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Activated Spaces is back.

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My last adventure got me out of the car and exploring the region via bus, bike and good ol’ fashioned walking. And you know what I saw? Well, in addition to the random shopping cart and dude who was arguing about drugs – I saw great local art! And not by seeking out a gallery (although I recommend that, too) – but by just walking around.

The Activated Spaces team (powered by the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan) worked with local property owners and invited artists to share their work with the community while focusing on our region’s assets. It was a great success and resulted in 17 vibrant art displays filling downtown windows and the selection of Amanda Sue Allen as the People’s Choice award (work currently on display at the Cannery Art and Design Center). Everything from photography to quilt-work and paintings to cloth and pottery to cellophane was represented (and much, much more!) It was a great, diverse and eclectic celebration of Dayton’s professional and amateur artists.

Serida checks to make sure the QR code is working on the Dayton Creative Syndicate's installation featuring the Culture Works festival.

So – they’re doing it again! They have put the call out to local artists to submit work for a second round of storefront window art displays to be unveiled at the September Urban Nights. The fall 2011 installation theme, “Spotlight Dayton,” challenges artists to focus on our many downtown neighborhoods and highlight favorite places. They hope to include aspects of all areas of downtown–neighborhoods, parks, organizations and various community assets may be featured. It may be a challenge to remain strictly faithful to the theme, but the emailed prospectus states that they welcome artists’ interpretations of the theme however loose or literal it may be; if the artwork is not an exact demonstration of the theme, the artist statement may tie the work to the theme.

Details of the project and submission guidelines are available online. Submissions are due by Friday, August 12, at 5PM.

Check out the Activated Spaces web site for more information.

Stayin’ Put for 1 More Week at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone.

We had another great weekend at THE NEON…in fact, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS saw a small increase over the past few days.  Both THE TREE OF LIFE and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS will stick around for another week…and we plan to at least open BEGINNERS on July 15.

Visit each film’s website by clicking on the links below:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

THE TREE OF LIFE

Our new parking lot has new lines and is ready!  You can access this lot (which has 2 different sections) from St. Clair.  One section exits onto 5th Street…the other exits back onto St. Clair.  All the spots are visible from our front window, and new light bulbs have been installed to make certain it is well lit.  As always, this lot if free to NEON customers.  If it is full, we can validate your ticket for the parking garage any time after 6:00 on weekdays or all weekend long.  If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call or write.

Take a look at the trailer for BEGINNERS – opening on July 15.  You don’t want to miss this film!!

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXUFUp6vsxg’]

Hope to see you soon.

Take care!

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for July 8 – July 14:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (PG-13) 1 Hr 40 Min

Friday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Saturday: 12:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Monday – Thursday: 3:30, 6:00, 8:30

THE TREE OF LIFE (R) 2 Hr 18 Min

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

Monday – Thursday:  2:30, 5:15, 8:00

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative.  Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

July 15   BEGINNERS

July 15   BUCK

July 22   PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

Aug 5   SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

Aug 12   BEATS AND RHYMES: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Aug 26   ANOTHER EARTH

Aug 26   THE GUARD

Sept. 9   LIFE ABOVE ALL

Sept 23   HIGHER GROUND

TBD   DOUBLE HOUR

TBD   THE FUTURE

Jazz & Peace Festival in Centerville

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Nighthawk

Jazz Advocate in partnership with the Centerville Arts Commission and WDPS 89.5FM radio is please to invite you to our 5th annual Jazz & Peace Festival. The event will be co-hosted by Clay “The Cooker” Collins of WDPS-FM and Charles “Butch” Stone of Jazz Central. A true family event designed to bring people and communities together to hear America’s Music.

The BRD (Bird) House Jammers will open followed by the Latin jazz group Chango, then life time jazz achievement winner Rick Evans, who will be followed by a true international jazz vocalist Mandy Gaines, with the United States Air Force Nighthawk jazz combo closing. The Dayton International Peace Mobile and Missing Peace Arts Space will be joining us again this year with many activities for the kids.

Chango

This event is made possible through a grant from Montgomery County and support from the Kroger Company – the concert is free, so bring your lawn chairs & blankets and enjoy the music at beautiful Stubbs Park Amphitheater from 1 to 7 pm on July 9, 2011. Details, directions and map of the Jazz and Peace Festival are available here.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmT9Q9Ug8ZM’]

Saluting Dayton’s 2010-11 Theater Season

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(L to R) Kristie Berger, Madeline Casto and Susanne Marley in August: Osage County (Photo by Scott J. Kimmins)

Splendid collaborations, promising new works, compelling dramas and knockout regional and local premieres impressively accented Dayton’s strong, refreshingly progressive 2010-11 theater season.

I attended nearly 70 shows over the past 12 months, and unsurprisingly, the triumphs outweighed the troubled. Among the highlights: Cedarville University’s attractive and delightful “Hello, Dolly!”; the Dayton Theatre Guild’s comical yet poignant look at “The Boys Next Door”; the Dayton Playhouse’s 20th anniversary FutureFest and hilariously first-rate delivery of “The Producers”; Encore Theater Company’s wonderfully authentic “[title of show]” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”; Epiphany Lutheran Church’s marvelously magical “Seussical”; the disbanded SEED Theatre Project’s little-seen yet powerful “The Syringa Tree”; Sinclair Community College’s whimsical “Once On This Island”; the Victoria Theatre Association’s long-awaited arrival of Disney’s “The Lion King” and overdue embrace of the terrifically naughty “Spring Awakening” and “Avenue Q”; the Human Race Theatre Company and Wright State University’s dynamically dysfunctional “August: Osage County”; and the Dayton Philharmonic and Wright State’s stunning presentation of Leonard Bernstein’s rarely attempted “MASS.” Based on the artistic strengths of the Human Race/WSU and DPO/WSU collaborations, I certainly hope the organizations consider joining forces to stage Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies” in 2012-13.

Additionally, the deaths of Marsha Hanna of the Human Race Theatre, Nelson D’Aloia of the Victoria Theatre Association and Kay Wean of Epiphany Lutheran Church are equally noteworthy. After all, their amazing legacies will undoubtedly endure for years to come.

On Saturday, August 13 at Sinclair Community College’s Ponitz Center, Dayton’s theater community will gather for the eighth annual DayTony Awards, held in conjunction with the 10th annual Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame inductions celebrating theater patrons Don and Lois Bigler, Dayton Theatre Guild member Carol Finley and director Doug Lloyd primarily of Beavercreek Community Theatre. The DayTonys specifically honor outstanding designers, performers and productions across the area voted on by participating theaters. In the meanwhile, here are my choices for the season’s best.

BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

August: Osage County“August: Osage County,” Human Race Theatre/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Permanent Collection,” Human Race Theatre

“The 39 Steps,” Human Race Theatre

“Twelfth Night,” Human Race Theatre

“The Wonder Bread Years,” Victoria Theatre Association

BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"The Lion King"

Disney’s “The Lion King,” Victoria Theatre Association

Honorable Mentions:

“Avenue Q,” Victoria Theatre Association

“The Drowsy Chaperone,” Human Race Theatre/Victoria Theatre Association

“right next to me,” Human Race Theatre

“Spring Awakening,” Victoria Theatre Association

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

"The Boys Next Door"

“The Boys Next Door,” Dayton Theatre Guild

Honorable Mentions:

“Fat Pig,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“Mauritius,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“The Sugar Witch,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“The Syringa Tree,” SEED Theatre Project

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"The Producers"

“The Producers,” Dayton Playhouse

Honorable Mentions:

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Encore Theater Company

“The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” Beavercreek Community Theatre

“The Spitfire Grill,” Beavercreek Community Theatre

“[title of show],” Encore Theater Company

BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

"August: Osage County"

“August: Osage County,” Human Race Theatre/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Art,” Miami University

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” Cedarville University

“Picnic,” Wright State University

“See How They Run,” Cedarville University

BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"42nd Street"

“42nd Street,” Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Anything Goes,” Wright State University

“Hello, Dolly!,” Cedarville University

“Jekyll & Hyde,” Wright State University

“Once On This Island,” Sinclair Community College

BEST NEW WORK

"right next to me"

“right next to me,” Human Race Theatre

Honorable Mentions:

“Hot Mess in Manhattan,” Encore Theater Company

“How It Works,” Dayton Playhouse FutureFest

“Next Thing You Know,” Encore Theater Company

“Refuge,” Dayton Playhouse FutureFest

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT

Leonard Bernstein's MASS: a Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers - Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra & Wright State University Music, Theatre & Dance Departments, 2011

Leonard Bernstein's MASS

“MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers,” Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars!,” Victoria Theatre Association

“Into the Woods,” Muse Machine

“Seth’s Big Fat Broadway,” Springfield Arts Council

“Seussical,” Epiphany Lutheran Church

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Alan Bomar Jones as Sterling North, “Permanent Collection”

Alan Bomar Jones - “Permanent Collection”

Honorable Mentions:

Geoff Burkman as Jim, “Refuge”

Richard Marlatt as Richard Hannay, “The 39 Steps”

Scott McGowan as Paul Barrow, “Permanent Collection”

Greg Smith as Fleeta Mae Bryte, “Precious Heart” (Dayton Theatre Guild)

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Susanne Marley as Violet Weston, “August: Osage County”

Susanne Marley

Honorable Mentions:

Kristie Berger as Barbara Fordham, “August: Osage County”

Amy Brooks as Jackie, “Mauritius”

Claire Kennedy as Viola, “Twelfth Night”

Robin Smith as Elizabeth Grace and others, “The Syringa Tree”

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Blaine Boyd as Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, “Jekyll & Hyde”

Blaine Boyd - “Jekyll & Hyde”

Honorable Mentions:

Saul Caplan as Max Bialystock, “The Producers”

Wally Dunn as Man In Chair, “The Drowsy Chaperone”

JJ Parkey as Hedwig, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

David Sherman as Leo Bloom, “The Producers”

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Mary Kate O’Neill as The Baker’s Wife, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Cait Doyle as The Mess, “Hot Mess in Manhattan”

Jessica Diane Hickling as Dolly Levi, “Hello, Dolly!”

Alyssa Hostetler as Peggy Sawyer, “42nd Street”

Pam McGinnis as Hannah Ferguson, “The Spitfire Grill”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Franklin Johnson as Lucien P. Smith, “The Boys Next Door”

Honorable Mentions:

Bruce Cromer as Clown #1, “The 39 Steps”

Jake Lockwood as Clown #2, “The 39 Steps”

Dave Nickel as Granddaddy Meeks, “The Sugar Witch”

Scott Stoney as Beverly Weston, “August: Osage County”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Madeline Casto as Mattie Fae Aiken, “August: Osage County”

Honorable Mentions:

Stephanie Anderson as Lady Bracknell, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Sarah Caplan as Sisser Bean, “The Sugar Witch”

Keely Heyl as Miss Skillon, “See How They Run”

Melissa Joyner as Kanika Weaver, “Permanent Collection”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Charles Larkowski as Roger De Bris, “The Producers”

Honorable Mentions:

Jonathan Berry as Carmen Ghia, “The Producers”

Gabriel Pyle as Cornelius Hackl, “Hello, Dolly!”

Kevin Rankin as Franz Liebkind, “The Producers”

Dean Swann as Mr. William Cartwright and Mayor Thomas Sapsea, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Danika Haffenden as Ulla, “The Producers”

Honorable Mentions:

Abigail Nessen Bengson as Yitzhak, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

Christina Bianco as Kristin Chenoweth, Sarah Brightman, Bernadette Peters and others, “Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars”

Nora Coyle as Heidi, “[title of show]”

Angele’ Price as Susan, “[title of show]”

BREAKTHROUGH MALE PERFORMANCE

Jason David Collins as Charlie Aiken, “August: Osage County”

Honorable Mentions:

Riley Able as Hal Carter, “Picnic”

Nicolas Bauer as Carter, “Fat Pig”

Josiah Hutchings as Barnaby Tucker, “Hello, Dolly!”

Davis Sullivan as Jack, “Into the Woods”

BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Carly Snyder as Little Red Ridinghood, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Amy Askins as Jeannie, “Fat Pig”

Hannah Berry as Olive Ostrovsky, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Dayton Playhouse)

Chelsea Cavender as Jean Fordham, “August: Osage County”

Bethany Locklear as Rosa Bud, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Marsha Hanna and Scott Stoney, “August: Osage County” Honorable Mentions:

Joe Deer, “The 39 Steps”

Adam J. Leigh, “The Syringa Tree”

Natasha Randall, “The Boys Next Door”

Aaron Vega, “Twelfth Night”

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Kay Francis Wean, “Seussical”

Honorable Mentions:

David Brush, “Once On This Island”

Robert and Ruth Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Chris Harmon, “The Producers”

W. Stuart McDowell, “Jekyll & Hyde”

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Rick Conant, “42nd Street”

Honorable Mentions:

Greg Hellems and Amber Preston, “Anything Goes”

Katy Russell and Alexandra Turner, “Hello, Dolly!”

Rodney Veal, “Once On This Island”

Megan Wean, “Seussical”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Blake Senseman, “The Sugar Witch”

Honorable Mentions:

Dick Block, “Twelfth Night”

Tamara L. Honesty, “Permanent Collection”

Donald N.C. Jones, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Pam Knauert Lavarnway, “August: Osage County”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Paul Wonsek, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Bruce Brown, “Seussical”

Robert Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Tamara L. Honesty, “42nd Street”

Terry Stump, “Once On This Island”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Lowell A. Mathwich, “Twelfth Night”

Honorable Mentions:

D. Bartlett Blair, “Picnic”

David M. Covach, “August: Osage County”

Donald N.C. Jones, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Janet Powell, “The 39 Steps”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Ruth Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Honorable Mentions:

D. Bartlett Blair, “42nd Street”

Josh Hollister, “The Producers”

Kathleen Hotmer, “Once On This Island”

Maria Kleuber and Lori Watamaniuk, “Seussical”

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

Nicholas Crumbley, “The Syringa Tree”

Honorable Mentions:

Robert Clements and Carolyn Ruck, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Nicholas Crumbley, “Picnic”

John Rensel, “August: Osage County”

John Rensel, “Twelfth Night”

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Gina Neuerer, “Once On This Island”

Honorable Mentions:

Tim Guth, “Seussical”

Becky Haines, “Evita” (Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre)

John Rensel, “Into the Woods”

Carolyn Ruck, “Hello, Dolly!”

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

Nathan D. Dean, “The Syringa Tree”

Honorable Mentions:

Rich Dionne, “Twelfth Night”

James Dunlap, “August: Osage County”

Jason Nickoson, “Picnic”

K.L. Storer, “The Sugar Witch”

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

David Sherman, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Nathan D. Dean, “Once On This Island”

James Dunlap, “Jekyll & Hyde”

Dick Lane, “Seussical”

Brian Ronan, “Spring Awakening”

BEST PROPERTIES

Adrienne Niess and Ann Meyer, “Seussical”

Honorable Mentions:

John Lavarnway and Heather Powell, “August: Osage County”

Wendi Michael and others, “Precious Heart”

Blake Senseman and others, “The Boys Next Door”

Terry Stump, “Once On This Island”

BEST VIDEO/PROJECTION DESIGN

J. Wynn Alexander, “Evita” (Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre)

Honorable Mentions:

David A. Centers, “right next to me”

Jackson Gallagher, “Next Thing You Know”

Benjamin Pearcy, “9 to 5: The Musical”

Rodney Veal, “Altar Boyz” (Encore Theater Company)

BEST ORCHESTRA

“42nd Street,” Musical Director: Rick Church

Honorable Mentions:

“Into the Woods,” Musical Director: David Dusing

“The Lion King,” Musical Director: Rick Snyder

“The Producers,” Musical Director: Ron Kindell

“Seussical,” Musical Director: John Benjamin

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Kevin Adams’ Tony Award-winning lighting design for “Spring Awakening”

Gregg Barnes’ Tony Award-winning costumes for “The Drowsy Chaperone”

Gregg Coffin’s orchestrations for “right next to me”

The collaborative artistic team of “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”: Producers W. Stuart McDowell and Paul Helfrich; music director/conductor Neal Gittleman; stage director Greg Hellems; choreographer Gina Gardner-Walther; designer Pamela Knauert Lavarnway; choir director Hank Dahlman; children’s choir director Natalie DeHorn; assistant choir directors James Tipps and Drew Collins; lighting designer Matthew Benjamin; sound designer Keith Thomas; and costumer Joy Galbraith

Kevin Crewell’s recreation of Casey Nicholaw’s Tony Award-nominated choreography for “The Drowsy Chaperone”

Christian Duhamel’s original music for “Twelfth Night” and regional premiere of “Here With Me” (Human Race Theatre/Neon Movies)

The “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” band led by musical director John Faas

Joann M. Hunter’s recreation of Bill T. Jones’ Tony Award-winning choreography for “Spring Awakening”

Allison Janney as The Giant, “Into the Woods”

Melonie June Johns’ light and sound effects for “Seussical”

Rick Lyons’ puppet conception and design for “Avenue Q”

Matthew Michael Moore’s fight choreography for “See How They Run”

Music director Vince Peterson and cellist Dan Delaney’s accompaniment for “Hot Mess in Manhattan”

Lucy Skilbeck’s recreation of Michael Mayer’s Tony Award-winning direction for “Spring Awakening”

Music director Julie Spangler’s accompaniment for the Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarship Competition (Human Race Theatre)

Music director Catherine Stornetta’s accompaniment for “Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars”

The principal cast and collaborative artistic team of “Porgy and Bess” (Dayton Opera): Thomas Ray Beard, Jr. as Porgy, Kearstin Piper Brown as Bess, Philip Boykin as Crown, Adrienne Danrich as Serena, NaGuanda Nobles as Clara, Roderick George as Sportin’ Life, Judith Skinner as Maria and Eric McKeever as Jake; music director/conductor Neal Gittleman; director Gary Briggle; choreographer Debbie Blunden-Diggs and the dancers of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company; and the singers of the Dayton Opera Chorus, Central State University and Wilberforce University

The Street Chorus of “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”

Julie Taymor’s Tony winning direction and costume design, Julie Taymor and Michael Curry’s mask and puppet design, Garth Fagan’s Tony winning choreography, Donald Holder’s Tony winning lighting design and Richard Hudson’s Tony winning scenic design for “The Lion King”

The uncredited costumes for “Into the Woods”

Erin Winslow’s costumes for the role of Angela Arden-Sussman in “Die, Mommie, Die!” (Dayton Playhouse)

John Wesley Wright as the Celebrant, “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”

The 2011 DayTonys/Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame gala, a black-tie optional event, will be held Saturday, August 13 at the Ponitz Center, Building 12, of Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. and feature cocktails, dinner, dessert, dancing, a cash bar and free parking. The “early bird” cost is $35 per person prior to Monday, August 1. After August 1, the cost is $50 per person. Reservations must be received by Monday, August 8. Reservations can be made by calling Fran Pesch at (937) 654-0400. Make check payable to: Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame/DayTonys, P.O. Box 2706, Dayton, OH 45401-2706.

Let the Spectacle Astound You

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Brenda Mhlongo in The Lion King

Fourteen years since opening on Broadway, where it continues to reign as the dominant musical theater standard-bearer for kids and adults alike, Disney’s “The Lion King” finally arrives in Dayton to unsurprisingly close the 2010-11 season on a marvelous high note overflowing with visually stunning pizzazz and uniformly excellent performances.

“The Lion King,” based on the 1994 animated film of the same name and presented by the Victoria Theatre Association’s Miami Valley and Good Samaritan Hospitals Broadway Series, is the technically brilliant brainchild of director Julie Taymor and a recipient of six 1998 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The production simply astounds at the outset due to the incomparable pageantry of “Circle of Life,” one of the finest opening numbers ever created. Within five applause-inducing minutes of spine-tingling splendor, a whimsical actor-puppet assemblage of birds, elephants, gazelles, giraffes, rhinoceroses, zebras and more gather together on stage and off. Although this ingeniously conceived prologue feels slightly rushed here and could benefit from more processional surprises in the aisles, a concern I’ve had with previous “Lion King” tours over the years, it is a crowd-pleasing hallmark worth the price of admission.

Elsewhere, Taymor’s finesse as an avant garde visionary stunningly elevates the action from her incorporation of shadow puppets to moments of high drama (the wildebeest stampede) and emotional poignancy (the sight of lionesses in mourning). Still, her artistic wizardry, particularly her fascinating mask/puppet designs co-created with Michael Curry that never hide the actors, doesn’t overshadow the material, a significant attribute oddly ignored during her muddled creation of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.” After all, this engaging yet character-overloaded tale of a young lion’s struggle with doubt, insecurity and fear following the premeditated murder of his father certainly resonates on its own without flashy conceptual interference as formulated by librettists Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, who remain faithful to the charm and heartbreak of the original screenplay co-written by Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton. An assortment of strikingly authentic and atmospheric African-infused tunes from Lebo M., Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Taymor and Oscar winner Hans Zimmer also seamlessly accent Elton John and Tim Rice’s original songs, which include the Oscar winning “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” Curiously, “The Morning Report,” a breezy ditty by John and Rice written for the stage version, has been cut from Act 1 but is not a detrimental loss.

Jelani Remy brings terrific soul-searching introspectiveness to his portrayal of Simba, who mistakenly flees Pride Rock in shame and ultimately confronts his past along the way. Remy’s achingly tender rendition of “Endless Night” is a truly compelling Act 2 highpoint. Dionne Randolph is fittingly regal yet compassionate as Mufasa, Simba’s imposing father. J. Anthony Crane embodies Simba’s treacherous uncle Scar with cool understatement and appealing sarcastic malevolence. Brenda Mhlongo, a joyful and playful Rafiki, particularly ushers in a dynamically uplifting version of “He Lives in You” opposite Remy late in Act 2. The delightful Tony Freeman, an expert puppeteer, exudes tightly wound sophistication as the fussy yet devoted Zazu. As Timon and Pumbaa, Nick Cordileone and Ben Lipitz respectively fulfill their comic relief duties with carefree zest. Andrew Arrington (Banzai), Monica L. Patton (Shenzi) and Ben Roseberry (Ed) are a compatible trio of silly hyenas. Syndee Winters, a fiercely determined Nala, supplies a lovely rendition of “Shadowlands.” Dusan Brown, Jerome Stephens, Jr., Monique Lee and Madai Monica Williams respectively alternate the roles of Young Simba and Young Nala. Tryphena Wade as Sarabi and Sharron Williams as the Cheetah are also noteworthy.

In addition to Taymor’s dazzling costumes, a particular explosion of color in the eye-catching “One by One,” Richard Hudson and Donald Holder are respectively responsible for an utterly remarkable set and lighting design. Garth Fagan’s spirited choreography is energetically executed with precision and passion. Music director Rick Snyder leads a solid orchestra featuring percussionists Stefan Monssen and Reuven Weizberg.

Whether you’re interested in seeing “The Lion King” for the first or fifth time, it remains an awesome spectacle not to be missed.

Disney’s The Lion King, which opened Thursday, June 16, continues through Sunday, July 10 at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets. Performances are Wednesday-Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Act One: 68 minutes; Act Two: 60 minutes. Tickets are $32-$141. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com

In addition, the Downtown Dayton Partnership and Victoria Theatre Association have partnered with local businesses to offer special discounts for Lion King ticket holders. For a complete list of promotions, along with parking information and more, visit www.downtowndayton.org

THE TREE OF LIFE – The Most Talked About Indie of the Year at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone.

As planned, the fantastically charming POTICHE was only here for a week.  And just as we suspected, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is still performing very well, and audiences are adoring it…so it will stick around for at least another week.

Today (6/24), we open the most talked about indie film of the year – Terrence Malick’s THE TREE OF LIFE.  Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain, TREE OF LIFE was the winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.  This film has been given a 100% review by The New York Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, NPR, USA Today, Variety, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, and many more.  Roger Ebert wrote, “The only other film I’ve seen with this boldness of vision is Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, and it lacked Malick’s fierce evocation of human feeling.”

Synopsis for THE TREE OF LIFE:  “The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Malick’s signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life.”  (Fox Searchlight Pictures)  Check out the beautifully designed official site.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXRYA1dxP_0′]

Last week’s screening of WE WERE HERE was a marvelous, sold-out event – with a beautiful film and an insightful and brave panel discussion.  Many thanks to all my friends and community partners who helped to make the evening such a success.

We will have a new neighbor in the next few days – Sabai: Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar. What we have been using for our parking lot for the past several years will soon become theirs.  Luckily, we will be able to utilize a new space that’s visible from our front windows.  Please start getting in the habit of parking in our new lot…though there aren’t parking lines yet, there will be soon.  We’ve painted a couple of the posts to make the lot quite easy to find.

Hope to see you this weekend.

Take care!

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for June 24 – June 30:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (PG-13) 1 Hr 40 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Monday – Thursday: 3:30, 6:00, 8:30

THE TREE OF LIFE (R) 2 Hr 18 Min

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

Monday – Thursday:  2:30, 5:15, 8:00

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative.  Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

July 1  DOUBLE HOUR

July 8  BUCK

July 15   PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

July 15   BEGINNERS

Aug 5   SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

Aug 12   BEATS AND RHYMES: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Aug 26   ANOTHER EARTH

Aug 26   THE GUARD

Sept. 9   LIFE ABOVE ALL

Sept 23   HIGHER GROUND

Let’s Hear It for the ‘Boyz’

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Let’s Hear It for the ‘Boyz’

By Russell Florence, Jr.

Encore Theater Company supplies a thoroughly enjoyable production of Kevin Del Aguila, Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker’s critically acclaimed, long-running 2005 off-Broadway musical “Altar Boyz,” a breezy, funny, high spirited and occasionally touching pop parody conceived by Marc Kessler and Ken Davenport.

Staged at Sinclair Community College’s Blair Hall Theatre, “Altar Boyz” is presented as a final concert engagement for a contemporary Christian quintet (four Catholics, one Jewish) committed to “praising the Lord with funk and rhyme” while delivering their “Raise the Praise Tour” across the country. In the hands of a less sensitive creative team, this good-natured, witty tale might have uncomfortably resorted to the relentless backhanded spoofing associated with “The Book of Mormon,” but the material doesn’t offend. In fact, it deliciously satirizes religion and the boy band concept with equal punch. Some of the best jokes actually derive from the stereotypical nature of the band members, who are sharply written and easily relatable in their varying circumstances.

Drew Bowen, a standout Roger in Encore’s production of “Rent” last season, is incredibly credibly charming as lead singer Matthew, specifically wooing the ladies with the lovely ballad “Something About You.” As the fiery Juan, Zack Steele offers impressive diction and a confident aura of brooding machismo. Zach King effectively portrays Abraham with understated humor. Andrew J. Koslow, a Muse Machine alumnus returning home to offer one of his best performances, is simply excellent as the effeminate Mark, who pines for Matthew and was once confronted by “Episcopalian thugs.” As the rather dense Luke, Korey Harlow doesn’t possess a vocal range on par with his fellow actors, but his terrific dancing and bad boy persona are great assets.

Director-choreographer Lauren Morgan’s contributions are energetic and fluid, particularly her staging of “Rhythm in Me” and “The Miracle Song.” Music director Mark Barnhill leads a balanced on-stage band. Assistant director-choreographer Rodney Veal offers spooky, surreal projection design.

If you’re in the mood for lighthearted fun, “Altar Boyz” fits the bill.

Altar Boyz, which opened Thursday, June 16, concludes tonight at 8 p.m. in Blair Hall Theatre, Building 2, at Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St. The musical, featuring Encore co-founder/artistic director David Brush as the voice of God, is presented in 70 minutes without intermission. Tickets are $15. For tickets or more information, call (937) 512-2808, visit www.encoretheatercompany.com or e-mail [email protected]

An Entertaining Dickensian Delight

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The cast of The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Beavercreek Community Theatre delivers a zestful, warmly interactive and impressively sung production of Rupert Holmes’ tuneful, rarely staged 1986 Tony Award-winning musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” an audience-friendly show within a show circa 1892 adapted from the unfinished novel of the same name by Charles Dickens.

Crisply directed in a witty tongue in cheek manner by Chris Harmon, also responsible for an attractive set complete with footlights and theater box, this breezy, well cast “Drood” engages from the start as a throng of Victorian performers from The Music Hall Royale casually connects with the audience before launching into the titular tale as an assortment of colorful characters. The love triangle-driven plot centers on crazed choirmaster John Jasper (Jonathan Berry) who, in Phantom-esque fashion, pines for his self-effacing student Rosa Bud (Bethany Locklear), a beautifully demure soul engaged to his carefree nephew Edwin Drood (Amy Leigh). When Edwin inexplicably disappears on Christmas Day, it’s anyone guess as to what happened. Since Dickens was unable to provide closure, the enjoyment of determining the mystery is left entirely in the hands of the audience, a conceptual hallmark ensuring appealing unpredictability.

Despite the fact that a few punch lines in the libretto fall flat or feel forced, Holmes nonetheless interweaves the world of the Music Hall Royale and Dickensian London with great skill, guided with crowd-pleasing vitality by Dean Swann as Chairman William Cartwright/Mayor Thomas Sapsea. Swann, a memorable Dr. Scott in BCT’s “The Rocky Horror Show” who possesses a knack for improvisation, winningly accents his slightly kooky, deceptively calculated portrayal with a jolly Zach Galifianakis sensibility. The equally excellent Berry, effortlessly brooding and primarily known for plays, supplies his most vocally arresting musical theater performance to date. Near the outset, he absolutely solidifies his strikingly unhinged embodiment of Jasper with an intense yet humorous rendition of “A Man Could Go Quite Mad.” Locklear, an outstanding soprano who commands the stage with graceful gentility, is a true find. Her plaintive interpretation of the gorgeous “Moonfall” is absolutely stunning. At the same rate, “The Name of Love,” her duet with Berry aided by John Falkenbach’s fiery red lighting design, pulsates with an alluring seductiveness recalling “The Point of No Return” from “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Dangerous Game” from “Jekyll & Hyde.” Leigh, who doubles as Dick Datchery, particularly fills her titular portrayal with charm, but I wish the excitable sparks prevalent within her stirring rendition of “The Writing on the Wall,” which concludes the show, were consistent in her work throughout.

Additionally, as the seedy Princess Puffer, Pam McGinnis is a reliably earthy joy delivering “The Wages of Sin” and “The Garden Path to Hell.” Charles Larkowski (Rev. Mr. Crisparkle), Shawn Hooks (Neville Landless), Jim Lockwood (Durdles), Bryan Wilcox (Deputy) and Thomas Cole Schreier (Bazzard) are apt comedians. Lindsay Sherman (Helena Landless), Jenna Owens (Wendy) and Tara Nicole Murphy (Beatrice) join Locklear for the lovely “Moonfall Quartet.” Megan Vander Kolk, Michael J. Stockstill, Matt Owens, Nicole Dine, Jennifer Wilson and Jeremy D. King complete the very compatible cast, who are nicely costumed in Victorian garb by Josh Hollister and energetically executes Annette Looper’s commendable choreography.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which opened Friday, June 10, will continue through Sunday, June 19 at the Lofino Center, 3868 Dayton-Xenia Rd., Beavercreek. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Act One: 79 minutes; Act Two: 55 minutes. Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students, seniors and BCT members. For tickets or more information, call (937) 429-4737 or visit www.bctheatre.org

Courthouse Square performers add entertainment to lunch hour

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Free pizza is served to the crowd in the square.

Now that the rain has finally stopped, Courthouse Square is the place to be weekdays at noontime.

Starting June 21 and lasting through Sept. 15, The Square is Where … will feature a variety of performers. Entertainment booked to date includes belly dancers, jugglers and a saxophonist.  The festivities will occur around noon on most Tuesdays through Fridays.

Spectators can enjoy the show while grabbing lunch served by food vendors. Additionally, the YMCA will be hosting practice yoga and Zumba classes, perfect for those looking to recharge during their lunch breaks.

The Square is Where … is inspired by Affair on the Square, an event that took place more than a decade ago.

Now the Downtown Dayton Partnership and Montgomery Country are presenting The Square is Where … is a part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan to encourage growth and development in the city center.

“We’re trying to show there is a thriving, vibrant downtown during the work day,” says Krystal Luketic, special event coordinator for the Downtown Dayton Partnership.

As details become available, a complete schedule will be posted on www.DowntownDayton.org and www.mcohio.org. Any local performers interesting in entertaining on the square should contact Ashleigh Nunamaker at 937-224-1518, ext. 235 or [email protected].

Bicycle Dreams Coming To Dayton

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(from Garry Harrington – promoter for Bicycle Dreams)

Bicycle Dreams, the award-winning feature-length documentary about the Race Across America (RAAM), will premiere at several cities along the route of the epic 3,000-mile bicycle race that will be held for the 30th year in 2011. This year’s race begins on June 14 in Oceanside, California, and will end 10 days later in Annapolis, Maryland.

To commemorate the 30th edition of what is considered by many the most challenging sporting event in the world, Bicycle Dreams will follow alongside the racers by showing the film in 10 cities along the route, including Dayton. The film will be shown at The Neon at 130 E. 5th St. at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22.

The film, which has won numerous awards at film festivals all over the world, “is an up-close look at what RAAM riders go through,” says Stephen Auerbach, the director and producer of Bicycle Dreams. “They deal with searing desert heat, agonizing mountain climbs, and endless stretches of open road. And they do it all while battling extreme exhaustion and sleep deprivation. It’s a great subject for a film.”

“Bicycle Dreams is a spectacular and heartfelt film that offers a riveting portrait of extreme courage in the face of inhuman obstacles,” writes TheLoveOfMovies.com. “It is an artistic triumph that renewed my belief in the power of desire and the strength of the human will.”

The upcoming tour of the film is scheduled to coincide with the 2011 Race Across America, which begins on June 14 when riders leave from Oceanside, California. Bicycle Dreams will be shown in Flagstaff, Arizona; Durango, Colorado; Wichita, Kansas; Columbia, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Indianapolis, Indiana; Dayton, Ohio; and Cincinnati, Ohio, during the RAAM’s run across the United States. The race is expected to end on or about June 24.

“We are very excited to be able to bring Bicycle Dreams to so many locations along the route that have never had access to the film before,” says Auerbach. “Viewers will be overwhelmed by the amount of pain and suffering these riders go through, and they will be able to see it all first-hand in the days following the film when the 2011 racers come through their towns.”

To capture the mammoth scope of the race, Auerbach worked around the clock with a complement of 18 cameras. Embedded camera operators traveled inside the racers’ support crew vehicles, gaining unprecedented access to the cyclists and their teams. Their footage captured emotional and physical breakdowns, late-night strategy sessions, and great moments of personal triumph, all in intimate detail. Auerbach then took on the enormous task of editing hundreds of hours of material and forming it into a powerful and inspiring look inside the most difficult race on the planet.

Bicycle Dreams has won major awards at the Fallbrook and Breckenridge film festivals, as well as the Yosemite, Grand Rapids, Red Rock and All Sports LA film festivals, among many others.

Most recently the film added the Best Foreign Film trophy from the Krasnogorski International Festival of Sports Films in Moscow and was also invited to be included in the 2011 World Cinema Showcase in New Zealand as well as the Mountain Film Festival in Istanbul, Turkey. And before that it made its Australian debut at the Big Pond Film Festival in Adelaide.

Critical acclaim for the film continues to pour in from all sources.

“An astonishing documentary.  This film is a ride of many stark contrasts; when it ended I felt both shattered and triumphant. I realized I was experiencing its genius. A central theme of Bicycle Dreams is the profoundly inspiring strength of the human in facing monumental challenge and tragedy. Bicycle Dreams is a race of truth.” –  Pez Cycling.

“This film isn’t for those who want to shy away from the tragic side of the human experience, unwilling to risk the cracking of their shell of denial, not willing to risk their coping mechanism,” writes Cycling-Review.com. “Bicycle Dreams captures the human condition like few other films. Bicycle Dreams moves us to break through the barrier of the fear of death. I have seldom found a film that captures this ‘life drama’ as powerfully as does Bicycle Dreams.”

Adds Podium Café, “Bicycle Dreams is the ultimate inner journey. If you thought the life of a cyclist was an internal struggle, wait until you see what Auerbach unearths in this film. Bicycle Dreams is an unprecedented exploration of the subject of the suffering on the bike.”

About.com writes, “As we fall deeper and deeper into Bicycle Dreams, what we witness grows more terrifying, yet more compelling. Auerbach’s masterful direction exposes the raw lessons that drive people to push beyond the limits of human endurance. Revealing what lies at the heart of every impossible human endeavor is what Bicycle Dreams is all about.”

And finally, Bicycle Touring Pro comments, “If you’ve ever dreamed of challenging yourself to a place far beyond what you previously thought was possible, Bicycle Dreams is a film you must see. It’s beautiful, thought provoking, exciting, emotional and scary. The experience of watching this film will leave you with a new perspective on life that will remain with you for a very long time to come.”

Bicycle Dreams also has been named one of the top 10 adventure films of all time by both The Matador Network and Playground Magazine.

The upcoming nationwide tour to be held in conjunction with the 2011 Race Across America will include a screening at the Neon in Dayton at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. To purchase advance tickets go to www.imathlete.com/events/bicycledreams. For more information on the film, go to www.bicycledreamsmovie.com or find us on Facebook.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1ZWZrKSxxs’]

Performance, visual arts bring ‘cultural experience’ to Loft Theatre

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Tripple Croxx Entertainment, OFP Productions and the Human Race Theatre Company, present The Signature’s “Poetic Soul Fusion” show June 17.

The night, hosted by national slam poet Will Evans, will include appearances by HBO Def poet Sunni Patterson, acoustic soul singer Ken J. Martin and internationally renowned violinist Shaw Pong Liu. The performances will also recognize Black Music Month, Juneteenth and the accomplishments of the late Gil Scott-Heron.

Sierra Leone, producer of The Signature, says the show synthesizes performance and visual arts and will have something for everyone.

“It’s a cultural experience,” she says. “But we want to pay homage to other things taking place as well.”

Patterson, the featured artist, brings her New Orleans heritage into her music by adding some soulful flavor. She is known for both her visionary styling and her powerful delivery. With a resume that includes appearing on BET’s “Lyric Café,” and HBO’s “Def Poetry,” Patterson promises to bring a show-stopping performance.

Leone says through The Signature, artists like Patterson and can reach people.

“We believe creative art is the tangible element that connects us to our humanity,” says Lee Croxx, CEO of Tripple Croxx Entertainment.

The show will be held at The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., and cocktails will be available before the show. Tickets for The Signature cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door. They are available at www.ticketcenterstage.com. 937-228-3630.

Behind the Masks – The Lion King

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Disney’s The Lion King ~ presented by The Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OH ~ June 14 - July 10, 2011

Nick Cordileone & Ben Lipitz

Disney’s THE LION KING

The Victoria Theatre Association

I have a confession to make:  I, Shane Anderson, admittedly know very little about The Lion King.  In fact, I know very little about most of the Disney films and musical adaptations.  I’ve certainly seen some, but I have no children of my own, therefore I typically don’t choose to spend my entertainment budget on a movie ticket to a film marketed to kids.  I get it…I get it… I hear that they are terrific for anybody at any age, but I don’t have that added motivation of a really excited 5 year old persuading me to go catch the latest Disney princess or talking/singing animal movie.

Characters from Disney's Lion King, as interpreted by Noah, age 5

The Lion King mask illustration by Noah, age 5

So, since I am not the Disney aficionado that many Americans are, I had to do a little research about Disney’s THE LION KING, which just rolled into town and opened at the Schuster Center this evening.  So what else was I to do?  I called up my favorite nephew, 5 year old Noah.

First bit of information I needed, was what is the plot of this show? Noah replied with a knowing smile (did I sense the slightest amount of a smirk at his silly Uncle Shane?) that THE LION KING is all about this baby lion named Simba, who’s daddy Mufasa dies because of a bad lion named Scarrrr (grrrRR..!), then the Pumbaa and Timon (not sure which is which, but one is a warthog with big horns) come in and sing Hakuna Matata and then Simba gets big and the girl lion tells Simba to come back and be king.  Oh, and be careful of the 3 Hyenas, they laugh.

Ok, stay clear of the laughing Hyenas.  Of course I already knew a little bit about this classic musical adaptation, it is a legendary production that very successfully melded together a very cool artistic vision with the business sense of a major corporate producer.  I know that it was directed by the very talented Julie Taymor.  I realize that even though the musical premiered on Broadway nearly fourteen years ago,  it is still selling tickets both on the “Great White Way” and in multiple touring companies.  This collaboration between a truly gifted artist and a major corporate entity has been highly successful, with no signs of slowing down.  I knew all of that, but this is one highly acclaimed Broadway spectacle that I have yet to experience, and I am thrilled that the show will be spending four weeks right here in Dayton, Ohio!

Disney's The Lion King ~ presented by The Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OH ~ June 14 - July 10, 2011

Ben Roseberry

I got the opportunity to spend some time chatting with three cast members of the show on the phone last week.  The cast was in Toronto, Canada, where they had an extended stay.  I spoke with vocal ensemble member and “Sarabi” understudy Electra Weston, Ben Roseberry who portrays “Ed” the laughing hyena, and the ever-popular Ben Lipitz who livens up the stage as “Pumbaa”  the optimistic warthog.

I asked the group of actors about touring with Disney Theatricals, working with Taymor and what the experience is like in a production that thrills audiences of all ages.

The first thing of note is the appreciation the actors express for the company itself.  “It is the best contract I’ve ever worked for,” Roseberry declares, “we are in each city for four weeks or more.” All three of the actors pointed out the fact that through Disney’s intention to keep the company in a city for an extended run of at least four weeks, allows the actors time to settle in and actually experience each city. Most other touring shows will have shorter runs, some as little as a day in each city, which leave the actors living out of their suitcase.  Roseberry, an aviation enthusiast, says that he is very excited to have time in Dayton to explore the Aviation Trail, Hall of Fame and Wright Brother sites.

Disney's The Lion King ~ presented by The Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OH ~ June 14 - July 10, 2011

Electra Weston

A surprise to me was the fact that the touring company has the opportunity to make their own housing arrangements, some choosing extended stay hotels, others are able to find short-term furnished apartments.  Electra Wilson indicated that in her four years on the tour, she’d never stayed in a hotel.  She ships her bicycle and typically manages to find an apartment within biking distance to the venue.  This gives her the opportunity to become a member of the community, if only for a short time.

I was curious to know more about the experience of being onstage for these actors, what it was like to be on the other side of the curtain.  The technical aspects of performing the show utilizing these puppets and intricate scenic elements must certainly be an incredible thing to watch not only from the audience perspective, but also from backstage.

All three actors found their roles very taxing, but for very different reasons.  Weston says that her most difficult transition into the role was the English language. She had previously been a part of the German company of the show, so even though she is American, she found it difficult to sing her parts in English.  She had to relearn the show in her native tongue, and had a tough time doing so!

“I can’t say it’s a bigger thrill than what the audience is experiences, but it certainly is comparable.” says Ben Lipitz, ” Performing in The Lion King is a rare experience in theatre, it is a landmark event for the audience, as a performer I have to take the storytelling very seriously.  We have a responsibility to live up to the expectations [of the audience].  It is a privilege to tell this story”

“It took a good eight weeks of performing for the role to get in my body.” Roseberry said he was very nervous performing in his “Ed” the hyena puppet for the first several weeks he was on tour.  He pointed out that he had to learn to harness that nervous energy, translating it into a good energy.  Additionally he spent hours in front of a mirror learning how to operate the hyena puppet in as many expressive ways as possible, since the character does not speak, but simply communicates through laughter.  (btw…”Ed” is not “stupid”, but rather he is “verbally challenged”)

Ben Lipitz has been with the show for nine years, both on Broadway as well as the touring company.  He recounted that while his very first entrance on stage in this show was very exciting, that the thrill continues to this day.  Ben’s experience as an actor (on stage, film & television, including a role on The Sopranos) didn’t really prepare him for operating the puppet, especially Pumbaa which weighs in heaviest at 46 pounds.  Creating the physical articulation with the puppet is his biggest challenge, but also the biggest reward.

Disney's The Lion King ~ presented by The Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OH ~ June 14 - July 10, 2011

Ben Lipitz

The beauty of Julie Taymor’s design is the duality of the character on stage.  You see the actor manipulating the puppet, but you also see the humanity within the animal character.  The actors praise the brilliance of Taymor’s vision and her famous “hands-on” approach to direction an upkeep of her vision.  They report that there is a touring director and staff that continually monitor the show, maintaining the quality of the performance.  This team works with the cast so that what we see in Dayton is precisely the same as the original intent of every step, word and note performed when Julie Taymor’s vision became reality in 1997.  Taymor will even  stop in to check on the show herself occasionally to be sure that her vision is never compromised (though this hasn’t happened recently due to her involvement in another theatrical project).

“I have been truly touched by how inspiring working with Julie is,” claims Lipitz, “[it is] her spirit and her energy.  She is a gifted, visionary artist.”

While THE LION KING is a very complex machine of a show, with many moving parts and people manipulating every aspect of it, it is also child’s play.  Experiencing this show on our side of the curtain will certainly be exciting, but imagine how thrilling it must be to make it all happen behind the scenes.  These actors spoke as if it was truly an honor to tell this story, and be a part of the magic daily.

Before I got off the phone with Pumbaa, I had one more question I was required to ask.  Noah wanted to know “what do you do with your horns?” Pumbaa claimed that his daily regimen included trying not to stay up too late, staying out of the sunlight and plenty of moisturizer.  Pretty good advice for all you warthogs reading this.

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

Disney's THE LION KING - Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OhioDisney’s THE LION KING

Wednesday, June 15 through Sunday, July 10, 2011

at The Schuster Center’s Mead Theatre – Performance Times Vary

Tickets range from $27 – $141

Tickets are ONLY available through Ticket Center Stage.

Visit the  Schuster Center box office in downtown Dayton or order by phone, at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, noon – 4 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance.

Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

For more information about Victoria Theatre Association visit www.victoriatheatre.com.

Downtown Dayton Partnership and the Victoria Theatre Association have teamed up to provide roaring deals and promotions for the The Lion King patrons.  Read more about these exiting offers HERE.

The Lion King - ROARING DEALS - Dayton, Ohio

Click for details.

Sing it Strong, Sing it Loud

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Altar Boyz

ENCORE THEATER COMPANY

The quintessential Boy Bands: upbeat (and often emotional) music… slick choreography… the perfect individual and group images… slightly-too-perfect rhymes… the Soul Sensor DX-12? Well, maybe not for any other boy band, but for the Altar Boyz, it’s key! During the final concert of their “Raise the Praise” tour, the Boyz seek to reduce the number of burdened souls in the audience (indicated by the number on the Sensor) to zero.

“Jesus called me on my cell phone / No roaming charges were incurred / He told me that I should go out in the world / And spread His glorious word”

Altar Boyz, presented in real time as that concert, is a satirical, “foot-stomping, rafter-raising musical comedy,” and the fictitious Christian boy band includes five Ohio members: Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan, and Abraham (who, actually, is Jewish). Some of the Boyz’ signature hits include “Rhythm in Me,” “The Calling,” and “I Believe.” Directed and choreographed by Lauren Morgan and musically directed by Mark Barnhill, this Dayton premiere kicks off Encore Theater Company’s summer season, and runs for one weekend only, June 16 – 18.

“We think that church is super fine / We are the Altar Boyz / We love the wafers and the wine / We are the Altar Boyz / And I think / You’ll find….. We’re gonna altar your mind!”

This show is unique in that each cast member must be a triple-strength performer, because everyone is acting, singing, and dancing for nearly the entire show! Therefore, learning the show has been hard work, but the actors I spoke with were excited about the challenges they’ve faced and the strides they’ve taken as performers. The cast includes students and/or Dayton residents Drew Bown, Andrew Koslow, Korey Harlow, Zack Steele, and Zach King, with a special appearance by local Muse Machine alumnus and Broadway performer Tyler Maynard as “the Voice of God.”

“When I hold your body next to mine / it feels so good / and feels so right / and it also makes my Levis feel real tight… / and I know that there is something about you, baby…/ Girl, you make me want to wait.”

Not only does the cast play a great team onstage, but everyone has an excellent collaboration as well. Each of the cast members are or have studied some type of theatre at the collegiate level, and most are new to Encore Theater Company’s mainstage; however, they’ve all contributed unique talents and abilities to make this show strong and fluid, to refine timing of the show’s extensive humor and rehearse even the most difficult 5-part harmonies. Koslow, who plays Mark, explained in an interview with onStageDayton,

Andrew Koslow, "Mark"

“The most rewarding thing for me about this show is how much we’ve truly banded together (pardon the pun) to make this show happen. We’ve run into a thousand road blocks, from losing cast members to sometimes only having two Boyz available for certain rehearsals due to commitments to other shows. Despite all that, we’ve put together an incredible and entertaining show… I truly couldn’t be prouder of our entire cast and production team.”

That commitment and collaboration have paid off: Zack Steele, who plays Juan, praises,

Zach Steele, "Juan"

“[Altar Boyz] will have [audience members] crying from laughing so hard. The script is bulletproof and the Boyz’ chemistry on stage will carry you on a journey all the way through curtain call. The singing is great and the satire is ever-present.”

Koslow added,

“I truly believe there is something for everyone in this show, and no one can prove me wrong unless they come and see for themselves.”

“You know The Bible tells you God’s the one that made you / So get out on the dance floor And shake what He gave you!”

So, whether you’re holding onto music of the early ‘90s or just love to make fun of boy bands, Altar Boyz is the perfect show for you. Don’t miss it!

Tickets & Performance Information

Altar Boyz – June 16 – 18, 8:00 pm

Encore Theater Company

Performances will be held at Sinclair Community College’s Blair Hall Theatre. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved through http://brushfire.e-vent.info/Events/Sinclair/Default.aspx, by contacting (937) 512-2808 (be sure to leave a message) or [email protected]

For more information, check out the Altar Boyz blog or Encore Theater Company.

~KN

The Independent Shadow Cinema – Underground No More

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Zombies, Lesbian Vampires and Mexican Wrestlers..Oh My!


Having grown up nurtured by Dr. Creep on Shock Theater, fighting sleep while watching the dusk to dawn horror fests at the Captain Kidd and Belmont Drive-In Theaters and relishing the peculiarities found at the bottom of bargain bins full of obscure DVDs, I felt an immediate understanding of what he is trying to create with the Independent Shadow Cinema. Andy himself is quite an accomplished aficionado within  the world of the weird, having worked with Dr. Creep, being one of the people behind the annual Horrorama charity film festival and directing six of his own horror genre films, including The Mutilation Man, The Atrocity Circle and Black Sun.

While other people may look down their collective noses at people like us for being drawn towards entertainment that they would deem sophomorically disgusting or visual training manuals for psychopaths, we know that those kind of people are eaten first by the zombie hordes, usually in a humorous manner, thus stripping them not only of their flesh, but also their self deluded decorum.

What Andy Copp is trying to bring to the screen, as well as to the darkened streets of Dayton, is a world unseen by the masses. A world of the uncanny, the unbridled, the uninhibited. A world shown is a series of stroboscopic scenes splashed with copious amounts of arterial red. With the Independent Shadow Cinema, Andy is trying to breathe life into the self indulgently dying corpse of local cinema and allowing it, for a moment, to live within the minds of an audience hungering for visions of the weird and wonderful.

J.T.: I guess the first question would be: What was the impetus to start the Independent Shadow Cinema?
Andy: Well, the idea came out of me wanting to do the old school midnight movies that I grew up going to. The ones like Flicker Palace had years ago and Page Manor had back in my college days. There hasn’t been anything like that in a long time and back in the nineties, I worked at the Neon Movies as one of the managers back before the switchover and I brought in a lot of movies from Hong Kong and things like that and they were really successful. I realized that there was an audience for it here in town, but there was nothing catering to that right now and there hasn’t been since I had done it in the nineties. I’m also one of the guys that run Horrorama (Horrorama is a charity movie marathon that has been active since 1997) and we have a dedicated audience here in town that comes to that event every year. Since I had worked with Englewood Cinema with Horrorama, I approached Mike who runs things there and presented the idea of running underground midnight movies and he said, “Well, let’s try to do this then” and so we went ahead and launched it. So we went for it, trying to bring more interesting movies that you’re not going to see anywhere else, like the old midnight pulp movie shows, and to give the people something interesting to do on Friday nights.

J.T.: Are you targeting more of the grind house/horror show genre?
Andy: A little bit. Right now, what I’m doing is I’m bringing in a lot of the really obscure, indie/underground stuff, but the people who are interested in that type of thing are also going to be interested in the grind house/exploitation films and people who like that are going to like the stuff that we’re currently playing. The stuff that we’re playing right now is pretty obscure and relatively unknown, but definitely, that’s the crowd we’re going for.

J.T.: What do you have coming up for the next show?
Andy: On Friday, we have a movie that was made in 2000 called Meatmarket and it’s a zombie flick…actually, it’s a really wild zombie flick. It’s got everything. It’s got zombies, lesbian vampires, Mexican wrestlers and things blowing up. It’s a movie that aims to please. It was made in Canada for just under $2,000. It’s incredibly low budget, but you wouldn’t know that by watching it because the production values are really high. That’s the kind of stuff that we’ve been showing: the stuff that’s made for peanuts, but that are incredibly ambitious.

J.T.: What’s the main message that you want to get out?
Andy: That we’re here and that we’re doing something different. In Dayton, there’s always this grumbling that there’s nothing interesting going on; “Oh, Dayton doesn’t have anything cool or different!” but here we are on Friday nights with these kick ass, interesting movies that you probably haven’t heard of that are definitely satisfying. For five bucks, you can see some wicked ass movie that will leave you feeling satisfied. Also, the way I have structured it, there’s always a free movie, a second feature, and I never say what it is so it’s always going to be a surprise. So, from 11:30pm until 2:30am, you get two crazy movies for five bucks.

J.T.: Now, with most people’s experiences of midnight movies is limited to Rocky Horror Picture Show, are there people that show up with a certain amount of misconceptions?
Andy: Right! This isn’t Mystery Science Theater 3K or Rocky Horror Picture Show. I’m not inviting people to come and yell and throw things and make fun of these films…that’s not our thing. This is to come and appreciate something unusual and have a good time. I don’t want this to be Troll 2. These are genuinely interesting movies, so if people are coming to make fun of them, I’m not so interested in them being there, but if they are there to find something that they have never seen or experienced, then those are the people we are looking for. Also, with the more people that we can get to come out, the more crazier and bigger movies that we’ll be able to bring in. There’s a whole world of these types of movies that just don’t make it to Dayton. The Gateway in Columbus plays new movies like this every Saturday night. If we raised our audience numbers, we’d be able to get movies like Hobo With A Shotgun or The Troll Hunter…we just can’t afford those right now.

The next Independent Shadow Cinema event is scheduled for Friday June 17th at 11:00pm at the Englewood Cinemas, 320 West National Rd, Englewood, Ohio and will feature the zombie movie Meatmarket along with an as yet to be announced second feature.

Film Review – Midnight in Paris (B-)

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Midnight in Paris
@ The Neon
June 12, 2011
Grade: B-

Woody Allen’s getting a little long in the tooth to play opposite beautiful, young actresses these days, so he had Owen Wilson do it for him in “Midnight in Paris.” Wilson stars as Gil, a Hollywood screenwriter who, though successful, feels unfulfilled as a wannabe Hemingway. The ever-present romantic in Gil sees a business trip with his fiancee, Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents as an opportunity to “walk the streets of Paris in the rain” and to work on his novel. Inez and her conservative family have other ideas. So, when Gil finds himself walking the streets lost and alone late one night, he finds himself magically transported to 1920s Paris, a time and place occupied by his heroes, F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) and other artistic and literary gods.

Taking advantage of a film phenomenon that could be described as Groundhog Day combined with Field of Dreams, Gil discovers that every night at midnight he’s able to hobnob with the most influential people of the early 20th century. As if finding himself in his ideal place and time in all of human existence isn’t gift enough, Gil quickly meets and is accepted into the elite 1920s social circle that includes Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Cole Porter, Pablo Picasso and many other people you’ve heard of. Gil even gets Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) to proofread his manuscript.

While Gil’s initial trips back to his personal heaven are productive and fun, (we get to see what a drunken conversation between Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso might look like) the nightly time travels begin to become unnecessary and stagnant, eventually coming off as little more than an effort to drop as many huge names as possible. “You’re T.S. Eliot!”

Each new intellectual giant of the era Gil encounters has less impact than the previous. It’s impossible to develop the hypothetical social behavior of so many complex individuals inside of two hours and introducing so many new characters becomes tiresome. The best and most humorous scenes of the movie involve Gil seeking the advice of Hemingway, as he’s all at once mesmerized by the unlikely circumstances and overwhelmed by Hemingway’s honesty and intensity. Even moviegoers with just a passing understanding of Hemingway’s style like myself will be able to laugh when he passes along advice to Gil on love and life. Stoll’s Hemingway was particularly entertaining and I would’ve preferred a more specific story that allowed Gil to continue to interact with Hemingway and others who could relate to Gil’s predicament. I get why we’re meeting Gertrude Stein, Gil needs help with his novel. But why are we meeting Salvador Dali?

After acquiring the affection of Picasso’s mistress, Adriana (Marion Cotillard), and besting both Picasso and Hemingway in the process (you can just picture Allen smiling as he imagines himself in this scenario), Gil learns from her that even the most interesting people living in the most interesting time can be unhappy in their present. This is a revelation that lets Gil free himself of both his unpromising engagement to Inez and his obsession with his trips to the 20s.

Ultimately, the majority of Midnight in Paris is undeniably fun, often humorous and the performances are good across the board. I just found much of it disappointing due to an engaging, exciting first half that faded away and the unfulfilled potential of the premise.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYRWfS2s2v4′]

A Second Chance at Love

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Greg Smith and Barbara Jorgensen in Southern Comforts

The Young at Heart Players, Dayton’s only senior theater troupe, ushers in its second decade with a heartwarming and humorous production of Kathleen Clark’s 2006 two-hander “Southern Comforts,” presented in collaboration with the Dayton Theatre Guild.

Fluidly directed by YAHP founder Fran Pesch and set in a Victorian home in New Jersey circa 1996, “Southern Comforts,” as seen at its well paced final dress rehearsal, features very charming turns by Barbara Jorgensen and Greg Smith as Amanda Cross and Gus Klingman, a colorfully opinionated duo who learn to love again despite their personal and geographical differences. Clark predictably lays the groundwork for a happy ending in the first scene, but Jorgensen and Smith’s endearing chemistry and sharp characterizations keep the breezy action thoroughly engaging, particularly in the final minutes which provide touching closure.

Jorgensen effortlessly handles the casual ease and subtle complexities inherent in Amanda, a churchgoing chatterbox from Tennessee who loves baseball and still longs for romantic pleasures. She particularly shines with a captivating mix of anger and bewilderment late in Act 2 when Amanda grows perturbed and perplexed about Gus’ decision not to share a burial plot with her. As the strong-willed Gus, a New Jersey native still shaken by his late wife’s unhappiness and emotional detachment, Smith winningly reveals the inner struggle of a man reticent of losing his independence while genuinely longing for meaningful companionship. Although Gus totally desires a new chapter with Amanda, Smith astutely reiterates how difficult compromise can be.

“Southern Comforts” is intended for an older audience, but its tender sentiments and lasting reminder that all relationships must evolve and adapt has unlimited appeal.

Southern Comforts will be staged Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 12 at 3 p.m. at the Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Ave. The play is performed in 90 minutes with one 15 minute intermission. Tickets are $12 for seniors and students and $15 for adults. For more information, visit www.daytontheatreguild.org