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Dayton Talent in Columbus: Short North Stage’s “Cabaret”

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The season opener at Short North Stage will see the main stage of the Garden Theater in Columbus transformed into the infamous 1930s Kit Kat Klub in Berlin, and will feature one of the great Broadway scores by John Kander and Fred Ebb as Short North Stage presents the erotic updated 1998 revival version of Cabaret, which starred Alan Cumming and Natasha Richardson and ran for six years on Broadway.

This racier and more decadent version of the well-known musical presents an accurate portrayal of pre-WWII Berlin which was known as a “sin city”.  The Twenties saw a dramatic loosening of social inhibitions, and attitudes toward diverse sexual behavior became much more tolerated.  Hundreds of nightclubs flourished, catering to a wide variety of tastes. Hyperinflation led people to spend on intoxicating pleasures of the moment rather than save money that would be worth much less in week, if not a day.

In an interesting local Columbus connection to the Berlin scene, Actress Louise Brooks, whose portrait was etched onto a back wall of the Garden Theater stage in 1924, was one of the many foreigners who made their way to Berlin, where she became an international star after she appeared in the 1929 movie Pandora’s Box. In that film she epitomized a Berlin siren—a seductress named Lulu, whose uninhibited sexuality brought ruin to her and others she touched.

JJ Parkey as The Emcee (photo credit: Gary White)

The Joel Gray interpretation of the Emcee was shattered by Alan Cumming’s eroticized version in the 1998 Broadway revival.    Although the 1972 film version of the musical, starring Liza Minelli, made Sally Bowles the central character, the Emcee is the pivotal force in the stage production.

Dayton native JJ Parkey plays the EMCEE in this production of Cabaret.  He earned his degree in musical theater at Wright State University and currently resides in New York.  JJ says he hopes to “honor both of the iconic performances of Joel Grey and Alan Cumming while incorporating my own take on the character.   The Emcee is not a stagnant character that needs to be presented in one way, but rather an ever-changing creature that adapts to the story with each new production and each new director.”

Cate Owens as Rosie, Kaitlin Descutner as Sally Bowles, and Adrianne K as Texas (photo credit: Gary White)

Directing the production is New York based Dayton native, Scott Hunt.  He notes, “The challenge inherent in presenting Cabaret is to immerse the audience in the world of the Kit Kat Klub; to make them feel as if they are participants in the action of the play. Luckily, The Garden Theatre does much of the work for us.  How blessed to present a piece about the most important moment of the 20th Century in a building with so much history of its own.”  One way the company is immersing the audience in the action is by offering a chance to be part of the production “up close and personal” with VIP Ticket holders sitting at tables on the stage of The Garden Theater.

As an actor, Scott Hunt has appeared on Broadway and in the National Touring Productions of Les Miserables  (Marius), and Rent (Mark Cohen), as well as numerous regional theaters.  As a director, Scott recently staged Rent for Wright State University in Dayton. Like JJ, he is a Dayton native who currently resides in New York City. Scott is a resident artist with The Human Race Theatre Company in Dayton.

Rounding out the Dayton representation in Short North Stage’s Cabaret is Chris Shea.  Chris graduated from Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and formed Free Shakespeare! – a professional, not-for-profit theatre company in Dayton devoted to presenting complimentary performances of the works of William Shakespeare.

Tickets

Tickets are $30 or $40 for VIP Tickets.  VIP Tickets are sold out for opening night, September 21st.   All performances on the Main Stage at The Garden Theater, located at 1187 N High Street, Columbus, Ohio.   Visit www.shortnorthstage.org for tickets and information, or call 614-725-4042.  A preview performance will be held at 8:00 pm on Thursday September 20, and then runs Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm through October 5.

Call For Submissions! DAY OF THE DEAD Exhibition

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Missing Peace Art Space is graciously hosting/mounting the Community Ofrenda (altar) Day of the Dead Exhibition, SCHEDULED FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2012. This is a NON-JURIED show, and all submissions will be accepted, as long as they fit within the theme of Day of the Dead (which is NOT associated with Halloween and has little in common with images from that holiday). Items must not pose a safety issue — for example, candles are a very common item on an ofrenda, but if you want to incorporate them in your submission, please use battery-operated ones. Do keep in mind that this is a community exhibit for ALL AGES. It is not necessary to be an “artist” to contribute. Day of the Dead altar items are usually small by nature, but if you have something sizable in mind, please contact Gabriela Pickett at the gallery to make sure we are able to accommodate it.

Opening reception is on the actual Day of the Dead, FRIDAY, NOV. 2, which is a FIRST FRIDAY. The exhibition will run for the entire month of November.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS OCTOBER 15, 2012. ART NEEDS TO BE DELIVERED TO THE GALLERY ON OCT. 15, BETWEEN 3-5:30 P.M.

THERE WILL BE A WORKSHOP FOR ALL AGES AND LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE ON OCTOBER 13, FROM 1-5 P.M., AT THE GALLERY.

All items will be handled with great care, and all reasonable precautions will be taken to ensure the safety and integrity of artwork on loan for the exhibition, but the gallery cannot be responsible for any damage to artwork in the unlikely event that should happen.

Stay tuned for information and details about a gallery talk that will delve into the culture, history, origins and traditions of El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Also, the gallery is looking for volunteers to help with various aspects of this community-driven exhibition. Please contact Gabriela Pickett at the gallery, (937) 241-4353, if you’d like to volunteer. Contact the gallery at 234 S. Dutoit St, Dayton  for more information.

 

Cityfolk presents the Prince Edward Island trio Vishten

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Twin sisters Pastelle and Emmanuelle LeBlanc formed Vishten a decade ago to play the traditional French Canadian tunes and songs of Prince Edward Island (PEI), a Canadian maritime province consisting of the main island and 231 minor islands. The smallest of the Canadian provinces, Prince Edward Island is home to some 140,000 people and is located north of Nova Scotia and west of Cape Breton Island, with which PEI shares many musical traditions, especially those of Scottish and Irish fiddling and French song.

Emmanuelle (bodhrán, piano, whistles, dance and vocals) and Pastelle LeBlanc (accordion, piano, dance and vocals) grew up in a musical family and a house filled with fiddle music and dancing. The sisters started step dancing at a young age and soon began playing piano. They grew up listening to the fiddlers and accompanying musicians of their parents’ generation, soaking up tunes from such respected local fiddlers as Louise Arsenault and Bertrand Deraspe, from the nearby Magdalen Islands.

The third member of Vishten, Pascal Miousse (fiddle, mandolin, guitar and vocals), grew up on the Magdelen Islands, a small archipelago located southwest of Prince Edward Island and part of the province of Quebec. Miousse also grew up in a very musical environment and began playing the fiddle at age five, eventually adding guitar, bass, mandolin and other instruments. He played traditional fiddle music during his teens, but spent the decade of his twenties touring eastern Canada with a rock band. He met the LeBlanc sisters at a festival in 2002 and quickly returned to his roots by joining Vishten.

Vishten has recorded four accomplished and acclaimed albums since making its debut in 2004: Vishten (2004), 11:11(2007), Live (2008) and Mosaik (2012). In its review of Live, Dirty Linen lavished praise on the trio, hailing the music as “a lively, upbeat dance-hall fusion sound that’s frequently punctuated by foot percussion and step dancing…The material is a mix of traditional and group compositions, the playing is perfect, and the energy level is high.”

Vishten, which last visited Dayton for the 2010 Cityfolk Festival, has performed at countless music festivals in Canada, the U.S., Scotland, France and elsewhere, captivating international audiences and earning such critical raves as “a near perfect ensemble” (La Petit Douchynois, France) with its unique mix of vocals sung in French, traditional fiddle and accordion tunes, driving foot percussion and multi-instrumental flexibility. Vishten has won many musical honors and awards, including several East Coast Music Awards in Canada.

Cityfolk is proud to present Vishten in concert at Gilly’s on Saturday, September 15 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here or by calling the Cityfolk box office at 496-3863.

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2nd Annual Cyclops Fest in Yellow Springs

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Cyclops Fest is back and fresh for 2012! Last year’s fest was a huge success with a larger than expected turn out, over 50 handmade vendors, great food and 6 musical acts. This year will be even better with over 80 handmade vendors (inside and out), live skate and BMX demos, Festival Beer Garden (sponsored by WYSO) kids activities and 9 musical acts. Located in the heart of Yellow Springs at the John Bryan Center, Cyclops Fest will have something for everyone!

Cyclops Fest will be a showcase for Ohio musicians. Featured musical acts will be Grey Market / Dysfunktional Family (Athens OH), Turntable Philanthropy (Columbus OH), Skratchmatik Turntable Crew (Dayton OH), Tin Armor (Columbus OH), The Motel Beds (Cincinnati OH) and a special headline performance from Ruckus Robotikus (Dayton OH).

Ruckus Robotikus

Cyclops Fest organizers are Urban Handmade and Basho Apparel. Premier festival media sponsors returning for their second year are The Dayton City Paper and WYSO. Cyclops Fest online applications for handmade artists, service vendors, food vendors and volunteers will be open until July 31st , 2102.

Can You Spare 2 Hours on Thursday Night’s?

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Artemis Center provides support and information for victims of domestic violence and their children.  They currently have a need for  responsible, caring, and reliable babysitters for Thursday Nights. Babysitting services are provided so clients can attend support group worry-free knowing their child is having a blast from 5:45 – 7:45 PM. All volunteers working with children are subject to a criminal background check. For more information contact Sarah @ 937-461-5091

Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another. It is an epidemic-affecting people in every community, regardless of age, economic status, nationality or educational background. Violence against women is often accompanied by emotional abuse and controlling behavior, and thus is part of a systemic pattern of dominance and control. Domestic violence results in physical injury, psychological trauma, and sometimes death. The consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and truly last a lifetime.

  • 85 -95% of all domestic violence victims are female
  • About 1 out of 4 women will be abused by a partner in her lifetime.
  • Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the US; more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined
  • A woman is beaten by her husband or partner every 15 seconds in the US
  • Police report that between 40% and 60% of the calls they receive are domestic violence disputes
  • 50% of all homeless women and children in this country are fleeing domestic violence
  • The health-related costs of rape, physical assault, stalking and homicide by intimate partners exceed $5.8 billion each year
  • In the US, more than 1200 women are killed each year by their intimate partner

In addition to helping people in crisis, Artemis has become a community resource for creating a coordinated response to domesticviolence. Because all systems must work together to protect victims and hold batterers accountable, Artemis and the YWCA joined together to form The Family Violence Collaborative in 1993. This Collaborative has brought together law enforcement, criminal justice, child protection and health care professionals to develop protocols of response.

2012 Homearama Lifestyle Edition at Sugar Camp Pointe Oakwood

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House # 1 – The Oakleaf

Four years after the last Dayton region Homearama, The Home Builders Association of Dayton will be presenting the 2012 Homearama Lifestyle Edition showcase of custom homes in the beautiful Sugar Camp – Pointe Oakwood community from Friday, September 14 through Sunday, September 30.  The fully decorated and furnished homes range in size from 2,200 square feet to over 4,000 and will feature the latest styles, building and design trends, landscaping and technologies, with expected prices to range from $395,000 to over $600,000.

The current HBA of Dayton Builders for the show include: two homes from Bob and Steve Rhoads of R.A. Rhoads Custom Homes, Mike & Jeff Miller of M/M Construction and Scott Dickey of South Dayton Builders. The Sugar Camp-Pointe Oakwood developer is Oakwood Investment Group, LLC with partners Union Savings Bank and Landmark Title Agency South.

House # 2 - The Olde English

Unavailable until now, Sugar Camp-Pointe Oakwood offers home buyers new custom built luxury homes within the City of Oakwood. The premier residential community’s site is comprised of 20 unique acres conveniently located on Far Hills Avenue with unparalleled views of the Miami Valley. The prime location of the community allows homeowners the advantage of all the amenities that downtown Dayton has to offer while in walking distance to the center of Oakwood and its quaint business district. Sugar Camp-Pointe Oakwood is part of the 34 acre, multi-living use facility, Sugar Camp. Sugar Camp will eventually connect with the Great Miami River, Carillon Park, The Dayton Art Institute, The University of Dayton and downtown Dayton through a series of walking and bike paths.

The master plan for the community includes over 20 single family home sites, 20 attached condominium units, a 88 unit assisted care facility and a professional office park.  John H. Patterson, founder of National Cash Register (NCR) established the innovative Sugar Camp in Oakwood as an NCR training camp, where classes started in 1893 at the serene secluded site.

House # 3 – The Craftsman

Adam Zengel, HBA of Dayton President commented, “The distinctive Sugar Camp-Pointe Oakwood community will provide the participating HBA builders an exceptional venue to showcase their craft with the highest quality products and homes loaded with details and extra amenities appropriate to the current market.”

“Pointe Oakwood is developing into a very special community within Oakwood. We are very proud and excited to host the ever popular Homearama at Sugar Camp this fall. It will be a great setting for the HBA builders to showcase their abilities and it is an event where people really enjoy experiencing the latest in new home design and building,” commented Bob Posner, Executive VP/Chief Operating Officer of Oakwood Investment Group, the developer of Sugar Camp.

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House # 4 - The Aspen

High Performance Homes

For the first time ever, the Green Building Task Force of the HBA of Dayton will provide an educational experience to assist new home buyers and home owners considering remodeling in the many choices they will face when exploring having their dream home reach the level of the industry’s terms of a “High Performance Home (HPH).”

The group will host the first “High Performance Home Pavilion” included with Homearama at the Pointe Oakwood site. The Pavilion will have many technology and product displays and will be staffed by experts well versed on the high performance home subject. Scheduled seminars will provide Homearama visitors an opportunity to learn more.  For more information on HPH, read this full article by Walt Hibner (Executive Director of HBA Dayton).

Ticket Information

The 2012 Homearama Lifestyle Edition runs from noon to 8 pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and 4 pm to 8 pm on Mondays through Thursdays (no one admitted after 7 pm).  Tickets are $10.00 at the gate or available at Dorothy Lane Market locations ($2 discount with Club DLM card).

House # 5 - Village Pointe

DMM Ticket Contest

We have THREE PAIRS OF TICKETS to give-away to the 2012 Homearama Lifestyle Edition Preview Party on Thursday September 13th from 5-8pm ($70 value).  The evening includes complimentary fine beverages, a hearty fall supper and sweet desserts from Yia Yia’s Bakery.  Listen to jazz favorites performed by the renowned John Slate Trio. Bid on themed baskets in the silent auction to benefit the HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton, the 2012 Homearama Lifestyle Edition designated charity.

Simply fill out the form below and then leave a comment telling us that YOU want to go to the 2012 Homearama Lifestyle Edition Preview Party, and we’ll announce winners on Wednesday September 12th – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winners!

Heather Craaybeek
Rachelle Stiles
Mackensie Clark Wittmer

Downtown Dayton Revival Festival Spotlight Volume 7: Heartless Bastards

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As you have been reading, the Downtown Dayton Revival Festival will be showing music from bands and artists that are from all walks of life.  Some of the bands that are performing arefrom the great city of Dayton.  Also, there are a few bands that started their journey here in town.  Heartless Bastards are one of these bands that I speak of.

Heartless Bastards lead singer, Erika Wennerstrom was born and raised here in Dayton.  Throughout her teenage years, Erika dove into music and songwriting.  With the influences of great local acts Guided By Voices and The Breeders, Wennerstrom wanted to add her name to the mix.  So, she continued to write, started to play guitar, and played in open mic nights.  In 2002, she decided to set up the band.  Heartless Bastards, which gets it’s from an incorrect answer to a trivia game that Erika was playing, toured regionally and signed with a record company.  In 2005, the band released their debut LP, Stairs and Elevators, immediately grabbed people’s attention with Erika’s haunting vocals, Kevin Vaughn’s thrashing on the drums, and Mike Lamping helping create hooks on the guitars that you just don’t hear.

All This Time, Heartless Bastards second album, was released in 2006.  The album continued to show Erika’s deep range, and the bands ability to continue stretches the boundaries.  The album helped the band gain more exposure, and more fans.  The band also saw the lineup come to an end.  Wennerstrom and Lamping dated for a period of time, and sadly the relationship came to an end.  “It was hard.  We were together for over 10 years”, explained Wennerstrom to me over a phone conversation.  The breakup made the band members move on.  Erika moved to Austin, Texas to separate herself from the situation. “We had a lot of same friends.  It wasn’t going to work.  So, I decided to move to Austin.  I had some friends and family there.  I knew that I would be around people that would love and support me”, Erika mentioned.

Erika Wennerstrom

With the move to Austin, Wennerstrom took some time to settle in and begun work on the third album under the Heartless Bastards name.  She called upon a group of artists around Austin, and recorded The Mountain.  The album went into a different path than the previous albums.  The Mountain featured country music, employing violin, banjo, mandolin and steel guitar.  Because the band she had were just hired to help with the album, Erika called up some friends to go and tour with her to support the album.  “I called Jesse Ebaugh who was part of the first lineup and asked him if he wanted to move to Austin.  I also ran into Dave Colvin.  He played in the original lineup as well.  It was very cool to have them back”, stated Wennerstrom.  The trio enjoyed the experience so much that Erika made it a point to keep the band intact.  “I just got to the point where I only want to play music with good friends”, explained Erika.  “There’s a comfortable feeling in that.”

When the tour for The Mountain ended, Erika took some time off, and when she started the new album, she developed some writers block.  So, she decided to take to open road.  “I decided to go and take a road trip.  I went and saw friends and family on the East Coast, went to the mountains, stayed in a friends cabin, and I went and saw some friends in the Texas area”, Erika told me.  She didn’t write much during her trip, but when she returned the writing process came very easy.

The band spent a month in the studio recording the new album.   They would experiment with different drum sounds, and try out chords on their guitars.  Wennerstrom wrote about her experiences of being on the road trip, and about relationships.  What the finish became is their best album to date, Arrow.  “We feel that this is our best album”, Wennerstorm said. She couldn’t be more right.  With Erika’s haunting, raspy vocals still intact, there is a peace to it now.  Each song is individually crafted to perfection.  ‘Marathon’ talks about being on the road.  ‘Only For You’ is a blues-inspired ode to falling in love with someone.  With the addition of guitarist Mark Nathan, the band has finally solidified a lineup that will be making great music for years to come.

The band is currently on tour that will take them all around the United States till the end of the year.  They will take some time off, and possibly do a West Coast trip, do some shows in Canada, and do a tour in Europe in the beginning of 2013.  The Downtown Dayton Revival festival is going to be special for the band as Erika has some family and friends still living in Dayton.  “They are coming to the show, so this is going to be so fun.  And I’m coming home, which is even better”, Erika told me.  Heartless Bastards-welcome home for the day!

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Downtown Dayton Revival Festival Spotlight Volume 6

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With the Downtown Dayton Revival Festival just days away, these three bands will be giving the crowd that will be attending the event.

Good English

With music being able to be accessed in so many different ways, with iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora among others, the younger generation is able to be influenced by such
great music.  This also gives people the ability to form bands, and play incredible music.  Good English is a great example of this trend.

The group from Dayton got their start into music by joining together and playing the Green Day song ‘Warning’.  Good English took to road in 2011 and went to Nashville to record their first EP, Take Control.  Take Control is an impeccable blend of indie-rock and punk that is mature and polished.  Its truly amazing to think that this band hasn’t even scratched the surface on the potential they have.  At the Downtown Revival festival, people will see for themselves this up and coming band.

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The Right Now

Chicago offers a lot to people.  From the fierce rivalry of the Cubs and White Sox, to their fantastic beer Old Style, Chicago is without question one of the best cities in the United States.  This town also brings us the band The Right Now.  The band recently released the album, Gets Over You, an album that deals with regrets, but overcoming them and becoming stronger.

Fans of Amy Winehouse will without question latch onto The Right Now.  The band’s soulful, club-like sound brings a fresh feel to the festival.  Stefanie Berecz, the lead singer of the band, has a gritty voice that is powerful and untouchable.  The band delivers during their live shows.  With horns and saxophones arrangements being put into play during their sets, The Right Now are emerging as band not to be missed live.

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Green Light Morning

Cincinnati, Ohio band Green Light Morning is poised and ready to tell the audience at the festival their stories from their life on the road.  The band formed when lead singer Aaron Bright and guitarist Aaron Patrick met while they were touring in other bands.  When their bands split, they thought it would be a great idea to form their own band.  Thus Green Light Morning was formed.

With their self-titled EP out, the band are poised to take the show on the road in the near future.  With their smooth rock that could be easily be dropped in the mainstream radio, the band also brings soul and melodic hooks.

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See all of our Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival Band Spotlights

Are you a poet? Would you like people to know it?

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Entries are now being accepted for the Dayton Metro Library’s  annual Poetry Contest.  Entries will be accepted through Saturday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m.  This is the 15th year for the contest, open to residents of Montgomery and adjoining counties (Greene, Miami, Clark, Darke, Preble, Warren and Butler).  There are three age categories:  Teen (age 14-18), Adult (age 19-59) and Senior (age 60 and over).  Winners are selected in each age category, with first place winning $100, second place $75 and third place $50.  Prizes are donated by the Friends of the Library.

 

A panel of judges will read the entries in October, and a Poetry Party is scheduled for November 11 at the Main Library, in which the awards will be presented.  If you are a finalist, you will be notified in advance of the Poetry Party.  The party brings people together, from teens through seniors, to appreciate each other’s poems, enjoy refreshments and celebrate the creative spirit.  The event is free and open to the public, but we encourage all who entered to attend.

Entry forms with official contest rules are available at all Dayton Metro Library locations, on the website here or by calling the Community Relations Office at 496-8901.  Entry forms must be attached to each submission, and don’t forget the deadline.  Entries must be received at any Dayton Metro Library location no later than 6:00 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29.

Contact the library’s Community Relations Office at 496-8901 if you need further information.

Downtown Dayton Revival Festival Band Spotlight Volume 4

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Wheels

As the Downtown Dayton Revival Festival approaches, we here at Dayton Most Metro are highlighting all the bands that will be bringing music to the masses.  Here are four more acts that will be performing.

Wheels

From the pleasant city of Yellow Springs, Wheels are ready to give the crowd an incredible show.  Recently, the band released their second album, Big Feeling.  To help fund the equipment needed to self-record all of their own albums, including their newest one, Wheels decided to call upon the help of their fans and others and set up a Kickstarter account.   The band set a goal of $3,000 to help pay for several studio equipment, which included microphones, software, and computers.

Their seasoned sound is a collection of different styles-classic rock and roll, with folk and bluegrass influences.  Their love for Ohio comes alive in some of their songs.  The most common thing you hear about this quintet is that the fact they are so young.  Don’t let this fool you.  Wheels bring a style and sound that is well beyond their years.

Red Wanting Blue

Columbus, Ohio brings us the alternative rock band Red Wanting Blue.  The band has been touring for over a decade now, gaining fans one by one throughout the United States.  Red Wanting Blue take pride in letting it be known that will do what it takes to make fans in every stop.  In return, Red Wanting Blue is emerging as one of the top indie bands in the county.
The bands lyrics tell stories of being on the road, the people that meet while remembering where they have come from.  The band’s sound bursts at the seams with passion, which gives theirstage show one that keeps people engrossed from start to finish.

Early this year, Red Wanting Blue released their 9th album, From The Vanishing Point.  According to the band’s website, the album ‘sheds some of Red Wanting Blue’s small-town sensibilities as it evolves into the world-class rock n’ roll outfit that audiences have believed in for years and marks an official move to the national stage for a band that will always remember where it’s from’.

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers

In the western parts of Massachusetts in 2003, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers were formed.  Kellogg and the Sixers have an unashamed way about them and their music has given them a rabid fan base.  With a roaring sound of rock, coupled with folk and country flavor, the band’s lyrics are about their lives, and the world around them.  They sing about their relationships, past and present.  They sing about wisdom given to from family.  It gives you a very intimate feel, and just connects you with the group even more.

Gift Horse is the latest work from Kellogg and the Sixers, and it will be the last album for a while.  The band posted on their website back in July that at the end of the year, they will be going on hiatus.  The reason for the planned break, according to the band, is that band needs to ‘explore other facets of life’.  In the meantime, the band plans on bringing their wild stage show to the Dayton festival.

Kristy Lee

 

Kristy Lee is one of the few female acts taking the stage during the two day festival.  From her home in Alabama, Lee will be bringing a rawness that will no doubt leave people with their mouths wide open.  Her vocals are rich with that trademark Southern soul sound.  Lee’s lyrics are filled with heartbreak and anger.  However, with the pain of losing love, the healing is the bond that forms with the crowd, singing along with her.  Raise The Dead, Lee’s recent album, talks about starting all over again, and finding your way.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZormhcdhCg’]

See all of our Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival Band Spotlights

Blue Sky Project Celebrates Summer with “Creative Surprises”

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Shaw Pong Liu, Katherine Mann and Rodney Veal in collaboration

Three months of collaborative art making at Blue Sky Project concludes on Saturday, September 15 at 6:00 PM with a final exhibition, “Creative Surprises”.  The evening will feature the work of seven Blue Sky resident artists, all of whom spent a part of their summer in Dayton, collaborating with area youth and local artists.

A program of Involvement Advocacy, Blue Sky Project is a summer experience that empowers professional artists from around the world and Dayton-area teens to collaborate and build community through the creation of ambitious works of contemporary art and performance.

Blue Sky’s objectives are threefold:

  • Provide an environment for the Resident Artists to extend their own artistic exploration and studio practice in a unique collaborative setting with youth and the community;
  • Develop the leadership, self-awareness, critical-thinking, communication and collaborative skills of the Teen Participants through Blue Sky Project’s unique contemporary art making process;
  • Enhance the reputation and vibrancy of the region through increased engagement and creative energy.

Since its inception in 2005, work produced at Blue Sky Project has been exhibited and sold at museums, galleries and festivals in the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia, and been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Art in America and FiberArt.

The 2012 resident artist are:

• Michael Casselli, Yellow Springs, OH

• Shaw Pong Liu, Boston, MA

• Katherine Mann, Washington, D.C.

• Kaz McCue & Pamela Ayres, Leeland, MI

• Adam Parker Smith, Brooklyn, NY

• Rodney Veal, Dayton, OH

Adam Parker Smith - "This Side of Paradise"

Blue Sky Project is made possible with the generous support of the University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences, the Ohio Arts Council and hundreds of foundation, corporate and individual supporters.

Tickets for “Creative Surprises,” which takes place at 8 North Main Street in the PNC Bank Building, are $25. The evening will include visual art, live performances, door prizes, food, drink, and of course, creative surprises.

Tickets for “Creative Surprises” are available online or by calling 937.732.5123.

(submitted by Peter Benkendorf – founder and co-creator of Blue Sky Project)

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have TWO TICKET PAIRS to give away for “Creative Surprises” on September 15 ($50 value)!  Just fill out the form below and then leave a comment telling us that you want to win.  We’ll announce winners on Friday 9/7 – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winners:

Sarah Muench
and
Lisa Perdomo

Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival Spotlight – Volume 3: Shake! Shake! Shake! with Bronze Radio Return

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The Downtown Dayton Revival Festival will be highlighting over 30 bands that are from all over the United States, including some from the great city of Dayton.  On September 8th and 9th, most of the festival goers will be given the first chance to see and hear a lot of the bands for the first time.  One band in particular is ready to make an imprint here in town.

Bronze Radio Return

The band’s name is Bronze Radio Return.  The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Chris Henderson, Bob Tanen on bass, Rob Griffith on drums, guitarist Patrick Fetkowitz, Matt Warner on keys, and guitarist Craig Struble.  The band helms from the city of Hartford, Connecticut.  The band got their name from Henderson.  When he was growing up in the picturesque state of Maine, Henderson would spend time in his father’s art studio, and music could be heard blaring through an old bronze radio.  The music played through the radio inspired Henderson to dig more into music. During a recent phone conversation, Henderson explained more in detail.  “I love listening to an album all the way through, over and over again.  I love finding all the different things that you discover with each listen.”

The band’s beginnings trace back to when Henderson, along with Griffith, Tanen, and Warner all attended the Hartt School of Music, which is located in Hartford.  “We studied all kinds of music, including the backgrounds of jazz, and blues players”, Henderson mentioned to me.  With the knowledge of the greats before them, the band wanted to incorporate those styles and influences it into their own music. So, the three guys recruited Fetkowitz and Struble, and headed to the studio.

The band released their first EP in 2008, followed by their full-length debut album ‘Old Time Speaker’, which they recorded in Nashville.  In 2011, the band released their sophomore album, ‘SHAKE!SHAKE!SHAKE!’.  The album, recorded in Oklahoma, shows the band’s evolving sound with the continue fusion of rock and soul.  Currently, the band is working on their third album.  The band recently spent 5 weeks on a farm in Virginia to record most of the album. “It’s good to go to different places to work on an album,” Henderson explained. “It keeps you focused on the music.”  The album is slated to be released sometime between January and February.

Listening to the band’s albums, you are instantly conscious of the band’s different elements.  Each member of the group brings their own flare to the band.  Whatever it’s the banjo being strummed passionately to the sweet sounds of the harmonica, Bronze Radio Return bring a sound that makes them stand apart from the rest.  And their live shows are no different.  The band makes it a point to make sure that their audience is having as much as fun as they are. Henderson added, “We will make sure that people are moving in the audience.  We want to see people swinging around.”

Bronze Radio Return will be embarking on a tour starting on September 5th.  “We are ready to get our stage legs going again”, Henderson says.  “We are excited about the atmosphere we are about to witness.”  The tour will take the band throughout most of the eastern seaboard, along with a few stops in the Midwest, including Cleveland.  The tour will end on October 27th at the Mercury Lounge in New York.

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See all of our Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival Band Spotlights

Human Race Theatre Company – Discovering Hope and Heartbreak When “Managing Maxine”

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Jana Robbins and Steve Vinovich. Photo: Scott J. Kimmins

(Read Russell Florence, Jr.’s review of Managing Maxine here)

The Human Race Theatre Company kicks off its 2012-2013 Season with Janece Shaffer’s Managing Maxine, an unlikely love story with an unconventional heroine featuring Broadway actress Jana Robbins as Maxine and television veteran Steve Vinovich as Arthur. She’s bold, yet tender. She’s brash, but sincere. And at the age of 70, Maxine Levine may have just found real love for the first time in her life. When this lively widow finds a retired, reserved judge to her liking, they each discover that when it comes to romance, everything old is new again. But the memories of past loves and current heartbreaks of their children could derail any hope of happiness these late-in-life lovebirds may have.

This production is only Managing Maxine’s third after being commissioned by Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre for a 2009 run and another in 2010 at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. It won the 2009 Gene Gabriel Moore Playwright Award and the 2008 Edgerton Foundation New American Play Awards. The Human Race’s production is directed by Marya Spring Cordes with set design by Tamara L. Honesty, costume design by David M. Covach, lighting design by John Rensel and sound design by Rich Dionne. Kay Carver is the production stage manager. Managing Maxine runs September 6 through 23, 2012. Opening night is Friday, September 7.

Jana Robbins is a Tony Award®-nominated actress, producer and director, playing lead roles in the Broadway productions ofGood News, I Love My Wife, Romance/Romance, Crimes of the Heart, Gypsy and The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife. As a producer, her work includes Little Women – The Musical, the 2009 production of Ragtime and the current production of WarHorse. Dayton-area audiences will remember her as the title character in The Human Race Theatre’s 2011 production of The Drowsy Chaperone on the Victoria Theatre’s Broadway Series. It was during her time in Dayton that she brought the script forManaging Maxine to Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore’s attention. Ms. Robbins has been working in her capacity as a producer to shepherd the script through development with the intention of a New York City run.

Steve Vinovich has appeared on Broadway in Loose Ends, Lost in Yonkers, The Magic Show, The Robber Bridegroom, The Grand Tour and The Secret Rapture, in addition to scores of productions at regional theatres across the country. His face is well-recognized thanks to his work in hundreds of commercials and television shows, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,Everybody Loves Raymond, Cheers, Home Improvement, Cold Case, Malcolm in the Middle, Law and Order LA and Hannah Montana.

In addition to Robbins and Vinovich, the cast includes: Human Race Resident Artists Kay Bosse, Tim Lile and Scott Stoney; New York City-based actress Debra Whitfield, a Columbus native; and Michelle Zimmerman, returning to The Human Race stage after nearly decade-long absence.

Production sponsors for Managing Maxine are Lifestages-Samaritan Centers for Women, Patti Giering, Susan Kettering, Marcia Muller, Barbara N. O’Hara and Barbara Schenck.

PERFORMANCE AND SPECIAL EVENT INFORMATION

Tickets for the preview performance of Managing Maxine on September 6 are $31 for adults, $29 for seniors and $15.50 for students. For all performances September 7 – 23, single ticket prices are $36 and $40 for adults, $34 and $38 for seniors and $17.50 and $19.50 for students. Prices vary depending on the day of the week desired. Group discounts are available. The Human Race Theatre is offering a pair of discount ticket opportunities. Twenty-five special $25 tickets are available at each performance, on sale two weeks prior to that performance. The Sunday, September 9 7:00 p.m. performance is “Sawbuck Sunday”, when a limited number of available seats can be purchased in person for just $10 at The Loft Theatre box office two hours prior to the show. Discounts are subject to availability and some restrictions apply.

All performances are at the Metropolitan Art Center’s Loft Theatre, located at 126 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, Ohio.  Check out the DMM Event Calendar for show dates and times for Managing Maxine, and go to HumanRaceTheatre.org for tickets and performance information.

(submitted by Human Race Theatre Company)

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS to give away to see “Managing Maxine” at the Metropolitan Art Center’s Loft Theatre – simplythis article, then fill out the form below and leave a comment telling us that YOU want to win tickets (be sure to check the Post To Facebook box so you can share with your FB friends).  We’ll announce winners on Friday 8/31 at 3pm – GOOD LUCK!

Contest Closed

Congratulations to our winners!

Karen Koslow

Melissa Flanagan