Marinello Little Theatre has seen a resurgence in performances and interest over the past two years. The Rogue Understudies Improv Club host their monthly show on that small stage nestled in the back of the Lombardo Student Center. The expansion of Theatre Club has seen performances such as “The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) [revised]” and poetry readings from the Department of English. The stage transformed into a classroom when students in the course Dramas En Español: From Page to Stage performed two one-act plays in Spanish. Now, Marinello takes center stage to be restored to the original vision of Professor Leone J. Marinello.
Marinello began teaching at John Carroll in 1949 and was a professor in the communication and English departments for over three and a half decades. In 1969, the Marinello Little Theatre became operational and hosted many productions directed by Marinello himself.
In a 1985 edition of The Carroll News, Marinello said, “I love the classics—Greek theater, Renaissance shows, Shakespeare and wanted to do them creatively. I did not want to be dependent on scenery. We had no space to build it. The emphasis was to be on the actors.”
“I looked at drawings of ancient theaters and some things clicked… I came up with this, a facade that could change to a certain extent for every play. It’s fun to see the student directors change the environment, to see how well the design works for them,” said Marinello.
Now, 40 years later, that same stage that hosted years of student-run performances will be back in the spotlight. Assistant Director of Student Engagement for the Arts Amy Payne said, “When [Marinello] first designed the theater, it [was] a beautiful stage with wooden steps leading down into the playing space. The stage has multiple layers which is great.”
“Back in the 80s, they built an eight-foot extension onto the stage that covered those steps and covered that flat area so they [could] do more musicals and hold more people on the stage” continued Payne.
The major elements of the renovation will include a fresh paint job, refurbished stage and the addition of air conditioning. A television showcasing advertisements for different events and performances will be placed outside the theater near the Little Marinello marquee.
This restoration comes at a pivotal moment with the addition of a residential theatre company now calling John Carroll home.
Ensemble Theater moved into Marniello early this academic year and brings along a rich history of Cleveland performing arts that is helping John Carroll expand into the theater hub it once was. Since 1979, the company has been staging socially relevant plays and productions in addition to offering educational resources for schools. Not only are they staging their own productions such as “Enemy of the People: A Rust-Belt Adaptation” by Les Hunter, they are also helping JCU Theatre Club with their production of “Radium Girls” in April.
“If John Carroll is a microcosm of community, then we’re hoping to provide that creative element and support it,” said Ensemble Theatre’s General Manager Becca Moseley. “The programming is broad and diverse because the community is broad and diverse. [We] try to do something that involves everyone.”
The restoration is scheduled to begin on Feb. 24 and end on March 1 to be completed in time for a March 12 ribbon cutting ceremony.
