Cleveland Public Theatre to Host 9th Annual STATION HOPE

Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) presents the ninth annual Station Hope back live and in person on Saturday, May 28, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. on the grounds of Cleveland's first authenticated Underground Railroad site St. John's Episcopal Church, 2600 Church Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. Station Hope is a jubilant community event celebrating Cleveland's social justice heritage and exploring contemporary struggles for freedom and equity.

Engage with over 200 artists and 50+ community and professional arts & cultural organizations from across Northeast Ohio as they envision, interrogate, and seek out hope. Audiences explore the historic properties while viewing works of theatre, music, storytelling, and dance inspired by the most important issues of our time. Station Hope is free, family-friendly, and open to all.

Each year, over 2,000 people attend the annual Station Hope event, which features art and performance staged in and around one of the most historically significant sites in Greater Cleveland, St. John's Episcopal Church. Audiences will get to tour the inside of the church and experience an array of short performances that include dance, theatre, spoken word, storytelling, and music. There will also be visual art displays and interactive art activities on the grounds of the church.

Station Hope 2022 will feature pieces about Angela Davis, the challenges of childbirth, Ghanaian dance, Afghanistan drumming, the last slave ship Clotilda; as well as exhibits featuring the African American Quilting & Doll Guild, original "superhero" posters designed by Black, Latinx, Native American, Asian American and Arab American youth who are living with serious illnesses and disabilities, and a performance by the children of Lakeview Terrace, a nearby public housing estate.

Cleveland Public Theatre's Station Hope 2022 is presented in partnership with The Episcopal Diocese of Ohio & The Institute at St. John's, Ward 3 Councilman Kerry McCormack, and Ohio City Incorporated, with over 50 participating arts groups and 200 individual artists from the Northeast Ohio region.

About St. John's Episcopal Church

St. John's Episcopal Church was built beginning in 1836 and completed in 1838. As a church active in the Underground Railroad, St. John's was a last stop for freedom seekers across the waters of Lake Erie, and the church's steeple acted as a beacon of freedom. St. John's is the oldest consecrated building in Cuyahoga County.

Event Information

Station Hope is a free event and will take place on Saturday, May 28, beginning at 7:00 p.m. on the grounds of St. John's Episcopal Church, located at 2600 Church Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44113. The event is open to all ages.

Note: Due to the historic construction of the building, some interior spaces may not be accessible to people with limited mobility.

COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Patrons must wear masks while inside of the church. For more information, visit https://www.cptonline.org/performances/seasons/2021-2022/station-hope-5/

Click here .

Station Hope Ancillary Programming

ACTION IS HOPE: A VIRTUAL PANEL DISCUSSION, FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022 | 7:00PM-8:30PM (ET)

FREE & OPEN TO ALL

Local leaders who have changed their community through activism in different ways speak about their process and what called them to activism. Action is Hope: a virtual panel discussion is a call to action and a sharing of ideas to move us all toward action within our communities.

Panelists include the following:

Jaiie Dayo-Aliya, a playwright, actor, director, poet, singer, songwriter

Michael Oatman, a playwright, mentor, & playwright/script analysis instructor

Marya Hornbacher, a journalist, essayist, novelist, poet & New York Times bestselling author

Dianne McIntyre, a choreographer, dancer, director, and dramatist

For more information, or to register, visit Station Hope 2022 | Cleveland Public Theatre (cptonline.org).

For a brief video trailer on Station Hope, visit: https://vimeo.com/266567762.

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