What's On: Upcoming Shows in Cleveland and Akron - Oct 2012

A BRIGHT NEW BOISE

Dobama Theatre presents A BRIGHT NEW BOISE from October 26th to November 18th. Performances run Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2:30pm.

In the bleak, corporate break room of a craft store in Idaho, someone is summoning The Rapture. Will, a disgraced Evangelical who has fled his rural hometown, comes to the Hobby Lobby not only for employment, but also to rekindle a relationship with Alex, his brooding teenage son whom he gave up for adoption several years ago. He joins the ranks of the blue-vested employees, a comedic set of misfits struggling to find their way.

Tickets are $21 or $26, depending on performance day. Discounts are available to seniors and students. Purchase tickets online dobama.ticketleap.com or by calling the box office at 216.932.3396. The Dobama Theatre is located at 2340 Lee Road, adjacent to the Cleveland Heights/University Heights Library.

ANYTHING GOES

The first national tour of ANYTHING GOES sets sail at Playhouse Square for two weeks of performances from October 2nd to 14th. Evening shows are at 7:30pm and matinee shows are at 1pm or 1:30pm. Post-show chats with cast members are scheduled for October 4th and 11th.

When the S.S. America heads out to sea, etiquette and convention get tossed out the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love … proving that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, an exotic disguise and some good old-fashioned blackmail. Peppering this timeless classic are some of musical theater's most memorable standards, including "I Get a Kick Out of You," "You're the Top," and of course, "ANYTHING GOES."

ANYTHING GOES is part of PlayhouseSquare's Smart Seats program. Tickets range from $10 to $75,00. Purchase tickets online at www.playhousesquare.org or by calling the box office at 216.241.6000. The Palace theatre is located at 1615 Euclid Avenue, in the heart of Cleveland's theatre district.

THE COLOR PURPLE

Karamu House presents THE COLOR PURPLE, based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, from October 5th to 28th at the Jelliffe Theatre. Performances run Thursdays to Sundays, with an evening showtime of 8pm and a matinee showtime of 3pm.

THE COLOR PURPPLE is an inspiring family saga that tells the unforgettable story of a woman who – through love – finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world. Set to a joyous score featuring jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, THE COLOR PURPLE is a story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love and a celebration of life.

Tickets range from $20 to $40, with discounts for students and seniors. Purchase tickets online at karamuhouse.org/tour-ticket.php?id=11 or by calling the box office at 216.795.7077. The Arena Theatre is located at 2355 East 89th Street in the Karamu Performing Arts Center.

THE IMAGINARY INVALID

Great Lakes Theater's second fall repertory offering is THE IMAGINARY INVALID, running October 13th to November 3rd. Evening and matinee performances are available and the Hanna Theatre is open 90 minutes prior to each performance to allow guests to view final show preparations.

The wealthy Argan is a housebound hypochondriac who fears he's contracted every disease imaginable. Unfortunately, a pack of quacks is more than happy to (mis)treat him. Can Argan find the cure for what ails him, and bankroll his medical bills by marrying his daughter to a doctor? The answer will leave you … in stitches. Infused with 60s pop culture and original music, this madcap makeover of Molière's comic classic is just what the doctor ordered!

Tickets range from $15 to $70. Purchase tickets online at www.greatlakestheater.org or through The PlayhouseSquare box office at 216.241.6000. The Hanna Theatre is located at 2047 E. 14th Street, in downtown Cleveland.

THE KARDIAC KID

Cleveland playwright Eric Schmiedl premieres his latest work, THE KARDIAC KID, at Cleveland Public Theatre's Storefront Studio from October 4th to 20th. Performances run Monday and Thursday to Saturday, all at 7pm.

A celebration of Cleveland, the Browns and the infamous 1980 season, THE KARDIAC KID explores how Clevelanders' lives are shaped by this remarkable Browns season. In this one-man show, Schmiedl plays a mixed race girl abandoned by her Caucasian grandparents, a Roman Catholic priest (and his enemy, the parish dog), and a bookish tradesman from the near west side who thinks that he as discovered the secret for maintaining the Browns' winning streak. The high-powered performance is for everyone who loves the Browns!

Tickets to Friday and Saturday performances are $25, while tickets to Monday and Thursday performances are only $10. Purchase tickets online at boxoffice.printtixusa.com/cpt/eventcalendar or by calling the box office at 216.631.2727, ext. 501. The Cleveland Public Theatre is located in Cleveland's near west side at 6415 Detroit Avenue, just minutes from downtown.

THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED

THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED plays Beck Center for the Art's Studio Theatre from October 5th to November 11th, with no performance on November 10th. Show times are 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 3pm on Sundays. The show contains nudity, strong language and themes.

This fast-paced farce is an examination of the scandalous world of Hollywood celebrities. Mitchell Green is a hunky movie star who could hit it big if it weren't for one persistent problem. His hard-driving Hollywood agent can't seem to keep him in the closet. Will the leading man's career be derailed before it gets started with what his agent describes as Mitchell's "slight recurring case of homosexuality?"

Tickets range from $12 to $28. Purchase tickets online at www.beckcenter.org or by calling the box office at 216.521.2540, ext. 10. The Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Ave. in Lakewood, ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland.

THE MISANTHROPE

Students from the Cleveland Play House/Case Western Reserve University MFA Program are proud to present THE MISANTHROPE from October 24th to November 3rd. Evening performances are at 7:30pm and matinee performances are at 3pm in the Helen Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky Lab Theatre at PlayhouseSquare.

Is honest always the best policy? Alceste, a French aristocrat, is committed to telling the absolute truth regardless of the repercussions. Unfortunately, he's in love with the flighty young widow Célimène, who epitomizes society's excesses, and a comedic collision course of values is inevitable. Written nearly 400 years ago, Molière's witty classic demonstrates once again that the more things change, plus c'est la mêe chose!

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5.00 for students (with a valid ID). Purchase tickets online at www.clevelandplayhouse.com or through The PlayhouseSquare box office at 216.241.6000. The Helen Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky Lab Theatre is part of the new Allen Theatre complex at PlayhouseSquare.

STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS

Cleveland Public Theatre opens the season with the regional premiere of STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS. Performances are Mondays and Thursdays to Saturdays from October 4th to 20th. All shows start at 7:30pm in the Gordon Square Theatre.

STANDING ON CEREMONY is a confluence of activism and great theatre, staged to promote gay marriage rights and explore our ever evolving (and sometimes not) society. It is a bold new work of theatre by eight of the nation's best playwrights.

Tickets to Friday and Saturday performances are $25, while tickets to Monday and Thursday performances are only $10. Purchase tickets online at boxoffice.printtixusa.com/cpt/eventcalendar or by calling the box office at 216.631.2727, ext. 501. The Cleveland Public Theatre is located in Cleveland's near west side at 6415 Detroit Avenue, just minutes from downtown.

Will Rogers' AMERICA

Actors' Summit opens its 14th season with Will Rogers' AMERICA, running from October 4th to 28th at Greystone Hall. There will be no performance on October 19th. Show times are 8pm Thursday to Saturday and 2pm on Sunday.

Will Rogers entertained New York audiences with his cowboy trick roping in the Ziegfield Follies. While performing he began commenting on the news of the day. He went on to become a journalist, humorist and the highest paid film star of his time. Poking fun at politicians, corset makers and government programs, he kept the national smiling from the roaring 20s through the depths of the depression.

Tickets range from $19 to $30 for adults and are $9 for students (with a valid ID). Purchase tickets online at www.actorssummit.org/tickets.htm or by calling the box office at 330.374.7568. The theatre is located on the sixth floor of Greystone Hall, located in downtown Akron across from the John S. Knight Center.

Photo credit: Tom Ford in THE IMAGINARY INVALID. Photo by Roger Mastroianni.

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