Around Noon: April 2008

Brooklyn the Musical and Wayne Henderson
Wednesday, April 30
Dee welcomes the stars of Brooklyn the Musical the new production presented in partnership between Playhouse Square and Baldwin Wallace College. Plus ideastream's Jim Goldurs profiles folk guitarist Wayne Henderson prior to his performance at Nighttown for the Roots of American Music.

Azar Nafisi, Bowfire and Spaces Gallery
Tuesday, April 29
Dee's Reading Lolita in Tehran today with its acclaimed author Azar Nafisi, before her talk tonight for the Cuyahoga County Public Library. Plus, masters of modern string playing take the Playhouse Square stage in Bowfire. And regular irregular guest, William Busta, discusses his latest curated exhibit celebrating the 30th anniversary of Spaces Gallery.

Romancing the Train
Monday, April 28
All aboard for a special show filled with stories, interviews, and songs that explore America's fascination with trains -- large and small. We'll share a conversation with former race car driver and lifelong train hobbyist Sam Posey, author of Playing with Trains. Plus, meet the owners of Stewart's Hobbies and Collectors, and ride the rails with the Lake Shore Live Steamers at Penitentiary Glen.

Cleveland Women’s Orchestra
Friday, April 25
Today Dee welcomes featured musicians from the Cleveland Women's Orchestra who preview their annual Severance Hall concert with selections performed live in the Key Bank studio.

Dancing Wheels, Natalie Cole and Kim Wayans
Thursday, April 24
Dee gets rolling with the latest production from Dancing Wheels and famed Cleveland Choreographer Dianne McIntyre. Plus ideastream music director Bobby Jackson spotlights the singing of Natalie Cole prior to her Tri-C Jazz Fest performance. And comedian Kim Wayans joins Dee to preview her one-woman show for the Cleveland Play House's Fusion Fest.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Harvey Webster
Wednesday, April 23
Today Dee welcomes back regular irregular guest, Harvey Webster, of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Harvey gets us in the mood for spring and takes your comments and questions on Northeast Ohio's natural environment, as Dee opens the phones.

Slam U, Cleveland School of the Arts and Amina Figarova
Tuesday, April 22
Dee meets some of the student finalists from the Slam U competition at Playhouse Square. Plus, she previews the Cleveland School of the Arts New Play, Film and Poetry Festival. And, she welcomes jazz pianist Amina Figarova into the Key Bank studio for a preview of her Tri-C Jazz Fest performance at Nighttown.

Feist, Chris Allen and WVIZ Auction
Monday, April 21
Today Dee spotlights Canadian music sensation Feist, prior to her performance this week at Playhouse Square. She also welcomes local rocker Chris Allen who's just released his latest CD - Things Unbroken. Plus we preview the annual WVIZ/PBS Auction.

TriC Jazz Fest
Friday, April 18
Today ideastream music director Bobby Jackson previews the TriC Jazz Fest's celebrations of Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday with a fascinating story connecting the two vocal legends. Bobby speaks with Marvin Gaye biographer, David Ritz and Robert Meeropol.

Return of the Cuyahoga and La Boheme
Thursday, April 17
Dee previews the PBS special Return of the Cuyahoga with award-winning filmmaker Larry Hott. Plus she welcomes Opera Cleveland artistic director Dean Williamson into the Key Bank studio for a performance with the stars of "La Boheme."

Morgan Spurlock, Ted Kooser, and Claudia Rankine & Bern Mulvey
Wednesday, April 16
Dee wonders Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden is with award-winning filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. She also welcomes former US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser who comes to John Carroll University this week. (see Ted Kooser and John Prine at the Library of Congress) Plus Dee continues her National Poetry Month coverage with Claudia Rankine and Bern Mulvey both in town to read for the Cleveland State University Poetry Center.

Gay Talese, Ian Frazier and Charles Michener
Tuesday, April 15
Today Dee shares her conversation with a true man of letters - Gay Talese - who was in town recently for the CWRU Wain Lectures in Writing series. Also joining Dee is series organizer Charles Michener, along with final series guest Ian Frazier. Pictured: Host Dee Perry with Writer Gay Talese

Spring Fashion Call-In Show
Monday, April 14
Dee hosts a Spring Fashion call-in program featuring a trio of area fashionistas -- Kim Crow from the Plain Dealer, Mary Davis of Case Western Reserve University, and William Perrine of Kent State University's fashion school. Read about the fashion school at Ursuline College in this month's issue of Northern Ohio Live Magazine

Mike Gauthier
Friday, April 11
Dee climbs Mount Rainier with wilderness rescue hero, Mike Gauthier, who shares his adventure stories tonight for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Lyceum Lecture Series. View Slide Show

Measha Brueggergosman, Marcus Roberts and Great Lakes Theater Festival
Thursday, April 10
Dee shares a surpise from Canadian soprano, Measha Brueggergosman, as she takes the stage with the Cleveland Orchestra. Plus, ideastream music director Bobby Jackson spotlights the music of Marcus Roberts, who's in residence this month for the Tri-C Jazz Fest. And, Great Lakes Theater Festival's Charlie Fee previews the spring season onstage at the Ohio Theater.

Alamire and Victor Wooten
Wednesday, April 9
Dee showcases the medieval music of Alamire which performs for Case's Chapel, Court and Countryside series. Then bass virtuoso Victor Wooten gets ready for his gig at the Beachland Ballroom with live performance in the Key Bank studio.

Philip Metres, Dave Stringer and CPT
Tuesday, April 8
Dee opens the pages of the new book by John Carroll University poet, Philip Metres who has a series of readings for National Poetry Month, and spotlights the new Cleveland Public Theater production with the AIDS Taskforce -- In the Continuum. Plus we hear the Kirtan sounds of Dave Stringer prior to his performance at Cleveland Yoga.

Edward Hirsch, Hilary Hahn & Josh Ritter and Gordon Square Arts District
Monday, April 7
Dee continues her coverage of National Poetry Month with award-winning poet Edward Hirsch who visits Kent State University's Wick Poetry Center. Plus, Hilary Hahn and Josh Ritter preview their classical-folk combo onstage at Oberlin and for CMA's Viva and Gala series. Then we take you to the Gordon Square Arts district which hosts an art fair this weekend.

Dorothy and Reuben Silver
Friday, April 4
Cleveland's first couple of the stage, Dorothy and Reuben Silver, join Dee to discuss their latest production with Actors' Summit -- Golda.

Akron Independent Film Fest, Savion Glover and Rock Hall “Freedom Concert”
Thursday, April 3
Dee rolls the projectors on the Akron Independent Film Festival; gets in step with Savion Glover for his Cleveland Music School Settlement program - Diaspora of the Drum - with local composer Eric Gould; and spotlights the Rock Hall's "Freedom Concert."

Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Erin Bode
Wednesday, April 2
Dee speaks with the music director of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra - Thomas Dausgaard - prior to the group's performance at Severance Hall of the Cleveland Museum of Art's Viva and Gala Around Town series. Plus, jazz vocalist Erin Bode showcases music from her latest CD - Over and Over - in our Key Bank studio, as she gets ready for her gig at Nighttown.

Edgar Meyer, Ray McNiece and CSU Poetry Center
Tuesday, April 1
Today Dee does a little foolin' around with local performance poet, Ray McNiece who spotlights his latest book of poems - Our Way of Life - tonight at Joseph Beth Booksellers. Plus CSU Poetry Center director Michael Dumanis previews the literary events happening at Cleveland State for National Poetry Month. And blending bluegrass with classical music as Dee speaks with celebrated American composer and musician Edgar Meyer, prior to his performance at Oberlin College's Finney Chapel.