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

Archives for July 2011

L’Auberge Hosts Annual Clambake

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In traditional New England Style, L’Auberge, located at 4120 Far Hills Avenue in Kettering,  will be serving up a clambake plate that includes a whole Maine Lobster, little neck clams, shrimp, mussels, redskin Potatoes, sweet Onions and corn on the Cob.  This meal will be offered during dinner hours which are 5:30 9pm on Thurs, July 14 and 5:30- 10pm on Fri, July 15 and  Sat, July 16. The clambake option runs $39.50.

Reservations are suggested and can be made by calling the restaurant at 299- 5536.
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Oldest Rug Store in Dayton Relocating to the Shops of Oakwood

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The following story submitted by press release:

Mousaian Oriental Rugs, the area’s oldest store for sales and service of handmade Oriental rugs and a family business spanning four generations, announces its relocation to The Shops of Oakwood.  They are currently located at 1918 Brown Street and will move to 2419 Far Hills Avenue in the Shops of Oakwood, next to William Rife Jewelers, on August 1, 2011.

Mousaian Oriental Rugs was established in 1922 as a small specialty business and has grown steadily for almost 90 years.   This move marks the fourth location for the family-owned business.  In 1987 the business relocated from Victoria Avenue in Dayton View to the Oregon District.  In 1999, it moved to its current location on Brown Street, near the University of Dayton campus.

The history of Mousaian Oriental Rugs can be traced through its various moves.  The original location in northwest Dayton marked the era of Joseph and Helen Mousaian, who assumed the business from founder Simon Kirkjian (Joe’s uncle), when the business was located behind the family home.  In 1986 the business was passed on to daughter Susanne (Mousaian) Weaver and her husband, Paul. They moved to the Oregon District, and later to Brown Street, dramatically expanding its retail operations.  With its large showroom and Brown Street presence, the business continued to grow for the past 13 years.  In 2008, the next generation of the business was signaled with the addition of the Weaver’s daughter-in-law, Jennifer Weaver, who developed its distinctive website and e-communication strategies.  The Shops of Oakwood is an ideal location for this modern, yet nearly century-old business.  The quaint hometown location on Far Hills Avenue is as rich in tradition as the business itself.

According to Susie Weaver, “Mousaian Oriental Rugs and the Weaver family are extremely excited to take this next step in the business’ long history as we approach our centennial.   We look forward to celebrating a century serving the Miami Valley as Dayton’s oldest Oriental rug retailer.”

Gotta Dance? Do it in Yellow Springs!

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Do you find yourself grinning and “Woo Hooing” when someone says let’s go dancing?  Have I got a night made for you!   On Saturday July 16th Yellow Springs will be packed with opportunities to dance.

Dance Event #1

At 6:30p.m. and 8 p.m.  The Show—a Springfield-Yellow Springs based rock trio will be performing original, high-energy music that spans genres from garage and surf, to punk and funk! This musical event accompanies a 6-9 p.m. art exhibit called Synesthesia , featuring concert posters by Ryan Henry & guests. Henry’s designs are influenced from the Art Noveau and Psychedelic poster genres. It takes place at the YSAC Gallery Space and in the beautiful Garden in the back at 309 Xenia Ave.  It’s a free event!

For more information on The Show, go to www.myspace.com/theshowwillgrow

Dance Event #2

7-10pm Dance Piazza @ the Art Park—100 Corry Street is another free event! [yframe url=”]

DJ JuJu’s Dance Piazza is an outdoor international dance party. From 7-8 p.m. on July 16th, Jill Christie of the Dayton Ballroom Dance Club will be demonstrating Swing Dance and encouraging anyone who wants to dance, to try it out.

Then from 8-10pm DJ Juju will spin Latin dance and other world music including Afro-beat, Bhangra, Middle Eastern, club, old-school and R & B.

Judith “Juju” Wolert-Maldonado is a photojournalist, documentary filmmaker and DJ living and working in between Yellow Springs, Ohio, New York City and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Judith says” When in the Buenos Aires province, I frequently attend a weekly outdoor festival, the “Feria de Mataderos.” Each Sunday, thousands of Argentines gather in the closed-off streets to dance the day and night away to the live, diverse sounds of Argentine folk music. If there is an empty ground space at this festival, it quickly fills up with dancers or musicians, just regular folks who enjoy the camaraderie and freedom of dancing and playing out in the open, because they can.  During the Argentine dictatorship of the 1970s and early ’80s, violent curfews and censorships eliminated any sort of festival or public arts events. “

Dance Piazza is also taking place on the following dates with dance instructors featuring different kinds of dance for each event.

JULY 2 – Bhangra (Punjabi Folk Dance) with Karanvir Singh

AUGUST 6 – Mexican Folk Dance with Nuestro Orgullo youth dance troupe

AUGUST 20 – Flamenco Dance & Guitar with Mariya Tarakanova & Brent Del Bianco of Flamencotalk

SEPTEMBER 3 – West African Drum & Dance with BabaaRitah Clark

SEPTEMBER 17 – Appalachian Clogging & Old Time Music with Rick Good (formerly of Rhythm in Shoes) & Friends

The Dance Piazza will be cancelled in case of severe thunderstorms but will carry on under shelter in light rain! *

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEBFtOE4CTM’]

More info: (937) 430-2505 or [email protected]

Dance Event #3

Then there is Ballroom Dancing Under the Stars

9:00 p.m.- 11p.m.  At the Antioch Amphitheater.  Directions to The Amphitheater can be found by visiting www.yskp.org or calling 767-7800.

Ticket are $5.00

Ballroom Dancing Under the Stars will feature live music, lots of prizes, great dancing and a cash bar. After the performance of the Cotton Club (YS Kids Playhouse is performing the Cotton Club, an original Jazz Musical at the Amphitheater at 7:30 p.m.) as the applause dies down, and the stars come out, the sets will be spirited away, a cash bar will magically appear (it’s all magic in the theater) and the band will begin to play.  It’s time for Dancing under the Stars!  (If you like to dress up wear a Jazz Era costume. there will be prizes for costumes too.)

So that’s the line up for Saturday evening on July 16th but I can’t resist telling you about one more opportunity to dance that is going on earlier in the day.

It’s a Belly Dancing  Workshop with one of my favorite dancers.

Saturday July 16th from 2:30-3:30 Janna Mueller will be teaching Intro to Belly Dancing . Her prices are great!  For individual’s it’s only $15, for a Mother/daughter $25 for two, or if you bring a friend (two people sign up together) it’s $25 for two.

Janna is the director of the Egyptian Breeze Belly Dance troupe.  If you have ever gone to the Yellow Springs Street Fair, you’ve seen them.  Janna teaches belly dance to women and girls of all ages, shapes and sizes.  I’ve had friends take her workshops and they say it’s a lot of fun, there’s loads of laughing and letting loose.  You get to learn the basic moves of belly dance, try on belly dance hip scarves and get dancing! To register contact Janet at: 532-3950 or E-Mail- [email protected] You can visit Janet’s web site at- Egyptianbreeze.com

All these dance events are part of the Yellow Springs Summer Experience-July 15-17.  To find out about other fun events (and there are a lot of them!) going on during the Summer Experience go to: yellow-springs-experience.org

The Crap We Bring Home from Vacation

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Ryan shows his Hampshire gilt.

What did you do over the holiday weekend? Cookout? Swimming at the lake? Sitting in a pig barn in Kentucky? Oh, wait. That last one was me.

While springtime is for auctions and piglets, summertime on our Farmersville farm means traveling to state fairs and national pig shows.

We just returned from the National Swine Registry’s Summer Type Conference and National Junior Swine Spectacular in Louisville. This is just a fancy way of saying we loaded some of our best purebred hogs on our trailer and headed to Kentucky for five days of pig-related competition.

So what happens at a pig show? This is my husband’s version of an industry trade show. He picks out his best pigs–looking for pigs that are muscular, among other qualities. At the show, each pig is washed up and put on display in a pen, usually bedded with wood shavings. The event organizers bring in a judge, usually another pig farmer who is held in high regard, who evaluates the pigs in a show ring. Breeding stock pigs, like the kind we show, are in classes based on age and breed.

For pros like my husband, the event culminates in big business–the auction of breeding stock pigs to other farmers. The better your pig does in the show, the earlier in the auction your pig sells.

My husband sells his Yorkshire boar at the auction.

In addition to showing their gilts (young female pigs), all three of our kids participated in a number of youth activities designed to develop young people’s knowledge of the swine industry. At the event, there was a pig poster contest, pig photo contest, pig skillathon (a test of swine knowledge) and a judging contest where young people learned how to evaluate and rank hogs like a judge.

Justin and Morgan both won ribbons with their pig posters.

The event in Louisville is one of the biggest of the summer, along with the World Pork Expo (yes, this is a real thing), which we skipped this year. Our summer will include multiple hog-showing trips to the Ohio State Fair, Indiana State Fair and conclude with the Montgomery County Fair in Dayton.

So while most people won’t choose to spend their summer vacation time bathing pigs or unloading trailers, we do bring home a lot of family memories, hard-earned ribbons and, yes, crap on our shoes.

Music. Dance. Hiking Boots?

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"Translations: an exploration in birdsong, sound and movement" BLUE SKY PROJECTTranslations:

an exploration in birdsong, sound and movement

Blue Sky Project

When first perusing this press release, I was not really certain into which section of DaytonMostMetro.com to place this article.  When I first spoke with fellow onStageDayton contributor Rodney Veal about this, my assumption was that this project he was so excited about would be featured in the “oSD” section.  Maybe, however, it belongs in the “Dayton Music” section as the project prominently features a very accomplished violinist, Shaw Pong Lui from Boston, participating through a residency here in the Gem City with the Blue Sky Project.

BIRDSONGAs I uncovered more details about the project it seemed that maybe it should be in the “Arts & Entertainment” section since it seems to equally features the creative choreography of Rodney Veal, alongside Liu’s musicality.  The further I read, the more difficult this classification task became.  Here is a collaboration between a dancer, a musician AND nature.  The performance takes place along the trails of Aullwood Garden MetroPark with the dancers and musicians mimicking the sounds and sights of the trails.  Perhaps we need to put this in “Active Living.” The audience has to build up a bit of a sweat during this particular concert, as they will have to traverse the trails.  They even warn you to wear hiking shoes!

iBird Explorer AppThen you throw in the iPod aspect.  Holy Cow!  Do we even have a “Technology & Arts” section?  Audience members can participate in the performance through the use of a special birdsong app! ? !  This is pretty cool.

Alright.  Looking at this, pondering the various aspects…the birds, the trees, the dance, the music…I am making an executive decision here: “Life.”

(fully expecting our illustrious publisher to override this decision and choose the perfect classification for this article)

Official Blue Sky Project Press Release:

Dayton, Ohio — Musicians, dancers and birders will come together for an unusual open-air art event in one of the Miami Valley’s most distinctive woodland parks.

The Blue Sky ProjectThe Blue Sky Project, in collaboration with the University of Dayton and Five Rivers MetroParks, will present “Translations: an exploration in birdsong, sound and movement” 6 p.m. Saturday, July 9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 10, at the Aullwood Garden MetroPark, 955 Aullwood Road, Englewood, Ohio. It’s free and open to the public.

Violinist Shaw Pong Liu and choreographer Rodney Veal created the work, which invites audience members to walk along trails throughout the garden, encountering violinists mimicking birdsongs, dancers improvising on the shapes of trees and birders with iPods contributing the real songs of birds.

“The point of the piece is to get people to slow down and pay attention to the environment,” Liu said. “We lead such busy lives, it is rare to take time to attune to the environment, and truly listen. Through this creative exploration of a hidden gem in the Dayton community, we hope to inspire others to listen and see their environments more deeply.”

Liu said the piece is very much in the spirit of the garden’s founder, the late Marie Aull, who opened and donated the garden to the public, and placed inspirational quotes throughout, encouraging visitors to enjoy nature and meditate on its beauty.

Participants include professional musicians from the area, dancers from the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and the Dayton Ballet, and birders familiar with the region’s birds.

Liu said the some paths go over rugged terrain and recommended appropriate footwear. iPhone users may also participate by downloading iBird Explorer Lite, a free app, before the performance.

Liu’s role as community artist/investigator for Blue Sky is new for the organization, a juried international summer artist residency now in its seventh year and its third based in Dayton, that brings internationally recognized artists to the area to work with young people on public, contemporary art.

The new position was prompted by Liu’s work in 2010 with Blue Sky and the community connections she made, according to Peter Benkendorf, founder and co-creator.

“Collaboration and community are central to both Blue Sky Project and the University of Dayton. It’s exciting to see Blue Sky expand through an artist who is taking the Blue Sky model beyond collaboration of program participants, and out to the larger community,” said Benkendorf.

It’s a good fit for the University, according to Paul Benson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, because it combines the University’s commitment to community and its interest in infusing the creative process into education.

Blue Sky also makes good use of ArtStreet, an innovative living and arts community on campus, where the artists both live and make art in the facility’s studios, Benson said.

“We are pleased to support Blue Sky as well the new community artist/investigator position as part of our ongoing commitment to expand the arts on campus and in the community,” he said.

“Translations” is the second major collaboration for Liu and Veal. Their 2010 production “Of a River” transformed the Schuster Center Wintergarden with dancers, musicians and 600 yards of silk.

Shaw Pong LiuLiu is a Boston-based, classically trained violinist who performs internationally and creates innovative shows involving improvised music, narration and audience interaction. Her ongoing project, “A Bird a Day,” explores birds, sunrises and music at www.abirdaday.org.

Rodney VealDayton native Rodney Veal is a choreographer and interdisciplinary artist whose work has been featured at the Ohio Dance Festival, among others. Veal teaches at Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton and Sinclair Community College. A solo show of his work, “Reveal: Five Zones on Beauty,” opens July 23 at the Springfield Museum of Art.”

For information on Blue Sky and the “Transitions” performance, including an alternative venue in case of rain, visit http://www.blueskydayton.org

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Cardinal (actual):

Cardinal (violin):

SANCTUARY composed by Shaw Pong Liu (4/28/2011)

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jih2Z6-OXKQ&feature=channel_video_title’]

Activated Spaces is back.

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My last adventure got me out of the car and exploring the region via bus, bike and good ol’ fashioned walking. And you know what I saw? Well, in addition to the random shopping cart and dude who was arguing about drugs – I saw great local art! And not by seeking out a gallery (although I recommend that, too) – but by just walking around.

The Activated Spaces team (powered by the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan) worked with local property owners and invited artists to share their work with the community while focusing on our region’s assets. It was a great success and resulted in 17 vibrant art displays filling downtown windows and the selection of Amanda Sue Allen as the People’s Choice award (work currently on display at the Cannery Art and Design Center). Everything from photography to quilt-work and paintings to cloth and pottery to cellophane was represented (and much, much more!) It was a great, diverse and eclectic celebration of Dayton’s professional and amateur artists.

Serida checks to make sure the QR code is working on the Dayton Creative Syndicate's installation featuring the Culture Works festival.

So – they’re doing it again! They have put the call out to local artists to submit work for a second round of storefront window art displays to be unveiled at the September Urban Nights. The fall 2011 installation theme, “Spotlight Dayton,” challenges artists to focus on our many downtown neighborhoods and highlight favorite places. They hope to include aspects of all areas of downtown–neighborhoods, parks, organizations and various community assets may be featured. It may be a challenge to remain strictly faithful to the theme, but the emailed prospectus states that they welcome artists’ interpretations of the theme however loose or literal it may be; if the artwork is not an exact demonstration of the theme, the artist statement may tie the work to the theme.

Details of the project and submission guidelines are available online. Submissions are due by Friday, August 12, at 5PM.

Check out the Activated Spaces web site for more information.

Food Adventures hits a truly AUTHENTIC Mexican Restaurant – Taqueria Mixteca

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And we mean AUTHENTIC on E. 3rd St

There was a time in our lives when we once considered Taco Bell to be really good Mexican food.  It was during our high school and college years, when money was scarce and our late night cravings were curbed by a ritual “run to the border”.

After college, we started dining at various chain restaurants claiming to serve authentic Mexican cuisine, but they were no more than glorified Taco Bells.  As the Big Ragu’s favorite band Survivor said, “The Search is Over”. We are officially in love with a little restaurant on East Third Street in Dayton called TAQUERIA MIXTECA which means “damn good Mexican food” in Spanish.

Chicken Taco, Ground Beef Taco – note the double corn tortilla

Taqueria Mixteca isn’t a fancy restaurant, it is one of those places that you may shoot a glance at while driving by.  They don’t advertise, they don’t have a fancy dining room — we don’t even know if they have a bathroom! They do however, have a drive-thru.  What the place lacks in character is compensated for by a diverse group of diners, with a great menu to match.  The majority of dishes give you the option of ordering the kind of meat you want, ranging from chicken to tripe.  They have three different homemade sauces and delicious homemade salsa.  There is something for everyone…even you vegetarians out there!

Big Ragu tries the homemade hot sauce

On the day of our visit, the Big Ragu ordered multiple tacos including: Chicken, Chorizo, Beef Tongue, and Ground Beef.  The Food Adventures Crew also decided to try the Pork Quesadilla and Enchiladas.  We agree that these might be the greatest tacos we have ever eaten due to one factor — simplicity.  While other places load on the cheese and sour cream, the only ingredients that you find here are meat, cilantro, onion, and a lime wedge all placed on a double corn tortilla.

Since we are spicy individuals, we decided to try each one of their three homemade sauces and were not disappointed.  One of our favorite moments of this taco trifecta was making the Big Ragu try a Beef Tongue Taco. This was not an easy feat as The Big Ragu is picky about his meat.  He avoids steaks at any cost claiming textural difficulties and is the only Italian we know of who hates meatballs. We might not recommend the Beef Tongue Taco, but it was quite amusing to see the Big Ragu squirm.

Authentic Enchiladas

We didn’t know what to make of the Enchiladas when they brought them out because when we think of Enchiladas, we think of them topped with white cheese sauce.  These were naked as the day we were born and had a red-orange glow. Again, the taste of the enchiladas spoke for themselves.  Authentic, simple and the flavors were unique.
One of the biggest surprises was the pork quesadilla. The flavor was intense and fresh. It was probably our favorite item of the night.

The price for our meal was a great value.  Our bill was only $21, a great price for all of the items we tried.  Taqueria Mixteca was recommended to us by people who are from Mexico, or have spent a lot of time south of the border.

The Pork Quesadilla was our favorite

Sure the El Toro and El Rancho Grandes have their place, but this is the closest thing to AUTHENTIC Mexican that you will find in the Dayton area.

So get over to Taqueria Mixteca… VAMOS !!

Please visit Food Adventures on Facebook. Check back every Thursday for a new “Food Adventure” article on DAYTONMOSTMETRO.COM

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Jane’s Best Bets (7/6 – 7/10)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Although your trash pick-up may be delayed a day due to the 4th of July holiday, I decided that I would not take that same liberty, even though that is what the 4th is about.  So without delay, here is my weekly list of best bets.

On Wednesday, beer lovers will have a couple of options including the Beer Tasting with Beer Guru Charles at Rumbleseat Wine and the Beer Tasting at Trolley Stop.  If you prefer wine, there are also some options for you.  You will be able to attend the Weekly Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery or the Wine Tasting at Bruning’s Wine Cellar.  At the Fraze Pavilion, listen to Prism Brass, a large brass ensemble from the United States Air Force Band of Flight.  And if you feel the love tonight, head to the Schuster Center to see The Lion King…and hurry because it’s the last week for it!

On Thursday, during your lunch hour, walk to Courthouse Square for The Square Is Where… Brownwen’s Belly Dancers.  If you love fresh veggies, you may tell a friend, “’Lettuce head’ to the Centerville shopping center for the Centerville Farmers Market.” Although the work week may be short for many of you, if you’re feeling a little stressed, grab a drink at the Moraine Embassy for their After Work Thursdays.  At RiverScape, you will be able to listen to Big Band Nights: Pam Noah and Her Big Band.  Show your athleticism by participating in the Weekly Cornhole Tournament at Wings Sports Bar & Grille.  And even if you have seen The Lion King, you will have the opportunity to see it again at the Schuster Center.  And don’t feel badly…I have friends who saw it and loved it so much that they are seeing it again!

On Friday, participate in the Beer Tasting at Arrow Wine in Centerville. If you’re a parent who can’t wait until your kids are back in school so you can have some adult time, consider attending the Parents Night Out at the Vandalia Rec Center.  At Victoria Theatre, see  The Bridge on the River Kwai as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series.  If you didn’t have a chance to catch the Parrots of the Caribbean last week at the Fraze Pavilion, consider checking them out at Turner Pavilion (Veterans Park).  Country music lovers will not want to miss County Concert 2011 in Fort Loramie.  The drive up there will be well worth it, as some of the top stars in country music will be there, including Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum.  And if you are lucky enough to have a ticket to the sold out concert, get ready to see the Temptations as they play at Fraze Pavilion…I guarantee it will put you on cloud nine!

Mud Volleyball for Epilepsy

On Saturday, John Deere fans (not Dear John fans) need to make plans to attend the Farm Heritage Show at Young’s Jersey Dairy, which will feature vintage tractors, farm machinery, and much more!  Get down and get dirty for Mud Volleyball for Epilepsy at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark.  At PNC 2nd Street Market, there will be a lot going on, including City Beets at the Market (you can purchase vegetables and flowers from kids that have grown them as part of a summer program at Wegerzyn Gardens), Make Your Own Salsa, and Reggae Music from Demolition Crew.  At Jungle Jim’s, enjoy their Australia Imports Wine Tasting.  Head to Sip of Summer, an event in Sprinfield featuring specialty beers and wines, as well as live music!  County Concert 2011 will still be strumming along up in Fort Loramie!  If you’d like to listen to live music in Dayton, this groupie is going to encourage you to see The Fries as part of the Free Summer Concert Series at RiverScape.  Hippies, hippie wannabes, and jazz lovers can attend the Jazz & Peace Festival at Stubbs Park.  And at the Fraze Pavilion, experience live music and great food as part of the Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest 2011.  These last three events are FREE!  See…entertainment in Dayton doesn’t have to cost a fortune!

Disney's THE LION KING - Victoria Theatre Association, Dayton, OhioOn Sunday, if you don’t have any plans, hakuna matata (it means no worries)!  You still can get your tickets to see The Lion King at the Schuster Center.  If you’d like a good meal without having to cook, make your way to Carvers for their 3 course $20 Sunday Meal.  Live music lovers may want to “pick” Soul Pocket at Stubbs Park…please no pick pockets.  If you would like to listen to live music AND eat ice cream, head on over to Riverfront Park in Miamisburg for their Ice Cream Social & a concert by the Kettering Banjo Society.  And if you prefer to be in the AC, consider making a trip to the Dayton Art Institute for one of their exhibits, such as Creating the New Century: Contemporary Art from the Dicke Collection, the ‘Trash? Look Again’ Exhibit, or From Romance to Rifles: Winslow Homer’s Illustrations of 19th-Century America.

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

What happens when you play country music backwards?  You get your job back, your car back, you wife back…

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!

Stayin’ Put for 1 More Week at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone.

We had another great weekend at THE NEON…in fact, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS saw a small increase over the past few days.  Both THE TREE OF LIFE and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS will stick around for another week…and we plan to at least open BEGINNERS on July 15.

Visit each film’s website by clicking on the links below:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

THE TREE OF LIFE

Our new parking lot has new lines and is ready!  You can access this lot (which has 2 different sections) from St. Clair.  One section exits onto 5th Street…the other exits back onto St. Clair.  All the spots are visible from our front window, and new light bulbs have been installed to make certain it is well lit.  As always, this lot if free to NEON customers.  If it is full, we can validate your ticket for the parking garage any time after 6:00 on weekdays or all weekend long.  If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call or write.

Take a look at the trailer for BEGINNERS – opening on July 15.  You don’t want to miss this film!!

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXUFUp6vsxg’]

Hope to see you soon.

Take care!

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for July 8 – July 14:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (PG-13) 1 Hr 40 Min

Friday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Saturday: 12:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Monday – Thursday: 3:30, 6:00, 8:30

THE TREE OF LIFE (R) 2 Hr 18 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:15, 7:00, 9:45

Monday – Thursday:  2:30, 5:15, 8:00

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative.  Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

July 15   BEGINNERS

July 15   BUCK

July 22   PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

Aug 5   SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

Aug 12   BEATS AND RHYMES: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Aug 26   ANOTHER EARTH

Aug 26   THE GUARD

Sept. 9   LIFE ABOVE ALL

Sept 23   HIGHER GROUND

TBD   DOUBLE HOUR

TBD   THE FUTURE

Jazz & Peace Festival in Centerville

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Nighthawk

Jazz Advocate in partnership with the Centerville Arts Commission and WDPS 89.5FM radio is please to invite you to our 5th annual Jazz & Peace Festival. The event will be co-hosted by Clay “The Cooker” Collins of WDPS-FM and Charles “Butch” Stone of Jazz Central. A true family event designed to bring people and communities together to hear America’s Music.

The BRD (Bird) House Jammers will open followed by the Latin jazz group Chango, then life time jazz achievement winner Rick Evans, who will be followed by a true international jazz vocalist Mandy Gaines, with the United States Air Force Nighthawk jazz combo closing. The Dayton International Peace Mobile and Missing Peace Arts Space will be joining us again this year with many activities for the kids.

Chango

This event is made possible through a grant from Montgomery County and support from the Kroger Company – the concert is free, so bring your lawn chairs & blankets and enjoy the music at beautiful Stubbs Park Amphitheater from 1 to 7 pm on July 9, 2011. Details, directions and map of the Jazz and Peace Festival are available here.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmT9Q9Ug8ZM’]

Saluting Dayton’s 2010-11 Theater Season

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(L to R) Kristie Berger, Madeline Casto and Susanne Marley in August: Osage County (Photo by Scott J. Kimmins)

Splendid collaborations, promising new works, compelling dramas and knockout regional and local premieres impressively accented Dayton’s strong, refreshingly progressive 2010-11 theater season.

I attended nearly 70 shows over the past 12 months, and unsurprisingly, the triumphs outweighed the troubled. Among the highlights: Cedarville University’s attractive and delightful “Hello, Dolly!”; the Dayton Theatre Guild’s comical yet poignant look at “The Boys Next Door”; the Dayton Playhouse’s 20th anniversary FutureFest and hilariously first-rate delivery of “The Producers”; Encore Theater Company’s wonderfully authentic “[title of show]” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”; Epiphany Lutheran Church’s marvelously magical “Seussical”; the disbanded SEED Theatre Project’s little-seen yet powerful “The Syringa Tree”; Sinclair Community College’s whimsical “Once On This Island”; the Victoria Theatre Association’s long-awaited arrival of Disney’s “The Lion King” and overdue embrace of the terrifically naughty “Spring Awakening” and “Avenue Q”; the Human Race Theatre Company and Wright State University’s dynamically dysfunctional “August: Osage County”; and the Dayton Philharmonic and Wright State’s stunning presentation of Leonard Bernstein’s rarely attempted “MASS.” Based on the artistic strengths of the Human Race/WSU and DPO/WSU collaborations, I certainly hope the organizations consider joining forces to stage Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies” in 2012-13.

Additionally, the deaths of Marsha Hanna of the Human Race Theatre, Nelson D’Aloia of the Victoria Theatre Association and Kay Wean of Epiphany Lutheran Church are equally noteworthy. After all, their amazing legacies will undoubtedly endure for years to come.

On Saturday, August 13 at Sinclair Community College’s Ponitz Center, Dayton’s theater community will gather for the eighth annual DayTony Awards, held in conjunction with the 10th annual Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame inductions celebrating theater patrons Don and Lois Bigler, Dayton Theatre Guild member Carol Finley and director Doug Lloyd primarily of Beavercreek Community Theatre. The DayTonys specifically honor outstanding designers, performers and productions across the area voted on by participating theaters. In the meanwhile, here are my choices for the season’s best.

BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

August: Osage County“August: Osage County,” Human Race Theatre/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Permanent Collection,” Human Race Theatre

“The 39 Steps,” Human Race Theatre

“Twelfth Night,” Human Race Theatre

“The Wonder Bread Years,” Victoria Theatre Association

BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"The Lion King"

Disney’s “The Lion King,” Victoria Theatre Association

Honorable Mentions:

“Avenue Q,” Victoria Theatre Association

“The Drowsy Chaperone,” Human Race Theatre/Victoria Theatre Association

“right next to me,” Human Race Theatre

“Spring Awakening,” Victoria Theatre Association

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

"The Boys Next Door"

“The Boys Next Door,” Dayton Theatre Guild

Honorable Mentions:

“Fat Pig,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“Mauritius,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“The Sugar Witch,” Dayton Theatre Guild

“The Syringa Tree,” SEED Theatre Project

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"The Producers"

“The Producers,” Dayton Playhouse

Honorable Mentions:

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Encore Theater Company

“The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” Beavercreek Community Theatre

“The Spitfire Grill,” Beavercreek Community Theatre

“[title of show],” Encore Theater Company

BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

"August: Osage County"

“August: Osage County,” Human Race Theatre/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Art,” Miami University

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” Cedarville University

“Picnic,” Wright State University

“See How They Run,” Cedarville University

BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

"42nd Street"

“42nd Street,” Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Anything Goes,” Wright State University

“Hello, Dolly!,” Cedarville University

“Jekyll & Hyde,” Wright State University

“Once On This Island,” Sinclair Community College

BEST NEW WORK

"right next to me"

“right next to me,” Human Race Theatre

Honorable Mentions:

“Hot Mess in Manhattan,” Encore Theater Company

“How It Works,” Dayton Playhouse FutureFest

“Next Thing You Know,” Encore Theater Company

“Refuge,” Dayton Playhouse FutureFest

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT

Leonard Bernstein's MASS: a Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers - Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra & Wright State University Music, Theatre & Dance Departments, 2011

Leonard Bernstein's MASS

“MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers,” Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra/Wright State University

Honorable Mentions:

“Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars!,” Victoria Theatre Association

“Into the Woods,” Muse Machine

“Seth’s Big Fat Broadway,” Springfield Arts Council

“Seussical,” Epiphany Lutheran Church

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Alan Bomar Jones as Sterling North, “Permanent Collection”

Alan Bomar Jones - “Permanent Collection”

Honorable Mentions:

Geoff Burkman as Jim, “Refuge”

Richard Marlatt as Richard Hannay, “The 39 Steps”

Scott McGowan as Paul Barrow, “Permanent Collection”

Greg Smith as Fleeta Mae Bryte, “Precious Heart” (Dayton Theatre Guild)

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Susanne Marley as Violet Weston, “August: Osage County”

Susanne Marley

Honorable Mentions:

Kristie Berger as Barbara Fordham, “August: Osage County”

Amy Brooks as Jackie, “Mauritius”

Claire Kennedy as Viola, “Twelfth Night”

Robin Smith as Elizabeth Grace and others, “The Syringa Tree”

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Blaine Boyd as Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, “Jekyll & Hyde”

Blaine Boyd - “Jekyll & Hyde”

Honorable Mentions:

Saul Caplan as Max Bialystock, “The Producers”

Wally Dunn as Man In Chair, “The Drowsy Chaperone”

JJ Parkey as Hedwig, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

David Sherman as Leo Bloom, “The Producers”

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Mary Kate O’Neill as The Baker’s Wife, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Cait Doyle as The Mess, “Hot Mess in Manhattan”

Jessica Diane Hickling as Dolly Levi, “Hello, Dolly!”

Alyssa Hostetler as Peggy Sawyer, “42nd Street”

Pam McGinnis as Hannah Ferguson, “The Spitfire Grill”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Franklin Johnson as Lucien P. Smith, “The Boys Next Door”

Honorable Mentions:

Bruce Cromer as Clown #1, “The 39 Steps”

Jake Lockwood as Clown #2, “The 39 Steps”

Dave Nickel as Granddaddy Meeks, “The Sugar Witch”

Scott Stoney as Beverly Weston, “August: Osage County”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Madeline Casto as Mattie Fae Aiken, “August: Osage County”

Honorable Mentions:

Stephanie Anderson as Lady Bracknell, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Sarah Caplan as Sisser Bean, “The Sugar Witch”

Keely Heyl as Miss Skillon, “See How They Run”

Melissa Joyner as Kanika Weaver, “Permanent Collection”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Charles Larkowski as Roger De Bris, “The Producers”

Honorable Mentions:

Jonathan Berry as Carmen Ghia, “The Producers”

Gabriel Pyle as Cornelius Hackl, “Hello, Dolly!”

Kevin Rankin as Franz Liebkind, “The Producers”

Dean Swann as Mr. William Cartwright and Mayor Thomas Sapsea, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Danika Haffenden as Ulla, “The Producers”

Honorable Mentions:

Abigail Nessen Bengson as Yitzhak, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

Christina Bianco as Kristin Chenoweth, Sarah Brightman, Bernadette Peters and others, “Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars”

Nora Coyle as Heidi, “[title of show]”

Angele’ Price as Susan, “[title of show]”

BREAKTHROUGH MALE PERFORMANCE

Jason David Collins as Charlie Aiken, “August: Osage County”

Honorable Mentions:

Riley Able as Hal Carter, “Picnic”

Nicolas Bauer as Carter, “Fat Pig”

Josiah Hutchings as Barnaby Tucker, “Hello, Dolly!”

Davis Sullivan as Jack, “Into the Woods”

BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Carly Snyder as Little Red Ridinghood, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Amy Askins as Jeannie, “Fat Pig”

Hannah Berry as Olive Ostrovsky, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Dayton Playhouse)

Chelsea Cavender as Jean Fordham, “August: Osage County”

Bethany Locklear as Rosa Bud, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Marsha Hanna and Scott Stoney, “August: Osage County” Honorable Mentions:

Joe Deer, “The 39 Steps”

Adam J. Leigh, “The Syringa Tree”

Natasha Randall, “The Boys Next Door”

Aaron Vega, “Twelfth Night”

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Kay Francis Wean, “Seussical”

Honorable Mentions:

David Brush, “Once On This Island”

Robert and Ruth Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Chris Harmon, “The Producers”

W. Stuart McDowell, “Jekyll & Hyde”

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Rick Conant, “42nd Street”

Honorable Mentions:

Greg Hellems and Amber Preston, “Anything Goes”

Katy Russell and Alexandra Turner, “Hello, Dolly!”

Rodney Veal, “Once On This Island”

Megan Wean, “Seussical”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Blake Senseman, “The Sugar Witch”

Honorable Mentions:

Dick Block, “Twelfth Night”

Tamara L. Honesty, “Permanent Collection”

Donald N.C. Jones, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Pam Knauert Lavarnway, “August: Osage County”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Paul Wonsek, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Bruce Brown, “Seussical”

Robert Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Tamara L. Honesty, “42nd Street”

Terry Stump, “Once On This Island”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Lowell A. Mathwich, “Twelfth Night”

Honorable Mentions:

D. Bartlett Blair, “Picnic”

David M. Covach, “August: Osage County”

Donald N.C. Jones, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Janet Powell, “The 39 Steps”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Ruth Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Honorable Mentions:

D. Bartlett Blair, “42nd Street”

Josh Hollister, “The Producers”

Kathleen Hotmer, “Once On This Island”

Maria Kleuber and Lori Watamaniuk, “Seussical”

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

Nicholas Crumbley, “The Syringa Tree”

Honorable Mentions:

Robert Clements and Carolyn Ruck, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Nicholas Crumbley, “Picnic”

John Rensel, “August: Osage County”

John Rensel, “Twelfth Night”

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Gina Neuerer, “Once On This Island”

Honorable Mentions:

Tim Guth, “Seussical”

Becky Haines, “Evita” (Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre)

John Rensel, “Into the Woods”

Carolyn Ruck, “Hello, Dolly!”

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

Nathan D. Dean, “The Syringa Tree”

Honorable Mentions:

Rich Dionne, “Twelfth Night”

James Dunlap, “August: Osage County”

Jason Nickoson, “Picnic”

K.L. Storer, “The Sugar Witch”

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

David Sherman, “Into the Woods”

Honorable Mentions:

Nathan D. Dean, “Once On This Island”

James Dunlap, “Jekyll & Hyde”

Dick Lane, “Seussical”

Brian Ronan, “Spring Awakening”

BEST PROPERTIES

Adrienne Niess and Ann Meyer, “Seussical”

Honorable Mentions:

John Lavarnway and Heather Powell, “August: Osage County”

Wendi Michael and others, “Precious Heart”

Blake Senseman and others, “The Boys Next Door”

Terry Stump, “Once On This Island”

BEST VIDEO/PROJECTION DESIGN

J. Wynn Alexander, “Evita” (Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre)

Honorable Mentions:

David A. Centers, “right next to me”

Jackson Gallagher, “Next Thing You Know”

Benjamin Pearcy, “9 to 5: The Musical”

Rodney Veal, “Altar Boyz” (Encore Theater Company)

BEST ORCHESTRA

“42nd Street,” Musical Director: Rick Church

Honorable Mentions:

“Into the Woods,” Musical Director: David Dusing

“The Lion King,” Musical Director: Rick Snyder

“The Producers,” Musical Director: Ron Kindell

“Seussical,” Musical Director: John Benjamin

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Kevin Adams’ Tony Award-winning lighting design for “Spring Awakening”

Gregg Barnes’ Tony Award-winning costumes for “The Drowsy Chaperone”

Gregg Coffin’s orchestrations for “right next to me”

The collaborative artistic team of “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”: Producers W. Stuart McDowell and Paul Helfrich; music director/conductor Neal Gittleman; stage director Greg Hellems; choreographer Gina Gardner-Walther; designer Pamela Knauert Lavarnway; choir director Hank Dahlman; children’s choir director Natalie DeHorn; assistant choir directors James Tipps and Drew Collins; lighting designer Matthew Benjamin; sound designer Keith Thomas; and costumer Joy Galbraith

Kevin Crewell’s recreation of Casey Nicholaw’s Tony Award-nominated choreography for “The Drowsy Chaperone”

Christian Duhamel’s original music for “Twelfth Night” and regional premiere of “Here With Me” (Human Race Theatre/Neon Movies)

The “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” band led by musical director John Faas

Joann M. Hunter’s recreation of Bill T. Jones’ Tony Award-winning choreography for “Spring Awakening”

Allison Janney as The Giant, “Into the Woods”

Melonie June Johns’ light and sound effects for “Seussical”

Rick Lyons’ puppet conception and design for “Avenue Q”

Matthew Michael Moore’s fight choreography for “See How They Run”

Music director Vince Peterson and cellist Dan Delaney’s accompaniment for “Hot Mess in Manhattan”

Lucy Skilbeck’s recreation of Michael Mayer’s Tony Award-winning direction for “Spring Awakening”

Music director Julie Spangler’s accompaniment for the Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarship Competition (Human Race Theatre)

Music director Catherine Stornetta’s accompaniment for “Forbidden Broadway Dances With the Stars”

The principal cast and collaborative artistic team of “Porgy and Bess” (Dayton Opera): Thomas Ray Beard, Jr. as Porgy, Kearstin Piper Brown as Bess, Philip Boykin as Crown, Adrienne Danrich as Serena, NaGuanda Nobles as Clara, Roderick George as Sportin’ Life, Judith Skinner as Maria and Eric McKeever as Jake; music director/conductor Neal Gittleman; director Gary Briggle; choreographer Debbie Blunden-Diggs and the dancers of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company; and the singers of the Dayton Opera Chorus, Central State University and Wilberforce University

The Street Chorus of “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”

Julie Taymor’s Tony winning direction and costume design, Julie Taymor and Michael Curry’s mask and puppet design, Garth Fagan’s Tony winning choreography, Donald Holder’s Tony winning lighting design and Richard Hudson’s Tony winning scenic design for “The Lion King”

The uncredited costumes for “Into the Woods”

Erin Winslow’s costumes for the role of Angela Arden-Sussman in “Die, Mommie, Die!” (Dayton Playhouse)

John Wesley Wright as the Celebrant, “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers”

The 2011 DayTonys/Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame gala, a black-tie optional event, will be held Saturday, August 13 at the Ponitz Center, Building 12, of Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. and feature cocktails, dinner, dessert, dancing, a cash bar and free parking. The “early bird” cost is $35 per person prior to Monday, August 1. After August 1, the cost is $50 per person. Reservations must be received by Monday, August 8. Reservations can be made by calling Fran Pesch at (937) 654-0400. Make check payable to: Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame/DayTonys, P.O. Box 2706, Dayton, OH 45401-2706.

Olive-an urban dive – Try It For Lunch This Week

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If you’re one of the many that’s been watching the transformation of the old Wympee’s building at the corner of 3rd and Wayne make its slow transformation over the past 8 months, let me tell you – it was worth the wait! Friday night I was among the lucky 150 guests that got to “Dive into Olive.”  This week long preview was smartly marketed by owner/operator Kimberly Collett, who did an excellent job using social media to build excitement, followers and future customers for her eatery.

As 30 of us sat down family style for dinner we were handed a piece of paper and a pen and asked to  really honestly share our opinion.  We started with baklava, followed by caesar salad, tuscan grilled cheese and gluten free tomato bisque (I have to say Coco’s tomato bisque now has competition). As each course came out Kimberly talked about local suppliers, what tweaks could be made to offer dishes as vegan and explained the challenges of a tiny kitchen.  Sacrifices had to be made- like going without a dishwasher- so plating has been thought out very carefully, and each glass, utensil and pot must be handwashed.  You could hear the pride in her voice as Kimberly shared with us that she made each table, the ceiling tiles and the bar was created out of a tree her grandfather cut down over 60 years ago.  The lights over the bar are made from Chimay Blanche bottles (Kimberly’s favorite beer – might come in handy to know if you need in without a reservation).

open faced tuna taco

Highlights for me included the spanikopita, garlic hamburger, fried leeks (think onion rings), tuna tacos  and of course the Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams– Olive is just one of 300 approved restaurants in the country permitted to carry their products.   Each ingredient, we learned, must appear in at least 4 items to earn it’s place in the pantry. At Olive, everything possible is made from scratch, from as many local ingredients as can be found. Since all of their items are made from scratch, there isn’t even a can opener in the kitchen.  They will be promoting their local purveyors on the back of their staff shirts- the inaugural  shirt highlights 40 farmers. The restaurant won’t have a liquor license, so you are encouraged to bring your own beer or wine and they’ll happily supply the glassware.
Olive has over 1300 facebook friends who have been following the saga of the permitting process, came to their defense when occupancy numbers were at stake, and stopped by when invited for a graffiti party prior to the drywall going up.  And now finally like we told you back on June 13 Olive will be open from 10am – 3pm for a soft opening for lunch. They are offering a $10 meal which they describe as  “salads, lunch sized & a cuppa soup.” Check out the menu. Locavores will appreciate all the freshly sourced food, but remember- that doesn’t come cheap.  You’ll pay more to eat here- but the flavors you’ll get to taste will make it so worth it. But bring cash- Olive doesn’t take credit cards yet, and even when they do they won’t take American Express.

homemade cheescake with fresh cream

And while you’re there- think about reserving the place for your own private dinner party. Mon – Wed you can host your own evening- either pre fixe meal or off the menu for a party of up to 30.  There is also a darling patio out back that seats 15.   We’d love for you to share your impressions in the comments below, if you dine at Olive!

New Thai & Sushi Option Downtown

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Over a year after it was officially announced, and much speculation that it would never happen, Sa Bai, a casual upscale Asian restaurant, has finally opened at the corner of 5th and Jefferson Streets, across from the Convention Center.  Described by  owner/manager Saveth Yun, as a mix of 90% thai, 10% sushi, the restaurant will seat about 140 guests.  Previously Mr Yun was the general manager of Teak Thai Cuisine in Cincinnati.

He also tells us that he has plans for live music on the patio later in the summer.  The patio will seat another 80 guests.  The restaurant will serve lunch Mon – Fri, from 11am – 2:30pm with prices in the $6-$8 range.  Dinner service will start at 5pm seven day a week.  He expects dinner will be served until 9 or 10pm, but will have to see what traffic dictates.

sushi bar at Sa Bai

Yun says diners should expect to spend $10 – $15 on dinner entrees.  Happy Hours will be offered, but details weren’t firm yet on what that will include.

Sa Bai will be able to offer groups private seating, either in a curtained off section in the main dining room for about 40 or in the back room by the sushi bar for larger groups.  For more information  call the restaurant at 535-2900.  Yun says while he’s registered the domain name, he hasn’t had time to get the website working yet, but will soon.

There is free parking under the Transportation parking garage off Stone Street, where Neon Movies visitors used to park.  (Neon guests can now park for free across the street in the old bus station lot). Let us know your impressions if you dine at Sa Bai, in the comments below.