A Cleveland Of The Mind

5.04-5.11.05

A Cleveland of the Mind

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland Interview Barbara Byrd-Bennett, CEO Cleveland Public Schools
* Cool Cleveland Commentary A Cleveland of the Mind, or Thirteen Ways of Looking at a City
* Cool Cleveland Sounds CD review Adult Themes by Tommy Wiggins
* Cool Cleveland Preview Verlezza Dance @ CCC East Performing Arts Center

Cool Cleveland Interview
Is School Out for CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett?

Cool Cleveland contributor Anthony Parker talked with the CEO of the Cleveland Public School System, Barbara Byrd-Bennett. Rebecca Hague, the CEO’s Media Specialist, External Affairs, was present as they sat in front of the fireplace in the boardroom and started the interview. Cool Cleveland spoke with her about the public image, decrease in educational resources, and the public’s misconceptions.

Anthony Parker: Why do you think the media doesn’t acknowledge the good things you do, and instead go after you with investigative stories?

Barbara Byrd-Bennett: I think the average Clevelander, the average person who lives in my community next door to me would have, and probably still does, believe that I have either stolen or abused dollars! And that’s unfair…it’s just unfair and it’s inaccurate. At this critical time to have one’s integrity and credibility maligned was a little painful. Particularly when the auditors said there was no finding of misuse in any way.

Tell me about the state of Ohio, and why aren’t they giving the schools their money?

It’s real simplistic. The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio has declared not once, not twice, not three times, but four times, that the way in which our state funds public schools is unconstitutional. And it has charged the elected officials to go back and fix it four times. And it hasn’t been fixed. I would say to the members of the community that if you or I did not obey the Supreme Court, we would not be walking the streets or we’d be locked up somewhere. It’s just illegal not to obey the Supreme Court of Ohio. Our school systems, which are at stake, are not sufficiently and adequately funded…
Read the Cool Cleveland interview with Barbara Byrd-Bennett here.
Do you have comments on the Cleveland Municipal Schools or Barbara Byrd-Bennett? Send them to Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland Commentary
A Cleveland of the Mind, Or,
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a City

“It was evening all afternoon.”
Wallace Stevens, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.

1. In Mark Halliday’s poem, Cleveland, the poet imagines “a single mother named Janey / waiting for a bus, trying to concentrate / on a science-fiction novel in the muddle of late afternoon.” She is almost twenty-eight and has a six-year-old son named Harold. Once a beautiful woman who garnered triple-takes from passersby, she’s now at the stage of life where she’s just a “two-look” problem for men. In the poem, Halliday then admits he’s made up this scene, from Philadelphia, which makes the scene even more uncanny—Janey in Cleveland, Janey as Cleveland. For the outsider, for Halliday, Cleveland is the place where you wake up to reality. As Halliday puts it, “she has become increasingly realistic in Cleveland / where you have to choose which reality to deal with when.”

2. The scuffed, the soiled, the scarred. The scalded arm of the short order cook now wrapped in a white cast, who watches his girlfriend shake her pitching arm in the sixth inning of work for the Carroll Blue Streaks, in University Heights. She’s tiring. He’d give his arm for her if he could.

3. The magnolia blooming on Magnolia Drive, and the hordes of wedding parties in black and burgundy tuxes, and ivory and saffron and powder-blue chiffon dresses, all assembling in rows for wedding album photos around Wade Park Lagoon. Matinees are free, all Saturdays from April to October… Read the Cool Cleveland Commentary by Phil Metres here

Smaller is smarter As the convention industry sinks with declining attendance and a glut of exhibit space, Cleveland would do well to downsize its ideas for a new convention center, a recent report shows. A smaller center would still operate in the red, requiring millions of dollars in subsidies, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in a study released by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Authority. Read the story here. Send your comments on a possible convention center to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Art and music educators dodge layoffs Cleveland Schools announced that 500 teachers were scheduled for layoffs. Art and music teachers were initally lined up for the cut, but Teachers union President Joanne DeMarco stated that district officials changed their minds. A shift of plans will spare the art teachers, but financial issues still remain, forcing some teachers to reach into their own pockets to provide school supplies for their own students. Read the story here. Send your comments on the school layoffs to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

NEO teen wins tech award North Canton student Nathan Rojas was recently admitted to the National Youth Leadership Forum on Technology (NYLF/TECH). This off-the-hook opportunity will send off Rojas to join 1,800 high school students from across the United States in San Jose, California from 6/27 through 7/6 for exploration of the field of technology. During the ten-day program, Rojas and other young innovators will engage in both group and independent projects, including workshops led by industry leaders, product demonstrations, campus visits and tech-commerce encounters. Upon completion of the program, they’ll be better directed and better connected as they join the world of technology.” Currently slated to speak at NYLF/TECH are Shawn Fanning, Founder and developer of Napster; Jaron Lanier, inventor of the term “virtual reality,” who recently spoke in Cleveland; Helen Grenier, Chairman and Co-Founder of iRobot; and Guy Kawasaki, Co-founder and managing director of Garage Technology Ventures and columnist for Forbes. http://www.Nylf.org

Lakewood history photos now online Yesterday’s Lakewood is an illustrated history bursting with over 1,300 photographic images from the Lakewood Historical Society and Cleveland State University Special Collections. The site gives readers an opportunity to look at the development of the City of Lakewood, Ohio through photographs of residences, buildings, and street scenes dating from the early 20th century until the early ’80s. Check it out and check your memory at http://www.ClevelandMemory.org/lakewood

Got Ingenuity? Rich as this region is in artistic and cultural resources, we have no major annual arts festival to showcase our world-class cultural assets. Even cities like Ann Arbor and Columbus put on huge culture fests that draw from hundreds of miles away. All that is about to change when co-directors Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland and James Levin, founder of Cleveland Public Theatre present Ingenuity, a Fusion of Art & Technology over Labor Day Weekend 2005. Think NASA collaborating with the Cleveland Opera. Think Cleveland Clinic doing a live heart surgery choreographed with Cleveland dance companies. Now think about the people in your own company and how they might be able to showcase themselves in collaboration with some of Cleveland’s finest arts and cultural groups. Participation and sponsorship opportunities are still available for the 2005 Ingenuity Festival, and plans are already being formed for 2006 and beyond. Got ideas, creativity and ingenuity to share? Drop us a line: Thomas@IngenuityCleveland.org

Kent’s New World Performance Lab tours Europe This sizzling arts endeavor is almost sold out, and it’s not surprising. With three workshops in Italy launching this June, the Workshops in Performance Ecology will be conducted by Jairo Cuesta, originally of Columbia on Wed 6/1 thru 6/5 at Casa-laboratorio di Cenci in lush Umbria, and 6/8-12 at Associazione Amaranta, Rome. For more information contact nwpl@lycos.com or call 330-867-3299. Also check http://www.nwplab.org for more workshop information.

Botanical strategic alliance Cleveland and Florida bloom in a business botanical coupling, as resource-sharing among nonprofit organizations is alive and thriving. Cleveland’s Botanical Garden (CBG) and Naples Botanical Garden in Naples, Florida have formed a strategic collaboration that’s heating up our region: Brian E. Holley, Executive Director of CBG, has also been appointed executive director of Naples Botanical Garden. Holley will divide his time equally between Cleveland and Naples beginning this June, and Cleveland will benefit from the mutual technical and horticultural assistance and sharing of best practices from this non-profit symbiotic relationship. Read the story here.

Daniel Thompson honored The county’s former poet laureate and itinerant activist will be memorialized after the first anniversary of his death, as West Second Street is named “Daniel’s Way.” The poet was a vigilant advocate of the homeless and the destitute, whose empathy and creativity is still making an impact in Cleveland. Call for details at 664-2000.

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Moving Up to Midtown at the Painters Loft Condominiums located at 8205 Franklin Blvd. in Detroit Shoreway. These open lofts will be featured 5/15 and 5/22 from 2-4 PM. Experience 750 to 2,000 square feet, exposed brick, 14-foot ceilings, etched concrete floors, oversized windows, spiral staircases in bi-level units, in-suite laundry and secured parking. Trade in your formal dining room with china cabs for something a bit more Jackson Pollock. Add in a 12-year tax abatement and even the creative types can afford to live here for $139,900 which includes special financing. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out the exciting doings in the hood – the arts district anchored by Cleveland Public Theater at W. 65th/Detroit, the awesome restaurants and shops (Parkview pints a plus) and oh yeah, we almost forgot, Lake Erie! For a complete list of properties and open houses this weekend, please visit www.ProgressiveUrban.com
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JumpStart invests in ComSense ComSense Technology, Inc. has a great idea that’s homegrown. They manufacture innovative high temperature pressure sensors for harsh environments that enable more precise control of diesel, gasoline, and turbine engines. These are business practices and innovations that make sense to the environment, as it will improve fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. ComSense qualified for $325,000 from JumpStart Inc., Northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial development and funding organization. Read the story here.

Ohio shrinks The U.S. census figures reveal that Ohio’s population growth is slowing. Recent figures show Ohio’s population leans toward aging baby boomers reaching retirement, and while technically we’ve experienced a natural population increase from 2000 through 2004 with slightly more births than deaths in Ohio, other states have outpaced us by a large margin. Read the story here. Your thoughts on Ohio’s changing demographics: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Screenplays wanted Independent Pictures’ 9th annual screenplay competition boasts a seasoned judging process, and paired with the Ohio Independent Screenplay Awards, it introduces aspiring writers to the powerful professionals who can propel real writing careers. During this call out for screenplays, submit your work for a chance to have your winning screenplays produced into full-length feature films. Several winning writers are also well on their way to professional writing careers, and personal coverage and feedback from programmers and readers on your screenplay will be available to every screenplay entrant. Deadlines must be postmarked 6/10 or 7/7; Independent Pictures, 1392 West 65th St., Cleveland, Ohio 44102. Call 651-7315 or email OhioIndieFilmFest@juno.com, or visit http://www.OhioFilms.com

Nose nerve cells fight paralysis Paralysis could be reversed, thanks to olfactory ensheathing cells, the nerve cells responsible for smell. These cells regenerate throughout one’s lifetime, and neuroscientists in Australia hope it’s the secret source to bridge the gap of paralysis. Read NewScientist here.

Baumlier performs in Pitts Kristen Baumlier, Assistant Professor in the TIME department, digital arts will be performing at The Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh, PA on Sat 5/21 in a special night of performance art entitled “For Those About to Rock.” The event highlights performers making a difference by using music in art, featuring six performers who will combine installation, interaction, and performance. For more information about the event, visit the Mattress Factory’s website at http://www.Mattress.org

In their words National Endowment of the Arts is assisting families involved in the Iraq conflict come to terms with the trauma of war. Their new Project Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, is a series of writing workshops at military bases taught by notable American writers such as Tobias Wolff and Tom Clancy. Read MSNBC here.

We Sell Cool like Hotcakes Do you want to know how to sell gobs and gobs of your products and services without ever having to leave the comfort of your office? Advertise in Cool Cleveland. Several of our clients have sold out of their featured products by promoting them in our online newsletter that is delivered to tens of thousands of Clevelanders every Wednesday morning in the privacy of their own In-box. Click here for testimonial. Contact Info@CoolCleveland.com for info about advertising.

Engineering salaries up The salary outlook for students is rising, and it’s good news for hundreds of Case graduates entering the work environment. Mechanical and electrical engineering students also are receiving numerous offers. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) spring 2005 issue of Salary Survey, salary offers to new college graduates are continuing to spike. Since last spring, electrical engineering graduates saw an increase of 2.5 percent, bringing their average salary offer to around $52,009, while accounting grads posted a 3.9 percent increase from last year, with a starting salary hovering around $43,809. kimyette.finley@case.edu Thomas Matthews, Director of Case’s Career Center, said some fields are showing steady growth. “Employers are looking for particular skills, but they expect you to break down those skills: analytical, critical thinking and good communication, in addition to the skills associated with a specific major.” See the report here

RiverSweep Caring about planet Earth is a big job, and one that requires all of us to motivate! Find a new reason for being as Ohio Canal Corridor invites you to participate in the 16th annual RiverSweep cleanup on Sat 5/7 from 9AM-noon. The first 700 volunteers receive a souvenir t-shirt which features original artwork from George Coghill – The Mona Leapa. Afterwards, a lunch celebration with food, beverages and music will accompany the event. Call to volunteer at 520-1825 or visit http://www.OhioCanal.org

Beachland cooks The Beachland Ballroom has become, in a few short years, a mainstay of the national touring circuit for emerging alternative bands, featured in both the intimate Tavern, and the stunning Ballroom, becoming an economic development engine in their North Collinwood neighborhood. Less well known is their kitchen which features a mean quesadilla selection. With their current chef leaving, they are looking to improve their food service offerings. Please call co-owner Cindy Barber at 216-383-1124 if you have appropriate skills or ideas. This week, on Sat 5/7, check out their “Two-piece Chicken Dinner,” featuring the hottest and strangest two-piece bands in the country, with the likes of Providence, RI’s Lightening Bolt, backed up by Evil Beaver and Cleveland’s own Uncle Scratch, guaranteed to make you either proud or ill. Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, 15711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland OH 44110, 216-383-1124, http://www.BeachlandBallroom.com


Cool Cleveland This Week

5.04-5.11

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Showtime at High Noon: Dancing Wheels One of the first professional dance companies in the United States to integrate dancers with and without disabilities, Dancing Wheels teaches, invigorates and celebrates children and adults of all ages and abilities. The group has earned an international reputation for their professionalism, creativity and artistry that touches individuals’ lives. Watch what happens on Wed 5/4 at noon. Call 987-2741. Presented by Tri-C’s Center for Arts & Culture. State Theatre at Playhouse Square Center, 1501 Euclid Ave. http://www.PlayhouseSquare.com

An Evening with Murray Lerner is best known as a multi-faceted filmmaker, having won an Oscar for his feature length documentary, “From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China” and created a fundamental breakthrough in the creative use of 3-D with “Magic Journeys” for the Kodak Pavilion at EPCOT, still considered the best 3-D film ever made. Lerner produced and directed “The Who – Live at the Isle of Wight Festival, 1970.” The film includes footage of the Who performing Tommy live. Lerner also directed the Miles Davis Isle of Wight documentary, “Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue.” He is currently working on another major Who project. Lerner trained himself to become proficient in all aspects of filmmaking, believing that it should be a unified art. Hear his experiences on Wed 5/4 at 7PM. Call for tickets at 515-8444. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 1 Key Plaza, in the Museum’s 4th floor theatre. http://www.RockHall.com

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Sweep the Ramblers! The CSU Viking Softball team takes the field at home for the final time this season. They face the Loyola Ramblers Sat 5/7 in doubleheader action beginning at 1PM. Then they return to the field on Sun 5/8 at 1PM as they look to sweep the Ramblers and take the weekend series! Be sure to come out to Viking Field on the campus of CSU to support your CSU Viking Softball Team. For more information contact 216.687.4848 or www.CSUVikings.com
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Standing Rock Cultural Arts We’ve survived another long Northeast Ohio winter; now let’s “Welcome Spring” with this 2nd annual concert celebrating life in Downtown Kent. Listen to the sounds of some of the area’s best live music featuring The Kent Community Rumba Society, Hal Walker and One Way Rider on Wed 5/4 from 7-9PM. Call 330-673-4970. The Gazebo in Downtown Kent, Corner of Franklin & Main Streets. http://www.StandingRock.net

Doing Business in Brazil: Sourcing & Distributing Finally! Thanks to The World Trade Center Cleveland there is a seminar on doing business in the land of “Saudade, Soccer and Samba.” Presenter, Andrew Deutsch of The Deutsch Group, will share his experience with this unique market and will review case studies demonstrating the benefits of venturing into the Brazilian market. Prepaid reservations are required for the Thu 5/5 event which runs from 9-11:30AM. Click here or call 363-5447. Greater Cleveland Partnership, 50 Public Square, Suite 200. http://www.WTCcleveland.org

“ideacenter at Playhouse Square” Get a sneak peek of ideacenter and help congratulate Playhouse Square, recipient of the 2004 ULI Award of Excellence. The Thu 5/5 networking event at 4PM will be hosted by the Urban Land Institute of Cleveland and includes beer and wine. James Ratner, Forest City Commercial Group CEO will present the award. Call 440-461-4233 to reserve your spot. Alllen Theatre, Playhouse Square, 1407 Euclid Ave. www.uli.org

Cinco de Mayo and ArtCetera Meet and mingle at a muchotrendy Akron celebration of Cinco de Mayo for young professionals at the ultra cool Don Drumm Studios & Gallery on Thu 5/5 at 6:30PM. Get acquainted with the gallery owner, interact with an assortment of young professionals, tour the gallery while eating south of the border hors d’oeuvres provided by West Point Market, and imbibe the delicious sangria and Mexican beers…of course. Call 330-376-9186 x213 or visit www.Art-Cetera.org for info or to RSVP. Don Drumm Studios & Gallery, 437 Crouse St. in Akron. http://www.DonDrummStudios.com

Cinco de Mayo Party Heat up Cinco de Mayo with the smoldering hot salsa of the Sammy De Leon y su Orquesta and a tantalizing Mexican buffet; then cool off with ice cold margaritas and Coronas served all night for crazy low prices at The B Side Liquor Lounge’s first ever Cinco de Mayo event. Catch the Thu 5/5 festivities for the 21+ crowd starts at 10PM; the band will play two sets at 11PM & 1AM. Call 932-1966. B Side Liquor Lounge, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd. http://www.BSideLiquorLounge.com

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Shaken, not stirred Receive two top-shelf martinis at Fire Restaurant (located at the incomparable Shaker Square) when you tour the most talked about townhomes – The Courtyards of Severance – by May 31st! See for yourself what the buzz is all about…five award-winning floor plans, liberating maintenance-free living, 50% tax abatement, exquisite designer-quality finishes, a short commute to University Circle and Downtown, minutes from restaurants, entertainment & shopping, a city park…the list goes on and on. Off Mayfield Road between Warrensville Center and South Taylor Roads in Cleveland Heights, The Courtyards of Severance is one of the most sought after addresses in the Heights area. See for yourself and enjoy martinis on us! For information, go to www.thecourtyardsofseverance.com
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Protecting and Enhancing Your Reputation: The Corporate Do’s and Don’ts Enjoy breakfast with Ronald J. Alsop, news editor and senior writer at The Wall Street Journal, as he discusses his latest book “The 18 Immutable Laws of Corporate Reputation: Creating, Protecting, and Repairing Your Most Valuable Asset” on Fri 5/6 at 8AM. Companies will be advised on protecting their reputation when crisis hits; coping with cyberspace hazards; establishing a culture of ethical behavior; and deciding when it’s time to change their name. Call 621-0082. The City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Ave, 2nd Floor. www.CityClub.org

Green Building Marketplace Contemplating a green building project? Then come to this exciting open-house style event on Fri 5/6 from 9AM-12PM and browse, meet the vendors and find out who can help you with your next green building venture, whether its new construction or rehab. No admission charge but registration is requested. Call 830-2770. Trinity Commons-Cathedral Hall, 2230 Euclid Avenue. www.NeighborhoodProgress.org

Enroll+Engage+Employ=Brain Gain Next month, 26,000 students will receive degrees from our region’s twenty-four colleges and universities. Will they go or will they stay? Thomas V. Chema, co-chair of College 360° and president of Hiram College, will outline what steps must be taken to improve this region’s standing to reverse the “brain drain” of young professionals on Fri 5/6 at 12PM. Call 621-0082. The City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Ave, 2nd Floor. www.CityClub.org

About Form & Function: Glass of Michael Dale Zelenka View incomparable works of art from the erotic to the sublime by this renowned, virtuosic, jewel of the Northeast Ohio arts community. Get a glimpse of his wry humor and social commentary in his “TV” series and see many of his gripping new sculptures in his only solo show in the area which kicks off on Fri 5/6 from 6-10PM and runs through Sat 6/18. Call 554-5548 for info. Paradise Gallery, 2199 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights http://www.ParadiseGallery.net

The Zen of Poetry CloudWater Zendo, the Zen Center of Cleveland, invites all to experience an evening of spiritually-inspired poetry. Enjoy readings by members of the CloudWater Zendo Sangha, local poets, and anyone who desires to express their Zen through poetry. A discussion will follow the readings to explore how poetry informs and integrates our lives and practice. Other Buddhist inspired readings will be presented on Fri 5/6 at 7PM. Call 889-1393. CloudWater Zendo, 14436 Puritas Ave. http://www.CloudWater.org

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Make Your Company’s Summer Picnic Wild at the prrrfect location, while supporting one of Cleveland’s gggrrreatest treasures. The Cleveland Zoological Society’s Corporate Membership program will help your corporate dollars go further – reaching a substantial audience of 1.3 million visitors annually, while offering your company substantial discounts on some of the most popular party locations in the city. Corporate Zoo membership is beneficial to your employees too – up to 20% off regular memberships! A gift of Corporate Zoo Membership means that you’ll be making a significant contribution to our community’s economic future while helping to provide the best care for some of the world’s most rare and endangered animals. Click here to learn how your company can become a Corporate Zoo Member today!
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Springfest Let your imagination follow new and classical tales with light, refreshing ballet. See new interpretations of Peter and the Wolf, and other productions inspired by dance in TV variety shows of the ’50s and ’60s. Watch Le Grand Pas Classique, a timeless French pas de deux to be performed on both programs, and The Mazurkas choreographed by Jose Limon, a classic modern dance that studies the rise and fall of movement, Limon-style. Get out for an exceptional evening as the EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall heralds spring on Fri 5/6 at 8PM and Sat 5/7 at 8PM. Call 330-945-9400. 198 Hill St. in Akron. http://www.OhioBallet.org

Valerie Mayen RetroSpectrum Experience the exceptional art and unique fashion of rising multidisciplinary artist Valerie Mayen on Fri 5/6 at 8PM though Sun 5/8. The collage of fine art includes her masterful, vibrant lithographs depicting contemporary personalities, poignant black and white prints, and young American rebel fashions. The event, complete with fine food and beverages from area establishments, a DJ and narration of her extraordinary works will benefit the children of the Goodrich-Gannett Neighborhood Center. For tix call 721-3872 or visit http://www.Retrospectrum.info. The Parish Hall, 6205 Detroit Avenue. www.ValerieMayen.com

Verlazza Dance is going to the “Big House” After two successful seasons at Shaker Heights Community Building the company is movin’ on up to the deluxe Cuyahoga Community College Performing Arts Center. Don’t miss the performance of Vernal Thaw – Revisited which infuses highlights and premieres from Vernal Thaw with the unexpected for one performance only on Fri 5/6 at 8PM. Call 233-6934. Cuyahoga Community College Performing Arts Center, Eastern Campus, 4250 Richmond Road, Highland Hills. http://www.Tri-C.edu/theatre/east/default.htm

Breakfast with the Birds Bring your family out to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day. The free event will be held Sat 5/7 from 7:30AM to 11:30AM rain or shine and includes bird walks and a live program on birds of prey. Make reservations for the optional, mouth-watering pancake breakfast available from 8AM to 12PM. Call 321-5935. Visit www.ShakerLakes.org for a list of upcoming events. Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd.

Bela Dubby 1st Annual Group Show Cleveland’s newest tradition will feature emerging & established artists from our area. Come to the Artist’s Reception and Art Bazaar on Sat 5/7 from 12PM-12AM. Penny Ankrom, Ken Blaze, Bethany Browning, Jill Stralka, Donna Tabor and Patrice Mueller Varzell are just a few of the featured artists. Get in on the ground floor of this new event and add to your cultural résumé. Call 221-4479. Bela Dubby Art Gallery & Beer Café, 13321 Madison Avenue in Lakewood.

Martini Lounge Preview Party Cleveland, here’s the call-out for art collectors and enthusiasts, in which you can fill your arts passion up with selected artwork from our city’s best visual artists. Get into the action with Cleveland Public Theatre’s Silent Art Auction and Benefit. Snag a sneak peek, savor and sip complimentary martinis and taste delicious hors d’oeuvres on Sat 5/7 at 7PM. Call 631-2727. Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave. http://www.CPTonline.org

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Cleveland State University Alums and Friends are invited to a Star-Studded Extravaganza at the Galleria on Sat 6/4. At 5PM a VIP reception with specialty food and drinks will feature CSU President Michael Schwartz and movie star Rodney Perry, who starred as Cousin Lump in “Johnson Family Vacation.” At 6:30PM taste delectable delights from fine area restaurants. At 7:15PM laugh with the LA-based Comic View All Stars. At 8:30PM dance or listen to the Dave Morgan Jazz Sextet and guest singer Nicole K in Cafe Sausalito, Colin Dussault’s Blues Project in the Key West Cafe, and DJ Ant Dog in the atrium. At 10:30PM head to the official after party at Shooters. Get tickets by contacting 216-687-2078 or www.CSUOhio.edu/alumni
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Meet Mingle & Match and The Akron Aeros Enjoy a night of food, drinks, and baseball at the 21+ singles night that includes an Akron Celebrity Bachelor/Bachelorette auction at the ballpark on Sat 5/7 at 7:30PM. Tix for one of 10 Akron celeb date packages must be pre-purchased. Get ‘em here. Auction proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. Call 406-6417 for info. Akron Aeros, Canal Park, 300 S. Main St., Akron www.MeetMingleAndMatch.com

Epic Legends Gear up for the grand finale to the Akron Symphony’s 53rd season with a program of epic power and beauty that balances the delicacy and movement of ballet on Sat 5/7 at 8PM. Presented by the Akron Symphony Orchestra. For tickets, call 330-972-7570. For event info call 330-972-7570. E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St on the University of Akron campus in Akron. http://DestinationDowntownAkron.com

Multifarious Prehension Suite New York musician, Tom Abbs, one of avant-garde’s most in-demand bassists, will demonstrate his improvisational prowess and compositional skill while performing right here in C-Town on Tues 5/10 at 8:30PM. Multifarious was inspired by the visualizations of sound as texture and color. Abbs’ collaboration with painter M.P. Landis has achieved a visual and auditory experience that unfolds symbiotically before your eyes. Don’t miss this feast for the eyes and ears. Call 721-1055 for info. Global Community ArtsCenter, 12803 Buckeye Road. www.PassportProject.org http://www.TomAbbs.com

Cities By Design You are invited to hear multi-talented architect/planner/author Jonathan Barnett, F.A.I.A on Wed 5/11 at 7PM. Prof. Barnett practices urban design with Wallace Roberts and Todd,LLC in Philly. An advisor to many U.S. cities including Charleston, S.C., Cleveland, Miami and Pittsburgh, he will deliver an inspiring discourse on urban design. Read more here. There is no charge for this event and it is open to the public. Call 330-941-3493. Zona Auditorium of the Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave. in Youngstown. http://CFweb.cc.ysu.edu/psi

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Read more events this week here

WCLV notes WCLV 104.9 invites you to join First Program host Jacqueline Gerber on a trip to the “OK Mozart International Festival” in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The Meadowlarks and Mozart excursion features 11 concerts including The Mikado, conductor Ransom Wilson, guitarist Christopher Parkening, concerts and recitals. Visit Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum to view Native American art, walk along the nature trails at the Woolaroc Ranch, Museum and Wildlife Preserve. Enjoy peak birding season at the Nature Conservancy’s 37,000 acre Tall Grass Prairie Preserve. Cleveland naturalist Bob Faber is your tour guide Saturday, June 11 through Sunday, June 19th. The price includes airfare, hotel, concerts, meals and museum admission. For information, call Discovery Tours at 216 531 8884. The tour benefits the WCLV Foundation, which supports WCLV’s classical music programming. a Cool Cleveland partner www.wclv.com

Cool Cleveland Sounds
Adult Themes
Tommy Wiggins
Chilidog Records

Since hitting town five years ago, Tommy Wiggins has been quite busy. A music production professor at Tri-C Metro, he not only teaches a full load but also coordinates several quality cable music shows. But deep down at heart, Wiggins is a rock and roll musician, with one foot in the present and the other planted in the music of the Sixties and Seventies that he grew up on. Adult Themes is Wiggins’ ninth effort on his own Chilidog Records. The ten songs on the album reflect many of the things he encounters in his life, songs written by a middle age man about middle age things. Wiggins does most of the writing, singing, and guitar playing. David Lawrence helps with the writing and plays a variety of background instruments. On Adult Themes Wiggins gives us insightful lyrics and quality guitar work, backed by simple rhythms with a touch of organ. Some of the songs on this album will remind you a little of Harry Nilsson, and others of Matthew Sweet. “All I’m Asking of You” opens the disc with Wiggins shining on organ as well as guitar. “Irreconcilable” and “Hey” both do a good job telling of the pain and confusion at the end of a relationship. “Amber Sun” closes the album on an up note, telling us there are better moments ahead in our lives filled with everyday occurrences. The production of the album is top shelf, not only with Wiggins’ ample talents, but with Eric Sarafin doing the mixing and Dave Collins doing the mastering. Sarafin has worked with Barenaked Ladies and Collins with The Police. Tommy Wiggins continues to make major contributions to the music scene here in Cleveland. Since 2001, he has hosted the television shows “Crooked River Groove”, and the Emmy winning songwriter interview program “Words & Music”. Wiggins also directs the Recording Arts & Technology program at Cuyahoga Community College; if you are a fan of honest music and talented singer/songwriters, check out Tommy Wiggins. You won’t be disappointed. from Cool Cleveland contributor Greg Cielec cielec@hotmail.com

Cool Cleveland Preview
Verlezza Dance @ CCC East Performing Arts Center 5/5
A pair of former New York dance artists, heirs to a major modern dance pioneer, are back onstage in Cleveland this Friday and it’s a return of sorts. Cleveland knows Sabatino and Barbara Verlezza from their long association with Dancing Wheels, his choreography for Snowman and their organization of the Icarus Project. When Dancing Wheels outsourced choreography last fall, it seemed unlikely that the Verlezza’s would be able to remain active in Cleveland as creative artists; but recent appearances as Verlezza Dance show that they are back. We saw one Verlezza Dance concert at Shaker Heights Community Building last December and were amazed at how much they’d been able to pull together. Despite what must be an organizational and financial shoe string, the Verlezza’s delivered a clean tight show with excellent lighting and sound, good performances from variously abled dancers and vibrant dances both new and old. Can they deliver more of the same in the excellent facilities at CCC East’s Performing Arts Center? We’re taking bets they can. Dead Can Dance (2004) began as a trio for a wheelchair dancer and two standups. Fun-filled feats of daring-do on exercise balls earned our enthusiastic thumbs up and The Plain Dealer listed it alongside major touring companies as one of the “Top 10 Dance Highlights of 2004.” For Friday’s concert Sabatino continues to develop and add on to this piece with new sections and new dancers. Another dance that is new to us, Nuit D’Ete, offers a contemporary interpretation of Spectre de la Rose. The 1911 original by Michel Fokine cast Vlasav Nijinsky as the spirit of a rose who dances with a young virgin in her dream. In the Verlezza Dance version, soprano Marla Berg sings music by Hector Berlioz. Sabatino and company standout, with Traci Pattison dance in costumes by David Burrington. Coat Tales is a pair of solos and a duet that the Verlezzas have choreographed on themselves. It premiered last January at New York’s Joyce Theatre. We saw the first two solos in which the Verlezzas danced to Willie Nelson’s meditations on the time-honored theme of losin’ you. We found it refreshing that the Verlezzas could let their hair down, using their relationship as a theme for a dance without dumping a load of dirty laundry on the audience. We saw Angel in December, a simple stylized waltz for variously abled seniors from the Euclid Adult Activities Center, a program of the Cuyahoga County Board of MR/DD. It fit surprisingly well into the concert format and provided us with a convincing reminder that dancing is for everyone. Guests from the Kent State Dance Ensemble join the company in Barbara’s Triptych, a trio for one wheelchair dancer and two standups. We take it that these are more of Barbara’s students, who did credit to themselves and their training in last December’s concert. In this concert the Verlezzas also pay tribute to their mentor, American modern dance pioneer May O’Donnell, with excerpts from O’Donnell’s 1976 Bicentennial work, Pursuit of Happiness. Cleveland dance audiences may remember a Playhouse Square performance of Pursuit featuring members of Cleveland Ballet. Be there Fri 5/6 at 8PM. CCC East Performing Arts Center. For reservations, call Verlezza Dance at 233-6934.
from Cool Cleveland contributors Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas vicnelsa@earthlink.net

Instant Karma
Quick reviews of recent events
Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening. We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

SAFMOD @ CPT 4/23
We went to see SAFMOD’s first concert post Young Park. Although we cannot presume to divine the future of an artistic journey from its first steps, don’t look here for laments of Park’s departure. If you were a Young Park fan and supporter who, fearing that SAFMOD without Park would be less than it was when she directed it, stayed away from the recent SAFMOD concert at CPT, you should be asking yourself what you missed, huddled at home with your expectations. Plenty of the SAFMOD faithful showed up at Cleveland Public Theaters’ Gordon Square on Saturday night and we also saw choreographers and dancers from many of Cleveland’s dance companies in the audience. The concert started on time and proceeded with nary a hitch or a bobble. Technical Director Earl Z. Browne III’s tech was notably clean throughout the concert, especially considering that it must involve the miking and mixing of many live percussion instruments. Trad Burns’ lighting design, including SAFMOD’s customary black light, provided vivid illumination. The costume plot, mostly by Alexandra Underhill, ran the gamut from low budget modern dance tights and leotards to eye-popping essays in urban/industrial chic…
Read the review by Victor Lucas here

Battery @ convergence-continuum 4/30
What: Daniel Therriault’s hip language dance Battery is about the power of electricity in the lives of 3 people–sexual electricity, that is. Bulging with word play, it’s funny, sexy, outrageous, and eventually emotionally satisfying.
Reasons to go: As the brash cocksman Rip, who dominates both his shop assistant and his girlfriend with arrogant animal magnetism, Brin Metzendorf is hilarious: he’s the master of all he surveys, even if it is nothing but a glorified junk shop of broken appliances. With adoring beagle eyes, Tim Coles’ Stan is like Rip’s loyal, beaten-down pooch, even enduring home-made shock therapy in order to sit at his master’s feet. And Meg Cavanaugh rules as Rip’s girlfriend Brandy: downing shots of drambuie and dressed in Lucy Bredeson-Smith’s slut-chick clothes, she’s vulnerable, street-smart, funny, and cute enough to eat with a spoon. The three make Battery an electrifying ride. Director Clyde Simon and his company apply their patented magic to the production–knockabout action, postmodern stylistic shifts, ensemble work, and pitch-perfect design–which elevate Therriault’s menage a trois to a comically affecting Frankenstein tale.
Caveats: Battery‘s extended sexual metaphors and baroque word play aren’t for everyone, but enjoy the terrific acting, directing, and design and you’ll have a ball.
Backstory: convergence-continuum’s 48-seat performance space, The Liminis, is a converted Tremont garage, the perfect venue for “Rip’s Electric” appliance repair shop. While you’re waiting for the show to start, play “name that old computer” on designer Jim Smith’s amazing junk-filled set. And some of the delightful sound track is from actor Meg Cavanaugh’s newly-released CD, on sale in the lobby.
Target audience: With its sexy-funny plot, satisfying worm-turns ending, and intimate production, “Battery” is a perfect “Cool Cleveland” hip date.
Details: thru 5/21 at convergence-continuum, The Liminis, http://www.convergence-continuum.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein mailto: Linda@coolcleveland.com

Staged reading Bravo Giovanni @ Alcazar Hotel 5/1
The composer Milton Schaefer came to Cleveland to assist in the project and ended up—at the last moment—as accompanist! He certainly did have the music in his fingers, keeping the pace brisk throughout. In reality, this was a ‘backer’s showcase’ at the same time as a staged reading. This sort of entertaining evening is done frequently in major theatrical cities such as New York or Los Angeles or Chicago, but not so frequently elsewhere. Usually they’re held for a new, untried play script. However, Bravo, Giovanni had a short run on Broadway (also Detroit and Philadelphia) in 1962 and was nominated for two Tony awards. Theatre devotees know that 1962 was the year of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write
We encourage our readers to speak out by sending us letters and commentary. Send your letters to Letters@CoolCleveland.com. You must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional). You may also create a new Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail e-mail address and submit it with your letter. Letters submitted to Cool Cleveland, or edited portions, may be published in an upcoming issue of Cool Cleveland at our discretion.

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On stuff I was sitting in the Diesel Café, just outside of Boston, trying to get inspired, when the twenty-something pony-tailed guy at the next table said to his companion, “I’m really bi-regional,” with a straight face. I thought it an odd term, but instantly, I felt an inner knowing, a feeling that, at least in the geographic sense, I too, am “bi.” Though I’ve always identified with Cleveland sports teams and had a defensive pride in my much-maligned hometown, for many years, I dreaded visits back to my old haunts….
Read the letter from Cool Cleveland reader Judah Leblang judah31@hotmail.com here

On library cuts and more (See Library liability? here) Dear Governor Bob Taft, Senator Daniel R. Brady, Representative Michael Skindell, Ohio House Finance Committee Chairman Rep. Chuck Calvert, and Ohio Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Bill Harris: Recently, I have spent time in both New York (Manhattan) and New Orleans, long enough in both to seek out the possibilities in my neighborhood public libraries. In both cases, I was astounded at what I found. When I opened the door of the St. Agnes branch of the New York Public Library, on the otherwise affluent Upper West Side, I was hit with an odor from my childhood: that mid-1950’s pre-air-conditioning scent of decaying paper and glue. At first, I thought it was simply because the library building was so old, but I quickly learned it was because that was the vintage of most of their books. The library was only open for a few hours in the afternoon, five days a week. I got a library card anyway, and used it at the less convenient main branch on 42nd Street, which had slightly better hours (although it was still closed Sundays, Mondays and most evenings). The St. Charles branch of the New Orleans Public Library, in an otherwise affluent area just outside of the Garden District, was even worse. The collection would have fit easily into a one-bedroom apartment. When I asked where the non-fiction books continued, because I only saw catalog numbers through the 600’s on the shelves, the librarian pointed out a Visqueen-shielded room where the roof had caved in and collapsed the shelves containing those books. Since they had no funds to repair the roof in the forseeable future, or even to replace the shelves or pay someone to pick up the books, they stayed where they had fallen. Meanwhile, they had “solved” the problem by removing the books with higher Dewey Decimal numbers from their catalog. That means there were absolutely no art books, no travel books, no poetry books, no history books. I didn’t even bother to get a library card. Until those experiences, I had taken for granted the library access we enjoy in Northeast Ohio, to the Cleveland Public Library branches, the Cuyahoga Public Library system and many independent libraries in towns like Lakewood and Rocky River. I have since learned that Ohio has historically had some of the best-funded public library systems in the nation. Now, it turns out that the new budget proposed by Governor Taft is in danger of changing that. Please vote to retain the current funding for libraries. Let’s try to keep Ohio near the top of a good list for a change.
from Cool Cleveland reader Claudia Lynch shoes@claudialynch.com http://www.claudialynch.com

Thanks for covering the budget cuts, but the libraries aren’t the only story. While I love my library branch and everything great provided in the “People’s University” the library cuts may, sadly, be among the least devastating for our community. If the proposed budget cuts happen, 25,000 working parents will loose their health care, 800,000 adults will loose dental and vision coverage, 15,000 medically dependent adults will loose all service (and probably die), day cares will close, senior centers will close or reduce services (like home delivered meals and transportation), public schools will continue to fail, increased waiting lists of HIV/AIDS treatment, the elimination of Adult Protective Services….our safety nets – and our community – will collapse.
from Cool Cleveland reader Josiette White, Advocates for Budget Legislation Equality, josiette@gmail.com

On moving away & missing Cleveland Just want you to know… I just moved from Cleveland and miss it. This is more extraordinary than you think because I moved to San Diego Ca. I had just discovered your website / newsletter before I left Cleveland. I found that cities like Cleveland and San Diego (despite the weather and surroundings) are much alike and wanted to let you know your site is valuable.
from Cool Cleveland reader Deb Kuzma

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Top 5
Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) Cool Cleveland Commentary A Festivus for the Rest of Us: CMJ Rock Hall MusicFest 2005 explodes on the scene this June.www.CoolCleveland.com

2) Lakewood develops? At his annual State of the City address, Lakewood Mayor Tom George hinted that another big development is brewing, similar to the successful Rockport project with housing and retail. www.Cleveland.com

3) 5 best Mayors According to Time magazine: Chicago’s Richard Daley, Atlanta’s Shirley Franklin, Baltimore’s Martin O’Malley, Denver’s John Hickenlooper, and New York’s Michael Bloomberg. www.Time.com

4) Out of Darkness now shooting Emmy-award wining Cleveland producer Alex Michaels is shooting his new TV series right here in Cleveland. http://www.Prelude2Cinema.com/dark.htm

5) Sorry it didn’t work out Not every young 20-something that moves to Cleveland from New York City for a job at the local daily paper will fall in love with Cleveland. www.WSJ.com

Hitting it Hard Corps-style Every week the contributors and writers known as Hard Corps coordinate Cleveland’s events and information which directs our readers to the downtown assets. Thanks to Tisha Nemeth-Loomis, Deb Remington, Victor Lucas, Phil Metres, Anthony Parker, Linda Eisenstein, TL Champion, Roxanne Ravenel, Rachel Jacobs, George Nemeth, Kelly Ferjutz, Greg Cielec and everyone who partners with us. Want to contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

See the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCcleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com

Tell us how you look at your city,

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2005 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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