Beck Center to Present 33 VARIATIONS, 10/11-11/17

Beck Center for the Arts is proud to present the regional premiere of 33 Variations, October 11 through November 17, 2013 in the intimate Studio Theater. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are now on sale. There will be no performance on Saturday, October 19.

Written by Moisés Kaufman, the award-winning author of The Laramie Project, this imaginative play follows a modern day musicologist diagnosed with ALS as she races to finish her research on Beethoven. Across time in 1819 Vienna, the ailing and deaf composer becomes obsessed with a simple waltz. Plagued by illness, but gifted with passion, their parallel journeys entwine as they learn to embrace the gift of time and find peace in letting go. Nominated for numerous Tony Awards, Broadway World called 33 Variations "one of the most satisfying new plays that Broadway has seen in a long while."

Beck Center's production of 33 Variations is directed by the acclaimed director Sarah May and features an ensemble of seven talented area actors including Equity actors Dana Hart and MaryAnn Nagel who appear courtesy of the Actor's Equity Association. Stuart Raleigh, former esteemed choral director at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory and integral part of the Northeast Ohio music scene, will play piano. "You don't have to know anything about classical music to enjoy this show," remarked May. "It's a wonderful, totally accessible story about determined people following their dreams, all underscored with some of the most beautiful music ever written."

Post-show talks with experts from the medical and music communities will follow performances on Sunday, October 13, Saturday, October 26 and Friday, November 8. The panelists include leading interpreters of Beethoven, renowned pianists, and experts from Cleveland Clinic who will discuss the effects of ALS and hearing loss. The list of panelists and topics can be found at beckcenter.org.

Tickets for 33 Variations are $29 for adults, $26 for seniors (65 and older), $12 for students (with valid I.D.), and $10 for children (12 and under). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview Night is Thursday, October 10 is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts (13 or more) are available. Purchase tickets online at beckcenter.org or call Customer Service at 216.521.2540, ext. 10. Beck Center for the Arts is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. this production of 33 Variations is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and the Ohio Arts Council.