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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14, 2001

Contact:  Terry Hapney, Executive Assistant to the President
Office: (740) 355-2112; FAX: (740) 355-2179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu

SSU THEATER ANNOUNCES CAST,

TICKET SALES FOR SWEET CHARITY

Shawnee State University Theater Director Vivian Mason and Associate Director Dave Edwards are pleased to announce the cast for SSU Theater’s February musical, Sweet Charity. It is comprised of students, faculty, staff, and area community members from Portsmouth; Greenup, Kentucky; Piketon; Jackson; Wheelersburg; Batavia; Lucasville; Coal Grove; Ripley; Sciotoville; Ironton; Chillicothe; St. Louis, Missouri; Marietta; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Blacklick; Durres, Albania; and Castellon, Spain.

The bittersweet, Tony Award-winning musical written by Neil Simon, with music and lyrics by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields, enjoyed a long run after it opened in 1966. Bob Fosse won the 1966 Tony Award for his Sweet Charity choreography. The musical’s memorable songs ("Hey," "Big Spender," "If they Could See Me Now"), exciting dances, and witty dialogue come to the Main Theater of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, February 23-25, 2001.

Playing the role of Charity Hope Valentine, actress Emily Davis portrays an optimistic character who dreams of finding love but always gets dumped. As the play opens, Charity is pushed into a Central Park lake by her latest "boyfriend." Passersby (Josh O’Rourke, Charity Graham, Carmen Harris, Danielle Hay, Ambra Knoche, Laura Leedom and David Monhollen) aren’t much help, as one yells to a thrashing Charity, "You shoulda taken swimming lessons!"

Davis’s character works in the Fandango Nightclub, where the dancing is risqué, and the customers unseemly (Nathan Bailey, Bobby Conn, Jonathan Davis, Lanny Eldred, Andy LeMarble, and Howie McCormick). Managed by a nasty boss (Ryan Rolfe), Charity’s wisecracking Fandango sidekicks (Amanda Flavin, Kelly Greco, Vivian Mason, E.B. Newberry, Elizabeth Quatman, Elizabeth Scott, and Kasey Wallace) use jokes to keep light in their dark world. Trapped in an elevator, Charity encounters her ideal man—Oscar Lindquist (Matthew Smiles Shanafelt). While Charity’s journey takes her on several funny adventures, the traditional happy finish has been updated by Director Dave Edwards—ending the show with a question.

Sweet Charity’s choreography is by Lois Rase, who studied dance with Bob Fosse, music direction by Linda Tieman, original settings by Tom Bridwell and Clarissa Page, and lighting design by Leo Schlosser. Amanda Campbell serves as Sweet Charity’s Production Stage Manager.

Audiences are cautioned of the mature themes and adult situations in Sweet Charity, suggesting an "R" rating.

Tickets are now on sale for Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24, at 8 p.m., and a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee (February 25) performance. All performances will be held in the Main Theater of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on the campus of Shawnee State University. Ticket prices are $10 general admission, and $8 for students, seniors, and active-duty military personnel. For reservations call (740) 355-2600 or visit the McKinley Box Office located in the Selby Lobby of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on the SSU campus.

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DON NAKAMURA

“PLAYING WITH CLAY”

Since 1988 Don Nakamura has been a studio artist in Philadelphia, PA.  His prolific output of both large, site-specific sculptures and highly decorated, functional bowls have been selected for exhibition at the Philadelphia Art Museum, The Philadelphia International Airport, Kent State University, The Museum of Nebraska Art, the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, DE and The Clay Studio, PA.  In addition to his expansive solo and group exhibition record, Mr. Nakamura was chosen for residencies at the prestigious Bemis Foundation, Omaha, NE and the Clay Studio, PA.

Mr. Nakamura received his M.F.A. Degree from the Cranbrook Academy of Art.  He also earned a B.F.A. Degree from the Kansas City Art Institute and prior to that, a B.Ed. in Music from the University of Hawaii.

In describing his work Mr. Nakamura states that, “my ceramic sculptures are based on personal experiences, situations and desires, sometimes camouflaged by abstraction, sometimes literal.  Bright colors and certain forms are a product of my origin and life in Hawaii.  The preceding, in combination with my journey through life is what inspires and gives birth to my current work”.

Mr. Nakamura has been the recipient of two Individual Artists Grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Franklin Mint Fellowship at the Clay Studio in PA.  He has been a juror for both the Illinois Arts Council and The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.  Further, Mr. Nakamura has been a Visiting Artist at Kent State University, OH, the University of Akron, OH and at Adelphia  University, PA.

Please help us welcome Mr. Nakamura to campus.  He will be demonstrating in the Levi Ceramics Studio, Room 107 Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on Monday through Thursday, Feb 4 through the 7th.  His slide lecture will be held   Wednesday evening.   Stop by, bring your students and see Mr. Nakamura’s ceramic work on view and for sale in the showcase of the ceramics studio.

Workshop Demonstration
VRCFA, Levi Ceramic Studio Room 107
February 4, 5, & 7,  10 AM - 2 PM
February 6,  10 AM - 2 PM and 6 PM - 9:50 PM

Slide Lecture
VRCFA Room 217, 6:30 - 7:30 PM (light refreshments)

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