Cleveland’s Last Call

Cleveland’s Last Call?

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland podcast click here, and TV spot click here
* Cool Cleveland People Mike Polk of Last Call Cleveland
* Cool Cleveland Night Out in the Heights Thu 6/16. Get your discount tix before midnight 6/9 here
* RoldoLINK Rybka – A Good Reason Not to Cut City Council
* Cool Cleveland Sounds CD review of Welcome to the Pressure Cooker by Cleveland’s Dirt
* Cool Cleveland Previews Cool Cleveland blogging from the CMJ/Rock Hall Music Fest here, plus one-acts by Red Hen and Charenton opening Thu 6/9

Cool Cleveland People
Mike Polk, Last Call Cleveland

Mike Polk is an affable, likeable guy. Witty but modest. He’s got that friendly and familiar look about him – and not just because he starred in “The Block” interstitials on WUAB-TV Channel 43. Polk is familiar in that “cool neighbor down the hall” kind of way: he’s like that guy at work who spends more time organizing the March Madness office pool than he does caring about the Cubicle Farm. You’d never guess he was the same Kent State alum who led the rousing musical skit, We Want to Give it to Your Girlfriend, sang about “rolling down West Sixth” in Corvette Summer or wantonly tossed around a baby doll in a mock YMCA fathering class during Never Never Shakes Your Baby. You wouldn’t see him as a dead ringer for local icon Michael Stanley and you wouldn’t think he was a “bracingly offensive” humorist/satirist in the sketch comedy troupe, Last Call Cleveland if you didn’t know him. Coming off of their latest production Michael Stanley Superstar, Last Call’s straight man and “fatherly” ringmaster spoke to Cool Cleveland about “regrouping,” an upcoming appearance at the New York Sketch Festival, living in and creating from Cleveland, and the impact of Second City on sketch comedy in Cleveland.

Cool Cleveland: Is finding comedy material about Cleveland like shooting fish in a barrel?

Mike Polk: It can be if you let it. But you can’t just jump up there and say, “Our river caught on fire!” and wait for the laugh… The trick is to do comedy about Cleveland in a novel and original way. If [the city] gets made fun of one way or another, it’s better to do it with some class and finesse. That’s when it’s successful. You do have to be able to laugh about some of this stuff.

Would you say the criticism of the city is deserved?
I’m not a political genius or anything, but it’s hard not to see that Cleveland has the highest poverty level in the nation and not think there’s something wrong here, you know? It doesn’t make the city any less charming, though. I love Cleveland. It’s very cool – approachable, accessible and full of talent. And people need to know that.

Do you think you’ll stay in Cleveland?
I’ve never been one of those people who says “I’m gonna leave! This place sucks!” or pull a Good Will Hunting and leave in the middle of the night (laughs). I have every intention of staying in Cleveland, being centered and focused here. When Second City shut down, I lost 20 of my friends to different cities. Los Angeles. Chicago. New York. They moved and it’s great and satisfying for them. But no, I have no plans to leave…
Read Cool Cleveland People by Peter Chakerian here

Mix it Up and Hang with Friends on Lee

with Cool Cleveland’s Night Out in the Heights Thu 6/16. Experience the local flavor by meeting friends at Studio You at 2180 Lee Road, where craft meets cool. The line-up starts at 5:30. Taste the local cuisine from Lee Road’s restaurants – where the food comes to you! Enjoy Cool Cleveland’s incredible open bar with unlimited beer & wine and a variety of delicious, complimentary appetizers from area restaurateurs. Also experience the local arts with cool, cultural sounds from the Cleveland Institute of Music students, grooves by DJ Anonymous, show tunes from Kalliope Stage and original poetry from Meredith Holmes, Poet Laureate of Cleveland Heights. Then receive a complimentary ticket to Cain Park’s production of “A Secret Garden” at 8PM (shuttles provided). You’ll enjoy this Tony Award-winning story about the restorative power of love. Order here to get tix for $22.50 before midnight Thu 6/9 and you will be enjoying Jambalaya and Braised Short Ribs from Brennan’s Colony; European Hungarian Peppers stuffed with Sausage from the Pub on Lee; and exotic Golden Veggie Siam Rolls from Lemon Grass Restaurant. You and your friends will also enjoy Jimmy O’Neil’s signature Mini Beet Cakes and Goat Cheese Spinach with Sun dried Tomato Tarts. Your evening will also include selections from The Lopez Bar and Grille, The Tavern Company, The Stone Oven Bakery and Café, Phoenix Coffee and Chris & Jimmy’s Diner. For more info, click here, and get your discount tix until midnight 6/9 here for our divine Night Out in the Heights.
http://www.coolcleveland.com/tickets/nightoutfive

Tower City backs out of Convention Center contention After losing it’s bid to have the planned Cuyahoga County administrative offices move to the old Dillard’s (Higbee’s) complex in Tower City (it is moving instead to the old Cleveland Trust rotunda space at East Ninth & Euclid), Forest City abruptly decided it wasn’t worth it to develop just a convention center on it’s Tower City property, and have withdrawn their proposal, leaving only the old, original Cleveland Convention Center site on Mall B. This makes the job of the Convention and Facilities Authority, being paid $33K a month taken from the Convention and Visitors Bureau budget, a lot simpler: “Some people will be stunned and shocked, but quite frankly, this makes it easy for elected officials and everyone else… we’ve got a site,” says County Commissioner Tim Hagan. We still don’t have any indication of how the thing is going to be paid for, and how much, if any, the public will be asked to contribute. See story here. Your thoughts on the convention center debate? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

BioEnterprise gets $2.75m from The Fund The generous cash infusion will help the organization continue its efforts to accelerate Northeast Ohio’s status as a major player in the bioscience industry. The organization, a five-year collaboration between Case Research Institute Office of Technology Transfer, Cleveland Clinic Innovations and Summa Enterprise Group, has already proven it’s got the goods. The number of dollars invested in bioscience development in Northeast Ohio has nearly doubled since 2003 – growing from $32 million in 2003 to $61 million in 2004 – while nationally, investment in the biosciences remained flat. The Fund for Our Economic Future reps praised the organization for its demonstrated ability to drive high-wage, high-growth economic development. Read here. What do you think of Northeast Ohio becoming a major bioscience region? Send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

AmericaSpeaks is funded The Fund for Our Economic Future is definitely putting its money where its mouth is. Having already given a huge grant to BioEnterprise, an area bioscience leader, they have also granted $1.4m to AmericaSpeaks, a non-profit organization that will engage tens of thousands of our region’s citizens and leaders in an exchange of ideas that will create a collective agenda for change that will revitalize our area’s economy. The 18-month initiative is called Voices & Choices and it will include leadership forums, large town hall meetings and smaller discussion groups. The program launches this summer and you can look forward to participating in the first major event this fall. Read the story here or visit http://www.AmericaSpeaks.org.

How America’s free press ranks As far as having a free and open press, the US ranks 29th in the world, right behind Latvia, and well behind the top 10: Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand. “The overall level of press freedom worldwide – as measured by global average score-worsened, continuing a three-year downward trend according to the survey. Notable setbacks took place in Pakistan, Kenya, Mexico, Venezuela, and in the world’s most powerful democracy, the United States.” America’s press freedom took a dive because of recent legal cases compelling journalists to reveal sources, grants given to political commentators by federal agencies, and because “the Bush administration had significantly increased the practice of distributing government-produced news segments.” Only 17% of the world enjoys a free press, 38% have a “Partly Free” press, and 45% have a “Not Free” press. Read here.

Wal-Mart’s first unionized store in Cleveland? Throwing down the gauntlet, AFL-CIO Executive Secretary John Ryan, a contemporary union leader with a non-traditional style, has made a bold proclamation: “We promise this to Cleveland, to Wal-Mart and to the city’s grocery workers: There will either be no Wal-Mart Supercenter at Steelyard Commons, or the labor community in Cleveland will devote whatever resources necessary to make it the first unionized Wal-Mart in American history.” He points to a growing “coalition that is building: civil rights groups, elected officials, labor unionists, ministers, small business owners, and most recently, Cleveland bloggers. We raise our voices in opposition because of the negative effects of a Wal-Mart Supercenter on our town.” With a pointed jab at Mayor Campbell, “During the last mayoral election, the Cleveland AFL-CIO held a forum under the banner: Cleveland Needs a Mayor Who Will Listen to Workers. We could dust off that banner and use it again,” Ryan cites the example of Dave’s Supermarket as a local grocery business that has been supported by the city and the community, but would be decimated by the non-union, “poverty jobs” that Wal-Mart offers, that have been shown to “cut tax revenue to the city while increasing the social burden.” See PD editorial here. Your thoughts on Wal-Mart’s entrance into the Cleveland market? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

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Is there a Doctor in the Neighborhood? Yes, there is. In fact, there are nine doctors living in The Courtyards of Severance! Because of the proximity to University Circle and Downtown, the carefree, maintenance-free living, five award-winning floor plans, exquisite designer-quality finishes, tax abatement, and endless entertainment, dining, and relaxation options, it’s easy to see why The Courtyards of Severance is preferred by doctors and everyone else! The Courtyards of Severance even has a natural preserve with a tranquil pond (think ice-skating in the winter!) for your enjoyment. Off Mayfield Road between Warrensville Center and South Taylor Roads in Cleveland Heights, The Courtyards of Severance is open Saturday through Wednesday, 1PM-5PM, and by appointment. Visit www.TheCoralCompany.com for more information.
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Tech summer camp for female students Cleveland State University is offering a program designed to jumpstart the interest of young female participants in renewable energy science and technology programs. Fuel Cell Engineering Challenge is an 8-day camp available to young women entering 10th -12th grade this fall. Participants will design and build a fuel cell vehicle, learn the basics of electricity and solar energy among other skills for a lifetime of learning. The program will be offered at CSU’s Fenn College of Engineering. Find out more about this program and others offered here. Admittance is on a first-come, first-served basis, so download the registration form for your future engineer here or call 523-7434 for further information.

Welcome to the Cool Cleveland media network The Cool Cleveland network continues to grow, with weekly podcasts here, TV broadcasts on WKYC-TV NBC here, a monthly column in Cleveland Magazine here and here, weekly radio updates on WCLV-FM, and, of course, Cleveland’s coolest e-letter, right under your mouse. Isn’t it time your business started taking advantage of our growing network to promote your messages and reach Cleveland’s elusive young professionals? Info@CoolCleveland.com.

Slavic Village Summer Music Fest A generous grant through The Cleveland Foundation’s Neighborhood Programs made this no-cost family musical festival possible. The series kicks off on Mon 6/6 at 7PM at Dan Kane Park at East 65th and Kenyon Avenue in the Warszawa Historic District and will take place over 12 consecutive Mondays through Mon 8/22. The initial program boasts the smooth sounds of Gilmour Academy Jazz Improvisation Group featuring tenor saxist Langston White and members of the City of Cleveland Police Bagpipers. Complimentary refreshments will be available at each program during the series. Call 271-6630 to learn more or visit http://www.SlavicVillage.org

1 laptop, 44,000 names CSU officials believe a computer that was stolen over a week ago was lifted for the hardware rather than the data. The laptop contained personal information of over 44,000 Cleveland State University students and applicants, including sensitive information such as Social Security numbers. A CSU spokesman called it “a crime of opportunity” and would not cover the details due to the current investigation. The university is offering the victims information on how to contact credit bureaus to mark their files with fraud alerts. See the useful credit fraud document here. See the story here and here.

Crocker Park developer eyes Downtown He calls Crocker Park a “warm-up” for Downtown, for which his ideas include: spread out County employees along Euclid Avenue storefronts, attach a convention center to Tower City, and install a NASCAR track at Steelyard Commons. Read the story here, and let us know your thoughts: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Big box at W. 117th & I-90 Residents are moving out and making way for a retail center that would be the new site for another Target and Giant Eagle. A $6 million loan was recently approved for Rysar Properties, a local developer, and the plan includes buying up over 100 properties on West 117th Street. Read the story here.

Young Audiences and PHS partner with Kennedy Center Playhouse Square Foundation’s Arts Education Dept and Young Audiences of Greater Cleveland were selected by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to participate in the Partners in Education Institute that was held from May 11-14. The Institute promotes partnerships between arts organizations and schools with a focus on developing education programs for teachers. This is quite a coup for the two organizations, as their partnership is the first to be recognized from Northeast Ohio since the inception of the program in 1991. Their work with the Cleveland Municipal School District and Berea City Schools demonstrated access to strong resources, including funding, school connections, and programming along with high-quality teaching practices. Find out more about these organizations at www.PlayhouseSquare.com/Education and http://www.Yagc.org

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Get Ready to Rock and Roar at the Huntington Bank “Twilight at the Zoo,” Fri 8/5 from 7PM to midnight. Guests will groove their way through the Zoo listening to the sounds of reggae, rock, swing and salsa while enjoying delicious delectables and refreshing beverages courtesy of Samuel Adams. Can’t get enough of the summer’s wildest party? Join us for the VIP Pre-Party at 6PM by the Zoo’s Waterfowl Lake where you’ll enjoy an extra hour of festivities, preferred parking, food by Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and music by Madison Crawl. Huntington Bank Twilight at the Zoo offers 16 bands on 15 stages, along with one of the best times you’ll have all summer, and it happens to benefit the Cleveland Zoological Society in support of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Contact www.ClevelandZooSociety.org to purchase tickets or call (216) 661.6500 x4421.
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Collinwood Summer camp While there is much talk about the importance of arts in education, children who could most benefit from such programs often have the least access. Arts Collinwood is remedying this situation by bringing affordable summer art and drama classes to the neighborhood which will highlight its unique culture. The classes will be taught by professional performers and artist and will feature field trips that will spur participant’s appreciation for our rich arts culture in Cleveland. Older youths will also get an opportunity to learn responsibility and job skills while serving as paid camp counselors, or volunteer junior aides. Both positions offer mentoring and learning opportunities. The first session of the summer camp begins Tue 6/14 and runs through Thu 7/7 at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church at 326 E. 156th. A second session will begin on Tue 7/19. Call 491-1785, visit http://www.ArtsCollinwood.org

Corporate Challenge Cleveland SCORES, an affiliate of America SCORES, issued a challenge to Cleveland-based firms that is both physical and philanthropic. The non-profit provides urban school kids with an unlikely combination of soccer, poetry and community services that prepares them to be responsible students, citizens and leaders; a win-win situation for all involved. Their Sat 7/23 all-day corporate soccer event, called The Cleveland SCORES CORPORATE CUP, will pit local firms against one another on the soccer field at Kyle Field, St. Ignatius High School for a common cause. Organizations willing to step up to the challenge are encouraged to call 308-1448 for a brochure and more info or see here. This is an excellent networking opportunity for organizations, executives and interns. Participants will be treated to Starbucks coffee, refreshments and tasty barbecue. The City of Cleveland, The Cleveland Indians and Ernst & Young have already climbed aboard. Remember, last one in is a rotten egg.

Ingenuity call for art Visual artists from northeast Ohio are invited to join the 70 organizations from Cleveland’s world-renowned arts and technology communities working to produce Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, co-directed by Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready, and CPT’s James Levin. Artists and artist teams are invited to submit proposals for ingenious exhibitions or installations that fuse the expression of art with the progression of technology. Three to five artists or artist teams will be selected to exhibit their proposed work within storefront spaces in the Colonial ARTcade during Ingenuity and through the month of September 2005. Each selected artist/artist team will receive an honorarium of at least $500. Proposals are due 7/10/05. Send a one-page outline of the proposed project and appropriate supporting visual materials on disk (jpeg or pdf), or on a 30″ x 40″ presentation board to: 530 Euclid, Suite 43, Cleveland, OH 44115. Artists selected by the jurors will be notified by 7/29. For detailed information, contact ArtPower@Yahoo.com

Name the Ingenuity robot, get a pair of tix You may have seen our Ingenuity robot, made up of high-tech, medical and artistic pieces/parts. S/he looks cool (check it here), but it needs a name. And get this: anyone who writes in with a suggested name for our little art/tech mascot will get a pair of tix to enjoy the Ingenuity Festival this Labor Day Weekend. Even if your name is not selected. Send your suggested name to: Info@IngenuityCleveland.org.

Ingenuity gets ink Read the latest stories on the upcoming Ingenuity Fest from Cleveland Magazine, entitled, Ingenuity Ignites, here with the quote, “We’re not waiting for the traditional people to bless this or give their approval… we’re giving them one chance to do the right thing,” as well as this lengthy piece in the Cleveland Jewish News, with the audacious title, Ingenuity to save our city, here. If only it were that simple…

Lab awards $50K The Civic Innovation Lab is reaching out to promote Greater Cleveland high school seniors, and create a central source for regionally-generated visual art. In addition to the grants, the Lab has also matched each project with a community leader who will provide mentorship for one year. Local champion Madeleine Bruml, who has just completed her sophomore at Hawken School on Cleveland’s east side, was awarded $20,000 to develop Brain Gain, a program that will feature the city’s strengths and career opportunities to high school students throughout the region. Joan Perch, owner of ArtMetro gallery was awarded $30,000 to undertake the Cleveland Flat Files Project, to provide a central source for regionally-generated visual art. The Flat Files store portfolios of flat artwork in drawers with pieces produced by artists in the region. These works will be offered at a varying range of price points and will be housed in the Tower Press building, in hopes that the center will evolve into a sustainable destination for arts, cultural tourism, and arts commerce. Learn more by visiting http://www.CivicLab.org or http://www.ClevelandFoundation.org

Apply for Big Box Cleveland Public Theatre has extended an invitation to theatre, dance and multi-disciplinary artists to apply for their annual Big Box Series. This program, in its fourth year, is an opportunity for artists to test out their latest work before a low-key audience. Select artists will even get a week in CPT’s Levin Theatre, tech support, a small remuneration and a portion of the box office. This is a great way for self-starters to develop their new work while giving CPT a forum for discovering under the radar talent. Read more and get an application at http://www.cptonline.org. The application deadline is on Wed 6/15.

German Goldsmith moves to Cleveland Brigitte Martin, a Cleveland Heights resident and a native of Germany, who has only lived in our region for about a year, will open a gallery in Little Italy. The gifted craftswoman will offer her one-of-a kind creations to visitors who will be able to watch her spin her magic; her workshop is right inside the studio. The talented artisan also works closely with clients to bring their own unique designs to life. Brigitte’s establishment will be a welcome addition to the diversity of ethnicities that make our Northeast Ohio melting pot such an eclectic blend of offerings. Her piece, Five Rings for the Handyman’s Wife will be on display at the NEO Show at the Cleveland Museum of Art from 7/10 to 9/4. Her studio opens on Fri 7/1 and the curious are welcome to attend the opening reception from 6-9PM. The globe-hopping, German native is plenty impressed with all our region has to offer, but is puzzled by Cleveland’s low self esteem. For info on the opening call 536-9563. The Jewelry Studio, 2026 Murray Hill Road, Suite 200. Do you think Cleveland has self-esteem issues? Send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

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The Naked Truth Explore the realistic “under the skin” BODY WORLDS 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies at the Great Lakes Science Center. View 200 real human specimens and discover the complexity of our anatomy, physiology and healthy and unhealthy bodies in meticulous detail. Hours: 9:30AM – 9:00PM every day. Tickets start at $16 for adults and $9 for youths. Thursday evenings enjoy our full cash bar on the terrace overlooking the Northcoast Harbor from 6PM – 9PM (weather permitting). BODY WORLDS/Rock Your World combined Science Center/Rock Hall all day passes available at the Science Center Box Office. For more information contact the Science Center at 216.694.2000 or www.GreatScience.com
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Clayground for sale One of Cleveland’s best contemporary ceramic studios is for sale with a staff that is second to none, and a history that spans ten years. The owners would like to see the studio continue with the right owner. Could that be you? This excellent facility is for sale here or visit Clayground Studios, 27629 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 105 in Woodmere. Call 292-3403 and see http://www.ClayGroundStudios.com

Peaceful space in Tremont The latest “cool space” in Cleveland to practice Yoga, Pilates, and Thai Yoga Massage is Studio 11, combining art and science for meditation in motion. Indulge in positive Karma and holistic health at each class that provides a safe space where the spirit may soar. Call 621-8179 2337. Located at West 11th Street. For info email info@studio11tremont.com or visit http://www.Studio11Tremont.com

Call for Summerfest art This year Summerfest ’05 will showcase a variety of arts and crafts featuring sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, painting, glass, metals, wood and photgraphy. Artists are invited to showcase your work in the Artist’s Pavilion at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds on Sat 7/2 and Sun 7/3, rain or shine. Last year’s event drew over 22,000 people. Contact Deborah Donaldson, ddonaldson11@aol.com, the Summerfest Art Director for more details.

Can bookstores kill America’s literary future? Independent bookstores draw in booklovers and tourists from all across the country, where lit enthusiasts find hard-to-find literary treasures. Yet larger outlets such as Barnes and Noble may be the only business survivors, with better financial bottom lines. This takeover results in homogeneous selections of lame bestsellers that kill off readers’ pursuits of reading. Read the story here. Are bestsellers driving readers away from quality non-best seller literature? Send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Which American dialect do you speak? Take this test to figure out your linguistic profile; it’s amazingly accurate and delivers the immediate results of your speaking and pronunciation habits. http://www.BlogThings.com/amenglishdialecttest

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Groove Down and Rekindle Relationships by meeting a friend or significant other at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s “Summer in the Courtyard” series 6/15 through 9/2. This popular continuation of summer’s celebration happens every Wednesday and Friday evening from 5:30 – 8:30PM and Sunday 1:30 – 3:30PM. Enjoy live music that includes the Tony Carmen Band (Swing/Dixieland) on Wed 6/15 and Haywire (Rock) on Fri 6/17. Enjoy a glass of wine while watching unique films and dining in the courtyard. Also experience Michael Borremans’ “Hallucination and Reality” through 9/4 (free), and the NEO Show, a juried exhibition celebrating artists of Northeast Ohio, open 7/10 in the Contemporary Galleries. For a complete schedule of Summer in the Courtyard programs, contact the Museum’s ticket center at 1-888-CMA-0033 or visit www.ClevelandArt.org
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R.I.P. Dennis Eberhard With talent that’s been extensively extolled both locally and nationally, he was recognized as Cleveland’s composer laureate with “fierce determination” and a superb artist whose music translated a complex and deep humanity. Read the story here. Your thoughts on this great artist? Send them to Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Corrections Just a small correction. The link in the June 1 newsletter about the ACE grants by the county leads to a list of groups that applied. The real “winners” are buried deep inside the site (but maybe by next week it will be fixed since I just asked “where is it?”). As of this minute, the following link brings up a PDF file: http://www.cuyahogacounty.us/development/mediaadvisories/05262005_attach.pdf.
from Cool Cleveland reader Laura Kennelly

Cool Cleveland This Week
6.08-6.14
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Are you cool like dat? If so, relive the mellow sounds of jazz-rap fusion that put Digable Planets on the map in ’93. The group will perform with special guests The Lab Rats and Grandmaster Flash at The Agora Theater on Thu 6/9 at 7PM as part of the CMJ/Rockhall Music Fest. Leave your boom box, leather pants and Kangol at home (white kicks optional) and bring the same enthusiasm that you felt when you first heard these hip hop innovators. Call 241-5555 or go here to purchase tix. Agora Theater, 5000 Euclid Avenue. www.ClevelandAgora.com

The Lawyer Play Forget everything you thought you knew about lawyers. Written and performed by Jill Levin and directed by Jyana S. Gregory, the play is based on candid interviews with real trial lawyers. Audiences will get an unobstructed view into the minds and hearts of these real-life legal gladiators beginning Thu 6/9 at 8PM. The play runs through Sun 6/19 with Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows at 8PM and a Sunday show at 3PM. Call 780-0365 for tickets and info. Orthodox Theatre, 6203 Detroit Avenue. http://www.Acting4Lawyers.com

The Dark Room: Where New Work Develops Take part in an exciting evening of music, theater and poetry on Thu 6/9 at 8PM. Playwrights, poets, performers, and musicians can come at 7:15PM and sign up to perform a 10 minute piece. Artists can perform themselves, bring their own troupe or bring enough copies for the required number of actors plus the stage manager and actors will be recruited from the audience. This ongoing project happens the second Thursday of each month so bring your project and see what develops. Old Parish Hall, Cleveland Public Theatre Campus, 6203 Detroit Avenue. http://m.d.sep.home.att.net/drkroomflyer2.pdf

Exit Stencil Recordings is please to announce several shows taking place during the CMJ Music Festival here in Cleveland. Rock steady beginning Thu 6/9 with roue opening for Steven Malkmus at the Beachland Ballroom. Then prepare for Stencil Recordings Showcase and Barb-B-Q with special guests from Japan, Peelander Z on 6/11 at 1PM. Vegetarian selections will be available for the non-meat eating population; for details call 939-9099. Later that evening, join three Exit Stencil Bands at Pat’s in the Flats; doors open 9PM. Catch Home and Garden (featuring Scott Krauss formerly of Pere Ubu) playing at 10PM. Pats in the Flats, 2233 West Third. For info visit http://www.ExitStencilRecordings.com

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Soak up the Sun, Music and Chill at the Summer Courtyard Concert Series during your lunch hour at the Galleria at Erieview. Meet a friend (or several!) and enjoy your lunch al fresco. There’s outdoor patio dining from Café Sausalito or purchase your lunch in the food court and bring it outside while grooving to the tunes. Here’s the month of June’s summer lineup in entertainment happening every Friday lunch hour at 11:30-1:30PM (weather permitting): 6/3 “Jim Gill and Friends,” 6/10 “Collin John,” 6/17 “Eleven,” and 6/24 “The Jim Miller Band.” Contact http://www.galleriaaterieview.com or 216-861-4343.
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North Coast Harbor Boating, Fishing & Seafood Fest Bring the kids to this pirate themed, family-friendly event. Members of the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association will offer recreational power and sail boat rides and there will lots of giveaways. Sample fare from vendors who will be offering perch, walleye, clams, chowders, bisque and more. Lake Erie cruises aboard the tall ship WINDY will also be available. The fun begins on Fri 6/10 at 11AM and runs through Sun 6/12. Hours are Fri & Sat 11AM-8PM and Sun 11AM-5PM. Call 440-899-5009 x15. Voinovich Park, behind the Rock Hall http://www.BoatingFest.com

Jamie Davis: Affected Take a unique journey with the artist in this exhibit which explores her fears, both rational and irrational, associated with fertility and chemotherapy. The public is invited to a reception for this powerful solo exhibit on Fri 6/10 from 5-9PM. Learn more about the artist’s motivation during a gallery talk at 6:15PM. The uncommon exhibit runs through Fri 7/8. Call 229-6527. The Sculpture Center, 1834 East 123rd Street. www.SculptureCenter.org

Why White Kids Love Hip-Hop Can hip-hop be a positive force for inclusion and equality? Join author, Bakari Kitwana, for a book signing and compelling conversation on hip-hop’s impact on race relations here in the United States. The author, who has been the Executive Editor of The Source and a columnist for Cleveland Plain Dealer, among other roles, has also authored The Rap on Gangsta Rap and The Hip Hop Generation. Bring a friend and join this provocative dialogue on Fri 6/10 at 7PM. Call 931-9922. Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Legacy Village, 24519 Cedar Road in Lyndhurst. www.JosephBeth.com

Inside/Out Tour The Charenton Theater Company is treating Clevelanders to a complimentary evening of not one, but two single act plays. If Men Played Cards as Women Do is a light-hearted satire featuring a group of bridge-playing men who speak, think and behave the way that men believe women do. Overtones is a brilliant dramatization of the unconscious mind. See how two women appear both to each other, and their inner selves. Opening night happens Fri 6/10 at 8PM with a second show on Sat 6/11 at 8PM. Call 781-9987. The Market Avenue Wine Bar, 2526 Market Ave, Ohio City. http://www.http://www.Charenton.org

WCLVnotes Not many people realize that WCLV 104.9 not only presents classical music programming for the northeast Ohio area, but it’s also heavily involved in syndication of programming to other radio stations internationally. A good example of a WCLV distributed program series can now be heard at 104.9 on Saturdays at 2PM – “Live! From the Concertgebouw” featuring top notch performances by the resident band, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, as well as by visiting soloists and ensembles. Other program series that WCLV produces and/or distributes include the San Francisco Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, “Adventures in Good Music” with Karl Haas, “Weekend Radio,” “Footlight Parade” with Bill Rudman, the Cleveland International Piano Competition and The City Club Forum. The WCLV Program Guide is available online at www.WCLV.com. A Cool Cleveland partner.

A Taste of Kamm’s Corners Experience the fine ethnic and specialty food offerings available along Lorain Avenue between West 125th and Rocky River Drive via a luxury motor coach on Sat 6/11 at either 10AM or 2:30PM. Get a brief tour before sampling goodies and shopping for exotically delicious foods at 11 different destinations. If you’ve still got room at the end of the tour you can enjoy a meal at the Oriental Palace, a new, 300-item buffet restaurant in Warren Village. Call 978-5587 for tickets. Meet behind Warren Village, Warren and Edgecliff just south of I-90.

Parade the Circle Celebration It’s that time of year for Parade the Circle, our city’s outdoor cultural arts event that’s been entertaining and exciting the community for 15 years, marking the anticipated summer season. The theme this year is Inside out, utilizing larger-than-life and eye-popping puppets, dancers that defy gravity and steel drum band. The event is the culmination of several months of collaboration between community outreach programs that values local artists and their talents. Get the party started with one of Cleveland’s most popular outdoor festivals on Sat 6/11 from 11AM-4PM. The Cleveland Museum of Art’s award-winning Parade at noon is the highlight of a day of music, dance and hands-on-activities which showcases the University Circle institutions. Call 707-5033 or visit www.UniversityCircle.org. Wade Oval, University Circle. www.ClevelandArt.org and read more here about Parade leader Robin VanLear, who is also directing the huge opening ceremony for the upcoming Ingenuity Festival over Labor Day weekend.

The Picture Project – Noble Monticello Are you a budding photographer? Would you like an opportunity to have your work displayed in an exciting upcoming exhibit? Then join fellow Noble-Monticello residents on Sat 6/11 at 2:30PM for a kick-off meeting. Participants will receive disposable cameras then be unleashed to take pictures of the character-defining features of their neighborhood. Got your own digital number? Bring it, meet up with your neighbors and get ready to make art history. Call 320-1423 for more info or visit www.FutureHeights.org. Home Repair Resource Center, 2520 Noble Road in Cleveland Heights.

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Enjoy Fifty Bands, the Cleveland Pops and the Best Fireworks in Cleveland at SummerFest 2005 on Sat 7/2 and Sun 7/3. Come to the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds to experience over 50 bands (Rock, Country, Blues, Reggae, Latin, Disco, Big Band and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra) and northeast Ohio’s largest fireworks display. In addition there will be amusement park rides, a car show, motorcycle show (don’t miss Harley-Davison’s “Biker Fashion Show”) and art show. Other attractions include a Rock-n-Roll movie theater, a children’s area with entertainment, lots of delicious food, a full service bar with ice cold beer, liquor and vodka slushy drinks! SummerFest runs noon to midnight both days. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children under 36 inches tall. Toddlers in strollers are free. Contact www.SummerFest05.com for more information.
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Recent Explorations: Paintings by David Moskovitz Step into the mind of the artist and be transported to faraway destinations like Greece, France, New Mexico and Cape Cod. His works also explore more familiar territory including Cleveland and nearby Amish country in Holmes County. Come to the opening reception for Moskovitz’ 21st solo show on Sat 6/11 from 6-9PM and enjoy paintings inspired by these destinations. The show runs through Sat 8/20. Call 771-7724. Kelly Randall Gallery, 2678 West 14th Street in Tremont.

Artist Envy: Druewho? The local style-maker will present her Fall and Winter 2005 collections of both men’s and ladies’ apparel on Sun 6/12 at 6:00PM. Call 470-9256 for ticket information. Club 75, 75 Public Square.

Innerbelt Plan Public Meeting Help shape our community by actively participating in efforts to develop a comprehensive strategy to rebuild the Cleveland Innerbelt. These meetings are designed to ensure that the public’s opinions and voices are heard so that the right Innerbelt Freeway is constructed for the people and economic vitality of Cleveland. Attend the next meeting on Tue 6/14 at 4:30PM and share your thoughts. Call 584-2007 or visit http://www.InnerBelt.org. Myers University Club, 3813 Euclid Avenue

Writers After Hours: Brian K. Vaughan is an accomplished graphic novelist who authored the series Y: The Last Man and Ultimate X-Men. He is published by industry giants like Marvel, DC Comics, Vertigo and more. Graphic novel fans will enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres, mingle with the accomplished author, and listen as he shares his insight on the process of writing a graphic novel on Tue 6/14 at 6PM. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Call 749-9486 for tickets. The Plain Dealer, 1801 Superior Avenue www.CuyahogaLibrary.org

The Bad Plus These Sony recording artists are a driving force of contemporary jazz; this trio skillfully performs sizzling sound and is making a Cleveland debut at Nighttown on Tue 6/14 at 7PM. Call 795-0550 for reservations. 12387 Cedar Road in Cleveland Hts. http://www.NighttownCleveland.com and http://www.TheBadPlus.com

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Blind Pig Record’s Recording Artist “Popa Chubby,” who is known for his aggressive style of guitar-based Blues Rock will perform at Fat Fish Blue Fri 6/17 at 9PM. Popa Chubby’s only Ohio show is a must see! If you don’t already know Popa Chubby, he’s a funkier version of John Popper with incredible guitars added to an arsenal of harmonica and unique vocals that fall somewhere between Big Ride Jake and Ray Charles. Tickets are $10. Please call Fat Fish Blue for more information 216-875-6000 or visit http://www.fatfishblue.com
*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************

Hairspray Want to have a raucous good time while escaping the cares of the day? Then Welcome to the 60’s! The national tour of Hairspray arrives at our entertainment mecca, Playhouse Square, beginning Tues 6/14 at 8PM. Revel in the tale of a full-figured, big-haired young woman with a big heart and even grander aspirations! Winner of several Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2003, this show promises a night of laughter, romance and groovy tunes… Now run and tell that! Call 241-6000 or click here for tickets. State Theater, 1519 Euclid Avenue. http://www.PlayhouseSquare.com

A New Convention Center: Civic Hope or Civic Hype? Join pro-convention center advocate and respected real estate attorney, Anthony Coyne of Mansour, Gavin, Gerlack & Manos Co. and University of Texas professor Heywood Sanders, an outspoken opponent of publicly funded convention centers as they explore both sides of the issue on Wed 6/15 at 12PM. Call 621-0082. Cleveland City Club, 850 Euclid Ave, 2nd Floor www.CityClub.org

To Blog or Not to Blog That is the question that Cool Cleveland’s technology guru and the creator of the Brewed Fresh Daily blog, George Nemeth will consider as he leads a discussion on the strategic value of Blogging for Business on Wed 6/15 at 5:30PM. This Community of Minds presentation will be held outdoors, weather permitting. Register here. Call 623-2800. Cleveland Public Library, 325 Superior Avenue N.E. www.CommunityOfMinds.com http://www.BrewedFreshDaily.com

Cleveland Rocks Downtown Tour Think you’ve seen all there is to see in our town? Get a totally new view of our city when you take a guided sunset tour by KAYAK on Wed 6/15 from 6-9PM. Tours launch from Cleveland’s newest green space, Wendy Park on Whiskey Island. Hobnob with colonies of blue herons, cormorants and other native wildlife and paddle alongside mammoth ore freighters. You’ll be the envy of the water cooler set. Call 41° North Kayak Adventures at 866-KAYAK-41 or see the entire schedule at http://www.Kayak41North.com. Wendy Park, Whiskey Island Marina, 2800 Whiskey Island.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Read more cool events here

RoldoLINK
Rybka – A Good Reason Not to Cut City Council
By Roldo Bartimole

Roldo today hails Edward Rybka and writes about why Council reduction could be hurtful to Cleveland neighborhoods. Also, has the Plain Dealer forgotten that George Forbes has a past that suggests a future?

I would often bump into Councilman Ed Rybka in Council corridors during his 19 years as a member. There was a time when reporters could navigate Council’s back rooms and get to know members personally.

In those days, I would greet him with two questions, “Ed, what are you doing here? Why are you here?” My intention was half-facetious and half-serious.

If he did not know exactly what he was doing in Council in those early days, he certainly learned how to be one of the best members that I encountered in more than 30 years watching up close.

He was no shrinking violet either when it came to his ward. I’ve seen him blister administration officials at the conference table. His emotions would become raw with anger when he felt his ward or an issue was being mishandled by the reigning administration… If there were any reason NOT to reduce Council from 21 members, I’d say the danger of losing an Ed Rybka would counterbalance all Brent Larkin’s arguments about the body’s dim bulbs and fakes. It gives neighborhoods at least some representation. Otherwise, city residents would be left to the mercy of Cleveland’s ubiquitous and self-interested foundations, civic groups and corporate interests…Read RoldoLink here

Cool Cleveland Sounds
Dirt
Welcome to the Pressure Cooker
Bring It Down

First comes the disclaimer: Someone else at Cool Cleveland should have probably been picked to review this. This is what I get for not going to the staff breakfast the other day. Rap has never been nor will it ever be my cup of musical tea (last thing I barely liked was NWA’s “A Bitch Iz A Bitch,” and probably because it was so vapid, it was funny). With that in mind, I’m going to tell you what I do like on Welcome to the Pressure Cooker. First, hats off to Dirt on marketing. Welcome to the Pressure Cooker is a professional, slick package in the good sense (you should see the amateur CARE package I just got from some rap outfit out of Columbus). The biography info sent over with it was the approximate size of a suburban phone book. Lead vocalist Dave “DBC” Burzanko is a former radio disc jockey who also mixed shows at Alpha Phi Alpha parties. The group has gotten a spotlight on Swept Away TV, which is supposed to be in over 42 markets, including a bunch of them much bigger than Cleveland. Dirt also is in the process of submitting a new song for the upcoming Jim Carrey movie, The Six Billion Dollar Man. Burzanko is putting all his college marketing courses to good use, and the group is trying every direction to get PR and airplay, so more power to him on that. Next, my MVP here is guitarist Jim Bryant. Anytime you can actually hear his guitar work, such as the openings of “Get Mine” and “Day I Die,” it’s a highlight. Same goes for Bryant’s subtle work during “Killing Me” and the chord crunching opening to “Bossman.” Best cut on the disc is the smooth “Yesterday,” the cerebral flip side of the coin to everything else that’s here. And that’s where the problem comes in for me because everything else sort of blends into one big bass riff. It’s the curse of the genre. So, without a long analytical tangent on the subject, let’s bottom line this review. If you like rap, go buy Welcome to the Pressure Cooker. If you don’t like rap, avoid it like a hooker with signs of the bubonic plague. And, if you’re a big fan of “keeping it real,” there it is. http://www.ineedabeat.com. from Cool Cleveland contributor Peanuts hostofthenorthcoast@yahoo.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14387 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

Cool Cleveland Previews
Cool Cleveland blogging from the CMJ/Rock Hall Music Fest

Check the blog here day and night starting now, as Cool Cleveland correspondent Pete Chakerian blogs on the CMJ/Rock Hall Music Fest. Greetings and welcome fellow CoolClevelanders! It’s Pete Chakerian here, with the first of many installments of the CMJ Rock Hall MusicFest 2005 weblog! Look for the “CHQ” logo before you select a CMJ/Rock Hall information source!

OK. So, maybe you’re from Cleveland; maybe you’re not. Maybe you’re rooting for our fair city; maybe you’re not… Perhaps you are a transplant, on to the Next Big Thing; maybe you’re just passing through and couldn’t care less.

Whatever. I’m here for you, either way. Doesn’t matter what color you wear, we are here to give you the most up-to-the-minute coverage of the first annual CMJ Rock Hall Music Fest… one that features the ghosts of Alternative Past, Alternative Present and perhaps the most amazing ghost of all… the ghost of Alternative Future! And I’m going to be here for you every step of the way, providing you “up-to-the-minute-coverage” of this amazing music convention.

Were you waiting at Jane Campbell’s red light for the Malkmus gig? Hey, I’m was the guy in the lane next to you. Think “Anderson Cooper 360″ without the hair: if you’ve been to the show, odds are I’ve been standing right next to you… and “I’ve got something to say,” as the Misfits would say…
Check the Cool Cleveland blog here: http://www.coolcleveland.com/wordpress

One acts by Red Hen and Charenton opening 6/9

As summer approaches and the temperature rises, our attention span drops: we seem to prefer our entertainment short and light. This weekend two small companies are taking advantage of our propensity for comedy. Red Hen, Cleveland’s feminist theatre, and Charenton, Cleveland’s traveling free theater, are both opening bills of two comic one-act plays that take playful looks at gender.

At Red Hen, the title of the bill is Women on the Verge…of Figuring It Out. Forget the stereotype of feminists having no sense of humor. Artistic Rose Leininger has found a pair of comedies that take an unexpectedly light approach to the theme of women recognizing their own power…Read the Cool Cleveland Preview by Linda Eisensten here

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

The Garden as Art Show @ Cleveland Botanical Garden 5/30
True confessions: Sometimes we need a little prodding to experience some of the cool things in Cleveland. I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve never before been to the Botanical Garden’s “Flower and Garden Show.” But I went this year and I’m glad I did! As an inexperienced garden discoverer, I realized immediately that the underlying theme for this year’s flower show was luxury and comfort. And it was illustrated time and time again with cozy romantic retreats that called out to visitors inviting them to come inside, take a load off, and enjoy the visually breathtaking and imaginative designs. The gardens offered a variety of secluded oases cozied up with stuffed couches, pillows and benches complete with dinner tables, chandeliers, inlaid china and accent candles. The “Wow” vote went to the garden designed by DTR Associates, a landscaping company known for their expertise as outdoor visionaries. The president, David Thorn, and his team designed what he called “Living Rooms,” a play on words, because the rooms were made out of living plant material. And the hit of the show was a queen size “bed” (the exact size and height of yours at home) made entirely out of rich, Kentucky Blue Grass with Cap Moss used for the pillows and Hens and Chicks dotting the “comforter’s” perimeter stripe design. This showstopper was the buzz of the show, and it looked so comfy and cozy that you wanted to crawl up for a quick nap. The outdoor Living Room had overstuffed chairs made of Taxus (sculpted Disney-esque style), and the “floor rugs” made of grass, moss and begonias were beautifully detailed. Other outdoor rooms included a foyer with floating limestone tiles in a pool of water (gorgeous!), a bathroom shower made with grass walls and glass doors (not very private if you ask me) and a dining room table with a chandelier hanging from the trees. Even though the show is over, Living Rooms is one of four beautiful new installations that will be here for the next two years. That’s how the Botanical Garden keeps things fresh so people like you and me will want to check it out on a regular basis. Give yourself a luxurious treat for the visual senses and go! from Cool Cleveland correspondent T.L. Champion TL@coolcleveland.com

Stone Cold Dead Serious @ CPT 6/3
What: Adam Rapp’s black, comic tragedy about a dysfunctional blue collar family whose teenage son tries to pull out of debt by competing in a reality TV version of a Samurai swordfighting video game – to the death.
Reasons to go: Rapp’s dialogue has a weirdly beautiful street poetry to it, from the father’s bizarrely funny non sequitur malaprops to the druggie daughter’s shocking trash talk. Though it’s hard-edged, his take on his hard-luck characters is ultimately compassionate. Equity actors Meg Kelly Schroeder and Robert Ellis rule in their dual roles – Schroeder as the hard-bitten waitress mom and a tattooed Snake Lady, and Ellis as the pain-pill-addled father and a predatory traveling salesman. As the druggie daughter, Madgdalyn Donnelly is particularly good in her second act hospital scenes.
Caveats: Stephen Dale is unfortunately miscast as the clueless but well-meaning 16-year-old Wynne. He comes off too old and miles too preppy for the blue-haired computer game-obsessed teen, which leaves a hole at the heart of the play, although his final scenes are affecting. And why is Donnelly as beautifically clean as a glowing Madonna in the first act, when she’s supposed to be strung-out on drugs and hepatitis?
Backstory: TITLEWave Artistic Director Greg Vovos is an avowed Rapp-head, who has traveled to Pittsburgh and NY to see premieres of the playwright’s work. The production won a Cleveland Theater Collective Danny Morris Award to fund two Equity actors for the show. Another Rapp piece, Nocturne, plays on off-nights in the CPT office space.
Target audience: Theatergoers who are willing to enter Rapp’s dark but thoroughly compelling world.
Details: Thru 6/18, Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. 216-631-2727. http://www.cptonline.org. from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

Moby Dick The Musical @ Beck Center for the Arts 6/3
Kevin Joseph Kelly playing the Headmistress who plays Captain Ahab in The Beck Center’s Studio theater is a bit of Cleveland cool you’ll regret missing if you don’t grab tickets soon. The sold-out opening night crowd was fired up by Kelly’s performance, and its obvious enjoyment pushed the willing cast, including the promising Shaker Heights High student, Hannah Corrigan as Ishmael, to pretty good support. Paul Floriano did his usual excellent work in a series of crucially comic roles, and kept the whole production moving along with professional panache. Alana Purvis as Ahab’s wife, Esta, has a nice star turn that she vamps with comic gusto, and Cheryl Campo as Queequeg has a great time playing the all-over-tattooed head-hunter harpoonist who befriends Ishmael. Aimee Collier as Starbuck has a sultriness that needs focus and grooming, but which burns brightly at moments. The Boys’ Group that breaks out of their pea-coats and struts its satiric stuff after poor Pip goes overboard trying to save Ahab’s hat (and reappears as the comic angel to whom they’re singing) features Bill Reichert, Carlos Cruz, Paul Rawlings, and Phillip Carroll. Reichert seems to have the best command of his body and face – a promising start. Good comic stage business from Scott Spence’s direction, and a very well-conceived use of the Studio Theater’s unusual layout, provided a solid structure – aside from a vocal dead spot, in my seat at least, in front of the scrim where poor Pip (otherwise well done by Mike Majer) has to sing with nothing to bounce his voice out into the theater. Spence’s production of a production that uses the volleyball net and hockey sticks and blue bunting from a girls’ school to create sea and ship is ingeniously wacky and great fun to watch. from Cool Cleveland contributor Marcus Bales marcus@designerglass.com

Verb Ballets @ CMNH 6/4
Things got under way with Man and the Echo (2002), an ensemble piece by Verb Artistic Director Hernando Cortez, whose program note casts this as a “think” piece by quoting from William Butler Yeats’ Man and the Echo (1938). The choreography fulfills its stated task nicely with Mark Tomasic as the man who “stands in judgment of his soul…and sinks at last into the night.” But we also do well to look at this as a choreographer’s treatment of a familiar piece of music, Edvard Grieg’s charming and accessible Holberg Suite. The music is supremely danceable and runs the gamut from fast and bright to deeply melancholic. Cortez has chosen from among the suite’s sections and reordered them to suit his purposes…
Read the review by Victor Lucas here

Moby Dick The Musical @ Beck Center for the Arts 6/4
What: A part campy, part straight musical adaptation of Herman Melville’s classic about 19th century sailors whose fate is tied to their captain’s obsession with hunting a Great White Whale.
Reasons to go: As always, the Beck Center voices are big and brassy, especially Kevin Joseph Kelly’s foghorn baritone as a private school headmistress playing the demented Captain Ahab. Some of Scott Spence’s staging and Martin Cespedes’ choreography are lots of fun – especially Kelly’s mock disco number, the stuffed animal ballet, and a boy band number full of hair-flipping.
Caveats: The book’s framing device – a girls’ school doing a student adaptation of Moby Dick as a fundraiser – only fitfully works. Big chunks of the first act are a faithful pop opera take, with campiness tacked on as an afterthought – almost as though the authors realized halfway that no one would produce a serious version. The result is neither fish nor fowl, with the inherent drama of the story canceling out the comedy too often, although there are more parodic crowd-pleasers in the second act.
Backstory: Robert Longden and Hereward Key’s cult show comes from London, where megaproducer Cameron Mackintosh worked his commercial magic. Even the tongue-in-cheek title page reflects the show’s schizophrenic nature: “The authors would like to reluctantly acknowledge interference by Russell Ochocki and Cameron Mackintosh.”
Target audience: Suitable for teens and up; despite the frequent lame “dick” jokes, it’s no more transgressive than an Adam Sandler movie.
Details: Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. 216-521-2540. Thru 7/3. http://www.beckcenter.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

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 the Anthony Yen interview (here) Dr. Anthony Yen is absolutely right. Cool Cleveland can bring leadership to our region where there is “apathy” and a void. Also, as Dr. Yen points out, maybe Laurel School can show the way. Keep up the great interviews!!! Dr. Yen really knows where the answers are. Some day you should find out what happened to Dr. Serge Levitsky. This is another example of what happens when we have the narrow minded politicians. Ms. Kate Hubben is doing a great job with Leadership Cleveland. It is what happens to the students after they get back to their institutions that needs to be explored. Best wishes! (now in my 50th year of being a student of International Trade.)
from Cool Cleveland reader Albert Knute Oberst,JD KnuteOicpATwebtv.net

I have to thank you for the outstanding interview with Anthony Yen. What a great unsung resource we have in Cleveland. I have read the Plain Dealer almost daily during the fourteen years we have lived here, and I don’t think I recall any other interview with Mr. Yen that was so informative. In fact, I don’t recall any interview with him. Thank you for sharing this with your readers.
from Cool Cleveland reader Carol Bell cbell3389ATyahoo.com

I know Anthony Yen, having met him at a World Trade Center event and having him on campus as a speaker. I think you did a great job in capturing him in your interview, and I know it’s not easy to follow him all the time! Thanks for that interview, I enjoyed it very much.
from Cool Cleveland reader John Scanlan j.scanlanATcsuohio.edu

On gaming in Cleveland (See here) I think this is a terrible idea! Look at Detroit! Where did gambling get them? It’s a sad day when such a sinful activity is the only way our leaders can come up with to grow our City.
from Cool Cleveland reader Susan Scalmato sscalmatoATcomkt.com

On George Bilgere’s Elegy for the LaSalle (here) George Bilgere’s commentary seems to have a tinge of distaste for the Cleveland Clinic. Every time there is an expansion, people make them sound like a monster that is gobbling up neighborhoods. That is hardly the case. Many of the buildings used by the Clinic were purchased or donated to them – Parker Hannifin, TRW and several smaller buildings near the main campus. They were not torn down but rehabitated for use as office space. Sure they are expanding, but so is Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals -probably more so than the Clinic. Nobody ever complains about that. While watching that wrecking ball, did he look across Euclid Avenue? The original Cleveland Clinic buildings are still there – the first one opened in 1921. They also have a rich history and many inspiring stories to tell. The LaSalle was torn down to make way for a new parking garage. The old one was torn down to make way for the new Heart Center building… The #1 Heart Center in America.
from Cool Cleveland reader Michael Metz mmetz1ATyahoo.com

On regionalism (See Regionalism committee formed by suburbs here) WE MUST REGIONALIZE! It’s over due for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County to get current in there political methodology.
from Cool Cleveland reader David DiLullo davisten14ATearthlink.net

On the PD editorial (See Cleveland needs vision here) Alex Machaskee’s Editorial in the Sunday PD: This editorial in the Sunday PD (referred to in your most recent edition of Cool Cleveland) was maddening. It offers no new ideas and rehashes that which is being said in many corners of the city about regionalism and how we need to have vision. It was merely an excuse for the PD to attempt to defend its miserable record of reporting only negative news and its failure to do more than a superficial investigation of the studies and statistics upon which its stories are based. Buried in the editorial was a self serving statement that the “Quiet Crisis” series was useful for the community to hear and that the PD has also attempted to report on positive aspects of the community as well. This is a reaction to the well deserved criticism that the PD gets for its negativity. I don’t mean to say that all is well in the community and that we don’t have issues. But the PD does this community a disservice in the way it reports only that which it believes will sell newspapers. Another newspaper in this town would be one way to help fix our problems. Also in that editorial was more hommage paid to big business. It’s time to wake up. This was a big business town and many of our problems emanate from policies implemented in the past to placate big business. Now, most of them are gone and we are left with that legacy. We have a very vibrant small business community and the city and the mayor and the media pay only lip service to getting input from that sector of the economy. A concerted effort on the part of an organized group of small businesses can bring jobs and activity to this city if we give it a chance. It’s also time to recognize that there are a lot of great things happening in and around this town. Cleveland is clearly one of the most livable cities in the country (our rush hour is laughable). With new housing coming on the market in the downtown area, services will follow. The city or RTA should buy about a dozen Lolly the Trolley type vehicles, run them parallel and perpendicularly up and down the 18 block area that comprise the downtown streets, take the sides off of them and allow passengers wanting to move around town to jump on and off for free with stops at every major intersection. Give me a good place to park my car and ease of moving around the city and I’ll be glad to live downtown.
from Cool Cleveland reader Gary A. Zwick, Esq. gzwickATwalterhav.com

Thanks Cool Cleveland I just wanted to take a moment and tell you that I really enjoy this newsletter that you send out. Alot of very interesting articles and the events going on around the city.
from Cool Cleveland reader Lisa Gargas Lisa.GargasATnationalcity.com

Keep up the GREAT work! Each week’s issue is so full of interesting and up to date information and Cleveland happenings that I just can’t get anywhere else. When I see “Thomas Mulready” as the sender in my email I can’t help but read the email right away. Thanks again for your originality.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mag Donohoe mag_donohoeATyahoo.com

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 Interview Anthony Yen Anthony Yen is Cleveland’s example of diversity in motion. The founder and owner of Yen Enterprises during the ’70s and throughout the ’90s, he conducted international trade with export and import offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. www.CoolCleveland.com

2) Cleveland needs vision Even Plain Dealer publisher Alex Machaskee is tiring of the apathy and despair in our region and calls for vision, cooperation and a multi-layered approach in his recent editorial. www.Cleveland.com

3) 36 hours in Cleveland The New York Times visits Cleveland for 36 hours, visiting “Soho on the Cuyahoga” in Tremont, the West Side Market, Great Lakes Brewing, the Warehouse District, and Frank Gehry’s Peter B. Lewis Building. “Clevelanders remain, by nature, a self-deprecating lot. But before long, calling their town hip, cosmopolitan – even splendid – won’t sound so ironic.” www.NYTimes.com

4) Ingenuity robot You’ve been hearing about Cleveland’s newest event, the Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, slated for Labor Day Weekend 2005.www.CoolCleveland.com

5) Elegy for the LaSalle is the latest Cool Cleveland Commentary by George Bilgere. www.CoolCleveland.com

Hard Corps transform Cool Cleveland Every week, CC’s latest issue comes together with the help of key people who deliver reviews, news, editing, writing, and cultural content. Cool Cleveland recognizes those who make it happen: Tisha Nemeth-Loomis, Deb Remington, Linda Eisenstein, TL Champion, Victor Lucas, Elsa Johnson, George Nemeth, Roxanne Ravenel, Peter Chakerian, Rachel Jacobs, Marcus Bales, Peanuts, Roldo Bartimole and everyone who partners with us. Be part of the Cool Cleveland experience and send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

See the Cool Cleveland Update on WKYC TV3. Read the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Download the Cool Cleveland podcast each week at CoolCleveland.com. Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com

You don’t have to go home,
but you can’t stay here

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2005 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved

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