Black History Celebration at Hale Farm & Village
The Western Reserve Historical Society will be paying tribute to black Americans whom forever changed the fabric of history. Sara Lucy Bagby, Dred Scott and Sojourner Truth will be portrayed by local community leaders Robin Pease, Richard Josey and Robin Echols respectively, with insight toward their impact on Northeast Ohio. Registration is not required but preferred. Free, Feb. 19, noon-4 p.m., 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath, 330-666-3711, halefarm.org
Flash Fiction Festival at Literary Cleveland
Somewhere between a novella and prose poem grins flash fiction—a burst of fresh air with no static sentence, its words crackling like lightning. Quick to read, hard to master, Literary Cleveland will host its second annual flash fiction festival online all week-long for writers of all backgrounds and aspirations to hone their skills—hurry, registration ends Feb. 18. $15-$90, Feb. 20-26, Sun.-Fri. 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. & Sat. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 216-400-9488, litcleveland.org
In Celebration of Black History Month at Cleveland Pops Orchestra
Severance Hall will swell with the sounds and sensations of George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller and Scott Joplin Friday evening, in celebration of Black History Month. Vocalists Evelyn Wright and Michael Preacely will perform along with pianist Yaron Kohlberg, who will give life to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. $31-$107, Feb. 18, 8 p.m., 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-765-7677, clevelandpops.com
Jesus Christ Superstar at Playhouse Square
When a story becomes so familiar it drowses into background noise, a way to break through the static is to view its hero through the eyes of the villain. Experience the final days of Jesus Christ from the perspective of Judas on this theatrical, musical performance’s 50th anniversary. $59-$159, Feb. 2-20, various times, 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org
Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop at Karamu House
The night before any murder carries tremendous weight, but for the sake of justice, one imagines the clock crying out a warning with each tick for civil rights hero Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This graphic performance replays Dr. King returning to his Lorraine Motel before his assassination and coming to grips with news delivered by a mysterious stranger. $20-$45, Feb. 11- March 6, Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m. & Sun. 3 p.m., 2355 East 89th St., Cleveland, 216-795-7077, karamuhouse.org
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition at Great Lakes Mall
Within the same walls that house Hot Topic and Round 1, an all-but-mythical experience has descended: Michelangelo’s Vatican’s Sistine Chapel larger-than-life ceiling frescos will be on display in the 10,000 square-foot area, Northeast Ohio being one stop in the exhibit’s global tour, previously in Chicago, Shanghai and Berlin. Limited capacity and time-slot-ticketing are practiced in caution of COVID-19. $13.50 -$19.20, Jan. 21-Feb. 20, Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 7850 Mentor Ave. Ste. 250, Mentor, 646-849-6917, chapelsistine.com/exhibits/cleveland/
NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland
While Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse takes the cake in hosting the actual NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, plenty of appetizing events for casual fans and sports enthusiasts alike will be happening in the land. The Wolstein Center, for one, will be housing the Ruffles All-Star Celebrity Game Friday. Check out the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, too. For a thorough gander of these events and more, click here. Various prices, Feb. 18-20, various times & locations, nba.com
Operas [In Place] at Baldwin Wallace University
Wrought from the turbulent lockdown months of COVID-19, Baldwin Wallace Voice Performance, Cleveland Opera Theater and On Site Opera have co-produced nine micro operas, three set to stream via Zoom each night with a talkback session registration available. Titles include, Men I’m Not Married To, For Life, Virtually Dead and Cinderella 99. Free, Feb. 18-20, 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m., bwvp.org
The House of Glo at Playhouse Square
As one of several events taking place during Cleveland’s exclusive All-Star Weekend, The House of Glo is a fashion show set to highlight Black designers, like celebrity stylist J. Bolin, presented by none other than Akron native Gloria James, the mother of LeBron James. The show is additionally set to advocate for social justice and support Central State University—the only HBCU in Northwest Ohio. $50-$250, Feb. 18, 7 p.m., 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org
Toni Morrison Community Reading at Literary Cleveland
It’s not an overstatement to say Lorain native, Toni Morrison, is one of the greatest writers America has ever produced, let alone Ohio. Powerful, reckoning and haunting, Morrison’s work will be celebrated virtually this year by Literary Cleveland on Friday, Morrison’s birthday and Ohio’s designated Toni Morrison Day. Free, Feb. 18, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., 216-400-9488, litcleveland.org
UPSAHL at the Grog Shop
Scrolling TikTok, you’ve probably heard UPSHAL’s single, “Drugs”—it’s been used in over 2 million TikTok videos after all, hitting number one on TikTok’s trends chart. Rather than keeping to your isolated patch of the internet, see the indie-pop queen live at the Grog Shop, performing alongside the slop pop Cleveland band Grumpy Plum for a night of sizzling pop rock. $16-$43.50, Feb. 19, 7 p.m., 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs
Verb Ballets at Cleveland Public Theater
For a sweeping, contemporary rendition of Romeo and Juliet to sweeten and enliven the weekend after Valentine’s Day, look no further than a Verb Ballets’ performance. The Northeast Ohio based company will be performing at the Gordon Square Theatre as the second week of DanceWorks. Choose what you pay, Feb. 17-19, 7 p.m., 6415 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-631-2727, cptonline.org
