Summer Excitement Announced at PlayhouseSquare 2011

Starting on May 31, 2011 through September 14, 2011, The PlayhouseSquare District will be bouncing with activity outdoors on Star Plaza and inside The PlayhouseSquare theaters as PlayhouseSquare and The PlayhouseSquare District Development Corporation (PDDC) work together to unveil "Summer Excitement 2011 at PlayhouseSquare." The program is the result of a combined effort of both organizations to create a thriving downtown neighborhood and features a variety of outdoor lunchtime events for area workers, free after work concerts, Broadway engagements such as Jersey Boys and Next To Normal, a classic film series and wellness classes of Hatha Yoga and Tai Chi.

"With over 100 free events and activities scheduled this summer on Star Plaza alone, Summer Excitement at PlayhouseSquare helps us to meet the PDDC objectives of furthering the neighborhood as a vibrant and welcoming destination, and strengthening the economic vitality of downtown Cleveland," says John F. Herrick, Board Chairman of The PlayhouseSquare District Development Corporation.

All outdoor events are free of charge, with the exception of The PlayhouseSquare District's annual Block Party & Tour (12th year), a public ticketed event that is also designed to engage PlayhouseSquare businesses and their employees in a social and networking environment-something unique in all of downtown.

"The annual Block Party is just one way we try to set ourselves apart from other districts. It helps us to create not just a thriving business sector, but a true neighborhood where people who work here actually know each other. It's what makes PlayhouseSquare an exciting place to locate a business or office," states Tom Einhouse, Vice President PlayhouseSquare Real Estate Services. "It is only one way we meet our not-for-profit mission of developing the area surrounding the theaters."

Announcing Summer Excitement at PlayhouseSquare, the following free outdoor events and activities at Star Plaza are:

Blue Light Lime Outdoor Concert Series presented by V107.3 - The after-work series takes place at Star Plaza from 5:00pm - 8:00pm with live bands, Blue Light Lime Beer happy hour specials, grilling foods, and prize giveaways. The after-work Blue Light Lime Concert Series is created to attract the area office workers at day's end to stay downtown furthering the neighborhood as a superior location for entertainment as well as a direct economic impact to local businesses.

Blue Light Lime Outdoor Concert Series of live bands and scheduled dates are:
Carlos Jones & the P.L.U.S. Band, Thursday, June 16, Topidelic, Thursday, July 14 and The School of Rock Headliners, Thursday, August 11. 

Take A Hike - Experience PlayhouseSquare's rich history in guided outdoor walking tours of the neighborhood. Tours include historical characters from the past like Milton Krantz, the charismatic Hanna Theatre General Manager and DJ Allen Freed, who coined the phrase "Rock 'n' Roll". Tours meet in the lobby of the State Theatre on Tuesdays at 6pm now through September 13.

Summer Garden Music Series - The lunchtime crowds at Star Plaza will enjoy instrumental music performed by talented musicians on Mondays from noon to 1:30pm. Summer Garden Music Series dates are: June 13, 20 and 27, July 11, 18 and 25.

Hatha Yoga Classes - Learn how to relax in a series of standing-pose stretching movements that promotes good overall health. Classes are held at Star Plaza on Tuesday afternoons from 12:15pm - 1:15pm.
Hatha Yoga class dates are: June 14, 21 and 27, July 5, 12, 19 and 26, and August 2. 

Tai Chi Classes - "The Movement of Life" for all ages and physical conditions with Tai Chi instruction to recharge the mental, physical and spiritual health. Classes are held at Star Plaza on Wednesday after-work from 5:30pm - 6:30pm.
Tai Chi class dates are: June 22 and 29, July 6, 13, 20, and 26, August 3 and 10. 

3nd Annual PlayhouseSquare Cornhole Tournaments - Office workers from The PlayhouseSquare area buildings will compete in double elimination cornhole tournaments at Star Plaza on Monday, Wednesday and Friday August 8 through September 2. At summer's end, tournament play concludes with the top two teams competing for the grand prize (cornhole trophy and bragging rights) at The PlayhouseSquare Block Party & Tour, September 9. Cornhole tournament registration fees benefit the City Mission, Cleveland APL and Rise Above It.

Free Lunches - The free Star Plaza lunches are presented by Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK. Enjoy free food, contests, prizes and more from 11:30am - 1:30pm.
Free Lunch dates are: June 15 and September 14.

90.3 WCPN Around Noon Open Air Broadcasts - 90.3 WCPN ideastream presents a summer celebration of music, nature and storytelling, broadcast live on Star Plaza at noon.
Around Noon Open Air broadcast dates are: June 16 and 30, July 14 and 28, August 11 and 25.

PlayhouseSquare District Block Party & Tour - The schedule of outdoor events comes to an end on Friday, September 9 with the 12th annual PlayhouseSquare District Block Party & Tour at Star Plaza. This outdoor block party celebrates with signature dishes by PlayhouseSquare restaurants, A Taste of Excellence and Johnsonville products, live music presented by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, cash bar, a walking tour of the neighborhood by the Take A Hike guides and the cornhole tournament finals. Tickets on sale August 1.

Summer Excitement at PlayhouseSquare includes the following theater schedule of performances and entertainment:

Girls Night: The Musical now through June 26; Bubbling Brown Sugar, June 3 - 5; Personals Uncut: The New York Edition, June 3 - 18; Next To Normal, June 7 - 19; Parsons Dance and East Village Opera Company, June 11; Joshua Seth's Beyond Belief, June 12; Jersey Boys, June 22 - July 17; Eddie Griffin, July 1; Todd Rundgren, July 9; Bill Maher, July 24; Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs, July 26; Cinema at the Square, August 4 - 21; Cameo, August 5 and Return to Forever, August 17. Tickets are currently on sale at The PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office (1519 Euclid Avenue), online at www.playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000. Group orders for 15 or more may be placed by calling 216-664-6050.

The PlayhouseSquare District Development Corporation {PDDC} is a not-for-profit organization comprised of PlayhouseSquare district neighborhood property owners. Property owners initiate programs that focus on creating and maintaining a clean and safe, aesthetically appealing, active and exciting district for business, residence, recreation and entertainment. These programs are led and managed by PlayhouseSquare [performing arts center and area developer] with approval by the PDDC board members. The PDDC was the first district in Downtown Cleveland to establish a Business Improvement District {BID} where property owners instituted a self-assessed tax {based on frontal footage of each building} to privately manage services such as, sidewalk and street cleaning, security, beautification measures and marketing. They also played an active and primary role in creating the "Clean and Safe" ambassador's program, along with the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. The BID model initially developed by the PDDC has been adopted by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance.

PlayhouseSquare Real Estate Services, a division of PlayhouseSquare {theaters}, is focused on area development and enhancement projects that surround PlayhouseSquare {Euclid Avenue between East 18th and East 12th Streets, onto Prospect and from the inner belt to Superior}, as well as property/asset management consulting and services for areas outside of PlayhouseSquare. The main areas of real estate focus include the Bulkley, Hanna and Idea Center Buildings, operations for the Wyndham Hotel, expertise and consulting services relevant to construction, renovation and historical preservation and real estate acquisitions for the purposes of area development. The Real Estate Services division meets the area development mission of PlayhouseSquare, which supports the notion that the theaters can be an economic engine for the neighborhood, as well as Downtown Cleveland.

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