Cleveland Play House's Stories That Matter Expands National Reach Through American Legion Partnersh
Posted September 29, 2026 in Press Releases
MEDIA CONTACT:
CPH: Geoff Short
Content & Communications Manager
gshort@clevelandplayhouse.com
Cleveland Play House's Stories That Matter Expands National Reach Through American Legion Partnership
Five-year arts-integrated civic education initiative uses theatre and veterans' stories to strengthen civic learning
CLEVELAND — Cleveland Play House introduces Stories That Matter, a five-year, artsintegrated civic education initiative that uses theatre, primary sources, and veteran engagement to strengthen civic learning while creating meaningful, multi-generational experiences for students and families. The project that began here in Cleveland was introduced to veterans and American Legion leaders from across the country with an invitation to present at the American Legion National Convention last month in Louisville, Kentucky.
Why This Work Matters
Stories That Matter was launched by CPH in response to a well-documented national decline in civics and history scores among students, paired with growing evidence that arts-based learning improves comprehension, engagement, and retention. Veterans' lived
experiences bring authenticity and depth to civic education. Stories That Matter brings a unique theatrical approach to bridging these gaps by combining storytelling, performance, and community dialogue to make civic learning relevant and impactful. When a student watches a veteran's story performed live — not summarized, not captioned, but embodied — they are not simply receiving information about history. They are encountering it. That is theatre's irreducible contribution to civic education.
The Program Model
Stories That Matter integrates in-school learning with family and community experiences
through:
• A sixteen-week arts-integrated curriculum for 4th and 8th grade students
• Ten hours of professional development for educators and veterans
• Four original theatre productions featuring veteran stories
• 40,000 family civic education guides to extend learning at home
• A free digital platform with lessons, training, and recorded performances
All performances are paired with guided materials to support reflection, discussion, and continued learning beyond the stage.
Brave Like My Brother
One of the original theatre productions that are a part of Stories That Matter is Brave Like My Brother, running May 8 through May 23, 2027, at the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square. Adapted by Eric Coble from the novel by Marc Tyler Nobleman, the production is a story for family audiences about the bonds of brotherhood, the communities that shape who we become, and the quiet resilience it takes to face the unknown.
Cleveland. 1942. Ten-year-old Charlie has always looked up to his older brother, Joe — the very definition of courage: strong, steady, and ready to serve something bigger than himself. But when the draft pulls Joe halfway around the world, both brothers find themselves on new and lonely front lines.
Brave Like My Brother celebrates bonds that can't be broken by distance and how anyone can become their own kind of hero. The production is a reminder that bravery doesn't always mean fearlessness — sometimes it means holding on, holding together, and finding your way forward. Tickets for Brave Like My Brother are now on sale and available at www.clevelandplayhouse.com.
A National Conversation, Building for Nearly Four Years
This past spring, the Cleveland Play House presented a workshop at the American Legion Washington Conference in Washington, D.C., introducing its collaboration on Stories That Matter to the Legion's Veterans Employment & Education Commission. The session brought together veterans and American Legion leaders from across the country and
generated an overwhelmingly positive response.
Pamela DiPasquale, Cleveland Play House's Director of Education, told the commission that the decline in U.S. history and civics knowledge among students diminishes participation in community life. "Theatre is uniquely positioned to teach civic values because it doesn't just present history, it asks students to inhabit it. When young people
step into the shoes of someone from another time, another community, another set of circumstances, they don't just learn what happened. They learn why. That kind of understanding is the foundation of an engaged citizen," she said. One of the ways to do that, she noted, is through historical empathy and understanding how people from the past made the decisions they did. That is where veterans and The American Legion come in.
Cleveland Play House CEO/Managing Director Rachel L. Fink says “Theatre has always helped us understand history through the people who lived it. Stories That Matter brings veterans' experiences into conversation with young people, giving students a way to encounter American history not simply as dates and events, but as choices made by real people. This work began here in Northeast Ohio, shaped by our educators, veterans and communities, and we're excited to see those conversations beginning to reach communities across the country.”
Thomas Kazmierczak, Cleveland Play House's Associate Director of National Programs, shared that the program's first-year goal is to create a new American history curriculum based on veterans' stories and to commission and produce original theatre.
Veterans at the Washington Conference expressed genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity to preserve and share their personal stories through theatre and storytelling, recognizing the project's potential to strengthen civic understanding while honoring the experiences of those who have served.
The workshop represented the culmination of nearly four years of relationship-building with the American Legion. As a result of the success of the presentation and the strong national interest in the project, the Cleveland Play House Education Department was invited to present at the American Legion National Convention last month in Louisville, Kentucky.
The National Convention is one of the American Legion's largest annual gatherings, bringing together thousands of veterans, delegates, community leaders, and representatives from across the United States. Presenting at the convention offered an exceptional opportunity to introduce Stories That Matter to a national audience, engage
with American Legion leadership and members from every state, and inspire additional partnerships that will expand the project's reach.
The invitation reflects the confidence the American Legion has placed in this work and underscores the growing recognition of storytelling as a powerful tool for preserving veterans' experiences, fostering civic education, and building stronger connections between generations.
Community Engagement
Stories That Matter is built on collaboration with organizations such as the National Veterans Memorial & Museum, VFW, AMVETS, American Legion, and Western New York Heroes. Veterans are engaged as storytellers, performers, and teaching artists, and familytheatre events are designed to strengthen school–community connections and encourage
multi-generational dialogue.
The partnership demonstrates how arts education can preserve history, amplify veterans' voices, and foster meaningful conversations across generations — strengthening existing relationships while encouraging additional American Legion departments and posts to participate.
Stories That Matter uses theatre as a bridge between classrooms, families, and communities — empowering the next generation to understand the past, engage in the present, and shape the future. Military families and purple star schools can meaningfully participate in all aspects of the project, and are invited to join Cleveland Play House in evolving the program.
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ABOUT CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE, founded in 1915 and recipient of the 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is America's first professional regional theatre. Throughout its rich history, CPH has remained dedicated to its mission to inspire, stimulate, and entertain diverse audiences across Northeast Ohio by producing plays and theatre education programs of the highest professional standards. CPH has produced more than 100 world and/or American premieres, and over its long history more than 12 million people have attended over 1,600 productions. Today, Cleveland Play House celebrates the beginning of its second century of service while performing in three state-of-the art venues at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland. Cleveland Play House is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cleveland Play House is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. To support or learn more, visit: www.clevelandplayhouse.com.
Tickets for Brave Like My Brother are now on sale and available at clevelandplayhouse.com.
