In the midst of the Great Depression of the 1930's, Cleveland celebrated the centennial of its incorporation as a city. The occasion was the Great Lakes Exposition of 1936/1937. More than 5 million people from across the nation visited the Exhibition with its many pavilions devoted to commerce, industry and other accomplishments emphasizing the strengths of the Great Lakes region. The beautiful cover photograph is from a 1936 production of "Romeo and Juliet" presented at the Exhibition, featuring Michael Ferrall as Romeo and Elizabeth Robinson as Juliet. The Company, "Players of the Old Globe," presented Shakespeare plays in a streamlined format of 45-60 minutes each in a replica of Shakespeare's Old Globe Theatre, constructed as part of an "English Village."

Last update: 5/20/02