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Archives for April 2011

My Favorite Architectural Photography Competition

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Commercial Building in Sydney, OH

(the following is from Matt Sauer of AIA Dayton)

If you were to make a leisurely tour of the region surrounding Dayton, you’d likely travel through urban centers with tall dark buildings and rural farmsteads with red barns and windmills. It would be as if you were transported into the scene on Ohio’s “Beautiful Ohio” license plates, only you wouldn’t be small and flat. You’d think, “There are lots of fascinating buildings and remarkable architecture here in the Miami Valley.  I wonder if anyone has attempted to document all of it?” The gentleman sitting next to you is too polite to acknowledge that you’re thinking out loud, so let me answer that:  The Dayton chapter of the AIA is doing that very thing.

The AIA, known to expanders of initialisms as the American Institute of Architects, is holding the 2011 Greater Dayton’s Favorite Architecture Photography Competition, where architecturally-themed photos are eligible to win cash and prizes (actually the “prizes” are more cash).  All photographs will be exhibited at Urban Nights on May 13, 2011, and winning photographs will be published in a 2012 AIA Dayton calendar. The top entries will also be exhibited during the AIA Ohio Valley Regional Convention in September.

People’s Savings Bank by architect Louis Sullivan in Sidney, Ohio

There’s always a catch, or two in this case. The subject matter must have an architectural theme (we’re mentioning that twice for emphasis) or contain an element of the built environment. Maybe that subject is a favorite residential or commercial building, perhaps with a particular design or historical interest, or it may be a bridge, tower, monument, or windowsill. The location of said structure must be in AIA Dayton’s nine-county geographic region covering Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby Counties. Entrants are encouraged to take creative license with these limitations! Winners will be announced at the May Urban Nights.

The contest guidelines and entry forms can be found on the competition website GreatDaytonArchitecture.com. There’s no limit on the number of entries a person can submit, but the fee is $10 for two submissions.   We prefer that entries be submitted digitally, and are due by Friday, April 29 May 6 If the entry is by mail, it must be postmarked no later than Monday, May 2.

There is a wealth of wonderful architecture in our region, from bank buildings to county courthouses to sleek modern homes from the 1960s. It would be a shame to let it all languish in obscurity, and yet you have the power to bring these fantastic constructions to the attention of the public. You have a camera. I know because you said it out loud.

For additional information, contact:

Shawn Hicks, Marketing Manager
AIA Dayton
[email protected]
 937.291.1913

30 Days Positive – A Love Story

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Follow the Journey

Have you ever considered that many contract the HIV virus on accident, through no fault of their own? It is something I personally never really thought about until recently, that there are people out there who are responsible and take precautions but still can be exposed and infected. Both tragic and somewhat scary to think about, I sat down this week with a person who had that very thing happen.

Due to the confidential nature of this person’s story I have left a lot of the personal details out to protect their anonymity.

A Life Well Planned Out

We all have plans for our lives and what we want to accomplish both professionally and personally is something we often think about far in advance of  those “life happenings” that set us off our track. Seldom do we think about the “what-ifs” and often we are not prepared.   For the purpose of telling this story I will refer to him as John.

John always knew that he wanted to serve his country and that the military was where he saw himself having the most impact on the world he lived in.  At a very young age he believed that joining the service was his purpose and giving back was something he had passion for.  For years he did just that.  As many soldiers do, come time for reenlistment, John’s passion to serve remained and without pause made the decision to continue after his duty had been complete.  In the process, it was discovered that all of John’s medical records had been lost and that in order to reenlist he would have to go through all of the standard testing he did when he first joined.  John believes that was a sign.  Life was about to change.

A call was placed to John shortly after his results had come in and he was notified by administration that he would have to come in for further evaluation.  Frightened and confused he agreed and after further evaluation he was informed that he was HIV Positive.

Positive

John had been married and committed to both his wife and family throughout his service.  He knew that there was nothing he had done to compromise them or his own health.  While in service and overseas, John had emergency dental work performed under what he described as unsanitary and not of standard procedural conditions.  It was the one and only time that he  could think of  that he was at risk, and that one time was enough in the 90’s.  John was diagnosed in 1999. No longer able to serve his country in the way he had desired his entire life and faced with the fear of losing everything he’d worked for, John was lost.  

Though his marriage survived for quite some time it eventually came to an end because of other reasons which he explained.  He maintains that his wife was supportive but the relationship was no longer working and they both decided to move on.  Alone for the first time, John faced the fear that it would be impossible to find love again, to find someone who would understand and support him. I myself wondered that very thing as we was talking.  Emotional wreck that I am, I’ve often wondered who would love me with all of my tattoos and baggage but this just made my worries seem so ridiculous.

A New Life

Though he struggled with not being able to return to active duty, John remained positive that life did exist post diagnosis.  He persisted and held on to his passion and ultimately found another way to do what he loved doing and be part of something bigger than himself and has been successful in doing so.  “Treatment and living with the virus has changed substantially over the decade”, he explained. Once a 12 pill a day regimen to now just 1, John explained that it wasn’t something he even thought about much anymore. With great energy he exclaimed that, “he was the healthiest and happiest that he had ever been in life.”  Sitting next to him during the interview, was his quiet and bashful now wife, a woman who I found to be both admirable and genuine.  Throughout the interview they were holding hands and smiling at one another and all I kept thinking was if I am ever to be in successful relationship this is probably what it’s supposed to be like.

Though John struggled for a long time thinking that he would never find love again, through initially a strong  friendship he was able to find the person who if you sat across from you’d come to the same conclusion as I did;  these two were meant to find one another. Their story about when John broke the news to his now wife about being HIV Positive oddly enough, brought laughter to both as they discussed the evening it took place. John remembered being more nervous than at any point in his life and let’s call her Jane, was laughing when she described her response as less than concerned and relieved that it wasn’t “something major”.  Is this a sign that true love sees past black and white or that society as a whole has become more comfortable and truly understands the disease?  The optimist in me would like to believe both.

AIDS in 2011

33.4 million are currently living with HIV/AIDS globally, more than one million people are living with HIV in the U.S. One in five living with HIV is unaware of their infection and though a small percentage has been through accidental infection the fact remains that those cases do exist.

Graph of Men/Women living with AIDS in the USA

“It is what it is. I don’t think about it really anymore..in fact, I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been .. even before being diagnosed. I don’t let the fact that I am HIV positive rule my life..I’m successful and happy.” In closing, John offered me one thought which I pondered for hours after the interview. That things in life will happen, things which no matter how hard we try we will never be prepared for but with conviction and hope, life will continue as it was meant to be. Part of this series was to bring to light that there is world around us with people who are facing real problems and often we get caught up in things that really don’t matter. Remember that today is today and tomorrow brings opportunity for new.  Help those in need and live a meaningful life respecting and appreciating what you’ve been given because out there is someone who has less. Just something to think about.

Meeting John and his wife has evolved my thinking of this disease  as well as how I view my own life.

Change in Dayton is happening!

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Downtown Dayton

Things in Dayton are looking up. Hiring, although slowly, is on the rise (New jobs, tax revenues show region stabilizing, Dayton Daily News, March 25, 2011). Home ownership is up. Nightlife downtown, particularly in areas like the Oregon District, is lively and vibrant. These small yet noticeable changes are the direct result of the individual and collective efforts of many people who, despite the sluggish economy, believe in the potential of Dayton; those people are working to launch business and social initiatives that revitalize neighborhoods, spur economic growth and keep people in Dayton.  Updayton is one of those groups.

On Friday, April 15th at the Dayton Convention Center, updayton will host its 2011 Young Creative’s Summit sponsored by SOCHE.  From 3 pm to 6 pm, hundreds of young professionals will convene to discuss and problem-solve critical issues like diversity and employment. Immediately following is an attendees-only after party and networking event at the nearby Excelsior Lofts with food and beverage provided Brixx and Bonbright Distributors.

One of the of largest civic engagement events in the area, updayton began hosting this event in 2009, to engage young professionals in generating ideas and implementing solutions for Dayton. In the last two years, these Summits have produced a number of projects led by young professionals that have attributed to some of the changes happening in Dayton.

If you have never been, you still have time to be a part of this year’s summit. Registration is $15 ($5 for students). More details and registration can be found at www.updayton.com. Change happens here!

Additional sponsors of the Summit include: CareSource, Channel 945 FM, City of Dayton, CreativeFuse, Dayton City Paper, Dayton CW, Dayton Business Journal, Dayton Development Coalition, The Dayton Foundation, DaytonMostMetro.com, Dayton Weekly News, KeyBank, Standard Register, Teradata, University of Dayton’s Fitz Center for Leadership and Community and Vectren.

2011 World Voice Day – Free Voice Screenings

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The Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis & Rehabilitation is observing “World Voice Day,” an international health observance day for the human voice, on April 16, 2011 (observed Friday, April 15, 2011). On this day the public is asked to assess their voice quality and recognize that harmful speaking techniques, alcohol, and tobacco abuse can easily and irrevocably damage the voice.  The long-term consequences of poor voice can range from strained vocal cords and chronic hoarseness to deadly head and neck cancers. On this date, complimentary voice screenings including a video image of the larynx (videostroboscopy) will be provided on a limited basis to the public by the Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis & Rehabilitation.

The theme for the 2011 celebration of World Voice Day, “We Share a Voice,” calls attention to the important role otolaryngologists play in stemming the tide of vocal disorders.

Voice Pathologist Jennifer Rettig Performs Videostroboscopy on DMM Contributor Jane Krebs

“Vocal health is critical to our communication-oriented society, but the voice does not receive the public recognition and appreciation it deserves. World Voice Day provides us a perfect forum through which to refamiliarize ourselves with the latest advances in laryngology and voice care, and to educate our colleagues, patients, and communities via lectures, free voice screenings, community outreach programs, and other offerings,” says Blaine Block Director, Wendy D. LeBorgne, Ph.D., CCC-SLP.

World Voice Day gives vocal health experts an opportunity to bring renewed awareness about vocal health to the general public and to professionals who have built careers around their voices.

As The Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis & Rehabilitation celebrates the ninth year of the World Voice Day observance, we offer the community a few simple health tips to take care of your voice:

  1. Keep yourself hydrated – Moisture is good for your voice, and drinking plenty of water throughout the day is the best way to stay hydrated.
  2. Don’t smoke – Likely the single worst thing you can do for your voice is to smoke. It causes permanent damage to the vocal cord tissues and is the number 1 risk factor for cancer of the larynx (voice box).
  3. Don’t scream or shout. Use a microphone if you need to project your voice – Yelling or screaming is always bad for the voice, as it puts a lot of stress on the delicate lining of your vocal cords.
  4. Rest your voice if you have laryngitis.
  5. Get evaluated by an Otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose and Throat physician) if you have persistent hoarseness – If your voice is persistently hoarse, be sure to seek evaluation by an otolaryngologist.
  6. Warm up your voice – Warming up the voice is not just for singers; it helps the speaking voice, too. Doing simple things like lip or tongue trills, or gliding up and down your range on different vowels will help warm up your voice.
  7. Know what you’re feeling – When you are in a place with loud background noise, you don’t realize how loudly you may be talking. Pay attention to how your throat feels in these situations, because it will often feel raw or irritated before you notice the vocal strain you are causing.

To learn more about World Voice Day, vocal health, and other ear, nose, and throat related topics, visit www.bbivar.com or http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/worldVoiceDay.cfm. To schedule a free voice screening on Aril 15th, contact voice pathologist, Jennifer Rettig, M.S., CCC-SLP, at (937) 496-2622.

Hey Dayton- Show Us Your Peeps!

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Boxed in sets of five, Peeps are marshmallow candies,  created by a Russian immigrant and hatched each Easter season at a factory in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. Over the years peeps have become diverse, first expanding from the original yellow chick to an array of pastels.  Next came bunnies and then in a recent campaign the candy has been touted as “Peeps – Always in Season” and they’ve started making them in other shapes, like ghosts at Halloween.  They are made from marshmallow, corn syrup, gelatin, and carnauba wax.

People are obsessed by peeps. There’s even a documentary about “The Power of the Peep” that premiered in 2009 and took home an award at the NYC Food Film Fest.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAUUL-Ypdu8′]

There are Peep eating contests,  Peep Throwing contests and over 30,000 You Tube video’s featuring peeps- many of which concentrate on destroying Peeps.  Peeps are sometimes jokingly described as “indestructible”. In 1999, scientists at Emory University performed experiments on batches of Peeps to see how easily they could be dissolved, burned or otherwise disintegrated, using such agents as cigarette smoke, boiling water and liquid nitrogem.  They claimed that the eyes of the confectionery “wouldn’t dissolve in anything.” Furthermore, Peeps are insoluble in acetone, water, diluted sufuric acid and sodium hydroxcide, according to Wikipedia.

Peep shows have popped up around the country.  No, not that kind of peep-get your mind out of the gutter.  Peep art shows.  Photo contests, peeps in doranma’s, themed events like peep-powered works of art. Peeps have been made into prom dresses, jewelry and even dipped in chocolate, for the newest Peep treat.

Well now DaytonDining is getting into the peep show business.

Post an original peep work of art on our DaytonDining Facebook page by Sunday, April 24th and we’ll award our favorite peep art a $100 gift certificate to Fleming’s Prime Steak House & Wine Bar.  We’ll notify and post the winner on Monday, April 25th.

Here are a few peep shots for inspiration!  Can’t wait to see your peeps!

Junior Legaue encourages Junior Chefs

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The goal of the Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen initiative  is to empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices and help reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues.  Kids in the Kitchen will take place from 11:00am – 2:30 pm on Saturday, April 16, at The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, 2600 DeWeese Parkway. The event will be open to children and their parents/guardians, and is included with regular museum admission fees.  This special event is included in the price of general admission for the Boonshoft Museum.

Kids in the Kitchen  will featuring seven different HEALTHY LIFESTYLES stations including: a guest Zumba Instructor, Jennifer Keyes, certified Zumba instructor for children; Dayton Children’s Medical Center’s “celebrity chef” Jeff Delahunt, Director of Dietetics & Nutrition at Children’s Medical Center; Wright Smiles Pediatric Dentistry will be sharing an activity on dental care; chef hat decorating, and much more.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVZ1yrVisDw&feature=player_embedded#at=80′]

Kids in the Kitchen fits perfectly with the Junior League of Dayton’s current advocacy outreach program, POWER (Program of Wellness Education and Resources).  Working in conjunction with Dayton Children’s with sponsorship from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.  One of the POWER outreach programs, Healthy Lifestyles, provides a nutrition and physical awareness program to area adolescents.  Actives include recognizing proper meal portion sizes, how to read a nutrition label, food comparisons, fast food restaurant pitfalls, and the benefit of exercise. For more information about the Junior League of Dayton and Kids in the Kitchen, visit their website at www.jldayton.org.

My Summit Story: Number Crunching for a Cause

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In preparation for the Young Creatives Summit on Friday, April 15 from 3-6 PM, this is the final feature in a series of “My Summit Story” segments  highlighting the diverse, talented and creative people that choose to be a part of updayton and the Young Creatives Summit. Visit the Web page to register or learn more.

In 2008, with 6 other catalysts from DaytonCREATE, Scott Murphy started updayton to better attract that elusive and desirable recent college graduate demographic to the region.  To meet this need, these volunteers focused on putting control of the situation in the hands of the people who are uniquely qualified to say what young creatives want. Who knows best what convinces a college graduate to relocate to the Miami Valley? Probably the recent college grads who decided to stick around. So updayton was created to give that control to young professionals (through the Summit and subsequent projects) and to be a communication pipeline between the young creatives and local leadership.

An important part of the updayton mission has always been the data. As an engineer at Wright-Patterson AFB, Scott tracks, records and reads the numbers that demonstrate project success or failure. You can see his attention to detail and his focus on results in every annual report that updayton publishes. You may walk away from the Summit having had a great experience after sharing some ideas and meeting some new people, but the work is just beginning for Scott. In addition to providing that qualitative experience to Summit participants who want to network with each other and learn something about the region, Scott wants to show how updayton is moving the needle for young professional engagement in the region.

The ideas expressed at past updayton events are gathered and shared. Rolls and rolls of white paper with concerns, ideas, projects and solutions have been poured over and translated to usable data to share with people who care about the needs of the young creatives. Government leaders, businesses and nonprofits are among the types of local organizations that have reached out to updayton to ask about your needs. The Suumit isn’t just about your experience that day and if you sign up for a project – the Summit is about adding YOUR VOICE and YOUR IDEAS to the conversation. Scott’s an engineer – he’ll do the work pulling it all together, but he needs your input.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1DTqTjvssk’]

Jane’s Best Bets (4/13 – 4/17)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

It’s almost tax day.  As many of you rush to get yours completed (don’t worry, I’m in that boat too), hopefully you get a break so you can enjoy some of these events going on in the Dayton area this week!

On Wednesday, learn The Basics of Excel 2007 (which may be helpful for everyone doing their own accounting) at Sinclair.  At the Greene County Career Center, attend their “Sushi Galore” Cooking Class.  Afterwards, you are more than welcome to make me some!  If you are feeling artsy, attend the UD Celebration of the Arts: Closing Visual Arts Exhibition and Reception.  All creative professionals should get happy (if you’re not already) by attending the Happy Hour Special Event: Cincinnati Creatives Head North at Harrigan’s Tavern South.  Dayton Creative Syndicate (DCS) will welcome the American Advertising Foundation-Dayton and AIGA Cincinnati colleagues to the area for a networking/social event.  If you’re a movie lover who likes to laugh, make your way to The Neon for a special screening of Punching the Clown.  At the Dayton Racquet Club, help kick off the Dayton Dutch Lions’ soccer season by attending their VIP Party and Date Auction!  Ladies – they always say soccer players are hot (even when they don’t have a fever)!  And finally, put on your blue suede shoes and catch the music of “The King” with All Shook Up, which is being performed at Victoria Theatre.

On Thursday, music lovers should attend the 2011 WGI Percussion World Championships to see talented percussion ensembles from across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.  Young professionals will not want to miss the Generation Dayton Thirsty Thursday at Blind Bob’s, which will provide an awesome opportunity for YPs to network/socialize.  If you put wine and yoga together, some say you get “woga” or “yine.”  However, at the Metropolitan Arts Center, you get Grape and Lotus – A Wine and Yoga Practice.  All you green wannabes should Go Green At PNC 2nd Street Market, where you will learn about the top ten ways to go green at home.  Support a great cause by attending Guest Grillers Kramer & Clober at BD’s Mongolian Grill.  In addition to food grilled by local DJs, there will be a silent auction, raffles, games, and prizes.  If you’re looking for something fun to do with the kids, take them to see Charlotte’s Web at the Dominion Academy of Dayton.  And if you want a good laugh, check out the award-winning musical comedy Nunsense at Chakeres Memorial Theatre.  Sounds like my kind of show, as it is described as having hilarious puns!  In other theater news, you can attend All Shook Up at Victoria Theatre or Permanent Collection at The Loft Theatre.  And finally, if you prefer to do the performing yourself, make your way to Champps for their Karaoke Thursdays.

Voice Pathologist Jennifer Rettig Taking A Look at My Vocal Folds

Friday is World Voice Day, so head to The Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation, one of the most well-respected voice clinics in the nation as they celebrate 2011 World Voice Day!  Be sure to schedule your appointment for a FREE voice screening, in which you will be able to see pictures/video of your vocal folds!  I have had it done and I assure you, it is painless!  If you haven’t yet, be sure to register for the 2011 Young Creatives Summit at the Dayton Convention Center in which you will be able to voice your opinions about our community.  Join jumpstART as they Jump into Photography at Stivers School for the Arts.  It’s a Friday in Lent, so that also means a Fish Fry (American Legion Post 707)!  And finally, if you are looking to attend a show/musical, here are a few options:  Nunsense at Chakeres Memorial Theatre, All Shook Up at Victoria Theatre, Permanent Collection at The Loft Theatre, The Boys Next Door at Dayton Theatre Guild, The Daughter of The Regiment (opera) at Schuster Performing Arts Center, Charlotte’s Web at Dominion Academy of Dayton, and The Phantom Tollbooth at Town Hall Theatre.

On Saturday, celebrate Earth Day by heading to the PNC 2nd Street Market for their Tree Seedling Giveaway.  (I planted a few of them a couple years ago and they are now over three feet tall!)  Get in shape by participating in the 5K Run for the Cure in Tipp City, which starts at Harrison’s.  Music lovers should head over to Omega Music for the National Record Day Celebration.  Take the kids to the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery for the Junior League of Dayton’s ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ Event at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, which will feature seven different healthy lifestyles stations, including such things as zumba for children and dental care.  Help raise money for scholarships for the Dayton Alumnae Panhellenic Association by attending Sashay Into Spring’ Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Hope Hotel and Conference Center.  Also, be sure to bring job interview clothing donations for Clothes that Work!  Support another great cause by attending a Wine Tasting to benefit Children’s Medical Center at Arrow Wine & Spirits.  You can also support the Greene Community Health Foundation at their Bowling For Babies event at Beaver-Vu Bowling Lanes.  All you soccer lovers will not want to miss the Dayton Dutch Lions FC Home Opener ‘All Things Dutch’ at Miami Valley South Stadium!  Be sure to wear your orange!  Several shows are going on around town that were mentioned above, so be sure to check out the DMM Calendar!   At Kira’s Oasis, attend the Burlesque Show & ARC (AIDS Resource Center) Benefit.  Or, attend Flappers & Dappers, a 20s Gala benefiting Hannah’s Treasure Chest which will be held at the Schuster Center.

On Sunday, don’t miss your chance to get All Shook Up at Victoria Theatre.  Or catch Permanent Collection at The Loft Theatre, The Boys Next Door at the Dayton Theatre Guild, or The Phantom Tollbooth at Town Hall Theatre.  At The Neon, check out Lunafest, which is an event featuring short films by, for, and about women.  Sorry men.  And finally, for a little musical entertainment, head to the University of Dayton for their Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Concert Band or their Music Ensembles.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

There are three kinds of accountants in the world. Those who can count and those who can’t.

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar.  There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today!  Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE!  And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

Where Am I? April 11, 2011

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Here is the fifth installment in our new Where Am I? contest – if you know where the following picture was taken, simply fill out the form below with the correct answer and you’ll be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to The Wine Loft at The Greene.  Next Monday – a new picture and another chance to win!

Last week’s picture was the unique front door of the Miami Valley Conservancy District building across the street from RiverScape.  The engineering behind the dam system in Dayton never ceases to amaze me, and this spring put it to the test. Can you imagine trying to get something like that built today? The EPA, all the bureaucracies involved. I doubt it could get done.

It looks like we stumped many with that one, only a couple people got the correct answer.  Congratulations to Tony Kroeger who won our fourth gift certificate.  For those who didn’t win or didn’t get a chance to play, here is your chance for this week.  Just fill out the form below with the correct answer to be entered to win.

(thanks to Teri Lussier for creating these weekly installments)

This week’s hint: “Hooray Hollywood!”

This "Where Am I" series sponsored by The Wine Loft

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A Rebellious Roustabout All Shook Up

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Jukebox musicals, shows that use preexisting songs to craft a story or revue, remain a popular staple on Broadway despite their artistic and financial unpredictability. Three weeks ago I was dazzled by the pop-friendly extravagance of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical,” a hodgepodge of Madonna, Burt Bacharach, Cyndi Lauper and Donna Summer tunes among others that could possibly receive a Best Musical Tony nomination next month. But even though “Priscilla” proved equally entertaining as still-running jukebox magnets “Jersey Boys,” “Mamma Mia!,” Million Dollar Quartet” and “Rock of Ages,” the genre has had its share of flops (“Good Vibrations,” “Lennon,” “The Look of Love,” “Ring of Fire”). In particular, Twyla Tharp won a Tony for “Movin’ Out,” but stumbled with “Times They Are A-Changin’” and “Come Fly Away.”

Presently, the Victoria Theatre Association’s Miami Valley and Good Samaritan Hospitals Broadway Series offers the local premiere of 2005’s “All Shook Up,” a comical look at a tiny, traditionalist Midwestern town circa 1954 featuring over 20 songs from the Elvis Presley repertoire. Incorporating a clever nod to “Twelfth Night,” Tony winning librettist Joe DiPietro (“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” “Memphis”) admirably balances the jokey silliness of the premise (a cool roustabout has his emotions tested while swiveling his way into the hearts of a conservative community) with period appropriate potency (an engaging subplot examining interracial romance). Some tunes are shoehorned better than others, a typical downside of the jukebox blueprint, but DiPietro specifically scores with the placement of “C’mon Everybody,” in which rebellious Chad (the very charismatic Brian Kess) spins the town into a colorful frenzy, and “It’s Now or Never,” a wonderfully tender moment given to lovebirds Lorraine (Caitlyn Renee) and Dean (Alex Herrera) heightened by cute, spine-tingling stagecraft from director M. Seth Reines who adapts Christopher Ashley’s original concept.

In addition, Khristy Chamberlain is delightful as Natalie Haller, a mechanic smitten with Chad who disguises herself as the macho Ed in an attempt to befriend him. Chamberlain’s endearing spunk is a plus and her belting soprano sparkles throughout “One Night With You,” the particularly feisty “A Little Less Conversation” and “Fools Fall in Love.” Powerful vocalist Brooke Aston, who brings the house down with “There’s Always Me,” is a super sassy Sylvia, Lorraine’s no-nonsense mother. Ben Martin is charming and quite comedic as Dennis, a Shakespearean devotee hopelessly in love with Natalie. The statuesque Hannah Zold is a fine fit as Miss Sandra, Chad’s object of affection who is actually head over heels for Ed. Ellen Karsten is effectively crabby, insensitive and overbearing as Mayor Matilda Hyde, Dean’s mother, and has an amiable sidekick in Ricky Pope as Sheriff Earl. Paul Crane brings humor and warmth to his portrayal of Natalie’s widowed father Jim. Muse Machine and Wright State University alum Matt Kopec is notable among the surprisingly small ensemble joyfully executing Marc Robin’s lively choreography.

Arriving on the heels of the outstanding national tour of “Avenue Q” which played the Victoria Theatre Wednesday, March 30, “All Shook Up” ultimately arises as a breezy, feel-good option ranking among the more tolerable jukebox creations.

All Shook Up, which opened Tuesday, April 5, continues through Sunday, April 17 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. Act One: 70 minutes; Act Two: 55 minutes. Tickets are $39-$81. For tickets or more information, contact Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com

Sticks work.

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I had a “Christo” moment today. It may have been even better than Christo. As you may or may not know, Christo and his partner and wife, Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2009, are perhaps the best known environmental artists in the world.
Today I had the honor and thrill of assisting another talented environmental artist at Wegerzyn Metro Park. His name is Patrick Dougherty and he is best known for his Stickworks: large site-specific sculptural installations made of natural materials. He will be working at Wegerzyn for the next three weeks creating a truly willowy – it’s built of willow – snake inspired by the Serpent Mound in Adams County. When it’s done, visitors will be able to walk through its curvy body, go inside it and peer through its doors and windows, and walk around it. The willow snake sculpture will be allowed to decay naturally.
Volunteers can sign up to help, as I did, and work alongside the artist as he creates this local masterpiece. I had a great time, and I’m going back for another day!
To volunteer, and I highly recommend it as this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, contact Bob Butts, Assistant Volunteer Manager at Five Rivers Metro Park. He’ll put you in the right place in the snake.
For more information on the artist Patrick Dougherty and his work, check out his website at: www.stickwork.net/
Before I left today, I took some pictures of the work in progress.

Southeast Engine Featured on NPR’s World Cafe

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Photo by Noah Rabinowitz

We were very excited to hear that Southeast Engine was featured as this this week’s World Cafe: Next artist on the heels of a great performance at Canal Street Tavern on Saturday night.  The Athens-based band has roots in Dayton and founding members Adam Remnant and Leo DeLuca have cited growing up in the Miami Valley in the 1990s as a large influence on their music.  On March 29th, the band release their latest album Canary on Misra Records.

Click here to check out Southeast Engine on World Cafe: Next.

Music Video Monday: April 11, 2011

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Very high on things we’re excited about this week is Record Store Day on Saturday, April 16th.  It’s a celebration of independent record stores and record store culture that’s been around since 2007.  There’s a lot happening locally this year, and we’ll be bringing you lots of information this week on Dayton MostMetro about what’s happening where.

In the meantime, here’s a video from one of the many bands you’ll be able to see at Omega Music on 5th Street on Record Store Day.  This Yakuza Heart Attack video comes from a cool, but seemingly short-lived series called Come Check the Noise.

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Permanent Collection

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Permanent Collection by Thomas Gibbons - Human Race Theatre Co. - April 15 - May 1 - Dayton, OH

Alan Bomar Jones and Scott McGowan

Permanent Collection

The Human Race Theatre Co.

An art museum may not be the first place you’d think of when it comes to workplaces with intense conflict, but in Thomas Gibbons’ Permanent Collection the Morris Foundation has as much head-butting as an NFL game. And unlike in an NFL game, the production by The Human Race Theatre, Dayton’s own professional theatre company, doesn’t provide the players with helmets and pads.

Eccentric collector Alfred Morris pretty much guarantees the collisions when his will stipulates both that his museum go to an historically black college and that the displays be kept precisely as they are – leading to an inevitable battle over African artworks that have been kept in basement storage.

Permanent Collection by Thomas Gibbons - Human Race Theatre Co. - April 15-May 1 - Dayton, OH

Alan Bomar Jones

The Morris Foundation is loosely based on the Barnes Foundation of Philadelphia, a real-life private museum with a real-life eccentric owner, Barnes is the subject of the film documentary The Art of the Steal, though the film and Permanent Collection cover entirely different aspects of the aftermath of the collector’s death.

Permanent Collection is directed by Dayton native and current New Yorker Schele Williams, who did a masterful job at the helm of Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow two years ago. It is part of the 2010-2011 Eichelberger Loft Season of The Human Race, which will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of its incorporation during the run.

An Evening at the Museum with More Drama Than Night at the Museum

The college which inherits the collection hires African-American businessman Sterling North as director. North is played by Human Race Resident Artist Alan Bomar Jones, most recently seen at The Loft in A Christmas Carol, who recently garnered rave reviews for the Columbus one-man-play as folk artist Ezra Pierce, Pierce to the Soul.

Permanent Collection by Thomas Gibbons - Human Race Theatre Co. - April 15-May 1 - Dayton, OH

Melissa Joyner and Scott McGowan

North’s discoveries lead to the battles with the museum #2, Paul Barrow, played by New York-based Scott McGowan, who has won awards for performances in Miss Saigon and Evita, so he knows about culture clashes. The two men draw in the office staff, played by New Yorkers Sharon Hope (who has done numerous Law & Order episodes, so she knows verbal fracases) and Melissa Joyner (whose many credits include a turn as a student in Carrie II, so she know about the results of anger), into the fray.

A reporter who gets interested in the story is played by Christine Brunner of Middletown, who was in Human Race productions of A Christmas Carol and has appeared in many other shows in the region, and who has been a hand model in commercials for both Charmin and Bounty, so she knows when people have made a mess of things.

The imaginative set – you have to be imaginative when depicting a few billion dollars’ worth of art – is by Tamara L. Honesty. Costumes are by Janet Powell, lighting by HRTC Resident Artist John Rensel, sound by Matthew P. Benjamin, with Heather Jackson as Production Stage Manager.

Among the participants in the While We’re On The Subject talkback after the April 24 matinee, to which audience members are invited, will be Dayton Art Institute Chief Curator Will South.

Production sponsors are Rob and Leesa Comparin, Richard and Marni Flagel, Tyree L. Fields, Larry S. Glickler – Bradford-Connelly and Glickler Funeral Homes, Jon and Diana Sebaly, Maryann and Jack Bernstein, Alan and Marsha Pippenger, and John and Tamara Clough.

-Human Race Theatre Co. Press Release

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

Tickets & Performance Information:

http://www.humanracetheatre.org/PERMANENT COLLECTION by Thomas Gibbons

April 15 – May 1 – various performance times (note…there will be an additional “preview night” performance on April 14)

at the LOFT THEATRE – map

More information and tickets are available through www.humanracetheatre.org, by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630.  Tickets can be purchased in person at the Schuster Center box office, or at the box office at The Loft two hours before curtain.

Goes To The Edge…And Folds It Neatly (with Tim Bedore)

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Tim Bedore: Standing Up Against The Animal Conspiracy

Comedian Tim Bedore, who hails from Minnesota is a philosopher, a writer, a comedian; He is a man who once had the urge to kiss a wombat full on the lips. He has made numerous television appearances and his Vague But True weekly series can be heard on NPR’s Marketplace weekly program. The last time I spoke to Bedore, it was to gain his wisdom pertaining to his area of expertise: the animal conspiracy theory.

Bedore’s theory is rather alarming in its utter simplicity: Animals hate us and want us dead so that they may rule the Earth and inherent all of the fine Hostess products that will be left in our wake. I decided that the animal conspiracy theory was a great jumping off point for our most recent conversation, so that is where I began…

J.T.: Are we all still in imminent danger from the animals?

Tim: The animal conspiracy thing still looms large, and let me tell you why: Because I love my country. I want Americato continue to be at the top of the economic food chain as well as the literal food chain, so I constantly bear witness and am on the case at all times. At Wiley’s, I’m going to do the animal conspiracy slideshow, of course, and there is a lot of new stuff. I’ve got some amazing video of some elk that have taken over a town to the point where if you want to golf, you pretty much have to golf around the elk and play out of the divots that they make with their horns. They are literally coming into town and chasing after hunters before the hunters get out into the woods to hunt them. I’ve got video of it that’s just incredible.

J.T.: Do you think that the animals are acting independently or might they be lobbied by certain special interest groups and instructed to go after specific targets?

Tim: Boy, that’s an ugly thought! Are you saying that this might be political? Man! So even this is a partisan thing! Anything is possible. Things have changed so much that I expect that, one day, you will see wolves and elk working together to drive keepers and tourists out ofYellowstone. Natural enemies joined together.

J.T.: Are the squirrels still the central part of the conspiracy?

Tim: Oh yes! Squirrels are literally the smartest animal on the planet, other than humans. I mean, they’re rats, but we allow them to live in our cities and we allow them in our yards and people think they’re cute….it’s that damn fuzzy tail. Unbelievable when you think about it. It’s just that fuzzy tail and – bang! – they’re not a rat anymore.

J.T.: Well, since the last time I spoke with you, I started homeschooling my eleven year old son. It makes you yearn for the days when you could hand a kid a sack and send him to a coal mine to earn his keep. I didn’t think teachers made enough money before…

Tim: …and now you’re certain of it. Yeah, that’s a big commitment.

J.T.: Yep. But, I think the problem with the schools now is that all they are concerned about is the State testing and not about cognitive reasoning or problem solving.

Tim: No they don’t.

J.T.: But I think it is becoming apparent because kids are coming out of school and unable to do the jobs because all they know is the answer to question 1-A.

Tim: We had a teacher in college that taught us to think like critical thinkers by saying, “Men do not have to wash their hands after they use a urinal in a public restroom…

J.T.:…but before…

Tim: Right! Wash your hands before! His point was that the penis is the cleanest part of a guy’s body. If you take a ten minute shower, nine minutes is spent cleaning the penis. You get that very, very clean. It’s the hands that are filthy when you think about it. You ride busses with your hands. You touch coins and pick your nose…clean your hands first so you won’t get your penis dirty because it is already clean and, unless you have a spastic fit at the urinal, you don’t have to soap up afterwards. Now, that’s a very interesting way to think, but you can’t make a living with this information, really. I tried. You hang out in bathrooms and try to point this out and…well, the tips were very low.

J.T.: Yeah…well, I don’t know if I would use that phrasing…

Tim: No! “Hey ‘big’ fella! Can I talk to you a second?”

J.T.: So what do you want people to know about you?

Tim: You know what you can tell people? You can tell them that I do not lie on stage. Most comics lie. Most comics make stuff up and I only talk about truthfully honest things because I think that there are too many lies in the world and I really believe that I am going to be the force for truth and honesty. You hear lies all the time and we’ve become just too used to hearing them. How many times have you flown and the pilot gets on the intercom after pulling in three hours late and says, “We apologize for any inconvenience and we really hope to serve you better in the future,” which is just a lie. They know they are not going to serve you better in the future: It’s the nature of their business. If they were honest, they would say, “Yeah, we’re sorry about the inconvenience and all, but hey! This airline sucks, but so does walking fromMinneapolistoDetroitwith a golf bag, so…see you next time!” Like Home Depot…”You can do it, we can help!” That’s a lie. It should be, “You can do it, we can help…but it will look like hell and you’ll probably kill yourself.” That’s the honest way to say it. That’s the truth.

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My Summit Story: A Leadership Journey

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In preparation for the Young Creatives Summit on Friday, April 15 from 3-6 PM, this is the fourth in a series of “My Summit Story” segments (see part one or part two or part three) highlighting the diverse, talented, and creative people that choose to be a part of updayton and the Young Creatives Summit. Visit the Web page to register or learn more.

Adam Coatney was born and raised in Dayton. He went away for school, and came back as Dr. Adam to help run his family’s vet clinic. He keeps busy with his job, real estate (married to a realtor, they manage three homes), gardening, as a first tenor in the Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus, and since 2009  – as the co-chair of the Wayne Avenue Corridor Committee.  In 2010, Adam volunteered to serve on the updayton Steering Committee (in addition to his continuing work with Wayne Avenue), and beginning in 2011, he will be replacing Scott Murphy as the updayton chairperson.

Dayton isn’t new for Adam – it’s always been his home.  So, what inspired this guy, who typically isn’t a “joiner,” to be a part of the Summit? And what does he think the Summit offers other young professionals?  Here is Adam’s Summit story.

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