At Cleveland Public Theatre, we believe in the power of art to transform, heal, and build community. In these times of uncertainty, fear, anxiety, and division, we remain steadfast in our mission to center diverse voices, to celebrate bold and courageous storytelling, and to open space for those who seek refuge in creativity and expression. As we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing compassion and raising consciousness, we believe our collective imaginations can provide comfort in times of darkness and spark the light for ways forward.

Our doors, our stages, our classrooms, and our hearts remain open. Together, we will strive to create, to dream, and to rise. We will continue to produce works that challenge and inspire us and invest in artists who help envision a more just and compassionate world. We will continue to nurture a home where creativity flourishes and where our differences are celebrated as essential to the fabric of our shared humanity.

We hope that you will consider joining us at an upcoming event or performance where we believe you will find joy, fellowship, and inspiration.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Executive Artistic Director Raymond Bobgan and The Cleveland Public Theatre Board

June 16 through August 18, 2025

Cleveland Public Theatre, through Studio Institute, is offering an exciting opportunity for a graphic design student this summer to get firsthand experience in helping to elevate the theater’s internal and external design needs while learning the inner workings of a non-profit arts organization. 

The Graphic Design Intern will assist the Graphic Designer on designing the show image, postcard, flyers, and other materials related to our critically acclaimed Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP). They will learn how to develop materials by sitting in on possible rehearsals to learn what the story is about, and from that, they will collaborate with Audience Engagement and get feedback from the Education Department STEP Producers to develop the overall image of the show and other materials. They will also assist the Graphic Designer and Digital Strategy Manger in developing designs for social media posts.  

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CPT’s Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP) is a rigorous arts-based program that provides hands-on job training and engages youth from Cleveland families in a powerful learning experience that develops job skills, academic achievement, and interpersonal skills. As part of this eight-week summer program, youth ages 14–19 work together to create, produce, perform, and tour their own play. This program is the longest-running arts-based workplace development program in Cleveland and is an international model for engaging youth. Since its beginning in 1994, STEP has received multiple awards and recognitions including those from the City of Cleveland, The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Through STEP, teens see themselves as a positive and inspirational force and watch as their work has an impact on the larger Cleveland community.

STEP is a paid artistic opportunity. This year’s program will run June 9–August 3, Monday–Friday, 11am–5pm. Performances are scheduled during afternoons and evenings on weekdays and weekends, July 24–August 3. Read More ›

Note: Thank you to Ideastream Public Media, Axios Cleveland, Cleveland.com, and Crain’s Cleveland Business for the press. Read their articles below!

Cleveland Public Theatre is ushering in a new era. At a time when midsized theatres across the country are closing, CPT is poised to expand arts enrichment for Cleveland youth, champion creation of new theatrical work, broaden access to groundbreaking professional theatre, and spark economic development in the Gordon Square Arts District.

CPT is embarking on a $12 million capital project to improve, expand and renovate its campus in the Gordon Square Arts District. A matching grant from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation for $4 million will support the capital campaign. The grant will serve as a 1:1.5 match, meaning that for every $1.50 secured by CPT toward the campaign, the Mandel Supporting Foundation will contribute $1.00, up to $4 million. Through this campaign, CPT continues its work to center artists, celebrate diverse communities, and embrace audiences and students throughout Northeast Ohio.

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CPT announces a free workshop with nationally recognized theatre creator Raymond Bobgan. This workshop will serve as an introduction to Raymond’s unique approach to physical theatre/performance and as an audition for the upcoming CPT CORE Ensemble project. 

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TPC Declaración Pública
7 de febrero de 2025

Dado el clima político, los miembros del Teatro Público de Cleveland sienten que es imperativo abordar y mostrar solidaridad con nuestra comunidad.

Nuestro objetivo como colectivo teatral es ser por y para nuestra gente, contar nuestras propias historias y representar la diversidad de lo que significa ser latino/latina/latiné en los EE.UU. Ahora debemos reiterar nuestro compromiso con nuestros valores fundamentales de impactar la conciencia social y la justicia mientras el miedo y el odio contra nuestra comunidad continúan aumentando sin un final a la vista. No es suficiente ser un colectivo latino solo por su nombre y debemos usar las herramientas que tenemos para continuar el camino hacia adelante.

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Cleveland Public Theatre is hiring a Teaching Artist and Site Coordinator for the Cuyahoga Municipal Housing Authority Cleveland Act Now (CMHA CAN) program to continue to serve Cleveland Public Theatre’s mission to raise consciousness and nurture compassion through life-changing education programs.

Review of candidates will begin immediately. To apply for the position, send an email to Nicole Sumlin, Director of Education, at nsumlin@cptonline.org by end of day Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Subject line should read: YOUR LAST NAME, Teaching Artist and Site Coordinator, CMHA CAN. Your email should include two attachments: a resume and a cover letter giving examples of work that illustrate the experience required in the description and explaining why you are interested in this position. No phone calls, please.  

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CPT is seeking temporary, full-time Supporting Teaching Artists (CMHA CAN) and a Teaching Assistant (CAN Academy) to assist in implementing CPT Education summer programming. Theatre experience is a plus. We are looking to build a strong core of artists who are dedicated to creating work to further racial and economic justice. 

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UPDATE: Thank you to Ideastream Public Media, News 5 Cleveland, Cleveland.com, and Crain’s Cleveland Business for the press about this historic gift. Read their articles below!

Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) has received the largest gift since its founding in 1981 from the Joan Yellen Horvitz Trust. Through a bequest, Yellen Horvitz has gifted $6M to CPT—$4 million in a restricted fund managed by The Cleveland Foundation to establish a new Joan Yellen Horvitz director fellowship and $2 million to support the renovation and transformation of the former St. Mary’s Orthodox Church on CPT’s campus in the Gordon Square Arts District.

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CPT is seeking part-time Supporting Teaching Artists (CMHA Cleveland Act Now program Supporting Teaching Artist and Substitute Teaching Artists for CAN programs and Y-Haven Theatre Project) to assist in implementing CPT Education programming. Theatre experience is a plus. We are looking to build a strong core of artists who are dedicated to creating work to further racial and economic justice.

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