• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Event Calendar
    • Submit An Event
  • About Us
    • Our Contributors
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Where to Pick up Dayton937
  • Arts & Entertainment
    • Art Exhibits
    • Comedy
    • On Screen Dayton
    • On Screen Dayton Reviews
    • Road Trippin’
      • Cincinnati
      • Columbus
      • Indianapolis
    • Spectator Sports
    • Street-Level Art
    • Visual Arts
  • Dayton Dining
    • Happy Hours Around Town
    • Local Restaurants Open On Monday
    • Patio Dining in the Miami Valley
    • 937’s Boozy Brunch Guide
    • Dog Friendly Patio’s in the Miami Valley
    • Restaurants with Private Dining Rooms
    • Dayton Food Trucks
    • Quest
    • Ten Questions
  • Dayton Music
    • Music Calendar
  • Active Living
    • Canoeing/Kayaking
    • Cycling
    • Hiking/Backpacking
    • Runners

Dayton937

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

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Dayton

Muse Machine Celebrates 30th Year with West Side Story Concert

August 8, 2011 By Shane Anderson Leave a Comment

Muse Machine in Concert - TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & MoreTONIGHT:  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

Muse Machine in Concert - TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & MoreThe 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

Muse Machine in Concert - TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & MoreAs 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)

Muse Machine in Concert - TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & MoreA 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.

Muse Machine in Concert - TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & More“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?

Muse Machine in Concert - TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & More“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)

Muse Machine in Concert - TONIGHT: The Songs of West Side Story & More“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 onStageDayton@gmail.com.

Tickets & Performance Information:

Muse MachineTONIGHT:  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.

Filed Under: On Stage Dayton Previews, The Featured Articles Tagged With: arts, Dayton, Dayton Ohio, Downtown Dayton, Kids, Muse Machine, Things to Do, Victoria Theatre

Food Adventures recalls “Lost Food Gems of Dayton”

July 28, 2011 By Dayton937 35 Comments

Do you have any favorite food places that went out of business, and you still miss them to this day ?  Yeah, we do too.   How cruel to take a fantastic restaurant away from an addicted foodie.  This week, Food Adventures take a trip down memory lane and talk about some restaurants we miss in the Dayton area.  Please join us in this of recollection of Forgotten Food Adventures.  Feel free to comment and add some places of your own that you crave from time to time.

Here is our list of places that we wish had never closed.  Our “Lost Food Gems of Dayton”

BILL KNAPPS – We loved the chicken on a biscuit meal, also known as the elephant on the kids menu.  We also remember their au gratin potatoes as the best ever, served in a crock pot with browned cheese on top.  Ragu loved the clam dinner and chocolate cake.  We never forgot their incredible chocolate chip cookies.  There was a Bill Knapps on 48 near Loop Rd. in Centerville, and one by the Dayton Mall, and another near what is now The Greene.

Who else misses Rax?

RAX ROAST BEEF – We loved the salad bar.  We fondly remember the “BBC” (the beef bacon and cheddar).  The “BBC” proved the rule that bacon makes everything better but the cheese sauce made sandwich.  We frequented the 725 store that is now a Tim Horton’s

ROY ROGERS – We remember sitting in the little saddle chairs, and being addicted to the apple cheese crisp menu item.

WOODY’S GROCERY – The Big Ragu would tell you the bakery and seafood department was the best part of this West Carrollton icon.  Some however loved the deli with shaved fresh Corned Beef and Swiss on hard rolls with poppy seeds on top.  There was a cashier named Don Baker who had hair like Elvis that never changed for years.

WESTERN SIZZLIN STEAKHOUSE – We miss their beef tips

JED’S STEAK AND RIBS – Ragu remembers the salad bar had croutons that tasted like crayons, and their steak burger and ice cream bar were great childhood memories.  Jed’s was located on 725 in Centerville and is now a Goodwill store.

ROCKY ROCOCO’S PIZZA– We loved the chunks of roma  tomatoes on their pizzas.

JOE BISSETT’S GRUB STEAK– Remember the Princess Steak and a salad with blue cheese crumbles on top?  We also rocked the “kiddie cocktail” on North Main St, Dayton.

Free Ice Cream on your birthday

FARRELL’S – Across from Tri-County Mall in Northern Cincinnati, this place had a sundae on a stretcher. The staff  would sing happy birthday to people on kazoos.

GIRVE’S BROWN DERBY– a place where Big Ragu loved the salad bar, and kiddie cocktails.  Ragu also loved the kids fish dinner. .  Ironically, the Brown Derby on Bigger Rd. is now a gym.

COZYMEL’S –  They had great margaritas and you got lots of food at a great price.  This place was located on 725 near McEwen Rd. in Centerville.

RIKES DOWNTOWN– Childhood memories of the snack bar in downtown Dayton.

This timeless restaurant in Miamisburg, is now a “lost food gem”

PEERLESS MILL– The Miamisburg Restaurant with the old fashioned and old school menu was like Thanksgiving everyday.

 

LUM’S – One of our favorites.  They had hot dogs cooked in beer.  Lum’s was located where Marion’s Pizza is now, in Town and Country shopping center.

PEASANT STOCK – We loved the peasant salad.  Ragu loved the atmosphere at the restaurant in the Town and Country Shopping Center.  We also visited the Peasant Stock Café in Dayton mall

THIRSTY DOG – A great microbrewery restaurant on the corner of Alex Bell Rd and 48 in Centerville that served homemade chips in dog bowls.  Ragu loved the Raspberry Light Beer, while Jax used to enjoy the Robinson’s India Pale Ale served warm.

Shuckin Shack on N. Main in Dayton, Ragu misses you the most

SHUCKIN’ SHACK – Ragu’s all-time favorite place on North Main St. in Dayton.  They would bring steamed clams out in golf ball baskets.  They also had a bar you could sit and eat raw oysters and clams, and throw your shells into a trough.  Another thing Ragu loved was their peel and eat shrimp and fried smelts.

KEENG WHA – This Chinese restaurant used to be on the corner of Woodman and Dorothy Lane.  They served Ragu’s favorite Chinese dish of all time: “Princess Prawns.”

ELDER BEERMAN RESTAURANT –  They hosted breakfast with Santa and the Easter bunny at this place located upstairs in the Centerville store on State Route 48.  Ragu’s memories are going to the Friday night buffet with his grandparents.  This was a place where the waitresses were “real” waitresses and they had the same staff for years.

HUNAN GOURMET – A long gone gem that was on 48 near Whipp Rd.  Ragu loved this place, especially their dry braised shrimp and sizzling rice soup.  It is now a Caribou Coffee.

NOBLE ROMAN’S – We miss the real Noble Roman’s, the new restaurants are completely different.  We miss the hand tossed pizza in the window, monster pizza and the hand rolled breadsticks with nacho cheese.

Sambo’s was like a weird version of Denny’s

SAMBO’S – Ragu loved their pancakes served with boysenberry syrup.  This place was located at 48 near Loop Rd in Centerville.

ARTHUR TREACHER’S FISH & CHIPS – It was fried fish, so Ragu could live here.  The Jersey Mikes on 48 in Centerville is where one of the Arthur Treacher’s used to be.

CHICKEN LOUIE’S – This 24 hour chicken wing place is sorely missed on North Main Street in Dayton.  Ragu would risk life and limb by ordering through the bullet proof glass.  The related “Lou’s Broaster Hut on 3rd st had a special place in our heart.

FOUR’S COMPANY – After the Arthur Treacher’s closed on 48 near Whipp Rd in Centerville, this short lived place served up giant beer battered onion rings.   They were so full of beer you almost got buzzed by eating a few.

TOTENKO – This place on the corner of 725 and 741 near the Dayton Mall was like a 70’s verison of PF Changs.  A great restaurant until it closed because a food critic found roaches on her plate.  Ragu learned to use chopsticks here while wearing his “toughskin” pants.  This place turned into a Chi Chi’s which has since gone out of business too.

MARK PI’s CHINA GATE –The fried rice was addicting at the Town and Country location.

GROUND ROUND– Throw your peanut shells on the floor.  Ragu loved their all you can eat Friday night fish fry.  Remember the scale at the Wilmington Pike site where the cost of a kid’s dinner was a penny for each pound they weighed?

BAJA FRESH – The Big Ragu still craves their fish tacos at the now defunct Dorothy Lane and Kettering Blvd location.

Burger Chef was one of our childhood favorites

DOMINIC’S – The iconic location on South Main Street in Dayton whose manicotti was incredible.  The real attraction here was the house salad dressing with so much garlic flavor that you breathed fire for 2 days afterward.

PHIL AND JERRY’S FOOD-A-RAMA –  Legendary Centerville grocery that had annual anniversary parties where a hot dog and a coke were around 20 cents.

BURGER CHEF- To this day, Ragu craves the Big Chef sandwich and their “works” bar where you could load up your burger!

D’LITES- Healthy fast food!  We loved their burgers and smoothies at the location of 48 and Whipp Rd.

WESTWARD HO – South Main Street cafeteria style restaurant that had drink glasses as big as your head.

PO’ FOLKS – Fried food all over the menu, made this one of Ragu’s faves.  The fried clams and fried okra were so good.  The one we frequented was on the corner of Wilmington Pike and Dorothy Lane.

What places do you still think about? Casa Lupita? Joe’s is a Fish House? Tequila Willie’s?  Kettering Village Inn?  Let us know any and all of them !

Please visit FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook. Check back every Thursday for a new “Food Adventure” article on DAYTONMOSTMETRO.COM

What restaurants do you miss? Please comment below !

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/Lost Food Gems/]


Filed Under: Food Adventures, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Dayton, lost restaurants

The BARD is on the loose!

July 27, 2011 By Shane Anderson 2 Comments

A Midsummer Nights Dream - Free Shakespeare! - Summer 2011 - Photo by Alisha McDarris

Photo by Alisha McDarris=

A Midsummer Nights Dream

Free Shakespeare!

In many communities around the world, a treasured summer activity is outdoor performances and festivals devoted to classic Shakespeare plays (Shakespeare Fellowship List).  Two of the most well-known in Ohio are  Cincinnati Shakespeare Co. which tours two shows in fourteen different parks and Actor’s Theatre which is celebrating it’s 30th season presenting shows in Schiller Park in Columbus’ German Village.  Suddenly in the past few years there is much interest in this terrific tradition right here in the Miami Valley, ranging from a small neighborhood troupe near downtown (Historic South Park – currently rehearsing for their 4th presentation) and the touring company known as Free Shakespeare! the brainchild of director Chris Shea.

A Midsummer Nights Dream - Free Shakespeare! - Summer 2011 - Photo by Alisha McDarris

“The experience with GreenStage was incredible. To have a free arts program not only survive, but flourish, for over twenty years, well, it gave me faith that the arts are alive and well. I want to bring that same energy here to Dayton. There really is nothing like a picnic and a play, and the price is right, too” -Chris Shea

Shea, a graduate of Kettering-Fairmont High School, spent time studying acting in the Pacific Northwest.  Inspired by the GreenStage Theatre Company’s offering of free outdoor Shakespeare, he decided to bring the concept to the Miami Valley in 2010 in the form of Free Shakespeare!  The troupe is described as a traveling community of artists with the goal of creating an event where people can rediscover the power and beauty of language and art.  Shea wanted to take the performances to multiple venues throughout the region over a series of summer weekends – and free to audiences.

Shea launched his vision for a theatre company in 2010 with Hamlet, which was received enthusiastically during it’s tour of four venues in Dayton and Yellow Springs.  2011 brings a new production, this time the ever-popular A Midsummer Night’s Dream. After opening last weekend at Antioch Amphitheatre in Yellow Springs, Shea and his team of 14 actors will continue to bring the bard’s best-loved comedy to Dayton stages over the next several weekends.  They can be seen at the Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark (July 29-31), Newcom Founders Park in the Oregon District (August 5-7), The University of Dayton’s ArtStreet (August 12-14).   All performances are outdoors and weather permitting and begin at 7PM.  Admission is free with donations accepted after the performance to pay the actors.

 

A Midsummer Nights Dream - Free Shakespeare! - Summer 2011 - Photo by Alisha McDarris

Photo by Alisha McDarris

The cast of A Midsummer Nights Dream includes Allison Husko (Titania), Chris Shea (Oberon), Will Hutcheson (Demetrius), Travis Cook (Lysander), Amy Brooks (Hermia), Megan Cooler (Helena), Kes-lina Luoma (Puck), Jason Antonick (Theseus), Lauren S. Deaton (Hippolyta), Zach Schute (Nick Bottom), Juliet Howard-Welch (Peter Quince & Peaselblossom), David Harewood (Francis Flute & Cobweb), Philip Titlebaum (Snug & Mustardseed), and, after a 48 year absence from the stage, Bill Styles as Egeus.

The group has recently partnered with Involvement Advocacy, an umbrella organization which fosters community initiatives. Involvement Advocacy’s partnerships include, among others, the Blue Sky Project and the Dayton Arts Project. Involvement Advocacy will act as Free Shakespeare’s! fiscal agent, allowing supporters of Free Shakespeare! to make tax deductible donations to the theatre company.

http://www.involvementadvocacy.org/On the partnership, Free Shakespeare! founder Chris Shea had this to say, “We are very grateful to Peter Benkendorf and the folks at Involvement Advocacy for their tremendous support of our organization. This partnership is the perfect bridge for us as we make arrangements to form our own non profit corporation.”

A Midsummer Nights Dream - Free Shakespeare! - Summer 2011 - Photo by Alisha McDarris

Photo by Alisha McDarris

“Our purposes shall be proud, our garments poor; For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich” The Taming of the Shrew, Act IV, sc. iii

-SA, Free Shakespeare! Press Release & website.

-Photos by Alisha McDarris (copyright 2010) – submitted by Free Shakespeare!

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@DaytonMostMetro.com.

 

Tickets & Performance Information:

Free Shakespeare! A Midsummer Nights Dream

Weekends through August 14, 2011

Tickets Prices: FREE (donations accepted after the show to pay actors)

Locations:  Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark (July 29-31), Newcom Founders Park in the Oregon District (August 5-7), The University of Dayton’s ArtStreet (August 12-14)

For more information about Free Shakespeare!  visit http://freeshakespeare.com/

Filed Under: On Stage Dayton Previews, The Featured Articles Tagged With: arts, Chris Shea, Dayton, Dayton Ohio, Shakespeare, Theater, Things to Do

Food Adventures says: Godfather’s Pizza is the REAL DEAL !!

July 21, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

When Noble Roman’s reopened a few years ago, we rushed over only to be disappointed by a pizza that was NOTHING like the product of the 80’s and breadsticks that were NOTHING like the hand rolled ones we had as kids.  Equally awful, Ragu had tried a Godfather’s Pizza in a gas station in another state. The gas station Godfather’s was more like Speedway Pizza than the Godfather’s of the past.  So needless to say, we were skeptical about the new Godfather’s Pizza. Was it going to be the same taste we remembered from the late 70’s and early 80’s?

The buzz about the Huber Heights Godfather’s Pizza was that it was the real deal.   So Food Adventures grabbed a couple of foodie friends and headed out Brandt Pike to solve the mystery for ourselves.

We entered the restaurant with our entourage of El Jefe and Gene Genie.  The new store works like this, you order first, they give you a number, then you sit down and they bring you your pizza.  Our party of four ordered, we decided to go BIG.  We ordered 2 jumbo deluxe pizza’s.  Hey if we are here, we got to do it right.  First of all, Godfathers is not cheap.  The sizes come in small, medium, large and jumbo.  The large specialty pizzas are $21 and the jumbo ones are $25.  However, the place was very busy, so we knew something was up.

That is not crust, it is a gateway to love

We could hardly stand the anticipation as we waited to try the pizzas.  We saw a packed restaurant of happy customers enjoying what looked like the same Godfather’s pizza we remembered as kids.  Ragu had to order a salad bar to help distract himself from the anticipation.

What followed could not have been better.  They brought out 2 huge, thick pizzas piled with toppings and mounds of melted cheese.  The cheese even had those brown burnt spots we remembered from the old days.  Your Food Adventurers were having a moment.  We kept looking at each other using words like incredible and awesome to describe the taste of the pizza.  Of course, we finished their pie with no leftovers.  El Jefe and Gene Genie on the other hand, had to ask for a to go box.  We left the restaurant humming early 80’s tunes and grateful for the chance to have truly re-lived a childhood food experience.

Exactly how we remembered it ! Click on the picture to enlarge and see for yourself!

A few months later, a Godfather’s opened up on Wilmington Pike near Feedwire Rd in Kettering/Bellbrook.  We had to make sure this was the same legit product and not one of the gas station Godfather’s pizza that resembles a frozen pizza.

Again, Godfather’s delivered as promised.  We ordered a small pizza this time, but still received the same great quality.  The small pizza was by no means cheap  at $14, but definitely worth it.  This pizza had anchovies on it and was very tasty.  It was also loaded with toppings like onions, green peppers and mushrooms.  We saw that the Wilmington Pike store had a small dining area and a “To Go” window as well.

Thick pizza – click on this photo to enlarge and see

Are you someone who misses that pizza taste of the early 80’s?  Then your Food Adventurers suggest you change into some terry cloth shorts and rock the 70’s afro to put you in the mood for some throwback Godfather’s Pizza.  Believe Food Adventures when we tell you: “It’s a pizza you can’t refuse!”

Click on this photo to enlarge. It will knock your knee high striped 70’s socks off

Please visit Food Adventures on Facebook. Check back every Thursday for a new “Food Adventure” article on DAYTONMOSTMETRO.COM

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/Godfathers Pizza/]

Filed Under: Food Adventures, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Dayton, Food Adventures, Godfather's pizza, Ragu

Songs of the Undead: Encore Premieres “In My Blood”

July 12, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro 6 Comments

IN MY BLOOD by Mark Weiser - Encore Theater Co. - July 14-16, 2011IN MY BLOOD

Encore Theater Company

Win Tickets to this new musical! Read on!

Vampires are everywhere. Not since Transylvania has a nation been so overrun with the undead. Is there an area of pop culture devoid of these little bloodsuckers? On television, I guess we have Joss Whedon to blame for his electrifying Buffy The Vampire Slayer all the way through more current hits like HBO’s True Blood and any of a number of copycat shows just like it. In cinema, there’s no other place to look but the Twilight series for the source of teen vampire mania. Walk into any Barnes & Noble and you’re likely to find title after title featuring some collection of sex-crazed vampires. Even in music, isn’t there a band called Vampire Weekend?

One thing’s for sure: this is not your father’s vampire craze. This new breed of vampire is less B-movie and more B-cup. (Immortality doesn’t seem so bad when everyone is ridiculously attractive, right?) Despite a marketing blitz like no other, the trend has been unable to sink its teeth into Broadway – try as it may! Elton John attempted (it’s the kindest word I can use here) a musical-adapted Anne Rice with Lestat and Jim Steinman penned the ill-fated Dance of The Vampires. Even Frank (Jekyll and Hyde) Wildhorn couldn’t capture musical thriller lightning in a bottle twice. His musical Dracula was an infamous bomb in New York. But there’s hope – this weekend in Dayton – that Encore Theater Company could break the curse when the regional premiere of Mark Weiser’s vampire rock musical In My Blood plays three performances at Sinclair Theatre’s Blair Hall.

IN MY BLOOD by Mark Weiser - Encore Theater Co. - July 14-16, 2011 - Photo by Ray ZuppThe show, written by New-York Based composer Mark Weiser has been called “The right combination of romance, conflict, humor and drama” (Theatremania). In the tradition of contemporary vampire stories, In My Blood deals primarily with Gray and Alex, two childhood friends, who reunite for one last night of partying. They learn of an annual, secret soiree, at a hidden location called SANCTUARY. There, they meet Unique and Sasha, two of the revelers. Over the course of the evening, the pairs fall in love. The two friends come to learn that this is the home of the world’s last surviving vampires, and are offered a chance to join them, and live forever. Ultimately, everyone must choose sides – for love, for life and for family. The casts features 10 local performers including ETC Company member JJ Parkey (featuring previously this season in the title role of Hedwig & The Angry Inch). In partnership with Sinclair Theatre, the show is directed by Kimberly Borst with musical direction by John Faas.

“In My Blood deals with real people with real issues of isolation and social shunning who ALSO just happen to be vampires.”

“What works in Mark’s script that hasn’t worked in previous vampire-themed musicals is intent,” says ETC Artistic Director David Brush, “The ‘vampire’ element here is a device and not the primary concern, so people connect to the characters on real levels.”  But don’t fear, there’s plenty of bloodshed for every taste level and a healthy dose of rock ‘n’ roll. ETC first came in contact with the show on their Litehouse New Musicals Reading series under the name The Cure. In My Blood continues ETC’s primary mission of developing new musicals right here in Dayton before heading off to New York. Weiser himself spent several days in Dayton last week working directly with the cast an creative team in an effort to work out some of the new material – it’s a part of the process ETC values enormously.

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

In My Blood opens Thursday July 14 for three performances.

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@DaytonMostMetro.com.

Tickets & Performance Information

Encore Theater Company - New Musicals. Next Generation.In My Blood – July 14 – 16, 8:00 pm

Encore Theater Company

Performances will be held at Sinclair Community College’s Blair Hall Theatre.

Tickets are $15 and can be reserved through http://brushfire.e-vent.info/Events/Sinclair/Default.aspx, by contacting (937) 512-2808 (be sure to leave a message as regular box office hours are not kept during the summer)

For more information, check out the Encore Theater Company.

Win Free Tickets!

Encore Theater Company & onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com have teamed up to give you a chance to win tickets to In My Blood!  We will be giving away up to SIX pairs of tickets for the show! All you need to do is:

  • Share this article on Facebook or Twitter…just click the appropriate button at the top of this page (We’ll give away one pair of tickets for every FIVE FB/Twitter Shares).
  • Fill out the contact form at the bottom of this post.
  • …and the fun part: leave a comment below, answering the following question…IF YOU WERE TO BECOME A VAMPIRE…WHAT VAMPIRE-Y TRAIT WOULD YOU MOST BE EXCITED TO HAVE?
  • The deadline to enter is NOON on THURSDAY, JULY 14TH.
  • Winners will be selected randomly from all of the entries.
[contact-form 6 “Contest Entry”]

Filed Under: On Stage Dayton Previews, The Featured Articles Tagged With: arts, Dayton, Dayton Ohio, Downtown Dayton, Encore Theater Co., Things to Do

Food Adventures hits a truly AUTHENTIC Mexican Restaurant – Taqueria Mixteca

July 7, 2011 By Dayton937 3 Comments

And we mean AUTHENTIC on E. 3rd St

There was a time in our lives when we once considered Taco Bell to be really good Mexican food.  It was during our high school and college years, when money was scarce and our late night cravings were curbed by a ritual “run to the border”.

After college, we started dining at various chain restaurants claiming to serve authentic Mexican cuisine, but they were no more than glorified Taco Bells.  As the Big Ragu’s favorite band Survivor said, “The Search is Over”. We are officially in love with a little restaurant on East Third Street in Dayton called TAQUERIA MIXTECA which means “damn good Mexican food” in Spanish.

Chicken Taco, Ground Beef Taco – note the double corn tortilla

Taqueria Mixteca isn’t a fancy restaurant, it is one of those places that you may shoot a glance at while driving by.  They don’t advertise, they don’t have a fancy dining room — we don’t even know if they have a bathroom! They do however, have a drive-thru.  What the place lacks in character is compensated for by a diverse group of diners, with a great menu to match.  The majority of dishes give you the option of ordering the kind of meat you want, ranging from chicken to tripe.  They have three different homemade sauces and delicious homemade salsa.  There is something for everyone…even you vegetarians out there!

Big Ragu tries the homemade hot sauce

On the day of our visit, the Big Ragu ordered multiple tacos including: Chicken, Chorizo, Beef Tongue, and Ground Beef.  The Food Adventures Crew also decided to try the Pork Quesadilla and Enchiladas.  We agree that these might be the greatest tacos we have ever eaten due to one factor — simplicity.  While other places load on the cheese and sour cream, the only ingredients that you find here are meat, cilantro, onion, and a lime wedge all placed on a double corn tortilla.

Since we are spicy individuals, we decided to try each one of their three homemade sauces and were not disappointed.  One of our favorite moments of this taco trifecta was making the Big Ragu try a Beef Tongue Taco. This was not an easy feat as The Big Ragu is picky about his meat.  He avoids steaks at any cost claiming textural difficulties and is the only Italian we know of who hates meatballs. We might not recommend the Beef Tongue Taco, but it was quite amusing to see the Big Ragu squirm.

Authentic Enchiladas

We didn’t know what to make of the Enchiladas when they brought them out because when we think of Enchiladas, we think of them topped with white cheese sauce.  These were naked as the day we were born and had a red-orange glow. Again, the taste of the enchiladas spoke for themselves.  Authentic, simple and the flavors were unique.
One of the biggest surprises was the pork quesadilla. The flavor was intense and fresh. It was probably our favorite item of the night.

The price for our meal was a great value.  Our bill was only $21, a great price for all of the items we tried.  Taqueria Mixteca was recommended to us by people who are from Mexico, or have spent a lot of time south of the border.

The Pork Quesadilla was our favorite

Sure the El Toro and El Rancho Grandes have their place, but this is the closest thing to AUTHENTIC Mexican that you will find in the Dayton area.

So get over to Taqueria Mixteca… VAMOS !!

Please visit Food Adventures on Facebook. Check back every Thursday for a new “Food Adventure” article on DAYTONMOSTMETRO.COM

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/Taqueria Mixteca/]

Filed Under: Dayton Dining, Food Adventures, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Big Ragu, chorizo, Dayton, Food Adventures, mixteca, taco, Taqueria Mixteca, third, Wayne

My Wild Safari in Ohio

June 29, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

No. 1 in an occasional series titled “Never Been There, Never Done That,” in which the author reports on a brand-new adventure.

Bactrian camels lounge within spitting distance of our tour bus at The Wilds.

Bactrian camels lounge within spitting distance of our tour bus at The Wilds.

The date had been on my calendar for at least a month. “May 28: Columbus trip.” I’d added it when my girlfriend and I were on our way to a movie at The Neon and started talking about shopping at H&M when she mentioned this trip. But I had no clue what, exactly, I had agreed to do.

The Thursday before, I figured I’d better find out.

Turns out I agreed to go to “Africa” for the day, a.k.a. journey into the wild and feast on Ethiopian fare with her and some members of Reel Culture @ Sinclair, a club she founded at the community college. At 9 a.m. On a Saturday. After a friend’s 60th birthday bash.

I have no idea what The Wilds is so I Google it the night before and discover it’s a wildlife preserve in the middle of Uh Huh Where-evah, Ohio. So much for H&M.

But, hey, wild animals are cool. I have lots of zebra- and leopard-print tops, jackets, purses, shoes and scarves to prove it. Plus, I figure having to get up so early in the morning will keep me in check at the party.

I should have known better. Instead, I’m one of the last standing and lurch into bed at 3 a.m. When my friend calls a handful of hours later to make sure I’m awake, my head is booming as if resting on an amp at X-Fest. I can’t really feel my feet. My mouth feels as if full of peanut butter I can’t swallow.

Somehow, I manage to slither out of bed. I put on my cowboy boots in case I need to wrestle a rhinoceros. I guzzle three cups of water.

My friend picks me up, and the trip is immediately off to an amazing start with a stop at a Dayton gas station, where I see a punk rock little person, mohawk and

View of The Wilds, a wildlife conservation center near Zanesville (not Columbus), Ohio.

View of The Wilds, a wildlife conservation center near Zanesville (not Columbus), Ohio.

camos and all. Yes!, I think. Wild things already are starting to appear!

In the car, the conversation quickly turns profound. Psychics, animal spirits, Buddhism, quantum physics ― it’s all in there.

I fish my phone out of my purse and get on Facebook.

“In a car with a bunch of people who go to college,” I post. “Talking about how E=MC2 is really an equation about consciousness and the evolution of god and what is god anyway? I am a working girl with a brain full of last night’s bourbon. I want to talk about TV shows and bubblegum.”

Normally, I would be intrigued by such a conversation and happily contribute to an esoteric discussion about ancient times when goddesses held sway over the solar plexus of the Earth. The morning after a night when I was a driving force in the elimination of at least two bottles of booze? Not so much.

My traveling mates are all very nice, fine, upstanding ladies — all middle aged, not your typical college students. But I can’t help zoning out, staring through the windows until I see something so hilarious, I belly laugh until I nearly cry. I’m trying not to offend the fine ladies in the car, so I’m back on Facebook: “I just interrupted a conversation about the pain and glory of forgiveness to point out that the logo on the sign for the Lion’s Den Adult Superstore is silhouettes of two lions makin’ cubs,” I post.

***

As we near the capitol city, my friend hands me the directions to The Wilds she’s jotted on a Post-It note. I’m relieved I now can concentrate on navigation instead of trying to avoid the reality that I appear as intelligent as a washcloth to the fine ladies in this car. But I immediately have another concern.

“Girl,” I say, “this says we take exit 155, and we just passed exit 87. This must be a ways down the road. Are you sure The Wilds is in Columbus?”

Banteng, also known as "jungle cows."

Banteng, also known as "jungle cows."

“Oh, my bad,” she chirps. “I’m pretty sure that should say exit 115. I must have written it down wrong.”

Say a prayer for GPS on my phone.

“Aaaaactualllly,” I draw out the word as if pulling taffy out of my mouth, “The Wilds is outside Zanesville. We have to drive almost to West Virginia. According to Google Maps, we have another hour and 26 minutes.”

At least the fine ladies in the car have a scintillating conversation going to keep us all entertained.

“Speaking in tongues ― to me, that’s not unusual,” one is saying. “My mom speaks in tongues.”

This is the same fine (reminder: middle aged) lady who will spend the day talking about the “moo moos” and “horsies.” At one point, she begins squealing “Wheeee!” from the back seat of the car as we loop around curves and pop over hills. My friend looks in the rear view mirror and asks, “Did you all hear that siren?”

“It’s just me entertaining myself!,” she exclaims.

I am tantalized by her girlish exuberance. She is so innocent and carefree and bubbly and all the things I will never be, there in the front seat of the car, back on Facebook frantically trying to untag myself from photos ― as I’m getting text after text telling me I’ve been tagged in a photo ― that a friend took during last night’s party.

And the ride is an adventure unto itself.

We take a wrong turn and end up on a narrow, steep, winding road. “Uh, I don’t think this is the right way,” my friend says, stopping the SUV to ask for directions from a young, long-haired man bent over his pit bulls in front of a trailer. He stands up and we notice he’s wearing only his briefs. Pulled down reeeeal low.

He doesn’t know where The Wilds is, either.

Back on track, the scenery along the roadside is mesmerizing: A billboard featuring a huge, creepy hamster hanging on a rope. A tractor crossing sign. Coon Ridge Road. Top Gun Shooters Ammo & Supplies. A sign reading “llamas for sale.” Carl Rittberger’s Meat and Sausages. A catfish-shaped white mailbox. Mother Truckers. And, finally ― halleluiah! ― The Wilds.

***

We load onto a bus for our safari (in Ohio) of the 10,000-acre wildlife conservation preserve that is The Wilds. The driver, a polite young man who clearly has told his spiel countless times, tells us about some of the animals we’re likely to see. Although he notes we’re unlikely to see one of the three deer species roaming The Wilds. One woman who’s worked there for 11 years hasn’t even spotted one.

Not even the Przewalski's Wild Horses could drag us away from our wild adventure.

Not even the Przewalski's Wild Horses could drag us away from our wild adventure.

I raise my hand. “Which one is the elusive deer?” I ask. He answers. I poke my friend in the seat next to me. “We’re totally going to see an Eld’s Deer,” I proclaim. “I can feel the magic!”

“Uh, sure,” the driver says. “Well, let’s start the tour. It’s time for me to take you all out to pasture!”

Turns out, those pastures are lined with electric fences and motorized gates. We have to wait for the gate behind the bus to close before we can open the one in front of us, meaning we are temporarily trapped in an electrified cage. Making The Wilds feel like a scene in Jurassic Park. “What if we see a T-Rex?,” I whisper to our group. “That would be almost as cool as seeing the magic deer!”

But it’s no joke: We did see a lot of animals I never, ever — ever! — would have expected to encounter in the Buckeye State. We could almost stretch our hands out the bus’ tiny windows and rub the ears of the Bactrian Camels, Masai Giraffes and Przewalski’s Wild Horses. The Persian Onagers are so close they’re about to come on board. We look through binoculars to see the Grevy’s Zebras, Southern White Rhinos and Fringe-Eared Oryx. My friend is particularly taken with the Banteng, which she lovingly dubs “jungle cows.”

We disembark at two stops, one by a lake where we can get close to a rare species of swan and see invasive plants The Wilds staff calls “aliens,” so noted with signs sporting Martian-like creatures. The best is the carnivore area, where we wander around caged pens housing snoozing cheetahs and African Wild Dogs.

“I wish I had a hot dog in my purse that I could throw over the fence so we could see a little carnivorous action,” my friend says.

“Yeah, how do they feed these animals?,” I ask. “I mean they’re supposed to be wild, which means they’d need to hunt, which means they must put goats out or throw rabbits in their cages at night.”

“I feel like we’re on the set of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village,” my friend says.

Still life: Cheetas with Cage.

Still life: Cheetas with Cage.

At one point, the bus stops for more animal viewing via binoculars. “Holy moly, it’s the elusive deer!,” my friend cries, handing me the binoculars. “It is! It is!,” I cry in return, jumping in the seat.

The bubbly horsie/moo moo fine lady looks through the binoculars. “No, that’s an Indochina Sika Deer,” she says, pointing to The Wilds brochure and noting the antlers.

“Dang,” I think. “I could have lived the rest of my life thinking I’d seen the magic deer. Thanks, girl.”

Still, I gotta say, I went on a bona fide safari in Kenya years and years ago, and The Wilds really does invoke those memories. Amazing.

***

Back in the car making the long trek home, we’re all starving. I’m about to jump the electric fence and hunt down a Scimitar-Horned Oryx. I swear I could eat an entire Sable Antelope.

Lucky for us, my friend has planned a special stop at an Ethiopian restaurant in Columbus. As soon as we drive the nearly two hours back to the capital city, we will eat like African queens.

She actually called the owner in advance to let him know we’re coming and arranged for him to give a talk about Ethiopian food and customs. Problem is, since the drive to The Wilds was double the miles and the tour took twice the anticipated time, we are about four hours late.

Yet the owner is still happy to accommodate us. At first.

Turns out, one of the fine ladies is gluten intolerant. If she so much as licks anything that even touched gluten, she’ll blow up like Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. But Ethiopian food is eaten with injera. Which is bread.

The owner doesn’t quite seem to understand “gluten intolerant,” but tells the fine lady he can bring her some rice. So after about a half hour of examining the exotic menu, we order. Samosas come out first. The fine ladies are mostly puzzled by the lack of silverware. “Um, where’s our forks?” one asks. But Ethiopian food is eaten with your hands. Which are not forks.

Bactrian Deer graze on the slope across from a lake filled populated by a rare species of swan.

Bactrian Deer graze on the slope across from a lake filled populated by a rare species of swan.

The owner brings my vegetarian friend, shortly after she finished telling a story about how she once spoke fluent Aramaic, a lamb dish. “No,” she says, adamant. “I am a vegetarian. I told you this. I can’t eat lamb.” I think she throws in a few Aramaic words for good measure. The owner huffs off with a dish of uneaten food. (The bubbly fine lady later points out, much as she did when correcting our false sighting of the elusive deer, that my friend actually did order the lamb dish. Oops.)

The owner brings the no-gluten fine lady and her friend a platter with the three dishes they’re sharing. All neatly laid out on top of inchera. The fine lady is a little petrified. There is another scuffle as she reminds the waiter she can’t eat bread, but all is resolved after my friend points out she can scoop off the food on the top that has not been in contact with the devil gluten.

By now, the owner has retreated to the back, where he’s probably downing Tej, and a waitress brings us our check. Which is wrong. We’ve been charged for items we never even ordered.

Time to get out of Africa. Fast.

***

But back in the car, for the remaining hour and half drive back to Dayton, all the fine ladies are jovial and appreciative

A Masai giraffe, my friend's fave. Thanks, girl, for bringing me along for this wild ride!

A Masai giraffe, my friend's fave. Thanks, girl, for bringing me along for this wild ride!

of the opportunity to travel to the grand continent for a day. They thank my friend for the experience.

“You are so cultured,” one gushes. “I would really like to hang out with you more. How did you get this way?”

“I attribute a lot of it to the company I keep,” my friend matter-of-factly replies. “Take Kristen, for example. She lived in Iran and Egypt and has shared her experiences with me.”

I turn around in the passenger seat, popping a grin. “And I kept a Turkish lover for awhile,” I add, forgetting that I need to keep myself in check when around nice people.

Really, though, it was these people, these fine ladies, who made the trip such an adventure. I expected The Wilds to be the crux of the escapade. But an entire day in the company of these ladies turned out to be the wildest of all. And isn’t that always the case? It’s the people, at least as much as the place, that turn out to be the most interesting part.

Readers: Tell us about some wild people you’ve met. And I need your help: Suggest some places I’ve likely never been and things I’ve likely never done for No. 2 in this series.

Filed Under: The Featured Articles, Twisted Wicker Tagged With: adventure, Dayton, Travel

North China – Best Damn Egg Roll Ever

June 23, 2011 By Dayton937 3 Comments

The best egg roll you will ever eat

We cant get enough egg rolls at a little place in Centerville.  This place is called North China. For our first food adventure posting we chose a favorite in our home town.  We are reformed Chinese buffet-ists.  No longer are we blinded by the tacky neon lights that adorn the buffets.  We have found a place that changes all that.

Since 1987, North China has been doing things the right way.. homemade.  They roll their own egg rolls, which have a peanut flavor that is downright addicting.  They press their own wontons, they handmake each crab rangoon.  This is one of Ragu’s Favorite places to eat, and the prices are an incredible value.  Folks, the lunch prices average 6 to 7 dollars and you get soup, wonton and a chicken wing.

Each dining experience at North China is like a family affair. It starts with being greeted by the owners, a friendly staff, and inviting decor.  We always enjoy comparing our bellys to the life sized Buddah statue in the lobby.

The menu has lots of options, traditional choices and not so traditional choices.  Want to be a food adventurer?  Then go for the Korean menu and play roullette (written in Korean, bring your own translator).  This is how we stumbled into the gelatinous sea cucumber, which is one of the most interesting, exotic and strange things we have tasted.

Orange Beef: A Labor of Love

Here is what we do recommend:

First and foremost, you have to try the best damn Egg Roll ever.  The hint of peanut and pork is amazing to even the grumpiest of people.

One of our current faves is Orange Beef, a dish that is made with hand sliced orange rind and bursting with flavor.  Not your bottled sauce here.

The House Noodle Soup is very tasty and is filled with noodles, shrimp, beef and scallops.  Even the Food Adventurers couldn’t finish this meal sized soup big enough for 2.

Ragu’s Fave: Crispy Shrimp

Ragu has been addicted to the Crispy Shrimp dinner since the late 80’s, a fried favorite with a sweet spicy sauce.  Ragu also loves the thinly sliced Mongolian Chicken lunch which is served over a bed of crispy rice noodles (he asks them to make it spicy!).

If you are looking for a great Chinese restaurant, we invite you to check out one of our favorites.  It is a great sit down dining experience.

Chef/Owner “George” is a master craftsman and takes pride in his dishes.   Your humble Food Adventurers say “RUN DONT WOK to NORTH CHINA !”

Check out FOOD ADVENTURES 

on FACEBOOK HERE.   If you’ve got a suggestion of a place we should visit, tell us below in the comments section.

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/North China/]

Filed Under: Dayton Dining, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Big Ragu, Centerville, Chinese, Dayton, Food Adventures, North China

Introducing Food Adventures

June 16, 2011 By Dayton937 5 Comments

Food…. Dayton Food.

Who better to tackle this topic ?

Welcome to FOOD ADVENTURES!  The place for Dayton Foodies.

After generating some Facebook buzz, we were approached by Daytonmostmetro.com to  join them with a featured food blog. We are very excited over the new partnership, and promise to deliver our take on places to eat in the Dayton area. Our goal is an informative, entertaining blog, with a sense of humor.  Whether casual food, formal dining, street food, or festivals, we will leave no plate unturned.

Look for a new blog post every week on Dayton Most Metro!

Together, your humble Food Adventurers will seek out locally owned restaurants, unique places off the beaten path, and even give our slant on some familiar favorites. Whenever we visit a place, we call it a “Food Adventure.” You can expect pictures of each Food Adventure we embark on. You can expect us hugging waiters, posting nostalgic blogs, and emotionally eating our way through life. We are not food critics, we are just two guys that love to eat!

So get ready Daytonmostmetro.com fans, you are about to go on an adventure…..  

 

The Big Ragu destroying a footlong hot dog

Steve “The Big Ragu” Milano:

A lifelong Dayton resident, his early food influence was started by mom and grandparents’ Italian and German/Scottish cooking.  Ragu’s love of food is only matched by his love of sports, travel, karaoke and just needing to be held.  An attention seeking missile, Ragu’s favorite foods include Seafood, Italian Food, and Chinese/Japanese cuisine.  Other hobbies include overeating occasionally and a slight attraction to deep fried menu items.

VISIT US ON FACEBOOK  —> HERE and “LIKE” us to become an official fan of

FOOD ADVENTURES website – DaytonFoodies.com  We are the one and only, Dayton Foodies.

To send us private messages, email us at:  foodadv@yahoo.com

Check us out on TWITTER and INSTAGRAM

Filed Under: Dayton Dining, Food Adventures, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Big Ragu, chef house, crew, Dayton, food, Food Adventures, hungry jax

Behind the Masks – The Lion King

June 14, 2011 By Shane Anderson Leave a Comment

Disney’s The Lion King ~ presented by The Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OH ~ June 14 - July 10, 2011

Nick Cordileone & Ben Lipitz

Disney’s THE LION KING

The Victoria Theatre Association

I have a confession to make:  I, Shane Anderson, admittedly know very little about The Lion King.  In fact, I know very little about most of the Disney films and musical adaptations.  I’ve certainly seen some, but I have no children of my own, therefore I typically don’t choose to spend my entertainment budget on a movie ticket to a film marketed to kids.  I get it…I get it… I hear that they are terrific for anybody at any age, but I don’t have that added motivation of a really excited 5 year old persuading me to go catch the latest Disney princess or talking/singing animal movie.

Characters from Disney's Lion King, as interpreted by Noah, age 5

The Lion King mask illustration by Noah, age 5

So, since I am not the Disney aficionado that many Americans are, I had to do a little research about Disney’s THE LION KING, which just rolled into town and opened at the Schuster Center this evening.  So what else was I to do?  I called up my favorite nephew, 5 year old Noah.

First bit of information I needed, was what is the plot of this show? Noah replied with a knowing smile (did I sense the slightest amount of a smirk at his silly Uncle Shane?) that THE LION KING is all about this baby lion named Simba, who’s daddy Mufasa dies because of a bad lion named Scarrrr (grrrRR..!), then the Pumbaa and Timon (not sure which is which, but one is a warthog with big horns) come in and sing Hakuna Matata and then Simba gets big and the girl lion tells Simba to come back and be king.  Oh, and be careful of the 3 Hyenas, they laugh.

Ok, stay clear of the laughing Hyenas.  Of course I already knew a little bit about this classic musical adaptation, it is a legendary production that very successfully melded together a very cool artistic vision with the business sense of a major corporate producer.  I know that it was directed by the very talented Julie Taymor.  I realize that even though the musical premiered on Broadway nearly fourteen years ago,  it is still selling tickets both on the “Great White Way” and in multiple touring companies.  This collaboration between a truly gifted artist and a major corporate entity has been highly successful, with no signs of slowing down.  I knew all of that, but this is one highly acclaimed Broadway spectacle that I have yet to experience, and I am thrilled that the show will be spending four weeks right here in Dayton, Ohio!

Disney's The Lion King ~ presented by The Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OH ~ June 14 - July 10, 2011

Ben Roseberry

I got the opportunity to spend some time chatting with three cast members of the show on the phone last week.  The cast was in Toronto, Canada, where they had an extended stay.  I spoke with vocal ensemble member and “Sarabi” understudy Electra Weston, Ben Roseberry who portrays “Ed” the laughing hyena, and the ever-popular Ben Lipitz who livens up the stage as “Pumbaa”  the optimistic warthog.

I asked the group of actors about touring with Disney Theatricals, working with Taymor and what the experience is like in a production that thrills audiences of all ages.

The first thing of note is the appreciation the actors express for the company itself.  “It is the best contract I’ve ever worked for,” Roseberry declares, “we are in each city for four weeks or more.” All three of the actors pointed out the fact that through Disney’s intention to keep the company in a city for an extended run of at least four weeks, allows the actors time to settle in and actually experience each city. Most other touring shows will have shorter runs, some as little as a day in each city, which leave the actors living out of their suitcase.  Roseberry, an aviation enthusiast, says that he is very excited to have time in Dayton to explore the Aviation Trail, Hall of Fame and Wright Brother sites.

Disney's The Lion King ~ presented by The Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OH ~ June 14 - July 10, 2011

Electra Weston

A surprise to me was the fact that the touring company has the opportunity to make their own housing arrangements, some choosing extended stay hotels, others are able to find short-term furnished apartments.  Electra Wilson indicated that in her four years on the tour, she’d never stayed in a hotel.  She ships her bicycle and typically manages to find an apartment within biking distance to the venue.  This gives her the opportunity to become a member of the community, if only for a short time.

I was curious to know more about the experience of being onstage for these actors, what it was like to be on the other side of the curtain.  The technical aspects of performing the show utilizing these puppets and intricate scenic elements must certainly be an incredible thing to watch not only from the audience perspective, but also from backstage.

All three actors found their roles very taxing, but for very different reasons.  Weston says that her most difficult transition into the role was the English language. She had previously been a part of the German company of the show, so even though she is American, she found it difficult to sing her parts in English.  She had to relearn the show in her native tongue, and had a tough time doing so!

“I can’t say it’s a bigger thrill than what the audience is experiences, but it certainly is comparable.” says Ben Lipitz, ” Performing in The Lion King is a rare experience in theatre, it is a landmark event for the audience, as a performer I have to take the storytelling very seriously.  We have a responsibility to live up to the expectations [of the audience].  It is a privilege to tell this story”

“It took a good eight weeks of performing for the role to get in my body.” Roseberry said he was very nervous performing in his “Ed” the hyena puppet for the first several weeks he was on tour.  He pointed out that he had to learn to harness that nervous energy, translating it into a good energy.  Additionally he spent hours in front of a mirror learning how to operate the hyena puppet in as many expressive ways as possible, since the character does not speak, but simply communicates through laughter.  (btw…”Ed” is not “stupid”, but rather he is “verbally challenged”)

Ben Lipitz has been with the show for nine years, both on Broadway as well as the touring company.  He recounted that while his very first entrance on stage in this show was very exciting, that the thrill continues to this day.  Ben’s experience as an actor (on stage, film & television, including a role on The Sopranos) didn’t really prepare him for operating the puppet, especially Pumbaa which weighs in heaviest at 46 pounds.  Creating the physical articulation with the puppet is his biggest challenge, but also the biggest reward.

Disney's The Lion King ~ presented by The Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OH ~ June 14 - July 10, 2011

Ben Lipitz

The beauty of Julie Taymor’s design is the duality of the character on stage.  You see the actor manipulating the puppet, but you also see the humanity within the animal character.  The actors praise the brilliance of Taymor’s vision and her famous “hands-on” approach to direction an upkeep of her vision.  They report that there is a touring director and staff that continually monitor the show, maintaining the quality of the performance.  This team works with the cast so that what we see in Dayton is precisely the same as the original intent of every step, word and note performed when Julie Taymor’s vision became reality in 1997.  Taymor will even  stop in to check on the show herself occasionally to be sure that her vision is never compromised (though this hasn’t happened recently due to her involvement in another theatrical project).

“I have been truly touched by how inspiring working with Julie is,” claims Lipitz, “[it is] her spirit and her energy.  She is a gifted, visionary artist.”

While THE LION KING is a very complex machine of a show, with many moving parts and people manipulating every aspect of it, it is also child’s play.  Experiencing this show on our side of the curtain will certainly be exciting, but imagine how thrilling it must be to make it all happen behind the scenes.  These actors spoke as if it was truly an honor to tell this story, and be a part of the magic daily.

Before I got off the phone with Pumbaa, I had one more question I was required to ask.  Noah wanted to know “what do you do with your horns?” Pumbaa claimed that his daily regimen included trying not to stay up too late, staying out of the sunlight and plenty of moisturizer.  Pretty good advice for all you warthogs reading this.

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@gmail.com.

Tickets & Performance Information:

Disney's THE LION KING - Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OhioDisney’s THE LION KING

Wednesday, June 15 through Sunday, July 10, 2011

at The Schuster Center’s Mead Theatre – Performance Times Vary

Tickets range from $27 – $141

Tickets are ONLY available through Ticket Center Stage.

Visit the  Schuster Center box office in downtown Dayton or order by phone, at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, noon – 4 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance.

Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

For more information about Victoria Theatre Association visit www.victoriatheatre.com.

Downtown Dayton Partnership and the Victoria Theatre Association have teamed up to provide roaring deals and promotions for the The Lion King patrons.  Read more about these exiting offers HERE.

The Lion King - ROARING DEALS - Dayton, Ohio

Click for details.

Filed Under: On Stage Dayton Previews, The Featured Articles Tagged With: arts, Dayton, Dayton Ohio, Downtown Dayton, Things to Do, Victoria Theatre

Sing it Strong, Sing it Loud

June 14, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Altar Boyz

ENCORE THEATER COMPANY

The quintessential Boy Bands: upbeat (and often emotional) music… slick choreography… the perfect individual and group images… slightly-too-perfect rhymes… the Soul Sensor DX-12? Well, maybe not for any other boy band, but for the Altar Boyz, it’s key! During the final concert of their “Raise the Praise” tour, the Boyz seek to reduce the number of burdened souls in the audience (indicated by the number on the Sensor) to zero.

“Jesus called me on my cell phone / No roaming charges were incurred / He told me that I should go out in the world / And spread His glorious word”

Altar Boyz, presented in real time as that concert, is a satirical, “foot-stomping, rafter-raising musical comedy,” and the fictitious Christian boy band includes five Ohio members: Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan, and Abraham (who, actually, is Jewish). Some of the Boyz’ signature hits include “Rhythm in Me,” “The Calling,” and “I Believe.” Directed and choreographed by Lauren Morgan and musically directed by Mark Barnhill, this Dayton premiere kicks off Encore Theater Company’s summer season, and runs for one weekend only, June 16 – 18.

“We think that church is super fine / We are the Altar Boyz / We love the wafers and the wine / We are the Altar Boyz / And I think / You’ll find….. We’re gonna altar your mind!”

This show is unique in that each cast member must be a triple-strength performer, because everyone is acting, singing, and dancing for nearly the entire show! Therefore, learning the show has been hard work, but the actors I spoke with were excited about the challenges they’ve faced and the strides they’ve taken as performers. The cast includes students and/or Dayton residents Drew Bown, Andrew Koslow, Korey Harlow, Zack Steele, and Zach King, with a special appearance by local Muse Machine alumnus and Broadway performer Tyler Maynard as “the Voice of God.”

“When I hold your body next to mine / it feels so good / and feels so right / and it also makes my Levis feel real tight… / and I know that there is something about you, baby…/ Girl, you make me want to wait.”

Not only does the cast play a great team onstage, but everyone has an excellent collaboration as well. Each of the cast members are or have studied some type of theatre at the collegiate level, and most are new to Encore Theater Company’s mainstage; however, they’ve all contributed unique talents and abilities to make this show strong and fluid, to refine timing of the show’s extensive humor and rehearse even the most difficult 5-part harmonies. Koslow, who plays Mark, explained in an interview with onStageDayton,

Andrew Koslow, "Mark"

“The most rewarding thing for me about this show is how much we’ve truly banded together (pardon the pun) to make this show happen. We’ve run into a thousand road blocks, from losing cast members to sometimes only having two Boyz available for certain rehearsals due to commitments to other shows. Despite all that, we’ve put together an incredible and entertaining show… I truly couldn’t be prouder of our entire cast and production team.”

That commitment and collaboration have paid off: Zack Steele, who plays Juan, praises,

Zach Steele, "Juan"

“[Altar Boyz] will have [audience members] crying from laughing so hard. The script is bulletproof and the Boyz’ chemistry on stage will carry you on a journey all the way through curtain call. The singing is great and the satire is ever-present.”

Koslow added,

“I truly believe there is something for everyone in this show, and no one can prove me wrong unless they come and see for themselves.”

“You know The Bible tells you God’s the one that made you / So get out on the dance floor And shake what He gave you!”

So, whether you’re holding onto music of the early ‘90s or just love to make fun of boy bands, Altar Boyz is the perfect show for you. Don’t miss it!

Tickets & Performance Information

Altar Boyz – June 16 – 18, 8:00 pm

Encore Theater Company

Performances will be held at Sinclair Community College’s Blair Hall Theatre. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved through http://brushfire.e-vent.info/Events/Sinclair/Default.aspx, by contacting (937) 512-2808 (be sure to leave a message) or box.office@sinclair.edu

For more information, check out the Altar Boyz blog or Encore Theater Company.

~KN

Filed Under: On Stage Dayton, On Stage Dayton Previews, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Dayton, Dayton Ohio, downtown, Downtown Dayton, Encore Theater Co., musicals, sinclair community college, theatre, Things to Do

Hoofing It: One Girl’s Guide to Walking the Streets of Dayton

June 1, 2011 By Dayton937 9 Comments

Things I remember seeing during my 20-minute commute: Tree limbs swirling in a rain-swollen Great Miami River. Aged buildings with elaborate cornices rubbing shoulders with their modern-day glass and steel counterparts. Phil staggering down the sidewalk asking for spare change to buy a muffin.

Things I remember hearing during my 20-minute commute: The splash and giggle of kids jumping into a puddle. A glee club of birds overhead. The distressed screech of an ambulance .

I live in a historic neighborhood downtown, and since I live, work, hang out and work out downtown, I can walk pretty much anywhere I need to go.

Key words: Pretty much.

Places I drive: Kroger. DeWeese Park. Village Thrift Store. Taqueria Mixteca. Cookouts at friends’ back yards. And, I admit it, sometimes places as close as Drake’s Downtown Gym and the Dublin Pub.

One of my favorite shots taken during a walk home, shot from the Main Street Bridge looking east toward the Dayton Art Institute and Masonic Temple.

I’m about to find out exactly what “pretty much” means as I join Megan Cooper in an experiment in using alternative transportation to get from here to there. We’re both ditching our gas-powered rides for at least one week starting June 1. Megan will be trekking across town primarily via bicycle and the bus. Be sure to read her columns leading up to and during this adventure, in which she gives a frank and funny account of going car-less.

I will continue to get around primarily on foot, but I’m also going to figure out how to ride the RTA and rediscover my inner cyclist. The last time I rode the bus, I ended up at Children’s Medical Center while trying to get to Five Oaks, which is closer to Grandview Hospital. The last time I rode my bike any significant distance, my now- 19-year-old son was in a kid seat on the back.

But, like Megan, I’m determined to give this a whirl. Unlike Megan, my research and preparation for this adventure is a total zilch. Well, I did grab a fresh journal in which to chronicle the sights and sounds of this voyage. When I finish writing this, I’m going to try to figure out how to work a pedometer a friend gave me two years ago. I made a solemn vow to look at RTA’s web site tomorrow night. And cross-my-heart-hope-to-die, I plan to check my bike’s tires really soon.

I’m rolling ad hoc because I figure I can hoof it most places. I mean, perhaps my favorite thing about living downtown is the ability to walk so many cool places. I like having to step around Canadian Geese and their goslings on the gravel pathway atop the levee. I feel lucky I can stop at the RiverScape Metro Park concession and grab a cone of soft serve to enjoy on my way home. I even like the pitter-patter on my umbrella on rainy days and getting away with wearing rubber boots to the office.

Daffodils in full bloom at RiverScape MetroPark, taken during a recent springtime walk home.

Really, though, I am in denial.

I may live in a handy little city where I can walk from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes, but getting around is about to get a lot more complicated without a car. While visiting my sister in Piqua on Memorial Day, I realized I’d have no way to get up there to play cowboy and Play-Doh with my nephews without a car. Mulching some new plants tonight, I realized I’d have to travel toughman style if I needed to grab another bag of this heavy, goopy stuff and lug it on a bus.

View during my 20-minute commute on a recent May morning.

I also realize I am lucky to have a car, even an 11-year-old contraption missing the passenger-side window and in bad need of a new catalytic converter I lovingly call The Rattletrap. I feel like Barbara Ehrenreich as she recounted her experiences working as a maid and other minimum-wage occupations in Nickel and Dimed, a book I found so horribly patronizing I couldn’t finish the first chapter. I hope to be able to give you, dear reader, an authentic and entertaining account of this adventure with respect to those who have no choice but public transportation to reach such destinations as their workplace, school and kids’ day care. I hope to be able to examine the impacts of our auto-adoring culture on our health and environment with a fresh perspective. I hope to better understand the myriad ways transportation affects our daily lives.

And I hope you will help us: Do you get where you need to go without a car? If so, tell us your stories and (please!) give us some tips. Do you rev an engine to make it where you need to be? If so, tell us how you think your life would change if driving were no longer an option. Please share in the comments below.

And we’re off: One foot in front of the other!

Filed Under: Downtown Dayton, Twisted Wicker, Urban Living Tagged With: cycling, Dayton, Dayton Ohio, Downtown Dayton, walking

Watch out Road (specifically you in the cars)

May 27, 2011 By Megan Cooper 1 Comment

We all got the news last year that Dayton is an official Bronze Level Bike Friendly Community. We’ve got the yellow bikes downtown (are there any left?) and the new tri-cabs popping up. There are bike lanes and sharrows through the city and trails that lead all around the Miami Valley. Bikes are gaining prominence in our fair city as the weather turns warmer. So, I needed to know the most bike-friendly routes and where I could park as I prep for my week without a car.

I turned first to the internet. MY GOSH there are so many organizations and people in the region promoting biking. Since this experiment is less about recreation and more about transportation, I first went to the bike/walk map provided by the City of Dayton. Overall it’s a great tool, but when I see that it claims that Wayne Avenue is a bike-friendly road (albeit for experts only), I’m not quite sure that the map represents my reality. I’ll stick to the beginner routes. I’ll also give the City props for a working list of places to park a bike downtown. Andrew Rodney is working on this, and although he’s not 100% satisfied with its level of completion, it’s something to work with.

This bike needs a little help...

I also appreciated the bike portal provided by the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission – great recreational info, but the portal also provided links specifically for the Bike Commuter. And if I ever feel totally alone in the adventure there’s:  Courteous Mass, Bicycle Buzz Miami Valley, Dayton Cycling Club, the Outdoor Evangelist, Five Rivers MetroParks, the Miami Valley Cycling Summit, and many, many more organizations and individual bloggers that share their experiences. I’m all info-ed up and ready to go!

Except that my bike has been sitting in a cold, wet, and icky garage for the last year. Some years I attempt to clean it up myself, but seeing as I have to actually rely on it and not just take some happy spins around the block, I’m leaving it up to the experts. I hit K&G Bike Shop (they have three around the region) for a “tune-up” and to be sure nothing was going to break.

John Duerr at K&G is getting my bike road ready

Good thing I went for the experts. As soon as I got there with my bike, friendly manager John took it from me and pointed out that I already had it set up in a pretty unsafe way. Okay – good lesson. For my seasonal tune up, they cleaned and oiled and realigned and inflated. Pretty much the basics of making sure that it’s not going to fall apart when I hit my first pothole.

While I was there I even picked up a helmet. I can’t tell you how hard that was for me. I grew up in a time when my parents sent my siblings and I out on bikes for the day just to get us out of their hair. We never used helmets! We went all over the city and through construction sites (that we stupidly usurped as our own little BMX park) and through scraped knees and broken arms we still remained helmet-less. But (I guess) I’m older and wiser and now I’m driving down busier streets. This adventure requires a helmet – but at least it’s pretty.

So, I’m now ready to go. Watch out road, here I come!

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3tBXChjafU’]

Filed Under: Cycling Tagged With: bike friendly, Dayton, transportation

Researching (and worrying about) RTA

May 25, 2011 By Megan Cooper 1 Comment

Pop Quiz

The bus system in Dayton is:
A) Difficult to Navigate
B) Expensive
C) Dangerous
D) Limited in Area

Okay – time’s up! What’s the answer?

Well – I can tell you that I don’t know. But I’m going to find out!   No gossip, no rumors – just my experiences exposed. If the bus late, dangerous, or annoying, I’m calling them out. But you’ll also know if the bus driver is helpful and if the routes are easy to navigate. I really don’t know what to expect, so you’ll know as I know.

As much as I’ve HEARD about taking the RTA (fodder for our lil’ pop quiz), most of the people who are talking don’t actually ride. And the people who do ride, don’t usually talk too much about it. So – I cornered my friend Jen who utilizes RTA as her main source of transportation and got her insights.

Well, mostly it works pretty well, if you’re staying in Dayton or close suburbs and if you’re traveling between 7 am and 6:30 pm weekdays. Traveling in the evening or weekends gets a lot trickier because bus frequency declines dramatically.

As far as bus clientele I rarely have problems. Occasionally the kids can be kind of loud, but most drivers will intervene if it’s excessive or if they’re being rude or crude. It’s usually a pretty friendly atmosphere.  And if there is someone acting strangely, there are other people experiencing it with you which can be kind of fun.

Another benefit I found when I took the bus to work was that extra 15-20 minutes before I had to be fully engaged. When I was driving to work I needed to be awake and alert. Taking the bus let me work into my day more gradually.

So, as I get closer to launching my week without a car, I’m gathering all the info I can about how I’ll get around. The RTA Web site has been my “go to” for this purpose. In case you want to try a similar adventure, I’m going to clue you into my process in hopes it makes things easier for you.

  • It surprised me when I found how easy it is to buy passes and tokens around town. I figured I’d have to go to a transit center. It makes it a lot easier to know I can get a pass when I’m doing the grocery shopping and just hop on the bus when I’m ready to ride.
  • RTA offers bike racks (yay!), but if the bike rack is full, you can’t bring your bike on board, you have to wait for the next bus (boo!). Maybe every time I get on the bus there will be one or fewer people who are also riding a bike. We’ll see. But if I have to wait for another bus b/c I can’t get on with my bike I’ll be annoyed.
  • Along the lines of scheduling – I’m confident about the bus that will get me to work, but I’m a little concerned about the buses that will take me home after meetings, dinners, shows, and nights out. The RTA schedule shows that my ideal route home stops running after 6 PM. Now, I realize I CAN get home another way (as long as I’m leaving the city by 11:30 PM), but it takes some research and planning and more late-night walking that I would choose.
  • One of the complaints I’ve heard is that RTA is notoriously late. On-line, they offer an “On Time Service Guarantee,” but that just means they won’t be more than 30 minutes late. And if they are, they give you a free pass. Sorry, but if I’m more than 30 minutes late to some meetings, I could have burned some major bridges.
  • In getting ready for this adventure (finding my routes, etc), and I have to report that the RTA Web site is not as user friendly as it could be. There are great resources – maps and recommended routes – but the maps are small when you print them out. And the “trip planner” (which gives you times, bus numbers and route options) didn’t recognize the addresses I plugged in. I had to put the same location in 5 different ways to get the system to recognize where I was trying to go! That said, there are other ways to discover what you need and I’m now the proud owner of a few route map brochures that I’ll keep with me. (Which is laggardly of me, but since I don’t have a smart phone to check for new schedules, a handful of paper maps suits me just fine.)

Am I adding to the negative stigma by being worried before I even step foot on the bus? Maybe. Maybe that says something about human nature. Maybe I’m just a worrier (thanks for passing THAT trait along, mom). Or maybe that’s one of the reasons RTA is getting a bad rap in Dayton these days – we do a little online research and give up without even stepping up on the bus. Whatever it is – I’m a few days closer to saying good-bye to my friend the car. I’m excited and nervous.

If you have any recommendations for smart bus riding tips, let me know!

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/rtagreen#p/u/3/_MZoy0s8Ifg’]

RTA has generously offered a few 7-day passes that DaytonMostMetro.com will be giving away as I chronicle my adventure. If you’re interested in giving it a shot yourself, you might just be able to win one! And if you want to have your say, RTA is soliciting feedback as they plan for the future – let them know what you need for mass transit.

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: bike friendly, commute, Dayton, RTA

The Best of Times

May 12, 2011 By Shane Anderson 3 Comments

La Cage aux Folles - Dayton Playhouse - May 13-29, 2011 - Photo by Bruce W. BrownLa Cage aux Folles

Dayton Playhouse

Win tickets to this delightful show! Read on…

La Cage aux Folles, a collaboration between two of the most recognizable voices in musical theatre (Jerry Herman- Hello Dolly, Mame & Harvey Fierstein- his vocal chords), premiered on Broadway in 1983.  That production garnered nine Tony Award nominations, winning six of those including Best Score, Best Book and the Best Musical.  Since that production, the show has continued to achieve recognition with Tony Award winning revivals in 2004 & 2010 (earning it the distinction as being the only musical to win the Best New Musical along with two trophies for Best Revival).  The terrific show is not often booked by local theatres, however.  I assume that the thought of producing this show (primarily the necessary lavish costumes and opulent sets) would be a hurdle most non-profit community groups would not want to take on.

La Cage aux Folles - Dayton Playhouse - May 13-29, 2011 - Photo by Bruce W. BrownDayton Playhouse has entrusted director Doug Lloyd with bringing the St. Tropez nightclub and it’s cast of female impersonators to life on their stage over the next three weekends.  With the success Lloyd has had on the Playhouse stage in recent years with very popular productions of Urinetown and Hair, I am sure that La Cage aux Folles will be a smash hit.

La Cage aux Folles, book by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics and music by Jerry Herman, is based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret.  La Cage focuses on a couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction.  Comedic adventures ensue when Georges’s son, Jean-Michel, brings home his fiancée’s ultra-conservative parents to meet them.

La Cage aux Folles - Dayton Playhouse - May 13-29, 2011 - Photo by Bruce W. BrownThe cast of La Cage is anchored by stage veterans Michael Boyd and Richard Croskey.  Boyd, playing Georges, was in the 1989 Playhouse production of La Cage and has been acting and directing every since.  Croskey, last seen in the Playhouse production of Victor/Victoria, has been a professional dancer and choreographer for the last 30+ years.  The Cagelles, the “showgirls” of the La Cage aux Folles, include Playhouse executive director Wade Hamilton,  features playhouse regulars Tony Fende, Ian Manuel, Stacey Ward and Allie Eder and also include some new Playhouse faces Nick Brown, Ty Mentz and Sean Metcalf.  Playing Jean-Michele is the Playhouse’s golden voice Zach King.  The cast is rounded out with Jeff Campbell, Karen Righter, Sarah Parsons, Duante Beddingfield, Mike Frazier, Joe Meyer, Chris Hammond, Ginger Hubbs, Brandon Saldivar, Alexandra Grizinski and Tim Behnken.

“We’re very happy to have this enormous production headed up by Director Doug Lloyd.” says Dayton Playhouse Executive Director Wade Hamilton.  “His vast experience and reputation for producing hit musicals made me breath a little easier as we started this project.”

On the sliding scale of Playhouse musicals, this is a mammoth production.  The Playhouse has assembled an all-star group of designers to bring this show to life.  The set will be designed be Chris Harmon, lights by John Falkenbach and costumes by Kaitlyn Osborn and Karen and Stephanie Dickey.  Leading the 10 piece La Cage orchestra will be Playhouse board member Ron Kindell.  Choreography is from Miami Valley native Stacey Gear.

La Cage aux Folles - Dayton Playhouse - May 13-29, 2011 - Photo by Bruce W. Brown

onStageDayton had some questions for Doug Lloyd about the upcoming opening. Here’s what he had to say:

onStageDayton:   La Cage has recently had a successful return to both Broadway and the West End. What do you think is the appeal of the show?

La Cage aux Folles - Dayton Playhouse - May 13-29, 2011 - Photo by Bruce W. BrownDoug Lloyd:  Well first of all the show is just plain “fun” it has great comedy and wonderful music, but it also a great love Story. I like that fact that it shows what in this age we would call an “alternative” family, has as much love caring and nurturing as a traditional family.

oSD:  Jerry Herman’s score is legendary. Did you feel any allegiance to recreate and honor the show or did you take a fresh approach?

La Cage aux Folles - Dayton Playhouse - May 13-29, 2011 - Photo by Bruce W. BrownDL:  We stayed true to the script, & score. The score we are working from is from the original Broadway production, with the exception of “Anne On My Arm” where they sent the music to the “new” version from the recent revival production with Kelsey Grammer. We did try to make an extra effort to show the true love and connection between Georges, Albin & Jean-Michel as well as show how the employees of La Cage are almost their extended family

oSD:  How have local actors taken to these characters? How have they embraced them? What has been the biggest struggle?

La Cage aux Folles - Dayton Playhouse - May 13-29, 2011 - Photo by Bruce W. BrownDL:  The cast has taken to their characters quite well. We had an extensive character development session, and they all walked away from that with a true feeling for each of their characters. Again we were searching for a true family feel as well as a closeness in the entire community

oSD:  Many people are familiar with this story as it appeared in the film THE BIRDCAGE, what can audiences expect from the musical staging of the same tale?

La Cage aux Folles - Dayton Playhouse - May 13-29, 2011 - Photo by Bruce W. BrownDL:  Many people don’t even realize “Bird Cage” was taken from “La Cage” when I tell them we are doing it they say what’s that. While the story line is  the same, they took many liberties with the La Cage script when writing “Bird Cage”. There are several characters that appear in the movie that aren’t in the stage show, including the role of Sybil, John-Michel’s natural mother that was played by Christine Buransky. Sybil is referred to in La Cage but never appears. Both shows are funny but being a theatre person I’m partial to the La Cage script.

oSD:  You are one of the city’s most active directors. What’s your next project?

The Big Picture at Beavercreek Community Theatre, 2012DL: My next project will be back at my home theatre in Beavercreek and will be the world premiere of a new musical written by local author David Brush and the music was composed by local musician Jim Farely. The show is called “The Big Picture.”  Set in the summer of 1962, it is about college freshman Billy Carson who is spending his first summer home with his mom and best friend. With only a few items to provide clues, Billy sets out with a renewed interest in discovering the father he never knew – B-Movie script writer and war hero, Jack Carson. When old wounds are opened and new loves are discovered, Billy realizes that coming home is more difficult and ultimately more enlightening than he ever imagined and the sleepy town of Pine Springs, Illinois may never be the same.

-SA/DB/DP Press Release

Photos by Bruce W. Brown.

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@DaytonMostMetro.com.

Tickets & Performance Information:

Dayton PlayhouseLA CAGE AUX FOLLES – May 13-29 – (8pm on Fridays & Saturdays / 2pm on Sundays)

Tickets Prices: $10 student / $14 senior / $15 adult

Location:  The Dayton Playhouse
1301 East Siebenthaler Ave
Dayton, OH  45414 (map)

Tickets are on sale now through DP’s Online Box Office, or via phone at (937) 424-8477 Monday-Friday 2:00pm-5:00pm. In Person: Friday 2:00pm-5:00pm

For more information about The Dayton Playhouse visit http://www.daytonplayhouse.org/

Win Free Tickets!

Dayton Playhouse & onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com have teamed up to give you a chance to win tickets to La Cage aux Folles!  We will be giving away up to FOUR pairs of tickets for the second weekend of the show…We’ll select 1 winner (of a set of tickets) for every 10 FB/Twitter Shares! All you need to do is:

  • Share this article on Facebook or Twitter…just click the appropriate button at the top of this page.
  • Fill out the contact form at the bottom of this post.
  • Leave a comment on this post, answering the following question…a revival of one of our more popular ticket contest questions…What’s your favorite Drag Queen Name? (i.e. “Julie Mandrews,” “Anita Cocktail,” etc.)
  • The deadline to enter is Midnight on SATURDAY, May 14th.
  • Winners will be selected randomly from all of the entries.

Error: Contact form not found.

Filed Under: On Stage Dayton Previews, The Featured Articles Tagged With: arts, Dayton, Dayton Ohio, Dayton Playhouse, Theater

Urban Nights: Proving Downtown Dayton Is Alive and Kicking

May 11, 2011 By Dayton937 1 Comment

It’s no marketing scheme: Urban Nights really is one of the best nights to be downtown.

Downtown Dayton’s biggest street party returns from 5 to 10 p.m. this Friday, May 13. More than 100 venues in downtown Dayton, the Oregon Arts District and Wright-Dunbar Business Village will host special events, offer discounts and open their doors for an insider’s look. A variety of performers will entertain crowds on stages throughout downtown, and roaming performers also will liven up the event.

Below are some highlights of the May 13 Urban Nights, but there’s more going on than can ever be featured in one article ― and nearly everything is free. Click here to download a map of participating venues and a complete performance schedule, including a listing of all participating locations’ events and specials, a schedule for all the stages, and parking deals. Follow Urban Nights on Facebook for regular updates and more information.

Urban Nights gives people a chance to get artsy. Second Street will become a huge canvas when students from Stivers School for the Arts’ painting department create a paint-by-numbers style template on the street. The public then will be able to help Stivers students complete the mural, located in front of the Schuster Performing Arts Center between Main and Ludlow streets. The Paint the Street mural is sponsored by KeyBank and will be created with environmentally friendly liquid chalk that washes away with rainfall.

Juggling duo The Dropbacks will toss and catch with the crowd during Urban Nights.

Juggling duo The Dropbacks will toss and catch with the crowd during Urban Nights.

Also on Second Street, visitors also can create a piece of whimsical public art using jelly beans and have their pictures taken in a free photo booth. At the popular Community Stage, located at the corner of Third and Jefferson streets, an eclectic mix of 10-minute performances will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., then anyone can take the mic for open karaoke from 7 to 10 p.m. The Dropbacks, a comedic juggling duo, will toss and catch with the crowd throughout Urban Nights locations. Other hands-on activities will be available at participating venues. For example, the Dayton Metro Library will offer arts-and-crafts activities for children and adults.

Art is the heart of Urban Nights, and all of downtown’s numerous galleries will host exhibit openings and an array of more unusual offerings, such as a 7 to 8:30 p.m. performance by the Dayton Mandolin Orchestra at the Dayton Visual Arts Center. Some Urban Nights newbies are the Dayton Art Institute, which will offer a mixed bag of activities ranging from guided tours of its current exhibition to eye makeovers; Real Art Design Group, featuring jousting with shopping carts as part of “Urban Knights at Urban Nights;” and Atta Girl Art and Gardens Complex, where artists will open their studios for the public to have a look-see. At K12 Gallery for Young People’s new TEJAS studio, art by Rebecca Sargent will be featured.

Vote for your fave Activated Spaces window display during Urban Nights.

Vote for your fave Activated Spaces window display during Urban Nights.

Art also happens in unusual places during Urban Nights. Activated Spaces has worked with local artists to display their work in previously vacant storefronts throughout downtown, and the public can vote for a People’s Choice award during Urban Nights. Practice Yoga will host live music by BJSR, the Dayton International Peace Museum will host an opening reception for an exhibit of Chinese brush painting, and artists will take over the Southern Belle’s second floor, where local crafters will sell their handmade wares. And the Blue Sky Project is hosting an exhibition of Mequitta Ahuja’s works on paper in the lobby of the KeyBank Tower and an exhibit of photography by Sa Schloff, as well as work by Blue Sky participants, in the former Roly Poly space on Courthouse Square. Several downtown housing options will be open for tours, and many of them will feature artists’ work, too.

Downtown retailers also get into the Urban Nights spirit. At Derailed: A Hair Salon, co-owner Austin Burkhart will try to break his record for giving free Mohawks, and Omega Music will host live music throughout the night. Pantorium Cleaners will host a party with special entertainment, and Valeria’s Beauty Center and Day Spa will offer special discounts to celebrate the launch of its new retail store, Bonito.

Scan this QR code with your smart phone to start the SCANvenger Hunt.

Scan this QR code with your smart phone to start the SCANvenger Hunt.

A fun way to get around Urban Nights is by playing Comtactics’ SCANvenger Hunt. Smart phone users are encouraged to visit participating businesses and search for two-dimensional QR codes. Players scan the codes, answer a trivia question about that business and are entered into drawings for giveaways.

A weekend-long event also will open during Urban Nights. The Dayton Circus Creative Collective will host its sixth annual multimedia arts event, Sideshow VI, at Garden Station, 509 E. Fourth St., and in the nearby Yellow Cab building, 700 E. Fourth St. This two-block arts experience will feature work by more than 32 artists and performances by 25 musical groups.

Urban Nights guests also will get a sneak peek of another weekend-long event, the FilmDayton Festival, held downtown May 20-22. Multidisciplinary artist and Springfield native Rod Hatfield has mixed a montage of silent films starring Lillian Gish, also a Springfield native. The Show will provide a live soundtrack to the projection on the east side of the Convention Center, which can be viewed from the Jefferson and Fifth street area.

In addition to the arts, cycling has become an important part of Urban Nights. The Life Enrichment Center will roll out its new Yellow Bike program, a free bike sharing program downtown, during Urban Nights. The center is providing brightly painted yellow bikes available free of charge for anyone to ride between downtown destinations. People simply grab a yellow bike, ride it to their

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights meets at 5:30 p.m. in front of Fifth Third Field for a ride through the action.

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights meets at 5:30 p.m. in front of Fifth Third Field for a ride through the action.

destination and park it in a bike rack for the next person to use. The center also is asking for donations of helmets in all sizes, which can be dropped off at Courthouse Square. In addition, Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights returns: Cyclists should bring their own bike and meet at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field at 5:30 p.m. for this ride through the Urban Nights action.

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 trolleys to help visitors get around.

Urban Nights takes place rain or shine. The event is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Culture Works, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, with additional support from WDTN-TV2, DP&L, Greater Dayton RTA, Budweiser Select, the Downtown Priority Board, Sinclair Community College, Clear Channel and Mix 107.7-FM, KeyBank, and the Ohio Arts Council.

Call 937-224-1518 or visit www.downtowndayton.org for more information.

Filed Under: Active Living, Arts & Entertainment, Dayton Music, Downtown Dayton, The Featured Articles Tagged With: arts, Dayton, Dayton Music, Dayton Ohio, downtown, Downtown Dayton, Events, Things to Do

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 44
  • Page 45
  • Page 46
  • Page 47
  • Page 48
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 51
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Submit An Event to Dayton937

- Featured Events -

Loading view.
  • Previous week
  • Next week
All Day

Montgomery County Fair

Montgomery County Fairgrounds

Color Our World – The Art of Stories

1:00 pm
Dayton Metro Library - Huber Heights Branch

Rolling Easy

5:00 pm
Yellow Springs Brewery

$3 Burger Night

5:00 pm
Bullwinkle's Top Hat Bistro

Bourbon and Cigar Night

6:00 pm
Trolley Stop

Auditions for THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical

7:15 pm
Dayton Playhouse

Justin’s LOTD Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament

7:30 pm
Miami Valley Sports Bar

Monday Night Laughs!

8:00 pm
Oregon Express
All Day

Montgomery County Fair

Montgomery County Fairgrounds

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

11:00 am
Win Supply

Schmidt’s Sausage Truck

12:00 pm
O Reilly Auto Parts

Bargain Tuesday: $6.50 Movie Day

2:30 pm
The Neon

Tai Chi & Qigong at the River

6:00 pm
RiverScape MetroPark

 Herb Garden Make & Take Workshop

6:30 pm
Mystic Life

Trivia with Rob

7:00 pm
The Phone Booth Lounge

Progressive Euchre Tournament

7:00 pm
Star City Brewing Company

Auditions for THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical

7:15 pm
Dayton Playhouse

Jazz Night

7:30 pm
Tender Mercy
+ 2 More
All Day

Montgomery County Fair

Montgomery County Fairgrounds

Fairborn Farmers Market

10:00 am
Fairborn Farmers Market

Adult Stretch

1:00 pm
Franklin-Springboro Public Libary

Trotwood Community Market (presented by American Legion Post 613)

3:00 pm
Old Salem Mall

Miamisburg Farmers Market

3:00 pm
Miamisburg Christian Church

Beckers SMASH-tastic Burgers

5:00 pm
Devil Wind Brewing

July Wine Tasting

6:00 pm
Manna Uptown

Bourbon vs Barrel: The Ultimate Pairing Experience

6:00 pm
Mode X

Trivia Night at Alematic

7:00 pm
Alematic Artisan Ales

Live Trivia

7:00 pm
Star City Brewing Company
+ 2 More
All Day

Montgomery County Fair

Montgomery County Fairgrounds
Ongoing

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

8:00 am
Darke County Fairgrounds

Country Concert 2025

8:00 am

Art Start Pre-School Storytime

11:30 am
Rosewood Arts Centre

Open Coworking

12:00 pm
The Hub at Dayton Arcade

Launch Pad

12:00 pm
The Hub at Dayton Arcade

Ermal’s Hefeweizen Launch

4:00 pm
Warped Wing Brewing Company

National Shark Week Movie: Jaws

4:00 pm
Dayton Metro Library West Branch

Lebanon Farmers Market

4:00 pm
Bicentennial Park

Grapes & Groves

5:00 pm
Heather's Coffee & Cafe

Englewood Market

5:00 pm
englewood Market

Rolling Easy

5:00 pm
D20: A Bar with Characters

Culture Kitchen

5:00 pm
2nd Street Market

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia

Live Music from Jason Swann Trio at Whisperz Speakeasy

6:00 pm
Whisperz Speakeasy

Artist Talk: Erin Holscher Almazan

6:30 pm
The Contemporary Dayton
+ 12 More
All Day

Montgomery County Fair

Montgomery County Fairgrounds
Ongoing

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

8:00 am
Darke County Fairgrounds

Birdies and Bogeys for Breast Wishes

9:00 am
Pipestone Golf Course

Cruise In at the Roadhouse

4:00 pm
Rip Rap Roadhouse

The Great Dayton Food Truck Rally- 50 Trucks

5:00 pm
Front Street Studios

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia

Wire-Wrapped Succulents: a Two-Part Workshop with Jenn & Shanon Queen

6:00 pm
Blue Sky Coffee

LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark

6:00 pm
Miami Valley Sports Bar

Foam Frenzy

6:30 pm
Wilson Park

Candlelight Reading Night

7:00 pm
Davis-Linden Building

Head Games: A Tribute to Foreigner

7:00 pm
Stubbs Park

Velvet Crush on the Patio

7:00 pm
Heather's Coffee & Cafe

Yam Yam

7:00 pm
Levitt Pavilion

Star City Free Concert Series

7:00 pm
Riverfront Park

Shrek The Musical

7:00 pm
Epiphany Lutheran Church

Shrek The Musical

7:00 pm
Epiphany Lutheran Church

Firefly Party

8:30 pm
Caesar Ford Park
+ 9 More
All Day

Montgomery County Fair

Montgomery County Fairgrounds
Ongoing

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

8:00 am
Darke County Fairgrounds

Dragons 5K

8:00 am
Day Air Ballpark

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

8:00 am
John Bryan Community Center

2025 Dragons 5K

8:00 am
Water Street District

2nd Annual Lebanon Pride Festiva

8:00 am
Mulberry Plaza

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

8:30 am
Franklin Farmers Market

Oakwood Farmers Market

9:00 am
Oakwood Farmers Market

Greene County Farmers Market

9:00 am
Beavercreek Farmers Market

Shiloh Farmers Market

9:00 am
Shiloh Church

Yoga in the Park

10:00 am
RiverScape MetroPark

Dayton’s First-Ever M Cruise-In

10:00 am
BMW of Dayton

Farmers Market at The Heights

10:00 am
Eichelberger Amphitheater

New Carlisle Farmer’s Market

10:00 am
Downtown New Carlisle

Waynesville Street Faire

10:00 am
Downtown Waynesville

Planting a Shade Garden

10:00 am
Cox Arboretum

THE MARKET

11:00 am
Town & Country Shopping Center

Saturday Art Hop at Art Encounters

11:00 am
Front Street

Greek Fest

11:00 am
Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church

 Smoke and Stroll Saturday

11:00 am
420 Dayton

Underground Railroad Walking Tour

11:30 am
Springboro Area Historical Society

Curtis Barnes, Sr., Dayton Icon Exhibit Opens

12:00 pm
The Dayton Art Institute

Freakin Ricans

12:00 pm

Road Rally Scavenger Hunt

1:00 pm
Kettering Recreation Complex
+ 25 More
Ongoing

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

8:00 am
Darke County Fairgrounds

Christmas in July Half Marathon & 5K Dayton

8:00 am
Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway

Locking Up Otis

8:00 am
Wright Station

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

9:00 am
Downtown Troy

Dayton Summer Wedding Expo

11:00 am
Hilton Garden Inn Beavercreek

DAYTON MAC N’ CHEESE FEST 2025

11:00 am
The Brightside Event & Music Venue

Porsche and Packards

12:00 pm
America's Packard Museum

Pencils and Prompts: Drawing Basics

12:30 pm
Dayton Society of Artists - DSA

Tomato Workshop

1:00 pm
Possum Creek MetroPark

Sketcher Social Session: Advanced Drawing

2:30 pm
Dayton Society of Artists - DSA

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia
+ 7 More

Week of Events

Mon 7

Tue 8

Wed 9

Thu 10

Fri 11

Sat 12

Sun 13

July 7 - July 12

Montgomery County Fair

Montgomery County Fair

July 7 - July 12

Montgomery County Fair

The 173rd Montgomery County Fair is back and better than ever! This 2025, we’re celebrating Red, White & Bloom with an unforgettable weekend packed...

July 7 - July 12

Montgomery County Fair

July 7 - July 12

Montgomery County Fair

July 7 - July 12

Montgomery County Fair

July 10 @ 8:00 am - July 13 @ 9:00 pm

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

July 10 @ 8:00 am - July 13 @ 9:00 pm

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

Antique tractor and gas engine show with flea market at the historic Darke County Fairgrounds in Greenville, OH. Daily admission...

$5.00
July 7 - July 12

Montgomery County Fair

July 10 @ 8:00 am - July 13 @ 9:00 pm

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

July 7 - July 12

Montgomery County Fair

July 10 @ 8:00 am - July 13 @ 9:00 pm

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

July 10 @ 8:00 am - July 13 @ 9:00 pm

Greenville Farm Power of the Past

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Recurring

Color Our World – The Art of Stories

July 7 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Recurring

Color Our World – The Art of Stories

Each session of this freeform art class will focus on a different children's book illustrators' works and provide children an...

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Rolling Easy

July 7 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Rolling Easy

Mobile food trailer w/ freshly made street food: crispy wonton rolls filled with fresh ingredients, prime rib sliders, grilled cheese...

5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

$3 Burger Night

July 7 @ 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

$3 Burger Night

From 5-10pm you can choose from the following: for $3 - it's a plain burger on a bun, $4 -...

$3
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Bourbon and Cigar Night

July 7 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Bourbon and Cigar Night

Choose 1 cigar Get a flight of Jefferson’s (three 1 oz pours) Sign up on Eventbrite space is limited to...

$35
7:15 pm

Auditions for THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical

July 7 @ 7:15 pm

Auditions for THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical

 Performances:Weekends, September 5–21 Join us for this spooky, kooky musical comedy! We’re looking for kind, hardworking people who want to...

Free
7:30 pm - 11:30 pm Recurring

Justin’s LOTD Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament

July 7 @ 7:30 pm - 11:30 pm Recurring

Justin’s LOTD Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament

EVERY MONDAY NIGHT at Miami Valley Sports Bar - Justin's Famous Luck of the Draw Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament!!! Each...

$10.00
8:00 pm Recurring

Monday Night Laughs!

July 7 @ 8:00 pm Recurring

Monday Night Laughs!

  Join us every Monday at Oregon Express for Comedy Open Mic hosted by the hilarious G-Money! Sign-ups at 8:00PM...

11:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

July 8 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

12:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Schmidt’s Sausage Truck

July 8 @ 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Schmidt’s Sausage Truck

2:30 pm - 9:30 pm Recurring

Bargain Tuesday: $6.50 Movie Day

July 8 @ 2:30 pm - 9:30 pm Recurring

Bargain Tuesday: $6.50 Movie Day

Tuesday at the Neon in Downtown Dayton movies are just $6.50

$6.50
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Tai Chi & Qigong at the River

July 8 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Tai Chi & Qigong at the River

Offered by Immortal Tree Qigong. Each hour-long Tai Chi & Qigong session will start with breathing exercises, warm up, and...

Free
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

 Herb Garden Make & Take Workshop

July 8 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

 Herb Garden Make & Take Workshop

 Herb Garden Make & Take Workshop Tuesday, July 8, 2025 | 6:30–8:00 PMHosted at Mystic Life | $20 per person Join...

$20
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Recurring

Trivia with Rob

July 8 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Recurring

Trivia with Rob

Come test your brain, enjoy great food and drinks, and have some fun!

7:00 pm - 9:45 pm Recurring

Progressive Euchre Tournament

July 8 @ 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm Recurring

Progressive Euchre Tournament

Are you ready for a fun, social evening with fellow Euchre enthusiasts? Look no further! Our progressive Euchre tournament is...

7:15 pm Recurring

Auditions for THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical

July 8 @ 7:15 pm Recurring

Auditions for THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical

 Performances:Weekends, September 5–21 Join us for this spooky, kooky musical comedy! We’re looking for kind, hardworking people who want to...

Free
+ 2 More
10:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Fairborn Farmers Market

July 9 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Fairborn Farmers Market

The Fairborn Farmers Market was established with the intent to provide the Fairborn community access to fresh and wholesome products...

Free
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Recurring

Adult Stretch

July 9 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Recurring

Adult Stretch

Adults ages 16 and up are invited to an afternoon session of stretching and more! Donna Gambino is owner of...

Free
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Trotwood Community Market (presented by American Legion Post 613)

July 9 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Trotwood Community Market (presented by American Legion Post 613)

A celebration of locally sourced foods and products from small businesses in Trotwood and the surrounding communities! Stop by and...

3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Miamisburg Farmers Market

July 9 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Miamisburg Farmers Market

Miamisburg Farmers MarketAt Miamisburg Christian Church parking lot.1146 E. Central Ave in Miamisburg.Fresh Produce, sweet treats, food trucks and more..

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Beckers SMASH-tastic Burgers

July 9 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Beckers SMASH-tastic Burgers

Single Single smash patty on a brioche bun $9.00 Single with Bacon Single smash patty and bacon on a brioche...

6:00 pm

July Wine Tasting

July 9 @ 6:00 pm

July Wine Tasting

Summer Table: a refined twist on the Southern cookout MENU Fried alligator with stuffed onion rings and chimichurri aioli; Mirabelle...

$79
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Bourbon vs Barrel: The Ultimate Pairing Experience

July 9 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Bourbon vs Barrel: The Ultimate Pairing Experience

Join ModeX Tequila Bistro and Wright Dunbar Cigars for a night of fire-grilled meats, aged bourbon, and hand-selected premium cigars....

$95
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Recurring

Trivia Night at Alematic

July 9 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Recurring

Trivia Night at Alematic

Grab some friends and join us every Wednesday night at the brewery for a pint of your favorite ALEMATIC brew...

+ 2 More
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Country Concert 2025

July 10 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Country Concert 2025

30 SUPERSTARS - GREAT CAMPING The Midwest's Premier Country Music Festival started more than 40 years ago and is still...

$155 – $436
11:30 am - 12:15 pm Recurring

Art Start Pre-School Storytime

July 10 @ 11:30 am - 12:15 pm Recurring

Art Start Pre-School Storytime

Art Start Pre-School Storytime 2nd Thursday of the month 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM Rosewood Arts Center 2655 Olson Dr....

Free
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Recurring

Open Coworking

July 10 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Recurring

Open Coworking

Join us in The Hub for open co-working from 12pm to 5pm. Ever wonder how The Hub could work for...

12:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Launch Pad

July 10 @ 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Launch Pad

Meet the people you need to move your business forward This monthly LaunchPad event series brings you opportunities to expand...

Free
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Ermal’s Hefeweizen Launch

July 10 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Ermal’s Hefeweizen Launch

Ermal's Hefeweizen Returns Thursday, July 10th!  Back on tap & in 6pks - this classic wheat beer is brewed true...

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

National Shark Week Movie: Jaws

July 10 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

National Shark Week Movie: Jaws

Drop in for a special "Shark Week" movie to help promote education and interest in shark and oceanic research. Join...

4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Lebanon Farmers Market

July 10 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Lebanon Farmers Market

The Lebanon Farmers Market is open 4 pm to 7 pm every Thursday mid-May through mid-October.  We are located in...

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Grapes & Groves

July 10 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Grapes & Groves

Join us every Thursday to Taste Wine at your own pace. Each Thursday we will have one of our highly...

+ 12 More
9:00 am

Birdies and Bogeys for Breast Wishes

July 11 @ 9:00 am

Birdies and Bogeys for Breast Wishes

Join us for the Breast Wishes Foundation Golf Outing and tee up FORE a day of fun, giving back, and...

$125
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Cruise In at the Roadhouse

July 11 @ 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Cruise In at the Roadhouse

Cruise In at the Roadhouse is taking place at Rip Rap Roadhouse, which is located at 6024 Rip Rap Rd. in Huber Heights....

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

The Great Dayton Food Truck Rally- 50 Trucks

July 11 @ 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

The Great Dayton Food Truck Rally- 50 Trucks

We are excited to announce the biggest food truck rally Downtown Dayton has ever seen over a two day period!...

6:00 pm Recurring

Matilda: The Musical

July 11 @ 6:00 pm Recurring

Matilda: The Musical

Winner of 47 International Awards! Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and special powers. She's unloved by...

$39 – $79
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Wire-Wrapped Succulents: a Two-Part Workshop with Jenn & Shanon Queen

July 11 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Wire-Wrapped Succulents: a Two-Part Workshop with Jenn & Shanon Queen

Join us for a creative two-day workshop where you’ll learn the art of wire wrapping while crafting a charming wire-wrapped...

$65
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Recurring

LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark

July 11 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Recurring

LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark

Join us every Friday night at 6pm for Dayton's Best LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark at Miami Valley Sports Bar!...

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Foam Frenzy

July 11 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Foam Frenzy

Get ready for an unforgettable evening of bubbly fun! Foam Frenzy is coming to Wilson Park this summer—and you’re invited...

Free
7:00 pm Recurring

Candlelight Reading Night

July 11 @ 7:00 pm Recurring

Candlelight Reading Night

Candlelight Reading Nights is a cozy, intentional space for BIPOC & Queer community to gather and read together. Bring your...

+ 9 More
8:00 am - 11:00 am

Dragons 5K

July 12 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am

Dragons 5K

The 2025 Dragons 5K presented by Orthopedic Associates hits the heart of Water Street District on Saturday, July 12, 2025....

$20 – $40
8:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

July 12 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

For over 20 years this market has been made up of a hardworking group of men, women and children, dedicated...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

2025 Dragons 5K

July 12 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

2025 Dragons 5K

Registration will open March 3, 2025, but if you participated in last year's race, check out your photos and learn...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

2nd Annual Lebanon Pride Festiva

July 12 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

2nd Annual Lebanon Pride Festiva

Join us for the second ever PRIDE Celebration happening in Downtown Lebanon, Ohio! Come have a fabulous day of vendors,...

8:30 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

July 12 @ 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

Join us every Saturday through Sept 13, 8.30 a.m. - 12 p.m. for local products including fresh produce, honey/jams, and...

9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Oakwood Farmers Market

July 12 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Oakwood Farmers Market

The 2025 Oakwood Farmers’ Market will be held Saturdays, June 7th thru October 11th, from 9 am until 12pm. The...

9:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Greene County Farmers Market

July 12 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Greene County Farmers Market

The outdoor Farmers Market on Indian Ripple Rd. in Beavercreek runs Saturdays, 9-1 even during the winter months. Check out...

9:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Shiloh Farmers Market

July 12 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Shiloh Farmers Market

The farmers’ market is located on the corner of Main St. & Philadelphia Dr, in the parking lot of Shiloh...

+ 25 More
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Christmas in July Half Marathon & 5K Dayton

July 13 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Christmas in July Half Marathon & 5K Dayton

Ho Ho Ho, Oh What Fun it is to Run in the Sun (and Shade) and Earn Some Chillin’ Hawaiian Summer...

$39.99 – $79.99
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Locking Up Otis

July 13 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Locking Up Otis

Ready for some Wright Station live music? Here we go!  The Classic rock of Locking Up Otis kicks off our...

Free
9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

July 13 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

Downtown Troy Farmers' Market will run Saturday mornings 9:00 am to 12:00 pm from June 22nd, 2013 through September 21st,...

11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Dayton Summer Wedding Expo

July 13 @ 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Dayton Summer Wedding Expo

FREE ADMISSION, Reservations Required. Show only vendor discounts and specials Every couple receives a gift card for Free wedding rings....

Free
11:00 am - 6:00 pm

DAYTON MAC N’ CHEESE FEST 2025

July 13 @ 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

DAYTON MAC N’ CHEESE FEST 2025

Join us for a ton of incredible mac n' cheese and more all from some amazing food trucks at The...

Free
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Porsche and Packards

July 13 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Porsche and Packards

Two great collector car icons meet! America's Packard Museum, for the very first time, is hosting Porsche and Packards sponsored...

Free
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Pencils and Prompts: Drawing Basics

July 13 @ 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Pencils and Prompts: Drawing Basics

Pencil and Prompts: Drawing Basics Sharpen up your sketching skills with a local artist providing you insights and inspirations into...

$30
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Tomato Workshop

July 13 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Tomato Workshop

Watering, pruning, staking, pinching and fertilizing are all part of getting the perfect tomato crop. We'll discuss these and more...

$20
+ 7 More
View Calendar

Join the Dayton937 Newsletter!

Trust us with your email address and we'll send you our most important updates!
Email:  
For Email Marketing you can trust
Back to Top

Copyright © 2025 Dayton Most Metro · Terms & Conditions · Log in