arts

July 5 Event to Feature Dance Lessons, Classic Movies, Contests, and Live Music

June 24, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Downtown’s next free First Friday event will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 5. To celebrate the holiday weekend, many restaurant and stores are offering a variety of activities and entertainment for downtown visitors to enjoy. Events include art exhibits, live music, dinner and drink specials, retail sales, and special events will be featured at a variety of downtown venues.

Some of the highlights for the July 5 First Friday are listed below. A complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday is available on the DDP website.

Food Truck Rally – 200 S. Jefferson St. (near the Dayton Convention Center): Synergy Incubators hosts the July First Friday Food Truck Rally, featuring Zombie Dogz, Go Cupcake, Ringo’s North Star Mobile Eatery Caribbacanas,Fressa Truck, G’s CUE BBQ Horseless Buggy Eatery, Tik’s Thai Mobile, @The Monchon, Kona Ice and Missouri Avenue BBQ from 5:00pm – 9:00pm

American Pi (37 S. St. Clair St.) is celebrating a new collaboration with “Life in Letters,” a local handcraft décor store. Visitors can create unique and personal pieces using photos taken in the Dayton area that resemble letters. For First Friday, the owners of “Life in Letters” will be at the store to meet with anyone who comes by. The store is open until 8:30 p.m. Call 937–938-7890.

Cincinnati artist Gregory Sitg will be showing light paintings at Clash Consignment (521 E. Fifth St.). Call 937-241-9434.

The Collaboratory (33 N. Main St.) will feature an exhibition by artist and designer Misty Thomas-Trout that is a visual representation of her personal journey into self-awareness. Enjoy drinks and food with while getting to know the artist. The Collaboratory will be open until 8 p.m. Call 937-732-5123.

The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet for two rides this month at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, (220 N. Patterson Blvd.). The first will ride leaves at 5:30 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m. The July ride will include a tour of the McPherson, Grafton Hill, Five Oaks and Santa Clara District neighborhoods.

As part of the First Friday Salsa Music Series, Latin band Cla’ve Son will play live music from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark (111 E. Monument Ave.) on the MetroPark Pavilion Stage. Visitors can learn some salsa steps while listening to great music. Call 937-274-0126.

Sew Dayton (16 Brown St.) will offer treats from the PNC 2nd Street Market and showcase work by fiber artist Pat Weaves. Those who stop by are encouraged to partake in a DIY “Make It Work” contest. Participants will be given three pieces of textiles and given the challenge to create something new from them. The contest will run through the end of July. Call 937-234-7398.

Kicking off the Cool Film Series at Victoria Theatre (138 N Main St.) is the classic comedy “The Apartment” starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine and directed by Billy Wilder. Free popcorn and soda are offered in the lobby and an old-fashioned sing-a-long begins 30 minutes before show time. Tickets are $5. Call 228-3630.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association and Rev. Cool’s “Around the Fringe” show that airs on Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight on 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. Download the Find It Downtown mobile search tool for smartphones at http://mobile.downtowndayton.org.

Experience the Best of Downtown at Urban Nights

May 8, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

More than 100 downtown venues are offering special events, discounts and more for the May 10 Urban Nights.

Urban Nights is getting an updated flavor and feel. Entertainment now will focus on three “hotspots” located throughout downtown, allowing visitors to experience downtown’s biggest street party in a new way by visiting hubs of activity throughout downtown. The next Urban Nights will be held 5 to 10 p.m. this Friday, May 10, in downtown Dayton, the Oregon District and Wright-Dunbar Business Village. A list of the hotspots at the spring event is below.

“We celebrated the 10th anniversary of Urban Nights last year and felt it was a good time to re-evaluate the event,” said Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, which presents Urban Nights. “It’s clear the event has been extremely successful, as it brings more than 30,000 people to our downtown, many business owners report record sales, and we continue to receive a great deal of positive feedback from the community about Urban Nights.

“Still, we wanted to make sure Urban Nights more effectively meets its overall goal: to showcase all downtown has to offer and the places that only can be experienced in downtown Dayton,” Gudorf added. “We believe this new plan will encourage people to visit more places downtown during Urban Nights while giving us the opportunity to better highlight different areas in our center city.”

A map of participating venues and a complete performance schedule, including a listing of all participating locations’ events and specials, is available online. Follow Urban Nights on Facebook for regular updates and more information.

More than 30,000 people come downtown to experience this free event, when more than 100 establishments showcase downtown’s dining, nightlife, art, music, retail and housing options. The best way to see as much as possible during Urban Nights is to walk, and many of the destinations are just a short distance from each other. Greater Dayton RTA also will provide free event busses to help visitors get around.

Urban Nights is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, with support from Greater Dayton RTA, Bud Light Lime, Miller-Valentine Group, the Downtown Priority Board, Sinclair Community College, Mix 107.7-FM, WYSO 91.3-FM, Wright-Dunbar Business Village and the Ohio Arts Council.

MAY 10 URBAN NIGHTS HOTSPOTS

International Street

Sponsored by Miller-Valentine Group

Second Street between Main and Jefferson streets

Enjoy dance performances from a variety of troupes and grab an import brew to go along with foods from many cultures.

Second Street will be closed by the Kettering Tower to make way for dance performances and more.

Dancing in the Street Stage Schedule

5-5:25 p.m.:        Troupe Roja
5:30-5:55 p.m.: McGovern Ceili Dancers
6-6:25 p.m.:        South Dayton Dance Theatre
6:30-6:55 p.m.: Grupo Caribe
7-7:25 p.m.:        The Beseda Dancers
7:30-7:55 p.m.: Vivian Zumba
8-10 p.m.:            Son del Caribe

The corner of Fourth and St. Clair streets will be a hub of arts-inspired activity.

Arts Corner

Sponsored by Sinclair Community College

St. Clair and Fourth streets

Experience the Urban Nights motto “Walk on the Creative Side.” Enjoy a range of entertainment hosted by nearby businesses, including live entertainment, art exhibits and special sales. The Dayton Art Institute will host a photo booth where you can transform your image into an Andy Warhol-style work of art.
Arts Corner Entertainment
5-7 p.m.: Sweet Betsy

7-9 p.m.: By Means of Words at CADC

9-11 p.m.: Miss Lissa & Co. at Serendipity Bistro

Rock out to local bands at the Live on Five stage in the Oregon District.

Live on Five

Corner of Fifth and Pine streets in the Oregon District

Grab a draft brew from the beer truck and rock out to a variety of live bands.

Entertainment Schedule:

5-5:45 p.m.: The Broken Lights Band

6- 6:45 p.m.: Meghna & the Majority

7-7:45 p.m.: Cherry Lee and the Daddy Katz

8-10 p.m.: Magic Jackson

MAY 10 URBAN NIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS

Tours and Exhibits Commemorating the Great Dayton Flood of 1913

Great Dayton Flood of 1913 Bus Tours

Presented by Dayton History, Generation Dayton and Greater Dayton RTA

Get around Urban Nights while learning about our city’s largest natural disaster. Narrators on specially marked Flood Tour buses will detail factors that led to the catastrophe and recount survivors’ personal stories and those of heroic Daytonians from 100 years ago. The free 30- to 45-minute tour will follow the Urban Nights blue bus route and will stop at various locations throughout downtown Dayton. The tour officially begins at the corner of Monument Avenue and Jefferson Street, but visitors can get on and off the bus at any of the designated stops.

The Miami Conservancy District, 38 E. Monument Ave.

At its historical administrative building, the MCD will feature pocket park clean water tours and display 1913 flood inundation maps. The MCD also will host open-mic story telling about the flood along with other displays and giveaways.

The Great Dayton Adventure Race

Starts at the MetroParks Bike Hub at RiverScape MetroPark

This urban scavenger hunt will wind through the Urban Nights action. See how many clues you can answer in two hours as you navigate the city by foot for a chance to win prizes. Team up with friends or tackle the challenge solo. Racers can start anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. $20 per person. Register in advance at www.topoadventuresports.org or at RiverScape MetroPark the day of the event. Call 937-274-0126 for more information.

RiverScape MetroPark will be a hub of activity, including live entertainment and activities focused on green living. (Photography by Josh Mayes)

RiverScape MetroPark: Plaza and Pavilion Stage

At the RiverScape Plaza, visit DRG3’s Green Fest: Spring into Green!, featuring green displays and exhibits, recycled arts and crafts, a thrift shop runway, basketball with recyclables, extreme hop scotch, hula hoop, solar race cars, energy bikes and martial arts demos. Also at RiverScape at the nearby MetroParks Pavilion, enjoy live entertainment:
5:30-6 p.m.:        The Dayton Poetry Slam Showcase
6-7:45 p.m.:        New Vega
7:45-8:15 p.m.: Howard School of Dance
8:15-10 p.m.:      The Ark Band

Live entertainment, food and activities will be part of the Urban Nights experience in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village.

Wright-Dunbar Business Village Entertainment

Enjoy live entertainment, cultural arts, creative and tasty cuisine, and other festivities in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village. Special events include:

• Gospel and R&B Plaza, Third & Williams streets: Featuring live entertainment and four food vendors.
• Dance Tent, 1133 W. Third St.: Featuring entertainment by DJ Master G, three food vendors and a spirits bar.
• Jazz Plaza, West Third Street: Featuring live jazz entertainment and food stations.
• The Lounge, 1100 W. Third St.: Presenting a ticketed event at 8:30 p.m., a tribute to The Ohio Players by D-Funk All Stars. Call 443-0249 for tickets and information.

Self-Guided Architectural Tour

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Dayton Chapter has organized a self-guided tour for those intrigued by the architecture of Dayton and the history behind it. Refer to the Architectural Week brochure (distributed with Urban Nights program books) for more details or start at any of the buildings that are on the tour, where more information also will be available. The tour highlights the exterior architectural features of buildings, and not all buildings will be open to tour the interiors.

• Kuhns Building, 45 S. Main St.

• The Arcade, Third Street across from Courthouse Square

• The Old Courthouse, corner of Main and Third streets

• Kettering Tower, southeast corner of Main and Second streets

• Schuster Center, northwest corner of Main and Second streets

• Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St.

Sideshow 8

Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St.

The Dayton Circus Creative Collective again will kick off its two-day celebration of music and art in Dayton during Urban Nights. This event showcases the work of more than 60 artists and more than 20 musicians, and it hosts an event after-party until 1 a.m. Food and refreshments available. Visit the event website for a complete entertainment schedule and list of participating artists.

Join hundreds of cyclists on a ride through the night’s action at Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, which will start at Courthouse Square. (Photography by Josh Mayes)

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights

Start at Courthouse Square, Third and Main streets, at 6 p.m.

Get a preview of Urban Nights from the seat of your bike. Join hundreds of cyclists on this police-escorted ride through downtown. Riders are encouraged to wear a helmet and should be able to ride at a decent pace. This is not a ride for young children on their own bikes. From 5 to 8 p.m. on the Square, GetUP Montgomery County will present an event with live music, fitness demonstrations and other interactive activities focused on active, healthy lifestyles.

Sample New Food and Drink Establishments

Several downtown dining destinations either will be newly opened or open during Urban Nights to offer samples from their menus and preview their soon-to-be-open spots:

• Agnes All Natural Grill, 135 E. Fourth St.

• The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St.

• Lily’s Bistro, 329 E. Fifth St.

• Salar Restaurant and Lounge, 410 E. Fifth St.

• Toxic Brew Co ., 431 E. Fifth St.

Mosaic City Photo Show

St. Clair Lofts building, 39 S. St. Clair St.

Cityfolk presents an exhibit that includes entries from a recent Cityfolk photo contest and work by artist Glenna Jennings, who will present her project “Looking at Looking.” Her photographs depict residents and visitors to downtown Dayton observing historic images from the National Cash Register archive.

Watch large-scale prints being made with a steamroller at the third Steamroller Printmaking event.

Steamroller Printmaking: Flat-Out Fun!

Stivers School for the Arts, 1313 E. Fifth St.

Printmakers from the Dayton Printmakers Cooperative and students from Stivers School for the Arts will print large-scale linoleum blocks using a real steamroller as a printing press. Anyone can carve a smaller version of the linoleum blocks prior to the event (available for purchase at the Dayton Visual Arts Center for $10), called “Parking Prints,” and have it printed the night of the event. At DVAC, 118 N. Jefferson St., view large-scale and parking prints from the previous two Steamroller events.

Light My Fire & Brilliant Trash Competition

K12 Gallery for Young People and TEJAS, 510 E. Third St.

More than 100 hand-crafted mosaic lanterns will be lit in front of and inside the gallery as part of the Light My Fire exhibit. The lanterns will be for sale, with proceeds benefitting programming at K12 and TEJAS. K12 also will host the Brilliant Trash Competition, featuring upcycled works of art by local artists vying to be named Craft Master 2013, along with the exhibition “Can I Get a Witness?,” featuring abstract paintings by Rebecca Sargent and Erika Hess. Enjoy light refreshments, music and salsa dancing.

We Care Arts Celebrates 30 Years

April 22, 2013 By Tiffany Shaw-Diaz Leave a Comment

Thirty years is a remarkable amount of time. In a culture where TV shows are cancelled almost as soon as they begin, and businesses rise and fall with the latest trend, commanding longevity in an ever-changing world means you know how to leverage good fortune, anticipate change, and strategize for the future.

Celebrating their 30-year anniversary, We Care Arts, a Kettering non-profit that teaches art to people with disabilities, has succeeding in doing just that, and their place in the artistic and special needs communities continues to blossom.

“What we do here is very important to a lot of people,” explained Shari Hignite, the program coordinator for We Care Arts. “Without us, many of our clients have nowhere else to go. Many of them have tried other agencies or methods to help them, but they have not had any success. Art is a powerful tool, and our programs help them in ways that nothing else will.”

In 2012 alone, We Care Arts served about 900 clients across four counties in more than a dozen creative fields including woodworking, painting, knitting, sewing, and jewelry making. These are awe-inspiring statistics, considering how they modestly began in a closet attached to the Rose E. Miller Recreation Center’s wood shop to accommodate two clients (one of which was taught by We Care Arts’ executive director, Terry Schalnat).

Flash forward three decades. We Care Arts experienced a rapid-fire expansion that included adding a gift shop, changing locations, and developing nearly two dozen outreach programs to aid as many demographics as possible. And they are still expanding. “We’ve been at our Wilmington Pike location for nine years, and it’s amazing how we are already busting at the seams,” said Brenda Thieman, We Care Arts’ bookkeeper.

During We Care Arts’ 30 years, the staff has witnessed radical transformations–mentally, emotionally, and spiritually–in many of their clients from their newfound sense of pride and self-worth.

“We have had so many people come through our doors broken, in mind and spirit,” mentioned Hignite. “They come to us at their lowest low; at the beginning of the rebuilding process. We provide them with advice, encouragement, and the tools to start moving upward. Many of our clients have gone on to college, gotten jobs, started families, mended fences, left their abusers, and improved their lives.”

Considering the outpouring of inspirational stories, it’s no wonder that We Care Arts is celebrated by the citizens of Dayton.

“I think if we can continue to provide the community with a safe place for people, then we have met our goals,” offered Hignite. “What we do here is very important to so many individuals, yet it is really simple. We are kind. We are supportive, encouraging, loving, and caring. It is amazing what people can do when given the right tools and a little encouragement.”

Hignite mentioned that We Care Arts has several new programs in the works. They currently teach one class at each school they serve, but they have been asked to do more, in addition to piloting initiatives at other schools. They are also thinking about creating more programs for nursing homes.

To supply their massive reach, We Care Arts is always in need of donations, both monetary and in-kind, and they also rely upon the dedication of sundry volunteers who help in-class, serve on committees, man the gift shop, and organize fundraisers in tandem to a variety of other duties. But one of the best ways to contribute to this organization takes very little time.

“What I hope for the most is that more people become aware of us and visit our gift shop,” mentioned Hignite. “When people purchase something made by our clients, it lifts them more than anything else. It is a validation that they are worth something.”

The gift shop certainly has something for everyone and every budget, offering paintings, comic books, household items, coffee mugs, baby blankets, cards, painted wine glasses, and more. They also strive to offer a wide array of seasonal items, especially for Mother’s Day and Christmas, which are some of their busiest times in-store.

In talking with the We Care Arts’ staff, their passion for their vocation is evident, and it is certainly one of the driving forces behind We Care Arts’ success.

“This is the first job I have ever had that I love getting up to go to,” exclaimed Thieman. “Even when I have a bad day, I can take a minute to just visit with a client, and my spirits are lifted.”

Echoing the comments of Thieman, Bruce Rill, a tenured instructor at We Care Arts, offered these parting words:

“Art has great value in the lives of all human beings, no matter where they are in life,” he explained. “We are blessed to use our gifts, all the while learning from others.”

We Care Arts will have their Garden Party fundraiser on Saturday, May 4th. For more information about their programs and upcoming events, visit www.wecarearts.org or call 252-3937. We Care Arts is located at 3035 Wilmington Pike, Kettering, OH, 45429. Their gift shop is open Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

First Friday to Feature Walking Tour, Craft Battle, Beer Tasting, Art Shows, More

April 1, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

• The Collaboratory (formerly Blue Sky Gallery), 8 N. Main St.: Featuring “Best Time Ever,” a visual collaboration between photographer Glenna Jennings and mixed-media artist Issa Randall. They use Facebook as a stock image bank to create collages that speak to the transient nature of “good times.” 732-5123.

• CADC, 35 S. St. Clair St.: Presenting “Mexican Reflections;” Sandra Picciano and David Brand will demonstrate their jewelry-making techniques and exhibit their rings inspired by a jewelry workshop in Mexico. 313-9883.

• Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors, 48 High St.: Opening reception for art exhibit “Intuition,” featuring work by Betsy Molinsky, Marvin Olinsky and Beth Duke. The exhibit features mixed-media art, sculpture and painting. 228-4532.

• Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N. Jefferson St.: (Open 5 to 8 p.m.) The opening of “Art Auction Preview,” featuring works in all types of media. 224-3822.

• Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, 220 N. Patterson Blvd.: The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet at 5:30 p.m. for a ride through the city.

• Clash Consignments, 521 E. Fifth St.: Hosting “Aries de la femme,” an art show highlighting local women artisans. This girl-themed art show promotes girl art by girl artists. Categories include visual, audio and fine arts. Call 241-9434.

• Fifth Third Center, 1 S. Main St.: Local artisans Gina Duncan and Judy Riesser will host an opening reception for their artwork, displayed in the lobby, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. 228-2224.

• Gallery 510 Fine Art, 510 E. Fifth St.: Presents a new collection of hand-beaded pendants and pins by Gallery 510 artist Cathy Helmers. Mention First Friday and receive $5 off winter scarves. 672-6717.

• Grass Roots Enrichment and Wellness Center, 400 E. Fifth St., Suite C: Art opening with paintings by artist-of-the -month Jed Helmers. 723-6747.

• Great Dayton Flood Walk: View vintage photos of the great flood, visit buildings that made it through the flood, see high-water marks from 1913 and much more. Walk starts at 7 p.m. and is $10 per person. Call 274-4749 or email [email protected] for required reservations and meeting location.

• K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS, 510 E. Third St.: The opening reception of the second annual juried exhibit featuring 2D black-and-white art; 16 artists have been selected to participate in the exhibit, which includes photographs, drawings, paintings and collages. 461-5149.

• Olive, an urban dive, 416 E. Third St.: Displaying photographs by Gary Kunze, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2004; 10 percent of all the sales of Gary’s photographs and cards will go toward Parkinson’s disease research. From 6 to 8 p.m., visitors can get a sneak peak at the new The Barrel House, which is being renovated across the street from Olive.

• Requarth Co. Supply One Showroom, 447 E. Monument Ave.: (open 6 to 8:30 p.m.) Join the Fifth Street Brewpub for a beer tasting. Learn about the Fifth Street Brewpub Co-op and enjoy performances by local musicians David Baugham, composer/slap-style guitarist and winner of the Teen Music Slam 2012 (6 to 6:40 p.m.) and Pam Baugham of the folk/Americana group Sweet Betsy (6:40 to 8 p.m.). The tasting will feature six craft beers from a variety of breweries for $2 per taste or six tastes for $10. Proceeds will help the brewpub renovate its historical space and open its doors this spring. Also, Harvest Mobile Cuisine will be on site with local food for sale.

• Sew Dayton, 16 Brown St.: Hosting a “spring cleaning” sale; fill up an entire bag of scraps of fabric for $1. Artwork by featured artist-of-the-month Cherry Fullam will be on display. 234-7398.

• The Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St.: Hosting the second “Dayton Crafty-Con,” showcasing local crafters. Starting at 5 p.m., more than 25 vendors will be giving demos on how to create the crafts they are selling. At 7 p.m.,“Battle of the Crafters” will take place on the main stage. Each team will be presented with a box of unknown supplies and will be judged on its ability to make a craft within the parameters of the specified theme. Zombie Dog food truck will be selling gourmet hot dogs. 203-8175.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association, the Ohio Arts Council 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. Download the Find It Downtown mobile search tool for smartphones at http://mobile.downtowndayton.org

Urban Arts Showcase Takes the Stage This Friday

April 18, 2012 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

HBO Def Poet Black Ice will headline this Friday's "The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show."

Oral Funk Poetry Productions will launch its fifth season of “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” at The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., from 9 to 11 p.m. this Friday, April 20.

The season-opening performance will be a celebration of National Poetry Month. The theme will be Jamaican and Caribbean culture through spoken word, dramatizations, live music, vocalists, visual arts and more.

Featured performers include Tony Award-winning HBO Def Poet Black Ice, who appeared on six seasons of the popular show and starred in Def Poetry on Broadway. He’s lent his voice to hip-hop projects by such artists at Method Man and opened for Mary J. Blige on her 2006 world tour. Black Ice also has appeared on BET’s Live 8 Concert Special, Rap City the Basement and 106th & Park, as well as on NBC’s Showtime at the Apollo.

Joining Black Ice will be singer and poet Scorpio Blues, who also has appeared on HBO’s Def Poetry. Her recent CD, Scorpio Rising, features her soul music and some poetry, while her first CD, Blue Blushin’, was an acclaimed poetry work. In 2006, Scorpio Rising became the first female and the first African-American to win the Ill List Poets championship. She also has her own spoken word and music entertainment, management and promotions company called Hot Water Cornbread.

The Flex Crew Reggae Band, a popular group from Columbus, will perform live music. Its seven members hail from a variety of musical backgrounds, resulting in a versatile and high-energy band with an array of musical styles, including funk, R&B, soul, hip hop and roots reggae. In addition, local spoken word poet I Witness Life will emcee.

Tickets cost $20 and can be purhcased at www.ticketcenterstage.com, by calling 937-228-3830 or at the door.

Poet Scorpio Blues also will perform during The Signature.

Oral Funk Poetry Productions has partnered with De’Lish Café, 139 N. Main St., for the event. The restaurant, located across the street from the theater, will offer special Jamaican and Caribbean menu items and drinks.

During its first four seasons, “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” featured local and national poets, musicians, actors, vocalists, dancers and visual artists presenting numerous forms of self-expression ― often to sold-out crowds.

“We’re so excited to continue producing our show at The Loft Theatre after moving the production to this great venue last year,” said Sierra Leone of Oral Funk Poetry Productions. “This location has more seating for our shows, which often sell out, and has allowed us to kick up the performance a notch thanks to access to more professional production equipment and capabilities in the theater. We also have appreciated the opportunity to work with and learn from the professionals at The Human Race Theatre Company.”

Not Your Grandparents’ Norman Rockwell

February 2, 2012 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

The Problem We All Live With

You only have a few days to get to The Dayton Art Institute or you’re going to miss something surprisingly evocative and just plain cool.

Until recently, my idea of Norman Rockwell was a memory of images painted on dishes displayed in my granny and grandpa’s dining room cabinet. Those images were cutsey, small-town Americana and very, very quaint.

My Norman Rockwell has changed an awful lot.

When I first visited the exhibit “American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell,” I was surprised to learn this iconic American artist was a progressive thinker. To be honest, I had no idea he created a body of work addressing such issues as desegregation, civil rights and poverty. I admit I was stunned when standing in front of The Problem We All Live With, a recreation of the walk 6-year-old Ruby Bridges took as a first-grade student and the first African American to attend a previously all-white school in New Orleans. This was not only because of the powerful imagery but because I had not expected to see this ― feel this ― in a Norman Rockwell exhibit. I had trouble breaking myself away from Murder in Mississippi, Rockwell’s depiction of the murders of three young civil rights workers in Philadelphia, Miss., during the civil rights era. I was late for a meeting (OK, really late) but I really didn’t care. These paintings!

I had the same intense feeling ― you know, when you think a wooly worm is crawling along your spine ― when hearing that same Ruby Bridges Rockwell painted years ago tell a packed auditorium at The Art Institute about her experience and emotions that November day as she and her mother, riding in a car with federal marshals, made their way to her new school. (Tangent: Check out Bridges’ book, Through My Eyes, if you get a chance.)

Ruby Bridges speaks to a packed house at The Dayton Art Institute and shares images from the day she made history by being the first African American to attend a previously all-white school. "Even back then, I knew that 'separate but equal' was not true," she said.

Ruby Bridges shares images from the day she made history as the first African American to attend a previously all-white school. "Even back then, I knew 'separate but equal' was not true," she said.

And there were more surprises. Bridges’ parents were not activists. They simply wanted a better life for their daughter, which is why they answered when the NAACP knocked on their door. Bridges used her imagination to decipher what was happening during those days when she unknowingly was making history. Since she had been one of only six African American children to pass a test engineered for them to fail, Bridges thought she was so smart she was going to college. Since her neighbors walked alongside the car that drove her to her first grade class, she thought she was in a Mardi Gras parade. Bridges said the worst thing about first grade was being lonely, as nearly all the white families had withdrawn their children from the school. She revealed the horror of walking by white protestors holding an infant’s coffin containing a black doll, constant threats that she would be poisoned, the schoolboy who told Bridges his mother insisted he not play with her and the weight she felt lifted off her shoulders upon hearing that comment because, finally, she knew what was going on. She knew it was about color, the color of her skin.

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Meet Jean Howat Berry – Building Culture Through Community at Cityfolk

December 12, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Pandora, one of artists in residence during the 2011 Culture Builds Community program, works with students (Photo by Rodney Veal)

Jean Howat Berry is the new education and outreach manager at Cityfolk.

Cityfolk is the Dayton-based “only full-time, professional presenter of traditional and ethnic performing arts” in Ohio, according to the Cityfolk website.

Berry’s main responsibility is overseeing the Culture Builds Community program, which is in its sixth year.

“The main thrust of the job is this huge project that happens in the spring,” said Berry.

The CBC project, which culminates in April, focuses on engaging participating elementary students in research and practice of specific cultural activities. The project incorporates local ethnic centers and national and local artists of music and dance.

This year’s Culture Builds Community project is called Sole Rhythms and five neighborhood schools are participating. The schools are Ruskin, Edison, Cleveland, Kiser and Fairview elementary schools.

Each school has its own team that focuses on an assigned specific cultural tradition.

Berry said this year’s theme is percussion music and dance. The traditions of focus include Turkish dance, Mexican folk dance, traditional American spirituals and the roots of jazz, the African American fraternity step dance tradition and old time clogging of Appalachia mixed with Irish step dance.

“The whole idea, and what City Folk strives to do with this, is build community,” she said. “There’s so many different facets to Dayton, because we are so immigrant friendly and because we have tremendous gifted artists that work here, we’re able to pull all those folks together to build a team that can go out and connect with those many communities. Because we’re all really one big community.”

Within the context of the schools, CBC helps kids learn new skills, new information about culture and practice physical activity, since this year’s project is a danced based program.

“Kids have the opportunity to use all facets of themselves within the project,” Berry said.

She said from the kids perspective, the project is completely voluntary. CBC provides a few teasers informing the students about their school’s cultural focus. They will then take 15 students 5th through 8th grade and another 10 participants at 16 and older.

Big Mijo teaches students the basics of krump dancing during the 2011 Culture Builds Community program (Photo by Rodney Veal)

According to Berry, last year’s project only encompassed three schools and took ten students from each. So this year’s project is taking on two-to-three times as many participants.

She wants participants to be educated in their specific cultures, but more so she wants them to learn the importance of commitment.

“We want it to be at will, we want a particular age group, but we mostly want commitment, and that’s something this project really seeks to develop in the young people,” Berry said.

Berry said her previous job working at East End Community Services, which sponsors Ruskin Elementary afterschool programming, prepared her well for her new position. Her theatre background will also be helpful in her new role. She said she’s played the role of the artist educating kids in the classroom, just as the artists she’s assigning to the five groups will do.

Berry said CBC has a fairly broad funding base for this project that includes Sinclair Community College, Dayton Power and Light, Target and Arts Midwest.

“It’s a really exciting program,” Berry said. “I just think that it has the capacity by what it’s goals are to continue to grow and to be a real force for bringing folks together in Dayton and that’s what we really want to reach out and do.”

For more information visit Culture Builds Community online at http://www.cityfolk.org/cbc.htm.

Tweetin’ at the Opera

September 28, 2011 By Megan Cooper 1 Comment

Friday Nite Tweet Seats – Tweet from your Seat!

New this season, The Dayton Opera is excited to extend an invitation to local young professionals and their guests to experience an opera-tunity to network and socialize before and after Dayton Opera performances. Friday Nite Tweet Seats — sponsored by DP&L –will allow you to let your Twitter followers know what’s going on at the opera in a reserved seating section. As an exclusive offer only to young professionals, enjoy a pre-performance gathering prior to the show, reserved seating for the performances and an after-party at the Dayton Racquet Club with the cast and crew … all for only $15.

Join the party for the Friday October 21 performances of La Bohème, the Friday, February 24 performance of Romeo and Juliet, and the Thursday May 17 and Friday May 18 performances of The Tragedy of Carmen and tweet and text your thoughts about the opera! Tickets are available online at www.daytonopera.org and, when ordering, enter the code TWEET. You can visit or call Ticket Center Stage in the Schuster Center at 228-3630 and ask for a Friday Nite Tweet Seat.

Please remember…Texting and tweeting during performances is permitted only in designated Friday Nite Tweet Seat areas. Phones must be muted and phone conversations are not permitted.

Sleepless in Stratford-upon-Avon…errrr, Dayton

September 21, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

SHAKESPEARE FOR LIFE

Free Shakespeare!

24-7 of Shakespeare to Benefit Relay for Life

Dayton, Sept. 7, 2011 ― Free Shakespeare! and Optum Nurses for a Cure, a registered team with the Centerville chapter of Relay for Life, will present Shakespeare for Life, a marathon relay reading of the Bard’s works, starting at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, and running 24 hours through 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at the Blue Sky Gallery, 33 N. Main St., in downtown Dayton.

Free Shakespeare! aims to read all of the Bard’s work during one week in October.

The event will start with a reading of Julius Caesar, with the goal of reading all 37 plays, 154 sonnets and five poems credited to William Shakespeare. While the readings will be organized into four-hour segments with some assigned readers, the public is invited to stop by anytime and read ― or just listen. Participants are asked to gather at least $25 in pledges to benefit a both Optum Nurses for a Cure and Free Shakespeare! A silent auction also will be held during the event.

Chris Shea & Allison Husko in Midsummer Night Dream, Summer 2011 – Photo by Alisha McDarris

“We intend to read every word Shakespeare ever wrote,” said Chris Shea, founding artistic director of Free Shakespeare! “My father died from colon cancer, so I really wanted to find a way to help find a cure for cancer.

“Cancer is everywhere and affects everyone, and on the lighter side of that, Shakespeare is everywhere and affects everyone,” Shea added. “Once I made that connection, this seemed a natural fit. This also is a community outreach and educational event. We want to raise awareness about Shakespeare and cancer prevention, while raising money for two great causes.”

To volunteer for Shakespeare for Life, contact [email protected].

Free Shakespeare! is a sponsored project of Involvement Advocacy. Contributions can be made at the event or by mailing a check, made out to Involvement Advocacy (memo: Free Shakespeare), P.O. Box 10506, Dayton, OH, 45402-7506.

Free Shakespeare! is a professional, nonprofit theater company devoted to presenting performances of the works of William Shakespeare. The company strives to make these works accessible to a contemporary society and deepen the understanding of our linguistic and cultural origins. We are committed to projects either penned by Shakespeare or inspired by his work.
-FS! Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Camp Rock opens in Centerville

September 12, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro 6 Comments

Camp Rock, the Musical

LAND MARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE

at TOWN HALL THEATRE

The competition heats up in the “Heart of Centerville” this Friday at Town Hall Theatre! When glitzy Camp Star opens across the lake, the competition is on! Will Camp Rock beat its new rival in the summer’s ultimate musical showdown?

The Landmark Children’s Theatre Company presents Camp Rock, the Musical, based on the hit Disney Channel Original Movies Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam at Town Hall Theatre in Centerville September 16^th – October 2^nd, 2011.

When Camp Star moves in across the lake, Camp Rock knows it’s in trouble. The glitzy Camp Star has everything Camp Rock doesn’t; better pay, fancier costumes; even air conditioned cabins! When most of the staff and campers leave Camp Rock for the glamour of Camp Star, it’s up to the true “rockers” Mitchie and the gang to get themselves into top shape for an ultimate musical showdown that will determine the fate of Camp Rock!

The production is presented by the Landmark Children’s Theatre Company, the theatre’s premiere series featuring professional and volunteer adult actors performing with young people. It is directed by Chris Harmon, who previously directed Pinkalicious, A Year with Frog and Toad, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Disney’s Geppetto and Sonfor Town Hall Theatre.

Mr. Harmon says he’s “thrilled to be directing the regional premier of Disney’s Camp Rock. The cast is really rising to the challenge of bringing intense Rock & Roll music, dance and attitude to the Town Hall stage!”

Playing the “Gray” brothers made famous in the movies by the Jonas brothers are Montana Iverson as Shane, Brendan Plate as Nate, and Matthew Perkins as Jason Gray. Centerville natives Cecily Dowd and Addi Helms alternate asMitchie and Autumn Gensheimer and Abby Cates alternate as Dana and Sydney Fowler and Anna Hilnomaz both perform Tess. The show’s battling camp directors include adult actors Ed Iverson as Axel Turner and C.J. Suchyta asBrown Cesario.

-TH Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

Disney’s CAMP ROCK, the Musical – September 16 through October 2 (Fri/Sat/Sun)

(Times Vary: Click HERE)

Tickets Prices: $10 children 12 & under / $13 students & seniors / $15 adult / ALL day of show tickets are $15.

Location: Town Hall Theatre – 27 North Main Street,Centerville (MAP) next to Panera Bread in the “Heart of Centerville”

Reserve tickets online at www.townhalltheatre.org or call 937-433-8957.

The show runs 70 minutes and isrecommended for children ages 4 and up.

For more information on this production and to find out more about our class offerings, please contact the Box Office at(937) 433-8957 or log on to our website at www.townhalltheatre.org.

“Murder on the High C’s”

September 12, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro 2 Comments

Florence Foster Jenkins

SOUVENIR – a Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

The Dayton Theatre Guild presents the first SEASON EXTRA production of the 2011 – 2012 season, Souvenir, a Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins, for two weekends only – September 16 through 25, 2011. It is directed by Saul Caplan and produced by Debra Kent.

Florence Foster Jenkins, a wealthy society eccentric, believed herself to be a great coloratura soprano when she was actually incapable of producing two consecutive notes in tune. Even so, her recitals in the ballroom of the Ritz Carlton hotel where she resided, along with her single concert at Carnegie Hall in 1944, brought her great fame. Souvenir is based on the real life of Florence Foster Jenkins and tells her story through the eyes of her accompanist, Cosme McMoon, a talented musician who first saw her as merely a way to pay the rent, but who came to regard her with friendship and affection.

The cast includes Reneé Franck-Reed from Dayton as Florence Foster Jenkins. Reneé has performed locally in the Dayton Theatre Guild production of The Beard of Avon and at The Human Race Theatre, in The Man of La Mancha. She has also performed at the Schuster Center in The Daughter of the Regiment and in Gypsy and Fiddler on the Roof at the Dayton Playhouse. Renee’ has her own vocal studio in Dayton. Cosme McMoon, Florence’s accompanist, is played by Chuck Larkowski from Fairborn. Although Chuck has been seen on Dayton stages for years, and in such productions as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Urinetown and The Producers at the Dayton Playhouse, The Lion in Winter at Playhouse South, and MacBeth at Sinclair Community College, Souvenir is Chuck’s Dayton Theatre Guild debut. By day, Chuck is Professor of Music at Wright State University.

SOUVENIR by Stephen Temperley - DAYTON THEATRE GUILD - Things To Do In Dayton - September 16-25, 2011

Chuck Larkowski and Renee Franck Reed

SYNOPSIS from Dramatists Play Service:

For more than half a century the name Florence Foster Jenkins has been guaranteed to produce explosions of derisive laughter. Not unreasonably so, as this wealthy society eccentric suffered under the delusion that she was a great coloratura soprano when she was in fact incapable of producing two consecutive notes in tune. Nevertheless, her annual recitals in the ballroom of the Ritz Carlton hotel, where she resided, brought her extraordinary fame. As news of her terrible singing spread, so did her celebrity. Her growing mob of fans packed her recitals, stuffing handkerchiefs in their mouths to stifle their laughter—which Mrs. Jenkins blissfully mistook for cheers. The climax of her career was a single concert at Carnegie Hall in 1944. Famously, it sold out in two hours.

SOUVENIR, by turn hilarious and poignant, tells her story through the eyes of her accompanist, Cosme McMoon. A talented musician, he regards her at first as little more than an easy way to pay the rent, but, as he gets to know her, his initial contempt gives way to reluctant admiration, then friendship and affection. Eyewitness accounts of their concerts vary so wildly it is almost impossible now to separate fact from gossip. Hence this fictional “biography,” in which we follow the story of their partnership from its earliest days to their concert in Carnegie Hall and its aftermath. With each new imagined triumph Florence’s confidence soars. Faced with her boundless certainty, Cosme comes to revise his attitude, not only towards her singing but to the very meaning of music itself. As the play ends the audience enters her world completely, finding there the beauty she’d heard in her head all along. A musical odd-couple for the ages.

-DTG Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

Stephen Temperly’s SOUVENIR – September 16 through 25 (Fri/Sat/Sun)

(Times Vary: Click HERE)

Tickets Prices: $10 student / $15 senior / $17 adult

Location: Dayton Theatre Guild at The Caryl D. Philip’s TheatreScape – 430 Wayne Ave. Dayton, Ohio 45410(MAP)

No one under the age of seven will be admitted.

Tickets are on sale now through DTG’s Online Box Office, or via phone at (937) 278-5993 (due to a volunteer staff, phones are not monitored continually).

For more information about Dayton Theatre Guild’s entire 2011-12 season, visit www.DaytonTheatreGuild.org

Dayton Theatre Guild at the Caryl D. Philips TheatreScape

On Stage Dayton Theatre Guide: 2011-12

September 5, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Every new theater season in Dayton seems to be ripe with variety. It’s one of the great joys of the Dayton theatre scene that the ‘something for everyone’ cliche actually rings true. 2011-2012 is already proving to be among the most eclectic yet. This season promises……

parents behaving badly (God Of Carnage) AND children behaving badly (Spring Awakening)
romance of the sweet and fun kind (Hairspray) and of the creepy kind (The Phantom of the Opera)
true stories of tragedy (The Laramie Project) and of triumph (Jersey Boys)
journeys down familar roads (The Wizard of Oz) and unexpected ones (Caroline, Or Change)
wistful nostalgia (Lost in Yonkers) and celebratory joy (In The Heights)
even swashbuckling adventure (How I Became A Pirate) and cartwheels on Austrian mountainsides (The Sound of Music)

Below you’ll find On Stage Dayton’s picks for the most anticipated offerings for the 2011-2012 Dayton Theatre Season. It’s just a small sampling of a very full year of stage work. And with this official launch, you can count on OSD to be there all season long.

Russell’s Picks

If you like ‘The Help’ you’ll like…

Caroline, or Change

The Human Race Theatre Company offers the overdue local premiere of this dynamic 2004 Tony Award-nominated musical from librettist/Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner (“Angels in America”) and composer Jeanine Tesori (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”). A potent study of race relations set in 1963 Louisiana, “Caroline, or Change” chronicles the testy yet engaging relationship between a headstrong African-American maid and her Jewish employers. Tesori’s sublime music encompasses klezmer, opera and Motown.

The Human Race Theatre Company

If you like ‘Mamma Mia!’ or ‘The Sopranos’ you’ll like…

Jersey Boys

The local premiere of “Jersey Boys,” the sleek, sharp and surprisingly tender story of pop legends Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is the hallmark of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Good Samaritan and Miami Valley Hospitals Broadway Series. One of the most popular jukebox musicals of the last decade and the recipient of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, “Jersey Boys” features such timeless numbers as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”

Victoria Theatre Association

If you like ‘Dallas’ you’ll like…

Dividing the Estate

Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Horton Foote’s authentic, relevant 2009 Tony Award-nominated portrait of a Texas clan at odds will receive its local premiere courtesy of the Dayton Theatre Guild. Centered on a tough traditionalist matriarch and her squabbling children, “Dividing the Estate” uncovers the harsh realities that arise when economics and legacy threaten to tear a family apart.

Dayton Theatre Guild

If you like ‘The Full Monty’ you’ll like…

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Clark State Community College provides the local collegiate premiere of librettist Jeffrey Lane and composer David Yazbek’s 2005 Tony Award-nominated musical based on the 1988 film of the same name. Yazbek, an outstanding songwriter, had great success with his critically acclaimed adaptation of “The Full Monty,” co-created by Terrence McNally, and the con artist-driven “Scoundrels” shares an appealingly naughty kinship. The “Scoundrels” national tour failed to connect four years ago at the Schuster Center, but perhaps Clark State will give the hilarious material the solid treatment it deserves.

Clark State

If you like the Muse Machine you’ll like…

The Wizard of Oz

Dorothy’s ruby slippers will sparkle once more thanks to the Muse Machine, Dayton’s premier arts education organization celebrating its 30th year. The memories of Muse’s 1996 “Oz” production remain indelibly etched in my mind (the Broadway caliber performances of Tyler Maynard as the Scarecrow and Tory Ross as the Wicked Witch of the West were particularly extraordinary), but it will be refreshing to see a new generation tackle the iconic musical. Expect another Muse hit you will not want to miss.

Muse Machine

Continue to read David’s picks…

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Breaking News: 6 ft. White Rabbit on the loose in Beavercreek!

August 31, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Harvey

BEAVERCREEK COMMUNITY THEATRE

Beavercreek Community Theatre continues the run of it’s opening production of the 2011-2012 season with Mary Chase’s “Harvey,” directed by Jim Lockwood of Huber Heights.

The big invisible rabbit, in the title role, and his eccentric friend, Elwood P. Dowd, played by John Bukowski of Washington Township, will “appear” on the BCT stage through this weekend with 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday performances and 3 p.m. Sunday matinees.

Dowd’s invisible friend, an over six foot white rabbit, is a social embarrassment to Dowd’s sister and niece, who live with him. They are portrayed by Terry Larson of Beavercreek and Ellen Ballerene of Yellow Springs, respectively.

His sister’s attempt to get Dowd committed to a mental institution leads to a comedy of errors, which in turn leads to a mending of some family wounds and some unexpected romance.

The cast also includes Deborah Sasser of Beavercreek, Rick Johnson of Centerville, Cathy Long of Oakwood, Nathan Hudson of Dayton, Carly Porter of Fairborn, Averio Perugini of Kettering, Donald McKenny of Tipp City and Bill Reagle of Enon.

The show’s producers are Anne Heitker and Linda McLarty, both of Beavercreek. Heitker is also the costumer and Hans Unser, of Beavercreek, is the stage manager. The set designer is Chris Harmon of Beavercreek and the lighting designer is John Falkenbach of Dayton. Tony Fende of Dayton is the sound designer.

-BCT Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

Mary Chase’s HARVEY – through September 4th

8pm on Fridays & Saturdays / 3pm on Sundays

Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for BCT members, students, and senior citizens.

A group discount of $1 per ticket is available to groups of 10 or more purchased at the same time for the same performance.

Tickets can be reserved by calling (937) 429-4737 and leaving a message or by e-mailing [email protected]. For more information, visit the theater’s Web site at www.bctheatre.org where tickets can also be purchased online with a credit card.

Credit cards are not accepted at the theatre.

Beavercreek Community Theatre is located within the Lofino Adult Enrichment and Cultural Arts Center at 3868 Dayton-Xenia Road in Beavercreek.

The Dayton Power & Light Foundation is BCT’s season sponsor.

BCT offers a Flex Pass, a season ticket for 3, 5 or all 7 shows. Three shows, of the patron’s choice, are $37 for adults and $30 for seniors and students; five shows are $59 and $44 respectively. For all seven shows, the season pass costs $78 for adults and $60 for seniors and students.

Win Free Tickets

DaytonMostMetro.com has three free pairs of tickets to lucky readers – just fill out the form below to enter (no purchase necessary, not that we sell anything here anyway). Good luck!

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“The Oldest Profession” has found it’s way to Wayne Ave.

August 31, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel

The Oldest Profession

THE DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

NOTE: Audition Info for “Lost In Yonkers” below!

The Dayton Theatre Guild run of The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel, continues through Sunday, September 11, 2011, with Friday performances at 8:00 p.m., Saturday shows at 5:00 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3:00 p.m. It is directed by Greg Smith and produced by Barbara Jorgensen.

Once the toast of Storyville, the infamous red-light district of New Orleans, five very senior ladies of the night have transferred their talents to Reagan-era New York City. They now find both their clients and their own appearance slipping away with time. But every girl has a right to go out in her own style, doesn’t she? Don’t miss the laugh-filled chronicle of five very special ladies – how they lived the life and how they say goodbye. Warning: This production contains strong language and adult content. (Raunchy, racy and fun!)

The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel - Dayton Theatre Guild - through September 11

L to R: Marcia Nowik, Ellen Finch, (back) Jackie Engle, Marcella Balin, Patty Bell

The cast includes Jackie Engle from Dayton (Wallis, Pygmalion), Ellen Finch from Kettering (Kimberly Akimbo, Fuddy Meers, Hallelujah Girls), Marcia Nowik from Yellow Springs (Independence, God’s Favorite, and Octette Bridge Club at Beavercreek Community Theatre), Patty Bell from Dayton (Brooklyn Boy,) and Marcella Balin from Xenia, who makes her acting debut with The Oldest Profession.

-DTG Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

Paula Vogel’s THE OLDEST PROFESSION – through September 11 (Fri/Sat/Sun)

(Times Vary: Click HERE)

Tickets Prices: $10 student / $15 senior / $17 adult

Location: Dayton Theatre Guild at The Caryl D. Philip’s TheatreScape – 430 Wayne Ave. Dayton, Ohio 45410 (MAP)

No one under the age of seven will be admitted.

Tickets are on sale now through DTG’s Online Box Office, or via phone at (937) 278-5993 (due to a volunteer staff, phones are not monitored continually).

For more information about Dayton Theatre Guild’s entire 2011-12 season, visit www.DaytonTheatreGuild.org

Dayton Theatre Guild at the Caryl D. Philips TheatreScape

AUDITION INFORMATION: Lost In Yonkers by Neil Simon

September 6 & 7, 2011

The Dayton Theatre Guild will hold open auditions for Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 6 and 7, at 7:00 p.m. It is directed by Fran Pesch and produced by Deirdre Bray Root.

The Lost in Yonkers production dates are October 21 through November 6, 2011.
Simon’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning laugh-filled piece tells the tale of two young boys left by their widowed father in a strange world called Yonkers. Their father must travel to pay back loan sharks, so the boys are entrusted to a tough-minded grandmother and a child-like aunt. The aunt, now in love with a man who is just as unable to cope with the boys’ care as she is, tries to figure out the next step in this funny, touching and unforgettable drama.

The director is looking to cast seven actors of varying ages:

JAY KURNITZ – mid-teen or older, able to play 16
ARTY KURNITZ – mid-teen or older, able to play 13
EDDIE – 41, Jay and Arty’s father
BELLA – mid-30’s, Eddie’s sister
GRANDMA KURNITZ – 70+, Eddie’s mother
LOUIS – 36, Eddie’s brother
GERT – mid-late 30’s – Eddie’s sister

Lost in Yonkers is a dialect play. Grandma Kurnitz speaks in combination Yiddish/NYC dialect. All other roles speak in NYC/Yonkers dialect. Actors will be asked to read from the script (with dialect.) Head shots & résumés are not required but are encouraged. PLEASE NOTE: If this is your first time auditioning for the director, be prepared to present a one-minute contemporary monologue. Dialect not required for monologue.
The cast meeting and read-through will be Thursday, September 8th at 7 p.m.

Additional casting information may be found on the website at www.daytontheatreguild.org or by calling (937) 654-0400.

ABOUT THE DAYTON THEATRE GUILD:

The Dayton Theatre Guild opened with “Outward Bound” at the Dayton Art Institute in 1945.

The 1963-1964 season opened with “Night of the Iguana” at 2330 Salem Avenue, the Guild’s home for over 45 years, where “Outward Bound” was performed as a part of the final season at that location.
The 2009-2010 season opened with “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” at the Guild’s new home at the Caryl D. Philips TheatreScape at 430 Wayne Avenue in Dayton’s historic Oregon District in August 2009. Over 400 plays have been produced, utilizing all-volunteer casts, crews and administration. You may reach the Dayton Theatre Guild at 937.278.5993 or www.daytontheatreguild.org.

Culture Works Seeks Feedback

August 18, 2011 By Megan Cooper Leave a Comment

Take the Survey Here.

What do you think Culture Works does?

What do you think it SHOULD be doing?

Culture Works, the region’s arts fund and service agency, is going through some changes, and they want your input. This spring, Martine Meredith Collier came to the Dayton region as the new Executive Director/CEO of Culture Works. Martine has brought extensive experience including work as the Director of Development and Membership for Grantmakers in the Arts (Seattle, WA) and as the Executive Director of Sarasota County Arts Council (Sarasota, Florida). But Dayton is a unique community with different needs, so Martine wants to hear from you.

The Bach Society of Dayton

Culture Works is asking you to tell them about their effectiveness by taking a short survey. Martine shares her vision for what the survey will provide:

“Effective organizational decision making is dependent on good information, and good information comes from knowing how your community perceives your value and effectiveness. In the current economic climate, it becomes even more important to assure that programs and services are relevant, cost-effective, and provide value. A survey of this nature can be of enormous assistance in aligning organizational outcomes to community needs.”

Culture Works has been hard at work advocating to our government leaders (hip, hip hooray for an increase in arts funding!), providing funding and business support to many arts organizations, raising the national status of the arts community, and connecting individuals and organizations throughout the region with arts opportunities and benefits. But are they doing what they should be doing?

A photo from Social Media Night at the Dayton Art Institute

It’s a tough economy and the old rules don’t always apply. So, Culture Works is asking for your feedback on what programming is most beneficial as they move forward to strengthen the organization. Regardless of who you are or how much you have given (if at all), they want to know how YOU define Culture Works. Culture Works is a regional organization, so they want to know what the people of the region need.

So it’s your turn to tell Culture Works how they’re doing as they look forward. Take the survey today!

What is Culture Works?

Culture Works is the united arts fund and arts service agency for the Greater Dayton region. Creating and maintaining a vibrant and attractive community filled with quality arts brings measurable and immeasurable value to our community. From providing inspiring educational opportunities to our children, to attracting and retaining employees to our region, to adding beauty and entertainment to our lives, the arts reflect all the best and most beautiful parts of who we are. Culture Works is proud to be the largest provider of general operating support for the many non-profit arts organizations operating in Greater Dayton. We are privileged to partner with corporations, foundations and individuals like you to secure a flourishing, creative environment for area residents of all ages and backgrounds.
~From their Web site

Muse Machine Celebrates 30th Year with West Side Story Concert

August 8, 2011 By Shane Anderson Leave a Comment

TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & More

Muse Machine

On Wednesday and Thursday evening Muse Machine, the nationally recognized educational arts group, will kick-off its 30th year with music from one of the most popular musicals of all time: West Side Story. The local organization has gathered together over 200 local students, alumni and guest artists to present TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & More at 8:00 p.m. on the stage at the Victoria Theatre.

“The whirlwind, high-energy numbers will thrill you; the soulful melodies will move you; you can’t help but feel the joy of the show!”

-Kylen Franz, concertmaster

The local arts organization has a mission of changing the lives of kids through the arts. They accomplish this through professional performances both in and out of schools, arts integration training for teachers and student performance opportunities. Over the years, Muse Machine has developed two primary performance programs, including the popular productions of a musical (winter months) and a concert (summer). These productions showcase the most talented student singers, dancers, and musicians in the Greater Dayton region, under the direction of professional directors, conductors, choreographers and designers .

“We all work so hard together to make this a great show and the energy & love in rehearsals is incredible.”

-Rachel Snyder, singer/dancer

As their 2011 concert presentation, Muse Machine (along with support from MeadWestvaco) will present Tonight: The Songs of West Side Story & More on August 10 and 11 at the Victoria Theatre. Tonight features new concepts and arrangements of many favorite songs from the classic Leonard Bernstein score, including “Maria,” “America,” “Somewhere” and many others. The show will fill the stage with nearly 200 student performers, who will also share the spotlight with alumni from previous Muse Machine productions.

“I love to be on stage and hear the audience clapping. It makes me feel good to know they are having a good time. And, it’s fun!”

– Ben Harshbarger, young ensemble (4th grade)

A highlight of the concert will be a huge student orchestra performance of “Rhapsody in Blue” featuring internationally-renowned pianist Leon Bates. Acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, Bates performs with symphonies around the world and the chance to see him bring to life Gershwin’s masterpiece with an orchestra of talented, passionate young musicians should not be missed. The evening also features guest appearances by talented, local gospel singers from the GSJ Youth Choir as well as nationally-acclaimed Stivers Jazz Orchestra and other special guests, including many alumni of Muse Machine productions.

“West Side Story was the first Muse musical, so it’s a way to glance back while also looking forward by bringing new sounds and choreography to this great music. We’ll be joined by exciting guests and we’ll also explore a few ‘related surprises,’ throughout the evening.” -Douglas Merk, producer

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj0Mbq0Jcgo’]

What is the best part of being in a Muse Machine concert or show?

“The People. Everyone here loves what they’re doing, and that love of performing is evident in every single number…This is a show not to be missed.” -Andrew J. Koslow, singer/dancer

“The feeling of being so welcome and wanted…(and) Rhapsody In Blue because I LOVE THAT PIECE OF MUSIC!!!” – Noah Berry, singer/dancer

“Meeting new friends and seeing old friends.” – Ben Harschbarger, young ensemble (4th grade)

“Getting to work with such great people on great material.” – Mimi Klipstine Dick, singer

“The close family connection of the entire cast/ensemble. We all work so hard together to make this a great show and the energy & love in rehearsals is incredible.” – Rachel Snyder, singer/dancer

“Seeing or hearing the work come to fruition and eliciting the response from the audience.” – Kylen Franz, concertmaster

-SA/Muse Machine Press Release

– Muse Machine Photos by David Sherman

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

TONIGHT: THE SONGS OF WEST SIDE STORY & MORE

at the VICTORIA THEATRE – 138 N. Main St.– map

Tickets for Tonight are available exclusively through Ticket Center Stage, 937/228-3630, online at www.ticketcenterstage.com or at the Ticket Center Stage box office in the Schuster Center in downtown Dayton.

About the Muse Machine:

The Muse Machine is a nationally recognized arts education organization, providing creative experiences and resources for young people of the Miami Valley. Since 1982, they’ve produced 27 annual musicals and 14 concerts for the community and engaged thousands of students through academic-relevant lessons, workshops and in-school projects. For more information, visit www.musemachine.com.

arts

SHAKESPEARE FOR LIFE

Free Shakespeare!

24-7 of Shakespeare to Benefit Relay for Life

Free Shakespeare! aims to read all of the Bard’s work during one week in October.

Camp Rock, the Musical

LAND MARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE

at TOWN HALL THEATRE

Tickets & Performance Information:

Florence Foster Jenkins SOUVENIR – a Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

Tickets & Performance Information:

Russell’s Picks

Caroline, or Change

Jersey Boys

Dividing the Estate

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

The Wizard of Oz

Harvey

BEAVERCREEK COMMUNITY THEATRE

Tickets & Performance Information:

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The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel The Oldest Profession

THE DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

NOTE: Audition Info for “Lost In Yonkers” below!

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AUDITION INFORMATION: Lost In Yonkers by Neil Simon

September 6 & 7, 2011

TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & More

Muse Machine

What is the best part of being in a Muse Machine concert or show?

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Florence Foster Jenkins

SOUVENIR – a Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins

The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel

The Oldest Profession