Nate's Northcoast Notes • MLK Day Holiday Events • CPH: 'Inspiring Revolutions' •

By NATHAN E. PAIGE

Cleveland Museum of Art’s MLK Day Program: Becoming A Beloved Community (January 18)

Monday, January 18 at 6PM, local poets Honey Bell Bey and Orlando Watson pay homage to The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of a Beloved Community by focusing on the artwork of Cleveland artist Michelangelo Lovelace, namely his 1998 painting, My Home Town. Opening remarks will be made by the Reverend Dr. Jawanza Colvin, pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, a museum trustee, and the inaugural chair of the museum’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. There will also be a moderated discussion.  Watch the program via Vimeo.

Cleveland Orchestra Annual MLK Concert (Broadcast available through April 14)

Severance Hall, home to 
The Cleveland Orchestra

Due to the restrictions on crowd gathering put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cleveland Orchestra will rebroadcast their 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. concert free of charge through the Adella streaming app. The concert will be available for viewing January 14 through Wednesday, April 14, 2021.  Conducted by Franz Welser-Most, the program is narrated by Karamu alum James Pickens, Jr. (Dr. Richard Webber on “Grey’s Anatomy”) and features performances by bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green and the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Chorus.  William Henry Caldwell serves as director.

Filmmaker/author Matthew Cherry will speak at the Akron Main Library Sunday, January 17 as part of the Library’s MLK Day celebration.

Virtual MLK lecture with filmmaker/author Matthew Cherry at Akron Main Library (January 17)

Matthew Cherry, Oscar-winning filmmaker of the animated short, “Hair Love,” will discuss how his creative works reflect The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision and dreams during a free Zoom webinar Sunday, January 17 at 2PM. Registration required.  “Hair Love” was adapted into a children’s book and is now in its 26^th week on the New York Times Bestseller List of Children’s Picture Books. The book was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Picture Book. Cherry was a wide receiver for the Akron Zips during the early 2000s. He went on to a pro career with several NFL teams. He also has an executive producer credit for Spike Lee’s “BlacKKKlansman.”

Cleveland Play House Theater Thursdays presents ‘Inspiring Resolutions’ (January 21)

The January virtual production for the Cleveland Play House’s Theatre Thursdays series is “Inspiring Resolutions.”  Hosted by Artistic Director Laura Kepley, “Inspiring Resolutions” consists of songs and monologues designed to initiate transformation, including excerpts from “The Belle of Amherst” and “The Amen Corner,” as well as poems from Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou and more. Featured actors are Peter Hargrave, Eric Lockley, Laura Perrotta and Mariama Whyte. The performance also includes tips and suggestions from Life Coach Bjorn DuPaty. Tickets are $5; registration required.  A Q&A session follows the performance. The purchase of a ticket gives the viewer access to the performance for 72 hours.

‘One Night in Miami’ (Streaming on Amazon Prime begins January 15)

The latest offering from Amazon Studios is “One Night in Miami,” a fictionalized account of a real-life encounter between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke and pro football player Jim Brown, celebrating Ali's surprise title win over Sonny Liston in 1964.  Directed by Regina King (“Watchmen,” “If Beale Street Could Talk”), the film stars Aldis Hodge, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Leslie Odom, Jr. and Eli Goree. 

• • •• • •

Is there an upcoming event you’d like included in this column? Please send the details, along with a high-resolution photo/graphic, to northcoastnotes@therealdealpress.com at least two weeks prior to the event.