Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More
For one month each year Coco’s Bistro, located downtown at 250 Warren Street, serves up a Sunday brunch to support Stivers School for the Arts. This nine year tradition features a different group of student artists performing while you enjoy a scrumptious meal and fifteen dollars from each $30 brunch served goes directly to the school.
The Henri Rousseau painting, “The Sleeping Gypsy” was the inspiration for this years promotion as wll as 14-ft-high by 21-ft-wide rendition that was painted live on stage by Stivers visual artists at the 2016 Stivers Celebrates, the school’s annual holiday performance.
Past brunch menus have included fillet and eggs benedict with a house demi-glace, Huevos Rancheros, and a Mexican-inspired dish of tortillas with eggs and green chili sauce a vegetarian frittata, French toast, Italian grilled cheese, Coco’s famous burger, bourbon shrimp salad and a winter spinach salad. Look for a similar menu this year.
Brunch runs from 10am – 1:30pm and reservations are suggested. You can call (937) 228-2626 for more information or to reserve your table. The entertainment for each week is:
Feb 5 The Stivers Jazz Group
Feb 12 The Stivers Strings
Feb 19 The Stovers Chamber Choir
Feb 26 The Stivers Concert Pianists
In partnership with Discover Classical 88.1 & 89.9 FM and Stivers School for the Arts, the “It’s Instrumental” program of the Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association is collecting new or used orchestra and band instruments. Donated instruments will be repaired or reconditioned, and then loaned to deserving students at Stivers School for the Arts and the Q the Music program at Ruskin Elementary school. Your gift will give these children the opportunity to shine musically and improve academically.
If you do not have a used instrument to contribute, please make a monetary donation. All monetary and instrument donations are tax deductible.
For instrument donations, please drop off your instruments July 25-August 15 at the radio station:
Discover Classical 88.1 & 89.9
126 N. Main Street, Ste.110
Dayton, OH 45402
-OR-
at any Dayton area Grismer Auto Service Center.
For monetary donations, please make your check payable to DPVA and note “It’s Instrumental” in the memo line, and mail to:
Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association
PO Box 525
Dayton, OH 45409
For additional information on ways to donate instruments, reach out to J Stanton at js@bostonstoker.com or Pete Gratto at tpgratto@msn.com.
This will be the eighth year that Coco’s Restaurant will open on Sundays in February to serve brunch to benefit Stivers School for the Arts. Each week a different group of student artists perform while you enjoy a scrumptious meal and fifteen dollars from each plate served goes directly to the school.
The musical students aren’t the only ones involved. On display at the restaurant is an oversized painting of the Fernand Leger painting, “Les Tris Musiciens” which was created by Stivers student on stage this past December.
Past brunch menus have included fillet and eggs benedict with a house demi-glace, Huevos Rancheros, and a Mexican-inspired dish of tortillas with eggs and green chili sauce a vegetarian frittata, French toast, Italian grilled cheese, Coco’s famous burger, bourbon shrimp salad and a winter spinach salad. Look for a similar menu this year.
Reserve your Sunday in February:
Feb 7 The Stivers Strings
Feb 14 The Stivers Singers
Feb 21 The Stivers Jazz Group
Feb 28 The Stivers Concert Pianists
Reservations from 10 am to 1:30 pm.
Tickets are $30 per guest. Call 937.228.Coco (2626) to make your reservations (brunches will sell out- reserve early). Make your reservations today! Coco’s is located at 250 Warren St in downtown Dayton.
The 1914 auditorium at Stivers School for the Arts is being rechristened The Jack W. & Sally D. Eichelberger Hall. Come celebrate with this brand new, grand old girl. This beautifully restored late-Victorian theatre has been equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Come and enjoy this splendid performance space.
Saturday, October 3
6:00- 7:30pm
The Liederkranz-Turner Hall
1400 East Fifth Street
Dayton, OH 45402
Pre-performance reception offering beer, wine and heavy hors d’oeuvres
(parking at Liederkranz-Turner)
The Jack D. and Sally W. Eichelberger Hall
at Stivers School for the Arts
1313 East Fifth Street
Across from Leiderkranz-Turner Hall. A short walk from reception to performance. Featuring performances by local arts groups with students from Stivers School for the Arts.
TicketsPatron Tickets: $100 – Includes reception and performance
Performance-Only Tickets: $40, $30, $20, and $10
Discount Tickets – Please note that these tickets have a partially obstructed view.
Please identify the seat number(s) using the graphic to the left. Then use the ticket sales below to actually purchase the seat(s) here.
Executive Producer: Marion’s Piazza
Director: Morris Home Furnishings
Patrons:
Coolidge Wall Co., L.P.A.
University of Dayton
Houser Asphalt and Concrete
Square One Salon & Day Spa
Coco’s Bistro
Oberwerks
For seven years Coco’s Restaurant has opened in February to serve brunch to benefit Stivers School for the Arts. Each week a different group of student artists perform while you enjoy a scrumptious meal and fifteen dollars from each plate served goes directly to the school. The musical students aren’t the only ones involved. Enjoy an oversized painting of Blue Dancers” by Edgar Degas, which was re-created by 19 Stivers art students during the school’s annual Winter Showcase. The 17-foot-by-17-foot large-scale work will be displayed at the restaurant during February.
The brunch menu will include fillet and eggs benedict with a house demi-glace, Huevos Rancheros, and a Mexican-inspired dish of tortillas with eggs and green chili sauce. Or select a vegetarian frittata, French toast, Italian grilled cheese, Coco’s famous burger, bourbon shrimp salad or a winter spinach salad.
Reserve your Sunday in February:
Feb 1 The Stivers Strings
Feb 8 The Stivers Singers
Feb 15 The Stivers Concert Pianists
Feb 22 The Stivers Jazz Quintet
Reservations from 10 am to 1:30 pm.
Tickets are $30 per guest ($15 is a tax-deductible donation). Call 937.228.Coco (2626) to make your reservation by Jan 26th.
It takes a village to support arts education. Make your reservations today! Coco’s is located at 250 Warren St in downtown Dayton.
Hello Everyone,
It’s now time to bid adieu to our 3rd highest grossing film ever – THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Many thanks to all of you who helped make this film such a success. Thursday will be its last day at THE NEON. In addition, Thursday will be the last day for UNDER THE SKIN. Hurry down if you still need to see these films. (Showtimes for this week can still be found on our website at www.neonmovies.com )
Last weekend didn’t go as well as we had hoped for THE RAILWAY MAN. Though mediocre reviews may have kept some folks away, many of our regulars agreed that the film is actually quite powerful…and the performances from Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman are worth the price of admission. We will hold the film for another week. In addition, we will open the film GOD’S POCKET – one of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s final films.
Synopsis for GOD’S POCKET: Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro, Christina Hendricks and Richard Jenkins star in the directorial debut from John Slattery (known for his work on MAD MEN). “In the gritty, blue-collar neighborhood of God’s Pocket, Mickey Scarpato’s crazy stepson, Leon, is killed in a construction ‘accident,’ and Mickey quickly tries to bury the bad news with the body. But when a local columnist comes sniffing around for the truth, things go from bad to worse. Mickey finds himself stuck in a life-and-death struggle compounded by a body he can’t bury, a wife he can’t please, and a debt he can’t pay. Acclaimed actor John Slattery makes an impressive jump behind the camera with an assured directorial debut that shows he has a razor-sharp eye for conveying the absurdity, cruelty, desperation, and tragic optimism of the people he portrays.” (taken from IFC Films)
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMTdOwyrWzo’]
The 2014 Dayton Jewish Film Festival is already winding down. Only 2 films are left. Click this LINK to visit the festival’s official site…details for buying advanced tickets can be found there. Here is a list of remaining films that are screening at THE NEON:
Thursday, May 15 at 7:15 – WHITE PANTHER
Sunday, May 18 at 7:15 – THE THIRD HALF
Program guides are currently available in our lobby!
Don’t forget about tomorrow evening’s special presentation in celebration of National Architecture Week. The American Institute of Architects Dayton will present 2 special films on Wednesday, May 14 at 7:30. PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES (45 Minutes) celebrates the mid-century modern homes designed by Joseph Eichler in California between 1949 and 1974 and MONUMENT TO A DREAM (30 Minutes) traces the adventure of the St. Louis Arch’s evolution, from early concepts on the drawing boards to the fabrication of its stainless steel sections, and the triumphant placement, in a race against the sun, of its final section in the fall of 1965. Tickets, just $5 each, are now available at THE NEON’s box office.
“Stivers School for the Arts presents THE SHOWCASE 2014. This eclectic compilation of short films includes absurdly comedic work as well as hard hitting documentaries. Some of these films have already won national and regional awards. Following the show will be a Q & A with the student filmmakers. All proceeds go toward updating equipment in the Stivers video and animation studio. Tickets are $5.00 during the pre-sale and will be $7.00 the night of the screening. This presentation will screen on Tuesday, May 20 at 7:30. Tickets are available at THE NEON box office and Stivers School of the Arts.” (taken from press notes)
The Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus is celebrating the life and legacy of gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk with a 2 1/2 week celebration. Over that time, the chorus will screen THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK at THE NEON as well as premiere a new work – I AM HARVEY MILK – at The Victoria Theatre. They will additionally host a brunch at Wheat Penny. More information on all these events (including ticketing details) can be found on the DGMC official site. If you’re only able to see the film (which includes the screening at THE NEON, a post-screening discussion with community leaders, and a reception at Serendipity Bistro), those tickets can be purchased at THE NEON’s box office for $15 each. This documentary from 1984 played a big part in the creation of the screenplay for the MILK biopic from 2008. It screens Thursday, May 22 at 7:15.
“On a fall afternoon in 1976, young Annie Parker (Samantha Morton) loses everything a person can lose, including her family. Through the years, Annie continues her fight, even after she is diagnosed with breast cancer herself. Meanwhile, far away, brilliant research scientist Mary-Claire King (Helen Hunt), contrary to the advice of her colleagues, is embarking on a journey that will touch millions of lives – one of the most important scientific discoveries of the twentieth century: the BRCA1 gene. This film premier of DECODING ANNIE PARKER, taking place Thursday June 12 at 7:30pm at THE NEON, is hosted by Cancer Support Community Western Ohio. Tickets cost $35 and include admission, concessions, a red carpet with photographers, complimentary wine and cheese, a Q&A with a panel of local experts, and a tax-deductible charitable donation to CSCWO. Tickets can be obtained by calling CSCWO at 937-223-4117 or visiting cancersupportwesternohio.org or visiting dineoutdayton.com.”
Many thanks for your continued interest in THE NEON.
We hope to see you soon!
All the best,
Jonathan
SHOWTIMES for Friday, May 16 – Thursday, May 22:
GOD’S POCKET (R) 1 Hr 28 Min
Friday, Saturday: 1:00, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday: 1:00, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
THE RAILWAY MAN (R) 1 Hr 56 Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:15, 2:40, 5:00, 7:30, 9:50
Sunday: 12:15, 2:40, 5:00
Monday: 2:40, 5:00, 7:30
Tuesday: 2:40, 5:00
Wednesday: 2:40, 5:00, 7:30
Thursday: 2:40, 5:00
DAYTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
THE THIRD HALF (NR) 1 Hr 55 Min – Sunday at 7:15
STIVERS: THE SHOWCASE 2014 (NR)
Tuesday: 7:30
THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK (NR) 1 Hr 28 Min
Thursday: 7:15
COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear.)
May 23 – BELLE
May 30 – ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE
May 30 – JODOROWSKI’S DUNE
June 13 – FOR NO GOOD REASON
TBD – DOM HEMINGWAY
Cityfolk is proud to present the Dervish, the internationally heralded Irish music ensemble, in concert on Friday, March 22 at Stivers School for the Arts. The concert start at 8:00 pm and is reserved seating. Tickets are $25 and be ordered at www.cityfolk.org or be calling the Cityfolk box office at 937-496-3863.
Dervish has won considerable acclaim for its rare skill in “bringing music from the session to the stage,” in the words of co-founding band member Brian McDonagh. Fronted by the charismatic singer Cathy Jordan, the Irish septet is perhaps the only traditional Irish music group in the world to have inspired “tribute bands,” which are found in many countries, but especially so in Russia and Israel.
Inspired by such legendary County Sligo musicians as Michael Coleman and James Morrison (who recorded in the U.S. in the 1920s), Dervish has “truly absorbed the techniques and, more importantly, the soul that has driven Irish traditional musicians through the years and come out of it with all the freshness, verve and timeless appeal associated with the great Irish bands of the 1970s and early 1980s…They carry Irish history with them” (Irish Voice).
The roots of Dervish stretch back to 1989, when five Irish musicians who played together at weekly pub sessions—including Liam Kelly (flute, whistles), Shane Mitchell (accordion), Michael Holmes (bouzouki, mandolin) and Brian McDonagh (mandola, guitar)—recorded an album of traditional music from County Sligo as the Boys from Sligo.
Initially, there were no plans beyond making the album, but that went so well the quintet decided to become a real band—a working band—known as Dervish. Two years later, the band assumed its present format with the addition of singer Cathy Jordan from County Roscommon and All-Ireland Fiddle Champion Shane McAleer. Amazingly, this hard-working band has had only one significant personnel change in the ensuing 22 years, fiddler Tom Morrow (from County Leitrim and another All-Ireland Fiddle Champion) joining the ranks in 1998.
Dervish made its recording debut in 1993 with Harmony Hill and has made a total of 11 albums, all released on the band’s own Whirling Disc label.
“Irish music is one of the oldest forms of music, yet it is influenced an awful lot by other things,” explains Cathy Jordan. “It evolves and evolves. Our sound is very recognizable because of the bouzouki and mandola. And though we have a modern style within the Irish context, you might not say it’s really modern, because it blends in so well. But in actual fact there are a lot of modern influences in there.
“We experiment without straying too far from the roots. We give people something familiar, yet it’s in the genre of traditional music. It’s all the instrumentation of Irish music. But it plays with people’s perceptions a bit.”
Scott Gasaway is the new Band Director at Stivers School for the Arts – though he’s not new to jazz, or to the Dayton area. Born on November 9, 1987, in San Diego, California, Scott’s family moved to Dayton when he was just six years old. Scott credits his mom, Lourdes, with providing him — and his two brothers, Nicholas and Matthew with supporting their education in the arts, an opportunity she did not have as a child.
Scott came up through the Centerville High School band program, which is where, under the guidance of many highly influential teachers, he discovered his passion for music and decided that music was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Upon his graduation, Scott went on to pursue music education and saxophone at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts where he studied under saxophonist Dino Govoni and saxophonist and clarinetist Shannon LeClaire and performed with vibraphonist and composer Victor Mendoza and bassist Oscar Stagnaro.
Upon graduation from Berklee, Scott accepted a position as the high school music director with Hull Public Schools, in the Town of Hull, Massachusetts, where he was put in charge of starting the band program — teaching band, piano and music technology. It was while he was back home in Dayton to visit his family last summer, that Scott received a call from Stivers Jazz Orchestra Director Emeritus Claude Thomas.
Scott had met Thomas when Thomas was a faculty member of the Miami Valley Jazz Summer Camp and Scott was still an aspiring jazz musician. Thomas was calling to say that he had retired from Stivers to focus on composing full-time and that he wanted to recommend Scott for his position. The rest, as they say, is history.
Scott is now responsible for the operation of the band at Stivers School for the Arts, where he teaches music theory, directs the middle-school concert band, the high-school symphonic wind orchestra and the jazz orchestra. “It keeps me on my toes — and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” he says, with great pride and excitement.
Scott will make his debut with the Stivers musicians in their March 18 concert entitled “On the Shoulders of Giants” — a salute to the celebrated Stivers student musicians who captured national honors at three separate Berklee High School Jazz Festivals in Boston and who were invitees and performers at Lincoln Center during the New York City Jazz Festival last year.
The March 18 concert is also a celebration of the release of the new CD “From Boston to New York.” The Stivers musicians will be joined by international jazz artist Greg Abate, who played lead alto sax with the Ray Charles Orchestra and who has recorded with jazz legends Rufus Reid and Kenny Washington. The evening’s program will include works from Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Buddy Rich and more.
Click here for all of the concert details.
Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:
Today Wednesday, March 13 – Brian Cashwell Trio is at Wright State’s Student Union Hearth Lounge in Fairborn, OH and you can Swing Dance with Lizz & Rex Review at the Dayton Event Connection.
Thursday March 14 – The Dayton Art Institute kicks off with The Shin Sings Orchestra to open it’s 2013 its Vectren Jazz and Beyond series and Gilly’s presents a Funk In My Backyard benefit.
Friday March 15 – the Chicago Fire Comes to Dayton with Brad Goode & Bill Burns at Jazz Central, trumpeter Al Hood plays with the Sinclair Jazz Ensemble and the Classic Jazz Stompers are at Jay’s Seafood all in Dayton.
Saturday March 16 – A St. Patty’s Day Blues Jam with Kevin Dumont and Mississippi Red is at Jazz Central In Dayton.
Sunday March 17 – the Jam Session w/ Kenny Baccus continues at Dayton’s Jazz Central.
Monday March 18 – Stivers School for the Arts presents “On the Shoulders of Giants” with their new director and special guest Greg Abate.
Tuesday March 19 – the JD Allen Band is at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati and the Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus.
Wednesday March 20 – the eleven piece Different Hats Band at the Dayton Event Connection.
Thursday March 21 – the Generations Big Band plays Jazz Central in Dayton and the Rick Brunetto Big Band is at The 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant in Columbus.
Friday March 22 – Shawn Stanley Trio is at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville and Stanley Jordan is Nighttown in Cleveland Heights.
Saturday March 23 – C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood presents James & Moore and the Randy Fankell Jazz Trio will be at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dayton.
Sunday March 24 – Petra’s Recession Seven Band is at the Gallagher Student Center Theater, of Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Monday March 25 – John Taylor Trio is at the Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek.
Tuesday March 26 – Ed Moss & the Society Jazz Orchestra are at the Schwartz Point Jazz Club and Jazz Cab is at The Greenwich both in Cincinnati.
More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com
“The Goldfish” – Stivers Visual Art Students
Here is a great way to enjoy a delicious lunch at Coco’s Bistro that will also help Stivers School for the Arts – come to one of the “Savor Your Sunday” events on any Sunday in February and for $30 you will not only feast on some delectable food but you’ll also enjoy entertainment by Stivers student musicians! Plus, an 18 foot high rendition of the original masterpiece “The Goldfish” by Henri Matisse that was recently painted live in under nine minutes by 22 Stivers visual artists will be on display (pictured).
Stivers School for the Arts is a public arts magnet school in the St. Anne’s neighborhood of the City of Dayton that has been nationally recognized as one of the country’s top high schools. Built in 1908, Stivers went through several changes, mergers and moves before opening back up in its current 7th-12th grade format in 2008. Students must audition in order to attend and the arts are an integral part of the overall learning experience, with focuses on Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Orchestra, Band, Dance, Theatre, Choral Music and Piano. The Stivers Jazz Band won the national championships at the Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival in 2004, 2008 and 2011.
It takes significant resources to keep the high-quality programs continuing at Stivers, and as with the rest of the Dayton Public Schools (and many suburban school districts), securing funds continues to be a challenge. The seedling Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission it is to support arts and academic programs at Stivers through various fund-raising efforts such as Savor Your Sundays, and it continues to work on ways to raise money AND tell the story of Stivers to the local community and the entire world.
I have the privilege of serving on the Stivers Community Advisory Board and hope to be able to share more amazing stories that come out of this school here on Dayton Most Metro. Until then, I hope that some of you will enjoy a fabulous Sunday lunch at Coco’s this month and help support the many arts programs that have already helped many talented students at Stivers to reach their goals and dreams.
Open seating is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday in February but seating sells out quickly! Call 937.228.Coco (2626) to make your reservation today! Those who reserve by January 24 will be entered into a drawing for dinner for four at Coco’s
Bistro. $15 of the cost is a tax-deductible donation that goes to Stivers.
February 3: Stivers Strings
February 10: Stivers Singers
February 17: Stivers Jazz Quartet
February 24: Stivers Concert Pianists
For the third year in a row Coco’s Bistro will open in February for Sunday Brunch to benefit Stivers School for the Arts. This unique fundraising event is food for the spirit – and stomach!
A different group from Stivers will perform each Sunday:
Feb. 6: Jazz Trio
Feb. 13: String Ensemble
Feb. 20: Chamber Choir
Feb. 27: Concert Pianists
Each Sunday will feature two seatings the first at 10 am to 11:30 a.m. and the second begins at noon t0 1:30pm. Brunch runs $30 per person; $15 of this is a tax-deductible donation to the seedling Foundation, which supports the arts at Stivers. Gift certificates also are available.
All funds raised during the Sunday brunches will support arts instruction at the school.
Advanced reservations are required; seating is limited. Call 228-COCO (2626), or reserve online.
Coco’s is located at 515 Wayne Ave just south of Fifth Street in the Oregon District.
Performing artists from Dayton and beyond will head up a tap dance performance and workshop on Saturday, Nov. 20, at Stivers School for the Arts, 1313 E. Fifth St. The event will begin with workshops starting at 9 a.m. and culminate in a 7:30 p.m. performance. Guests can attend all or part of the event.
The Dayton Tap Project will be presented by two local organizations: Sole Purpose — a nonprofit tap company founded by Dayton’s own Kandee Thacker-Mann, who’s performed in Savion Glover’s Footnotes, won Showtime at the Apollo and volunteers to teach tap at Ruskin Elementary — and The Tap Factor — a new local professional company founded by Chris Erk that offers dance lessons and community outreach. The Dayton Tap Project will provide instruction to Dayton’s public school students and community members. The project is made possible with a grant provided by Montgomery County Arts and Culture District and cooperation with East End Community Service.
“The Dayton Tap Project is an effort to present tap dance to the community and help preserve its place as an American art form,” Erk said.
The fee for the workshops is as follows: one class is $25, two classes $40 and three classes is $50. The cost is $10 per class for Dayton Public Schools students. General admission for the evening performance is $10. For tickets, call the Dayton Playhouse 937-424-8477 or go to www.daytonplayhouse.com.
“Before the show there will be master classes held at Stivers School for the Arts,” said Thacker-Mann. “Our guest performers will teach classes to students with The Dayton Tap Project, as well as others from the Dayton area and beyond.”
Performances and workshops will be given by professional dancers, including:
Also included in the performances for the show will be an array of student performers from the East Dayton Community Center, Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, the University of Dayton and Stivers, as well as from other local public schools and colleges. Poetic and video installations also will be on display. Music will be provided by Premium Blend and others.
“This is going to be an exciting day of classes and a delightful evening of tap dancing,” Erk said. “Dayton, being a city that appreciates tap dance, will warmly welcome our new local performers and guests to town and appreciate the breadth in which so many members of our community can participate. This is just the beginning of more to come as tap dancing stays alive and thrives in Dayton.”
Quynn Johnson from studio3wd.net on Vimeo.
