The Beck Center for the Arts

Rise to the Challenge!

We have great news! The Nord Family Foundation has issued a challenge grant to the Beck Center.

For every dollar we raise from individuals in the community between now and August 31, 2009, the foundation will match those contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $15,000!

Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution and helping us meet the challenge! Your support will allow us to continue to stage innovative and exciting theater and provide our many educational programs for children, adults, aspiring artists, and underserved communities.

To make a donation, visit our website at beckcenter.org/support.htm, call 216.521.2540 x19, or stop by the Beck Center Box Office.

Any contribution, of any size, is much appreciated. Your support truly makes a difference, and thanks to the challenge grant, you’ll know your donation is worth double!

Need a Staycation?
Relax in Beck’s Garden This Summer with Little Shop of Horrors

For the first time ever, the Beck Center for the Arts presents one of the longest-running musicals in Off-Broadway history, Little Shop of Horrors, June 26 through August 2, on the Main Stage. Show times are 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. Sundays.

“Leaves the audience feeling…ravenous for more!” says The New York Times. Feed your appetite for hilarity and romance while enjoying the sounds of doo wop, early rock and roll, and Motown. This affectionate spoof of 1950s sci-fi movies from Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, creators of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, will leave you laughing, singing...and craving more!

A down-and-out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon "Audrey II" grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite!

William Roudebush, director of Beck’s critically acclaimed Equus and last season’s My Favorite Year, comments, “The popularity of this show never wanes, and its tunefulness and tongue-in-cheek humor lend to its staying power. I am delighted to return to Cleveland and the Beck Center to direct this musical gem.”

The Beck Center is offering special family-friendly pricing so the entire family can enjoy this musical classic. Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), $17 for students (22 and under with ID), and $10 for children (12 and under). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview night on Thursday, June 25, is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more.

Seymour and Mr. Mushnik To reserve tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540 ext. 10, or request seats here. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at ext. 29. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center’s production of Little Shop of Horrors is presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI) and is sponsored by West Roofing, Dependable Painting, Cleveland Scene, Cox Communications, and the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center’s production is also generously funded by the citizens of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

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 in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits featuring local and regional artists.

To position the Beck for long-term sustainability, the Beck Center’s Board of Directors has launched a Strategic Growth Initiative, entitled Open for Imagination. The campaign goal is to raise money to create a working capital fund by August 31, 2009. Tax-deductible donations may be made online at www.beckcenter.org or mailed to Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, OH 44107.

Spring Fling! Summer Socials!
Spectacular Parties Benefit the Beck Center

Warmer weather ushers in the party season for Clevelanders, and what better way to celebrate the season than the Beck Center for the Arts Spring Fling! Summer Socials! 2009, June through July 2009. This collection of unique and art-focused events is held in some of the west side’s most fabulous homes and hosted by devoted fans of the Beck. All proceeds benefit the Beck Center’s professional theater and arts education program.

The events are as follows:

Boutique & Unique Garden Party, Saturday, June 20, 4:30 p.m. to sunset – Hosted by Marta and Alan Glazen. A party in two acts. Act One: Browsing Marta’s unique boutique on Clifton Boulevard. Act Two: Sunset soiree in the award-winning garden of the Glazen’s French Normandy home. Cost: $75 per person.

A Little Night Music and Art, Saturday, June 27, 6 to 9 p.m. – Hosted by Paul and Lorraine Sykes. Violinist Paul and company will dazzle guests with a classical music recital while they dine and enjoy the couple’s museum-worthy art collection, indoor waterfall, and lush landscape of this home nestled in the woods of Westlake. Cost: $75 per person.

California Dreamin’, Saturday, July 11, 6 to 9 p.m. – Hosted by Sharon and Roger Vail. Guests will sip from a selection of California wines and savor the flavors of Cleveland summer in this beautiful West Coast-inspired multi-level home set on a Lake Erie promontory point in Rocky River. Cost: $100 per person.

Barbeque & Beer-Tasting Bash, Friday, July 17, 6 to 9 p.m. – Hosted by John and Ellen Brzytwa and Ellen Todia. Burgers, brats, beans, beer, and million-dollar views of Cleveland’s skyline. A professional beer connoisseur will offer expert guidance in selecting ales, stouts, porters, and lager and educate on the fine art of brewing. Cost: $45 per person.

Broadway by the Lake, Saturday, July 25, 6 to 9 p.m. – Hosted by Michelle Tomallo and Micki Tubbs. An encore presentation of this tremendously popular party features fabulous lakefront views, show-stopping food and drinks, and a Broadway-style production by some of Beck’s finest voices and musical talent. Cost: $75 per person.

A limited number of spots are available for each party. To purchase tickets, visit www.beckcenter.org or call the Beck Center at 216.521.2540 ext. 19.

Evil Dead: The Musical
Cleveland Premiere of a Bloody Good Show

NOTE: Held over through July 26!

Front L-R – Bailey Moulse as Shelly and Kathleen Rooney as Linda; Back L-R, Josh Theilan as Scott, Amiee Collier as Cheryl and Equity Actor Dan Folino as Ash A cabin in the woods. The Book of the Dead. Zombies. Aggressive trees. Sexy college students. A wayward hand. Lots of catchy show tunes. Beck Center presents the Cleveland premiere of Evil Dead: The Musical in the Studio Theater May 8 through June 14. Sam Raimi’s cult classic 1980s films are brought to life in this campy show. Show times are 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. Sundays.

During spring break, five college students break into an abandoned cabin in the woods and unleash evil spirits. All hell breaks loose, and the fun soon ensues with zombies…and show tunes! Written by George Reinblatt, with music by Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris, and George Reinblatt, Evil Dead: The Musical delights with such tunes as “What the F*** Was That,” “Bit Part Demon,” “All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons,” and the Rocky Horror Picture Show-inspired “Do the Necronomicon.”

L-R Equity Actor Dan Folino* as Ash and Patrick Ciamacco as Jake Blood features prominently in this show. Audience members sitting in the front three rows are guaranteed to get splattered with plenty of plasma. White t-shirts with the slogan “Splatter Zone Survivor” are available for purchase as keepsakes.

Evil Dead: The Musical comes to the Beck Center after an enormously successful 400-performance run in Toronto. “Maxim” calls it, “One musical you’ll actually want to see.” And The “New York Times” says it’s “the next Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

Evil Dead is directed by Beck Center artistic director Scott Spence. “Beck Center is thrilled to land one of the inaugural regional productions of Evil Dead: The Musical in the entire country! This send-up of ‘all things horror flicks’ fits in so perfectly with some of the other wild and hysterical musicals seen in our Studio Theatre in recent seasons, including Reefer Madness, Zombie Prom, and Eating Raoul. We hope you'll leave in pain—not from the splatter zone but from laughing so hard.”

The Beck Center production features Equity actor Dan Folino in the lead role of Ash. He last appeared at the Beck in The History Boys and was the Beast in Beck’s highly popular production of Beauty and the Beast.

The show is intended for a mature audience due to language and subject matter. Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), and $17 for students (22 and under with ID). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview night on Thursday, May 7, is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. To reserve tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540 ext. 10 or request seats here. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at ext. 29. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center’s production of Evil Dead: The Musical is produced through special arrangement with Renaissance Pictures, Ltd. & Studio Canal Image, S.A. and is sponsored by Cleveland Scene, Cox Communications, and the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center also gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Razzle Dazzle 9: It’s About Time!
Beck Center and CCBMRDD Present Community Talent

Beck Center for the Arts and the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities (CCBMRDD) present Razzle Dazzle 9: It’s About Time! on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, 2009, at the Beck Center for the Arts Music-Armory Building. Show time for both performances is 7:30 p.m.

Cast and crew members are made up of participants in the Rocky River Adult Activities Center’s (AAC) inclusive musical theater program, consumers served by CCBMRDD and Rocky River AAC, and community volunteers. They will perform fun tunes centered around the theme of time, including “Sunday Morning,” “Manic Monday,” and “Everybody’s Working for the Weekend.” The evening will also feature a musical performance by Gavin McIvor, a participant in the Beck Music Therapy program, an art exhibition with works from participants in the Beck Arts Therapy program, and works for sale from HeARTworks, the CCBMRDD art gallery.

Tickets for the opening night performance on May 15 are $15 and benefit the Beck’s Department of Creative Arts Therapies. A post-show reception includes a meet-and-greet with the performers, a Chinese raffle, and prize giveaways. Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance by calling 216.521.2540 x10.

The show on May 16 is free and open to the public and includes a special musical performance by the Rocky River and Maple Heights Adult Activities Center Choirs. Doors open 20 minutes prior to the show.

Creative arts therapies are the prescribed use of the arts, therapeutically, to facilitate change, or to maintain functioning, which contribute to the quality of life. Music and art therapists serve people of all ages with special needs. In therapy, the arts are used to encourage personal growth so all individuals may further develop skills that help maximize their potential.

“Being part of the community and celebrating it is what Razzle Dazzle is all about,” says Tara Griest, Beck’s associate director of Creative Arts Therapies. “This is a feel good show, and we greatly value our longstanding partnership with the CCBMRDD and Rocky River AAC. The pride on the participants' faces and music will definitely move you.”

For more information, call Ed Gallagher at 216.521.2540 x12 or Sue Duffy at 216.736.2722

Community Celebration of the Arts
Beck Thanks Northeast Ohio with Free Open House

To show appreciation to the community for its recent overwhelming support, the Beck Center for the Arts welcomes the public to a Community Celebration of the Arts on Sunday, May 17, 2009, Noon to 2 p.m., at the Beck Center for the Arts.

This fun event is free and open to families of all ages. Attendees can enjoy an afternoon of hands-on arts experiences, including:

· Dancing with students from Beck’s Dance Workshop,

· Acting with Beck faculty and learning improvisational theater skills,

· Drumming and playing music with early childhood music staff,

· Making shakin’ egg instrument to play along to favorite music,

· Creating a community arts mural that will be displayed at Beck Center,

· Chalking art creations in Beck’s front yard gathering space, and

· Touring backstage of both theaters and seeing where the magic happens.

Entertainment throughout the event will be provided by students from the Beck Center’s arts education program and The Academy of Rock Stars. In addition to free giveaways and prize drawings, free refreshments will be served.

Attendees who sign up for 2009 Summer camps and classes onsite will receive 10% off tuition.

For more information, call the Beck Center at 216.521.2540 x10.

Cinderella
Beck Center Youth Theater Presents Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Classic Musical

Your heart will soar when the slipper fits! Audiences young and old will cherish that special moment when the Beck Center’s Youth Theater presents Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic musical adaptation of the timeless fairy tale Cinderella, May 1-9, 2009, on the Mackey Main Stage. The show features such unforgettable songs as In My Own Little Corner, Ten Minutes Ago, Impossible, and Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful? Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. on May 3 and 9. There is a student matinee 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 7.

Cinderella is the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical originally written for television. The 1957 Emmy-nominated broadcast starred Julie Andrews in the lead role. In 1961, the made-for-tv musical was then adapted for the stage where it had a successful run. In 2000, a stage revival was produced for a U.S. National Tour starring Eartha Kitt as the Fairy Godmother. Cinderella remains one of the most popularly performed musicals; more than 250 productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella are presented in the United States every year.

Cinderella is directed by Jonathan S. Kronenberger, Beck’s new associate director of theater education. “The opportunity to work on a Rodgers and Hammerstein show is always a treat,” remarked Kronenberger. “You immediately understand why their shows have lasted and continue to be produced and delight audiences of all ages over and over again. I think it is important for Beck Center students to experience and appreciate these classics of American Musical Theater.”

Cinderella and Prince in Garden: Griffin Dudley as Cinderella and Dan Rand as the Prince The cast of 53 young actors, ranging in age from 7 to 18 years, are students from the Beck Center’s Dance, Music, and Theater Departments, almost as many as the original TV production with a cast of 56. “This is my first full opportunity to work with the wonderful talent that is here at Beck and it has already proven to be a joy,” said Kronenberger. “I am so proud of the cast – their dedication, their talent, their imagination, and their unique personalities.”

Beck Center’s production of Cinderella is presented through special arrangement with R&H Theatricals and is sponsored by Parker Hannifin, Cox Communications, Music is Elementary, and the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center also gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Tickets are $12 for adults/seniors and $10 for students/children 16 and under. (Ticket prices include the $2 service fee per ticket.) Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. To reserve tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540 ext. 10. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at ext. 29. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

April 10, 2009
Beck Center Nearing Halfway Mark in Fundraising Goal
Arts Center Still Needs $150,000 by the end of April

Beck Center for the Arts is grateful to the City of Lakewood for its announcement yesterday to commit to long-term investment in the organization. Stories about the City’s contribution have raised questions from the public about the status of our current fundraising campaign.

We have an immediate need to raise $150,000 by the end of April for operational support. To date, approximately $75,000 has been raised toward that short-term goal. The Beck Center is still encouraging its friends and supporters to continue to help in this time of crisis.

The City of Lakewood’s commitment of energy efficiency project funding and debt restructuring helps our long-term capitalization goal, which is $600,000 by the end of November. The Beck Center Board of Directors is committed to a capitalization plan to ensure our long-term financial stability. The announcement from the City of Lakewood is the lead gift and a strong show of support for this long-term campaign.

One of the region’s largest arts organizations, 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 in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits featuring local and regional artists.

The Farnsworth Invention
A New Play by The West Wing’s Aaron Sorkin

Pem and Philo Lizette and David Who will win the race to invent the greatest innovation of the 20th century? Beck Center presents the Cleveland premiere of the award-winning play, The Farnsworth Invention, on the Mackey Main Stage, March 13 through April 11, 2009. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays.

It’s the classic David and Goliath tale. The powerful president of RCA, David Sarnoff, competes with a self-taught potato farmer’s son, Philo Farnsworth, to invent a device Farnsworth calls “electronic television.” Although they are very different men, their vision is the same: to use this technology as a vehicle for social change. As Sarnoff tells his wife, “It’s gonna change everything, it’s gonna end ignorance and misunderstanding, it’s gonna end illiteracy. It’s going to end war.”

Aaron Sorkin, whose stage play A Few Good Men caught the attention of Hollywood in 1988, went on to write and create several critically acclaimed movies and television shows, including The American President, Charlie Wilson’s War, The West Wing, and Sports Night. He returned to the stage when his play The Farnsworth Invention opened on Broadway in December 2007.

Philo and crew working in the lab “The Farnsworth Invention is, essentially, a documentary on stage. Sorkin adeptly tells the story of two very different men—a Jewish immigrant media mogul and a Mormon whiz kid from Idaho—who are separated by 2,000 miles but have the same ambition: to change the world,” says director Scott Spence. “I couldn’t wait to bring this show to Beck’s stage and share Sorkin’s brilliant script with audiences across Northeast Ohio.”

Philo and Sarnoff Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), and $17 for students (22 and under with ID). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview night on Thursday, March 12, is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. To reserve tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540 ext. 10, or request seats here. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at ext. 29. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center’s production of The Farnsworth Invention is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. and is sponsored by FIT Technologies, WTAM 1100AM, WCPN 90.3FM, Cleveland Scene, Cox Communications, and the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center’s production is also generously funded by the citizens of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

March 17, 2009
Beck Center Hosts TV Party with CoolCleveland.com
Cool Cleveland party to celebrate Beck’s theater and arts education

Beck Center for the Arts and CoolCleveland.com host a Cool Cleveland party celebrating the invention of the television and the Cleveland premiere of Aaron Sorkin’s The Farnsworth Invention on Friday, March 20, 2009, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Beck Center for the Arts.

Attendees will enjoy complimentary wine from Rozi’s Wine House in Lakewood, TV-themed food stations—Happy Days, The Sopranos, Green Acres, and M*A*S*H—stocked with hors d’oeuvres by Jay Leitson, co-owner of 56 West in Lakewood, and delectable desserts and gourmet coffees and teas from the new Beck Café, owned by international art dealer Paul Sykes.

Entertainment throughout the evening will be provided by students from the Beck Center’s arts education program. Highlights include harpists, a hip hop dance choreographed by Beck dancers, pianists, displays from visual arts, and much more. In addition, the Cleveland Artists Foundation gallery will kick-off its exhibition, Painting The Town; Cleveland in the Late 20th Century, and an exhibition of vintage televisions and early television advertisements, courtesy of the TV Dinner Club Museum of Fairlawn, is on display in the Beck lobby.

Party-goers will wrap up the evening with a complimentary ticket to the Beck Center’s production of The Farnsworth Invention. The powerful president of RCA, David Sarnoff, competes with a self-taught potato farmer’s son, Philo Farnsworth, to invent a device Farnsworth calls “electronic television.” Although they are very different men, their vision is the same: to use this technology as a vehicle for social change.

“As the Beck Center for the Arts continues to expand its outreach and impact across our region, we're pleased to host a Cool Cleveland party to showcase The Farnsworth Invention and our distinguished educational program," said Beck Center President and CEO Lucinda Einhouse. "We couldn't be happier than to work with CoolCleveland.com and all our great partners to welcome cool Clevelanders to a fabulous experience at the Beck Center."

"We are thrilled to be partnering with such stellar Lakewood institutions," said CoolCleveland.com's Thomas Mulready. "This Cool Cleveland party has everything: a stimulating play by one of my favorite writers, a generous and creative spread of food and wine, an art exhibition preview, student showcases, an outrageous TV exhibit, and dessert and coffee at one of my favorite new cafés, The Beck Café. All for a slammin' price. What's not to like?"

Tickets may be purchased in advance for $18, a 40% savings, until midnight, Thursday, March 18 at www.coolcleveland.com. Ticket price at the door is $30. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

February 13, 2009
Calling All Photographers!
Communities Collaborate for Focus 2009 Art Competition

Beck Center for the Arts, in collaboration with Solon Center for the Arts, is proud to announce Focus 2009, a photography competition bringing communities together through art.

Amateur photographers (adults and students) are eligible to submit their competition entries no later than February 27, 2009. The competition is juried with cash awards in all categories—people/portraits, architecture/cityscape, nature/landscape, animals, botanicals, macro, and “Best in Show.” Applications are available here.

An opening ceremony, which is open to the public, will be held 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13 at the Solon Community Center at 35000 Portz Parkway. The FOCUS 2009 photography exhibition will be on display March 20 through April 17, 2009, at the Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. For exhibition hours, call the Beck Center at 216-521-2540 ext. 10.

“We are so pleased to host this exciting competition and exhibition with our colleagues in Solon,” says Beck Center associate director of Visual Arts Susan Gallagher. “The collaboration between these two exceptional arts organizations is key to the success of Focus 2009. We hope to make this partnership an annual celebration of artistic talent in Northeast Ohio.”

Focus 2009 is presented by KeyBank with additional support from the Parks & Recreation departments of the cities of Aurora, Twinsburg and Streetsboro. Programming at the Beck Center is provided by the generous support of Cox Communications and the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center also gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

February 13, 2009
Grey Gardens
Cleveland Premiere of Scandalously Entertaining Broadway Musical

Equity actors Patrick Janson as Gould and Maryann Nagel as Edith Bouvier Beale reminisce about the good old days What happens when American royalty falls? Beck Center presents the Cleveland premiere of Grey Gardens, the three-time Tony Award-winning musical, in the Studio Theater February 27 through March 29. Based on the 1975 cult-documentary of the same name, Grey Gardens is the hilarious yet heartbreaking story of Jackie Kennedy’s delightfully eccentric aunt and cousin, Edith Bouvier Beale and her adult daughter “Little” Edie. Show times are 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. Sundays. There is no performance on Saturday, February 28.

Written by Doug Wright, with music by Cleveland native Scott Frankel and lyrics by Michael Korie, Grey Gardens explores the broken dreams of these two indomitable women who were once among the brightest names in the pre-Camelot social registry but became the subject of tabloid headlines that rocked the Kennedy clan in the early 1970s. The musical is set in two eras: in 1941 when the East Hampton estate was in its prime and more than 30 years later when it was reduced to squalor.

Walter Newkirk, longtime friend of Little Edie, wrote, “The loving but embittered relationship between the two women is perhaps the most compelling theme of the film.” A movie version of Grey Gardens, starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange, premieres on HBO in April.

Grey Gardens is directed by acclaimed musical director Victoria Bussert. “It’s miraculous, a real coup for the Beck Center, to get the rights to produce the area premiere of this Broadway musical.” says Bussert. “When Beck artistic director Scott Spence asked me if I was interested in directing this show, I jumped at the chance. It is the King Lear of musical theater for women.”

The Beck Center production features Equity actor Maryann Nagel in the dual role of Edith Bouvier Beale (circa 1941 in Act One) and daughter “Little” Edie (circa 1973 in Act Two) and Lenne Snively as the aging Edith in Act Two. The strong supporting cast includes several of Bussert’s students from the Baldwin-Wallace musical theatre program.

Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), and $17 for students (22 and under with ID). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview night on Thursday, February 26, is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. To reserve tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540 ext. 10 or request seats here. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at ext. 29. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center’s production of Grey Gardens is produced through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. and is sponsored by Cleveland Scene, Cox Communications, the Ohio Arts Council, and LakewoodBuzz.com. Beck Center also gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
August Wilson’s Celebration of the Blues at the Beck Center for the Arts

Ma Rainey sings the blues It’s 1927 Chicago, and these blues musicians have a story to tell! The Beck Center for the Arts presents Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on the Mackey Main Stage, January 30 through February 22, 2009. The drama, featuring many of Ma Rainey’s great hit songs, examines timeless African American themes of suffering, endurance, and the audacity of hope in Wilson's spellbinding voice. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays.

The often hilarious Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which takes place in a recording studio, deals with racism in the music industry as a metaphor for the hopes, frustrations, and shattered dreams of the African American community of the 1920s. Band members, waiting for Rainey to arrive at the studio, banter and brag, joke, and share some of the devastating tales of hard times and prejudice they have suffered. As tensions escalate, the action can turn on a dime from funny to tragic.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, when it premiered on Broadway 25 years ago, was the triumphant debut of the new playwright August Wilson, who would go on to become one of the greatest voices in American Theater. The New York Times called it “funny, salty, carnal and lyrical.”

Arguing Beck’s production is directed by acclaimed local director Sarah May and features Equity actor Angela Gillespie-Winborn in the title role. Winborn most recently performed in The Cleveland Play House's production of Crowns and has appeared in several area productions of Ain't Misbehavin'. The strong supporting cast includes Michael May as Levee, Anthony Elfonzia Nickerson-El as Toledo, and Robert J. Williams as Slow Drag.

“Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a perfect introduction to Wilson's unique voice and his astonishing body of work documenting the African American experience. Here is a play overflowing with blues music, robust humor, vibrant storytelling, and a cast of colorful characters that bursts on the stage like a buoyant jam session,” says director May. “This first professional Cleveland production of an August Wilson play since his 2005 death is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th Century. It is an honor to celebrate his amazing gift and share it with admirers and newcomers alike.

Flirting Beck Center’s production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is produced through special arrangement with Samuel French Inc. and is sponsored by National City, The WAVE 107.3, Cleveland Scene, Cox Communications, the Ohio Arts Council, and LakewoodBuzz.com. Beck Center also gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

The show is intended for a mature audience due to language and subject matter. Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), and $17 for students (22 and under with ID). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview night on Thursday, January 29, is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. To reserve tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540 ext. 10 or request seats here. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at ext. 29. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Arcadia
Beck Center Teen Theater Presents Comedy by Tom Stoppard

What happens when the lives of modern-day researchers intersect with that of 19th Century poet and adventurer Lord Byron? A ravishingly comedic mystery ensues! Beck Center Teen Theater presents Arcadia, written by famed British playwright Tom Stoppard, in the Studio Theater, January 30 through February 8. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. Sundays.

Nominated for three Tony Awards, Arcadia takes us back and forth in time between 1809 and the present, as a writer, a literature professor, and a post-graduate student in mathematical biology investigate a mysterious chapter in the life of Lord Byron. The play examines the philosophical questions of art, science, and history and how they intersect. Although the characters’ personalities and perspectives vary widely, their stories come together in the end, and the mystery is solved. It’s a heady piece, but Stoppard relates the story with verbal wit and sophisticated humor.

Tom Stoppard has won numerous awards for his plays and screenplays, including an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love. A primary characteristic of his work is its linguistic complexity including puns, jokes, innuendo, and other wordplay. Many of his plays deal with philosophical issues and feature multiple timelines.

Dan Kilbane, director of last season’s The Laramie Project at Beck Center, directs a cast of 12 talented students from Beck’s Youth Theater Education program. “What a privilege to direct one of the many great plays by Tom Stoppard, a playwright who has been produced over and over because, simply, he is a great writer.” says Kilbane. “It's a joy to work on his Arcadia with this group of teens, who love theater and are excited about the adventurous themes Stoppard explores."

Arcadia’s student cast members have participated in core theater classes at Beck Center, where they explore basic acting skills through improvisation and theater games. They study method acting, as well as develop singing and acting techniques, and are introduced to theater appreciation and basic theater terminology.

Beck Center’s production of Arcadia is produced through special arrangement with Samuel French Inc. and is sponsored by Cox Communications, Music is Elementary, Lakewoodbuzz.com, and the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center also gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students (16 and under). An additional $2 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. To reserve tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540 ext. 10. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at ext. 29. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

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 in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits featuring local and regional artists.

Escape to Neverland in This High-Flying Holiday Musical
Peter Pan at the Beck Center for the Arts

This holiday season, take off on a high-flying adventure as the Beck Center for the Arts presents Peter Pan, a musical based on the classic play by J.M. Barrie, on the Mackey Main Stage, December 5, 2008 through January 4, 2009. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays (no matinee performance on December 6), and 3 p.m. Sundays. There is a 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening performance on December 18.

Produced by the same team who brought us critically acclaimed Beauty and the Beast—director Fred Sternfeld, musical director Larry Goodpaster, and musical staging and choreography by Martín Céspedes—Peter Pan features such memorable songs as “I Won’t Grow Up,” “Never Never Land,” and “I’ve Gotta Crow,” with music and lyrics by Mark Charlap and Carolyn Leigh.

"Peter Pan was the first theater production I saw when I was a child, and it was enthralling. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with an absolutely stunning cast and creative team as we transport audiences to James M. Barrie's magical world," says director Sternfeld.

Hook and Peter sword fighting Beck Center’s production has an unusual twist because it features a male actor, John Paul Soto, as Peter Pan, a role traditionally played by women including Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan, and Cathy Rigby. Also featured is Michael Mauldin as Mr. Darling/Captain Hook, Maggie Stahl-Floriano as Mrs. Darling, Kelly Smith as Wendy, Alexis Floyd as Tiger Lily, and a large supporting cast of 30 talented actors.

Beck Center’s production of Peter Pan is produced through special arrangement with Samuel French Inc. and is sponsored by First Federal of Lakewood, Mix 106.5 FM, Soft Rock WDOK, Cox Communications, LakewoodBuzz.com, and the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center also gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), $17 for students (22 and under with ID), and $10 for children (12 and under). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. For tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540, ext. 10, or reserve seats here. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at ext. 29. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

How’d They Do That?! Broadway Flies into Lakewood
Peter Pan lifts off at the Beck Center for the Arts

Peter Flying This holiday season, take off on a high-flying adventure as the Beck Center for the Arts presents Peter Pan, a musical based on the classic play by J.M. Barrie, on the Mackey Main Stage, December 5, 2008 through January 4, 2009.

Beck Center audiences will be enthralled when Peter Pan actually takes flight with technical support by ZFX Flying Effects, the same company that provided the special effects for the Broadway revival.

During the production, Peter and the Darling children will be lifted into the air with the help of pixie dust…and the folks at ZFX. The actors will be fitted with harnesses that allow them to soar over the stage. Of course, parents don’t have to spill the secret to their own kids!

The Beck Center would be happy to discuss how these magical flights are done and how they are choreographed.

Peter and Tiger Lily dancing Beck Center’s production of Peter Pan is produced through special arrangement with Samuel French Inc. and is sponsored by First Federal of Lakewood, Mix 106.5 FM, Soft Rock WDOK, Cox Communications, LakewoodBuzz.com, and the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center also gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays (no matinee performance on December 6), and 3 p.m. Sundays. There is a 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening performance on December 18.

Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), $17 for students (22 and under with ID), and $10 for children (12 and under). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. For tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540, ext. 10, or request seats online. For group sales, contact Linda Hefner at (216) 521-2540 ext. 29.

Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center is proud to announce
New Director of Marketing & External Affairs Missy S. Toms

The Beck Center for the Arts announced today the appointment of Missy Toms as its new Director of Marketing & External Affairs. Toms will begin on October 20, 2008.

“Lakewood is a vibrant, artistic inner-ring suburb, and the Beck Center is one of its most precious treasures,” said Toms. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to tell the wider Northeast Ohio community its story and to be a part of such a special cultural organization.”

Born and raised in the Pittsburgh area, Toms graduated from George Washington University with a B.A. in American Civilization and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She comes to the Beck with more than a decade of marketing expertise. During her 14-year tenure in D.C., Toms worked for several non-profits, including the Smithsonian Institution, the American Association of Museums, and the Radio-Television News Directors Association.

Toms moved to Lakewood in 2002, and managed the membership department at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum until September 2004, when she joined The City Club of Cleveland as its Director of Community & Media Relations. She is a graduate of the 2008 class of Cleveland Bridge Builders. In addition to her community work through the Junior Women’s Club of Lakewood and Lakewood Congregational Church, Toms enjoys family activities with her husband Darren, son Max, and daughters Gabby and Parker.

Beck Center for the Arts Gets a Face Lift

Many changes, from those easily recognized to those less apparent, are occurring around the Beck Center for the Arts campus.

You may have noticed while traveling down Detroit Avenue that the landscape has changed. Beautiful trees, shrubs and rose bushes now line the Beck Center’s entrance drive. This was the big project early last month as Matthew Carlson, a “Life” scout with Troop 435 of the Lakewood LDS Church chose the Beck Center for his Eagle Scout project. Matt worked tirelessly with 30 other members from his troop, along with additional volunteers and Beck staff as the rainy morning turned into blue skies and sunshine. They worked for hours digging out the old and planting the new. “Our goal was to create an inviting and relaxing green space,” says Cindy Einhouse, Beck Center’s President and CEO. “The landscaping has been a major improvement to the curb appeal of our property for, not only Beck Center patrons and students, but the community as well. We are grateful to Matt and his Troop for their hard work.”

This fall Matt will be in the 8th grade at Garfield Middle School. He has been in Scouts since the first grade and has achieved the Arrow of Light Award and many other scouting honors. Matt is currently working on his Eagle rank and serves as the Den Chief for Pack 115 of the Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

Facelift for Beck Center - Beck Center staff and volunteers from Boy Scout Troop 435 in Lakewood spruce up the Beck Center for the Artslandscape.	Working Side by Side - Matthew Carlson, Boy Scout project organizer, and Cindy Einhouse, Beck Center President and CEO, work side by side planting new shrubs to improve the Beck Center forthe Artslandscape.
Boy Scouts Dig In - Members of Boy Scout Troop 435 in Lakewood plant new shrubs atthe Beck Center for the Arts.	Taking a Break - Two volunteers rest in the shade in between plantings at the Beck Center for the Arts.

In addition to the landscaping project, the Beck Center continues its dedication to preserving its cultural legacy. Residents may have noticed the recent return of Beck Center’s David Davis sculpture after significant restoration was completed by McKay Lodge Fine Arts Conservation Laboratory, Inc. This sculpture, commissioned by renowned architect Fred Toguchi in 1976, had seriously deteriorated over the past 30+ years. Restoration was entirely paid for by restricted gifts from some sculpture-loving friends and is estimated to last at least another 30 years.

For more information on this and other upcoming Beck Center projects call 216.521.2540.

Beck Center for the Arts
Proudly Presents its 2008/09 Professional Theater Season
Some things old, some things new, some things Sci-Fi AND inventors of 'The Tube'

Beck Center for the Arts announces its 2008/09 season featuring the much anticipated return of some 'oldies but goodies,' an electrifying new drama, plenty of scandalous entertainment, and the Mother of Blues.

"I feel like we've hit the markyet again!" says Scott Spence, Beck Center's Artistic Director, referring to theeclectic mix Beck has becomeknown for."Beck continues its tradition of providing Northeast Ohio audiences with a great balance of titles they know, and area premieres…alldirected by some of the area's most respected directors."

The season opens with the much anticipated encore production of Tony Award winner, Urinetown The Musical, featuring the return of the original Beck cast that made the show the area's must-see production three seasons ago! Also returning are Cleveland legends Dorothy and Reuben Silver inTalking Heads 2, Alan Bennett's (The History Boys) sequel to his acclaimed BBC monologue series. Then, with fond memories of Beck's beloved production of Beauty & the Beast…Peter Pan, the story of the boy who didn't want to grow up is Beck's next amazing musical adventure for the holidays!

The season continues with two powerful pieces, Chicago blues legend Ma Rainey sets out to record her latest album in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, by Pulitzer prize-winning American playwright, August Wilson and compelling answers come to life as two ambitious television visionaries race against each other in The Farnsworth Invention. Also, premiere musical theater director, Victoria Bussert serves up the NYC Off-Broadway hit and indie favorite Grey Gardens, a musical telling the tale of the reclusive and fascinating Bouvier sisters, adding another wild chapter to the Kennedy legacy.

Closing the season, Beck Center promises a summer of larger than life - or death - entertainment with cult smash Evil Dead: The Musical and cult-gone-mainstream Little Shop of Horrors.

Theater subscriptions for the 2008/09 season are now available. For more information, contact Linda Hefner at the Beck Center Box Office at (216) 521-2540, ext. 29. Individual tickets sales begin August 1, 2008. Convenient free on-site parking is available. The Beck Center for the Arts is located just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood.

Urinetown The Musical___________________________
Musical by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis
Directed by Scott Spence
September 12 - October 12, 2008
Mackey Main Stage

2002 Tony Award winner for Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical

Consider it a privilege…If you lived in Urinetown you'd have to pay to pee!

A wild and happy mix of biting satire and loving parody, Urinetown The Musical transports audiences to a Gotham-like city where ecological disaster has made the simplest human necessity, water, more precious than gold. Attempting to regulate its consumption, the government has imposed a bizarre law - the use of private restrooms is banned and an omnipotent corporation, the Urine Good Company, is charging citizens money to use the toilet! Beck's original cast reunites!

Talking Heads 2_________________________________
Written by Alan Bennett
Directed by Reuben Silver and Tracee Patterson, Featuring Dorothy Silver
November 7 - December 7, 2008
Studio Theater

From the author ofThe History Boys comes a second round of monologues created for BBCtelevision. Bennett's magnificent style conveys British life like no other, providing actors with mini tour-de-forces. The first couple of Cleveland theater, again team up to present newpieces in this compelling night of intimate theater.

Peter Pan_____________________________________
Based on J.M. Barrie's tale
Music by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne
Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Directed by Fred Sternfeld
December 5, 2008 - January 4, 2009
Mackey Main Stage

This high flying musical story of Peter Pan, Wendy, John, and Michael and their adventures in Neverland is brought to life on Beck Center's Main Stage for the holidays. Audiences of all ageswill love this timeless story filled with pirates, fairies, death-defying feats of flying, and the dastardly Captain Hook. An exhilarating journey through Neverland for the whole family!

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom_________________________
By Pulitzer prize-winning American playwright, August Wilson
Directed by Sarah May
January 30 - February 22, 2009
Mackey Main Stage

Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett Rainey, better known as Chicago blues legend Ma Rainey sets out to record her latest album in the only one of Wilson's 10 plays set outside Pittsburgh. The play is set in Chicago in the 1920s and deals with issues of race, art, religion, and the historic exploitation of black recording artists by white producers. Generational and racial tensions escalate among Ma Rainey's band and producers, as the studio explodes in violence and tragedy. Beck honors this year's passing of August Wilson and the 25th anniversary of the Broadway production!

GreyGardens_______________________________________
Book by Doug Wright
Music by Scott Frankel
Lyrics by Michael Korie
Directed by Victoria Bussert
February 27 - March 29, 2009
Studio Theater

2007 three-time Tony Award winner

Scandalously entertaining, Grey Gardens brings to life the alternately hilarious and heartbreaking story of two indomitable women, Edith Bouvier Beale and her adult daughter 'Little' Edie - the delightfully eccentric aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, in Broadway's acclaimed musical smash hit with music composed by Cleveland native, Scott Frankel. Once among the brightest names in the pre-Camelot social register, these two women became East Hampton's most notorious recluses and Jackie O's most scandalous relatives.

The Farnsworth Invention_________________________
A new play by Aaron Sorkin
Directed by Scott Spence
March 13 - April 12, 2009
Mackey Main Stage

The turning point of the 20th Century wasn't ON television, it WAS television!

Separated by two thousand miles, two ambitious visionaries race against each other to invent and promote a device that would one day be called the "television." Each knowing that if he stops working the other will gain the edge. Who will unlock the key to the greatest invention of the 20th century: the ruthless media mogul or the self-taught Idaho farm boy? The answer comes to compelling life in this new play from Aaron Sorkin, creator of The West Wing.

Evil Dead: The Musical____________________________
Based on Sam Raimi's 1980s cult classic films
Book and Lyrics by George Reinblatt
Music by Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris, and George Reinblatt
Directed by Scott Spence
May 8 - June 14, 2009
Studio Theater

What can go wrong when five college students break into an abandoned cabin in the woods? Apparently a whole heck of a lot! They unleash evil spirits, turn into demons… and sing show tunes! Sam Raimi's cult classic 1980s films are brought to life in this hilarious, campy show that will make you crave "live theater" again. With songs such as "All the Men in my Life keep getting Killed by Candarian Demons" and "Do The Necromonicon" - Evil Dead is bursting with more farce than a Monty Python skit!

Little Shop of Horrors____________________________
Written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman
Directed by William Roudebush
June 26 - August 2, 2009
Mackey Main Stage

It's everyone's favorite boy-meets-girl, plant-eats-world phenomenon. From the producers of Hairspray and The Producers, and the songwriters of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, comes the biggest MONSTER hit! This musical comedy masterpiece is about a nobody- kinda guy, the girl he loves, and the man-eating plant that changes their lives forever. Look out! Here Comes Audrey Two!!!

Programming at the Beck Center is made possible through the generous support of The Cleveland Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, The John P. Murphy Foundation, The Kulas Foundation, The Eva L. & Joseph M. Bruening Foundation, The Abington Foundation, and the Thomas H. White Foundation. Beck Center gratefully acknowledges the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Beck Center for the Arts Announces its Vision for the Future
At Annual Meeting
Monday, October 29, 2007 at 7:00 p.m.
See summary

In October 2006, during its 75th anniversary year, Beck Center made a commitment to remain in Lakewood. Now, one year later, the Beck Center will embark on a very important project aimed at sustainability and growth for the next 75 years. Details will be revealed at its Annual Meeting on October 29, 2007.

After the Board's decision to remain in Lakewood, and the completion of a strategic plan, a design committee consisting of Beck Board members, outside experts and design and architect consultants was organized to take an in-depth look at the Beck Center’s physical plant and current programming. Several brainstorming sessions were held and ideas and concepts were developed.

These concepts will be shared with community members at the Beck Center's Annual Meeting on Monday, October 29, 2007 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on the Mackey Main Stage. The ultimate goals for redevelopment of the property now inhabited by Beck Center are economic growth enhancement, infrastructure improvement, historic preservation, and neighborhood enhancement. Essentially, the Beck Center strives to be a cornerstone and anchor for Lakewood's Theater and Entertainment District.

"Our goal is to sustain Beck Center as a vital community resource," said Lucinda Einhouse, President and CEO. "We look forward to dynamic feedback from the public about our ideas and concepts. We would like to explore all of the issues that are critical to our patrons, our students and the neighborhood in which we reside."

Not only is the Beck Center one of the largest employers in Lakewood, but a recent study found the organization has an economic impact of $10 million every year in Northeast Ohio. Its partnership with the Lakewood City School District to collaborate on the design of curriculum for an Arts and Communications Academy will begin welcoming students into the program in September 2008.

For more information on the Annual Meeting, contact the Beck Center at (216) 521-2540.

Director of Dance Lynda Sackett to retire after more than 40 years
Beck Center establishes the Lynda Sackett Endowment for Dance Education

After more than 40 years of service at Beck Center, Director of Dance Lynda Sackett will retire on August 31, 2007. A reception honoring her will be held on Friday, November 2. A new dance director will be announced soon.

Sackett established the Dance Education program at Beck Center in the mid-1970s. Under her direction, the program has developed and expanded to now include over 50 dance classes each semester including ballet, pointe, hip hop, jazz, tap, and others for students of all ages and abilities. “Lynda had the insight and vision to create a Dance program at Beck Center more than 30 years ago” said Edward P. Gallagher, Beck’s Director of Education and Creative Arts Therapies. “She has been instrumental in developing this program to what it is today. We can never express our tremendous gratitude for her leadership and loyalty to Beck Center.”

Sackett has received many notable awards over the years including more recently the 2003 Award for Distinguished Contribution to Arts Education for Northeast Ohio by the Ohio Arts Education Association and the 2000 Ohio Dance Award for Advancement of Dance Education from the Ohio Dance Association.

In recognition of her many years of service and dedication, Beck Center is pleased to announce the establishment of the Lynda Sackett Endowment for Dance Education. This endowment has been initiated with start-up funds donated by a former student. Contributions to the Lynda Sackett Endowment for Dance Education may be directed to the Beck Center Development Office. A celebratory performance and reception is planned for Friday, November 2 at 8:00 p.m. on the Mackey Main Stage to honor Sackett for her years of service.

The Beck Center for the Arts Appoints Sally Weakley as Director of Development

The Beck Center for the Arts announced today the appointment of Sally Weakley as its new Director of Development beginning May 15, 2007.

Weakley comes to the Beck Center from University Hospitals (UH). Over the past two and a half years in Institutional Relations and Development at UH, she has managed their prospect management and research area and expanded their Annual Fund program. Prior to UH, Weakley worked in development and prospect research areas for the Cleveland Clinic and was involved with the management of their capital campaign in the late 1990s. “With nearly fifteen years of good fundraising experience in the Greater Cleveland community, Sally Weakley is a valuable addition to the Beck Center management team,” said Lucinda Einhouse, President and C.E.O. of Beck Center.

As Beck Center’s Director of Development, Weakley will be responsible for planning and managing all activities of the Development Department to increase private philanthropic and public support of the Beck Center.

Beck Center’s Director of Education
Edward P. Gallagher, MT-BC
Receives Music Therapy Award

The Beck Center for the Arts is proud to announce that Director of Education and Creative Arts Therapies, Edward P. Gallagher received the 2007 Service Award from the Great Lakes Region of the American Music Therapy Association (GLR-AMTA). The award was presented to Gallagher at the region’s 54th annual conference in Cleveland on March 24, 2007. The region includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Gallagher, a Board Certified Music Therapist, is a graduate of Cleveland State University and The Cleveland Music Therapy Consortium, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Music degree in Music Therapy. Gallagher was honored with the GLR-AMTA Service Award for his many years of involvement in state, regional and national music therapy associations. He currently serves as president of the Great Lakes Region of the AMTA. Gallagher has held over 23 positions since 1991 including President of the Association of Ohio Music Therapists, Continuing Education Chairperson for the Great Lakes Region of AMTA and Continuing Education Co-Chairperson of the AMTA. He has also serves on committees of the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (CCBMRDD) and VSA arts of Ohio/Cleveland Area Service Division.

Gallagher founded the Beck Center’s Department of Creative Arts Therapies (CAT) in 1994, creating the first community-based program of its kind in Ohio. The CAT program uses art and music therapy to assist individuals with special needs – including physical, mental or developmental disabilities – to maximize their potential. In addition to his administrative work at the Beck Center, he frequently works musically with young children including Toddler Rock sessions at the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Beck Center for the Arts is one of the area’s largest cultural and performing arts organizations and the only institution of its kind on Cleveland’s Westside. Programming includes professional theater productions on two stages, arts education classes in dance, music, theater, and visual arts for all ages and abilities, and art galleries exhibiting works of local and regional artists. The Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. For more information about the Creative Arts Therapies program or other programming at the Beck Center, please call (216) 521-2540 or online at www.beckcenter.org.

Beck Center is proud to announce New President and Chief Executive Officer Lucinda B. Einhouse

The Beck Center for the Arts announced today the appointment of board member Lucinda B. (Cindy) Einhouse as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. This appointment follows a nationwide search by a Board-appointed committee led by Chairman Frederick B. Unger. Einhouse will begin on May 1, 2007 and will continue to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Beck Center and, as President and CEO, will become an officer of the Board.

Einhouse comes to the Beck with an educational background in music and theater, more than a decade of senior management expertise, and over 25 years of experience in fund raising including training, organizing and motivating high-level community and business leaders as fund raising volunteers.

Over the past five and a half years, as Director of Development at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM), she managed a campaign that raised over $40 million for the Institute’s expansion project, and approximately $1.8 million annually for endowment, annual fund and other special projects. Prior to CIM, Einhouse was Regional Development Director for the Department of Institutional Advancement at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and worked nearly 15 years with Playhouse Square Foundation.

“I have been a resident of Lakewood my entire adult life, and throughout that time have been aware of and appreciated the Beck Center,” said Einhouse. “I was thrilled to hear that Beck is committed to staying in this community, and that’s part of why I want to be involved.” One of the reasons for the Beck’s decision to remain in Lakewood is the collaborative arts education initiative with Lakewood City Schools, which includes the creation of an Arts and Communications Academy that will serve students in Lakewood, Bay Village, Rocky River, and Westlake school districts. “This collaboration is an exciting opportunity for the Beck Center and a wonderful asset for the West Shore,” exclaimed Einhouse.

“We are very fortunate to have recruited someone with such extensive management experience and broad knowledge of and involvement in the community,” said Unger. “In Cindy Einhouse we have found a person whose abilities, infectious passion for arts education and performance, and commitment to quality programming make her uniquely qualified to provide the leadership needed to achieve the organization’s goals.”

Born and raised in Cleveland, Einhouse graduated magna cum laude from Kent State University with a B.A. in Music. She holds a master’s degree from Cleveland State University with a concentration in management. Einhouse and her husband, Tom, live in Lakewood with their two boys, Ben and Tim, who have taken music and art classes at the Beck for many years.

Unger noted, “Einhouse is joining a strong management team that includes James R. Walton, newly appointed Vice President and Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Edward P. Gallagher, Director of Education and Creative Arts Therapies, and award winning and 16-year veteran Artistic Director, Scott Spence. We now have the management talent that, under Cindy’s leadership, is needed for the Beck Center to thrive as one of Cleveland’s major arts organizations.”

Beck Center Featured Each Month At Westfield Great Northern Kids Club

logo Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity to access the arts for free right in your own backyard! Join us each month for Kids Club at Westfield Great Northern Mall. Kids Club is held from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month in the Playtown area of Westfield Great Northern Mall. The Beck Center provides free entertainment and activities featuring the talents of our Kids-n-Tunes, Kids-n-Art and Kids-n-Theater instructors. Registration is free and open to children of all ages. To register, visit Westfield Great Northern during a Kids Club event or stop by the Shopping Concierge Center.

For more information on the Beck Center at Westfield Kids Club, contact Tara J. Griest, MT-BC, Associate Director of Creative Arts Therapies at 216-228-8499 or at tgriest@beckcenter.org. Visit the Kids Club on the Westfield Great Northern Mall site.

Beck Center Artistic Director Scott Spence Receives the
2006 Northern Ohio Live Award of Achievement in Theater

Under the fearless and inspired leadership of Artistic Director Scott Spence, the Beck Center for the Arts completed one of the most exciting local theater seasons in recent memory. Spence mounted nine fully-staged productions on a shoestring budget, selecting scripts that made us laugh, cry and think. And he found first-rate artists, most of them from our local talent pool, to bring those works to life.

As Spence begins his 17th year in the driver’s seat, we celebrate his vivid imagination – and gladly take a ride to see where he’s headed next.


Left to right: Martin Cespedes, Scott Spence and Larry Goodpaster	Left to right: Rosemary Corcoran and Scott Spence

October 18, 2006
Beck Center for the Arts Commits to Redevelop in Lakewood

What began 75 years ago as Lakewood Little Theatre, the Beck Center for the Arts, the most comprehensive non-profit arts and arts education center serving Greater Cleveland, announced its plans today to continue to call Lakewood home.

At a 2005 planning retreat, the Board of Directors, recognizing Beck’s aging inefficient facilities, decided to redevelop the arts education and entertainment center in a unique well-suited location. For more than a year, a group of Board members have been exploring issues related to what it will take to accomplish this; including selection of an ideal location, raising the funds that will be needed, and design of the facilities to serve the community’s western suburbs well into the future.

Board of Directors Chairman Fred Unfer with Betsy Shaughnessy, President of the Lakewood Board of Education In committing to redevelop its facilities in Lakewood, the Board’s decision was based on a number of factors critical to the future of the Beck Center:

A decision by the Lakewood City School District and the Beck Center to expand their collaborative arts education initiative to include the creation of an Arts and Communications Academy that will serve students of the West Shore school districts in Lakewood, Bay Village, Rocky River, and Westlake.
The enthusiastic leadership of the Mayor and City Council in Lakewood to assist in the planning and development of new facilities for the Beck Center; to fund the cost of creating the concept for an “arts district” in Lakewood with the Beck Center as the anchor of this district that is part of an existing neighborhood of retail shopping, residential living and other commercial activity; and to do everything possible to attract county, state and federal funding to underwrite a portion of the cost of the redevelopment.
A commitment by Cox Communications to assist the Beck Center in developing state-of-the-art communications and technical capability and technical arts education classes in the new Cox Communications Learning Center at Beck and at the Cox studios in Parma.
Lakewood’s central location for Beck Center’s theater patrons, students and donors, the majority of whom reside in Lakewood, Cleveland, Bay Village, Rocky River, and Westlake; and ease of access by public transportation.

The Board recognizes that it may be necessary to establish satellite locations in order to adequately serve arts education and performance audiences throughout these West Shore communities. Planning for additional sites will continue as part of the Beck Center’s strategic planning process.

Fred Unger with Mayor Thomas George and City Council President Robert Seelie “We are committed to working with the Board and staff of Beck Center to develop a new arts center in Lakewood that is one of the finest in the country.” says Mayor Thomas George. “We will do everything we can to help find the funding that is needed.”

“The district and its board members are very excited about this education partnership.” notes Dr. David Estrop, Superintendent of the Lakewood City Schools. “By working together we plan to build on the strength of the high quality programs each of us offers to provide greater opportunities for students and their families.”

Dr. David Estrop, Superintendent, Lakewood City Schools “Our Board is committed to strengthening the Beck Center through this collaborative partnership.” says Board Chairman, Frederick Unger. “We look forward to working closely with the City of Lakewood, the Lakewood City School District and Cox Communications in developing the facilities and programs that will be critical to fulfilling our mission of educating and entertaining Greater Clevelanders well into the next 75 years.”

A community forum will be scheduled to brief residents on Beck’s strategic planning process, as well as to update them on the creation of a concept for an arts district in Lakewood.