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Arts & Entertainment

Nativity The Pop Opera

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n193061993632_9226It’s a light-hearted original musical written and composed by Dayton resident J. Todd Anderson.  If that name sounds familiar, J Todd may be better known as a story board artist who often works with the Coen brothers or for his radio show, Filmically Perfect, heard on WYSO-FM Fridays at 12:30PM.

Nativity The Pop Opera commemorates the birth of Christ as seen through the eyes of the angels and is meant to be performed during the Christmas season. The music and the lyrics are contemporary, witty and entertaining and will appeal to audiences of all ages. All actors and musicians have volunteered their time and talent to this production.

Nativity The Pop Opera is performed as a benefit for The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton. 100% of ticket sales will be donated to the “Needy Patient Fund”. The fund provides financial support to in-need patients and families who cannot afford the basic necessities of life. It is a “last resort” after all other community resources and options have been exhausted and families have no other alternatives.

Attend an evening of fun while supporting a good cause:

VENUE
Miamisburg Christian Church
1146 E. Central Avenue
Miamisburg, OH 45342

TICKETS / BOX OFFICE – $10 each or group option-6 tix for $30
Monday – Friday, 10 am – 4 pm
Saturday, Noon – 2 pm
937-866-4893

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE
Order 24 hours a day, seven days a week with your credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express & Discover are accepted), at exploremcc.org.

Tickets will not be mailed. The number of tickets and the name of the person who purchased tickets via Pay Pal will be held at the door.

Please print a copy of your PayPal receipt as proof of tickets purchased.

DIRECTIONS
I-75 to EXIT 44 (SR-725)
TURN WEST towards Miamisburg
GO approximately 2.1 miles
TURN LEFT into parking lot at MCC marquis (1/2 block after Shell gas station.)

Boot Camp for Future Filmmakers

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95Miami Valley high school students are invited to make a film in 48 hours with Dayton’s best filmmakers.

The Muse Machine is partnering with FilmDayton to present the wildly fun and educational 48 Hour Film Boot Camp. For one action-packed weekend in January, area high school students will work with award-winning Dayton-based filmmakers to learn how to write and direct their own short film. As part of this process, students will also format, storyboard, edit, film, score, and rough cut their films. Finished films will be presented at the end of the Boot Camp weekend on the “big screen” at Wright State University’s esteemed film production facilities. Students who are interested in filmmaking, film school, acting, or just want to get a taste of filmmaking, are encouraged to participate.

at Wright State University’s Film Department
Saturday, January 16, 9am-6pm
Sunday, January 17, 9am-7:30pm; Screenings 8pm
___________________________________________________________________
Registrations will be accepted through December 31, 2009. Registration is $90 for Muse Members. Equipment, breakfast, and lunch are included.

Email Eva Buttacavoli, to register and/or become an $11-a-year Muse Member. Include name, email address, home address, phone number, school, and grade level.

Filmmakers/Instructors
Wright State graduate Filmmakers/Instructors Marisha Mukerjee and Rocky Smith will lead sessions that encompass filmmaking basics, from writing a script to shooting to editing on simple, widely available software programs, and will culminate in the creation of a short film.

Marisha Mukerjee lives and works in Chicago and Dayton; co-produced the feature film The Grind; directed and/or produced numerous short films and theatrical productions for a wide range of venues; and is co-founder of Relief Productions Theater Group and Madrina Films.

Rocky Smith lives and works in Springboro and was the co-producer and co-director of Toughman, which premiered at Wright State’s 2009 Big Lens Film Festival, and was awarded “Best Ohio Short” at the 2009 Oxford International Film Festival. Smith has also worked as a key grip, sound department, stunts, and assistant editor on four award-winning short films for the 48 Hour Film Project.

________________________________________________________________________________
For More Information
www.musemachinedayton.com/filmdayton/

About Muse Machine
The Muse Machine is a nationally recognized arts education organization, providing creative experiences and resources for thousands of Miami Valley young people and their teachers since 1982. For information on the Muse Machine see www.musemachinedayton.com.

About FilmDayton
An initiative of the DaytonCREATE project, FilmDayton is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that has spent its first year connecting local filmmakers, encouraging film culture in our community and working to create a richer environment here for future moviemaking.

We are dedicated to boosting economic development in the region and to expanding recognition of the considerable number of young and established filmmakers who live and work in the Miami Valley. For information on FilmDayton see www.filmdayton.com.

Pottery for a Cause

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Pots for CharityLooking for a way to give a great handmade gift while also giving back to the community? Local potters David Chesar, Kate Chesar and Geno Luketic have combined their skills to create twelve unique ceramic pots that will be up for auction on eBay now through December 11th. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Miami Valley Foodbank, which provides hunger relief efforts throughout Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties.

This is the fifth year for the charity pottery auction; each year, event organizer David Chesar has selected a different organization to benefit from the auction. Past beneficiaries have included Daybreak and Dayton Southwest Weed and Seed.  The firing costs for this year’s pots were donated by John Bryan Community Pottery.

Pots for CharityThe pots are on display at the University of Dayton’s ArtStreet Studio D Gallery until December 9. ArtStreet is located on the 300 block of Kiefaber Street; for more information, visit http://artstreet.udayton.edu or call (937) 229-5101.

To view the pots online or place a bid, please visit http://www.ebay.com and search “ArtStreet pots.”

Dayton Theatre Guild – Open Auditions For Shining City

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actorLogoFrontAttention aspiring thespians! Dayton Theatre Guild will be holding auditions for the play Shining City from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1.

Directed by Ralph Dennler, the production opens Jan. 15 and will run for three weeks.

A recent review of the play:

In contemporary Dublin, Ireland, a man claiming to have seen the ghost of his recently deceased wife seeks help from a therapist. What begins as an unusual encounter becomes a struggle between the living and the dead in a game that will define both men for the rest of their lives. I was blown away…Conor McPherson’s new play is haunting, inspired and absolutely glorious.” Ben Brantley, The New York Times.

The production is looking for actors for these parts:

  • John – 50’s – Haunted by his dead wife, struggling to get back to his normal life.
  • Ian – 40’s – A novice therapist trying to help others while dealing with his own demons.
  • Neasa – 30’s – Blue collar woman trying desperately to save a relationship and protect her new child.
  • Laurance – 20’s – A male prostitute.

Four week, evening rehearsals are required, with a break for the holidays. Be prepared to give readings from the script.

Interested parties should contact Ralph Dennler at [email protected].

Traveling Light & Corpus Christi

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I started Katrina Kittle’s first novel, Traveling  Light on Friday and stayed up travelinglightto finish it on Saturday evening.  Katrina Kittle is a Dayton native who continues to live in the region, working on her fourth novel and recently acting in several local theatre productions.  I ran across her books while surfing Amazon for a good read, not even realizing she is a local author.  I went to the library with the intention of borrowing Two Truths and a Lie but it was not on the shelf and thus I picked up Traveling Light.  It felt as though I was supposed to be reading that book this weekend.

On Saturday night we went to the Dayton Playhouse to see Terrence McNally’s Corpus Christi, a controversial passion play that depicts Jesus and the apostles as gay men.  There were several parallels between the two works and it was an amazing opportunity to experience them intertwined.  Both the book and the play are significantly about the prejudices that exist against homosexuals and the concept that love can be pure in any form.    Both works explore issues of acceptance and have heroes that teach of unconditional love.  There are even parallel scenes in the book and play where passages from the bible are used to both condemn and defend homosexuality, highlighting the propensity to pick and choose bible verses to support a point of view.

As we walked toward the theatre on Saturday evening, we were greeted warmly by two members of the Dayton Playhouse.  Just behind the greeters stood several protestors… who really were not protesting as much as holding signs that quoted the bible.  It was actually very peaceful and the chair of the Dayton Playhouse summed it up well by saying that the protestors had as much right to be there as they did in putting on the play.  It made me very proud of my city that the cast and crew had the courage to put on such a controversial play… and that the protestors were not hateful or cruel in their demonstrations.

Tolerance is generally the first step of the journey that leads to acceptance and respect.  In Kittle’s novel, that theme is told through several characters.  One young character is full of hate but has a life changing experience that teaches him tolerance.  The matriarchal figure loved her gay grandson but barely tolerated his lifestyle and partner; in the end she came to respect and accept them as a couple, recognizing the persecution of gays as being as tragic as the persecution of Jews during WWII.  Last night at the show, there was tolerance between the protestors and the theatre.  The play itself was a testament depicting the journey of persecution, tolerance, love and acceptance.

The parallels that could be made between the main characters of the play and the hero in the novel are amazing.  Joshua (Jesus) in the play is teaching unconditional love, while Todd and Jacob epitomize unconditional love in the book.  Both Joshua and Todd see the beauty in their persecutors and suffer immensely at death, while never losing their faith in humanity.   Todd is revered by his family as virtually without fault, as is Joshua by the disciples.

Some of the novel’s critics saw Todd’s character as a caricature and attributed the sparse character development to the fact that is was Kittle’s first novel.  I wonder if perhaps Todd and Jacob are intended to represent characters we all know well within our culture and that is why further development wasn’t necessary.   I am also curious if Kittle was at all influenced by Terrance McNally’s script or if the similarities are merely a result of my interpretation.  Regardless, I look forward to reading more work from this very compelling author, and possibly seeking her out at the Word’s Worth Writing Center where she is currently teaching seminars.

Filmmaker Returns Home To Debut Documentary

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images-27Award-winning filmmaker and former Daytonian Tony Heriza returns to the Gem City to premiere his new documentary “CONCRETE STEEL & PAINT” at noon on Saturday, November 14 at the NEON movies. Following the film is a discussion with the director Tony Heriza and with Public Defender Carl Goraleski, and University of Dayton Law Professor Vernellia Randall. Admission is $5.00. Clilck to view the trailer: Concrete, Steel & Paint

“CONCRETE STEEL & PAINT” – filmed in Graterford prison and in the city of Philadelphia – documents a unique collaboration. When men in a prison art class agree to collaborate with victims of crime to design a mural about healing, their views on punishment, remorse, and forgiveness collide. At times the divide seems too wide to bridge. But as the participants begin to work together, mistrust gives way to genuine moments of human contact and common purpose. Their struggle and insights gained are reflected in the art they produce. The documentary is edited by local filmmaker and two-time Oscar nominee Jim Klein. Tony Heriza is one of the founders of CITYFOLK.

5-0 WSU Raiders still “Undefeated since 1967”

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2009 Wright State Club Football Team (Photo by Chris Mallets)

2009 Wright State Club Football Team (Photo by Chris Mallets)

Autumn is the favorite time of year for many people, bringing out some of the best in American traditions and folklore.  It’s the time of year when the holidays slowly creep into our thoughts; when pumpkin pie and apple cider is plentiful; turkey, squash and all manner of food is enjoyed seemingly only for a few months until the following year; when ghost stories and old legends start cropping up again, and family comes together as the wind gets colder.  But for many, it’s considered the best time of year for one simple reason; football.

Indeed die hard fans from all over the country will warm up their newly purchased hi-def television, bought specifically to watch the game on, and sit glued to a chair until the end of January while cursing at the guy in their fantasy football league who has kept hold of Tom Brady for the last five years.  Others will find time to make it to the field at 8AM on a Saturday morning to tailgate with friends and family before watching their Alma Mater lose to their oldest rival for the seventh consecutive time.  Tradition is the name of the game, whether college or professional, but nowhere in Dayton has that particular tradition been missing more, than at Wright State University.

For years there have been a number of rumors and reasons given as to why one was never established.  Whatever that reason may be however, action was finally taken with a help of a student government initiative that was headed by former student government president Mohammad “Moody” Kassem.  As a result, an established club football team is playing its first season for Wright State.

Vice President for the team, Steve Jones discussed how the team was established; explaining that there had been previous attempts to create a club team before, most notably back in the 80s.  “It was really just a lot of talk back then, as far as I know, but there wasn’t any real action taken.  Moody and Eric Corbitt were the ones who did all the initial work and started creating the program this time around.”  The word was spread and as try outs started, more than 100 young men showed up to try and make the team.  “We had a spring game,” says Jones, “and we did lose it, but at the time we were having some initial difficulties internally.  For a number of reasons our head coach left, and it seemed that we might not have anyone to lead the team.  A number of schools on our schedule dropped us for fear that we would disband before the season started, and it left us with only 5 scheduled games.  We also didn’t have a permanent place to play home games.  We had asked to play at Alumni Field, but Campus officials were concerned that the field would be ripped up too much.  That might change in the future however; we’re still in talks with them.”

QB Nick Worley completed 17 of 30 passing attempts for 301, yards no interceptions, and one touchdown pass to Jovan Tolbert last Saturday against Miami University (photo by Chris Mallets)

QB Nick Worley completed 17 of 30 passing attempts for 301, yards no interceptions, and one touchdown pass to Jovan Tolbert (photo by Chris Mallets)

The difficulties subsided and a new head coach, Paul Grimes, took the reigns.  Two more games were also added to the season at the last second, rounding out to a reasonable seven, and they opted to play at some local high school venues for their home games.  The Raiders play in the Midwestern Club Football Conference, North Division with Marquette University and Ohio State University.  The South Division includes Miami University, Xavier, The University of New Orleans and Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville.  Wright State is enjoying a 5-0 start, and is the only undefeated team in the conference to date.

“This is an amazing group of guys,” says Jones, “There is chemistry between them that has led to this 5-0 start, and that includes the work of Coach Grimes.  They are extremely dedicated, and they have to be.  Nothing is given to them here because we don’t have the funds to provide it.  Each player is expected to pay for their entire uniform, including helmets and pads, and that comes to about $425.00 a guy.  We were very thankful that the Ohio National Guard has agreed to sponsor us, and most of that cost was taken care of, but there is no guarantee that that will happen again, and they know that.  Honestly all the work I do for the team is because these guys are so great, so dedicated, and they deserve to be able to play.  It’s amazing what they’ve been able to do so far.”  When asked about how he hopes the team might evolve next year, he said, “Well, we have learned so much this year, we are going to be a lot better prepared when next season comes around.  We’re still in talks to find a permanent home on campus, but also are working on increasing exposure and support.  We’ve talked with the cheerleaders and dance teams to see if they would want to come out and perform at games, as well as the pep band, and just try to get some of the pageantry and help create a better atmosphere for both the fans and players.”

He also mentioned he’s already been approached by high school students wanting to learn more about the program.  “Some of these guys are being scouted by some D-2 and D-3 schools, but they are coming to us and asking us if they can play here because just like those schools, we can’t offer scholarships to them, but it’s far cheaper to come to Wright State and play football than it is some of those other schools.  It’s pretty exciting to know there is already that interest even though we haven’t finished a full season yet.”

The fledgling team has a long way to go, and though the first year has been shaky at times, there is no doubting the commitment and love for the game by all those involved. They have started an amazing season, and their victory this week has propelled them to the top of the conference.

Running Back Stanley Frazier ran for 168 yards on 31 carries and scored 2 touchdowns last Saturday against Miami University (Photo by Chris Mallets)

Running Back Stanley Frazier ran for 168 yards on 31 carries and scored 2 touchdowns last Saturday against Miami University (Photo by Chris Mallets)

The Raiders won at home last Saturday 31-14 versus the Miami Redhawks.  Wright State Quarterback Nick Woley completed 17 of 30 passing attempts for 301 yards no interceptions, and one touchdown pass to Jovan Tolbert.  Running back Stanley Frazier had a stellar day with 168 rushing yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns.  Ryan Johnson also returned an onside kick for a touchdown in the last quarter.  The Raiders totaled 458 yards of offense while the defense limited the Redhawks to only 228 yards, and caused two fumbles and one interception for the night.

The Raiders will finish their season at home on November 15th against the Ohio State Buckeyes.  The game will be held at Bellbrook High School at 1pm, tickets are on sale for $5.00.

We will fight right and be true, So let’s go, fight, win. Let the action begin, We’re from W-S-U!

Art, Theater and Ideas at The Excelsior

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images-33The Excelsior Building was all set to become the latest in luxury loft living- then the market crashed….

And like so often happens, artists helped transform the space into a new reality.  For the past year or so artist/entrepreneur Mike Elsass has been leading the charge to use the amazing open floor plan and window infused walls as a creative space.  The Elxelsior is gaining  quite a reputation for hosting innovative works of art in the Oregon District.

This weekend the building will be alive with multiple presentations.

The first floor will play host to the debut of Dayton latest theater group:

Serve    Enhance    Engage    Dare   =  SEED

The above action statement for this newly formed theater group  should be enough to tell you that this group plans to do things differently.  Adam Leigh, co-founder and Executive Artisitic Director of the The SEED Theatre project wants to “utilize theater as a transformative agent” for individuals and the community, Leigh said. Leigh is no stranger to Dayton theater, having taught the art at Stivers and Wright State and was formerly the director of the Dayton Playhouse.

wpa4b2ad77This weekend we’ll get a chance to see what they are all about as they debut their first show, a one man play: Circumference of a Squirrel – a riff with an inner tube by John Walch.  Playing Nov 6 & 7 at 8pm.

The snyopsis:  Meet Chester, a young man with many obsessions: his father, his mother, his ex-wife, the virology of rabies, and most importantly… squirrels.

The production will feature Resident Artist Alex Carmichal as “Chester” and all other roles necessary to bring this story to life.

On the same night the second floor will be hosting the sophomore presentation of Pechaimages-32 Kucha – a phenomenon that’s spreading across the globe. It started in Tokyo and is now held in hundreds of cities worldwide. It’s a way for designers and other creatives to present and discuss their work, their hobby or their passion in 6 minutes and 40 seconds (20 slides – 20 seconds each). Limiting the presentations to this format keeps the presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to share their ideas.

Before and after the presentations (sometimes during), you mingle, nosh and chit chat during musical interludes. At least eight local presenters are planned including architects, an interior designer, an urban planner, artists, a graphic designer and more.

Friday, Nov 6th at 7:00 – 11:00 PM The cost is $20 at the door.
RSVP to [email protected].

Show 3 BackTopping things off on the  third floor Space11 will host the opening reception for Show 3: Horizon, a multi-media event featuring New York artist William Lamson and new works  with Dayton’s  own Ian Breidenbach, Landon Crowell, and Ryan McCullough.

Friday Nov 6, 2009 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Hauntfest 2009

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It is that time of year again as Dayton’s Oregon District gears up for THE Halloween event of the year for the entire region – HAUNTFEST 2009!

OregonHauntFest2009Poster-FINAL-3OCTOBER 31st (Halloween night!)

Gates open at 7pm.  (enter at Fifth/Patterson or at Fifth/Wayne or Jackson/Wayne)
Beer sales are until 12:30am
Event closes at 1:00am
Entry fee is $5 (This represents a 50% reduction in cost from 2008!). 
Advance tickets available at all Oregon taverns as well as Coco’s Bistro and Fifth St Wine and Deli.
Purchase of advance tickets will allow speedy entry into the event as we will have special entrance for holders of advanced tickets.
AFTERHOURS will be at your choice(s) of Oregon’s Taverns until their closing times.  Most taverns are not charging a cover charge on the evening of Hauntfest (Sloopy’s, Tumbleweed will be charging an entry charge).
There will be food vendors, live music from The Story Changes and Skilless Villans until 1230 as well as music provided by Clear Channel’s The Kegger.   A costume contest will offer cash prizes.

There will be a Craft Beer and Wine Garden at Fifth and Pine Streets serving Redhook Longhammer IPA, Goose Island Honker’s Ale, Harvest Ale, 312 Urban Wheat, Widmer Drop Top Amber Ale, Jack’s Pumkin Spice Ale, Abbaye d’Leffe Belgian Blonde, Hoegaarden Witbier, Redhook ESB and Michelob Dunkel Weiss.

The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is being presented by The Miami Valley Restaurant Association from 3pm until 7pm on Fifth / Wayne / Brown Streets as well that day.

Corpus Christi – Dayton Playhouse

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CorpusChristiPoster260x480Controversial art and theater are typically reserved for the bigger cities like New York – not so much in the more reserved Midwest.  But that isn’t always the case…

The Dayton Playhouse will present the controversial drama Corpus Christi by Terrence McNally this November 13-22 at their facility in Wegerzyn Garden Center just off Siebenthaler Avenue in Dayton.  In it, a modern day Jesus-like figure and the Apostles are depicted as gay men living in Texas – a daring theme that caused the playwright to receive death threats and the Manhattan Theater Club to receive bomb threats when it first opened in NYC in 1998 (as noted in this NYT review of a 2008 revival of the show).

Corpus Christi features a cast of some of the finest young actors in the area staged in a “presentational” style by Director Michael Boyd.  “I’ve wanted to produce this play for almost 10 years and finally, the Dayton Playhouse has given me the opportunity to tell this wonderful story!”  Boyd said. “It’s the story of a young, Christ-like figure, Joshua, played by actor Sean Frost, who leads 12 men on a journey of self-discovery and love — only to be betrayed by his closest friend and lover.” he continued. “It’s a deeply spiritual story that will not fail to move you with its compassion, conviction and love.”
For mature audiences only, the play opens on Friday, November 13th at the Dayton Playhouse, 1301 Siebenthaler Avenue, Dayton, OH and runs two weekends.  Check out the event listing on the DMM Event Calendar for show days & times and a one-click link to add this event to your own personal calendar.

Little Art’s nonprofit status = FREE movie

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Yellow Springs movie house The Little Art just recently received it’s is 501(c)(3) NON PROFIT organization status from the government! While this won’t change much for the general public, what is does mean is that the Little Art can:

  • Allow donors a tax deduction for their contributions
  • … Seek foundation and government grants for special projects
  • … Offer a wider range of programs and events

According to owner Jenny Cowperthwaite for the past 8 years “THE FRIENDS OF THE LITTLE ART’s financial support” is what kept the doors open anyway.

taking_woodstockIn celebration of this momentous turning point in the Little Art’s 80-year history of showing movies in Yellow Springs this weekend all showings Ang Lee’s TAKING WOODSTOCK will be FREE! Of course, donations are welcome and now they are also a tax deduction.

Roger Ebert says, “TAKING WOODSTOCK” has the freshness of something being created, not remembered.” Director Ang Lee “distills the flavor of this transforming event and hints at how it transformed some who were there,” writes the Philadelphia Inquirer. The San Francisco Chronicle raves: “If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be there — to actually be there, man — this movie gets it.”

Your chance to see Last Truck documentary for FREE

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Last Truck Dayton ShowsFor months local filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar filmed, interviewed and lived the last days of the Moraine Assembly Plant to create an emotionally raw and poignant look at the employees on their final weeks at work. In August HBO came to Dayton to debut the documentary to a full house of GM employees at the Schuster Center. Then on Labor Day the story played nationwide on HBO.

Now HBO has gone even further to celebrate the town that provided the story for The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant. On Saturday Oct 24 there will be three screenings at the Neon Movies and Little Art Theater. HBO has generously rented the theaters so the shows can be free and open to the public.

Some of the former GM workers featured in the film will be at each screening for Q & A afterwards.

Just last week The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that the field of Documentary Short Subject contenders for the 82nd Academy Awards has been narrowed to eight films, of which three to five will earn Oscar nominations and Last Truck has made that list.

Showtimes:

Neon Movies
5th & St. Clair, Downtown Dayton
12:00pm and 1:30pm

Little Art Theater
247 Xenia Avenue, Yellow Springs
4:00pm

Horrorama is Friday – Get the Inside Scoop from the Organizers and Dr. Creep on WYSO

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horrorama 09It’s been over 20 years since Shock Theatre graced the TV sets of Dayton residents, but as Halloween approaches the Miami Valley, you can still catch Dr. Creep at many area events.  One event that’s been a become a seasonal tradition for fans of scary movies is Horrorama, a charity horror film marathon that’s been in the area since 1997.  Dr. Creep will be on hand to host this year’s festivities this Friday, October 23 starting at 7pm at the Englewood Theater.

Dr. Creep and two of the organizers of Horrorama will be guests on WYSO’s Kaleidoscope this Wednesday night, October 21 around 9pm.  Tune into WYSO at 91.3Fm or listen online at wyso.org.

Joanne Dugan: On Seeing What’s Right in Front of You

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According to Joanne Dugan, art is all around us. The key to discovering it is careful observation.

As a photographer, artist, designer, and writer based out of New York City, Joanne has taken this philosophy to heart and incorporated it into every aspect of her diverse career. And now, Dugan is going to share her experiences and collection of work to the community this month.

“The exhibit is thought-provoking and challenges the viewer to stop and look closely at what’s in front of you,” said Jayne Matlack-Whitaker, the curator of Joanne Dugan’s exhibit for the Rike Center. “I’ve been familiar with the transformation of her work for awhile and I think her exhibit will be beneficial to the Visual Arts Department. It’s going to be a different show than what we’ve had in awhile.”

Joanne Dugan Exhibit 1Joanne Dugan’s exhibit, On Seeing What’s Right in Front of You: ABCs, 123s and New York City, will be on display in the Rike Center gallery from October 1–29. The collection of photographs reflects Joanne Dugan’s experiences of seeing art everywhere in Manhattan and also encourages others to do the same throughout their daily lives.

Her images of New York City have also appeared in six award-winning books, including her own photographic children’s book ABC NYC: A Book About Seeing New York City and its sequel 123 NYC: A Counting Book of New York City.

“She blurs the lines of distinction that may exist between a designer, photographer, artist, and writer,” Jayne said.

On Wednesday, October 28th, Joanne Dugan will be leading ArtStreet’s Wednesday Workshop session, which runs from 7-9 PM in Studio E. For more information about ArtStreet’s Wednesday Workshops, go to http://artstreet.udayton.edu.

“The fact is that her work does present a real mixture of ways to use ones eyes and photography. She’s doing the workshop to help people understand that her images are inspired from New York, but that anyone can do that anywhere.

The end of the exhibit will conclude with a closing reception on Thursday, October 29 from 5-7 PM in the Rike Center. This will be an amazing opportunity to not only see On Seeing What’s Right in Front of You one last time, but to also speak with Joanne Dugan herself.

“She is encouraging people to look at their surroundings,” Jayne said, “and to see the potential of making images possible. All you need is wonder, interest, and a keen observation for what’s right in front of you.”

Be sure to check out Joanne Dugan’s exhibit throughout the month of October. For more information about the On Seeing What’s Right in Front of You exhibit, contact Todd Hall, the Rike Center gallery coordinator, at 937-229-3261 or [email protected].

The Turkish Delights Win the 2009 Dayton Band Playoffs

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TurksWinIt was a packed house at Canal Street Tavern on Saturday, September 26 as the final round of the 2009 Dayton Band Playoffs began.  Oxymoronatron and the Turkish Delights each performed high energy sets for the crowd.  At the end of the night, the count began on the over 300 votes cast.  It came down to 4 votes to determine the Turkish Delights were this year’s winner.  You can catch both of the finalists live October 3rd at Dayton Music Fest.

Benefit Screening of Fresh, The Movie

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fresh_poster_new-500x646As part of Miami Valley Grown’s first ever Local Food Week, a screening of Fresh will take place on Thurs, October 8th at 8pm at the 2nd Street Market.

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Among several main characters, FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

Miami Valley Grown is a local group of volunteers working to connect local growers, farmers & producers with local buyers, striving to educate our community of the benefits of buying locally.

For more info on MVGrown & Local Food Week, please visit MiamiValleyGrown.org