Around Cincinnati

Chris Ashbrook, who writes under the name C.J. Ashbrook, had an amazing career as a film and video director before he turned to writing. He’s the man responsible for one of the most iconic music videos of the 80’s, “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics. His newest novel, A Darker Gold, has just been released, and he is on the phone to talk about the book and share some stories from those halcyon days of music videos with our David Delegator.

It’s time again for the 20th Century Cincinnati Show, your yearly chance to see and purchase vintage clothing, furniture, art and more. The show runs February 23-24 at the Sharonville Convention Center where 60 separate dealers will fill 20,000 square feet of exhibit space. Lee Hay talks with Pam Forsee Hogue of the show about a special attraction this year, an exhibit of works by Russel Wright, born and raised in Lebanon, Ohio but went on to become one of the finest Modern designers of the Art Deco era in the 30’s.

Robyn Carey-Allgeyer welcomes to the studio Jennifer Jensen, director of The Skirball Museum at Hebrew Union College; and children’s author Linda Leopold Strauss, whose book about Passover, The Elijah Door, will be the focus of a six-week exhibition of the book’s illustrations at The Skirball. The exhibit runs through March 31, and that day will feature a family-friendly talk by the author at the museum.

Kate Faddick recites her poem, Lands.

As part of CCM’s year-long celebration of Kurt Weill, they will present The Threepenny Opera beginning February 28, along with concert performances of Weill’s Kiddush (Prayer of Sanctification) and the a capella madrigal Ho, Billy, O! from the Weill musical Love Life. Anne Arenstein learns more about the Weill festival and these upcoming performances from Robin Guarino, CCM’s J. Ralph Corbett Chair of Opera and director of The Threepenny Opera, and dramaturge Bruce McClung.