Available Light Theatre has wowed me once again.

This time, they’ve done it with Killadelphia: mixtape of a city . I attended a preview of the production on Saturday, which will open to audiences this week.

I now find myself still thinking about the show, which I’ll undoubtedly do for some time. In the days ahead, I’ll contemplate the stories it tells and the realizations it stirs in its audience.

It’s just that kind of performance.

Killadelphia examines crime and murder in Philadelphia, and does so in a unique way - by bringing to the stage the voices of inmates who are serving life sentences in Graterford Prison. Their accounts and thoughts are interwoven with those of the city’s residents, political talk show hosts, prison employees and others.

Amazingly, all these characters are brought to life by a single individual on stage. A single individual with a great deal of talent. Sean Christopher Lewis, Killadelphia playwright and actor, shifts from role to role remarkably.

Lewis also plays himself, in a role that guides the audience through his real-life experience of creating the play. As he reenacts his interviews with inmates and shares his own reflections, he forces you to take an unvarnished look at what is happening in America’s cities.

You might find yourself confronting what you really believe, or don’t believe, about the human condition.

Sean Christopher Lewis, together with director Matt Slaybaugh, deftly tell gripping stories that also manage to explore complex societal issues. In true Available Light fashion, Killadelphia masterfully entertains and artfully educates.

What will you think? What will you feel? What will you learn?

Find out. The show opens Thursday and runs through Sunday. For a full list of showtimes and other details, click here .

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - one of the things I love about Columbus is the undercurrent of creativity that exists here.

But, maybe I shouldn’t even call it an "undercurrent" anymore . . . it’s more obvious than that. It’s a definitive energy. An unmistakable spirit.

If you want proof, there’s somewhere you should be this Saturday, Sept. 19: on Gay Street for Independents’ Day . A gathering of active people and creative people, in celebration of all things independent and all things Columbus.

You’ll find…

• The Urban Street Market, made up of the booths of over 150 Columbus artists and businesses.

• Live music and performances on multiple stages, plus live painting (see bands and schedule listed here ).

• Via Colori artists creating large scale chalk masterpieces.

• Food from Dine Originals Columbus , a collective of well-loved, locally owned and operated restaurants.

• Films, a dance party, more, more, more . . .

Find out all that’s in store here .

Local blogger Leigh Householder, writer of Advergirl , described the event this way:

"In the words of the founders, this is a day-long explosion of creative spirit. I believe it’s destined to be as big as SxSW and twice as cool."

Click to read more about it from Leigh (plus, she shares additional Columbus event recommendations; ones that are right on target, if you ask me).

See you Saturday?

Stopping in with a quick post, particularly for our RSS subscribers who may not click over to the blog very often. We’d like to invite you to take a look at our recently added Meet the Bloggers page .

We’ve been sharing Columbus with you for a while now; we thought we’d take a minute to share a few things about us.

And, if you have feedback or suggestions about The Columbus Experience, we are always open to them. Please send us a note or leave your comments below.

Many thanks for reading this blog and sharing our favorite city.

If you like to eat at local restaurants (the kind you’ll only find here in Columbus), have they got a deal for you.

Next week, from September 7-13, Dine Originals Columbus presents Restaurant Week .  Many of the city’s best locally owned and operated restaurants will offer discounted fixed-price menus - some at $20.09, others at $30.09.

In other words, you’re in for some rather fabulous food at a really great price.

Plus, a portion of Restaurant Week proceeds will be contributed to LifeCare Alliance in support of their Meals on Wheels program.

Forty restaurants are participating, including Alana’s, The Refectory, Barcelona, Basi Italia, Cafe Corner, G. Michael’s, Katzingers, Due Amici, Surly Girl, Figlio, The Elevator . . . the list goes on and you can check it out (along with Restaurant Week menus) here .

Please note that reservations are strongly recommended. Bon appetit!

Got an opinion on the best place to eat in Columbus? We’d love to hear it.

We’re working with Ohio Magazine on a story they’re planning about places to dine. Sure, we could just give them our favorites, but we’re more interested in yours. So, we have a question for those of you who live here:

What’s your favorite place to take visiting friends and family out to eat in Columbus? Why?

There are two ways to share your thoughts:

1. Comment on this blog post.

2. Tweet your recommendation to @ExpCols , and be sure to include #OHMag in your tweet.

We’ll see what suggestions rise to the top in popularity, and an Ohio Magazine writer will head to at least one of the restaurants suggested. Your quoted suggestion might appear in the article, too.

Look for the article in the October issue of Ohio Magazine. In the meantime, you’ll find any additional updates here or on the @ExpCols Twitter profile.

The post below was written by Leigh Householder, a local blogger who writes at Advergirl.com , IndieColumbus.com and DowntownSnob.com .

Available Light Theatre - Leigh’s very favorite arts group in Columbus - is opening a new play this weekend. Leigh’s here to share the details and, of course, convince you to go.

I exist among the 75% of Available Light attendees Leigh mentions here. My first show hooked me, and I won’t be missing this one. How about you?

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So, GI Joe, the Tooth Fairy and Eleni Papaleonardos walk into a theater…
by Leigh Householder

I want to invite you to see some local theater.

I know what you’re thinking - sounds like school. You think you’ll squirm, not get the references and generally be busier doodling on the program than being entertained.

But this isn’t just any play. This play has G.I. Joe, an erratic tooth fairy and a barrel full of family drama. Better yet, it’s produced by Available Light Theatre - a wicked talented group of artists dedicated to building a more conscious and compassionate world through joyful and profound theater.

Yeah, joyful and profound. Those are the things that make their productions so addictive. You laugh (or cry) and have a great time watching the show, but then find yourself thinking about - and talking about it - for days afterward. IF it’s like school, it’s like that one class that totally inspired you to want to change the world.

Ok, about the play. Here’s the rundown:

In this story, a family is both torn apart and drawn together by the accidental death of a child. They are aided in their search for connection and solace by flights of fantasy involving a singing Tooth Fairy and a life-size G.I. Joe. In the space between what is said and what is unspeakable they find a heartrending collage of truth and cliché.

As the New York Times declared, “words gush forth in torrents, spewing up like geysers on a ghostly plain” in this “arrestingly odd … ode to love, loss and the routines of life.”

Even in the most emotional moments, Director Eleni Papaleonardos manages to bring hilarity, tension and even sensuality to the stage. It is something of wild ride.

So come. And bring friends. Over 75% of first-time attendees at Available Light’s two most recent shows reported that they “loved it” (much to the satisfaction of the AVLT veterans who had told them over and over again that they would). If you’re bringing a group of eight or more, call ahead and they’ll save a whole row for you.

Tickets are pay what you want. Really. There’s no expectation. The average people give is $10 - $20. But your fiver or your C-note will be equally well received.  (Tickets at this particular show are cash only)

Details:

Show times:
Thursday, June 11 @ 8pm
Friday, June 12 @ 12pm (with boxed lunch from Tip-Top)
Friday, June 12 @ 8pm
Saturday, June 13 @ 8pm
Sunday, June 14 @ 2pm
Friday, June 19 @ 8pm
Saturday, June 20 @ 8pm

Location:
Columbus Dance Theatre
592 East Main Street

Website:
http://avltheatre.com/index.php/godsear/index/

The Columbus Arts Festival , a well-loved Columbus favorite, takes place in the Discovery District this weekend (check their site here for all the details).

As part of the weekend, the Columbus Museum of Art is celebrating with a special offer and activities for festival goers including free admission, kid-friendly fun and your last chance to see To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum .

Nannette Macijunes, CMA Executive Director, shares the details below.

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As part of the Discovery District , the Columbus Museum of Art is delighted that the Columbus Arts Festival will once again be in our own backyard. To celebrate, CMA, and our special exhibition To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum, will be free to festival goers. The exhibition closes June 7, so if you haven’t had the chance to visit, Arts Festival is the perfect time to explore ancient Egyptian artworks, play the ancient game of the pharaohs and dress in ancient Egyptian costumes. Our parking lot will be transformed into a children’s area with hands-on art making activities and visitors can also take advantage of daily tours, Art Challenges and Museum Quest activities throughout our galleries.

There will also be a Salon Schools make-up station where you can transform yourself into a King Tut or a Cleopatra, and a Generation Gap magical Act featuring Jim Rogers and his thirteen-year-old grandson Ian Davis performing family-friendly illusions. Finally, and I have to say I think this is truly a first for the Museum, there will be a giant inflatable slide located in our parking lot along with an inflatable bounce house. I am fairly certain we’ve managed to cover our bases and can honestly say that we will, indeed, have something here for every visitor.

Arts Festival is one of those fabulous Columbus traditions that helps make central Ohio the richly layered community it is and firmly establishes us a cultural destination. Last year, nearly 7,000 people visited the Museum over the course of the festival, we hope to welcome even more of you this year.

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Nannette Maciejunes, CMA Executive Director

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Photo: Mummy Cartonnage of a Woman, Roman Period, 1st century C.E. Linen, gilded gesso, glass and faience 22 11/16 x 14 5/8 x 7 1/2 in. (57.6 x 37.2 x 19 cm) possible place collected: Hawara, Egypt, Africa, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund.

Hole #9
Photo: the Memorial Tournament

Every year, my in-laws visit from South Carolina to attend the Memorial Tournament . It’s a special week in Central Ohio – I always look forward to it, and I always have fun. This year, it’s June 1-7.

PGA superstars descend upon Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, a northwest suburb of Columbus. The course and the tournament were created by Columbus native and golf legend Jack Nicklaus. As the Memorial Tournament site explains, Jack set out to design a golf course that would challenge the world’s best players in a spectacular setting, and he created the Memorial Tournament to remember and honor great golfers of the past. The tournament also gives back to the community through charitable donations to organizations throughout Columbus and Ohio.

My husband and my father-in-law, golf fanatics, run around the course chasing the likes of Kenny Perry, Fred Couples and Tiger Woods, to name just a few (you can check the most current list of who’s confirmed for 2009 by watching the news that appears here ).

In the meantime, my mother-in-law and I take in the previously mentioned spectacular setting. Muirfield Village Golf Club is an idyllic backdrop for the tournament – the landscaping and houses that line the course are beautiful, and everything is remarkably pristine.

Want to experience it for yourself? PGA tickets for the tournament are available here . You can also connect with the Memorial Tournament on Facebook and Twitter .

The post below was written by Emily Swartzlander of the Greater Columbus Arts Council . A celebrity author will visit Columbus during the Asian Festival this weekend, so Emily’s here to share the details along with her recommendations for an Asian-themed weekend in Columbus.

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An Asian-themed weekend in Columbus, including FREE events with bestselling author Amy Tan
by Emily Swartzlander, Greater Columbus Arts Council

Experience Asian culture in Columbus this weekend as the Greater Columbus Arts Council , The Ohio State University and the Asian Festival culminate a month-long celebration of The Joy Luck Club with two free events featuring bestselling author, Amy Tan.

Her visit to Columbus is part of The Big Read , a month-long initiative to encourage reading among adults with events and discussions surrounding The Joy Luck Club.

Amy Tan will be the featured speaker for OSU’s President and Provost’s 2008-09 Diversity Lecture & Cultural Arts Series on Fri., May 22 at 7 p.m. at Mershon Auditorium , where she’ll read from The Joy Luck Club, discuss her work and take questions from the audience. You can pick up your free tickets at the Mershon box office in advance or the day of the event. Then, on Sat. May 23, Tan will greet fans and sign books at the Asian Festival at noon in Franklin Park.

And while you’re at it, why not have an Asian-themed weekend in the city? Here are my suggestions on how to make it a weekend:

Friday
Head to Mershon Auditorium for the free Amy Tan reading, then have a late dinner and drinks at Nida’s Thai on High in the Short North. Pad Thai and a dirty ginger martini? Nothing beats that!

For out of town guests, stay overnight at The Lofts hotel and try their Zoo A-Go-Go package. You’ll get overnight accommodations and up to four free passes to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium – the #1 Zoo in America – where you can meet their new baby Asian elephant.

Saturday
Head to brunch at Zencha Tea Salon , featuring specialty teas from throughout Asia, Africa and Europe. Plus, they have really yummy pancakes!

Then head over to the Asian Festival in Franklin Park for Amy Tan’s book signing. While you’re there, check out the Asian games section, where you can learn how to play Mahjong or Sepak-Tekraw. Or you can head to the Market Place for Asian artwork, gift items, spices, pottery and clothing for you or your friends.

Wrap up your day with that visit to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium , courtesy of your Lofts package, then head back downtown for dinner at the Indian Oven for a chic atmosphere and incredible Indian comfort food such as naan, tandoori and biryani. My favorite’s the Tandoori Chicken Makhni, which loosely translates to “butter chicken.” Delicious.

Photo by Randall Lee Schieber

Time Warner Cable is airing a new Local On Demand program, Play. Dine. Shop. , all about unearthing Columbus gems and showing them off. If you’re a local Time Warner subscriber, you’ll find the shows on channel 1111.

The post below was written by Amy Weirick of Weirick Communications , who shares a peek into the first episode that features her girls’ day out in the Short North Arts District.

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Girls’ day out in the Short North Arts District
by Amy Weirick, Weirick Communications

Partnering with Experience Columbus to help promote our city to visitors means I’m always on the prowl for unforgettable experiences that make Columbus special. I’ve gotten to know memorable restaurants tucked away in charming neighborhoods, funky shops jammed with goodies you won’t find anywhere else and places that put you at the center of the artistic process, letting you design something to take home.

Play. Dine. Shop. , a new show on Time Warner Cable’s Local on Demand, is all about these experiences. In the first episode, three of my most intrepid girlfriends join me to check out some cool spots in the Short North .

We kicked off the day with a fantastic breakfast of turkey and sweet potato hash, ricotta pancakes, fresh juices and amazing scones at Northstar Café . Then we had a blast shopping at Flower Child . Room after room is packed with fun retro furniture, clothes and accessories from the 1950s-80s. We tried on crazy 1970s sunglasses and hung out in what my friend swears was her mom’s living room in 1962.

Substance For Fashion Conscious People

After shopping, it was on to Betty’s Fine Food & Spirits for an awesome lunch where I enjoyed the warm mushroom and goat cheese salad. We hit some more great Short North shops, including Substance , where we designed and made our own t-shirts. That was unforgettable - and so much fun.

What better way to wrap up a day with friends than with Jeni’s ice cream ? We sampled dozens of flavors and settled on ordering our faves, including goat cheese with sour cherries. Amazing.

The show featuring our day in the Short North will be available to view on May 15, and new shows about special Columbus spots will be loaded on Time Warner channel 1111 every few weeks. Tune in and you might discover a new Columbus treasure!