1.24-1.31.07
Milan of the Midwest

In this week's issue:
* BizTech Profile CIA's Dan Cuffaro & CSU's Ned Hill
* Interview WCPN's Ideas Man, Dan Moulthrop
* Sounds Finding the Lost State of Franklin
* Interview Our Managing Editor Peter Chakerian on 2006 in Cle Music
* Sounds Together with Cats from Blake Miller
* RoldoLINK Troubled Newspapers are Floundering
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

Sometimes we just don't know the cool stuff that's right under our noses. This week we talk on camera with Dan Cuffaro of CIA and Ned Hill from CSU about their idea to focus on the 100+ design firms that already exist in Midtown Cleveland, and supercharge the neighborhood to turn it into a District of Design, and help our town become known as the Milan of the Midwest. But the undetected assets of our region don't end there. We're also throwing a soiree just outside of town in Oberlin, a hotbed of culture, intellectual activity and first class college partying. "Get Lost In Oberlin" with us on 2/8, and get your tix here. We also feature interviews with WCPN's Dan Moulthrop and CC's own Peter Chakerian, plus features on The Lost State of Franklin and Blake Miller's new CD. Whatever we call ourselves, let's make sure we're taking into account just how cool we really are. —Thomas Mulready

Get Lost in Oberlin party Thu 2/8
Super low price until Thu 1/25 midnight here!

Feeling a Little Lost? Then crank it up a notch in prep for the CC Get Lost in Oberlin party and U.S. premiere of the thriller Lost Highway. Get the CC package and you'll have a comp ticket to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on Thu 2/8. Oberlin College is a straight shot on I-480 West to Route 10/20, about 20 min. from Lakewood. See map below. Or get on the bus, compliments of Rockin' Cleveland, which will be provided at no charge, on W. 9th Street, by Mallorca Restaurant, leaving at 5PM sharp for Oberlin, then returning you after the performance of Lost Highway. When you buy your tix, mark the box to reserve your seat on the bus. Lost Highway is a haunting music theater work adapted from David Lynch’s cult film of the same name. Lynch’s screenwriting partner, Barry Gifford, will be in Oberlin for the premiere. Lost Highway is presented by the Contemporary Music Division of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Get tix here

Get Lost with all this for one low-price CC ticket:

  • A CC mega party on Thu 2/8 from 5:30 – 7:30 in historic Downtown Oberlin (hosted by The Oberlin Conservatory of Music) at the local hang, the Feve (pronounced “fev”), but just for tonight, we've renamed it the Lost Highway Diner
  • CC's legendary open bar with unlimited beer and wine. (A little red? A little white? Or a little bubbly?), plus drink specials
  • Mini Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Mango Lime Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas, Homemade Pepperoni and Cheese Pizzas and Tater Tot Plates, Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas with sides of sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, Hummus and Pita Chips and other delectable eatables compliments of the Feve, and Crab Salad Crostini, Sesame Chicken Skewers, Hummus & Cucumber Canapes and a Mediterranean Sea Platter from Gypsy, Beans & Baking Co.
  • Live jazz at the Lost Highway Diner/CC Party, performed by The New Music Trio, accomplished Oberlin Conservatory jazz students
  • Coffee, Tea and Desserts and independent, self-guided tours of FAVA (visual arts gallery across the street from the Feve), and other local haunts not to be missed like the Ginko Gallery (serving chocolate desserts and chocolate liqueurs) and Ben Franklin’s Five and Dime (time warp!) on the way to Finney Chapel.
  • Purchase a signed copy of a Barry Gifford novel at MindFair Books (which is inside Ben Franklin) from 6:30 -7:30PM
  • A comp ticket to the U.S. premiere of The Lost Highway, based on the David Lynch film, in Finney Chapel at 8PM

Found! An incredible discount if you order now -- because, as you know, each week the price goes up. Get your discount tix by midnight Thu 1/25 here. Meet us 5:30 - 7:30 at the Feve in DT Oberlin (see map here). Park behind the Feve, behind the Black River Cafe across the street from the Feve, or on the streets after 6:00.

Get your tix here: https://CoolCleveland.net/tickets/020807/index.php

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How Can You Make $23,000 More/Year? Join those who earn, on average, $23,000 more per year with a bachelor’s degree than those who never finished college. Fast track your degree and increase your professional success with Cleveland State University’s no cost “reentry” program. It’s ideal for any adult thinking of starting, transferring or returning to college. Join us Wed 1/31 at 9:30AM or 5:30PM in room 364 of University Center, 2121 Euclid Ave. With more than 100 majors and minors, you’ll find the program that’s right for you, including new programs in business, health care, criminology, and more. Meet with counselors about financial aid, transfer credits, career development and other support services. You can do it! Visit www.csuohio.edu or call 216.687.4674.
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Mayor Jackson plans to make Cleveland's neighborhoods "communities of choice" Listen Read
Sustainable Cle Museum of Natural History will "refocus on the urgent need for conservation and sustainability" Read
Nominate someone for the 2007 Cleveland Arts Prize, deadline 2/28 Nominate
Murder in the suburbs continues to climb, "it can happen anywhere..." Read
Yoga Day USA hits Cle Atma Center, YMCA, No Place Like Om and others on Sat 1/27 Relax
Fashion Week Cleveland call for Latino designers & wearable art, deadline: 2/15 dcshingler@aol.com
SPACES' Susan Channing steps down after 21 years as director, to care for elders Info Read
New CEO for Historical Society is Dr. Gainor Davis, from York County Heritage Trust in PA Info
New Managing Dir. for Play House Kevin Moore comes from Woolly Mammoth Theatre in DC w/non-profit skills Read
Dew Action Sports Tour hits Cle 7/19-22, with 70K people & $9M impact, coincides with Ingenuity & Damn Tech Show Read
ODOT's $2 billion boondoggle Tax money to be spent on the Innerbelt bridge, with no economic impact study Read

John Carney's conflict of interest on Port Authority He wants to be reappointed chairman of the board of the powerful Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, which answers to no one and can float its own bonds, raise millions in public money, and give that money to whomever it pleases. They can also institute eminent domain proceedings, as they've done to assist developer Scott Wolstein's East Bank Flats project. Since Carney holds significant DT property impacted by the Port's decisions, and he co-developed Crocker Park with develper Bob Stark, whose Warehouse District plans would impact Carney's land and Port operations themselves, many feel he should have recused himself because of conflict of interest. Read. And why aren't the Port's board members required to disclose their financial interests? Read. And why just this week does the PD publish an accompanying story that Carney announced in April 2006 he would no longer vote on Flats issues. Read. The County Commissioners will vote on whether to reappoint Carney this month, and even they are conflicted: Carney is Commissioner Tim Hagan's former brother-in-law. You may want to send your thoughts to the commissioners: Peter Lawson Jones: CNPLJ@cuyahogacounty.us, Tim Hagan: cntfh@cuyahogacounty.us, and Jimmy Dimora: CNJCD@cuyahogacounty.us.

Education advocates announce ballot initiative for constitutional amendment to make high-quality education a right in Ohio. While it aggressively addresses the shortcomings of the current system of property-tax funding, which has been declared unconstitutional four times by the Ohio Supreme Court, most, including big-city mayors and Governor Strickland are opposed because it could hamstring local and legislative efforts with court orders. Read and Read. What are your thoughts on Ohio education funding, and the new proposal? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Dreams Can Be Former Clevelander Lisa Urgo, the sister of Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready, gave up a life in the music business in NYC to start a foundation to help street kids in the favellas of Brazil. Now her non-profit, DreamsCanBe.org is up for $50K in awards from Volvo, and you can help by voting for her here, and search for "Urgo."

Last Call High school seniors from the Cleveland Municipal School System are eligible for college scholarships if they plan to major in Advertising, Photography, Graphic Arts, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Special Events or are pursuing a degree in a creative major next year. The EXTENDED DEADLINE is this Monday, January 29. Get a scholarship application at http://www.clevead.com/hsscholarship and mail it this week. Questions? Email adassoc@clevead.com or call 440-673-0020.

Kucinich chairs oversight committee Presidential candidate and citizen advocate Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland will chair the new Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, stating in a surprise announcement that he will focus especially on lax enforcement by the Federal Communications Commission on media cross-ownership, which has allowed virtual media monopolies. Kucinich also stated that he will investigate the "Fairness Doctrine," all but abandonded since the Reagan years, and a federal shield law to protect journalists and bloggers. Kucinich may already be benefitting from positive media response to his latest Presidential run, stating, "the mainstream media is providing a different level of coverage to me than before." Read Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland Podcast You know how to do it. Click here to listen: http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland01.26.07.mp3. Click here to subscribe: iTunes or other.

Cool Cleveland Kids 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/CoolClevelandKids01.26.07.mp3. Click here to subscribe: 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.

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There are 150 Six-String Masterpieces? See the unique designs created for United Way of Greater Cleveland’s GuitarMania®, Ohio’s largest rockin’ public art project! The GuitarMania art exhibit at Artist Review Today in the Galleria (1301 E. 9th Street) is open to the public from Fri 1/26 to Thu 2/22. Selected artwork (from 150 designs) in the exhibit will be transformed into beautiful 9-foot-tall guitars that will adorn Cleveland’s city streets in Spring/Summer 2007. Hours of the exhibit are Mon through Fri 10AM to 5PM and Sat 10AM to 3PM. GuitarMania benefits United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s education fund. If you are interested in sponsoring a guitar, please contact Michelle Battle at mbattle@uws.org. Visit www.cleveland.com/guitarmania for more information.
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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


HOT Herb Ascherman lectures today, Wed 1/24 at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, 2929 Richmond Rd., Beachwood. Ascherman discusses his Faces photo exhibition, 50 Faces: The Holocaust Remembered. Seating is limited for the 7PM talk; RSVP to 593-0575. http://www.maltzjewishmuseum.org.

Forgetting Equality: The Elimination of Affirmative Action Michigan recently joined California and Texas in limiting affirmative action. Is Ohio next? This panel discussion on Wed 1/24 at 7PM includes Stanley Miller (exec dir, NAACP-Cleveland), Kary Moss (exec dir, ACLU-Michigan) and Prof. William Carter, Jr. (Case School of Law). Church of the Covenant, 11205 Euclid Ave. http://www.acluohio.org.

Musing Constructs and Contraptions began its public exhibition on Monday, but this Tri-C West Gallery West is a spectacle. From today, Wed 1/24 through the end of February, check out sculpture by Joanne Heutsche and Mindy Tousley, and paintings by David Wilder with grand social/psychological commentary and deconstructivist leanings. A formal gallery reception opening hits Wed 1/31. Call 987-5322 or visit http://www.tri-c.edu/gallerywest.

HOT Get Lit features award-winning local writers/John Carroll University faculty members George Bilgere, Paula McLain, Steven Hayward, Philip Metres, Mary Weems and Sarah Willis in a special poetry performance Wed 1/24 at 8PM. No-cost event takes place at JCU's Rodman Hall, 20700 N. Park Blvd., University Hts. Call 397-4528 for details.

The Art of Giving features donated works on paper by Jay and Jean Kislak beginning Wed 1/24 This first of two exhibitions consists of woodblock prints, multimedia and diptychs. H Lobby, Cle Clinic's Main Campus. Call 297-8941 or visit http://www.ccf.org for more.

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Two-for-One Tickets to the Cleveland Orchestra! Violin virtuoso and Grammy Award winner Hilary Hahn, has been called “one of the most remarkable young talents of our time” by the Seattle Times. Around the globe, she leaves audiences standing and cheering, and now she is coming to Cleveland. You can join the excitement and experience Hilary’s virtuosity at an incredible ticket price – “two for the price of one” to the Fri 2/2 8PM or Sun 2/4 3PM performances. Hilary plays the spirited Dvorák Violin Concerto with The Cleveland Orchestra and conductor Iván Fischer. Here’s a cool Hilary Hahn link! To order tickets, call 216-231-1111 or 800-686-1141 or visit www.clevelandorchestra.com and use promo code 3058! Offer expires Wed 1/31.
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Neighborhood Housing Services Luncheon Celebrating 30 years of housing education & sustainability programs for homebuyers, at The Bohemian National Hall, 4939 Broadway on Thu 1/25 from 11:30AM-1:30PM, RSVP to 458-4663 X12 or ltisler@nhscleveland.org

CleveAd Whirley Ball Is it sport? Is it a game? Figure it out with the Cleveland Advertising Assoc. We think this jai alai/basketball-in-bumpercars hybrid event is a riot. Come play and network Thu 1/25 at 5:30PM. Whirly Ball/Laser Sport 5055 Richmond Rd at Miles Rd., Bedford Hts. Info and Registration.

Religious Fundamentalism and Reproductive Rights Join Michelle Goldberg, senior writer for Salon.com and author of Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism on Thu 1/25. Reception at 5:30PM; program at 6:30PM. Visiting Nurses Association 2500 East 22nd St. http://www.acluohio.org.

Opera Cleveland Kickoff OC's steering committee holds a Kickoff Celebration beginning at 7PM on Thu 1/25 in the City View Room at Windows on the River, 2000 Sycamore Street. It will serve as the first organizational meeting of Opera Cleveland's volunteer support group. The event features cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and open bar. Get active with Cleveland's hot new opera company! http://www.operacleveland.org.

Reality Tales is an exhibition by Bridget Murphy Milligan opening at the Downtown Gallery, 223 N. Water St., Kent. A reception will be held Thu 1/25 at 5PM. Sponsored in part by The Ohio Arts Council. http://dept.kent.edu/art/galleries.

Foundations of Faith tours Cleveland's Sacred Landmarks and emerged from a partnership between Cleveland Bridge Builders and the City Club New Leaders group. On Thu 1/25 at 5:30 PM the group visits Antioch Baptist (home to Rev. Marvin McMickle) and Olivet Baptist Church. Tours are affordable; package deals available. Visit http://www.cityclub.org and click “New Leaders” for more.

Bloomsday Book Club Book club devoted to the last novel written by James Joyce, the legendary Finnegans Wake. The group will slowly tackle one of the most renowned and respected works in the English language. Group kicks off on Thu 1/25 at 6PM. Loganberry Books, Shaker Hts.

Surroundings Revisited features artists Emma Gillmor, Stacie Johnson and Yuko Murata re-examining meaning and interpretation of physical location and surroundings. Reconsider your world as you explore during the Thu 1/25 reception beginning @ 5PM. Kent State Univ, School of Art Gallery, Kent. http://dept.kent.edu/art/galleries.

CC KIDS GuitarMania United Way of Greater Cle rocks it out with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum for the 2007 GuitarMania reception/art exhibit Thu 1/25 at 5:30PM. The 150 oversized Fender Stratocaster designs by local artists and NEO celebrities remain on public display through Thu 2/22, then will be auctioned at a gala event at the Rock Hall. Galleria, East 9th St. and St. Clair. http://www.cleveland.com/guitarmania.

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WCLVnotes The Cleveland Orchestra is in Miami this week and WCLV will present the Sat 1/27 concert live beginning at 7PM. Franz Welser-Moest conducts Golijov’s “Last Round,” Ginastera’s “Variaciones concerantes” and the Symphony No. 1 of Gustav Mahler. The third WCLV live concert from this year’s residency by the Orchestra at Miami’s new Performing Arts Center will be on Sat 3/17. Guest conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya will conduct and Horacio Gutierrez will be the soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. WCLV's Robert Conrad is the host, along with Mark Hart from Miami’s WLRN. Complete details on all of WCLV’s classical music programming can be found on-line at www.wclv.com.
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Side by Side A group exhibition which brings together work in a variety of styles and media by ten artists living and working in Northeast Ohio — Laurie Addis, Rian Brown-Orso, Gianna Commito, Michelle Droll, Thomas Frontini, Neil MacDonald, Mark Moskovitz, Erik Neff, Susan Umbenhour, and Barry Underwood. Plus, check out the exhibition Richard Stankiewicz & John Chamberlain, who started working with discarded junk in the 1950's snubbing the traditional oil paint and bronze traditions. Plus, Seydou Keïta: Portraits from Mali will feature 17 large and medium scale, black-and-white portraits of mid-20th Century Bamako citizens by the late Malian photographer. All 3 shows open at MOCA Cleveland Fri 1/26 and run through 5/13. 421-8671 http://www.MOCAcleveland.org.

Get Warped: 12 Years of Music, Mayhem and More Check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s exhibit opening on the Vans Warped Tour beginning with a reception Fri 1/26 at 7PM. The exhibit recognizes cultural relevance of the tour (and its significance to the punk-rock/skate community). Includes memorabilia from No Doubt, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, NOFX, New Found Glory, My Chemical Romance, Joan Jett, Rancid, Helmet, Taking Back Sunday, Senses Fail, All-American Rejects and others. Exhibit runs through 9/7. http://www.rockhall.com.

Don Cox The Studio of 5 Rings celebrates the artist's exhibition with a reception Fri 1/26 at 5PM. Inspired by Picasso, Pollock and Matisse, Cox paints powerful pieces from his own perception of reality, with bold colors in complex layers. Cox will be on hand to field questions about his work; appetizers and the Studio's fine wines will be available. Studio of 5 Rings, 2400 Superior Ave., #201. http://www.studioof5rings.com.

HOT Design District: A Progress Report CSU's Ned Hill & CIA's Dan Cuffaro give an update on the the potential value and impact of a District of Design for Cle's Midtown (see CC vid below) on Fri 1/26 4-6PM at CSU Levin College of Urban Affairs. 523-7330 Register

MoonLit Poetry Mag Benefit Stop by Gallery 324 (in the Galleria @ at E. 9th and St. Clair) for a party to the poetry magazine, edited and published, by Claire McMahon and Lisa Jansen. Groove on the sounds of The New Slangs (Jodi and Jeff Dobos), the music and poetry by Soul Surviving Sons (Ray McNiece and Sean Kelly) and Jean Zarzour sings the blues on Fri 1/26 at 7 PM. Call 252-0519 for more info.

Wing Watch & Wine Trail Self-drive tour of 7 NEO wineries, from Sandusky to DT Cle, receive a Schott Zwiesel and a heart-shaped candy dish to collect chocolate & wine samples at each stop on Fri 1/26 or Sat 1/27. Tour continues 2/2, 2/3, 2/9, 2/10 Register.

HOT Sucking the Life universalizes the trauma of ending a relationship through a powerful multimedia performance focusing on movement on Fri 1/26 at 7:30PM thru Sun 1/28. www.cptonline.org.

Art by Jenna Reception Upstairs Gallery @ Mocha Maiden/Musica Performance Stage features an exhibition & sale by up-and-coming Cle artist, Jenna on Fri 1/26 with a 6PM opening reception. This no-cost event includes the Vegas transplant's indie-rock band. 17 N. Maiden Ln, Akron. Call 330-374-1114 or visit http://www.artbyjenna.com.

HOT Opera Circle performs early Mozart opera Bastien und Bestienne was written by the musical prodigy when he was twelve. This one-act spoken/sung production addresses themes of pastoral innocence and romance. See performance on Fri 1/26 at 7:30PM. Call 341-9091. The Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, 3649 East 65th St.

Rascher Saxophone Quartet The famed German saxophone quartet performs on Fri 1/26 at 8PM. http://www.csuohio.edu/music/ccp.

Thom Pain (based on nothing) is explores the bleak and beautiful mysteries of human existence. A solo play by Will Eno, Dobama's current production stars Scott Plate. Eno has been described as “a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart generation.” Runs Fri 1/26 through Sat 2/17. Dobama Theatre, 13100 Shaker Square. http://www.dobama.org.

HOT CC KIDS GroundWorks DanceTheater brings three exhilarating performances, brimming with the energy, passion, and creativity, to the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Performances in Clark Hall on Fri 1/26 at 8:45PM thru Sun 1/28 at 3:15PM. www.cbgarden.org.

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What Inspires You? Come to The Cleveland Institute of Art’s Open House on Sat 2/3 and learn about a school that inspires creativity. See how one of the best design schools in the nation prepares their students for exciting careers in some of the world’s top product-development studios in the fields of industrial design, fine art, digital art and animation. (See for yourself why 95% of their Industrial Design students have a job by graduation!) Tour their studios, meet their faculty and have their professionals review your portfolio. Visit us from 11AM to 4PM on Sat 2/3. To register visit www.cia.edu/eventregistration. The Cleveland Institute of Art . . . What Will You Make of It?
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CC KIDS Paul Green School of Rock is having their 2nd open house Sat 1/27 from 1-4PM. The original performance-based interactive music school is for kids ages 9 to 19 years old. Parents are invited to bring their rock 'n rollers to meet and jam with the staff, have some refreshments and enter for a chance to win tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. No-cost, includes ear plugs! 20148 Detroit Road, Rocky River. Call 440-333-ROCK.

Handmade Papermaking Workshop Be inspired by serene snowfalls of the season as you learn to make unusual paper from everyday materials and common household equipment on Sat 1/27 from 9AM to 12PM. www.cbgarden.org.

Dustin Arthur Drella Summit Artspace’s latest gallery show features works by the artist, writer and traveler who explores the human experience through slate chalk drawings, animations and letters inspired by 15K miles of journeys. The wheelchair artist’s show begins with a no-cost public reception ‘’’Sat 1/27’’’ at 5PM. Akron Area Arts Alliance 140 E. Market St., Akron. http://www.akronareaarts.org.

HOT The Horror Convention Massacre B-movies, pin-up girls and the iconic Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival fill award-winning filmmaker Joe Ostrica's Old School Sinema screening festival Sat 1/27 at 8PM. OSS is celebrating the release of The Horror Convention Massacre, a tip of the hat to films that ruled drive-ins during the 70s and early 80s. They'll screen the flick with live performances by Lords of the Highway, Horror of '59 and co-stars Uncle Scratch to follow. Beachland Ballroom, Waterloo. http://www.oldschoolsinema.com.

An Evening of Rhythmic Exploration features percussionist Josh Ryan in a no-cost faculty recital Sat 1/27 @ 8PM at Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory. Ryan is a member of the Africa West Percussion Trio. B-W's Kulas Musical Arts Bldg., 96 Front St., Berea. Call 440-826-2322 for more.

The Pros and Cons of Representation: A Discussion on Agents for Artists on Sat 1/27 at 10AM. Presenters include: Ann Whalen, Jen Omaitz , Karen Eckenwiler- Jerry Bruno Productions, Mike Petrone, Robert Banks, Ted Schwarz. The Galleria, 1301 E 9th St. Register online here.

Bachelor / Bachelorette Auction Place bids on some of the most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes in the Cleveland area on Sat 1/27 from 6 - 10PM in an event to raise money for the National Association of Black Accountants' Scholarship Fund. Call 926-1376. Holiday Inn Select, 1111 Lakeside Ave.

The Joe Hunter Band with Erin Kufel provide the musical backdrop for GetHepSwing at Bohemian Hall on Sat 1/27 from 9PM to Midnight. Open to all ages. Swing dance lessons from 8 to 9PM. Call 216-361-3262. Bohemian National Hall, 4939 Broadway. http://www.gethepswing.com.

HOT Standing Rock Short Film Fest at Kent Stage features "Shorts" from NEO to Australia. Local filmmaker and CIA instructor Cindy Penter is among the featured artists Sat 1/27 at 8PM. 175 E. Main St., Kent. Updates and info at http://www.standingrock.net.

CC KIDS High School Rock Off Final Exams Ten more local bands comprised of high school students "graduate" and compete for the "final exam" at the Rock Hall Sat 1/27 at 3PM. The 11th Annual event features bands Gravity, Frequency, Soup, All That's Mine, Funk Pirates, Rumor, The Skatastrophe's, Eclyptic, The Critically Acclaimed and Terra Firma. Come cheer on these young rockers. http://www.cleveland.com/music/rockoff.

To Be Healed By the Earth Dr. Warren Grossman's new book interweaves healing and emotional well-being with reconnecting with the planet. The book is celebrated at a Launch Party to Benefit The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes Sat 1/27 starting at 7:30PM. Dr. Grossman will speak and sign books. http://www.shakerlakes.org.

Doug Johns Duo Nationally recognized Cleveland-based bassist plays The Winchester, 12112 Madison, Lakewood on Sat 1/27 at 9PM http://www.TheWinchester.net


CC KIDS New Words Poets and poetry-lovers mark your calendars for the New Words 2007 poetry reading on Sun 1/28 at 2PM at the O'Neil House (1290 West Exchange Street, Akron). http://www.akronartmuseum.org.

Keith Beauchamp Documentary filmmaker lectures at Cle Public Library Sun 1/28 @ 2PM in the Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, E. 6th St and Superior. No-cost event shares his run-ins with racism, bringing The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till to film and the co-authoring a novel with Pulitzer winner James Alan Macpherson. Call 623-2800 for more info.

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Exclusive CC Offer: 2 Tix for the Price of 1! Did you know that Frank Zappa, famous rock-n-roll guitarist and bandleader, considered himself, first and foremost, a composer of orchestral music? You RED that right -- orchestral music! Join us for an extraordinary concert: "The Importance of Being Zappa," Fri 2/16 and Sat 2/17 at 8PM in the Masonic Auditorium (Euclid and E. 36th). Red {an orchestra} will put an entirely different spin on the Zappa you think you know. Also see: Cleveland born Spencer Myer, piano soloist and musicians from the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony. Tix start at $15 and Cool Cleveland readers get two for one when you call Red {an orchestra} at 216.361.1733 or visit www.redanorchestra.org and type in Cool Cleveland in the comments section.
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CC KIDS American Indian Artist Kevin Locke Internationally renowned Kevin Locke is the preeminent player of indigenous Northern Plains flute and the pivotal force in the revival of indigenous flute tradition that was on the brink of extinction 20 years ago. Meet the visionary hoop dancer, traditional storyteller, cultural ambassador, recording artist and educator on Tue 1/30 at 12PM. Call 921-2741. Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square.

Urban Paradoxes founder Frank A. Mills invites anyone who is a "graffiti artist, psycho-geographer, urban explorer or interested in public art, urban planning or are an urban social worker" to join him at CIA's FUTURE Center for Design and Technology Transfer for Tuesdays@FUTURE on Tue 1/30 at 4:30-6:15PM Info and Info and Info.

Cleveland Jams! improvisational troupe every Tue night at 8PM at the Bassa Vita Lounge, 1572 W. 117th Street in Lakewood. Come provide suggestions for the improvisers or even join in, as the no-charge improvisational comedy jams are open to the public. http://www.myspace.com/clevelandjamsimprov and http://clevelandimprovinstitute.com/_wsn/page5.html

HOT The Godfathers of Groove an All-Star group comprised of Reuben Wilson on the Hammond B3, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie on drums, and Grant Green Jr. on guitar on Tue 1/30 and Wed 1/31 at 7PM. http://www.NighttownCleveland.com.


Musing Constructs and Contraptions at Tri-C West's Gallery West is a beauty to behold. Check out sculpture by Joanne Heutsche and Mindy Tousley, and paintings by David Wilder with grand social/psychological commentary and deconstructivist leanings. The formal gallery reception/opening hits today Wed 1/31. Call 987-5322 for details, or visit http://www.tri-c.edu/gallerywest for more.


Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com



A wild and wonderful 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



eBay Auction for United Way Bid on Vermont ski pkg, Vega print, Chicago hotel pkg, personal trainer Bid
JumpStart economic impact measured by CSU study: 308 jobs, $40M output, $14M income Read
NY chef returns to Cle to buy Lockkeepers, because he was "looking for a better quality of life for my family..." Read
Ohio univ. research doubles and more Ohioans got college degrees than in past 5 yrs, from Ohio Regents report Read
Cuyahoga Falls hires Stark to design lifestyle center along their underutilized DT riverfront Read
Gov. Strickland establishes energy advisor to coordinate job creation by becoming a leader in next-gen energy Read
More details on Cle's wind power industry on the GreenCityBlueLake site Read
Ohio job outlook from Team NEO: good for tech & healthcare, 13% growth for jobs needing post-secondary edu Read
737 Bolivar = economic development w/JumpStart, NorTech, Team NEO & Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition Read
ODOT plans Avon I-90 exit sucking traffic to a new retail center & industry to pay for Avon's sprawl Read
ODOT's Innerbelt design ignores bike lanes even though EcoCity's plan would be cheaper. Read & Read. Write to: Craig.Hebebrand@dot.state.oh.us and Letters@CoolCleveland.com




JumpStart's Annual Public Mtg documents progress of org, celebrates NEO entrepreneurship and economic dev. Carl Schramm (Pres. of EM Kauffman Foundation) and Lee Fisher (OH Lt. Gov) are scheduled to speak Thu 1/25 @ LaCentre, 25777 Detroit Road, Westlake. Info.
Consortium on African Amer Orgs Entrepreneurial Empowerment Fri 1/26 at 9:30AM @ Midtown Innovation Ctr, 4415 Euclid Ave. #201. Glen Shumate, Pres. of Call and Post newspaper speaks. Details.
Open House for Insivia "harmonizing marketing & tech" at Tower Press #105 on Fri 1/26 4-9PM RSVP.
Lake Communicators wkshp & luncheon helps you avoid past mktg/PR mistakes on Thu 2/1. Reps from Webtego, Capstone and McKinney speak. Comfort Inn & Conf Ctr, Mentor. Info.
Cle Professionals Grp Open House benefit's E CITY cutting edge entrepreueurship Thu 2/1 at Union Club, 1211 Euclid. Info.
Entrepreneurial Women Networking B-fast and panel discussion Mon 2/5 @ 7:30A. Case Dively Bldg, 11240 Bellflower Road. Info & Registration.
Greater Cle Mktg Alliance Marketer's Mtg on Wed 2/7 at 4PM covers creative concepts and msg devlpmt. Sheraton Rockside, Independence. Info.
eVolution in Manfg @ the MAGNET Innov. Ctr Thu 2/15 4:30 PM. NO-cost. Info.
Gordian & OVA's Private Equity Inv Summit II helps capital seekers Fri 2/23 @ Corp College, Warrensville Hts. Info.
NEOSA Forum on Tech Edu in NEO "Myths, Legends and Opportunities" on Tue 2/27 at 8AM. Details.
Topic: Timken @ Mellen Series Lecture DJ Lombardo Student Ctr @ John Carroll, 20700 N. Pk Blvd., Univ. Hts. Tue 2/27 at 5PM. Info.
FIRST Buckeye Regional Robotics Comp @ CSU Wolstein Ctr, CSU Thu 3/22 - Sat 3/24. Intense multinat'l competition teams professionals and young people to solve engineering design problems. 25K students on over 1.1K teams in 35 regional comps! Info.


District of Design
CIA's Dan Cuffaro & CSU's Ned Hill

Cleveland's District of Design is an effort to turn Downtown Cleveland, from Playhouse Square to E. 36th to St. Clair, into the Milan of the Midwest. Leveraging the $220M Euclid Corridor Project, the 100+ design firms already in this district, Cleveland's advanced manufacturing and materials industries, and Cleveland Institute of Art's Industrial Design program, headed up by Dan Cuffaro, the Design District took off when Dan connected with Ned Hill, Cleveland State University's VP of Economic Development, and put the plan on paper. With backing from the Civic Innovation Lab and unanimous support from the community, Dan and Ned are going public with their plan. Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready captured the pair in the midst of Euclid Corridor construction on Euclid Avenue to discuss their vision http://www.DistrictOfDesign.com Hear them speak at Design District: A Progress Report, Fri 1/26 4-6PM at CSU Levin College Register


WATCH THE MOVIE Cleveland's District of Design

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Dan Moulthrop
WCPN ideastream program host

Dan Moulthrop arrived in Cleveland from San Francisco a year and a half ago, and already he's living the Cleveland dream, injecting The Sound of Ideas on ideastream's WCPN 90.3FM with a younger voice, and digging his new lifestyle. At Market Square in front of the iconic West Side Market, Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready talks with Dan about their revamped show (shorter lead time), his family's move from the Bay area (a good one), and what big stories he's looking for in the new year. http://www.WCPN.org


WATCH THE MOVIE Dan Moulthrop

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Lost State of Franklin
Finds Its Way

Cleveland is often referred to as a big small town, and it is ever apparent in the music scene. Where else can two men with a gospel background, a Southern actress, and a Swiss/English expat meet, become a country-jazz-rockabilly band, and manage to win a touring van along the way? As the old adage says, sometimes you need to get lost before you can get found. What they don't say is how and what you find is a story unto itself. During a cloudy, December afternoon Cool Cleveland found the Lost State of Franklin hanging around the Cleveland Public Theater. It was there, in the empty audience seats before the Santaland Diaries ' stage, where each of their stories came out.

Along with being a preacher's kid, musician Scott Franklin, openly talks of a lineage which includes wanderers and story tellers. Transplanted to Cleveland, he played trumpet and guitar in a handful of bands and did some solo-time on the coffee house circuit, under the name J. Scott. He landed and lost a job with the Cleveland city schools, which led to an open road tour. Returning again to the area his focus changed. Franklin dropped the "J" from his name and spent time thinking about a songwriting career in Nashville. Before moving, he wanted to have a catalog of songs written, so not to become just another dreamer on Music Row. He began composing and continued to play the grounds rounds and various pick-up gigs...
Read more by Christine Young here



Links to interesting NEO blogs

Reasons to survey your customers from Small Business CEO Steve Rucinski. Link
PD Alumni Andy Juniewicz joins the Kucinich campaign. Link
How to market to mobile users from Matt Dickman. Link
Bill Callahan gets robbed at gunpoint but is OK and shares the experience/lessons learned. Link
On the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade comedian Carrie Callahan posts an excerpt from her routine. Link
The costs of the war in Iraq are real reminds Kyle. Link

Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, where Peter Chakerian comments on mandated financial literacy classes for students in Ohio, and making Cleveland's neighborhoods "communities of choice" even as bloggers get robbed at gunpoint. Oh, and some other stuff, too. When you're through, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.



Peter Chakerian
Cool Cleveland editor

Peter Chakerian serves as Cool Cleveland's managing editor and resident music guru. Besides writing a healthy selection of the weekly Cool Cleveland Sounds column, which showcases regional bands and musicians, Peter keeps tabs on the local scene with his experience having written music criticism for many of the major papers in town. Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready clipped him with a lavalier microphone and focused the camera on his comments on some of the best music to come out of Cleveland in recent months, some of the major venues to keep an eye on, and what he's looking forward to listening to in 2007. http://www.CoolCleveland.com


WATCH THE MOVIE Peter Chakerian

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Together With Cats
Blake Miller
Exit Stencil Recordings

Psych-folk, freak-folk, indie-folk, lo-fi folk, weird folk, new folk... enough. Blake Miller’s new CD Together With Cats is none of that and all of it all at once. Sure, he’s got an acoustic guitar and can sing some pretty melodies over drawn out chords and various finger pickings. Yes, you can hear indie darling Devandra Banhart in his songs. But overall, Miller’s voice is his own without the stylistic trappings common to a person who writes songs and then sings them backed by his guitar.

There is a very raw feel throughout the CD. The opening track, “Sinners” crackles and pops through the speakers in a sort of over-driven, rocked-out, early-gospel-field-recording sort of way. The DIY ethos is generously heaped onto Miller’s arrangements. From the subtle flares of human beatbox delight happening under “Like Birds Pouring Out My Side” to the foot pedaled triggering of his vocal harmonizing on “International.”

Miller manages to walk the line of song writing. He brings out a turn of phrase with a pretty voice while avoiding maudlin melodies and cliché lyrics. In a less talented artists hands, “Rain and Sunrise” would careen off the edge into a bloody mess of earnest forlornness. With Blake at the wheel we get a more playful piece that, despite some wistful plucking, reminds us that Miller would like to learn Kung Fu and “be a superstar but only in the bedroom.”

“Mr. Green” misses it’s mark a bit, lacking a strong melody Miller’s other songs all seem to have, and “Summer She’s Hiding” drags a little towards the end. However, Blake more than makes up for it with the clever “Cut Your Hair” and ethereal “Swing Set.”

Miller is reportedly working on a follow up to Together With Cats already. Exit Stencil Recordings has done a great job with this effort (and countless others); here’s hoping the bar can be raised even further.

"Good-folk?" Bah, who cares?

From Cool Cleveland contributor David Fleming david-flemingATcomcast.net.

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band's CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

Hey Writers! Wanna write about Cleveland music? We've got a slew of recently-released CDs and DVDs by Cleveland-area musicians that could use your critical commentary for Cool Cleveland Sounds. If you're interested, send us a note at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.




Troubled Newspapers Flounder

Below are my prepared comments made last Thursday at a panel arranged at the City Club by Steve Fitzgerald, founder of http://www.LakewoodBuzz.com, in conjunction with the Cleveland branch of the Society of Professional Journalists.

You will notice I led off with comments about Doug Clifton, editor of the Plain Dealer. However, earlier that day he announced he’d retire soon.

I was asked during the discussion what I thought about Clifton leaving. I said, “I’m sorry to see him go.” I thought that Clifton did well early on but seemed to tire. I also credited him with strong attention to public information issues and placing an aggressive team at city hall, likely part of the reason Mayor Michael White didn’t run for re-election in 2001...
Read more RoldoLINK 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

John Pizzarelli Quartet @ Nighttown 1/16 Out of the touring jazz performers who play Night Town on a regular basis, one of the most popular is John Pizzarelli. The New Jersey/New York City based guitarist is almost too perfect for Night Town’s main room, with his blend of standards, guitar driven melodies, outstanding backing musicians, and his unique sense of humor which makes everyone in the room feel at home, even on a cold wintry Tuesday night. He’s become so popular in Cleveland, he did four shows over two nights last week. I caught the early show on the second night, and the room was filled to capacity. The enthusiastic welcome with the opening applause showed there was a lot of returning fans in the audience.

He and his band looked classy in their suits and ties, and the eighty minute set included a dozen numbers, almost all featuring not only Pizzarelli but his talented quartet, which included Larry Fuller on piano, brother Mark Pizzarelli on bass, and Tony Dadesco on drums. All respected talents, most of the songs performed showed off solos from any or all of them.

Pizzarelli’s guitar work was also featured, as well as his low key but steady vocals. They opened with George Shearing’s arrangement of “If Dreams Come True,” which featured solos from all four-band members. A scat intro by Pizzarelli worked into a great version of “I Got Rhythm” with also a couple of solid piano and bass solos; and Pizzarelli’s vocals came through on the intimate bluesy ballad “Everything Happens to Me.”

The middle of the set highlighted three arrangements from the quartet’s 2006 Telarc CD Dear Mr. Sinatra, Cy Coleman’s “Witchcraft,” Bob Hilliard’s “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” and the Van Huesen/Mercer standard “Ring-A-Ding.” Pizzarelli, whose father is also a jazz musician of note, is a great historian of music, and he told the back-story of each of these songs, songs that were all written specifically for Sinatra. Between the music and the story telling it was all good stuff, and had the audience enjoying every minute.

Pianist Larry Fuller soloed in an instrumental version of "Honeysuckle Rose," which ended with the full band jamming along. Also included was Pizzaarelli’s one “hit,” his rollicking “I Love New Jersey Best,” which also showed off his sense of humor with dead on imitations of, amongst others, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and Billie Holiday. The set closed with a solo filled version of Nat King Cole’s “Route 66.” It was a great ending to another night of quality jazz in the best room in the city.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Greg Cielec cielecAThotmail.com

QED @ Actors' Summit 1/18
Reasons to go: Neil Thackaberry turns in a strong performance as the enthusiastic physics genius Richard Feynman, going from whimsical charm to pathos as the eccentric Nobel prizewinner prepares for a lecture, reminisces, deals with a recurrence of cancer, plays bongos, and meets with a winsome female student. Between picking locks at the Manhattan Project, explaining quantuum mechanics, and sketching nude dancers in strip bars, he's good, quirky company.
Caveats: The 2nd act of Peter Parnell's play starts to bog down in sentimentality; and Jocelyn Roueiheb's dewy youth is attractive enough to make the teacher/student flirtation just this side of icky.
Details: Actors' Summit, Hudson. (330) 342-0800. Thru 1/28. http://www.actorssummit.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

The Lakewood Project Rocks Your World @ Lkwd Civic Aud 1/19

The word is out about The Lakewood Project. Following five years of hi-intensity live concerts featuring electric "viper" violins & cellos, backed up by a full string section and guitar/keys/drums rock band, this ensemble of current Lakewood HS students can jam the 2000-seat Civic Aud (5th largest theatre in NEO) on word of mouth alone. The high-pitched squeals came over the audience in waves, as close-ups of the hi-tech violins and geek-turned-rock-star orchestra members flashed on the big screen. By the 2nd song, the voluminous pit was solid with pogoing, arm-waving, fist-pumping peers, not a soul over 17. Their set, built from classic rock (Sweet Home Alabama), classical rock (Electric Light Orchestra), and rock arrangements of classical music (A Fifth of Beethoven) culminated with a sizzling version of The Devil Went Down to Georgia, complete with live violin duel. After intermission, guest artist-in-residence Julie Lyonn Lieberman, who had worked with area musicians for the week, performed one of her compositions, then played with hundreds of invited 7th & 8th grade string players from Lakewood and Cleveland School of the Arts. Can art change lives? We saw it with our own eyes. Their new CD drops 3/7. Watch this space. http://www.TheLakewoodProject.net

Bobby McFerrin and the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra @ Severance Hall, 1/20 I loved it! Who knew the guy famous for “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” was such a great entertainer? And orchestra conductor? McFerrin, a ten-time Grammy Award winner, has conducted some of the finest, including The Cleveland Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and more. But don’t let his long list of credits fool you -- this guy is basically out for a good time. With a four-octave range and a talent for unique a cappella improvisations, McFerrin is a true entertainer and a real character. At one point in the show he sang the beginning of the theme song for the “Beverly Hillbillies” and deferred to the audience to finish it – which we did. Then, after his version of “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” he got everyone to stand up and sing “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Knees and Toes” with the proper hand movements. Do you think that happens at Severance Hall on a regular basis? And do you think that when most orchestra conductors aren’t using their baton, they tuck it into their dreadlocks? From Cool Cleveland correspondent TL Champion tlATcoolcleveland.com.

Big [Box]: Future of the Funk @ CPT 1/19
Why You Shoulda Seen It: Nadia I. Young hits some hot buttons in her thought-provoking, love-hate deconstruction of hiphop and its effects, from its questionable images of women to a seriocomic riff on its use of the "N-word". Young effectively uses 6 dancers, 2 African drummers, and 4 actors, including a smokin' hot DJ, Chief Rocka Q-Nice. The hour-long piece sparked at least a 1/2 hour of passionate post-show talkback from an enthusiastic audience.
Still Needs Work: The video club interviews are hard to understand, and it took a long time to figure out the guy the women are ragging on is the personification of Hiphop itself.
Details: Cleveland Public Theatre, http://www.cptonline.org. Big [Box] continues thru 2/16.
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Lovett, Ely, Clark & Hiatt @ State Theater 1/20 When four-renowned singer/songwriters took to the State Theater on Saturday night, the atmospherer of Playhouse Square became more house party than a State Theatre Saturday night. ouse party than big-stage production. Armed only with their guitars and stories, the men provided a steady array of entertainmening blues, country and folk-tunes on this cold January night. Lyle Lovett may have the most recognizable name of the four, but Joe Ely, Guy Clark and John Hiatt were no slouches in the back catalog category.

The two-plus hour show had the men playing solo to their respective hits. Clark's "L.A. Freeway" and "Let It Roll" stuck a chord with the audience, as did Ely with his lonely, Texan rambling cowboy tunes. Lovett and Hiatt garnered the most response with their "If I Had a Boat" and "Have a Little Faith in Me," respectively. The intimate evening of melancholy songs was livened up with Lovett's trademark droll banter delivered in pseudo interview style. All-in-all, a great night of music provided by some of America's best un-sung heroes of the industry. From Cool Cleveland contributor Christine Young itsmecayATvisn.net

Fat Pig @ The Bang & Clatter 1/20 The Bang and Clatter is dedicated to producing “innovative, challenging works, of exceptional quality and imagination with a particular emphasis on modern American plays.” They intend not only to entertain, but “to push the envelope, and lick it.” They accomplish those objectives in Fat Pig, which is getting its local premiere at B&C. Neil LaBute, the play’s author, is noted for his ability to expose the underbelly of human behavior. He often focuses on the casual cruelty that one person can inflict on another, either intentionally or unintentionally. His recent feature film, In the Company of Men, showcases two male co-workers who relieve their boredom by deciding to both court a deaf woman, build up her self-esteem, and then simultaneously dump her.

Fat Pig highlights the pettiness and meanness of people who deride others because of their physical appearance. It showcases the effect of peer pressure to conform to arbitrary evaluation of others. To make matters even more pointed, LaBute writes in such a way that we laugh through our tears. He makes the viewer feel guilty about laughing, even psychologically restricting the audience from applauding at the end of brilliantly written and conceived scenes.

The script centers on a romance between an attractive guy (Tom) with an upscale career and an amply endowed Rubenesque woman (Helen). Tom and Helen have their first encounter at a self-service restaurant. She is eating three slices of pizza and dessert while he pecks away at a salad. They talk, she is charming and full of self-put downs over her weight. He, after a series of bad relationships, including one with a co-worker, is charmed with her unaffected realism. They begin to date. He hides the fact from his co-workers. Eventually, the need to face reality hits and leads to an emotionally drenched ending.

The production, though a little slowly paced, is enveloping. Director Sean McConaha has finely honed the skills of his actors. He highlights the emotional highs and lows, effectively keys the pauses, glances and awkward moments. He is aided by a cast which ranges from brilliant to effective.

Jenna Messina, as the full-bodied Helen, takes on a very difficult role. The actress who plays the role must not only physically fit the part, but have a personal attitude that allows the audience to truly believe that in real life she is proud of who she is, yet vulnerable to the attacks of others. Messina plays the role with total believability. This is a tour-de-force performance!

Sean Derry is not as physically attractive as might be expected for the actor playing Tom. He doesn’t have the Brad Pitt looks that make women weak-kneed, but he is such a fine actor that he makes us believe the illusion is true. He is brilliant in the final scene as he glances toward where his friends are congregated, probably making fun of the hefty Helen, while carrying on a conversation with the woman he supposedly loves.

Tony Waver shines as Tom’s caustic co-worker who exemplifies all the shallowness of our advertising-driven culture which stresses superficiality and appearance over substance. Alana Romansky is convincing as Jeannie, a co-worker who yearns for a permanent relationship with Tom, but, at times her character slips and we get words rather than meanings.

The production is aided by a well-conceived scenic design by Sean Derry. Sean McConaha’s selection of musical interludes helped bridge the often overly long between-scenes pauses.

In other productions of the play, the titles for each of the seven scenes are projected on a screen. The device reinforces the theme of each segment. It is an effective device which could have helped the B&G’s excellent production to be even more pointed.

Capsule judgment: Several years go, while visiting in Washington, DC, I saw a production of Fat Pig. The show was outstanding and went on to win several Helen Hayes’ Citations, DC’s equivalent of the Tony Awards. The Bang and The Clatter production is every bit as effective as the presentation in the nation’s capital. THIS IS A MUST SEE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE!!!!!

Fat Pig runs through February 11 at The Bang and Clatter Theatre, 140 E. Market Street in Akron. For tickets call 330-606-5317. For a nominal fee, you get to see a great show, all the free wine, beer and soft drinks you want, and free parking. This is quite an entertainment buy! Order tickets immediately as the theatre only holds about 75.

B&G’s next production is Adam Rapp’s Redlight Winter, which will be staged from February 23 through March 25.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy Berko royberkoATyahoo.com

Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2006, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.

Permanent Collection @ Karamu 1/21
Don't miss: Thomas Gibbons' incendiary drama about charges of racism and dueling lawsuits at a private art museum gets a terrific ride from director Terrence Spivey and his Karamu cast. John Busser is spot-on as the naive white subordinate coaxed into dissing his ambitious new African-American boss (a spiky Joseph Primes) by a silken snake of a reporter (Anne McEvoy). The play is full of ironic twists and turns, and Gibbons' ability to make everyone a combination of sympathetic and wrong-headed gives the play an uncanny sense of truth: it's a tragicomedy that depicts all the things that can go wrong when principles and pride get entangled.
Art alert: John Konopka's subtle set, with painted reproductions of famous European masterworks on all floor surfaces and African art at the periphery, creates a visual metaphor that literally underpins the dramatic fireworks. Great job.
Details: Karamu, thru 2/11. http://www.karamu.com.
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.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

On Strickland firing ODOT (See Strickland fires ODOT ) About time. Now let's see if we get some attention in NE Ohio for the disgusting roads and constant potholes on the freeways. Yes, NE Ohio is in a northern climate with constant freeze and thaw cycles that requires de-icing. Shift the resources from Columbus and further south in the winter time and save us from the constant tire blowouts and strut replacements. We were ignored by the Taft administration. It has taken them 10 years to work on I-90 east of Mentor to the Pennsylvania border, and still is not finished. It has taken them 10 years to add a 3rd lane to I-71 between Cleveland and Columbus, and still is not finished. It took the turnpike commission only 3 years to add a 3rd lane to nearly the entire turnpike. Get us some help up here.
from Cool Cleveland reader Steve Frumkin sjazzmanATsbcglobal.net

On Robin Swoboda's new show (See Robin, If ‘That’s Life,’ I’m Not Sure Where To Turn here) I couldn\'t agree more with David Budin about Glen Beck (& Robin Swoboda, for that matter) on all counts. Beck is an abomination -- I'm certain if one read the Old Testament closely enough, one would find him encoded in the list of abominations (- but one that was still valid). A really nice piece on the culture. My thanks to David Budin's thoughtful ruminations.
from Cool Cleveland reader Neil Slobin neils007ATmsn.com

It isn't unusual for me to scan Cool Cleveland before I start work on Wednesday mornings. It IS unusual for me to be unable to set aside interesting articles until later on. Your Signs of Life article was akin to a summer breeze in the midst of an icy winter morning, and I am grateful for neglecting my work while I read it. Brilliant essay. Thanks for making me feel a little less like an isolated cynic this morning.
from Cool Cleveland reader Katherine Schneider kschneiderATambiance.com



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

1) Signs of Life David Budin breaks down Robin Swoboda’s new show That’s Life.
www.CoolCleveland.com

2) Windmills on Lake Erie The world's only fresh-water turbines, 3 miles from shore, with blades as long as football fields.
www.Cleveland.com

3) Cle-based T-shirt Museum has 5000+ t-shirt designs digitized, 10% are for sale.
www.TShirtMuseum.com

4) AT&T's refrigerator-sized boxes on tree lawns Residents are pissed: "It looks like an outhouse..."
www.Cleveland.com

5) Get Lost in Oberlin party Thu 2/8 Join hundreds of CC-ers for the U.S. premiere of Lost Highway.
www.CoolCleveland.net


Are you Midwestern Milanese? It's cool, no need to panic. There are no language courses necessary. Just partake in all of the amazing resources around you with an open mind. And, of course, spread the word about it when you're done. Thanks to Peter Chakerian, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Roy Berko, Linda Eisenstein, Christine Young, David Fleming and Greg Cielec. And lastly, though certainly not least, thanks to our readers and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com.

Download the Cool Cleveland podcast each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com. Click on the Cool Cleveland Blog here. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com.

Dream it, design it, do it...
--Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2006 Cool Networks LLC all rights reserved

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