It has played host to Bob Hope, Johnny Cash and Sheryl Crow during its run. And as Cain Park’s Evans Amphitheater celebrates its 70th anniversary this summer, the occasion will be marked by the venue simply doing what it has done for decades: providing a place to hear touring national acts and talented local ones in a small setting.
“We are very committed to having diverse performers that attract diverse audiences,” says Susana Niermann O’Neil, who oversees Cain Park as community services director for Cleveland Heights.
She credits the amphitheater’s resilience for its success. Built without a roof in 1938, the venue fought some tempestuous battles with Northeast Ohio weather that almost sent it into a watery lockdown in the early 1970s. But Hollywood appeared in 1978 with film crews shootingThose Lips, Those Eyes in Cain Park, focusing attention on the venue and garnering support for a $5 million renovation of Evans Amphitheater, including a roof for 1,262 of its 2,540 seats.
This year’s lineup once again offers a wide range of entertainment. Each Tuesday is marked by music and a $2 admission fee, while the musicalThe Wiz runs through July 6, andAmerican Idol alum Bo Bice hits the stage Aug. 16.
We Recommend ...Three concerts coming to Evans Amphitheater you should know about:
Over the Rhine: Critical darlings seldom sell. But this Cincinnati duo has quietly moved more than 250,000 albums, opened for Bob Dylan and been chosen by music editors and performers as one of Paste magazine’s 100 Greatest Living Songwriters. July 22, 8 p.m. $2
“We are very committed to having diverse performers that attract diverse audiences,” says Susana Niermann O’Neil, who oversees Cain Park as community services director for Cleveland Heights.
She credits the amphitheater’s resilience for its success. Built without a roof in 1938, the venue fought some tempestuous battles with Northeast Ohio weather that almost sent it into a watery lockdown in the early 1970s. But Hollywood appeared in 1978 with film crews shootingThose Lips, Those Eyes in Cain Park, focusing attention on the venue and garnering support for a $5 million renovation of Evans Amphitheater, including a roof for 1,262 of its 2,540 seats.
This year’s lineup once again offers a wide range of entertainment. Each Tuesday is marked by music and a $2 admission fee, while the musicalThe Wiz runs through July 6, andAmerican Idol alum Bo Bice hits the stage Aug. 16.
We Recommend ...Three concerts coming to Evans Amphitheater you should know about:
Over the Rhine: Critical darlings seldom sell. But this Cincinnati duo has quietly moved more than 250,000 albums, opened for Bob Dylan and been chosen by music editors and performers as one of Paste magazine’s 100 Greatest Living Songwriters. July 22, 8 p.m. $2
Roger McGuinn and John Sebastian: A joining of ’60s forces — the Byrds’ McGuinn and the Lovin Spoonful’s Sebastian team up for an evening of American roots music. Aug. 9, 8 p.m. $27-$35 in advance, $30-$38 day of show
Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten: This trio of legendary jazz bassists has been teasing fans for years they may team up for a tour. The stars (and calendars) have finally aligned. Aug. 15, 8 p.m. $25-$32 advance, $28-$35 day of show
