Don’t get us wrong—we love large, outdoor festivals—but as the warm weather dissipates, so does the appeal of beer-fueled crowds and daytime art fairs. Ready to head indoors for intimate art exhibits, such as the six gallery shows in Contemporary Arts Toledo’s SculptureX (September 26-27)? Or for staged plays, like Cutting Edge Theatre’s Pippin (November 8-11) and thrilling performances, like the Toledo Opera’s The Magic Flute (October 5-6)?
We asked four creative leaders—concert promoter Zack Jacobs, arts organizer Natalie Gray, improv comedian Diana De Pasquale, and filmmaker Michael Desanto—where they will spend the 2018-2019 arts season. Read on for their suggestions, check out the rest of our website to discover even more opportunities to focus on this season of the arts.
Zack Jacobs | Innovation Concerts
I work at Innovation Concerts doing booking, promoting, and helping run the venues. My primary focus is managing and booking the Ottawa Tavern, which I’ve been doing for about two-and-a-half years. I also play guitar, bass and sing in several bands (Light Horizon, Tropic Bombs, Whisper Disco, and who knows, maybe five more bands by the time this is published). Music is my life and I am so thankful to be able to work with the incredible and talented people who make music in this city. Toledo is such a hotbed of talent and I work hard to show people that there are fun things to do in this city and so much to be positive and enthusiastic about!
Silver Age & Secret Space Record Release Show
6:30pm | Friday, 9.7 | $10/advance, $12/doors
Some of my absolute favorite locals both releasing records on the same night, and the entire lineup is stacked.
Frankie’s | 308 Main St
419-698-4020 | innovationconcerts.com
Obituary & Exmortus
7pm | Wednesday, 9.12 | $18/advance, $20/doors
Obituary are some of the godfathers of death metal and it’s such a cool thing to have them in Toledo.
Civic Music Hall | 135 S Byrne Rd
419-870-1898 | innovationconcerts.com
Modest Mouse
7:30pm | Wednesday, 9.26 | $40-$50
These guys are one of my favorite bands and have been a big influence on me musically. And the Stranahan is a beautiful place.
Stranahan Theater | 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd
1-888-381-7469 | stranahantheater.com
Ballyhoo
8pm | Saturday, 9.29 | $13-$18
Ballyhoo is super dope. I was really stoked when we got them for the OT. And the locals (The Essentials & The Funk Factory) are phenomenal and some of my favorite musicians and people.
Ottawa Tavern | 1817 Adams St
419-725-5483 | innovationconcerts.com
Electric 6
8pm | Friday, 10.19 | $13-$18
Electric 6 is super fun and are great guys. My band Whisper Disco gets to share the stage for this one and it’s probably the last bit of fun I’ll get to have before the insanity of zombie crawl the next day.
Ottawa Tavern | 1817 Adams St
419-725-5483 | innovationconcerts.com
Chief Keef
7pm | Thursday, 11.1 | $25-$35
One of the biggest names in hip hop at one of my venues? Why yes, thank you.
Civic Music Hall | 135 S Byrne Rd
419-870-1898 | innovationconcerts.com
Magical Mystery Tavern: A Tribute to The Beatles
8pm | Saturday, 11.3 | $5
A tribute night to my all time favorite band. Ten or more local bands getting up there and putting their spin on some of the best songs ever written in my opinion. We’ve done Hall and Oates and Disney tribute nights and those were amazingly fun. I think this one is going to top them all.
Ottawa Tavern | 1817 Adams St
419-725-5483 | innovationconcerts.com
Makers Mart
10am-8pm | Saturday, 11.10 | Free
I love being able to see all of the talent in our city on display and Makers Mart exemplifies that perfectly to me.
Handmade Toledo | 1717 Adams St
419-214-1717 | handmadetoledo.com/makers-mart
Cannibal Corpse
7pm | Wednesday, 11.14 | $25-$35
Cannibal Corpse is THE name in death metal to me and it’s going to be an honor to have them at one of my venues and to see them shred it live. Unreal.
Civic Music Hall | 135 S Byrne Rd
419-870-1898 | innovationconcerts.com
Annihilation 2018 w/Whitechapel, Chelsea Grin, Oceano, The Black Dahlia Murder & more
4pm | Friday, 11.16 & 2pm | Saturday, 11.17 | $30-$35, $50/weekend pass
Toledo hasn’t seen an event like this since the Jamboree and it’s needed it for so long. I can’t believe the names that are on this bill, and those still to come. It’s going to be 2 days of absolutely off the chain heavy music.
Civic Music Hall | 135 S Byrne Rd
419-870-1898 | innovationconcerts.com
Natalie Gray | The Arts Commission
Natalie Gray is a recent graduate from the University of Toledo with a B.A. in Communication. Gray first got involved with The Arts Commission through volunteering for Artomatic 419! and the Art Loop. With a focus on creative nonprofits, her experience includes development work at Toledo School for the Arts as the Alumni Relations Liaison and a summer at The Toledo Museum of Art in the Special Events department. In 2016, Gray started on The Arts Commission’s Creative Placemaking team working to connect artists to neighborhood residents, fulfilling the objectives outlined by City of Toledo’s Strategic Plan for Arts and Culture. She also sits on the boards of Toledo SOUP, The Ohio Theatre, and the Toledo Museum of Art’s CIRCLE board.
Flying Pig Music Festival
4-10:30pm | Saturday, 9.8 | $10/adults, $5/students over 5 years old, VIP is $35, $50 for two.
Toledo School for the Arts is a cultural achor in Uptown and a parking lot party is the perfect way to invite the neighborhood into the utopia that is TSA.
Toledo School for the Arts | 333 14th St
419-246-8732 | ts4arts.org
Momentum
Thursday, 9.13 – Saturday, 9.15
This is the second year for Momentum and this year’s schedule of events is packed with accessible arts and culture activities for three days and it’s free!
Times vary.
Promenade Park | 250 Water St
419-254-2787 | momentumtoledo.org/schedule
Design of Protest
7-9pm | Saturday, 9.22 | $5-$15
AIGA is inviting designers to submit signs of protest. Throughout history, revolutionary cries and iconic images echo after a movement fades and there is a true art to making an image that resonates.
Handmade Toledo | 1717 Adams St
419-214-1717 | toledo.aiga.org
Toledo Fringe Fest
10:30am-midnight | Saturday, 9.29 | $8-$40
This is the first ever Fringe Fest at the Collingwood Arts Center which is worth a visit if you’ve never been. I’m not sure what to expect and that’s why I’m so intrigued, hoping for the bizarre.
Collingwood Arts Center | 2413 Collingwood Blvd
419-244-2787 | toledofringefest.org
October Art Loop: Haunted Harvest
5:30-9pm | Thursday, 10.18
Every third Thursday is my favorite day of the month because Art Loop activates Uptown and Downtown with arts and culture activities for all people all for FREE!
Downtown Toledo
419-254-2787 | theartscommission.org
TSA Choreography Showcase
7pm | Thursday, 11.8 | $7, adults. $5, students/seniors
This is one of my favorite events from Toledo School for the Arts because this show features student choreographed works and they’re so talented. This is at the Ohio Theatre and Event Center, which is a gorgeous, historic gem in Toledo.
Ohio Theatre and Event Center | 3114 Lagrange St
419-246-8732 (226) | ts4arts.org
Makers Mart
10am-8pm | Saturday, 11.10 | Free
I’ve made it a tradition to volunteer for Maker’s Mart every year, spring and fall, and greet hundreds of people first thing in the morning. Investing directly in an artist for a handmade good is the best way to shop because it helps our economy and is more ethical than going to the mall and buying gifts made from exploited labor.
Handmade Toledo | 1717 Adams St
419-214-1717 | handmadetoledo.com/makers-mart
Portraits of Toledo Story Circle
7pm | Thursday, 11.29 | Free
The Toledo Museum of Art is hosting a series of events related to families and portraits tying in with the Frans Hals Exhibition opening in October. Storytelling is our oldest art form and takes many shapes. I am excited to see how we can use the museum to bring people together and share our human experiences.
Toledo Museum of Art | 2445 Monroe St
419-255-8000 | toledomuseum.org
It’s a Wonderful Life
7:30pm | Friday, 12.14 | $5
The Valentine Theater is a magical venue and they host a classic film series. If you’ve never seen the film or been to the Valentine, put them on your list. Plus, Jimmy Stewart is pretty hot.
The Valentine Theatre | 410 Adams St
419-242-3490 | valentinetheatre.com
Aha! Indian Dance
2pm | Saturday, 12.29 | Free
I will perform at the Peristyle during the Toledo Museum of Art’s Great Art Escape. I always say dance is a great way to learn about other cultures and last year I was lucky enough to call the show, meaning light and sound cues, in the glorious venue that is the Peristyle. It’s free!
Toledo Museum of Art | 2445 Monroe St
419-255-8000 | toledomuseum.org
Nick Morgan, Erin Kanary, and Diana De Pasquale | GlassCity Improv
Nick spent the better part of a blurry decade studying at The Second City Conservatory and The iO Theater in Chicago. He went on to write and perform ‘Karl Lighter’s Hour of Power: 45 minutes that will change your life’ at Second City’s Skybox Theater, and played on multiple iO house ensembles and at The Playground Theater with his beloved Wing Night. Nick then ventured east and performed at the Washington Improv Theater in DC, while also teaching their level 5 Harold class. He currently teaches the Level 3 class with Glass City Improv; his first level 3 teacher in Chicago was Keegan-Michael Key…so, sorry in advance. He is tickled beyond Elmo’s grave to be teaching and performing in his native Toledo and is incredibly grateful to Erin, Diana, and everyone who has helped create our wonderful improv community.
Erin studied improv and sketch writing at The Second City and iO Theater in Chicago and Planet Ant in Detroit. She has written and performed for SketchFest Chicago, snagged a writing award at the 2013 Mary Scruggs Works by Women Comedy Festival in Chicago, and was also featured in the Best of Second City sketch revue in 2014. She is a former house ensemble member of ComedySportz Detroit where she honed her short-form chops and played the occasional piano. Erin is currently the Level 1 instructor and proud member of Vice Chair improv troupe.
Diana is one of the co-founders of Glass City Improv (glasscityimprov.com) and teaches Level 2 on Tuesday nights in Studio A, as well as also teaching some workshops on advanced stuff. She also performs as part of Vice Chair (with Erin and Nick) at The Monthly, on the last Friday of each month in Studio A.
Previously, Diana trained in improvisation at the UCB Theater, and with Armando Diaz at The Magnet Theater in NYC. She was a member of Foreplay, the host of Improdome! at the Peoples Improv Theater, has performed at the Chicago Improv Festival, the Del Close Marathon, and in the New York International Fringe Festival. Following are Diana’s picks.
Glass City Donut Festival
6-9pm | Friday, 8.31 | $25
Because donuts are awesome and I love to eat them.
The Shops at Fallen Timbers | 3100 Main St, Maumee
419-740-7080 | facebook.com/GlassCityDonutFestival
Black Swamp Arts Festival
Friday, 9.7 – Sunday, 9.9 | Free
ITS FREE! And live music. Plus, it’s like two blocks from my house. Show and activity times vary.
Downtown BG | blackswampfest.org
Modest Mouse
7:30pm | Wednesday, 9.26 | $40-$50
So rare to get good (weird) rock bands here.
Stranahan Theater | 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd
1-888-381-7469 | stranahantheater.com
Live taping of the Alabaster Peaks podcast
Friday, 9.21
This is definitely a Glass City Improv thing, but still, it’s gonna be a blast. I’ve been on the show before and I had so much fun. Plus there will be people in the audience who’ve also been on before and they’ll be chiming in.
Valentine Theatre | 410 Adams St
419-242-3490 | valentinetheatre.com
Storytelling Show and Class
Saturday, 10.6 & Thursday, 10.11
I’m hosting a storytelling show at the Art & Performance Center of West Toledo on October 11th and I’m also teaching a storytelling class on Saturday, October 6th at Studio A. If you’re a storyteller, hit me up to be in the show! Stories connect us all.
Art & Performance Center of West Toledo | 2702 W Sylvania Ave
419-913-9010 | facebook.com/apcwesttoledo
Valentine Theatre Studio A | 410 Adams St
419-242-3490 | valentinetheatre.com
Night of the Living Dead
7:30pm | Friday, 10.19 | $5
The Valentine shows old movies and they’re doing this classic. I’m a big creep and love horror movies, so this is right up my alley.
Valentine Theatre Studio A | 410 Adams St
419-242-3490 | valentinetheatre.com
Makers Mart
10am-8pm | Saturday, 11.10 | Free
I like buying beautiful and well made things from the people who made them.
Handmade Toledo | 1717 Adams St
419-214-1717 | handmadetoledo.com/makers-mart
The Toledo Craftsman’s Guild Christmas Gift Fair
10am-5pm | Saturday, 11.24 & 11am-4pm | Sunday, 11.25 | Free
I like buying beautiful and well made things from the people who made them.
Lucas County Recreation Center | 2901 Key St, Maumee
419-842-1925 | toledocraftsmansguild.org
Wood County Historical Society Gala
Saturday, 12.1
They’re doing a 1920s themed gala. Sounds like I’ll be having some bathtub gin! Times and prices TBD.
Wood County Historical Center & Museum | 13660 County Home Rd, BG
419-352-0967 | woodcountyhistory.org
The Russian Ballet
7:30pm | Wednesday, 1.9 | $29-$59
I’ve been wanting to get more into seeing dance (a friend of mine is taking ballet classes) and since we should all prepare for our impending despotic Russian oligarch takeover, I want to be well versed in their cultural contributions.
Valentine Theatre | 410 Adams St
419-242-3490 | valentinetheatre.com
Michael DeSanto | Bad Atom Studios, FilmToledo
I’m a local independent filmmaker and I’ve been involved in the Toledo film scene for the past 12 years. I do photography and videography with my business, Bad Atom Studios, and I write, direct, edit and produce independent film projects, often collaborating with other local filmmakers and production companies. I’m also the president and co-executive director of FilmToledo, a non-profit film commission dedicated to bringing outside film production companies and films to Toledo, and helping to promote the local film community. And every so often, I host The Untitled Improv Show, a live comedy show featuring local performers. Toledo’s film scene has grown so much over the last several years, and I’m really happy to be a part of it.
The Legend of Holcomb Road
6pm & 8pm | Friday, 10.12 | $6
A local legend becomes a local film event, courtesy of Fostoria’s Capture 1 Studios. Bring the family for a spooky good time and stay for the bonus documentary featuring real stories behind the legend of haunted Holcomb Road.
Maumee Indoor Theatre | 601 Conant St, Maumee
419-701-7177 | capture1online.com
Stretch’s music video release party for the song “Karma”
Friday, 10.12
Over the last five years, local band Stretch has been stretching the boundaries of rock, rap, hip-hop and pop to create a unique sound. They’re putting on a special show to premiere their latest music video, “Karma”. Time and price TBD.
Ottawa Tavern | 1817 Adams St
419-725-5483 | facebook.com/wearestretch
4th Annual Maumee Film Festival
Friday & Saturday, 9.28-9.29 | $6/single day, $10/two-day
Now in its fourth year, the Maumee Film Festival continues to grow. It features the best films that NW Ohio has to offer, networking events for filmmakers, tours of local studio facilities and so much more! Times TBD.
Maumee Indoor Theatre | 601 Conant St, Maumee
419-897-8902 | maumeefilmfestival.com
Shorts in January
6:30-10pm | Friday, 1.19 | $5-$7
Northwest Ohio’s coolest short film showcase is returning for a second year, featuring shorts from local filmmakers, prizes from local business sponsors, and a chance to network with the local filmmaking community.
Maumee Indoor Theatre | 601 Conant St, Maumee
419-897-8902 | maumeeindoor.com
Glass City Screenwriters Monthly Meetups
6:30pm-8:30pm | Every third Thursday of the month.
If you’re interested in writing for film and want to learn the tricks of the trade and hear about upcoming local film and writing projects, check out this free monthly event!
Oregon Branch Library | 3340 Dustin Rd, Oregon
419-259-5250 | glasscityscreenwriters.com
