Look Behind the Looking Glass, Part 5: The Finishing Touches

Last night's Shop Night where we put the final touches on our decor projects with time to spare.

The Day After Tomorrow.

Nope, I’m not talking about Roland Emmerich’s ridiculous, end-of-the-world laughfest (I’ll stick to Independence Day, thanks).  I’m referring to Jump Back Ball and the fact that I can’t believe it’s only two days away.   

Although I signed on to co-chair this year’s Jump Back Ball last Spring, it feels like we announced the theme and started planning it a mere month ago.  Meredith (my co-chair and a Jump Back Ball planning-expert who really deserves the credit for this year’s party) told me at the beginning it would speed by.

I think my smile may have been bigger than even the Cheshire Cat's after looking over the great job every volunteer did on Jump Back Ball's decor.

So while I shouldn’t be surprised it’s here (I’ve only had it marked on my calendar since last year!), I am. 

Despite a few times where I felt like I was on a runaway train, I’ve marveled at how it’s all come together and enjoyed being able to contribute to it.

Last night was my favorite moment so far as we put the finishing touches on Jump Back Ball’s decor. Tonight we’ll spend our final shop night preparing for Friday’s Set-Up Day — without the anxiety of franctically finishing any projects.

One of our many Alices who will be making an appearance on Saturday

When I took a step back to look at the decor we made. I was blown away by the efforts of the talented and dedicated people who helped out at this year’s Shop Nights (including fellow bloggers Why CLE?, NIDHIZZLE, Eat Drink Cleveland, Cooker Girl and Finding the Time!)

Brainstorming decor ideas and then watching the to-do list go from paper to reality was a definite highlight. 

Many of Wonderland’s inhabitants will be making an appearance at Jump Back Ball on Saturday (keep your eyes peeled for my favorites — Cheshire and the Caterpillar). And Alice will be popping up here and there throughout the State Theatre (maybe even under your nose when you sit down to tea).

You can never have too many tea pots

With the end in sight, I wanted to send a huge thanks to the following people who kept me from going mad and made the experience – dare I say it? -  fun:

Worth repeating, the biggest praise goes to Meredith Seeley, my co-chair. From the very beginning, I was a self-confessed ’newb’ and didn’t have a clue.  However, Meredith’s advice and reassurances from previous co-chairing experiences were a key reason I enjoyed it all. The fact that she was really easy to work with and always encouraged my opinions helped too.

Scott braved the Jabberwocky to get this picture from inside its fearsome mouth

The Jump Back Ball co-chairs can only do so much, though. The Planning Committee’s 8 chairs were invaluable:

• Thanks to our Ticket Co-Chairs Maurie Donnelly and Stacy Seeley, Jump Back Ball 21 sold out earlier than any year previous.
• There are so many great prizes in this year’s Silent Auction and Raffle because of John Hagerty and Sara Radak‘s hard work.
• And Mary Friedl, Mike Johnson, Lance Todd and Mike Washlock deserve a tip of the hat from the Mad-Hatter himself, not just for coming up with fantastic ideas and designs but accomplishing every one of them with time to spare!

I’m grateful for this irreplacable Planning Committee’s leadership, the constant support from PlayhouseSquare’s staff and the rest of Partners, as well as anyone who volunteered to help. And I wish Saturday would get here already because I can’t wait any longer to see how everyone’s efforts will come together.

If Jump Back Ball is part of your weekend plans, I hope that you have a blast and say hi. 

Now if I could only shake the horrible sore throat I woke up with this morning, I’d be good to go!

One of my favorite decor pieces - Wonderland's Caterpillar

This is the last installment in Behind the Looking Glass. Want to learn more about this year’s Jump Back Ball? Check out:

• Part 1: An Introduction to Jump Back Ball 21
• Part 2: Jump Back Ball Fashions
• Part 3: Jump Back Ball Shop Nights
• Part 4: Jump Back Ball, an Entertaining Evening
• A First Timer’s Guide to Jump Back Ball

Cooking with Beer at The Chubby Cook

Scott works on the Beer Cheese Soup at Chubby Cook's Cooking with Beer Class

3 years ago today, I said “I do” to my best friend and partner in crime — Happy Anniversary, Scott!

When it comes to anniversary presents, Scott and I tend to gift each other “experiences” in an attempt to not add anymore to the amount of clutter we already have.  So, this year, he got us tickets to the Chicago Comic Book Convention and my gift to him was a cooking class last week at The Chubby Cook.

The Chubby Cook opened their doors in Beachwood last June.  What started as Scott Groth’s food blog transformed into a brick and mortar establishment for catering and homestyle meals to order. Cooking classes had also been in the plans, and a couple of months ago they were added to The Chubby Cook’s menu.

In addition to their back kitchen, The Chubby Cook has a front room great for private parties or enjoying your delicious meal at the end of a cooking class

Cooking classes at The Chubby Cook are recreational and designed for everyone. Scott G. promises a fun, very hands-on (you’ll be involved in the entire process) experience that anyone – even non-cooks like me - can enjoy.  Plus, you will go home very very full (in some cases, with a to-go container).

From how to prepare fish and cooking with maple to cajun style and Passover recipes, there are a variety of topics to choose from (and that’s just a selection from the next month).  He also offers specialty courses like Vegetarian, Raw Food and Gluten-Free baking, as well as a series dedicated just to grilling.

With all of the choices, I thought it would take long to decide which class would be perfect for our anniversary. However, when I opened up the class catalog, I immediately found my answer: Cooking with Beer.  So a couple of Sundays ago, Scott and I made the drive out to Beachwood from Avon Lake.

Scott Groth, the Chubby Cook himself, demonstrates how to clean and cut leeks before class begins

This was my first-ever hands-on cooking class, so I was a little nervous.  But Scott G., who was also the teacher for this particular class, and Chubby Cook team member Randy Eagles put me at ease pretty quickly.

Very fitting for a Cooking with Beer class, you could easily shoot the breeze with them over a beer or two. Which is what we did (sans beer) when Scott and I got there early.

Class started with a couple of demos on cutting and cleaning vegetables.  I have horrible knife skills so the demonstration on how to cut onions and leeks was particularly helpful.  Also, the beer nuts they had out to snack on didn’t hurt.

Putting the finishing touches on the main course - Beer Braised Chicken over Pappardelle

We quickly moved into the kitchen where we got to work. On the menu were 5 dishes: Beer Batter Bread, Broccoli and Beer Cheese Soup, a Beer Dip, Green Beans and Bacon in Beer Sauce, and Shredded Beer Braised Chicken over Pappardelle pasta.

Scott G. and Randy delivered on The Chubby Cook promise of a very hands-on class. Although they assisted with some things and coached us through the process, the group prepared and cooked the majority of the meal.

A familiar face was also in our class: Poise in Parma's husband Hans

Scott G.’s goal for his classes is for everyone — regardless of their skill level – to learn and become comfortable with at least a few things.  And how did a complete novice fare? I learned a lot without being overwhelmed – making soup, braising chicken, and learning how to make bread all for the first time.

My Scott, who has a pretty good handle on cooking, even found himself challenged and picked up a few new techniques along the way.

My personal favorite: Broccoli and Beer Cheese Soup with a side of fresh Beer Bread

Overall, I think what most impressed me was how Scott G. and Randy balanced everyone and had us prepare and cook the entire meal in only a couple of hours.

As with anything kitchen-related, there were a couple of moments of minor chaos.  However, whereas I’m typically a complete spaz in the kitchen and incapable of focusing on more than one dish at a time, I didn’t have the panic attack I normally do. I credit a lot of that to The Chubby Cook staff.

Afterwards, we enjoyed the fruit of our labors. My personal favorite was the soup, followed by the tender braised chicken. As we ate, Scott G. and Randy demonstrated how to make a stout milkshake topped with fresh raspberries. I’m not sure which beer dessert I’m going to try first at home: that or the Porter Ice Cream Float they gave us a recipe for.

The first of many helpings of the meal we prepared in class: Green Beans and Bacon, Chicken, and Beer Dip

And how did the class go over as an anniversary gift? Scott enjoyed the experience so much that as soon as we got home, he signed us up for Sushi 201 with Sushi Rock’s Chef Tran in March.  From what Scott G. told us of the amount of sushi enjoyed in Chef Tran’s first class, we’ll be bringing along a tupperware container to savor the menu’s inside-out and deep fried salmon rolls at home.

There are only 7 spots left in that March 13 class so if you want to join me and learn how to make your own sushi rolls, you can register here.  If sushi’s not your thing, though, check out the full class calendar and follow The Chubby Cook on Facebook for more updates and discounts.

The Art of Engagement, Part 4: Cleveland Public Theatre

Over the last month, I’ve enjoyed blogging about one of my favorite topics: Cleveland theatre.  Specifically, highlighting what a few of our local theatres are doing to engage more diverse audiences and help members of the community explore a deeper relationship with the performing arts.

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about local enrichment programs along the way and will check some of them out the next time you see a show.  Today I’m happy to conclude the Art of Engagement with Cleveland Public Theatre.

CPT is the ideal setting for audience engagement programs. Founded in 1981, CPT was inspired by Cafe LaMama, an internationally renowned experimental theatre in New York City. For over 30 years, Cleveland Public Theatre has been Cleveland’s leading stage for adventurous new theatre, nationally recognized for its unconventional and ground breaking work.

From productions like Conni’s Avant-Garde Restaurant to their Big Box series, which gives local artists the opportunity to create new work, CPT challenges their audiences to experience theatre as “a site for celebration, a forum for debate, a vessel for exploration.”

To help audiences dig deeper into the labyrinth, Cleveland Public Theatre has introduced a handful of audience engagement programs this season.

After Friday night performances, CPT invites the audience to stay and enjoy a drink on them. However, Free Beer Fridays are about more than just drinking for free.

Artists from the show, such as actors, designers or the director, as well as CPT staff attend Free Beer Fridays to mingle with the audience and have a conversation about what they just saw.  The goal is to make the theatre feel more like a home where questions, thoughts and discussion are always welcome.

CPT is also engaging audiences and helping newer artists through two development programs: the Springboard: Staged Reading Festival and Leap/Conceive.

CPT opened the 2011-2012 season with their first Springboard series. The festival featured staged readings of new scripts by local writers as well as work that was under consideration for future production.

In addition to post-show discussions, comment cards were left on every chair so that if audience members wanted they could anonymously share their feedback on the show.

With Leap/Conceive, audiences got a sneak peek into the creative process as CPT presented showcases of performances in the middle of development.  The artists — all from Northeast Ohio — chose a 10 minute segment of their future production to develop and share. Audience and artists saw the work together, assessed it and offered their reactions.  CPT took a flip/cam around immediately after the show to get people’s reactions on what they had just experienced.

Both of these series not only supported local artists, but also offered audiences a rare opportunity to participate in shaping new work.  The final production will show the fruits of the audience feedback it received during development.

Coming up next for Cleveland Public Theatre is their production of Antebellum which opens this coming Thursday, February 23.

Against the backdrops of a southern American plantation, a German concentration camp, the world premiere of Gone With The Wind and 1930s Berlin cabarets, the love story of two men, one Jewish and the other African-American, bridges time, space and gender and challenges intolerance of race and religion.

In addition to Antebellum, CPT’s upcoming productions of Poor Little Lulu and Akarui were either written by an openly gay playwright or deal with LGBT issues. To further engage the LGBT community and allies during these productions, CPT created goPUBLIC.

On the second Friday of these three productions (March 2, March 16 and June 1), CPT will host their goPUBLIC pre-show happy hour as well as the Free Beer Friday after the performance.  With the production bookended by these opportunities to socialize pre- and post-show, the performance creates a source of insightful conversation.

More information about the goPUBLIC night for Antebellum can be found below:

From social to educational experiences, new to well-established programs, I’ve loved learning about the audience engagement experiences the Cleveland Play House, Near West Theatre, Great Lakes Theater and Cleveland Public Theatre offer.

There are a lot of opportunities (most of them free!) to discover more about the shows you see onstage, meet new people who are similarly interested in the arts and even get involved with the creative process.

Of course, there’s a lot I still need to explore within Cleveland theatre – Dobama, Beck and convergence-continuum are on my list to name just a few.

But that’s what I think is at the heart of audience engagement and its greatest gift: the desire to keep exploring new theatres, shows and the unique approaches each company takes. And at the end of the day, I hope I was able to share a bit of that with you.

Missed parts 1-3 in the Art of Engagement? Here you go:

• Part 1: Cleveland Play House
• Part 2: Near West Theatre
• Part 3: Great Lakes Theater