Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Dayton Most Metro

THE MADNESS STARTS HERE

By Leave a Comment

The Road to the Final Four begins in Dayton again this year with the NCAA Men’s First Four games on March 13th and 14th at the University of Dayton Arena. The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) charged with rallying community support for the games will begin promoting ticket sales during the first-half of the University of Dayton men’s home basketball game versus LaSalle, this Saturday, January 14, 7:00 pm at UD Arena.

To officially kick things off, informational announcements will take place at center-court, including the introduction of selected committee members and sponsors, key event partners, and an overview of community events, referred to as “The Big Hoopla.”  The announcement will include business, civic and local elected leaders, as well as supporters from the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, representing Big Hoopla partners. The LOC plans to reinforce the important relationship between the Dayton community and the U.S. Air Force.

Don Donoher, legendary UD Men’s Basketball Coach will serve as an honorary spokesperson for this year’s event.  “We are honored to have someone of Coach Donoher’s stature join us in the community celebration of NCAA College Basketball,” said JP Nauseef, this year’s LOC Chair.

Updates on ticket sales and other events planned for this celebration also will be discussed. Tickets to get into the NCAA First Four games at UD Arena are going fast and some of the best seats have only limited availability at this point.

 

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is one of the most widely watched, successful media spectacles in all of sports.  Last year, the NCAA expanded the field of participants and selected Dayton and UD Arena to host the inaugural NCAA First Four Games.  Because Dayton was successful in hosting the inaugural event, the NCAA selected UD arena to host again this year and next year (2012-2013).  Dayton has a strong track record hosting these events; in fact, the University of Dayton has hosted more NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games than anywhere else in the Country, totaling 87 tournament games over the past 41 years, including the start of each championship since 2001.  Hosting this event provides Dayton Region with a tremendous economic development opportunity for national exposure. 

Two Twenty-Somethings Revitalize 78-Year Musical Tradition

By Leave a Comment

DPO presents Concertmaster’s Choice at site of Orchestra’s birth

To paraphrase Daphne du Maurier, “Last night I dreamt I went to Viterbo again.”

Viterbo is a little town among the hills forty miles north of Rome. It’s the site of a five-sided villa built in the Renaissance for the use of Cardinal Alexander Farnese. And, while I’ve never actually been to Viterbo, I have been to a building that very much resembles the Cardinal’s villa – the Dayton Art Institute.

Standing sentinel over the Miami River at the intersection of Belmont and Riverview Avenues, the 92-year-old Dayton Art Institute – or DAI – is a classical example of the Italian Renaissance architectural style that echoes the romance and beauty of the villa in Viterbo.

And the DAI is also the home of a time machine…of sorts – the Renaissance Auditorium. To attend a concert there is to step back in time to an era when grace and civility were hallmarks of a society that treasured its music and its musical heritage. And the trip begins at the entrance to the DAI.

Whether you enter from the parking lot on the Forest Avenue side or through the magnificent main entrance atop a set of two Italianate balustraded steps, you get the feeling that you are about to experience something special. Walking through either of the two high, entablature-topped, carved walnut doors to the Renaissance Auditorium, you’re suddenly transported back to 16th-century Italy.

Three tapestries adorn the Auditorium’s composite limestone brick walls, the base of which is green marble. In an opera setting for 500 concertgoers, a sloping floor makes the entire room feel smaller and considerably more intimate than its size would suggest.

The room is done in the Italian manor, with a painted ceiling of twenty alternating octagonal and rectangular Italian walnut coffers (ornamental sunken panels) with carved step molding. The four corners of the ceiling contain octagonal panels that echo the building’s design and represent the Arts of Sculpture, Painting, Music, and Literature. The ceiling’s center panel contains a dramatically lit sky scene, and the proscenium arch that surrounds the stage appears to be marble, but is actually painted walnut.

And, acoustically, there’s not a bad seat in the house.

Stand at stage center and talk in a normal tone of voice, and you can be heard clearly from the furthest points in the room. That’s the Auditorium’s finest feature. It was specifically designed for music, plays, and non-political lectures.

And the classical music heard here, totally unenhanced electronically, is the way the composers expected it to sound, the way you would have heard it had you been alive at the time of its composition. That includes not only small ensembles and chamber music groups, but full symphony orchestras as well.

In fact in 1933, two years before it formally incorporated, founder Paul Katz (then only 26) and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO) used the Auditorium to practice before performing two concerts there in June. After moving to Memorial Hall, the DPO continued to use the Auditorium as a rehearsal site until the 1960s.

On Thursday­, January 26 at 8pm, the DPO will perform in the Renaissance Auditorium once more in Concertmaster’s Choice, represented solely by DPO Concertmaster Jessica Hung accompanied on piano by Zsolt Bognár (his first name is pronounced “Zholt”; the Zs sounds like the “s” in pleasure). Like Paul Katz when he first performed there, both these musicians are in their twenties.

But Jessica’s performed there before. “I performed in the Renaissance Auditorium at the Dayton Art Institute for my recital last season,” she states, “and it is a very special place.”

And she has performed in enough places to make an accurate comparison. Violinist Jessica Hung is Concertmaster of not only the DPO, but she also serves as Concertmaster of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and previously held the same position in the Chicago Civic, Northwestern University, Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM), and Ashland Symphony Orchestras. She was also Assistant Concertmaster with the Akron Symphony Orchestra.

“As a relatively new member of Dayton’s artistic community, it is an honor to be part of the city’s rich cultural history and to perform live right in the footsteps of my predecessors, surrounded by great works of both traditional and modern art.”

Zsolt Bognár joins Jessica for this engagement, adding his sensitive accompanist’s skills to four works for violin and piano by Beethoven, Franck, Prokofiev, and Gershwin.

­Born in Urbana, Illinois, in 1982, Zsolt carries triple citizenship in the United States, the European Union/Hungary, and the Philippines. In 2007 he was the recipient of a Distinguished Fellowship Award to the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where he worked with Jerome Lowenthal and won the Carlisle Medal from the Wideman Competition the same year.

“I first performed with Zsolt before I actually met him,” Jessica remembers. “He is a few years older than I and had won the CIM Concerto Competition, and I happened to be in the orchestra that was accompanying him on Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major.  I thought his playing was phenomenal – technically superb, but most importantly characterized by real emotional depth, which I value in any musician. I was so spellbound by his cadenza (long solo section) at the concert that I almost forgot to come in afterwards!  Later, we met through a mutual friend and simply became good friends.”

“This is thankfully not the first time that I have worked with another soloist in a duo-recital setting,” Zsolt remarks. “Musical friendships are the most rewarding aspect of a performing artist’s activities, and a number of my musical partnerships from student days were not only rewarding, but several of my musical friends went on to hold major orchestral positions.”

Zolt has  known Jessica through school for about five years, and they met through friends. “Performing on stage with friends is my favorite way to make music – it becomes about sharing,” he states, “It’s a back-and-forth between the performers and the audience. Musical phrases and ideas take on a new meaning and authenticity when heartfelt, which is so much easier to sense when on stage with a close friend and musical colleague.”

Especially in the warm, resonant ambiance of the Dayton Art Institute’s Renaissance Auditorium…

Concertmaster’s Choice

Thursday­, January 26, 2012
6:30 pm, Dayton Art Institute Renaissance Auditorium ­

BEETHOVEN Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 4 in A minor NOTES
FRANCK Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major NOTES
PROKOFIEV Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in F minor NOTES
GERSHWIN (arr. HEIFETZ) Three Preludes for Violin and Piano NOTES

JESSICA HUNG concertmaster WEBSITE
ZSOLT BOGNAR piano WEBSITE 
Click for Tickets

Stepping in the Spotlight

By Leave a Comment

DPO gives the ultimate team player the ball

Christina Coletta

She is hardly a rookie.

She received her first musical instruction in public school, studied privately with Youngstown State University Professor of Music Michael Gelfand, and became a Bachelor of Music and Artist Diploma student of Lee Fiser at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

She served as Principal Cellist of the CCM Philharmonia, performed as soloist with the Starling Chamber Orchestra, appeared in a live interview and performance for a WGUC broadcast,  and attended the Chautauqua Music Festival studying there and performing in master classes.

She has performed with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, served as interim Principal Cellist with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and frequently served as an extra musician with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, performing with the orchestra on its 2008 European and China tours.

The Cincinnati Enquirer has praised her for her “beautifully felt” playing. A passionate chamber musician, she has performed with the Amicus Chamber Players and is a member of Concert:Nova, a Cincinnati-based chamber music ensemble dedicated to presenting chamber music in fresh, exciting, and unexpected ways.

She is also a founding member of the Duveneck String Quartet and has performed with them throughout the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.

She is hardly an ingénue. But, for all her experience and ability, she remains just out of the range of the spotlight.

She is Christina Coletta, Assistant Principal Cellist of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. And on Sunday, January 22 at 3 pm in the Dayton Masonic Center, when the DPO presents the second concert in its Graeter’s Symphony Sundaes Series, Christina will do something she’s never done before.

She will headline.

“This is the first time I’ve headlined a DPO concert,” Christina states, “although I was the guest cellist with the DPO Principals Quartet for the Schubert Cello Quintet at the Schuster Center a couple seasons ago. I’m incredibly excited to be performing as a soloist this season! This piece, the Brahms Double concerto for cello and violin, is one of the greatest pieces of music in the concerto repertoire. Beyond the unusual use of not one, but two soloists, it has a fabulous orchestral accompaniment, rich and textured.  It’s very much a three-part partnership between violin, cello and orchestra.”

Kirstin Greenlaw, DPO Principal Second Violinist, performs the violin solo. The program also includes Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony.

“There’s nothing “secondary” about the accompaniment (on the Brahms Double concerto), and I love that,” she remarks. “It’s also a fascinating piece of music in that Brahms composed it as a musical olive branch to an estranged, yet dear, friend, the great violinist Joseph Joachim. There are many moments in the piece where the cello most certainly represents Brahms, and the violin is Joachim. Their friendship suffered as a result of Joachim’s divorce, during which Brahms sided with the Joachim’s wife. That’s such an important piece of information to the listener, because – while this piece is not “programmatic” – it is the result of a situation that is still relevant today.”

Kirstin Greenlaw

“The one thing I wish I could express to modern listeners, and especially to people who think that classical music is irrelevant, is that this music was born from the same circumstances that drive modern music. Someone fell in love, their heart got broken, and in the aftermath a symphony was written. It’s no different than when Taylor Swift writes a song today. I wish more people understood that. I think there’d be more connection between the listener and the music if they did. And consequently more desire to explore what classical music has to offer a twenty-first-century listener.”

This is not the first time Christina has performed with fellow orchestra member Kirstin Greenlaw.

“Kirstin and I have been playing chamber music together for over ten years,” Christina notes. “I first played with her when we performed the Brahms Clarinet Quintet with Principal Clarinetist John Kurakowa for a DPO lunchtime concert at the Victoria Theater. We have since played regularly together as members of the Duveneck String Quartet and most recently as the Trillium Quartet with DPO violist Belinda Reuning Burge and violinist Sujean Kim. So, obviously we totally enjoy working together and respect one another immensely as musicians, colleagues, and dear friends.  Kirstin is a fabulous violinist and performer, and I’m so excited to be playing this wonderful piece, written by Brahms with friendship in mind, with her.”

I asked Christina for her impressions of what DPO musicians are like and her general observations on the life of a musician who plays for more than one musical organization.

“Well, I think that’s a two-part question,” she replied. “First, DPO musicians are some of the most talented and committed musicians I have ever worked with. I have had the privilege of playing with several “bigger” orchestras in my career, and I honestly wouldn’t trade my current colleagues for anything. There is a sense of camaraderie and genuine high regard for one another that is not found everywhere in the classical music world.”

“Now, onto the second part of my answer. DPO musicians are also some of the hardest working musicians I know. Most of us have to play in several ensembles, teach, or have second jobs in other fields, as DPO is still a per-service ensemble and doesn’t yet provide benefits. So, I would say that DPO musicians are extremely busy and motivated people, juggling families, work, and their artistic passions.”

And on Sunday, January 22, Christina Coletta will take her artistic passion with her where it deserves to be seen and heard.

In the spotlight.

Greenlaw and Coletta at Center Stage
One Call Now presents Graeter’s Symphony Sundaes Series
Sunday, January 22 ~­ 2012
Dayton Masonic Center, 3 pm

BRAHMS Double Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4

NEAL GITTLEMAN conductor
KIRSTIN GREENLAW principal violinist
CHRISTINA COLETTA assistant principal cellist

 Click for Tickets

Response to Mayor Leitzell’s Occupy Dayton Article

By Leave a Comment

(The following was submitted by Shawn Cassiman – a member of Occupy Dayton since its inception. She is involved in the education working group, the process and facilitation group, and others as the need arises and time allows.)

Reading Mayor Leitzell’s perspective on Occupy Dayton illustrates the nature of truth as partial (i.e. there are many truths) and contextual. My version of the truth bears some similarity to Mayor Leitzell’s, but not much. However, before I address the content, I would like to address the tone.

The Mayor begins his missive by describing “truths, half truths, and outright lies”  associated with the events that lead to Occupy Dayton leaving Dave Hall Plaza, and then declares his narrative the truth. He goes on to discuss his efforts to “educate” Occupy Dayton on local government and permitting processes, while referring to the “mostly” young people of the movement. In fact, as he may have noticed at the General Assembly meeting he attended, the average age of our members is probably somewhere in the mid-thirties. There are retired people, working professionals, students, working–class and under and unemployed people that identify with Occupy Dayton. Some of the youngest members of our group might be the “campers” that were arrested after not being given a chance to leave their location-despite claims otherwise.  It is unsurprising that campers would be young, since frequently young people are more willing and able to endure the physical conditions required by the camp experience. It is also unsurprising that many young people would be attracted to the Occupy movement, since we, as a society, have gone busily about the business of criminalizing youth. There are few safe spaces for young people to gather without drawing suspicion. It is no wonder that young people seek a space that offers them a sense of community and equal participation in decision-making when they have few other places to turn. However, to dismiss the movement as “mostly young people” serves distinct discursive purposes; it trivializes the experiences and contributions of young people, while continuing to perpetuate the stereotype of young people as dangerous.

It is true that Occupy Dayton did not apply for a permit. Perhaps Mayor Leitzell is unaware of the symbolism associated with this occupation movement? By eschewing the permit application in the process of occupation the movement draws attention to some of the very problems identified in the Occupy Wall Street Declaration such as the erosion of our rights, for instance, the right to peaceably assemble. The occupation also draws attention to the continued privatization of public space-the relationship between corporation and government. This is why many chants you might overhear at Occupy events include phrases such as, “Whose streets? Our streets!”  Ours. The people’s. Not the corporation’s.

The Mayor also condescendingly suggests that Occupy Dayton’s “complaint is with the federal government”. While I certainly agree that there is much to complain about in relation to the federal government, our local government must not attempt to absolve itself of responsibility to its citizens. Some of the same practices we might identify at the federal level certainly occur locally. In fact, after the campers voted to move to Dave Hall Plaza (at the suggestion of the DDP, City and County) in order to ease the minds of the public and not interfere with the “Grand Illumination”, they were then served, simultaneously, with two documents; 1) a ‘reminder’ of city park rules, and 2) a notice that the county was in the process of changing the ordinance on Courthouse Square in order to ban any activity between the hours of midnight and six am. The ACLU has registered a complaint as a result and had a representative in attendance at the second meeting of the County Commission dealing with this topic. Despite many people speaking out against the new regulations of Court House Square the vote passed unanimously in less than a minute. The erosion of rights is not only a federal problem. Occupy Dayton did not have an opportunity to move back to Courthouse Square. Perhaps you’ll pardon me for thinking that was the plan all along. As for “understanding the system”, I believe this sort of practice contributes all to well to our understanding of the system.

Harrigan’s 5k Wants You to Race or Volunteer

By Leave a Comment

The annual Harrigan’s 5k will take place on Sat, March 10, 2012. For some it’s a competitive timed race, for others it’s a walk with strollers, anyway you look at it, it’s a day  a fun day of exercise, food, and door prizes.  Participants are even encouraged to dress up in zany St. Patrick’s Day costumes!

For serious runners, the race features chip-based professional timing by Speedy Feet which is  state-of-the-art, and are vastly more accurate with virtually instant race results. Door prizes will be posted in the registration area while the race is being run, so be sure to check the board AFTER you finish to see if you have won.   Up and Running will award the fastest male runner and the fastest female runner each a pair of new running shoes.  Gold, silver, and almost-bronze for males and females in each age catergory: 9 and under; 10-14; 15-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; … 65-69; 70 and up, PLUS top 3 overall and top Master.

Harrigan’s will open at 9:00 am to accommodate the runners before & after the race.  Technical running shirts for the first 150 runners to sign up- last we checked over 60 folks were already signed up!

 

Do you want to help out with the event? If so, send an email to  [email protected] and include  how many of you there are including name, phone #, and e-mail address for each and let them know  what your preferences are (see below) and who you want to work with (minimum of two volunteers per corner, for example). Volunteers are encouraged to come dressed up in costume in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day if you wish.

Here are are the Volunteer needs:

  • Parking: With over 1000 runners, getting all the cars directed to the available parking area is important. 4-6 volunteers are needed to direct traffic before the event starts. After the parking is finished, these volunteers will move to the finish line and help collect timing chips from the runners’ shoes right after they come through the gate. The traffic volunteers need to be available from ~7:30 – ~9:30, and the runners will be through the finish line not later than 11:30.
  • Corner teams at each turn on the course: Volunteers at each corner (a) make sure the runners stay on course; (b) cheer the runners & walkers and make them feel GREAT; (c) can present a banner or signage if your organization is interested in doing that; and (d) after the majority of runners/walkers have passed by, gently urge the slower ones to move to the sidewalk to open passage for auto traffic (the Course Marshall tells volunteers when the time comes to move onto the sidewalks). We have 20 corners, four of which are committed to our charities and a couple more to sponsors, and we need to volunteers for the rest.
  • We also have a water stop that needs to be staffed – 6 – 10 people.

Corner & water stop staff will meet with the responsible course personnel at 8:45, then move to their corners/water stop for a Course Marshall inspection beginning at 9:10. The event is over for all practical purposes by 11:30.

The event is a total blast, and Harrigan’s opens early for beer for those intereste

When: Saturday, March 10, 2012 – 9:30 start
Where: Harrigan’s Tavern, 4070 Marshall Rd, near the corner of Stroop and Marshall Road, Kettering, OH 45429. Harrigan’s plans to open at 9:00 a.m. and remain open after the run for runners’ warmth & fun.
On-line registration: www.speedy-feet.com available until midnight, Monday March 5th.
Mail-in registration: Send registration forms to: Harrigan’s 5k Race 1340 Laurelwood Road Kettering, OH 45409. Make checks payable to Harrigan’s 5k Race  – mail registrations must be received not later than Monday, March 5th to be processed for early packet pick-up.
Early packet pick-up Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before the race, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., at: Up and Running 6123 Far Hills Ave Dayton, OH 45459 (937) 432-9210 http://www.upandrunningindayton.com/
Race day registration: Opens at 7:30 a.m. at Harrigan’s under the big tent.
Cost: $20.00 for registrations received by Monday before the race; $25.00 day of race
T-shirts: Technical shirts to the first 150 that register, and cotton shirts to the next 450 participants that register. The sizing on all shirts is Men’s sizing, so when you register please bear that in mind.
Contact us: [email protected]
Sponsors: Harrigan’s Tavern, Up and Running, The Bagel Cafe, Young’s Dairy, K&G Bike Center, and many more
Charities we support: Alzheimer’s Association of Dayton, United Rehabilitation Services of the Dayton Area, South Community (behavioral healthcare), and our local chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Open Auditions for Bus Stop at Dayton Playhouse

By Leave a Comment

The Dayton Playhouse will be holding auditions for Bus Stop on Monday, January 30 and Tuesday, January 31.  The play will run at the Dayton Playhouse Mar 16 – 25, 2012.  Auditions will begin at 7:00 p.m. both nights and will consist of cold readings from the script.  Some scripts are available for perusal in advance by contacting the director.

Bus Stop is a 1955 play by William Inge (the 1956 movie is only loosely based upon the original play). The action of the play takes place in a diner about 30 miles west ofKansas City in early March 1955. A freak snowstorm has halted the progress of the bus, and the eight characters (five on the bus) have a weather-enforced layover in the diner from approximately 1 to 5 a.m. Romantic, or quasi-romantic, relationships ensue between Grace and Carl, Professor Lyman and Elma, and Cherie and Bo. Virgil and Will are the older authority figures outside the relationships.

Character Descriptions:

Grace Hoylard  Owner of the diner, a “grass widow”. She is fortyish, and pretty in a fading, hard-bitten way. She has a passionate side to her nature, loving a good fight and the attentions of a good man.

Elma Duckworth An intelligent, but naive and impressionable high school girl. She is Grace’s waitress.

Will Masters The local sheriff. Tough as nails and brusque in manner, but goodhearted and a staunch Christian, described as a “deacon of his church”. A highly “moral” man in the general sense of the word.

Dr. Gerald Lyman A college philosophy professor who is articulate and charming but cannot hold a position, partially due to his resistance to any kind of authority, and partially due to his unfortunate taste for young women. He also has an obvious drinking problem.

Cherie A pretty young woman who comes from a difficult “hill folk” background, and has left her innocence far behind. She is an aspiring nightclub singer, but has never worked in any establishment above the level of “cheap dive”.

Bo Decker A brash young cowboy with boorish manners that hide a naivete almost as profound as Elma’s. He has convinced himself that Cherie will be his bride, though Cherie wants nothing to do with him.

Virgil Blessing (would be nice if actor also played the guitar) An older, wiser cowboy who has become a father figure to Bo (who was orphaned at the age of ten) as well as Bo’s head ranch hand.

Carl The bus driver, who has an ongoing “just passing through” relationship with Grace. As referenced repeatedly, this is purely sexual in nature.

The Dayton Playhouse is located at 1301 East Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH45414.  For questions about the play, contact Matthew Smith at 937- 270-2794..  For information about the Dayton Playhouse, visit www.daytonplayhouse.org , or call the Dayton Playhouse at 937-424-8477.

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.

Dignified Transfer

By 1 Comment

Tonight I attended a Dignified Transfer at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan. A Dignified Transfer is a ceremony that is conducted on the tarmac of an airfield, during which the bodies of fallen military members (aka Heroes) are transferred from a vehicle onto an aircraft for transport back to the United States. Though I served on active duty and spent time in “hostile territory,” I have never been closer to the truth about the mission of the military, nor the truth about war, than I was tonight. Tonight I witnessed firsthand what it means to serve one’s country.

Oddly, last night I was chatting with a friend online. He asked me if I had been to a building called “The Ark”—a large plywood structure that serves as the camp’s command center. I knew where it was, but had not been there. He said that I would find a Hall of Heroes in The Ark. This is a place where numerous photographs are displayed along the walls and hallways; the photographs depict fallen military members from US and foreign services, as well as civilians serving with the military, who were killed in action. My friend asked me to visit the photograph of one of his fallen Marine brothers. As I stared into the eyes of the young Marine in the photo and touched the frame, I knew that I could not begin to understand the sacrifice that he had made, nor the impact of his sacrifice on his family and friends. Though I am now a civilian, I rendered a hand salute in the silent hall, and I offered the unworthy sentiments that echoed in my heart. It was not the last time I would feel unworthy.

Five of my team members plus a young Marine piled into a vehicle that we affectionately call “HIMAR” and headed for the ceremony. We laughed and joked along the way, like we always do to pass the time, and to help alleviate the weight of living under such unusual circumstances. Oblivious to the deep dark and dusty haze, our minds far from the circumstances ahead, we crawled along at the mandated pace of twenty-four miles per hour, and I watched other vehicles join a procession that wound its way to the flight line.

We pulled to a stop in a parking area near the flight line and hopped out of the vehicle still laughing and joking. As we walked toward the entrance to the tarmac I noted a stillness and silence that lay just ahead of us. The silence descended like night soaking into us with the cold—slowly and deliberately. As we rounded the corner onto the tarmac everything changed. We no longer laughed and joked, rather we accepted the mantle that had descended and fell silent too.

Two long lines of people stretched from the edge of the tarmac to where we entered. Military members from all services and other countries, as well as government civilians and contractors, stood facing one another over a space of about thirty feet. Not a word was spoken, and every person stood with their feet shoulder-width apart, hands behind their backs, as if at the position of parade rest. Heads bobbed this way and that. Some faces held stoic expressions, while others showed curiosity about who was arriving. Some trucks passed through the procession. We shifted to allow more people to join our ranks. And then the lines began move.

People turned toward the tarmac and began to move forward haltingly. As we finally started onto the tarmac the two lines pushed together, and we snaked our way toward a C-130 transport aircraft that waited with the rear cargo hatch open pouring light onto the cold, hard cement. As we arrived we split off into two formations on either side of the cargo door and faced each other again, this time five or six ranks deep. As I looked over the shoulders of those in front of me and into the faces of those opposite our formation I saw expressions harden behind clouds of steamy breath. Every one of us was determined to honor our dead warriors—our heroes—with stoic pride befitting a warrior.

We stood for a long while in the cold. Everybody now stood stiffly at parade rest. Every head faced forward. Every eye looked straight ahead. I was no longer a civilian. I was a part of a military formation. We were rooted together in our cause as the seconds ticked past. The soldier in front of me shivered uncontrollably as he stood coatless, without gloves—his weapon slung over his shoulder. We waited.

A voice growled out, “Dee-tail…Ah-ten-TION!” Both formations snapped to attention in unison. The voice growled out again, “Paaah-rade…REST!” and both formations fell to parade rest with practiced ease. Another voice called out for prayer. Once again, in unison, every head was bowed.

“The Lord is my Sheppard; I shall not want,” the voice began. During the prayer the voice called out the names of the three airmen who had been killed in action:

Matthew Schwartz

Bryan Bell

Matthew Seidler

He did not call them by rank. He did not name their unit. He did not speak of their deeds. He said only their names. They were human beings, like us—it was the only thing that we had left in common with them.

Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz and his wife, Jennifer Schwartz

As the prayer ended I looked up. Over the shivering bodies and through the haze of breath I saw cold pale faces with eyes now soft. Each face showed now the compassion and sorrow that hung heavy on hearts beneath. Each body still stood tall and resolute, but the humanity of the moment infused each of our souls, as the cold bit into our fingers and faces. I wiggled my bare digits as I held back a tear that I felt was not mine to shed.

“DEE-TAIL…AH-TEN-TION!” the hardened voice growled out again, and we all snapped too like a massive machine

Ever so slowly the detail of six uniformed men stepped forward in carefully measured steps carrying their precious cargo. I could feel everybody in both formations straining to achieve proud, rigid form. These fallen heroes—these men—would be given every ounce of honor that could be squeezed from sinew and bone. Every thought in every head—every intension in every heart—was concentrated in holy unison on the cold body that passed, prone and flag covered, toward its destination on the plane, as if our united and resolute might could rekindle the warmth in that body.

The soldier in front of me shivered on.

Bryan Bell

“PREE-SENT…ARMS!” Without thought for my civilian status, my arm rose in defiance of any rules and in unison with every other right arm there. Every arm snapped and then rose slow and steady to the position of a proper hand salute. As the detail passed each row turned slowly toward the plane in order to follow the procession and maintain some sort of contact with the passing hero through the cold, dark night.

The detail reached their destination inside the plane. I tried to imagine this young man’s parents sitting at home only hours after learning of their son’s death. The detail turned and shuffled the casket into position. I attempted to picture the faces of his brothers and sisters as they wept for their lost sibling. The detail lowered the casket into place and stood slowly. I thought of my own children. I thought of the sea of eyes staring back at me in the Hall of Heroes and the young Marine who I passed a message to from his still living marine brother. The detail rendered a painfully slow hand salute. I thought of the cold, still body in the casket, and I wondered who he was. I felt thankful and selfish for the cold air in my lungs and the tingling in my fingers. The detail turned and exited the aircraft.

“ORDER…ARMS!” We dropped our salutes slowly and followed another command to face center. Two more times the detail passed. My mind went numb along with my fingers and face, and I watched the passing each time with sadness. My body lied about the truth of my soul as it followed each command without question. I honored the dead, but I also mourned them. I felt pride and shame all in a single moment.

And then it was over.

Matthew Seidler

We walked back to the car. Some people spoke in hushed tones as we moved across the tarmac. Voices raised in conversation as we left the flight line. Smiles and jokes returned to our mouths as we pulled away in the crowd of vehicles and headed onto the dust choked avenue. Our hearts and minds returned to us as we stepped out of the vehicle and walked back to the warmth of our work centers.

I looked at the young marine who had accompanied us. He had never said a word. I didn’t know his name, where he was from, or even what football team he liked. I wondered where he was going. I wondered what he would do tomorrow. I wondered if he ever went out on patrol. As we passed through the Entry Control Point the Marine walked off in another direction and left my vision—and my mind—like so many Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Airman do every day when they leave home behind.

When do we remember them? When should we remember them?

(submitted by Chris Rowley – a resident of South Park in Dayton currently working in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor)

In With the New, Out With the Old (blue eyeshadow)

By 2 Comments

If you’re anything like me, you love to collect make-up! Sometimes you buy things in a store and end up hardly using it. Or maybe you are waiting for the perfect time to wear that shade of red lipstick. Those ‘some days’ just may never come. We all do this and end up with a pile of makeup that we will never end up using.

Just as everything has a shelf life, so does make-up. Now is the perfect time to go through your make-up collection and see what has passed it’s expiration date or that is just not being used. Anything that has passed it’s date needs to be tossed. And anything that you aren’t using, go ahead and toss. More than likely, you won’t miss it! Be ruthless!

  • Foundation – You’ll need to check the ingredients on this. Anything water-based will last about 12 months. Oil-based can last up to 18 months. It can separate or dry up and it is hard to use at this point.

 

  • Eyeshadow – Powders: It’s good to replace every 2 years. Creams: It’s good to replace 9-12. Check for when they start to dry out.

 

  • Eye liner – This should be replaced every 2 years. It needs to be sharpened regularly.

 

  • Concealer – Up to 12 months.

 

  • Lipstick – It’s good to replace this every year as bacteria can collect and live on the stick. A change in the way it tastes or smells means to toss it!

 

  • Lip liner – This should be replaced every 2 years. It needs to be sharpened regularly.

 

  • Mascara – Up to 3 months. This is the product that will need to be tossed as soon as it dries out or at the 3 months mark.

 

  • Nail Polish – Up to 12 months or when it starts to get thick.

 

  • Powder – Up to 2 years.

 

  • Blush – Replace every 2 years. Cream blush needs to be replaced 9-12 months. Check for it being dried out.

 

Let’s face it! Professional makeup brushes are an investment.  And, like any other investment, we want a great return on that investment.  One of best ways to ensure that will happen is proper brush care. One of the best things you can do for your brushes is to clean them – regularly.  Clean them when they are first purchased and clean them on a regular basis to remove:                                                                                              

 

Old makeup
Dirt & debris
Bacteria
Oils
Dead skin cells

 

One of the greatest benefits to keeping your brushes clean is softness! Did you realize that makeup buildup, especially foundation, makes your brushes feel scratchy? If you have sensitive skin, cleaning your brushes regularly will help them stay soft and lush and your skin will thank you!

How often should you clean your brushes?  Ideally, everyday. But, who has time for that? So, here are a few guidelines:

Foundation Brushes – minimum once a week
Brushes used for finishing powders and bronzers – once a week
Blush Brushes – one a week
Eyeshadow Brushes – every 2-3 days
Eyeliner Brushes – after every use especially if you use an eyeliner sealant.

 

For those that suffer with acne, you will greatly benefit from keeping your foundation brushes clean at all times. To cut down on cleaning time, rotate brushes so you always have a fresh clean one to use.

How to clean your brushes:

First, you want to wet the hairs under the faucet with tepid to warm water with the hairs pointing downwards – this will help prevent any water getting in to the ferrule (metal part) or down in to the handle for brushes that don’t have ferrules.

Next you want to use a mild shampoo, liquid hand soap, pure castile soap or my favorite baby shampoo.  Squirt a little soap on your fingers and apply it to the hairs from ferrule to hair tips. Gently squeeze the hairs from ferrule to hair tips over and over adding a little water at a time.  Rinse and repeat until the water runs clear.  Make sure when you are rinsing to keep the brush hairs pointing down.

After your brushes have a good bath, brush them off a little on a clean paper towel and lay them to dry on their side on a paper towel or a regular towel. It is also a good idea to reshape the brush at this point in time to prevent splaying. Lay kabuki’s and any other stand-up brush on their side. Never leave them to dry brush hairs up in a brush holder.  The water can run down in to the ferrule and loosen the glue holding the brush together over time.

Lastly, let brushes dry completely before using.  Dry time will depend on size and brush density.

Keeping your brushes in good condition by washing frequently will provide you with years of beautiful makeup application!

 

Get Jazzed Up for Live Music, Art Exhibits and Ice Skating at First Friday

By Leave a Comment

Downtown’s next free First Friday art hop will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6. Galleries and other venues throughout downtown will host art exhibit openings, live music and other special events. Restaurants, retail shops, bars and clubs, and other establishments throughout downtown also will be open. Click here for an up-to-date list of events.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association and WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more.

Art Exhibits and Events in the Central Arts District

• Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.: Complimentary facials and nail polish changes, as well as a display of work by a local artist. Call 903-3165.

• Canal Street Tavern, 308 E. First St.: Live music by Emily & the Lost Cat Ramblers and Fox and Hounds at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $5. Call 461-9343.

• De’Lish Café, 139 N. Main St.: Coffee tasting from Stoney Creek Roasters and live jazz entertainment featuring Wade Baker and guest performers. Call 461-2233 for cost.

• RiverScape MetroPark, MetroParks Ice Rink, 111 E. Monument Ave: Ice skate from 5 to 9 p.m.; $5 includes admission and skate rental. The park’s concession will be open to purchase hot chocolate and more. Call 278-2607.

• Schuster Performing Arts Center, Second and Main streets: The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present a concert in its classical series that includes works by Debussy and Brahms with guest artist William Wolfram, along with a piece titled “Rockwell Reflections” in which projected works by the American artist will accompany the music. A Take Note Talk begins at 7 p.m. prior to the 8 p.m. show. Call 228-3630 for tickets and cost.

Art Exhibits and Events in the Oregon Arts District


• Amore!, 16 Brown St.: Sip wine and nibble hors d’oeuvres while shopping for designer labels on re-sale and vintage clothing, accessories, jewelry, household items and one-of-a-kind gifts at affordable prices. Call 367-5941.

• Boulevard Haus, 328 E. Fifth St.: $1 off tap beer for those who mention First Friday. Call 824-2722.

• Color of Energy, 16 Brown St.: Works of abstract architectural photography by Larry Faulkner and the new Sedona collection of paintings by gallery owner Mike Elsass. Call 266-3491.

• Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Ave.: Opening performance of Heroes, the musings of three aging WWI French Army veterans; 8 p.m. Click here for tickets or call 278-5993.

• Deaf Monty’s Wine, 22 Brown St.: $5 for a 6-ounce glass of red or white wine. Call 225-9463.

• Dublin Pub, 300 Wayne Ave.: Live music and 20 percent off food for those who mention First Friday. Call 224-7822.

• Gallery 510 Fine Art, 508 E. Fifth St.: A selection of work by local artists and handmade items perfect for gift giving. Call 672-6717.

• Jimmy Modern, 605 E. Fifth St.: Showing work by more than 30 artists. Call 520-3782.

• The Neon, 130 E. Fifth St.: Call 222-SHOW (7469) for films and show times.

• Omega Music, 318 E. Fifth St.: Live music by Mount Caramel and Andy Gabbard, together for one night only, at 8 p.m. The store will offer 10 percent off a purchase with a receipt from any Oregon Arts District business. Call 275-9949.

• Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St.: Tasting of a fair trade food, plus fair trade, slave-free and eco-friendly merchandise on sale at this satellite of the Dayton International Peace Museum’s store. Fair foods tasted will include Rumi and Nabali oil with bread from Rahn’s at the PNC 2nd St. Market, along with sun-dried tomatoes and Nabali olive tapenade. Call 367-7215.

• Press, 257 Wayne Ave.: One-year anniversary art show featuring work by local artists, a DJ and raffle; open until 11 p.m. Call 231-7107.
• Trolley Stop, 530 E. Fifth St.: Live music by The Fun Size at 9:30 p.m. Call 461-1101.

• Urban Krag, 125 Clay St.: Climbing gym open until 11 p.m. Call 224-5724.

• Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub, 101 Pine St.: Dow Thomas at 9 p.m.; tickets are $10. Call 224-5653.

• Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St.:  A variety of multi-media arts at the inaugural First Friday at Yellow Cab event from 7 to 11 p.m. Call 789-0591.

 

Art Exhibits and Events in the Cannery Arts District

 

• K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS, 510 E. Third St. (open from 6 to 9 p.m.): 2-D artwork by students from and graduates of Wright State University. Call 461-5149.

• Olive, an urban dive, 416 E. Third St.: Serving dinner and dessert until 11 p.m., featuring new flavors of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and Esther Price hot chocolate, along with an exhibit of work by local artist Lea Wise-Surguy made from sugar paint specifically for viewing at Olive, and playing Rev Cool’s “Around the Fringe” radio show that airs on 91.3 WYSO-FM. Call 222-DIVE (3483).

(from Downtown Dayton Partnership)

The Dramatic Moment & Character Studies at DVAC

By Leave a Comment

"Peaceful Protests" by Issa Randall

The Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC) presents two new exhibitions which celebrate the synergies between Dayton’s ethnic and cultural communities. The Dramatic Moment is a solo exhibition by Dayton artist Issa Randall that presents figures that emerge from layers of torn, burned and collaged paper to create a provocative statement on the power of images. The Dramatic Moment will feature an exhibition brochure with writings by guest essayist Peter Ainsworth, London-based photographer, and the artist. Character Studies, DVAC’s second Members’ show of the season, includes selected works from all mediums that express the spirit of “character.”

Dayton artist, Issa Randall, has a Bachelor’s of Art in Communications from the University of Dayton and Master’s of Art in photography from the University of Arts, London. His work explores many aspects of U.S. society, from the role of politics and media to the effects that life has on ones mental space. His exhibition, The Dramatic Moment, features large-scale mixed-media pieces with arresting surfaces and imagery.

"Don't Burn the Trash" by Issa Randall

Randall, along with new executive director Eva Buttacavoli, will serve as co- jurors for Character Studies. This juried members’ exhibit will feature a variety of artwork by DVAC members that address how we define and identify character.

About REACH Across Dayton

Both exhibitions were organized in partnership with Sinclair Community College and EboNia Gallery for the 19th annual REACH (Realizing Ethnic Awareness and Cultural Heritage) Across Dayton project. Founded by artists and educators Tess Little, Willis “Bing” Davis and former DVAC executive director Paula Recko, this year’s REACH initiatives include Gallery Talks by exhibiting artists at each venue, a community art project of collaborative relief prints organized by “Bing” Davis, and a Studies Conference featuring sessions that explore the theme “In the Spirit of Developing Character” at Sinclair Community College.
The Dayton Visual Arts Center provides art for the community and a community for artists. DVAC receives operating support from the Ohio Arts Council, Culture Works, Montgomery County and the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation. The DVAC gallery, at 118 N. Jefferson St., in downtown Dayton, is free and open to the public five days each week, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For more information, visit the Web site at www.daytonvisualarts.org or call (937) 224-3822.

Exhibition Dates

Jan. 17-Feb. 24, 2012

Exhibition Programs

Gallery Talk: Character Studies Artists & Community Art Project – Feb. 3, 6:15 p.m.

Gallery Talk: Issa Randall – Feb. 23, 5:30 p.m.

Studies Conference: In the Spirit of Building Character – Feb. 24, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

at Sinclair Community College Ponitz Center

Closing Reception – Feb. 24, 5-7 p.m.

Where

Dayton Visual Arts Center

118 N. Jefferson St.

Downtown Dayton

Gallery Hours

11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday Closed Sunday & Monday

For more information

(937) 224.3822

www.daytonvisualarts.org

[email protected]

(from DVAC)

‘RED’ to Color the Loft Stage

By 2 Comments

PAINTING by Richard Coatney

The New York Times calls RED “intense” and “exciting.”  The Chicago Tribune says it’s “stunning,” “compelling,” and “brilliant.”

The production of RED by The Human Race, Dayton’s own professional theatre company, will add at least one more adjective to the descriptions – “intimate.”  As highly-regarded as the big-stage productions have been, bringing famed artist Mark Rothko’s studio to life in the 219-seat Loft Theatre will make it an even more meaningful and personal event for theatergoers.

“What do you see?” asks Rothko in the opening line, and that line is the running theme of the play – what artists see, how they see it, how they hope viewers of their work will see it. RED manages both to be a look deep into the meaning of art and creation, and a scintillating study of Rothko, his relationship with his (fictional) assistant, Ken, and his conflicted views on commercialism.

What the audience will see involves a lot of painting, including preparation of a Rothko-sized canvas.

“It’s a glorious play,” says Human Race Resident Artist Michael Kenwood Lippert, who plays Rothko. “Rothko’s such an interesting character…he wanted people to use as much care looking at his art as he used in creating it.”

“It blew me away,” says Will Allan, who plays Ken. “Rothko’s larger than life, but Ken gives him another insight, while Ken gets invaluable lessons from Rothko.”

Michael Kenwood Lippert

Lippert is a very familiar figure through the Miami Valley, both from his performances with The Human Race, which go back to the company’s original production, Count Dracula, in 1986 and include such hits asOrphans, The Elephant Man, The Speed of Darkness and The Drawer Boy, and from his many years working in area schools for Muse Machine. He was a 2011 Governor’s Award for the Arts winner.

Allan is a local product, a 2005 graduate of Oakwood High School who now works out of Chicago, where he has been in two Jeff Award-winning Best Plays in the past three years (The History Boys and The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?). He recently became an Artistic Associate at Timeline, which the Wall Street Journal calls the Best Theatre Company in America, and was one of the Chicago Tribune’s 2011 Hot New Faces in Chicago Theatre.

“Michael and Will together are just combustible,” says director and Human Race Resident Artist Richard E. Hess, Chair of Drama at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, “It’s fantastic.” Hess knows fantastic – the most recent of his many contributions at The Loft were Doubt, A Parable and I Am My Own Wife.

Mark Rothko

“On its surface, RED is a play about Mark Rothko, and it’s immense enjoyment to see a man like that come to life.” Says Hess. “Below that is the story of a man struggling deeply with immortality, with what one leaves behind. It’s gut-wrenching to watch an artist paved with such humanity.”

RED will include a collaboration with the Dayton Art Institute. During the run, the DAI will have a loaned Rothko work on display, and the institute’s gift shop is offering a 10% discount in January to buyers who show a RED ticket or stub.

Heather Jackson is Stage Manager for RED.  Mark Halpin designed the set, Lacee Rae Hart the costumes, Resident Artist John Rensel the lighting and Rich Dionne the sound, with Heather Powell is the Properties Master.

RED will have a Preview Night at The Loft Theatre January 19, with official Opening Night January 20 and performances through February 5. Tickets are available via www.humanracetheatre.org , by calling Ticket center Stage at (937) 228-3630, or at the Schuster Center Box Office. Student tickets are half price for all performances, and 25 seats at each end of The Loft are being sold for just $25 as part of The Human Race’s 25th Anniversary Season.

(from Human Race Theatre)

Dayton Remembered – From Prague

By Leave a Comment

Emily Ochs Carlile

(the following was submitted by Emily Ochs Carlile – a Daytonian now living in Prague, Czech Republic)

I was born and raised in Dayton… Well, born at Kettering hospital and raised in Oakwood. But I am definitely a Dayton native. From minute one, I lived in Dayton all my life.

Then I moved to Prague, Czech Republic. It was a spontaneous move, but I have now been here for a little over 11 years and am raising my two sons (age 6 and 8 ) bilingually… Most people think because I live in Europe I have this exotic life, but I have to admit, things are pretty much the same, except completely different…

Apart from the obvious differences, such as language, culture, architecture, history… the first thing I missed when moving here were the American grocery stores. My first job when I was 15 was as a cashier at Dorothy Lane Market on Far Hills. Being a kid in Oakwood, it was the only grocery store I knew. But little did I know it was the most fabulous grocery store. Ever! I would have paid a million dollars for a Killer Brownie or some Chicken and Grape salad… and pecans! The unavailability of simple things (or what I thought were simple things) was unbelievable to me. I couldn’t find a pecan in the entire city. Peanut butter, no way. Luckily things have a changed a lot since 2000, but I promise you, when I visit Dayton the first place I go is DLM.

Then I head directly to The Pine Club. Still the best steak ever! Dave Hulme watched me grow up.  Saturday night was Pine Club burger night at our house. I had my first house account at age 22. They serve dinner until midnight. Perfection. And since they are kind enough to put a few of their yummies in jars, I am able to bring some House and Blue Cheese Dressings and Stewed Tomatoes back to Prague with me. Too bad I can’t bring the onion rings….

After finishing school at Oakwood and Wright State University, the next natural step for me was to move to the Oregon District. My mom moved from Oakwood to the OD when I graduated from high school, so for the first few years out of school, it became my hangout. I had my coffee at the Oregon Emporium, my pizza at the Oregon Express, the Trolley Stop still had build your own sandwiches, Feathers  filled my apartment with bric-a-brac, and I had a Goodwill wardrobe. Over the years I rented apartments, houses and half-doubles on Green St. (3 different places just on that street alone!), Hess St., and of course The Samu on 5th St. By age 20 I had a job at Gem City Records, and at 21, Pacchia (and I continued with jobs at Coco’s, Blue Moon and Jay’s Seafood), was a regular at the Southern Belle (the original one on the corner of Green and Brown), ate at Wimpy and went to the movies at The Neon… I’ve missed the past 11 years of the Oregon District morphing – luckily some things still remain – Urban Krag, Coco’s, Thai 9… I miss them ALL!!! Every time I visit, I look forward to seeing the new things developing in Dayton – 3rd St, Atta Girl Art + Gardens, Press, Riverscape…

But of course, what I miss the most are my family and friends… It can get lonely living abroad, but knowing that Dayton is always there, waiting patiently for my visit or return, eases the homesick blues … I have to admit, there isn’t much I don’t miss about good ol’ Dayton, Ohio. Regardless of where I am in the world, Dayton will always be my home. After all, it’s where my heart is.

 

Stivers School for the Arts Jazz Orchestra – Bound for NYC

By Leave a Comment

(from The Seedling Foundation)

The Stivers School for the Arts Jazz Orchestra is going to New York to perform at Lincoln Center as distinguished student artists with the New York City Jazz Festival.  The festival features the best of college jazz performers plus four selected high school ensembles, and as winners of the 2010 Berklee College of Music National High School Jazz Festival, Stivers was not required to audition for the spot on the New York City Jazz Festival lineup. Festival managers heard the Dayton group in Boston and extended the invitation.

Produced by Manhattan Concert Productions, the New York City Jazz Festival will feature Kurt Elling, the Grammy-winning male vocalist, and Bob Mintzer, multiple Grammy Award winner, composer, arranger and Yellowjackets big band leader. The Stivers Orchestra will participate in pre-performance workshops under the direction of  Festival Artistic Director Steve Zegree – internationally recognized as one of the most respected jazz conductors and active as a pianist, conductor and jazz clinician.

Benefit concert scheduled

The trip depends upon the orchestra raising funds for travel and registration. A benefit concert featuring the Stivers Jazz Orchestra is scheduled for 8:00pm on Saturday, January 21 at Stivers Centennial Hall. The concert will feature one of America’s finest jazz trumpeters, Derrick Gardner. Gardner, who travels with Harry Connick, Jr. and the Count Basie Orchestra, is a distinguished composer, arranger, performer and teacher.  For over 20 years Gardner has headed the Jazz Prophets, a distinguished sextet in the tradition of the funky, soulful jazz sound Cannonball Adderly and Horace Silver. Gardner has also performed with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.

General admission tickets for the benefit concert are $10. They can be ordered online at www.theseedlings.org or by calling 937-546-1675. Patron tickets are available at $50. Patrons are invited to a pre-performance reception with Derrick Gardner and will receive reserved seating. Patron tickets qualify for a $25 tax deduction.

Stivers Jazz Orchestra director Claude Thomas said of the Festival invitation, “In September, the Stivers Jazz Orchestra was invited to perform at the New York City Jazz Festival at Lincoln Center’s Allen Room. The invitation followed years of national performances by our Jazz Orchestra at Boston’s Berklee High School Jazz Festival. We have competed at Berklee 3 times and won 3 times,  including 2011.  How do you get to Carnegie Hall? ….. practice. In the jazz world, you ask how do you get to Lincoln Center? The same way, plus playing for the Dayton community like in our January 21st concert to raise travel and registration funds. The Stivers Jazz Orchestra is one of only 4 high schools in the country invited to perform, an unbelievable opportunity and honor for theDayton community, our school and students, past and present who have worked so hard to make this invitation a reality.”

The concert is sponsored by the seedling Foundation, a 501 [c] [3] non-profit organization that supports arts programs at Stivers School for the Arts.

For more information call Bill Pflaum, 937-469-2662.

Women Vs. Glitter-New Years Eve Guide

By Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year again when all things shiny are brought into stores. Like most of you I am similar to a ferret and will grab anything glittery and want it. There is so something so mezmorizing about all that color and shine but as we become women and not little girls there is a fine line on what it exceptable to put on our faces. I have been found guilty more than once of adding a little too much sparkle to my face but there is one time of year that it’s okay right??

New Years, that one day where we think we can throw glitter and sparkle everywhere and get away with it. Although you can be sparkly one must be careful not to over do it and age ourselves. Glitter is one of those things that if applied correctly can be super cute and if applied incorrectly can make you look like an extra out of Twilight. Relax I am here to give you some easy tips on how to wear it, keep it on, and look glam all night long. For those of us who are not going to be rocking the glitter this New Years I also have some looks for you to make you fabulously flawless.

So you’re feeling glam enough to wear some sparkle? I think many of us have had the unfortunate nights where we leave the house with beautiful glittery eyes only to go into the bathroom at a party and see a melted mess. This is a common problem that can leave you feeling less than pretty. There are lots of good products now that can prevent this makeup mess and better yet some are at your local drugstore!

Here are some simple tips for how to wear glitter:

  • Play With Placement “It’s really easy to go over the top with glitter, so experiment with how much and where you put on product,” says NYC makeup artist Tina Turnbow, “If you want to balance out a glittery  dress but still have fun with your eye makeup, keep shimmer to the center of the lid or inner corner of the eye.” We’re not the biggest fan of glittery lips for a New Years look, but if you love the effect, stick with rosy pinks or ruby reds and apply in the center bottom of the lip.
  • Experiment with Technique Glitter is known for fallout, but who wants sparkling cheeks? “There are many ways to keep glitter sticking onto the surface of your skin,” Tina says. “Lash glue gives something for the glitter to adhere to, and it’s perfectly eye safe since you already use it for false lashes.” For a quick stick, dab a bit of tacky lip gloss onto the center of the lid or the inner corner of the eye before patting on glitter with fingers. For bedazzled lashes, use clear mascara and stick glitter onto the lash tips.
    • Choose Color Wisely Just like any eye shadow, it’s important to find a color that complements your coloring and your outfit. “If you choose glittery and sparkle shades with matching undertones, it looks more organic on your skin,” says Tina. Cool skin tones tend to favor silvers, mauve pink, and navy glitters, while warm undertones like yellow, bronze, and white gold glitter. “Taupe, platinum, or opal glitter are the greatest colors if you’re stumped on what shade to choose,” Tina says. “The mix of warm and cool is universally flattering.
    • Use The Correct Brushes If you’re not using your fingers, you should stick to flat synthetic brushes for application. Taklon brushes made for concealer are the best and most affordable choice because they apply a concentrated amount of glitter with precision. Conversely, use a fluffy eye shadow brush like a MAC 224 for a sheer wash of sparkle on the lids, brow bone, and tops of cheekbones.
    • Clean Up Stray Shimmer What’s the best way to clean up glitter (whether there’s fallout on your cheeks or at the end of the night)? Scotch Magic tape. Gently press the tape on skin and when you peel it off, glitter will stick to it (and not your face). You must use the Magic type because it peels off more easily than typical tapes. Of course, if you’re dealing with the delicate eye area, make sure to do as much clean up with an eye makeup remover first, then fine tune with the Scotch tape, being extra careful to avoid the lashes.

 

Product Recommendations:

 

    • NYX Loose Glitter
    • Makeup Forever Glitters
    • Loreal High Pigment Shadows
    • LA Splash Loose Glitter
    • MAC High Pigment Loose Powder

 

 

Now for those of you that arent exactly thinking that glitter is for you; there are plently of options for a New Years glam look. I am personally going with purples and golds this year. If you are still thinking that you maybe want a natural look think about going for a brighter lip color. There are plently of all night wearing lip colors that will prevent you from constantly touching up and getting it all over. My personal favorite is Revlon Long Lasting lipcolors.

Purple is an easy color to build on such as this one in the picture. The drama is added with the winged liner and then the shades of pinks and purples are built on one another to give a dramatic effect. Purple is more versatile than you may think and works on nearly every eye color. For this particular look start with an eye shadow base (Clinique Touch base) then add an off white all over the lid (MAC Shroom) Next start building the pink all over the lid. (Any pink will do Dior makes a fab purple and pink palette) Once you get the pink all over to an almost sun kissed shade grab a medium shade purple and begin tapping around the arch of the eyelid. Start off light and build to your desired shade. If you mess up and make it too dark grab your off white and lighten it up. When mixing shades it is easy to blend things out and make them work. Finally line your eye with black liquid liner starting in the inner corner with the thinest point and gradually making the line fatter until you wing it out. Dont fear the liquid liner! Loreal and Lancome make artliners that are like felt tipped pens and are very easy to control. Finish off with some false lashes and mascara and there you have it!

 

So maybe glitter and purples are not your thing but you still want something different. I am a huge fan of the copper/brown smokey eye. It’s dramatic enough for evening, something we all have in our makeup bags, and doesnt make us look like a Jerseylicious extra. Again you are going to start with both your eyeshadow base and an off white shadow. Now this may scare some of you but pick your darkest brown and begin tapping on the eyelid and building the color. It looks scary in the case but it takes alot once you start tapping on the color to build it up. Also be sure a tap your brush in the sink before applying to your eye to avoid a messy face. Once you get the lid to your desired shade take the coppery medium shade and use on the arch of the eye. Be sure and blend into the dark to get the blended effect. Now to finalize the eye take either the off white or a white and apply from the arch up to the brow to finish it with a frosty look. Now the other great thing about this is that there is not any liner on the top but shadow on the bottom. Using the same technique with the dark brown use a q-tip or small brush to guide along the bottom of the eye to create an easy smokey look.

To finish up our New Years guide there is one thing I always hear from clients, “will this last all night?” The answer is, it can with the right product. There are two makeup sealers that I recommend and personally use. One is “Model in a Bottle” and the other is “Ben Nye Makeup Sealer” once you apply all your makeup, spray either of these all over your face to make your makeup last until the ball drops. I hope all of you have a fabulous New Years!! xoxo

 

 

 

Dayton Memories: Pat Kilbane

By Leave a Comment

In the fall of last year, I found myself back on Kingsridge Drive behind the Dayton Mall. I was on my way to pick up an order from Prime Digital Printing and glanced over at the property across the street from Max & Erma’s. What I saw caught me off guard; “This can’t be” I thought, “It’s a vacant lot.” Sure, nothing lasts forever, and sometimes progress means doing away with the old to make room for the new, but how could they tear down Jokers Comedy Café? It wasn’t just my home as a comedian; it was part of Dayton’s proud history.

I grew up in the Dayton area, and when I graduated from Beloit College in 1990, I returned to Centerville to live in my parents’ basement and pursue lofty dreams of a career in stand-up comedy. I had about seven minutes of rudimentary material and a lot of youthful enthusiasm, but what I didn’t have was the slightest clue where to begin. Like any genius with a newly minted bachelor’s degree, I grabbed the Yellow Pages and looked under “C” for “comedy.”

Moments later, I discovered that Jokers had an open mic night every Tuesday where beginning comics could try their stuff; and even better, the club was holding a contest called the “Jokers Comedy Joke-Off” where comedians could compete to win a contract with the largest booking agent in the Midwest. That would mean (gulp) road gigs and a fledgling career in show business.

It’s important to note, for those who don’t remember, that the late ‘80s and early ’90s were a boom time in the comedy industry. Stand-ups were getting lucrative network deals left and right, and those deals were meaning millions for people like Tim Allen and Roseanne Barr. It seemed that the sky was the limit, and thanks to the Jokers open mic night, such magical things felt entirely within reach.

We members of the open mic crew became a tight-knit group, mutually supportive and coursing with creativity. Mentored by local legend Dow Thomas (the open mic host), we wrote jokes together, laughed together, drank together, and traveled together to perform at the tough “one nighters” at bars and restaurants outside of town. Those were among our first paid gigs, again, made possible by the staff of Jokers.

Pat Kilbane's comedy head shot

I was lucky enough to win the Jokers Comedy Joke-Off in late summer of 1990, and as promised, I was awarded a contract with Louisville booking agent Tom Sobol. Mr. Sobol’s company later represented me in LA and landed me a theatrical agent, and that theatrical agent gave me a thrilling career in film and television. They always say in show business that if you are going to succeed, someone has to take a chance on you; someone has to give you the opportunity to try, fail, learn and grow. For me and a whole stable of young comics, Jokers Comedy Café was that someone – the first to let us jump up there and see what we could do.

In 1996 I appeared on the “Bizarro Jerry” episode of NBC’s #1 show “Seinfeld,” and it became a local news story in Dayton.[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnXOAWoNADw&feature=related’] I remember seeing the television field reporter standing in the rain in front of Jokers saying “This is where it all began…” Indeed. That might have been the proudest moment of my life. I felt like somehow I had made good for the comedy club I owed so much to.

Dayton has a rich comedy history, which includes natives such as Gordon Jump and the incomparable Jonathan Winters; I believe that Jokers Comedy Café also belongs in our comedy Hall of Fame. During a time of exciting revolution in the entertainment industry, Jokers gave a voice to an entire generation of young comedians and helped the Gem City hold its own.

Editors Note: DMM’s Lisa Grigsby owned Jokers Comedy Cafe.  Pat also is very modest above where he breezes by his career in film and television.  Best known for his three-year run on Fox’s “MADtv” (1995), Pat Kilbane made his mark on the show with outrageous physical comedy and uncanny celebrity impressions. Among his more memorable characters were Stan the Java Man, the shady Spishak spokesman, and the floppy superhero “Rubberman. Kilbane’s impressions are too numerous to list, but notably his mimicry of Howard Stern and Lyle Lovett fooled some viewers into believing that the stars actually appeared on the show.

After the expiration of his contract with “MADtv” , Kilbane was signed to a two-year deal with Dreamworks, during which he appeared in the movies Evolution  and EuroTrip , and on ABC’s hit show “Spin City”.  More recently, he appeared on My Name is Earl and Frank TV and in the movies Meet Dave, Day of the Dead and Semi-Pro.  Pat’s latest endeavor is promoting a book he  co-authored,  The Brain Eater’s Bible.

 

Read other posts in out Dayton Memories series:

Audrey Buckman
Jill Bishop

Playhouse Welcomes 2012 with Rodgers & Hammerstein Favorites

By 1 Comment

(from Dayton Playhouse)

A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING will delight audiences at the Dayton Playhouse from January 5 through January 15.  In addition to the normal Friday through Sunday performances, this presentation will also include special Thursday performances.

Veteran Playhouse artist, Richard Croskey, is directing and choreographing the play.  The cast features talented vocalists Matthew Bone, Carol Chatfield, Kathy Clark, Patricia Dipasquale Drul and Tom Lehmann. 

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING is an evening of music and romance. The musical review explores the broad spectrum of romantic relationships by way of more than thirty Rodgers & Hammerstein songs. Each of the team’s musicals is represented. The songs have all been placed in fresh theatrical settings, strung together so that the review “grows up” emotionally. The show is constructed as an emotional journey beginning with young infatuation and the awakening of real love, through the touching and funny complexities of commitment and marriage, the joys of parenthood, and finally, the power of enduring love. 

The book for A Grand Night for Singing was written by Walter Bobbie with music by Rodgers, lyrics by Hammerstein and musical arrangements by Fred Wells.

Performances will be Thursday through Sunday, January 5-15.  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 2:00pm-5:00pm.  Messages may be left for the box office at anytime. The Dayton Playhouse is located at 1301 East Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH 45414.

The Dayton Playhouse is a community theatre providing outstanding theatrical productions to Miami Valley audiences of all ages for more than fifty years. The Playhouse is nationally recognized for FutureFest, a festival of new plays.