September
Friday, September 7 – Sunday, September 9
Black Swamp Arts Festival Take a day trip south and join in a late-summer tradition, as the Black Swamp Arts Festival returns to Bowling Green in early September. The festival, now in its twentieth year, brings the best in fine arts, crafts and performing arts to downtown BG, turning the cozy college town into a destination that has something for everyone. The heart of the festival may be the juried art show, which brings in fine artists from across the country, and the music stage featuring acts like Booker T. Jones, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Bright Light Social Hour and Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside
A Family Entertainment stage on Main Street near the library features special performances with a kid-friendly flair, and of course there’s plenty of great local food on hand, from your standard greasy festival favorites to the best international cuisine BG has to offer. Friday, 5pm-midnight; Saturday, 10am-midnight; Sunday, 12-5pm. www.blackswamparts.org
Thursday, September 13
ACGT Art Walk Don’t miss the final Art Walk of the season and the chance to see the best artists and downtown galleries all in one evening. The TCP office will host the installation RENEGADE by Ohio65 & Brent Haas so stop in and check out where we work and play! 6-9pm. Free. Downtown, UpTown and the Warehouse District. www.acgt.org
Wednesday, September 19
Art of Prevention Show support for Toledo’s Planned Parenthood and view creative works of art made almost entirely of condoms! This unique fundraiser/art show promotes safe sex education while highlighting the talent of local artists with music and good food, too. 6-8pm. $45. 20 North Gallery. www.ppaction.org
Friday, September 21 & Saturday September 22
Acoustics for Autism … Plugged In! Project iAm follows up their popular Acoustics for Autism benefit concert with a rockin’ plugged in version. Great local acts Kyle White, Dave Carpenter and Arctic Clam open for the hit 90s band Rusted Root! 5pm-12am. $10 adv./ $15 door. The Shops at Fallen Timbers. www.acousticsforautism.com
Friday, September 21 & Saturday September 22
All Rachmaninoff The Toledo Symphony Orchestra opens it’s season by tackling the work of 20th century composer Sergi Rachmaninoff. Maestro Stefan Sanderling conducts the TSO with coveted young pianist Martina Filjak. Friday & Saturday, 8-10pm. $22-$37. Toledo
Museum of Art Peristyle Theater. www.toledosymphony.com
Thursday, September 27
Authors! Authors! Stan Lee The iconic mind that created generations of fanboys and a modern pop-culture mythology with the Marvel Universe, Stan Lee, comes to Toledo to tell the stories of America’s most beloved superheroes like Spiderman, Captain America and the X-Men. 7pm. $8 students/$10 general. Stranahan Theater. www.toledolibrary.org
Sunday, September 30
Maumee Bay River Festival Celebrate Toledo’s wonderful natural resources, Lake Erie & the Maumee River, with great food, cool music and better beer! Take tours of the new Middlegrounds Metropark site and enjoy the tunes of Russ Franzen, Rachel Richardson, Pat Lewandowski, the Estar Cohen Quintet, The Antivillains, Ramona Collins and more. 1-10pm. The Oliver House. www.maumeebayriverfestival.org
Saturday September 22
39th Annual Roche de Boeuf Festival Historic Downtown Waterville will be full of area artists, crafters, food vendors as well as a Pioneer Arts Area with artisans reenacting blacksmithing, quilting, weaving woodcarving and more. Also, three stages will feature entertainment from Mt. Fuji and the Eruptions, the Dance Centre of Northwest Ohio, Middle Eastern Dance Group and Ardan Academy of Irish Dancers, with many other activities in store. 9am-
5pm. Downtown Waterville. www.watervillechamber.com
October
Monday, October 1
Sleigh Bells Indie-pop duo Sleigh Bells bring their raucous wall of sound to Bowling Green State University. Hipsters, rockers and swingers enjoy! 8pm. $23-$25. Cla-zel Theater.
www.innovationconcerts.com
Friday, October 5-Sunday, October 7
La Bohéme The Toledo Opera opens its curtains on a new season with an opera by Giacomo Puccini. This four act opera may be steeped in realism, but the grandeur of the production is a fantastical theatrical experience. Friday, 8pm; Sunday, 2pm. $30 – $75. Valentine Theatre. www.toledoopera.org
Saturday, October 6
Blue Moon Ball This isn’t your average fundraiser. At the Toledo Ballet’s annual scholarship event features live music, festival fare, a mask contest and a chance to learn the “Thriller” dance from artistic director Michael Lang. Toledo Club. www.toledoballet.net
Sunday, October 7
8 The Catalyst Theatre Network is doing a special one-night-only stage reading of Dustin Lance Black’s play on California’s controversial Proposition 8. A panel discussion with Equality Toledo follows the show. 7:30pm. University of Toledo Doermann Theatre. www.facebook.com/CatalystTheatreNetwork
Sunday, October 7-Sunday, January 20
Made in Hollywood The archives of collector John Kobal contain over 90 prints that feature the Golden Age of Hollywood and the TMA have them on display for this special exhibition. Come see the glamour of Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant and more and relive the era of the Silver Screen. Toledo Museum
of Art. www.toledomuseum.org
Tuesday, October 9
Mike Watt & the Missing Men Watt is the former bassist of the famed Michigan punk-rock band The Stooges. With his outfit The Missingmen, they keep classic punk rockin’ and relevent well into the new millennia. 8pm. $15-$17. Mickey Finns. www.innovationconcerts.com
Friday, October 12-Sunday, October 21
Orpheus The classic story of Orpheus takes on a new interpretation with guest artist Jessica Bonenfant (pictured), choreographer and creative director for Lola Lola Dance Theatre in New York, directing this production of Jean Cocteau’s absurdist take on the tale. Friday 12 & Saturday 13, 7:30pm; Sunday 14, 2pm. Wednesday 17-Saturday 20, 7:30pm; Sunday 21, 2pm. $7-$12. University of toledo Center for Performing Arts Center Theatre. www.utoledo.edu/cvpa
Sunday, October 7-Tuesday, January 1
Manet: Portraying Life The TMA in conjunction with the Royal Academy of Art in London present a major exhibition of the timeless portraits of impressionist Edouard Manet. Manet’s portrayal of 19th century Parisian life has contributed to some of world’s most famous images and revolutionized the art world by capturing the everyday events of both luminaries and common people. The exhibition amasses 40 works on loan from collections all over the world as well as photographs of the artist and his life. Visit the TMA website to see a full schedule of events associated with the exhibition including a free Master Series Presentation on October 11 and a free film series, Manet’s Paris, starting October 12 in the Little Theater. $8 adults / $5 seniors & students. Toledo Museum of Art. www.toledomuseum.org
Saturday, October 13
November The Toledo Repertoire Theatre adds some fun to election season with a Edgy Rep reading of David Mamet’s political parody. 8pm. $10. Pam’s Corner. www.toledorep.org
Wednesday, October 17-Saturday, October 20
BGSU New Music Festival BGSU will wow audiences with an eclectic lineup of contemporary artists performing a wide range of lectures, seminars and performances. Some of the artists featured are composer John Luther Adams, sound artist Marina Rosenfeld and percussionist Doug Perkins and, best of all, most events are free and open to the public. Go online for dates and times. The Moore Musical Arts Center, The Wolfe Center for the Arts, The Cla-Zel Theatre & The School of Art. www.bgsu.edu
Thursday, October 18
.jpg)
Capitol Steps Take a step back from the circus of election season and laugh at the political turmoil you’ve been cringing to for the last few months — or years. The Capitol Steps are the sharpest and wittiest political satire theater group out there; no one’s safe and no headline’s not exploited from their goofy, yet crushing, humor. $37-$50. 7:30pm. Valentine Theater. www.valentinetheatre.com.
Friday, October19
Leslie Adams: Drawn from LifeThe Toledo Museum of Art helped her get a start in art as a youngster through classes, and now Leslie Adams — who is nationally acclaimed for portraits of civic leaders — is presenting a new body of around 20 works. This exhibition is very autobiographical, with splashes of popular culture. Free. Toledo Museum of Art, Gallery 18. www.toledomuseum.org.
Friday, October 26
Evil Dead: The Musical Not many musicals have a blood splash zone, but this fun, campy slasher — based on the cult films — offers a gore-filled theater experience like no other. If you can stomach some bloody, zombie-killing madness, this unique show might be right up your alley. $20. 7pm. Valentine Theatre. www.valentinetheatre.com.
Saturday, October 27
Wisaal Blending Arabic and American folk music, this Lansing-based world band is a melting pot, fusing styles from across the globe. They use traditional Middle Eastern patterns fused with drops of Western stylings and a touch of pop to provide a unique experience. Free. 5pm. B-Bop Records/Third Space. www.thirdspacetoledo.com
Saturday, October 27
Dayglow Most raves are pretty wild to begin with, but adding paint cannons and acrobats accelerates the intensity of the atmosphere pretty quickly. This touring party features feel-good DJs, an elbow-to-elbow dance party and, of course, truck loads of paint. $30. 8pm. Seagate Center. www.toledo-seagate.com.
Sunday, October 28
Halloween Spooktacular w/ Toledo School for the Arts You never really know what to expect at this event, but this year the Toledo Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with the Toledo School for the Arts, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Botanical Gardens and Toledo Opera for a family-oriented event that features beautiful classical music. 3pm. $20-$25. Toledo Museum of Art, Peristyle.
November
Friday, November 2
Sapphire Blues Last year this event contributed $25,000 to the Toledo Opera’s programing. And, as an affordable happening that supports the arts, complete with live jazz and a massive buffet, you really can’t go wrong. A night on the town that supports more to come. $50. The Toledo Club. www.toledoopera.org.
November 5
.jpg)
David Sedaris NPR veteran and mega-selling memoirist Sedaris is plenty funny on the page, mining the rich comic veins of his colorful family and his adventures as an American abroad for big laughs. But you haven’t really experienced his work until you’ve heard him read it to you — either on an audiobook or at one of his don’t-miss-it live performances. His quirky, almost childlike voice is the perfect vehicle for his ruthless deadpan comic timing, while bringing out the generous heart in even his mostly dark funny tales. $45. 8pm. Valentine Theater. www.valentinetheatre.com.
Date TBA
ACGT Holiday Gallery Loop The final bus loop of the year from the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo is moving a bit closer to the holidays this year. The event is usually held in
October, but this year the more than 20 participating galleries in the Uptown and Warehouse Districts are giving you the chance to do your holiday shopping. 6-9pm. Downtown Toledo. www.acgt.org.
Friday, November 9
I Hate Hamlet An actor gets the role of a lifetime, but there is only one little problem: He can’t stand the Shakespearian title character he has been cast as. This comedy puts a fresh twist on the sometimes stingy flavor of the work of The Bard. $20. 8pm. Toledo Rep. www.toledorep.org.
Sunday, November 11
39 steps One of Hitchcock’s greatest thrillers has transitioned to the stage. After Hannay witnesses a shooting, he takes a woman who has been frightened by the situation to safety. She reveals she is a spy and has uncovered a secret. When she ends up dead, a map in her hand and a few previous vague statements are all he has to uncover the truth. $43-$63. 7pm. Valentine Theatre. www.valentinetheatre.com.
Friday , November 16–Saturday, November 17
A Soldier’s Tale When a fiddle-playing soldier makes a deal with the devil, his life takes a wild ride. The Toledo Symphony presents the full theatrical and balletic version of Igor Stravinsky’s masterpiece. $22-$37. 8pm.Toledo Museum of Art, Peristyle. www.toledosymphony.com.
Friday, November 30
A Christmas Carol Even though everyone knows how the story goes, the classic tale of greed and love is a cultural staple. $25. 8pm. By the Toledo Rep at the Valentine Theater.
www.toledorep.org.
December
Saturday, December 1 – Sunday, December 2
Handel’s Messiah Over 2,000 people came last year. And it’s not surprising, since the collaboration for the annual crowd favorites brings together the Toledo Symphony, the Toledo
Choral Society and the BGSU Choral Society. Enjoy warm holiday classics like “Great Amen” and “Hallelujah.” 8pm. $25-$30. Toledo Museum of Art, Peristyle. www.toledosymphony.com.
Sunday, December 16
Upright Citizen’s Brigade When you see this improv comedy group, you know you’re going to see future big-name stars — this unit birthed the careers of Amy Poehler, Ed Helms and Aziz Ansari. $24-$40. 7pm. Valentine. www.valentinetheatre.com
Friday, December 21
mr. Gnome This duo out of Cleveland is a wall-of-sound, blasting high-engery psychedelia one second and ominous indie rock the next. They’re weird, talented and a band on the rise. Free. 10pm. Ottawa Tavern.
Take a trip
Top four events in Ann Arbor this season
Saturday, September 15
Glen Hasard & Iron and Wine
Last time Glen Hansard was in town he was fresh from a friend’s funeral and playing with The Swell Season for the first time since his romantic breakup with the other half of the duo, Marketa Irglova. His sadness seemed to continue into this year’s first solo release, Rhythm and Repose. 8pm. $40. Michigan Theater. www.michtheater.org.
Friday, December 21, Thursday, September 20 – Saturday, December 15
Superior Donuts When a man is about ready to give up — including his family’s donut store —he meets an optimistic stranger that turns the tide in his life. Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts. Times vary. $27-$42. Purple Rose. www.purplerosetheatre.org.
September 25
First Aid Kit The Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit — made up of sisters Johanna and Klara Soderberg — have toured the world twice, recorded a song with Jack White and released one of last year’s best albums, The Lion’s Roar. And they’re only 21 and 19.$20. 9pm. Blind Pig. www.blindpigmusic.com
Saturday, September 29
Three Corpse Independent Film Festival Back and bigger than ever, Ann Arbor’s premier horror film festival is ready to frighten, gross-out and maybe even amuse. There’s some big names in the mix this year that should even further establish this third annual event. $10. 7:30&9:30pm. Michigan Theater. www.michtheater.org
