Playhouse Square Center

1501 Euclid Avenue Suite 200
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

WorkPhone: (216) 771-4444

Playhouse Square Center Website

The Playhouse Square Center, in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, is the second-largest theater complex in the United States. Constructed in a span of nineteen months in the early 1920s, the theaters were subsequently closed down, but were revived through a grass-roots effort. Their renovation and reopening helped usher in a new era of downtown revitalization in Cleveland.

Visit their website to learn about their venues, upcoming performances, showtimes, and to purchase tickets.

14th Street Theatre

2037 East 14th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Located at Playhouse Square Center, this historical restored venue provides a variety of performances to delight and entertain audiences.

Allen Theatre

1407 Euclid Ave
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Built in 1921 as a 3000 seat movie theater, the Allen closed up "officially" in 1968. Seeing spotty use there after, it was very close to becoming another parking lot. Now completely renovated, it brings Cleveland's Playhouse Square holdings to roughly 10,000 seats. The second-largest performance arts center in the United States.

Hanna Theatre

2067 East 14th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Since its glamorous opening more than 80 years ago, the Hanna Theatre has remained a Cleveland favorite for such musicals as 'The Sound of Music' and 'Evita.' Built by Daniel Rhodes Hanna in memory of his father, U.S. Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna, audiences in 1921 were first treated to a performance of Mark Twain’s 'The Prince and The Pauper,' staring William Faversham. Decades later, after a decline in patronage and in cabaret popularity, the Hanna reopened its doors amid champagne toasts. The 1997 revival introduced Cleveland residents to a refurbished Hanna that could resume its popular spot in the Playhouse Square circuit. Today, the Hanna Theatre is used for comedy acts, musicals and cabaret performances.

Ohio Theatre

1511 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

The Ohio Theater is a theater on Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The theater was built by Marcus Loew's Ohio Theaters group. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb in the Italian Renaissance style, and was intended to show serious theatrical works. The theater opened on February 14, 1921, with 1,338 seats. The foyer featured three murals depicting the story of Venus, and the balcony contained paintings of Arcadia. Throughout the 1920s, the Ohio had a stock company and hosted traveling Broadway plays.

In 1978, the Ohio was added to the National Register of Historic Places, along with the rest of the Playhouse Square group.
A $4 million restoration took place in 1982, and on July 9, 1982, the Ohio Theater became the first Playhouse Square theater to reopen, showing Shakespeare's As You Like It.

Palace Theatre

1615 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Built in 1922 for $2 million, this palatial vaudeville theater later made the switch to movies. In the 1950s, the Palace became the home for Cinerama—a renovation that required the removal of 1800 seats. Despite the initial success, the Palace, and its neighbors, fell on hard times and the theater closed in 1969. The marquee was subsequently torn down and the theater was boarded up.

In 1970, the Playhouse Square Association was formed to save the Palace and other nearby theaters, such as the Ohio and the Allen. The Palace reopened in 1973 as a performing arts venue and is still part of the Playhouse Square group. It remains a live theater and performing arts venue to this day.

State Theatre

1519 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

One of a set of theaters occupying the Loew's Building on Euclid Avenue (the other being the Ohio), the State, obviously, was built for the Loew's circuit, opening in 1921, and, like the Ohio, was designed by Thomas W. Lamb. The State operated as a vaudeville and movie house, turning primarily to movies only after the 30s. The State closed the same week as the Ohio, in early 1969.

Like the Ohio, while it was closed, the State fell into serious disrepair, with holes in the auditorium's roof opening the theater to the elements, destroying a great deal of its original decor. Furthermore, in the early 70s, the seats from both theaters were removed and sold in an auction.

The Playhouse Square Association, which was formed in 1970, when plans were announced that both the State and Ohio would be razed to make way for parking (which fortunately never came to fruition), brought the State back into the public awareness by hosting the Playhouse Square Cabaret in the State's main lobby.