Michael Barakiva Named Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House
He began his tenure as the tenth artistic director of Cleveland Play House in December 2023.
Michael Barakiva has been named the new Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House!
Barakiva is an Armenian-Israeli American director and writer who has staged new plays, revivals, and classics in New York City and around the country. He began his tenure as the tenth artistic director of Cleveland Play House in December 2023.
He directed CPH’s critically acclaimed production of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. He also served as co-director of CPH’s world premiere production of Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure.
In addition to the CPH productions, Barakiva’s work has been seen at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Primary Stages, Syracuse Stage, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and the Hangar Theatre, where he served as Artistic Director.
He founded The Upstart Creatures, a theatre company that creates community through performance and food, as well as the Leadership Initiative Project, which equips historically excluded artists with the tools to succeed in leadership positions.
Barakiva has received three Drama League directing fellowships, the Phil Killian Directing Fellowship (OSF), the David Merrick Prize in Drama, and was a Granada Artist-in-Residence at UC Davis. He led a week-long workshop on musical theatre at the International Puppet Theater in Sofia, Bulgaria, and was a presenter at the International University Theatre Festival at UNAM in Mexico City.
He served as producer of Summer Camp 6 (Soho Rep) and as the Readings and Workshops Coordinator at New York Stage and Film, as well as a Primary Coach on Season 2 of MTV’s Made.
As a writer, Barakiva is the recipient of a Red Bull Commission for his adaptation of John Milton's Paradise Lost, an EST/Sloan Project Commission, and a co-author of String Theory (Connotation Press).
His young adult novels have been named to the Rainbow List, Equality Family Council Reading List, The Barnes and Noble’s Perfect Valentine’s Day YA Novels list, spending over a year as Goodreads #1 LGBTQ YA Novel. Education: Vassar College, The Juilliard School.
|
The Celestia Theater presents An Evening with Elvis starring Jesse Garron On September 12, 2026 The Celestia Theater (9/12-9/12) |
|
Pippin Short North Stage - Garden Theater (8/06-8/29) |
|
The Producers Short North Stage - Garden Theater (3/12-4/11) |
|
Hairspray Short North Stage - Garden Theater (11/19-12/20) |
|
The Vampire Circus is coming to the Lorain Palace Theatre on October 27th 2026 Lorain Palace Theatre (10/27-10/27) |
|
Over The Rhine returning to The Kent Stage on August 1st The Kent Stage (8/01-8/01) |
|
Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Richie Furay bringing the hits to The Kent Stage July 16th The Kent Stage (7/16-7/16) |
|
A Taste of Ireland - The Irish Music and Dance Sensation Canton Palace Theatre (10/08-10/08) |
|
Side Show in Concert Porthouse Theatre (7/07-7/18) |
|
Godspell Western Reserve Playhouse (7/17-7/26) |