Thu 1/29 – Sat 2/14
The Cuyahoga River may have stopped burning 45 years ago but for many Northeast Ohioans, the embarrassing incident continues to smolder fanning the flames of the “Mistake on the Lake” fodder for late night comedians and that seemingly nonstop supply of jackasses that you continually find yourself sitting next to on every plane ride you take.
With this in mind, the Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) is collaborating with four Cleveland-area theatre companies – Theatre Ninjas, Ohio City Theatre Project, Talespinner Children’s Theatre and Blank Canvas Theatre – to produce Fire on the Water, an original theatrical production inspired by the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River.
On the surface, reliving the nightmare sounds sadistic but Cleveland Public Theatre Director of Audience Engagement & Media Relations Cathleen O’Malley, who is one of five directors in the show, promises the multimedia event provides context and catharsis.
Fire on the Water, which is presented in conjunction with the City of Cleveland’s 2015 “Year of Clean Water” celebration, takes place Jan. 29 through Feb. 14 at the Gordon Square Theatre. CoolCleveland talked to O’Malley about this all-encompassing affair.
CoolCleveland: First of all, what’s the concept behind Fire on the Water?
Cathleen O’Malley: The show is the fourth play in what has been a three-season long series called The Elements Cycle, which focuses on issues of sustainability in fun, personal, intimate and exciting ways. All of the shows are self-contained so you don’t have to have seen an earlier show to enjoy this one. Each one has focused on one of the natural elements.
What’s the history of the The Elements Cycle series?
We premiered Waterways back in 2012 followed by Earth Plays in 2013, Airwaves in 2014 and now Fire on the Water, which is inspired by the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River and its repercussions as a pivotal moment in Cleveland history, particularly Cleveland and the national environmental conversation. Also, really it’s an opportunity for individual artists who created work for this show to reflect issues of identity and also on the element itself and destruction, rejuvenation and rehabilitation. It’s the story of the river and its recovery.
Is it safe to say you’re attempting to exorcise our demons regarding the burning river?
Exorcise our demons, I don’t know. I’m sure it’ll be a very personal experience for everyone who comes. This has been sort of a point of shame in Cleveland’s history, but there’s a lot that’s misunderstood about that fire and how important it was really for the environmental movement. Ultimately, the event that became such, I think, a mark on Cleveland in terms of public perception actually was the moment in the United States that awakened the public, government, businesses and individuals to the cost of untapped development and how we relate it to our waterways. That said, the piece really travels through a spectrum of emotions.
What can we expect from Fire on the Water?
It’s structured with an assortment of many, many diverse works. It’s 12 or more individual shows that are woven together through some recurring themes. The show itself is an evening long event that will take audience members through comedy, satire, moving choral singing, drama, contemporary plays, video and puppetry. I’ve been calling it a multimedia theatrical pageant. It comes to this event in our history from so many different angles. People are going to take a lot away from it.
How is Fire on the Water different from the previous three The Elements Cycle shows?
What is similar is that there’s diverse multiple plays woven together around a theme, but what makes Fire on the Water so different is that in past productions we’ve had audience members travel to different rooms on our campus or in the case of Waterways it was a very strong narrative core in the middle of the show. This show is all taking place in the Gordon Square Theater, which is an old vaudeville hall. We’re seating the audience in rolling office chairs so at any given time performances will be happening on either end of the space or up in the balcony or off to the side or even between audience members. So people can really move around. We’re calling it a 360-degree theatrical experience.
Finally, who would enjoy Fire on the Water?
There’s been a real trend in theater worldwide to really break audience members out of the movie theater arrangement – people pinned into a seat watching a show for three hours. While that is one option, audiences are really being taken into a new realm and are challenged in a sensory way as well as an intellectual way. So people who are interested in something new, taking a risk and enjoy the visual arts will find this show very visually stunning.
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Fire on the Water takes place at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 through Feb. 14 (performances are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday) at Gordon Square Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Tickets are $12 to $28. For more information, visit CPTonline.org.
Freelance writer John Benson spends most of his time writing for various papers throughout Northeast Ohio. When he’s not writing about music or entertainment, he can be found coaching his two boys in basketball, football and baseball or watching movies with his lovely wife, Maria. John also occasionally writes for CoolCleveland.com.
One Response to “Fire on the Water: A CLE multimedia theatrical pageant @CPTCLE”
Randall Frye
Shoot… thought this might be an event at the water’s edge… using lights, lasers and what ever to create the fire… maybe another year and another collaboration… but thanks anyway…