North Canton Playhouse in Need of New Theatre

The bad news is: the North Canton Playhouse will lose its Hoover High School theatre and studio theatre by 2017 after grant money used to lease out the space dries up. 

The good news is: North Canton Economic Developer Eric Bowles is working to move the local theatre company into a new venue before that happens. 

Bowles couldn't divulge any details at Monday night's City Council meeting, but playhouse vice president Ted Paynter did receive some positive feedback from Council on finding a permanent home for the playhouse. 

According to Council president Jon Snyder, Ward 4, Mayor David Held has been working on plans to create a civic arts center that could house the playhouse and several other performing arts companies. 

"The administration is pretty much committed to finding a permanent home (for the playhouse) hopefully sooner than later, and (the mayor) is well aware of the fact you're in a three-year time frame," said Snyder.

During Paynter's remarks before Council, he talked about the playhouse's 37-year history with the city that dates back to 1976 when artistic director Mary McManaway first founded the theatre company. 

The playhouse has basically been "self-sufficient" over the years and has created a pair of successful partnerships with the Canton Palace Theatre and Walsh University, he said.

Paynter also stressed the importance of the playhouse's outreach theatre programs, like Spotlight on Youth, which illustrates issues facing young people.

"We've become an integral part of the community, and we want to keep it that way," he said.