Theater

100 Years On, Cleveland Play House Stays True To Its Regional Mission

by David C. Barnett

It's been called the oldest professional regional theater in the United States. The Cleveland Play House was founded in 1915 by a group of artists and social activists dissatisfied with the commercial fare that dominated theaters at the time. The theater has had its ups and downs, but it's stayed true to its original mission of presenting challenging work with a primarily local cast and crew.

Back On Broadway: 'The Color Purple'

Cynthia Erivo stars on Broadway as Celie in The Color Purple. She talks with NPR's Scott Simon about the production, and revisits one of the first songs she sang for an audience: Silent Night.