3 off on Friday and Saturday nights. All Thursdays and Mondays are $12.Friday/Saturday previews are $20.

PURCHASE TICKETS at www.cptonline.org or call the CPT Box Office at (216) 631-2727 x 501. Group discounts are available - call the Box Office to inquire. (Reserve early! - CPT never charges any ticket fees, ever.)

The James Levin Theatre is ADA compliant, featuring a patron elevator and an all gender, wheelchair accessible restroom.

Every Friday is Free Beer Friday at CPT. Mingle with the artists after the show and discuss the performance in a lively, social atmosphere - your drinks are on CPT.

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