The Allen Theatre is one of the theaters in Playhouse Square, the performing arts center on Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was originally designed as a silent movie theater by C. Howard Crane and opened its doors on April 1, 1921 with a capacity of more than 3,000 seats. By the mid-1960s, financial troubles plagued both the Allen and the other downtown theaters. These were primarily caused by the popularity of television and the growing desire for local residents to move away from the city and into the suburbs. On May 7, 1968, the Allen Theatre was closed; it remained vacant for nearly 30 years. The Playhouse Square Association was formed in 1970, and began the revitalization process of the Connor Palace, State and Ohio Theatres; but the Allen remained closed and slated for possible demolition until 1993, when the Playhouse Square Foundation agreed to purchase it. Fully restored to its former glory, the Allen Theatre reopened on October 3, 1998 with 2,500 seats, and became an important venue for hosting touring Broadway musicals and concerts. In 2000, the Cleveland Ballet, which had been performing in the State Theatre, left the city and moved to San Jose, California. This enabled the State Theatre to produce more Broadway shows; but bookings for the Allen Theatre declined. Playhouse Square began to pursue alternative uses for the Allen Theatre, and eventually found it with two nearby organizations: Cleveland Play House and Cleveland State University. Through a collaboration called "The Power of Three," Cleveland Play House, Cleveland State University and Playhouse Square partnered and launched a $32 million renovation project to create the Allen Theatre Complex. The theater itself was closed in 2010, underwent a major transformation, and re-opened on September 16, 2011. The house was reduced from seating 2,500 people to just under 500, creating a much more intimate theatrical setting.
Source: Wikipedia
Springsteen did 4 performances, excl. rehearsals, at this venue.
Disclaimer | © 1996 - 2024 | Brucebase
