The Greater Cleveland area has a vital theater scene. Though they are usually exciting, there is more to experience on stage than the Broadway series. Listed are some of the offerings that will be staged from September through the end of December, 2014. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL THEATRES along with the big Broadway hits!
ACTORS SUMMIT
--> 330-374-7568 or go to www.actorssummit.org
MAKING GOD LAUGH (October 9-November 2)--Home is where the heart AND the laughter is!
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (November 26-December 21)--A mystery/comedy adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle's novel about an ancient curse and the inimitable Sherlock Holmes.
BECK CENTER 216-521-2540 or http://www.beckcenter.org
FOREVER PLAID (September 12-October 12)—Musical revue centers on four singers killed in a car crash on the way to their first big concert, but are revived to sing once again!
BABES IN ARMS—IN CONCERT (September 18)—Kent State University’s Musical Theatre students sing the score from Rogers and Hart’s “lets put on a show” musical. Also at KSU’s Stump Theater on September 21.
[title of show] (October 10-November 16)—A musical comedy about two guys writing a musical comedy about two guys writing a musical comedy! (For mature audiences)
MARY POPPINS (December 5-January 4, 2015)—The supercalifragilisticexpialidocious musical in its local premiere.
BLANK CANVAS 440-941-0458 or www.blankcanvastheatre.com
HAIR (August 29-September 13)—The American Tribal love-rock musical which examines the tumultuous 1960s search for truth, peace and love, featuring such hit songs as “Good Morning, Starshine,” and “Aquarius.”
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (October 17-November 1)—eight people spend a terrifying night where the dead rise to feast on human flesh, complete with a now-famous Blank Canvas splatterzone!
2014 BENEFIT (November 7 & 8)—A concert version of a musical whose name is yet to be announced…raffle, music, food and ?????????
HIGH FIDELITY, A MUSICAL (December 5-20)—A sexy rock musical that examines the intricacies of life and music which is not just told with music, but entirely is about music.
CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE 216-241-6000 or go to www.clevelandplayhouse.com
THE LITTLE FOXES (September 12-October 5)--Lillian Hellman’s drama of ambition and greed warns us to keep our friends close and our relatives closer.
HOW WE GOT ON (October 24-November 16)—A lyrical journey of dreaming big and discovering your voice.
CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE 216-631-2727 or go on line to www.cptonline.org
SHE’S WEARING WHITE (October 9-25)—An interactive performance art installation that investigates purity, ideal femininity, and sexual role playing on a virgin bride’s wedding night.
SPIRITS TO ENFORCE (October 9-25)—Twelve superheroes take up residence in a secret submarine to hold a fundraising drive for their upcoming production of “The Tempest.”
TEATRO PUBLICO DE CLEVELAND (October 16-19)—A new original performance based on the stories, dreams and musings of Cleveland’s Hispanic community (title TBA).
THE NEIGHBOR’S GRIEF IS GREENER (October 23-25)—In partnership with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, CPT presents The Visual Theatre of Emmanuelle Amichai’s production, a macabre visual performance that takes place in an archetypal suburban kitchen.
CLAIRMONDE (October 31-November 1)—A world premiere opera which combines fiction, fantasy and magical realism in a classic tale of the supernatural as performed by Opera Per Tutti.
AMERICAN FALLS (December 4-December 20)—A drama about eight people in a small town—six are living and two are dead.
CONNI’S AVANTE GARDE RESTAURANT (December 4-20)—A musical performance of cabaret, comedy, dancing and game-show competitions within a five course meal.
convergence continuum
convergence-continiuum.org or 216-687-0074
THE PILLOWMAN (September 26-October 18)—In the totalitarian state of Katurian, a writer of short stories, which depict violence against children, has been arrested by detectives because some of his stories resemble recent child murders.
TERMINUS (November 21-December 20)—Singing serial killers, avenging angels and love sick demons are part of the goings on when three people are ripped from their daily lives and catapulted into a fantasy world.
DOBAMA 216-932-3396 or dobama.org
BELLEVILLE (September 5-October 5)—A Hitchcock-inspired suspense play by Pulitzer Prize winner Amy Herzog.
THE NORWEGIANS (October 24-November 16)—A profane dark comedy about some really nice Norwegian hit men, and the women who hire them to whack their ex-boyfriends.
A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL CELEBRATION (December 5-January 5, 2015)—A musical that weaves together characters, story lines and pieces of music about hope, joy, and the beauty of human spirit.
ENSEMBLE THEATRE 216-321-2930 or http://www.ensemble-theatre.com
ANNA CHRISTIE (September 26-October 19)—Eugene O’Neill’s love story which is played out against the tempestuous sea.
THE GREAT GATSBY (November 14-December 14)---A self-made millionaire passionately pursues an elusive woman in Simon Levy’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age classic.
GREAT LAKES THEATRE http://www.greatlakestheater.org or 216-241-6000
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (September 26-November 2)—William Shakespeare’s raucous domestic comedy re-imagined by director Tracy Young.
LES MISÉRABLES (October 3-November 9)—Based on a Victor Hugo novel, the musical of the French Revolution which features Fantine, Cosette, Jean Valijean, and Javert and “One Day More.”
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (November 29-December 23)—For the 26th year, the Charles Dickens story, as adapted by former GLT’s Artistic Director Gerald Freedman, with new costumes, sets and upgraded lighting and special effects.
KARAMU
216-795-7077 or www.karamuhouse.org
IT AIN'T NOTHING' BUT THE BLUES (SEPTEMBER 19-OCTOBER 12)--A musical revue of over 50 blues and blues infused songs.
ONE MONKEY DON'T STOP NO SHOW (October 31-November 23)--A comedy which centers on a baptist preacher, clinging tenaciously to his position in a local black elite church.
LEAP OF FAITH (December 5-December 28)--The Ohio premiere of a musical by eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken which tells the tale of a Reverend, who, in fact, is a con-artist.
LAKELAND COMMUNITY THEATRE
440-525-7134 or http://lakelandcc.edu/academic/arts/theatre/index.asp --AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (September 19-October 5)—The
Weston family are all intelligent, sensitive crates who have the uncanny ability
of making each other miserable.
none-too-fragile www.nonetoofragile.com or 330-671-4563
THE SUNSET LIMITED (September 12-27)—Two nameless characters, identified by their skin colors, debate the meaning of human suffering.
IN A FOREST, DARK AND DEEP (October 10-25)—Neil LaBute’s tale of a sister and brother, who have little in common, explores the dark territory of “the lies you tell yourself to get by.”
TOP DOG UNDER DOG (November 14-November 29)—Chronicles the lives of two African American brothers, Lincoln and Booth, as they cope with women, work, poverty, gambling, racism, and their troubled upbringings.
EXACT CHANGE (December 12 & 13)—Cleveland theatre critic Christine Howey’s one-person story of her gender transition!
PLAYHOUSESQUARE 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org.
EDWARD ALBEE’S OCCUPANT (September 19-October 25 @ Kennedy’s Cabaret Theatre @ PlayhouseSquare)—A tribute to American sculptor Louise Nevelson, the biographical play examines self-determination, starring local performers Julia Kolibab & George Roth.
MOTOWN (October 3-19)—The musical journey of Berry Gordy, from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
none-too-fragile www.nonetoofragile.com or 330-671-4563
THE SUNSET LIMITED (September 12-27)—Two nameless characters, identified by their skin colors, debate the meaning of human suffering.
IN A FOREST, DARK AND DEEP (October 10-25)—Neil LaBute’s tale of a sister and brother, who have little in common, explores the dark territory of “the lies you tell yourself to get by.”
TOP DOG UNDER DOG (November 14-November 29)—Chronicles the lives of two African American brothers, Lincoln and Booth, as they cope with women, work, poverty, gambling, racism, and their troubled upbringings.
EXACT CHANGE (December 12 & 13)—Cleveland theatre critic Christine Howey’s one-person story of her gender transition!
PLAYHOUSESQUARE 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org.
EDWARD ALBEE’S OCCUPANT (September 19-October 25 @ Kennedy’s Cabaret Theatre @ PlayhouseSquare)—A tribute to American sculptor Louise Nevelson, the biographical play examines self-determination, starring local performers Julia Kolibab & George Roth.
MOTOWN (October 3-19)—The musical journey of Berry Gordy, from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
EVIL DEAD--THE MUSICAL (October 21-22)--Toronto's long running musical tells the outrageous story of five college friends spending the weekend in an abandoned cabin in the woods after accidentally unleashing an evil force that turns them all into demons.
IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS (December 2-14)—The classic movie comes to the stage for the whole family.
THE MUSICAL THEATER PROJECT
http://www.MusicalTheaterProject.org or 216-529-9411 for tickets and information
(productions staged in review form with narration)
BABES in ARMS (September 18 @ Beck Center for the Arts, 8 PM), (September 21 @ Stump Theatre, Kent State University, 2 PM)—The “Hey-let’s us-kids-put-on-a-show”
ETHEL MERMAN--Loud but honest! (October 12---2 PM @ Stocker Arts Center, Lorain County Community College)—The belter, who was the most important vocalist of the 20th century, gets center stage attention with songs from Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerry Herman and others.
MARY MARTIN—America’s Sweetheart (October 26—2 & 7 PM @ Mixon Hall, Cleveland Institute of Music)—The “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” Broadway star is center stage.
A CHRISTMAS CABARET (December 12 @ 8 PM, December 23 @ 2 and 8 PM—Stocker Center, Lorain County Community College, December 14 @7 PM, December 16 @ 7 PM, December 17 @ 7 PM—Nighttown)—Holiday songs from Irving Berlin.
