Artistic wanderlust
Cleveland photographer G.M. Donley is always on the move and his camera is always at the ready. The world traveler has captured his wanderings in cinematic photo composites for his exhibition in Cleveland Heights. The show pairs 16 different horizontal photos of Donley鈥檚 bike rides, hikes and city strolls through Cleveland neighborhoods like Tremont and Ohio City. Each is paired with a corresponding image from European cities like Prague, Venice or Berlin for viewers to compare. Meet the artist and hear stories of his travels on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the gallery on Fairmount Boulevard.
Woodstock jazz redux
The influential yet infamous Woodstock music festival defined a generation of counterculture hippies who just wanted to turn on, tune in and drop out in 1969. A lot has changed in the more than half a century since then, but the passion for the music hasn鈥檛 wavered. The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra celebrates this defining cultural moment with , a jazzy tribute to the festival鈥檚 stars like Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana and Sly and the Family Stone. Fronting the CJO is Tony-nominated vocalist Mary Bridget Davies at the Maltz Performing Arts Center in University Circle Friday at 7:30 p.m.
From one drummer to another
The jazz beats continue into Saturday night when drummer Nehemiah 鈥淪tix鈥� Baker brings his band to the BLU Jazz+ night club in Downtown Akron. His band the Stix Quintet plays its own funky blend of jazz, R&B and neo-soul featuring a group of Gen Z musicians with a passion for this 20th century music. One of Baker鈥檚 favorite jazz drummers is Pittsburgh legend Jeff 鈥淭ain鈥� Watts, who lends his nickname to the evening鈥檚 moniker 鈥溾�� Doors open at 7 p.m. and the band hits at 8 p.m.
Hear them roar
It鈥檚 the middle of World War II and the women of the Oberon Play House steadfastly believe that the show must go on while the men are away at war. George Brant鈥檚 historical comedy 鈥溾�� is a play within a play, as an all-female cast takes on the Bard鈥檚 epic Henry dramas featuring Prince Hal and his funny sidekick Falstaff. The Ohio Shakespeare Festival stages the comedy at Greystone Hall in Downtown Akron through May 17.
Big rig inspirations
Artist David Heatwole spends his work days driving a truck as he concocts his next artistic project. A recent transplant to Northeast Ohio, Heatwole鈥檚 first exhibit in the Buckeye state is on view at the in Cleveland鈥檚 AsiaTown. Inspired by the late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the West Virginia native likes to work with local communities to create his colorful paintings and large-format photographs. The exhibition 鈥淰isions from the Main Artery 鈥� The Art of David F. Heatwole鈥� is on view through June 14.
