Cleveland Ballet brings Handel’s Messiah to Playhouse Square with live choir and orchestra in March
Performances set for March 20-22 at KeyBank State Theatre
Cleveland Ballet is scheduled to present a ballet adaptation of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah at Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre, with performances running March 20-22, 2026. The engagement includes four event times: a Friday morning performance on March 20 at 10:30 a.m., a Friday evening performance at 7 p.m., a Saturday evening performance on March 21 at 7 p.m., and a Sunday matinee on March 22 at 2 p.m.
The production is billed as a staged dance interpretation of Handel’s best-known oratorio, performed with live music. Cleveland Chamber Choir and BlueWater Chamber Orchestra are set to participate, with Gregory Ristow listed as conductor for the performances.
A narrative approach to an oratorio often heard in concert settings
Handel’s Messiah is widely performed as a concert work, but this Cleveland staging is organized as a ballet adaptation structured around a biblical narrative arc. Materials released for the event describe the work as tracing episodes from prophecies of Christ’s birth through crucifixion and resurrection.
The performances are part of Cleveland Ballet’s 2025-26 season at Playhouse Square, which also includes The Nutcracker in December 2025 at Connor Palace and Cinderella in May 2026 at the Mimi Ohio Theatre.
Access and education components include a pay-what-you-can matinee
The Friday, March 20, 10:30 a.m. performance is designated as an open dress rehearsal and school matinee. Cleveland Ballet lists that time as part of its “Pay What You Can” initiative, a program tied to select performances during the season and aimed at expanding access for audiences who may face cost barriers.
Venue: KeyBank State Theatre, Playhouse Square
Dates: March 20-22, 2026
Event times: March 20 (10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.), March 21 (7 p.m.), March 22 (2 p.m.)
Performers listed: Cleveland Ballet, Cleveland Chamber Choir, BlueWater Chamber Orchestra
Programming notes for the production describe a ballet adaptation featuring live orchestra and choir, structured around the oratorio’s biblical themes.
How tickets are being distributed
Ticketing for the run is being handled through Playhouse Square, which lists both individual event times and availability through its box office. Cleveland Ballet also offers season subscriptions that include Messiah along with the company’s other 2025-26 performances at Playhouse Square venues.
The March performances come at a time when Cleveland’s major performing arts stages are balancing touring engagements with locally produced work. For Cleveland Ballet, the Messiah run adds a large-scale collaboration—dance company, chorus, and orchestra—within Playhouse Square’s season calendar.