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‘An Enemy of the People’ Review – Wright State University – Bold and Unafraid

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Within the past year, the following organizations and individuals chose to speak up even if there was hell to pay: CNN; MSNBC; The New York Times; The Washington Post; The Intelligence Community Whistleblower; Marie Yovanovitch; William Taylor; Gordon Sondland; Fiona Hill; Alexander Vindman; David Holmes; Joseph Maguire; Michael Atkinson; John Bolton; John Kelly; Lev Parnas; Andrew McCabe; Lisa Page; Adam Schiff; Nancy Pelosi; Mitt Romney; Bernie Sanders; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; Ilhan Omar; Ayanna Pressley; Rashida Tlaib; Tulsi Gabbard; Beto O’Rourke; Greta Thunberg; The Hong Kong Protestors; Dr. Li Wenliang; Colin Kaepernick; Wade Robson; James Safechuck; Annabella Sciorra; Stacey Abrams; and Nan Whaley.

Nick Martin (center as Dr. Stockmann) and the cast of Wright State University’s production of “An Enemy of the People.” (Photo by Steve Tischer)

Those diverse notables have a kindred spirit in Dr. Thomas Stockmann, the emotional, determined and heroic truth-teller at the center of Arthur Miller’s 1950 adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 drama An Enemy of the People, dynamically presented in the Herbst Theatre of Wright State University under the remarkably astute, atmospheric and intimate direction of W. Stuart McDowell. In his small Norwegian town, well-respected Dr. Stockmann is put to the test when his shocking discovery of polluted waters rips his community apart. On the verge of becoming a booming tourist resort thanks to its purported healing waters, the town eagerly awaits reaping financial rewards regardless of whether or not society is destroyed in the process. Despite heated warnings from his brother Peter, the Mayor and chief champion of the town’s impending spa, Dr. Stockmann passionately persists, finding support among the local press but ultimately losing control of the narrative due to an overwhelming majority unwilling to budge. “The public doesn’t want new ideas,” he’s told. “The public is much better off with old ideas.” In addition to environmental issues, the incredibly timely themes bolstering this thought-provoking showcase, expertly staged in-the-round, include freedom of the press, political gamesmanship, corporate corruption, and majority vs. minority friction.

(left to right) Annika Whetstone (Petra Stockmann), Hailey Marshall (Catherine Stockmann) and Nick Martin (Dr. Stockmann) in Wright State University’s production of “An Enemy of the People.” (Photo by Steve Tischer)

As Dr. Stockmann, towering knockout Nick Martin is a moral pillar of strength and unyielding purpose, stressing the importance of courageously standing in one’s truth specifically in Act 2’s unnerving town meeting. In fact, Martin is so convincingly attacked as The Other I’m surprised McDowell didn’t encourage his cast to shout “lock him up!” for the sake of contemporary rally relevancy. Charismatic, handsome and versatile Will Graber, slickly commanding the stage with top hat and baton in tow as if camouflaging as a genteel Macheath, outstandingly portrays arrogant Peter, who will stop at nothing to see his pet project succeed even if it forever fractures his own family. The splendidly matched Martin and Graber are so believably adversarial yet bonded (at the town meeting, Graber cautiously dials down Peter’s vitriol in an attempt to stop the citizens from resorting to violence against Thomas after getting them revved up) that I found myself wondering about the backstories of their fascinating characters. What fueled their sibling rivalry? Who was the favored son growing up? Is Peter jealous of Thomas for being the patriarch of a loving family? Miller and Ibsen keep matters in the present, but the possibilities of the past entice nonetheless due to Martin and Graber’s skillfully mature finesse.

Nick Martin (Dr. Stockmann), Will Graber (Peter Stockmann) and the cast of Wright State University’s production of “An Enemy of the People.” (Photo by Steve Tischer)

Elsewhere in principal roles, Hailey Marshall is supportive yet formidable as matriarch Catherine Stockmann, Annika Whetstone sparkles as Thomas and Catherine’s bright, perceptive daughter Petra, Christopher Wells (Billing) Cole Frasher (Aslaksen) and Louie Kurtzman (Hovstad) are superb as fickle journalists, Aidan Lord exudes elderly credibility as Catherine’s father Morten Kiil, Matthew Shanahan (Ejlif Stockmann) and Mikey Fried (Morten Stockmann) charm as Thomas and Catherine’s rambunctious sons, Dylan Roll offers comic relief as The Drunk, and Jake Siwek tenderly embodies Captain Horster, Thomas’ friend soon journeying to America. The large, terrifically focused ensemble bringing furious rage to the town meeting and whose repeatedly whispered chants against the Stockmanns eerily haunt the recesses of the mind consists of Abbie Bookman, Kyle Channell, Abby Choi, Xiao Ni Denker, Branden Fisher, Sydney Freihofer, Chap Hollin, Amanda Jacobson, Theo Karras, Kevin Lausche, Alexis Muhlenkamp, Brie Parsons, Nick Salazar, and Alex Tischer.
In addition to costumer Tatyana Kowalski’s attractive period designs including Graber’s dapper, runway-ready suit, McDowell’s excellent production team includes scenic designer Carleigh Siebert, lighting designer Malia Dalba, sound designer James Dunlap, dialect coach Deborah Thomas, and properties master John Lavarnway. McDowell also incorporates Academy Award winner Hildur Guonadóttir’s (Joker) Emmy and Grammy-winning music from the HBO series Chernobyl as dramatic underscore and creates a striking, Equus-esque Act 1 finale recalling the visceral sensual nuance of recent Broadway revivals staged by Tony-winning avant garde director Ivo van Hove (A View From the Bridge, West Side Story).
In stinging fashion, walking a delicate tight rope between comedy and drama, impeccable dialogue overflows in this richly resonate play: “You’re an official – you keep your convictions to yourself”; “We live and die on what the outside world thinks of us”; “Without moral authority there can be no government”; “The majority is never right until it does right.” Without a doubt, Miller and Ibsen are speaking to us at this crucial moment in American history. You won’t hear exact references to current affairs but the subtext is absolutely inescapable. After all, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more important piece of theater happening in Dayton right now. In a perfect world, Wright State would take this show on tour to local high schools this spring and be remounted in some capacity this fall in conjunction with a voter registration drive as the presidential election intensifies.

The Ensemble of Wright State University’s production of “An Enemy of the People.” (Photo by Steve Tischer)

Cutting deep as a fiercely urgent call to action, An Enemy of the People is simply one of the best productions of the season.

An Enemy of the People continues through March 1 in the downstairs, black box Herbst Theatre of the Creative Arts Center at Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Dayton. Act One: 65 minutes; Act Two: 50 minutes. Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students. For tickets or more information, call (937) 775-2500 or visit wright.edu/tdmp

The God Who Speaks

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Can we trust the Bible? Does God really speak through His Word? Has the Bible been changed? Find answers to these questions and more at a FREE screening of the documentary “The God Who Speaks” with a panel discussion to follow.

Wright State University, Oelman 109, 7pm February 21st

Lean How To Use Storytelling To Lead Strategic Change

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Register now for Wright State University’s seventh annual Organizational Effectiveness Lecture Series (OELS). This year’s topic is…

 What’s Your Story? 

How To Use Storytelling To
Lead Strategic Change

During this event, Andy Eninger – a writer, comedian and former head of the writing program for the famed comedy theater The Second City – will share his insight on the risk of leaving people behind when vision and direction shift.
Something gets lost between that brilliant new strategy and the people who have to make it real. They don’t understand and check out, fade away or underperform because they’re overwhelmed and underinformed. Great leaders connect the dots through great storytelling. They map the message, going beyond bullet-
points. They build a story that builds trust, gives purpose and inspires.
In this interactive presentation, attendees will learn how to:
  • Recognize the power of storytelling for making strategic change meaningful and personal.
  • Use tools for framing message to help audiences understand the ‘why’ and ‘why it matters’.
  • Apply universal storytelling elements like hero, hook and metaphor.
  • Simplify information to be more memorable.
  • Build rapport, trust and transparency through a well-crafted anecdote.
  • Be more adaptive and connected in the delivery of information.
Andy Eninger plunders techniques from the world of improvisation, comedy writing, consumer insights and marketing for an innovative and entertaining, experiential learning experience. He’s a storytelling expert, speaker and learning designer. He helps individuals and organizations connect to audiences by understanding, crafting and delivering their stories in a memorable way. Andy has worked with hundreds of corporations, including Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Cigna, State Farm and many more. He’s traveled the world designing and delivering learning programs on collaborative leadership, executive presence, innovation and storytelling. For Second City Works, he spearheaded learning programs on storytelling, selling skills and diversity & inclusion.


Thursday, March 29
7:45 – 8:30 a.m. Registration, Breakfast & Networking
8:30 – 11:30 a.m. Program
Wright State University Nutter Center, 
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy., Berry Rm., Fairborn
 
Cost: 
$30 (early bird pricing until February 28);
$35 (March 1 – March 29);
$10 for Students
For more information and to register, click here.

‘The Children’s Hour’ Review – Wright State University – Alternative Facts Run Amok

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Two schoolteachers accused of lesbianism at an all-girls boarding school cannot escape the onslaught of lies encircling them in Lillian Hellman’s provocative, rarely staged 1934 drama “The Children’s Hour,” excellently presented by Wright State University under the delicately firm direction of Marya Spring Cordes.

(left to right) Megan Valle (Mrs. Amelia Tilford), Zac Pruett (Dr. Joseph Cardin), Katie Post (Karen Wright), and Haley Knuth (Martha Dobie) appear in Wright State University’s production of Lillian Hellman’s “The Children’s Hour.” (Contributed photo by Chris Snyder)

Karen Wright (Katie Post) and Martha Dobie (Haley Knuth) are shocked to the core when troublesome 12-year-old student Mary Tilford (Dana Bixler) tells her stern yet doting grandmother Amelia (Megan Valle) what she thinks she heard about their behavior behind closed doors. As Mary’s vicious falsehoods spin out of control, Karen’s engagement to good-natured Dr. Joseph Cardin (Zac Pruett) is put to the test while an infuriated Martha ultimately faces a harsh reality.

 
Hellman’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated script, inspired by an 1810 incident at a school in Edinburgh, Scotland, is very impactful but overlong and a bit stodgy. There’s also a peculiarity in the climax some might find terribly cold or downright humorous depending on one’s mood. Nevertheless, the keen perspectives Hellman presents from bullying to intolerance to same-sex desires to the power of manipulation are truly relevant (and Arthur Miller-esque) in the wake of current societal and political strife.

 
Post and Knuth are heartbreaking and emotionally savvy, giving subtle insight into the depths of Karen and Martha’s relationship without suggesting anything more than friendship. In fact, notice how this talented duo beautifully consoles each other with a blanket in Act 2, a visual that speaks volumes in its warmth and sensitivity. The spiritedly vindictive Bixler, the epitome of a spoiled brat on the verge of utter psychosis, is a tremendous force to be reckoned with as Mary orchestrates her madness. The very endearing Pruett effectively conveys Joe’s loyalty to Karen and his heartfelt understanding of her deep bond with Martha. Valle, a skillful chameleon memorably dynamic last summer as the Mute in Columbus’ Short North Stage’s “The Fantasticks,” marvelously grasps Amelia’s elderly austerity as well as her pivotal uncertainty when faced with Mary’s wild claims.

 
The strong cast includes Caitlin Shiner as Mrs. Lily Mortar, Brynnan McNeill (terrific opposite Bixler) as naïve Rosalie Wells, Madeline Musico (eavesdropping with “Downton Abbey”-style finesse) as Amelia’s maid Agatha, Heather Cooperman as Peggy Rogers, Rachel Woeste as Evelyn Munn, Taylor Patrick as Lois Fisher, Drew Longmore as Helen Burton, Kayli Modell as Catherine, Celia Arthur as Janet, Donnasia Allen as Leslie, and Grant Measures as Grocery Boy.
Cordes’ first-rate artistic team includes scenic designer David J. Castellano (projections heighten his fine work smoothly depicting altering locales), lighting designer Jennifer Watson (evocatively incorporating shadow as the story grows bleak), costumer Naomi Reisner (supplying attractive period attire), and sound designer Rachel Haas.

 
In addition, it’s significant to note “The Children’s Hour,” filmed in 1961 starring Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine, was the subject of one of the first landmark court cases to address censorship of gay and lesbian subject matter. The show was to play Boston after its acclaimed Broadway run but was banned by the city’s public censor because of its “lesbian content.” In 1936, the play’s producer and the American Civil Liberties Union partnered to challenge the ruling in federal court, marking the A.C.L.U.’s first “gay rights” case and prompting censorship of gay-themed content in the arts to become part of the national conversation.

 
“The Children’s Hour” continues through Feb. 12 in the Creative Arts Center Festival Playhouse of Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. Performances are Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Act One: 100 minutes; Act Two: 50 minutes. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 students and seniors. For more information, call (937) 775-2500 or visit wright.edu/theatre-tickets. Patrons are advised the play is intended for adult audiences.

 

 

Tom Hanks Fever + Cincinnati & Dayton’s MILES AHEAD at THE NEON!

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26004198166_ffa375b1b8_oHello Everyone,

We’re cleaning house this week!  On Friday, we will start two brand new films. First is Don Cheadle’s MILES AHEAD. This film was shot in Cincinnati and Dayton, and many filmmakers and actors from the region participated in the production (I even had the privilege of being an extra for a day back in 2014). In addition, we’ll open A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING – starring Tom Hanks. Dayton is currently quite excited about Hanks and his attachment to Wright State University. Interestingly, Stuart McDowell of WSU visited Hanks on the set of HOLOGRAM FOR A KING in Berlin. It was during this meeting that Hanks agreed to put his name on the new “Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures” at WSU. (Would you like to win an autographed poster? Keep reading.)

Synopsis for MILES AHEAD: “In the midst of a dazzling and prolific career at the forefront of modern jazz innovation, Miles Davis (Don Cheadle) virtually disappears from public view for a period of five years in the late 1970s. Alone and holed up in his home, he is beset by chronic pain from a deteriorating hip, his musical voice stifled and numbed by drugs and pain medications, his mind haunted by unsettling ghosts from the past.” (taken from Sony Classics) Shot in Cincinnati & Dayton, this improvisation on the life of Miles Davis is a treat for music lovers! Click this LINK to visit the film’s official website.

 

Synopsis for A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING: This film is based on the beloved novel by Dave Eggers and directed by visionary director Tom Tykwer. “Cultures collide when an American businessman (Tom Hanks) is sent to Saudi Arabia to close what he hopes will be the deal of a lifetime. Baffled by local customs and stymied by an opaque bureaucracy, he eventually finds his footing with the help of a wise-cracking taxi driver (Alexander Black) and a beautiful Saudi doctor (Sarita Choudhury).” (taken from Roadside Attractions) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official website. (More about Hanks, HOLOGRAM and WSU below.)

On Monday, April 25 at 7:30, Gathr Films along with Tricia Rau-Hammond will present a one-time screening of the new documentary MILK. “Through an intimate and artistic lens, MILK brings a universal perspective on the politics, commercialization and controversies surrounding birth and infant feeding over the canvas of stunningly beautiful visuals and poignant voices from around the globe. Inspiring, informative, provocative and sensitive, MILK celebrates bringing a new life into this world with a strong call to action and reflection.” (taken from Press Notes) In addition to the screening, the evening will feature a raffle of prizes from Luna Blue’s Boutique. Advanced tickets must be purchased on the Gathr site by following this LINK. If tickets remain, they will be available at our box office one hour before the screening.

“The seniors from the award winning Motion Picture program at Wright State University are showcasing their thesis work at the annual BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL. The film festival of new work is scheduled for May 1st, 2016 at 7:30. There will be work from Joe Cook, Alan Lewin, Mitch Centers, Sydney Waltz, Brian Roll, C. B. Hovey, Jessica Barton, Michaela Scholl, Eric Risher, and Liz Lowe. Past participants in Big Lens have won awards at festivals such as Slamdance, Student Academy Awards, and Sundance.” (taken from press notes) Tickets are $7 and can now be purchased at THE NEON’s box office.

Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 has been reserved for a showcase of student work from Stivers School for the Arts. I’ll have more details for you soon!

“The Dayton International Peace Museum invites you to save Sunday, May 8, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. for HIP-HOPERATION. In conjunction with our ‘Invent Peace’ theme, this funny documentary follows the Journey of Seniors from New Zealand as they not only learn to dance Hip Hop, but attend a World Hip Hop Dance Championship in Las Vegas. Enjoy their delight in discovering a new world. Suggested Donation: $10 (includes popcorn!) More info at: daytonpeacemuseum.org or call Jerry at 937-999-7314.” (If you liked YOUNG AT HEART – the documentary about seniors singing rock songs – you’ll love this film.) Check out the trailer by clicking this LINK.

Would you like to win a poster from HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING signed by Tom Hanks? During our run of the film, you can enter your name for a chance to win one. Stuart McDowell helped to get posters autographed for us during yesterday’s festivities at WSU with Hanks – a truly fantastic event! Here are a couple photos I took from the ceremony.

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Thanks for your continued support.
I hope to see you soon at THE NEON,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, April 22 – Thursday, April 28:

MILES AHEAD (R) 1 Hr 40 Min
Friday & Saturday (Apr 22 & 23): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45
Sunday (Apr 24): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30
Monday-Thursday (Apr 25-28): 3:00, 5:10, 7:30

A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING (R) 1 Hr 37 Min
Friday & Saturday (Apr 22 & 23): 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday (Apr 24): 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:20
Monday (Apr 25): 3:10, 5:20
Tuesday-Thursday (Apr 26-28): 3:10, 5:20, 7:40

MILK – BORN INTO THIS WORLD (NR) 1 Hr 30 Min
Monday (Apr 25): 7:30
ONE NIGHT ONLY!

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear.)
TBD – THE DARK HORSE
TBD – KRISHA
TBD – THE CONGRESSMAN
May 6 – SING STREET
May 13 – LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP
May 27 – THE MEDDLER
June 10 – MAGGIE’S PLAN
June 17 – DARK HORSE

‘The Music Man’ Review – Wright State University – Amazing Americana

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Threats of trouble arouse the small town of River City, Iowa in Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey’s classic 1957 Tony Award-winning musical comedy “The Music Man,” but there are no signs of distress in Wright State University’s fantastic presentation running through April 3 in the Festival Playhouse.

wsu music man
In this exceedingly charming tale about a con artist reawakening love and possibility within a vulnerable community in July 1912, a first-rate Nathan Robert Pecchia leads the way as Professor Harold Hill, a traveling salesman who decides to go back into his bag of tricks during a seemingly slow period. When all else fails, the creation of a boy’s band is a quick fix for Harold and Pecchia commandingly stirs the pot with deliciously assertive glee. In fact, his rip-roaring rendition of “Trouble,” a rapid-fire, talk-sung gem of commotion, disbelief and hysteria, truly mesmerizes as intended. A few scenes later, he returns with whirlwind gusto to address, in joyfully over-the-top fashion, the sight of “Seventy-Six Trombones,” which finally delivers the gullible town firmly in the palm of his shady hand. Without Pecchia’s confidence, magnetism and vocal prowess, attributes which served him well last season as a member of WSU’s equally thrilling and startlingly under-attended regional premiere of “Sondheim on Sondheim,” this “Music Man” would have been completely lopsided, which is always a huge risk for any organization producing what is essentially one of the most formidable star vehicles in the musical theatre canon.

Elsewhere in River City, Emsie Hapner provides strong moments of warmth and frustration as the terse, talked-about spinster Marian Paroo, a librarian who seeks to destroy Harold but ultimately recognizes him as her soul mate. Some of Willson’s numbers challenge Hapner’s vocal range, particularly the gorgeous soprano grandeur of “My White Knight,” but her grounded interpretation is not short of nuance or credibility overall. As Mrs. Paroo, Cassi Mikat, a recent semifinalist in the national Lotte Lenya Competition who gave one of 2015’s best performances in “Sondheim on Sondheim,” supplies feisty Irish earthiness opposite Hapner in “Piano Lesson” and “If You Don’t Mind My Saying So.” Eric Pettit, a memorable Randy Parker in La Comedia Dinner Theatre’s recent regional premiere of “A Christmas Story: The Musical,” is absolutely endearing as the introverted Winthrop. William Mendleson (an aptly befuddled Mayor Shinn) and Caitlin Geisser (beautifully costumed in pink and turquoise as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn) are a humorous duo. Knockout dancer Dakota Mullins (in a breakthrough portrayal of Tommy Djilas) and lovely Meredith Zahn (Zaneeta Shinn) tremendously conjure the spirit of Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse in “Marian the Librarian,” stunningly choreographed with exuberant chaos and elation by Dionysia Williams. The bubbly Kyle Sell (Marcellus Washburn) is a winning sidekick for Pecchia and well-paired with the goofy Emily Chodan (Ethel Toffelmier). As Harold’s enraged rival salesman Charlie Cowell, a wonderfully agitated Ben Tracy brings fiery intimidation to his pivotal testimony late in Act 2. The cohesively harmonic team of Elis Davis (Olin Britt), Jordan Adams (Oliver Hix), Connor Lysholm (Ewart Dunlop), and Kyle Krichbaum (Jacey Squires) are outstanding as the bickering school board-turned-barber shop quartet. Grace Leisch (Mrs. Squires), Lauren Everett (Alma Hix), and Madeline Vaughn (Maud Dunlop) perfectly contribute to the giddy amusement of “Pick-A-Little Talk-A-Little.” Emma Fry (Amaryllis), George Heddleston (Constable Locke/Conductor), Kyle Miller, Zach Fretag, Madeline Musico, Allie Jackson, Abbey Fry, Everett Jones, Philip Stock, Cody Westbrook, Danielle Bessler, Brynnan McNeill, Joey Kennedy, and Taylor Patrick are noteworthy.

Director Marya Spring Cordes, staging an achievement on par with her amazing “Grand Hotel” in 2013, once again proves her strengths for navigating huge, ensemble-driven pieces.

 

Whether molding believable idiosyncrasies among the townspeople or providing a new perspective for Charlie in an inspired moment in the final scene, her vision is sound and inviting. In addition to the rollicking opener “Rock Island,” her handiwork specifically hits the mark in her heartfelt execution of “The Wells Fargo Wagon,” an upbeat testament to the power of expectancy which exceptionally resolves as a tear-jerking reminder that dreams can become reality. The aforementioned Williams, so in sync with Cordes, also shines by evoking legendary choreographers Onna White and Michael Kidd in “Seventy-Six Trombones” and giving “Shipoopi” a very spirited hoedown. Cordes’ top-notch artistic team includes scenic designer Pam Knauert Lavarnway, lighting designer Jacob Brown, costumer Christie Peitzmeier, sound designer Emily Hutton, dialect coach Deborah Thomas, and music director Scot Woolley.

Showcasing WSU’s musical theatre program to the fullest, “Music Man” brings the organization’s mainstage season to a rousing finish.

“The Music Man” continues through April 3 in the Creative Arts Center Festival Playhouse of Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. Performances are March 25, 26, April 1 and 2 at 8 p.m., March 26, 27, April 2 and 3 at 2 p.m., and March 31 at 7 p.m. Act One: 90 minutes; Act Two: 60 minutes. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for students and seniors.  For tickets or more information, call (937) 775-2500 or visit wright.edu/theatre-tickets.

 

‘Chicago’ Review – Wright State University – How to Get Away with Murder

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Long before Annalise Keating displayed tremendous legal savvy, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly knew how to get away with murder in the Windy City of the Roaring Twenties. And it’s a lot of fun seeing these merry murderesses of the Cook County Jail compete to the hilt behind bars and in the press while enticing with delicious decadence in Wright State University’s marvelous production of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse’s cynically satiric 1975 musical “Chicago.”

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Caroline Chisholm (Velma Kelly) and the cast of Wright State University’s production of “Chicago” performing “All That Jazz.” (Contributed photo)

Deftly directed by Joe Deer with a striking emphasis on the show’s original vaudevillian framework, expertly heightened by choreographer Teressa Wylie McWilliams, scenic designer Adam Koch and costumer Michelle Sampson, this “Chicago” takes hold and is firmly grounded from the outset thanks to the dynamic pairing of triple threats Bailey Rose (Roxie) and Caroline Chisholm (Velma). Chisholm, resembling Academy Award-winner Catherine Zeta-Jones who portrayed Velma in the 2002 film, launches the action with a sultry, sharply focused “All That Jazz” and impressively showcases her dancing skills in “I Can’t Do It Alone” and “When Velma Takes the Stand.” But at the same rate, she doesn’t discount Velma’s desperation and bruised ego due to her standing in the press (she killed her husband and vaudeville partner-sister after finding them in bed together) as Roxie overtakes her on the front pages having murdered her lover Fred Casely. Rose, memorable last season as Wendy Darling in “Peter Pan,” absolutely dazzles in her first scene bringing astute character choices and lyric-driven brilliance to the humorous “Funny Honey” detailing Roxie’s “affection” for her meek husband Amos. Once she arrives at the introspective “Roxie,” a fascinating peek into Roxie’s dalliances and desire for stardom, Rose transforms into a fiery, unyieldingly determined force to be reckoned with specifically as Roxie is overtaken by socialite Go-To-Hell Kitty (a feisty Alex Caldwell) and comes up with a pregnancy stunt to regain favor to Velma’s dismay. Deer wisely ensures Roxie and Velma remain rivals at all costs (there is definite bad blood between these ladies) so it is a joy to see Rose and Chisholm fully ignite the show’s final moments wonderfully unified with seductively sexy, electrifying finesse in “Nowadays” and “Hot Honey Rag.” Demanding total syncopation and synergy, these two numbers are performed at such a high professional-caliber proficiency you’ll wonder if you’re actually seeing “Chicago” at WSU or in the form of a national tour at the Schuster Center.

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Additionally, the confident, suave, vocally strong, and remarkably mature Jordan Adams is a true find as Roxie and Velma’s super slick lawyer Billy Flynn, whose love of law doesn’t compare to his love of women. Adams embodies Billy as a sophisticated showman totally accustomed to the fickle, gullible nature of the press. In fact, during Adams’ excellent rendition of the press-driven “We Both Reached for the Gun,” pay heed to Billy stepping aside to scribble a few lines of copy on the pad of reporter Mary Sunshine (an appropriately ambiguous Cody Westbrook). Tyler Simms, a delightful Smee in “Peter Pan,” is equally winning as the dejected Amos. Simms’ mesmerizing interpretation of “Mister Cellophane” truly conveys the isolation, loneliness and timidity permeating within Amos’ soul as he simply yearns for recognition and respect. Katie Momenee, a standout in “Sondheim on Sondheim” last season, lacks intimidating seediness as Matron “Mamma” Morton, but she sings the role very well and commands attention. Keaton Eckhoff (Fred Casely) enjoyably accents the vaudevillian structure as he gleefully introduces each song. Haylee Dobkins (June), Alyson Snyder (a poignant Hunyak), Megan Valle (Mona), Meredith Zahn (Liz), Chisholm, and Caldwell join forces for a splendidly fierce and vengeful “Cell Block Tango,” one of many remarkable routines meticulously crafted by McWilliams in the iconic spirit of Fosse while altogether original. The slinky, praiseworthy ensemble includes Briana Koon, Rebekah Espich, Scotti Stoneburner, Lindsey Knoth, Hannah Struppa, Eli Davis, Aaron Johnson, Dakota Mullins, Kyle Sell, and Philip Stock.
Deer’s top-notch artistic team includes lighting designer Matthew P. Benjamin, sound designer James Dunlap, dialect coaches Deborah Thomas and Matthew Tabor, magic consultant Kyle Miller (the circus-themed “Razzle Dazzle” eerily enthralls with surreal mystery), and music director Scot Woolley who leads a red hot 12-piece onstage orchestra.

It’s unsurprising the pursuit of fleeting fame and the effects of a topsy-turvy judicial system still strikes a chord in today’s celebrity-crazed world. Nearly everybody wants to be somebody famous, but it’s a detrimental quest. As Billy tells Roxie, “You’re a phony celebrity, kid.” Luckily for theatergoers, there’s nothing false about the commitment and passion within this rip-roaring “Chicago,” which received special permission to be mounted courtesy of Kander and is so period-perfect I felt as if I were watching an episode of HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.”

Don’t miss your chance to discover why WSU lays claim to one of Ohio’s finest collegiate musical theater programs. It’s the real deal. And that’s good isn’t it?

 “Chicago” continues through Nov. 15 in the Festival Playhouse of the Creative Arts Center at Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. Performances are Nov. 4, 5 and 12 at 7 p.m., Nov. 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m., and Nov. 7, 8, 14 and 15 at 2 p.m. Act One: 78 minutes; Act Two: 55 minutes. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 seniors and students. For tickets or more information, call WSU box office at (937) 775-2500 or visit www.wright.edu/theatre-tickets.

 

J.R. Martinez to be Keynote Speaker at Wright State University Academy of Medicine Annual Dinner

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MARTINEZ-700x550-260x204Motivational speaker, U.S. Army veteran, Dancing With The Stars winner, actor and best-selling author J.R. Martinez will speak at the Wright State University Academy of Medicine annual dinner and distinguished guest lecture on Wednesday, April 23, 2014.

Born to a single mother from El Salvador, he dreamed of becoming a professional football player. But his plans were derailed by a sports injury. So he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he was assigned to the 502nd Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. In March 2003, he was deployed to Iraq. Less than a month later, the Humvee he was driving in Karbala hit a roadside bomb. The three other soldiers were ejected from the burning vehicle, but Martinez was trapped inside and suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns to 34 percent of his body. He spent the next 34 months in recovery, undergoing 33 different surgeries, including skin grafts and cosmetic surgery.

He is the author of the New York Times best-selling book Full of Heart: My Story of Survival, Strength, and Spirit, a memoir about how he took his own personal tragedy and turned it into an inspiration for others.

He also is known for winning season 13 on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars in 2011 with dance partner Karina Smirnoff. Martinez has been recognized with many awards and honors, including an Ivy Award, for his work with burn survivors and disabled veterans. He also was the recipient of the 2012 National Disabled American Veteran of the Year Award.

He has been featured on several talk shows, including 60 Minutes, Ellen and The Oprah Winfrey Show among others. He has been written about in numerous newspaper articles and has guest starred on Lifetime’s Army Wives. He also was on the Emmy Award-wining daytime drama All My Children. He stars as Alfonso Rivera, a Los Angeles paramedic/firefighter and a member of the U.S. Air Force Pararescue team, in the nationally syndicated drama series SaF3 (pronounced SAFE), which premiered in September 2013.

Proceeds from the academy’s annual dinner benefit Wright State University medical students. To learn more about the Academy of Medicine dinner, view the website at http://www.med.wright.edu/academy. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. For more information, contact Nicki Crellin at [email protected] or (937) 245-7628.

WSU SPRING DANCE CONCERT 2014

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WSU Dance 1Announcing our versatile program for the WSU Dance Concert 2014!  We invite you to experience the innovation and virtuosity of the WSU Dance Ensemble and guests, Dayton Ballet II and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II on April 24 at 7:00, April 25 and 26 at 8:00, April 27 at 2:00. Adults/$10, Students/$5   Box Office:  937.775.2500.  Works span from the abstract to traditional, the athletic to the emotional. This year’s concert features six world premiere pieces reflecting the vitality of our Dance Program. We are especially thrilled to showcase an emerging, dynamic choreographer, Shannon Bramham, who will present the premiere of “Let It Go.”  Shannon, a company member of the national and internationally renowned Koresh Dance Company, choreographed the work on the WSU Dance Ensemble during her November residency. Works by Teressa Wylie McWilliams, Gina Walther, and Justin Gibbs as well as guest pieces by DB II and DCDC II as well as senior Abby Leithart provide a multifaceted concert.  Please join us for an evening celebrating the poetry and power of movement!

Choreographic Works include…

Let It Go, Premiere, choreographed by guest choreographer Shannon Bramham…“though we spend the majority of our lives waiting in daily situations, the difficult and emotional waiting we endure for the passing of a loved one becomes the spark for this work and the moment when you let them go.” 

Pull, Premiere, choreographed by Gina Walther…“describes the building of tension in movement and in relationships, the ten dancers perform with dynamic intensity and realism to the gorgeous music of Ezio Bosso.”

…transcending tides…, Reconstruction, choreographed by Teressa Wylie McWilliams…. “a visual landscape in movement inspired by the notion of transcending from a place of negativity and darkness to a place of freedom and celebration…shedding our protective layers in order to see all beings with clear eyes.”

They have escaped the weight of.…, Premiere, choreographed by Justin Gibbs…“about going beyond the things that hold us back so we can find our way back to our flock. Once more it gives us the courage to lead, not just ourselves, but others into an unknown darkness that is full of hope.”

Additional Works by guests Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II and Dayton Ballet II!  We invite you to experience the versatility and power of movement with us!WSU Dance 2

ALSO:   DANCE INTENSIVE, SATURDAY, April 26, 10 AM  –  4 PM

Wright State University will conduct the seventh annual Dance Intensive Workshop on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 10am-4pm. The faculty and students of Wright State University’s dance program want to share our dance experience with all students, age 14 and older, who are interested in sampling a variety of dance styles. Faculty members Teressa Wylie McWilliams, Gina Walther, Justin Gibbs, and Greg Hellems and along with various guest instructors will teach technique classes in jazz, tap, modern, ballet, pointe, hip-hop and lyrical. Each participant will receive a complimentary ticket to the Spring Dance Concert. The cost for the entire day is only $45.

For more information, registration and schedule of classes, log onto our WSU website at www.wright.edu/dance and click on Dance Intensive or call 937.775.3792.

 

Michio Kaku Talks “Physics of the Future” For FREE Courtesy of WSU

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Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku will discuss “Physics of the Future” as part of Wright State’s Presidential Lecture Series and Honors Institute on March 19.

When he was in high school, Michio Kaku assembled a particle accelerator in his parents’ garage for a science fair project. Today, he is an internationally known theoretical physicist who has become a fixture in the media and helps popularize science for the masses.

Kaku will be Wright State University’s final Presidential Lecture Series speaker of the year, and the featured speaker of the 2014 Honors Institute, when he delivers a speech, “Physics of the Future,” at the Wright State Nutter Center on Wednesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. Kaku’s lecture is free and open to the public.

“He is very good at popularizing physics and getting people interested and excited about learning more,” said Jason Deibel, associate professor of physics. “He scales it down for people who don’t have professional training in physics and makes it real for them.”

Kaku, the Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics at the City College of New York, is the co-founder of string theory, a major branch of theoretical physics. His goal is to complete Albert Einstein’s dream of a “theory of everything,” to derive an equation that will summarize all the physical laws of the universe.

Kaku has written several books about physics and related topics, including two New York Times bestsellers: Physics of the Impossible(2008) and Physics of the Future (2011). His latest book, The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance and Empower the Mind, touches on topics such as telepathy, mind reading, photographing a dream and mentally controlled robots.

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The silver-maned Kaku (a figure skater who likes to throw his wife into the air) is also a familiar figure in the media. He has hosted TV specials for the BBC, The History Channel, Discovery Channel and Science Channel. He has also appeared on 60 Minutes, Nightline, 20/20 and a host of other programs.

Sam Sifton

 

The Honors Institute will also include a symposium and luncheon address by Sam Sifton, The New York Times national editor, on Thursday, March 20, at 12:30 p.m. in the Student Union Apollo Room. Sifton’s talk, “The Future of Journalism,” is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.

Sifton became national editor ofThe Times in 2011, after serving as the newspaper’s restaurant critic for two years. He joined the paper in 2002 as deputy dining editor and became dining editor later that year. In 2004, he was named deputy culture editor. Prior to joining The Times, Sifton was a senior writer and editor at Talk magazine; critic, reporter and managing editor of the New York Press; and a social studies teacher in New York City’s public schools. He is the author of Field Guide to the Yettie: Stalking the Dot-Com Geek.

His participation in the 2014 Honors Institute Symposium is courtesy of The New York Times in Education program sponsored at Wright State by First Year Programs, University College.

The symposium also includes discussion sessions on “Big Data and Smart Health care,” “Envisioning Flight in the Wright Brothers Era,” “The Future of Higher Education,” “Is Sustainability Possible?” and “Literary Visions of the Future.”

More information on the Honors Institute is available on the Honors Program website.