Scene May 3, 2023

UPFRONT

Cuyahoga County Council Considering Legislation to Stop Doing Business With Companies That Commit Wage Theft

Cuyahoga County Council last week introduced legislation to stop the county from working with companies that commit wage theft.

Sponsored by members Patrick Kelly, Dale Miller, Martin Sweeney, Chery Stephens, Scott Tuma, Meredith Turner and Sunny Simon, the ordinance would prohibit the county from entering into contracts with companies with histories of wage theft within the last seven years, and debar contractors committing wage theft for three to five years, depending on the offense.

A similar ordinance passed in the Cleveland City Council in December 2022, and cities like Columbus and Cincinnati have passed wage theft legislation in recent years.

CLEVELAND CONDUCTING SECOND STUDY TO GAUGE FUTURE OF BURKE LAKEFRONT AIRPORT

THE CITY ANNOUNCED LAST week that it’s embarking on another study to determine the future of Burke Lakefront Airport. The question being whether Cleveland should stand by its current operation, which has seen yearly decreases in takeoffs and landings, or attempt to close it and use the 445 acres for something else.

Running through August and costing $115,000, it will be orchestrated by Econsult Solutions, Inc., a consultant based in Philadelphia. This study, a kind of partner to the city’s other study commissioned in 2021 with a $205,946 price tag, make good on a campaign promise by Mayor Justin Bibb to evaluate Burke’s potential.

The best way to find Burke’s best use, Chief of Integrated Development Jeff Epstein said, was to tip toe into a long look at the small airport, which opened in 1947.

The city’s goal “is to arm the administration and the mayor with some defensible analyses based on the best assumptions we can make now about conditions of the land,” Epstein told Cleveland.com Monday, “and the market, without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on due diligence. We are intentionally not trying to get too far in the weeds,” he added, “with the specifics

of what may be feasible.”

Epstein, along with Burke Operator Joel Woods, did not respond to requests for comment. Moreover, most of the phone numbers on Burke’s website, including for managers like Woods and Burke’s 12 tenants, are disconnected.

With a recent report from the Downtown Cleveland Alliance suggesting that Downtown’s population could surpass 29,000 by 2032, it’s likely Burke’s reuse as petri dish for new housing, mixeduse development, or a park, could help the city reach that number sooner. And join the parade of potentially landscape-changing projects in various stages of planning around the city center, including the potential lakefront development that would create a land bridge to connect downtown to the lakefront nearby.

At 445 acres, Burke accounts for a fourth of Downtown’s land.

The question of what to do with it has lingered since the late 1980s, when Burke’s future was being reconsidered: Are those 445 acres even usable? After all, anecdotal evidence suggests that Burke’s hard-surface runaway blankets heaps of ancient waste—car parts, washing machines, Cuyahoga River

sediment — down below, which might make certain construction projects untenable.

“If you walked out behind my office, and started to dig, you’d come to trash,” Kim Dell, director of the Cleveland National Air Show, told Cleveland.com last April. “I don’t know what’s under here, and I don’t know if you want to disturb that.” (Bell didn’t respond to a call from Scene for comment.)

If the city does decide to close Burke, it will most likely do so for an economic boost. Last year, the airport, which mostly services private business shuttles and medical emergency flights, operated at a deficit of some $640,000. Flights over the decades reflect this downward trend: from 2000 to 2021, Burke’s traffic plunged 60 percent, from 100,321 takeoffs and landings to a meager 40,296.

The city said the analysis, along with an accompanying Airport Layout Plan, is due to the Federal Aviation Administration by the end of 2023.

As we and others have noted before, even once a city decides it wants to close an airport, it takes a fair amount of lobbying to the FAA and time afterward to actually close the doors.

– Mark Oprea

“We passed wage theft legislation in the city of Cleveland because we stand with workers and we’re absolutely here today because we know you all stand with workers, too,” said Cleveland City Council member Rebecca Maurer. “We know that wage theft is already illegal in the state of Ohio, but it is still the largest type of property theft that happens throughout our society. There are more wages stolen from workers than all of the burglaries, break-ins and robberies that you hear about combined.”

Members of Guardians for Fair Work, a local grassroots coalition of more than thirty community and labor organizations advocating proworker policies who prodded the Cleveland legislation, came out to Tuesday night’s meeting in support.

“This ordinance would provide Cuyahoga County with an enforcement mechanism against illegal behavior that costs American workers $15 billion each year,” said Chris Martin, a proponent of the legislation and chair of Clevelanders for Public Transit. “And it’s not just workers who lose out due to wage theft. In fact, Cuyahoga County’s budget is starved of critical tax revenue while the most responsible businesses are undercut by competitors that openly flout the law.”

Common forms of wage theft include illegal tip deductions, minimum wage violations and failure to pay one and a half times the hourly base rate for overtime pay.

An estimated 900,000 Ohio workers are misclassified annually, which costs the state roughly $790 million in lost unemployment compensation payments, workers’

Photo courtesy Aerial Agents

UPFRONT

compensation premiums, and state income taxes, according to the Ohio Attorney General office.

And an analysis from Policy Matters Ohio found that employers steal from roughly 213,000 workers every year by paying them less than the minimum wage.

“[The legislation] means that the county would make sure that it does not partner and give money to employers who steal from their workers,” said Maurer. “The city is implementing our law, we’re excited to implement it and we’re even more excited to partner with other municipalities in Cuyahoga County and the County overall to make sure that we hold employers accountable evenly across the region.”

– Maria Elena Scott

DIGIT WIDGET

$4.8

After ArtCraft’s Closing, Buildings For Creatives Continue to Rise. Will They Offer Affordable Rents?

A former environmental lawyer who now works in insurance, J. Shorey bought a six-story abandoned foundry building off East 71st St. in 2012, shortly after its previous tenant went bankrupt. Shorey, a naturally ambitious man, saw big things for the site: a sustainable farm, a site to raise branzino and salmon. (Lake Erie water, at 62 degrees, is nearly ideal for it.)

Then, investors balked at the fish farm. Shorey, who grew up in Chicago with a Scottish artist for a mother, saw 2469 East 71st for what it really was.

“We’ve got some ideas going,” Shorey said, standing outside the structure with German Shepherd Paolo. “But the key idea is: this tower, from the get go, was always envisioned as being for artists.”

Shorey’s itch to convert a massive, vacant shell into something one might see in the Gordon Square Arts District represents the growing sentiment of at least a half dozen other developers. And with good timing. With the majority of the dozens of artists vacating the ArtCraft Building on Superior Ave. to make way for Cleveland Police’s new headquarters, those people, and other artists, will need a place to call home.

Along with Shorey’s estimated $8 million Foundry Project—named after the 25-ton castings that once occupied the building’s floors— there’s the Twist Drill Building on East 49th; the upcoming Belden Building on East 45th; eight new studios being raised at West 78th Street Studios; and dozens of walls going up at 49th and Hamilton.

“Well, then someone else is gonna build another building and make it cheaper,” he said.

Which Shorey seems to be very well cognizant of.

After acquiring the building “for six figures” from the Cuyahoga County Land Bank in 2015, Shorey and his four partners narrowed their intentions of maintaining affordability. Because 2469 is not a brownfield, meaning no pollutants needed cleaning up, and Foundry can receive grant money as a nonprofit, Shorey said he’ll be free to offer rents “30 percent below market” when the building opens to tenants in five, six years. Fashioning The Foundry’s top, sixth floor as a probable wedding space, should, Shorey hopes, help keep rents low.

On a walkthrough Thursday morning, Shorey demonstrated a sort of napkin-drawing version of what the shell of a building might be by 2030. Here, on the third floor, could be a dozen studio spaces. There, a common space where ceramicists can mingle over coffee; on the first floor, where the Rainey Institute could host kids-focused arts classes. And there, where the iron foundry sits on the west side of the building, the kilns—”so that, if there’s a fire, the whole building doesn’t go.”

The intention, for Shorey, is to veer away from the glitz and glamor that some maker spaces have evolved into.

“We’re not going to put sinks in every studio. We’re not going to put a toilet in every studio. That just adds unnecessary cost,” Shorey said, walking through the building’s gutted third floor. “And that’s not what artists want.”

$20

But the question, for both future tenants and their landlords, is one definitely pertinent to the rest of the city’s burgeoning rental market: What’s the right price for entry? And will that entry fee hike over time?

“Before I even started I thought this was going to be the next big arts area,” Loren Naji, an experimental artist who works adjacent to the Twist Drill in Cleveland’s Midtown, told Scene. “Artists are generally poor. They move into rundown areas. There’s a life cycle. And then rents go up.”

98%

Naji, who sold his studio in Ohio City to relocate to a space on East 49th, wonders how developers might play with capitalistic notions of returns.

And if rents are too high, say, on 71st?

Over at 1623 45th Street, where the Belden’s 12-foot, white walls are going up, what artists want is constantly being reassessed by Stephanie Hronek and Dan Bush, co-partners of the project.

Bought for $85,000 in January 2022, the Belden, like Shorey’s Foundry, was always in some way intended to house career artists at a decent price. In Hronek’s mind, the property, built by the Republic Brass Company in 1947, possessed the type of natural light that once made ArtCraft so valuable to its painters.

“The light cascading through these three bays was just staggering,” Bush said during a recent tour, nodding up at the Belden’s lengthy bay windows. “And I don’t mean to get silly about it. It’s still an old, dirty building. But seeing the white walls going up and paint going on? I mean...”

Bush’s involvement with the Belden brings, admittedly, a sort of interesting edge. West 78th Street Studios, which has become arguably the definitive artist mecca on Cleveland’s west side, has, for some, reached critical mass 22 years after Bush bought and began renovating the building. After all, 78th is known in the community for its higher-than-market rents, and its lengthy waiting list. (About 200 people, according to Bush.)

And, with Belden’s $75,000 roof replacement work, with its copper electrical installations and the old oil spill to clean up, there’s no doubt as to why Hronek, a motorcycle mechanic and insurance broker by trade, works daily on readying Belden for tenancy: to inevitably turn a profit.

“We’ve also got to be reasonable,” Hronek said, standing adjacent to a space where blacksmith Steven Yusco will soon occupy. “We’re providing a quality product for artists, and buildings like the ArtCraft.”

“[Which] was unsustainable,” Bush interjected.

“Yeah, it was a dump. It was unsustainable,” Hronek added. “The maintenance [was] not going to get done on that building.”

As for hobbyists or noncareerists, Hronek suggests the Belden’s rents—which will start at $550/month—may not be fitting. “We’re looking for established artists,” she said.

Established artists is what Shorey may end up getting too, when The Foundry Project achieves its goal, which is currently without a completion date. Ideas circulate and pop up as Shorey walks around what feels to be his personal gem. There could be a scholarship “quid pro quo” program for Central artists-tobe. There might showcase nights, a lá West 78th, where artists display their work to the public. (Fitting, as Shorey fashions his Foundry as an artist-owned co-op.)

As Shorey talks about what might be on The Foundry’s third floor, he leans on a ledge overlooking the site’s massive north lawn, which is covered in torn up concrete and ugly mud tracks.

“An artist friend of mine asked me if I could put a scoreboard screen on this side of the building,” Shorey said. “Could you imagine that? Watching a performance of Shakespeare while sitting on the grass.”

– Mark Oprea

million

Bitcoin stolen and laundered by a Cleveland man who was last week sentenced to four years in federal prison.

$4.5 million

Listing price for the historic Roundwood Manor, the former summer home of the Van Sweringen brothers, now on the market once again.

Amount of some unpaid parking tickets from 20 years ago the city of Cleveland attempted to collect through a partnership with the Ohio Attorney General’s office, which violated the terms of the agreement.

Amount of the 100,000 unpaid parking tickets submitted by the city that fell below the $100 threshold for collection.

STANDING TALL

STORY & PHOTOS BY MARK OPREA

THE FORECAST IN CHARDON for Saturday, April 1, called for turbulence, and not just of the meteorological variety. In addition to the rain, there were to be protests of two drag events driven by right-wing hate and outlandish accusations of child grooming.

But performer Veranda L’Ni brushed it all off: “We’re ready to handle any storms. We’re no stranger to inclement weather.”

So drag did happen in Chardon Square. By 11 o’clock, as all 60 attendees at Element 41 took their seats, so had the protestors taken their positions out front, behind the eight-foot-tall chain link fencing and jersey barriers, with 122 police officers, some called in from as far away as Cleveland, standing guard. By then, as skies above the square grayed, it was possible to hear, if one managed an auditory gap, a strange mingling of L’Ni’s version of “Copacabana” with the line of flag-holding Patriot Front soldiers shouting, “Life! Liberty! Victory!”

Chardon’s evolution into ground zero of national drag hysteria started earlier in the year when Mallory McMaster, an admittedly outspoken LGBTQ activist who lives on a horse farm in Chardon,

encouraged Element 41 owner Paul Mendolera back in early February to book a drag brunch headlined by L’Ni, who bills herself as “Cleveland’s tallest drag queen.” (L’Ni’s seven-two, in heels.) That would be followed by a drag story hour in Rev. Jess Peacock’s United Church of Christ in nearby Chesterland. Both had spearheaded drag or Pride events on the Square before, without negative fanfare. But April 1st, for whatever reason, was different.

“I think Jessie Peacock has a couple screws loose,” a bearded man from St. Helen’s Church in Chesterland said in the middle of Chardon Square, gripping a black rosary. “I’m here not just to ensure kids are okay. I’m here to protest mental illness.”

“The reverend, the drag queens, they’re all being selfish,” a white-haired man wearing a backpack said nearby. “This is not what my church would agree with. This

The rise in anti-LGBTQ extremism that brought a local drag event into the national spotlight and the community that refused to back down

Carmen La’Shon, Monica Mod, Empress Dupree and Veranda L’Ni in Chesterland.

is against the church in general.”

Across the street, past the jersey barriers, was Craig Hoffman, who was standing with his husband. Both showed up to support L’Ni and the queens despite the risks. Behind them, a woman held a sign that read, “GENDER

FLUIDITY MESSES WITH THE MISOGYNIST MIND.”

“They’re just here — what’s the word? — to stir the pot,” Hoffman said. He turned to monitor the window of a passing SUV. “They just want to create controversy for the sake of creating controversy, without any evidence of whatever they’re saying is true.”

“Jesus came in a form, you know,” Hoffman’s husband Rev. Allen Harris said. He smiled. “Jesus was the divine form that we could understand. And I think drag is a form of being in the world that some people get.”

IN THE

SUMMER OF

2015, Michelle Tea, an activist based in San Francisco, had an idea for an educational project. It was one part Reading Rainbow and another part RuPaul’s Drag Race, which immediately was interpreted by conservatives as a ploy intended to push buttons. That summer, Tea and a queen named Pickle walked into the Harvey Milk Memorial Library to read to a group of cross-legged kids, under what Tea fashioned as a primer for the growing world of gender psychology. “In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions,” her website reads, “and imagine a world where everyone can be their authentic selves.”

Seven years later, minutes before midnight on November 1, 2022, 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich walked into a bar called Club Q, a haven for Colorado Springs’ drag scene. Aldrich, clad in body armor, carried an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun. Before he was tackled by Richard Fierro, a U.S. Army Vet, Aldrich managed to kill five people — Kelly Loving, Daniel Aston, Derrick Rump, Ashley Paugh and Raymond Green Vance — and injure 18 others.

The Club Q shooting, like the Pulse Nightclub massacre six years before it, quickly became the drag world’s 9/11. According to a report published by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in April, the Club Q incident was one of 166 “protests and significant threats” to the LGBTQ community since early 2022. The events, though not all as deadly as Denver’s, follow a predictable cast. In San Lorenzo, Calif., Proud Boys stormed a public library last June. In August, Antifa

counter protesters clashed with Neo-Nazis outside a drag brunch in Roanoke, Texas. And in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a month before the Club Q shooting, a man firebombed a donut shop after the store hosted its own drag event.

Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the anti-drag protestors got the idea, the seed of their animosity comes from the false belief that drag queens are “grooming children.” On October 19, 2022, around the time of the Tulsa firebombing, Fox correspondent Tucker Carlson ran a segment awash

with criticism of “all-ages” shows. It was headlined: The Left Is Openly Sexualizing Children. “This is such a moral atrocity it’s hard to believe that adults are for it — but they are,” Carlson told his guest, Sara Gonzales, as TikTok videos of kids handing queens singles played. Gonzalez, a pundit for Blaze TV, echoed the sentiment. “And what is the best way to confuse children?” she said. “Confuse them about their sexuality, confuse them about their gender, expose them to things that their little brains are not ready for yet.”

By the start of 2023, far-right rancor that used queens as their target had reached statehouses across the nation. By then, 14 legislative proposals to “restrict or ban” drag had been introduced, from Texas to Illinois and North Carolina. In March, Tennessee became the first to get one into law when it passed S.B. 3, a law that punishes performers of “adult cabaret” for performing anywhere a child could watch. (It’s currently blocked by a federal judge.) Regardless, it was the first effective path in the U.S. to slapping queens with a Class

TOP: Counter-protestors outside Element 41. BOTTOM: Monica Mod and Empress Dupree being prepped in McMaster’s bunker.

E felony for, as Gov. Bill Lee told the Associated Press, “sexualized entertainment in front of children.”

“I’m a bit nervous, being such a public activist,” Lady J Martinez O’Neal, a Cleveland-based drag queen originally from Tennessee, told Scene in an email. And, “I’m extremely worried about what happens if I get pulled over traveling to and from my parents’ house. What documents do I need to keep myself safe?”

If Chardon was the main stage this year, Wadsworth was its dress rehearsal. On March 11th, an activist named Juan Collaeo hosted a “Rockn-Roll Humanist Drag Queen Story Hour” there in Memorial Park. The result, McMaster recalled, was a “shit show.” Nearly 200 attendees gathered along with police from seven cities, a drug task force, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Antifa members in black and Neo-Nazis in red. Bull-horned chants from white

supremicists — “Pedophiles get the rope!”, “F*gs go home!” — mingled with “Sieg heils!” from skinheads in black ski masks. “We’re still here. We’re not going anywhere,” a Nazi with a bullhorn told a documentarian. He paused, then said, “They could suck my dick.”

McMaster saw what happened there and worried about what would happen in Chardon, as calls for protests grew in advance of the events. While monitoring Proud Boys’ threats on Signal and Telegram, she arranged $20,000 in security – metal detectors, K-9 units, traffic directors.

Everyone had good cause to worry: On the Saturday before the event, March 25, Rev. Peacock woke up to find that his United Church of Christ’s sign had been destroyed. Molotov cocktail burns stung the steel front door, damage caused by Aimenn Penny, a Neo-Nazi and

member of White Lives Matter Ohio who was arrested and later charged by the Feds with a hate crime.

Chester Township Police Chief Craig Young, head of a department with only 15 officers, in the midst of the buildup, released a statement suggesting McMaster call it all off. “It’s about the safety of my officers,” Young said. “It’s about the safety of this community. That recommendation was based 100 percent on that and nothing else.”

But McMaster and crew were not strangers to threats and they coldshouldered the notion of backing down.

In an interview a few days before, on March 29th, McMaster seemed both surprised by the UCC firebombing and unshaken by its threat. She recalled a memory, at 15, when, as a young president of Fairfield County’s FFA chapter, she was ridiculed for outing herself as a lesbian. No one, she said, stood up to back her up. “Not the school officials, not the other parents — no one! It just reminds me of what we exactly needed to see back then,” she said, her tone intensifying. “That adults are willing to do uncomfortable things, and take on scary fights, to protect people who are vulnerable.”

VODKA, VERANDA L’NI LIKES to tell people, is her only vice. Not coffee, no. Not beer — she doesn’t drink it. Not harassing strangers, anyone, really. “I’m an introverted extrovert,” she said in April at Edda in Ohio City. “And I’m a quiet driver. I don’t listen to podcasts. I don’t talk on the phone. I’ve always just enjoyed the quiet road. Total silence.”

A realtor during the day, L’Ni eased into drag, like many, after she was lugged to an event at Cocktails, a nondescript gay bar on Cleveland’s west side. It was 2008. Drag, she said, was transitioning into a more democratic, less volatile scene. Finding the experience exhilarating, L’Ni soon found her “drag aunties” and her eventual moniker as Cleveland’s Tallest. (Her name is a

Golden Girls homage.)

“I’m the city’s fourth tallest skyscraper — I’m the sparkly one,” L’Ni said, introducing a recent drag brunch at the Music Box Supper Club, a regular gig for her. In a two-hour show where she serves as emcee, N’Li’s character veers between vaudevillian camp and glittery self-deprecation. “Do you like my kitty titties?” she asked the crowd, showing off a lionesque bust. The crowd wooed. L’Ni veered into the political. “People have been doing drag for many years — and now it’s a problem?” she said. “Well, you could just go…” She held back an expletive. “Annnd end scene.”

It’s part of L’Ni’s reluctant foray into activism, especially after she witnessed her first protest, in front of Near West Theatre last August. “It slowly amplified over time,” she said. “I found a way to incorporate Veranda, the character of Veranda, into doing something positive for the community. That was my impetus for doing more.”

Though she’d encountered Proud Boys before and been harassed numerous times, Chardon felt different. In the days before the events, following the UCC firebombing, L’Ni sat in on daily intel calls with McMaster and check-ins with her fellow queens. “Mallory called me. I call Empress [Dupree], Empress calls me,” L’Ni recalled. “It’s, ‘How are you doing? How are you feeling?’ We’re looking at maps. We were looking at all the things to make sure how to get out [safely].”

Empress Dupree, who’s only been performing drag for a little more than a year, felt equally flummoxed. “What happened in Wadsworth this past month really just made everybody a bit nervous,” she said in late March. “I think we are all a little nervous. And I think you have to go in with a little bit more of a defensive attitude when, well, you’re just trying to get in the building.”

HALFWAY THROUGH THE Element 41 set that Saturday,

TOP: Chesterland Community Church on April 1, 2023. BOTTOM: Rev. Allen Harris and Craig Hoffman stand their ground.

“The bomb people are here,” Yahner said. Police had found an email claiming an explosive device had been planted in Element 41 that morning. “There’s people out now. Can the performers take a break so that the dogs can come through?”

Mod performed “Hopelessly Devoted To You” from Grease. McMcaster ran downstairs, into Element’s long basement, trailing the same path as the bomb dog did before her, knowing that, in one flash of an instant, her hunch could be proven wrong.

“It was a fictitious email!” Mendolera shouted to McMaster in the kitchen, as Monica Mod sang nearby, “Now there’s nowhere to hide / since you pushed my love aside.” “Ow ow!” a woman shouted. Three-quarters of the crowd cheered, holding singles in the air. “Crazy,” Mendolera said, assessing the whole scene. “Absolutely crazy.”

IN A SURPRISE TO THE

McMaster was in her basement bunker scrolling through the latest round of threats and rumors. It’s there, in a tiny living area with pictures of her horses and three kids, where McMaster feels the safest. The week before, she installed a suction lock to her front door, bought a stun gun. It’s here in the bunker where she sits, followed closely by her personal guard Mike Butler, playing a digital chess match with the alt-right extremists who’ve vowed to storm the United Church of Christ.

But near the end of the queens’ brunch set, the protests were relatively calm. Was it the rain? An April Fool’s gag? McMaster isn’t sure. Sitting on her couch, her mind zigzagged: texts to the Chardon police chief, check-in calls with Mendolera, anecdotes about “evangelical Republican” neighbors, checking in on Proud Boy whereabouts. “That’s my horse, Goose,” McMaster said, pointing to a portrait on the wall. “I wanted to bring the drag queens in on him. When I heard the Nazis were coming, I thought I’d need something that could move a little faster.”

Sydney Yahner, McMaster’s assistant, walked downstairs and into the bunker. She held her phone out, concerned.

“The bomb people are here,” Yahner said. Police had found an email claiming an explosive device had been planted in Element 41 that morning. “There’s people out now. Can the performers take a break so that the dogs can come through?”

“Let the chief make the call,”

McMaster said. “I’ll send Mike over.”

Mendolera calls. “Can you just walk the dog through?” he asked McMaster. He sounds shaken up. “The police said that we would rather not have people there.”

“Tell him I do not want people outside!” McMaster said. “Have him do, like, a walk through the basement. I’m not worried about the interior.”

“They said it’s uncredible. They’re just trying to spook us.”

“Well, if it’s not credible…”

L’Ni calls. She was sitting in Element 41’s green room with the three other queens. “Hey, Mal,” L’Ni said. “Did you hear about the…?”

“The bomb threat — the ‘not’ bomb threat?” McMaster said. “Everyone who came in was wanded. They’re gonna bring in the dog who does explosives.”

“They’re just going to sniff out the basement?” L’Ni asked.

“I said the upstairs is secure because everyone’s been wanded!”

“Okay. Would it all be wise if we just kind of all went upstairs?”

“Maybe move into one room. Or the hallway.”

“No, I just want to be clear. What the best…”

“This is just more of their terrorism. Knowing that we have to take it seriously, but it’s not.” McMaster says, aside, “I didn’t want the queens to panic.”

Mendolera calls again. “Are you coming over!?”

McMaster headed upstairs, out of her office a block down, across the jersey barriers, the dozen police officers and the eight-foot gates, and entered Element 41 as Monica

activists, a relief for the 122 police officers, and a laugh for the pastors, only one single protestor showed up to the Drag Story Hour at UCC later that afternoon. It’s a result that baffles everyone in attendance, and makes the perimeter, the army of police vans, the bomb guys checking undercarriages of cars, somewhat ridiculous. “Hey, maybe they just thought we’d cave in. Or, maybe it was the weather?” Peacock said as L’Ni read The Good Egg to about four dozen parents and their kids sitting in the pews. Peacock grinned. “Rain, after all, melts snowflakes.”

From the left side of the altar, L’Ni invited all the children up to the front to dance to the “Twist Song.” Afterwards, L’Ni took the microphone and commended the crowd for their bravery.

“We can’t thank you enough for your wonderful support, and all the beautiful kids here, all the wonderful families that came out here to say hi — and see a lot of glitter,” she said. Everyone laughed. “This is what we do. This is who we are. And we’re going to keep doing it.”

In the lobby, near the crayon tables and buckets of treats, stood the Washock family, who had come to see drag despite weeks of tension. “The kids and I had a big conversation about it,” Maureen Washock said, standing by her daughters, Addy and Lainey. “That there might be people protesting. That it might be scary.”

Addy, who’s 7 and loves sugar and aims to become an eye doctor one day, looked up, overhearing talk about the alleged protestors.

“I think it’s kind of wrong,” she said. “I feel like people should be able to choose what they want to do.” She paused. “And other people can’t say anything about that.”

TOP: Veranda L’Ni preps her hair for Story Hour. BOTTOM: Counterprotestors, and activist Aya Meli, fend off the remainder of the opposition.

GET OUT Everything to do in Cleveland for the next two weeks

Shop. Tonight’s event features Dusty Bucket, Robyn DaCultyre, AJ Quin West, Stixen Stones, Pi and Koochie Koochie Ku. Doors open at 8. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.

Guardians vs. Minnesota Twins

WED 05/03

Ain’t Misbehavin’

This Tony-winning musical showcases the infectious energy and masterful style of iconic jazz musician Thomas “Fats” Waller. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at the Hanna Theatre, where performances continue through May 21.

2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Ken Ludwig’s Moriarity: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure

Sherlock Holmes and Watson join forces with American actress Irene Adler to take down the cunning criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty and his network of devious henchmen in this Cleveland Play House production. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at the Allen Theatre, where performances continue through May 21.

1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

This musical pays tribute to the Rock Hall Inductee who’s sold millions of albums and won 12 Grammy awards. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at Connor Palace. Performances continue through May 14. 1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

THU 05/04

Head Over Heels

Based on a 16th-century prose poem called “The Arcadia” by Sir Philip Sidney, this play features a

soundtrack of popular songs by the Go-Go’s. The musical follows the story of a royal family in the fictional kingdom of Arcadia, and their journey to find love and happiness regardless of gender or sexual identity. Tonight’s performance takes place at the Near West Theatre, where performances continue through May 7. 6702 Detroit Rd., 216-961-6391, nearwesttheatre.org.

Weilerstein Plays Barber

Tonight at 7:30 at Mandel Concert Hall, Cleveland-born cellist Alisa Weilerstein joins Music Director Franz Welser-Möst to perform Barber’s “lyric and romantic” Cello Concerto, a piece that Barber wrote while serving in the U.S. military during World War II. A performance also takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday. 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

FRI 05/05

5x5x5: An Evening of Poetry

Tonight at 7 at Visible Voice Books, Virginia Konchan, Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers, Alyssa Berry, Bridget Lowe, and Eileen G’Sell share their work, which has been published collectively by LARB, The Hopkins Review, Carnegie Mellon University Press, University of Akron Press, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Washington Square Review, Boston Review, American Poetry Review and Rescue Press. Admission is free. 2258 Professor Ave., 216-961-0084, visiblevoicebooks.com.

Glamgore: Horrorscopes

Cleveland’s self-proclaimed “Femme Fatale of Filth,” Anhedonia Delight, presents this monthly alternative and themed drag show series at the Grog

For most of last season, the Guardians and Twins were locked in a battle to see who would win the AL Central. Based on the standings so far, you can expect that battle to take place again this year. They play the Guardians tonight at 7:10 at Progressive Field. The series continues through Sunday. 2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, mlb. com/guardians.

SAT 05/06

Ingenuity Bal: Biotique

This event, which takes place from 7 p.m. to midnight at the IngenuityLabs Facility, will feature hors d’oeuvres, music, dance, technology and entrepreneurship exhibits, and hands-on demonstrations. The Bal: Biotique will feature headlining performances from Nathan-Paul & the Admirables and Wave Magnetik and Rowanne Atallah. There will be interactive dance demonstrations and performances from Viva Dance Studio, DJ sets from SqrBiz and DJ BENINWARD (Ben Smith of Splice Cream Truck), and cirque and aerial performances from Crooked River Circus.

5401 Hamilton Ave., ingenunitycleveland.org.

Sports Cards & Memorabilia Show

You’ll find more than 40 dealer tables at this sports card and memorabilia show that takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Winchester. There’s a $2 entry fee, but kids under age 16 are free. A full bar and brunch menu will be available too.

12112 Madison Ave, Lakewood, 216227-2389.

MON 05/08

Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers have spent the past couple of seasons rebuilding, and this year stands to continue that trend. The retooled team comes to Progressive Field for the first time this season for this three-game series that begins tonight. First

pitch is at 6:10.

2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, mlb. com/guardians.

TUE 05/09

Shalva Band in Concert

These eight musicians with disabilities performed on Season Six of The Rising Star in Israel and became superstars in their native country. They bring their U.S. tour to the Ohio Theatre, where they perform tonight at 7:30.

1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

WED 05/10

Walnut Wednesday

Walnut Wednesday is one of summer’s great traditions. Today from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Perk Plaza at Chester Commons — at East 12th and Walnut streets — food trucks gather to serve up lunch to area residents and employees. Follow the Downtown Cleveland Alliance on Facebook for weekly updates on vendors, entertainment offerings and more. The series continues through Sept. 7. Admission is free, but the food will cost you.

East 12th St. and Walnut St., downtowncleveland.com.

THU 05/11

Samantha Bee

This very smart and funny producer, author and podcast brings her Samantha Bee: Your Favorite Woman tour to the Ohio Theatre. Tonight’s performance begins at 7. Tickets start at $39.50.

1511 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Alisa Weilerstein: Fragments

With this performance that takes place at 7:30 tonight at Mandel Concert Hall, cellist Alisa Weilerstein will create an “immersive musical space that is at once intimate and expansive,” as it’s put in a press release. The project for solo cello includes movements of Bach’s six cello suites with newly commissioned works by 27 of today’s most exciting composers, including the

Ingenuity Bal: Biotique, a fundraiser for Ingenuity, returns. See: Saturday, May 6.| Courtesy of Ingenuity

Cleveland Orchestra’s Composer Fellow Allison Loggins-Hull.

11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

FRI 05/12

Shane Gillis Live Comedian, actor, writer and onehalf of the comedy fan favorite Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast, Shane Gillis is a regular guest on Sirius XM’s The Bonfire, Spotify’s The Joe Rogan Experience and Barstool Sports KFC Radio. He performs tonight at 7 and 9:30 at the State Theatre.

1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Guardians vs. Los Angeles Angels

Led by all-stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Angels certainly have star power. Their one-and-only visit to Progressive Field this year should attract huge crowds as a result. First pitch tonight is at 7:10, and the series continues through Sunday.

2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, mlb.com/guardians.

Menopause the Musical

This musical parody set to classic tunes from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s has become an audience favorite. Performances of the play take place at 7 tonight and at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Ohio Theatre.

1511 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

SAT 05/13

United in Song! A Free Community Choral Celebration

This free event features vocal performances at Severance Music Center representing the rich diversity of the Greater Cleveland community. Humbly Submitted

Gospel Chorus, Andy Andino and Voces Hispanas, Tri-C Vocal Arts Academy + Cleveland Orchestra

Children’s Chorus and ensembles from Cleveland’s immigrant community will all be on hand. Writer, spoken word poet, voiceover talent and recording artist Orlando Watson, a Cleveland native who’s currently the Senior Director of Programming for Pittsburgh’s August Wilson

African American Cultural Center, will serve as host. It begins at 2 p.m.

11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

SUN 05/14

The Girl of the Golden West

Today at 3 p.m. at Mandel Concert Hall, the Cleveland Orchestra takes on Puccini’s The Girl of the Golden West, the operatic equivalent of a spaghetti Western that tells the tale of a love triangle between a sultry saloon owner, a carousing constable and a disguised desperado.

11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

MON 05/15

Memorial Monday

Every Monday through September 25, Fort Huntington Park, hosts food tracks and live music between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for this special event. Admission is free, but the food will cost you. West 3rd St. and West Lakeside Ave., downtowncleveland.com.

TUE 05/16

Dear Evan Hansen

The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen makes its way to Cleveland this month amidst lots of hype. The story centers on a high-schooler who wants to fit in at any cost and features a book by Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy, Tony and Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman) and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal). Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at Connor Palace, where performances continue through Sunday.

1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Hot Goss: The Improvised Musical

Tonight at 7 at the Grog Shop, a troupe of improvisers from the Cleveland comedy scene will perform an improvised musical with live piano and guitar accompaniment based on audience interviews about gossip in their lives. Hosted by Sam Dee from Casually Late Stampede, Amsterdang and Mass Hysteria Comedy Fest, the show features members of Imposters Theater and Cam Godfrey, recent winner of “Rookie of the Year” at the Cleveland Comedy Awards 2023.

2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.

scene@clevescene.com

t@clevelandscene

THEATER

BIG DREAMS, BIG CITY

The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin at Karamu House is the best musical you’ll see this year

By Christine Howey

FORTUNE TELLING IS NOT A skill this wrinkled and woebegone theater critic has in abundance. But I’m willing to bet that there won’t be a more delightful performance of a musical in 2023 than the one now on stage at Karamu House.

The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds

Her Chameleon Skin earns its long title thanks to a talented cast, most of whom shoulder multiple parts and flourish in playwright Kirsten Childs’ word and music playground. The dazzlingly inventive and precisely detailed direction by Nina Domingue helps the almost two-hour one act to fly by, leaving many in the audience (at least this one) wanting more.

The story revolves around a bubbly young Black girl, Viveca, who dreams of being a great dancer— from her early days in ballet class (hilariously staged) to an equally amusing Broadway audition for none other than Director Bob, modeled on Bob Fosse, the choreography god. Along the way, she is guided by her concerned parents Daddy (Corin B. Self) and Mommy (Jailyn Sherrell Harris), who advise her to let a smile

be her umbrella.

But that advice is challenged early on when little Viv hears about the murder of four girls her age in the 1963 church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. That’s when Viveca decides she likes her white doll, Chitty Chatty, more than the Black doll her proud parents bought for her.

It’s a sobering but effective way to begin these proceedings, as we watch Viveca come of age through a series of milestone scenes that show her reacting to the pressures of the world and of being a Black girl in late 20th century America. She is busy trying on new identities and always trying to please, even when her contemporaries call her a “pathetic Oreo.”

Often, when a playwright tries to create a vehicle that encompasses a large span of time, the wheels eventually come off. But the wheels of

this production stay firmly in place, with more high points than there is room here to highlight.

Viveca is accompanied through much of her journey by Gregory (an endearing Avery Lamar Pope), who starts by tormenting Viv in elementary school and then does a lot of growing up. As Viv’s gal pal Emily and others, Amaya Kiyomi has multiple funny moments, particularly when she comes on strong as a Black militant in the ‘60s. And towards the end, Viveca starts her life as a young adult in New York City, the “city where fucked-up people make their dreams come true.” Sure enough, she is hit on by a guy—no, a walking orgasm—played by silky Mell-Vonti Bowens. He coos to her the sultry lyrics of “Come With Me,” a song that Marvin Gaye would have loved to wrap his vocal chords around.

Ultimately, Dayshawnda Ash brings down the house in a kickass

“Granny’s Advice,” in which she counsels Gregory to “have something on the side,” as it were. She then punctuates it with a glorious and unexpected dance move. Many other roles are handled expertly by MaryFrancis R. Miller, Joshua McElroy, Claudia Cromley, Sydney Smith, and Jaren Hodgson.

In the central role of Viveca, Kennedi Hobbs helps many of her scenes work splendidly. Although her singing and dancing skills are just serviceable, she never backs down or retreats. And that contributes enormously to the production’s success.

Childs’ score and lyrics are a lively pastiche of Broadway-inspired tunes; jazz, R&B, and gospel; and snatches of musical styles of certain times such as the hippie era. The five-person band conducted by Edward Ridley Jr. is more than up to the task, and while the voices vary in polish, the songs are always delivered with energy and comic flair when required. Plus, the scenic design by Cameron Caley Michalak is lean and effective, Kenya Woods’ choreography animates one delightful moment after another, and the costumes and wigs by Inda Blatch-Geib are a hoot.

As funny as all of this is, the catch in the throat that you feel at the start regarding the church bombing is echoed later when Gregory is profiled on the street by some threatening cops. The fear is real in that moment, giving the many light moments a darker shadow, representing the constant, dangerous presence of racially-motivated police overreaction and abuse from which our society has not yet emerged.

That trenchant truth gives depth to the surprising, uplifting and thoroughly entertaining moments that came before, as Viveca finally gets comfortable in her own skin. Bubbly Black Girl is a Karamu production to see, remember, and then maybe see again. Just for grins, and a couple shivers.

scene@clevescene.com

t@clevelandscene

THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN THROUGH MAY 14 AT KARAMU HOUSE, 2355 E. 89 ST., KARAMUHOUSE.ORG, 216-795-7070.

Courtesy Karamu House

TOTAL MAKEOVER

The Reserve, the newest jewel of Chagrin Falls, will make you forget about Umami

By Douglas Trattner

“I FEEL LIKE THIS IS EXACTLY what the space wanted to be all along,” says my wife, moments after easing onto her barstool at The Reserve in Chagrin Falls.

For 15 years, this address had been home to Umami, a 28-seat Asian-inspired bistro that made the most of its 800-square-foot domain. Or so we thought. After closing, then reopening, then closing the restaurant for good during and following the pandemic, owners Nikki Williams and Mike Mendlovic commenced six months of interior renovations. More than a simple makeover, the changes have redefined the interaction between diner and restaurant.

Warmly lit, slim as a diner car, and now, for the first time ever, sporting a bar, The Reserve reminds me of those snug West Village wine bars that couples slip into when they get shut out of the red-hot bistro down the block. Like those perennially booked bistros in New York, Umami often was booked up days or weeks in advance. Now, thanks to the 10-seat black walnut bar, diners can nip in for a drink and a bite on a whim.

Despite the same occupancy, the dining room somehow feels more spacious. Roomy booths, which can be reserved in advance, accommodate groups of five or six. A new brick archway offers a bit of separation between front and back of the house while tying into the exposed brick walls. That aged brick wall now forms a handsome backdrop for the bar, which has been beefed up in terms of spirits and cocktails.

We started with the gin-based Bitsy 75 ($17), a floral riff on the fizzy French 75 thanks to the addition of lavender elixir. Williams, a permanent fixture since the doors opened, glides from host duties to canny sommelier, guiding us through the tightly curated list of wines.

To complement the breezy wine bar vibe, chef Gregg Gale has gone all in on small plates. Umami always excelled in that arena, with items like sashimi, sushi rolls, steamed mussels and vegetable-based salads neatly fitting the bill. The legacy

entrees that did survive – dishes like salmon with crispy sushi rice, Massaman curried chicken, and Asian-spiced noodle bowls –have been trimmed down. Now those items are called “small-plate entrees,” tongue firmly in cheek. While the size of most dishes has diminished, the number of menu options has increased.

In true tapas style, diners are encouraged to order at will. We paired glasses of crisp Greek rose ($12) with some fresh, buttery, raw fish. The daily sashimi ($33) is a colorful trio of tuna, salmon and yellowtail slices served with soy, ponzu, wasabi and pickled onion. Sticking with the raw theme, we progressed to steak tartare ($21), a mound of course-chopped but tender beef. An aioli starring smoked oyster, which gets smeared across the crostini, adds a welcome dose of umami.

The menu has a nice selection of vegetable-based soups, salads and sides. Brussels sprouts ($13) are predictably sweet, but also pleasantly spicy. In the Indian pakoras ($11), crispy fried cauliflower and onions are paired with a bright and cool cilantrolaced yogurt sauce.

Buoyed by a seductive Bordeaux-style wine from South Africa ($14), we ventured on with a fun, snacky platter of duck confit nachos ($19). The neatly composed dish featured layers of rich, sweet, shredded duck, melted pepperjack, and lightly fried house-made tortilla chips. A drizzle of citrusy crema added a bright finish. Given its indulgent richness, pork belly is a dish best served small. Here ($20) it is braised in beer until tender, perched atop a thin, crispedged polenta cake and sauced with a silky, savory vegetable-

based coulis.

We capped off the long and lazy meal – one punctuated by impromptu conversations with other barflies – with a lush crème brulee ($10) beneath a glassy burnt-sugar cap. Like many of the dishes that exit the kitchen, it is familiar and appealing, but with a subtle twist, here thanks to a hint of smoky bourbon.

These most recent improvements are the latest chapter for this “jewel box of a bistro” in Chagrin Falls, one that saw the opening chef depart in under a year, watched its stock soar under the direction of chef Matthew Anderson, and settled into a glorious groove with the current team. Last year, Williams and Mendlovic purchased the restaurant from the original, silent owner, a move that all but guarantees a productive future.

“If this was a reality TV show, I would have won,” Williams jokes. “I am the survivor.”

Photos by Doug Trattner

BITES

Patron Saint, an Italian-inspired all-day cafe and aperitivo bar, opening in Ohio City

By Douglas Trattner

FOR 20 YEARS, THE striking Vitrolite Building (2915 Detroit Ave.) in Ohio City had been home to the Intermuseum Conservation Association, but before that it was a showroom and warehouse for Vitrolite tile – aka pigmented structural glass. Soon, the property will exhibit a more communityminded purpose when a trio of businesses – Harness Cycle, Soul Yoga and Patron Saint – open in late May.

Occupying the former showroom storefront at ground level will be Patron Saint, which owner Marie Artale describes as an “Italianinspired all-day café and aperitivo bar.” The 1,600-square-foot space features beamed 15-foot ceilings, 100-year-old tile flooring, graceful arches, and walls clad in various shades and designs of Vitrolite glass.

As an all-day café, Patron Saint will transition from early morning coffee service through early evening aperitivo hour. The 50-seat café will offer a window counter with lake views, comfortable banquettes, a standing rail, and bar seating. Although there will be a full bar, Artale has her sights zeroed in on low-alcohol beverages like amarobased spritzes, which will go well beyond the ubiquitous Aperol and Campari. Additionally, there will be Italian beer and wine on hand.

“Given the transitional hour of the day and type of place, I wanted something where you could sit down, have a light drink, but still keep working or go onto your evening at the game, or show, or to have a full dinner.”

To match the aesthetic, chef David Kocab is crafting a farm-totable Italian menu that will lean light, wholesome, seasonal and creative.

“I want to fill that middle void where you can get quality without having to be heavy-handed,” he explains.

In the morning, guests can pair their Ready Set! cappuccino with “healthy but substantial” breakfast options. Midday options will focus

on composed salads, sandwiches, and seasonal small plates. To pair with those spritzes, Kocab will offer bar snacks, sharable plates and a few specials. The café will also offer grab-and-go items to pair with a retail bottle of wine for a light bite at home or elsewhere.

Artale, who returned home to Northeast Ohio after years spent working in New York, says that she refined her lifelong restaurant vision post-2020. With more remote and virtual workers and fewer 9-to5, work-in-a-building staffers, the shift to more flexible work/social spaces like Patron Saint made sense – especially in a neighborhood like Hingetown.

“I’ve always wanted to open a restaurant,” says Artale. “It has been my dream my entire life. So I’m doing the cliché of living the dream.”

Humble Wine Bar to Open Second Location in Bay Village

This summer, Humble Wine Bar (15400 Detroit Ave., 216-767-5977) in Lakewood will celebrate a decade in business. The success of that restaurant prompted owners Dan Deagan and Mandi Burman to begin searching for a second home, which they actively have been doing for the past nine months. Bay Village was high on their wish list given the scarcity of finer-dining options.

“I have a lot of friends who live in Bay Village that say they don’t really have any place to go,” Deagan says. “Outside of Thyme Table and Chatty’s, there isn’t a whole lot of options.”

Finally, their search paid off. The owners have inked a deal to take over the former Vivid Jewelers space (27215 Wolf Rd.) across the street from Cahoon Park. At 4,000 square feet, the property is a bit larger than the original in Lakewood.

Fans of the Lakewood location should feel right at home in Bay thanks to a consistent – if updated –design aesthetic, says Deagan.

“It will look like Lakewood’s grown-up bigger brother,” he says.

Compared to Lakewood’s numbers – 65 seats in, 45 seats out – Bay will accommodate approximately 100 diners inside and another 60 on the patio.

With Humble, Deagan and Burman created a concept, formula and vibe that appeals to a wide range of customers. It was precisely that near-universal acclaim that set them on the expansion path.

“Humble is so many things to so many different types of people,” Burman explains. “It’s a first date spot, it’s where locals have dinner once a week. I can’t tell you how many people want to have their bridal showers there and then they have their baby showers there. It’s just a really cool spot and we’re excited to be able to provide that feeling and experience to the people in Bay Village.”

As for opening day: “We’re hoping for the end of spring, planning on the end of the year, and assuming early next year,” says Deagan, who as owner of Humble, Deagan’s and two Truck Parks, has been through this process before.

Tita Flora’s, ‘First Filipino Restaurant in Cleveland,’ to Open in Independence

When it comes to cuisines that are sorely lacking in Cleveland, Filipino is at the very top of the list. The melting-pot cuisine of the Philippines continues to climb in popularity around the nation, but locally the options are limited to a couple carry-out-only places such as Mely’s Kainan and Nipa Hut Oriental Market.

Soon, thanks to Flora Grk, Greater Cleveland diners will soon be able to enjoy Filipino foods in a full-service, dine-in setting. The 60-seat restaurant in Independence

(6531 Brecksville Rd.) is expected to open in May.

For the past 25 years, Grk has worked pretty much every job there is to do in a restaurant. Throughout her time in the industry, she has had her sights set on opening a place of her own.

“Being in the restaurant business for 25 years, I always had a passion for food,” she explains. “I like to cook for my family and friends. I always said, one day I would like to have my own restaurant. But I came from the Philippines when I was 25 and that’s not always the easiest way to have your own business when you don’t really know what’s going on around you.”

The menu is studded with Filipino staples and classics like crispy lumpia, filled with either vegetables or pork; pork or tofu sisig served on a sizzling platter; pancit, made with rice or wheat noodles; and longsilog, the all-day breakfast dish of sausage fried rice topped with a fried egg.

And, of course, “The famous adobo, which is chicken or pork braised with soy sauce, vinegar, onions, garlic and pepper,” adds Grk.

For dessert, there will be halo halo, shaved ice with coconut and ice cream, and turon, crispy bananafilled spring rolls.

As one of Cleveland’s only retail providers of Filipino food, Grk understands that her dream comes with challenges that a typical restaurateur needn’t worry about.

“We never had a Filipino restaurant, so not everyone knows what it tastes like, so you have to explain everything,” she says. “I would like them to try authentic Filipino dishes that I will serve and hopefully the people will love it.”

dtrattner@clevescene.com

t@dougtrattner

Owner Marie Artale | Photo by Doug Trattner

MUSIC

A SIDE OF SOUL AND ROCK

Brian Alan Hager releases first segment from upcoming full-length

By Jeff Niesel

TRAGEDY FIRST LED LOCAL singer-songwriter Brian Alan Hager to music. He began playing guitar and keyboards at the age of 7, shortly after his mom passed away from diabetes and heart disease.

“My dad bought an organ, and I played that,” says Hager via phone. The veteran musician just released his new EP, Rock and Soul (Side A). Part of a new full-length he’ll release in phases throughout the year, the disc serves as a tribute to the rock, blues and soul music that has influenced him over the years. The music represents a departure from the “exploratory” and mostly acoustic and synth-based sound of his 2022 release, The Condition of Things

Hager gravitated to guitar because his friend had one, and Hager would play it every time they hung out. Then, his father bought him his own guitar, and he began seriously studying how to play the instrument.

“Music provided an escape, and I got some attention from playing it, and I just loved how the instrument sounded,” Hagar explains. “I remember just plucking the string on the guitar when it was still on the stand, and it just drew me in.”

Hager studied music at Tri-C with instructor Rich Holsworth and even went to Berklee College of Music in Boston for a year (a recommendation from Holsworth helped him get into the prestigious program) before starting to write songs and recording them on portable cassette players. He gave up music briefly to study computer programming and has held several IT jobs while keeping active on the Cleveland music scene.

“I went back to school for computers, but I never stopped trying the music thing,” he says.

In 2003, Hager joined the local glam band Vanity Crash and played with them for several years before forming his own glam rock band, the Chromes, in 2012. That band lasted for four years. Hager has also performed, toured and recorded with the terrific local blues artist Travis Haddix, serving

as producer on several of Haddix’s albums.

Looking to his lyric journal for inspiration, Hager decided to write a solo album at the end of 2022. He had been through a divorce and several of his older songs were angry, but he hoped the new songs would reflect his newfound positive thinking.

The EP certainly delivers on those emotions. “New Shoes” has a vibrant, power-pop feel to it and comes off as a whimsical ode to

keeping grounded and feeling good.

“That was the first song I wrote, and it announces the new way of thinking and the new attitude,” Hager says of the track. “It’s opposed to writing about how bad your life is. Playing out for the past few years, I got a sense of what people like. People don’t want to hear depressing songs all the time.”

“Tell Me What I Can Do” comes off as much mellower but still has

an edge to it.

“The whole record I was trying to stay in the vein of rock and soul,” says Hager. “[The blues-rock act] Tedeschi Trucks Band is like that. I want to do a neo-soul thing — but my artistic take on that concept.”

“Free” features a garage blues feel to it thanks to its grungy guitar riff that effectively starts and stops before slipping into a good groove.

Hager’s unique live performances mix acoustic guitar with electric guitar as he records loops on the fly while playing additional guitar and singing over those loops.

“I like that everything is in time,” says Hager when asked about what he likes about performing solo in that unique format. He currently plays regionally as a solo artist at wineries, breweries, festivals and other venues in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. “I do like the creativity behind it, and each song is a little different each time, and I do a lot of guitar improv. I do each song a little differently every time. Almost every time I do a guitar solo, it’s off the cuff.”

Hager plans to release four additional tunes as a Side B this summer. A full 12-song Rock and Soul release, which will feature four additional songs, will follow in the fall.

Hager has booked more than 40 shows for 2023 and plans to assemble a full band later this year. He performs every second Wednesday of the month at the Winery at Wolf Creek in Barberton, and his current show schedule can be found on his website, brianalanhager.com.

Rock and Soul is available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. The full-length album will be available on vinyl too.

jniesel@clevescene.com t

Courtesy of Brian Alan Hager | Brian Alan Hager.

LIVEWIRE Real music in the real world

THU 05/04

Haken

This English progressive metal band formed way back in 2007 with multiinstrumentalist Richard Henshall and singer Ross Jennings at the helm. Those two guys continue to guide the group, which just released its seventh album, Fauna. The album’s latest single, “The Alphabet of Me,” features percolating synths and falsetto-like vocals as it equally evokes Queen and Depeche Mode. Expect to hear it alongside tracks from the band’s extensive catalog at tonight’s show at House of Blues. Doors open at 7. 308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.

FRI 05/05

Ministry

Ministry’s current tour that comes

to the Agora tonight promises to offer a career retrospective of the industrial rock band’s greatest works. Each night of the tour, the band will plan songs from across the span of the band’s full catalog, including the latest works from the 2021 album, Moral Hygiene. Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly open. Doors are at 6 p.m. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.

SAT 05/06

Silverstein

Misery Made Me, the latest effort from indie rockers Silverstein, takes its inspiration from the collective turmoil, frustration and anxiety of the past few years.

“It’s a record that is a product of the moment in time in which it was created yet doesn’t feel like it will date itself anytime soon, as many of its topics of loneliness,

anxiety and isolation are eternal human struggles,” reads a press release about the album. The indie band brings its tour in support of the album to the Agora tonight. Dayseeker, SeeYouSpaceCowboy and One Step Closer open. Doors are at 6. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.

SUN 05/07

Sabrina Carpenter

This singer-songwriter and actress recently released a slew of chart-topping pop singles, including “Skin,” “Skinny Dipping” and “Fast Times.” Mixing pop and R&B on a song such as “Nonsense,” Carpenter comes off as a stylish diva whose popularity appears ready to explode. She performs tonight at 7 at the Agora. Blu DeTiger opens. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221,

agoracleveland.com.

Chicago

Chicago’s sold-out gig a few years back at this venue was a jaw-dropping experience on a number of levels. The horn section provided a swirling storm of constant activity. The band’s earned its legendary reputation for a reason — you could watch the conversations between these guys all night long. Expect a similar show tonight as the band returns Northeast Ohio. The group performs at 7:30 at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts. com/en.html.

TUE 05/09

Gov’t Mule

This jam band comes to the Masonic

Lizzo comes to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. See: Friday, May 12. | Josh Justice

tonight at 8 as part of a tour in support of the forthcoming Peace…Like a River, the band’s 12th studio album and follow-up to the chart-topping, Grammynominated blues album Heavy Load Blues. The rootsy single “Dreaming Out Loud” features Ivan Neville and Ruthie Foster. For the stirring song, Haynes wove together inspirational quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert and John Kennedy, and the late civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis. 3615 Euclid Ave., 216-881-6350, masoniccleveland.com.

Emily King

Special Occasion, the latest effort from singer-songwriter Emily King, represents King’s first album in four years, following her multi-Grammy-nominated Scenery. Songs such as “This Year,” “False Start” and “Bad Memory” (featuring special guest Lukas Nelson), show off her sharp pop sensibilities. The percolating “Medal” features bass, rhythmic hand claps, and gentle piano riffs. Expect to hear it alongside other new tracks from Special Occasion when King plays House of Blues Cambridge Room tonight at 7. 308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.

WED 05/10

Coheed and Cambria

For this tour, this prog-metal band will perform No World for Tomorrow in full, along with a mix of songs from its back catalog. The band recently released an official music video, showcasing a live performance of the power ballad “Beautiful Losers.” The group comes to the Agora tonight at 7. Deafheaven opens. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.

FRI 05/12

Lizzo

This singer, actress and rapper began her career under-the-radar back in 2011. Her third album, 2019’s Cuz I Love You, established her as a superstar, yielding defiant anthems such as “Truth Hurts,” “Juice” and “Tempo.” After

closing out 2022 with two sold-out Kia Forum shows in L.A., Lizzo embarked on an extension of that trek, dubbed the Special 2our, last month. The jaunt includes a stop at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse tonight at 8. One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

SAT 05/13

An Evening with Natalie Merchant

Former 10,000 Maniacs singer Natalie Merchant brings her tour in support of her ninth solo album, Keep Your Courage, to the State Theatre tonight at 8. When Merchant joined 10,000 Maniacs back in 1981, she was only 17 years old, but she already possessed a powerhouse voice. Her vocal prowess would help the band achieve mainstream success in the late ’80s and early ’90s when folk-pop tunes such as “What’s the Matter Here?,” “These Are the Days” and “Like the Weather” became hits.

1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org

SUN 05/14

Clutch

While this band’s music could be called heavy metal/hard rock, this terrific group that formed in the early ’90s also draws from the blues and from progressive rock. The hard rock act comes to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica with openers Amigo the Devil and Nate Bergman. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. 2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.

TUE 05/16

Blink-182

The San Diego band that brought NOFX-inspired pop-punk to the masses sold millions of albums during its heyday in the ‘90s. That lineup has reunited to record a new album and hit the road for this tour that brings it to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse tonight at 7:30. The new single “Edging” suggests the band hasn’t lost a step. Expect the new track to receive just a warm a response as classics such as “What’s My Age Again?” and “Dammit.”

One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

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FAKE AND FAKER

By Dan Savage

Hey Dan: Shortly after our wedding my wife informed me that she would be handling our finances and making all financial decisions for us as a couple going forward. Additionally, she had already arranged for my paycheck to be automatically deposited into an account that only she had control over. I would henceforth get a meager weekly allowance for personal expenses. During that same conversation my wife informed me I would get sex only when I had earned it. I love her, and I reluctantly agreed to this. We have been married for ten years. I do all of the housework, and I rarely get sex. My wife tells me I have no one to blame but myself, since I agreed to all her terms from the beginning, which caused her to lose all respect for me as a man. I did not realize how difficult this would be. Is it normal for a wife in this kind of marriage to enjoy giving her husband pain? She is almost sadistic. She spanks my ass with a spatula and tells me I am a sissy. Is this normal?

Sorry I Somehow Said Yes

Sure, it’s perfectly normal — in the sense that it’s perfectly normal for a certain kind of deeply frustrated kinky straight guy to beat off while writing me a fake letter about the kind of sexual relationship he’s always fantasized about having but has never actually had before tacking on a fake question on at end in the hopes that I’ll respond and then he’ll able beat off to the whole thing all over again. Zooming out for a second… the fake questions I get aren’t the same as the dozens of fake questions YA writer Bennett Madison managed to get published in Slate’s “Dear Prudence” over the years, and they’re different than the presumed-to-befake questions to Slate’s “Care and Feeding” that Ben Dreyfuss has so hilariously picked apart on his substack, CalmDownBen. What distinguishes the fake questions I get at “Savage Love” from other fake questions submitted to other advice columns is the obvious fapping that was going on when the letter was being drafted.

There’s a lot in SISSY’s letter that screams fake — a normal person

would’ve instantly filed for divorce, there’s no way she could’ve “arranged” to have his paycheck automatically deposited into an account she alone controlled unless she somehow managed to bring his employer in on this conspiracy, that the best question he could come up with was the most banal question asked of sex-advice columnists (“Is this normal?”) — but what screams fake the loudest, the absolute deadest giveaway, is that this was sprung on him after his wedding. Now, female-led relationships (FLR) are definitely a thing, and there are certainly some men out there in female-led relationships, and some FLR have elements of TPE (total power exchange), FD (financial domination), DD (domestic discipline), and mild FF/S (forced feminization/ sissification) tossed in. But those men — to a man — had to ask for those things. Most had to beg for it. Because creating a FLR is almost never the wife or the girlfriend’s idea. It’s something a man fantasizes about and sometimes succeeds in talking his wife or girlfriend into experimenting with, but it’s not something anyone’s brand-new wife has ever sprung on him at the reception.

“From my research, and from the emails and DMs I get about how to set up an FLR, the askers are overwhelmingly male,” said Key Barrett, sex researcher and author of Surrender, Submit, Serve Her, a book on FLR. “And I have never heard of an FLR that was started unilaterally, or out of trickery, that managed to be successful.”

Like a lot of people with fantasies rooted in power exchange, it’s hotter for SISSY to think about it being imposed on him. Because then he’s the victim, not the pervert, because then his submission is pure and unadulterated. But why send a fake question to a sex-advice column? Because getting his fantasy published makes it feel real. Or feel realer. Or, hell, maybe in some alternate everything/everywhere kind of universe, it actually becomes real.

Hey Dan: I am a straight white man. I had been single and divorced for a long time. Then I met a lady, 23 years younger than me, and we started dating. Soon, she suggested I move in with her to save money and I agreed. I knew her 17-year-old daughter lived with her. One Saturday, I was home alone with my girlfriend’s daughter. In fact, she was walking around with no bra wearing just an unbuttoned men’s shirt and panties. I could not take my eyes off her. She saw me looking and came and sat on my lap. As soon as she had my dick in her pussy this other man walked in. Yes, it was a set

up. I was caught having sex with an underage teen. The man who walked in turned out to a Black man who was known to my girlfriend. In fact, he owns the house she lives in, and he was my girlfriend’s actual boyfriend all along. They announced that I had to agree to pay them $1,000 a month or they would go to the police and I would go to prison. After signing a confession, I was then forced to suck the cock of the man who wasn’t just my girlfriend’s boyfriend all along, but also her daughter’s boyfriend. He took pics of me doing it. That is where I am now. Now this man is also fucking my ass. And both girls know it. I am trapped.

This Really Awful Personal Predicament Ensnared Divorcé

None of this happened — that will hopefully be a comfort to readers who were upset by the underage sex and racialized sexual stereotypes that featured so prominently in TRAPPED’s fake question. His unfulfilled fantasies revolve around a straight white man victim; first, he’s victimized by his lying girlfriend, then by an awful teenage girl who somehow managed to hoover up his dick, and finally by an insatiable straight Black man who’s already sleeping with both the white women in the story but wants that old straight white guy’s ass, too. Because, as everyone knows, old straight white guy ass is irresistible to straight Black men — or it is to the kind of straight Black man who exists only in the imaginations of white dudes who send me fake questions about their forced bi fantasies.

Hey Dan: I’m a gay man in his forties with a gay man fiancé in his twenties. My fiancé just informed me that he has cheated on me with many others. He didn’t tell me until after we had announced our engagement, set a date, and sent invitations to both our families and friends back home in Chicago, where I grew up and we met while training for a marathon. We now live in Los Angeles, the city where we moved so he could pursue his career as a model. He is young and very beautiful and while I was the aggressor at the start of our relationship, he gradually asserted himself and is now the more controlling person in the relationship. Things have to be his way. He wishes for me to remain faithful to him while he continues to enjoy the sexual attentions of other men. I am a handsome man who is frequently approached by attractive young men, but I have always declined their advances because I am devoted to my gay man fiancé. Cancelling the

wedding would be embarrassing but the thought of marrying him knowing he has so freely given himself to other men and will continue to do so has broken my heart almost in half. My fiancé holds me while I cry myself to sleep at night. The dilemma I face: Do I break off our engagement and leave him and cleave my heart completely in two? Or do I marry him knowing he will never change?

Feeling Insecure And Needing Clarifying Edicts

So, it’s not just deeply frustrated kinky straight men who send me these kinds of fake questions. (“Help! Help! This terrible thing I’ve been furiously beating off about all my life has suddenly happened to me!”) As FIANCE’s letter demonstrates, sometimes it’s a deeply frustrated kinky gay man who’s out there beating off while he writes me a letter. And on rare occasions, I get a fake question from a woman — and something about this letter (its idealized images of gay men, awkward phrases like “gay man fiancé”) has me thinking it might’ve been written by a woman who has read too much and/ or authored to much and/or illustrated too much shounen-ai manga and/or yaoi manga.

But whoever wrote this obviously fake question, it shares the same fakey-fake-fake DNA with the other two fake questions in this week’s column: a power-exchange kink like FLR, forced bi, cuckolding, etc., all kinks likelier to be proposed by a submissive (because most people into these kinks fantasize about being in the sub role), was in this case — this very special, very exceptional, and very hot (to the letter writer) case imposed by a cruel wife, girlfriend, fiancé, etc.

I get a lot of letters like these and, in all honesty, I don’t mind reading them; I don’t share them often — I don’t get many columns out of them — but they do provide me with a fascinating glimpse into the sexual inner lives of a very special subset of my readers. But guys… SISSY, TRAPPED, FIANCE, and all the other guys out there whose fake questions didn’t make it into this week’s column… if you were to put half as much effort into finding partners who want what you want and/or partners who might grow to like what you want as you out into writing and sending me fake questions… you might actually get to live out some of those fantasies of yours.