INSIDE: Sid Kelly n Keith Bergman n Edie Recker
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NOV. 13, 2013
Indie crafts Maker’s Mart craft fair set for Nov. 16.
2 n NOV. 13, 2013 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.” — Vincent van Gogh
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“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” — Edgar Degas
More than a woman
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / NOV. 13, 2013 n 3
Edie Recker educates community on transgender issues.
Star of the Week
By Matt Liasse
Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com
When someone dies, there’s usually a grieving process. For Edie Lanning Recker, death was liberating. During the Christmas season, her church congregation placed poinsettias on the altar in memory of someone they had lost. Recker brought one forward in memory of Edmund Charles Recker, the name she once went by before becoming a woman. “Only two people in the whole church knew what that was all about,” Recker said. Edmund was gone.
When Edmund met Edie
Recker is a male-to-female transgender, driven to educate the masses and stand up for her community. But it took her 60 years to get to where she is now. “When I was created, my brain was born first and it was born as female, then the chromosomes kicked in and I became a male body,” Recker said. Growing up in the country, Recker faced gender roles imposed by her parents and teachers. She remembers being caught trying on her mother’s church clothes in the upstairs bathroom when she was a child. “You are always told, ‘No, boys don’t do that.’ You’re forced to be something that you’re really not,” Recker said. During the process of getting a third divorce, Recker began cross-dressing, an act she used to do in private. “I thought it was more of a sexual thing, maybe a little bit of a perversion,” Recker said. “It was becoming to the point where I felt more human, more complete, being dressed that way.” The cross-dressing led her to research how to apply makeup. She stumbled across a therapist from Connecticut she would Skype with. “I came to find out that my desires weren’t just a perversion ... I was truly a transgender,” Recker said. “I needed to transition to feel complete, to feel whole.” At the age of 60, Recker began to transition from a male to a female. It took a while to rationalize and understand what was happening. Now, she wishes she would’ve realized it sooner. “When everybody said ‘Why did you wait so long?’ it’s because I didn’t know,” Recker said. “I knew there was something different but I didn’t know exactly what.” Recker said she tried to participate in her three marriages as a male when her thought processes 3661 Devers_Collision_TFP95_Layout 1 8/30/12 were female. That’s why they were not successful.
Edie Recker is a transgender woman who believes God doesn’t make mistakes. TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR PHOTO BY Christine Materni
“I was trying to override that and be the male part of it, so there was a lot of conflict,” Recker said. “I wasn’t happy. I’d never been happy and now I am. I don’t think I ever was happy. I don’t think I ever knew what love was. I wasn’t happy with myself. I wasn’t content because I was fighting inner and outer. Now I don’t do that. 1:28 PM Page 1 Now I’m content with me.”
Recker is interested in women and wishes to marry again. She has met someone and thinks she is figuring out what love is. “And it scares me,” Recker said. “To have an intimate relationship scares me. Yeah, I’ve been with women all my life, but this is going to be altogether different.” Recker said she is a “64-year-old virgin.”
“There’s a lot of struggles like that that we go through that a lot of people don’t understand,” she said. “Some of them, I didn’t even realize.” Recker puts her faith in God. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll be, and that’s not meant for me to decide,” Recker said. “I only live this life.” n TRANSGENDER DAY CONTINUES ON 4
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“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” — Bob Ross n TRANSGENDER DAY CONTINUED FROM 3
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Recker said God doesn’t make mistakes. “God has had a plan for me before my mom and dad even thought about me,” she said. “When I was conceived, my destiny was already set. I don’t think he made a mistake.”
The day Ed was gone
A lot of things changed once Recker began her transition. The transformation took roughly three years. Recker said she was lucky enough to have the money to do it in a shorter-than-average amount of time. She acquired a new name, driver’s license, Social Security number, title for her car and more. Being a business owner, Recker had to change all business accounts too. “I was no longer Ed,” she said. Recker remembers the first headline she read about a transgender 30 years ago. “I laughed. Why would anyone want to do that?” she said.
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Recker said she is very open about her transition, more open than most in the community. She welcomes curiosity from people sitting next to her at a bar. “There hasn’t been a question I haven’t been asked,” Recker said. “That’s how I educate.” She frequents Quarters Bar & Grill in Perrysburg, a place she where she feels safe. “[The owner] came up to me and said, ‘When you’re in here, we have your back.’ That’s great, but what happens when I walk out the front door? What happens with the group that’s in here
that gets bottle brave and waits for me as I walk out?” Recker said. Toledo Area Transgender Support will sponsor the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20, recognizing transgenders who have been killed worldwide in the past year. Recker will find names of the deceased on the internet. At the event, the names will be read and details on how they were killed will be given. “I want people to realize the brutality that we go through,” Recker said. “People need to know that this is actually going on. This year is not in vain. These people have made a difference.” The event will be at at 7 p.m. on Nov. 20 at Sylvania United Church of Christ (UCC), 7240 Erie Street. The event will include a recognition reading, speakers, a memorial service and a time of fellowship. Sylvania UCC has been supportive of Recker’s transformation. A new senior pastor, Sam Buehrer, took over in January and allowed Recker to be re-baptized as Edie, even though she previously been baptized as Edmund. People of the church often believe once you are baptized, the soul is, and you cannot be again; even though Recker’s name and body changed, her soul didn’t. Edie disagrees. “I am a totally different person,” Recker said. “[My baptism] was probably one of the greatest days of my life because now I’m starting to become the person I’ve always wanted to be, always thought I could be or didn’t understand that I could be. Now I feel whole. My whole Iife, I’ve grown up as a Christian but it came to a point where it basically went stagnant, it stood still, and now it’s moved on again.” O
It’s like having front Row seats for the best show In town See the best fall color in your Metroparks. Pick up or download an Autumn Adventure brochure and walk at least eight trails before November 18. Walk on your own or register for a guided walk with a naturalist at MetroparksToledo.com. See you on the trail! upComInG EVEnts Red lanterns Aldo Leopold wrote about the beautiful “red lanterns” of the meadows in late autumn. Learn what he was talking about and ponder other quotes by the noted conservationist and author during a walk on the Green Trail. Saturday, November 16, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Secor, NCNP parking lot Free | Registration
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metroparks mutts: howl-n-prowl autumn adventure Join fellow dog lovers and start fall off right. This is a special night hike for dogs and their owners to sniff out the scents and sounds of the park in the dark. Dogs must have shots, get along with other dogs and be on standard six foot lead. Sunday, November 17, 7 to 8 p.m. Wildwood Preserve, Metz Visitor Center Free | Reservations
“Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.” — Oscar Wilde
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / NOV. 13, 2013 n 5.
‘Warning Signs’ Tom Lingeman to open exhibition at the Secor Gallery in time for Holiday Loop. By Matt Liasse Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com
Weeks after his wife’s work occupied the space, Tom Lingeman will open a solo exhibition, “Warning Signs,” at the Secor Gallery, 425 Jefferson Ave. “Warning Signs” will be on display in time for the Holiday Loop, the second annual free shuttle bus service to more than 30 venues, from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 16. His exhibition will be on display until Dec. 14 with almost all of the work for sale. Lingeman said prices will range anywhere from $500 to $10,000. Lingeman and Secor Building Manager Keith Corder have been in talks to collaborate on a solo show for two years. Karen Roderick-Lingeman’s “Undefined” show with Skot Horn ended Nov. 9. The show will feature work in various mediums, including sculptures, paintings and two videos, all completed since July. The exhibition was inspired in part by man-made disasters, like global warming or oil spills contaminating the oceans. This show displays “warning signs” against them. “I hope that there’s a message in the show,” Lingeman said. Lingeman said some of his work is inspired by his dog Tallie. “I have a special relationship with a four-legged animal,” he said. “The Animalia in these pieces exhibit the number of gestures that I see in my dog.” The videos included are called “A Walk in the Park” parts one and two and play on a loop. They were made while Lingeman was in Central Park. He came up with the idea while visiting New York City for his son’s wedding in June. “I was inspired to do the movies by taking walks in the park over a fourday period,” Lingeman said. “It was beautiful weather.” Lingeman returned to the city in August to make the movies. His son served as the technical director. Even though he was there for the weekend, the weather conditions were not suitable for filmmaking until Monday morning. “But the conditions were perfect because it had just rained, it was overcast, so the walkways were wet, which was a really nice effect for filmmaking. The colors popped ... particularly the color of the New York City yellow cabs, caution signs, warning signs.” Lingeman said. The first of the two films was done with Lingeman being pushed in a wheelchair while he held a camera in his hand. The route he filmed was in a loop around the area. “The movie is ... a digital loop of a real loop,” Lingeman said. Lingeman went back to New York a third time to film during clearer conditions, similar to those that originally inspired him to make the movie. Part two was filmed using an altered jogging stroller instead of a wheelchair. The two movies were filmed along the same route, just on different days of the year. The videos will be projected on opposite ends of the gallery, giving sound to the exhibit. “I see new media … as being more or less magic media,” Lingeman said. “I sort of see the flat-screen, HD monitor as being similar to movies the way paintings are portrayed in ‘Harry Potter’ at Hogwarts, the way they move as you go by them. There may be the viewer that will stand or pull up a chair and watch them continuously.” Lingeman has shown his work on an international scale, but said nothing compares to exhibitions here at home. “Showing in Toledo is much more rewarding than showing anything I’ve done overseas because the Toledo audience is an audience that I know and love,” he said. O
Tom Lingeman’s ‘Warning Signs’ will be on display until Dec. 14 at the Secor Gallery. PHOTO COURTESY TOM LINGEMAN
6 n NOV. 13, 2013 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
“Creativity takes courage.”— Henri Matisse
Maker’s Mart Craft fair set for Nov. 16 at Amtrak station. By Logan Sander TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER star@toledofreepress.com
Handmade Toledo will host its second annual Maker’s Mart from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Toledo Amtrak station’s Grand Lobby, at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza. Maker’s Mart is an independent craft show that features crafters and artists from around the Toledo area. The show is organized by Betty Floored of Oh Sew Betty, a local business that sells vintage-inspired dresses, purses and other handmade items at craft shows and on Etsy, a popular website that sells handmade items. The first show took place last November, after Floored realized Toledo is the perfect place for such an art show. “I had wanted to bring it to Toledo for a few years. I’ve been doing indie craft fairs in Detroit, Cleveland, Ann Arbor and all over the place for a few years and I was tired of always having to drive. Toledo has such an awesome art scene that it needs to have a scene for handmade, more utilitarian art. There is a market for it. There’s nothing like an indie craft fair or a handmade art fair [in Toledo],” Floored said. Last year, Maker’s Mart included more than 40 vendors. This year, the event will showcase even more. “Out of about 70 handmade vendors, we have anything that you could possibly think of — anything that you would want. We have T-shirts and jewelry, and we have people that are woodworkers and people that make handmade soaps, lotions and lip balms. There are different types of accessories, prints you can hang on the wall and mixed-media decor for the home. There are even people that [make] their own dye and spin their own yarn,” Floored said. Each vendor was hand-picked from a pool of more than 100 applicants. The panel of people from Handmade Toledo chose each vendor months in advance in order to give both the vendors and themselves time to prepare for the huge event. “It’s insane. We had well over 100 applications which is more than we have ever had. They were so good that we had to accept that many. I just kept saying to myself, ‘Man, now because we have these awesome vendors, we are going to have to organize an even bigger event,’” Floored said. One veteran vendor, John Amato, will sell products from his company JUPMODE. He primarily creates T-shirts and other screenprinted work. His designs revolve around Toledo pride, with T-shirts displaying phrases like “You will do better in Toledo” or simply “419.” “We take advantage of a nostalgia in a lot of our products. We are inspired by people that understand the history of Toledo and remember it fondly. We are focused pretty lo-
cally,” Amato said. Amato said the event itself is important locally for craft-makers and artisans, as it has helped his own business. “When [Maker’s Mart] came up, I didn’t think that I was a fit for it, because I thought it was more for crafty people or artists. Fortunately I applied, and it was a very successful event. I’ve sold in the past at other smaller events, but I’ve been looking for more opportunities to sell or participate in local shows. I would guess that [for] everyone who sold there, it was their best event of the year,” Amato said. The event will also incorporate local restaurants, musicians and other companies. Po Mo’s Ribs and Antojitos Laredo, among other restaurants, will serve food, and local musicians will play unplugged throughout the day. There will be a free photo booth and a caricature artist to entertain visitors amid the shopping. Maker’s Mart also encourages people to bring the whole family; children are welcome. “There will be a few craft ‘make-and-take’ tables geared toward kids. I am an art educator, and we have some other art educators who will be there to work with the kids. We want it to be a family-friendly event,” Floored said. Floored wants Maker’s Mart to offer a certain atmosphere, not just be another fair or shopping opportunity. “Maker’s Mart — it isn’t just you go there and buy stuff. I like to create an atmosphere and I like to create an experience. It’s something that you will actually remember instead of just walking through aisles of vendors. That was part of the idea behind the original Maker’s Mart — an event, more than just a craft show. We try to create an entire experience,” Floored said. Both Floored and Amato feel this event is important for Toledo because it gives local artists and businesses an opportunity to share their talents and products. “I think it’s a great opportunity for people to buy local. You can’t ask for a better opportunity to buy something handmade from someone in Toledo. Places like the mall are open all year round, but this is one opportunity you can really support local business. There was a great turnout last year and I expect to see the same this year,” Amato said. Maker’s Mart will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Parking is free in the lot in front of the Amtrak station, 415 Emerald Ave., and the location is a stop on the Arts Commission Holiday Loop around the city, which is giving free bus rides around Downtown from noon to 5 p.m. that same day. Handmade Toledo’s next event will be a spring show on April 19. A similar event took place last year and attracted more than 3,000 people in one day. For more information on Handmade Toledo or Maker’s Mart, visit handmadetoledo.com. O
More than 70 vendors will be featured at the Nov. 16 Maker’s Mart. PHOTO AND COVER PHOTO BY IndieLovely
“Art and love are the same thing: It’s the process of seeing yourself in things that are not you.” — Chuck Klosterman
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / NOV. 13, 2013 n 7
8 n NOV. 13, 2013 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.” — Leonardo da Vinci
Toledo refuses to let military heroes go unnoticed
T
he beginning of this week marked a very special day for me, and for the rest of our morning radio show. Nov. 11 was Veterans Day. Pardon the history lesson, but Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day. It was approved in May of 1938 and made Nov. 11 of every year a legal holiday, designed to honor veterans of World War I. However, in 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower made Nov. 11 a day to honor all veterans of the armed services. For seven years, beginning in 1971, Veterans Day was observed on the fourht Monday of each October under the Uniform Holiday Act before being moved back to Nov. 11 in 1978. The day is very special to our show because both Demetrius and I were in the U.S. Navy. Sara’s grandfathers were both in World War II and her stepdad is a proud Vietnam vet, as are many of our relatives and best friends. While out golfing with one of his friends — former Marine John Campbell — my co-host Demetrius Nicodemus came up with an idea to help the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). The WWP is a fantastic organization that provides medical and psychological assistance as well as financial help to our brave servicemen and servicewomen who have been wounded while protecting our freedom while serving in
the military. The program gets the vast majority of its unding through donations, and absolutely ZERO dollars through government grants. In order to continue these efforts, the vast majority of the WWP’s money must come from donations. More info is available at www.woundedwarrior project.org/mission.aspx. So, Campbell and Demetrius came up with an idea to put on a comedy show and Sid donate the proceeds to the WWP. Campbell (an employee at Taylor Automotive) asked his supervisor if the business would be willing to act as a drop-off point for donations. Taylor Automotive went one better and not only agreed to allow the drop-offs, but to also let their employees volunteer to donate a day’s pay to go directly to the WWP. The comedy show featured three comedians: Angel Isaac and Quinn Patterson (both from Cleveland), and “The Morning Rush’s” very own
Demetrius Nicodemus. On top of the live entertainment, several businesses donated gift baskets that we used to raise more money during a silent auction. After two weeks of promotion, Waldo Peppers in Findlay was packed to capacity this past Friday night. It was truly inspiring to see how many people showed up to support our veterans. I had the privilege of meeting Campbell and asked him why he wanted to help the Wounded Warrior Project. “Because if we just make the smallest difference to those who gave so much, how can and why would we ever say ‘no,’ or ‘I can’t,’ or ‘I just don’t have the money?” he said. “Everyone can contribute something, even if it’s just their time.” If you walked into the room 30 minutes before showtime, it would have been pretty obvious that people were more than willing to contribute not only their money, but their time too. As Sara, Demetrius and I walked through the crowd we met tons of vets and listeners thanking us for doing something for those who have been severely wounded. When I caught up with Campbell at the show, I asked him what message he’d like to pass along to other people about veterans. He said, “We fought for you then, and sometimes we need people to fight for us. The only thing we have ever asked for is, ‘Hey, thanks for your service.’ Nothing more.” “We know what we signed up for, it was our honor to serve and protect our nation.” And that’s what Veterans Day is all about. There are millions of men and women that fought and gave the ultimate sacrifice for our
Kelly
THE MORNING
RUSH
right to complain about our president, wear whatever we want, pray to whomever we want and go wherever we want without the fear of reprisals from our government. So many of our service members have never come home, and it’s those that we need to never lose sight of. As Campbell said to me, “Those are the true heroes.” He’s right. They gave their lives so we can do what we do every day. I want to personally take the time to thank every man and woman that has stepped forward and run toward the danger when everyone else would love nothing more than to run away from it. You are my heroes! I thank God every day that you have the courage to do what 99 percent of the public couldn’t. I am proud to admit that “The Morning Rush” was able to raise $3,255 that will go directly to Wounded Warrior Project. I know I speak for the show when I say thank you for donating money, buying tickets to the show, and purchasing the items included in our silent auction. I’m honored to live in a city that refuses to let our heroes go unnoticed. As you go about your day today just remember that you have the ability to do what you’re doing because other men and women have sacrificed their futures, their ability to have their little children run up to them at the end of a hard day and scream “Daddy — or Mommy, I missed you,” as they walk through the door. They gave that amazing feeling up so you can experience it. Don’t take it for granted, especially now that you know what’s had to happen in order for you to experience it. If that’s not the greatest gift in the world, I’m not sure what is. If you missed the event because you had other plans, please visit woundedwarriorproject. org and make a donation. O Sid Kelly, U.S. Navy ensign and aviator of anA6E Intruder, is host of “The Morning Rush,” weekday mornings on 92.5 KISS FM.
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“Art without emotion its like chocolate cake without sugar. It makes you gag.” — Laurie Halse Anderson
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / NOV. 13, 2013 n 9
Nick Cardy’s work was ‘fresh and hip’
I
n comic book circles, the label “innovator” has been slapped on a multitude of creators, but perhaps it’s most apt when applied to Nick Cardy, who died Nov. 3. Having worked his way up through the industry from his first gigs in the 1940s, Cardy found a true creative home at DC Comics in the 1950s and ’60s, and began to break many of the rules of comic book art. By Jim the beginning of the 1970s, he was being praised for not only his lush, multitoned interiors, but also for comic book covers that not only redefined the borders of the art, but made a generation of fans sit up and take notice. “I first became aware of Nick Cardy’s work as a teenager working in my very first comic book shop when I stumbled upon a handful of Teen Titans issues he illustrated from the late ’60s,” said Monarch Cards & Comics’ Ed Katschke. “I was never much of a DC Comics fan at that age, but I was instantly taken in by his cover artistry. So much of DC’s art output during the ’60s didn’t appeal to me at all at that age, but Cardy’s work, even 20 years out, looked fresh
and hip and cool. While veteran DC artists like Curt Swan or Kurt Schaffenberger were rather stodgy and unexciting, Nick Cardy’s figures were dynamic and sexy, the action sequences fun and full of the excitement lacking in much of his peers’ work. Cardy did a lot to bring the sensibilities of the swingin’ sixties to comic book art that many other veteran artists of the period were never quite able to duplicate.” If male baby boomer comic fans were polled about their first comic book character crush, Nick Cardy’s Wonder Girl would surely top the list. On the cover of 1969’s Teen Titans No. 23, the young heroine smashes through a portrait of herself to show off her new look — and to capture the hearts of fanboys everywhere. Cardy had previously illustrated many a female character, but in Wonder Girl his powers of drawing strength and sex appeal coalesced in equal quantity. Today, the cover is frequently ranked among those with the most impact in comic book history. O
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“Art is what you can get away with.” — Andy Warhol
TWO BUCK YUKS: The echo chamber
Stas´ Krukowski said he is not nervous about living up to the reputation of the former 20 North Gallery. TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR PHOTO BY CHRISTIE MATERNI
Former 20 North Gallery space is home for joenstas´ gallery By Matt Liasse Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com
When Staś Krukowski ended his career in selling cars after 13 years, his love of art was revitalized. “Before, I would draw something every blue moon or write a poem every other blue moon, but it was so kept inside and so compartmentalized because of my career in the car business that I didn’t ever really let it come out,” Krukowski said. “Now that it’s coming out, it’s like a freight train coming out. I’ll stay up all night and write a book.” Krukowski works with a variety of art forms: he likes to mix egg whites and food coloring, which he uses as paint on paper. “I love primary colors. I’m sorry, at heart I’m still 5,” Krukowski said. Some of his work will be displayed at his new gallery in the former 20 North Gallery space, 18 N. St. Clair St. Krukowski is opening the gallery with the help of some friends and family. His life partner Joe Jordan’s name combines with his for the gallery’s name: the joenstaś gallery. Krukowski, born and raised in Toledo, has specific plans for the space. With it, he wishes to “beautify and educate,” a phrase he uses as a mantra. “That’s what I decided I’m put on the planet to do,” Krukowski said. “I’m here to make the place look nice and tell you why it does and make sure you understand ... I’m going to use that theme throughout pretty much everything that I do.” The gallery will include one-of-a-kind pieces of art, clothing, jewelry, furniture, and more for sale. Krukowski has been collecting for years from antique shops and auctions. The pieces used to all be stored in his home but now fill the gallery’s basement. “I want to be a source of inspiration for people,” Krukowski said. “Sure, I want to sell things, and that’s what I’m here to do first is represent artists and sell nicer, vintage items.” Krukowski said he wants the space to serve as a hangout spot or a venue for events, like a graduation party, retirement party or wedding reception.
Reservations are now being taken and there is still time to reserve the space for holiday events, Krukowski said. The gallery is able to hold 20-80 people, “100 if you want to push it,” Krukowski said. The gallery will offer art classes, (maybe even a cooking class) for adults in the area. For kids, Krukowski plans to host an unplugged day, where kids can be dropped off at the gallery for four hours free of iPads, phones or other electronics. The children will have to read a book, look at art, cook something or listen to a record. “There’s a variety of different things that we’re going to do that I’ve seen successful in other cities and I want to emulate that success here,” Krukowski said. The gallery will participate in The Arts Commission’s Holiday Loop, the second annual shuttle bus service making stops at more than 30 venues on Nov. 16, but the grand opening is 1-5 p.m. Dec. 1. There will be Champagne and brunch offered during the opening. “I want it to be after everyone else used you up after Thanksgiving weekend,” Krukowski said. “Come on in here, have a mimosa, have a little bite of something and then look at the art.” For shows, Krukowski wants to fill the space with local, national and international artists. The gallery’s first show “The Mother and Child Theme Exhibit,” begins opening weekend; every piece of artwork will showcase motherhood in some way. “I was just inspired by the strong bond between children and their mothers,” Krukowski said. “It’s one of the strongest bonds there is.” Another idea Krukowski has for the space is an automotive show. “That’s what I want to bring to the place; a unique sense of style that you might not find in a 100-mile radius,” Krukowski said. Krukowski said he is not nervous to open in 20 North Gallery’s former space because he is not taking over for the former host. “They built up such a great reputation for the space; I’m kind of riding on that a little bit, which I’m grateful for, but they’re still them. They’re still doing their thing. They’re not out of the picture, they’re just out of the building,” Krukowski said. Contact Krukowski at (419) 265-7150 for more information. ✯
When I first started doing open mics a few years ago, I took an old Realistic cassette recorder with me to tape all my sets. The hardest thing for me, besides having comics Keith BERGMAN half my age busting my chops for using such antique recording equipment, was the actual sound of my own voice coming from that tiny speaker. Most of us hate how we sound outside our own head. We have this perception of our deep, rich dulcet tones saying witty and respectable things, and then we hit play and hear some wheezing, whining bed-wetter stammering over every other word. When did that happen? But getting out of your own body and hearing yourself as others hear you is essential. It’s far too easy to write an inside joke to yourself. Do you explain your premise well enough that someone who doesn’t live inside your skull will know what you’re talking about? Do you slow down and enunciate so that you make sense to an audience? This is basic stuff, but it trips up so many otherwise gifted people. Slurring a syllable, talking too fast or mispronouncing one word can kick the legs out from under the most lovingly constructed bit. You’re talking through a used public address system, probably older than my tape recorder, and your audience is usually drinking, eating, tallying their share of a bill and probably nose-deep in their smartphone. Care must be taken or what you’re doing won’t work. There’s a voice people hear offstage, too. Are you aggressive and confrontational with bookers and other comics? Do you constantly brag on social media about how God has blessed your career and how you’re gonna be a superstar? Are you a passive-aggressive pill to be around when you’re hanging out in the back? One of the hardest things to do is step outside yourself, look at how you’re presenting yourself and imagine seeing it for the first time. I was in a play several years ago with a director who didn’t like me much, but was stuck with me. He taught me a lot about how I occupy physical space and how it looks when a person my size moves on a stage in front of people. It all seems obvious in retrospect, but I’d been acting and doing comedy for a while when I met him, and none of it had crossed my mind until he brought it up. Don’t do these things to change yourself into what you think is more crowd-pleasing — that way lies misery and failure. Do them to clarify. Let yourself and your ideas be judged on their own merits, and not dismissed or misunderstood because the message got muddled somewhere between your brain and theirs. ✯ Keith Bergman hosts the Two Buck Yuks comedy showcase at The Blarney Event Center, 601 Monroe St, every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Mat Alano-Martin headlines Nov. 13, while Robert Morgan tops the bill Nov. 20.
“Artists exist to show us the world. So do windows.” — Jarod Kintz TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / NOV. 13, 2013 n 11
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“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” — Thomas Merton
((((((((((((( THE PULSE
NOV. 13-19, 2013
What’s what, where and when in NW Ohio
Compiled by Matt Liasse Events are subject to change.
The Ark
MUSIC
This intimate venue showcases acts from the A-list to the lesser known. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. (734) 761-1451, (734) 761-1800 or www. theark.org. ✯ Gretchen Peters: 8 p.m. Nov. 13. ✯ Chris Dupont & Betsy King: 8 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ at Royal Oak Music Theatre: Toad The Wet Sprocket: 8 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ John Prine (at Michigan Theater): 8 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Vincent York’s Jazzistry’s Tribute to Stan Getz & Gerry Mulligan: 8 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Andy McKee: 8 p.m. Nov. 16. ✯ Shape Note Singing: 2 p.m. Nov. 17. ✯ Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17. ✯ Bernhoft & Miracles of Modern Science: 8 p.m. Nov. 18. ✯ Leon Russell & Alex Dezen: 8 p.m. Nov. 19.
Bar 145º
This venue features burgers, bands and bourbon, if its slogan is to be believed. $5 cover. 5304 Monroe St. (419) 593-0073 or bar145toledo.com. ✯ Noisy Neighbors: Nov. 15. ✯ Tricky Dicks and the Cover-Ups: Nov. 16.
Barr’s Public House
“Our House, Your Pub” focuses on craft beer, hand-crafted specialty drinks and martinis, a well-rounded wine selection and an eclectic food menu. 3355 Briarfield Blvd., Maumee. (419) 866-8466. ✯ Last Born Sons: 8 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ Jackise: 9 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Kyle White: 9 p.m. Nov. 16.
The Blarney Irish Pub
Catch local acts while taking in the pub’s modern Irish and American fare. 601 Monroe St. (419) 418-2339 or www.theblarneyirishpub.com. ✯ Dave Carpenter: 9:30 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ The Bradberries: 9:30 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Last Born Sons: 9:30 p.m. Nov. 16.
Bronze Boar
Be sure to check out this Warehouse District tavern’s namesake, overhead near the entrance. 20 S. Huron St. (419) 244-2627 or www. bronzeboar.com. ✯ Open mic: Thursdays and Mondays. ✯ Billy P. & Karaoke Night: Nov. 13. ✯ Steve Kennedy: Nov. 14. ✯ Stonehouse: Nov. 15. ✯ Beg To Differ: Nov. 16. ✯ Steve Finelli: Nov. 18.
Cheers Sports Eatery
This family-friendly eatery dishes up live performances … and Chicago-style pizza. 7131 Orchard Centre Dr., Holland. (419) 491-0990. ✯ Dos Dudes: Nov. 16.
Dorr St. Café
Grab a reuben or some fish while bobbing your head to some tunes. Southwest corner of Dorr Street at Reynolds Road. (419) 531-4446 or www.dorrstreetcafe.com. ✯ Mike Whitty & Friends: Nov. 15.
Evolution
A club “for the mature crowd,” Evolution offers $5 martinis on Thursdays and the occasional live musical performance. 519 S. Reynolds Road. (419) 725-6277 or clubevolutiontol.com. ✯ Feel Good Fridays: Fridays. ✯ Sensational Saturdays: Saturdays.
Frankie’s Inner-City
Started as Nick’s Hungry I years ago, this venue has taken a twist into a new era. The bar is open until 2:30 a.m. daily. 4477 Monroe Street. (419) 720-3370 or chucksonmonroe.com. ✯ Zak Ward: Nov. 14. ✯ Jeff Stewart: Nov. 19.
Toledo’s venue for rock. Tickets vary between $5 and $14, unless otherwise noted. 308 Main St. (419) 693-5300 or www.FrankiesInnerCity.com. ✯ This Or The Apocalypse, Honour Crest: 6 p.m. Nov. 13. ✯ All Hail The Yeti: 9 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ Southbound Fearing, Archers & Illustrators, Human Jukebox, The Old Adage, The Breaking Point: 8 p.m. Nov. 15.
Clazel Theatre
French Quarter J. Patrick’s Pub
Chuck’s on Monroe
This venue has been rocking BGSU students (and others) for years. 127 N. Main St., Bowling Green. (419) 353-5000 or www.clazel.net. ✯ Club Kiss: Fridays and Saturdays. ✯ 365: Saturdays
The Distillery
The mic is open on Sundays, but paid entertainers rock out Fridays-Saturdays. 4311 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 382-1444 or www.thedistilleryonline.com. ✯ Live Trivia with DJ Brandon: Tuesdays. ✯ Nathan Cogan: Wednesdays. ✯ DJ Rob Sample: Thursdays. ✯ Guitar-eoke with Zack Ward: Sundays. ✯ Venyx: Nov. 15. ✯ Mas Fina: Nov. 16.
Doc Watson’s
Named in honor of the owners’ forefather, this bar and restaurant serves a variety of dishes and entertainment. 1515 S. Byrne Road. (419) 389-6003 or docwatsonstoledo.com. ✯ Sporcle live trivia: 8:30 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ Katty Whomp US: 8:30 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Tye & Jaime: 10 p.m. Nov. 16.
Live entertainment after 9:30 p.m. FridaysSaturdays. Holiday Inn French Quarter, 10630 Fremont Pike, Perrysburg. (419) 874-3111 or www.hifq.com. ✯ The Late Show: Nov. 15-16.
H Lounge
The Hollywood Casino Toledo offers musical distractions from all the lights, noise and jackpots. 777 Hollywood Blvd. (419) 661-5200 or www.hollywoodcasinotoledo.com. ✯ The Band Crusin’: 9 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Arctic Clam: 9 p.m. Nov. 16.
Hamway’s on the Main
Live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights gets a side order of steak, seafood and prime rib at this 30-year area institution. 5577 Monroe St., Sylvania. (419) 885-0290 or hamwaysonthemain.com. ✯ Megan Roberts: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15.
Kerrytown Concert House
This venue focuses on classical, jazz and opera artists and music. 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. $5-$30, unless noted. (734) 769-2999 or www.
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kerrytownconcerthouse.com. ✯ Malcolm Bilson: Nov. 17.
Mainstreet Bar and Grill
Ronn Daniels performs weekly at this pub. 8-11 p.m. Thursdays, 141 Main St. (419) 697-6297 or www.toledomainstreet.com. ✯ Taproot: 9 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ The Bricks + Gold w/ Marky Strange: 9 p.m. Nov. 16. ✯ Blue Felix: 8 p.m. Nov. 17.
MGM Grand Detroit
Live music rings out over the slots and croupiers on the weekends in the INT ICE lounge. 1777 Third St., Detroit. (877) 888-2121 or www. mgmgranddetroit.com. ✯ Double Vision Fridays: Fridays. ✯ Volume Saturdays: Saturdays.
Motor City Casino/Hotel
This casino’s Sound Board offers big names, big sounds and a big experience. 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. Guests must be 21 or older. (866) 782-9622 or www.motorcitycasino.com. The casino’s Chromatics Lounge also features live performances. Chromatics ✯ Dueling Pianos: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 13. ✯ Electric Blond: 9 p.m. Nov. 13. ✯ Electric Blond: 7 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ Electric Blond: 5:15 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Jimmy D. Scott: 10 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Electric Blond: 5:15 p.m. Nov. 16. ✯ Phase 5: 10 p.m. Nov. 16. ✯ Dave Hamilton: 3:30 p.m. Nov. 17. ✯ British Beat 66: 7 p.m. Nov. 18. ✯ Collision Six: 7 p.m. Nov. 19. Radio Bar ✯ Paul Martindale: 4 p.m. Nov. 13. ✯ Surab Deb: 8 p.m. Nov. 13. ✯ Paul Martindale: 4 p.m. Nov. 14.
WETry ou SP E r EC KLY IA LS
“Life doesn’t imitate art, it imitates bad television.” — Woody Allen
STAR @ the movies ‘Thor: The Dark World’
James A. Molnar, TFP film editor:
”What is most impressive about this movie is not even the movie itself. It’s the universe in which ‘Thor’ operates. Everything is connected. Comic nerds should really enjoy this sequel, along with the two — count them, TWO — post-credits scenes.”
Read the full review and watch the trailer: Watch James discuss movies on FOX Toledo and WTOL -11 Friday mornings. Also, listen to James discuss movies on “Eye on Your Weekend” on 1370 WSPD every Friday at 6 p.m. For more: toledofreepress.com/movies
Motor City Casino/Hotel (cont.) ✯ Kim James: 8 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ Paul Martindale: 2 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Linda Lexy: 6 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Kim James: 10 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Earl: 2 p.m. Nov. 16. ✯ Linda Lexy: 6 p.m. Nov. 16. ✯ DJ Short Stop: 10 p.m. Nov. 16. ✯ Lutalo: 8 p.m. Nov. 17. ✯ DJ Short Stop: 4 p.m. Nov. 18. ✯ Lutalo: 8 p.m. Nov. 18. ✯ DJ Short Stop: 4 p.m. Nov. 19. ✯ Surab Deb: 8 p.m. Nov. 19. Sound Board ✯ Eli Young Band: 8 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ India.Arie: 8 p.m. Nov. 17.
Quiz: 9 p.m., Wednesdays. ✯ DJ Jeff Loose: 10 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ Trees No Leaves: 10 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ No Remorse, No Requests: Metal Night at the OT: 10 p.m. Nov. 19.
The Palace of Auburn Hills
When the Detroit Pistons take a break from the court, the biggest names in music rock the arena. 6 Champion Drive, Auburn Hills, MI. (248) 3770100 or palacenet.com. ✯ Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily Presents Dragons: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13, 14, 15, 16, 11 a.m. Nov. 15, 11:30 a.m. Nov. 16, 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 16, 1 and 5 p.m. on Nov. 17.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
What began as an antique store in Chicago turned into a string of more than 200 eateries nationwide, including Toledo. All of the shops feature live music. 4038 Talmadge Road. (419) 725-5037 or www.potbelly.com. ✯ Jaime Mills: Noon-2 p.m. Fridays.
Stella’s
Nouveau cuisine gets a helping of music Thursdays through Saturdays. 104 Louisiana Ave., Perrysburg. (419) 873-8360 or www.stellasrestaurantandbar.com. ✯ Eddie Molina: Nov. 14. ✯ Jeff Stewart: Nov. 15. ✯ Brian Bocian: Nov. 16.
The Village Idiot
Tunes combined with pizza and booze, some would say it’s a perfect combination. 309 Conant St., Maumee. (419) 893-7281 or www.villageidiotmaumee.com. ✯ Old West End Records: 8 p.m. Wednesdays. ✯ Bob Rex Quartet: 6 p.m. Sundays. ✯ Frankie May and friends: 10 p.m. Mondays. ✯ John Barile & Bobby May: 8 p.m. Tuesdays. ✯ Andrew Ellis Music: Nov. 13.
Ye Olde Cock n’ Bull
Live music starts at 7:30 p.m. 5703 Main St., Sylvania. (419) 882-2266 or treosylvania.com. ✯ Scott Potter Band: Nov. 15. ✯ Quartet Bernadette: Nov. 16.
At one of Toledo’s newest gathering places, customers can find 30 draught beer selections and daily drink specials. They promise live entertainment seven days of the week. 9 N. Huron St. (419) 244-2855 or facebook.com/cocknbulltoledo. ✯ Danny Mettler hosts Open Mic Night: 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.: Nov. 13. ✯ Captain Sweet Shoes: 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.: Nov. 14. ✯ Bobby May and John Barile: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Breaking Ground: 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Noise Neighbors: 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Nov. 16. ✯ Joe Woods: 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Nov. 19.
Ottawa Tavern
Ye Olde Durty Bird
One2 Lounge at Treo
Casual meals and bingo and trivia nights with weekend entertainment. 1815 Adams St. (419) 725-5483 or www.otavern.com. ✯ Smartypants Trivia: Toledo’s Favorite Pub
A full bar featuring frozen drinks and multiple happy hours (4-7) on weekdays, plus salads, soups and sandwiches, accompany live entertainment four nights a week. 2 S. St. Clair St.
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / NOV. 13, 2013 n 13
(419) 243-2473 or www.yeoldedurtybird.com. ✯ Open mic: 7 p.m. Tuesdays. ✯ Kyle White: 7 p.m. Nov. 13. ✯ Jaime Mills: 7 p.m. Nov. 14. ✯ Mile Marker 1: 9 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Joe Woods: 9 p.m. Nov. 16.
EVENTS
“Arsenic and Old Lace”
The Toledo Repertoire Theater will perform the 1939 classic by Joseph Kesselring. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Nov. 8-10, 14-17. 16 10th Street. 419-243-9277 or toledorep.org.
Elixer
This two-man band (consisting of Dave Rybaczewski and Walter Guy) performs Beatles songs acoustically. www.beatlesebooks.com/elixir. ✯ Mancy’s Italian Grill, 5453 Monroe St. 7:3010:30 p.m. Nov. 15. ✯ Quimby’s Food & Spirits, 3536 Sterns Road, Lambertville, MI. 8-11 p.m. Nov. 16.
EPIC Toledo
For the sixth year, local CEOs and business owners will speak at the Epic Toledo Summit. The conference will be 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 14 at The Hotel at the University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC), 3100 Glendale Ave. Tickets are $45 for EPIC members and $65 for nonmembers (a continental breakfast and lunch are included in the ticket price).
James Carville
The political consultant and author will visit the University of Toledo as part of UT’s Jesup Scott Honors College Distinguished Lecture Series. 7 p.m. Doermann Theater in University Hall. University of Toledo, 2810 W. Bancroft St. 419-5302738 or utoledo.edu/honorslecture.
Jazz on the Maumee
The Art Tatum Jazz Society will provide smooth, cool “Twilight Jazz” along the river, appetizers included. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Best Western Premier Grand Plaza Hotel’s Aqua Lounge, 444 N. Summit St. $5-$15. (419) 241141 or www.arttatumsociety.com. ✯ Clifford Murphy & Friends: Nov. 13.
Sandusky County YMCA
The foundation in Fremont will present their 6th annual craft and vender show. This event is free to the public with over 85 booths. For more information, call 419-332-9622. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 16.
See You Next Tuesday
Toledo photograher will premiere his first film “See You Next Tuesday” at the newly renovated Ohio Theatre. For tickets, visit brownpapertickets.com/ event/484296. 3114 Lagrange Street. 8 p.m. Nov. 16.
SWINGMANIA
With its focus on swing music, Jeff McDonald’s group of musicians provides a peek into another era, with music from bandleaders such as Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, the Dorseys and more. With combos from trio to full orchestra, the group provides music for all occasions. (419) 708-0265, (419) 874-0290 or www. swingmania.org. ✯ Trotters Tavern, 5131 Heatherdowns, 419-3812079: 8 p.m. Tuesdays. ✯ Park Inn (Radisson) Downtown, 101 North Summit Street: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14.
Two Buck Yuks
Keith Bergman has brought his comedy showcase “Two Bucks Yuks” to The Blarney Event Center every Wednesday night. There will be a $2-cover for the shows and open to anyone ages 21 and older. The shows will be 90 minutes. . 601 Monroe St. (419) 418-2339 or www. theblarneyirishpub.com. ✯ Mat Alano Martin, Andy Bledsoe, Josh Ortega, Casey Stoddard, Josh Courtnay, Germaine Beghard, Samantha Rager, Dick Pretzel, TJ Warner: Nov. 13.
Holiday Downtown Delights
Shops in downtown will open for shopping and special discounts, the second of two times this event happens each year. New this year is the first annual “Chili-N in Sylvania” which shoppers can taste and vote on a variety of chilis and will benefit Sylvania Family Services and the Sylvania Historical Village. Downtown Sylvania. 5 p.m. Nov. 14.
Holiday Loop
Two buses will travel between Downtown, The Warehouse District, UpTown and the Old West End. The event is perfect for holiday shopping at more than 30 local art venues and retailers in the area. There will be two loops to choose from, both stopping at the Toledo School for the Arts, 333 14th Street. 5 p.m. Nov. 16
The Holiday Stroll
Shoppers in Perrysburg can purchase holiday gifts early with The Holiday Stroll. There will also be a raffle at Stella’s at 8 p.m. Louisiana and Front Streets, 12-8 p.m. Nov. 14.
Trans Siberian Orchestra
The long-running act of rock ‘n’ roll and classical music will get audiences excited for the holiday season. 4 and 8 p.m. Huntington Center, 500 Jefferson Ave. 419-255-3300 or huntingtoncentertoledo.com. ✯ If you would like your event in The Pulse, contact Matt at mattliasse@gmail.com.
14 n NOV. 13, 2013 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
“The human body is the best work of art.” — Jess C. Scott
UT to host exhibition by local high school art teachers By John Dorsey Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com
Ask any fine artist about their process and they will probably tell you that making each piece is a learning experience. That may be especially true for the artists involved in the University of Toledo’s latest exhibition, the Northwest Ohio High School Art Teachers Invitational. The exhibit is set to open in the Center for Visual Arts (CVA) Gallery on Nov. 15. The exhibit, which is a first for UT, was organized around the Ohio Art Education Association Conference. The conference is in Toledo from Nov. 14-16. “We started planning this exhibit back in the spring,” said CVA Gallery Director Ben Pond. “This is something we went ahead with for a variety of reasons, the first of which is recruiting; we get to know a lot of teachers and students at the high school level and get them interested in our programs this way, but also we just felt like there should be more opportunities for the people that teach our children to be recognized, not only as educators, but as artists. “I myself would just love the public to have the opportunity to get to know them as members of our fine arts community, which maybe they haven’t before. We put out a call to artist educators that we knew were working and eliminated certain pieces mostly based on space concerns.
We could’ve shown one piece by each artist, but instead opted to include somewhere between 45-50 pieces in the show to offer a variety of work and it’s all so strong and compelling. This is something we’d like to be able to do on a biannual basis.” The exhibit runs through Dec. 14 and is free and open to the public. Opening reception hours are 6-8 p.m. Nov. 15. “This exhibit is very wide-ranging, very contemporary, it offers not only beautiful paintings but also pottery, etchings, book art — it has something for everyone, no matter what your creative tastes.” Featured artists include Wendy Murphy, Anthony Wayne High School; Brent Douge, Bedford High School; Lauren Smith, Eastwood High School; Katie Delay, Four County Career Center; Eric Robertson, PikeDelta-York High School; Kristin Kowalski, Maumee Valley Day Country School; Kristin Johnson and Steve Wipfli, Ottawa Hills High School; Ann TenEyck, Rogers High School; Ellen Loeffler-Kalinoski and Rachel Ellis, St. Ursula Academy; Melinda Wagner Arrigo, Sylvania Southview High School; Patty Kehoe, Waite High School; and Matt Squib, Charley Drake and Lorna Lefevre Johnson, Whitmer High School. For more information, call (419) 530-8300 or visit www.oaea.org/conference or www.utoledo. edu/cvpa/art. O
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“A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you the less you know.” — Diane Arbus
Arts Commission hosts Nov. 20 planning meeting for eight Toledo neighborhoods By Matt Liasse Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com
The Arts Commission is hard at work with eight Toledo neighborhoods. In a series of meetings in the next four months, the Arts Commission will meet at each neighborhood to strategically plan its efforts to promote the arts. The eight neighborhoods include the Warehouse District, the Historic Old West End, The Dorr Street Corridor, the Old North End, East Toledo, the Cherry Street area, the Old South End and UpTown. Thesse specific neighborhoods were chosen because they have been actively using the arts as part of a revitalization strategy or have indicated interest in it, said Marc Folk, executive director of the Arts Commission. “What we’re trying to do is understand the condition of each neighborhood from the voice of their citizens,” he said. Folk said the objective of the meetings is to identify different areas in need of work “to help our communities to move forward.” The Arts Commission will meet in the Warehouse District at 6 p.m. Nov. 20 at 1 S. St. Clair St. The meeting is free and open to the public. RSVP by email through toledowarehouse419@ gmail.com. Questions about the meeting can be directed there as well.
FOLK Folk said the meetings are perfect for “the businesses, the residents, the organizations [and] the folks that consider themselves stakeholders in defining and working toward the future of these neighborhoods.” Future meeting dates and times will be announced at the Nov. 20 meeting. “We’re welcoming each and every one to participate so that we can get a full understanding of what the community wants,” Folk said. “We have found our greatest successes as an organization when we had direct dialogue with the community and understand what the needs of the people really are and that’s what we’re trying to get at through this process.” O
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / NOV. 13, 2013 n 15
Oregon Community Theatre recruiting actors for Feb. production of ‘M*A*S*H’ Oregon Community Theatre will host auditions for a production of “M*A*S*H” from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 21 and 22 at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 611 Woodville Road. Director Jeff Smith is looking for 15 men and 15 women ages 16 and older. “M*A*S*H” stands for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and joining it are two unpredictable madcaps, Hawkeye and Duke. They can’t be dealt with casually, however, because they are also two of the best chest surgeons in South Korea. They decide to wage a campaign to get a young Korean sent to the United States and entered in a good school. It’s not exactly like the television show, according to a news release. “Hawkeye has a scene with a woman psychiatrist who be-
lieves he’s been trying to lobster-trap mermaids in a rice paddy. There’s a jolly encounter with the baby-talking Bonwit sisters, the worst tap-dancing act the U.S.O. ever sent overseas. A sergeant is selling dumb GIs fishing rights in the Bay of Phum. ‘Radar’ O’Reilly, a soldier with incredible hearing, anticipates things before they happen. The proprietor of a painless dental clinic is cured of dark moods by the re-creation of an old monster movie, and a monster.” This production will be performed at 8 p.m. Feb. 14-15 and 21-22 and at 3 p.m. Feb. 16 at at Fassett Auditorium in Oregon. For tickets call (419) 691-1398 or visit the web site www.oregoncommunitytheatre.org. O — Staff Reports
‘Holiday Wishes 3’ CD to be released Nov. 23 The annual Toledo Free Press “Holiday Wishes” CD benefiting Make-A-Wish Foundation will first be available for purchase at the Nov. 23 Levis Commons tree lighting ceremoy. This year’s CD, “Holiday Wishes 3: If You Believe” contains 45 tracks on two CDs for $10. Featured artists include Mannheim Steamroller, Sanctus Real, Kerry Patrick Clark,
Kyle White, Jeff Stewart, Kelly Broadway, Nine Lives, The Eight Fifteens and dozens of other local artists. A bonus track recording of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is read by Fred LeFebvre, Jerry Anderson, Rick Woodell, Mary Beth Zolik, Matthew Gretzinger, Jeff McGinnis and Jim Beard. O — Staff Reports
HeRe CoMeS THe Fun
E y E on y ou r W E E k E n d
with Toledo Free Press Pop Culture Roundtable: James A. Molnar | Jeff McGinnis | Jim Beard | Michael S. Miller | Fridays at 6 p.m.
16 n NOV. 13, 2013 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
“The urge to destroy is also a creative urge.” — Pablo Picasso
36th Annual Christmas Dinner & Dance
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Joseph Vogt’s first film to open Nov. 16 at Ohio Theatre. By Matt Liasse
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An unexplained teaser for “See You Next Tuesday” played before Ohio Theatre & Events Center’s double feature of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Repo! The Genetic Opera” on Oct. 26. “They showed it, and there was just silence,” Joseph Vogt said. “That was funny because I was there watching, kind of in the background ... Looking down, I saw one guy lean over to his friend and go ‘What the f*** was that?’” Three years ago, during a Christmas dinner with his grandmother, two aunts, mother and wife, Joe Vogt came up with the concept for a screenplay. “My grandma and I, we’re reminiscing, we have a very candid relationship,” Vogt said. “As we’re talking about old family recipes and nostalgia, my aunts wouldn’t shut up. I said, just ‘give me 20 minutes to talk to my grandma.’ They just kept talking and talking and talking and I could see my grandma getting frustrated.” A gruesome thought popped into Vogt’s head. “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if she picked up the carving knife and just killed everybody?” he said. “That’s funny to me. Kind of like when a mother eats her young type of scenario.” His screenplay turned into “See You Next Tuesday,” his first film that premieres at 8 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Ohio Theatre & Events Center, 3114 Lagrange Street. The film is reminiscent of an Alfred Hitchcock horror and stars drag queen Gina Arnez in the lead role. The finished product did not happen overnight though. “A month later I had a rough draft. I had a lead actress … that [was] the beginning. Three years later, we’re finally releasing it,” Vogt said. Many delays affected the creation of the film: one actress was pregnant, another had surgery and the set had to be moved to a new location. There was a time Vogt wanted to give up on the project. He even started writing an email to his crew calling it quits. “I equate it to being at the 22nd mile of a
marathon where all of a sudden you look at your sports watch and think ‘s***, I’m close,’” Vogt said. “The endorphins start kicking in.” Filming wrapped on Thanksgiving last year. Vogt captured nine hours of footage for a 33-minute film. The film, in a way, is a tribute to the local area. It was filmed in a Victorian house in Rossford, with added pick-up shots filmed in Grand Rapids, Waterville and Perrysburg. Some onset shots were filmed in Downtown’s Secor Building as well. The music used in the film was also arranged locally. “When people talk about supporting Toledo arts and Toledo pride ... you can’t get much more homegrown than what I’ve done,” Vogt said. The money raised during the premiere will be donated to Pride Center 419, a charity chosen by Arnez. Vogt said calling him a perfectionist is putting it mildly. Also a photographer, Vogt obsesses about his work constantly. “It’s about the lighting, the shadows, the technical aspects, and that’s what I’ve always dwelled upon,” Vogt said. Vogt is happy with the completed “See You Next Tuesday.” “At the end of the day, you really have to make yourself happy, and that’s the thing that matters,” he said. Vogt models his work ethic on an idea from Andy Warhol. “Make art, put it out there. As people are deciding whether it’s good or bad, continue to make more art,” Vogt said. “It’s a daunting task, opening at the Ohio Theatre, [which] seats roughly 500. If we can fill that … that’s 1,000 eyes judging you at the exact same time. That’s intimidating, I will admit it.” Don’t expect Vogt to miss out on the experience, though. “Absolutely not,” he said. “I like a bold statement and I like drawing my line in the sand. I don’t cower away from that. “At the end of the day, I walked away with a film that I like watching,” he said. Tickets for the premiere are available ahead of time at brownpapertickets.com/event/484296. For more information on the film or Vogt’s photography, visit jsvogt.com. O
“Life beats down and crushes the soul; art reminds you that you have one.” — Stella Adler
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Catch “Jedi of Pop Culture” Jeff McGinnis on Tuesday mornings on 92.5 KISS FM.
PlayStation 3 memories
A A publication of Toledo Free Press, LLC, Vol.4, No. 46 Established 2010. Thomas F. Pounds, President/Publisher tpounds@toledofreepress.com Michael S. Miller, Editor in Chief mmiller@toledofreepress.com EDITORIAL
James A. Molnar, Design Editor jmolnar@toledofreepress.com Sarah Ottney, Managing Editor sottney@toledofreepress.com Jeff McGinnis, Pop Culture Editor PopGoesJeff@gmail.com ADMINISTRATION
Pam Burson, Business Manager pburson@toledofreepress.com CONTRIBUTORS star@toledofreepress.com Jim Beard • Amy Campbell • John Dorsey Matt Feher • Dustin Hostetler • Stacy Jurich Vicki L. Kroll • lilD • Martini • Rachel Richardson
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Toledo Free Press Star is published every Wednesday by Toledo Free Press, LLC, 605 Monroe St., Toledo, OH 43604 • (419) 241-1700 Fax: (419) 241-8828 www.toledofreepress.com. Subscription rate: $100 /year. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner without permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2013 with all rights reserved. Publication of ads does not imply endorsement of goods or services.
fter months of hype, discussion and debate, the next generation of gaming hardware is almost upon us. On Nov. 15, Sony will release PlayStation 4, the latest in its line of home consoles that extends back to America’s original PlayStation back in 1995. A week later, Microsoft will counter with the curiously — named Xbox One, giving both JEFF competitors a new product and games to shill to consumers in advance of the holiday shopping season (Nintendo released the even more confusingly titled Wii U last year, and it has struggled to find a foothold in the market ever since). But as a new era begins, I can’t help but look back with nostalgia and warmth at the generation that will soon begin to recede. I’ve loved video games for a long time, but it was my experiences with the PlayStation 3 that really made me a gamer; I’ve never owned an Xbox 360. Games in general also came of age over the past seven years — new franchises took hold and began to convince the world that interactive media could have as much emotional power as other forms of art. With that in mind, here are 10 games that, for me, defined what was made possible by the PlayStation 3 and the consoles that shared its life cycle. These are not the “best” games, necessarily. But these are the experiences I will never forget, and titles that made me glad I invested in new hardware. In chronological order: O “Portal,” October 2007 — Part of Valve’s “Orange Box” package of five games, it was this relatively unheralded puzzler that became a certified phenomenon. A first-person shooter with no gun, mind-bending challenges of physics and timing, and the greatest villain in gaming history made “Portal” a statement to start a new generation. (Its 2011 sequel is remarkable, too.) O “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots,” June 2008 — The conclusion to a story that had begun two consoles prior, “MGS 4” was the reason I purchased a PlayStation 3 in the first place, and the experience didn’t disappoint. A fitting coda to an era of action stealth gameplay, with emotional moments that brought almost every character in the series’ history full circle. O “Dead Space,” October 2008 — A perfect marriage of survival, horror and action, few games have successfully captured an environment quite like EA Redwood Shore’s excursion into an abandoned space station overrun with horrific monsters. “Dead Space” showed it was possible for a title to be exciting and intuitive to play and still scare the pants off of you. O “LittleBig Planet,” October 2008 — If any game bridged gaming’s past and future more successfully, I’ve missed it. Media Molecule’s sidescroller was a delightful throwback to the
8-bit games of players’ youths, but by adding an intuitive and incredibly deep level creator and giving people the chance to share their creations with the world, it demonstrated how the future of play provided almost limitless possibilities. O “Batman: Arkham Asylum,” August 2009 — If the stereotype that licensed games were uniformly horrible had begun to crack, this was the title that blew it to smithereens. The best superhero game ever made, developer Rocksteady crafted a gameplay experience that was as deep and satisfying as the most celebrated of existing franchises, and married it to a universe of characters that made it a joy to explore. O“TheBeatles:RockBand,” September 2009 — The fad of music games rose and receded like the tide, but not before it gave us this beautiful tribute to the greatest band of all time. Beyond the joy of playing along to the Fab Four’s legendary catalog, it also provided an ever-evolving set of distinctive visuals and background information to function as a re-
mCGINNIS
POP GOES THE
CULTURE
A look at the games that helped define an era. markably entertaining interactive museum to the group’s history. O “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,” October 2009 — The greatest installment in the greatest action-adventure series of all time, the follow-up to the system-selling “Drake’s Fortune” demonstrated that developer Naughty Dog had a franchise that would help define PlayStation in the years to come. O “Heavy Rain,” February 2010 — Quantic Dream’s interactive thriller provided gamers with experiences they had never quite had before or since in a game environment. “Heavy Rain” took steps to demonstrate how gaming could provide an artistic experience that no other form of media could emulate. O “The Walking Dead,” April-November 2012 — Telltale’s episodic series inspired by Robert Kirkman’s apocalyptic comic provided more proof of how games could instill emotions in their players, inspired by moral debate and the consequences of one’s actions. Few titles moved players more than the story of an escaped convict and the girl he swore to protect — even at the cost of his own life. O “The Last of Us,” June 2013 — With gameplay finely honed by the developers’ experience on “Uncharted,” combined with a human story almost unparalleled in the history of the medium, “Last of Us” filled its players with a simultaneous sense of dread and hope. Naughty Dog’s masterpiece provides a fitting summation of all that this generation represented. O
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