Opening Day In Cincinnati

Main Event: Rites of Spring
Befitting of baseball's first professional franchise, OPENING DAY IN CINCINNATI is something of an unofficial holiday. Always has been. Well, at least since 1919, the first year of the Findlay Market Parade and the same year the Reds won their first World Series amid the infamous Black Sox scandal. More proof: Monday's opening game against the New York Mets sold out in a record 12 minutes. That's a lot of folks calling in sick. The 2005 parade kicks off 11 a.m. Monday at Findlay Market and heads down Race Street armed with 200 floats -- look for CityBeat's flatbed truck with a local band aboard -- plus 15 marching bands, 15 horse units and an estimated 5,000 parade participants. The procession arrives at Fountain Square for a rally headed by a couple of beloved former Reds lefties, Joe Nuxhall and Tom Browning, before culminating at Fifth and Broadway around 1 p.m. On the field -- where the game starts at 2:10 -- things are looking up. Reds' owner Carl Lindner opened his wallet to sign free agent left-hander Eric Milton to a $25.5 million contract, which followed a number of intriguing off-season moves: quasi-ace starter Paul Wilson re-signed; starting pitcher Ramon Ortiz was brought in from Anaheim; and third-baseman Joe Randa signed via free agency along with a trio of veteran relievers, Kent Mercker, David Weathers and Ben Weber. Whether these moves bring about a change of fortune in the competitive N.L. Central Division is hard to predict. But perception means a lot, and the moves seem to prove the beleaguered Lindner was affected by the chorus of boos he received at last year's Opening Day festivities. Parade: www.findlaymarket.org; Reds: www.cincinnatireds.com. (See Sports column on page 23 or Events.) -- JASON GARGANO

WEDNESDAY 30
When it comes to the melding of Funk and Jazz, few can compare with the legacy of MELVIN SPARKS. As that fusion finds a new, younger audience, Sparks finds himself a consistently hot ticket on the club circuit. Over 30 years, he's appeared on more than 100 albums (he was a session man at Blue Note and Prestige), including seven of his own. He's also worked with the likes of David "Fathead" Newman and Lou Donaldson and shared stages with Curtis Mayfield and James Brown. Groove is the secret to Sparks' success, leading many to call him the originator of Soul Jazz and a pioneer of Acid Jazz, influencing the new breed of Jazz/Funk groups like Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Galactic and Robert Walter's 20th Congress. Sparks' concert at Stanley's Pub Wednesday is filled out by local Groove Jazz innovators and mixologists Iswhat?! (who throw Hip Hop into the stew as well) and The Naked Redheads, an improv-happy Jazz/Funk crew (they call it "Stank Foot Jazz") featuring local music veterans Chris Walker, John Gentry, Hazen Frick and Jerome Kincaid. (Note: Do not Google "Naked Redheads" at work unless you clerk at the Hustler store.) 513-871-6249. (See Music.) -- MIKE BREEN

THURSDAY 31
Ten days, nine films, four theaters: The Queen City gets the film festival treatment as the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati and the Rockwern Charitable Foundation present the 2005 CINCINNATI ISRAELI FILM FESTIVAL. This showcase includes both features and shorts dealing with some aspect of Israeli life; expect not only political and religious films but works celebrating culture and fine art. The fest kicks off 7 p.m. Thursday at the Esquire Theatre with an opening reception and screening of Shemi Zarhin's award winning Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi, a feature-length film about a young, nearly invisible boy who acts as familial glue. Screenings continue through April 18 at the Esquire and Mariemont theaters, UC's Tangeman Center and Miami University. www.jewishcincinnati.org. (See Events.) -- JESSICA TURNER

Melvin Sparks

FRIDAY 01
Everyone has his eyes on someone else in the powerful redemption drama THE WOODSMAN. Walter (Kevin Bacon), a convicted child molester trying to re-start his life after being released from prison, is always being watched -- by the secretary at the lumberyard where he works (Eve); by Philadelphia Police Det. Lucas (Mos Def), who remains unconvinced of his rehabilitation; even by his brother-in-law (Benjamin Bratt), who's sympathetic until conversations focus on his 12-year-old daughter. Walter also watches others, especially a predator prowling about a neighborhood playground. The Woodsman is an emotional boundary pusher, as gritty and emotional as film gets, and the acclaim belongs to Bacon and to director Nicole Kassell, who makes her feature filmmaking debut. (See Film.) -- STEVE RAMOS

FRIDAY 01
It's no joke. Drop what you're doing and go to Mammoth Coffee in Newport 6-9 p.m. Friday for ARTIST SUPPORTING HAPPEN, INC. You'll be able purchase original art by Page Williams, Chris Sickels, CityBeat contributing writer tt clinkscales and 23 other top local artists. It's a chance to expand your personal collection with work by your favorite artist in advance of the silent auction and donor reception on April 27. The proceeds will go directly to Happen, Inc., to further its mission of promoting family bonding through shared experiences in art. Run to Mammoth Coffee and get your hands on awesome art, hear great music and have more fun than you can shake a stick at. You'd be a fool to miss this one. 513-751-3545. (See Art.) -- JACQUELYN VAUGHN

FRIDAY 01

The Woodsman

SATURDAY 02
Longing to escape the endless winter? This weekend consider a trip to Never Never Land, courtesy of Cincinnati Ballet's PETER PAN. Because the story revolves around the enchanting world of youthful imagination, elements of escapism and fantasy abound: Start with an exotic tropical beach locale complete with crocodiles tangoing with a goofball Captain Hook. Maestro Carmen DeLeone's original score meanders through styles and influences from all over -- including a nearly-lost, unused Kings Island amusement park theme he once composed! As befits a magical tale, flying plays an integral role in the show. FOI Productions, which normally assists circus stars, provides the physical and technical expertise to create a seamless (and safe) transformation into transcendent beings. Speaking of flying, consider that a ticket to the ballet costs a fraction of airfare -- and you can bring the kids, too. 513-621-5282. (See Onstage.) -- JULIE MULLINS

FRIDAY 01

Peter Pan

SATURDAY 02

SUNDAY 03
Kristin Clippard is fascinated with language -- she's an actor, director, writer and educator. When she learned about Genie, a girl locked in her room until she was 13, it seemed like a natural story to dramatize. Clippard has been working on her one-woman show, WILD CHILD, and this weekend she's letting the public in for a look. "It's still a work in progress," she says. "It's haunting, a story worth telling again and again, a story about the possibility of learning." Clippard has been learning, too, by sharing her script with local theater performers and directors such as Amy Warner, Bill Hartnett, Tim Perrino and Mary Tensing, who generously offered her feedback. She's eager to learn what audiences think, too. Now it's your turn -- feedback sessions follow the Friday and Saturday evening performances at the Columbia Performance Center. 513-621-2787. (See Onstage.) -- RICK PENDER