Ingenues All

Pictured from left to right starting at the front. Row 1: Caroline, Lauren, Erin, Elizabeth ; Row 2: Mary Grace, Emily, Alexandra, Hadley; Row 3: Kim, Rebecca, Emma; Row 4: Abby, Naomi, Maddie, Charlotte; Hadley.

Dancers completed a rigorous but fun week, culminating in a final presentation for family and friends at Miss Camille’s Summer Ballet Intensive, held last week at the Oakwood Community Center.

Regular fall are now ongoing. The Dance Program of the OCC serves dancers from ages 3 through grade 6. You may find detailed information by visiting the website: www.misscamilleballet.zoomshare.com or e-mail Miss Camille at camille@ameritech.net.

Club 88 – piano bar opens as the new arts venue

By Jessica Moore

The year is 2006; the setting is Dayton’s Avenue of the Arts. You and your date have just finished watching the debut performance of Beauty and the Beast at the Schuster Center and are looking for a place to listen to beautiful music as you enjoy a drink and relive the night’s excitement. Where do you go? You won’t need to look far. Join me as we take a step inside The 88 Club, one of Dayton’s not-so-hidden treasures.  

Located in the 5th/3rd building lobby on The Avenue of the Arts, The 88 Club is the place to be and the place to be seen during the 2006-2007 theater season. The official host for each opening night cast party, The 88 Club is well on its way to reigniting the burning excitement that the Kenley Players made memorable back in the 60’s and 70’s. And, while the Kenley Players have been replaced by modern followers, the tradition of warmth and hospitality made famous by actors of old, lives on in The 88 Club.  

So what separates The 88 Club from other area hotspots? Where do I begin? From its signature drink, “The Chocolate Covered Cherry Martini,” to its live piano jazz and open dance floor, the club provides the perfect atmosphere for a night out with friends or an intimate drink for two. Boasting the area’s largest selection of on-tap beer, The 88 Club is also proud to announce the start of “Sundays with Dennis.” This promotion, led by famed bartender Dennis Woodruff, will bring a Sunday liquor license to 88, and allow theater-goers the opportunity to join friends as they follow a Sunday matinee with a delicious coffee and Baileys.

Rick Krohn, owner of The 88 Club, and “closet amazing chef,” (a name affectionately given to him by me after recently indulging in a sampling of his delicious dishes) believes in Dayton and is committed to its success. His menu features several local bakers, including Mehaffie’s Pies and Sherer’s famous ice cream. And, while Krohn won’t tell you this himself, his boneless wings are out of this world (take my word for it).

Speaking of “out of this world,” the club’s director of P.R., Esther Keyes, displays an enthusiasm that is just that. This retired teacher, who fell in love with The 88 Club upon first visit inside its doors and shortly after began promoting it, possesses an excitement for the place that is truly contagious. Her beautiful smile combined with an insistence on ensuring the club’s success make for an unstoppable combination.

Music plays a huge role in The 88 Club’s success and distinction. A name chosen in honor of the 88 keys on the piano, the club has been called “The exclusive piano jazz club in downtown Dayton.” The club continues to pay tribute to its instrument of choice by bringing in brilliant musicians from all over the country to grace the keys and fill the room with sweet melodies, a perfect backdrop for an after-dinner drink or romantic night of talking and dancing. And, club goers don’t need to wait for the start of the theater season to enjoy the benefits of this incredible place.

The 88 Club is the perfect spot for an after-work drink, and is open every weeknight until midnight and on the weekends until 2 a.m. When the theater season does begin, however, watch out for evolving menus that will correlate with the theme of the current show (think specialty drink made with Russian Vodka with the start of the Dayton Philharmonic’s Russian Spectacular) and opportunities to snag autographs from the performers as they too enjoy the big-city feel of this elite piano bar just miles from down-home.

DayTony Awards and Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame salute theatre scene

By Burt Saidel

The DayTony Awards and the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame are no longer the “new kids on the block.”  The brainchild of Dayton theater giant Greg Smith has grown to have a life of its own.  

The child, now adult, is fed by the bottomless well of enthusiasm for Dayton’s burgeoning theater scene. It would be nearly physically impossible to attend all of the theater productions in the Miami Valley.  My wife and I thought we did a pretty good job, but are only scratching the surface when we consider what is available.

To create the DayTonys, 16 separate theaters, each with its own schedule, staff and Board, pepper the area with a vast assortment of shows.  There are 60 scheduled productions for next season plus a few open spots.  Add to this the offerings of the Victoria and Wright State and you can see that Broadway has nothing on Dayton. We see, and review quite a few of these productions.

As you know, I am impressed by the quality of so many of the plays. The ever-present enthusiasm of the large cadre of participants of Dayton’s minions of “theater people,” is never better illustrated than at the gala DayTonys Awards night.  The Marriott ballroom is packed as the many awards are handed out to the creators of this vast panoply of theater arts among enthusiastic screams of delight and congratulations.

With so many to recognize, Greg Smith, acting as major-domo, keeps everything moving at a fast clip.  Medals are handed out for acting, directing and staging. As a theater enthusiast, I completely agreed with the choices singling out such great moments as The Human Race’s startling productions of The Tempest and A Delicate Balance.  Several productions we had missed received major recognition intensifying our resolve to see even more theater in 2006-07.

The Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame induction is part of the DayTonys fest.  Now in its fifth year, the Hall of Fame recognizes the contributions of those who have made the arts in greater Dayton shine.  The first four years have recognized 25 of these giants such as the likes of Scott Stoney, Greg Smith, Kevin Moore, Marsha Hanna, John Riley, Fred Blumenthal, Jocelyn Feeman and Ken Hardin.

This year things were a bit different.  Actor, director, teacher and theater scholar Kay Bosse joined the vaunted group.  Kay is a superstar in every category.  Her contributions are as numerous as the flowers in spring.  This column has praised her and will continue to do so.

There was a second inductee breaking the mold. Modesty restrains me but my responsibility as your arts reviewer demands this inclusion.  I must state that the second spot was held by none other than yours truly.  This was announced in a sparkling article in last week’s Register.

Those of you who know me personally can testify that I can’t sing, dance or act. Painting and drawing can be added to that list of missing talents.  This year, the committee chose to select me to recognize that necessary ingredient of all the arts – the audience.

For that I am truly grateful and much humbled.  My life in a performance venue seat is complete pleasure.  True recognition is in experiencing the arts.  This added and unanticipated recognition has awed me.

There is no question that my 15 years as your reviewer singled me out.  I attend each performance with the added responsibility of relating the experience to my dear readers.  This increases the richness of my own experience.  For that I am grateful to Do Winkler-Wagner and Editor Lance.  Their support is stellar!

Sinclair Women’s Camerata

Too often, in covering these activities, I lose track of such offerings as Sinclair College’s music and dance program.  When I do connect, I realize that I have been missing something grand.

Last week, the Sinclair Women’s Camerata gave a sparkling concert under the direction of Dr. Jerome Kopmar. Cantor Kopmar has brought decades of passion and expertise to the vocal arts. His bevy of 16 Sinclair singers proved again how much talent is just below the surface in our community.  

The women gave a program of variety and depth.  Often they sang a cappella with clarity and verve.  In the major works, they were accompanied by a trio of Byron Dobbs, harpsichord; Linda Katz, cello and Ann Hawthorne, flute.

The outstanding work of the evening was Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody.  Originally written for alto, full orchestra and a male chorus, Kopmar’s enthusiastic artistry arranged it for piano, female chorus and solo voice.

The Brahms is a very demanding work.  As soloist, Jennifer Guettler of Wright State let her clarion mezzo-voice soar to the heights of the beautiful St. John’s church. Now, I long to hear her sing Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde.

The concert closed with Charles Davidson’s Baroque Suite.  This was commissioned by Cantor Kopmar for his famous Beth Abraham Synagogue choir.  Each hearing of this piece brings new revelations.  Each of these special concert opportunities is also a continuing revelation of the richness of our arts’ life.

‘The Belle of Amherst’ exhilarating WSU production

Emily Dickinson and Annie Pesch. The combination of Emily, the reclusive poet and Annie, the locally celebrated actress, created an unprecedented stir in Dayton theater circles. Four completely sold-out performances of William Luce’s play, The Belle of Amherst, proved that the combination for success is good art and good publicity.

Luce wrote the play for award winning actress Julie Harris in 1976. Had we been able to warp time, Luce would have written the remarkable one-woman show for Ann Pesch.

Annie’s awards are yet to come. Those of us who have witnessed her remarkable Dayton career spanning more than a dozen years and 70 productions agree that her greatness needs only discovery. The fact that she is 24 years old and a new summa cum laude graduate of WSU’s acting program adds to the excitement.

During these dozen years, half of the young life of Annie Pesch, I have joined audiences in marveling at her acting power. In rereading my reviews, ten roles acted by Annie have made me repeat words such as “superb” and “brilliant.” I do not apologize for recycling these adjectives. I am certain that many reviewers will join me in such descriptions in the future.

To review The Belle of Amherst we must examine the character of the subject, Emily Dickinson. She lived in Amherst, Massachusetts from 1830 to 1886, her entire life. In fact, her entire life was lived largely in the family home.

Daughter of an Amherst attorney, Dickinson and her sister remained spinsters and existed in what most would consider a lonely, reclusive life. Emily was confined, by her own choice, within the walls of the house and its garden for her entire life. She was unconfined by the universe, the heavens, the love of God and all the glories of nature.

Such confinement made her one of the world’s most important and prolific poets. It was a confinement that never limited her dreams or her poetic expression. Instead, it brought the world into the microcosm of her physical existence.

Facts make the history of this major talent even more bizarre. Dickinson had only seven poems published during her lifetime. It was not for the lack trying. Her rejection came at the hands of trusted and admired friends who purported to be authorities.
Her love affairs were physically unrequited but vibrate in her writing and therefore in her life. That word could never define Emily’s spirit. When I read my copy of Dickenson’s Complete Poems it’s clear that the 1775 poems represent tremendous creative energy which could have lighted the entire town of Amherst but remained unseen during her lifetime.

All that we customarily know of the persona of Emily Dickinson comes from her anthologized poetry and the brief notes appended to those selections. William Luce’s fine script and the wondrous acting of Annie Pesch increase our knowledge of and feeling for the poet.

The play intertwines expositions of facts as told by Emily with her fancies usually expressed in lines of her poetry. Annie Pesch took the words of the script and transfigured them into an exhilarating revelation of a life and a great spirit.

Every nuance of expression was given control and growth by the actress. Her continuous eye contact with the audience, even while playing in the round, made the experience unforgettable. Her expressions flowed effortlessly through the cascade of words and moods which revealed the life of Emily Dickinson.

Annie Pesch certainly stands at the threshold of a great career. She has the passion and all the tools necessary to become a fine actress. How thrilling it is for us to be there now!

Photographer Adam Alonzo

Adam Alonzo is a man of many talents. He is well known to Dayton music audiences as a member of the WDPR-WDPG announcing staff. Professionally, he is involved in web design and educational technology. In addition, there is rarely a musical performance in the area that he misses. Adam is also a photographer of note. His camera is an extension of his sensitive and passionate view of life.

In several photographic exhibitions at the University of Dayton library, we have come to appreciate his special view of the world through a camera lens. His latest exhibition is mounted at the Dayton Visual Arts Center at 118 North Jefferson Street. Again,

Adam has captured essences of life on the streets of Dayton with his special feel. When you view his photographs you are captured by clarity of color and composition. Also, the viewer realizes what is missed in the prosaic life which streams about each of us, recorded here with the emphasis of the artist’s eye. The photos each have addresses, locations, instead of titles. Again, a reminder to the viewer that beauty surrounds us.

The exhibition will continue through September 7th. It will be replaced by a showing of Pat Antonick and Heather Freeman’s creative pottery running through October 14th.

On June 29th a special exhibition of the works of Japanese artist Jun Kaneko will share the gallery. Kaneko, an internationally renowned artist, is the designer of Dayton Opera’s production of Madam Butterfly.

There’s always plenty to see at DVAC – try it, you’ll like it!

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August 29, 2006
Volume 15, Number 35

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