This collection contains more than 400 publicity photographs from the Michael Schwartz Library's Cleveland Press Collection all depicting scenes from stage productions, motion pictures and televised productions. While the majority are William Shakespeare’s plays, some derivative productions, such as, Kiss Me Kate and non-Shakespearean period productions, such as, George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar and Cleopatra are also included.

Regional production companies including Cleveland’s Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada and others are represented. Notable actors and artists include: Judith Anderson, Peggy Ashcroft, Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Katherine Cornell, Maurice Evans, John Gielgud, Leslie Howard, Rudolf Nureyev, Laurence Olivier, Leontyne Price, Paul Robeson, and Maggie Smith.