The Cleveland Clinic has begun demolishing the Cleveland Play House, which the hospital system bought in 2009 and which has sat empty since 2011. It would have needed $40 million in fixes, the Clinic said in community meetings last spring, and, even then, the building’s layout would make it unworkable for use.
The 12 acres will be a staging area for future Clinic construction in the short term and then serve as surface parking, though the Clinic has said it could be the site of long-term development.
Built in 1926 by the theater company that now calls the Allen Theatre home, the building was an architectural landmark and has hosted a roster of legendary performers through the decades including Paul Newman, Alan Alda, Margaret Hamilton and June Squibb.
Here’s a quick tour of the theater’s history as the wrecking ball work continues.
“The Tempest” at The Cleveland Play House, 1983 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectStudio 1 inside The Cleveland Play House, 1983 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“After Such Pleasures” at The Cleveland Play House, 1934 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectRichard Oberlin, Creative Director, 1970s Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectPlay House Complex, 1983 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectPlay House Complex, 1983 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectAlan Alda at The Cleveland Play House in ‘To Dorothy, A Son,’ 1959 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Long Days Journey Into Night”, 1962 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectOriginal Cleveland Play House building, 1916 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House during winter, 1950s Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectPaul Newman at The Cleveland Play House Children’s Theatre in ‘St. George and the Dragon’, 1936 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectDrury Theatre Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCedar & E. 73rd Street Building, 1920s Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectDrury Theatre Balcony Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectConnecting Lobby between Brooks and Drury Theatre Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectInterior of Brooks Theatre Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“The Tempest”, 1983 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“The U.S. Versus Julius and Ethel Rosenberg”, 196 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Eight O’Clock Tuesday”, 1939 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCleveland Play House stagehand union protesters, 1939 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House 60th opening, 1975 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectAlan Alda in “Job”, 1959 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectConstruction of Euclid and E. 86th Street Building, 1927 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectRehearsal at Cedar Avenue Theatre, 1921 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectEuclid & E. 86th Street Theatre, 1927 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectEuclid & E. 77th Street Theatre, exterior, 1930s Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectEuclid & E. 77th Street Theatre, under construction, 1948 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectExterior Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCostume Room, 1945 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectLowe and Hart at The Cleveland Play House, 1951 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“You Can’t Take it With You”, 1940 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectProperty Department, 1941 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectMerv Griffin at The Cleveland Play House, 1958 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectHelen Reed at The Cleveland Play House, 1954 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectBehind the scenes, 1952 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Moby Dick”, 1972 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectNewly constructed exterior of The Cleveland Play House with the Brooks Theatre in the foreground, 1929 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectLamp Post Theatre, 1915 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectLamp Post Theatre, interior, 19115 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectEuclid-77th Street Theatre, interior, 1949 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectIn-the-round staging at the Euclid-77th Street Theatre, 1961 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House theatre complex groundbreaking for Bolton Theatre, 1982 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCostume Department, 1966 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectTypical shop scene, 1941 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Three Penny Opera”, 1970 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectGala at The Cleveland Play House, 1953 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House Club opening night, 1966 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House, exterior with unidentified wreckage, 1973 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House season opener, 1932 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectProps Department, 1945 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House workshop, 1943 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House box office, 1962 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectThe Cleveland Play House set design, 1955 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project73rd and Cedar Theatre, 1918 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Hotel Paradiso”, 1957 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectMargaret Hamilton in “Night Must Fall”, 1978 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSwinging party at The Cleveland Play House Club, 1960 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectOriginal Play House Club under construction, 1960 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCostume Design, 1941 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCleveland Play House stagehands, 1945 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Monique” with Alan Alda at Drury Theatre, 1958 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectActresses Dorothy Paxton and Ruth Feather, 143 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectJerome Lawrence, (right), half of the Cleveland born playwright team of Lawrence and (Robert E.) Lee, visits with Frederic McConnell, Play House head, 1957 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCreative Director Richard Oberlin and actress Margaret Hamilton, 1975 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Fire Engine 22”, 1960 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCostume alteration, 1946 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectPlay House opening, 1952 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectK. Elmo Lowe Performing, 1951 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectRemodeling of The Cleveland Play House’s Euclid-77th Theater, 1953 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectMack and the Gang in ‘Threepenny Opera’, 1970 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectShakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar”, 1955 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Petrified Forest”, 1936 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectWorld premiere of “First Monday in October”, 1975 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“You Can’t Take it With You”, 1940 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“The Inspector Calls”, 1949 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project
