[NEohioPAL] Cleveland Play House set to move downtown

[CVActor]

How do I feel about the CPH move downtown?
 
My first reaction to this was blunt:
 
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT?!!!
 
As long as I've been aware of theatre in Cleveland, there was always the Cleveland Play House at 85th and Euclid.  Basically, I cut my "actors teeth" with a number of the actors in the Repertory Company that existed before Ms. Abady ended it when she came to town. I remember when the Bolton opened and the new complex was unveiled. It was a great time. 
 
And, obviously, since Mr. Bush saw to it that Art, along with the economy, went by the wayside, (well, actually it probably began with Regan cutting all the arts grants, but I digress) we all knew that the time was coming when expenses would bring us down, even with the Arts Issue passing (amazing how few already-existing Arts Associations have benefited from this so far, isn't it?).
 
But, I also remember quite clearly when GLTF almost moved to CPH, but fought back because they "didn't want to be absorbed," no matter what the promises were at the time.
 
What makes CPH think it won't be "absorbed" by Playhouse Square?
 
Don't get me wrong.  I've been a volunteer at PHSQ since 1982, and it's a wonderful place.  But people still, after all these years, mix the two places up.  As an usher, I've received, in the past, tickets at a Play House theatre performance theatre door that were for Playhouse Square performance, and I know it still happens.  But while it may be a hell of a lot easier to say to a patron, "You need to go across the lobby to the Allen Theatre," then it was to say to that particular patron, "You have to go about 40 blocks down the street," I still feel that this is a TERRIBLE IDEA.
 
First of all, as a volunteer, I already know how crowded the complex gets on nights when there is a lot going on now.  Parking is already over-crowded.  I remember an evening when PHSQ had David Cassidy and Petula Clark doing Blood Brothers in the Palace Theatre, Barry Manilow in the State Theatre and Lynn Redgrave doing Shakespeare For My Father in the Ohio Theatre. YOU COULDN'T GET NEAR THE PLACE!  I arrived that night for Blood Brothers, getting to the entrance PHSQ parking garage 45 minutes before curtain.  45 MINUTES LATER I WAS JUST PARKING MY CAR!  I missed curtain.  And this was before the Allen Theatre was open.  When there is another night like that one, how much worse will it be when CPH patrons are trying to park their cars as well?  Not to mention, WHERE will they park, since one lot is probably already going by the wayside with the new black box that is planned for construction.  I would assume that this new theatre will mean the
 end of The Hermit Club, which is a long-standing institution. And, with that, the adjacent lot will probably be torn out, so that's one LESS place to park.  I'm not sure if the Hermit Club Building is a landmark, but I do know that the Drury and the Brooks Theatres are landmarks, and I believed that landmarks could not be torn down. Will someone explain this one?
 
And it's not just PHSQ patrons who need the parking. When the Browns and Indians (more the Indians) play, their patrons use the streets to park and save money.  And the police in the area are very strict about the meters, so parking during a weekday evening is difficult as it is, unless you want to risk a ticket, or overpay for lot parking if some major star happens to be appearing at Gund or The Wolstein Center.  CPH's parking lot is ALWAYS full, especially when they have Saturday 4:30 and 8PM performances on the same day.  Will their patrons be happy paying as much as $15 to park their car, when they could have been back on 85th Street paying $7.00 to park instead?  Or will PHSQ designate part of their own parking garage to CPH?  As crowded as it is most of the time, I have a VERY hard time believing this will happen. 
 
All that said, the idea that the gorgeous CPH complex at 85th and Euclid will probably be raised for yet another CCF building, or, even worse, a parking lot, or whatever they have in mind, just makes me sick.  This is a complex where Art/Theatre/Dance Companies and groups have all joined together to share in the wealth and availability.  WE NEED THIS KIND OF COMRADESHIP.  And, we need that building, and more like it, to continue so that this can happen.
 
Yes, it is true that Dobama will be in their new home, hopefully, this fall, and won't need CPH, but as far as I am aware, Ensemble will need CPH, and there are other Companies who still use the complex, and, no doubt, more will come.  Why destroy the building if there is a way to raise the expenses to keep it?  Can't we all bond together to find a way to do that?  Then CPH can keep it's identity, Art organizations will have a place to go if they need it to stage shows, rent storage and have offices, and all the extra parking downtown can be spared the overload.
 
I have allegiance to both CPH and PHSQ, and I want BOTH places to survive, but I honestly feel that it would be better if they stay where they are, and we all figure out some way to raise the funding that will take care of expenses.  And maybe we can TRY to show TPTB what's REALLY important.  I have a lot more hope that President Obama will listen.  A lot more than Bush ever would.
 
Cindi Verbelun
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