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Open Auditions for Bus Stop at Dayton Playhouse

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The Dayton Playhouse will be holding auditions for Bus Stop on Monday, January 30 and Tuesday, January 31.  The play will run at the Dayton Playhouse Mar 16 – 25, 2012.  Auditions will begin at 7:00 p.m. both nights and will consist of cold readings from the script.  Some scripts are available for perusal in advance by contacting the director.

Bus Stop is a 1955 play by William Inge (the 1956 movie is only loosely based upon the original play). The action of the play takes place in a diner about 30 miles west ofKansas City in early March 1955. A freak snowstorm has halted the progress of the bus, and the eight characters (five on the bus) have a weather-enforced layover in the diner from approximately 1 to 5 a.m. Romantic, or quasi-romantic, relationships ensue between Grace and Carl, Professor Lyman and Elma, and Cherie and Bo. Virgil and Will are the older authority figures outside the relationships.

Character Descriptions:

Grace Hoylard  Owner of the diner, a “grass widow”. She is fortyish, and pretty in a fading, hard-bitten way. She has a passionate side to her nature, loving a good fight and the attentions of a good man.

Elma Duckworth An intelligent, but naive and impressionable high school girl. She is Grace’s waitress.

Will Masters The local sheriff. Tough as nails and brusque in manner, but goodhearted and a staunch Christian, described as a “deacon of his church”. A highly “moral” man in the general sense of the word.

Dr. Gerald Lyman A college philosophy professor who is articulate and charming but cannot hold a position, partially due to his resistance to any kind of authority, and partially due to his unfortunate taste for young women. He also has an obvious drinking problem.

Cherie A pretty young woman who comes from a difficult “hill folk” background, and has left her innocence far behind. She is an aspiring nightclub singer, but has never worked in any establishment above the level of “cheap dive”.

Bo Decker A brash young cowboy with boorish manners that hide a naivete almost as profound as Elma’s. He has convinced himself that Cherie will be his bride, though Cherie wants nothing to do with him.

Virgil Blessing (would be nice if actor also played the guitar) An older, wiser cowboy who has become a father figure to Bo (who was orphaned at the age of ten) as well as Bo’s head ranch hand.

Carl The bus driver, who has an ongoing “just passing through” relationship with Grace. As referenced repeatedly, this is purely sexual in nature.

The Dayton Playhouse is located at 1301 East Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH45414.  For questions about the play, contact Matthew Smith at 937- 270-2794..  For information about the Dayton Playhouse, visit www.daytonplayhouse.org , or call the Dayton Playhouse at 937-424-8477.

The Dayton Playhouse is a community theatre providing outstanding theatrical productions toMiamiValleyaudiences of all ages for more than fifty years. The Playhouse is nationally recognized for FutureFest, a festival of new plays.

Holding Steady and New News at THE NEON

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Hello Everyone,

We had a very solid opening for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, and I want to thank all of you who came out to support opening weekend at The Neon!  TTSS will stick around, and we are going to hold MY WEEK WITH MARILYN for one more week (Jan. 19 will be MARILYN’s final day).  Unfortunately, I have to report that we needed to move the opening date of CARNAGE, but the distributor didn’t want to wait for us…so we have to pass on playing it.  That said, the road will be clear for us to open THE ARTIST on January 20 as planned.

Click HERE for TINKER TAILOR’s official site.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SRGi6GCt4k’]

On Saturday, January 28 at 3:00, our large auditorium has been rented to screen CALL OF THE SCENIC RIVER: AN OHIO JOURNEY.  “This film is the story of Ohio’s most natural waterways. Although few people realize that Ohio was the first state to declare a Scenic Rivers Program in March of 1968, Ohio’s program continues to lead river conservation because of it’s respect of private property, it’s commitment to designating the most ecologically intact systems, and it’s popular volunteer opportunities. Filmed by Ohio cinematographers, Mike King and Adam White, with underwater footage by Tom Mayor, – alumni of Wright State University’s Motion Picture Program – the film captures the stunning and natural beauty of these watershed eco-systems. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Rivers Unlimited, the nation’s oldest river conservation organization. RSVP and tickets ($10/ticket) may be purchased from the film’s website – CLICK LINK.”  (taken from press notes)

On Saturday, February 25 at noon, The Junior Leaguers Club, Inc. will host a benefit screening of THUNDER SOUL.  “THUNDER SOUL follows the extraordinary alumni from Houston’s storied Kashmere High School Stage Band, who return home after 35 years to play a tribute concert for the 92-year-old “Prof,” their beloved band leader who broke the color barrier and transformed the school’s struggling jazz band into a world-class funk powerhouse in the early 1970s.” (taken from press notes)  Adult tickets (which include a glass of wine as well as soda & popcorn) are $30 each.  Student tickets (which include soda and popcorn) are $15 each.  For more information, please call (937)219-7501.  Proceeds from this event will go to The Junior Leaguers Scholarship Fund.  To check out more about THUNDER SOUL, visit the official site.

On Sunday morning, I’ll be heading to a conference for operators and owners of arthouse cinemas from across the country.  The conference is in Utah, so I’ll stick around for the first couple days of the Sundance Film Festival, too.  Please keep the staff nice and busy while I’m gone.

See you soon,

Jonathan

 

SHOWTIMES for

Fri. January 13 – Thur. January 19:

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (R) 2 Hrs 07 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday:  1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 9:45

Monday: 3:30, 5:45, 8:15

Tuesday – Thursday:  2:30, 5:15, 8:00

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (R) 1 Hr 39 Min

Friday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30

Saturday: 12:50, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30

Sunday:  12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30

Monday: 3:30, 5:45, 8:00

Tuesday – Thursday:  3:00, 5:10, 7:20

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative.

Many of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

Jan. 20   THE ARTIST

TBD   THE HEDGEHOG

TBD   SHAME

TBD   A DANGEROUS METHOD

TBD   A SEPARATION

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

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MUSE MACHINE Wizard of OZMunchkins are gleefully rejoicing, Dorothy’s ruby pumps sparkle and Toto is behaving like a pro. The magical journey to Oz is taking shape as the Muse Machine, Dayton’s premier arts education organization celebrating its 30th anniversary, puts the finishing touches on its highly anticipated presentation of L. Frank Baum, Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg’s “The Wizard of Oz,” the Muse’s 28th annual student musical slated for January 12-15 at the Victoria Theatre.

Blessed with such beloved tunes as “Over the Rainbow,” “If I Were King of the Forest,” “Ding! Dong! The Witch is Dead!” and “If I Only Had a Brain, “Oz” will be comprised of over 100 Muse students from across the Miami Valley on stage, backstage, and in the orchestra pit. Eighty additional youngsters from Dayton Public Schools will be assembled as citizens of Munchkinland. Principals include Madeline Shelton as Dorothy Gale, Dan Baugn as Hunk/Scarecrow, Davis Sullivan as Hickory/ Tin Man, Jeremiah Plessinger as Zeke/Cowardly Lion, Hayley Penchoff as Glinda, Odette Gutierrez del Arroyo as Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West, and Cameron Elliott as Professor Marvel, the Gatekeeper and the title role.

The large scale production, which uses John Kane’s familiar Royal Shakespeare Company adaptation of the iconic 1939 film, notably marks the directorial return of Drama Desk Award nominee Rufus Bonds, Jr. (“The Color Purple,” “The Lion King,” “Parade,” “Rent”) alongside New Orleans-based veteran Muse choreographer Lula Elzy. Muse Machine alum Timothy Olt, who has provided musical arrangements for the Muse summer concerts since 2009, serves as musical director, replacing longtime Muse musical director David Dusing.

With opening night practically within reach, the artistic team meticulously fine-tuned various elements at a recent rehearsal, fueling the Muse’s reputation for producing professional-caliber results. Bonds cautioned Baugn and Shelton to be mindful of the pace when the Scarecrow introduces himself to Dorothy. Following Shelton’s beautifully sincere rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” Olt advised her to use her instincts as a vocalist. During repeated run-throughs of “The Merry Old Land of Oz,” which incorporates twirls, firm arm movements, sharp hand gestures, and Elliott’s skillful tap dancing, Elzy encouraged the ensemble to remember the overall goal. “We’re striving for perfection,” she said. “You’re not performing for the audience, you’re in a scene. You’re having a conversation within the dance.”

Unlike his bold, reimagined approach to “Into the Woods” that startled Sondheim purists last year, Bonds says he purposefully strayed from conceptually tinkering with “Oz.” He approved inserting the jazzy if obscure “Jitterbug,” famously cut from the film yet retained in the score, but assures audiences the show is fundamentally based on the film’s roots and universal message.

“I kept the show as true as I could to the movie,” he said. “It’s what we know. It’s what we love. I didn’t want to put my own spin on it. I want the show to stay true to the integrity of the piece. The show is about possibilities, finding happiness. And happiness leads to finding a home, which is the foundation of your joy.”

Olt, a 1985 graduate of Kettering Fairmont High School and adjunct music professor at Miami University and Ohio Northern University, particularly finds enjoyment in the cast’s openness to discover “Oz” beyond the surface. In fact, he believes the show’s underlying themes continue to resonate with great meaning.

“’The Wizard of Oz’ has always been a part of my life, but when you’re young you don’t catch everything,” he said. “So I saw the movie again not too long ago and noticed issues such as segregation, slavery and discrimination. There really is a lot going on. And it’s great that the cast recognizes this show is more than just a musical.”

Muse memorably presented “Oz” in 1996 featuring a cast that included Tyler Maynard (currently appearing on Broadway in “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever”), Jill Paice (who recently appeared in “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse) and Tory Ross (who returns to Dayton next month starring as Rosemary Clooney in the Human Race Theatre Company’s production of the musical “Tenderly”). According to producer Douglas Merk, the organization had not planned to stage the show again, but ultimately felt it was the best option artistically and financially for 2012.

“’The Wizard of Oz’ has a positive message, is perfect for families and seemed to be the most viable for us in these difficult economic times,” he said. “A lot of theaters are struggling right now, but the reaction so far has been great. Many people are thrilled that we are doing it.”

Although the excitement of unveiling “Oz” is apparent for all involved, the fun and solidarity established during the rehearsal process has proven equally gratifying. Fittingly, the joy that will be evident on the Victoria stage will be a genuine reflection of the friendships within the cast.

“The Muse Machine offers the best of both worlds,” said understudy Steven Hix. “It’s about more than just the show. It’s a chance to meet so many special people.”

“The Wizard of Oz” will be presented Jan. 12-15 at the Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25-$59. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com

 

The Dramatic Moment & Character Studies at DVAC

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"Peaceful Protests" by Issa Randall

The Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC) presents two new exhibitions which celebrate the synergies between Dayton’s ethnic and cultural communities. The Dramatic Moment is a solo exhibition by Dayton artist Issa Randall that presents figures that emerge from layers of torn, burned and collaged paper to create a provocative statement on the power of images. The Dramatic Moment will feature an exhibition brochure with writings by guest essayist Peter Ainsworth, London-based photographer, and the artist. Character Studies, DVAC’s second Members’ show of the season, includes selected works from all mediums that express the spirit of “character.”

Dayton artist, Issa Randall, has a Bachelor’s of Art in Communications from the University of Dayton and Master’s of Art in photography from the University of Arts, London. His work explores many aspects of U.S. society, from the role of politics and media to the effects that life has on ones mental space. His exhibition, The Dramatic Moment, features large-scale mixed-media pieces with arresting surfaces and imagery.

"Don't Burn the Trash" by Issa Randall

Randall, along with new executive director Eva Buttacavoli, will serve as co- jurors for Character Studies. This juried members’ exhibit will feature a variety of artwork by DVAC members that address how we define and identify character.

About REACH Across Dayton

Both exhibitions were organized in partnership with Sinclair Community College and EboNia Gallery for the 19th annual REACH (Realizing Ethnic Awareness and Cultural Heritage) Across Dayton project. Founded by artists and educators Tess Little, Willis “Bing” Davis and former DVAC executive director Paula Recko, this year’s REACH initiatives include Gallery Talks by exhibiting artists at each venue, a community art project of collaborative relief prints organized by “Bing” Davis, and a Studies Conference featuring sessions that explore the theme “In the Spirit of Developing Character” at Sinclair Community College.
The Dayton Visual Arts Center provides art for the community and a community for artists. DVAC receives operating support from the Ohio Arts Council, Culture Works, Montgomery County and the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation. The DVAC gallery, at 118 N. Jefferson St., in downtown Dayton, is free and open to the public five days each week, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For more information, visit the Web site at www.daytonvisualarts.org or call (937) 224-3822.

Exhibition Dates

Jan. 17-Feb. 24, 2012

Exhibition Programs

Gallery Talk: Character Studies Artists & Community Art Project – Feb. 3, 6:15 p.m.

Gallery Talk: Issa Randall – Feb. 23, 5:30 p.m.

Studies Conference: In the Spirit of Building Character – Feb. 24, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

at Sinclair Community College Ponitz Center

Closing Reception – Feb. 24, 5-7 p.m.

Where

Dayton Visual Arts Center

118 N. Jefferson St.

Downtown Dayton

Gallery Hours

11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday Closed Sunday & Monday

For more information

(937) 224.3822

www.daytonvisualarts.org

dvac@daytonvisualarts.org

(from DVAC)

‘RED’ to Color the Loft Stage

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PAINTING by Richard Coatney

The New York Times calls RED “intense” and “exciting.”  The Chicago Tribune says it’s “stunning,” “compelling,” and “brilliant.”

The production of RED by The Human Race, Dayton’s own professional theatre company, will add at least one more adjective to the descriptions – “intimate.”  As highly-regarded as the big-stage productions have been, bringing famed artist Mark Rothko’s studio to life in the 219-seat Loft Theatre will make it an even more meaningful and personal event for theatergoers.

“What do you see?” asks Rothko in the opening line, and that line is the running theme of the play – what artists see, how they see it, how they hope viewers of their work will see it. RED manages both to be a look deep into the meaning of art and creation, and a scintillating study of Rothko, his relationship with his (fictional) assistant, Ken, and his conflicted views on commercialism.

What the audience will see involves a lot of painting, including preparation of a Rothko-sized canvas.

“It’s a glorious play,” says Human Race Resident Artist Michael Kenwood Lippert, who plays Rothko. “Rothko’s such an interesting character…he wanted people to use as much care looking at his art as he used in creating it.”

“It blew me away,” says Will Allan, who plays Ken. “Rothko’s larger than life, but Ken gives him another insight, while Ken gets invaluable lessons from Rothko.”

Michael Kenwood Lippert

Lippert is a very familiar figure through the Miami Valley, both from his performances with The Human Race, which go back to the company’s original production, Count Dracula, in 1986 and include such hits asOrphans, The Elephant Man, The Speed of Darkness and The Drawer Boy, and from his many years working in area schools for Muse Machine. He was a 2011 Governor’s Award for the Arts winner.

Allan is a local product, a 2005 graduate of Oakwood High School who now works out of Chicago, where he has been in two Jeff Award-winning Best Plays in the past three years (The History Boys and The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?). He recently became an Artistic Associate at Timeline, which the Wall Street Journal calls the Best Theatre Company in America, and was one of the Chicago Tribune’s 2011 Hot New Faces in Chicago Theatre.

“Michael and Will together are just combustible,” says director and Human Race Resident Artist Richard E. Hess, Chair of Drama at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, “It’s fantastic.” Hess knows fantastic – the most recent of his many contributions at The Loft were Doubt, A Parable and I Am My Own Wife.

Mark Rothko

“On its surface, RED is a play about Mark Rothko, and it’s immense enjoyment to see a man like that come to life.” Says Hess. “Below that is the story of a man struggling deeply with immortality, with what one leaves behind. It’s gut-wrenching to watch an artist paved with such humanity.”

RED will include a collaboration with the Dayton Art Institute. During the run, the DAI will have a loaned Rothko work on display, and the institute’s gift shop is offering a 10% discount in January to buyers who show a RED ticket or stub.

Heather Jackson is Stage Manager for RED.  Mark Halpin designed the set, Lacee Rae Hart the costumes, Resident Artist John Rensel the lighting and Rich Dionne the sound, with Heather Powell is the Properties Master.

RED will have a Preview Night at The Loft Theatre January 19, with official Opening Night January 20 and performances through February 5. Tickets are available via www.humanracetheatre.org , by calling Ticket center Stage at (937) 228-3630, or at the Schuster Center Box Office. Student tickets are half price for all performances, and 25 seats at each end of The Loft are being sold for just $25 as part of The Human Race’s 25th Anniversary Season.

(from Human Race Theatre)

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Opens Friday at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone,

It’s time to say farewell to THE DESCENDANTS – one of our big hits from 2011.  If you haven’t seen the film yet (or need to see it again), you only have through Thursday to see it at THE NEON.  On Friday, we will open a film that has been long-awaited by several of you and a “Top 10” for numerous critics – TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY.  For our other screen, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN will hold for another week.

I just found out that we will not be exclusive on TINKER TAILOR.  Though this is a big disappointment, I hope you’ll help us by telling your friends & family to please support this film at THE NEON.  Having a great opening weekend will help send the message to distributors that THE NEON is where people want to see smart, thought-provoking cinema.

Synopsis for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY: “The time is 1973. The Cold War of the mid-20th Century continues to damage international relations. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), a.k.a. MI6 and code-named the Circus, is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts and to keep the U.K. secure. When things go awry, it’s up to top lieutenant, George Smiley, a career spy with razor-sharp senses, to get things back on track.” (Taken from Focus Features)  Based on the 1974 novel by John le Carre that “redefined the spy thriller,”  the new film stars Gary Oldman, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy and Mark Strong.

Click this link to visit the film’s official site.

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

We have several organizations renting our space for special events in the coming weeks…so I’ll hopefully have more details for you by next week’s newsletter.

We hope to see you this weekend at THE NEON,

Jonathan

 

SHOWTIMES for Friday Jan 6 – Thursday Jan 12:

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (R) 2 Hrs 07 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday:  1:00, 4:15, 7:15, 9:45

Monday – Thursday:  2:30, 5:15, 8:00

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (R) 1 Hr 39 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday:  12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30

Monday – Thursday:  3:00, 5:10, 7:20

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative.

Many of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear. 

Jan. 13   CARNAGE

Jan. 20   THE ARTIST

TBD   THE HEDGEHOG

TBD   SHAME

TBD   A DANGEROUS METHOD 

Stivers School for the Arts Jazz Orchestra – Bound for NYC

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(from The Seedling Foundation)

The Stivers School for the Arts Jazz Orchestra is going to New York to perform at Lincoln Center as distinguished student artists with the New York City Jazz Festival.  The festival features the best of college jazz performers plus four selected high school ensembles, and as winners of the 2010 Berklee College of Music National High School Jazz Festival, Stivers was not required to audition for the spot on the New York City Jazz Festival lineup. Festival managers heard the Dayton group in Boston and extended the invitation.

Produced by Manhattan Concert Productions, the New York City Jazz Festival will feature Kurt Elling, the Grammy-winning male vocalist, and Bob Mintzer, multiple Grammy Award winner, composer, arranger and Yellowjackets big band leader. The Stivers Orchestra will participate in pre-performance workshops under the direction of  Festival Artistic Director Steve Zegree – internationally recognized as one of the most respected jazz conductors and active as a pianist, conductor and jazz clinician.

Benefit concert scheduled

The trip depends upon the orchestra raising funds for travel and registration. A benefit concert featuring the Stivers Jazz Orchestra is scheduled for 8:00pm on Saturday, January 21 at Stivers Centennial Hall. The concert will feature one of America’s finest jazz trumpeters, Derrick Gardner. Gardner, who travels with Harry Connick, Jr. and the Count Basie Orchestra, is a distinguished composer, arranger, performer and teacher.  For over 20 years Gardner has headed the Jazz Prophets, a distinguished sextet in the tradition of the funky, soulful jazz sound Cannonball Adderly and Horace Silver. Gardner has also performed with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.

General admission tickets for the benefit concert are $10. They can be ordered online at www.theseedlings.org or by calling 937-546-1675. Patron tickets are available at $50. Patrons are invited to a pre-performance reception with Derrick Gardner and will receive reserved seating. Patron tickets qualify for a $25 tax deduction.

Stivers Jazz Orchestra director Claude Thomas said of the Festival invitation, “In September, the Stivers Jazz Orchestra was invited to perform at the New York City Jazz Festival at Lincoln Center’s Allen Room. The invitation followed years of national performances by our Jazz Orchestra at Boston’s Berklee High School Jazz Festival. We have competed at Berklee 3 times and won 3 times,  including 2011.  How do you get to Carnegie Hall? ….. practice. In the jazz world, you ask how do you get to Lincoln Center? The same way, plus playing for the Dayton community like in our January 21st concert to raise travel and registration funds. The Stivers Jazz Orchestra is one of only 4 high schools in the country invited to perform, an unbelievable opportunity and honor for theDayton community, our school and students, past and present who have worked so hard to make this invitation a reality.”

The concert is sponsored by the seedling Foundation, a 501 [c] [3] non-profit organization that supports arts programs at Stivers School for the Arts.

For more information call Bill Pflaum, 937-469-2662.

Top 10 Theater of 2011

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Brenda Mhlongo in The Lion King

THE GEM CITY

1. Disney’s “The Lion King” (Directed by Julie Taymor)
The tremendous, long-awaited local premiere of this visually stunning, Tony-winning spectacle from Taymor, Elton John and Tim Rice was a hit for the Victoria Theatre Association. Hopefully the Victoria is securing a return visit to Pride Rock for a future season.

Full Review: Let the Spectacle Astound You

Beth Conley in Hairspray

2.“Hairspray” (Directed by Joe Deer)
Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan’s Tony-winning “Hairspray” received an extraordinarily jubilant presentation at Wright State University. Deer’s fluid vision, Teressa Wylie McWiliams’ fantastic choreography, Beth Conley’s spunk, Drew Helton’s authenticity and Ian DeVine’s divine dancing were among the many artistic joys. Every year, there are certain shows you crave to see over and over again. This was one of them. And I did.

Full Review: You Can’t Stop The Bliss

3.“Caroline, or Change” (Directed by Scott Stoney)
Since 2004, I patiently waited for a local premiere of this dynamic, evocative Tony-nominated musical by Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori. Unsurprisingly, the Human Race Theatre Company impressively stepped up to the plate with splendid results as led by the fabulous Tanesha Gary of the original Broadway cast.

Full Review: Worlds Collide In The Bayou

SOUVENIR by Stephen Temperley - DAYTON THEATRE GUILD - Things To Do In Dayton - September 16-25, 2011

Reneé Franck-Reed and Charles Larkowski in Souvenir

4.“Souvenir” (Directed by Saul Caplan)
In Stephen Temperley’s intimate “Souvenir,” the life and folly of long-forgotten eccentric soprano Florence Foster Jenkins breezily unravels in a humorous and startling fashion. The Dayton Theatre Guild’s blissful production, deserving of an encore this season or next season, featured effortlessly charming performances by Reneé Franck-Reed and Charles Larkowski. What a duo!

Full Review: Delusions of Grandeur

5.“Permanent Collection” (Directed by Schele Williams)
The beauty of art and the pain of racial conflict compellingly collide in this heated drama by Thomas Gibbons. The Human Race Theatre Company’s gripping local premiere would not have been the same without the commanding presence of Alan Bomar Jones as the disaffected and unyielding Sterling North.

Full Review: The State of the Art in Black and White

6. “Death of a Salesman” (Directed by Greg Hellems)
Scott Stoney’s sublime portrayal of the hapless Willy Loman and Lee Merrill’s revelatory turn as Willy’s supportive wife Linda fueled the palpable heartache within Wright State’s expertly character-driven production of Arthur Miller’s masterpiece. Hellems’ impressive straight play directorial debut particularly featured one of the most moving father-son embraces I have witnessed.

Full Review: Heartache and Pain

Cast of 42nd Street

7. “42nd Street” (Directed by Rick Conant and Joe Deer)
Conant, a member of the original Broadway cast of “42nd Street,” memorably recreated Gower Champion’s choreography for Wright State’s knockout presentation which clearly astonished in the opening audition sequence alone. Those dancing feet never looked or sounded so sweet.

Full Review: Go Into Your Dance!

8. “Hello, Dolly!” (Directed by Robert and Ruth Clements)
Cedarville University’s splendidly designed, excellently performed production of Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart’s adaptation of “The Matchmaker” truly dazzled with striking, sophisticated elegance.

Full Review: ‘Dolly’ Is Back And Looking Swell

9. “Lost in Yonkers” (Directed by Fran Pesch)
Neil Simon’s heartwarming account of family dysfunction wondrously resonated at the Dayton Theatre Guild. In addition to Barbara Jorgensen’s stellar embodiment of a prickly matriarch, Philip Stock and Joel Daniel’s brotherly camaraderie and Amy Diederich’s endearing sensitivity were great assets.

Full Review: Family Matters

JJ Parkey as Hedwig

10. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (Directed by Shane Anderson)
Encore Theater Company, Dayton’s only community theater devoted to new musicals, simply relishes risk. The troupe delivered the goods with a comical and poignant production of John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” This risqué rock opus concerning identity, heartbreak and transgender surgery could be viewed as off-putting but actually felt warmly universal and life-affirming in the flawlessly engaging hands of JJ Parkey and Abigail Nessen Bengson. In another bold move, Encore will offer the local community theater premiere of “Spring Awakening” in late January directed by Parkey. I have a feeling it could be a must-see.

Full Review: Botched But Indestructible

Biggest Disappointment: The DayTonys egregiously overlooking “The Producers”
It’s no secret that the annual DayTony Awards will provide its share of oddities. However, the utterly shocking shut-out of the Dayton Playhouse’s production of “The Producers,” one of the best shows ever staged by the organization, will forever serve as a reminder of a flawed voting system in need of a complete overhaul.

THE BIG APPLE

1. “Follies”
Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman’s marvelous tale of disillusionment and regret was a hit last spring at the Kennedy Center. Even so, it grew deeper and more thrilling in its duly acclaimed Broadway transfer over the summer. Although I adored the Kennedy Center production (Linda Lavin’s tantalizing rendition of “Broadway Baby” was among the best I have heard), the current mounting, particularly blessed with definitive performances from Bernadette Peters and Jan Maxwell, is an indelibly cohesive product. I only wish the show could continue past its Jan. 22 closing. Special kudos to Wright State University alum Nick Verina, whose terrific Broadway debut as Young Ben (and brief loving embrace with Peters in the ravishing “Too Many Mornings”) proved simultaneously delightful and surreal.

2. “The Normal Heart”
The Tony-winning, limited engagement revival of Larry Kramer’s powerful, educational polemic concerning the early days of AIDS, fueled with exemplary portrayals by Ellen Barkin, John Benjamin Hickey, Joe Mantello, Jim Parsons and Lee Pace, packed an emotional, visceral wallop. It’s important to note that a letter written by Kramer, entitled “Please Know,” was distributed following the performance I attended. A particular paragraph stated, “Please know that the world has suffered at the very least some 75 million infections and 35 million deaths. When the action of the play that you have just seen begins, there were 41.”

3. “The Book of Mormon”
This tuneful, crude and offensive Tony-winning laugh riot from “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and “Avenue Q” co-creator Robert Lopez took Broadway by storm, particularly garnering a male fan base not seen for a new musical since “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” Religion will always be a delicate subject but “Mormon” spoofs Joseph Smith, Africa, Bono, Orlando, Johnnie Cochran and musical theater conventions with a tongue-in-cheek flair seamlessly constructed to satisfy Broadway devotees and Cartman admirers.

4. “War Horse”
Stephen Spielberg is earning high marks for his adaptation of Michael Murporgo’s sentimental World War I account of a boy and his beloved horse. Still, there’s no denying the sheer epic beauty and whimsical puppetry on display in Lincoln Center Theater’s outstanding, deeply moving Tony-winning presentation.

5. “Good People”
David Lindsay-Abaire’s exceptionally authentic “Good People,” one of the best contemporary dramatic comedies to shed light on America’s struggling middle class, revealed the depths of cultural identity and hopelessness with brutal honesty. Tate Donovan and Tony winner Frances McDormand were perfect as former flames coming to terms with their past in South Boston.

6. “Other Desert Cities”
Jon Robin Baitz (“Brothers & Sisters,” “The Paris Letter”) could receive Tony and Pulitzer Prize consideration for his wonderfully engrossing saga about a wealthy California family battling ideologies while coping with secrets and lies. Rachel Griffiths, Stockard Channing, Stacy Keach, Judith Light and Thomas Sadoski stirred emotions on a fierce level that rivaled “The Normal Heart.” Anyone headed to New York City who can’t find a ticket to “Mormon” or “War Horse” should see “Cities,” which will likely become a regional theater hit in 2012-13.

7. “The Motherf**ker With the Hat”
Chris Rock’s Broadway debut could have been a fiasco but his hilarious turn as a disingenuous AA sponsor opposite the fiery machismo of Bobby Cannavale sent Stephen Adly Guirgis’ scathing, gritty, sharp and witty play through the roof.

8. “Sister Act”
If it wasn’t for the “Mormon” invasion, this totally uplifting, incredibly melodic adaptation of the Whoopi Goldberg film of the same name, heightened by Patina Miller’s breakthrough performance and Alan Menken’s delectable 1970s-inspired tunes, would have been a serious Tony contender.

9. “Jerusalem”
Jez Butterworth’s overlong yet impactful depiction of British misfits will always be remembered for Mark Rylance’s masterful, Tony-winning performance as raw, rebellious ringleader Johnny “Rooster” Byron.

10. “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying”
A highly commendable Daniel Radcliffe took his post-“Potter” career to a new level in this cool, sleek and underappreciated revival of Frank Loesser’s classic workplace satire.

Biggest Disappointment: “Anything Goes”
I didn’t return to “Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark” this year and cannot comment on whether it remained a disaster or improved following its substantial rewrites. So I’ll choose the overrated revival of “Anything Goes,” which failed to astound aside from a Tony-winning performance by Sutton Foster, one of Broadway’s most popular triple threats.

THE NEON is Going Strong!

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Hello Everyone,

Things are really hoppin’ at THE NEON.  Yesterday (Monday) was busier than any day over the holiday weekend…and we have more than 60 people in the auditorium for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN as I write this note (for a Tuesday afternoon, that’s incredible).

As it stands, we’re going to hold steady next week with THE DESCENDANTS and MY WEEK WITH MARILYN.  On January 6, we plan to open TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY.  (Click each title to visit that film’s official site…and watch the trailers below.)

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As we head into 2012, I’d like to thank you so much for your constant support of THE NEON.  We will end 2011 in the black, and it’s quite possible that it will be our best year ever (we didn’t think 2010 could be beat)…I’ll keep you posted.  Without your patronage and your positive word-of-mouth, we wouldn’t still be here.  Thank you so much!!

Wishing you a wonderful, fun & safe New Year’s!

We hope to see you soon at THE NEON,

Jonathan

 

SHOWTIMES for  Fri. December 30 – Thur. January 5:

THE DESCENDANTS (R) 1 Hrs 55 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:15, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45

Monday – Thursday:  2:40, 5:00, 7:20

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (R) 1 Hr 39 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday:  12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30

Monday – Thursday:  3:00, 5:10, 7:20

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative.

Many of these dates will change.  In some cases, titles may disappear.

Jan. 6   TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Jan. 13   CARNAGE

Jan. 20   THE ARTIST

TBD   THE HEDGEHOG

TBD  SHAME

TBD   A DANGEROUS METHOD

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone,

If you still need to see WEEKEND or MELANCHOLIA, you only have today (Dec. 22) to see them at THE NEON.  Even though I was a bit disappointed at the turn-out for WEEKEND, I’m so glad we brought it to THE NEON for a week.  It helps us maintain our status as a true arthouse cinema when we can bring films of this caliber that don’t have much of a marketing budget (meaning it’s a hard-to-find gem that didn’t get much play in the Midwest).  Just after I sent out last week’s newsletter, A.O. Scott of The New York Times listed WEEKEND as one of the best films of the year…and I’m in agreement.  For remaining showtimes for this week, please visit our official NEON site – www.neonmovies.com

Tomorrow (Dec. 23), we will open MY WEEK WITH MARILYN.  This is a film that was supposed to open several weeks ago…but the distributor decided to delay rolling it out into smaller markets in hopes of garnering award season buzz.  And that’s what has happened.  The movie has been nominated for 3 Golden Globes – “Best Picture: Comedy or Musical,” “Best Actress – Michelle Williams,” and “Best Supporting Actor – Kenneth Branagh.”  And don’t forget that the cast also includes Judi Dench (a favorite of NEON regulars) and Emma Watson (from the Harry Potter franchise).

Synopsis for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN:  ” In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark, just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’. The film that famously united Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe, who was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Aurthur Miller. Nearly 40 years on, his diary account The Prince, the Showgirl and Me was published, but one week was missing and this was published some years later as My Week with Marilyn – this is the story of that week. When Arthur Miller leaves England, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce Marilyn to some of the pleasures of British life; an idyllic week in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work.” (The Weinstein Company)   This film received an “R” rating due only to adult language…so we’re hoping the rating doesn’t hold back families with teens from coming over the holidays.  Visit the Official Website.

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Have you tried one of our new wines?  In addition to the Woodbridge Merlot and Chardonnay, we are trying Carernet Sauvignon and Moscato.  If you want to make certain that we keep these two wines in the mix, please order a glass during your next visit.

AIDS Resource Center Ohio has asked us to help them sell raffle tickets for their upcoming RED event (Reach, Empower & Dream of a world without HIV/AIDS) in the Spring.  First place is a trip to Paris.  Second place is a trip to stay in the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.  Tickets are $25 each or $100 for six.  We currently have these for sale at our box office…and they make a nice, last-minute gift.  I plan to buy a handful and tell people, “I’ve made a donation to ARC Ohio, and you might win a trip to Paris.”

Opening dates for our upcoming titles continue to move around.  As of right now, our next big film will be TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY starring Gary Oldman on Jan. 6.

We hope to see you soon at THE NEON,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for

Fri. December 23 – Thur. December 29:

THE DESCENDANTS (R) 1 Hrs 55 Min

Friday: 12:15, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45

Saturday: 12:15, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20

Sunday:  12:15, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45

Monday – Thursday:  2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (R) 1 Hr 39 Min

Friday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30

Saturday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20

Sunday:  12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30

Monday – Thursday:  3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative.

Many of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

TBD   THE HEDGEHOG

Jan. 6   TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Jan. 13   CARNAGE

Jan. 20   THE ARTIST  

Jan. 20   SHAME

Jan. 20   A DANGEROUS METHOD

Playhouse Welcomes 2012 with Rodgers & Hammerstein Favorites

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(from Dayton Playhouse)

A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING will delight audiences at the Dayton Playhouse from January 5 through January 15.  In addition to the normal Friday through Sunday performances, this presentation will also include special Thursday performances.

Veteran Playhouse artist, Richard Croskey, is directing and choreographing the play.  The cast features talented vocalists Matthew Bone, Carol Chatfield, Kathy Clark, Patricia Dipasquale Drul and Tom Lehmann. 

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING is an evening of music and romance. The musical review explores the broad spectrum of romantic relationships by way of more than thirty Rodgers & Hammerstein songs. Each of the team’s musicals is represented. The songs have all been placed in fresh theatrical settings, strung together so that the review “grows up” emotionally. The show is constructed as an emotional journey beginning with young infatuation and the awakening of real love, through the touching and funny complexities of commitment and marriage, the joys of parenthood, and finally, the power of enduring love. 

The book for A Grand Night for Singing was written by Walter Bobbie with music by Rodgers, lyrics by Hammerstein and musical arrangements by Fred Wells.

Performances will be Thursday through Sunday, January 5-15.  All performances are at 8:00 p.m. except Sundays, which are at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for adults, $14 for seniors and $10 for students.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.daytonplayhouse.com, or through the box office, 937-424-8477, which is staffed Monday, Wednesday and Friday 2:00pm-5:00pm.  Messages may be left for the box office at anytime. The Dayton Playhouse is located at 1301 East Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH 45414.

The Dayton Playhouse is a community theatre providing outstanding theatrical productions to Miami Valley audiences of all ages for more than fifty years. The Playhouse is nationally recognized for FutureFest, a festival of new plays.

For These Phantoms, Three Is Not a Crowd

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DPO presents Three Phantoms in Concert with tenor alumni of the leading Phantom of the Opera tours

If you have ever seen a live production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Phantom of the Opera, there is a better-than-even chance that you might have seen and heard at least one of the three Broadway stars who will share the stage of the Schuster Center on Friday, January 13 & Saturday, January 14 at 8pm with conductor Patrick Reynolds and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra in Three Phantoms in Concert.

Why? Because all three have played either the Phantom or Raoul or both on Broadway or in touring productions. In fact, they each have either played the lead, or appeared, in Cyrano, the Musical; Fiddler on the Roof; Anything Goes; Les Misérables; The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber; Show Boat; Jesus Christ Superstar; Sweeney Todd; Pirates of Penzance; Jekyll & Hyde; Evita; Fiddler On The Roof; and The Secret Garden.

The best Broadway leading men – Ciarán Sheehan, Gary Mauer, and Craig Schulman – will perform (in solo, duo and trio combinations) the best of the Broadway tunes written for tenor from Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, The Phantom Of The Opera, Guys and Dolls, Company, Kiss Me Kate, Most Happy Fella, The Secret Garden, Nine, Damn Yankees, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Sweeney Todd, and more.

Ciarán Sheehan has played the Phantom on Broadway and in Toronto for more than 1,000 performances. He has also appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables and as Raoul in Phantom for more than two years. Gary Mauer most recently starred in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera, playing Raoul. Craig Schulman is the only actor in the United States to have portrayed the Phantom; Jean Valjean in Les Misérables; and the title roles in Jekyll & Hyde.

Craig and Gary have both played in Les Mis, and all three have played in Phantom. Since all three are tenors, it begs the question, do they ever switch roles/song assignments from one show to the next? If so, what are some of the reasons they might do so?

“I try to keep the program the same, and everyone sings a standardized track in the concert,” Craig Schulman states. “I need to maintain pacing of the program and make sure that we’re all singing the same number of songs. We each, however, tell a story about the show in which we got our “big break” in show business, and then sing a song from that show. So the program changes slightly,” from tenor to tenor.

The bulk of the shows all three tenors have appeared in involve romance (Sweeney Todd, Secret Garden, etc. excepted). The songs in those shows, however, don’t always involve romance or romantic topics. I asked Craig which type of songs he prefers and which particular titles (especially of those he’ll be doing with the DPO) he prefers singing?.

“Personally, I always look for the 11 o’clock number,” Craig remarks, “so I sing Bring Him Home from Les Mis, This Is The Moment from Jekyll & Hyde, and of course, Music Of The Night from Phantom (the big three). Sometimes I switch with Gary; he may sing This Is The Moment, and I’ll take The Impossible Dream just for giggles.”

All three keep a strenuous concert schedule. I asked Craig what he likes/dislikes about life on the concert road. “I like the fact that the trips are short,” Craig notes, “as opposed to being on an extended tour. I don’t like being away from my wife and kids for too long. Dislikes? FLYING. Used to love it, but it sure ain’t no fun no more. Also, among my colleagues, my career has become almost exclusively concert performances,” he points out. “I love the concert performing, but it’s rather a solitary pursuit, and I miss the community of performers that are involved in a show.”

Which goes to show that, at least for this Phantom, three is definitely not a crowd.

Dayton Philharmonic Presents Three Phantoms in Concert

January 13 & 14 – 8pm

Schuster Performing Arts Center

Click for Tickets

Christmas Gifts for Readers

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Certain toy shelves are empty and the mall parking lots are packed. But bookstore shelves are jammed with easy-to-wrap packages in any price range. Here is a short list of books for your Nice list:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Visually dazzling, this debut novel caused significant pre-print buzz. Garnering a six figure deal, awards, movie deal and high acclaim, it was called the next Harry Potter. It does create an alternate world, full of magical sideshows, tricks and language, following a wizard’s duel between Cecelia and Marco. Their budding love story is set against short vignettes describing the circus, which is only open at night.

This imaginative book is available on audio CD, read by the incomparable Jim Dale (of Harry Potter audio fame.) The visual effects are enhanced by Dale’s amazing voice work.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

What is JFK hadn’t been assassinated? King tackles this question with an ominous, hefty book titled 11/22/63. A local diner holds a portal to the past and the chance to right wrongs. King’s newest book is getting rave reviews, even though it tops 800+ pages. Ideal for anyone who lived in the time of Camelot, it will still enthrall younger readers.

Let the Great World Spin: A Novel by Colum McCann

Before the Twin Towers fell in 2001, they held the tightrope walker’s cord in 1974. But McCann finds the bulk of his story in the tightrope-walking public far down below. A mother-daughter prostitute team, a failing Irish monk, a mismatched group of grieving mothers, a pompous judge and a disillusioned artist are just part of the colorful cast. Their stories intertwine, overlap and clash, creating even more suspense than the man 110 floors above the New York streets.

For anyone who loves New York City, anyone who remembers the 70s and anyone who remembers the Twin Towers as more than a tragedy, this masterful novel is a wonderful choice.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

It’s likely that most teens have already visited the 12th District in the Hunger Games series. But this series isn’t just for teens. Brutal, engaging and a statement on our reality-show obsessive ways, this trilogy will be devoured in a weekend. Pick up this three book series for any avid reader, young or old, so they can absorb the page-turners before the first movie releases in March of 2012.

Nook eReader

Every other page of the Black Friday flyers featured affordable eReaders, particularly the Kindle. There are pros and cons to any eReader choice but if you are purchasing one now, please consider the Nook over Amazon’s Kindle.

The Nook is preferable in my opinion because it allows you to read books purchased anywhere, while the Kindle reads only Amazon distributed books. Amazon, convenient as it can be, tends to have bad business manners and practices.

Gift cards for ebooks is another idea, if you know they have an eReader or will be getting one for Christmas.

What books do you recommend as gift-giving options?

Heartwarming Holiday Treat

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David Shough (left) and male ensemble of Scrooge! (Photo by Art Fabian)

Any production that opens in December has the potential to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but the Dayton Playhouse’s staging of Leslie Bricusse’s heartwarming if musically limited “Scrooge!” is certainly worthwhile.
Director Jennifer Lockwood, using the revised adaptation of Bricusse’s 1970 Academy Award nominated film of the same name, assembles a warm, purposeful cast to portray the familiar Dickensian characters that comprise an eventful Christmas Eve in England circa 1843.  Bricusse oddly simplifies his score with sound-alike lullabies and marches, but Lockwood keeps the action engaging and emotionally sound nonetheless by ensuring effective characterizations in addition to breezy pacing and pleasant unity in the ensemble scenes.
David Shough, duly intimidating and in fine vocal form, deliciously embodies the titular miser whose reflective journey of self-discovery, particularly the importance of cherishing and loving life, remains very impactful. It’s particularly great to see Shough fully invest in the iconic time travel that gives the show its meaningful pulse. As Ebenezer’s past, present and future is revealed he becomes more than a mere bystander thanks to the joy, heartache, inquisitiveness, and regret permeating throughout Shough’s excellently detailed performance. In fact, his truly wonderful execution of Ebenezer’s climactic transformation, interpreted with abundant glee and tenderness, might bring tears to your eyes.
Elsewhere, the Cratchit clan delightfully consists of Brad Bishop, Laura Bloomingdale, Gabrielle Culver, Ryan Hedberg, and the very endearing Emily Cypher as Tiny Tim. Booming baritone Michael Taint, kindly Heather Martin and jovial John Bukowski respectively tackle the roles of Jacob Marley/Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, Ghost of Christmas Past and Ghost of Christmas Present. Real-life spouses Doug and Mary Louise Warrick are enjoyable as Young Scrooge/Nephew and Isabel/Helen. Jim Lockwood and Dawn Roth Smith are equally compatible as Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig. Darren Brown shines as Dick Wilkins/Tom Jenkins, specifically in “The Milk of Human Kindness” and “Thank You Very Much” spiritedly choreographed by Debra Strauss.
In related news, Brooklyn playwright Beau Willimon, winner of the 2005 Dayton Playhouse FutureFest for his marvelous political drama “Farragut North,” has received a Golden Globe nomination for his “Farragut”-inspired screenplay of “The Ides of March.” Willimon’s nomination, which he shares with George Clooney and Grant Heslov, bodes well for his chances at an Academy Award nomination. The Golden Globe Awards will air Jan. 15 on NBC. Academy Award nominations will be announced Jan. 24.

“Scrooge!” continues through Dec. 18 at the Dayton Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Act One: 70 minutes; Act Two: 50 minutes. Tickets are $10-$15. For tickets or more information, call (937) 424-8477 or visit www.daytonplayhouse.com

Telling American Stories in Pictures…with Music

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DPO presents Musical Gallery, honoring the life’s work of iconic American painter/illustrator Norman Rockwell

“I love to tell stories in pictures. The story is the first thing and the last thing.”

With those words Norman Rockwell summed up his modus operandi for a lifetime of artistic achievement. For forty-plus years, his illustrations of the covers of The Saturday Evening Post magazine became an integral part of American popular culture. The Willie Gillis and Four Freedoms series, Rosie the Riveter, and my personal favorite, Saying Grace, captured the essence of the beauty, joy, seriousness, and camaraderie of everyday American life.

Picture this: a small-town café peopled by working-class people. Two big, burly, cigarette-smoking truck drivers share a table with a small, red-headed boy and an older woman (ostensibly his grandmother). One trucker reads a menu; the other holds a cup of coffee and stares inquisitively at the woman and boy, both of whom have their heads bowed, their eyes closed, and their hands folded in prayer and saying grace.

That juxtaposition of characters, that slice-of-life realism was how Norman Rockwell told pictures in stories.

Organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell (At the Dayton Art Institute November 12, 2011 – February 5, 2012) is an exhibition spanning 56 years of his work (1914 – 1970) that traces his artistic contributions and the impact of his images on American popular culture.

Concurrently, on Fri­day, Ja­nu­ary 6 and Saturday, January 7, at 8 pm in the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present Musical Gallery, a concert program that features a Debussy prelude, the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 performed by American pianist William Wolfram, and Rockwell Reflections, a study in Americana  by national and international award-winning composer Stella Sung.

For Rockwell Reflections, Stella Sung chose five seminal paintings by Norman Rockwell to use as points of departure for her compositions. Like Rockwell’s paintings, these compositions have a strong narrative quality. During the performance of Rockwell Reflections, the DPO will project imagery of these five of Rockwell’s most famous paintings on a screen above the DPO in the Mead Theater:

"Artist Facing Blank Canvas"

Artist Facing Blank Canvas, 1938

This painting is an unusual self-portrait. Rockwell does not show us his likeness; instead, the artist lets us look over his shoulder at a dilemma that ruled his working life. With clarity and wit he communicates his exasperation through such telling details as the head scratch, the splayed shirt collar, the upside-down horseshoe, and the rejected sketches piled on the floor.

The Stay at Homes, 1927

In this charming scene a boy and his grandfather seem to be lost in a reverie as they gaze out at a schooner leaving the harbor for open water. For the child such journeys are yet to come; for the grandfather the journeys are memories to be savored. Rockwell elaborates his theme with a swirl of gulls above the two figures. Birds in flight are an age-old metaphor for flights of imagination and spirit.

"Checkers"

Checkers, 1928

Rockwell’s painting illustrates a key moment in a short story about a circus clown named Pokey Joe. Pokey Joe has been suffering from self-doubt about his ability to perform. His friends and fellow performers organize a little deception to cheer him up, letting him win an important game of checkers. The painting captures Pokey Joe’s delight in his moment of triumph. Also apparent is Rockwell’s delight in painting the brilliantly colored circus setting.

In this musical composition, the DPO playing in the background represents the circus, while the individual players of the strings represent the five figures in the foreground of the painting. The concertmaster is the checkers player on the left and the principal cellist is the clown on the right. The dog that is quite content to continue sleeping is played by the viola that never changes pitch!

"Murder in Mississippi"

Murder in Mississippi, 1965

In the 1960s Rockwell began to do assignments for Look Magazine, which addressed important current events. The most dramatic painting of this period was Murder in Mississippi. Rockwell was horrified by the murder of three young, dedicated civil rights workers near Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1964.  Klansmen stopped the three men at night on a deserted road, took them to a remote location, and shot them. Rockwell’s painting of their last moments is not a documentary. Instead, the artist created his work in the style of a formal heroic composition. It honors the courage and sacrifice of these three young men.

The Peace Corp, JFK’s Bold Legacy, 1966

Rockwell was deeply affected by the turmoil of the 1960s, the racial conflicts, assassinations, Vietnam War, and nuclear threat. Rockwell, though, always found a reason for optimism in young people. The Peace Corp represents this optimism in a group of profile portraits of young men and women looking up and outward toward a bright vision beyond the confines of the picture. The profile portrait composition is a reprise of his famous 1942 painting Freedom of Worship. Here, though, the faith that Rockwell celebrates is the spirit of the next generation to make the world a better place.

Exasperation. Reverie. Delight. Courage. Optimism. Those are the emotions, sentiments, and character traits that Norman Rockwell set down on canvas for us all to look at and see reflections of ourselves as people.

And as Americans.

Dayton Philharmonic Presents “Musical Gallery”

Ja­nu­ary 6 and January 7 at 8 pm

Schuster Performing Arts Center

Click for Tickets

Astounding Athleticism

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In any given season the Victoria Theatre Association relishes the opportunity to present unique diversions outside the traditional box office realms of musical theater and straight plays. We have seen the Victoria deliver such crowd-pleasers as Blue Man Group, “Blast” and “Stomp” yet startlingly stumble with “Cirque Dreams” and the excruciating “Aluminum Show.” This time around the alternative bill of fare is “Traces,” a thinly conceived yet highly entertaining display of urban athleticism that breezily fulfills its purpose to astound, engage and surprise. Courtesy of the Premier Health Partners Broadway Series and held at the Victoria Theatre, “Traces,” the circus-inspired brainchild of Montreal-based dance troupe 7 Fingers, pits five dancers inside a bunker framed within the confines of a reality TV competition. Oddly, this premise isn’t clear at the outset and the presentation’s central theme addressing the importance of leaving indelible impressions or traces in one’s life is a surface level narrative device that could be greatly expounded. Still, the fantastic, flawlessly fluid blend of acrobatics and street elements, melded with charming snippets of personal statements from the dancers, creates a genuinely satisfying experience overall. Antoine Auger, Francisco Cruz, Devin Henderson, Genevieve Morin and Xia Zhengqi cohesively execute the clever, ingenious and jaw-dropping routines marvelously choreographed by directors Shana Carroll and Gyspy Snider.  Whether vaulting into the air or scaling two large poles, this confident, personable, musically inclined quintet truly shines. In addition to a delightfully debonair skateboarding segment set to “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” a lively game of basketball and a dynamic finale involving a tower of rings, notable highlights include Auger and Morin’s striking pas de deux, Morin’s lovely aerial work reminiscent of Cirque du Soleil and Henderson’s applause-inducing mastery of a large hoop. Last week, theater critic Richard Zoglin of Time magazine placed “Traces” ninth among his Top 10 plays and musicals of 2011.  Zoglin’s year-end choices can be puzzling (“The Little Mermaid” actually ranked among his favorites of 2008) but there’s no denying the immense appeal this show inherently provides. “Traces” continues through Dec. 18 at the Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St. Performances are Tuesday-Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. The production is performed in 85 minutes without intermission. The cast also includes Camille Legris and Tristan Nielsen. Tickets are $40-$83. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com