CLOCKWISE: Cleveland Museum of Art, Playhouse Square's dazzling chandelier, Cleveland Public Theatre, Playhouse Square marquee

Scott Meivogel

CULTURAL MECCA

Cleveland has a crazy amount of art

ur fanaticism for all things sports gets the headlines-and for as overhyped as that fandom may be, if we're being real, it's for real. But not everyone in town wants to paint themselves head-to-toe in orange and brown and freeze in the Muni Lot with brats and brews. Enough of us are drawn to things with a more artistic flair that we have one of the greatest collections of cultural institutions and activities in the country.

LIVE FROM CLEVELAND

PLAYHOUSE SOUARE

This year, the largest theater complex in the United States outside of NYC has gotten a glittery upgrade that brings a Times Square vibe to the district. But the flashy lights and enormous outdoor chandelier are just the sizzle to get you to see the wide-ranging offerings inside Playhouse Square's (playhousesquare.org) spectacular historic theaters. You might start your evening with the exquisite cuisine and cocktails of Cowell & Hubbard, then check out one of seven big-budget Broadway Series shows arriving direct from the Great White Way, including smash hits Kinky Boots and Newsies. Also in the district is Great Lakes Theater (greatlakestheater.org), which produces classic works with top-notch local casts and production values (this year it's mounting Les Mis in a hot-ticket departure). The district's most recent addition is the Cleveland Play House (clevelandplayhouse.org), which is playing to packed houses after a move to the innovatively overhauled Allen Theatre.

2014-15 LGBT VISITORS GUIDE

INDIE Theater

Travel into neighborhoods just a short drive from downtown to find smaller companies producing original works and regional premieres. Cleveland Public Theatre (cptonline.org) is the beloved anchor of the Gordon Square Arts District and often mounts works with a progressive bent. In the west-side suburb of Lakewood, the Beck Center for the Arts (beckcenter.org) offers well-known musicals and plays that blend professional and amateur artists. And on the east side, in Cleveland Heights, Dobama Theatre (dobama.org) presents challenging recent works that are often regional premieres and attract talented local actors and directors. Any and all of these companies regularly produce shows with LGBT themes and performers.

Cody York

NORTH COAST MEN'S CHORUS Check your cynicism at the door for the North Coast Men's Chorus (ncmchorus.org), which brings infectious joy, humor and camp to its concerts. This year's 26th anniversary season ends with My Big Fat Gay Wedding, a marriage equalitythemed concert in June, but soon after expect a lively 27th anniversary season-and an incredible gathering of more than 150 performers as part of the Gay Games 9 choral event on August 13.

URBAN Arts District

In an area smaller than a square mile, University Circle (universitycircle.org) packs more internationally recognized institutions than many entire states can claim. But a rapid expansion of other neighborhood amenities-hotels, restaurants, pubs, coffee shopsmeans you could spend an entire visit to Cleveland just within its boundaries.

Nearing its centennial, the Cleveland Museum of Art (clevelandart.org) has wrapped up a $350 million renovation and expansion that's succeeded in putting much more of the institution's impressive collection on display. But expect more than just typical galleries-

Scott's fa

Meghan Stockdale

Oil on canvas

although there are more of those than ever. Start in Gallery One, the country's largest multi-touch display in the country that gives you access to 3,500 works of art; the ArtLens iPad app lets you dive deeper into the exhibit. Next stroll through the stunning new atrium for a literal jawdropper, and don't forget a meal at chef Douglas Katz's rave-reviewed Provenance restaurant. Best of all: Admission to the permanent collection is always free (you might pay a fee for special exhibits).

Continued on next page

LEFT: Cleveland Museum of Art's Gallery One RIGHT: The Cleveland Orchestra

ALL

ARE WELCOME.

WE REALLY MEAN IT.

TRINITY CATHEDRAL

AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF FAITH The Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio located in downtown Cleveland 2230 Euclid Avenue 216-771-3630 www.trinitycleveland.org

Visit www.trinitycleveland.org for worship schedule, concerts, education and more.

Connect with us:

LET US ENTERTAIN YOU!

The North Coast Men's Chorus attracts a diverse audience of adults and families across Northeast Ohio. As the largest LGBT arts organization in Northeast Ohio, our concerts and outreach are heard by 35,000 individuals annually. For information regarding tickets, joining or volunteering, go to www.ncmchorus.org or call (216) 556-0590.

Get social with #ThisisCLE @@@@@

North coast men's chorus

richard cole, artistic director

WWW.THISISCLEVELAND.COM

C Cody York