Here’s a list of some of the offerings of local theatres through the fall season (September-December, 2017).
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BECK CENTER 216-521-2540 or http://www.beckcenter.org 8 p.m. evenings, 3 p.m. matinees
September 15 – October 8
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST--“Crazy” McMurphy, a charming rogue, is placed in a ward at a mental institution ruled by the terrible Nurse Ratched. It’s a battle of wills!
October 6 – November 5
WAITING FOR GODOT—Beckett’s Existential epic “mystery wrapped in an enigma” which examines the hopeless destiny of the human race. Especially significant in this “reign of Trump.”
December 1 – December 31
Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID—A return visit of the 2016 award winning production tells the timeless fairy tale of Ariel, a mermaid princess, as she dreams of the forbidden land above.
BLANK CANVAS 440-941-0458 or http://www.blankcanvastheatre.com/
Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 7 pm
October 6-28
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW—The 1950s science fiction rock musical in which Brad and Janet run into car trouble, go to a creepy castle for some help and find Dr. Frank N. Furter. (Contains adult language and content.)
December 1-16
URINETOWN THE MUSICAL—In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage causes the government to enforce a ban on private toilets. Watch in delight as this musical satire exposes social irresponsibility, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement and capitalism at its worst.
CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE 216-241-6000 or go to http://www.playhousesquare.org
7:30 PM Wednesday-Saturday, 2:30 PM Saturday and Sunday
September 9-October 1
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE—The Academy Award-winning romantic comedy comes to the stage, complete with sword fights, secret trysts, and backstage drama.
October 21-November 19
THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK—Anne’s compelling words come alive and urge viewers to stand up for one another in the face of intolerance, fear, and hate.
November 24-December 23
A CHRISTMAS STORY—Yes, it’s back again…one boy, one holiday wish, The Old Man, Santa at Higbee’s Department Store and the glowing-leg-lamp. A play for the whole family.
CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE 216-631-2727 or go on line to http://www.cptonline.org/
September 9
PANDEMONIUM 2017: UNLEASH—CPT’S annual fundraiser transforms the CPT campus into a labyrinth of theatre, dance visual and performance art on every corner.
October 5-7 & 12 (previews), October 13-28 (official run)
THE FAMILY CLAXON—World Premiere of Cleveland Heights award winning writer Eric Coble’s tale of Andrew Claxon who wants to help Grandad Claxon celebrate his birthday but chaos reigns all around the town.
October 5-7
TEATRO PUBLICO NEW PLAY FESTIVAL---A workshop series of new scripts and scenes created by local Latino artists.
October 26-28 & November 2 (previews), November 3-18 (official run)
THE ART OF LONGING--World premiere of Lisa Lanford’s play that follows the lives of six “third-shift” people who are awake when the rest of the city sleeps.
November 2-5—Y-HAVEN THEATRE PROJECT—An original theater production by the members of Y-Haven, a homeless men’s facility, centering on their life stories.
November 24-26 & 30 (previews), December 1-17 (official run)—
THE LOUSH SISTERS GET HARD FOR THE HOLIDAYS (YIPPIE-KAI-YAY MOTHER LOUSHERS)-- Holly and Jolly Loush return to CPT in this world premiere of a bawdy, boozy, over-the-top holiday cabaret in which they battle villains and attempt to avert disaster.
convergence continuum convergence-continiuum.org or 216-687-0074 Thursday-Saturday @ 8
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August 25-September 16
RHINOCEROS—Ionesco’s Theatre of the Absurd play which places a spotlight on history possibly being replayed by the Trump presidency.
September 28-30
SPARED—A man and two women meet after attending
a funeral, a time when so much needs to be articulated and understood. And yet,
somehow, they cannot bridge the gulf of self-consciousness that separates them.
October 13-November 4
IN THE CLOSET—Sigmund Fuch’s tale find’s four men trying to
confront each of his own humorous, awkward or heart breaking reason for being himself.
November 16-18
CAMP BEACOUP CONGA—World premiere of a play by Clevelander
Jonathan Wilhelm.
December 1-16
THE CHASTE GENIUS AND HIS DEATHRAY GUN—a world premiere of
Chirstopher Johnston’s tale of strange freaky inventor Nikola Tesla.
DOBAMA 216-932-3396 or http://www.dobama.org
check the theatre’s blog for performance times
September 1-24
BROWNSVILLE SONG (B-SIDE FOR TRAY)—The Cleveland premiere of Kimber Lee’s story of the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn where life is often tragically cut short.
October 13-November 12
MARJORIE PRIME—Stars Cleveland legend Dorothy Silver as an 85-year-old woman with a handsome new companion which explores what it means to be human in the digital age.
December 1-30
SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS—It’s December on the streets of London, Sherlock Holmes is missing, and a young girl’s grandfather has been abducted. Who will save the day? The game’s afoot.
ENSEMBLE THEATRE 216-321-2930 or http://www.ensemble-theatre.com
Fridays and Saturdays @ 8, Sundays @ 2
September 29-October 22
WELL—Lisa Kron, the Oberlin grad who wrote the book and lyrics for the award-winning FUN HOME, writes about a mother who has the extraordinary ability to heal a changing neighborhood despite her inability to heal herself.
November 17-December 10
THE HAIRY APE—Eugene O’Neill’s epic expressionist play about a brutish, unthinking laborer who searches for a sense of belonging in a world controlled by the rich.
December 1-17
THE LITTLE PRINCE—A play with music tells the tale of a world-weary and disenchanted Aviator whose sputtering plane strands him in the Sahara Desert and his meeting a mysterious “little man.”
GREAT LAKES THEATER http://www.greatlakestheater.org or 216-241-6000 Wednesday-Saturday @ 7:30, Saturdays @ 1:30, Sundays @ 3
September 29-November 4
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (A SOARING MUSICAL EPIC)—Victoria Bussert directs the Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, Peter Parnell musical tale of Quasimodo, a deformed bell-ringer, who becomes an unlikely hero.
October 6-November 5
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM—Shakespeare’s comic tale of madness, mistaken identity, mismatched lovers and mischief-making fairies.
November 25-December 23
A CHRISTMAS CAROL—Dickens’ classic tale of one man’s ultimate redemption.
INTERPLAY JEWISH THEATER http://interplayjewishtheatre or 216-393-PLAY
Play readings at Dobama are free, but reservations are required.
November 18
Special event—details to be announced!
KARAMU HOUSE 216-795-707) or www.karamuhouse.org
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Check the theater’s website for exact times and dates
September
SIMPLY SIMONE: THE MUSIC OF NINA SIMONE—a musical chronicling the life and career of the songstress.
October-November
THE LAKE EFFECT—Cleveland Heights native Rajiv Joseph’s tale about estranged siblings who reunite at their father’s restaurant in an evening of memories and family secrets. (Produced in collaboration with Ensemble Theatre.)
December
TBA--An original world premiere of a jazz review featuring holiday classics from Cole Porter to Gershwin.
LAKELAND CIVIC THEATRE 440-525-7134 or http://lakelandcc.edu/academic/arts/theatre/index.asp
Productions are staged at Lakeland Community College October 11 & 12 @ noon, October 13 & 14 @ 7:30 PM
A GUIDE’S GUIDE TO LAWNFIELD—Local playwright Faye Sholiton’s play about an 18-year old history geek and unabashed fan of James A. Garfield. While leading a tour of the late president's Mentor home, he encounters a visitor who is particularly adamant that he gets the story right.
NEAR WEST THEATRE 216-961-6391 or nearwestheatre.org
September 22-October 1
XANADU (Youth Production, ages 9-15)-- a musical comedy based on the 1980 cult classic film of the same name
November 17-December 10
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Intergenerational Production (Ages 7 and up)—A musical based on the Disney film of the same name which tells the story of a cold-hearted prince who has been transformed into a creature as punishment for his selfish ways. To revert into his human form, he must earn the love of a beautiful young lady.
none-too-fragile theatre 330-671-4563 or http://www.nonetoofragile.com
September15-30
LAST OF THE BOYS—Steven Dietz’s serio-comedy about a Vietnam vet which examines identities and memoires of the past.
October 27-November 11
A STEADY RAIN— With a plot similar to a real-life event that involved Jeffrey Dahmer, it focuses on two Chicago policemen who inadvertently return a Vietnamese boy to a cannibalistic serial killer who claims to be the child's uncle.
OHIO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL www.ohioshakespearefestival.com (Winter and Spring Home: Greystone Hall, Akron)
103 S. High Street, Akron 44308
September 22-October 8
THREE MUSKETEERS: AN ADVENTURE WITH MUSIC—An OSF Family Theatre production of Alexander Dumas's classic tale of friendship, daring, romance, and intrigue...with music! Curtain—7 PM-Thursday-Saturday and 2 PM on Sunday.
December 1-17
CAMELOT—Lerner and Loewe’s “one brief shining moment” musical tells the legend of King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table. Thursday-Saturday @ 8, Sunday @ 2.
PLAYHOUSESQUARE 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org
See the website for dates and times
September 12-17
THE BOOK OF MORMON—The award winning outrageous musical comedy which follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of Mormon missionaries sent halfway across the world to spread the “Good Word.”
September 29-30
MARTIN LUTHER ON TRIAL—A new original play about Martin Luther on Trial. A trial in the afterlife, and the prosecutor is the Devil.
October 17-November 5
WAITRESS—This ground-breaking show, with an all-female creative team, with music and lyrics by 5-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles, is an empowering musical about a woman whose dreams come true. (The national tour will be rehearsed and start in CLE.)—Key Bank Broadway Series.
November 8-December 3
WICKED—a return visit of the Broadway sensation that looks at what happened in the Land of Oz long before Dorothy arrives. Key Bank Broadway Series.
December 5-23
ON YOUR FEET! —Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s musical story of their breaking barriers to become crossover sensations at the very top of the pop music world. Key Bank Broadway Series.
THE MUSICAL THEATER PROJECT http://www.MusicalTheaterProject.org or 216-529-9411 for tickets and information
(productions staged in review format with narration)
October 14 @ 7 PM-Stocker Center, Lorain County Community College,
October 15-3 PM-Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square
OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNIN’: THE IMPACT OF OKLAHOMA! —75 years after its
Broadway premiere the first truly book musical reaffirms the strength of our national character. Featuring Bill Rudman, Nancy Maier, Ursula Cataan, Lindsey Sandham Leonard, Joe Monaghan, Shane Patrick O’Neill and Fabio Polanco.
December 15—8 PM, December 16—2 PM—Stocker Center, Lorain County Community College
December 17 and 18—7 PM—Night town Restaurant, Cleveland Heights
A CHRISTMAS CABARET—Several dozen songs about the holidays which will please the entire family. Featuring Nancy Maier, Joe Monaghan, Bill Rudman and Sandra Simon.
