[NEohioPAL]ADVICE TO CPH/GLTF, REVIEWS OF ACTORS' SUMMIT/BECK CENTER

[Roy Berko]

THIS AND THAT: CPH AND GLTF, ACTORS’ SUMMIT, BECK’S
PARADE, RADIO SHOW

Roy Berko

--The Times Newspapers--

A MESSAGE FOR CPH AND GLFT: IF YOU WANT TO SURVIVE TRY
THIS!

In the September 27 edition of the Cleveland Plain
Dealer Tony Brown, the paper’s Theatre Reviewer, wrote
a commentary entitled, “To Survive Local Theater Must
Touch Clevelanders.”  It is a well-reasoned piece.  He
discusses the rumored merger of The Cleveland Play
House and the Great Lakes Theater Festival.  He
indicates that for practical purposes the two theatres
have “ceased to be relevant—in the plays they produce,
in the way they are produced and in the way they are
sold to the public—to the lives of Clevelanders.”  

I’d like to wade in on one of these issues…the way the
plays are produced.  How can people in Cleveland feel
any loyalty to a theatre when few locals are included
in the staging of shows?  Locals who actually call
Cleveland home, whom we’ve seen on our stages, or who
have directed local shows.  People we “know.”  

For many years CPH was noted for its resident company.
  Okay, it did become insular, but that is a situation
that is easily altered…change some people each year
when necessary.  Instead, the baby was tossed out with
the bathwater.  “Bring in new people for each
production” was the new policy.  You don’t see that
happening with the Cleveland Orchestra.  When you go
to Dobama, Beck Center, or Ensemble Theatre you see
people on stage who you can associate with, who appear
regularly in those venues.   Former Cleveland San Jose
Ballet company members Karen Gabay and Raymond
Rodriguez came “home” this summer to stage several
ballets.  They have a loyal following from being our
prince and princess of local dance.  That following
showed up in mass numbers because “our” Karen and
Raymond were performing.  These weren’t dancers who
were shipped in from whereever for a show.  They were
“ours.”  

When someone goes to a CPH or GLTF show they generally
have no idea of who will appear.  More often than not,
these performers have been chosen by a casting company
from far away places.  The audience doesn’t know these
people.  But, we do know that they will be gone as
soon as the run is over.  They have no loyalty to
Cleveland, we have no loyalty to them.  It’s one of
the problems being faced this year by the Cleveland
Indians.  Who are those guys who are playing with
Chief Wahoo on their hats?  Fans stopped coming
because “their” players were traded away, gone.  Who
were those guys pretending to be locals?  Why should I
go see them?   If fan favorite Jim Thome isn’t signed
for next year, watch the loyal fans desert even more. 
You can’t build loyalty with gypsies.  They come and
are soon gone. 

 I do get excited when Andrew May is going to appear
at CPH.  Andrew we’ve seen often and know he’s going
to give us a great performance.  He has ties to
Cleveland.  He went away, but soon realized that he
belonged here and came back.   We appreciate that.  
We feel close to Andrew.  CPH needs more Andrew Mays. 
GLTF needs some Andrew Mays.

Am I proposing CPH and/or GLTF develop resident
companies?  Maybe not, but, at least consider
employing local artists and directors on a regular
enough basis so that we can go to the theatre to see
“our” people.  It will build fan loyalty.  We care
about these people because we know them, we have
empathy with them.  Research in organizational
psychology reveals that people care about
organizations because they feel part of them, because
they can intimately identify with them.   If we don’t
have loyalty we abandon the group.

We’ve already had enough organizations flee Cleveland,
both businesses and artistic associations.  We are
capable of supporting two professional theatre
companies.  We’ve done it in the past, we can do it in
the future.  But we need to have a reason.  Please,
Cleveland Play House and Great Lakes Theatre Festival,
give us reasons!

A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE AT
ACTORS’ SUMMIT

Hudson’s Actors’ Summit has announced that it is
extending its run of A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING through
October 6.   And, why not?  What can make for a more
pleasant evening of theatre than sitting in a
comfortable, well-designed theatre and listening to
Rogers and Hammerstein songs?  

Musical director Marc Baker and director Neil
Thackaberry have assembled a competent group to
perform songs the likes of “The Surrey With the Fringe
on Top,” “We Kiss in a Shadow,” “A Wonderful Guy,”
“Maria,” “and “Don’t Marry Me.”  These are winners
from OKLAHOMA, THE KING AND I, SOUTH PACIFIC, SOUND OF
MUSIC and FLOWER DRUM SONG.  

The cast is quite competent.  They each have at least
one song that commands the spotlight.  Mary Jo
Alexander is delightful in “Stepsisters’ Lament” from
CINDERELLA.  Wayne Turney does a wonderful rendition
of “Love, Look Away.”  And, it’s worth going to the
show just to see Turney in drag during “Honey Bun.”  
It’s impossible not to smile all the way through
Maryann Nagel’s ‘I’m Just a Girl Who Can’t Say No.” 
Greg Violand, who has the most professional voice of
the ensemble, uses it well in “We Kiss In a Shadow”
and “This Nearly Was Mine.”

The audience went out humming STATE FAIR’S “It’s a
Grand Night For Singing,” the musical curtain call. 
What a nice way to start a season.

PARADE OUTSTANDING AND ASTOUNDING AT BECK CENTER

Beck Center has come of age!  This summer they staged
a near-perfect SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ.  At the time I said
that it was the best thing I’ve ever seen on their
stage.  Then, they turn around and make me into a
liar.  Their staging of PARADE surpassed even SMOKEY
JOE.    To use words like outstanding and astounding
are understatements.  Beck’s PARADE is everything that
local theatre should be.  It is a well conceived, well
acted, well directed, dramatically and musically
polished performance.    WOW!

HEAR A DISCUSSION ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT ON WERE

Interested in entertainment?   Before she retired from
the Cleveland Plain Dealer Maryann Evert said that
what the area needed was a media outlet for
discussions of the arts.  That outlet is available. 
Listen to WERE-AM (1300) on Fridays from 1 to 2 and
experience CLEVELAND ACTION LIVE.  It’s an interesting
blend of is information and discussions about local
entertainment ranging from theatre to dance to music
to film.  Incidentally, I’m the show’s drama critic.


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