WED 05/01
A Bronx Tale
Oscar winner Robert De Niro and Tony winner Jerry Zaks teamed up to direct A Bronx Tale, a musical based on the film of the same name. The story centers on a boy who aspires to be a mob boss, and it features tunes from Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin). Tonight's performance takes place at 7:30 at Connor Palace, where performances continue through May 12. Tickets start at $35. (Jeff Niesel)
1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Chamber Music in the Galleries
This monthly concert series at the Cleveland Museum of Art places young musicians from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University in the CMA galleries. Now in its seventh season, the series features "mixed programs of chamber music" for "a unique and intimate experience." The performances often feature instruments from the museum's keyboard collection. Tonight's concert begins at 6 and lasts for about an hour. Admission is free. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Cleveland Stories Dinner Party
Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is a weekly series that pairs fine food with storytelling. Through it, the folks at Music Box Supper Club hope to raise awareness of the mission of the Western Reserve Historical Society's Cleveland History Center. The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to "bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland's past — from sports, to rock 'n' roll, to Millionaires' Row," as it's put in a press release. Admission is free, with no cover charge, although a prix fixe dinner, designed to complement the night's theme, is $20. Tonight, Carter Strang, a student at Kent State University on May 4, 1970, and witness to many of the events surrounding the shootings, will talk about the event. Strang, an attorney, is past president of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association Northern District of Ohio Chapter. Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner is served at 6, and the storytelling starts at 7. (Niesel)
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.
Keep Talking
Keep Talking is an exciting storytellers' program where locals can share their real-life experiences on a theme. The monthly series offers attendees the chance to grab a drink and a dog while listening to some of their Cleveland neighbors tell tall tales. Tonight's show revolves around the theme, "What I've Done For Money." The hosts are Adam Richard and Zachariah Durr. The program starts at 8 p.m. sharp at the Happy Dog. Admission is $5. Want to be a storyteller at a future session? See details on the website. (Niesel)
5801 Detroit Ave., 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com.
Native Gardens
Described in a press release as a "hilarious hot-button comedy about thorny neighbors with good intentions," Native Gardens focuses on two people who've just bought a fixer-upper next to a house with a pristine English garden. A disagreement over a fence erupts into all-out war. The Cleveland Play House production of the play can be seen at the Allen Theatre tonight at 7:30. Performances continue through May 19. Tickets cost $25 to $97. (Niesel)
1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, clevelandplayhouse.com.
Rock Hall Nights: Woodstock
It's been nearly 50 years since Woodstock turned festival culture into the monster that it is today. Tonight, the Rock Hall celebrates Woodstock's legacy at its monthly Rock Hall Nights. There will be Woodstock trivia and guests can see some Woodstock-related artifacts from the Rock Hall Library and Archives. There will also be a festival photo booth. It all starts at 6 p.m. and tickets cost $20 (but admission is free for Cleveland residents). (Niesel)
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.
Who Will Write Our History
Three-time Academy Award nominee Joan Allen and Academy Award winner Adrian Brody narrate Who Will Write Our History, a documentary about how historian Emanuel Ringelblum and a clandestine group of journalists, scholars and community leaders in the Warsaw Ghetto vowed to defeat Nazi lies and propaganda — not with guns or fists but with pen and paper. The film screens today at 7 p.m. and tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Cedar Lee Theatre. Check the Cleveland Cinemas website for ticket prices. (Niesel)
2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 440-528-0355, clevelandcinemas.com.
THU 05/02
Open Mic Night/Live Band Karaoke
Every Thursday, Stella's Music hosts a night of music, poetry and comedy. The club's doors open at 5 p.m., and performances begin at 8 p.m. Artists can sign up at stellasmusic.com/open-mic to secure a 15-minute time slot. Signups will be available at the club as well. Meanwhile, happy hour takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is free. (Niesel)
2217 East Ninth St., 216-272-3377, stellasmusic.com.
Jane Scott's 100th Birthday Featuring Michael Stanley
Laura DeMarco, John Soeder, Holly Gleason, Anastasia Karel and Michael Stanley will be on hand to talk about the late Jane Scott, the Plain Dealer rock writer who would've been 100 years old this year. They'll give a presentation on Scott's life and legacy and then host an audience Q&A. The Rock Hall will also recognize Stanley for the Lifetime Achievement Award he received from the Cleveland Arts Prize judges. Snacks, birthday cake and a cash bar will be available during the reception. The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Rock Hall. Tickets cost $15, or $10 for Rock Hall members. (Niesel)
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.
Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto
Guest conductor Michail Jurowski and guest violinist Vadim Gluzman team up with the Cleveland Orchestra for tonight's concert at Severance Hall featuring Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto and Shostakovich's Eleventh Symphony. The performance begins at 7:30, and it's preceded at 6:30 by "From Russia, with Love and Revolution," a preconcert talk with Jurowski and Gluzman. Youngstown State University's Cicilia Yudha will moderate the discussion. Additional performances continue through Sunday. Consult the orchestra website for more details, including ticket prices. (Niesel)
11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
FRI 05/03
And That's Why We Drink — Live Podcast
Murder and the paranormal finally meet as Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer bring their podcast And That's Why We Drink to the Agora tonight for a "wine-filled evening of bone-chilling ghost stories and terrifying true crime stories." The fun begins at 9:15, and tickets start at $27.50. (Niesel)
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
Bike the Heights Weekend
To celebrate Bike Month, the Cedar Fairmount, Cedar Lee and Coventry Special Improvement Districts will introduce their first collaborative Bike the Heights weekend, today through Sunday. In addition to rides, there will be special offers at select merchants in each of the districts. Heights Bicycle Coalition will host a family-friendly ride originating and ending at Peace Park tomorrow at 3 p.m. Also tomorrow (known to Star Wars fans as May the Fourth Be With You), riders are encouraged to arrive in Star Wars' costumes to view for prizes as part of the Star Wars Bar Crawl Ride through the neighborhoods. Green Tara Yoga in Cedar Fairmount will offer a special Stretching for Bicyclists at 6 p.m. today and 11 a.m. tomorrow. Heights Bicycle Coalition will have six mechanics offering repairs tomorrow in the parking lot adjacent to Nighttown. Self-service bike stations are also open throughout the weekend at Heights Library and at the corner of Lee and Superior, across from Cain Park. Find all the details, including restroom locations, on the website. (Niesel)
El Desencanto (The Disenchantment)
Jaime Chávarri directs El Desencanto (The Disenchantment), a nonfiction classic about Franco's Spain. In it, the widow and children of the official poet of that fascist regime, Leopoldo Panero, talk about life under the Generalissimo. The film screens tonight at 7 at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for CMA members. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Indians vs. Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners haven't been to the playoffs in ages, but the team got off to a hot start this year that suggests that might change. Despite the Mariners' heat, the Indians swept them when the two teams played in Seattle earlier this year. The Mariners will undoubtedly be looking for payback when they play the Indians tonight at 7:10 at Progressive Field. The two teams play each again tomorrow and Sunday. Tickets start at $15. (Niesel)
2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, clevelandindians.com.
Million Dollar Quartet
On Dec. 4, 1956, four guys you might have heard of — Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley — got together in the Sun Records' studio in Memphis. Their impromptu recording session is considered one of the greatest rock jam sessions of all time. Great Lakes Theater's production of the award-winning Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet recreates that session. The plot doesn't amount to much, but the action includes a terrific set of tunes including classics such as "Great Balls of Fire," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Matchbox" and "Blue Suede Shoes." See it tonight at 7:30 at the Hanna Theatre; performances continue through May 26. Tickets start at $15. (Niesel)
2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, greatlakestheater.org.
Mix: Matsuri
This month's installment of Mix celebrates traditional and contemporary Japanese culture with taiko drumming, sake-infused cocktails, art and J-Pop, all in honor of the Cleveland Art Museum's new exhibit, Shinto: Discovery of the Divine in Japanese Art. Matsuri are Japanese festivals that have become part of popular culture with dancing, music and art. The fun starts at 6, and tickets cost $10 in advance, or $15 at the door. It's free for art museum members. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Ali Wong
Comedian Ali Wong — whose outrageous Netflix specials Hard Knock Wife and Baby Cobra pull back the curtain on the horrors and hilarity of motherhood — brings her newest standup show to the Masonic Auditorium tonight. Wong is no longer pregnant, like she was for her last two comedy specials; but rest assured, the comic will have plenty to talk about as a mother of two. The show begins at 7:30 and tickets start at $40. (Laura Morrison)
3615 Euclid Ave., 216-881-6350, masoniccleveland.com.
SAT 05/04
The Cleveland Flea
Flea! A self-described "small business incubator" that draws thousands of locals hoping to snag some unique goods, the Cleveland Flea features a range of items you won't find at the typical retail store, including "curated vintage," and goods from "culinary all-stars" and "the most talented makers in the region." As much a social gathering as a shopping experience, the Flea serves as an excellent hang, a place to meet and make friends. It runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow. Find additional info on the website, including dates for the Summer, Fall and Winter Fleas. Admission is free. (Niesel)
3602 St. Clair Ave. NE., theclevelandflea.com.
Coppélia
Choreographed for Cleveland Ballet by Spanish choreographer Ramón Oller, Coppélia is a comic ballet based on two stories written by German romantic author E. T. A. Hoffmann. The story centers on Dr. Coppelius, an inventor who's made a life-size dancing doll. Today's performances, presented by the Ballet Theatre of Ohio, take place at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Akron Civic Theatre. Another performance takes place at 2 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets start at $25. (Niesel)
182 South Main St., Akron, 330-253-2488, akroncivic.com.
The Dreamer's Bal
The Dreamer's Bal, Ingenuity's annual fundraiser, promises to be "an off-kilter gala unlike anything else in town." Once known as the Bal Ingenieux, the yearly spring event now has a specific theme though it'll still pay homage to the Kokoon Club, Cleveland's exclusive arts club that existed from the 1910s until the 1940s. The event takes place at 8 tonight at IngenuityLabs, Ingenuity's headquarters in the Hamilton Collaborative. Watershed Distillery and Platform Beer will provide the libations, and Poca, Sauce the City, Tinman, and the Rice Shop will serve up the food. Attendees should plan to wear "the costume of their dreams." Tickets cost $27 in advance, $35 at the door, and VIP experience tickets are available as well. (Niesel)
5401 Hamilton Ave., 216-589-9444, ingenuitycleveland.org.
My Neighbor Totoro
When it comes to anime, no one does it better than Japan's Hayao Miyazaki, the director of My Neighbor Totoro, which centers on two sisters who move with their father to a remote country house near an enchanted forest. An anime classic, the movie screens at 1 p.m. today at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Admission is free. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Plan 9 From Outer Space
A cult classic, black-and-white, science fiction horror film written, produced, directed and edited by the late, great Ed Wood, Plan 9 From Outer Space focuses on a group of aliens who try to prevent humans from creating a doomsday machine that would destroy the universe. The movie screens tonight at 9:30 and midnight at the Cedar Lee Theatre, where it screens again tomorrow night at 7. Tickets cost $6. (Niesel)
2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 440-528-0355, clevelandcinemas.com.
Rocky Horror Picture Show
It's the first Saturday of the month again, so tonight the Cedar Lee Theatre hosts its usual midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the 1975 cult classic that still draws an exuberant, costumed crowd that likes to throw rice and dry toast and sing along to the songs in the movie. In addition, locals act out a floor show that mimics the movie, turning the event into a veritable party. Tickets are $9.75. (Niesel)
2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 440-528-0355, clevelandcinemas.com.
SUN 05/05
Ariadne auf Naxos
The Cleveland Orchestra recently staged a production of the Richard Strauss opera Ariadne auf Naxos. Now, you can catch this film of the Vienna Philharmonic's production from the 2012 Salzburg Festival. Staged to mark the centennial of the work's ill-fated debut, the performance aspired to realize "the still-wonderful dream of its creators" by bringing together theater, ballet, drama, music and singing. It screens at 1 p.m. today at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tickets cost $20, or $15 for CMA members. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Neil Hilborn
A bestselling author who claims to be the most-watched poet ever, Neil Hilborn has performed in 40 states and eight countries. He's been diagnosed with OCD and bipolar disorder, and his poems often reference the topic of living with mental illness. Tonight's performance — part of Hilborn's 2019 Endless Bummer Tour — starts at 8 at the Beachland Ballroom. Tickets are $19 in advance, or $22 at the door. (Niesel)
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
Sunday Beat
The Sunday Beat is a free weekly live music series featuring jazz, roots, Americana, folk, blues and bossa nova at Visible Voice Books. Purchase a Sunday New York Times, and receive a free bottomless mug of coffee or tea and half off a Jim Alesci's Place pastry. Music runs from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. As an added bonus, anyone who shows a same-day receipt from brunch at Music Box, Prosperity Social Club or any Tremont or Ohio City restaurant receives 10 percent off any Visible Voice book purchase. The bookstore is open today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Niesel)
2258 Professor Ave., 216-961-0084, visiblevoicebooks.com.
MON 05/06
Indians vs. Chicago White Sox
The Indians began the season by splitting a two-game series with the Chicago White Sox. It's still too early to tell if the White Sox have improved from last year, when they lost 100 games; but their offense does seem to be pretty potent. They come to town tonight to start a four-game series. The first pitch is at 6:10, and tickets start at $15. (Niesel)
2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, clevelandindians.com.
Pack the Patio Party
House of Blues celebrates recent venue renovations and welcomes the summer patio season with a Pack the Patio Party today from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be complimentary samples of House of Blues' menu items, a raffle to win tickets to upcoming House of Blues and Jacobs Pavilion shows and a giveaway for a pair of Cleveland Indians' tickets. In keeping with the warm-weather theme, Peroni and Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy representatives will be on hand to promote their summer beers. (Niesel)
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.
Shit Show Karaoke
Local rapper/promoter Dirty Jones and Scene's own Manny Wallace host Shit Show Karaoke, a weekly event at the B-Side Liquor Lounge wherein patrons choose from "an unlimited selection of jams from hip-hop to hard rock," and are encouraged to "be as bad as you want." Fueled by drink and shot specials, it all goes down tonight at 10 p.m. (Niesel)
2785 Euclid Hts. Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com.
Wing Dang Doodle
Blues icon Howlin' Wolf famously covered "Wang Dang Doodle," the old blues tune penned by Willie Dixon. Prosperity Social Club in Tremont has adopted that slogan, calling its weekly wing night Wing Dang Doodle. Prosperity will not only serve up substantial, $1 whole wings, but it'll also offer meatless Monday "wing" baskets for vegans. Discounted drafts and a playlist of vintage-electric blues and soulful R&B curated by local musician Clint Holley will be on tap as well. Wing Dang Doodle takes place every Monday from 6 p.m. to midnight. (Niesel)
1109 Starkweather Ave., 216-937-1938, prosperitysocialclub.com.
TUE 05/07
Open Turntable Tuesday
Tonight from 6 to 9, the Winchester hosts its weekly Open Turntable Tuesday. Jason Gokorsch will book guest DJs and offer slots to people who want to bring their own vinyl and spin their favorite songs or deep tracks. First time DJs are encouraged, and equipment is provided. Patrons can also bring records for the night's DJ to add to their set. Sign up on Northeast Ohio Vinyl Club's Facebook page. (Niesel)
12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, facebook.com/TheWinchesterMusicTavern.
Return of the Hero
Directed by Laurent Tirard, Return of the Hero stars Oscar winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) and Mélanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds), respectively, as an emotionally AWOL military officer and his heartsick fiancee. The film screens today at 1:45 p.m. at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for CMA members. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Truck Stop Tuesday
Crocker Park in Westlake has launched its seasonal Truck Stop Tuesday, a weekly food truck gathering that takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Needless to say, admission is free, but the food will cost you. Truck Stop Tuesday continues through Sept. 25. (Niesel)
189 Crocker Park Blvd., Westlake, crockerpark.com.
Vinyl Night
Jukebox hosts a vinyl night every Tuesday that serves as a listening party for new releases, partnering with Loop in Tremont, so patrons can hear a new album on vinyl. You can bring your own vinyl and spin it too. It all starts at 5 p.m. (Niesel)
1404 West 29th St., 216-206-7699, jukeboxcle.com.
