The Featured Articles

Rock Bands Unite to Help Beat Cancer at Blind Bob’s

January 20, 2020 By LIbby Ballengee

I say it often: the Dayton music community is full of the most generous people I know. It’s often a two way street, and this weekend, musicians take care of three of their biggest supporters, who are currently battling cancer. If you love rock’n’roll, this show is a win-win all around!

Night of the Beat (Cancer) takes place at Blind Bob’s on Saturday January 25th, to benefit Jaime Testa, Amanda Hensler and Tyler Gilcher. All three of them have been major supporters of the Dayton music community, staples in the Oregon District, and have huge hearts! They absolutely deserve a fantastic party in their honor, raising money to help them continue their fight.

Music is of course on the agenda! Four area rock bands that are donating their time and talents to this party, including: Abertooth Lincoln, Weathervein, Business Casuals, and We Are The Movies.

Sabrina Cox, one of the organizers of this event, explains what makes this event so special: “Last year was really hard for Oregon District, and Dayton as a whole. In the midst of all the tragedies, three beloved members of the Oregon District community were also fighting cancer. We are a community that comes together to love each other in every situation – and this is no exception. The Cancer Cuties, as we lovingly call them, are our friends, family, and neighbors. All the money collected at the door goes directly to them.”

Amander Hensler is one of the “Cancer Cuties” who is benefiting from Saturday night’s Night of the Beat concert.

How to Go?

Saturday January 25th at Blind Bob’s

Doors 9pm

$7 at the door (additional donations encouraged!)

21+

FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1022647121404471/

First inductees Announced For The Funk Music Hall of Fame

January 20, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

On Saturday, Sept 26th as a part of the 2nd Dayton Funk Symposium held at the University of Dayton, The Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center will induct its first class of inductees into The Funk Music Hall of Fame – James Brown, George Clinton & the Parliament Funkadelic and The Ohio Players. As pioneers of a musical genre which came to life during the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these artists created a cultural form of expression that allowed Black musicians to speak freely about African American social and cultural life.

Brown, Clinton and The Ohio Players are Funk pioneers who attributed to the birthing of the different forms of the Funk genre such as P-Funk, Jazz-Funk, Fusion Funk and Electro Funk just to name a few. Today we celebrate those who brought it to life by forever remembering their wonderful legacies as our first inductees.

James Brown Photo by James Mccauley/REX/Shutterstock

James Brown, “The Godfather of Soul”, can also be called “the Founding Father of Funk.’ His famous song, “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud!” was an anthem that placed Funk music as part of the cause to advance Black pride and empowerment. Brown is not only known for his contributions to social change, he is also noted for creating the then funky new sound called “On the One!” – the defining beat of Funk music that distinguishes it from other genres. He will always be remembered as the musician who developed this signature groove emphasizing the downbeat. His unique style remains recognizable in the music of countless musicians who have adopted his Funky sound. His songs, “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” and “Soul Power” caused Funk and Soul music to become deeply connected to the issues surrounding urban black communities and racial injustice. All in all, his lyrics instilled confidence, pride and awareness among Black Americans.

George Clinton

George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic Funkadelic is the visionary leader of a large collection of musician groups including, Parliament & Funkadelic, Brides of Funkenstein, and Parlet. Also, he opened the door for Bootsy Collins’ Bootsy’s Rubberband. Clinton created the cultural art form known as P-Funk which included many kinds of expressions including a fashion revolution, distinctive album cover art, and cartoon characters. Who can forget Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic outfits that made Funk the ultimate psychedelic experience. His musical contributions prompted many R&B acts to adopt Funky types of dress sampling not only his music but his eccentric funky style. P-Funk is James Brown’s sound with an outer space underwater out of this world touch that leaves dancers with two fingers up and a thumb on the side on the dance floor.

The Ohio Players

Last but not least, we choose to recognize our own The Ohio Players, Dayton Ohio from (Westbound Records to Mercury Records). All of the bands from this city and surrounding areas — Faze-O, Lakeside, Sun, Heatwave, Dayton, Platypus, Slave, Roger and Zapp and many, many others – drew inspiration from the success of The Ohio Players. They were Dayton’s first band to reach gold and platinum status with worldwide album sales. This pioneering band bridged Funk with jazz, and rhythm and blues. It’s horns, chords, high-pitched harmonies and iconic lead voices, solidified the Funk sound. Amazing artist like Junie Morrison’s voice on Pain, and Funky Worm as well as Sugarfoot’s “Owl Gerl” exemplify the sweet sounds of Funk!

Please join The Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center, by welcoming these phenomenal artists as their first inductees. Stay tuned for details on the Induction ceremony.

Do you have what it takes to be on Jeopardy?

January 20, 2020 By Dayton Most Metro

First, you must take and pass the Jeopardy! Test. If you pass the test and meet the minimum eligibility requirements, you will be placed into a random selection process for an invitation to an audition. Assuming you perform well at the audition, you will be placed into the contestant pool and could be invited to compete up to 18 months from your audition date. Making it to an audition is not a guarantee of being invited to compete on the show.

Applicants must meet the following requirements to meet basic eligibility:

Must be over 18 (except for the Teen Tournament and College Championship).
For the Teen Tournament, must be between the ages of 13 and 17 at the time of taping.
College Championship applicants must be full-time undergraduates with no previous bachelor’s degrees.
Must not have appeared on any version of the show with Alex Trebek.
Within the last five years, must not have been employed by or related to, or have known anyone who works for Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., Sony Pictures Television Inc., Quadra Productions, Inc., CBS Television Distribution, Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy! prize suppliers, or any TV station (including advertisers and related radio stations) broadcasting Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy!

The Jeopardy! Test is the primary entry point for anyone who wants to compete on Jeopardy! It allows fans to qualify for an audition by taking the 50-question Jeopardy! test at a convenient time, using their home or work computer.

Three-day testing events to qualify for our regular shows are offered to adults one to two times per year. You may take the test on any day that is convenient, but only once per event. Multiple entries could result in disqualification.

Next Testing:

January 28 2020, 5:00PM PT

January 29 2020, 6:00PM PT

January 30 2020, 8:00PM PT

If you have a disability and require assistance to complete the test, you may have a family member, friend or assistant read the clues to you and/or type in your responses. Please note that print-to-speech software and/or voice recognition programs might not allow you to answer quickly enough. If you are selected for an audition, our contestant coordinators will work with you on any necessary accommodations.

There is no fee to take any of the tests. If you are invited to participate in an in-person audition, all costs (including, but not limited to, accommodations, meals, transportation and parking) must come at your own expense.

Once you’ve taken the test, your MyJeopardy! account will be updated and within an hour of completing the test you will receive an email confirming your test has been received. Other than that, you will not need to do anything (although self-congratulation is also completely appropriate). If your scores qualify you, you will be placed in the pool for random selection for an in-person audition. If not, remember many of our greatest champions took the test multiple times before being invited to compete.

There’s a New Fire Chief In Town!

January 20, 2020 By Dayton Most Metro

Deputy Chief Jeff Lykins has been promorted to Director and Chief of the Dayton Fire Department, effective January 17.

A public ceremony will be held Friday, Feb.7, at 10 a.m. at City Hall, 101 W. Third St. (Commission Chambers, second floor).

Lykins began his career as a firefighter with the Dayton Fire Department in 1992. He was promoted to fire lieutenant in 2000, fire captain in 2008, assistant fire chief in 2015, and deputy chief in 2017.

As Director and Chief, Lykins will oversee a department of 344 full-time employees, including 322 uniformed members (firefighters, lieutenants, captains, district chiefs, EMTs and paramedics).

“Dayton is very well-served by our professional fire department, and we are confident that the tradition of excellence will continue under Chief Lykins’ leadership,” said Dickstein. “His experience, training and commitment to innovation have prepared him for the demands of the Director and Chief position.”

Chief Lykins has been credentialed as a chief fire officer by the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association and has obtained fire officer I-IV certifications. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from Anna Maria College and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Waldorf University. Chief Lykins will graduate from the National Fire Academy’s executive fire officer program in March 2020.

Lykins has received numerous awards for his actions at fire scenes. He received the Box 21 Rescue Squad/Dayton Fire Department Firefighter of Year Award (1999-2000) and the Dayton Fire Department Medal of Honor in 2000. He was also the 1999 recipient of the Robert B. Jacob Award of Merit, presented by the Hundred Club of Dayton.

Lykins assumes the office of Director and Chief following the retirement of Jeffrey L. Payne, who served the Dayton Fire Dept. for 31 years.

Dayton at Work and Play: Kendell Thompson – Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park

January 20, 2020 By Bill Franz

Kendell Thompson, superintendent of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in the world’s first airplane factory. It’s off West Third Street, in Dayton’s Arlington Heights neighborhood.

It’s amazing to me that these buildings are still here. The Wright Brothers built them in 1910 and 1911 to put what they’d learned about flying to commercial use. Orville Wright sold the business in 1915, after the death of his brother, but airplanes continued to be made here.

In World War I the Dayton Wright Company was formed by Charles Kettering and William Deeds, with Orville Wright as a consultant. They built thousands of planes for the war effort in these buildings and two other locations.

General Motors bought the Dayton Wright Company in 1921 but they didn’t stay in the airplane business. Instead, they made steering wheels here. The business was so successful that GM formed a new division – the Inland Manufacturing Division. This plant grew to cover 54 acres with 1.2 million square feet of manufacturing space. Fortunately, the original Wright buildings were not torn down during this period. They were just surrounded by larger, newer buildings.

New Menu Items at Smokey Bones

January 18, 2020 By The Food Adventures Crew

Burnt Ends Appetizer

Smokey Bones on Miller Lane is kicking off the new year with an updated menu. New selections for 2020 include some comfort food favorites.

Smokey Bones is looking forward to an exciting year. They are overhauling the menu and getting to the core of great BBQ and Grilled Steaks. Stay tuned for more innovations, on old classics. Expect more menu additions later this year. The changes are inspired by Corporate Chef Howard Kleinberg, a veteran barbecue restaurateur and former Chef at Shula’s Steakhouses.

NEW MENU ITEMS:

BURNT ENDS APPETIZER:

Fried Bologna Sliders

Flavorful pieces of meat cut from the “point” half of a smoked brisket. These are quintessential barbeque, using a secret in-house blend of rubs created by Smokey Bone’s Pitmasters extraordinaire. $12.99

SMOKED BOLOGNA SLIDERS APPETIZER:
New take on an old favorite, so savor this flavor. Thick cut bologna slathered with Carolina barbecue and served on a slider bun with coleslaw and a pickle. $8.99

HOUSEMADE BBQ CHIPS APPETIZER:
A big serving of house-made chips seasoned with Smokey Bones’ signature barbecue seasoning and served with a trio of dipping sauces (chunky blue cheese, barbecue, and chipotle ranch). It is a nice kic

BBQ chips

koff to a meal $9.49

TENDERLOINS MEDALLIONS APPETIZER:
Twin 4oz Tenderloin Medallions, grilled to order and served with red wine sauce and a choice of two regular home style sides. This is the deluxe stuff and the quality is there. $26.49

SKILLET CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DESSERT:

Twin Medallions

Gooey and freshly baked, this dessert is a warm end to your meal. House-baked, and served with vanilla ice cream, caramel and chocolate topping, you will be in heaven.

Smokey Bones will continue to serve their premium meats smoked in-house daily as well as fire-grilled burgers, steaks and salmon. They sill offer their famous barbecue ribs, hand-pulled pork, beef brisket, slow-smoked sausage, barbecue chicken, or sliced turkey. Signature sides include like the barbecue baked beans, creamy cole slaw or fire-roasted corn. Of course they have their beer, wine, hand-crafted cocktails and dessert selection too.

Skillet Cookie

ABOUT SMOKEY BONES:
Dayton’s Smokey Bones Restaurant is located at:
6744 Miller Ln, Dayton, OH 45414
Hours are 11am -2am everyday

Smokey Bones Fire & Grill is a full-service restaurant in 61 locations across 16 states. They brunch, lunch and dinner and have a full-bar featuring more than 40 bourbons and whiskeys, 40+ beers and signature, hand-crafted cocktails. Known for their Barbecue, it is slow-smoked, fire-grilled and available for dine-in, pick-up, online ordering or catering delivery. Headquarters are in Boca Raton, Fla.- based Sun Capital Partners. sister restaurants include Boston Market, Friendly’s, Johnny Rockets, and Bar Louie.

17 Montgomery County Artists Awarded Opportunity Grants for 2020

January 17, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

The Artist Opportunity Grant program, which is funded by the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District (MCACD) and administered by Culture Works, provides funding for Montgomery County artists of all disciplines to pursue professional development opportunities and complete new works. Applications for funding are reviewed by an independent panel of artists, arts administrators, educators, and community leaders.

Based on the recommendations of the 2019-20 grant panel, 17 local artists will receive grants totaling $39,336 in 2020–the largest amount ever awarded through the program.

Read about their upcoming projects below:

LEROY BEAN

Opportunity: Travel to France for the 2020 Conference on James Baldwin for academics, artists, and activists celebrating the 50th anniversary of Baldwin’s arrival in Saint-Paul de Vence. Bean will be engaged in scholarly exploration of all things Baldwin and social justice, developing his skills in creative writing under the facilitation of Cornelius Eady, a co-founder of Cave Canem.

About the Artist: Leroy Bean is a spoken word poet, published author, and co-founder of Underdog Academy and Baldwin Café from Dayton, Ohio. An artist activist, he uses his gift to describe different aspects of beauty and life that all can relate to, but also to speak truth about racially charged, social and political issues. He has shared stages with accomplished artists such as Sierra Leone, HBO Def poet Black Ice, Sunny Patterson, and Bing Davis and has performed in many venues, including the PNC Arts Annex, Levitt Pavilion, Schuster Center, and Victoria Theatre.

Artist Statement: “Currently I am diving deeper into being a teaching artist, and I have launched my online writing workshop for writers of all kinds to learn communication skills, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, creativity, how to apply literary devices, using writing as a tool of personal wellness, and more! I am also currently working between three poetry book ideas, all of which I am keeping in mind during my trip to France, and I hope to find a residency to be the resource of time, space, and funding I need to manifest either one or all of these projects in 2020.”

uapoetry.com

CURTIS BOWMAN

Opportunity: Attend the Algonkian Writers Retreat for five days of intensive work with established authors on a work in progress.

Artist Statement: “I have been a storyteller all my life, but up to now, most of my writing has been in service of a goal: selling something, recruiting volunteers, to make people laugh at a conference or to teach people at a workshop. Recently, I have been inspired to tell a larger story.”

oikamom.com

CAITLIN CARTWRIGHT

Opportunity: Create a body of work, an interactive workshop, and a gallery show inspired by the events in Dayton, Ohio, in the summer of 2019 focusing on the healing and resilience of our community.

About the Artist: Caitlin Cartwright is a social change artist whose vibrant narrative works combine painting, drawing, and collage to explore the stories that connect people across cultures. Although her intimate works deal with themes of loss and isolation, each piece contains elements of community, comfort, and hope. Many years spent living and working with vulnerable populations in locales such as Madagascar, Namibia, India, and elsewhere influence both the emotional and geographical scope of her pieces. Caitlin earned her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, as well as a masters degree in sustainable international development from SIT, and completed a six-moth residency at the Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft in Columbia, NC. In combination with a long career in global health, she uses art as a storytelling tool for economic empowerment, peace building, and healing and wellness. Caitlin is currently based in Dayton, where she is the Director of Programming at We Care Arts. Her works and collaborative projects continue to be shown both nationally and abroad.

caitlincartwright.com

JANYCE DENISE GLASPER

Opportunity: Create “Black Women Writers A-Z,” a new body of large-scale paintings that depict past and present women writers of African descent having social gatherings much similar to classic literary salons and Harlem rent parties. These works–which will feature authors such as Toni Morrison and Helen Oyeyemi and poets such as Ntozake Shange and Upile Chisala–will be displayed at the Dayton Metro Library Main Branch gallery in August/September 2020.

About the Artist: Janyce Denise Glasper is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and independent scholar. She has a BFA in drawing from the Art Academy of Cincinnati and post baccalaureate and MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Artist Statement: “Through the disciplines of figurative drawing, painting, and writing, my artistic practices emphasize the collective beauty in the Black experience, especially in womanism, a term coined by Alice Walker. My primary goal is to continue dismantling the stereotypical perception of Black bodies.”

jdglasper.wixsite.com/artist-cv

SAM KELLY

Opportunity: Travel to the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture in New York, NY, to attend the Drawing Marathon and study under acclaimed artist Graham Nickson.

About the Artist: Sam Kelly is an artist currently residing in Dayton, Ohio. He earned a BFA in painting from Wright State University and an MFA in painting from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He also attended the Chautauqua School of Art. Sam is a member of the Dayton Society of Artists, The Contemporary Dayton, and the Dutoit Gallery. He has exhibited his work both nationally and internationally. Sam has taught at many institutions, including the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, University of Cincinnati, Wright State University, University of Dayton and Indiana University East.

Sam’s work expresses a raw and energetic approach. He is interested in the relationship that exists between abstraction and representation. As an artist, he continues to pursue the ability to invoke a painting and drawing with authenticity and intensity for maximum engagement.

samkellyart.com

KELSEY LEE

Opportunity: Travel to Stolzenhagen, Germany to attend Ponderosa’s Winter Artist Exchange residency, which will guide and nourish the development of a new, solo dance performance.

About the Artist: Kelsey Lee is an interdisciplinary artist who holds a BFA degree in Contemporary Dance Performance and Choreography with a double major in Psychology from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Lee fuses her trainings in ballet, contemporary dance styles, and theatre with the intention of generating empathy in an accessible and mindful approach through performance and education.

www.kelseyleedances.com

JOSH MERRITT

Opportunity: Attend the 2020 Glass Art Society Annual Conference in Smaland, Sweden to study new techniques and technological advances in glass blowing.

Artist Statement: “I began blowing glass in 2009 as an apprentice. I studied, created, and now enjoy teaching numerous glass art techniques, including vessels, ornaments, flowers and more.

In 2016, I moved to Columbus and enrolled at The Ohio State University. At OSU’s glass program, I continued to develop my skill and passion for glassblowing. I also expanded into other areas such as stained glass, fusing, engraving and sandblasting.

The magic of glass never ceases to amaze me: the challenge of creating an intricate glass piece; the delicate balance of heating and cooling at different times and stages; the planning and teamwork required for success. It all comes together into an intense moment from which either fine art or floor shards are created.”

jlmglass.studio

HYACINTH PAUL

Opportunity: Attend a seven-day plein air painting workshop in Provence and a four-day art tour in Barcelona with Dr. Yves M. Larocque (Ph.D.)–an art instructor, art theoretician, art historian, and artist–to learn the essential skill of painting plein air and to increase her knowledge of art by visiting museums with an art historian.

About the Artist: Dr. Hyacinth Paul is a retired scientist and Professor who recently started her career as an artist. Within the last year, Dr. Paul has exhibited in more than 10 solo/group exhibitions, as well as donated and sold her paintings. She currently showcases her work at Front street gallery in Dayton, Ohio, and has a significant online presence.

Artist Statement: “My work is both abstract and realistic, mostly done in oil, acrylics, and mixed media. My paintings are very colorful because I believe that color sparks synesthesia and involuntarily evokes feelings of joy. I look forward to improving my work as an artist and delving deeper into the question of whether color plays a role in uplifting the general well-being of individuals and thereby alleviating depression.”

fineartamerica.com/profiles/hyacinth-paul

JONATHAN PINCUS

Opportunity: Create an exhibition of new, original oil paintings reimagining Norman Rockwell’s four freedoms paintings that will be exhibited in conjunction with Peace Dayton 2020 to promote community, thoughtful dialogue, mutual understanding, healing, peace, civil engagement, and civic discourse.

About the Artist: Jonathan Pincus, MFA, is the Artist-in-Residence at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. An artist and educator, he divides his time between his professional studio art practice, based at Front Street Studios, and teaching at Wright State and the University of Dayton.

SARAH ROBERTSON

Opportunity: Travel to Pittsburgh, PA to attend the Kinderflute+Blockiflute certification course, which is considered by flute teachers as one of the ideal methods to teach young children flute. The unique method is designed to help flute students find and establish their innate potential as musicians and human beings. Through learning to listen, fingering their notes, producing a beautiful tone, reading music, composing, and creatively expressing themselves, students are firing areas of the brain to make learning in all areas more productive.

About the Artist: Sarah Robertson holds a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from Indiana University of South Bend and a Master of Music in Music Education from Wright State University. She has over 15 years of professional experience as a performer, conductor, freelance musician, solo and ensemble adjudicator, and music educator. Presently, along with operating her private studio, she teaches Kindermusik, subs in local ensembles, and performs with the Springboro Wind Symphony and with her flute trio, Ama la Vita.

Artist Statement: “I am a flutist who is just as passionate about music education as I am about performing, and I am so excited to bring that passion to the young children of Dayton! As a Kindermusik teacher, I thrive on instilling a love for music in the youngest of music makers and I cannot wait to do so through Kinderflute as well!”

www.sanddollarmusic.com

YETUNDE RODRIGUEZ

Opportunity: Study with the artist Amira Rahim through her intensive eight-week painting e-course in order to develop skills to transition block prints into strong collectible paintings.

About the Artist: Yetunde Rodriguez is a textile artist and designer with a focus on block printing. Yetunde taps into her Nigerian heritage for inspiration. She creates bold, meaningful images interpreted in a joyful celebration of color.

Yetunde has a background in graphic design, with a BA from Hampton University. She has done a little bit of a lot over the years. She has taught both young and old, with the firm belief that when you teach, you learn.

She continues to teach, partnering with local arts organizations and public libraries to lead workshops and give presentations. She is passionate about empowering youth to see the possibilities in using creativity to shape their future and achieve their goals. Yetunde aims to leave her mark wherever she goes, and she believes that life can be made just a little more interesting with a few simple materials, some simple shapes, and fun colors!

yetunderodriguez.com

KATE HUSER SANTUCCI

Opportunity: Travel to Seattle to attend a studio workshop with encaustic artist Alicia Tormey, where participants will learn new techniques, work on professional marketing and the business of being an artist, learn how to ship encaustic paintings, and continue to develop their personal voices as encaustic painters.

About the Artist: Kate Huser Santucci graduated from Wright State University with a BFA in visual art, concentrating in sculpture. She now primarily works in mixed-media encaustic painting, using beeswax and pigments to create multi-layered images that reference her interest in the natural sciences.

Artist Statement: “In my current body of work, I use mixed-media encaustic painting techniques to explore themes such as time–both on a cosmic and human scale–communication outside of the human sphere, and the way things change, both for people during a single lifetime and for the universe we are in. I often use images of microbes, plants, animals, bones, and water to tell the story of the way we change and evolve. The work involves multiple layers and textures, inviting the viewer to look deeper into the piece and glimpse imagery floating beneath the surface of the wax.”

www.katehusersantucci.com

JESSECA YNEZ SIMMONS

Opportunity: Travel to New York City and Los Angeles to conduct on-camera interviews with four crucial interview subjects for “We Will Not Turn To Stone”–a feature-length hybrid documentary that re-conceptualizes Medusa, one of the most infamous mythic females of all time, through a non-patriarchal lens. Too quick to decapitate, too fearful of turning to stone, we finally look up to meet Medusa’s gaze.

About the Artist: Jesseca Ynez Simmons is a documentary filmmaker and has a special interest in hybridization. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Media Production at the University of Dayton and a Sustainability Scholar for the Hanley Sustainability Institute.

Artist Statement: “I create documentaries that explore the superimposed realm of reality and fantasy; what one experiences with both open and closed eyes. By letting the explicit factual and imaginative qualities of a story graze on the same plane, it is possible to gain something more than if they were treated separately. I aspire to push these boundaries by letting narrative and experimental techniques of cinema bleed into my documentary films.”

www.jessecaysimmons.com

A. SLATE

Opportunity: Stage a one-woman show that brings Lifelines and Legacies–an autobiography of short stories and poetry–to life in a dramatic, theatrical way.

About the Artist: A. Slate is a poet, spoken word artist, actress, and founder of The WRITElife Village Organization- where young people can express themselves, creatively, without judgment, bias, or fear through poetry.

Artist Statement: “In this one-woman show, where life is a poem and everyone is writing, telling stories of triumph, grace, gratitude and love, I am inviting you into the worlds that I have created for myself as a single mother, high school dropout, and young grandmother suffering from mental illness. Now standing before the world whole and grateful, finding reasons to give thanks for it all. Healing is a process. Grace refines.”

JUDE WALSH

Opportunity: Enroll in the Write Your Memoir in Six Months intensive mentoring experience to expand her craft from personal essay (short) to memoir (book length).

About the Artist: Jude Walsh is a writer and life coach dedicated to helping women not just survive midlife divorce but also thrive as they create a beautiful new reality. A Writing Mindset and Legacy Writing teacher, she is also active in the literary community and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. Jude travels frequently, writes daily, and leans into the abundant adventure her life has become. She lives with her son and three lively dogs in Dayton, Ohio.

secondbloomcoaching.com

ERIC WRIGHT

Opportunity: Travel to London, England to study photographic technique from one of the preeminent street and portrait photographers, Alan Schaller.

About the Artist: Eric Wright grew up in Dayton and found photography as an artistic outlet while in high school. Life took him away from it for awhile, but now it is one of the deepest passions in his life.

Artist Statement: “Learning and growing as an artist is something I am always working on; adding new skills and approaches and then giving them time to gel in new ways in my work. This year, I am looking forward to working on my street photography along with my black and white photography skills in both digital and film so I can deepen my understanding of people going about their daily lives.”

www.flywrightphotography.com

MICAH ZAVACKY

Opportunity: Frame recent work and create additional work for two upcoming solo exhibitions at Front Street – Dutoit Gallery in April and the Wright State University Alumni Gallery in May.

About the Artist: Micah Zavacky grew up in Dayton, Ohio, where he attended Wright State University, completing a BFA in Studio Art in 2014. After completing his MFA in Studio Art at Illinois State University, Micah returned home and has been teaching at the University of Dayton since 2018 and continuing his artistic practice.

Artist Statement: “I am indebted to early ventures with en plein air painting because it instilled a reverence, love, and dedication to the natural world. Primarily, my work represents plant forms, gardens, and landscapes (woods, river-views, and meadows). My practice has pushed me to become an avid gardener, composter, and builder; in turn, these activities have deepened my understanding and commitment to my artwork and the earth.”

www.micahzavacky.com

‘In the Heights’ Review – Muse Machine – This Is America

January 17, 2020 By Russell Florence, Jr.

Recognizing and respecting other cultures is what truly makes America great. Don’t believe me? Check out Muse Machine’s exhilaratingly joyful production of In the Heights, a wonderfully touching, relatable, topical, and tuneful look at the Hispanic experience in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood.
The winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical and the 36th annual Muse student musical, In the Heights, written by Pulitzer Prize winners Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) and Quiara Alegría Hudes (Water by the Spoonful), excellently examines love, fear, financial woes, disillusionment, regret, and hope within a small yet busy block of close-knit family and friends. Dominican Republic native and bodega/convenience store owner Usnavi (Nate Saner), holding down the fort with his cousin Sonny (Chavin Medina) while caring for his Abuela Claudia (Gabby Casto), is the central focal point, propelling the immigrant narrative forward in humorous and insightful ways. Elsewhere, cab company owners Kevin and Camila Rosario (Michael Taylor and Sara LiBrandi) have difficulty coming to terms with the news that their beloved daughter Nina (Julie Murphy) hasn’t adjusted to life at Stanford University. Beautician Daniela (Courtney Collinsworth), Daniela’s assistants Vanessa (Charlotte Kunesh) and Carla (Chynia Crane), Kevin and Camila’s faithful employee and Nina’s love interest Benny (Desmond Kingston), Piragua Guy (Nick Bradley), and Graffiti Pete (Quinn Bennett) along with his trusty sidekick Pete (Darian Watson) also accent the colorful action, occurring over an eventful Fourth of July weekend in 2008.

The cast of Muse Machine’s production of “In the Heights” performs “Carnaval del Barrio.” (Photo by Ben Morrison)

Under the breezy, thoughtful co-direction of Jeffrey Polk and longtime Muse choreographer Lula Elzy, the winning principal cast and large ensemble supply strong, witty and mature performances. In a striking Muse debut, the charismatic, sensitive Saner delivers a breakthrough portrayal grounded in authority, vulnerability and a specific mastery of Miranda’s hip-hop lyrics in a manner that would make Jay-Z, Kanye West and Twista very proud. Medina, a standout in past seasons with Dare to Defy Productions and Epiphany Lutheran Church, is back in top form yet refreshingly stretching his gifted abilities in a looser fashion to believably interpret Sonny’s street-savvy swag. The endearingly earnest Castro powerfully renders Pacienca y Fe (Patience and Faith), a signature flashback detailing Abuela Claudia’s thought-provoking account of her Cuban immigrant past. Taylor, a memorable Curly in Carroll High School’s Oklahoma! last year, and LiBrandi, whose remarkable 2018 portrayal of Dolly Levi has already gone down in Muse history, are credibly concerned and compatible. LiBrandi especially ignites Act 2 with a fierce rendition of Enough, which finds Camila caught in the middle of the stubbornness between her husband and daughter. Murphy, a tender Laurie in the Human Race Theatre Company’s 2018 production of Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Kingston, seen as Sam in last year’s Muse production of Mamma Mia! offer pleasant vocals, particularly Murphy’s heartrending Everything I Know and their lovely duet When You’re Home. Kunesh, an outstanding Sophie in Mamma Mia!, absolutely dazzles vocally (It Won’t Be Long Now is an early highlight), choreographically (The Club) and in costume (her snazzy collection of Project Runway-esque day and evening wear are courtesy of Nikki Sherck and Alisa Vukasinovich). Collinsworth, receiving fine support from the appropriately ditzy and enjoyably strut-happy Crane, is as delightfully sassy here as she was last year as Tanya in Mamma Mia! Bradley, a vibrant, athletic tenor, brings sunny optimism to the cheery Piragua.

Courtney Collinsworth (center as Daniela) leads “Carnaval del Barrio” with Chynia Crane (far right as Carla) in Muse Machine’s production of “In the Heights.” (Photo by Ben Morrison)

Additionally, Elzy unsurprisingly pulls out the stops as a hip-hop and Latin-infused storyteller. Along with the aforementioned Pacienca y Fe, in which she injects dramatic 1940s scorn into Abuela Claudia’s memories of perseverance, and The Club, a fantastic, character-conscious routine soaring with lively thrills on the level of The Dance At The Gym from West Side Story, her spirited creations of 96,000 and Carnaval del Barrio are flavorful testaments to her diverse expertise in fluidity, movement and rising momentum. In fact, the particularly electrifying, flag-adorning Carnaval del Barrio contains a cavalcade of eye-catching moments, including some cool hip-hop moves performed on the upstage stoop.

The top-notch production team includes producer Douglas Merk (securing the original set design by Anna Louizos), musical director Jeffrey Powell (conducting an impressive 15-piece orchestra), lighting designer John Rensel (bringing beautiful awe to a series of fireworks during Blackout) sound designer Ryan Vallo, property master/rehearsal stage manager Shannon Sellars, production stage manager Morgan Jergens, and artistic consultants G. Armando Silva, Joe Deer, Tyson Randolph, and Lynda Casto.

Nate Saner (center as Usnavi) with Chavin Medina (Sonny) and the cast of Muse Machine’s production of “In the Heights.” (Photo by Ben Morrison)

You will not find this In the Heights ethnically accurate in terms of overall casting. However, the relevancy of its themes, its universal reflections of family, community, legacy, goodwill, and cultural pride wrapped inside the common pursuit of the American Dream, remain terrific hallmarks genuinely stirring the soul.

In the Heights continues through Sunday, Jan. 19 at the Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton. Performances are 8 p.m. today, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Act One: 70 minutes; Act Two: 50 minutes. Tickets: 27-$65. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit ticketcenterstage.com

Dayton’s 2020 Fish Fry Guide

January 17, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

This weekend marks the official beginning of Fish Fry Season in Dayton!

Dayton came by its fish fry tradition many years ago. Many of the European settlers who flocked to the Gem City and many of those immigrants were Catholic, and the tradition of foregoing the consumption of meat on Fridays made the fish fry a natural evolution.

The fish fry tradition developed even further during the Prohibition era, when fish fries became a way for former alcohol-purveying establishments to stay in business. Many went so far as to conceal their illicit speakeasies beneath the intoxicating aroma of frying fish, offering free or low-cost fish to those who imbibed.

As time moved forward, fish fries became an easy way to avoid meat while enjoying a night out and eating affordably. The tradition grew from there, providing Dayton families an opportunity to go out to dinner without breaking the bank.

Many places in town have fish fries and after much searching, asking and eating, here are some of the best places in the city to catch a fish fry. You’ll also notice Fish Frys aren’t just on Friday anymore!

And, as always, if we’ve forgotten your favorite, please share it with others by posting a comment below or emailing us.

January 2020

Our Lady of the Rosary Fish Fry

Our Lady of the Rosary Church

January 10 @ 5:00 pm – 10:30 pm

|Recurring Event (See all) $15 – $17

All you can eat Fresh Icelandic cod, Hot Polish Sausage, Fresh Sausage, Chicken Strips, French Fries, Cabbage and Noodles, Salad,…