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Beavercreek, Deer In Headlines, dixie twin, drive-in, drive-in movie, Fairborn Daily Herald, film, Gery L. Deer, greene county, Jamestown, Movie, movies, Ohio, Theater, Xenia Daily Gazette

Drive-In Movie Memories

In Entertainment, Movies, Opinion, sociology, Theatre, Uncategorized on March 24, 2024 at 10:13 pm

Deer In Headlines II

By Gery Deer

One warm summer evening when I was about 20, I wheeled my 1971 Mustang through the neon-washed gates of the Belmont Auto Drive-In Theater just outside Beavercreek, Ohio. I found the ideal spot and parked. The massive screen filled my windshield.

A few minutes later, an announcement over the speakers says, “Fifteen minutes! Fifteen minutes to show time!” Perfect! I had just enough time to grab a hot dog – I counted what cash remained in my wallet. It didn’t matter, though. They had me at “fresh, hot, buttery popcorn!”

That night, the marquee read, “Double Feature” (Then again, it was always a double feature.) “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Crocodile Dundee.” If memory serves, the price was $5 per car, and I was ready. Drive-ins had been converted to broadcast the movie sound over the radio. So, I outfitted my old Mustang with a stereo amplifier and mounted speakers so you could best hear them outside the car. I tuned in the frequency, adjusted the volume, hopped on the hood with my snacks, and settled in for a great evening’s entertainment under the stars.

I loved drive-ins and still do. There’s something about the atmosphere that is pure Americana. As I’m thinking about it now, I can almost hear the overdriven buzz of those heavy, window-hanging speakers, the dancing refreshments up on the screen at intermission. The drive-in was one of my first solo outings at 16 when I got my driver’s license.

My first memory of going to a drive-in was with my parents in 1974. I was about seven years old, and we went to the Skyborn Drive-In in Fairborn, Ohio, where the original “Benji” movie was showing. I was so enamored with them that, for a short time, I considered owning a drive-in theater, but not your usual run-of-the-mill version.

I had this wacky idea about a massive drive-in theatre and even made concept drawings of it. It featured an unusually large, high-resolution curved screen, Dolby stereo, wireless speakers, and a two-story concessions building with a restaurant on the second floor. It featured a video game arcade, a merchandise shop, supervised playrooms for the kids, a bar for the adults, and more. Plus, it was much larger and could hold more than 400 cars.

Of course, I never made it happen, but it was a cool dream. I’m afraid that in the summer of the late 80s, my concept was way ahead of the required technology. Besides that, even in those days, drive-ins started to disappear.

Most of the Dayton-area drive-in theaters I visited back then are long since gone. If you’re local, you might remember some of them. There was the North Xenia Drive-In, Southland 75, Valley Street Drive-In, Dayton West Drive-In, and many others.

In north Dayton, the Dixie Twin first lit its screens in the early 1950s, and its projectors are still running today. The Melody 49, just off I-70 near Trotwood, is alive and well and shows first-run flicks on two screens. You can find others with a quick Google search. Depending on the travel, you might need to make a night of it if you plan to go.

As many surviving drive-ins faced closer, a strange twist of fate intervened. The very disaster that shuttered businesses worldwide may have been the savior of the drive-ins, at least temporarily. The COVID-19 pandemic gave many drive-ins a surge in business. Families could watch a drive-in movie, maintain social distancing, and enjoy an evening out.

Sadly, box office numbers have slumped since the pandemic, and drive-ins are still trying to bring people back in the gates. People need to be reminded that nearly all drive-in theaters are privately owned small businesses. They’re not million-dollar multiplexes. Most are run as a labor of love with volunteer staff, and most take in barely enough revenue to keep the projector bulbs burning.

For some, drive-ins are a long-held tradition. To others, they represent an era long past. But whatever the attraction, grab your lawn chairs, blankets, and portable radios (to keep from running down your car battery), and head to the closest drive-in. For now, I have to go. Tonight’s feature is about to start.

Recommended Documentaries about Drive-In Theatres:

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annie oakely festival, bullwhip contest, convention, Gery Deer, Indiana Jones, The Lone Ranger, wild west, wild west arts festival

Greene County Performers Headline Wild West Shows at 2019 Annie Oakley Festival

In Business, Children and Family, Dayton Ohio News, Education, history, Local News, Music, National News, State News, Theatre, Uncategorized on July 4, 2019 at 7:48 am

Greenville, OH – Entrepreneur and professional whip artist Gery L. Deer and Xenia thrown weapons expert, Kirk Bass, will lead a full troupe of Wild West arts experts during the 2019 American Western Arts Showcase at the Annie Oakley Festival, July 26 and 27 at the Darke County Fairground in Greenville, Ohio. The event is free and open to the public.

“This is a one-of-a-kind show in this region,” Deer says. “We have some of the best Wild West arts entertainment anywhere in the Midwest with real practitioners of each skill,” says Deer, who started the event in Jamestown, Ohio, in 2002. “These are talented performers with genuine ability, no fakery, no tricks. Everything you see in our show is real and all of our shows are in 3-D and high definition!”

Champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of Xenia, Ohio, is co-producer of the event. He and his daring wife Melodee are among the performers to take the open-air stage for a series of western arts perform the suspenseful Bass Blades impalement show, and much more.

Whip marksmanship competitions headline the afternoon show beginning with the Whip Speed and Accuracy Exhibition Competition, the world’s first Bullwhip Fast Draw contest. Plus, there is a brand new contest taken straight from the big screen.

The Masked Man will make an appearance on Saturday during the contest events from Noon – 2 PM!

In the spirit of Dr. Jones’ proficiency, this year’s Showcase competition will include a special “blind fast draw,” where whip artists must mimic the move used in the film to turn, draw their holstered whip and shoot at a target with speed and accuracy. In 1981, a fedora-wearing, leather-clad archaeologist threw the crack heard round the world when he “whipped” a pistol from the hand of a jungle guide. At the beginning of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones demonstrated his skills with the holstered fast-draw of a 10-foot bullwhip, all while having to spin around to take aim first. Watch a video clip!

“With the popularity of Indiana Jones among western performers, particularly whip artists, it’s odd this hasn’t been done before,” says Deer, who holds multiple, national whip speed and accuracy titles and is the director of The Whip Artistry Studio, the only permanent whip training facility in America. Contests begin at 1 p.m., followed immediately by a matinee performance at 2PM and evening show at 5PM.

The event is sponsored by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., The Whip Artistry Studio and the Annie Oakley Festival Committee. All performances are family friendly and presented on the grounds of the Annie Oakley Festival. For links to the festival and sneak previews of the performers plus more information go online to ohiowesternarts.org.

Production video from a few years ago showing some of the event.

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Bullwhip, Gery Deer, gun spinning, Indiana Jones, knife throwing, las vegas, trick roping, western stage props, whip cracking, wild west, wild west arts fest, zorro

Las Vegas Prop Company Hosts Whip Crackers, Trick Ropers and More at 1st Annual Wild West Arts Fest

In Entertainment, history, Media, National News, Theatre, Travel, Uncategorized, World News on April 22, 2019 at 10:00 am

Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2, 2019 – Western Stage Props, a stage and film prop supply company based in Las Vegas, Nevada, is sponsoring the 2019 Wild West Arts Fest, May 2^nd through the 4^th at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The festival consists of three full days of classes focused on the four classic Western art forms of gun spinning and handling, knife throwing, trick roping and whip cracking. The festival will also include open practice time, skill sharing sessions, lighthearted competitions, nightly events including a dinner show, and more.

The Western Arts are the performance skills that developed in the Old West, made famous since the earliest days of Wild West shows and cinema. While training in traditional variety arts such as juggling, dance and circus are now easier to find than ever, training in the Western Arts is limited to a select few who happen to be in the right place at the right time. This is where the organizers feel this festival is incredibly important.

Now under new ownership and management, Western Stage Props in Las Vegas has provided film and stage props for nearly three decades and specializes in Western Arts products such as whips, rope, throwing weapons, prop guns and trick saddles, as well as educational material. Their products have been featured in movies and theatrical productions including Indiana Jones and the world-famous Cirque Du Soleil. They are working to develop new products designed to bring the love of the Western Arts to a broader audience. Still, they have maintained the same high-quality items that make them the leader in Western performance equipment, that’s why they chose now to resurrect a long-loved tradition – the Wild West Arts Fest.

“Our event is all inclusive so anyone from an enthusiast to professional can participate and we believe having a place to meet up once a year to share and grow is vital to the Western community,” said Kyle Peterson, Western Stage Props manager. “We aim to unite the older generation and their deep history with a generation of newcomers looking to learn, grow and become a part of history. Even more important, our select teaching staff has grown out of the former Wild West Arts Conventions that originally brought so many wonderful performers together, where experts are thrilled to teach a new generation.”

The event is open to the public as either a full participant or a spectator. Discounted room rates are also available at the hotel by mentioning the event. Complete details are available by calling Western Stage Props at 702-873-1100 or online https://www.westernstageprops.com/Wild-West-Arts-Fest-s/1920.htm.

List of Teacher Performers Scheduled to Present at the 1^st Annual Wild West Arts Fest

AJ Silver was born and raised in The Bronx, New York. As a child, AJ was fascinated by the cowboy tales of the Wild West. Upon seeing his first rodeo at Madison Square Garden, he found his calling: He would be a rodeo trick rider! After graduation, AJ headed for the western trail and never looked back. Since AJ has traveled across the USA performing his western variety act combining trick roping, bullwhip artistry and boleadoras. His achievements include a lifetime of stage appearances, television spots on The Today Show, Good Morning America, MTV, ESPN, CNN, and most notably, the chance to trick ride at Madison Square Garden where his riding dreams were born.

David Adamovich better known as The Great Throwdini holds over 40 world records including being the world’s fastest and most accurate knife thrower. A man of many talents David ‘s previous endeavors include a career as a paramedic, appearing at the 1967 World’s Fair as a partner acrobat with his twin brother and becoming an ordained minister. David began his knife throwing adventures as The Great Throwdini in his 50’s. He has appeared on Ripley’s Believe It or Not, America’s Got Talent, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. And just when you thought his story couldn’t get any more interesting, David is the only knife thrower to ever perform The Veiled Double Wheel of Death (2 assistants behind a paper veil), no small feat.

Chris McDaniel is a long-time cowboy performing and teaching trick roping as well as delighting audiences with his whip cracking skills. Chris got his start on stage as a formally trained actor and singer, wanting to stand out in the crowd; he picked up a rope and fell in love with the Wild West. Chris has graced the stage in innumerable cabaret, variety and dinner theater stage shows across the county. His TV appearances include: Late Night with David Letterman and Best Week Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, but you may know him best from his career-defining role with the Broadway tour of The Will Roger’s Follies.

Paul Nolan is one of the county’s most revered whip artisans. Paul began the art of making whips as young adolescent learning from the best in the business. He spent countless years perfecting his craft. You can see him in action on The Discovery Channel’s How It’s Made as he takes you step by step through the labor-intensive process of making one of his beautiful art pieces. Paul has been commissioned by some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters to make whips including The Kingsman films, The Lone Ranger, Django Unchained, and the TV series Freakshow.

Loop Rawlins is a Wild West superstar. Launched to fame by his outstanding success on America’s Got Talent Loop has made an impressive career form rodeos to the red carpet. Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, as a youngster Loop loved adventure movies and always had a knack for entertaining. When he saw trick roping for the first time, he was inspired to learn the technique. Nowadays Loop can do it all: he is a gunslinger, rope spinner and whip cracker. After a 3-year run with Cirque Du Soliel in Viva Elvis, Loop can be seen opening for country music stars, performing for celebrities and stunt doubling in the major motion picture The Kingsman.

Gery Deer is a world-renowned veteran whip artist and coach and the founder of The Whip Artistry Studio in Jamestown, Ohio. Raised on a cattle farm in rural Ohio, he opened the studio in 1998 as the only permanent facility in the United States dedicated to the non-combative study of the whip for sports, fitness and performance art. The facility provides training for whip handling, targeting, competition performance, and fitness. Students of the whip studio include hobbyists, stage and stunt performers, and many performers who have worked as “Indiana Jones” in the Universal Studios’ Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. In addition to his work as a master whip coach, Gery has been a featured performer on stages around the country. He has appeared on countless television variety programs over his 30-year career including Steve Harvey’s Big Time, America’s Got Talent, The Bonnie Hunt Show, as well as the PBS series, Our Ohio. He also designs original whip holstering equipment and utility belts used by some of the largest production companies in the world including Universal Studios, Warner Brothers and 21^st Century Fox.

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comedy, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, MDA, Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, team, variety, vaudeville

Mourning the King of Comedy.

In Entertainment, history, Media, Movies, Opinion, television, Theatre, Uncategorized on August 21, 2017 at 9:05 pm

Deer In Headlines
By Gery L. Deer

The world lost a veritable comic genius this week as we mourn the passing of Jerry Lewis. From his early beginnings as a stage comic, to the magical fundraising power of his telethons to raise money in the search for a cure for Muscular Dystrophy, Lewis was many things to many people.

Lewis had his faults. He was said to be difficult to work with at times, a bit of a control freak, probably from the desperation he felt as an upstart comic in the 1940s. But the fact is he was a writer, director, producer and a technical innovator in film as well. He invented something called the video assist, which allowed a director to instantly watch what they’ve just shot.

Of course, it’s the French who are fabled to have loved Lewis’s movies and considered him a genius. But, like with so many tales of the famous, much of that is exaggerated or taken out of context. According to some reports, if you ask a French person to name a Lewis movie, they usually have a tough time coming up with an answer. Seriously? I mean, who doesn’t know, “The Nutty Professor?” (No, not that terrible Eddie Murphy remake. Don’t get me started.)

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were a comedy team for just 10 years.

You can probably find countless tributes and retrospectives on the King of Comedy, so I’m not going to lay out another laundry list here of his successes and failures. But I wanted to share my thoughts as somewhat of a student of his craft and fellow writer and performer.

If you follow my work regularly, or Google my name, know that I’ve led a dual life in the professional and stage worlds for most of my time on this earth. Beginning at the age of 5, as a budding ventriloquist, I have won awards for my talents, written comedy scripts and produced all manner of shows, from the musical stage to Vaudevillian-style variety shows.

Not much in my repertoire could even begin to compare to a giant like Lewis, but comedy was always the foundation for a great deal of my work. I’ve always believed that if you could make people laugh, no matter what you were doing, singing, dancing, writing, juggling, whatever, they would be entertained.

For me, Jerry Lewis was a one-of-a-kind, a true struggling artist, always trying to get people to take him seriously through laughter. You read that correctly. It’s tough to get people to take notice when your entire goal is to make them laugh. It’s even more difficult when your whole self-worth is wrapped up in that laughter and thunderous applause.

Gery Deer and Jim Karns in Whips and Wands …

Lewis’s physical comedy, funny vocalizations and incredible timing is what I enjoyed and what I have always emulated. I’m a one-liner, storytelling kind of comedian on stage. I do a little physical comedy, but it’s generally centered around hand gestures or other smaller movements. Jerry Lewis could leave an audience in stitches with a simple facial expression – that’s talent (and a rubbery face helped too.)

For nearly two decades, my dear friend Jim Karns and I have worked together on stage much like Martin and Lewis in their early years. Our timing and banter is very similar, as was that of Abbot and Costello, Laurel and Hardy (after the silent days), and so many other comedy teams. The dynamic duo of Jerry’s goof to Dean’s straight man, which kicked off in Atlantic City in 1946, became a national phenomenon lasting a mere 10 years, though to many fan it’s unimaginable it was such a short time. Regardless, the pair was unstoppable during their run, and watching anything they did is still a pleasure.

I ignore the public negativity surrounding most celebrities I admire, whether they brought it on themselves or not. After all, they’re only human, good people trying to entertain people in an unforgiving and sadistic industry. I left the big stage behind many years ao in favor of smaller one with kinder audiences.

But no matter how large the stage, Jerry Lewis’s influence will be there, for me and for many generations to come. “Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.” – Jerry Lewis.

Gery L. Deer is a writer, producer and performer with “The Brothers & Co Variety Show.” More at thebrothersvarietyshow.com.

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Bass, deer, live stage show, miamisburg, The Plaza Theatre, Variety Show

Young Xenia actress selected as MC for variety show

In Children and Family, Dayton Ohio News, Education, Entertainment, Local News, Media, Theatre, Uncategorized on June 21, 2017 at 12:26 pm

Actress, dancer, Amanda Bass

Xenia, Ohio – Amanda Bass, (12) of Xenia, has been selected to serve as the emcee for an exclusive, one-night-only, performance of “The Brothers & Co. Variety Show,” at 8:00 PM on Saturday, July 1 at the historic Plaza Theatre in Miamisburg, Ohio. The show is free of charge for all ages and ticket reservations can be made online at myplazatheatre.org.

The Brothers & Co. Variety Show is a 90-minute, live stage performance featuring four-part harmonies, instrumentation, Wild West stunts, award-winning classic magic and original comedy routines. Tickets are free for all ages.

Bass recently finished work on several episodes of the ThinkTV / PBS program, “I Can Be Anything I Want to Be A to Z.” The show is set in a “career lab,” where Bass’s character, “Charley,” is one of three kids investigating various career options, from A to Z. The show is slated for a statewide run this fall. This will be the young actress’s first time hosting a stage performance, but she is no stranger to live entertainment.

In addition to her appearances in several student films and as a dancer in the Dayton Ballet’s annual presentation of, “The Nutcracker,” Bass also participates in her family show. Her parents, Kirk and Melodee, are Wild West arts performers known as, “Bass Blades,” a knife throwing act based in Xenia. The younger Bass has performed with her parents and alongside

The younger Bass has performed with her parents and alongside family friend, writer and entrepreneur, Gery L. Deer, who is the director, pianist, bullwhip artist, and executive producer of “The Brothers & Co. Variety Show.” Deer also pointed out that he decided to include young Amanda to host the July 1st show because of her performance on the PBS series.

Amanda Bass with Brothers & Co. producer, Gery L. Deer, at the premier of her TV debut for PBS / ThinkTV

The Brothers & Co. started in 1995 and are best known locally for covers of The Statler Brothers music. Their repertoire stretches across country and oldies genres including music by The Monkees, John Denver, and George Jones as well as many original pieces. Each performer is involved in creating original content for the show and the group’s fourth voice, Ed Jones, cousin of the Deer brothers, is their acoustic guitarist.

The show also marks the return of Gary Deer, Jr., vocalist and percussionist of the group, after almost two years of recovery from a serious illness. “Ours is a kind of show you don’t see anymore and it’s fun for anyone,” he said.

“We are offering this free show to both give people a look at the beautiful Plaza Theatre and give families a financial break for one night,” said Gery Deer about the July show. “All you need to buy is the popcorn!”

Of course, shows still run on money. Limited commercial sponsorships for the performance are still available ranging from $100 to $250 through June 30. The first five, $250 sponsors will receive a live, 30-second commercial during the show presented by one of The Brothers & Co. performers. A signed 18×14-inch poster of the show will be raffled as well with proceeds going to The Plaza Theatre Association. Doors open at 7:30 PM and refreshments will be on sale in the lobby. For show times and venue information please call The Plaza Theatre at (937) 247-5980.

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Children of Eden, Dayton Theater, Live Theatre, Thanksgiving

Dare to Defy Productions Presents Children of Eden Thanksgiving Weekend

In Children and Family, Dayton Ohio News, Entertainment, Holiday, Local News, Music, Religion, Theatre, Uncategorized on November 2, 2016 at 8:19 am

Dayton, OH – Dare to Defy Productions is bringing the captivating musical Children of Eden to the beautiful Victoria Theatre for a limited 3 performance run Thanksgiving weekend.

Featuring one of the most beautiful scores in contemporary musical theatre from the composer of Godspell, Pippin and Wicked, Children of Eden is a heartfelt and humorous musical about the unique family bond. Inspired by the Book of Genesis, it tells the timeless story of what it means to be a parent.

From the moment you bring a child into the world everything changes; you learn to protect, cherish, and love unconditionally. But as they grow you have to learn one more thing, to finally let them go one day.

The Dare to Defy production of Children of Eden stars John Benjamin, Alan Ruddy, Esther Hyland and is directed by Mackensie King with music direction by Lorri Topping and choreographed by Lisa Glover.

“This is the perfect show for families over the Thanksgiving weekend,” said Dare to Defy Productions Executive Director, Becki Norgaard. “It has great music and a wonderful, family story that can be enjoyed by all ages and backgrounds.”

Show times are November 25 at 8 p.m. and at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the 26^th. Tickets are available at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office located in the Schuster Center, by calling (937) 228-3630 or online at ticketcenterstage.com Senior, military and student discounts available at the box office. For more information visit the Dare to Defy website at d2defy.com.

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35mm, D2D, Dayton theatre

Dare to Defy Productions Presents 35MM: A Musical Expedition

In Entertainment, Local News, Music, News Media, Theatre on September 26, 2016 at 7:09 am

Dayton, OH. – Dare to Defy Productions will present 35MM: A Musical Expedition on September 30th and October 7th at 8 p.m. and October 1st and October 8th at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the Mathile Black Box Theatre in the Schuster Center.

A picture is worth 1,000 words — what about a song? Can a picture inspire a song or fifteen? In “35MM,” each photo creates a unique song, moments frozen in time; a glimmer of a life unfolding, a glimpse of something happening. A stunning new multimedia musical which explores a groundbreaking new concept in musical theatre.

This intricately woven collection of stories told through song re-imagines what the modern American musical can be.” (quote from 35mmmusical.com) The show was written by Ryan Scott Oliver inspired by Matthew Murphy’s photos. “We are excited to bring this thrilling and innovative collision of artistic mediums to the Mathile,” says Dare 2 Defy Executive Director, Becki Norgaard.

The incredibly talented cast of professional includes Alan Ruddy, Danielle Kubasky, Natalie Sanders, Skyler McNeely and Zach King. The creative team includes direction by A.J. Breslin, music direction by David McKibben and stage management by Mackensie King.

Dare 2 Defy Productions is a Dayton-based, not-for-profit, professional theater company under the guidance of executive director, Becki Norgaard. The company specializes in musical theater, hiring local, professional actors and production crew.

The show, 35MM, runs 80 minutes and is recommended for ages 13 and up. Tickets are available at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office located in the Schuster Center, by calling (937) 228-3630 or at www.ticketcenterstage.com. Senior, military and student discounts available at the box office.

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author reading, Books & Co., dayton writing, editors, live entertainment, live writers reading, western ohio writers association, Writers, Writing

Old Haunts Beatnik Cafe celebrates original Halloween stories by local authors

In Books, Children and Family, Dayton Ohio News, Entertainment, Holiday, Local News, Theatre, Uncategorized on September 11, 2015 at 8:37 am

Artwork by Michael Martin, WOWA Editorial Committee

Beavercreek, OH – Beginning at 7pm on Friday, October 16, author members of the Western Ohio Writers Association (WOWA) will take the microphone at Books & Co. to present the 2015 Halloween addition of their popular, “Beatnik Café” event. Writers from all genres will regale visitors with original works of poetry and prose to the theme, “Old Haunts.” The event is free and open to the public.

The live reading pays homage to the hole-in-the-wall poetry clubs of the 1960’s, but with a more modern style. Reading aloud from original work, each writer will take the stage for 10 to 12 minutes, dazzling audiences with short stories, poetry or who knows what. This is the 6th year for the quarterly event.

Barbara Deer is the co-founder of the organization. “WOWA was intended to provide a regular resource for peer critique, educational programs and networking opportunities to local writers of all genres, both amateur and professional,” she says.

Click to watch the video!

“Annual workshops are held all around the country, with two of the most well-known right here in the Miami Valley. But for most writers to thrive that type of support needs to come on a more regular basis,” Deer says. “Our group consists of professional writers and editors, college professors and everyone is ready and willing to offer help, a fresh eye and, sometimes more importantly, an honest opinion about the quality of the work – good or bad.”

Writers come from all around the region – southwest central Ohio, eastern Indiana and northern Kentucky – to attend monthly critique sessions, educational lectures and write-in events. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at the Event Connections, 4140 Linden Ave. in Dayton, near the intersection of US 35 and Woodman Drive.

Now in its seventh year, this talented group of scribes definitely have plenty to celebrate. In addition to the many individual members who have been published on their own, in May of this year eleven of them were featured in an anthology titled, “Flights of Fiction,” produced by GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing and published by Handcar Press (ISBN: 978-0-9885289-4-9). The book features stories set in and around the southwest Ohio region and is available in print and electronic formats from the WOWA website as well as Amazon and BN.com.

The Beatnik Café is a family-friendly, free, public presentation of WOWA and GLD Enterprises Communications. Books & Co. is located at 4453 Walnut St. at The Greene in Beavercreek. For more information, go online to www.westernohiowriters.org or call (937) 902-4857.

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Annie Oakley Days, annie oakley festival, Bullwhip, bullwhip contest, Gery Deer, Gery L. Deer, The Brothers & Co., whip cracking competition, york woods

Western Arts Showcase offers historic entertainment at Annie Oakley Festival

In Dayton Ohio News, Entertainment, history, Holiday, Local News, Media, Theatre on July 13, 2015 at 12:23 pm

Greenville, OH – Jamestown Whip Artist Gery L. Deer and Xenia Thrown Weapons Expert, Kirk Bass, will lead a full troupe of whip artists, trick ropers, knife throwers and other Wild West arts experts during the 2015 Annie Oakley Western Arts Showcase during Annie Oakley Festival at York Woods, 6129 Reed Road, Ansonia, OH 45303. The event is free and open to the public.

Presented in the spirit of the stage-style Wild West shows of the late 19^th Century, each production will include some detailed history about how these arts came to be and who still practices them today. Champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of Xenia, Ohio, and his daring wife Melodee are among the performers to take the open-air stage for two shows on Saturday, July 26 beginning at 1 p.m. with a series of western arts perform the suspenseful Bass Blades impalement show, and much more.

Whip marksmanship competitions headline the afternoon show beginning with the National Whip Speed and Accuracy Exhibition Competition, the world’s only Bullwhip Fast Draw contest. Plus, there is a brand new contest taken straight from the big screen.

In 1981, a fedora-wearing, leather-clad archaeologist threw the crack heard round the world when he “whipped” a pistol from the hand of a jungle guide. At the beginning of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones demonstrated his skills with the holstered fast-draw of a 10-foot bullwhip, all while having to spin around to take aim first.

In the spirit of Dr. Jones’ proficiency, this year’s Showcase competition will include a special “blind fast draw,” where whip artists must mimic the move used in the film to turn, draw their holstered whip and shoot at a target with speed and accuracy. The first contest of its kind, the feat has never been attempted in a public event like this, even by the showcase’s producer, whip performer Gery L. Deer.

At 5:00p.m., visitors to the festival will see the Grand Wild West Showcase hosted by the music and comedy of Greene County’s own, The Brothers & Co. Variety Show. “We pull out all the stops on Saturday evening,” says Deer. “The Brothers & Co. Variety Show is a one-of-a-kind musical variety show from a by-gone era, full of comedy, magic, and some of the best four-part music on stage today. There will be nothing else like this anywhere at the festival!”

“Last year breathed new life into this long-running event,” Deer says. “Our goal is to provide a featured event for Saturday that will help draw more people on what is typically the busiest day of the festival.” For more information or to participate in the whip contests, contact the production office of GLD Enterprises at (937) 902-4857 or email, gdeer@gldenterprises.net.

“We have some of the best Wild West arts entertainment anywhere in the Midwest with real practitioners of each skill,” says Deer, who started the event in Jamestown, Ohio, back in 2002 as a Midwestern convention of Wild West arts practitioners. “These are talented performers with genuine ability, no fakery, no tricks. Everything you see in our show is real Plus all of our shows are in 3-D and high definition!”

The event is sponsored by GLD Enterprises Communications, The Brothers & Co. Variety Show, and the Annie Oakley Festival Committee. All performances are family friendly and presented on the grounds of the Annie Oakley Festival. For links to the festival and sneak previews of the performers plus more information go online to www.ohiowesternarts.org.

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4th of July, The Brothers & Co., Tipp City 175th

Jamestown variety group to headline Tipp City 175th

In Dayton Ohio News, Entertainment, history, Local News, News Media, Senior Lifestyle, Theatre, Uncategorized on June 17, 2015 at 12:33 pm

Tipp City, Ohio – The City of Tipp City will be commemorating its 175th Anniversary this year with a two-day celebration, Friday July 3 and Saturday July 4. The festivities will be held at Tipp City Park and include live entertainment, food, vendors and family activities.

“This is an exciting time for Tipp City, as we will be commemorating the 175th Anniversary of our wonderful city.” said Tipp City Mayor, Pat Hale. “The Planning Committee is working hard to put together a great event for the entire family. We are inviting the entire community to join in on the celebration.”

Friday evening will kick off the weekend with live entertainment, horse and buggy rides and guest speakers in the historical district. On Saturday afternoon, things get started with a parade celebrating Tipp City’s heritage. At Tipp City Park, visitors will enjoy food vendors, family activities and live entertainment headlined at 5:00 p.m. by The Brothers & Co. Music and Variety Show followed by an ‘80s band leading up to the evening fireworks display.

“We’re glad to be a part of such an historic event,” noted Gery L. Deer, of Jamestown, who serves tripple duty as performer, publicist and manager of The Brothers & Co. show. “That area of Miami County is rich in events that shaped the Miami Valley and Dayton’s outlying regions. We are going to give the visitors there a fun, family-friendly taste of old-style Americana entertainment.”

City Councilmen Matt Owen is chair of the 175th Planning Committee.“We are encouraging the entire community to get involved with the celebration.” he said. “Throughout the year Tipp City has many events and activities and we are encouraging them to create their own celebration or activity within each of those events.”

More information can be found on the event Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/events/686370538176430/ The Brothers & Co. Show is presented courtesy of Gibson Law Offices and GLD Enterprises Communications.

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