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July 2010
First Friday filled with activities
Like the popular Urban Nights project, the Downtown Dayton Partnership’s First Friday has generated an avalanche of interest from artists, arts organizations and members of the community.
During the Aug. 6 First Friday, downtown buildings will remain lit from 8 to 11 p.m. for photographers interested in snapping pictures for the Partnership’s photo contest, Dayton in Focus.
But photographers won’t be the only folks migrating to the center of the city on First Friday. Dayton will be the hub for a smorgasbord of activities embracing the visual arts, music, comedy and dance.
The Armory, 201 E. Sixth St. Final exhibit for the Blue Sky Project, the eight-week artist-in-residence program housed at the University of Dayton. 5 to 10 p.m.
Cannery Art and Design Center, 434 E. Third St. Invites public to create community mural, 5 to 10 p.m.
Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N. Jefferson St. 5 to 8 p.m. 19th Annual Open Members’ Show.
Elaine Balsley Fine Art, 523 E. Fifth St. Featuring paintings, greeting cards, note cards and matted prints.
Gallery 510 Fine Art, 510 E. Fifth St. Will host receptions for two shows: “The Laboratory” and “Convenient Landscapes.”
Cachet G, International Boutique and Gallery, 133 E. Third St. Exhibit of origami and digital photography by Paula Ramey.
Street performers will provide entertainment downtown on First Friday. These include belly dancers, comedians, musicians and Grimmer Tales who presents modern-day takes on fairy tales.
how to go WHAT: Dayton Downtown Partnership’s First Friday WHEN: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6 WHERE: Downtown Dayton HOW MUCH: Most activities are free and open to the community FOR MORE INFORMATION: (937) 224-1518 or go online to www.downtowndayton.org
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TweetDowtown Dayton Partnership sponsors photo contest
The Dayton Downtown Partnership is tasked with making the center city a more vibrant and inviting place. The organization, led by president Sandy Gudorf, hopes to gain fresh perspectives on the Gem City through its 2010 photo contest, Downtown in Focus.
“This is something we did last year and had an overwhelming response, so we decided to do it again,” Gudorf said. “Amateur and professional photographers are invited to enter the contest to determine who has the best pictures of downtown Dayton. Winning photos will be on display at Kettering Tower during the September Urban Nights. They’ll also appear in the Dayton Daily News.”
Shutterbugs will have an opportunity to get unique nightime shots of downtown Dayton on Friday, Aug. 6 during the Partnership’s First Friday.
“First Friday is a project that highlights the visual arts in Dayton,” Gudorf said. “On Aug. 6 we’re asking downtown business owners to keep their lights on, both inside and outside, from 8 to 11 p.m. for photographers who want to capture evening shots of the downtown space.”
Photographers will be judged in the categories of Best Light, Downtown Alive, Spaces and Places and Best in Show.
Best in Show winner will be awarded $250. Deadline for entry is Tuesday, Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. Entry forms and official contest guidelines are available at www.downtowndayton.org.
“The judges are professionals in the visual arts,” Gudorf added. “We hope this contest produces an impressive gallery of photos of downtown Dayton.”
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TweetPlay about art, madness tops Futurefest
“An Uncommon Language,” a drama by Evan Guilford-Blake about art, madness and discrimination against women in both the valuation of art and findings of mental illness, captured top honors at the Dayton Playhouse Futurefest July 23-25.
“Refuge,” by Marc Kornblatt of Madison, Wis., in which a man trying to commit suicide is turned back by a man with a terminal illness, was the audience favorite at the 20th annual new play festival.
Guilford-Blake, who had a play produced in the festival for for the third time, said the six plays this year represented a strong collection..
“Because of that, I feel especially honored to have had ‘An Uncommon Language’ selected.”
He said the atmosphere was the “most hospitable a playwright could wish for and it’s notable how involved the audience was throughout.There were 90 percent-plus houses, even for the awards ceremony. I can only wish audiences elsewhere were as interested in and supportive of new work as the ones in Dayton.”
Chosen from more than 390 entries from several countries, the festival finalists also included “Dancing Backwards,” by John Fiorillo of New York; “Short Story Long,” by Joel Fishbane of Montreal; “How It Works,” by Cary Pepper of San Francisco, and “The Judicial Murder of Mrs. Surratt,” by Rich Amada of Alexandria, Va.
Directed by Lucian Smith, “An Uncommon Language” featured Megan Cooper, Benjamin Norsworthy, Jennie Yeaman, Richard Young, Franklin Johnson, Jennifer Lockwood and Deborah Childress.
“Refuge” was staged by RIchard Brock with a cast including Matt Turner, Wendi Michael, Cheryl Mellen and Geoff Burkman.
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TweetSoul-D Out Dayton features a diverse roster of artists
The stated purpose of Soul-D Out Dayton, an uber showcase taking place Wednesday, July 28 at C-Space, is to “spotlight Dayton’s untapped artistic talent.” But the word “untapped” is a double edged sword. Soul-D Out Dayton is the brainchild of tap dance performer Christopher Erk, founder of the dance company The Tap Factor.
Erk moved to Dayton from New York City a year ago and quickly immersed himself in the local arts scene. He has danced with Rhythm In Shoes and now has planned an event that utilizes the talents of artists from a variety of different backgrounds and disciplines.
“After I danced with Rhythm In Shoes at their final performance at the Cityfolk Festival, I wanted to keep the momentum going and take this opportunity to put together a little show and get my friends involved,” Erk said. “When I walked into C-Space, it’s a pretty intense place as far as the aesthetics as well as the size and the layout. Once I walked in there I realized this is going to be more than a little show.”
Soul-D Out Dayton features Erk and his dance company, violinist Shaw Pong Liu, tap dancers Anthony Russo and Jumaane Taylor and many others. The night kicks off with interactive poetry by Robert Paschell and ends with a dance party beginning at approximately 9:30 p.m.. Food and drink will be available.
Tickets are $20 for seats, $15 for standing. For tickets call the Dayton Playhouse (937) 424-8477.
“It’s turning out to be a spectacular event involving all sorts of local entities from Zoot Theater (puppets) to some Rhythm In Shoes company members,” Erk said. “…I guess the main idea is to show how all the arts fit together.”
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TweetRick Good wins state honor
Musician, composer and singer Rick Good, former co-director of the dance and music company Rhythm in Shoes, is the 2010 winner of the Ohio Heritage Fellowship award.
Awarded by the Ohio Arts Council, the honor is presented to individuals whose work in the folk and traditional arts has had a significant impact in the state.
Good, a resident of Spring Valley, will perform at 6:30 p.m. July 31 at the Ohio State Fair with a band including friends and longtime collaborators in bluegrass and old-time music.
The performance and presentation of the award to Good will take place during the Ohio Heritage Showcase, a new event for the Ohio State Fair, sponsored by Cityfolk and the Ohio Arts Council.
The showcase will also feature performances by Harmonia, a Cleveland group that specializes in gypsy and other traditional folk music of Eastern Europe, at 5:30 and 8:15 p.m. and the Antioch Chorale, a gospel ensemble, at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.
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TweetLGBT fest books centerpiece
A film responding to the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy has been chosen as the centerpiece of the 2010 Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival Sept. 24-26.
“A Marine Story” stars Dreya Weber (“The Gymnast”) as Alexandra, a decorated Marine officer who has been abruptly discharged. Back in her hometown, while struggling with her own issues, she’s asked to help a rebellious teen named Saffron (Paris Pickard) prepare for boot camp.
The festival screening committee considered many other films before choosing “A Marine Story” for the 7 p.m. Saturday night slot. The complete lineup for the three-day event hosted by The Neon Movies and the Downtown Priority Board is still being decided.
Sponsorships are also being sought. For more information about how to contribute, contact Jonathan McNeal at (937) 222-8452 or theneon@msn.com. For more about the festival, go to www.daytonlgbt.com.
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TweetBroadway player heads local ‘Osage’
Suzanne Marley, who was understudy to Tony Award winner Deanna Dunagan in the Broadway production, will play the pivotal role of Violet in the local premiere of the prize-winning Tracy Letts drama “August: Osage County.”
Casting has been announced for the joint production by The Human Race Theatre Company and Wright State University Theatre. Seven professionals and six students are included in the first-time collaboration.
Others will be: Scott Stoney as Violet’s husband Beverly, Kristie Berger of Chicago, Brian David Evans (who appeared several times on Dave Chappelle’s Comedy Central show), Bill Simmons of Indianapolis, Rainbow Dickerson as the maid Johnna (which she understudied on Broadway), Cincinnati actor Daniel Britt and WSU students Maddie Casto, Chelsey Cavender, Jason David Collins, Kelsey Hopkins, Greg Mallios and Alex Sunderhaus.
Marsha Hanna will co-direct with Stoney. Performances will be Sept. 23-Oct. 10 at WSU.
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TweetNew Shakespeare troupe enters
Free Shakespeare!, a theater troupe that will tour the Dayton area with outdoor productions, makes its debut July 16-18 with “Hamlet” on Courthouse Square.
“It’s time for the experiment to go public,” said company founder Chris Shea, who is producer, co-director and playing the title role. “So far, it’s been a great experience.”
Shea, 27, who has driven his Honda Civic back and forth across the country four times, decided to establish Free Shakespeare! after moving back to Kettering from Seattle, where he performed with a roving outdoor Shakespeare group called GreenStage Seattle.
“I had a vague idea that we would take shows into neighborhoods for activities like block parties. I’ve had to reevaluate a bit. It became obvious that we were going to need concrete, fixed venues to begin with.”
“Hamlet” will be presented at three more locations: the Antioch Amphitheater in Yellow Springs, the University of Dayton’s Art Street Amphitheatre and Wegerzyn Gardens Metropark.
Audience members should bring their own chairs for the Courthouse Square shows. Art exhibits and live music will start 90 minutes before each show. Chips Lanier, a Northumbrian pipes player, will play 15 minutes before the start of the drama.
Shea, a 2001 graduate of Kettering Fairmont High School, said he feels “calm” as show time approaches. “We’re taking to heart Hamlet’s philosophy that ‘The readiness is all.’ “
Admission is free, but donations would be appreciated. Go to www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Shakespeare.
Free Shakespeare! July 16-18: Courthouse Square, downtown Dayton. Bring your own seating.
July 23-25: Antioch Amphitheater, Corry Street, Yellow Springs.
July 30-Aug. 1: Art Street Amphitheater, Kiefaber Street, University of Dayton.
Aug. 6-8: Wegerzyn Gardens Metropark, Siebenthaler Avenue, Dayton. Bring your own seating.
Show times: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays.
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TweetVandalia studio to get TV time
The former Studio Zumba in Vandalia, newly renamed The Studio Fitness, may get some national television exposure Thursday, July 15, during broadcast of “So You Think You Can Dance.”
Producers for the show “have notified us that our video promoting our joint National Dance Day event with the Dance Expressions studio (also in Vandalia) will be aired during the live show (9 to 10 p.m. on Fox),” Studio Fitness co-owner Joan Jones said. “If there are technical problems, there’s a chance we might get cut. We are keeping our fingers crossed that won’t happen.”
Studio Fitness, 698 W. National Road, and Dance Expressions, 9149 N. Dixie Drive, are teaming up for a dance and fitness fundraiser at 6 p.m. July 31, which is Dance Day. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Dizzy Feet Foundation.
For more information, call 937-387-0660 or go to TheStudioFit.com.
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TweetTV crew films in Dayton
Jennifer Lehman was calm while sharing her personal “aha moment” with a television crew on Tuesday, July 13.
But she burst into tears when she stopped to talk about it afterwards.
The Eaton resident was one of about two dozen area residents interviewed as part of the Mutual of Omaha “Aha Moment Tour 2010,” which parked its mobile studio outside the Schuster Performing Arts Center on Monday and Tuesday.
A four-member TV crew has been touring the country for more than three months in the long silver Airstream trailer with the Nebraska license plate, collecting interviews that are recorded, edited, posted online and voted on by the public.
Those that attract the most votes at the website will be incorporated into nationally televised commercials for the Mutual of Omaha company.
“Emerging from the trailer,” where she had been interviewed by Atlanta native Jessica Henry and filmed by Dave Regos, who was born in Sydney, Australia, Lehman said her emotional personal moment had to do with “a thank you from a child” that simultaneously reminded her of her own childhood and inspired her life’s work.
She is a staff member for the national organization Kids in Need, which is based in Dayton. “Aha” production assistant Kait Ebinger, who grew up in San Francisco, said the tour is in its second year.
“This year we’ve been visiting mid-sized cities like Dayton. We’ve gotten a good representation of people.”
A few of the other stops include Eugene, Ore.; Fresno, Calif.; Providence, R.I.; Baton Rouge, La., and Austin, Texas.
Lehman said she thinks “most people probably have had a aha moment, but might not know that until later. That’s how it was for me.”
Henry said the Dayton interviews will be posted on the website “within two or three weeks.” For more information, go to www.ahamoment.com.
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TweetWin Blake Shelton tickets
Sign up for a chance to win free tickets to Blake Shelton’s concert at the Fraze Pavillion.
The Kettering Moraine Oakwood Chamber of Commerce is holding a drawing to win a pair of tickets for the Aug. 19 concert.
To enter, go to KMo-Coc.org and click “Sign up for our monthly drawing.”
The winner will be announced the first week in August.
Blake Shelton is a country performer who recently has had a big hit with “Hillbilly Bone.”
For more information, call (937) 299-3852.
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TweetNext Oprah will not be a local talker
The next Oprah Winfrey will not come from the Miami Valley.
Neither Ryan Vallo, Jake Lockwood, Robin Mobley nor Jody Johnston Pawel made the cut in a nationwide contest to find a talk show host for Winfrey’s new OWN network.
Vallo, Lockwood, Mobley and Pawel had hoped to be one of the top eight online vote getters who would go on to further auditions in hopes of getting a show which would air in January.
Mobley and Pawel also went to in-person auditions, but did not receive callbacks.
The winner will get a six-episode commitment for a show on OWN.
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TweetFast facts about Country Concert
It takes a lot of time and a lot of people to put on the Country Concert each year. Here is a look at the concert by the numbers, courtesy of Jim Prenger, event spokesperson.
42,000: Concert-goers expected this year.
2,500: Recreational vehicles that will be on the grounds during the event.
1,000: Cases of beer sold at the concert. They are sold by a non-profit group that offers 30 beers and a bag of ice for $20. “Country Concert is one of only a few carry-in festivals or events in America. Small coolers are welcome, so people bring in their own food and beverages including beer. It makes the event very affordable. We like it that way and don’t plan to change.”
28: Stage hands that work the concert per day. “They are mostly from the Tom and Jan Steinke family from Botkins, Ohio. They have been doing it for all 30 years and have multigenerational members in the crew.”
$12 million: The Sidney Shelby County Chamber of Commerce estimates the concert brings in $12 million through sales at hotels, restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores during the concert.
350: Volunteers it takes to put on the event, mostly from nonprofit groups. “Those organizations use the Country Concert as their annual fundraiser. We (the event) get quality people, working hard, and having some fun.”
365: Days organizers work on the event. “We have a small year round staff of about 4 people. Mike and Mary Jo Barhorst and their family start working on the next year’s artist lineup shortly after the event.
6,536: The longest distance in miles someone traveled to attend the concert was from Tokyo. Fans have also come from Iceland and Sweden. Still, 90 percent of concert-goers are from the Dayton area.
1,200: The number of zip codes concert-goers come from. Those are made up of 38 states and Canada.
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TweetMany interesting sights at Country Concert
Part of the fun of Country Concert is what you see.
So far, I have witnessed: A young teen with an Abraham Lincoln tattoo. You don’t see that every day.
A man wearing only a black WOMEN’S bikini bottom.
Then, minutes later, a man wearing a women’s bikini bathing suit top.
Steel Magnolia singer Meghan Linsey eating at a picnic table backstage with roadies.
Singer Billy Currington being photographed with a girl in a wheelchair, who goes on to accept multiple congratulations from other concert-goers.
Horses. A g roup of trail riders and their horses trot over to the concert and listen to the performers.
Porta-potties. And the big trucks that service them.
A big trend this year is writing on one’s body. Friday’s specific theme was titles of Trace Adkins songs.
And despite what so many people think, not everyone is drunk. A lot of people are drinking. Those people also do not seem to believe in trash cans, but there are also a lot of people here, just enjoying the music.
And the sights.
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TweetHank Williams, Jr. not a big Obama fan
Hank Williams, Jr. showed his disdain for President Obama twice during his Thursday, July 8 performance at Country Concert 2010 in Fort Loramie.
It wasn’t a surprise as Williams appeared at events for Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin in the 2008 campaign.
On a stage wall was a sentiment aimed at Obama. It said the sentiment that Hank would keep his religion and his guns and “You Can Keep the Change,” targeting candidate Obama’s change platform..
Then there was the overt comment about Obama being a bad president and Hank raising two middle fingers. The crowd cheered. (It cheered everything he did. He could have told the crowd it was a bad crowd and cheers would ensue.)
Things he did like: The U.S. military, Alabama Crimson Tide and cowboys, as evidenced by the various hats he wore during the performance.He must like big gold rings too, as three were on his hand.
He liked women, too. At least three in bikinis stood on the wings of the stage during his performance.
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TweetRehg leaves Culture Works
Denise Rehg, president and CEO of Culture Works since 2004, has stepped down to accept an executive position with the United Way of Central Ohio in Columbus.
Kathy Hollingsworth, a partner with the Dayton-based consulting firm Innovative InterChange Associates and a former president of National City Bank, will serve as interim leader at Culture Works. Board chair Rick Stover said a search to fill the position is under way.
Rehg, 49, a native of Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada, moved to Dayton with her family when she was 4. She joined Culture Works in 2001 as vice president of marketing and development and was previously on the staff of the Victoria Theatre Association and Dayton Opera.
She will be assistant vice president for major gifts at United Way in Columbus.
“The timing was right and it’s a good fit all around,” said Rehg, who is single and the mother of three children. Her youngest is a sophomore at Ohio State University.
“I’m an empty nester now and I want to start a new personal chapter. I think it will be good for Culture Works as well. It should be good to have a new leader with new ideas.”
Her salary at Culture Works was $84,365, plus benefits, for the year ending June 30, 2008.
Culture Works, the united arts fund of the Dayton area, is in the final days of its annual campaign. Rehg estimated that the drive will fall about $50,000 short of the $1.55 million goal.
“The campaign results had nothing to do with my decision. I feel pretty good about what we have achieved during a corporate downturn,” she said.
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TweetHank Williams Jr. wows them at Country Concert
At about 6 p.m. it poured at Country Concert 2010, but the true thunder didn’t come until Hank Williams, Jr. stepped on stage just after 10 p.m.
After a video introduction by Merle Haggard, Williams, Jr. stepped onto the stage. His band played and the crowd cheered, but he just basked in the adulation.
Williams, Jr. wasn’t originally scheduled to appear at the concert, but a cancellation by Brooks & Dunn created the opening and the fans loved it during a mercifully cool night. They even cheered when he spit.
Earlier, a steady rain didn’t deter any of the partying, but that really isn’t a surprise, is it?
About 14,000 people showed up Thursday, July 8 for the beginning of the three-day outdoor concert featuring headliners Hank Williams, Jr. Trace Adkins and Keith Urban.
The Band Perry kicked things off at 4 p.m. and were followed by Joe Nichols. No sooner had he finished “What’s a Guy Gotta Do” than did it start blowing and raining, sending people in cowboy hats and bikini tops searching for shelter.
“We might get wet, but we’re gonna have fun,” Nichols told the crowd.
Kristen Fike, Tabby Reveal and Heather Selanders are sorority sisters who have been to the concert every year for the past nine years.
They wished they had brought a change of dry clothes, but were still having fun. “The rain makes everyone livelier,” Fike said. “They pep up a bit.” Selanders looked forward to seeing Urban on Saturday.
“I’m a Keith Urban fan,” she said. “Hardcore.” The concert resumes on Friday, July 9 with Steel Magnolia performing at 4 p.m.
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TweetWind, rain don’t dampen spirits at Country Concert
A steady rain didn’t deter any of the partying at Country Concert 2010, but that really isn’t a surprise, is it?
About 14,000 people showed up Thursday, July 8 for the beginning of the three-day outdoor concert featuring headliners Hank Williams, Jr. Trace Adkins and Keith Urban. The event has been held at Hickory Hill Lakes Campground near Fort Loramie for three decades.
The Band Perry kicked things off at 4 p.m. and were followed by Joe Nichols. No sooner had he finished “What’s a Guy Gotta Do” than did it start blowing and raining, sending people in cowboy hats and bikini tops searching for shelter.
“We might get wet, but we’re gonna have fun,” Nichols told the crowd.
Kristen Fike, Tabby Reveal and Heather Selanders are sorority sisters who have been to the concert every year for the past nine years.
They wished they had brought a change of dry clothes, but were still having fun.
“The rain makes everyone livelier,” Fike said. “They pep up a bit.”
Selanders looked forward to seeing Urban on Saturday.
“I’m a Keith Urban fan,” she said. “Hardcore.”
The concert resumes on Friday, July 9 with Steel Magnolia performing at 4 p.m.
Come back to this blog for coverage of Gary Allan and Hank Williams Jr.’s performances.
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TweetBach Society of Dayton announces 2010-2011 season
By Khalid Moss Staff Writer
The Bach Society of Dayton’s 2010-2011 concert series features four choral performances that focus on sacred texts that “celebrate God’s glory.”
“This will be one our most exciting seasons,” said music director John Neely. “Glorious Vivaldi, traditional and new holiday fare, the St. John Passion and four centuries of brass and choral music are things people will not want to miss.”
The Bach Society of Dayton is a chorus of 54 singers that was established in 2002 after the Dayton Bach Society closed shop. It’s repertory spans seven centuries and includes one major work each season. Performances take place at Kettering Adventist Church, 3939 Stonebridge Rd., Kettering.
The 2010-2011 season opens Sunday, October 24 with Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” Bach’s “Cantata No. 12” and Barber’s “Canzonetta for Oboe and Strings.” The concert is underwritten by Dr. Benjamin Schuster in memory of his wife, Marian.
Sweet Sounds of the Holidays, Sunday, December 5 features the Bach Society with the Kettering Children’s Choir Chorale and the Kettering Advent Ringers in an evening of holiday music.
As a prelude to the Lenten Season the Society presents St. John’s Passion, Sunday, March 6, 2011 with orchestra and soloists. The season concludes with a Mother’s Day concert, Sunday, May 8, 2011.
Season tickets for the concert series are $56 general admission and $28 for students. Individual concert tickets are $15 general admission, $10 students. Tickets for St. John Passion are $25 and $10.
The Bach Society is holding auditions for all voice parts for the 2010-2011 season. Rehearsals are Monday nights. Interested singers can call (937) 294-2224 or visit www.bachsocietyofdayton.org.
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TweetVictoria books menopause musical
The Victoria Theatre Association has booked a limited engagement of the musical comedy “Menopause The Musical” Sept. 14-16 in Dayton.
The 90-minute show about women at a certain stage of life ripples with parodies of top 40 and pop hits. “Stayin’ Alive” becomes “Stayin’ Awake,” “My Girl” is now “My Thighs” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” has become “In the Guest Room or on the Sofa, My Husband Sleeps at Night.”
The production by Jeanie Linders is set in a department store, where four women meet at a lingerie sale. The show had its premiere in 2001 in Orlando, Fla., and has since been seen by an estimated 11 million women, plus many men, in the North America and Europe.
Tickets are $32-$49 for the performances at the Victoria Theatre. Discounts are available for groups. Call (937) 228-3630 or go to www.ticketcenterstage. For more about the show, see www.menopausethemusical.com.
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Tweet2 unknown Dunbar poems discovered
DAYTON — Two previously unpublished poems believed to have been written by Paul Laurence Dunbar have come to light in Ohio.
Herbert Martin, University of Dayton professor emeritus, poet in residence and Dunbar scholar, has acquired and judged both to be authentic.
Signed by Dunbar, one was penned on the flyleaf of a book of his poems he presented to fellow black writer Joseph S. Cotter in 1894.
The other, “To Anna C.,” was in the archives of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Library at Wright State University. It was purchased by the library in 2006 from a Dayton area resident, according to Dawne Dewey, head of special collections and archives.
WSU, which honored Martin with an honorary degree in June, gave him a framed copy of the poem as a gift.
“I am certain both poems are in Dunbar’s hand and were written by him. I had never seen either one before,” said Martin, who has studied Dunbar, published works about him and portrayed him in live and recorded performances for 40 years.
“Neither is in any collected edition anywhere. This is a very exciting find.”
Dayton native Dunbar (1872-1906) was the first black American poet and novelist to earn international recognition.
Martin has arranged for the poem to Cotter tp be published this fall in the African American Review, the Modern Language Association’s official journal of black literature and culture. It was written inside a first edition copy of “Oak and Ivy,” Dunbar’s first book of poems, published in 1892.
Cotter (1861-1949) was a black poet and educator who founded the Paul Laurence Dunbar School in Louisville and was the father of poet Joseph S. Cotter Jr.
“I personally have no doubt that the Cotter poem and the one at Wright State are Dunbar’s. The timing is right. The penmanship and, specifically, the signature are his,” Martin said. “There is no evidence anyone has forged his work.”
If further proof is required, “I would take the poems to the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, where most of his writings are kept, and compare these to his other writings and letters.”
Dewey said the WSU poem is believed to have been written to Anna Coons (the Anna C. of the title), “Census records show that there was a woman of that name living in Dayton at that time.”
For more information about Paul Laurence Dunbar and Dr. Herbert Martin, go to www.dunbarsite.org
Also see Wright State University’s digital Dunbar collection. Go to www.libraries.wright.edu and click on “
Below is a video of Martin reading Dunbar’s poetry.
Here are portions of the two poems:
“To my friend - Joseph S. Cotter December 18th, 1894. “
“I had searched thro’ the world for the world’s greatest treasure —
In the temple of Art, in the palace of Pleasure;
In the marts of the cities where riches and pride
Sprang up from the compost and bloomed side by side.
And still did I search but its prize still eluded,
Till weary of wandering, sad and deluded,
I would fain have abandoned the quest in the end —
But the treasure appeared in the love of a friend.“
Excerpt from “”To Anna C.”
“You laugh, my friend, and say I dote
Upon some maiden’s fancied charms.
Well, list, and I will picture you
The maid who stirred my love to arms.”
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TweetHarp ensemble celebrates 30th anniversary
It’s no secret that harmonic vibrations off the strings of a harp have a soothing, calming effect. But professional harpist Bobbie Strobhar, coordinator of the Dayton Area Harp Association (DEHA), believes the instrument has healing properties too.
“I sometimes play in the neo-natal intensive care unit at Miami Valley Hospital,” she said. “The vibration calms babies down. Their breathing relaxes, they stop crying, they eat better and they get out of the hospital faster.”
Strobhar is a harp fancier and instructor. She said the DAHE celebrates its 30th anniversary with a series of concerts beginning at Faith Community United Methodist Church, 100 Country Club Rd., Xenia Sunday, July 11 at 3 p.m.
“Our ensemble is a mix of students and professionals,” Strobhar explained. “A lot of the members have been in the ensemble for decades. I put together a special program this year for our anniversary. We’ll also do a holiday program later this year.”
Most of DEHA performances are free and take place in churches. The lone exception is the Thursday, August 19 performance at the Dayton Art Institute which is free to DAI members and $5 for non-members.
“There are three reason why we prefer to play in churches,” Strobhar said. “Number one, people aren’t going to charge us to play in churches. Number two, you usually have a nice base of a congregation so you already have interested people. Number three, churches are easy to get into because trying to haul all these harps up stairs is treacherous.”
Strobhar said the 14 member ensemble is accompanied by flute, violin, cello and percussion. Ron Kendell, conductor for Dayton Playhouse, is music director.
This is not a money-maker at all,” she said. “This is strictly for the love of playing and to give the community something unusual.”
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TweetGin Blossoms play free at The Greene
The Gin Blossoms will perform a free concert at The Greene on Thursday, July 8 at 8 p.m.
The group has had hits including “Hey Jealousy,” “Found Out About You” and “Til I Hear It From You.”
The event will occur even if it rains. Adult beverages will be sold.
The concert will be held at Town Square at The Greene. The Scott E. Miller Band will open at 6:30 p.m.
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TweetDPO Chorus triumphs in New York City
Dave McElwee, director of major and planned gifts for the Kettering Medical Center Foundation, was one of approximately 45 members of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus who traveled to New York City to perform at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall Sunday, June 27.
The Chorus was joined by choristers from other groups for Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichister Psalms” under the direction of DPO Chorus director Hank Dahlman. McElwee said members were individually responsible for their transportation and lodging in NYC.
“We had a collective reservation at the Salsbury Hotel so we got a real good deal,” McElwee said. “But other than that, we each paid our own way.”
The chorus was invited back to NYC based on its performance two years ago at Carnegie Hall. McElwee said conductor Dahlman was the driving force behind the two appearances.
“The most important thing I could say about this chorus is that in the last thirteen years it has evolved into something really special because of the talent and commitment of Hank Dahlman,” McElwee said. “He’s an extraordinary talent in his own right and he’s very committed to what he’s doing. He sets the right example and he pushes us. He’s the reason we got to go to both performances.”
McElwee described the Lincoln Center event as a “phenomenal experience” that boosted the cultural image of Dayton.
“A city is judged by its cultural quality,” he said. “I would say, in this case, the concert reflected very favorably on the city of Dayton.”
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TweetBlue Sky Project to host open house at UD
In 2004, five visual artists created a program in suburban Chicago that used the art-making process to nurture creativity and leadership in young people. It was an outreach that invited teens to take an active role in the creation of professional-grade art. They called it the Blue Sky Project.
Now housed in the Rike Center at the University of Dayton, Blue Sky artists and their teenage collaborators are sponsoring a series of events Thursday, July 8 to show off the fruits of their labor.
Peter Benkendorf is co-creator of Blue Sky Project. He said the said the Project invites professional artists from around the world to create new works of contemporary art with Dayton-area teens.
“The purpose of July 8 is to give the public an opportunity to interact with all of the participants in Blue Sky Project,” Benkendorf said. “We want to give the public some insight into how the program functions and give them a sneak peek at a work-in progress that’s going to be presented at our final exhibition which is August 5, 6 and 7.”
The current Blue Sky participants includes five resident artists, five college-age apprentices and 42 local teens. The group meets Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Rike Center.
“The resident artists spend eight weeks in Dayton,” Benkendorf said. “A lot of the works you are going to see in August are now in their early stages of development. So, you will get a chance to hear the artists talk about their projects and see what stages they’re in.”
Activities begin at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 8 with a group presentation in Sears Recital Hall. Blue Sky Open Studios is from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Rike Center, room 206. A contemporary art panel discussion will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. in room 206. The day concludes with a potluck cookout at Art Street beginning at 7 p.m.
“Part of the opportunity for Blue Sky is to be a catalyst for more contemporary art-making,” Benkendorf said. “We try to reach out and collaborate with other artists and organizations in the community.”
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TweetX-FEST lineup announced
The X-FEST band lineup has been set with a group including Shinedown and Seether.
X-FEST is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12.
Bands who will play at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds event include Papa Roach, Sublime with Rome, Drowning Pool, Dirty Heads, Redline Chemistry, Paper Tongues, American Bang and Janus.
Presale tickets will be available at wxeg.com and Ticketmaster outlets on Friday, July 9 from noon to 5 p.m.
The Hara Arena box office will have tickets for $21 on Friday, July 9 from noon to 5 p.m.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday, July 10. Tickets are $25 from July 10-July 31; $30 from Aug. 1.-Aug. 31; $35 Sept. 1-Sept. 11 and $40 the day of the show.
Kramer and Dent from WXEG will host a pre-sale party at Hara on Friday, July 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
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