Arts writer Meredith Moss shares news about the people and events making arts news in our region.
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Today, July 19, the Performance Program at Antioch College is honoring Martin Worman, a former Antioch professor who died from AIDS in Dayton in 1993. Today would have been Worman’s 70th birthday. The event begins at 1 p.m. and will be held in the Foundry Theatre, 920 Corry St., Yellow Springs.
Worman was an actor, playwright, lyricist, director, female impersonator, activist and academic, working primarily in San Francisco and New York City from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. He is most known for being a member of the psychedelic San Francisco drag troupe, The Cockettes. He came to Antioch in 1992.
This afternoon’s celebration will include a screening of the documentary, “The Cockettes,” student readings and birthday cake. You’ll learn more about WIG, the new Worman Review of Performance Research at Antioch. According to organizers, the WIG student journal will “gather the strongest student research on performance, live art practice, art experimentation and cultural studies generated in Antioch’s performance history and critical studies classes.”
The Wig-Out schedule for this afternoon will begin at 1 p.m. with a welcome and drag runway. It will be followed by readings and birthday cake at 1:30 p.m., the film at 2:15 p.m. and a dance party send off at 4 p.m. Attendees are welcome to come for some or all of the proceedings.
FREE FAMILY CONCERT TO FEATURE TOPS IN BLUE
Tops in Blue, the Air Force’s premier entertainment showcase, will perform a free night of family entertainment in the Ervin J. Nutter Center at Wright State University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11.
This year, the team will showcase the music of well-known country and pop music artists. Tom Edwards, show producer and chief of Air Force Entertainment, said the new team is “a reflection of the ‘best of the best’ performers throughout the Air Force.”
Additional information can be found online at www.topsinblue.com.
LIFE WITHOUT PLASTIC?
The Sierra Club Miami Group will host a free screening of a new film “Bag It” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 30, at The Neon movie theater in downtown Dayton. The documentary is centered around life without plastic.
The film, which won the Audience Choice at Telluride Mountainfilm Festival and Princeton Environmental Film Festival, investigates plastic on our waterways, ocean gyres and even our own bodies. Tickets for this free screening will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis starting one hour before showtime.
PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR ‘CAROUSEL’
The Dayton Playhouse will hold open auditions for the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Carousel” at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, July 20-21, at 7 p.m.
The play will be directed by Brian Sharp, along with assistant director Shawn Hooks, musical director Ron Kindell and choreographer Paige Hanshaw.
The director requests that those auditioning come prepared with approximately 32 bars of a song showing vocal range and come dressed for a group dance audition. There also will be cold readings from the script. The Playhouse is located at 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton.
ART BAR WORKSHOPS CONTINUE
The Arts Alliance of Deerfield Township will continue its Art Bar events through July, August and September. The next series will be held at the Evendale Cultural Arts Center, 10500 Reading Road, Cincinnati.
The Art Bar is designed to give participants the opportunity to try new creative outlets with no experience necessary. “The Art Bar is designed to travel,” said Meredith Raffel, executive director of The Arts Alliance. “These events have been so much fun and so successful, and we are happy to take on the road for the next three months to our friends in Evendale.”
All three upcoming Art Bar events will be taught by artist Lori Siebert, who’s had a successful professional artistic career for over 40 years. In 1987 she opened her own design firm and developed art for clients that included Bath & Body Works, Target, Nickelodeon and Longaberger. She began the licensing arm of her business 10 years ago and has worked with a number of top manufacturers. She now divides her time between her own home studio in Northern Kentucky and her Oliko Studio in downtown Cincinnati. Lori Siebert designs can be found on Etsy, Pinterest and at retailers.
Each Art Bar event is $20 per person, which includes instruction, materials, appetizers and refreshments. Art Bar events are designed for participants 18 years and older.
The next sessions are Paper Flower Wreath from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, July 23; Whimsical Wire Wall Art on Thursday, Aug. 20 and Stamped and Stenciled Canvas on Thursday, Sept. 24. All classes are held from 7-9 p.m. For registration and more information, visit www.the-arts-alliance.org.
GREEKFEST FEATURES ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT
Middletown’s annual GreekFest, hosted by Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, will mark its 48th year of celebrating the rich culture of Greece on July 24-26. The festive event is held on the church grounds at 2500 Grand Avenue in Middletown with a special preview “Gyros on the Go” drive-through from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, July 23.
“One purpose of our festival is to share our cultural and religious heritage,” Niki Nestor McNeely said. “We do that through the live Greek music, the Greek dance performances, the tours of our church and of course the sharing of our Greek foods, drinks nd pastries.”
Tours of the church sanctuary will be led by the priest, Father Joseph Gingrich. You’ll see the stained glass windows that include saints and other significant biblical events and the original icon paintings behind the altar and on the iconostacion painted by local parishioner, Nicholas Ververis of West Middletown. You’ll also hear Greek Orthodox liturgical music.
A new addition to the festival is a local glass blower who will be creating glass angels and other small items including glass vials that come with a piece of rice with your name written on it. Live Greek music will be provided throughout the weekend by George Karras, who will accompany various dance troupes performing traditional Greek dances. You can also purchase authentic Greek jewelry, belly dancing scarves and costumes, olive oil-based skin care products, eternity lights, clothing and accessories.
Greek Fest hours are 5-10 p.m. Friday, 4-10 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free with ample street parking. Overflow parking is available behind the Shalom Temple on Grand Avenue. Check the website for updates and coupons: www.stsconstantineandhelengreekchurch.org
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