Talk of the Town

7.30-8.6.08
Talk of the Town

In this week’s issue:

* Soundbyte Laureate When Red China, the Green Olympics, and the Yellow River Collide * Kids Cleveland Public Theatre’s STEP Program * Comment Peter Lawson Jones comments on the investigation of his fellow County Commissioners * Ingenious/Appreciation Vids of the Ingenuity Festival and Coventry Street Arts Fair * BizTech Profile Hey, the Butler did it… heybutler.com, that is * Straight Outta Mansfield Let’s just say he doesn’t dig Soledad O’Brien, CNN that much * Ingenious convergence-continuum’s Freakshow and Verb Ballets * Comment A closer look at the Cleveland Museum of Art * Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, Brewed Fresh Daily here

In Cleveland Plus, we do as much listening as we do talking. This week, we put our ears squarely to the region’s wall and listened in on what residents are talking about. We talk to Peter Lawson Jones about the story that broke in county government on Monday and link you to some comments from the blogosphere about it. The fourth divine installment of Ingenuity (and our CC Party, which drew gads of IF-goers) made a big splash over the weekend. Our Soundbyte Laureate ruminates on an Olympic struggle between “totalitarianism and technology” at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The recently revitalized Cleveland Museum of Art has been the talk of the town for weeks; one man’s thoughts on it are sure to inspire some talking. Mansfield doesn’t like the sensationalism he heard out of CNN after last week’s recommendation, so he’s talking, too. We know convergence-continuum’s Freakshow will make waves in the week’s ahead; we profile the show for you. In Kids, we learn about the STEP program at Cleveland Public Theatre. Local web-biz heybutler.com takes the age old routine of “coupon clipping” to a whole new level, which has people talking. And we’ve got a couple of vids that are sure to get your tongues wagging. It isn’t any wonder why our town is talking. Question is, are you listening?—Thomas Mulready

Peter Lawson Jones has always marched to his own drummer. He disagreed with his two fellow County Commissioners, Jimmy Dimora and Tim Hagan on the ill-fated County Administration building and other key issues. Now Dimora has had his office and home hit with search warrants by the FBI and IRS as part of a long-term corruption investigation. And Jones is up for re-election in November. Conversation on Brewed Fresh Daily about the situation ramped up almost immediately…

Correction: The email edition of Cool Cleveland incorrectly stated that Tim Hagan was implicated in the IRS and FBI raids. Frank Russo was, in fact, the other target of the investigation alongside Dimora. Hagan is not a target of the investigation.

Read the exclusive interview with Peter Lawson Jones by Thomas Mulready here

When Red China, the Green Olympics, and the Yellow River Collide
Broken Records, Broken Recordings, Broken Dreams at Beijing’s Olympic Games

Beneath all of the anticipation and hype about who will win the gold at the upcoming Summer Olympics in China, another more important contest is being waged. Like two lunging sumo wrestlers grappling for control, two powerful forces are hurtling towards each other on a collision course with destiny, scheduled to explode onto our TV and PC screens this August, and rated “R” for violence and strong language.

Pushing one way will be the Chinese government, straining to keep its population of 1.3 billion people, yearning for free speech and expression, from doing so. Pushing the other way will be 500,000 visitors from around the world, personally armed with the most dangerous weapon ever used against China’s Communist Regime – the free and unfiltered truth about China captured on video.

Armed with tens of thousands of the latest media gadgets, these temporary guests stand poised to share with the world not only the truth of these Olympic Games, but more importantly, the truth about the Chinese people’s lifelong Olympic battle with their government over free-expression…
Read more from the Soundbyte Laureate here

The Teens of CPT’s Student Theatre Enrichment Program Channel Bertolt Brecht

When you hear “family-oriented theater in the park”, the last thing you’d expect is a student-written adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, the scathing play about a family dealing with the effects of war, conflict, and loss. Yet Cleveland Public Theatre Education Director Chris Siebert thinks it’s just the ticket for today’s urban youth. “We’re used to working with students who use violence to solve their problems,” she says. “I wanted to do a piece that let us explore these issues, and look at the need for kids to speak out.”

The bold choice is nothing new for CPT’s Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP). The free touring performances created by this unique program are always a don’t-miss: a thrilling combination of dance, movement, drumming, singing, and acting. Each year STEP takes a world theater classic and retells it with a spin, making it relevant for contemporary families. I remember taking my saucer-eyed 5-year-old granddaughter to STEP’s version of Lorca’s Blood Wedding several years ago: she was both enchanted and riveted…
Read more from Linda Eisenstein here

HOT Wade Oval Wednesdays & ArtWorks Summer Showcase! Enjoy Summer Family Fun and Art Wed 7/30 at 6PM! Over 80 local high school students will be performing and exhibiting their works of art at Wade Oval in University Circle. Bring your family and take a seat to enjoy music, dance, theater, and visual arts! The events are no-cost, open to the public. Hosted by Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio. And of course, the fun of WOW — live music, food vendors, arts and crafts — reigns supreme as well. For more info on ArtWorks, visit http://www.yaneo.org or call 561-5005. Wade Oval Wednesdays.

E CITY Rocks It’s time for their 3rd city-wide Business Plan Competition this Thu 7/31 starting at 6PM. E CITY’s top four alumni from seven spring programs compete for $2,500 in business capital — generously provided by The Swaminathan and Garg Foundation. Before and after the competition, E CITY graduates will be selling their cool, inventive products. To support them, please bring cash. Learn all about the program and consider getting your kids involved! RSVP today! http://www.ecitycleveland.com. Trinity Commons, 2230 Euclid Ave. (enter off Prospect just east of East 22nd).

21st Century Skills On Thu 7/31 the GCEDC will present its first 21st Century Skills Showcase at WVIZ-PBS Ideastream. Students and teachers who participated in the “High School Transformation Network 21st Century Skills Project” will present the results of real world project-based lessons to invited corporate and civic leaders, along with Ohio educators. Keynote speaker Dr. Willard Daggert — founder and president of the International Center for Leadership in Education — will discuss what parents, communities and schools must do to better prepare young people for our technology-driven world and increasing global economy. Students from several school districts in the region will participate as well. Call 523-7106 if you wish to attend. http://www.csuohio.edu/cehs/gcedc.

While I’m Here on This Earth is an original play with drums and dance that is inspired by Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht and created by the Teens of Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP) 08. It launches in a no-cost, open to the public tour of public parks in Cle Thu 7/31 at 7PM at Herman Park (West 58th & Herman). Cleveland Public Theatre presents this “Free Family Theatre in the Parks” programming with help of their STEP students. Runs through mid-August; check out CPT’s website for schedule and details. http://www.cptonline.org.

Abracadabra! Everyday Magic Wanna amaze the kids? Check out this exhibition at the Cleveland Children’s Museum which runs through Sun 8/10. A great family experience, both kids and adults learn about mystical, magical items and events in every day life that can be explained “through principles of math or science.” Very cool, lots of fun for the younger set. Call 791-7114 or visit http://www.clevelandchildrensmuseum.org for details and hours.

Animal Enrichment Day @ CMNH Animal lovers are invited to celebrate Enrichment Day at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Sat 8/2 from 10AM – 4PM. This event is focused on providing mental and physical stimulation to the animals residing in the Museum’s Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center and Woods Garden. The day will also provide a unique opportunity for the public to learn about the ways the Museum keeps its wildlife residents happy and behaving as they would in their natural environments. http://www.cmnh.org.

22nd British Car Day Some of the finest vintage and newer Jaguars in the country will be present at this family-friendly auto event Sat 8/2 from 9AM – 4PM. Participants come from all over the Midwest, bringing with them as many as 250 cars in 35 classes. Just about all marks of British cars will be present including Austins, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Austin Healy, MG, Aston Martin, Triumph, Morgan, and Jaguar. Morris Minor and Austin Healy Bugeye Sprite will be the featured marks. Ursuline College, 2550 Lander Rd., Pepper Pike. http://members.aol.com/britsatursuline.

Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events for kids & families from 11-year-old Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast in iTunes.

SPONSORED: Be an Engaged Voter! Keep informed with ideastream’s Election 2008 webpage. Explore the issues, match your opinions with the candidates and stay abreast of the latest election news and broadcasts. WVIZ/PBS will provide complete, live coverage of the Democratic (8/25-8/28, 8PM) and Republican (9/1-9/4, 8PM) Conventions. Visit www.wviz.org or www.wcpn.org.

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Say goodbye to Cleveland State University Center The “Cage” comes down! Click
What’s up with RTA? Higher fares are among changes. Click
Cleveland is working at improving for bike friendliness Read how here and here
Will State Sen. Capri Cafaro bring smoking back to select locations in Ohio, despite the current ban? Click
Will Uptown transform University Circle area and downtown Cle as a whole? Click and then Click Again
NEO winemaker Ferrante wins big in LA competition, with vidal blanc, riesling. Click
The City of Lakewood has launched a new home page, which you can find here
Ingenuity given a pre-gig lift in piece by Benson @ News-Herald here
Hermes adds sand volleyball courts to Battery Park area. Click and then Click Again
Cle ranked 14th of 40 large American cities for walkability. How does your little town do? Click
Tell Gov. Strickland NO on rBGH in your dairy and YES on truth in your labeling of said dairy products. Click
Check out vids from Puerto Rican festival in the Muni Lot by clicking here
Mediation to ward off foreclosure? It’s been a tool of lending institutions for years. Not the city’s getting a crack at it. Click
From the fine folks who brought you Lucky’s Cafe comes something pretty darned cool. Click
Rock Hall’s 7Mth Visitor is Barbara Ayres from Connecticut. Rawk!
Akron/Cleveland’s own User Sets Mode+ was recently selected by MTV2 to open two “Projekt Revolution” concert dates with Linkin Park. Click

Stanard School is being recycled The school at East 53rd and St. Clair Ave. has begun a transformation into an urban farm. The bricks and stones will be set aside for cleaning and recovery by volunteers throughout the summer. Anyone interested in getting bricks should volunteer, or send a volunteer to help clean bricks. This process will take some time, but in the end we will have a farm on the site. The “A Piece of Cleveland” guys are good for all the lumber, but they need more brick bangers… and yes, Habitat for Humanity has come and gone already. Knock the mortar off and it’s yours to take home. Call St. Clair Superior Development Corporation at 881-0644.

The Northeast Ohio Citizens League (NECOL) will be hosting its second “formation” meeting on Mon 8/4 from 3:30 – 5:30PM at the Cuyahoga County Library’s Parma-Snow Branch (2121 Snow Rd., Parma). NEOCL believes its time to reintroduce the voice of citizens in policy decision-making and that citizens should be actively involved in shaping the emerging regional governance structure in Northeast Ohio. Wanna be a part of it? Email mike@neohio.org or communitytransitionpartners@gmail.com.

Cool Cleveland Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events, in an easy-to-digest 3 minute audio format, for playback on your computer or iPod.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Podcast in iTunes.

Ingenuity Festival 2008

Ingenuity v.4.0 opening night, as captured by the ubiquitous Flip camera of Thomas Mulready, which starts at the Cool Cleveland kick-off party in the old Halle Building, then catches Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Ingenuity Festival Director James Levin copping Mulready’s pork pie, then takes a strange detour through a holographic exhibition by Tom Cvetkovich, big band on the Main Stage with the Cleveland Music School Settlement, the brilliant 99 red balloons knows as the Red Eyed Skywalkers by Jenny Marketou floating high above Star Plaza, and a duck into the All Go Alley to see impromptu modeling and Angels By Night by Kidist Getachew (see CC interview here).

Howlermonkey ripped up the Alley Stage while artist vendors sold hand-crafted jewelry. Zeno with his friendly little robot with the camera in his eye, then back to the Main Stage for Joshua Fried’s Radio Wonderland, sampling and mixing live radio. An extended clip of Peachcake’s (pictured) unreal antics in the NPi Stage, although most of their act wasn’t on the stage at all. Me’Na from Canton wowed the R&B lovers on the big stage, while across the street, on the side of the building, Laser Graffiti. AudibleThread in the alley, and Ruckus Roboticus with some wild turntablism, turning wild children and patriots alike. And that was just opening night… http://www.IngenuityCleveland.com

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Oliver Mtukudzi The Zimbabwean Afro-pop icon who joined the Heads Up International (Telarc) label with the 2005 release of Nhava, examines the lasting effect of those indelible traces of humanity in the August 28, 2007 release, Tsimba Itsoka. Walk with “Tuku” and The Black Spirits at Nighttown in Cleveland Heights Wed 7/30 and Thu 7/31 — two shows each night at 7 and 9PM. 12387 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights. This is a great (and rare) opportunity to see this master in action. If you dig world music, you need to go. Call 795-0550 or visit http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

HOT Wade Oval Wednesdays & ArtWorks Summer Showcase! Enjoy Summer Family Fun and Art Wed 7/30 at 6PM! Over 80 local high school students will be performing and exhibiting their works of art at Wade Oval in University Circle. Bring your family and take a seat to enjoy music, dance, theater, and visual arts! The events are no-cost, open to the public. Hosted by Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio. And of course, the fun of WOW — live music, food vendors, arts and crafts — reigns supreme as well. For more info on ArtWorks, visit http://www.yaneo.org or call 561-5005. Wade Oval Wednesdays.

Come Dancing On Wednesdays starting Wed 7/30, learn how to make those shoes do more than walk. Check out the Intro to Swing dancing, soak in the Jitterbug and learn partnering skills. No matter what the dance or what your background, Get Hep Swing can make you look like a seasoned pro. All ages are welcome and no experience is needed! Get Hep Swing, 5340 Hamilton Ave, #205. For more info, visit http://www.gethepswing.com or call 374-1927.

Curatorial Voices The Cleveland Museum of Art’s programming includes two really cool forums: From Sea to Shining Sea: 19th-Century American Landscape Painting on Wed 7/30 at 6:30PM. American Painting during the Industrial Revolution on Wed 8/6 at 6:30PM. Details on these and other events at the CMA can be found at http://www.clevelandart.org.

Ten Out Of Tenn debuted three years ago to shine a light on a few of the many Nashville artists who haven’t waited around for the world to hear about them. The group of independent, Nashville-based musicians “have a lot more to offer than rhinestones and country-pop” and will deliver the good at the Grog Shop Wed 7/30 at 8PM. http://www.grogshop.gs.

Cleveland Clinic Farmer’s Market Thanks to a new relationship between the Clinic and North Union Farmers Market, a new market will open on Wed 7/30 from 11:30AM – 3:30PM on East 100th St. on the lawn in front of the Crile (A) building on the Clinic’s main campus. Fresh, locally-grown produce, meats, dairy, eggs, bread and other food items will be available to surrounding community members and Clinic employees every Wednesday through the rest of the summer. The goal is to offer healthy, local food options in a convenient, environmentally-friendly way at a fun, community event. Expect live music from local artists, and Clinic health screenings and info kiosks. Call 751-7656 or visit http://www.northunionfarmersmarket.org/locations_clinic.html.

Food, Energy and the Environment Join Green Energy Ohio and Crown Point Ecology Center this month for a special “Local Foods Potluck Clean Energy Network Meeting” on Thu 7/31 from 6 – 8PM. Hear from Christopher Norman, Crown Point’s new Director, and Casey Hoy, Professor in the Department of Entomology at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), as they explore the role of food in the US economy and environment. Where do US supplies of food come from? What is the carbon footprint of your dinner plate? What can you do to reduce your dinner plate’s carbon footprint? Learn all this and more. Share dishes that promote a healthy and sustainable local food economy; prizes will be awarded to the most creative local food dish! No cost, open to the public. Crown Point Ecology Center, 3220 Ira Rd., Bath. RSVP via email to athan@greenenergyohio.org or call 330-668-8992.

SPONSORED: Get $10 Harold and Maude Preview Tix for Thu 7/31. Based on the 1971 cult movie about the oddest of odd couples, Harold & Maude: An Intimate Musical celebrates the importance of love, individuality and taking risks. It’s been praised as smart, funny irreverent and entertaining. Fri 8/1 is Opening Night ($13) and this show runs through August 17 (Wed – Sun 8/6 – 8/10; 8/13- 8/17). Tickets start at $20. Performance will be held in the Alma Theater. All shows start at 7:30PM. This Regional Premiere stars Maryann Nagel as Maude, Corey Mach as Harold and features Jacqueline Cummins, Patrick Janson and Devon Yates. For more info contact 216-371-3000 or www.cainpark.com/tickets_form.asp.

Zygote Press at the Morgan Conservatory and Paper Mill Zygote’s Works in Progress is a new program for artists in any medium to present and discuss their work, as well as benefit in the exchange from the other artists and arts professionals in a great forum. The launch party at Morgan Conservatory and Paper Mill starts Thu 7/31 at 6:30PM. 1754 East 47th St. Get all the details by clicking on the PDF link here.

Cinema at the Square Break out the popcorn and take in the Marx Brothers, Monroe, Grant, Bogart, Hepburn, Kermit (the Frog) and more at the 11th annual film series beginning Thu 7/31 and running thorugh mid-August at the Palace Theatre, Playhouse Square Center. There are 15 film titles that range from dramas (Citizen Kane and Key Largo), to comedies like Duck Soup and The Great Muppet Caper. Hitchcock’s classic Vertigo, the musical Grease and others round out the schedule — and all on the largest non-IMAX screen in Ohio! Whoa! Details, show times, tix and more at http://www.playhousesquare.org.

Harold & Maude: An Intimate Musical makes its NEO debut at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights — previewing Thu 7/31 and runs Fri 8/1 – Sun 8/17 with performances at 7:30PM at the intimate Alma Theater. This “quirky, uplifting and endearing musical comedy” is directed by Victoria Bussert (Cain Park’s theater co-artistic director) and is an adaptation of the 1971 cult classic film which starred Bud Cort as Harold and the late Ruth Gordon as Maude. http://www.cainpark.com.

Jenna Fournier & Lauren Voiers Missed Fournier’s work at Studio of 5 Rings? Check out her work along with Vioers’ in the Jean Bulicek Galleria of Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood Thu 7/31 through late August. Inspired by different artistic influences — most notably the styles of Pablo Picasso and Franz Marc — these young artists have created their own unique collections of paintings. This no cost, open to the public exhibition is accessible during regular building hours; see their website for details. Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. For more info: 521-2540 or http://www.beckcenter.org.

Beatles in Cleveland Dave Schwensen, author of The Beatles In Cleveland, brings to life two of the wildest, out-of-control concerts in the band’s history Thu 7/31 at 7PM at Berea Library. Follow behind the scenes dealings by Cle’s rival Top 40 radio stations to bring John, Paul, George and Ringo to the city, then grab a front row seat for back stage and on stage excitement through eyewitness accounts from the promoters, concert MC’s, deejays, journalists, opening acts and fans, along with rare, never-before published photos, video stills and memorabilia. A rare film of The Beatles’ riotous 1966 concert at Cleveland Municipal Stadium finalizes the night. Books will be for sale. Registration required. Call 440-234-5475. 7 Berea Commons, Berea. For more information, visit http://www.beatlesincleveland.com.

HOT Autism Benefit feat. Todd Snider & Garrison Starr The pair of countrified singer-songwriters deliver the goods at the Beachland Ballroom this Fri 8/1 at 7PM. Starr’s sweet vocalization is perfect contrast for Snider’s coy, razor-sharp wit and political hair-raising. Snider’s new disc Peace Queer hits shelves this month, so expect him to play some of it. Munchies and a raffle round out the night. Proceeds from the gig will benefit Families Affected by Autism, an childhood affliction that has yet to be cornered and conquered. 15711 Waterloo Rd. http://www.autismnortheastohio.org. http://www.beachlandballroom.com. http://www.toddsnider.net.

Indie Gathering This weekend-long indie film exposition, festival and convention begins Fri 8/1 and features a bevy of special guest speakers, including former Sundance producer (and Cleveland Institute of Art guru) Robert Banks. Holiday Inn Westlake Ohio (Cleveland West), 1100 Crocker Rd., Westlake. Call 440-871-6000 or get all the details and complete schedule of events at http://www.theindiegathering.com.

Twilight at the Zoo This wild 15th annual fundraiser for the Cleveland Zoological Society hits Fri 8/1 from 7PM – midnight. With a spotlight trained on 14 local bands, zesty hors d’oeuvres and beverages provided by Samuel Adams and Jacob’s Creek, this is one of the summer’s greatest parties. Rock out to Armstrong Bearcat, Carlos Jones and The P.L.U.S. Band, Joe Bell & The Swing Lizards, Madison Crawl, Revolution Pie (Beatles!), Roberto Ocasio’s Latin Jazz Project and more! http://www.clevelandzoosociety.org.

Ambassador Nancy Soderberg The distinguished visiting scholar at the University of N. Florida in Jacksonville, will speak about her new book The Prosperity Agenda: What the World Wants from America—and What We Need in Return at noon on Fri 8/1 at The City Club of Cleveland. Soderberg (and co-author Brian Katulis) argue that the US should go to the citizens of troubled nations and give them what they need most: vaccines, disaster relief, and economic prosperity. Working to improve the basic lives of people will, in the end, help defeat terrorism, increase America’s leverage against its enemies. http://www.cityclub.org.

SPONSORED: Good Seats Still Available if you act now for VERB Ballets premiere performance of Steel Drum and Skidu (a new dance using skis) on Fri 8/1 in the Evans Amphitheater at Cain Park at 8PM. One of Dance Magazine’s “Great Tiny Troupes,” VERB Ballets will also perform artistic director Hernando Cortez’s Frontrow, and a revival of Heinz Poll’s Andante Sostenuto. Tix start at $16 in advance (lawn). Purchase tix in advance for discounts on reserved seats. For more info contact 216-371-3000 or www.cainpark.com/tickets_form.asp.

Arts in August Tremont’s Lincoln Park is the spot for programming that last year more than 10,000 people experienced! The audience includes people of all ages, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and is a bargain (no cost, open to the public). This year’s weekend series includes performances by the Cleveland Public Theater Student Enrichment Program (check them out Fri 8/1 at 7PM) and the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival delivering their version of Hamlet on Sat 8/2 and Sun 8/3 at 7PM. It’s great cultural entertainment in a family-friendly atmosphere. Don’t miss out. Call Tremont West Development Corporation for more details at 575-0920. http://parkworks.org.

A Denim Affair Gala It’s the “Most Casual Gala in Town,” and it takes place at Sammy’s at Legacy Village on Fri 8/1 at 5:30PM. Supporters come dressed in their best denim or casual attire and enjoy food, wine, spirits and fun while raising money for Dress For Success Cleveland. Enjoy live music provided by Top Dog, fabulous hors d’oeuvres, and the chance to bid on items in our silent and live auctions, including denim signed by Jay Leno and tickets to his show. Keynote speaker Joi Gordon, President and CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide, rounds out the festivities. Dr. Jerry Sue Thornton, president of Cuyahoga Community College, will be honored. Sammy’s at Legacy Village, 25001 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst. Tix and info: call 881-6048 or email: tracifelder@dressforsuccesscleveland.org.

Garage Grooves The Cleveland Museum of Art continues its tradition of presenting free fabulous outdoor concerts with a new twist this summer. Garage Grooves — their series of Friday night garage rooftop jazz performances — kicks off on Fri 8/1 from 6 – 10PM with an all-Ellington program delivered by the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. Garage Grooves features the area’s most talented jazz ensembles as they perform on the top deck of the parking garage (program repeats Fri 8/15 and Fri 8/29 with other artists. No cost, open to the public with beer, wine, and other refreshments for sale in the garage. The museum galleries will also be open until 9PM, free of charge. http://www.clevelandart.org.

Don Cox Studio of 5 Rings will exhibit original abstract oil paintings from Elyria artist, Don Cox. The exhibition begins Fri 8/1 with an opening reception from 5 – 9PM, and it runs through early September. Cox will be on hand to answer questions at the opening reception about his abstract work, said to be inspired by Picasso, Pollock and Matisse. He uses bold colors and complex layers to draw the viewers in. 20160 Center Ridge Rd., #210, Rocky River. Call 440-333-9700 or visit http://www.studioof5rings.com for more info.

Verb Ballets Cleveland’s National Repertory Dance Company, returns to Cain Park for the sixth consecutive year Fri 8/1. The troupe is a part of Cain Park’s 70th anniversary season and plan to deliver a rousing performance — including the world premiere of a dance called EarthBeat. As with most of Hernando Cortez’s work (we still remember the thrills of Planet Soup) it should be something truly special. Get outside under the stars and revel in the athletic and artistic abilities of these dancers! Read more from Victor Lucas and Elsa Johnson in this week’s CC. http://www.cainpark.com. http://www.verbballets.org.

Gov. Deval Patrick Massachusetts’ first African American governor, will speak about the great importance of this Presidential election—what’s at stake and the broader implications of a change we’re witnessing in U.S. politics—at 5PM on Fri 8/1 at The City Club of Cleveland. He’ll also discuss the claim that Barack Obama, and others, are placing on our citizenship, what that means for us as voters, and what it means for the future of politics. http://www.cityclub.org.

HOT Waterloo Arts Fest It’s live music, arts, crafts and creative folks digging on it all. If you’ve ever been, you know what a blast the Waterloo Arts Fest can be. Hang out in the Collinwood neighborhood for this street bash Sat 8/2 from 1 – 8PM, and be sure to patronize some of the cool stores in the area (we’re particularly fond of Music Saves and Shoparooni, for starters). Check out the details and schedule of events by visiting http://waterlooartsfest.com and http://www.artscollinwood.

HOT Krusty’s Summer Sauce Camp It’s a near-legendary young adult benefit for Malachi House Sat 8/2 from “noon to dusk or the end of Democracy,” they say. Whiskey Island Marina is the venue and expect a massive cookout with burgers, dogs, libations and live music from Second Place, Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band. It’s a rip-roaring good time for a worthy cause, as Malachi House does some of the most important work in all of Cleveland. Call 440-734-7790 for more info.http://www.malachihouse.org. http://www.myspace.com/krustys_summer_sauce_camp.

Vintage Ohio and Cleveland Plays will be running a cornhole pool play tournament at the Vintage Ohio Wine Festival on Sat 8/2 with play beginning at 3PM. There’s an entry fee and great cash prizes, plus bottles of Ohio’s finest wines. But the wine festival is the main event and patrons are encouraged to learn all about the amazing wine producers in the region. To register for the tournament in advance visit http://www.clevelandplays.com. You must purchase a Vintage Ohio festival ticket to enter the cornhole tournament; Vintage Ohio is a fun day out, even if you’re not a big fan of wine. For more info on Vintage Ohio visit http://www.visitvintageohio.com. Lake Metroparks Farmpark, 8800 Chardon Rd., Kirtland.

SPONSORED: This Sat 8/2, the finals of the 14th annual Oberlin International Piano Competition, featuring talented high school pianists from around the world, will be broadcast live on WCLV 104.9 from Warner Concert Hall beginning at 8PM. Because of this special radio event, WCLV’s Saturday evening Cleveland Orchestra broadcast, normally heard at 8PM, will be heard at 1PM. Weekend Radio moves to 11:00 PM (or perhaps later). Details on all of WCLV’s programming at http://WCLV.com.

Jahja Ling & Co. The music director of the San Diego Symphony and former Blossom Festival Director conducts The Cleveland Orchestra in a program featuring Brahms’s Symphony No. 1 at the Blossom Festival on Sat 8/2 at 8PM. In addition, the program will feature Gershwin’s Concerto in F with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet as soloist. Ling will also conduct the Orchestra at Blossom on Sun 8/3 in a different program — featuring Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2. The latter program features Eric Ewazen’s Ballade (Ewazen grew up in Middleburg Heights, studied at Baldwin-Wallace and the Cleveland Institute of Music, and graduated with degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Juilliard. Details at http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

The Benefits of Land Conservation will be the topic of a presentation from 10Am – 2PM on Sat 8/2 at the Happy Days Lodge in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The meeting is free and open to the public. Representatives of the National Park Service, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, and the Medina Raptor Center will discuss the role of their organizations, and how land conservation benefits the national park, wildlife, and the communities of Northeast Ohio. The Medina Raptor Center will display and discuss several rehabilitated birds of prey. 500 W. Streetsboro Rd. (State Route 303), Peninsula. For more info: call 330-836-2271 or visit http://www.nps.gov/cuva.

Streetdevils will be tearing up the Spitfire Sat 8/2 at 9PM for a no-cost punk show with special guests the Cosmosonics (http://www.myspace.com/thecosmosonics) and The Dead Enders (http://www.myspace.com/theofficialdeadenders). Streetdevils is a rock and roll band influenced by The New York Dolls, Chesterfield Kings, Johnny Thunders, The Makers, The Rolling Stones, Faces, and Guns N’ Roses. Spitfire Saloon, 1539 West 117th St. Call 226-7748 or visit http://www.myspace.com/thestreetdevils.

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead Don’t miss your chance to catch no cost performances of the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival’s 11th season — Hamlet and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead on Sat 8/2 and Sun 8/3 at 7PM in Tremont’s Lincoln Park Gazebo. Summer and Shakespeare just go together… so grab that blanket and picnic basket and make an evening of it! http://www.cleveshakes.org.

SPONSORED: Don’t Miss the Legendary Lesley Gore singing “It’s My Party” and “You Don’t Own Me” at Cain Park on Sat 8/2 at 8PM in the Evans Amphitheater. The luscious-voiced Gore, is celebrating her first CD in 30 years and the organic, smoky, intimate and personal Ever Since is now on sale. Tix in advance are $26 center/front sides; $22 back sides; $20 lawn. Day of show $29/$25/$23. For more info contact 216-371-3000 or www.cainpark.com/tickets_form.asp.

The Canary Project and Alien Earths These exhibitions on the Landscape of Climate Change and the science behind life in the universe are running now at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Check them both out Sun 8/3 during museum hours. There are some amazing photographic works in the former — captured by shutterfly Susannah Sayler — portending global warming. The latter makes the viewer wonder if there’s life on other planets, all within the collaborative context of the Space Science Institute, NASA and the National Science Foundation. Canary ends Sun 8/10, so get there! Call 231-4600 or visit http://www.cmnh.org for schedule and details.

Jazz guitarist Rick Stone makes his annual pilgrimage to home for a special one-night engagement at Nighttown on Sun 8/3 at 7 and 8:30PM. The expat (now in NY) be accompanied by two long-time Cle friends, bassist Dave Morgan and drummer Ron Godale. 12387 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Hts. Call 795-0550 or visit http://www.nighttowncleveland.com and http://www.rickstone.com.

Baila Duro Salsa Social Summer is in full gear but it’s just starting to warm up with this Baila Duro event at Sachsenheim Hall (7001 Denison Ave.) Sun 8/3 from 5 – 9:30PM. One of the hottest DJs in Europe — Dubai’s DJ Saif Bitar — will mix old and new salsas frm different parts of the world. Lorain native Orlando “El Mostro” Santiago with his band will also perform “descargas” (a jam session) for the delight of partygoers and dancers alike. http://www.bailaduro.com.

Little Yogis/Big Yogis in the Park This all-ages yoga event benefits The Home of Hope Orphanage- Entebbe, Africa (Site of local Lakewood native Peace Corp Volunteer) and takes place at Horseshoe Lake Park, Shaker Heights Sun 8/3 from 10 – 11AM. Bring a towel or mat to sit on and be prepared to bliss out for a worthy cause. Email Julie Konrad at lunapreasenceyoga@gmail.com or visit http://www.lunapresenceyoga.com for complete details.

Radiohead Are they the most important rock band of this generation? Find out at Blossom Music Center Mon 8/4 at 7:30PM, as Thom Yorke & Co. perform selections from their self-produced, self-released, “pick-your-price” internet album sensation, In Rainbows. Reviews for this tour are off the charts and the weather is supposed to be perfect. Carpool it. http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace.

Mamma Mia! Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA fame) have long had a smash hit musical based on their songs from that 70s pop band. The musical returns to Playhouse Square’s State Theatre for a limited engagement beginning Tue 8/5 at 7PM. Mamma Mia! has been seen by over 30 million people worldwide; it’s celebrating 6 sold-out years at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway, and playing record-breaking engagements in Las Vegas and on a US tour. Take a chance on them! http://www.mamma-mia.com. http://www.playhousesquare.com.

Chaplin’s Panorama The Panorama Film Series at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) presents A Tramp’s Progress: Chaplin x 4 — four films directed by and featuring the legendary Charlie Chaplin starting Wed 8/6 at 7PM. The films illustrate how his comic persona changed and evolved during the sound era. Explore the man’s explorations in City Lights, The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux and A Countess from Hong Kong. Get details and the full schedule at http://www.clevelandart.org/events/film.aspx.

Gourmets in the Garden If food and the outdoors are your things, you have no excuse for missing out! Eat local at Cleveland Botanical Garden’s outdoor cooking series, which has a rabid following — with a menu of the region’s hottest chefs offering samples and cooking demos to help you replicate their results, how could you go wrong? Check out the 4th season of the CBG’s tasty series Wed 8/6 at 6PM, when Douglas Katz’s fire restaurant is spotlighted. Series continues on Wednesdays through the rest of the summer. Call 721-1600 or visit http://www.cbgarden.org for details and a full schedule.

Esparanza Music prodigy, 23-year old acoustic bassist/vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding stuns with the self-titled Heads Up International (Telarc) and will celebrate with a CD Release Party live at Nighttown Wed 8/6 at 7PM. Armed with uncanny instrumental chops, a siren voice that spans three languages, and composing and arranging skills that weave together the best elements of the old-school with the progressive, this 23-year-old has crafted a debut album that takes a refreshing approach to jazz by incorporating the rich traditions of soul, pop, world music. Nighttown, 12387 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights. Call 795-0550 or visit http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Coventry Street Arts Fair

Coventry Road has seen it all. Starting with the Heights Theatre in 1919, Coventry was home to retail, restaurants and Jewish delis. In the 1960’s, it became a hippie haven and local merchants embraced a counter-culture attitude that still lingers. Triggered by architectural rebuilding after four fires between 1978 & 1991, the district blossomed with upscale and unique restaurants and shops that retained an accessible, funky attitude. A massive street festival grew so popular it had to be curtailed.

These days, punk rockers mix with Russian immigrants, yuppie tourists and Case students for one of the liveliest neighborhoods in all of Cleveland. And they’ve brought back the Street Arts Fair, caught on video by Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready, featuring his old band Cats on Holiday on the main stage, with street performers, Brittany Reilly and the Almost Acoustic band, and a virtual mass of humanity stretching from Euclid Heights Boulevard to Mayfield Road. The next Coventry Street Arts Fair is Thu 8/7, plus they present Music, Movies and More on Thu 7/31 & Thu 8/21 with live music accompanying films on a huge inflatable screen under the Coventry Peace Arch. Peace Out! http://www.CoventryVillage.org

A hot selection of tech and business news & events from around the region. Got business news? Send it to: EVENTS@CoolCleveland.com

Ohio ranked 4th nationally in biotech strength, according to Dayton Daily News piece here
UofA, LCCC team up to promote tech dev, licensing in NEO. Click
Interesting market research about Cle can be found by clicking here and also here
Akron Gen Hosp to open new neuroscience unit. Click
Lawyers making a case for a business court according to this piece
Saint-Gobain Crystals opens new production facility in Hiram. Click
Ohio jobless at 6.6%, Cle above 10% according to recent stories here and here
Congress asked to stop Great Lakes diversion The movement to protect Great Lakes water is shifting to DC; Obama, Clinton lend support. Click
Great Lakes Urban Exchange has launched their website here
Bike to Work on Fridays Get your day off to a great start with ClevelandBikes and Local Coffee Shops on Fridays! Click

Cleveland Public Library launches the highest quality computer network service in every neighborhood in the City of Cleveland. Every building in the CPL’s system is now connected to a new high-speed fiber network, provided by AT&T’s Optical Ethernet Metropolitan Area Network (OPT-E-MAN) service — with access at speeds of 10M bits per second (mbs) at every neighborhood branch, the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and the Public Administration Library. http://www.cpl.org.

SPONSORED: Earn An MBA in 11 Months! Advance your career with an MBA from Cleveland State University – the region’s most practical, flexible, and effective graduate business education. You’ll engage in hands-on projects for NEO companies, develop your leadership skills, and expand your network. Programs include: a 19-month Executive MBA for qualified professionals, an 11-month Accelerated MBA for recent business graduates, and an 18-month MBA offered in Brunswick, Mayfield Heights, Solon and Westlake. We also offer specialized master degrees in Health Care Administration, Labor Relations & Human Resources, Computer & Information Science, and Accountancy. Scholarships and Graduate Assistantships available. Learn more at www.csuohio.edu/business.

Todays Trends in White Collar Crime is subject of latest Beachwood event Wed 7/30 at 11:30AM. Steven Dettelbach, former fed prosecutor for the DOJ in DC, is the speaker Learn about White Collar Crime and how it can affect you and your business. Call 831-0003 or email mail@beachwood.org
Key Priorities in Workplace Writing is the focus of this ERC seminar Wed 8/6. Clarity of Communication
Ops for Next-Gen Implants in Cle event hits Tue 8/5 – Thu 8/7 feat. case studies and real-world outcomes. Dialogue between surgeons, clinicians, biomed engineers, device designers, etc. Register
Landerhaven lunch feat. n’hood dev corps graces August Corp Club Thu 8/7 at noon. Details
Cle 20/30’s Around Town at the Garage Bar on Thu 8/7 is a great way to get connected to the YP org. Learn more about them and have fun! Details
CAAO Black Leadership Retreat hits Sat 8/9 and all the details are here
Brulant’s Games & Brains entertainment/education event hits Thu 8/14 from 5 – 8PM in Beachwood. Details here
HOT Biz Emergency Planning Assoc. 10th Ann conference hits on Thu 8/14 and Fri 8/15, anchored by Red Cross. Register
Does your sales force need Boot Camp? Then send them to this seminar Fri 8/15 starting at 9AM. Ten-hut!
Health Care Heroes awards and networking luncheon hits Thu 8/21. Get your tix and details here
BVU’s Role of the Board details roles of board and senior staff at NPOs feat. Dr. Linda Abraham-Silver of GLSC Fri 9/12 at 8AM Details
Manf’g woes? Can’t find qualified workers? Hear from a panel of employers who have identified unique strategies to address workforce challenges. Wed 9/17 at 7:30AM, Corp. Coll East. Register
3rd Ann NEO Energy Conf Learn energy cost-cutting/savings strategies, help save on bottom line and learn ESPs and MROs on Tue 9/30. Details

HOT Reaching Millennials When it comes to reaching the Millennial Generation — those who were between the years 1982 and 2002 — which medium will do it best? John Kerezy, journalism/mass communications instructor at Cuyahoga Community College, will be providing his insight on this topic at the Lake Communicators luncheon on Wed 8/13 at the Lake Metroparks Pine Ridge Country Club, 30601 Ridge Rd. (SR 84), Wickliffe, from 11:45AM – 1PM. Reservations are required by Fri 8/8 to 440-255-8932 or wolfeshirley@yahoo.com.

SPONSORED: How will 2D Barcodes Change Your Life? Soon this latest form of new technology – highly useful for consumers – will become an important part of our daily lives. By simply taking a picture of a 2D barcode in your cell phone, you can download it and use it for comparison shopping, coupons, discounts and also be able to enter sweepstakes taking place on the other side of the world. Check out a video on YouTube that walks you through the concept of comparison shopping using 2D barcodes. This seminar took place at the Collaboration Technology Conference in May at Case Western Reserve University. See the video here www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcUYo5Erxto.

Hey, the Butler Did It
Enjoying Local Savings Courtesy of the Mechanical Majordomo Heybutler.com

Hey! Here’s a novel idea for a service-oriented business: Free gas. That’ll get anyone’s attention these days. The prospect of receiving a free gas card — at absolutely no cost — has people flocking to Heybutler.com, an online coupon service based in Solon. Co-founders Darren Rose and Jonathan Schaefer use gimmicks such as gas cards and instant-win games to draw visitors to their website and to promote the vendors whose coupons decorate the site’s colorful pages. The duo, who previously held jobs in the mortgage industry, began to search last year for a business where they could feel like they were doing something good—while making money, of course. A brainstorming session with trusted colleagues led them to the idea of an online coupon service. But they didn’t want to be thought of as the Val-Pak of the Internet. They wanted their business to be unusual…

Read more from Diane DiPiero here

Black(s) in America?

Either Soledad O’Brien is the dumbest TV journalist in America, or CNN’s producers are far more interested in sensationalism than they are in solutions. For two days last week the network made a feeble — and disingenuous — attempt to portray to viewers what it’s like to be a person of color in these United States, but brought little new or truly incisive to the table. I’m now sorry that last week I encouraged readers to watch.

While the two-part series showed Blacks in virtually every situation imaginable, one of the most successful programs for Black children in America (and the person who runs it) was totally ignored … conspicuous by their mind-boggling absence. Geoffrey Canada runs the Harlem Children’s Zone. His organization mentors over 13,000 mostly Black and Hispanic children in New York City … and his program is wildly — beyond all expectations except those of Canada’s — successful. The teen birthrate among the young people his program ministers to is almost non-existent, while the college graduation rate is well over 90 percent. The first group of charges that he began with over 20 years ago is now set to graduate from college, and many will go back to Harlem — to the same program that molded them — and begin to give something back. This is far and away the most successful mentoring program in the county, yet CNN gave it no air time. Zero…
Read more from Mansfield B. Frazier here

SPONSORED: Tell Us What You Think Most of the time you’re listening to us – but when you participate in the ideastream “Listening Project”– we’re listening to you. Tell us what you think the region’s greatest assets and challenges are. Be part of positive change: complete the survey on www.wviz.org or www.wcpn.org.

This week’s most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com

“At a time when ridership is making buses bulge at the seams,” writes Tim Ferris, “cutting service and charging more for what remains is the last thing you want to have happen. Service and bus routes should expand; administrative staff should be cut; salaries should be cut; grants should be acquired; general taxes should be levied. But service should expand both in the number of buses circulating each route and in the hours of operation…”

BFD readers have this to say:

43 comments and growing. Add yours here on Brewed Fresh Daily

The Freaks Come Out at convergence-continuum

Here’s a Cleveland riddle: What do a freak show and convergence-continuum theatre have in common? The answer? Way more than you bargained for. Clyde Simon’s merry band of pranksters are turning their Tremont in-your-face space into a 1900 carnival tent full of human oddities for Carson Kreitzer’s outrageous comedy/drama Freakshow. The play seems an apt metaphor for the taboo-busting company itself: a risk-taking 48-seat venture where actors are willing to strip themselves bare – spiritually and physically – four inches from the audience in order to illuminate the human condition.

“We like putting the show right in the audience’s lap, where there is no safe place,” says actor Lucy Bredeson-Smith, who is celebrating her 13th role since the company started. Watching the shape-shifting comedienne inhabit the panoply of endearingly oddball characters she’s been given is always one of the chief pleasures of attending a con-con show. From last month’s sex-obsessed fashion editor in In the Garden to a roller-skating diner waitress to a television in Poona the F**kdog, Bredeson-Smith is always a delight. This month she plays “The Dog-Faced Girl”, the caretaker-mother of the carnival – a backstage role she also seems to relish…
Read more from Linda Eisenstein here

Verb Ballets Raising Cain, Premieres at Cain Park

You have to credit Verb for their excellent renditions of modern dance repertory. At first we wondered how they found the nerve to attempt Martha Graham’s masterpiece, Appalachian Spring, but their premiere and successive performances of that modern dance classic have been exemplary. Our process was similar with Verb’s performances of the signature Paul Taylor work, Esplanade, David Parson’s The Envelope, and Heinz Poll’s Bolero, all highly thought of works that we were already familiar with. In every case, Verb’s dancers and the company’s rehearsal process have shone with a light of their own; they’ve made us and Cleveland’s dance audience into believers.

“So how about more of the same?” one might ask. Verb’s Artistic Director Hernando Cortez is up front about his desire to do more repertory, especially more works by Taylor, for whom he danced for many years, but money quickly becomes a limiting factor. “$40,000 for a Taylor work, that’s just what it costs,” said Cortez in a casual conversation at the Taylor concert at Cain Park earlier this month. So for the summer concert season, Cortez himself has stepped up to the plate, choreographing 2 premieres. In addition, Verb shows a Poll duet, Andante Sostenuto, and one of our favorite Cortez works, Frontrow…
Read more from Vic & Elsa here

A Closer Look at the Cleveland Museum of Art

The recent reopening of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original building reaffirms the splendor of this 1916 Neoclassical landmark, designed by Hubbell & Benes, and showcases to very good effect some of the museum’s great works of art. After a three year absence, it is wonderful to be able to view this grand building and the core of the museum’s world-class collection. At the approximate midpoint of the museum’s huge $350 million expansion and renovation, it is possible to praise some of its features, criticize others and continue the dialog that has helped to shape this mammoth undertaking. The good news is that Cleveland is so lucky to have one of America’s great art museums and that its magnificent 1916 marble temple remains the centerpiece of the facility. Many of the galleries have been carefully restored and the relatively uncluttered displays set in galleries with rich background colors have never looked better…

Read more from Steve McQuillin here

Links to interesting NEO blogs

Battery Park opens a sand volleyball league.
How many condos have sold in the Avenue District?
Ohio is being marketed by the Ohio Business Development Coalition as the State of Perfect Balance.
New legislation has $58M in foreclosure cleanup funds for Cleveland area.
The Lakewood City Council has banned pitbulls.

Images of America: Cleveland’s Little Italy
Sandy Mitchell
Arcadia

Leave it to Sandy Mitchell to come up with a folio of imagery that features the artisans, monuments, and everyday life of our Little Italy Neighborhood. The stalwart about.com Cleveland writer and lifelong resident of Slavic Village does wonders with Images of America: Cleveland’s Little Italy — a book that’s sure to wow Clevelanders with its breadth of photography from individuals, collections and local archives, including Cleveland State University’s comprehensive Cleveland Press collection.

Like most other Arcadia books before it, Little Italy is meant to conjure the past and it does so brilliantly; to her credit, Mitchell and the editors at Arcadia selected a great array of shots that speak to the rich cultural history of the area, replete with Old World charm and the newer, trendier art scene vibrancy and hipness. These are the kinds of pics (and stories, which Mitchell penned eloquently) that you just don’t see in our media anymore… and in bringing them to light for us, Mitchell reminds us all of what has been and can be in every corner of our town.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Stained Bliss
John McGrail
MindFry

What does one make of the title to John McGrail’s latest disc, Stained Bliss? From the artist’s mouth: “A happiness that is tainted. A good life with imperfections.” Works for us and, apparently, for the host of characters who wander through McGrail’s dusty tales. The singer-songwriter and guitar maestro entwines experimental flair and indie-rock pathos with jangly folk rock, greasy blues and haymaking country on this winner. But like his compatriot Susan Weber, McGrail is not content to stop there, making those styles hauntingly ethereal. The bluesy “90-Year-Old Man,” “Fallen Angel” and plaintive “To His Knees” definitely have the ghosts of others in them; the jangly warmth of “All Our Fallen Tears” feels like an old friend and a campfire in September and “Anger,” which offers decidedly lo-fi indie-folk vibe with its nods to Dylan and Ochs…? Well, it offers numbness in the face of stark, raving violence. Credit where it’s due… this is a great, chilling recording from someone who has managed to stay below the radar in Cleveland. To be fair, McGrail isn’t for everyone… but when a songwriter makes you wonder if it’s his heart or the blood from someone else’s on his sleeve, well, that’s gotta be worth something.

Check out McGrail at the Waterloo Arts Fest this Saturday, August 2. Learn more at http://waterlooartsfest.com and http://www.myspace.com/johnmcgrail.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor 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

Quick reviews of recent events
Submit your own review or commentary to Events@CoolCleveland.com

Freakshow @ convergence-continuum 7/25
Reasons to go: Carson Kreitzer’s shock-feminist Beauty-and-the-Beast tale of freaks in a turn-of-the-20th-century carnival has two women at its heart, and oh, do they rule. There’s the perfectly beautiful, helpless Amalia (Laurel Johnson) with no arms or legs — and her plug-ugly caregiver Judith, the Dogfaced Girl (the ferociously riveting Lucy Bredeson-Smith). Their monologues and scenes are mesmerizing. And Shawn Galligan is appealing as the undulating Aquaboy.
Caveats: Kreitzer’s script, full of direct address to the audience, is uneven and some may find the content unappetizing but it’s never boring. Director Geoffrey Hoffman has Clyde Simon playing a bit over-the-top as the Ringmaster/owner.
Eye-popping: Sade Wolfkitten’s pre-show act (stomping barefoot through broken glass) is not only unforgettable, it’s an apt metaphor for the experience of the show.
Details: Thru 8/23 @ The Liminis, http://www.convergence-continuum.org
From Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

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

1) TeamNEO finds Northeast Ohio real estate market strong in their new report.
TeamNEO.org

2) Got a Jones to Write Kids’ Books? Northern Ohio Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (NOHSCBWI) 6th annual conference. The theme? The Sky’s the Limit.
nohscbwi.org

3) Walk+Roll Lakewood video highlights.
CoolCleveland.com

4) Straight Outta Mansfield The CNN Special: Black in America by Mansfield Frazier.
CoolCleveland.com

5) Ryan Anderson of Anderson, Biro, recently moved to ClevelandPlus.
CoolCleveland.com

Sounds Good to Us Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the hardcore Hard Corps: Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Claudia J. Taller, Victor Lucas & Elsa Johnson, Douglas O’Bryon, Linda Eisenstein, Kelly Ferjutz, Diane DiPiero Mansfield B. Frazier, and introducing Steve McQuillin. And lastly, though certainly not least, thanks to our readers 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 podcasts and videos each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com
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Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: LettersATCoolCleveland.com
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Letters@CoolCleveland.com
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