John Mayer in concert, Cleveland International Film Festival, FanExpo 2023, Irish Tenors, Kiefer Sutherland in 'Rabbit Hole' & more

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Entertainment | Music | Events

THIS WEEK'S TOP PICKS

John Mayer

Singer-songwriter John Mayer brings his solo acoustic tour to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday. Mayer’s first acoustic tour finds him playing many of his beloved tunes including “Your Body Is A Wonderland”, unplugged style on various acoustic guitars and piano. The set lists have also included some covers songs by The Grateful Dead and Tom Petty. Tickets for the show start at $49 and are available now at Ticketmaster. 8 p.m., Saturday, March 25. 1 Center Court, Cleveland. DETAILS

Fan Expo Cleveland 2023

FAN EXPO Cleveland 2023 (formerly Wizard World) opens at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland on Friday. People from all walks of life celebrate the best pop culture characters and costumes all weekend long. Celebrity appearances by Christopher Lloyd, Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Carl Weathers, Oscar Nunez, Kate Flannery, Leslia David Baker and more. Tickets $37 to $119. March 24-26. 1 St. Clair Avenue NE, Cleveland. DETAILS

‘As You Like It’

Great Lakes Theater opens William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” Friday at Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theater. Tickets $25 to $75. March 24 through April 6. 1501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. DETAILS

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Houston Rockets

Watch the Cavaliers play the Rockets on Cleveland Kids Night. Ticket prices vary. 6 p.m., March 26. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland. DETAILS

The Irish Tenors 25th Anniversary Tour

The Irish Tenors bring their enchanting Irish repertoire to the Connor Palace at Playhouse Square and perform with The Cleveland Pops Orchestra. Tickets $49-$99. 7:30 p.m., March 24. 1501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. DETAILS

Cleveland Pops Orchestra plays tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel

The Jeans n’ Classics ensemble of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra pays tribute to musical giants Elton John and Billy Joel. Tickets start at $31. Mandel Concert Hall, Severance Music Center, 11001 Euclid Ave, Cleveland. DETAILS

Flanagan’s Wake at Kennedy’s Cabaret

Centered on an Irish funeral, “Flanagan’s Wake” doesn’t sound like an inherently humorous play. But the interactive performance, which has taken place in Cleveland regularly since 1996, relies on audience-interactive improv, usually producing hilarious results. Tickets, $29. 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Through April 29. DETAILS

Cleveland International Film Festival

The 47th Cleveland International Film Festival opened this week with 121 features and 199 shorts from 67 countries. All film screenings are in Playhouse Square. CIFF is is partnering with the Odesa International Film Festival for a special focus on Ukrainian films. Tickets up to $25. Through April 1. Playhouse Square, 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. DETAILS

‘The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England’

Political insecurity hovers like an executioner’s blade over the Cleveland Museum of Art’s entertaining and timely exhibition on the Tudor reign in Renaissance England. If you loved The Crown and can’t get enough news about the royals, this show is for you. “The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England,’’ co-organized by the Cleveland museum with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, opened on February 26 and is on view through May 14. With more than 90 objects from museums across Europe and the U.S., the exhibition is the first in the U.S. to address the evolution of the visual arts under the Tudors. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Timed tickets are free for members; $15 for adult nonmembers. DETAILS

‘Noises Off’

Go behind the scenes in n the backstage farce, “Noises Off,” a hilarious play within a play at the Beck Center for the Arts. Tickets $25 to $75. March 24 through April 16. 17801 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood. DETAILS

‘Pride and Prejudice’

A streamlined theatrical version of Jane Austen’s classic novel “Pride and Prejudice” is being presented this weekend only at Akron Civic Theater. Tickets are $20. 7:30 p.m., March 24-26. 182 South Main Street (King James Way), Akron. DETAILS

Magic and Mentalism at Metropolitan Hotel at The 9

Jason and Stacy Alan combine their skills to deliver an evening magic and mentalism for two shows at the Metropolitan Hotel at The 9. The show is at the 68-seat The Alex Theater on the second floor of The 9. Tickets are $45 and up. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., March 25. Metropolitan Hotel at The 9, 2017 East 9th Street, Cleveland. DETAILS

Cleveland Monsters vs. Toronto Marlies

See the Cleveland Monsters take the ice against the Toronto Marlies, Friday, March 24. 7 p.m., March 24. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland. DETAILS

Bella Sin celebrates 20th anniversary in burlesque

Bella Sin celebrates their 20th burlesque anniversary at The Beachland Ballroom & Tavern on March 25. The show includes Ruby Rabbit, Riley Poppyseed, Erica Martinez, Ariyah Fuego Lakota Shekar. Tickets are $20 online, $25 at the door. Doors open 7:30, show starts 8:30 p.m., March 25. Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, 15711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland. DETAILS

Best of Cleveland comedy

Mike Polk Jr. and crew present a mix of Cleveland’s best stand-ups, sketches, music, and Cleveland sports references at Pickwick & Frolic Restaurant and Club. Tickets $25. 9:45 p.m., March 24. 2035 E. 4th Street, Cleveland. DETAILS

Kyle Jean-Baptiste Benefit Concert

Students from Baldwin Wallace University’s renowned music theatre department will present songs from all genres that are meaningful to them during a benefit concert for Kyle Jean-Baptiste (1993-2015). Jean-Baptiste, ‘15, was the youngest and the first Black actor, to play the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables on Broadway. He passed away in 2015. Tickets $15 to benefit the Kyle Jean-Baptiste Scholarship Fund. 7 p.m., March 23. Beaumont School, Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights. DETAILS

'Into America’s Wild' opens at Great Lakes Science Center

Join astronaut John Herrington, Alaskan pilot Ariel Tweto, and long-distance hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis on a cross-country adventure spotlighting North America’s natural treasures in the film “Into America’s Wild.” The 40-minute movie opens at the Great Lakes Science Center’s DOME theater March 24 and runs through April 30. Tickets $10.95 adults, $8.95 youth, seniors. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. 601 Erieside Ave, Cleveland. DETAILS

Cleveland Botanical Garden hosts cactus and succulent show

The Midwest Cactus and Succulent Society is holding a show and sale at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. The sale is cash and checks only. Cost included with admission. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 25, noon to 5 p.m., March 26. 11030 East Blvd, Cleveland. DETAILS

'Motorcyclists of the Seventies'

Thirteen life-sized paintings –”Motorcyclists of the Seventies”—have joined the permanent motorcycle exhibit at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum. Tickets are $8 through $15. Museum is open Thursday through Sunday. 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland. DETAILS

Egg-stra Egg Hunt at Akron Zoo

The zoo is hosting a wild egg hunt, for youngsters. All egg-hunters will receive a bag of goodies following their egg hunt. Egg hunters will be grouped by age. Admission, plus $18 for egg hunter. 9:30 to 11 a.m., March 24-25, April 1-2, April 8. 505 Euclid Ave., Akron. DETAILS

Mahall’s Spring Vintage Bazaar

Fanciful Fawn Vintage & Hannah_Unlost offer an exciting vintage shopping experience on every floor of Mahall’s. What’s old is new. Free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 25. 13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood. DETAILS

The Other Place at Dobama Theatre

Cleveland’s Off-Broadway theater’s new drama will keep you guessing as it follows a neurologist as she escapes to her family’s old cottage and deals with disorienting health conditions and family issues. Tickets, $15-$41. 2340 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, through April 2. DETAILS

Disney Animation: Immersive Experience

Feel the magic when you step inside some of your favorite animated Disney films. This one-of-a-kind experience at Lighthouse ArtSpace gives you a front-row seat at Simba’s presentation ceremony, sends you on a magic carpet ride with Aladdin and transports you to snowy Arendelle for a song by Elsa. Tickets start at $36. 850 E. 72nd St., Cleveland. Through May 29. DETAILS

FOOD & DINING

Little Birdie Wine Nest

Don’t be fooled by its name, Little Birdie Wine Nest, 6060 Broadview Road, Parma, is home Morning Owl Coffee Bar. Gather with family, friends or casual business associates at a booth or table. Enjoy decadent brunch boards, coffee drinks and complimentary Wi-Fi. Day off? Try the signature mimosa flight. The location is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. DETAILS

‘Dine Drink CLE’ newsletter offers lively guide to restaurant, bar scenes

Get the latest news about Cleveland’s restaurant and bar scene in the new weekly "Dine Drink CLE" newsletter. With the latest on openings, closings, tastings and other events, plus recommendations, features and guides from our team of writers and critics. SUBSCRIBE

Take off at The Aviator near the airport

We’ve been thinking of The Aviator recently since the restaurant announced a tasting with Duckhorn Family Vineyards. Remember the old 100th Bomb Group? The Aviator moved in with a cool event center and a restaurant-pub with some of the best smash burgers around. There are worse ways to spend the day than sipping a drink and staring at the planes swooshing by on the runway at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The Aviator is at 20920 Brookpark Road, Cleveland. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Happy hour is 3 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. DETAILS

Fish fry guide 2023: 80-plus places to go in Greater Cleveland

If you’ve been craving a fish fry, Northeast Ohio is the place to be this time of year. Our weekly guide continues today and will be updated throughout Lent. The guide is for non-profit organizations only – churches, schools, scouts, VFW and other groups. It’s in alphabetical order by city. The last line of each entry is “fry time” so you can see the times, days and dates for the dinners. Note: Some places are not holding fish frys on Friday, March 17, which is St. Patrick’s Day. So plan accordingly. Good Friday is April 7. Easter is Sunday, April 9. READ MORE

TV & MOVIES

'Succession'

HBO’s prestige drama “Succession” returns for its fourth and, turns out, final season on Sunday, March 26. The premiere episode, with the intriguing title of “The Munsters,” airs on HBO and streams on HBO Max at 9 p.m. The series tells the story of the Roy family, the dysfunctional billionaire owners of Waystar Royco, a media conglomerate not unlike Disney if Disney owned Fox News. At the top of the food chain is Logan Roy (Brian Cox), a ruthless businessman, master manipulator and generally cantankerous old fart who seems to enjoy dangling control of the company like a carrot in front of his children. Get caught up on ‘Succession’ in this quick primer from cleveland.com's Joey Morona. READ MORE

‘A Good Person’

Writer-director Zach Braff takes on a host of big picture issues, from grief and loss to trauma to the opioid crisis, in "A Good Person," by far his best and most realized film to date. It helps that it hangs on the shoulders of two considerably gifted actors, Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman, who find the emotional truths in Braff's screenplay. But Braff takes care of the rest, grounding the drama in a recognizable version of reality and keeping the overbaked melodrama, for the most part, to a minimum. Now playing in area theaters. DETAILS

‘Rabbit Hole ‘

Kiefer Sutherland is back with another high-stakes TV drama in "Rabbit Hole" for Paramount+. He plays John Weir, a corporate spy skilled in the art of deception – until he finds the rug pulled out from underneath him and he is framed for murder. Weir goes from having total control to none, and unsure of who can be trusted. "Rabbit Hole" premiered with two episodes this week. DETAILS

'John Wick: Chapter 4'

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) finds a path to defeating the High Table and gaining his freedom, but must first face a new enemy and a few old friends. Now playing in area theaters. DETAILS

‘The Night Agent’

Fans of shows including "Jack Ryan" and "The Recruit," about low-level government agency workers who get pulled into danger and secret missions, should check out "The Night Agent" on Netflix. It follows an FBI agent tasked with manning an overnight emergency phone that surprisingly rings during one of his shifts. A desperate civilian is on the other end of the call and together, they find themselves embroiled in a major government conspiracy. The series stars Gabriel Russo and Luciane Buchanan and is based on the novel by Matthew Quirk. "The Night Agent" debuts Thursday. DETAILS

‘Up Here ‘

Mae Whitman, best-known for her roles in "Parenthood" and "Good Girls," demonstrates she can also sing in her new rom-com series "Up Here" for Hulu. Set in 1999 in New York, Whitman plays Lindsay who falls for Miguel — played by Carlos Valdes ("The Flash" and "Gaslit") — and the will-they, won't-they find a happily ever after ensues. The series boasts some major behind-the-scenes musical talent. EGOT winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, behind that little animated film that could "Frozen," are co-executive producers and wrote the show's original music. The show has a whimsical, "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist"-vibe, plus there are fun late-'90s references including Y2K. All eight-episodes drop Friday, the same day the soundtrack lands. DETAILS

‘All the Beauty and the Bloodshed’

The Oscar-nominated "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" was one of the high points in documentary in the past year. In it, Laura Poitras chronicles the pioneering photographer Nan Goldin, juxtaposing an intimate survey of her groundbreaking work in 1970s and 1980s New York and her contemporary crusade against the Sackler family, owners of the Oxycontin-maker Purdue Pharma. Goldin, who has herself wrestled with addiction, led the campaign to eradicate the Sackler name from many of the world's top museums. Though the film didn't win at the Oscars — something Goldin has said she was surprised to find she wanted — it took the top prize of the Venice Film Festival. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called the film" a "holistic portrait of an artist's battle cry." After debuting Sunday, March 19, "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" is available to stream on HBO Max. DETAILS

‘Top Gun: Maverick’

"Top Gun: Maverick" did come away with an Academy Award, for best sound. But one of the biggest box office hits of the year otherwise struck out at the Oscars. After an uncommonly long run in theaters, a lucrative stop on video on demand and a streaming launch on Paramount+, "Top Gun Maverick" arrives on a larger streaming platform Friday, March 24, when it touches down on Amazon's Prime Video. In his review, AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy called "Maverick" "a textbook example of how to make a sequel." DETAILS

Buster Keaton

This month, the Criterion Channel has been paying tribute to the greatest comic artist of the 20th century: Buster Keaton. With five features and more than a dozen shorts, the series is an unbeatable feast. You can't go wrong but a few highlights: Keaton's glorious Olympic finale in "College"; his deft ladder balancing act in "Cops"; and his escape, through a high window, from an angry police chief-slash-furious-father in "The Goat." With apologies to Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, nobody did it better. DETAILS

MUSIC

Lana Del Rey

— Fans of Lana Del Rey got two albums in 2021 — "Chemtrails Over the Country Club" and Blue Banisters" but nothing full-length in 2022. Now she's got "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd" set to drop Friday. One of the singles, "A&W," offers a glimpse at the sing-songwriter's bleak poetry: "Puts the shower on while he calls me/Slips out the back door to talk to me/I'm invisible, look how you hold me/I'm a ghost now." The album features Jack Antonoff, Father John Misty, Jon Batiste and more. DETAILS

Sammy DeLeon Latin Jazz Sextet

Celebrate Spring with the Sammy DeLeon Latin Jazz Group at Market Garden Brewery. Tickets $15. 8 p.m., March 24. 1947 W. 25th St., Cleveland. DETAILS

Rock Hall Record Swap

The Rock Hall Record Swap will include more than 20 different vendors. A cash bar will be open. Swap admission is free. Museum tickets are regular price. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 25. 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., Cleveland. DETAILS

Key Glock at House of Blues

Memphis rapper Key Glock performs at House Of Blues on March 23. Use promo code 1114RK15 for 15 percent off online ticketing. 8 p.m., March 23. House of Blues, E. 4th Street, Cleveland. DETAILS

Ellie Goulding

Back in 1984, Phil Collins and Philip Bailey had a hit with the song "Easy Lover." These days, UK pop star Ellie Goulding and Big Sean have a song with the same title that's just as infectiously fun, part of Goulding's 11-track album "Higher Than Heaven." The songs marry her ethereal voice to strong dance hooks, from the '80s-inspired "By the End of the Night" and "Just 4 You" to the modern pop of "Cure for Love." DETAILS

‘My Kind of Country ‘

Do you have what it takes to be a country music's next big star? Then tune into Apple TV+'s "My Kind of Country," in which Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton and Orville Peck search for talented amateur artists and invite them to Nashville, Tennessee, for a showcase. Reese Witherspoon and Kacey Musgraves also are featured in the series, set to premiere globally on Friday. DETAILS

6lack

6lack is 6ack! The Atlanta singer-songwriter and rapper known as 6lack — pronounced "black" — returns with "Since I Have a Lover," his first album in nearly five years. The title track is a airy, sweet ode to love with the lyrics: "Feel like a million bucks or somethin'/ Feel like we need to be up to somethin'/ Not tryna press my luck or nothin'/Don't wanna love you just for fun." The artist, raised in Zone 6 of Atlanta, has been doing a lot of collaborations since his last album, including Lil Tjay's "Calling My Phone" and more recently Jessie Reyez's "Forever." DETAILS

Want more concert & music picks?

Cleveland.com's weekly virtual concert guide is HERE

Cleveland.com's weekly new music guide is HERE

Entertainment | Music | Events

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