Eric Gordon, Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO, received the highest honor a Northeast Ohio high school actor can receive, and he didn’t have to sing a note or memorize a line.  

Daniel Hahn, Vice President of Education at Playhouse Square, called Gordon to the stage to receive an honorary Dazzle Award before the last performance of this year’s All-City Musical, “In the Heights.”  

“It's my privilege to honor you with Playhouse Square’s highest honor, the Arts Champion Award,” said Hahn. “In my nearly 25 years working in this theater, I have never worked with anybody who has been more supportive and more of a champ here for arts education than Mr. Eric Gordon.”  

After receiving the award, Gordon held the award in the air, calling it an honor to help students shine while remaining in the background.  

“I put 16 years' worth of kids on this stage, the orchestra pit, and behind this stage in partnership with Playhouse Square,” he told the audience in the Mimi Ohio Theatre.  

Most recently, Jenai Mosely, a 2019 graduate of the Cleveland School of the Arts, won a Dazzle Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Andy Lee in the All-City Musical "42nd Street."  

Gordon announced late last year that he would not seek a renewal of his contract and would step down as CEO at the end of the current academic year.