Cleveland Theatre + Broadway News

BWW Reviews: Compelling WAR HORSE Grasps the Imagination at the Palace

(4/11/2013) - One of the fears of seeing a show which I regarded as one of the most mesmerizing that I've ever seen, was that the touring company of WARHORSE would fade by comparison. It did, somewhat, but still came out an exciting winner in the derby called theatre.

The Humanities Institute's Public Humanities Lecture Series to Feature Jill Lepore, 4/24

(4/10/2013) - The Humanities Institute's Public Humanities Lecture Series features Jill Lepore, the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard College and staff writer at the New Yorker on Wednesday, April 24, at 3:30 pm at the Wexner Center for the Arts Film/Video Theater. Lepore will discuss her new book, Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin (Knopf in 2013), a biography of Ben Franklin's sister. A reception and book signing will follow the lecture.

PlayhouseSquare Announces 3 New Shows On Sale Friday

(4/10/2013) - Tickets go on sale Fri. April 12th at 11 am for comedian/actor BILL BURR's June 14th Palace Theatre show (8 pm), and also for the Irish singing quintet CELTIC THUNDER's October 16th 7:30 pm concert "Mythology" in the State Theatre.

BWW Reviews: Actors' Summit's MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD - Delightful, Thought-Provoking

(4/8/2013) - The great fear of realizing that MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD is a series of vignettes which look at varying phases of motherhood, is that it will turn out to be a Hallmark sentimental mindless experience. Fear not. The eighteen authors of the vignettes avoid making the experience sappy and purely entertaining. Instead, there is a balance of humor, pathos, and social commentary.

BWW Reviews: PERHAPS PERICLES - A Maybe Shakespeare Script at Cesear's Forum

(4/7/2013) - For those who are interested in seeing a version of what may be the very little performed PERHAPS PERICLES, the Cesear's Forum's showing is a good opportunity.

Now Playing Onstage in Cleveland - Week of 4/07/2013

(4/7/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 4/07/2013 for Cleveland

THE TENORS to Bring New Album to Columbus, 5/8

(4/4/2013) - Since their inception just five years ago, The Tenors have been thrilling audiences worldwide with their powerful voices and memorable melodies singing a blend of classical music and contemporary pop. Victor Micallef, Clifton Murray, Remigo Pereira, and Fraser Walters have performed on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (with Celine Dion), for Her Majesty The Queen during her Diamond Jubilee at Windsor Castle, the live broadcast of the 2011 Emmy Awards in LA, at the opening ceremonies of Vancouver's 2010 Olympics, and for the NBA, MLB, and NHL All-Star Games. They have shared the stage with Sarah McLachlan, Neil Young, Paul Anka, Justin Bieber, Paul McCartney, Brian McKnight, David Foster, and Natalie Cole among others. For their live Columbus performance, The Tenors will draw selections from their new album, Lead With Your Heart, as well as some of their past hits.

ACCAD Hosts Annual Open House, 4/19

(4/4/2013) - The Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD) will host its annual open house from 4 to 7 pm on Friday, April 19 at the ACCAD building, 1224 Kinnear Rd. This fun, interactive, visually compelling tour is free and open to the public. Parking will be available at the building.

Photo Flash: Baldwin Wallace Theatre's THE SEAGULL Now on Stage Thru 4/7!

(4/3/2013) - Baldwin Wallace University's Theatre Department presents Anton Chekhov's classic work THE SEAGULL. This comedy concerns the romantic entanglements and regrets of a group of actors, writers and artists gathered on a Russian estate. Scroll below to see production shots from Wallace Theatre's production - now on stage thru April 7!

BWW Reviews: Afrobeat, Political Commentary FELA! Rocks the Palace Theatre

(4/3/2013) - At the conclusion of FELA!, the Afrobeat political awareness musical, now on stage at the Palace Theatre, caskets are carried onto center stage and piled up. On top of the stack of caskets, emblazed with names such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and words such as 'freedom,' 'bullying' and 'oppression,' was a vertical box of death entitled, 'Chardon High School.' Yes, FELA! is filled with music, but it is a wrenching tale of genocide, oppression and death, not only in Nigeria, where the show is set, but across the world, including a Cleveland suburb.

Know Theatre's 2013 Cincinnati Fringe Festival Announcement Party Set for

(4/2/2013) - The days are getting long, the sun is getting hotter, and the smell of fringe is in the air. Whet your appetite for the 10th Anniversary of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival with your sneak peak of the 2013 Cincinnati Fringe Festival line-up, Wednesday April 17th. This will be an opportunity to eat, drink, be merry, and begin celebrating the Cincinnati Fringe Festival's 10th Birthday by perusing the 2013 festival line-up. There will also be a performance from fringe veteran Kevin Thornton. The announcement party begins at 6:30 pm and the viewing of An Evening with Kevin Thornton will begin at 8 pm.

BWW Reviews: STRUCK Examines the Brain and Strokes at Cleveland Public Theatre

(4/2/2013) - STRUCK, now on stage as Cleveland Public Theatre is an interesting piece, much in the vein of Arthur Kopit's WINGS, which had a startling production at Beck Center starring Dorothy Silver, in which the ramifications of a person having a stroke is investigated.

The Circuit Playhouse Opens TIME STANDS STILL, 4/19

(4/2/2013) - Sarah and James, a photographer and a writer, put it all on the line for their jobs, telling the toughest stories in the midst of war. Sarah is sidelined by injuries she sustained in a car bombing, but longs to get back to the action. James is relieved to have her home and sees it as their chance to choose a more conventional life together. As they grapple with this, their friend Richard drops by with his much younger girlfriend, a bubbly event planner who can't understand why journalists simply record what they see instead of trying to stop the violence. Nominated for 2 Tony Awards in 2010 including Best Play.

BWW Reviews: A Wonderfully Delightful MUCH ADO at Great Lakes Theater

(4/1/2013) - Boy hates girl. Girl hates boy. Boy overhears that girl is secretly in love with boy; girl hears vice versa. Other boy and girl love each other, but something gets in the way of their happiness. That's the basic premise of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, which is now on stage at Great Lakes Theatre. Throw in a couple of interesting subplots, including an idiotic sheriff, a phony death, an irrational lover (is there any other kind?), and a vengeful half-brother, and you have the makings of one of William Shakespeare's best comedies. In fact, the fifth best of all of the Bard's plays, according to a renowned Shakespeare expert.

Now Playing Onstage in Cleveland - Week of 3/31/2013

(3/31/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 3/31/2013 for Cleveland

BWW Reviews: SORDID LIVES is a Laugh-Filled Farce at convergence-continuum

(3/30/2013) - The con-con production of SORDID LIVES is a hoot. Simon has pulled out all the farcical stops. His cast has fun, the audience has even more fun. If you want an evening of outlandish theatre, this is it!

BWW Reviews: NICK & JEREMY - An Electric, Kool-Aid Acid Trip at Cleveland Public Theatre

(3/30/2013) - NICK AND JEREMY is an electric, kool-aid acid trip, minus the drugs, which would make Timothy Leary, the proponent of the use of psychedelic substances and believer in' tune on, tune in, drop out,' very happy. It should be of great interest to deep or pseudo-deep thinkers.

SWAN Day CLE - 2013 Hosts Eight Readings Today

(3/30/2013) - SWAN Day CLE - 2013 presents 8 plays, which will be read at Convergence Continuum Theater (The Limnis) and Ensemble Theatre today, March 30th.

Photo Flash: First Look at Great Lakes Theater's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Opening Tonight

(3/29/2013) - Great Lakes Theater (GLT), Cleveland's Classic Company, continues the second half its 2012-13 season with William Shakespeare comedy, Much Ado About Nothing. The production will be performed in the company's revolutionary and audience-friendly home at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, tonight, March 29 through April 14, 2013. Sharon Ott directs. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

BWW Reviews: GOOD PEOPLE is Funny and Compelling at Cleveland Play House

(3/28/2013) - CPH's GOOD PEOPLE is one of those special evenings of theatre that combines a well-written script, excellent direction, and fine acting into an evening of humor and pathos to create a must-see production.

THE ICEMAN COMETH to Play Ensemble Theatre, 4/19-5/12

(3/28/2013) - Ensemble Theatre concludes its critically acclaimed 33rd Season with THE ICEMAN COMETH by Eugene O'Neill, directed by Ian Wolfgang Hinz with assistant director Valerie Young, April 19 - May 12, 2013.

Cleveland Play House Announces 2013-14 Season

(3/28/2013) - Artistic Director Michael Bloom announces the lineup for the 98th consecutive season of Cleveland Play House, the third in its new state-of-the-art theatres at PlayhouseSquare in downtown Cleveland. Two world premieres and great American music highlight the eclectic and contemporary 2013-14 Season. 'Nowhere else will patrons get such a wide variety of entertainment and at such a high level of quality,' reflects Bloom.

Cesear's Forum to Present PERHAPS, PERICLES, 4/5-5/4

(3/28/2013) - Cesear's Forum will present PERHAPS, PERICLES, attributed to William Shakespeare and George Wilkins, as adapted by Greg Cesear, at Kennedy's Down Under, Playhouse Square, Cleveland, Ohio, in a limited April/May engagement. The play centers on the role of family in society, individual identity and epic storytelling. In the production adaptation, four actors begin to read and analyze the text, streamlining the action. PERHAPS, PERICLES, lends itself to comedy while still maintaining the psychological and political journey of its drama.

BWW Reviews: Beck's THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES Asks Whether the Whole World is Crazy

(3/24/2013) - 'A man's home is his castle, unless it's a zoo' is the banner used to describe author John Guare's THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, which is now confounding audiences at Beck Center for the Arts.

Now Playing Onstage in Cleveland - Week of 3/24/2013

(3/24/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 3/24/2013 for Cleveland

Photo Flash: First Look at Beck Center's THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES

(3/23/2013) - A man's home is his castle, unless it's a zoo! Beck Center for the Arts presents the Obie Award Winner for Best American Play, The House of BLUe LeAVes, written by John Guare and directed by Russ Borski, running now through April 21, 2013 on the Mackey Main Stage. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the show below!

PlayhouseSquare's 2013-2014 KeyBank Broadway Series Launch Draws Crowd of More Than 1,500

(3/22/2013) - Tuesday evening, March 19th, 2013, PlayhouseSquare revealed its highly anticipated 2013-2014 KeyBank Broadway Series in the historic State Theatre. The exciting seven-show Series was announced by Senior Vice President of Theater Operations, Gina Vernaci, to a crowd of over 1,500+. The captivated audience began their evening with a surprise performance by Cleveland's own All-City Drum Line, who marched down the aisles to kick-off the event. The crowd was treated to video clips of the various productions in the Series, interspersed with Vernaci's playful and eloquent commentary. The evening was capped off with a special performance from Anne Brummel, star of the 2nd North American Tour of Wicked, who charmed the audience as Elphaba, while belting out the smash hit "Defying Gravity."

SORDID LIVES Opens Tonight at convergence-continuum

(3/22/2013) - convergence-continuum opens its 2013 Season with the Cleveland premiere of Sordid Lives a comedy by Del Shores.

PlayhouseSquare Announces New 2013-2014 KeyBank Broadway Series

(3/20/2013) - PlayhouseSquare revealed its 2013-2014 KeyBank Broadway Series yesterday evening in the State Theatre. The exciting seven-show Series was announced by Senior Vice President of Theater Operations, Gina Vernaci, and the evening was capped off with a special performance from Anne Brummel, star of the 2nd North American Tour of Wicked, which will be delighting Cleveland audiences once again with its return in December of 2013.

Beck Center Presents THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, 3/22-4/21

(3/19/2013) - Beck Center for the Arts presents John Guare's award-winning play, The House of Blue Leaves, March 22 through April 21, 2013 on the Mackey Main Stage. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. There is no performance on Sunday, March 31. Tickets are now on sale.

BWW Reviews: SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION Challenges Audience at Karamu

(3/18/2013) - John Guare, author of SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, which is now being staged at Karamu Theatre, is noted for his highly theatrical scripts. His writing often tries to expand the theatre's boundaries, which reflects his attitude that 'the chaotic state of the world demands it.'

Now Playing Onstage in Cleveland - Week of 3/17/2013

(3/17/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 3/17/2013 for Cleveland

Verb Ballets to Perform at Cleveland Public Theatre's DanceWorks '13

(3/14/2013) - Verb Ballets returns to Cleveland Public Theatre as part of the DanceWorks '13 Series with two different programs. Verb Ballets is pleased to announce they will kick off the series with an additional program added to the season: Verb Goes Electric with the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, running March 21- 23, 2013. The company will close out the contemporary dance showcase with a modern rendition of The Rite of Spring running April 18-20, 2013. 'Verb harnesses the opportunity to create work at CPT that is adventurous and can push the boundaries of creativity. The two shows will examine the close relationship dance has to music contrasting how it has changed over the past 100 years within the development of style and its impact on contemporary dance,' said Director, Dr. Margaret Carlson.

CSO and Chorus Honor Chorus Master Ron Jenkins with World Premiere of Stephen Paulus Commission

(3/13/2013) - The Columbus Symphony and Chorus will open this special program with the world premiere of Of Songs and Singing by the widely acclaimed composer Stephen Paulus, commissioned in honor of and conducted by Ronald Jenkins, director of the Columbus Symphony Chorus and Chamber Chorus since 1982. CSO Music director Jean-Marie Zeitouni will then take the podium to conduct Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Barber's nostalgic homage to small-town America featuring guest soprano Dominique Labelle, and will add guest baritone Joshua Hopkins for the soul-stirring A German Requiem by Brahms (named after the language in which it is sung) with its profound messages of peace, hope, and consolation.

GUYS & DOLLS Behind-the-Scenes Event Will Benefit Great Lakes Theater, 5/11

(3/12/2013) - More than 300 guests are expected on May 11th for Great Lakes Theater's (GLT) 2013 Gala, GUYS & DOLLS Behind the Scenes!, at the company's new Scene and Prop Shop. All proceeds benefit Great Lakes Theater's nationally acclaimed mainstage and educational programming that impacts more than 100,000 adults and students each season.

'Barefoot Contessa' Ina Garten Appears at PlayhouseSquare Today

(3/12/2013) - The Barefoot Contessa, New York Times No. 1 Bestselling author and Food Network Host Ina Garten will appear at PlayhouseSquare today, March 12, 2013, with fellow New York Times bestselling author Michael Ruhlman as host.

Great Lakes Theater to Launch CAMP THEATER! for Students, 6/10

(3/10/2013) - Great Lakes Theater will present CAMP THEATER! - a summer drama camp held at Berea High School for students ages 4-18. Students can sign up for one or both weeks of camp, which will run June 10-14, and June 17-21, 2013. Immersing participants in interactive and educational theater-based activities, CAMP THEATER! is a unique opportunity for students to work with and learn from Great Lakes Theater professional teaching artists in a fun, safe and supportive environment.

Now Playing Onstage in Cleveland - Week of 3/10/2013

(3/10/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 3/10/2013 for Cleveland

BWW Review: FREUD'S LAST SESSION - A Fascinating Look at Belief or Lack of Belief

(3/9/2013) - FREUD'S LAST SESSION is must-see, fascinating theatre for anyone who is interested in a philosophical, thought laced drama, with laughter and fine acting.

BWW Review: CWRU/Cleveland Play House MFA Students Excel in IDENTITY THEFT

(3/9/2013) - IDentity THEFT, SEVEN LIVES FILTERED THROUGH THE IDEAS OF AUGUST STRINDBERG, is fascinating theatre and gave additional proof of the quality of the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Programs' class of 2014.