Vanity Theft playing First Friday at Riverscape

It is often assumed that there is no local music scene in Dayton. Dear music fans, nothing could be further from the truth! We have a literal explosion of new music from bands of numerous musical genres, approaches, and styles happening right now. Once the Gem City was considered the post-punk haven for groups such as Guided by Voices, Branniac, and The Breeders. Dayton has a long and significant music history of which the post-punk wave was but one trend in local music.

Today, we have bands playing in almost too many genres and styles to count. We have new music from The Fair Shakes, Bonneville, We Were Animals (from the previously power-pop dream of Ed vs. Radio), Vanity Theft, The Rebel Set, The Story Changes, the horror-rock of Splattertude, Hawthorne Heights, Me & Mountains, Night Beast, Toads and Mice, Smug Brothers, and so much more.

We have many places to see bands and musicians are plying their trade in the Oregon District or throughout the city. If the assumption is that there is no growing and evolving music scene in Dayton, that is simply not correct. As someone who has conducted research on music scenes for several years (do not ask how many, I am just a little touchy about the age thing), I can honestly tell you that Dayton musicians have much to offer you. All you have to do is go listen.

You can go to several fine establishments to see bands play most nights of the week in the Gem City. And you should. Come on what do you have to lose except your preconceptions about the limitations of Dayton music.

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Check out our Local Music Calendar on the right of this page for shows in the upcoming week, or go to our full Online Event Calendar for more…

Visit three of the five locations  below on Friday, December 2nd (or before if you’d like), find the answer to the  listed clue, and snap a photo of yourself with it. The three photos are your  ticket to the Hunt after party (110 W. 5th St.), which goes from 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. and features free wine, Yuengling, snacks, and a live DJ!

Hunters who visit all five stops will be entered into a drawing for a special prize!

Your clues are:

Blind Bob’s (430 E. 5th St., 937.938.6405):
A neon sign bearing the logo of a popular Kentucky bourbon can be found
somewhere in the bar.

Deaf Monty’s Wine (22 Brown St., 937.225.9463):
One of the current featured wines is named after a family member.

Peace on Fifth (519 E. 5t St., 937.367.7215):
A ready-to-wear item features a simple message and birds in flight.

Bonnett’s Book Store (502 E. 5th St., 937.228.1222):
A famous prop from a classic film can be found on the checkout desk. (Hint:
It’s a major award!)

Beaute Box (116 W. 5th St., 937.903.3165):
An elected city official will be partaking in Beaute Box’s services at 8pm.
Who is it, and what is the person having done?

Thanks for playing, and happy holidays from updayton!

The First Friday Scavenger Hunt is made possible by updayton, the Downtown
Dayton Partnership, and sponsored by DaytonMostMetro.com.

If you’d like to see the first Brewpub in Dayton since the prohibition era, help make their dream come true by writing a letter of support to get variances for 18 parking spots, off-street loading/unloading area and to allow their hours of operation to go beyond 11pm.  You can email letters to info@toxicbrewcompany.com and copy tony.kroeger@daytonohio.gov who is the staff contact at Zoning Appeals.

You may remember that  Kimberly Collett, owner of Olive- an urban dive and Shane Anderson of the soon to be open Ghostlight Coffee also had to appeal to the public to help obtain the necessary variances to get their businesses past similar hurdles.  So if that’s what the city needs us to do  to help get more locally owned business, let’s help them!

I for one can’t wait to try more of Toxic Brews!  I still have a craving for more of their pepper beer I got to try at the Big Beer and Barley Wines event last month!

For more info, you can check out the file from Toxic Brewing Company below:

City_of_Dayton_Variances for Toxic Brewing Company

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Happy November everyone!  I hope everyone had a fabulous and safe Halloween…and that your kids (or your neighbors’ kids) shared their candy with you!  Even though there may not be any more opportunities to dress up in costume for a while (unless you’re an actor), there are still plenty of opportunities to have fun in Dayton this week!

On Wednesday, get a jump start on your holiday shopping by visiting the ARTtoBUY Holiday Gift Gallery at the Dayton Visual Arts Center or the Give Art! Gift Gallery at the Cannery Art and Design Center.  Or make your way to the Oregon District for some good fun – head to the Trolley Stop for the Old Time Acoustic Jam, Oregon Express to listen to The Doug Hart Band, or to Blind Bob’s for Karaoke with DJ Nancy.

On Thursday, purchase a holiday gift or a piece of artwork for your home or apartment at the 9th Annual Holiday Student Art Sale at Sinclair.  Listen to the music of Khalid Moss and Michael Bashaw as part of the Vectren Just Jazz Series at the Dayton Art Institute.  Have you ever wondered what a near-death experience is like?  Learn Everything You Wanted to Know about Near-Death Experiences from someone who has been researching this topic for over 20 years.  If you feel like your day has gotten off to a “rocky” start, then make your way to Bullwinkle’s in Miamisburg for Guilty? Or Not – A Mystery Dinner Theatre, to benefit the Children’s Performing Arts of Miamisburg.  Does the thought of dating and relationships leave you feeling confused like the rest of the world?  If so, make it to Sinclair’s production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.  Yes, I know love sometimes “cuts like a knife.”  Others are “all for love.” Regardless of your attitude towards love and relationships, you will not to want miss seeing music legend Bryan Adams perform at the Taft Theatre!

On Friday, make your way downtown for First Friday, the fabulous art hop that occurs once per month.  They always say men won’t go to the doctor, so please help raise funds and awareness for men’s cancer/research by participating in the Movember Mustache Ride.  And men – if your lady doesn’t like a little stubble on your face, just let her know it’s for a good cause!  In addition to growing a mustache for a good cause, you will also be able to drink some great beer for two great causes!  Attend the AutoberFest Craft Beer Tasting at Taj Ma Garaj to support Dayton History and the Epilepsy Foundation.  There are lots of theater options throughout the weekend, including I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at Sinclair Community College;  Pinkalicious the Musical at the Schuster Center; ‘Master Harold’ …and the Boys at the Dayton Playhouse; Caroline, or Change at The Loft Theatre; and Lost in Yonkers at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  And if you enjoy music, there are plenty of opportunities for that as well!  Check out the Pride of Dayton Marching Band at UD; Lynda Carter: The Wonder of Song at the Schuster Center; or Chamber Orchestra Kremlin as part of the Vanguard Concerts at the Dayton Art Institute.

On Saturday, participate in Hospice of Dayton’s 7th Annual 5K Remembrance Walk (which means you don’t have to be a runner!).  Get a start on your holiday decorations by participating in the Gingerbread House Making Workshop at the Dayton Cultural Center.  If you’re a train fanatic (not the music group kind, although you can like them too), then chugga chugga choo choo your way to the National Model Railroad Association Dayton Train Show at Hara Arena.  Visit We Care Arts’ art gallery and gift shop as part of their Holiday Open House.  There are several theater options including those mentioned under Friday, as well as My Fair Lady at Kuss Auditorium in Springfield.  If you would like a show that will have you rolling (hopefully with laughter!) and dancing, then make your way to Victoria Theatre for BAM Percussion:  The Blue Barrel Show.  Halloween may be over, but at the Schuster Center, you will be able to see “Wonder Woman”  Lynda Carter perform.  And at the Taft Theatre, Lily Tomlin will be performing…and that’s the truth.

On Sunday, you will still be able to check out some of the events/shows that have been going on throughout the weekend, including the National Model Railroad Association Dayton Train Show (Hara Arena), BAM Percussion:  The Blue Barrel Show (Victoria Theatre), Caroline, or Change (The Loft Theatre), and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Sinclair).  At UD, attend the Family Pops Concert featuring the University of Dayton Symphonic Wind Ensemble.  Or get in the spirit of the holidays by attending Holidays in the Heartland at the Schuster Center.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

What do you call a train loaded with toffee?  A chew chew train.

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar.  There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today!  Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE!  And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

Pumpkins Courtesy of My Mom

Halloween is right around the corner!  Hopefully you have your costume and are ready for some good scares this week…as well as some good fun!

On Wednesday, hang out in Oakwood for The Nights of the Arts.  Do all those political commercials have you confused on how to vote on election day?  If so, make your way to the Updayton Candidate Forum.  Or make your way to the Schuster Center for Tyler Perry’s ‘The Haves and the Have Nots’.

On Thursday, support a great cause by attending the Clothes That Work Fashioning Futures Modeling Success Luncheon at Sinclair’s Ponitz Center.  Get out that Halloween costume and join some great young professionals for the Generation Dayton Costume Party at The Moraine Embassy.  Enjoy Half-Price Wine Night at Coco’s Bistro…”wine not?”  At the Dayton Racquet Club, enjoy their Dinner & Goose Island Beer Tasting with New Chef Jack Skilliter.  And at the Victoria Theatre, you will be able to have An Evening with David Sedaris.

On Friday after work, participate in the Oregon Arts District Walking Tour.  There are plenty of spooky/Halloween-themed activities on Friday including the Halloween Party Wine Tasting at Emporium Wines/Underdog Cafe; Horrorama 2011 at Englewood Cinema; Ghosts, Cemeteries and Murders Walk at Courthouse Square; the Haunted Butcher House; Mayhem & Mystery Dinner Theatre: ‘Costume Carousing’ at the Spaghetti Warehouse; the Land Of Illusion Haunted Scream Park; and Slasher: A Horrifying Comedy at UD…I think I would need the comedy to put up with the horror.  And finally, in theater news, you will be able to see Lost in Yonkers (Dayton Theatre Guild) or Opera Theatre: Opera Scenes (Wright State).

On Saturday, if you’re a 5K runner with an extreme sense of adventure, then you will want to participate in the Swamp Stomp Mud Challenge Event.  You may not be able to afford a trip to Italy so instead, make your way to Jay’s Restaurant for their Italian Wine Luncheon.  Saturday is also all about Halloween, as it is the night for the famous Hauntfest in the Oregon District.  In addition to Hauntfest, there are many other Halloween-themed events/activities for Saturday including the  ‘PhilharMonster’ Halloween Concert at the Schuster Center; the 1st Annual Tailgate of Terror at the Yellow Cab Building; the 3rd Annual Boo & Bruise in the Oregon District; a Ghosts, Cemeteries and Murders Walk at Courthouse Square; Spooktacular at SideBar; the Dayton Philharmonic’s Bride of Frankenstein at the Schuster Center; and Howl-O-Ween at the Boonshoft Museum (a family friendly event).

On Sunday, make your back to the Oregon District (if you even left from Saturday night) for a Walking Tour.  Get a group together and enjoy a Segway Tour of Downtown Dayton.  (I was actually just talking to some people who went on one of these and said it was a fun experience!)  And if you enjoy theater, then check out Lost in Yonkers (Dayton Theatre Guild) or Monty Python’s Spamalot (Schuster Center).

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

What do you call a witch at the beach?  A sand-witch.

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar.  There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today!  Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE!  And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

First off, I would like to say congratulations to the Dayton Dragons on setting the national record for sports sell-outs this past weekend…what an accomplishment!  We do truly live in a great city!  And I’d like to prove it once again by letting you know about some of the great things going on here this week!

On Wednesday, take a break from work and head to The Square Is Where… Yoga Class from Practice Yoga at Courthouse Square.  If you haven’t been getting enough beauty sleep lately, consider going to La Comedia to see Sleeping Beauty.  Listen to music at Yankee Trace with Jazz on the Green or at Veteran’s Park Amphitheater with The Dark Star Orchestra.  And if you’re in need of a good laugh, then head to Wiley’s for their Dirty Little Secret Superhero Show.

On Thursday, there are several great happy hour options so you are going to have some tough decisions to make!  If you are an enthusiastic young professional, join Generation Dayton at El Meson for Thirsty Thursday.  It’s Thursday Night Live at the Moraine Embassy, so let DaytonMostMetro.com’s very own Bill Pote and Lisa Grigsby help take care of you, as they will be the celebrity bartenders on hand.  Grab dinner and drinks at one of the fabulous restaurants at The Greene such as McCormick & Schmick’s and then sit on the green (literally) to watch as Ed Kowalczyk, the lead singer of Live performs.  Check out three of the Oregon District’s new businesses as part of their Progressive Open House, where each business will have live performances by jazz and classical musicians, as well as raffles!  Bring the whole family to see Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The Salvation Army Kroc Center – tickets are FREE!  Or help support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by getting your tickets to see ‘The Sound of Music’ at Epiphany Lutheran Church.  And finally, listen to live music at the Dayton Art Institute for a Twilight Concert or at RiverScape for their Big Band Nights featuring the Eddie Brookshire Orchestra.

On Friday, bring your kids to the PNC 2^nd Street Market for Pasta Making for Kids…afterall, wouldn’t it be nice if they made you dinner for a change?!?!  If you love biking, consider taking part in the Greene Trails Cycling Classic at the Greene County Fairgrounds Recreation Center.  Although this is a four-day event, you are able to “Design-A-Ride” that fits your schedule.  Art lovers should make plans to attend the 20th Annual Open Members’ Show: Light at the Dayton Visual Arts Center.  Head to the Beavercreek Kroger for their Wine and Food Extravaganza.  Once again, you will be able to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by going to Epiphany Lutheran Church for The Sound of Music’.  Have a nerds night out at Xenia Area Community Theater as part of Nerd Comedy Night.  If you prefer to be cool, head to Victoria Theatre to see “Some Like It Hot” as part of the Michelob Ultra Cool Films Series.  And if you actually do like it hot, then make your way to Bella Villa Hall for the The Bocce Classic XVI.

On Saturday, if you enjoy seeing beautiful irises (the flower kind), then you will want to be at the PNC 2^nd Street Market for their Iris Sale.  At RiverScape, get in shape with Zumba in the Park or participate in their Kayak Float.  Support A Special Wish Foundation by attending Fajita Fest at the Polish Club.  Listen to the sounds of  Michael Bashaw & Puzzle of Light and the Rippingtons at Veteran’s Park Amphitheater, the Bob Gray Orchestra at Stubbs Amphitheater, Son Del Caribe as part of the Free Summer Concert Series at RiverScape, or Trace Adkins at the Fraze Pavilion.  Over at

Now that I’m officially a grad student, I’m trying to be cooler and more interesting to the general public. One step on my trek to coolness is to dine at locations besides the Chipotle on Brown.

So when two of my best friends, Maggie and Allie, came for a visit this weekend, I asked them if we could go somewhere new and chic. The Oregon District of course has a lot to offer – and we soon decided the new Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, 520 E. Fifth St., was our best bet.

Lucky’s is open from 11 to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Sunday. The owner, Andrew Trick, opened the store on March 11, of this year.

“This was his life dream to have this bar,” Teresa Jetton, Trick’s niece who also works at Lucky’s, told me.

Jetton said her uncle planned to open Lucky’s with his father, who recently passed away. Trick continued to work toward his dream of owning a restaurant and bar, and Jetton said it has been a big success since its opening earlier this year.

The trip to Trick’s new hotspot started out a litttttle rough for me. I decided to lounge for a while in my apartment before feasting, and soon woke up to Mags and Allie beckoning me out the door. I was definitely a zombie for the first hour of our night, but woke up just in time to enjoy a delish chicken salad sandwich and fries with a side of honey mustard — always a staple of any meal I eat.

Lucky’s, in my opinion as a food aficionado since age 1, was excellent. The menu is full of appetizers, soups and salads, and sandwiches at affordable prices, especially for a student like myself on a budget. My chicken salad sandwich complete with lettuce, tomato and mayo came to a grand total of just $5.50. Not only that, but Lucky’s also offers vegan/gluten free bread for just $1 more on all sandwiches. Allie, a vegetarian who used to be a vegan herself, was immediately impressed. The healthy options don’t stop there, either. Want a burger? Choose between beef, turkey, soy, gluten free vegan or fish meat to top your bun. Is the grilled ham and cheese sandwich not for you? Go veggie for just 50 cents more.

At Lucky’s, I feel like I couldn’t have made a bad menu decision. The $6.50 quesadilla with Anaheim/poblano and bell peppers, onions, cheddar/jack cheese, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, for example, was hard to pass up. I could have even made it vegan with cheddar-style vegan cheese for just $1.50 more. The cordon blue sandwich also was a close second for me. The sandwich comes with grilled chicken and ham, swiss cheese, dijon mustard, mayo, lettuce and tomato. Onions, pickles and sauteed mushrooms are available upon request. Even the simple spinach salad — with bleu cheese, chicken, bacon, candied walnuts, craisins, sliced pears and raspberry vinaigrette — was enticing. Decisions, decisions!

If these tasty selections sound right for you, be sure to stop in soon — All through June, the restaurant and bar’s Facebook friends will be treated to 10 percent off lunch, Monday through Friday.

One of the top highlights – besides the diversity of food options – was the beer selection. The phrase, “Try a new one, samples are on us,” at the bottom of the beer menu immediately caught our attention. As a recent college graduate, anything besides Natty Light is like gold to me, so watching Allie try out three different baby samples (in adorably small glasses) was super exciting. Allie chose the Maharaja – despite my pleas for her to get Le Freak just for the name –and thoroughly enjoyed it as a complement to her beer battered fish and chips. Maharaja – a product of the Colorado-based Avery Brewing Co. – is an orange, sweet, seasonal beer with a hint of fresh citrus that we all just had to try.

Lucky’s draft list changes, but other options this past weekend included: Dragon’s Milk (New Holland Brewing Co.) for $6; Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale (Lexington Brewing Co.) for $5; and Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (Great Divide Brewing Co.) for $6. This listing alone was enough to get me in the door!

Highlight number three: the service. I have a strong, long-held conviction that everyone who works in the Oregon District is super artsy and musically-talented, and this one proved me right. I finally got up the courage to ask the hip waiter about his rocker tattoos, and he revealed that serving us french fries wasn’t in fact his primary passion. By night, he’s in a band. He explained the meaning of the tattoos that laced his arms, admitting he would show us the rest but wasn’t allowed to remove his shirt at our table.

All smiles after our tasty meals! (Photo taken by our musically-inclined, tattooed waiter.)

Regardless, my first excursion was full of success.

Bon appetit!

Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Can you believe Memorial Day weekend is almost here?!?!  That means summer is right around the corner!  Be sure to make the most of these last few days in May!

On Wednesday, make your way to the Fraze Pavilion (I LOVE the Fraze!) for the Kettering Block Party.  If you want to sort of meet a former president, then head over to the Dayton Woman’s Club for the Abraham Lincoln Social & Luncheon.  Beer lovers should plan to be at Archer’s as they’ll feature a new craft beer.  Not only will you be able to think green, but you will also be able to “drink green” as part of Green Drinks May at Norton’s in Kettering.  And if you love listening to adorable kids singing their hearts out, be sure to attend the Kettering Children’s Choir 25th Anniversary Concert at the Schuster Center.

On Thursday, check out 42nd Street at WSU’s Festival Playhouse.  On the other side of town, you will be able to see the premiere of the documentary The Other Side at The Neon.  And if you want to be close to somebody, come to Right Next to Me at The Loft Theatre.  The only problem is, you really don’t know who “me” is.  If you are in the Oregon District, walk over to Dayton Theology on Tap at Oregon Express.  For all you old-fashioned book readers, check out a new option, The Nook, at Books & Co. at The Greene as part of their Nook Nights.  “Hungary?”  Make your way to Boston’s Bistro for their Hungarian Wine Tasting, which includes pizza, cheese, and chocolate!  And finally, over at the Metropolitan Arts Center, check out A Wine and Yoga Practice…which I of course think is an awesome idea!

On Friday, celebrate the weekend with Fiesta Friday at Bar Louie.  Or check out Trumpet Studio.  You may be asking, “What may ‘trump’ that?”  I’m not sure, but if you are looking to experience theater, there are several opportunities available, including  42nd Street at WSU’s Festival Playhouse, Right Next to Me at The Loft Theatre, and Mauritius at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  Then, go to bed early so you can enjoy the rest of Memorial Day weekend!

On Saturday, make your way to Dorothy Lane Market for Lobstermania.  If you’re downtown, be sure to participate in the Bike United Tour at Fifth Third Field and support the Dayton Dutch Lions’ campaign for healthy living with a fun downtown bike ride.  Plus, you will receive a ticket to the Dutch Lions’ first ever game at Fifth Third Field, and a Bike United T-shirt.  Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend by attending The Patriot Freedom Festival.  If you’re like me and love summer concerts, be sure to listen to the sounds of The Highway Junkies at RiverScape as part of the Free Summer Concert Series.  And finally, theater options for Saturday include Mauritius at Dayton Theatre Guild, 42nd Street at WSU’s Festival Playhouse, and Right Next to Me at The Loft Theatre.

On Sunday, make plans to attend the 2011 Dayton Heritage Festival at Carillon Historical Park.  It is FREE!  You will be able to enjoy exhibit buildings, special activities, and live music.  You can make it an all-day affair, as there will also be food and drinks from a variety of local vendors.  Plus, there will be fireworks following the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance featuring Live Americana music!  If there isn’t something there that suits your fancy, then too bad!  Just kidding (although that’s all I’m talking about for Sunday)!   Also, if you want to give back and volunteer there, please shoot me an email!

My Team Last Year at the "Spike Out Blood Cancer" Sand Volleyball Tournament!

Usually I don’t talk about Mondays in Jane’s Best Bets, but this week I’m making an exception with it being Memorial Day.  If you’re not having a cookout, then there are a couple options.  Start the day off early by attending the ‘Spike Out Blood Cancer’ Memorial Day Sand Volleyball Tournament at J.D. Legends.  I played in it last year and had a blast!  Even if you don’t like volleyball or can’t attend, I encourage you to support Steve VanGorder’s Fight for a Cure, which supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  There are many ways to help, including making a donation, attending the Beatles Tribute Concert by Ticket to Ride, or purchasing a raffle ticket to win a brand new Camaro!  And if you don’t feel like sweating all day long or listening to Beatles music, consider staying inside for trivia!  There will be live trivia at the Pour Haus as well as trivia at Beef O’Brady’s.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

At first the man didn’t like his haircut, but then it started to grow on him.

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar.  There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today!  Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE!  And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

When I was growing up, my grandparents had dinner for our extended family at their home every Easter Sunday, but the highlight of the day was always the Cousins’ Easter Egg hunt. My uncles hid something like five hundred eggs outside, and the race was on to find the most or to find one of the special prize eggs. Now, despite flashes of chilly weather and our constant busyness with school, work, and/or life, somehow Easter is already this weekend.

Easter always seems like a quick holiday, marked by time at the in-laws’ or parents’, consisting of dinner, church, and/or an egg hunt, and lasting for approximately one day. However, a great way to extend that a little is to see a show at some point during the weekend, to make the holiday longer than just dinner. This weekend, both a family show and a mature drama are presented, so whether you’re in the mood to laugh or feel deeply, or just do something besides the typical holiday offerings, check out the productions below!

Another Openin’, Another Show

…SHOWS CLOSING SOON

Permanent Collection

HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY

The Story: Loosely based on a true story, in this play, eccentric collector Alfred Morris pretty much guarantees the collisions when his will stipulates both that his museum go to an historically black college and that the displays be kept precisely as they are – leading to an inevitable battle over African artworks that have been kept in basement storage.(HRTC)
Dates: April 14 – May 1, 2011
Tickets and More Information: Human Race Theatre Company

Phantom Tollbooth

ZOOT THEATRE ASSOCIATION

The Story: In this adaptation of the youth classic performed at the VTA Schuster Center’s Mathile Theatre, after the very bored Milo receives a make-believe tollbooth, he is transported to the Lands Beyond, a fantastic and imaginitive world. He meets Tock the watchdog, the floating Alex Bings (whose legs have not yet grown down to earth), Dynne (a monster made of smoke), and many others, ultimately learning the boundlessness of imagination.
Dates: April 21 – 30, 2011
Tickets & More Information: Victoria Theatre Association , Zoot Theatre Company

…ONE WEEKEND ONLY

Blackbird

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

The Story: Fifteen years after their affair, two ex lovers meet, and are overwhelmed by guilt, rage, and raw emotions bpertaining to their relationship of years past, when she was twelve and he was forty. After prison and hardship, Ray has finally forged a new life for himself; Una, however, still remembers and definitely wants answers. This award-winning drama “ruthlessly explores the complicated history and bond between a man and a woman as they struggle through a deep exploration into what happened and why it happened, and what it all means now.”
Dates: April 22 – 24, 2011
Tickets & More Information: DMM Preview Article , Dayton Theatre Guild

One Short Day

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

Big Fat Concert Series, Vol. II: I Feel So Much Spring

ENCORE THEATER COMPANY

The Basics: After a standing-room-only fall concert, ETC is back with a second series and two performances, held this time at the Color of Energy Art Gallery in the heart of the Oregon District. Featuring songs from some of the most innovative new writers, including Derek Gregor and Sam Carner, Jeff Thomson & Jordan Mann (Jonathan Larson
Award-winners), Kyle Jarrow, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul as well as locally-based musical theatre writers, this concert features the best of rising musical theatre.
Dates: April 29 & 30, 2011; 8 pm (venue open at 7:30 pm for cocktails)
Tickets: $5 at the door
More Information: Encore Theater Company

~KN

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@gmail.com.

Dayton Theatre Guild

The Dayton Theatre Guild is set to present Blackbird by Scottish playwright David Harrower as a season extra offering, opening Friday evening.  The only opportunity to catch this intense psychological drama will be this weekend, April 22 – 24 at the Caryl D. Philips TheatreScape, 430 Wayne Avenue, in Dayton’s historic Oregon Arts District.

David Harrower

The bold award-winning play promises to be a thought-provoking, though potentially uncomfortable, evening for theatregoers.  The play was commissioned by the Edinburgh International Festival, where it received its world premiere in 2005.  In the years to follow, Blackbird was honored with a “Best New Play” award from both The Critics’ Award for Theatre in Scotland and The Lawrence Olivier Award.

Dramatists Play Service synopsizes the play as follows:

Two people who once had a passionate affair meet again fifteen years later. Ray is confronted with his past when Una arrives unannounced at his office. Guilt, rage and raw emotions run high as they recollect their relationship when she was twelve and he was forty. Without any moral judgments, the play never shies away from the brutal shattering truth of the abandoned and unconventional love. Ray, fifty-six, after years in prison and subsequent hardships, has a new identity and has made a new life for himself, thinking that he could no longer be found. Una, twenty-seven, has thought of nothing else, and on finding a photo of him, sets out to find Ray. She is looking for answers not vengeance. Nevertheless, the consequences are shattering.

While the sexual themes of the show, particularly the ages of the two involved, may be difficult for many to handle for a holiday weekend’s entertainment, the play’s history, reviews and the fervor with which the cast worked to bring it to a Dayton stage indicate that the provocative 70-minute drama is well worth an evening of your time.

“The gifted David Harrower’s intense BLACKBIRD promises to be the most powerful drama of the season…masterly, mesmerizing…extraordinary…a miracle.” ~NY Times

“…an intense psychodrama that won’t let your mind wander even though there are times this story makes you wish you could switch channels.” ~Curtain Up

The play, which unfolds in real-time, ruthlessly examines the complicated history and bond between a man and a woman as they struggle through a deep exploration into what happened and why it happened, and what it all means now.

Heather Atkinson (L) and K.L. Storer (R) in Blackbird

The cast includes Heather Atkinson, last seen at the Guild in The Cashier and K.L. Storer, who appeared in last season’s A Case of Libel.  The play is directed by Natasha Randall.

This play contains harshly explicit sexual language, mature themes and subject matter.

-SA/DTG Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@gmail.com.

Tickets & Performance Information:

David Harrower’s BLACKBIRD – April 22-24 – (8pm on Friday & Saturday / 3pm on Sunday)

Tickets Prices: $10 student / $15 senior / $17 adult

Location:  Dayton Theatre Guild at The Caryl D. Philip’s TheatreScape – 430 Wayne Ave. Dayton, Ohio  45410 (MAP)

Contains adult situations and language.

Tickets are on sale now through DTG’s Online Box Office, or via phone at (937) 278-5993 (due to a volunteer staff, phones are not monitored continually).

For more information about Dayton Theatre Guild’s entire 2010-2011 season, visit www.DaytonTheatreGuild.org

Dayton Theatre Guild at the Caryl D. Philips TheatreScape