So will the residents of Avenue Q, and the denizens of the American South who grow to appreciate The Color Purple.
On March 20, Playhouse Square in Cleveland announced a seven-show schedule of touring plays and musicals for the 2007-08 KeyBank Broadway Series at Playhouse Square. The shows will play in one of three theatres in the cluster of restored venues in downtown Cleveland — the 14th Street, the Palace or the State.
The 2007-08 KeyBank Broadway Series at Playhouse Square will boast:
Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit, beginning Sept. 25, at 14th Street Theatre. "The latest madly inventive, hilariously scathing production that pays homage to Broadway's biggest shows and brightest stars."
The Drowsy Chaperone Oct. 16-28, Palace Theatre. "It all begins when a die-hard musical fan plays his favorite cast album, a 1928 smash hit called The Drowsy Chaperone, and the show magically bursts to life. We are instantly immersed in the glamorous, hilarious tale of a celebrity bride and her uproarious wedding day, complete with thrills and surprises that take both the cast (literally) and the audience (metaphorically) soaring into the rafters."Twelve Angry Men Nov. 27-Dec. 9, Palace Theatre. "Twelve Jurors. Twelve walks of life. And only two ways to rule: guilty or not guilty. What seems like an open-and-shut murder case becomes a twisted puzzle of prejudice and intrigue. Twelve jurors in a murder trial are corralled in a room for the duration of their deliberation. As prejudices are tested and evidence weighed, the entire jury is forced to look past the show of the courtroom to unearth the shocking truth. Starring Richard Thomas and directed by Scott Ellis, the national tour is produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, one of the country’s leading not-for-profit theatres."Avenue Q Jan. 15-27, 2008, Palace Theatre. "Broadway's smash-hit 2004 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. A hilarious show full of heart and hummable tunes, Avenue Q is about trying to make it in NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account" featuring live actors and puppets who view the world from a twisted point of view."The Color Purple March 26-April 13, 2008, Palace Theatre. "Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple, a soul-stirring musical based on the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the moving film by Steven Spielberg. It is the unforgettable and inspiring story of a woman named Celie, who finds her unique voice in the world."The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee May 6-17, 2008, Palace Theatre. "In the Tony Award-winning new musical comedy…six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. This tuneful, offbeat and at times heartwarming show offers audience members the opportunity (strictly voluntary) to become part of the action as on-stage spellers."Jersey Boys June 17-July 20, 2008, State Theatre. The Tony Award-winning musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. "This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were 30!" The show features their hit songs "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Rag Doll," "Oh What a Night" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You." Subscriptions to the KeyBank Broadway Series at Playhouse Square are now available by calling (216) 830-7221 or online at www.PlayhouseSquare.org.
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Playhouse Square Foundation is a not-for-profit performing arts center whose mission is presenting and producing a wide variety of quality performing arts, advancing arts education and creating a theatre district that is a superior location for entertainment, business and housing, thereby strengthening the economic vitality of the region.
