Bring The Kids

Bring the Kids

In this week’s issue:

* Cool Cleveland Interview Jacqi Loewy, Artistic Director, Charenton Theater Company
* RoldoLINK Leaders disgraceful in Flats deal
* Cool Cleveland Exit Interview: The Rock Hall’s Warren Zanes
* Cool Cleveland Sounds Tool’s 10,000 Days
* Cool Cleveland Preview FusionFest
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

How else can you describe this week’s weather except maybe gorgeous, dazzling, glorious, magnificent? Whatever you call it, please e-mail your friends and family this week, wherever they happen to live and gloat just a little.

And while you’re at it you might want to mention just a couple of the awesome things going on this week in your neck of the woods that they won’t be enjoying, unless they come to visit. Like Fashion Week Cleveland, a huge Chess piece at Near West Theatre, a talk with the guy who (really) invented the Internet, and the Jawbone Open Poetry and Pie Festival, just to name a few. And if they have kids, you might let them know we’ve got a record number of awesome family events this week, like Carnival of the Animals with the Cleveland Orchestra, a visit from the incredible Bread and Puppet Theatre, movies, plays, literature and more. It’s a good week to be a kid. Or an adult. In Cleveland. –Thomas Mulready

Cool Cleveland Interview
Jacqi Loewy
Artistic Director, Charenton Theater Company

“I love the commitment to local artists and [Charenton’s] philosophy to offer theatre to everyone,” Loewy offered to Cool Cleveland during a recent interview. “It belongs to everyone. I am deeply committed to the idea that theatre is not for the elite.” She took time out of her busy schedule to tell us about theatre for everyone, her wealth of experience… and, really, to help us overcome those woozy spells.

Cool Cleveland: I have to say, I think about your résumé and get dizzy.

Jacqi Loewy: Well, I sometimes feel like I don’t have much of a life! (laughs) Honestly, I love what I do and all the different aspects of the theatre… and I’m just sort of learning now not to say “yes” to a million things at once, which along with moving into a smaller house, has helped in sort of simplifying my life.

I have gotten into positions where I am so overloaded that I don’t know how I’m going to get things done. But the finished product always seems to be good and well received and a couple weeks later, when things calm down, I think, “Wow! Did I do that?” I don’t know. I guess that’s the classic, tell-tale sign of a workaholic. (laughs)

CC: You’re working a lot. And yet, I’ve heard friends say there’s just not a lot of acting work to be had in Cleveland. True?

JL: Cleveland has an incredibly vibrant theatre community and there is a lot of opportunity here, compared to some of the other places where I have been living and breathing theatre. And I love the fact that [in Cleveland] you’re able to do so many different things and play different roles without being ‘pigeonholed’ so to speak. There are always plenty of choices and roles to choose from…
Read Peter Chakerian’s interview with Jacqi Loewy here

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NewsLINKS

• Election results can be found here: http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/myelection.htm at a nifty site by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Check any race you’re interested in, or check them all. And, thanks for voting.
• Progressive to add 1000 jobs Rather than bury it on page C3, we think this is front page news. Progressive Corp and the city of Mayfield Village have signed a deal to build another campus and hire an additional 1000 people. See story here. Don’t you think this is big news? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Regionalizing schools, water and our future The annual Northeast Ohio Barometer of Economic Attitudes, conducted by the Fund for Our Economic Future, shows that residents heavily favor “having a regional system for public school funding that would increase equity across public school districts but could be at the expense of wealthier school districts,” a surprising response. See the Barometer http://www.futurefundneo.org. Unfortunately, and not surprisingly, Ohio’s largest editorialized here in the other direction, citing the wisdom of politicians and the ingnorance of citizens. Then, Cleveland offered the 71 suburbs it provides water to a deal they can’t refuse: Cleveland will pay for all necessary water pipe upgrades to the dilapidated 90-year-old system, in exchange for a pledge not to poach business across city lines here. This unprecedented regional effort, if adopted, is a critical step forward for our future. Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• COSE Arts Network The Council of Smaller Enterprises is creating an innovative program for arts entrepreneurs, offering them special events, education, networking, and, most importantly, health insurance, often difficult for individual artists. Read about this model program here. What other programs should be offered for our arts entrepreneurs? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Cool Cleveland Kids rule this town this week. Whether you’ve got an indoor kid, an outdoor kid, and artsy kid or just a fartsy kid…there’s something for every one of them. Check out a few of 10-year-old Cool Cleveland correspondent Max Mulready’s favorite picks in his short podcast here. No techno savvy is required. You’ll just come off looking like the coolest thing since the iPod to your little mover and shaker. Peruse an impressive list of events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week for our recommendations for an outstanding week of family fun – right here in Cleveland. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids05.05.06.mp3. Adding this link to your program that catches podcasts, will keep you up-to-date on the latest audio.
• Bid online for executives What do you get for the entrepreneur who has everything? How about some one-on-one time with some of Cleveland’s top executives? Fifty-five Northeast Ohio execs, including Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Les Vinney, President & CEO of Steris, Dr. Randal Pinkett, Season 4 winner of “The Apprentice” and our own Thomas Mulready, creator of the Cool Cleveland weekly e-zine, are donating their time to entrepreneurs, non-profit execs and those who’d like to give their careers a boost. Visit the online auction at http://www.caao2006.cmarket.com to place your bid now. Network with participating execs on Fri 5/6 from 5:30 – 9:30PM during the Online Silent Executive Auction Kickoff Event. Call 432-9481 or email caao_cleveland@yahoo.com for ticket reservations. NEORSD, 3900 Euclid Avenue.

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Pilobolus Returns to Cleveland to Create World Premiere in a spectacular world premiere featuring one of Cleveland’s original dance companies at the “Dance Synergy Festival.” On Sat 5/13 at 7:30PM, the festival will showcase Dancing Wheels, known for their modern classical technique, and two other top physically integrated dance companies, “AXIS Dance Company” of Oakland, CA, known for their post modern work, and “Full Radius Dance” of Atlanta, GA. Join us for the world premiere of the “Dance Synergy Festival” choreographed by Rebecca Darling of Pilobulus, one of the nation’s most sought after dance companies. Allen Theater. Special: Half price tickets for Cool Cleveland readers only. Get regular price $25 tix for only $12.50 each with your online order, only through Cool Cleveland here. For more info visit www.DancingWheels.com.
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NewsLINKS

• Why don’t our huge non-profits pay taxes? It’s a fair question, and one that Cuyahoga County Treasurer James Rokakis isn’t getting any answers to. He’s proposed a program called PILOT, for Payment in Lieu of Taxes, since 2004, asking groups like Case, University Hospitals, and Cleveland Clinic (which alone earned $3.9 billion in 2004) to agree to pay a percentage of what they would owe in taxes to the city to help the schools. This is similar to programs in Cambridge, Providence New Haven and Pittsburgh, all cities with lots of non-profits similar to Cleveland. See his editorial here, then tell us what you think here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Cool Cleveland Podcast Cool things to do this week in Cleveland, at the click of a button. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland05.0.06.mp3. Don’t forget, you can subscribe to this podcast by saving this link in your favorite program that catches podcasts.
• Akron’s NWP Lab workshops in Europe New World Performance Lab Co-Directors, Jairo Cuesta and James Slowiak, will conduct three residential workshops in Performance Ecology in Europe: 5/31-6/5 in Cenci Casa-laboratorio in Umbria and 6/6-12 & 6/14-18 in Las Teouleres in Southwestern France. Performance Ecology seeks to liberate the dormant energy and creative impulses in the participant/performer. It involves creative training in the basic elements of the actor´s craft: physical exercise, voice work, attention and perception, precision and flow, seeing, listening, meeting and the montage of physical actions. Click here to learn more.
• Only for CC readers: Half Off Tix! Check out the Dance Synergy Festival on Sat 5/13 with half price tickets! Score regular price $25 tix for only $12.50 each with your online order, only through Cool Cleveland here. The festival will showcase the three top physically integrated dance companies: “Dancing Wheels” of Cleveland, “AXIS Dance Company” of Oakland, CA, and “Full Radius Dance” of Atlanta. Or go to www.DancingWheels.com for more info.

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Swing, Stardust and Moonglow Check out C-Tix for mega discounts to great shows every week. This week on Thur 5/4 the Artie Shaw Orchestra has recorded some of the most popular swing music of all time including “Stardust,” “Begin the Beguine,” “Moonglow,” and “Carioca.” Enjoy discount tickets to an afternoon of swing. Go to www.CTix.org for a no-cost sign-up and up-to-the-minute discounts every week to the coolest performances at Playhouse Square, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Play House, Beck Center, Cleveland Public Theater and more. A service of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland. For more information about attractions and events in northeast Ohio visit www.TravelCleveland.com.
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NewsLINKS

• Ingenuity Festival Technology Showcase Mark your calendars: The next installment of the Ingenuity Art & Technology Festival, Northeast Ohio’s legendary, larger-than-life new arts & technology happening, is set to turn the region’s already steamy summertime temperature up a few notches on Thu 7/13 – Sun 7/16. Prospect and East Fourth will once again be transformed into a Festival Village. Currently deserted buildings will spring to life and art, music, science, technology and interactive family events will take place in more than 22 venues in Downtown Cleveland. All NEO artists are invited to the Ingenuity Festival Technology Showcase on Thu 5/11 from 7-9PM at Cleveland State University’s University Center Room 1 at 2121 Euclid for an evening of inspiration and possible collaboration with some the area’s finest technology institutes. Call 589-9444 or email Mark@ingenuitycleveland.org with questions. http://www.IngenuityCleveland.org.
• Fresh Art by the Dozen The Lakewood Arts Festival is giving local college art students an opportunity to get their art seen, and purchased, during the upcoming Lakewood Arts Festival. An area adjacent to the Festival will be dedicated to displaying art created by college students as part of the program, Fresh Art by the Dozen. Submission deadline is Fri 5/5! Call 529-6651 or visit http://www.LakewoodArtsFest.com/freshart for more info.
• Spice Things up in the Bedroom! People tell us they often “print” their weekly issue of Cool Cleveland to read later, perhaps at bedtime. This can make it a little difficult to click over to the rest of a story that they’re reading, but hey, whatever you do behind closed doors is your business! If you know someone that could use a bit of zing, click Forward to a Friend at the top of the newsletter and help them kick it up a notch.
• Rock as One Spend the day bonding with family and friends and connecting with others in the community during the fourth annual Diversity Walk as One – Rock as One walk-a-thon on Sat 5/6, raising money for Northeast Ohio’s chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) educational programming which helps fight bias, bigotry and racism in our schools and in our community. All participants get complimentary admission to the Rock Hall, Great Lakes Science Center and a family-friendly concert at House of Blues. Visit www.nccj-northernohio.org to sign up online. We’ll see you there!
• Ohio lost 204,308 jobs since 2000 In a shocking report issued by the The Center for Community Solutions, the “literally brutal impact” of the recent recession is made clear: 4% of all jobs in Ohio were lost in 4 years. Some counties had “near depression levels of job loss”: Monroe County lost 1/3 of it’s employment, while Cuyahoga lost 9.3%. But the effects were not evenly spread. Exurbs like Medina and Warren actually experienced double-digit growth during the same period. Read the report for yourself here, then write us at: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Did you know? Approximately one-third of all people living with HIV in the US are completely unaware of their status. Of all newly infected people in the US, half are less than 25 years old. Nearly 14,000 people in Ohio are living with HIV/AIDS – over 3,100 in Cleveland, alone. What can you do about it? Help prevent Northeast Ohioans from becoming statistics. Get set to participate in the Sat 10/7 Dr. John T. Carey Memorial AIDS Walk in University Circle – the largest HIV/AIDS awareness event in Northeast Ohio. Register online now at http://www.FirstGiving.com/aidswalkcleveland.
• Ladies Who Launch Co-founded by savvy local entrepreneur, Victoria Colligan, and motivator and print magazine darling, Beth Schoenfeldt, LWL is working double-time to empower women everywhere by helping them to make entrepreneurship and creativity a complete lifestyle. The currently running LWL Incubator is described as “the first sexy savvy forum to marry intuition with ingenuity and creativity with collaboration and dreaming.” Ladies Who Launch Live, scheduled for Thu 6/15 from 9AM to 6PM, will feature several high-profile local women entrepreneurs who will share their success stories and offer empowering advice designed to help local women go from dreaming to doing. Visit http://www.LadiesWhoLaunch.com to view the impressive list of speakers, or for more info.

Emissions from the blogsphere Chas Rich reflects on the future of Jane Campbell in light of her recent comments on the past. Cindy posts a letter from Dennis Kucinich to the manager of Tower City regarding the banning of musicians wearing anti-Bush t-shirts. Tim Russo posts his concerns about the new electronic voting machines. Scott Bakalar is crusading for Creative Commons because a media company violated his licensing agreement. Listen to a contentious discussion between the principals of the East Bank Flats development project touching on urban development, public use, and eminent domain. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, where Peter Chakerian talks about his Rage Against the Voting Machine (not) experience, waxes further on his Instant Karma on Regionalism, Thinks Progressive (this is how life should be!) and Mayor Jane’s Addiction. When you’re done there, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland This Week
5.03-5.10

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Karl L. Skorecki Lecture Hear Professor Karl L. Skorecki, MD, director of Nephrology and Molecular Medicine at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and a pioneer of human embryonic stem cell research, as he discusses his 1997 discovery of genetic evidence indicating that the majority of modern-day Jewish priests (Kohanim) are descendants of a single common male ancestor. This is consistent with the Biblical high priest, Aaron and his work as one of the researchers who discovered that nearly half of Ashkenazi Jews are descended from four “Founding Mothers” who lived in Europe nearly 1,000 years ago. The no-cost community lecture will be held on Wed 5/3 at 7:30PM. Reservations are suggested. Call 831-0700, x 1422. Stonehill Auditorium at Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland, 26001 South Woodland Road, Beachwood.

HOT PICK Peace/Music/Arts Fest This event features numerous no-cost events beginning with an opening reception for an anti-war art show featuring the work of Mark Mothersbaugh (of DEVO) and Vincent Packard on Thu 5/4 at 6:30PM and the movies, The Fog of War by Errol Morris and Winter Soldier by the Winter Soldier Organization at 7PM. The main events on Sat 5/6 kick off with a Peace Bead workshop at 6:30PM. Scheduled performers include Paul Baumgardner, folksinger and Iraqi war veteran, Ian James Penter, the very knees, The Derek Deprator Band, Woodshed Mercy, John Jakes Mose and Gusti. Visit http://www.StandingRock.net to learn more. Art show and films at North Water Street Gallery, 257 North Water Street. The festival will be held at Club Khameleon, 626 North Water Street. Both events are in Kent. http://www.ClubKhameleon.com/.

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Alicia Metcalf Miller, the author and Lakewood native who went on to Stanford, Oberlin and Pomona College before marrying her Lakewood High classmate, will read from her new book, My Life On Mars (a street in Lakewood), on Thu 5/4 at 7PM in the Main Aud of the Lakewood Publc Library, 15425 Detroit, 226-8275 http://www.lkwdpl.org, http://www.aliciametcalfmiller.com.

Varla Jean Merman returns to Cleveland, and CPT, and s/he has a new show, I’m Not Paying For This!, a guided tour of the seven deadly sins from the Garden of Eden to the den of iniquity. Opens Thu 5/4 at 7:30PM and runs through Sat 5/13 at Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit, 631-2727, http://www.CPTonline.org

Prelude2Cinema Creates an Industry Join Film Czar, Alex Michaels of Prelude2Cinema, in his quest to make Cleveland a major cinema town. This exciting fundraising event, on Thu 5/4 from 5-7PM, will give local filmmakers, actors, media, and industry supporters an opportunity to network and raise funds for cinema in Cleveland while enjoying a mouth-watering meal at Massimo da Milano at 1400 West 25th Street. Get your tickets at www.Prelude2Cinema.com.

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Does Distinctive, Elegant and Spacious Sound Good to You? Imagine waking up every day in a beautiful 3-story townhome that’s only minutes from University Circle and Tower City, with low homeowner’s fees, private courtyards and discounted interest rates 1.5% below market! That’s Woodhaven: Featuring 2-3 bedrooms, 2½-bath, with master suites, 2 car garages, second floor laundry rooms, separate living and family rooms, eat-in kitchens and formal dining rooms, ranging from $206,650 – $220,650 at 1901 – 2088 square feet. Woodhaven’s three-story Classic Coach Homes, starting at $234,000, are currently available with 1930+ square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2½ baths, a full basement and optional bonus room over the garage. Enjoy a 100% 15-year tax abatement. Contact (216) 231-5353 or www.Woodhaven.net for more information. Zaremba: Building with more thought per square foot.
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Trace This unprecedented collaboration, performed by Michael Medcalf of Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre and choreographed by David Shimotakahara of GroundWorks Dancetheater, fuses live dance and video projection. Trace, MOCA’s contribution to The Cleveland Play House’s first annual Fusion Festival, will be performed on Thu 5/4 and Fri 5/5 at 7PM. Doors open at 6PM to allow guests to mingle, take in MOCA’s four current exhibitions, and enjoy refreshments from the cash bar. Call 795-7000 for tickets. MOCA Cleveland, 8501 Carnegie Avenue. www.MocaCleveland.com.

I’m Not Paying For This Varla Jean Merman takes you on a guided tour of the Seven Deadly Sins in her latest show which opens on Thu 5/4 at 7:30PM and runs through Sat 5/13. From the Garden of Eden to her own den of iniquity, who better to explore a Dante’s Inferno of lust, gluttony, greed, envy, pride and anger than that award-winning, flame-tressed celebutante? Feel the burn as Varla rains down fire, brimstone, hilarious new videos, sassy songs and dancing pickles. Like most of the men in Varla’s life, you’ll leave shouting, “I’m not paying for this!” Visit www.cptonline.org for tickets and complete schedule. http://www.VarlaOnline.com.

HOT PICK CC KIDS Chess Get ready for a BIG musical featuring a cast of 46, including many of Cleveland’s most prolific and talented performers. This cult classic, the brainchild of Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar) and Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson (ABBA), will transform the stage into a larger than life chess game featuring 26 towering pieces which provides the dramatic backdrop for romantic rivalries, super power politics, and international intrigues that take place from Bangkok to Budapest. The show opens on Fri 5/5 at 7:30PM and runs through Sun 5/21 at 3PM. Call 961-6391 to reserve tickets. St. Patrick’s Club Building, 3606 Bridge Avenue, Ohio City. http://www.NearWestTheatre.org.

EVENT Listing Tip of the Week “Hey just wanted to let you know that we’ve got a thing, over at the place. It’ll be cool.” Really? Can’t tell from that “description.” Consider your event listing your 15 seconds of fame. Tell us what is so great about the event and why our readers should care. How about, “Local artist, Raul Huston, will share the moving stories behind each of the vivid watercolors in his provocative new exhibit, Children of Brazil, during a wine and cheese reception on Fri 2/3 from 6-9PM. Painted during his recent visit to Brazil, each piece addresses the issues of street children and extreme poverty – provoking deep feelings of compassion and a powerful sense of justice. Call 931-1212. Mallorie Gallery, 123 Main Street, Tremont. www.MallorieGallery.com. Totally fake; but you were SOOO into it. Remember, here at Cool Cleveland, we don’t create cool – we just recognize it. So completely WOW us with your next event submission at Events@CoolCleveland.com.

HOT PICK Fashion Week Cleveland Forget Paris and Milan! This week you’ll need to venture no further than Downtown Cleveland to see cutting-edge fashions that are pushing the envelope and jetting this town and its wealth of talented artists into the much-deserved limelight. Hit the Sushi Pre-Party at Cloud 9 on Thu 5/4 at 8PM; Glam 2006 at La Dolce Vita on Fri 5/5 at 8PM; unclothed: A Mixed Media Runway Event at Cleveland Public Theatre (6415 Detroit Avenue) on Sat 5/6 at 8PM followed by an after-party at Touch at 11PM; Ultra Moda – The Latino Fashion Show at Club Moda on Fri 5/12 at 8PM and a host of other events. See the full line-up at http://www.FashionWeekCleveland.com. Miss this one and we might just have to revoke all the cool points you’ve earned so far this year.

HOT PICK Vinton Cerf Ever wonder who designed the internet? No, it wasn’t Al Gore. Cerf and his colleague, Robert E. Kahn designed the TCP/IP protocols and the architecture of the Internet. The pair was awarded the U.S. National Medal of Technology by President Clinton in December 1997 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in November 2005. Meet one of the “Fathers of the Internet,” currently a vice president and chief internet evangelist for Google, on Fri 5/5 at 4PM. Call 621-0082 or visit www.CityClub.org for tickets. The City Club of Cleveland, 825 Euclid Avenue, 2nd Floor.

An inspiring evening of poetry Spend an evening listening to inspiring poetry readings by local homeless poets during the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless Dinner Benefit on Fri 5/5 at 6PM. The evening will begin with a complimentary wine tasting and live music. At 7PM enjoy the Italian buffet dinner, poetry readings and more. A cash bar will also be available. For tickets and more info visit http://www.neoch.org. Massimo Da Milano, 1400 West 25th Street.

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Dirty Dancing and Torrid Tangos! Celebrate Cinco de Mayo cajun style at Fat Fish Blue Fri 5/5. We’re all about parties – think of this as a Mexican Mardi Gras featuring Roberto Ocasio’s Latin Jazz Project with their tasty musical mixture of funk, fusion, salsa, mambo and rhythm & blues. Sure to inspire dirty dancing and torrid tangos! Bust out the stilletos and shake what mamma gave you! Plus Cinco de Mayo food and libations starting at 9PM. $5 at the door. For more info contact 216.875.6000 or www.fatfishblue.com.
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CC KIDS Diversity Walk Celebrate Cleveland’s diversity and make a stand against issues of intolerance during this inspiring family event on Sat 5/6. Registration begins at 8AM and step-off is at 9AM. Form a team with family members, neighbors or workmates and enjoy an exciting day together. Each participant will get admission to the Rock Hall, Great Lakes Science Center and a family-friendly concert at the House of Blues. Visit www.nccj.com to register. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Spring Fever 2006 Dust off your running shoes and gear up for the excitement of the Spring Fever 2006 5-Mile Race & 1-Mile Fun Run. Be at the starting line Sat 5/6 at 9AM for the eco-friendly race. Save a few trees and support the eco-friendly trend by registering online at http://www.HermesCleveland.com/ or call 330-657-2909 for more information. Boston Mills Ski Resort, 7100 Riverview Road, Peninsula.

RiverSweep Ohio Canal Corridor invites you to make a difference by supporting this event which teams neighborhood volunteers, businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations in an effort to clean future trail or park sites within the Cuyahoga River Valley. It’s a dirty job – but somebody’s gotta do it. Gather some friends, pull out your “serious business” cleaning gear and call 520-1825 or visit http://www.OhioCanal.org to sign up for an unforgettable day of fun on Sat 5/6 from 9AM to 12PM.

The Definition of Crazy is running the same local advertising over and over, even though it doesn’t yield desirable results. For fast, effective relief, try advertising in Cool Cleveland. Our customers are happy and we have measurable results.

Star-Gazing & More Celebrate National Astronomy Day and help kick off the Ohio tour of NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration Experience on Sat 5/6 from 10AM to 8PM. Eva, the inflatable astronaut, kids’ crafts, and “Picture Yourself in Space” digital photographs are only part of this fun family event, jam-packed with astronauty goodness. See the full list of events at www.nasa.gov. NASA Glenn Visitors Center, 21000 Brookpark Road.

CC KIDS A Word is a Word is a performance delivered with subtlety and charm, designed to engage the fantasy of children at an age where language forms a vital and integral part of their exploration of the world. Imaginations will soar as children visit the shop of Lotte and Henrik where they sell words. Children will discover a world of words and their varied usage during the Sat 5/6 show at 11AM & 2PM. Visit PlayhouseSquare.com for more info or tickets. Studio One, Idea Center at Playhouse Square.

HOT PICK Jawbone Open Poetry and Pie Festival Saucy poetry and tasty pie make for one heck of an event during this annual event that kicks off on Sat 5/6 from 11AM – 2PM. But, alas, there is far too much pie and far too many words for a mere one-day event; this event lasts for three days. Call 330-673-4970 to pre-order your pie. Visit http://www.StandingRock.net for a complete schedule. North Water Street Gallery, 257 N. Water Street, Kent.

CC KIDS Carnival of the Animals Saint-Saëns’s perennial favorite headlines this Sat 5/6 concert, at 11AM & 1:30PM, dedicated to the musical escapades of the animal kingdom. Originally written to poke fun at Saint-Saëns’s contemporaries, this whimsical work for orchestra and narrator will delight children and adults alike, as a parade of animals, including a lion, turtle, elephant, kangaroo and swan, as represented by a variety of musical instruments, takes shape. Music by Stravinsky and Anderson round out this fabulously fun season finale. Get your tickets by calling 231-1111, or visit www.ClevelandOrchestra.com. Severance Hall.

CC KIDS Tae Kwon Do Open House Join Master Ki Moon Kwon, World Champion, US National Team Coach & 7th Degree Black Belt, for an afternoon of high-kicking master and student demonstrations during The Chun Ma Tae Kwon Do Grand Opening & Open House on Sat 5/6 from 12-3PM. A variety of delicious ethnic foods will be available during this event. Call 440-498-1456. The Chun Ma Tae Kwon Do, 31300 Solon Road, Suite #15, Solon. http://www.SolonKick.com.

Night of the Golden Peacock The Cleveland Council on World Affairs (CCWA) hosts the wonders and mysteries of India for this year’s annual benefit, on Sat 5/6 at 6PM. The distinguished guest of honor is the Indian Ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen. The benefit supports a new global economic development initiative and school programs of the CCWA. A special seminar detailing the importance of improving business relations between Cleveland and India will be presented before the benefit. www.ccwa.org. The Silver Grille, Tower City Center.

Hats off to the Women in Your Life! Attend this exciting fundraiser for the Women’s Community Foundation, on Sat 5/6 from 6-10PM. Local artists with big hearts and a passion for their craft have created one-of-a-kind wearable head fashion that will be auctioned off. Don’t miss an evening of fabulous fun with a powerful purpose and an opportunity to snag some head gear that your friends definitely don’t have. Local Girl Gallery, 16106 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood. http://www.localgirlgallery.com.

From Door to Door This funny, touching tribute to three generations of Jewish women reveals what binds them and what divides them, the changing roles of women and the constant power of family love. Russian immigrant Bessie married a man chosen for her, kept her accent, cooked gefilte fish and lived in fear. Her daughter Mary, trapped between status quo and women’s lib, became a wife and mother, surrendering her gift for painting and any thought of a career. Mary’s daughter Deborah gets to be her own person, but must learn to balance living in the contemporary world and carrying on a legacy. The play opens on Sat 5/6 at 8:30PM and closes with a Sun 5/21 matinees at 2PM. Call 800-766-6048 or click here for tickets. Tri-C Eastern Campus Performing Arts Center,4250 Richmond Road, Highland Hills.

CC KIDS Revol’s Race for Kids Join the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland for a day of family fun and fitness during their first annual 10K run and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk on Sun 5/7. Registration begins at 7:30AM; the race begins at 9AM. All proceeds will benefit vital programming for Cleveland kids and a ticket to an upcoming Indians game is included with each registration. Call 883-2106 for info. Jacobs Field, 2401 Ontario Street. CleveKids.org.

CC KIDS A Night Fore Movies is a night of unlimited movies, golf, miniature golf, batting cages and a yummy buffet dinner that will raise funds for New Directions, which provides treatment to chemically dependent adolescents and their families. Bring your family for a night of unlimited fun with a powerful purpose on Sun 5/7 from 2PM to 11PM. Call 591-0324, x212 for tickets. Chagrin Cinema and The Golf Dome complex, 8200 East Washington Street, Chagrin Falls.

Ha Jin Award-winning author, Ha Jin, spent his teens serving in the People’s Liberation Army in China, teaching himself English. After the Tiananmen massacre Jin, who was then studying in the US, decided to remain here, and began writing in English. His poetry, novels, and short stories have all won critical acclaim. Set in China during the Cultural Revolution, his works center on the universal themes of brutality, desire, and wasted potential. Join the author during a no-cost community event on Sun 5/7 at 2PM at the Main Library, Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, East 6th Street and Superior Avenue. www.cpl.org.

HOT PICK CC KIDS Bread and Puppet Theater One of the oldest, nonprofit, self-supporting theatrical companies in this country, the Bread & Puppet Theater seamlessly blends sculpture, music, dance and language in pieces that utilize larger-than-life puppets that pack an even bigger sting as they address social and political issues during events ranging from tightly composed theater pieces presented by members of the company, to extensive outdoor pageants, which require the participation of many volunteers. See what they have in store during a special Sun 5/7 performance at 3PM; or visit throughout the day, from 9AM to 5PM as they prepare for the performance. Coventry Elementary School grounds, Euclid Heights Boulevard and Coventry Road. http://www.theaterofmemory.com/art/bread/bread.html.

HOT PICK Ruby Dee & Karamu Alum Bill Cobbs will interact with college students on Sun 5/7 at 3PM. Just bring a friend 18 or over. Tickets are $12 each for the show at Karamu House, 2355 East 89th Street. The theatre/film legends will also participate in an in-depth interview at 6:30PM following the performance of Dream on Money Mountain. See them both on Mon 5/8 at 7:30PM for a staged reading of Cleveland native Bridgette Wimberley’s Saint Lucy’s Eyes. Call 795-7077 or visit www.ClevelandPlayHouse.com for tickets. Cleveland Play House Drury Theatre, 8500 Euclid Avenue.

Pre-Mother’s Day Celebration This spectacular event on Sun 5/7 at 4PM will begin with an opening performance by the Cleveland School of the Arts Dance Ensemble. Enjoy a formal dinner, fashion show, theatrical play and reception. Call 440-473-9865 for reservations or get tickets here for this extravagant black tie formal affair that will take place at Signature at LaCentre, 25777 Detroit Road, Westlake.

West Shore Chorale Spring Concert The acclaimed Chorale takes on the Bruckner Mass in E Minor, one of the most unique and powerful choral works ever written, on Sun 5/7 at 7:30PM. Enthusiasts and the curious should check out this live version of this evocative Mass, conducted by John Drotleff, which is rarely performed because of its complexity and unusual instrumental requirements. Call 556-4368 for tickets. Magnificat Center for the Performing Arts, 20770 Hilliard Boulevard, Rocky River. http://www.WestShoreChorale.org.

HOT PICK Green Building, Blue Lyrics Enjoy a lively evening of cabaret dinner theater, delicious eats and superb company during this Greater Cleveland Green Building Coalition benefit on Sun 5/7 at 5:30PM. Pamela Sue Fox will regale the audience with a mix of standards and lesser-known treasures of musical theater and there will be lots of unique local items up for grabs during the silent auction. Call 961-8850 for individual tickets, or to purchase a table. NightTown, 12383 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights. www.ClevelandGBC.org.

Fashion 4 Your Mind Need some fashion “Inspirations”? Browse the fashion collections of students in the Fashion Merchandising Program at the University of Akron during their Sun 5/7 event at 7PM. The event is open to the public; tickets are $10 at the door. Call 330-972-8090 for more info. University of Akron Student Union Ballroom, 303 Carroll Street, Akron.

The Seven Deadly Sins features the work of seven artists currently working in the Cleveland area. Each has depicted one of the classic mortal sins, presenting a personal interpretation. The artists are: Giancarlo Calicchia (Pride); Amy Casey (Sloth); Misha Kligman (Anger); Clay Parker (Lust); Cecelia Phillips (Gluttony); Doug Max Utter (Envy) and Jess Wheelock (Avarice). The show opens on Sun 5/7 from 7-11PM and continues through Sun 6/4. Call 881-7838 for info. Josaphat Arts Hall, 1433 East 33rd Street. http://www.JosaphatArtsHall.com.

Party at Mike’s Barn Get ready for some serious hell raising. The 11th and final season of Mike’s Barn kicks off on Sun 5/7. Mary Bridget Davies (star of Love Janice) is oiling up the pipes to perform at what will be her send off show. She’s just learned she will be moving on with Love Janice to its next stop in Aspen, Colorado. Musicians who’d like to be part of this unforgettable show or those who would like to attend the show, but need directions, should send an email here. Secret Squirrel will be waiting. http://www.MikesBarn.com.

Itzhak Perlman and Rohan De Silva Experience the virtuosic genius of 15-time Grammy Award winning classical violinist and Kennedy Center honoree, Itzhak Perlman, in concert with pianist, Rohan De Silva, on Mon 5/8 at 8PM. Perlman’s undeniable talent and affability have catapulted him to superstar status, among both listeners and colleagues; quite a feat for a classical musician. Visit www.SeveranceHall.com and get your tickets for this highly-anticipated performance, which will benefit local organizations offering services to families struggling with mental health issues. Severance Hall.

CC KIDS Little Women Join the remarkable March sisters – Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy – as one of America’s most beloved books soars to the stage in Little Women – The Musical. Starring Maureen McGovern direct from Broadway, this dazzling new musical, based on Louisa May Alcott’s timeless tale about the power of family, friendship and romance, is capturing the hearts of a new generation and captivating audiences of all ages. The show runs from Tue 5/9 at 7:30PM through Sun 5/21. Call 241-6000 or visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com for tickets. The Palace Theatre.

CIA Design Show View compelling design initiatives by tomorrow’s design leaders during this showcase which runs Wed 5/10 through Fri 5/12 from 9:30AM to 5PM daily. You’ll see the best of industrial and interior design by future design leaders, green designs that integrate environmental friendliness with design development and award-winning student designs. CIA Reinberger Gallery, 11141 East Boulevard. http://www.cia.edu.

CC KIDS Mike Offutt and His Tall Tales and Kitchen Band will delight young audiences (particularly the 3 to 6 year-old set) during shows on Wed 5/10 and Thu 5/11 at 9:30 & 10:45AM. Homemade instruments, like a washtub bass, bicycle horn and Theremin, take center-stage in this fun-filled imaginative, highly interactive program which seamlessly blends storytelling and music. A memorable edutainment experience for little learners. Call 440-337-1400. Solon Center for the Arts, 6315 SOM Center Road, Solon.

Viktor Schreckengost Exhibit The watercolors and sculpture of Viktor Schreckengost, the prolific Cleveland painter, sculptor, designer, teacher, will be on display, beginning with an opening reception on Wed 5/10 from 5-7PM. The exhibit will run through 7/1. Call 621-0178. The Bonfoey Gallery, 1710 Euclid Avenue. http://www.Bonfoey.com.

WCLVnotes This Sun 5/7 at 1PM WCLV 104.9 FM will be live at the Brooks theatre of the Cleveland Playhouse for the final rounds of the PIANO/OHIO competition featuring high school aged pianists from across the state. This will be followed at 4PM by WCLV’s regular Sunday afternoon broadcast by The Cleveland Orchestra. Music Director Franz Welser-Moest conducts Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto with Michael Sachs as soloist and the Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5. A very agreeable program. Details on all of WCLV’s programming can be found in the WCLV Program Guide pages of WCLV’s website – www.WCLV.com. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland Exit Interview: Warren Zanes

Last year, I interviewed Warren Zanes – who became the Rock Hall’s vice-president of education in 2003 – about his feelings about Cleveland and his plans at the Rock Hall. Everything sounded great on both fronts at that time. He recently announced that he was leaving his position and Cleveland, so I went back and talked to him again.

Cool Cleveland: A year ago we were sitting right here, talking about how you had recently moved to Cleveland and how much you liked it and everything. So something has changed, apparently.

Warren Zanes: Yeah. Or no.

Okay, just so you’re really clear on that…

No, nothing has changed in the sense that the family was adjusting and at that point Pierre was a tiny, little baby then, and as he’s grown up and demanded more of us, we have, to an increasing degree, recognized a certain family deficit – that we don’t have the grandmothers, we don’t have the cousins, we don’t have the aunts and uncles – so the decision to leave Cleveland is as simple as that. We are going to be closer to family, where we can spontaneously get into a car and go see pretty much everybody in our inner circle, which we haven’t been able to do in Cleveland.

There was a trade-off: In coming up here I was able to do things that I never could have done back home; and on a lot of levels we’ve had a high-quality family life, despite the absence of that inner circle. But it came down to getting back into the loop…
Read the interview by David Budin here

RoldoLINK
Sweeney, Jackson, Council Disgraceful on Flats Deal
By Roldo Bartimole

Last week I did something I have not done for than two years and hope not to have to do it again.

I went to a Monday afternoon Finance Committee meeting at Cleveland City Council. Members were presented details of a project of a couple of hundred million dollars for the East Bank of the Flats.

The faces of members have changed somewhat but the activities have not changed at all.

It’s still a legislative body lacking in the badly required discrimination when giving away public money.

Moreover, with the city administration boosting a wealthy private developer, the hearing remained as always a dance of fakers on all sides.

After watching the show, my estimation of Mayor Frank Jackson has diminished considerably. The administration’s due diligence on this financially troubling deal leaves much to be desired.

Further, the once refreshing, now characterless Joe Cimperman, in whose ward the project will be, has now diminished to a hack politician going nowhere good…
Read RoldoLINK here

Cool Cleveland Sounds
10,000 Days
Tool
Dissectional/Zomba/Volcano

If you’ve read these pages long enough, you’ve come to find a progressive/art rock fiend resides behind this particular keyboard. Someone who remembers the thrill of playing a concept album on a turntable: Quadrophenia, Ziggy Stardust, The Wall, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Misplaced Childhood.

Someone who remembers what the collective (un)consciousness of rock was meant to be – a brain-engaging art form to be played loud, with the lights off – now eroded away through soundbyte living and the iPod lifestyle.

Leave it to one of rock’s most inscrutable figures today, namely Portage County spawn Maynard James Keenan, to understand such loss and peer through the looking glass darkly in a counterintuitive move to pop culture. Seer and shaman to some, winemaker and A Perfect Circle member to others, Keenan just so happens to geek-up his rock with plenty of prog-art these days. He is someone who is very much aware of the mortality in a great many things, beyond just the great rock and roll epic.

And transience is what he and Tool explore on their first record in 5 years, 10,000 Days. Death as a state of mind, death of society… it’s the endgame for a song like “Stinkfist,” where overstimulation was leading to numbness, apathy, emptiness. This is the tragic end and resolution after the awakening. It’s not for everyone, but it is worth as much exploring as its predecessor, 2001’s Lateralus.

Much of 10,000 Days is said to center around Keenan’s mother, who suffered a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair for the last 27+ years (or, 10,000 days) of her life. Her poltergeist clearly informs all of the songs, from the headlong singles “Vicarious” and “Jambi,” to the ambient-flecked soundscapes of “Lost Keys” and “Vigniti Tres,” which are brushed with Trent Reznor-like electronic flourishes recalling NIN’s The Fragile. The results are eloquently stunning and dark.

With a majority of the songs on 10,000 Days clocking in well past 7 minutes, you might think the album title refers to the actual length of the recording. Two of the tracks weigh in at a hefty twelve minutes each: the psychedelic-rock spiral “Rosetta Stoned” and an Indian-inspired title track, both recalling inspirations as far reaching as Fripp, Sabbath, Shankar and Meshuggah. Yet, each mood-altering scene is surprisingly engaging as it is ethereal.

In many ways, Tool never sounded better. Keenan and bandmates Danny Carey (drums), Justin Chancellor (bass) and Adam Jones (guitar) are given to fly much in the same way Reznor’s two-disc opus did. It’s just that Tool’s rolling, bass-powered tempests with metallic thunderclouds are far more imposing.

The Fragile was not given its due until With Teeth came to be; it’s entirely possible some audiophiles might feel similarly when the follow-up to 10,000 Days arrives. I say, you won’t have to wait for history to be kind to this one.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

Hey Writers! Wanna write about Cleveland music? We’ve got a slew of recently-released CDs and DVDs by Cleveland-area musicians that could use your critical commentary for Cool Cleveland Sounds. If you’re interested, send us a note at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland Preview
FusionFest @ Cleveland Play House 5/2-5/21

This year Michael Bloom, Cleveland Play House Artistic Director, has outdone every regional theater in the United States with a bold new initiative. He’s created FusionFest, an explosive multi-disciplinary festival of new theatre, opera, dance, music, and cabaret, which opened yesterday at the Play House’s multi-space complex.

“I wanted to create a safe haven for new work,” says Bloom, who has been impressed at how daring Clevelanders are willing to be when they go to the Cleveland International Film Festival. “There’s something about a festival environment that makes audiences more open to discovery, adventure, risk-taking. We’re setting up an ambitious schedule so people can see more than one thing. For example, you can see a NextStage play reading, then move on to the Club and see a cabaret act like Church House Rocks or Lounge Kitty.”

Large institutional theaters like the Cleveland Play House nearly always have a push-pull relationship to new work. New play development is something the theater does for the good of the art rather than the health of its box office, and often its subscription audiences approach it with suspicion. The ambitious energy of FusionFest should turn that on its head, by surrounding its world premiere play (Anthony Giardina’s Custody of the Eyes) and its five new play readings with an outpouring of new work of many disciplines and collaborations by over a dozen local arts institutions. They’re bringing in groups as diverse as Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Museum of Art, Verb Ballets, to the Cleveland School of the Arts and Shaker Heights High School.

The jam-packed schedule can be seen at: http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com. There are plays, play readings, ensemble works, musical theatre revues, cabaret acts, dance companies, and a new one-man opera, with a new show opening nearly every night for 3 weeks. FusionFest is a hugely ambitious undertaking. Anybody who has ever complained about the Cleveland Play House being “stodgy” needs to get their butts in gear and support how far out on a limb it is going with this endeavor.

Here are a few of my personal “don’t-miss” picks…
Read the Preview by Linda Eisenstein 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

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones @ the Tri-C JazzFest 4/29 You don’t have to like banjos to dig their groove. Yes, Bela Fleck is known as a top notch banjo player the world over, but it’s the joint venture with the other members of the group that give Bela Fleck and the Flecktones their unusual vibe. Start with Victor, a definite Cleveland crowd favorite, and talented trigger-happy, mega jammin’ base player. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Then add FutureMan, an unusual drummer/percussionist who plays a drumitar (drum – guitar) with his left hand and pummels a full set of drums with his right. He gives the term “left brain/right brain” a new appreciation. Don’t forget saxophonist Jeff Coffin, who ives a firey performance that tops off their unique interpretation fusing jazz, bluegrass, rock, pop and world beat. The Flecks’ popularity shows in the numbers, with a total Grammy count of eight, and 20 nominations. They have been nominated in more categories than anyone in Grammy history. From Cool Cleveland correspondent T.L. Champion.

Diane Schuur and the Caribbean Jazz Project @ Tri-C JazzFest 4/28 Diane Schuur’s legendary three-and-a-half octaves give her a versatility unsurpassed by most, whether they are contending for her crown as the First Lady of Jazz or not. Throw in the infectious Latin beat of the Caribbean Jazz Project spearheaded by Dave Samuels, vibraphonist and marimba player, and you’ve got two Grammy award-winning acts on the stage of the State Theater making it happen to one heck of a backbeat. Diane’s powerful performance included tunes made popular by Frank Sinatra (“More Than You Know”), James Taylor (“Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight”) and Stevie Wonder (“As”). Fired up by percolating Latin rhythms, Schuur’s voice cascaded through upbeat ballads and romantic melodies, taking us through an original musical journey. From Cool Cleveland correspondent T.L. Champion.

The Sounds of Music @ the Cleveland Institute of Music 4/28 It was an interesting concept—to present a series of brief operatic scenes with a theme. Opera of course, must have music, but surprisingly, there are many other human-generated sounds present, as well. With appropriate costumes (by Alison Garrigan and Esther Montgomery) occasional lighting effects and a few props, the students of CIM’s Opera Theater program presented some sixteen examples of these sounds, which included chatter, screams, sneezes, laughter, yawns, hiccups from overindulging, and the resultant hangover. The selections ranged from hilarious to serious with staging by Amy Irvine and Alissa Schneider…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 4/27 Wow! Sometimes all the superlatives in the world can’t begin to express the emotions generated by glorious music played superbly. Last week’s concerts by the Cleveland Orchestra with guest conductor Donald Runnicles and concertmaster William Preucil as soloist are a splendid example of the musical values inherent to Cleveland. Which are, of course, the envy of the rest of the world.

It seems like we’re hearing so much Mozart this year especially (it’s a commemorative year!) that the music should by now be ultra-familiar. But no, there are still new things to be heard and enjoyed, now matter how many times we’ve heard it before. Such was the case with the Symphony No. 29 in A major, K.201, which is almost exactly mid-Mozart. He was 18 when he wrote it, and would live for 17 more years. It certainly isn’t representative of a teenager, but yet it doesn’t represent his maturity either. It’s just. . .splendid, that’s all….
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Cleveland 20/30’s Regionalism Panel @ the One Cleveland Center 4/26 The tie-in couldn’t have been better. The Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club – the non-profit created with the intent of attracting and retaining young Cleveland professionals – hosted the latest in their Progress Cleveland series last week focusing on Regionalism and its means to keep the best and brightest in Northeast Ohio.

The event was held at the Forum at One Cleveland Center last Wednesday night, April 26. it was certainly an enlightening evening, filled with some occasionally lively/healthy debate and leaving Forum attendees with more questions and a lot to chew on.

The 20/30’s Education Committee presented this roundtable; moderator Sam Fulwood III from the Plain Dealer did a fantastic job keeping the meter moving and immediately offered the panelists an opportunity to clarify what their own definition of regionalism was.

Fulwood began by asking panelists George Forbes, Esq., Professor Norm Krumholtz (Cleveland State University), Mayor Tom Longo (Garfield Heights) and Elizabeth Stoops (Voices & Choices) to provide their own definitions…
Read the review by Peter Chakerian here

CIM Orchestra @ Severance Hall 4/26 Once a year or so, The Cleveland Institute of Music sends its student orchestra down the street to perform at Severance Hall. Last Wednesday evening, Chu-Fang Huang, gold medalist in the 2005 Cleveland International Piano Competition, joined the exuberant bunch along with their conductor, Carl Topilow, for an engaging spring concert.

Ms. Huang played Mozart last year when she won the competition, this time, she tackled the showier Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor. All the technique she displayed last summer was on display again in this larger work, only more so. The opening cadenza promised a bold interpretation which the combined forces delivered throughout. At times the orchestra exhibited more volume than was absolutely necessary, and just before the ending, they were slightly apart from each other, but it was impressive, nonetheless. Daniel Lano distinguished himself as principal clarinet with a gorgeous solo in the first movement. The winds and strings were lush and vibrant throughout. The middle movement scherzando was especially light and delicate, offsetting the thunderous octaves before and after…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Mather Dance Collective @ Case 4/21 We went to see Mather Dance Collective at Case a week ago last Friday. We pass up a lot of student performances, especially student choreography, but this concert promised to include a dance by Victor’s old mentor / nemesis Erick Hawkins. Victor had studied with Hawkins in the 70’s and danced a little in the company; he left after – what? – a year or two convinced that Hawkins was a pretty good artist but an impossible old man.

Case has done some very nice productions of Hawkins’ dances. That’s not surprising considering that the Dance Program Director at Case, Karen Potter, maintains strong ties with the remains of the Hawkins dance company. The dance in question, Daughters of Okeanos, is a 10-minute segment of a 5-part work, “Greek Dreams, With Flute” (1973)…
Read the review by Victor and Elsa 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 being forced to leave (See Are We Forced to Leave? here and Jumping In With Both Feet here and Boomerang Back to Your Roots here) As an outlook on “forced to leave’ I believe it is important to see that at one time everyone has to face changes in their lives. Cleveland has been my life and is my life right now. Not pertaining to the city itself but the culture, people, the places so well remembered and experiences that are unforgettable. Growing up i could not understand the passion my parents( also raised in Cleveland) had for the city and its surroundings. Now that I am almost done with College and on my way to the next step my eyes have been opened to the beauty of my home. It is the feeling that one gets when overlooking the lake at Edge Water, knowing that hundreds have probably stood in that same spot being encompassed by a dirty lake that only a Clevelander could see as beautiful. Its the childish joy that overcomes you when stand watching the parade at the ‘Lighting of the Christmas Lights’. Everyone together waiting for Santa’s sleigh and for the night to be enlighten with the glow of the fireworks. Or maybe the most precious memories are the simple ones, the ones you shared with those closest to you. As an artist I believe there can be beauty in every moment and i know i have had so many beautiful moments, whether it is simply walking around the West Side Market ,taking in the food and culture or a morning stroll in the Metro Parks. These and so many other reasons is why it is so hard to part with this city and its people. The family bonds, the adventures with friends, love made and love lost, we all share these things. So if you leave be comforted by knowing that there are Clevelanders everywhere, and if you should run into one just know that they have have shared your memories and understand the love and respect you have for your home town. The love and respect that only a Clevelander would know.
from Cool Cleveland reader Missy Wiese missyandlune@aol.com

On Cleveland’s weather (See Boomerang Back to Your Roots here) What a great commentary from Joe Smucny. It summarizes what so many of us know and love about Cleveland. His remark about our weather really hits home with me. I often wonder if those who complain about our weather have ever been anywhere else. We have no hurricanes, no multiple days of below zero or 100+ temperatures; no extreme snowfalls or torrential rains. We are in a truly temperate climate with the most glorious summers you can find anywhere. I would not live anywhere else.
from Cool Cleveland reader Thom Geist thomATbrightdsl.net

On towing cars and parking tix (See City Council scares away County residents here) A “protest” against parking tickets? Seriously? Gad, quit whining. Downtown parking is a rationable commodity. The rules are simple and clear. Cleveland penalties are minor: if you don’t pay in my hometown, DC, the ticket doubles; collect a bunch of unpaid tickets and they’ll boot your car (boot: n., big orange chunk of metal clamped to the rear tire, so you’re going nowhere til you pay). Don’t like it? Walk. Bike. Take public transit. Park on a lot. Or just get out there and feed that meter like a good little citizen, cause you’re not more special than everybody else.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mati Senerchia senerchiaATsbcglobal.net

On Why Cleveland is (really) Cool (See Why Cleveland Is (really) Cool here) David Budin’s piece resonates so much with me, as it seems his little trail of conflicting things to go to and their resulting coincidences is somewhere I’ve definitely been before. This really can be a small town, yet with big opportunities for edification and some up close and personal entertainment.
from Cool Cleveland reader Larry Bruner larryATfolknet.org

On Morganthaler & Hundert (See It’s not Cleveland’s climate here) While I appreciate and have no reason to disagree with David Morgenthaler’s observations as to why Cleveland sprang up during the past 100 years and why it is now having some problems keeping up its image, why couldn’t our community come to the support of Ed Hundert who was forced to leave CWRU? No one disputed the fact that he had the vision, talent, and energy to take the biomedical talent in our community and showcase it for our community. Even CWRU itself admitted after he was forced out that he will have no problem finding work elsewhere because of his talents as a leader. Budgetary deficits are the name of the game these days. Practically every institution has them. Hundert should have been given a chance to weather the storm. It seems that he is precisely the type of leader that Morgenthaler says Cleveland needs. And would someone please take down Hundert’s picture at the entrance of Tower City that showcases Cleveland’s leaders? It is a sad reminder of how we have in the past and continue into the present treat some of the very fine and talented folks who come from different parts of the world to share their talents with our city.
from Cool Cleveland reader Dennis Terez njcdgtATyahoo.com

Dear ODOT… (See “The Plan Stinks” here) Dear Craig Hebebrand: PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE THE PRESENT RAMPS ON THE INNERBELT. IT WILL ONLY HELP TO FURTHER KILL DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND!! M Goodman!!
from ”Cool Cleveland reader Marc Goodman marc888ATcs.com

Don’t be a bone-head bunch…make the InnerBelt Project work right…Right for Downtown and business downtown!! The only group that really makes Cleveland un-cool is the leadership. And in this case its the leaders of the proposed Innerbelt Project…par for the course I guess. I hope the media scrutinizes this project and all those involved on a very public level and holds the leaders of this project acountable for their results!!
from Cool Cleveland reader Tino Roncone velvetdogATameritech.net

Robert Moses was never elected to office but for a time he surely controlled New York City and much of its growth. In his Olympian heyday, Moses altered the shorelines of New York, built skyways (actually roadways up in the air), upon which roared his beloved engines (automated transport). Robert Moses has been blamed for the destruction of Brooklyn and for the death of Coney Island. Just as a god, tin or otherwise, might do, Moses “transformed” the world around him: New York neighborhoods metamorphosed and mutated under his influence and by his design. Moses’ magical ribbons carried the engines that travelled unimpeded above, around, and past the city of New York, over top of her people, and around her monuments, restaurants, streets, and culture – whizzing westward, southward, and northward upon the ever-diminishing bands of asphalt and cement laid for them by Father Moses. One could say that Moses saw cities as impediments to the movement of goods – so he got rid of the impediments by building freeways that cut through neighborhoods, destroying the fabric of life and the sense of place. Moses favored highways and public transportation systems which allowed urban dwellers with dollars to become ex-urban (read: suburban) dwellers with dollars – and so he gave them freeways and trains to whisk them to and from the city and anesthetized them with tunnels and platforms and elevated rails; he insulated them in their cars with on-ramps and four lanes and no traffic signals — so that the ex-urbanites could traverse the grimed grubby city without having to experience it; with barely ever touching it. In fact, Mr. Moses lead a nation into the wilderness of his vision and from him many engineers, urban planners and designers, and unwitting American developed a nightmare apparition of what urban design might be. For a time, we placed machines above man and began transforming urban spaces into facile corridors from which to move goods in gas-guzzling trucks, and to move people in chariots (automobiles & trains) quickly and easily around the city rather than through its cultural life and vibrancy. Slowly we have begun to see the error of his ways, or so I thought. Then I heard about the ODOT plan for the re-development of the Cleveland Innerbelt. Can this be anything but homage to Moses? Close the ramps, build a marginal parallel road from Payne to Cedar, whack out a few neighborhoods (ah, there only URBAN ones) and effectively insulate those goods, those ex-urban dollar generators, and those travellers to and through our region from the ugly experience of Cleveland. I am struck by the similarity. Or is it less dramatic: Does someone want the land that Cleveland sits on so they can make a dollar guzzling suburb without the annoying “urb”? Or maybe someone has decided that Cleve-land is just the perfect spot for another Legacy Village clone? I really would like to know the answer, since ODOT”s solution is so RETRO, so Moses-esque – and deadly to the life of a city and her people. Please share: how did this come about? Is it simple bad planning or is it Moses’ vision that inspired this, dare I call it, Plan? Move the engines; ignore the people. Did Moses come down from the mountain again and I missed it?
from Cool Cleveland reader Christine Sell csellATstratos.net

On censorship I was angered to read [here] about TriC JazzFest management siding with Tower City last Friday when mall management cut the power on Afro-beat band Mifune for wearing anti-Bush T shirts. Music is inherently political because it’s creative; that Mifune players wore shirts crossing out the image of the president is their right, not to mention a catchy fashion statement. Last I heard, freedom of speech is an American principle. Apparently not to TriC JazzFest Managing Director Beth Rutkowski or Tower City, where “appropriateness” matters more than expressiveness. Wonder what Willard Jenkins, the man behind JazzFest programming, thinks of this? I think he’s a champion of original music. What about freedom of speech? Seems they go together. For the past 15 years, I covered JazzFest for various publications and I’ve been to many great JazzFest concerts. I didn’t care enough to go to any offering in this year’s program. It seemed anemic and tired, despite a few shows–Jason Moran and Randy Weston’s among them–I wish I’d heard. We all know money is short, so buying talent is harder. But there’s a lot of new music on its way up that Cleveland programmers might have tapped into, even on the local level. Censoring a local band like Mifune doesn’t help the JazzFest cause. As for shopping at Tower City, forget it. Oh, wait a minute; I did years ago.
from Cool Cleveland reader Carlo Wolff carlo.wolffATgmail.com

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

1) Cool Cleveland Comment Boomerang back to your roots by Joe Smucny.
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2) Cool Cleveland Comment Why Cleveland is (really) Cool by David Budin.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

3) RoldoLINK Kucinich worth a million Pee Dee editorials.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

4) RoldoLINK Urban renewal by starving the beast.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

5) Congestion in suburbs, not Downtown The most congested roads and intersections are not in Downtown Cleveland, but in places like Broadview Heights, Strongsville, Medina, Independence, Beachwood and North Olmsted.
www.NOACA.org.

Vogue’n ain’t easy Picture perfect delivery from the Hard Corps again this week. Thanks to Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, David Budin, Victor Lucas, Elsa Johnson, Roldo Bartimole, Kelly Ferjutz, Linda Eisenstein and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

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