"Tiny Houses" is a big hit at Cleveland Play House

Most people have heard of the “tiny house” trend--but what happens when you give up everything to build one?

“Tiny houses” are extremely small houses--usually 100-400 square feet--that can be freestanding or attached to a trailer. People typically move into a tiny house in order to downsize, avoid the work going along with owning a larger house, or save money. The “tiny home” trend started in 1997, and has stayed relevant in pop culture through television shows such as “Tiny House Hunters” and “Tiny House, Big Living” airing on HGTV.

“Tiny Houses” is a play currently running at the Cleveland Play House in downtown Cleveland, OH. The Cleveland Play House is housed in the Playhouse Square complex, and most of its shows take place at the Allen, Outcalt, and Helen theatres.

“Tiny Houses” tells the story of Cath (Kate Eastman), a woman who gives up her job in New York City to build a tiny house in Oregon with her boyfriend Bohdi (Peter Hargrave). They plan to spend only a few weeks building the tiny house in the backyard of Bodhi’s friend Ollie (Michael Doherty), but the arrival of Bohdi’s ex-girlfriend Jevne (Nandita Shenoy) and contractor Jeremiah (James Holloway) prolongs the process for months.

Though the cast is small, the actors are fantastic, with their immense talent making the show very entertaining. Most are newcomers to the Cleveland Play House, but are sure to be remembered by local audiences.

Overall, the show is very fun and enjoyable. The storyline is full of twists, keeping the audience wanting to watch what happens next. Many of the jokes are made about contemporary society, making them even funnier as they are especially relatable. Additionally, several pop songs are featured during the play, in sequences meant to portray timelapses. The addition of pop music maintains the fun, upbeat mood of the show.

One of the best features of this play is that an actual “tiny house” is built over the course of the show. Even though this isn’t an inhabitable building, walls and a roof are built on a trailer in the middle of a stage, thus creating an actual structure.

I would recommend this play to anyone looking for a lighthearted, fun show. It’s a great way to escape to a new situation for a while, and laugh a lot along the way. As there is some cursing in the show, it is more appropriate for teens and adults.

“Tiny Houses” began performances on March 23, and will run through April 14. The play is 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets range from $25 to $97, with high school students being offered matinee tickets for $10. Tickets for student matinees include the opportunities to take part in a pre-show lesson and post-show question and answer session with the actors.

Even if you aren’t about to sell your belongings and move across the country to build a “tiny house”, you should take a trip to the Cleveland Play House to see “Tiny Houses”.