Replife

5.21-5.28.08
Replife

In this week’s issue:

It’s a simple philosophy, really: speak the truth. We admit it’s a little harder to pull off than it is to say. But this week, watch Replife as he rehearses with the CYO, speaking truth one line at a time. And it’s about time that someone opened up some mountain bike trails in this region: CAMBA got one going at CanalWay and we’ve got the video. Plus a roundup of parklife for Kids and their parents. Mansfield cries out for justice, and once again, Cool Cleveland insists on speaking the truth. Now it’s your turn. —Thomas Mulready

Replife a.k.a. Daniel Gray-Kontar
Contemporary Youth Orchestra

Replife, the stage name for Daniel Gray-Kontar, has been a busy man. After spending his formative years in the Cleveland area heading up the Poetry Slam team, practicing journalism, writing poetry and founding the groundbreaking publication, Urban Dialect, a direct antecedent of Cool Cleveland, Gray-Kontar has found himself on the Left Coast studying at the University of California at Berkeley. As Replife, he matches socially conscious verses with nu-jazz and hip-hop, and has just released a disc, The Unclosed Mind, and will be touring Japan later this year. Through Progressive Arts Alliance, Replife was hooked up with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra to collaborate on Farandole: Classically Celebrating Hip-Hop, a major collaboration with legendary Grammy-award-winning DJ GrandMixer DXT and other Emcees this Fri 5/23 at 7:30PM at Wolstein Center. Tix are available at 241-5555 or by clicking here. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready snuck into a rehearsal with the 120-member youth orchestra and captured a few minutes with Replife and a run-through of a track on his new CD called, Change For A Dollar that he calls his “anthem,” and his gift to the city of Cleveland. Progressive Arts Alliance; Contemporary Youth Orchestra.

Nancy Desmond
CanalWay Center

Nancy Desmond feels like she’s found Nirvana. Not the band. Just a great job, a great place to live, and a great mission to help people feel at home at CanalWay Center, the MetroParks’ urban educational park. Coinciding with Cleveland Bicycle Week, she oversaw the opening of the Cleveland area’s first legal off-road mountain bike trail, a 2.5 intermediate track, with a beginner’s loop, at CanalWay Center, and Cool Cleveland was there to give it a ride. Although on opening day the trail was a bit damp and slippery, the track is well marked, and satisfyingly challenging. In the heart of this trail, while actually situated in the midst of Cleveland’s most industrial corridor, you’d think you were in the wilderness. Dig this Cleveland: mountain biking in the city! A surreal, almost out-of-body experience. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready spoke with Nancy about the new trail, and the educational goodies that CanalWay offers 24/7/365. Mountain Biking In The City; Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association; CanalWay Center

Taking in the Cleveland Metroparks

The 21,000 acres of preserved green space in the Cleveland Metroparks’ Emerald Necklace is almost completely green now. It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a subtle transformation, but the undergrowth is becoming springy and plants are sprouting through the soil looking for light before the canopy of trees softens the sun’s rays. Hiking trails cross over every reservation. The all-purpose trails are open to biking, running, and rollerblading. We can roll, walk, and run. We can also get in shape by stopping at the 18 stations of the physical fitness trails—they provide a complete workout along 1 to 1-1/2 mile paths located in Bedford, Big Creek, Brecksville, Euclid Creek, Mill Stream Run, North Chagrin, Rocky River and South Chagrin reservations…

Read more from Claudia J. Taller here

The Ride of Silence is an inclusive, silent, low-speed bicycle ride to honor those injured or killed while cycling and to promote cycling safety. The nationwide ride, as well as the Cleveland area ride, is set for Wed 5/21 at 7PM; cyclists will gather locally at Garfield Park Nature Center (11350 Broadway Ave.) The route will proceed through the Garfield and Cleveland neighborhoods. To learn more about Ride of Silence, visit http://www.rideofsilence.org/howto.php. http://www.clevelandbikes.org.

Parade the Circle Camp Join great great folks at Passport Project’s neighborhood community arts center for costume-making, dance and music that will delight thousands at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Parade the Circle Celebration starting Wed 5/21 and leading up to the Sat 6/14 PtC event! Special guest artist (and Trinidad Carnaval artist) Michael Guy James leads the group, joined by artists from around the world and around the corner — including the Passport Project Global Dance & Music Collective. 12801 Buckeye Rd. Details for After School and Summer schedules at http://www.passportproject.org.

10th Annual Student Art Exhibition Standing Rock Cultural Arts and St. Vincent St. Mary High School feature selected charcoal, photography, watercolor paintings by the students of SVSM High School Art Class Sat 5/24 at 7:30PM with an opening reception. Exhibit runs through late June. North Water Street Gallery, 257 N. Water St., Kent. Call 330-673-4970 or visit http://www.standingrock.net for updates.

Hey Einstein! The Great Lakes Science center’s educational look at the life of one of the great science minds of all time launches Fri 5/23 and runs through early September. And it’s super cool. Their Einstein exhibition is the most comprehensive look at his life, theories, genius and legacy. Divided into nine segments, GLSC’s cutting-edge interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations and personal documentation unearth a side of the man that not everyone knows. Details: 694-2000 or visit http://www.greatscience.com.

Frogs, Hogs & Dogs With the weather warming up, you’re bound to do the Cleveland Metroparts Zoo with the kids… why not check out some of their endangered amphibians, brilliantly colored red river hogs from the bush of Africa and extremely rare New Guinea singing dogs from the forests of Australia. The Frogs, Hogs & Dogs attraction runs Fri 5/23 through late September and is part of regular admission to the Zoo. http://www.clemetzoo.com.

HOT “Skylase” Laser Light Spectacular A dazzling blend of shape-shifting laser lights and pulsing music is coming to the Walter R. Schuele Planetarium at Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village for a limited run starting Sat 5/24 and running through mid June. Stunning, full-dome laser programs feature a mix of music from the Beatles to the B52’s, Foo Fighters to Mariah Carey, and the ever popular Pink Floyd. Award-winning, laser-animated sky folklore will be featued at family matinees. The spectacular shows are powered by the Skylase “Audio Visual Imagineering” system. Tickets on sale day of event only – first come, first served. Log on to http://www.lensc.org for complete schedule, ticket prices and featured music.

Veterans Memorial Bridge & Subway Tour This season’s first walking tour of the venerable Cleveland landmark is being held Sat 5/24 from 9AM – 3PM (including the lower level). Reservations are not needed for this self-guided tour; cameras are encouraged! 2433 Superior Viaduct, with no-cost parking available in the County Engineer’s lot. Call 348-3900 (on the day of the tour) or 348-3824 all other times. http://www.cuyctyengineers.org.

SPONSORED: Are We Alone in the Universe? On Sat 5/31 The Cleveland Museum of Natural History will open a new exhibition that looks at the science behind the search for life in the Universe. Entitled “Alien Earths,” the exhibition will run through Sept. 1. Developed by the Space Science Institute and sponsored by NASA and the National Science Foundation, “Alien Earths” addresses the question, “Are we alone in the Universe?” Two decades of technological advances have allowed astronomers to look deeper and deeper into space to find the answer. With more than 100 billion stars in our galaxy and more than 100 billion galaxies in the Universe, visitors will get a feel for how big the Universe actually is. For more information contact (216) 231-4600, 800-317-9155 or www.cmnh.org.

Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events for kids & families from 12-year-old Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max.

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

To ensure you receive Cool Cleveland every week, take a moment now and add CoolCleveland@CoolCleveland.com to your address book, trusted sender list, or corporate white list. Learn More.

2008 Blossom Festival Single Tickets go on sale Tue 5/27. Click
Climate change ads in Ohio mention Voinovich, Brown Watch the ad here
And speaking of climate change… this is pretty interesting local news. Click
Payday lender flees Ohio after legislation stiffens the way penalty rates are calculated against consumers. Click
The Memorial Day Weekend parties start when you click here
Officials OK plans for ailing Akron museum. Click
A Buckeye State city has big plans for bikes and it’s not Cleveland. Read more about it here
Collaboration Technology and Campus Engagement videos are available here
News on the Detroit-Shoreway indie cinema and its opening Spring 2009 by clicking here
Compare hospitals, doctors with the click of a mouse at OhioHealth site. Read
Know about the master plan forums for Cleveland schools? If not, you might want to click here
Author Les Roberts offers sneak peak of new book feat. private eye Milan Jacovich. The first three chapters of King of the Holly Hop can be downloaded at no cost here
Need a little rooftop cabana partytime right about now? View’s got just the thing (and link) for you Click
Three words: Drum fantasy camp Sounds like fun to us. Click

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.

SPONSORED: Making Trail Mix with thunder::tech :: You’re never alone when you’re lost in the woods:: You have a lot of ground to cover, you need some sustenance, and wrinkly, old raisins are just not going to cut it. This is what some other agencies will offer you–but at thunder::tech, we have a better recipe. Here, you’ll find an energy-packed mixture of delicious PR chocolate chips, sunflower design seeds, web cashews and honey nut marketing granola strategy. We’re there for the long haul, helping you find that trail and giving you the energy you need to forge ahead. Hungry for a new marketing approach? Stop by the site-give us a call:: http://www.thundertech.com • 216.391.2255

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

From Songwriters to Soundmen with Matt Pinfield The tables are turned, as the interviewer becomes the interviewee. Matt Pinfield, whose name is most well known for his time as an MTV VJ, will be interviewed in front of a live audience at the Rock Hall Wed 5/21 at 7PM. Rock Hall’s 4th Floor Theater serves as the venue. Please email edu@rockhall.org or call 515-8426 to RSVP. http://www.rockhall.com.

HOT Talalay Lecture Series: The New Face of Architecture This intriguing MOCA Cleveland event hits the Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre at ideastream (1375 Euclid Ave.) on Wed 5/21 at 6PM. Winner of the 2006 TED [Technology, Entertainment Design] Prize, the motto of Cameron Sinclair’s group, Architecture for Humanity, is “design like you give a damn.” that pretty well sums up his design vision. Register by calling 421-8671, ext. 21. Details at http://www.mocacleveland.org.

New World Performance Laboratory conducts a series of open work sessions in Performance Ecology for public participation in May and June before the company leaves for its European tour. Sessions will be lead by Co-Artistic Directors Jairo Cuesta and James Slowiak. The sessions will be held beginning Wed 5/21 from 7 – 10PM. Other dates include 5/22, 5/28, 5/29, 6/4 and 6/5 from 7 – 10PM and 5/24, 5/31 and 6/7 from 9 – 12AM in Studio 194 in Guzzetta Hall on The University of Akron campus. Advance registration is requested by calling 330-867-3299. http://www.nwplab.org.

HOT Med Mart/Conv Center Forum The Cuyahoga County Commissioners are having a public forum on Thu 5/22 from 5:30 – 7:30PM to allow the public to learn about the site selection process for the Medical Mart and Convention Center and also to provide the public an opportunity give their input. The event will be held at the Center for Families and Children, 4500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. More info here.

Bellrays, Architects, Cobra Verde It’s a dynamite triple-play headlined by the mighty Bellrays (who opened for the Pixies at the CMJ-Cleveland) on Thu 5/22 at the Grog Shop. They’re one of the “finest cross-breedings of powerhouse soul and explosive rock n’ roll that currently exists,” according to one of the participating bands’ members. We couldn’t agree more. http://www.grogshop.gs.

Gogol’s Gamblers The Cleveland Museum of Art’s (CMA) acclaimed VIVA! & Gala Around Town performance series presents the Cleveland debut of Nikolai Gogol’s The Gamblers starting Thu 5/22 at 7:30PM and continuing on long weekends through mid-June. Born in Ukraine, Gogol is considered one the most original Russian writers ever; Dostoevsky himself is believed to have claimed, “We all crawled out from under Gogol’s overcoat.” Performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30PM; Sunday matinees at 3PM at Kennedy’s at Playhouse Square. http://www.clevelandart.org.

Strobe Talbott The president of the Brookings Institution, talks about his new book The Great Experiment: The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation, which combines historical and political analysis with personal reflection on efforts to forge a peaceful community of nations, at noon on Thu 5/22 at The City Club of Cleveland. Previously, Talbott was founding director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization. http://www.cityclub.org.

Something Dada @ the Centrum Need a good laugh? We here at Cool Cleveland could use a couple this week… which is great, because the venerable Something Dada comedy troupe is gonna split your sides for a litmited run at the Centrum Theater on Coventry, starting Thu 5/22. Complete schedule, details and showtimes are at: http://www.somethingdada.com.

France, Italy, Germany Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens continues its 2008 Wine Tasting Series on Thu 5/22 from 6 – 8PM, with European adventure and flair. Noteworthy wines from France, Italy and Germany will be featured, along with light appetizers from Two Hungary Sisters Catering and live entertainment by the Rolando Pizana Duo. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron. To purchase tickets, call 330-315-3287 or visit http://www.stanhywet.org.

Magnificent Mozart Music Director Franz Welser-Möst will conduct The Cleveland Orchestra in concerts featuring Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 at Severance Hall on Thu 5/22 and Sat 5/24 at 8PM. The brilliant Mitsuko Uchida will be soloist in Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3. The program for the Fri 5/23 concert at 11AM consists of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9. http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

HOT Art Fur Animals The 4th Annual Benefit & Auction to raise money for the Friends of the Cleveland Kennel hits Fri 5/23 from 7 – 10PM at the Galleria on Erieview. The artwork up for a live auction includes over 20 custom designed ceramic dogs by dozens of renowned Cle artists, and other artwork included in the silent auction as well. Raffle prizes from local businesses, delicious apps and plenty of good wine & beer are to be had, along with 50’s/60’s jazz from the band Martini 5-0 and DJ Neil Chastain. http://www.friendsofclevelandkennel.com.

SpaceLab Join SPACES for a night of collaborative dialogue and performance on Fri 5/23 at 6PM. The evening begins with a gallery talk by Cleveland artists Andrea Joki and Christopher Auerbach-Brown, as they discuss their interdisciplinary collaborative project, Papersound. Joki, a visual artist, and Auerbach-Brown, a composer, created a dynamic installation producing a visual and auditory dialogue in the gallery. 2220 Superior Viaduct. http://www.spacesgallery.org.

Russian pianist Alexander Ghindin The 2007 Gold Medalist of the Cleveland International Piano Competition performs at the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Mixon Hall Fri 5/23 at 8PM. At 13, Ghindin won the Moscow Young Pianists’ Competition. At 14, he became the youngest pianist to ever win the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition and was invited to join the Moscow State Philharmonic as principal soloist. http://www.cim.edu.

Another Torque Improv Show! May showers you with big laughs! Start your holiday weekend early and join Cleveland’s Improv Comedy Machine “Torque” and their “full throttle comedy” as they usher in spring with there unique brand of unscripted improv comedy at The Powerhouse Pub on the West Bank of the Flats. Show runs Fri 5/23 from 8 – 10PM. Call 479-3353 or visit http://www.clevelandimprovinstitute.com for details and tix.

SPONSORED: This Friday, 5/23, at 8PM, WCLV 104.9 will be live from Mixon Hall at the Cleveland Institute of Music for a recital by Alexander Ghindin, winner of the 2007 Cleveland International Piano Competition. Ghindin performs Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The next night, Saturday, 5/24, WCLV revists The Cleveland Orchestra’s semi-staged performance of Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier, conducted by Franz. Full details on all of WCLV’s programming at http://www.WCLV.com.

HOT Gao Xingjian: The Voice and Hand of a Self Cleveland Public Library will presents this multimedia talk by Dr. Marion Sunghua Lee on the 2000 Nobel Prize winner for Literature Sat 5/24 at 2PM in the Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, 325 Superior Ave. Dr. Lee is an assistant professor in the College of Fine Arts at Ohio University and specializes in the visual arts and culture of China. This program is presented in partnership with Cleveland Public Theatre and their production of two plays by Gao Xingjian: The Other Shore and Between Life and Death which are running now through mid-June. Details.

Blackbird The Bang and the Clatter’s production, directed by Sean McConaha, features Sean Derry and Alanna Romansky. Performances run from Sat 5/24 through mid June and paints a bleak, existential picture for the human condition. Don’t miss this audience favorite being staged at the The Bang and The Clatter’s “Sometimes In The Silence…Theatre Company” at 224 Euclid Ave. For ticket reservations, call the box office at 330-606-5317 or visit http://www.bnctheatre.com.

Remembering John O’Brien On Sat 5/24 at 7PM, The Lit will screen the Academy Award winning film, Leaving Las Vegas, which was based on John O’Brien’s novel of the same name. Following the film, John’s sister Erin O’Brien will lead an informal talk. Touching on the myths surrounding John and the film, John’s posthumous works, and the enduring fascination people have with the film and the book. Erin will celebrate her brother’s life and works during what would have been his 48th birthday. http://www.the-lit.org.

Larchmere Sidewalk Sale It only happens twice a year: the grand sidewalk sale of Larchmere Blvd., with shoppables from over 40 independent merchants! There’s something for everyone at this fun shindig Sat 5/24 from 11AM – 5PM. Start at Loganberry Books, where they’re offering 20% off all books, then make your way to a bevy of antiques stores, nosh and four different opening celebrations for new businesses! Loganberry Books 13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights. http://www.loganberrybooks.com.

Gina’s Gallery & Boutique will be hosting an opening Sat 5/24 from 5 – 9PM celebrating Cleveland artist Ann Vandervelde’s final show. Also showing “A Whisper of His Nature,” Ohio themed sculpture by Dan Grantham and the debut of the “Paper Doll Collection,” fashions by Duchess von Dudik. All artists will be present to discuss their work. Light refreshments will be served. Gina’s Gallery & Boutique in Little Italy, 2072 Murray Hill Rd. http://www.ginasgalleryboutique.com.

Art on Wheels White Elephant Sale On Sat 5/24 from 10 AM – 4PM, check out a parade of cool loot including a Big Screen TV, office desks file cabinets, computers, scanners, tables, Parade the Circle items, many different varities of art and craft supplies and a whole lot more. There’s even an antique sewing machine up for grabs! All proceeds benefit Art On Wheels, Inc. Studios. 1148 Main Ave., Suite 500, in the Shooter’s Restaurant building on the West Bank of the Flats. Call 941-7643 or visit http://www.artonwheels.us.

Kings of Swing The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra teams up with Carl Topilow of the Cleveland Pops to perform smash hits from the Swing Era, with Topilow featured on the clarinet. Take a trip down memory lane Sat 5/24 at 8PM at the Fairmount Temple Auditorium. Details at http://www.clevelandjazz.org.

Cooking up a Storm The first Tri-C summer cooking course begins on Tue 5/27 with Traditional Korean Cooking at 6:30PM. Chef instructors for the entire series include Brandt Evans, Richard Fulchiron, Brian Doyle, Jeff Fisher, Mike Piazza, and Jonathon Sawyer. Most of the courses cover hands-on-food prep and meal tasting; classes will be held at Tri-C’s Metro Campus Culinary Kitchen on the South Concourse, Room 87, 2900 Community College Ave. Info and registration: 987-3075 or http://www.tri-c.edu/enrichment/fun.

Hamlet in Hebrew In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel, The Cleveland Play House presents The Cameri Theatre of Tel Aviv’s production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, beginning Wed 5/28 and running through the weekend. Sponsored by the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland’s Israel@60 program, the production of Hamlet will be performed entirely in Hebrew, with simultaneous English translation through personal headsets. 8500 Euclid Ave. http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com.

Jim Rokakis The Cuyahoga County Treasurer will discuss a proposed Ohio bill to land bank foreclosed properties at noon on Wed 5/28 at noon at The City Club of Cleveland. Rokakis took office as treasurer in March 1997 after serving for more than 19 years on Cleveland City Council, the last seven as chairman of the finance committee. He has brought sweeping reform to the treasurer’s office, overhauling county property tax collection system and improving the county’s investment function. http://www.cityclub.org.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

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

One Cleveland Ctr sold for $86.3M. Click
Equality bill is a biz issue as well as one of civil rights. Click
NEO mayors consider revenue sharing to stop competition between local gov’ts. Click
A money grab of a different kind in a Cuyahoga/Lorain distressed area exam. Click
Ohio is a magnet for health care venture capital firms. Click
Who is giving to presidential campaigns? Who are the donors? Click
Walk+Roll warms up in the e-tech hatchery at Star Plaza on Playhouse Square. Click

Warrensville Hts. CoC says You’re Invited Daddy-O! to their 50th Anniversary Celebration Wed 5/21 from 6PM – ? Cool food, networking, live tunes. Register
Cleveland Opportunity + Expo 2008 is designed to provide small and mid-size businesses in Cle an opportunity to promote and introduce products or services and establish new relationships. It hits Fri 5/23 at 10AM at the Galleria. Click
The Association of Litigation Support Professionals (or ALSP) hosts the first mtg of the new Cle Chapter to be held from noon to 1:30 on Thu 5/29 in the Shatten Board Room, located in the Higbee Conference Facility of COSE at Tower City on Public Square. More
Velocity/2008 celebrates NEO companies accelerating our economy with innovative practices, strategies Thu 5/29 at 4:30PM at the Idea Center. RSVP? Call 375-7974 or email: danyoung@dxysolutions.com
Manfg for the Med Market Hear from area manufacturing leaders Thu 5/29 who have successfully diversified their biz to participate in the biomed industry. Register
Understanding the Entrepreneurial Mindset is the subject of forum Fri 5/30 from 8AM – noon at Corp College East. Details
Register Today For Crain’s Women of Note Luncheon at LaCentre in Westlake this coming Wed 6/4. Register
Reaching Out: Diversity and Inclusion in Public Relations diversity reception feat. Andrew Jackson, SVP of GCP Thu 6/4 at 5:30PM, GCP-HQ, Higbee Bldg. Register
Doing Business in China: Hurdling the Great Wall is a one-day forum event on Fri 6/6 from 9AM – 1PM. Details here
E4S leader Holly Harlan and GCBL Institute’s David Beach headline June Corp Club at Landerhaven lunch Thu 6/12 starting at 11:30AM. Click

HOT Med Mart/Conv Center Forum The Cuyahoga County Commissioners are having a public forum on Thu 5/22 from 5:30 – 7:30PM to allow the public to learn about the site selection process for the Medical Mart and Convention Center and also to provide the public an opportunity give their input. The event will be held at the Center for Families and Children, 4500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. More info can be found by clicking here.

SPONSORED: FITTech Alert – What is Green IT? It’s using computing resources efficiently. One good example is creating virtual servers. Now, instead of using resources to power many servers, your company only maintains one physical server. How much would you save in utility costs and hardware investment? What a great way to make your IT go Green. Learn more at http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/CCGreenIT.html.

Fourth Wall’s Bank Guards Offer Twists, Turns

Five guys—who just so happen to be employed as guards at a bank—decide to rob a bank. None of them have ever done such a thing before, so not surprisingly, they don’t know a whole lot about how to proceed. And then, as if by magic, along comes a know-it-all kid, who’s already robbed five banks, and has a plan for number six. Is he for real, or is he trouble, with a capital T? Twists and turns abound, along with laugh-out-loud lines, and lots of testosterone showing off, in The Bank Guards, a brand-new comedy-drama by Matthew A. Sprosty, Fourth Wall’s Managing Director and Resident Playwright.

The actors—Ric Barr (Lawrence), Dash Combs (Crowe), Nate Bigger (Dustin), DJ Hellerman (Rick), Michael Riffle (Ben) and Benjamin Gates (the kid, Trevor)—as you might expect, excel at some parts more than others, but overall do well in the confined space with the minimal props. Resident Director Rebecca Cole keeps the pace moving swiftly, aided by Technical Director Justin Tatum. In the end, it’s a production from a great young troupe that’s got a lot going for it… and well worth experiencing.

The Bank Guards continues through June 1, with a special performance on Monday, May 26. For tickets or other information, call 330-283-2442, or visit the web-site: www.fourthwallproductions.com

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com

Northeast Shores to create brain trust for eight new murals.
Solar powered glowing spheres invade Mall B.
Expressing feelings preparing a meal.
RTA to team up with Google on maps, schedules.
The reason everyone needs to learn poetry.

A Cry for Answers, a Call for Justice

The family of Chevonne Ecclestone, the Strongsville woman that was brutally attacked in a Parma park, wants (and certainly deserves) a straight answer: They want to know how Todd Torok, who has been arrested 36 times and convicted 22 of those times, could be allowed to roam free and harm an innocent woman. However, I’m afraid no honest, straight answer will be forthcoming from any quarter of the criminal justice system … simply because an honest, straight answer would point out a troubling, institutionalized, and deeply embedded flaw in that system.

While acknowledging that it’s indeed painful to raise such a nettlesome issue as the victim lies in a hospital bed struggling for her life, the simple truth is, the only time we as a society will pay any attention to systemic problems is when they manifest themselves in the form of some act so heinous, so brutal… that our sensibilities are outraged beyond our ability to ignore…
Read more from Mansfield B. Frazier here

User Sets Mode+
User Sets Mode+

This Cleveland/Akron pop-punk connection has got a lot of pure audio energy going for it. User Sets Mode+ made their debut last year on the PureVolume stage in the Florida Music Festival & Conference in Orlando, but odds are you know members Mandy Lashua (vocals), Derek Lashua (guitars), Craig Ramsey (drums) and Justin Arroyo (bass) from the myriad of other bands they have participated in. Punky, sassy and feisty, the band’s six-song, self-titled EP is done in a flash but it rocks hard in that perfect summertime way.

Perfectly punky and crunchy, User Sets Mode+ kicks off the festivities with the adrenaline-fused “Breaking Ground” and “Disconnected,” both of which have a great deal of uptempo appeal. Mandy Lashua’s jaunty, saucy vocal histrionics are perfect for the sonic stew, giving the proceedings a swaggeringly sexy Garbage/Shirley Manson-like vibe. More slick than their respective indie projects, USM+ members jam a whole lot of spunk into a 20-minute punk-pop capsule. The only drawback to the EP is the perfect marketing — that hopelessly longing for more. Perfect tunes for fun in the sun.

User Sets Mode+ offers their brand of punk-pop in two different formats. On Saturday, May 24 at 8PM, Derek and Mandy offer an acoustic performance at Bela Dubby in Lakewood; the following Saturday, May 31 at 9PM, they celebrate the release of the EP at the Beachland Ballroom with a host of great Cleveland bands including Bears, Coffinberry, Hot Rails, Beaten Awake, Kiddo and Expecting Rain. Visit them online at http://www.myspace.com/usersetsmode.

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

Developers Allowed to Decide Cleveland’s Future

Who rules in Cleveland now? The real estate developers, of course.

It used to be that top executives of the big corporate Fortune 500 companies and allied big law firm managers, along with numerous front groups, pulled the strings and directed what happened in Cleveland.

Now it seems with the disappearance of so many Cleveland Fortune 500 corporations and control of other corporations based in other cities, they play a less significant role in public decision-making. They just don’t have the community interest or the need as they did in the past.

Our public media, led by The Plain Dealer, are now expressing much outrage at some Cuyahoga County officials, with obvious reason. The same public media, on the other hand, show only boosterism for developers and their activity. There is little to no critical examination of their behavior…
Read more from Roldo Bartimole here

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

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 5/15 Visiting conductor Osmo Vanska led the Cleveland Orchestra in a technically treacherous (but oft raucously loud) clarinet concerto programmed between two lushly gorgeous works for orchestra. Aaron Copland’s “Clarinet Concerto” (splashily played by Franklin Cohen who worked so hard to get his groove on he had to wear a little neck strap so he wouldn’t drop his clarinet) proved shrill and loud, but since it was a work composed for Benny Goodman that jazzy sound was just part of the show. The program-opening Sibelius “Symphony No. 3” seemed to trace the arc of a day–beginning with soft melodies, lute-like strings, bird calls and then rising as the sun came up and the work day began and finally falling with echoing brass welcoming in the shadows of fast-falling night. (Yeah, I really liked it). The closing work, a Suite from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” served as a reminder of the ballet (but the dancers were missed). Certain passages, especially harp and violin duets, approached magic. The excerpts were chosen by conductor Vanska, who carried the orchestra with him for this work and the others with vigorous “whole-body” conducting that made the concert easy to follow, surely for the orchestra, and most certainly from the audience.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Kennelly lkennellyATgmail.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 5/15 Trompe-l’œil is a form of visual art that creates illusions. In English, that name means ‘fool the eye’. Last weekend’s concerts by the Cleveland Orchestra with guest conductor Osmo Vänskä gave us the the musical version – fool the ear, maybe? It was relatively standard repertoire, or at least very popular and well-known composers: Sibelius, Copland and Tchaikovsky. All very mainstream, to be sure. But yet, nothing was quite the way it seemed it would be, although everything was wonderfully performed.

You hear the name Sibelius, and if you’re at all familiar with concert music, no doubt you’d think of the somewhat stark Symphony No. 2 or the Violin Concerto. What was on the program, however, was the Symphony No. 3. There could be no question that it was Sibelius—his fingerprints and harmonies were all through it. It just didn’t sound like the Sibelius we’ve come to know and hold in high regard. This was as though, after the winter of the second symphony, the composer had emerged into spring. It was almost sunny and cheerful! Pastoral, in fact. I wonder why, then, hasn’t it been performed here for more than 60 years?

The second movement, for which the conductor rested his baton, featured a lovely duet between two flutes, then another between two clarinets. Then, all the winds indulged in a country dance – purely happy sounds! A big brassy ending brought the work to a close.

You think of the music of Aaron Copland, and you think stringent and melodic, as in his Appalachian Spring. His Clarinet Concerto—featuring principal clarinetist Franklin Cohen—is anything but! Well, melodic, here and there, but certainly not stringent. Jazzy, in fact. The beginning is quite blues-y, mixed among the lyrical portions, followed by a free-wheeling, virtuosic cadenza. A New York-ish piquancy invades the theme, which is repeated more slowly by the piano, eloquently performed by Joella Jones. The tempo picked up again, however, with more piano riffs and slapped bass accompanying the solo clarinet in the whirling finale.

Who hasn’t heard at least some of the music of Swan Lake, that gorgeous ballet score by Tchaikovsky? Of course, the entire score is close to three hours in length, but still it’s full of lovely melodies that conjure up mental images of the dance. But this time, the familiar themes were condensed and the entire piece brought to a more concert-manageable 45 minutes. We owe Mr. Vänskä a huge ‘thank you’ for his careful and splendid efforts in producing this concert suite. Of course, it’s not the first such, and probably not the last one, either, but this one really works well!

Starting from the beginning of the ballet, through the ending, all the selections played here were in the general order as if for the dance. Mostly, they were shortened some, although bits of the less familiar were left behind entirely. As a former orchestral musician (clarinet) the energetic conductor/arranger has a great understanding of the role played by individual members of the orchestra. Consequently, there were many lovely solos throughout: oboe, harp, violin, cello, bassoon, trumpet, clarinet, and of course, percussion! Everyone had a workout in this invigorating performance.

This week, Franz Welser-Möst returns, as does pianist Mitsuko Uchida. On the musical menu are Mozart, Berg and the Bartók Piano Concerto No. 3. For tickets or more information, call 231-1111 or visit the website http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com

My Favorite Year @ Beck Center 5/16 I can’t fathom why Beck Center, which has been on a positive role for picking good scripts and staging strong productions, decided to stage the very dated and poorly written My Favorite Year. I also can’t grasp how William Roudebush, who last year directed the outstanding Equus got so off course with his interpretation of this musical. Written by Joseph Dougherty, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, Year centers on the experiences of Benjy Stone, a young comedy writer who works on “The King Kaiser Show,” a program much like the classic “Show of Shows” which starred Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca.

When Alan Swann, an Errol Flynn-like movie star is signed to make a guest appearance on “The King Kaiser Show,” all hell breaks lose. Swann is an alcoholic, in a state of depression over his failed role as a father, and a womanizer. It becomes Benjy’s duty to “baby sit” the star and make sure he stays sober until show time. Of course, many stumbling blocks must be jumped over.

The script has a troubled past. After 45 previews in which there were constant rewrites, the show opened on December 10, 1992 and ran only 36 performances, in spite of a cast that included Tim Curry, Josh Mostel and Lainie Kazan. It generally got negative reviews, including one that called it a “barren Broadway musical.” Many of the references are dated, only understood by those around in the early days of television. The show was rewritten in 2007 with an eye to a Broadway opening.

If the Beck production is anything of what the future holds, the Big Apple isn’t going to like this version any better than the last one. Maybe Beck chose the script because of their successes with A Man of No Importance and Ragtime, which had music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Maybe they chose it because no other theatre in the area has staged it. Whatever, it was a big mistake. The script is bad and the music unmemorable.

Roudebush misdirected the show. It is a farce! It needed lots of shtick. It needed fast pacing. It needed a Sid Caesar, bigger-than-life attitude. It had none of these. And, then there was the set. Richard Gould went over the top. There were so many massive set pieces that the cast spent more time schlepping and pushing set pieces than they did singing, dancing and acting. Roudebush seemingly spent more time figuring out how to get the sets on stage than in directing the cast.

Several of the leading actors were quite good. Shawn Galligan (Benjy), has a nice Mathew Broderick look and quality, and he sings better than Broderick. Unfortunately, he proved in the dance numbers, that he is not a hoofer.

Matthew Wright was right-on as Alan Swann. Wright, as usual, is a delight to watch on stage. The guy can act, sing, dance and carry on a great sword fight. (Thanks to John Davis the fight director!) It’s almost worth going to see the rest of this train wreck just to see Wright.

Jean Zarzour was fun as Benjy’s mother, but even she couldn’t get out from under Roudebush’s heavy hand. This lady is funny… let her loose to do her thing! The same goes for Rachel Spence (who played Alice Miller, aka Imogene Coca). She has the right look, but was way too restrained. And John Polk was either miscast or misdirected as King Kaiser. He was absolutely not funny. Funny was a requirement for the role.

Choreographer Martin Cespedes tried valiantly to produce some creative dance numbers, but was hindered by a cast which appeared not to have a single accomplished dancer. He also had to figure out how to work around all those set pieces which came rolling in and out. I’m surprised no one has gotten maimed from all that stuff.

I took my grandsons — Alex (12) and Noah Berko (11) — the kid reviewers to see the show as I had expected it to be a farcical laugh riot. They were basically bored. They liked the sword fighting scenes. Noah kept getting confused with who was who because “the same people were playing lots of parts.” Alex, a talented musician, thought the band was too loud at the start but settled in and Shawn Galligan had a nice singing voice though he flatted in several songs.

Capsule judgment: In spite of a wonderful performance by Matthew Wright, this production was a major disappointment. With a weak script and a poor directing vision, the show just never took off!

My Favorite Year runs through June 8 at The Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood. For ticket information, call 521-2540 or visit http://www.beckcenter.org.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy berko royberkoATyahoo.com

Roy Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2008, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.

The Bank Guards @ Fourth Wall 5/16
Reasons to go: Local playwright Matthew Sprosty (Malicious Bunny) has an unfailing sense of black comic dialogue. Billed as a drama, his new play about bank guards who plan a heist has more laughs that most comedies. Think Tarentino: confused dudes who spew delightfully digressive riffs that are actually more entertaining than the genre-based plot. The young company’s production is smart and engaging, with whipcrack direction by Rebecca Cole and energetic performances by an able cast.
Lulls: There are places where the script sags, mostly when Sprosty concentrates on plot points that we’re well ahead of. But overall, it’s still great fun by a writer with promise.
Bottoms up: The special 7PM Memorial Day performance has free beer.
Details: Thru 6/1 @ Enterprise Center, http://www.fourthwallproductions.com
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein lindaeisenstein@yahoo.com

The Cleveland Plays @ Dobama 5/11 Cleveland is in the doldrums. The Cavs didn’t win the championship; the Indians can’t hit; foreclosures keep piling up; schools are in chaos; flight from the “Best Location in the Nation” continues, the on-again, off convention center/medical mart seems to be on hold.” My oh my, how can we perk the place up? I know, let’s put on a show! And, that’s what Dobama decided to do, put on a show to build some pride in the city. Not one show, but a series is planned with the encompassing title of, The Cleveland Plays. Good idea. Unfortunately, like a lot of things in C-town, the dreams worked better than the execution.

The script goes in too many directions and lacks a unified voice. Eric Coble, Nina Domingue and Eric Schmiedl are award winning playwrights. They know this city well. All of them have the best intentions, but never developed a thread to wind its way through the concept. Note, I did not use the word story, because there really isn’t a story.

There are a lot of local places mentioned: Solon, Slavic Village, Cleveland Heights, Mount Pleasant, Lakewood, Rocky River, Hough, Beachwood, Buckeye, East Cleveland, Euclid. There are Cleveland landmarks noted like Malley’s and Shaker Square. Even people’s names are thrown in, such as Manny Barenholtz, the developer of Walden in Aurora. There is a good general overview of how we got here, thanks to the confused Moses Cleaveland, who comes back to “lead us out of here” and complains because we misspelled his name.

Wait, why is Clevealand, who lead us into this area, leading us out? That’s never made clear. Also not made clear is why Lenny (George Roth) is spray painting the city. And, why is pregnant Nisha (Nina Domingue) so intent on photographing people and places in the area, with no means of support, refusing to move to Columbus, where her husband has been offered a job?

There are some good performances. Courtney Schloss takes on many roles with great success. George Roth looks and acts totally confused (is this great acting or the lack of coherent lines?), Nina Domingue is the usually competent Nina. On the other hand, Robert Williams (as Domingue’s husband) presents flat lines and Michael Regnier keeps changing accents and doesn’t really develop a clear characterization as Moses Cleaveland.

Steve Schultz’s projection design gives us some interesting views of the city and a lot of porches to observe.

Capsule judgment: Nice idea, Dobama. Good attempt to get us out of our doldrums. Too bad it didn’t work… the Cavs still lost, the Indians still can’t hit, and the mortgage crunch continues. Maybe Part II will be better.

For tickets, call 932-3396 and leave a message or visit http://www.ticketleap.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy berko royberkoATyahoo.com

Roy Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2008, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.

RiverDay @ Whiskey Island 5/17 The sun appeared, just in time to help celebrate the 7th annual RiverDay event at Whiskey Island on Saturday. Coincidentally, there was a dual celebration for the County of Cuyahoga – the bicentennial of its founding, and the dedication of a new bridge that connects the island and Wendy Park to Edgewater Park to the west. Thanks to the diligence of County Engineer Robert Klaiber, the bridge was finished on time, and on budget! Commissioner Jimmy Dimora was the emcee for the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, also attended by Mayor of the City of Cleveland, Frank Jackson, and Marjorie and Dan Moore, who spear-headed the founding of Wendy Park, named for their daughter, and former commissioner Timothy McCormack. Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones missed the ceremony, but did arrive in time for the unveiling of the commemorative plaque. The new bridge (two lanes for cars, one lane for pedestrians and/or cyclists) replaces the somewhat hazardous, single-lane bridge that had been the only prior means of accessing the Island, other than from the Lake!

Following the ceremonies, folks and their well-behaved canine companions sauntered across the Island to the historic Coast Guard Station, to hear remarks by Bob Brown, Cleveland City Planning Commission Director, Paul Alsenas, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Director, and Citizen Ed Hauser, of the Friends of Whiskey Island. Topics discussed were the river, the lakefront, Whiskey Island, the deteriorating but still salvageable and historic Coast Guard Station, the Hulett Ore Unloaders, the Whiskey Island-Towpath Trail Connector, riverside development and the Port Authority’s plans to expand operations to Whiskey Island Marina. Or not.

The patio of the Sunset Grille was open for business, amid much laughter, music and general merriment. You should try it sometime!

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.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) ClevelandSGS.com Photos, videos, a blog, some t-shorts. A new site about Cleveland emerges.
www.ClevelandSGS.com

2) Are you a cupcake? Here’s how you find out.
FeedingMaybelle.blogspot.com

3) Burning River Fest is back, it’s alive, and it’s burning.
http://www.BurningRiverFest.org

4) Ingenuity Festival is back, it’s high-tech, and it’s cutting edge
http://www.IngenuityCleveland.com

5) Cleveland Bicycle Week Watch the video, check the events, get out and ride.
Video. Site. Fast Track.

Get a Life with the help of your friendly, neighborhood Hard Corps. They’re working it for you every week. Show ’em the love. Thanks to Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Steve Copley, Roldo Bartimole, Mansfield B. Frazier, Claudia J. Taller, Kelly Ferjutz, Linda Eisenstein, Roy Berko and Mercury Retrograde. Extra special thanks this week to Brian Tommasone. 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
Join the conversation at Brewed Fresh Daily http://www.brewedfreshdaily.com
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: LettersATCoolCleveland.com
Receive your own copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine at http://www.CoolCleveland.com

Speak Your Truth, Cleveland,
–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com
Cool Networks LLC / 14837 Detroit #105 / Cleveland, OH 44107

All contents ©2008 Cool Networks LLC all rights reserved

(:divend:)