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Archives for August 2011

BIke Miami Valley – The Rebirth!

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For decades Bike Miami Valley has played an important role in the development of the cycling community in the Miami Valley. As many of you heard at the Miami Valley Cycling Summit, Bike Miami Valley is being reborn with a new vision and mission to meet the current needs of cyclists in the region. They need your help and hope you will join them for a Meet-Up at Brixx to review where the organization has been, what is currently being done and how you can utilize your skills and interests to make an even greater impact.
The meeting will be on Tues, Sept 20th upstairs at Brixx (500 East 1st Street, Dayton)  and servers will be available if you would like some food and a tasty beverage.  For more info checkout the event on facebook.

This Week at The Neon – “Another Earth” and “Sarah’s Key”

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Hello Everyone.

We had a very slow weekend at THE NEON…so it’s time to clear the decks and move forward in a big way.  If you haven’t seen BUCK, SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN orTHE DOUBLE HOUR, you only have until Thursday to see them at THE NEON. (Click here for current showtimes.)

On Friday, we will open 2 new films – the Sundance hit ANOTHER EARTH and the adaptation of the beloved novel SARAH’S KEY.  We haven’t had a big opportunity to market SARAH’S KEY via trailer play…though we know there’s a large interest in the film.  Please help us spread the word about its opening this Friday.

Synopsis for ANOTHER EARTH:  “Rhoda Williams, a bright young woman accepted into MIT’s astrophysics program, aspires to explore the cosmos. A brilliant composer, John Burroughs, has just reached the pinnacle of his profession and is about to have a second child. On the eve of the discovery of a duplicate earth, tragedy strikes and the lives of these strangers become irrevocably intertwined.” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)  ANOTHER EARTH’s official website.

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Synopsis for SARAH’S KEY: “Julia Jarmond, an American journalist married to a Frenchman, is commissioned to write an article about the notorious Vel d’Hiv round up, which took place in Paris, in 1942. She stumbles upon a family secret which will link her forever to the destiny of a young Jewish girl, Sarah. Julia learns that the apartment she and her husband Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand’s family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers – especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive – the more she uncovers about Bertrand’s family, about France and, finally, herself.” (The Weinstein Company)  The official website for SARAH’S KEY.

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Marketing pieces for The 6th Annual Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival are well underway, and I’m quite pleased with the line-up!  In the coming days, you’ll start to see stacks of postcards popping up all over town (if you’d like to place some at your business or favorite hangout, please let me know…I have 2 different versions).

The official website is now up and running.  Check out www.daytonlgbt.com to read a synopsis about each film…you’ll also find embedded trailers and links to official websites.  One special treat…The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will give a pair of tickets away at each LGBT screening to see Lynda Carter when she’s in town!  If you are a lover of theatre, don’t miss CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE.  If you like being in the know regarding films that make the critics’ top ten lists…you’ll certainly want to see WEEKEND (one of my favorite films of the year).

Living City’s Fall Festival is also shaping up.  This year?  Vampires!  From Bela Lugosi’sDRACULA (in 35mm) to Catherine Deneuve & David Bowie in THE HUNGER – the line-up is lots of fun.  More details soon…the series begins Oct. 17!

And here’s another treat!!!  Take your NEON ticket stub to our new neighbor Sa bai: Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar – and receive 15% off your meal.

Take care!

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for August 26 – September 1:

SARAH’S KEY (PG-13) 1 Hr 51 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40

Monday – Thursday:  3:00, 5:30, 8:00

ANOTHER EARTH (PG-13)  1 Hr  32 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday:  1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40

Monday – Thursday:  3:10, 5:20, 7:50

COMING SOON:

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

In some cases, titles may disappear.

Sept. 2   THE TRIP

Sept. 9   LIFE ABOVE ALL

Sept 9   THE WHISTLEBLOWER

Sept 9  BEATS AND RHYMES: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Sept 23   HIGHER GROUND

TBD   THE GUARD

TBD   THE FUTURE

Jane’s Best Bets (8/24 – 8/28)

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Happy Beer Week Dayton!  Hopefully some of you have already started to sample some great beers in and around town.  If not, you will have plenty of opportunities to do so.  And if beer is not your thing, there are some other great options this week as well!

On Wednesday, celebrate Dayton Beer Week with beer tastings at some of these fine establishments:  5th Street Wine & Deli for the Green Flash Brewery Tasting; Trolley Stop for the Off Centered Foot Stomp; The Pub at The Greene for the Belhaven Happy Hour; Blind Bob’s for the Mt. Carmel Brews; Chappy’s for the Sierra Nevada Tasting; or Spinoza’s for a Beer Tasting with North Coast Brewing Co. If you haven’t been to the Fraze yet this season, then here is your opportunity to do so for a FREE show!  Nicky Kay & His Fabulous Kay-Tones featuring Crazy Joe will be performing.  And if you are in need of some professional development (aren’t we all?), then attend Generation Dayton’s Business Ethics Event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

On Thursday, make your way to Courthouse Square for The Square Is Where featuring the Miami Valley Folk Dancers.  Sick and tired of men?  Have a Girls Night Out at The Melting Pot.  Sorry guys.  The beer tastings will continue at a variety of bars/restaurants, including Lucky’s (Firkin Drag Race), Spinoza’s (Ommegang Brewing Co.), The Pub at The Greene (Sierra Nevada Tasting), and A Taste of Wine (Mt Caramel Beer Tasting 7).  You will be able to have a complete Summer Beer Dinner at the Schuster Center’s Citilites.  While the weather is still nice, be sure to get outdoors and enjoy some live music down at RiverScape with their Big Band Nights featuring the Kim Kelly Orchestra.  If you’re in shape, then make your way to Fifth Third Field for the Dayton Dragons 5K Fun Run.  I can’t imagine that running would be considered fun, but maybe they know something I don’t.

On Friday, there will again be a Square Is Where performance at Courthouse Square featuring the Minions of Fate.  There will also be plenty more beer tastings for you, such as the Great Lakes Tapping at Lucky’s or the Red Carpet Rollout at the Trolley Stop.  Feeling a little clammy?  Make your way to The Dock for their Clam Bake Weekend.  Enjoy some Lebanese cuisine, Middle Eastern dancing and entertainment, cultural displays, and much more at the 18th Greater Dayton Lebanese Festival.  At the Dayton Theatre Guild, you will be able to see The Oldest Profession.  I don’t know why you would like Grease because it stains your clothes, but if for some chance you do, then you will be able to see it at the Victoria Theatre as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series at Victoria Theatre.  At Sharkey’s, dance to the music of the Webster’s, a super fun cover band.  And finally, I hope you are among the lucky few who have tickets to see Chicago at the Fraze!  If not, I’m sorry.  And by the way, if you know me, it’s really not hard for me to say I’m sorry.  Saying sorry would be a hard habit to break.

Saturday is AleFest!  This is without a doubt THE place to be if you like beer.  Just be sure to pace yourself and bring a DD!  If you have kids, you’ll be able to take them to Fifth Third Field for the Subway Fresh Fit Family Day, which will include inflatable games, appearances by Heater and Gem, and much more!  Support some great charities, including A Special Wish Foundation and the Special Olympics by attending the 1st Annual Lawmen’s Band Bash at the Clark County Fairgrounds.  If you enjoy festivals, the 18th Greater Dayton Lebanese Festival will still be going on.  The Dayton Diversity International Potluck Luncheon at the main branch of the Dayton Metro Library will provide another opportunity for you to participate in multicultural activities and taste some specialty dishes.  At Fifth Third Field, catch the Dragons play the West Michigan Whitecaps.  And if you prefer to be indoors, you will be able to see The Oldest Profession at the Dayton Theatre Guild or the movie  Grease at Victoria Theatre.

On Sunday, get your bike out and participate in the Tour de Dayton which is the 1st Annual Cycling and Destination Tour.  Check out some sweet rides at the 7th Annual Antioch Shrine Custom Car & Bike Show at RiverScape.  You still have some time to check out/attend some of the events earlier in the week, including the 18th Greater Dayton Lebanese Festival, the showing of the movie Grease as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series, and The Oldest Profession at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  Listen to the U.S. Air Force Band of Flight at Stubbs Amphitheater in Centerville.  At Fifth Third Field, watch as the Dragons take on the West Michigan Whitecaps.  And finally, to all you wine lovers out there – please don’t “wine” because this week has been about beer.  There is an event for you as well – Primo Vino Sunday at Arrow Wine in Kettering.

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

A skeleton walks into a bar and says, “I’ll have a beer and a mop.”

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!

Music Video Monday: August 22, 2011

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Steven Gullett performed with some great names in Dayton music: the Mystery Addicts, American Static and Snake Oil among many others. He also hosted Canal Street Tavern’s Musicians Co-op for 3 years and continues to pursue a solo career from his new(ish) home base in Los Angeles.  Today’s video features a song from Gullett’s latest album, Secular Jukebox, available for sale online and to stream on SoundCloud.

The video itself comes from New York based director Catrin Hedström and is part of a project called They Call Us Animals.  The footage comes from a video Hedström was encouraged to make by a band she loved.  However, she ran into a problem because she didn’t have the rights to the music.  Read the whole story here. Catrin Hedström has offered the video footage (to which she does have the rights) for free and has invited musicians and creators to make something with her footage and share it on her site.

Any Dayton bands up for the challenge? If so, be sure to send a link to your finished video to daytonmusicATdaytonmostmetroDOTcom and we’ll feature it in a future Music Video Monday.

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Micheal “SUGAR” Ray Richardson- The Bitter and The Sweet

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Micheal Ray Richardson was known for many things. He was known for his quick-witted tongue, his killer defense, his controversial ban from the NBA and his incessant drug use.

No matter what you remember of Richardson’s stead in the NBA, you can’t deny he was and still is a champion, the king of comeback and arguably one of the best to ever play at his position.

Micheal was given the nickname “Sugar” for his sweet moves on the court. He was a four time NBA All Star — twice with the New York Knicks and two times with the New Jersey Nets — and made All Defensive First Team twice. His ability to burn a hole in the net with his wicked jump shot was second to none.

Micheal played in the NBA from 1978-1988 along with other legendary players such as Magic Johnson, Julius Erving, Larry Byrd, Michael Jordan and Artis Gilmore.

When critics squawked at what was considered Richardson’s unruly behavior, he simply responded with putting up undeniable stats averaging 16 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game.  To the naked eye it may have seemed as if he was winning the battle with his impeccable talent, but he was no match for the war on drugs that the late 1970s and early 1980s brought to the community and the professional game of sports.

In spite of Richardson’s plausible career in the pros, Richards found himself caught up in the fast life and quickly spinning out of control. He began to habitually do drugs and as a result, his addiction caused him to be banned from the NBA permanently after failing three consecutive drug screenings.

For most, being banned from professional basketball, having a controversial personal brand, and a lingering drug addiction, would have destroyed more than just a career in the pros, but possibly even life itself; however, Richardson showed resiliency throughout his personal trials and battles with drugs and got his life back on track.

Richardson would eventually end up quitting drugs in 1988, had a successful 13 year career overseas after his 10 year stint in the NBA, clinching 3 championships while in Italy and another in South France, obtained a job working for the NBA in London, and would become the Community Ambassador for the Denver Nuggets in 2001 teaching children about the negative effects of drugs.

Richardson coaches a minor league basketball team called the Lawton Fort Sill Cavalry in Lawton, Oklahoma, which he led to three championships in the Premiere Basketball League and was a strong contender to clinch a fourth during the 2011 basketball post season play.

He contributes his success as a coach to his passion for the game and being able to communicate with his players.

Richardson stated, “It’s not always about the X’s and O’s, but having the players believe in me as a coach and having effective communication with my players on and off the court.”

Richardson attributes his ability to redirect the once grim forecast on his life to Jesus Christ, personal mentors, his strong belief in himself and his don’t quit mentality.

Richardson stated, “Lots of people have problems and they don’t see a way out so they quit. The difference with me was I did not give up. When you have an addiction you have to change the people, places and things that surround you to achieve the change you want to have in your life. I did just that. I believe leaving the league [NBA] and playing basketball overseas not only saved my career, but my life.”

Micheal continued by stating, “A major eye opener for me at the time was the passing of the number one draft pick, Len Bias of Landover, MD who passed away from a drug overdose. That made me further realize that I had a second chance at life and I needed to make a change.”

Richardson is a father of two, which one of his children is studying at Virginia Tech and will be a doctor in the upcoming year. Richardson also holds basketball camps nationwide teaching children basketball and life skills while empowering them to have greater self-esteem.

Richardson closed the interview by stating, “I share my story because some people want to get out [war on drugs] but cant. I’m  not talking about stuff I read in a book, but actual stuff that has happened to me. When you are doing it [drugs] you can’t tell its affecting you, but it is. I made an example of myself and I got caught. In life you have to be responsible for your own actions.”

Micheal “Sugar” Ray Richardson is not only the king of controversy, comeback, and a man of character, but a living testament that in life, you have to sometimes take the bitter with the sweet.

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Bring Your Tomato to Figlio Week

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Peter Danis, owner of Figlio in the Town & Country since 2003, sends out a quarterly newsletter that always has a friendly tone and shares a tidbit of his family life with customers.  It’s one of those restaurant I often forget about, since it’s not easily visible, so each time I get this newsletter it reminds me to go there more often.  Here’s an excerpt from the latest
newsletter:

I was talking about how much I loved my tomatoes with Laurie last week and she said “Wouldn’t it be great if you could bring your own tomato to a restaurant and have them use it in a salad”.   As I sipped my second glass of wine I gave some thought to this and said:  “Why not at Figlio”?
She thought I was joking… but I wasn’t.    By the time I finished my wine I decided to create
“Bring Your Tomato to Figlio Week” starting next Monday August 22nd through Saturday, August 27th.
(Why is it that I always find more inspiration during the second glass of wine?)

So here’s how it works.  If you order the Caprese Salad while dining with us next week, bring in your favorite tomato and give it to your server.  We’ll then have it sliced and used on your salad. Your tomato from your backyard.     Local. Seasonal.  Organic.

As a special incentive to make next week even more meaningful, Laurie and I will donate $1 to The Foodbank for every Caprese Salad ordered when we use your tomato.
We can help others through the bounty of our own backyards.

The Caprese Salad at $6.25 makes a perfect start to a meal or  the seasonal strawberry salad is a great choice.  Figlio is especially known for their wood grilled pizzas and according to manager Leanne Sunderman, one of their most popular creations this summer has been the ahi tuna pizza- pan seared tuna on a creme fraiche wasabi sauce topped with snow peas and broccoli and finished with an asian sauce for the perfect hot and sweet combination. Following in a close second is the grilled asparagus and chive pizza with prosciutto, drizzled with a balsamic gaze.  Pizzas run about $10 – $13.

You’ll want to save some room for their  creme brulee, chocolate mousse, tiramisu or while it’s available the strawberry shortcake.

Figlio is open for dinner starting at 5pm Monday through Saturday and they even have a small private dining room, perfect for a business meal or rehearsal dinner.  For more info or reservations call them at  937.534.0494.

What’s the single best reason for buying a home in Dayton OH?

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Let’s say you are thinking of buying a house. You are probably watching the news for real estate market insights, you are listening to your friends tell you about their experiences- good, bad, indifferent. You might be a bit nervous and scared about buying right now and you’ve seen what has happened over the past decade so you are smart to be cautious. It’s difficult for even experienced Realtors to look into their handy-dandy crystal balls these days because we are seeing some unprecedented changes in the real estate market, coupled with unprecedented changes in the Miami Valley. Erring on the side of caution is wise under these circumstances so take a deep breath and understand that following your gut will keep you out of trouble.

But still, you want a home of your own. You want to paint the walls with salmon-colored chalkboard paint, and put down exotic Brazilian hardwood floors. You have kids in 4-H and two horses you are tired of boarding. Or maybe you simply can no longer stand the thought of paying a cheap and stingy landlord for a roof over your head. Congratulations! You just discovered the best reasons for buying a home.

Forget about the real estate boom. For hundreds and hundreds of years, people who were smart and competent and knowledgeable were buying homes primarily for those same reasons. They didn’t buy a home because real estate was a great financial investment, because it wasn’t. They didn’t buy a home because they thought they could make money from selling it in a few short years, because they couldn’t. They bought a home because they wanted a space of their own. A space where they got to call the shots, paint with the colors that made them happy, use the land the way they wanted, not beholden to a landlord, and put down roots in a community that they loved, and if we think about the lessons of the past few years, those just might be the best reasons for buying a home.

In many respects, this is a perfect storm for home buyers: Inventory is up, interest rates are down, prices are down. The difference in the boom years and now is that there is no real indication that prices are going to up any, if at all, at least not for quite awhile, but don’t despair, you do have options. You can buy a home because you want a place of your own. You can buy a home as an investment or rental property, including duplexes and multi-units. And you can buy a home in a part of the country that is experiencing better economic times than Dayton- there is still money to be made somewhere.

I saw an interesting real estate forecast that makes sense to me, if you want to gaze into that crystal ball you can find it here. There are places where you can invest in real estate and still make (some) money. There are real estate markets and niches that are more lucrative than others, but understand that Dayton is a different market with, in my opinion, a long way to go before we see solid recovery.  What that means is for most home buyers in Dayton Ohio, a home represents a place of their own and all the joys that come with that freedom. If you think about it, “”because you want to” might be the best reason of all to buy a home.

Photo: TLussier

Urban Nights Crew Needed!

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Love Downtown?
Volunteer to be on the Urban Nights Crew!
The Downtown Dayton Partnership needs you to help with Urban Nights on Friday, September 16, 2011. Urban Nights is a free event that showcases downtown’s housing, visual and performing arts, and other creative spaces. Approximately 100 businesses and organizations will be participating in the event, and expected attendance is 30,000+.
Shifts are from 4:45-7:30 p.m. and 7:15-10 p.m. You will be contacted before the event with details on everything you need to know for your shift. Crew Members are needed for the following duties:
*Shuttle Guides – shuttles are offered to help patrons get to some of the participating locations – guides will help direct patrons on the shuttles, answer questions and explain what each stop is for
*Walking Guides – serve as a guide for a designated area of downtown and help answer patron questions, provide directions, etc.
* Info Table – assist in supplying event materials to patrons and answer questions
* Survey Crew – ask patrons a short list of survey questions at the info tent and in other key areas of downtown

If you can help please send an email to Krystal Luketic with your full name, phone, preferred job and shift and t-shirt size. Sign ups end Aug 31st.

Cheers – It’s Beer Week!

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Ok, it’s longer than a week, with nine days of events celebrating craft beers all over the region.  Long been celebrated across the country, last year was the debut of  Dayton Beer Week.  Now in it’s 2nd year, the committee of 8 organizers have reached out to new participants and  expanded the number of beer-centric events to over 30 tastings, dinners, and even a bike ride.   Official events are registered on the Dayton Beer Week web site, where promoters pay $50 to help defray administrative and advertising costs. Net proceeds will be donated to the Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s scholarship fund.

Here’s a day by day guide of Beer Events happening this week, however you may want to check our calendar as more events keep popping up!  Also look to the right hand column for links to more info about many of these events.  If you’d like to add an event to our calendar submit here.

Friday, August 19

Dayton Beer Week KICK-OFF PARTY! at Spinoza’s  4 -11pm
Beer Tasting at Arrow Wine & Spirits Centerville  5 -7pm
Stone 2010 Russian Imperial Stout keg tapping at Chappy’s 6pm

Saturday, August 20

Pints, Putters & Pink Balls at Kittyhawk Golf Center Noon
Beer Tasting at The Greene  6 – 9pm
Belgian keg tapping of Brugse Zot Unfiltered Belgian Pale Ale at Chappy’s  6pm

Sunday, August 21

Dayton Beer Week – Beer Pride Parade at Oregon Arts District  4:30 PM
Enjoy this video from the 2010 parade!
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Special Tapping and Opening Ceremonies at Thai 9  5:00 PM – 08:00 PM

Monday, August 22

Merchant Du Vin Beer Tasting at Chappys Tap Room & Grille   6:00 PM – 08:00 PM
Troegs Invasion Tap Takeover at Blind Bob’s Tavern  7:00 PM – 09:00 PM
Craft and Specialty Buckets at J-Alans  All Day Event
Rogue Night at South Park Tavern

Tuesday, August 23

Biking for The Beer of It  at A Taste of Wine  6pm
Epic Brewing Beer Dinner at Spinoza’s  7-9pm
Founders Draught Blast at Chappys 7-9pm
Bell’s Brewery tasting at King’s Table 5-10pm
Left Hand’s Blackjack Porter tapping at The Pub at The Greene
Samuel Adams Stein Hoisting Competition at Fox-n-Hound
Samuel Smith Beer Dinner at Carvers 6:30pm

Wednesday, August 24

A.Y.O.B. at Archer’s Tavern  5:00 PM
Green Flash Brewery Tasting at 5th St. Wine & Deli  5 -7pm
Off Centered Foot Stomp at Trolley Stop 5pm
Beer Tasting with North Coast Brewing Co. at Spinoza’s  6-9pm
Mt. Carmel Brews with Kathleen Dewey at Blind Bob’s Tavern 6-8pm
Sierra Nevada Tasting at Chappys Tap Room & Grille  6:30 8:30pm
Dogfish Head Beer Tasting at The Caroline  7pm
Great Lakes draughts at Flanagan’s Pub begins at 4pm
Duvel Belgian Golden Strong Ale Glass wpurchase night at Thai 9 6pm
Goose Island cooking with beer at Culinary Company
Belhaven House of Beer Happy Hour at The Pub at The Green 6-10pm
Once a Year Beers Tasting at Brunings Wine Cellar

Thursday, August 25

Firkin Drag Race at Lucky’s Taproom and Eatery  5:30pm – 2:30am
5 course Summer Beer Dinner  – SOLD OUT at Citilites  6pm
Beer Tasting with Ommegang Brewing Co.at Spinoza’s  6-9pm
Mt Caramel Beer Tasting 7 – 9pm RSVPs please  at A Taste of Wine
Cavalier Tastings at Arrow Wine Far Hills 5:30- 7:30pm
Brewkettle takes over South Park Tavern
Goose Island Sour Ale & Vintage Reserve Ale night at Archer’s Tavern
Sierra Nevada craft beer sampling at Kroger Marketplace Englewood 3-5pm
Belgian Golden Strong ale, Duvel served in limited release glasses at King’s Table

Friday August 26, 2011

Beer Tasting at Arrow Wine & Spirits Centerville   5 – 7pm
Special Great Lakes Tapping at Lucky’s Taproom and Eatery 5 – 7pm
Red Carpet Rollout at Trolley Stop  7pm
Great Lakes tapping at Chappy’s 8-10pm
Goose Island Brewmaster Beer Dinner at Meadowlark  7pm
Brewery Ommegang tasting at Culinary Company 4-7pm

The finale of Beer Week will be the 13th annual AleFest which takes place on Sat, Aug 27th at Carillon Park.  Gates open at 2pm and participants receive 20 sampling tickets and a souvenir beer glass.  Deciding which of the 300 beers you’d like to taste may be the hardest part of that day.   We’ll post another article later in the week with our tips for surviving Alefest, but be sure to buy your ticket in advance, it will only be $35, at the door you’ll pay $40.  And it’s not a bad idea to line up a designated driver now!  Cheers!

Culture Works Seeks Feedback

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Take the Survey Here.

What do you think Culture Works does?

What do you think it SHOULD be doing?

Culture Works, the region’s arts fund and service agency, is going through some changes, and they want your input.  This spring, Martine Meredith Collier came to the Dayton region as the new Executive Director/CEO of Culture Works. Martine has brought extensive experience including work as the Director of Development and Membership for Grantmakers in the Arts (Seattle, WA) and as the Executive Director of Sarasota County Arts Council (Sarasota, Florida). But Dayton is a unique community with different needs, so Martine wants to hear from you.

The Bach Society of Dayton

Culture Works is asking you to tell them about their effectiveness by taking a short survey. Martine shares her vision for what the survey will provide:

“Effective organizational decision making is dependent on good information, and good information comes from knowing how your community perceives your value and effectiveness.  In the current economic climate, it becomes even more important to assure that programs and services are relevant, cost-effective, and provide value. A survey of this nature can be of enormous assistance in aligning organizational outcomes to community needs.”

Culture Works has been hard at work advocating to our government leaders (hip, hip hooray for an increase in arts funding!), providing funding and business support to many arts organizations, raising the national status of the arts community, and connecting individuals and organizations throughout the region with arts opportunities and benefits. But are they doing what they should be doing?

A photo from Social Media Night at the Dayton Art Institute

It’s a tough economy and the old rules don’t always apply. So, Culture Works is asking for your feedback on what programming is most beneficial as they move forward to strengthen the organization. Regardless of who you are or how much you have given (if at all), they want to know how YOU define Culture Works. Culture Works is a regional organization, so they want to know what the people of the region need.

©2010 Andy Snow - provided by Cityfolk

So it’s your turn to tell Culture Works how they’re doing as they look forward. Take the survey today!

What is Culture Works?

Culture Works is the united arts fund and arts service agency for the Greater Dayton region. Creating and maintaining a vibrant and attractive community filled with quality arts brings measurable and immeasurable value to our community. From providing inspiring educational opportunities to our children, to attracting and retaining employees to our region, to adding beauty and entertainment to our lives, the arts reflect all the best and most beautiful parts of who we are. Culture Works is proud to be the largest provider of general operating support for the many non-profit arts organizations operating in Greater Dayton. We are privileged to partner with corporations, foundations and individuals like you to secure a flourishing, creative environment for area residents of all ages and backgrounds.
~From their Web site

A Musical Conspiracy Theory

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DPO to help audiences find hidden, treasonous meaning in major symphonic work

Say one thing, mean another. It’s a trait of human nature. Fess up; we’ve all done it ourselves, or had others do it to us. Mostly, it’s innocent enough stuff.

But consider what would happen if we did it on a national or even international scale, risked pissing off the powers that be, and by doing so put our lives in danger.

In one of the darkest years of Communism’s long and bloody history of political suppression, a twenties-something Russian pianist and composer did just that. He composed music that seemed to say one thing, but that many believed to have held a completely different – and treasonous – meaning. Long before the Beatles popularized the concept of the backward recording technique known as backmasking with their 1966 album Revolver and the single Rain, Dmitri Shostakovich created a monumental work with a hidden meaning that didn’t require a recording of it to be played backward to be heard.

The music itself was the hidden meaning.

It was 1936, and Stalin’s Soviet Russia was awash in –isms: Communism, Totalitarianism, Bolshevism. The State had forbidden composition of traditional music, except music of – or in the style of – Ludwig von Beethoven. That’s like saying “No more Kings of Leon or Eminem; it’s Bill Haley or nothing.”

Why? Because the Soviet leaders saw artistic standards as political, ideological tools. Suddenly artistic freedom disappeared: books were banned from publication, authors dropped off the face of the earth, theaters were shut down, and musical composers found Big Brother looking over their shoulders at every note they put on paper. It was the State’s way or the highway (often to a gulag or graveyard).

For Dmitri Shostakovich, the handwriting was on the wall.  He had fallen from official favor far enough to see 1936 begin with a series of attacks by the Soviet Party newspaper Pravda, best characterized by an article entitled Muddle Instead of Music. He stopped the premiere of his in-your-face Fourth Symphony, a work doubtless to cause a late-night knock on his door by the KGB. 25 years would pass before the Fourth would see the light of day and be performed.

It became clear to Shostakovich: he had to write for his very life. And his get-out-of-jail-free card was his Symphony No. 5.

It saved his butt….literally.

The Soviet government loved it. It met all their stern requirements for conforming to the Party Line. Or did it? Musical scholars (and many a Russian man on the street) have always wondered if the music contains hidden meanings?”

In and of itself, it begs a conspiracy theory.

“His cat-and-mouse game with Soviet authorities makes him one of the most controversial composers,” Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Musical Director Neal Gittleman writes in his Classical Connections Program Notes. “Was Shostakovich a loyal communist or a closet dissident? Did his music reflect the politics of his era? Who do we believe when a composer’s words seem to say one thing and his music seems to say another? How does political interpretation affect musical interpretation?”

“The Fifth Symphony was a change for Shostakovich,” Gittleman notes. “It was less experimental than his earlier music, with soaring lyrical melodies, vigorous march tunes, and powerful emotions. But it was hardly the kind of bright, optimistic music that Stalin wanted. The music is by turns dark, angry, sarcastic, elegiac, and, in the end, defiant. When the Fifth was met with thunderous applause in both Leningrad and Moscow, there was nothing the authorities could do but declare victory and say that Shostakovich had learned his lesson.” The people got it; the party bosses didn’t have a clue.

But does it contain a secret massage? If so, what is it? Contempt for an oppressive, unfeeling government? Hopelessness? Censure? Can we, when we listen to it today, understand what Shostakovich intended it to mean when he wrote it?

There are clues. The markings used to indicate the type of expression he wanted given to the music aren’t much help to the conductor or musicians. All he wrote was “play expressively.” It points toward the conclusion that Shostakovich didn’t want anything on the paper that would provide insight into what he was thinking other than the notes themselves. Musical cloak-and-dagger, nez pas?

And he might have just started an artistic trend.

Jean Anouilh’s Antigone is a play based on Greek mythology first performed in Paris on February 6, 1944 during the Nazi occupation. It apes Shostakovich in that it is deliberately unclear with regard to Antigone’s rejection of the authority of Creon, the former a reference to the French Resistance and the latter to the Nazi occupation. The irony here? It was produced under, and with the blessing of, Nazi censorship! The French people in the audiences got that it was a deliberate slap in Hitler’s face; the Nazis didn’t!

Benjamin George writing in The Musical Times in 1994 believed that Maurice Ravel’s 1920 composition La Valse was intended as a metaphor for the predicament of European civilization in the aftermath of the Great War. Its one-movement design plots the birth, decay, and destruction of a musical genre: the waltz. Concertgoers in occupied Paris in World War Two, however, heard the music as a chilling indictment of the greed, cruelty, and inhumanity of their Nazi captors. Again, the Nazis didn’t get it!

But you can.

On Friday evening September 23 at 8 pm in the Schuster Center, you can join Neal Gittleman and the DPO as they present Shostakovich and Stalin in the 2011-2012 Season premiere of the Demirjian Classical Connections Series. The DPO will perform Shostakovich’s Festive Overture and his Symphony No. 5, and Neal will explain how Shostakovich managed to create a work that sent different messages to two different audiences.

Without having to play it in reverse….

The Church of Augiology

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Auggie Smith and the Wayward Masses

To the uninitiated, (or “non-believers” as they are commonly called by The Auggites) Auggie Smith is the founder and Grand Pubah for Life of what has come to be known as The First Church of Augiology. While not technically a religion, at least not in the fully tax exempt definition narrowly portrayed in the IRS’s Draconian codes, the movement of Augism is gaining momentum in this country, as well as other, more backwards countries who really don’t know any better. With the recent release of his new DVD and CD, Cult Following, more of the weary and downtrodden will quickly become zealous converts.

Smith was born. This we know to be true. Everything after that is rather suspect and apocryphal. Being a rather shy individual throughout his youth, Auggie attained the rank of presidency of the speech team and cleaned the bathrooms at his school, making his vows of chastity almost unavoidable.

“You can imagine how the girls just flocked to that – president of the speech team!” Auggie says in Duderonomy 4:16. “’Wow, look at that!’ All girls care about at that age is a guy who can conjugate a verb.”

He remained chaste until the age of eighteen, succumbing to the lure of the flesh and Auggie found it to be good. He began his journey into the world, preaching his message for the masses, never gaining the attention he so richly deserved. After many disheartening years, Auggie considered renouncing his calling and wandering the earth like Al Gore, broken and dispirited. As destiny would have it, he met two like minded individuals; Apostle Bob and Saint Tom. They gave Auggie the inspiration and hope to preach his sermons on their quaint morning show. Thus the cult of Auggie was born.

After years of spreading the gospel on XM and Sirius satellite radio, after performing miracles at countless comedy clubs throughout the nation by turning dollars into wine and even after he died one night on stage in Butztown, Pennsylvania, only to rise three days later in a defiled motel room, hung over, Auggie is ready to be your personal pathfinder. He has sacrificed his life to be your personal sherpa, guiding you through the pitfalls and the pain, making you forget, at least for an hour or so, that the world is a festering cesspool of rampant self-interest.

This messianic messenger of mirth is bringing his traveling revival show to a stage somewhere near you, to spread the one true gospel. What should one expect when entering Auggie’s church? The faithful will be blessed with a bellicose dose of reality, delivered in a breathless, rapid-fire rant, shining a stark light on the futile efforts of man. From the current political scene to Barbie being raw dogged by G.I. Joe as he has a ‘Nam flashback, nothing is sacred in this sanctuary. The pervasive daily fears we all surrender to will be lifted to reveal the true evildoers behind senior citizen NASCAR drivers, voracious vending machines and drunken pink bunnies.

“Really brother, wouldn’t it just be easier to stay home and not have to interact with any live people?” Aug asks. “I SAY NO! The fear ends now. The only way to win is to not be afraid, or to paraphrase a Stallone classic, ‘fear is the disease…Aug is the cure!'”

Why should you be a follower of Auggie Smith? Why should you become part of the Cult Following? Humbly witness all that Auggie has sacrificed for us: his wasted teenage years scrubbing bathroom stalls while we were partying and getting laid. His ongoing pursuit to ingest every street corner pharmaceutical product, keeping them out of our reach so that we won’t cause harm unto ourselves as well as his ever vigilante watch over all the bars and pubs across this great land of ours, safeguarding them until they are safely closed. These things he does for us…selflessly! He truly cares about our well being and tries to convey this clearly during his sermons. He forces you to see the inequities in the lives we witness as well as the ones we live. His inescapable diatribes hammer home the absurdities we all see in everyday life, yet are afraid to comment on. He speaks while we are silent. Well, to tell the truth, he speaks while we’re talking as well, but nobody’s perfect.

Just reflect for a moment on this truism that he has shared with us;

“Your bunny may be your relationship or your job, but at one time, you tried to give your bunny a bear hug and things got out of hand.”

How can one argue with this incontrovertible truth? How?

Watch the DVD. Listen to the CD. Catch him on The Bob and Tom Show, or better yet, witness the man in person when he comes to town. If you’re not completely satisfied…well, you’ll still be out the money for the DVD, CD and the tickets, but hey, doesn’t it just make you feel warm inside knowing you helped a potentially sober comedian attain a higher level of consciousness via many, many Jägerbombs?

Services for the Church of Aug will be held at Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub on Thursday August 25th at 8:00pm (for a $5 tithe), Friday August 26th at 9:00pm (with a mandatory $10 donation). Saturday August 20th brings us to the conclusion of Auggie’s missionary work here in Dayton with a full blown comedy revival, featuring the comedy sermonizing of Deacon Tom Griswold from the Church of Latter Day Bob and Toms. Services for this revival will begin at 8:00pm with a secondary service held 10:30pm for all of those incorrigible heathens. For these special Saturday Night Sermons,  a collection of $20 is required. To make reservations, call (937) 224-JOKE. For more information, go to the Wiley’s website at http://www.wileyscomedyclub.com/ or add them as a friend on Facebook at Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub.

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Crazy Joe with Ricky Nye, Inc. and Wheels to Perform at WYSO’s Community Concert

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"Crazy" Joe Tritschler

Get your dancing shoes on, WYSO’s free community concert is Sunday, August 21st at Riverscape MetroPark featuring Crazy Joe with Ricky Nye, Inc. and Wheels.

“This year’s WYSO Community Concert is a joyful celebration of Miami Valley music,” say WYSO Music Director, Niki Dakota. “From the very young stringband, Wheels, to the established powerhouses of Crazy Joe and Ricky Nye, it is an honor to present these talented members of our community.”

“Crazy” Joe Tritschler is a roots music guitarist, singer, songwriter, and occasional drummer, who has toured nationally and internationally with his own Mad River Outlaws as well as roots music legend Deke Dickerson. He has released several recordings with ATOM Records and his own O-Scope Recording Company. He has a unique musical vision that includes early rock & roll, rockabilly, and original country with dashes of soul, jazz, and heavy rock.

Formerly know as “The Swingin’ Mudbugs,” Ricky Nye, Inc. features Ricky Nye (piano, vocals) along with Brian Aylor (drums) and Chris Douglas (upright bass), playing elegant blues and ballads, New Orleans stylings and traditional boogie woogie.

Wheels

Opening band Wheels delivers high energy Americana music that mixes traditional Bluegrass with progressive rock and roll. This young band has performed at many local and regional venues and recently celebrated the release of their debut album, Fields on Fire.

“The concert is a chance to revel in the musical richness of our region. And a chance to come together and show appreciation to those that make it all possible: our listeners,” says Dakota.

The concert begins at 6pm. Food will be sold at Riverscape’s Café Vélo, and Archer’s Tavern will be selling alcoholic beverages. Admission is free and families are encouraged to attend.

2 New Films This Weekend at THE NEON + LGBT Film Fest Line-Up!

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Hello Everyone.

After a phenomenal 10-week run, it’s time for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS to head out.  If you still need to see it (or need to see it one more time), you can find remaining showtimes on ourwebsite.  That said, PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES is leaving after just one week.  Hurry down if it’s still on your list.

In addition to holding onto BUCK, we will open two new films – SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN and THE DOUBLE HOUR.

Synopsis for SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN:  “In 19th-century China, seven year old girls Snow Flower and Lily are matched as laotong – or “old sames” – bound together for eternity. Isolated by their families, they furtively communicate by taking turns writing in a secret language, nu shu, between the folds of a white silk fan.In a parallel story in present day Shanghai, the laotong’s descendants, Nina and Sophia, struggle to maintain the intimacy of their own childhood friendship in the face of demanding careers, complicated love lives, and a relentlessly evolving Shanghai. Drawing on the lessons of the past, the two modern women must understand the story of their ancestral connection, hidden from them in the folds of the antique white silk fan, or risk losing one another forever.What unfolds are two stories, generations apart, but everlasting in their universal notion of love, hope and friendship.” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)  Click HERE to be directed to SNOW FLOWER’s official website.

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Synopsis for THE DOUBLE HOUR: “Guido, a former cop, is a luckless veteran of the speed-dating scene in Turin. But, much to his surprise, he meets Slovenian immigrant Sonia, a chambermaid at a high-end hotel. The two hit it off, and a passionate romance develops. After they leave the city for a romantic getaway in the country, things suddenly take a dark turn. As Sonia’s murky past resurfaces, her reality starts to crumble. Everything in her life begins to change – questions arise and answers only arrive through a continuous twist and turn of events keeping viewers on edge until the film’s final moments.” (Samuel Goldwyn Pictures)  Click HERE to be directed to THE DOUBLE HOUR’s official website.

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Marketing pieces for The 6th Annual Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival are well underway, and I’m quite pleased with the line-up!  In the coming days, you’ll start to see stacks of postcards popping up all over town (if you’d like to place some at your business or favorite hangout, please let me know…I anticipate their arrival any day).

Here’s this year’s line-up:

Fri. Sept. 23 at 7:30 – THE GREEN – sponsored by Square One Salon & Spa

Fri. Sept. 23 postfilm – PARTY at SIDEBAR – sponsored by Lisa Hanauer & Sue Spiegel

Sat. Sept. 24 at 12:30 – GEN SILENT with THE COLONEL’S OUTING & FIRST AND LOVELISS – sponsored by Greater Dayton LGBT Center

Sat. Sept. 24 at 3:00 – TOP DRAWER SHORTS: I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK ALONE, REVOLUTION, LUST LIFE, CHANGE, THE QUEEN, and THE NOT SO SUBTLE SUBTEXT – sponsored by Miami Valley Fair Housing Center

Sat. Sept. 24 at 7:30 – TOMBOY – sponsored by PFLAG Dayton

Sat. Sept. 24 at 9:30 – GOING DOWN IN LA-LA LAND with 52 – sponsored by MJ’s Cafe, JOHN and Marion’s Piazza

Sun. Sept. 25 at 12:30 – CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE – sponsored by Human Race Theatre Company

Sun. Sept. 25 at 3:00 – WEEKEND with EMPIRE – sponsored by Ken Byers

Ticketing details, trailers, and news about visiting artists will be available soon on the festival website.  One special treat…The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will give a pair of tickets away at each LGBT festival screening to see Lynda Carter when she’s in town!

We don’t anticipate THE DOUBLE HOUR (and maybe even SNOW FLOWER) to stick around too long…so we hope you’ll hurry down.

Take care!

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for August 19 – August 25:

THE DOUBLE HOUR (NR) 1 Hr 35 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 3:00, 9:30

Monday – Thursday:  2:20, 8:30

SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN (PG-13) 2 Hr

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:10, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:50

Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:30, 8:00

BUCK (PG) 1 Hr 28 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 5:15, 7:20

Monday – Thursday: 4:30, 6:30

COMING SOON:

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

In some cases, titles may disappear.

Aug 26   ANOTHER EARTH

Aug 26   THE GUARD

Sept. 2   THE TRIP

Sept. 9   LIFE ABOVE ALL

Sept 9   THE WHISTLEBLOWER

Sept 9  BEATS AND RHYMES: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Sept 23   HIGHER GROUND

TBD   SARAH’S KEY

TBD   THE FUTURE

2011 DayTonys/Theatre Hall of Fame Gala

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Grreg Smith in Precious Heart

Over 180 theater enthusiasts gathered at Sinclair Community College’s Ponitz Center Saturday, August 13 for the eighth annual DayTonys and 10th annual Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame ceremonies.

Emceed by Hall of Fame member Greg Smith, the gala saluted outstanding performers, designers and productions from the 2010-11 season as voted on by individuals from participating theaters (Beavercreek Community Theatre, Cedarville University, Clark State Community College, Dayton Playhouse, Dayton Theatre Guild, Epiphany Lutheran Church, Playhouse South, Sinclair Community College, Troy Civic Theatre, University of Dayton and Young at Heart Players). The winners, separated by collegiate and community theater distinctions, were awarded medallions of excellence or merit.

Six shows received top honors for Outstanding Overall Production: “A Piece of My Heart” (Playhouse South), “Hello, Dolly!” (Cedarville University), “Once On This Island” (Sinclair Community College), “Precious Heart” (Dayton Theatre Guild), “Seussical” (Whoville Cast, Epiphany Lutheran Church) and “Southern Comforts” (Young at Heart Players).

Shocking snubs are commonplace in the DayTonys universe…

I’m sure the DayTonys organization didn’t anticipate controversy this year, but there’s no excuse for the absolutely appalling, bizarre shut-out of the Dayton Playhouse’s splendid non-professional local premiere of “The Producers,” a huge community theater undertaking which I proudly considered to be among the Top 10 productions of 2010. Impressively staged last summer, the knockout, sell-out production, a crowning achievement for the Playhouse which rivaled and surpassed aspects of the Broadway original, not only deserved Outstanding Overall recognition, but a clean sweep of every category in which it was eligible. I’m pleased to mention the individuals who notably contributed to director/set designer Chris Harmon’s fantastic presentation: performers Saul Caplan, David Sherman, Danika Haffenden, Charles Larkowski, Kevin Rankin, Jonathan Berry, Terry Lupp, Cameron Elliott, Betsy Fesser, Jeannine Geise, Sandra Hyde, Cheryl Kayser, Jeremy King, Zach King, Marabeth Klejna, Adrianne Krauss, Robert Martin, Nicklaus Moberg, Tara Nicole Murphy, Matthew Owens, Megan Vander Kolk, Bryan Wilcox and Madeline Zofkie; musical director Ron Kindell; choreographer Annette Looper; costume designer Josh Hollister; lighting designer Anita Bachmann; and sound designer Tony Fende.

Shocking snubs are commonplace in the DayTonys universe (I still can’t believe Sinclair’s marvelous production of “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” was ignored last year), but perhaps the overtly and remarkably egregious omission of “The Producers,” which might not have happened if credible, unbiased outsiders could adjudicate, will finally spark a serious overhaul of the voting procedures. If action is not taken, the artistic legitimacy of the DayTonys will be continually tarnished.

Also oddly bypassed for Outstanding Overall Production were: “The Boys Next Door” (Dayton Theatre Guild), “The Importance of Being Earnest” (Cedarville University), “Mauritius” (Dayton Theatre Guild), “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” (Beavercreek Community Theatre), “The Spitfire Grill” (Beavercreek Community Theatre) and “The Sugar Witch” (Dayton Theatre Guild). Additional oversights included: the complete shut-out of “Mauritius”; the ensembles of “Ravenscroft” (Dayton Theatre Guild), “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and “The Sugar Witch”; performers Amy Askins, Nicolas Bauer (both “Fat Pig,” Dayton Theatre Guild) and Karen Righter (“La Cage aux Folles,” Dayton Playhouse); and director Natasha Randall (“The Boys Next Door”).

Longtime arts patrons Don & Lois Bigler, Dayton Theatre Guild president Carol Finley and Beavercreek Community Theatre president Doug Lloyd were inducted into the Hall of Fame. A special lifetime achievement award was presented to costumer Gerri Nichols, who has worked with Troy Civic Theatre for 46 years. The awards and inductions, effectively held for the first time in Ponitz Hall Auditorium, were preceded by a touching memorial tribute to Hall of Fame members Nelson D’Aloia and Marsha Hanna. Kay Frances Wean, who also passed away last season, was fittingly acknowledged as well.

Collegiate Theater Recipients

Awards of Excellence

Acting

Melissa Kerr Ertsgaard, “The Foreigner” (Sinclair Community College)

Keely Heyl, “See How They Run” (Cedarville University)

Jessica Diane Hickling, “Hello, Dolly!”

Risa Hillsman, “Once On This Island”

Isaac Hollister, “The Foreigner”

Gabriel Pyle, “Hello, Dolly!”

Rachel Wilson, “The Women of Lockerbie” (Sinclair Community College)

Choreography

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

Costumes

Ruth Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Direction

David Brush, “Once On This Island”

Robert and Ruth Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Ensemble

The casts of “Hello, Dolly!” and “The Women of Lockerbie”

Lighting Design

Gina Neuerer, “Once On This Island”

Properties

Terry Stump, “Once On This Island”

Set Design

Terry Stump, “Once On This Island

Special Acknowledgements

The Band, “Flash: The Musical” (Clark State Community College)

Jessica Diane Hickling (hair/makeup design), “Hello, Dolly!”

Awards of Merit

Acting

Steven Brotherton, “The Foreigner”

William Courson, “The Women of Lockerbie”

Angela Dermer, “The Women of Lockerbie”

Corinne Derusha, “Once On This Island”

Allison Husko, “The Women of Lockerbie”

Josiah Hutchings, “Hello, Dolly!” and “See How They Run”

Patrick Lillis, “The Diviners” (University of Dayton)

Lindsay McGee, “Hello, Dolly!”

Alexander Mol, “Hello, Dolly!”

Anna Zavodney, “Hello, Dolly!”

Choreography

Rodney Veal, “Once On This Island”

Costumes

Debbie Henderson, “Flash: The Musical”

Kathleen Hotmer, “Once On This Island”

­Direction

Kimberly Borst, “The Women of Lockerbie”

Nelson Sheeley, “The Foreigner”

Ensemble

The casts of “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “Once On This Island”

Lighting Design

Robert Clements, “See How They Run”

Dan Hunt, “Flash: The Musical”

Gina Neuerer, “The Women of Lockerbie”

Musical Direction

John Faas, “Once On This Island”

Beth Cram Porter, “Hello, Dolly!”

Properties

Emily Dykman, Doug Malcolm and Kristin Troyer, “Hello, Dolly!”

Donald N.C. Jones, “See How They Run”

Set Design

Robert Clements, “Hello, Dolly!”

Dan Hunt, “Flash: The Musical”

Donald N.C. Jones, “See How They Run”

Terry Stump, “The Women of Lockerbie”

Sound Design

John Findley, “The Women of Lockerbie”

Geoffrey D. Moss, “Flash: The Musical”

Community Theater Recipients

Awards of Excellence

Acting

Evan Benjamin, “Seussical” (Whoville Cast)

Amelia Bergmann, “Seussical” (Whoville Cast)

Jonathan Berry, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

Bryan Burckle, “Seussical” (Whoville Cast)

Catherine Collins, “A Piece of My Heart”

Danielle Dowler, “A Piece of My Heart”

Rich Embry, “Seussical” (Whoville Cast)

Emily Fultz, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (Playhouse South)

Jeanette Grout, “Seussical” (Jungle Cast)

Franklin Johnson, “The Boys Next Door”

Barbara Jorgensen, “Southern Comforts”

Lynn Kesson, “A Piece of My Heart”

Andrew Larochelle, “Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical” (Beavercreek Community Theatre)

Barbara Lurie, “Charley’s Aunt” (Troy Civic Theatre)

Darren Maddox, “The Boys Next Door”

Tammy Makela, “A Piece of My Heart”

Anna Prince, “A Piece of My Heart”

Rebecca Riffle, “Seussical” (Whoville Cast)

Michael Shannon, “Seussical” (Whoville Cast)

Jessica Suba, “A Piece of My Heart”

Costumes

Carol Finley, “The Boys Next Door”

Direction

Fran Pesch, “Southern Comforts”

Kay Frances Wean, “Seussical”

Ensemble

The casts of “A Piece of My Heart” and “Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical”

Lighting Design

John Falkenbach, “Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical” and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

Musical Direction

John Benjamin, “Seussical”

Properties

Blake Senseman, “Precious Heart”

Set Design

Blake Senseman, “The Sugar Witch”

Sound Design

Andrew Spohn, “A Piece of My Heart”

Awards of Merit

Acting

Duante Beddingfield, “Frank’s Life” (Dayton Theatre Guild) and “La Cage aux Folles”

Hannah Berry, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Brittany Brown, “Frank’s Life”

Jim Brown, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”

Josh Catawick, “I Hate Hamlet” (Playhouse South)

Barbara Coriell, “Wit” (Dayton Playhouse)

Kelsey Celek, “The Spitfire Grill”

Richard Croskey, “La Cage aux Folles”

Corinne Derusha, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Dayton Playhouse)

Ellen Finch, “Beyond Therapy” (Dayton Playhouse)

William Fulmer, “The Boys Next Door”

Kerri Haldeman, “Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical”

Tina Hayes, “Sylvia” (Troy Civic Theatre)

Nathan Hudson, “A Piece of My Heart”

Dan Kuchta, “Charley’s Aunt”

Terry Larson, “Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical”

Caleb Magill, “Charley’s Aunt”

Pam McGinnis, “The Spitfire Grill”

Bobby Mitchum, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Kevin Rankin, “Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical”

Lisa Sadai, “The Boys Next Door”

Jeff Sams, “Messiah on the Frigidaire” (Beavercreek Community Theatre)

Libby Scancarello, “Sylvia”

Lindsay Sherman, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Greg Smith, “Precious Heart” and “Southern Comforts”

Matthew Smith, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Dean Swann, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

Wendi Williams, “Fat Pig”

Rachel Wilson, “Messiah on the Frigidaire”

Choreography

Annette Looper, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

Megan Wean, “Seussical” (Jungle Cast)

Costumes

Carol Finley, “Precious Heart”

Maria Klueber and Lori Watamaniuk, “Seussical”

Tony Mullins, “A Piece of My Heart”

Direction

John Falkenbach, “Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical”

Chris Harmon, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

Doug Lloyd, “The Spitfire Grill”

Craig Smith, “A Piece of My Heart”

Ensemble

The casts of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “The Boys Next Door,”

“Seussical” and “The Spitfire Grill”

Lighting Design

John Falkenbach, “The Spitfire Grill” and “The Sugar Witch”

Jason Vogel, “A Piece of My Heart”

Musical Direction

Dr. James Tipps, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

Properties

Adrienne Niess and Ann Meyer, “Seussical”

Blake Senseman, “The Sugar Witch”

Set Design

Bruce Brown, “The Octette Bridge Club” (Beavercreek Community Theatre), “Seussical” and “The Spitfire Grill”

John Falkenbach, “Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical”

Chris Harmon, “La Cage aux Folles” and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

Craig Smith, “A Piece of My Heart”

Greg Smith, “The Boys Next Door” and “Precious Heart”

Set Dressing

Wendi Michael, “Precious Heart”

Blake Senseman and Natasha Randall, “The Boys Next Door”

Sound Design

Craig Roberts, “The Boys Next Door”

K. L. Storer, “The Sugar Witch”

Special Acknowledgement

Greg Smith (hair/wig design), “Ravenscroft”

The Dayton Band Playoffs Enter Round 3

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16 bands have become 8 as Round 2 of the Dayton Band Playoffs come to a close.  Round 3 begins on August 21st and runs though the 25th.  The semi-finals with occur in early September with the finals on September 24th.

Here’s a handy list of the Round 3 shows:

August 21st – Gathering Mercury vs. Sport Fishing USA
August 22nd – Market Street Dream vs. Amnesia
August 24th – Blue Moon Soup vs. Authors & Audio
August 25th – Life After Liftoff vs. The Outliers