Solid Sales Usher In Theater Company’s Season

Sunday, September 18, 2005
By Tony Brown, Plain Dealer Theater Critic

The Great Lakes Theater Festival season is already almost half over; the summer repertory of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and “You Can’t Take It With You” closed Sept. 3.

And the fall rep already has begun, as of Friday, with “Amadeus”; “As You Like It” follows in two weeks.

And then, of course, “A Christmas Carol” will assume its dominating place on Cleveland’s Christmas culture calendar in November and December.

The news at this point is mostly good.

Subscription sales are up from last year by $43,000, reversing a two-year skid and putting earned income from season tickets back to 2002-03 levels.

Overall income and attendance are also up, though not quite so dramatically.

The biggest news about Great Lakes, however, might not have an impact for several years, but if it all works out could ensure the company’s continued well-being well into the future.

Great Lakes, now housed at the too-large, 1,000-seat Ohio Theatre in downtown Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, and the Playhouse Square board have agreed in principle to investigate moving the company to the nearby Hanna Theatre.

It would take several million dollars, but Great Lakes would like to renovate the Hanna, now used sparingly by Playhouse Square, into a 400- to 500-seat thrust stage, putting the actors in the same room with the audience.

The move, if it happens, would give Great Lakes a more identifiable home and image, and it would free up the Ohio for more of the small touring shows Playhouse Square is trying out this fall in the only partially renovated Hanna.

Stay, as they say, tuned.

What to watch: Andrew May’s performance as Salieri in “Amadeus.” It is one of the most challenging roles of his career, but he’s already nearly exhausted from playing two major roles in the summer rep. Will he survive or prevail?

All shows in the Ohio. Tickets range from $21.50-$55. Subscriptions and discounts available. Call 216-241-6000, or purchase online. Curtain times vary.

Fall repertory
Now-Oct. 21: “Amadeus.” Peter Shaffer’s darkly amusing study of court composer Antonio Salieri and his envy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s musical gifts is directed by Gordon Reinhart and features Andrew May as Salieri. (In repertory with “As You Like It.”)

Sept. 30-Oct. 22: “As You Like It.” Risa Brainin, who directed the critically acclaimed “Julius Caesar” last season, will direct Shakespeare’s “All the World’s a Stage” comedy. (In repertory with “Amadeus.”)

Holiday show
Nov. 25-Dec. 23: “A Christmas Carol.” The traditional Charles Dickens celebration of the Yuletide, adapted and directed by Gerald Freedman, restaged by Andrew May.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
tbrown@plaind.com, 216-999-4181
© 2005 The Plain Dealer. Used with permission.