Great Lakes Theater Festival
Encyclopedia
Great Lakes Theater Festival is Cleveland, Ohio's professional classic theater company. Founded in 1962, the Festival is the second-largest regional theater in Northeast Ohio. It specializes in large-cast classic plays with a strong foundation in the works of Shakespeare and features an educational outreach program. The company performs its main stage productions in rotating repertory at its state-of-the-art new home at the Hanna Theatre
, Playhouse Square, which reopened on September 20, 2008. The organization shares a resident company of artists with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival
. On its main stage and through its education programs, GLTF connects approximately 85,000 adults and students to the classics each season.
GLTF's artistic directors have included Arthur Lithgow
, Lawrence Carra
, Vincent Dowling
, Gerald Freedman
, James Bundy (present Dean of the Yale School of Drama) and Charles Fee
, who engineered the company's production-sharing partnership with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival
).
In 2010, Great Lakes Theater Festival completed a $19.2M dollar capital campaign to renovate the Hanna Theatre as a new and permanent home for the Festival while creating an endowment for the theater company - preserving the legacy of the classics in Cleveland. The honorary chair of the campaign was actor Tom Hanks
, who credits the Great Lakes Theater Festival for beginning his acting career.
, in Yellow Springs, Ohio
. During the few years in Antioch, all of Shakespeare's plays were performed. The company traveled for performances at Stan Hywet Hall in Akron, the Toledo Zoo
, and Cuyahoga Falls. In 1961, Lithgow made an arrangement with Ohio Board of Education President Dorthy Teare, creating the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival. The festival premiered July 11, 1962 with As You Like It
. It continued at the Lakewood Civic Auditorium performing that play and five others in rotation.
The Festival moved from its original home in Lakewood, Ohio to Playhouse Square in 1982 to become the first resident company of the Playhouse Square.
Notable alumni include Tom Hanks
(1977-79 as an intern and core company member, and later winner of the Cleveland Critics' circle for best actor in Festival's production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona
), Donald Moffat
, Larry Linville
, Cloris Leachman
, Piper Laurie
, Obie Cytron, Jean Stapleton, Hal Holbrook
and Olympia Dukakis
.
Lawrence Carra
became the artistic director until 1975, followed by Vincent Dowling
in 1976. Under Dowling's direction, the festival in 1982 changed to its name to the "Great Lakes Theater Festival," to reflect its performance of plays other than those by Shakespeare, and moved to the Ohio Theater
of the Playhouse Square Center
.
Gerald Freedman
became the artistic director in 1985, followed by James Bundy in 1998.
Charles Fee
has been the artistic director since 2002.
Hanna Theatre
The Hanna Theatre is a theater on Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is one of the original five venues built in the district, opening on March 28, 1921...
, Playhouse Square, which reopened on September 20, 2008. The organization shares a resident company of artists with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival
Idaho Shakespeare Festival
The Idaho Shakespeare Festival is a regional repertory theatre located in Boise, Idaho, United States. Its performances are presented in the summer months, June to September...
. On its main stage and through its education programs, GLTF connects approximately 85,000 adults and students to the classics each season.
GLTF's artistic directors have included Arthur Lithgow
Arthur Lithgow
Arthur Washington Lithgow III was an American actor and director.-Life and career:Lithgow was born in Puerto Plata, the Dominican Republic, the son of Ina Berenice , a nurse, and Arthur Washington Lithgow II, an entrepreneur. His parents were of American descent...
, Lawrence Carra
Lawrence Carra
Lawrence Carra was an American professor of drama at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a director of theater and television as well as a mentor to hundreds of actors and directors....
, Vincent Dowling
Vincent Dowling
Vincent Gerard Dowling is an Emmy Award winning Irish actor and director.He was formerly married to the late Irish actress, Brenda Doyle...
, Gerald Freedman
Gerald Freedman
Gerald Freedman is an American theatre director, librettist, and lyricist, and a college dean.Born in Lorain, Ohio, Freedman was educated at Northwestern University, where he received both BA and MA degrees. He began his career as assistant director of such projects as Bells Are Ringing, West Side...
, James Bundy (present Dean of the Yale School of Drama) and Charles Fee
Charles Fee
Charles Fee is producing artistic director for three classical repertory companies, Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise, Idaho, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in Incline Village, Nevada, and Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio...
, who engineered the company's production-sharing partnership with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival
Idaho Shakespeare Festival
The Idaho Shakespeare Festival is a regional repertory theatre located in Boise, Idaho, United States. Its performances are presented in the summer months, June to September...
).
In 2010, Great Lakes Theater Festival completed a $19.2M dollar capital campaign to renovate the Hanna Theatre as a new and permanent home for the Festival while creating an endowment for the theater company - preserving the legacy of the classics in Cleveland. The honorary chair of the campaign was actor Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
, who credits the Great Lakes Theater Festival for beginning his acting career.
Origins
Arthur Lithgow started what was going to be the festival in the 1950s at Antioch CollegeAntioch College
Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
, in Yellow Springs, Ohio
Yellow Springs, Ohio
Yellow Springs is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States, and is the location of Antioch College and Antioch University Midwest. The population was 3,487 at the 2010 census...
. During the few years in Antioch, all of Shakespeare's plays were performed. The company traveled for performances at Stan Hywet Hall in Akron, the Toledo Zoo
Toledo Zoo
Toledo Zoo is a zoo located in Toledo, Ohio. The zoo began in 1900 as Toledo Zoological Gardens and operated by the City of Toledo's Parks Board. In 1982 ownership was transferred from the city to Toledo Zoological Society, a private non-profit organization, and professionalized the zoo's management...
, and Cuyahoga Falls. In 1961, Lithgow made an arrangement with Ohio Board of Education President Dorthy Teare, creating the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival. The festival premiered July 11, 1962 with As You Like It
As You Like It
As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 and first published in the folio of 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility...
. It continued at the Lakewood Civic Auditorium performing that play and five others in rotation.
The Festival moved from its original home in Lakewood, Ohio to Playhouse Square in 1982 to become the first resident company of the Playhouse Square.
Notable alumni include Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
(1977-79 as an intern and core company member, and later winner of the Cleveland Critics' circle for best actor in Festival's production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1590 or 1591. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as his first tentative steps in laying out some of the themes and tropes with which he would later deal in more...
), Donald Moffat
Donald Moffat
Donald Moffat is an English-born actor, now a naturalized American citizen.-Early life:Moffat was born in Plymouth, Devon, the only child of Kathleen Mary and Walter George Moffat, who was an insurance agent. His parents ran a boarding house in Totnes...
, Larry Linville
Larry Linville
Lawrence Lavon "Larry" Linville was an American actor. He was known for his portrayal of obnoxious, pious, self-important and inept surgeon Major Frank Burns in the television series M*A*S*H.-M*A*S*H:...
, Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...
, Piper Laurie
Piper Laurie
Piper Laurie is an American actress of stage and screen known for her roles in the television series Twin Peaks and the films The Hustler, Carrie, and Children of a Lesser God, all of which brought her Academy Award nominations...
, Obie Cytron, Jean Stapleton, Hal Holbrook
Hal Holbrook
Harold Rowe "Hal" Holbrook, Jr. is an American actor. His television roles include Abraham Lincoln in the 1976 TV series Lincoln, Hays Stowe on The Bold Ones: The Senator and Capt. Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He is also known for his role in the 2007 film Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for...
and Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis is an American actress. In 1987, she won an Academy Award, BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for her performance in Moonstruck...
.
Artistic Directors
Lithgow expanded the repertoire beyond Shakespeare in 1965 and left his role as artistic director in 1966.Lawrence Carra
Lawrence Carra
Lawrence Carra was an American professor of drama at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a director of theater and television as well as a mentor to hundreds of actors and directors....
became the artistic director until 1975, followed by Vincent Dowling
Vincent Dowling
Vincent Gerard Dowling is an Emmy Award winning Irish actor and director.He was formerly married to the late Irish actress, Brenda Doyle...
in 1976. Under Dowling's direction, the festival in 1982 changed to its name to the "Great Lakes Theater Festival," to reflect its performance of plays other than those by Shakespeare, and moved to the Ohio Theater
Ohio Theater (Cleveland)
The Ohio Theatre is a theater on Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, part of Playhouse Square. The theater was built by Marcus Loew's Loew's Ohio Theatres company. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb in the Italian Renaissance style, and was intended to present legitimate plays. The...
of the Playhouse Square Center
Playhouse Square Center
The Playhouse Square Center, in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, is the second-largest theater complex in the United States . Constructed in a span of nineteen months in the early 1920s, the theaters were subsequently closed down, but were revived through a grass-roots effort...
.
Gerald Freedman
Gerald Freedman
Gerald Freedman is an American theatre director, librettist, and lyricist, and a college dean.Born in Lorain, Ohio, Freedman was educated at Northwestern University, where he received both BA and MA degrees. He began his career as assistant director of such projects as Bells Are Ringing, West Side...
became the artistic director in 1985, followed by James Bundy in 1998.
Charles Fee
Charles Fee
Charles Fee is producing artistic director for three classical repertory companies, Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise, Idaho, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in Incline Village, Nevada, and Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio...
has been the artistic director since 2002.