CLEVELAND ENTERTAINMENT

The Latest Music, Movies, TV, Dining, Events News & Reviews

The arrival of "The Wizard of Oz" in Cleveland on August 18, 1939, was billed as a major entertainment event. "At Last It's Here!" screamed a huge ad in The Plain Dealer. "Amazing sights to see!"

The Tornado: "Actual photographs of the inside of the tornado that whirled Dorothy to a land more excitingly real than life itself!"

Munchkinland: "A whole city in miniature populated entirely by hundreds of midgets gathered from 42 cities in 29 states!"

Flying Monkeys: "Most amazing camera effects since 'San Francisco'!"

Startling Balloon Ascent: "Up in the stratosphere! What lies beyond the stars? See the glistening Emerald City, the wonderful Palace of Glass!"

Clearly, despite the onslaught of exclamations, the point had not been made. There was additional information about a "Horse of a Different Color," "9,200 living actors," and "trees that talk and throw apples."

Personally, they had me at flying monkeys.

Continue reading "From "The Wizard of Oz" to "Gone with the Wind," 1939 may have been the greatest year ever for American films" »

After cracking the Top 10 with its hit "Don't Trust Me," electro-punk duo 3OH!3 - Sean Foreman and Nat Motte - is taking a victory lap via the Warped Tour. Motte gave us his undivided attention, more or less, during a phone interview last week from Los Angeles.

Q: The Warped Tour is rooted in punk. Is 3OH!3 a punk band, if not in sound, then in spirit?

A: For us, it's the latter.

Our goal is just to go out there and destroy and have fun. That's how we align ourselves with the punk-rock audience.

In 2007, we did just one Warped date in our hometown, Denver. Last year we went out for the whole thing. This year we're on the whole thing again.

It's just a fun atmosphere in general, and our music caters to that.

[pause] Sorry. There was a really hot girl walking down the street and I got distracted.

It's a fun live atmosphere and it means we get a lot of exposure and big crowds. It becomes a big party.

Continue reading "In concert or in the studio, fun is the goal for 3OH!3, performing July 9 at Cleveland's Time Warner Cable Amphitheater" »

LOS ANGELES -- Questions about Michael Jackson's use of prescription drugs are intensifying after a powerful sedative was found inside his home. The drug Diprivan, an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness, was found in Jackson's residence, a law enforcement official said Friday. Also known as Propofol, it's given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to comment about the matter. A Los Angeles Police spokesman, Lt. John Romero, declined to discuss the case. "It's an ongoing investigation," he said. The cause of Jackson's death has not been determined. Autopsy results are not expected for several weeks. Continue reading "Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson's home" »

Knowing

Nicolas Cage

Summit Entertainment

An MIT professor (Cage) pieces together clues from a mysterious string of numbers and realizes something really bad will happen soon. His conclusions sound crazy, but at least he admits it, which helps the film's believability factor. This gripping disaster flick stays suspenseful until the flat ending, making the whole numbers thing pointless. It made $79 million at U.S. theaters. PG-13, 121 minutes. Grade: B+. Extras: B. In stores Tuesday.

Continue reading "'Knowing,' 'Kath & Kim,' 'Lonely are the Brave': DVD releases for July 7" »

Jimmy Webb has numerous claims to fame, not the least of which is the fact that he's
the guy who, in "MacArthur Park," penned the eternally cryptic lyric: "Someone left the cake out in the rain."

Ever wondered exactly what he meant? Join the club.

"I can't tell you, because then I'd have to kill you," says the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, whose body of work also includes such timeless tunes as "Wichita Lineman" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix."

Fair enough. Nonetheless, Webb promises to regale concertgoers with behind-the-scenes tales from his 40-year career when he headlines an intimate solo gig Friday night at Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom.

"It's an evening of singing and playing the piano, with a lot of time to laugh at some of the crazier things that have happened to me along the way," he says, reached by phone at home in Bayville, N.Y.

"I'm saying to the audience, 'Come with me on this little journey, and I'll show you that music is universal.'

Continue reading "With Jimmy Webb headed to Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom for a solo concert July 10, the forecast calls for cake in the rain" »

The Wizard of Oz

Warner Bros. DVD (1939)

"Can we watch Tin Man movie again?" So asks my 2-year-old daughter -- about a film made before her grandmother was born -- almost nightly. I usually give in. After all, watching "Tin Man movie," which you may know as "The Wizard of Oz," is always a pleasure. Sure, I'd seen "Wizard" before, many times. But I hadn't really watched it in years. There's something to take your breath away, bring a grin to your face or a lump to your throat nonstop, from Judy Garland's aching "Over the Rainbow" or the moment Dorothy opens the house door onto the Technicolor world of Oz to the joyous Lullaby League and Lollipop Guild munchkin routines, the amazing Tin Man dance, the loving friendships of the gang, the scary monkeys and the heartfelt message about the joys of home. My personal favorite rediscovery: "The Optimistic Voices" sing-along of Depression-era radio voices after the friends wake up in the poppy fields. What is "The Wizard of Oz" really about? That, I still don't know. What I do know is, there's a new joy to be found in Tin Man movie every time.

LOS ANGELES -- City officials are scrambling over the holiday weekend to try to figure out how to accommodate a public memorial service for Michael Jackson at a venue that can hold no more than 20,000 people. The event has been set for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the downtown Staples Center, according to a statement from the Jackson family's publicist. Eleven thousand tickets will be distributed, the statement said. The service is expected to draw tens of thousands of spectators wanting to pay their respects to the King of Pop, who died June 25. How city officials will handle the massive crowd remains to be settled. Continue reading "LA braces for hordes of Michael Jackson mourners" »

"Dessert CAN make you happy"

-- Fortune cookie fortune from my dinner at Vieng's Asian Bistro

I swear I'm not making it up. That was the actual word-for-word fortune that came in the cookie at the end of our meal. To prove it, my lucky numbers are 22, 29, 43, 38, 26 20 and the Chinese word for milk is ni n i.

And, to prove that sometimes you can even get the good fortune before you get the fortune cookie, there's Vieng's Chocolate Lava Cake with Homemade Coconut Ice Cream ($8), a divinely decadent pairing of rich warm chocolate cake and softly frozen creamy coconut milk. It did make me very happy. As did the House Dessert ($9), batter-coated and fried-to-a-crisp sweet bananas. They contrasted delectably with a scoop of the same smooth coconut ice cream and a flourish of chocolate sauce for a little extra joy. In other words, you can clearly do worse than start with dessert at Vieng's.

Another reason to begin at the end is that it buys you some time to peruse the rest of the 11-page menu. You may feel a bit like Marco Polo on his first bewildering trip east as you navigate your way through scores of Chinese, Mongolian, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese specialties. But stay the course. The benefit of this beneficence is that there is definitely something for everyone who has a yen for Asian cuisine; from familiar takeout-style Chinese to more complex Thai and Vietnamese dishes, with a side trip to Japan for well-styled sushi and sashimi.

Continue reading "Exploring Vieng's sumptuous, stylish Asian world" »

At the time of his death, Michael Jackson was working on two new albums, a pop CD and an instrumental album of classical music, Billboard reported Thursday.

Akon, who was working with Jackson on the pop project, said Jackson was motivated by his three children, and by the ticket sales for his This Is It series of concerts that would have begun at London's O2 arena July 13.

"He said, 'My fans are still there. They still love me. They're alive,' " Akon told Billboard. "His kids are like his first priority, and they had never seen him perform live. He was trying to create the most incredible show for his kids."

Composer David Michael Frank had met with Jackson to work on the orchestrations for the classical-music project. Frank said he was impressed with the King of Pop's knowledge of that genre.

A few weeks ago, "He mentioned more instrumental music of his he wanted to record, including one jazz piece," Frank said. "I hope one day his family will decide to record this music as a tribute and show the world the depth of his artistry."

Continue reading "Michael Jackson was working on 2 new albums, report says; rehearsal footage may spawn movie; Jermaine Jackson speaks: The Morning After" »

Hot dog! It's a three-day weekend. And not any weekend -- the most American of all weekends, the Fourth of July holiday weekend. So in honor of our country's 233rd birthday, read on for some of the best joints to find The Best of that All-American Favorite, the Hot Dog. (Can't get enough dogs? Tune into ESPN at noon Saturday for the 2009 Hot Dog Eating Contest at Nathan's Famous on Coney Island to see if Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan, can take back his crown from San Jose, Calif.'s Joey Chestnut.)

Dan's Dogs, 111 W. Liberty St., Medina, 330-723-DOGS (3647): Top off a trip to Medina's quaint town square -- itself an all-American treasure -- with a dog at Dan's. This retro pink 1950s-style diner serves a dogalicious menu, from traditional eats like the foot-long Summer Slam to more exotic fare such as the Reuben Dog (with Thousand Island dressing), the Frito Bandito Dog (topped with Fritos) and the Zorba Dog (with cucumber and feta cheese).

Continue reading "Place to say hot dog! -- Best of Cleveland" »

The guests of honor Thursday night on Public Square were the hundred or so musicians of the Cleveland Orchestra and conductor Loras John Schissel, who convened once again to present their annual "Star-Spangled Spectacular" in celebration of Independence Day.

But for much of the afternoon and evening, the most significant player wasn't a human being, but rather the weather, which often seemed poised to spoil the popular concert and fireworks display on its 20th anniversary.

Yet while it rained several times and the wind reached bracing speeds, nothing Mother Nature had up her sleeve was enough to bring festivities to a halt. All she did was dampen attendance. A Cleveland police sergeant estimated the crowd at 40,000, about half the usual number.

Continue reading "Cleveland Orchestra's Star-Spangled Spectacular goes on despite rain" »

Make no attempt to categorize Josh Rzepka. He's a trumpet player, all right. But once you establish this obvious fact, it isn't wise to pigeonhole the 25-year-old musician. What's clear about the gifted Akron native is that he's determined to craft a career that blurs boundaries between classical and jazz. He's already made an audacious start. This summer (on his own dimes), he is recording compact discs in both genres, performing with jazz colleagues on one and as soloist in Baroque concertos on another.

"My main goal is to play good music with good musicians," the boyish trumpeter said recently. "Really, in every style there's good music -- music you connect with."

All of the tunes Rzepka is connecting with on his jazz album are by a composer named Rzepka. He wrote the nine songs he performs with pianist Jackie Warren, bassist Peter Dominguez and drummer Rob Godale. As if this feat weren't enough, Rzepka is also the producer of the recording, which was made at Suma Recording Studio in Painesville.

Trumpeter Josh Rzepka

Continue reading "Akron trumpeter Josh Rzepka takes on classical and jazz" »

"Mr. Hulot's Holiday"

Not rated. 90 minutes.

Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque kicks off its Cinema with a Smile series at 1:15 p.m. Sunday with a screening of the slapstick classic "Mr. Hulot's Holiday." It's an appropriate summer seaside respite directed by and starring Jacques Tati (in French with subtitles from 1953). Other gems coming in the next two months: "The Philadelphia Story," "His Girl Friday," and "Duck Soup." 11141 East Blvd. in University Circle. More info: cia.edu/cinematheque. -- Clint O'Connor

Continue reading "'Mr. Hulot's Holiday': Movie pick for July 5, plus Also Playing capsule reviews for July 3-9" »

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- As much as he enjoys singing about the double lives of computer geeks ("Online") and amorous country boys ("Ticks"), Brad Paisley says there's too much going on in the world to be too lighthearted on his new album, "American Saturday Night."

"I think this country has turned on a dime in a way that none of us foresaw coming a year ago," Paisley, whose sons are 2 years old and 2 months old, recently told The Associated Press. "I think all of that and the birth of a son and the bold new times we're living in ... it's hard to ignore."

Paisley, who co-wrote all 14 new songs, visits those serious themes more often than before, inspired by the historic election of Democratic President Barack Obama and the worldwide economic turmoil that's thrown many people onto hard times.

Continue reading "Brad Paisley: 'Hard to ignore' serious themes on new CD" »

NEW YORK (AP) -- So Katie Holmes thinks she can dance -- and in few weeks, she'll display her moves before a discriminating audience.

Nigel Lythgoe, who is the producer of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance," confirms the 30-year-old actress will perform for the reality contest's 100th episode, airing July 23.

Holmes will pay homage to Judy Garland. In a taped number, she'll sing and dance to the Garland classic "Get Happy."

Holmes' TV cameo is meant to promote the new foundation she launched with Lythgoe and "Dancing With the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

The nonprofit, called Dizzy Feet, aims to support dance education and programs, and talented dancers who can't afford training.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A TV station says the mother of Michael Jackson's two eldest children wants custody of them. KNBC in Los Angeles says in a report Thursday that Debbie Rowe intends to seek custody of 12-year-old Prince Michael and 11-year-old Paris Michael Katherine.

In a telephone interview that was not broadcast, Rowe also tells the station she plans to seek a restraining order to keep Jackson's father Joe away from the children. Michael Jackson's will named his mother Katherine Jackson as the guardian of his three children, including a child born to a surrogate mother.

Rowe says she would like to keep the children together, but the youngest is not hers. A guardianship hearing is scheduled Monday.

Calls by The Associated Press to Rowe's attorney Marta Almli were not immediately returned.

FOURTH OF JULY

DOWNTOWN FIREWORKS

Fireworks celebration is back. Happy 233rd, America.

Where: From the mouth of the Cuyahoga River.

When: Dusk, Saturday, July 4.

Cost: The show can be seen from far around for free. For $12, you can catch it from aboard the Steamship William G. Mather, 601 Erieside Ave., where a Rock and Boom evening will begin at 6 p.m.

Info: 216-566-1046.

FOURTH OF JULY

RIB, WHITE & BLUE FOOD FESTIVAL

Can't have the holiday without a barbecue -- a big one. You can almost smell those ribs now! There'll be vendors, games, rides and lots of music.

Where: Lock 3, 200 S. Main St., Akron.

When: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., followed by fireworks.

Cost: Free until 1 p.m., then $5 admission.

Info: Go to www.lock3live.com for details and music schedule.

FOURTH OF JULY

RED, WHITE & ZOO

The second annual event will include patriotic music, holiday-themed animal activities and $2 admission discounts for anyone wearing red, white or blue.

Where: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland.

When: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, July 4.

Cost: With discount, $8 ($5 for kids ages 2-11 and free for children under 2 and zoo members).

Info: clemetzoo.com/events or 216-661-6500.

GETTING OUT

MUSIC AT BLOSSOM

Gather a picnic and hear some music in the great outdoors.

Saturday, July 4: Blossom Festival Band, under direction of conductor Loras John Schissel, plays patriotic music at 8 p.m., ending with the "1812 Overture" and fireworks.

Sunday, July 5: The Cleveland Orchestra and guest soprano Angela Brown will perform Gershwin, Copland and Gould at 7 p.m.

Where: Blossom Music Center, 1145 W. Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls.

Cost: Tickets start at $19.

Info: 216-231-1111 or clevelandorchestra.com.

GETTING OUT

BOSTON MILLS ARTFEST

Snow trails have given way to art booths at Boston Mills Ski Resort, which hosts the final days of this year's massive artfest this weekend.

Where: 7100 Riverview Road, Peninsula.

When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, July 4 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, July 5.

Cost: $7.50 ($6 for students 13-21, $6 for seniors 60 and older, free for kids 12 and younger).

Info: bmbw.com..

GETTING OUT

ANTIQUE FESTIVAL AND CLASSIC CAR SHOW

Enjoy a drive about 90 minutes southwest of Cleveland and check out some antiques and great old cars.

Where: Central Park, Loudonville (southeast of Mansfield, southwest of Wooster and east of I-71).

When: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, July 4. Fireworks at dusk.

Cost: Free.

Info: For details and directions, see loudonville-mohican.com or call 419-994-4789.

GETTING OUT

PLAY BALL!

Going to a baseball game on the Fourth of July weekend should be required, don't you think?

Indians: Cleveland hosts the Oakland As at 7:05 tonight and 1:05 p.m. Sunday at Progressive Field downtown. Saturday, July 4 promo is a red, white and blue cap giveaway and fireworks. Sunday, July 5 is kids' fun day and Victor Martinez catcher's mitt giveaway. Ticket prices vary; call 216-420-4487 or go to indians.com.

Crushers: The debut season of the Lake Erie Crushers continues as the Florence Freedom come to Avon's All-Pro Freight Stadium for games at 7:05 Saturday July 4 and 5:05 p.m. Sunday, July 5. There's fireworks tonight and family day/kids run the bases Sunday. Call 440-934-3636 or go to lakeeriecrushers.com.

De La Soul at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the House of Blues tops this week's Just Announced shows. Read on for more new shows. All tickets on sale Saturday unless noted.

FRIDAY, JULY 10

Three Blue Lights, Joe Sumph. 10 p.m. Grog Shop. $10.

Kindred, N'dambi. 9 p.m. House of Blues. $24.50-$39.50, Four-packs available for $72.

Charlie Christopherson. 8 p.m. Nighttown. $10.

Juggalo Battle. 7 p.m. Peabody's. $8-$10.

The Kelly Richey Band, Motter Flynn. 9 p.m. Winchester Tavern & Music Hall. $12.

Continue reading "De La Soul tops this week's concert announcements" »

A hot item among DVD rentals is the horror film "The Cell 2." The director is Cleveland native Tim Iacofano, who has been at the helm of episodes for such series as "24," "Supernatural" and "CSI: NY."
Released about two weeks ago on DVD and Blu-Ray, "The Cell 2" stars Tessie Santiago, Chris Bruno and Frank Whaley. Despite the title, it is not a direct sequel to the 2000 horror film "The Cell," which starred Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn and Vincent D'Onofrio.
"The Cell 2" puts fear fans on the trail of a serial killer known as The Cusp. He flat-lines his victims, repeatedly reviving them until they beg for death. After escaping her tormentor, psychic investigator Maya Casteneda (Santiago), swears vengeance. More information on the Warner Bros. release is available at: warnerblu.warnerbros.com/#/title/1000041210/
A writer and director, Iacofano also has been a producer on several series, including "Profiler," "The Pretender," "Smallville," "Haunted" and "24."

Karl Malden, who died Wednesday at 97, became an actor in the theater. That's where he mesmerized audiences with his portrayal of workaday Mitch in the original 1947 Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire."

He became one of the screen's most durable and dependable supporting players in Hollywood. That's where he won the Oscar for the 1951 film version of "A Streetcar Named Desire."

But Malden--at the unlikely age of 60 -- became a top-billed star on television. That's where this actor known for his intelligence and painstaking preparation played veteran police detective Mike Stone for on ABC's "The Streets of San Francisco" (1972-77). It's also where he mentored a young actor named Michael Douglas.

On the big screen, Malden regularly lent heavy-duty support to heavyweight stars. Take a good look at his work as Mitch in "Streetcar" or as fearless Father Barry in "On the Waterfront" (1954) or as the villainous Sheriff Longworth in "One-eyed Jacks" (1961).

Continue reading "Karl Malden: Hollywood's great and dependable supporting actor" »

On the heels of a busy June, including a grueling bid for glory at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, North Ridgeville native Spencer Myer was back onstage Wednesday night, July 1, at Kent State University kicking off the Kent/Blossom Music series with the Miami String Quartet.

Yet if Myer were tired, it didn't show. If anything, the group's performances overflowed with energy, spilling at times into territory beyond wholehearted.

Balances were finest in the C-minor Piano Trio of Mendelssohn, whose 200th birthday the world is celebrating this year. Myer, cellist Keith Robinson and substitute violinist Benny Kim had strong chemistry and easily knocked the piece out of the park, in this case, Ludwig Recital Hall.

Continue reading "Miami String Quartet brings energy to Kent State University" »

MOO. After a week of stand-hopping in search of ice cream nirvana, I felt so rich in the belly that I thought I was a cow. Soft serve. Custard. Shakes. Malts. Cones. Then more malts.

I'm not an ice-creamaholic. I just love ice cream, because it tastes good and it reminds me of summer.

Admit it, you love it, too. So why not indulge yourself on a weeklong bender with this baker's dozen of ice cream stands:

Sandy's Frozen Whip, 17635 Lake Shore Blvd., Cleveland: Cleveland loremeisters rave about Euclid Beach Park. If it's anything like the Original Euclid Beach Park Strawberry Custard, then I wish I could go back in time. Mmm, so thick and tasty. It's only one of the retro thrills at this old-fashioned stand. Check out the old pictures of boxers and movie stars. But not for too long. You wouldn't want your custard -- or the just-as-yummy hot-fudge cake and banana split -- to melt.

Continue reading "Malley's, Honey Hut and other Cleveland-area old-fashioned ice cream shops let us know it's summertime" »

The newest thing from DC Comics is not really a comic at all, but a reimagining of the Sunday Funnies . . . that will come out on Wednesdays.

Beginning the first week of July, DC will publish a 15-page, broadsheet version of the Sunday Funnies every Wednesday for 12 weeks.

We're not talking "Family Circus" and "Mary Worth" here. "Wednesday Comics" will feature Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Hawkman and The Flash in new adventures written and drawn by some of the biggest names in the business.

Continue reading "DC experiments with weekly broadsheet of superhero comics" »

WOOSTER - Head to London, New York or Vienna if you're seeking Opera Mecca. Where operetta and musical theater are concerned, the prime destination is a small college town in Ohio.

An exaggeration? The world's great opera houses may field starry singers and extravagant productions, but Ohio Light Opera has been king in its field for three decades at the College of Wooster. No other American company comes close to the exploratory gusto the Wooster pros lavish on beloved and neglected repertoire.

The troupe's 31st season is in full swing, with five of seven productions onstage to date. Several of those intimate productions reveal Ohio Light Opera to be serving its mission to splendid effect and reveling most confidently in the operetta realm.

Continue reading "Ohio Light Opera continues to serve its mission" »