What to Know Before Visiting Playhouse Square in Cleveland

As one of Broadway’s premier touring partners, Downtown Cleveland’s Playhouse Square is an incredible venue where you can see some of today’s top performers, artists, and acts. If it’s your first time visiting Playhouse Square, there are some things you should know before you go to ensure your experience in one of Northeast Ohio’s best cultural centers is as enjoyable as possible.

What Is Playhouse Square?

Playhouse Square by Erik Drost is licensed with CC BY 2.0

Playhouse Square is a performing arts venue and theater district in Downtown Cleveland. As a Broadway partner, the space hosts some of the nation’s most accomplished acts. It’s also home to many talented companies in the area, such as the Cleveland Ballet, DANCECleveland, and Great Lakes Theater. The not-for-profit center is extremely dedicated to providing great cultural experiences and educational opportunities to the community.

Outside of New York. Playhouse Square is also the largest event space in the country and hosts many memorable events, such as the Tri-C JazzFest and the Cleveland International Film Festival. The square covers seven acres and holds many remarkable theaters and event spaces. Many of these theaters closed after their initial construction in the 1920s, but grassroots efforts helped revive the historic location.

What To Know Before You Go

Those visiting for the first time can benefit from the following key information about the space:

Who Can Come?

Everyone over the age of 2 is welcome at Playhouse Square. That said, not all shows or events are appropriate for a young audience. Thus, it’s important to do some research on performances before attending with small children to ensure the content, language, and subjects are appropriate.

What’s Available?

You can find food and beverages available at the lobby concession stand. Note that sometimes, food and beverages aren’t allowed into select theaters. Often, information about what’s allowed is posted around the event space. You can find several concession stands at convenient locations throughout the square.

How Many Theaters and Event Spaces Are There?

Playhouse Square is home to eight theaters and performance halls. Each theater has its own accessible curbside parking for visitors who need it. You can also find directions and help from house managers and RedCoat volunteers if you need additional assistance in discovering a theater, your seat, or something else at the venue.

How To Find Events

If you’re interested in attending events, you can often learn about upcoming performances by visiting Playhouse Square’s website. You can browse events to discover acts you’re interested in and purchase tickets to see them. The event section of the website even has a useful feature that allows you to sort by the type of event you’re hoping to see. You can choose the option that suits your interest from a dropdown menu that includes comedy, family, Broadway, and musical events. You can also buy tickets for these events online.

Playhouse Square Etiquette

There are some additional tips to help both the novice and the experienced theatergoers. Knowledge of appropriate conduct and etiquette can ensure a positive experience for you and other audience members. When visiting the theater, remember the following:

Arrive On Time

Be sure to give yourself plenty of time before your show begins to provide ample time for you to find parking, visit the concession stand, walk inside the square, and locate your seats. The venue recommends that guests arrive about 45 minutes before their event’s scheduled curtain time. Those who arrive after the performance has started may have to wait until intermission or the next break in the production before they’re allowed into the theater.

Leave Your Camera at Home

Regardless of the event or show you’re seeing. Playhouse Square doesn’t allow photography from a cell phone or a camera. For this reason, it’s important to leave your camera alone to enjoy your experience in the moment. Often, professional photographers are there to take shots of the performance.

Keep Quiet

When you’re viewing a performance, it’s important to silence any noise-making devices, including cell phones, pagers, and alarms. Try to limit making noise so that you and others around you can enjoy a distraction-free event. This means staying conscious about chatting. going to the bathroom frequently, eating noisy food, and making other disruptions.

Avoid Smoking or Vaping

The venue doesn’t allow guests to smoke or use electronic vaping devices in the theater. Be sure to leave the theater if you wish to smoke or use a device, such as a vape. Those with e-cigarettes also must refrain from using their devices inside.

Wear Comfortable Clothing and Shoes

One of Playhouse Square’s top goals is to make the arts accessible to all who wish to experience it. For this reason, there’s no formal dress code. Guidelines for how to dress can be show specific, so consider looking up information about your specific show to get a better sense of what to wear. It’s also important to note that some seats are accessible only via stairs. Wear shoes you can walk comfortably in and stay safe while navigating the theater.

Planning Your Playhouse Square Visit

Doing some logistics planning before your event can save you valuable time. The following lists some important information to know before your visit:

Parking

You can access Playhouse Square’s garage at East 15th and Chester. Parking in the garage gives guests access to covered walkways leading to the theaters. You can often find discounted parking pass rates by prebooking online.

Dining

Those who want more than concession stand fare can visit local restaurants before or after their show. There are dining establishments all within walking distance of the square. It’s often wise to make reservations at these restaurants because they can become full on event nights.

Accessibility

Playhouse Square prioritizes accessibility. They offer special seating for guests, parking, and ramps. You can also access each theater from the curb to limit walking time.

Health

The theater also strives to offer a healthy and safe experience for guests. They offer hand sanitizing stations around the square and clean the theaters regularly. The theaters also have a state-of-the-art HVAC system that helps keep the air filtered and free from harmful contaminants. Because most shows fill to capacity, it’s important to stay home if you’re feeling unwell or sick.

We hope this information about visiting Playhouse Square has been helpful. If you think there’s something missing from the list, please let us know. We love sharing information about one of our favorite cultural spots here in Cleveland.