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Bach Society of Dayton Joins with the Central State University Chorus “For the Joy of Singing”

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The Bach Society of Dayton, under the direction of John Neely, will join forces with the renowned Central State University Chorus, under the direction of William Henry Caldwell, for two inspiring concerts on March 10 and 11.

The combined choirs will perform Schubert’s Mass in G, as well as a selection of contemporary and traditional works by African-American composers. The Bach Society will perform Bach’s Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden (Praise the Lord, all the nations). Lee Hoffman, assistant professor at Central State, will be the soprano soloist. The choirs will be accompanied by a chamber orchestra and organist R. Alan Kimbrough.

“The Central State University Chorus is recognized as one of the finest choral ensembles in the region, and we are excited to perform on stage together for the first time,” said John Neely, music director, Bach Society of Dayton.

March 2012 marks the 125th anniversary of Central State University. The Central State University Chorus will begin a tour of China shortly after the March concerts.

For the Joy of Singing

March 10, 7:30 p.m.
Central State University, Wilberforce
Paul Robeson Performing Arts & Cultural Center

March 11, 4:00 p.m.
Kettering Adventist Church
3939 Stonebridge Road, Kettering
3:00 p.m. Concert preview by Dr. James Arthur Williams, University of Dayton

Tickets
Adults $15; Students free with ID on March 10 and $10 on March 11; 12 and under free
Available at the door or call to reserve: 937-294-2224

Dayton Invades Austin: SXSW

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Several Daytonians are headed for adventure this March in Austin, Texas. We’re going to the South by Southwest Interactive Conference (SXSW), one of the biggest music, film, and interactive design conferences in the country. If you’re into web design, development, social media, or mobile technology, SXSW is an exhilirating experience.

Last year, I attended and immersed myself in a buzz of information –  all the latest interactive technology and trends. At SXSW, you never stop learning. I reveled in this culture where my fellow attendees, some of the brightest in the industry, were just as passionate about design and interactivity as I am.

This year, I’m excited to join the roster of SXSW speakers, representing the team at Real Art. On Friday, I will speak on a panel called It’s Alive: Interactive Machines that Captivate, along with fellow Daytonians Justin Bayer, founder of WelcometoCollege.com, and Arundi Venkayya Cox, editor of the Dayton B2B. Joining us are two accomplished creatives, Nathan Martin from Deep Local, and FK Funderburke from Sapient Nitro. We will each present our projects that mash together digital media with physical machines, creating completely new types of experiences for people. For example, at Real Art, we built the world’s largest arcade claw game and invited the world to play over the internet. Arundi, our moderator, will lead our discussion on why these projects have been so successful for brands, the steps involved in a project like these, and what’s coming in the future for this interactive niche.

During the rest of the conference, I’ll gather as much information and inspiration as I can. The worlds of interactive design and social media move very quickly, so SXSW has a lot of ground to cover. With the SXSW Accelerator series, attendees can hear from the founders of new sites and apps, some of which haven’t even been launched yet. Last year, a few hot topics were the metrics and ROI of social media, geolocation apps, mobile payments, and augmented reality. This year, I’m hoping to hear about more things that haven’t even hit the major blogs yet. With increased smartphone usage and the mainstream expansion of social networks, there’s a lot of magic on the horizon.

Several other Dayton interactive developers are attending, this year, and Rob Tarr from Dayton firm Sparkbox will also be speaking. In addition, I’ll get to watch Dayton band The Motel Beds perform in a showcase. (I should mention that I’m especially excited for this since my husband, Tod Weidner is their bass player). The mix of music, film, and interactive gives SXSW a unique, creative energy.


Music news

I plan to share what I learn at SXSW as it happens on Twitter and through posts on Real Art’s blog. Follow @patricehall or @realart for the play-by-play.

 

Basho Apparel Opens New Shop in the Oregon District

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Basho Apparel’s first month of business since opening their new location in the Oregon District has exceeded their wildest expectations, according to Brian Johnson, co-owner of Basho with fellow artist and New York native Paul Baker.

“Opening is always really exciting and completely terrifying at the same time,” says Johnson.  “It can be hard to gauge the reaction you’ll get from the public.  But we were selling later than the bars in the Oregon on our opening night, and since then we’ve had a steady flow of new customers from Dayton, as well as holding on to many of our regulars from Yellow Springs.”

Basho is a full-service screen printing shop located on E. Fifth Street.  The store offers clothing and accessories designed by local artists, as well as using water-based ink in their printing process that is more environmentally friendly than that used by much of the industry.

“It’s a lot of work,” Johnson says. “At Basho we do all our own tricks… any construction or painting is always kept in-house. I guess that’s one of the benefits of working with a bunch of cool designers and artists.”

The store’s local focus is also important to Johnson.

“We offer artist-designed, locally made apparel,” he says.  “Also, every First Friday we work with a local artist to release a short-run retail line. It’s a fun way to reach out to the community, not to mention help someone who may not be able to start their own line.”

Baker opened his first store in Yellow Springs in 2000, but Johnson didn’t get involved until a few years later.

“Paul and I first met when I started working for him in the summer of ’05,” Johnson says.  “He needed someone to run a cash register at his store in Yellow Springs, and it was a fun temporary job for me.”

“Fast-forward six years and I’m having a single artist showing at Fifth Third Tower in Dayton,” he continues.  “I’d invited Paul, but didn’t expect him to come – he hates leaving the house. He showed up though, and we ended up talking business. Paul had come to a point where he didn’t want to handle the administrative aspects anymore; he wanted to focus on his printing and design work.  A few months later everything started rolling, and we made the arrangement official.”

The partners opened their Dayton location earlier this year with the help of Activated Spaces, a volunteer organization seeking to boost Dayton’s economy by filling empty storefronts downtown with art installations, short-term (or “pop-up”) retail spaces, and longer-term businesses.

“Everybody I talk to seems to think that Dayton is a risky market for retail,” Johnson says. “But I live downtown, I go to shows downtown, I get coffee downtown, and I make probably 95% of my purchases downtown.  And I am, by far, not the only one.”

“There’s been a huge surge in business openings on the east side of the Oregon District within the last year,” says Johnson.  “If that’s not evidence that there is a blossoming, eclectic economy growing in Dayton, I don’t know what is.  And we want to be a part of it.”

Getting in the Game: Research, Prepare and Negotiate the Exhibition of your Artwork

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The Dayton Visual Arts Center, Rosewood Arts Centre and the Springfield Museum of Art present Getting in the Game: Research, Prepare and Negotiate the Exhibition of your Artwork. This three-part, three-venue series will focus on different aspects of exhibiting artwork, from finding appropriate exhibition opportunities, preparing a strong portfolio and application, and best exhibition practices. This is the inaugural event in a series of practical practice workshops for artists. Attending all three sessions is encouraged as the sessions are organized cumulatively; however, participants may attend any or all three.

Session 1 | March 10 | Making a Game Plan | Dayton Visual Arts Center

Free agent or professional? Fairs, festivals, auctions, galleries, museums, corporate commissions? Get out of the studio and on the field! Learn to create the best game plan to reach your exhibition goals.

Session 2 | March 17 | The Right Equipment | Rosewood Arts Centre

Learn the basics of preparing your work for the jury process or presenting a solo exhibition proposal. Artist statements, resumes, documentation of artwork, and more will be discussed.

Session 3 | March 24 | Rules of Engagement | Springfield Museum of Art

For profit, not for profit? Galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, museums? 10%, 25%, 50%? Learn what to expect from each venue, and what they expect from you, including contracts, marketing, and commission fees.
(submitted by DVAC)

Bridal Beauty Survival Kit

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 It’s that time of year again when all things bride enter many of our lives. There’s   nothing more exciting and stressful than planning your wedding day and how you are going to look the day of should not be one of those stresses. I have people ask me all the time why they should get their makeup done for their wedding day. There are a few answers and my number one is “dont you want to relax?” makeup and hair should be the last thing on your mind on the big day and hiring a professional team (if in your budget) is a luxury. The next response is, “my cousin Betty does great makeup and she will do it for free” Cousin Betty may be great at her own makeup and yours as well for a night on the town but when it comes to a professional photographer, bright lights, random tears and sweat cousin Betty may not have the tools to handle it. The fact is bridal makeup is not everyday makeup. You will look like yourself and natural but there are lots of tricks that we, makeup artists use to make you looko flawless all day. As trained artists we know how you are going to look in all kinds of lighting and how to make you look your best from all angles.

 

The next big question, “whats airbrush makeup and why do I need it?” Airbrush makeup is exactly what it sounds like, it is applied with an airbrush gun similar to ones you have seen for shirt making. Using trained techniques airbrushing gives you a flawless complexion in a long wearing weightless formula. Using different pressures makeup artists are able to contour and adjust certain areas of the skin to make you a beautiful even face. Most brides love it becasue you feel like there is nothing on your face. So you might now be thinking, “why can’t regular foundation do that?” Regular foundation can be just as flawless if applied correctly the biggest difference is the long wearing factor and how your skin feels. Airbrush is weightless and most traditional foundations can be felt on the skin. Another big difference is that airbrush foundation is waterproof and long wearing where as traditional foundations may not always be. If you choose traditional foundation be sure and ask your makeup artist if they are using a primer and waterproofing setting spray to make sure you dont lose that gorgeous face!

 

What if makeup is not in your budget? Dont dispair there are options. A popular service that I have provided over the years is teaching the bride to do her own makeup with her own products. Basically you have a private makeup session to learn how to make yourself flawless the day of. This is often an affordable choice for the budget friendly bride. The one thing that I must stress is beware of makeup counters! Not all but many of the girls at the counters are not trained professionals. No matter who or what you choose for you makeup be sure and do a run through so there are no surprises on the day of.

 

How do you know what to look for in a beauty team? You definitly want to see a portfolio of actual work and many brides recommend artists to one another after their weddings. Word of mouth is the best way to go. You know someone has used them and had a perfect result. The next step is making sure you are compatible with your beauty team. Remember these are the people you are going to be with at the last moments before you walk down the aisle. The last thing you need is someone who makes you nervous. You will know when you schedule your trial if it’s a good match. Look for someone who makes you comfortable and that you can laugh with. You will most likely be nervous so you need someone who can keep the mood light and easy.

 

Remember this is your big day and you want to be at your best on every level. The day of the wedding should be your day to relax and be pampered. Choosing a beauty team that fits your needs will make the day go much smoother and keep you from worrying about more than you need to. Below I have given you 6 month check list of what you need to be doing to prepare for one of best days of your life.

 

6 Months Before

 

Start a skin care regime. Schedule your first facial with an esthetician to get on a skin care plan that may include peels and/or microdermabrasion.

Now is the time to experiment with different cuts and colors. Once you find a look that you are comfortable with begin a hair care routine that includes regular deep conditioning treatments and trims every 4–6 weeks.

5 Months Before

 

If your nails are short, begin growing them out or consider nail enhancements such as acrylics. If you plan on having natural nails, begin monthly manicures and pedicures. This will ensure your nails are strong and look flawless for your wedding as well as serve as a nice break from all that wedding planning!

4 Months Before

 

Make your hair and make-up appointments for your trial and wedding day.

Make hair and make-up appointments for your bridesmaids and relatives as well.

2–3 Months Before

 

Continue skin care plan.

Research different hair and make-up styles you would like to try on your trial.

1 Month Before

Get your trial hair and make-up completed together. This allows enough time before the wedding if you want to try a new style but is close enough to keep your look fresh in your service provider’s mind.

Receive your final skin peel/microdermabrasion.                        

2 Weeks Before

Get your final hair trim and deep conditioning treatment.

Touch up your color and/or highlights.

Receive your final facial.

1 Week Before

Receive any waxing services such as brow, lip, legs, etc. Also keep in mind getting a bikini wax – especially if you’re going somewhere tropical for your honeymoon. For the best results, waxing services should be performed on 3–4 weeks of hair growth. If you do not usually get waxed, begin a few months before your wedding day to avoid an adverse reaction to the wax.

Get a relaxing massage. Chances are it will be a nice relaxing break from all that last minute wedding planning!

Get an airbrush tan it gives it time to fade if its too dark and you can bronze again two to three days before your wedding if you like the tanned look.

1–2 Days Before

 

Get a body polish to gently exfoliate your skin. It gives brides that “glowing look”.

 

If you have nail enhancements, get a fill. If you have natural nails, get a manicure.

Receive a spa pedicure. Many brides opt for French polish on their toes to finish off their overall bridal look.

Day of

 

Receive your hair and make-up services. It is recommended that these be the only services you receive on your actual wedding day.

 

If you have any questions on finding a bridal beauty team feel free to message me. There are tons of great artists in the Dayton area!!

“Bus Stop” Opens at the Dayton Playhouse

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The Dayton Playhouse will present the popular drama, “Bus Stop,” March 16-25.

The play is set in a diner about 30 miles west ofKansas Cityin early March 1955. A freak snowstorm has halted the progress of the bus, and the eight characters have a weather-enforced layover in the diner from approximately 1 to 5 a.m. Romantic or quasi-romantic relationships ensue.  “Bus Stop” original opened on Broadway in 1955.  The play was nominated for four Tony Awards. “Bus Stop” was written by William Inge and is made available through Dramatists Play Service.

The Dayton Playhouse production stars Lorrie Sparrow as Grace,MargaretFoley as Elma, Craig Smith as Will,RickFlynnas Dr. Gerald Lyman, Ellen Ballerene as Cherie, Scott Knisley as Bo, Mike Rouseculp as Virgil and Mark Hassel as Carl.  “Bus Stop” is being directed by Matthew Smith.

Performances will be Friday through Sunday, March 16-25.  All performances are at 8:00 p.m. except Sundays, which are at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for adults, $14 for seniors and $10 for students.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.daytonplayhouse.com, or through the box office, 937-424-8477, which is staffed Monday, Wednesday and Friday 2:00 -5:00 p.m.  Messages may be left for the box office at any time.  The Dayton Playhouse is located at 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton, OH 45414.

The Dayton Playhouse is a community theatre providing outstanding theatrical productions toMiamiValleyaudiences of all ages for more than fifty years.  The Playhouse is nationally recognized for “FutureFest,” a festival of new plays.

(submitted by The Dayton Playhouse)

Dayton Ballet’s “The Spring Series”

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The Spring Series, at Victoria Theatre from March 15 – 18, 2012, will feature four ballets in one amazing performance:  two world-premiere ballets:  one by Dayton Ballet’s Ballet Master, Justin Koertgen titled Violin Concerto and performed to Max Bruch’s Violin Concertos #2 and #3; 2011 New Music for New Dance choreography winner, Susanne Payne’s Parádeigma; and two ballet revivals:  Dermot Burke’s Interlude, performed to Dmitri Shostakovitch’s Piano Concerto No.2, Op. 102 and Gregory Robinson’s Hot Riffs and Blue Notes, performed to music by The Pointer Sisters.

A feature on the program, Violin Concerto, is choreographed by Dayton Ballet’s 11 year veteran, Justin Koertgen, and is a return to the pure roots of classical ballet.  With tutus, tiaras, and tunics, Violin Concerto, is performed to Max Bruch’s Violin Concertos #2 and #3 with the elegance, energy and glorious partnering of true ballet.

Daytonfavorite, GregoryRobinson, presents his popular revival, Hot Riffs and Blue Notes, performed to the melodically-layered music of The Pointer Sisters.

DermotBurke, former Executive and Artistic Director of Dayton Ballet, returns with his revival, Interlude. This Neo-Classical ballet is danced by two couples to the romantic Piano Concerto No. 2, Op 102, byDmitriShostakovitch.

The Spring Series program concludes with a contemporary ballet choreographed by Dayton native, Susanne Payne.  Susanne is the 2011 Choreography winner of New Music for New Dance.  Her world premiere ballet, Parádeigma, pushes the company dancers to explore their limitations both physically and mentally.  Parádeigma challenges the dancers and audience to move beyond their perceptions of what traditional ballet should be.  The goal is for all is to experience the freedom achieved by breaking loose from the routine.

Performances of The Spring Series are at theVictoriaTheatre, March 15, 16, & 17 at 8:00 pm, and March 17 and 18 at 3:00 pm.

Tickets are on sale now! Call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com.  Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Noon-4 p.m. and two hours prior to each performance.

Puttin’ on the Ritz at Opera Ball 2012

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(submitted by the Opera Guild of Dayton)

You heard about it, didn’t you? You know ─ Tom (Bankston that is) and a few hundred of his closest friends from Opera Guild of Dayton are meeting at Dayton Country Club (DCC) on Saturday, March 3, at 6:30 p.m. They’re Puttin’ on the Ritz at Opera Ball 2012. They’ve got The Tom Daugherty Orchestra coming. Do they ever play the tunes! How about the Charleston or maybe some swing? There’ll be lots more to keep your feet tappin’.

Now I hear that the food at DCC is pretty terrific. They won’t be serving bathtub gin, just the good stuff. Don your glad rags ─ that’s your black tie attire and some bling. How about a bow tie and a top hat or some long pearls? Feathers and boas? Sure.

And for the auctions, the prizes are the “bee’s knees.” How about a week at Big Sky, Montana, or Winter Park, Colorado? Also, there’s a glamorous trip to New York City to dine at the 21 Club with a hotel stay at the incomparable The Lowell on the Upper East Side. Try for the Segway tour of Woodland Cemetery or tickets to the opera. Dining certificates are available at some hotsy, totsy restaurants. Pamper yourself at a spa. And they’ve got luscious wine baskets, art glass and lots more.

Call 937/434-8236 and ask for Sam. She has all the details. She’ll make sure that your reservation is set.  That new fangled Web has information too at OperaGuildOfDayton.org. Now all this partying helps the Opera Guild support Dayton Opera productions and keeps their educational endeavors with the schools in swell shape. And those high school and college vocal competition winners need the Guild’s dough too.

Be there for a roarin’ good time Puttin’ on the Ritz!

Lash Envy? The Good the Bad and the Nail Glue?

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It has come to my attention in recent weeks that there is a growing problem with legitiment eyelash extensions. You may have read one of my earlier columns on lashes and what to look for when thinking about getting them. After talking with several girls recently and hearing numerous stories from other salon professionals I felt like this was something people needed to know about. Before I begin with the horror stories here is my number one advice to you when even thinking about getting extensions, make sure the person doing your lashes is licensed and trained in lash extensions. You not only have to be a board certified aethescian or cosmotologist but you also have to have outside training from lash line you are using.

When it comes down to it most of us would love to have eyelash extensions, however, the price is a concern for most people. Enter in the “nail spa” where things always seem to be cheaper somehow. I recently heard a story from a woman who went to a nail spa in Centerville that was supposebly doing extensions. They offered her a great and much cheaper price than leading salons in the area so she said yes. She had the extensions applied and within 24hrs she was begging to have them taken off. She quoted, “they burned and were painful” luckily the place took them off and she headed to Enhance Spa and Lash Studio. Angi Wolfe, an award winning Xtreme Lash professional was able to get some real extensions on the client but stated that lashes were definitly compromised and would need time to grow back in. This is just one of the stories that we are hearing every week . I have had model clients who have told me they went to nail spas and they attached lashes with nail glue!! This is absolutly terrifying. To put things in perspective for those readers who have not had extensions, when done correctly you do not have any pain or burning in fact you cant even feel them. These are just a couple of the stories that have been going around. I have also heard of people working out of their homes and not being certified but charging far less to attract customers. One woman who went to such a place stated “the woman worked out of her home not the flashy ad she had on the internet of a beautiful spa” she went on to say ” the woman who applied the lashes said she had just learned in the last month from a friend” The result, “the lashes were clumped together and uncomfortable. Some were even turned around a poking in my eye” Another woman who went to an uncertified technician complained that when she washed her face all the lashes fell out along with many of her own.

So what happens when you do get extensions from a real place? I can tell from my personal experience that I go every two weeks to get mine filled. The initial set took about two hours and the fills usually take 45min to an hour depending on how much I am shedding. It is a spa atmosphere, there is a comfy bed and a warm neck pillow and I lay there nearly falling asleep. I have never experienced any type of pain when getting my lashes done and I have never lost an excessive amount of my own lashes. In fact my lashes have grown in thicker from not wearing so much mascara. I constantly get compliments on my lashes and people cannot believe they are not mine. What can you expect when you get lash extensions? You will arrive and meet with your lash artist he or she will go over all the details of your lashes and find out whether or not you are a good candidate for them. They will discuss the proper way to care for them and how they are applied. Once you both have decided that they are a good match for you, you will lay down and have undereye patches placed under your eyes. This is so that the artist can see your lashes more easily. Then they will begin placing lash extensions on your own lashes with tweezers with a medical grade glue. (see why you dont want just anyone doing them?) Many lash artists will use magnifying lenses to get a closer and better view of each individual lash. All in all its relaxing and you sit up with beautiful lashes! There is no pain, no sticky glue mess and no lashes poking you in the eye. You can wash your face, go swimming, wear mascara and even cry (within reason lol and still have fabulous lashes. Now that is not to say that they wont fall out. The extensions fall out naturally with your own lashes so there are things that will make them come out faster. For example if you are an “eye rubber” an overzealous fashwasher, or excessive sweater and or cryer these are things that make your own lashes come out faster. As long as you take care to be gentle with them and brush them once or twice a day you will be good to go with fabulous lashes in tow.

What should you look for when deciding to try lash extensions? First and formost the technician must be certified, not only by the state but also by the lash company. Xtreme lashes is the most popular brand and the one I personally wear. You can go on their website and find certified technicians in your area. Be sure and ask questions and find out how long the person has been applying the lashes dont let just anyone get near your lashes! Finally dont be attracted to cheaper pricing, Xtreme lashes set a standard that salons cannot price under so if you are seeing a cheaper price they are not Xtreme lashes. You can expect to pay around 200.00 for your first set and then around 50.00 for your refills. Look around at certified spas and see what they are charging dont be fooled by false advertising. If you have any questions or concerns regarding lashes or if you think you would like to have some of your own please contact Angi Wolfe at 937-748-7294 you can also visit her site at http://www.enhancespaandlashstudio.com/

 

DPO presents Queen: A Rock and Symphonic Spectacular (Ticket Contest)

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(see ticket give-away details below)
So, you want to start a rock band? The four of you’ve got piano, drums, bass, and lead guitar covered. And you all do vocals…well. All you need is a name. Let’s see…how ‘bout Smile? Yeah, that’s it, Smile. That’s a name that will echo down the corridors of time and everyone will know and remember. Smile.

Sounds a bit on the weird side, eh? Who in their right mind would ever name a rock band Smile?

Guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, that’s who. Names sound familiar? They should, and they are because of a fan of theirs, a pianist by the name of Farrokh Bulsara. Brian and Roger played in a band called – wait for it – Smile.

Farrokh was certainly no dummy. He joined the band, and his first order of business was to change its name…and his. Taking his inspiration from the line “Mother Mercury, look what they’ve done to me” in the song My Fairy King, he renamed himself Freddie Mercury. And he came up with a new name for the band, one he thought “…very regal obviously, and it sounds splendid. It’s a strong name, very universal and immediate.” The name? Queen.

And history proved the band to be everything Freddie felt its name implied.

As music lovers, we tend to make things easy on ourselves and pigeonhole our favorite performers into narrow, easily defined categories. That is one thing no one will ever be able to do with Queen.

Follow the band’s musical progression.

When Queen formed in London in 1971 (John Deacon, replacing Smile bassist Tim Staffell, joined Freddie, Brian, and Roger), it began performing tunes influenced by progressive rock, but the band steadily moved forward into more predictable and marketable songs, adding more diversity and inventive styles into its music.

In 1973 the group launched its debut album named (what else?) Queen, influenced by heavy metal and progressive rock. With 1974 came Queen II (clever titling, what?), that featured lengthy, complicated sections, a fantasy-theme to some lyrics, instrumental genius, and The March of the Black Queen, a six-minute-long marathon with no song structure or chorus.

The members were becoming musicians.

Ragtime, heavy metal, ballads, British music hall, and Caribbean music all found their way into the group’s 1974 Sheer Heart Attack album. Testing the water with these diverse genres, Queen began to move away from its progressive roots toward a more airplay-friendly style. And the cut Killer Queen became the group’s breakthrough hit, rising to number two in the UK and number 12 in the United States.

In 1975 A Night at the Opera carried on the musical experimentation Sheer Heart Attack had begun. One of Freddie Mercury’s compositions even featured a harp and vocal harmonies dubbed over. Another song, Bohemian Rhapsody, became the only single ever to sell a million copies…twice, prompting the group to produce a video to go with the single. A video some have touted to have been the first “true” music video ever produced.

1976 saw Queen recording A Day at the Races; inspired by gospel, the album’s big hit Somebody to Love featured Mercury, May, and Taylor singing on multiple tracks to create the sonic illusion of a 100-voice gospel choir.

The 1977 studio album News of the World featured songs written for live performance, including We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions. Doubtless the group couldn’t foresee these two cuts becoming lasting international sports anthems.

1978’s Jazz included the hit singles Fat Bottomed Girls. Another notable track from Jazz, Don’t Stop Me Now, provides another example of the band’s energetic vocal harmonies.

In 1984 The Works featured the successful single Radio Ga Ga, not to be confused with, well, you know…

1986’s A Kind of Magic included another musical breakthrough; Who Wants to Live Forever? featured an orchestra conducted by Michael Kamen.

Music of Queen

Queen released The Miracle in 1989, which used a pop-rock sound mixed with a few heavy numbers and produced the hit I Want It All.

In 1991, Mercury died of bronchopneumonia, a complication of AIDS, and Deacon retired in 1997. For the last two albums made while Mercury was still alive, the band credited all songs to Queen, rather than specific members of the group, freeing them of internal conflict and differences.

On Saturday, March 10 in the Schuster Center at 3pm and 8pm, ­as part of their Rockin’ Orchestra Series, Assistant Conductor Patrick Rey­nolds and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra present Queen: A Rock and Symphonic Spectacular. With guest artists Music of Queen, a full rock band and stars from the London West End smash hit musical We Will Rock You, the DPO and over 70 performers on stage will perform all of Queen’s classic hits, including the hit singles I mentioned previously.

And keep the hit-making trail Freddie and the boys started blazing 40 years ago alive.

And hotter than ever.

See more details at the Dayton Philharmonic Website

Ticket Contest

The anticipation for this show was so high that the 3/10 8pm show was SOLD OUT!  So, DPO just added a matinee show for 3pm on 3/10… and we have ticket pairs for that show to give away!  Starting on Wednesday February 29th, we’ll announce one random winner every day for the following 7 days!  All you have to do isthis article and share with your FB friends, and then comment below and name your favorite Queen song.  Good luck!

UPDATE:

And… Congratulations to our winners – enjoy the show!

Heather Chandler
Jennifer Larew
Brian Kesson
Gina Kay Landis
Dan Forshaw
Jamie Werling
Mike Reitz

Film Review – Ghost Rider – Spirit of Vengeance (C+)

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I don’t think a movie has ever benefitted more strongly from comparison with its predecessor.

Directed by Mark Neveldine from a story by David Goyer (of Blade, Batman Begins and FlashForward fame), Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is by no means a great film. In fact, it’s rather woefully put together in some ways, and if you’re not a fan of Nicolas Cage I’d skip it altogether, since this is definitely one of his more idiosyncratic performances. But compared to his earlier turn as the skull-faced superhero in 2007, Spirit of Vengeance is a masterpiece.

Cage returns as Johnny Blaze, a former daredevil motorcyclist who sold his soul to the Devil, and is now doomed to transform into the titular demon whenever bad guys are around. On the bum in Eastern Europe, Blaze becomes the (reluctant) guardian angel of a young boy and his mother after being offered a chance to be freed of his curse in exchange for protecting them.

Let’s start with what works. First off, the filmmakers get the tone right this time around. Unlike its often jarringly goofy and light-hearted predecessor, SoV is a darker take on the material, and the change is overwhelmingly for the better. There’s still plenty of humor, of both the intentional and presumably unintentional variety (one scene in particular, featuring Cage at his hammiest as he terrorizes a hapless goon, had the audience at the Rave falling out of their seats), but overall this one is much edgier.

Johnny’s characterization has been much improved as well. Whereas the first film’s version of Blaze seemed to have things pretty well in hand by the time the credits rolled, Johnny 2.0 is a brooding, isolated figure struggling to control his alter ego and desperately searching for a cure, like a supernatural update on The Incredible Hulk.

Finally, the title character himself cuts a much more impressive figure in his second big-screen outing. The first film’s visual effects were underwhelming at best and downright laughable at worst; the transformation sequences were dismal, and the finished product looked like something out of an old Looney Tunes short. In contrast, the Rider looks downright menacing here, with scorched bones, flames that produce actual smoke, and grimy black duds that remind me of Jason in the old Friday the 13th movies. More than anything, he looks like he’s actually there, and that makes all the difference.

The film has its weaknesses, don’t get me wrong. None of the characters besides Blaze are especially well-developed, the villains are one-dimensional mustache twirlers, and the editing during some of the action sequences is confusing and leaves much to be desired. Some of the transitions between scenes are a bit jarring as well. My biggest problem with the film, however, is with the 3-D presentation.

Now, I need to make a confession: this is the first 3-D film I’ve actually seen. So there may be some kind of a learning curve involved, or the conditions at the theater where I saw it may not have been ideal (I was sitting awfully close to the screen, for instance, and I’ve heard the effect works better if you’re sitting somewhere near the middle). Maybe, as a friend of mine suggested after the screening, this particular film simply doesn’t benefit from the process as much as other films would. But, personally, I found the 3-D aspect of the viewing to be distracting and even borderline irritating at times.

First, the glasses. I was aware of the fact that I was wearing them the entire time, and I was constantly aware of the black bars around the perimeter of my vision (especially since I was sitting so close to the screen, which made me have to move my eyes back and forth much more than I’m used to in order to follow the action). Second, while the 3-D looked cool in a few places, it mostly amounted to people standing around on screen and me thinking, “Well, they certainly stand out more against the background than they usually would.” Not nearly cool enough to balance out the inconveniences involved, in other words.

All in all, however, I had a good time watching this film, and it was miles better than the original (for my take on that one, by the way, check out my blog, which is linked on my Contributor page). I give it two-and-a-half out of four flaming skullheads (C+).

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2012 NCAA March Madness in Dayton, OH

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The Road to the Final Four® begins in Dayton, Ohio, with the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship First Four® games on March 13 and 14 at the University of Dayton Arena. As part of the festivities around the event, the Dayton Local Organizing Committee for the First Four is proud to announce the inaugural NCAA First Four Festival – Dayton on March 11 in Dayton’s Historic Oregon District.

“The University of Dayton Arena is one of the most respected venues in all of college basketball and we look forward to kicking off March Madness with a huge Selection Sunday Celebration” – Greg Shaheen, NCAA interim executive vice president of championships and alliances.

The University of Dayton has hosted the start of the Division I men’s basketball championship each year since 2001, having hosted a single opening-round game from 2001-10. After the tournament expanded prior to the 2011 championship, Dayton was selected to host the inaugural First Four, consisting of four first-round games played over two days. The University of Dayton Arena, which has hosted more NCAA Division I men’s tournament games than any other arena in the country, will host the First Four next month and again in 2013, when it also will host second- and third-round games of the championship. Local fans have helped the University of Dayton regularly rank among the top 30 nationally in Division I men’s basketball attendance.

On Selection Sunday, March 11, thousands will flock to Dayton’s Historic Oregon District for the NCAA First Four Festival – Dayton to kick off the Division I men’s basketball championship. This all-day, free event begins at noon and will feature family activities, a First-4-Miler fun run, food, beverages, large-screen televisions for watching conference tournament championship games leading up to the selection show, live music and educational displays featuring the latest in Air Force technology. The region is the birthplace of aviation and is the home to Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Heated tents and the ability to go in to one of your favorite Oregon District Businesses, who are all gearing up to make this an event you won’t want to miss, are examples of how the weather won’t impact the day’s events.

“Participating with the NCAA during the First Four allows the Air Force to communicate the unique contributions we bring to national security” – Lt General Thomas J. Owen, Commander, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Purchase your First Four® game tickets at www.NCAA.com/mbbtickets or www.daytonflyers.com or call TicketMaster at 1-800-745-3000. Learn more about the NCAA First Four Festival – Dayton at www.NCAA.com/firstfourdayton.

(from the Dayton Local Organizing Committee for the First Four)

Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical

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Victoria Theatre Association presents the world premiere of TENDERLY: THE ROSEMARY CLOONEY MUSICAL, a musical about the inspiring life of legendary singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, playing February 21 – March 4, at the historic Victoria Theatre. TENDERLY is a product of the annual collaboration between Victoria Theatre Association and The Human Race Theatre Company.

Co-authors Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman, who worked together on many projects, including Green Gables presented as part of VTA’s 2004-2005 Broadway Series, felt the story of Rosemary Clooney was a story they felt needed to be told.

“Everything appealed to us about the potential work,” say Vogt and Friedman, “from Rosie’s amazing personal story and her journey through very difficult times followed by a wonderful comeback – to the beautiful music that became her signature songs as an artist – to the fact that her roots are right here in Ohio and Kentucky. She faced many, many difficult times, some very heartbreaking, but she rose above it all and came out a winner. Her life is a lesson in overcoming obstacles and still being grateful, hopeful, and full of life. “

Tory Ross (photo credit: Scott J. Kimmins)

TENDERLY: THE ROSEMARY CLOONEY MUSICAL is the 22nd show The Human Race Theatre Company has produced for the Victoria Theatre Association’s Broadway Series. It is an intimate two-actor play starring Tory Ross as Rosemary Clooney and Scott Stoney as The Doctor, Friends and Family of Rosemary, and is directed by Kevin Moore.

Tory Ross, a graduate of The Miami Valley School and the University of Cincinnati’s Cincinnati Conservatory of Music plays the role of Rosemary Clooney. Tory has most recently been seen on stage in the touring production of the Broadway smash hit WICKED as the understudy for Madame Morrible and as part of the ensemble. She has also performed on Broadway in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and 9 to 5: The Musical.

Scott Stoney

Local actor Scott Stoney is a familiar face in Dayton and is an artist-in-residence with The Human Race Theatre Company known for his on-stage roles at the Loft and the Victoria Theatre. Victoria shows include among others Shenandoah, Wait Until Dark, The Boys Next Door, and Green Gables. His most recent productions for The Human Race Theatre Company include Permanent Collection, Twelfth Night, August: Osage County, and Brother Wolf.

Behind the scenes, Scot Woolley is Musical Director/Arranger, Bruce Goodrich is Scenic and Costume Designer and John Rensel is Lighting Designer. Technical crew includes: Technical Director Scott J. Kimmins; Head Carpenter D. Tristan Cupp; Production Stage Manager Heather Jackson; Assistant Stage Manager Kay Carver; Prop Master Heather Powell; and Producer Tara Lail.

Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney‘s singing career began in April 1945 when she and her sister Betty auditioned for Radio Station WLW in Cincinnati where they sang during the “Crossroads Café” show and then performed on “Moon River” with Hap Lee as organist. In 1946, the Clooney sisters began touring with the Tony Pastor Orchestra until 1949 when Rosemary moved to New York to begin her solo career as a singer and actress.

In 1951, Clooney recorded her trademark song, “Come On-a My House,” which lead to recordings of “Mambo Italiano,” “Tenderly,” “Half as Much,” “Hey There” and “This Ole House.” Some of her more famous movies include Red Garters (1954) and White Christmas (1954).

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Clooney was a devoted wife to Jose Ferrer (whom she married twice) and mother to their five children Miguel, Maria, Gabriel, Monsita and Rafel. In 1997, she married long-time friend Dante DiPalo. Clooney’s career spanned several decades and continued to perform until her death in 2002.

For tickets call Ticket Center Stage at 937-228-3630, 888-228-3630, online at www.ticketcenterstage.com or visit the Box Office in person, located in the Wintergarden of the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center.

(from Victoria Theatre Association)

TICKET CONTEST

We have THREE PAIRS of tickets to see TENDERLY: THE ROSEMARY CLOONEY MUSICAL on Wednesday Feb. 22!  Simplythis article  and then comment below – we’ll draw three winners this Sunday Feb. 19 at 5pm.  GOOD LUCK!

A Quick Taste of Dayton Does Dayton

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Canal Street Tavern is well known in the Dayton music scene for its great sound, up-close atmosphere, and excellent shows. Nearly every night, one can find all kinds of local acts putting on a show on the Tavern’s stage. Outside of regular shows, Canal Street also enjoys putting on different kinds of specialty shows, such as the well-known Dayton Band Playoffs. One of these shows took to the stage this past weekend, stretching over two evenings: Dayton Does Dayton.

Wheels performing at Dayton Does Dayton (photo by Jay Madewell)

Only in its second year, Dayton Does Dayton invites a number of local bands from many different genres to take to the stage and, alongside their own songs, cover tracks from other local bands. None of the bands that play the show are “cover bands” per se, they’re just there to put their own spin on other local acts that they enjoy, that have influenced them, or any other reason at all.

The sheer number of bands interested in the show this year caused the event to be spread out across a full weekend…or rather, the important part of the weekend (Friday and Saturday). The great thing is that this much time allows more bands to come out and play. The difficult thing is that it causes busy people (such as myself) to only be able to catch a part of the entire show. As excited as I was for the show, it landed on a terrible weekend for me, so I was only able to see the first few bands on Saturday night. So, rather than a whole review, here is just a taste of what you may have missed this past weekend.

I arrived much too early for the show on Saturday night, so I was one of the first ones in the door. This gave me a chance to chat quickly with one of the staff at Canal Street, who told me that nearly 280 people came in for the show the night before. Considering the size of the venue, this is a rather fantastic number, and soon enough, people began flooding through the door and filling the floor.  By the time the first band went on, Canal Street was nearly standing room only.

The first to play this evening, out of Yellow Springs, was the band Wheels. A five-piece mostly-acoustic act, Wheels decided to focus on covering one specific band this evening alongside their own songs. Their band of choice, also out of Yellow Springs, was Sport Fishing USA, whose tracks they stripped down to fit the style they were playing: acoustic guitars, light percussion, mandolin, and upright bass. The instruments, though, played as more of background noise to the vocals, the focus of the band. The four-part harmonies were the star of the show, filling out the sound left behind by the sparse instrumentation.

Good English performing at Dayton Does Dayton (photo by Jay Madewell)

The second band of the evening, straight out of Dayton itself, was Charge Scenic. This band’s sound was a complete turn-around from Wheels’ acoustic style: alternative rock with some electronic and synth elements. That, though, can only describe their original songs. The covers that Charge Scenic chose ran through a number of other genres, touching on pop rock and a bit of funk. They chose to cover a number of different bands: Guided by Voices, Zapp and Roger, and The Pure Plastic Tree.  Throughout their set, Charge Scenic seemed to have a strong focus on the rhythm section, with the bass holding much of the band together, and the drummer getting a few solos between songs.

Up next, and unfortunately the last band I got to see, was Good English. This all-female, mostly-siblings band out of Oakwood has a chord- and riff-driven rock sound, with a feel similar to Foo Fighters.  Good English chose to cover tracks close to their own sound by two bands: The Breeders and Southeast Engine. Almost every member of the band played multiple instruments, which each song prompting a stage switch. All around, these girls pulled together a number of basic melodies into some supremely catchy tracks.

The rest of the evening, and the night before, had sets from both well-known and less-well-known acts, including Gathering Mercury, Red Hot Rebellion, Dark Backward, and My Latex Brain. This is one of those times where I’m kicking myself for missing out on so many acts, but sometimes there’s not much that can be done! To those that went out to the show for one or both nights, I’m sure you could fill in some blanks for us! Feel free to leave opinions of the show and/or bands in the comments section.  To those that didn’t make it out, hopefully this shows you what you missed and you’ll be able to catch Dayton Does Dayton the next time it comes to town!

Foot Stomping Joy: The Music Of Genticorum

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French Canadians have a long history of being misunderstood. Only seven million or so people out of Canada’s 34 million total speak French as their primary language, and most of them live in a single province, Quebec. They live on an island of francais in an ocean of English.

But there’s more than just the language barrier.

Misunderstandings over politics, religion, social identity and cultural traditions have colored, and occasionally seriously strained, Anglo-French relations in Canada for centuries. Happily, these things often tend to even out over time—perhaps as some sort of sly, karmic payback, Quebec is now home to some of the hippest, happiest music on the planet.

Genticorum, a traditional music “power trio” based in Montreal, Quebec, plays a kind of music that’s as misunderstood as any style in North America. Like their confreres in La Bottine Souriante, Les Chauffeurs á Pied, Le Vent du Nord and other traditionally minded Quebec bands, Genticorum is deeply rooted in the history and culture of French Canada, playing music that is similar to—but also very unlike—the music of Canada’s other traditional music hotbeds, Cape Breton and the Ottawa Valley.

Genticorum was formed in 2000, the three musicians in the band—Pascal Gemme (fiddle, foot percussion, vocals), Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand (wooden flute, electric bass, fiddle, vocals) and Yann Falquet (guitar, Jew’s harp, vocals)—having become friends after playing together at various traditional music festivals.

“We all discovered the traditional music of Quebec before we met,” says Grosbois-Garand. “We all studied instruments that we don’t play in the band. I studied bass and I play the flute. Yann studied electric guitar and he plays acoustic guitar. Pascal studied guitar and he plays fiddle.”

The traditional music of Quebec is a unique and totally captivating blend of musical ideas from near and far. “It comes from Irish and Scottish and music from France,” says Grobois-Garand by way of explanation. “There is a big so-called Celtic flair to it because there are a lot of Irish and Scottish reels that have become Québécois reels. Sometimes the reels will change a bit, or the way of playing them. That mixed with the French song tradition and marching band music from the United States and German polkas and waltzes.

“All that mixed together over a few centuries into what we refer to as Québécois traditional music. Most of the bands, including us, will focus more on the party aspect of it. But we try also to play some laments and some waltzes because it’s not just fast reels and call-and-response drinking songs. There’s much more than that, so we try to give the diversity of the tradition.”

The traditional music of Quebec contains several musical elements that set it apart not just from the Celtic music mainstream but also the regional Canadian styles of Cape Breton and the Ottawa Valley. The most obvious to casual listeners is probably the sound of the singing. The vocals are in French and are characterized by lush multi-part harmonies, call-and-response (chanson à répondre) choruses and a sonic richness not found in most traditional styles. Some of Genticorum’s vocal harmonies have an ancient sound that’s at times reminiscent of medieval madrigals. The band is also adept at a form of “mouth music” called turlutteries (conceptually similar to jazz scat singing or lilting in Irish music).

Driving, intricate “foot percussion”—provided by Pascal Gemme in the case of Genticorum—is one of the coolest parts of traditional Québécois music. Not only does this provide the band with a percussionist at no extra cost, a real boon for a small group like Genticorum, it adds an exciting touch to performances that audiences love, as well as a distinctive rhythmic signature that is quintessentially Québécois.


Band press kits

Maybe someday in the future, a musicologist or anthropologist will explain the astonishing, at times nearly unbelievable, facility that Canadian fiddlers appear to have for dancing while they fiddle, from Natalie MacMaster’s step-dancing to the ensemble work of the Step Crew to the seated tap dancing done by Gemme. If it were just one or two fiddlers who did this, it could be written off to individual obsession and long winters, but it seems like every fiddler who comes out of Canada possesses this wonderfully strange talent. Curious, eh?

Genticorum has released four critically acclaimed albums since 2002. The band’s debut, Le Galarneau, received widespread acclaim in the international music press. Sing Out noted accurately that “For a three piece, Genticorum makes a very full and glorious noise, both instrumentally and vocally” before predicting, “This is a band that’s going to go places.” The follow-up, Malins Plaisirs, earned a Canadian Folk Music Award, Ensemble of the Year, for the trio and was nominated for both Juno (Canada’s Grammy) and Felix (a regional prize in Quebec).

While their CD La Bibournoise, released in 2008, received international recognition,  Genticorum’s most recent album, Nagez Rameurs, was released in 2011 and was promptly hailed as “one of the year’s most unusual and beautiful collections of folk music” (New York Post). Graced by a particularly compelling collection of traditional and original songs and tunes and guest appearances by such musicians as Grey Larsen and Olivier Demers (Le Vent du Nord), Nagez Rameurs won Genticorum its second Ensemble of the Year award at the 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards.

At last count, Genticorum has performed in almost 20 countries. The band has found enthusiastic audiences wherever it has played, from Scotland and Ireland to New Zealand and Australia. “We are within a certain tradition and play with a certain aesthetic, without really radical changes,” says Yann Falquet of the band’s wide-ranging appeal. “And people are able to enjoy it for what it is, whether they are Scottish folkies or Malaysian teenagers.” And pretty much everybody in between.

Cityfolk presents Genticorum, Sat. Feb 25 at Stivers Centennial Hall at 8 PM. Info and tickets are available at cityfolk.org or 937-496-3863.

(submitted by Jon Hartley Fox for Cityfolk)

 

Time to Put on the Ol’ Ruby Slippers – DPO Presents Wizard of Oz with Orchestra

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FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS – leave a comment below the article.  We’ll announce FOUR winners on Wednesday 2/15 for the 2/17 show.  GOOD LUCK!

It has been called a “timeless” motion picture. Because it is.

Produced in 1939 and televised at least once annually since 1956, the movie claims a truly rabid, multi-generational audience. Why? Because, as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith once observed, we’re all kids at heart. And we all love music…and fantasy.

On Friday, February 17 and Saturday, February 18 at 8pm in the Schuster Center, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director Neal Gittleman will conduct the entire score to the MGM film The Wizard of Oz as it projects on a large screen above the orchestra, providing orchestral accompaniment to the film with the soundtrack stripped of all orchestral music; only the actors’ dialogue and vocals remain.

Many of us know the words to the movie’s songs by heart, the result of anywhere from one to 55 years’ worth of exposure. E.Y. Harburg’s lyrics set to Harold Arlen’s music with Herbert Stothart’s Academy Award winning (for Best Original Score) incidental music and instrumental underscore (some of it based on the songs, some borrowed from classical composers), are as familiar to us as our own family (hence, the derivation of the term).

With its use of Technicolor film, extraordinary characters, fantasy storytelling, and special effects, The Wizard of Oz won two Academy Awards and was nominated for Best Picture of the Year (Frankly, my dear, it lost to Gone with the Wind). And, believe it or not, it was a box office failure at first, failing to earn back the studio’s investment. In time, the trend reversed, and later re-releases compensated MGM for its initial poor showing.

It has become one of the most famous films ever made. The Library of Congress named it the most-watched motion picture in history. Viewer/critic polls often rank it as one of the Top 10 Best Movies of All-Time. And, of course, it is the source of many memorable quotes: I’ll get you, my pretty…and your little dog, too!; Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore; and There’s no place like home, to name a few..

This Kettering Health Network SuperPops Series concert reprises (always loved the sound of that word: re-pree-ses), or brings back, the event, originally performed before a sold-out Mead Theater in the Schuster Center in November, 2006. It was The Bomb. I know. I was fortunate to be there with my extended family, and we – along with the overwhelming majority of other attendees – sang our little hearts out. Most of us were even on key!

There’s an old axiom familiar to we Writers Guild members: “If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage,” meaning “you can’t damned well make a movie without a screenplay!” Strangely, it sometimes works the other way around: “It may be on the page, but that’s no guarantee it’s gonna’ make it to the film.” In short, the film winds up markedly different than the source text, in this case L. Frank Baum’s book.

Here’s what’s different. And, since we all know the movie so well, I’ll just cover what was in the book that got changed.

In the book, Oz was a real place. Glinda the Good Witch of the North had no name; she was actually two people, Glinda the Good Witch of the South and the Queen of the Field Mice. There were places called the China Country and people called the Hammerheads. The Wicked Witch of the West was only mentioned several times before she appeared one chapter towards the end. Dorothy rescued her friends, not the other way around. And she wore silver shoes, not ruby slippers.

Other than that….

Director Victor Fleming filmed the Oz sequences in three-strip Technicolor; the opening/ closing credits, the Kansas sequences, and Aunty Em’s appearance in the Wicked Witch’s crystal ball in black and white and colored them using sepia tone.

The Beverly Hillbillies pater familias Buddy Ebsen was originally cast as the Tin Man and joined the cast in recording the film’s songs in a studio before principal photography began. Then, problem of problems, Ebsen got sick…from the aluminum powder makeup of all things, and MGM dropped him from the cast and replaced him with Jack Haley.

But Ebsen’s singing voice stayed in the soundtrack.

The beauty of having watched a film like The Wizard of Oz sooooo many times as quite a few of us have is that, when we hear a song from the film, we can just about place it in its proper sequence in the story. Read the list of songs in sequence as they are heard in the film, and see if you remember where (i.e., which scene) each song was sung:

Over the Rainbow; Come Out, Come Out…; It Really Was No Miracle; We Thank You Very Sweetly; Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead; As Mayor of the Munchkin City;  As Coroner, I Must Aver; Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead (Reprise; don’t you just love that word?); The Lullaby League; The Lollipop Guild; We Welcome You to Munchkinland;  Follow the Yellow Brick Road/You’re Off to See the Wizard; If I Only Had a Brain; We’re Off to See the Wizard; If I Only Had a Heart; We’re Off to See the Wizard (Reprise); If I Only Had the Nerve; We’re Off to See the Wizard (Reprise); Optimistic Voices (background chorus);The Merry Old Land of Oz; If I Were King of the Forest.

A word about classical music in the film: an arranged version of Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain is heard during the scene in which the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion rescue Dorothy from the Wicked Witch of the West’s castle.

So, grab all your Janet Weiss and Brad Majors costume paraphernalia…no, no, that’s the other long-running film.

So, even though we‘re not in Kansas anymore, we can all get to downtown Dayton for Wizard of Oz with Orchestra.

And we won’t need to wear ruby slippers to get back home.

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