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Things to do in Dayton

Jane’s Best Bets (10/19 – 10/23)

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At the Ghosts N' Goblins 5K - Can you guess my costume?!?!

Even though Halloween is about two weeks away, the Halloween festivities have officially begun with the Ghosts N’ Goblins 5K downtown on Tuesday night!  There are many more great Halloween themed, as well as non-Halloween themed options for this week!

On Wednesday, if you love a good scare, then be sure to make your way to the Haunted Butcher House.  To be honest, the name of it alone scares me!  In addition to seeing lots of Halloween decorations this time of year, you also see lots of political signs, commercials, etc.  The task of choosing who to vote for or how to vote on certain issues can be daunting.  Get some help by attending the Voters Guide LIVE at Stivers.  History buffs should make plans to attend Soaring at Kitty Hawk, 1911: Buster’s Vacation at The Engineers Club of Dayton.  At the Dayton Convention Center, attend the TechNet-Aero Conference if you work in or are interested in business and defense information technologies (hopefully if you work in it, you are also interested in it!).  And finally, I hope you were lucky enough to get tickets to the sold out Mix 107.7 Concert For A Cure at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, with some great acoustic performances by Safetysuit, Christina Perri, and Andy Grammer.  And if you weren’t, it’s okay.  As Andy Grammer would say, “you gotta keep your head up.”

On Thursday, make your way to the Dayton Racquet Club for their $10 Wine Tasting.  Afterall, what could be better than sipping some great wine and enjoying their amazing views?!?!  Head to Victoria Theatre for the Dayton Ballet’s Sleepy Hollow & Hyding Inside.  And if you would prefer to celebrate in honor of the ballet, then dress in your favorite black and white costume and participate in the Ballet Barre’s 2001 Halloween Pub Crawl, which will take place in the Oregon District.  Or wear your Halloween costume for Boo in the Burg in Downtown Miamisburg.  If you want to do something fun with the kids, then take them to see Disney On Ice – Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey at the Nutter Center.  And if you can’t take them Thursday night, there will be shows all weekend long!

On Friday, get a start on your holiday cooking plans by attending Tasty Party Appetizers at 2nd Street Market.  It is FREE!  Attention all you yoga lovers – make your way to Practice Yoga on Fifth for the screening of the new documentary ‘Yogawoman’ to benefit the YWCA of Dayton.  If you have never been to the opera, now is your time, as the Dayton Opera will be presenting La Bohème at the Schuster Center.  In addition, they are offering “Friday Nite Tweet Seats” for members of area Young Professional Networking Groups and their guests.  These seats are valued at $66 but are being sold at the promotional rate of $15!  So, if you think the arts are too expensive for young professionals, think again!  At Victoria Theatre, you will be able to see the Dayton Ballet’s Sleepy Hollow & Hyding Inside.  There are a couple other shows you can catch on Friday as well, including Lost in Yonkers (Dayton Theatre Guild) and The Crucible (Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater).  And if you prefer to have fun in a less formal environment, then check out my friend’s band Buddha and the Boogie Down as they play at Flanagan’s!

On Saturday, start the day off high on carbs with the Centerville Rotary’s 11th Annual Pancake Breakfast.  Then, make your way to The Salvation Army Kroc Center for their Chili Cook Off.  In the afternoon, take the kids to Victoria Theatre for the Dayton Ballet’s Children’s Halloween Party.  And in the evening, take your date to Victoria Theatre for the Dayton Ballet’s Sleepy Hollow & Hyding Inside.  Head to the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra’s Fall Concert at Shiloh Church.  At Schindler Banquet Center, get a new wardrobe without spending a fortune as part of the 3rd Annual Fashion Swap ‘N Shop.  If you are Irish (or just like Irish music), then purchase tickets to see bohola, featuring dancers from the Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance at Stivers School For the Arts.  Theater options will still include Lost in Yonkers (Dayton Theatre Guild) and The Crucible (Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater).  And finally, support United Rehabilitation Services, a wonderful organization who works to enhance the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities, by attending their 55th Anniversary Gala at Sinclair’s Ponitz Center.

On Sunday, listen to the Duquesne Tamburitzans at the Centerville Performing Arts Center, the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra at Kettering Fairmont, or to the sounds of the Dayton Opera as they perform La Bohème at the Schuster Center.  Watch the Dayton Ballet’s Sleepy Hollow & Hyding Inside at Victoria Theatre or the Dayton Theatre Guild’s performance of Lost in Yonkers.  And finally…if you have been craving chocolate, you are in luck as there will be an All You Can Eat Chocolate Party at the Bellbrook Chocolate Shoppe!

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

Why didn’t the skeleton go to the movies?

Because he had no body to go with.

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 (10/12 – 10/16)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

I hope you have been able to enjoy these nice fall days!  And even if the weather does get bad this week, there are some indoor options along with the outdoor options!

On Wednesday, attend The Fundraiser’s Guide to Social Media at the main branch of the Dayton Metro Library.  This is great (and free!) opportunity, particularly if you serve on a board or work for a non-profit.  And in the evening, you’ll be able to support one of those non-profits, Agape for Youth, by attending the Fostering Changes for Future Generations Gala at the Schuster Center.  At Wright State, listen to Arlene B. Mayerson, a national expert on disability rights law, as part of the Wright State University’s Presidential Lecture Series.  Listen to classical music as the Tiberius String Quartet from Rumania performs at the University of Dayton.  And if you want music you can jam to, then make your way to the Oregon District’s Trolley Stop for the Old Time Acoustic Jam or to Oregon Express to listen to The Doug Hart Band.

On Thursday, bring your kids to the 2nd Street Market for Pizza Making for Kids.  You’ve been making dinner for them for a while, so why not let them learn how to make dinner for you for a change?!?!  If you consider yourself a “techie,” then make your way to Brixx for Tech Town Thursday.  Attention all you vegetarians out there – don’t “wine” because there aren’t any food options for you, as McCormick & Schmick’s is offering a Vegetarian Wine Dinner.  In Centerville, listen to the music of Sean Jones (R&B and Soul) presented by the Miami Valley Community Concert Association.  Join some great young professionals in the area with Generation Dayton’s Thirsty Thursday at The Wine Gallery.  At Oregon Express, catch Theology on Tap.  Or make your way to the Schuster Center to listen to the Dayton Philharmonic’s performance, Romeo, Juliet & Prokofiev.

On Friday, aspiring artists should make their way to Wright State for Draw on the Walls.  If your kids love animals but you don’t want to bring them into your house (the animals that is, not the kids), take them to the Bison Hayride Tour at Heaven’s Corner Zoo.  Halloween is right around the corner, so make your way to the Spaghetti Warehouse for their Mayhem & Mystery Dinner Theatre: ‘Costume Carousing’.  If you get a laugh when Jay Leno and David Letterman make fun of all things political, then be sure to make your way to Springfield to see The Capitol Steps, as they will take on a variety of current events…including the Octomom.  Head up to Yellow Springs for Fling in the Springs.  At the Schuster Center, listen to the Dayton Philharmonic with Prokofiev Meets Shakespeare.  You may have read the Cliff Notes in high school, but what is even easier (and more entertaining) is watching The Crucible live at Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater.  And if you enjoy being scared, then make your way to the Land Of Illusion Haunted Scream Park.

On Saturday, get your girlfriends together and participate in the Girlfriend Ride Dayton to benefit the Artemis Center.  This won’t just be any ride, as some stops along the way include a hand massage station, a chocolate fountain, and a wine tasting.  Or make your way to Fifth Third Field for the 2011 Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk.  At the 2nd Street Market, it’s Fall Family Fun Day, so be sure to bring the kids!  Typically, it would be inappropriate to bring your kids to the Funny Bone (unless they are your adult children).  However, in the afternoon, you will be able to take them there for the Family, Food, & Fun Comedy Magic Show.  And if you don’t have any, I have friends that would probably be happy to lend theirs to you.  If you live up north, make your way to the HarvestFest Street Fair in downtown Tipp City…it sounds like fun and it’s free!  In addition, in the evening, you will be able to hear live music by the 80s cover band Stranger.  In Yellow Springs, you’ll be able to attend Fling in the Springs.  If you enjoy German music, head to the Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club for their German Fall Concert.  Have some fun and support the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio with the Fall Treasure Hunt Road Rally…sounds like a mini amazing race!  You will be able to listen to music at both the Schuster Center (Romeo, Juliet & Prokofiev) and Victoria Theatre (The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra).  And finally, put on your mask and attend a major party in Dayton – ARC Ohio’s Masquerage…a decade of decadence, which will benefit the AIDS Resource Center.

On Sunday, make your way to Garden Station Sunday Market, which is the only Sunday Farmer’s Market in the area.  If you like to write, then attend the Second Sunday Free Writers’ Workshop at Books & Co.  It says “free writers” so I wonder if they’re in jail for something.  Make your way to Belmont for their Neighborhood Jam Fest, which will feature food, music, drinks, artists, and a car show.  If you enjoy shopping, head to The Event Connection for the Home, Lifestyle and Craft Expo…after all, it’s not too early to start your Christmas shopping!  Listen to the sounds of the University of Dayton Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble at South Park United Methodist Church.  At Sinclair, catch a performance of The Crucible.  And if you’re looking for a little Sunday fling, then enjoy Fling in the Springs.

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

What did the mother buffalo say to her little boy when he went off to school?  Bison.

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 (10/5 – 10/9)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

It is going to be another great fall week in Dayton with plenty of things to do!

On Wednesday, it’s all about social justice, with a little theater and beer brewed in the mix.  At lunch time, attend the Awareness Luncheon at the Dayton Racquet Club to learn more about human trafficking or the Domestic Violence Vigil at Courthouse Square to remember the victims of domestic violence and to honor those survivors.  At the Schuster Center, you will be able to attend Mel Brooks’ ‘Young Frankenstein’.  And I didn’t forget the beer – there is a Beer Tasting at Trolley Stop, as well as a Beer Tasting with Beer Guru Charles at Rumbleseat Wine.

On Thursday, don’t miss your chance to get fresh produce at the Centerville Farmers Market.  You may have to wait another year for both Dayton’s and Minster’s Oktoberfests, but you will still have the opportunity to participate in Rue Dumaine’s Oktoberfest, with a special menu and beer selection!  One of the other great things about this time of year is pumpkin beer…and you will be able to have some with the Pumpkin Beer Tap Takeover at Spinoza’s or Pumpkin Beer Night at Thai 9.  And if you feel guilty about drinking beer, then pair it with religion with Theology on Tap at Oregon Express.  Wishing to jazz things up a bit?  Listen to Ed Clay and The Patrol as part of the Vectren Just Jazz Series at the Dayton Art Institute.  If you want to get involved in your community, join Generation Dayton for the event, Better Boards 101.  And at the Fraze in Kettering, participate in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk.

On Friday, if you enjoy discussing economic issues, then be sure to attend the Economic Summit on the Revitalization of Manufacturing at the Dayton Convention Center.  Friday is also First Friday downtown, so be sure to check out all the galleries, live music, demonstrations, the First Friday Scavenger Hunt, the Dayton Visual Arts Center’s Steamroller Prints: Flat-Out Fun, and much more!  At Victoria Theatre, “catch” The Flying Karamazov Brothers, whose show will involve music, comedy, dance, theater, and juggling.  Plus, there is a Buckeye Vodka Tasting prior to the show!  If you enjoy being spooked, then make your way to the Land Of Illusion Haunted Scream Park in Middletown.  At the Schuster Center, Mel Brooks’ ‘Young Frankenstein’ will still be showing.  And over at Sinclair, check out A Vintage Affair, in which you will be able to sample wines and unique beers, have a few hors d’oeuvres and desserts, take part in a silent auction, and enjoy jazz music.

On Saturday, kick-off your day with me at the Kickin’ It for Breast Cancer Fall Kickball Classic.  They have gone country at the 2nd Street Market with Saturday Live Music by The Johnsons.  Make a trip up to Yellow Springs for the Yellow Springs Street Fair.  Or make your “way” to Waynesville for the very popular Sauerkraut Festival – just be sure to get there early as it will be very “krauted”.  Oktoberfest celebrations are not over yet!  Head to the Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club for their Oktoberfest Celebration.  There will also be beer at the Big Beers & Barley Wines Beer Fest 2011 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.  At Stivers, watch the amazing Dayton Contemporary Dance Company during their Fall Concert – Director’s Cut.  Attend Haunting Harmony at Centerville High School to listen to the Gem City Chorus, with some great guest artists including contestants from NBC’s The Sing Off. Or catch Mel Brooks’ ‘Young Frankenstein’ if you haven’t yet had an opportunity to do so.

On Sunday, kick it into gear by participating in the 35th Dayton River Corridor Classic Half-Marathon & 5k Run/Walk.  Head to Stivers to see the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s Director’s Cut.  Purchase some local goods at Garden Station Sunday Market.  In addition, you will be able to check out the Ohio Renaissance Festival, the Sauerkraut Festival, or Mel Brooks’ ‘Young Frankenstein’.

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

What do you call a clever monster?  Frank Einstein

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 (9/28 – 10/2)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

I hope you had the opportunity to sample some wonderful craft beers at Oktoberfest this past weekend!  Speaking of Oktoberfest, I am reminded of the fact that we switch from September to October this week.  I wish for you a great start into the new month…and here are some events that will hopefully help!

On Wednesday, join some amazing women for the Fourth Annual Women in Business Networking Conference.  At the Nutter Center, attend the Third Annual IBI/BBB Integrity Breakfast in order to get the inside scoop on integrity in the marketplace.  In the evening, after a hard day’s work (unless you work the 2nd or 3rd shift), make your way to the Dayton Racquet Club for Dueling Bartenders.  If you have a high schooler or if you know one, encourage him/her to attend College Prep Night at Fifth Third Field…there is a chance to win a $1,000 scholarship!  Interested in green initiatives?  Learn about the Neighborhood Stabilization Program which helps to make vacant and foreclosed homes green at Green Drinks September at Franco’s Ristorante Italiano.  Don’t forget to bring your paintbrush and some green paint!  My mom says left handed people are the only ones in their right mind.  However, at Chappy’s, they’re having the Left Hand Weak Sauce Porter Tapping…so I am guessing that despite the fact that lefties may be in their right mind, they are the weaker of the two.  Yes, I am right.

On Thursday, don’t get too spooked out when you go to the Schuster Center for the ‘PhilharMonster’ Halloween Concert.  Check out UD’s Department of Visual Arts with their Open House, where you will be able to see their new studios, galleries, classrooms, and much more.  If you’re a woman who loves purses, you won’t want to miss the Girls’ Night Out – Purse Swap at the Melting Pot.  You may be able to “coach” some of your girlfriends into going with you as well.  Mix one part beer and one part religion and you have Theology on Tap, which will take place at Oregon Express.  Or make a trip up to Cedarville University for their presentation of  ‘And Then There Were None’.

On Friday, get geared up for Gear Fest at Eastwood MetroPark.  If you like to drink beer from half-gallon jugs, then be sure to go to Minster’s Oktoberfest!  Just a tip – you may want to rent a big passenger van so you only have to have one DD!  Attend The Fourth Annual Blue Moon Affair at the Schuster Center, whose proceeds benefit the Community Action Partnership’s Youth Empowerment Center.  And finally, if you enjoy music and dance, and would like to help assist in the restoration of historical outdoor drama, attend the Caesar’s Ford Theatre Civil War Ball at Hope Hotel and Conference Center.

On Saturday we jump into October…and you can jump right back into Gear Fest at Eastwood Metro Park.  Support We Care Arts by attending the We Care Style Auction at the Mandalay Banquet Center.  If you like the color green, then participate in the Green Energy Ohio Tour.  And if you like pink, then attend Pink and Chrome – Ride for the Cure at Thomas Cloud Park.  Attend Resolve It! Solve It! with Six-Step Problem-Solving at the main branch of the Dayton Metro Library.  I’ve been told that their theme song is “Ice Ice Baby,” because after the workshop, you’re bound to be singing “If there was a problem, yo I’ll solve it.”  At the Dayton Art Institute, see Orla Fallon, a talented singer/harpist who has performed for the Pope as well as some former U.S. Presidents.  Enhance your cooking skills by attending El Meson’s Cooking Class.  I’m available if you need a taste tester!  You may have missed Oktoberfest this past weekend at the Dayton Art Institute, but if you make the trip up to Minster, you’ll be able to attend their version!  Have a unique dining experience at Carillon Park with their Tavern Dinners: Harvest Feast, which will feature a candlelit “hearth cooked and historically accurate multi-course supper.”  Or make your way to the Schuster Center for the Philharmonic Gala: Dance to the Music.

On Sunday, be sure to make it up to Minster if you haven’t yet for their Oktoberfest.  Does your pooch need a good cleaning?  Take him/her to A Taste of Wine for Wine, Washes & Wet Noses, where h e/she will be washed while you can sit back and enjoy a glass of wine.  And finally, at the Schuster Center, listen to the sounds of R&B/jazz artist Lalah Hathaway, with an opening act by the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.

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

A three-legged dog walks into a bar and says to the bartender, “I’m looking for the guy who shot my Pa.”

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 (9/7 – 9/11)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

This week, it’s all Greek to me.  Well, that’s not really the truth.  It’s only partially Greek, with a little Italian, a little German, and a little Hispanic, mixed in with many other things.  Variety is the spice of life, so if you want to spice up yours, check out some of these suggestions for things to do!

On Wednesday, make your way to Courthouse Square for The Square Is Where featuring Gary Hill (Solo Classic Rock).  Art lovers should hop on over to the University of Dayton’s Roesch Library Gallery for the University of Dayton Art Hop.  Looking to find a volunteer opportunity that matches your interests?  Consider attending Generation Dayton’s 2011 Volunteer Speed Match at the Dayton Racquet Club, where you will be able to “date” several non-profits in the area.  Also downtown, head to The Wine Gallery for their Weekly Wine Tasting or to the Trolley Stop for their Old Time Acoustic Jam.

On Thursday, there will be another “The Square Is Where” performance at Courthouse Square, which will feature Alabama Capital. If you are trying to eat healthier foods, consider making your way to the Centerville Farmers Market.  Head to McCormick & Schmick’s for their Greek Wine Dinner…make it a big fat party.  Although you may feel full afterwards, I don’t think it will make you permanently big and fat.  Don’t miss the nice weather and an opportunity to meet some of the players from the Dayton Silverback football team at Quaker Steak and Lube for their Bike Night.  Or head to Wings Sports Bar & Grille for their Weekly Cornhole Tournament.

Friday is when the Greek comes in – in a big fat way!  Go to the Dayton Greek Festival and be sure to eat a gyro…which is the result of butchering (unless you’re eating the vegetarian type) and whose name gets butchered on a regular basis.  The Italian also comes in with the Italian Fall Festa.  Both of these are awesome events that you do not want to miss.  They’re going on throughout the weekend, so make plans to head to one on Friday and the other on Saturday.  The Dayton Music Fest will be going on at a variety of locations this weekend to spotlight Dayton’s indie music scene.  So, music will also be ringing in your ears this weekend…perhaps literally with how loud speakers usually are!  (Please be sure to check out the link for a full listening of bands playing this weekend!)  All you ballerinas who have dreamed of making it big should put on your tutus and head to Victoria Theatre for the Dayton Ballet II Open Auditions.  And if you’re interested in theater, check out The Oldest Profession at the Dayton Theatre Guild or God of Carnage at The Loft Theatre.

On Saturday, you will again be able to get some fresh and healthy produce at the Troy Farmers Market or at the PNC 2nd Street Market, where there will be live music by Eli Everhart.  In addition to the Dayton Greek Festival and the Italian Fall Festa, you will be able to head to RiverScape for the Hispanic Heritage Festival.  If you’re German (or even if you’re not), participate in the German Wine Tasting at Arrow Wine in Centerville.  I’m usually used to German beer, but I’m guessing they have good wine too!  In addition, don’t miss some great live music as part of Dayton Music Fest…there are TONS of options at a variety of places including Canal Street Tavern, Oregon Express, Trolley Stop, and Blind Bob’s.

On Sunday, if you didn’t have a chance because you were working on some home improvement project (or something like that), be sure to check out either the Italian Fall Festa or the Dayton Greek Festival.  There are a couple other festivals going on including Guitar Fest at Stubbs Amphitheater and the Ohio Renaissance Festival.  Enjoy locally grown produce and locally made crafts at the Garden Station Sunday Market.  Make your way to Sinclair for A Day of Remembrance in order to observe the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.  At the Dayton Art Institute, enjoy one of their exhibits, including Exhibit: ‘Trash? Look Again’ and From Romance to Rifles: Winslow Homer’s Illustrations of 19th-Century America.  And if you feel like heading to your local bar or sitting on your couch to watch NFL football, that is perfectly okay too.

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

Wear short sleeves…support your right to bare arms!

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!

Back to the FutureFest

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Dayton Playhouse - FutureFest 2010 - Dancing Backwards by John Fiorillo

Dancing Backwards by John Fiorillo - FutureFest 2010

FutureFest 2011

Dayton Playhouse

This weekend, the Dayton Playhouse will present its 21st annual FutureFest of new plays, one of the most highly anticipated and widely regarded events in the local arts community.

This uniquely structured, nationally recognized festival, co-founded by Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame members Dodie Lockwood and John Riley, openly nurtures the artistic growth of emerging playwrights from across the country and internationally. Within three days, six original, previously unproduced works are showcased fully staged or as staged readings followed by adjudications from theater professionals. Patrons are also encouraged to offer opinions, fueling the weekend’s considerably engaging atmosphere.

Dayton Playhouse - FutureFest 2010 - How It Works by Carey Pepper

How It Works by Carey Pepper

The adjudicators will consist of longtime New York-based judges David Finkle, Helen Sneed and Eleanore Speert along with Robert Koon, resident playwright/dramaturg of the Chicago Dramatists and a 2002 FutureFest finalist for “Vintage Red and the Dust of the Road,” and D. Lynn Meyers, producing artistic director of Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. Each play will be judged on criteria including dramatic concept/theme, plot/story development, dialogue/language and character development.

Dayton Playhouse - FutureFest 2010 - Refuge by Marc Comblatt

Refuge by Marc Comblatt

Since its inception, FutureFest has been an advantageous launching pad for playwrights hoping to raise their profile. The most successful example in recent years is unquestionably attributed to Brooklyn playwright Beau Willimon, a former political staffer who took the 2005 FutureFest by storm with “Farragut North,” a marvelous political drama. “Farragut North” arrived off-Broadway at New York’s Atlantic Theater Company in 2008 and was recently adapted (and re-titled) for the big screen by Willimon, Grant Heslov and Oscar winner George Clooney as “The Ides of March.” Shot on location in the Cincinnati area and prominently previewed in the July 26 edition of USA Today, “The Ides of March,” which will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, is officially scheduled for an October 7 release. The film has already received buzz as a major contender for the Golden Globes and Academy Awards. Molly Smith Metzler, also of Brooklyn, is equally noteworthy. Metzler’s terrific relationship-driven comedy drama “Carve” was a highlight of the 2009 FutureFest and her latest work, “Close Up Space,” will be presented off-Broadway at New York’s Manhattan Theatre Club this fall starring Emmy and Tony winner David Hyde Pierce.

This year’s promising contenders were chosen from over 240 submissions. Each finalist recently reflected on their work with onStageDayton in advance of the festival.

2011 FutureFest Performance Schedule

Friday, July 29

8 p.m.

“Drawing Room,” an introspective look at a Supreme Court sketch artist.

Playwright: Mark Eisman of New York City

Cast: Mark Jeffers, Annie Pesch and Rachel Wilson

Director: Matthew Smith

Production format: Fully staged

Since cameras invaded our courtrooms some 20 years ago, I have missed the artists’ renderings which often accompanied the most notorious (and yes, most dramatic) legal spectaculars. The brilliantly colored chalks and pencils have been replaced by the dullness of reality TV. The sketch artists have been forced to scramble and compete against each other, as only the federal courts (with its terrorist defendants) and the Supreme Court (with its familiar cast of characters) remain camera free. When their art is threatened, the characters in ‘Drawing Room’ must confront the realities of their own lives. Life in the theater has never been easy for playwrights.  Over the same 20 years, it’s become increasingly difficult due primarily to economic ‘realities.’

~Mark Eisman

Saturday, July 30

10 a.m.

“Roosevelt’s Ghost,” a drama centered on the special assistant to President Franklin D. Roosevelt convicted of perjury and accused of being a member of the Community Party.

Playwright: Dayton native and Woodland Hills, California resident Michael Feely, who won the 2009 FutureFest for “Night and Fog” and was a 2006 finalist for “Bookends.”

Cast: Debra Kent, Charles Larkowski, Jennifer Lockwood, Dave Nickel, David Shough, Michael Stockstill and Debra Strauss

Director: Saul Caplan

Production format: Staged reading

‘Roosevelt’s Ghost’ is (very) loosely based on the Alger Hiss case. It concerns a man, Charles Castle Hunt, who stood at the pinnacle of power until he was accused of treason and espionage for the Soviet Union and convicted of perjury in 1951. It is now 1968 and he’s come home both to vindicate himself by publishing his memoirs and to reconnect with the family he abandoned after his fall. The play is about many things. It is, on one level, about the events of the ’50’s and ’60’s, similar to the other two plays that have appeared in FutureFest, that I believe draw a bright red line through Vietnam to our current involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. On another level, however, it’s a far more personal play, about family, about what fathers owe their sons and, equally important, what sons owe their fathers. It’s about husbands and wives, what they give each other and what they take from each other. And, lastly, it’s about love, how it sustains us, can let us down and, ultimately, can lift us up.

~Michael Feely

3 p.m.

“The Haven,” a contemporary comic drama concerning a broken marriage and the possibilities of connection.

Playwright: Richard Etchison of Los Angeles, California

Cast: Megan Cooper, Danny Lipps, Deirdre Root and Richard Young

Director: Fran Pesch

Production format: Staged reading

Initially, I set out to write a play about one relationship ending and one relationship at the very beginning. A simple exploration of the nature of marriage and love and youth. The ending came to me midway through the writing process. I also wanted to write a realistic play for once. Previously, my plays have some mind-bending, sometimes surreal elements.  In most ways, I succeeded. To me, the theme of this play is that human beings approach both marriage and life with the same attitude: We know it’s going to have its trying moments, moments that take every bit of courage and resolve we have to get through them.  Yes, we (as a people) voluntarily embark on it anyway. When you are young, marriage seems a simple matter. So does life.  But once deep inside of marriage, we learn otherwise. Same as life in general.

~Richard Etchison

8 p.m.

“Allegro Con Brio,” a farce about a musical couple plotting revenge.

Playwright: Dayton resident Nelson Sheeley of Sinclair Community College

Cast: Michael Boyd, Matt Curry and Cheryl Mellen

Director: Nick Moberg

Production format: Fully staged

I got the idea for the play when I turned on the radio and heard one of the Mendelssohn Piano Concertos played faster than anyone should be able to play it.  I wondered what the conversation backstage after the concert between the conductor and the pianist would be. Also, once I got into it, the theme of the piece seemed to shift a bit to include the music critic…how people behave who have unquestioned authority and power in their fields. I love farce and there’s a dearth of good contemporary farce in the American theatre. Farce seems to be the poor stepchild of comedy. My first play ‘…And Call Me In The Morning’ got a begrudgingly good review from The New York Times. Jacques LeSourde liked it and in the review sounded a little embarrassed that he did! So here I am leading a crusade to get those slapstick lovers out of their comedy closet and have a good laugh.

~Nelson Sheeley

Sunday, July 31

10 a.m.

“Jinxed,” a 1930s aviatrix-themed account of Amelia Earhart and Jackie Cochran.

Playwright: Stacey Luftig of New York City

Cast: Franklin Johnson, Cynthia Karns, Wendi Michael, Kate Smith, Mike Rousculp, Mike Taint and Matt Turner

Director: Richard Brock

Production format: Staged reading

Amelia Earhart is an American icon. But only history buffs and aviation fans remember Jackie Cochran, whose rags-to-riches story and groundbreaking achievements in aviation rival those of any pilot, including Amelia. Brash Jackie and sophisticated Amelia were close friends for the last two years of Amelia’s life. Their lives had many parallels: among them, husbands who were tremendously supportive of their careers, a practicing knowledge of ESP and a preoccupation with luck. Their focus on luck is not surprising. The dangers faced by pilots in the 1930s, especially those who sought to set records and win races, were enormous. Forced landings and even crashes were commonplace, airplane parts would malfunction, engines would blow up. Like baseball players, aviators often placed faith in talismans and other superstitions. It is hard to say how much of any aviator’s career at that time depended on skill, and how much on luck. Based on this uncertain balance, a key question arose for the main characters of my play: How far do you go to allow a pilot you love to follow her dreams – knowing that to do so could result in her death?

~Stacey Luftig

3 p.m.

“A Woman on the Cusp,” a drama concerning mental illness and sibling treachery.

Playwright: Two-time FutureFest finalist Carl L. Williams of Houston, Texas (“Under a Cowboy Moon,” 2003; “Coming Back to Jersey,” 2008)

Cast: Cher Collins, Lynn Kesson, Scott Knisley and K.L. Storer

Director: Ray Gambrel

Production format: Fully staged

‘A Woman on the Cusp’ started out as a 20-minute one-act for a festival in Houston. I quickly realized the length wasn’t nearly sufficient to explore all the facets of character in this story, as well as the underlying issues of emotional trauma, mental instability, deceit and treachery. A buried subtext concerns how people can do the wrong thing for a right reason or the right thing for a wrong reason. For the full-length play I was better able to develop a backstory for the major character, providing a fuller explanation for her current situation. I could also explore the relationships between and among the characters to a greater degree and with a more gradual revelation of their secrets.  In addition, I changed certain elements of the basic plot as I transitioned the piece to a more complete story. I can’t say that I set out to make any particular point with this play or convey any central message. Mainly I just wanted to engage the audience with these characters and their conflicts. The FutureFest production offers the opportunity of judging to what degree I succeeded.

~Carl L. Williams

The 21st annual Dayton Playhouse FutureFest will be held Friday, July 29-Sunday, July 31 at the Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Weekend passes for all six shows are $90. Single tickets are $17. For tickets or more information, call the Playhouse at (937) 424-8477 or visit www.daytonplayhouse.com.

-RF

-Photos by Art Fabian (copyright 2010) – submitted by Dayton Playhouse

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

Tickets & Performance Information:

Dayton Playhouse21st Annual Dayton Playhouse FutureFest

July 29-31, 2011

Tickets Prices: $17 for single show tickets / $90 for weekend pass (includes all shows)

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

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

Photo Highlights of 2010 FutureFest

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkr156COQwE’]

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6prD48dheE’]

Jane’s Best Bets (7/27 – 7/31)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Happy Restaurant Week! Hopefully you have already started taking advantage of some of the great deals at our area’s fabulous restaurants.  In addition to Restaurant Week, here are a few other options of things to do in Dayton.

On Wednesday, celebrate the Submarine House’s One Year Anniversary (Beavercreek Bar and Grill), where they will have great specials, as well as prizes and raffles.  During your lunch hour, listen to Frequency, an a’capella group who will be performing at Courthouse Square as part of The Square Is Where.  Wish you could be like Tiffany’s and make your own jewelry?  Consider heading to the Cannery Art and Design Center for Art by the Glass.  Learn about how to shop at farmers’ markets and what questions to ask, all the while consuming a tasty beverage as part of Dayton Green Drinks at Company7 BBQ.  Flock to Pasha Grill for their FLOC (For the Love of Children) Charity Dinner, which will help to support children who have been neglected, abused, or are in foster care.  And if it’s not too hot, consider listening to music as part of Jazz on the Green at Yankee Trace or watching the Dragons play the Fort Wayne Tincaps.

On Thursday, utilize what you learned on Wednesday at the Dayton Green Drinks event and pick up some fresh local produce at the Centerville Farmers Market.  If you love wine but don’t want to break the bank, stumble your way to Arrow Wine in Centerville for a wine tasting featuring wines under $20.  You will be able to drink wine AND exercise as part of Grape and Lotus: A Wine and Yoga Practice at Metropolitan Arts Center.  For some live music, make your way to Dublin Pub to see Nick Mitchell or to RiverScape for their Big Band Nights featuring the Dayton Jazz Orchestra.  In addition, the Dragons will continue their series against the Fort Wayne Tincaps.

On Friday, be sure to be downtown, as that is where all the best bets are.  Listen to another concert at Courthouse Square during your lunch hour for The Square Is Where, where Minions of Fate will be performing.  If you are a beer lover, you are in luck, as there will be an Epic Brewery Welcome to Ohio Party at Lucky’s.  At Victoria Theatre, watch Young Frankenstein as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series.  At Fifth Third Field, catch the Dayton Dragons as they once again play the Fort Wayne Tincaps.  And finally, whether you are Irish or not, you will not want to miss the Dayton Celtic Festival!

On Saturday, take the kids to the 2nd Street Market for Kids Day.  I told you not to miss the Dayton Celtic Festival on Friday, but if you did, you must put it at the top of your list for Saturday.  And if you already went on Friday, you can still go as well!  In addition to the many festivities already going on, there will be 5K Run/Walk in order to burn off the calories from all that Irish beer!  Also at RiverScape, you will be able to take part in the Dayton River Ride.  Over at Wegerzyn Gardens, watch A Midsummer Nights Dream, presented by Free Shakespeare.  If you feel like catching a movie in an ultra cool place, then be sure to head to Victoria Theatre for the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series, where Blazing Saddles will be shown.  Art lovers should plan to attend DVAC’s 20th Birthday Bash.  After all, who doesn’t love a birthday party?  And if you’re caught up in good 80s music, then be sure to get your tickets to see 38 Special at the Fraze…and hold on tightly to them!

On Sunday, start your day off right with the Dayton Celtic Festival Breakfast at RiverScape, followed by their Bike Ride.  Then enjoy the rest of the Festival’s festivities.  You will also be able to listen to live music at Stubbs Amphitheater in Centerville by the Sound Body Jazz Orchestra or at Riverfront Park in Miamisburg for the Pizzazz in the Park Concert Series featuring Chazz. And if you prefer to stay indoors, watch The Producers as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series at Victoria Theatre.

Plus…don’t forget that this week is Restaurant Week, so be sure to make reservations at your favorite restaurants all week long!

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

What’s the definition of a farmer?  One who is outstanding in his field.

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 (7/13 – 7/17)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

First off, I would like to say congratulations to the Dayton Dragons on setting the national record for sports sell-outs this past weekend…what an accomplishment!  We do truly live in a great city!  And I’d like to prove it once again by letting you know about some of the great things going on here this week!

On Wednesday, take a break from work and head to The Square Is Where… Yoga Class from Practice Yoga at Courthouse Square.  If you haven’t been getting enough beauty sleep lately, consider going to La Comedia to see Sleeping Beauty.  Listen to music at Yankee Trace with Jazz on the Green or at Veteran’s Park Amphitheater with The Dark Star Orchestra.  And if you’re in need of a good laugh, then head to Wiley’s for their Dirty Little Secret Superhero Show.

On Thursday, there are several great happy hour options so you are going to have some tough decisions to make!  If you are an enthusiastic young professional, join Generation Dayton at El Meson for Thirsty Thursday.  It’s Thursday Night Live at the Moraine Embassy, so let DaytonMostMetro.com’s very own Bill Pote and Lisa Grigsby help take care of you, as they will be the celebrity bartenders on hand.  Grab dinner and drinks at one of the fabulous restaurants at The Greene such as McCormick & Schmick’s and then sit on the green (literally) to watch as Ed Kowalczyk, the lead singer of Live performs.  Check out three of the Oregon District’s new businesses as part of their Progressive Open House, where each business will have live performances by jazz and classical musicians, as well as raffles!  Bring the whole family to see Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The Salvation Army Kroc Center – tickets are FREE!  Or help support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by getting your tickets to see ‘The Sound of Music’ at Epiphany Lutheran Church.  And finally, listen to live music at the Dayton Art Institute for a Twilight Concert or at RiverScape for their Big Band Nights featuring the Eddie Brookshire Orchestra.

On Friday, bring your kids to the PNC 2nd Street Market for Pasta Making for Kids…afterall, wouldn’t it be nice if they made you dinner for a change?!?!  If you love biking, consider taking part in the Greene Trails Cycling Classic at the Greene County Fairgrounds Recreation Center.  Although this is a four-day event, you are able to “Design-A-Ride” that fits your schedule.  Art lovers should make plans to attend the 20th Annual Open Members’ Show: Light at the Dayton Visual Arts Center.  Head to the Beavercreek Kroger for their Wine and Food Extravaganza.  Once again, you will be able to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by going to Epiphany Lutheran Church for The Sound of Music’.  Have a nerds night out at Xenia Area Community Theater as part of Nerd Comedy Night.  If you prefer to be cool, head to Victoria Theatre to see “Some Like It Hot” as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series.  And if you actually do like it hot, then make your way to Bella Villa Hall for the The Bocce Classic XVI.

On Saturday, if you enjoy seeing beautiful irises (the flower kind), then you will want to be at the PNC 2nd Street Market for their Iris Sale.  At RiverScape, get in shape with Zumba in the Park or participate in their Kayak Float.  Support A Special Wish Foundation by attending Fajita Fest at the Polish Club.  Listen to the sounds of  Michael Bashaw & Puzzle of Light and the Rippingtons at Veteran’s Park Amphitheater, the Bob Gray Orchestra at Stubbs Amphitheater, Son Del Caribe as part of the Free Summer Concert Series at RiverScape, or Trace Adkins at the Fraze Pavilion.  Over at

Trace Adkins at the Fraze

Fifth-Third Field, the Bob Ross Classic will be going on, which is an All-Star Baseball Game for local high school baseball players.  And if you would like to watch some great fights, head over to Drake’s Downtown for Fight Night…just be sure you don’t get into one yourself!

On Sunday, the Fraze will be having WTUE’s Breakfast with The Beatles and The Beatleburys.  Baby you can drive your car there…sorry I’m not going to let you drive mine!  If you would rather ride a bike, then participate in the Greene Trails Cycling Classic, which will still be going strong.  Watch belly dancers and fire jugglers, listen to live music, and MUCH more at the Fling in the Springs (downtown Yellow Springs).  A trip to Dave Hall Plaza for the Downtown Summer Music Series – Michelob Dayton Blues Festival is a must for all blues fans out there!  You will also be able to listen to music at Stubbs Amphitheater in Centerville (The Termites) and at Riverfront Park in Miamisburg (Pizzazz in the Park Concert Series: Paragon Quartet).  And if you’re not the outdoors type, then you can go to Victoria Theatre to see “Some Like It Hot” as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series or to Epiphany Lutheran Church for The Sound of Music’.

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

Why did the coach kick Cinderella off the baseball team?

Because she ran away from the ball.

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 (5/25 – 5/30)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Can you believe Memorial Day weekend is almost here?!?!  That means summer is right around the corner!  Be sure to make the most of these last few days in May!

On Wednesday, make your way to the Fraze Pavilion (I LOVE the Fraze!) for the Kettering Block Party.  If you want to sort of meet a former president, then head over to the Dayton Woman’s Club for the Abraham Lincoln Social & Luncheon.  Beer lovers should plan to be at Archer’s as they’ll feature a new craft beer.  Not only will you be able to think green, but you will also be able to “drink green” as part of Green Drinks May at Norton’s in Kettering.  And if you love listening to adorable kids singing their hearts out, be sure to attend the Kettering Children’s Choir 25th Anniversary Concert at the Schuster Center.

On Thursday, check out 42nd Street at WSU’s Festival Playhouse.  On the other side of town, you will be able to see the premiere of the documentary The Other Side at The Neon.  And if you want to be close to somebody, come to Right Next to Me at The Loft Theatre.  The only problem is, you really don’t know who “me” is.  If you are in the Oregon District, walk over to Dayton Theology on Tap at Oregon Express.  For all you old-fashioned book readers, check out a new option, The Nook, at Books & Co. at The Greene as part of their Nook Nights.  “Hungary?”  Make your way to Boston’s Bistro for their Hungarian Wine Tasting, which includes pizza, cheese, and chocolate!  And finally, over at the Metropolitan Arts Center, check out A Wine and Yoga Practice…which I of course think is an awesome idea!

On Friday, celebrate the weekend with Fiesta Friday at Bar Louie.  Or check out Trumpet Studio.  You may be asking, “What may ‘trump’ that?”  I’m not sure, but if you are looking to experience theater, there are several opportunities available, including  42nd Street at WSU’s Festival Playhouse, Right Next to Me at The Loft Theatre, and Mauritius at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  Then, go to bed early so you can enjoy the rest of Memorial Day weekend!

On Saturday, make your way to Dorothy Lane Market for Lobstermania.  If you’re downtown, be sure to participate in the Bike United Tour at Fifth Third Field and support the Dayton Dutch Lions’ campaign for healthy living with a fun downtown bike ride.  Plus, you will receive a ticket to the Dutch Lions’ first ever game at Fifth Third Field, and a Bike United T-shirt.  Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend by attending The Patriot Freedom Festival.  If you’re like me and love summer concerts, be sure to listen to the sounds of The Highway Junkies at RiverScape as part of the Free Summer Concert Series.  And finally, theater options for Saturday include Mauritius at Dayton Theatre Guild, 42nd Street at WSU’s Festival Playhouse, and Right Next to Me at The Loft Theatre.

On Sunday, make plans to attend the 2011 Dayton Heritage Festival at Carillon Historical Park.  It is FREE!  You will be able to enjoy exhibit buildings, special activities, and live music.  You can make it an all-day affair, as there will also be food and drinks from a variety of local vendors.  Plus, there will be fireworks following the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance featuring Live Americana music!  If there isn’t something there that suits your fancy, then too bad!  Just kidding (although that’s all I’m talking about for Sunday)!   Also, if you want to give back and volunteer there, please shoot me an email!

My Team Last Year at the "Spike Out Blood Cancer" Sand Volleyball Tournament!

Usually I don’t talk about Mondays in Jane’s Best Bets, but this week I’m making an exception with it being Memorial Day.  If you’re not having a cookout, then there are a couple options.  Start the day off early by attending the ‘Spike Out Blood Cancer’ Memorial Day Sand Volleyball Tournament at J.D. Legends.  I played in it last year and had a blast!  Even if you don’t like volleyball or can’t attend, I encourage you to support Steve VanGorder’s Fight for a Cure, which supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  There are many ways to help, including making a donation, attending the Beatles Tribute Concert by Ticket to Ride, or purchasing a raffle ticket to win a brand new Camaro!  And if you don’t feel like sweating all day long or listening to Beatles music, consider staying inside for trivia!  There will be live trivia at the Pour Haus as well as trivia at Beef O’Brady’s.

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

At first the man didn’t like his haircut, but then it started to grow on him.

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 (5/11 – 5/15)

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My Awesome GenD Day Team at DVAC!

I hope you had a terrific week!  Thanks to all who “got out” and “gave back” this past Friday for Generation Dayton Day…it was a huge success!  Dayton is fortunate to have many wonderful young professionals!  This week, be sure to “get out” again, as there are many great things going on in our community!

On Wednesday, find out how trash can be turned into treasure with the exhibit, ‘Trash? Look Again’ at the Dayton Art Institute.  For some great networking, attend Business After Hours at Dayton Convention Center.  Afterwards, head to Fifth Third Field as the Dragons play the Lake County Captains or to Wiley’s for Dirty Little Secret Sanitarium.  If you’ve had a crazy day and need to relax a bit, make your way to The Wine Gallery for their Weekly Wine Tasting.

On Thursday, attend the Junior League of Dayton Town Hall Lecture Series at the Schuster Center, featuring Gina Barreca, a best-selling author who will keep you laughing.  Over at the Dayton Visual Arts Center, attend their Gallery Talks, in which artists Maureen Schaffer and Deborah Barr will talk about their art.  While you’re there, check out the fantastic spackling/sanding/paint job my GenD Day team did there!  Meet fellow Gen D’ers (a.k.a. fantastic young professionals!) at the Generation Dayton Thirsty Thursday at The Pub at The Greene.  ALL young professionals are welcome!  Also at The Greene, if you’re hungry for some delicious food, make your way to McCormick & Schmick’s for their Benziger Wine Dinner.  At Oregon Express, you will be able to grab a beer and learn about religion as part of Dayton Theology on Tap.  While there, be sure to have some of their amazing pizza!  I had some this past weekend and it was delicious!  And finally, don’t delay in getting your tickets to watch the Dragons as they play the Lake County Captains at Fifth-Third Field.

On Friday, downtown is THE place to be, even if you call the suburbs home.  The main attraction is Urban Nights, which is a free event in which you will be able to see downtown’s dining, nightlife, art, music, retail, urban living options, and MUCH more.  It only happens twice a year, so don’t miss your chance to attend this huge downtown open house!  For more info, be sure to become a fan of the “Urban Nights” fan page.  Urban Nights truly has something for everyone, so that is really my only best bet for Friday.  If you’re not there, you’re missing out…and I’m going to leave it at that!

On Saturday, all you car lovers will want to drive to the Webster Street Market for the British Car Meet (not to be confused with “meat,” although I’m sure they’ll have that too!).  Many of our dogs may have gained a few pounds over the cold/snowy winter since they haven’t been able to get out and exercise.  So, get them moving at the Furry Skurry 2011 at Miami Valley Hospital South to support the Humane Society.  If you don’t have a furry friend, you can still walk as part of the Walk Away From Violence event at RiverScape MetroPark, in which funds raised will benefit the Artemis Center, which helps to raise funds for victims of domestic violence.  At The Greene, watch the Hunks in Heels race, all the while supporting Clothes that Work.  This should be a super fun event!

Photo Credit: Andy Snow

Support Dayton Children’s Medical Center by attending Cha-Cha: Reasons to Celebrate at Sinclair’s Ponitz Center, which will feature live entertainment, fine dining, and both live and silent auctions!  You will be able to contribute to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Dayton by attending the 2nd Annual Sis-Boom-Ball at St Paul’s Episcopal Church.  All you “creatives” will want to attend The Sideshow VI at Garden Station Community Garden and Art Park.  At the Dayton Convention Center, the Come to the Cabaret – DCDC’s Soulstice event will be happening, which will include a wonderful mixture of live music, casino games, dancing, and dance performances by the amazing DCDC (although it says “D.C.” twice, they are actually located in Dayton…and we are so blessed to have them!).  If you enjoy watching dance but are on a strict budget, consider attending Order My Steps at Stivers Schoool for the Arts.  At the Schuster Center, you will be able to see the Dayton Philharmonic’s ‘Bernstein’s MASS’.  In addition, other options for Saturday include Honk! Jr. at Town Hall Theatre, Mauritius at the Dayton Theatre Guild, and The Women of Lockerbie at Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater.

On Sunday, start the morning off with Sunday Brunch at The Barnsider…I’m hoping the lines won’t be as long since it’s not Mother’s Day!  Sunday also has several theater options, including  42nd Street at WSU’s Festival Playhouse, The Women of Lockerbie at Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater, Honk! Jr.at Town Hall Theatre, and Mauritius at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  And if you love beer, you won’t want to miss PubFest at The Pub at The Greene!

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

Why did the mouse run under the beer truck?  Because he wanted to get smashed.

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 (5/4 – 5/8)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Since it is May, you may be asking the question, “Is there anything fun going on this week in Dayton?”  The answer of course is an enormous “YES!”  This week, there are so many things from which to choose that you may have some very difficult decisions ahead of you!

On Wednesday, join Dayton Creative Syndicate as they welcome Guest Speaker, Jack Supple at Brixx Ice Company.  Taste some wine as part of the Weekly Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery.  Not yet prepared to make your bets for the Kentucky Derby?  Be sure to attend the Derby Preview Party at Color of Energy Gallery where John Engelhardt from River Downs and other horse racing experts will give you some great tips…and don’t forget to have a mint julep!  Plus, there will be a live horse outside the art gallery AND live music!  Afterwards, please carefully walk to Fifth Third Field to watch the Dragons as they play the South Bend Silver Hawks.  And finally, give those vocal folds a workout by heading to Blind Bob’s for Karaoke.

On jueves (Thursday), start the day at the Presidential Banquet Center for the 2nd Annual Voices for Kids Benefit, which helps CHOICES, an organization that provides a support system for youth, their families, and foster parents.  Over at Sinclair, attend the 2011 Go Red For Women Luncheon.  Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style at one of these great restaurants:  (1) The Caroline, which offers some great Cinco de Mayo specials; (2) El Meson – starting at 3PM, they will have $1 Tequila shots and free tapas until 5:30PM…plus amazing food, music, and dancing; or (3) El Rancho Grande (or the “E.R.” as my friend Lynne calls it) for 1/2 Price Ladies Night.  Or Join the Dayton Ballet Barre for their 1st Annual Cinco de Mayo ‘Barre’ Crawl which will take place at a variety of bars in the Oregon District.  If Mexican food does not appeal to your taste buds, no problem.  You can attend the Beer & Burger Tasting at A Taste of Wine in downtown Miamisburg.  Some other possibilities for Thursday evening include listening to the Hal Melia Quartet as part of the Vectren Just Jazz Series at the Dayton Art Institute, Space Night at the Air Force Museum, Dayton Theology on Tap at Oregon Express, or watching the Dragons as they play the South Bend Silver Hawks.

On Friday, ALL young professionals should without a doubt participate in Generation Dayton’s Get Out, & Give Back Dayton! The day will consist of a lunch, followed by a variety of service projects at area non-profits, and finally a wonderful after-party at Oregon Express!  Get registered today and bring a friend!  Afterwards, attend the First Friday art hop downtown.  Also downtown, you can participate in the Courteous Mass Ride, watch the Dragons play the South Bend Silver Hawks, listen to the Paul McKenna Band at the Dayton Art Institute, or attend ‘Byron Stripling: Satchmo, Fats & The Duke’ (Dayton Philharmonic) at the Schuster Center (click here to find out how you can get discounted tickets, courtesy of jumpstART!).  And if you’re brave enough to venture outside of downtown, head to the Dayton Mall Chick-fil-A for a Free Chick-fil-A Sandwich from 4-7PM, the Baum Opera House for The Wizard of Oz, or the Centerville Performing Arts Center for Hello, Dolly!

Hopefully you spent your Friday night downtown so you can wake up and gallop your way to the Derby Day Dash 5K and Kids Fun Run at RiverScape.  Then head to PNC 2nd Street Market to Make Your Own Crepe.  Over at Garden Station Community Garden/Art Park, share your food, art, music, or whatever else you want as part of the Really Really Free Market.  Wear your favorite hat (the bigger, the better!) and support women’s wellness by attending the 2nd Annual Crown Jewels Derby Day Brunch at Brio.  I hope to see you there!  Keep that hat on so that you will be able to attend the Junior League of Dayton Derby Party at The Wine Loft.  In order to support a couple other great causes, attend the House of Bread Silent Auction at the Dayton Mall Holiday Inn or the American Red Cross’s Putting on the Glitz event at the Hope Hotel and Conference Center.  If your doctor wrote you a prescription for laughter, be sure to get your tickets to Cocktails with Larry Miller at Victoria Theatre.  Although I’m not an accountant, I don’t think this would qualify as a medical expense under your H.S.A.  Listen to the Dayton Philharmonic’s performance – ‘Byron Stripling: Satchmo, Fats & The Duke’, which takes place at the Schuster Center.  Other musical options include listening to the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra’s Spring Concert at Shiloh Church or the The Primo Trio at the Dayton Art Institute as part of the Vanguard Concert Series.  Catch “Saturday Night Football” at Hara Arena as the Dayton Silverbacks play the Indianapolis Enforcers.  And finally, if you feel like catching a show, both The Wizard of Oz (Baum Opera House) and Hello, Dolly (Centerville Performing Arts Center) will still be running strong!

On Sunday, if you do nothing else, be sure to honor your mother!  If you don’t mind (and if you do mind, sorry, I just don’t care), I’d like to give a quick shout out to mine – Thank you mom for being the best mom ever…and thank you for not just putting up with my dumb jokes, but actually laughing at them!  I love you bunches and bunches! Thanks for letting me do that, although you really had no choice.  Anyways, whatever you’re doing, I hope you will be able to have the opportunity to spend Sunday with your mother.  And don’t worry because you won’t have to cook breakfast or lunch, as many restaurants are offering Mother’s Day Specials!  Some places that are offering brunch include The Barnsider, Hilton Garden Inn, Carvers, Blind Bob’s, Boulevard Haus, Dublin Pub, and Fleming’s.  Don’t forget to take your wallet…it would be bad news if your mom had to pay!  And if your mom likes music, take her to Kettering Fairmont High School for the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert.  Or take her to see Honk! Jr. at Town Hall Theatre.

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

Why was the racehorse named Bad News?  Because Bad News travels fast.

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 (4/27 – 5/1)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

I hope you were able to find many Easter eggs, and that they had some good things inside!  I just found a bunch of empty ones (true story, just ask the Easter Bunny).  Regardless of what was in or not in your Easter eggs, I’d like to provide you with an “inside” look at what is going on in Dayton this week!

On Wednesday, watch the Dragons as they play the West Michigan Whitecaps.  If you enjoy opera, make your way to the UD Opera Workshop Performance.  Get those dirty little secrets out of the closet at Wiley’s with the Dirty Little Secret Speakeasy.  Don’t worry, it’s a variety show featuring many different types of performers, so you really don’t have to reveal anything about yourself!  Hungry AND thirsty?  Participate in the Belgian & Euro Craft Beer Dinner at Spinoza’s.  At the Loft Theatre, catch Permanent Collection.  And finally, make sure you stop at Baskin Robbins for their 31 Cent Scoop Night!  For those of you who don’t like to do math, that means date night will only cost you 62 cents…or, ice cream for a family four will only cost $1.24!

On Thursday, have a Girls Night Out at The Melting Pot.  If you’re a boy, then don’t go there…well, on second thought, you may want to go since there will be a pretty good ratio for you!  Since the weather is getting warmer, you may want to attend Five Rivers MetroParks’ Intro to Smart Cycling.  Head to Oregon Express for a wonderful combination of beer and theology (and their amazing pizza too!) for Dayton Theology on Tap.  If you don’t feel like cooking dinner, head to the Dayton Canoe Club for their Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser.  At the Dayton Art Institute, you can listen to the sounds of the DPO Concertmaster & Friends.  Permanent Collection, although not permanent, will still be playing at The Loft Theatre.  And over at Fifth Third Field, see some Dragons and “Tin Men,” as the Dragons play the Fort Wayne Tincaps.

On Friday, get up bright and early and head to The Pub for a Royal Wedding Brunch.  If you love horse racing and beer, you won’t want to miss The Kentucky Ale Trail: Horses & Hops, which will start at Jungle Jim’s.  I just found out that another specialty grocery store, Trader Joe’s, discontinued one of my favorite items (salmon and spinach crepes), so I would be very much interested in going to the Kids Crepe Making Demo which will be going on at the PNC 2nd Street Market.  Bid on some wonderful, one-of-a-kind pieces of art at the DVAC Annual Art Auction.  If you’re out in the Oregon District, head to Oregon Express for Half-Price Happy Hour Pizzas and Old Skool Acoustic Duo…featuring cover tunes by some great artists including Journey!  Or make a stop at the Trolley Stop to listen to The Eric Jerardi Band.  Some other musical options include Encore Theatre Company’s BIG fat CONCERT SERIES, vol. II – ‘I Feel So Much Spring’ and the University of Dayton Jazz Ensembles.  Wear your green and take the kids to watch the Dragons vs. Fort Wayne Tincaps…which is also McDonald’s Friends & Family Night.  At the Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club, you will be able to celebrate Spring Bierfest.  And finally, some Friday theater options include Centerville’s Hello, Dolly!, Permanent Collection at The Loft Theatre, The Wizard of Oz at Baum Opera House, and Zoot Theatre Company’s Phantom Tollbooth at the Schuster Center.

On the last day in April (Saturday), learn Smart Cycling Basics at Five Rivers MetroParks’ St. Clair Building or participate in the 5k Run for the Health of It at Archers Tavern.  Avid readers will want to attend the Dayton Book Expo 2011 at Sinclair.  Head to South Park to see some beautiful homes for their Historic South Park Spring Home Tour.  Some art options include Sound Bites: Short Talks about Art at the Dayton Art Institute and the Free Artist Workshop at the Dayton Visual Arts Center.  Any Germans out there?  If so, make plans to attend the Spring Concert, followed by the Westphaelische Beef Rouladen Dinner (I’m part German but I have no clue how to say that) at the Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club.  If you haven’t yet, consider getting tickets to one of the many shows going on:  Phantom Tollbooth at the Schuster Center, The Wizard of Oz at Baum Opera House, Hello, Dolly! at Centerville Performing Arts Center, Gem City Ballet Victoria Theatre Gala (at Victoria Theatre), ETC’s BIG fat CONCERT SERIES, vol. II – ‘I Feel So Much Spring’ at Color of Energy Gallery, Permanent Collection at The Loft Theatre, or The Apple Tree at Stivers School for the Arts.  And if the weather is nice, you’ll be able to catch the Dragons as they play the Fort Wayne Tincaps at Fifth Third Field.

On Sunday, get off the couch and participate in the Kettering Medical Center Walk for Women’s Wellness at Carillon Historical Park.  At the Dayton Masonic Center, attend the Graeter’s Symphony Sundaes Series: The Symphonic Sibelius…complete with ice cream from Graeter’s.  Now how great is that?!?!  At the University of Dayton, attend the Art of Foreseen Beauty – DCDC2’s Spring Concert.  If you can, I encourage you to attend in order to witness some of the most remarkable dancing out there!  If opera is your thing, catch some up-and-comers at the Opera Guild of Dayton Tri-State College Vocal Competition in Kettering.  And if you haven’t yet had an opportunity to do so, luckily the show Permanent Collection seems to be a permanent fixture (this week only) at The Loft Theatre.  Or spend part of the day with Dorothy and Toto (I do love the song “Africa”) at the Baum Opera House for The Wizard of Oz.

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

Three skunks went to church.  The priest made them sit in their own pew.

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 (3/30 – 4/3)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

It is the end of March…although the madness continues, of course!  This also means that it’s the beginning of April showers.  However, instead of gifts, I’m going to shower you with things to do!

On Wednesday, make your way to the fabulous Jay’s Seafood Restaurant for their Groth Vineyards Tasting or to Bruning’s Wine Cellar for their Special Edition Tasting: All White Wines from Germany and Austria.  Although Sammy’s El Pueblo in Springboro has been open for a little while, head to their Grand Opening Celebration, which will feature a live mariachi band and buy one get one lunch or dinner!  Hopefully you’re like me and have your tickets to Avenue Q at Victoria Theatre (which is actually on Main Street).  Entertainment Weekly called it “one of the funniest shows you’re ever likely to see,” so I am so ready to get my laugh on and I hope you are too!  Just be sure to get your tickets ASAP as I have been told that there are only a few tickets remaining!  (For more info on this show, check out Shane Anderson’s article on DMM.)  And if you’re feeling like grabbing a beer and listening to some acoustic music, head to the Trolley Stop for the Old Time Acoustic Jam.

On Thursday, make your way to the PNC 2nd Street Market for Maple Syrup Maestro.  Over at Coco’s Bistro, enjoy their delicious food and 1/2 Price Wine by the Bottle.  Make your way to the Dayton Art Institute for DAI Movie Night: Steve McQueen in ‘Bullitt’.  FYI – “Bullit” doesn’t look like it’s speled corectlee, but when I looked it up, it waz acshually correctt.  If you love live music, make your way to the Centerville Schools Performing Arts Center to watch as The Centerville Orchestra presents, Mark Wood, a musician with an impressive resume!  Or, combine your love for video games with music by attending the Dayton Philharmonic’s The Return of Play! A Video Game Symphony at the Schuster Center.

On Friday, don’t go out and do anything.  Just be lazy, stay at home, and relax on the couch.  April Fool!  Of course you better not be doing that or else I’d have to try to drag you off the couch!  Instead, you can make your way to the Dayton Visual Arts Center for their Auction Preview Exhibition.  If you love cows and want to protect them, head to the Dayton Mall Chick-fil-A for their customer appreciation day, in which you will get a free Chick-fil-A sandwich(offered  4-7PM).  I have to be honest – I am so disappointed because I LOVE Chick-fil-A but do the “no meat on Fridays in Lent” thing…I wish they had a Fish-fil-A Sandwich!  Help raise money for music scholarships at Cedarville University by attending the ‘Musical Chairs’ performance.  If you’re downtown, be sure to participate in First Friday, the art hop that happens the first Friday of each month.  Kristen Wicker does a fantastic job telling you all about the events going on as part of First Friday, so I’ll shut my mouth (or stop typing) and encourage you to check out her article yourself…it’s really not a joke!

On Saturday, all you 5K lovers should head to Eastwood MetroPark for Celtic Academy’s Inaugural 5K Race for the Worlds Run/Walk.  All you art lovers should attend the Auction Preview Exhibition at the Dayton Visual Arts Center.  Some theater options include Beauty and the Beast at Victoria Theatre, Bill W. & Dr. Bob at Dayton Playhouse, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The Playhouse South, The Boys Next Door at the Dayton Theatre Guild, and Smoke on the Mountain at the University of Dayton.  Also at the University of Dayton, listen to the sounds of the Ebony Heritage Singers, Dayton’s gospel choir which will perform music from the African-American sacred music tradition.  Take the stairway to the Schuster Center, which will seem like heaven as you see the Dayton Philharmonic’s performance, The Symphony Rocks: Music of Led Zeppelin.  If you love football but hate to sit out in the cold, head to Hara Arena to watch as the Dayton Silverbacks play the Cincinnati Commandos.  And if you love black tie events and supporting great causes, head to the Wright State University ArtsGala.  I have heard that this is always an amazing event!

The Symphony Rocks: The Music of Led Zeppelin

On Sunday, THEater seems like THE thing to do!  Beauty and the Beast at Victoria Theatre, Bill W. & Dr. Bob at Dayton Playhouse, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The Playhouse South, The Boys Next Doorat Dayton Theatre Guild, and Smoke on the Mountain at the University of Dayton are all options.  Or bring your kids to the Dayton Philharmonic’s performance, The Beat Goes On at the Schuster Center.

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

How does a cow keep track of all her appointments?

She checks her COWander.

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 (2/23 – 2/27)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

It’s time to start making plans for the week, as there are lots of events happening around town!  Here are a few options!

On Wednesday, talk politics and help solve the world’s problems at the Drinking Liberally – Dayton event at Trolley Stop.  Seriously, they will be talking about politics, but I don’t think their solution to the world’s problems will be drinking…although the research shows that drinking water can help solve the dehydration problem.  If you own a business, you will want to attend Social Media for Business: How to Create and Use a Facebook Fan Page at Groundz4Living at The Greene…afterall, social media is a super cheap way to advertise!  Over at Sinclair, help promote sustainable living and economic development with Green Drinks Dayton, which will include a tour and networking event.  All you winos will want to attend the Wine Tasting at Rumbleseat Wine, the Weekly Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery, Vina Robles Wine Tasting at Bruning’s Wine Cellar, or Wine Down Weekdays at Savona Restaurant & Wine Bar.  Craving some sushi?  Head to Sima Korean & Japanese Restaurants for 1/2 off Chef’s Specials Rolls.  And over at South Park Tavern, check out the music of The Motel Beds, The Smug Brothers, and The Fervor.  Hopefully “motel beds” isn’t indicative of the quality of their music!

On Thursday, all you art fans will want to attend REACH (Realizing Ethnic Awareness and Cultural Heritage) Across Dayton Joint Reception/Gallery Talk: Bucher/Moro, which takes place at both the Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC) and Sinclair.  Please don’t “wine” if you didn’t have an opportunity to sip your favorite merlot on Wednesday, as you will again have your opportunity to do so at the Wine Tasting at The Wine Loft, A Wine Dinner with Philippe Magrez at Jungle Jim’s, the Wine Tasting at Heathers Coffee & Café, or Wine Down Weekdays at Savona Restaurant & Wine Bar.  If you love the great outdoors, attend Fundamentals of Family Camping at Five Rivers MetroParks’ St. Clair Building.  Some consider music therapeutic, so head to Therapy Café to Sing Your Heart Out for the American Heart Association.  If you like theater, our local universities are the place to be!  Head to Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater for The Foreigner, Wright State for Picnic, or Wittenberg for As You Like It.  Regardless of what you choose to do, I hope you like it.

On Friday, join Generation Dayton for their Fourth Friday Lunch Speaker Series at the Dayton Art Institute, featuring Ginny Strausburg of the DP&L Foundation, who will be talking to young professionals about “Choosing Board Professionals Wisely.”  Lunch will be provided, compliments of DP&L, so if you’re a young professional, be sure to register ASAP to secure your spot!  Couldn’t get enough wine during the earlier part of the week?  Head to the Southern Ohio Kitchens Showroom for the Go Red for Women Wine Tasting.  If you haven’t yet been to a fish fry this season, you will without a doubt want to head to the Alter High School Fish Fry.  There will be LOTS of people there (including myself!), so be sure to get there early!  We’ve already had a few days with spring like temperatures, so be sure to take advantage of the Star-Late Skates at RiverScape’s ice rink before it closes for the season!  Theater options for Friday include The Berenstain Bears on Stage at Victoria Theatre, As You Like It at Wittenberg, Fat Pig at Dayton Theatre Guild, Picnic at Wright State, and The Foreigner at Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater.  At the Schuster Center, attend the Dayton Philharmonic’s Virtuosos at Home.  If you wish the doors would open to more musical options in the Dayton region, you’re in luck, as there will be a Doors Tribute at Canal Street Tavern.  And finally, for all you sports enthusiasts, the Dayton Gems will be taking on the Evansville IceMen at Hara Arena.

On Saturday, start the day early by participating in Ray’s Mountain Bike Trip at Five Rivers MetroParks’ St. Clair Building.  If you have it in you, join The Greene as they “go red” for the American Heart Association by participating in their 2 Mile Run/Walk.  At the Victoria Theatre, consider taking your kids to their own “Mardi Gras” with Creole for Kidz and the History of Zydeco.  All you fashionistas (my spell check underlined that word so sorry if I “mispeled” it) have a couple great options from which to choose.  Attend either The Noble Circle Project’s AWear Affair Fashion Show and Luncheon at Sinclair or the 11th Annual Crown Jewels Hat Show at Books and Co. at The Greene.  Be sure to bring your “hatitude”, as the event’s founder Sharon Howard calls it!  I attended last year and it was seriously a blast!  Have a few beers and support United Rehabilitation Services by participating in the Bud Light Barstool Open North.  If you’ve always wanted to be in the movie business, attend the Production Assistant Training Seminar at Sinclair Community College.  Saturday’s theater options include Fat Pig at Dayton Theatre Guild, As You Like It at Wittenberg, Picnic at Wright State, and The Foreigner at Sinclair’s Blair Hall Theater.  Or attend the Dayton Philharmonic’s Virtuosos at Home at the Schuster Center.  All you “Dancing with the Stars” fans will want to get tickets to see Julianne Hough at Kuss Auditorium.  At the Dayton Masonic Center, the Hermes Awards Ceremony will be going on to honor those in the advertising industry.  At Hara Arena, you will be able to see the Dayton Gems take on the Quad City Mallards.  And if you are sick and tired of winter, head to the Beach Party featuring the Parrots of the Caribbean at Jiffy Lube…oops I mean Quaker Steak & Lube.

On Sunday, head to the Schuster Center for their Visual Voices Art Exhibit:  Dayton Skyscrapers 2011.  Over at Coco’s, Savor Your Sunday & Support Stivers.  If you feel like experiencing the sights and scenes of theater, see Picnic at Wright State, As You Like It at Wittenberg, or Fat Pig at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  If you couldn’t get a babysitter to watch your kids so that you could go to a show with your honey, then take the kids to Creole for Kidz and the History of Zydeco at Victoria Theatre.  All you Oscar fans should consider watching the movie awards show AT the movies, as The Neon and the The Little Art Theatre will both be having Oscar screenings.  Just don’t be a grouch if your favorite movie/actor/actress/director does not win!  And finally, head to the UD Arena to watch the UD Flyers as they take on Xavier.  I have to say – I am completely jealous of all of you who have tickets!  (And if you have any extras, please feel free to send them my way!)

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

What did the hat say to the tie?

You hang around here…I’ll go on a head.

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 (2/16 – 2/20)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

You may or may not have been with the love of your life this Valentine’s Day, but hopefully it was a great one!  Guys…now with the pressure off, hopefully you’ll be able to relax and have some fun at some of these events!

On Wednesday, all you writers can head to Books & Co. for their Second Sunday Free Writers’ Workshop.  Is your bike just collecting dust in the garage or are you going to try cycling for the first time?  If so, you’ll want to participate in Five Rivers MetroParks’ Introduction to Bicycle Maintenance.  It may not be such a secret that this is going on, but over at Wiley’s, you will be able to see the opening night of Dirty Little Secret, which is co-presented by DaytonMostMetro.com’s very own J.T. Ryder.  (There is also a DMM article on this show, so if interested, check out the following link!)  And finally, for some good beer, check out the Sam Adams Beer Samplingat Heathers Coffee & Café or Green Flash Brewing Beer Tasting at The Caroline.

On Thursday, if you’re in the doghouse because you totally forgot about Valentine’s Day, try to make it up to your significant other by arranging flowers for him/her at PNC 2nd Street Market as part of February Flowers.  Or take that special someone to Spinoza’s for their Dinner and a Movie Package.  Even if your boyfriend’s/husband’s name is Scott, Fred, or Sam, you can still have a Romantic Dinner for 2 at Christopher’s and not get into trouble.  Over at Thai 9, attend their Tapping Firkin of Bell’s Hopslamand eat some of their delicious food.  I LOVE that their food can accommodate a diverse group of people in terms of spice preferences…and they don’t make you feel badly if you order a level zero like me!  Over at Hara Arena, catch the Dayton Gems as they take on the Quad City Mallards.  Even though it may be a little too cold to have an outdoor picnic, you can see the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award–winning play, Picnic at Wright State.  Also, if you love live music, head to South Park Tavern to see Ryan Roth and the Grand Plan with Seryn.

On Friday, if you feel like having a home cooked meal but are lacking Rachael Ray’s or Emeril’s cooking genes, head to the Dorothy Lane Market in Springboro for their  DLM Family Style Dinner.  Down in the city (RiverScape), head to Gone Country, where you will be able to ice skate while listening to country music.  All you graffiti artist wannabes should branch out to Olive for their Graffiti Party.  Hopefully you are fortunate to have a ticket to the sold out 6th Annual Valentine’s Dance for Special Wishat the Schuster Center.  If not, I encourage you to support this great cause by purchasing raffle tickets or making a donation.  I know a child whose wish was sponsored by Special Wish and I am so impressed by the work that they do!  If you prefer to have dinner and see a show all in the same place, go to the Spaghetti Warehouse for their Mayhem & Mystery Dinner Theatre ‘Tragedy in the Theater’.  Head to Cedarville University to watch High School Musicians Showcase Their Talent.  And for additional theater options, be sure to get your ticket to Fat Pig at the Dayton Theatre Guild, Picnic at Wright State, or The Foreigner at Sinclair.

On Saturday, start your day off at the Yellow Springs Winter Farmer’s Market.  If you became engaged on Valentine’s Day, then you’ll want to head to the DRC Bridal Show.  For some live music, go to the University of Dayton for their Jazz Ensemble, Shiloh Church for the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra Concert, or Omega Baptist Church for their Omega Black History Celebration: Song, Dance & Praise.  However, if you prefer to add a little “boogie-ing” to your music (the dancing kind, not the nose kind), check out the band Crooked Style at Talegators or head to Alex’s to listen to the band Off the Hook.  Some theater options for Saturday include Fat Pig at the Dayton Theatre Guild, Forbidden Broadway: Dances with the Stars at Victoria Theatre, Picnic at Wright State, and The Foreigner at Sinclair.  I know it’s not a Friday, but you will still be able to join in the fun and food at the Carroll High School – Carrolleer Fish Fry.  And finally, be sure to check out the UD Flyers as they take on Duquesne…we are definitely due for a victory!

On Sunday, start your day off right by eating great food and supporting a great cause as part of the Savor Your Sunday & Support Stivers event at Coco’s Bistro.  Some musical options include Afternoon Musicales at the Dayton Art Institute, the Dayton Philharmonic’s The Symphonic Beethoven at the Dayton Masonic Center, the University of Dayton Jazz Band’sperformance at the University of Dayton, and Omega Black History Celebration: Song, Dance & Praiseat Omega Baptist Church.  At the Dayton Marriott, all you brides will want to attend The Dayton Bridal Expo.  Those poor guys…I have yet to hear about a Groom Expo or Groom Show!   Or perhaps they might actually be the fortunate ones because it gets them off the hook!  Over at RiverScape, participate in Fundamentals of Skating if you have yet to learn how to skate.  Also, some Sunday theater options include Fat Pig at the Dayton Theatre Guild, The Foreignerat Sinclair, and Picnic at Wright State University.  And finally, if you are stressed out and don’t know what to do about it, make plans to attend the Introduction to Mindful Meditation Workshop at Practice Yoga on Fifth.

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

The wise never marry…and when they marry they become otherwise.

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 (2/9 – 2/13)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Some of you may be suffering from cabin fever, as the weather last week wasn’t conducive to enjoying all the wonderful activities in Dayton.  Although it’s supposed to be cold this week according to our local meteorologists, hopefully you will have the opportunity to get out and experience some of the wonderful things going on in our city!

On Wednesday, in the afternoon, take a trip to the Dayton Metro Library’s main branch for Special Events: Putting the FUN in Fundraising, in order to learn how to plan and execute a successful fundraising event.  Over at the Schuster Center, check out Visual Voices Art Exhibit:  Dayton Skyscrapers 2011.  If you missed the Trolley Stop’s Monthly Beer Tasting last week because of the ice/snow, no worries, as it has been rescheduled for Wednesday.  Afterwards, be sure to stay for the Old Time Acoustic Jam!

On Thursday, join Generation Dayton as they partner up with jumpstART for their Thirsty Thursday at De’Lish.  Afterwards, Jump into Theatre with these two great organizations by checking out the Human Race Theatre Company’s production of Twelfth Night.  Make sure you ask for the “jumpstart” deal in order to get half-off tickets!  Plus, the Human Race will offer a private tour after the production!  For those of you who love the sport of skiing, head to The Neon for their screening of ‘The Story’, which is a documentary on the topic.  At the Schuster Center, listen to the sounds of the Dayton Philharmonic for Heroes & Journeys: Strauss & Mozart.  In addition, A Streetcar Named Desirewill be playing at Victoria Theatre and True West will be playing at the University of Dayton.

On Friday, for those of you who like the color green, you’ll want to attend the ‘Ohio Leads the Way: Green Markets and Green Jobs’ Expo at the Dayton Convention Center.  If you’re feeling a little anti-social and would prefer to just watch a movie, head to UD for ArtStreet Friday Film Series Presents: The Social Network.  I still haven’t seen this movie, but have definitely heard good things about it!  Over at the Nutter Center, meet Achmed the Terrorist, Bubba J, and Jose Jalapeno on a Stick, as they take the stage alongside the hilarious Comedian Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham!  All you beer lovers may want to take a trip to Cincinnati for the Cincy Winter Beerfest – just bring a DD, or rather have the DD bring you!  For a fun way to start off Valentine’s Weekend, attend the Valentine’s Masquerade Ball Fundraiser at the Cannery Art and Design Center to benefit the YMCA Youth and Teen Programs.  If you’re looking for some theatre/music options, there are plenty!  Get your tickets to The Berenstain Bears Onstage: A Bear Country Musical (Town Hall Theatre), A Streetcar Named Desire (Victoria Theatre), Fat Pig (Dayton Theatre Guild), Stauss: A Hero’s Life(Dayton Philharmonic at the Schuster Center), The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee (Dayton Playhouse), Twelfth Night (The Loft Theatre), or True West at the University of Dayton.  At Alex’s, you can see The Fries, one of my favorite local bands (and foods) perform as part of their 2011 Debut!  Speaking of fries, be sure to check out the St. Henry/Bishop Leibold Fish Fry!  After all, what Friday would be complete without one?!?!

On Saturday, head out to the PNC 2nd Street Market for their Valentine’s Celebration, featuring perfect gifts for your sweetheart.  All teens are welcome to attend the Game Day @ Your Library, which will take place at the East Branch of the Dayton Metro Library.  Be sure to reserve your spot for the Do-It-Yourself Valentine Cookie Cakeat the delicious Ele Cake Company…I just can’t get enough of their butter cream icing!  If you have any leftovers, feel free to send them my way!  Over at the UD Arena, watch the UD Flyers as they play Temple.  The ‘Ohio Leads the Way: Green Markets and Green Jobs’ Expo will still be going on at the Dayton Convention Center.  If you so desire, you can see A Streetcar Named Desire at Victoria Theatre.  All you Sex and The City lovers will want to see the new show, Hot Mess in Manhattan.  There are also several other theater options listed on the DMM calendar.  At the University of Dayton, you will be able to check out the Libby Larsen Residency: Grand Finale Concert.  If fish fryin’ is your thing, head to St. Peter’s for their Fish Fry and Monte Carlo.  Several restaurants are also having Valentine’s specials or “couples specials,” such as the Sweetheart Package at The Melting Pot.  Over at the Nutter Center, attend the WYSO’s Silent Auction and Wine, Chocolate and Cheese Tasting, featuring one of my favorite types of chocolates – Winans!  At Hara Arena, catch the Dayton Gems as they play the Fort Wayne Komets…kind of reminds me of that song I used to sing when I was little about comet making your mouth turn green and tasting like Listerine.  Darn, now I’m going to have that song in my head all day!  And finally, you will not want to miss the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s (DCDC’s) Black History Month Performance entitled In the Spirit of…The Spirit Within.  They are an amazing group of performers!

On Valentine’s Day Eve, be sure to Savor Your Sunday & Support Stivers.  At the Dayton Art Institute, check out the Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT - presented by The Human Race Theatre Co. - January 28 - February 13Afternoon Musicales.  If you’re looking for something to do with your sweetheart (or your mom or grandma), you can check out Spinoza’s Dinner and a Movie Package, the Valentine Sharing Menu at Fleming’s, 3 course dinner for 2 for $25.99 at Mimi’s, or the Sweetheart Package at The Melting Pot.  If your mom, grandma, or sweetheart enjoys theatre, take her to one of the many shows going on, including The Berenstain Bears Onstage at Town Hall Theatre, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee at the Dayton Playhouse, Twelfth Night at The Loft Theatre, A Streetcar Named Desire -Passport Performance at Victoria Theatre, or Fat Pig at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  If the lady in your life likes music, take her to listen to the sounds of the Dayton Philharmonic for The Magic Orchestra with Dan Kaminat the Schuster Center.  And finally, another wonderful Sunday option is DCDC’s Black History Month Performance In the Spirit of…The Spirit Within.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week…well actually, a couple cheesy pickup lines in honor of Valentine’s Day. Drum roll please…

  • Let’s make like a fabric softener and snuggle.
  • Are your legs tired, because you’ve been running through my mind all day long.
  • Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?

Disclaimer:  The success of these pick-up lines is not guaranteed.

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 LOVEly week Dayton!