15+ Things to Do in Cleveland This Weekend (Nov. 10-13)

Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar.

THU 11/10
Jonatha Brooke
Singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke plays a special free show tonight at 8 at Finney Chapel with the Cello Songs Project, a group that features Oberlin Conservatory graduate Rebecca Arons. Both Massachusetts transplants, these musicians have worked together since early workshops of Brookes's award-winning off-Broadway show My Mother Has Four Noses. Along with guitarist Sean Driscoll, they'll pay new arrangements of Brookes's poetic folk/pop songs.
90 North Professor St., Oberlin, 440-775-8269, oberlin.edu/conservatory.

Tony Baker
A Chicago native, comedian Tony Baker, a finalist on Seasons 8 and 9 of NBC's The Last Comic Standing, delivers what he calls Bakerisms during his raucous standup routines. "How come nobody smiles at drug deals?" he asks in one bit. "It's the easiest tax-free money around. You'd think everyone would be happy." Baker performs tonight at 7:30 at the Improv, where he has shows scheduled through Saturday. Check the Improv website for ticket prices.
1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com.

Cats
Featuring new sound design, direction and choreography, a revamped version of the musical Cats remains in town this month for an extended run at the State Theatre. Tickets start at $20. Check the Playhouse Square website for show times and more info.
1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Drink and Draw with Dr. Sketchy Akron
Founded in 2005 in a dive bar in Brooklyn, Dr. Sketchy’s has now spread to more than 100 cities around the world. Dr. Sketchy Akron, a monthly drink and draw event that takes place on the second Thursday of each month at Jilly's Music Room in Akron, gives patrons the opportunity to "draw glamorous underground performers in an atmosphere of boozy conviviality." The fun begins at 7 p.m.; it costs $10 to draw.
111 N Main St., Akron, 330-576-3757, jillysmusicroom.com.

The Great Leap
Tonight at the Outcalt Theatre, the Cleveland Play House presents The Great Leap, a play about an American college basketball team travels from San Francisco to Beijing for a “friendship game” against a Chinese squad. Performances continue through Nov. 20. Check the Playhouse Square website for times and ticket prices.
1407 Euclid Ave, 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Carmen Lynch
Comedian Carmen Lynch likes to joke that she gave up online dating and now just goes outside and "hopes." "It's how people used to date," she says in her distinctively deadpan delivery. A regular on the late-night talk show circuit, Lynch performs at 7 tonight at Hilarities, where she has shows scheduled through Saturday.
2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

New Soft Shoe
Nine years ago, on what local singer-songwriter Brent Kirby calls a drunken dare, a group of Cleveland friends and musicians showed up at the Happy Dog to play a couple sets of tunes by the late, great Gram Parsons. Dubbed the New Soft Shoe, the group has been at it ever since, spreading the gospel of what it refers to as "Gram's Cosmic American Music." Anything that Parsons played, the New Soft Shoe covers. As a result, the group plays tunes from the International Submarine Band, the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers. It also plays songs from Parsons' solo album GP/Grievous Angel. Tonight at 8, the band performs in the Waldorf Hall at Forest City Brewery.
2135 Columbus Rd., 216-228-9116, forestcitybrewery.com.

Sweeney Todd
Cleveland State University presents its version of the classic play about an English barber who seeks revenge on the judge who framed him. Tonight's performance takes place at 7:30 at the Allen Theatre, where performances continue through Nov. 13.
1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

FRI 11/11
The Art of Collecting
CMA Chief Curator Heather Lemonedes Brown (curator of Impressionism to Modernism: The Keithley Collection), comic book collector Benjamin Joines-Mundy (Carol & John’s Comic Book Shop), sneaker collector and authenticator Sadelle Moore (StockX), and music critic and record collector Annie Zaleski (Duran Duran’s Rio) will speak today at 6 p.m. at the Cleveland Museum of Art about the passion that drives collecting. Admission is free, but a ticket is required.
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.

Artificial Astronaut
This local hard rock band recorded two albums in the past two years but has yet to make its live debut. Tonight's concert at the Rialto Theatre will mark its first-ever live show. Songs such as “The Flow State” sound like a cross between Tool and Incubus as it pairs propulsive drums and heavy guitars with softer vocals. Expect to hear it alongside a possible cover or two when the group takes the Rialto Theatre stage at 8 p.m. Jeff Klemm & the Letters and Indigo Lake open.
1000 Kenmore Blvd., Akron, 234-525-1956, rialtotheatre.com.

CIA's Faculty Exhibition
This annual celebration of Cleveland Institute of Art art, design and their makers provides the public an opportunity to view new, original and innovative works by CIA’s art and design faculty., An opening reception for the 2022 Faculty Exhibition takes place from 6 to 8 tonight in Reinberger Gallery. The exhibit will remain on view through Dec. 22.
11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7461, cia.edu.

Robert Cray
For decades, singer-guitarist Robert Cray has made music that draws from American roots, blues, soul and R&B. During that time, he's garnered five Grammy wins and released 20 acclaimed albums. He performs tonight at 8 at the Lorain Palace Theatre. He remains in the area tomorrow too and plays at 8 tomorrow night at Robins Theatre in Warren.
617 Broadway Ave., Lorain, 440-245-2323, lorainpalace.org.

CWRU Dance Presents Spectrum
The Department of Dance at Case Western Reserve University opens the 2022-2023 season with Spectrum, a program featuring contemporary New York-based choreographer Janice Rosario and the return of the acclaimed Les Noces by Pascal Rioult. The work features new technology-infused multi-media and multi-channel sound dance work using new state-of-the art technology. Rounding out the program will be the return of Karen Potter's poignant Ubi Sunt. Performances take place at 7:30 tonight and tomorrow night and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday at Mather Dance Center.
11201 Bellflower Rd., Cleveland Heights, 1-800-348-2234, dance.case.edu/.

State Champs
Earlier this year, State Champs returned with their fourth studio album, Kings of the New Age, another terrific distillation of their pop and punk influences. The album includes singles such as “Eventually,” “Everybody but You” (ft. Ben Barlow), “Outta My Head” and “Just Sound” alongside tracks featuring guest vocalists Chrissy Costanza, Mitchell Tenpenny and Four Year Strong. The pop-punk band performs tonight at 6 at House of Blues.
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.

SAT 11/12
Black Wolf & the Thief
Black Wolf & the Thief, a Warren, OH-based hard rock band featuring a husband and wife team, makes its Cleveland debut tonight when it plays at the Maple Grove Tavern. They've been playing for many years around the Warren/Youngstown/Western PA area. The Cleveland indie rock act LibCor and Pittsburgh's the Ghostwrite share the bill. The show starts at 8.
14832 Old Granger Rd., Maple Heights, 216-475-4224.

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Jewish Federation of Cleveland kicks off an Israel at 75 celebration series with a performance by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall. The IPO has performed in Cleveland only twice before — most recently in 2015. The IPO is the leading orchestra in Israel and is globally recognized as a world-class symphonic ensemble. The concert program will feature some of the classics composed by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. The performance begins at 8 p.m.
11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

Lucy Kaplansky
Singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky wrote the songs on her new album, Last Days of Summer, with a little help from her husband, Rick Litvin. The two penned most of the material after leaving their New York home during the height of the pandemic. Kaplansky's tour in support of the album stops at the Kent Stage tonight at 7.
175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.

My Recovery Day Jam
My Recovery Day is a nonprofit whose mission is to develop and provide follow-up support resources to individuals recovering from addiction. In partnership with the Rock Hall, the group has organized tonight's benefit concert featuring musicians who demonstrate that recovery is possible. The event begins at 6 p.m. "It will feature sober musicians playing music live and delivering messages of hope," reads a press release.
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.

Tammy Pescatelli
This comedian has appeared on the Showtime Comedy Special Women of a Certain Age 2 and most recently had a guest star role on Blue Bloods. The host of Circle TV’s standup show Standup Nashville: Live From Zanies, she performs tonight at 7:30 at the Hanna Theatre.
2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Stephen Petronio Company
The postmodern Stephen Petronio Company makes its Ohio debut tonight at 7:30 at the Mimi Ohio Theatre in a performance presented by DANCECleveland.
1511 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

RVDIOVCTIVE 10-Year Anniversary
An electronic music event that initially consisted of illegal parties in lofts and warehouses in New York, RVDIOVCTIVE has since expanded into pop-up events in Miami, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and several other cities, including Cleveland. RVDIOVCTIVE comes to Crobar tonight, and the lineup includes internationally renowned duo Gettoblaster from Detroit/Chicago. The bill also includes Borlini, a Cleveland native who holds residencies all over the city including FWD. Lolo, another Cleveland native who is now based in Akron, will open the show. It all begins at 9 p.m.
3244 St. Clair, 216-771-4727, crobar1921.com.

Ron White
You won't get any nonsense from straight-talking, hard-drinking comic Ron White, who appears tonight at 7 at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. White, who rose to fame on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, embraces a redneck sensibility. A classic storyteller, he regularly talks about growing up in a small town in Texas. The guy's sold over 14 million albums (solo and with the Blue Collar Comedy Tour); he's also been nominated for two Grammys. Consult the venue's website for more info.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html.

SUN 11/13
Cavaliers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Last year, the Minnesota Timberwolves wound up in the playoffs and gave the Grizzlies a real battle. Led by star center/power forward Karl-Anthony Towns, this year's team should be solid too. It comes to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to take on the Cavs at 6 tonight.
1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

In Conversation: John Ewing
John Ewing, Director of Cinematheque, Cleveland Institute of Art, will speak at 3 p.m. at the Fairmount Center for the Arts. He'll talk about how the Cinematheque has become one of the best repertory movie theaters in the United States.
8400 Fairmount Rd., Novelty, 440-338-3171, fairmountcenter.org.

Jinjer
The Ukraine isn’t exactly known as fertile ground for rock ’n’ roll, so it’s pretty remarkable that Jinjer, which formed in Donetsk in 2008, has not only managed to secure a record deal, but it's also toured the world several times over. The songs for its recent effort, Wallflowers, came together when the touring industry shut down in March of 2020. This tour, of course, stands out if only for the fact that the group has been able to leave its homeland during a time of extreme crisis. And lest you think the band has abandoned its homeland during a time of need, the tour reportedly has the blessing of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture. The show starts tonight at 6 at House of Blues.
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.

Shayne Smith
Famous for his self-released half-hour special Alligator Boys and and his hour-long special, Prison for Wizards, comedian Shayne Smith performs tonight at 7 at Hilarities. Check the club's website for more info.
2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

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