Hanna Theatre

Hanna Theatre is a historic theater in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and a constituent venue of Playhouse Square, one of the largest theater-restoration and performing-arts complexes in the United States. It opened on March 28, 1921, as one of the original five theaters developed in the Playhouse Square district. The venue was commissioned by industrialist and publisher Daniel Rhodes Hanna as part of a memorial complex honoring his father, Mark A. Hanna, a prominent Ohio industrialist and United States senator. Architect Charles A. Platt designed the building, while Faustinno Sampietro was responsible for much of the interior decoration. The original theater was conceived as an intimate but highly ornamented playhouse. Its design included green and gold carpeting, dark green seats, frescoed walls, a fireplace, Louis XVI-style gilded furniture, and a coffered ceiling decorated with circular and octagonal medallions depicting classical figures such as Cupid, Psyche, and Pegasus. The initial auditorium held approximately 1,421 people across the orchestra, mezzanine, balcony, and box seating. Its stage measured approximately 40 feet by 40 feet and was framed by a 36-foot proscenium arch. A distinctive seating feature resulted from Dan Hanna's request for additional space between the fourth and fifth rows, creating a wider-than-usual passage in that location. The theater opened with William Faversham's adaptation of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. The inaugural performance attracted roughly 1,500 people despite freezing weather, and Faversham addressed the audience during intermission. The first season presented a varied commercial theater program, including plays, musical comedies, and touring productions associated with the Shubert organization. The venue operated within a competitive theatrical environment: the nearby Ohio Theatre and other Playhouse Square houses competed for touring productions and audiences during Cleveland's major theater boom. After Daniel Hanna died during the theater's first full season, the Shubert brothers continued as lessees, with John S. Hale managing the venue. Over subsequent decades, changing audience patterns and the decline of downtown theater contributed to the deterioration of the Playhouse Square district. Hanna Theatre eventually closed in 1989. Its survival was linked to the broader campaign to preserve and restore Playhouse Square, led in large part by Ray Shepardson. Shepardson explored a cabaret-style use for Hanna Theatre and briefly adapted the auditorium with tables and chairs while retaining its historic decorative character. The campaign helped build public and philanthropic support for restoring the district, although the most substantial early investment went to the larger Playhouse Square theaters. Hanna Theatre underwent a major renovation and reopened on September 20, 2008, as the home of Great Lakes Theater, formerly known as Great Lakes Theater Festival. The restoration converted the historic auditorium into a flexible, smaller-scale theater with approximately 550 seats and several seating formats, including conventional seating, boxes, banquettes, club seating, lounge areas, and a bar. The renovated stage incorporated a three-part hydraulic thrust platform that could be configured for proscenium productions or an orchestra pit, as well as a computer-controlled fly system. Accessibility improvements included a renovated street-level entrance, a connection to the Hanna Annex and parking facilities, an elevator lobby, and improved balcony access. The project also pursued sustainable-building recognition through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED system. Today, Hanna Theatre functions primarily as a professional theater venue within Playhouse Square. Its programming identity is closely associated with Great Lakes Theater and with productions that benefit from an intimate auditorium, flexible staging, and a historically detailed environment. The venue combines a preserved 1920s theatrical interior with modern production infrastructure and accessibility features. It is best understood not as a conventional consumer brand or financial-services entity, but as a named cultural venue whose value derives from its architectural heritage, institutional affiliations, and role in Cleveland's performing-arts ecosystem.

Hanna Theatre was developed during Cleveland's early twentieth-century theater expansion and opened on March 28, 1921. Daniel Rhodes Hanna, an industrialist and publisher, envisioned the theater as part of a larger complex commemorating his father, Mark A. Hanna. The building was designed by Charles A. Platt, with interior decoration by Faustinno Sampietro. Its original decorative scheme emphasized historicist luxury, using green and gold carpets, dark green seating, frescoed walls, a fireplace, Louis XVI-inspired gilded furniture, and a coffered ceiling with classical imagery. The auditorium originally accommodated about 1,421 patrons. The orchestra level contained 827 seats, while the upper deck and other seating areas completed the capacity. The stage was approximately 40 feet wide and 40 feet deep, with a 36-foot proscenium arch. The theater's first presentation was William Faversham's adaptation of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. Approximately 1,500 people attended the opening despite severe cold, and the program included music by the Cleveland orchestra under director Max Faetkenheuer before the play began. Faversham spoke to the audience during intermission. During its first season, Hanna Theatre presented a mixture of drama, musical comedy, and touring entertainment. The listed productions included The Passing Show of 1919, Smilin' Through, Jim Jam, Pitter Patter, The Masquerader, Midnight Rounders, Up in the Haymow, and Fools Errant. The Shubert brothers became lessees after Daniel Hanna's death approximately three months into the theater's first full season, with John S. Hale managing the operation. The theater competed directly with nearby houses, particularly the Ohio Theatre, for prominent productions and audiences. The fortunes of Hanna Theatre followed the wider history of Playhouse Square. As downtown theater activity weakened, the venue eventually closed in 1989. Preservationist Ray Shepardson played a significant role in the campaign to save Playhouse Square's closed theaters. He proposed a cabaret model for Hanna Theatre, temporarily replacing conventional rows with tables and chairs while preserving the original decorative elements. Although the broader restoration effort concentrated first on the district's larger venues, the campaign helped establish the cultural and civic case for preserving the complex. The theater was finally restored as part of the continuing Playhouse Square redevelopment and reopened in 2008. The renovation adapted the venue to contemporary theater production without discarding its historic character. Seating was reduced to approximately 550 and reorganized into several formats, including standard seats, boxes, banquettes, club seats, lounges, and a bar. A hydraulic thrust stage provided multiple configurations, while a mechanically independent, computer-controlled fly system improved the handling of scenery. Accessibility and patron circulation were upgraded through changes to the entrance, elevator connections, parking access, and balcony routes. The project also pursued LEED certification. The restored Hanna Theatre became the Cleveland home of Great Lakes Theater, giving the company a dedicated venue for professional classical and contemporary stage work. In its current role within Playhouse Square, Hanna Theatre serves as a smaller and more adaptable counterpart to the district's larger historic houses. Its identity rests on the combination of architectural preservation, professional theatrical programming, and a close relationship with Cleveland's downtown cultural infrastructure.

• 2008

  Restored theater reopens

  [1]Hanna Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The renovated venue reopens on September 20 as the home of Great Lakes Theater.

• 1993

  Preservation campaign gains national attention

  [1]Hanna Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Ray Shepardson is recognized nationally for theater-restoration work, although Hanna Theatre itself has not yet been fully revived.

• 1989

  Venue closes

  [1]Hanna Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Hanna Theatre closes amid the broader decline and preservation crisis affecting Playhouse Square.

• 1921

  Theater opens

  [1]Hanna Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Hanna Theatre opens on March 28 with William Faversham's adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper.

• 1921

  Shubert lease follows Daniel Hanna's death

  [1]Hanna Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Shubert brothers continue as lessees after Daniel Rhodes Hanna dies during the theater's first full season.

A restored, intimate historic theater positioned within Playhouse Square for professional drama, musical theater, touring productions, and special events.

• Performing arts · 1921

  Live theatrical productions

  Hanna Theatre presents professional stage productions in an intimate historic setting. Its flexible auditorium and stage can support conventional proscenium arrangements, thrust-stage work, and productions requiring an orchestra pit. The venue's post-2008 identity is strongly connected with Great Lakes Theater, while its Playhouse Square affiliation allows it to participate in a broader program of theater, touring performances, and cultural events.

• Venue services · 2008

  Historic theater and event venue

  Beyond theatrical programming, Hanna Theatre offers a distinctive historic environment for audience hospitality, special events, and other presentations suited to a smaller downtown venue. The restored interior preserves elements of its 1921 design while modern systems, accessibility improvements, and multiple seating formats make the building usable for contemporary patrons and production teams.

• 1989Playhouse Square preservation campaign

  Cleveland, Ohio · United States

  After Hanna Theatre closed, Ray Shepardson led efforts to prevent the closed Playhouse Square theaters from being destroyed. His proposal for a cabaret-style use helped demonstrate that the historic venues could be adapted for renewed cultural activity.

  Outcome. The preservation movement helped sustain public and philanthropic support for Playhouse Square, although the principal restoration funding initially benefited the district's larger theaters.

  Source

• 2008

  Convert the restored venue into a flexible intimate theaterStrategy

  Background

  The restoration sought to return Hanna Theatre to active use while accommodating the needs of a modern professional theater company.

  Action taken

  The project reduced capacity to approximately 550, introduced several seating configurations, installed a hydraulic thrust stage and computer-controlled fly system, and improved accessibility and patron circulation.

  Aftermath

  The renovated theater reopened as Great Lakes Theater's Cleveland home on September 20, 2008.

  Renovation cost. $14.7 million (2008 reopening project)

  Source

1. 1Hanna Theatreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Playhouse Squareplayhousesquare.org