Cincinnati Shakespeare Company: Dracula

Dracula scared me.

I'm not in the habit of being scared at the theater. Even when I'm supposed to be. It's all pretend, right? Make believe. Acting.

Still, something about this old classic really frightened me!

It was never Count Dracula who scared me. By the time the lights in the theater dim, you're prepared for him. You're watching the shadows, waiting for him to appear. But that makes you put your guard down for a supporting cast that will play on your tension. I definitely won't spoil those scenes for you, but it's not Giles Davies' Dracula that sends shivers down your spine in this production.

Sometimes, during intermissions, I'll make notes in my iPhone about a show. This time I wanted to note Davies' crazy (and required!) Transylvanian accent, and I unintentionally coined the term "Draccent." You're welcome.

Davies is good, though I was surprised how little of a role the title character actually has in the performance. This leaves plenty of stage time for a lovable doctor, a coquettish vampiress, a richly German Van Helsing, and a handful of other roles that are just as entertaining.

I will mention that the most memorable performance came from the lunatic Renfield, but who can ignore a man in the deepest throes of Hamletness? Words, words, words!

I enjoyed the play from the start: an introduction to Dracula by the mesmerizing Renfield. However, I'll paraphrase my seat-neighbor: "I really like the lighting in this show-- but it is hot as hell in here." Seriously, by the end of Dracula I was ready to run from the theater. There are drawbacks to a packed house, I suppose.

I would be completely remiss if I didn't mention WVXU-- I won our tickets through a random drawing on their site. I couldn't love that station more!

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company: http://cincyshakes.com/
Dracula (at CSC): http://www.cincyshakes.com/dracula.html

Play Me, I'm Yours: Freedom Center

I've had another Play Me, I'm Yours sighting! My coworker parks behind the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and whilst walking together we passed this beautiful little piano.

The effect is mesmerizing-- people are just compelled to play a piano that's sitting out in the open. Jeff took very little coaxing before sitting down to tickle the ivories.

Play Me, I'm Yours

Check it out!


We had our first Play Me, I'm Yours sighting when we were visiting Findlay Market!

I've been in love with this concept since I first heard about it a few months ago. It's even more powerful when you walk by a random piano at the market and see a mom teaching her kid a chord or two!

Has anyone spotted any others?!

From the 9th-27th August, 35 street pianos will be distributed across Greater Cincinnati to celebrate the anniversaries of 90.9 WGUC (50 years), 91.7 WVXU (40 years), and 88.5 WMUB (60 years). Located in public parks, streets and squares, the pianos are for any member of the public to play and enjoy.

--StreetPianos.com

Play Me, I'm Yours on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Play-Me-Im-Yours-Greater-Cincinnati/216240597760
Play Me, I'm Yours on WVXU's site: http://www.wvxu.or/news/wvxunews_article.asp?ID=7227

Poll/donation update

As you recall, the results of our philanthropy poll were tied, and we split $100 between the Freestore Foodbank and WVXU.

Those donations were finally made (yargh, physically getting to the bank is such a pain) and both organizations thank you for voting them your favorite Cincinnati causes.



If there is another cause you'd like to see represented when we do another poll, feel free to leave it in the comments.

The poll is closed! Your favorite cause is...

Our poll to determine which Cincinnati cause deserves our $100 is closed as of noonish.

Two entries, WVXU and the Freestore Foodbank, each scored 12 votes on the poll, leaving them tied for first. I'll divvy the money up between the two-- $50 for two worthy local causes. Huzzah!

There were many other awesome cause suggestions in the comments section, so I have a feeling we'll be revisiting our donation poll idea soon. Uhhh just let me come up with another $100 and we'll talk.

Thank you to the ~35 people who chimed in! If you have other causes you'd like included next time, feel free to leave a comment on this post.

Poll: $100 donation to a Cincinnati cause

In the past few years, I've managed a couple of other blogs that ran basic text ads on them. When I specifically ran them on my Year of Philanthropy blog, I promised I'd put any money I made off the ads toward something charitable.

Google doesn't cut you a check until you reach $100, though... and after essentially forgetting about the account, a check showed up in the mail today.

So! Tell me where to put the money!

There is a poll in the middle column of this blog, right under the RSS link and search bar. I've listed 6 off-the-top-of-my-head suggestions:

• WVXU, which I listen to every single morning and could scarcely live without
• Freestore Foodbank, which helps feed Cincinnati's hungry and poverty-stricken
• Cincinnati Historical Society, which I feel is rather self-explanatory
• National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, a point of pride for Cincinnati
• Cincinnati Parks, because I particularly take Krohn Conservatory for granted
• Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church, my spiritual home

Alternately, you are welcome to write in an additional option, which will count for a vote. Simply leave a comment on this post (the button is at the TOP of the post, which is stupid) to do so.

This poll will run until next Friday (October 9th) until noon. Thank you for your input and I'll share the results in a little over a week!

P.S. [edit] If the poll gets 100+ votes, I'll double the donation.