Here’s a list of some of the offerings of some CLE theaters through the winter and spring seasons (January-May). You can track my reviews on http://www.royberko.info/, or contact me to get on my direct review list. For a synopsis of the local reviewers’ comments about the plays at http://www.clevelandtheaterreviews.com/
BECK CENTER 216-521-2540 or http://www.beckcenter.org 8 p.m. evenings, 3 p.m. matinees
(February 8-24, 2019) ONCE A collaboration with Baldwin Wallace University’s national recognized Musical Theater program follows a Dublin street musician and a Czech immigrant who are drawn together by their love of music.
(March 15-Apirl 14, 2019) LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL Features Nicole Sumlin as Billie Holiday, one of the greatest jazz voices of all time, as she takes to the stage for one of the last shows of her career.
(May 31-June 30 2019) KING LEAR Shakespeare’s tragedy of love and loss, which explores the consequences of the aging King dividing his estate between his three daughters.
BLANK CANVAS 440-941-0458 or http://www.blankcanvastheatre.com/ Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 7 pm
(March 1-16, 2019) KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Tony winning musical revamps the harrowing tale in a Latin American prison cell between a revolutionary and a homosexual in for deviant behavior.
(April 5-20, 2019) ART How much would be pay for a white painting? Three friends find themselves in conflict over the value of art and friendship.
(May 17-June 1, 2019) LITTLE MARY SUNSHINE A musical comedy about a modern family's unexpected route to brighter days.
CESEAR’S FORUM 216-241-6000 or go to http://www.cesearsforum.com/
TBA
CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE 216-241-6000 or go to http://www.playhousesquare.org 7:30 Wednesday-Saturday, 2:30 Saturday and Sunday
(January 12-February 10, 2019) AN ILIAD One actor. One musician. The Trojan War. Two women transform a bare stage into a raging battlefield where gods, heroes, and empires clash in a quest for vengeance and glory. (Outcalt Theatre)
(February 2-24, 2019) KEN LUDWIG’S SHERWOOD THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD A rollicking new take on a beloved legend. (Allen Theatre)
March 23-April 14, 2019) TINY HOUSES A world premiere comedy in which a couple builds a 200-square foot tiny house to create a “simpler” life. (Outcalt Theatre)
(April 27-May 19) NATIVE GARDENS What starts out as a squabble over a backyard property line erupts into a full-blown border dispute! (Allen Theatre)
CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE 216-631-2727 or go on line to http://www.cptonline.org/ 6415 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland
(January 17-19, 2019) ENTRY POINT Grab a pass and step into a festival-like atmosphere of raw art-in-progress.
(February 9-March 2, 2019) FIRE ON THE WATER Multimedia theatrical event returns with a reimagined version to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River.
(February 14-March 2, 2019) TEATRO PUBLICO DE CLEVELAND SPANISH LANGUAGE PRODUCTION
(March 21-April 20, 2019) TEST FLIGHT A multi-week series that showcases new work on its way to full production.
(March 23-April 13, 2019) TBA
May 18-June 8, 2019) CENTRAL CONCERN A production of depraved entertainment using music, humor and bizarre buffoon theatricality. (A co-production with Ohio City Theatre Project.)
convergence continuum convergence-continuum.org or 216-687-0074 Thursday-Saturday @ 8
The Liminis Theatre, 2438 Scranton Road Cleveland
(March 29-Apirl 20, 2019) THE PRIDE A time-bending portrait that counterpoints two parallel love stories with very dissimilar outcomes.
(May 24-June 15, 2019) STATEMENTS AFTER AN ARREST UNDER THE IMMORALITY ACT Athol Fugard’s look at what happens, while apartheid reigned in South Africa, when a black man and white woman meet secretly in the library where she works to make love and share their hopes and fears.
DOBAMA 216-932-3396 or http://www.dobama.org 7:30 Thursdays, 8:00 Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 Sundays
(January 25-February 17, 2019) REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN—A inventive grouping of vignettes that asks how to revolutionize language. It is a theatrical manifesto for the #MeToo era.
(March 8-31, 2019) THE NETHER A twisting criminal drama and a haunting sci-fi thriller which explores the consequences of living out our most shocking urges in the age of virtual reality.
(April 26-May 26, 2019) THIS An un-romantic comedy that captures the uncertain steps of a circle of friends backing their way into middle age.
ENSEMBLE THEATRE 216-321-2930 or http://www.ensemble-theatre.com Fridays and Saturdays @ 8, Sundays @ 2
(January 25-February 17, 2019) A RAISIN IN THE SUN Referred to as the “pivotal play in the history of the American Black theatre,” Lorraine Hansberry’s epic script is the tale of the Younger family’s heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world of racism.
(March 8-30, 2019) A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN Eugene O’Neill’s classic script in which Jodie, an amazon-like woman, finds herself drowning in a wave of self-pity and remorse that results in her facing a new challenge to her dauntless spirit.
(March 21-April 7, 2019) THE WAY I DANCED WITH YOU A world premiere of David Hansen’s play that traces the mysterious choreography of romance and illusion of two high school lovers. (Check the website for special day and times)
(April 26-May 19, 2019) WATER BY THE SPOONFUL The 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama finds Elliot, having just returned from Iraq, struggling to find his place in the world.
GREAT LAKES THEATER http://www.greatlakestheater.org or 216-241-6000 Wednesday-Saturday @ 7:30, Saturdays @ 1:30, Sundays @ 3
(February 15-March 10, 2019) WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION You are hereby summoned for jury duty to participate in Agatha Christie’s gripping courtroom thriller!
(March 29-April 14, 2019) THE TAMING OF THE SHREW Shakespeare’s uproarious battle of the sexes in which fortune-hunting Petruchio takes up the challenge to “tame” quick-tempered Kate and make her his wife.
(May 3-26, 2019) MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET The Tony-winning rock ‘n’ roll tribute to Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley.
INTERPLAY JEWISH THEATRE interplayjewishtheatre@gmail.com or 216-393-PLAY (Play readings at Dobama are free, but reservations are required. Presentations at the Maltz Museum are fee based)
(April 14, 2019) HARD LOVE Motti Lerner’s tale asks whether in matters of faith and love, there can ever be compromise. (Maltz Museum—216-593-0575 or www.maltzmuseum.org)
(April 28@ 2 and April 29 @ 7) ROCKET CITY, ALABAM’ Mark Saltzman's play asks not only how soon it's permissible to “move on.” He also suggests how simple it is for neo-Nazism to take root in the soil that nurtured Jim Crow. (For reservations, contact 216-393-PLAY interplayjewishtheatre@gmail.com, no charge, but are contributions at the door)
KARAMU 216-795-707) or www.karamuhouse.org (Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
(February 7-10, 2019) THE IMPACT OF SHUFFLE ALONG Coproduced by Karamu House + The Musical Theatre Project, this lecture/musical production highlights SHUFFLE ALONG, one of the most significant musicals of the 20th century: a show written and performed entirely by African Americans; the show that brought the Harlem Renaissance to the musical stage.
(February 14-March 10, 2019) A Double-Bill: “Two by Tennessee Williams”
27 WAGONS FULL OF COTTON Set during the Great Depression, this is a play about desperation, desperation and revenge.
THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED A chance encounter between two young people along a Mississippi railroad amidst the Great Depression leaves them both exposed in ways unimaginable.
(March 28-April 21, 2019) THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN Cleveland Heights author Eric Coble’s touching and funny play centers on 80-year-old Alexandra’s showdown with her family over where she should spend her golden years.
(May 23-June 16, 2019) ELTON JOHN & TIM RICE’S AIDA A rock musical based on the epic tale full of passion, loyalty and betrayal.
LAKELAND CIVIC THEATRE 440-525-7134 or http://lakelandcc.edu/academic/arts/theatre/index.asp
(February 1-17, 2019) FREAKY FRIDAY A musical based on the Disney film centers on an overworked mother and her teenage daughter who magically swap bodies and have just one day to put things right again.
NEAR WEST THEATRE 216-961-6391 or nearwestheatre.org
(February 15-24, 2019) ANYONE CAN WHISTLE Steven Sondheim’s musical about a corrupt mayor, an idealistic nurse, a man who may be a doctor, and various officials, patients and townspeople, all fighting to save a bankrupt town. (Youth cast…ages 9-15)
(May 3-19, 2019) 1776 (Teen and Adult cast) The musical story of the efforts of John Adams to persuade his colleagues to vote for American independence and to sign the document.
NEW WORLD PERFORMANCE LAB
For details: https://nwplab.com/
TBA
none-too-fragile theatre 330-962-5547 or http://www.nonetoofragile.com
Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 8, select Sundays @2 and select Mondays at 8
(February 1-16, 2019) YANKEE TAVERN A dramatic thriller which examines a 9/11 conspiracy theory. Just when you thought you'd heard every crazy 9/11 conspiracy theory, a stranger walks into the Yankee Tavern and . . .
(March 22-April 6, 2019) PRODIGAL SON "A 17-year-old boy from the Bronx suddenly finds himself in a private school in New Hampshire. Two faculty members wrestle with the dilemma: Is the kids a star or a disaster? A passionate, explosive portrait of a young man on the verge of salvation or destruction.”
(May 31-June 15, 2019) TBA
OHIO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL 1-888-718-4253 (opt. 1) or www.ohioshakespearefestival.com (Winter and Spring Home: Greystone Hall, Akron). Shows Thursday-Saturday at 8:00, Sunday matinees at 2:00.
(February 22-March 10, 2019) THE LION IN WINTER
(April 12-May 5, 2019) 1776 The musical story of the efforts of John Adams to persuade his colleagues to vote for American independence and to sign the document.
PLAYHOUSESQUARE 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org
(January 15-20, 2019 ROGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA Concerns a young woman forced into a life of servitude by her cruel stepmother and self-centered stepsisters, who dreams of a better life. With the help of her Fairy Godmother she is transformed into a Princess and finds her Prince.
(January 29-February 17, 2019) MISS SAIGON Based on the opera MADAM BUTTERFLY the musical tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving a Vietnam woman abandoned by her American lover.
(March 5-24, 2019) SCHOOL OF ROCK The musical follows Dewey Finn, an out-of-work rock singer and guitarist who takes a job as a substitute teacher, realizes the musical talent in his nerdy students, and forms a band of fifth-graders, in an attempt to win the upcoming Battle of the Bands contest.
(April 3-20, 2019) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA The musical seen by over 130 million people which revolves around a beautiful soprano who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius living in the subterranean labyrinth beneath the Paris Opera House with a score that includes “The Music of the Night.”
(April 23-May 12, 2019) A BRONX TALE Chazz Palminteri’s personal coming of age story of an Italian-American boy caught in an emotional struggle to follow a life of crime or the values of his family.
(June 11-30, 2019) DEAR EVAN HANSEN A winner of six Tony Awards which tells the story of a high school senior with severe social anxiety who inadvertently gets caught in a lie that brings him closer to a classmate's family, while also allowing him to gain his own sense of purpose.
BROADWAY BUZZ--Get the inside scoop on Key Bank Broadway shows from host, Joe Garry, one hour before performances. Please check event schedule for exact dates and times. Broadway Buzz Pre-Show Talks are held in the Upper Allen, accessible through the Allen Theatre lobby.
PLAYHOUSE SQUARE TOURS—Nearly 100 years after our historic theaters first opened, Playhouse Square has become the largest performing arts center outside of New York City and hosts nearly 1,000,000 guests and 1,000 curtains each year. Each of the theaters has its own story to tell. Our tours are a great way to learn about the history and community impact of one of Cleveland’s most important cultural institutions. 1 st Saturday of each month, 10-11:30 AM, every 15 minutes a 90-minute tour leaves from Key Bank State Lobby. No reservations needed for groups of 10 or fewer.
RUBBER CITY THEATRE
2207 Romig Road, Akron
234-252-0272 or http://www.rubbercitytheatre.com/
(February 15-March 30, 2019) GUYS AND DOLLS The “Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat” musical based on Damon Runyon’s stories which takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City.
(April 12-28, 2019) ROMEO AND JULIET Shakespeare’s epic tragedy in which Romeo, a Montague falls in love with Juliet, a Capulet and rival family to his. They defy all odds to be together but fate intervenes.
SEAT OF THE PANTS ENSEMBLE
Appears at various venues https://seatofthepants.org
(March 29/30 & April 5/6, 2018 @ 8 PM)
Pilgrim Congregational Church in Tremont—2592 West 14th Street, Cleveland
THE END OF THE TOUR A dark comedy which explores what such questions as “What do we owe our parents as they age?” “Can we correct the mistakes we made with children when they become adults? And, “Until death do us part…Really?”
(August 2-11, 2018 Friday and Saturdays @ 8 and Sundays at 2)
Ensemble Theatre’s Playground Theatre, 2843 Washington Boulevard, Cleveland Heights
SMOKEFALL Magic realism collides with manic vaudeville in this family drama with a chewy metaphysical core.
THE MUSICAL THEATER PROJECT http://www.MusicalTheaterProject.org or 216-529-9411 for tickets and information (productions staged in review format with narration at a variety of venues)
(January 19, 2019—Hanna Theatre, @ 8 PM & January 20, 2019—Temple-Tifereth Israel @ 3 PM) COLE PORTER ON BROADWAY TMTP's fifth-annual partnership with Cleveland Jazz Orchestra honors Porter's 30-year love affair with the theater. Hosted by Bill Rudman and Paul Ferguson. Featuring members of Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, the Joe Hunter Trio, Vince Mastro and Treva Offutt
(February 7-9 @ 8 PM, February 10 @ 3PM—Karamu House) THE IMPACT OF “SHUFFLE ALONG” It was one of the most significant musicals of the 20th century: a show written and performed entirely by African Americans; the show that brought the Harlem Renaissance to the musical stage. Hosted by Bill Rudman and Tony F. Sias Singers include Treva Offutt, Tony F. Sias and Evelyn Wright Featuring the Joe Hunter Trio and George Foley
(April 14, 2019 @ 2PM—Kent State University and April 15, @ 7:30 PM—Beck Center for the Arts) IT’S A BIRD…IT’S A PLANE…IT’S SUPERMAN Yes, the man of steel sings and dances while having his hands full defending Metropolis against all evildoers. Directed by Terri Kent. Featuring members of Kent State University's Musical Theatre Program Tickets: Kent State University 330-672-2787 or click here, Breen Center 800-838-3006 or click here
THEATER IN THE CIRCLE
Ticket Information: 216-282-9424 or go to theatreinthecircle.com
Shows: Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 7:30, Saturday and Sunday @ 2
(February 14-17, 2019) LIBERACE! David Maiocco, portraying “Mr. Showmanship,” the uniquely American icon, Liberace.
(May 9-12, 2019)—YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN Good grief, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Snoopy and Sally join Charlie to take us back to our favorite funnies in this revue of vignettes and songs including “My Blanket and Me,” “The Baseball Game,” “Little Known Facts,” “Suppertime,” and “Happiness.”
