Schuster Performing Arts Center

Jane’s Best Bets (11/3 – 11/7)

November 3, 2010 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Election season is over! No matter your political stance and your state of happiness/unhappiness following the elections, at least celebrate the fact that you won’t have to deal with any more campaign commercials, fliers, or annoying phone calls! In order to start the celebration, here are some options this week!

On Wednesday, support the Humane Society by attending Pet Afflaire 2010: 20th Anniversary at the Presidential Banquet Center, which will include dining, socializing, “barktinis”, and an auction. Or sip a variety of wines at Dorothy Lane Market’s Wine Tasting (Centerville location) or at the The Wine Gallery’s Weekly Wine Tasting. Even though you might be bummed that fall is here, spring is in the air at the Victoria Theatre! Be sure to attend their presentation of the Tony Award winning musical, Spring Awakening. Plus, if you’re a student and you bring your student ID to the Ticket Center Stage Box Office, you can get half-off tickets two hours before the show!

On Thursday, all you Buckeye fans will want to head to the Schuster Center to see Archie Griffin as part of the Junior League of Dayton Town Hall Lecture Series. At the Dayton Art Institute, attend the last DAI 2010 Vectren Just Jazz Series, featuring Khalid Moss. If you enjoy baking and want to perfect your cookie decorating skills, consider heading to Cooks’ Wares in Springboro for their Holiday Cookie Decorating. If you need a taste tester or have any “goof-ups,” let me know…I’d be happy to help! At the First Baptist Church of Dayton, attend the Local Foods Chili Dinner, where UD students from the Nutrition & Dietetics Department will prepare a meal in order to promote local foods. In addition, all donations received will benefit the Foodbank. And if you love musicals, attend ETC’s Big Fat Concert Series: Indulge Yourself at Sidebar in the Oregon District for cocktails and a FREE concert!

On Friday, “accord”ing to me, you should consider attending the Commemorative Banquet as part of the Dayton Peace “Accords” 15th Anniversary Event at the Hope Hotel and Conference Center. In the evening, get your bike from out of the garage (and in my case, dust it off and put air in your tires), and participate in the Courteous Mass Ride. While you’re downtown, check out many of the events going on there as part of First Friday. Even though I’m typically on the side of the good guys, this weekend I’ll recommend the Bad Boys & Beer at the Belly Bomb Cafe Event at Taj Ma Garaj for fine food, samples of craft beer, and live music! Plus, proceeds benefit the Epilepsy Foundation and Dayton History. Or, if you want to catch a show/concert, some of your options include ‘Chopin’s Circle’at the Schuster Center, Irving Berlin’s White Christmasat La Comedia, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs at Town Hall Theatre, The 39 Steps at The Loft Theatre, The Sugar Witch at the Dayton Theatre Guild. Also, if you are a theater lover, be sure to check out the onStageDayton section of DaytonMostMetro.com for more detailed info about the Dayton theater scene!

On Saturday, attend the We Care Arts Holiday Open House. If you love Thomas, The Dayton Train Show at Hara Arena is where it’s at. (Sorry English teachers – prepositions are what my sentences sometimes end in.) If you can’t get enough of the King and the Rocket Man, come to the Mandalay Banquet Center for Rock the House – Elvis & Elton. In addition to music, there will be a dinner, raffle, silent auction, and much more. The Kettering Medical Center will thank you, thank you very much, as the proceeds will benefit oncology services there. There will also be some theater options, including The Sugar Witch at the Dayton Theatre Guild, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs at Town Hall Theatre, The 39 Steps at The Loft Theatre, and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at La Comedia. If you enjoy classical music, attend ‘Chopin’s Circle’ at the Schuster Center. Also at the Schuster Center, consider attending Justin and Ryan: A Night of Improv…I think just about anything with improv in its name is going to be funny! Are you among the Flyer Faithful? If so, hopefully you will be checking out Brian Gregory’s team as the Flyers play Findlay in an exhibition game at UD Arena. Gotta love UD basketball! And finallly on Saturday, if you want to get a head start on your Christmas shopping (after all, Christmas is less than two months away!), head down to the Dayton Visual Arts Center for the ARTtoBUY Holiday Gift Gallery for some unique options!

The 39 Steps at The Human Race Theatre Company

On Sunday, after you enjoy an extra hour of sleep (or perhaps you used your extra hour partying on Saturday!), all active duty, reserve, guard, retired military personnel and their families should head to Young’s Jersey Dairy, where they are offering a 20% off discount as part of their Support the Troops 20% Off Weekend (just show them your military ID). Also, The Dayton Train Show will continue on at Hara Arena. Sundays are also great days to visit museums, so you may want to take a trip to the Dayton Art Institute for one of their many exhibits, including 100 Years of African-American Art: The Arthur Primas Collection, Marking the Past/Shaping the Present: The Art of Willis ‘Bing’ Davis, and the Max May Memorial Holocaust Art Exhibition. If you’d like to catch more theater, here are your possibilities: The Sugar Witch at the Dayton Theatre Guild, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs at Town Hall Theatre, The 39 Steps at The Loft Theatre, and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at La Comedia.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

Why shouldn’t you tell secrets when a clock is around?

Because time will tell.

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

Jane’s Best Bets (10/27 – 10/31)

October 27, 2010 By Dayton937 14 Comments

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

FREE TICKET PROMOTION BELOW…

This past weekend, hopefully you were able to catch some theater, see some fun Halloween costumes down at Boo in the ‘Burg, or watch the Browns’ victory over the Saints! In my first, and might I note, top city, I was fortunate to see the amazing improv comedy group Second City at Victoria Theatre. Big surprise that I would like comedy! Well, enough about me…it’s time to get ready for another busy week Dayton, full of Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber (I still don’t know who that it is), and vampire wannabes!

On Wednesday, participate in the District Dine Around and Haunted Walking Tour, which will be a progressive dinner at some haunted spots in the Oregon District. At Brixx Ice Company, join others who are interested in sustainability, the environment, and green living for an event called October Green Drinks. There are also a few theater options on Wednesday, including The 39 Steps at the Loft Theatre and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at La Comedia.

On Thursday, if you work downtown and don’t have a hot lunch date, check out the Noonday Organ Recitals – Jerry Taylor at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Thinking about starting your own business? You’ll want to attend Generation Dayton’s Event, ‘When Reality Bites’ at The Entrepreneurs Center. In the evening, get more than just a taste of wine at the Unique Varietals Wine Tasting at A Taste of Wine in Miamisburg. Or, check out Casanova and Eve of Frankenstein at Victoria Theatre to get into the Halloween spirit!

On Friday, all you downtown workers will want to head to Court House Square during your lunch hour for the TEAM VOID Halloween Party On Court House Square, which will involve some rockin’ live music and Go-Go-dancing! Not sure where you’ll be “go”ing, but by the sound of it, it looks like you’ll be going there twice. If you are not completely freaked out by horror films like me and actually enjoy chainsaws and massacres, go to Englewood Cinema for Horrorama 2010. Any Seinfeld fans out there? If so, you’ll want to join the “Soup Nazi” in sampling some “souper” soups from a dozen local fine restaurants at the Soup Off to benefit A Doctor’s Heart Inc. Also on Friday, you will have the chance to see many people in costume, but not just because of Halloween, as again this week, there are numerous theater type options. These include The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs at Town Hall Theatre, Casanova and Eve of Frankenstein at Victoria Theatre, Porgy and Bess at the Schuster Center, The 39 Steps at the Loft Theatre, and The Sugar Witch at the Dayton Theatre Guild. If theater doesn’t strike your fancy, consider attending the Matching Fund for Catholic Education featuring The Farewell Fisher Band, made up of some very talented guys from my high school, or the Make A Difference Tour 2010 at the Nutter Center.

"I'm so not diggin' this."

On Saturday, if you’re a man, bring your best friend to the Bark For Life of Centerville event at Oak Grove Community Park to help raise money for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Don’t worry…if you’re not a man, it’s Halloween-time so you can just dress up as one. If you’re looking to continue the day with your pooch, definitely check out the Howl-o-Ween Dog Pawty at Scout Burnell Garbecht Dog Park in Xenia for an afternoon filled with fun activities! Don’t forget to put your dog in costume if he/she will tolerate it! For all you folks who want to return to the days of grade school P.E. class, register a team for The 2nd Annual Frickin Dodgeball Tournament at the Nutter Center. If you have kids that are between the ages of 3 and 12, take them to the Schuster Center for the ‘PhilharMonster Halloween Concert’. In addition to music, there will be costume contests, face painting, and an “instrument petting zoo.” On Saturday, there will still be a plethora of theater opportunities (I hope I used that word correctly!), including Casanova and Eve of Frankenstein at Victoria Theatre, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs at the Town Hall Theatre, The Sugar Witch at the Dayton Theatre Guild, The 39 Steps at the Loft Theatre, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at La Comedia.

A Couple of Pumpkins

There are also many more Halloween-related activities on Saturday, so if you don’t get out to experience at least one of them, boo to you! That is, unless you have a darn good excuse! If you are looking for a wild and crazy evening with some great people watching and ultra-creative costumes, Hauntfest on Fifth is the place to be. I feel everyone should experience it at least once (if not more than that!), so if you have never been, here is your chance! If you’re feeling guilty about eating all those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, put on your disguise and participate in the Run For Your Life 5k Run at Community Golf Center in Kettering. For those of you that prefer a more classy evening, Carvers will be hosting their First Annual Costume Party. (I wonder if they got their name from carving pumpkins.) There will also be a Fall Harvest: Family Halloween Fun event sponsored by the City of Dayton’s Department of Recreation and Youth Services, featuring many fun and safe activities for the kids. Plus, it’s FREE! And if you’re in Waynesville and don’t feel like making the trip to Dayton, check out the Halloween Masquerade Ball at The Wombat Art Works.

On Halloween (Sunday), after sleeping in, consider making it a relaxing day by checking out one of the many shows you didn’t have the opportunity to attend: The 39 Steps at The Loft Theatre, Casanova and Eve of Frankenstein at Victoria Theatre, Porgy and Bess at the Schuster Center, The Sugar Witch at the Dayton Theatre Guild, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs at Town Hall Theatre, or Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at La Comedia.

WHO WANTS FREE TICKETS TO SEE SPRING AWAKENING AT THE VICTORIA THEATRE?

We’re giving away a pair of free tickets to see Spring Awakening – the Tony Award-winning musical playing at the Victoria Theatre next Tuesday & Wednesday (11/2-11/3)! If you want to go see this excellent production, just give me a shout-out below in the comments and we’ll draw a winner this Sunday. This is a great opportunity to check out Dayton’s theater scene if you’ve never done so – it really is amazing!

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

Why couldn’t Dracula’s wife get to sleep?
Because of his coffin.

Have a spook-tacular week Dayton!

This Week in Dayton Theatre

September 22, 2010 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

August: Osage County / photo credit: Scott Kimmel

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010 – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2010

From the regional premiere of an already-legendary work to an all-childrens’ play, the events of this week, and their diversity and quality, make it clear why the Dayton metro region has such a thriving theatre scene. Three of the shows mentioned this week also appeared in Shane and David’s Top Season Picks article a couple of weeks ago, so seeing one or two or all of them is definitely worth your time! Here’s what’s happening this week…

Another Openin’, Another Show

…SHOWS OPENING THIS WEEK

August: Osage County

HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY AND WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY

September 23 – October 10
By Tracy Letts

Three generations of the Weston family of Oklahoma reunite after the disappearance of the family patriarch one hot summer night, where long-held secrets are unflinchingly and uproariously revealed in a portrait of the dysfunctional American family at its finest – and absolute worst (para. from Samuel French). A mixture of fierce humor and powerful drama, August: Osage County has won five Tonys and a Pulitzer, is Time Magazine’s “Play of the Decade,” and is premiering this week here in Dayton as a professional and collegiate collaboration.

I’ll be publishing a feature article later this week with a lot more details about the show and the collaboration, so be watching for that. In the meantime, get your tickets soon! Curtain times vary, and a performance calendar is available at http://humanracetheatre.org/1011aoc.shtml . Tickets are available through the WSU Box Office at (937) 775-2500. Also, the Inside Track talkback with the directors will be before the September 23 preview performance, and the While We’re on the Subject discussion is after the October 2 matinee.

…SHOWS STILL UP

Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.

TOWN HALL THEATRE – All Children’s Theatre

September 17 – October 3, 2010

There’s still time to see Town Hall’s production of Alice in Wonderland, Jr., featuring performers in grades 2 through 12! Read a more detailed synopsis and see pictures from previous shows in last week ’s post.

To recap: the show runs 70 minutes and is recommended for children ages 2 and up. Performances will be held on Fridays at 7 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 pm; additional matinee performances are scheduled on Thursday, September 23 and 30 at 4:30 pm. Reserve tickets online at http://www.townhalltheatre.org or call 937-433-8957.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

LA COMEDIA DINNER THEATRE

Book by Jeffrey Lane; Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek; based on the film by Frank Oz
September 8 – October 31, 2010

Read last week’s column here for a synopsis and full description of this show! But, here’s basic ticket information: Arrival times for Wednesday to Sunday evening performances are 5:30 – 6:00 pm; Wednesday and Thursday matinees and Sunday brunch, 10:30 – 11:00 am. For more information or tickets, call 1-800-677-9505 or (937) 746-4554 or visit http://www.lacomedia.com. Also check out the DMM event page here.

…SHOWS TO CATCH BEFORE THEY CLOSE

The Spitfire Grill

BEAVERCREEK COMMUNITY THEATRE

Music & Book by James Valcq; Lyrics & Book by Frank Alley; based on the film by Lee David Zlotoff
September 17 – September 26

Last week for its opening, I described this show and included a couple of pictures. So, I won’t go into all of the details here again, but check out the original article here.

Just a reminder, performances of The Spitfire Grill are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm, at Beavercreek Community Theatre in the Lofino Center (3868 Dayton-Xenia Rd, Beavercreek). Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students, seniors, and BCT members. For more information or to reserve tickets, call (937) 429-4737, email [email protected], or visit http://www.bctheatre.org. This is the final weekend, so catch it if you haven’t yet.

One Short Day

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

The 7th Annual ArtBeat Festival of the Arts

UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON

Friday, September 24: 4-7 p.m.

“The University of Dayton’s ArtStreet hosts ArtBeat, the annual visual and performing arts festival featuring performances by University of Dayton Community Artists-in-Residence, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Jazz Ensemble and other local and student performing groups. The festival will also feature a variety of food, professional and student art vendors and is held at the ArtStreet Amphitheatre. ArtStreet is located at the intersection of Lawnview Avenue and Kiefaber Street on the University of Dayton campus. For more information about ArtStreet, call (937) 229.5101 or visit http://artstreet.udayton.edu.”

Blue Man Group

VICTORIA THEATRE ASSOCIATION – SCHUSTER CENTER

September 28 – October 3, 2010

Some tickets are still available for the Blue Man Group’s touring production, part of their first national tour! From the official description, “Blue Man Group is best known for its widely popular theatrical shows and concerts that combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment in a blissful party atmosphere.”

Ticket prices vary based on seat and multiple showtimes are available, with evening performances Tuesday through Sunday as well as weekend matinees. Visit the official website for information about the group, and The Victoria Theatre Association to learn about and get tickets for the show at the Schuster.

Part of it All

…AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells

TOWN HALL THEATRE – LANDMARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMPANY

Auditions: Saturday, October 2, 2010
Performances: December 3 – 19, 2010

Directed by Brittany Hayden-Hinkle (THT’s education director)

The Story: Everyone’s favorite girl is back and this time it’s personal! The holidays should be that special time of year when everyone spreads peace and goodwill… but not when Junie B. draws her sworn enemy’s name for the secret Santa gift exchange at school. Things get especially ugly when their music teacher announces that the two will perform together in the school’s holiday pageant…

Open auditions for this show will be held on Saturday, October 2nd beginning at 8:45am for those in grades 2 through adult. Those interested in auditioning for the show must register in advance of the audition date online at http://www.townhalltheatre.org or by calling the box office at (937) 433-8957. Actors must prepare (1) one-minute memorized monologue only (no song is necessary). Headshots or photos are required and resumes are encouraged. There will be a registration fee of $130 for participants if cast. The production begins rehearsals October 26th and will be held Mondays through Thursdays from 7-10pm and Saturdays 9-12pm at the theatre.

Schuster Center Celebration Choir

If you’re looking for to get involved in something musical but don’t have the time commitment to audition for a show, the Schuster Center Celebration Choir may be a great opportunity for you! The Choir was convened in 2003 to celebrate the opening of the Schuster Center for the Performing Arts, and its members enjoyed singing together so much that the temporary choir became a permanent group. This intergenerational, multi-ethnic group for adults of all ages mirrors the diversity of the Greater Dayton community and its repertoire encompasses a broad range of styles.

The SCCC is open to all and participation is free. It typically rehearses Tuesdays, although the schedule is flexible. Upcoming performances will be at the Kroc Center, Grande Illumination, and Wintergarden Wonderland at the Schuster Center. For more information, visit The Schuster Center Celebration Choir website, and to join the choir, contact Tina McPhearson at [email protected].

~KN

Katherine Nelson is a senior theatre major at Cedarville University who focuses on performance, playwriting, and stage management. She’s the Literary Intern with locally based Encore Theater Company, where contributors Shane Anderson and David Brush also work. ETC recently moved into the new arts collective space in the Oregon District, along with Zoot Theatre Co. & Rhythm in Shoes. Anderson, Brush & ETC just concluded their summer season of new musicals in downtown Dayton, which featured Johnathan Larson’s RENT, [title of show] & the new musical in development Next Thing You Know.

http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/dmmcalendar2/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=8778

OnStageGuide: 2010/2011

September 7, 2010 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

onStageDayton ...with Shane & Dave

Top 14 Picks for the 2010-11 Local Theater Season

Shane Anderson & David Brush

So there is all this talk about how great the arts are in Dayton. You keep hearing how that for a city of it’s size, Dayton is like numero uno for arts organizations, but you never know quite for sure what show you should attend…something that you know you’ll like and it won’t be a waste of time and money for you. Well, here you go, this is a guide to the local theater season, but we’ve narrowed it down a bit.

Whether your a regular theatre-goer, a novice, or just hate musicals (how could you!), there is something on this list for everyone. So rather than overwhelming you with the more than 85 plays and musicals that will grace area stages this season, Shane and Dave have compiled our most-anticipated Top 14 highlights of the season complete with pop cultural references to help you navigate! But we don’t want you to just take OUR word for it – so we’ve included the website links to the OTHER offerings for each organization for those of you who dare venture away from the path. (PS – We encourage such venturing!)