Yeah. That happened.

Last month I partied like it was 2015.

And 1955.

And 1985.

And 1885.

If you’re like me, those years immediately bring forth one thought: Marty McFly’s adventures through time in the Back To The Future trilogy. Since its release, Back To The Future and its sequels have had a huge impact on me, and are three of my favorite films.

So, when the actual year 2015 rolled around, I couldn’t have been more pleased that PlayhouseSquare Partners didn’t waste the opportunity to celebrate Doc Brown’s time traveling DeLorean in style with the 24th Annual Jump Back Ball. It was, appropriately enough, entitled Jump Back To The Future.

Back To The Future movies encompass a wide range of time periods and settings, and I was extremely pleased that they were all captured throughout the party. The movies began in 1985, so it was only right that the evening’s starting place – the Connor Palace’s VIP Area – had 80s themed centerpieces, complete with flip-up shades and Rubik’s Cubes. The radical atmosphere was complemented by Driftwood’s delicious calamari, ice cream, and various bruschetta. Outside the theatre was a DeLorean that begged to be posed with (See above.).

I took that Rubik’s Cube. It’s mine now. And the colors are hopelessly mixed up.

1955, the year Doc Brown invented time travel while Marty’s parents fell in love, was perfectly encapsulated on the State Theatre stage. Jump Back’s version of the Enchantment Under The Sea dance was beautiful, with floating sea life, an ocean backdrop, and an ice sculptor bar. We were treated to a wonderful dinner by Chef Chris Hodgson, enjoying our champagne-complemented meal in the theatre seats before be-bopping it up on stage, daddy-o, with a 50s themed band. The singer came out amongst the dancers and had some great rapport, and when the sound blew out for a short time they began singing to people for birthdays and anniversaries.

The State Theatre Stage on Jump Back Ball set up day and during the party

1885’s Old West was spread throughout the party. Many of the bars were themed as saloons (featuring LaBatt’s Bourbon Barrel Ale samples). A locomotive engine, complete with smoking smoke stack, greeted the partiers as they entered through the State Lobby.

It was smoking at the party. I had to tattle on it.

Back to the Future’s take on our current year had little touches spread throughout the party. Hoverboards floated behind the card dealers, a JAWS 19 poster was hung, and Mr. Fusions were ready to accept anyone’s trash.

Even the alternate timeline of 1985a was covered by Biff’s Casino in the State Theatre Mezzanine’s table games area.

As the evening drew to a close, a variety of partiers, Martys, Doc Browns, Biffs, and Jennifers from all time periods came together in the State Theatre Lobby to close out the night with music from our own 2015.

After 24 Jump Back Ball,s you’d think the process would be stale. I haven’t been doing it that long, but each year I’ve come in to find a group of people who just could not be more excited to make the next one happen. The challenges of the decor excite them, even when the task is overwhelming – like making a train engine that smokes. The enthusiasm — it, too, is overwhelming.

When all the building, and coordinating, and priming is done, then the party starts. It is so much fun to come in every year and see what people have worn. Even people who had nothing to do with the preparation show up in incredible outfits because they want to do something different and enjoy themselves.

Somebody had a highly-detailed hoverboard strapped to their back. Others showed up with glowing neon piping. Others were in complete Old West regalia. And you know what, if you were in a suit or a dress and just having a great time oooing and aweing at what other people wore, you were just as much in the spirit of things as anyone else.

It takes a special kind of party to let people do that. To just show up and let yourself find the fun in an evening. So yes, I am certainly proud of the decorations and details that had sweat and inspiration poured into them. I’m always eager for the food, and the drink, and the music.

But what makes Jump Back Ball great, even after 24 of them, are the excited attitudes of the people who show up to have a good time in a beautiful Cleveland landmark.

And as long as that keeps happening, I’ll always be happy to attend.

Disclosure: We were offered one ticket to Jump Back Ball in exchange for previewing and recapping the event. Amanda is also the co-chair of PlayhouseSquare Partners, the group that organizes Jump Back Ball each year. Opinions here are 100% Scott’s.

The Cast of the National Touring Production of PIPPIN, at PlayhouseSquare through Feb. 15. Credit Terry Shapiro

How many times have you watched a play, attended a concert or seen a painting and left inspired to take on greatness?

Art is magical in the way it fills us with the desire to pursue glory, revolt against whatever’s holding us back, and love with every inch of our body.

PIPPIN now playing at PlayhouseSquare until February 15, brings that magic to the stage in one of the most thrilling productions I’ve ever experienced.

As the curtain rises (well, in the case of this show, drops with a grand flourish), the Leading Player entices the audience to hear the tale of Charlemagne’s son Pippin.

Fresh out of university, Pippin doesn’t want to lead the sedentary life of a scholar. “I’ve got to be where my spirit can run free. Got to find my corner of the sky,” he sings.

Lured from home by the Leading Player, Pippin tries his hand at battle, revolution, politics, and a lot of loving. But with each, he remains unsatisified. 

When he stumbles into ordinary life, he’s torn between his desire to pursue his daydreams and the comforts of a quiet family. It’s a struggle that resonates with all of us, and I wish I could go back in time to tell 20-year-old Amanda to see it.

Sam Lips as Pippin. Photo Credit Martha Rial

The Leading Player and Pippin are brought to life in this production by Sasha Allen and Sam Lips, respectively.

Fans of The Voice and Camp will recognize Allen’s dynamic voice and magnetic stage presence. She’s perfect as the production’s ringleader. Lips, who understudied the role in the Broadway company, does a very convincing job of transforming Pippin from spastic, unsure teenager to a more settled (but at times, still conflicted) adult.  

However, as incredibly entertaining as Allen and Lips are – especially when on stage together, the performance that will stick with you long after the curtain is drawn is the Leading Player’s circus troupe.

From stunning acrobatics to showstopping musical numbers like No Time at All (beautifully sung — upside down on a trapeze! — by Priscilla Lopez) , the performances left my jaw on the floor. The trapeze work, stunts, and illusions the cast creates are worth the ticket price alone. In fact, describing them would ruin that magic.

Sasha Allen as Leading Player and the cast of the National Tour of PIPPIN. Credit Terry Shapiro

After a fiery grand finale that left me breathless and a bit choked up, there’s no surprise that PIPPIN won Best Musical Revival at the Tonys and in my heart.

Run to PlayhouseSquare and see PIPPIN before it swings out of Cleveland. Tickets are going very fast and only a few performances remain. You really don’t want to miss it.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the opening night of PIPPIN with a guest in exchange for sharing my experience. All opinions are 100% my own.

After checking all of the entries and removing two pingbacks plus several duplicate entries, the winner as selected by Random.org is Cheryl Scheckel. Congratulations! 

If you didn’t win, I have another way you can celebrate the return of football to Cleveland … and this party is free for everyone!

PlayhouseSquare Partners’ Season KickOff Party: Enjoy a tailgate followed by outdoor showing of Draft Day

Join PlayhouseSquare Partners, the theatre district’s young professionals organization, for a Season KickOff Party and Movie this Friday night.

At dusk on September 12, PlayhouseSquare will be showing Draft Day out on the U.S. Bank Plaza. The movie’s free and part of PlayhouseSquare’s Summer Movie Series presented by Elk & Elk.

Our pre-movie kickoff will take place 5:30-8:30pm in the Idea Center’s Gund studio space on Euclid Ave. The tailgate-themed party includes:

• A Chipotle Buffet
• Cash Bar (First drink on us!)
• Ice Cream Bars
• DJ Playing Music
• and Cornhole and Other Tailgate Games

PlayhouseSquare Partners will also be there with tables and information for each of our committees and upcoming activities.

Best of all, everyone who attends the party will be the first to find out what this year’s Jump Back Ball theme is. (I’m on the board and I won’t even find out til then!)

It’s free to attend the Partners KickOff Party, and if you decide to join Partners at this event, you’ll also receive 20% off a new Partners membership (excluding Balcony’s Best $50 membership).

Just RSVP for the party by emailing sarah@playhousesquare.org. See you Friday!

Disclaimer: I’m a co-chair of PlayhouseSquare Partners’ board and involved in the hosting of the movie’s Tailgate Party.

In its heyday, PlayhouseSquare played host to crooners, jazz and big bands musicians like Bing Crosby and ol’ Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra.

Now, as PlayhouseSquare’s revitalization hits a dazzling high, Cleveland’s own jazz festival, the Tri-C JazzFest has unveiled a new format celebrating the district.

It’s the 35th anniversary of the Tri-C JazzFest and they’re making a big move – closing down Euclid Ave. between 13th and 14th St with three days of concerts.

From June 26-28, music lovers can take in twelve ticketed shows throughout PlayhouseSquare’s theatres, plus a host of free outdoor music, food trucks and Great Lakes brews on Star Plaza.

Concerts include trumpeter Sean Jones and the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra opening the festival on June 26; Eddie Palmieri, whose career as bandleader spans 50 years, with a night of salsa and Latin jazz on June 27; and pianist/vocalist Eliane Elias performing her tribute to Chet Baker at the Hanna on June 28. Check out the full schedule below:

The free Star Plaza concerts, which are the latest centennial gifts from the Cleveland Foundation, will take place outside on Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28 starting at 3pm.

You can learn more about the musicians and purchase tickets on the JazzFest website.

You can also win two tickets right here to the Raul Midón concert on June 28!

Blind since infancy, Midón grew up listening to his father’s collection of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis records, as well as the pop music of the time: Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon.

He writes on the JazzFest’s website: “The way I play today is an amalgam of those styles, mixed with my fascination with the great rock and blues guitarists like Eric Clapton and B.B. King. I’m constantly trying to integrate everything I know musically into the guitar.”

The New York Times describes Midón as “a one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus.” And now you can enjoy his concert at the Hanna Theatre by entering my giveaway.

There are 5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway
**You must leave a separate comment on this post for each entry**

1) Leave a comment telling me who your favorite jazz, blues or swing musician is.

2) If you’re a fan of Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland and Clue Into Cleveland on Facebook, leave a comment on this blog post letting me know. If you’re not yet a fan, you can become one here and here.

3) Follow @ADHicken and @TriCJazzFest on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know you did both.

4) Tweet the following and leave one comment letting me know you tweeted:

I want to see @RaulMidon at @PlayhouseSquare on 6/28. Enter @ADHicken’s giveaway for #TriCJazzFest tickets: http://wp.me/p2Ukr0-2w3

You can tweet once per day for additional entries. Just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

5) Subscribe to Clue Into Cleveland via a feed tracker like Bloglovin’ or Feedly and leave one comment letting me know you did. This can also include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “Subscribe” section of this page.

You have until Tuesday, June 17 at 11:59PM to enter.  On Wednesday, June 18, Random.org will select a winner and I’ll announce the winner’s name on my blog.  Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the Tri-C JazzFest with a guest in exchange for previewing the event. My choice to blog about the festival is based on how much Scott and I have enjoyed these concerts in years past. Opinions are my own.

Over the last year, changes have been coming to the outside of PlayhouseSquare. But a few are yet to come…

Anyone who has visited one of PlayhouseSquare’s theatres recalls the first time they took in its restored beauty. The old-school glamour of its lobbies and theatres. The State Theatre murals. The Hanna’s ornate ceiling decked in mythological creatures. Those chandeliers.

It’s all the more stunning knowing that at one time these theatres fell into such disrepair that they were going to be torn down.

But because of Ray Shepardson – without whom, we would have had parking lots on Euclid Avenue – they were saved and a neighborhood in downtown Cleveland restored. In fact, PlayhouseSquare announced last month that they now have more season ticket holders than any city in America.

If you haven’t seen it or are unfamiliar with PlayhouseSquare’s comeback story, check out the Staging Success documentary:

To match the dazzle inside of its theatres, PlayhouseSquare is about to complete a dramatic transformation outside.

Over the last year, we’ve seen the plaza in the PlayhouseSquare district updated with an outdoor music stage, firepit, and dining area. Beautiful archways (my favorite of the exterior additions) now mark the boundaries of the neighborhood. Digital signs provide information and interaction opportunities for visitors. And a retro sign above the buildings at E. 13th St. and Euclid Avenue pays homage to PlayhouseSquare’s 1920s-era beginnings.

New signage can be found everywhere you look around and above you

All of these changes have led to the unveiling of the neighborhood’s centerpiece: The GE Chandelier.

20-feet tall and adorned with 4,200 crystals, it was inspired by the stunning chandeliers inside of the theatre. It will be a permanent fixture, connecting the points of the Euclid Ave. and E 14th Street intersection and serving as a can’t-miss welcome for PlayhouseSquare guests.

The massive chandelier was constructed by Montreal-based company Lumid. In addition to looking good, it’s been designed and tested to withstand the harshest conditions (take that, Cleveland winters!). 

The frame is currently up at PlayhouseSquare; however, you can be the first to see it lit up in all its glittering splendor this coming Friday:

On May 2, the lights will be turned on at Dazzle the District. This free community celebration starts at 5pm with Taste of PlayhouseSquare, happy hours and live music on the U.S. Bank Plaza (previously Star Plaza).

At 8:30 pm, Nashville’s Hot Chelle Rae takes The University Hospitals Main Stage for a concert.

It all culminates with the GE Chandelier Lighting Ceremony at 9:30 p.m.

I hope you’ll join me this Friday! Admission to the event and concert is completely free. And stop by the blog after Dazzle the District for photos and a giveaway of PlayhouseSquare Dazzle swag.

Soon, this sight will be even more spectacular

Get all the Dazzle the District details at dazzle.playhousesquare.org and watch these videos to learn more about the GE Chandelier:

• What it’s made of
• How it’ll be maintained
• How it’s supported structurally
• How it’ll hold up in the winter

Disclosure: I was invited to blog about the event, though I was already planning on it because I love PlayhouseSquare and can’t wait to see the chandelier’s unveiling. Opinions here are 100% my own.

When it comes to the loves of my life, it goes

1. Scott
2. family and close friends
3. Cleveland
4. comic books 

Scott and me celebrating his birthday at a beer and comic books event

While that may be a slight exaggeration, my love for comic books and graphic novels goes beyond the act of enjoying the latest issue of Fables. I think about how I used to draw comics as a kid and jump at the chance to visit the local baseball card store to read up on the X-Men.

I think about how Scott re-introduced me to comics when we started dating. It’s the first activity we shared as a couple, and every time I can help Scott with his own webcomic writing, it brings us even closer in our marriage.

I also think about all of the people I’ve met who share this love – both in the Cleveland community and at conventions from Minnesota to Maryland.

All of this is why I was thrilled to learn The Intergalactic Nemesis Live-Action Graphic Novel is coming to PlayhouseSquare. I saw another live-action graphic novel last year – Kill Shakespeare at C2E2 in Chicago.  It’s an incredibly immersive and entertaining experience.

Intergalactic Nemesis at PlayhouseSquare on January 30

I was even more thrilled when PlayhouseSquare offered me the chance to ask Jason Neulander, Intergalactic Nemesis’ writer, producer and director, a few questions about the show.

Read on to learn more about the show’s history, the unique experience of producing and seeing the show, and why non-comic book and sci-fi fans will enjoy Intergalactic Nemesis.

Intergalactic Nemesis onstage

Clue Into Cleveland: I love that this started as a radio show reading. While they’re becoming slightly more popular as podcasts, you don’t often see people doing serialized radio fiction. What was the reason or the circumstances around starting Intergalactic Nemesis as a radio show?

Jason Neulander: Great question. Back in the mid-90s, when this project got its start, I had founded a small theater company with the mission of developing and producing new plays that pushed the envelope of what theater could be. Part of achieving that mission was making theater happen in unusual venues. For example, we produced most of our work in the first couple of years in a rock club.

Anyway, a friend of mine, Ray Colgan, worked at this coffeehouse in downtown Austin and approached me with the idea of creating a sci-fi radio play to be performed and recorded in front of a live audience at that coffeehouse. I thought it was a great idea, so we went ahead and did it.

Immediately, people really responded. They came out in droves for the performances and our local NPR affiliate actually broadcast it serially–originally it was ten 20-minute episodes! I had so much fun, that I decided to keep the project alive and bring it back every few years.

Clue Into Cleveland  Had you ever scripted a comic book before this?  How did the writing process for the graphic novel differ from the radio/live show or were there any unexpected challenges of turning it into a graphic novel?

Jason: I hadn’t written a graphic novel before, but by the time we got into that phase of the project we had really worked the radio play. Every time I brought that back (2000, 2002, 2007), we revamped the material to make it stronger.

In 2007, Chad Nichols and I rewrote it top-to-bottom replacing the serialized structure with a more cinematic one. By that point, I knew the story backward and forward. So it was pretty easy to envision it as a comic-book. My main reason for making that transition, actually, was that I was very interested in how the story could be told visually, rather than orally.

I was lucky that I had Tim Doyle to work with. He had always wanted to draw a full-color comic book series and was (and is) a serious collector and expert on comic books.  So he really helped me develop a language for writing a script that a comic-book artist could work with to draw it.

This has helped a lot with the sequels since I’m now working with David Hutchison who is a really professional comic-book artist (versus me, who is merely a hack comic-book writer!).

Clue Into Cleveland: You didn’t just adapt a story for the stage or film, but actually melded two mediums into one thing. It’s a unique idea. Where did the idea come from to combine the visuals of the graphic novel with the radio show performance?

Jason: Another great question! In 2008, I had left the theater company I founded with the strong impression that we were going to open the radio version of Intergalactic in New York on Broadway.

The economy collapsed and I was out of work and as the months went on I became more and more desperate for a job. So in July 2009 I set up a meeting with Cliff Redd, the Executive Director of the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, to basically beg him for work.

Instead of hiring me in the office, Cliff offered me their big hall to present Intergalactic. At that time it was just a radio play and I felt that that venue, which has 2400 seats, was way too big for the intimate experience of watching a radio drama be performed.

In a flash, I had a vision of comic book artwork projected on a screen the size of the proscenium arch, and literally within 2 seconds of Cliff suggesting we perform there, I replied by asking him if he was interested in this radio-play-comic-book hybrid.

Cliff replied by saying that the venue had just purchased a very fancy cinematic projection system and was looking for ways to use it! So in an amazing 20-minute meeting the project had this huge evolutionary leap and my professional life turned around.

Clue Into Cleveland: Compared to more traditional theatre productions you’ve done, how does the experience of a live action graphic novel differ for the actors and crew?  What are the challenges for them?  How does the experience differ for the audience?

Jason: You’re killing me with these great questions. I love being able to field new questions. It really gives me great perspective on what I do. Thanks!

For me, The Intergalactic Nemesis has been truly a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience. From a production standpoint, it’s pretty rare that every performer gets the opportunity to flex their artistic muscles  so consistently and in such a fun way.

For example, when Cami performs the sound effects, she not only recreates the sound, but she throws her personality into it as well. It’s totally captivating.

The cinematic score is mostly improvised and Kenny Redding just freakin’ kills it.

The actors get to switch roles within scenes and because the show flows seamlessly, thanks to the visuals on the screen, it becomes a complete tour-de-force performance for them.

And from the perspective on the audience, I’ve never been a part of a show that people seem to love so much. They laugh, clap, and cheer through much of the show and then after we actually get to meet them because we sign the books after every performance. So we get to chat with folks who have absolutely had the time of their lives.

It’s incredibly rewarding and humbling at the same time. Humbling because the work has taken on a life far beyond the individuals involved with the creation of it. I’ve never had more fun working on a project.

Clue Into Cleveland:  How has audience reaction been to this? As comic books become more mainstream, have you seen the show grow in popularity?

Jason: We’ve definitely seen audiences grow over the past two-and-a-half years of touring. We’re actually trying this spring to figure out why that is so that we can help venues who are struggling with ticket sales. At the shows themselves, the audience response is just amazing.

Clue Into Cleveland: I’m always trying to convice non-comic readers to pick up a comic book and try something out — and this seems like a fantastic way to introduce someone to the medium. Why should someone, who’s not into comic books or science fiction, see this show?

Jason: The Intergalactic Nemesis definitely is more than the sum of its parts. At its most fundamental level, it’s simply three actors at microphones, a bunch of toys on a big table, a piano player, and some images on a screen. But together it seems to transcend what you’d think that combination of elements would amount to.

I think that’s because we really allow the audience to bring their imagination as a creative element of the show. And this is why I think it appeals beyond the comic-book crowd.

Nowadays, almost everyone has grown up in the post-Star-Wars pop culture environment, which means that a certain type of storytelling is the mainstream. Not necessarily sci-fi, but character-driven adventure.

Because the show itself is so very theatrical–all the production elements are exposed on stage, it’s an auditory and visual spectacle. It really has an appeal that extends to anyone who loves live performance and has a sense of humor.

One of my favorite audience stories was this mom who came with her son. She felt she was doing him a favor because he really wanted to see it, but she was dreading coming. She was neither a fan of sci-fi nor comic-books. But in the signing line after, her son was ecstatic from the experience and she told me after that she thought she might have had more fun than he did.

Clue Into Cleveland: And because I’m always on the look out for new things to add to my pull list, what’s the last good comic book or graphic novel you read?

Jason: It’s not the latest one I’ve read, but I keep coming back to it: the original Japanese 28-book Lone Wolf and Cub series. Just absolutely incredible.

Many thanks to Jason for answering these questions. You can purchase tickets for Intergalactic Nemesis on PlayhouseSquare’s site. Stay updated on the show’s tour at theintergalacticnemesis.com/blog.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the show in exchange for previewing the event. It was my choice to write a second post about it.

The Intergalactic Nemesis Live Action Graphic Novel at PlayhouseSquare, January 30

UPDATE: After removing 2 pingbacks, congratulations to entry 9, Michelle @tinktastic for winning this giveaway. Please reply to my email confirming you can attend by 1/27.

Imagine this: It’s 1933. Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Molly Sloan is chasing down a story with her intrepid assistant Timmy Mendez and a mysterious librarian from Arizona named Ben Wilcott. A terrible threat is facing the Earth: an invading force of Zygonians – sludge-monsters from outer space.

In The Intergalactic Nemesis (coming to PlayhouseSquare on January 30), our fearless trio travels the Earth and beyond to defeat the Zygonians and hopefully save the day.

The Intergalactic Nemesis was conceived 17 years ago in an Austin, Texas coffee house.  The science fiction epic started as a serial radio drama — performed by three actors and a sound-effects specialist over five weeks. It was recorded on cassette and later aired on Austin’s NPR station.

The Intergalactic Nemesis mashes up period radio drama with the badass visuals of the science fiction comic book

The Intergalactic Nemesis was rewritten and re-recorded in 2000 by Jason Neulander. However, it wasn’t until 2009 that the show got a facelift – literally – when Neulander approached artist Tim Doyle about developing the story into a graphic novel.

Through a series of adventures that rival the characters’ journey to the Robot Planet, the comic book’s artwork was combined with the radio drama’s performance concept.

The final result was The Intergalactic Nemesis Live-Action Graphic Novel.

Three actors voice dozens of characters; one Foley artist creates hundreds of sound effects; one keyboardist performs a score of thousands of notes; while on a two-story high screen they project more than 1,250 individual, full-color, hand-drawn, hi-res, blow-your-mind comic book images to tell the story visually. Live.

Since the Live-Action Graphic Novel made its debut in 2010, it has been featured on Conan O’Brien, NPR’s All Things Considered, and Ain’t It Cool News. It’s toured to more than 80 venues around the US, UK, and Canada.  It’s played at the New Victory Theatre on Broadway and sold out The Kennedy Center. Now it’s coming to PlayhouseSquare!

For one night only, book one of The Intergalactic Nemesis Live-Action Graphic Novel will be performed at the Palace Theatre. The show starts at 7:30 pm on January 30.

Tickets range from $10 to $25; however, you can win a pair of tickets to The Intergalactic Nemesis right here on Clue Into Cleveland.

How to enter: Do one, some, or all five of the entries. A separate comment is needed for each.

But that’s not all! Come back tomorrow for a Q&A with writer, producer, and director Jason Neulander.

There are 5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway
**You must leave a separate comment on this post for each entry**

1) What’s your favorite science fiction story, comic book, or radio drama? Leave a comment on this post with your answer.

2) Follow @PlayhouseSquare and @ADHicken on Twitter and leave one comment on this post telling me you did both.

3) If you’re a fan of Clue Into Cleveland and PlayhouseSquare on Facebook, leave one comment on this blog post letting me know. If you’re not yet a fan, you can become one here and here.

4) Tweet the following and leave one comment letting me know you tweeted:

I want to see @IntNemesis when it comes to #CLE’s @PlayhouseSquare. Enter @ADHicken’s giveaway to win 2 tickets: http://wp.me/p2Ukr0-2nv

You can tweet once per day for additional entries. Just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

5) Subscribe to Clue Into Cleveland via a feed tracker like Bloglovin’ or Feedly and leave one comment letting me know you did. This can also include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “Subscribe” section of this page.

You have until Wednesday, January 22 at 11:59 PM to enter. Random.org will select the winner, which I will announce on Thursday, January 23. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!

Disclosure: I was invited to attend The Intergalactic Nemesis in exchange for hosting a giveaway. I am also a board member of PlayhouseSquare’s young professionals organization. However, with my love of comic books and science fiction, I would have written about this show and purchased tickets regardless.

Great Lakes Theater’s A Christmas Carol (now through December 22); photo by Roger Mastroianni

It’s time for one of my favorite blog posts of the year — my wrap-up of holiday arts and entertainment coming to Cleveland. From the return of popular classics to new takes on old tales, here are my 10 picks for what to see around Cleveland this December.

Great Lakes Theater’s A Christmas Carol (through December 22)

This December, Great Lakes Theater celebrates a milestone for their annual holiday production — the 25th anniversary of A Christmas Carol! Through December 22, take the family to see their twist on the Charles Dickens classic. It’s Christmas Eve, twenty years after Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol. The Cleaveland family sits down to read the story as it comes alive onstage, seen through the imagination of the family’s youngest child.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary, Cleveland Magazine has put together a special publication about Great Lakes’ A Christmas Carol, and Aled Davies, Great Lakes’ Scrooge, was featured in the New York Times’ A Season of Scrooges graphic.

Cleveland Play House’s A Christmas Story (through December 22)

In honor of the film’s 30th anniversary, the Cleveland Play House is bringing back one of their most popular shows in an all-new production. A Christmas Story is at the Allen Theatre through December 22: “One boy. One holiday wish. And a world that seems to be conspiring to make certain it doesn’t come true.” Don’t forget that pink bunny outfit!

Another Cleveland Play House tradition is also making its return. The CPH Festival of Trees is back with its downtown debut through December 30. Stop by the Allen Theatre Complex to enjoy dozens of professionally decorated holiday trees.

Cleveland Play House’s A Christmas Story (now through December 22)

Other PlayhouseSquare Holiday Highlights (dates vary)

In addition to A Christmas Carol and A Christmas Story, PlayhouseSquare is filled with many other holiday productions and concerts. Cleveland Public Theatre is producing David Sedaris’ The Santaland Diaries on the PlayhouseSquare Second Stage – for mature elves only (now through December 22).

Or enjoy the sounds of the season with music from the North Coast Men’s Chorus: Keeping the Yuletide Gay (Hanna Theatre, December 14-15), Straight No Chaser (Palace Theatre, December 14), and Debbie Gifford and Maria Jacobs with 4Get the Girl (Kennedy’s Theatre, December 14).

Finally, Wicked fans will want to check out A Wicked Wonderland on December 16 at the Hanna Theatre. The cast of Wicked (which is now at the Palace through January 5) will step out of their roles in the musical to perform some of their favorite non-Ozian holiday songs. All proceeds from the event will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.

Cleveland Cinemas Presents A Christmas Story (December 12 and 14)

Before you see the stage production at Cleveland Play House, enjoy the original A Christmas Story movie with Cleveland Cinemas. The movie will be showing at the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights (December 12, 7pm) and the Capitol Theatre in Gordon Square Arts District (December 14, 10am).

Cleveland Orchestra’s Holiday Concert (December 13 through 22)

The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus are joined by conductor Robert Porco, the Cleveland Orchestra Children’s and Youth Choruses, Cleveland State University Chorale, and members of the Wooster Chorus for the Cleveland Orchestra’s annual Christmas concerts. Performances run December 13 until December 22 and feature Christmas music, sing-alongs, and a surprise visitor – all in Severance Hall’s festive splendor.

Cleveland Public Theatre’s The Loush Sisters DO The Nutcracker (now through December 21)

CPT’s The Loush Sisters DO The Nutcracker (through December 21)

Back by popular demand, The Loush Sisters return to Cleveland Public Theatre. Fueled by booze, fairies, and “holiday cheer,” the sisters relive their cherished holiday memories, with the help of their family and The Nutcracker. The Loush Sisters DO The Nutcracker runs through December 21 at CPT’s Gordon Square Theatre. Don’t forget about FREE BEER FRIDAY: Stay after the show on any Friday performance to mingle with the cast and crew and enjoy a free drink or two on CPT.

Ohio Dance Theatre’s The Nutcracker (December 20-22)

From battling mice to the Dew Drop Fairy, Ohio Dance Theatre presents a fully staged production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker December 20, 21 and 22 at Elyria’s Stocker Arts Center. This production features a very special guest — New York City Ballet’s Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht. An opening night gala will honor Ulbricht whose dancing has been compared to Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Karamu’s Christmas Is Comin’ Uptown (through December 29)

Karamu transplants Dickens to Harlem in their musical update of A Christmas Carol. In Christmas Is Comin’ Uptown, Scrooge is a Harlem slumlord about to foreclose an apartment house, a recreation center and a church when his late partner and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future take him on their rounds. Karamu House’s production, which plays now through December 29, includes a rousing gospel number in a Baptist church.

Dobama Theatre’s The Big Meal (now through January 5)

Dobama Theatre’s The Big Meal (through January 5)

The holidays are a time for gathering around the table with your family. Set at a single restaurant table and spanning over 80 years, Dobama Theatre’s The Big Meal tells the story of five generations through one unending metaphoric meal, starting from a young couple’s first meeting and ending with a visit from their young great-grandchild. Life’s large and small moments are seen over the course of this play about the resilience of families. The production plays through January 5, with pre-show talks on December 6, 7, 15, 20, 21, 26, and 29, as well as January 3 and 4.

Beck Center’s Annie and Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit (dates vary)

The Beck Center for the Arts has not one, but two holiday shows for Cleveland families.  The sun comes out again as Annie returns to their Mackey Main Stage. One of the world’s best-loved musicals and winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Book and Score is onstage now through January 5.

And December 13 through 22, Beck presents Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit: “In the fairy tale criminal justice system, the characters from fairy tales and nursery rhymes are represented by two separate yet equally ridiculous groups: the fairy tale police who investigate fairy tale crime, and the fairy tale district attorneys who prosecute the fairy tale offenders. These are their stories.”

Disclosure: I was invited to attend A Christmas Carol’s Social Media Night, but could not due to a scheduling conflict. I am also a member of PlayhouseSquare’s young professional group. My opinions and the choice of events I’ve included in this list are 100% my own.

When I think of PlayhouseSquare’s Palace Theatre, I smile at memories of epic productions. Impressive theatricality along the lines of Wicked, Les Miserables, and this Fall’s Sleeping Beauty. BROADWAY in full capital letters.

That’s why I was curious to see ONCE at PlayhouseSquare. Based on the Oscar-winning indie film of the same name, it tells a very intimate story between a Guy and a Girl in Ireland. No elaborate costumes, set changes, or special effects, not even character names. Just storytelling, poetry, and music.

I wondered how a quiet story like this would play in a commanding setting like the Palace. However, when I attended the 2013-2014 Broadway in CLE preview, ONCE’s music got its hooks in me. It’s why I may have definitely jumped out of my seat at work when I was invited to attend the show’s media night on Tuesday.

ONCE is at the Palace Theatre through Nov. 24. All images and video courtesy of PlayhouseSquare.

As Scott and I walked into the Palace about 15 minutes before curtain, we saw that the party had already started onstage and was spilling into the orchestra section. An Irish pub had taken over as a group of musicians traded tunes and stories. The sounds of an accordion, violins, and guitars wafted through the rows. And audience members waited in line to go up onstage and enjoy a pint.

This preshow vibe was much different than the quiet hum of other shows – more energetic and lively. Any questions I had about how the show would fill the space were answered – they’d fill it with songs.

As the audience returned to their seats at show time, the band kept playing and we heard a wistful poem from an older musician about long-ago love. Then a young musician stepped up to share his story – an angry, powerful song about a breakup.

The house and stage lights dimmed as he sung. Only a spotlight remained on this Guy and the Girl who approached the stage from the aisles, drawn – as the rest of the audience was – by his music.

ONCE at PlayhouseSquare: Guy meets Girl over music

ONCE tells the story of an Irish musician, who – after the death of his mother and his ex-girlfriend’s move to New York – is about to give up on his dream of escaping Dublin’s streets. But he meets a Girl, a charming young Czech immigrant, who is instantly taken by his love songs.

Over the course of a few short days, a complicated romance flowers between the Guy and the Girl. She shows him how to not live in fear of failure, how to move forward with his music and life.

ONCE originated as a film in 2007, starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová who also wrote all of the music. It was shot in only 17 days for $150,000 and went on to gross $20M and win the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original song.

After the film’s success, ONCE was brought to Broadway where it won 8 Tony Awards

After such a positive reaction by audiences and critics, ONCE was brought to Broadway in 2012 where it won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical and is still onstage at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.

After seeing it, I understand this success. Stripping away elaborate sets, costumes and snappy choreography (though there is some dancing) allows the show’s simple story and haunting music to shine beautifully. It stands on its own and doesn’t need to be dressed up.

The result was a very personal, emotional experience. I liked that it’s not a story about finding the love of your life, but the romance of romance and what it feels to be spellbound by a person even if only for a few days.

Through its songs and talented cast of actor-musicians, ONCE captures what it’s like to find fleeting love

Just as much as it made me think of Scott, it also brought me back to every short romance and that warm feeling of connecting with someone.

The production’s music and talented cast were the reason for this enchantment. In addition to the Guy and the Girl on guitar and piano, every actor in the ensemble played an instrument and doubled as the musical’s band.

The way each scene came together and fluidly weaved in and out of songs felt like I wasn’t in the Palace watching a musical with thousands of other people, but sitting in a hole-in-the-wall pub in Ireland listening to a private concert. It’s been ten years since I visited Ireland and had to fight the urge to hop on a plane and return.

Fortunately, you don’t need to pack your bags – you can be transported for much less by getting a ticket to one of ONCE’s remaining performances.

Tickets for ONCE start at $10 at playhousesquare.org, 216-241-6000 or the PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office

The show is at PlayhouseSquare through November 24. Tickets start at $10 and are on sale at playhousesquare.org, 216-241-6000 or the PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office. Performance times are Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend ONCE’s media night with a guest in exchange for blogging about my experience. Opinions are 100% my own.

We noticed things we’d never paid attention to before – like the personalized bricks at the entrance of the Palace Theater.

I want to know the backstory

And we happened upon District where I had one of the better Sidecars of my life, a Sweet Potato soup that blew me away, and Salmon over Angel Hair that I can’t wait to enjoy the rest of at lunch.

It reminded me that no matter how familiar you are with a place, it’s good to take a look at things through new eyes.

In the month of June, the city is giving us not 1, not 2, but 3 chances to put on our explorer hats and get out there:

It’s Scavenger Hunt season! 

Cleveland Challenge – June 8

This Saturday, June 8, the Cleveland Challenge urban adventure race returns to Ohio for its fourth season.

Scavenger-Hunt-meets-5K in this “Amazing Race” style competition packed into one day.

Starting at 1pm, teams of two or more will dash around Cleveland while racing other teams, solving clues, plotting out the best route, and learning about new corners of the city.

Food, drink specials, music and prizes for the fastest racers and best costumes welcome everyone at the finish line.

As part of the nationwide Challenge Nation competition, the city’s top 25 teams qualify for the $5,000 National Championship race in Las Vegas in November.

Tickets are $30 until tomorrow; $50 after that.  Buy tickets at challengenation.com/cleveland

RTA’s Search the City Scavenger Hunt – June 15

On Saturday June 15, RTA’s Search the City Scavenger Hunt will celebrate Cleveland while showing how easy it is to be green and travel the city by public transportation.

From eastside stops like Lakeview Cemetery to Ohio City in the west (and everywhere in between!), Search the City shows off a variety of areas that might not be on your radar.

For $60, each team will receive starter kits with a map of the city, trip plans, timetables, and RTA All Day passes.

Participants will assemble at 10:00am for a golf scramble-like start at one of twelve challenge locations. Each team will take some form of RTA transportation from one station to the next until every challenge is done no later than 5pm.

Afterwards, all teams meet at Progressive Field’s Rally Alley to find out who won. First place gets $250 in cash, second place $125 and third place $75.

Everyone’s a winner, though, because participation in the Scavenger Hunt also gets you a ticket to that night’s Tribe game against the Washington Nationals and post-game fireworks. The 1st place team also gets upgraded to the Indians Social Media Suite.

Register online at www.RTASearchtheCity.com and learn more at www.facebook.com/rideRTA.

PlayhouseSquare Scavenger Hunt – June 26

Maybe you’re a Scavenger Hunt newbie and think you’d like to get your start with just one neighborhood.

Well, I have great news!  On June 26, I’m working with PlayhouseSquare Partners to organize a Scavenger Hunt of the PlayhouseSquare district.

Join me after work that Wednesday at Parnell’s Irish Pub on Euclid. Team check-in is 5:30-6pm with the Hunt starting at 6.

Clues will be spread out throughout the neighborhood and inside PlayhouseSquare. The first team to return to Parnell’s Irish Pub with the most photos and correct answers wins a prize.

Tickets are $10 for Partners, $15 for non-Partners and include entry into the scavenger hunt and food. Parnell’s will also be offering happy hour drink specials.

Learn more at playhousesquare.org/partners and call Molly Franz at PlayhouseSquare (216-640-8416) for tickets.

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Regardless of whether you attend one of these scavenger hunts or make up your own, the weather is great – get out and explore Cleveland!

Disclosure: I am a member of the PlayhouseSquare Partners board and am organizing one of the scavenger hunts mentioned in this post. However, my opinions and the choice to share specific events are 100% my own.