Dayton937

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

Archives for May 2024

Jersey Mike’s Best Selling Food Item Is Now In A Jar

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Jersey Mike’s has many delicious menu items, but the Hot Chopped Pepper Relish—a spicy combination of pickled red and green peppers—truly brings its sandwiches to life. Luckily, with the introduction of its latest favorite, one is able to buy 16-ounce jars from any nearest store while preparing a sandwich at home in order to make it taste more or less the same as theirs.

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There’s already been lots of online discussion about this new take-home relish, but the sure thing is if you come across one, grab it before it sells out. Many were quick to add their own thoughts about the sought-after relish. If you’re a Jersey Mike’s fan, you know what everyone is talking about—all the more reason to grab a bottle of the delicious relish while you can. It’s just expected that the best-selling food item of Jersey Mike has become trending with its new jar.

This post by  by Owen Garfield originally appeared on the Fast Food Club Logo website.

Zumba in the Park (and it’s FREE)

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Enjoy fun, effective and FREE outdoor workouts under the pavilion! Come out for a fast-paced Zumba workout with instructor Meghan Millat using dance moves to upbeat music. Remember to bring your own water bottle and towels.

Certified Human Night

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Come play along with the theatre you love.

Join the staff and board of The Human Race Theatre Company at a one-of-a-kind fundraising event that will leave you buzzing! Brush up on your Broadway and Karaoke favorites for two rounds of Music Trivia, then stay for a live(ly) auction hosted by Resident Artist and professional auctioneer Tim Lile and to mix and mingle with fellow theatre lovers.

Plan to celebrate with us on Friday, May 17, 2024, from 6 PM to 10 PM at The Loft Theatre (126 N. Main Street, 3rd Floor, Dayton, OH 45402) as we head into our 39th season! We celebrate what brought us here and raise a toast to where we’re going next with our company and our community.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE OUR FIRST CERTIFIED HUMAN?

After an evening full of joy, creative fellowship, and innocent competition, stay for the first ever recognition as a Certified Human, cementing your place as a top fan of The Human Race Theatre Company. The winning bid will be commemorated in our lobby alongside a newly commissioned artwork made in collaboration with Dustin Wagner from Nyminal Glass. In this world of AI and deep fakes, let us endorse you as the real deal – no physical required! Be the first inductee of this new tradition!

Celebrate with us as we head into the 39th season.

Kettering Restaurant Starts Carry Out Orders Before Opening Next Month

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Rum Runners Cafe is now doing a soft opening- for online orders with a LIMITED menu. Carry out is available or you can order through Doordash! The available menu offers burgers, chicken sandwiches and loaded baked potatoes.  When the restaurant opens they’ll add pastas, salads and salmon dishes. View the available menu here, items will be added throughout the month as they feel their kitchen can handle it.

Located in the former Christopher’s space on E Dorothy Lane, the owners signed a 5 year lease this past December and have done a lot of remodeling themselves  in the 3,500 square foot restaurant.

Inspiration photo – their booths are being built now

It will have seating  for 75 guests, with a decor that’s described as prohibition-era art deco, with black and gold colors and geometric patterns reminiscent of the glam associated with the Jazz Age. There is a separate bar area that will have eight taps for draft beer and the cocktail program will feature rum based drinks, as well as gin, since it was a popular spirit in the 1920s. Furthering the 1920s theme will be some of the menu items, which will be named after gangsters, flappers, Irish mafia members and female rum runners of the period.

Burgers on the menu

While the restaurant has rum in its name, guests won’t be able to order a cocktail with their meal, at least not at first. The eatery plans to get its alcohol licensing in the fall, at which time it will serve alcohol in addition to food.

Owner Jamie Campbell said it’s been she and her partners dream to open a restaurant for about a decade and they’re excited to make it a reality.  They share a love of rum and  have a rum-based BBQ sauce line that is currently sold locally at Dorothy Lane Market and Dots Market.  The sauce offerings include honey rum, sweet rum and spicy rum as well as a forthcoming rum and Coke sauce as well as a glaze in the same flavor. All the sauces will be available to add as side for any order as well as a sauce option for the restaurant’s chicken wings.

They expect to open the restaurant for in house dining in mid to late June.

 

Rum Runners Cafe

2318 E. Dorothy Lane
Kettering, OH 45420
(937) 723-6833
Mon – Sat 10:30am – 9pm. last order taken
Order online

UD and TheatreLab go ‘Into the Woods’ together!

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TheatreLab continues to do some ‘outside of the box’ things in hopes of catching new theater-goers and launching new relationships. This time around, the company has joined forces with the University of Dayton to take us ‘Into the Woods‘ via the Sondheim Classic. I was lucky enough to get a chance to talk to 2 of the stars of the show….Kyle Channell and Madeline Stern.

JS: First of all, thank you for meeting with me. I know you are so excited to share info about the production!! Tell me what made you interested in being part of ‘Into the Woods?’

KC: Well, I feel like Into the Woods is a rite of passage for every theatre performer. It’s hard not to go for it when a production is being staged. There are so many iconic archetypes and characters throughout, so any chance to get involved is so tempting. TheatreLab Dayton is a name that has been popping up on my radar for a while, so when I heard they were doing ITW and I could make it work with finishing undergrad, I had to go for it.

MS: And for me….I will take any opportunity I get to be in a Sondheim show! My parents work in the theatre industry and had the incredible opportunity to work with Sondheim, so I was exposed to his music at a really young age. His shows have always been part of my life and musical DNA.  I’m so grateful for the way his art has impacted and inspired me as a performer through the different phases of my life.

JS: Wow Madeline, so cool. You both have roles that are intricate and important to the ‘story-telling’ that makes ITW such a beloved story. What resonates with you about your respective roles….Madeline, you first this time!!

MS: (the WITCH) The Witch has such an interesting emotional arc through the show. Her story is about intergenerational trauma and how we’re all just trying to do better than our parents did, and their parents before them. Her mother cursed her with ugliness because the Baker’s Father stole her beans, which was completely outside of her control. Not something a kind and loving mother would do, if you ask me! The Witch tries so desperately to be a better mother than hers was, but ends up holding on to Rapunzel too tightly. She loves her so deeply and tries to do right by her, but continues to make mistakes. It’s just so human to love so deeply and be so flawed. I think we can all see a bit of ourselves in that dynamic.

JS: Ummm, that’s like a spot-on description of the role….take notes folks….Kyle?

KC: The Baker is a complicated, beautifully flawed man. However, what is truly endearing about him is his willingness to change – that is a rare trait in so many men and male characters throughout theatre canon. The complicated relationship between him and his father directly dictates his relationship with fatherhood, so his evolution has been a treat to explore. I’m fortunate to tackle paternal roles frequently, but I have yet to find one I connect with so personally as I do with the Baker.

MS: I love roles that allow me to blend my classical and musical theatre training. I would love to play Amalia in She Loves Me, Dot in Sunday in the Park with George, Francesca in Bridges of Madison County, Rodgers and Hammerstein- basically everything Kelli O’Hara has done.

JS: You two need to write ‘character descriptors’ for script companies.  HA HA! Keeping that in mind, what role are you still wanting to tackle in your career?

KC: Good question. There are so many amazing characters I want to play. I’d love to tackle Vanya, Hamlet, Phil Connors in Groundhog Day, Sweeney Todd, Tony in WSS, etc. The Baker was a big one, but I’m happy I got to tackle it the first time.

MS:I love roles that allow me to blend my classical and musical theatre training. I would love to play Amalia in She Loves Me, Dot in Sunday in the Park with George, Francesca in Bridges of Madison County, Rodgers and Hammerstein- basically everything Kelli O’Hara has done.

JS: OMG….quick story. I met her, didn’t know who she was…it was literally 20 plus years go…and she was in ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ on some tour back then. 10 years later she’s doing ‘South Pacific’ and I’m like, that’s that lady who people said would be famous some day…um….I think she’s been nominated for 8 Tonys..and of course, now the ‘Gilded Age.’ Sorry, I digress…

So when did you know acting was ‘for you?’

MS: My parents love to tell the story of me at about 3 years old, coming out into the living room and singing “Ol’ Man River” from Show Boat in the lowest notes I could possibly squawk out. I knew from the time I could talk that I was going to be a singer.

KC: The theatre bug bites early and hard. My work in the theatre began when I was about 8, and honestly, it’s been an inextricable element of who I am ever since. Whether I would pursue this professionally was never really in question, it’s just a matter of who I am.

JS: You two are a delight to chat with. Thank you both so very much. Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

MS: Well, hmmm, in addition to performing, I teach voice lessons through the Madeline Stern Vocal Studio online. I also love creating content for singers on Instagram and TikTok @SingwithMadeline. Check out if you want to learn more about me!

KC: Feel free to follow me at kyle.channell on Instagram or check out my website at kylechannell.com! I hope you enjoy the show and please keep supporting the theatre scene wherever you are. This is an industry still recovering from COVID so your patronage is what keeps the theatre scene both in Dayton and beyond alive.

JS: Well said Kyle. I am hoping you both ‘break-a-leg’ this weekend and continue to entertain on that stage for a lifetime.

Come see Kyle and Madeline….

  • May 16 – 19, 2024
  • Boll Theatre at the University of Dayton, 300 College Park Avenue, 45469

For more information and tickets to TheatreLab Dayton’s Into the Woods go to http://bit.ly/TLDIntoTheWoods

 

 

 

 

Dayton Restaurant Consultant Passes Away

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Restaurateur Thomas James Sand Jr passed away unexpectedly on May 3, 2024.  He graduated from Alter High School in 1985 and The University of Dayton in 1991.  His labrador retriever, Liaska, held the distinct honor of being by Tom’s side when he died.

Tom had a love of fine food and fine dining. He turned these loves into a passion and a career in Restaurant Management. The highlight of this career was helping the love of his life, Anne Kearney, run her successful restaurant in the French Quarter. In 2007 they returned to their hometown of Dayton and opened Rue Dumaine in Washington Townshio.  When they couldn’t come to agreement on lease terms the restaurant closed in 2017. Tom went on to form TASK Hospitality Group and consulted  for many restaurants across the country.

As shared in his obituary, “Tom lost his way in the last several years through his addiction and mental health challenges. We are hopeful that he is now at peace and is healthy in mind and body.”

The family will hold a visitation from 9:30 to 10:30 on Friday, May 17, 2024
followed by a Mass of Christian Burial, 10:30 at St. Charles Borromeo Church
4600 Ackerman Blvd. Dayton, OH 45429.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to www.jayslight.org

McCoy on Movies: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes explores the best, worst of humanity, society effectively

“OK, one of us forgot our deodorant, which is a shame because we all could use a bath at this point!” Ambitious Eagle Clan survivor Noah (voiced by Owen Teague) and Raka (voiced by Peter Macon, far right) find themselves making a dangerous journey alongside their newfound human companion Mae (Freya Allen) in a scene from director Wes Ball’s KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Credit: ©2024 Twentieth Century Studios. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

 

KEY CAST MEMBERS:  Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, Travis Jeffrey, Lydia Peckham and William H. Macy

DIRECTOR: Wes Ball
THE BACK STORY:  Taking place several generations after the rule of Caesar, the ape who would lead his species to prominence once a man-made virus gives primates intellect while rendering humanity speechless, we are introduced to Noah (Owen Teague). A member of the Eagle Clan, Noah – along with his friends Anaya (Travis Jeffrey) and Soona (Lydia Peckham) – is looking to graduate into adulthood by completing a ritual of their clan: Grabbing a young eagle egg from a nest to raise as their own. 
 
What Noah doesn’t know or suspect, however, is that the blanket that is taken from his horse will end up changing his entire clan’s fate forever. For once an elder warrior goes out to investigate, a warrior clan acting under the order of Proximus (Kevin Durand) is set to devastate anything in their path. Worse yet, the clan has the audacity to yell “For Caesar!” who has risen to mythical status … Even if his ideals are no longer being followed by Proximus or any of those under his rule.
 
As fate would have it, Proximus’ grand designs for the future lead to a life-altering experience for the Eagle Clan, leaving Noah out on a path seeking revenge. Along the way, he will encounter an orangutan who knows the true nature of Caesar in the friendly Raka (Peter Macon) … But perhaps most surprising will come when he runs into an “echo” – or “Nova” as Raka calls them – in the form of Mae (Freya Allen). While at first scared, Mae reveals a secret in a startling fashion that will also rock Noah’s world.
 
But what awaits them as the face their destiny could alter the future for apes and humans forever .. 
 
THE REVIEW: The detailed, evolving (pun intended) story has been one of if not the best aspects of the Planet of the Apes franchise since it was rebooted in 2011. KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES continues that tradition, exploring the ideas of legends versus reality, power versus purpose and – as if ripped from today’s headlines – the idea of being able to coexist with others different from us in every way save for wanting the same thing: A peaceful way of life for those whom we care about.
 
For a film with essentially only two meaningful humans on screen, KINGDOM makes the most of its ape acing core to build upon the previous installments of the film while setting a meaningful stage for the next installment. Superhero film directors could learn a lot from Ball and his team with their work on KINGDOM, the effects making the old Charlton Heston films feel as dated as the acting within them.
 
Whereas Proximus and the idea of more is an easily relatable theme, his warning to Noah feels as true as it is sad when posted up against today’s political climate. Whereas trust can be weaponized for the advancement of one group versus another, KINGDOM also shows (albeit with a significant amount of blatant foreshadowing) what earned trust can be worth, why violence isn’t the answer and how man – or in this case, man and ape – often get in their own way of finding the way of life they wish to live. If there are criticisms to be had, it might be in the form of pacing (the first 30-40 minutes feel way longer than they are) and possibly the way in which William H. Macy’s character comes across as necessary yet one note. 
 
Those minor issues notwithstanding, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES achieves what it sets out to dow what so many have tried over the course of humanity: Remember that the word “humanity” includes the word “human,” even if it takes a bunch of apes to remind us of the best and worse of us as a species.

 

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

 

 

 

 

Courthouse Square Summer Fun Begins This Week With Curio

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Throughout the summer months, fun, out-of-the-box entertainment can be found on Courthouse Square, with CURIO serving as the hub of community, connection, and collaboration!

CURIO at Courthouse Square is the next evolution of programming formerly known as “The Square Is Where.”  Featuring free lunchtime entertainment from noon to 2 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays each week during the summer months.

Big ideas can come in small packages, and CURIO is the first step in a larger, longer-term plan to revitalize Courthouse Square. This shipping container transformed into an event hub has been combined with new outdoor seating and other touches to create downtown’s newest summer hotspot!

Food vendors also set up on Courthouse Square each weekday, allowing downtown workers and others to grab lunch from a vendor or a downtown restaurant and take in the entertainment while enjoying the outdoors downtown.

 

 

Filmmaker Aisha Ford To Be Honored at Dayton Black Women’s Film Festival

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Aisha Ford is an award-winning filmmaker known for humanizing complex issues with empathy and inclusivity. Her short films have screened at prestigious festivals like Tribeca and HollyShorts, earning recognition from organizations like BAFTA and NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned accolades such as the Spike Lee Film Production Grant. Aisha’s talent was showcased at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019, and she recently directed an acclaimed campaign for Dove and Ogilvy titled “As Early As Five,” addressing hair discrimination against Black girls.

5 Of The Most Popular Riverway Birding Hotspots

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Check out these 5 Riverway birding hotspots recognized by the Ohio Ornithological Society and the National Audubon Society.

You don’t have to travel far to find some locations in our Riverway that boast well over 200 bird species. 

 

The Lower Great Miami River in particular is designated as an Important Bird Area, (IBA) which includes Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, Rentschler Forest MetroPark, and Chrisholm MetroPark in Butler County, and Crains Run Nature Park in Montgomery County. The IBA program began in 1999 with a gathering of bird conservation stakeholders and has resulted in the documentation and research of over 100 sites in Ohio.

#1. Tawawa Park, Sidney

#2. Charleston Falls Preserve, Tipp City

  • From the Ohio Ornithological Society, “Charleston Falls Preserve is the most visited Park District property in Miami County with over 216 acres of prairie and forests. This beautiful park is the perfect place to hike and view wildlife. Uncommon plants such as wild columbine, walking fern, purple cliff break, and rock honeysuckle grace the limestone faces of the surrounding gorge. The most unusual feature of this preserve is the unique waterfall. The Falls can rightly be called a “Miniature Niagara” because its rock strata are the same as Niagara Falls. Originating from small underground springs several miles to the east, the stream creating the falls plummets 37 feet and then continues its meandering journey to the Great Miami River.”
  • 123 species have been recorded at this hotspot according to eBird.

#3. Taylorsville MetroPark, Five Rivers MetroParks
Ohio Ornithological Society highlights this park as a birding hotspot:

  • Historic remnants of the Miami-Erie Canal and the once-thriving village of Tadmor mix with scenic forests to provide an interesting experience for both the hiker and bicyclist. In addition, fascinating rock formations with overhangs and small cavitations with calcite ribbons can be found.
  • Taylorsville MetroPark contains exceptional examples of a mature upland forest with many spring wildflowers, second-growth woodlands, natural succession areas, a few aging pine stands, a few managed grasslands, and extensive floodplain forests along the Great Miami River Corridor.
  • A section of the Buckeye Trail and the North Country Trail runs through Taylorsville MetroPark.
  • eBird data shows 175 known species to visit.

#4. Gilmore MetroPark, MetroParks of Butler County

  • On a top birding list for Ohio according to OOS data
  • 253 species observed (the highest species count is Headlands Beach State Park with 298 for comparison)

From Ohio Ornithological Society: “Depending on water levels, the Cattail Marsh area can be good for waterfowl, herons and egrets, or shorebirds. During spring and fall migration, the trails around South Pond are good for passerines. Cattail Marsh is often good for sparrows, with a chance of seeing LeConte’s or Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows in the fall, again depending on water levels. It is not a very large area, so birders can get around the entire area fairly quickly.”

According to the National Audubon Society, this park was designated as an Important Bird Area:

  • “Located within the City of Hamilton, 268-acre Gilmore MetroPark was designated as an Important Birding Area by the National Audubon Society. The park’s wetland areas are an important habitat for shorebirds, waders and waterfowl. The park’s wetland areas in depth seasonally, with the best birding opportunities happening in spring and fall during migration season.”

#5. Fernald Preserve, Hamilton
Ohio Ornithological Society highlights this park:

“The Fernald Preserve features 140 acres of wetland habitat, 400 acres of forests and 360 acres of grasslands including tall grass prairies. The preserve currently has about 2.5 miles of trails with additional trail construction planned for 2009. Lodge Pond trail, located along the site’s access road approximately 1/8 mile from the Willey Road entrance, provides access to wetlands and prairies. In addition to a wide range of migratory waterfowl, this area provides excellent viewing opportunities for a variety of prairie species including dickcissels, bobolinks, grasshopper sparrows and eastern meadowlarks. Shingle Oak trail primarily spans woodland habitat and is a good choice for viewing neo-tropical migrants as well as a variety of summer nesters. The Weapons-to-Wetlands trail features an overlook that provides excellent viewing for migrating waterfowl in the spring and fall as well as a variety of raptors in the winter months. The 3.5 mile Trestle Trail, completed in September 2009, spans prairies, upland forests, open water and a riparian corridor.”

  • NOTE: A strict no pets allowed policy is in effect at all times at the Fernald Preserve. 

 

10 Year Anniversary Beer Bash & Urban Smokeout

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Warped Wing is kicking it in the DYT for a good old fashioned Beer Bash & Urban Smokeout – celebrating a solid 10 years in the beer game! Cold beer, smokin’ good eats, live music, & great vibes. Join us Saturday, May 18th at the Dayton Taproom – plus we’ll be cranking it up outside with the Trotwood Trailer & tented parking lot. Bring your lawn chair & stay a while!
Cheers to a decade of sharing pints & making friends – hope to see you there 🍻
Beer tappings, specialty smoked food menu, & live music lineup

Hotel California – The Original Tribute to the Eagles

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When The Eagles stopped to catch their breath a few decades ago, having sold over 100 million records, collected six Grammy’s, and enjoyed six #1 albums, Hotel California began a pioneering journey through their history-making music that has taken this exciting band around the globe as they have thrilled hundreds of thousands of Eagles fans. Their dedication, unique musical gifts, and obsessive commitment to doing this legendary music justice have set them apart from the many Eagles bands that have come after them. Hotel California has shared the stage with the likes of The Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gretchen Wilson, REO Speedwagon, and many more, and they have changed an industry’s collective mind about how good a “tribute” band could really be. If you love The Eagles, then welcome to Hotel California –you’ve just found the next-best thing

Buffalo Wild Wings Offers All You Can Eat $19.99 Boneless Wings

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Beginning May 13, you can head to your local Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant to secure your boneless wings deal. The promo will occur every Monday and Wednesday and is exclusively available for dine-in orders. Additionally, the Buffalo Wild Wings All You Can Eat Boneless Wings deal includes all-you-can-eat fries, too.

 

 

 

 

 

As part of the promotion, for $19.99, you can get All You Can Eat Boneless Wings in any of the brand’s 26 signature sauces and seasonings. From Parmesan Garlic to Mango Habanero, there’s something to satisfy everyone’s cravings.

All You Can Eat Boneless Wings is valid at participating locations nationwide for dine-in only every Monday and Wednesday. The deal is set to run through July 10, so plan your wing date night or BFF chicken outing before the dog days of summer are in full swing.

You can also get BOGO boneless wings on Thursdays. Buy one, get one of equal value free off boneless wings on Thursday. This deal is also available with delivery and takeout options through the restaurant website or app.

Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast.

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Bike to work on May 17, 2024 and let us treat you to a delicious pancake breakfast at RiverScape MetroPark from 7 to 9 AM. Enjoy flying pancakes, live music, meet fellow cyclists, learn about community cycling resources and how you can be kinder to the environment by opting to bike to work.

You can save time and get to the pancakes sooner by pre-registering your ride. You will need to check-in when you arrive. The first 500 riders to check-in will receive a free gift. Pre-registration is not required and will be accepted on site.

Mozart’s Mass in C Minor

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A revered, sacred masterpiece and quintessential Classical Period work

With the Bach Society Chorus, directed by David Crean and accompanied by R. Alan Kimbrough
Featuring the Bach Society’s Guest Orchestra led by Concertmaster Aurelian Oprea

Mozart at the pinnacle of his genius

Burger King’s New Philly Royal Crispy Wrap And Philly Melt

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Burger King is shaking things up with two Philadelphia-inspired additions to its menu: the Philly Royal Crispy Wrap and the Philly Melt. The Philly Royal Crispy Wrap is a new item that wraps a Royal Crispy Fillet, grilled peppers and onions, Swiss cheese, and Royal Sauce in a soft tortilla.

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Alongside the new crispy wrap, Burger King is bringing back its Melts lineup, including a new take on the Philly Melt and the return of two favorites, the Classic Melt and the Bacon Melt. The latest Philly Melt is made with two Whopper Jr. Patties, Swiss cheese, grilled peppers and onions, and Royal Sauce, all served between toasted bread.

Burger King is  welcoming back Melts, including the new Philly Melt and returning Classic Melt and Bacon Melt.

The cheesy, melty, one-handed fan-favorite Melts are back in three varieties, giving Guests even more opportunities to have it their way, and include:

  • Classic Melt: Features two slices of toasted bread, layered with two flame-grilled Whopper® Jr. patties, melty American cheese, caramelized onions and Stacker Sauce.
  • Bacon Melt: Features two slices of toasted bread, layered with two Whopper® Jr. patties, melty American cheese, crispy bacon, caramelized onions and Stacker Sauce.