CPT presents Free family theatre in city parks!

PHOTO: STEP ensemble members Chatiana Moore & Jocelyn Newkirt performing in Cleveland City Parks last summer. Photo Credit: Steve Wagner.

CPT Executive Artistic Director Raymond Bobgan is proud to present Free Family Theatre in the Parks! The teens of the Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP) present Song of the Seekers, an inventive remix of Shudraka's classic comedy, The Little Clay Cart. The 2010 STEP project will open on Thursday, July 29th at Herman Park in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood before touring to a dozen other parks throughout the City of Cleveland through August 8th.

Inspired by a two thousand-year-old ancient Indian text, STEP's ensemble of urban teens reveal personal dreams, hardships and victories with their original play, Song of the Seekers. This family-friendly performance explores the artist's life and the struggle to be truthful in a society addicted to products and punch lines. Packed with a cappella singing, dance, beat-boxing, rhythm and rhyme, Song of the Seekers is about finding true love, freedom, and artistic authenticity in a complicated world. Come celebrate the power and creativity of Cleveland's youth!

Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and enjoy free theatre in the park!

Click here for more information.

CPT Announces 2010-2011 Season!

Cleveland Public Theatre Executive Artistic Director Raymond Bobgan is proud to announce the 2010-2011 Season:

Go Deep ... Go Long

Cleveland Public Theatre is the place for bold, new, adventurous and relevant works of performance. The 10-11 season includes 4 World Premieres, another production straight from the New York Public, three Midwest Premieres, and a remount of one of CPT's original works. CPT continues its ground breaking development series with 8 weeks of Big [BOX], the return of Little Box and the 11th anniversary of CPT's acclaimed performance series DanceWorks.

CPT's philosophy - that the arts can literally change the world - is actualized through strategic programming and investing resources in new plays and emerging artists that deal directly with relevant issues of our times. The mission of CPT is to raise consciousness and nurture compassion through ground-breaking performances and life changing educational programs.

Executive Artistic Director Raymond Bobgan says, "This season CPT is taking risks on new works that we believe are important and grapple with critical issues - and you won't be bored. Theatre should never be boring. These are engaging performances that will make you think, laugh, cry, and ask for a second helping. Some will change your mind about what theatre can be. Did I say theatre? Maybe I meant to say, 'dinner theatre.'"

CPT announces auditions for 2 productions this fall!

During the week of July 11th, Cleveland Public Theatre will be auditioning for two exciting productions that will open our 2010 - 2011 season.

The Book of Grace
On Sunday, July 11th and Monday, July 12th, there will be auditions for the Midwest Premiere of The Book of Grace by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Sheffia Randall Doolley.

Click here for more information about this audition.

Don't Call Me Fat
On Thursday, July 15th and Saturday, July 17th, there will be auditions for the World Premiere of Don't Call Me Fat written and directed by Ozen Yula.

Click here for more information about this audition.

Pandemonium 10: The Wild Side

Save the Date!

Don't miss Cleveland Public Theatre's annual fundraising extravaganza and the party of the year!

Saturday, September 11th
7:00pm
Tickets: $125

Featuring dozens of area theatre, dance, visual and performance artists along with fabulous food and drink, Pandemonium is a benefit like no other and an evening not to be missed. Pandemonium's action takes place in unexpected places throughout the campus as guests decide how they choose to experience this innovative and unusual benefit! Matthew P. and Betsy V. Figgie will be honored with the 2010 Pan Award.

CPT accepting proposals for Big [Box] and Little Box

CPT is gearing up for the 10-11 Season. We continue to seek ways to develop new and local work at different points in the development process. Cleveland Public Theatre is currently accepting applications for two of our new work development series: Little Box and Big [Box].

Click here to download the application for both series. (PDF)

Little Box
Little Box is designed to help directors and writers in developing new work, by providing a forum for full-length readings of new plays. Unlike a typical play-reading series, CPT leaves all casting and artistic staff selection up to the applying artist. Each selected project will be given two rehearsals and one public performance evening. Little Box will be presented 11/8/10 - 11/21/10.

Click here for more information about Little Box.

Big [BOX]
Big [BOX] is for more developed pieces and is the centerpiece of our season. Big [BOX] offers artists or groups the opportunity to self-produce their own works. Big [BOX] is about whatever the artist wants to focus on. We open the doors and let the artist experiment, charting their own course, making their own decisions, taking their own risks. Big [Box] will be presented 1/10/11 - 3/6/11.

Click here for more information about [Big] Box.

The Dark Room returns to CPT! Tuesday, July 13th

Stop into The Dark Room every month at CPT!

The Dark Room is a place where the writers take center stage and their work has a chance to grow. The Dark Room is a co-production of CPT and The Cleveland Theatre Collective and is an ongoing event held on the second Tuesday of each month (subject to change).

Tuesday, July 13th
The Church at CPT

This month: Open Mic Returns

7:15pm - Writers can bring up to 10 pages of work to be read
7:30pm: Open Mic Readings

And don't forget - FREE Magic Hat Beer!

Writers - bring your work! Actors - come out and read!

Check out the video trailer for Open Mind Firmament!

The trailer, created by PavlishGroup, features Brett Keyser, Chris Seibert, Beth Wood, Michael Andrews-Hinders, Ray McNiece and John Stuehr.

New Showtimes and Ticket Prices!

Cleveland Public Theatre announces new show times and ticket prices for the '10-11 season.

Tickets for all venues (no fees in person, no fees on the phone, no fees online)
$25 General Admission | $3 Discount for Students and Seniors | $10 Thursdays and Mondays

CPT welcomes Turkish playwright Ozen Yula

Cleveland Public Theatre is proud to announce the arrival of Ozen Yula for a 9 month residency
Unique residency made possible by the Cleveland Foundation's Creative Fusion International Artist in Residence Program

"For too long Cleveland has rested on the laurels of the 19th and early 20th century industry and culture that shaped our city's historic identity and economy. The world has changed. Its perceptual size has shrunk while the impact of its creative and cultural diversity has greatly expanded." - The Cleveland Foundation

Creative Fusion, the Cleveland Foundation's International Artist in Residence Program, is dedicated to fostering creative and cultural diversity and bringing new global perspectives to our communities. To that end, Cleveland State University and Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) are pleased to announce that their organizations have been chosen by the Cleveland Foundation to host the first Creative Fusion International Artist in Residence.

Creative Fusion is unique in the U.S. because the program is multi-year and brings artists of diverse cultures to the community for extended periods of time. Ozen Yula, an internationally successful playwright and director from Turkey, was welcomed by northeast Ohio's theater and artistic community at a private reception on Tuesday, February 23.

Ozen Yula is one of the world's most daring, avant-garde playwrights and directors. His collected plays have been published in 5 volumes and translated into more than 10 languages, including Bosnian and Arabic. His work is characterized as dark, comical, visually daring and at the forefront of controversial issues of social justice and human rights facing our global society. His other collected works, including novels, short story collections and essays, have been printed by several publishing companies. He has written 8 books and his works have been performed around the globe.

Looking for somewhere to park?

There is plenty of free parking in the neighborhood!

Click here to download a map of available parking lots! (PDF)In addition to parking lots, there is plenty of street parking available on Detroit Ave. as well as the surrounding residential side streets.

Please click here to get specific directions to Cleveland Public Theatre.

If you have any additional questions related to parking, please call 216.631.2727 x 212.