There’s no business like show business, and Cleveland is ready for “curtains up” this theater season. From upbeat musicals to existential scares, there’s a little something for everyone.
The orchestra pit is warming up. Time to take your seat. It’s “curtains up” in The Land.
Downtown lights up with the return of the KeyBank Broadway Series at Playhouse Square. Get ready for drama, laughs, and showstopping tunes as “Mean Girls” takes the stage (Oct. 29 - Nov. 3, 2024), bringing the Plastics back in full force. Then, experience the powerful and haunting story of “Parade” (Feb. 4-23, 2025), a deeply moving musical that sheds light on a dark chapter of American history. And for the grand finale, don’t throw away your shot — “Hamilton” storms Playhouse Square (June 17 - July 6, 2025) with its revolutionary take on history.
109 looks good on you, Cleveland Play House. A resident company of Playhouse Square, celebrate over a century of excellence at America’s first professional regional theatre with "A Christmas Story" (Nov. 30 - Dec. 22, 2024) as your holiday treat. Embrace the chaos at "Fat Ham" (Feb. 1-23, 2025). And honor a Cleveland Legend at "King James" (Mar. 1-23, 2025), a true love letter to The Land.
Music director Franz Welser-Möst has been doing his thing with the globally acclaimed Cleveland Orchestra for two decades — and it shows. Experience him and others like Klaus Mäkelä conduct throughout the season, like at Mahler's Third Symphony Oct. 17-19, 2024. Don’t miss GRAMMY®-winning pianist Emanuel Ax as he brings Mozart to life Dec. 5-7, 2024. Looking for something to lift your spirits this spring? Catch Bach’s Easter Oratorio Apr. 17-19, 2025.
Named for the Swahili term for “joyful gathering place,” Karamu House is a vibrant performing arts hub that honors the Black experience. This season’s lineup includes "Purlie Victorious” (Sept. 27 - Oct. 20, 2024), “Weathering” (Mar. 7 - 30, 2025) and “Choir Boys” (Apr. 25 - May 18, 2025).
In its 300-seat, state-of-the-art venue in the Gordon Square Arts District, Near West Theatre stages stunning intergenerational musicals like “Little Shop of Horrors” (Jan. 31 - Feb. 16, 2025).
Also based in Gordon Square, Cleveland Public Theatre is well-known for adventurous, experimental stage productions such as "Not-For-Profit (Or The Equity, Diversity And Inclusion Play)" (Oct. 24 - Nov. 9, 2024), which is a satirical look inside a fictitious non-profit going through it. CPT also houses Teatro Publico de Cleveland, a local Latino theatre company that produces works in Spanish with English subtitles.
Over in Lakewood, Beck Center for the Arts offers theatre for all ages, from musicals and dramas to comedies on two separate stages. This season’s wrap-up is “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which you can see from Dec. 6, 2024 to Jan. 5, 2025.
Known for premiering acclaimed contemporary plays, Dobama Theatre is Cleveland’s beloved off-Broadway stage located in Cleveland Heights. The 2024/2025 season starts with “POTUS” (Oct. 4-27, 2024) and concludes with “Rust” (Apr. 25 - May 18, 2025).