| The Great Lakes Theater Festival is the second oldest regional theater company in Greater Cleveland, and is "Shakespeare's Great Company," specializing in large-cast classic plays including regular performances of the works of Shakespeare. It was founded in 1961 by Arthur Lithgow (father of John Lithgow) as the "Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival", but it was renamed in the 1980s to reflect its expanding scope that includes modern classics. Notable alumni include Tom Hanks (in 1977 as an intern, co-starring in The Two Gentlemen of Verona), Donald Moffat, Larry Linville, Piper Laurie, Jean Stapleton, Hal Holbrook and Olympia Dukakis. Its artistic directors have included Larry Carra, Vincent Dowling, Gerald Freedman and James Bundy (present Dean of the Yale School of Drama). In 2008, the Great Lakes Theater has launched a multi-million dollar fund raiser. The honorary chair is actor Tom Hanks who credited the Great Lakes Theater for beginning his acting career. THE OUTRAGEOUS OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL WITH BITE BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL STORY & BOOK BY KEYTHE FARLEY & BRIAN FLEMMING Ripped from the hilarious headlines of the supermarket tabloid The Weekly World News, Bat Boy is a classic love story with serious bite. This delightfully delicious twist on the modern day musical comedy tells the amazing story of a strange boy with pointy ears, his struggle to find a place in a world that shuns him, and the love that creates both miracles and madness. Armed with an exuberant score that integrates the best of rock, Broadway, gospel, and country music, this Off-Broadway Musical of the Year award-winner is a witty comical confection that keeps both tongue and fang firmly in cheek. |
