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Dayton Theatre Guild Announces ‘Til Death Do Us Part 2012-2013 Season

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Dayton Theatre Guild‘Til Death Do Us Part…

Come see our palette of plays that will take you right to the edge, whether in a theater filled with laughter or the lean-forward-in-your-seat intensity of great drama. And some will be a little bit of both. You’ll love the intimate confines of our new Oregon District home which now backs our award-winning casts with the very latest in technology, yet still maintains the Guild tradition of family where no one in our audience is ever a stranger. Come join us.

 

Opus
by Michael Hollinger
Aug 24-Sep 9, 2012
Directed by Greg Smith
Auditions: July 16-17

A world-class male string quartet struggles with the loss of a member, the recasting of a woman to replace him and the day-to-day tensions of exacting, temperamental artists struggling to make perfect music onstage, as well as to make sense of their lives offstage. This one-of-a-kind contemporary script is filled with quiet drama and surprising humor.

 

And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little
by Paul Zindel
Oct 5-21, 2012
Directed by Debra Kent
Auditions: August 27-28, 2012

Three sisters are each misshapen in a different way by a childhood without order or stability. Anna is a science teacher convinced she’s contracted a life-threatening illness; Catherine, who has her own life issues, is the sister who cares for her, and Ceil, also in the business of education, has manipulated life often at the expense of the other two. From this twisted mix playwright Zindel has created an unexpected, delightful comedy.

 

Ghosts
by Henrik Ibsen, translated by Christopher Hampton
Jan 11-27, 2013
Directed by Matthew W. Smith
Auditions: November 26-27

A brilliant new translation by Christopher Hampton breathes new life into this classic drama. The “ghosts” in this play are taboo topics that cannot be openly discussed. This drama is one of Ibsen’s most powerful works, but also one of his most controversial. Family sins are revisited when a son returns home to dedicate an orphanage in his father’s name and becomes involved in a tryst that ends in the painful knowledge of long suppressed family truths.

 

100 Saints You Should Know
by Kate Fodor
Feb 22-Mar 10, 2013
Directed by Ellen Finch
Auditions: January 14-15

Father Matthew McNally has served his congregation well but now finds he needs some time to reflect on his own faith and suddenly leaves his parish. Theresa, a cleaning woman at his rectory, searches him out for spiritual advice. She needs help with her 16-year-old daughter, Abby. And Garrett, a grocery delivery boy, desperately seeks Father McNally’s guidance in search of his own identity. An unexpected crisis brings these characters into confrontation. Faith is tried and shaken as Father McNally faces his own spiritual demons and his greatest fear — living without a connection to God.

 

Leaving Iowa
by Tim Clue & Spike Manton
Apr 5-21, 2013
Directed by Robb Willoughby
Auditions: February 25-26

The annual family vacations of one family are remembered as the son tries to take his father’s ashes to a former home. His attempts to reach the final resting place are interspersed with memories of family vacations the kids often hated. The actors play themselves as teenagers, as parents and as their older selves, on the road-trip of life. A sentimental play of good humor that is sweet and often contagiously funny.

 

The Pillow Man by Martin McDonagh
May 17-June 2, 2013
Directed by Natasha
Randall
Auditions: April 8-9

“With echoes of Stoppard, Kafka, and the Brothers Grimm, THE PILLOWMAN centers on a writer in an unnamed totalitarian state who is being interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a series of child murders. The result is an urgent work of theatrical bravura and an unflinching examination of the very nature and purpose of art.” – Dramatists Play Service. For mature audiences only.

 

A Tuna Christmas
by Ed Howard, Joe Sears & Jaston Williams
Nov 23-Dec 9, 2012
Directed by Kathy Mola
Auditions: Oct 8-9

It’s Christmas time and local radio personalities Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie tell us all about the annual Christmas lawn display contest that Viola Carp keeps winning (14 times), the troubled local production of A Christmas Carol and along the way introduce us to a host of colorful characters, each one funnier than the last, in this little mythical Texas town. Two actors portray more than twenty roles in this hilarious production.

 

 

Season tickets membership is $75…add the Holiday Show for an additional $10 for a total of $85! Individual ticket prices:*

Adult: $19

Seniors (60+): $17

Students: $12

Buy your tickets at daytontheatreguild.thundertix.com.

* all individual tickets are $1 less when paid for in cash on site at the Box Office.

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI Opens Friday at THE NEON

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Hello Everyone,

Audiences are certainly talking about KEVIN. After almost every screening of WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, members of the audience have stuck around to talk about the film. Though dark and unsettling, this smart and masterful film will stick with you…and discussing it makes the experience even stronger. We’re going to hold it, along with JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME, for one more week. In addition, we will open a new documentary that has garnered quite a fan-base since it premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last spring – JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI. This is the first documentary of 2012 to gross over a million dollars. That’s a rarity for documentaries…and a sign that audiences are loving it!

Synopsis for JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI: “Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious 3 star Michelin review, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimage, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro’s sushi bar. For most of his life, Jiro has been mastering the art of making sushi, but even at his age he sees himself still striving for perfection, working from sunrise to well beyond sunset to taste every piece of fish; meticulously train his employees; and carefully mold and finesse the impeccable presentation of each sushi creation. At the heart of this story is Jiro’s relationship with his eldest son Yoshikazu, the worthy heir to Jiro’s legacy, who is unable to live up to his full potential in his father’s shadow.” (taken from Magnolia Pictures) Click this LINK to be directed to the film’s official site.
If you’re in the mood for sushi after the screening, don’t forget that your ticket stub will get you 15% off your meal from SA BAI – our new neighbor.

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

The 12th Dayton Jewish International Film Festival is ready to kick off. This wonderful, international film festival has a focus on the lives and issues of Jewish people, but it’s open the community and essential viewing for those who love good cinema. The following is a list of films that will screen at THE NEON:
Sun, Apr 29 at 5:15 – EICHMANN’S END: LOVE, BETRAYAL, & DEATH
Tues, May 1 at 9:30am – DAVID
Thurs, May 3 at 7:10 – REUNITING THE RUBINS
Sun, May 6 at 2:50 – SHOLEM ALEICHEM: LAUGHING IN THE DARKNESS
Sun, May 6 at 7:10 – KADDISH FOR A FRIEND
Tue, May 8 at 7:10 – SALSA TEL AVIV
Thur, May 10 at 7:10 – BERLIN 36
For the complete line-up of films and ticket details, visit the official site.

For those of you who use Facebook, we finally have an actual page…not just a “group” page. We will soon be fazing out the old group, so please LIKE us by visiting our page – which now has a very easy address: www.facebook.com/neonmovies

For remaining showtimes for this week (you only have a couple days left to see THE RAID: REDEMPTION), visit our site.

We’ve added some great new titles. Check out our “Coming Soon” list below.

Thanks for your continued support.
We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for
Fri. April 27 – Thur. May 3:

JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME (R) 1 Hr 23 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 3:00, 7:30
Monday – Wednesday: 3:00, 7:30
Thursday: 3:00

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI (PG) 1 Hr 21 Min
Friday, Saturday: 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:30, 9:30
Sunday: 1:15, 3:15, 7:30, 9:30
Monday – Thursday: 3:15, 5:15, 7:30

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (R) 1 Hr 51 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 5:10, 9:30
Monday – Thursday: 5:10

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative.
Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
May 4 DAMSELS IN DISTRESS
May 11 FOOTNOTE
May 25 DARLING COMPANION
May 25 THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
June 1 SOUND OF MY VOICE
June 15 WHERE DO WE GO NOW?
June 29 MOONRISE KINGDOM
July ? BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
July ? TO ROME WITH LOVE

Zoot Theatre Company Partners with The Dayton Art Institute

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(from Zoot Theatre Company)

The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) and Dayton’s Zoot Theatre Company have announced a partnership that will make The Zoot Theatre Company a resident company in the museum’s NCR Renaissance Auditorium.

“The Zoot Theatre Company is a visual art medium whose mission fits beautifully with our vision of making our campus a destination for guests to come for a variety of enriching visual arts experiences,” says The Dayton Art Institute’s Executive Director Michael Roediger.

The new partnership will offer Zoot the ability to host a full, main-stage production season in a central, recognizable location. It will also allow the theatre company to expand its programming, especially in the area of education and workshops. Currently, Zoot must travel to a participant’s location in order to conduct mask or puppetry workshops, which have become increasingly popular. With the new partnership, they will be able to host workshops at DAI.

“For Zoot and DAI, this is an obvious partnership, as both organizations specialize in visual arts, with the only difference being that Zoot’s gallery is the stage,” says The Zoot Theatre Company’s Executive Director Michael Sticka. “By becoming the resident company in the NCR Renaissance Auditorium, Zoot is now able to scale up our productions, including producing shows that are able to run two or three consecutive weeks, thus giving more theatre goers a chance to see our stunning work.”

Through this partnership, DAI and Zoot see opportunities to collaborate on productions, education workshops, exhibits specifically tied to performances, performances specially tied to exhibits, and festivals.

“The benefits for both organizations include expanded audiences, joint marketing and membership opportunities, and greater educational opportunities for children,” says Roediger. “We really see this as a new model for cooperation between two arts organizations.”

This past year, we were fortunate enough to be the resident company in the Schuster Center’s Mathile Theatre, as a part of Victoria Theatre Association’s ImPACt program, thanks to Nuefeld and the Victoria Theatre Association’s support and generosity,” says Sticka. “With the mission of the ImPACt Program being to assist developing arts organizations until they ‘outgrow’ the program, I would consider this a huge testament to the success of the ImPACt Program.”

Got Soul?

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Step Afrika

Got talent? Got pride? Got commitment? Got compassion? I am pleased to report that the answer is YES, to each and every one of those questions, as they apply to the 80 or so members of the Soul Rhythms Team!! Culture Builds Community: yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!

It’s a feel-good process! And the list could go on! Got imagination? Got fun? Got friends? Got community? YES! That is our goal with education and outreach – getting to YES!

One of the things I learned early on in theatre training was the unspoken commandment of the YES. Particularly in improvisation, the play forward requires that you say YES to your scene partner. If not, there is no scene. It’s similar in music. While watching LaFrae Sci work with the young Stivers musicians, I was struck by the importance of invitation, making the YES an opportunity to accept. Each of those musicians say YES by the way they follow the “conduction” process: thematic cues, symbols for dynamics and the gesture I will call “invitation” to solo. As LaFrae extends her arm from elbow to fingertips in the direction of a player, he or she is invited to bring their unique skill and interpretation to the moment. It’s an invigorating process!

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We’re held to account in the creative process. Our response to invitation is action. YES does mean work. For sure, you are on the line when you accept such an invitation. You must produce. The invigorating part is when you realize that what you’re producing is yourself. Nobody else. Your talents, your choices, your deepest ideas; even the things you question become part of the product, deserving of your time and exploration. As human beings, we are always “becoming.” The choice, then, is what we become.

LaFrae Sci

As community builders, working through arts and culture, we have a distinct opportunity to invite every Dayton dweller to say YES to the growth of our community, to the tremendous assets, by getting involved, taking action. Yes is an action!!! One thing we strive to teach with Culture Builds Community is that commitment is positive. It is an active response, a YES! Involvement invites each voice in this Dayton portion of our human family to be heard! This Sunday afternoon at 3:00pm at the Masonic Center, Soul Rhythms will unveil a series of remarkable choices made by a troupe that has said YES to commitment, creativity, hard work and big fun! On that stage, YES is the star whose glimmer is powered by the 75 or so performers that accepted the invitation. Youth and adults alike, working in collaboration, making art, sharing traditions, establishing friendships: the YES is working!

Soul Rhythms is a tour de force of percussive dance, multicultural musical form, spoken word, history and tradition. The theme of migration is visual, on stage and screen, with filmed sequences affirming the texture and movement of the dance, and audible in the array of instruments beings played throughout the show. Truly, this is a feast for the eyes and ears. And then, there’s the soul! The rhythms of the soul are well nourished in this performance, as they have been for the past 6 weeks in residency. Seeing young people take on challenges and meet them, artists working with youth as peers, so many diverse traditions sharing in one beautiful effort: it is surely a model to embrace. This is Dayton! We are saying YES to who we are, individually and together.

Got soul? Darn right!

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=6eDwTiLVBTY’]

 

Polyester Pants, Platform Shoes (and Chest Hair) Are Back!

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DPO presents Disco Ball featuring Jeans ‘N Classics

It was the last mass popular music movement driven by the post-World-War-Two baby boom generation. It was Disco, a genre of dance music influenced by Latin, funk, and soul music with a steady four-on-the-floor beat and a heavy, syncopated bass line.

Those of you who lived through it need no history lesson; you lived (and danced it). For those of you who didn’t, here’s a quick primer.

Songs – Rock The Boat, Kung Fu Fighting, Walking in Rhythm, Rock Your Baby, Love’s Theme, TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia), Get Down Tonight, That’s the Way (I Like It), (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty, I’m Your Boogie Man, Keep It Comin’ Love, Love Is the Message, Bla Bla Diddly, Shaft, Never Can Say Goodbye, Billie Jean, You’re Gonna Miss My Lovin, Hot Stuff, Grease, Disco Inferno, You Sexy Thing, Dancing Queen,You Keep Me Hangin’ On, Only the Strong Survive, Message to Love, Soul Makossa, Keep on Truckin’, The Love I Lost, Dance Dance Dance, You Should Be Dancing, Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever, More Than A Woman, I Just Want to Be Your Everything,(Love Is) Thicker Than Water, Shadow Dancing, The Hustle, Love to Love You Baby, Could It Be Magic, Dancing Machine, You’re the First the Last My Everything, Fly Robin Fly, Le Freak, Good Times, Everybody Dance, Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough, and A Fifth of Beethoven.

Artists – Donna Summer, The Bee Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band, The Trammps, Van McCoy, Gloria Gaynor, The Village People, Chic, The Jacksons, the Chambers Brothers. Sly and The Family Stone, Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch and the Philadelphia Sound, M.F.S.B, Giorgio Moroder, The Supremes, Jerry Butler, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Manu Dibango, Eddie Kendricks, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Hues Corporation, Carl Douglas, The Blackbyrds, George McCrae, Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra, The Three Degrees, Van McCoy, LaBelle, Silver Convention, Chic, and Michael Jackson.

Films – Saturday Night Fever, Thank God It’s Friday

TV shows – Soul Train, Disco Step-by-Step Television Show, Disco Magic/Disco 77, Soap Factory, Dance Fever

Disco clubs (“Discotheques”) – Studio One (L.A.), Leviticus (New York), and The Library (Atlanta).

Dances – the Bump, Penguin, Boogaloo, Watergate, Robot, and The Hustle (in three flavors: Brooklyn, New York, and Latin).

Fashion – Expensive and extravagant: for the girls sheer, flowing Halston dresses; for the guys shiny polyester pointy-collared Qiana shirts (open at the chest), double-knit polyester shirt jackets with matching trousers (leisure suits); and necklaces and medallions (guys and gals).

Disco TV Theme Songs – S.W.A.T. , Charlie’s Angels, NBC Saturday Night At The Movies , The Love Boat, The Donahue Show, CHiPs, The Professionals, Dallas, Kojak, 20/20, and The A-Team.

Whether you missed – or made – the original 70s Disco scene, you can experience it anew on Saturday, April 28 at 8 pm in the Schuster Center, when Assistant Conductor Patrick Reynolds and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra present Disco Ball Featuring Jeans ‘N Classics, the final concert in this season’s Rockin’ Orchestra Series. They will recapture the mood and feel of the Disco “Daze” with twenty huge chartbusters and lots more.

Peter Brennan’s Jeans ‘n Classics is a winner. Since its inception, it has been a star performer in the arts and entertainment scene. Its concept of combining rock musicians and headlining stars with world-class symphony orchestras has drawn record-setting capacity crowds.

I asked Peter Brennan, founder of the rock ensemble Jeans ‘N Classics, why disco – a remnant of our musical past – is more influential than we might think. Here’s his reply:

“What a terrific question this is. When Disco came out, I was a guitarist in a rock band, immersed in the likes of Queen, Yes, Pink Floyd and, of course, was appalled at this unsophisticated drivel (just like all the other self respecting ‘rockers’)! This threatened everything we’d come to know and love…our world so to speak. Also – the very notion of dancing – well that simply wasn’t something one did.

“We weathered the storm, so to speak, and in came the ’80s, and a glorious era of ‘pop’ erupted the likes of which we haven’t seen since.

“All these years later, after having written a Disco show for orchestra, I am almost bemused at the naiveté of my opinion of that era and its music; it has totally changed over the years, because I’ve changed.

“Hindsight is always 20/20, and I think Disco had such strong Euro Beat and Latin influences, especially initially (before the Bee Gees had their mega moment) that such current house music, club music trends owe their roots to it.

“The last ten years of pop divas and dance acts – Kylie Minogue, Brittany Spears, even Katie Perry – have certainly come out of that genre’s influence. And I suspect, while not as sophisticated, a lot of hip-hop rhythms being Afro – Cuban have done their homework on the Disco days. But enough of the armchair musicologist.

“What really hits me on a pure gut level is the great rhythm section work – drummers (real ones) and fabulous bass players laying it down so brilliantly.

“Some fantastic big sounds – sort of Motown and R&B, but more electric and eclectic. And some of the acts that initially I didn’t want to hear, but now am so impressed by. Earth Wind and Fire; The Trammps; Giorgio Moroder; The O Jays, and yes The Jacksons. Michael was a part of the style and carried it with him.

“There was also a mood, a vibe, and the music made people happy – not a bad thing at all really.

“We all feel great, when we play the Disco show with Jeans ‘n Classics. It is, I guess, our ultimate ‘Guilty Pleasure’.”

Mine, too, Peter.

Now where did I put my old white-with-chocolate-striped open-collared shirt, dark brown polyester bell-bottom pants, 2-inch high white plastic belt, coffee-with-cream-colored sports jacket, and gold chains….

 

Coming up in Dayton Theatre, April 19th – May 4th

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Back again!

Not a ton going on — but that’s not at all to say that the things going on aren’t awesome, so let’s get right to it! Embarrassingly enough, I have to begin with a couple …

Oversights

Yep, that’s right. A couple shows totally slipped through my radar and that’s not cool — mea maxima culpa!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Springfield Stage Works

The Skinny: One of William Shakespeare‘s best-known and -loved comedies, …Midsummer… involves love, fairies, sex and magic.  A, frankly, irresistible combination. And it doesn’t hurt that the show is hilarious.

Dates: Midsummer…opened last weekend, and will continue through this weekend, closing on the 21st.

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Springfield Stageworks website at: www.springfieldstageworks.org

The Fantasticks!

Xenia Area Community Theatre (XACT)

The Skinny: This Off-Broadway classic (it ran for 42 years!) is a perennial favorite, for good reason. An allegorical story of two young lovers and the parents who love them, it features songs such as “Try To Remember,” and “Soon It’s Gonna Rain.”

Dates: The Fantasticks! opened in Xenia last week, and continues through the 22nd.

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the XACT website at: www.xeniaact.org

Blink and You’ll Miss It:

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Sinclair Community College.

The Skinny: 37 plays. 90 minutes. 3 guys.

Seriously, this hysterical and irreverent script takes all of Mr. S’s works and combines them into one complete evening. New to Shakespeare? Awesome, because this will suddenly help you make sense of everything your 9th grade English teacher tried to explain. Fancy yourself an expert on the Bard? Perfect, you’re going to get a serious kick out of the humor. Written by the appropriately-named Reduced Shakespeare Company, “Cmplt Wrks Abrgd”, as some call it, has a cultish following. And as an added bonus, Reed Martin, a member of the Reduced Shakespeare Company came aboard at Sinclair to serve as Artistic Director for this production.

A word of caution: I’m hearing that a couple of the performances might already be near or at capacity, so if you want in on this, act fast!

Dates: Complete Works … opens on Thursday, 4/19 and closes on Sunday 4/22.
Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Sinclair Community College Theatre Department page at: http://www.sinclair.edu/arts/theatre/season/

Closing This Weekend

Wishful Drinking Starring Carrie Fisher

The Victoria Theatre

The Skinny: Carrie Fisher’s autobiographical one-woman show (based on the memoir by the same name), will finish its Dayton run. Read all about it with J.T. Ryder’s preview and interview with Ms. Fisher: http://mostmetro.com/featured-articles/carrie-fisher-shocking-stories-from-beyond-the-stars.html

Dates: Carrie takes her final Dayton bow on 4/22

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Victoria Theatre Association website at: www.victoriatheatre.com

Opening This Weekend

Looking Glass Land

Beavercreek Community Theatre (Children’s Theatre)

The Skinny: A whimsical take on Lewis Carroll’s classic “Through The Looking Glass”, this romp includes all the characters with whom you’re familiar, and adds in dozens of new ones. This is sure to please the entire family!

The Dates: Looking Glass Land opens 4/20 and runs through 4/29

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Beavercreek Community Theatre website at: www.bctheatre.org

 

As always, let me know what theatres you want me to talk about, or what I may have forgotten — I don’t want to ruin anyone’s illusions, but I’m only human, and even I make a mistake every once in a while. Til the next time!

Coming Up in Cincinnati Theatre: April 16-22

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…BLINK AND THEY’RE GONE

Zach Crowley as Septimus Hodge, Sarah Vargo as Thomasina Coverly and Ellie Jameson as Lady Croom

ARCADIA

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

The Story: Tom Stoppard’s comedic masterpiece Arcadia takes a witty, intellectual look between past and present ideals and between contradiction and coexistence. Set in an English country house both in 1809 and modern day, Arcadia follows two interconnected stories more than 200 years apart. In the early 19th century a teenage girl and her tutor question the world around them in their quest for knowledge while the present-day scholars and residents search for clues from the residents who lived before them, revealing common thoughts of love and life that transcend the centuries.
The Dates: April 18-22, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

IMAGINATION MOVERS

Cincinnati Arts Association

The Story: Add some rock n’ roll excitement and entertainment to your family’s life with the Imagination Movers’ 2012 Rock-O-Matic Tour! Rich, Scott, Dave and Smitty — of the Emmy® Award-winning Disney Channel TV series ‘Imagination Movers’ — are bringing their high-octane rock concert to Cincinnati, and it’s an event the whole family can enjoy. The Imagination Movers combine danceable power pop songs with extremely catchy choruses and a knack for inspiring audience participation. Throw in a heaping helping of onstage silliness and you’ve got a recipe for a live musical event that will truly engage the littlest of kids along with their older siblings, parents and grandparents.
The Date: April 19, 2002
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Arts Association |  BTC listing

…NEW THIS WEEK

FROZEN

Falcon Theatre

The Story: This taut drama explores the world of three characters who’s lives intersect in the most violent way. A mother,a serial killer and a psychologist take us deep into the events of a terrible crime and its aftermath. The quiet power of this play is at once horrifying and mesmerizing.
The Dates: April 20-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Falcon Theatre | BTC listing

AN INSPECTOR CALLS

Village Players

The Story: The action of the play occurs in an English industrial city, where a young girl commits suicide and an eminently respectable British family is subject to a routine inquiry in connection with the death. An inspector calls to interrogate the family, and during the course of his questioning, all members of the group are implicated lightly or deeply in the girl’s undoing. The family, closely knit and friendly at the beginning of the evening, is shown up as selfish, self-centered or cowardly, its good humor turning to acid, and good fellowship to dislike, before the evening is over.
The Dates: April 20-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Village Players | BTC listing

Jonathan Zeng as Joseph, Michelle Koopman-Wells as The Narrator & Donnie McGovern as Pharoah in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

Covedale Center for the Performing Arts

The Story: The Biblical, all-sung saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful parable. Joseph, his father’s favorite son, is a boy blessed with prophetic dreams. When he is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, Joseph endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged.
The Dates: April 19-May 13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Covedale Center | BTC listing

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!

Milford Theatre Guilde

The Story: Tom, a nerve-wracked school teacher nervous about his first day of teaching, tries to relax by watching TV when various characters representing facets of his personality emerge from the set and show him how to win his students over with imagination and music, through such beloved SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK! songs as “Just A Bill,” “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly” and “Conjunction Junction.”
The Dates: April 20-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Milford Theatre Guilde | BTC listing

THUNDER KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Story: Once upon a time, a mysterious, blues-playing stranger named Marvell Thunder arrives at the door of the Dupree family with a unique challenge — a “cutting contest,” in which twin guitars are the weapons of choice. If he has his way, the epic musical showdown will change everyone’s life forever. A mystical, magical celebration of love, family and the exhilarating power of music to free your soul. 
The Dates: April 21-May 20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

…CONTINUING

Kellen York. Photo by Deogracias Lerma.

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON

Know Theatre of Cincinnati

The Story: BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON uses the story of America’s controversial seventh president, “the man who invented the Democratic Party, doubled the size of our nation, and signed the Indian Removal Acts that started the Trail of Tears,” to investigate the attraction and terrors of American populism, using a raucous blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality and an infectious rock n’ roll soundtrack.
The Dates: March 31-May 12, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Know Theatre of Cincinnati | BTC listing

THE GRAPES OF WRATH

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

The Story: Frank Galati’s Tony Award-winning adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath tells a timeless tale of endurance and hope in a time of hardship. Having survived the drought of the 1930s only to see their home repossessed, the Joad family embarks on a harrowing journey from the Dust Bowl fields of Oklahoma to the fertile orchards of California. But the “promised land” isn’t exactly what they imagined. Can the Joads overcome the injustices that plague a nation in crisis?
The Dates: March 28-April 29, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | BTC listing | BTC review

Jon Kovach as Jackson, Lisa DeRoberts as Prudie Cupp, Steve Goers as LM, Sara Mackie as Rhetta Cupp & Brad Myers as Jim. Photo by Matt Steffen.

PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES

The Carnegie

The Story: A piece down Highway 57 from Frog Level is a shabby gas station (with a hot tub out back), the Double Cupp Diner, and the best foot-stompin’ good time you’ve ever had at the theatre. Five rowdy filling station boys and sassy diner waitresses sing and play their own instruments in this hilarious and heartwarming country western music revue.
The Dates: April 13-29, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Carnegie | BTC listing

REASONS TO BE PRETTY

New Edgecliff Theatre

The Story: When Greg confesses to his girlfriend of four years that she’s not physically perfect, it not only affects their lives, but the lives of their close friends Carly and Kent, whose relationship is anything but perfect. Playwright Neil LaBute takes a long hard look at both physical and emotional beauty and the obsessions we have with both. 
The Dates: April 12-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: New Edgecliff Theatre | BTC listing

…ENDING THIS WEEK

THE BOYS NEXT DOOR

Tri-County Players

The Story: A lively, poignant telling of a “ family” of four mentally handicapped men sharing a home, and how they affect each other, the lives of those around them, and their supervisor Jack.
The Dates: April 13-21, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Tri-County Players | BTC listing

THE FANTASTICKS

Xenia Area Community Theatre

The Story: Two fathers decide that they want their children to fall in love. The girl, Luisa, is a daydreamer with an active imagination. The boy, Matt, is a romantic. The two fathers decide to instigate a mock feud amongst themselves in order to help the boy and girl fall in love.
The Dates: April 12-15, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Xenia Area | BTC listing

MY FAVORITE YEAR

Northern Kentucky University

The Story: In this crazy musical comedy, Alan Swann, a washed up ex-movie idol, is finally getting his chance for a comeback! This time it won’t be in movies, but instead it will be on the King Kaiser Comedy Hour, a television variety show! Unfortunately, his penchant for past bad habits of drinking and wooing women remain. To avoid any mishaps, comedy sketch writer, Benjy Stone, has been put to the task of keeping Swann out of trouble.
The Dates: April 12-22, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Northern Kentucky University | BTC listing

NOISES OFF

Beechmont Players

The Story: Called the funniest farce ever written, NOISES OFF presents a manic menagerie as a cast of itinerant actors rehearse a flop called NOTHING ON. Doors slamming, on- and backstage intrigue, and an errant herring all figure into the plot of this hilarious and classically comic play.
The Dates: April 12-15, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Beechmont Players | BTC listing

PRELUDE TO A KISS

Oxford Area Community Theatre

The Story: A couple, Peter and Rita, who fall in love despite Rita’s pessimistic outlook on life. Shortly after their wedding, a supernatural event tests the strength of their love and commitment to each other, when a mysterious old man insists on kissing the bride. While honeymooning, Peter gradually realizes that the woman by his side is not his wife. The wedding kiss caused Rita’s soul and the old man’s to change places. Peter must track down the old man and free his young love’s spirit, trapped in an aging and diseased body, before it’s too late.
The Dates: April 14-21, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Oxford Area Community Theatre | BTC listing

…COMING SOON

AL DURA: TRUTH OR DECEPTION

Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative

The Dates: April 24, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative | BTC listing

ULYSSES

UC COLLEGE-CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC

The Dates: April 26-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

THE CRUCIBLE

The Drama Workshop

The Dates: April 27-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Drama Workshop | BTC listing

THE SECOND CITY: LESS PRIDE MORE PORK

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Dates: April 29-July 1, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

“We Need To Talk About Kevin” Opens Friday at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone,

Tilda Swinton was robbed!  One of the most disappointing omissions from this year’s Oscar nominations was Swinton’s performance in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN.
After several months of playing the trailer, a print is available and we’re finally able to open this chilling, masterfully crafted film.
In addition to opening KEVIN, we will hold JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME (which had a fantastic weekend) and one screening per day of THE RAID: REDEMPTION.

Synopsis for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN: “We Need to Talk About Kevin explores the factious relationship between a mother and her evil son. Tilda Swinton plays the mother, Eva, as she contends for 15 years with the increasing malevolence of her first-born child, Kevin. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, We Need to Talk About Kevin explores nature vs. nurture on a whole new level as Eva’s own culpability is measured against Kevin’s innate evilness.” (taken from Oscilloscope Laboratories) This film also stars John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller.
Click this LINK to visit the official site.

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“In celebration of National Record Store Day, GHETTOBLASTER MAGAZINE will be hosting a special screening of EMPIRE RECORDS on Saturday, April 21 at 10:15pm. In addition to the movie we’ll be giving away two tickets for this year’s Nelsonville Music Festival and all proceeds will go toward 2012’s Dayton Music Fest. Dayton MostMetro.com is the media sponsor for Record Store Day and other events that day include music trivia at Blind Bob’s from 4-6pm, live music throughout the day at Omega Music, Record Gallery and Feathers in the Oregon District and Toxic Beauty in Yellow Springs (Omega and Toxic will also be selling special RSD releases) and many local businesses will be offering discounts with a shown receipt from one of our local record stores.” (taken from press notes) Tickets for this event will be just $6 each (and only $4 each if you have a receipt from one of the local, indie record stores). Tickets will only be available on the night of the screening.

The banner just went up in our lobby for the 12th Dayton Jewish International Film Festival. This wonderful, international film festival has a focus on the lives and issues of Jewish people, but it’s open the community and essential viewing for those who love good cinema. The following is a list of films that will screen at THE NEON:
Sun, Apr 29 at 5:15 – EICHMANN’S END: LOVE, BETRAYAL, & DEATH
Tues, May 1 at 9:30am – DAVID
Thurs, May 3 at 7:10 – REUNITING THE RUBINS
Sun, May 6 at 2:50 – SHOLEM ALEICHEM: LAUGHING IN THE DARKNESS
Sun, May 6 at 7:10 – KADDISH FOR A FRIEND
Tue, May 8 at 7:10 – SALSA TEL AVIV
Thur, May 10 at 7:10 – BERLIN 36
For the complete line-up of films and ticket details, check out our feature article here.

For those of you who use Facebook, we finally have an actual page…not just a “group” page. We will soon be fazing out the old group, so please LIKE us by visiting our page – which now has a very easy address: www.facebook.com/neonmovies

For remaining showtimes for this week – including details about tomorrow’s premiere (4/19) of OBSCURA – visit our site.

Thanks for your continued support.
We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

P.S.  Below is a picture I took at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.  In addition to a Q&A, I was able to attend a 90-minute conversation with Ms. Swinton.  It was divine!  (Pictured: director Lynne Ramsay, Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller)

SHOWTIMES for Fri. April 20 – Thur. April 26:

JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME (R) 1 Hr 23 Min
Friday: 1:00, 3:10, 7:20, 9:20
Saturday: 1:00, 3:10, 7:20
Sunday: 1:00, 3:10, 7:20, 9:20
Monday – Thursday: 3:10, 7:20

THE RAID: REDEMPTION (R) 1 Hr 41 Min
Friday – Thursday: 5:15

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (R) 1 Hr 51 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:30, 9:50
Monday – Thursday: 2:40, 5:00, 7:30

EMPIRE RECORDS (PG-13) 1 Hr 47 Min
Saturday: 10:15pm

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative.
Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
April 27 FOOTNOTE
May 4 JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI
May 11 DAMSELS IN DISTRESS
May 25 DARLING COMPANION
May 25 THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
June 1 SOUND OF MY VOICE
July ? BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
July ? TO ROME WITH LOVE

Son of Ohio Shock: Part 2 of a History of Horror Hosting in the Buckeye State

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Editor’s note:  The piece was submitted by Matthew Brassfield, a local filmmaker and the writer, director and producer of Baron Von Porkchop’s Terrifying Tales of the Macabre.

I wrapped up my first article, Ohio Shock, at the beginning of the 80’s and presented hosts like the Ghoul, Dr. Creep, Mad Daddy, Fritz The Nite Owl and many more. Now it’s time to explore the next batch of hosts that kept the 80’s to present day scary for Ohioians.

Phil Chandler

In Ohio Shock we spoke about the Shock Package, a group of Universal Films that helped spawn the Horror Host genre into entertainment the whole family could watch. In 1958 a second package was released called “Son of Shock” that not only showcased horror from Universal Pictures but also Columbia Pictures, expanding the catalog of films stations and hosts could show. This new package brought new films to TVs across America and inspired new hosts with new shows. Most modern horror hosts show public domain horror, sci-fi and fantasy films and sometimes independent films made by upcoming directors.

Phil Chandler

Before we move on to the 1980s, I wanted to highlight a local host from the 70s that I just recently became aware of. Phil Chandler hosted “Friday Fright Festival” in the early 70’s in Dayton, Ohio and was Dr. Creep’s competition for a time. Phil, who was a vampire type character, would host cheesy movies late nights and was joined by side characters that included a Frankenstein monster and werewolf, both of whom had funny quirks. Phil was also a brilliant illusionist went on to become a ringmaster in the circus. His show’s side characters went on to make numerous appearances on Shock Theater with Dr. Creep. As of this point I am not aware of any surviving footage from his show.

The Cool Ghoul II

The Cool Ghoul II

In 1972, The Cool Ghoul’s run came to an end, and fans would have to wait until 1984 for a second wacky version of the host to hit TV sets with “Thriller Theatre” that aired in Akron. While The Cool Ghoul II also did a show in Canton in 1970, it was his second run that made him popular and turned this second incarnation of the Cool Ghoul into a first rate host. His show ended in 1986, but in subsequent year he was brought back to host Halloween specials and appear at charity events like the Jerry Lewis Telethon. The Cool Ghoul II would also go on to become the Cyber Cool Ghoul when he began hosting an online show. While not as iconic as the original, the second Cool Ghoul was a character all to himself and had a wacky style that got him a solid following. Some of his episodes can be found on trade lists and online.

Son of Ghoul

Son of Ghoul

The Son of Ghoul has been a mainstay on Cleveland television sets since 1986 when he took over the The Cool Ghoul II’s timeslot and began the “Son of Ghoul Show.” The Son of Ghoul was a stylistic mix of Ghoulardi and The Ghoul and was given the name “Son of” by The Ghoul himself when he won a look alike contest. Son of Ghoul would change up his image before hitting the airwaves by adding sunglasses, a top hat and cape to the fake goatee of his mentors. But things turned sour between Son of Ghoul and The Ghoul leaving the hosts at odds with each other and splitting what could have been a very powerful friendship. The Son of Ghoul would not let this get him down as he became yet another horror host icon from Cleveland, eventually becoming so popular that the station had him host a call in-game show. The Son of Ghoul’s hosting style is much like The Ghoul’s: adding sound effects and music to the films to spice them up. His co-hosts, The Fidge (who sadly passed away in 2003) and Jungle Bob, also ended up being just as popular as the Son of Ghoul himself. In 2012 Son of Ghoul is still going strong and is a respected member of the host community. You can find his shows on DVD at his official website.

Frank and Drac

Frank and Drac

Two classic monsters would hit Cleveland in 1987 when Frank and Drac unleashed “The Frank and Drac Show” proving that ghouls love film. Every week they would meet up to host a horror film, spouting facts about the movie and cracking wise on each other. Drac would talk in your typical Transylvania accent as Frank had an almost Curly from the Three Stooges sounding voice, making then a fun pair. The show was a hit and gained high ratings during its one year run. The final episode aired in 1988 due to the ghouls not seeing eye to eye with station higher ups. You can find clips of Frank and Drac on YouTube and episodes on trade lists.

A. Ghastlee Ghoul

A. Ghastlee Ghoul

When Dr. Creep went off the air in 1985, Dayton was left without a horror host. That void was filled in 1989 when A. Ghastlee Ghoul wisecracked his way into the spot with “The Ghastlee Movie Show” and became a beloved late night horror host. Ghastlee, who didn’t always host movies, had a show that more skit-based based and on occasion would show a film that he would wisecrack through or even add himself into. Ghastlee’s style would capture younger and older viewers who watched to see what The Ghastlee One would say next. His style also influenced other horror hosts such as Dr. Freak, who you’ll read about in a bit. Ghastlee would go on to host his show for many years and also co-create the Horrorhost Underground, a resource for hosts and fans around the world. At first Ghastlee wore a black duster, black clothes, gloves and white face paint with a unibrow. Later he would turn in the duster for a custom long red coat and signature hat. The Ghastlee Movie Show still airs and has new episodes from time to time as Ghastlee now also hosts on a YouTube show called “Weird Web Theater.” Ghastlee is also known for his 2004 convention, Scary Camp, and for playing music in and around Dayton. To see Ghastlee’s work you can buy his best of from him and see clips on YouTube.

Dr. Shock

Dr. Shock

“Dr. Shock’s X-Ray Chiller Theatre” was a Toledo show hosted by, you guessed it, Dr. Shock. The program started in 1989 and was cancelled in 1992 when the station, who was a Fox affiliate, decided to show late night infomercials instead. This did not stop the Dr. as he then went on to host independent films that were released on VHS and later DVD. Currently Dr. Show is off the air and his hosting direct to video films days are over, but his zany off the wall humor has touched many fans. You can find Dr. Shock hosting independent films on his website and watch clips online.

Billy Black

Billy Black

One part horror host and one part Andrew Dice Clay sums up Billy Black who brought “Hott Sinema” to Columbus in 1992. Billy Black, who really knew his films, would his time on air in a bar talking to his bartender friend and telling jokes as local strippers would dance in between segments. The show was a racy twist on hosting and was clearly more for adults than kids. Billy’s run was short and his impact not as powerful as the hosts before him, but to his fans he was one cool cat with one wild show. Clips of his show can be found online.

Commandant Gore

Commandant Gore

In 2000, the Centerville/Dayton area met Commandant Gore. Along with his sidekicks, he hosted a show called “Gorevision” and would show clips of things sure to make most viewers’ stomachs turn. Commandant’s show would be on and off for some years and would remain a rather underground show. While his gory visions have been off the air for some years now, those who spent time watching Commandant remember a bloody strange time. The Commandant’s are out there for the finding, but are not widely available.

Dr. Freak

Dr. Freak

The world’s youngest horror host, Dr. Freak (who was 14 when he started) brought his “Cult Theater” to Dayton airwaves for only three episodes during its first run in 2000. But he also made a number of appearances on other host programs such as New Shock Theater with Dr. Creep and The Ghastlee Movie Show hosted by A. Ghastlee Ghoul. Dr. Freak would also go on to star in his own movie called “Dr. Freak Vamp Killa,” directed by Henrique Couto and “Joe Nosferatu: Homeless Vampire,” directed by Bob Hinton keeping the young host active for the time. Dr. Freak would also make appearances at Cinema Wasteland and Horrorama Dayton. Dr. Freak’s style was a mix of old school hosting with a youthful twist, making for some interesting episodes. As of late, Dr. Freak has made a small return as he guest stars on Terrifying Tales of the Macabre (hosted by Baron Von Porkchop), and Cult Theater has returned for an episode on Dayton’s first Scare-A-Thon. So we just may be seeing more of him in the coming years. His episodes have been released on DVD and are hard to find nowadays, but are around for the fan who looks hard enough.

Butch R. Cleaver

Butch R. Cleaver

Butch R. Cleaver is a 1959 man stuck in modern times after an accident left him and his wife stranded in 2003. Every week Cincinnati fans can watch “Meet Cleaver Theatre” to find out what this old horror buff thinks of films he missed in the 50 years he skipped. Butch spends his time hosting movies and working in his lab doing zany experiments, making him a fan favorite. Butch is a classic host with a modern show that’s great to enjoy in the late hours. Butch R. Cleaver, who must wear his 3-D Glasses at all times to see properly, has slowed down as of late and with fewer episodes and public appearances in 2011, leaving fans hoping that Butch and Meet Cleaver Theatre will be back soon in full force. Episodes can be found at his public appearances, on trade lists and online.

The Mortician

The Mortician

The Mortician is a hulking skeleton faced man who took pride in his work of cutting bodies and hosting films on “The Mortician’s House of Fear” that started in 2003 and aired in Brunswick. Every week viewers would watch as he went to work on the dead body and talked about the films as heavy metal music played in the background. The show’s segments were shot as if on scratchy old film, and this added a great spooky feel to the show. While his House of Fear has been off the air for many years now, the Mortician certainly made his mark in Ohio hosting history. His show can be found on DVD via his website and at some online rental stores.

Tarr & Fether

Tarr & Fether

In 2004 Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether opened up the asylum doors to Liberty City viewers with their “Psycho Cinema,” and the madness of the two crazed loonies was unleashed. The pair would make up fake products, do skits and even look for local monster legends giving viewers laughs and adventure. The pair, who have been missing for some time, have hinted at a return giving fans something to look forward to. Tarr and Fether’s hosting style is very classic, and the two speak in almost proper English accents giving the show an old time feel. Both share the names of characters from an old Edger Allen Poe short story, making you wonder if these ghouls were the ones Poe wrote about. They also had a great opening sequence which resembled an original Sony Playstation video game. DVDs of their show can be bought at their official website and clips can be found on YouTube.

Dale Kay

Dale Kay

Dale Kay is the host of “Dale Kay’s Spookshow,” a Cleveland show that started in 2007 and is an old school horror host show that’s safe for the young and the young at heart. Dale, who was inspired by The Ghoul, hosts films and fills the time with skits parodying popular genre films and products. Dale and his Spookshow are still going strong and can also be seen on The Monster Channel (www.100ymm.com), a website that showcases all things horror including many horror host programs. Dale Kay’s shows can be inquired about via his Facebook page.

Iris and Reina

Iris & Retina

Two cool cats rocked their way into Dayton host history when Iris and Retina began “Mondo Smash A’ Go Go” in 2008. The pair hosts from their living room and shares a deep knowledge of the films they are watching alongside you. During break segments Iris & Retina will teach you to cook, host a dance contest or visit a local coffee shop making you feel the overall smooth vibe of the show. Their laid back nature is very much in the vein of Fritz The Nite Owl. As of late 2011, Iris & Retina have made a new episode that premiered before Dayton’s first Scare-A-Thon, and are slated to be on a future episode of Baron Von Porkchop’s Terrifying Tales of the Macabre. At times, you can catch them at surf rockers Team Void’s concerts. Episodes can be bought at Game Swap in Kettering and can been seen via YouTube.

Baron Von Porkchop

Baron Von Porkchop

In late 2010, Baron Von Porkchop was dug up from his grave and began hosting “Terrifying Tales of the Macabre” in Dayton. The Baron is an undead ghoul from the 1800’s who used to own slaughter houses that all went belly up. Now alongside his wife and a team of sidekicks, the Baron brings viewers classic horror films along with independent features. While the films on the show are not always, the Baron’s segments are kid friendly and are geared for fans of horror hosts from the 60’s-80’s, and his goofy nature has gained him a growing fan base. The Baron, who just wrapped his second season, has also hosted his own concert event called The Baron’s Ball at Gilly’s Jazz Club and has made appearances at Horrorhound Weekend, Cinema Wasteland, WYSO’s Kaleidoscope and Horrorama Dayton. The Baron also loves to bring host friends onto his show and has featured cameos from hosts such as A. Ghastlee Ghoul, Dr. Freak, Sammy Terry (Indiana), Count Gregula (Chicago) and more. The Barons shows can be bought at Game Swap in Kettering and online.

Dr. Dark

Dr. Dark

Imagine if Elvira Mistress of the Dark and Dr. Creep spawned an offspring that was a phantom and you would have Dr. Dark of “After Dark Theater” that began airing in Greenville in 2011. Despite being a phantom, Dr. Dark is a gentle undead soul who brings viewers classic public domain films alongside his own brand of comedy. While fairly new to hosting, Dr. Dark seems to be gaining a fan base based in and around his viewing area. Dr. Dark has also made some public appearances that include Horrorhound Weekend and the A. Ghastlee Night at Gillys concert. Dr. Dark also does many charity events and even does a kid friendly version of Robot Chicken for his public access station. His show can be seen on TV with future DVDs planned.

Susie D. Rott

Susie D. Rott

Susie D. Rott is a undead bride who hosts “Susie D. Rott’s Warehouse of Terror” in Hamilton. Her journey to bring the viewers the best (or is that worst) in public domain and independent films started in 2011 and is still going strong as of early 2012. Susie is joined in her warehouse by her director and a lot of sidekicks. Susie is a sweet undead woman who enjoys sharing her films and her warehouses with viewers. While a new face in the world of hosting, Susie could quickly earn a place in Ohio hosting history. Susie’s shows can be seen on the Monster Channel and clips are online.

And there you have some of the ghouls and bad movie historians that have and are haunting Ohio airwaves. Ohio has always been a mecca for horror hosts and has some of the world’s best fans who stand by and support their favorite late night hosts. But we aren’t the only ones. There are many states with amazing hosts: Indiana has Sammy Terry of Nightmare Theater, Iowa has Marlena Midnite of Midnite Mausoleum, Pennsylvania has Roxsy Tyler of Carnival of Horrors and so on in every state.

If you want to learn more about horror hosting, check out websites like

The Horror Host Graveyard

Egor’s Chamber of Horror Hosts

G.O.T.H.I.C.

Terror From Beyond The Daves

Also check out documentaries like American Scary directed by John E. Hudgens, Virginia Creepers by Sean Kotz & Christopher Valluzzo and Every Other Day’s Halloween by C.W. Prather. The book Television Horror Movie Hosts by Elena M. Watson is worth a read.

This closes our exploration of Ohio horror hosting for now.  But as new hosts pop up or old ones come to my attention, I will be more then happy to bring you another installment of this article, The Bride of Ohio Shock. So until next time, stay scary and keep on watching.

Special thanks to: Juliet Fromholt, Art Bausman, Bob Hinton, the late Barry Hobart, Stephen Alexander II, Richard Martin, Norman & Sue Brassfield, Jason Hignite and Bryan Brassfield for their help with this article.

-Matthew Brassfield

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis Comes To Dayton

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Dayton is in for a world-class performance when Cityfolk and the Victoria Theatre Association bring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis to the Schuster Center on Wednesday, April 25. A bright, briliant big band boasting 15 of the most talented and accomplished players in modern jazz, the JLCO will present an evening of sparking original works and familiar gems.

Saxophonist Ted Nash will be returning to Dayton for the first time since the late 1980s, when he led a combo booking at the old Nite Owl bar in the Oregon District (where Blind Bob’s currently resides).

Ted Nash

“I’ve been with the band since 1998,” he said of the JLCO. “I was doing a recording with [pianist] Marcus Roberts, who was in Wynton’s group back in the ‘80s. Wynton came to the session as a guest, just to wathc, and he heard me playing clarinet. He introduced himself and ended up calling me a few times for some gigs and an album. A few years later, an opening came up for an alto saxophone chair in the Lincoln Center band, and I’ve been there since.”

Nash is fortunate to be part of not one, but two great musical legacies: as well as being a member of JLCO, he is the son of trombone legend Dick Nash and nephew of saxophone great Ted Nash, after whom he is named. The Nash brothers were two of the West Coast’s greatest session sidemen for decades, with both their roots reaching back into the big band era.

Dick Nash played trombone for just about every great Golden Era jazz artist imaginable, beginning with Tex Beneke’s big band (spun off from Glenn Miller’s after Miller’s disappearance) and collecting work alongside names like Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, June Christy, Art Pepper, Oscar Peterson, Pete Fountain, Lena Horne, and Frank Sinatra, among countless others. The Nash brothers also played on almost all of Henry Mancini’s film soundtracks and studio albums from the late 1950s on, beginning with the famous Mr. Lucky and Peter Gunn recordings. In their honor, the younger Ted Nash recorded The Mancini Project in 2008.

“He was a master of creating an ambience, an environment,” Nash said of Mancini. “I loved the movie The Great Race when I was a kid. I was six when it came out, and my father had solos throughout the score, and we went and saw the movie and then played the album at home, so that kind of music had a big impact on me. Later, it seemed like a natural idea–my father and uncle had this long association and I could make a tribute of it.”

“Music was a great influence they both had on me,” he said, “but more than that, they taught me to trust my decision to be a musician. They were very supportive of me. I never wondered if being a musician would be difficult, and it was a luxury to have that support. My dad would come home from work happy every day. It was a perfect example of someone doing something because they were good at it and loved it. Love always attracts success.”

An elastic composer and arranger whose original songs are as diverse as jazz itself, Nash just last week wrapped a tour promoting his newest album, The Creeper, and was the first JLCO member other than Marsalis to have his original work performed by the JLCO band with the Grammy-nominated Portrait in Seven Shades, an ambitious, gorgeous jazz suite with each movement inspired by a 20th century painter.

Wynton Marsalis

“Wynton came to me out of the blue one day,” he recalled, “and asked me to write a longform piece of music that had a unifying theme. It only took me a couple of days to come up with the idea. I’ve always loved fine art, paintings in particular, and I knew having a different painter represented by each movement would really help with all those parallels in color and texture and layers. Whether we’re musicians or painters or writers or whatever, we’re all artists; we go through the same struggles with success, with creativity, with worrying about if people like what we’re doing. I worked with the Museum of Modern Art, and they were great. They gave me carte blanche to come during off hours so I could stand and look at the pantings for as long as I needed to without having to look over someone’s shoulder. And when we played the pieces live in New York City, many of those pieces were displayed behind us.”

Of the band’s Dayton show, Nash said, “We have ten arrangers and composers in the band, so we have a wealth of things to choose from, both new and original. We’ll probably mix newer material with classics from way back. We did a project recently with Chick Corea, and we arranged all the music for him. He was a bit hesitant about it, wasn’t sure it would come together the right way with all the different arrangers working on it. We showed up for rehearsal, and he kept saying, ‘Oh, man, that’s great! Who did that one?’ We’ll probably play some of those. You’ll hear a cross section of what we consider the best of the best of our repertoire, some traditional music played with a fresh energy as well as some of our more contemporary pieces by people in the band, particularly Wynton.”

“I love being a part of this band,” he said. “It’s big band jazz, so there’s a certain structure there, but we’re a complete band of improvisers, so there’s a lot of spontaneity within the structure.”

 

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Schuster Performing Arts Center

Click Here for Tickets

 

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Landscapes Real and Imagined: Dayton Art Institute Exhibition Offers Rare Glimpse of Contemporary Chinese Art (Ticket Contest)

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Maya Lin - "Flow"

(Ticket Contest Details Below)

The Dayton Art Institute’s current special exhibition, Changing Landscapes: Contemporary Chinese Fiber Art, offers a rare look at the world of contemporary Chinese fiber art. It is the first exhibition of contemporary Chinese fiber art to travel outside China, and The Dayton Art Institute is the last of only three U.S. venues to host the exhibition. Changing Landscapes is on view at DAI now through June 17.

Changing Landscapes showcases the work of 48 artists selected from the past five International Fiber Art Biennales, held in China since 2000, which are devoted to innovative and exciting new ideas and thinking in the global field of fiber art.

The exhibition was originally co-curated by Ni Yue-Hong, a professor at the Fiber Arts Institute in China, and Deborah Corsini, curator at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles in California. Guest curator for The Dayton Art Institute’s presentation is Lisa Morrisette, from the Department of Art and Art History at Wright State University.

The works range from figurative to abstract, two dimensional to sculptural, crafted to conceptual. They vividly demonstrate how contemporary Chinese fiber artists are forging a new aesthetic by synthesizing their own experience with the diverse influences of China’s artistic heritage. The techniques and forms of the artworks include a broad spectrum, from classic tapestry weaving and pile weaving (a rug hooking technique), to embroidery, printing and dyeing, and large-scale constructed sculptural pieces.

"Resplendence"

Traditionally, tapestry has been a transcription of painting, employing yarns like wool, silk, and linen to create two-dimensional wall hangings. Zheng Dan’s tapestry Resplendence is an example of the rich dimensional effects of hand woven tapestry. This triptych has subtle color variations feathered together using a variety of traditional techniques from hatching to knotting. Her curving forms pulsate and softly glow with the addition of metallic fibers.

Many artists utilize more unusual materials, such as metal, wood and plastics. Zhao Dandan, for example, uses stainless steel to create a three-dimensional armature whose shape is reminiscent of a crescent moon or boat. Into this armature she weaves delicate, translucent threads of plastic that both fill and cascade from the belly of the arc.

Increasingly, fiber is simply another medium for artists to express their vision; the material is used to express something beyond the nature of the material. Their approach transforms fibers to articulate a personal artistic viewpoint.

"Memory of August"

The title Changing Landscapes is not just a reference to the outer visible form of the world, but serves as a metaphor for the inner landscape of an artist’s heart and mind. Wang Kai’s Origin of the River, a monumental work that cascades from ceiling to floor, creates both the image and feel of the falls on China’s Yellow River. Bai Xin’s set of corn fiber, pine, and bamboo cubes, Balminess, captures the space and color of fields from her childhood memories. As a subject matter in Chinese art history, landscape dates back to the 7th century. This venerated subject has been used in both painting and poetry to convey social, political, and philosophical views of the world. Transcending the literal, landscape operates on a metaphoric level – the concrete object refers to other things.

Changing Landscapes provides a snapshot of how three generations of artists have used fiber as an expressive media to respond to economic, political, and social changes that have transformed the Chinese landscape over the past decade.

For more, go to www.daytonartinstitute.org/changinglandscapes.

MAYA LIN: FLOW

In conjunction with Changing Landscapes, The Dayton Art Institute is also showing one of Maya Lin’s large-scale installations, Flow.

Lin is perhaps best known for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. She achieved national recognition when, as a 21 year-old senior at Yale University, her design for the memorial was selected from among 1,420 submissions. Since that first work, she has gone on to create numerous public monuments, architecture, earthworks and installations, as well as smaller-scale gallery pieces.

Her work defies categorization. Moving between boundaries, she explores relationships between architecture, sculpture, and landscape, between the natural and the man-made, between science and art. Her inspiration is drawn from a wide range of sources, including geological phenomena and topography, prehistoric earthworks, Japanese gardens, and engineering principals such as fluid mechanics.

Flow embodies landscape, framed within the space of architecture. Thousands of 2 x 4s are cut and stacked on end to create a commanding form whose shape is somewhere between a hill and a wave, the swells of which reach two feet high. Working with industrial materials and abstract forms, Lin evokes the natural rather than man-made. Her work is not a reproduction of landscape; rather it recreates the feeling of landscape. She is interested in the human relation to the environment, translating forms and experience.

The sculpted form of Flow is a static grouping of 2 x 4s, but it implies the movement of the current or the ripple of a wave. It echoes sculpted prehistoric earthworks, such as the Serpent Mound in Ohio, or the topographic lines of a map.

For more, go to www.daytonartinstitute.org/flow. To watch a time-lapse video of Flow’s installation at the museum, click here to visit the DAI’s YouTube page.

Maya Lin’s Flow by the numbers:

Number of crates: 29

Average weight of each crate: 293 lbs.

Total weight: 8,500 lbs.

Average dimensions of crates: 28” x 53” x 48”

Individual 2x4s in Flow: 10,148

Time for 2 art handlers to install: 45 hours

Coffee consumed by art handlers: 256 ounces

HOW TO GO

Tickets include admission to Changing Landscapes, Flow and DAI’s permanent collection. A $1 per transaction Historic Preservation Fee will be added to all ticket sales.

Adults: $12

Seniors (60+), Students (18+ w/ID) & Active Military: $9

Youth (ages 7-17): $6

Museum Members & Children (6 & under): Free

The Dayton Art Institute is located at 456 Belmonte Park North in downtown Dayton, just off Interstate 75. The museum is open Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon – 5 p.m., with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursdays.

(submitted by The Dayton Art Institute)

Ticket Contest!!!

We have three pairs of tickets to this exhibit (a $24 value) and we want to give them to YOU!  So just this article and then fill out the form below – we’ll announce three winners next Monday April 24 after 3pm.  GOOD LUCK!

[form 23 “Contest Entry – DAI Changing Landscapes”]

Urban Arts Showcase Takes the Stage This Friday

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HBO Def Poet Black Ice will headline this Friday's "The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show."

HBO Def Poet Black Ice will headline this Friday's "The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show."

Oral Funk Poetry Productions will launch its fifth season of “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” at The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., from 9 to 11 p.m. this Friday, April 20.

The season-opening performance will be a celebration of National Poetry Month. The theme will be Jamaican and Caribbean culture through spoken word, dramatizations, live music, vocalists, visual arts and more.

Featured performers include Tony Award-winning HBO Def Poet Black Ice, who appeared on six seasons of the popular show and starred in Def Poetry on Broadway. He’s lent his voice to hip-hop projects by such artists at Method Man and opened for Mary J. Blige on her 2006 world tour. Black Ice also has appeared on BET’s Live 8 Concert Special, Rap City the Basement and 106th & Park, as well as on NBC’s Showtime at the Apollo.

Joining Black Ice will be singer and poet Scorpio Blues, who also has appeared on HBO’s Def Poetry. Her recent CD, Scorpio Rising, features her soul music and some poetry, while her first CD, Blue Blushin’, was an acclaimed poetry work. In 2006, Scorpio Rising became the first female and the first African-American to win the Ill List Poets championship. She also has her own spoken word and music entertainment, management and promotions company called Hot Water Cornbread.

The Flex Crew Reggae Band, a popular group from Columbus, will perform live music. Its seven members hail from a variety of musical backgrounds, resulting in a versatile and high-energy band with an array of musical styles, including funk, R&B, soul, hip hop and roots reggae. In addition, local spoken word poet I Witness Life will emcee.

Tickets cost $20 and can be purhcased at www.ticketcenterstage.com, by calling 937-228-3830 or at the door.

Poet Scorpio Blues also will perform during The Signature.

Poet Scorpio Blues also will perform during The Signature.

Oral Funk Poetry Productions has partnered with De’Lish Café, 139 N. Main St., for the event. The restaurant, located across the street from the theater, will offer special Jamaican and Caribbean menu items and drinks.

During its first four seasons, “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” featured local and national poets, musicians, actors, vocalists, dancers and visual artists presenting numerous forms of self-expression ― often to sold-out crowds.

“We’re so excited to continue producing our show at The Loft Theatre after moving the production to this great venue last year,” said Sierra Leone of Oral Funk Poetry Productions. “This location has more seating for our shows, which often sell out, and has allowed us to kick up the performance a notch thanks to access to more professional production equipment and capabilities in the theater. We also have appreciated the opportunity to work with and learn from the professionals at The Human Race Theatre Company.”

I Was A White Knight…Once

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The Memoir of Comedian, Nathan Timmel

 

“The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

            With a creak of the mail slot and a muffled thump on the foyer floor, comedian Nathan Timmel’s memoir, I Was A White Knight…Once, unceremoniously arrived into my life. I picked up the crinkly Fed-Ex package and opened it with a sense of mild trepidation. I gingerly opened the package and inspected not only the contents, but all the cause of these feelings of apprehension, wondering from whence they came. As I explored the possible causes of this feeling, a note fluttered out from between the pages of the book that explained it all. It simply said, “Hey J.T.: Thanks for taking the time to read this – I really hope you enjoy it!”

The trepidation, I realized, came from the nagging possibility that I wouldn’t enjoy it and that it may put me in the precarious position of hurting someone’s feelings, which is something that I try to avoid at all costs. I began to turn the pages while a section of my mind dealt with these possibilities. Imperceptibly, as the words floated by, those alarming arguments that were careening through my brain quelled as I became instantly immersed and enamored with the story of Nathan Timmel’s life. As I stood there turning the pages, I felt a sense of glaring honesty emanating from the narrative. Page seven slammed the door on any niggling  suspicions that may have remained.

Page seven was the beginning of Chapter Two, which was a mere two pages long, but held such brilliant imagery and was so incredibly well written that I not only reread it several times as I stood there, but I have revisited that chapter several times. The chapter is simply titled The Shadow That Shouldn’t Be and relates the account of Nathan attending swimming lessons inWaupaca,Wisconsinwhen he was three years old. One is left with the image of Nathan standing on the edge of the pool, his sagging, soaked swimming trunks dripping onto the rough concrete, a skinny arm outstretched, pointing at a rippling shadow at the bottom of the pool.

While most people would write about such an incident in glaring detail, wringing every conceivable emotion out of it and filling in the blanks with their own perceptions and hindsight, Nathan chose to write about it in the most honest manner: from the perspective of an overwhelmed three year old. The event is painted in that impressionistically hazy hue of all of our childhood memories that are filled with a frenzy of colorfully blurred activity and dreamlike muted sounds with a singular, sharply contrasted snapshot held in time.

The memoir takes us from Nathan’s birth and childhood during the tumultuous time period of the late sixties and early seventies up to the present. Nathan’s parents, young and college educated, married seemingly out of a sense of obligation rather than for emotional reasons. The arrival of Nathan was the inescapable bond that held the marriage together…for a while. Throughout the tales of dysfunction and the ostensible denials that, at once, held the relationship together and tore it apart at the same time, there’s one truth that comes through Nathan’s writing with glaring clarity: perception. Every single one of us, on some scale or another, had a shocking point in our lives when, in dealing and communicating with others, we found that what had been our ‘normalcy’ was, in fact, viewed as insanely dysfunctional or, at best, mildly odd. With no reference point, everything comes down to one perception from whatever point one is standing.

Throughout Nathan’s memoir, the honesty follows through. He presents things as they were, admitting to the things that he has no real clear recollection of or answer to as well as owning the consequences that his own actions have wrought. This is also not a ‘woe is me’ sob story, wherein Nathan tries to foist all of his mistakes and behavior on his upbringing, thereby absolving him of his own responsibilities. This is a glimpse into a life shaped by the experiences, surrounding and subsequent emotions (or lack thereof).

One of the things that I noticed while reading Nathan’s chronicle is that, while it is written in almost chronological order, it is interspersed with interludes that are anecdotal stories of a more recent nature, most of which pertained to his comedy tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as a story about a creepy Kathy Bate’s-esque style stalker that he had encountered. If you separate these interludes with the bulk of the memoir, they can almost be seen as being penned by a different hand. No, I am not casting any allegations of plagiarism. I am merely making an observation and one which may have more to do with me projecting my own perceptions about myself onto Nathan’s life.

When you read the interludes, they are written in a very conversational manner. They are very straightforward and contain a certain amount of humor to them. The rest of the memoir that deals with Nathan’s family, childhood experiences and his early travels from home to home, you will see a more carefully crafted account of events and emotions. It is as if there is a separation, a compartmentalization of segments of Nathan’s life; parts that have been boxed up and are carefully pulled out and examined in detail, yet from a distance. There is an accuracy in the accounts of his life that can only come from an observer and not from one who is actively in the fray. You can almost see a child, clothed in his Superman jammies or wrapped protectively in his Batman cape as chaos ensued all around him, taking it all in, unadulterated, through wide shining eyes. The impressions remain until the age when understanding comes and, at that time, the feelings and images are pored over: the child’s perceptions being viewed by the analytical mind.

Nathan Timmel’s book, I Was A White Knight…Once is a memoir that, while not filled with famous names or events, tells the simple story of growing up in the midst of social and familial dysfunction and coming out the other side. It paints a poignant vignette of an era and an epoch that, while not necessarily relatable to all of our lives, still resonates with the reader. The exemplary writing and moving mood of the narrative is compelling without being bombastic or unbelievable. It is just a story of a child becoming the man who, until recently, was unable to see the forest for the trees of his own existence.

Purchase the book in paperback or Kindle edition here.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIqkeIeb7xc’]

 

Looking Glass Land (Ticket Contest)

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Looking Glass Land takes Lewis Carroll’s original story ‘Through the Looking Glass’, and adds to it a huge helping of unabashed silliness. This delightful romp through Alice’s looking glass retains all of the familiar characters, then introduces dozens of new ones: a baseball team, a gospel group called The Responsibilities, a train conductor, a peanut salesman, detectives, a Miss America, star struck tourist, plastic light saber knights and much more. This show is delightfully amusing and believable in a land that’s not, and is sure to please the entire family.

Produced through special arrangement with Pioneer Drama

Coal Dust in Her DNA – DPO presents Grammy-Award-winning singer in Kathy Mattea: From the Heart

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Kathy Mattea

She has never had a movie made about her. No Sissy Spacek to portray her. But, like Loretta Lynn who has, Kathy Mattea has a familial heritage that stretches back to America’s coal-mining regions. And a musical heritage and style that, like Lynn, includes country and gospel, but woven in with folk and bluegrass.

Suzy Bogguss, Alison Krauss, Jackson Browne and Crosby, Stills and Nash are just a few of the artists with whom Kathy has collaborated. In her 28 years on the music scene, she has recorded 30 hit singles and 17 albums, including Goin’ Gone, Come From the Heart, 18 Wheels and A Dozen Roses, Burnin’ Old Memories, and Where’ve You Been.

And winning two Grammys for her efforts, the first in 1990 for Best Female Country Vocal (Where’ve You Been), the second in 1993 for the gospel-oriented Christmas album Good News.

On the way to becoming a star, Kathy joined a West Virginia University bluegrass band, dropped out of WVU, moved to Nashville, worked as a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame, backed-up Bobby Goldsboro on vocals, and sang demos for songwriters and publishers.

She is no stranger to hard work; it’s in her genes.

Raised near Charleston, West Virginia, Kathy’s mining heritage is thick: both her grandfathers were miners, both her parents grew up in coal camps, and her mother worked for the local miner’s union. Her father was saved from the mines by an uncle who paid his way through college.

Oddly, she wasn’t exposed to much traditional mountain music. But when she was 19 years old she heard Dark as a Dungeon and began quietly cataloging mining and mountain songs she would someday record.

When Kathy was about nine, 78 miners were killed in The Farmington Disaster, near Fairmont, West Virginia. In 2006 the Sago Mine Disaster killed 12 West Virginia miners. “I thought, ‘Now is the time to do these songs’,” Kathy remembers.” The Sago disaster propelled Kathy back in her memory to what she had felt at that moment in her life, and she thought, “‘I need to do something with this emotion, and maybe this album is the place to channel it’. And so I knew the time was right.”

The album was COAL.

It was a life-altering decision, one that would forever change the way Kathy thought about music and singing. “This record reached out and took me. It called to me to be made,” Kathy states. “If you go through your life and you try to be open, you try to think how can you be of service, how can your gifts best be used in the world…if you ask that question everyday, you find yourself at the answer. And it’s not always what you thought it would be when you asked.”

She found herself discovering a part of herself she had never known before. “I had to unlearn a lot about singing. These songs are about getting out of the way; it’s about being with the song, opening a space and letting the song come through you.”

“I wanted some labor songs, some songs that articulated the lifestyle, the bigger struggles, and I wanted a wide variety musically,” Kathy notes. “Most of all, I wanted it to speak to the sense of place and the sense of attachment people have to each other and to the land.” She chose songs by such celebrated songwriters as Jean Ritchie, Billy Edd Wheeler, Hazel Dickens, Si Kahn, Utah Phillips, Merle Travis, and Darrell Scott.

Kathy says she’s had good luck picking songs because she goes with her gut. “I’ve found so much of my voice through interpreting other people’s songs, it’s like a marriage,” Kathy remarks. “I’m breathing something into the song, collaborating with the writers on bringing something forth.”

Kathy has played with guitarist Bill Cooley for 20 years and calls him “my silent partner, my unspoken collaborator on everything I do… I have been orbiting around him, musically, for a long time.”

Kirk Albrecht at minor7th.com describes Cooley as “… a guitarists guitarist, like Vince Gill, who seems to be at home in most any style.”

Versatility, the hallmark of any busy sideman, has been the stock in trade of a career that has seen Bill touring and recording with the likes of country icon Merle Haggard, country-pop diva Reba McEntire, traditionalist Alan Jackson and rockin’ singer-songwriter Hal Ketchum, as well as the eclectic, genre-crossing Mattea.

A native of Santa Barbara, CA, Bill moved to Nashville in 1985. A dozen years later he was called “one of Nashville’s most respected sidemen” by Guitar Player Magazine.

A native of Nashville, David Spicher is the son of session fiddle king Buddy Spicher. He has performed with Crystal Gayle, Pam Tillis, the Jerry Douglas Band, Carolina Rain, Jim Lauderdale, Nickel Creek, polka queen Lynn Marie, the Nashville Symphony, John England & the Western Swingers, and his family’s own Nashville Swing Band.

Eamonn O’Rourke (fiddle, mandolin, vocals) was born in County Donegal, Ireland. In 1993, Eamonn moved to New York. Working with a wide variety of artists throughout the United States and Canada, he was blessed with the chance to study with the great Mark O’Connor and cultivated a successful career as a session musician.

On Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5 at 8pm in the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present Kathy Mattea: From the Heart, the final concert in this season’s SuperPops series, featuring Kathy, Bill, David, and Eamonn.

And quite a few other musicians on vocals.

“I think there’s a mystery there,“ Kathy says, “that somewhere in me, in my DNA, there’s my great grandmother singing, and my grandmother, and my people, singing through me, with me.”

 

The Con is On with “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”

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Clark State Community College delivers a commendable production of librettist Jeffrey Lane (“Mad About You”) and composer David Yazbek’s (“The Full Monty”) funny, naughty 2005 Tony Award-nominated musical “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” a faithful adaptation of the 1988 film of the same name.

Smoothly directed by Geoffrey D. Moss and set on the French Riviera, admirably envisioned by scenic designer Dan Hunt, “Scoundrels” predominately succeeds on the entertaining teamwork of Troy M. Berry and Jimmy Straley as competitive con men Lawrence Jameson and Freddy Benson, respectively. As Lawrence and Freddy wage a bet to swindle $50,000 from American soap heiress Christine Colgate (the radiantly perky Haley Justice), Berry’s sophisticated flair and veteran aptitude fittingly complements Straley’s hilariously immature raunchiness. The tall, comically conceited Berry is also the stronger singer (“Love Sneaks In” is a tender Act 2 highpoint), but Straley, a genuine goofball, excels at physical comedy and sight gags which is essential. They particularly join forces for delightful renditions of “All About Ruprecht” and “Dirty Rotten Number,” terrific standouts within Yazbek’s wonderfully suave, lilting and peppy score, firmly handled by music director Thomas Kushmaul, Jr.’s first-rate orchestra, that reiterate his status as one of the most flavorful composers of contemporary musical theater.

In featured roles, David M. Schopmeyer brings an understated charm to Andre Thibault, Lawrence’s unassuming accomplice who sparks a middling romance with vacationing divorcee Muriel Eubanks, sharply portrayed by Kate Blackburn. As boisterous oil heiress Jolene, who precedes Christine on Lawrence and Freddy’s devious radar, the energetic Leah Schultz leads the infectious country and western toe-tapper “Oklahoma?,” spiritedly choreographed by Katie Kerry.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” concludes today at 3 p.m. in Kuss Auditorium of the Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. Act One: 65 minutes; Act Two: 65 minutes. Tickets are $8-$10. The show contains adult language. For tickets or more information, call (937) 328-3874 or visit pac.clarkstate.edu