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JAN. 31 - FEB. 9 CLEVELAND’S I-X CENTER
Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat Publisher Andrew Zelman Editor Vince Grzegorek
Upfront
Editorial Music Editor Jeff Niesel Senior Writer Sam Allard Staff Writer Brett Zelman Web Editor Laura Morrison Dining Editor Douglas Trattner Visual Arts Writer Dott von Schneider Copy Editor Elaine Cicora Interns Claudia Ugbana
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The saga of Cuyahoga County’s ďŹ red budget director
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A Christ Community Chapel update
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Euclid Media Group Chief Executive OfďŹ cer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating OfďŹ cers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP Digital Services Stacy Volhein Creative Director Tom Carlson Digital Operations Coordinator Jaime Monzon
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
UPFRONT LIBRARY WORKERS REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, AVOID STRIKE DURING THE FINAL DAY OF negotiations before a planned strike on Feb. 4, the bargaining team for the union representing Cleveland Public Library workers reached a tentative agreement with the library’s administration on a new contract. Details of the agreement have not been released, but if the roughly 400 union librarians, clerks, assistants, janitors and others vote in favor of it this week, the strike will be called off. The library workers’ demands for fair pay and increased staffing and safety at neighborhood branches were supported last week by Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg. That publicity, along with the promise of an impending strike, was sufficient to motivate both sides to iron out a deal. The library workers’ union, Service Employees International Union 1199, maintained throughout the dispute that the library system’s frontline staff had been asked to do more with less for years. They juxtaposed the frozen wages and slow growth of staffer pay with the bloated salaries of new administrators. Library director Felton Thomas, in particular, has seen his compensation skyrocket. His salary increased from $183,983.72 to $220,000 when he got a new contract in 2019. That contract also came with a $10,000 bonus and guaranteed 5-percent annual raises for the length of the five-year term. — Sam Allard
Union Calls on Sherwin-Williams to Save Janitor Jobs The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1 and their labor allies are calling on Sherwin-Williams to preserve the jobs of more than 30 union janitors who clean the paint company’s downtown headquarters. Last month, the paint and coatings corporate giant informed the contractor who employs the janitors, ABM, that they’d be seeking a new contractor. The current janitors, several of whom have been cleaning the facility for 15 years or more, will be out of a job at the end of
the month. Sherwin-Williams has said that the janitors weren’t meeting performance and quality expectations and that repeated attempts had been made to report the issues to ABM, but that the issues had not been resolved. SEIU maintains that it is absolutely the company’s prerogative to negotiate with the contractor, or to select a new one, but that these conversations should have happened on an individual basis. “You fire the coach, you don’t fire the whole team,” said SEIU Local 1’s state director for Ohio, Yanela Sims. SEIU says that its unionized janitors make between $12 and $15 per hour at Sherwin-Williams, whereas non-union workers typically make between $10 and $12. Moreover, SEIU members have criticized the decision to dismiss its janitorial staff en masse when, at the same time, it will pursue enormous public subsidies for the design and construction of a new corporate headquarters. (Both Cuyahoga
County and the city of Cleveland have lately retained law firms to help them draft incentive packages for the company.) “I don’t feel they deserve our money, the taxes we pay,” said Tiffany Gallego, one of the Sherwin-Williams janitors who will lose her job, in comments to the Plain Dealer. “You’re trying to kick us out of our jobs and use our tax dollars for your new building! It’s not fair.” At a demonstration last week outside Sherwin-Williams’ corporate offices on West Prospect, speakers stressed that the issue was one of income inequality. “Just because we’re cleaning trash doesn’t mean they can dismiss us like we are trash,” said Sandra Ellington, an SEIU janitor at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, who emceed the event. “This is a multi-billion dollar corporation and they’re dismissing janitors? Oh my god. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.” Williams said that janitors, just like everybody else, deserve a livable
Photo by Sam Allard
wage — “not a minimum wage, a livable wage,” — and that the janitors at Sherwin-Williams worked just as hard as the executives, “even if [they’re] not wearing a suit and tie.” Terry Eddy, a janitor at SherwinWilliams, said that she and her colleagues had been doing their best on the job and that she felt betrayed by Sherwin-Williams. Craig Watson, an SEIU janitor at KeyTower, pledged solidarity. “When we fight,” he shouted, “we win!” Yanela Sims, in a statement provided to Scene, said that unions have historically been the best way for women and people of color to make economic gains. The visual aids at Thursday’s demonstration included a large purple “1-C-L-E” to symbolize unity in Cleveland for working people of all colors and backgrounds. In a press advisory, SEIU said that “it’s time Cleveland worked for all working people — whether white, Black or brown — and not just a certain wealthy few.” — Allard
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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UPFRONT Christ Community Chapel Update: Advocates Refuse to Sign NDAs After years of largely unrecognized advocacy, members of the Hudson nondenominational megachurch Christ Community Chapel (CCC) finally forced their church’s leaders to reckon with their complicity in a child sexual abuse scandal at the Sankey Samaritan orphanage in the Philippines. An internal review commissioned by CCC and completed this summer, days after the publication of an extensive Scene investigation, found that abuse likely occurred at the children’s home and that CCC pastor Tom Randall had been lying to church leaders for years. CCC asked Randall to tender his resignation this summer after they allegedly discovered an email he’d written under a different name to corroborate his version of the Sankey story. (Scene has questioned the
accuracy of the church’s timeline, among other things.) The advocates felt that while the internal review was a step in the right direction, it was woefully incomplete. It was also hardly independent, in their view, as it was conducted by a church member named Suzanne Lewis-Johnson who runs a ministry that CCC generously funds. In the aftermath of the review, advocates are being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to facilitate what CCC leadership hopes will be safe and open conciliatory talks hosted by a third-party mediator. In an email on Jan. 10, CCC leaders characterized the NDAs as “standard practice” for the Christian conciliation company they’d hired. NDAs are “designed to make the discussion room safe for all involved,” the email read, “and to allow all to speak their minds knowing that what is shared in the room is confidential.” The advocates are refusing to sign. They feel that church leadership hasn’t honestly and thoroughly investigated its role in the abuse scandal and the massive expenditures that Tom Randall funneled to the abusers for their legal defense and other purposes.
In a statement provided to Scene, the Justice for Sankey advocates said they believed CCC leadership wished to conceal the truth of their mishandling of the Sankey scandal from their members and the public, and that an NDA would only benefit them. “Because we believe that this issue needs to be transparent before the public, we are unanimously opposed to signing any NDA as a precondition to discussions with CCC leadership regarding Sankey,” the statement read. “It is evident that [CCC leaders] are ready to wash their hands of Sankey going into 2020,
even though the Advocates feel that the situation is far from resolved. Therefore, we will be continuing our advocacy and call for CCC leadership to commission an independent investigation into their response to Sankey in 2020.” In the Jan. 10 email to church members, CCC’s elders — equivalent to its board of directors — provided updates on steps they had taken in the aftermath of the internal review. For one, CCC had made contact with the orphans in the Philippines, many of whom are now young adults, and had begun to “understand the complexities of the situation” as they determine the best ways to “offer support and healing to those involved.” The church also said that it had completed an assessment of its internal policies and procedures and had partnered with the Child Safety and Protection Network. It is now asking each of its ministry partners to provide a Child Protection Policy. Furthermore, the email said that members of CCC’s leadership team would be attending a conference in October designed to help churches recognize and confront abuse. But advocates have lingering questions about updates regarding the finances from Tom Randall’s
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
nonprofit World Harvest Ministries, which was folded into CCC in 2014 with just under $3 million in assets. Of those initial funds and additional donations, CCC “deployed” more than $2.6 million. Included in that figure are renovations to CCC’s Aurora campus ($918,667) and renovations to a student ministry building ($400,000). The rest of the money went to the Philippines, including direct wire transfers from Tom Randall to the abusers at Sankey, and to other “projects initiated by Tom in the USA and abroad,” per the email. The advocates are calling for a rigorous accounting of those dollars, along with an itemized list of $329,000 in “planned expenses.” Another concerning element for the advocates is the remaining balance. CCC elders elected in December to split the remaining funds ($539,282) between two ministries “that we all know and love”: Restore Addiction Recovery and RAHAB Ministries. RAHAB is the organization founded by Suzanne Lewis-Johnson, who conducted CCC’s internal review. The Jan. 10 email said that RAHAB “will be using the funds to expand care opportunities in their facility called Rebecca’s Place, which is designed to support girls between 12-17 years old who have
DIGIT WIDGET 6,600 Acres of tree canopy that Cuyahoga County lost between 2011 and 2017, the equivalent of 5,000 football fields.
18.5 PERCENT Percentage of tree canopy lost in Lakewood from 2011 to 2017, the hardest hit of all of the county’s 59 communities.
18,000 Trees sacrificed in clear-cutting to make way for 16 suburban residential developments.
18 PERCENT Total tree canopy coverage in the city of Cleveland.
been abused in the sex trafficking industry.” The advocates note that this large donation to RAHAB — which one former CCC member referred to not as a sex trafficking ministry but as an anti-abortion ministry — is in addition to $78,000 that CCC already donated in 2019. “This further calls into question the impartiality of [Suzanne LewisJohnson’s] review,” the advocates said, “especially with regards to her assessment of the response of CCC leadership to concerns regarding Sankey raised by Advocates and members between 2014-2019.”— Allard
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Cleveland Bishop Nelson Perez Named Archbishop of Philadelphia The Cleveland Catholic Diocese has confirmed that Bishop Nelson Perez, 58, has been named archbishop-elect of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Pope Francis. In a statement provided by the Cleveland Diocese, Perez expressed bittersweet sentiments. He said he was grateful to return to Philadelphia, where he’d been ordained and where he served in two parishes, but was sad to leave Cleveland. “I will never forget the kindness and hospitality of the people of the Diocese of Cleveland,” Perez said. “They will remain in my heart and prayers always. As change is an ever-present part of life, I now turn my attention southeastward as I look forward to my return to Pennsylvania to shepherd the people of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.” Described as a “kind, joyous and hard-working” leader, Perez made initiatives to get youth and young adults more involved in the life of the church a top priority. Perez was installed as the bishop in Cleveland in September 2017, after Bishop Richard Lennon — lately deceased — retired due to his worsening dementia. Perez will remain in Cleveland until Feb. 18, at which point he’ll replace Philly’s archbishop, Charles Joseph Chaput. Philadelphia is roughly 36 percent Roman Catholic, with nearly 1.5 million total in the archdiocese. The Cleveland Diocese said that announcements on future leadership in Northeast Ohio will be forthcoming. — Allard
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
FEATURE
THE TRIBULATIONS OF
MAGGIE KEENAN, FIRED AS CUYAHOGA COUNTY’S BUDGET DIRECTOR FOR BEING A ‘CONFRONTATIONAL WOMAN’ IN A SEA OF STUPID MEN BY SAM ALLARD
TO READ THE 2019 INTERACTIONS between Maggie Keenan, Cuyahoga County’s terminated director of the Office of Budget and Management (OBM), and the office of Human Resources is to witness the recurring perils competent women face when they work for crabby, substandard men. As the county administration and the county jail were scrutinized through 2018 and 2019 as part of a sweeping corruption probe, Keenan’s work life on the third floor of county headquarters was handicapped by top officials who were threatened and annoyed by her. They didn’t like that she asked hard questions. They didn’t approve of her tone. They resented that she sent so many
emails and that she checked her phone during meetings. They felt that despite her unquestioned talent and intellect, she didn’t embody the professionalism her leadership role demanded. And then, last month, they fired her, one day after county council approved the budget for 2020-2021. She was terminated by Armond Budish’s chief of staff Bill Mason, for reasons that remain unspecified. A spokesperson has said only that the administration wanted to move “in a different direction.” Scene obtained emails and human resources documents via public records requests that shed light on Keenan’s tumultuous final years at the county.
While Keenan may have perturbed her superiors, she was held in high regard by her own staff. One former county employee who worked under Keenan described her as a “professional, efficient and awesome” boss. “She was demanding and expected people to get necessary work done,” the former employee told Scene. “She did not suffer fools lightly, but she was professional, honest, intelligent and well-liked outside of the [county] building.” She was also, crucially, willing to call out bad or illegal decision-making. This made her a whistleblower, almost by default, as flamboyant mismanagement within the county jail and the IT
department all but begged for a criminal investigation. Keenan warned county executive Armond Budish and other top leaders about a critical nursing shortage at the jail before the first of eight deaths there in 2018. She was also sharply critical of inexperienced IT leaders, including the subpoenaed director Scot Rouke, who was fired in October after 19 months of unpaid leave. Through 2018, Keenan repeatedly expressed concern that top IT personnel were botching a costly overhaul of the county’s IT systems and doing so via a dazzling array of illegal maneuvers. Like Gary Brack, the county jail nurse who was fired immediately after he blew the whistle on county
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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FEATURE
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
jail operations at a council meeting in May 2018, Keenan suffered the fate of those who question or criticize Armond Budish or publicize deficiencies that the administration would prefer to keep quiet. “This administration doesn’t like whistleblowers,” Keenan wrote in an email to Cleveland.com on the day of her firing. Recent evidence suggests that Keenan is just as correct in this assessment as she has been in others. And yet, the picture painted by her regular interactions with HR, a department that continually would not or could not substantiate her allegations against top leaders, is not of a whistleblower being mistreated by vindictive bosses, but of an accomplished woman working at a high level beset by mediocre white male managers whose skin she got under. A woman in Keenan’s position had few avenues of recourse other than HR, and she found the office to be entirely unhelpful. “Despite statements to the contrary, HR has provided no support for my repeated complaints about a hostile, toxic and retaliatory work environment on the third floor,” she wrote in an email this fall. “Attempts should have been made to address the issues, mediate differences, and assure a safe, supported, comfortable working environment for all involved. I’m disappointed that hasn’t happened in the past six months. My repeated requests to HR and the former Interim Chief of Staff for assistance have gone without a response. “That’s not quite true,” she added. “[Former chief of staff Matt Carroll] laughed at me and said my concern was ‘excessive.’” Through multiple complaints that she filed in 2019, and in responses to complaints filed against her in 2018, Keenan reveals herself to be a committed, knowledgeable, if exasperated, public servant. The documents expose a county government in disarray at the highest levels, a government managed by leaders who are fearful of critique, hostile to dissent and punitive toward employees who call out wrongdoing on behalf of the county residents they serve.
*** The primary source of Keenan’s daily antagonism was former fiscal officer Dennis Kennedy. So
untenable was their professional relationship by the beginning of 2019 that Keenan proposed excising the Office of Budget and Management from the county executive’s organizational purview. She suggested creating an independent office of strategy and budget that would be moved to a new location due to what she described as Kennedy’s toxic influence on her staff’s morale. But Kennedy was not the only man against whom Keenan leveled allegations. In a formal complaint filed on May 5, 2019, she alleged that Dennis Kennedy, Matt Carroll and Armond Budish himself were all engaging in a pattern of conduct that created a hostile work environment for her. That conduct included, among other things, failure to respond to emails, failure to provide requested support, making comments that undermined Keenan’s credibility and reputation, sending rude or unprofessional emails, and denying salary increase requests for her and her staff. Keenan alleged, moreover, that the conduct was discriminatory. She said that she was paid less than male counterparts with fewer qualifications and less responsibility and that she had been subjected to discipline for conduct that similarly situated male employees were not disciplined for. After the complaint, a specialist in the HR office conducted an investigation and was unable to substantiate Keenan’s complaints. He closed the case on June 18. One week later, chief talent officer Douglas Dykes — who resigned on Monday after revelations about a potential forged check — asked HR to re-investigate the claims. HR then reviewed the specialist’s initial work, interviewed additional witnesses identified by Keenan and reviewed emails submitted by both Keenan and Kennedy. This additional investigation was likewise unable to substantiate Keenan’s claims. The inability to substantiate stemmed almost exclusively from refutations by Kennedy and Carroll themselves. The three witnesses identified by Keenan corroborated much of what she alleged. One of the witnesses said that former county auditor Cory Swaisgood had told him/her that one of Kennedy’s conditions for returning to his post after medical leave was that Keenan be fired. The witness speculated that Kennedy did not like to be questioned by female employees. Two of the three witnesses said that Kennedy was only friendly with “white, male,
Republican” OBM employees. One of them said that Keenan would frequently have to “chase down” Kennedy for responses. Another said that tension between Kennedy and Keenan had been ongoing, and that Kennedy would delay the approval of debt payments, presumably to frustrate Keenan. The relationship between Keenan and Kennedy “had people walking on eggshells,” one witness’ comments were described in the HR investigative summary, “because they worry anything they say or do could be used against Keenan.” Keenan’s emails provided further evidence of discrimination. In one, she showed that she was paid less than the county executive’s budget advisor, even though she had more qualifications and more responsibility. She also forwarded “unprofessional” emails from Kenenedy, including one exchange in which Kennedy, referencing a recent Keenan message, wrote, “another email response with a spiteful comment. Surprise.” But interviews with Carroll and Kennedy were sufficient to discredit this material. Carroll denied that he had slandered or retaliated against Keenan and denied that she was treated differently because of her
gender. Kennedy denied Keenan’s allegations as well. He described Keenan as “very smart, but lacking in people skills,” and described at length her volume of emails, which he said made it difficult to respond to messages. He denied stipulating that his return to the county after medical leave was contingent on Keenan’s firing. In its analysis, the HR office concluded that Keenan had been neither harassed nor bullied,
or repeated.” While the report did not substantiate Keenan’s complaints, it did note that it had uncovered “significant evidence of an unproductive working relationship” between Keenan and Kennedy, and a “lack of confidence” by Keenan in Carroll and Budish. The report recommended that the county engage the services of an external, neutral mediator. That never happened. The
***
[buddish] “won’t respond to texts, emails, requests for meetings,” Keenan WRote. “This goes beyond hostile. this feels an awful lot like retaliation.” per the county code of conduct. Their findings suggested other “reasonable explanations” for her treatment: “disagreements on facts and conclusions, differences in professional judgement, personality clashes, poor communication, and a lack of professionalism.” Keenan was not the victim of bullying, the report found, because the various instances of slander and ridicule she documented were neither “egregious
immediate result of the complaint was an escalation in tension. Keenan reported getting the silent treatment from Armond Budish. In a June 2019 email to HR, Keenan asked an investigator to note that since she’d filed her complaint, Budish had ceased all contact with her. “Won’t respond to texts, emails, requests for meetings,” she wrote. “This goes beyond hostile. This feels an awful lot like retaliation.”
On August 16, less than one full month after the investigation into the May complaint was closed, Keenan filed another complaint. This one was focused fully on Dennis Kennedy and his conduct. The complaint followed an August 15 meeting which, according to Keenan, Kennedy had stormed out of after being asked if the fiscal office would consider taking a budget cut. The fiscal office enjoyed a significant surplus at the time, as it had in years past, but Kennedy refused to take a cut. Keenan and Kennedy began arguing about whether or not Keenan had appropriately communicated the financial status of the fiscal department, and Kennedy walked out in a huff. “I told Armond, ‘This is what I have to deal with every day,’” Keenan wrote in her complaint. “Dennis replied, ‘What she has to deal with,’ and walked out of the meeting.” Keenan went on to describe a number of specific and general behaviors by Kennedy that had created a toxic work environment. She framed her complaint in the context of the county’s employee handbook, referencing language to argue that, contra the HR
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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office’s decision one month prior, she was the victim of harassment, discrimination and retaliation. According to Keenan, Kennedy didn’t look at her when he spoke with her and held that it was not possible to discriminate against women as a class. He regularly criticized her in front of her superiors and criticized her behind her back to members of her own staff. Under the bullying section of her complaint, Keenan described the scene when Kennedy returned from medical leave. “He walked in the office without saying good morning. I communicated this to my superiors, wanting to indicate that a tone had been set,” Keenan wrote. [Witnesses had mentioned this encounter in HR interviews. They testified that Kennedy had said good morning to everyone except Keenan.] “An hour later, Dennis passed by my office and shouted, “Good morning, Maggie” in a way that could only be described as sarcastic. He did the same thing the following two mornings and one day accompanied it with pounding on my window. I had no fewer than half a dozen employees ask about that. This is bullying and intimidation.” Keenan mentioned that, earlier in 2019, she had proposed to move the Office of Budget and Management from the county’s third floor in order to operate as an independent body and had received no response. She said that when Kennedy was made aware of complaints about him, he retaliated by refusing to communicate with her unless asked repeatedly and directly for responses. Furthermore, he refused to grant raises and professional development to her staff. “Nearly everyone is aware that there is a split between Dennis and me,” Keenan wrote. “Everyone is aware that he doesn’t like me and that he does not have confidence in me. This is defamation. Equally important, this creates divisions and distractions that do nothing to help the county meet its goals and objectives. I’m trying to do my part to ensure elected officials have the information they need to make, literally, life and death decisions. It is unconscionable that in doing my job I must deal with a man getting up and storming out of a meeting because he ‘doesn’t have to deal with this’ from me. “I have offered proposed solutions to HR and the Administration. I
am open to other options, but to not address this is unacceptable. This Administration has aggressively dealt with me when male employees have complained about me; to not aggressively respond to unprofessional behavior on the part of male leadership in the county is unacceptable.” An investigation into Keenan’s claims were conducted on Sept. 9 and 10 which included interviews with Kennedy and nine OBM staffers. On Sept. 17, the investigation was closed. None of Keenan’s allegations were substantiated. Less than one month later, Dennis Kennedy resigned to become the University Heights finance director. Three months after that, Keenan was fired.
*** Keenan’s 2019 complaints came on the heels of HR investigations in 2018 in which she was the accused. Several employees had notified HR that they were alarmed by Keenan’s workplace conduct. In a summary of allegations, an HR report notified Keenan that she had been accused of engaging in “rude and inappropriate conduct” and “displays of barely controlled anger.” Employees had alleged that she’d used profanity and would regularly send texts and emails during meetings. Many of the allegations came from the county’s IT staff, who were at that time fumbling through the design and implementation of a costly project to overhaul the county’s IT system. This was referred to as the Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP, project. (The project is ongoing and remains a disaster: Council heard an update from the consultants on the project in September and were advised that final implementation would be delayed another six months, and that the total cost was now projected to be $35 million, nearly $10 million more than originally budgeted.) Employees in the IT department alleged that Keenan had “openly threatened IT staff with making negative reports to County Council” about the ERP project. Keenan sent a narrative response to the HR office in March 2018, addressing the allegations. She said that while she did regularly notify the ERP team when their actions would require council approval, she denied doing so threateningly. “It is my responsibility as the county’s Budget Director to ensure that agencies, departments and projects are operating within budget,” she wrote. With that in mind, her advice on
the ERP project was often stern. She admitted that she communicated her concern about the project’s management, though she denied calling IT director Scot Rourke and Cindy Nappi, who’d been hired to oversee the ERP project, “fucking idiots.” Her concern, she said, was for the county and its coffers. “The county is investing $25 million to implement a system that is going to be in operation for many many years. This is an extremely large and complicated project and it is critically important to County operations that it is done correctly.” Keenan said she communicated her concerns about Rourke and Nappi regularly to her direct supervisor — at that time, fiscal officer Dennis Kennedy — and to Budish. She was worried because neither Rourke nor Nappi had public sector experience, and she believed that they “did not appreciate dissent.” She included extensive examples of what she viewed as poor decisionmaking — the decision to award no-bid contracts to vendors, for example, or making budget changes without the legal authority to do so — and said she did express concern about Rourke and Nappi’s performance but denied that she did
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so unprofessionally. As to the other, miscellaneous charges of unprofessionalism, Keenan made some concessions. She admitted that she sometimes texted during meetings, for example. “There are a lot of meetings and it is impossible to attend them all and still meet the expectation of OBM,” she wrote. “Yes, I have expressed frustration, usually when it is not the first time I have raised the concern … And yes, I speak loudly.” She noted, for the record, that she was “wholly supportive” of the ERP project. “I would like to be clear, though, that being supportive does not — and cannot — necessarily mean going along with every decision the ERP Team makes.” In concluding remarks, she restated her position. “I recognize to some I am considered to be too critical and not accommodating, but I have a responsibility, both professionally and personally, to act in accordance with the law and to make what I feel are the best decisions for OBM, the Fiscal Office, and this County.” Unlike her superiors the following year, Keenan’s denials and generous explanations were not sufficient to discredit the allegations against her. In an April 2018 memo from Ed Morales, then the county’s HR
director, Keenan was told that many of the allegations (except for the use of profanity) had been corroborated by witnesses. Furthermore, Morales told Keenan that one of her own emails was corroborative of the allegations. In a Jan. 25 message, she had written, “I apologize if I was in any way unprofessional this afternoon.” Morales told Keenan that she was guilty of minor infractions of unbecoming conduct as outlined in the County Policies and Procedures Manual. “The behavior complained of falls squarely within this rule,” Morales wrote. Later in 2018, additional complaints were filed against Keenan that hewed closely to these allegations of unprofessionalism. One woman on the IT staff characterized her behavior as “antics” and said every time she encountered Keenan, “it is negative.” In another complaint, a new male hire said he was “shocked” by the unprofessionalism he saw on display at a county Board of Control meeting, when the ERP project was being discussed. “When I began to explain to Mr. Budish the work that was being done, a woman, unknown to me, raised her voice toward me and said that REA
!
CIE HERVE KOUBI Saturday, Feb 15, 2020 @ 7:30 pm
funds cannot be used for this project and that Dennis Kennedy knows nothing about the contract …” the written complaint read. “The next item presented to Mr. Budish was also from IT. [Kennedy] read the item and again the person sitting next to Budish became aggressive about REA funds and Dennis Kenndy’s ignorance about the contract. When I attempted to clarify that I agreed and provided reasons why the funds should come from the ERP budget, the same confrontational woman said the money should come from Public Works Storm and Sanitary.” Morales sent Keenan an email in December saying that HR had investigated the matter and that no violations of policy were found. However, Morales advised Keenan at length about workplace conduct, even recommending that she take an online course entitled “Respect in the Workplace – It’s not Just Sexual Harassment.” “Maggie,” he concluded, “you hold a key position in the organization and have significant influence. People in key leadership positions are looked upon as role models. Our culture should be characterized by respect and courteous treatment of others, even in disagreement or frustration. This can be difficult, but needs to be.”
“Stunning fusion of acrobatics, gymnastics, b-boying, modern dance and ballet.” THE WASHINGTON POST
Mimi Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square Tickets start at $25. Call 216.241.6000 or dancecleveland.org. T H I S P E R F O R M A N C E I S G E N E R O U S LY F U N D E D B Y
PRESENTED BY
Co-Presented with Tri-C Performing Arts KARIM AMAR
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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FEATURE *** Maggie Keenan is now making good on her threat to “sue the shit out of” the county. She told Cleveland.com in an email blast on the day of her termination that she was fired only two days after she spoke with chief of staff Bill Mason about retaliation. Keenan’s lawyer, Chris Thorman, has alleged that her dismissal was a direct result of her willingness to speak out against corruption. “Without question, this is retaliation,” Thorman told Scene in December. “She stood up to corruption in its many forms and lost her job because of it.” Managing the county’s budget gave Keenan unique insight into the operations of the county and its many departments. She was regarded as a key witness in the investigation of the county’s chief talent officer Douglas Dykes, for example. According to prosecutors, it was “well known within the County Administration Building” that Keenan believed Dykes had broken the law. (Dykes has been charged with theft in office for converting moving
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expenses into a “signing bonus” for IT hire Jim Hay. Cleveland. com reported last week that Dykes personally repaid the balance, roughly $10,000 via cashier’s check on Jan. 14, even though Hay was repaying the county in monthly installments. “Dykes’ payment in the middle of his criminal case could open the door for prosecutors to argue at trial that it was proof that Dykes had a guilty conscience,” Cleveland.com reported. Dykes resigned Monday in the wake of these revelations.) But for now, Keenan joins a slew of other employees named in this piece who no longer work for the county. Dennis Kennedy, as previously mentioned, took a substantial pay cut to work in the more serene municipal waters of University Heights. Scot Rourke was officially fired in October, after 19 months of unpaid leave (the salary and benefits of which he’s hoping to recover in a current lawsuit). Rourke was booted after county council pressured Budish about Rourke’s purgatorial status and the lack of a replacement in a cabinetlevel position for upwards of a yearand-a-half. Cindy Nappi, who’d been brought on to run the ERP project, was transferred to HR. Bill Mason, who fired Keenan, is
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
by all accounts running the show at county HQ. He’s certainly being credited with staunching the bleeding at the jail. On the day of Keenan’s firing, he tacitly denied that Keenan had made formal complaints about jail conditions in 2018. Her April 2018 email to Budish and other top leaders, attached to a court filing in the Dykes case, confirms that she did indeed formally warn leaders. Mason has taken the reins from Matt Carroll, who became the interim chief of staff following the resignation of former Shaker Heights mayor Earl Leiken, who had replaced Sharon Sobol Jordan, the chief of staff who skedaddled on the day she was subpoenaed and became the CEO of the Unify Project, a baffling hightech nonprofit startup that appears to be on its last legs. Budish is doing all he can to escape his term in one piece, though he’ll be lucky to ever see a dime from his vaunted roster of Democratic donors ever again. He has been responsible for an administration more calamitous than anything the county has witnessed since Dennis Kucinich’s turbulent mayoral term in Cleveland in the late 1970s. The news on the ERP project has been one disaster after another. It’s now expected to cost $35 million,
more than $9 million over budget, and will arrive at least two years late. Its implementation is expected to last through 2020, though given its track record, that timeline should be taken with a grain of salt. “I think we’re just frustrated — constantly bailing out, constantly trying to correct what we’ve witnessed as being a project that’s been deficient,” councilwoman Sunny Simon said in October. Maggie Keenan, of course, felt the same way. As the director of the county’s budget office, she was in a position to watch the ERP disaster fall off the rails in real time. But the concerns she voiced and the confrontations she instigated were perceived as “unprofessional.” If the past three years of Armond Budish’s train-wreck administration have taught us anything, it’s that internal confrontation is required. County residents should be thankful that Keenan was calling out the most egregious examples of ignorance and mismanagement; and they should be alarmed that “professionalism,” under Budish, connotes a commitment to remaining silent about these offenses.
sallard@clevescene.com t@scenesallard
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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2020
Get your ticket early and SAVE 20%! Now through January 31 only. USE CODE MARDI2020
THE ROAD TO THE ROCK HALL BEGINS WITH THE ROCK OFF
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MARDI GRAS CRAWL Saturday, February 22 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Tickets $10 (plus processing fees)
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Must be 21 or older with ID for entry. Tickets are non-refundable; event will occur regardless of weather conditions. Portions of the event will be held outside, so please plan appropriately. While supplies last. Rules and regulations to be posted by 2/22/2020 on the Flats East Bank Mardi Gras Facebook Event Page.
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
GET OUT
everything you should do this week
The High School Rock Off returns to the Rock Hall. See: Saturday. | Photo by Emanuel Wallace
WED
01/29
COMEDY
Rob Allen Veteran comedian Rob Allen launched his career some 30 years ago. The raunchy comic who likes to open his set by greeting his fans with a “What’s up, fuckers?” has appeared on BET’s ComicView several times and has won a Redd Foxx Cutting Edge Award. He performs tonight at 7:30 at the Improv. Tickets are $15. (Jeff Niesel) 1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com. SPOKEN WORD
Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is a weekly series that pairs fine food with storytelling. Through it, the folks at Music Box Supper Club hope to raise awareness of the mission of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s Cleveland History Center. The goal is to “bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past — from sports, to rock ’n’ roll, to Millionaires’ Row,” as it’s put in a press release. Admission is free, with no cover charge, although a prix fixe dinner, designed to complement the night’s theme, is $20. Tonight, Christopher (aka Kit) Whipple, a seventh generation Clevelander whose family first moved to the city in the 1830s, will speak about the many stories he’s
written about “unknown Cleveland treasures.” Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner is served at 6, and the storytelling starts at 7. (Niesel) 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com. THEATER
Clue Based on the cult 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, this theatrical production of Clue at the Cleveland Play House promises to be the “ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist.” Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at the Allen Theatre, where performances continue through Feb. 23. Tickets start at $20. (Niesel) 1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, clevelandplayhouse.com,.
$33 to $45, or $30 to $40 for CMA members. (Niesel) 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org. FILM
Rear Window In this classic movie, James Stewart portrays a magazine photographer with a broken leg who becomes a voyeur to the goings-on at the apartment building that faces his rear window. Things go south when he witnesses a murder. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the movie screens tonight at 7 at the Capitol Theatre as part of the Cleveland Cinemas Happy Hour Classic series. Admission includes a complimentary cocktail or soft drink and light appetizers starting at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $10. (Niesel) 1390 West 65th St., 216-651-7295, clevelandcinemas.com.
MUSIC
Hamid Al-Saadi with Safaafir Hamid Al-Saadi, Iraq’s foremost purveyor of the maqam tradition, is renowned for his powerful voice and highly ornamented style, as well as his comprehensive knowledge of the intricate details of the music and poetry of Iraq. He teams up with Safaafir, the only U.S.-based ensemble dedicated to performing the Iraqi maqam in its traditional format, for tonight’s special concert at the Cleveland Art Museum. AlSaadi performs very rarely and is considered a master. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets cost
in one bit. “I can’t be a straight guy dancer; that’s not allowed.” Tonight at 7, he brings his standup show to Pickwick and Frolic, where he has shows scheduled through Saturday. Tickets start at $20. (Niesel) 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com. SPORTS
Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors Tonight the Toronto Raptors, the reigning NBA champions, come to town to take on the lowly Cavs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Raptors haven’t played as well this year as they did last year, but they’re still one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Tipoff is at 7. Consult the website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com. FILM
THU
01/30
COMEDY
Bryan Callen One of the original cast members of MADtv, actor, comedian and podcaster Bryan Callen is best known for his recurring role as Coach Mellor in The Goldbergs and its spinoff series Schooled. While his bits aren’t political in nature, he does take on social issues in a roundabout manner. “There are so many straight guy rules,” he says
I Lost My Body Recently nominated for an Oscar, this surreal animated movie follows a severed hand as it gets out of a medical lab and tries to reunite with its owner. The movie won the audience award and festival award for Best Feature at the 2019 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. It screens at 6:45 tonight and at 9:35 tomorrow night at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for Cinematheque members and students. (Niesel) 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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GET OUT COMEDY
Luenell Fearless when it comes to making the audience erupt in laughter, Luenell, a comedian who left a lasting impression as the “hooker with the heart of gold” in Borat, regularly jokes about being a fullfigured woman and getting married later in life. She can find humor in any topic or situation. She performs tonight at 7:30 at the Improv Comedy Club, where she has shows scheduled through Saturday. Tickets cost $22. (Hannah Borison) 1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com.
FILM
MUSIC
Redoubt The latest film from director Matthew Barney (The Cremaster Cycle) centers on a hunter (Anette Wachter who, in real life, is a sharpshooter and U.S. National Rifle Team member) as she tracks a wolf through the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. A take on the ancient myth of the huntress
Shadows, Seas and Sorcerers Tonight at 7:30 at Severance Hall, the Cleveland Orchestra will perform Prokofiev’s Sixth Symphony along with Bridge’s The Sea and Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, a piece made famous by Mickey Mouse in Disney’s Fantasia. Youngstown State University’s Caroline Oltmanns gives the pre-concert talk. The program
FRI
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
COMEDY
Marc Maron Comedian and writer Marc Maron has interviewed celebrities such as Conan O’Brien, Robin Williams, Keith Richards, Ben Stiller, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lorne Michaels and former U.S. President Barack Obama for his popular podcast WTF. The podcast reportedly averages six million downloads a month and has helped increase Maron’s profile. Maron currently stars in the hit Netflix original series Glow, and he’s made appearances in Girls, Louie and Easy. He also has a small role in Joker. He brings his standup show to the Agora tonight at 7. Tickets start at $35. (Niesel) 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
BOOKER T. JONES Class of 1992
A CONVERSATION W/ BOOKER T.
INTERVIEW & BOOK SIGNING FEBRUARY 19 @ 7PM • $15
AN EVENING WITH JAHI
HIP HOP CULTURExEDUCATION INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION FEBRUARY 7 @ 7PM • FREE
FRIDAY NIGHT DANCE PARTY WITH
BIG SAM’S FUNKY NATION
MUSIC
Midwinter Blues and Other Tunes In an attempt to beat back the wintertime blues, the Akron Art Museum has launched a new winter concert series, dubbed Midwinter Blues and Other Tunes. Once a week, including tonight, the museum presents an evening of local music along with art activities, live artist demos and additional musical performances in the galleries. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the headliners take the stage at 7 p.m. Tonight, Floco Torres headlines; advance tickets are $8 for museum members and $10 for non-members. (Admission at the door is $9 for members and $12 for non-members.) However, admission to the museum galleries and lobby is free and open to all. Weekly performances continue through Feb. 13. (Niesel) 1 South High St., Akron, 330-376-9185, akronartmuseum.org.
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Brian Kenny, Elizabeth Seman and Kate Hart share the bill, and Peter Estrada will serve as the host. Wilbur, who’s performed standup for more than 11 years, has penned two humor books, How Not to Read and Never Flirt with Puppy Killers. He’s been featured on Sirius XM, College Humor, McSweeney’s, the Onion News Network, the RISK! podcast, and Someecards. Doors open at 7:30, and tickets cost $7 in advance and $10 at the door. (Niesel) 2247 Professor Ave., 216-274-1200, danteboccuzzi.com/coda.
LIVE PERFORMANCE FEBRUARY 28 @ 8PM • $15
FILM SERIES 10 NON-MEMBERS • FREE MEMBERS
$
AMAZING GRACE FEBRUARY 12 @ 7PM CHUCK BERRY FEBRUARY 26 @ 7PM
ROCKHALL.COM/PROGRAMS-AND-EVENTS to purchase tickets or RSVP 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio 44114 • 888 . 764 . ROCK (7625 )
Diana, the dialogue-free film also features Barney as a bearded park ranger. It screens tonight at 8:25 at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, where it shows again at 7 tomorrow night. Tickets are $11, or $8 for Cinematheque members and students. (Niesel) 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
repeats at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Consult the orchestra website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com. COMEDY
Dan Wilbur A Cleveland native currently based in New York, comedian Dan Wilbur will perform at 9 tonight at CODA.
01/31
FILM
Before Homosexuals This documentary film from director John Scagliotti (who also co-produced Before Stonewall) examines same-sex desire as it’s depicted in the visual art of various civilizations, dating back some 2,000 years. It screens tonight at 7 at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for CMA members. (Niesel) 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org. DANCE
Cleveland Pops: The Fly Dance Company For its first concert of the year, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra has enlisted the Fly Dance Company to join it. Fly is an all-male theatrical hip-hop dance company known for bringing “innovative choreography” and “youthful energy” to the stage. Tonight’s performance will feature selections of pop music by composers from the swing era, Broadway and the movies. The performance takes place at 8 tonight at Severance Hall. Tickets cost $31. (Niesel) 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com. THEATER
Flanagan’s Wake No one knows grief and mourning like a Catholic, let alone an Irish Catholic. Flanagan’s Wake transports the audience to an Irish wake where villagers tell tales and sing songs for their dearly departed Flanagan. Finding the humor in life and death, the wake acts as a dark backdrop to an otherwise hilarious show in which alcohol fuels the humorous reminiscing. Sort of like a tragic Tony ’n’ Tina’s Wedding, the interactive and improvised show engages the entire audience as the guests are treated
as the friends and family of the deceased. Tonight’s show starts at 8 and repeats tomorrow night at 8 at Kennedy’s Theatre. Performances continue weekends through April 25. Tickets are $27. (Patrick Stoops) 1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. COMEDY
Tiffany Haddish Thanks to her performance in the hit comedy Girls Trip, actress Tiffany Haddish has quickly established herself as a star. Haddish, who can currently be seen opposite Tracy Morgan on the TBS comedy series The Last O.G. and as host of Kids Say the Darndest Things, has also just released a new Netflix special. In addition, she stars opposite Salma Hayek and Rose Byrne in the new comedy Like A Boss. Tonight at 8 at MGM Northfield Park – Center Stage, she does standup. Consult the website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark. mgmresorts.com.
the Utica Comets. As part of a regular season promotion that takes place each Friday, there will be $1 Pepsis, $2 Sugardale hot dogs and $3 select beers. Tomorrow’s game is Family Day and the first 2,000 kids under the age of 12 will receive a Castaway Bay day pass. That game begins at 1 p.m. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
SAT
02/01
FOOD
Fifth Annual SOUPER Bowl There will be a variety of homemade soups to sample at the fifth annual SOUPER Bowl party that takes place today from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at BAYarts. There will also be Breadsmith bread, baked goods and beverages, and you can take home a one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl made in BAYarts’ ceramics studio. Consult the website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 28795 Lake Rd., Bay Village, 440-871-6543, bayarts.net.
SPORTS
Monsters vs. Utica Comets Tonight at 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cleveland Monsters kick off a two-game series against
SPORTS
Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors Just two years ago, the Cavs and the Golden State Warriors were fierce
rivals who played each other in each of four consecutive NBA Finals. Thankfully, the Cavs won one of those match-ups. Now, both teams are struggling to stay out of the bottom of their respective divisions. They match up against one another tonight at 8 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Check the website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com. FILM
Fargo Tonight’s Late Shift film series at the Cedar Lee Theatre features a screening of the Coen Brothers’ Fargo, a dark comedy about a car salesman who botches the fake kidnapping of his wife and suffers the consequences. It screens at 9:30 and midnight and then again at 7 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets cost $6. (Niesel) 2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 440-528-0355, clevelandcinemas.com. FILM
The Lighthouse Set in the 1890s, The Lighthouse, the latest film from writer-director Robert Eggers (Witch), takes place on a desolate island of jagged black rock, where Tom (Willem Dafoe)
and his new assistant Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) begin a four-week stint. Driven by two terrific performances by Dafoe and Pattinson, the intensely claustrophobic black and white film comes off as a particularly perverse Hitchcockian thriller. It screens tonight at 9:25 and tomorrow night at 8:10 at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets cost $10 or $7 for Cinematheque members and students. (Niesel) 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu. FILM
Rocky Horror Picture Show It’s the first Saturday of the month again, so tonight the Cedar Lee Theatre hosts its usual midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the 1975 cult classic that still draws an exuberant, costumed crowd that likes to throw rice and dry toast and sing along to the songs in the movie. In addition, locals act out a floor show that mimics the movie, turning the event into a veritable party. Tickets are $9.75. (Niesel) 2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 440-528-0355, clevelandcinemas.com.
The Ultimate Whodunit! JANUARY 25 – FEBRUARY 23 ALLEN THEATRE based on the Paramount Pictures film written by JONATHAN LYNN written by SANDY RUSTIN | directed by CASEY HUSHION additional material by HUNTER FOSTER & ERIC PRICE adapted from the board game from Hasbro, Inc. produced in association with Work Light Productions, The Araca Group and Michael Barra/Lively McCabe Entertainment
216.241.6000 clevelandplayhouse.com TICKETS START AT $20! | clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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GET OUT G N I K A E BR S... NEW
for CMA members and card-carrying union members. (Niesel) 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
FILM
...HOT OFF THE INTERNET PRESS. O N LY AT C L E V E S C E N E . C O M
Standing Rock Cultural Arts Short Film Festival This popular annual event will feature films from around the world, including animation, music videos, short comedy, experimental films, documentaries and more. The program will include last year’s People’s Choice winner, The Spirit Seam, by Ashley Gerst, as well as other shorts of her choosing, and there will be a screening of award-winning Espiral by Susana Weingarten, a former dancer with Evert Dance Company in Cleveland. The event begins at 8 at the Kent Stage. Tickets are $5 to $10. (Niesel) 175 East Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.
Tri-C High School Rock Off All the participating bands in this year’s annual High School Rock Off will have access to the bookers and marketing directors at House of Blues Cleveland, the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, the Grog Shop, Mahall’s and Musica. This “incubator relationship” will give the bands the opportunity to book shows or have a CD release party at one of the sponsoring clubs. Performances take place tonight at the Rock Hall, as well as on Feb. 8, 15 and 22. The “final exam” is Saturday, Feb. 29. All performers must be enrolled in 12th grade or lower, and at least half of the band members must be high school students. Finalists will get to record one original song at Tri-C’s Gill and Tommy LiPuma Center for Creative Arts, and the winning band will receive $1,000 cash and $250 for its high school music program. Consult the website for times and ticket prices. (Niesel) 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com/rockoff.
SUN
02/02
FILM
Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra Saturday, February 1 at 8pm Maltz Performing Arts Center JoAnn Falletta, guest conductor
HINDEMITH Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber RESPIGHI Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome) RESPIGHI Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome)
Reserve FREE tickets at cim.edu/maltz or call 216.368.6062
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
Matewan Today at 1:30 p.m., the Cleveland Museum of Art screens a restored version of director John Sayles’ 1987 film Matewan. The period piece centers on a union organizer who rallies coal miners to go up against their gun-toting bosses. Set in 1920s West Virginia, the movie stars James Earl Jones, Chris Cooper and Mary McDonnell. Tickets cost $10, or $7
02/03
NIGHTLIFE
Shit Show Karaoke Local rapper/promoter Dirty Jones and Scene’s own Manny Wallace host Shit Show Karaoke, a weekly event at the B-Side Liquor Lounge wherein patrons choose from “an unlimited selection of jams from hip-hop to hard rock,” and are encouraged to “be as bad as you want.” Fueled by drink and shot specials, it all goes down tonight at 10 p.m. (Niesel) 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com.
TUE
MUSIC
clevescene.com
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Anastasia Featuring a book by playwright Terrence McNally, a new score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens with direction by Tony Awardwinner Darko Tresnjak, Anastasia rolls into Conner Palace tonight with plenty of hype. The show switches time periods and locations and takes place both in the twilight of the Russian Empire and the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. It follows a young woman who’s pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her as she enlists the help of a con man and an ex-aristocrat. Tonight’s curtain is at 7:30; the show runs through Feb. 23. Tickets start at $39. (Niesel) 1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. FILM
Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project Radicalized by the civil rights movement, Marion Stokes recorded television newscasts relentlessly from 1979 until her death in 2012. This documentary chronicles how she amassed a collection of 70,000 cassettes but also became alienated from her family. It screens at 1:45 p.m. today at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for CMA members. (Niesel) 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene
STAGE THE FABRIC OF OUR LIVES Racism, sexism and other –isms keep women down, but undefeated, in Intimate Apparel By Elaine T. Cicora IT WAS NEARLY 17 YEARS AGO — Feb. 21, 2003 — that Intimate Apparel made its world premiere in Baltimore, Maryland. Since then, two-time Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage’s sweet, sad tale of love and female identity in the face of betrayal and societal constraints has gone on to become one of the most produced plays in America, a favorite among professional theater companies and high-school drama clubs alike. This, alone, speaks volumes about the story’s grace and intelligence, and about Nottage’s ability to uncover the meaning in the lives of marginalized people. Factor in the superb acting, smart set design, and deft directorial pacing of the current production at Ensemble Theater, and you get a dramatic experience practically dressed for success. It could be argued that in the nearly two decades since the play premiered, graceful storytelling has gone out of style. Indeed, for a piece of theater that deals in a wide range of –isms — sexism, racism, classism, and even some sidelong glances at the soul-crushing potential of religion — Intimate Apparel speaks softly at a time when political discourse has become an ear-splitting bellow. This lack of stridency, however, is likely one of the reasons the play has remained so popular. Set in New York City in 1905, Intimate Apparel tells the story of sensible, self-disciplined Esther, an AfricanAmerican seamstress who has escaped a childhood of poverty and now makes a decent living crafting charming undergarments for appreciative clients, the wealthy Mrs. Van Buren and the plucky prostitute Mayme among them. While she shares a warm, but mainly unspoken, affection with her fabric supplier, Mr. Marks — an orthodox Jewish man from Romania whose race and religion sharply curtail his potential as a suitor — the 35-yearold Esther is keenly aware that her value on the matrimonial market is tanking. This understanding leads her to make some very poor choices, epitomized by a reckless marriage to George, a Panamanian suitor she has known only through
Photo by Shawn Christopher Photography
Kimberly L. Brown, left, and Zyrece Montgomery in Intimate Apparel.
an exchange of letters. Predictably, George is not the man she hoped he would be, eventually breaking her heart, crushing her dreams and sending her back to her solitary life in a boardinghouse run by the motherly widow, Mrs. Dickson. As the curtain drops, we wonder: Will Esther rise from the ashes? Thanks to her strength of character, the odds look good. The real substance of this tale comes from Esther’s relationships with her fellow characters; and the Ensemble cast, under the direction of theater veteran Sarah May, wrings from those relationships every
subdued scowls and cagy sidelong glances. The bonds never feel more real than in Brown’s scenes with the irrepressible prostitute Mayme, played with vigor, humor and – soon enough – pathos by the wonderful Zyrece Montgomery. Esther’s relationship with the tony Mrs. Van Buren (Diana Frankhauser, wielding a strangely thick Southern drawl) is a more formal one, burdened by inequities of race, class and wealth. Still, the women find common ground in their man troubles; for Mrs. V, that means losing her husband’s love over her inability to conceive.
INTIMATE APPAREL THROUGH FEB. 16 AT ENSEMBLE THEATRE 2843 WASHINGTON BLVD., CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, 216-321-2930 ENSEMBLETHEATRECLE.ORG
available drop of feeling. As Esther, the central spoke in this relational wheel, Kimberly L. Brown is a multi-dimensional delight, giving us a woman by turns stolid and silly, angry and injured, dignified and defeated. What Nottage’s dialog doesn’t supply, Brown provides with myriad subtle gestures and expressions, from radiant smiles and quiet chuckles to discrete eye rolls,
Unrequited love is the reverberating bond between Esther and the endearing Mr. Marks (charmingly captured by Craig Joseph), whose love life is circumscribed by both religious and cultural norms. In place of physical intimacy, the two share a sensuous delight in the look, feel and provenance of the fine fabrics that Esther comes to buy every
Tuesday morning. The warmth this mismatched couple generates is as seductive as Chinese silk. The villain in all this is, of course, George Armstrong, the mendacious suitor and faithless husband that Esther takes despite her better instincts. In this mesmerizing combination of Caribbean charmer and cold-hearted cad, Nottage seems to encapsulate the hard choices that women can face between lonely independence and coupled indignities. To his great credit, the engaging Leilani Barrett gives us a character of considerable depth: We can, and do, sympathize with George’s outrage over job discrimination, his dismay with the gloomy New York City weather, and his dreams of climbing the social ladder — while still finding him a very bad man. Rounding out the cast is Reva Golden as the well-intentioned gossip and boardinghouse owner Mrs. Dickson, who married for money rather than love. Wealth aside, it turns out the former Mr. Dickson was still no prize, “so high on opium he didn’t even know he was married.” All this well-modulated action takes place on an equally wellconsidered set designed by Ian Hinz, its multi-level space divided into distinct quadrants — Esther’s room, Mayme’s room, Mrs. Van Buren’s boudoir, and Mr. Marks’ fabric shop — allowing the action to move almost seamlessly from one scene to the next. Sepia-toned projections of turn-of-the-century NYC provide a dynamic and evocative backdrop. And, of course, in a story about clothing, costume design must be held to high standards. Here, Katie Atkinson and Jill Kenderes do a commendable job, dressing the characters in detailed, eraappropriate garb ranging from Esther’s modest skirts and highnecked blouses to Mayme’s crimson corset and lacy underthings. It’s productions like this that will keep Intimate Apparel from ever wearing thin.
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene | clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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STAGE WORKERS ON THE EDGE Dobama’s Skeleton Crew captures the hope and dread of workers striving for precarious economic security By Christine Howey ALL OF US SAY WE HATE working, until we can’t get a job. And when you’re a low-wage grunt who is easily replaceable, you’re often working on the ragged edge of financial disaster — one paycheck away from living on the street, in mom’s basement, or in the backseat of your Chevy Cavalier. In one way or another, all four workers in Skeleton Crew have pitched their flimsy tents on that uncertain edge, and their struggle to stay there makes this play by Dominique Morisseau absorbing, amusing, and heartfelt in the best way possible. Under the direction of Nina Domingue, the talented cast creates characters that pulse with hope and a constant sense of quiet dread that seems to pervade life in the 21st century. Set in a Detroit automobile stamping plant’s break room in 2008 — the year of the Great Financial Meltdown — the three blue-collar production line workers (Faye, Shanita and Dez) and their whitecollar supervisor Reggie are all African-Americans in search of a small patch of security and a sliver of personal empowerment. But there are rumors the plant will be closing soon, putting them all, you guessed it, on edge. Given that setup, it might be easy to assume that these under-threat workers will be predictable avatars staking out familiar positions. And they are, to a point. But playwright Morisseau has the soul of a poet and although there are some pivotal plot points, including a series of thefts from the plant, her focus is on character. She creates distinctive speech patterns for each of her characters, words that blossom and surprise amidst the street-tough jabs that make up much of their conversation. Faye, a 29-year veteran of the line, is trying to hang on until she hits the 30-year mark because her benefits will increase at that milestone. Still, she has the “up yours” mentality of a longtime employee, flouting the no-smoking signs by lighting up whenever she chooses. But her status in the break
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Photo by Steven Wagner Photography
Mary-Francis Miller, left, Ananias J. Dixon and Robert Hunter star in Skeleton Crew.
room is compromised when Reggie shares information about the fate of the plant and asks her to not tell anyone. She reluctantly agrees, succumbing to the pleas of this man whose mother, now deceased, was Faye’s former lover. Lisa Louise Langford embodies Faye in full, snapping off volleys of pithy putdowns that fairly crackle with the weight of this woman’s worldly experience. And when we learn about her very personal
administration, Ananias J. Dixon captures the uneasiness of a man with feet in two different worlds. While he wants to relate to his workers as a peer and pal, his role as supervisor and his concern for providing for his family keep him off balance. Indeed, every time he enters scenic designer Aaron Benson’s wonderfully grimy break room, it feels as if he’s sneaking into enemy territory, unsure of his safe return. In the second act, Reggie
SKELETON CREW THROUGH FEB. 16 AT DOBAMA THEATRE, 2340 LEE RD., CLEVELAND HEIGHTS 216-932-3396. DOBAMA.ORG
quotidian challenges, including a gambling problem that caused a severe downgrade in her living conditions, we see how her snarky attitude has been shaped. She’s employed now, on this day. But as she says, “Any moment any one of us could be the other. That’s just the shit about life.” As Reggie, the former line worker who is now part of the plant
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
reveals a confrontation he had with his superior and it is a virtuoso performance, featuring a verbal jazz riff that expresses snatches of this conflicted man’s personality: his fears, hopes, self-deprecating humor, and an abiding sense of absurdity. It is a penetrating mirror into one man’s desperation, a mirror that is all the more compelling since Dixon uses his character’s vulnerability to
invite us in instead of holding us at arm’s length. Shanita, not yet 30, is visibly pregnant and proud of her demonstrated skills on the line. But as much as she wants to focus on her job, the presence of equally young Dez keeps her mind drifting elsewhere. Mary-Francis Miller makes Shanita believable down to her core, especially when she rhapsodizes about the thrum the machines make as they whir and throb on the other side of the break room walls. This is music to her ears because it represents a job, a paycheck. For his part, twenty-something Dez is both dangerous (he’s packing a gun) and thoughtful, sharing dreams of starting his own shop while railing at Reggie and the powers that be for their indifference. Robert Hunter exudes a sly sensual tension in his moments alone with Shanita, insinuating himself into her physical space with a mixture of playfulness and clear-eyed intention. At one point when he sinuously eases himself over the back of the break room sofa to lie down, it feels like the promising beginning of a new Kama Sutra position. Director Domingue is a perfect match for this material, employing her effusive energy and proven storytelling skills to create a powerful ensemble performance while attending to the larger themes. To wit: We are all like Shanita, in a way, relying on the steady “background music” of our lives to provide a sense of stability. And when we sense that music is about to waver, or stop completely, it is terrifying. That is why we go on, because there is no other way to keep the music playing.
Christine Howey, a former stage actor and director, is executive director of Literary Cleveland.
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene
MOVIES MASTER OF THE HOUSE Explosive French drama Les Miserables depicts modern tensions in Montfermeil By Sam Allard A TRIO OF COPS TASKED WITH keeping the peace in the Montfermeil section of Paris must prevent a violent gang encounter in Les Miserables, an explosive debut from director Ladj Ly that interrogates the root causes of violence. This must-see foreign-language gem opens Friday at the Cedar Lee. Stephane Ruiz (Damien Bonnard) is the new guy on the beat when the film opens. Partners Gwada (Djebril Zonga) and Chris (Alexis Manenti), call him ‘Greaser’ because of his slicked-back hair, a diminutive that wears on him throughout the first of the film’s two days. Gwada is from the neighborhood. Chris is an asshole on a power trip, the sort of cowboy cop who shoots first and asks questions later, who pushes people around to command what he calls “respect.” In an early scene, he harasses three teenage girls at a bus stop for smoking weed. When one of them begins to film him on her phone, he slaps it away and says he can do whatever he wants. Montfermeil is in the eastern suburbs of Paris, famously the location of Thenardiers’ inn in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. These days, it’s dominated by huge high-rise public housing projects, called les
Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios
Bosquets. They are largely home to poor immigrant families, the majority of whom are Muslim and hail from former French territories in Africa. The film masterfully depicts the interiors and exteriors of this world. When Gwaba searches an apartment, he comes upon women counting bills. It looks like a criminal operation, but it turns out they’re just pooling their money so that individual women can make big purchases without paying interest. In other scenes, children play amid the concrete rubble: It looks more like a bombed-out Third-World county than Paris. And yet, the film opens with an exuberant montage of many of these same young immigrants watching France win the 2018 World Cup downtown. The message is clear. These soccer-loving children are every bit as French as white Parisians. The tension in Montfermeil escalates abruptly when muscly “gypsies” from a traveling circus seek vengeance for a lion cub that they say was stolen from them. They confront a man who runs the criminal underworld of les Bosquets, “The Mayor,” and threaten that if the cub is not returned in 24 hours,
they’ll come back with guns blazing. The cops, then, track the cub to a young boy on social media, and arrest him. But the young people are resentful of the police and resist. A violent encounter ends in tragedy and the cops face a new challenge: hunting a boy whose drone captured the encounter on video. The film is a dramatic thriller that doesn’t let up for the full one hour and 45 minutes of its run time. It concludes in the heat of another violent encounter, a terrifying ambush in the stairwells of les Bosquets, where rocks, shopping carts and
construction detritus are the weapons of choice. Police brutality and racism may seem peculiar to the United States. But Ladj Ly’s provocative film demonstrates the way that reactionary governments worldwide have created hostile conditions for the global underclass. In a country with as rich a revolutionary tradition as France’s, Les Miserables reminds viewers exactly what those hostile conditions lead to.
a former Canadian government IT officer who undergoes a novel bionic eye implantation to regain sight and a former artist with degenerative Parkinson’s. “Somebody has to do research or no breakthroughs are going to happen,” says Kochevar. “And even if I don’t get any benefit out of this, eventually someone’s going to benefit from what I’m doing. That makes you feel special.” Kochevar died in December 2017, just a few months after the research was published in The Lancet and featured by the BBC, CBS News and NPR. The film premiered to wide acclaim at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. For the Jan. 30 screening, there will be a red-carpet reception at 5:15 p.m. in the Hanna Theatre lobby at
Playhouse Square. A panel discussion with Southern, Gaby and Cleveland FES Center researchers Robert F. Kirsch, Jonathan Miller, Dustin Tyler, and Ajiboye will follow the 6 p.m. screening. The evening will conclude with a VIP meet-and-greet with the filmmakers, panelists, researchers, public officials and other guests. General admission tickets are $25 and $15 for students. VIP tickets, which include the pre- and post-film receptions, are available for $60. Proceeds from the evening support the Cleveland FES Center.
sallard@clevescene.com t@scenesallard
SPOTLIGHT: I AM HUMAN I AM HUMAN, A DOCUMENTARY film chronicling the journey of a paralyzed Cleveland veteran and the doctors and researchers who helped him regain control of his hand and arm, will screen at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Hanna Theatre at Playhouse Square. Directed and produced by Taryn Southern and Elena Gaby, the documentary follows three people with implantable brain interfaces. The film prominently features Cleveland veteran Bill Kochevar and the Cleveland FES Center at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. According to a press release about the movie, Kochevar, who was paralyzed below his shoulders in a
bicycling accident, is the first person with quadriplegia to have arm and hand movements restored with the help of two temporarily implanted technologies. The film explores “the medical, personal and ethical questions that arise as human and artificial intelligence become one as a means to fight disease or overcome injury.” “I believe that we can harness the power of the brain and harness the power of computers to overcome some of the most critical limitations we face,” says A. Bolu Ajiboye, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University and a Cleveland FES Center research scientist at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, in a statement. The film also tells the story of
— Jeff Niesel
jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
EAT STREET SMARTS Dang Good Foods brings well-executed street food from Singapore to Lakewood By Douglas Trattner COMPARED TO MOST RESTAURANTS, Dang Good Foods is pretty dang small. The boxy, basic storefront offers few more than a dozen seats, putting it on par with a typical dry cleaners. But owner Daniel Ang is used to working in a food truck, so I’m guessing the place feels downright palatial. For his first bite at the brick-andmortar apple, the self-taught cook didn’t want to take on too much. When Thai Thai announced plans to relocate down the street, Ang leapt at the chance to assume the lease. The limited seating, he stated at the time, would help to bridle business while allowing him to get his sea legs. “My mindset was, if I am going to do a restaurant, I want to start out small like this: an intimate, nonpretentious place that is all about the food,” Ang explained. That same mentality has been applied to the menu, which showcases a handful of dishes culled from his childhood growing up in Singapore, where he feasted on foods rooted in Chinese, Indian and Malay traditions. A plate of nasi lemak ($12) demonstrates how seemingly humble components can merge and mingle to great effect. Fragrant coconutsteamed rice is the foundation around which sit garnishes like a fried egg, spice-dusted chicken wings, crunchy toasted peanuts and cool, crisp cucumber slices. Tying it all together is a pungent chile-based sambal that gets mixed into every bite. Equally satisfying is a wide bowl of curry noodle soup ($11), loaded with two types of noodles, tender chicken thigh meat, fluffy tofu balls, green beans, eggplant and fried shallots. The sunny yellow broth is creamy, sweet and savory, with a mild and soothing spice component. Ang also dishes up a hearty meal-size serving of wonton soup, comprised of pork and shrimpstuffed wontons, egg noodles, barbecue pork and Asian greens, all bobbing about in “Mom’s” chicken broth. If you think you don’t like Spam, consider trying Ang’s Spam musubi ($5), which made the transition
Photo by Emanuel Wallace
Empanadas are the stars at Half Moon Bakery.
from food truck to restaurant. The sweet-salty canned ham is sauteed, drizzled with teriyaki, sandwiched like sushi between steamed rice and bundled up in a seaweed wrapper. It’s a handheld umami bomb. Fluffy steamed buns ($10) come three to an order and star thick-sliced soybraised pork topped with a meaty shiitake mushroom and slice of cucumber. Other worthwhile street foodstyle snacks include golden brown spring rolls ($5.50) filled with shredded cabbage and carrot, and a deconstructed crab rangoon ($5) that pairs crispy fried wonton strips with a crab and cream cheese dip.
DANG GOOD FOODS 13735 MADISON AVE., LAKEWOOD 216-785-9321 DANGGOODFOODS.COM
Half Moon Bakery delivers perfect empanadas and more Over the years, husband-andwife team Gerson Velasquez and Lyz Otero have worked alongside such notable chefs as Michael Symon, Zack Bruell and Adam Lambert. Based on the foods they are preparing at the new Half Moon Bakery, it’s clear that they were
paying attention. The aptly named Half Moon is a passion project years in the making. The owners leaned into their Puerto Rican and Guatemalan heritage to create a line of empanadas, which they have been perfecting and selling at pop-ups while simultaneously working toward opening this bakery. Located across the street from the MetroHealth campus on the nearwest side, the cheery storefront is largely carry-out, but does have about a dozen seats at a window counter overlooking the new hospital construction. The empanadas come in three main styles, but with numerous filling options. Argentinian empanadas are deep-fried, flakycrusted pastries stuffed with savory fillings like seasoned ground beef ($2), shredded chicken ($2) or veggies ($2.50). Buy them by the bag because they’re incredible. Columbian empanadas swap the wheat-based dough for corn meal, resulting in a different but heavenly taste and texture similar to an arepa. They come filled with shredded chicken ($3) and paired with aji, a spicy green chutney. Rounding out the empanadas are the tacos, which turn the crispy Argentinian empanadas into open shells that hold combos like ground beef ($3) or shredded chicken ($3) with lettuce, pico de gallo, cheese and sour cream. While the turnovers are the stars
of the show, the sandwiches are no mere afterthought. Here, Cubans and tripletas are packed with meat, pressed and heated. The tripleta ($8.99) is layered with thin-sliced salami, mortadella, pastrami, slaw and garlicky aioli. The kitchen took the extra step to pan-fry the meats before assembly, resulting in a subtle crust. Great hand-cut fries are included at no extra charge. Before heading out the door with your lunch, make sure to pick up some dessert. The bakery part of this operation produces chocolate or vanilla flan cakes, frosted cupcakes in flavors like strawberry, salted caramel and cookies and cream, and flaky quesitos filled with sweetened cream cheese. Get to Half Moon prior to 11 a.m. and you can snag omelets, breakfast sandwiches and empanadas filled with sausage, egg and cheese. Daily lunch specials have included chicken tortilla soup, arroz con pollo and grilled pork chops with pigeon peas.
HALF MOON BAKERY 3460 WEST 25TH ST. 216-772-2499
dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
By Douglas Trattner IN THE LATE-1970S, CLEVELANDarea clubs like Nite Moves, Rare Cherry, Dixie Electric Co., Happy Apple and Silver Lady attracted huge crowds thanks to a discodriven format complete with glitter balls, lighted dance floors, theatrical design and killer sound systems. If Bobby Rutter and Michael Schwartz have their way, Cleveland will once again be home to a Studio 54-like club where disco and dance are the main attractions. To get there, they will shutter the speakeasy-style venue Magnolia around the second week of February to completely refashion the 4,000-square-foot space into an as-yet-unnamed nightclub. “We’re going in a very ’70s-esque direction,” Rutter explains. “We’re high on the whole disco and ’70s era because it’s the hottest thing going right now. The three biggest dance songs are all disco-based right now.” Going full-on disco, adds Rutter, will include the lights, sounds, sights and dance moves of those late, great venues here and away. The goal is to stay true to the era in all aspects, from the music to the scene. There will be a light-up dance floor, sharp furniture and a great sound system. “You’ve got to do it right,” he says. In the trend-driven world of nightclubs, Rutter states, the rule of thumb is change or die. Magnolia is approaching its fourth birthday, which is ancient in club years. Not only will this transformation bring the club in line with current fashion, it will better differentiate it from management’s other property, FWD. “FWD is an anomaly; it’s going into its sixth or seventh year but, for the most part, nightclubs get two, maybe three, good years,” he says. “The choice is either to keep the same brand and pour some money into it to make it a little bit different, or take the concept in a different direction.” The aim is to create a fun, approachable venue that attracts a broader, more diverse clientele. Unlike Magnolia, which doesn’t open its doors until 9 p.m. or later, this club will welcome guests much earlier. The other main objective is for the club to draw an audience that has less overlap with nearby FWD.
“[Magnolia] is definitely upscale and significantly more expensive — and that was its niche,” Rutter says. “And it was a great niche to have, except during the time that FWD is open, when everybody is outside.” Rutter says that construction should stretch into April, assuming all goes as planned. When the club does open, it will offer creative cocktails but little food. “We have a better sense of the area and market than we did four years ago, and we think it will be very successful,” he adds.
Great Lakes Brewing to Shutter Brewpub for Major Renovations, Will Reopen Mid-February Great Lakes Brewing Co. closed its Ohio City brewpub this past Sunday in order to complete major renovations designed to give the 32-year-old property a refresh. When the bar and restaurant reopens in mid-February, guests can expect a revitalized interior at the least and an entirely new menu at the most. For now, the brewery is keeping its precise plans close to its vest. Here’s what we know: “Beginning January 26, our brewpub will be closed until midFebruary as we expand our kitchen, renovate our dining spaces, and breathe new life into our beloved Ohio City home,” states a news release. As for those notorious (and dubious) Eliot Ness bullet holes? The brewery suggests that they are here (or is it there?) to stay. “Don’t worry — we’re still going to preserve and maintain the unique elements and history that make our pub special.” While the brewpub will be closed, the gift shop and brewery tasting room will remain open. Brewery tours, however, will not be available during the refresh. To keep apprised of the progress and plans, follow @GLBCBrewpub on the socials.
dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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IM SAXHAUG WAS SICK WHEN Trampled by Turtles were recording the cheekily titled EP Sigourney Fever, and yet it was time for the band to hit Pachyderm Recording Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and assemble an EP comprising five carefully selected cover tunes. The bass player was pulling double duty as vocalist on two of those songs, and his voice was nearly shot. Cellist Eamonn McLain picked up some of the backing vocal work on most of the songs, but Saxhaug still needed to cut his lead vocal tracks. They recorded the Faces’ “Ooh La La” first, but by the time they got to Warren Zevon’s mournful
“Keep Me in Your Heart,” Saxhaug had just two or three takes to nail it. In the recorded version, you can hear the scratchy rasp in his voice, something that actually adds another layer of charm to the song. Nonetheless, there are just certain things you can’t predict when you’re planning to make an album. “The secret is just making it feel natural for yourself,” he says in a phone interview. “I don’t think you have to worry about whether anybody else is going to hear it that way.” Some of these songs had been played now and then over the years, giving them each a comfortable, lived-in feel from the studio.
PHOTO BY DAVID McCLISTER
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Saxhaug had brought a number of covers to the Turtles over the years, and he was looking for something sparse to prepare for the band’s July 6, 2019, hometown show in Duluth. It was a choice between “Keep Me in Your Heart” and “Don’t Let Us Get Sick,” off Zevon’s Life’ll Kill Ya. As each musician began contributing his voice to “Keep Me in Your Heart,” the song took on fresh life as a Turtles’ composition, something that the fans up in Duluth really got into and something that fit nicely alongside stuff like Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees” and Iris Dement’s “Our Town.” “Since the beginning, like a lot of bands, you fill out your time with a lot of covers and things like that,” Saxhaug says. “Even since we’ve built up our original music catalog, usually at shows there’s one cover in there. We’ve built up a number of them over the years and always toyed with the idea of maybe throwing one on an album here and there, but it’s just never felt appropriate.” With that EP in the books now, Saxhaug and McLain are joined by the rest of the Turtles — Dave Simonett (guitar and vocals), Dave Carroll (banjo), Erik Berry (mandolin) and Ryan Young (fiddle) — for this winter tour. You can find them on stage at 8 p.m. on Thursday at House of Blues. Sigourney Fever follows 2018’s full-length, Life Is Good on the Open Road, a finely wrought and well-rounded album that sees the band toying with more contemplative dynamics in their songwriting. Like other records, this one was similarly recorded in the quiet confines of Pachyderm Recording Studio, something of a second home for a band that’s been actively writing its own story for more than 15 years. “Isolation works really well for us,” Saxhaug says. At Pachyderm, the band holes up in the studio for a time, leaving only to pick up groceries in town. It’s precious now, too, in a way that may not have been as evident to younger incarnations of the band. After a year-long hiatus in 2016-2017, the band regrouped at Carroll’s cabin in
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
Grand Rapids, hanging out and tossing around some ideas for songs that would eventually land on Life Is Good. It was there, in the cabin, dusting off the absence felt among the musicians, that they realized anew the importance of the underlying friendship in this band. As the musicians gathered at Carroll’s cabin in October 2017, they were each hit with the unfortunate news of Tom Petty’s death. Together, they listened to his records and jammed out some early sketches of new Turtles songs. Consciously or not, the Petty influence is certainly woven throughout the material on Life Is Good on the Open Road. And where the guys might have spent much more of their early days in that sort of setting, gathered closely in tight quarters, sharing music and digging deep into their collective sources of musical inspiration, well, they’re older now. Time is now slipping by at a different pace. Creative curiosities have led to several successful side projects. The point is it’s become less common to have those
sound, this was something new. This was something exciting. The move toward gentler pastures also coincided with the musicians’ other creative outlets, lending them space to explore new sounds that hadn’t appeared in full on past records. When the band was recording “I’m Not There Anymore,” there were takes when Saxhaug found himself so lulled by Simonett’s rich vocal work that he missed his cue on bass and had to redo it. “We’re not trying to force blazing speed all the time now, which is frankly something I was growing tired of,” Saxhaug says. “From my viewpoint in the band, I’m the one that kind of has to do the exact same thing every time. That bluegrasscountry one-and-three thing is what you have to do. So, for instance, ‘The Middle,’ you know, a song like that is really fun for me.” With fiddle and cello driving much of the energy in “The Middle,” Saxhaug finds space to develop interesting bass lines. Still, the music on this last record isn’t a far cry from the band’s 2010 single,
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moments of clarion camaraderie. Hitting their longtime haunt at Pachyderm is vital. “I think it’s a good thing,” Saxhaug says of their recording sessions. “Most of the time we spend together is basically just the studio and the road at this point. So, when we’re all off living separate lives, it’s nice for the recording process to have us all living together. I think it helps really reestablish that connection.” On the band’s 2014 album, Wild Animals, they brought in Alan Sparhawk, founding member of fellow Duluth indie band Low, to help produce their latest work. With his experience at the helm of a patient, deliberate, endlessly moody band, Sparhawk nudged the Turtles into slower territory. For a band whose bluegrass chops were built on fast-paced rippers and complex walls of
“Wait So Long,” a banjo-led barn burner that held a Top10 Billboard spot for 52 weeks. The tempo is mind-bending and thrilling, certainly, but here, in this new landscape the Turtles have painted for themselves, there’s room enough for all sorts of ideas to flourish. “Maybe that’s one way we are different now — trying to use a little bit of silence instead of having to bombast it with sonic energy constantly,” Saxhaug says. “It kind of feels like nobody really has anything to prove right now. Especially with the last album, I feel like the attitude of just serving the song is a little more of a priority now, rather than standing out as individual musicians.”
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| clevescene.com clevves e ceene.c nee.c .com m | January Januuar a y 29 2 - February Februarr y 4, 22020 0220
MONDAY 2.3 SHITSHOW KRAROKE (9pm) w/WALLACE + MANNY TUESDAY 2.4 LYRICAL RHYTHMS (9pm) Live Band Open Mic Poetry Hip-Hop Soul Experience 4(% '2/' 3(/0 02%3%.43 !4
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By Jeff Niesel
Chicago’s Soul Message Band puts the organ in the forefront
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HICAGO-BASED B-3 JAZZ organist Chris Foreman and drummer Greg Rockingham began playing jazz together some 35 years ago. They’ve now turned their attention to a new group, Soul Message Band, which also features guitarist Lee Rothenberg. They perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Bop Stop. Last year, the group dropped its terrific debut album, Soulful Days. Songs such as the groovy “Sir Charles” have a Booker T. Jones vibe to them thanks to the beefy Hammond organ that drives them. The band is equally comfortable playing pensive tracks such as “Little Girl Blue.” In this recent phone interview, Foreman, Rockingham and Rothenberg talk about their careers and the making of the album. Talk about your backgrounds. Where did you grow up and what kind of music did you listen to while growing up? Foreman: I was born in Chicago, and I grew up on the Southeast side, what they call the South Shore area. According to my mother, I started playing music when I was 2. I always
loved music. I have always loved jazz and blues. In college, I was a music theory major. I was the only blind person in the class. You had to create your own “blind services,” which is what we call it. If there was an assignment and you had to listen to something, you’d have to pair up with other classmates to know what to do. We’d get together and that’s how I got through it. The books were not in braille and I had my material read to me and taped it when I needed to. Rockingham: My dad was a Hammond B-3 player. The music I listened to was Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff. I always heard my dad play those guys. There was always a B-3 in the house too. I guess that started my love for that instrument. I went to public grade school and then went to a fine arts high school in Michigan called Interlochen. When I got to Interlochen, there was a guitar player that turned me on to people like Pat Martino. Then I started listening to Miles Davis and John Coltrane. As I got older, I branched out more, but my love for the B-3 continued. My love for the B-3 will never, ever change, but like all other
Photo courtesy of Soul Message Band
jazz listeners and music enthusiasts, I listen to everybody now. Chris and Greg, talk about how you first met. Rockingham: After my dad got tired of playing, I got to meet Chris. First, we became great friends, and then once we played together, we noticed we liked the same music. The relationship grew from there. He lives way on the South Side. He would take the train to my house and we’d sit and play all night. Because my dad played, I own three B-3s and six Leslie speakers. We would listen to music and play and eventually decided we wanted to form something. If we couldn’t get together in person, we would rehearse over the telephone. We would be on the phone for hours working on arrangements. That’s how stuff started with us. Foreman: Our first gig was on Oct. 12, 1984, at a place called the Taste Entertainment Center in Chicago. It was fun. Rockingham: It’s a big, giant dance bar. On the other side of the dance club, there was a jazz room called the Zodiac Bar. There was a stage behind the bar. He came to fill in
for my dad. We played a few tunes and had a whole lot of fun. That was the day that I started to learn how to play with Chris and realized the differences between different organ players and how to play with them. After playing with my dad and then playing with Chris, that’s the first time I really noticed the differences. It was really informative. Talk about playing with the Deep Blue Organ Trio and what that was like. Rockingham: That wasn’t the first band we played in together, but it formed in 1991 or 1992. There is a guitarist in Chicago, Bobby Broom, who played at a club around the corner. We played at a club near that, and he would come and listen to us on his breaks. I would come and check him out on our breaks. We met and he said that he loved the organ thing too. We played a couple of shows and realized we could do something. We didn’t have a name but collectively came up with the name Deep Blue Organ Trio. How did Soul Message Band come together? Rockingham: Lee would sub for
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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MUSIC Bobby [Broom] a lot. He would take time to learn the material we were doing, so that’s who we’re playing with now. He’s a great guy and a terrific musician. Foreman: He’s a great friend too. Lee Rothenberg is much younger than you guys. What’s it like to work together? Rockingham: I find it refreshing. It’s great because of the energy he brings. He’s young and strong, he can lift that B-3. It won’t be so hard on me now. He puts in the work and the time. You never have to worry about Lee. Lee, what’s it like to play with Chris and Greg? Rothenberg: Take any of the best organ groups — Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff and “Groove” Holmes — throughout history. This is like me playing with those types of guys with their experience and musical knowledge and authenticity. It’s like being in
get nervous in the studio, but these guys made it so easy. It was great to go in there and trust who you’re playing with. There wasn’t any pressure from the recording studio or the band. It was just self-pressure. I was playing with the dream band. It was a real honor. Rockingham: The dream band part is his opinion. We definitely don’t act like that. We’re happy playing with him as well. We get nervous and all of the above. Where did you go to record and what was that like? Rockingham: We did it at the Delmark studio. They own the studio, so there were no time constraints. We were able to go in and play. It was really relaxed. What will the live show here be like? Rockingham: In this particular situation, there’s definitely a lot of energy. With the organ, and as great a player as Chris is, it’s organ-dominated, and that’s how we want it to be. We try to engage the audience. We don’t want to just go from song to song and not include the audience. We like to try
SOUL MESSAGE BAND
WE WENT OUT WHEN YOU COULDN’T. CATCH UP ON LAST NIGHT WITH SCENE’S EVENT SLIDESHOWS. ONLY AT CLEVESCENE.COM SCENE
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| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
8 P.M., SATURDAY, FEB. 1 BOP STOP, 2920 DETROIT AVE. TICKETS: $20. THEMUSICSETTLEMENT.ORG
a band like that. I learn so much from them. In a lot of ways, it’s an apprenticeship and now it’s like we’re a group. The group released its first album, Soulful Days, last year. Talk about the making of that album. Foreman: It was a great time and it was a learning experience, going from one style of music to the other. We had a lot of things to think about on our end. We wanted to make sure it sounded strong and confident and clean and soulful. Rockingham: This is the first time that Chris and I put out a record that had saxophone. Before, it was just organ and guitar and drums. Having the saxophone opened up different avenues to play differently. Just having two additional players was something that was so different. They were different types of tunes too. We didn’t come up with anything new, but we enjoyed playing stuff we grew up hearing and that’s what we tried to do. Rothenberg: It was very humbling. I
to present that as a show. We only had about 20 minutes when we were [opening for] Steely Dan. That taught us to engage people. Foreman: One of the things we would do is that I would wave my cane at the audience to get people involved, and we would interject a little comedy. Greg made a statement the other day that his sight was going, so I took my glasses off and asked if he needed them. I said that I didn’t need them because I could always get another pair. It gets the audience riled up. Rothenberg: We’re steeped in the tradition of organ and the repertoire. We want to put something original on it too. Our goal is to be soulful and connect with the audience on a soulful level. We have something for everyone. We got the funky stuff. We got arrangements of pop tunes from the ’70s too.
jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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LIVEWIRE
all the live music you should see this week Photo by Piper Ferguson
WED
01/29
Badi Assad: 7 p.m., $20. Nighttown. Wayne Hancock/The Cory Grinder Band: 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. Beachland Tavern. The Movement/Josh Heinrichs/ Indubious: 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Night Terrors With Chris Bober: 8 p.m., $7. Bop Stop.
THU
01/30
After Funk/Broccoli Samurai/Uncle Gnarly: 9 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. Grog Shop. Vicky Chew: 8 p.m., $10. Nighttown. Randie Shane: The Music of Stephen Sondheim: 7 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. Trampled By Turtles/Them Coulee Boys: 8 p.m., $29.50 ADV, $34 DOS. House of Blues. Umphrey’s McGee: It’s time for that annual tradition: Umphrey’s McGee’s winter tour lands in Cleveland tonight. If for some reason you’ve missed this show in the past, get thee on the train immediately. The guys pay close attention to details like lighting and sound, so you know you’re in for a dazzling visual journey through one of the best funk-progjam catalogs in America. (Eric Sandy) 7 p.m., $32.50 ADV, $35 DOS. MGM Northfield Park. Wednesday Night Titans/Cheap Heat: 8 p.m., $15. Beachland Tavern.
FRI
01/31
Dan Bruce’s The :beta Collective: 8 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. Joanna Connor (in the Supper Club): 8 p.m. Music Box Supper Club. Hubb’s Groove & Friends: 8:30 p.m., $25. Nighttown. Into the Blue: Regardless of your take on the Grateful Dead — the band that Into the Blue pays tribute to — the group maintains an important place in the rock ’n’ roll canon. Into the Blue revives that spirit and lends it the respect Jerry & Co. rightfully deserve. Anyone interested in hearing — and seeing — great music flow from the stage should check out what these guys are doing. Fellow musicians and artists will glean inspiration. (Sandy) 9 p.m., $10. The Winchester. Leaf Borbie & the Family Tree/Psycho Men/Zip-Zapp!: 9 p.m., $10. Grog Shop.
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Iron & Wine and Calexico come to the Agora Theatre. See: Saturday.
Moon Cactus/Summer School/ Downhill Collective/Industrial Sunglasses (in the Locker Room): 8 p.m., $5 ADV, $7 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Too Many Zooz/BIROCRATIC: Too Many Zooz describes itself as “brass house” on account of the way it draws from hip-hop, funk and jazz. The guys come from diverse backgrounds. Matt “Doe” Muirhead grew up playing piano and singing in church, then got into jazz, and then got into hip-hop. Saxophonist Leo Pelegrino grew up playing polkas with his dad, who’s an accordion player. Drummer Dave “King of Sludge” Parks has studied African drumming from Senegal and South Africa. The influences all come together nicely on the band’s latest effort, Zombie P. Songs such as the jittery jazz number “Wanted,” featuring short, sharp bursts of saxophone, should come across well live. (Jeff Niesel) 8 p.m., $20 ADV, $22 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Jackie Warren: 10:30 p.m., free. Nighttown.
SAT
02/01
Calexico and Iron & Wine/Madison Cunningham: Indie rockers Calexico and Iron & Wine first teamed up in 2005 to release an EP and tour together. Just last year, they finally reconnected for the followup album, Years to Burn. Album opener “What Heaven’s Left” features a lush musical arrangement that includes mariachilike horns and robust vocals from Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam. The two
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
might come from different regions of the country (Beam hails from North Carolina and the Calexico guys call Arizona home), but those differences don’t prevent them from making some pretty fine music together. (Niesel) 7 p.m. Agora Theatre. Hey Mavis (in the Supper Club): 8 p.m., $12 AD, $15 DOS. Music Box Supper Club. Sam Hooper Group: With four CDs released on the FBJoy Records label, singer-guitarist Sam Hooper, who grew up in Shaker Heights, has assembled a significant discography. His songs have been featured on the daytime TV dramas All My Children and The Young & the Restless. The guys in his band are no slouches either. Keyboardist Sakait N. Baksar plays with the local jazz-fusion band Horns and Things, and bassist Derrick James is the band’s music director. Produced by Hooper and Mike Null and recorded at Bad Racket Studios in Cleveland, Hoodoo Blues features a classic blues sound. A song like “Messin’ with the Hook” features a terrific mid-song jam punctuated by some back and forth between Hooper and Baksar. (Niesel) 8:30 p.m., $15. Nighttown. Lords of the Highway/Falling Stars/ Brave Bones/Lost State of Franklin: 9 p.m., $8 ADV, $10 DOS. Grog Shop. Mimi Arden/Mr. Carnivore: 8:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Nothing Major/Lan/Robem (in the Locker Room): 7:30 p.m., $7. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Soul Message Band: 8 p.m., $20. Bop Stop. Stayin’ Alive: One Night with the
Bee Gees: 8 p.m., $20-$29.50. MGM Northfield Park. Tauk/Conscious Pilot: Tauk’s 2014 Beachland Tavern show was my favorite Cleveland show of that year. I was especially taken by drummer Isaac Teel’s chops, calling him in my review an “untamed robot from the future.” That still holds, as the band’s 2016 effort, Sir Nebula, cranks up the energy. Opener “Horizon” goes to frantic, interdimensional places. “Rainwalk” sounds like the ambitious offspring of something off 2013’s incredible Homonculus. Note, if you don’t yet know, Tauk is all-instrumental. These are spacey, funky jams that tell wordless stories all their own. (Sandy) 8:30 p.m., $18 ADV, $20 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Thee Elder Gods/Scum Guppies/Kill the Hippies/Slugfest: 8 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class. Thunderstruck: The Ultimate AC/DC Tribute: 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. House of Blues. Jackie Warren: 10:30 p.m., free. Nighttown. Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience/Ravenwood: 8 p.m. Akron Civic Theatre.
SUN
02/02
Dominick Farinacci & Spirit of the Groove: 7 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. February Noise Lunch with Arms and Armor/Bovine Centurion/ Sean Hølt/Andrew Lent/Shelby Lynn Sangdahl (from reginleif)/ Onewayness/Glacial23/Morning Tiger/Stephan Haluska/Halfway Cottages/SoundSavant: 4 p.m., free. Now That’s Class.
MON
02/03
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn: 8 p.m., $37-$47. The Kent Stage. The Orphan/The Poet Deal Casino: 8 p.m., $10 ADV. $12 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes.
TUE
02/04
Iann dior/Landon Cube/POORSTACY: 8 p.m., $25 ADV, $30 DOS. House of Blues. Miniature Tigers: 7 p.m., $18 ADV, $20 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes.
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene
BAND OF THE WEEK
KentStage
MIMI ARDEN
=HGÍM FBLL MA>L> @K>:M LAHPL MB<D>ML HG L:E> GHP
By Jeff Niesel Photo courtesy of Mimi Arden
Standing Rock Cultural Arts Béla Fleck & Short Film Fest Abigail Washburn Sat February 1
MEET THE BAND: Michelle Gaw (vocals,
guitar), Joe Botta (bass), Lee Kolarik (drums, cymbals) IT STARTED AT AN OPEN MIC NIGHT:
Gaw and Kolarik met years ago at Cleveland State University and then began playing at an open mic night hosted by local musician Dave Deitke. “We started playing together there and became good friends right off the bat,” says Kolarik. “A couple of years later, she called me to start a band. I told her I would love to. I had transferred to Ohio State and was living in Columbus. But I started driving to Cleveland regularly to play shows, and it’s been nonstop ever since then.” Influenced by everything from jazz to soul and R&B, the group takes musical cues from people like Elliott Smith and John Mayer. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THEIR MUSICAL FRIENDS: The band issued its self-
titled debut two years after fans donated $10,000 to the endeavor. “It’s a great snapshot of where we were at that time,” says Kolarik when asked about the record, which came out two years ago. “There’s not a lot of bells and whistles on it. That’s the beautiful thing about it.” Local singer-songwriter Ray Flanagan and keyboardist Russell Flanagan contributed to the effort. Local singer-songwriter Elizabeth Bullock added backing vocals too. “We’re lucky that those guys are our friends,” says Kolarik.” WHERE YOU CAN HEAR THEM: mimiarden.
bandcamp.com/album/mimi-arden
WHY YOU SHOULD HEAR THEM: “Middle of December,” a mid-tempo tune that finds Gaw crooning and oohing-and-aahing sounds like 10,000 Maniacs back when Natalie Merchant fronted the band. “What’s Worse,” a single that came out last year, has more of an edge to it. It features a gritty, feedback fueled guitar riff. “We wanted ‘What’s Worse’ to be on the record, but we felt like it didn’t fit musically,” Kolarik says of the single. “We wanted to put something out connected to the original record but something different. It’s one of the earliest songs we ever wrote. We weren’t going to release it, but so many people wanted to hear it, so we put it out.” The band has a new EP coming out this week too. “If you see us live, we’re not that clean-sounding, and the new EP is in that direction, and we’ve embraced some of the things about that side of our sound that we really like,” says Kolarik. “Our goal is to get some out of town shows and get on the road a little bit and go from there.” “Nothing at All,” a highlight from the band’s new EP, finds Gaw singing with gusto over a crisp guitar solo that brings the track to a dramatic close. WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM: Mimi Arden
performs with Mr. Carnivore at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood.
Mon February 3
Hard Day’s Night Sat February 22
We Banjo 3
The High Kings
15-60-75 The Numbers Band
Mon February 24
Sat February 29
Dave Mason
Carbon Leaf
Sat March 7
Sun March 8
Mon March 9
The Howard Jones Trio
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Robert Cray
Fish Grease 2: A Juke Joint Tour Thu March 12
Sat March 14
Tue March 10
Wed March 4
Eric Johnson
DON’T MISS EVENT!
Janis Ian
&
Livingston Taylor FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020 E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall (University of Akron) uakron.edu/EJ/events
jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel
ALL SHOWS AT THE KENT STAGE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED Tickets available at thekentstage.com or 877-987-6487 GMK [w cw i {{ © a{ B e~ JJHJF
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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SAVAGE LOVE RAIN CHECKS by Dan Savage I’m a 33-year-old woman in a relationship with a 43-year-old man. My boyfriend’s fantasy is to have a threesome with another man. He enjoys watching me have sex with other men and then intermittently fucking me. But he mostly likes to watch me get fucked. For a long time, my boyfriend would send nudes or videos of him fucking me to men we met on dating apps. We would talk dirty about it during sex. Recently, we met up with a man for the first time. I don’t think it went well. My boyfriend and I have had conversations about my fear of contracting an STI. So before the threesome started, I explained to my boyfriend and the other guy that condoms were required. They both agreed. This guy was really nervous and when he put a condom on, he went flaccid. He would try to fuck me with his flaccid, condomcovered penis, but it just didn’t work. He would take the condom off, jerk off, get semi-hard, put a condom back on, go completely soft again. Even when I sucked the guy’s dick: nothing. (He actually told me to stop trying!) So my boyfriend, who was observing and jerking off, suggested we forget the condoms in the hopes this guy could stay hard. I said no and restated my boundary. The guy still couldn’t get it up, hopped out of bed, and started getting dressed. My boyfriend offered to let the guy cream pie me if he would stay. I said fuck no and the guy left. He didn’t even say bye. I don’t know why the guy couldn’t get hard. But I certainly don’t think my boundary should be compromised because a stranger can’t get it up. My boyfriend keeps suggesting we meet up with this guy again so he can “get closure.” He really wants to watch this guy at least come on me. My boyfriend and this guy have since texted about him fucking me again. I’m all for being GGG, but … what the fuck? I thought this guy was kind of an asshole. My boyfriend was definitely an asshole. My questions are: If I’m uncomfortable during a threesome, how do I politely call
it off? I don’t want to embarrass anyone, but this went on for two hours and the guy never got it up. How do I terminate a threesome without sounding like a bitch? — Threesome Obviously Dried Up My Pussy To politely call off a threesome, TODUMP, all you gotta say is, “Hey, this isn’t working for me — let’s take a rain check.” Say it while pulling up your pants and use your “final answer” voice. And the “rain check” thing doesn’t have to be sincere. It can be, of course, if you’re interested in trying again sometime, but it doesn’t have to be. The “rain check” thing is mostly a nice, polite, facesaving, ego-sparing way to ease someone out of your pants/bed/ playroom/apartment/whatever. And if anyone starts arguing with you — if your third or your primary partner starts arguing with you— don’t worry about being polite, TODUMP. Go ahead and be a bitch: “This is over, you/they need to go, rain check rescinded, asshole/ assholes.” And while we’re on the subject of terminating things with assholes, TODUMP, you need to dump your incredibly shitty fucking boyfriend immediately — and there’s no need to be polite about it. Fuck him. Your boyfriend tried to coerce you into having sex without condoms when he knew you didn’t want to; you consented to having a threesome on the condition that condoms be used. Attempting to reopening negotiations about your stated boundaries once the threesome was underway was a violation of your consent. And your boyfriend knew you wouldn’t want to embarrass anyone and maliciously attempted to weaponize your consideration for other people’s feelings against you! Can’t you see that? He was hoping you wouldn’t embarrass him by refusing to have sex without condoms after he “offered” to let this guy cream pie you (come inside you) to get him to stay! He was hoping you’d rather risk an STI than risk embarrassing or contradicting him! And on top of that, he spoke to this guy like it was up to him — up to them —
what happened next, like you were a Fleshlight or tube sock or something! And now your asshole boyfriend is pressuring you to get back together with a guy who couldn’t get it up with a condom on when he knows you don’t want to have sex without condoms? A guy who couldn’t be bothered to say goodbye after you sucked his fucking dick? And your boyfriend is claiming you owe him (or them) closure? WTF? This relationship should have been over the moment your boyfriend made it clear some stranger’s dick was more important to him than your health, safety, and boundaries. In that moment — that moment he attempted to barter away your boundaries — he proved he can’t be trusted and you aren’t safe with him, TODUMP, alone or with a third. DTMFA. This is every woman’s nightmare scenario when it comes to cuckolding or hotwifing — that her boyfriend or husband will pressure her to do things she doesn’t want to do during a sexual encounter with another man. Guys like your boyfriend not only don’t deserve to have GGG girlfriends or their fantasies fulfilled, they ruin things for other wannabe cucks, stags, and hot husbands. He not only deserves to be alone forever, TODUMP, he deserves to be kicked in the balls forever.
*** One of my closest friends kissed me while very drunk, told his female partner, and now he’s not allowed to see me anymore, even in group settings. (I am also female.) I understand that cutting off contact is the universally recommended first step after someone cheats, but considering how close we are as friends, it is heartbreaking to think I might lose him over this one incident. We are former coworkers and we’ve been close friends and regular drinking buddies for 12 years. Nothing has EVER happened between us before this one very drunk night. We ended up making out on the sidewalk outside of a bar and exchanged a few semi-dirty text messages later that night, which
— unfortunately for all of us — his partner saw. He thinks we just need to be patient and one day we’ll be able to pick up our friendship where we left off. And while I know he needs to prioritize his partner now, I’m scared that we actually won’t be able to stay friends after this. Do I just swallow my sadness about the likelihood of losing a best friend over a relatively minor infidelity? Or is there anything I can do to help the situation? FWIW: I’m in a happy open marriage and have never once tried to initiate anything with him. I’ve never been attracted to him before and wouldn’t want anything to happen between us again, anyway, even if the kiss was hot. Complicating matters, my friend wanted to re-raise the possibility of opening up his relationship with his partner, which he insists has nothing to do with me. (My friend is male and his partner and I are both female.) — Friend With No Benefits Hmm … I have a hunch you were something of a sore subject before this incident, FWNB, however isolated. If the text messages your friend’s partner saw confirmed fears she’d already been told were irrational, your exile is likely to last as long as their relationship does. But take heart: If your friend decides to reopen discussions about opening up their relationship in the wake of this incident, your friend will likely be single again soon. If they do manage to stay together, FWNB, the only way to get back into her good graces — and back in your friend’s life — is to gracefully accept your exile. (Going to her and saying, “It only happened because we were so drunk!” isn’t quite the slam-dunk you think it is, seeing as how you and her boyfriend are drinking buddies.) It’s a paradox, I realize, but if she sees that her boyfriend is willing to cut off all contact with you to set her mind at ease, FWNB, she may be willing to give your friendship her blessing down the road.
On the Lovecast: Raising children in a happy, poly home: savagelovecast.com.
mail@savagelove.net t@fakedansavage
| clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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\{x w G © GH ¤ J A Charity Bar Crawl to benefit A Special Wish Cleveland, a charity organization that grants wishes for local kiddos with a life-threatening illness. The GOT inspired bar crawl will feature seven of Tremont’s most popular bars:
THE TREEHOUSE | THE SOUTHSIDE | HI & DRY DANTE | CODA | THE FLYING MONKEY | CRUST
TICKETS
$
25
Ticket Includes: Game of Throne’s themed drink specials based off of fanfavorite episodes at each bar. The attendees will receive a passport card that will give the crawlers a route to follow throughout the bar crawl and will include all the drink specials at each stop! Bar crawlers will also receive a Game of Throne’s sweatshirt at registration and a GOT themed stadium mug at the After-Crawl Celebration which will be held at The Treehouse!
For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit: GOTwinteriscoming.eventbrite.com | clevescene.com | January 29 - February 4, 2020
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