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Things to do today: Winter Jam 2009 Tour Spectacular

By Richard O Jones | Thursday, January 29, 2009, 12:01 AM

concerts

• Winter Jam 2009 Tour Spectacular, featuring tobyMac, Hawk Nelson, Brandon Heath, NewSong, Francesca Battistelli (pictured above), pureNRG, Stephanie Smith and guest speaker Tony Nolan, 7 p.m., Cincinnati Gardens, 2250 Seymour Ave. $10 at the door. (513) 631-7793. PREVIEW: Francesca Battistelli brings theater perspective to Christian music.

• Brad Paisley with Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker, 7:30 p.m. at the Nutter Center, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. $41.75 to $51.75. (937) 228-2323.

theater/performing arts

• Preview performance of “Brother Wolf” by Preston Lane and Laurelyn Dossett in a joint production between Human Race Theatre Company and Dayton’s Rhythm In Shoes, 8 p.m. at the Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main, Dayton. A musical version of “Beowulf” set in 19th century Appalachia. (Photo: Bruce Cromer and Aaron Vega/Scott J. Kimmins)

• La Comedia Dinner Theatre presents “Polynesian Fire,” brunch arrival starts at 10:30 a.m.; dinner arrival starts at 5:30 p.m. $51-$69. 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro. (800) 677-9505. Featuring the two-time Fire Knife Dance world champion and current Duet Fire Knife champion.

• “Travels of Angelica” by Joseph McDonough, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. 2 and 7 p.m. $27-$55. REVIEW: ‘Travels of Angelica’ creates theater magic.

• “Grease,” featuring “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, presented by Broadway Across America, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20-$71. (513) 241-7469. PREVIEW: Taylor Hicks ‘Grease’-ing his way into acting. REVIEW: Photos from ‘Grease’.

• “I Love You Because” by Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $12. This musical comedy follows Austin Bennet, a young greeting card writer in New York City, whose life is turned upside down when he finds his girlfriend with another man.

• “The Seagull” by Anton Chekhov, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, 719 Race Street, Cincinnati. 7:30 p.m. $26 reserved, $22 seniors, $16 students. (513) 381-2273. Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” takes place in rural, turn of the 20th century Russia and tells the story of Konstantin (Justin McCombs), a young writer, and his mother Irina Arkadina (Sherman Fracher), an actress past her prime. Konstantin is in love with a young actress, Nina (Hayley Clark), and both budding artists find themselves in the shadow of Arkadina and Trigorin (Matt Johnson), a novelist of great esteem. PREVIEW: Chekov’s ‘Seagull’ explores theater in transition, an interview with ensemble member Sherman Fracher.

• “Bringing Sexy Back,” Shadowbox Cabaret, Newport on the Levee. 7:30 p.m. $30 adults, $20 students/seniors. (859) 581-7625. A collection of original sketch comedy and live rock ‘n’ roll from house band BillWho? dedicated to love, relationships, and America’s favorite pastime (wink wink).

• “The Seven Year Itch” by George Axelrod, 8 p.m., Covedale Center for the Performing Arts. $21 adults, $19 students/seniors. (513) 241-6550. The 1955 film version contains one of the most iconic images of the 20th century: Marilyn Monroe standing on a subway grate as her dress is blown above her knees by a passing train.

galleries/exhibitions

• “The BorgDot Works,” an exhibition of micro-sculptures by Oxford artist David Dotson, Manifest Gallery and Drawing Center, 2727 Woodburn Ave., Cincinnati. 513.861.3638. Also on view, “Looking Through the Glass” by Tama Hochbaum. PREVIEW: David Dotson at Manifest Gallery.

• “Identities” at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, featuring the work of David T. Collins, Cristin Millett, Kim Curinga and Amy Rich. PREVIEW: Fitton Center exhibit explores personal identities.

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Young Painters Competition, Miami University Hiestand Gallery, Oxford. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (513) 529-1883. PREVIEW: Jessie Fisher reaches figure painting aspirations

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

• “Luminous Paintings” by Tom Bacher, Weston Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, downtown Cincinnati. STORY: Tom Bacher exhibition at the Weston Gallery.

• “Drawing the Figure: Grace Benedict,” Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at the College of Mount St. Joseph, 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. (513) 244-4314; www.msj.edu. PREVIEW: Purdue University artist displays at Mt. St. Jo gallery

• “Cincinnati - A Glimpse from the Past,” The Betts House, 416 Clark St., two blocks west of Music Hall, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. $2. (513) 651-0734. PREVIEW: Compare Cincinnati’s past and present in photography exhibition

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Daily Mail

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 05:47 PM

Delta Kings to offer singing telegrams for Valentine’s Day

The non-profit Delta Kings Chorus will soon be sending out its colorful barbershop quartets to deliver Singing Valentines to lucky individuals all over Greater Cincinnati.

Quartets will go to any location, often as a surprise, to sing their old love songs, present a long stem red rose, a small box of chocolates and pose with her or him for an instant photograph as a keepsake.

Call (888) 796-8555 or visit www.deltakings.org for details.

Registration opens this week for Miami U’s CraftSummer

Registration for CraftSummer, a series of hands-on craft and art related workshops at Miami University’s Oxford campus, opens Friday, Jan. 30. Four weeklong and two weekend sessions will be offered. Weekend sessions are June 12-14 and 26-28; weeklong sessions (Monday through Friday) are June 15-19, 22-26, 29-July 3 and July 6-10.

Workshops are available for no credit or for undergraduate or graduate credit. Thirty-one workshops in a variety of media, from stained glass to metals to quilts, are taught by Miami faculty and visiting artists from across the country.

For complete information and to download the registration form, go to www.units.muohio.edu/craftsummer or call (513) 529-7395.

Black History Month discussion on ‘Religion and Community’

Alton Pollard III, dean and professor of religion and cultures at the Howard University School of Divinity, will present “Between Life and Death: The Middle Passage,” at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in Shriver Center multipurpose rooms B and C. His talk is part of the Center for American and World Cultures (CAWC) lecture series on “Religion and Community” and the Miami University Black History Celebration.

Pollard’s presentation will examine the black religious experience and how “Middle Passages grapples with the rational black mind and the spirit of the ancestors — decolonizing our understanding of inherited traditions, creating a new word when and where necessary and affirming the black faithful every step of the way.”

The talk, free and open to the public, is sponsored by Miami’s black history celebration committee, CAWC and the Honors and Scholars Faber Scholar-in-Residence program with support from other campus organizations. For more information, contact the CAWC at (513) 529-8309.

Former ‘Warchild’ Emmanuel Jal to Speak at Miami University

Emmanuel Jal is going to speak about his harrowing experiences as a child soldier in southern Sudan during harsh civil wars, eventually escaping with the help of an British aid worker, 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at Hall Auditorium, Miami University, Oxford.

To deal with the trauma of his childhood, he has taken up music and has released two albums, including his most recent one “Warchild.” Come hear about this amazing individual’s struggle to escape perpetual violence and spread a message of peace and conciliation to the international community. This event is being sponsored by several student organizations including STAND, the student anti-genocide coalition.

The event is f ree and open to the public. Tickets are available through the Miami University Box Office, (513) 529-3200.

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Mason High School presents “Noises Off”

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 04:41 PM

Mason High School Theater will present Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off,” 7 p.m. Feb. 5, 8 p.m. Feb. 6, 3 and 8 p.m. Feb. 8.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for students, children and seniors.

All seniors are invited to attend the final dress rehearsal 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at no charge.

For information, call (513) 229-4070 or visit www.masondrama.com.

Cast list and plot summary at the jump….

“Noises Off” opens on the final dress rehearsal of a touring theater production where lines, entrances and plates of sardines are missing. For Act Two the stage is turned around to reveal the company’s intertwined love triangles on a Wednesday matinee halfway through the tour of the show. In Act Three the stage rotates back to the front and shows the final performance of the play, where getting through the show may be too much to ask.

The cast includes Renee Rabenold as Dotty Otley, Brad Helwagen as Lloyd Dallas, Woody Goldsmith as Fred Fellowes, Matt Van Slyke as Garry Lejune, Mackenzie Touby as Brooke Ashton, Molly Alderson as Belinda Blair, Sam Rutherford as Selsdon Mowbray, Mandy Chiara as Poppy Norton-Taylor and Kase Corstanje as Tim Allgood.

The show is stage managed by Annie Durham, assistant directed by Ashley Posik and assistant technical directed by Katie Turfan.

“Noises Off” opened in London in 1982, was turned into a film in 1992 starring Carol Burnett and revived on Broadway in 2001 starring Patti LuPone.

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Thomas the Tank Engine visits EnterTRAINment Junction

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 04:21 PM

EnterTRAINment Junction celebrates the world’s most famous tank engine with “Everything Thomas” throughout February.

“It will be Thomas & Friends everywhere you look,” said general manager Bill Balfour in a press release. “Thomas the Tank Train and all his friends are among the best-loved and most enduring icons for children today, and the entire Thomas event fits perfectly with our train-themed family entertainment center.”

Beginning Feb. 2, the salute to the mega-star Thomas and his friends includes train layouts, walk-around character, storytelling, sing-a-longs, videos, scavenger hunts and crafts. Plus, all Thomas merchandise in the Main Street gift shop will be discounted to the lowest prices of the year.

“Everything Thomas” continues through March 1.

More about EnterTRAINment Junction:

• 7379 Squire Court, off I-75 at the Tylersville Rd. exit (#22)

• Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and noon-6 p.m. Sundays (closed Wednesdays January through April)

• Special pricing is $12.99 per person and includes all of the Thomas activities plus the world’s largest model train display, kids’ interactive play area, the American Railroading Museum, expo center and the seasonal walk-through maze experience reminiscent of an amusement park fun-house.

• (513) 898-8000

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‘Grease’ performance canceled

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 11:38 AM

Tonight’s 8 p.m. performance of “Grease” at the Aronoff Center has been canceled due to extreme weather conditions.

Broadway Across America Season Ticket Holders with tickets for tonight’s performance may exchange their tickets into any of the remaining performances or request a refund by phone at (800) 294-1816.

All single-ticket purchases will be automatically refunded from the point of purchase. New tickets may be purchased through Cincinnati Arts Association or by calling (513) 621-2787.

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Things to do today: Dalai Lama doc in Oxford

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 12:01 AM

theater/performing arts

• La Comedia Dinner Theatre presents “Polynesian Fire,” brunch arrival starts at 10:30 a.m.; dinner arrival starts at 5:30 p.m. $51-$69. 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro. (800) 677-9505. Featuring the two-time Fire Knife Dance world champion and current Duet Fire Knife champion.

• CANCELLED: “Travels of Angelica” by Joseph McDonough, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. 7:30 p.m. $27-$55. REVIEW: ‘Travels of Angelica’ creates theater magic

• “Grease,” featuring “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, presented by Broadway Across America, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20-$71. (513) 241-7469. PREVIEW: Taylor Hicks ‘Grease’-ing his way into acting. REVIEW: Photos from ‘Grease’.

• “The Nina Variations” by Steven Dietz,” 7:30 p.m. at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, a collaboration with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Acting Intern Company and a sidebar to the CSC’s production of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” in which star-crossed lovers Nina and Treplev a chance to create a different ending to their story by repeating the famous final scene 42 different ways. $15 for adults and $10 for students. (513) 381-2273.

galleries/exhibitions

• “The BorgDot Works,” an exhibition of micro-sculptures by Oxford artist David Dotson, Manifest Gallery and Drawing Center, 2727 Woodburn Ave., Cincinnati. 513.861.3638. Also on view, “Looking Through the Glass” by Tama Hochbaum. PREVIEW: David Dotson at Manifest Gallery.

• “Identities” at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, featuring the work of David T. Collins, Cristin Millett, Kim Curinga and Amy Rich. PREVIEW: Fitton Center exhibit explores personal identities.

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Young Painters Competition, Miami University Hiestand Gallery, Oxford. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (513) 529-1883. PREVIEW: Jessie Fisher reaches figure painting aspirations

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

• “Luminous Paintings” by Tom Bacher, Weston Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, downtown Cincinnati. STORY: Tom Bacher exhibition at the Weston Gallery.

• “Drawing the Figure: Grace Benedict,” Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at the College of Mount St. Joseph, 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. (513) 244-4314; www.msj.edu. PREVIEW: Purdue University artist displays at Mt. St. Jo gallery

• “Cincinnati - A Glimpse from the Past,” The Betts House, 416 Clark St., two blocks west of Music Hall, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. $2. (513) 651-0734. PREVIEW: Compare Cincinnati’s past and present in photography exhibition

film

• The Oxford Community Arts Center hosts a screening of the documentary “Dalai Lama Renaissance,” narrated by Harrison Ford, produced and directed by Oxford native Khashyar Darvich, 7:30 p.m. The film tells the story of 40 Western innovative thinkers who travel to India to meet with the Dalai Lama to solve the problem of world peace. What happened was captured by a five-camera, 18-person crew. In the documentary, the Dalai Lama discusses the calls for economic sanctions against China, and emphasizes that he could not support economic sanctions towards China since it would hurt the ordinary Chinese poor. A Q&A session with Darvich will follow the screening. (513) 524-8506.

• Cincinnati World Cinema presents the LunaFest Film Festival, featuring short films by women directors, 7 p.m. at the Cincinnati Art Museum, followed by audience discussion facilitated by local film professionals. $10 general admission, $8 students and Art Museum members.

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Daily Mail

By Richard O Jones | Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 03:59 PM

Rock On: Guitar Hero II Tournament at the Hamilton Lane Library

Get ready to rock the library during our Rock On: Guitar Hero II Tournament at the Hamilton Lane Library on Monday, February 9, 6:30 p.m. Children ages 8 - 12 are invited to come play or just to watch. Equipment will be provided, but you can bring your own guitar (Wii) if you like. Compete for your best personal score and shred the competition. Registration is required. For more information, call 894-1409. The Hamilton Lane Library is located at 300 N. Third St.

For more information about this and other programs at the Lane Libraries, please call 894-6557 or visit the Lane Web site.

Miami professors featured on new recording

Miami University music professor Andrea Ridilla is featured soloist on “L’Amore Italiano … the lyrical oboe in opera and cinema,” recently released on the Helicon Records label, New York.

Ridilla performs on oboe and oboe d’amore with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Ricardo Averbach conducting. Averbach is Miami associate professor of music and frequently appears with the Sofia Philharmonic. The recording was made in May 2008 in the Bulgaria Concert Hall.

Selections on the recording include two compositions by G. Roger Davis, Miami associate professor of music: “Rhapsody on Gabriel’s Oboe” and “Il Sogno di Doretta” from Puccini’s “La Rondine.” Averbach arranged another selection, “Sally and Jack” from the film “Blowout.”

Ridilla joined Miami’s faculty in 1987. She frequently appears as a soloist with orchestras, as a chamber musician and conducts master classes in the United States and abroad. She has been recognized for her teaching with an Excellence in Teaching Award by the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities, among other honors.

Winners announced in annual Young Painters Competition

Dana Hargrove of Orlando, Fla., is winner of the 10th annual Young Painters Competition for the $10,000 William (Miami ’36) and Dorothy Yeck Award. Winners of the competition, sponsored by Miami University’s Hiestand Gallery, School of Fine Arts, were announced Jan. 23. Hargrove was selected for her work, “Circuit Map” (shown below).

Born and raised in Dundee, Scotland, Hargrove is an assistant professor of studio art at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. She works in drawing and painting, considering ideas that frame our perceptions of the land and sense of place and space. She has exhibited nationally and internationally and is represented by Bridgette Mayer Gallery in Philadelphia.

Hooper Turner of Sunnyside, N.Y., received the second place award of $1,500 for “Miss Congeniality.” Turner has exhibited recently in Baltimore, Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta. His work has also been included twice in the national juried publication, New American Paintings.

Third place and $1,000 was given to Michelle Word of Lansing, Mich., for “Nautiloid.” Word teaches foundations and drawing at Michigan State University and is involved in the education and arts community in the Greater Lansing area.

Works by the winners and other finalists will be exhibited through Feb. 11 at Hiestand Galleries. For more information, call (513) 529-1883.

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MetroParks of Butler County February programs

By Richard O Jones | Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 03:19 PM

Sledding at VOA Park

Snow conditions permitting, the sledding hill at Voice of America Park, 7850 VOA Park Drive (off Cox Road), in West Chester Township will be open again this winter.

Sledding is free; bring your own sled. Sled riding is permitted only in designated areas during park “open” hours, daily from 8 a.m. until dark. Visitors must observe all sledding rules and regulations posted.

Visitors may contact the park at (513) 755-4402 for current sledding conditions.

Nature programs

• Whooo Was That? 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, Governor Bebb Preserve, 1979 Bebb Park Lane (just off S.R. 126-9 miles west of Ross, Ohio) in Morgan Township. A short visit with live owls will be followed by a night hike to “hoot” with the owls. Dress warmly; flashlights will not be needed. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Meet in the lower parking area.

• Lollipop Program, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Chrisholm Historic Farmstead, 2070 Woodsdale Road, Madison Township. Children ages 3 to 5 and their adult companions can explore the wonders of the natural world through stories, crafts, and activities. This month’s theme is “All About Owls.” $1.50 craft fee. Pre-registration is required, on-line at www.butlercountymetroparks.org or calling (513) 867-5835.

• Lollipop Program, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, Voice of America Park located at 7850 VOA Park Drive in West Chester Township. Children ages 3 to 5 and their adult companions can explore the wonders of the natural world through stories, crafts, and activities. This month’s theme is “All About Owls.” $1.50 craft fee. Pre-registration is required, on-line at www.butlercountymetroparks.org or calling (513) 867-5835.

MetroParks 2009 Annual Motor Vehicle Permits on sale now

Motor Vehicle Permits are required for all MetroPark activities. Daily permits can be purchased for $5 from park staff.

MetroParks also offers 2009 Motor Vehicle Permit stickers and hangtags available for purchase. Permits can be purchased from park staff at the parks or from the Administrative Headquarters.

• Annual non-transferable stickers sell for $7 each, which includes three $1 coupons that can be used towards the purchase of additional motor vehicle permits, park program fees, facility rental fees, boat rentals, fishing permits, Boathouse merchandise, etc. These stickers must be affixed to your vehicle windshield.

• MetroParks is also offering a $10 transferable hang tag permit that can be used in any vehicle you drive to the parks. This permit can hang from your rearview mirror and must be visible while in the parks.

To order permits by mail, send a check or money order to MetroParks of Butler County, 2051 Timberman Road, Hamilton, OH 45013.

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Dancer finds a way of “Breaking Barriers”

By Richard O Jones | Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 08:52 AM

In Dominica, the small Caribbean island where she was born, and in Jamaica, where she earned a scholarship to further her dance studies, Flora Leptak-Moreau had been making a name for herself as a professional dancer and choreographer.

But while she found it easy enough to find a place as a dancer in the area dance community when she moved to the Cincinnati area a few years ago, she began to lose her own artistic vision.

“I had almost forgotten my own internal motivation to dance,” she said. “While I enjoyed performing in other people’s shows, I felt restricted in what I wanted to express and realized that I had internal barriers holding me back.”

So Leptak-Moreau started working on her own choreography again, calling the show “Breaking Barriers” as an inspiration to do just that.

“I started thinking about other kinds of barriers that we face in our lives,” she said, “psychological, physical, financial… There are so many that I came up with a big list of concepts to explore.”

She also realized that she had some barriers to overcome in her dance techniques, that she always had a problem with being turned upside down, so she made sure there were a few upside-down moves for her to make in the show.

“There’s one move where my heart still skips a little, but I think I’ve broken that barrier down,” she said. “I hope people who see the show will identify their own barriers and find ways to break them down themselves.”

how to go

WHAT: “Breaking Barriers” by Ballet Caraibes

WHERE: Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31

COST: $15 adult; $13 seniors/students

MORE INFO: (513) 867-5348; www.flora.balletcaraibes.org

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Things to do today: Music Cafe, LunaFest

By Richard O Jones | Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 12:01 AM

concerts/music

• The Music Cafe serves an eclectic mix of regional music, 7 p.m. at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, 101 S. Monument Ave., Hamilton. This month’s performers include Scarlett Minnie, Steve Adkisson, Milo and Anna, Woodnote and Didymus. Free. (513) 863-8873.

theater/performing arts

• “Travels with Angelica” by Joseph McDonough, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. 7:30 p.m. $27-$55. REVIEW: ‘Travels of Angelica’ creates theater magic

• “Grease,” featuring “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, presented by Broadway Across America, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20-$71. (513) 241-7469. PREVIEW: Taylor Hicks ‘Grease’-ing his way into acting. REVIEW: Photos from ‘Grease’.

* “The Nina Variations” by Steven Dietz,” 7:30 p.m. at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, a collaboration with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Acting Intern Company and a sidebar to the CSC’s production of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” in which star-crossed lovers Nina and Treplev a chance to create a different ending to their story by repeating the famous final scene 42 different ways. $15 for adults and $10 for students. (513) 381-2273.

galleries/exhibitions

• “Identities” at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, featuring the work of David T. Collins, Cristin Millett, Kim Curinga and Amy Rich. PREVIEW: Fitton Center exhibit explores personal identities.

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Young Painters Competition, Miami University Hiestand Gallery, Oxford. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (513) 529-1883. PREVIEW: Jessie Fisher reaches figure painting aspirations

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

• “The BorgDot Works,” an exhibition of micro-sculptures by Oxford artist David Dotson, Manifest Gallery and Drawing Center, 2727 Woodburn Ave., Cincinnati. 513.861.3638. Also on view, “Looking Through the Glass” by Tama Hochbaum. PREVIEW: David Dotson at Manifest Gallery.

• “Luminous Paintings” by Tom Bacher, Weston Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, downtown Cincinnati. STORY: Tom Bacher exhibition at the Weston Gallery.

• “Drawing the Figure: Grace Benedict,” Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at the College of Mount St. Joseph, 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. (513) 244-4314; www.msj.edu. PREVIEW: Purdue University artist displays at Mt. St. Jo gallery

• “Cincinnati - A Glimpse from the Past,” The Betts House, 416 Clark St., two blocks west of Music Hall, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. $2. (513) 651-0734. PREVIEW: Compare Cincinnati’s past and present in photography exhibition.

film

• Cincinnati World Cinema presents the LunaFest Film Festival, featuring short films by women directors, 7 p.m. at the Cincinnati Art Museum, followed by audience discussion facilitated by local film professionals. $10 general admission, $8 students and Art Museum members.

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Daily Mail

By Richard O Jones | Monday, January 26, 2009, 05:08 PM

Sing with the Broadway stars

How would you like to have the opportunity to win a chance to sing with five Broadway Stars in front of family and friends? Well, here’s that chance of a lifetime! The five Broadway stars in “Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway” are giving away the chance to join them on stage, Feb. 20, when the show plays at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati. You can win the opportunity to sing on-stage in this all-star Broadway concert and win a pair of tickets for family and friends.

To enter the online auditions, you need to upload a 90-120 second video of yourself singing a Broadway show tune to YouTube, MySpace, or Facebook. Entrants must be 15 years of age or older. Then a panel of industry professionals will choose a winner and up to four runners-up to participate in the show. Runners-up will sing one chorus number with the five stars, and the winning entry will get to sing a solo part in the show finale.

The deadline for submitting audition videos is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6. The panel will announce the winners on Monday, Feb. 9. Winners will receive notification by email or phone.

‘River at Risk’ runs through Feb. 12

“Grand Canyon Adventure,” now showing at the OmniMax Theater in the Cincinnati Museum Center, follows two environmental activists, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and author/anthropologist/explorer Wade Davis, as they explore the rapidly depleting supply of fresh water in the western United States. With global freshwater sources depleting at faster rates than ever, Davis and Kennedy reveal the complexities, and solutions, to this international issue.

Narrated by Robert Redford and with music by the Dave Matthews Band, the sounds ofGrand Canyon Adventure immerse the audience in a journey, and lesson, along the planet’s most important resource: water.

“Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk” screens through Feb. 12. Purchase tickets online over the phone (513) 287-7000) or in person at Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Hamilton

Peter Huttinger at Clay Street Press: Opening Final Friday

Clay Street Press Gallery, 1312 Clay St., Cincinnati, presents a retrospective of the work of Peter Huttinger, opening reception 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30.

Huttinger’s exhibition, encompassing works from the 1970s to the present, includes a wide range of media reflecting the artist’s fertile imagination, sometimes biting humor and overall humanistic concerns. Presented as a site-specific installation the exhibit is an overview of his artistic practice including various stylistic periods from his early work dealing with race and gender to his current concerns with the environment, cycles of nature and urban agriculture.

Gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. For information, call (513) 241-3232 or e-mail.

Winning with the Book Contest at the Lane Libraries

The Lane Libraries present the Winning with the Book celebration for teens ages 13-18, Feb. 2-26. Read award-winning books for your chance at a ballot box stuffed with winners. Complete an entry form for each award winner you read. For a list of recommended reads, check out laneteenzone.org. Entry forms will be available at any Lane Library. Completed entry forms must be submitted to any Lane Library location by 9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. Winners will be posted Feb. 27.

For more information about this and other programs at the Lane Libraries, please call (513) 894-6557 or visit the Lane Web site.

One-man show in Oxford — “Pouring Tea”

E. Patrick Johnson, professor, chair and director of graduate studies in the department of performance studies and professor of African American studies at Northwestern University, will perform “Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales,” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, in Leonard Theatre at Peabody Hall on Miami University’s Western campus. “Pouring Tea” is a one-man show based on Johnson’s book “Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South.”

“Sweet Tea” gives voice to a population rarely acknowledged in writings about the South. Traveling to every Southern state, Johnson interviewed more than 70 black gay men between the ages of 19 and 93. He challenges stereotypes of the South as “backward” or “repressive,” suggesting that “these men draw upon the performance of ‘southernness’ — politeness, coded speech and religiosity, for example — to legitimate themselves as members of both Southern and black cultures.”

The free performance, free and open to the public, is part of Miami University’s Black History Celebration and is sponsored by the office of diversity affairs and SPECTRUM. For more information, call (513) 529-6504 or (513) 529-0831.

World-Renowned Concert Pianist, Psychiatrist Takes the Stage at The Carnegie

Musical virtuosity and historical psychiatry will coalesce when The Carnegie and Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute present pianist and psychiatrist Richard Kogan, 7:30 p.m. March 21 in the Otto M. Budig Theatre. Kogan will present the cherished piano works of George Gershwin, as well as observations about the relationship between the composer’s mind, his creative motivations, and his music. A Julliard-trained pianist and alumnus of Harvard Medical School, Kogan is a frequent performer with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and has been praised by the New York Times for his “eloquent, compelling, and exquisite playing.”

Tickets are $50, www.thecarnegie.com, or by phone at (859) 957-1940. A complimentary dessert reception will follow the performance.

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Coming this weekend: The King’s Singers perform with the Cincinnati Pops

By Richard O Jones | Monday, January 26, 2009, 10:48 AM

Beefeaters and pipers will be on hand as Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra go British for three concerts this weekend at Music Hall featuring the world-renowned King’s Singers, a popular vocal ensemble that just earned a Grammy nomination for their recent release, Simple Gifts.

The program includes music by The Beatles, Elton John, Phil Collins, Seal, a James Bond suite, as well as traditional classics like “Rule Britannia” and “God Save the Queen.”

“We have had some fantastic collaboration with The King’s Singers including the album, ‘Music of the Beatles’,” said Pops’ conductor Erich Kunzel in a press release. “We welcome them back across the Atlantic for a concert program fit for a king.”

The show also features tenor Kevin Anderson and the Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes and Drums Band.

The King’s Singers perform “Blackbird” by The Beatles on YouTube.

Concert times are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 30-31, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1. Tickets start at $24 adults, $20 students/children, available by phone at (513) 381-3300, on the Internet.

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Things to do today

By Richard O Jones | Monday, January 26, 2009, 12:01 AM

theater/performing arts

• “The Nina Variations” by Steven Dietz,” 7:30 p.m. at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, a collaboration with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Acting Intern Company and a sidebar to the CSC’s production of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” in which star-crossed lovers Nina and Treplev a chance to create a different ending to their story by repeating the famous final scene 42 different ways. $15 for adults and $10 for students. (513) 381-2273.

galleries/exhibitions

• “Identities” at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, featuring the work of David T. Collins, Cristin Millett, Kim Curinga and Amy Rich. PREVIEW: Fitton Center exhibit explores personal identities.

• “Luminous Paintings” by Tom Bacher, Weston Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, downtown Cincinnati. STORY: Tom Bacher exhibition at the Weston Gallery.

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Young Painters Competition, Miami University Hiestand Gallery, Oxford. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (513) 529-1883. PREVIEW: Jessie Fisher reaches figure painting aspirations

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

• “Drawing the Figure: Grace Benedict,” Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at the College of Mount St. Joseph, 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. (513) 244-4314; www.msj.edu. PREVIEW: Purdue University artist displays at Mt. St. Jo gallery

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Things to do today: Create a puppet at the Contemporary Arts Center; French musical at Middletown Library

By Richard O Jones | Sunday, January 25, 2009, 12:01 AM

kids stuff

• You Create the Dance with Your Own Handmade Marionette, 1 to 4 p.m. at the Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St., Cincinnati. Journey through the UnMuseum installation, “Beauty Queen, Super Hero and the Peanut” by artist Pam Kravetz and experience three larger-than-life marionettes wearing narrative quilt costumes. You hold the strings to the story and the dance. Try them on, make them dance and read their stories. Tell a favorite story from the past or share dreams for the new year when you construct and decorate your own miniature marionette with local artist Melanie E. Derrick. Designed for ages 5 to 10. Free CAC members; with admission to others.

theater/performing arts

• “Winter Gala Dance Show,” 3:30 p.m., Carnegie Performing Arts Center, 1028 Scott Blvd., Covington. a charitable event to support locally the advancement of studies in visual and performing arts. Professional ballroom dancers and skilled amateurs perform entertaining dance routines. $15. (859) 491-2030.

• La Comedia Dinner Theatre presents “Polynesian Fire,” brunch arrival starts at 10:30 a.m.; dinner arrival starts at 5:30 p.m. $51-$69. 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro. (800) 677-9505. Featuring the two-time Fire Knife Dance world champion and current Duet Fire Knife champion.

• “Travels with Angelica” by Joseph McDonough, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. 2 and 7 p.m. $27-$55. REVIEW: ‘Travels of Angelica’ creates theater magic

• “Grease,” featuring “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, presented by Broadway Across America, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. 1 and 6:30 p.m. $20-$71. (513) 241-7469. PREVIEW: Taylor Hicks ‘Grease’-ing his way into acting. REVIEW: Photos from ‘Grease’.

• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” featuring Miami University alum Steve Wilson, ’94, has the lead role of Caractacus Potts, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Schuster Center in Dayton. $19-$55.50. (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630.

• “The Nina Variations” by Steven Dietz,” 7:30 p.m. at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, a collaboration with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Acting Intern Company and a sidebar to the CSC’s production of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” in which star-crossed lovers Nina and Treplev a chance to create a different ending to their story by repeating the famous final scene 42 different ways. $15 for adults and $10 for students. (513) 381-2273.

• Final performance of “Dying City” by Christopher Shinn, New Stage Collective, 1140 Main St., Cincinnati. 3 p.m. $20 general, $16 senior, $12 student. (513) 621-3700. A complicated triangle in 90 minutes, fraught with misgivings and misunderstandings as Rob Jansen plays twin brothers and Julianna Bloodgood as the woman they love in different ways. Drew Fracher directs. REVIEW: A little drama explores big personal issues

• “110 in the Shade,” book by N. Richard Nash, music and lyrics by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (the team that created “The Fantasticks”), based on “The Rainmaker” by N. Richard Nash. Mariemont Players, Walton Creek Theater, 4101 Walton Creek Road, Cincinnati. 7 p.m. $17. (513) 684-1236. A heartfelt fable about a con man, a country girl, and the way that love can overcome cynicism in even the most tired of souls. Features Wayne Wright as Starbuck.

• “Once Upon a Mattress” by Mary Rodgers, Marshall Barer, Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller. Playhouse South, Clark Haines Theatre, 3700 Far Hills Ave., Kettering. 2 p.m. $12, $10 seniors, $7 students. (888) 262-3792. Musical comedy that launched the career of Carol Burnett in 1950, based on “The Princess and the Pea” fairy tale.

• “The Seven Year Itch” by George Axelrod, 2 p.m., Covedale Center for the Performing Arts. $21 adults, $19 students/seniors. (513) 241-6550. The 1955 film version contains one of the most iconic images of the 20th century: Marilyn Monroe standing on a subway grate as her dress is blown above her knees by a passing train.

galleries/exhibitions

• “Isn’t It Great To Be An Artist? Insider/Outsider Art,” Cincinnati Art Musuem. More than 100 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper drawn from the collection of Chicago native Robert A. Lewis, spanning the 1960s to the present and features works by both self-taught artists and those trained in the academies seeking alternatives to convention.

• “Luminous Paintings” by Tom Bacher, Weston Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, downtown Cincinnati. STORY: Tom Bacher exhibition at the Weston Gallery.

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

film

• “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” 2 p.m., Middletown Public Library, 125 S. Broad St. Free. PREVIEW: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg: A classy foreign musical.

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Things to do today: Mardis Gras in Middletown; Stacy Mitchhart at Fairfield CAC

By Richard O Jones | Saturday, January 24, 2009, 01:00 AM

nitelife

• Mardis Gras Party, 6:30 p.m., Middletown Lyric Theatre, 1530 Central Ave. $25 per person, $35 per couple. (513) 267-4016 or (513) 425-7140. PREVIEW: Mardis Gras early in Middletown.

• Big list of places to gather and things to do there in this weekend’s Going Out Guide

concerts

• Guitarist/showman Stacy Mitchhart, 8 p.m. Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. $17-$20, Stacy Mitchhart re-appears at Fairfield CAC.

• Middletown Symphony, 8:15 p.m., Dave Finkelman Auditorium, Miami University Middletown, 4200 E. University Blvd. $20-$25. (513) 424-2426. PREVIEW: MSO plays trio of pieces.

• The Miami University Men’s Glee Club and the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club, 8 p.m., Hall Auditorium. $10 adults; $5 students/seniors. The program, “250 Glee Club Years on Stage,” celebrates the Miami group’s 100-year tradition on campus and the Michigan group’s history as the second oldest collegiate choir in America (the Harvard Glee Club was first; the Michigan Glee Club was founded in 1859). (513) 529-3200.

• Contemporary bluegrass singer/songwriter Dana Romanello., 7 p.m. Lebanon Grand Opry House, 114 N. Cherry St., Lebanon. $10.(513) 290-3966 PREVIEW: Bluegrass singer Lebanon bound.

• World-renowned pianist Radu Lupu performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m., at Music Hall. Music Director Paavo Järvi leads an all-Germanic program that also includes romantic works by Webern and Bruckner. $12 and up. It’s also College Night, so students can get in at that price and a party after. (513) 381-3300.

theater/performing arts

• Ventriloquist Lynn Trefzger, 8 p.m., Contemporary Dance Theatre presents “An American Rendition” by Jane Comfort & Company, 8:30 p.m., Jarson-Kaplan Theatre, Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati. (513) 621-2787. A savage parody of popular TV shows like “American Idol” and “America’s Next Top Model” in which a US citizen is kidnapped and undergoes “enhanced interrogation” in a secret prison while the channel surfing country remains distracted with reality television.

• La Comedia Dinner Theatre presents “Polynesian Fire,” dinner arrival starts at 5:30 p.m. $51-$69. 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro. (800) 677-9505. Featuring the two-time Fire Knife Dance world champion and current Duet Fire Knife champion.

• “Travels with Angelica” by Joseph McDonough, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. 4 and 8 p.m. $27-$55.

• “Grease,” featuring “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, presented by Broadway Across America, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20-$71. (513) 241-7469. PREVIEW: Taylor Hicks ‘Grease’-ing his way into acting. REVIEW: Photos from ‘Grease’.

• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” featuring Miami University alum Steve Wilson, ’94, has the lead role of Caractacus Potts, 8 p.m. Schuster Center in Dayton. $19-$55.50. (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630.

• “I Love You Because” by Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $12. This musical comedy follows Austin Bennet, a young greeting card writer in New York City, whose life is turned upside down when he finds his girlfriend wBroadway Across Americaith another man.

• “Dying City” by Christopher Shinn, New Stage Collective, 1140 Main St., Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20 general, $16 senior, $12 student. (513) 621-3700. A complicated triangle in 90 minutes, fraught with misgivings and misunderstandings as Rob Jansen plays twin brothers and Julianna Bloodgood as the woman they love in different ways. Drew Fracher directs. REVIEW: A little drama explores big personal issues

• “The Seagull” by Anton Chekhov, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, 719 Race Street, Cincinnati. 7:30 p.m. $26 reserved, $22 seniors, $16 students. (513) 381-2273. Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” takes place in rural, turn of the 20th century Russia and tells the story of Konstantin (Justin McCombs), a young writer, and his mother Irina Arkadina (Sherman Fracher), an actress past her prime. Konstantin is in love with a young actress, Nina (Hayley Clark), and both budding artists find themselves in the shadow of Arkadina and Trigorin (Matt Johnson), a novelist of great esteem. PREVIEW: Chekov’s ‘Seagull’ explores theater in transition, an interview with ensemble member Sherman Fracher.

• “Bringing Sexy Back,” Shadowbox Cabaret, Newport on the Levee. 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. $30 adults, $20 students/seniors. (859) 581-7625. A collection of original sketch comedy and live rock ‘n’ roll from house band BillWho? dedicated to love, relationships, and America’s favorite pastime (wink wink).

• “110 in the Shade,” book by N. Richard Nash, music and lyrics by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (the team that created “The Fantasticks”), based on “The Rainmaker” by N. Richard Nash. Mariemont Players, Walton Creek Theater, 4101 Walton Creek Road, Cincinnati. $17. (513) 684-1236. A heartfelt fable about a con man, a country girl, and the way that love can overcome cynicism in even the most tired of souls. Features Wayne Wright as Starbuck.

• “Once Upon a Mattress” by Mary Rodgers, Marshall Barer, Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller. Playhouse South, Clark Haines Theatre, 3700 Far Hills Ave., Kettering. 8 p.m. $12, $10 seniors, $7 students. (888) 262-3792. Musical comedy that launched the career of Carol Burnett in 1950, based on “The Princess and the Pea” fairy tale.

• “The Seven Year Itch” by George Axelrod, 8 p.m., Covedale Center for the Performing Arts. $21 adults, $19 students/seniors. (513) 241-6550. The 1955 film version contains one of the most iconic images of the 20th century: Marilyn Monroe standing on a subway grate as her dress is blown above her knees by a passing train.

galleries/exhibitions

• “Isn’t It Great To Be An Artist? Insider/Outsider Art,” Cincinnati Art Musuem. More than 100 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper drawn from the collection of Chicago native Robert A. Lewis, spanning the 1960s to the present and features works by both self-taught artists and those trained in the academies seeking alternatives to convention.

• “The BorgDot Works,” an exhibition of micro-sculptures by Oxford artist David Dotson, Manifest Gallery and Drawing Center, 2727 Woodburn Ave., Cincinnati. 513.861.3638. Also on view, “Looking Through the Glass” by Tama Hochbaum. PREVIEW: David Dotson at Manifest Gallery.

• “Identities” at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, featuring the work of David T. Collins, Cristin Millett, Kim Curinga and Amy Rich. PREVIEW: Fitton Center exhibit explores personal identities.

• “Luminous Paintings” by Tom Bacher, Weston Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, downtown Cincinnati. STORY: Tom Bacher exhibition at the Weston Gallery.

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Young Painters Competition, Miami University Hiestand Gallery, Oxford. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (513) 529-1883. PREVIEW: Jessie Fisher reaches figure painting aspirations

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

• “Drawing the Figure: Grace Benedict,” Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at the College of Mount St. Joseph, 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. (513) 244-4314; www.msj.edu. PREVIEW: Purdue University artist displays at Mt. St. Jo gallery

• Reception 12:30 until 5 p.m. for “Cincinnati - A Glimpse from the Past,” The Betts House, 416 Clark St., two blocks west of Music Hall, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. $2. (513) 651-0734. PREVIEW: Compare Cincinnati’s past and present in photography exhibition

literary

• Mad Anthony Writer’s Conference presents “Writing for Children and Getting Published,” with Alice Pope, editor of Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market, and Sally Derby, author of numerous books for children, will present a workshop focusing on writing a book children will love to read and parents and grandparents will want to buy, 9 a.m. to noon, the YWCA, 244 Dayton Street, Hamilton. $15 at the door. Proceeds benefit YWCA Family Literacy Council.

• Author Clem Boyd, “What Does God Want Me to Do?” 2-4 p.m. Barnes and Noble, 9891 Waterstone Blvd., Cincinnati.

• Author Dianna L. Brisco, “The Day Marcus Flew,” 1 p.m. Books-A-Million, 3385 Princeton Rd., Hamilton.

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Daily Mail

By Richard O Jones | Friday, January 23, 2009, 04:57 PM

Julliard String Quartet performs at CCM

Chamber Music Cincinnati presents the Julliard String Quartet, 8 p.m. Feb. 10, in Corbett Auditorium, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. The program includes Haydn’s Quartet in C Major, Opus 20, No. 2; Dutilleux’s Ainsi la Nuit for String Quartet and Beethoven’s Quartet in E-Flat Major, Opus 127. $25 adults, $10 students, free for anyone under 18. (859) 581-6877.

The ensemble is Quartet-in-Residence at New York’s Juilliard School of Music. Honored by Musical America as “Musicians of the Year” in 1997, the Juilliard String Quartet received Chamber Music America’s highest honor in 2008 for its artistry, dedication and exemplary influence on chamber music.

The Juilliard Quartet members are Joel Smirnoff, violin (and member since 1986); Ronald Copes, violin (and member since 1997); Samuel Rhodes, viola and member since 1968); and Joel Krosnick, cello (and member since 1974). The Juilliard String Quartet celebrated its 60th anniversary season in 2006-07.

OxACT auditions for ‘Black Comedy’, Feb. 23-24

Auditions for the Oxford Area Community Theater (OxACT) production of “Black Comedy” a one-act farce by Peter Shaffer will be 7 p.m. Feb. 23 and 24 at the Oxford Community Arts Center.

Parts are available for five men (playing mid-twenties, middle-aged and elderly) and three women (two playing mid-twenties and one playing older). Those interested in auditioning will be asked to read from the script.

For more information contact director Scott Shriver.

“Black Comedy” performance dates are April 24-26 and April 30-May 2.

On-Sale information for OxACT’s ‘Quilters’

Tickets for the OxACT production of “Quilters,” with book by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek and music and lyrics by Barbara Damashek, go on sale Feb. 2.

“Quilters,” directed by Rebecca Howard, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20 and 21; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22; 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 26-28 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at the Oxford Community Arts Center.

Tickets, $10 senior/student and $12 general, will be available at the Miami University Art Museum (no reservation calls) or may be reserved by calling the OxACT box office at 523-6228. They will also be available at the door.

Family Game Night at the Fairfield Lane Library

Bring your favorite game to Family Game Night at the Fairfield Lane Library 6:30 p.m. Mondays, February 9 an 16, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. This is a fun night for families with children ages 6 - 12 to interact, share old memories and create new ones, as well as increase communication and social skills. Registration is required. For details, call 858-3238, ext. 360.

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Road Trip: Norman Rockwell exhibit in Columbus

By Richard O Jones | Friday, January 23, 2009, 01:46 PM

“Rockwell’s America” has been held over through March 15 at The Ohio Historical Center in Columbus.

With life-sized re-creations of Rockwell’s most famous scenes, dozens of hands-on displays and all 322 of his original covers from The Saturday Evening Post, it is the largest Norman Rockwell touring exhibit ever created.

Visitors become part of the past as they experience 15 theatrical environments with multimedia experiences based on Rockwell’s iconic illustrations.

They can explore the artist’s studio, walk along “Main Street” featuring “The Gossips,” relax and enjoy the music at the soda fountain, pose next to “Rosie the Riveter” and sit behind the wheel of a WWII army jeep or sing their favorite holiday tune along with family and friends in the “Coming Home” living room. Each charming re-creation has live Rockwell characters to interact with and is a photo opportunity just waiting to happen.

Along with Rockwell’s America, “Currier & Ives: Illustrating America” and “Spotlight on Milton Caniff” also have been extended through March 15:

• “Currier & Ives: Illustrating America” is an exhibition of 19th-century Currier & Ives lithographs from Ohio Historical Society’s renowned Christopher Collection. As printmakers, Currier & Ives are credited with launching mass media in America and for putting art in the hands of ordinary people, thus setting the stage for illustrators like Norman Rockwell.

• “Spotlight on Milton Caniff” tells the life story of Ohio cartoonist Milton Caniff, best known for his immensely popular comic strips “Terry and the Pirates” and “Steve Canyon.” On display will be artifacts from Caniff’s childhood and artist’s studio from the Ohio Historical Society’s and The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library’s collections.

Admission to Rockwell’s America is $11 for adults, $10 for seniors (age 60 and up), $7 for youth (ages 6-12), $3 for Ohio Historical Society members and free for children 5 and under. Price includes standard museum admission plus Rockwell’s America. Parking is $4 and free for OHS members. For more information, call (800) 686-6124.

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REVIEW: ‘Travels of Angelica’ creates theater magic

By Richard O Jones | Friday, January 23, 2009, 09:35 AM

“Travels of Angelica” takes place in two different worlds.

The “back story” takes place in 1657, first in England where Alexander Crumpler (Erik Lochtefeld) flees an angry mob with his mentally-challenged teen-age daughter, Lucia (Heather Wood). Faced with charges of sedition for his political writings, he flees to America and disappears.

Some 350 years later, a young couple — graduate students Matthew (Jason Schuchman) and Emma (Sarah Dandridge) — seek to unravel a literary mystery: What happened to the writer Crumpler? Did he change his name when he came to America?

When they meet a crippled old man named Vincent Penny (Joneal Joplin) and his alcoholic daughter Gabby(Jo Twiss) in rural Virginia where Crumpler may have settled, they find a set of clues that suggest he may have left some writings hidden on their property.

“Travels of Angelica” moves deftly between these two worlds as Crumpler, now living as Edward Blythebury, creates his greatest work, a play that he hopes will keep the memory of his late wife alive for him and his daughter Lucia, while fending off a meddling neighbor, Podge (Greg Thornton) who threatens to turn him in for a 50-pound reward.

Meanwhile, the grad students get closer to discovering the lost works, hoping to create literary history. Although the search for Crumpler/Blythebury starts out to be Matthew’s project, he soon writes it off as hopeless, but Emma — who is a creative writer, not a literary historian like her mate — quickly makes the search her own.

Cincinnati playwright Joe McDonough won the Playhouse’s annual New Play Prize for his fanciful script, earning this fine production on a stage of dirt and stone. A faded plank fence serves as a backdrop upon which Lucia’s drawings accompanying her father’s play are projected as he tells a fantastical story of her travels.

There are passing references that provide connections between the two worlds, images of adventurers traveling on the backs of dolphins and healing angel wings, devices that also give Emma’s suspicions of a lost manuscript or a lingering oral history some weight. McDonough also has a knack for creating poetic language for his characters without becoming too stylistic or unrealistic, and with “Travels of Angelica,” there’s a kind of theater magic that draws the two worlds together.

The acting is solid throughout, especially in Wood’s portrayal of the child-minded teenager Lucia and Twiss as the drunken daughter who thinks that finding a lost literary work on her property would be a path to instant riches.

“Travels of Angelica” by Joseph McDonough

Through Feb. 15.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

$27-$55

(513) 421-3888

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Things to do today: Sonny Moorman CD release party; opening night of ‘Polynesian Fire’ at La Comedia

By Richard O Jones | Friday, January 23, 2009, 01:33 AM

nitelife

Big list of places to gather and things to do there in this weekend’s Going Out Guide

concerts

• CD release party for the Sonny Moorman Group’s latest release, “Live as Hell”, 10 p.m., Cardi’s, 101 Bacher Square, Fairfield. $10 admission also gets you a copy of the CD. STORY: Sonny Moorman releases “Live as Hell” CD.

• Scott Miller and the Commonwealth with Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles,” 8 p.m. doors, 8:30 p.m. show, Southgate House. $15. (859) 431-2201. More info.

• World-renowned pianist Radu Lupu performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m., at Music Hall. Music Director Paavo Järvi leads an all-Germanic program that also includes romantic works by Webern and Bruckner. $12 and up. It’s also College Night, so students can get in at that price and a party after. (513) 381-3300.

theater/performing arts

• Contemporary Dance Theatre presents “An American Rendition” by Jane Comfort & Company, 8:30 p.m., Jarson-Kaplan Theatre, Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati. (513) 621-2787. A savage parody of popular TV shows like “American Idol” and “America’s Next Top Model” in which a US citizen is kidnapped and undergoes “enhanced interrogation” in a secret prison while the channel surfing country remains distracted with reality television.

• La Comedia Dinner Theatre presents “Polynesian Fire,” dinner arrival starts at 5:30 p.m. $51-$69. 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro. (800) 677-9505. Featuring the two-time Fire Knife Dance world champion and current Duet Fire Knife champion.

• “Travels with Angelica” by Joseph McDonough at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. 8 p.m. $27-$55. REVIEW: ‘Travels of Angelica’ creates theater magic

• “Grease,” featuring “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, presented by Broadway Across America, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20-$71. (513) 241-7469. PREVIEW: Taylor Hicks ‘Grease’-ing his way into acting. REVIEW: Photos from ‘Grease’.

• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” featuring Miami University alum Steve Wilson, ’94, has the lead role of Caractacus Potts, 8 p.m. Schuster Center in Dayton. $19-$55.50. (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630.

• “I Love You Because” by Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $12. This musical comedy follows Austin Bennet, a young greeting card writer in New York City, whose life is turned upside down when he finds his girlfriend wBroadway Across Americaith another man.

• “Dying City” by Christopher Shinn, New Stage Collective, 1140 Main St., Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20 general, $16 senior, $12 student. (513) 621-3700. A complicated triangle in 90 minutes, fraught with misgivings and misunderstandings as Rob Jansen plays twin brothers and Julianna Bloodgood as the woman they love in different ways. Drew Fracher directs. REVIEW: A little drama explores big personal issues

• “The Seagull” by Anton Chekhov, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, 719 Race Street, Cincinnati. 7:30 p.m. $26 reserved, $22 seniors, $16 students. (513) 381-2273. Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” takes place in rural, turn of the 20th century Russia and tells the story of Konstantin (Justin McCombs), a young writer, and his mother Irina Arkadina (Sherman Fracher), an actress past her prime. Konstantin is in love with a young actress, Nina (Hayley Clark), and both budding artists find themselves in the shadow of Arkadina and Trigorin (Matt Johnson), a novelist of great esteem. PREVIEW: Chekov’s ‘Seagull’ explores theater in transition, an interview with ensemble member Sherman Fracher.

• “Bringing Sexy Back,” Shadowbox Cabaret, Newport on the Levee. 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. $30 adults, $20 students/seniors. (859) 581-7625. A collection of original sketch comedy and live rock ‘n’ roll from house band BillWho? dedicated to love, relationships, and America’s favorite pastime (wink wink).

• “110 in the Shade,” book by N. Richard Nash, music and lyrics by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (the team that created “The Fantasticks”), based on “The Rainmaker” by N. Richard Nash. Mariemont Players, Walton Creek Theater, 4101 Walton Creek Road, Cincinnati. $17. (513) 684-1236. A heartfelt fable about a con man, a country girl, and the way that love can overcome cynicism in even the most tired of souls. Features Wayne Wright as Starbuck.

• “Once Upon a Mattress” by Mary Rodgers, Marshall Barer, Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller. Playhouse South, Clark Haines Theatre, 3700 Far Hills Ave., Kettering. 8 p.m. $12, $10 seniors, $7 students. (888) 262-3792. Musical comedy that launched the career of Carol Burnett in 1950, based on “The Princess and the Pea” fairy tale.

• “The Seven Year Itch” by George Axelrod, 8 p.m., Covedale Center for the Performing Arts. $21 adults, $19 students/seniors. (513) 241-6550. The 1955 film version contains one of the most iconic images of the 20th century: Marilyn Monroe standing on a subway grate as her dress is blown above her knees by a passing train.

galleries/exhibitions

• Opening night reception, 6 to 9 p.m., for “The BorgDot Works,” an exhibition of micro-sculptures by Oxford artist David Dotson, Manifest Gallery and Drawing Center, 2727 Woodburn Ave., Cincinnati. 513.861.3638. Also on view, “Looking Through the Glass” by Tama Hochbaum. PREVIEW: David Dotson at Manifest Gallery.

• Opening reception 6 to 9 p.m. for “Luminous Paintings” by Tom Bacher, Weston Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, downtown Cincinnati. STORY: Tom Bacher exhibition at the Weston Gallery.

• “Identities” at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, featuring the work of David T. Collins, Cristin Millett, Kim Curinga and Amy Rich. PREVIEW: Fitton Center exhibit explores personal identities.

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Young Painters Competition, Miami University Hiestand Gallery, Oxford. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (513) 529-1883. PREVIEW: Jessie Fisher reaches figure painting aspirations

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

• “Drawing the Figure: Grace Benedict,” Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at the College of Mount St. Joseph, 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. (513) 244-4314; www.msj.edu. PREVIEW: Purdue University artist displays at Mt. St. Jo gallery

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Tom Bacher exhibition at the Weston Gallery

By Richard O Jones | Friday, January 23, 2009, 01:21 AM

The Cincinnati Arts Association’s Alice F. and Harris K. Weston Art Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts presents “Luminous Paintings” by Tom Bacher, an overview of the artist’s work from the past ten years.

A renowned Cincinnati painter, Tom Bacher has consistently amazed audiences for years with large-scale paintings that literally glow in the dark. The same painting can contain both a day and a night view, as in this landscape:

Combining phosphorescent pigments with acrylic medium (a process he invented), Bacher’s canvases incorporate the element of time, enabling his paintings to be viewed with and without light as they provide dramatically different personas, trans-forming into luminous wonders right before the viewer’s eyes.

In the dark, Bacher’s paintings shift from physical objects to what appear to be light projections on the wall. As the intensity of the glow provided by the phosphorescent pigments begins to fade, viewers witness subtle differences in the images, providing a continually changing experience. Through his light-emitting paintings, Bacher effectively merges his fascination with color and light.

For his exhibition at the Weston Art Gallery, encompassing both levels, he will include both non-objective abstract paintings and representational paintings featuring skylines of New York, Las Vegas and Cincinnati, as well as suburban scenes and open landscapes of the southwestern United States. A number of paintings, featured from private collections, will be viewed for the first time in Cincinnati.

Bacher, a native Cincinnatian, has locally been featured in exhibitions at the Miami University Art Museum and the Fitton Center for Creative Arts. In 1983, he completed a major commission for the Omni Netherland Hotel in downtown Cincinnati consisting of six twenty-one feet tall murals depicting the Cincinnati skyline. Bacher’s work is represented in numerous museum, corporate, and private collections.

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Daily Mail

By Richard O Jones | Thursday, January 22, 2009, 04:52 PM

The circus is coming — and plans to stick around awhile

• Tickets for “Over The Top,” the 138th Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, are available starting today at the U.S. Bank Arena Box Office, The Bank of Kentucky Center, at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are $12-$85. The Greatest Show on Earth will be extending its stay in the Tri-State area by an extra week for the first time since PT Barnum’s Great Roman Hippodrome performed for 11 days there in 1874. “Over the Top” will play to Cincinnati crowds for two weeks starting at The Bank of Kentucky Center, Feb. 27-March 1, and then move to the U.S. Bank Arena from March 4-8.

Call for entries: Mason Arts Festival, exhibitors and poster contests

The Mason Area Arts Council is accepting entries for the fourth Mason Arts Festival to be held on Sunday, Sept. 20 at the Mason Municipal Center.

This Mason Arts Festival is a judged and juried event and will award $3,000 in prize money. Over 110 booth artists will be featured, along with another 60 artists inside the Mason Municipal Center called “The City Gallery” exhibition.

Booth applications are due April 1. City Gallery, performing arts and food vendors are due Aug. 7.

The Mason Area Arts Council is also sponsoring two poster contests:

• The Art in the Garden Tour “The Daisy” theme poster will award a $200 prize.

• The Mason Arts Festival “The Dragonfly” poster will award a $300 prize.

Poster contest entries need to be delivered to the Mason High School lobby at 6001 Mason-Montgomery Rd., between 4 and 6 p.m. March 3.

For applications and guidelines, please visit www.masonarts.com or the Mason Public Library, 200 Reading Rd., Mason, or call (513) 573-0007.

See last year’s winners at the jump.

Learn about creativity at Oxford Community Arts Center

The Oxford Lane Library and Oxford Community Arts Center present “Creativity & Expression: Local Artists and Their Works,” 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. Local artists Elizabeth Brice, Leah Tuscany, Marcia B. Waller and Rebekah Powers will discuss their background, inspirations and their experiences as artists in the greater Oxford area.

Watercolor, abstract photography and lampwork beads will be on display. There will be a question and answer period after the presentation. This event is open to all ages and will take place at the Oxford Community Arts Center at 10 S. College Ave. (513) 523-7531.

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Things to do today: “Identities” opens at Fitton Center; “Travels with Angelica” at the Playhouse

By Richard O Jones | Thursday, January 22, 2009, 01:00 AM

THEATER/PERFORMING ARTS

• Opening night of Joseph McDonough’s “Travels with Angelica” at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. 8 p.m. $27-$55. This is McDonough’s second time to win the Playhouse’s annual New Play Prize, following “Stone My Heart” in 2006. The Playhouse has also produced his “One” in 2003, and the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati did his “Wayfarer’s Rest” a few seasons ago. He also co-writes ETC’s annual holiday show with songwriter David Kisor.

• “Grease,” featuring “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, presented by Broadway Across America, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20-$71. (513) 241-7469. PREVIEW: Taylor Hicks ‘Grease’-ing his way into acting. REVIEW: Photos from ‘Grease’.

• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” featuring Miami University alum Steve Wilson, ’94, has the lead role of Caractacus Potts, 8 p.m. Schuster Center in Dayton. $19-$55.50. (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630.

• “I Love You Because” by Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $12. This musical comedy follows Austin Bennet, a young greeting card writer in New York City, whose life is turned upside down when he finds his girlfriend wBroadway Across Americaith another man.

• “Dying City” by Christopher Shinn, New Stage Collective, 1140 Main St., Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20 general, $16 senior, $12 student. (513) 621-3700. A complicated triangle in 90 minutes, fraught with misgivings and misunderstandings as Rob Jansen plays twin brothers and Julianna Bloodgood as the woman they love in different ways. Drew Fracher directs. REVIEW: A little drama explores big personal issues

• “The Seagull” by Anton Chekhov, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, 719 Race Street, Cincinnati. 7:30 p.m. $26 reserved, $22 seniors, $16 students. (513) 381-2273. Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” takes place in rural, turn of the 20th century Russia and tells the story of Konstantin (Justin McCombs), a young writer, and his mother Irina Arkadina (Sherman Fracher), an actress past her prime. Konstantin is in love with a young actress, Nina (Hayley Clark), and both budding artists find themselves in the shadow of Arkadina and Trigorin (Matt Johnson), a novelist of great esteem. PREVIEW: Chekov’s ‘Seagull’ explores theater in transition, an interview with ensemble member Sherman Fracher. REVIEW: Tight ensemble work keeps “The Seagull” energetic

• “Bringing Sexy Back,” Shadowbox Cabaret, Newport on the Levee. 7:30 p.m. $30 adults, $20 students/seniors. (859) 581-7625. A collection of original sketch comedy and live rock ‘n’ roll from house band BillWho? dedicated to love, relationships, and America’s favorite pastime (wink wink).

• “The Seven Year Itch” by George Axelrod, 8 p.m., Covedale Center for the Performing Arts. $21 adults, $19 students/seniors. (513) 241-6550. The 1955 film version was co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, and starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, reprising his Broadway role. It contains one of the most iconic images of the 20th century: Monroe standing on a subway grate as her dress is blown above her knees by a passing train.

GALLERIES/EXHIBITIONS

* Opening reception tonight, 5:30 to 8 p.m., for “Identities” at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, featuring the work of David T. Collins, Cristin Millett, Kim Curinga and Amy Rich. PREVIEW: Fitton Center exhibit explores personal identities.

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Young Painters Competition, Miami University Hiestand Gallery, Oxford. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (513) 529-1883. PREVIEW: Jessie Fisher reaches figure painting aspirations

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

• “Drawing the Figure: Grace Benedict,” Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at the College of Mount St. Joseph, 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. (513) 244-4314; www.msj.edu. PREVIEW: Purdue University artist displays at Mt. St. Jo gallery

• “Cincinnati - A Glimpse from the Past,” The Betts House, 416 Clark St., two blocks west of Music Hall, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. $2. (513) 651-0734. PREVIEW: Compare Cincinnati’s past and present in photography exhibition

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REVIEW: “The Seagull”, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

By Richard O Jones | Thursday, January 22, 2009, 12:51 AM

With its dysfunctional family dynamics, doomed relationships and generally bleak world view, Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” is the kind of play that makes you want to take a nice, long look at the inside of a gas oven.

But in a good way.

Because no matter how lousy your life and relationships are, “The Seagull” reminds us how much worse things can be.

Tight ensemble work keeps “The Seagull” energetic

The action takes place on the Sorin’s country estate, a seemingly tranquil retreat beside a lake where the old man’s health is failing. But when his friends and family arrive for the summer, an intricate web of love and duplicity begins to take shape.

Sorin’s sister is Irina Arkadina, a well-known classical actress, accompanied by a successful middle-brow author named Trigorin, a man a decade or so younger. Irina’s son Konstantin has fallen in love with one of the local girls, Nina, the daughter of a nearby landowner, and has cast her in his avante garde play. But the star-struck Nina falls for Trigorin, who is quite willing to toy with her. Konstantin has caught the affections of the ever-mourning Masha, the daughter of the estate manager whose wife has been having a long-standing affair with Dorn, a physician and old friend of the family. Everyone hates the simpering schoolteacher Medvendeko, but he is desperately in love with Masha.

With a set-up like that, you know it’s going to end badly, but not without a lot of discourse on the nature of love, life and art.

But it’s quite a ride getting to the oh-so-tragic ending, made all the more enjoyable by an amazing ensemble of actors who work together like a 10-piece band, and there’s not a weak spot in the bunch for this production. Hayley Clark makes a remarkable transformation during Nina’s fall from grace, from socialite to unwed mother. Hers is the only character that makes a significant transformation in this play in spite of all the drama, if you don’t count Konstantin’s journey to despair, but he begins the play as a cynic. But Justin McCombs’ performance also lets us see the innocence in him, particularly in Konstantin’s complicated relationship with his mother, grandly played by Sherman Fracher. The scene between them when she changes the bandage on his head and cleans the wound he made during an off-stage suicide attempt is one of the play’s richer moments.

Matt Johnson continues a killer season (Hamlet, Toby Belch, the emperor in “Amadeus”) as the mopey, fishing-obsessed Trigorin, the unlikely villain who takes advantage of Nina’s adoration. It’s also fun watching Sara Clark as her Masha dives deeper into anguish over her unrequited love for Konstantin, even as she marries the doting schoolteacher (Josh Stamos) and tears him to shreds.

Tom Stoppard gives Chekhov’s dark world a humorous gloss, however, with clever word play and the occasional collapse of the fourth wall, giving the ensemble a wealth of humanity to sink their teeth into, a contemporary spin on a classic drama.

Photos: Front: Justin McCombs as Konstantin: Top: Sherman Fracher and Justin McCombs; middle, Hayley Clark as Nina; bottom: Matt Johnson as Trigorin

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Fitton Center exhibit explores personal identity

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 03:15 PM

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts has assembled the work of four national artists in an exhibition that explores various aspects of personal identity.

“Each artist will have his or her own space in the first- and second-floor galleries,” said Cathy Mayhugh, director of exhibitions.

“While each of the artists proposed their shows individually, the committee saw some relationships in their work,” she said. “In their own way, each artist addresses issues such as personal memories and how we forge our own sense of identity.”

Read the whole story here.

‘Identities’

• What: Art by David T. Collins, Kim Curinga, Cristin Millett and Amy Rich

• Where: Fitton Center for Creative Arts, 101 S. Monument Ave., Hamilton

• When: Opening reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22; exhibition remains on view through March 20

• Information: (513) 863-8873; www.fittoncenter.org

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Sonny Moorman releases ‘Live as Hell’ CD

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 03:03 PM

Butler County’s hard-working bluesman Sonny Moorman celebrates the next chapter of his career on Friday, Jan. 23, with the release of “Live as Hell,” a CD with 14 new recordings — live, of course.

Released by the Macon, Ga.,-based Atlas records, the set was co-produced by Moorman and noted producer-engineer-mixer Erwin Musper whose diverse credits include working with such artists as Van Halen, David Bowie, Elton John, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger and Yngwie Malmsteen.

The recordings were originally made for a live DVD project, Moorman said, but securing the rights to the cover material proved too expensive and laborious, so Moorman chose a selection of the sessions’ material for this audio disc.

“I wanted a CD that would have songs we’ve never released before, but songs that go over well when we play live,” he said. “I didn’t want people saying that we’re just recycling songs that were on my previous albums.”

So he album contains a blend of blues and rock classics including “Key to the Highway,” “Rattlesnake Shake,” “Cincinnati Jail,” “Highway 61 Revisited,” “Wham” and “Oh Well.” “Even though they are cover tunes, they’re not things that have been done to death,” he said.

Fans may notice a lack of original material. But Moorman said that they took the original songs recorded at the sessions with the video and posted them on YouTube.com/sonnymoorman where fans can watch for free (see below).

Moorman was the runner-up at the 2007 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Blues Festival Guides’s 2008 Blues Artist on the Rise and has garnered numerous other awards and accolades in recent years.

how to go

• WHAT: Sonny Moorman CD Release Party for “Live as Hell”

• WHERE: Cardi’s Bar & Grill, 101 Bacher Square, Fairfield

• WHEN: 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23

• COST: $10 admission gets you a copy of the CD

• MORE INFO: (513) 889-3952; www.sonnymoorman.com

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Today’s mail

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 03:00 AM

History exhibition at MU

History buffs may want to note that an exhibition, “Brotherhood and Sisterhood: The Art and Artifacts of Greek Letter Societies at Miami University, 1833-2008,” opens Saturday, Feb. 14, at the McGuffey Museum. Miami has been recognized for more than a century as the “Mother of Fraternities,” since four national fraternities and two national sororities were founded there. The McGuffey exhibition will focus on traditions and lore of Greek letter societies and includes badges and profiles of campus landmarks such as the Phi Delta Theta campus gates.

Local artist gets international recognition

Rosemarie Bloch, who was recently part of the “Topographies” exhibition at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, has received a Special Recognition Merit Award for her artwork selected for the “11th Annual All Media Juried Online International Art Exhibition” hosted by Upstream People Gallery in the United States. Her submission to the competition was “Take Five,” a tribute to jazz musician Dave Brubeck, which was also part of the Fitton Center show.

Juror Larry Bradshaw, Professor of Art at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said: “Rosemarie Bloch of Okeana, Ohio is quite the colorist. The intensity of her color palette is eye-catching, moreover the juxtapositioning of the five rectangular and square canvases strengthens the idea of her acrylic painting entitled “Take Five”.”’ The exhibition will be featured online at www.upstreampeoplegallery.com, until Dec. 31.

Calls for entry to Manifest Gallery exhibitions

Jan. 30 is the deadline for “Mythography: An Exploration of Narrative Art.”

Here’s the pitch: “Whether gathered around a campfire telling ghost stories, buried into an epic novel, or following the latest adventures of Spider-man, we are fascinated with stories, legends, myths and fables. Stories help locate us, form our personal identities and often operate as larger metaphors for reality. Throughout history, from the stately historic paintings of Jacques-Louis David to the provocative films of Matthew Barney, visual artists have offered a unique contribution to the telling of tales. Manifest enthusiastically invites national and international artists, working in any visual creative medium, to come tell a story.”

Complete entry info here.

Manifest Gallery is also seeking submissions for:

• Fifth annual “Rites of Passage: A Competitive Annual National Exhibition of Works by New Artists.” $300 Best of Show prize. Deadline is March 13. Complete entry info here.

• Fifth annual “Magnitude Seven: An International Competitive Exhibit of Small Works.” Deadline April 24. Complete entry info here.

2009 Festivals Directory now available

The 2009 Ohio Art Council’s Festivals and Competitions Directory is a useful guide for artists interested in places to display and sell their work - from traditional crafts to arts on the cutting edge - and for anyone seeking to experience the arts in Ohio.

The directory contains detailed information about arts and crafts festivals and competitions, including dates, activities, number of spaces available for artists to display work, fees and contact information.

It is organized by date and location and includes alphabetical indexes of festivals by name, city, region and sponsor. A complete version of the 2009 Ohio Arts Council’s Festivals and Competitions Directory will also be listed online.

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Things to do today: Dan Faehnle Trio at Midday Music in Oxford

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 01:00 AM

CONCERTS

• The Midday Music in Oxford series the Dan Faehnle Trio, noon at the Oxford Presbyterian Church, 101 N. Main Street in Oxford. As Grammy-winner jazz vocalisit/pianist Diana Krall’s world tour guitarist, jazz guitarist Faehnle has appeared, among others, at Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and on television shows, radio and other media events. An Ohio native, Faehnle now lives in Hamilton and his latest CD is “Ohio Lunch,” a title inspired by Hamilton’s High Street diner. The trio includes bassist Michael Sharfe, a founding and current member of the Blue Wisp Jazz Orchestra in Cincinnati, and pianist Jim Connerly, a member of the jazz faculty of the University of Louisville School of Music. (513) 523-6969.

THEATER/PERFORMING ARTS

* “Grease,” featuring “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, presented by Broadway Across America, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. 8 p.m. $20-$71. (513) 241-7469. PREVIEW: Taylor Hicks ‘Grease’-ing his way into acting

• Final preview for the world premiere of Joseph McDonough’s “Travels with Angelica” at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Tickets are $39 ($24 for the Corner Club). Opening night is Thursday and the show continues until Feb. 15.

• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” featuring Miami University alum Steve Wilson, ’94, has the lead role of Caractacus Potts, 8 p.m. Schuster Center in Dayton. $19-$55.50. (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630.

• “The Nina Variations” by Steven Dietz,” 7:30 p.m. at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, a collaboration with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Acting Intern Company and a sidebar to the CSC’s production of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” in which star-crossed lovers Nina and Treplev a chance to create a different ending to their story by repeating the famous final scene 42 different ways. $15 for adults and $10 for students. (513) 381-2273.

GALLERIES/EXHIBITIONS

• “Obim: My Life,” an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Kene Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Dr., Fairfield. (513) 867-5348. PREVIEW: Chukwuemeka uses ‘signs’ from his homeland in paintings’

• Young Painters Competition, Miami University Hiestand Gallery, Oxford. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (513) 529-1883. PREVIEW: Jessie Fisher reaches figure painting aspirations

• Art by Daryl Urig, Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway. No charge. (513) 424-2417. PREVIEW: Middletown Arts Center kicks off 2009 with Daryl Urig

• “Drawing the Figure: Grace Benedict,” Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at the College of Mount St. Joseph, 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. (513) 244-4314; www.msj.edu. PREVIEW: Purdue University artist displays at Mt. St. Jo gallery

• “Cincinnati - A Glimpse from the Past,” The Betts House, 416 Clark St., two blocks west of Music Hall, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. $2. (513) 651-0734. PREVIEW: Compare Cincinnati’s past and present in photography exhibition

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Pictures from ‘Grease’

By Richard O Jones | Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 12:09 AM

If you’re thinking about getting tickets to “Grease” at the Aronoff Center, you should probably act fast. It’s quite a spectacular, and judging by the audience reaction on opening night, my guess is it’ll be a quick-seller.

By far one of the better productions of this chestnut that I’ve seen, and the supporting performers tend to steal the show. Though the energy definitely spikes when American Idol Taylor Hicks emerges from a giant ice cream cone to sing “Beauty School Dropout,” Nashville native Allie Schulz shows just as much poise and power as Rizzo in her two big numbers, “Look at Me I’m Sandra Dee” and “There are Worse Things I Can Do,” showing a range of emotion and the ability to nail both a comic number and a torch ballad. No surprise that she joins the tour from the Broadway production, as does Brian Crum, playing Doody, who makes “Those Magic Changes” live up to the title.

The spectacle includes the onstage transformation of Kenickie’s beat-up jalopy into a sleek sports car during “Greased Lightning,” as well as the afore-mentioned giant ice cream cone.

There’s also a lively pre-show with WAXX DJ Vince Fontaine (Dominic Fortuna) that seems silly to me, but the crowd loved it, so if you want to maximize your entertainment dollar, be there when the house opens and sing along to some of the golden oldies.

Oddly enough, there weren’t any photos of the show’s big-name star, American Idol Taylor Hicks, from this tour in the image set sent by Broadway Across America, but he’s only in one song anyway. Click on the jump to see more.