WED 09/06
Gravity
The thriller Gravity centers on the disaster that occurs when a seemingly routine spacewalk goes awry and a space shuttle is destroyed, leaving its two inhabitants stranded in space. The film screens tonight at 7 at the Cedar Lee Theatre as part of the Reel Science Series. The screening includes an introduction and Q&A hosted by Jason Davis, Planetarium Manager at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Tickets are $8. (Jeff Niesel)
2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5411, clevelandcinemas.com.
Visiting Curator Talk
Before its annual art book and 'zine fair takes over the building later this week, MOCA Cleveland hosts an insightful discussion with Jose Carlos Diaz, chief curator of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, at 7 tonight. Diaz was recently included on Artsy's list of the "20 Most Influential Young Curators in the United States," and is currently working on his first solo museum show, an exhibition of work by Iranian artist Farhad Moshiri. Before joining the Warhol Museum, Diaz served as curator of exhibitions at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach and worked at the Tate Liverpool and the Liverpool Biennial, as well as the Rubell Family Collection. During his visit to Cleveland, Diaz also will participate in four studio visits with local artists. Admission to tonight's talk is free. (Josh Usmani)
11400 Euclid Ave., 216-421-8671, mocacleveland.org.
Keep Talking
Keep Talking is an exciting storytellers program where locals can share their real-life experiences on a theme. The series offers attendees the chance to grab a drink and a dog while listening to some of their Cleveland neighbors tell tall tales. The theme for tonight's event is "Competition." It starts at 8 p.m. at the Happy Dog in Gordon Square. Admission is $5. (Niesel)
5801 Detroit Ave., 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com.
Slipknot: Day of the Gusano
Slipknot: Day of the Gusano documents not only the masked band's Knotfest Mexico City performance but also the lives of the band's fans. Better known as "maggots," the group's fans are some of the most loyal in the metal world. The film captures "the chaos, excitement and community" that the Iowa-based band has cultivated over the past 20-plus years. The film screens at 7:30 tonight at the Capitol Theatre. Tickets are $12.50. (Niesel)
1390 West 65th St., 216-651-7295, clevelandcinemas.com.
THU 09/07
Heights Music Hop
Heights Music Hop features a slew of bands performing for free in three separate Cleveland Heights business districts. First, Coventry Village will host performances tonight by a slew of acts such as Mourning [A] BLKStar, Archie Green and Teddy Boys will perform. Tomorrow, venues in Cedar Fairmount will host the shows, and venues in the Cedar Lee area will feature performances on Saturday. Music begins at 6 p.m. today and tomorrow, and at 3 p.m. on Saturday. A complete schedule of performers and venues is available on the website. (Niesel)
PhotoNow
Presented for the fourth time, PhotoNow is a regional, juried exhibition of photography presented by the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve at Tri-C Gallery East. Juried by Los Angeles-based photographer Aline Smithson, PhotoNow 2017 features 75 photographs by 59 photographers selected from nearly 300 entries submitted by more than 80 artists. Overall, the selected works showcase a wide variety of photographic processes and subject matter, from traditional landscapes and portraiture to alternative processes, constructed images, double exposures, lensless photographs and more. PhotoNow opens with a reception and awards ceremony from 6 to 8:30 p.m. tonight and remains on view through Oct. 12. Admission is free. (Usmani)
4250 Richmond Rd., Highland Hills, 216-987-2095, artistsarchives.org.
FRI 09/08
Adult Swim: Autumn Brews
Tonight's Adult Swim at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium provides a showcase for autumn beers. The beer tasting includes full after-hours access to the aquarium and features about 40 autumn beers and ciders, including Revolution Oktoberfest, Brew Kettle Oktoberfest, Great Lakes Brewing Company Oktoberfest, Boulevard Funkier Pumpkin, Fat Head's Spooky Tooth, Jack O Traveler Pumpkin Shandy, Rivertowne Headless Wylie, Southern Tier Pumking, Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza, Jackie O's Gose, Crooked Stave Petite Sour Blueberry, Boulevard Love Child #7 and Dogfish Head Seaquench. Admission also includes hors d'oeuvres from Dank Diners (potato-cheddar-and-ale soup shooter with asiago crostini, pulled pork slider with Gruyere, stout-braised sweet onions on Cubano bread and an open-faced, chef-smoked, stout-marinated beef brisket with spiced greens and Irish Swiss cheese on a baguette) as well as two pairable mini doughnuts from Brewnuts. Hours are 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $40, $30 for aquarium pass holders and $20 for designated drivers. (Niesel)
2000 Sycamore St., 216-862-8803, greaterclevelandaquarium.com.
Artist Lecture Series
ArtHouse's Artist Lecture Series invites the public to learn more about local artists directly from the artists themselves. Stop by from 7 to 8:30 tonight to learn more about painter and muralist Natalie Lanese. Lanese has completed murals at the Akron Art Museum and the University of Toledo's Center for the Visual Arts, but Clevelanders may be more familiar with her work at Mahall's, Survival Kit at 78th Street Studios, and downtown under the GVV Bridge overpass on Ontario Street. A native of Cleveland, Lanese completed her undergraduate studies at Xavier University in Cincinnati, before post-baccalaureate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Case Western Reserve University. She earned her MFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Currently residing in Toledo, Lanese is an associate professor of art and gallery director at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. She works primarily in painting, collage and installation. Her work has been exhibited in the Scope International Art Fair in Basel, Switzerland, as well as Space Gallery in Portland, Maine, East Hampton, New York and the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Admission is free. (Usmani)
3119 Denison Ave., 216-398-8556, arthouseinc.org.
Bound: Art Book + 'Zine Fair 2017
Artist books and 'zines offer emerging voices a platform for uncensored and uncompromising self-expression. For the second year, MOCA Cleveland hosts a two-day festival dedicated to handmade and small print artists' books, 'zines, comics and more. In addition to perusing work by 'zine and art book publishers, comics creators and photo book makers, guests can enjoy live music, DJ sets, readings, book signings and demonstrations. The fair takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. today and from noon to 5 p.m. tomorrow. At 8 tonight, Eris Drew, Half an Animal and Kiernan Paradise perform on the museum's loading dock as part of its Loaded concert series. Bound is free and open to the public, but admission is still required to view the current exhibitions. (Usmani)
11400 Euclid Ave, 2164218671, mocacleveland.org.
Dance Showcase at Playhouse Square
There may be jazz hands and pas de deux aplenty tonight, when some of Northeast Ohio's finest dance companies take the stage in this year's annual Dance Showcase at Connor Palace. Riverdance will make a special appearance at the event that features performances by Elevated, Inlet Dance Theatre, Kent Dance Ensemble, Neos Dance Theatre, Sarah Savelli, Shri Kalaa Mandir, the Dancing Wheels Company, Verb Ballets and Viva Dance Studio. Performances begin at 7; tickets are free but reservations are required. Go to the Playhouse Square website for more information. (Niesel)
1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Flat Out Fridays
The East Bank of the Flats features a slew of great bars and restaurants. To take advantage of the terrific riverfront location, the venues have partnered for Flat Out Fridays, a summer music series by the waterfront that includes sweet treats, beverages and other outdoor entertainment. Tonight's final Flat Out Friday runs from 6 to 10 p.m. and features music from Disco Inferno. Admission is free, and you can find the details on the website. (Niesel)
1055 Old River Rd., 202-628-0123, downtowncleveland.com.
Indians vs Baltimore Orioles
After a tough August during which the Tribe faced off against some of the American League's best teams, the Indians remained in first place. In fact, the team looked so sharp against the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, a return to the World Series looks like it might happen after all. Tonight, the Tribe begins a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, a team vying for a wild-card spot. The game begins at 7:10, and tickets start at $13. It's also Sugardale Dollar Dog Night. (Niesel)
2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, clevelandindians.com.
Mix: Interact
Mix: Interact, at the Cleveland Museum of Art, offers guests an opportunity to explore the museum's new ArtLens. Formerly known as Gallery One, the innovative, multi-faceted experience includes four components. Guests can engage with masterworks through touchscreen-free interactives in ArtLens Exhibition, create original artwork in ArtLens Studio, connect with the museum's world-class permanent collection at the ArtLens Wall and enhance the entire museum experience with the ArtLens App. In addition to exploring ArtLens and the permanent collection galleries, guests can enjoy music and drinks in an animated atrium. Mix: Interact takes place from 6 to 10 tonight and is an 18-and-over event. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door and free for CMA members. Parking is available for $10 in the CMA's garage. (Usmani)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
NEO Cycle
A bicycle and outdoor lifestyle festival held today, tomorrow and Sunday at Edgewater Park, NEOCycle features six unique races and rides and celebrates cycling in Northeast Ohio. NEOCycle also includes a music festival. This year, indie rockers Strand of Oaks headline the festival. Saintseneca, the Whiskey Hollow, Poro, Jul Big Green, the Mason District, Carlos Jones & the P.L.U.S. Band and many more acts will perform. Fans can check the website for the latest lineup and schedule. (Niesel)
6500 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway NW, clevelandmetroparks.com.
Two Art Openings
The latest photography exhibition at the Cleveland Print Room pairs Cleveland photographer Laura Ruth Bidwell with New York City-based photographer Lissa Rivera. Perhaps better known as co-founder of Transformer Station, Bidwell is both an active photographer and avid art collector. At the Cleveland Print Room, Bidwell showcases her Gratiot series, a collection of photographs chronicling the fictional lives of Charles and Victoire Chouteau Gratiot, described by Bidwell as "immortals who have navigated and thrived across three centuries." Rivera's Beautiful Boy series is an ongoing project documenting her domestic partner's transformative exploration of feminine identity. Using her photography as a testing ground for her partner, Rivera transforms the fantasy of dressing up and the experience of being photographed into a fusing of identity-creation and image-creation. In celebration of this joint exhibition, Cleveland Print Room hosts an opening reception from 5 to 9 p.m. today. Tomorrow, Bidwell, Rivera and BJ Lillis will participate in a free, public gallery talk at 4 p.m. Bidwell and Rivera's work remains on view through Nov. 4. Admission is free. (Usmani)
2550 Superior Ave., 216-401-5981, clevelandprintroom.com.
Whiskey & White Lightning Music Festival
Regional and local distilleries will be on site for House of Blues' Whiskey & White Lightning Music Festival which takes place today at 6 p.m. Attendees can sample bourbon, rye whiskey, moonshine and other spirits while bands play throughout the night in the club's Music Hall and Cambridge Room. There also will be exclusive, one-of-a-kind whiskey samples in the Foundation Room VIP Club Lounge. A full bar featuring whiskey cocktails and an additional menu with items created just for this event will also be available. Tickets are $12 but do not include the $10 sampling wristband, which is only available at the event. (Niesel)
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.
SAT 09/09
A Hand-Lettering Workshop
As public schools debate removing cursive handwriting from their curriculum, hand lettering may not yet be a "lost art," but it certainly is endangered. Fresh off her inspirational presentation at Weapons of Mass Creation Fest 8, acclaimed local hand letterer Lisa Lorek visits Rising Star Coffee Roasters in Little Italy to discuss her work, which has been hanging on the walls of Rising Star since the beginning of July. Stop in to meet Lorek and learn more about her intricate and mesmerizing work today from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., when the artist will demonstrate her hand-lettering processes and sell additional prints. Born in Cleveland, Lorek graduated from the University of Dayton. She currently splits her time between her position as art director of Global Prairie and freelance work, including murals, magazine covers, coloring books and gallery shows. It's free. (Usmani)
2187 Murray Hill Rd., 216-860-4897, risingstarcoffee.com.
Shakespeare in Love
Tonight at the Allen Theatre, Cleveland Play House takes on Shakespeare in Love, the Academy Award-winning movie that's been adapted for the stage. The theatrical version comes "complete with swordfights, secret trysts, and backstage drama," as young Shakespeare falls for Viola and their tryst inspires a masterpiece. CPH artistic director Laura Kepley helms the production. Tonight's performance begins at 7:30; the play runs through Oct. 1. Tickets start at $25. (Niesel)
1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, clevelandplayhouse.com.
SUN 09/10
ArtLens
Proving that its world-class experience is accessible to visitors of all ages, the Cleveland Museum of Art hosts a special family-friendly event in celebration of both Grandparents Day and the museum's new ArtLens. Formerly known as Gallery One, the innovative, multi-faceted ArtLens experience includes four components. Guests can engage with masterworks through touchscreen-free interactives in ArtLens Exhibition, create original artwork in ArtLens Studio, connect with the museum's world-class permanent collection at the ArtLens Wall and enhance the entire museum experience with the ArtLens App. In addition to exploring ArtLens, guests can enjoy the museum's permanent collection galleries, as well as art-making activities and programs for all ages. The ArtLens Gallery Celebration and Play Day at the CMA takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Admission is free. (Usmani)
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer will lead the Cleveland Browns as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers today in the season opener at FirstEnergy Stadium. The latest in a long line of quarterbacks who have tried to guide the Browns into the playoffs, Kizer will go up against the notoriously tough Steelers' defense. Kizer and the Browns have played well in the preseason but that's no guarantee of a winning season. The team is going through yet another rebuilding year, so expect the wins to be few and far between. The game begins at 1 p.m. Tickets start at $50. (Niesel)
100 Alfred Lerner Way, 440-891-5000, clevelandbrowns.com.
Cleveland Antiquarian Book & Paper Show
The Northern Ohio Bibliophilic Society dedicates itself to "the recognition, dissemination, and preservation of fine and antiquarian books." The organization holds two annual antiquarian book fairs in addition to publishing a quarterly newsletter. The group's goal is to "broaden public awareness of book collecting and book arts, to stimulate the book trade, and to encourage the scholarly appreciation of publishing history." N.O.B.S seventh annual Cleveland Antiquarian Book & Paper Show takes place today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Shaker Heights Country Club. Roadshow-style free book evaluations will return this year; each guest may bring up to three books for a professional, informal evaluation. Admission is $6. (Niesel)
3300 Courtland Blvd., Beachwood, 216-991-3660, nobs.nobsweb.org.
Hike and Seek for Research
The Research Institute for Children's Health at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine aims to find treatments and cures for genetic-based diseases and disorders that affect one in 30 children. Today at 10 a.m., you can help by participating in Hike and Seek for Research, a fundraiser taking place at five Metroparks locations. Participants will receive a "seek sheet" so they can find park landmarks and local celebs at each location. Admission is $20 in advance, $30 on the day of the event. Find tickets and more information on the website below. (Niesel)
eventbrite.com/e/hike-and-seek-for-research-tickets-28789194255.
Woofstock 2017
Wooftstock, Geauga Humane Society's annual outdoor dog- and family- friendly festival and fundraiser, moves to a new venue this year: the Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field in Chagrin Falls. Starting at 10 a.m., local musicians Bill March, Amanda and Rick, All is Harvest, North Coast Goats and Matt Harmon will perform, and there will be a parade as well as a variety of contests, including "best owner look-alike." The Humane Society hopes to raise $100,000 to help Rescue Village provide care and support to thousands of homeless animals. Registration is $25 for adults, and free for kids 14 and under. Register and learn more on the website. (Niesel)
41324-44998 South Woodland Rd., Chagrin Falls, geaugahumanesociety.org/woofstockactivities.
Mon 09/11
Science Cafe
The second Monday of each month, Music Box Supper Club hosts Science Cafe, an informal lecture series that brings scientists from throughout the region to the club on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, so they can talk about science topics. Tonight at 7, FBI special agents Tom Corrigan and James Boazzo will speak about how law enforcement officials try to keep ahead of white-collar crime by using high-tech equipment. Admission is free. (Niesel)
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.
Indians vs Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers will likely miss the playoffs for a second straight year. While the Tribe hasn't dominated them to the extent that they did last year, they've still fared pretty well against their Motor City rivals. The two teams begin a three-game series tonight at 7:10 at Progressive Field. Tickets start at $13. (Niesel)
2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, clevelandindians.com.
The Scott Brothers House Party
Best known for their hit HGTV programs Property Brothers, Brother vs. Brother and Buying & Selling, the Scott brothers have taken their show on the road. They bring their Scott Brothers House Party to the Ohio Theatre tonight. Expect them to "reveal top-secret tricks of the trade" and bring fans onstage to compete in home-improvement and design challenges. Paid ticket holders receive a pre-signed copy of Jonathan and Drew Scott's book It Takes Two; redeem your original show ticket to pick up you copy. (Complimentary ticket holders are out of luck.) The event begins at 7:30. Tickets cost $49.75 to $150. (Niesel)
1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
TUE 09/12
The Book of Mormon
When you grow up fascinated, and occasionally repelled, by the Mormon religion and Broadway musicals, what are you going to do but merge those two obsessions into a Tony Award-winning show? And not just one Tony — make that nine, including 2011's Best Musical. That's what Trey Parker and Matt Stone did with the mega-hit The Book of Mormon, opening next week at Playhouse Square. This is the duo that made Southpark the nastiest, most offensively hilarious cartoon show on TV. For Mormon, they teamed up with Avenue Q co-composer and co-lyricist Robert Lopez to fashion this tuneful, comic take on the Church of Latter Day Saints and its ways. The play returns to the State Theatre for a limited engagement tonight at 8. Tickets start at $30 and performances run through Sept. 15. (Christine Howey)
1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
May it Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers
Longtime fans Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio have special access to the Avett Brothers and filmed May it Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers over the course of more than two years. The movie chronicles the band's decade-and-a-half rise, focusing on the recent collaboration with producer Rick Rubin. The film screens tonight at 7:30 and 9:30 at the Cedar Lee Theatre. Tickets are $12.50. (Niesel)
2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5411, clevelandcinemas.com.
