venangago-go

Congrats to Joann Wheeler who will continue in her Arts Czar position for another 6 months. Recent News Herald snideness aside, Joann has done a great job – she understands that artists are a valuable part of the community. We’ll never be the sole economic engine of Venango, but neither will anything else. The days of the mill or the refinery providing a sugar teat for Venango are dead and gone. When our area succeeds, it will be with a wildly diverse economic base and artists, as forward looking officials in the OC can see, will be an important part of that.

It’s true. You get older and you start paying more attention to the obituaries, especially those that don’t get a lot of local coverage:

Slippery Rock’s Master fabric artist has died

Edward Kinchley Evans Jr., a playwright and co-founder of the former Acting Company theater in Lawrenceville, has died of natural causes Sunday at his home in Emlenton, Venango County.

And the non-local:

Probably the most important English-Canadian poet, Margaret Avison, has died.

The NYTimes explores American eau de vie, but gives no love to regional favorites Mazza.

Fifteen months ago a 29-year-old Brit shed her belongings, hit the road and became an unpaid, nomadic librarian.

Wouldn’t it be great if the old folks and the young folks could play nice in Venango too?

The Great Lakes Film Association has announced that Guns N’ Roses’ Dizzy Reed will attended and perform at the 2007 Great Lakes Independent Film Festival. I’m just not sure what to say.

On Friday Remora Deign hosts a CD release party at Brother Bean. Signal Home and The Victory Year will also play. $4 cover.

Saturday Donna Donahue brings her old-timey bluegrass to Brother Bean 7pm, no cover.

They’ve also announced some upcoming shows:
9-29-07 Newman
10-06-07 Justin Parson
10-13-07 Bruce Squared
10-20-07 Remora Deign (seemingly attempting to challenge Jerome Wincek for the guy who plays out the most award)

Speaking of Wincek, along with The Old Hats, he’s playing Pittsburgh’s Club Café even as we speak. Saturday night finds them at at Billies in Erie’s Avalon Hotel from 9pm to 1 am. $5 cover

Friday, Meadville’s Union Room hosts The Distraction, Phantasm, Gods Day Off and The Nervous Band . $6 cover

Croyle Entertainment has announced open auditons for Wine, Cheese, & Poe on August 20 5-9 pm and August 21 5-9 pm at 509 Hiland Avenue, Oil City, PA 16301

Three Male Roles Available:
The Cat Owner in ‘The Black Cat’
Edgar Allan Poe in ‘The Raven’
The Poe Toaster – The Narrator

Those who plan to audition may show up at anytime during the scheduled auditions. Please be prepared to do a cold read from the script. Contact Croyle Entertainment at 814.676.3532

A Voice Like Rhetoric plays Saturday at Sun Gin in Downtown Grove City with a stunningly high $10 cover.

There's a show review and two CD reviews on the way. But I was in the 'burgh for the last couple of days and need to get caught up on, you know, paying bills and taking out the trash. I thought big famous artists had people to do this sort of things for them?