Playhouse Square

One hundred years of Cleveland theater: Playhouse Square marks a century of ups and downs
The coronavirus is not the first pandemic Playhouse Square has weathered. The theater district has had its share of highs and lows over the past century, but it has always been a shining star. 
Slainte! Parnell’s offers ways to enjoy the holidays with the bar, not at the bar
Parnell's Pub closed both of its locations because of the virus surge. But with the holidays approaching, bar owner Declan Synnott is getting creative—peddling stocking stuffers of two-ounce bottles of whiskey, growlers, and Zoom cocktail classes.  
Playhouse Square’s Lumen shines brightly as Cleveland’s largest residential project in 40 years
The much-anticipated official opening of the Lumen apartments in Playhouse Square—the largest residential building project in Cleveland in 40 years—happens today.
Downtown views, modern living—and free rent—in Cleveland’s original high rise apartment building
The 1965 Chesterfield apartment building has been renovated and rebranded as the Luckman—a stylish modern day downtown living option complete with rooftop pool lounge and second-floor outdoor courtyard.
How live entertainment venues are attempting to beat COVID-19 with some creative approaches
Many of Cleveland's live entertainment venues are struggling with the challenges of safely reopening during the coronavirus. But some popular hotspots are getting creative.
Photo essay: Scenes From a Silent City#COVID-19
The streets of Cleveland are strangely quiet in midday during the coronavirus crisis, as seen in these eerie images.
LatinUS Theater speaks Clark-Fulton’s language — literally
LatinUS Theater, Ohio’s first independent Latino theater company, is staging their fifth Spanish-language production this month and plans to open in their own space next year in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood.
All you need is love, plus some arts and culture, for a perfect Cleveland Valentine’s Day
Instead of the usual flowers and chocolates, some Clevelanders are celebrating Valentine's Day with perfume, science, dance, and music, thanks to funding from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Meet the nation's youngest pro ballerina: 16-year-old Marla Minadeo of Cleveland Ballet
The Cleveland Ballet has a fresh new face this season, and she's just 16 years old—making her the youngest professional ballerina in the country.
Let there be BorderLight: New theatre festival is drawing performers from around the globe
From the Dublin Theatre Festival in Ireland to the Humana Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, Dale Heinen and Jeffrey Pence have had no shortage of inspiration in planning the debut BorderLight Festival—which they hope will add Cleveland to the list of “second cities” that have become perennial theatre festival destinations.
Summer Sprout takes urban gardeners from rookies to green thumbs
Replacing urban vacant lots with green spaces provides countless benefits for local neighborhoods, but one of the most rewarding parts of the city's gardening program is seeing beginning gardeners transform into leaders.
Have you visited the 12 most Instagrammable spots in Cleveland?
Cleveland is a photographer's wonderland—just ask FreshWater's own Bob Perkoski. The same goes for Instagram aficionados, who can be seen snapping their way through the Land on the regular. With so many photo opps to choose from, we thought we'd do the legwork of compiling a list of the city's 12 most Instagram-worthy places with the help of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Ooh la la! FreshWater photographer and former editor publish book on art of burlesque
A new book by Bob Perkoski and Erin O'Brien documents the colorful history of Cleveland’s burlesque scene, from the 1800s to modern day.
I Live Here (now): Jason Thompson and Scott O’Con
Some might call it divine intervention that brought Jason Thompson and Scott O’Con to Cleveland. They came to the city from northern Virginia in 2017 when Thompson joined West Park United Church of Christ as senior pastor—his first pastoral role—and the couple have never looked back.
 
The state of Cleveland print media: Local journalists ponder journalism in the next era
Anyone who set foot in the Beachland Ballroom last Saturday might have thought the rumors of print media's demise have been greatly exaggerated. At the sold-out Concert for Truth, more than 450 people gathered to show their support for local journalism and those who bring us the news every day. The event featured 11 local musicians who volunteered their time and talents to raise about $5,000 for the 24 Plain Dealer employees who are being laid off after March.
Stranger things are afoot in Lakewood with opening of paranormal shop
Cleveland is a spooky place, and not just around Halloween. No one knows that better than Jessica Oktober and Marleigh McVeigh, co-founders of the Cleveland Area Paranormal Society (CAPS).Together the two lead a team of experts in serving up everything paranormal—from Haunted History Tours around Cleveland to cryptid crafts to tarot card and tea readings.
Why Say Yes to Education is a game-changer for not just CMSD students, but all of Cleveland
With 20 cities in the running, Cleveland’s chances of becoming the next Say Yes to Education chapter—and only the fourth in the country to receive the distinction—were just a paltry five percent. Yet according to Say Yes founder George Weiss, it was no contest.
After revisiting Cleveland’s past, DeMarco’s new book highlights the Cleveland that's still standing
Plain Dealer arts and entertainment reporter Laura DeMarco was so pleased with the reactions to her book Lost Cleveland­—a chronological look at beloved city landmarks and institutions that no longer exist—that she decided to write a second book on Cleveland’s living landmarks.
Signs of Cleveland’s past uncovered as Lumen construction progresses in Playhouse Square
In early April, crews broke ground on The Lumen—the 34-story, 396-foot, 318-unit apartment building at the corner of Euclid Avenue and E. 17th Street in Playhouse Square—and construction crews have been moving along ever since. During the routine foundation work, crews have uncovered some fascinating pieces of Cleveland’s history dating back as far as the early 20th century.
Seven shades of green: An inside look at seven of Cleveland's most sustainable buildings
This week, 2,300 energy professionals flocked to Cleveland’s convention center for the Department of Energy's Better Buildings Summit. In honor of the Summit setting up shop in Cleveland, FreshWater has compiled a list highlighting some of our city’s most compelling eco-friendly buildings. From a green-minded school to a sustainable brewery to an energy-efficient steel mill, these seven projects are shining examples of Cleveland’s commitment to going green.