June 2021 welcomes live theatre back to Cleveland
By: Abigail Jarvis
This summer Cleveland’s Playhouse Square will reopen its doors to theatre-goers for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic hit last spring. The first show to return to the Playhouse stages will be “The Choir of Man.”
An interactive and boisterous show, “The Choir of Man” is a musically diverse concert set in a pub. Audiences will be drawn in with the familiarity of a classic bar- but this bar does not have a football team, or patrons playing darts. Instead, a lively choir team welcomes newcomers with a soundtrack of pop, rock, musical theatre, and more.
After a year and a half without live theatre and concerns about going out to bars, Clevelanders can relish in an active combination of the two through “The Choir of Man.” This captivating performance features animated choreography, live instrumentals, and audience interactions all in a black box theatre setting.
With the pandemic, it will be interesting to see how the performers adapt the show’s audience participation to follow COVID-19 safety procedures. Playhouse Square has several precautions set for patrons, all of which can be found here.
The reopening of theatres is refreshing for audiences and performers, but it is also a welcoming sight for local Cleveland businesses- many of which have struggled because of the closure of the theatres during the pandemic. Dixie Singer, the president of Yours Truly Restaurant, commented on the subject for “The Cauldron”:
“During this unprecedented national and international pandemic, we have all suffered in various ways. Darkened Playhouse Square theaters have been a glaring manifestation of the tenor of this time. But the theaters’ closure has also left our beautiful downtown without the jolly fervor of excited crowds pouring in from suburbs and beyond to eat, drink, and lodge in the city,” she said. “Employers, employees, landlords, suppliers, and manufacturers have all suffered. As we relish the anticipation of “The Choir of Man” opening in June 2021, we are reminded that the thriving Cleveland downtown of pre-COVID times is on the horizon. Our hope for recovery and more is ignited,” Singer said.
“The Choir of Man” will open June 11, running for several weeks at the Mimi Ohio Theatre in Playhouse Square. For more information on tickets, visit Playhouse Square’s website here.
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