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Playhouse Square postpones performances until 'mass gatherings ban' is lifted

Playhouse Square says it will work to reschedule all performances that occur during the ban.

CLEVELAND — The show will not go on, after all.

Playhouse Square says it will postpone all of its events following Gov. Mike DeWine's order to postpone or cancel all gatherings of 100 people or more. 

"We appreciate the leadership of our public officials to ensure the health and well-being of our community and the guidance we have received from University Hospitals," Playhouse Square said in a statement Thursday afternoon. 

The order does not include typical office environments, schools, restaurants, factories, or retail or grocery stores where large groups of people are present but it is unusual for them to be within an arm’s length of one another. It does extend to auditoriums, stadiums, arenas, large conference rooms, meeting halls, cafeterias, or any other confined indoor or outdoor space.

Playhouse Square says it will work to reschedule all performances that occur during the ban.

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The venues at Playhouse Square can seat between 1,000 and 3,000 people, so any event held there would likely fall into the "large gatherings" DeWine is concerned about. Officials say they "are in constant communication with the leading specialists in infectious diseases at University Hospitals. The evolving facts of coronavirus are reviewed daily for any modifications to our operations throughout the center and our properties."

Ohio is currently under a state of emergency after three people in Cuyahoga County, one person in Stark County and one person in Trumbull County tested positive for the coronavirus. The disease has thus far killed more than 4,200 people worldwide, including 30 in the United States.

Here is the full statement from Playhouse Square:

Governor Mike DeWine has issued an order to postpone or cancel community gatherings. Playhouse Square and its resident companies Cleveland Play House, Cleveland State University, DANCECleveland and Great Lakes Theater are immediately following this order. We appreciate the leadership of our public officials to ensure the health and well-being of our community and the guidance we have received from University Hospitals. 

We will work to reschedule all performances that occur during the ban. We ask for patience as this process may take some time. 

Ticket holders will be notified directly by email regarding the status of each performance as details become known and we will make every effort to share information on our official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels (@PlayhouseSquare) as well. The most up-to-date status for each event is available at playhousesquare.org. 

For events that are postponed:

  • Ticket holders will receive new event details by email or phone as soon as we have them. 
  • It is our intention to reschedule as many of the affected performances as possible; we ask for your understanding as it will take some time to work with all scheduled performers.
  • For events that cannot be rescheduled:
  • All tickets, fees, workshops and parking paid for via credit card will be automatically refunded. 
  • Guests who purchased tickets with cash will receive a refund check.  
  • Please note: refunds are only available for tickets purchased directly from Playhouse Square and not any other source.  

The following performances and events will not be rescheduled:

  • Stephen Petronio Dance – March 14
  • Staging Success Career Fair – March 18
  • Cleveland International Film Festival Opening Night – March 25
  • Cleveland International Film Festival: On Broadway – March 31
  • Baldwin Wallace University Spring Musical: Freedom Summer – April 3-5

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