Dayton937

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

Community

Broadway & Bling Raffle To Support Oakwood’s Performing and Visual Arts Programs

By

Here’s your chance to support  a star-studded fundraising event in support of the Oakwood Auditorium, as part of the Oakwood Schools Foundation’s Flourish Campaign for Oakwood’s Performing and Visual Arts. Enter the raffle for a chance to win the ultimate Broadway theater and NYC vacation experience!

Visual arts, band, choir, theater, and orchestra are all top extracurriculars at Oakwood Junior High and High School. Because of their popularity, the need for new and renewed art spaces is considerable and undeniable. The plan will directly address these needs by expanding and creating space for the arts as well as enhancing current equipment and space.

This project will enhance the arts education experience for Oakwood students, faculty, parents, and the community at-large as well as provide Oakwood students with the state-of-the-art facilities they need to remain competitive with other area school systems. FLOURISH will inspire, building future appreciation and participation in the arts for generations to come.

Immerse yourself (along with your favorite person!) in the glitz and glamor of the Big Apple with our grand prize package*, featuring:

  • Roundtrip airfare for two
  • Roundtrip, private airport transportation
  • Two tickets to a hit Broadway show of your choice
  • Luxurious accommodation in the heart of Manhattan for two nights
  • 3/8ct. tw diamond stud earrings in 14k white gold from Jaffe Jewelers, valued at $1,100

With every ticket purchase, you’re supporting the arts in our community, providing students with state-of-the-art equipment to enhance their arts education, and helping to enhance the Oakwood Auditorium for generations to enjoy.

Raffle tickets run $50 each and will be on sale until May 20th.  You can purchase online here.

Volunteer for MetroParks Adopt-A-Park this Saturday

By

Hundreds of volunteers of all ages, accessibility levels and backgrounds will tackle 22 projects at 16 different MetroParks locations this Saturday during MetroParks’ annual day of service, Adopt-A-Park.

Projects will include litter pick up, invasive species removal, tree planting, garden maintenance and more. These projects improve the environment and beautify the region.

“It’s the perfect occasion for folks to welcome spring by spending a day outdoors with their friends of family giving back to the environment,” said Jenny Hymans, MetroParks volunteer services manager.

In 2023, more than 252 pounds of landfill litter was cleared from area greenspace and parks. Additionally, 100 pounds of recycled materials were collected and diverted from the landfill.

 

When: Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to noon

 

Where: Multiple MetroParks locations including:

 

Questions: Contact Jenny Hymans at 937-275-PARK or [email protected].

 

Welcome Our Honor Flight Veterans Home April 20th

By

Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization comprised of independent hubs working together to achieve the Honor Flight mission. We have the enormous privilege of showing our nation’s veterans the appreciation and honor they deserve.

Participation in an Honor Flight trip gives veterans the opportunity to share this momentous occasion with other comrades, remember the fallen, and share their stories and experiences with other veterans. Honored veterans always travel free of charge, thanks to generous donations to our organization.

While initially focused on America’s World War II veterans, Honor Flight Network has expanded its mission to include those who served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Honor Flight TLC program also honors veterans of any service era who are critically ill.

The first Honor Flight  of 2024 for Dayton is quickly approaching! We are in need of the publics help! You’re invited to help us Welcome Home Veterans from the Honor Flight Trip! Many of these Veterans did not receive a Homecoming when the arrived back in the states from serving overseas. We are here to make up for that and show them their service and sacrifice for this great country is appreciated.

Join us for the Honor Flight Dayton homecoming on April 20th. Help show our appreciation to these men and women for the sacrifice they made for our country by coming to the airport to greet the flight when we return.
The flight lands at ~ 8:15pm. You have two options to welcome home our veterans:

1) Joint us near the airline ticket counters and clap and cheer as we come out at the end of the evening. There will be the AF Band of Flight and Young Marines/JROTC/Civil Air Patrol units out there as well. This is a great way to welcome our veterans back.
2) Welcome us at the gate. In order to do this, you must be get your gate pass from American Airlines before 7:30pm in order to get through TSA before it closes. You will need a government issued picture ID to get through security. Children under 13 will not need an ID.
VERY IMPORTANT: If you choose to go upstairs you must remain upstairs until after the veterans have exited the secured area. This will be strictly enforced.
Honor Flight representatives will be in the gate area with instructions, information and will be available to answer any questions. Announcements in the gate area will begin around 7:00pm.
Questions concerning the homecoming can be directed to [email protected] or contacting HFD’s lead coordinator for this event – LaTisha Fay (937) 765-1407.

‘My, Oh My!’ Tina is a Powerhouse!

By

Tina, the Musical, packs so much energy, you’ll be exhausted just watching it. And it’s not all upbeat and bouncy. The show takes us through Tina’s life and times. Nothing is left to the imagination, and at times, you will feel the heartache and heartbreak that Tina Turner endured. From the time the curtain rises, we get a sense that there’s a lot to Tina….and from her early life as Anna Mae Bullock, to her brilliant rise to stardom as a single act, we get to cheer her on.

The perseverance, the passion and the push forward that she models is a good lesson for everyone. For most of us. we know the story…we saw the incredible movie that opened the door on Tina’s struggles and successes. But, as is always the. case, the stage brings an intimacy. You are there. At no other time in the musical is that more apparent then the scene right before intermission. ‘I Don’t Wanna Fight’ plays as Tina sees her way out. So Satisfying.

The musical features all the songs you know and love from Tina’s anthology and Ike’s as well. Most of the songs fit perfectly with the story’s progression (although ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’ pops in at a strange time.)

It’s really in the final moments of the actual show that you feel the audience sit-up as if to say, ‘There’s Tina!’ Do yourself a favor and hang in there after that curtain falls…you’ll thank me. You will be on your feet!

The cast is superb. Big, bellowing voices, high kicking dancers and acting that is more than run of the mill convincing. You feel it.

There are some magic moments, like  ‘Let’s Stay Together’ and how it was fits in the script, and I really loved ‘River Deep, Mountain High,’ because it was pure, and poppy! OH, and of. course ‘Proud Mary!’ need I say anything about that quintessential favorite.

Faced with an unloving mother, a pompous husband and a world that wasn’t exactly ready for the star that was Tina Turner, the show is so incredibly redeeming, and, for the record, Tina will remain an inspiration to us all!

For More Information….log-on to: https://www.daytonlive.org/venues/schuster-center/

Dayton Rotary Foundation Opens Applications for $50,000 Grant

By

The Rotary Club of Dayton Foundation has just announced a grant opportunity for a nonprofit that focuses on Mental Health of up to $50,000. “Our foundation traditionally gives $3000 grants quarterly. Five years ago we gave a $50,000 signature grant to Gem City Market, and we want to again give a grant that will truly make a difference in our community,” said Foundation Board President Lisa Grigsby.

This Grant may used be for a single program/initiative, collaborative (multi-partner) project, operational support of an organizational project. Rotarians worldwide are currently focused on the issues of mental health.

Examples of proposed plans may include individuals/families impacted by trauma, substance use disorder, preventative care, mental health in special populations (i.e. adolescents, refugees, survivors of domestic violence, Veterans, senior adults), social determinants impacting mental health issues, suicide awareness/prevention

Proposing organizations must be IRS-qualified 501(c)3 entities located in and serving the Dayton metro region

Grant funding may used be for a single program/initiative, collaborative (multi-partner) project, operational support of an organizational project.

Signature Grant Timeline

Grant application deadline: June 13- Application available online

Send completed application to Laura Erbaugh – [email protected]

  1. Semi-finalists selected: July 24 (Rotary Foundation meeting)
    Semi-finalists announced: July 25-28
    Semi-finalist presentations at Rotary Meetings: August 12 & August 19

    Finalist selected by: August 28
    Finalist formal announcement: September 10

About Rotary

Rotary is an international membership organization made up of diverse groups of people who share a passion for and commitment to enhancing communities and improving lives across the world. Rotary clubs exist in almost every country. Being a member is an opportunity to take action and make a difference.

About Dayton Rotary:

The Rotary Club of Dayton is a fellowship of over 200 diverse business and professional leaders who commit their time and talent to staying informed and serving the club, the community and the world.

The Rotary club of Dayton was organized May 27, 1912 and was chartered as the 47th club of Rotary International on June 2, 1913.

Orville Wright, the inventor of flight, was an early member of the Rotary Club of Dayton. Dayton Rotarians have witnessed both the Wright Flyer’s first flight and moon landings. We have taken the automobile from an open carriage, to efficient battery-operated vehicles. We have witnessed partyline telephones go to hand-held wireless devices carried by everyone. Entertainment went from radio to the television to computers that are small enough to fit in our purse or pocket and carry on planes.

The Rotary Club of Dayton was once a business-only club that mirrored Paul Harris’s thinking of what Rotary should be: Businessmen learning about each other’s business, doing business with each other based on a foundation of trust.

The Rotary Club of Dayton today is a group of current and future leaders who work in government, in the corporate world or in the not-for-profit world while we focus on building productive relationships and serving our community. We are individuals from different genders, different races, different backgrounds, and different religions. And we are resilient! During COVID we continued to meet via zoom and now every Monday over lunch we do a hybrid meeting, in person at Sinclair College as well as over zoom.

 

DAI Art Ball Tickets Now On Sale

By

The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) has announced details for its 2024 Art Ball fundraiser, taking place Saturday, June 8. Presented by The SharpGroup – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional Realty & UnlistedHomes.com, the black-tie gala, a Dayton tradition since 1957, returns to celebrate its 67th anniversary.

“We are excited to welcome guests to the 67th anniversary of Art Ball,” said DAI Director & President Michael R. Roediger. “As one of the museum’s largest annual fundraisers, this Dayton classic is vital to supporting the DAI’s operating budget.

This year’s Art Ball continues the long-standing tradition of being inspired by an artwork from the DAI’s permanent collection. Art Ball Chairs Julie Forman and Marty Gehres have selected It’s Raining Colored Dots, a silkscreen on paper, as the artistic feature for this year’s event. Created by Oakwood High School graduate Petah Coyne around 1977, the brightly colored work is a recent gift to the collection from longtime friend of the DAI, Linda Lombard.

“Our goal was to choose a work that captured the vibrancy and spirit of the Disco Era,” says DAI Associate Board members Julie Forman and Marty Gehres. “Our guests will see the artwork’s influence throughout the event, from beautiful décor and exquisite food to the music and atmosphere. We can’t wait to follow the call of the disco ball at Dayton’s best black-tie event of the year.”

Art Ball begins at 7 pm with cocktails, specialty martinis and hors d’oeuvres, followed by an elegant, seated dinner in the museum’s Harry A. Shaw Gothic Cloister and the Great Hall. Following dinner, guests may enjoy live music by Tommi Lea’s Groovy Get Down, a Silent Disco experience, open bars, select bourbons and much more. For an additional ticket price, guests may attend a VIP cocktail hour with high-end wines and hors d’oeuvres, which will offer early entry to Art Ball for a private reception at 6:00 p.m.

Art Ball traces its roots back to Dayton’s Holiday Ball, which began in 1957. Organized by the Junior League of Dayton, the event was held at the DAI, with proceeds benefitting the museum. The event moved to the spring in 1963 and was rechristened as “Art Ball.” In 1965, the DAI’s newly formed Associate Board took over planning and organizing the gala. More information about Art Ball, its history and this year’s featured artwork can be found online at www.daytonartinstitute.org/artball.

Reservations are required for Art Ball, and attendance is limited. Tickets may be purchased online beginning April 6 for non-members. They were for sale April 3rd for members.  For more information about reservations and to request an invitation, contact External Affairs Director Mike Griest at [email protected].

Art Ball also includes the Grand Draw Raffle in its fundraising efforts. Only 600 tickets will be sold for $100 each, with the chance to win prize packages valued at $2500 -$25,000, including a week’s stay for up to 14 people in the Turks and Caicos Islands and beautiful jewelry provided by James Free Jewelers. Ticket holders need not be present at Art Ball to win. Those purchasing three or more raffle tickets receive one free Oktoberfest Preview Party ticket (valued at $95). Grand Draw Raffle tickets may be purchased online beginning March 22. For more information about the Grand Draw Raffle and to purchase tickets online, go towww.artballraffle.com.

An Interview with Arland’s Greg Bowers

By

Photo by Bobby Te

Greg Bowers is the vocalist and composer for the Dayton project, Arland. I sat down to chat with him in his Belmont home about the band, ballads, Black Sabbath, and his upcoming single, “The Day My Dream Comes True” (out April 8, 2024).

_______________________

Arland is your middle name?

GREG BOWERS: Yep, exactly. Exactly.

So with this project being mostly you, why not call it “Greg Bowers?”

BOWERS: I don’t know if you’ve ever searched Greg Bowers online but there is a jazz pianist who will come up. That’s my uncle. He releases music under that moniker, so I had to do something else. But, [Arland is] a very interesting name. It’s the single-name thing.

With building a band in the studio — without exactly having one — what does playing music ideally look like for you?

BOWERS: At this current stage, it’s not so much about playing music as it is the composing and writing of it, and eventually releasing it. I do need that band so I can actually start to go out and play music more consistently.

I think the beauty of what is happening with music right now is that bands can just exist on record. The live music aspect, as a form of getting the music out there, expands reach, but bands can exist without performing.

BOWERS: Yeah.

I know from the way you just said yeah that you wouldn’t want it that way.

BOWERS: It’s not so much that I wouldn’t want it that way, but I haven’t experienced it [as a band yet]. 

If you were able to make it work solely in the studio, would you do that?

BOWERS: I think I might. I consider myself a writer — a musician. So from that perspective, being able to focus on writing songs, composing songs — that’s what really appeals to me. Playing music is cool. But for me, the focus is really on telling these stories and getting them out there.

What kind of music were you influenced by?

BOWERS: I grew up in this very religious environment. And so we had a lot of your more traditional [Contemporary Christian music]-type stuff. Eventually, I started to move toward the crossovers. There were a few metalcore bands. Have you heard of August Burns Red? They’re metalcore.

No, but you can throw “-core” after anything and I generally understand what you’re saying. 

BOWERS: So metalcore, from my understanding, tends to be very heavy: lots of uncleans, but also lots of cleans. High soaring vocals, and very melodic guitars, as well. I was, and still am, very focused on the vocal side of things. I used to listen to Josh Groban, as well. Very vocally-focused.

I know how [Reel Love Recording Company Producer] Pat [Himes] works in the studio; he likes to double a lot of things. And when I’m listening to your vocals, I believe that’s what’s going on. There are points when I think you sound a little like Ozzy [Osbourne].

BOWERS: Ozzy. Interesting.

Have you ever gotten that comparison?

BOWERS: I have never listened to Ozzy Osbourne or Black Sabbath.

Ever?

BOWERS: Ever. So that’s interesting.

That blows my mind.

BOWERS: I have a really weird musical background. 

We’ve gotta listen to some before I leave.

BOWERS: Sounds good.

So you released “Islands” in January 2022, which, for lack of a better word, is a ballad. There are movements, but…

BOWERS: One thing I have trouble with is music genres. What is a ballad? What is a ballad to you?

When I think of ballads, I think of hair metal that goes soft. Guns N’ Roses doing “Patience” or “November Rain.” Softer songs, but whoever’s pushing it has a heavier oeuvre. It doesn’t always have to be like that. There are just sweet people… are you confused by the ballad label?

BOWERS: I am, yeah. It’s not like I mind it at all. To my extremely limited and miniscule understanding, I’ve always kind of perceived a ballad as a “piano ballad,” or it’s a literal piano song. 

You say you have an extremely limited understanding, but it sounds like you have a firm grasp of music in general.

BOWERS: I guess my term is “rock opera.” Movements, stories you’re telling somewhat through the lyrics, through the sections of music, sometimes through the music itself, to introduce a different feel — those types of things. Structurally, I’m definitely doing things but I don’t have great terms for them.

It’s interesting that you say it like this because I thought your second release “Day Breaks” also felt like a ballad. Your new song, “The Day My Dream Comes True,” isn’t necessarily a ballad but it has elements of one. But when I first heard your music a couple of years ago [via a Google Drive link], I heard screamo. And maybe that’s another term you don’t agree with, but there was something on the verge of screaming happening. So with these three releases being so much softer than the other stuff, what’s the choice to frontload those softer sounds?

BOWERS: At this point, there’s no guarantee there’s actual metal coming out, but there might be. The idea of frontloading, I guess, is hinged upon that. 

You don’t disagree with the metal label?

BOWERS: No. I guess I don’t understand the metal side of things for the piano ballad. I’ve talked about a lot of this artsy-fartsy stuff, but I view “Islands” in a sort of quantum superposition, of being chronologically placed after my first two albums. But if you listen to the story or the message, it works well as a debut song.

So you’re saying that what you’re doing right now is George Lucas making the first Star Wars movie.

BOWERS: I don’t know if this will be anywhere near as successful, but I guess. 

But that’s the idea behind it: “Islands” could be a stand on its own, but to give context there is also a prequel series in the form of those first two albums.

BOWERS: So when I was thinking about my debut single, something that really gets out there, I was thinking about these first two albums and the story they tell and where it all leads. And so it does all tie together in that sense, narratively.

If you had to boil down that narrative thread, what is that narrative thread? 

BOWERS: It’s just a general person’s philosophy changing as they go through things, eventually sort of culminating in “Islands.” So that’s the trick: The answer is out there, but it’s not going to be obvious what it actually means until you’ve heard those first two albums.

When are we getting the first two albums?

BOWERS: The plan is [to release] “The Day My Dream Comes True” on April 8. Hopefully then, within the next few months or so, I’ll get the album out. It’s all written, basically all the music is recorded. We’re trying to get some strings in. And then do the final mix, mastering, that sort of stuff. Second album, obviously the lyrics are all written. [I’m] in the midst of writing the music. So, two or three years. Something like that.

To have it all.

BOWERS: Or at least this stage of it all. 

This new song [“The Day My Dream Comes True”] feels like a breakup — with someone or something. And that’s not definitive, of course; that’s just my interpretation. But do you think you’ll ever come out with the true meaning, or will you always keep things vague? Not just for this song, but for everything. 

BOWERS: It’s hard to say whether that’d be a good idea or fits where I want things to be in five years when this story is done. There are other songs that are more explicit. Other singles, other album ideas. This one in particular is much more open-ended.

In a world where everything is quick and constant, does it concern you that this long-term plan will be lost on people?

BOWERS: I don’t really worry about it, but I recognize that it’s absolutely a possibility. People are going to consume things at their own rate, to their own interests, and that’s fine. I still think in this perspective of telling a grander story across songs, across an album. Ultimately, all I can do is put out what I feel like I need to put out. And if people like it, they like it. 

_______________________________

After the interview, I gave Greg Bowers a tour of Black Sabbath’s catalog — from “Paranoid” to “Iron Man” to “War Pigs” but nothing seemed to catch on. I think he might’ve been confused by the whole comparison, and I suppose I was a little confused, as well.

Arland’s third single, “The Day My Dream Comes True,” along with its music video, will be released on the day of the Solar Eclipse, April 8, 2024. The significance of that is up for interpretation.

Dayton at Work and Play: Lady Linda Crawford

By

Lady Linda Crawford of Secret Beauty Hats: Fine Millinery
“I’ve been selling hats my whole life” she told me. “At first I sold hats from all the national suppliers. But when I saw the styles they offered , and looked closely at the way they were constructed, I decided I could make better hats myself.”
” When I reached retirement age I closed my hat shop and took it easy. But I got bored at home and
“Lately I’ve been letting nonprofits use my shop for fundraisers. They sell tickets to a VIP Boutique Girl Time event at my shop. The nonprofit supplies the food and I make sure everyone has fun trying different hats and outfits.”
As we talked, Linda was unpacking a box filled with head manikins. “I’ll be taking these to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. I arrive the First of May and stay until the race on May 4. It’s a lot of fun. I’ve been selling my hats there for the last 22 years.
View her catalog of hats here. 

Secret Beauty Hats: Fine Millinery

Talbot Tower
131 N. Ludlow St, Set 27.
Dayton, OH 45402

312-857-4287

Wednesday 11-3
Thursday and Friday 11-4

Culture Works Campaign for the Arts 50th Anniversary Campaign Co-Chairs

By

Culture Works is pleased to announce the Co-Chairs of the 2024 Campaign for the Arts: Bing Davis as the Artistic Chair, and Rodney Veal as the Community Chair.

Willis “Bing” Davis is an internationally renowned artist with art in public and private collections around the world. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Ohio Governor’s Irma Lazarus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009, the highest art award given in the state of Ohio. In addition to his artistic work, Bing Davis is known for his creative and innovative approach to teaching, learning, and human development through the arts resulted in his receiving state, national and international acclaim.

Bing grew up in Dayton, Ohio. He left when he attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, graduating in 1959. He also attended the school of the Dayton Art Institute and received his Master of Education degree in 1967 from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. He has traveled all over the world, but continues to call Dayton home and demonstrates his commitment by residing and working in the community. When he retired from teaching in 1998, he opened the Davis Art Studio and EbonNia Gallery in the historic Wright-Dunbar Business District. He has continued offering youth and community art and cultural activities through SHANGO: Center for the Study of African American Art and Culture. Bing is a leading advocate for diversity in both the arts and in our community, and Culture Works is thrilled to have him advocate for the arts and Culture Works as Artistic Chair of the campaign.

“One of the reasons it is important for people to support the arts in Dayton is that the arts add such a quality to life that cannot be added any other way. Art is one of the best ways to…touch all people in all neighborhoods,” said Bing. He added, “Contributing to the arts is one of the best ways to touch all people and to add a richness to living. It gives us all a good feeling to contribute to something so worthwhile – art, music, dance, drama, and creative words.”

Rodney Veal is the host of the Art Show on Think TV, and the podcast “Inspired By.” He has a long association with the arts in Dayton and with Culture Works, where he worked (in 1999) as special assistant to then President John Clark. Rodney has also received MCACD grants and fellowships through Culture Works. He is known for his work as an independent choreographer and interdisciplinary artist, and his works have been performed as part of the Ohio Dance Festival and other regional dance festivals. More recently, Rodney has worked as an adjunct faculty member for Sinclair Community College. He is also a visual artist, and just mounted a show at Indie West. A native Daytonian, Rodney is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a B.S in Political Science and Visual Arts and he has an MFA in Choreography from The Ohio State University. Rodney is President of the Board of Trustees of Ohio Dance and serves on the boards of Friends of Levitt Pavilions Dayton, Dayton Live, Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, WYSO and Homefull.

Rodney commented, “Culture Works serves as a protector of the arts ecosystem in the region, to make sure that this platform is there for people and organizations who create art, and to elevate the creativity that occurs there. They play a necessary role in ensuring that there is a fair and equitable distribution of funding and services to artists of all kinds. We need voices at the table from artists who are creating and sharing their stories from many different and wonderful backgrounds, and they need to be supported. Culture Works provides the opportunity for all those different voices to be heard and their creativity to be experienced, which makes our community that much richer and more special.”

2024 marks the 50th year of Culture Works sustaining, promoting, and advocating for the arts community in the Dayton Region. Formed in 1974 as the Dayton Arts Fund, the organization was charged with raising funds for arts groups in critical need. Individuals and businesses were asked for contributions by volunteers whose goal was to increase the number of donors to the arts. Robert A. Kerr, one of the organizers of the Arts Fund, identified the orchestra, ballet, and opera as the areas of “most critical current need,” and noted “the Dayton Arts Fund later might be expanded to include groups other than the three now covered.” (Journal Herald of October 18, 1974) Additional recipients of Campaign for the Arts funding were added including the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Muse Machine, The Human Race Theatre Company, the Springfield Symphony, and more.

During its 50 years, Culture Works has adapted to meet the changing needs of the arts community. Bing Davis, Artistic Chair of the 2024 Campaign for the Arts, was part of the 1992 community initiative that led to the merger of the arts fund with the Miami Valley Arts Council, to become the Miami Valley Arts Alliance. The organization became both a united arts fund and a local arts agency, adding to the region we serve and to our mission. In 1994, the Arts Alliance was rebranded as Culture Works.

As a United Arts Fund, Culture Works still raises funds for arts organization’s most critical needs, but also introduced a grants panel review system that invites community voices into decisions regarding dispersal of community supported grant funding. As a Local Arts Agency, Culture Works advocates for the inclusion of art and artists in development projects, pursues local, state, and national funding, provides support and services for arts organizations, runs artist support programs–including professional development for individual artists–develops outreach to build connections between the creative and business sectors, and initiatives that improve our community and our schools.

The annual Campaign for the Arts, which is Culture Works’ principal grants program, unites gifts from individual donors, corporate supporters, and workplace giving campaigns into funding for Community Arts Grants. Community volunteers award general operating support to local arts organizations through an open panel application review process.

Darke Side of the Moon KitchenAid Pop-Up Sale

By

Greenville Whirlpool Operations will hold a KitchenAid Pop-Up Shop from Friday, April 5 until Monday, April 8, 2024, in conjunction with the community events during the weekend of the Solar Eclipse.

The store’s hours of operation will be 8 AM – 4 PM, and its location is 365 Martin Street, Greenville, Ohio 45331 (between the old Marsh building and Subway, right off of Broadway).

Note: this sale is not a fundraiser like our past Annie Oakley sales; it’s another great way to engage with Darke County residents and visitors who are here to enjoy the events offered by local businesses during the Solar Eclipse weekend.

Out of Fifth Returns

By

Out on 5th is the street closure of Fifth Street in the Oregon District of downtown Dayton on weekends. Closing down Fifth Street from Patterson Boulevard to Wayne Avenue every Friday night through Sunday evening allows the  business district to open up the street for guests to shop – dine – and relax in the open air.

3.jpg

  • Out on 5th gives restaurants and bars in the district room to expand patio seating into the streets.

  • Fifth Street is filled with public seating to allow guests room to spread out and enjoy the outdoors.

During Out on 5th, please use the detour map at the bottom of this page to navigate around the street closures and into the parking lots.

Our Oregon District businesses kindly ask you to park in these lots, garages or public street spaces, and not in the residential neighborhood.

OO5 Parking Map.jpg

“Rediscovered Radio: Women’s Voices, Women’s Music in the WYSO Archives.”

By

In this new, 6-episode podcast series, WYSO Music Director Juliet Fromholt and WYSO Director of Radio Preservation and Archives Jocelyn Robinson celebrate the work of women musicians and radio hosts in different stages of WYSO’s history. They also critically examine the role those voices played in the local & national music scenes.

In one episode, you’ll hear excerpts
of broadcasts from the Living Arts Center in Dayton, hosted by a local band whose frontwoman was a
major voice in the local roots
music movement.

In another, you’ll learn about the profound effect that Cityfolk founder Phyllis Brzozowska and her WYSO show “A Touch of Gael” had on Dayton’s musical community.

The treasures you’ll discover also include the story of how the station’s long-running “Women in Music” created a space for women musicians in a variety of genres and from diverse backgrounds.

Late filmmaker Julia Reichert credited WYSO with starting her on a media making path. Hear her story on “Making Change,” Episode 1 of the  podcast Rediscovered Radio: Women’s Voices, Women’s Music in the WYSO Archives. Subscribe today wherever you get your podcasts!

Let the Music PLAY! TheatreLab’s Popular Trivia Returns 4/2/24!!

By

You know music? You know singers? You Know Broadway? You know lyrics? Well, if so, you know you’;re going to win Trivia Night at TheatreLab!

The popular event returns on Tuesday 4/2/24 starting at 6:00pm. It will be the usual set-up….beverages, snacks and all you need to play trivia.  What makes this trivia unique is it’s FREE and the theater company merely asks for donations as support. The last trivia event ‘Merry Quizmas‘ was packed to the gills and this one looks no different. The rules are much the same as trivia in the area….no more than 6 to a team, the quizziteer has final say, there will be some sing-along moments, and other mayhem. The trivia night has 3 rounds and will again provide winners with outstanding prizes. (Not sure what they have this time around, but last time there were gift certificates for spa services at Square One Salon, a basket of bottles, complimentary tickets to the next TheatreLab Production and other goodies!)

The idea behind using the space for trivia grows from the fact that theater companies around the country are looking at tougher financial times. Still reeling from COVID and the changes that came from folks choosing to ‘stay in’ vs. supporting local theater, can be felt everywhere. TheatreLab decided to make their space one of fun, where folks can laugh, relax and find ways to connect with audiences in various ways. So far, the approach has been successful!

The trivia night takes place at:

TheatreLab Dayton Studio. 116 North Jefferson Street. Dayton, Ohio 45402. The event is hosted by the ‘Queen‘ of trivia, Josh Stucky. Suggested donation $10, reserve your seat here.

TheatreLab‘s Mission is to be a place where artists come together to cultivate ideas into works of art. Focusing on music-based live theater, The Lab takes an ensemble approach to its process, letting each artist have a voice while the piece grows organically. The Lab prides itself on visually stunning works that examine the experiment of life in a way our audiences have not seen before.

 

Heart-Warming ‘One Life’ is a Beacon of Hope for the Modern World.

By

We need heroes these days. People to take us from this incessant era of anger, heart-ache and the fake bliss that is social media. We need people who think beyond themselves. People who look to help others in the face of evil and terror. Our time, this time in the world is not anything new or out of the ordinary. There will always be poverty, war, homeless and HATE. We have those in check, and so, what we need are heroes like the one depicted in ‘One Life,’ a film now showing at the Neon Movies.

It is rare I think to write about film. It’s always ‘iffy’ to go there. But, if you like a recommendation, here it is. Sitting at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, ‘One Life’ is proving to be that little film with a big heart, and a big consensus “You should see it…”

Anthony Hopkins (the perfect pick) stars in the film,  along with Helena Bonham-Carter (a role made for her) and Johnny Flynn (such a strong, staid performance.) Flynn plays the younger Nicky Winton. the hero of our story. Winton was instrumental in saving lives during the occupation of Czechoslovakia. His focus was on the children, who needed an escape from the oncoming Nazi regime. 5 decades later, Hopkins, the elder Winton, reflects on, and is haunted by, what became of those children. And we are in for an emotional roller-coaster, as the story unfolds, almost told too conventionally….Here is what happened, and here is why it mattered. But within that conventional style, we are given the facts, and the faces of heroes. (Bring your Kleenex) It all comes together with the film’s defining moments, and our hearts are, alas, FULL!

Though there will be times when you want to push the needle forward more quickly and with more finesses in the film, it’s the beauty of the actors’ performances that keep us engaged. The children in the film alone seem like seasoned performers, tugging at our heart-strings, yet never letting us forget the horror they are facing. The atmosphere, both in flashbacks and in the later years, is well-executed….there are definite ‘moods’ to both.

The film is directed by James Hawes, (the Challenger Disaster, 2013). His modest story-telling in ‘One Life‘ again retains his desire to get the story right…and let the reality in that, do the work. The movie is based on the book ‘ If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton.’ by Barbara Winton.

For Winton, it was always about doing what’s right by people. Within the hour and 45 minute film, you cannot help but think about our world….anti-semitism, invasion, refugees, and of course, the misplaced children. Injustice…I mean isn’t that what always brings about rising heroes…in film and in life. You will leave the theater, teary-eyed and wondering who will save us from ourselves…in our ‘One Life?’

Catch ‘One Life’ at the Neon until 3/28! Info Below:

https://www.neonmovies.com/home

 

If you’re heading to ‘HADESTOWN’….’Wait For Me!’

By

 

For those of us who went through mythology classes, we know the story. We know the beginning, the middle, and yes, the END! THAT ENDING! Like most of the Dayton audience, I felt the need to change it up…to make it different….to stop the inevitable….but ‘It’s a sad song, and we’re gonna sing it anyway!’ From the jump, ‘Hadestown‘ dives right into the story. Our focus falls to Orpheus (J Antonio Rodriguez…with a falsetto like no other)  and his love for Eurydice (Amaya Braganza, with her smooth, solid voice). The tale is rough and wrought with issues…hunger, poverty and longing. It grinds…until the frenetic Persephone makes her entrance. The character, one for the mythological ages, is played with an almost gymnastic quality by Lana Gordon. (She will wow you in the second act!) If you recall, Persephone lives half of the year with her hubs Hades (Matthew Patrick Quinn…who adds an emotional quality to his character, which I’ve not seen in previous performances). Their troubled relationship ebbs and flows throughout, delivered with voice and VOICES!

The story moves on the ‘track’, taking us from Eurydice‘s strife of freezing and needing sustenance; through Orpheus‘ idealism and hope to bring Spring along; Persephone‘s time ‘down below’ casting the world into cold and dark; and Hades strict control of his underworld, where lyrics on building walls, and silencing uprisings seem timely, today!

As the train continues forward…barreling into hell, we wish we could stop things…the decisions Eurydice‘s makes for her future; the anger Hades feels for the world he cannot control; the choice of Orpheus to take the ‘test!’ (DON’T DO IT!!). And throughout, there is this emotional current pulling at our heartstrings as we go. (There were tears from many in the audience as fate deals us that ‘blow.’) All the while, we relate. We relate to the themes whispering in our ears….doubt, worry, survival. Those voices brought to life through strong vocals from the Fates ( Marla Louissaint, Hannah Schreer & Lizzie Markson.)

Throughout our show, the onstage musicians take us on a musical ride that truly is dynamic. They are, each and every one, masters of their craft. You almost want a concert featuring…well…just them! And along with them is Hermes (played by the endearing Will Mann). He connects so well, reminding us that this not gonna be easy!

No doubt, the story could drag, but the visuals (the lighting, the special effects), the set (with its nod to New Orleans) and the sounds (especially during the beloved ‘Why we Build The Wall’) keep us enthralled and engaged. It is hard to let your attention wander.

Look, this isn’t your run of the mill Broadway show. It’s obscure, and handles political issues seamlessly. It has songs that are beyond our everyday Broadway experience (‘Doubt Comes In‘, ‘Our Lady of the Underground‘, ‘Hey, Little Songbird‘) It tackles a classic tale with hope for a resolution, and then takes us where we knew were going all along. It’s eerie and odd, beautiful yet broken.

There’s a reason ‘Hadestown‘ can at times be polarizing. Strong feelings on both sides of the aisle. In the words of a friend in attendance ‘I hate unhappy endings.’ To that I say, ‘It’s a sad song, and we’re gonna sing it anyway!’ 

For further information on times and tickets, click below!

https://www.daytonlive.org/events/hadestown/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwncWvBhD_ARIsAEb2HW8ljCZApo1EYrwidJ44OSIL-nmV5nvo_HqgQhqj3WBzQlcyRhcqsN8aAmS4EALw_wcB

 

 

Hidden Gems of Cox Arboretum

By

Cox Arboretum MetroPark is famous for its beautifully landscaped gardens, water features, Monet Bridge, the tree tower, weddings, and events at the beautiful Zorniger Education Center.

Less known are the beautiful, wooded hiking trails:

Starting at the parking lot, you can get on the paved path to the right of the visitor’s center and walk into the Woodland Wildflower Area where you can join the red trail, a short 0.6 mile loop, and part of the MetroParks Trails Challenge.

If you are up for a longer loop, take the 1.1 mile blue loop trail as it splits to the right and head into the woods and past a lovely overlook.

For a longer hike on the 1.8 mile yellow loop, pass the blue loop turnoff and keep going along the blue and red combined trail until you can turn right on the yellow loop. This trail takes you deeper into the woods and allows for a surprising amount of hill work. Try the yellow loop twice to get in a nice 5k trail run. To mix it up, run one loop clockwise and one counterclockwise.
When you come out of the woods take time to experience the amazing gardens, Children’s Maze, gazebos and water features. Finally, climb the tree tower for a spectacular view of the woods you just went through and the surrounding area.