Autumn is officially here. Brisk breezes, sweaters, hot cider. Well, it’s like that somewhere, anyway. Not here, obviously. Nevertheless, you may now legally begin consuming pumpkin flavored food and beverages. In the meantime, there’s still plenty to do around town, whatever the weather.
CULTURAL EXHIBIT
‘Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission’
Opens Saturday, Sept. 28 | Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45203
You’ll no doubt recall the many events in late July rightly celebrating the first moon landing. The Museum Center did its part then with Space Day. A single day, though, hardly does the event and the herculean undertaking that led to it justice. The Museum Center makes up for that beginning Saturday, when “Destination Moon,” organized by the National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, opens at Union Terminal. Among the artifacts on display are Buzz Aldrin’s EVA helmet and gloves, star charts the crew used and, to save the best for last, Columbia itself, the Apollo 11 command module that took the three-man crew from the earth to the moon and safely back. Exhibition runs through Feb. 17.Opening with the exhibition is the Lindner Family Omnimax Theater run of “Apollo 11: First Steps Edition.” It’s a breathtaking compilation of archival video and audio (including in 70mm) of the Apollo 11 mission. It was shown on Space Day, but now it’s back.
513-287-7000 or cincymuseum.org
FESTIVALS
Pyramid Hill Art Fair
Saturday, Sept. 28, and Sunday, Sept. 29 | Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum, 1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton, OH 45013
It’s the 17th year for this juried show and sale of handmade creations, with the artists’ booths set among the sculptures dotting the park grounds. For 2019, there will be 70 artists on hand. There’s also live music, food vendors, family activities, and a community pavilion.
513-868-1234 or pyramidhill.org
FILM
Cincinnati World Cinema: Lutz Dammbeck: ‘Art & Power‘
Sunday, Sept. 29, 4 p.m.; Monday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m. | 719 Race St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
It’s a mini-festival of the work of German (former East German, for reference) filmmaker (and painter and author) Lutz Dammbeck. Two documentaries light the silver screen of the Garfield Theatre downtown, and Dammbeck will be on hand for Q&A sessions after both. In “The Net,” shown Sunday, Dammbeck looks at how modern technology – particularly the internet – influences social relationships and potentially replaces reality with virtual realities. In “Overgames,” on Monday, he explores mid-20th century psychiatric theories underpinning the American denazification and reeducation program in post-WWII West Germany.
859-957-3456 or cincyworldcinema.org
Esquire Theatre: ‘The Godfather’
Saturday, Sept. 28, and Sunday, Sept. 29 | 320 Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220
“It’s not personal; it’s strictly business.” Sure it is. It’s also one of the great American movies (No. 3 on AFI’s Top 100), and you can see it on the big screen in two showings this weekend. Saturday’s screening (7 p.m.) includes an introduction and Q&A with Joe Horine, who teaches film at the University of Cincinnati.
513-281-8750 or esquiretheatre.com
LITERARY
Public Library: Lafcadio Hearn symposium
Saturday, Sept. 28 | 800 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
He’s Cincinnati’s most famous reporter, whose work drove sales of first the Cincinnati Enquirer and then the Cincinnati Commercial. Outside Cincinnati, he’s best known for the books about Japan he wrote later in his unfortunately short life. He had emigrated there and became a naturalized citizen. That wasn’t his first experience as an émigré, though. The first, in 1869, saw 19-year-old Hearn, born in Greece and raised in Ireland, arrive in Cincinnati – penniless. The Lafcadio Hearn Society/USA celebrates that sesquicentennial and its own 30th birthday with a symposium at the downtown main library. Learn more about Hearn’s work and his rather sad but fascinating life.
513-369-6900 or cincinnatilibrary.org
MUSIC
The Carnegie: ‘Miscast’
Saturday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m. | 1028 Scott Blvd., Covington, KY 41011
The Carnegie in Concert series continues with this unique annual event. The region’s top theater talent turns out to sing songs from roles you will never, ever see them perform. Ever.
859-491-2030 or thecarnegie.com
Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra
Sunday, Sept. 29, 2 p.m. | First Unitarian Church, 536 Linton St., Cincinnati, OH 45219
The Jaz@First Chamber Jazz Series is back for another season, with trumpet virtuoso Byron Stripling counting off in “Satchmo and Friends,” a program saluting (who else?) Louis Armstrong. That should be an easy fit for Stripling, who, aside from being artistic director of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, played the lead role in the Broadway musical “Satchmo.” He’s also performed on recordings with (to name a few) Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Lena Horne, Sonny Rollins, Paquito D’Rivera, Gerry Mulligan, J.J. Johnson, Carla Bley, Freddie Cole,… You get the idea. He’s good.
513-280-8181 or cincinnatijazz.org
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. | Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
We assume by now that you’ve returned safely to base camp from scaling last week’s performances of the “Alpine Symphony.” Don’t sit back too comfortably, though, because there’s another great program dead ahead. (We’re just going to have to get used to that this season with all the 125th hoopla.) This week it’s violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who has come a long way from her debut at 13 playing Mozart with the Berlin Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan. Although she’s particularly been a champion of new works, this week she’ll be helping mark Beethoven’s 250th birthday by performing his violin concerto. Also on the program: Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 (my favorite if that carries any weight) and the world premiere of “f(x)=sin2x-1/x” by Gabriella Smith. You will not be required to graph the function, just enjoy it. Eun Sun Kim conducts. Program repeats Sunday at 2 p.m.Also this weekend at Music Hall is the free BTHVN on Tour exhibition. Developed by DHL and Beethoven-Haus Bonn, it’ll have you feeling closer to old Ludwig through interactive media, original artifacts and high-quality facsimiles. Best of all, it’s free. (See the webpage for available times.)
513-381-3300 or cincinnatisymphony.org
THEATER
‘Who Is Amos Otis?
Friday, Sept. 27, through Sunday, Sept. 29 | Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
Today’s heated political climate meets “The Twilight Zone” in this provocative new play by local ad man Greg Newberry. An assassin confounds the courtroom with a defense that puts the country on trial. The audience will act as the jury to decide if Amos Otis is a mad man or savior and vote on his fate. Court is in session 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday.
513-977-8838 or memorialhallotr.com
Falcon Theatre: ‘The 39 Steps’
Opens Friday, Sept. 27 | 636 Monmouth St., Newport, KY 41071
Notable anniversaries seem to be all around the local arts world this year. Here’s another one: Falcon Theatre is about to launch its 30th season. The vehicle is a revival of “The 39 Steps,” a show the company first performed in 2012. It’s a recipe with equal measures of Hitchcock, spy novel and Monty Python. Through Oct. 12.
513-479-6783 or falcontheater.net
Last chances
It’s almost the last curtain for these productions:
“Driving Miss Daisy”: Cincinnati Landmark Productions takes us on a nostalgic drive for the most famous part of Alfred Uhry’s trilogy about the 20th-century Jewish experience in Atlanta. At the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts (4990 Glenway Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45238; 513-241-6550) through Sunday, Sept. 29.
“August: Osage County”: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s strong play about a strong woman has won both a Pulitzer and a Tony. It’s a family story, though Violet, the manipulative matriarch, makes it a dysfunctional one. At the Budig Theater (1195 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-381-2273) through Saturday, Sept. 28.
“Fun Home”: This multiple Tony-winning musical by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori was adapted from Alison Bechdel’s eponymous graphic novel. It focuses on Alison (the character) at three key points in her life as she reflects on her family after her father’s sudden death. At Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (1127 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-421-3555) through Saturday, Sept. 28.
VISUAL ART
Manifest Gallery: Season 16 launch
Opens Friday, Sept. 27 | 2727 Woodburn Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45206
Manifest turns Sweet 16 this year, and the gallery’s season starts out this Final Friday with a typical triple play of exhibitions. The shows run through Oct. 25.
- “Painted 2019”: This year marks the fourth of Manifest’s biennial survey of contemporary painting. Just 33 works were chosen from among more than 680 submitted for the show.
- “Aquachrome”: A look at contemporary watercolor painting (and similar techniques) as represented in 15 works chosen by jury.
- “Stay and Remain”: Still-life paintings by Joe Morzuch, now on the faculty at Mississippi State University.
513-861-3638 or manifestgallery.org