OK, so a couple of posts ago I was talking up the wonderful non-musical options over at the Hanna Theatre, but there are some great options for those who would like to include a rousing bout of singing in their date nights.
And leading the way is KeyBank’s Broadway Series at Playhouse Square.
The seven-play series kicks off next week with “Anything Goes” and will be followed by a mix of vintage revivals, newcomers and endearing favorites. Next comes “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” in November then “Priscilla,” “Sister Act,” War Horse,” and “Guys and Dolls.”
It will then be capped off next spring by the funniest/raunchiest play I’ve ever seen -- “The Book of Mormon.” So, I’m not totally against musicals. And there is something old-school romance about getting dressed up and going to the Playhouse theaters that were built in the 1920s at the height of Cleveland’s greatness. There’s the giant murals, classic European designs and the lush carpet walkways to hush the footfalls. You won’t find anything like it between New York and Chicago.
And, if there are other events going on at the theater complex year-round that you can use as a reason to hit the town, from concerts to comedy shows to intellectual talks.
Ahh, but “Mormon” isn’t until June. So, as for this weekend Jeannene and I will be checking out the Great Lakes Theatre production of The Winter’s Tale at the Hanna and before that we’re going to drop by the Encore! Restaurant and Blue Bar at the Wyndham and see what’s going on over there.
I wish I didn’t have to get up so early on Saturday otherwise I’d be sure to check out the Cosmic Cocktails event at Liquid/Suite SIXX/Ultra in the warehouse district. Coolcleveland.com notes that starting at 9 p.m. attendees can try inventive cocktails and complimentary dishes all for $35.

See you around town.

Hey all, just wanted to do a quick post on the restaurant Jeannene and I got to on Saturday - SOHO Kitchen and Bar on W. 25th Street in Cleveland
We’ve been eying the place for some time but it seemed like we always found ourselves at one of the other great restaurants on that strip. But now we’re already planning a return stop.
SOHO specializes in upscale southern cuisine -- there’s fried chicken, grits, collard greens, BBQ pork and pecan pie but these plates are far from the stereotypical truck stop or diner food that us Northerners imagine.
Instead of greasy and fatty meat smothered in thick gravies SOHO’s food is all fresh and cooked to perfection and the seasoning shows boldness and creativity.
We started off with the pan-seared crawfish fritters, which were more of a crabcake but with crawfish. The crawfish was extremely fresh and the bread was light, at least as far as crabcakes go. And instead of something like bottled cocktail sauce you might find in a Southern diner, at SOHO it came with a mango chow chow and poblano pesto to add a tanginess.
I then went with the slow-roasted pork po’ boy with chips. The pork was very delicate and it had mostly soaked up the bbq sauce instead of swimming in it. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough flavor, it was topped of by a jalapeno-bacon jam and redeye cole slaw. And the thick bun never become too mushy from all those succulent juices.

I will definitely order it again... after I try the crispy catfish po’ boy. It looked huge and had a hot pepper remoulade dripping off it!
Jeannene went with the Evenin’-style fried chicken. She was especially happy to see the breast and thigh pieces were already removed from the bone so she didn’t have to “work.” It also came with mashed sweet potatoes that were quite creamy and collard greens that were kicked up a notch by being cooked in some kind of pepper broth or tobasco sauce.

And in case you're wondering, their Mornin’-style fried chicken is the traditional chicken and waffles with syrup.
Our dessert was a pecan pie with cinnamon ice cream, and as with the other dishes, it was greatly elevated above what you might get a store or diner.
Prices also were more than you would spend at a roadside truck stop but, really, not by that much. Appetizers were $9, po’ boys were $12, fried chicken meals were $16 and other meals were $17.
The inside of the restaurant gave off a comfy vibe but we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and sit out in the patio. That is off one of the side streets so we could enjoy the buzz of foot and auto traffic on W. 25th without being overwhelmed.

The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!
That classic line from “The Jerk” starring Steve Martin (before he was taking himself too seriously) popped in my head this week when I brought in the mail. The pile of various charity requests and advertisements included a thick envelope with our tickets for this season’s lineup by Great Lakes Theater.
Yes! The new tickets are here! The new tickets are here!
Nah, not quite the same.
Anyways, Great Lakes Theater is actually the name of a top-notch acting company, not a place. In fact, they perform at the Hanna Theater in the PlayhouseSquare District in downtown Cleveland.
The highly experienced troupe puts on five to six plays from fall through spring -- usually including at least two Shakespeare productions and  “A Christmas Carol.”
Almost all the plays have no singing whatsoever and the seating is right up close to where all the action is. And the production staff does a highly creative job of providing new and modern twists to these classics while respecting the source material.
Such an experience is a perfect highlight of a date, especially if you’re looking for something different from yet another movie or TV Night.
And those who are going to PlayhouseSquare are finding more (and better) dining options to compliment the theater experience. The always-popular Bricco with its huge and varied drink and dining menus has been joined by a Corks Wine Bar and the Zach Bruell restaurant Cowell & Hubbard.
There are also several bars and other eateries for quick bites before a play or lingering drinks afterward.
As for this season’s Great Lakes Theater line-up, get ready for Shakespeare’s “The WinterTale from Sept. 28 through Nov. 4;  “The Imaginary Invalid” by Moliere from Oct. 5 through Nov. 3; Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” Nov. 30 through Dec. 23; “Blithe Spirit” by Coward from Feb. 22 through March 10; and Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing” March 29 through April 14.