‘A Christmas Story’ live
The smoking furnace. The shedding Christmas tree. The Chinese turkey. “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.” Relive all the classic scenes and punch lines of that holiday favorite, A Christmas Story, with the live-on-stage version at Cleveland Play House. It opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday and runs through Dec. 23 at Playhouse Square’s Allen Theatre, 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland; tickets are $25-$110 at 216-241-6000, www.playhousesquare.org.
Beethoven’s Fifth
The Cleveland Orchestra has been advertising it as “the most famous four notes” in classical music. Hear Beethoven’s Fifth played by one of the world’s best orchestras at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday at Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Also on the program are Benjamin Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23. Tickets are $49-$162 at www.clevelandorchestra.com.
Tree-lighting ceremony
Watch the tree-lighting ceremony and enjoy some pyrotechnics and music by the Ohio City Singers at 7 p.m. at Lock 3 in downtown Akron. Stay afterward for hot chocolate and see whether your ice-skating skills have deserted you over the summer. www.lock3live.com.
‘Turkey Tech’ events
The Great Lakes Science Center is offering special “Turkey Tech” events from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with holiday-themed activities and demonstrations like the Egg Drop Challenge, a Kitchen Chemistry Lab and a Turkey Toss. After-hours on Saturday will feature a 6 p.m. screening of the Steve Martin-John Candy holiday favorite Planes, Trains & Automobiles. http://GreatScience.com, 216-621-2400.