Manzarek died Monday in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family, said publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald. Robinson-Fitzgerald said his manager, Tom Vitorino, confirmed Manzarek died after being stricken by bile duct cancer.

The Doors’ original lineup, which also included drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger, was only together for a few years. But the band has retained a large and obsessive following decades after Morrison’s death in 1971.

The Doors have sold more than 100 million records, and songs such as Light My Fire and Riders On the Storm are still classic rock standards. For Doors admirers, the band symbolized the darker side of the Los Angeles lifestyle, what happened to the city after the sun went down and the Beach Boys fans headed home.

Next to Morrison, Manzarek was the most distinctive-looking band member, his glasses and wavy blond hair making him resemble a young English professor more than a rock star, a contrast to Morrison’s Dionysian glamour — his sensuous mouth and long, dark hair. Musically, Manzarek’s spidery organ on Light My Fire is one of the most instantly recognizable sounds in rock history.

But he seemed up to finding the right touch for a wide range of songs — the sleepy, lounge-style keyboards on Riders On the Storm; the liquid strains for The Crystal Ship; the barrelhouse romps on Roadhouse Blues. The Doors always considered themselves “more” than a rock band and Manzarek, Densmore and Krieger often managed a flowing rapport that blended rock, blues and jazz behind Morrison’s self-consciously poetic lyrics.

Manzarek continued to remain active in music well after Morrison’s death and briefly tried to hold the band together by serving as vocalist. He played in other bands over the years, produced other acts, became an author and worked on films.

Morrison and Manzarek met at UCLA film school and ran into each other a few months after graduation, Manzarek recounted in a 1967 interview with Billboard.

Morrison read him the lyrics for a song called Moonlight Drive.

“I’d never heard lyrics to a rock song like that before,” Manzarek said. “We talked a while before we decided to get a group together and make a million dollars.”

Manzarek is survived by his wife, Dorothy, his son Pablo and two brothers, Rick and James. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Manzarek died Monday at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family, said publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald. She said his manager, Tom Vitorino, confirmed Manzarek died around 3:30 p.m. EDT, after being stricken by bile duct cancer.

Manzarek founded The Doors after meeting then-poet Jim Morrison in California. The band went on to become one of the most successful rock ’n’ roll acts to emerge from the 1960s and continues to resonate with fans decades after Morrison’s death brought an effective end to the band.

The Chicago native continued to remain active in music after Morrison’s 1971 death. Manzarek briefly tried to hold the band together by serving as vocalist, but eventually the group fell apart. He played in other bands over the years, produced other acts, became an author and worked on films.

The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Manzarek is among the most notable keyboard players in rock history. His lead-instrument work with the band at a time when the guitar often dominated added a distinct end-times flavor that matched Morrison’s often out-there imagery and persona.

The group is best known for hits like L.A.Woman, Break On Through to the Other Side, The End and Light My Fire and came to symbolize the decadence of Los Angeles as the counterculture grew in the U.S.

Morrison and Manzarek met at UCLA film school and ran into each other in Venice a few months after graduation, Manzarek recounted in a 1967 interview with Billboard.

Outwardly the two seemed so different. The strikingly tall, dark and handsome Morrison looked the part of rock star, while Manzarek, with glasses and comparatively close-cropped blond hair, retained a more professorial look.

Inwardly, though, they were kindred spirits, as Manzarek discovered when Morrison read him the lyrics for a song called Moonlight Drive.

“I’d never heard lyrics to a rock song like that before,” Manzarek said. “We talked a while before we decided to get a group together and make a million dollars.”

The band would make far more than that. The Doors, which also included guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore, has sold more than 100 million albums and their music has been re-released and repackaged multiple times over the years, been featured prominently in movies and holds an oft-debated place in rock history. Manzarek and Krieger reunited to tour as The Doors in recent years.

While Morrison, with his proto-celebrity lifestyle and tragic end, forever will remain the face of The Doors, you could argue Manzarek’s keyboard work was every bit as important and helped balance some of the singer’s more over-the-top moments.

His creepy organ line on Light My Fire adds a weirdo menace to what outwardly is a rock ’n’ roll pick-up song. And his after-hours, lounge style on Riders On the Storm transforms that song into an epic unlike anything else the band did.

Manzarek is survived by his wife, Dorothy, his son Pablo and two brothers, Rick and James. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said that deputies responding to the scene Thursday in West Hollywood found Furlong hiding in a nearby property.

Jail records show he was released Saturday just after noon after being held on $100,000 bail.

In March, the 35-year-old actor had been sentenced to six months in jail for violating his probation in a 2010 case for violating a similar restraining order.

He has been the subject of such orders taken out by both his ex-wife and ex-girlfriend.

The actor was also charged in January of battery of an ex-girlfriend.

The latest voyage of the starship Enterprise fell short of its predecessor, 2009’s “Star Trek,” which opened with $75.2 million.

Since premiering Wednesday in huge-screen IMAX theaters and expanding Thursday to general cinemas, “Into Darkness” has pulled in $84.1 million, well below distributor Paramount’s initial forecast of $100 million. The film added $40 million overseas, pushing its total to $80.5 million since it began rolling out internationally a week earlier.

The “Star Trek” sequel bumped “Iron Man 3” down to second place after two weekends on top. Robert Downey Jr.’s superhero saga took in $35.2 million domestically to lift its receipts to $337.1 million. Overseas, “Iron Man 3” added $40.2 million, raising its international total to $736.2 million and its worldwide tally to nearly $1.1 billion.

While “Iron Man 3” and “Into Darkness” did well overseas, they were outmatched by the debut of Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby,” which followed its domestic debut a week earlier with a wide rollout internationally. “Gatsby” pulled in $42.1 million overseas, coming in a bit ahead of both “Iron Man 3” and “Into Darkness.”

Domestically, “Gatsby” held up well at No. 3 with $23.4 million, lifting its total to $90.2 million.

In today’s Hollywood of bigger, better sequels, follow-up films often outdo the box office of their predecessors, as each “Iron Man” sequel has done. While “Into Darkness” earned good reviews and is getting strong word-of-mouth from fans, the film did not quite measure up to the opening weekend of director J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” reboot from four years ago, at least domestically.

“’Star Trek’ remains a fan-boy movie. It doesn’t seem to have the same kind of cross-over appeal as say an ‘Iron Man’ or some of these others,” said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. “It’s a very specific brand, but I think the general public would love this movie, because it’s such an action movie. But to get a hundred-million-plus opening weekend, unless you’re ‘Twilight,’ you really have to cross over to all audiences.”

Paramount points out that overseas business is up in many markets, though, so worldwide, the sequel is off to a better start.

“Because of the nature of the franchise, because of how many movies have been made and the various forms of the TV shows, I’m not sure that ‘Star Trek’ goes by the rules of normal sequels. I think each movie stands on its own, because it’s a unique franchise,” said Don Harris, Paramount’s head of distribution. “My goal was always that we grow the franchise. We’re clearly seeing by today’s numbers that the movie is being embraced on a worldwide basis in a way we’ve never seen before.”

Harris said that domestically, “Into Darkness” finished its first weekend 6 percent ahead of revenues for 2009’s “Star Trek,” which got a head-start with $4 million in Thursday night previews to give it a $79.2 million haul through the first Sunday.

But “Into Darkness” had a full day of screenings Thursday plus its Wednesday IMAX business. Unlike the first movie, which played only in 2-D, the sequel also had the benefit of 3-D screenings that cost a few dollars more. Yet even with the 3-D upcharge and the earlier debut, it came away with just $4.9 million more than its predecessor through Sunday.

Still, it’s a solid starting place for the movie to live long and prosper at theaters, with Paramount hoping “Into Darkness” can surpass the $385 million worldwide total of “Star Trek.”

“I think we’re well along on that road,” Harris said.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” $70.6 million ($40 million international).

2. “Iron Man 3,” $35.2 million ($40.2 million international).

3. “The Great Gatsby,” $23.4 million ($42.1 million international)

4. “Pain & Gain,” $3.1 million.

5. “The Croods,” $2.75 million.

6. “42,” $2.73 million.

7. “Oblivion,” $2.2 million.

8. “Mud,” $2.16 million.

9. “Peeples,” $2.15 million.

10. “The Big Wedding,” $1.1 million.

The influential French electronic duo crafted its first film score, for “Tron: Legacy,” three years ago and are now releasing a well-financed, smartly hyped pop album featuring what they call an ensemble cast of contemporary singers and veteran musicians.

There’s long been a show-biz bent to the work of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, who for the last 13 years have hidden their faces in public appearances by wearing robot helmets and costumes. Bangalter compares the mystique-building masks — echoed by musicians including Deadmau5 and MF Doom — to an ever-evolving comic book superhero who starts as a side story “then maybe 50 years later it becomes like a big franchise movie in Hollywood.”

Yet Daft Punk’s new album “Random Access Memories” isn’t the special effects-filled summer blockbuster you might expect. The group that helped popularize electronic dance music in the United States has used almost exclusively live instrumentation on the 13 songs, many modeled on the easygoing groove of late 1970s pop and disco. At a time when drum machines and urgent computer-generated chords dominate the charts, Daft Punk went the opposite direction.

“Human voices in pop music are becoming more and more robotic,” Bangalter said. “(The album) is a robotic project and a technological one that is trying to get more and more human.”

Through arranger Chris Caswell, the group linked up with players who could evoke their favorite music from Chic, early Michael Jackson, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac. Chic’s Nile Rodgers, drummer JR Robinson and bassist James Genus lay the musical bed for vocalists including Julian Casablancas, Panda Bear from Animal Collective and Pharrell. It’s a long way from the two-man home studio productions that defined the first three Daft Punk albums.

“Making music with musicians and bringing back a certain craftsmanship, that was totally unfamiliar for us. It was somehow a certain fantasy,” Bangalter said. “It’s funny because it was somehow a luxury to be able to do that. But at the same time it was not a comfortable position.”

They started with several days of jam sessions in Los Angeles, then spent four years layering sounds, editing, rearranging and re-recording. Bangalter compares the duo to a film director “shooting for months and months, stopping sometimes to do reshoots and then lots of editing ... to create at the end a certain spontaneity that is somehow constructed.”

Early response has been mixed to the hotly anticipated album, which streamed on iTunes prior to Tuesday’s release. “This album makes me not like LA,” DJ-producer Diplo tweeted. “These guys are way smarter then me. I’m definitely missing something.” Billboard called the album “messy” but said it was “fantastic to hear these masterminds trying again,” while Pitchfork praised its musicianship and “amazing level of detail.”

Beginning with “Bring Life Back to Music,” the album’s lyrics sometimes seem in dialogue with today’s electronic dance scene, which the group has been critical of in recent interviews. They say current laptop production software makes the genre’s music both too easy to create and too similar.

“And yet, technology is this wonderful thing. We are definitely using it on the record in a much more invisible way,” Bangalter noted. “A song like ‘Touch’ with Paul Williams has 250 tracks on it and it’s something we couldn’t have done without the most updated computer technology around. But technology today has a really limited shelf life and we wanted to try to go back, or bring back a certain timelessness of the music.”

When Daft Punk released its last proper album, “Human After All,” in 2005, Facebook was still just for college students and Twitter didn’t exist. To return to cinema comparisons, Bangalter and de Homem-Christo are electro-pop’s Terrence Malick: Taking their time with new projects, mostly staying out of the press and keeping their faces anonymous so they can live relatively normal lives. (Both have homes in Paris. Bangalter also has a house in Los Angeles.)

It’s gone according to plan: Their music is known, while their personalities and personal lives are not.

“People seem really to get it,” de Homem-Christo said. “We’ve been doing that for a while and everybody approves apparently. The star system, the idol, the cult of personality is not the only way to be in entertainment.”

Sitting at a courtyard picnic table at the Jim Henson Studios in Hollywood, site of their Daft Arts production offices, Bangalter responds thoughtfully to most questions posed to the duo; de Homem-Christo is quieter, less comfortable conversing in English. Both wear basic shirts, ripped jeans and scruffy beards. “We’re like regular blokes,” de Homem-Christo said.

“I think people are really more excited to see the robots than they would be to see ourselves,” he added. “It’s like C-3PO or Chewbacca. ... I’m a big ‘Star Wars’ fan but I never wanted to find out who was behind (the characters). And if I did it right now, I would forget his face. It would not interest me. ... The robots are far more trippy and opening your imagination than my face or Thomas’ face, and the way we live, which is not even a crazy celebrity lifestyle.”

Could that ever change? A late-career unmasking of some kind? Not likely, says Bangalter.

“We are artists that go by the name Daft Punk,” he said. “If we put ourselves in the forefront, obviously we are appearing as robots. The idea is to reinvent these characters. We don’t really want to feel like they’re at the end of their existence. But at the same time, if we were to make a film or another project or a book or pictures or anything that would not have the robots, (they) could just be behind, hidden in some sense. That doesn’t mean we would replace the robots with our real faces.”

It’s unclear when fans will next be able to see those robots up close again.

“We are not considering touring right now. We’ll see when that comes,” Bangalter said. And as for a sequel to their “Tron” work, he won’t rule that out: “We usually don’t want to do the same thing twice, but it doesn’t feel like we’ve explored every aspect of what film scoring can be either.”

Swift won eight of 11 awards, including top artist and top Billboard 200 album for Red. She told the crowd: “You are the longest and best relationship I ever had.” She also had a colorful performance of her hit 22 — starting backstage and working her way to the main stage on the back of a bike with help from a dozen background dancers and a flurry of red balloons.

Justin Bieber also performed — twice — and was also a multiple winner with three awards, including top male artist, social artist and the fan-voted milestone award, beating out Swift and Bruno Mars. When accepting the latter — where boos were heard — he alluded to the tumultuous weeks he’s had in the public eye.

“I’m 19 years old; I think I’m doing a pretty good job. And basically from my heart I really just want to say it should really be about the music, it should be about the craft that I’m making. This is not a gimmick,” he said. “I’m an artist and I should be taken seriously and all this other bull should not be spoken.”

Bieber performed with will.i.am and solo when he sang Take You in leather pants, a leather vest and a black shirt that had one sleeve, as blue laser lights beamed.

Miguel, too, had a show-stopping performance, though he seemed to kick a fan when he jumped over the crowd while singing his hit Adorn. The R&B singer seemed to have landed part of his body on one woman, who walked away, and kicked another, who held her head low.

Maroon 5 and fun. were also nominated for 11 awards and walked away with one win each in pre-telecast announcements. Gotye and Rihanna had the second-most wins with four awards each.

But the awards show, airing live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on ABC, is less about the trophies — which reflect success on the Billboard charts — and more about the performances. Selena Gomez sang her seductive new hit, Come & Get It, while Chris Brown danced around the stage to his latest single, Fine China, though his voice began to crack during the performance. Duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis also performed their massive hit, Thrift Shop, which won top rap song.

“First and foremost, gotta thank Goodwill, gotta thank Value Village,” Macklemore said to laughs.

Mars and his band kicked off the show in silky red suits that matched their silky dance moves, with bright gold disco balls hanging above them during a performance of the upbeat and old-school flavored Treasure.

Nicki Minaj won the first award in the live telecast for top rap artist, beating out Drake, Flo Rida, Pitbull and Psy.

“I definitely did not expect this one,” she said, wearing a bright red dress. She performed High School with Lil Wayne and gave the rapper a provocative lap dance onstage.

The homebrewer and former restaurant manager plans to open the Trailhead Brewery in Akron’s Merriman Valley this summer.

“I just want to make some beer and have some fun,” Smart said. “I just love making beer, you know.”

He’s transforming a plaza storefront at 1674 Merriman Road into a small-production brewery and tasting room, and waiting for state and federal approvals.

The taproom will feature draft beer, a small custom-made cedar bar and wooden picnic tables for seating.

The Trailhead name and picnic tables are perfect for the setting because the brewery sits at the edge of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Trailhead should fit in well in the neighborhood. The Merriman Valley is filled with bars and nightclubs. It also was home to the former Liberty Street brewpub, which closed in 2001.

Smart’s custom-made brewhouse will be able to make a maximum of three barrels of beer at a time — a tiny amount compared to other operations. For comparison, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. in Akron can produce 18 barrels in one batch.

Smart, who lives in Stow with his wife and infant son, plans to have four beers on tap at first and then add a fifth and sixth. Those will include an India pale ale, Belgian-style dark strong ale, imperial pilsner, stout and wheat beer.

“I like a lot of flavor in my beer,” he said, adding that his brews will not be filtered.

He also would like to offer firkins — limited-edition cask-conditioned ales — on Thursdays.

There are no plans right now to distribute or bottle Trailhead beers, meaning the only way you’ll be able to taste them is by visiting the brewery. There also will be no food service, other than snacks.

The beer culture in Ohio is exploding and it’s the perfect time to start a brewery, Smart said. He and his wife — who are both Ohio State University graduates — moved to Stow last year for work after five years living in Colorado, where he managed a restaurant.

That state is beer heaven for those who love craft beer. There’s a brewery and taproom on every corner. Well, maybe not every corner, but Colorado is filled with more than 130 breweries.

Ohio has more than 70 craft brewers now with many more operations planning to open later this year.

Trailhead will be the fourth brewery in the city, joining Thirsty Dog, Hoppin’ Frog and Ohio. The new Nauti Vine on South Main Street also is seeking a state license to brew under the name Mucky Duck.

Thirsty Dog co-owner John Najeway welcomed Trailhead, noting that beer drinkers who travel to Akron want to visit other breweries.

“It’ll be nice to have another brewery because it will give you another option if you’re a craft beer fan,” he said.

Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his beer blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/the-beer-blog. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrick.

That was the moment Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980.

A volcano in the Cascade Range, in the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes more than 160 active volcanoes, Mount St. Helens was the most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States: 57 people were killed, and 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways and 85 miles of highway were destroyed, along with great numbers of wildlife. Hundreds of square miles were reduced to wasteland, causing over a billion dollars in damage, more than 2 billion in 2011 dollars.

Mount St. Helens blew up with a force 20,000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb, triggering the world’s largest-known landslide. Its blast wave (pyroclastic flow) sped down its north slope at the speed of sound, flattening forests and sending 600 tons of ash into the atmosphere. The eruption column rose 80,000 feet into the atmosphere, spewing ash across 11 U.S. states.

Simultaneously, snow, ice and glaciers on the volcano melted, forming a series of large volcanic mudslides that reached as far as the Columbia River, some 50 miles away. It’s the only significant volcanic event in the contiguous United States since the 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak in California.

Through June 2, the Cleveland Museum of Art exhibits American Vesuvius: The Aftermath of Mount St. Helens by Frank Gohlke and Emmet Gowin.

The exhibit, combining two important photographic series by two innovative, influential practitioners of landscape photography, working independently, reveals nature’s shocking transformation of the mountain and surrounding countryside. In turn, the experience of photographing Mount St. Helens altered the mindsets of these two men and the course of their art.

Because access to the mountain was initially limited to flyovers, both photo­graphers first took to the air to investigate the transformed landscape. It was Gowin’s first experience with aerial photography, a practice that would soon become central to his landscape work. He made several trips to the mountain between 1980 and 1986. Gohlke visited numerous times between 1981 and 1990, and his photographs testify to the volcano’s destructive force and the land’s rebirth.

“Emmet was already in the Pacific Northwest, so he got there first,” said Barbara Tannenbaum, organizing curator and the museum’s curator of photography. “Of course, access was hard to come by. You couldn’t just walk in; you had to get permission from the park service.”

American Vesuvius is the first time that in-depth selections from Gowin and Gohlke’s Mount St. Helens images have been together in a single exhibition, including nine never-before-seen Gowin images. Visitors can compare and contrast the work of these eminent photographers while exploring the destruction, then regeneration, of Mount St. Helens.

Among the similarities are their disorienting views of the volcano from the air. We can’t decipher north from south, and it’s also difficult to tell up from down, as the slope of the images is often distorted by our viewpoint, especially in Gowin’s images.

Gohlke, on the other hand, seems to be at pains to show us which way we’re looking, to orient us by use of distance, edges or atmospherics.

“He actually tells you where you are looking from,” Tannenbaum agreed. “And he did shoot some color images, but he hasn’t shown a lot of that.”

Visitors should not be disappointed that there’s no color photography. The aftermath of a volcanic eruption has little color. It’s a grisaille, all blacks, whites and grays.

“When you think of a volcanic eruption, you think of reds, but really it’s all about ash,” Tannenbaum said. “The aftermath is gray. What we need to do, then, is look at all that gray, look at the destruction, the vastness in scale, the total disorientation of our senses, the total lack of color.”

Gowin began his career by photographing his wife and family, and continued to do so until the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Since he had to fly over it, from that moment he became fascinated with aerial photographs, once noting that he liked the view of “what the Gods see.”

“For Frank Gohlke it was the second time doing it, and he went back over a period of 10 years, and he did a lot of hiking on the ground,” Tannenbaum noted. “Gohlke has another theme, which was not only the destruction wrought by the volcano, but the destruction wrought by the clear-cutting.”

You really have to look at these in detail, because in one image will be trees downed by the volcano and the clearing of those trees, and in another will be a clearing with life returning.

“Gowin’s work is about photography and how we orient ourselves to the world, what happens to landscape photography when it becomes aerial. Gohlke’s images are all about that cycle and he comes back to see that regrowth,” Tannenbaum said.

As fans of PBS or Smithsonian channels will tell you, the Mount St. Helens dome is also recycling, swelling once more with the heat and gases beneath, signaling to all that she’s not done yet.

Dorothy Shinn writes about art and architecture for the Akron Beacon Journal. Send information to her at the Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640 or dtgshinn@att.net.

Show: American Vesuvius: The Aftermath of Mount St. Helens by Frank Gohlke and Emmet Gowin.

When: Through June 2.

Where: Photography Galleries, Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., University Circle, Cleveland.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, until 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

Information: 216-421-7340, 877-262-4748 or www.clevelandart.org. Box office: 888-262-0033.

Memorial Day is a week from tomorrow. If you haven’t been using your grill already, now is the time to make sure it’s in shape for summer cook-outs.

Check your propane tank or make sure you’ve got a ready supply of charcoal on hand.

Wipe off the grill grates, especially if they’ve been in the garage collecting dust all winter. Give them a good scraping or brushing to remove any burnt, stuck-on food from last season. Then oil the grates and you’ll be all set for the debut cookout of the summer.

Get out into nature

Spend an evening relaxing in the beauty of nature during Secrest AfterHours, a social and educational event from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Secrest Arboretum in Wooster Township.

Ken Cochran, the arboretum’s curator, and Joe Cochran, its program manager, will lead a discussion on trees and shrubs, followed by hors d’oeuvres in the Miller Pavilion. The event is free.

Can’t make the event? Make a point of visiting Secrest Arboretum for a stroll sometime this spring or summer. In addition to trees, the facility has display gardens, walkways and a forest play area for kids.

The arboretum is on the campus of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 1680 Madison Ave. Details are at http://secrest.osu.edu.

Get fast and furious

With Fast & Furious 6 due in theaters this week, you may want to check out the five previous films, all of which are on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as some streaming video.

The series began in 2001 with The Fast & The Furious, starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker; continued two years later in 2 Fast 2 Furious, with Walker and Tyrese Gibson, then shifted stars and locations with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, starring Lucas Black and Bow Wow, in 2006. When that movie proved much less successful than its predecessors, Diesel, Walker and others from the first movie returned for Fast & Furious in 2009, to global success exceeded by Fast Five, the 2001 sequel that welcomed Dwayne Johnson to the show.

They include often ridiculous plots built for fast cars, faster cars, skimpily clad bombshells, big stunts, minimal dialogue — and big-screen thrill rides that millions keep wanting to take.

Get psyched out

Wondering what your future holds? Curious as to what your late great-grandmother thinks of your current spouse? Do you want to know what the lines in your palms say about your life, or any of your past lives? If so, then you should head to the Holiday Inn in Strongsville (15471 Royalton Road, Strongsville) for the Psychic Fair, taking place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today.

There will be mediums, psychics, tarot readers, astrologists, plenty of products to purchase, Reiki, aura photography and angels. Call 330-667-9272 for information.

Get to know Brown

The John Brown House, 514 Diagonal Road, Akron, will be open free from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday.

The famous abolitionist lived here during part of the 1840s and 1850s with his second wife, Mary, and several of his children.

See http://summithistory.org for information.

The Marvel franchise is going prime time, as are Dracula and Ichabod Crane. Person of Interest is changing nights, Dancing With the Stars will be once a week, Community and Mike & Molly will be later in the season. Some shows will have shorter runs.

And that’s just what we know now.

This past week saw the major broadcast networks — ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW — announce their plans for fall 2013 and beyond. No network’s lineup has gone unchanged. Some hoped-for successes from a season ago are gone, and more than one perennial either bid farewell or was told goodbye. And even some returners will see changes; Dancing With the Stars will air one night a week instead of two, with the results folded into performance shows, and American Idol will be without original judge Randy Jackson — and possibly be overhauled entirely.

The announcements came in the still-evolving world of viewing, where non-broadcast TV is ever more of a force. Cable shows like The Bible, The Walking Dead and Duck Dynasty put up numbers many broadcast shows would envy. Online programmers have become players, too; this past season, House of Cards made noise for Netflix, which also brings back Arrested Development on May 26. All My Children and One Life to Live became offerings for Hulu and iTunes.

At the same time, the most successful broadcaster this season was CBS; often joked about as a programmer for the old and tradition-minded, it ends the current season not only No. 1 among all viewers (with a reported 4-million-viewer lead over second-place ABC) but tops with those in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-48-year-old demographic. Only it, too, had its share of cancellations (Golden Boy, Vegas, CSI:NY included) and is making some significant changes for the fall.

Indeed, CBS and its counterparts are treating some programs like cable series — with fewer episodes or split seasons. For example, where network tradition has long said that a full season of a successful show consists of 22 to 24 episodes (or more), Fox executive Kevin Reilly told reporters that on his network “there will be shows that play at 13, 15, 17 episodes. There’s no magic number.”

So what exactly does this all mean to viewers? Here are snapshots of the network plans for the coming season as described in May announcements, as well as selected cancellations. Plenty can change between now and September, but this is a first look. Shows for summer 2013 and cable are not included.

ABC

Returning in the fall: 20/20, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Castle, Dancing With the Stars, Grey’s Anatomy, Last Man Standing, The Middle, Modern Family, Nashville, The Neighbors, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Scandal, Shark Tank and Saturday college football.

Returning later in the season: The Bachelor, Suburgatory, The Taste.

In limbo: Happy Endings and Body of Proof, both canceled by ABC but in talks with cable networks.

Ended: 666 Park Avenue, Don’t Trust the B---, How to Live With Your Parents, Family Tools, Final Witness, Last Resort, Malibu Country, Private Practice, Red Widow, Secret Millionaire, Splash and Zero Hour.

New in the fall: Back in the Game, a Bad News Bears-like comedy with James Caan; Betrayal, where a defense attorney and the wife of a prosecutor begin an affair — just before a murder investigation puts them on opposite sides; The Goldbergs, a comedy with Jeff Garlin and Wendi McLendon-Covey as ’80s parents; Lucky 7, a drama with seven gas-station employees whose lottery pool finally hits a winner; Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a post-Avengers story of a team assembled by Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) after the events of the Avengers movie; Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, a spin-off of ABC’s Once Upon a Time set among the Alice characters, with Akron’s own John Lithgow as the White Rabbit; Super Fun Night, written by and starring Pitch Perfect’s Rebel Wilson as a lawyer whose social life is facing some big changes; Trophy Wife, a comedy where Malin Akerman’s marriage to Bradley Whitford puts her in contact with his three children and two ex-wives.

New later: Killer Women, with Tricia Helfer as a Texas Ranger; Mind Games, about a team that uses psychological manipulation to solve clients’ problems; Mixology, a comedy about the denizens of a fancy Manhattan bar; The Quest, a reality competition taking place in a fictionalized (and magic-including) world, and Resurrection, where a boy who died 30 years ago is suddenly back to life.

Notes: DWTS is one night a week, Tuesday will be all new shows (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Goldbergs, Trophy Wife and Lucky 7),

CBS

Returning in the fall: 2 Broke Girls, 48 Hours, 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Elementary, The Good Wife, Hawaii Five-O, How I Met Your Mother, The Mentalist, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Person of Interest, Survivor, Two and a Half Men, Undercover Boss.

Returning later: Mike & Molly, although with a full order of 22 episodes.

Ended: CSI:NY, Golden Boy, Jersey Girl, Rules of Engagement, Vegas.

New this fall: The Crazy Ones, featuring Robin Williams as an ad man working with his daughter (Sarah Michelle Gellar); Hostages, a drama with Toni Collette as a surgeon whose family is taken to force her to kill the president while operating on him; The Millers, with Will Arnett as a man whose divorce shakes the marriage of his parents (Beau Bridges, Margo Martindale); Mom, starring Anna Faris as a newly sober mother and Allison Janney as her mom, and We Are Men, a comedy about four unmarried men in a short-term apartment complex, with Tony Shalhoub and Kal Penn.

New later: Friends With Better Lives, a comedy about six friends in different romantic places, with James Van Der Beek and Brooklyn Decker; Intelligence, starring Lost’s Josh Holloway as a spy whose in-brain microchip lets him access the global grid, and Reckless, a legal drama where “dark secrets simmer behind every door.”

Notes: Person of Interest moves to Tuesday nights and Hawaii Five-O to Fridays. Hostages will run only about 15 episodes before being succeeded by Intelligence. How I Met Your Mother will present its final season. The “crimetime” repeats on Saturday will be “comedytime” repeats instead.

Fox

Returning in fall: American Dad, Bob’s Burgers, Bones, Family Guy, Glee, The Mindy Project, New Girl, The Simpsons, The X Factor, Saturday prime-time sports and Sunday-evening NFL overruns and recaps.

Returning later: American Idol, The Following, Raising Hope and various Gordon Ramsay shows. Also, a 12-part version of 24 is set for the summer of 2014.

In transition: Cops will move to cable’s Spike TV.

New in the fall: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a comedy with Andy Samberg as a cop with a new boss (Andre Braugher); Dads, the first live-action series from Seth MacFarlane, about two thirtysomethings whose fathers move in with them; Junior Masterchef, a new Gordon Ramsay series where the competitors are 8 to 13 years old, and Sleepy Hollow, a thriller with Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman awakening in the present day.

New later: Almost Human, the latest drama from J.J. Abrams, with police and androids working together 35 years in the future; Enlisted, a comedy about three friends on an Army base; Gang Related, about the relationship between police and crooks in Los Angeles; the animated Murder Police, a cop comedy; Rake, with Greg Kinnear as a lawyer prone to excess; Surviving Jack, a comedy starring Christopher Meloni as a largely absentee dad now taking on full-time parenting, and Us & Them, a romantic comedy with Jason Ritter and Alexis Bledel as a new couple blending their friends and family.

Also, Wayward Pines, an “event” series about eerie business in the search for two federal agents, from a novel by Blake Crouch. It is due sometime in 2014.

Notes: Bones will be on Mondays in the early fall, then move to Fridays in the late fall after the end of Junior Masterchef; Almost Human will get the Monday Bones slot. Raising Hope and Enlisted will make late fall arrivals on Fridays, where Sleepy Hollow reruns will fill an hour earlier in the season. Glee will again take a break after a fall run, returning in the spring; Rake will fill its time slot during the hiatus.

NBC

Returning this fall: The Biggest Loser, Chicago Fire, Dateline NBC, Grimm, Law & Order: SVU, Parenthood, Parks & Recreation, Revolution, The Voice and NFL football on Sunday.

Returning later: Community, The Sing-Off.

In limbo: NBC said decisions on Celebrity Apprentice and Hannibal “are still to be made in the next few weeks.”

Ended: 30 Rock, 1600 Penn, Do No Harm, Go On, Guys With Kids, The New Normal, Ready for Love, Rock Center With Brian Williams, Smash, Whitney.

New in the fall: The Blacklist, drama about a famous fugitive (James Spader) who offers to help the FBI catch a notorious terrorist and other baddies on blacklist; Dracula, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the title role; Ironside, reviving the Raymond Burr drama but with Blair Underwood in the chair — and in New York City; The Michael J. Fox Show, with the title star as a news anchor back on the job after a break to deal with having Parkinson’s disease; Sean Saves the World, a comedy with Sean Hayes as a divorced, gay dad whose daughter moves in with him, and Welcome to the Family, a comedy where a Latino high-schooler and his Anglo girlfriend must blend their families after she gets pregnant.

New later: About a Boy, a comedy based on Nick Hornby’s novel (which also inspired a Hugh Grant movie); home-renovation series American Dream Builders; Believe, a drama about a man working with a 10-year-girl who has extraordinary powers; Chicago PD, a drama from Dick Wolf (Law & Order, Chicago Fire); Crisis, where top people in D.C. react to a busload of their children being taken hostage; pirate drama Crossbones, with John Malkovich; The Family Guide, a comedy set around a colorful, divorcing couple (J.K. Simmons, Parker Posey); Food Fighters, pitting amateur chefs with secret recipes against professionals; trivia challenge Million Second Quiz; The Night Shift, a hospital drama, and Undateable, a comedy about friends with the title’s problem.

Notes: Chicago Fire moves to Tuesdays and Parenthood to Thursdays. The new Thursday comedy block will be Parks & Recreation, Welcome to the Family, Sean Saves the World and The Michael J. Fox Show. With NBC putting repeats on Saturday, no network has a full Saturday night of new scripted programming; ABC and Fox have sports, CBS has reruns plus 48 Hours, and The CW doesn’t do Saturdays.

The CW

Returning this fall: America’s Next Top Model, Arrow, Beauty and the Beast, The Carrie Diaries, Hart of Dixie, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries.

Returning later: Nikita.

Ended: 90210, Cult, Emily Owens, M.D. and Gossip Girl.

New this fall: The Originals, a Vampire Diaries spinoff focusing on Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah, set in New Orleans; Reign, a historical drama about Mary, Queen of Scots, and The Tomorrow People, about genetically advanced people being pursued by a paramilitary group.

New later: The 100, where 100 space-station inhabitants — descendants of the people who survived Earth’s nuclear devasation a century ago — are put back on land to see if it can sustain life again. Also, Famous in 12, a reality show about a family trying to become famous in 12 weeks with help from TMZ, and Star-Crossed, a futuristic Romeo-and-Juliet romance with a teen human and an extraterrestrial.

Notes: Nikita’s run will be six episodes wrapping up the series. Of The CW’s 10 fall shows, five have supernatural aspects.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal, in the HeldenFiles Online blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles, on Facebook and on Twitter @rheldenfels. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

It was written by one of the Duplass brothers, creators of The Puffy Chair, Cyrus and Jeff Who Lives at Home. Mark Duplass wrote it for a member of that Puffy Chair circle, actress-turned-actress/director Katie Aselton.

But slumming in the land of the horror thriller doesn’t pay off for anyone involved. Rock is a poorly written and ineptly directed genre piece that lacks tension, suspense, fear — all those things that make’ a “thriller” thrilling.

Lake Bell, playing one of a trio of single 30ish women off for a camping trip on the tiny coastal New England island of their youth, puts it best: “This is SUCH a bad idea.”

Sarah (Kate Bosworth) has lured Lou (Bell) and Abby (Aselton), two ex-friends estranged since high school (over a boy, naturally) under false pretenses. They’ll spend a weekend on remote Black Rock, remembering old times, drinking, digging up a time capsule they buried there in their youth. Just us girls, right?

They’ve barely stepped out of the surf when they run into three hunters (Jay Paulson, Will Bouvier and Anslem Richardson), younger guys whose older siblings they knew in high school. And when the ladies ask the one pertinent question that will determine the rest of their weekend, they utterly botch their reaction to it.

“Wait, is it hunting season?”

Um, no. And these guys? Fresh out of the military. “Dishonorable discharges,” they offer. And still the women don’t flee.

Because that would prevent the drunken night of mixed signals, attempted rape and violent self-defense. That would preclude the women fleeing into the dark, chased by unstable creeps armed to the teeth.

Aselton and her comrades get to be beautiful actresses all roughed up from the wilderness and being hunted. Their responses to their peril are predictable and not particularly inventive. The movies have a century of Most Dangerous Game stories to draw on, unarmed, unprepared people struggling to outwit armed stalkers.

What do these ladies do? They strip. Naked.

“We have to get out of these wet clothes!”

The plot-driven nature of this exercise means that nobody makes much of an impression, save for the gorgeous Bell, who shows up on set with presence to burn. The stunts, escapes and fights are grim and grisly, but generic. We’ve seen all this before.

And despite the odd moment of sisterly bonding (the point of view sometimes switches to the camp of the inexplicably psychotic men), there’s little here aside from that plot and a vague curiosity.

Who will live, who will die? And whose wet clothes will dry first?

This is the show that Twitter built.

Premiering midseason last year to tepid reviews (including mine) and low ratings, Scandal, ABC’s drama about crisis manager Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and her love affair with President Fitzgerald “Fitz” Grant (Tony Goldwyn), ended its second season Thursday night as a bona fide hit — the show’s many and vocal fans call themselves “gladiators” because that is what Olivia calls her team. Some of this success springs from our eternal fascination with the dark side of D.C. and the simple delight many feel about a fast-paced drama starring a strong black female character.

But the essential ingredient is Shonda Rhimes. The creator of three successful shows, Rhimes has a sorcerer’s ability to combine suspense with sentiment, soap with cynicism.

More important, the woman can work social media.

She regularly sends her close to 350,000 followers mash-notes of fan appreciation (“Gladiators: Scandal would not have the opportunity to be on magazine covers without all of you watching. Thank you for making it happen!”), personal professional insight (“Here comes my favorite Olivia Pope line I have ever written ever. #youwantmeearnme”), and perhaps more important, a feeling of direct “I’m Watching With You” connection — “West Coast Gladiators: GET OFF TWITTER NOW! #spoilers #752.”

Many of the Scandal cast have followed Rhimes’ prolific example; it is not uncommon for one or several to tweet photos of them on set, tweeting.

The audience has responded in kind. Gladiators reject the DVR experience to watch Scandal in real time, creating an enormous digital version of college friends arranging their schedules around a beloved daytime drama. For its returning episode in March, Scandal drew 119,000 tweets, beating longtime Twitter favorite American Idol by almost 80,000. This season’s penultimate episode drew almost 9 million viewers and a series high in the coveted 18-49 demographic; needless to say, Twitter went wild.

The show is a new-media phenomenon, a flag bearer for Direct Courtship TV. Without Twitter to boost its profile and then its ratings, Scandal probably would have been canceled. Instead, it’s held up as an example of social media prowess by networks and branding experts of every stripe, and its success further stokes the belief that somehow Twitter can save us all.

Anyone producing “original content” (including this story) has their hopes pinned on social media. “Follow me on Twitter” has become a standard sign-off on business cards and correspondence, and an industry of social media consultants now offer advice to institutions that once shuddered at the word “publicity.”

Theaters, where cellphone tones have been known to spark onstage meltdowns, now have designated “tweet seats” to encourage live commentary during performances. Steven Soderbergh, after famously exiting film, is currently writing a novel with pictures, a tweet at a time. Stephen Colbert recently taught Bill Clinton to tweet, and then tweeted about the experience.

Scandal proves that Twitter can work. It also illuminates its price. Having drawn the beast’s attention, you must now continually feed it. And it’s a picky eater.

Social media is not built for subtlety — it’s difficult to do nuance in 140 characters. The new, the outrageous, the quotable, the one-sentence insight, the exultant zinger, the sweeping statement — that is where the demographic lives.

Before Scandal, Rhimes was behind the more spiritual show Off the Map, which also drew disappointing reviews and poor early numbers. The show runner did her best, but could raise no fan base. The tagline for the show’s Twitter account may offer one explanation: “The creators of Grey’s Anatomy bring you an uplifting medical drama that explores how far you have to go to truly heal.”

No one goes on Twitter — or nighttime TV for that matter — to “truly heal.”

With its high drama, built-in political commentary and reliance on memorable declarative dialogue (“I am not a lawyer, I am a gladiator in a suit”), Scandal came out of the box Twitter-friendly. But even that wasn’t quite enough. Originally constructed as a “crisis du jour” procedural, the series didn’t achieve liftoff until fans became devoted to the Pope/Fitz love drama.

By the second season, the duo had become the soft, sticky center of every increasingly manic episode, undermining, to a certain extent, the image of Pope as independent and clear-sighted, and ratcheting up the cynicism. Every episode is a cliffhanger, churning with amped-up reveals and hairpin turns that increasingly seem tailored more for commentary than continuity.

The plot has also grown increasingly dark. There was an assassination attempt, a waterboarding scene. A recent episode devoted to the back story of the much-beloved Huck (Guillermo Diaz) revealed that he had worked for a shadow wing of the CIA. Flashbacks of him torturing people were accompanied by an upbeat retro soundtrack. When, back in the present, Huck confessed to Olivia that he had done terrible things, she assured him: “We have all done terrible things.”

Narratively and philosophically, Scandal is simply insane, and that insanity is precisely what makes it so tweetable.

And there it is, the snake in this garden of fan devotion and numbers success. For Scandal and, indeed, every product trying to navigate the vast yet splintered wilds of the digital universe, the big issue has become: How much effect should the medium have on the message?

With its episodic nature, television has always relied on shock and suspense to keep viewers coming back; now shows can thrive if they give good tweet.

In many ways, Scandal is a test case for the Big Four — CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox. It operates in a separate universe than slow-grow dramas like AMC’s Mad Men, Sundance Channel’s Top of the Lake, or even PBS’ Downton Abbey, which has managed to accrue a sizable fan base without asking Maggie Smith to wield a smartphone on set. (“Attention Proletariat! We will be live-tweeting in the drawing room.”)

But there is no denying that network dramas have to do something, and perhaps creating a collective, multimedia experience where television shows once existed alone is it. Rhimes possesses a near superhuman ability to juggle many things, including solid writing and absurd scenarios. Watching how Scandal evolves as a television show is, in many ways, more tantalizing than the magical mechanics of Olivia’s problem solving.

Only a few athletes, once their job is preceded by ‘ex,’ manage to maintain a connection with fans: Those who have carefully built up their image beforehand.

Michael Jordan retired from basketball for the third time in 2003 and turned 50 this year. His eponymous Nike brand — a partnership that dates back to the first days after he left the University of North Carolina for the Chicago Bulls — is still going strong. The Jordan brand makes up nearly 60 percent of the American basketball shoe market, and a significant part of the estimated $80 million that Jordan reportedly earns each year from ventures that also include deals with Hanes and Gatorade, according to Forbes magazine.

At the height of his popularity, Jordan “was just inescapable, and I think Beckham has had that kind of quality up to now,” said Ellis Cashmore, a British sociologist and author of the book Beckham.

Even having given up his salary at Paris Saint-Germain, the French soccer club where he’s ending his career, Beckham topped this year’s Sports Illustrated list of 20 highest-earning international athletes (his estimated $48 million in earnings — most from sponsorship — would rank third on the magazine’s list if American athletes are also included). The UK’s Sunday Times Sports Rich Lost puts his estimated wealth at some 165 million pounds ($250 million).

The question, Cashmore said, is whether his celebrity will last once he’s no longer on the field.

“Beckham was the first athlete to transcend sport,” he said. “Leaving soccer is a little bit of a gamble because they don’t know if Beckham decoupled from his sport is going to be as powerful as a brand.”

Tiger Woods, whose career arc looked a lot like Beckham’s until it imploded in marital scandals, is still having a hard time reconnecting with fans — and endorsements. The 37-year-old earned a reported $40 million, according to the Sports Illustrated tally this year, and Nike is using him in television ads again. But this year’s survey reported just $33 million in endorsements, down from $105 million in 2007.

Thanks to his years with the LA Galaxy, Beckham’s popularity is high even in the U.S., where soccer runs distinctly behind basketball, baseball and football, according to Henry Schafer, executive vice president of Q Scores Company, which measures celebrity awareness and popularity.

But he’ll have a hard time matching the endurance of Jordan who — a decade after retirement — tops the Q Score list of all athletes, Schafer said. Woods was the only athlete to come close to surpassing the former Chicago Bull, Schafer said, and that’s no longer even a remote possibility.

As for Beckham, “I would put him in the category as having the right qualities to extend his playing days,” said Schafer, who said Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky and Muhammad Ali are among the other top retired athletes who’ve kept up their images.

Brand Beckham, however, isn’t just David. His wife, Victoria, runs a fashion house that is beginning to gain traction. And there’s a rising generation of Beckhams as well: son Romeo features in ads for Burberry’s spring/summer 2013 collection.

Movie: Black Rock

Cast: Katie Bosworth, Lake Bell, Katie Aselton

Directed by: Katie Aselton

Studio: LD Entertainment

Running time: 1 hour, 21 minutes

Rating: R for some strong violence, pervasive language, sexual references and brief graphic nudity

Theater: Tower City Cinemas

H

And, by the way, coming to DVD on Tuesday.

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (Shout! Factory, $19.97) includes the 85-minute special featuring interviews with Brooks and fans and collaborators like Nathan Lane and Cloris Leachman. It calls itself “career spanning,” and that has been quite a career, including writing for TV, films like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, commercial voicing, standup with Carl Reiner and some unforgettable talk-show appearances.

The DVD also adds 16 minutes of deleted footage. And it sets the stage for another Brooks release from Shout!, a collector’s edition DVD and Blu-ray of the 1968 comedy classic The Producers.

It’s a busy week for action movies, albeit ones that were not always well received. Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez star in Parker (Sony, $30.99 DVD, $35.99 Blu-ray), based on a hard-boiled novel by Richard Stark, a pen name for the great Donald Westlake. Reviews were not great — only 40 percent were positive, according to Rotten Tomatoes — and the box-office returns poor. Extras include commentary by director Taylor Hackford and making-of segments.

Things weren’t much better for Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Last Stand (Lionsgate, $29.95 DVD, $39.99 Blu-ray/DVD/digital combo), where he played a former Los Angeles cop turned small-town sheriff — only to see that small town become the “last stand” in a battle with a fugitive drug lord. It fared even more poorly at the U.S. box office according to Box Office Mojo, even after somewhat positive reviews (59 percent on Rotten Tomatoes). Extras include featurettes and deleted scenes.

You might expect a movie with Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin to have fared better with critics and viewers than the above titles. And your expectations would be wrong. Stand Up Guys (Lionsgate, $27.98 DVD, $39.99 Blu-ray/DVD/digital combo) went almost unnoticed in theaters and was largely panned by critics. But I liked large portions of the film, if only because it was fun to watch Pacino and Walken work together (and with Arkin, although less often).

Pacino plays a gangster just out of prison after decades inside; Walken is an old friend and colleague who rejoins him for a night of revelry and conversation. But other agendas are at work, and it may not end well for either man. It’s not a great movie, but the performances are fine, and it deserved to be seen more. Extras include several featurettes and commentary by director Fisher Stevens.

On the TV side of things, you may have caught the Canadian medical-drama-with-an-eerie-twist Saving Hope (Entertainment One, 13 episodes, $39.98) during its run on NBC, but you did not see it all. The network pulled the show without airing two episodes included in this set; there may also be more, at least on DVD, since a second season was ordered for Canadian television. DVD extras include interviews with cast members and behind-the-scenes footage.

True Blood: The Complete Fifth Season (HBO, 12 episodes, $59.99 DVD, $79.98 Blu-ray/DVD/digital combo) adds behind-the-scenes elements, audio commentaries and — on the Blu-ray — an extended discussion of the season’s sixth episode to the latest doings in the vampire drama. Perception: The First Season (ABC Video, 10 episodes, $29.99) offers no extras with the tales of a crime-solving neuroscientist (Eric McCormack) with some mental problems of his own.

Glee fans can take note of Struck by Lightning ($26.95 DVD, $29.95 Blu-ray), written by the show’s Chris Colfer and starring him; the cast also includes Rebel Wilson and Christina Hendricks.

Down video road: If you have been following the FX series Wilfred, you may want to check out the original Australian series of the same name; it comes to DVD on June 4. That same date brings The Mad Max Trilogy, with Mel Gibson, to Blu-ray. Southland: The Complete Fifth and Final Season comes to DVD on Aug. 13. Also on Aug. 13 is the second season of Girls, on DVD and Blu-ray,

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com, including the HeldenFiles Online blog, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. You can contact him at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

Blu-ray — Captain America; Howl’s Moving Castle; My Neighbor Tortoro; National Lampoon’s Vacation: 30th Anniversary Edition; National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation; The Public Enemy. Titles below with an asterisk are on Blu-ray as well as standard DVD.

Movies — Beautiful Creatures*; Captain America (1990 movie); The Burning: Collector’s Edition*; Dark Circles; Ecstasy; The Last Stand*; Open Road*; Parker*; Side Effects*; Stand Up Guys*; Struck by Lightning*; The Town That Dreaded Sundown* (includes the bonus film The Evictors).

TV shows — Mel Brooks: Make a Noise; Perception: The Complete First Season; Saving Hope: The Complete First Season; Teen Wolf: Season 2; True Blood: The Complete Fifth Season*.

Kids/family — The Aquabats! Super Show! Season One!; Monsuno: Power; Pound Puppies: Mission Adoption.

Sources include www.joblo.com and www.tvshowsondvd.com. Consult those sites for more titles and information.

MONTARO CAINE

Sidney Poitier

Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier’s first novel, Montaro Caine, is a corporate thriller that veers into science fiction as it follows a beleaguered New York CEO on an unexpected quest to secure two mysterious coins that may hold significant scientific and commercial value.

The coins first appear in the hands of two newborn babies who eventually grow up to marry each other. The impending birth of their first child, and its potentially cosmic importance, spurs corporate greed and brings together collectors, scientists, physicians and lawyers.

The story jets from New York City to Europe and to Poitier’s native Bahamas. Read in the context of emerging Caribbean science fiction writers such as Karen Lord who explore the region’s complicated history of migration through alien civilizations, Poitier’s narrative hinging on a Bahamian medicine man who sees the big picture in the supernatural events affecting CEO Montaro Caine is interesting.

Otherwise, Montaro Caine is a jumble of subplots, adverbs and twists that resolve in a “pay-it-forward” morality. There’s a formality to Poitier’s writing that perhaps is expected of an actor with such a prestigious filmography (Lilies of the Field, In the Heat of the Night). The novel reads like the screenplay of a cable movie about a CEO who learns to appreciate daily life thanks to the wisdom of an island man lacking his education or achievements.

Poitier’s novel may carry a heartfelt message about the potential for good within each one of us, but Montaro Caine doesn’t live up to its potential.

— Jennifer Kay

Associated Press

MODERN VAMPIRES OF THE CITY

Vampire Weekend

Good songs win out in the end, and Vampire Weekend has plenty of those. The New York foursome fronted by Ezra Koenig has been simultaneously celebrated and denigrated since even before the release of their self-titled debut album, which generated loads of blog buzz — and just about as much backlash — in 2008. Sure, these guys had lots of catchy tunes that cleverly used Graceland-era Paul Simon as a point of departure, but weren’t they just a bunch of spoiled Upper West Side kids?

The band’s second album, Contra, was perfectly solid as well. But on Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend really distinguishes itself with sharp, smart, grown-up, terrifically energetic tunes that are still clever, but never merely so.

The first tip-off is the single Diane Young, whose punning title hints at the intimations of mortality that apparently haunt the boys in the band as they get ready to turn 30. “Wisdom’s a gift, but you trade it for youth,” Koenig sings in Step, one of many songs that stand out, thanks in no small part to crafty arrangements that showcase keyboard player Rostam Batmanglij. “Age is an honor, but it’s still not the truth.”

You could go on nitpicking the band and resenting their privileged beginnings, but you’d only be cheating yourself.

— Dan DeLuca

Philadelphia Inquirer

GOLDEN

Lady Antebellum

After pulling out the stops with the heavily orchestrated grandeur of 2011’s platinum-selling album Own the Night, Lady Antebellum heads in the opposite direction with the stripped-down sound of Golden.

The country vocal trio hinted at its new direction with the sparse, soul-strutting groove of Downtown, one of the spring’s most engaging country hits. As usual, Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood deal with the complexities of modern relationships — in this case, a woman asking why her man doesn’t take her out for a fun night on the town, like he once did.

The bare-bones arrangements also work well on the emotionally moving It Ain’t Pretty, about a woman living out her heartbreak in public, and on the roots-rocking Better Off Now (That You’re Gone), which is reminiscent of classic Tom Petty.

The album occasionally recalls past successes: Long Teenage Goodbye has the sunny innocence of the 2010 hit American Honey, once again showing off Scott’s shimmering alto. The dramatic crescendos of All For Love prove that a big, grand sound, deployed at the right time, fits the group’s dynamic duets.

A couple of weak songs dampen the overall impact, but Lady A continues to experiment and grow while sounding like no one else in contemporary country music.

— Michael McCall

Associated Press

Mr. Mays, 62, who died Saturday, was a singer and multi-instrumentalist, proficient on keyboards and guitar, and even taught himself to play the cello. In his younger days, Mr. Mays played in a few bands, including the Duke Curry Quartet that gigged regularly at country clubs and other places throughout the area, but he mostly preferred to perform alone.

Mr. Mays’ years as a struggling musician included a few nights sleeping in his car. In 1990 Mays, who was working for a security company, took a job offer from the Stewart Primary School, later Stewart Afrocentric School, where his wife, Barbara Dinkins Mays, also worked. The job, as resident musician for the school and eventually the entire Akron Public Schools system, not only changed his life, but he helped change the lives of thousands of students throughout Akron. He retired in 2010.

“Oh honey, the whole black community loved Mr. Mays, children and parents,” said Barbara, his wife of 35 years. “He was honest, he was loved, that was his life.”

Across his 20 years in the school system, Mr. Mays was called upon to perform at events and schools all over the district, and he often performed and taught his original compositions with students. Mays even formed a singing group with some students called Baby Blues.

In 2003, Mr. Mays was commissioned to compose a song for Akron’s Coming Together Project’s 10th anniversary celebration. Imani In Our Hearts was based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa, “imani” being faith. The piece, arranged for 30 string players, was performed by the Akron Symphony Orchestra at Picnic Pops concerts throughout that summer.

“We were honored,” Barbara Mays said. “They treated us like he was a celebrity. They called him the ‘black Bacharach.’ In his life that’s all he wanted to do was to compose music.”

Mays said besides his music, her husband left behind “a wife that loved him to the day he died, from his head to the bottom of his feet, and the children in the community. His life was music and Stewart School.”

“Music was his life until the day he died. He played cello, jazz guitarist, keyboard player, singer, dancer, arranger and a composer and he took all that and took it to Stewart school to help black kids … any kids … everybody.”

Also surviving him are sons Marcellus Nash and Timothy Jermaine Prade; daughters Tiffanie Nash-Sommerville, Monique Martin and Sonya Skipper; and 10 grandchildren.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Stewart & Calhoun Funeral Home, 529 W. Thornton St., Akron. Friends may visit at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until time of service. Condolences may be sent to 1104 Mercer Ave., Akron, Ohio 44320.

Great Lakes folk singer Lee Murdock will not appear, the National Park Service reported.

The show has not be rescheduled. Refunds for previously purchased tickets are available by contacting the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park at 330-657-2909, ext. 100.

Often, wineries can be an intimidating experience if you are not properly educated towards a wine suitable for your own palate. Owners Kristofer and Evelyn Sperry, have the gift of being engaging, and noninvasive in their approach towards each customer that walks through the doors of Myrddin Winery. They don’t expect you to know anything about wine and even more specifically, their wine. It’s a no stress “drink what you like” atmosphere with friendly people and good times!

Each wine is unique and handmade by Myrddin’s own winemaker, Kristofer. Most of the wines are open and ready to pour. You come up to the bar and our friendly and helpful server will help you to identify and sample wines that correlate with what you like. Also, they will tell you a little bit about each wine and answer any questions you may have. The tasting of wines is regulated by the State of Ohio. Therefore, samples are $0.50 each (per state law).

On warm, sunny days, sit on the front porch, one of the patios, around the firepit, or under the gazebo. You can watch the boats go by or just visit together and share a laugh. It is a very beautiful, natural, calm setting in which you are welcome to bring your own food although you may be asked to share, and certainly be willing to clean up! Any occasion is a good occasion to fellowship at Myrddin Winery whether it’s the Murder Mystery Dinner, Stepping Stone Workshops with Evelyn (and of course a glass of wine) or Sunday Soup—the wine is vibrant, the people make you feel like family, and you’ll always learn something new!

Kristofer and Evelyn are a wealth of information in the discipline of winemaking and are well versed as a winery that uses raw materials as opposed to those that use kits. They assist in demystifying the wine through assisting you in wine appreciations basics, understanding its attributes, and pairings. Additionally, Myrddin is currently producing a play on their personal story called Becoming Myrddin in 39 separate Acts being featured in the Akron Beacon Journal. Watch the videos to get the super secret words to earn logo glasses, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. The installments of the actual show can be found on Myrddin Winery’s website www.myrddinwine.com. Also be sure to sign up for the e-mail newsletter by e-mailing info@myrddinewine.com and follow us on FaceBook.

Myrddin Winery - 3020 Scenic Ave, Lake Milton, OH 44401 - (330) 654-9181

Young and old alike fall in love with The Fast Lane because it is so much more than 20 lanes of cosmic bowling heaven. There is a 20 foot slide, corn-hole, arcade games, air hockey, a separate concert venue, The Garage Bar, karaoke, and even an optional ice cream bar and cotton candy station for events. On June 15th this fantastic party place is bringing a new attraction—a Nerf Arena! It’s the perfect place to have a birthday party because there is so much to keep the kids occupied, and their affordable party packages come with or without food. There is no extra cost for cosmic bowling. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday cosmic bowling begins at noon! The Fast Lane allows parties to bring their own food with room rental, but offers delicious pizza, fresh cut fries, potato trees, and homemade chips. Additionally, at the cotton candy station and ice cream bar kids can help make their own respective sweet treat!

The Fast Lane has become the hub for Fundraising, Concerts, and events such as graduation parties, baby showers, and wedding receptions. The Fast Lane is great for fundraisers for juniors programs, youth baseball and football league outings, Boy Scouts, youth fellowships, illness research fundraisers, and family fun nights! It’s unique configuration and great space allows for separate hospitality, banquet, and party rooms without interference from any other event happening on the grounds. It’s a really positive family environment and open to any and all appropriate events—they are very flexible! You can also add DJ or Karaoke service to any qualifying events such as weddings, fundraisers, and graduations.

Also, don’t expect any loitering teens infecting the concert environment due to the requirement that all children under the age of 18 be accompanied by an adult, which is great because parents should know what their children are listening to. This summer there is an array of fun activities and camps being offered at The Fast Lane which is listed below:

Summer Camps

Lego Day Camp-Grade: K-4

$25 per person

Friday, June 28 (9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

Fashion Day Camp-Grade: 4-8

$30 per person

Friday, July 12 (9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

Tie Dye Day Camp-Grade: K-12

$5 for the first item and $3 for the second

Friday, July 26th (9:30-12)

Drama & Art Camp-Grade: K-6

$225 per person for the week or $125 for the half day

Monday, July 29 - Friday, August 2nd (9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.)

Bowling Day Camp-Grade: K-8

$25 per person

Friday, August 16th (9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

Drama & Art Camp-Grade: K-6

$225 per person for the week or $125 for the half day

Monday, July 15 - Friday, July 19 (9:30 a..m - 3:30 p.m. Location: Green Primary School

Other Featured Events

June 5, 2013 (6-9 p.m.) Strike Out Mitochondrial Disease Fundraiser

June 8, 2013 (6 p.m. - 12 a.m.) ZOMBIE BOWL FUNDRAISER

June 22, 2013 (4-9 p.m.) Relay for Life PUB CRAWL

4-9pm Country Western Music Concert and Fundraiser

June 30, 2013 (2-6 p.m.) Autism Awareness Fundraiser

July 13, 2013 (8-11 p.m.) Comedy Bowl (local comedians)

A complete list of Friday concert dates, times, acts, and music samples can be found at http://www.reverbnation.com/venue/thefastlanegaragebarandconcertvenue and be sure to visit

The Fast Lane Bowling and Party Center

193 Wooster Rd N. #7 (Magic City Plaza Basement) Barberton, Oh 44203

Phone: (330) 753-6910

http://www.thefastlanebowling.com

The event typically draws several thousand participants — depending on the weather — to hikes, cleanups, habitat restorations, community festivals, art exhibits and concerts to celebrate the river.

Here are some area RiverDay 2013 events.

A complete list is available at www.cuyahogariver.net. For more information, contact Elaine Marsh at 330-328-3909 or ohgreenway@gmail.com.

Saturday

Cuyahoga Valley cleanups — From 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Volunteers are needed to plant trees and remove trash. Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, sturdy boots and work gloves. For ages 7 and up. Advance sign-up is required. The locations will be disclosed when you register. Sponsored by the park and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. To register, call 330-657-2299 or volunteer@forcvnp.org.

Rambling on river — A Junior Ranger’s program for youngsters 7 to 12 to learn about water-quality testing on a hike from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The location will be disclosed when you register. Presented by the National Park Service. To register, call 800-642-3297, ext. 100.

Water quality testing — From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Meet at the Cuyahoga Valley park’s Boston Store Visitor Center off Boston Mills Road in Boston Township. Presented by the park service. 330-657-2752.

Art, music and fairies — The Peninsula Art Academy (330-657-2248) will hold an open art show, Ebb and Flow, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at 1600 Mill St. W. The Log Cabin Gallery (330-657-2670) will stage a spring exhibit opening from 3 to 5 p.m. at 1671 Main St. Heritage Farms (330-657-2330) will present fairy activities and Irish music from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6059 Riverview Road.

Night bike ride — Century Cycle in Peninsula is staging a night bike ride on the Towpath Trail starting at 8 p.m. Ride is 12 to 15 miles. You must provide your own bike, helmet and light. 330-657-2209 or www.centurycycles.com/for/nightrides.

Cascade Village cleanup — From 10 a.m. to noon. Learn about the Little Cuyahoga River and clean up its banks. Meet at the Cascade Village Community Center, 210 E. North St., Akron. Long sleeves, long pants and work gloves are recommended. Pre-registration required for groups. Children under 18 must have adult supervision. Sponsored by the University of Akron and Cascade Village Public Art. 330-253-9484 or 330-414-4954.

Little Cuyahoga bike ride — At 11 a.m. from the Mustill Store off West North Street near downtown Akron. Helmets required. Sponsored by the Cascade Locks Park Association. 330-374-5625.

Cuyahoga Falls cleanup — From 10 a.m. to noon. Location will be provided when you register. Sponsored by the city of Cuyahoga Falls, Keep America Beautiful and State Road Donato’s Pizza. Advance registration is required. To register, contact Becky McCleary at 330-971-8201 or mcclearyrm@cityofcf.com.

Munroe Falls celebration — Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with animals, exhibits, music, refreshments at Brust Park, 128 N. Main St. Sponsored by the Munroe Falls Park Board. Pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. at fire station, 43 Munroe Falls Ave. Invasive plant pull from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at Brust Park.

Kent events — Festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Plum Creek Park on Cherry Street. 330-673-8897. Sponsored by Kent Parks and Recreation and the Kent Environmental Council. Kayak, canoe, tube, bike rentals at Tannery Park. Fee. Reservations are advised. 330-541-7467. Community dinner 6 to 8 p.m. at Plum Creek Park. Organized by All Together Now Inc. 330-678-8760. Native American celebration of the river with campfire from 8 to 10 p.m. at Plum Creek Park. Coordinated by Kent State University’s Native American Student Association.

Wildflowers for kids — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is holding a Kinderealm class on wildflowers for youngsters 3 to 6 years old and accompanying adults at 10:30 a.m. Meet at the Brushwood Area of Furnace Run Metro Park. That’s off Townsend Road in Richfield Township. Advance sign-up is required. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Nature walk — The Wilderness Center at 9877 Alabama Ave. SW in Sugar Creek Township is conducting a nature walk at 2 p.m. 877-359-5235.

Friday

Great Lakes concert — Folksy singer Lee Murdock will appear in concert at 7 p.m. in the Cuyahoga Valley Lyceum series. The show will be held at the Happy Days Lodge off state Route 303 in Boston Heights. The show will commemorate the bicentennial of the Battle of Lake Erie. Murdock specializes in Great Lakes songs. Tickets are $6, $3 for children 3 to 12. Advance tickets are available by calling 330-657-2909. The doors open at 6 p.m.

Firestone birds — Naturalist Pat Rydquist of Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, will direct a spring bird walk at 7:30 a.m. at Firestone Metro Park. Meet at the Tuscarawas Meadows Area off Harrington Road in South Akron. Binoculars are recommended. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Nature journals — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is presenting a program on nature journaling for home-schooled youngsters 11 to 14. It will begin at 1 p.m. at the Brushwood Pavilion at Furnace Run Metro Park. That’s off Townsend Road in Richfield Township. Advance sign-up is required. Bring your own journal and pencils. Adults must accompany all children. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Trail cleanup — Volunteers are needed from 1 to 5 p.m. on the Tree Farm Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley park. Meet at the Horseshoe Pond parking lot, 2075 Major Road, Boston Township. Wear sturdy boots and bring a small pack with lunch, water and work gloves. 216-407-6936.

Night wildlife — The Wilderness Center at 9877 Alabama Ave. SW in Sugar Creek Township will be observing wildlife at night from 7 to 8:30 p.m. 877-359-5235.

Dances of peace — The Crown Point Ecology Center in Bath Township is staging Dances of Universal Peace at 7 p.m. at 3220 Ira Road. No experience is necessary. 330-668-8992.

Saturday

Trout derby — The Goodyear Hunting and Fishing Club is holding its annual special-needs trout derby, along with the Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Firestone Metro Park. Meet at Little Turtle Pond off Harrington Road in South Akron. Bring your own equipment; some will be available. Bait is provided. Adult supervision is required. Only special-needs participants (children and adults) will be allowed to fish. Pond is stocked with rainbow trout. Site is wheelchair accessible. Trophies. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Thomas Tank Engine — The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is hosting Thomas the Tank Engine’s Go Go Thomas Tour 2013. There will be 25-minute train rides departing every 45 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday from the Boston Mill Station off Riverview Road in Boston Township. The rides will continue from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday and again from May 24-26. Tickets are $18 plus tax for ages 2 and up. For tickets, call 866-468-7630 or www.ticketweb.com/thomas.html. For more information, call 800-468-4070 or go to www.cvsr.com.

Birds, wildflowers — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is holding a hike to look for migrating birds and spring wildflowers. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Towpath Trail Trailhead in Clinton. That’s off North Street. Binoculars and field guides will be provided. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Coal mining — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, will look at the coal mining history at Silver Creek Metro Park in Norton. Meet at 10 a.m. in the Pheasant Run Area. The park is off Hametown Road. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Kids’ fishing — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is conducting a kids’ fishing program for youth 15 and under from 1 to 3 p.m. at Firestone Metro Park. Meet at Little Turtle Pond off Harrington Road. A few rods and reels will be available. Bait will be provided. Adults are not permitted to fish. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Woodland mushrooms — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is presenting a program on woodland mushrooms at 2 p.m. Meet at the Seiberling Nature Realm, 1828 Smith Road, Akron. Wear footwear for uneven terrain. Advance sign-up is required. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Pulling invasives — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is seeking volunteers to pull invasive garlic mustard from 9 a.m. to noon at Goodyear Heights Metro Park. Meet in the Pioneer Area off Frazier Avenue in East Akron. Dress for off-trail work. Bring a hat, work gloves, snack and water. Adults must accompany those 16 and younger. Advance sign-up is required. 330-865-8057, ext. 226, or mperdicas@summitmetroparks.org.

Spring hike — The National Park Service is holding a spring hike of 7.5 miles on the Buckeye and Valley trails in the Cuyahoga Valley. It will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Meet at park headquarters at Vaughn and Riverview roads in Brecksville.

Bird census — The National Park Service is seeking birders to help conduct a bird census of the Cuyahoga Valley park. Birders of all levels are welcome. Participants will be sent out in small groups. Bring binoculars and field guides. Meet at 7:30 a.m.

Zoom mode — Artwork on “Nature in Zoom Mode” by the Crooked River Gang, a group of local artists, will be featured in an exhibit at the M.D. Garage in the Cuyahoga Valley park. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1556 Boston Mills Road, Boston Township. The show continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Woods race — The North East Ohio Orienteering Club is conducting a cross-country race with map and compass for beginners and experts. Meet at 11:30 a.m. at the Ledges Shelter off Truxell Road in Boston Township. Bring a whistle and compass. The fee is $8. www.neooc.com.

Hanging at Hunt — The National Park Service is holding family activities from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center off Bolanz Road in Cuyahoga Falls. The fun will continue on Sunday with a look at questing from 1 to 3 p.m.

Birds, breakfast — The Medina County Park District is holding a birds-and-breakfast program at 7:30 a.m. Doughnuts, coffee and hot chocolate will be served after the hike. Advance sign-up is required. The location will be disclosed when you register. 330-722-9364.

Photos for kids — The Medina County Park District and the Medina County Arts Council are staging a nature photo class for youngsters 9 to 12 years old from 10 a.m. to noon at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road (state Route 94), Sharon Township. Children must provide their own point-and-shoot digital cameras. Instruction will be provided. Advance sign-up is required. The fee is $20. 330-725-6443 or www.medinaartbuzz.blogspot.com.

Edible, medicinal plants — The Medina County Park District is holding a program on wild, edible and medicinal plants from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road (state Route 94), Sharon Township. For ages 16 and up. The fee is $60. 330-722-9364.

Canine hike — The Medina County Park District is holding a canine hike at 10 a.m. at River Styx Park off River Styx Road in Guilford Township. All dogs must be on leashes and have accompanying adults. Bring a towel for muddy feet and a water bowl. 330-722-9364.

Stark hike — The Stark County Park District is staging a hike at 9 a.m. from the Craig Pittman Trailhead on the Towpath Trail in Navarre. 330-409-8096.

Plant sale — The Stark County Park District is holding a plant sale at 9 a.m. at the Exploration Gateway, 5712 12th St. NW, Perry Township. 330-409-8096.

Canalway talk — Canal Fulton is hosting a talk on the Ohio & Erie Canalway at 6:30 p.m. at the Canal Fulton Canalway Center at St. Helena Heritage Park. 330-409-8096.

Boston Heights hike — The Akron Metro Parks Hiking Club will meet at 9 a.m. at the Bike & Hike Trailhead on state Route 303 east of state Route 8 in Boston Heights. There will be seven -mile and five-mile options. 330-923-6371.

Eagle Creek hike — The Portage Trail Walkers hiking club will meet at 8:30 a.m. at Eagle Creek State Nature Preserve near Garrettsville for a five-mile hike. The preserve is off Hopkins Road in Nelson Township. 330-673-6896.

Bird banding — The University of Mount Union’s John T. Huston-Dr. John D. Brumbaugh Nature Center is hosting a bird-banding demonstration from 8 to 10 a.m. The center is on Dan Street in Washington Township. 330-823-7487.

Wild doings — The Wilderness Center at 9877 Alabama Ave. SW in Sugar Creek Township is offering a program on eating weeds from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Advance sign-up is required. The fee is $15 and includes lunch. In addition, there will be a caving orientation program at 10 a.m. For those 15 and older only. 877-359-5235.

Lamb dinner — The Spicy Lamb Farm near Peninsula is holding a Spring Taste of Lamb Dinner at 6 p.m. Tickets are $35. Reservations are required. www.thespicylamb.com.

Sunday

Park concert — Fiddler-violinist Ed Caner will present a house concert at 7 p.m. at the Hines Hill Conference Center, 1403 W. Hines Hill Road, Boston Township. Also appearing will be guitarist Todd Burge. Tickets are $8. The facility is not wheelchair accessible. You can tour the facility where the Gioia family once lived at 5:30 p.m. before the show.

Boomerang fun — The National Park Service is staging a boomerang toss along with Dave Boehm of the Cleveland Boomerang School from 2 to 4 p.m. at Howe Meadow in the Cuyahoga Valley. That’s off Riverview Road in Cuyahoga Falls.

Spring surprises — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, will explore what families can find inside an 18-inch circle at 2 p.m. at the Seiberling Nature Realm, 1828 Smith Road, Akron. Identification help and tools will be provided. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Book club — The Metro Parks Book Club will meet at 2 p.m. at the Seiberling Nature Realm, 1828 Smith Road, Akron, to discuss The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. Warm drinks provided. Bring mugs. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Trail cleanup — Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to noon on the Furnace Run Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley park. Meet at the Everett Road Covered Bridge parking lot off Everett Road in Boston Township. Wear sturdy boots and bring a small pack with lunch, water and work gloves. 330-666-3822.

Toad fun — The Medina County Park District is presenting a nature program on toads at 2 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road (state Route 94), Sharon Township. 330-722-9364.

Reservoir hike — The Akron Metro Parks Hiking Club will meet at 2:30 p.m. at Mogadore Reservoir for a five-mile hike. Meet behind the Ankor Inn off state Route 43 in Portage County’s Suffield Township. 330-923-6371.

Poker Run — Massillon Area Greenways and Ernie’s Bike Shop are staging a bicycle poker run on the Towpath Trail. Ride starts at Ernie’s shop at the Lake Avenue Trailhead in Massillon. Register from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fee is $5 per rider.

Bird walk — The Hiram Field Station will host a spring bird walk by the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland at 7:30 a.m. The station is off Wheeler Road in Hiram Township. 330-569-6003 or sorrickmw@hiram.edu.

Monday

Cemetery tour — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, and the Summit County Historical Society are conducting a trolley tour of Akron’s historic Glendale cemetery at 7 p.m. Advance sign-up is required. The meeting place will be disclosed when you register. 330-865-8065 or www.summitmetroparks.org.

Tuesday

Portage Lakes hike — The Cuyahoga Falls Strollers walking club will meet at 9 a.m. at the Quirk Cultural Center to car pool to Portage Lakes State Park for a hike with lunch to follow at the Lukity Country Inn. 330-971-8425.

Wednesday

Brown-bag concert — The Cascade Locks Park Association is holding a brown-bag concert by Dale Galgozy from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Mustill Store off West North Street near downtown Akron. Bring a lunch or buy at the store. 330-374-5625.

Tallmadge hike — The Akron Metro Parks Hiking Club will meet at 9:30 a.m. at Tallmadge’s Lions Club Park, 245 Northeast Ave., for six-mile hike on the new Freedom Trail. 330-923-6371.

Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning at the beaconjournal.com.

Contemporary Line Dancing — 1-2 p.m. today, Springfield Township Boyd Esler Senior/Community Center, 2491 Canfield Road. $4. 330-733-2556.

Polka Dance — 2-5 p.m. today, Polish Legion of American Veterans Post 32, 283 Dayton St., Akron. Free. 330-253-0542.

Line Dance Class — 7-8 tonight, Tallmadge Community Center, 80 Community Road. $5. 330-673-0848.

Akron2Cleveland New Ballroom Dancers — 7-9 p.m. Friday, Goodyear YMCA, 110 Goodyear Blvd., Akron. 330-573-9453 or 330-631-5299.

Western Whirlers Square Dance — 7:30-10 p.m. Friday at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 3725 Kent Road, Stow. 330-688-0878.

Dance With Kent Le Mar — 9 a.m. Saturdays, Theatre Dance Centre, 4800 Massillon Road, Green. For ages 30 or older. $10 per class. 330-899-9655.

Ballroom Dancing — 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Sherwood Dance Club, 960 Jacoby Road, Copley Township. $7. 330-864-4484.

Singles Dance — 8 p.m. Sunday, Guy’s Party Centre, 500 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. Disc jockey plays Top 40 music for dancing. $7. 330-724-6373.

Beginners Line Dance Class — 10-11 a.m. Monday, Tallmadge Community Center, 80 Community Road. $5 per class. 330-673-0848.

Top 20 Line Dances — 6-7 p.m. beginner lessons, 7-9 p.m. intermediate lessons, Mondays at Manchester Administrative Building, Room 24, 6075 Manchester Road, New Franklin. $5 per class. 330-644-4144 or 330-697-1440.

Keep It Movin … Line Dance Basics for Grown Folks — 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, Trinity United Church of Christ, 915 N. Main St., Akron and 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, Lawton Community Center, 1225 Lawton St., Akron. Presented by Universal Nursing Services. Free.

Poetry in Motion of Akron — Hand-dance (beginners-intermediate) at 7:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; salsa (beginners-intermediate) at 8:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 210 E. North St., Akron. For information, go to www.pimakoh.com.

Country Line Dance Lessons — 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, intermediate class, Tallmadge Community Center, 80 Community Road. $5. 330-673-0848.

Sounds of Yesterday — 2-5 p.m. Wednesday, Fraternal Order of Police, 2610 Ley Drive, Akron. Ballroom music. 330-724-7414 or 330-753-6679.

Detroit-Style Urban Ballroom Dancing Class — 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, the Unity House, 1241 Diagonal Road, Akron. $5 for class, free open dance starts at 8. 330-571-6060.

Ballroom Dancing — 6:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Polish Legion of American Veterans Post 32, 383 Dayton St., Akron. Music by Delci Tones. $5. 330-253-0542.

Akron Pops Orchestra — Seeking musicians, especially strings and keyboards, for the volunteer orchestra. Rehearsals are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Quirk Cultural Center, 1201 Grant Ave., Cuyahoga Falls. Most concerts are on Thursday evenings, with a few weekend concerts. Contact Kristan Crane at 330-203-1926 or www.akronpops.org.

Canal Fulton Players — Auditions for All in Good Times will be held 7-9 p.m. May 29 and 30 at Salt Box Ministries, 408 W. Market St., Canal Fulton. Need seven men and four women ages 20-65. For more information, call 330-494-1022 or 330-854-4387.

City of Flags Chorus — Seeking women who enjoy singing a cappella, four-part harmony. Rehearsals are at 7 p.m. Mondays at Greenwood Christian Church, 44th Street Northwest and Frazer Avenue, Canton. 800-793-3805.

Cuyahoga Falls Community Chorus — Openings for all voice parts for adults of all ages from Cuyahoga Falls and surrounding communities. Rehearsals are at 7 p.m. Mondays at Summit Christian School at Newberry Park, 2800 13th St., Cuyahoga Falls. Email info@cfchorus.com, call Ted Shure at 330-920-8598 or visit www.leonardshure.com.

Derbytown A Cappella Men’s Chorus — Seeking new members to sing four-part harmony. Practices are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Fellowship Hall of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 50 N. Prospect St., Akron. Enter through Park Street Cloister entrance. 330-849-3372.

Dynamics Community Theater — Auditions for adults and children for Peter Pan will be held 6-8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday in the auditorium at Tallmadge High School, 140 N. Munroe Road. Those who want to audition should prepare a short monologue and 16 measures of a song. More information at www.dynamicstheater.org. Actors should also bring a wallet-size photo that will not be returned. Also needed are volunteers to build scenes and paint sets, design and sew costumes, apply makeup, work with the stage crew and more. For more information call Jim Smoot at 330-819-9286 or email info@dynamicstheater.org.

First Night Akron 2014 — Applications for performers for First Night Akron 2014 are online. Artist proposals include, but are not limited to: music, dance, theater, puppetry, film, visual art/installation art, interactive/participatory activities, strolling entertainers, literary/storytelling/poetry activities and make-and-take activities. The deadline for applications is July 26. For an application, go to www.firstnightakron.org/entertainment/artist-proposals.

Forever Harmony Singers of the Akron Area — Seeking women 16 or older to sing a cappella, four-part harmony from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays at the Tallmadge Oaks Club House, 120 North Ave. 330-784-2756 or 330-923-7438.

Friends Community Chorus — Rehearsals are held 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at the Brewster Friends Church, 139 W. Main St. Contact conductor Steven Tharp Jr. or secretary Brandy Vanegas at 330-418-4006 or send email to friendschorale@gmail.com.

Laurel Lake Encore Chorale — Seeking adults age 55 and older to join the 50-member chorale that performs a large range of musical styles. Participation is open to the public. Rehearsals are held on Tuesdays at 3 p.m. at Laurel Lake Retirement Community, 200 Laurel Lake Drive, Hudson. Call director Donna Anderson at 330-655-1436.

Wadsworth Community Band — Seeking new members on all instruments. No audition required. Rehearsals are 7-9:15 p.m. Thursdays in the Wadsworth Middle School band room. http://wadsworthcommunityband.com or 330-336-1290.

Wayne Center for the Arts Children’s Chorus — Auditions for the 2013-2014 Children’s Chorus season will be held on Saturday, Tuesday, and May 23 at the Wayne Center for the Arts, 237 S. Walnut St., Wooster. For first- or second-graders, no formal audition is required. Children will participate in one of three 45-minute group music times where they will play rhythm and note games and learn two simple songs to sing together. The group music times are between 10 and 10:45 a.m. on Saturday and between 5 and 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday and May 23. Call Wayne Center for the Arts at 330-264-2787 to schedule one 45-minute group music time. Current third- through eighth-graders will participate in a 15-minute audition. Audition times are: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and 5-8 p.m. Tuesday and May 23. Call Wayne Center for the Arts at 330-264-2787 to schedule an audition. Students will need to pick up an audition packet at the Arts Center before auditioning. Singers are required to prepare two songs for the audition: a solo song and a three-part round, both of which are included in the audition packet. The students will also perform note-reading of melodies and rhythms.

Need performers or behind-the-scenes specialists? Send details — two weeks before the date — to Auditions, Features Department, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640; fax 330-996-3033 or email newsroomemail@thebeaconjournal.com.

There will also be a gallery talk given by docents focusing on works from the museum’s collection and the points of view they represent.

“International Museum Day, celebrated throughout the world on or near May 18, emphasizes the essential role that museums play in their communities,” said Janice Driesbach, the museum’s interim director. “It provides opportunities for audiences to participate in wide-ranging programs offered by member museums and their community partners.”

Adding to the museum experience, Summit ArtSpace and the Akron-Summit County Main Library will also offer entertainment.

At Summit ArtSpace, just beyond the museum at 140 E. Market St., the Women’s Art League of Akron will present its 80th Anniversary Exhibition, Brushstrokes: Then & Now, from noon to 9 p.m. Some of the artist studios on the third floor may also be open for viewing and purchases. More information at www.SummitArtspace.org or 330-376-8480.

Also, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., the library will present Movies@Main in the High Street auditorium, featuring the four-time Oscar winner Life of Pi. Information at www.akronlibrary.org or 330-643-9000.

Art soirees

Art antiquities in the black market and a Steinway piano serenade in a garden setting are featured in this spring’s Arts-in-Residence Series offered by the University of Akron’s Fine Arts Division.

At 7:30 tonight, UA art historian Elisha Ann Dumser will discuss the antiquities market in Loot! Antiquities Collecting and the Black Market at the West Akron home of Rick and Alita Rogers. Dumsher will reveal how nearly all antiquities entering American collections over the past 40 years have emerged from illegal excavations, clandestine smuggling operations, and a thriving black market. She’ll also discuss objects in Northeast Ohio art collections. The evening will include desserts and an opportunity to explore the Rogers’ contemporary art collection.

“Steinway in Bloom,” co-hosted by Cynthia Knight and Fran Buchholzer, will be held at 6:30 p.m. June 7. The evening will begin with Lolly the Trolley transporting guests from the Akron General Medical Center Wellness Center in Bath Township to Cynthia Knight’s guesthouse in Bath. Guests will be served wine and other beverages while strolling the gardens. Following a full dinner catered by Splendid Fare, UA jazz pianist Joe Augustine will perform on a Steinway grand piano.

Tickets are $35 for tonight’s event, $60 for June 7 or $85 for both.

Proceeds will support programs for students in the visual and performing arts at UA and all registration fees are fully tax deductible.

Advance registration is required. Contact Cyndee Snider at 330-972-5196 or cyndee@uakron.edu for more information and to register.

Canton art walk

ArtsinStark in association with the Special Improvement District will launch the Canton Art Walk Series from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday. Similar to a First Friday, guests will be able to visit downtown art spots, restaurants, dance clubs and music-makers open for business.

Don’t like crowds? The VIP Art Encounter is your ticket to a personalized evening including dinner at Tozzi’s Restaurant in downtown Canton, an artists’ talk-back experience at Translations Gallery, dessert at a downtown bakery and a “savor the date” professional photo taken by J. Albert Studios.

Only 20 tickets will be sold at $60 each, which includes dinner, tip and all the extras.

To make a reservation, go to www.cantonartsdistrict.com. Future Canton Art Walks and VIP Art Encounters are planned for July 20 and Sept. 21.

Today

Free Art Talk — Happy Days Lodge, 500 W. Streetsboro Road, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, will present landscape photographer Stuart Pearl: Seeing Light, Patterns & Composition from 7 to 9 p.m. 330-657-2909 or www.cvps.org.

Friday

Art Extravaganza — Firestone High School, 333 Rampart Ave., Akron, will hold Art Extravaganza at 6 p.m. in the commons. More information at 330-873-3315 or www.akronschools.com.

Saturday

Showcase — The Akron Woman’s City Club, 732 W. Exchange St., will hold its 90th Anniversary Artisan Showcase from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 330-762-6261 or www.akronwomanscityclub.com.

Trolley Tour — The Summit County Historical Society will offer a 9 a.m. to noon Trolley Tour of 2012 Architectural Heritage Award Winners today. The tour is a collaborative program with the Preservation Alliance of Greater Akron. Meet at 9 a.m. at Akrona Gallery, 1765 W. Market St., for doughnuts and coffee. Seating is limited to 30 people; cost is $10 per person. Call 330-535-1120 to make a reservation.

Art Demo — Diane Talmadge will give a 1 to 3 p.m. free oil paint demo at Summit Artspace, 140 E. Market St., Akron. The event is being given by the Women’s Art League of Akron. 330-467-7972 or go to www.womensartleague.org.

Opening — A 5 to 7 p.m. free opening reception for Ebb & Flow will be held at the Peninsula Art Academy, 1600 W. Mill St. 330-657-2248 or www.peninsulaartacademy.com.

Digital Demos — The Medina County Arts Council, in cooperation with the Medina County Park District, will present a 10 a.m. to noon class in digital photography for youth in grades 4 and up at Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road, Sharon Center. Contact the Medina County Arts Council at 330-725-6443 to have a registration form sent to you, or download one from www.medinaartbuzz.blogspot.com. Class size is limited to 16 students. Class fee is $20. 330-725-6443.

Sunday

Landmark Homes Tour — From 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. the Cleveland Artist’s Foundation, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, will sponsor a series of guided tours through 12 of Northeast Ohio’s landmark homes. The oldest home on the tour was built in 1894 and the newest in 2012. Each is expressive of its era, the family who commissioned it, and the visionary architect who designed it. Tours are $35; $30 for members. Purchase the full series of tours for $150, $130 for members. There are still a few spots left on the tour. 216-227-9507.

Monday

Trolley Tour — Summit County Historical Society will hold a 7 p.m. Trolley Tour of Glendale Cemetery. The Summit County Historical Society and Metro Parks are collaborating for the free history hikes. Reservations are required. All hikes leave from the Akron History Exhibit at Lock 3. For more information, call 330-535-1120.

Wednesday

Opening Reception — Kent State University School of Art’s Downtown Gallery, 141 E. Main St., will present Capture: Photographs by Drew Smith Wednesday through June 15. The gallery will hold a 5 to 7 p.m. free opening reception May 23. For more information, call 330-676-1549 or email lsickle1@kent.edu.

Dorothy Shinn writes about art and architecture for the Akron Beacon Journal. Send information to her at the Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640 or dtgshinn@att.net.

African Safari Wildlife Park — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 267 Lightner Road, Port Clinton. Daily admission: $15.95; ages 3-6, $9.95; 2 or younger, free; $21.95, $12.95 Fridays and Saturdays. 800-521-2660. See and feed animals in a drive-through area. www.africansafariwildlifepark.com.

Akron Zoo — Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, 500 Edgewood Ave. Regular admission: $10; $8.50, seniors; $7, ages 2-14. 330-375-2550. www.akronzoo.org.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, 3900 Wildlife Way. Regular admission: $12.25; kids 2-11, $8.25. www.clemetzoo.com.

Rolling Ridge Ranch Animal Park — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 3961 Weaver Ridge Road, between Berlin and Walnut Creek. Feed animals from a guided horse-drawn wagon, $16.95, children and seniors, $11.95; or from your car, $10, $8 seniors, and $7 children 3-12. 330-893-3777 or visit www.visitrollingridge.com.

Hale Farm & Village — 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath Township. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays, June through August. Museum admission is $10, $5/child age 3-12. Western Reserve Historical Society members and children 2 and younger are free. For more information, call 330-666-3711 or go to www.halefarm.org.

Hower House Summer 2013 Exhibit Lady of the House: Life in the Mansion Through the Years — Exhibit will be open noon to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays June 26 through Sept. 14 at Hower House, 60 Fir Hill, University of Akron. $8, $6 seniors, $2 students. For more information, call 330-972-6909 or go to www.uakron.edu/howerhse.

J.E. Reeves Victorian Home and Carriage House Museum — Open for guided tours noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays from June 1 through Oct. 31 at 325 E. Iron Ave., Dover. $8, $7 seniors, $3 school-age children. For more information, call 330-343-7040 or go to www.doverhistory.org.

LaDue Reservoir Boathouse and Marina — Open sunrise to sunset May through Labor Day, at 17759 Valley Road, Auburn. Rowboat only: $20 per two hours; $40 all day, add an electric motor for $35 per two hours; $75 all day. The marina will also offer live bait, tackle, snacks and more. For information, call 440-834-0045.

Mogadore Boathouse and Marine — Open sunrise to sunset May through Labor Day, at 2578 State Route 43 in Mogadore. Boat rentals available daily. Rowboat only: $20 per two hours; $40 all day, add an electric motor for $35 per two hours; $75 all day. The marina will also offer live bait, tackle, snacks and more. For information, call 330-628-3343.

Oldies & Goodies Diner Car and Truck Cruise In — 641 Massillon Road, Akron. 1-5 p.m. Sundays throughout the summer. The cruise-in will offer music from the 50s and 60s with DJ Steve Kyer. For more information, call 330-733-3878.

Portage Lakes Cruises — Portage Lakes Cruises is a pontoon charter service, designed to give people access to “The Lakes.” Tour departure is from Craftsmen Park unless otherwise arranged. The park is at 4450 Rex Lake Road, Akron. Free parking available inside the park. Golf cart available if needed. Each excursion is customized to suit the passengers, and can accommodate up to eight passengers in a safe and friendly environment. Fees start at $35 per person. For more information, call 330-760-0270 or go to www.portagelakescruises.com.

Water Works Family Aquatic Center — Opening Day, May 25. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 25-27. Closed May 28-June 5. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. beginning June 6, weather permitting, at 2025 Munroe Falls Ave., Cuyahoga Falls. Zero depth pool for young swimmers; drop slides and water slides for older kids. Inner tubes available for rides down lazy river and cabanas can be rented. Daily rates: $12, $8 for seniors 60 plus and children 3-12; $7, $5 for residents with proof of residency. Free for all children 2 and under. 330-971-8433 or 330-971-8299.

Winery Tours — Saturday-Sept. 28 noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays at Gervasi Vineyard, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Tours are approximately 40 minutes long and start on the hour. Free. For more information, call 330-497-1000 or go to www.gervasivineyard.com.

St. Nicholas Balalaika Orchestra — 2 p.m. Sunday, Hudson Library & Historical Society, 96 Library St. The orchestra will perform an extensive program of romances, adaptations of the musical classics and folk dance music. Free. 330-653-6658, ext. 101 or www.hudsonlibrary.org.

BG Bree’s — Lori emcees karaoke at 9 tonight and Monday at 451 N. Main St.

Chuck’s Steakhouse — Derek DePrator, the J & C Project and Skinny Little Enemies play at 9 Friday; A Punch’s Pilot and Ashes of the Damned at 9 Saturday at 456 E. South St.

Corky’s Thomastown Cafe — DJ Glide emcees karaoke at 9:30 tonight, Friday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; Don’t Know, But They’re Good plays at 9:30 Saturday at 1131 S. Arlington St.

Getaway Pub — Fabulous Voices play at 9 Friday; Swizzle Stix at 9 Saturday; Vince Ruby at 7 Sunday; Charlie and the Poor Boys at 8 Wednesday at 1462 N. Portage Path.

Harvey Wallbangers — T-Condo plays at 8 Saturday at 1915 Brown St.

Johnny Malloy’s Sports Pub — Run Avril Run plays at 9 Saturday at 1954 Buchholzer Blvd.

KC’s Nashville Nights — Bringing Benatar plays at 9 Friday; Anything Goes at 9 Saturday; Barb emcees karaoke at 9 Wednesday at 88 W. Wilbeth Road.

Kevin O’Bryan’s Irish Pub — Dave Cordi emcees karaoke at 9:30 tonight at 1761 S. Main St.

Mickey’s in the Valley — 3 on the Tree plays at 10 Friday at 1310 Weathervane Lane.

Ohio Brewing Company — Colin John plays at 7 Friday at 451 S. High St.

Sand Bar — Wild Avenue plays at 9 Friday at 3822 S. Main St.

Square Night Club — DJ Robin at 11 Friday; DJ Darren at 11 Saturday; Kyle Jazz Trio plays at 8 Sunday; Gina emcees karaoke at 9:30 Wednesday at 820 W. Market St.

Tap House Concert Venue — Facelift plays at 9 Friday; Octane at 9 Saturday at 2215 E. Waterloo Road.

Tasty Jones — Steelheaders play at 9 tonight; Irv & Friends/open mic at 8:30 Wednesday at 1714 Merriman Road.

Varsity O Bar & Grill — Dave Cordi emcees karaoke at 8 Tuesday at 1895 Triplett Blvd.

EAST

Brew House — Cassie emcees karaoke at 10 tonight at 244 N. Water St., Kent.

Outpost — Ryan House plays at 8 Friday; Burgers & Breakdowns — Under a Dead Sky at 8 Saturday; Mike Lenz at 8:30 Wednesday at 4962 State Route 43, Kent.

Rico’s Restaurant Patio Bar — Dave Millard plays at 9 Friday at 1332 Tallmadge Road, Brimfield Township.

Town Centre Sports Bar & Grill — Ziggy and Joann emcee karaoke at 8 tonight and Friday; Rag Baby plays at 8:30 Saturday at 4112 Brimfield Plaza, Brimfield.

NORTH

The Basement — Red Neck Inc. plays at 9 Saturday at 480 W. Sagamore Road, Sagamore Hills.

Domenic’s Pub — Tommytune emcees karaoke at 9 Friday; Sue Minton plays at 9 Saturday at 2467 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls.

Novo Lounge at the Sheraton Suites — Peggy Coyle Trio plays at 8:30 Friday; Art Werk at 8 Saturday at 1989 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls.

On Tap — Bobby Martin emcees karaoke at 9:30 Friday, Saturday; Travelin’ Johnsons play at 7 Wednesday at 4396 Kent Road, Stow.

Otani’s Hudson — Road Home plays at 8 Saturday at 180 W. Streetsboro St., Hudson.

Sto-Kent Lanes Beach Club — Mark Shaffer emcees karaoke at 9 Friday and Saturday at 3870 Fishcreek Road, Stow.

Streets Tavern — DJ Roger emcees karaoke at 8 tonight at 9107 State Route 14, Streetsboro.

SOUTH

Dietz’s Landing — My Drunk’n Uncle plays at 8 Saturday at 401 W. Turkeyfoot Lake Road, New Franklin.

Jimmy’s Restaurant & Lounge — Teddy Tunes emcees karaoke at 7 Wednesday at 4262 Portage St. NW, Jackson Township.

Menches Brothers — Dave Cordi emcees karaoke at 7 Friday at 3700 Massillon Road, Green.

Prime 93 — Art Werk plays at 6:30 Friday; John Perry at 6:30 Saturday; Max at 6 Wednesday at 4315 Manchester Road, New Franklin.

Sadie Rene’s Nightclub — Hero plays at 9 Friday; Alternavox at 9 Saturday; Electric Jam Night with Sexy Sadie at 9 Wednesday at 7200 Whipple Ave. NW, Jackson Township.

356th Fighter Group — LaFlavour plays at 9 Friday; Aftermath Experience at 9 Saturday at 4919 Mount Pleasant Road, Green.

Upper Deck — Blue Eyed Soul at 6 Sunday at 357 Turkeyfoot Lake Road, New Franklin.

WEST

Barberton Liedertafel Card Club — Cliff emcees karaoke at 7 Friday at 191 Second St. NW, Barberton.

Galaxy Restaurant — Frankie & the Beans play at 7 tonight; Spicy Rhyme Trip at 9:30 Friday; Highway 61 at 8 Wednesday at 201 Park Centre Drive, Wadsworth.

Houston Pub — Open mic with Tom Ball at 7 Tuesday at 3069 Houston Road, Norton.

Hudson’s Restaurant — Danny Mazzocco Trio plays at 6 p.m. Friday at 3900 Medina Road, Fairlawn.

KC’s Sports Pub — Comedian Spencer James at 9 tonight at 346 Main St., Wadsworth.

On Tap — Chris Martin emcees karaoke at 9:30 Friday and Saturday; Scott Allan plays at 8:30 Wednesday at Acme Plaza, 3997 Medina Road, Bath Township.

On Tap — Bobby Martin emcees karaoke at 9 Friday at 2905 Medina Road, Medina.

Sweet Pea Cafe — Amethyst plays at 7 Friday; Iris Isadora at 7 Saturday at 117 Merz Blvd., Fairlawn.

CLEVELAND AREA

Barking Spider Tavern — Spoon Too Soon plays at 8 tonight; Hillbilly Idol at 10 tonight; George Foley & Friends at 5:30 Friday; Cuda at 8 Friday; Carlos Jones & P.L.U.S. Band at 10 Friday; Ray McNiece Open Poetry at 2 Saturday; Cats on Holiday at 6 Saturday; Rachel Brown & Beatnik Playboys at 8 Saturday; F.M. at 10 Saturday; Hot Jazz Seven at 1 Sunday; Xela at 4 Sunday; Katty Whomp Us at 6 Sunday; BDQ at 8 Sunday; Lost State of Franklin at 10 Sunday; Ragged & Ridiculous at 8 Monday; Wallace Coleman at 10 Monday; Savanna King at 8:30 Tuesday; Guy Pernetti at 10 Tuesday; Matt Harmon at 8 Wednesday; Boy = Girl at 10 Wednesday at 11310 Juniper Road, Cleveland.

Nighttown — Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express & Trinity play at 7 and 9 tonight, and 8 and 10 Friday and Saturday; Brian Charette Trio featuring Dan Wilson at 7 Tuesday; “It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll: A Tribute to the Rolling Stones” at 6 Wednesday at 12387 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights.

Wilbert’s Food & Music — Bill “Sauce Boss” Wharton plays at 8 tonight; Mary Cutrufello at 9 Friday; Ragged Glory, Swamps of Jersey, Ball & Chain, the Michael Weber Band, Threadfinger and Missin Link at 7 Saturday; Savannah King at 8 Wednesday at 812 Huron Road E., Cleveland.

Actors’ Summit — (Greystone Hall, 103 S. High St., Akron; 330-374-7568, www.actorssummit.org) Sean Christopher Lewis’ Manning Up opens Friday and continues through June 2. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. 2 p.m. May 25. $28, $25 seniors Thursdays and Sundays; $30 Saturdays and opening night; $28 Fridays. Full time students with ID under the age of 30 can attend any performance for $9. Preview performance 8 tonight, $19.

Beck Center Youth Theater — (Mackey Main Stage, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood; 216-521-2540, ext. 10, www.beckcenter.org) Final performances of Bye Bye Birdie, 7:30 p.m. Friday; 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $12, $10, 18 or younger.

Cleveland Play House — (PlayhouseSquare’s Allen Theatre, 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland; 216-241-6000, www.playhousesquare.org) Final performances of Rich Girl, 7:30 tonight-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $49-$69, $15 for students under 25 with ID.

Coach House Theatre — (732 W. Exchange St., Akron; 330-434-7741, www.coachhousetheatre.com) The Fox on the Fairway continues through June 2. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. $18.

Coshocton Footlight Players — (Triple Locks Theater, 411 Hydraulic Ave. No. 551, Coshocton; 740-622-2959, www.footlightplayers.com) Final performances of Nunsense, 8 tonight-Saturday. $10, $5 students through 12th grade.

Dobama Theatre — (2340 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights; 216-932-3396, http://dobama.org) Final performances of The Lyons, 7:30 tonight, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $26, $24 seniors on Friday and Saturday; $21, $19 seniors tonight and Sunday.

The New World Children’s Theatre — (African Community Theatre, Terrace Drive, Kent State University; 330-673-4970) It’s a Sofa! at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. $5, $3 seniors and students.

PlayhouseSquare’s Hanna Theatre — (2067 E. 14th St., Cleveland; 216-241-6000) Guys & Dolls continues through June 30. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays. $10-$67.

Voices of Canton Inc. — (Lions Lincoln Theatre, 156 Lincoln Way E., Massillon; 330-455-1000, www.voicesofcanton.org) The Music Man full show in concert version, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. $20-$25, $15 students.

Weathervane Playhouse — (Founders Theater stage, 1301 Weathervane Lane, Akron; 330-836-2626) Final performances of The 39 Steps, 7:30 tonight, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Regular tickets are $21, with $19 senior tickets tonight and Sunday.

Funny Stop Comedy Club — Mike Polk, 8:30 tonight; Lou Santini, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; Nathan Timmel, 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 1757 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls. $5 and up. Nathan Timmel, May 23-25. Cal Verducci, May 28-June 1. 330-923-4700.

Hilarities 4th Street Theatre — Dom Irrera, 8 tonight, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday; Colin Kane, 8 p.m. Wednesday, 2035 E. Fourth St., Cleveland. Colin Kane, May 23-26. Bobby Collins, May 30-June 1. $8 and up. All shows 21 or older. www.pickwickandfrolic.com or 216-241-7425.

Improv — Rod Paulette, 7:30 tonight; Earthquake, 7:30 and 10:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday, Sugar Warehouse, 1148 Main Ave., Cleveland Flats. $8 and up. Alex Ortiz, May 23-25. Courtney Gee, May 26. Rod Paulette, May 30. Mo’Nique, May 31-June 1. Reservations: 216-696-4677.

Akron Baroque Goes Rococo — 7:30 tonight, First Congregational Church, 292 E. Market St., Akron. Free. 330-253-5109 or www.akronbaroque.org.

Patti Austin: Music of Ella and Ellington — 8 p.m. Saturday, Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. A tribute to jazz greats Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. $35-$80, students $10. 216-231-1111, 800-686-1141 or www.clevelandorchestra.com.

Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra — 3 p.m. Sunday, Cuyahoga Community College Western Campus Theater, 11000 W. Pleasant Valley Road, Parma. Featuring: Victor Liva, conductor; and Spencer Myer, piano. Program: Beethoven, Overture to Fidelio; Rachmaninoff, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini; and Dvorak, Symphony No. 9, From the New World. $12, $8 seniors, and $6 students. 216-556-1800 or www.clevephil.org.

7th Annual Three High School Music Festival — 4 p.m. Sunday, Fairlawn Lutheran Church, 3415 W. Market St. Featuring: Revere, Firestone and Copley-Fairlawn high school choirs. For more information, call 330-836-7286.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History — Exhibits on display through Sept. 1 are Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived; and Sharkabet: A Sea of Sharks from A to Z. Museum is at 1 Wade Oval Drive. Admission is $12 adults, $10 ages 3-18, college students and seniors, and free for children 2 or younger. www.cmnh.org.

The Akron Roundtable Presents Ken Babby — Noon today at Quaker Station, 135 N. Broadway, Akron. Ken Babby, owner and chief executive officer of the Akron Aeros, will present A Whole New Ballgame. $20. For tickets, go to www.akronroundtable.org.

Spring Midwest Willys Reunion — Noon Friday, 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Clarion Inn and Conference Center, 6625 Dean Memorial Parkway, Hudson. Show and swap meet will feature about 80 Jeeps from 1941 to present day with an emphasis on Willys Jeeps from 1945 to 1965. Show will also feature vendors selling old and new Jeep parts, food and other items. Saturday events include lectures by Jeep experts, a banquet and a presentation by Derek Redmond, a professor of film studies at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, who runs the CJ3B website www.film.queensu.ca/cJ3B that is dedicated to a popular Jeep model. Admission to the show and swap meet is $5, free for children 12 or younger. Cost to register to participate in the show is $15. More information at www.midwestwillysreunion.org/smwwr130Ohio.htm.

Fancy Nancy Tea Party — 1 p.m. today at Canal Fulton Public Library, 154 Market St. NE. Children ages 3-5, accompanied by an adult. Dress in your fanciest outfit for a story, craft, activities and refreshments. Free. To register, call 330-854-4148.

Polish American Club Fish Fry — 4:30-8 p.m. Friday at Polish American Club, 472 E. Glenwood Ave., Akron. Starting at $7.95. 330-253-0496.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park Lyceum Lecture Series Presents Lee Murdock — Doors open at 6 p.m. Friday at Happy Days Lodge, 500 W. Streetsboro Road, Boston Heights. Lee Murdock will commemorate the bicentennial of the Battle of Lake Erie. $6, $3 children ages 3-12. For tickets call 330-657-2909.

Ohio State Reformatory Ghost Hunts — Friday at Ohio State Reformatory, 100 Reformatory Road, Mansfield. Ghost hunts offer an overnight experience for those with serious interest in paranormal activity. $70; proceeds go to restore the structure. www.mrps.org.

A New Adventure Widows & Widowers social group — 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Eat’ N Park, 200 Howe Ave., Cuyahoga Falls. 330-929-5430 or 330-630-9275.

Unattached Seniors — 9 a.m. Saturday at Waterloo Restaurant, 423 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. 330-644-6624.

A New Beginning Social Group for Widows and Widowers — 9 a.m. Saturday at Thano’s Restaurant, 71 Fifth St. SE, Barberton. 330-745-6239.

Summit County Historical Society Trolley Tour of Architectural Heritage Awards Sites — 9 a.m. Saturday. The tour will leave Akrona Galleries, 1765 W. Market St., Akron, at 9:30 a.m. and return at noon. The tour will travel between Akron, Peninsula and Hudson. Cost is $10 per person. Seating is limited to the first 30 paid participants. For reservations, call 330-535-1120.

Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine: The Go Go Thomas Tour 2013 — 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and May 24-26 at Boston Mills Ski Resort, 7100 Riverview Road, Boston Township. Tickets are $18. For tickets, call 866-468-7630 or go to www.ticketweb.com/thomas.html.

Artisan Showcase — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 18 at Akron Woman’s City Club, 732 W. Exchange St. Come and shop for spring items, jewelry, purses, accessories, cards, floral arrangements, chocolate and other candy and much more. Admission is $5. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Battered Women’s Shelter.

Akron’s Third Annual K-9 Challenge — 10 a.m. Saturday at Lock 3 Park, 200 S. Main St., Akron. Teams of sleek, lean, highly trained K-9 law enforcement personnel will take over Lock 3 Park, demonstrating methods for attacking bad guys. Free. For more information, call 330-441-2493.

Journey to Norway — 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Akron-Summit County Public Library Green branch, 4046 Massillon Road, Uniontown. Brian Salmon, a Tallmadge branch staff member, will lead a program that includes a look at culture, language, history and food. Free. 330-896-9074.

STEM Showcase and Book Fair — 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 4015 Medina Road, Akron. Featured in the STEM Showcase will be robots built by STEM high school engineering students, Shakespearean Readers Theatre, the STEM High School choir and talent show performers and a presentation from members of Health Professionals Affinity Community. For more information, call 330-761-7965.

Hoover-Price Planetarium Shows — 1 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays at McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW, Canton. Citizen Science May 4 through July 7. 330-455-7043.

Canton Art Walk — 6-10 p.m. Saturday. The Canton Arts Walk Series will find all the downtown arts spots, restaurants, dance clubs and music makers open for business. For more information, go to www.cantonarts
district.com.

Canal Fulton Players: A Night of Music and Comedy — 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Canal Fulton United Methodist Church, 363 W. Maple St. Featuring silent auction and dessert bar. $8. 330-494-1022 or 330-854-4387.

23rd annual Anna Dean Farm Walking Tour — 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Piggery at 248 E. Robinson Ave., Barberton. A guided tour of the historical buildings of the Anna Dean Farm, including the interior of six of the Anna Dean Farm barns. The tour is free. For more information, go to www.annadeanfarm.com.

Emeraldalicious Tea Party — 2 p.m. Sunday, Learned Owl Book Shop, 204 N. Main St., Hudson. Featuring stories, activities and treats. Free, but reservations are required. Call 330-653-2252.

Little Miss Fashionetta Pageant — 2 p.m. Sunday at St. George’s Family Center, 3204 Ridgewood Road, Copley Township. Sponsored by the PEARL Foundation, an affiliate of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Zeta Theta Omega Chapter. Tickets are $30, $15 for children. 330-666-2596.

Dessert Buffet and Music Program — 2 p.m. Monday at McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW, Canton. Director of Education Christopher Kenney will present Music of the Roaring ’20s. Cost is $8. For reservations, call 330-455-7043.

Summit County Songwriters Circle Monthly Workshop — 7 p.m. Monday at Quirk Cultural Center, 1201 Grant Ave., Cuyahoga Falls. For more information, go to www.songwriter
summit.com.

Hudson Society of Artists — 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Barlow Community Center, 41 S. Oviatt St., Hudson. Guest watercolor demonstration by Sharon Borrer. 330-342-3303.

Carovillese Club Spaghetti Dinner — 4-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Carovillese Club, 570 E. Cuyahoga Falls Ave., Akron. $6 to $8.25. 330-929-6767.

Widows & Widowers (SOS) Starting Over Socially Dinner Meeting — 6 p.m. Tuesday at Courtyard by Marriott, 4375 Metro Circle NW, Jackson Township. Participants pay for their meals. Reservations required. For more information, call Norma at 330-452-5889 or Bernie at 330-477-5325.

Old Time, Celtic and Bluegrass Music Jam — 7-10 p.m. Tuesday at the College of Wooster, in the college snack bar, Mom’s Truck Stop, Lowry Center, Wooster. The College of Wooster Scottish Arts Society along with local community players sponsor musical jam sessions where guests may sit in. Information: Kim Tapie, 330-345-5208, or Charlene Adzima, 330-263-6504.

Summit County Historical Society Perkins Stone Mansion Tours — 1-3 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at Perkins Stone Mansion, 550 Copley Road, Akron. $6, $4 seniors, $2 students. 330-535-1120 or go to www.summithistory.org.

A New Adventure Widows and Widowers social group — 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Dinner and conversation. Call for location, 330-630-9275 or 330-929-5430.

A New Beginning — 6 p.m. Wednesday. A social group for widows and widowers. For restaurant location and information, 330-745-6239.

Mike Gentry and the River City Jazz Band — 7 p.m. Saturday, Robert Hall in Queen of Heaven Parish Life Center, 1800 Steese Road, Green. $10. 330-896-2345.

Jazz and Wine Total Experience “Spring Caribbean Island Night” — Doors open 7 p.m. Saturday, Holiday Inn Akron West, 4073 Medina Road, Bath Township. With Saxophonist Shelby Brown. $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For tickets, call Carla at 330-554-3481 or go to www.livemusicsets.com.

Helen Welch — 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Pub Bricco, 1841 Merriman Road, Akron. 330-869-0035.

2. The Great Gatsby, $50,085,184, 3,535 locations, $14,168 average, $50,085,184, one week.

3. Pain & Gain, $5,001,029, 3,303 locations, $1,514 average, $41,609,229, three weeks.

4. Peeples, $4,611,534, 2,041 locations, $2,259 average, $4,611,534, one week.

5. 42, $4,588,209, 2,930 locations, $1,566 average, $84,670,088, five weeks.

6. Oblivion, $4,114,665, 2,770 locations, $1,485 average, $81,906,280, four weeks.

7. The Croods, $3,609,028, 2,650 locations, $1,362 average, $173,224,505, eight weeks.

8. Mud, $2,535,642, 854 locations, $2,969 average, $8,555,621, three weeks.

9. The Big Wedding, $2,490,362, 2,298 locations, $1,084 average, $18,278,053, three weeks.

10. Oz the Great and Powerful, $1,078,233, 774 locations, $1,393 average, $230,260,553, 10 weeks.

The listing is ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters and total box office receipts, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com.

It’s been a decade since Akron opened Lock 3, and in that time (according to the city’s figures), the park’s events have drawn more than 2 million people to downtown Akron. I remember shortly after I arrived in Akron in 2002 (yikes!) I talked to more than a few Akronites who believed that nothing short of a line of city officials handing out free bags of cash to passers-by would bring folks back to Akron’s dangerous, depressing financially and spiritually dead downtown.

Well, it’s 10 years later and downtown Akron may not have become the ultra-hip yuppie haven of which some dreamed, and restaurants and bars seem best equipped to survive the lean season (you know, when the college kids go away for summer). But the eyeball test says it’s certainly closer to a destination spot — or at least contains more viable destinations — than the ghost town it was when I arrived here.

This year, Lock 3 Live, which starts up May 24, will continue its standard groove with the free WONE (97.5-FM)-sponsored tribute bands (of which you Ohioans can’t seem to get enough) often with a local opening band every Friday night.

The lineup contains many of the usual suspects including season opener Evil Ways, a tribute to Carlos Santana, along with local blues rockers the Juke Hounds.

Other tribute bands include ersatz versions of classic rockers (and Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Buffett) such as Bon Jovi (Bad Medicine, June 7), ZZ Top (Sharp Dressed Men, June 28), the Beatles (the beloved 1964 the Tribute, July 12), Van Halen (Atomic Punks, July 26), U2 (Elevation, July 5), Queen (Simply Queen, July 19), Aerosmith (the officially endorsed Draw the Line, Aug. 16), Journey (Separate Ways, Aug. 17) and, of course, Led Zeppelin tribute ZOSO (Aug. 30).

There are also a few new and interesting entries such as the awesomely named Thunderbox, the All-Girl Tribute to the Best of Metal, and the Prince Experience, which from what I can glean, focuses on Purple Rain-era Prince complete with the Revolution and a Morris Day impersonator.

This season also sees the return of Old School Soul on June 29 featuring a double shot of R&B bands headlined by the surprisingly oft-covered and sampled Rose Royce who brought us Car Wash and had its songs Wishing on a Star, I'm Going Down and Love Don't Live Here Anymore, covered by Jay-Z, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and Madonna.

Also on the bill are veteran Brooklyn funksters Brass Construction, known for hip shaking, horn heavy grooves such as its 1976 No. 1 hit Movin' and its sound-a-like follow-up Changin’ and the simmering Message. Brass Construction never crossed over to the pop charts but the band was well known to R&B aficionados in the mid-’70s through the mid-1980s.

From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 21 will be the 33rd Akron African-American Festival which has been around since 1980 but has only been a part of the Lock 3 Live schedule for a couple of years.

There will be music throughout the day but the festival's headliner is Zapp, who even without the late mastermind Roger Troutman is still a pretty good live band.

If that’s not enough R&B bands, then head back downtown on Aug. 24 for an evening with ’70s/’80s group Cameo who across its 40-year career has suggested listeners Shake Your Pants, told us about the Single Life and Candy and to watch out for an Alligator Woman and helped make the phrase Word Up part of the ’80s zeitgeist.

There will also be the sixth and final Keepers of the Art-sponsored Akron Hip Hop showcase. No acts have been announced yet, but I hope the KOA guys plan to go out with a big splash.

For jazzbos and bluesbos (I just made that up!), beginning on July 10 through Sept. 5, will be the Lock Bottom Blues & Jazz Club (actually just the area adjacent to Lock 3) where every Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. folks can check out some local jazz and blues bands.

Among the 10 bands are season opener Wanda Hunt, supremely talented local jazz guitarist Dan Wilson and his group (July 24), North Canton jazz trio Esto Jazz (Aug. 21), original blues band Rooster Jones fronted by powerful singer Dorianne Denard (July 31) and Cleveland jazz octet Blue Lunch (Aug. 28).

For 2013, Lock 3 Live has expanded its schedule to include Gospel Sundays beginning July 28 with the St. John CME Inspirational Choir followed by the Exalting Him Choir, Henry Dunns’ Road to Glory on the Road, Carla Davis featuring Ken McCorvey and Friends, the House of the Lord Choir and wrapping up on Sept. 1 with the Mount Calvary Baptist Church Choir.

One thing I’ve learned and appreciate about Ohioans is that when the weather turns nice, they tend to immediately get up and out. It’s as if they know at any moment Mother Nature might change her fickle mind.

If you’ve never been to a Lock 3 Live event, it’s worth picking out one or two and may I suggest one of the food-oriented major events such as the eighth annual Hamburger Festival Aug. 17-18, the 66th annual Italian-American Festival the July 12th weekend or the city of Akron’s Rib, White and Blue Festival on Fourth of July weekend, to make the trek downtown to check them out. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Point your Googlebox to www.lock3live.com for more details on specific shows.

Malcolm X Abram can be reached at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3758. Read his blog, Sound Check Online, at www.ohio.com/blogs/sound-check, or follow him on Twitter @malcolmxabram.

AT ANY PRICE — HH

(R — sexual content, including a strong graphic image, language) Director Ramin Bahrani is working on an American Gothic canvas with a half-dozen recognizable actors and some big-picture themes about the plight of the 21st-century farmer, as told through the perspective of a Willy Loman-esque character and his dysfunctional family. It’s beautifully photographed and solidly acted, but it’s all over the place. With Dennis Quaid, Zac Efron, Red West. 1 hour, 45 minutes.

Cedar Lee

BLACK ROCK — Not rated

(R — some strong violence, pervasive language, sexual references and brief graphic nudity) Three childhood friends set aside their personal issues and reunite for a girls’ weekend on a remote island off the coast of Maine. One wrong move turns their weekend getaway into a deadly fight for survival. With Kate Bosworth, Lake Bell and Katie Aselton. 1 hour, 21 minutes.

Tower City Cinemas

THE ICEMAN — HHH

(R — strong violence, pervasive language, some sexual content) The true story of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man. When finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife nor daughters have any clue about his real profession. With Michael Shannon, Ray Liotta and Winona Ryder. 1 hour, 45 minutes.

Cedar Lee, Valley View 24

IN THE HOUSE — Not rated

(R — sexual content, language) A 16-year-old boy insinuates himself into the house of a fellow student from his literature class and writes about it in essays for his teacher. Faced with this gifted and unusual pupil, the teacher rediscovers his enthusiasm for his work, but the boy’s intrusion will unleash a series of uncontrollable events. In French with subtitles. 1 hours, 45 minutes.

Cedar Lee

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS — HHH

(PG-13 — intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence) The action is grander, the stakes are higher and the camaraderie funnier in director J.J. Abrams’ second outing into Star Trek territory. The story sends Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the rest of the crew of the USS Enterprise on the trail of a terrorist (Benedict Cumberbatch) who has declared war on the Federation. 2 hours, 12 minutes.

Capitol Theatre, Carnation Cinema, Cinemark Aurora 10, Garrettsville Cinemas, Great Oaks Cinema, Hudson Cinema 10, Independence 10, Interstate Park 18, Lake 8, Macedonia 15, Massillon 12, Montrose 12, Regal Medina 16, Shaker Square Cinemas, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, Wooster 10, Magic City Drive-In, Midway Twin Drive-In

Playing through 
next week

42 — HHH

(PG-13 — thematic elements including language) The life story of Jackie Robinson, the first black player in Major League Baseball, and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of Branch Rickey. 2 hours, 8 minutes.

ADMISSION — HH½

(PG-13 for language and some sexual material) A strait-laced Princeton admissions officer visiting an alternative high school run by a former college classmate is caught off guard when she meets a gifted young man who might be the son she gave up for adoption years ago. With Tina Fey, Paul Rudd and Michael Sheen. Written by Karen Croner. Directed by Paul Weitz. 1 hour, 47 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

THE BIG WEDDING — Not rated

(R — strong language, adult themes and brief nudity) A divorced couple (Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton) pretend to still be married for their adopted son’s wedding. 1 hour, 30 minutes.

THE CALL — Not rated

(R — violence, disturbing content and some language) Halle Berry plays a 911 operator who takes a call from an abducted teenager and must confront a killer from her own past to save the girl’s life. 1 hour, 38 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP — HH½

(R — language) Robert Redford plays a former 1970s radical who now has an 11-year-old daughter and is living a quiet life under an assumed name when his past comes back to haunt him. 2 hours, 5 minutes. Showing only at Cedar Lee, Cleveland Heights. 440-349-3306.

THE CROODS — HH½

(PG — some scary action) In this animated film, a prehistoric family embarks on a journey to find a new home after their cave is destroyed. It has a strong, star-studded cast and dazzles visually in wondrously colorful, vibrant 3-D, but the script doesn’t pop off the screen quite so effectively. With the voices of Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone and Catherine Keener. 1 hour, 32 minutes.

ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH — Not rated

(PG — some mild rude humor, action) Sarah Jessica Parker, Sofia Vergara, Brendan Fraser and Ricky Gervais provide the voices for this animated comedy about an astronaut who answers a distress call hailing from a highly dangerous planet. 1 hour, 29 minutes. Showing only at Interstate Park Cinemas 18. 330-644-0414.

EVIL DEAD (2013) — HH½

(R — strong bloody violence and gore, some sexual content and language) Young people gather in a remote cabin to help one of them kick her substance-abuse problem. But someone finds the dusty Book of the Dead, and a demon is unleashed. This remake of the Sam Raimi horror classic ramps up the gore. 1 hour, 32 minutes. Showing only at Valley View 24. 216-447-8820.

THE GATEKEEPERS — Not rated

(PG-13 — violence, adult themes) Six former directors of the Shin Bet, the Israeli counterterrorism agency charged with keeping their nation secure, sit before the camera and reflect with striking candor on what went wrong, fateful decisions that backfired, and the iron-fisted strategies that brought about more violence, not less. 1 hour, 37 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION — HH

(PG-13 — intense sequences of combat violence and martial arts action throughout, and for brief sensuality and language) The G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within their own government after they are framed for crimes against the country. 1 hour, 50 minutes. Showing only at Interstate Park Cinemas 18. 330-644-0414.

THE GREAT GATSBY — HHH

(PG-13 — some violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying, brief language) Leonardo DiCaprio stars as the party-loving millionaire living the high life in 1920s New York. Tobey Maguire is the aspiring author from the Midwest who starts hanging out with the rich crowd. 2 hours, 23 minutes.

THE HOST — HH½

(PG-13 — some sensuality and violence) Based on a new novel by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga, The Host is about a time in the not-distant future when human minds have been colonized by an alien race called “Souls.” Saoirse Ronan stars as a human whose original mind has somehow survived and co-occupies the space with a Soul mind. 2 hours, 5 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

IDENTITY THIEF — HH½

(R — sexual content, language) Jason Bateman goes on a road trip to find the woman (Melissa McCarthy) who has stolen his identity and wrecked his life in the process. Directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses). 1 hour, 50 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

IRON MAN 3 — HHH

(PG-13 — sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, brief suggestive content) Playboy industrialist and armored superhero Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is brought to the brink of destruction by a new enemy known as the Mandarin. With Robert Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley, Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle. 2 hours, 10 minutes.

JACK THE GIANT SLAYER — HH½

(PG-13 — intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images, brief language) This riff on the old Jack and the Beanstalk fable stars Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies) as a young man battling hordes of CGI giants. Directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men), which gives us hope there’s more here than dull, Clash of the Titans-style crash and bang. 1 hour, 54 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

JURASSIC PARK 3D — HHH

(PG-13 — language, dinosaur violence) Scientists figure out a way to clone dinosaurs and bring back 15 species, including a very angry Tyrannosaurus Rex. Things go bad. The 3-D isn’t even necessary; just enjoy one of Spielberg’s best movies. 2 hours, 6 minutes.

MUD — Not rated

(PG-13 — some violence, sexual references, language, thematic elements and smoking) Two boys find a fugitive hiding out on an island in the Mississippi River and pledge to help him reunite with his girl and escape. 2 hours, 10 minutes.

OBLIVION — HH½—

(PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, brief strong language, and some sensuality) A man living on a post-apocalyptic Earth rescues a woman from a spacecraft crash and begins to question the official history he has been told all this time. 2 hours, 4 minutes.

OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN — H½

(R — strong violence and language throughout) A disgraced Secret Service agent (Gerard Butler) finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack; using his inside knowledge, he works with national security to rescue the president from his kidnappers. 1 hour, 59 minutes.

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL — HHH

(PG — sequences of action, scary images, brief mild language) A small-time circus magician finds himself hurled from Kansas to the fantastical land of Oz, where he tries to transform himself into a great wizard. With James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams. 2 hours, 10 minutes.

PAIN & GAIN—— HH½

(R — bloody violence, crude sexual content, nudity, language throughout and drug use) A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. 2 hours, 4 minutes.

PEEPLES — HH

(PG-13 — sexual content, drug material, language) Craig Robinson (TV’s The Office) crashes the eponymous family’s annual gathering in the Hamptons to propose to their daughter (Kerry Washington). 1 hour, 35 minutes.

SAFE HAVEN — HH

(PG-13 — thematic material involving threatening behavior, violence, sexuality) Newly arrived in a small town in North Carolina, a guarded young woman (Julianne Hough) begins opening up to a widowed store owner and father of two (Josh Duhamel), but soon her dark past begins to catch up with her. 1 hour, 55 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

SCARY MOVIE V — Not rated

(PG-13 — crude and sexual content throughout, language, some drug material, partial nudity, comic violence and gore) A couple experience paranormal activity after bringing their newborn son home from the hospital. With the help of home-surveillance cameras and a team of experts, they learn they’re being stalked by a demon. 1 hour, 25 minutes.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK — HHH½

(R — language, some sexual content/nudity) After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious woman with problems of her own. 2 hours, 2 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

SNITCH — HH½

(PG-13 — drug content, sequences of violence) Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as a father who goes undercover for the DEA to clear the name of his wrongfully accused son. 1 hour, 52 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

TYLER PERRY’S TEMPTATION: CONFESSIONS OF A MARRIAGE COUNSELOR — H½

(PG-13 — some violence, sexuality and drug content) An ambitious married woman’s affair with her new client, a billionaire social media mogul, leads to betrayal and recklessness. 1 hour, 51 minutes. Showing only at Valley View, 24, Valley View. 216-447-8820.

WRECK–IT RALPH — HHH½

(PG — some rude humor, mild action, violence) Tired of playing the bad guy, a disgruntled video game character embarks on a journey to prove he has what it takes to be a hero. With the voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch. 1 hour, 38 minutes. Showing only at Cinemark Movies 10, Jackson Township. 330-497-9118.

The Fleeting Ends, 8 p.m. Saturday, $8-$10.

Beachland Ballroom and Tavern — (15711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland; 216-383-1124, www.beachlandball
room.com)

Joe Robinson, 8 tonight, with Scarlet & the Harlots, $10.

Northeast Ohio Drum & Music Jam, 9 tonight, free.

Sean Carney Big Band, 8:30 p.m. Friday, with Blue Lunch and Steev Inglish, $10.

Circus Circus - Burlesque & Vaudeville, 9 p.m. Friday, with Santori Circus, Lushes La Moan, Bella Sin, Le Femme Mystique Burlesque and more, $15.

Futurebirds, 9 p.m. Saturday, with Diarrhea Planet and Lost Jon & the Ghosts, $10.

The Thermals, 9 p.m. Saturday, with Total Babes and the Safeties, $13.

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, 8:30 Sunday, with Xenia Rubinos and Healing Power, $8.

Laura Stevenson, 8:30 p.m. Monday, with Field Mouse and Leah Lou & the 2 Left Shoes, $12.

A Great Big World, 8 p.m. Tuesday, with Julia Nunes and Rebecca Haviland, $10.

Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, 9 p.m. Tuesday, with Rodney & the Regulars, $12.

Bonesetters, 8 p.m. Wednesday, with Regular Shoulders, $8.

Community of Believers — (2543 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls; 330-928-5134).

Phil Keaggy, 7 p.m. Saturday, with Adam Cord, $20 in advance, $25 day of show.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park — (Hines Hill Conference Center, 1403 W. Hines Hill Road, Peninsula; 330-657-2909)

Todd Burge, doors open 6:30 p.m. Sunday, with Ed Caner, $8, $6 for Conservancy members.

Grog Shop — (2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights; 216-321-5588)

Pete Holmes, doors open 7 tonight, $18.

JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, doors open 10 tonight, $10.

El Ten Eleven, doors open 8 p.m. Friday, $10.

Happy Dog — (5801 Detroit Ave., Cleveland; 216-651-9474, www.happy
dogcleveland.com)

VietNam, 8:30 p.m. Friday, $5.

Home and Garden, 10 p.m. Saturday, with Sosumi and XXX Super Arcade, $5.

House of Blues Cleveland — (308 Euclid Ave.; 800-598-8703, www.live
nation.com)

Flying Lotus, doors open 7:30 tonight, $25.

Juicy J, doors open 7 p.m. Wednesday, with A$AP Ferg, $22 in advance.

The Kent Stage — (175 E. Main St.; 330-677-5005, www.thekentstage.com)

The SteelDrivers, 8 p.m. Friday, $23.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland — (11400 Euclid Ave.; 216-421-8671, www.MOCAcleveland.org)

Morgan Mecaskey, 7 p.m. Friday, free.

Musica — (51 E. Market St., Akron; 330-374-1114)

I Don’t Give a Damn, 8 tonight, with Michael Vincent Trio. $6.

Peabody’s — (2045 E. 21st St., Cleveland; 216-776-9999; www.peabodys.com)

For the Fallen Dreams, doors open 6 tonight, with VHundreth, Upon this Dawning, Gideon and Sworn In, $14.

Wednesday 13, doors open 7 p.m. Friday, with Vampires Everywhere, $10 in advance, $13 day of show.

The Approach & the Execution, 7 p.m. Saturday, $6.

Pirate’s Cove — (2045 E. 21st St., Cleveland; 216-776-9999)

Darling Waste, doors open 6 p.m. Saturday, $8 in advance, $10 day of show.

PlayhouseSquare PALACE Theatre — (1615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland; 216-241-6000, www.playhousesquare.org)

Jackie Evancho, 7:30 tonight, $35-$95.

Shalersville Town Hall — (State routes 44 and 303, Shalersville Township; 330-325-7867)

Bluegrass Music, doors open 6 p.m. Saturday, with Coney Carver & the Rainbow Valley Boys, Beyond Calvary and Caney Creek.

THE UNDERDOG — (5801 Detroit Ave., Cleveland; 216-651-9474, www.happy
dogcleveland.com)

Sam Harmon, 10 p.m. Saturday, with Greenland’er, and Librarian, $5.

Winchester Music Hall — (12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood; 216-226-5681)

Jethro Tull Tribute - Minstrels in the Gallery, 9 p.m. Friday, $10.

Grant-Lee Phillips, 9 p.m. Saturday, with Robert Lloyd Peeples, $15.

Akron-Summit County Main Library — (Auditorium, 60 S. High St., Akron; 330-643-9015) Life of Pi, 6:30 tonight. Free.

Capitol Theatre — (1390 W. 65th St., Cleveland; 440-528-0355) Humanoids From the Deep, midnight Saturday. $5. Leviathan, 7 p.m. Tuesday. $9.

Cedar Lee Theatre — (2163 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights; 440-349-3306) The Fruit Hunters, 7 tonight and 11 a.m. Saturday. $9 tonight and $6 Saturday.

Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque — (Aitken Auditorium, 11141 East Blvd.; 216-421-7450) The Seventh Continent, 6:45 tonight, 9:20 p.m. Friday; The Kid With a Bike, 8:50 tonight, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Early Spring, 5 p.m. Saturday, 8:40 p.m. Sunday; Caesar Must Die, 7:45 p.m. Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Sunday; 11 Flowers, 9:20 p.m. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Sunday. $8; $13 for two films a day.

Cleveland Museum of Art — (11150 East Blvd.; 888-262-0033) Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, 7 p.m. Friday; The Law in These Parts, 7 p.m. Wednesday. $8; $6 members; $5, seniors; $4, students.

Kent Stage — (175 E. Main St.; 330-677-5005) The Rocky Horror Picture Show, midnight Saturday. $7, $5 if in costume.

Omnimax Theater at the Great Lakes Science Center — (601 Erieside Ave., Cleveland; 216-694-2000) Tornado Alley, noon, 2 and 4 p.m. today-Wednesday; The Living Sea, 1 and 3 p.m. today and Friday, 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 1 and 3 p.m. Monday-Wednesday. $9.50; $7.50 under 18. Center/theater combination tickets, $12.95 and $8.95.

Palace Theatre — (605 Market Ave. N., Canton; 330-454-8172) Silent Film: The Son of the Sheik, 7 p.m. Sunday. $10.

Shaker Square Cinema — (13116 Shaker Square, Cleveland; 440-564-2032) Rockshow: From the Wings Over America Tour, 7 tonight. $12.50.

Ginny Blackmore — Doors open 7 p.m. June 10, House of Blues Cleveland, 308 Euclid Ave. $10 in advance. 800-598-8703 or www.livenation.com.

All-City Musical Presents Ragtime — 7:30 p.m. June 14, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. June 15, Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St. $10, $20 and $25. 330-253-2488 or www.akroncivic.com.

Mac Miller: The Space Migration Tour — Doors open 7 p.m. July 24, House of Blues Cleveland, 308 Euclid Ave. With Earl Sweatshirt, Chance the Rapper, Vince Staples and the Internet. $29.99 in advance. 800-598-8703 or www.livenation.com.

The Beach Boys — 8 p.m. Aug. 4, Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, West Bank of the Flats, 2014 Sycamore St., Cleveland. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.$20, $30, $55 and $75. 800-745-3000 or www.livenation.com.

Ke$ha — 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9, Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, West Bank of the Flats, 2014 Sycamore St., Cleveland. With Mike Posner & Semi Precious Weapons. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.$35 grandstand, $47.50 reserved, $59.50 pit. 800-745-3000 or www.livenation.com.

The Cult — Doors open 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9, House of Blues Cleveland, 308 Euclid Ave. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. $27 in advance; ticket four-pack $78. 800-598-8703 or www.livenation.com.

Old Crow Medicine Show — 8 p.m. Aug. 16, PlayhouseSquare Ohio Theatre, 1515 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. $36.50 in advance, $40 day of show. 216-241-6000 or www.playhousesquare.org.

Jason Aldean — 7 p.m. Aug. 23, Blossom Music Center, 1145 W. Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls. With Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett and Dea Jay Silver. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. $55.25 pavilion, $25.50 lawn seats. 330-945-9400 or www.ticketmaster.com.

Ghost Brothers of Darkland County — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19, Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St. Tickets go on sale Friday. $39.50, $59.50 and $69.50. 330-253-2488 or www.akroncivic.com.

Descaparecidos — Doors open 7 p.m. Oct. 26, House of Blues Cleveland, 308 Euclid Ave. With Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. $25 in advance. 800-598-8703 or www.livenation.com.

Q: I enjoy watching the reruns of “Murder, She Wrote” on the Hallmark Channel, but I am puzzled by something. In the spring of 1990, Angela Lansbury did not appear in six episodes except for a short intro at the beginning of each episode. Was she doing something else for those months or was this just an attempt to sell potential pilots featuring the detectives featured in those episodes that she knew and had worked with, including Michael Hagerty, Dennis Stanton and Harry McGraw?

A: During its 1984-1996 run, Murder, She Wrote, included an array of recurring characters along with Jessica Fletcher, the writer-sleuth played by Angela Lansbury. You may recall, for instance, Tom Bosley as a local sheriff before Bosley went on to his own detective show, Father Dowling Mysteries. At the same time, though, as the show’s sole star Lansbury often found the workload difficult to bear, and more than once she said she was leaving the series — only to be brought back, with changes made to help her.

In 1989, she made a deal that included episodes highlighting other characters. One of those was Dennis Stanton, played by Keith Michell, and it certainly looked as if his character could be spun off — but was not. Len Cariou, more recently seen on Blue Bloods, played Hagerty (and variations on that name) in a number of episodes, including during this period, but I have not come across any reference to his being considered for a spin-off. He and Lansbury may simply have liked working together because of their pre-Murder history, when they co-starred onstage in Sweeney Todd.

Harry McGraw, played by Jerry Orbach, was spun into his own series, The Law and Harry McGraw, in 1987 but it lasted a single season; McGraw then reappeared on Murder a few times. After two seasons of the extra detectives, Lansbury in 1991 said the experiment “wasn’t tremendously successful” and the show’s focus returned to Jessica.

Q: I have seen Dick Van Patten in numerous television shows, the most memorable of which was “Eight Is Enough.” There is also an actress named Joyce Van Patten. I feel there is a physical resemblance between these two entertainers and wonder if they are brother and sister.

A: They are. Dick Van Patten is the older brother of Joyce, But that is hardly the end of the Van Patten clan. There is also Tim Van Patten, formerly an actor (notably on the series The White Shadow) but now more acclaimed as a director on The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones and other series. Because Tim is some 30 years younger than Dick, he is often assumed to be the older actor’s son. In fact, they are half-brothers. Dick does have three sons who became actors: Vince, Nels and Jimmy. And Joyce has an actress daughter, Talia Balsam, from her marriage to the actor Martin Balsam. You may have seen Talia as Roger Sterling’s ex-wife Mona on Mad Men; John Slattery, who plays Roger, and Talia are married in real life.

q: Who sings the song “Stand Up” on the Blue Cross Blue Shield commercial?

A: If you are talking about the ads promising that the company is “standing up” and “standing with” you, the song is Count on Me by Bruno Mars. The lyric includes “You can count on me/Like one, two, three/I’ll be there.”

Q: What is the status of “Homeland?”

A: Showtime has ordered a third season of the Emmy-winning drama, which is set to begin on Sept. 29. It will begin in the aftermath of the terror attack in the second-season finale and will include a global manhunt for Nick Brody (Damian Lewis).

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Do you have a question or comment for the mailbag? Write to the Akron Beacon Journal, 44 E. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44309 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com. Please mark the email or envelope with “mailbag.” Letters may be edited for publication. Please do not phone in questions. Individual replies cannot be guaranteed.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com, including the HeldenFiles Online, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles. He is also on Facebook and Twitter.

Oh, you can hurt it with bad creative decisions. You can put it on hiatuses that stretch for years. You can move to different places along its time line, or throw the time line out entirely. You can recast, rethink, reinvent — and wonder if there are no ideas left.

But creative exhaustion is a funny thing with Star Trek. More than once, it has made itself new with old ideas — ones that often seem better than the new ones.

When 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture brought to the big screen the saga that had ended a prime-time network run a decade earlier, it proved a cumbersome disappointment. The true revival of Trek came three years later when Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan reached into the TV series for a great villain (Khan, played both times by Ricardo Montalban) — and fresh energy. When TV’s Enterprise was struggling to find and keep an audience, executive producer Rick Berman said they reinvented it after looking at the fourth and eighth movies, The Voyage Home and First Contact. And when J.J. Abrams and his team revived the Trek franchise in 2009, they went back and forth in time — showing us the younger versions of Kirk, Spock and friends; bringing back the old Spock, and balancing their elaborate, contemporary special effects with nods to vintage Trek elements like Christopher Pike and the Kobayashi Maru.

The result was at once an adventure young viewers could come to without needing any background, a prolonged “hello, old friends,” to people steeped in Trek lore AND — because its events changed the Trek time line — a guarantee that, even for diehard fans, wonderful surprises could await. No wonder that Abrams is now central to the revival of another fantasy franchise, Star Wars. Or that, based on published reports (and a fabulous trailer), Into Darkness appears ready to base its structure on both the excitement and the melancholy of the previous movie, down to reintroducing a remarkable character from the past. (No spoilers here.)

Of course, every Trek, even one coming after the delights of the 2009 film, is at risk of faltering. Through at least the first eight movies (Into Darkness is the 12th), the even-numbered ones were good and the odd numbers not. And there have been times when it looked as if, indeed, the whole Trek franchise was close to death.

About a decade ago, former Canton resident (and then-Trek producer) Brannon Braga was facing questions about whether Star Trek had hit the end of the road In 2002, the big-screen Star Trek: Nemesis, featuring the cast from the Next Generation series, did more poorly at the box office than any of the nine previous Trek movies. On television, 2001 saw the end of Star Trek: Voyager; at the time I said the series had been “about missed opportunities almost from the beginning.” That same year brought the premiere of Enterprise (later renamed Star Trek: Enterprise), an attempt to revive the show by taking the story back a century before Kirk and Spock. While it had some interesting flourishes — such as linking itself to the events in the movie Star Trek: First Contact — it was overhauled after two seasons of declining numbers. And it would end after four seasons in 2005, the shortest run of any live-action Trek series since the first one. The cancellation of Enterprise meant there was no Star Trek TV series for the first time in 18 years, and the tally of movies had stopped with Nemesis.

As much as Abrams’ Trek brought new life to the series, risks remain. For one thing, Star Trek is a largely American phenomenon even as the biggest movies aim for a global audience. Iron Man 3 has taken in close to a billion dollars already thanks to early showings in foreign countries, which have provided about two thirds of the total take. The 2009 Trek gathered about one third of its revenues overseas, according to Box Office Mojo; that same year, Avatar made almost three times in foreign theaters as it did in the United States.

At the same time, it’s Star Trek. Its long, if occasionally stumbling, life has generated enormous reserves of affection across generations. TV shows including Community and The Big Bang Theory have paid tribute. A recent ESPN column about a British soccer legend had one rival manager comparing him to the Borg: “You blast them with your phasers, they stagger back, take the hit and then evolve and come right back at you, except this time your weapon is useless, because they’ve adapted to it. So you need to come up with something new.”

The magic of Star Trek, as with other screen icons from Bond to Batman and beyond, is that it has found a way to feel new while honoring the old. As Braga said during the troubles a decade ago, “Is the franchise waning? Probably somewhat. But it’s been around for a long time. Is it going away? I personally don’t think so.”

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com, including the HeldenFiles Online blog, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. You can contact him at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

The program, which marks Kaufman’s final Big Show before she retires, will highlight some of the program’s greatest hits since the Big Show began in 2000. The performing arts school had spring concerts from 1993 to 1999, but in 2000 it was transformed into the Big Show, complete with choreography, costume changes and sets.

“We wanted to give the kids a feel for being in a major production,” said Kaufman, who with former librarian Sandy Carpenter produces every detail of the annual show.

The Big Show, which began in the school theater, eventually outgrew that venue. Five years ago, vocal booster club president and parent Chad Crawford led the charge to transfer the show to the Civic Theatre.

“We gotta think big,” he said at the time.

Renting the Civic, which is a union house, is expensive, so the vocal program has held fundraisers to cover expenses, including a raffle that made $16,000 in its first year. The Big Show is being held for the fourth year at the Civic, with more than 3,000 total attendees expected at performances Friday and Saturday night.

The massive production wouldn’t happen without the parents, who help with dress rehearsals, man the dressing rooms, wrangle kids and bring cases of water.

Brian Shellito, parent of eighth-grader Georgia and a Beacon Journal designer, created the show’s poster, which features the DeLorean from the movie Back to the Future. Other parents have choreographed numbers — Kirsten Fitzgerald (mother of Kassidy) did the parent number Hard Knock Life and Carey Sommer (mother of Jon and Grace) created the dance for the fourth-graders’ You Got a Friend in Me.

Parents also became involved with costuming, with Becky Kear (mother of Hannah) creating a cheetah puppet for the seventh- and eighth-grade number Circle of Life and Rosanna Koehler (mother of Jacob) coming up with a mummy costume for Walk Like an Egyptian.

“We’ve got a great group of boosters, and they really come out,” Kaufman said.

This weekend’s program includes 33 songs, featuring duets or solos by Jon and Grace Sommer, Sabrina Reed and Vy Truong, Abbey Lyman and Jasmine Moore. Eight different backdrops will range from a train station for Chattanooga Choo Choo to a grand hall for Be Our Guest.

In this huge joint effort, Miller South alumna Mackenzi Bolyard-Pizana, a Firestone High School senior, has choreographed 15 numbers, often re-creating the original choreography from shows past. Current seventh-grader Kiarra Anderson choreographed the seventh-graders’ In the Navy/YMCA and seventh-grader Molly Chelovitz re-created the basketball-themed Sweet Georgia Brown. That number was originally choreographed in 2010 by fourth-grade teacher Amy Heffernan, who this year choreographed Walk Like an Egyptian, a show choir number reprised from 2009.

Carpenter, who was librarian at the school for 19 years until retiring last year, is in charge of the show’s many costumes, at least five for each student.

At a recent rehearsal, the fourth-grade Rising Stars choir members wore adorable butterfly, spider and ladybug costumes and headpieces as they practiced Ugly Bug Ball, crooning, “I got nobody to hug. I’m such an ugly bug” as they did a softshoe dance.

The fifth-grade Rising Stars popped their cheeks in perfect unison and sang three-part harmony while holding sweets props in Lollipop. Kaufman did what she always does, standing as she accompanied the kids on piano and cued them on lyrics.

Kaufman, who created the school’s vocal program when Miller South opened 20 years ago, is an expert multitasker who kept playing and rehearsing even while answering questions from an adult.

Leaving the program that she has built, she is inordinately proud of her choir students in fourth through eighth grade as well as the show choir, which performs 30 to 40 shows annually.

Among Kaufman’s biggest fans are her mother, Viola Werner, 93, and father, Byron Werner, 95, who will be in the Civic Theatre audience this weekend, as they have for every one of Kaufman’s public Miller South concerts in the last 20 years. Kaufman’s husband, Art, brought his former college roommate Don Lippe to the show last year, and he liked it so much, he’ll return from Seguin, Texas, to see this year’s production.

As usual, Kaufman will be at the piano for this weekend’s Big Show, and she’ll also play the Mighty Wurlitzer organ before each show and during intermission.

So what are Kaufman’s plans for retirement? She will keep playing the organ at the Civic and continue as choir director at St. John/St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church downtown. She and her husband will learn to play the banjo together and Kaufman also plans to get back to her woodworking shop.

Big Show performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens and children, available at the Akron Civic Theatre box office. Call 330-253-2488 or see www.akroncivic.com. The shows have open seating.

Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or at kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.

The veteran British keyboardist, whose resume includes playing with Cream's Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, Jeff Beck, Tom Jones, John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix, the Monkees and many more, has a dedicated audience for his toe-tapping funky jazz-rock here in Northeast Ohio and he'll be bringing his singing daughter Savannah Grace and son Karma as part of his quartet for his run at Nighttown.

2) The 2013 Cleveland Asian Festival, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Asia Plaza, East 27th Street and Payne Avenue, Cleveland, free, www.clevelandasianfestival.org.

Did you know that May is Asian Pacific American Heritage month? Neither did I. But the city of Cleveland knows full well and is celebrating with the fourth annual festival featuring a performance by second season of “The Voice” contestant Cheesa, who dropped her debut album last month, along with amateur sumo wrestling (via inflatable fat suits), sushi- and egg-roll-eating competitions, martial arts demonstrations and various Asian community groups.

3) Flying Lotus, 7:30 tonight, House of Blues Cleveland, 308 Euclid Ave. $20-$25, 216-523-2583.

Critically hailed L.A.-bred producer/musician Flying Lotus (aka Steven Ellison) brings his erudite, alternately funky, ambient, jazz and hip-hop flavored strain of electronica from his excellent three-album catalog including his most recent release, “Until the Quiet Comes,” along with fellow Brainfeeder labelmate bassist/singer Thundercat for an evening of very contemporary music.

4) Manning Up, 8 tonight, Actors’ Summit at Greystone Hall, 103 S. High St., Akron, $19-$30, 330-374-7568.

The local theater group presents a “warm-hearted comedy” about two soon-to-be-dads and best buds, Donnie and Raymond, who are understandably freaking out about the huge change coming in each of their lives in infant form.

5) Foam Fest 2, 8 p.m. Saturday, the Vortex, 1167 Brittain Road, Akron, $10 for 21 or older, $15 under 21, www.thevortexakron.com.

You may recall that foam parties (essentially a dance party with a foam-producing machine in overdrive) were all the rage several years ago. Well, the Vortex says screw the zeitgeist because dancing and drinking with friends while covered in foam is always a good time. The music will be provided by a series of DJs spinning dubstep, Brostep, U.K. Garage and various strains of extreme bass-heavy dance music that can alter your heartbeat. Sure you'll be rinsing that dried foamy stuff out of bodily crevices you didn't know you had for days afterward, but you'll likely have a few good memories to go with the dried goo caked in your ears.

For example, ABC drama Mistresses, meant to be a bench player during the regular TV season, will arrive on June 3; the network has actually tried to make its 13-episode run sound like a good thing, but it’s not in the ABC plans for 2013-14. And you should feel even less optimistic about the prospects for The Goodwin Games, which begins Monday at 8:30 p.m.

As part of a summer-schedule overhaul, Fox is putting Goodwin in a Monday comedy block with repeats of Raising Hope, New Girl and The Mindy Project, three shows due back next season. But Goodwin is not in the 2012-14 lineup, reportedly had its 13-episode order cut to seven before it aired, saw Fox put the pilot online days before the broadcast premiere — and co-stars Scott Foley, who spent more of the season as a recurring player on Scandal.

All that being said, the show had possibilities, including a loopy sensibility and time-shifting narrative that might remind some viewers of How I Met Your Mother. No surprise there, either, since the HIMYM team, including Shaker Heights native Carter Bays, is behind Goodwin and co-star Becki Newton played Quinn on HIMYM.

Newton, Foley and T.J. Miller play three siblings who have had very different lives; Foley is a prominent surgeon, Newton a would-be actress, Miller a spacy sort who has just finished a stretch in jail. Their lives have been shaped in part by their difficult relationships with their father (Beau Bridges), who has at times pitted them against each other.

He does so again when he dies, by leaving behind a fortune that one of the children can claim by winning games against the others. The games may be odd or traditional, and even include other players, but — judging from the pilot, at least — the games are also meant to deal with old issues and hurts in the family — and with other people from their lives.

The pilot was funny, although it felt as if most of the series’ premise had been sorted out by the end of that episode. Given a full season, the show might have figured out some new directions and established a long relationship with viewers. But as things now stand, it’s just a summer viewing fling.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com, including the HeldenFiles Online blog, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. You can contact him at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

It will move “Person of Interest” to Tuesdays, pairing it with “NCIS” and “NCIS: Los Angeles” to have television’s three most-watched dramas on the same night and the same network.

Four comedies and one drama will debut on CBS this fall. CBS ordered only eight new series for the season, while rivals ABC, NBC and Fox are introducing a total of 41. CBS will end this season with the widest margin of victory in viewers of any network in 24 years and even win among the advertiser-desired demographic of 18- to 49-year-olds for the first time since the early 1990s, said Leslie Moonves, CBS Corp. CEO.

Moonves took notice of how Jimmy Kimmel called CBS executives smug during ABC’s schedule presentation on Tuesday, the late-night comic even adding an unprintable noun. If true, Moonves said, “I guess that means we’re winning.”

The company’s stock just exceeded $50 a share for the first time, said Moonves, who was given a $22 million signing bonus upon extending his contract last year.

Dealing with such riches, CBS rejected pilots of a “NCIS: Los Angeles” spinoff and a TV remake of “Beverly Hills Cop” backed by Eddie Murphy. Melissa McCarthy’s popular comedy “Mike & Molly” was left off the schedule and stuck in the bullpen, ready to return to plug any holes. CBS ordered 22 episodes of the sitcom.

Williams’ comedy is called “The Crazy Ones,” a reference to his comic style, and is getting a prime Thursday-night time slot after “The Big Bang Theory,” television’s most popular comedy. Among its producers is David E. Kelley.

“We think this is going to be the most talked-about show this fall,” said Nina Tassler, CBS’ entertainment president.

Chuck Lorre, TV’s premiere comedy producer, is behind “Mom,” a new Monday-night sitcom starring Anna Faris as a newly sober single mom with Allison Janney as her estranged mother. “We Are Men” is about four love-challenged single men living in the same apartment complex, with Tony Shalhoub as one of the stars.

CBS’ other new comedy is “The Millers,” with Will Arnett playing a recently divorced man whose plans to enjoy the single life are disrupted when his parents move in.

CBS is also trying something new in drama by ordering two limited-run series for its Monday-night schedule. “Hostages,” produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, stars Toni Collette as a surgeon who is taken hostage the night before she is to operate on the president. After a 15-episode run, it will be replaced by “Intelligence,” about an agent whose smarts are enhanced by a microchip implanted in his brain.

The network is canceling “CSI: N.Y.,” ‘’Vegas,” ‘’Golden Boy” and “Rules of Engagement.”

The drama “Hawaii Five-0” will shift from Monday to Friday nights on the schedule. CBS usually runs drama reruns on Saturday, but next year will also air two comedies that night.

Midseason shows include:

—”Reckless,” a legal drama set in Charleston, S.C., where a Yankee litigator and Southern lawyer have the hots for each other despite being on opposite sides of a long-running case.

—”Friends With Better Lives,” a romantic comedy. Like its title suggests, it focuses on six friends at different stages of their romantic lives, all wondering if their pals have it better.

BET announced the nominees Tuesday. Rappers Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz are up for 8 awards each.

Drake is nominated three times for the top prize, video of the year. His hit, “Started from the Bottom,” will compete with his collaborations with 2 Chainz (“No Lie”) and A$AP Rocky (“Problems”). The top award has 10 nominees, including Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie,” Kanye West’s “Mercy,” ‘’Adorn” by Miguel and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop.”

Chris Brown and R. Kelly will perform at the awards show, to air live June 30 from the Nokia Theater L.A. Live.

Chris Tucker will host the BET Awards.