10.17-10.24.07
WorldClass

In this week's issue:
* Party Affair of the Arts: Lake County Bash
* Signs of Life All The News That Fits -- Anymore
* Kids Kelly Ballagh, Boss Clown, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
* BizTech Profile Alexis Abramson, NorTech VP of Technology Innovation
* BFD SuccessTech shooting
* Interview Diana Cohen & George Kiteley of Red {an orchestra}
* Ingenious Anya Gogoua & Elizabeth Marshall
* Interview Frank Rosenwein, Principal Oboe, Cleveland Orchestra
* Sounds Notes from the Underground from The Deadbeat Poets
* Previews Dancing Wheels Explores Helen Keller
* Interview Joe Short, Cleveland Orchestra
* Straight Outta Mansfield Defending against monsters
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, Brewed Fresh Daily here

Once again the region is acting like no one in the world can beat us. We've been here before and it's starting to feel right. The Cavs brought us to the NBA Finals a few months back, now it's the Indians turn. See our piece below on the economic & marketing impact of playoff fever. Similarly, as the Cleveland Orchestra departs for a guaranteed East Coast and European triumph, Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready is embedded, shooting vids as they prepare to ship out. Watch next week for CC videos live from Carnegie Hall in NYC examining the economic impact of touring the world's best orchestra. Check out Max's exciting first-ever CC Kids podcast with the Boss Clown of the Greatest Show on Earth. Nanotech superstar Alexis Abramson, preparing for NanoWeek is featured in a vodcast from, of all places, the Metroparks. Brilliant Red {an orchestra] soloists Diana Cohen & George Kiteley feature in a video shot at First Baptist, the site of their brilliant Red Light: Stop & Listen concert this weekend. Mansfield admits to his own, and no doubt everyone's, racist inclinations in the recent shooting. Get in early on the low price for our next world class Cool Cleveland party in Lake County. We preview an early Halloween treat by Russian transplant Anya Gougoua, who thinks this place offers her all the amenities of any place in the world, plus educational opportunities, and a bonus... ethnic authenticity. That's what you get when you live in a world-class region. —Thomas Mulready

Affair of the Arts: Lake County bash 11/14
If you thought the last party rocked, get a load of this!
Super low $9.99 price until Thu 10/18 midnight here!

It all starts at 5:30PM with mega food and open bar, surrounded by samplings of the College's fine arts programs including performances from their dance company and theatrical productions.

Stay for the John Bassett Memorial concert at 8PM featuring "Skinny Little Boy" Alex Bevan (gonna chase your women and drink your beer) and Tiny Alice, who will rock the rafters with a hot blues/jazz mix that has been called extraordinary. More info & map here. See photos and video of past parties here.

Take advantage of the unbelievable $9.99 ticket price if you order by Midnight Thu 10/18 here.

You Get All This for $9.99:

• Hip CC party highlighting Lake Erie College's arts programs from 5:30-7:30PM.
• Open bar All the beer and wine you'd like, courtesy of Nemeth's Bar.
• Delicious hors d'oeuvres including Bruschetta from Gavi's, Crabcakes from Bistro 70, Herbed Pinwheels from Metz's and much more.
• Live performance samples from Lake Erie College's Fine Arts programs including: 5:45 - Excerpts from the "Three Musketeers" performance; 6:15 - Dance performance from undergraduate dance majors; 6:45 - Acoustic guitar duet by professor and student; 7:15 - excerpt from LEC production of "The Good Woman of Szechuan."
• Live concert at 8:00 featuring Alex Bevan and Tiny Alice at the "John Bassette & Spirit of Individuality" concert at Morley Music Hall on campus.

Snag Tix here by Midnight Thu 10/18: https://CoolCleveland.net/tickets/111407/index.php

All the News That Fits -- Anymore

I watched that whole Indians-Red Sox playoff game last Saturday night – the one that lasted until almost 1:30 Sunday morning. It’s not unusual for me to be up at 1:30 – or 2:30 or 3:30 or beyond – but I really wanted to stop watching that game. I didn’t think we were going to win. Well, I guess part of my brain did believe that; otherwise I don’t think I would have felt so compelled to keep watching.

But I was unusually tired. I had spent all day at the Fairmount Center for the Arts’ first-ever Writers’ Conference. Held at the brand-new Civic Center in Mayfield Village, the writers’ conference turned out to be a hugely satisfying and inspiring event, featuring world-class authors (some of whom live in this region), who delivered terrific lectures, readings and discussions – of their own works and on various aspects of writing and reading. And that was just the first day of the two-day affair...

Read more from David Budin here

SPONSORED: Olive Oil Makes her Cleveland Debut at the Natural History of Olives on Sat 11/3 with a reception at 6:30PM and dinner at 8PM at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The olive and its oil first infused civilization more than 18,000 years ago. Join the owners of “The Olive Orchard,” for a presentation about the natural history of olives and its culinary versatility. Then enjoy a seven-course dinner created by chef Sergio Abramof, owner of Sergio’s and Sarava restaurants. Abramof and wine purveyor Mary Lapham will provide commentary on each course and its complementary wine. Cost is $150 per person. This is the third year for the popular Natural History of Food series. Next? Chocolate - 11/9/07; Grapes - 4/19/08; and Asparagus - 6/14/08. Tickets and more info contact www.cmnh.org or (800) 317-9155.

Kelly Ballagh
Boss Clown, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Helen Keller Dancing Wheels' production of Helen Keller: A Tribute To Her Teacher hits the Stocker Arts Center on Fri 10/19 at 7:30PM. The Company will offer a mixed repertory in addition to the story ballet. Two additional student matinees will be offered at 9:45AM and 11:15AM on the same day. The Dancing Wheels Company & School, 3615 Euclid Ave., 3rd Floor. Call 432-0306 for details or visit http://www.dancingwheels.org.

50 Years of Space Exploration is celebrated with the anniversary of Sputnik's launch 50 years ago. Learn how this event rocketed us into the space age Sat 10/20 @ NASA Glenn Visitor Ctr. http://www.glennevents.grc.nasa.gov.

SPONSORED: Impressionist and Modern Masters (AKA: Monet to Dali) is the newest exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art this Sun 10/21/07 – Sun 1/13/08. This exhibition began its international tour in May ‘06 and will visit three other cities in North America after its stop in Cleveland. Over 500,000 visitors attended in Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul and another 200,000 in Vancouver, Canada. Impressionist and Modern Masters features over 130 works from the museum’s distinguished collection of 19th and 20th century European art. The exhibition, also known as “Monet to Dalí,” includes masterworks in painting, drawing, prints, and sculpture by the most important and influential artists of the modernist era: Monet, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Rodin, Picasso, Matisse, Brancusi, Duchamp, and Dalí. For more info go to www.clevelandart.org.

Tremont Farmer's Market With 3 weeks of the Tremont Farmers' Market left, now's the time to enjoy this unique local food happening featuring city growers and artisans. If the cooler weather puts you in the mood to bake & enjoy comfort foods like soup, come to the market for fresh, local ingredients Sat 10/20 at 9AM - 1PM at Starkweather and Professor. The Fall harvest is in full swing... get your pie pumpkins, apples, acorn and butternut squash and more. Email tremontmarket@yahoo.com for more info.

Bunnicula Just in time for Halloween, this much-loved story has been adapted for TV and now the big stage at The Cleveland Play House. When all the juices are being drained from the vegetables, Harold the Dog and Chester the Cat begin to suspect that the new member of the household, a rabbit who seems to always be sleeping in his cage, is really a vampire. Hilarious! Check the show out now through Sun 10/28. Times vary. http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com.

Whole Foods' Trick or Treat Attention goblins, ghosts, witches and kids to a monster of a party! Snag a Trick or Treat Halloween bag for a nominal fee and fill it with complimentary goodies from Trick or Treat stations around the store Tue 10/23 from 4 - 7PM. Every bag purchased will benefit Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. Whole Foods Market, 13998 Cedar Rd. at Warrensville, University Hts. Call 932-3918 for more info.

You don't want to miss what 11-year-old Max has for you and your family this week. Listen here: http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids10.19.07.mp3. Click here to subscribe: iTunes or other.

Cool Cleveland Podcast You know how to do it. Click here to listen: Link. iTunes or other.
To ensure you receive Cool Cleveland every week, take a moment now and add CoolCleveland@CoolCleveland.com to your address book, trusted sender list, or corporate white list.

Cleveland lights up BlogWorld Vegas Four local social networking luminaries have been invited to speak at the world's largest blog convention, BlogWorld Expo, 11/7-8/07 in Las Vegas: Eric Olsen, whose BlogCritics plugs into a national network of 2000 writers and sends out 2.5 million RSS feeds a month on the arts & pop culture; Jim Kukral, of JimKukral.com is the final word on affiliate and online marketing; George Nemeth, the godfather of NEO blogs, whose Brewed Fresh Daily has revolutionized communication and defined social networking in this part of the world; and Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland, the flagship of the largest community-based online network in the country. Watch for word of a local event previewing their presentations in Vegas, and join the fun at BlogWorldExpo.

Best Eternal Optimist & Best Blog Hurrahs and hizzahs to our own Thomas Mulready and George Nemeth, both of whom were honored with in Scene Magazine's Best of Cleveland 2007. Mulready, fearless leader of Cool Cleveland and "consummate glass-half-full kind of guy" won the Best Eternal Optimist award. Nemeth, catalyst for Brewed Fresh Daily and Meet.the.Bloggers*, earned a "Best Blog" nod for rifling "through Cleveland's blogosphere so you don't have to." Congrats, guys! Read more here

A Cleveland history expert notes that Roldo Bartimole's line of mayoral election results in last week's issue lacked one election: Former Press reporter Fred McGunagle points out that Ralph Locher had to run in 1962 after assumed the remainder of Tony Celebrezze's fifth term. With more than a year left in Celebrezze's, it was necessary for Locher to run to keep the office. That election, which Locher won over Republican Willard Brown, was not listed in a record of city elections going back to 1836 given to him years ago by GOP boss and long time Board of Election member, Bob Hughes.

Nighttown was recently featured on "Live from the Circle" on PBS 45/49, the new television show produced by Northern Ohio Live. In their recent inaugural broadcast, weekly (and noted local author) host Michael Ruhlman interviewed Brendan Ring and Jim Wadsworth. The brief segment, in its entirety, can be viewed here

Show Cleveland Some Love Their "website isn't pretty yet," according to one local blogger involved, but this arts-and-crafts-minded group launched a team contest today: Show Cleveland Some Love. The prize is a gift certificate to spend among the participating shops. Check it out: http://clevelandhandmade.com.

Hub Proposed for Y-town/Warren airport combines rail, air and highway service and offers trade zone status Click
Usher a show, see a show free at Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Call Linda Hefner at 251-2540 for more info and to volunteer
Shaw High School Band has been invited to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Support the group with an upcoming rally/event Sat 10/27 @ Severance City Mall Wal-Mart from 10AM to 1PM
Check out what Cle Collectivo award grantees are up to. Click
Cle Clinic Press releases health book by “The Dancing Doctor.” Tango: Lessons for Life by Jeannette Potts, M.D., also known as “Dr. Tango.” Click
Shoparooni is the latest gem in the Waterloo Arts District @ 15813 Waterloo Rd. Loads of fabulous shoes, rockin' tees, and an awe inspiring selection of bags, belts, and other accessories for men and women are part of the fun. Check them out: http://www.shoparooni.com

SPONSORED: Get Harry and Erie this Halloween Awesome activities packages for the “Nights on Lake Eerie” are now available at Great Lakes Science Center! You'll get to see “The Order of the Phoenix” Harry Potter movie on the jumbo Omnimax screen with other stuff to choose from: “Almost Overnight” packages are Sat 10/20, Fri 10/26, Sat 10/27, and Fri 11/2 and “Overnight” Packages are Fri 10/19, Sat 11/3, and Fri 11/9. GLSC will be transformed into wizardry school for the evening! Call 216-621-2400 to make your reservation for packages of activities that include "The Order of the Phoenix,” creating and testing potions, Science of Magic experiences, Wizard Trivia, a Snack in the Great Hall, access to over 400 Hands-on Science Exhibits, a chance to sleep among the exhibits with continental breakfast and a tour of the Mather in the morning. Major! Pre-registration is a must. Contact 216-696-2400. For more info contact www.GreatScience.com.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Jane Platten The new executive director of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections will present her vision for the future of the board at noon on Wed 10/17 at noon at The City Club of Cleveland. A new more efficient and technologically advanced elections system is anticipated now that Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has instituted a new board and management at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Platten will address the changes, procedures, and improvements she expects to put into place to assure accurate, well-run elections in the future. http://www.cityclub.org.

Joshua Redman Saxophonist extraordinaire and Nonesuch recording artist tours in support of his new CD Back East, hitting Nighttown in Cle Hts Wed 10/17 and Thu 10/18. Two shows each night -- at 7 & 9 PM on Wed; 8 & 10PM on Thu. http://www.joshuaredman.com. http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

Angelo Petitti The well-known owner of Petitti Garden Centers on the influence of Italian garden design in America Wed 10/17 at 7PM. Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd. http://www.cbgarden.org.

Master class with Nora Chipaumire On Thu 10/18 at 11:30AM, the CSU Dance Program in collaboration with DANCECleveland presents a master class with Urban Bush Women's Nora Chipaumire in the CSU Dance Studio, B 71. Chipaumire previously taught in the CSU Summer Dance Workshop and is in Cleveland courtesy of DANCECleveland. This master class is without charge through support from the Ohio Arts Council. A space must be reserved via email, as class size is limited. Email to l.deering@csuohio for details.

HOT Night of the Poet Dig this evening of spoken word and music featuring Vince Robinson and the Jazz Poets on Thu 10/18 at 9PM at Club E. Located at 4102-104 Lee Road, Club E is poised to be a premier location for poetry events; this event features dinner-style seating on the 1st level of the club, with closed circuit television on flat panel screens on level 2. Poets are invited to sign up for the open mic in advance by e-mail by sending a message to tha_soulpoet@yahoo.com. Advance tickets are being sold by contacting Club E at 295-1770.

SPONSORED: Don’t Miss the Rock-and-Roll Event of the Year! GuitarMania’s Gala Auction will be held on Sat 10/20, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. More than 70 nine-foot-tall Fender® Stratocaster® guitars transformed into works of art by local artists and national celebrities are now on display at the Rock Hall for the upcoming auction. Proceeds benefit United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Rock Hall’s education programs. Doors open at 6:30PM and live auction begins at 8PM. Admission (per person): $150 reserved seating; $75 general admission. Includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment and valet parking. RSVP to Stephanie Gertner at 216-436-2125 or sgertner@uws.org. For more info, visit www.cleveland.com/guitarmania. Space is limited. Respond today!

HOT Kerouac on the Road Visible Voice Books (1023 Kenilworth in Tremont) will host the opening night reception of October in the Railroad Earth: Celebrating 50 years of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, this Fri 10/19 at 7:30 pm. The weekend event is a collaboration among Visible Voice Books, Mac’s Back’s Books and the Bookstore On W. 25th St. Video of Jack Kerouac will be features, as will a reading of the first section of On the Road by local writers and artists, jazz music, and a classic typewriter similar to what Kerouac used to type On The Road, where fans can type their remarks to Jack on a paper scroll. A vintage automobile, similar to the one Kerouac roamed the country in, will be displayed out front. For more info contact Dave Ferrante, davef@visiblevoicebooks.com or Suzanne DeGaetano, suzanne@macsbacks.com. Part of a weekend-long Kerouac salute; other events appear in the next two listings below.

On the Road Again The Kerouac festivities continue Sat 10/20 at the Bookstore on W. 25th St. (1921 W. 25th St.) in Ohio City featuring readings, music and audio clips of Jack Kerouac readings from 1 – 4PM. The reading of On the Road will continue. The scene then moves on to The Barking Spider Tavern (11310 Juniper Rd.) on the CWRU campus, with a poetry and jazz collaboration from 5-8PM. Participants will read from a variety of Kerouac’s works accompanied by jazz musicians. Several audio clips from The Jack Kerouac Collection will be played, including Kerouac reading October in the Railroad Earth. Food and beverages will be available. For more info contact Dave Ferrante, davef@visiblevoicebooks.com or Suzanne DeGaetano, suzanne@macsbacks.com.

The Smiths No, not Morrissey & Co. Favorite local artists Steven B. Smith (poet/writer of Artcrimes) and Kathy Ireland Smith are back in town for a stretch. Fri 10/19 at 6PM, her exhibition OFFWORLD: the art of Kathy Ireland Smith is served up at Brandt Gallery, 1028 Kenilworth Ave. http://www.Brandtgallery.org. The following night Sat 10/20 at 7:30PM, they both close an exhibition by Jeff Chiplis and others with a poetry reading at Arts Collinwood Gallery, 15605 Waterloo Rd. http://www.artscollinwood.org. And they wrap up the weekend Sun 10/21 at 3PM with the “On The Road” City Poetry Contributors Reading hosted by Kathy at Mac’s Backs Bookstore -- part of a weekend festival celebrating Jack Kerouac and On the Road. 1820 Coventry Rd. Cle Hts. http://www.macsbacks.com.

Tosca Opera Cleveland closes its debut season with Giacomo Puccini’s powerhouse Tosca on Fri 10/19 at 8PM, with additional performances on Sun 10/21 at 2PM and Sat 10/27 at 8PM at the State Theatre in Playhouse Square. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.tickets.com or by phone at 241-6000. 1519 Euclid Ave. Please note: Tosca will be sung in Italian with English “subtitles” projected above the stage.

Walk! Don't Ride This new play written by Peter Manos, Bodwin Theater Company Artistic Director, is subtitled A Celebration of the Fight for Equality and traces significant historical events in the civil rights struggle -- including the Montgomery bus boycott, the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins and the "freedom riders." Performances will feature "talk-back" sessions with area civil rights leaders and historians. The performances run Fri 10/19 and Sat 10/20 at 8PM and Sun 10/21 at 2PM and are offered at no cost in conjunction with Cleveland's "Night of Free Theater," (http://www.clevelandtheater.com). Notre Dame College Performing Arts Center, 4545 College Road (near Cedar Road and Green Road, South Euclid). For more information, call 556-4996. http://bodwin_theatre.tripod.com.

In Transit A panel discussion featuring Cleveland Institute of Art alumni who began in one place and ended in another In Transit: The Road Isn't Always Straight hits Fri 10/19' at 12:30PM at the Aiken Auditorium, 11141 East Blvd. Moderated by Julie Langsam, it features panelists Laura Davis, Mark Reigelman and Nancy Yusko and is held in conjunction with the The Big Bang exhibition currently on view at SPACES and CIA's 125th Anniversary celebration. For more info, email Lane Cooper at lcooper@cia.edu or call SPACES at 621-2314.

HOT Aspiring Filmmakers Boot Camp The Greater Cleveland Film Commission has some exciting news for serious filmmakers! From Fri 10/19 through Sun 10/21 they co-sponsor a three day intensive training seminar with Nehst Studios where you can gain valuable experience from top filmmakers in the industry. Filmmakers who attend the seminar will have the rare opportunity to pitch their ideas to film producer Larry Meistrich (Sling Blade) For more information about the seminar and how to register, visit http://clevelandfilm.com/bootcamp.pdf. You can also contact the Greater Cleveland Film Commission with any questions at 623-3910, or by email at ekaminski@clevelandfilm.com.

Sicko & Fido Michael Moore’s unsettling look at the U.S. healthcare system, Sicko and one of the most galvanizing movies of the year, the Canadian zombie flick Fido play as a double feature at the Cleveland Cinematheque Fri 10/19 starting at 7:15PM. The latter has been dubbed by Cinematheque director John Ewing as “a classic.” It plays at 9:40PM. Check them out separately or together. 11141 East Blvd. in University Circle. 421-7450, http://www.cia.edu/cinematheque.

HOT Midwest Trashabilly All Star Review Check out this no-cost gig at the Grog Shop on Coventry featuring the Marauders, Whiskey Daredevils and Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival Fri 10/19 at 9PM. Each is a headliner in their own right; get yourself current on what these scenesters can deliver on a stage! http://www.grogshop.gs. http://www.whiskeydaredevils.com. http://www.themarauderspa.com. http://rocknrollpurgatory.com/unclescratch.

Tony Bennett And gee, if you think you don't have enough choices this Friday, don't forget that this venerable, 81-year-old crooner is at Playhouse Square Fri 10/19 at 7:30PM. Presented by the Tri-C JazzFest, this is a make-up date from the spring when he cancelled. Tickets can be purchased by calling 800-766-6048 or visiting http://www.tricpresents.com. Ticket purchased for the cancelled April 20, 2007 concert will be honored for the October 19, 2007 performance. Allen Theatre.

SPONSORED: WCLVnotes WCLV is celebrating its 45th anniversary, and as part of the festivities, will take 45 listeners to see The Cleveland Play House production of “Sherlock Holmes – The Final Adventure” followed by a champagne reception with birthday cake at Stages at the Playhouse on Sat 11/3. To enter collect the 10 WCLV 45th Anniversary Archival Items from regular readings on the air at 104.9 and/or from the various pages of the WCLV website at www.wclv.com. There’s an electronic submission form on the website, along with instructions. Click on Station News, then on Contests. Twenty-three winners (who may each bring a guest) will be chosen by random drawings from the correct lists.

HOT Red Light: Stop & Listen Red {an orchestra} presents their “Red Light: Stop & Listen” program on Sat 10/20 at the First Baptist Church in Shaker Heights as the opening concert of their sixth season. Highlighting the talents of the extraordinary musicians who comprise Red {an orchestra}, eight soloists will be featured. Experience Jonathan Sheffer & Co. as you've never heard them before. http://www.redanorchestra.org.

Artist Housing Symposium offers artists opportunities to find and create their own live/work spaces in an emerging arts district. Check it out at Arts Collinwood Gallery Sat 10/20 from 5 - 7PM. 15605 Waterloo Rd. http://www.artscollinwood.org.

True (Joan of) Art Check out the art opening at Collinwood's True Art Gallery on Sat 10/20' at 7PM featuring Joan of Art's Key Holes and Effect, comprised of savored pieces of glass remnants from the past introduced into some cool limited edition of stained glass window hangings. The work of Joe Day's "meticulously cut" music sheet compositions and magazines are turned into surreal imagery. Live tunes courtesy of Theodore Vril. True Art, 410 E. 156th, Collinwood. Call 383-0230 for more info.

HOT Cleanup and Clams Amid recent publicity about crime and housing challenges in Slavic Village -- the historic once-Eastern European enclave on the city’s east side -- Cleveland Central Catholic High School is inviting Greater Clevelanders to participate in its first annual Cleanup and Clams scholarship clambake fundraiser on Sat 10/20. Volunteers – arriving from 9AM to noon will be assigned to paint classrooms, tend gardens, or clean debris from nearby Morgana Park. Breakfast will be provided by the neighborhood coffee house, Arabica. Snacks and water will be available throughout the day. The clambake hits at 12:30PM in an outdoor tent on the Baxter Avenue campus in Slavic Village, near Broadway and East 55th St. For more info call 441-4700 ext. 224 or email mscoccola@centralcatholichs.org.

Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus Part of the World Music Series at Baldwin-Wallace College, the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus will present a recital on Sat 10/20 at 7PM. This unique all-male group will perform in the United Methodist Church of Berea, 170 Seminary St., Berea. For tickets, call 440-826-2167.

HOT All 4 Kids Children's Museum Gala Benefit All 4 Kids brings new energy to The Children's Museum of Cleveland's traditional annual fundraising event. Guests will enjoy a high-end wine tasting, a live art auction, and unique silent auction items on Sat 10/20 at 7PM. Hosted by "The Today Show" (and former Clevelander) Al Roker and WKYC-TV's Mark Nolan. Hyatt Regency Cleveland at The Arcade. Call 791-KIDS ext. 16 orhttp://www.clevelandchildrensmuseum.org for more info.

SPONSORED: Raise Your Glass and "Raise the Roof" with cocktails, dinner, dessert and dancing all night long at CIA's 125th Anniversary Gala on Sat 10/27. Join us as we toast our past and raise a glass to our future. For the past 125 years, The Cleveland Institute of Art has been raising generations of exceptionally talented artists and designers. Now we're marking this milestone with a party and we hope you'll help us “Raise the Roof!” Tickets begin at $250. The event will be at the Hyatt Regency at the Arcade 420 Superior Avenue. To RSVP or obtain more information contact events@cia.edu or 216.421.7415.

Yellowjackets Buzz Veteran jazz combo and Cle-based Heads-Up/Telarc artists Yellowjackets (Russell Ferrante, keyboards; Jimmy Haslip, bass; Marcus Baylor, drums, and Bob Mintzer, tenor & soprano saxophones) perform live at Nighttown Sun 10/21 and Mon 10/22. The band takes the stage at 7PM and 9PM each night. They're a hot live act and always turn in the virtuosity. 12387 Cedar Rd, Cle Hts. http://www.yellowjackets.com. http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market will be coming to a close on Sun 10/21. This unique farmers market features fresh local food, weekly health and wellness education, live entertainment, and cooking demonstrations -- this week helmed by Gary Richmond of Johnny Mango! The market is open from 10AM - 2PM and is conveniently located off Lorain Avenue at West 168th Street (municipal lot behind Walgreens). No cost, open to the public. http://www.kammscorners.com.

The Spiritual Sounds of Central Asia This stunning program, subtitled Nomads, Mystics, and Troubadours, features some amazing musicians in a program designed "to make Central Asian music accessible and meaningful to American audiences." Video clips introduce each culture. Cleveland Museum of Natural History. http://www.clevelandart.org/viva.

Wearable Art Fashion Show & Boutique Get a load of all the fabulous runway fashions during a delectable luncheon Sun 10/21 at 11AM. Explore the unique boutique, featuring works by over 50 different artists and find that essential fashion item you've been jonesing for. LaCentre in Westlake on Detroit Rd. Call 440-452-4521 or email lckranz@yahoo.com for more.

HOT Osama the Hero How does the fear of terrorism impact our lives? See what Cleveland Public Theatre has for an answer in this explosive and moving play. Gary inflames his high school with an unorthodox response to a homework assignment. Garages are blowing up all over the neighborhood. Someone must shoulder the blame. A rollercoaster of a play by one of Britain's hottest writers, Osama the Hero is a raw and provocative new work. Check out the matinee Sun 10/21 at 3PM, or see it another night through Sun 11/3. http://www.cptonline.org.

AtTENtion Span And as long as we're on the subject of CPT, don't miss their "Festival of 10-Minute Plays" at the Gordon Square Theater Sun 10/21 at 3PM. Can a story be told in only 10 minutes? Only time will tell! http://www.cptonline.org.

SPONSORED: Tech Gurus Come Together at the Nanotechnology Manufacturer's Forum, a program designed to explore nanotechnology applications in the traditional manufacturing industry. The half-day symposium will encourage collaboration between nanotechnology experts and traditional manufacturers to develop more efficient ways to make products through applications of the small science. Nano Manufacturer's Forum is Fri 10/26 at DeYor Performing Arts Center, Youngstown (260 Federal Plaza West). For more information contact Andrea McDonald at 216-363-6881 or register online here.

HOT Nanotechnology App Summit "Applications for Today's Automotive, CleanTech and Defense Industries" are the topics of conversation during this milestone event Mon 10/22 - Thu 10/25. Get beyond the research with top nano experts and experienced executives at the forefront of nano development and commercialization. Speakers will explore a broad range of issues relating to nanotechnology and its many applications in automotive, clean tech, and defense sectors. Ritz Carlton Cleveland. Visit http://www.nanoappsummit.com for event updates!

Hoppy Hour Sample award-winning seasonal beers from the hugely popular, local microbrewery Great Lakes Brewing Company Wed 10/24 at 5:30PM. Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd. http://www.cbgarden.org.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

SPONSORED: Now Less than a Week Away! It’s the Cleveland Nano App Summit from Mon 10/22 – Thu 10/25 at the Ritz Carlton. Find out why Nano App 2007 is the most applications-focused nanotechnology event of the year, addressing industry-specific applications in Automotive, CleanTech and Defense sectors. You will hear major manufacturers, leading nanotechnology product developers, and industry experts share product enhancements, insight on current market demands, commercialization opportunities and much more. For more information, contact Andrea McDonald at 216-363-6881 or amcdonald@nortech.org. Registration and info here.

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

SPONSORED How do you pack a harp? Cleveland Orchestra Stage Manager Joe Short gives Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready an insider’s look as musicians pack up their priceless musical instruments and prepare to depart on their current tour. Click here to learn about the challenges of preparing equipment for three weeks on the road and see some of the interesting things musicians stash in their flight cases. Follow the Orchestra on tour by signing-up to receive tour news updates in your inbox. Visit ClevelandOrchestra.com for more details.

Connie Atkins The ED of CAAO talks about how the org contributes to growth of African American professionals and our region Wed 10/17 at 11:30AM. Marriott Cle East Harvard Rd. & I-271. Click
AAF gets Google-ified with speaker Jim Lecinski, Midwest Director for Google Wed 10/17 Register
Iris A. Cooper of ODOD Economic Development Division and founder/owner of Glory Foods, Inc. speaks Thu 10/18 at 6PM at MCBAP/Akron Urban League Networking Event. Call 234-542-4149 for info.
Great Lakes Bioneers conference feat. green smarts, environmental principles Fri 10/19 and Sat 10/20 Register
Legislative B'fast w/Congressman Tim Ryan hits Mon 10/22 at Greystone Hall, 103 S. High St., Akron. Info
Health Careers Discovery Night to be held Tue 10/23 from 5 - 7PM in the Health Careers & Sciences Building at 2900 Community College Ave. Register
Crain’s CFO of the Year Awards hit the Hyatt at the Arcade d'town Thu 10/25. Register
CAAO Entrepreneurial Empowerment Circle Meeting: Local Univs and Colleges. Learn necessary steps a sm biz needs to gain access to vendor opportunities Fri 10/26 at 9:30AM. 4415 Euclid Ave., Suite 201. Call 432-9481
Intro to Holacracy is a promising new idea for organizational agility. Learn about it Tue 10/30 at 4PM at Dively Ed Bldg, Weatherhead School of Mgmt. Register
2007 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, Marriott Downtown at Key Center Fri 11/2 at 6PM Details
N. Ohio Minority Business Council 2007 Awards Gala drops Fri 11/9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Cle Hotel Register
Sales for Entrepreneurs Conference feat. Keynote Speakers Bill Caskey, Hal Becker, and Marvin Montgomery Fri 11/9 Register
Crain’s 2007 40 Under 40 Reception hits Mon 11/19 at 6PM at Landerhaven in Mayfield Hts. Register

Alexis Abramson
NorTech VP of Technology Innovation

Alexis Abramson is a high-tech superstar. She could be doing her groundbreaking research on nanotechnology just about anywhere in the world, like alma maters UC Berkeley or Tufts, outside of Boston. Instead, she is an assistant professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Case Western Reserve University, currently on leave to serve as VP of Tech Innovation, Commercialization and Nanotech at NorTech. Sounds esoteric? Not really. Opting for the sylvan setting of the Cleveland Metroparks, Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready talks with Alexis about the connection between nature and nanotech, and what she's learning from studying shark snot. We're just in time for Nano Week from 10/22 to 10/26, including the Nano App Summit at the Ritz-Carlton Cleveland, exploring nano application in CleanTech, defense and autos, and the Nanotech Manufacturer's Forum in Youngstown on Fri 10/26, exploring how nanotech can impact traditional manufacturing, and open to all.

This week's most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com

'''On the SuccessTech Doug Craver writes "I’m sick to my stomach right now because the shooting today at Success Tech High School didn’t need to happen for two reasons. First, student safety should have been a priority over uniforms and it was obviously not. Second, last Friday and Monday there were incidents involving guns carried by students at Max Hayes High School. Friday a gun was shot off three times outside right after school let out during an altercation between students. Monday a rifle was discovered in a student gym bag with several rounds of ammo (this was confirmed to me yesterday by Channel 19 News who reviewed the police report)..."

Responses:
* Why are all Cleveland Municipal School District schools closed today? I don’t understand what purpose that serves, other than to display a obligatory mockery of seriousness. Also, I heard on WCPN this morning that the shooter had previous “problems” with law enforcement and violence, although I missed the details. Depending on the specifics, should this kid have been enrolled in an ordinary school with ordinary security? comment from Mark Schummann
* All schools are closed so district and building level personnel can address the extremely serious safety and security malfunctions that led up to this traumatic incident. This single incident is by no means isolated. There have been other serious gun related incidents this year at other schools throughout the district. Keep in mind also, there are often copycat crimes committed immediately after a major news event like this one. The school closings are definitely not a mocking obligation. comment from MaryBeth Matthews
* What I cannot understand is why we are not looking at the real problem here. The problem is not that the schools did not have an appropriate plan in place. It is not even that a kid brought a gun to school. The problem is WHY did this kid feel the need to have a gun and bring it to school... comment from Michael Lowell

There's plenty more where those comments came from PLUS a chance to add your own here

SPONSORED: The Harder the Better? The International Symposium on Surface Hardening of Stainless Steels will be sponsored by the ASM Heat Treating Society held Mon 10/22 - Tue 10/23 in Cleveland. Join us for an amazing opportunity to meet the world’s foremost experts from industry, academia and government, coming together to discuss recent developments in surface hardening process, performance and properties. For details go to www.asminternational.org/surface. Then ISTFA heads to San Jose, CA for the 33rd International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis which will be held Sun 11/4 – Thu 11/8. For details about the flagship event of the Electronic Device Failure Analysis Society (EDFAS), visit www.edfas.org for more information.

Diana Cohen & George Kiteley
Red {an orchestra}

Diana Cohen & George Kiteley, fabulous musicians that they are, take the spotlight this week in Red, {an orchestra}'s concert Red Light: Stop & Listen, which features the talents of eight soloists, rather than the traditional focus on a composer or conductor. Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready chats on video at the First Baptist Church in Shaker Heights, the scene of their concert on Sat 10/20 with George Kiteley, who served as professor of percussion at B-W College from 1971 until 2000, influencing entire generations of musicians. Violinist Diana Cohen, a graduate of Cleveland Institute of Music, and daughter of Cleveland Orchestra principal clarinetist Franklin Cohen, stunned audiences last season when she was featured in the Red Violin concert. She visits Cleveland regularly in between engagements as concertmaster for the Charleston Symphony and the Kalamazoo Symphony, and filling in with the New York Philharmonic.

http://www.RedAnOrchestra.com

A Tale of Two Cle Transplants
Anya Gogoua & Elizabeth Marshall Perform This Weekend

Anya and Elizabeth are both Cleveland transplants. Anya, originally of Moscow, Russia, came to the United States ten years ago. “We came to Cleveland because of the opportunity to further my and my younger sister's education at Case,” Anya says in her mild Russian accent. “My stepfather was offered a position at Case, and we used it to our advantage.” Academics weren’t the only draw Cleveland produced for Anya.

“Cleveland is great because it has so much to offer. There’s a little bit of everything, the orchestra, a great art museum, the lake, ski resorts… You can go ice skating in the middle of the summer. If you’re interested in something, you can find it in Cleveland. I’m not planning on going anywhere...!”
Read more from Kimberly Tilley here

SPONSORED: Take Note of This: Red {an orchestra} spotlights their extraordinary musicians in their six season opener “Red Light: Stop & Listen” on Sat 10/20 at the First Baptist Church in Shaker Heights. Season six opens with a glimpse into the personalities of the musicians who comprise Red. Principal players from Red will shine in Bach’s virtuosic “Brandenburg Concerto #2,” Andrezj Panufnik’s colorful “Concertino for Timpani, Percussion, and Strings,” and Alfred Schnittke’s dazzling “Concerto Grosso #1” for two solo violinists with orchestra. The soloists include Diana Cohen, Hanne-Berit Hahnemann, Ilya Goldberg – Violins; George Kiteley – Timpani; Janet Pemberton – Percussion; Michael Chunn – Trumpet; Heidi Ruby-Kushious – Flute; Thomas Moore – Oboe. Tickets start at $15. Call Red {an orchestra} at 261.361.1733 or visit www.redanorchestra.org.

Links to interesting NEO blogs

Two biggest foreclosers now own almost 1,000 Cleveland houses
This report highlights that thick governments (like Ohio's) don't perform as well as thin ones (like Wisconsin or Minnesota).
The Free Times receives a letter from the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation in response to a mostly-positive article about AsiaTown.
An area Flickr group is discussing what to do about a publication stealing copyrigthed material.
What it's like to be a small business owner.
Trader Joe's in Crocker Park isn't really the sort of place you'd expect to meet Henry Rollins.

Frank Rosenwein
Principal Oboe, Cleveland Orchestra

Frank Rosenwein plays the oboe, one of the most difficult instruments to learn and play. After undergrad work at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with the great John Mack, and a Masters at Julliard, he's back in Cleveland, leading the oboe section and heading up the oboe department at CIM. Frank speaks on camera with Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready about their upcoming East Coast and Europe tour, featuring his oboe on works like Beethoven's 7th, Burckner's 9th, Mahler's 2nd, and Debussy's ''Iberia." They talk about the "arts & craft" aspects of the oboe, why it's easier to do circular breathing, and the secret to why orchestras always tune to the oboe. http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.com

Notes from the Underground
The Deadbeat Poets
Pop Detective

The band takes you for joyrides across the planet with "sex-crazed aliens," explorers, Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and Bators himself in their tunes. They start your fantastic voyage with "The Truth About Flying Saucers" and launch you into head-nodding agreement with tasty cuts like "The Green Man," "The Stiv Bators Ghost Tour," "Where Was I When I Needed Me?" and the wry, quirky "No Island Like The Mind, No Ship Like Beer." Delectably tuneful, Notes from the Underground is full of meaty power chords, frenetically rollicking choruses and the type of protagonists you'd never expect to find all in one place. Secich and mates Terry Hartman (Backdoor Men), Pete Drivere (Infidels), and John Koury (Infidels, Slackjaw) sound like a band obsessed with sonics and that power pop/ post-Punk sound. And they sound like a band with something to prove... which they do, resoundingly.

Deadbeat Poets perform at the Beachland Ballroom Tavern this Friday, October 19 at 9PM with special guests with Rainy Day Saints, Short Rabbits and the Elderly Brothers. For more info, visit http://www.beachlandballroom.com. To pick up the band's latest effort, visit their CD Baby page at http://cdbaby.com/cd/dbeatpoets.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

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

SPONSORED Hear What the World is Talking About This week The Cleveland Orchestra embarks on their sixth European Tour with Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, culminating with the Orchestra’s third biennial residency at the Musikverein in Vienna. In all, Franz Welser-Möst and the Orchestra will perform works by Adams, Beethoven, Bruckner, Debussy, Ligeti, Mahler, Mozart, Pintscher, and Tchaikovsky in 15 concerts covering nine cities. Follow the Orchestra on tour by signing-up to receive tour news updates in your inbox. Visit ClevelandOrchestra.com for more details.

Dancing Wheels Explores Helen Keller

Clevelanders’ only opportunity to see Dancing Wheels this fall involves a drive to Stocker Center in Lorain where the other-abled company, with its mix of “sit down” and “stand up” dancers, is performing “Helen Keller: a tribute to her teacher.” It is an apt choice for Dancing Wheels, the story of a woman who, with the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, overcame the double handicap of her deafness and blindness to become a prolific writer, lecturer and fund-raiser. At a time when many of the blind were confined to institutions, Keller graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College and embarked on a wildly successful lecture tour of the world.

American show business was not slow to cash in. Keller and Sullivan found a comfortable berth as a long-running hit in vaudeville. Early film treatments were less successful – both artistically and financially -- but eventually Hollywood produced “The Unconquered” (1953), an Academy Award winning feature length documentary, and “Miracle Worker” (1962) for which Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke both won Oscars.

Dancing Wheels’ “Helen” is a retrospective of Keller and Sullivan’s life together beginning with their first encounter when Sullivan spelled “water” into one of Keller’s hands while water gushed over the other. As Keller later put it, “Somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me.” The scenario also touches on Keller and Sullivan’s vaudeville days and on Sullivan’s marriage to long-time friend John Macy. Mixed media aspects of the production include Sullivan’s authentic graduation address and a poem by Keller interpreted by sign language. In keeping with their mission and their subject, Dancing Wheels’ production of “Helen” makes itself accessible to every imaginable audience, incorporating audio description, large print, and sign language interpretation in a theater that features “full and equal access” for audience and performers alike.

Dancing Wheels has developed a substantial repertoire of works by noteworthy American choreographers since the inception of their 4-year-old “Choreographer’s Project.” The choreographer of “Helen,” Christopher Fleming, is perhaps the highest profile of the bunch (Cleveland audiences may remember “Edge of Assurances” and his popular baseball ballet, “Play Ball,” both of which he created for Ohio Ballet), but that’s not to diminish the rest of Dancing Wheels’ repertoire.

Sharing the bill with “Helen” on Friday are excerpts of 2 of our favorites from Dancing Wheels’ repertoire: “Walking on Clouds” was David Rousseve’s first dance to focus on disability. His previous dances were built around his identity as an African-American / gay activist / AIDS activist, so we wondered if Rousseve could work successfully with a company and a theme new to him. Could Rousseve’s mix of downtown postmodern release technique and down home sensibility work for Dancing Wheels? The answer was an emphatic “Yes!” We’ll long remember “Clouds” for its climactic image of Desmond Davis apparently held aloft as much by powerful words as by the efforts of his fellow dancers.

Also on the program Mark Tomasic’s “A wing / a prayer” which provides 3 wheelchair dancers with simple but effective movement patterns set to a darkly portentous ballad. It’s a compelling example of the powerful potential of wheelchair dance, and it suggests to us that Tomasic, who recently left Cleveland for San Francisco, has a future as a choreographer if he wants it.

See Dancing Wheels Friday, October 19 at 7PM at the Stocker Arts Center of Lorain County Community College, 1005 N. Abbe Rd., Elyria. To purchase tickets, call 800-995-5222 ext. 4040 or 440-366-4040 or log on to http://www.lorainccc.edu/stocker.

From Cool Cleveland contributors Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas vicnelsaATearthlink.net

Joe Short
Cleveland Orchestra

Joe Short has a daunting task ahead of himself. He's in charge of all the priceless musical instruments that travel in two 53' semi trailers with the Cleveland Orchestra on their current tour of Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center, then Carnegie Hall in NYC, then overseas for concerts in England, Wales, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, culminating with their ongoing residency at the Musikverein in Vienna. Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready grabbed Joe before last week's concert in the loading dock at Severance Hall, while Cleveland Orchestra musicians were packing their gear, and they discussed the challenges of preparing equipment for three weeks on the road playing challenging modern repertoire and some of the interesting things musicians stash in their flight cases. http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.com

Defending Against Monsters

The Success Tech shooting prompted me — as well as many others — to make a number of snap judgments; some of them inaccurate, others racist, and still others yet downright despicable. Why did most of us immediately assume the youth pulling the trigger was Black? Was it because the rampage occurred in a Cleveland public school, or was it because we’ve been inundated with so much violence emanating from young Blacks that the assumption (erroneous though it might have been) was somewhat valid?

And then, when word spread the young man took his own life (and still no mention of his race was made) why did I — again, along with others I was in contact with as events unfolded — automatically then assumed the youth was White? Was it because Blacks bent on homicide rarely commit suicide? I undoubtedly was unfairly stereotyping. And then, the part I’m most disgusted with myself about is the sense of relief I felt as the thought “Thank God he isn’t Black” crossed my mind...

Read more from Mansfield Frazier here

SPONSORED Tuning-in with Principal Oboe Frank RosenweinCleveland Orchestra Principal Oboe Frank Rosenwein spoke on-camera with Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready about the Orchestra’s upcoming East Coast and Europe Tour. Click here here to listen as they discuss tour repertoire, the "arts & craft" aspects of the oboe, and the secret to why orchestras always tune to the oboe. For more information on the Orchestra’s tour, visit ClevelandOrchestra.com and sign-up for the Orchestra’s “Email Club.”

Holy Ghosts @ Beck Center 10/8 Okay, I admit it, I got lucky seeing The Beck Center’s production of “Holy Ghosts” by Romulus Linney with Nick Koesters in the lead role, and The Bang And The Clatter’s poroduction of Eric Coble’s “The Dead Guy” with Sean Derry in the lead role there. But you can do it on purpose. See them both, and get to see two really excellent actors take on a variety of kinds of anger and angst and move you. One of the cool things about this region is that you can see Koesters in “Holy Ghosts” on the west side of Cleveland, and Derry in “The Dead Guy” in downtown Akron, and compare them as if you were able to fly to New York to see one production and London to see another. Take advantage of this region’s remarkable depth and range of talent.

In The Bang And The Clatter’s production of “The Dead Guy”, Sean Derry plays Eldon Phelps, a down-and-outer in a small town, who agrees to participate in a reality-tv show that requires him to kill himself after a week- long on-camera spree trying to spend a million dollars.. Derry is the only actor onstage in this Eric Coble play who has a character worth the name, and he is excellent. Derry’s Phelps is a real guy trapped first in a reality he doesn’t quite understand, and then in a reality-tv show he doesn’t really get. Derry understands his character, though, and the audience gets it. This is a performance worth seeing, even though the supporting cast roles are under- written and over-played.

The Beck Center’s production is far and away superior, with a strong cast in support of Koesters. Matthew Wright gets all the juice out of Linney’s somewhat weak play, and the combination of excellent acting and excellent production values and excellent direction carries the audience along swiftly and strongly along. Nick Koesters is outstanding again. His character, Coleman Shedman, is a tightly-coiled spring of anger for most of the show, but he’s just as convincing when his character uncoils like a collapsed slinky at the bottom of the stair. Koesters manages this cascade of emotions masterfully.

A. Neil Thackaberry, as Obadiah Buckthorn in “Holy Ghosts”, leads the rest of the strong cast in support of Koesters. Mostly still and contained in contrast to Koesters’s roaming rage, but no less powerful, no less convincing, Thackaberry exudes authority and strength through his balding middle-aged stance like an old testament prophet. The intensity surges back and forth between Thackaberry and Koesters as they vie for the heart and mind of Laurel Johnson’s Nancy Shedman, Koesters’s character’s wife and Thackaberry’s character’s intended bride. Johnson herself has a challenging role that she carries off without affectation, persuasively attracted to both men for different reasons, and taken aback by each of them for yet other reasons, too. This play is really Nancy Shedman’s story, and Laurel Johnson does a superior job. Thackaberry and Koesters duel one another emotionally for her, but in the end she decides she doesn’t want either one of them, and as they chain themselves to each other emotionally link by link, she finally leaves them both.

One interesting aspect of Obadiah Buckthorn’s church in this play is its accurate depiction of the essential tolerance of the Pentacostal Christians of all kinds of sinners as equal before their Lord. Every one of the rest of the cast witnesses to his or her own sort of weakness and sin, and some of them are doozies. The homosexual couple, played with economy and an interesting brute force by each of Darryl Lewis and Robert McCoy, are just ordinary sinners in the eyes of a judging God, and are no more judged by the congregation or the minister than any other person is judged. They are accepted as equal members of the church as a matter of course, and without any politically correct self-congratulation on the parts of the others, either.

All right, the snakes. There aren’t any snakes, except in your imagination. The actors who handle snakes in the final scene are all too convincing about the existence of the snakes -- you can see the weight of the snakes, and their writhing, in your imagination because the actors persuade you they are there. But you don’t have to worry about being creeped-out by actual snakes or fake ones. These are real snakes of the imagination, and it’s better that way.

Each of these productions, Beck’s “Holy Ghosts” and BNC’s “The Dead Guy” are well worth seeing. I urge you to see them both and compare the way Koesters and Derry play their parts. Maybe one day someone will have a real brainstorm and cast them together in “Hamlet” as Hamlet and Laertes, letting them swap roles on alternate nights, and we’ll all have a great time.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Marcus Bales marcusATdesignerglass.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 10/11 You know how some things are so good that even when they are bad they are good? That's what it's like listening to our own world-class orchestra in Severance Hall. Perfectionists might quibble that Franz Welser-Most led the CleOrchestra in a too-break-neck pace Thursday night in Mahler's Symphony, No. 2 (the "Resurrection" symphony). And maybe they are right, but all the over-the-top elements were finely, funly "over the top." The organ booming in to add to the furious sound after it seemed no more would be possible, the quiet sound of the choir moving across the stage like the whisper of fog rising slowly from behind the instrumentalists, the purity of soloists Malin Hartelius and Bernarda Fink and, of course, the genius of Mahler himself (sorry to sound like such a groupie) which is hard to suppress, ignore, or smother brought flashes of fire and power to this performance.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Kennelly lkennellyATgmail.com

Josh Ritter @ Beachland Ballroom 10/11 I don’t know if Josh Ritter is going to be the next “big thing,” as I read in a national publication, but I hope he keeps doing what he is doing now, being a fine singer songwriter with a solid band who gave a full house of fans at the Beachland Ballroom last Thursday a very good show. Often compared to classic 60’s pop artists like the Beatles and Bob Dylan, I also hear bits of later artists like Steve Forbert and Matthew Sweet in him and his music.

Backed by his simple band of piano, drums, guitar and bass, his sixteen-song set was made up of mostly originals that were witty and charming, and full of colorful language and catchy guitar riffs. Ritter is an Idaho native in his late twenties with a great smile and good stage presence. He has a local connection to our area by being an Oberlin grad, and had several horn members of Oberlin’s jazz orchestra join him on several selections. His strength is in his song writing with catchy titles such as “So long, So High,” “Long Way to Heaven,” and “Going Your Way Anyway.” He featured songs off his current RCA album “The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter,” the best being a pair of tunes that sound like they are off 1960’s top forty radio, “To the Dogs or Whoever” and “Right Moves.”

He had the audience lending background vocals to most of the songs, and had a big group of mostly 20 something girls in front of the stage dancing and swaying along. The only non-original he played was a great version of Bruce Springsteen’s “The River,” which he sang accompanied only by himself on guitar and without the benefit of a microphone.

The crowd ranged from college kids to a few gray beards, and all seemed to enjoy the evening. As one of the older music fans in the audience, it felt good to be around so many younger people listening to quality live original music that would definitely fall under the rock and roll banner. No DJ’s spinning records, no one playing the turntable, no sampling. Just straight ahead (though slightly on the pop side) rock and roll from a young artist who seems to be heading in the right direction. This was my second show in two weeks at the Beachland, and both were very enjoyable.

The Beachland is one of those places that is definitely more pleasant to go to since the smoking ban kicked in, and with beers at neighborhood bar prices and shows usually starting on time and with reasonable ticket prices, it is a great place for music lovers of all ages. There is something for almost anybody coming up there, check out their calendar of events at http://www.beachlandballroom.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Greg Cielec cielecAThotmail.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 10/11 If you like the music of Gustav Mahler, then you should certainly have enjoyed and appreciated Mahler's Symphony No. 2, as performed by the Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and soloists soprano Malin Hartelius, and mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink, all under the direction of Music Director Franz Welser-Möst. It might have been a tad untidy around the edges, but it’s a huge work for so early in the season. It will surely be one of the highlights of the upcoming tour, although without the hometown chorus. Logistics being what they are, local choruses will be used when the work is performed in New York, Vienna and elsewhere.

The opening movement is a burial hymn to the hero of Mahler’s first symphony, (or so he once said) with its notable opposites: violence/calm, and outrage/hope. The second movement is marked Andante Moderato and was exquisitely highlighted by plucked strings and woodwinds, followed by the harps in a somewhat lighthearted demonstration of Mahler’s musical capability.

The new First Associate Concertmaster Peter Otto contributed a lovely solo in the opening pages of Urlicht – the section Mahler borrowed from himself. It was here that the two soloists distinguished themselves with gorgeous sound that floated gently over the orchestra.

After the primal orchestral scream that opened the final movement and the immense sounds required by the composer, there were the off-stage sounds of horns and trumpet and occasional percussion. This was followed by the hushed yet eerily beautiful resurrection chorale sung 'a cappella' by the seated chorus. Ms. Fink once again lifted her lovely voice for a small final solo, before what seemed like all 'hades' erupted. All the musicians, including the off-stage organ played beautifully, if not quite robustly enough by Joela Jones, made a joyful noise, indeed. Vienna ought to be impressed.

The orchestra is now on tour (at Carnegie Hall tonight, in fact) returning home for concerts from November 8 through 11 at Severance Hall. Tour updates are available on the orchestra’s web-site, as is information about upcoming programs and ticket information. http://www.clevelandorchestra.com

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

Takács & Friends Recital @ Hanna Perkins Center 10/12 At least once each year, there is a concert or recital that features music by the brilliant American composer George Gershwin which completely confirms his standing as a composer of music entirely suitable for the concert stage. Such an event took place Friday evening, when two of his songs--the Second Prelude and I Got Rhythm transcended their popular reputation at the hands of three versatile classical musicians, two of whom are also noted for jazz performances. Oberlin pianist Peter Takács, who is exceedingly fluent in either classical or jazz repertoire, brought along some young musical friends Friday evening for a stunning recital in Shaker Heights. Dimitri Askhenazy, clarinet; Virgil Hartinger, tenor and Scott Woolweaver, violist added immeasurably to the musical content of the evening, which ranged from Mozart to Gershwin.

The auditorium at Hanna Perkins Center is an acoustic marvel; sound remains clear and concise throughout, regardless of where one sits. The instruments never sound muddy, although when the lid is up full, it is easy for the piano to overpower them, as it did on occasion here. The piano, which also came from Oberlin had a gorgeous, bright sound, and would have been beyond stunning in solo piano works. Maybe that joyous experience will be in store for us the next time around.

Mozart’s Kegelstatt Trio, K. 498 opened the recital in a spirited and warm rendition featuring Mssrs. Ashkenazy and Woolweaver along with Prof. Takács. Four German Songs by Louis Spohr featured the young Austrian tenor, Mr. Hartinger, again with Mr. Ashkenazy and Prof. Takács. It’s amazing how well the clarinet blends with voice and piano. At times it sounded like two singers rather than just one. Mr. Hartinger has a warm quality to his voice, which made the love songs of Spohr (set to the words of four different poets) all the more poignant.

Alfred Uhl’s Kleines Konzert was perhaps unfamiliar to most of the audience, but I’d be willing to bet that most of us would like to hear much more of him, and this work, in particular. It was again, for piano, viola and clarinet. In brief spoken program notes, Mr. Ashkenazy said that ‘in spite of when this was written (late 1930s) the composer wrote real music, not like some of his contemporaries.’ How true! It was very tuneful, with brief bits of dissonance here and there. It as also very rhythmically inventive. In the first movement Allegro con brio (an apt designation – especially the con brio part!) the viola and clarinet took turns tossing the melody back and forth. It was a bit jazzy-bluesy and piquant, all at the same time.

The middle movement was titled Grave – most appropriate for so close to Halloween, with it’s eerie ambiance. A highlight was the long unison notes in the lower registers of the clarinet and viola. The final movement Vivo featured syncopation and lots of notes from all three performers, prompting cheers along with vigorous applause from the near-capacity audience.

After intermission, Mr. Hartinger presented two pieces by Ravel, both set to poems by Clement Marot. The first (To Anne who threw snow at me) was contemplative in nature, while the second (To Anne as she plays the spinet) was sweet. Three more French songs –all illustrative of stringed instruments) followed: Fauré’s Mandoline; Poulenc’s À sa guitare and Debussy’s 'Mandoline'' were all tenderly and very evocatively sung.

Mr. Woolweaver then replaced Mr. Hartinger for the final works. Two Pieces Op. 83 by Max Bruch allowed the viola to showcase tricky double stops while the clarinet displayed beautiful legato playing in the first one, while the only suitable word to describe the second was ‘jaunty’. It was very happy music.

Prof. Takács arranged the Gershwin pieces that closed the program. “Hot off the press,” he commented, while sorting out the pages from which he would play. In the Second Prelude Mr. Ashkenazy switched to the super mellow-sounding bass clarinet in the middle, while Mr. Woolweaver accompanied him with plucked strings. Smoothly, they segued into I Got Rhythm which totally lived up to its name, being a really jazzy version.

For information about upcoming programs at the Hanna Perkins Center, call 991-4472.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

AtTENtion Span @ CPT 10/12
Short, sweet, & hot: This year's 10-minute play festival, coproduced with TITLEWave, has a crackerjack ensemble and smart direction. Two script standouts, both of them offbeat romances, make it worth taking the trip to CPT. Mike Geither's hauntingly funny & original Make Yourself Plain has shy Felicita Sanchez and manic Shawn Galligan making a halting connection via photocopying their own body parts in an office duplicator. And the spectacularly funny and sexy Find Mucking has Sarah Kunchik and Margi Herwald Zittelli getting progressively hotter using philosophical tomes as their sex toys.
Caveats: The plays themselves are of varying quality -- they range from engaging to one-joke sitcom or pretentious -- but the cast is able enough to consistently soar above it, making for an entertaining evening.
Details: Cleveland Public Theatre, http://www.cptonline.org.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein lindaATcoolcleveland.com

CityMusic Cleveland @ St. Stanislaus Church 10/13 CityMusic Cleveland is pure genius. The professional chamber orchestra with a dynamic young music director/conductor performs four series of programs throughout northeast Ohio each season. One series provides five concerts, the other three give six. But it isn’t just the music, which is superbly played, oh no! There is also free child care in most of the venues, and always an exhibit of various artworks by local artists. What’s not to like? Even the most confirmed curmudgeon would have to agree— CityMusic Cleveland is truly special.

Many of the venues are churches, which sometimes works against the music a bit. At the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus in Slavic Village Saturday evening, only one piece was unable to overcome the very resonant acoustics, but a different placement of the soprano soloist might have had a different result. The encore worked much better with her more towards the audience than in her featured piece.

Music Director James Gaffigan opened the program with a bright and lively rendition of Mozart's overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio. The middle Eastern influence was most evident in the percussion department with myriad cymbals and small bells accompanying the Austrian composer’s imaginative piece, which also featured a lovely oboe solo.

I’ve been privileged to hear Jinjoo Cho perhaps half a dozen times in the last three or four years, and she never ceases to amaze me. Of course, she has the same effect on everyone else within hearing range of her awesome talent. She and Mr. Gaffigan were absolutely on the same page in this performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, demonstrating once again her amazing musicality. She plays with an assurance and vigor and passion that would be envied by many adults. You know it’s something special when members of the orchestra are smiling as they play. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt when the conductor is dancing on the podium. The horn solo near the end of the concerto was very well played, although it was a tad loud. (But then, I was near the front; perhaps in the rear it was just as it should have been.)

Angela Mortellaro was the fine soprano in Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915, one of my favorite works for soprano and orchestra. Set to a prose text by James Agee, the rather languid piece describes a slower-paced, more peaceable era in our society. Ms. Mortellaro stood back a ways, almost in the middle of the orchestra, and from there, her voice could not penetrate the rather bouncy acoustics of the beautiful sanctuary. The orchestral pieces worked fine, but it was very difficult to understand her, although she was articulating very clearly, with adequate emotion and sensitivity.

Ravel's enchanting Mother Goose suite tells five fairy tales in music: Sleeping Beauty; Tom Thumb; an unfortunate princess who journeys to the land of the Pagodas; Beauty and the Beast and the Enchanted Garden. The muted strings in Tom Thumb were downright eerie sounding, providing more than adequate atmosphere, as did the percussion in the land of the Pagodas. The concertmaster and contrabassoon carried on a charming conversation in Beauty and the Beast.

It was a vastly satisfying evening, which Mr. Gaffigan enhanced by adding an encore that featured both soloists. Morgen, by Richard Strauss, utilized the violin of Ms. Cho and the clear soprano of Ms. Mortellaro to offset the orchestral background in a shimmering tribute to love. It was perfection.

The art on display was by member artists of Artistas Latinos Unidos.

To hear what you missed, the program of October 14 will be broadcast by WCLV (104.9 FM)on Sunday October 21 at 1 pm.

The next series of Free for All concerts by CityMusic Cleveland will be December 11 through 16. To purchase any of their four CDs, for information about the music, the venues, or to arrange for child-care, visit the website: http://www.citymusiccleveland.org.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

The Drowsy Chaperone @ Playhouse Square 10/16
Reasons to go: It's the ruefully charming narrator -- a sad-sack musical theater fan in love with a fictitious 1928 musical that comes to life in his living room while he listens to the record -- that makes this Tony Award-winning show so original and engaging. Reminiscent of the newly obsessed sports fan in Take Me Out, Jonathan Crombie makes for a subtle, vulnerable, and thoroughly funny "Man in Chair": amidst his digressions, putdowns, and offhand revelations, you see his genuine love for the unlikely piece of fluff that manages to lift him above the shabby, quotidian world. It's a marvelous portrayal of how even silly entertainments can surprisingly speak to our inner hearts.
Eye-candy: Though it takes a while to get going, the campy show-within-a-show has a delightful cast, energetic musical numbers, and provides loads of fun with its gentle tweaking of musical theater conventions. Nancy Opel as the "drowsy" (i.e., tipsy) belter of the title and Andrea Chamberlain as brassy vaudeville star Janet have particularly juicy moments.
Details: Thru 10/28, Palace Theatre. http://www.playhousesquare.com
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

On Eating (See Cozy Fall Dining here) Thomas-- just shared your blog w/ friends from college-- its great! Thanks, and a quick note: Antatolia Cafe was wonderful--we had lunch- had Trukish coffee, everything delicious. From Cool Cleveland reader Teresa Lagerlof tklagerlofATyahoo.com

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Eternal Sunshine for the Optimist's Mind Each member of the Hard Corps meets the criteria -- we're all proud of our region and its resources and love to point you accordingly. Give it up for Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Mansfield B. Frazier, David Budin, Victor Lucas and Elsa Johnson, Linda Eisenstein, Kelly Ferjutz, Laura Kennelly and introducing Kimberly Tilley. This issue was brought to you by a steaming pot of Kukicha. 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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