Staging your comeback- The Keybank Broadway Series announcement – The Cauldron
Playhouse Square announces 2021-2022 Season
By: Abigail Jarvis
Caroline Bowman (Elsa) and the Company of Frozen North American Tour, Photo by: Deen van Meer 
The Cast of Broadway’s THE PROM, Photo by: Deen van Meer
At 7:30 pm on April 7 a virtual curtain rose at Playhouse Square for The Keybank Broadway Series Announcement Event. Playhouse Square President and CEO Gina Vernaci opened the event by thanking supporters for keeping Playhouse Square “alive and well.”
“It is knowing that we have you on the journey with us that makes us able to keep going and plan for grand announcements like we are about to have this evening,” said Vernaci.
After a year of hardship Playhouse Square is ready to open their doors “for the first time in forever” to audiences, and in doing so quickly revealed that the dazzling Disney musical “Frozen” would be arriving in Cleveland in 2022.
Although “Frozen” was announced first in the evening’s event, the first show coming to Playhouse Square will be “The Prom.” After having a successful run on Broadway and a Netflix movie adaptation last December, it is a guarantee that the touring production will be “Changing Lives” in November of 2021.
Next in the season is “Jesus Christ Superstar.” This show was originally planned for the 2020-2021 season, but due to the pandemic was rescheduled to February of 2022. Following “Jesus Christ Superstar” will be “Pretty Woman: The Musical” in March of 2022. Later in the spring will be the highly anticipated “To Kill A Mockingbird”, followed by “My Fair Lady.” Arriving in the summer of 2022 will be the musicals “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times Of The Temptations” and Disney’s “Frozen.”
For all in person gatherings, Playhouse Square will keep up to date health and safety information for guests here with information recommended by The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.
In addition to the new live season, Playhouse Square also announced a new virtual program called “Buzzcast”, an online series of interviews and news revolving around their latest events in Cleveland set to launch here in late April.
In its entirety the series announcement event was lively and informative. It is evident that the community at Playhouse Square is working hard to welcome back audiences safely with such an exciting season ahead.
“Our audiences have been so patient and supportive over the last year. I cannot wait to welcome them back,” said Playhouse Square President and CEO Gina Vernaci in an email press release. “There is nothing like the energy that buzzes through our district when a show is on stage – the smiles, the conversations, the lights. Human beings are meant to gather together and it is invigorating to get ready for that to start happening again!”
The dates for the upcoming theatre season are listed below, and more information can be found ticketing and events here.
2021-2022 Keybank Broadway Season & Dates:
- THE PROM– November 2-21, 2021
- JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR– Feb 2-20, 2022
- PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL– March 8-27, 2022
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD– April 26-May 15, 2022
- MY FAIR LADY– June 7 – 26, 2022
- AIN’T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS– July 12-31, 2022
- DISNEY’S FROZEN– August 11-September 4, 2022