PlayhouseSquare
PlayhouseSquare
4.5
About
Playhouse Square Center is the nation's largest performing arts complex outside of New York City. Located in the heart of Cleveland's Theater District, Playhouse Square serves as host to over 1.1 million guests annually and offers the best of Broadway, dance, concerts, family shows, comedians, plays and more.
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Neighbourhood: Playhouse Square
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4.5
540 reviews
Excellent
428
Very good
76
Average
14
Poor
10
Terrible
12
Mo H
1 contribution
Shen Yun did not meet the hype! Disappointed in show overall. And the hawking of wares in the lobby.
Jan 2024 • Family
Do not waste your time and money.
The production was mediocre compared to my expectations. All the dance numbers were average at best and pretty much all the same. Each dance number was preceded by narrators, which kind of interrupted the flow of the show.
Was waiting for more theatrical dancing and more acrobatics.... more props and beauty.... It was just so so for me. I would not go see it ever again.
The production was mediocre compared to my expectations. All the dance numbers were average at best and pretty much all the same. Each dance number was preceded by narrators, which kind of interrupted the flow of the show.
Was waiting for more theatrical dancing and more acrobatics.... more props and beauty.... It was just so so for me. I would not go see it ever again.
Written 29 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
virginia g
1 contribution
Mar 2024 • Friends
Funny Girl was the worst production I have ever seen in Cleveland. I am a retired musical actress and singer. I have traveled all over the world for musical productions and this was the worst that I have ever seen. Jewish accents that go in and out, articulation that is terrible for the audience, songs that go sharp and flat...just terrible. Just awful. Married Lady, was never on perfect key. After watching Mrs Doubtfire whish was excellent, this production was an extreme disappointment.
Written 8 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pamela E
Chicago, IL2 contributions
Jun 2022
The town of Cleveland is really low key now. When the play season begins there may be more people. We went to a restaurant and were the only people for dinner. It was a Wednesday. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Christmas Story house were great but that may not be enough to sing the praises of the town.
Written 6 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathy
1 contribution
Jul 2020
Don't purchase a gift card without looking at the small print (expiration date). I was given (as a gift) a $300 gift card to Playhouse Square. The purchaser was not told there was an expiration date, and when it was emailed to him and then me I didn't notice it either (irresponsible on my part, I know). My experience with gift cards is that they didn't expire. Family death and moving kept me from using it at the time. I tried calling twice to maybe get them to at least honor half of it, but they would not. I then spoke to a manager on a third occasion to no avail. Given the coronavirus pandemic, I figured they would be a little lenient (and present their business with goodwill measures) . . . but they did not. Lesson learned for me, so wanted everyone else to be aware of this. Also, for the fields below ("when did you go" and "who was with you"), answer is required so I am just putting any date in there as I can't submit without it.
Written 8 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kimberly F
Amelia Island, FL10 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Worst visit. Shocked. Unorganized. Gave away seats that are OWNED.
Poor website hate this organization.
Trying to find another show and due to poor managed website can’t purchase tickets in advance. This is supposed to be #2 in the country. We are in bad shape in that be the case.
Poor website hate this organization.
Trying to find another show and due to poor managed website can’t purchase tickets in advance. This is supposed to be #2 in the country. We are in bad shape in that be the case.
Written 19 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jiltedcustomer
Ohio2 contributions
Don't go to Playhouse Square with the intention of being treated with dignity or respect. In our experience they do not seem to posses the capacity to do so.
My wife and I took our 2 year old daughter to see a Sesame Street Live performance...and WE WILL NEVER AGAIN RETURN!
When we first arrived there was very little to direct us where to go; and although there were a multitude of ushers in red jackets, getting help was simply frustrating. The ushers were all quite elderly and many of them seemed to not know much about what they were doing. Every time we asked a question they would just scurry off to ask someone else or just stand there like a deer in the headlights. What was worse was that many of the ushers thought that they could grab at our daughter and kept trying to touch her. Yes our daughter is cute and adorable...Stop poking at her!
We walked back toward the theater entrance and were scolded and directed back to the front of the building where we were locked out. We were told that we would have to wait in the foyer until the next show started. It was then that we realized was that our tickets were for the next day. We exchanged them for seats that day and for the next show.
Unfortunately the woman at the customer service window gave us someone else's seats and we were told to move after getting settled in for the show. We were then assigned new seats and got settled in again. The show started and half way into the first act we found ourselves being yelled at that we had to move. Once again we discovered that the theater had assigned us to someone else's seats and the late arrivals decided that we should have to move again.
The usher was not at all nice to us and was yelling at us and trying to rush us; and the people who arrived late were nothing less than rude and obnoxious. We settled once again into different seats (while the show was going on) and found that there were many, many seats behind us and next to us that remained empty. Why didn't they seat the late arrivals in the already empty seats? Why did they cause a big scene with us when it was their mistake? Twice and during the performance!! This not only ruined the show for us, but disturbed those around us who by then were all glaring angrily at us and we had done nothing wrong.
We ended up having to leave the show at the first intermission because of all the trouble caused by the theater staff and their mindless blunders. We spent close to $90 on tickets to see the show and drove about 100 miles to reach the theater and paid $15 just to park the car. It was a very back experience to say the least. Our two yea old daughter was far more intelligent and mature than the theater staff we had to contend with.
After returning home I sent an email to Playhouse Square and explained to them what had happened. They responded with a form letter to apologize and said that on our next visit that we could have tickets at face value and get a free beverage, which I found to be simply pathetic.
I emailed them back and told them how disappointed we were with their lack of customer care. I told them if that if they had any integrity at all that they would refund us our ticket amounts for being unable to see the show which was absolutely their fault.
I then received an email wanting us to call them to discuss the matter. As far as I am concerned...we just discussed the matter through emails. I realized that they were now trying to redirect us and that the theater had no intention of making things right with us and were only attempting to get us to come back and spend more money after having already failed to make amends for the first time. Why would we put ourselves through that again? Why would we subject ourselves and our young daughter again to being treated with such disregard?
Also-I would like to add that from what we could see that the Sesame Street performance was outstanding and I would highly recommend taking you children to see their shows, but I strongly advise that you do not go to any of their performances at Playhouse Square. The theater ruined what would have been a realy good show,,,and they ruined it for our two year old daughter.
A free pop for our trouble? Yeah that fixes everything...right?
My wife and I took our 2 year old daughter to see a Sesame Street Live performance...and WE WILL NEVER AGAIN RETURN!
When we first arrived there was very little to direct us where to go; and although there were a multitude of ushers in red jackets, getting help was simply frustrating. The ushers were all quite elderly and many of them seemed to not know much about what they were doing. Every time we asked a question they would just scurry off to ask someone else or just stand there like a deer in the headlights. What was worse was that many of the ushers thought that they could grab at our daughter and kept trying to touch her. Yes our daughter is cute and adorable...Stop poking at her!
We walked back toward the theater entrance and were scolded and directed back to the front of the building where we were locked out. We were told that we would have to wait in the foyer until the next show started. It was then that we realized was that our tickets were for the next day. We exchanged them for seats that day and for the next show.
Unfortunately the woman at the customer service window gave us someone else's seats and we were told to move after getting settled in for the show. We were then assigned new seats and got settled in again. The show started and half way into the first act we found ourselves being yelled at that we had to move. Once again we discovered that the theater had assigned us to someone else's seats and the late arrivals decided that we should have to move again.
The usher was not at all nice to us and was yelling at us and trying to rush us; and the people who arrived late were nothing less than rude and obnoxious. We settled once again into different seats (while the show was going on) and found that there were many, many seats behind us and next to us that remained empty. Why didn't they seat the late arrivals in the already empty seats? Why did they cause a big scene with us when it was their mistake? Twice and during the performance!! This not only ruined the show for us, but disturbed those around us who by then were all glaring angrily at us and we had done nothing wrong.
We ended up having to leave the show at the first intermission because of all the trouble caused by the theater staff and their mindless blunders. We spent close to $90 on tickets to see the show and drove about 100 miles to reach the theater and paid $15 just to park the car. It was a very back experience to say the least. Our two yea old daughter was far more intelligent and mature than the theater staff we had to contend with.
After returning home I sent an email to Playhouse Square and explained to them what had happened. They responded with a form letter to apologize and said that on our next visit that we could have tickets at face value and get a free beverage, which I found to be simply pathetic.
I emailed them back and told them how disappointed we were with their lack of customer care. I told them if that if they had any integrity at all that they would refund us our ticket amounts for being unable to see the show which was absolutely their fault.
I then received an email wanting us to call them to discuss the matter. As far as I am concerned...we just discussed the matter through emails. I realized that they were now trying to redirect us and that the theater had no intention of making things right with us and were only attempting to get us to come back and spend more money after having already failed to make amends for the first time. Why would we put ourselves through that again? Why would we subject ourselves and our young daughter again to being treated with such disregard?
Also-I would like to add that from what we could see that the Sesame Street performance was outstanding and I would highly recommend taking you children to see their shows, but I strongly advise that you do not go to any of their performances at Playhouse Square. The theater ruined what would have been a realy good show,,,and they ruined it for our two year old daughter.
A free pop for our trouble? Yeah that fixes everything...right?
Written 5 March 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vulpster03
Cleveland, OH77 contributions
This is one of the nation's premeir performing arts centers, and it isn't difficult to understand why. It is very large and makes use of several theaters (Palace, State, Ohio, Allen, E.14th, and Hanna) along the Euclid Avenue. Opera, drama, dance, and musicals can all be seen at Playhouse Square. Playhouse Square is one of the cultural institutional legacies of early nineteenth century philanthropy when Cleveland had more millionaires than anywhere else in the world. The theaters are amazing, and companies choose to build their more lavish theaters here, rather than on Broadway in New York. If you are making a short visit to Cleveland for Playhouse Square specifically than the Wyndham Hotel is the most convenient, and very reasonably priced.
Written 1 May 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bestbob
Toronto, Canada159 contributions
Mar 2015 • Couples
I had the misfortune last week of attending a performance of Dirty Dancing that has ended live theatre for my foreseeable future.
The theatre is a beautiful, well preserved building with the smallest, most uncomfortable seats I've been in. Dirty Dancing is one of my ATF movies and the cast did a good job with the time and space they had to work with. There were a couple of stand out voices that will go on to bigger and better places for sure. However, my problem was the complete disconnect of the audience and the effect of several generations growing up in front of a TV. Conversations though-out the audience continued almost non-stop during the production and a steady stream of thirsty patrons rolled off to the bar to refill their glasses. Supplying alcohol has its place, but during a performance? What were they thinking? The bonus was the two idiots in the front row of the balcony that turned on their cels to snap a few pictures, not realizing or caring that the cels projected a white spotlight back into the crowd. For anyone interested in the performance there were numerous distractions and a rental dvd would have been the better option. I have had the pleasure of enjoying many performances in some of the most famous theatres in London, New York, Boston and Toronto where the audience would collectively shush anyone that felt the need to converse during the performance. If my experience is typical of Cleveland theatre standards, you may as well move the bar to the side of the stage and save your patrons a few steps. This inconsiderate behaviour would not be tolerated in the capitals of the worlds smallest theatres and should not be in Cleveland.
The theatre is a beautiful, well preserved building with the smallest, most uncomfortable seats I've been in. Dirty Dancing is one of my ATF movies and the cast did a good job with the time and space they had to work with. There were a couple of stand out voices that will go on to bigger and better places for sure. However, my problem was the complete disconnect of the audience and the effect of several generations growing up in front of a TV. Conversations though-out the audience continued almost non-stop during the production and a steady stream of thirsty patrons rolled off to the bar to refill their glasses. Supplying alcohol has its place, but during a performance? What were they thinking? The bonus was the two idiots in the front row of the balcony that turned on their cels to snap a few pictures, not realizing or caring that the cels projected a white spotlight back into the crowd. For anyone interested in the performance there were numerous distractions and a rental dvd would have been the better option. I have had the pleasure of enjoying many performances in some of the most famous theatres in London, New York, Boston and Toronto where the audience would collectively shush anyone that felt the need to converse during the performance. If my experience is typical of Cleveland theatre standards, you may as well move the bar to the side of the stage and save your patrons a few steps. This inconsiderate behaviour would not be tolerated in the capitals of the worlds smallest theatres and should not be in Cleveland.
Written 18 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
blndgenie
Cleveland, OH418 contributions
Mar 2014 • Family
Its not just the size of the district, its the phenomenal collection of historic theaters which have all been restored to perfection. I've been to shows in both NYC and Chicago and some of the venues are pretty tired, worn and downright dirty and shabby. Not so in Cleveland! Always a large variety of shows to choose from with unparalleled ambiance. If you can't get tickets to show, at least go for a tour----they're excellent! Go to playhousesquare.org and see for yourself!
Written 6 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jcolucci2014
Sao Paulo, SP34 contributions
Sept 2013 • Friends
It is nice to keep track of the attractions as they don't stay on for too long. Great location and walking distance from good restaurants.
Written 13 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My grandparents are unable to attend a show so they are giving the tickets to me. Since the tickets are now QR codes only, will a screenshot of the ticket work? They have iphones and I have android so transferring didnt work. They took a screenshot of the tickets and texted that to me. I just want to make sure that will work getting into the show.
Written 29 September 2023
We are taking our 4 kids to a 7:30 performance of Lion King. What time should we expect it to get done?
Written 24 August 2019
We are going to the 7:30 performance of the Lion King next week and I am wondering what we should wear. It will be me, my 12 year old son and husband.
Written 18 August 2019
The previous replies are correct. I always prefer to wear something that could be described as business casual, as the theaters are beautiful and the productions excy
Written 17 February 2020
Does anyone know what time that you can enter the Play house parking garage?
Written 11 January 2019
for a matinee, we've been there as early at 10:30 with no problems.
Written 7 May 2019
First timers visiting the Playhouse real soon. Are there any decent places to eat very near, not to expensive. Asking for any other advice you might have
Written 10 January 2019
Yes there are places, within various price range, to eat that are within walking distance. My suggestions are Yours Truly and Hofbrau House. You can consult the Playhouse Square website for other suggestions.
Written 12 January 2019
Why do great seat choices appear online days before show opens and were not available during pre-sale? I have no idea why I am a Friend donor if I don't have access to the good seats. If I become a season ticket holder, are dedicated good seats available for purchase?
Written 12 October 2018
I would not become a season ticket holder no more unless I know I can go to most everything you will find yourself trying to sale the times you can’t go next sometime seats brought out by big ticket companies they don’t sale them all early that’s how good seating go on pre sale
Written 22 September 2019
jaboze
Cleveland, Ohio
What do you wear to see a show at Playhouse Square? I don't want to be overdressed but not underdressed either. I'm a young woman if that helps.
Written 6 February 2018
People dress in all manners from suits to jeans. Business casual is a safe choice.
Written 6 February 2018
How are seats and views in the balcony level, the last free rows or all the way to the back at State Theatre? Thanks!
Written 25 June 2017
They are raised up, so you can see, but you are far, far away. Just bring good binoculars!
Written 26 June 2017
Do the theaters sell same day discounted tickets like in NYC?
Written 24 May 2016
I have been a Friend (Over $100) for several years and it entitles me to receive presale offers for better seats. However, I worked at a Co. that sponsored $5000 per year and their seats were left open until I used their sponsor # and was allowed to sit there as they had waived their seats. Sometimes, it is not seats together ?? I did not get an opportunity for Hamilton tickets and not happy right now.
Written 12 October 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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