WED 01/31
Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat
Cavs stars LeBron James and Dwayne Wade take on their former team, the Miami Heat, tonight at the Q in a match-up between two teams that appear headed to the playoffs. The Heat isn't loaded with superstars like it once was, but the guys still somehow manage to grind out wins. The game begins at 7:30, and tickets start at $20. (Jeff Niesel)
1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, theqarena.com.
Vertigo and Cocktails
The locally owned and operated Capitol Theatre, in the Gordon Square Arts District, regularly presents special screenings of cult classics and oddball flicks that don't receive wide distribution. Tonight at 6, the venue presents its Happy Hour Classic Film series, a monthly screening of a classic film that includes a happy hour cocktail party in the lobby before the feature. Tonight's featured film is Vertigo, the Alfred Hitchcock thriller that stars James Stewart as a detective with a debilitating fear of heights. Admission is $10. The price of admission includes a mini-cocktail (or soft drink if you don't fancy the hard stuff), appetizers and live music. (Niesel)
1390 West 65th St., 216-651-7295, clevelandcinemas.com.
Marie and Rosetta
Now a Rock Hall inductee, the late Sister Rosetta Tharpe is the subject of Marie and Rosetta, a musical presented by the Cleveland Play House, that pays tribute to "the Godmother of Rock 'n' Roll" who influenced rock icons such as Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix. You can catch a performance tonight at 7:30 at the Allen Theatre; additional performances continue through Feb. 11. Tickets are $25 to $105. (Niesel)
1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Daniel Sloss
Young comedian Daniel Sloss sounds like he has had years of experience, and he looks and feels more comfortable on stage than some comedians who have been in the game for twice as long. With three performances on Conan already under his belt, Sloss has a bright and hilarious future ahead of him. His act focuses on his personal life and what it is like being a young comedian. He performs tonight at 8 at Hilarities and has performances scheduled for Friday and Saturday too. Tickets start at $18. (Niesel)
2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.
The Square
Elisabeth Moss and Terry Notary star in The Square, the latest effort from writer-director Ruben Ostlund (Force Majeur). The satirical film centers on a Swedish art curator (Claes Bang) who stages a controversial art exhibit. Winner of the Palm d'Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, the movie screens at 7 tonight at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets are $10, or $7 for Cinematheque members and students. (Niesel)
11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.
THU 02/01
Cinema Novo
Director Eryk Rocha helms Cinema Novo, an impressionist documentary about the new-wave movement of the '60s and '70s that changed Brazilian filmmaking forever. The movie, which won the award for Best Documentary at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, includes interviews with some of the genre's best-known directors. It screens tonight at 6:45 at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets are $10, or $7 for Cinematheque members and students. (Niesel)
11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.
Kathleen Madigan: Boxed Wine and Bigfoot
A veteran comic whose career stretches back nearly 30 years, Kathleen Madigan spends about three-fourths of the year on the road. Dubbed Boxed Wine and Bigfoot, her current tour brings her to town tonight for a performance at the Ohio Theatre. Madigan, who's made 25 appearances on The Tonight Show, recently rode around with fellow comic Jerry Seinfeld in his internet series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. She also just filmed Bothering Jesus, her fifth hour-long standup special. The concert begins at 8, and tickets are $45. (Niesel)
1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Monsters vs. Grand Rapids Griffins
The Monsters kick off a three-game series against the Grand Rapids Griffins tonight at 7 at the Q. It's College I.D. Night too, so there will be $6 admission for college students with proper ID. Tomorrow night, as part of the Monsters' 1-2-3 Fridays promotion, there will be $1 Pepsi products, $2 Sugardale hot dogs and $3 beers. For Sunday's game, which takes place at 1 p.m., the first 2,500 kids 14 and under will receive a Fathead growth chart, and the first 2,500 kids 12 and under will receive a Castaway Bay Kids Day Pass. Tickets to the games start at $10. (Niesel)
1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, theqarena.com.
Rodney Perry
Comedian Rodney Perry likes to joke that his favorite Jackson is Joe Jackson because he drove his kids to success. "Those kids wouldn't have been shit without an ass whopping," he jokes in one popular skit. "He's still whopping people to this day." He also likes to joke about relationships and advises women to do what their men tell them to because, "It's hard being a black man." Consistently irreverent, Perry currently serves as co-host on BET's The Mo'Nique Show and he also played Harold in the hit Tyler Perry movie Madea's Big Happy Family. He performs tonight at 7:30 at the Improv, where he has shows scheduled through Saturday. Tickets are $20. (Niesel)
1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com.
Colin Quinn
Comedian Colin Quinn doesn't come to town often. His current standup tour brings him to Hilarities tonight and represents his first traditional standup tour in more than seven years. He's been a busy man as his Broadway and off-Broadway one-man show, Colin Quinn: The New York Story, has been a huge hit. Expect the opinionated comedian and actor to weigh in on Pres. Trump and other timely topics for tonight's performance. The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets are $25 to $30. (Niesel)
2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.
FRI 02/02
Castles in the Air
Today, Art on Madison, a new art gallery in Lakewood, celebrates the opening of Castles in the Air, a new solo exhibition by local artist Timothy Gaewsky. According to the press release announcing the opening, the show explores "Gaewsky's personal nostalgia for the retro 8-bit video games that he played growing up in the 1980s and early '90s." His "colorful and whimsical" paintings appropriate and manipulate design elements and visual cues from some of his favorite games. (Niesel)
13703 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 419-345-8980.
Vodka Vodka
Now in its fifth year, Scene's Vodka Vodka event takes place tonight from 7 to 10 at Red Space. At the event, you'll be able to taste an assortment of local and international vodkas. There will also be a fashion show featuring local designers, stylists and boutiques. Brand ambassadors will be on hand to talk about the many different products too. Tickets are $35. (Niesel)
2400 Superior Ave.,
Faces Places
The United Labor Agency and North Shore Federation of Labor co-sponsor this evening's screening of Faces Places, a 2017 film about two people who travel across France and conduct a series of interviews along the way. The movie screens at 7 p.m. at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tickets are $10, or $7 for CMA members. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Flanagan's Wake
No one knows grief and mourning like a Catholic, let alone an Irish Catholic. Now in its sixth year running in Cleveland, Flanagan's Wake transports the audience to a wake in Ireland where villagers tell tales and sing songs for their dearly departed Flanagan. Finding the humor in life and death, the wake acts as a dark backdrop to an otherwise hilarious show in which alcohol fuels the humorous reminiscing. A sort of tragic Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding, the interactive and improvised show engages the entire audience as the guests are treated as the friends and family of the deceased. The show starts at 8 tonight and plays again tomorrow night at 8 at Kennedy's Theatre. Performances continue weekends through April 28. Tickets are $26. (Patrick Stoops)
1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, Live!
Based on The New York Times No. 1 best-selling book of the past decade, the off-Broadway hit comedy Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus offers light-hearted fun as it explores the gender differences that emerge when men and women try to have relationships. A one-man fusion of theater and standup, tonight's performance takes place at 8 at the Hanna Theatre, where performances continue tomorrow at 4 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $59. (Niesel)
2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Mix at CMA
The first Friday of each month, the Cleveland Museum of Art hosts its popular Mix at CMA event. The museum stays open later than normal for the occasion. Tonight's theme is Zodiac. Tarot card readers will be on hand, and tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. CMA members get in for free. The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
My Favorite Murder, Live
Hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark have turned their podcast My Favorite Murder into a hit since conceiving the program two years ago. The show has broken download records and the duo has attracted an enthusiastic, interactive "Murderino" fan base. Expect those fans to be on hand for tonight's live performance that takes place at 8 at Connor Palace. Tickets start at $29.50. (Niesel)
1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Poetry Reading: Lee Chilcote, The Shape of Home
The founder and executive director of Literary Cleveland, local author Lee Chilcote will join local singer Jen O'Leary to "perform" poems from their new poetry chapbook, The Shape of Home. Chilcote's writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, Next City, Planning and other publications. The performance takes place at 7 tonight at Visible Voice Books. Admission is free. (Niesel)
2258 Professor Ave., 216-961-0084, visiblevoicebooks.com.
SAT 02/03
22nd Annual Tri-C High School Rock Off
When the annual High School Rock Off launched some 20 years ago at the Odeon, the promoters at the local Belkin Productions (now Live Nation) saw it as a way to reach out to area high schools and provide students with the kind of musical outlet that they might not have. Two decades later, the event, which takes place again this year at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on four Saturdays, before concluding with a "final exam" on Saturday, Feb. 17, continues to thrive. Tonight's concert begins at 6 p.m., and tickets are $10. (Niesel)
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.
Cavaliers vs. Houston Rockets
Early in the season, it looked as if the high-scoring Houston Rockets might be the best team in the league. The Rockets even handed the Cavs a loss when the two teams faced each other earlier in the season on the Rockets' home court. But injuries have since brought the Rockets back down to earth. The two teams play tonight at 8:30 at the Q. Tickets start at $108. (Niesel)
1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, theqarena.com.
Cleveland Pops, Under the Streetlamp: Music of the '50s, '60s and '70s
Carl Topilow conducts the Cleveland Pops Orchestra tonight at 8 at Severance Hall as the male quartet known as Under the Streetlamp performs an "electrifying evening of classic hits from the American radio songbook." Consult the Cleveland Orchestra website for ticket prices and more information. (Niesel)
11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
Holy Air
In the satirical comedy, Holy Air, a Christian Arab man living in Nazareth decides to try to make more money by selling air; but first he must receive the blessing of all the city's religious leaders. The film serves up some biting commentary on religious tourism. It screens at 5 p.m. today, and at 8:25 p.m. on Sunday, at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets are $10, or $7 for Cinematheque members and students. (Niesel)
11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.
Mad Max Fury Road 3-D
Cleveland Cinemas' Late Shift series, a program dedicated to the nostalgic cult and camp cinema that we love and cherish even though it's certainly not Oscar-worthy material, has been a fixture at the local chain of theaters since 2006. The 2018 schedule continues tonight with the terrific Aussie action flick Mad Max Fury Road. It screens tonight at 9:30 and midnight and tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Cedar Lee Theatre. Tickets are $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 a 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. Tickets are $9.50. (Niesel) 2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 440-528-0355, clevelandcinemas.com.
Shen Yun 2018
The visually dazzling Shen Yun is a truly unique performance troupe that brings to life 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through classical Chinese, folk and story-based dance. Shen Yun was founded in 2006 to revive ancient Chinese culture, which had been nearly destroyed by the Chinese communist government. Now with four companies, Shen Yun has given more than 400 performances in over 100 cities around the world. (Ironically, the dance troupe has yet to perform in China or Hong Kong.) Expect beautiful, vibrant costumes and exotic music you won't hear anywhere else. Performances take place at 2 and 7 p.m. today and at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the State Theatre. Tickets are $80 to $150. (Niesel)
1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
SUN 02/04
Apollo's Fire Sneak Peeks
Apollo's Fire's Jeannette Sorrell, Debra Nagy and René Schiffer discuss Bach's personality and play his music as the local classical ensembles prepares to play his Wedding Cantata and virtuoso concertos. Today's event at Nighttown features a 50-minute peek behind the scenes as WCLV Ideastream's radio personalities interview the artists. The program begins at 12:30 p.m., but arrive earlier to order your brunch-time food and drink. Tickets are $20. (Niesel)
12387 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-795-0550, nighttowncleveland.com.
Early Summer
The Cleveland Museum of Art continues its tribute to director Yasujiro Ozu with a screening of his 1951 film Early Summer. The movie focuses on the members of a Japanese family who try to marry off an "old maid" daughter who doesn't care for their tactics. It screens at 1:30 p.m. today and at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Tickets are $10, or $7 for CMA members. (Niesel)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Molsky's Mountain Drifters
A Grammy-nominated artist, Bruce Molsky brings his band, the Mountain Drifters, to the Happy Days Lodge for tonight's show. Each member of the trio brings something different to the old-time music-obsessed band. The concert begins at 7, and tickets are $10 to $21. (Niesel)
500 West Streetsboro Rd., Peninsula, 330-657-2909, conservancyforCVNP.org.
MON 02/05
Monday Night Trivia
Do you have tons of obscure music knowledge? Are you a student of fast food menus and their nuanced histories? What say you about the geographic evolution of Scotch whisky? Tonight's your chance to wow your friends, make yourself instantly more desirable to someone you're newly dating, and hang with Cleveland's headiest hipsters and hot dog lovers. It's the Happy Dog Monday Night Trivia. Starting at 8 p.m., expect themed rounds and general knowledge questions that seem considerably trickier than some of the other live trivia locales in town. Obviously, have a hot dog and a craft brew while you're at it. And arrive early. Seats fill up fast. (Sam Allard)
5801 Detroit Ave., 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com.
Movie Mondays
Every Monday, Cleveland Cinemas hosts $5 Movie Mondays, where film fans can catch up on the latest Hollywood flicks for significantly reduced prices. Bring your friends and family and make Movie Mondays a weekly tradition — many theaters even offer discounted concession stand items. Participating theaters include Apollo Theatre, Capitol Theatre, Cedar Lee Theatre, Chagrin Cinemas, Shaker Square Cinemas and Tower City Cinemas. Unfortunately, additional charges apply for 3-D movies. (Alaina Nutile) clevelandcinemas.com.
Wing Ding 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 wing night Wing Ding Doodle. The weekly event features specials on Buffalo wings and cold brews. Prosperity will not only serve up substantial, $1 whole wings, but it'll also offering 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 Ding Doodle takes place every Monday from 6 p.m. to midnight. (Niesel)
1109 Starkweather Ave., 216-937-1938, prosperitysocialclub.com.
TUE 02/06
Classical Revolution Cleveland
The first Tuesday of every month, Classical Revolution Cleveland brings chamber music to the Euclid Tavern. Performers like the Trepanning Trio, Anime Duo, students of Cleveland Institute of Music and even Cleveland Orchestra members grace the stage in these exciting concerts. Tonight's free, all-ages performance starts at 8. (Stoops)
11625 Euclid Ave., 216-231-5400, happydogcleveland.com.
Open Turntable Tuesday
Tonight from 6 to 9, the Winchester hosts its weekly Open Turntable Tuesday. DJ Kris Koch offers 20-minute time slots to people who want to bring their own vinyl and spin their favorite songs or deep tracks. Turntables are provided; you can play three to five songs during your allotted time; and a mic is available to talk about the selections. (Niesel)
12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338.
Stomp
Stomp, a U.K. percussion group that dates back to the early '90s, won all sorts of awards when it first toured the world after a successful run on London's West End theater district. The group, which makes instruments out of matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters and hubcaps, continues to tour the globe and arrives in Cleveland tonight for a series of Playhouse Square shows. Tonight's performance starts at 7:30 at the Palace Theatre, where the show goes on through Feb. 11. Tickets start at $10. (Niesel)
1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
