“Hamilton” at Playhouse Square Back at the KeyBank State Theatre for the first time in four years, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical tells the story of America then told by the people who make up America now. The talented and diverse cast performs new Broadway classics like “Satisfied,” “Wait For It” and “My Shot.” Tickets, $39-$249. Now through Jan. 15. 1519 Euclid Ave, Cleveland. DETAILS Karamu House presents “Black Nativity” The oldest producing African American theater in the nation presents Langston Hughes’ uplifting musical, which moves to the Allen Theatre in Playhouse Square this year. This holiday tradition tells the classic story of the birth of Jesus from a Black perspective through a combination of song, dance, poetry, scripture and narration. Tickets, $40-$50. Dec. 9-18. 1501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. DETAILS Cleveland Orchestra Holiday Concerts The sounds of the season fill the festively decorated Severance Music Center as guest conductor Brett Mitchell leads the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and vocalist Mikaela Bennett in a performance of some of your holiday favorites. Saturday and Sunday matinees are preceded by Brunch with Santa (reservations and extra fee required). Tickets start at $49. 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Dec. 8-11, Dec. 15-18. DETAILS The Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet The 30th-anniversary tour of this acclaimed national tour features an international cast of dancers from Ukraine, Japan, Italy and Turkey joined by local ballet students. The classic Christmas Story is set to the music of Tchaikovsky and told through graceful dance, breathtaking acrobatics, larger-than-life puppets and dazzling costumes. Tickets, $30. 500 Lakeside Ave E., Cleveland. 4 & 8 p.m., Dec. 10. DETAILS Great Lakes Theater’s “A Christmas Carol” Ebenezer Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas after being visited by a series of ghosts in this Cleveland holiday tradition, now in its 34th year. Performances of this Dickens classic take place at Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre. Tickets, $35-$80. 1511 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Through Dec. 23. DETAILS Snow Day in Detroit Shoreway This day of fun, free, arts-infused activities boasts outdoor performances, fire pits, a Kids Zone and short films inside the Capitol Theatre. You’ll also find shopping, photos with Santa, trolley rides, children’s storytime and more. W. 65th & Detroit, Cleveland. 2-6 p.m., Dec. 10. DETAILS Walkabout Tremont “Light Up Your Holidays” is the theme of this monthly art walk in Cleveland’s most eclectic neighborhood. Don’t miss the annual holiday market at 818 Studios, the opening of artist Ethan Samaha’s new exhibition at Kaiser Gallery, St. Theodosius Cathedral’s cookie walk, plus food and drink specials at Tremont restaurants and bars. Free. Professor Ave., Cleveland. 5-10 p.m., Dec. 9. DETAILS Preacher Lawson at Hilarities Best known for his appearances on “America’s Got Talent,” this comedian returns to Cleveland to perform his hilarious brand of standup. Tickets, $50. 2035 E. 4th Street, Cleveland. 5 & 7:30 p.m., Dec. 11. DETAILS 'Elf' at Beck Center for the Arts
Based on the 2003 film starring Will Ferrell, this funny and heartwarming musical follows a grown man adopted as a child by Santa’s elves on a journey to New York City in search of his true identity. Tickets, $12-$38. 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Through Dec. 30. DETAILS Wild Winter Lights at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo The zoo is transformed into a winter wonderland with hundreds of festive displays located throughout the park. Featuring over 1.5 million lights, the themed areas include Candyland, Enchanted Forest, Starry Skies and Future for Wildlife Trail. Guests can also take photos with the big fella at Santa’s Workshop. Walk and drive-thru options available. Tickets, $22 a person or $57-$66 per car. 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland. Through Dec. 30. DETAILS Wild Lights at the Akron Zoo The Akron Zoo comes to life at night with the spirit of the season in the form of over one million twinkling lights. You’ll find dozens of dazzling photo-ops including some set to music, along with appearances by Santa Claus, s’mores at other goodies at Mrs. C’s Sweet shop, plus warm beverages, beer and more. Tickets, $11-$18. 500 Edgewood Ave., Akron. 5-9 p.m., through Dec. 30. DETAILS Photographs in Ink at the Cleveland Museum of Art This new exhibition examines how like artists like Eadweard Muybridge, Andy Warhol, Carl Pope Jr., Lorna Simpson and more incorporate photographic images in their work with a focus on the tools, techniques and processes at their disposal. Free. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through April 1. DETAILS |
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“The Land of Oz” at Dobama Theatre Cleveland’s Off-Broadway Theatre presents the world premiere of this musical based on the second book in L. Frank Baum’s “Oz” series. Developed by Cleveland theatre artists and musicians over the past 18 months, the show is about an orphan boy named Tip who escapes an evil witch and journeys to the Emerald City, meeting some familiar and new friends along the way. Tickets, $25-$45. 2340 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Through Dec. 31. DETAILS NELA Park Holiday Lights Now in its 98th year, the holiday light display at GE Lighting Headquarters boasts half a million LED lights and stretches for several blocks along Noble Road in East Cleveland. The “Holiday Delighter”-themed display includes 11 colorfully lit vignettes featuring Santa, snow globes, a gnome village, a replica of the National Christmas in Washington, D.C. and more. 1975 Noble Road, East Cleveland. Through January 2. Winter 2022-23 ski guide Skier visits soared during the pandemic, as Americans gravitated outside for entertainment. Now, as the pandemic wanes and life gets back to normal, it’s unclear whether the sport can retain its new followers. Ski resorts sure are going to try. Plain Dealer/cleveland.com Travel Editor Susan Glaser has compiled resort information, including new features, prices and more, for 14 ski parks in Ohio, western New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Michigan for the upcoming winter season. Northeast Ohio’s three resorts -- Boston Mills, Brandywine and Alpine Valley -- have set a tentative opening date of Dec. 17. READ MORE The Kandy Kane Ball Dance the night away at Cleveland’s hottest new rooftop venue at Truss Cleveland in Ohio City. This first annual holiday gala and toy drive benefitting local children in need features a “Candyland” theme complete with live music, an open bar, candy bar, cupcakes, hors d’oeuvres and a photo booth. Admission is $100 plus a toy donation valued at $20. 2061 West 25th Street, Cleveland. 8 p.m.-midnight, Dec. 9. DETAILS Men of Independence Christmas Show This award-winning barbershop chorus based in Independence is “Stranded at the Airport” this Christmas. Performed at Independence Middle School, the first half of the show features a fun skit and your favorite carols while the second half tells the story of the birth of Jesus through song. Tickets, $15-$50. 6111 Archwood Road, Independence. 6 p.m., Dec. 10. DETAILS Friday Night Lights at Cleveland Museum of Natural History Open late on selected Fridays, guests are invited this week to check the building’s reimagined spaces and new exhibits. Highlights include the new Corning Gallery, home to art from the museum’s permanent collection; and the new Fawick Gallery, where Dr. Bort Edwards, assistant curator of environment, will talk about the fragility of Great Lakes habitats. Free for members. Non-members, $14-17. 1 Wade Oval Dr., Cleveland. 5-8 p.m., Dec. 9. DETAILS Holiday Lantern Tours at Hale Farm & Village Take a candle-lit tour through this living history museum focused on 19th-century life as you visit with village residents preparing for the holiday season, 1840s style. Tickets, $8-$15. 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath. Dec. 9-10, Dec. 16-18, Dec. 20-23. DETAILS 'Scrooge: The Musical' at Akron Civic Theatre
Everyone should see Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” annually. “Scrooge: The Musical” reinterprets the story as a musical. During the show, Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes a profound experience of redemption when four ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve. Tickets, $25. 7:30 p.m., Dec. 9,-10, Dec. 16-17. 182 South Main Street, Akron. DETAILS 'How the Circus Stole Christmas: A Circus Holiday Extravaganza!' Created with the Crooked River Circus, this fun, festive and high-flying at Cleveland Public Theatre show features characters inspired by your favorite holiday stories. Watch them try to sabotage Christmas on a night full of trapeze, acrobatics, aerial dancing and other circus hijinks. Tickets required. “Choose what you pay.” 6415 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Through Dec. 10. DETAILS Castle Noel This unique retail and museum-type experience bills itself as America’s largest indoor year-round Christmas attraction. You’ll find props and costumes from some of your favorite Christmas movies, animated window displays from major New York City department stores, visits with Santa, a 25-foot Christmas tree, a slide like the one from “A Christmas Story” and more. It even snows inside! Admission, $22.50-$27.50. Reservations required. 260 S. Court St, Medina. Open daily except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. DETAILS A Christmas Story House With the new movie “A Christmas Story Christmas” available on HBOMax, it’s a great time to tour A Christmas Story House in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. While the house and related properties are for sale, the house and museum are still open for tours. Visitors will see original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film. Overnight stays are available in the house. Tickets $11 to $15. 3159 W 11th St., Cleveland. Daily. DETAILS Cleveland Botanical Garden – Twinkle in the 216 Twinkle in the 216 will celebrate the historic character of Cleveland’s neighborhoods as they sparkle and shine. There will be festive plants, trees, decorations, events, a gingerbread house competition and much more throughout the holidays. Members free. Non-members $19/adult, $13/child, 2 and under free.11030 East Blvd, Cleveland. Through December. DETAILS Magic of Lights at Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds This dazzling drive-through experience returns once again, this time with the theme “Prehistoric Christmas” as life-sized displays of dinosaurs fill the county fairgrounds. Tickets, $23-$35 per carload. 19201 Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights. 5:30-10 p.m. through Jan. 1. DETAILS Deck the Halls at Stan Hywet Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is decking the halls for the holidays. Each year the estate is tastefully adorned, inside and out. Rooms are decorated with holiday themes while more than 1.2 million lights line pathways, trees and the grounds. This year’s theme is “Gracious Gatherings.” DETAILS Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience Journey through secret tunnels and passageways on your way to Mr. Kringle’s secret toy lab where you’ll invent your own unique toy to present to Santa himself. The magical, interactive experience, held at Tower City Center, culminates in a private visit with Mr. Kringle. Tickets start at $34. 230 W. Huron Rd., Cleveland. Through Dec. 24. DETAILS Impressionism to Modernism: The Keithley Collection
This special exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art showcases Joseph and Nancy Keithley’s 2020 gift to the museum: a collection of more than 100 works of art worth more than $100 million. The pieces include five paintings by Pierre Bonnard; four each by Maurice Denis and Édouard Vuillard; and individual works by Henri-Edmond Cross, Vilhelm Hammershøi, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Camille Pissarro, Nicolas de Stael, and Andrew Wyeth. Tickets, $12-$15. Free for museum members. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through Jan. 8, 2023. DETAILS Looking for more things to do this week in Greater Cleveland?Cleveland.com's Joey Morona has your guide. READ MORE |
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FOOD & DINING Nouveau Bistro and Lounge For a small holiday party, the private dining room at Nouveau Bistro and Lounge in Concord Township easily fits up to 12 people. Call ahead to reserve the space at 7590 Fredle Drive, Concord. A variety of well-executed, familiar dishes are worthy of a celebration. Choices include chicken carbonara, rack of lamb, filet, salmon, pork chop and more. Executive Chef Sean St. Clair and his wife Allision have owned the restaurant since 2014. DETAILS Hoist a pint and have a beer at Immigrant Son Brewery If you enjoy checking out breweries, put Immigrant Son in Lakewood on your list. The brewery has won awards, holds beer dinners (one is coming up Dec. 21), has a full menu (classic and Hungarian dishes) and has a cool space at 18120 Sloane Avenue. And amazingly it’s only a year old. Hours: 3 to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 3 to 11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. DETAILS Enjoy tapas and a drink at Salt+ The duo behind Salt+ - Jessica Parkison and Jill Vedaa - offers ambitious takes on a variety of culinary approaches - from vegetables to fish, meat and other dishes. We’ve been thinking a lot about Salt+ with the news that its owners will be taking over Felice Urban Café and are expanding to Cleveland’s Gordon Square neighborhood as well. Salt+ is at 17625 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Hours: 5-9 p.m. Sunday; 5-10 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. (Bar-only happy hour is 5-6:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday. DETAILS Element 41 Element 41 restaurant, 141 Main Street, Chardon, is a festive spot for a pre-holiday meal. The Fish Fry -- beer-battered hake with Old Bay crumbs is served with hand-cut French fries, house-made coleslaw, and Chef Paul's signature remoulade – is a must-try. The Ohio grass-fed beef burger with hickory-smoked garlic mayo, Arcadian greens, Roma tomatoes and pickles, on a brioche bun makes a satisfying lunch. When the meal is over, visitors can and should walk across the street to stroll Chardon Square and enjoy holiday decorations. The views are even better at night and when the square is snow-covered. DETAILS |
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TV & MOVIES ‘Emancipation’
Will Smith's comeback campaign is in full swing thanks to the new Antoine Fuqua movie "Emancipation," which begins streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, Dec. 9. The film follows the escape of an enslaved man, Peter (Smith), from a Louisiana plantation during the Civil War. In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle writes that the film is "something distinct from many recent big-screen treatments of slavery and also more shallow. Fuqua's film is often harrowing and gripping but also less nuanced and too narrowly confined in genre conventions than its real-life protagonist deserves." DETAILS
‘Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio’
"Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio" is a dream almost 15 years in the making for the Oscar-winning filmmaker, who first announced his plans to make an adaptation of Carlo Collodi's story in 2008. After many years of false starts, Netflix helped del Toro realize his vision, with beautifully intricate stop-motion puppets and voice actors like David Bradley (Geppetto) and Ewan McGregor (Sebastian J. Cricket). He's set the story in Italy between the two world wars during the rise of fascism. The "Pan's Labyrinth" filmmaker told Vanity Fair that though the film is challenging, he hopes it will appeal to all generations. "These are times that demand from kids a complexity that is tremendous," he said. Co-directed by Mark Gustafson, "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio" hits Netflix on Friday, Dec. 9. DETAILS
‘George & Tammy’
In the new TV series "George & Tammy," Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon play out the passionate but tumultuous relationship between country music stars Tammy Wynette and George Jones. The couple divorced in 1975 after six years together, but they remained a major influence in each other's lives. Chastain and Shannon also sing the artist's legendary songs in the series including Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today." The show premiered Sunday, Dec. 4 simultaneously on Showtime and the Paramount Network, and the remainder of the series will be available exclusively on Showtime. DETAILS
'Spoiler Alert' “The Big Sick” director Michael Showalter’s latest tearjerker is about a couple (played by Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge) whose blossoming relationship is altered forever when one of them is diagnosed with cancer. DETAILS ‘Something from Tiffany’s’
For a holiday-themed romantic comedy (with some earnestly blatant brand tie-ins), head over to Amazon Prime for "Something from Tiffany's," in which a jewelry mix-up sends two relationships into a spiral. Kendrick Sampson plays a man about to propose to his longtime girlfriend and Zoey Deutch plays a woman in a dead-end relationship who accidentally gets an engagement ring meant for someone else. This mishap is an elaborate set-up that gets Sampson and Deutch to meet. Directed by Daryl Wein and produced by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine, "Something from Tiffany's" starts streaming Friday, Dec. 9. DETAILS
‘Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?’
Broadway star Idina Menzel opens up about her career and her life in the documentary "Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?" Menzel has starred in "Rent" and "Wicked" as well as created the legendary voice of Elsa in Disney's "Frozen." Cameras follow Menzel on a national tour over the course of 16 shows as she juggles the challenges of being a working mom with a grueling travel schedule, all while preparing finally to realize her dream of singing at Madison Square Garden in her hometown of New York City. Join her Friday, Dec. 9 on Disney+. DETAILS
‘Little America’
Season two of the heartwarming "Little America" debuts on Apple TV+. on Friday, Dec. 9. Created by Academy Award winner Siân Heder, actor Kumail Nanjiani, and Emmy-nominee Lee Eisenberg ("The Office," "WeCrashed,") the scripted anthology series tells the unique stories of immigrants in the United States who are trying to achieve their dream. New episodes include stories of a Somali chef preparing for the Minnesota State Fair; a Korean medical student whose passion is hat design and a Japanese woman in Ohio trying to form a women's baseball team. DETAILS |
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Dave Koz and Friends at Playhouse Square Nine-time Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist Dave Koz brings his 25th anniversary Christmas tour to the Connor Palace for a show that features special guests Rick Braun, Peter White, Keiko Matsui and Rebecca Jade. Tickets, $45-$85. 1615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. 7:30 p.m., Dec. 11. DETAILS Foals at the Agora These British rockers come to Cleveland in support of their seventh studio album, “Life Is Yours,” which hit the top five in the U.K. earlier this year. Inner Wave and Glove are the opening acts. Tickets, $35-$60. 5000 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. 7:30 p.m., Dec. 11. DETAILS Rock the Halls at House of Blues Billed as a female-fronted fundraiser to benefit reproductive freedom, this concert features performances by Envoi, Hello Luna, TRUSS, Grumpy Plum, Detention, Lilieae, Mr. Princess and Solon. Tickets, $15. 308 Euclid Ave, Cleveland. 5 p.m., Dec. 9. DETAILS Nikki Lane at Beachland Ballroom Country/rock singer-songwriter Nikki Lane takes the Beachland Ballroom stage to perform music from her first four albums including the latest, “Denim & Diamonds.” Jaime Wyatt opens. Tickets, $20-$25. 15711 Waterloo Rd., Cleveland. 8 p.m., Dec. 9. DETAILS iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour
Can't get to New York but still want to hear chart-toppers? Join the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden concert on Friday, Dec. 9 with Dua Lipa, Lizzo, The Kid Laroi, Backstreet Boys, Charlie Puth, AJR, Demi Lovato, Lauv, Ava Max, Dove Cameron and Jax. The concert will be carried live across the country on all iHeartRadio CHRstations and will livestream exclusively via The CW App and CWTV.com. Not happy with just listening? There's also an exclusive IMAX Live presentation in IMAX theatres nationwide for the first time. DETAILS
Want more concert & music picks? Cleveland.com's weekly virtual concert guide is HERE Cleveland.com's weekly new music guide is HERE |
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