Playhouse Square Partners – the young professionals’ organization of Playhouse Square – is turning 30! While they would typically recognize their anniversary at the annual Jump Back Ball, the celebration will be held online this year, and everyone is invited.
On Saturday, February 27, the Partners will host “Jump Back Together,” a virtual cabaret to raise funds for Playhouse Square’s education programs, featuring entertainment by Broadway Sings PARTY! Six Broadway actors with Cleveland connections will perform favorite Broadway show tunes.
The cast includes Shaker Heights native Max Chernin (Sunday in the Park with George, Bright Star), Cleveland native and Baldwin Wallace (BW) University alumnus Warren Egypt Franklin (Hamilton), BW alumna Keri René Fuller (Cats, Jagged Little Pill, Waitress), Strongsville native and BW alumnus Corey Mach (Flashdance the Musical, Godspell, Hands on a Hardbody, Kinky Boots, Rent, Wicked), Cleveland native and BW alumna Nyla Watson (The Color Purple, Wicked), and Dee Roscioli (Cats, The Cher Show, Wicked). On May 2, 2014, Dee appeared at Playhouse Square’s “Dazzle the District” event, with her rendition of “Defying Gravity” serving as the cue to light the GE Chandelier.
Jump Back Together streams live on February 27 at 7 p.m. The event will be available to view for an additional 72 hours following the livestream. Tickets, available for purchase at playhousesquare.org, are $30 ($100 for a VIP experience including a Q&A with the performers). All ticket buyers will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win Playhouse Square swag. Additional raffle tickets are available for purchase. 100% of the proceeds benefit education programming at Playhouse Square.
Although live theater experiences are not possible right now, Playhouse Square’s Community Engagement & Education Department has created ways for educators to continue sharing theater for young audiences with their students. They have worked with national artists to develop streaming packages that include performances and educational resources plus workshops produced by Playhouse Square teaching artists. So far, 3125 classrooms reaching nearly 65,000 students have registered for streaming performances.
“While current circumstances have changed many things, they have not altered Playhouse Square’s commitment to our educational mission or to providing world-class performances to our community, in particular to our children. The artists we are streaming are among the finest in their fields, and we could not be prouder to share their good work,” said Playhouse Square Vice President of Community Engagement & Education Daniel Hahn.
A Social Justice Series is included in the Streaming Performances for Schools lineup: five plays, all of which explore the issues we continue to face as a community and a nation, through the perspectives of a range of outstanding artists of color.
In addition, the Community Engagement & Education team is continuing – virtually - the Dazzle Awards high school musical theater program, the Disney Musicals in Schools program for underserved elementary schools and sensory-friendly offerings.
Jump Back Together is hosted by Playhouse Square Partners and co-chaired by members Jeremiah Guappone, Kate Vlasek and Amy Wojnarwsky. With a focus on developing leadership skills and building community connections, the young professionals group supports the not-for-profit mission of Playhouse Square through fundraising and volunteer work. Membership information is available at playhousesquare.org/partners.
Jump Back Together is made possible by the generous support of Labatt; Medical Mutual; Penske Automotive Cleveland; Tito’s Handmade Vodka; Calfee, Halter & Griswold; Deloitte; Jones Day; Roetzel & Andress; William M. Weiss Foundation; Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff; First National Bank; Geauga Mechanical; Ohio CAT; Safeguard Properties; Avient; Cohen & Company; Think Media Studios; and type + design.