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    Playhouse Square

    4.3 (151 reviews)
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    Playhouse Square Tour photo
    Eileen O.

    One of a kind theater and a must visit if you're in Cleveland! I've been going to shows here for the past 10 years and it's such a fun experience every time. Cleveland's theater district is one of the top in the country, which is surprising to so many. Whether you're visiting or a local, support the arts and see what Playhouse Square is all about! PHSQ offers free behind the scenes tour of the theaters once a month (normally Saturday) in the nicer months. Find out when the next tours will be featured and sign up to reserve your spot! Tip: Arrive early, so there's no rushing to your seats. Don't make a fun, entertaining experience a stressful situation!

    Balcony seats, stage in the background
    Dante C.

    A colleague and I saw Hamilton at the Keybank State Theater. We had balcony seats. An older usher named Chuck was very helpful with seating and finding restrooms. Great venue. The balcony seats were $95 but the view was good. As for the lines for merchandise and drinks and popcorn? Forget it.

    Cindi R.

    Beautiful theatre. We saw Company which was hysterical. The venue is well maintained considering the age and the vast number of people that have been there it looks great. We did have some wine. You received a bottle probably 2-3 pours. But it's served with a plastic cup. Lost its luster with that. I was surprised you were able to bring your cocktail into the venue. I don't recall doing that historically but maybe that's something new. The bathrooms are a bit of a walk but they do have handicap ones closer. Cleveland is lucky to have such a wonderful theatre district.

    Nick S.

    Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! A+ The history and culture of these buildings is amazing and how much detail is in the construction. My family had a great time at THE PRICE IS RIGHT! Amazing atmosphere! A+ The staff are so nice and welcoming. I love it

    Ashley O.

    We had a great time at the children's series seeing The Gruffalo. The play was about 1 hour which is about the attention span of my children. It started 13 minutes late which was rather annoying since we arrived 20-25 minutes early.

    Carol L.

    I was talked into going to the Michael Jackson musical by my neighbor. I felt like the tickets were very expensive after they told me what I owed for my ticket. We went as a group and the musical was worth every penny. I loved the show. I loved the building. Parking was easy. They had plenty of bathrooms. They had a ton of workers to help answer any questions. My only complaint would be the seats are just okay comfort and need cup holders. I would definitely go again and pay the price.

    Yaz A.

    Playhouse Square is one of the gems of the city. From one of the biggest outdoor chandeliers to the beautiful architecture of the variety of theatres! There are always a wide variety of shows/plays/etc. You don't have to be into plays or musicals to enjoy. I appreciated security, but did not appreciate being wanded from front to back by a male. There should be at least one female wander for the females. I also appreciated it more back when masks were required, as attending a play with everyone very close/squished together is a recipe for disaster. Pre-pandemic, I would've probably rated it a 4. But with the poor wanding experience and lack of safety precautions I'm leaving my review as a 3.

    Christmas themed decor in the lobby area
    Kim G.

    Excellent experience at Playhouse Square. We love going to Playhouse Square for shows during the holiday season because of all the care taken to decorate it so beautifully. The greeters and ushers were very friendly and helpful per usual. Also, the quality of the shows usually can't be beat!

    So happy I bought this!
    Lucy T.

    I feel so lucky to have gotten to experience my first musical here at the Playhouse Square's Keybank State Theatre. The square is already so beautiful, especially at night with its lights, but when I entered the venue my jaw just dropped! Everything about it is gorgeous-- the walls are covered in ornate murals lined with pillars, the ceilings are adorned with chandeliers and decorative structures, and even the stairs to the balconies were something to look at with its double entrance and carpeting . My eyes could barely find the time to take everything in! At the Theatre I watched Les Miserables and thought the venue fit the musical. The lighting was meticulously directed and the set changes were seamless. The music carried well throughout the venue and the seats were laid out so that even as a 5'2" person I could see what was transpiring onstage. However, I'd say that the seats were surprisingly compact. There was enough space for someone to squeeze past in front of you when you stood up but I think sitting here for a whole production would be uncomfortable for anyone tall and wide.

    Lauren K.

    I recently attended a variety of films at Playhouse Square during the Cleveland international film festival. Maybe I'm making this up, and someone can correct me if I am, but I felt like some of the seats in some of the theaters have been updated. This would certainly explain why the theaters felt more comfortable than usual. Some of the theaters are still not updated, but for the ones that are, the cushions have clearly been replaced by newer ones. I thought Playhouse Square did an excellent job hosting the film festival, and it's always a solid reminder of how grateful I am to have this literal architectural and artistic gem in our community. I used to be very resistant to the Playhouse Square parking garage because it's expensive, but the truth is, when the weather is gross, it is so nice to have an attached garage that is well lit and easily accessible from all the connected venues. If you've never seen programming at Playhouse Square, it should always be on your Cleveland bucket list. No older venue will ever be perfect, but this one comes pretty close in most ways.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Playhouse Square

    Any idea of approximately when the Sunday matinee lets out?

    Probably around 5pn

    Are the seats in Ohio theater cramped?

    It depends on what you are speaking of. Leg room wise, it is pretty decent! For someone of average weight, the seat size width would be comfortable as well. I was formally 435 lbs and it was horribly uncomfortable. But now that I am under 195 lbs,… Read more

    Are the box seats a good view for a first-timer?

    The tour guide said that the box seats are not to see, but to be seen. I suggest sitting on the floor, either front center section, or on the aisle on either side.

    Any Broadway plays?

    Yes! Check the Playhouse Square website. There are season packages, or buy tickets to one play. All theaters are wonderful.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Playhouse Square

    The Cleveland Playhouse Square is the nation's second largest theater district next to New York's Lincoln Center.

    Mentioned in 13 reviews

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    Cleveland Play House - Random award?

    Cleveland Play House

    (9 reviews)

    Playhouse Square, Gateway District

    Jazz Hands If you're…read morelooking for a night of entertainment, look no further than CPH and visit this theatre. This place is the bees knees. We'll start off with the building and facilities.... All the theatres include exquisite architecture. From detailed lobbies, to unique art, they have it all here. Grooving through the Allen theater for the CPH performance of A Christmas Story, I was throughly impressed with the cast, sets, and audio quality. The show was full of energy and the cast executed the plot wonderfully. I hope all those cats make it big. The only negative to my experience was the two women who drinking wine in front of me. It was quite strong and stimulated my gag reflex during the show. One would get tipsy just by sitting in their section. And they kept purchasing the drinks from the concession stand. Maybe CPH should consider having an "Friends of Bill W" meeting room if they continue to serve alcohol. Speaking of the concessions, buyer beware, it's cashless. In addition, and most important, they still have the soft pretzels from my childhood . Bottles of water are expensive, so bring your own, or maybe just plan on being dehydrated. Regarding the comfort of the Allen Theatre, specifically the seats in Allen were much more comfortable than the nasty red tiny velour ones in the large Playhouse Palace Theatre. There's enough room in aisles to stretch your legs and not feel like you need a knee replacement, after sitting through a show. The Allen Theatre is the perfect sized theater, with great angles from all seats, not too small, or too big. Dancing back to the lobby, you will find some rather tacky white pleather sofas... similar to the pants you may have owned in the 70s. These sofas look clunky & out of place, and I feel these need to be removed immediately to preserve the old time feeling of the building and historic culture of the venue. I understand the importance of providing seating, but these don't match. Whoever approved these sofas, killed the vibe and is trying to eliminate a natural historic element of Cleveland. It's a disgrace to all architects and historians. But with great history, comes great responsibility, and if you review my photos, you'll note each photo is blurry, probably due to the theater ghosts. (Except the photo "Stinky Wine.") personally, I felt a positive theatre ghost presence, but wanted to set the scene. In the lobby, you'll also find various awards, which I'm not sure what they all are, or if they're real, but it's cool. Additionally, there was a family room, located near the Facenmeyer Lobby, but I'll be darned if I could find an entrance. But to be fair, I didn't want to see Uncle Joe or Aunt Millie so I didn't bother to look around too much. I also like to run in the other direction when children are near. Accessibility wise, Playhouse and CPH are great, with a plethora of elevators, ramps, rails, and seats, making the trek a little easier for folks. I didn't bring my tape measure to ensure all the ramps were 10' and 2' but the incline didn't seem as nuts as other ramps in town. Bathrooms are also plentiful, with vanities and stalls to ensure large intermission crowds. When I visited, it was Christmas season, thus everything was adorned with holly and most people were jolly. Redcoats are available to guide guests to their viewing throwns and ensure etiquette in the theatre. They were very kind and passionate for theater. Overall, great night out, but watch out for women obsessed with wine, theatre ghosts and ugly sofas.

    CPH has tons of free events and discounts to make theatre affordable. The $25 under 35 partnership…read morewith SCENE allows young people to see quality theatre at a fair price. If you want to see up and coming artists, I recommend checking out one of the MFA student shows! $15 ticket or $7.50 for students. These kids have crazy talent.

    Allen Theatre - One of the directors/producers

    Allen Theatre

    (10 reviews)

    Playhouse Square

    We were gifted tickets to a production and it happened to be "Pride and Prejudice". My teen son and…read moreI went and I was interested to see his reaction to the play and he enjoyed it. Upon entering the Allen theater we were greeting by the "red jackets" ushers and it's always smiles and pleasantries. Everyone is always helpful and friendly. We took pics in the rotunda as it's very hard to overlook the beauty and detail there. My son even commented that he could tell the history with the architecture (he's not really into these things, so it really stood out). The seats were a soft tangerine velvet, clean and comfortable. The bathrooms were impeccably clean and there are plenty to use. I always enjoy visiting the CPH.

    I walked through Allen Theatre in December 2018 to see the Christmas trees displayed in the lobby…read more The theatre is connected indoors to some other theaters at Playhouse Square and I came to watch a Broadway show at a different theatre 46th ANNUAL CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL -- I finally visited Allen Theatre again but this time, I actually got to watch a film here, in April 2022, as part of the film festival. I was blessed to get a free pass so I didn't have to buy a ticket to watch the films (thanks to a friend). At Allen Theatre, I watched 14 short stories on 8 April 2022. Each ranged from 5 minutes long to 25 minutes long. There were some really excellent short stories shown. I got to watch other films on different days at the Connor Palace theatre. OSCAR QUALIFYING FILMS -- I was so happy that I finally made it to the Cleveland International Film Festival in 2022. It only happens once a year and it is very difficult for films to get chosen for the film festival. Almost 100 international films and short stories, including local American films (made in USA) were shown over a span of 11 days, ending on 9 April 2022. THEATRE (Inside) -- Historic and charming building. I love all the beautiful and intricate details up on the ceiling. The theatre seats 500 people which includes a balcony. It's one of the smaller theatre's on Playhouse Square. FOOD/DRINKS -- There is a small concession stand here that sells snacks (chocolates, popcorn, and pretzels) and drinks. It's highway robbery and a serious crime (LOL) that the snacks are so expensive here, similar to prices at an airport. My friend bought a bag of popcorn for $6 which for is expensive for a "naturally and artificially" flavoured snack. The theatre needs to make money too, I suppose. There are so many different events and shows here, weekly, so I highly recommend that you visit. If you live in Cleveland or are visiting from out of town, you need to stop by Playhouse Square, whether it's Allen Theatre or one of the other theatre's. **** - 43/150 total reviews in 2022 - 521 total overall Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 9 April 2022

    State Theatre - Hamilton round 3!

    State Theatre

    (4 reviews)

    Playhouse Square

    This place makes any night magical. I love being downtown for whatever occasion, but there's…read moresomething about the state theatre that just warms the heart. The architecture is stunning and the red coat staff is always eager to please.

    The Keybank State theater is the first and largest of the Playhouse Square theaters constructed…read more Known for it's extremely long lobby you can see huge and beautiful murals on all 4 sides. The theater's history dates back to vaudeville where live stage shows were presented featuring long gone celebrities such as Abbott and Costello, Jack Benny, and Judy Garland. It later became a movie house before transforming into what it is today. Due to it's size it is able to present musical extravaganzas such as "Hamilton", and "Miss Saigon" which was the reason for my visit. My husband and I had great seats but they felt hard and we were cramped. Seems like they should have updated these as well. Before entering the theater you pick up your Playbill or whatever they call it here near the end of the lobby. Friendly people known as "red coats" are extremely willing to help you with whatever you need. I was excited to see the updated production that dated back to the 90s. The performance started out okay but we had difficulty hearing part of the opening scenes. Were it not for the fact I'm familiar with this production I would have been lost. Miss Saigon is an outstanding production of survival during the last days of the Vietnam war. We meet 17 year old Kim, forced to work in a bar run by the notorious Engineer-expertly played by Red Concepion. She meets and falls in love with Chris, an American GI but torn apart during the fall of Saigon. She, for 3 years tries to find her way back to him, who has no idea he has fathered a son. The story is heart-wrenching since one can only pity the fates of the mixed breed children as emphasized in the number "Bui doi." The songs are phenomenal but the best part is the use of special effects. The famous helicopter scene is recreated with such authenticity it makes you wonder how it is done. Along with a Chinese dragon and a Cadillac on stage, exceptional singing and solid acting, the show itself is definitely a 5 star rating in my opinion. The restrooms are in the basement right outside the doors leading into this theater but they have first floor handicapped facilities available. Since this theater sits behind the Connor Palace theater you can exit via a side door instead of waiting a long time once the show is over. That works if you have orchestra seats and you get out fairly quickly. The Keybank theater is one of many theaters which are all connected which is better known as Playhouse Square. Preshow talks are given in the "Allen" theater about an hour before showtime and in addition to a parking garage you can find street lots nearby as well as places to eat. With the exception of the cramped seating and some poor acoustics this theater hosts some of the finest productions I've seen during my visits here. Definitely recommend "Miss Saigon" if you are here or if it comes to your city. Take the time to check out the architecture and the beautiful murals in the long lobby from the 2nd floor food area. It's worth seeing if you have the time.

    The Dinner Detective - Matt welcoming those who have arrived.

    The Dinner Detective

    (9 reviews)

    Gateway District

    We recently hosted a murder mystery dinner with the actors of The Dinner Detective, and everything…read morewent perfectly! This was by far the most fun corporate event I have attended through all my years in business. The actors were phenomenal and thought of every little detail. There was very minimal that was needed from us as the business, which meant that all guests were able to participate and not worry about ensuring the evening went smoothly. I can't divulge the details of the murder, because I would hate to ruin it for anyone. Just know that it wasn't incredibly easy to solve, but ultimately many of us did get the correct culprit. The actors were more than I could have imagined. They did a fantastic job of getting all guests involved, and they made the evening highly entertaining. The gentleman that played the lead detective role was hilarious! I would definitely recommend attending an event at The Dinner Detective, or hiring them for your next event. Their advertisement said they do corporate events, parties, and even weddings! I can't imagine that, but I will say it would be a reception your guests would talk about for years to come!

    A birthday dinner gift from the hubby. I had fun though I guessed the wrong murderer considering he…read morewas right under my nose. But it was still much fun. My husband enjiyed his pork chops, my chicken piccata was rather bland (hence the 4 stars). The rest of the course was great, there was more than plenty of food. i would like to add that - the staff was in compliance with Social Distancing and Mask Wearing at all times as well.

    Playhouse Square - theater - Updated May 2026

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