There's plenty of ghastly wrongdoing in Cleveland's past. And Chuck Gove, owner of Haunted Cleveland, wants to show you some of them. His latest venture, Homicide Cleveland Style, takes folks on a tour of some of the city's most gruesome crime scenes. "It's not just entertainment," he says. "You learn a little bit of history. Maybe not great history, but . . ."
Included in the five-hour theatrical program are bus stops at the site of the 1944 East Ohio Gas Company explosion that killed more than 100 people and at City Hall, where a body was buried in the subbasement during its 1913 construction. "These are history-making homicides," says Gove, who's one of the hosts. "Not that we want to claim these fames."
The night wraps up at the West Side Market Café, which is transformed into a Depression-era speakeasy for the occasion. Dinner, live classic jazz, and a graphic slide show put it all in perspective. "There's a little bit of comedy to [the program]," Gove says. "Believe it or not." Homicide Cleveland Style departs at 6 p.m. Friday from the West Side Market parking lot (West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue). Tickets are $45. Call 216-251-0406 for more information. -- Michael Gallucci
Dressed Up
Fashion show brings the duds and the noise.
SAT 7/31
No one wants to be caught with his or her fly down, but local fashion designers have found a way to make being Unzipped tasteful and trendy. On Saturday, models will take to the runway at Karma, while DJ Dave Aude bangs progressive house and trance music. And while stylists from across the globe will be slicing hair, the show remains decidedly Cleveland-centric. Katherine May Jernejec, who will debut her White Light White Heat menswear collection, was obviously influenced by the Velvet Underground, but she also found inspiration in . . . the Browns? "My main colors are brown and orange," she says. "I guess, subconsciously, that's what I get for living here my whole life." Three stages will be filled with local DJs. "It's a well-rounded blend of music, fashion, and hair," Jernejec says. Unzipped starts at 8 p.m. at Karma Nightclub, 2000 Sycamore Street. Admission is $35; call 877-226-2747. -- Melody Caraballo
Summer Mix
Ballet troupe departs from the norm.
7/31-8/1
Pointe of Departure is an appropriate name for a ballet company that performs out of season and mixes and matches various dance and music styles. "Ballet doesn't have to be classically based," declares artistic director Raymond Rodriguez. "It can incorporate a little bit of everything." Jazz, modern, and tap will be featured at the troupe's weekend shows, which premiere "2-2 Tango," a classical ballet that blends in some sexy Argentinian moves. "We try to do a little bit of everything for everyone," Rodriguez says. Show times are 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Cleveland Play House's Bolton Theatre, 8500 Euclid Avenue. Ticket are $25 to $35, available by calling 216-795-7000. -- Diane Sofranec
Rules of the Game
7/30-7/31
In The Five Obstructions, director Lars von Trier challenges his filmmaking mentor Jorgen Leth to shoot five remakes of Leth's 1967 short The Perfect Human using a series of restrictions (including refiguring it as a cartoon and filming in "the most miserable place on earth"). This fascinating study in constrained cinema is at the Cleveland Cinematheque (11141 East Boulevard) at 9:30 p.m. Friday and 7:55 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $8; call 216-421-7450. -- Michael Gallucci
