CLEVELAND — Live theater is making a comeback in Cleveland! Playhouse Square announced Wednesday morning that live performances will return June 11 as “The Choir of Man” runs 35 shows through July 11 at the Mimi Ohio Theatre. The announcement comes as Playhouse Square has been closed since last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Playhouse Square has collaborated with University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic, as well as local and state health officials, to develop a plan for welcoming guests and artists safely back to the theaters,” officials say. “The plan includes a strict masking policy, socially distanced seating with limited capacity, hand sanitizer availability, strict disinfection plans and communications prior to arrival and on site to remind guests of these protocols and the need to maintain social distancing.”
Tickets for “The Choir of Man” are on sale now. Prices range from $59 to $79. Limited capacity seating will be sold in pods of two, four and six for each performance, officials explain.
“This is the moment we have been waiting for,” said Playhouse Square President & CEO Gina Vernaci. “It gives me great joy to say that we can begin welcoming guests back to Playhouse Square, and we will do so with health and safety as our first priority.”
“The Choir of Man” is a 90-minute show without intermission.
“For this run, the show will be even bigger and better because our nine lads will be joined onstage by a live band,” said Nic Doodson, creator, director and co-producer. “Expect more energy, more music and more pints when we arrive to your fair city this summer.”
What’s the show all about? Here’s how it’s described: Known across the globe as “the ultimate-feel good show,” THE CHOIR OF MAN features a cast of world-class tap dancers, singers and instrumentalists celebrating a range of popular artists and musical styles, from Paul Simon and Adele to Queen, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Katie Perry and more. It’s a party. It’s a concert. It’s a pint-filled good time set in a real, working pub that combines hair-raising harmonies, high-energy dance and live percussion with foot-stomping choreography. The multi-talented cast of nine handsome blokes sings everything – pub tunes, folk, Broadway, classic rock – ensuring that there is something for everyone in this uplifting show.
This is just the beginning, too. Last week, 3News reported that Playhouse Square will announce their KeyBank Broadway Series lineup for fall 2021 on April 7.
Performances at Playhouse Square have been impacted since Ohio's ban on mass gatherings took effect last March. The run of "Jesus Christ Superstar," featuring a live theatrical surround-sound experience exclusive to Cleveland, had just opened.
Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published on March 9, 2021.