Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

On Stage Dayton

This Syd Wasn’t Vicious. This Syd Was Visionary.

By Leave a Comment

DPO presents The Music of Pink Floyd with Windborne

At times, genius has been known to border on insanity.

Though some consider that statement a myth, recent research out of Sweden argues  that it could be true. Case in point: Pink Floyd co-founder and rock legend Syd Barrett.

Pink Floyd set the standard for progressive and psychedelic rock. Often times their lyrics were downright thoughtful, the art on their albums inventive, their sound untested, and their live performances sophisticated and intricate. As a result, they achieved worldwide success selling over 200 million albums and earning induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

None of which would have been possible without the innovative genius of Syd Barrett.

In 1965, the four members of the original band (Roger Waters, Nick Mason, Richard Wright, and Syd) were all students. Sid’s drive and leadership led to the release of two singles that made the charts, Arnold Layne and See Emily Play, followed by their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in December 1967. Not long after, suffering from failing mental health Syd left the group.

Along with the problems that marked Syd’s changed nature the group had lost the benefit of his genius. For example, he had written two original songs (Butterfly and Lucy Leave) for their first demo tape; played around with lengthy instrumental jaunts and  elementary slide-and-colored-light shows. Syd’s personal moves on stage were high-spirited, improvised, and bordering on inspired madness. Madness that began to have a detrimental effect on the group’s future.

Syd began abusing LSD.

At one concert, guitar around his neck, Syd simply stood still on stage with his arms hanging down. While taping for The Pat Boone Show, Syd mimed a song perfectly in rehearsal then stood perfectly still during the take.

Pink Floyd was at its wits end. It added David Gilmour as its fifth member, hopefully to  cover for Syd’s foul-ups and – as a last resort – keep Syd on solely to write. Frustrated with his new role on the sidelines, Syd started teaching the band a new song, Have You Got It Yet? It couldn’t; whether purposely or not, Syd kept changing the arrangement on each performance, and the group couldn’t learn it.

In March 1968, Syd left Pink Floyd. He had been the creative genius behind the group. Now he couldn’t even remember he had left, turning up for a play date every now and again, bewildered as to what was happening. When Pink Floyd was working on a new album, Syd showed up unannounced and left without saying goodbye. Except for a run-in between Waters and Syd a few years later, none of the group ever saw him again.

In the 35 years since having left the group, Syd had all but disappeared. He dabbled with painting and spent most of his time gardening. On July 7, 2006, 60-year-old Syd Barrett died at his home in Cambridgeshire, England. No Pink Floyd members attended his funeral.

Syd is gone, but his genius remains.

The British national press has praised his contributions to music.

David Bowie has called Syd Barrett a major inspiration.

A teenage The Edge (of U2 fame) bought his first delay pedal after hearing the opening to Animals.

The Pet Shop Boys paid homage to The Wall during a performance in Boston.

Foo Fighters, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, The Mars Volta, Tool, Queensryche, Scissor Sisters, Rush, Radiohead, Gorillaz, Mudvayne, Nine Inch Nails, Primus and Smashing Pumpkins, some of whom have recorded Pink Floyd covers, have all been influenced by Syd Barrett.

In 1975 even Pink Floyd paid tribute to Syd with the album Wish You Were Here.

Syd is gone, but the genius of his visionary music and concert techniques lives on.

On Thursday, February 9 at 8 pm ­in the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present The Music of Pink Floyd with Windborne, the second concert in the DPO’s Rockin’ Orchestra Series.  (Click for Tickets)

Conductor Brent Havens and rock ensemble Windborne Music will join the DPO and bring the full glory of Pink Floyd’s sound to the Mead stage, deftly melding rock with orchestra in a setting of mesmerizing visual effects.

Syd would have approved.

 

Enchanting Entertainment

By Leave a Comment

MUSE MACHINE Wizard of OZThe Muse Machine delivers a first-rate, crowd-pleasing production of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz,” the arts education organization’s 28th annual student musical presented at the Victoria Theatre.

Over 100 Muse students from across the Miami Valley are featured in director Rufus Bonds, Jr.’s faithful, fluid and fast-paced staging of the beloved 1939 film, adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company and fueled with fantastic tunes by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. In addition to strong, engaging portrayals by key players and music director Timothy Olt’s steady orchestra, a truly vibrant ensemble executes Lula Elzy’s lively choreography with unified joy, especially in the absolutely adorable Munchkinland sequence, sprightly “Merry Old Land of Oz” and exuberant “Jitterbug.”
As Dorothy Gale, Madeline Shelton impresses far beyond her lovely rendition of “Over the Rainbow.” Fully present in each moment and particularly careful not to underplay the pivotal Kansas scenes, Shelton astutely showcases the spectrum of Dorothy’s capricious personality from bratty insensitivity to poignant self-awareness. She is also firmly supported by a delightful trio consisting of the amiably understated Dan Baughn (Hunk/Scarecrow), very endearing Davis Sullivan (Hickory/Tin Man), who delivered a breakthrough performance as Jack in last year’s Muse production of “Into the Woods,” and charming, fittingly Bert Lahr-esque Jeremiah Plessinger (Zeke/Cowardly Lion).
Further, Odette Gutierrez del Arroyo is terrifically intimidating as Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West, Cameron Hale Elliott distinctively tackles the roles of Professor Marvel, Emerald City Guard and The Wizard of Oz, Paige McDonald and Patrick Espy are believably bonded as Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, Kaja Burke-Williams, Carly Snyder (a phenomenal Little Red Ridinghood in “Into the Woods”) and Ellen Geiselman hit the mark as feisty, sashaying trees, and Hayley Penchoff, possessing a striking Billie Burke sensibility and timbre, shines as Glinda.
Equipped with colorful sets and costumes provided by Music Theatre of Wichita, this thoroughly entertaining “Oz,” dynamically accented with whimsical and ominous flourishes courtesy of sound/film designer David Sherman, is an enchanting example of the Muse pedigree.

“The Wizard of Oz” continues through Jan. 15 at the Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St. Performances are Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Act One: 65 minutes; Act Two: 60 minutes. Tickets are $25-$59. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com

Two Twenty-Somethings Revitalize 78-Year Musical Tradition

By Leave a Comment

DPO presents Concertmaster’s Choice at site of Orchestra’s birth

To paraphrase Daphne du Maurier, “Last night I dreamt I went to Viterbo again.”

Viterbo is a little town among the hills forty miles north of Rome. It’s the site of a five-sided villa built in the Renaissance for the use of Cardinal Alexander Farnese. And, while I’ve never actually been to Viterbo, I have been to a building that very much resembles the Cardinal’s villa – the Dayton Art Institute.

Standing sentinel over the Miami River at the intersection of Belmont and Riverview Avenues, the 92-year-old Dayton Art Institute – or DAI – is a classical example of the Italian Renaissance architectural style that echoes the romance and beauty of the villa in Viterbo.

And the DAI is also the home of a time machine…of sorts – the Renaissance Auditorium. To attend a concert there is to step back in time to an era when grace and civility were hallmarks of a society that treasured its music and its musical heritage. And the trip begins at the entrance to the DAI.

Whether you enter from the parking lot on the Forest Avenue side or through the magnificent main entrance atop a set of two Italianate balustraded steps, you get the feeling that you are about to experience something special. Walking through either of the two high, entablature-topped, carved walnut doors to the Renaissance Auditorium, you’re suddenly transported back to 16th-century Italy.

Three tapestries adorn the Auditorium’s composite limestone brick walls, the base of which is green marble. In an opera setting for 500 concertgoers, a sloping floor makes the entire room feel smaller and considerably more intimate than its size would suggest.

The room is done in the Italian manor, with a painted ceiling of twenty alternating octagonal and rectangular Italian walnut coffers (ornamental sunken panels) with carved step molding. The four corners of the ceiling contain octagonal panels that echo the building’s design and represent the Arts of Sculpture, Painting, Music, and Literature. The ceiling’s center panel contains a dramatically lit sky scene, and the proscenium arch that surrounds the stage appears to be marble, but is actually painted walnut.

And, acoustically, there’s not a bad seat in the house.

Stand at stage center and talk in a normal tone of voice, and you can be heard clearly from the furthest points in the room. That’s the Auditorium’s finest feature. It was specifically designed for music, plays, and non-political lectures.

And the classical music heard here, totally unenhanced electronically, is the way the composers expected it to sound, the way you would have heard it had you been alive at the time of its composition. That includes not only small ensembles and chamber music groups, but full symphony orchestras as well.

In fact in 1933, two years before it formally incorporated, founder Paul Katz (then only 26) and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO) used the Auditorium to practice before performing two concerts there in June. After moving to Memorial Hall, the DPO continued to use the Auditorium as a rehearsal site until the 1960s.

On Thursday­, January 26 at 8pm, the DPO will perform in the Renaissance Auditorium once more in Concertmaster’s Choice, represented solely by DPO Concertmaster Jessica Hung accompanied on piano by Zsolt Bognár (his first name is pronounced “Zholt”; the Zs sounds like the “s” in pleasure). Like Paul Katz when he first performed there, both these musicians are in their twenties.

But Jessica’s performed there before. “I performed in the Renaissance Auditorium at the Dayton Art Institute for my recital last season,” she states, “and it is a very special place.”

And she has performed in enough places to make an accurate comparison. Violinist Jessica Hung is Concertmaster of not only the DPO, but she also serves as Concertmaster of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and previously held the same position in the Chicago Civic, Northwestern University, Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM), and Ashland Symphony Orchestras. She was also Assistant Concertmaster with the Akron Symphony Orchestra.

“As a relatively new member of Dayton’s artistic community, it is an honor to be part of the city’s rich cultural history and to perform live right in the footsteps of my predecessors, surrounded by great works of both traditional and modern art.”

Zsolt Bognár joins Jessica for this engagement, adding his sensitive accompanist’s skills to four works for violin and piano by Beethoven, Franck, Prokofiev, and Gershwin.

­Born in Urbana, Illinois, in 1982, Zsolt carries triple citizenship in the United States, the European Union/Hungary, and the Philippines. In 2007 he was the recipient of a Distinguished Fellowship Award to the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where he worked with Jerome Lowenthal and won the Carlisle Medal from the Wideman Competition the same year.

“I first performed with Zsolt before I actually met him,” Jessica remembers. “He is a few years older than I and had won the CIM Concerto Competition, and I happened to be in the orchestra that was accompanying him on Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major.  I thought his playing was phenomenal – technically superb, but most importantly characterized by real emotional depth, which I value in any musician. I was so spellbound by his cadenza (long solo section) at the concert that I almost forgot to come in afterwards!  Later, we met through a mutual friend and simply became good friends.”

“This is thankfully not the first time that I have worked with another soloist in a duo-recital setting,” Zsolt remarks. “Musical friendships are the most rewarding aspect of a performing artist’s activities, and a number of my musical partnerships from student days were not only rewarding, but several of my musical friends went on to hold major orchestral positions.”

Zolt has  known Jessica through school for about five years, and they met through friends. “Performing on stage with friends is my favorite way to make music – it becomes about sharing,” he states, “It’s a back-and-forth between the performers and the audience. Musical phrases and ideas take on a new meaning and authenticity when heartfelt, which is so much easier to sense when on stage with a close friend and musical colleague.”

Especially in the warm, resonant ambiance of the Dayton Art Institute’s Renaissance Auditorium…

Concertmaster’s Choice

Thursday­, January 26, 2012
6:30 pm, Dayton Art Institute Renaissance Auditorium ­

BEETHOVEN Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 4 in A minor NOTES
FRANCK Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major NOTES
PROKOFIEV Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in F minor NOTES
GERSHWIN (arr. HEIFETZ) Three Preludes for Violin and Piano NOTES

JESSICA HUNG concertmaster WEBSITE
ZSOLT BOGNAR piano WEBSITE 
Click for Tickets

A Lovely Night

By 1 Comment

The incredibly tuneful and timeless legacy of American musical theater pioneers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II is saluted in Walter Bobbie’s 1994 Tony Award-nominated revue “A Grand Night for Singing,” fluidly staged and choreographed by Richard Croskey at the Dayton Playhouse.

Infused with romantic ambience and sophistication, “Grand Night” breezily spotlights the joy, sentimentality and wit that colored the dynamic duo’s groundbreaking collaboration, spanning 16 years (1943-1959) and 11 productions (“Oklahoma!” to “The Sound of Music”). Instead of adopting the engagingly anecdotal, composer-driven blueprint of “Side By Side By Sondheim,” the 1977 Tony Award-nominated revue that inserts facts and tidbits to create an expansive, eye-opening narrative, Bobbie links each song by varying relationship-driven themes such as budding love, hurtful rejection and parental tenderness. His decision isn’t conceptually substantive, especially for R&H fans desiring to know more about them as songwriters and producers, but is an accurate reflection of the title, a clear reminder that the music is paramount.

Consisting of 38 songs and an unnecessary intermission, “Grand Night” unfolds as a familiar and eclectic hodgepodge. As with most revues, some of my favorites didn’t make the cut (in this instance, the long list includes “A Cockeyed Optimist,” “A Fellow Needs a Girl,” “Getting to Know You,” “I Am Going to Like It Here,” “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “In My Own Little Corner,” “Mister Snow,” “My Lord and Master,” “People Will Say We’re in Love,” “That’s for Me,” “The Next Time It Happens,” “What’s the Use of Wond’rin’,” “You Are Beautiful,” “You Are Never Away,” “Younger than Springtime” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone”). Still, I particularly admire the refreshing twists within Fred Wells’ intricate music arrangements, the obscure “All At Once You Love Her” from 1955’s “Pipe Dream,” and the five chestnuts from 1947’s underappreciated “Allegro,” particularly “I Know It Can Happen Again” and sublime “So Far.”

Cast of "A Grand Night for Singing"

Croskey’s cast, backed by musical director Ron Kindell’s excellent orchestra complete with harp, cello and grand piano, is comprised of an admirable, cohesively interactive quintet. Carol Chatfield offers lovely renditions of the aforementioned “Allegro” tunes and a very heartfelt “Something Wonderful.” Kathy Clark winningly handles such strong character numbers as “A Wonderful Guy,” “The Gentleman Is A Dope” and “If I Loved You.” Patricia DiPasquale-Krul, who joins Chatfield and Clark for a jazzy version of “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” pensively interprets “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?” Tom Lehmann, sweetly partnered with DiPasquale-Krul for “When The Children Are Asleep,” supplies an absolutely striking, encore-worthy rendition of the gorgeous ballad “Love, Look Away,” lushly accented by cellist Anna Brossart. Matthew Bone is occasionally pitchy yet specifically succeeds with “This Nearly Was Mine.”

The prickly Rodgers and the sensitive Hammerstein might have been unlikely partners, but “Grand Night” warmly ensures their indelible handiwork, unabashedly heightening the thrill of beautiful mornings and enchanted evenings, will remain impactful for generations to come.

“A Grand Night for Singing” continues through Jan. 15 at the Dayton Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Act One: 46 minutes; Act Two: 36 minutes. Tickets are $10-$15. For tickets or more information, call (937) 424-8477 or visit www.daytonplayhouse.org

Stepping in the Spotlight

By Leave a Comment

DPO gives the ultimate team player the ball

Christina Coletta

She is hardly a rookie.

She received her first musical instruction in public school, studied privately with Youngstown State University Professor of Music Michael Gelfand, and became a Bachelor of Music and Artist Diploma student of Lee Fiser at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

She served as Principal Cellist of the CCM Philharmonia, performed as soloist with the Starling Chamber Orchestra, appeared in a live interview and performance for a WGUC broadcast,  and attended the Chautauqua Music Festival studying there and performing in master classes.

She has performed with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, served as interim Principal Cellist with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and frequently served as an extra musician with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, performing with the orchestra on its 2008 European and China tours.

The Cincinnati Enquirer has praised her for her “beautifully felt” playing. A passionate chamber musician, she has performed with the Amicus Chamber Players and is a member of Concert:Nova, a Cincinnati-based chamber music ensemble dedicated to presenting chamber music in fresh, exciting, and unexpected ways.

She is also a founding member of the Duveneck String Quartet and has performed with them throughout the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.

She is hardly an ingénue. But, for all her experience and ability, she remains just out of the range of the spotlight.

She is Christina Coletta, Assistant Principal Cellist of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. And on Sunday, January 22 at 3 pm in the Dayton Masonic Center, when the DPO presents the second concert in its Graeter’s Symphony Sundaes Series, Christina will do something she’s never done before.

She will headline.

“This is the first time I’ve headlined a DPO concert,” Christina states, “although I was the guest cellist with the DPO Principals Quartet for the Schubert Cello Quintet at the Schuster Center a couple seasons ago. I’m incredibly excited to be performing as a soloist this season! This piece, the Brahms Double concerto for cello and violin, is one of the greatest pieces of music in the concerto repertoire. Beyond the unusual use of not one, but two soloists, it has a fabulous orchestral accompaniment, rich and textured.  It’s very much a three-part partnership between violin, cello and orchestra.”

Kirstin Greenlaw, DPO Principal Second Violinist, performs the violin solo. The program also includes Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony.

“There’s nothing “secondary” about the accompaniment (on the Brahms Double concerto), and I love that,” she remarks. “It’s also a fascinating piece of music in that Brahms composed it as a musical olive branch to an estranged, yet dear, friend, the great violinist Joseph Joachim. There are many moments in the piece where the cello most certainly represents Brahms, and the violin is Joachim. Their friendship suffered as a result of Joachim’s divorce, during which Brahms sided with the Joachim’s wife. That’s such an important piece of information to the listener, because – while this piece is not “programmatic” – it is the result of a situation that is still relevant today.”

Kirstin Greenlaw

“The one thing I wish I could express to modern listeners, and especially to people who think that classical music is irrelevant, is that this music was born from the same circumstances that drive modern music. Someone fell in love, their heart got broken, and in the aftermath a symphony was written. It’s no different than when Taylor Swift writes a song today. I wish more people understood that. I think there’d be more connection between the listener and the music if they did. And consequently more desire to explore what classical music has to offer a twenty-first-century listener.”

This is not the first time Christina has performed with fellow orchestra member Kirstin Greenlaw.

“Kirstin and I have been playing chamber music together for over ten years,” Christina notes. “I first played with her when we performed the Brahms Clarinet Quintet with Principal Clarinetist John Kurakowa for a DPO lunchtime concert at the Victoria Theater. We have since played regularly together as members of the Duveneck String Quartet and most recently as the Trillium Quartet with DPO violist Belinda Reuning Burge and violinist Sujean Kim. So, obviously we totally enjoy working together and respect one another immensely as musicians, colleagues, and dear friends.  Kirstin is a fabulous violinist and performer, and I’m so excited to be playing this wonderful piece, written by Brahms with friendship in mind, with her.”

I asked Christina for her impressions of what DPO musicians are like and her general observations on the life of a musician who plays for more than one musical organization.

“Well, I think that’s a two-part question,” she replied. “First, DPO musicians are some of the most talented and committed musicians I have ever worked with. I have had the privilege of playing with several “bigger” orchestras in my career, and I honestly wouldn’t trade my current colleagues for anything. There is a sense of camaraderie and genuine high regard for one another that is not found everywhere in the classical music world.”

“Now, onto the second part of my answer. DPO musicians are also some of the hardest working musicians I know. Most of us have to play in several ensembles, teach, or have second jobs in other fields, as DPO is still a per-service ensemble and doesn’t yet provide benefits. So, I would say that DPO musicians are extremely busy and motivated people, juggling families, work, and their artistic passions.”

And on Sunday, January 22, Christina Coletta will take her artistic passion with her where it deserves to be seen and heard.

In the spotlight.

Greenlaw and Coletta at Center Stage
One Call Now presents Graeter’s Symphony Sundaes Series
Sunday, January 22 ~­ 2012
Dayton Masonic Center, 3 pm

BRAHMS Double Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4

NEAL GITTLEMAN conductor
KIRSTIN GREENLAW principal violinist
CHRISTINA COLETTA assistant principal cellist

 Click for Tickets

Open Auditions for Bus Stop at Dayton Playhouse

By Leave a Comment

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

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

Character Descriptions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

By Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

‘RED’ to Color the Loft Stage

By 2 Comments

PAINTING by Richard Coatney

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

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

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

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

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

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

Michael Kenwood Lippert

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

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

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

Mark Rothko

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

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

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

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

(from Human Race Theatre)

Top 10 Theater of 2011

By Leave a Comment

Brenda Mhlongo in The Lion King

THE GEM CITY

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

Full Review: Let the Spectacle Astound You

Beth Conley in Hairspray

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

Full Review: You Can’t Stop The Bliss

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

Full Review: Worlds Collide In The Bayou

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

Reneé Franck-Reed and Charles Larkowski in Souvenir

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

Full Review: Delusions of Grandeur

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

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

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

Full Review: Heartache and Pain

Cast of 42nd Street

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

Full Review: Go Into Your Dance!

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

Full Review: ‘Dolly’ Is Back And Looking Swell

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

Full Review: Family Matters

JJ Parkey as Hedwig

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

Full Review: Botched But Indestructible

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

THE BIG APPLE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Playhouse Welcomes 2012 with Rodgers & Hammerstein Favorites

By 1 Comment

(from Dayton Playhouse)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For These Phantoms, Three Is Not a Crowd

By Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dayton Philharmonic Presents Three Phantoms in Concert

January 13 & 14 – 8pm

Schuster Performing Arts Center

Click for Tickets

Heartwarming Holiday Treat

By 1 Comment

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

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

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

Telling American Stories in Pictures…with Music

By Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Artist Facing Blank Canvas"

Artist Facing Blank Canvas, 1938

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

The Stay at Homes, 1927

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

"Checkers"

Checkers, 1928

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

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

"Murder in Mississippi"

Murder in Mississippi, 1965

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

The Peace Corp, JFK’s Bold Legacy, 1966

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

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

And as Americans.

Dayton Philharmonic Presents “Musical Gallery”

Ja­nu­ary 6 and January 7 at 8 pm

Schuster Performing Arts Center

Click for Tickets

Astounding Athleticism

By 2 Comments

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

Dayton Ballet presents The Nutcracker

By 1 Comment

Kettering Health Network and Vectren present Dayton Ballet’s 18th annual holiday production, The Nutcracker, December 9-11 and 16-18, 2011. Dayton Ballet has sculpted this classic winter gem to sparkle with Dayton shine, replacing traditional characters with historical Dayton figures, including Virginia Weiffenbach Kettering and Dayton Ballet founders, Josephine and Hermene Schwarz. Dayton Ballet’s professional and pre-professional companies will appear in nine magical performances over two weekends at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.ticketcenterstage.com or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630.

Over 100 children from the Dayton Ballet School and 13 other area dance schools will take the stage in the Miami Valley’s only professional production of The Nutcracker, showcasing the critically acclaimed and nationally recognized Dayton Ballet Company, plus the Dayton Ballet II Senior and Junior Companies and students from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Ohio University dance departments.

Performances of Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker will play Friday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 11 at 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 17 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Celebrity Mother Ginger’s!

Mother Ginger is one of the most colorful and spirited characters in Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker. This year, several local celebrities have volunteered to appear on stage as Mother Ginger.  

  • Ryan Phillips , On-Air Personality and Promotions Director, from 94.5 Lite FM appears Friday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 PM.
  • Kim Faris, On Air Personality at 94.5 Lite FM, is a frequentMotherGinger guest, appearing for the fourth year in a row on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2:30 PM.
  • Neal Gittleman, Music Director for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will make his debut appearance on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 PM.
  • Rachel Murray, news anchor from WHIO AM/FM and weekend announcer, a.k.a.RoxyReynolds, from K99 will debut on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 1:00 PM.
  • Dave Alexander from the Mix FM 107.7 morning show makes his second appearance on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 2:30 p.m.
  • Mike Hartsock, from WHIO TV, News Center 7 Sports, will once again appear on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Don’t miss your chance to see Daytoncelebrities as Mother Ginger in Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker.

Have Tea with the Sugar Plum Fairy!

Enjoy an English Tea inspired luncheon at the SchusterCenteron Saturday, Dec. 10 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Your ticket for the Sugar Plum Tea will include: desserts from the “Land of Sweets,” Sugar Plum Fairy crafts, listening to The Nutcracker story read by a special guest, pictures with a ballet dancer in costume and the opportunity to participate in a silent auction. You can purchase tickets to the Sugar Plum Tea from Ticket Center Stage. Discounted tickets to The Nutcracker may be purchased in conjunction with tickets to the Tea.

Enter The Nutcracker Coloring Contest!

Enter to win four tickets to Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker, four tickets to Behind the Magic Backstage Tour and autographed keepsakes from the Sugar Plum Fairy. In order to win, children must send Dayton Ballet their coloring page, which can be downloaded at the Dayton Ballet website.  Children may also send original artwork inspired by The Nutcracker. Only one entry per child will be considered; children must be between the ages of four and ten and every entry must include the child’s name, age, address, city, state, zip code, parent or guardian’s name, phone number and email on the back of the coloring page. The deadline for all entries is Friday, Dec. 2, 2011. Entries must be mailed or delivered in person to Dayton Ballet 140 N. Main St. Dayton, OH, 45402.

“Behind the Magic” Backstage Tour

The Nutcracker at theSchusterCenter offers excitement and beauty as well as a fun learning experience. Following the Saturday matinee performances, Dayton Ballet will offer “Behind the Magic” BackstageTours (approximately 4:30 p.m.). For $10 patrons can take a backstage tour of theSchusterCenter, meet Dayton Ballet dancers and enjoy refreshments. Simply tell the ticket agent at Ticket Center Stage that you would like the Backstage Tour when you purchase your ticket.

Shop at Dayton Ballet.

If you and those on your holiday shopping list love all things ballet, visit the Ballet Boutique for all of your holiday shopping needs. You can purchase nutcrackers of all shapes and sizes, ballet trinkets and Dayton Ballet apparel to sport around town.

Get a Deal on Nutcracker Tickets.

Visit the Entertainment Book Online and check the Dayton Ballet website at, www.daytonballet.org, for a list of discount opportunities.

For tickets to Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker, the “Behind the Magic” Backstage Tour or the Sugar Plum Tea, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630 or visit online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.  Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Noon-4 p.m. and two hours prior to each performance.

Dayton Ballet’s season sponsor is Kettering Health Network. The Nutcracker is presented by producing sponsors Kettering Health Network and Vectren.  Performance sponsor is: The Soin Family; Dayton Ballet Media Sponsors include: WHIO TV, 94.5 Lite FM and Dayton Daily News. Additional funding is provided by Culture Works, Ohio Arts Council, Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District and Downtown Dayton Partnership.

We have tickets to give away!

CONGRATULATIONS Bethany Locklear – she won tickets for the 12/10 show!  BUT WAIT…  we have FOUR MORE PAIRS of tickets to give away for the remaining shows from 12/16-12/19 !  We’ll give away one pair for every ten “likes” we get on this article (we have 14 at the time of this update) – so be sure to hit the “like” button when you fill out the form.   We’ll announce the remaining winners on Tuesday 12/13 at 2pm – GOOD LUCK!

Contest Closed

Congratulations to our winners!

Janie Hummel
Andrea Hubler
Amy Price
Pam Elswick

Music on the Orient Express – DPO’s New Year’s Celebration

By Leave a Comment

DPO presents a New Year’s Eve musical journey from Paris to Vienna

There once was a long-distance passenger train that ran from Paris to Istanbul, crossing many international borders en route. It was just a train, nothing more. Perhaps the exotic locations it connected lent it an air of mystique. Perhaps it was something much more….

In 1883, the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits initiated railway service on a train it named the Orient Express. Its purpose was to carry passengers in relative style and comfort and provide an enjoyable travel experience.

It was, to say the least, an overachiever.

Imagine for a second what a trip from Paris to Vienna must have been like in 1883. In Paris, the City of Light, you would board the train at Gare de Strasbourg station for a 6:30 pm departure, and a mere 28 hours and 50 minutes later you would arrive in Vienna, Austria, the City of Waltzes. And while, admittedly, that is a very long time by today’s travel standards, the employees of Wagons-Lits did everything possible to make your trip optimally enjoyable.

It started with the train itself. In addition to the locomotive and other support cars, the Orient Express consisted of a baggage car, four sleeping coaches with a total of 58 beds, and a restaurant car.

And when Wagons-Lits said restaurant car, they meant restaurant car. A typical menu might include oysters, soup with Italian pasta, turbot with green sauce, chicken à la chasseur, fillet of beef with château potatoes, chaud-froid of game animals, lettuce, chocolate pudding, and a buffet of desserts.
Sort of like C’est Tout or Rue Dumaine, only on wheels.

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra presents Paris to Vienna: A New Year’s Celebration on Saturday, December 31 at 8pm at the Schuster Center

At first Express d’Orient as the French called it ran only as far as Vienna and back; eventually it expanded its service as far as Istanbul. Regardless of its name and the frontiers it crossed, the Orient Express was as French as French gets. The various stations in the countries along its route lent the train an air of intrigue, and its method of operation and attention to style and personal comfort made it a world standard for luxury travel.
In her novel Murder on the Orient Express, prolific English mystery writer Agatha Christie immortalized the train. And, when he wrote the score for the 1974 film of the same name, Richard Rodney Bennett captured the spirit of the experience of riding the fabled train with a main theme written, fittingly, in the style of a luxurious romantic waltz. The song mimicked the movement of the train itself, starting haltingly (short wheel spins), slowly building tempo (gaining steam), and finally waltzing with abandon (running at top speed).

In 2009, the Orient Express ceased operation, shot in the operational heart by a bullet train, the 186-mile-per-hour TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse), and bombed out of the market by cut-rate airlines.

But its musical spirit lives on.

This New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31 at 8pm in the ­Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra presents Paris to Vienna: A New Year’s Celebration. It can be your ticket to a musical ride on the Orient Express.

Your journey starts in Paris, where the music of Hector Berlioz, Camille Saint-Saëns, Jacques Offenbach, Emmanuel Chabrier, and Maurice Ravel gets your evening off and running at full speed.

Your musical train stops only once en route. And not for water. New Year’s Eve Intermission at the DPO features complimentary champagne!

Back on board, the musical program of light classics, opera arias, and festive favorites continues. Vienna is just around the next bend; the music of Johann Strauss, Jr., the Waltz King – overtures, marches, polkas, and (of course) waltzes – completes the journey.

And a balloon drop in the Mead Theater celebrates your arrival.

Bonne Année! A guads Neichs Johr olle mitanand!

Happy New Year!

TICKET CONTEST

We’ve partnered with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra to give away TWO PAIRS of tickets to Paris to Vienna: A New Year’s Celebration!  Simply fill out the form below for a chance to win – we’ll draw winners on Friday, December 9 at 2pm.  Check back here or on our Facebook page to find out if you are a winner… GOOD LUCK!

(Contest Closed)

Congratulations to our two random winners:

Vince Bryant

Julie Westwood

Happy New Year!