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The Know Theatre of Cincinnati Begins 23rd Season with FEAST. by Megan Gogerty

KTC_Feast promoAugust 7 – September 20, 2020
You are cordially invited to an on-line performance.

The Know kicks off their upcoming twenty-third season, “We Can Rebuild It,” with FEAST., a bespoke-online production. 

You are cordially invited to break bread, virtually, with one of the seminal monsters of literature: Grendel’s Mother, from the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf. Share in her hard won victories and shattering griefs. Turn your collective gaze upon the wreckage of the 21st century, and find what it takes to maybe build a better world.

And have a little treat. You deserve it.

FEAST. comes from playwright/actor/comedian Megan Gogerty, whom Cincinnati audiences may remember from her solo show Lady Macbeth and Her Pal, Megan, which nabbed the Audience Pick of the Fringe Award at the 2017 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Although a version of FEAST. existed in the pre-pandemic era, Megan has retooled the script to be an explicitly made-for-digital product.

The Know’s Associate Artistic Director, Tamara Winters, who will direct the production, offered this thought on creating this exclusively digital product:

“First off, not to disrespect Zoom theatre, but this is not that. This is a story you’ll experience from the screen of your choice, but it’s not shoehorned into the medium. Megan’s script invites you in to a specially designed experience. You’re being invited into a space designed for you, by a character who has had millennia to stew and plot and plan and rage before she opens herself up to you, in this moment. Because she needs something from you. Because she has an ancient wrong to correct. Are you brave enough to accept the invitation?

The role of Agathae will be played by local stage star Jennifer Joplin. Jennifer has lit up theatres all over the region, but Know audiences will remember her as Virginie, the woods-witch/taxidermist of The Man-Beast (2018), and as Terry, the hard-bitten mother of The Girl in the Red Corner (2019). Her autobiographical solo show, The MILF Also Rises, premiered at the 2019 Cincinnati Fringe Festival to critical acclaim and packed houses.

These online performances will begin at 8 PM on Wednesday through Saturday and 3 PM on Sunday matinees. To allow for any unexpected internet outages, dead batteries, or similar technological inconveniences audience members might potentially encounter, the footage will remain available to ticketholders for 24 hours after the beginning of the performance.

The Know has heard audiences say that they miss the interactive nature of live theatre. Although the Know isn’t quite ready to reopen its Jackson Street mainstage, the production team has devised a special at-home treat to keep that in-the-room magic alive. For a small upcharge, audiences can purchase a ticket that comes with a special “party favor” that will be delivered by mail. Agathae, as the evening’s hostess, will direct those audience members with the party favor on when and how to open the package as a part of the performance. To allow for shipping time, the Know requests that tickets that include the party favor be purchased at least one week ahead of the performance date.

A major part of the Know Theatre’s mission has been its Welcome Wednesday performances, which offer discounted and free tickets every Wednesday of a show’s run. The Know is very pleased to continue to offer Welcome Wednesday programming for this online performance. Wednesday tickets are available for advance purchase for $5, with the possible add-on of the party favor. All remaining tickets for the Wednesday performances will be available for free beginning at 7 PM the day of the performance, just like regular Welcome Wednesdays at the Know. (Please be aware that due to the necessary shipping time, the party favor is not available to purchase with the free Welcome Wednesday tickets.)

FEAST. is an uncompromisingly brash reflection on devotion, grief, and the communal responsibility to stoke the fires of revolution. It’s a bold mash-up of a classical story with bracing modernity, painting a world where mythology comes crashing into pop culture.

If your blood calls out to build a better world in the names of those you love, you’ll love FEAST., running August 7 to September 20, online from the Know Theatre. 

Tickets are available now at knowtheatre.com

CAST

  • Jennifer Joplin* as Agathae
    *Member of Actors’ Equity Association appearing under a Guest Artist contract 

PRODUCTION TEAM

  • Director: Tamara Winters
  • Scenic and Lighting Designer: Andrew J. Hungerford
  • Costume Designer: Noelle Wedig-Johnston
  • Props Designer: Kayla Williams
  • Stage Manager: Meghan Winter
  • Technical Director: Henry Bateman

CALENDAR LISTING

Production:               FEAST. by Megan Gogerty

When:                        8:00 PM August 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, September 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19.

3 PM August 16, 23, 30, September 6, 13, 20.

Where:                       Online streaming.

Tickets:

  • $20 regular price tickets (no “party favor”)
  • $30 regular ticket plus party favor
  • $35 “Living Wage” ticket supporting working artists in Cincinnati, party favor included
  • $15 rush tickets, beginning one hour before performance when available.
  • FREE tickets are available on Wednesdays one hour before the performance as part of the Know’s Welcome Wednesday experience.
  • Advance tickets to Welcome Wednesday are $5, or $15 with the party favor.

FEAST. is made possible through the support of its Production Sponsor, the Morse and Betty Johnson Foundation. 

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible. 

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign 

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. 

Know Theatre is also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving. 

 Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.

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Remote NEW WORKS FESTIVAL Announced by Cincinnati Lab Theatre

LAB is happy to announce this season we will be presenting a Remote New Works Festival 2020 August 7-9, 2020 at 7pm. The remote event will consist of three live-streamed original plays via Zoom. The three pieces in this year’s Remote Play Reading Series are:

CLT_Five Branches logo

Poster by Eric Kilpatrick.

FIVE BRANCHES by Ron Burch
Directed by Derek Snow

Set in a claustrophobic room, the five heads of the American military-Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard meet after one of them, Thompson, was approached by the President of the United States who wants them to join him in a coup of our government. They also find out that the president has dirt on each of them and is willing to use it if they don’t. While trying to come up with a unanimous decision, they discover that one of them has betrayed them to the president. Thompson figures out who betrays them and decides, using the confession of the culprit, that, despite the possibly catastrophic personal risk, to stop the coup.

CLT_Shirt Brown Honesty logoSHIRT. BROWN. HONESTY by Jason Podplesky
Directed by Elizabeth a. Harris

Part physical theater, part absurdist drama, and part stand-up comedy routine, this is the story of a woman who overcomes a serious physical trauma all while trying to negotiate the pitfalls of the American Health Care System and a romantic relationship. Through barriers to her physical state she must learn to speak, eat, walk, and love all over again in this raw, poetic, and inspiring piece of theatre.

CLT_Pirouette logoPIROUETTE by Chris Holbrook
Directed by Aaron Epstein

Pirouette is a comedy about memory, transitions and a life in the arts. Giselle is a dancer who is looking at life after dance. Judith is her sister who has already stopped dancing. When they run into a man they haven’t seen in years, it throws out of balance who and what they know about each other and their lives. As their memories of events clash, they each have to find a way to come together.

Stay tuned to our social media spaces for more festival information in the upcoming weeks including: cast announcements, artist highlights, ticket information, and a contest. We’re looking forward to sharing these pieces with you in August!

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High-Flying Circus Acts Meet the High-Energy Swing Band at KSO’s SWINGIN’ CIRQUE REVUE

7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11, 2020
Tower Park Amphitheatre, Fort Thomas, KY

KSO_Cirque Devou

Duo Rose. Photo by Jim Faust.

A high-energy Swing Revival band provides high-octane music for high-flying circus acts, performing safely outdoors for free. Prepare to mask-up for this weekend’s SWINGIN’ CIRQUE REVUE in Tower Park. The KSO and City of Fort Thomas will be following Kentucky “Healthy at Work” requirements as musicians and audiences safely return to distanced and safe outdoor activities. Sanitizer will be available and distancing reminders will abound.

The KSO’s Devou-Doo Daddies is a 10-pc group that covers the hits and sounds of 1990s swing revival bands — Royal Crown Revue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Squirrel Nut Zippers, The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies and more. Circus Mojo is based at the Ludlow (KY) Theater to mentor youth in the circus arts and brings together circus acts and performers from across the globe to teach and entertain. The KSO and Circus Mojo have teamed up in the past for hi-jinx and great music. “In these crazy times we decided to scale down the forces and ramp up the energy,” KSO music director James Cassidy enthusiastically announced.

The KSO’s four active subsidiary groups allow the orchestra to add area jazz, studio players and vocalists to the orchestra’s talented roster of musicians to authentically perform varied genres of jazz, fusion and pop across nearly six generations (1898-2020). The Devou-Doo Daddies came about after we put the group together to play a set at our “Jump Jive and Wail” Gala in 2015. It was simply too much fun, so we just kept adding charts and dates, remarked Cassidy.

CGO (Chief Goof Officer) Paul Miller is the mojo in Circus Mojo. A former
Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus clown for 6 years, Paul is plugged into circus acts and entertainers throughout the world. “Ten years ago the KSO helped us launch and introduce Circus Mojo to the community. Since then we’ve been fortunate to bring circus artists from 35 countries and 6 continents to Ludlow,” chortled Pauly the Clown.

KSO_(Re)DEUX 7-12-14-3184 copy

Circus Mojo (silks and fire). Photo by Jim Faust.

Audiences will enjoy many acts backed up by the Daddies, including Dizzy Lizzy of the National Circus Institute of Australia, dancer/unicyclist extraordinaire Eddie Moffit, Ft. Thomas’s own juggler Damien Berkheimer and from Chicago, the international trapeze artists Duo Rose.

The KSO appreciates the generous support of the following local corporate sponsors: St. Elizabeth Health Care, Duke Energy, Bircus Beer, The Milburn Family and the Wohlgemuth-Herschede Foundations, and the City of Fort Thomas for hosting the KSO’s 2020 free series of family-friendly and safe summer programs. Seniors and others who wish to avoid even distanced crowds are invited to attend the Saturday 10:30 a.m. dress rehearsal at Tower Park. Others can join the program streamed live at 7:30 on Facebook Live.

Join the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra Saturday at 7:30 p.m. — July 11 at Tower Park in Fort Thomas. Food trucks will be on-site. Bring blankets, picnics or lawn chairs. For more information, registration and directions, visit the KSO at www.kyso.org or call (859) 431-6216. $5 (per person) suggested donation. Free parking in Tower Park (though it is
limited).

Song | As performed by: | Artist | Act

Jumpin’ Jack | Big Bad Voodoo Daddy(BBVD) | Band | —
Go Daddy-O | BBVD | Ensemble | Intro Parade
Bedbugs | Squirrel Nut Zippers (SNZ) | Karen Lukes | Clown
The Curly Shuffle | Back in the Saddle Band | Circus Mojo Kids | Globes
You & Me & the Bottle… | BBVD | Damien / Pauly | Juggling
The Jitters | BBVD | Tate West | Tight Wire
Hey Pachuco | Royal Crown Revue (RCR) | Hope Miller | Silks
Zoot Suit Riot | Cherry Poppin’ Daddies (CPD) | Casey Crowe | Gym Wheel
Ding-dong Daddy… | CPD | Pauly | Ladder
Mambo Swing | BBVD | Dizzy Lizzy | Hula Hoops

— Intermission —

Mr. Pinstripe Suit | BBVD | Jameson Pellegrino | Cyr Wheel
The Contender | RCR | Damien Berkheimer | Juggling solo
I Wanna Be Like You | BBVD | Dizzy Lizzy | Hoops
Hell | SNZ | Karen Lukes | Clown
In the Mood | Glenn Miller | Eddie Moffit | Unicycle
King of Swing | BBVD | Band | —
Please, Baby | BBVD | Duo Rose | Trapeze
Mugzy’s Move | RCR | Ensemble | LED Cyr Wheel/Hoops
Goin’ Back to New Orleans | BBVD | Ensemble | Fire Act

KSO Devou-Doo Daddies:

  • Reeds: Dwayne Irvin, Paul Batchelor Glader
  • Trumpets: Hank Mautner, Matt Anklan
  • Trombone: Dave Ashley
  • Rhythm: Ben Tweedt, (Keys), Brian Deyo (Gtr), Mike Sharfe, (Bass), Brian Malone (Drums)
  • Vocal: Troy Hitch

Circus Mojo Artists:

  • Shiann Carpenter-Allen
  • Taylor Baresel
  • Damien Berkhiemer
  • Casey Crowe
  • Dizzy Lizzy
  • Cherie Haas
  • Karen Hinrichs Lukes
  • Hope Miller
  • Lucas Miller
  • Paul Hallinan Miller
  • Eddie Moffat
  • Jameson Pellegrino
  • Krissie Roberts
  • Sam & Sylvia Rose
  • Libby Sparks
  • Cass Stewart
  • Emmanual Tawiah
  • Tate West
  • Sebastain Woodward

Additional Summer Program Support provided by
The Milburn Family Foundation
The Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation

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Tickets for FEAST. Opening Aug. 7 at Know Theatre Are Now Available

KTC_Feast promoKnow is giving you two different ways to experience this bespoke online production.

Option one: just a ticket, no frills, that gets you access to the performance date of your choice.

Option two: you can purchase a ticket with a … let’s call it “a special party favor” that we’ll ship to the address you enter when you purchase your ticket. It will add a special interactive element to your evening with your hostess (she’ll tell you when and how to open it up).

To keep our Welcome Wednesday spirit alive, we’re still offering discounted tickets (both with and without the party favor add-on) for the Wednesday performance dates, and we’ll also have a very limited number of free Welcome Wednesday tickets, available one hour before Wednesday performances, just like always. (Due to the tight timing of the free Welcome Wednesday tickets, we are not able to offer the party favor option on the free tickets.)

Performances begin at 8 PM on the performance date, and the footage will be available to you for the following 24 hours, in case of sudden internet outages or similar inconveniences.

If you missed last week’s cast announcement of FEAST., you can check it out here.

Click here to purchase tickets.

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Announcing Two-Week Run of HAMILTON for ‘21-‘22, New Lineup for ’20-’21 Premier Health Broadway in Dayton

Including DEAR EVAN HANSEN

DL_Hamilton

Elijah Malcomb, Joseph Morales, Kyle Scatliffe, Fergie L. Philippe and Cast. Joan Marcus 2018.

(July 8, 2020) – Dayton Live is pleased to announce it will welcome the first Dayton engagement of HAMILTON to the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center in the 2021-2022 Season. In addition, Dayton Live announces a new lineup for the upcoming 2020-2021 Premier Health Broadway in Dayton Season. Due to closures and restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020-2021 season will be delayed, launching in January 2021 with slightly revised programming.

“We’re thrilled to announce HAMILTON’s premiere engagement in Dayton,” said Ty Sutton, President & CEO of Dayton Live (formerly Victoria Theatre Association), the nonprofit arts organization that presents the Premier Health Broadway in Dayton Series at the Schuster Center. “We’ve been working to confirm dates for this incredible theatrical powerhouse since 2018. In fact, the question I get more often than any other is when will HAMILTON be here? Now we can officially confirm: HAMILTON is coming to Dayton.”

HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. 

HAMILTON will play two weeks of performances (16 shows) in 2022 at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center. On-sale dates for single tickets and group tickets will be announced at a later date. The best way to guarantee access to tickets for the limited engagement is to purchase Season Tickets for the full 2020-2021 Premier Health Broadway in Dayton lineup, which will begin in January 2021, and renew your Season Tickets for 2021-2022 when the time comes. Premier Health Broadway in Dayton Season Ticket Holders will have access to HAMILTON tickets before they are available to the general public. Visit daytonlive.org/hamilton-faq for answers to frequently asked questions.

A REVISED PREMIER Health Broadway in Dayton season

“The shutdown of Broadway in New York City has had a wide-reaching effect on performing arts centers and Broadway presenters around the country,” Sutton said. “In addition to not having a clear picture when our venues will be open again, nearly all Broadway tours have closed at least temporarily and are not going to be playing in the fall. This necessitated a great deal of juggling on everyone’s part and I’m happy to say we retained most of our season, and also were able add a huge Broadway hit – and one of my favorite titles – DEAR EVAN HANSEN.”

The winner of six 2017 Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award® winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award® nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).

Declared “One of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by the Washington Post’s Peter Marks, Dear Evan Hansen opened at the Music Box Theatre to rave reviews on December 4, 2016. There, it has broken all box office records and struck a chord with audiences and critics alike, including New York Times critic Jesse Green, who, in his May 2019 re-review of the show, declared it “more and more ingenious with each viewing. It is more hopeful than ever.”

The Grammy Award®-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of Dear Evan Hansen, produced by Atlantic Records, was released in February 2017, making an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 and entering the chart at #8 – the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961 – and went on to win the 2018 Grammy Award® for Best Musical Theatre Album. A deluxe version of the cast recording, including six bonus tracks and a pop cover from Katy Perry of “Waving through a Window” is now available digitally.

In addition to winning six 2017 Tony Awards® and a 2018 Grammy Award®, Dear Evan Hansen has won numerous other awards, including the 2017 Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Production and for the off-Broadway production, two Obie Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Helen Hayes Awards. Dear Evan Hansen is also the winner of the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards three years running, and was just proclaimed the Best Long-Running Show and the Best Touring Production in the 2019 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.

Dear Evan Hansen, produced by Stacey Mindich, features scenic design by David Korins, projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and hair design by David Brian Brown. Music supervision, orchestrations and additional arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire. Ben Cohn is the Associate Music Supervisor. Vocal arrangements and additional arrangements are by Justin Paul. Danny Mefford is the choreographer.

Casting by Tara Rubin Casting/Xavier Rubiano. Sash Bischoff, Adam Quinn and Danny Sharron are the Associate Directors. Judith Schoenfeld is the Production Supervisor. US General Management 101 Productions.

Here is the complete lineup for the 2020-2021 Premier Health Broadway in Dayton Season:

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
January 12 – 17, 2021 – Schuster Center

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
February 9 – 14, 2021 – Schuster Center

THE BAND’S VISIT
March 9 – 14, 2021 – Schuster Center

Disney’s THE LION KING
May 6 – 23, 2021 – Schuster Center 

New!
DEAR EVAN HANSEN
June 8 – 13, 2021

WINNER OF SIX 2017 TONY AWARDS® INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL
AND THE 2018 GRAMMY AWARD® FOR BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM.

A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. DEAR EVAN HANSEN has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere, including The Washington Post who says DEAR EVAN HANSEN is “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theatre history.” The New York Times calls it “a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical.” And “NBC Nightly News” declares the musical “an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.” DEAR EVAN HANSEN features a book by Tony Award® winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award® nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).

New dates!
CATS
July 6 11, 2021 – Schuster Center

New dates!
ANASTASIA
July 20 – 25, 2021 – Schuster Center

The Season Ticket Package will include the above shows with the exception of CATS, which was rescheduled from the 2019-2020 Season. But, you can add CATS as an additional show to your package. The much-anticipated touring productions of COME FROM AWAY and MEAN GIRLS, originally scheduled for the fall of  the 2020-2021 Season, will be moved to a future season. All programming is subject to change. The deadline to renew existing Season Ticket Packages and keep subscriber seats has been extended to July 20, 2020. For complete details on the Premier Health Broadway in Dayton series, go to daytonlive.org/broadway.

DAYTON LIVE COVID-19 TICKET GUARANTEE

Arts patrons all over the nation and beyond are concerned about how and when performances will again take place.

“We are eager for our venues to reopen and welcome you to life-inspiring performances,” explained Sutton.  “But we want each of our patrons to feel safe and comfortable attending performances in our fabulous venues. Rest assured, we will be doing everything in our power to make your experience with our venues feel positive and safe, from extended cleaning regimens to observation of all state and federal guidelines. As these recommendations and requirements become clear, we will communicate them to you.”

To this end, Dayton Live has issued a COVID-19 Ticket Guarantee. If, once Dayton Live’s venues are open and performances are again filling the calendar, a patron feels COVID-19 conditions make it unsafe to attend a performance/event, they’ll have several options starting 30 days before your performance. For more details on this ticket guarantee, go to daytonlive.org/ticket-guarantee.

This COVID-19 Ticket Guarantee applies to performances/events presented by Dayton Live or its nonprofit resident companies. Some events presented by licensees renting Dayton Live facilities may not be covered or might have additional restrictions. The guarantee is available to the original ticket buyer who purchased directly from DaytonLive.org or our former ticketing site, TicketCenterStage.com. Tickets purchased from resellers are not covered.

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Dayton Live is the region’s home for arts, culture and entertainment. Our mission is to strengthen community engagement in the arts through inspiring performances, educational opportunities, and world class venues: the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, Victoria Theatre, The Loft Theatre, and PNC Arts Annex. We present a wide variety of arts and entertainment events, including the best in touring Broadway, family shows, concerts, comedians, school day performances, and so much more. In addition, we offer Dayton Live ticketing services and The Arts Garage. DaytonLive.org is the official ticketing source for all performance presented in Dayton Live venues.  Dayton Live is a nonprofit arts organization, receiving funding from a variety of public and private sources, including the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District and the Ohio Arts Council. The Ohio Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

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