Move On!

“It smells like sawdust and sweat and teenagers,” says Sara, an actor from Near West Theatre. While that may sound like an unpleasant combination, she means it lovingly. Since 1978, Near West has operated out of the third floor in the Club Building at St. Patrick's Church in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood. In that time, over 15,000 children, teens, and adults have been a part of its productions. They are now opening their own building, a $7.3 million space in the newly transformed Gordon Square Arts District. Before the move, director Ted Sikora chronicled their last days in the old space, filming during rehearsals for their final show. What's revealed in MOVE ON! is just how much the original location means to them. Beyond performances, these talented people have shared personal experiences within its walls. They've loved and fought like family, overcome tragedies, and given each other the confidence needed to survive in the outside world. This touching documentary offers a final tribute to their timeworn home as they prepare for fancier digs. Sara hopes the new place will still have that same smell, though. – E.F.