Going In Circles

6.27-7.04.07
Going in Circles

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland Party #1 WOW Tonite!
* Cool Cleveland Party #2 Blossom Time
* Interview Cuy Co Commish Peter Lawson Jones re: the Med Mart Tax
* Kids INTERVIEW Lakewood City Schools Super Dr. David Estrop
* Straight Outta Mansfield A Tale of Two Occurences
* Interview Stan Theobald of ASM International
* BFD Weekly Making The Connection with Foreign Students
* Interview CBG’s Natalie Ronayne
* Sounds The Lucky Spot from Stacie Collins
* Previews Ancestral Voices @ Gordon Square Theatre
* RoldoLINK Hagan the Backstabber at it again
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, Brewed Fresh Daily here

Haven’t we been here before? While our so-called political leaders fumble with a regressive sales tax to pay for a non-existent medical mart (See our exclusive Cool Cleveland interview with County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones, and Roldo’s column, Hagan The Back-stabber at it Again), and then cut off regionalism at the knees in the name of inclusion (See Mansfield Frazier’s A Tale of Two Occurrences), our region’s real leaders have better ideas. Lakewood Schools’ Dr. David Estrop announces an Arts and Communications Academy, and Stan Theobald transforms ASM International from metals to high-tech materials, and the Botanical Garden’s Natalie Ronayne tells us about their Urban Learning Gardens. It’s enough to make you dizzy.

Instead of circles, we suggest you try checking out an Oval. Our Cool WOW party at Wade Oval tonight will showcase the heart and soul of the country’s coolest one square mile known as University Circle. And our upcoming Blossom Blast with the Cleveland Orchestra on 7/14 is a bargain that will set your head spinning in circles. In a good way. —Thomas Mulready

Cool + WOW! = Blazin’ Party – Wed 6/27
Super low price until Midnight Thu 6/26 here!

What’s Poppin? Bring your circle to Wade Oval’s gig within a gig on Wed 6/27 from 6 – 8PM. Treat yourself to a cold, frothy beer (open bar), and Qdoba’s seductive Naked Chicken Queso Burritos with Cilantro-Lime Rice, Black Beans, Adobo Marinated Chicken and Pico de Gallo Salsa. Slather it with their delicious Signature 3-Cheese Queso Sauce! Groove to “Cats on Holiday,” serving up American influenced roots, country, cajun and blues. Then check out the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s 10 acres of beautiful gardens with a comp ticket for the first 200 people. On Wed 6/27 the Garden will be featuring “806 in Tremont’s” chef from 6-7PM. Catch the garden tour at 7PM and meander through the Glasshouse and Gardens until 9PM. See their Summer 2007 schedule here for “Gourmets in the Garden,” Summer cooking demonstrations every Wednesday eve on the Geis Terrace. Rain location is the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Meet your circle at the Oval Wed 6/27 and snag your Cool Cleveland party tix here.

At the Cool WOW! on 6/27 you get all this:

• Music and dancing from 6 – 8PM in the Beer Garden – look for the white tents – park at Botanical.
• Delicious Naked Chicken Queso Burritos from Qdoba, plus Cilantro-Lime Rice, Black Beans, Adobo Marinated Chicken and Pico de Gallo Salsa with Signature 3-Cheese Queso Sauce
• Open bar with unlimited beer
• Comp tix to the Botanical Garden for the first 200 people
• Live music by Cats on Holiday, some rock, some blues
• Rain or shine (Rain location is the Cleveland Botanical Garden)

Close the Deal Get the best discount if you order by Midnight Thu 6/26 here. Meet us 6 – 8PM at Wade Oval. See map here.

Fire Up Your Sat Night – Sat 7/14
Lowest Price Tix until Midnight Thu 6/28 here!

Don’t Let Summer Pass You By without partying with your friends at Blossom. And we make it easy for you with a pre-concert party with food and drink included on Sat 7/14 from 6-7:30PM. Partake in mouth-watering appetizers that include Asiago/Fennel and Chorizo Flatbreads, Humus in Mini-Pita with Cucumber, Seared Eggplant and Wild Mushroom Polenta and more from Gypsy Beans and Baking Company. Get comp lawn tix to Gustav Mahler, headlining in the Pavillion at 8PM. Mahler drew much inspiration from nature – so hear his music in the beautiful setting of Blossom with the Cleveland Orchestra! with the Cleveland Orchestra! Two lucky CC party goers will win two Pavilion ticket subscriptions to Blossom’s POPs Summer Concert Series. Score!

Pack a blanket and snag your Cool Cleveland party tix here.

You get all this:

• Pre-concert Cool Cleveland party from 6-7:30 PM
• Delicious Asiago/Fennel and Chorizo Flatbreads, Humus in Mini-Pita with Cucumber, Seared Eggplant and Wild Mushroom Polenta by Gypsy Beans and Baking Company
• Open bar beer and wine
• Comp tix to the Mahler’s exuberant Symphony No. 1
• Special offers to Blossom 2007 concerts, including The Lord of the Rings Symphony
• Guaranteed parking just a few steps from party location
• Chance to win two Pavilion ticket subscriptions to Blossom’s POPs Summer Concert Series.

Blossom is less than a 30-minute drive from Cleveland, Akron and surrounding suburbs. For the complete 2007 Blossom Festival Calendar go here.

Get the Party Started Get the best discount if you order by Midnight Thu 6/28 here. See map here.

Peter Lawson Jones
Cuyahoga County Commissioner

Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones, by voting his conscience, has been the dissenting vote on two of Cleveland’s biggest issues. He voted against his colleagues Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora, who wanted to demolish the historic Marcel Breuer Tower the County recently purchased for their new HQ, with Hagan even threatening to overrule the City’s Planning Commission, a dangerous precedent. And Jones is also in disagreement with Hagan over a proposed 1/4% County Sales tax which would raise $42 million a year, half of which would go towards a yet-to-be-defined convention center and medical mart, with the other half going to a similarly undefined pool of funds. Hagan has been discussing the potential for a medical mart in Cleveland for over a year with Christopher Kennedy of Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, with whom he has family relations, and the project could host 50 medical meetings a year and generate $330M a year for its owners. But no consensus or details have emerged as to size, location, management, ownership or budget of a combined convention and medical mart facility. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready spoke with Jones about his disagreement with the other Commissioners, the timing of the current tax proposal, and the lack of details for such an important project. Let us know your thoughts: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Wings of Wonder Over the last 5 years, hundreds of area kids dealing with serious illnesses get the chance to temporarily soar above their problems through Kids in Flight™, a local non-profit org founded by cancer survivor Maria Weybrecht, 24, of Eastlake. This year’s event is Sat 7/21 at Burke Lakefront Airport; some 300 kids and their families are expected to experience sightseeing flights around the Cle area with licensed pilots. Registrations from families with seriously ill children are being accepted now through Mon 7/9 at http://www.kidsinflight.org.

A Smorgasbörd of Cartoon Classics is the latest installment of Coventry P.E.A.C.E.’s “Movies Under the Stars” series. Bring your blankets and boomboxes (or any FM tuner, for that matter) and lounge with your family on the Coventry playground lawn this Thu 6/28 beginning at 8PM. Experience a glorious run of classic cartoons, along with live music under the Peace Arch. Check out future screenings on the second & fourth Thursdays in June, July & August, with screenings of Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indy is our Peter Chakerian’s personal fave) and Grease. It’s Drive-In style movies without the cars! http://www.give-a-sheet.com.

Elephantennial Enjoy a day of special activities for the elephants — and their fans — from 10AM – 5PM on Fri 6/27 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The event will include enrichment activities for the elephants, Q & A sessions with their keepers, elephant check-ups and training demonstrations, public feeding times, children’s crafts, pachyderm painting and a special anniversary surprise for the Zoo’s elephants. http://www.clemetzoo.com.

Buckeye DockDogs Three days of jumping, flying, splashing, and competing canines starts Fri 6/29 at 4PM and runs all weekend long! Dock jumping is one of the fastest growing sports in the dog world; it’s the long jump equivalent for canine athletes. This event is the first ever DockDogs competition in Northern Ohio. Open to all dog/handler teams who wish to enter; there is a fee for competitors, but the event is no-cost for spectators, family, and friends. The Sat 6/30 and Sun 7/1 competition starts at 9AM. Gander Mountain, Cobblestone Plaza, Sheffield Village. For registration and details, visit http://www.dockdogs.com.

Play Until Dark @ Wendy Park Put down the remote and head over to this 1st annual Cleveland outdoor sports & recreation festival at Wendy Park on Whiskey Island Sat 6/30 beginning at 11AM. Try your hand at a dozen different activities including kayaking & canoeing, windsurfing, geocaching, hiking, biking, rock wall climbing, fishing, rowing, golf swing analysis and more! Live music will entertain visitors all day ranging from soft rock to reggae from local bands Whiskey Island Ramblers, Will Bowen, Outer City Limits and Carlos Jones. Food and bevvies will be available from local restaurants. All proceeds to benefit the Wendy Park Foundation. http://www.wendyparkfoundation.org.

Old Angle Family Fun Festival St. Malachi Center hosts the venerable family-friendly event Sat 6/30 starting at 11AM. The festival is an “old-school” carnival filled with family activities, entertainment, and community resources, celebrates the history of the Old Angle neighborhood. Games of skill and chance will be offered along with food, prizes, crafts, music, and more. No-cost, open to the public. 2416 Superior Viaduct, directly behind St. Malachi Church.http://www.stmalachicenter.org.

Baseball As Freebie? What a deal: Bring your “little leaguer” to the stellar Baseball As America exhibit at the Great Lakes Science Center and they get in at no-charge if they’re wearing a baseball uniform! That saves you an Alexander Hamilton. Baseball As America is the most significant exhibition of baseball artifacts and history ever assembled and it’s here in town through Mon 9/3; the deal is valid through the end of the exhibit. http://www.greatscience.com.

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Cyber Kids! Have you ever been to the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Kid’s website? It’s totally awesome with cool things for kids to do. Check it out by surfing here. Cyber kids love taking an animal safari across ancient Egypt to find their way home. Learn how to make your own stained glass window! And the CMA website has hieroglyphic coloring pages (off the hook!) to print out and color on your own. You can also find out how much you know about the city of Cleveland. Learn why every day was a bad hair day for Medusa and check out The Attic, a favorite kids hideout! The Cleveland Museum of Art is a Cool Cleveland Kids partner.
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Dr. David Estrop
Superintendent, Lakewood City School District &
West Shore Career & Technical District

Dr. David Estrop is firing on all cylinders with a real sense of urgency. As Superintendent of the Lakewood City School District, he saw a recent construction levy pass while other districts see their levies fail, allowing Lakewood to rebuild or replace virtually every school building in the district. As a regional education leader, he has advocated for changes to the No Child Left Behind mandates, which he points out are unfair to diverse, large and urban school systems. He even announced a “guarantee” that all Lakewood H.S. graduates would meet standards for employers and higher ed, or Lakewood would pay for remedial classes. Now, as Superintendent of the West Shore Career & Technical District, which covers Rocky River, Westlake, Bay Village and Lakewood, he is announcing the formation of an Arts and Communications Academy to address the needs of students and regional economic development. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready met with Estrop outside the Armory at the Beck Center for the Arts to discuss how an Arts Academy would create jobs much like the existing Fenn Academy collaboration with CSU for engineering students, how it might involve partners and collaborators from all over town, and how they managed to pass their recent school levy with a whopping 68% “Yes” vote. http://www.LakewoodCitySchools.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/CoolClevelandKids06.29.07.mp3. Click here to subscribe: iTunes or other.

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The Reinvention of the City in the Internet Age Join your colleagues for a presentation by Lev Gonick, Case Western Reserve University’s Vice President of Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer. His presentation, “The Future and the Reinvention of the City in the Internet Age,” will be held on Tue 7/17 at 10:45AM in the Amphitheater of Chautauqua Institution. Nestled on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, this picturesque community, known as Chautauqua Institution, evokes the friendliness and charm of a bygone era. Contact 1.800.821.1881 for reservations at the Athenaeum Hotel at the Chautauqua Institution and www.ciweb.org for more information regarding their events and programs.
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Cool Cleveland Podcast You know how to do it. Click here to listen: Link. iTunes or other.
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The Top 25 Music Milestones of the past 25 years. Cleveland made the list. Can you guess how? Read

Going after arts funding? Most arts groups understand that to be eligible for their share of the $20M Issue 18 arts funding, they must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to the arts. But the eligibility guidelines are more specific: your group must have at least one full-time employee and you must provide a recent Independently Certified Reviewed Financial Statement (one step below an audit) if your budget is over $500K. Read the complete grant guidelines here. The final Wed 6/27 workshop has been moved to Cleveland Sight Center, 1909 East 9th Street, 791-8118 http://www.CuyahogaArtsAndCulture.org.

The Survey Says that Cool Cleveland readers are, by and large, highly-educated, community-minded, Internet-savvy individuals. (Did I mention good looking?). For more info about advertising contact us at InfoATCoolCleveland.com.

A Big Green Merger Founder/Executive Director David Beach of EcoCity Cleveland and Dr. Bruce Latimer, Executive Director of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History announced a merger of the former with the latter last week. Both nationally respected organizations have a history of working together to promote the conservation and preservation of nature; the groups will create a new Center for Regional Sustainability. We think the idea is a grand one.Read.

Mortgage Counseling The Cuyahoga County Department of Development has a program to assist low-income individuals with one-time mortgage assistance. Funds are still available to provide one-time help catching up on mortgage payments for homeowners with children under 18 that meet the federal 200% of poverty income guidelines. For example, a household of four people -with income up to $41,300 per year – could receive up to $2500 one-time mortgage payment assistance. Clients who need this kind of help should dial “211”, the County’s social service referral number, to get free mortgage counseling from one of nine County-funded nonprofit agencies. http://development.cuyahogacounty.us.

Panic in Paying for School Summer jobs, selling plasma, selling CDs back to the store, running up credit cards and bumming cash from the folks. All are popular ways for kids to pay for college. But what about a webpage asking businesses and individuals to sponsor your years of post-graduate education? Clevelander John Sammon is testing that idea that with a new website he has created to help fund his return to school to pursue a Master’s degree. http://www.fundjbiztechohnsmasters.com. Thoughts? letters@coolcleveland.com.

Chagrin Falls commits $8M, partners w/ Chautauqua aiming toward goal of becoming a new arts hub/destination. Serious move for sleepy little Chagrin Falls. Could Chagrin Falls become the new Chautauqua? Or Niagara-on-the-Lake? Read. What do you think? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Cottage Living Mag cites Ohio City one of the “Top Ten Cottage Communities” for 07. The July/Aug ish calls the OC cozy, livable, quaint… and “fueledby creative and committed newcomers.” Read Thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Summer in the City Cleveland+ heats up the summer with several great prize packages, including a Grand Prize featuring 2 Continental Airlines tickets and 2 nights at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre. Read the full details here.

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GuitarMania Rocks Cleveland! GuitarMania®, Greater Cleveland’s famed community art project, has returned for a third time. The project, which raised over $1.6 million for United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s education programs, features oversize Fender® Stratocaster® guitars transformed into works of art by local artists and national celebrities. The guitars are displayed on Cleveland streets for residents and visitors to enjoy from June through October 2007. Organizations and individuals sponsor and select local artists to paint, sculpt or decorate the guitars. The guitars are auctioned at a gala event on October 20 at the Rock Hall. To find the guitars’ locations, visit www.guitarmania and click Guitar finder map.
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Every week, all of us here at Cool Cleveland pour through gads of fantastic things happening in CLE and NEO, all in an effort to answer that ever-nagging question: “What’s cool to do this week?” Submitted for your approval, here’s a snapshot of what we found. Got a unique event coming up? Know of something that is a totally Cool Cleveland worthy event? We want to hear from you about it; our tens of thousands of readers do, too. Be a civic and cultural activist and turn on your fellow readers.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Tired of the Same Old, Same Old? Looking for a new, effective way to advertise your client’s message? People dig us and our reach extends to tens of thousands of loyal readers every week. Round out your marketing strategy with an on-line option that gets results. Check this out: “As an organization, our challenge involves attracting a younger demographic to our concerts. With a combination of advertising and sponsorship at Cool Cleveland events, we have achieved our 2005 goals. It’s obvious when I look into the younger faces of our audience before each concert.” − Maria Armijo, Red {an orchestra}. Contact TL@CoolCleveland.com for info about advertising.

Trailblazing Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corp. catalyst Tom Yablonsky will lead a panel discussion with community leaders on their efforts to connect the Towpath Trail to downtown Cle and the long-range impact of this green development to the region’s economic growth, neighborhood revitalization, and quality of life Wed 6/27 at 5:30PM. The program will be held at the Leonard Krieger CanalWay Center, Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, 4524 E. 49th St., Cuyahoga Hts. http://www.cityclub.org.

Making Sense of Place The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in collaboration with The Metroparks Zoo and Ward 15 Councilman Brian Cummins bring you a no-cost screening of Making Sense of Place–Cleveland: Confronting Decline in an American City. The movie will be shown Wed 6/27 at 6PM in the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Auditorium, 3900 Wildlife Way. The one-hour doc about deterioration in the urban core through the eyes and voices of Cleveland residents will be followed by a community discussion. Any questions, please call the Councilman’s office at 459-8400 or email him at bcummins@clevelandcitycouncil.org.

Frank Kunstel The national security expert talks on the erosion of American values and constitutional rights in the name of national security Wed 6/27 at noon. Safe and Free: Upholding American Values in Times of Unrest is the first of this summer’s Brown Bag Lecture Series, happening Wednesdays throughout the summer at the Max Wohl Civil Liberties Center, 4506 Chester Ave. No-cost, open open to the public. Bring your lunches; drinks and desserts will be provided. RSVP: 472-2220. http://www.acluohio.org.

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Cain Park Arts Fest – One of the Best in the US! Experience the beauty and innovation of some of the best artwork you’ll ever see at the Cain Park Arts Festival Fri 7/13 – Sun 7/15 (Fri 3-8PM, Sat 10-8PM, Sun 12-5PM). Check out the different forms of ingenious artwork that include slashed and reconstructed leather, aluminum furniture, artglass window panels, welded steel jewelry, puzzle coats, hammered copper with cast concrete, 3-D found objects, assemblages of cast & painted aluminum, digital drawings, art shoes (that rockers wear!) and so much more. Nationally recognized as one of the top 25 fine art festivals in the country, Cain Park Arts Festival has no admission fee and is open to the public. And if you introduce yourself as a “Cool Clevelander” at the t-shirt table, you’ll get $2 off the purchase price of a 2007 Cain Park Arts Festival t-shirt. The festival is located at Lee and Superior in Cleveland Heights. Free parking shuttle on Sat and Sun. Contact 216-371-3000 or www.cainpark.com.
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A Rare Phantom Blend Join the group Rare Blend as they perform live to the 1925 silent film Phantom of The Opera starring Lon Chaney, Sr. on Thu 6/28 at 7PM at the Olmsted Falls Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, 7850 Main St., Olmsted Falls. No-cost, open to the public. Part of Rare Blend’s “Bridging the Gap” series, which is a “creative combination of multi-genre original music and classic silent cinema.” Refreshments available before the performance. http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/MusciExpert.aspx.

Jazz Sparx and DubFlex The latest installments of the Sparx Street Beats drop a little jazz and reggae in your life. First at the Warehouse District, enjoy two local outfits – Dave Sterner Quintet and the UP Ensemble – on Thu 6/28 at 6PM. The next day at lunch (Fri 6/29 at 11:30) check out the positivity of local reggae masters DubFlex at 200 Public Square. Times, locations, et.al can be found at http://www.cleveland.com/sparx.

HOT Electric Infinity The solo exhibition by artist Matt Barton creates a dream-like environment with paradoxical use of time-based media. Influenced by near-death experience stories, Natural History Museum dioramas, and his high school employment performing with a mechanical animal band as Chuck E. Cheese, Barton’s installation is a mystical merging of animatronics, video, and taxidermy, which explores pop-spirituality and kitsch with a seriously playful approach. Explore the exhibition during an opening reception Fri 6/29 from 7PM – 11PM. Front Room Gallery, 3615 Superior Ave., #4203-A. http://www.frontroomcleveland.com.

Ana Popovic Band This sassy, 29-year-old blues guitar sensation and W.C. Handy Award Winner plays like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. No joke. She’s got some serious blues chops and fretboard finesse that will bake your noodle. One of this summer’s hottest tickets, the Amsterdam native graces the intimate stage at Wilbert’s this Fri 6/29 at 8PM. And the low-dough show will leave room in the budget for a couple ice cold beers. http://www.wilbertsmusic.com.

HOT Cleveland Wine Festival The 2nd annual Cle Wine Festival hits downtown Cle’s Voinovich Park, adjacent to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, on Fri 6/29 and Sat 6/30 More than 20 wine exhibitors feature samples of some 150 domestic and international wines; expert lecturers from the wineries will talk about trends and varietals. Festivalgoers get a shot at some of Cle’s best restaurants including Abuelo’s, Fahrenheit, La Dolce Vita, the Cleveland Marriott Downtown, Swingo’s Grand Tavern, Sophie’s Restaurant and Stancato’s. Live music includes The Roberto Ocasio Latin Jazz Project and The Bill Ransom Jazz Quintet. Details at http://www.clevelandwinefestival.com.

Dave Banks Big Band return to the Cleveland Bop Stop with some extra ammunition for a special summer holiday concert on Fri 6/29 at 8PM. The night will feature jazz vocalist Marsha Newman and some of the finest jazz musicians in the area including Jack Schantz, Joe Miller, John English, Chas Baker, Don Turoso, Rich Shanklin, Brad Wagner, Mark Gonder and many more. Reservations can be made through Dave’s website at http://www.davebanksbigband.com. The Bop Stop, 2920 Detroit Ave. http://www.clevelandbopstop.com.

Two Heights Openings Heights Arts Studio at 2340 Lee Rd., celebrates the opening of The Community as a Form of Art, featuring the works of Migiwa Orimo and the Heights Arts Summer Collective on Fri 6/29 from 6 – 9PM. Orimo is an Ohio Arts Council Artist-in-Residence at Heights Arts Studio in June, exploring different aspects of our community as elements of art. Nearby at the Neights Arts Gallery at 2173 Lee Rd., next to the Cedar Lee, the exhibit The Powers of 2 launches simultaneously. The jewelry of Kathleen Browne, altered furniture of Stephen Litchfield, enamels of Gretchen Goss and sculptural assemblages by Mark Hartung are featured. Both exhibits through Sat 7/28. http://www.heightsarts.org.

Stacie Collins The former Clevelander returns home to celebrate her CD The Lucky Spot with a CD Release Party at The Winchester Music Hall Fri 6/29 at 8PM. The Lucky Spot was produced by Dan Baird (frontman for the Georgia Satellites), and is a Southern rockin’ Twang de Force. Collins performs with Baird and guitarist Warner Hodges – best known in these parts as a part of Jason & the Scorchers. Opening will be The Jack Fords. Read Peter Chakerian’s review of the disc a little further down the page. The Winchester, 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood. http://www.thewinchester.net. http://www.staciecollins.com.

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WCLVnotes A reminder that this is the last week for Karl Haas’ Adventures in Good Music on WCLV 104.9. After 48 years, the series ends this Fri 6/29. This week, WCLV is presenting two special AIGM broadcasts each day, at 10AM and 8PM. Next week, WCLV celebrates the July 4th Holiday with a live broadcast of the Blossom Festival Band concert on Tue 7/3 at 8PM. Loras John Schissel conducts lots of marches and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. WCLV’s American Music Festival runs Tue 7/3 through Thu 7/5, with a Cincinnati Pops July 4th Spectacular at 1PM on Independence Day. And on Thu 7/5 at 9PM, WCLV will broadcast The Cleveland Orchestra’s Public Square Concert live. Complete details on all of WCLV’s programs can be found at www.wclv.com.
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HOT Take a Walk on the West Side Five Cle neighborhoods — Clark Metro, Detroit Shoreway, Ohio City, Stockyards and Tremont — will participate in this one-of-a-kind community health event on Sat 6/30. Starting at one of three west side locations at 9AM, residents will participate in a one-mile fitness walk and will meet up for a special health and wellness event at Open Air in Market Square at the corner of West 25th St and Lorain Ave. in Ohio City. Walkers can register to start the walk at one of these locations: Clark Metro Development Corp (2511 Clark Ave., 741-9500), Zone Rec Ctr (6301 Lorain Ave., 781-3222) or Lincoln Park Gazebo (Starkweather Ave. between West 11th and West 14th St., 575-0920). Open Air in Market Square will feature special health and wellness activities and exhibits, including free health screenings, music and dancing, healthy food and drink samples, public screening of Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me at Talkies Film and Coffee Bar, and a lot more. For more information about Steps to a Healthier Cleveland, please visit http://www.clevelandhealth.org/steps or call 664-STEP (7837).

Samuel W. Black Cleveland State University’s Black Studies Program brings the historian, author, lecturer and curator to the Western Reserve Historical Society for a lecture and book signing for his newly published book Soul Soldiers: African Americans and the Vietnam Era on Sat 6/30 at 1PM. Black, curator of African American Collections at the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, is currently co-authoring Through the Lens of Allen E. Cole: African Americans in Cleveland. 10825 East Blvd., University Circle. No-cost, open to the public. http://www.wrhs.org.

HOT Larchmere Flea Market & Festival Dozens of merchants on Larchmere join forces with antiques dealers, vintage and specialty vendors, local artists, and community residents for a huge sales extravaganza all along Larchmere Blvd Sat 6/30 beginning at 11AM. Think “Portobello Road Antiques Fair meets the Burton Flea Market, with a dose of Ingenuity.” Some Larchmere merchants, including Loganberry Books, will be running specials during the day-long event. Bring the family! http://www.larchmere.com. http://www.loganberrybooks.com/LMA-fleamarket.html.

Tremont Farmers Market & Yoga Located across from Lucky’s Café on Starkweather, the new Tremont Farmers’ Market offers the freshest local produce, baked goods, arts and music, as well as people committed to bringing you health, happiness, and a fun farmer’s market experience. Check out the tremont Farmers market this Sat 6/30 beginning at 8:30AM with some no-cost yoga. Contact Marcia Camino with questions at email mcamino@sbcglobal.net or visit http://www.pinklotusyoga.com for yoga details. For questions about the Tremont Farmers’ Market contact Molly at (216) 410-7152 or email tremontmarket@yahoo.com.

Nobody’s Normal Up Close Are you normal? Didn’t think so. Come meet other folk like you at this one woman monologue by Linda Clark about politics, hypocrisy, cowboys, Prague and delivering newspapers in the 1970s. Among other things. The Unitarian Universalist Society is offering the work in conjunction with Eve Ensler’s V-DAY Until the Violence Stops NEO on Sat 6/30 at 7PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cleveland (UUSC), Cle Hts. 2728 Lancashire Rd., between Euclid Hts. Blvd and Coventry Road. http://www.utvsneo.org.

The Bottle Rocket Show Pop Shop Gallery will host its Bottle Rocket Show beginning with an Opening Reception on Sat 6/30 at 6PM. This show will highlight contemporary works by local artists that “go out with a bang.” The work displayed POPS! No-cost, open to the public; an after party will be held at Mullens, located next to the gallery, for drink specials following the reception. Pop Shop Gallery and Studio, 17020 Madison Ave., Lakewood. http://www.myspace.com/thepopshopgallery.

Paul: A Musical Journey returns home to Akron on Sat 6/30 at 8PM at E. J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall on the campus of the University of Akron. The musical, written by Akron native Charles Myricks Jr., is a powerful story of transformation, reconciliation and hope – one that played to rave reviews. The power of rock, R&B and soul music, channeled into something akin to the Chicken Soup series… but far more powerful. http://www.uakron.edu.

Guitar Shorty is prone to cutting loose with savagely slashing licks on his instrument. Credited with influencing both Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Guy, Shorty has been electrifying audiences for five decades with his supercharged live shows and his incendiary recordings. Through the years, Shorty has performed with blues and R&B luminaries like Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, B.B. King, Guitar Slim and T-Bone Walker… and on Sat 6/30 at 8PM, he performs just for you at Wilbert’s downtown. http://www.wilbertsmusic.com.

Afi-Odelia E. Scruggs author of Claiming Kin: Confronting the History of an African American Family and Beyond Stitch & Bitch: Reflections on Knitting and Life will discuss family history and storytelling at Mac’s Backs Books on Coventry, 1820 Coventry Rd. in Cleveland Hts. Sat 6/30 at 4PM. Her approach is different than genealogy, it is a way to get to the stories behind the stories at family dinners and reunions. http://www.macsbacks.com.

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Are We Able to Shape the Future of NEO? Find out at the Best Damn Launch Party hosted by Studio ASM @ Idea Center on Thu 6/28, from 6 – 9PM at Playhouse Square, 4th Floor. The Best Damn Launch Party celebrates two important new arrivals in town. First, mark your calendars for “The Best Damn Tech Show Period” (BDTSP), a monumental show coming this November . . . and an annual event that makes the declarative statement that tech is strong in Cleveland and NEO! For show info, contact Tech Czar Michael DeAloia at 216.857.2628 or mdealoia@city.cleveland.oh.us. Also, “Everything is Material” at ASM International, is the content chair for the BDTSP and the world’s leading materials society. Join us for the Grand Opening of our Studio at the launch party on Thu 6/28 and find out how materials are shaping the future of NEO. RSVP for the party at mary.adams-morrow@asminternational.org. For more info about ASM contact www.asminternational.org
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Built to Spill The Grog Shop hosts the indie rock legends, a band that bridged the gap between the postmodern pop of Stephen Malkmus’ Pavement and the “loose, spacious jamming” of Neil Young. They rock Mon 7/2 at 9PM. This is sure to sell out. Grog Shop on Coventry. http://grogshop.gs.

Chucklef*ck Comedy Night n. Chucklef*ck: a comedy show that occurs every Monday night at 8PM, including this coming Mon 7/2. The no-cost, open to the public event gives 5 performers a shot at savage comedic amusement. Hosted by Jim Tews, with a new lineup every week. Come get your beer or coffee buzz, some free wi-fi and a laugh for your week. bela dubby in Lakewood. http://www.myspace.com/beladubby.

The Seasons of Versailles Explore Cleveland Botanical Garden as they host this collection of 28 black-and-white photographs that Cle shutterfly Herb Ascherman, Jr. took of Versailles over a 6-year period before massive renovations of the grounds began in 1992. Perfect for brightening up your Mon 7/1 starting at 10AM. (On now through Sun 7/22). 11030 East Blvd. http://www.cbgarden.org.

True White Affair Check out this stylin’ Warehouse District affair at the Sunset Lounge, 1382 West 9th St., on Tue 7/3 beginning at 9PM. The 25 & Over event requires all white (and proper) attire for entry; tunes spun by DJs Mick Boogie and Terry Urban. Valet parking available. For more info/reservations, call 702-5511 or email wordofmouth_2000@yahoo.com.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

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Now Showing: Holden Express Through 9/23! Step into an enchanted outdoor wonderland of beautiful gardens and model trains at Holden Express: A Garden Railroad at The Holden Arboretum. Garden enthusiasts, young and old, will delight at the sights and sounds of trains built into one of Holden’s premier gardens. Winding through 2,000 feet of track, the exhibit will spread over 6,000 square feet, encouraging visitors to immerse themselves in the magic. Located just 30 minutes east of DT Cleveland, Holden Express will be open from 10AM to 5PM (and until 9PM Wednesdays) daily through Sun 9/23. Holden Express has no-cost admission for members; Nonmembers: $6 adults, $3 children ages 6-12 and $2 children ages 2-5. Seniors: no-cost admission each Tuesday. Holden Arboretum is located at 9500 Sperry Road, Kirtland. For more info contact www.holdenarb.org.
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A Tale of Two Occurrences

Two occurrences last week — while they may seem totally disparate at first blush — are inexorably linked and could have a profound impact on the ongoing debate over regionalism in our area. And they both demand and deserve our attention.

However, before I dive off into the deep end of the contentious regionalism pool, I want to state without equivocation that I “get it” in terms of what it’s going to take to move Northeast Ohio forward. Clinging to the past and the 57 virtual fiefdoms that are the municipalities in Cuyahoga County will only insure that our area remains moribund and on life support far into the foreseeable future. The ultimate success of Northeast Ohio is predicated upon us fostering regional cooperation — and the economies of scale such cooperation can bring about. With that said, the devil — as always — is in the details.

On Wednesday, June 20, a major, two-year study, “Regionalism: Growing Together to Expand Opportunities for All,” was released by The Presidents’ Council (according to the accompanying press release the organization is “…a group of chief executive officers from some of the largest African-American owned-and-operated businesses in the Greater Cleveland area). The study — which was conducted by the prestigious “African American Forum on Race and Regionalism” — was funded by a grant from the Cleveland Foundation and can be found online at http://www.thepresidentscouncil.com.

The 309-page document, upon its release, however, immediately engendered controversy…
Read from from Mansfield Frazier here

Stan Theobald
ASM International

Stan Theobald is aggressively transforming ASM from the American Society of Metals to ASM International, with members who are industry scientists focused on ceramics, plastics, polymers, electronics, medical devices, and nanomaterials, becoming the world’s largest materials information firm. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready met managing director Stan Theobald at their world HQ in Novelty, Ohio, also known as Materials Park, Ohio, in their mineral garden under the world’s largest open-air dome designed by R. Buckminster Fuller. They’ve opened up an office in the tech building at Ideacenter at Playhouse Square, and this week they are celebrating their new digs by throwing the Best Damn Launch Party on Thu 6/28, from 6 – 9PM at Studio ASM @ Idea Center. This celebration also includes their collaboration with “The Best Damn Tech Show Period,” a show coming to Cleveland this November. For more info about the launch party contact mary.adams-morrowATasminternational.org . For more info about ASM visit http://www.ASMinternational.org

A rounded and labyrinthine array of hot tech and business news & events from around Cleveland and around the region. Send your business news and events to: EVENTS@CoolCleveland.com

A New Regionalism Study commissioned by the Presidents’ Council of Cleveland and how it will impact the African-American community have made for some very interesting reading. But the 309-page document is already stirring up controversy. Social equity challenges, “decentralization of jobs and people from its urban core,” disinvestment and education disparities in inner suburban communities, job losses and marginal population growth are only the beginning of the reasons that sponsor Mayor Frank Jackson and others are citing to torpedo our move towards regionalism before it’s had a chance to take hold. The not-so-hidden agenda: loss of control by smaller communities, in this case, African-American. But isn’t the point of regionalism to eliminate balkanized and wasteful power structures? We will serialize some of this document in the coming weeks of Cool Cleveland but encourage readers to digest the report and share your thoughts. You can find the full report here: http://www.thepresidentscouncil.com. Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Webcasters went silent yesterday halting their programming in protest of new royalty rates being drastically increased by a recent gov’t ruling. Due to go into effect 7/15 (retroactive to 1/1/06!!!), increased rates could force a majority of webcasters and college stations to go silent altogether. Click the petition link here and call your senate and house reps and demand that the gov’t not silence real sonic alternatives.

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The Absolute Coolest: Kids Tech Camp (Held over by popular demand!) Engage your children with late season camp registration so they’ll have fun this summer, learning, creating and using their imaginations. Go to Chagrin Falls or to one of the Cleveland-based camps. The Children’s Technology Workshop lets kids (grades 2-8) design, and take home, their own video games, movies, animations or other projects! To Register: 440.484.2222. Camp and workshop schedules: www.ctworkshop.com/glc. We hold parties too (your place or ours). CTW is a portfolio company of Beta Strategy Group, Ltd, www.betagroup.us, a founding sponsor of Cool Cleveland Tech.
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Monthly Luncheon sponsored by Beachwood COC at Maggiano’s Little Italy feat. Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland on Wed 6/27 Info
E4S at Akron Zoo Green Bldg Event inc. include ops to tour Komodo Kingdom, LEED cert. bldg Wed 6/27 at 4:30PM. Register
Anatomy Night Club + Ultralounge holds their first Open Doors happy Hour for YPs Thu 6/28 at 6PM feat appetizers and drink specials. Details
Best Damn Tech Show Period Launch Party for Nov 14-15 event hits Thu 6/28 from 6-9 PM at Ideacenter at PSC Sponsored by ASM Int’l. Call 857-2628 for show info; RSVP for launch to mary.adams-morrowATasminternational.org
Web Association holds luncheon Fri 6/29 on online media planning. Details
Sm Biz Council of Gtr Akron hosts annual banquet/awards luncheon Fri 6/29 at 11AM. Info
How to Choose the Perfect Career session Sat 6/30 @ 10AM, Corp College East. Details
Marketing Cle+ feat. Rick Batyko @ Exec. Caterers of Landerhaven Tue 7/10 @ 11:30AM. Info
Len Komoroski Pres. of Quicken Loans Arena/ Cleveland Cavaliers speaks at SBL Cleveland Thu 7/12 at 11:30A. Forum Conf Ctr. 1375 E. 9th St. No-cost; RSVP req’d, Sherrie Scarton 250-7000

Write up Your Alley Interested in writing for Cool Cleveland? Let us know your area of interest. We’d love to hear from you. Letters@CoolCleveland.com

BrewedFreshDaily.com, run by Cool Cleveland’s George Nemeth, scans over hundreds of area feeds everyday and provides links and commentary on a range subjects—from coffee to economic development in Northeast Ohio. Here’s an excerpt:

“Is our region connecting with foreign students here studying engineering, science and business?” asks Ed Morrison. Comments include:

Read and add your comment here

Natalie Ronayne
Cleveland Botanical Garden &
Green Corps Urban Youth Program

Natalie Ronayne is living the dream. With a background in biology & Environmental Management, she served as director of Parks, Recreation and Properties for the City of Cleveland before taking over last February as Executive Director of the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready met Natalie in Hough at Chester & E. 66th at one of their 3 Urban Learning Gardens, where selected teenagers participate with local farmers and green industry professionals to create sustainable landscapes and learn to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs that are then packaged and sold as products such as Ripe from Downtown Blackberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing and Ripe from Downtown Salsa which is being distributed by Heinen’s grocery stores, and reached their production goal of 10,000 units. Mulready discussed with Ronayne this innovative Green Corps Urban Youth Project,

and whether she feels she feels she is part of a movement of younger leaders in the region. http://www.CBGarden.org

Links to interesting NEO blogs

It’s no longer permission-based if you’re pissing off the people who gave you permission.
Pics and sounds of this year’s Powwow held at Edgewater.
Seems there’s money to burn on marketing, but none to address serious issues like poverty.
If you ran the county what would you spend $400M on?
Have a better backup plan then the one the State of Ohio has.
The list of reasons to move to Cleveland continues to grow.

Check Brewed Fresh Daily here, where Peter Chakerian comments on the news of the CC week. When you’re through, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

The Lucky Spot
Stacie Collins
Rev Records

With the endearing sassiness of a Gretchen Wilson or Moanin’ Michelle Malone and the rarity of being a competent cowgirl honky-tonk harmonica player, Stacie Collins definitely stands out in a crowd. The Nashville native – by way of Bakersfield, CA and a number of other locales including good ol’ Cleveland – released a self-titled debut disc a few years ago that managed to attract some interest amongst country-rock and Americana fans. But like so many “little knowns,” it was her live show that awed listeners. One such listener, a guy by the name of Dan Baird of Georgia Satellites fame, caught a Collins gig and decided that she would be his next sonic endeavor. Shortly after seeing her stage show, he signed up as her guitar-slinging sideman and producer.

That connection has certainly served Collins well; by her own admission, the sophomore effort The Lucky Spot is “a southern rockin’ harp howlin’ twang bangin’ record, baby!” Recorded live in a Kentucky studio that used to be an old farmhouse, Collins and Baird went for a rawer and warmer approach to this disc’s 10 tracks. From her dusky, rollicking vocal strains on “It Ain’t Love,” to the charming set closer “Top of That Mountain,” gritty roadhouse guitar and mouth harp is the call of the day….
Read the review by Peter Chakerian here

Ya know that Lonely Guy in the Cubicle Next to You? You’ll make his day if you forward this week’s issue of CC to him. And you may even give him something to talk about on his next date – if he ever gets one.

Ancestral Voices @ Gordon Square Theatre

Earlier this month, MN2 Productions presented Ancestral Voices — an original dance-theatre piece based on the poetry of Oleksander Oles, Lesia Ukrainka, Taras Shevchenko and Mykhailo Drai-Khmara and Ukrainian folk songs — at the Resonance World Music Festival in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. If you missed it, or are looking for another shot at this beautiful performance Friday June 29 through Sunday, July 1 at the Gordon Square Theatre. It’s not the first time you’ve seen or heard of the production.

Ancestral Voices debuted in Cleveland in 2000; this year’s model features new folk song arrangements sung in Ukrainian, but English translations of the lyrics are spoken by actors as a means for subtitling. It also features revised choreography by Natalie M. Kapeluck and new dances created by Mark Tomasic of Verb Ballets. The blending of poetry, song lyrics, dance, puppetry and modern dance looks to convey the existential story of two women with a multi-disciplined, innovative approach — as performed by Verb Ballets’ Erin Conway, Catherine Meredith, Anna Roberts and Mark Tomasic, and envisioned by director Nadia Tarnawsky.

Explore the world of Ancestral Voices at Cleveland Public Theatre’s Gordon Square Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave. Visit http://www.cptonline.org or call 269-7228 for tickets and information.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Hagan The Back-stabber at it Again

Two Cuyahoga County Commissioners, Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora, want to pull the trigger on another multi-million dollar tax to build what Sam Miller & the Ratners want.

Much of the tens of millions of dollars raised would be used to sandwich the Miller/Ratner Tower City, including the old Higbee’s building (for a medical mart) on the east and Ratner-owned land (Ratner-owned land) to the west.

The sales tax increase – the most regressive variety – will raise some $42 million a year. The increase will be a quarter percent to raise the full county sales tax to 7.75 percent.

It will only be the beginning of heavier financing…
Read more from Roldo Bartimole here

Quick reviews of recent events
Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening. We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

Big River @ Mercury Summer Stock 6/21 Remember the scenes in the Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney movies when they get a group of kids together to do a play? The results, because of their enthusiasm and dedication, were fun, amateur productions. That’s the feeling one gets from Mercury Summer Stock, which is now performing Big River, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Mercury has as its goal “providing local performers opportunities to work on and off stage during the summer season.” Though they are listed as a “professional based” theatre, in their present production only one equity member is listed. It matters not. If you go in expecting to see young performers who really love the theatre, putting out full-effort, the evening is fulfilling.

Based on Mark Twain’s classic 1884 novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the show features music in bluegrass and country styles, in keeping with the setting and era of the novel. The Broadway production, which won a Tony for Best Musical, ran for over 1,000 performances.

The Broadway production opened on April 25, 1985 and ran for 1,005 performances. A 1985 revival opened in the Big Apple in 2003. It was staged by the Roundabout Theatre Company and Deaf West Theatre, and about half the characters, including the leading role of Huck, were played by deaf or hard-of hearing performers. Having seen the production, I can assure you it was both entertaining and enlightening.

The story follows Huck Finn as he helps Jim, a slave, escape to the north to gain his freedom. Along the way, they encounter a fake duke and king, slave hunters, and are participants in a stolen money scheme, a plot to free Jim after he is captured, and Huck’s first love affair. All in all, the script and music (“Muddy Water,” “River in the Rain,” “Worlds Apart,” and “Free at Last”) are both moving and of high quality.

Mercury’s production is under the deft direction of Pierre-Jacques Brault, a 2001 graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College’s Music Theatre Department. His directing credentials are impressive for one so young. His youthful enthusiasm has been infused into the cast, who appears to be having a great time on stage.

The production’s accomplishments are even more impressive when one realizes that they are performing on a tiny stage, with no fly gallery or wing space, and a very limited budget. This causes all sorts of complications of a show that requires a number of sets, set changes and extensive costumes.

The production is uneven, but that’s to be expected with such a young cast. Brian Marshall, the theatre’s Managing Artistic Director, makes for a fine Huck. Though appearing a little too old for the role, he has a nice voice and a good grasp of the nuances of the part.

Charles Walker (Jim) has fine vocal and acting abilities. His rendition of “Free At Last” was powerful. Daniel Marshall (Duke), the only listed union performer, is delightful as the overblown Shakespearean actor, as is Arthur Wise (King) as his scheming sidekick. Corey Joseph Mach is Tom Sawyer personified. Some of the singing and dancing by those in minor roles was a little ragged, but the vocal blends, especially of the boys chorus, were excellent.

As is the case when a show has youth attendance potential, I took my grandsons Alex (11) and Noah Berko (10) to see the production. On their grading scale, they gave the production a 7 out of 10. Alex summarized, “It was a good play, but I didn’t understand all of the jokes, but lots of it was funny. (Sidenote: as a fifth grader he hasn’t quite been exposed to Shakespeare and southern folk humor.)

The singing was really good and I liked Charles Walker who played Jim, the African American slave. I don’t think people should own slaves, it’s dumb!” Noah agreed. He also expressed concern because the set wasn’t realistic enough to portray the raft moving down the river. They both liked Huck and Tom. Alex added, “They used the “N” word a lot and they swore 26 times.” Noah stated, “That might offend some people.”

Capsule judgment: Big River is a well-conceived script. In the hands of Pierre Brault and his Mercury youthful, enthusiastic cast, it gets an uneven but pleasing production. It’s worth a “go see.”

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy Berko royberkoATyahoo.com

Roy Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.

Booth @ CSU Factory Theater 6/21 A powerful actor played by a powerful actor, Junius Brutus Booth (Michael L. Mauldin) bullies his audiences, his sons, and his friends, and his wife, but not his mistress, the mother of his children, but he’s a drunk. Drunk on acting and drunk on alcohol. Watching Mauldin’s Booth self-destruct is like watching film of a car accident. You can see what must happen, you cringe, you turn your head, but you still look. In one scene Booth’s son, Edwin (played bravely by Geoff Knox) has hidden the key to the room they’re staying in on the road to try to prevent his father from going out drinking. The scene requires Mauldin to portray the confident actor, the disingenuous father, the sly drunkard, the raging addict, and then the confident actor and man about town again, all in the space of a few moments. It’s worth the price of admission to see just that scene.

Geoff Knox as Edwin Booth, does a good job as the ambitious boy who grows up too fast and loose on the road with his father. He starts out callow at the beginning of the play and ends up as contemptuously arrogant as his father ever was. Knox doesn’t effortlessly command the stage, yet, as Mauldin does, but he shows good range.

The most impressive performance after mauldin’s was Holly Holsinger as Mary Ann, Booth’s mistress, and the mother of the two boys, Edmund and “Johnny”, played by Benjamin Gates, who doesn’t figure much in the play, but who witnesses the tyrannical behavior of Booth, Edmund’s attempt to tyrannize them all, and Booth’s wife’s arrival from England as a sort of renegade deus ex machina. Part of the point of the play seems to be to get all this tyrannical maneuvering done in front of Johnny – who is, of course, John Wilkes Booth, the man who shouted “Sic semper tyrranus” after shooting Abraham Lincoln. Johnny is a pure and simple boy, and Benjamin Gates does a nice job. He’s got an especially good moment toward the end when Mauldin’s Booth roars “Do you want to go out on the road with me, Johnny?” Gates does an excellent job of reacting as if he’s seen the gates of hell open before him, but without losing his acting cool.

But back to Ms. Holsinger. She has the unenviable job of being the nice person in a play full of actors having a great time each playing their own version of the bad guy. She does an excellent job. She stands up for truth, justice, and goodness without seeming in the least like a goody-two-shoes. It’s a gritty performance because the bad guys are really bad guys in poor Mary Ann’s world.

Jill Levin has a nice turn as Adelaide, the Mrs Booth from England. She doesn’t overplay it at all, and she provides all the incendiaries Booth needs to burn his bridges. Lydia Chanenka steals her scenes with a sly intelligence. She’s very good. Everett Quinton is the key actor in this ensemble – he supports every other actor with a complete immersion as the all-too-willing Mr Page. Quinton plays a man who has come up against the difference between talent and genius with exquisite sadness. Andrew C Call as Baxter the manager plays his part, but his part seems extraneous to the play, frankly. It’s not Call’s fault, though.

Summary: This is a good production of a pretty good play. Mauldin’s performance is worth seeing, and Holsinger stands right up to him. Knox is going to be good, and that Gates kid was either extraordinarily well-directed or he’ll be good, too. And of course Everett Quinton is always worth watching.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Marcus Bales marcusATdesignerglass.com

Oliver @ Cain Park 6/22 Fred Sternfeld, the director of Oliver which is now appearing at Cain Park’s Evans Theatre, is noted for his ability to take large casts and make them into cohesive units (think Beauty and the Beast at Beck Center and Ragtime at Jewish Community Center). He pulls it off again with Oliver, though there were some rag tag moments on opening night, some questionable casting, and a languid pace.

I was fortunate enough to have seen the second night performance of the London production of Oliver. I clapped my hands sore during the numerous curtain calls. The show has continued to be one of my very favorites.

The script, with music, book and lyrics by Lionel Bart, is loosely based on Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. It is noted as being the first musical adaptation of a Dickens novel to become a successful stage hit. The New York version opened in 1963 with Ron Moody (Fagin) and Georgia Brown (Nancy) of the original London cast.

The story centers on Oliver, an orphan who runs away from the funeral parlor to which he has been sold for misbehaving at an orphanage. He hooks up with a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by the devious but good hearted Fagin. On his first outing, Oliver is wrongly accused of a theft. Through a serious of twists and turns, and some glorious songs, Oliver’s life takes a drastic turn and it appears that he winds up living happily ever after.

Cain Park’s production is blessed with George Roth portraying Fagin. He has a delightful singing voice and gives the role the right tone. His “Reviewing the Situation” was wonderful, as was “Pick A Pocket or Two.” He walks the line between bad guy and curmudgeon with finesse.

Lincoln Sandham (Oliver), though a little too old to be playing the role, has the requisite blonde hair and innocent wide-eyed look. He has a nice pure singing voice. His “Where is Love” was right in tonality and meaning.

One of my favorite musical theatre songs is, “As Long as He Needs Me.” Each time I see the production I sit in fear that the song will be ruined. No fear in this production. Patty Lohr sings beautifully, stressing meaning over mere words, and she also acts the role with assurance.

As has come to be expected, Martin Cespedes’ choreography is creative. He has honed the youngsters in the cast into a cohesive unit that is delightful in “Food, Glorious Food.” His staging of “I’d Do Anything” is a show stopper.

Musical Director Jodie Ricci, Scenic Designer Jeff Hermann, and Costumer Aimee Kluiber all should be proud of their contributions.

On the other hand, Kris Hebble fails to develop any meaningful character as Mr. Bumble. Surprisingly Juliette Regnier is emotionally flat as Widow Corney and Bob Adelman speaks lines without much meaning as Mr. Sowerberry. Because of this, the second and fourth scenes in the first act drag. Even “I Shall Scream” lacks the humor inherent in the song. Chris McCarrell lacks the enthusiasm and a twinkle-in-the-eye playfulness needed for portraying the Artful Dodger. Bob Russell could be more consistently verbally and physically menacing as Bill Sykes. His “My Name” lacked the necessary shudder-factor.

Capsule judgment: Oliver, with its wonderful score and slight but engaging story line, is one of musical theatre’s better scripts. The Cain Park production has the potential to be very good, thanks to some strong performances and wonderful choreography. It can only be hoped that as the production runs the weaker cast members will truly develop their characters and the pace of the show will pick up‘.

Oliver runs through July 8 at the Evans Theatre in Cain Park, Cleveland Heights. For tickets call 371-3000, or visit http://www.cainpark.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy Berko royberkoATyahoo.com

Roy Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.

The Student Prince @ Ohio Light Opera, Wooster 6/23 OK, maybe it’s corny and old-fashioned in a world where royalty is close to extinct, but last Saturday’s opening night (June 23) of ”The Student Prince” at the Ohio Light Opera showed that ear worms don’t always have to be feared. I’m still humming “Deep in My Heart, Dear” and “Golden Days” and it doesn’t hurt a bit.

The plot of this 1924 operetta by tune-meister genius Sigmund Romberg turns on the adventures of Karl Franz, a Prince who (unlike Hamlet) has a great time in college–in this case “dear old Heidelberg” (in Germany, not Ohio). Karl Franz, winningly sung by Grant Knox, falls for the adorable waitress Kathie (tuneful and sprightly Robin Farnsley). Eventually reality sets in, the Prince becomes the King, marries Princess Margaret (fetchingly played by Kemper Le Croy?-Florin), the wife his job as King requires, and lovely but low-born Kathie falls by the wayside.

But not before the gorgeous “Deep in My Heart, Dear” reprises at the last scene. We see the spotlighted figures of the two lovers dreaming of each other while all around life goes on, as it must, as usual. Even while the cynical side of one thinks “it may get pretty crowded deep in hearts if all old loves are jammed in there,” the romantic side enjoys it immensely.

All the best songs are crammed into the substantial first act, the other three acts mostly serve to carry the story. If pressed for time, one might leave after the first intermission and feel satisfied. But that would be a mistake because good things happen later. Sandra Ross as the stylish Grand Duchess Anastasia (who takes to drinking from a silver flask conveniently hidden in her cleavage) is not to be missed. Also outstanding is Boyd Mackus as the Prince’s tutor Dr. Engel, Frederick Reeder as the comic valet Lutz, and Todd Strange (gorgeous voice) as Count Hugo Detlef.

The sets are charming, the lighting is great, the dancing is the best I’ve seen in years, and the men’s chorus (with a fabulously tuneful a capella “Gaudeamus Igitur”) is dashing. The Inn of the Three Golden Apples at the University of Heidelberg is a good place to be (and a good place to learn a great drinking game/song). It’s worth the hour’s drive south, trust me.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Kennelly lkennellyATgmail.com.

Cool Cleveland readers write
We encourage our readers to speak out by sending us letters and commentary. Send your letters to Letters@CoolCleveland.com. You must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional). You may also create a new Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail e-mail address and submit it with your letter. Letters submitted to Cool Cleveland, or edited portions, may be published in an upcoming issue of Cool Cleveland at our discretion.

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Yo, Cool Cleveland, from Canada I really enjoy receiving your updates every Wednesday as well as your 3 minute podcasts. I consider Cleveland to be a great city and Clevelanders to be very proud, warm and friendly. I last visited your great city in August of 2004 with my wife and teenage sons and enjoyed our four day stay immensely: the Rock Hall, the Jake, Browns Stadium, Fat Fish Blue, the Winking Lizard near our ootel, the Marriott Residence Inn on Prospect Avenue, the culture on University Circle, Tower City, the lake and the parks and the views. I know that your city like many others is facing economic struggles. I follow this in the Plain Dealer online and the Free Times and CleveScene. I know there are racial problems. But these exists everywhere, including Ottawa, Canada’s capital city so do not get discouraged. I encourage you to keep at it and build a better Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. As a Canadian, I am pulling hard for you all the way. As a foreigner, I wish I could do something to vouch for your great city and for my comments to have an impact…can you make any suggestions in this regard? Incidentally I work for the Government of Canada, more specifically at Headquarters for the Canada Revenue Agency, Canada’s IRS equivalent. So if you have questions about Canadian tax matters (the Goods and Services tax, for example), do send them my way. Best wishes to everyone who works for Cool Cleveland, and for that matter, anyone in your city who contributes to Cleveland’s growth and continued well-being.
from Cool Cleveland reader John Rae jraen606ATrogers.com

On the re-election of our County Commissioners (See County planning to raise taxes for convention center here) It seems like Hagan and Dimora are out of control. One need only look as far as Pittsburgh to see that a new convention center is no panacea and with as much vacant property as there is in the city how could anyone think that destroying an historic building is the best option. I hope the voters feel the same way when these two are up for re-election. It is minds like theirs that have the county and city in the state they are in today. As the old saying goes, “When you do what you’ve always done, you get what you always got.”
from Cool Cleveland reader Dale Chan drchan35AThotmail.com

On eminent domain (See Was eminent domain necessary? here)The Port / Wolstein eminent domain issue was a clear misuse of this power of last resort. Public officials need to see eminent domain as the tool that does not even come up in discussions until it is clear that the property owners are exploiting the situation. This is a situation where the Port compromised and put at risk the use of this tool for every city and authority in Ohio. The enemies of eminent domain are at the door in the Ohio legislature. Senator Grendell was fed a situation where an unelected board under agreement with a developer, offered dramatically below expected market rate for other investors properties. This clearly compromised the legal and legislative argument for eminent domain. I believe that a critical review of this situation is called for. The port put at risk every port authority and RTA and Ohio’s use of eminent domain. For What? The use of eminent domain is a essential tool for any city. It is a tool of last resort. It also must be very much a arms length transaction. There needs to be a distance between Port and developer.
from Cool Cleveland reader Jon Eckerle clevelandrealestateATyahoo.com

Eminent domain is not only a tool for private developers; it’s a tool for government entities to force property owners to accept low-ball offers as well. Several of us whose properties adjoin the Fulton Road Bridge have had it happen to us. Leaving aside the fact that the bridge could have been rehabbed at much lower cost than demolishing and replacing it, the county set out to acquire the necessary land for the new, super-highway-sized bridge at the lowest possible price. Accordingly, we were offered something on the order of 50 cents per square foot of land seized. In the case of my husband and myself, half our backyard has been taken. Most of it is gone permanently, while some is slated to be clear-cut and “rented” for the duration of the project. We have been offered the grand sum of $1,000 in total. We were told that we would NOT be reimbursed for the permanent destruction of an appraised $5,000 worth of plantings on the land, including an irreplaceable 75-year-old elm. No compensation for having traffic practically at our back door, either. My point here is that whenever the term “eminent domain” rears its ugly head, there’s an enormous potential for the process to be used to feed someone’s greed or satisfy an agenda. Who knows how many payoffs have occurred or will yet occur behind the scenes during this latest construction boom? In our case, we were steamrolled by ODOT, the City of Cleveland, and the county engineer’s office, who were determined to have a new bridge no matter how much taxpayer money was wasted and no matter that a one-of-a-kind landmark was destroyed. In the case of the Flats, it’s been just more of the usual Wolstein rapaciousness. Seizure of land via the use of eminent domain should never, ever be permitted unless there is a provable necessity, and even then, only in cases of overwhelming public good, which can be unequivocally demonstrated. The taking of private property should absolutely not EVER be a source of profit, whether the money goes to developers and big business or to greedy public officials, contractors, and designers.
from Cool Cleveland reader Denise Donaldson zoonorthATnetzero.com

On demolishing the Breuer Tower (See City votes to save Breuer Tower here) What’s the first principle of green building? Don’t tear down buildings! That all that requires saying about the Breuer Tower flap.
from Cool Cleveland reader Charles Gliha civitascleATyahoo.com

I personally think that raising the County Sales Tax for a new Convention Center is a great idea. Everyone knows that if you leave voting up to the people in the county, when it comes to increases it will fail most of the time (look at the public school system). The Marcel Breuer Tower is so outdated that it should be considered blight to Cleveland’s skyline. I’m sorry to say this but Clevelander’s do not know how to let go. The design of the Tower is being demolished across the world, but this city will fight tooth and nail to keep it. I commend them on trying to raise the County Tax, with a few questions to be answered first? Where, when, how? We’re paying teams of people (good money) to come up with a solution as to where the Convention Center should be and for how much, why? Nothing new is coming from that front. If the people want change we should do it ourselves. This city is to great to let it fall down to being average.
from Cool Cleveland reader Kenneth Armstrong kenarm79ATyahoo.com

To many, the Breuer Tower is ugly. Unconventional, sure, but I personally find it a unique building which adds character to our skyline. To think of destroying it is so short sighted it is embarrassing. What will replace it? Another dull National City Bank type building? Our city has done some very stupid things over the years. To discard a notable building by a famous 20th century architect would be near the top of that list and yet another Cleveland joke.
from Cool Cleveland reader Thom Geist thom@geistco.com

On strip clubs in the Flats My name is Lynlee Nordgren and I proudly live in the Flats (Stonebridge). We believed in the development of the Flats and the City of Cleveland We fully support the Wolstein project, however feel the City, primarily Councilman Joe Cimperman, and Mayor Frank Jackson never approached the stakeholders: the people that live, work and visit here -to allow them to weigh in on this topic. There is the opinion that the City thoughtlessly sacrificed the betterment of one emerging Flats neighborhood area for another (Wolstein East Bank). The majority of homeowners feel this was very short sited and demonstrated poor planning and problem solving on the City’s part. There was no regard for the financial and quality of life impacts for the largest group of people to invest in new construction in the downtown area in a century. We support for the community and its growth However we should be thinking of how we can further develop other areas of the neighborhood with townhouses, cafes, specialty stores, and a grocery, not strip clubs. We should be bringing people of diverse backgrounds and income levels to live in the Flats, contribute to the economy, and not squander the best view that Cleveland has to offer of the river, bridges and skyline to a cluster of businesses that appeals to so few and will drive others away. We accept Diamonds and Christies as neighbors, however, typical crimes around clubs are mitigated by others types of businesses and residential development. We do not believe the immediate community can absorb additional clubs and any issues they may bring. The City of Cleveland, in its own ordinances acknowledges negative secondary effect of adult entertainment (Section 347.07 of the Cleveland Zoning Code). A number of female and other residents who walk downtown through the Flats to the West 6th and East.4th entertainment areas (and would surely support Wolstein’s future project) have indicated they would likely not walk through the Flats by the adult entertainment zone out of concerns about personal safety. Walking through the Flats is residents “shortcut” to downtown for employment and to support local businesses. Such a district will increase fragmentation of our downtown districts, not join them together. Of concern are property values, crime, traffic (the fact that the roads in the area are not ready to receive such an influx of people) parking, and general safety. The closure of the Columbus Road Bridge for major repairs in the next few years will only make this problem worse. Stakeholders are not aware if a traffic study has been done by the City prior to making this recommendation. There are a number of children that visit the Flats on a daily basis: Lolly the Trolley, the Bike Coop, teen rowing clubs, a charter school in the Viaduct Building, an Art Museum outpost and so on. We want it to be a safe and enriching experience for them. We believe families will be less willing to let their children enjoy the surrounding area if it is filled with strip clubs. There has been considerable research regarding crimes against children and women in adult entertainment zones. (http://www.law.fsu.edu/journals/landuse/Vol122/Tucker.pdf) Diversity in the types of people that visit and enjoy the Flats is essential to entire city’s survival and growth. Catering to special entertainment interests failed miserably in the past. We further believe the businesses/non profits that serve minors and people at risk in their programs should have some input regarding concerns about this district. We do not think the strip district should be part of the last, if not most majestic leg of the much awaited tow path trail to the lake. Many bikers and walkers already enjoy the parks by the river. A nice eclectic business or public arts district would be better suited to the area, rather than leaving visitors with a lasting impression of seediness. The real future of the Flats are the people who want to live, do business or visit here for a long time to come. Is that the Legacy this administration wants to leave to one of the most beautiful areas in the city. In all of this I have learned it is funny that the city wants empowered people to join their populace but when we act like empowered citizens we are dismissed. Sadly I think our system as become accustomed to disenfranchised folks…lets hope we can make the city better for everyone even those who have not been heard all these years.?
from Cool Cleveland reader Lynlee Nordgren nordgren_lATyahoo.com

Cavs effect on the city (See Cavs take over news media, create false spirit here) Yeah, maybe basketball teams don’t prove anything about how great a city really is, but all I know is, there sure were a lot of smiling people walking around Cleveland in a good mood last week, and all because of the Cavs. If you don’t believe me, check out this video (no tricks) — look how much the fans were enjoying themselves around the “Q” the day of the first-ever NBA Championship game in Cleveland. See video here
from Cool Cleveland reader Tim Tyler timtee74ATyahoo.com

More Cavs I know it’s your thing, Roldo, but could you be any more of a downer? No one’s asking you to be happy (we all know it ain’t gonna happen after this long) but geez, lighten up a little or consider jumping off that joyless ledge of yours.
from Cool Cleveland reader David Stafford davestafford67ATyahoo.com

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

1) Cle Visitors Center Visitors and tourists will now have an official location to ask questions and get information about the area before exploring.
www.MagnetMail.net

2) RoldoLINK No Will in City to Solve its Real Problems.
www.CoolCleveland.com

3) Emissions from the Blogosphere Property owners by Fulton Road come home to find their backyard destroyed.
Save Our Land

4) UAkron cuts deal for Quaker Sq.
www.CrainsCleveland.com

5) BioEnterprise doesn’t like to toot its own horn but they don’t need to since ANO will.
www.AdvanceNortheastOhio.org

Round and Round Check out your Hard Corps every week and you’ll find yourself following something other than your normal Cle orbit. Thanks to Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Marcus Bales, Roldo Bartimole, Mansfield B. Frazier, Laura Kennelly and Roy Berko. 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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