Feeling Love
In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland Party Image/Sound/Image on 2/4. Save 40% here before midnight Thu 1/12
* Cool Cleveland Commentary Actively promoting an intercultural approach
* Cool Cleveland Sounds Extroversion by Furnace St
* RoldoLINK Mayor Jackson moves with perfection
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here
It’s true, we do love Cleveland. Some weeks are easier to do than others. This is one of those easy weeks. Our traditional post-holiday slumber is already over, and the artists are out in force. Enjoy the mild weather and take in the Tremont Art Walk, gallery openings in Akron & Berea, and an intriguing Alt-Fiber show on the West Side.
If there’s a city that could benefit from reflection on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, it may be Clevelandwhich, depending upon your research, is either in the top 2 or 3 most segregated cities in the country. Don’t pass up the opportunity to take the kids for free to most University Circle organizations or the Rock Hall or the Zoo.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about attending a Cool Cleveland party… this is your chance. We’re hooking up with Red {an orchestra} and would like to invite you to experience a great event on Feb 4 for a great price. Not only will you enjoy the open bar and a pre-party with other cool Clevelanders, you’ll also discover one of Cleveland’s cultural gems. And then you’ll have one more thing to love about Cleveland. –Thomas Mulready
Share The Love
Cool Cleveland Party with Red {an orchestra}
Get a 40% discount before Thu 1/12 at Midnight here
Turn it up, Kick it out and Feel the Love. A seductive collision of film, tech and music will allow you to experience the world in an entirely different way (the beer and wine will also help). CC and Red {an orchestra} combine their collective talents to bring you (and your friends/lovers/countrymen) a night you wont believe on Sat 2/4. Start at 5:30PM with open bar with beer & wine, an incredible tapestry of appetizers from Fire Restaurant and sweet chocolate treats from Take A Bite Deli. Dig the wild entertainment of juggler/stiltwalker extraordinaire Aaron Bonk, with groovin’ Eclectic Sounds from Ilya Goldberg. Then at 8PM plug into a symphonic rhythm that could rock the Masonic Auditorium right off its foundation. Dont miss Reds over-the-top “Image/Sound/Image,” with Beethoven headlining a dynamic performance that includes interactive computer-generated video and maybe a powdered wig or two. In the meantime, practice your best mingling techniques, do Ludwig proud and get your discount tix here. The Masonic Auditorium is located at 3615 Euclid Avenue (at E. 36th, between Chester & Euclid). Parking is free, get details & map here.Get discount $14.99 tix (regular price will be $25 at the door) if you order online before midnight Thu 1/12 here: http://www.coolcleveland.net/tickets/020406.
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Old World Charm, Modern Amenities University View, only steps away from University Circle and Case Western Reserve University, is a beautifully renovated building that has been converted to 12 condominiums starting at $144,900. These exquisite condos feature restored brick exteriors, 1-2 bedrooms, 1 bath, a sunroom, hardwood floors, natural woodwork restored with stunning craftsmanship, high ceilings, granite countertops in the kitchen, a marble bath with a contemporary clawfoot tub, large new windows, state of the art security systems, new mechanicals and HVAC, cable/satellite/Internet wiring, a gated parking lot and tax abatement. $2,000 incentive plus free condo maintenance fees for 1 year, for a limited time. Check out the newly decorated model suite with flat screen TV! Open Sun 1/15 from 2-4PM, 11433 Ashbury. For a complete list of properties and open houses this weekend, please visit www.ProgressiveUrban.com.
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Cool Cleveland Commentary
Our Future is in the Mix
I greatly enjoyed the recent CoolCleveland.com article Building a Bridge to Our Future authored by Roxanne Ravenel. Ravenel rightly argues that one of the most potent barriers to Greater Clevelands development and growth in a global economy is its entrenched racial and ethnic divides.
She states: Segregated cities are the slowest-growing cities in the nation .the cost of this slow growth is quite devastating in terms of lost opportunities, brain drain, stagnancy on a social and political level and lost potential.
Cultural and racial diversity are sources of innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, and global connectivity. Cleveland, while rich in diversity assets, has struggled in harnessing this precious resource. Rather than accelerating our connections with each other and the world, we are retreating into zones of comfort (discomfort), sameness, and lethargy.
The key to unleashing the energy and resources that are hibernating within Clevelands diversity assets is to promote an intercultural approach to proactively stimulate the mixing and cross-fertilization across all cultural boundaries as the source of economic, political, social, and cultural innovation….
Read the commentary by Richard Herman here
Cool Cleveland Kids 10-year-old Cool Cleveland correspondent Max Mulready helps us pick out events every week. Hear his short podcast here even if you don’t have special software. If you’re a whiz kid, you can download it to your iPod or your computer and listen with your own kid. Check below to see the events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week for our recommendations for a fantastic family week. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids01.13.06.mp3.
Slam U! Cleveland poet Michael Salinger will lead Slam U! and the Spoken Word on Stage Class, geared to prep area high-school students who are aspiring poets, in their quest to participate on Cleveland’s National Youth Poetry Slam Team. Open to students aged 13-19, Slam U! will focus on both writing and performance skills. An informational meeting and workshop is scheduled for Fri 1/13 at 6:30PM; another workshop will be held on Fri 2/10 at 6:30PM and finals will be held in March. Call 348-7909 for info on Slam U!, the Spoken Word on Stage Class, or available scholarships. Download the brochure here. www.PlayhouseSquare.com.
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Extended Engagement By Popular Demand: “Love, Janis” is a Hit! Don’t miss this amazing musical tribute to Janis Joplin – a true rock and roll icon – now extended through Sun 2/12! “Love, Janis” goes beyond the music and offers a glimpse at the soul of a legend both through the letters she wrote home and the songs she made famous. Classics like “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Piece of my Heart” and “Mercedes Benz” come to life in this hauntingly intimate portrayal inspired by the best-selling book by Laura Joplin. Tony Brown from The Plain Dealer calls it “A rock-n-rollin’ good time…Packs visceral youth hypnotizing power.” Tickets start at $39.50. To get tickets and see a video preview, visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com or call 216-241-6000 today.
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Cool Cleveland Podcast Every week, Thomas careful select the cremé de la cremé, and records them as an mp3 file. If you’re looking for cool things to do this week in Cleveland, but don’t want to take the time to read the newsletter, think about listening to the audio. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland01.13.06.mp3.
CC KIDS Cleveland celebrates Dr. King Collaborations between some of Cleveland’s finest cultural, arts and educational organizations will give Clevelanders a variety of opportunities to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – Voices Ring Out, offers dance/musical performances, rap/poetry competition and more, at the House of Blues on 1/14; The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates MLK Day at Tri-C’s Metro Campus on 1/15; the Rock Hall is offering complimentary admission and live entertainment on 1/16; admission to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is zilch on 1/16; an MLK/Rosa Parks Celebration will take place at the African American Cultural Center on 1/19 and a special MLK Tribute night takes center court at The Q on 1/24 when the Cavs take on the Pacers. How has MLK’s legacy benefitted our region? What improvements are yet to be made? Share your thoughts at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Innovation in Cleveland Check the swell series on innovative companies making good in Cleveland these days in the fields of stereo imaging, yoga equipment, industrial nozzles, sensor technology, waterproof paper, toys and medical devices. These under-appreciated entrepreneurs are literally inventing a new economy for Cleveland. Bye, bye steel mills and auto plants. Hello innovative small businesses. See story here.
Emissions from the blogsphere Craig Hatfield visits Stan Hywet. Henry Gomez wonders what happened to all the Red Room Revolutionaires. Steve Goldberg posts about an upcoming event in honor of Agent of Chaos Steven B. Smith. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, where Peter Chakerian contemplates building bridges and mixology, ponders what arts, culture and tech organizations might learn from a semi-pro sports teams departure, blogs about blogs and bloggers who love them, and shares a tender dream he had after reading Bedtime Stories for Entrepreneurs. When youre done, offer up your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Cool Cleveland This Week
1.11-1.18
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
The Secrets of Brand Development will unfold during this Wed 1/11 event from 5:30-7:45PM. Certified brand strategist Tom Traynor will unravel the mysteries of how to give your brand personality; what makes a winning brand; the 7-step process of brand development, from strategic brand assessment to return on investment. Plus, find out how your brand scores. Call 328-0090 x27. Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 Carnegie Avenue. http://www.ClevelandAMA.com.
CC KIDS Disney On Ice Load up the minivan and get ready to sing along to “It’s A Small World,” in a pop culture mash-up on ice with Pixar’s The Incredibles vs. The Magic Kingdom. Wed 1/11 thru 1/22, at The Q, Quicken Loans Arena http://www.DisneyOnIce.com
CC KIDS Kirtland Toy Show Delve into the captivating journey a toy makes from concept to completion as modernist Viktor Schreckengost’s unique and successful toys are displayed alongside his original design drawings. Schreckengost’s work will be on display from Thu 1/12 through Mon 2/20. Call 866-584-9805 for hours, info and directions. http://www.ViktorSchreckengost.org. Historic Kirtland Visitor’s Center, Kirtland.
Business Communications Study Join IABC/Cleveland on Thu 1/12 at 11:30AM to hear the results of a new communications study that identifies effective communication as a key indicator of business success; discuss key trends in communication and get employee perceptions of communication within their organizations. Email IABC49@cs.com for info, registration fees or reservations. The Forum Center, 1375 East 9th Street.
POP! Experience the vibrant Pop Art of emerging local artist Garrett Weider on display at Fat Cats Fri 1/13 through Thu 2/9. Garrett’s iconic, multi-media style has recently been featured at the Northside Blues Club in Akron and the American Greetings Spring Fine Art Show in Tremont. Call 579-0200 or email garrettweider@yahoo.com for info. Fat Cats, 2061 West 10th Street, Tremont.
trans_fix showcases cutting-edge modern art created by graduate students from the Rochester Institute of Technology. The exhibition launches Fri 1/13 at 5PM with a panel discussion followed by an opening reception from 6-9PM. Visit http://www.AliciaRoss.com or call 440-826-2152 for more info. The show runs through Fri 2/10. Kleist Center for Art & Drama, 95 East Bagley Road, Berea.
CC KIDS Mohican Winter Fest kicks off on Fri 1/13 at 6PM with a speed ice carving competition and runs through Sat 1/14 and Sun 1/15 from 10AM-8PM. This magnificent ice festival features exciting ice sculptures strewn throughout downtown Loudonville, which will be illuminated each evening. See a breathtaking ice castle; a patriotic ice sculpture that honors our country’s servicemen and women; an ice throne and a variety of other sculptures. Enjoy no-cost ice skating lessons beginning at 5PM on Friday at the Loudonville Rink; horse-drawn carriage rides through the village; children’s activities, and a variety of foods and beverages. Call 877-2Mohican. http://www.Loudonville-Mohican.com.
Tremont Art Walk Stroll Tremont for a fine cultural feast on Fri 1/13 from 6-10PM, as Kelly-Randall pays homage to the City of Cleveland with its annual City Work Juried Show at Pilgrim Congregational, where the Tremont Independent Film will also be screened at 7PM; take in a show from the Cleveland School of the Arts at UCC; peruse new works by Jay Croft and Brett Holzworth, at the Inside-Outside Gallery; see select photos by Byron Miller at Asterisk*; catch the close of the show featuring photos by Muenz and Miller, then relax at the Prosperity Social Club while you listen to the cool sounds of music by Lounge Kitty. Call 522-0006 for more info. http://www.TremontArtWalk.org.
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Innovative and Provocative, author and renowned Psychologist James Hillman champions the idea that within each of us, from birth, is a sense of our unique destinies. His recent bestseller, The Souls Code – In Search of Character and Calling discusses this theory in detail. Hillman studied with the great Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung in the 1950s and has taught at Yale, Syracuse and the Universities of Chicago and Dallas. The Hillman lecture is part of the ongoing Dreamweaver Program at the Cleveland Institute of Art held on Sat 1/21 at 4PM in the Russell B. Aitken Auditorium. Immediately following will be a no cost public reception in the student lounge. The auditorium is located at 11141 East Blvd. For more information contact www.CIA.edu or 216-421-7400.
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Jay Croft and Brett Holzworth Duo Show Experience a close encounter with new works by the two Akron artists. Croft sees the world in a unique way and shares his perceptions through his works; Holzworth is part painter, part illustrator, but mostly an image manipulator, influenced by vintage movie posters and propaganda pieces from the thirties and forties. Catch the opening reception on Fri 1/13 from 6-9PM during the Tremont Art Walk. Show runs through Fri 2/3. Call 623-8510. Inside-Outside Art Gallery, 2688 West 14th Street.
CC KIDS Gear up for Slam U! 2006 High school students will get a unique opportunity to speak their minds, hone their poetry-writing skills and compete for a spot on Cleveland’s National Youth Poetry Slam Team, bound for the National Youth Poetry Slam Festival in The Big Apple in April. Interested students, teachers and parents should attend a Fri 1/13 workshop at 6:30PM. Pizza will be provided. Reservations for this complimentary event are recommended. Email garganor@playhousesquare.com. Call 348-7909 for more info on the program or the complementary 8-week after school class. Idea Center, Cleveland Playhouse Square, 1375 Euclid Avenue.
Alt-Fiber: reclaiming art/craft Nationally-known women artists make their Cleveland debut in a group show devoted to walking the fine line between art and craft while exploring a woman’s place in the world. The walls will be filled with Whitney Lee’s “soft porn” latch hook rugs, embroidery by Jenny Hart, Julie Jackson and Andrea Dezso, an intersection of film and knitting by NYC-based artist, Sabrina Gschwandtner, a miniaturized version of Larissa Brown’s “Meatheads” knitting installation, knitted wombs by MK Carroll and crewel work by Cleveland native Katherine Shaughnessy. Opening reception: Fri 1/13 from 7-10PM. Show runs through Sat 2/4. Assemble Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street. http://www.Assemblegallery.com.
Oval Opus CD Release Party Join Minor Setback and View from Everest, performing at the release party on Fri 1/13. Doors open at 7PM with an 8PM performance at House of Blues, 308 Euclid Avenue. www.hob.com.
Commercial Art: Rediscovery Cleveland-based design firm and creative studio Little Jacket examines the differences and similarities between fine art and commercial art in the work of artists Mike Burton, Ken Hejduk, and Joe Parlett. Mediums including silk screen, offset, digital and P-700 on paper. Explore their intriguing work during the opening reception on Fri 1/13 from 7-10PM. The exhibit runs M-F from 12-4PM through Fri 1/27. Thirteen Hundred Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street. www.13hundred.com.
Love Suicide is a multi-media movement theatre piece, based on the early 18th century, classic Japanese play The Love Suicides at Sonezaki. Developed and directed by Daniel Elihu Kramer, the play investigates the disturbing connections-both modern and traditional-between love and suicide. Snippets and stories from contemporary life are woven around and through the story. The piece immixes classical Japan and contemporary America; tradition and internet chat rooms. Call to get tickets for performances on Fri 1/13 at 8PM , Sat 1/14 at 8PM or Sun 1/15 at 3PM. Levin Theatre, Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue. www.cptonline.org.
One Under offers a musical selection below the mainstream. The Central Ohio sextet mixes up Latin, Funk, Jazz, and Rock Elements with tight improvisational passages, solid grooves and strong lyrical content on Fri 1/13 at 9PM. Wilbert’s, 812 Huron Avenue East. http://www.WilbertsMusic.com, http://www.OneUnder.net.
WCLVnotes This coming Sun 1/15 at 7PM, WCLV 104.9 FM will broadcast live The Cleveland Orchestra’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert. WCLV will also feed the broadcast to WCPN, WBKC and WNWV. Franz Welser-Moest conducts, and appearing with the “band” will be the Central State University Chorus, William Henry Caldwell, director; the Martin Luther King Celebration Chorus and violin soloist Christina Castelli. Severance Hall rocks with this concert, and although there is no charge for the tickets, the Hall sells out overnight. So tune to 104.9 (or one of the other stations) and enjoy this important and entertaining civic event. And don’t forget WCLV’s whopper of a blood drive on Tues 1/17 at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in University Circle. To give the gift of life and have a good time, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. Details on all of WCLV’s programming are available in the WCLV Guide at www.WCLV.com. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.
Using Computers to Create Great Works of Art – Part 2 Those familiar with Adobe Photoshop will learn to use an assortment of tools in this graphic design staple to turn digital photos into works of art during the Sat 1/14 workshop from 9AM-4PM. Call 330-657-2248 or email peninsulaartacademy@alltel.com for registration costs and info. Peninsula Art Academy, 1600 West Mill Street, Peninsula.
CC KIDS The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories The Eric Carle story comes to life on stage, along with Little Cloud and Mixed-Up Chameleon through the use of colorful black light puppetry on Sat 1/14 at 11AM, and 2 & 5PM. Children will enjoy the tales of a caterpillar that munches his way through a variety of foods toward his metamorphosis into a butterfly, a cloud that changes into the shapes of things he’s seen, and a chameleon that morphs into a variety of animals during a visit to the zoo. Call or visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com for tickets. Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square, 1511 Euclid Avenue.
Paradigm Shift Explore works by artists, Michelle Murphy and Angela Oster, during this new exhibit. Meet the artists and curators during the opening reception on Sat 1/14 from 6-9PM and participate in an informal discussion about the art with Dr. Colin McLarty, Chair of Philosophy and Associate Professor at Case. Exhibit runs through Sun 2/26. Call 371-3344 for info and gallery hours. HeightsArts Gallery, 2173 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights.
War: What is it Good For? Absolutely nothing, Edwin Starr would shout. Hear the response of today’s artistic community through this riveting exhibit which deals with the politics of war, in general, and specifically the Iraq War. View the work of local artists, Robert Banks, Kristen Cliffel, Michelle Murphy, Abe Olvido/GROOP (read Daiv Whaley’s interview with Abe in Tuning In below), and a host of artists from around the country, as they critically/analytically explore the social/political implications of war. Opening reception is Sat 1/14 from 7-10PM. The exhibit runs through Sat 3/18. BK Smith Gallery, 391 West Washington Street, Painesville. www.lec.edu.
Global Groove 4 Connect with the community during a multicultural celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Sat 1/14 from 7PM-Midnight. Experience the global groove through world music and dance performances ranging from Bossa Nova to hip-hop, and the special performance of “Excerpts of King.” There will be exhibitions of new art by Kimberlee Venable and Robert Banks, prints by Pamela Dodds, and snacks provided by Café Limbo, Sarava at Shaker Square, and The Stone Oven. The event is open to the community without cost, but donations are welcome. Call 721-1055. Passport Project Global Community Arts Center, 12801 Buckeye Road. http://www.PassportProject.org.
CC KIDS University Circle MLK Celebrations Celebrate the achievements and spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. through a series of activities and special events at several University Circle institutions on Mon 1/16. Cleveland Botanical Garden, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, HealthSpace Cleveland and the Western Reserve Historical Society will offer complimentary admission on MLK Day; admission to the Children’s Museum of Cleveland will be discounted. Enjoy a no cost performance of music, speeches and drama, including a special tribute to Rosa Parks, from 11AM-5PM at the Karamu. Call 795-7070.
Outside the Box: New Cinematic Experiences Technological wonders bring astounding breakthroughs to artistic endeavors in this innovative exhibit. Experience the interplay of art and media at the opening reception on Wed 1/18 starting at 4:30PM. For more information call 330-972-5951, e-mail dwatt@uakron.edu, or visit http://www.uakron.edu/art. Exhibit runs through Fri 2/24. Emily Davis Gallery, Folk Hall, 150 E. Exchange Street, Akron.
Passport Professionals Event Attend the 2nd Annual Mind Games on Wed 1/18 at 5:30PM, pitting the Passport Professionals against The Hermit Club. Sample complimentary appetizers and tasty refreshments from the cash bar during the event, designed to promote old-fashioned fun and a bit of healthy rivalry with the Brits. http://www.baccgl.org.
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
Cool Cleveland Sounds
Extroversion
Furnace St.
Internet-only Release
Staying on the cutting edge takes practice and a lot of work, both for fans and for bands. Even when youre chugging away, you always manage to miss a thing here or there
or let something slip under your radar and forget about it until something jolts you into a reminder. For me, the synth-pop duo Furnace St. was a discovery a few years back on local college radio and in a CD called Ladykiller. I loved the fact that their influences informed their direction, but never really fully dictated what might happen. Sure, you knew right away that Joy Division and Depeche Mode and Radiohead and Slowdive were in there somewhere
but it wasnt like Superman ice cream with distinctive colors sharply evident.It was always like they were reaching for a whole new color altogether
maybe even a variation on black. An email from a friend reintroduced me to the duo and a newer, internet-only release of theirs called Extroversion. It also brought some sobering news: that the duo had decided to call it an indefinite hiatus after 10 years of service and that this would be their final effort for a while…
Read the review by Peter Chakerian here
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.
RoldoLINK
Jacksons First Move Made With Perfection
Mayor Frank Jackson in the first week of his administration made it clear that hes the man in charge and took on what is typically one of the very toughest issues any mayor faces.
His announced police policy says, Excessive force shall not be tolerated.
Jackson told the Cleveland Police Department that hes in charge and that a new day had begun with the announcement of new rules on use of force.
Jackson, by his new rules, cuts off excuse making about police shooting civilians under questionable circumstances. There has been a rash of such shootings in recent times.
I like the way Jackson made this announcement in terse but certain commands. He showed that he is very serious and that hes in charge…
Read RoldoLINK 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
Mr. Lewis Rules @ CPT 1/8
What: Myron Lewis presents a solo show in progress based on his work as a parole office in Akron’s juvenile justice system.
Reasons to go: The chief attraction is the material, empathetic stories about working with troubled kids from simple truants to 12-year-old murderers. They’re troubling, poignant, and important to hear. Director Jacqi Loewy has Lewis make excellent use of simple props and transformations. Watching the amiable giant work himself up into playing “mean Mister Lewis,” the Hulk-sized behemoth who can muscle his way past a dozen gangbangers with guns, is impressive.
Caveats: Lewis is still finding his way as a performer — occasionally groping for words and closing his eyes too often, which can close him off from the audience. But the material is well worth working on.
Backstory: Big [Box] is CPT’s 6-week series showcasing area artists in new works in development. Loewy and Lewis first worked on this show at Akron’s Weathervane Playhouse.
Target audience: Anyone interested in the fate of kids in our community.
Details: Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. 216-631-2727. http://www.cptonline.org. from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com
CMA’s Swan Song & Confessions @ Kennedy’s 1/6
What: The Cleveland Museum of Art presents two beautifully produced one-acts from classic Russian theater – a Chekhov two-hander featuring Reuben & Dorothy Silver and a searingly great solo performance based on Nicolai Gogol’s Diary of a Madman.
Reasons to go: Though the Silvers get top billing, it’s Terence Cranendonk’s tour-de-force performance as the abused clerk-turned-madman that you’ll remember forever. A sublime physical comedian, Cranendonk is arguably one of the area’s finest actors. He makes Gogol’s grotesque character funny, endearing, and ultimately poignant. Although the Chekhov piece is slight, it offers the Silvers the opportunity to do several interpolated scenes from Shakespeare. Watching Dorothy drop 60-some years to become a tender teenage Juliet is particularly fine. Director Massoud Saidpour makes excellent use of the Kennedy’s space.
Backstory: It shouldn’t be a surprise that CMA has branched out into producing theater pieces, since that’s performing arts director Saidpour’s first love — he studied with famed Polish experimentalist Jerzy Grotowski. The Museum’s temporary closing has made the outreach of the VIVA!/Gala series even more important.
Target audience: Lovers of classic performance.
Details: Cleveland Museum of Art, Kennedy’s, Playhouse Square. http://www.clemusart.com/educef/aroundtown/html
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com
Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 1/6 More than one orchestral conducting career has been foundedor at least been given a push upwardsby an indisposition of the originally scheduled conductor. To be sure, James Gaffigan, Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra was already off to an auspicious start in his conducting career, and didnt really need the boost offered by the ear infection that kept Music Director Franz Welser-Möst at home in Austria. With only a slight change to the scheduled program (Debussy instead of Berg) the new year of 2006 at Severance Hall got off to a rousing start.
The young (26) maestro was assured and confident on the podium, even though he hadnt planned to be there this week. Not even the prospect of a US premiere of a piano concerto seemed to daunt him. This week, too, he embarked on a new style for himsans baton. Well, if it works for Pierre Boulez, why not for James Gaffigan? The two movements of Printemps (Spring) by the French Impressionist Debussy were his third such use of that name for a composition. Nearly twenty years later it was orchestrated by his compatriot, Henri Büsser. What we hear is certainly reminiscent of Debussy, but a Germanic-sort of Debussy. Rather than the transparency (layers of chiffon, perhaps) we automatically think of in connection with this composer, we are treated here to a opaque, brocade version…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here
Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write
We encourage our readers to speak out by sending us letters and commentary. Send your letters to Letters@CoolCleveland.com. You must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional). You may also create a new Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail e-mail address and submit it with your letter. Letters submitted to Cool Cleveland, or edited portions, may be published in an upcoming issue of Cool Cleveland at our discretion.
Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com
On Social Security [See Emissions from the Blogsphere here] Maybe one of the reasons there arent more cool people networked with you is that when you make political comments – such as this one about social security (and others in the past) – you alienate a good portion or the population that is interested in art, performance, and nightlife, but who happen to see the world differently than you politically. Food for thought. For example, I happen to find much on your newsletter interesting. On the other hand, I think that I will see no social security payout in 40 years BECAUSE there was no free market reform last year. Hmmm.
from Cool Cleveland reader Russell Cooper rcooperATcwptechnologies.com
On Cool Cleveland Hello, I’m a transplant from the Philadelphia area. I love this news letter, it helps me feel at home here. I was very homesick last year but then I felt glimmers of hope from the Cool Cleveland team that there’s a place for me here! Thanks CC!
from Cool Cleveland reader Katherine Robbins krobbins47ATyahoo.com
LOVED reading your good stories about Cleveland. Keep up the good work.
from Cool Cleveland reader Tom Stanton tstantonATadelphia.net
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) Cleveland 6th best in world for business travel Beating out cities like Tokyo, London and New York.
www.Cleveland.com
2) Cool Cleveland People Shelley Underwood of the successfully smoke-free Johnny Mango’s World Café.
www.CoolCleveland.com
3) Cool Cleveland Commentary Building a Bridge to Our Future.
www.CoolCleveland.com
4) Exhibit: Cleveland Kate O’Neil and Emily Smith grew tired of looking at abandoned and unloved storefronts in Downtown Cleveland.
http://www.ExhibitCleveland.com
5) CleveWiki A collaborative effort to create a guide to the city of Cleveland.
http://www.CleveWiki.com
Mad Love for the Hard Corps Thanks to Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Roldo Bartimole, Kelly Ferjutz, Linda Eisenstein, Daiv Whaley 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
Download the Cool Cleveland podcast each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com. Click on the Cool Cleveland Blog here. Read the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine here. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. 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.
Lovely,
–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com
all contents ©2006 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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