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Hanna Theatre


Playhouse Square
2067 E. 14th St.
Cleveland, OH 44115

Mimi Ohio Theatre


Playhouse Square
1511 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115

Great Lakes Theatre Offices


1501 Euclid Ave.
Suite 300
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 241-5490

Tickets (216) 241-6000  •  Subscriptions (216) 453-4458 

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Shakespeare

Genre lakewoodcivic

GLT's Original Home - Lakewood Civic Auditorium

"In the 1950s and early 1960s, two theater trends were converging. One of those trends was a rising interest in Shakespeare...The second trend was the desire to produce high quality, non-commercial theater, especially classical theater, and especially beyond the boundaries of the Broadway district in New York." - Margaret Lynch, The Fifty-Year History of Great Lakes Theater.

Great Lakes Theater (then known as, Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival) was born during this convergence. Our highlighted genre this week launched Great Lakes Theater with seasons full of Shakespearean shows that formed our mission and established our place within the theatrical community.

In our current season structure, we have two dedicated spots where we explore the many works of Shakespeare. Check out these production photos representing this genre from over the past six decades!

Genre twelfthnight1966

Twelfth Night - 1966

Genre troiluscressida1969

Troilus & Cressida - 1969

Genre henryivpt.11971

Henry IV, Part I - 1971

Genre othello 1979

Othello - 1979

Genre merrywives 1983

The Merry Wives of Windsor - 1983

Genre lll 1988

Love's Labour's Lost - 1988

Genre midsummer 1994

A Midsummer Night's Dream - 1994

Genre richardiii 1998

Richard III - 1998

Genre rj 2001

Romeo & Juliet - 2001

Genre macbeth 2008

Macbeth - 2008

Genre muchado 2013

Much Ado About Nothing - 2013

Genre caesar 2019

Julius Caesar - 2019

Fun Facts

Top Titles
Some titles of The Bard's have appeared many times on Great Lakes Theater's stage. The Taming of the Shrew leads with eight productions and As You Like It, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Twelfth Night are next in line with seven productions each throughout our history!

Genre shrewcomp

The Taming of the Shrew
(pics l-r 1971, 1984, 1993, 2011 & 2019)

Genre asyou

As You Like It 
(pic 2014)

Genre hamlet1968

Hamlet
(pic 1989)

Genre midsummer modern

A Midsummer Night's Dream
(pic 2017)

Genre twelfthnight 80

Twelfth Night
(pic 1985)

Famous Faces
Shakespeare has long drawn some very famous faces to perform at Great Lakes Theater. Take a look at just some of those notable actors who've graced our stage over the years!

Genre tomhanks

Tom Hanks
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
1978

Genre halholbrook

Hal Holbrook
King Lear
1990

Genre delroylindo

Delroy Lindo
Othello
1993

Creative Context
Creativity abounds when a Shakespeare production is built at Great Lakes Theater. Take a look at some of the imaginative settings these productions have received throughout the years!

Genre comedyoferrors

The Comedy of Errors - 2009

Genre midsummer charlie

A Midsummer Night's Dream - 2010

Genre othello modernmilitary

Othello - 2010

Genre shrew 80s

The Taming of the Shrew - 2011

Genre merrywives 40s

The Merry Wives of Windsor - 2014

Genre loves

Love's Labour's Lost - 2016

Director's Night Insights - Shakespeare

Click on the images below to listen to Director's Night pre-show discussion audio from some of our recent Shakespeare shows to learn more about the productions!

Genre dna jc
Genre dna shrew
Genre dna lll
Genre dna lear

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