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Arts & Entertainment

RenFest Returns

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The Ohio Renaissance Festival is set to open its gates once again on Sept 2nd for a season  that promises  a captivating journey back in time filled with unparalleled entertainment and excitement.Immerse yourself in a world of lively shows, tantalizing food & drink, and unique shops that transport you back in time to the days of knights and queens. Queen Elizabeth I presides over the festivities as dozens of Renaissance musicians, dancers, comedians, jugglers, sword-fighters, storytellers and hundreds of costumed performers entertain patrons of all ages on 17 stages in over 100 shows daily.

The Festival will  open on Labor Day and then every Saturday and Sunday through October 29th from 10:30am – 7:00pm, tickets run  $30 for adults and $10 for children from 5-12 years old with kids under 5 for free when you buy ahead online. Save another $2/adult ticket if you get your ticket before Sept 1st.   Tickets bought on site are a couple of dollars more.

Visitors will see a full day of entertainment including full-armored Jousting the way it was done over 400 years ago by real Knights in shining armor. Queen Elizabeth I presides over the festivities as dozens of Renaissance musicians, dancers, comedians, jugglers, sword-fighters, storytellers and hundreds of costumed performers entertain patrons of all ages on 17 stages in over 100 shows daily.

Step into the Past:

The Ohio Renaissance Festival is a cherished annual event that draws attendees from all walks of life to immerse themselves in the splendor of the 16th century. As visitors enter the festival grounds, they will be greeted by a world adorned with intricately designed period architecture, street performers, and a bustling marketplace reminiscent of a bygone era.

A World of Entertainment:

Prepare to be captivated by an array of performances that will leave you in awe. The Ohio Renaissance Festival proudly presents an unparalleled lineup of entertainment, including:

  • Combatant’s Keep: Witness brave knights engage in heart-pounding jousting matches that showcase their skill, courage, and chivalry. The thundering hooves, clashing lances, and suspenseful atmosphere will transport you to the heart of medieval competition.
  • Music and Minstrels: Let the melodic tunes of wandering minstrels whisk you away to a time of troubadours and courtly love. Enjoy live performances of period music, transporting you to a world of whimsy and romance.
  • Comedy and Improv: Laughter abounds as jesters and comedians take the stage to deliver side-splitting performances. With their witty banter and interactive humor, these entertainers are sure to have audiences of all ages in stitches.
  • Artisan Crafts: Explore the village marketplace, where skilled artisans and craftsmen showcase their wares. From hand-forged weaponry to intricate jewelry and pottery, you’ll find unique treasures that serve as timeless souvenirs of your Renaissance experience.

Delicious Fare:

Indulge in a feast fit for a king or queen as you savor delectable treats that capture the essence of the era. From turkey legs and hearty stews to sweet pastries and refreshing ales, the festival’s menus offer a delightful array of culinary delights.


Check out these special events you can add on to your adventure:

Royal Feast- Enjoy a 5-course meal including starters, multiple course entrée, a dessert PLUS alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and a keepsake tankard. One seating per festival day 3-5pm, $75

The Naught Bawdy Pub Show– An hour of the songs, jokes, and limericks that can’t be heard on the streets hosted by The Singing Sirens and emceed by the “ORIGINAL” drunken sailor, Axel the Sot, for ages 21 and over! Held at 5:30 each festival day, $30

Whiskey Witches of Willy-Nilly Tasting -enjoy 5 premium tastes of spiritous beverages at  the Tipsy Cauldron at 1pm each festival day. $35

Pub Crawl – Be guided on an interactive adventure filled with games, fun, trivia or dare, laughter, and long-lasting memories with friends new and old. 1:30 & 3:30 daily, $30

Ohio Renaissance Festival

Where history and fantasy collide!

10542 E State Route 73
Waynesville, OH 45068

513-897-7000

Group discounts are available for groups of 15 or more. Call (937) 805-9320 for details
or visit the group sales page.

 

The Theatre Guild Continues to Move the Needle Forward with ‘Radio Golf.’

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Waldron Directs ‘Radio Golf’ at Theatre Guild.

The Dayton Theatre Guild has long been known for its cutting edge productions, and its expert presentation of tough subject matter. August Wilson’s ‘Radio Golf‘ remains firmly in that path! I was lucky enough to catch up with the show’s director, Robert-Wayne Waldron. He gave us the inside scoop to this latest performance.

JS: Rob, so good to see you and to get a minute to chat about ‘Radio Golf.’ And with that, why ‘Radio Golf?’ What stuck out about it that made it seem like the play to do today?

RWW:  I did not choose the show it was chosen by the Dayton Theatre Guild to open its 23-24 season. I was chosen from 3 other directors. I jumped at the chance it’s been a few years since I’ve been at the helm of a show and its August Wilson! Radio Golf is the final play in August Wilson’s Century Cycle of ten plays set in Pittsburgh 1997. It tells the story of Harmond Wilks a real-estate developer  who is running to be the first Black mayor of Pittsburgh. When he confronted with sacrificing the past in order to pursue progress.

JS: The show has such depth and truly looks at gentrification and politics….etc. What do you hope audiences get from this show?

RWW: I hope our audience gain a better understanding of the continuing struggle of the Black community to preserve our history and traditions and embrace progress without sacrificing that past.

JS: Timely for sure. I know the Theatre Guild is known for dynamic ‘straight’ plays (non-musicals). How would you say this show is relevant in our climate today?

RWW: First of all, it’s August Wilson, the poet of theatre’s Black America. This show puts it right out there, the things that are still happening today the destruction of neighborhoods and communities in the name of progress, but for who…. certainly not the people in those communities. That’s because this progress and the improvements are out of the financial reach of the people in these communities.

JS: We literally can look around our area and see the same. Wow! So, for you, what is it in directing that you enjoy?

Cast of ‘Radio Golf.’

RWW: I enjoy the process of get a show to the stage. Expressing my creativity and working with the actors to bring the words of the script to life.

JS: And do you have a personal favorite show you have done in the area?

RWW: I have directed a lot of theatre over the years! If I had to pick one, it would be this one Radio Golf.   It came along at a difficult time in my life, health wise, and it created an outlet for me not to be in my head with my health issue. I’m working with this amazing cast of actors and its been an awesome experience.

JS: Speaking of….who are you cast and crew?

RWW: Director: Robert-Wayne Waldron, Harmond Wilks: S. Francis Livisay, Mame Wilks: Jena Perry, Roosevelt Hicks: Lessley Scott, Sterling Johnson: Andre Tomlinson & Elder Joseph Barlow: Franklin Johnson.

August Wilson’s Radio Golf at DTG.

JS: This sounds like a real success for the Guild….what about ticket info?

RWW: August Wilson’s Radio Golf opens today, August 25th and runs weekends thru Sept 10th At the Dayton Theatre Guild 430 Wayne Avenue!

Tickets can be purchased online at Daytontheatreguild.org.
JS: Break a leg, my friend. And thanks for talking with me!
Make sure and look into all the great theater happening in dayton this weekend and every weekend!
Keep up by revisiting us at Dayton937.com.
Josh is always looking to highlight your next performance!
Reach out so he can get the story out about your upcoming production!

 

It’s Opening Night for 3 Community Theater Shows

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It’s opening night for INNOVAtheatre‘s The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Photos by #eccentricexposurephotography
Dayton Theatre Guild‘s August Wilson’s Radio Golf
Photos by: Rick Flynn Photography
Tickets: ltcplays.com
You don’t want to miss these shows!!!

 

2nd National Cinema Day – $4 Movies This Sunday

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Still haven’t seen “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer”? This Sunday, you’ll be able to catch up for $4 a ticket in movie theaters nationwide.

Theater owners announced Monday that the second annual National Cinema Day will be held Sunday, Aug. 27. For one day, all movies — in all formats and at all showtimes — will be $4 at participating theaters. More than 3,000 theaters are participating, which accounts for most of the cinemas in the U.S., including the leading chains AMC and Regal.

Some of the chains even have deals on concessions. AMC is offering a small-popcorn-and-drink combo for $5; at Regal, the same combo is only $4. You can get a drink at Angelika for $4, and Cinemark is giving every guest a dollar off any popcorn, soda, or candy.

It’s the second straight year theaters are trotting out the one-day event at the tail end of summer. Last year’s inaugural National Cinema Day, put on by the Cinema Foundation, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Association of Theater Owners, was judged an enormous success. An estimated 8.1 million moviegoers bought $3 tickets on Saturday, Sept. 3.  The discount gimmick turned into the highest attended day of the year for theaters. A normally quiet time instead saw cinemas crowded with moviegoers — and theaters sold plenty of popcorn. This year, the day is moving up slightly on the calendar, shifting from Saturday to Sunday, and costs $1 more.

An Evening of Latin Jazz kicks off The Brightside’s 2023-2024 Season

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Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini

Between the amazing sound system, chic decor, and friendly staff have contributed to fans, The Brightside has quickly become one of Dayton’s favorite indoor music and event venues. While the bulk of their events are private, typically weddings, they are excited to kick off the concert series this fall.

“We have so many amazing outdoor venues around town that are putting out great concerts all summer,” Libby Ballengee, the venue’s music booker said. “We don’t really want to compete with them. So we’re opting for more of a performing arts style calendar, with the majority of our public events happening September through early May.”

The Brightside’s 2023-2024 season kicks off on Wednesday, September 6th with a night of Latin Jazz in their VodVil Bar space. It has an intimate, jazz club feeling that gives old school Dayton music fans a Gilly’s or Canal Street vibe. The evening starts off with local guitarist Frank Calzada, who is reminiscent of early Carlos Santana. The headliners, Natalie Cressman and Ian Falquini, hail from New York City, and are making their Brightside debut.

Natalie is known for being part of Trey Anastasio’s Band, and touring major venues with that ensemble. This duo is her side project and one that’s dear to her heart. Hailed as a “rising star” in the jazz world, she is not only an amazing musician, she’s a fabulous singer too.

Frank Calzada (Photo by Fea Fotos)

Ian Faquini is a Brazilian composer, guitarist, and vocalist who was born in Brazil and has lived in Berkeley, California since the age of eight. He was a member of the renowned Berkeley High School Jazz program, and at the age of 15, Ian met the legendary Brazilian composer Guinga, who became his mentor and inspired him to pursue a career in music.

The combination of these two artists creates an intimate collaboration, drawing from impressionism, jazz, and the great Brazilian songwriting tradition. This is a concert that Latin and jazz fans alike will not want to miss!

The rest of the concert series at The Brightside continues to be eclectic, with a Korean-American folk singer headlining a female songwriter showcase on September 25th. You can find anything from Blues, Celtic, Jam, Rock, and Hip-Hop shows to Dayton Dinner Theater and fundraisers peppered throughout the Brightside’s season. Get tickets and information here: thebrightsidedayton.com

HOW TO GO?

The Brightside Music & Event Venue (905 E 3rd St., Dayton)

Wednesday, Sept 6

Doors 7pm / Show 8pm

$18 advance or $25 day of show – https://www.venuepilot.co/events/81810/orders/new

All ages welcome!

 

 

Magnolia Theatre Company Announces Upcoming Season

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Magnolia Theatre Company, a female driven theatre organization,  announced its highly anticipated 2023-2024 season. With a focus on showcasing powerful female voices and presenting thought-provoking new works, Magnolia Theatre Company returns to the forefront of the Dayton theatre scene.

The season kicks off with the mesmerizing production of “The Moors” by Jen Silverman. This collaboration with the University of Dayton’s Theatre, Dance, and Performance Technology program promises to captivate audiences from November 30 to December 3, 2023. Set in the hauntingly beautiful moors, this play delves into the complexities of relationships and the blurred boundaries of reality, making it a must-see for theatre enthusiasts. Michelle Campbell Hayford, Associate Professor of Theatre at UD, will direct.

In April 2024, Magnolia Theatre Company will present the hilarious and groundbreaking production of “Five Lesbians Eating A Quiche” by Andrew Hobgood and Evan Linder. This uproarious play takes audiences on a journey filled with laughter, warmth, and unexpected twists. Mark your calendars for April 4-7, 2024 at the PNC Arts Annex in Dayton.

As part of the 2023-2024 season, Magnolia Theatre Company will continue the Femme Artisan staged reading series with the support of the Montgomery County Arts and Culture District. This series aims to explore three new plays that celebrate joy and highlight the talent of female playwrights. Kicking off the series is “Beheading Columbus” by Diana Burbano, a thought-provoking play that challenges historical narratives and recently named to the O’Neill Playwriting Finalist list. Andréa Morales will star in this show as Annie Pesch directs. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience this compelling work on October 13-14, 2023 at the PNC Arts Annex. The other titles will be released and produced in 2024.

Gina Handy Minyard, Founding Artistic Director of Magnolia Theatre Company, expresses her excitement about the upcoming season: “We are proud to present an exhilarating lineup of plays that celebrate the diversity and power of female voices. Our collaborations with the University of Dayton and our commitment to showcasing new works ensure that our audiences will be treated to an unforgettable feminist theatrical experience.”

Magnolia Theatre Company continues to push boundaries, champion local talent, and provide innovative and thought-provoking productions to the Dayton community. With each season, they reaffirm their commitment to showcasing the best in feminist theatre while elevating marginalized communities and supporting emerging playwrights.

To stay updated on Magnolia Theatre Company’s upcoming productions and purchase tickets, visit their website. You can also follow them on Facebook (@MagnoliaTheatreCompany) for the latest news and updates.

 

BREAKING: Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan making opening night appearance at Yellow Springs Film Festival

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Raekwon from Wu-Tang

Yellow Springs Film Festival (YSFF) has just announce their opening film on October 6, 2023 is the Midwest Premiere of award-winning documentary short Taking Back The Groove. The moving portrait of disco legend Richie Weeks’ battle to reclaim the rights to his music and restore his legacy in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement is directed by Celia Aniskovich (Call Me Miss Cleo) and executive produced by Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan and trailblazing comedian Russell Peters. A post-screening panel discussion with Weeks, Aniskovich and Raekwon will be moderated by festival Founder Eric Mahoney. Tickets for the event go on sale Thursday, August 24th at 12:00pm EST.

Additional YSFF special events include a conversation with Comedian / Actor Fred Armisen (Portlandia, SNL, Documentary Now); an immersive documentary experience, 32 Sounds, with the director Sam Green and Oscar® winning director Steven Bognar in conversation; and a 40-year retrospective of the band Guided by Voices featuring their seminal documentary Watch Me Jumpstart by Banks Tarver.

Richie Weeks

The Festival program includes documentary features The Cave of Adullam by Laura Checkoway; Rather by Frank Marshall; Citizen Sleuth by Chris Kasick; We Are Fugazi From Washington DC by Joe Gross, Joseph Pattisall & Jeff Krulik; and Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd by Roddy Bogawa & Storm Thorgerson. Narrative features include Fancy Dance by Erica Tremblay; The Secret Art of Human Flight by H.P Mendoza, Madly by Gael García Bernal, Mia Wasikowska, Anurag Kashyap, Sebastián Silva, Sion Sono, & Bat for Lashes; and a 10 Year Anniversary screening of Only Lovers Left Alive by Jim Jarmusch.

The YSFF short films program features work by Steven Bognar, Charlotte Ercoli, Adam Meeks, Stephen Michael Simon, Max Cohn and Ellie Sachs, and will include the World Premiere of Lynn’s Fire by Steve Zahn (The Righteous Gemstones, The White Lotus).

The festival will also present a retrospective of the career of longtime Yellow Springs resident and Academy Award® winning director Julia Reichert, featuring film posters, interviews and excerpts of her incredible body of work available free to the public.

All films and events will take place October 6-8, 2023 in the village of Yellow Springs, Ohio at the historic Little Art Theatre, The Foundry at Antioch College and Crome Architecture. YSFF is produced by Hotshot Robot Productions Director / Producer Eric Mahoney and Creative Director / Musician Ian Jacobs, supported by the Yellow Springs Community Foundation.

For further info or to purchase tickets and badges please visit: www.ysfilmfest.com/

McCoy on Movies: STRAYS.

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“The audience might be as high as we are if they find this entertaining!” (From left): Bug (Jamie Foxx) Reggie (Will Ferrell), Maggie (Isla Fisher) and Hunter (Randall Park) prepare to have a snack – with unexpected consequences – in a scene from STRAYS. Credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Universal Pictures © 2023 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

 
DIRECTOR: Josh Greenbaum

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Will Forte, Brett Gelman, and the voices of Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Josh Gad, Harvey Guillén, Rob Riggle, Jamie Demetriou and Sofia Vergara

THE STORY: Brought to you (in)famously by the team behind Cocaine Bear and 21 Jump Street, STRAYS centers on Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), a naive, optimistic Border Terrier who doesn’t realize his owner Doug (Will Forte), hates him. Like, really hates him. That’s why when Doug finally is able to ditch him on the streets of the Pacific Northwest, he has no idea what’s going on.
Bug, a Boston Terrier (voiced by Jamie Foxx) with a literal love of couches, however, does. That’s why he decides its best to hip Reggie to what’s happening alongside his crew of Maggie (voiced by Isla Fisher), an Australian Shepherd and Hunter, a stressed out Great Dane (voiced by Russell Park) who doesn’t want to stop wearing his protective cone. Once Reggie realizes what’s happened, he decides his time to take revenge against Doug by biting off his favorite toy (and TRUST ME, it AIN’T a toy!).
But will Reggie get his revenge? There’s only way to find out …
THE REVIEW: Let me be brief: I liked Cocaine Bear. I own 21 Jump Street on Blu-Ray.  STRAYS, however, shouldn’t be adopted by movie audiences.
In fact, for neutering comedy the ways it does, it should be put down with extreme prejudice.
There are essentially three joke subjects in strays: Feces, sex/bodily fluids and anatomy. That’s about it. And they are worn out to death in the dumbest, grossest fashion possibly for 90+ minutes. As a stand-up comedian, I know that when used well, profanity can be of the highest verbal linguistics (see Pryor, Richard and Carlin, George for proof). STRAYS, however, uses profanity (along with the aforementioned three other subjects) so gratuitously that it becomes as ineffective as it is offensive. And it’s plenty offensive simply for how much it wears out those three tropes.
I for one am extremely happy Jamie Foxx is doing better after his recent health episode not only for his own well-being, but for the fact this hopefully won’t be his last theatrical release. The film tries to break free from its 14 year-old boy juvenile nature in its last act … Only to have that derailed by more silliness before the eventual “I guess I’m still watching this” ending. Forte is a shoo-in for a Golden Raspberry nomination, which might be the only endorsement PETA or the SPCA might give this gross-out trainwreck of a comedy. I mean, the long-forgotten The Happytime Murders was FAR more entertaining than this even though you knew it was wrong (and Jim Henson Studios HATED what it did to puppets), but STRAYS …. Not so much. When you find yourself asking “How did this get made?!” and “How much money was wasted on this?!” you probably won’t be thinking “sequel!”
They say all dogs go to heaven – but as STRAYS proves, there really are some bad dogs in this world and this movie is full of them.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

 

 

2023 Fine Art Faculty Exhibition On Display at Sinclair

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Sinclair Community College’s annual Fine Art Faculty Exhibition will usher in the beginning of the 2023/2024 academic year.

Each fall, the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery, the Works on Paper Gallery, as well as other spaces around Building 13 display work from the faculty and adjunct faculty of Sinclair’s Art Department.

The Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery traditionally features one faculty member, and this year will exhibit Self-Portrait: Memory & Reflection by Professor Kelly Joslin, Ph.D. Collage and mixed media explore memory and how time fades, distorts, and reawakens memories. Through self-portraiture Dr. Joslin explores the temporal aspects of her physicality and compares past self-portraits with later and current ones through a combination of abstract compositions and straightforward images.

There will be a virtual artist talk with Dr. Joslin over Zoom on September 1, 2023, at Noon and a reception September 7 from 4:30 pm – 6 pm in Building 13’s 4th Floor Atrium. Visit sinclair.edu/artgalleries for further details.

The Fine Art Faculty Exhibition will be on display from August 14 through September 12, 2023. Gallery spaces are located on the third and fourth floors of building 13 (located at W. Fifth and S. Perry Streets in downtown Dayton). The galleries are free and open to the public from 8 am – 6 pm  Monday–Friday and 9 am – 12:00 pm Saturdays.

Third Thursday Art Lunch at DSA

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ART LUNCH AT HIGH STREET GALLERY

Bring a packed lunch, your artwork or other art to share, or just come for some community. Plenty of Street Parking Available. Handicap Accessible Entry in Back.

Art lunch is every Thursday:
Rosewood: Second and Fourth Thursday
DAI: First and Fifth Thursday

39th Annual Art on the Lawn Festival

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More than 100 artists from Ohio and beyond will gather under the shade trees at 200 S. Walnut St. in the heart of Yellow Springs, Ohio, to show and sell their original, fine arts and fine crafts at this year’s Art on the Lawn on Saturday, August 12, from 10 am-5 pm, rain or shine.

This popular, free, outdoor festival of art, food and music, now in its thirty-ninth year, is sponsored by Village Artisans Gallery of Yellow Springs. Both new and returning artists will present their ceramics, drawings, fiber art, garden art, glass, jewelry, leatherwork, mixed media, paper craft, paintings, photography and more. Food vendors and live music complement the outstanding,
juried artwork.

Premiere of Locally Made Film “Smart House”

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Come and see producer Henrique Couto and director John Oak Dalton’s latest thriller starring Iabou Windimere!
Shot in Dayton Ohio and Muncie Indiana
“An online influencer is trapped in a smart home by a sinister hacker, and forced to start a strange live stream while her family and friends fight to get her free.”
7pm $10.00 at the door

$60K in Artist Opportunity Grants Available

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The Artist Opportunity Grant program is back in 2023 with $60,000 available to foster the professional growth of local artists.

Montgomery County artists can use Artist Opportunity Grants to create new works and pursue imminent opportunities for professional development, such as residences, apprenticeships, and skill-building workshops. Since 2016, the program has awarded more than $220,000 to 77 artists to complete career-advancing projects. This year’s grants will support projects happening between January 1 and December 31, 2024.

The Artist Opportunity Grant program is funded by the Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District (MCACD) and administered by Culture Works, the Dayton Region’s local art agency and united arts fund. In this cycle, the maximum grant amount has increased from $3,000 to $5,000 and there is greater flexibility in how funds can be used. Artists applying for funding to create new works will now be able to use up to 20% of awarded funds to offset the cost of their time.

It is important for the community to support artists according to Matt Dunn, MCACD Executive Director. “As an economic sector, the arts contribute to our quality of life and our economy,” Dunn said. “Yet, at the same time, artists and many creative professionals struggle to cover their expenses.”

To support applicants, Culture Works will host a virtual information session on August 15th, project ideation sessions on August 22nd and 24th, and grant writing workshops during the application period. Additionally, applicants will have the opportunity to request a free consultation to gain feedback on their applications before submitting.

Lisa Hanson, Culture Works Executive Director

“Empowering local artists to grow and express themselves through their art benefits the community as a whole,” said Lisa Hanson, President & CEO of Culture Works. “The continued support of Montgomery County and their commitment to artist development inspires Dayton Region artists to evolve in their artistic practice and, in turn, enrich our lives.”

Artists can apply through the Culture Works website, cultureworks.org, beginning August 7th. The deadline to apply is October 6th. In November, an independent panel of artists, arts administrators, and other knowledgeable community members will review applications and make funding recommendations at a virtual public meeting.

For full program guidelines, key dates, and more about the Artist Opportunity Grant program, visit cultureworks.org.

Opening Night for Free Outdoor Play “The Wizard of Oz”

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Springboro Community Theatre is proud to present “The Wizard of Oz”, directed by Matt Kuntzman, with Music & Vocal Direction by Judy Mansky and Chorography by Lillian Robillard.
Performances are August 4-6 & 11-13 at 7:30pm at North Park Amphitheater in Springboro! This event is free to the public, and no tickets are required.
We’re off to see the wizard! Young Dorothy Gale is swept away by a tornado from her Kansas farm to the magical land of Oz. There, she encounters a host of whimsical characters: good witches, bad witches, animals that talk, scarecrows that walk, and things magical to behold. To find her way home, she must journey along the Yellow Brick Road to see the mysterious and all-powerful Wizard in Emerald City. Along the way, she makes new friends, but must also brave many dangers, including the Wicked Witch of the West, who will stop at nothing to get her hands on Dorothy’s magical ruby slippers. To make it home safely, Dorothy must learn an important lesson: there’s no place like home.

Spotlight on the 937 Community Theatre 2023-2024 Season!

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With all of the community theaters in town we thought we would spotlight their upcoming seasons. This will give you plenty of time to fill your calendars and purchase season tickets. This week I am happy to spotlight Brookville Community Theatre and Troy Civic Theatre.

 

Brookville Community Theatre located at 770 Arlington Rd Brookville, OH 45309 is at the end of their 38th Season. The Neil Simon comedy Plaza Suite, Directed by James Nelson will be performed September 7-17.  Brookville will tie up their season with Stuck At Home, directed by Bonnie Bertelson. You can see this comedy November 9-19, 2023.  Tickets for all shows at Brookville Community Theatre can be purchased here:  https://thebct.org/

 

Troy Civic Theatre, which has been producing shows at The Barn in the park since 1965 will open their 2023-2024 Season with I Hate Hamlet by Paul Rudnick and is to be directed by Erin Gibbons. Performances run September 15-24.

November 10-19,  you can see Lysistrata by Aristophanes, directed by Derek Dunavent. In the midst of an ongoing war between Athens and Sparta, the Athenian Lysistrata calls together an assembly of women from throughout Greece to present her plan for peace. Continuing into 2024, Troy will produce Moon Over the Brewery by Bruce Graham which will be directed by Steve Dietrich. Performances: March 1-10, 2024

Wrapping up their season, Derek Dunavent will direct Godspell by John-Michael Tebelak, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.  Based on the Gospel of Matthew, Godspell features an eclectic group of people who team up with Jesus to teach his lessons in a new day and time.  Performances of this fan favorite musical will be May 3-12, 2024. You can get tickets for the season at https://troycivictheatre.com.

 

Thank you to all of the Theatres for helping me with information to put this series together. There are many great options for everyone in 2023-2024. I hope you visit some of these theaters and are amazed by the wonder that is Community Theatre.

Interested in Comedy Sketch Writing? There’s a Class For That!

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Interested in learning sketch comedy writing from a professional writer? Looking to learn from the comfort of your own home? The Black Box is bringing you their second sketch writing course taught by the one and only Jonterri Gadson, writer on HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and Netflix’s “The Upshaws.” Students will write their own sketches and be considered for sketch writing at the Black Box Improv Theater. Classes take place every Sunday for four weeks starting August 6th from 3-6pm.
Students can receive the full experience, sit in on classes, write sketches, and receive professional feedback for $125, or sit in on classes and learn to write sketches without feedback for $75.
Register online at daytonblackboximprov.com (link in bio). You will receive a Zoom link prior to the start of classes.