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

Archives for November 2017

Graffiti Camp for Girls

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Christine Brunner is heading  up a very unique project in Dayton and is bringing Graffiti Camp to Dayton.  She says she ” got the idea when my love for Graffiti and my life as a mom of a young artist overtook me via social media one day, and I stumbled upon some articles about a classically trained painter from Ohio who has since moved to the San Francisco area, and she is becoming FAMOUS for her “Graffiti Camp for Girls” concept.”

She sent a blind invitation to Nina Wright, also known as GirlMobb, to someday come bring her camp to Dayton, who wrote back and said she coming to Cincinnati!  In December!  She then  worked really hard and pounded the pavement and got a local University program  to say yes, started making plans, only to be nixed by facilities management as they turn the heat OFF in the buildings during the winter break.  So the thought was reschedule camp for next summer. But then the owners of Yellow Cab Tavern,  art supporters and hosts of such diverse activities as a regular Poetry Slam, Tai Chi, the Day of the Dead Parade, and many classes, concerts and activities, have agreed to host the camp this December 26-28, 2017!

Graffiti Camp gives girls a creative opportunity to enhance their public art skills. Over the course of a week the participants, who range in age from 12 to 17, learn the basics of using spray paint and then work together to collaboratively conceive of, and paint, their own mural.  The teaching  artists provide creative counsel, image planning, an understanding of tools and application, and safety precautions necessary to use these tools and materials. The sessions have already been a hit, with girls flying in from across the country to participate and Girl Mobb being asked to bring the lessons to other cities.  Participants will be nominated by local middle/high schools, must be Dayton residents, team players, and into ART.

So now the race is on to raise the needed funding for the camp:  transportation for Ms. Wright, lunches and snacks for the group, tarps and materials, 40-50 cans of paint, drawing supplies, water and beverages, a little nosh for the Unveiling, and some printing of flyers.  A Go Fund Me campaign is now live with the goal to raise $1500.  This project  will live in perpetuity, open to the public, in the 2 restrooms at Yellow Cab Tavern.

Yellow Cab Tavern has also offered an outside wall of their building for Graffiti Camp 2.0 when the weather turns, and Nina Wright has agreed to return…any funds collected over the amount will be banked towards the NEXT session.

Free Cab Rides Home Program Returns This Weekend

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Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney Mat Heck, Jr. is pleased to announce that with continued support from AAA Miami Valley and Heidelberg Distributing Company, ArriveSafe will be offering free cab rides home for Montgomery County residents this Thanksgiving weekend.

Since Prosecuting Attorney Mat Heck, Jr. started the program in December 2007, ArriveSafe has provided nearly 6,000 free cabs rides for Montgomery County residents. Removing just one impaired driver from the streets may save a life – maybe even your own.

This year, Montgomery County has had over 235 alcohol-related traffic crashes which resulted in an injury and sadly, 10 fatalities. Every one of these crashes was avoidable – if only the driver had not made the WRONG CHOICE to drive while impaired.

ArriveSafe will be offering free cab rides home for Montgomery County residents from 6:00 pm Wednesday, November 22nd and ending at 6:00 am on Sunday, November 26th, 2017.

Prosecutor Heck said, “Each and every day, there simply is no excuse for drinking and driving. This Thanksgiving holiday weekend, we’ll pay for a cab. You decide – do you want to go home in the back of a cab, or handcuffed in the back of a cruiser? Plan ahead and get home safely.”

It’s simple to make a responsible choice – have a sober designated driver, use a ride- sharing service, or call ArriveSafe at 449-9999 and request a free ride home. We will pay the cab fare up to $50.

Thanksgiving Tricks, Healthy Tips and Trivia!

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It is TURKEY TIME !

It’s turkey time again, so listen up foodies and party hosts.  We have some fun ideas for you to consider this year to make your Thanksgiving the best possible Food Adventure.

Now for the gobbleteegok…

TRICKS:

—A fresh turkey should be cooked in 1 to 2 days.  Frozen turkeys defrost in the fridge in 2-3 days.  If you need to thaw it faster, submerge it in cold water for 30 minutes per pound until defrosted.

—When baking a turkey, allow 15 minutes per pound to cook, or 4 minutes per pound if you deep fry

Carving up some turkey

—Your turkey is done when the inner thigh meat reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.

—DON’T carve your turkey right when it comes out of the oven, let it rest 30 minutes before you carve it.

—Have a tight budget? Get a whole chicken instead of a turkey and save some money.

—To get fluffy mashed potatoes, some people add baking soda !

Chef Houses Upside down cranberry cake

—Avoid a soggy pecan pie crust by layering the bottom of the crust with a some pecans.

—Have young kids?  Spell out your expectations for their behavior and bring them a compact activity like coloring or mazes.  This will help your kids stay still at the adult or kids table.  Let them play outside, supervised to burn off energy.  If the kid acts up. calmly remove them from the room and discipline them as not to disrupt others meal.

—Did you overcook your turkey? Place sliced turkey into a pan and cook 10 minutes at 300 degrees in an inch of broth, serve on the tray.  No one will know it was dry.

—Use coiled up aluminum foil under the turkey if you don’t have a rack for your roasting pan.

Bread Pudding

—Time constraint? Put store prepared food in a tupperware container and bring it.  Sinner…..

—Make mashed potatoes in the morning and keep in crock pot set to “warm”. Right before serving, toss in some butter and stir!  Also, add cream cheese and roasted garlic to your potatoes!

—Get kids involved by having them press butter into cookie cutter shapes to be served on plates.  It brings a fun look to the table.

—Glazing your turkey in the last 15 minutes of with Balsamic Vinaigrette gives a crispy skin on your turkey and amazing color.

—Side dishes that are served at room temp and can be done ahead of time. This leaves valuable oven/stove top space.

—Stuffing and au gratin potatoes are great done a day ahead and warmed up before dinner. This really helps save oven space considering they need to cook for an hour usually

 
—No time to brine your turkey?  Soak the turkey for 30 minutes in orange juice to get great results.

The Big Ragu’s 5 pieces of Pie year –  a record

—Hollow out a pumpkin for a serving bowl or an ice bucket for wine!

—Calculate the size of turkey you need by using the 1lb per guest rule.

—Heading to a host’s house? Bring them a short vase with fresh flowers.

—Alone for the Holidays, or don’t feel like cooking?  No worries ! DaytonMostMetro has a list of restaurants that are serving on Thanksgiving Day.  Click here to see the list.

 

The holiday is once a year so enjoy yourself… but for those who don’t want to over indulge, here are some tips:

Ready to bake

HEALTHY TIPS:

—Instead of serving cans of soft drink, offer fruit infused pitchers of water.  This will reduce the amount of empty calories your family is absorbing, while hydrating your relatives.

—For a guilt free day of eating, sign up for the Turkey Trot at Welcome Stadium at 8:45am Thanksgiving morning, and that piece of pie wont feel so bad. They have a 5k or Half Marathon for you freaks.

—Have some fall apples available on the dessert table as an option to pie.

Sweet Potato Casserole

—Switch Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes instead of regular potatoes to save on calories

—Use the leftover Turkey Bones and the neck.  Boil and simmer them to make a gelatinous Bone Broth with benefits for your digestive system or future soups.

—Feel free to indulge in proteins and animal fats, the sweets and processed foods is where weight gains happen

—Eat before the party to ensure you don’t arrive hungry and overeat.

—Pumpkin pie has fewer calories than most pies and if you don’t eat the crust, you aren’t doing so badly.

Turkey Leg

—Try serving grilled marinated asparagus and portabellas  with a creamy buttermilk dip with lots of raw veggies too. Marinate the asparagus and portabellas in orange juice, olive oil and garlic. Let sit over night in zip lock bags. Grill in the morning (season with salt of course). Serve with Belgium endive leaves, carrots, celery.

 

—Chef House loves having pickled carrots and zucchini too for ahead of time easy prep on Thanksgiving.  The dip is super easy: light sour cream and mayo, buttermilk, fresh parsley, Housemade chimichurri mix and apple cider vinegar.

 

—Try roasting beets with feta.  Roast the day before, take out hours before to come up to room temp. Toss with feta, lemon or lime juice and fresh herbs. You can add nuts as well.

 
TRIVIA:

—Thanksgiving is always the 4th Thursday in November.

—The age of the turkey that you are eating is usually between 14-20 weeks old.

—The largest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds and was the size of a large dog.

—Local farm Bowman and Landes in New Carlisle raise over 80,000 free range turkeys each year and has been in business since 1948.

Chef House – Ohio has a lot to offer

—Turkey can be substituted for Chicken in almost any recipe.

—In 1882 a wild turkey in Dayton cost $3 at the market, and the poorest Daytonians ate rabbit on Thanksgiving.  Other Dayton favorites purchased for Thanksgiving in 1882 were quarts of Kentucky bourbon for 60 cents, and mince meat pies made with 3 pounds of meat costing a quarter.

— On the West Coast of the USA, Dungeoness Crab is used instead of turkey

—Minnesota raises the most Turkeys in the U.S.

—Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a National Holiday

—Pilgrims did not wear buckled hats.

We have a friends Thanksgiving early November

— In 1813 Ohio first set the 5th of May for a day of Thanksgiving. In Ohio in early times Thanksgiving was not always observed by the people, and not in November.

—Approximately 280 million turkeys are eaten every Thanksgiving.

—Stuffing is what you put inside the bird, and dressing it what you serve and cook outside the bird.

—The first Indian Tribe to celebrate with the pilgrims were the Wampanoag Tribe.  This first Thanksgiving lasted 3 days and took place in 1621.  They didn’t eat turkey, but had duck, deer and pigeon.

—Football was played on Thanksgiving starting with Yale and Princeton in 1876.

Juicy

—Thomas Jefferson thought Thanksgiving was a ridiculous idea for a holiday.

—Turkeys have been known to drop dead at the sound of passing airplanes.

—People eat more on average on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year.

The most important tip is to spend some quality time with family and friends this Thanksgiving.  Take time to realize your blessings and thank the people in your life that you are grateful for…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING from the Food Adventure’s Crew.  Hungry Jax, Chef House and the Big Ragu are grateful for our weekly articles right here that have surpassed #400 recently.

Hungry Jax says Happy Thanksgiving from the DLM kitchen !

We are also grateful to our website followers, the people who attend our food events, charity relations, cooking classes, festivals and our followers on social media approaching 8,000 people.

 

Please “like” our Facebook Page by clicking here and getting more fun food photos from around the Miami Valley !  We are a food blog with a feature article right here on DaytonMostMetro.com each week!

Feel free to browse the gallery below for some more Thanksgiving related photos.

 

Slices of love

shrimp app

Chef House is thankful for cooking with fresh, local ingredients

Turkey breast

DLM Cooking class – Chef House is all smiles

Big Ragu is thankful

Turkey

Moist

A plate of heaven

Leftovers on a pie plate

Jax in her element at The Spicy Olive cooking class

 

Slabs of turkey

Basting a grilled turkey

Big Ragu’s iconic Thanksgiving plate is a work of art

Toxic Taps Local Artist Shon Walters To Create Bar Installation

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Functional Beauty

Toxic Brew Company, in the heart of the Oregon District, has a reputation for supporting local artists—from the murals that flank its outer walls to the revolving exhibits that line its taproom. This Wednesday, November 22nd, Toxic is hosting a pre-Thanksgiving event to unveil its latest permanent piece, a functional yet skillfully crafted tap box that will serve up the brewery’s beers.

 

The new bar sculpture is the creation of local woodworker Shon Walters. Patrons of Toxic will recognize Walters’ work—he created the extensive wooden tap sculpture out of which the bar’s craft cocktails currently pour. Dubbed Vonquola, the existing piece is smooth and exotic looking—almost humanoid, almost molecular. Walters explains that the bar sculpture is “the drunken mother alien who offers her teats of nourishment. She is an ancient female from another world who used to be a nurturing mother to fallen soldiers of the galactic war.”

 

Walters works often blend the fantastic with finely honed craftsmanship. He is a master woodworker with an eye for eclectic materials and an ability to coax seemingly impossible shapes from wood. The artist, who started woodworking in 1992 and turned it into his profession eight years later with the opening of his business, Eccentric Wood, has designed several pieces around town. In just the last year, he has constructed the bar back for Meadowlark, the donor’s plaque for the Neon Movies, and a massive sculpture in Lebanon’s library consisting of more than a dozen intricate yet larger-than-life undulating flowers (a piece that Walters describes as “the flowers’ ultimate devouring of the sun.”)

Walters’ second bar installation at Toxic represents further growth for the bar and a deepening partnership between the artist and the brewer. When it opened four years ago, Toxic Brew Company started with ten taps, installed by owner Shane Juhl. Six months later, Juhl added ten more. After obtaining the extra license to serve guest beers, wine, and liquor, Juhl explains that he was at capacity again: “Twenty taps just weren’t enough and our small walk-in cooler was over capacity.” Juhl turned to the local art community to help him expand his bar.

 

“It just makes sense to support local artists,” Juhl explains. “Their art brings a freshness and character to the walls and space and even better when they are functional. The art is a conversion piece.”

 

It was through Juhl’s existing relationship with local artists that he found Walters. Tiffany Clark and etch, cofounders of the street art project The Mural Machine and regular exhibitors at Toxic, were renting studio space from Walters. They were taken by his delicate forms and the unique fluidity of his wooden pieces, so when they learned that Juhl wanted to update his bar, they introduced him to the sculptor.

 

Juhl was drawn in, too. Shortly after touring Walters’ showroom, Juhl commissioned the Walters to create the tap housing for his craft cocktails. Several months later, Vonquola was christened and put into use, bringing an artistic touch to an area of the bar that is often more functional than creative. “I thought my tap enclosure was respectable until Shon’s gorgeous tap goddess was placed next to my humble wood boxes,” Juhl jokes.

The reception to Vonquola has been overwhelmingly positive, so when it came time for Juhl to update the bar again, Walters was his first pick. The pair have been quietly working for months to prepare the newest addition to Juhl’s bar. Kept secret until now, Walters and Juhl describe the new piece as “Vonquola’s life partner.”

 

Ready now to be hung and to join with its mate, the sculpture’s unveiling takes place at 3:30
on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. The brewery is hosting a party for the unveiling: Toxic’s doors will open at 3, with door prizes for those who arrive before the reveal, special tappings every 30 minutes until 5 pm, and $2 off Toxic pints during the same timeframe.

 

For more information about Walters’ work, see his website  http://www.shonwalters.com. To learn more about Toxic Brew Company, as well as to get directions to the unveiling, visit http://toxicbrewcompany.com. The brewery is located at 431 E 5th St, Dayton, OH 45402.

 

The Last Waltz Live: A Community Celebration

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Thanksgiving Day, San Francisco. 

More than a dozen special guests joined The Band on stage for their farewell concert show: The Last Waltz. Guests included Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and many more seminal legends of the 70’s rock scene.

To top it off, the prominent New York film director Martin Scorsese was hired to capture the concert on 35mm film before turning it into the documentary of the same name, The Last Waltz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2yW372qWH8

The film starts with a black slate and white text reading: “PLAY THIS FILM LOUD”. The movie’s aged well. It captures the climax of an America wholly enamored by the raw talent and passion produced when their rock and roll stars align on stage, in their natural habitat.

November 19th, Dayton Ohio. 

More than forty years later, on a chilly Fall afternoon just a few days before Thanksgiving, Dayton’s own Yellow Cab bar stirs with thirty local Daytonians. Some of them have known each other for years, some are just meeting now. All are incredibly gifted, impassioned musicians; with one common cause.

In a few days, these local musicians will take the stage at the Dayton Art Institute to perform their very own Dayton rendition of The Last Waltz. Today was the last of their four Sunday rehearsals before the gig hits the stage; Jeff Opt invited me to the rehearsal to ask around.

Jeff Opt is the conductor behind Dayton’s own Waltz; he’s the one that brought the idea to life over six years ago. While Jeff’s a musician in his own right, he prefers to manage the business behind the stage instead; letting the musicians and their talent take them wherever it leads.

photo by Tom Gilliam.

“They’re here cause they love the music, they wanted to be a part of it. I don’t direct them, I let them —  they build it themselves. I got the speakers, I got the PA, but I just invited like ten people I knew, they dropped in, they invited friends they knew, you know it’s still very organic.”

You can tell. Dayton’s Last Waltz may find its roots from the artists who originally partook in The Band’s ‘78 concert, but its spirit of community — what really makes the show special — is manifested by Dayton’s unique and diverse community of talented artists.

The artists span all sorts of demographics, coming from a wide assortment of local Dayton bands; something Jeff hopes more people take away from the concert: “the thing I wish people would take more away from, is they should go see these people in their bands. Everyone up here plays their own music… these are all amazing musicians that any night of the week you can probably see at least one of them play for five bucks.”

I asked Jeff how closely they follow the setlist and performance of the original ‘76 show. While he paid respect to the film calling it “arguably the best concert film ever”, he’s not looking for a note for note copy — rather an attempt to capture the spirit of what made the original Waltz so special. “Everyone involved with it is into classic music, I mean this is the classical music of our era.”

I labeled it an homage, Jeff agreed but offered a much more fitting word: “We like to call it a celebration… again you were asking what theme runs through this, it’s community.”

Photo by Tom Gilliam

So come celebrate. Celebrate the artists that brought the show to life forty years past, celebrate the artists keeping it alive today. Celebrate music, celebrate Dayton music; celebrate the 70’s, celebrate the now.

Watch Such a Night: The Last Waltz Live in the Renaissance Auditorium at the Dayton Art Institute Wednesday November 22nd, as well as Friday night on the 24th. All proceeds from the show go towards both WYSO radio and the Dayton Art Institute, and at this time both shows are SOLD OUT.

Luminaries of Dayton: George C. Cooper.

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George C. Cooper was a member of the “Golden Thirteen,” the first thirteen African American officers commissioned by the U. S. Navy. Throughout his career, he faced considerable prejudice because of his race, yet maintained an unshakable commitment to treating everyone the way he wanted to be treated himself.

Paul Stillwell’s book called “The Golden Thirteen” chronicles some of the episodes of racism that these pioneering black officers faced, such as sailors crossing the street rather than offering the appropriate salute to an officer.

During his time in the Navy, and later working for the city of Dayton as the first black department director, he served as a valued mentor for other African Americans. Mr. Cooper believed in the responsibility to help others. He was able to use his interaction with others as an opportunity to lead them to judge him not by the color of his skin but as a human being.

George Cooper died on May 20, 2002. He is located in Section 102 in the Woodland Mausoleum.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.

Mystery Monday Nov 20

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Our last location was correctly identified by Wayne King- watch your mailbox for free Rapid Fired Pizza!  


Photographer Bill Franz took this photo of  the ceiling of Westminster Presbyterian Church. Located at125 N Wilkinson St downtown Dayton.   Organized in 1799 Westminster began as a congregation of ten.

The church grew until 1838, when the “New School-Old School Controversy,” a dispute regarding slavery, caused 72 of its 187 members to leave and form, as New School adherents, The Third Street Presbyterian Church.  The pastor who preached at Abraham Lincoln’s funeral, The Reverend Phineas Gurley, served First Church in Dayton from 1849 to 1854.

For 81 years the two churches, only a city block apart, maintained their separate congregations. However, in 1919, their differences long forgotten, the two churches were reunited to become a congregation of 1146 members. They  began building the church in 1925.

And now for this weeks photo, if you can identify the location, please submit your answer here:
http://goo.gl/forms/dyU55fzc48.  We’ll let you know next Monday if you got it right!  Good Luck!

Restaurants Open On Thanksgiving 2017

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Americans consume 736 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving Day alone with 40 million green bean casseroles  made each year and over 100,000 people call the Butterball Turkey hotline every November.

This year, nine percent of consumers will eat Thanksgiving dinner out, according to a survey by the National Restaurant Association.  That’s a big jump from six years ago. In 2011, just six percent of those surveyed said they planned to eat out for Thanksgiving.  Of the people who eat Thanksgiving at home in 2017, nine percent said they would pick up parts of the meal. And, four percent said they’d buy a complete meal, either dinner in a box, like the kind Stewart offers, or something prepared locally.

So if you’re one of these planned to let someone else cook your Thanksgiving Dinner, here’s our list of where you can go on Thanksgiving in the Miami Valley in 2017:

 

The Golden Corral
Golden Corral 10am -8pm  $13.99
All your holiday favorites, plus steak and shrimp & everything on the Buffet!
Young’s Jersey Dairy
10:30 am – 6pm  $22.50
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
11am – 5pm 3 court meal $40
The Golf Club at Yankee Trace
11am or 2pm seating $26.95
 Dayton Convention Center
11am-2pm  FREE
No tickets required Free RTA rides
Carvers Steaks and Chops
 @ 11am – 8pm
Turkey dinner & full menu
The Golden Lamb
11am – 6:30 pm  $29.95
Roost Events
11am – 3pm $29.95
Buffet
Mimi’s Cafe
11am – 8pm
Enjoy a 3 course meal  $18.95
  

The Dayton Woman’s Club
Traditional Turkey Buffet

11:30 am | The Dayton Woman’s Club
 
 Harrison’s
12 -6pm
Classic turkey dinner  $17.95
 El Meson    12- 6pm

Latin specialties like Paella Valencia and Coconut Crusted Fish, along with our Roasted Turkey Dinner,
The Wellington Grille
Turkey dinner and menu
4-7pm		 Bob Evans       multiple locations
Roasted Turkey Dinner with pie $14.99
11am – 8pm 
The Wright Place at Fairborn Holiday Inn  11am – 1pm    $27 Hasty Tasty
5am – 6pm Turkey Dinner $10.95
Rob’s Restaurant
10:30am – 6pm  Turkey Dinner $10.99		 Waffle House    multiple location
open 24 hours
Pasha Grill
11am – 8pm
Mediterranean fusion cuisine		 Hollywood Gaming
Enjoy all of your holiday favorites
like turkey, glazed sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and more for only $9.99
Tanks
6pm – midnight
Turkey, dressing and your choice of 3 sides with a roll and choice of dessert only 16.95. Free coffee, fountain drinks and ice tea.

Uneven Superhero Mashup Justice League

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“Yo – you seen that dude Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons anywhere? We’ve got to talk to him!” (L-R) Aquaman (Jason Momoa) as Aquaman, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) prepare for battle in a scene from Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure JUSTICE LEAGUE, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 

 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, J.K. Simmons, Billy Crudup, Jason Momoa, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Joe Morton and Ciarán Hinds

WRITER(S): Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon (screenplay); Chris Terrio and Zack Snyder (story); Bob Kane, Bill Finger, William Moulton Marston, Joe Shuster and Joe Siegel (characters)

DIRECTOR(S): Zack Snyder

 
WEB SITE: http://www.justiceleaguethemovie.com/HERE’S THE STORY: Still reeling from the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman (Ben Affleck) has been on the hunt to track down a group of “metahumans” he believes will be essential in helping him fight future threats to earth. And while he already has Amazonian “wonder woman” Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) on board and a very eager and speedy Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) on board, Arthur Curry a.k.a. “the man who talks to fish” (Jason Momoa) is not trying to hear Wayne’s pitch. Then again, at least Arthur knows who he is, because Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) is still coming to grips with what his scientist father (Joe Morton) has done to him in the wake of an accident that should have taken this life. 


But with a threat he’s yet to determine the origin of seemingly starting to become more and more prevalent around Gotham, Wayne knows he’s going to need to get them all on his side sooner than later if the earth if going to have any chance to survive.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Batman Vs. Superman apologists; Gal Gadot fans; Jason Momoa fans; people who will appreciate the visuals and references to other DC properties

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hated Batman Vs. Superman; people who hate the idea/execution of Ben Affleck as the Dark Knight; those who will find the film’s main antagonist underwhelming; people who will find some sequences of the film very paint-by-numbers and/or uneven

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? “Diet Avengers … Diet Avengers … Diet Avengers” …


Sometimes, when a certain phrase goes through your head repeatedly, you have to stop and ask yourself “why?” To call Justice League “Diet Avengers” might at first seem like a cop out, but upon further contemplation, it may not be so much a cop out as much as it is a short yet accurate recapitulation of Warner Bros./DC Comics boldest attempt yet to compete head to head with the ebulliant force that is the Marvel Universe. 


A better term, however, might be “mixed bag” – because for a film where so many things are done right, so many others just feel out of place or wrong.


When Affleck was cast as Batman in the ill-received (or should that be, conceived?) Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice movie, he – despite his best efforts – really didn’t do anything wrong … But he also really didn’t do anything significant to quell the online backlash, either. In Justice League, Affleck finds himself once again, like his onscreen counterpart, of trying to do the right thing while knowing there are many who will just simply not forgive him for what he has done. Whereas he hits all the usual Bruce Wayne beats, he doesn’t do anything to make his character stand out. We get a kinder, gentler Batman, but one that seemingly only has any distinction in just how non-distinct he is. 


Likewise, Miller’s take on The Flash almost feels like an homage to another friendly, swinging neighborhood Marvel character, which, despite what surely is an attempt at bringing some levity to the situation, some are more often than not to find annoying (or at best, cheeky in an Austin Powers way) than genuinely humorous.


It is the film’s villain, however, that is an utter disappointment. Steppenwolf (voiced by Ciaran Hinds) feels like a low-rent villain, has low-rent villain dialogue and lacks the usual cool factor associated with most DC villains. There’s just nothing to him … Other than saying since he’s another Norse-style mythology creature he feels like a very low-rent, not entertaining version of another popular Marvel antagonist, right down to the horns.


On a positive note, Gadot once again shines and shines bright as the Amazon Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman while Fisher and Momoa make what – for all intents and purposes outside of Cyborg on Cartoon Network’s popular show Teen Titans Go! – have never been more than also-ran characters into viable parts of the franchise. Despite a rather lame origin explanation, Fisher makes sure his character balances a fine line between brooding and bruising while Momoa brings a rockstar cowboy flair that boosts the chances (and likely fans’ desire) for an Aquaman solo outing. (You’ll get your wish soon, Atlantis fans …) 


Then again, while there are great homages to past DC characters (Ryan Reynolds couldn’t even hate on how they show respect to his former green alter-ego) and the use of Henry Cavill is both great at its best moments and sappy at their worst, the film just feels OK – and that’s NOT what you want for major superhero team foray. Call it a bit of superhero fatigue, perhaps there’s a bit of wanting to appeal to the masses as opposed to just the die hard fans or the hard balancing act of fitting in a bunch of characters that haven’t previously come together before, but Justice League just feels like above average characters in an average superhero story. You’ll want to stick around through the end credits, of course, to see what may be next for the DC galaxy (using the term universe seems a bit redundant at this point), but you and your legion of friends can probably figure that out …


All in all, Justice League is not horrible, but it’s definitely not anything that’s going to make you feel like you need to rush out to see it again. Then again, if you didn’t like Batman Vs. Superman or the under-appreciated Suicide Squad, you might be better served catching a matinee. Because Justice League is definitely in a league of its own.


Whether audiences consider that league minor or major, however, remains to be seen. 

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

The 2017 Vote for Dayton’s Best Chili is …

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Beer and Hot Dogs were available at the chili cook off

Dayton’s biggest chili cookoff was Friday night and we have the loving spoonfuls. A charity that helps disabled Miami Valley residents was given an annual budget boost from the 31st annual event.

There were 17 restaurants and amateur cooks vying for the title of BEST CHILI at the AMBUCS Chili Cookoff this weekend, and the results are in. For the first time ever, the people’s choice top 3 matched The Food Adventures top 3 picks. THE WINNERS ARE…..

 

The winner – Buffalo Chicken Chili from Christophers

#1 CHRISTOPHER’S RESTAURANT’S BUFFALO CHICKEN CHILI:
Delicious, melt in your mouth flavors of simmered chicken and the heat of a buffalo sauce, all in a creamy chili. We topped our bowl with a light sprinkle of shredded mozzarella. This recipe was a risk going off the beaten path of traditional chili’s but in this case, it paid off. Chef John always takes time to talk to the Food Adventures Crew, and we congratulate him and Christopher’s on the big win.

 

2nd Place – The sweet chili from The Brunch Club

#2 THE BRUNCH CLUB’S SWEET CHILI:
Big Ragu was loving the cute servers in Bengal’s attire, but the chili stole Hungry Jax’s stomach. An interesting twist on a traditional chili, this one was sweet and thinner than most chilis. The result was a chili that really grows on you with each bite. We found ourselves with raised eyebrows craving more of this sweet stuff. A definite stand out in our book, and second place in the competition.

 

 

Meadowlark’s Chili with Pita chips was 3rd place out of 17 chili entries !

#3 MEADOWLARK’S CHILI with PITA CHIPS:
A traditional chili served with pita chips made in house, and a dab of sour cream.   We also sprinkled a bit of shredded provolone cheese on top.  This was fantastic. The flavor was so good and it was obvious this was a top contender. Perfectly seasoned and simmering, the chili was one of the best we tasted.  In the end, we put them in 3rd place in this tough field of amazing chili.

 

Other contenders:

The Food Adventure crew wanted to give and Honorable Mention to a couple of restaurants that we feel, rounded out the top 5.  They were #4 LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE and #5 SLYDER’s who were close to the top 3.  Both versions were meaty chili’s with beans and the traditional Tex-Mex type hearty chili that Americans have grown to love.

Rita(left) and a friend from Longhorn Steakhouse, keeping Bob Medlin’s memory alive.

Please understand, every single booth had some good chili.  The trick was to have your chili be  absolutely incredible to stand out in a field of good cooks.  The competition was intense, the meat, sauce and beans were flying.  Hot sauces, cheeses, jalapenos, crackers, draft beer and more made for a filling night.

Other Restaurants and Amateur Cooks that participated were in alphabetical order:

BILL’S AMAZING CHILI:
A hearty chili with slices of beef. This was a dark and flavorful chili and our first taste of the day.

BRIXX ICE CO:
Always a contender, they had a delicious shredded chicken chili, that was almost like a soup.

Buckin Donkey Grill is back and serving up great food !

BUCKIN DONKEY GRILL:
We are so excited this awesome restaurant is back. Their chili entry was a tomato based chili with lots of huge sausage chunks.

BULLWINKLES:
A meaty chili with good flavor, this restaurant knows what they are doing. This one is great too, like all of their menu soups.

CLASHMORE MIKE’S:
A Tex-Mex classic chili with beans and the traditional sauce. Good stuff and one of the “prettiest” chilis in the bowl.

DARK HORSE TAVERN:
A good traditional chili with beans, meat and great flavor. We are so glad this restaurant is back again on Byers Rd.

EATON KENNEDY’S CHILI:
Another chili with beans in the traditional sense. They served it with tortila chips,and it was good stuff, from a local cook.

EL RANCHO GRANDE:
A Mexican twist, this chili had a swirl design in it from lots of cheddar cheese. The meat was grind down a lot and the chili had a yellow tin to it. We think it was from spices and cheeses.

FLANNIGAN’S:
A different dark and meaty chili. This was a gamble as the chili had a a very rich deep flavor. Points for uniqueness on this one.

GEORGE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT:

Big Ragu with some attendees raising money for charity

A solid traditional looking chili, with beans. It had some Greek seasoning that made the chili taste unique. The entry was good and ingenious that they passed out their restaurant menus to the tables beforehand.

HARRIGAN’S:
This was a thinner chili and almost like a soup. The flavor was good and the meat was ground down very well. Many of you know that Harrigan’s is know fro their beefy burgers.. so you know the beef chili tasted good.

All ages loved the event

LOS REYES MEXICAN RESTAURANT:
Almost like a “Dayton dip” this thick chorizo chili was very very cheese filled. The result was a yellow colored chili with chunks of meat. It was mild tasting and very different than other entries.

The decision to pick the best entries was a daunting one. All of the chilis were tasty, and went for a great cause. Please visit these fine restaurants that give back to the community. It was a great time and benefited handicapped kids in this area.

Casino games and other fun contests filled the Colosseum.

The night also was filled with BEER, WINE and SOFT DRINKS.  Did we mention HOT DOGS?  Oh boy the AMBUCS charity hot dog booth was serving up some good ones.  We indulged in all the drinks and food we could until we were stuffed.

Food Adventurer Jax gives the event a thumbs up !

The event benefits AMBUCS of Dayton. It is a charity that helps handicapped residents of the Miami Valley lead a more mobile life. Special walkers. bikes and mobile devices are donated to the families of those children and adults in need. The effect is a priceless improvement for their quality of life.

Next year’s chili cookoff will be FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16th, 2018:
Do you want to enter your chili? We are also looking for blackjack dealers and volunteers for next year. To get involved, go to BESTCHILI.ORG or call Paul Jankovich at 937-438-0345

The champ – Chef John from Christopher’s in Kettering

 

 

Halfway through the night you have people digesting !

Bullwinkles Chili

El Rancho Grande

Gambling Area

Overlooking the event before it opens

Bills Amazing Chili entry

Christopher’s Vegetarian Chili entry

Harrigan’s chili

Beer truck – endless drats

The Hot Dog Lady

Slyders serving up

Flannagans Chili

El Rancho Grande Chili

Bullwinkle Booth

Volunteers helped make the event a success

Los Reyes Chili

George’s Restaurant

Clashmore Mikes Chili

YES ! THEY ARE BACK !

Bucking Donkey Grill

Brixx Ice Co.

Dark Horse Tavern

Testing each and every chili

Critic says – that one was just ok

Games of Chance

Serving up Bills amazing chili

Longhorn Steakhouse entry

Slyders Chili

Flannigans

Eaton Kennedy’s Chili

 

 

Holiday Grief Support Program: Hope for the Holidays

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The holiday season is a time of great emotion.  For those who are experiencing their first holiday following the loss of a loved one, the emotions of the holiday season can be overwhelming.  Pathways of Hope at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton offers “Hope for the Holidays” to help.Open to any member of the community who has lost a loved one, Hope for the Holidays will be held to support those who have lost a loved one. This presentation by the bereavement counseling staff will celebrate and honor lost loved ones and offer insight into ways to cope with grief during the emotionally charged holiday season. Light refreshments will be served and participants will receive a keepsake ornament. The program is free of charge thanks to the generosity of the community. Due to limited seating, reservations are required. When making your reservation please indicate which date you wish to attend and the number attending, as well as the name of the loved one you would like to honor.Because of limited seating, reservations are required and will be accepted until the dates listed below or until capacity is reached, whichever comes first.  To make reservations, call (937) 258-4991 or email [email protected].  When making reservations, please indicate the date of the program you plan to attend as well as the name of the loved one you’d like to honor and the number attending.  The program is free of charge thanks to the generosity of the community.

Hope for the Holidays

When: 7 to 8 pm, Thursday, December 7 OR Wednesday, December 13

Where: Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton Community Room

               324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, OH 45420

To Register:     RSVP by November 22 to (937) 258-4991

 

This article by by  originally appeared on the Hospice of Dayton website.

An Easy Appetizer From Chef Lee Anne House

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Everyone needs a few recipes up their sleeves for the holidays. Whether you are cooking for a small intimate gathering or a large party, having appetizers you can make ahead of time is key to enjoying your event.

I love everything about this appetizer. From the crunch of the endive, the creaminess of the cheese, the tang from the vinegar and the decadence of prosciutto…it is the perfect app for my parties.
These can be made many hours ahead of time and stored in the fridge on a small sheet tray. Line them up close so they can’t fall over. Wait to garnish them till you serve.
This recipe makes about 15-20 stuffed endive leaves.

Salsa Verde Stuffed Endive with Bleu Cheese, Pears and Prosciutto

1/2 cup softened, low fat cream cheese

1/2 cup low fat sour cream

1/8 cup low fat, olive oil mayo

2 teaspoons HouseMade Salsa Verde seasoning

1/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese plus more for garnish

2 scallions chopped thin

1 small red pear, small diced with skin on

1/2 cup small died prosciutto plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon Spicy Olive Cranberry Pear Vinegar

2 heads of Belgium endive

1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley

Whip together the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo and salsa verde seasoning. Fold in gently the bleu cheese, scallions, pear, prosciutto and vinegar.

Cut the stem end off the endive so you can pull off individual leaves. You will have to cut the end of multiple times till you get to the center.

Fill the endive leaves with the cream cheese mixture. Garnish with more bleu cheese, prosciutto and fresh parsley.

For more info about this recipe, visit Lee Anne tonight from 5-10pm at the annual Thanksgiving Night Market at The Yellow Cab Tavern!

Whether you’re stocking up on spices and ingredients for parties with family and friends, or getting started on some early gift shopping, this is your perfect chance to find one-of-a-kind handmade goods from right here in Dayton!

Plus there will be local craft beer! It’s the best holiday shopping you’ll experience this season.

90’s Multi-Platinum Group Bell Biv Devoe Coming To Dayton

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Victoria Theatre Association and GAB Productions present Grammy Award©-winning BELL BIV DEVOE, live in concert at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale, Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 at 10 a.m. at Ticket Center Stage, located in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center, by phone at 937-228-3630, toll-free at 888-228-3630, or online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

 

Multi-platinum group Bell Biv Devoe — Ricky Bell, Mike Bivins and Ron Devoe — are back with “Run,” the Erick Sermon-produced single that captures the BBD sound with hip hop beats, R&B harmonies and new jack swing. BELL BIC DEVOE has bridged the gap between R&B and hip-hop music with a pop-feel-appeal-to-it for more than 25 years. A direct byproduct of the hugely successful 1980’s vocal quintet “New Edition”, BBD merged the irresistible sounds of hip-hop beats, New Jack Swing and R&B harmonies.

 

The group’s wildly successful debut album Poison sold 4 million copies and featured 4 classic hits. In addition to the Platinum selling title track, the album featured “Do Me,” “When Will I See You Smile Again,” and “BBD…I Thought It Was Me.”  BBD’s follow up album, WBBD-Bootcity (A Remix LP)  sold over 700,000 units, while the 1993 album Hootie Mack was gold-certified.

 

Presently Ricky, Mike and Ron are stronger today than ever before. Since the early days with New Edition, BBD has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and has won the hearts of millions of fans globally. BET has announced the 2017 premiere of “The New Edition Story,” a 3-part miniseries chronicling the lives and careers of Bell, Bivins and DeVoe and the other New Edition members.  More info on will be announced shortly.

 

BBD’s many accolades include numerous Grammy® nominations, three American Music Awards, two Soul Train Awards, countless “Keys to The City,” as well as an abundance of esteemed salutations for their many humanitarian efforts. Most recently Ricky, Mike and Ron were bestowed (along with Ralph, Bobby & Johnny) with the 2013 Soul Train Music Awards Lifetime Achievement honor. BBD’s extraordinary accomplishments have set them apart from their peers and have cemented them as pioneering icons.

Singer and actor DEMETRIA MCKINNEY will open the show. Tickets start at $42 and go on sale Friday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at Ticket Center Stage, located in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center, by phone at 937-228-3630, toll-free at 888-228-3630 or online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

 

 

10 City Employees Win Award for Public Service Excellence

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City Manager Shelley Dickstein and The Dayton Foundation presented 10 City of Dayton employees with the Joseph T. Cline Award at the November 15 meeting of the Dayton City Commission.

The award honors workers displaying excellence and dedication in public service through City of Dayton careers. The honorees are full-time or permanent part-time employees nominated by fellow City employees or members of the Dayton community.

The  honorees for 2017, including their current position and length of City of Dayton employment from left to right:
Dyan Thomas, Officer, Dayton Police Department, 18 years;
Yolanda Sanders, Administrative Typist II, Department of Aviation, 29 years;
David Lawrence, Special Projects Administrator, Department of Water, 12 years;
Bridget Findley, Chief General Counsel, Department of Law, 4 years;
Pamela Allen, Recreation & Parks Aide, Recreation and Youth Services, 28 years;
In the middle Aiyana Marcus and Diane Timmons from The Dayton Foundation
Erica Fields, Special Projects Administrator, Human Relations Council, 5 years;
Kery Gray, Director, City Commission Office, 30 years;
John Parker, Recreation Coordinator, Recreation and Youth Services, 20 years;
Jim Shoemaker, Hydrogeologist, Department of Water, 28 years;
Darlene West, Administrative Typist II, Dayton Police Department, 38 years.

“The City of Dayton and the community are served with excellence and distinction by these employees,” Dickstein said. “We are proud to honor them with the Joseph T. Cline Award and appreciative of the support of the Cline family and The Dayton Foundation.”

 

Award winners receive $300 from an endowment established by the Cline family through The Dayton Foundation. The award fund was established in 1984 by Carolynne H. Cline, daughter of the late Joseph T. Cline, a civic activist and community volunteer.

10 ?’s With Chef Dana Downs

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We first got to know Chef Dana Downs when she was running the Black Rooster Pasta Bar at the Second Street Market.  Getting to know her better we found out that she started her culinary career as a dishwasher at Franco’s Ristorante Italiano.  She realized that while she was sweating back in the dish room, Franco was out visiting with all of his customers and drinking wine and that’s what she wanted to do.  

So she headed to Sinclair Community College’s to begin her training as a chef. Over the years she worked at Zola’s and then was recruited by Country Club of the North, where she worked as the Assistant General Manager and Marketing Director.  But she missed the kitchen and began a catering company and opened that shop at the market, where we met her.

In 2011 she took a big leap and opened ROOST modern italian on Fifth Street in the Oregon District. Read our story on their grand opening here.   In 2014 Dana guided the restaurant through a major renovation, enclosing the patio, adding a beautiful bar and a private dining room, nicknamed the Dough Room.

Today that eatery has shortened it’s name to just ROOST italian and celebrates it’s 6th anniversary and Chef Dana took time out of her day to do our Chef 10 ? interview:

 

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Vinegar, mostly different sherry vinegars. Incorporating acid in almost every dish will excite your customers palate, even in the smallest way! I crave it!

What ingredient do you dread?

Dishes should not only taste good, but plate nicely too. It roots back to Dana’s love and appreciation for the food being prepared. Plated here are the sea scallops with Cremini mushrooms (“baby bellas”) with ricotta raviolis, asparagus, and a white truffle besciamella sauce.

Green Peppers. I can’t even stand the smell of them. They are too overpowering. There has never been a green pepper in one of my kitchens, ever.

What’s your favorite dish to make?

I love cooking for my staff, they are like my kids. So, like a good mom, I love cooking them my Chicken Pastina soup. Learned from Franco’s mamma, Adolarata, its the best comfort food you could ever eat!

What’s your favorite pig out food?

Tacos. Tacos. Tacos.

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

I am fortunate to be a part of a great group of women chefs here. So you will see me at Meadowlark, Wheatpenny, Watermark and the Winds. And I’ll probably thank you for coming in, just because that what we chef’s do.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Be adventurous! If you think you screwed it up, pull up your boot straps and fix it. There is no perfect science to casual cooking, so have fun with it!

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Ralph Lauren- the genius of branding

David Beckham- I love soccer and great style!

Ina Garten- I love her and I’m sure she has some great stories

Tom Downs- my father. We love spending time together, and we can relive the dinner thru stories forever!

Chef Dana and Scott Conant at Fusco, San Fransisco

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Scott Conant. Not only is he a great chef, I applaud his entrepreneurial spirit and his professionalism.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I would love to say golf, but I’m probably too busy building something for a project I have created.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

It was a random Summer Sunday morning, I was out running errands in my flip flops and soccer shorts and I get a phone call from a catering client. She called to ask what time she should come by the restaurant to pick up the food for her get together. I immediately told her I would call her back. I looked up her email and she had mistakenly emailed me that the event was the next Sunday. I called her back and told her I would bring the food, “no worries”. I ran to DLM, bought everything that I though I might have needed and ran down to Roost. The place look like a tornado hit it! Dishes and stuff everywhere. I had the food ready in 3 hours, 9 different items for 55 people

I threw the food in the car and headed out. I was 12 minutes early and I looked like a train wreck. Everything was on point, and she was very pleased.  I never told her this story, because the get together was in honor of the recent passing of her mother. Sometimes people are more important than proving a point. Cheers!

Visit Roost at 524 E 5th St in the Oregon District, open Tuesday – Sunday nights.  You can also experience the Roost cuisine in their special events venue, Roost Events, at 580 Lincoln Park Boulevard, by the Fraze in Kettering.  They’ll be serving up a Thanksgiving Buffet from 11am -3pm (reservations suggested- either online or by calling 937-222-3100) as well as opening on Christmas Eve, Mother’s Day, Easter, and Fraze season events as well as Pop Up Dinners.

 

‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Review – Wright State University – The Winds of Change

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There are some very special musicals that have stood the test of time because no matter how often you see them they still remain fresh, profound and necessary. Case in point: composer Jerry Bock, lyricist Sheldon Harnick and librettist Joseph Stein’s 1964 classic Fiddler on the Roof, terrifically presented by Wright State University in the Festival Playhouse of the Creative Arts Center.

Halle Augenstein as The Fiddler in Fiddler on the Roof (Photo by Erin Pence)

The sheer magnetism of Fiddler occurs in its tuneful prologue. An entire town pauses to joyfully share what you should know about their lives, responsibilities, hopes, religion, and traditions. But what they don’t know is that their little spot of the world – the tiny village of Anatekva on the eve of the Russian Revolution circa 1905 – will ultimately and drastically transform beyond comprehension. Girls will be taught to read. Men will dance in public with women. A daughter will chose to love outside her faith despite ridicule. Anatekva itself will cease to exist. And along the way, there is great anticipation of how poor dairyman Tevye and his family will cope with the winds of change.

 


Josh Beasley’s playful, lighthearted and physical portrayal of Tevye fittingly conveys the role’s affectionate qualities as a loving father whose frequent chats with God give him purpose and direction. Megan Valle, stern yet comedic as Tevye’s wife Golde, exudes strength and authority, but also conveys tender sensitivity. In fact, during one of the most gorgeously staged renditions of Sunrise, Sunset I have seen, Valle spins her introspective lines into beautiful morsels of bewilderment brought about by the passage of time. Kayli Modell (Tzeitel), Danielle Bessler (Hodel), Emma Buchanan (Chava), Michaella Waickman (Shprintze), and Dana Bixler (Bielke) are uniformly dynamic as Tevye and Golde’s daughters. In particular, Modell is a refreshingly headstrong Tzeitel and Bessler delivers a phenomenally lyric-driven Far From the Home I Love absolutely testifying to the fact that Hodel’s unwavering love for her family will burn bright no matter where she resides (“I must go” never sounded so sure or lovingly defiant). Aaron Roitman (Motel), Kyle Miller (Perchik), and knockout dancer Philip Stock (Fydeka) are equally and respectively appealing as the suitors of Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava. Roitman’s awkward charm, Miller’s determined spirit (Now I Have Everything leaps forth as a meaningful epiphany), and Stock’s fiery flair are fine attributes. The cast also contains notable portrayals from Isabella Andrews as an appropriately nosey and concerned Yente, Joe Green as a firmly grounded Lazar Wolf, Joey Kennedy making the most of the easily perturbed Mendel in unexpected ways, Justin Matthews as the intimidating Constable, Louis Kurtzman as the Rabbi, the aforementioned Bixler as Grandma Tzeitel, Halle Augenstein as the Fiddler, and Rachel Mary Green who blends opera, pop and R&B with ghoulish glee as the frightening Fruma Sarah in Tevye’s Dream.

Michaella Waickman (Shprintze), Emma Buchanan (Chava), Kayli Modell (Tzeitel), Danielle Bessler (Hodel), and Dana Bixler (Bielke) in Fiddler on the Roof (Photo by Erin Pence)

Director W. Stuart McDowell incorporates a few touches from Broadway’s stunning 2016 Tony-nominated Fiddler revival (for example, featuring all of Tevye and Golde’s daughters in Matchmaker), but adds specific elements of his own which broaden the story’s scope. In addition to allowing Tzeitel one last chance to take a snapshot of the mind while in her family’s presence, McDowell astutely aims for deeper resonance in the exceptional final sequence. Seeing the citizens of Anatevka separate to start their lives anew gives haunting credence to the current plight of refugees throughout the world. In fact, there is a brief, awe-inspiring moment implying that Tevye and his family have arrived in New York City as the spirit of the Fiddler guides them from above. McDowell’s first-rate artistic team includes choreographer Teressa Wylie McWilliams (an exuberant To Life and lively series of Wedding Dances, the aforementioned Tevye’s Dream, and luminous Chava Sequence are among her excellently character-focused routines), set designer David J. Castellano, lighting designer Matthew P. Benjamin, costumer Naomi Reisner, sound designer Ryan Burgdorf (expertly crafting the destruction pivotal to the distressing Act 1 finale), dialect coach Deborah Thomas, and music director Scot Wolley who conducts a superb onstage orchestra.

Now more than ever, it’s time to reassess the relatable potency and urgent relevancy of this marvelous tale of family, community and hope.

Fiddler on the Roof continues through Nov. 19 in the Festival Playhouse of the Creative Arts Center, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. Act One: 100 minutes; Act Two: 45 minutes. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. For tickets or more information, call (937) 775-2500 or visit https://liberal-arts.wright.edu/theatre-dance-and-motion-pictures/box-office.

In related news, Broadway producer and author Jack Viertel will speak at Wright State University on Tuesday, Nov. 28 courtesy of the Musical Theatre Initiative. Viertel is Vice-President of Jujamcyn Theatre, one of Broadway’s largest and most successful producers, the artistic director of Encores series at New York City Center, and author of the book The Secret Life of the American Musical. Viertel, a member of MTI’s advisory board, will give a talk on his book from 10 a.m. to noon in the Creative Arts Center’s Jubilee Theatre (Directing Lab) and from 1 to 3 p.m. will give an interview and discussion with MTI Director, Joe Deer, in the same space. All events are free and open to the public.