Posted December 6, 202111:11 am
By Jeff Piorkowski/special to cleveland.com
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Watch theater from your home: Cleveland Heights’ Ensemble Theatre will present a free reading, via Zoom, of the new play “Eyes of the Bridge,” by Jeanne Madison, at 3 p.m. Dec. 11.
What’s this play about? For the answer to that, we go to a steamy Ensemble release that states, “What happens when Black love collides with white lust at the turn of the 20th century in the old South? Luda Mae and her beloved Samson, a ‘colored’ couple with a future, find out. Forty years later, Luda Mae is summoned to revisit the tragedy of her lost love that was cruelly taken from her decades ago. When the normally acquiescent Luda Mae sees the chance for a reckoning, will she answer her age-old cries for justice, or will the Jim Crow status quo prevail?”
You’ll have to tune in to find out. You can do that by visiting ensembletheatrecle.org/eyes-of-the-bridge to register and get more information.
The reading stars Ashley Aquilla (as Luda Mae), Treva Offutt (Angeline), Imani Khiry (Samson), Maya Jones (Young Luda Mae), DeLee Cooper (Cora Lynne), and Khaki Hermann (Gracie Lewis).
After the play, stick around and be a part of the development of new works by joining in on a talkback with the playwright.
This is the first reading in a series of staged readings of new works coming from Ensemble Theatre’s Stagewrights Unit that will be presented during this 2021-22 season. Ensemble plans to return to in-person programming in early 2022, so stay tuned for updates, coming soon.
Hip-Hop Hurray: Sophia Cook, of the Laurel School Class of ‘23, and also a Shaker Heights resident, along with her dance team, ELEVATED, a hip hop crew founded in 2015, took the first-place prize in November at the World of Dance competition in Chicago.
World of Dance is an international competition that holds regional competitions throughout the world in which the highest scoring teams then compete internationally in the summer in California. Cook’s team walked away with a perfect score and earned the Crowd Favorite Award.
Laurel School student Sophia Cook.
Sophia and her crew brought a five-minute dance called “CHURCH!,” in which the goal was to “take the audience to church.” The dance was also a tribute to a parent one of the team members lost. The dance featured many aspects of hip hop foundation, comedy, tricks and contemporary dance style. World of Dance is known for its stiff competition which brings together some extremely talented teams.
Exercising, even when its cold outside: As the weather starts to cool and people begin to retreat into their homes for winter, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland is reminding us of the importance of exercising and staying active.
Physical activity the year round can reduce the risk of heart-related diseases, help lower blood cholesterol levels and help lower blood pressure. The YMCA of Greater Cleveland, therefore, offers these three tips to keep people moving in the colder months:
-- Be sure to do more dynamic stretches. With any type of exercise, warm-ups and cool-downs are essential. But they are even more essential for cold weather activities to help warm one’s muscles. Dynamic warm-ups, as opposed to the more traditional static stretching which involve just holding positions, involve movement while one stretches to promote blood flow.
-- Drink lots of water. Dehydration during cold weather exercise carries the same risk as it would when exercising in the heat, but a person may not feel as thirsty during the colder months. Drink water or sports drinks before, during and after your workout.
-- Try new types of exercises. Things like hiking, skiing, ice skating or snowshoeing are all fun ways to enjoy the winter weather while keeping your body active. Just be sure to protect your head, hands, feet and ears by wearing the proper gear.
And, as always, if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable exercising outside during the colder months, you can always visit your local YMCA to attend indoor fitness classes and/or use the gym facilities.
Heights Libraries happenings: Coming up online through the Heights Libraries are “Zoom Meditation Tuesdays with Christine Valadon,” at 6 p.m. Tuesdays throughout December (register here); and “Legal Aid at the Library,” at 5 p.m. Dec. 14.
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s 2021 Facebook LIVE series features legal information and “know your rights” details through interviews with Legal Aid attorneys, librarians, and occasional special guests. This final live session of 2021 will focus on advance planning. Also highlighted will be how Legal Aid can provide free legal help to residents in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. To join in on this event, visit here.
Also, from Dec. 6-9, throughout the days at the University Heights branch, 13866 Cedar Road, you can pick up a centerpiece kit. The kit will come with instructions and all you need to create a DIY masterpiece. Your centerpiece will surely to bring cheer and brighten up your space. You must register to get a kit, so do so here.
Get your centerpiece kits Dec. 6-9 at the University Heights Library branch, 13866 Cedar Road.
And don’t forget the Green Noble Discussion and Action Group, which will meet at 3 p.m. Dec. 12. Stop in and join the group in discussing books, articles and videos about various topics on gardening, environmental issues, community building, and other green initiatives going on in the Noble neighborhood. Topics to be discussed are to be determined.
Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: All are welcome to join Park Synagogue for its Zoom program “Options for Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 15.
The virtual program will feature Professor Meron Medzini, retired Hebrew University professor and former communications director for many of Israeli’s prime ministers, who will be speaking from Jerusalem. Medzini will address several aspects of the conflict, including its historic, national, religious, psychological, and economic ramifications.
The discussion will also touch on many key issues that must be addressed in any proposed solution, such as borders, Jerusalem, Arab refugees, settlements, security arrangements, water issues, and more.
Pre-registration is required by Dec. 14 in order to receive the Zoom link. You can register through the Park website at parksynagogue.org, or by contacting Ellen Petler at epetler@parksyn.org, or at 216-371-2244, ext. 122.
Collecting socks for those in need: The city of University Heights is collecting new pairs of socks to benefit those in need. You can drop off donated socks at city hall, 2300 Warrensville Center Road, and the University Heights Library, 13866 Cedar Road.
Socks, it turns out, are the most requested item at Northeast Ohio homeless shelters.
Application for vacant council seat: Cleveland Heights City Council is seeking applications from residents interested in applying for the council vacancy that will occur in January when Kahlil Seren becomes the city’s first elected mayor. Deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 17. To apply please visit ClevelandHeights.com/CouncilApplication.
Ceramics and glass exhibit: Now showing through Dec. 18 at Artists Archives of the Western Reserve is “Kindred Objects: Ceramics & Glass from the Western Reserve,” a regional group exhibition curated by Kent State University faculty members Davin K. Ebanks and Peter Christian Johnson. The show features more than 20 talented Ohio creators.
“I urge you to come and view the show, which has some really wonderful glass and ceramic sculpture,” said AAWR Board President Stuart Pearl.
AAWR is located at 1834 E. 123rd St. in Cleveland.
If you like to see an item appear in Press Run, send me an email, at least 14 days prior to an event, at jeff.piorkowski@att.net.
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Read the story at cleveland.com: Ensemble Theatre to hold free Zoom reading; Shaker girl’s team wins dance competition; more: Press Run - cleveland.com