The Broadway series at Playhouse square is getting a little more festive with Irving Berlin's "White Christmas."
But this show has something a little extra special to it.
"White Christmas" comes to Cleveland, bringing with it, one of Cleveland's own.
Cliff Bemis, a film, television and stage actor originally from Lorain, grew up here, went to school here and now comes home in role he actually created and originated for the world premiere of "White Christmas" back in 2004.
"To be able to bring that back to the place that really started my career is very, very special," Bemis said.
Not only is Bemis from the Cleveland area, he began his career here, and it was a show he was in at the State Theatre -- "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" -- that most say is the show that actually saved Cleveland's historic theater district that we've come to know at Playhouse Square.
"As a matter of fact on this very spot where this tree is now, that's where our stage was," Bemis says.
The year was 1973, and the State Theatre had a date with the wrecking ball.
The actual stage was in such disarray that production of "Jacques Brel" was put on in the lobby to run for a few weeks.
Bemis ended up coming down that staircase to open the show for more than two years.
"Everybody that came in to see the show, saw this magnificent lobby, saw the theater and also agreed that we could not let this become a parking garage. I mean it's the best thing that happened to Cleveland in years," Bemis said.
It's an extra-special homecoming for Bemis -- back at Playhouse Square, back in the State Theatre where he spent so much of time saving history and creating a future and back home in Cleveland for the holidays.
"Lorain is where I grew up, but this is my theater home here, and I can't think of a better show to be coming back here to do in Cleveland than 'White Christmas,' " Bemis said.
