Since 1983, the annual Madrigal Dinner, produced each December by the Wright State University Student Union with the Department of Music, has provided the greater Dayton community with a musical and dramatic interpretation of these fabulous medieval ceremonial feasts. What began as a single performance has become an established tradition that spans four evenings and entertains over 1,300 guests.
WSU
‘Hot Mikado’ Review – Wright State University – Gotta Dance!
Without a doubt the first pleasant surprise of the fall is the area premiere of Wright State University’s highly entertaining and fabulously choreographed “Hot Mikado,” Rob Bowman and David H. Bell’s little-known 1986 jazz-era twist on Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1885 comic opera “The Mikado.”
Kyle James Adam and Scotti Marie Stoneburner in Wright State University’s production of “Hot Mikado” (Contributed photo)
With great skill and efficiency, Bowman and Bell impressively dusts off this silly, thin tale of love, law and customs in the quaint, cutely named Japanese town of Titipu. Instead of taking a more familiar, traditional approach to the material and Gilbert and Sullivan’s legacy as particularly evident in Mike Leigh’s acclaimed 1999 film “Topsy-Turvy,” this duo fills their adaptation with a colorfully clever assortment of musical flavors from gospel and swing to R&B and rock and roll. By all means, the sheer power of musicianship and distinctive arrangements (catapulted by the expertise of musical director Scot Woolley’s superb orchestra) is a key factor to the show’s conceptual appeal, which brilliantly doubles as a refreshing history lesson in American music and an enjoyable, respectful homage to one of the most beloved works in the Gilbert and Sullivan canon.
Director Greg Hellems, adept at musical comedy, keeps the carefree action breezy and light (think “42nd Street” or “Crazy for You”) aided by the spectacular, Broadway-caliber contributions of ever-reliable choreographer Teressa Wylie McWilliams, who choreographed Hellems’ first-rate “Oklahoma!” last season. Here, McWilliams, in a return to form recalling her outstanding work for WSU’s 2011 production of “Hairspray,” pulls out the stops at the outset as the handsome, agile male ensemble exuberantly performs a slick, seductive and cheery version of “We Are Gentlemen of Japan,” a terrific, tone-setting opener. Her tap-happy routines continue with feverish aplomb with the scintillating, breathtaking, encore-worthy Act 1 finale and the fiery, playful duels within Act 2’s rousing “Mikado Song.”
Drew Bowen delightfully leads the proceedings as the charming Nanki-Poo, a musician in love with the innocent Yum-Yum (the lovely Bradley Farmer) who is actually betrothed to Ko-Ko (the comical Sean Jones in pure vaudeville mode). Bowen and Jones are crowd pleasers, but Farmer deserves special mention for bringing an enchanting grace and a contemporary sensibility to “Sun and I,” an Act 2 highlight and one of the finest songs ever written by Gilbert and Sullivan. This trio receives excellent support from the suave Alimamy Barrie as the Mikado, vocal powerhouse Paige Dobkins as Pitti-Sing, striking tenor Mark Beyer (“Braid the Raven Hair”) as Pish-Tush, the equally amiable Nathan Pecchia as Pooh-Bah and Bailey Rose as Peep-Bo, and the marvelously formidable Jasmine Easler as the fiery Katisha, who vows to make Nanki-Poo her husband. The exceptional Easler, recently featured in WSU’s remarkable “Fences” and conveying a sinister diva mentality recalling Evilene from “The Wiz,” delivers knockout, amazingly soulful renditions of “Hour of Gladness” and “Alone and Yet Alive” that absolutely bring down the house.
The overt beauty within this impressively produced showcase is fueled by the inviting Japanese décor of Pam Knauert Lavarnway’s set, costumer Jeremy W. Floyd’s attractive mix of Cotton Club-esque attire and gorgeous kimonos, and Matthew P. Benjamin’s evocative lighting and projections.
If you don’t have plans to catch “Hot Mikado” before it closes you need to immediately reschedule your agenda. This must-see is too hot to miss.
“Hot Mikado” continues through Nov. 9 in the Festival Playhouse of the Creative Arts Center at Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Act One: 63 minutes; Act Two: 60 minutes. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. For tickets or more information, call WSU box office at (937) 775-2500.
A Bevy of Wright State University Homecoming Festivities Sept. 29–Oct. 4.
Wright State University invites students, alumni and friends to campus to participate in the 2014 Homecoming festivities Sept. 29–Oct. 4.
Wright State students will celebrate Homecoming with a week of activities that will conclude Saturday, Oct. 4, when alumni and friends return to campus.
Homecoming week officially begins on Monday, Sept. 29, with a Raider Homecoming kick off for all students beginning at noon in Student Union Atrium. The 2014 Homecoming royalty court will be announced and students may cast their vote for the 2014 Homecoming royalty.
Area alumni and friends are invited on Friday, Oct. 3, to attend the Homecoming Exclusive Jason Derulo Concert beginning at 8 p.m. at the Wright State University Nutter Center. Tickets may be purchased online through Ticketmaster.
The Wright State University Alumni Association will honor several distinguished alumni at the annual awards dinner Friday, Oct. 3.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, the Raider Homecoming Festival kicks off with the Student Alumni 
Association’s second annual Nearly Naked Mile, which starts at the Rinzler Pavilion. Participants are asked to bring clothes to donate to Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley. Registration begins at 10 a.m. Participants will enjoy games and a DJ for the pre-run party. The run begins at 11 a.m. The Student Alumni Association will provide food and Nearly Naked Mile T-shirts after the event.
New this year! Be sure to stop by the Homecoming Festival at the Rinzler Pavilion on Oct. 4 starting at noon. Enjoy a variety of activities that the whole family can enjoy!
- Watch the Wright State Club Football team take on Ohio State Club Football
- Tie dye a Wright State spirit shirt
- Watch Women’s Soccer take on Green Bay
- Watch Men’s Soccer play Milwaukee
- Play corn hole and other yard games
- Kids can jump in a bounce house
- Join fellow alumni in the beer tent
- Enjoy live music
- Grab some grub from one of our participating food trucks Zombie Dogz and Hunger Paynes
- Stop by the annual Homecoming chili cook-off
Check out special events this year for alumni who worked for The Guardian and alumni of the College of Education and Human Services!
To view the complete list of Raider Homecoming events and register visit www.wright.edu/homecoming/events .
‘Les Misérables’ Review – Wright State University – Stunning Success
Mark Beyer as Enjolras (center) and the cast of Les Miserables (contributed photo)
Wright State University delivers an outstanding local collegiate premiere of Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer’s “Les Misérables,” the popular, unabashedly sentimental 1987 Tony Award-winning pop opera based on Victor Hugo’s legendary 1862 novel exploring the human condition through plight and promise within turbulent France.
Inspired by the harrowing June revolt of 1832 (the French Revolution concluded 33 years prior), “Les Miz” hasn’t lost one morsel of its angst-ridden, melodramatic urgency under W. Stuart McDowell’s excellently firm, fluid and inventive direction. As a throng of fascinating, emotionally-charged characters leap forth spanning nearly 20 years, McDowell ensures every individual is clearly defined and every moment counts. Incorporating unique flourishes beyond the use of a turntable, a signature component of Trevor Nunn and John Caird’s original iconic stagecraft, he allows the show to resonate anew with a skillful grasp of atmosphere and tone. In addition to sprinkling the action with red, white and blue in a patriotic nod to the French flag, the opening seconds single-handedly stimulates the ensuing drama with a fresh grip by reiterating the magnitude of the story in a historical context. McDowell’s large, passionate cast, vocally on par with WSU’s fabulous productions of “The Light in the Piazza” and “Grand Hotel,” is powerfully led by Andrew Quiett as ex-convict Jean Valjean. Quiett gave one of the finest performances of this season last fall as Jud Fry in “Oklahoma!,” and his return is equally praiseworthy as he fills Valjean’s redemptive journey with engrossing humility and searing potency, especially in his gorgeously heartfelt “Bring Him Home.” At the same rate, Law Dunford, in a breakthrough performance benefitted by non-traditional casting, truly captivates as Inspector Javert, a devout Christian whose unforgiving heart and obsessive drive clouds his judgment as he relentlessly pursues Valjean. Instilling fear with a marvelously formidable demeanor and razor sharp intensity, Dunford avoids morphing into a one-dimensional antagonist by astutely interpreting Javert’s harsh convictions from the perspective of duty and principle instead of blatant vengeance.
Andrew Quiett as Jean Valjean (contributed photo)
Quiett and Dunford are explosive adversaries (“Confrontation” is a knockout), but the featured players are very strong as well. The lovely, disenchanted Amy Wheeler is heartbreaking as the doomed Fantine, treating “I Dreamed a Dream” with sorrowful, lyric-driven, speak-sung eloquence. Ian Benjamin and Cassie Mikat playfully coalesce as the treacherous Thenardiers seeking to thwart Valjean. As lovebirds Marius and Cosette, an appealingly resolute Zack Steele and sweetly genteel Kaitlyn Sage beautifully intertwine although Steele (filling “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” with poignant solemnity) finds more depth in his portrayal than Sage who is saddled with thinner material. As the street-tough Eponine, hopelessly in love with Marius, the luminous Liz Romey blossoms into a superb storyteller in her fantastic “On My Own” radiating with anger, yearning and an eerily extended silence illustrating Eponine’s loneliness on the streets of Paris. Terrific tenor Mark Beyer brings fiery zeal to his striking, comforting portrayal of student rebel leader Enjolras.
Additionally, as Young Cosette, Emma Fry refreshingly embraces “Castle on a Cloud” as the haunting lullaby it was written to be by adding a few chilling inflections. Connor Iverson is a scrappy, spunky Gavroche. Abbey Fry is a delightful Young Eponine, particularly aiding in the frenzied swindling throughout “Master of the House” expertly choreographed by Dionysia Williams. Drew Bowen is delectably creepy opposite Wheeler as the cruel Factory Foreman and snobbish Bamatabois. Bowen also shines as Jean Prouvaire alongside Connor Lysholm (Combeferre), Brandon Kinley (Feuilly), Jordan Adams (Courfeyrac), Bailey Olean (Joly), Keaton Eckoff (Grantaire), and Jim Miller (Lesgles) as the defiant rebels of the ABC Café stirring the souls of their countrymen upon the death of General Lamarque (an advocate of the poor) in the rousing “Do You Hear the People Sing?” Bradley Farmer and Paige Dobkins are among the standouts of the female ensemble fiercely attacking “Lovely Ladies.” The cast also includes Bailey Edmonds, Peter Cutler, Caitlyn Geisser, Emsie Hapner, Haley Iverson, King Jones, Owen Kresse, Kody Mullins, Kate Mueller, Kelsey Pohl, Brandon Ramos, Tyrell Reggins, Alyson Snyder, MacKenzie Stephens, Ben Tracy, Abby Murray Vachon, Jake West, Sabria Wynn, and Meredith Zahn.
The rebels at the barricades in Les Miserables (contributed photo)
The marvelous tech artists accenting this experience with color, dimension, nuance, realism and vigor include scenic designer Pam Knauert Lavarnway, lighting designers Matthew P. Benjamin and Erin Jones, costumer D. Bartlett Blair, sound designer James Dunlap, musical director Scot Woolley, fight choreographer Bruce Cromer, and dialect coach Deborah Thomas.
“Les Miz” dynamically champions freedom and faith, but it also serves as an impressive landmark in the history of WSU’s musical theater department and one of the best productions the Miami Valley will witness in 2014.
“Les Misérables” continues through April 6 in the Festival Playhouse of the Creative Arts Center at Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. Performances are March 27, April 2 and 3 at 7 p.m., March 28, 29, April 4 and 5 at 8 p.m., and March 29, 30, April 5 and 6 at 2 p.m. The production, running slightly over three hours including one 20-minute intermission, is sold-out. For more information or to inquire about ticket availability, contact the WSU box office at (937) 775-2500.
A Juried Alumni Exhibition: Call For Wright State’s Art and Art History Alumni
In recognition of the Robert & Elaine Stein Galleries’ 40th Exhibition Season, the Galleries are extending to the Alumni of the Department of Art and Art History an invitation to submit artwork for a juried Alumni Exhibition, to take place in the Stein Galleries May-June, 2014. All media will be considered, including installation, performance, and new media. At least one work from each entrant will be accepted and there is no cost to enter.
Entries are being accepted now through March 2, 2014.
The exhibition is open to any graduate of Wright State’s Art and Art History program.
Important Dates
Application deadline: March 2 (email); Feb. 28 (mail)
Notifications: March 31, 2014
Accepted works due: May 6, 2014
Exhibition: May 19 – June 13, 2014
Juror
Susan Byrnes is a visual artist, curator, and independent audio producer whose studies in photography, sculpture, and audio production result in conceptually-based art that encompasses a variety of media.
Susan received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography from Syracuse University and her Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from Eastern Michigan University.
How to Apply
Download the exhibition prospectus for complete information and application form. Adobe Acrobat Reader required.
For questions or to have the prospectus sent to you, contact Tess Cortés, Gallery Coordinator
FILL THE VOID Opening at THE NEON!
Hello Everyone,
We’re moving along this week. On Friday (Aug. 9), we will open a lovely new Israeli film called FILL THE VOID.
Synopsis for FILL THE VOID: “Fill the Void tells the story of an Orthodox Hassidic family from Tel Aviv. Eighteen-year-old Shira is the youngest daughter of the family. She is about to be married off to a promising young man of the same age and background. It is a dream-come-true, and Shira feels prepared and excited. On Purim, her twenty-eight-year-old sister, Esther, dies while giving birth to her first child. The pain and grief that overwhelm the family postpone Shira’s promised match…When the girls’ mother finds out that Yochay may leave the country with her only grandchild, she proposes a match between Shira and the widower. Shira will have to choose between her heart’s wish and her family duty.” Peter Rainer of The Christian Science Monitor wrote, “The sheer force of artistry has the power to convert outsiders into insiders. I left Fill the Void feeling privileged, however briefly, to have been brought into this world.” It’s quite possible that FILL THE VOID will only play for one week. I hope you’ll hurry down! Click the image above to be directed to the film’s official site.
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQuWarA9KXg’]
“Roger Brown — the greatest basketball player Dayton has ever known — will be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame on Sept. 8. Without the love and sacrifice of 84-year-old Daytonian Arlena Smith, it wouldn’t be happening. Join us at THE NEON on Aug. 15 at 7:30 for a benefit screening of the acclaimed documentary UNDEFEATED: THE ROGER BROWN STORY, with all proceeds going toward Arlena Smith’s trip to Springfield, Mass., for Brown’s Hall of Fame induction. Arlena and her late husband Azariah could not have children of their own, so they regularly welcomed troubled teenagers into their modest West Side home. One of those was Roger Brown. Among the greatest young basketball players in New York City history, Brown in 1961 had been unfairly implicated in a gambling scandal just as he was finishing his freshman year at the University of Dayton. Though never charged with a crime, he was kicked out of school and banned for life by the NBA. The Smiths came to the rescue. They opened up their home, found Brown a job, gave him the strength to move on. And finally, Brown bloomed anew. In 1967, he became the first player of the ABA’s Indiana Pacers. He led them to three championships, and became an Indianapolis City Councilman. All along, until his death at age 54 of cancer, Brown credited the Smiths — his ‘second parents’ — for making it possible.” (taken from press notes) Mark your calendars now! Tickets, just $10 each, are now available at our box office and at EbonNia Gallery.
The FilmDayton Festival is putting their marketing pieces into play, and they’re gearing up for another great festival. Film screenings will take place at THE NEON, but the festival is about a whole lot more…and it’s scheduled for August 23-25. Check out their line-up on the official site.
And speaking of FilmDayton, WSU’s Annual Big Lens Film Festival will kick off the festival this year. “The 21st Annual Big Lens Film Festival will premiere on Thursday, August 22nd at the THE NEON…Every year, Big Lens screens a selection of the very best short films to come from the Wright State University Motion Picture program, and this year is no different! Ranging from documentary to narrative, these six films cover a wide variety of subjects and emotions. There will be two screenings shown concurrently, one at 7:30pm and one at 8:00. Following the screenings, there will be a Q&A with the filmmakers, emceed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Julia Reichert. Tickets to either screening are $7 each, and will soon be available at THE NEON. Some films may contain adult content.” (taken from Big Lens press notes)
We hope to see you this weekend!
All the best,
Jonathan
SHOWTIMES for Fri, Aug. 9 – Thurs, Aug. 15:
FILL THE VOID (PG) 1 Hr 30 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Monday – Wednesday: 3:15, 5:30, 7:45
Thursday: 3:15, 5:30
THE WAY WAY BACK (PG-13) 1 Hr 43 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
UNDEFEATED: THE ROGER BROWN STORY
(NR) 1 Hr 30 Min + Discussion
Thursday: 7:30
COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
Aug. 16 – I’M SO EXCITED
Aug. 23 – BLUE JASMINE
TBD – BLACKFISH
TBD – THE HUNT
TBD – FROM UP ON POPPY HILL
TBD – IN THE HOUSE
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine students to host 5K AIDS Benefit Walk/Run on April 14
While there have been significant advancements in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) research in recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 50,000 people in the United States are newly infected with HIV each year. One in four new HIV infections occurs in youth, ages 13-24 years.
To raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) of the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, along with the Boonshoft School of Medicine and Five Rivers MetroParks, is sponsoring the annual 5K AIDS Benefit Walk/Run on Sunday, April 14, at 9 a.m., at Wegerzyn Gardens, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., in Dayton. The race check-in begins at 8 a.m.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will be donated to the AIDS Resource Center Ohio in Dayton.
“A quarter of those living with HIV are unaware of it,” said Joey Resch, a second-year medical student who is part of WSU AMSA. “Thanks to resources like the AIDS Resource Center Ohio, people in Dayton who suffer from HIV and AIDS are able to find treatment help. Hosting a 5K to help raise awareness of HIV and AIDS is a way for us to give back to our local community.”
Pre-registration costs $20 before April 1. After April 1, registration costs $25. To register, go to http://www.med.wright.edu/clubs/aids5k.
Reinventing The Telling of Stories – A New Interactive Website About Dayton Wants Your Input
In the Spring of 2012, Emmy-winning, Oscar nominated filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar, along with about 15 other media artists, hit the streets of Dayton asking the question, “How is Dayton doing?” Engaging subjects in thoughtful interviews and creating compelling, non-fiction stories is nothing new for Reichert and Bognar – but it turns out that this project was much more difficult than anticipated.
“This was a really ambitious project,” said Bognar. “We were attempting to take the pulse of the whole city. And we did not know what the answers would be.”
After identifying a handful of focus neighborhoods, the group—which was a collaboration with WYSO 91.3 FM— split into teams. They began to find and interview people who were in the process of reinventing themselves. In addition, the group documented over 35 events throughout the city. After weeks and months of sifting through hundreds of hours of material (not to mention a whole different language of web design), the resulting efforts can now be seen on an interactive website – ReinventionStories.Org.
Upon logging on the site, the first thing you’ll see is a beautifully animated introduction featuring a vintage postcard of the city and various soundbytes from numerous interviews. This introduction leads into an 18-minute documentary featuring 7 individuals from various neighborhoods. Using a combination of still photography, audio interviews and video footage, users get a sense for who these people are and how they are in the process of reinventing themselves. Each piece ends with a sort of cliffhanger. This 18-minute piece is merely Act One of three. In the coming weeks, each of the seven characters’ stories will continue in Act Two and Three. Reichert says that as the stories unfold, more dramatic material will reveal itself. She said, “These stories fit together to tell a bigger story about the city. We wanted to capture our City’s life and diversity and to show that we’re not all that far from each other. We’re all in this together.”
The 7 subjects of the documentary on ReinventionStories.org.
Those ideas are conveyed even more as we “Drive the Road.” This section of the website takes the viewer down East 3rd Street. The voice of Carol Coffey, teller of one of the stories, asks: “ What signs of life do you see in Dayton?” While passing storefronts and houses, a series of bubbles appear that allow the user to watch short stories about events from over the summer, prompting the viewer to think about that question. One story is about the Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus, another is about the Blessing of the Bikes, another, the World Soccer Tournament, sponsored by Welcome Dayton.
The storytellers want us to think about the fabric of the city…that all these very different events are happening in the same town.
In a third section of the site, the user is asked questions like “Where do you see signs of life in Dayton?” or “What city event do you most look forward to each year?” Once answered, the responses are broadcast via twitter. @ReinventDayton
In addition to new sections of the documentary, the coming months will see more coverage of events while “Driving Down the Road” and additional questions posed to users. The team also noted that “treasures have yet to be unveiled.”
The website went live in late February, but the idea is to let the website become a living, breathing site that will reveal more elements in time. The interactive part will rely on users to keep it fresh and alive. By April, Daytonians can upload their own stories of reinvention.
Neenah Ellis of WYSO and filmmakers Steve Bognar & Julia Reichert.
This project came about when WYSO director Neenah Ellis approached Reichert and Bognar regarding a national competition called LOCALORE – a new initiative of the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR), in collaboration with Zeega (a group of people who want to push non-fiction storytelling into unchartered territory*). Hundreds of organizations applied for the competition – only 10 were selected.
Bognar said he had so much fun running around the city over the summer. He noted that there was so much to do and that events were all always well attended. “When we started, we weren’t really sure how the city was doing. But luckily for the project and for the community, a corner was turning as we hit the streets. People were taking risks, opening new businesses, forming groups,and we caught the wave.” Reichert added, “A year later, we can answer with certainty. Yes. The city is very much alive and growing.
*AUTHOR’S BONUS NOTE FOR CINEASTES – Bognar told me that Zeega is named after Dziga Vertov – director of the masterpiece MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA. This is a great treat for film lovers. Vertov’s films and theories influenced the cinema verite movement…which pushed “non-fiction storytelling into unchartered territory.”
AIDS 5k Run/Walk/Jog Restgistration Now Open
On Sunday, April 17, 2011 students from the Boonshoft School of Medicine will be holding the AIDS 5k Run/Walk/Jog. We invite you, your friends and family to join us to help a great cause! All registrants will receive a race t-shirt as well as be entered into a raffle to receive some awesome prizes. Also, on race day, breakfast and snacks will be provided (bagels, juice, fruit, etc). Top finishers for each age and gender group will receive awards. The details of the race and how to register are as follows:
· What: WSU Boonshoft School of Medicine AIDS 5k Benefit
· Where: Wegerzyn Gardens Metropark, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH, 45414
· When: Sunday, April 17th, Race begins at 9:30 am, registration opens at 8 am
· Why: All proceeds go to the AIDS Resource Center of Ohio and Miami Valley Positives 4 Positives.
· Register Online: http://www.active.com/running/dayton-oh/aids-benefit-5k-2011
· Register in person: On race day at the site
· Cost: $20 before race day, $25 day of race.
We hope you’ll be able to attend!
Ryan Hamilton, Lindsey Hogle, and Scott Seider
WSU Boonshoft School of Medicine AIDS 5k Co-Chairs
