Fish fry guide, Cleveland Auto Show, Paul Reiser at Hilarities, 'The Batman,' new Dolly Parton & more

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Entertainment | Music | Events

THIS WEEK'S TOP PICKS

Fish fry guide 2022: 50-plus places to go in Greater Cleveland

March 4 is the first Friday of Lent this year and that marks the beginning of fish-fry frenzy in Greater Cleveland. Things are getting back to normal this season after two years of upheaval caused by the pandemic. Cleveland.com’s Marc Bona and Anne Nickoloff have put together an essential guide for 2022, showcasing fish fry events from churches and nonprofit organizations across the region. We’ll update the guide each week, posting them online each Friday from March 11-April 15. Reminders: Good Friday is April 15, and Easter is Sunday, April 17. READ MORE

Paul Reiser at Hilarities

The “Mad About You” and “My Two Dads” star returns to his standup roots to perform his unmistakable brand of observational and story-based humor. Tickets for two start at $76. 2035 E 4th St., Cleveland. March 4-5. DETAILS

Cleveland Auto Show

A family tradition that goes back to 1903, the Auto Show features hundreds of vehicles from 36 brands, including concept cars, electric vehicles, luxury sports cars and more. You can even take a few for a test ride. Tickets $12-$15, free for kids under 6. 1 I-X Center Dr., Cleveland. Through March 6. DETAILS

Antigone” at Cleveland Play House

Cleveland Play House has reimagined Sophocles’ classic tragedy for contemporary audiences. Now set in a dystopian near-future, the idealistic Antigone goes head-to-head with her aunt, Creon, amid national crisis and war. Tickets, $25-$75. Outcalt Theatre, 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. March 5-27. DETAILS

New Edition at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

From “Cool It Now” to “Mr. Telephone Man,” New Edition was one of the biggest boy bands of the 1980s, spawning a number of solo and spinoff projects. The group is joined by special guests Charlie Wilson and Jodeci on “The Culture Tour.” Tickets start at $59. 1 Center Court, Cleveland. 7 p.m., March 4. DETAILS

Tom Segura at MGM Northfield Park

Get ready for some lighthearted laughs as comedian and podcaster Tom Segura brings his “I’m Coming Everywhere” tour to Northeast Ohio. Tickets start at $65. 10777 Northfield Rd., Northfield. March 5-6. DETAILS

Orchids Forever at Cleveland Botanical Garden

Get a whiff of spring at the Cleveland Botanical Garden at the organization’s 16th annual Orchids Forever show. Check out varieties of the flowering plant, along with workshops and classes offered for gardeners and photographers. Tickets $12-$16. 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through March 13. DETAILS

Hit the slopes

Unleash your inner Lindsey Vonn or Shaun White at Vail Resorts’ trio of ski areas in Northeast Ohio. Combined, Boston Mills, Brandywine and Alpine Valley offer 25 slopes and 20 lifts for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and skill levels. Lift tickets start at $50. Days and hours vary. Check websites for info.

Cleveland Metroparks Toboggan Chutes

Find your thrill in the chill at the Chalet in Strongsville, whooshing down 700-foot refrigerated ice chutes on an old-timey toboggan. Reservations required. Tickets, $11-$13. 16200 Valley Pkwy, Strongsville. Through March 6. DETAILS

“Currents and Constellations: Black Art in Focus”

This recently opened exhibition at the at Cleveland Museum of Art features nearly 30 works that show how some of the leading 20th- and 21st-century Black artists have responded to America’s racial divide. Free. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through March 13. DETAILS

“Bassline to Baseline” at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Curated for NBA All-Star Weekend, this new exhibit looks at the intersection of music and basketball. Highlights include will. i.am’s “Let’s Get It Started” All-Star outfit from 2004 and Chuck D’s Air Jordans. Tickets, $20-$30. Cleveland residents get in free. 1100 E 9th St., Cleveland. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. DETAILS

Cleveland Orchestra

Soprano Latonia Moore performs George Walker’s “Lilacs” with the Cleveland Orchestra in a program that also includes Richard Strauss’s comic opera “Der Rosenkavalier (The Cavaliers of the Rose)” and Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 70. Tickets start at $21. Mandel Concert Hall at Severance Music Center, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. March 3-5. DETAILS

Maple Sugaring at Lake Metroparks Farmpark

Take a wagon ride through the forest where you’ll learn the history of maple sugaring and what it takes to produce maple syrup. You can even help gather sap and take home some of the park’s fresh maple syrup and candy. Admission, $6-$8. 8800 Euclid Chardon Road, Kirtland. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., March 5-6. DETAILS

Immersive Van Gogh

This popular art experience at the new Lighthouse ArtSpace offers a unique way to experience Vincent Van Gogh’s post-Impressionist works. The projection-based displays unfold on the walls around you, showcasing the Dutch master painter’s iconic works, including his most famous, “Starry Night.” Tickets $39.99-$49.99. Through March 6. 850 E. 72nd St., Cleveland. DETAILS

Looking for more things to do this week in Greater Cleveland? Cleveland.com's Joey Morona has your guide. READ MORE

EAT & DRINK

Hoist a pint at Paradigm Shift Craft Brewery
So many breweries, so little time. Mike Malinowski is making some great beer in Massillon. Take a break, hit the road, and head down to sip a pint and maybe take home a crowler. The brewery is marking its fifth anniversary this year. Bonus: If there’s a Bourbon sipper in your group, you’re in luck: Multiple high-end Bourbons are available. It’s at 128 North Ave. NE, Massillon. DETAILS

Cleveland Pierogi Week

Is there a food more Cleveland than pierogi? 25 area restaurants are celebrating our favorite Polish dumplings with special menu items and deals. For example, try the spanakopita pierogi at Astoria or sample the Buffalo pierogi at the Rowley Inn. Various locations. Through March 6. DETAILS

Chocolate Fest Cleveland

If you’re a chocoholic, head to Lago’s Custom Events in the Flats where a variety of chocolate vendors will be offering samples galore. Expect chocolate and wine pairing classes, truffle making classes, a chocolate martini bar, craft beer, food and wine, too. Tickets start at $35. 1091 W. 10th Street, Cleveland. 5 p.m., March 5. DETAILS

TV & MOVIES

‘The Batman’

Since Tim Burton brought Batman to the big screen in 1989, there have been around a dozen films centered on the Caped Crusader. Director Matt Reeves’ new entry, “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattison as Bruce Wayne, isn’t the best or the worst of the bunch. But it is the most ambitious for just how bleak and brooding it is. Cleveland.com’s Troy L. Smith has a review. READ MORE

‘Lucy and Desi’

If "Being the Ricardos" left you wanting more Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, or just a less Sorkin-ized version of the larger-than-life couple, Amazon Prime Video has Amy Poehler's documentary "Lucy and Desi" coming to the service Friday. Poehler has said that she wanted to give audiences a deeper understanding of the couple, their creativity, their tumultuous relationship and their groundbreaking sitcom "I Love Lucy." The doc includes interviews with Norman Lear, Bette Midler and Carol Burnett. "Being the Ricardos," which got Oscar nominations for Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, is also on Prime if you want to make a night of it. DETAILS

‘Fresh’

Modern dating can be a horror show, so Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones of "Normal People" fame) is excited to meet a handsome stranger (Sebastian Stan) in the grocery store who seems to be perfect boyfriend material in "Fresh." The directorial debut of Mimi Cave is part comedy, part thriller and it's coming to Hulu on Friday. The Sundance breakout had many buzzing about its provocative twists but it's best to go in knowing as little as possible. DETAILS

Oscar contenders

With about a month to go until the Oscars, there's still plenty of time to brush up on the nominees and more best picture contenders are hitting streaming services this month including Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story," available on Disney+ this week, along with Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "Drive My Car," on HBO Max. "West Side Story" has seven nominations, including one for supporting actress Ariana DeBose (a favorite to win) for her portrayal of Anita which Oscar-savants will know is a role that got her co-star Rita Moreno an Oscar in 1962. The Japanese drama "Drive My Car," meanwhile, has four including best director, international feature and adapted screenplay (it's based on a Haruki Murakami short story). DETAILS

‘Murder in Provence’

Roger Allam, known to fans of PBS' "Endeavor" as British police detective Fred Thursday, takes a cross-channel jaunt to play a French crime-buster in "Murder in Provence." The three-episode series based on M.L. Longworth's novels debuts this week on streaming service BritBox. Allam stars as investigating judge Antoine Verlaque of Aix-en-Provence, a lovely city also conveniently home here to menace and mysteries. Nancy Carroll plays his partner in romance and sleuthing, with Keala Settle ("The Greatest Showman") as a trusted detective. DETAILS

‘Our Flag Means Death’

Ready for a good pirate yarn, one afloat on a sea of puns, slapstick and general all-around silliness? The 10-episode "Our Flag Means Death," debuting this week on HBO Max, stars Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet, a landowner who reinvents himself, very awkwardly, as the Gentleman Pirate. He teams up with Taika Waititi as Edward Teach, aka the notorious Blackbeard. While real-life 18th-century figures Bonnet and Blackbeard did cross paths, it would be misguided to base a history paper on the mischievous comedy created by David Jenkins and produced by Waititi. The cast includes Fred Armisen and Leslie Jones. DETAILS

MUSIC

Dolly Parton

olly Parton has a big week ahead when she hosts the ACM Awards and drops not just a new album but also a novel. The 12-track album, "Run, Rose, Run," out Friday, serves as a companion to the book novel by the same name co-authored by James Patterson and Parton, which is set for release on Monday, March 7. The book is a mystery set in Nashville about two singers — an older, jaded icon and a young newcomer with a dark past. The album is described as a soundtrack and includes the song "Blue Bonnet Breeze," which Parton describes a "Romeo and Juliet kind of story." DETAILS

Tri-C High School Rock Off

The Tri-C High School Rock Off, canceled in 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, will celebrate its belated 25th birthday this month at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The festivities kick off with preliminary rounds on March 5, March 12 and March 19, with the finals set for March 26. READ MORE

Mourning [A] BLKstar

Since the pandemic hit, Cleveland’s Mourning [A] BLKstar kept making new music, collaborating various programs and organizations like Adult Swim, the Cleveland Museum of Art and German dance opera artist Christoph Winkler (the eight-person collective won a Cleveland Arts Prize along the way, too). Those collaborations make up M[A]B’s newest album, “Celestial Bodies,” set to arrive on Friday, March 4. “I know a lot of bands that just had to completely shut it down. Some people made choices of not releasing any of their records during the time,” said band founder and bassist RA Washington. “I’m glad we pushed through… if we hadn’t, we’d be looking at a different prospect of starting back up. We feel very grateful and excited, and ready to get it going like everybody else.” READ MORE

Kiefer Sutherland

You know him from "24," "Stand By Me" and "A Few Good Men," but Kiefer Sutherland is also a musician. His third studio album "Bloor Street" drops Friday and includes the singles "So Full of Love," "Two Stepping in Time" and the title track. The music leans into Americana and country and the album is named after the main thoroughfare through Toronto, a place where as a teenage Sutherland had his first job, first kiss and where he played guitar for loose change. The song "County Jail Gate" is inspired by the 48 days he spent in jail for driving under the influence. DETAILS

Nilüfer Yanya

Things always tend to get interesting when Nilüfer Yanya is making music and that's very true of "Painless," which showcases the singer-songwriter's combination of indie rock, soul, jazz and trip-hop. It's her sequel to 2019's rave-reviewed "Miss Universe" and lands Friday, following the superb single "afterlife." The Guardian newspaper calls it "prickly, occasionally jazzy, and always catchy post-punk that lands somewhere between Joy Division, King Krule and PJ Harvey." The daughter of visual artists, Yanya grew up in London. listening to Turkish and classical music, and picking up a guitar at 12. DETAILS

Zach Williams at Akron Civic Theatre

Grammy-nominated Zach Williams takes the stage to play his signature blend of contemporary Christian, southern rock and country music. Singer/songwriter Anne Wilson opens. Tickets $22.75-$62.75. 182 S Main St., Akron. 7 p.m., March 4. DETAILS

Want more concert & music picks?
Cleveland.com's weekly virtual concert guide is HERE
Cleveland.com's weekly new music guide is HERE

Listen to the latest episodes of the CLE Rocks podcast, with Troy L. Smith

Entertainment | Music | Events

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