At a press conference held last week at the nation’s second largest performing arts center, PlayhouseSquare, plans were announced for a new home for the Cleveland Play House (CPH). Currently located at 8500 Euclid Avenue, the Play House is America’s longest-running regional theater. Eventually, it will take up residence in the restored theaters of PlayhouseSquare.

After CPH’s current facility is sold, there’ll be a move to the Allen Theatre–but not until the existing Allen Theatre is reconfigured from a 2,500 seat theater into two individual theaters with respective seating capacities of 550 and 300 for flexible use. And, there will be a third 175-seat black box theater immediately adjacent to the Allen Theatre.

The project is expected to be in the $30+ million range and Cleveland-based architectural firm of Westlake, Reed, Leskosky is scheduled to begin the transformation in June of 2010 with completion scheduled for fall 2011.

This is a collaboration, not a merger. The Cleveland Play House will remain the Cleveland Play House and continue to produce their main programs which include a main-stage season, commissioning program, children’s theater, and a full range of arts education programs (like their acclaimed Master of Fine Arts in Acting Program with Case Western Reserve University).

Cleveland State University (CSU) president Michael Schwartz expects a partnership with The Cleveland Playhouse will strengthen the already excellent theater and performing arts programs at CSU. He hopes to not only quadruple enrollment in these programs, but also create a cultural center around the Allen Theater for students, stating, “Creating a cultural center around the Allen Theatre that will serve college students, theater professionals, local arts organizations, and patrons from across Northeast Ohio will strengthen the core of the CSU neighborhood, the adjoining PlayhouseSquare district, and the city.”

According to a statement released by PlayhouseSquare, Cleveland State University and The Cleveland Play House, the partnership will provide a number of benefits to the Cleveland Plus community and the three participating organizations, including:

* An additional 100,000+ audience members visiting downtown Cleveland each year

* Creation of a unique collaboration between CSU and The Play House to foster technical theater education at the undergraduate level

* Operational cost-savings for the Play House

* Enrichment of PlayhouseSquare’s mission to present a wide variety of quality performing arts, advance arts education and create a destination for entertainment, business and housing

* The Play House and the CSU program of Dramatic Arts will become resident companies at PlayhouseSquare, sharing in existing resources while managing their own staff, office space and business affairs.” –Submitted by Corinne Allie, Social Media Specialist