Free in Cleveland: STEP Cleveland Public Theater

I just heard about this awesome Cleveland Public Theater program STEP (Student Theater Enrichment Program) that gets urban teens involved in theater!  They put together a show and then perform around the city outside for free!

The show is all original and apparently involves singing and dancing too!  This year's production is called And One Night which is based on Arabian Nights: One Thousand and One Nights.

It starts tonight!  Here is the list of performances, hope to see you there!

Performances

Thursday, August 1st
Herman Park (W 58 & Herman Ave I Rain Location:CPT) 7pm

Friday, August 2nd
Lincoln Park (W 14 & Starkweather Ave I Rain Location: Pilgrim Church) 7pm

Saturday, Augst 3rd
Tony Brush Park in Little Italy (Mayfield & Random Rd I Rain Location: Alta House) 4pm

Monday, August 5th
St. Stanislaus - Warszawa Music Festival (3649 E 65 I Rain Location: Church) 7pm

Tuesday, August 6th
Lonnie Burten Baseball Field (E 46 & Outhwaite Ave I Rain Location: Gymnasium) 6pm

Wednesday, August 7th
Kerruish Park (17000 Tarkington Ave I Rain Location: Harvard Community Services Center)7pm

Thursday, August 8th
Mercedes Cotner Park (W 95 & Maywood Ave I Rain Location: Denison Avenue UCC) 12noon

Thursday, August 8th
St. John's Church (2600 Church Ave & W 26 I Rain Location: TBA) 7pm

Friday, August 9th
Denison Elementary School (3799 West 33 St & Denison I Rain Location: Gymnasium) 7pm

Saturday, August 10th
West Park- Fairview Family YMCA (15501 Lorain Rd I Rain Location: YMCA Gymnasium) 12pm

Saturday, August 10th
Cleveland Public Theatre (W 65th & Detroit Ave I Rain Location: CPT) 7pm

Sunday, August 11th
Fairview Park in Ohio City (W 38 & Franklin Blvd I Rain Location: Westside UCC) 4pm

Free in Cleveland: Cleveland Shakespeare Festival

Last Sunday I went to see CSF put on Two Gentlemen From Verona in Lakewood Park for FREE!  I've somehow missed the last couple of summers of Shakespeare because of scheduling conflicts so I was super excited to attend this show.  There was a great turnout especially as it was a somewhat chilly summer night.  The show was quite amusing, and I really enjoyed the physical comedy as well as Shakespeare's wit.  I thought it was great that there were several children in attendance as well as a wide range of twenty somethings, senior citizens, and everyone in between.

I also always appreciate casting that disregards race though- and I'm assuming it was coincidental, all the leads were white (as far as I could tell).

EDIT: Female lead, Silvia, half hispanic, half white!  Love the extra layer of diversity even if I was dense and didn't immediately know!

The only downside was that it started raining and the show had to end about 10 minutes early.

This weekend I might try to see Measure by Measure one of Shakespeare's problem plays in Tremont!

Come on down and see the last weekend of showings!  And, don't worry if you don't know your Shakespeare, helpful summaries of the plays are provided in the programs!

Knock another thing off my summer bucket list!

My Summer of Fun 2012

Before I start back up with substitute teaching and going to grad school full time I want to have a SUMMER OF FUN!! The question is, what does it take to achieve this feat? A summer bucket list perhaps?

Sara's Summer Bucket List:

1. Go to Colorado! Planned for early July

2. Attend a Wade Oval Wednesday

3. See Shakespeare in a park

4. Go to the beach

5. Crafting!

6. Girls Nights!

7. Date Nights! (make me an offer!)

8. Bonfires

9. Lay out at a pool

10. Cook out

11. Outdoor runs

12. Read fun books!

13. Go to the Zoo

14. See the summer blockbusters!

15. Day drink!

What else should I do?  Want to do an activity with me- Let me know!

Free in Cleveland: The Cleveland Zoo

Many people know this, but some may not.  The Cleveland Zoo is FREE on Mondays!  And, the Rainforest is available at a reduced rate!  This would be a fun unique date or outing with friends!

Here's how it works: (taken from www.clemetzoo.com)

On Mondays, the Zoo (not including The RainForest) is FREE for residents of Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township.* From Memorial Day through Labor Day, if Monday is an observed holiday, free Zoo admission applies on Tuesday instead. If you qualify for free Zoo-only admission on Mondays, tickets for The RainForest may be purchased at the following rates: Adults (12 and older) are $5.00, Children (2-11) are $3.00, and Children under 2 are free.

*To confirm your residency, bring your driver's license or state I.D. or a current utility bill with your Cuyahoga Cty. or Hinckley Twp. address along with a photo ID.

Are you going to wild out at the zoo this fall? Haha... like my play on words?

Free in Cleveland: Lakewood's Friday Night Flick's

As a child my family and I would walk up the street to Lakewood Park a few times a summer to see the Friday Night Flick!  It's a great family event and each week a different movie rated G or PG is shown.  Here's the schedule for the rest of the summer!

July 8 ~ Despicable Me (PG) at Lakewood Park
July 22 ~ Yogi Bear (PG) at Lakewood Park
July 29 ~ RV (PG) at Lakewood Park
August 12 ~ Toy Story 3 (G) at Madison Park
August 13~ Finding Nemo (G) at Foster Pool in Lakewood Park (Dive-In Movie)

In the event of inclement weather, movies will be shown at in the Lakewood City Hall Auditorium, 12650 Detroit Avenue, at 8:00 p.m. To find out if a movie has been moved indoors., tune into Lakewood Radio 1660 AM, call (216) 529-6650 after 5:00 PM or visit www.onelakewood.com.

(all information taken from the blog at www.onelakewood.com)

Free in Cleveland: Wade Oval Wednesdays

Looking for a fun Wednesday night out?  Check out Wade Oval Wednesdays.  At University Circle on the green space every Wednesday from 6-9 is a free concert!  Each week features a different group with a different style of music!  On select weeks they offer free family friendly movies as well.  This is a great event for families, couples, or groups of friends.  Pack a dinner and make it a night.  You might even want to come early and check out a museum before the concert starts.

I went last night and had a great time with a couple of friends and their family.  I was surprised to see such a large turn out.  The crowd was very diverse and was great for people watching.  I discovered upon arrival that you are permitted to bring wine/beer/libations along with your picnic dinners which is neat.  There were several food vendors set up as well selling anything from noodle bowls to gyros to hamburgers and hot dogs.  I enjoyed a freshly made freshly squeezed lemonade like you get at a county fair!  Mmmm delicious. 

There is meter parking on the streets in the area and plenty of lot parking as well, but head up early for the best spots.  My friend and I parked at the Severance Hall garage which was a short walk away and cost us 5 dollars for 2.5 hrs. 

Here's the schedule for the rest of the summer!

July 13*

Speedbumps (Indie Rock)

July 20*

Please note schedule change: New Barleycorn (Irish Celtic)

*Movie Night: The Karate Kid

July 27

Chris Allen & the Guilty Hearts with Austin “Walking” Cane (Alternative Rock)

August 3*

Carlos Jones & The P.L.U.S. Band (Reggae)

August 10

Mo’ Mojo (Zydeco Jam Band)

August 17: GREEN WOW

Cats on Holiday (Rockabilly/ Swamp Rock)

*Movie Night: Wall-E

August 24

Son Gitano (Latin/Salsa/Rumba/Flamenco/Merengue)

August 31

Sultans of Bing (Rock and Roll)

*PNC Grow Up Great Mobile Learning Adventure will be onsite. For more information, click here.

Free in Cleveland: The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival

As I am now on a tight budget, and in general am a frugal person I've been looking into free things to do in Cleveland for the summer.  Here is a great one!  The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival!  Each summer this group puts on two Shakespearean classics for free at various outdoor venues.  I remember going several times as a child but haven't gone in recent years.

This summer they are doing Othello and Love's Labour's Lost.  Othello is being done in the traditional fashion but Love's Labour's Lost is being put on in an abridged and gender-reversed manner which should be interesting.  This would be a great date!  Pack a picnic dinner or go out to eat before or after! Here's their schedule for the rest of the summer:

July 9th Othello
July 10th Love's Labour's Lost 

Lakewood Park

July 16th Othello
July 17th Love's Labour's Lost
Shaker Hts. Colonnade

July 23rd Othello
July 24th Love's Labour's Lost
Lorain County Community College Stocker Center for the Arts

July 30th Othello
July 31st Love's Labour's Lost
The Kulas Stage at Wade Oval 

August 6th Othello
August 7th Love's Labour's Lost at Lincoln Park

Curtain for all shows is 7pm.

Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and seat themselves prior to each outdoor performance.  Rain spaces have been secured for every venue except Wade Oval, allowing performances to proceed, rain or shine. (Taken from The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival website)

Stay tuned for other free activities posts and reviews!  What other fun free things do you like to do in the summer?