CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The curtain will rise at Playhouse Square for the first time in over a year when “The Choir of Man” opens for a month-long run at the Mimi Ohio Theatre on June 11.
“It’s the shot in the arm we’ve all been waiting for,” said Playhouse Square President and CEO Gina Vernaci. “The opportunity to get back to work and to be in a place where we can welcome audiences safely back into Playhouse Square has been something that we have been working towards for the past year.
“To finally be at the threshold of where we can extend an invitation for audiences to return to the place that they love so much, it’s truly a dream come true,” she said.
The not-for-profit performing arts center has been working with University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic on implementing health and safety measures to ensure patrons, performers and staff are protected amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Capacity at the 1,000-seat theatre will be limited to 250 people, who will be seated in socially distanced pods of 2, 4 or 6 guests. The venue will enforce a strict masking policy and hand sanitizer will be readily available.
“We’re fortunate to be in Cleveland. If you need medical advice, this is the greatest city on earth,” Vernaci said. “To have the teams at UH and the Cleveland Clinic working collaboratively about how we can safely reopen has truly been a great gift.”
With opening night still nearly three months away, Playhouse Square knows those protocols might change over time. Starting with a smaller production allows the organization to make any necessary adjustments prior to the return of Broadway shows in the fall. Theatergoers are encouraged to visit playhousesquare.org/safety for the latest information.
“We’re working within the guidelines. Four months ago wouldn’t have been the right time,” Vernaci said. “But now that vaccinations are largely available and given the fact that there is pent-up demand... this is the right time.”
“The Choir of Man” will be making its third visit to Playhouse Square. From the same team behind “Gobsmacked” and “Noise Boys,” the show stars a cast of multi-talented singers, dancers and musicians performing a rousing mix of Irish tunes, pop music and Broadway classics at an Irish pub.
“Who doesn’t like being in an Irish Pub?” Vernaci said. “When you come out of that performance, you’ll be so uplifted, and then right when you walk out of the theater on to Euclid Ave., all of the patios of Playhouse Square will be open and waiting for the audience. It’ll be a great night.”
“The Choir of Man” is scheduled to run for 35 performances from June 11-July 11. Tickets, $59-$79, are available now at playhousesquare.org or by phone at 216-241-6000.
“These theaters were built 100 years ago in the wake of a pandemic,” Vernaci said. “When they opened, people lined up around the block to get in. That’s what human beings are supposed to do-- gather together.
“And here we are, ironically, 100 years later as we celebrate the centennial of these theaters, right back in the exact place. And what a joyous occasion this [reopening] will be,” she said.
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