Best Of Show

10.3-10.10.07
Best of Show

In this week’s issue:
* Eats Cozy Fall outings
* Kids Cycling in Northeast Ohio
* Straight Outta Mansfield An end-run around the death penalty
* Ingenious Artist Hilton Murray
* BFD The Brain Drain remains
* Sounds Mike Uva and Hook Boy’s Static Sounds
* Reads Ask Hal by Hal Lebovitz
* Comment Is Wall Street Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
* RoldoLink A Most Undeserved Honor
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, Brewed Fresh Daily here

Cool Cleveland is honored to accept awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for Managing Editor Peter Chakerian’s writing, which won Best Business/Tech Story and Best Arts/Entertainment Story, as well as the overall Best of Show for Best General News Site. But to tell you the truth, we’re honored each and every week to hang around with the region’s coolest people and their awe-inspiring projects, businesses and events. Like this week’s interview with artist Hilton Murray, or our review of Mike Uva’s exquisite latest release, or our useful and timely survey of cozy fall dining spots. Exhibit A could be the pix from what some are calling our best party ever, last Fri at Akron-Canton Airport, where, along with some fab partners, we put the Plus in Cleveland+ and brought folks together and pushed the region a few inches higher. Whether it’s a BizTech commentary on the latest Wall Street gyrations, a series of thoughtful posts on BFD about attracting the best young talent to the region, Roldo re-evaluating the legacy of a deceased prosecutor, or Mansfield examining the death penalty and racial bias, we put forward a sincere effort each week to showcase the best this region has to offer. Plus the links to back it all up. Whether it’s our exemplary journalism or the coolness of our region-wide networking events, we strive to bring you the best. You’ll have to click below and tell us if we’re succeeding. —Thomas Mulready

Some Cozy Fall Dining Outings

There’s something about comfort food and being cozy in the fall. Each person’s definition of cozy undoubtedly has many different components, with some degree of variation. However, one thing holds true: there are a few universal elements of coziness that overlap and one of them is in dining. Settling in to a favorite haunt for favorite flavors always provides a thrill. Looking for quality food, libations, a warm atmosphere and good service? Then this autumn, slip on your softest shirt, warmest socks, and most comfy pants and try one of the following cozy Cleveland establishments.

Anatolia Café Turkish Cuisine 13915 Cedar Rd., South Euclid 321-4400

What makes Anatolia Café cozy is the atmosphere and the service. When you walk in you see this amazing warm orange on the walls that would normally crowd a small space but here is warms it up and creates an immediate sense of intimacy. One wall is mirrored reflecting the warmth as well as the traditional Turkish decorations on the opposite wall. The wait staff is Turkish and super friendly. I’ve had the same server a few times and he is pleasantly chatty and informative when trying to decide what to order; lamb kabobs with yogurt are lovely. Also, please have the Turkish coffee, sweet, you will not be disappointed. And perhaps someone can read your fortune while you are there…

Read more from Erin Robinson here

Cycling in Northeast Ohio
A writer asks “Is there anything more real?”

A photograph shows me straddling a blue bicycle in front of a Christmas tree. My face is wild with smiles. That summer, my friends and I trailed each other down the streets of our Conneaut neighborhood like gangsters. I found I liked to ride fast. I liked the way my body turned into the curves, stable on the two sturdy wheels. Something about being on a bike made me feel free.

It still does. The feel of riding a bike is one of the most delightful, especially when I ride without holding on—the bike and I become one. On a crisp fall morning, I hardly mind the chill as the air blows across my skin; I know the sun will warm me up within the hour. The best way to escape is by bike because there’s no tracing you, so if I ever want to skip town for good, I’ll get a good satchel to attach to the back of my bike. And just go.

Seriously, is there anything more real than riding a bike?

Lorain County’s Back Roads and Beaches Tour, http://www.backroadsandeachesohio.com, takes advantage of farmland vistas and lake views. The Tour goes through Mill Hollow and Gore Orphanage Road, along the Vermilion River, winds down to Wellington and to Findley State Park. These were my old high school biking and joyriding grounds. I regularly cycled from my house in western Lorain to Lake Road and out to Avon Lake. So, when I recently found my wheels on Lake Road again, peddling past the Power Plant and the old movie theater, it felt good. I felt like I was 17 again riding my first 10-speed with my hair blowing out behind me. In the fall, the winding back roads are glorious with color. …

Read more from Claudia J. Taller here

SPONSORED: Get an A+ with a curriculum of fun! Check out CMA’s classes for children ages 3-17 including: “Mini-Masters” (ages 4 & 5), “Around the World” (ages 8-10), “Nature in Focus” (ages 9-12), and “Mixed Media for Parents.” The six week session is $72 for non-members, $60 for CMA members. “Parent and Child”‘ class for 3 year olds with an adult is $85 for non-members and $72 for CMA members. Register at the Ticket Center in person or by phone at 216-421-7350 or 1-888-CMA-0033. For more information go to our website: www.clevelandart.org.

Pink Floyd Experience Echoing one of rock and roll’s most iconic bands, the Pink Floyd Experience celebrates the music, themes and innovation of the British band on Thu 10/4 at 8PM at the Akron Civic. It’s a brilliant sound and sight spectacular; seeing as the classic four will likely never play together again, this theatrical stage show should conjure the spirit. Yeah, we miss stadium shows, too. http://www.thepinkfloydexperience.net. http://www.akroncivic.com.

Annie It’s the loveable story of an orphan whose sun comes out tomorrow, and it’s coming to the University of Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall Fri 10/5 at 8PM and Sat 10/6 at 2PM and 8PM only. This all new 30th anniversary tour launches a series of Broadway shows at the Hall and boasts one of Broadway’s most memorable scores, including the ever optimistic “Tomorrow”, giving a whole new generation the chance to experience this classic musical about never giving up hope. But act fast, with only 3 performances, tomorrow might be too late. http://www.annieontour.com. http://www.ejthomashall.com.

Fall Family Hayride Night Dig this night of fall fun for the entire family at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center on Fri 10/5 from 5:30 – 9PM. Chow down on pizza, let the kids enjoy a fall activity, then star-gaze in the planetarium and head out on a hayride through the autumn splendor of the Huntington Reservation! Catch a glimpse of some nighttime wildlife—pet an opossum or come face to face with an owl! Hot chocolate, crackling campfires and plump pumpkins add to the atmosphere. Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, 28728 Wolf Rd., Bay Village. Call 440-871-2900 for more. http://www.lensc.org.

Indigenous Peoples’ Pow-wow Come and join the gathering to celebrate Native American culture Sat 10/6 and Sun 10/7 from 10AM to dusk. The Pow-wow will include Native American rituals, greetings, song and dance. There will also be a variety of vendors with Native crafts, jewelry, art, and massage. Baldwin Wallace College, 55 Bagley Rd. (just behind Ritter Library), Berea. http://www.committee500years.com.

Hike or Bike for Nature The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes’ annual Hike or Bike for Nature allows participants to choose from hikes at a variety of distances or a bike-ride. The event begins in the Nature Center’s parking lot where participants can make their own trail mix, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy music, children’s games and a balloon artist. This fundraising event benefits the Center’s Jenny Goldman Memorial Nature Outreach Fund. Kids ages 3-12 are also invited to participate; details are on the Shaker Lakes website. The fun begins Sun 10/7 at 8AM. Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd. http://www.shakerlakes.org.

You don’t want to miss what 11-year-old Max has for you and your family this week. Listen here: http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids10.05.07.mp3. Click here to subscribe: iTunes or other.

Cool Cleveland Podcast You know how to do it. Click here to listen: Link. iTunes or other.
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.
RTA reaps huge award as best transit system in N. America. Read
Who in Cle doesn’t love the idea of a Red Light Camera challenge? Read
Some newspapers think that decline in readership is a good thing…? Read
GCP launches new video promoting the region. Watch
Cle Foundation launches new website. Click
Voices & Choices asks should CSU and UofA merge? Vote
Tech Belt for Cle/Pit? Partnership seen as a key for prosperity. Read
Cle Botanical Garden looking for entries in Annual Gingerbread Competition, which was revived in 2004. Click
Attend a show at a local theater co gratis! See a group you’ve never been to before! Click.
Rokakis in the WaPo Washington Post features intrepid NEO champion. Read
Can Waterloo be the next Tremont? asks one local writer. Read
Donate a mammogram Breast Cancer site takes less than a minute to help donate a mammogram to someone for free. Click
Madonna, Beastie Boys, Leonard Cohen and Donna Summer are among the artists nominated for 2008 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Click

Party pix of last week’s Cool Cleveland throwdown at the Akron-Canton Airport lounge, with hundreds of beautiful people from Cleveland, Akron, Canton and surrounding areas noshing, networking and playing nice as one big region. The iPod Nano giveaway was announced, and Wendell McDowell was the lucky winner of the RT AirTran tix and hotel getaway. At press time, he still wasn’t sure where he’d take his winning trip. While many give lip service to regionalism, Cool Cleveland is putting it into action. Topping off the event an airplane museum hangar (!) was a concert hosted by one of our region’s hottest stations: Akron’s 91.3 The Summit, with a hot new band, Asbury Park’s deSol, who blew everyone away with their Latin-singed rhythms, soaring Santana-like guitar, and lead singer Albie Monterrosa’s rock star hair (pictured). Catch the first round of photos from Thomas Mulready’s iPhone, with more to come. Our region rocks: Go ClevelandPlus! View photos here.

Cool Cleveland wins Best of Show The Society of Professional Journalists honored Cool Cleveland with three prestigious Independent Online nods in their 2007 Ohio SPJ State Awards. Aside from garnering our second Best of Show “Best General News Site” award in three years, CC Managing Editor Peter Chakerian won two personal awards — “Best Business/Tech Story” for his interview of Nick Kostis (owner of Pickwick & Frolic) and “Best Arts/Entertainment Story” for his conversation with Steven Kotler (author of West of Jesus).

Be the Next Winner! We just gave away an iPod at the CC Akron-Canton Airport gig, and you could be the next winner. Simply forward this email to your friend, brother or friendly dental hygienist and you will all be eligible to win an iPhone or video iPod! Encourage them to sign up simply by using this link and put your personal message in the subject line: here. Winners announced in future issue.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Grammy Award-Winner Chanticleer opens Oberlin’s Artist Recital Series Wed 10/3. The world’s leading men’s chorus, Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer, is the first program of the season for Oberlin’s renowned Artist Recital Series . The 12-member “orchestra of voices,” which includes Oberlin alumnus Todd Wedge (2003), performs at 8PM in Finney Chapel. Subscriptions are still available for the 129th season of the Artist Recital Series, one of the oldest continuing concert series in America. Call Oberlin’s Central Ticket Service at 440-775-8169 or 800-371-0178 for more information. http://www.oberlin.edu/com.

HOT Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet The Cleveland Museum of Art’s (CMA) acclaimed VIVA! & Gala Around Town concert series welcomes The Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet on Wed 10/3 at Trinity Cathedral. Additional information and program notes available in advance at http://www.clevelandart.org/viva.

NEO Foreclosure Crunch The Northeast Ohio Chapter of the American Constitution Society presents a community panel discussion, subtitled New Strategies and Solutions for Our Community on Wed 10/3 at 5:30PM. James Boyle, Asst. Ohio Attorney General; Ruth Clevenger, VP of the Federal Reserve of Cle, Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis and others address the climb of NEO foreclosure rates and what our government and corporate leaders do to stem the rising tide of this critical issue. This no-cost program will provide 1.5 hours of Ohio CLE credit. Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, 1455 East Sixth St. http://www.acslaw.org/chapters/lawyer/neohio/rsvp

Duly Noted Did you know that, according to our recent survey, 43.8% of Cool Cleveland readers spend, on average, up to 20 minutes reading about our events, news and reviews every week? It’s true. And, as a result, 22% have purchased a product that they discovered in CC. For more info about advertising contact us at Info@CoolCleveland.com.

Jeffrey Bowen On Thu 10/4 at 5:30 PM, Meet.The.Bloggers* will kick up some citizen journalism at Webtego with Jeffrey Bowen, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity, as their featured guest. He will discuss the REstore program at their offices as well as how providing affordable, sustainable housing helps end a cycle of poverty. Many opportunities to contribute in this worthwhile, ongoing project in Greater Cleveland will reveal themselves through this lively discussion. And if we are lucky, we may just get Jeffrey to veer off topic a bit and talk about his other life as a performance poet. 2530 Superior Ave., Suite 600. http://www.meetthebloggers.net.

Lanford Wilson Festival begins this Thu 10/4 with the production of Fifth of July by Wilson. The production runs through Sat 10/6 and 10/11-13 at 8PM, and 10/7 at 2PM. Sandefur Theatre in Guzzetta Hall on The University of Akron campus. The following production, The Hot L Baltimore begins and runs 10/11-13 and 10/18-20 at 8PM, and 10/14 at 2PM at the Paul A. Daum Theatre in Kolbe Hall on The University of Akron campus. Also part of this festival is a week-long campus residency by acclaimed stage director Marshall Mason, who has collaborated with Lanford Wilson for more than 40 years. http://www.uakron.edu.

International Education Symposium The world’s problems are many but so are the solutions. Hathaway Brown’s second annual Symposium explores how educators and citizens can address the critical issues shaping our planet with keynote speaker Lisa Ling Thu 10/4 at 7PM. Then on Fri 8/5 starting at 8AM, the Symposium features Elizabeth Kolbert. Registration required. Hathaway Brown School, 19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Hts. Contact Bitty Dorr at bdorr@hb.edu, 320-8095, or visit http://www.hb.edu/globaled for more info.

Ohio Mart & Stitchery Showcase Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens presents its second annual Fall Festival, an autumn showcase of the estate’s grounds and gardens during one of Northeast Ohio’s most beautiful seasons. The highlight of the month is their Ohio Mart & Stitchery Showcase starting Thu 10/4 and running through the weekend. Elaborate and artful scarecrows return to decorate the landscape and throughout the month special activities for the whole family are offered. It is also the last opportunity to enjoy Treemendous Treehouses, which closes on 10/31. 714 N. Portage Path, Akron. http://www.stanhywet.org.

Denim Affair Dress for Success Cleveland, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping disadvantaged women thrive in work and life, will be hosting its annual fundraising gala Thu 10/4 at 5:30PM at Sammy’s, Legacy Village. The event will feature live entertainment from Top Dog and a keynote speaker address from Margo James Copeland, EVP, Corporate Diversity and Philanthropy Chair of the Key Foundation. Guests will come to ‘the most casual gala in town’ dressed in the denim of their choice and bid on celebrity signed and designed denim, as well as other ‘casual’ items. For tickets or for more information, call Rachel DeAngelo at 391-2314. http://www.dressforsuccesscleveland.org.

SPONSORED: Sold Out Last Year: Get Your Tix Now Celebrate Halloween to the max with “Nights on Lake Eerie” and “The Order of the Phoenix” Harry Potter movie on the Omnimax screen. Choose between “Almost Overnight” packages on Sat 10/20, Fri 10/26, Sat 10/27 and Fri 11/2 and “Overnight” Packages Fri 10/19, Sat 11/3, and Fri 11/9 at the Great Lakes Science Center – transformed into wizardry school for the evening! Call 216-621-2400 to make your reservation for packages of activities that include “The Order of the Phoenix,” creating and testing potions, Science of Magic experiences, Wizard Trivia, a Snack in the Great Hall, access to over 400 Hands-on Science Exhibits, a chance to sleep among the exhibits with continental breakfast and a tour of the Mather in the morning. Pre-registation is a must. Contact 216-696-2400. For more info GreatScience.com.

HOT Sax ‘n’ Bones The compositions of Cleveland Jazz Orchestra band members Rich Shanklin and Chas Baker kicks off the CJO season on Fri 10/5 and Sat 10/6 at 8PM each night, at the sublime Bop Stop jazz club on Detroit Ave. The new CJO Ticket Line can be reached at 521-2540. http://www.clevelandjazz.org.

HOT Crossing Over Cleveland State University hosts their 2nd International Symposium, a weekend-long event starting Fri 10/5. The Symposium brings 52 scholars from US and other parts of the world to talk border studies, gender diversity, gender issues, ethnicity, race, identity, migration, nationality, religion, class, hybridity, language contact and globalization. Scholars from different disciplines and keynote speaker Dr. Sander L. Gilman round out the events. For more information about this event, contact Dr. Antonio Medina-Rivera, director of Cultural Crossings at CSU at 523-7168.

Wrath Arcane Fall 07 Release Party Come get some drinks and look at some clothes with these local clothing designers on Fri 10/5 at BRIGADE Coventry and Sat 10/6 at BRIGADE Downtown. http://www.wratharcane.com/f07release.html.

Noel Quintana & His Latin Crew touch down with Showtime at High Noon, a no-cost showcase at noon on Fri 10/5 at the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square. 987-4940

HOT Lakewood Is Art The city of Lakewood is having its first art walk on Fri 10/5 6 – 10PM, presented by the group MAMA. This walk will house 20+ Lakewood businesses housing all forms of art, from visual art to music performances. Come walk the city and feed your heart and your head. More info is avaiable at http://lakewoodisart.com or by contacting Ruth Koenigsmark at gallerywatchgals@yahoo.com.

4th Annual Chanty Festival at Geneva-On-The-Lake, with Sea Chanty singers Amadon Crest from Michigan on Fri 10/5, Drumplay on Sat 10/6 from Cleveland, and Celtic Folk with Polarus from Finger Lakes, NY on Sun 10/7, with music starting at 8PM each night. 440-415-1080, http://www.SandyChanty.com

The Dead Guy The Bang and The Clatter Theatre Company continues The Dead Guy, a play by Cleveland playwright Eric Coble, this Fri 10/5 at 8PM as a part of a month-long run. Here’s the pitch: You get one million dollars to spend over the next seven days, as a camera crew follows your every move and broadcasts your adventures on national television. At the end of the week, you die in a manner chosen by the viewing audience through voting. For hard-luck Eldon Phelps, the deal is irresistible. But does America have the stomach for this much reality? What would you do if you had one week until you became The Dead Guy ? Runs through 10/21. 140 E. Market St., Akron. http://www.bnctheatre.com.

SPONSORED: WCLVnotes WCLV 104.9 is celebrating its 45th anniversary as northern Ohio’s classical music station. We’ll be taking 45 listeners to The Cleveland Play House’s performace of “Sherlock Holmes” on Sat 11/3, following by a champagne reception with birthday cake at Stages at the Play House. For details on how to win, stay tuned to WCLV or go to www.wclv.com and click on Contests.

Viva La Salsa Join Esperanza’s 5th Annual Dance Contest and Latino Music & Culture Celebration, with all profits benefit Esperanza’s educational programs within Cleveland’s Hispanic community this Sat 10/6 from 7PM – midnight at the I-X Center. There’s a grand in prize money for the winning couple, live music by Noel Quintana & His Latin Crew, spicy Latin delicacies, and a silent auction with local artists’ works. Get tickets and info here.

HOT 2007 Ohio Solar Tour Renewable energy-powered and energy efficient homes and buildings in Ohio and throughout the nation will be shown during open houses, guided and self-guided public tours this week. Sponsored by the clean energy advocate Green Energy Ohio (GEO), the Ohio Solar Tour encompasses sustainable features beyond solar energy in all corners of the state, highlighting hundreds of solar, wind, biomass, LEED design and energy-saving technologies. Northeast Ohio tours and open houses are no-cost and open to the public, taking place here in Cleveland at the Great Lakes Science Center Sat 10/6 at 10AM. Call 526-5545 for more information.

Ahimsa: The Path Of Peace Ahimsa is a thematic dance drama celebrating the wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scenes from India’s independence struggle and the U.S. civil rights movement are portrayed on stage; all dialogs associated to the production are in English. This highly acclaimed program hits the Tri-C Metro Theater Sat 10/6 at 3PM and is expected to be broadcast nationally by PBS later this year. Call 440-498-9083 for tickets and visit http://www.fica-cleveland.org for more info.

HOT Wild & Scenic Patagonia Presents The Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival on Tour this Sat 10/6 with a pre-screening reception starting at 6PM. Hosted by the Nature League, patrons will meet representatives from local environmental nonprofits and enjoy food, bar and live entertainment. Then share the powerful messages of The Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival on Tour, which brings together award-winning environmental films that help raise awareness of the natural world and motivate viewers to make a difference locally and globally. Featured films include Seeds, Hope, and Concrete, Birdsong & Coffee: A Wake Up Call and Nomads: Wandering Women of the Whitewater Tribe. A full list of the films is available online at http://www.cmnh.org.

vanZeno Poets Poets James E. Stanley, Mary Turzillo, and Claire McMahon will read and sign books at Mac’s Backs, 1820 Coventry Rd. in Cleveland Hts on Sat 10/6 at 7PM. The event is no-cost, open to the public. McMahon is the co-editor of MoonLit Magazine and she previously edited Make Room for Dada Arts Journal in Boulder, CO. Turzillo’s Your Cat and Other Space Aliens is the latest offering from this writer who won Science Fiction’s prestigous Nebula Award in 1999 for the novelette Mars is No Place for Children. Stanley is an accountant, part-time guitarist and a member of the deep cleveland poetry group. All three have books published by vanZeno Press, a new press edited by poet, artist and Cool Cleveland contributor Marcus Bales. http://www.macsbacks.com.

Cle Walk for Farm Animals Put on your walking shoes and take steps toward compassion for farm animals by participating in the 2007 Walk for Farm Animals Sat 10/6 with registration at 10AM, walk at 11AM. Farm Sanctuary is a national, non-profit animal protection organization. Each year they rescue, rehabilitate and provide lifelong care for hundreds of animals rescued from factory farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses. In addition to operating the shelters, they work to gain legal protection for animals used in food production and to raise public awareness about factory farm cruelty and cruelty-free alternatives. The Walk for Farm Animals helps fund Farm Sanctuary’s rescue and protection campaigns. Walk will start and finish at the Cle Hts Library, 2345 Lee Rd., Cle Hts. newwin%http://www.walkforfarmanimals.org.

Crooked Halo Benefit The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation’s Associate Board will host its 12th annual benefit Sat 10/6 at 7PM. Festivities include dinner, a full open bar, music, a silent auction and Chinese raffle. This year’s event will support the Rose-Mary Center, a Catholic Charities service site whose mission is to “assist and empower individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities to achieve lives of increasing abilities and personal fulfillment thereby becoming more independent and integrated members of the community.” All funds raised by Crooked Halo will benefit the renovation of Rose-Mary Center’s Autism wing to enable them to best care for this growing population. For tickets, call 696-6525 ext. 1049 or email ccappotto@dioceseofcleveland.org.

Love Letters See Leon Bibb & Sue Johnson Have an Affair in Love Letters on Sat 10/6 at 8PM and Sun 10/7 at 3:30PM at the Brooks Theater, Cleveland Play House. Gossip. Cowardice. Deception. Depression. Want to know more? Then, indulge yourself. Peek into the lives (voyeurism is OK, they tell us) of Andy & Melissa whose humorous, often poignant, letters full of intimacy, love, lies, sex and drugs, tell the tale of their 40-year relationship. Put on by the Wake Up and Live Actors Studio, this show benefits their work. Call 561-8608 or email wakeup4664@aol.com for more info and tickets. 8500 Euclid Ave. http://www.wakeupandlives.org.

SPONSORED: Tip One Back at Nature’s Brew, the beer tasting event featuring samples of Great Lakes Brewing Company and Heidelberg Distributors’ premium beers at Holden Arboretum on Sat 10/13 with live music by Crazy Joe and Mad River Outlaws. Two ways to go: Reserve Tasting from 4-5PM, cost $40 members; $45 non members (includes General Tasting). Or General Tasting from 4-7PM, $20 members, $25 non members. The Great Lakes Brewing Co. is an environmentally and socially conscious brewer. Relax in the garden, surrounded by nature’s beauty while learning all sorts of things including which foods go with your favorite beers and area efforts to improve ecology and sustainability of natural resources. Rain or shine – dress appropriately! Nature’s Brew reservations deadline: Tue 10/8, call 440.946.4400, X224. For more info contact www.holdenarb.org.

Cleveland Chamber Symphony At 3:30 PM, on Sun 10/7 the CCS will perform its first concert of the 2007-2008 season at Baldwin-Wallace College Gamble Auditorium. The program will include a new work by Michael Leese entitled In Memoriam David Lelchook: For the Victims of War, Chamber Symphony by John Adams, Big Band by Elizabeth Joan Kelly, and Atlas Eclipticalis by John Cage. B-W Kulas Musical Arts Building, 96 Front St., Berea. No cost, open to the public. http://www.clevelandchambersymphony.org.

GospelFest Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, national recording artist Kelly Chapman and local television veteran Harry Boomer will host the second annual GospelFest Concert Celebration at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Sun 10/7 at 5:30PM to wrap-up Case Western Reserve University’s Alumni Weekend and Homecoming activities. A capacity crowd of over 600 is expected to attend. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Dr. http://www.case.edu”’.

Dr. Sheppard Kominars signs Write for Life: Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit Through Journal Writing on Mon 10/8 at 7PM at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. Dr. Kominars reveals a host of powerful insights and techniques for personal transformation that you can start using today. Bringing the facts discovered by research on the healing benefits of writing into the daily perspective of self-discovery, this self-paced book offers a life-long adventure into living healthier and having more fun doing it. 24519 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst. http://www.josephbeth.com.

Brandi Carlile Hot off of tours with Jamie Cullum and Shawn Colvin, this torchy powerhouse singer-songwriter from Seattle ups the ante with her second effort, The Story. Like k.d. lang, Melissa Etheridge, Patsy Cline and Jeff Buckley rolled into one, this gal can belt ’em out and is set up for an auspicious career. She plays Wed 10/10 at 8PM at the House of Blues, 308 Euclid. Info. http://www.brandicarlile.com.

HOT CIM with Ogren at Kulas On Wed 10/10 at 8PM, the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra will perform in Kulas Hall under guest conductor Jayce Ogren. Pianist Wan-Ning Wu will serve as soloist in the concert that features works by Berwald, Liszt and Brahms. It will be broadcast live on WCLV 104.9 FM, sponsored by Audio-Technica. The concert is no-cost, open to the public; due to anticipated capacity attendance, seating passes will be distributed 30 minutes prior to the performance. Passes are now available two days in advance by calling the CIM Box Office at 791-5000, ext. 411. http://www.cim.edu.

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

Is Wall Street Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Finance, Foreclosure and Good News for Cle

I should have written this article a year ago, but like my 5th grader waiting until the last minute to build his shoebox diorama for the Science Fair, I put it off as long as possible. However, after enduring 6 months of exasperation over the “subprime contagion” handwringing by the smartest financial pundits of our time, I realized I could wait no longer.

Folks, the analysts on Wall Street are making this subprime issue WAAAY too complicated. In fact, if it were up to me, I’d get Donald Trump and Jeff Probst to appear on CNBC and tell them all, “You’re Fired” and vote them off Long Island. But I’ll give them immunity – it’s not their fault they missed the story – because the entire scenario is playing out hundreds and thousands of miles away – on Main Street. In spite of how complicated the capital market gurus attempt to make this situation, it all comes down to Spelling one 13-letter-word: A-F-F-O-R-D-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y, and the Math is so easy, even a 5th grader can do it…

More from the Soundbite Laureate here

Make the B2B Connection w/ no-cost B’wood COC show Mon 10/8 starting at 2:30PM. Hilton Cle East, 3663 Park East Dr., Beachwood. Call 831-0003, e-mail mail@beachwood.org. More
Maia Beatty asks “Are You Engaging Your Circle of Influence as Powerfully as You Can?” Wed 10/10 Details
Iris A. Cooper of ODOD Economic Development Division and founder/owner of Glory Foods, Inc. speaks Thu 10/18 at 6PM at MCBAP/Akron Urban League Networking Event. Call 234-542-4149 for info.
Crain’s CFO of the Year Awards hit the Hyatt at the Arcade d’town Thu 10/25. Register
2007 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, Marriott Downtown at Key Center Fri 11/2 at 6PM Details
Crain’s 2007 40 Under 40 Reception hits Mon 11/19 at 6PM at Landerhaven in Mayfield Hts. Register

An end-run around the death penalty

With Democrats firmly back in control of the Statehouse and most other statewide offices, the issue of the death penalty was sure to once again take center stage in Ohio. While efforts are underway to call a moratorium on the use of the death penalty until it has been proven that this ultimate sanction is applied in a just manner (no one in their right mind could reasonably argue that it is applied fairly today), the problem is the electorate in Ohio — especially Southern Ohio — is for the barbaric practice by a substantial majority.

I firmly believe in my heart of hearts that the reason Gov. Ted Strickland and Attorney General Marc Dann come out in favor of the death penalty is because they know they cannot win office statewide if they didn’t. I just have to believe — in spite of their public positions — that neither of them personally approve of capital punishment. Of course, I could be entirely wrong…

Read more from Mansfield Frazier here

Fight for the Write (like Mansfield) to promo the good stuff in town by writing for Cool Cleveland. Let us know your area of interest, cause we’d love to hear from you: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Artist Hilton Murray

There comes a time in a man’s life when a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do! For Hilton P. Murray, fifty-something, and a successful marketing and advertising consultant based in Cleveland Heights, that time came in May, 2006. He’d established himself pretty well in his chosen industry, and had won numerous awards during his career, but he’d always loved the visual arts, too. Even growing up in Elyria, he’d been lured into drawing classes. At one point he gave serious thought to his future: Do I want to ‘do’ art as art, or do I want to do advertising and marketing that use art to make a point?

At that time, he decided on the latter course. “I decided not to go down that road—to ‘do’ art, although I did think seriously about maybe teaching sculpture. It seemed more reasonable to go the other way, and think about the ‘doing’ part whenever I’d retire.” He glances around his colorful art-filled studio/workshop. Significantly, his gaze pauses briefly (and lights up in the process) at the display case that houses some of the awards won by his company. “It’s been good. I enjoy what I do, and I’m doing well while enjoying it. I enjoy the problem-solving, the creative process of branding and helping my clients.”

Read the interview by Kelly Ferjutz here

This week’s most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com, run by Cool Cleveland’s George Nemeth,

Jason Therrien of Thunder::Tech writes “During this past graduating season we had found two very talented individuals that were originally from Ohio. Both had not given Cleveland much thought for their job searches. We got them to come up to our offices and also gave our pitch on the region. Both progressed to the point that they were going to get offer letters. They then let us know that they were picking up and heading to Chicago. This has become a trend with graduates that we are interviewing. One of the individuals didn’t have a job yet but was going and the other only had a couple month internship. They were going because their friends were going…”

Comments:

• Kudos to Jason for his effort with these individuals. I had the same experience last month with one very talented young asset who opted for the Windy City. But in a town where talk vs. action and bad leadership is the norm, can you blame them? The younger generations, because of the internet, are much more in touch with where the action is… comment by Doug Craver
• “They were going because their friends were going…” This is a driver of much of human behavior… we see this dynamic in many network projects we do. If you want to influence people do not focus on individuals, but the groups they belong to…! comment by Valdis Krebs
• I am the brain drain. Moved out when I graduated high school, have not lived in the city since. I’m starting to make moves to come back now that I’m mid career, and I’m getting tired of paying $1200 a month for 380 square feet. The cost of living prices people out of the market when they want more than bars out here. This is a fantastic project, Jason is way ahead of the curve… comment by Adam Brandon
• It was a great coincidence that I checked this post Saturday around lunch after going to the Westside Market, grabbing a beer outside of Great Lakes and listening to live music coming from market square. It was packed but I was still thinking how do we expose more young professionals to this so they can understand the vibrancy that is strong in pockets like Ohio City throughout the region? I think that identifyi needs to get employers to interview out of town college students on a friday and then put them up in a hotel so they can see the city over a weekend. comment by Jason Therrien

Plenty more comments PLUS your opportunity to have a say at here

Static Songs
Mike Uva & Hook Boy
Collectible Escalators

Where does he find the time? With a day gig in operations at local label Collectible Escalators, another as production assistant at a local alt-weekly, and the occasional foray into Mikey Machine’s eclectic outfit Machine Go Boom, one would guess singer/songwriter Mike Uva’s time is seriously strapped. It most certainly is, but every one in a while, Uva manages to release a slate of engaging avant-pop. Straddling the line between neo- and auteur-folk and stark, jangly pop, Uva and his band Hook Boy have perfected their sound on the 9-track release Static Songs, a mix of old and new material, Uva’s last effort, 2004’s Where Have You Been wasn’t nearly as dark, dreamy and thoroughly engaging. This disc is worthy of even the most picky indie music fan — offering a heart full of impact and world-weary melancholy, proving that every bit of three years was needed to complete it.

Uva’s approach has been called “kitchen sink,” but that clearly doesn’t give him enough directional credit. Graced by tape loops, tambourines, electric piano and stunning lyrical narratives, Uva’s work seems to have found a balance between stripped-back instrumental grace, purposeful intention and an intrepid flair for the quirky. I’ll bet I’m not alone in thinking that the world could use a little lyric poetry he sings in “My Manifesto,” ushering in a whole host of sharp ruminations from sleepless paranoids and lovers. “Hook Boy,” “Magic Marker” and the set-closer “Reunion” comprise much of the reworked material, intermingling well with the new works. New cuts like the marooned “Starlight,” “Para Guitarra” and “Flip Me Over!” pair 70s sonic swirl with introverted lyrical intention. All the tunes seem to support that need for reprieve that Stephe DK (of New Lou Reeds) intimates with the inside cover art. I won’t spoil it for you.

Grant-Lee Phillips once said that everyone needs a little sanctuary. To wit, Mike Uva’s Static Songs is exquisite… and just the ticket.

Visit Mike Uva & Hook Boy at Collectible Escalators’ website: http://www.collectibleescalators.com.

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

Links to interesting NEO blogs

National lending reform campaign kicked off on E. 113th.
Michale DeAloia resigns, Joel shares his farewell email
Four bloggers from around the state are blogging on the PeeD’s Wide Open blog.
Responding to the post in this week’s BFD Weekly, one blogger takes a stab at answering “What’s wrong with NEO?”
More on last week’s CoolCleveland.com party on the Akron-Canton Airport’s blog.

Ask Hal: Answers to Fans’ Most Interesting Questions About Baseball Rules, from a Hall-of-Fame Sportswriter
Hal Lebovitz
Gray & Company, Publishers

I’m good for a curve ball every once in a while. When our teams are doing well, as the playoff-bound Tribe is currently, I’m likely to pitch you something sports-related. Such is the case with the latest collection of writings by the late Cleveland sports writer, Hal Lebovitz. The leading expert on baseball rules throughout his writing career, Lebovitz answered readers’ questions about sports in his popular “Ask Hal” newspaper columns. Commentators were known to consult him during World Series games when rules were called into question; he was nearly impossible to stump, regardless of how bizarre the situation on the diamond seemed to be.

In Lebovitz, Cleveland had a wealth of sports knowledge — one that was honored at the turn of the century with an induction into the writer’s wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. With Ask Hal, his thoughtful nature is yours for perusal. Hal’s son Neil Lebovitz, sports “ranter” Les Levine and publishers Gray & Company have culled the many questions and answers from real game situations and fans’ wild imaginations. The results are fun, engaging and entertaining. From Little League to Major League and all points in between, Lebovitz tackles the most entertaining 382 questions about baseball rules. It doesn’t cover everything, but Ask Hal is just the thing for you to break out during the American League Division Series — whether it’s to determine the play on the field or merely to settle your own trivial pursuits. Pick it up for your Tribe.

Learn more about Lebovitz, publisher Gray & Company and purchase Ask Hal at http://www.grayco.com.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

A Most Undeserved Honor

The placement of a $160,000 statue of the late County Prosecutor John T. Corrigan in Huntington Park , a public space downtown, honors a man of strong but often wrong principles.

As Barbara Tuchman has written, “Honor wears different coats to different eyes.”

I do not think there is any question that Corrigan, who served some 35 years as prosecutor, was tough on criminals.

Yet, he sometimes saw crime where there was none; and looked the other way when there was misdeed…

Read more from Roldo Bartimole here

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

Cleveland Institute of Music @ Severance Hall 9/19 I had a chance to experience the CIM Orchestra’s opening concert of the year at Severance Hall last Wednesday evening and it was extraordinary. It was hard to believe that this impressively grand orchestra was comprised of “students.” It shows what practice and dedication can lead to – even so early in life – as the students are, competitively speaking, already at the highest level of their craft. Most of these students have their hearts and career aspirations set on playing with the Cleveland Orchestra or a comparable international symphony someday (is there one?). The orchestra sparkled with talent as they opened Wednesday evening with the “Barber of Seville,” a crowd favorite, playing other compositions such as “Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra in C Minor, Op. 18” and “Concerto for Orchestra.” Carl Topilow conducted and Chaoyin Cai played the baby grand with a fervor that uplifted the entire concert hall. Bravo! Don’t miss the rest of their 2007-2008 season, this one has only just begun! Info at http://www.cim.edu. From Cool Cleveland contributor T.L. Champion tlATcoolcleveland.com.

Man of La Mancha @ Cleveland Play House 9/19 We all want to “dream the impossible dream” and “fight the unbeatable foe,” and this is what makes the Man of La Mancha performance (September 14 – October 7) at the Cleveland Playhouse so darn appealing. First produced on Broadway in 1965, and later made into a movie in 1972, Man of La Mancha is basically the story of the jailed author, Miguel de Cervantes, and his manservant, Sancho, who follows him on a make-believe quest to become a knight, Don Quixote. Along the journey, they tilt at windmills and fight against the “unrightable wrongs” during the Spanish Inquisition.

This show’s director, Amanda Dehnert, has updated the performance with unusual staging and visual effects. The Man of La Mancha is a one-act play, so with the help of a black background and creative lighting, actors emerge and transition seamlessly into different locations and scenes.

Veteran Broadway actor, Philip Hernandez, staring as Cervantes/Don Quixote, sang with a strong voice projecting a range of emotions as the ultimate hero of the story. His love interest, Aldonza, convincingly played by Rachel Warren, can’t understand why Cervantes calls her Dulcinea and treats her with such kindness compared to the other men. Jamie La Verdiere as Sancho the manservant is a light-footed, trusty partner protecting Don Quixote in battle.

These talented actors combined with the capable supporting cast engage the audience with songs and wit. Along the way, the audience is moved to the edge of their seats when Don Quixote is finally called before the Inquisition. The performance reminds me of one of the show’s songs, “I Like Him,” sung by Sancho as he explains to Aldonza why he follows Don Quixote. You’ll really like this show!

From Cool Cleveland contributor Susan Schaul susn1ATatt.net

New Season of the Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 9/20 The Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director Franz Welser-Möst are back home at Severance Hall—at least for the next three weeks to come—and all’s right with my musical world. As a great believer in all-orchestral programs—don’t get me wrong, I adore soloists as much as anyone else, but also like to hear our own musicians, too—this was a great way to start out the new season. Mozart and Tchaikovsky, plus the US premiere of a work by a former affiliate that was both easy and interesting to listen to. The orchestra sure sounded to me like it was already in mid-season form! The only thing missing was the usual celebratory floral arrangements that always heralded the opening of the new season.

Mozart’s Symphony No. 28 in C major K. 200 is a bright, cheerful work of the youngish Mozart—still a teen-ager, but strangely mature and sophisticated, musically speaking. This version should be well received on the up-coming European tour, show-casing as it does the silken strings and crisp winds of the orchestra.

Matthias Pintscher served this orchestra for two seasons (2000-2002) as the Daniel R. Lewis Young Composer Fellow, and has also appeared here as a guest conductor—sometimes with his own music, sometimes that of other composers. Somehow, his Five Orchestra Pieces, now ten years old, had not previously been performed in the US, although it has had more than 40 performances in the rest of the world.

During the pre-concert interview (heard only on Thursday evening) Mr. Pintscher explained that this work was his first not based on art or literature. He was quite taken with the sound of the harp, and so that instrument has a featured role, as does the luscious low sound of the bass clarinet, the contra-bass clarinet, and the contra-bassoon. Also, there is a huge display of percussion instruments ranged across the back of the stage. (They’ll need an extra semi-truck to haul all this around with them, never mind the rest of the instruments!) Anyway, Mr. Pintscher likened this array to a small boy hauling out ‘every toy in his cupboard.’ Indeed!

The first movement (openly, breathing) is comprised of tone clusters, struck or plucked together or not-quite-so-together, in a not necessarily atonal style. It was more of an accumulation of sound. Violent, urgent vigor is the composer’s designation for the second piece, which was, while very listenable, along the lines of organized chaos. It seemed as though everyone was playing in a veritable frenzy. Three (flexible tempo) and four (sequence) show-cased those lovely low reeds mentioned above. The former passed by in a languid, rumbling, fashion, while the latter consisted of notes that fluttered here and there. This was also the shortest of the five. The final piece (suspended, unreal) featured the English horn in a lovely and exotic melody (the only one throughout the entire work) and along with the celeste, ended where it all began—with the harps. We should certainly hear this again.

Whenever one hears Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 — Pathétique, one is reminded over and over again of the greatest strength of this composer. He was a supreme melodist. Fabulous, in fact. Even if the melodies are of a melancholy type, they are still gorgeous, and will never go out of style. Mr. Welser-Möst tends toward the more literal rather than emotional reading, which is fine. The music itself is so full of emotion it can’t be entirely ignored or stamped out. Principal bassoon John Clouser made a thing of beauty out of his long solo at the beginning of the symphony. The violas picked up where he left off, with their suitably mellow tones. The second movement, the so-called ‘waltz with a limp’ received an extra little Viennese oomph from Mr. Welser-Möst.

The march or scherzo of the third movement is a glorious showcase for the biting brass and precise winds and never fails to stir the audience to instant applause, in spite of the conductor’s best intentions. No matter, really. The lush, sonorous Adagio that concludes the work demonstrates once again the famous ‘Cleveland chamber music sound’. A lovely horn solo led up to the final, diminishing notes.

Only when they had all faded to his satisfaction did Mr. Welser-Möst lower his arms, allowing the audience to catch its collective breath and then show its vast appreciation.

For tickets or other information about future concerts, call 231-1111, or visit the orchestra’s website: http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

Arsenic & Old Lace @ GLTF 9/22 This is the greatest collection of screw-balls ever to grace the stage of the Ohio Theater in Playhouse Square. Of course, one could also say that even if Andrew May was up there all by his lonesome! Great Lakes Theater Festival opens their fall rep with the great American classic Arsenic and Old Lace. It must be the perfect screwball comedy, and this production comes as close to perfect as you can get, although it might possibly be a bit more zany than most. No matter, it’s wonderful!

The old Brewster House, happily brought to life by scenic designer Russell Metheny, is the setting for the farcical action. The house has a possibly shady past, but is currently occupied by the two remaining elderly sisters: Abby, played by a bustling Lynn Allison and Martha by (you have to see her to believe its really her!) Laura Perrotta, who has the most charmingly-odd kick to her gallop. They are a warm and loving pair of aunts to three nephews: Jonathan (Dougfred Miller) was asked to leave some years back, and no longer lives there; Mortimer, now a theater critic for a NY newspaper (deliciously played by Andrew May) who also no longer lives there, and Teddy—very much in residence, but who believes his last name to be Roosevelt—given vibrant life by David Anthony Smith.

The house is next door to a church and cemetery. The minister, Reverend Harper (Richard Klautsch) has a daughter, Elaine (Kathryn Cherasaro). I wish I knew her secret for running madly up and down stairs and all over the place in high heels! She’s a marvelous comedic and physical foil for Mortimer, who’s finally decided to pop the all-important question, when he makes a couple of gruesome discoveries.

The aunts have been plying elderly gentleman guests with their ‘very special’ elderberry wine, and on the heels of this enlightenment, Jonathan returns with Dr. Einstein (M. A. Taylor) in tow. After these two events, it’s madness and mayhem galore at the Brewster residence. You really have to see this to appreciate it. Be prepared to laugh. A lot.

Director Drew Barr has uncovered every bit of nonsense in this gem, with original script by Joseph Kesselring and adapted for the stage by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. His actors have mastered the art of split-second timing, and he keeps them all right at the edge. The costumes by Charlotte Yetman are wonderfully evocative of that long-ago era – early 40s for most everyone, except the aunts (still in the early 1900s) and Teddy, who appears variously in a tailsuit or army puttees. Lighting by Mary Louise Geiger and sound by Peter John Still contribute marvelously to the all-around ambiance. The whole is indescribable!

Arsenic and Old Lace plays in rep with Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure (which begins October 5) through October 21. Specific dates for each production may be found at the website: http://www.greatlakestheater.org. Tickets and other information are also available by telephone: 241-5490.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

Arsenic & Old Lace @ GLTF 9/22
Reasons to go: The laughs keep on coming in Drew Barr’s punchy staging of this “cheerful old ladies as serial killers” comedy classic. The script is laugh-out-loud-funny, the acting swell, and there are some wonderful design elements. Russell Metheny’s fabulous revolving “Addams family” set and Barr’s ingenious choreography of furniture-moving corpses to composer Brad Carroll’s gothic scene change music earn huge applause even before one line is uttered. The entire company is enjoyable, but special kudos to Andrew May’s rubber-legged hijinks as panicked nephew Mortimer, David Anthony Smith’s bully portrayal of nutjob Teddy-who-thinks-he’s-Roosevelt, and Laura Perrotta’s delightful bird-like hopping as dotty-but-fierce Aunt Martha.
Backstory: This is the first year that Great Lakes and Idaho Shakespeare Festival have all but officially merged their seasons: 4 of 5 productions (except for ‘Christmas Carol’) are appearing in both places, and the product has never looked better. Now with a proposed move to a redesigned Hanna Theatre with an intimate thrust stage, GLTF is readying for a new era. Check them out.
Details: Thru 10/21, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square, Cleveland. http://www.greatlakestheater.org
From Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Cle Orch’s Peer Gynt @ Severance Hall 9/27 Trolls were out in force in the Cleveland Opera’s full-length concert production of “Peer Gynt.” But they were all in the audience in the form of people refusing to turn off their evil cell phones, phones playing cranky versions of Mozart. Other trolls looked like harmless little old ladies, but they talked right behind me: trolls in disguise. But who cares? It’s rare we hear the whole of the picaresque adventures of the rascally Norwegian ladies’ man Peer [pronounced “pear”] Gynt. Peer went adventuring and faced not only trolls in the mountains, but a desert princes, and shipwrecks (not all at the same time). Surprise! There’s more to this opera than the famous “The Hall of the Mountain King” [which contains great passages with trolls shouting “Slay him, slay him” directed to Peer] or “Morning Mood” (played in films as the sun rises–trust me, you’ve heard it in “Bugs Bunny”). The concert included delightful musical discoveries. The violas, for example, opened the concert with a rocking fiddler’s hoe-down dubbed “The Wedding.” The casting worked beautifully. Urbane narrator John de Lancie (known to Trekkies as Q] relayed the story-line with grace and expression. Baritone Joshua Hopkins was a persuasive and charming Peer-the-rat-with-women. Soprano Inger Dam-Jensen sang from stage, balcony and sidelines in a ravishing soprano that kept reminding me of why I love listening to mountain streams and bird calls. Conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy, who seemed a bit of an enchanted elf himself (but never a troll), the Orchestra, Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Cleveland State University Chorale just knocked our socks off. Great show. From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Kennelly lkennellyATgmail.com.

Cle Orch’s Peer Gynt @ Severance Hall 9/27 Who knew? Most concert-goers are very familiar with Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto. Indeed, it’s one of the most popular concertos and beloved of pianists and audiences alike, world-wide. A good many of these same concert-goers would be hard pressed to think of anything else written by the Norwegian composer, although some (mostly those having studied piano as a youngster) might recall incidental music to Peer Gynt. (Whatever that might be! Explanations are not always very explanatory to youngsters.) Still, Anitra’s Dance, In the Hall of The Mountain King, Åse’s Farewell, and Solveig’s Song were standards of any young pianist’s repertoire, and will certainly bring back memories, hopefully fond ones.

Theater-goers will, of course, be familiar with the plays of Henrik Ibsen, without perhaps realizing that he’d also written a dramatic poem using material from Norse legends and folk-stories, and had then asked the composer Grieg to write incidental music to accompany the verses. The result is a sort of ‘Tom Jones embarks on a Fantastical, Exotic Voyage’. Now we know why Anitra’s Dance was faintly reminiscent of a belly dance! In Norway? No, in Morocco, that’s where!

Guest Conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy led a huge contingent of soloists, chorus, narrator and orchestra in a slightly-staged version of the very nearly complete version of Peer Gynt in last week’s concerts. (Only two or three small bits of the music were not used.)

Noted actor John de Lancie was the narrator, while also assaying three small parts; baritone Joshua Hopkins was Peer and soprano Inger Dam-Jensen was an ethereal Solveig. Soprano Elizabeth Ford-Zaroff was the occasionally impertinent Anitra. The Oberlin College Chorus (Hugh Floyd, director); Cleveland State University Chorale (Betsy Burleigh, director) and members of the Cleveland Orchestra Chamber Chorus (Robert Porco, director) also appeared.

de Lancie also created the narration that accompanied the incidental music, and while the songs were sung in Norwegian, English supertitles were provided. Thus it was very easy to follow the story, which was by turns funny and sad, heroic and introspective.

Several orchestra musicians were featured in gorgeous solos: Franklin Cohen, clarinet; Robert Vernon, viola; William Preucil, violin; Desmond Hoebig, cello; and Joella Jones, organ, once again demonstrating the depth of the orchestra’s virtuosity.

Among the highlights were the sprightly Anitra’s comment to the now middle-aged Peer, after her dance, “Get lost, old man!” After he’d just sung so nicely to her, too! Shortly after that Solveig’s Song floated out from the balcony, where Ms. Dam-Jensen was stationed for her big aria. How could any man resist her? Peer certainly couldn’t! Her silvery soprano seemed effortless on her part, but was not without emotion. She then made her way to the stage where she sang twice more, including Cradle Song in the Epilogue. Before that, however, the choirs gave us a beautiful a cappella rendition of the Whitsun Hymn Oh Blessed Morning, which positively shimmered through the Hall.

This type of special presentation should be done more often! It was entrancing, to say the least.

This week Thursday through Sunday, Franz Welser-Möst returns for two slightly different programs. For tickets or other information, call 231-1111, or visit the orchestra’s website: http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

Opera Per Tutti @ Solon Ctr for the Arts 9/30 Folks who like opera – or who might like it if they ever tried it – should rejoice at any and every opportunity to participate in this splendid art form. It doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition, heard in a huge hall, with grand scenery and festive costumes. If the musical portion is done well, smaller can indeed be wonderful.

Such was the case last weekend, when Opera Per Tutti offered its second production at the Solon Center for the Arts. Their very first production last March was Puccini’s La Bohême. This time it was music by the great American composer Leonard Bernstein. Not too many people are aware that he wrote a one-act opera Trouble in Tahiti before he composed West Side Story and Candide, plus others. The double-bill here was a fully-staged Trouble in Tahiti and selections from West Side Story in a slightly-staged version.

The Drake Auditorium at the Solon Center for the Arts is a great venue for intimate operatic productions. The stage is large enough for the performers to move around well, without running into each other, yet there is also room for the orchestra to be on-stage at the rear, behind a scrim. In addition to the thirteen singers there was a splendid orchestra of some twenty musicians, all ably-conducted by Kathryn Harsha.

Andrea Anelli (founder of Opera Per Tutti) took the lead role in Trouble. Actually, she was Dinah—in a stunning portrayal of a depressed housewife and mother in the early 1950s. Life was so good, why was she so unhappy? Bernstein wrote the libretto as well as the music, in this satirical look at a troubled marriage—trouble in paradise. The husband Sam, is more interested in his career than in his family (typical for that era, as it is now) and may not always have been as faithful a husband as he might have been. Sam was fully realized by bass Michael J. Parry. He was especially good in the gym scene, where he tells himself that he is a winner.

There’s no real plot, just scenes during one day in this marriage; he goes to the office and the gym, where he wins a handball tournament. She goes to a movie, her doctor, a beauty shop and then rushes home to fix his dinner. They decide to go to a movie, but there’s no joy anywhere.

A trio (Ian Atwood, Molly McGinnis and Sam Morgan) sing jazzy up-tempo lyrics, some of which are nonsensical—and also do double-duty as scene-changing.

After a brief intermission, all the singers appeared on stage for selections from West Side Story. The range of talent displayed here was truly impressive. Atwood sang the part of Tony, and his captivating Maria was Elisa Singer. Morgan was not really edgy enough for Riff, but vocally he was a treat. McGinnis injected some spice into the part of Anita, while Alexandra May as a Girl, and Elizabeth Blakeslee as Rosalia also displayed excellent singing with great stage presence.

Among the vocally challenging musical selections (with lyrics by a very young Sstephen Sondheim) were Maria, Somewhere, Tonight, I Feel Pretty, The Jet Song, Something’s Coming, America, and One Hand, One Heart. Rounding out the chorus in some of these songs were Anelli and Parry, along with Jennifer Brewer, Katie Lynn Garner, Elizabeth Huff, Daniel Nebelski and Martin Wingate.

Anelli also directed, while Karen Prasser was chorus director (and keyboards in the orchestra); Barbara Quill and Scollard Reinhardt collaborated on set design and props. Kristina J. Ferencie was in charge of lighting and tech direction.

All in all, this was a professionally prepared and presented program. Even if you didn’t know anything about opera, you could have enjoyed it. Ticket prices are very reasonable, with discounts for students or seniors, and volunteers (the more the merrier!) would be very welcome. They don’t yet have a web-site, but you can e-mail for more information to: operapertuttiATyahoo.com or call 440-862-0144.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

Cool Cleveland readers write
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Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On renaming the Terminal Tower (See Been to the “Vanview” Tower? here Yr Turn While I do agree that the Vans don’t get enough representation in the city (maybe rename Huron Rd to Van Sweringen Avenue) but renaming the Terminal Tower is absolutely ridiculous. It is a name that has remained a constant through the good, bad, and the now good again times in the city, and is a term that will always represent the people of Northeast Ohio. Ask any kid from Cleveland what their favorite building is, and the first thing out of their mouth is “the Terminal Tower.” From Cool Cleveland reader Westleigh Harper westleigh.harperATgmail.com

On Cool Cleveland Just wanted to say “Thank You” for my weekly CC.com newsletter. It’s one of the very few emails I scroll thru from top to bottom on the first open. Moreover, it shows how much good stuff is going on all over our region. I love that you have “something for everyone.” Keep up the great work. From Cool Cleveland reader Barbara Ferris

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.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) CityScape Lee Chilcote looks at the Euclid Corridor Project.
www.CoolCleveland.com

2) You’ve been cheated by a sneaky Ohio legislature.
www.YourOhioRights.org

3) Emissions from the Blogosphere A blogger does a recon of Cleveland, shares her experience.
www.ChristineBorne.net

4) A MidTown Cleveland Fest A 25th anniversary celebration of MidTown Cleveland, Inc.
www.MidtownCleveland.org

5) Your Opinions Are Worth Something Fill out one survey about a health and wellness topic to get started and My Health Views will send you a $10 Amazon.com gift certificate.
www.MyHealthViewsOH.com

Just Write That’s what we do. The rest is up to you. Hurrahs and hizzahs to Peter Chakerian, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Claudia J. Taller, Laura Kennelly, Susan Schaul, Kelly Ferjutz, Linda Eisenstein, Mansfield B. Frazier, Erin Robinson and introducing Doug O’Bryon. 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.

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