12.14-12.21.16
“Heroes”
True American heroes show courage, speak truth to power, and exhibit American values. Ohio’s John Glenn had it, and so do the folks below.Co-SlamMaster Kisha Nicole Foster is hosting a new poetry slam for The People. PetFix is expanding to rescue more pets. Lake Erie Ink welcomes kids on their playground, then inside for creative playtime, while Jon Thibo crafts gingerbread houses. Holiday traditions are explored at CMNH, and CMT alum Natalie Weiss hosts a three-day workshop at Tri-C. Be a CoolNEIGHBORHOOD hero with CoolCleveland swag and a listing on our site and free mobile apps.
Ryan Humbert is a musical chameleon and hero, raising money for charity with his 8th Holiday Extravaganza at the Akron Civic. David Bowie was the original chameleon hero, and we’re honoring him at the BOP STOP in January, and tix are going fast. The show would make a great gift for your favorite hero or heroine. Just for a day. –Thomas Mulready
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Photo by Elisa Vietri
CoolCleveland is dedicated to George Nemeth
Ohio’s John Glenn, who died December 8 at the age of 95, is fondly remembered by millions, both for his stint as an astronaut during which he was the first American to orbit the Earth and for his tenure as a U.S. Senator from 1975-1999. He even made an unsuccessful run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984.
He will lie in state at the Statehouse Fri 12/16; a memorial will take place Sat 12/17 at OSU’s Mershon Auditorium. Clevelanders can pay tribute at a temporary memorial at the Great Lakes Science Center/NASA Glenn Visitors Center through Sun 12/18.
Akron’s Ryan Humbert is a musical chameleon and an instigator. He performs in many formats and organizes special-event shows, including his annual Christmas benefit extravaganza at the Akron Civic. It’s different each year, and he says this year it will be more intimate and focused on Christmas-related music.
Humbert tells reporter John Benson about the genesis of the holiday shows and what to expect this year, and fills him in on his new pet project, the traditional country band Shooter Sharp & the Shootouts. Thu 12/15 & Fri 12/16.
Celebrating his birth and death dates, this acclaimed presentation on David Bowie’s life and music, featuring rare video, needle drops, archival photos and insider secrets by CoolCleveland’s Thomas Mulready on Fri 1/13/17 and Sat 1/14/17 at the BOP STOP, now in two sessions, presented back-to-back. Tickets are selling briskly.
Part 1 begins with his half-dozen failed attempts at stardom in the 1960’s to worldwide “Fame” with Young Americans, during which Bowie bottoms out, as the excesses of mid-1970’s stardom threaten to engulf him. Part 2 covers his Mid- to Late-Period, from “The Berlin Trilogy” through Let’s Dance to his mysteriously choreographed death and his final recordings. Tickets are now on sale. Last year’s shows sold out four times.
A new poetry slam open mic called The People is taking shape. Debuting at the Happy Dog at the Euclid Tavern this week, it will give poets a chance to perform their work and compete against other performance poets. It’s a revival of the poetry slam tradition in Cleveland, which has been dormant for the last five years.
Co-SlamMaster Kisha Nicole Foster (pictured) shared with CoolCleveland some of the history of Cleveland poetry slams, how this new event got off the ground and what the organizers are hoping grows out of it. Thu 12/15.
After he retired, Fairview Park’s Jon Thibo was looking for something interesting to do. He hit upon turning his family tradition of making gingerbread houses into a business. Now he sells houses and kits at area shops and bazaars like the Cleveland Flea, and makes display houses for events like Glow at the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
He’ll also provide a gingerbread display and edible ornaments for kids to decorate for “Santa Comes to Mitchell’s Ice Cream” in Ohio City. Thibo tells writer Cynthia Schuster Eakin how all of this came about. Sat 12/17.
The Cleveland Music Theatre program was founded to present professional music theater, but just as important to provide aspiring performers with opportunities to learn from established local and national artists in intensive workshops that cover the gamut of things a working professional needs to know.
This weekend, Natalie Weiss, who competed on American Idol and appeared in Wicked and Les Miserables, will be one of the teachers at a three-day workshop at Tri-C East. She’ll also perform at the Music Box on Sun 12/18 with three CMT alumni. Fri 12/16-Sun 12/18.
SPONSORED: Crafting for a good cause! Grab your knitting needles, crochet hooks or sewing machine and start crafting to help our neighbors in need stay warm this winter. All donated items will be distributed to local charities. CPL.org
Be a marketing hero in 2017 Consider CoolCleveland Sponsored Links, Sponsored Features and Sponsored Videos. Info@CoolCleveland.com
If you own a local shop, restaurant or attraction that’s listed in one of our free CoolNEIGHBORHOODS, either in the ShopLOCAL or SUSTENANCE areas, you’re eligible to receive a free window cling, a sticker, and as many Favicards as you can hand out to your customers.
On the other hand, maybe your local business should be included on CoolCleveland, in which case, feel free to get in touch. We’d love to tell the world about you during the all-important upcoming holiday season! Details.
Since 2004, the Euclid-based nonprofit PetFix has been working with animal rescue groups, feral cat colony caretakers and pet owners to provide low-cost neuter and spay services to help reduce overpopulation and the number of animals euthanized.
The organization has just received a grant from the ASPCA to expand its capacity and help more pets. Can greater Cleveland join other cities, such as San Francisco and Austin, in becoming a no-kill area, where no healthy animals are put down? Let’s try!
If you’re tired of the kids hanging around the house during the winter break begging for things to do or don’t want them spending ten hours a day playing video games, ship them over to Lake Erie Ink in Cleveland Heights where the Hot + Cold Creative Play Days give them a chance to run around the playground with other kids and then come inside and take part in creative art and writing projects. Tue 12/20 & Thu 12/22.
Click here for more CoolCleveland Kids events
Now you can fight your own hunger and the hunger crisis in our community with one trip to Melt Bar and Grilled this December. All month, Melt invites you to enjoy your meal, then round up your bill, donating the spare change to the Cleveland, Columbus and Akron Food Banks.
Not only that, Melt will match your donation, doubling the impact of your charitable inclinations and helping those in need twice as much! Look for the Melt Charity Pig at their Independence location or talk with your server about rounding up at any Melt location.
You’ve got until Sun 1/8/17 to see Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture, now on view at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, exploring why national cuisines develop as they do.The museum has been enhancing the exhibition with regular weekend cooking demonstrations. This week’s are devoted to holiday traditions. Saturday, learn about making the gingerbread that’s the basis of everything from cookies to elaborate edible villages; Sunday’s demo is devoted to Jewish cuisine, just in time for Hanukkah. Sat 12/17 & Sun 12/18.
Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Eats and Drinks.
Dan Wenninger and Mike Sopko must have found a lot of coal in their stockings because when it comes to Christmas music, they have an impulse towards destruction. Featuring many of Cleveland’s finest free improvising musicians, Broken Ornaments is a Christmas concert with dear old holiday favorites with exotic flair, in the styles of Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, Bill Frisell and other obscure musicians.
CoolCleveland’s Stephan Haluska caught up with them at Wenninger’s amusingly decorated studio to talk about the upcoming holiday show at the BOP STOP. Tue 12/28.
SPONSORED: The Kent Stage with Marcus King Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Dale & Ray, Sara Watkins, Taylor Hicks, Al DiMeola, Beth Hart, The Smithereens & The Motels, Norm Pikelny, Morgan James, Richard Thompson, plus more. TheKentStage.com.
DJ Kisha and his fake beard have been hosting the monthly Polka Happy Hour at the Happy Dog for over a decade. His annual “How the Kishka Saved Christmas” show brings down the curtain. Don’t worry – he’ll still be back for Dyngus Day. Fri 12/16
Read more picks by Anastasia Pantsios here
Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Cool Events.
WED 12/14
Never have we needed cross-cultural understanding so much! Come down to the Global Center for Health Innovation for a party that showcases foods, handicrafts, performances and holiday traditions from around the world.
Click here for more events on Wed 12/14
THU 12/15
Friends of the Big Creek Watershed works to conserve one of our region’s natural ecosystems. Meet some of these activists, learn what they do and find out how to join them at their annual holiday party at Buckeye Brewing.
Click here for more events on Thu 12/15
FRI 12/16
The peripatetic monthly Creative Mornings Cleveland program takes place at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum this month. What’s the topic? Sound! Freelance writer Annie Zaleski will talk about – what else? – music.
Click here for more events on Fri 12/16
SAT 12/17
One of several last-minute shopping opportunities this weekend is the “Weihnachtsmarkt” at the Screw Factory. Don’t be intimidated. It’a just the resident and some guest artists spreading out their wares – art, wearables, edibles and more – for your browsing pleasure.
Click here for more events on Sat 12/17
SUN 12/18
Not much time left to shop. Coventry Village is offering on more chance at its Jingle Bell Shop at the Grog Shop and B-Side. There’ll be music, food and offerings from the local merchants and handmade items from local artisans, all conveniently set up in one place so you don’t have to brave the cold.
Click here for more events on Sun 12/18
MON 12/19
On a quiet Monday, work up some holiday cheer by heading down to Little Italy, and joining in the all-are-welcome party at La Dolce Vita. Wear something festive, order some pasta and a bottle of wine, and sit back and enjoy the sounds of the professional opera singers who will be doing informal performances. Everyone leaves with new friends.
Click here for more events on Mon 12/19
TUE 12/20
Still need a few gifts, some special things for your holiday meal and or hostess gift for that open house? The LEAF Community in Lakewood is hosting a holiday market (indoors!) featuring goods from local artisans and food producers, as well as locally grown seasonal produce.
Click here for more events on Tue 12/20
WED 12/21
Tonight is the Winter Solstice. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s monthly adult party Think and Drink With the Extinct will offer activities and demos relating to nature in mid-winter. Wine and food will be available for warmth, and the gift shop will be open to pick up last-minute stocking stuffers.
Click here for more events on Wed 12/21
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
With the rise of new civil rights organizations such as Black Lives Matter, young blacks are less inclined to merely continue to suffer in silence and some have told me they are getting ready to fire back indiscriminately at police officers, or at least thinking about it strongly….
Read other stories from Mansfield Frazier here
A look back at the last week
Submit your own review or commentary to Events@CoolCleveland.com
THEATER REVIEW: Cabaret @Blank Canvas Theatre by Roy Berko
THEATER REVIEW: Cabaret @Blank Canvas Theatre by Kevin Kelly
MUSIC REVIEW: Alan Cumming @PlayhouseSquare by Roy Berko
THEATER REVIEW: Clybourne Park @PlayhouseSquare by Roy Berko
Read and comment here: http://www.coolcleveland.com/blog
Most clicked
Here are the Top 5 most clicked links from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.
1) MANSFIELD: Lies That Will Keep Democrats From Winning
2) Cuyahoga Arts & Culture Walks Back on Changes to Artist Fellowships – For Now
3) MANSFIELD: How to ‘Control’ the President-Elect
4) Generation Give: How Altruistic Are They?
5) Cleveland Bazaar Holiday – Not Elves – Fills 78th Street Studios with Last-Minute Gift Ideas
You are my hero,
–Thomas Mulready
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