Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar.
THU 10/20
Christmas Ale First Pour Party
Today at 11:30 a.m. at Great Lakes Brewing Company, the first Christmas Ale pour of the season will take place. Clevelanders jonesin' for a swig of the sweet stuff can stop by the Ohio City brewpub to have a pint or fill a growler. One patron will win a private brewery tour. There will be DJs, karaoke, holiday-themed menu items and photo opportunities.
2516 Market Ave., 216-771-4404, greatlakesbrewing.com.
An Alpine Symphony
Tonight at 7:30 at Mandel Concert Hall, the Cleveland Orchestra presents a program that features Richard Strauss's Eine Alpensinfonie, a piece that aspires to capture nature's majesty. The performance repeats at 8 on Saturday night.
11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
Everybody
The CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program Class of 2024 presents Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's acclaimed Pulitzer-Prize finalist play Everybody. Inspired by the 15th century morality play, Everyman, Jacobs-Jenkins takes "a dark comic look at the inevitability of death," as it's put in a press release. A performance takes place tonight at 7:30 at the Helen, where performances continue through Oct. 22.
2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Fostering Hops: A Taste of Van Aken
This annual fundraiser supports Fostering Hope’s mission of “connecting and enriching youth who live in residential treatment and foster care with unique experiences of hope and healing.” This year, Fostering Hope is expecting to serve more than 1,000 children through programming centered on childhood experiences, heath and wellness and community involvement. The event begins at 7 p.m. in Van Aken Market Hall at the corner of Chagrin and Warrensville Ctr Roads in Shaker Heights. It'll include local microbrews, food from Market Hall vendors, raffle and private shopping experiences.
3441 Tuttle Rd., Shaker Heights, 216-491-8800, fosteringhopsohio.org.
Les Miserables
Set against in 19th century France, Les Miserables has been one of Broadway's biggest hits. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, the latest incarnation of the musical comes to the State Theatre tonight at 7:30. Performances continue through Oct. 29.
1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Local H
The '90s rock act comes to House of Blues tonight at 7 as it brings its Here Comes the Zoo 20th Anniversary tour to town. The show will mark the anniversary of the album that came out in March of 2002 via Palm Pictures. Expect to hear songs from it as well as tunes from the duo's most recent work, 2020's Steve Albini-produced Lifers.
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.
NASA Million Girls Moonshot
As part of a national effort to inspire a million girls to join the engineering field by 2025, K-12 students and their families can attend an in-person watch party of a downlink with NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins and actress Keke Palmer (Lightyear), a question-and-answer session with a panel of women NASA subject matter experts and a hands-on engineering design challenge. The event takes place from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Lakewood Public Library. Registration is not required.
15425 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-226-8275, lakewoodpubliclibrary.libcal.com/.
Gary Owen
Comedian Gary Owen has been entertaining audiences across America for more than a decade. He's not limited to the stage either, as he's had roles in the film Think Like A Man and in Tyler Perry's show House of Payne. Owen says he was always the class clown growing up and it has followed him into his adult life. Ebony magazine proclaimed him to be "Black America's Favorite White Comedian." Owen's set mainly focuses on his personal life and racial stereotypes. Catch his performance tonight at 7:30 at the Improv, where he has shows scheduled through Sunday. Check the Improv website for ticket prices.
1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com.
Preoccupations
Arrangements, the latest effort from this Canadian post-punk band from Calgary, Alberta that formed in 2012 under the name Viet Cong, marries the guitar-heavy approach of its earlier albums with its newer, synth-based work. The group performs tonight at 8 at the Grog Shop.
2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.
Ryan Singer
In one routine, comedian Ryan Singer jokes about when cookie dough becomes a cookie before concluding, "I'm not entitled to an opinion on this matter because the kitchen is a woman's place." He's not really sexist but he likes to joke that he is. While observations like that aren't particularly sophisticated, Singer compensates with his rapid-fire delivery and exaggerated mannerisms. He performs at 7 tonight at Hilarities.
2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.
FRI 10/21
45th Anniversary of Bat Out of Hell
This event celebrates the lives of Meat Loaf, Jim Steinman and Steve Popovich, the three men behind Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell, one of the best-selling rock albums of all time. The late Popovich released the album on his locally based Cleveland International Records. Ellen Foley, the powerhouse female voice on the single “Paradise by the Dashboard Light," singer/actress Karla DeVito, who served as a backup singer for Meat Loaf and is featured in the video for “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” and Joe Stefko, the drummer for Meat Loaf on the subsequent tour, will be on hand to discuss the album's significance. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Box Supper Club. Tickets cost $19.77 (because the album was released in 1977).
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.
The Airborne Toxic Event
Known for its sweeping anthems that recall the likes of Bruce Springsteen and U2, Airborne Toxic Event initially formed as a stripped-down two-piece featuring singer Mikel Jollett and drummer Daren Taylor. The lineup has morphed over the years, but Jollett remains a constant. On tour in support of 2020's Hollywood Park, the band plays tonight at 7 at House of Blues.
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.
Behind the Camera Fundraiser Event
Tonight at 6 at Pickwick and Frolic, the Greater Cleveland Film Commission will host award-winning screenwriter and producer Dan O’Shannon for the return of its signature Behind the Camera fundraiser event. An interview with Dan O’Shannon will be moderated by former CNN Reporter and current WKYC-NBC News Anchor Christi Paul. This look behind-the-scenes will include a wide variety of topics ranging from O'Shannon’s experiences in the entertainment business, how growing up in Northeast Ohio impacted his career, and special insight into the creative process behind some of the greatest TV sitcoms of all time.
2035 East Fourth St., 216-499-3916, clevelandfilm.com.
Rodney Crowell: Word for Word
Tonight at 8 at the Rock Hall, country star Rodney Crowell, a guy who's notched 15 No. 1 hits, will read from his brand new book, Word For Word, as he shares stories and performs the songs. Admission is $28.,.
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.
Friday Night Lights!
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History stays open until 8 tonight to feature special programming, including current science presentations, gallery talks, up-close looks at the museum’s animals, in-depth conversations with curators and special guests, and access to the Ralph Mueller Observatory, weather permitting. The events are free for members. For nonmembers, normal admission rates apply, and guests who purchase a ticket at any time on Friday are welcome to stay past 5 p.m. at no additional cost.
1 Wade Oval Dr., 216-231-4600, cmnh.org.
Illuminatease
Local and national acts will be on hand for this burlesque event that features local vendors and specialty drinks and food. The event begins at 8:30 p.m. at the Beachland Ballroom. Consult the club's website for ticket prices.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
Jonah Koslen, Tommy Dobeck, and Daniel Pecchio
Jonah Koslen, Tommy Dobeck, and Daniel Pecchio — three original Michael Stanley Band members — are getting together to play the Kent Stage tonight and tomorrow night. This is the first time all three have been on stage for a concert since the classic MSB Stagepass album was released in 1977. They are only playing songs from their first three MSB albums, and sharing stories about that era. Tonight and tomorrow night's shows begin at 7.
175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.
MEMENTO VIVERE - A Celebration of the Life and Art of Stephen Kasner
From 5 to 9 p.m., the 1300 Gallery at 78th St. Studios in Gordon Square hosts a gallery opening to celebrate the art and life of the late Stephen Kasner. The show will feature an attentively curated selection of his works spanning 30 years and feature work from his student days at the Cleveland Institute of Art to art he he made just prior to his passing 2019.
1300 West 78th St., 216-288-4868, derekhess.com.
Romeo and Juliet
Great Lakes Theatre company presents its take on Shakespeare's classic play about two young lovers who try to find a way to be together despite interference from their feuding families. Tonight's performance takes place at 7:30 at the Hanna Theatre, where performances continue through Nov. 6.
2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Joe Satriani From Surfing to Shockwave
Expect to hear hard rock instrumentals such as “Big Bad Moon,” “Friends,” “Crystal Planet,” “Not of this Earth,” “Luminous Flesh Giants” and “If I Could Fly” when this shredder performs tonight at 8 at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html.
Swan Lake
At 8 tonight and 7 tomorrow night at Connor Palace, Cleveland Ballet presents its take on Swan Lake, the love story of Prince Siegfried, who falls in love with a swan queen who can only take human form between midnight at daybreak.
1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Wenceslas Square
A minimalist cautionary tale based on the political suppression of late 1960s Czech theater artists previously involved in "theatre as revolution," Wenceslas Square, a semi-autobiographical "memory" play, offers a cautionary tale. Performances take place tonight and tomorrow night at Kennedy's Cabaret. Tickets cost $18.
1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
SAT 10/22
François Truffaut's Adventures of Antoine Doinel Series
The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque screens the complete François Truffaut's Adventures of Antoine Doinel series. The five French films star Jean-Pierre Léaud as the titular character. The four features and one short (comprising four different programs) will all screen in new 4K restorations. Tonight's screening of Love on the Run takes place at 5 p.m., and the program repeats at 8:15 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets cost $11, or $8 for Cinematheque members, CIA and CSU I.D. holders, and those age 25 and under.
Cleveland Cinematheque, 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.
Pumking Party!
Cleveland Beer Week comes to a close with this party at Southern Tier Brewing Company. The event begins at 6 p.m., and the $25 ticket includes entrance to the party and a tasting flight and voting ballot.
811 Prospect Ave. E., 4404844045, stbcbeer.com.
Nancy Wilson's Heart
Heart's Nancy Wilson will undoubtedly aim to prove that she can handle the classic rock's catalog without the assistance of her sister Ann at tonight's show that takes place at 8 at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html.
SUN 10/23
Cavaliers vs. Washington Wizards
During the off-season, the Washington Wizards resigned star guard Bradley Beal and added forward Taj Gibson to a team that finished well below .500 last year. Expect the Cavs to take home the win when the two teams face off tonight at 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
Marcus King
This 26-year-old Grammy-nominated songwriter and guitarist worked with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys on his latest effort, Young Blood, a riveting collection of rock and blues numbers. King performs tonight at 6 at the Agora. Neil Francis and Ashland Craft open.
5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
Pinkshift
This indie rock act comes to Mahall's 20 Lanes in Lakewood tonight as it tours in support of its debut album Love Me Forever, which was recorded by Will Yip (Turnstile, Mannequin Pussy, the Wonder Years, Circa Survive, Tigers Jaw) . The concert begins at 7, and tickets cost $16.
13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.
Martin Sexton/Dan Hubbard
The word prolific is often thrown around when talking about singer-songwriters, but with Martin Sexton, it’s no exaggeration. He got his start in Boston, playing open mics and busking in subways and on street corners. He’s released numerous albums, received awards for his music and reaped praise from the likes of John Mayer and Dave Matthews. Sexton’s music is difficult to categorize due to his fusion of country, soul, folk rock, gospel, jazz and other genres, but he blends them all seamlessly. He performs tonight at 7 at the Kent Stage. Tickets cost $33.
175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.
