Addie Balester grew up in Cleveland’s east side suburbs and participated in many of Playhouse Square’s Education Department programs as a student. Last week, at age 30, the Cleveland Heights Council Clerk attended Playhouse Square’s Jump Back Ball for the first time and shared her experiences with FreshWater.

As a native Clevelander (well the burbs at least) and avid supporter of the arts, I was thrilled to be invited to this year’s Jump Back Ball and support Playhouse Square and its Education Department.

I was surprised that having grown up in the Cleveland area and having attended so many wonderful educational programs at Playhouse Square, I had never heard of Playhouse Square Partners, the young professionals group that the hosts of the Jump Back Ball. 

I quickly learned that Partners is a wonderful organization dedicated to supporting the educational mission of Playhouse Square. As Cleveland's longest-running young professionals’ group, Partners provides a wide range of opportunities for those between the ages of 21 and 40 to get involved in leadership, volunteer, and social activities. 

Partners hosts Jump Back Ball every year and this year was chaired by Partners board members Alexis Fender, Ryan Herman, and Lindsey Jump.

The event aims to raise funds that benefit Playhouse Square's education programs—including the Dazzle Awards, Children’s Theater Series, the Classroom Connections Workshop, and Dance Showcase, as well as sensory-friendly programming, and field trip experiences and local school programming.

As somebody who attended many of these programs growing up, I truly appreciate the impact they have on young people.

Villains Unleashed: A Night of Chaos - Jump Back Ball 2024“[Reports] show that the vast majority of current theater-goers had some connection to theater-going as a child, which is why [youth] programs…are so important in encouraging young people to be interested in theater,” according to Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League. “It’s exciting to see record numbers of kids and teens attending Broadway shows.”

While the reports St. Martin references are specific to New York City, I believe the same conclusion can be drawn here in Cleveland with the incredible youth programming offered through Playhouse Square. 

According to opinion reseach firm Civic Science, younger generations  attend theatrical performances more frequently than older generations. More than half of Gen Z adults and 44% of Millennials say they attend at least every few months, compared to only 19% of those 55 and older.

This shift in age demographics is significant, as there has been a notable increase in attendance among younger individuals compared to pre-pandemic levels. In contrast, the 55-and-up crowd is more likely to say they “rarely” or “never” attend live theater today.

This all illustrates that the arts continue to be a powerful force in bringing people of all ages together and create meaningful experiences that can enrich our lives.

Jump Back Ball, as a Partners’ fundraising initiative, is of particular significance because it serves to support the not-for-profit mission of Playhouse Square by engaging young professionals in leadership, volunteerism, and social activities.

The Partners' commitment to community engagement and creativity is evident in the group’s annual Jump Back, which draws attention to the importance of providing opportunities for everyone to experience the arts.

The funds raised from The Jump Back Ball will help to ensure that these important initiatives can continue, allowing even more individuals to benefit from all of the amazing educational programs Playhouse Square has to offer.

The evening

The Villains Unleashed: A Night of Chaos theme this year was an incredible event! The night started with a "black carpet" photo op and a VIP cocktail hour reception in the Connor Palace Theatre lobby. The live music by Apostle Jones was amazing, and the cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres were delicious. 

Next, we were ushered into the KeyBank State Theatre for the main event, and I was immediately struck by its stunning decor, awash in deep purple lighting that created an immersive and mysterious ambiance.

Raffle packages included a Browns helmet signed by Jim Brown and a football signed by Joe ThomasThere was much to do, see, and experience throughout the evening. The raffle and silent auction were set up in the lobby, with prizes and raffle packages such as a Cleveland Browns helmet signed by the late Jim Brown; a football signed by former Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas; a Cleveland Guardians VIP experience; a golf outing at Firestone Golf Course; a trip for two to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory in Louisville, Kentucky; and season tickets to Playhouse Square’s 2024-2025 KeyBank Broadway Series; and much, much more.

The variety of unique prizes made the silent auction and raffle a lot of fun.

In character

The guests’ costumes were the highlight of the evening for me, with many attendees dressing up as famous comic book villains like Loki and the Joker, as well as Disney classics like Cruella Deville and Captain Hook.

There were also some incredibly creative interpretations of villains such as Hulk Hogan and Lord Farquad (Shrek), and I even spotted an IRS agent!

The Cleveland twist of the villains was none other than Ben Roethlisberger with Addie and MattOne Cleveland twist on the villain was none other than former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger—a costume that was a hit among the crowd, and was actually Playhouse Square president and CEO Craig Hassall.

The attention to detail put into the costumes was impressive and added to the overall immersive experience of the event.

The dinner and dance party, with music from KC & Company on the stage of the KeyBank State Theatre, was the main act of the evening. Catering by Driftwood Restaurant Group was excellent and included a wide variety of food options for practically every palette and preference.

From sliders and chicken sandwiches to bruschetta and mashed potato bars with a blood-red cheese sauce, the dinner selections were perfectly in theme for the night and were an obvious hit among the partygoers.

Upstairs on the mezzanine level, a full casino had various games and activities, which was a fun addition to the night and provided a great opportunity for attendees to socialize and have some fun.

One attendee I spoke to said “It is amazing how many different people are in attendance and support this cause. It’s so very Cleveland!”

I couldn’t agree more!

Of course, a night out at Playhouse Square would not be complete without the appearance of the RedCoats—the volunteers who are "the face of Playhouse Square."

One RedCoat named Leo offered to take pictures of guests taking a break from the festivities in the theater seats. As always, the RedCoats’ presence is an extra special, unique touch when visiting Playhouse Square.

The KeyBank State Theatre was an excellent venue for the Villain Unleashed theme. The event was an unforgettable night full of great music, fantastic costumes, and exciting activities.  It was evident that a lot of effort went into planning this event, and it was well worth it!

Partners' ongoing efforts to support Playhouse Square's not-for-profit mission are commendable, and the annual Jump Back Ball fundraiser is a testament to the group’s commitment to community engagement and philanthropy.

The Jump Back Ball was an unforgettable night, and I'm already looking forward to the next one!