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Good theater can be hard to find once the ubiquitous Memorial Day mattress sales end.
Unlike New York City, where Broadway shows see their largest ticket sales from visiting tourists on holiday, many of Northeast Ohio’s biggest theater companies shut down when the temperature rises.
Thankfully, not all. And we’re also lucky that some long-running organizations only get started now, mounting productions that often let you experience them out in the elements. There’s nothing quite like an outdoor show on the perfect summer night.
Read on for our rundown of your summer theater options in Greater Cleveland.
Soldiering on with their ’09-’10 seasons
PlayhouseSquare :: This year’s Broadway Series wraps up with Fiddler on the Roof, starring way-out actor Harvey Fierstein as put-upon father Tevye (June 15-27). And it falls outside of the yearlong touring season, but Phantom of the Opera returns for a lengthy and supposedly “final” engagement (July 28-August 22). www.playhousesquare.org
Beck Center for the Arts :: It was a massive, massive hit on the Great White Way; now Beck tackles Mel Brooks’ outrageous (for the late ‘60s, at least) musical The Producers. Gays, and Nazis, and C.P.A.’s, oh my, in the Lakewood org's final show of the season. www.beckcenter.org
convergence-continuum :: Tremont’s edgy, out-there company really only started its season in spring, so it’s in high gear now that the hot months are here. Say You Love Satan, a gay and devilish love story, is right at the end of summer (Sept. 3-25). Before then you can catch Dark Ride (now through June 19) and Hunter Gatherers (July 16-August 14). www.convergence-continuum.org
Revving up for summer
Cain Park :: Cleveland Heights’ theater amongst the trees offers just one show this year, but it’s a doozy: Stephen Sondheim’s classic Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Love, loss, and some close — too close — shaves make this masterpiece a bloody, cannibalistic good time. June 11-27. www.cainpark.com
Cleveland Shakespeare Festival :: It’s the Bard, it’s outside, and it’s free. Now in its 13th season, the group has scheduled the filthy Titus Andronicus and the much merrier Merry Wives of Windsor for 2010. Chances are a performance will be near you, as venues span Shaker Heights, University Circle, Tremont, Lorain, Brunswick, Mentor and more. June 18-August 8. www.cleveshakes.org
Arts in August :: Tremont’s Lincoln Park hosts five nights of free performances under the stars, including the above-mentioned Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Cleveland Public Theatre’s inner-city-teen STEP group, and Verb Ballets. www.tremontwest.org
Cleveland State Summer Stages :: With a season that spans both deep and fluffy fair, the downtown university is taking on the former with The Elephant Man and the latter with Curtains. Also on the Summer Stages stage is Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama’s Hung You in the Closet and I’m Feeling So Sad. Which we’ve honestly never heard of. In repertory July 8–August 8. www.csuohio.edu/theater/SummerStages/
Porthouse Theatre :: Kent State’s summer company, in residence at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Blossom Music Center, takes on a three-show season of comedy for the second year in a row. Comprising the lineup are The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (June 11-26), The Foreigner (July 1-17), and Bye Bye Birdie (July 22-August 8). Wife-husband team Terri Kent and Rohn Thomas split the directing duties. dept.kent.edu/theatre/porthouse/
Ohio Light Opera :: A longer, but not outrageous, trip to the College of Wooster gets you access to a whole mess of well- and lesser-known musical-theater shows: Kismet, Gypsy, Iolanthe, El Capitan and others. Visit the website for the complete repertory schedule. June 19-August 7. www.ohiolightopera.org
On Hiatus
Cleveland Public Theatre, the Cleveland Play House, Dobama, and Great Lakes Theater Festival all take the summer off and return with new seasons this fall.
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