Local shows, new book covers, and the Flagship

Did anyone else think it was weird that McElwee didn't make an appearance in the Derrick article about the make up following the Arts Champion dust-up in Oil City? Anyhow, I'm glad everyone seems to have made nice.

Local rockers The RickDan Band is playing at the Franklin Presbyterian church again this Saturday at 6pm. $5 at the door.

Your last chance to catch the Yankee Zydeco Company locally for awhile comes up this Friday at Meadville's Otters Pub from 10:00pm-1:30am. Tell 'em Venangago-go sent you.

Meadville's Market House has decided to move towards a more food-cenrtic position


The Flagship Niagara gets drydocked. The photos are really nice:




At a college that I won't name, I resigned from advising the newspaper because my requests for an online edition were denied by the administration. Those muckrackers at SRU make it clear why. I love it.

After the queasy looks last year when I suggested The Santaland Diariesfor Theatre in the Little Theatre's Christmas show (which I wanted to star in, but alas, for the first time in my life, I wasn't elfin enough), you can probably add A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant to the list of shows that won't be coming to Venango County anytime soon.

Penguin has begun publishing some of its classics with blank covers for th readers to decorate and then submit the covers. Yes, I'll be doing this, and you should too. I'm thinking Crime and Punishment:


The bad guy on NBC's Heroes, Zachary Quinto, is a Pittsburgh native

Pittsburgh area newscasters get spoofed by the Onion.

The new Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit embraces its industrial past while welcoming art and artists.

They NY Times 10 best book of 2006? I've only read one. I'm a bad, bad word nerd.

Sugar Plum Scary and Pittsburgh calls the arts a "Regional Asset"

The Derrick & News Herald is looking for readers' 350 word long "special Christmas memories". Mail them to Christmas Memories, The Derrick/The News-Herald, P.O. Box 928, Oil City, Pa., 16301. Or you can e-mail them. Include your name and address - and a telephone number and an e-mail address.

Allegheny County's increased sales tax revenues means more money for the arts, which their local government sees as a "Regional Asset"

If you're life is empty enough that you'll be watching Fox at 9 pm Friday, a Pittsburgh mom will be starring on Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy. I really dislike this show, finding it divisive, overedited, and more bottom feeding than our local carp. This episode is no different. The Pittsburgher, who skates as Sugar Plum Scary with local roller derby league the Steel City Derby Demons, trades with a conservative California Christian mommy, making both of them look bad in the process.

Pillars of the classical musical establishment, Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard School, have joined forces to give birth to a music academy whose fellows will go forth and propagate musicianship in New York public schools.

The 2006 National Outdoor Book Awards have been announced.

Class is always a little bit sweeter the first day of deer season. While all of the hunters in my classes are not doofuses, all of the doofuses are hunters. To celebrate, download Matt Pond PA's "Deer Season".

Where the Creek and the River Meet continues to muse my Venango Gift Basket idea. I have some more ideas myself, but must grade papers before a longer post.

Venangoland finds an bitter former Oil City resident.

On Friday, the Cellar Dwellers will do their improv thing, " Deconstructing Santa", at the Barrow Civic Little Theatre at 8 pm. Tickets are $5. You can download the Flyer here.

You can catch Crash for free on Friday at Saturday at Venango Campus' Rhoads Center at 7pm. That's right. Free.

Chris Griswold is the author of the DeBence wikipedia article that I mentioned . In addition, I find him to be a really nice guy who runs one of the funniest regional blogs, Overheard in Pittsburgh.

Finally, Jodi Robertson is an Oil City resident who has a sick daughter. If you'd like to help her out, you can send a donation to:
7 Vo Tech Drive
Oil City, PA 16301

Dumpster Diving Denied

Yesterday, a friend who knows my joy at finding great things in the trash called from the Cranberry Mall. "There are dumpsters in the parking lot - they're throwing away all the chairs from the theatre." I jumped in my truck, but when I got there, it turned out to be only the seat backs, not the entire chairs, and the guy throwing them away looked too grumpy for me to talk to. Sigh.

So, I guess the reason I posted this was to tell you -- work has already begun on the the new Cranberry Mall theatres. In their Meadville location, the owners have a Sunday afternoon "art" film series which would be pretty cool here as an addition to the fine service Clarion-Venango already provides.

Where the Creek and the River Meet has lots of new updates.

The NYTimes reports that

In May, DC plans to introduce Minx, a line of graphic novels aimed at young adult female readers, starting with six titles in 2007, each retailing for less than $10.

Huh? Minx? Minx? Was "Dirty Slut Comics" already trademarked? Why would a company seek to attractive a teen female demographic by naming its product with a term that means, "a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men"?

Well hey, Derrick and News Herald readers. Thanks for coming by. I wish I had cleaned up the place a little, but make yourself at home. Make sure you sign up for the email and the RSS feeds on the left hand side there, download the Venango Authors' bibliography, and drop me a note and tell me about any arts events thingy-s I may have been missing.

Speaking of Oil City, head out to Billy's (275 Seneca St. in Oil City) tonight to see local director Skott Smith's film Emeronn at 7:30 pm.
It's a vaguely futuristic action-drama, although it is never stated in the movie when or where the action is supposed to take place. The film is the story of a group of reservist-type soldiers called into action to help defend against an enemy attack on a remote mining colony hidden deep in a forest.


Chip and Stacy Bruestle will reopen Ricci's Restaurant & Lounge in Meadville next week. Chip was general manager of the Franklin Club in Franklin while Stacy was service manager there. Insert your own sinking ship joke.

Speaking of food, The Boston Garden deal fell through. I was wondering why the new sign had been taken down and the place was looking a little more vacant-lot-ish than usual.


Local bands ae playing again at the Franklin Presbyterian Church on Saturday. Artists include the RickDan band, Endless Mike and the Beagle Club, Kick Old Man, Waves Against Water, Meadowland Drive, and Nate Hall. Show starts at 5:30 am andthe cover is $5. I'm not really sure that having a flyer covered with devil skulls is the best way to endear themselves to their hosts, but who am I to judge.

The Elk County Council on the Arts is "just putting the finishing touches" on remodeling their gallery.

The Oil City Heritage Society and The Derrick newspaper have jointly published a 40-page tabloid featuring more than 100 vintage and newer Oil City postcards. It looks like a nice effort, but I'm biased towards the similar Arcadia line of products.

I'm still thinking of a Venango County gift basket - my criteria - it would have to be mailable (i.e. no Gahr's ham loaf) and the total should be under $100. So far, I've come up with 8 oz of coffee from Summer House Coffee roasters and a copy of Venango Tales (yes, I know there are lots of local writers, but Pete's one of the best and his books are specifically about this area.) I'm thinking, even though they've broken up, a copy of Big Jack Earl's epnonymous album (I chose it rather than Peppercorn Rent so that I could use the term "epnonymous". When Jerome Wincek releases some solo material I'd replace it with that, and I'd include Justin Parons's work too, but he's now out of Venango...) So that's what $40 so far? What else should go in? I'm thinking some maple syrup? But then again, when aren't I?

For the middle class and those who aspire to it through purchases, today is the start of the holiday shopping season. For word nerds like myself, it's the beginning of the endless "Best of 2006" lists. The NYTimes chimes in with "100 Notable Books of the Year". Mine was not included. Jerks.

The NYTimes highlights urban kayaking (ala the OC's proposed whitewater park).

A previously unpublished Eugene O'Neill short story has been discovered.

I'm thankful for Venangoland, gift baskets, Indian Motorcycles, and, of course, the work of the Oil City Art's Champ

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here in America.

Pete Greene gives some holiday meal tips at Venangoland.

How widespread is YouTube these days? So much so that some SRU student "leaders" are in trouble after posting a video depicting them "ghost-riding" college equiptment to the site. Alumni must very, very proud.

Meadville's Channellock will be featured on the DIY Network’s Cool Tools . No air date as of yet.

Why can I buy a Butler County gift basket for Christmas, but not a Venango County one? Huh? Huh? Tell me! I would love to be able to send the best of the county's products to my friends and family who live far away.

Huzzah wenches! Skip Wal-Mart on the big shopping holiday and instead head to Pittsburgh Irish Center (6886 Forward Avenue) for the Reanaissance Artisian Market. November 25-26 from 10am - 6 pm

Speaking of Pittsburgh, as a rule, I'm against holiday displays. But it's hard to wrong with one that includes 19th century art and a 1923 Ace Four Cylinder, a 1929 Indian 101 Scout, and a 1939 Indian Four.

Arts Revitalization, Debence's, and Trace Adkins

I spent the afternoon volunteering at the Franklin Public Library's Scholastic Book Fair. It runs through the 24th and is a great way to pick up some gifts and help the library at the same time.

Jerome Wincek, formerly of Big Jack Earl, has updated his Myspace page with new songs.

I keep meaning to head down to DeBence Antique Music World's monthly Sunday lectures. This Sunday it's Christmas Music at 2pm and, of course, free of charge.
By the way, did you know DeBence's has their own wikipedia page?

Head over to the Barrow Civic Theatre on the 24 at 8pm to catch blogger Pete Greene and the rest of the the Franklin Silver Cornet Band performing their Holiday Concert.

Not to beat a dead horse, but "Revitalization through the arts and culture can create benefits that support local and national interests and objectives." and "For every $1 spent on a ticket, $3 to $5 more is added to the local economy. We are not simply talking about the actors and the production people, but the piano tuners and the printers and the kids hired as ushers for productions." Or at least that's what people above my pay grade think.

Country music star Trace Adkins will perform at the 2007 Crawford County Fair on August 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets also will be available online. I don't think I'll be there. I'm more of an "old country" type of guy.

Oil City's Neil McElwee wants to ignore the arts

I can't even begin to tell you how cranky I am at Oil City's Council and their short-sightedness regarding their arts champion program. So angry, in fact, that I'm putting off my review of the new show at Pittsburgh's Craft Museum and my witticisms of Light Up Night (which ended abruptly for me - my wife insisting that we go home from the parade after I suggested a float with a crucified Santa with the caption, "He died for you?!". But I digress...)

"Experts say that it takes about 10 years to create a thriving arts and entertainment district," Weiss said. Who's Herb Weiss? The guy that Oil City brought into explain how to best create their arts revitazliation. Instead Neil McElwee says after six months: "We're not a sugar daddy that's going to be giving to them much longer"

Not to be overly cynical, but why do I think the money would be there for another , "Gee weren't the oil years great?" boondoggle.

Joann is doing a fantasic job and needs the support of council. Please consider writing the council and telling them that you think this project is worthwhile, not just to Oil City, but to the region.

Grrrr...

Anyhow:

Where the Creek and River Meets blogs about her growing excitement about last weekend's Light Up Night in Franklin.

The next time you're in downtown Franklin, make sure you duck into the alley to check out Ed Ramage's new mural, which, I believe, is still under construction:

The Movies at Meadville people are taking over the Carmike Cinemas at the Cranberry Mall:

It will be known as The Movies at Cranberry, according to an announcement made Wednesday by the mall. . . A renovation of the existing theaters inside Cranberry Mall will begin this winter. . . The existing theater, Carmike Cinemas, will close at the end of business on Monday. . .
Will there be a liquor license application though?

New Castle is one of Sprint's "secret cities" that will have Super High Speed Rev A Internet service. Golly that would be nice.

The Bunnies renact National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in 30 seconds.

"R.L. Stine Presents: The Haunting Hours -- Don't Think About It," is filming in Pittsburgh even as we speak.

Allegehny County ups the ante on what riverside parks like our bike trail should look offer.

Former Allegheny Ludlum chairman Richard P. Simmons announced a $29.5 million pledge to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, launching a long-term capital campaign for the world-renowned but financially struggling institution.

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reviews the world premiere of The Secret Letters of Jackie and Marilyn and is tepidly enthusaistic. However the review does carry the funniest criticms of all time:
The play's main weakness is with its third character, Patty, Marilyn's body waxer.
The waxer stays in the picture!

The Guardian is compliling a list of the 50 words of art to see before you die, and they want your help!

New Babies, free concerts, and feature films

Congrats to former Big Jack Earl member Justin and wife Candy. They are the proud parents of twins! Send them words of encouragement.

Speaking of former BJE members, Jerome Wincek will be playing a free show Friday at Michelle's in Clarion starting at 8 p.m.

We Belong is a documentary about the experiences of two gay teens -- former Franklin High School student C.J. Bills and former Titusville High School student Tim Dahle -- created by former Oil City resident Joe Wilson. It's a semi-finalist in the Seeds of Tolerance Contest

Without a doubt, the funniest line in the Derrick's article about the film is when Superintendent Ronald Paranick says, in defense of Franklin's accused homophobic policies, that the film, "makes it seem like Franklin finally woke up and did something, and that's not true." It must be out of context, but golly did I chortle.

Pittsburgh's National Jazz Landmark, the Crawford Grill, is for sale. I don't understand how a local restaraunt could sell for ~400K when one of the most important places in Jazz history can be purchased for $250,000, but I do understand that its price makes the Grill an attractive teardown. Sigh.

The 6th annual The Nation reminds us that "Wichita Vortex Sutra" (what they call "the last anti-war poem")is 40 years old this year. You can read it (as a pdf) here.

South African awards, Titusville's Panda Lady, and poets in Meadville

After my query regarding what Grammy was won by St Stephen School artist in residence, Clarabelle van Niekerk, intrepid reader and Oil City Arts Champ, Joann Wheeler writes, "...There is a South African Grammy equivalent called the SARIE..." In addition, she found (and translated(!)...this is why she's the Art Champ, people) an article " . . . in Afrikaans.. . . interviewer JK says [to Niekerk], "Your last album, Call of the Angels, appeared in 1993. Isn't the next CD going to appear until 2010?" The 1993 title [of the album] Roep van die Engele appears as a catchword, an mp3 download, etc., so it looks like it was quite well-known in South Africa. She's also listed in a group of famous members of the South African diaspora in an essay."

Greenwood has released the cover of my new book, Masterpieces of Beat Literature . So...bully for me, I guess.

More than a year ago, I asked the question, why don't more people talk about Titusville resident Ruth McCombs Harkness who brought the first panda to the United States for an American zoo? Now someone is. Marilyn Robb, board member of the Crawford County Historical Society, drawing from The Lady and the Panda: The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal , will present “The Panda Lady from Titusville.” Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Barco-Duratz meeting room at the Crawford County Historical Society headquarters on Chestnut Street in Meadville. Access is from the East Street entrance. Parking is available and the room is handicapped accessible.

Daniel L. Baughman, (aka C Wolf), the author of Growing Beneath a Waning Sun ,left a comment suggesting that my post on his book was a little too snarky. If it was, my apologies. He seems like a nice guy, and I look forward to reading his book.

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette profiles Tioneta's Sherman Memorial Lighthouse. I'll admit it - I've seen it, and I don't get it.

Allegheny Prof Kerry Neville Bakken's short story collection, Necessary Lies, has won the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction.

In other Gator news, authors Alessandra Lynch and Eric Schwerer will read from their work at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16 in the Tillotson Room of Allegheny College's Tippie Alumni Center at Cochran Hall.
Alessandra Lynch is the author of Sails the Wind Left Behind:
from her poem "Where I live":

I live in a past passage of the rageful crow
and its stalkfirst feet;
it has staked my sleep
and forced me to crawl through flamethrown dawn.

I begin my day in slow burn,
the stove unlit and the flower's mouth stuffed
with bribecloth and weep.

I begin stacking wood in a miniature village
wearing the flint of wake and the stone of sleep.

I live in a sleeve of love which won't have me
leaning against moonhay which don't love me
strumming a stack-tune in three-fingered rain.

Eric Schwerer the author of two books of poetry, Whittling Lessons and The Saint of Withdrawal. The program is free and open to the public

The Erie Times News profiles the rejuvinated Meadville Art Council.

The Vindicator announces plans for a student film festival in New Castle:

the goal is to make New Castle the "Sundance" of student film festivals.

Photojojo has three tips for shooting your town or city.

Grammy help anyone?

Wild props (it kills me when I talk like that) to St Stephen School in Oil City (full disclosure - my wife teaches there) for their Artist in Education program. Clarabelle van Niekerk, a South African artist who lives in Meadville, has spent two-and-a-half days each week working with the SSS sixth-grade students. The student-artist work will culminate at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the school auditorium when students present a play they have written during the pairing. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
As a former participant in the Artist in Education program, I can't express how valuable it is and how I wish more schools would take advantage of it. The only odd thing is that van Niekerk claims to have won a Grammy for "Best CD" which, of course, isn't a category, and I'm unable to find the name of the album that won it for her. Can anyone help me out?

Pittsburgh's Carrie Furnaces have been designated a national historic landmark.

Local bands, free music, and weekend planners

I had a broken link in a post last week. The very fine net show Something to be Desired is here and they have a "zombie filled Halloween episode" as well as a new episode called "Education" up now). So check it out.

So, on Tuesday, I went to Drenda Gostkowski's lecture on Massey Harbison in Butler - I'm a sucker for stories of digging up forgotten texts in small town libraries. (I'm the guy in the suit)

After that, I had some time to kill and ended up at the Butler County Library. I'm a huge fan of public libraries and have a long experiences with them. I think I saw my first breast (photograph, natch) in Mario Puzo's Inside Las Vegas in the Franklin Public Library and used the Boston Public Library as a sort of home base for a long time as well (open restrooms, lots of books and plenty of nap-worthy nooks.) and I was not disappointed here. With my PA Access card in hand I picked up: Aimee Mann's The Forgotten Arm (Download "She Really Wants You?"), Erykah Badu's Live (download "On and On", The Wallflowers' Rebel, Sweetheart (for the wife). Mike, from New Directions Comics, also donates graphic novels to the BPL, so I grabbed
Electric Girl for my daughter (no tights, no capes), Elektra Assassin (to relive my 80s Frank Miller childhood), Dark Knight Dynasty (which was brutally bad), and Daredevil Visionaries.

It's a pretty big arts weekend this weekend.. Clarion - Venango is having an 11 pm showing of Good Night and Good Luck

On Saturday at 6 PM 5 local bands for 5 dollars at the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin

Saturday is Carmen Jonesat the Franklin's Barrow Civic and Clarion Venango's film series continues with The Squid and the Whale at 7 pm (free and open to the public)

Oil City's Transit Fine Arts Gallery will be featuring eight local authors this month: Dr. John Karian, A J Schiffer, Jack Mays, Dr. Charles Williams, Cheryl Caho, Jill Mattson, Peter Greene, and Elaine Parke Susco. The meet and greet for the authors is this Sunday from 2 to 4:30 pm in the gallery at 206 Seneca St Oil City

Venagoland has been updated with a really nice post that asks, should we prepare our kids to stay or go?

The Ridgway Record has had a facelift - I hope that they continue their fine local arts coverage - right now it's all national ;(

Bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley has been selected by the White House to receive the 2006 national medals of the arts and humanities.

Boy, it seems like "Dark Xmas" comes earlier and earlier each year, doesn' it?

The annual three-day convention, which brings together movie stars and those who enjoy the horror and science fiction genre, was started in 2003 by Warren resident Travis Bowen.

The art galleries of Allegheny College will present “The Educated Brush,” “Asian Influences in Contemporary Ceramics” and “Asian Prints from the Allegheny College Collection” from Tuesday, Nov. 7 through Wednesday, Dec. 6. A reception at 8 p.m. in the Art Galleries will celebrate the opening of the three exhibits. Free and open to the public.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 12:30-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1:30 to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 2-4 p.m. The Art Galleries are located in Doane Hall of Art, which is connected to the Campus Center on the Allegheny College campus, just east of North Main Street between College and John Streets in Meadville.

Pittsburgh playwright Jim McManus has won the 23rd annual Princess Grace Award.

The Secret Letters of Jackie and Marilyn, a new Pittsburgh Public Theater production makes its worldwide premiere at the O'Reily Thursday. It runs until December 10th.

The 412 Creative Nonfiction festival continues in Pittsburgh this week.

Butler County History, Our Town in Allegheny, and an artist looking for a home

via Erieblogs:

Lucy Ladd Stratton was a painter from New Hampshire. She spent decades in Europe but called Erie PA her adopted hometown. She and her husband had money and built a library in West Swanzey, NH. She donated some of her paintings to the library. As for her others, when she died in 1937 she willed her paintings to the Library of Congress. All 1,568 of them. They're available there for viewing by appointment. The Stratton Free Library and Art Gallery still has five paintings on display. A few paintings are in the hands of private collectors. The Erie County Historical Society is the only other place her works can be seen. Her family would like to see some of her paintings on public display, perhaps in a show in New Hampshire or Erie, PA.
Or maybe Venango County?

"Something to be Desired" is a web based combo comedy/sopa opera set in Pittsburgh, The show is set at a radio station withthe call letters WANT. I'm thinking they should take a road trip to north...

OK, enough of the regionalism. Historian Drenda Gostkowsk will appear at Butler County Community College’s Succop Theatre in the Science, Technology & Cultural Center building on November 7, 2006 at 11 a.m. to speak about her experiences republishing Mrs. Massey Harbison’s 1825 memoir of her capture by and escape from an American Indian war party.

Ms. Gostkowski has also involved in placing a roadside marker at a mass gravesite of immigrant victims of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. She serves on the Board of Director’s of John Roebling’s Historic Saxonburg Society and has an extensive collection of local oral history including the stories of former workers Saxonburg US Steel Sintering Plant, discussions by the employees of the Winfield Mushroom mine, and the tales of the former orphans from Concordia Orphanage.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Allegheny College Playshop Theatre continues its 2006-2007 season with Thornton Wilder's Our Town performed on Nov. 9, 10 and 11 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m. in the Playshop Theatre, located in Arter Hall on the Allegheny College campus.

Tickets for Our Town are $7.50 for adults; $5 for non-Allegheny students, senior citizens and Allegheny employees; and free for Allegheny students with identification. For more information or to order tickets contact the Playshop Theatre Box Office at (814) 332-3414.

Awards, John Updike, and a fall arts preview

My editor contacted me yesterday to tell me that they're putting forth my book, Small Brutal Incidents, for the Edgar Award nomination.

William Styron has died

Pittsburgh Jeff Goldblum's comedy about his return to his hometown in summer 2004 to star in Pittsburgh CLO's The Music Man with his fiancee, Catherine Wreford is the opening-night selection of the Three Rivers Film Festival.

John Updike talks about his new book:
Coming from Pennsylvania, I’ve always been aware of myself as a Pennsylvanian, because for the first 18 years of my life I really hardly ever left Pennsylvania. Yet, compared to the South, it has a rather murky identity, ranging from the House Amish to those sort of grimy industrial metropolises of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It’s fun to try to think about being a Pennsylvanian, in my early fiction there’s quite a lot about Pennsylvania—Pennsylvania as a state of mind, Pennsylvania as a condition.

Pittsburgher Stephanie Lord has won a prestigious fellowship presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her entry, "Palau Rain," was one of five chosen from 4,899 submissions for the 21st Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, worth $30,000 each.

The Boston Phoenix previews the highlights in Fall art releases.