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Culture

The cultural heart of the city is Playhouse Square, a cultural complex consisting of four restored landmark theatres, the Ohio Theatre, the State Theatre, the Palace Theatre and the Allen Theatre. The major restorations began in 1972 and transformed Playhouse Square into the second largest performing arts centre in the USA, which is now home to five performing arts companies, attracting over one million patrons every year. Tickets can be purchased from the relevant box office or from Ticketmaster (tel: (800) 364 4774; website: www.ticketmaster.com).

Music: The Cleveland Chamber Symphony (tel: (216) 687 5097) performs free concerts of musical works exclusively by present-day composers at Cleveland State University's Drinko Recital Hall, 2001 Euclid Avenue. Cleveland Opera finds its home at Playhouse Square, performing grand operatic works, such as The Barber of Seville and La Bohème, in the renovated State Theatre, 1519 Euclid Avenue. The Cleveland Orchestra performs at the recently restored and expanded Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue (tel: (216) 231 7300), as well as at the Blossom Music Center, 1145 West Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls. It offers a popular outdoor concert series during the summer.

Theatre: The Cleveland Play House, 8500 Euclid Avenue (tel: (216) 795 7000), was founded in 1915 and is the longest running regional theatre in the country, presenting critically acclaimed major theatrical productions alongside works by more obscure writers. The Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue (tel: (216) 631 2727), is the city's best-known alternative theatre, presenting local, national and international avant-garde works.

Dance: The Ohio Ballet (tel: (216) 241 6000) was formed in 1968 and finds its home near Cleveland in Akron, Ohio. When in Cleveland, the company performs at the Ohio Theatre, 1511 Euclid Avenue. The Cleveland San Jose Ballet (tel: (216) 426 2500), which performs in Cleveland and San Jose, California, has been suffering funding problems of late in Cleveland, but intends to continue some performances at the State Theatre, 1519 Euclid Avenue. DanceCleveland (tel: (216) 861 2213) hosts different contemporary/modern dance troupes from around the world at variety of venues.

Film: Lacking the glamour of Los Angeles and New York, Cleveland is rarely the setting for major Hollywood movies. However, the most memorable of recent history is Major League (1989), a comedy about baseball, directed by David S Ward and starring Charlie Sheen.

Mainstream cinemas worth visiting in Cleveland include Regal Cinema Mayfield Heights 10, 1345 SOM Center Road (tel: (440) 449 9288), and the Tower City 11, 230 Huron Road Northwest (tel: (440) 717 4697). Cleveland Cinematheque, 11141 East Boulevard (tel: (216) 421 7450), presents arthouse films. Tickets can be purchased in person at the theatre or by telephone with a credit card.

Cultural events: The Tri-C Jazz Fest is a festival of jazz celebrating local and national artists. It takes place at various venues throughout Cleveland in the month of April. Also in April is the Midwest Brewfest, a celebration of speciality beers, fine food and music, taking place at the Cleveland Convention Center. Ohio's premier film event, the Cleveland International Film Festival, takes place in March at Hoyts Tower City Cinema. The Beachwood Art Festival takes place in June at the Beachwood Mall, and features more than 200 national and international artists, as well as live music. Later in the month, the Emerald City Folk Festival takes place at Metropark's Brookside Reservation. The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival (tel: (216) 732 3311) provides free, outdoor performances of Shakespeare during the summer months. September is home to Taste of Cleveland at the Nautica Entertainment Complex, featuring art, entertainment and food from over 30 area restaurants.

Literary Notes
Toni Morrison, author of Beloved (1987), The Bluest Eye (1969) and Paradise (1998), was raised in Cleveland. Langston Hughes (1902-67), the prolific African-American poet, novelist and essayist, spent his high-school years in Cleveland, where much of his early poetry was written. He was part of the Harlem Renaissance movement of black artists. Cleveland was also home to another of America's early twentieth-century poets: Hart Crane (1899-1932). Crane spent his youth here and was expected to follow in the footsteps of his father's business, but instead he gave it all up to move to New York and become a writer.



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