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Under a Red Moon – A Chilling Production by Human Race Theatre

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The Human Race Theatre Company adds a special production to its 2012-2013 Season with Michael Slade’s new play Under a Red Moon. Witness a chilling psychological thriller inspired by the true events of Britain’s notorious 1949 “Acid Bath Murderer.” Confessed serial killer John George Haigh awaits trial in prison as Dr. Ruth Covington arrives to determine his mental state for the court. While he welcomes their one-on-one encounter, Haigh won’t give up his secrets too easily, knowing full well that it’s the hangman’s noose if he is found sane. This world premiere co-production with The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center is a tightly-wound cat-and-mouse game to define the meaning of good and evil. Under a Red Moon runs for a limited two-week engagement at The Loft Theatre, October 18 through 27, before transferring to The Carnegie’s Covington, Kentucky venue for an additional nine performances, November 2 through 18.

Michael Slade (Photo: Susan Burnstine)

Playwright Michael Slade was intrigued by the story of the Acid Bath Murderer’s horrific deeds years ago when he was having lunch with a wealthy theatre producer who confided in him that she and a friend nearly became Haigh’s victims when they met him while on a European tour in the 1940s. They met him while staying in a London hotel and it was only through luck that a last minute change of plans kept them from a taking a daytrip with him. Slade continues, “Several weeks later, every newspaper had a picture of Haigh and the caption: ‘Acid Bath Murderer Confesses!’ They learned that he routinely befriended his well-off victims and lured them to the country where he killed them and disposed of the bodies in vats of acid.” Haigh’s “confession” and his insanity plea intrigued Slade. “Can any serial killer be considered truly sane? And how does one prove oneself insane?” he wondered. And in that exploration, Slade had found his play.

[dropshadowbox align=”left” effect=”lifted-both” width=”200px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Under a Red Moon
Oct 18 – 27, 2012
Tue: 7pm
Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat: 8pm
Sun: 2pm & 7pm
At The Loft Theatre
Purchase Tickets
[/dropshadowbox]Under a Red Moon’s three-member cast includes returning regional actor Daniel C. Britt (Human Race and Wright State University’s 2010 August: Osage County) as Ralph Gow, and newcomers Bradford Cover (A Thousand Clowns on Broadway) as John George Haigh and Dee Pelletier (Broadway’s August: Osage County) as Dr. Ruth Covington. The production is directed by Margarett Perry (Human Race’s God of Carnage and The Retreat from Moscow) with set design by Scott J. Kimmins, costume design by Ayn Wood, lighting design by John Rensel and sound design by Nathan D. Dean. Aaron Vega is the stage manager.

“We’re very excited to be able to work with The Carnegie Center on Under a Red Moon,” says Human Race Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore. “We share a similar mission and I’ve long admired their willingness to do daring work. We’ve been looking for a show on which we could collaborate for years, and when Michael presented us with this script, all the pieces just fell into place.” The co-production opportunity allows both companies to present this brand new work to their audiences while sharing expenses and combining resources.

Submitted by The Human Race Theatre Company

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS to give away to see Under a Red Moon at the Metropolitan Art Center’s Loft Theatre – simply fill out the form below and leave a comment telling us that YOU want to win tickets (be sure to check the Post To Facebook box so you can share with your FB friends).  We’ll announce winners on Monday 10/15 after 10am – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winners!

Karla Jervis
and
Kathy Chambers

Hallow’s Eve Tea at Patterson Homestead

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Throughout history, many have remembered the souls that have departed this earth on All Hallow’s Day with many traditions forming around this day, and All Hallow’s Eve the night before. Come enjoy a warm cup of tea and tour through the Patterson Homestead while learning about the rituals the Patterson family would have observed during the Victorian Era.
This historic house museum provides a glimpse into the multi-generational lives of Dayton’s influential Patterson family, who lived on the site from 1804 to 1904. The Federal style house, which was constructed in three major components between 1810 and 1850, was originally the home of Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Robert Patterson and his wife, Elizabeth Lindsay Patterson.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”300px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Hallow’s Eve Tea at Patterson Homestead
1815 Brown Street, Dayton, OH
October 27 & 28, 2012
2:00pm-4:00pm
$18 for Dayton History members
$20 for Non-members
Call 937-222-9724 for Reservations
Website
[/dropshadowbox]Frank J. Patterson’s son, Jefferson, donated the house and its 8.5 acres to the City of Dayton in 1953 for use as a meeting center and family memorial. At the time of donation, the house was presented fully furnished with 18th and 19th century antiques along with several original family pieces. Over the years, the artifact collection has grown to include more family-related artifacts that are housed in six period rooms.

Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival

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The Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival will open at the Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education (CJCE) on Thursday, October 11 at 7 p.m. The festival (running from October 11 through December 4) will bring to Dayton a colorful array of cultural events for all ages, including bestselling authors, a local film premiere and musical entertainment the whole family can enjoy. Festival events will be held at the Boonshoft CJCE, except for the Dayton premiere of local filmmaker Aileen LeBlanc’s documentary Take Us Home, which will be held at the Dayton Art Institute on Thursday, November 15 at 7 p.m.

David F. Chapman

Opening night (Thursday, October 11, 7 p.m.) at the Boonshoft CJCE will feature a solo performance of Raoul Wallenberg: Letters From Young Men by New York based director, writer and performer David F. Chapman. Honoring his 100th birthday, the performance tells the story of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish humanitarian who chose to act and saved thousands of Jews from extradition to Nazi death camps. The performance humanizes the Holocaust hero by combining theatre, historical events, selections from a recently published archive of Wallenberg’s letters, and Chapman’s own childhood diaries.

The nationally-known a cappella group The Maccabeats will kick off his year’s 2013 United Jewish Campaign at the Boonshoft CJCE on Sunday, November 4, 2:30 p.m. Known for their family-friendly musical stylings, The Maccabeats inject Jewish culture into current pop-music favorites, creating comedy and history lessons every generation can enjoy and learn from. During the event, community members will have the opportunity to make their 2013 pledge to the United Jewish Campaign, which provides funds to Jewish agencies and social services in Dayton, Israel, and around the world.

The Maccabeats

The line-up, spanning from October through December, also includes four author events that cover genres such as history, post-apocalyptic political and historical fiction, lighthearted romantic satire, and deep personal loss and recovery.

The Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival is presented annually by the Dayton Jewish Community Center (DJCC). “On behalf of the Dayton Jewish Community Center, we are excited to bring an array of thought provoking events to the community. Our festival allows participants to immerse themselves in rich, cultural activites that everyone can enjoy.” says Cheryl Carne, director of the DJCC.
The chairperson of this year’s festival, Dr. Martin Jacobs, says, “Each year we try to feature a diverse collection of interesting authors and performers. We want not just the Jewish community but anyone and everyone in the area to feel welcome and engaged by the activities. Our goal is something for everyone!”
Tickets for events are available at the door or in advance online at www.jewishdayton.org. For more information, please call the DJCC at 937-853-0372.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”300px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival
Opens Thursday Oct. 11, 2012
Click for Details
Click to Purchase Tickets
[/dropshadowbox]

2012 Cultural Arts and Book Festival Lineup

 

Thursday, October 11 Raoul Wallenberg: Letters From Young Men

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Co-sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice

Event Details

 

Tuesday, October 16 Sweet & Meet with Author Rich Cohen

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Event Details

 

Sunday, November 4 The Maccabeats

2:30 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

 

Wednesday, November 7 Perfect is Overrated with author Karen Bergreen

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

 

Thursday, November 15 Take Us Home

7 p.m. Dayton Art Institute

A collaborative sponsorship: The Dayton Art Institute; FilmDayton; WYSO; the DJCC’s Cultural Arts Department and the Jewish Community Relations Council

 

Thursday, November 29 The Aftermath of 9/11 with author Jennifer Gardner Trulson

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Sponsored by the Brandeis-Joffe Scholarship Fund of the Dayton Jewish Federation Foundation in memory of Eugene and Pearl Joffe

 

Thursday, December 6 The Truth About Fiction: An Interactive Panel Discussion with authors Martha Moody and Eileen Pollack

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

SummitUp, A #Socialmedia Confab

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In the 1920’s, radio broadcasters were looking for more. They knew they had a great way to deliver information into the homes of everyone in the country, but how to get sponsors to buy into it? Radio up to that point had been informational; mainly news and politics delivered in factual and dry terms; nothing really compelling to listen to. Advertisers were not seeing much of a return from the money they were investing, and were leery about investing more. Broadcasters needed to create something that would attract a different audience; an audience that was around the house all day, and was going to make the decisions on what household goods to buy. They decided that fresh content should be mainly about families, and how they lived their lives. They wanted this content to appeal to the housewife, as if they were looking into another person’s house without leaving their own. This new content attracted sponsors in the early 1930’s like Proctor and Gamble, who used these shows to help promote their soaps like Oxydol. Thus was born the “soap opera”, turning what once was used to just a platform for delivering information into a money maker. The Golden Age of Radio boomed, and the soap opera, and eventually the sit com and variety show, boomed with it.

Now, being eighty years removed from radio soaps, marketers are all facing the same questions in a new realm that once simply provided information, or a way to connect, and a few small advertisements. How do we get more Facebook “Likes”? What do we need to do to get more Twitter followers? What makes something that is visually compelling on Pinterest, so we can pin it and tweet about it? And how do we get all of these people we are interacting with to go somewhere to buy our product? On top of that, how do we measure all of this so when people in the C-suite start asking questions, we have good answers for them? We are all asking these questions, some of us longer than others. As we all wander, searching for the same answers, we have a few intrepid people that have found some of the edges of this new realm, and brought back new and exciting information to share. The marketing community of Dayton has helped to organize some of these people at Sinclair Community College on October 16th, 2012, for SummitUp, a full day marketing communications, public relations, and digital information conference.

This event is a major undertaking, involving the efforts of not only many of the top talents in the area, but a small army of volunteers. David Bowman, Chief Marketing Strategist for The Ohlmann Group and one of the organizers of SummitUp, states they want it appeal “to early adopters of technology who demand complexity and bleeding edge information while at the same time delivering content that is accessible to newcomers too.” The speaking talent this year is top notch, with major keynote speakers, local brilliant talent, and opportunities to meet all of the top marketing and communication talent in the area. On top of that, the volunteers help to make the event as affordable as possible to the widest number of people, so more people can experience it. “Ultimately, the event has an incredible team of volunteers who work very hard to make sure that those who invest the time and money to attend get value from coming to the event.”, affirms Bowman.

The day begins at 7 AM at breakfast. It is going to be a full day, and you are going to need all the energy you can get. The first keynote speaker of the day will be Todd Henry, creator of the website and podcast The Accidental Creative, as well as the writer of the highly praised book The Accidental Creative, How to be Brilliant on a Moment’s Notice. He is an expert on how to build an environment that encourages the generation of creative ideas. His podcast interviews some of the top creative minds across a wide variety of industries, and offers insights about everything from generating ideas quickly to getting over the dreaded creator’s block.

After his speech, every attendee will be able to attend multiple breakout sessions. There are twelve sessions total, given by some of the best business and social media thinkers in southwest Ohio and Indiana. Each of the sessions is offered twice in back-to-back time frames, so everyone will have a chance to see six of the speakers. Eight of the sessions will happen before lunch, and the final four sessions will happen after lunch. These breakout sessions are designed to give every attendee the greatest chance to bring the right information back to help the social media and communication strategies of your company.

Lunch will be served around noon, and then it will be time for the second keynote of the day. Rohit Bhargava is the a founding member of one of the largest social strategy groups at Oglivy as well as a professor of Global Marketing at Georgetown University. He is a proponent of bringing the human touch back into the marketing world, touting the importance of being likeable as a major factor in success. He is the author of several highly rated and incredibly popular books, Likeonomics (his most recent book) and Personality Not Included. His books are not just something to read; Likeonomics also offers a website full of useful exercises and ideas to help make you and your brand more likeable, and attractive, to future clients.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”320px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]SummitUp
Sinclair Community College, Building 12
October 16th, 7:00am – 4:30pm
Full Day Ticket Member Pricing: $119.00
Full Day Ticket Non – Member Pricing: $159.00
Click for Tickets[/dropshadowbox]

The final keynote of the day is at the end of the last group of four sessions. If you are familiar with the name of the person who is presenting, you have certainly seen his work on multiple websites. His name is Tim Schigel, and he is the chairman and founder of ShareThis, which has their widgets for social media sharing scattered across the Internet. Tim has done innovative work for some of the biggest firms in the country, from Apple to Procter and Gamble. The impetus behind ShareThis was to start measuring how people share the interesting things that they find outside of search engines, and that involves tracking how people use social sites to share. What is getting shared? How is it getting shared? And what is the future of measuring and sharing data?

The transition to social media presents a new set of challenges, much like the first pioneers into radio media faced. Whether you are in traditional media or cultivating pin boards, if you are new to the game or still think fondly of your AOL marketing efforts, SummitUp is a great way to develop your skills in this new realm. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and a bevy of other new platforms are out there for people to use, integrate, and broadcast from. This is a fine opportunity to take advantage of all this brilliance in a local environment, at a great price. Connect with the best talent in Dayton and beyond, and take your marketing efforts to the next level. We all hope to see you on October 16th!

Patterson Canal Parkway: Connecting Downtown Culture

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Image: MorrisTerra www.morristerra.com

For years, Dayton city planners and downtown advocates have heard the same remark over and over:  downtown has many individual assets, but they need to be better connected physically. If one parks for a Dragons game and then walks to bars in the Oregon District, or watches a movie at the Neon and goes for a stroll to Riverscape, the pedestrian experience tends to leave something to be desired.

Pylons to tell the story of the canal

That will soon change with the completion of the Patterson Boulevard Canal Parkway Project, a half-mile, $2 million complete overhaul of the pedestrian amenities between Second and Sixth Streets. Elements include new landscaping, lighting, historical signage, sidewalks and crosswalks.

“Through conversations and focus groups for the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan,” says Sandy Gudorf of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, “we heard a clear desire to make downtown more walkable and connected, and its eastern edge is our strongest residential area. We’re excited that the City of Dayton has acted so quickly on this critical infrastructure.”

Reinterpreting the Past

The Winters monument is currently being re-installed after many decades in storage.

The City of Dayton is implementing the project with funds from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, who helped define the project with a focus on the history of the Miami-Erie Canal. Its story will be interpreted through text and graphics on striped pylons.The canal ran from Toledo to Cincinnati and crossed Dayton through the path that is now Patterson Boulevard. Construction began in 1825 and lasted twenty years, providing physically demanding work for many Dayton residents and growing our size considerably. Though it was a key shipping artery, the canal struggled to compete with rail throughout its life and suffered a final death blow with the 1913 flood, yet wasn’t filled in for a quarter-century.

Another relic from Dayton’s past – a monument removed from the old library site – has been unearthed from a City of Dayton storage yard after fifty years. The former fountain is being installed at the eastern edge of Cooper Park, greeting pedestrians on the Canal Parkway. The monument was dedicated to Ambrose Winters, a lawyer credited with rallying support for much of Dayton’s early streetscape infrastructure. Project manager Amy Walbridge says, “As a citizen of Dayton, I am so very happy about this.  While it’s important to look forward, it’s good to look back and see what great work the citizens of Dayton who came before us did for this community.”

The new public sculpture ‘Fluid Dynamics’ will be installed in conjunction with the Canal Parkway Project.

Looking Forward to a Thriving Downtown Neighborhood

Even prior to construction, downtown residents began embracing Patterson Boulevard as the important center to their emerging neighborhood. Last year a group of volunteers made dramatic improvements to the triangular greenspace at Fourth Street, with new seating, landscaping, and art. That small park will see even more transformation with the upcoming installation of the major new public sculpture ‘Fluid Dynamics’ by local artist Jon Barlow Hudson. The sculpture was commissioned thanks to a $55,000 donation from the Pflaum family and its pedestal has already been constructed as part of the Canal Parkway infrastructure.

Some of the new lighting that will brighten the downtown landscape

Downtown resident, realtor, and Priority Board Chair Steve Seboldt senses new enthusiasm for downtown living. “I think the rapid sales of the townhouses by Simms [Patterson Square] shows that people are interested in the livability of downtown. The improved walkway on Patterson will encourage people to walk to Oregon and around Downtown.”

Construction for the Canal Parkway is scheduled to be completed in the first half of December 2012.

The Scream, Art Battle, Dayton Music Fest Among Highlights of Oct. 5 First Friday in Downtown Dayton

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Downtown’s next free First Friday art hop will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5.

Fire dancers from the Soul Fire Tribe, belly dancers from Roja and solo musician Jason Trout will provide entertainment while roving the streets of downtown. Triclectic, an alternative bluegrass band, will play on East Fifth Street across from Omega Music from 6 to 8 p.m.

Artists compete during 2011's Art Off at K12 Gallery for Young People. Round two of the 2012 contest will be held during October First Friday.

The eighth annual Dayton Music Fest will kick off during First Friday, with live music at Omega Music and Canal Street Tavern. On Saturday, Oct. 6, the festival will continue at several other downtown venues, including Trolley Stop, Tumbleweed Connection, Blind Bob’s and Oregon Express. Dayton Music Fest aims to spotlight local musicians and other acts with ties to the Dayton area. Weekend passes are $10 for the festival, which features more than 30 musical acts.

Several art galleries will host special events this month. The CADC will host a Halloween tribute, featuring several artist renditions of the famous impressionist painting “The Scream.” Patrons are encouraged to dress as their own version of the painting. K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS will host round two of the Art-Off Battles. At the top of the hour from 6 to 10 p.m., watch artists compete while creating works of 2-D art within the theme of “Time, Memory and Place.” The final round will take place Nov. 9. Blue Sky Project will feature a closing reception for Michael Casselli’s “Slackwire,” a contemporary art show that utilizes high-voltage plasma traveling across music wire and asks viewers to consider the space they inhabit and how impositions affect them. Work by folk artist Omope Carter Daboiku will be shown at Cachet G! International Boutique, including tiles, drawings and weavings.

Band Boston Spaceships rocks out at a past Dayton Music Fest. The festival will kick off during October First Friday at Omega Music and Canal Street Tavern.

More than 40 downtown businesses will participate in September First Friday; see a complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday on the DDP website.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association, the Ohio Arts Council and WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more.

All kinds of “outdoorsy” happening at the Midwest Outdoor Experience

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I am not an “outdoorsy” person. But I’m learning. Honestly. If you ask anyone who knew me from grade school, college or even just a few years ago will attest to an increase in the amount of sporting goods equipment I own and the number of shoes featuring actual soles that are created for purposes outside of pure fashion. My greatest impetus for this foray into the outdoors is my husband, followed closely by my occupation. So pretty much “life” is encouraging me to venture off the couch and into the woods.

“Hang out” with the Gibbon Slackline team at the Midwest Outdoor Experience.

As a new inductee into a world filled with adventure and hiking boots and roof racks and moisture-wicking clothing, I can tell you it’s a lot of fun. You might feel uncertain about trying a new activity, but if you can brush your trepidation aside for just a little while, you’ll get a peek into what life is like for those friends whose Facebook walls are plastered with photos of their latest exploration.

Your journey can begin Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6, when the Midwest Outdoor Experience, presented by Subaru, rolls into Eastwood MetroPark. Regular festival attendees may remember the event as “GearFest.” Props to those die-hards who were with us from that first swap meet in the PNC 2nd Street Market parking lot. Now that’s grown to a full weekend-long event filled with experiential outdoor activities, we thought a name change would more accurately convey the spirit of the event (and it helped nab some sponsors).

There will be plenty of activities to try, including backpacking, mountain biking at the IMBA Bike Village, canoeing, climbing, disc golf, fly fishing, geocaching, cycling, kayaking, orienteering, skateboarding, slacklining, snow tubing, stand-up paddleboarding, yoga and ziplining. Not ready to take the leap? Be a spectator at one of the demos or competitions.

Headlining this year’s competition slate is the Gibbon USA Slackline Championship. What’s slacklining? Dwight Schrute defines it as “tightrope for babies,” but those who attended last year’s event or watched the 2012 Super Bowl Halftime Show can tell you it’s an amazing athletic display that’s equal parts Chuck Blondin and Shaun White.

Does your pooch cut the MUTT-stard to be an Ultimate Air Dog?

Also not to be missed is the Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs competition. That’s right, in addition to having a full outdoor recreation dance card, this festival is also a celebration of our favorite fuzzy fur-beasts. Enter your dog into the competition or just bask in the gratuitous puppy atmosphere on Subaru Pooch Island. You can even adopt your own dog from the Humane Society of Greater Dayton.

It’s a reasonable assumption that you will be having so much fun, you won’t want to leave. That’s OK; on-site camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis. But if you’re idea of “roughing it” means continental breakfast over room service, be sure to book your room at the official hotel, the Crowne Plaza. There will also be performances via Dayton Music Fest, a beer garden and on-site food vendors to round out your outdoor experience.  (listen to the DMF bands playing here on our calendar listing)

It’s OK, Bear Grylls, there are lots of food vendors and a craft beer garden at the Midwest Outdoor Experience. No need to eat bugs.

True to its roots, you can also get the gear you need to “Get Out & Live” all year long. Stop by the exhibitor village and check out the latest in outdoor recreation equipment and hook up with local clubs and enthusiasts who will really get you on your way. Awaken your dormant inner outdoor adventurer October 5 and 6 at the Midwest Outdoor Experience.

BeardCon: The Cutting Edge Of A Hairy Subject

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BeardCon Is Growing

 “He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man.”

~ William Shakespeare

 

A beard. It is an enigma that is constantly being defined and redefined. At times throughout man’s history, it was viewed as a badge of sexual virility, a symbol of wisdom and then, paradoxically, as a follicle folly ascribed to the slovenly and the shiftless. Biologically, it is described as a secondary sexual characteristic brought upon by an influx of dihydrotestosterone during puberty and is defined as a signal that a man is ready to sire offspring. It is sometimes viewed with fear and, in a wild pendulum swing of rhetorical reactions, a leisure left only to the vain fool.

Whatever one’s perception may be, there is one thing that can be said about facial hair for certain: There is no one that does not have an immediate, transcendent and wholly personal reaction to someone with a beard. Perhaps this is why, within recent years, clubs and competitions have been sprouting up here and there giving a focus and forum to those that celebrate the manliness of the beard.

Locally, that group would be The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard, who created the upcoming follicle fest that has come to be known as BeardCon. BeardCon will take place on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center located at400 North High St., Columbus,Ohio. The event features competitions in such diverse categories as Natural Full Beard, Styled Moustache, Fantastic Beards and even Best Costume and Best Team awards, plus seven more categories. There will be a variety of vendors aimed at those who are captivated by facial coiffing as well as discussion groups, demonstrations and the history and social significance of facial hair. This event is drawing groups from all around the country as well as a representative group from Canada and has all the earmarks of being not only fun and entertaining, but an event that stems out of a sense of community as well.

Recently, I was able to speak with several members of The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard. Nate Stevens, Stephen Arthur Alexander Jr. and Thomas Smith are the integral persons responsible for creating BeardCon. As with the growing of facial hair, what started out as a shadow of a discussion grew in length and complexity as time wore on.

Nate Stevens

Thomas: The BeardCon is in its third iteration of our personal competition. The first one we did was in Dayton and it ended up being a bigger success than we had imagined. We repeated that in Columbus the next year at COSI (Center of Science & Industry). It’s the whole Dayton club (The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard) that heads the statewide chapter and of the Beard-Con planning committee.

Nate: Yeah, so we have a annual competition every year and this year we decided to expand it and alter it so that BeardCon would be more of a convention rather than something like The Ohio Beard Championships, or whatever people were kind of seeing it as in the past. Like last year, we had a ton of vendors and combined with the space we had at COSI, people were saying, ‘Oh! It kind of feels like a convention!’ So, we have decided to go with that momentum and kind of embrace that this year and we will see how that goes. As far as the relationship is concerned, the core of us who started The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard are the same people behind Beard Team Ohio and the same core people behind Beard-Con.

J.T.: How did you get all the other clubs and vendors from other states involved? Was Facebook an integral part of connecting with everybody and getting the word out to them?

Stephen: Oh yeah. I did most of that. I got a lot of the teams from around the country to come…not all of them, but a majority of them…just through Facebook. Actually, that’s all I used. I mean, Facebook is a huge part of our promotion.

Nate: The three of us all have different roles and we kind of have titles that we have dubbed ourselves with at the beginning of the club. Stephen is the Ambassador and that is his role is to constantly be extending these olive branches and making relationships with other clubs so that we are welcomed wherever we go and so people think fondly of us all around the country. I am the Speaker, so I write a lot of the stuff on our Facebook page, write press, manage our web site and stuff like that. Thomas is kind of the Doer. He makes things happen behind the scenes as far as logistics, contracts and organizing and scheduling things.

J.T.: If you all could do me a personal favor and get The Gem City Fake Mustache Society to quit, that would be great. It’s confusing to see hot women with moustaches. It really is.

Nate: (Laughing) Confuses you in your nether regions?

Thomas Smith

Thomas: Well, the women are huge part of what we do. They are probably one of the better parts of the competition, honestly. They are just so creative. I don’t think we would want to get rid of them.

Nate: The ladies of The Gem City Fake Mustache Society are members of our club as well. I wouldn’t say that we have absorbed them because they still go out and do their own thing, but we are definitely linked. Knowing their personalities, they wouldn’t take it if we just told them to stop so that we could prosper and so that you wouldn’t be sexually confused. (Laughter)

J.T.: Is there an equivalent in beardom of a ‘bad hair day’?

Thomas: Absolutely! Actually, I compete pretty frequently and I make it a point to travel to a lot of the competitions and there are just days that I cannot get my beard to do what I want it to do. That just honestly has a lot to do with climate and what you have done to your face.

Nate: Yeah! Everything from diet to humidity to sleep deprivation and all that kind of stuff can effect you in minor ways and they stack up on you.

J.T.: I can grow a beard quickly, but I can’t seem to get past that point when you want to claw your own face off because of the relentless itching. Is there a point when it gets better?

Thomas: There are stages of beard growth. It’s weird, but it’s kind of like having a child and you have to coddle it and nurture it as such. In the beginning, it is itchy and it whines a lot and you just want to tear your face apart and then you get to the point where it reaches its terrible twos and your beard makes you look like the most wretchedly disgusting hobo bastard. But then, it becomes and adolescent and you start to see some maturity in your beard and a little bit of wisdom and it starts to make its own decisions and defines its own pattern, and then when you get like a four inch beard, that’s a young man right there! That’s a hunter, a warrior…that’s a solid beard! That beard travels with you everywhere you go.

Nate: Then you have to hope that you raised it right, that it goes to college, gets a good job and that it makes you proud out there in the world! But seriously, we get that question a lot. Of course it’s going to itch for eight days and if you can’t take it, then I guess that’s your destiny. It takes a little bit of fortitude. You have to really want it.

J.T.: Do people with beards have derogatory names for those who are clean shaven?

Thomas: Baby face. It’s like, a clean shaven person is one of two things, and when you first meet them, if they are excited about the beards, then they are a prospect; they are future beardsmen. But if someone is being really rude to you, then they are a baby-faced ninny, and that’s the end of that friendship.

Nate: It’s like with anything; we don’t judge people because they don’t choose to have beards. Now, if they are an asshole, the fact that they don’t have a beard will become part of the ammunition you can use against them. Hate and love are born from who you are.

J.T.: Here’s a loaded question; Darwin and other anthropologists have equated the profusion of facial hair with virility and that the beard is indicative of the sexual prowess of the wearer. Thoughts?

Thomas: It’s challenging because, for European descendant males, it is definitely a defining attribute of manhood. You do not grow a beard until you are literally capable of sexually reproducing offspring. The two other aspects of a beard is that, as far as sexual prowess goes, when you can grow a big beard, it shows that you are mature in the aspect that you can foster a working relationship with something that takes a large amount of care and the other aspect is that you have the balls enough to grow a massive beard and no one can tear it off your face because you’re a badass. Have you ever had an instance where you can’t tell if someone really far away is a man or a woman? When a guy is coming towards you with a sizable amount of facial hair, you can tell it’s a dude from like a mile away.

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Urban Bites, Urban Nights

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Ribs from “HIckory River” in Tipp City

Friday Sept 14th, 2012 was a great evening in Downtown Dayton.  The Urban Nights event showcased dining, nightlife, retail shops and more.  Good art and good music filled the city, as did festival goers.  But The Food Adventures Crew were at this huge street party to try the street food for an Urban Food Adventure.  It was great to see the bustling downtown area with businesses and restaurants opening their doors to the public.  Dancers and musicians entertained the masses and there were even people repelling down one of Dayton’s tallest buildings!

Crowds gathered from Riverscape to the Oregon District.  Dayton was hopping during Urban Nights.  There were dozens and dozens of restaurants and food vendors selling their eats.  So many vendors, that it would be impossible to list them all here, so please click on our photos below.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Oyster Shooter from Jay’s Seafood Restaurant

There was soul food and seafood.  There were pies and burgers ‘n fries.  Varieties ranges from Bratwurst eats to vegetarian treats.  We ate South American food, Italian food and Indian specialties.  The event also featured beer and wine vendors.  Some vendors, like the ones near Riverscape, made you purchase 3 dollar tickets to buy food at any vendor.  Other street vendors downtown were on a cash for food basis.

There were even 3 separate stages spread out across the downtown area where you could listen to live bands and more.  We dined to some classic rock by local band ‘Spungewurthy.’

Empanadas from “El Meson” restaurant

Did you miss Urban Nights and the food extravaganza?  Then mark your calendars for Friday night May 10th, 2013 when Urban Nights returns to the Gem City.

The atmosphere was friendly and fun.  It was really something to enjoy a Food Adventure while standing among Courthouse Square or underneath Dayton’s skyline.   Urban Nights was a great time and made us proud of our hometown of Dayton!  Enough of the sentimental stuff, you have to check out these amazing food photos below !!

But first, please comment below and tell us what you thought of URBAN NIGHTS !

Also, check out Food Adventures on Facebook and “like” us HERE.

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Gourd-geous Beers: Pumpkin Brews

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Dogfish Head Punkin

I love Autumn. I think most people from this part of the country really appreciate this part of the year. I mean, what’s not to love? Everything turns beautiful, the air smells better, you get to wear comfortable clothes combinations (sweatshirt and shorts, anyone?), and perhaps most importantly you get to drink all the amazing seasonal beers that hit the shelves. One of the most flavorful, intriguing, and often misunderstood styles that pops up this time of year is the Pumpkin Ale. To some, the idea of a pumpkin-flavored beer is a complete turn off. To others (like me), we mark our calendars for pumpkin beer season.

A Brief History

At first, it may sound like a pretty odd concept; of all the ingredients out there, why are so many beers made with pumpkin? Believe it or not, pumpkin in beer in America has a very long history. Back in “the day”, it was hard to find malted barley which is generally the most common grain used in today’s beer. Pumpkin, on the other hand, was in abundance and pretty easy to grow. They found out that they could swap out a lot of the barley with things like pumpkin, molasses, sweet potatoes, and squash to produce the sugars needed to make beer. Let’s face it, beers made with crazy ingredients is better than no beer at all – especially considering beer was actually safer to drink than the water at the time. These beers were designed to extract sugar (and therefore alcohol) from pumpkin rather than flavor, so as time went on and malted barley was easier to come by pumpkin was used less and less. Today’s pumpkin beers bear very little resemblance to the more rustic colonial pumpkin beers in that they focus more on pumpkin pie and spice flavors. Many of today’s pumpkin ales are described as “pumpkin pie in a glass”. Mmmm, thirsty yet?

Commercial Examples

There’s a lot of pumpkin beers out there right now. In fact, it seems like every craft brewer out there has a seasonal pumpkin ale nowadays. To be perfectly frank, most pumpkin beers are somewhere between “blech” and “meh”, so how do you know a good one from a bad one? Here’s a few recommendations I have for a starting point to the world of pumpkin beers:

Southern Tier Pumking

Southern Tier – Pumking

Very few beers have a reputation like Pumking. Some love it, some hate it. It is, however, one of the top rated pumpkin beers according to both Beer Advocate and Rate Beer. This beer is a unique experience from the moment you pop off the cap as it fills the room with the aroma of freshly baked pumpkin pie. The taste is the closest thing you will find outside of NASA to being able to drink pumpkin pie – right down to the crust and whipped cream topping. It’s completely over-the-top and unapologetic in it’s huge flavor. Keep an open mind when trying this beer (don’t think beer, think pumpkin pie), and you will be rewarded with a truly unique experience. At 8.6% ABV, you might want to split this beer with two or three friends. Fans of this beer, keep your eyes peeled for the Oak Aged version.

Rivertown Brewing – Pumpkin AleRivertown Pumpkin Ale

This beer only clocks in at 5% ABV, but it feels like a big dessert beer. The thing that separates this beer from other pumpkin ales is the huge amount of sweet vanilla, molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg flavors and aromas. Even with all of this complexity, this beer drinks very easily. Plus, it’s brewed right here in Ohio!

Dogfish Head – Punkin’

 

This beer may be one of the most popular pumpkin ales on the market, and for good reason. While other pumpkin beers are sometimes on the extreme side of things, Punkin’ actually tastes like beer. A full-bodied beer with a lot of spice character, but beer nonetheless. Nutmeg and brown sugar shine through, yet the beer is remarkably far from being too sweet.

Dogfish Head Punkin

The brewery recommends pairing this beer with turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, dessert dumplings, and sharp cheddar – in other words, grab a 4-pack while you can (it sells out fast!) and save it until Thanksgiving. You’ll be rewarded with a beer that drinks well during dinner and dessert.

 

 

The Bruery – Autumn Maple

The Bruery Autumn Maple

Ok, so this beer isn’t technically a pumpkin beer since the brewery uses yams instead of pumpkin, but bear with me here! This beer is extremely complex, and at 10.5% it’s the biggest beer in this list. This beer is great for those who enjoy Belgian-style ales. The beer has notes of dark fruits, spices, buttered yams, pecans, and oddly enough pumpkin! The beer features cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, and maple syrup. The Belgian yeast strain adds notes of clove and coriander (neither of which are actually in the beer). A word of caution – this beer almost demands to be shared. Even as tasty as it is, it can be a daunting challenge to finish a bottle to yourself.

 

Sam Adams Fat Jack Imperial Pumpkin AleSam Adams – Fat Jack

This is the first year that Fat Jack has been released, and I would be more than happy to see this beer come around every year. Perhaps the least “pumpkiny” beer on this list, Fat Jack showcases deep flavors of roasty malt, brown sugar, caramel, light cinnamon and nutmeg, noble hops, and just a hint of smoke. This one is definitely on the sweet side of things, but it would also be a fine accompaniment to savory fall dishes like buttery squash. The large format bottle and higher alcohol content (8.6% ABV) make this beer a great candidate for sharing.

 

So there you have it, pumpkin beers! Pumpkin brews sort of have a cult following among beer geeks. They aren’t for everyone, but if you have never had a pumpkin beer then give them a shot. Remember, it’s not important that you like every beer you try. What’s most important is the willingness to try new beers.

PARK(ing) Day 2012 – Dayton Edition

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A much better use of a parking space...

In cities around the globe today, artists, activists and citizens will temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of an annual event called “PARK(ing) Day.”

Originally invented in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, PARK(ing) Daychallenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure. “In urban centers around the world, inexpensive curbside parking results in increased traffic, wasted fuel and more pollution,” says Rebar’s Matthew Passmore. “The planning strategies that generated these conditions are not sustainable, nor do they promote a healthy, vibrant human habitat. PARK(ing) Day is about re-imagining the possibilities of the urban landscape.”

This year Garden Station‘s Project Manager, Lisa Helm, has has coordinated several local organizations to sponsor parks. The Main Branch of the Dayton Metro Library is sponsoring a park in front of the library on St Clair. Garden Station is sponsoring a park in front of Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District, and City Hall is sponsoring a park on Ludlow Street. MetroParks is loaning plants for the day and Green Velvet Sod Farms has donated sod, which will end up at Garden Station. The Oregon District PARK(ing) Day park will have programming throughout the day including kids activities, yoga class and concerts. This is the fourth year Dayton will participate in the event.

Since 2005, the project has blossomed into a worldwide grassroots movement: PARK(ing) Day 2011 included 975 “PARK” installations in more than 160 cities in 35 countries on six continents. This year, the project continues to expand to urban centers across the globe. PARK(ing) Day is an “open-source” user-generated invention created by independent groups around the globe who adapt the project to champion creative, social or political causes that are relevant to their local urban conditions. More information regarding local PARK(ing) Day activities can be found on Facebook  and a global map of all participating cities are available on the PARK(ing) Day website.

(submitted by Garden Station)

Lots to See at Blind Bob’s

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The Italian Burger

Tucked into the Oregon District is a pub with personality called Blind Bob’s.  Cheap drink specials and a unique spin on food has locals becoming loyal regulars.  The Big Ragu first heard of Blind Bob’s through word of mouth, all of which was good.   We were lucky to visit the eatery for a DaytonMostMetro.com Happy Hour event in late summer.   On our next Food Adventure to Blind Bob’s, we ate dinner with Heater from the Dayton Dragon’s.  You never know who or what you are going to see at Blind Bob’s.

You want unique?  How about a cream of pickle soup that is one of their most popular items?  It is sweet, creamy and will leave you wanting more.  Also addicting is the Hummus and Pita Chips appetizer.  You can’t go wrong with homemade pita chips and creamy hummus.

Pickle Soup – This is a must eat !

Blind Bob’s burgers are top notch, with specialty choices like the Italian Burger which is a  half-pound patty, stuffed with provolone, basil, and green peppers. It is then topped with marinara and caramelized onions.  Is your mouth watering yet?  The burger was juicy and the toppings were amazing.  Another specialty sandwich we would highly recommend is the Crabby Patty which includes a handmade crabcake on a bun.  It is topped with sauteed onions, peppers, and provolone cheese, smothered in herbed aioli.  It will have your taste buds rocking and rolling.

Other great menu items worth a try are the Ultimate Falafel Wrap and the Grilled Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich.  Actually, they call the choices “sammiches” on the menu.  You know it tastes good with a name like sammich.  We were pleasantly surprised and “blindsided” by the superb menu that quenched our Food Adventure appetite.

Just a buck on Monday nights – Mickey’s 16oz

Drink specials?.. Yeah they have those.  Everyday prices are $2 Miller High Life and $1.50 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers.  On Monday’s the Mickey’s 16 ounce cans are only a buck!  Happy Hour at Blind Bob’s means $2.50 well drinks and 75 cents off all bourbon.  They have an eclectic selection of a few drafts, one of which Big Ragu loved called Leinenkugel’s  Lemon Berry Shandy.  It was refreshing and fruity, so The Big Ragu checked his man card at the door and ordered another.  We also enjoyed a bottle of “Hop Baron.”

But there is more to see at Blind Bob’s.  Their website calendar is packed with trivia nights, karaoke, open mic nights and live bands.   The historic building lends itself to the charismatic appeal of this locally owned eatery.   Blind Bob’s is definitely a great place to grab dinner and an adult beverage.  With a fun atmosphere inside and the Oregon District right outside, this place is a blast.  So, next time you are wanting something different for a bite and a drink, ask yourself: “What about Bob’s?”

Have you been to Blind Bob’s?  Please comment below and tell us what you thought of this Dayton pub. 

Are you a Facebooker?  “Like” Food Adventures  HERE !

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Playing for Change Day 2012

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Playing for Change is an international music education movement that works to break down barriers between people through the universal language of music! Shortened: peace through music! YES! What an incredible initiative! People all over the world follow this movement through videos, concerts and social media. Communities are transformed by shared music, fund drives and ultimately music schools built in their regions to grow the skills and passions of young people through music!

After an inspiration visit with PFC Founder, Mark Johnson, last spring, Cityfolk became engaged in learning more about Playing for Change. The parallels between missions were revealed.  As a traditional arts presenter, much of which has been music, Cityfolk has been driven by the universal language of music in a highly diverse community. Our partnership with the Welcome Dayton initiative has put us in a unique position to explore the breadth of culture in Dayton through our Culture Builds Community program. In a given year, we share a myriad of musical styles and performers. As we talked through the Playing for Change goals, we felt drawn to the tasks. It felt like a call to answer.

Culture Builds Community works in multiples: multiple art forms, multiple ethnicities, multiple schools, neighborhoods and age groups. This outreach arm of the Cityfolk mission was just the place to introduce a year-long commitment to an international movement. In fact, maybe it wouldn’t be just a year. Perhaps this collaboration could really take off! Again, the multiples: multiple staff members, volunteers, musicians and administrators came together and determined that Playing for Change Dayton was going to happen!!!

It all began during the Cityfolk Festival when our street team of musicians, The People’s Music, went out to share music with the gathered crowd. They had lots of interaction with folks there! During our Sunday rain delay, the street team got folks together in the parking garage, spurring a creative experience that motivated all involved: drums, vocals, dancing, over a hundred folks, joining energies to transform disappointment into possibility. PFC Dayton was officially in gear. The spontaneous jam was caught on videotape. Participants shared contact info. Culture was building community, right there, in the eye of the storm. That brings us to current day. Now with a structured Dayton team, a new partnership with Wright State University and lots of interested musicians, PFC Dayton is ready to roll.

This Saturday, September 22nd, is Playing for Change Day! It is celebrated all around the world. Cityfolk has registered an event with Playing for Change Day International here in our Dayton Community. We will be raising money for the local realization of music education across cultures! Our short goal is to share PFC programs in Dayton all year. The long goal: establishing a Playing for Change music school in Dayton. We begin with supporting CBC music programs for the coming year!

PFC Day at the Trolley Stop begins at 6:30 Saturday evening in the beautiful, historic Oregon District! Bring your friends and enjoy the sounds of local musicians with global flare: Son del Caribe, The Odyssey, Eric Jerardi Band, Jay Martinez and Puzzle of Light. This is a fundraiser. These artists are donating their time to support the cause. The event is hosted by Sandy & Michael Bashaw from Puzzle of Light!

(Click here for our event calendar listing where you can listen to the performers)

The Trolley Stop is a local treasure: good drinks, good food, good friends, a lovely intimate music venue and the best patio around! We are grateful for their involvement in Cityfolk projects. (You will notice a giant mosaic banner on the side of the bar when you stop by on Saturday!) We are all cityfolks! Come enjoy the fun! We hope you will give generously!

 

 

How to Buy a Boyfriend

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Some of the Miami Valley's most eligible bachelors will be up for bid this Friday at the third annual PUSH Dayton Charity Bachelor Auction.

Some of the Miami Valley's most eligible bachelors will be up for bid this Friday at the third annual PUSH Dayton Charity Bachelor Auction.

Jennifer Shinkle tells people she “bought” her boyfriend. And it’s true.

Shinkle’s boyfriend was part of the September 2011 PUSH Dayton Men in the City Charity Bachelor Auction, and the two have been going strong since. This year’s event will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 21, at the Dayton Racquet Club, with an after-party to be held in the adjacent 29 Stories Lounge.

With 17 of the Miami Valley’s most eligible bachelors up for bid, organizers of this third annual event are hoping for yet another love story. After all, the Bachelor Auction is two-for-two: In addition to Shinkle, chair of this year’s event, PUSH committee member Monica Deal met her husband at the first auction, and they’re now proud parents.

But the Bachelor Auction isn’t only about love. It’s about sex, too — sexual health, that is. The event directly supports Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region’s free condom program and sexual health advocacy in the Miami Valley Region. It’s organized by the all-volunteer PUSH Dayton (Professionals United for Sexual Health) committee, which has held more than 20 events and raised more than $20,000 for Planned Parenthood since it was formed four years ago.

“Our goal is to raise awareness about the importance of practicing safe sex,” said Crystal Justice, associate director of development for Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio Region’s Miami Valley area. The organization served more than 23,000 patients in its eight health centers just in the past year, Justice said.

“Our work to promote safe sex and access to testing is crucial to sexual health outcomes in the Miami Valley, which has seen a sharp increase in sexually transmitted illnesses,” she added. “Planned Parenthood makes quality care accessible and affordable for everyone.”

Each bachelor comes with a date package on which interested ladies bid. This year’s bachelors range in age from 22 to 55 and their occupations include business owners, dancers, a state trooper, writer, actor, meteorologist, entrepreneur and adjunct professor. Couples packages also will be available for bidding, so those who already have found their true love still can participate and support the cause.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r8G3myEAB4&feature=youtu.be’]“Last year we raised about $5,000 with about 115 guests,” Shinkle said. “This year, we expect to bring in even more attendees and have a goal to raise $8,000 for the cause. This is a very important year for us because we want to establish this as an annual event the community gets excited about. There is no event quite like it.

“The event not only supports Planned Parenthood, those who attend the event can mingle with like-minded professionals from throughout the Miami Valley,” Shinkle added. “You will meet people outside of your normal social circles at the Bachelor Auction and make new friends.”

Profiles and photos of each of the bachelors are available on PUSH Dayton’s website, as well as on the organization’s Facebook page. Advance tickets are $20 in advance and can be purchased online, and tickets are $25 at the door. Appetizers will be served, and a cash bar will be available.

An Evening with Branford Marsalis

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"An Evening with Branford Marsalis" - September 23, 2012 – Schuster Center

Victoria Theatre Association presents AN EVENING WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS with world-renowned saxophonist and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Branford Marsalis and his quartet, Sunday, September 23, 2012 at 7:30 pm in the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center. Tickets are on sale now!

BRANFORD MARSALIS is one of the most revered instrumentalists of his time. Leader of one of the finest jazz quartets today, and a frequent soloist with classical ensembles, MARSALIS and his Quartet of musical friends recently released Four MFs Playin’ Tunes. On this new album, the song takes center stage, with the band members bringing their considerable musical expertise to bear, as they focus on each tune as an important musical entity unto itself and not merely a vehicle for showcasing individual talent.

Having gained initial acclaim through his work with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and his brother Wynton’s quintet in the early 1980s, Marsalis also performed and recorded with a who’s-who of jazz giants including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, and Sonny Rollins. He has also collaborated with such diverse artists as Sting, the Grateful Dead and Bruce Hornsby. His expansive interests are further reflected in his explorations in film, radio and television, including his role as the musical director of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for two years in the early 1990s. Marsalis has also acted in such popular movies such as Throw Mama from the Train and School Daze, provided music for Mo’ Better Blues and other films and hosted National Public Radio’s syndicated program Jazz Set.

Tickets  for the AN EVENING WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS are on sale now at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office, located in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center, by phone at (937) 228-3630, toll free (888) 228-3630 and online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

For more information about Victoria Theatre Association’s 2012-2013 season, visit www.victoriatheatre.com

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have ONE PAIR of tickets to see An Evening With Branford Marsalis and we’re giving it away to a lucky winner!  Simply fill out the form below and then leave a comment telling us that YOU want to win tickets to see Branford Marsalis from Dayton Most Metro.  We’ll do a random drawing at 1:30pm on Friday September 21st and announce the winner then.   GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winner – Laura Goostree !!

 

 

 

 

Cityfolk World Music Series Presents Fatoumata Diawara at UD

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Photo Credit: Phil Sharp

Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist Fatoumata Diawara, a resident of France since the late 1990s, has gained considerable momentum in world music circles over the past two years. She released her debut recording, an EP, Kanou, in Europe in May 2011, and followed that in September with Fatou, which won the prestigious 2012 Songlines Music Award for Newcomer of the Year.

Fatou was greeted with universal acclaim; the Telegraph says “this stylish debut doesn’t put a foot wrong,” the Times of London says “the air of wistful, understated beauty draws you in, and Mojo calls her a “spell-weaving new voice.” The album, which held the top spot on European world music charts for six months, was released in the U.S. last month by Nonesuch.

Born in 1982 in the Ivory Coast to Malian parents, Diawara joined her father’s dance troupe as a child and soon achieved local fame for her prowess in the didadi, an energetic dance from the Wassoulou region in southwestern Mali. She left her family at age 12 to move to Bamako to live with an aunt, an actress. This led to an acting career for the young girl; as an actress, Diawara has toured the world with the French theater company Royale de Luxe and appeared in such films as Taafe Fangan, La Genèse and Sia: The Dream of the Python.

During her travels with Royale de Luxe, Diawara began singing for her own enjoyment. She was overheard by the company’s director, who encouraged Diawara to begin singing in the ensemble’s shows. Encouraged by the audience reaction, she started singing in Paris clubs when she wasn’t touring. She also started playing guitar and writing songs.  Diawara met the famous Malian musician Cheikh Tidiane Seck at one of these Paris shows, and he hired the young singer to provide backing vocals on albums he was producing back in Mali by Dee Dee Bridgewater (the Grammy-winning Red Earth: A Malian Journey) and Oumou Sangare.

In addition to her work with Sangare and Bridgewater, Diawara has recorded with Damon Albarn, Herbie Hancock, AfroCubism, Bobby Womack and the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou. She has toured with her own band, with Sangare and Bridgewater and with Damon Albarn in both his Africa Express project and the band Rocket Juice and the Moon with Tony Allen and Flea.

Photo Credit: Ellen Doherty

Diawara’s music blends funk, rock and world music touches with Wassoulou traditions, and like many Wassoulou women artists, Diawara writes and sings songs that forcefully advocate for women’s rights, an issue of fundamental importance for the young singer. And for an actress trained in a collaborative, scripted medium, writing and singing her own songs—and playing the guitar, too—represents the ultimate freedom. “To me it was a wonderful and daring thing,” Diawara says, of her decision to follow her musical instincts, “a Malian girl with an acoustic guitar. Why should the guitar be only for men?”

Fatoumata Diawara will be begin her U.S. tour at the University of Dayton on Thursday, September 20. The concert, sponsored by Cityfolk and the University of Dayton Arts Series, will take place at the Kennedy Union Boll Theatre at 8 pm. Tickets are $20;  $18 for seniors, military, UD faculty and staff; and $10 for students. For tickets, visit Cityfolk.org or call 937-496-3863.

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(thanks to UD senior Lauren Glass for input on this article)