[NEohioPAL] Cleveland Play House set to move downtown

Thu Apr 9 15:01:34 PDT 2009

How much money is CSU going to come up with to buy into this program?  That's all that counts in this equation.

Cleveland will probably continue to import actors from outside of the region for its various professional theatres.  The Playhouse has consitently cast out of NYC only hiring a few Cleveland actors every season.  In small parts in plays, they will usually use one of the professors in the CWRU MFA program or use one of its students.  That's one of the benefits of a program like that.  You can use such talent for the little parts.  

At one time, the Cleveland Playhouse had a resident theatre company.  This company disbanded in the late 80s under the inglorious leadership of Josephine Abady, who was then summarily dispatched from her duties at the Playhouse.  She then went to NYC where she either helmed Manhattan Theatre Club or Playwrights Horizons and alienated people there running that organization into the ground.  Since that time, Cleveland has teemed with highly qualified talent who are members of Actors Equity.  They are vastly under-employed here.  

There can be many reasons for reliance on NYC talent.  First, that is the hiring hall for the bulk of Equity talent.  Second, these actors chops are always hot.  They are always in audition mode and the pick of talent is ripe.  

Other local houses have gone to NYC to cast shows that are produced in Cleveland as well.  That will most likely be a reality for some time.

But I would not be disdainful of doing support work for shows like the Gin Game or getting coffee for Patti LuPone.  If you're getting coffee for Patti, but you are able to watch Patti rehearse, you are getting a free master class of sorts.  Some of the best lessons I've learned was watching some great Equity actors around town in shows I've been cast.  

If you ever get the chance to work with some great local Equity actors like Tom Fulton, Scott Plate, Elizabeth Townsend, Nick Koesters, Terri Kent, Sue Johnson, Sandra Emerick, Eric van Baars, Rohn Thomas (I've probably missed some) do not pass up the chance to do so!! They've taught me so much in five short years.

Christopher Fortunato, EMC

Date: Thu, 9 Apr 2009 15:39:15 -0400
From: jkosmatka at gmail.com
To: neohiopal at listserve.com
Subject: Re: [NEohioPAL] Cleveland Play House set to move downtown

With no offense intended to Ms. Kristy, its messages like these that are beginning to worry me.  Being a student at the CSU Dramatic Arts Program, I've watched the news evolve in a disturbing way.  First, there was a potential $50million performing arts complex.  Then there was the Allen Theatre move, which was followed by a plan to have the Allen Theatre host CSU Dramatic Arts along with showcasing other NEOhio performing arts programs.  And now the Playhouse has thrown its lot in and would it be any surprise if CSU's students de facto get muscled out?  Not if the public response, which has virtually ignored the presence of CSU in this deal, is any indicator.

Despite the meteoric rise of CSU Dramatic Arts over the last five years (CSU Summer Stages; CSU students becoming major forces in local and national companies, really fantastic product such as She Stoops to Conquer and Machinal), I really worry that this could be the beginning of the program becoming marginalized to the point of being an afterthought in the Playhouse/Playhouse Square machine.  Having students getting coffee for Patti LuPone and ushering for The Gin Game is not going to create talent in the city of Cleveland.  Cleveland will continue exporting its best theatre students to other regions, and it will have to keep importing talent from New York, Hollywood and Idaho to draw crowds.

It is my understanding that CSU has received assurances that our programming will not be diminished and that we will not be taking a back seat to the Playhouse, but a year ago, we weren't going to be sharing the space with them at all, so who can say?

I urge all of the artists in Cleveland to remind the decision makers and the power brokers of the central role a rigorous education plays in promoting a creative class.  There is no panacea for what ails Cleveland.  Neither a Medical Mart, a Health Line, nor a stadium will fix our problems.  One of the things, though, that will help turn the tide in Cleveland is an educational system we can be proud of.

Sincerely,

James Kosmatka
CSU Dramatic Arts Program

On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 1:42 PM, Beverly Kristy <bkristy at mindspring.com> wrote:

Hi NEopal,

However, in these tough times, if it comes down to not surviving as an institution or moving, I feel moving is the way to go. On the upside, if the article is to be believed, a host of new spaces and technologies would be available to the Playhouse to allow them to continue entertaining the community. The Allen theater has been horribly underused since it's restoration and this plan would remedy that problem. There are a great many folks out there who are unaware of what they're missing at the Playhouse because it's located out of the main entertainment area of Cleveland. With more and more great attractions downtown, I think the Playhouse would benefit from a wider audience base. I know they've been trying for awhile, with ticket specials and other marketing, to attract a more diverse audience and moving to Playhouse Square would help that goal.

I do hope the new owner of the property would retain the building and repurpose it. Cleveland Clinic I'm betting will snatch it up, as it adjoins their property and they are ever-expanding. (See related article on the demise of the Cleveland Podiatric College.)

Beverly Kristy
440 487 6698
bkristy at mindspring.com
http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/beverlykristy

>Have you read today's front page of The Plain Dealer?  

>What are your feelings on the sale, on the move of The Cleveland Play House?  

>What affect does this have on Theatre in Cleveland?  

>How do you feel as a local artist, thespian?

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