The Update | Score from Musical ‘The Other Side’ Now Streaming; George Michael Tribute at Packard

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The cast recording of the music from “The Other Side” is now available for purchase.

The show, written and directed by Adam Dominick of Youngstown, premiered in June 2023 at Hopewell Theatre as a production of Millennial Theatre Company.

“This is an absolute dream come true for me,” Dominick said. “This show has been with me for eight years now, and I imagine it will be for many more to come. Our intention with the original production was to promote local, original art in the Valley. This recording means to further that message with a wider audience.”

The album can be streamed on all major platforms. It features original cast members Ben Bogen, Sydney Taylor, Jenny Layfield, Alexander Kluchar, David Leach, Frank Carsone, Madison Hall, Brooke Jonas, Z. Hunter, Sarah Robles and Dominick.

Clay Colley of Valley-based rock band The Black Wolf & The Thief accompanies the singers on piano. Harrison Poor, the show’s original percussionist, plays drums, and Dominick plays guitar.

The recording was managed by Dominick and mixed by Max Franko of Poland, Ohio, who also orchestrated the songs. Both Dominick and Franko are Youngstown State University graduates.

“The Other Side” tells the story of a fearless circus performer named Jason Day. Billed as The Bravest Boy in the World, Day performs terrifying stunts in the troupe.

Day is content with his life on the road until he reconnects with his childhood friend Ava. Daring adventures, untold secrets and intense action sequences ensue, with the moral of the story being: “Don’t be afraid to do the things that scare you.”

George Michael Tribute Coming to Packard

WARREN, Ohio – The Life and Music of George Michael will come to the Mahoning Valley on Sept. 27 for a performance at Packard Music Hall.

The concert-style show chronicles the life of George Michael while capturing his performance style.

Tickets range from $59.50 to $29.50 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, June 28, at ticketmaster.com.

The show will feature Michael’s many hits, including “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” “Freedom,” “Faith,” “Careless Whisper” and “Father Figure.”

Red Hot Chilli Pipers Coming to Robins Theatre

WARREN, Ohio – The Red Hot Chilli Pipers bagpipers are coming to the Robins Theatre at 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 7.

The Chilli Pipers are bagpipers who rock.

Tickets range from $20 to $37 (plus applicable fees) and are available at robinstheatre.com and the box office, 160 E. Market St.

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers (not the Red Hot Chili Peppers) are a nine-piece ensemble consisting of bagpipers, guitarists, keyboards and drummers. The band members hold four music degrees from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and all the pipers and drummers have played at the top level in bagpiping.

The act rose to fame after winning the top prize on the U.K. primetime TV talent show “When Will I Be Famous” in 2007. Formed in 2002, the Chillis fuse clever covers of popular songs from all genres with their bagpipe sound.

Survey: Waiters Oppose Ending Tipped Wage

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Ohio Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance has released survey results showing northeastern Ohio servers, bartenders and other tipped employees strongly oppose a proposed ballot measure that would eliminate Ohio’s existing tip credit system.

About 95% of respondents said they want to keep the current tipping system.

The northeastern Ohio results are part of a statewide online survey of nearly 1,000 Ohio tipped full-service restaurant employees, which was conducted in April by national research and consulting firm CorCom Inc.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 94% agree the current tipping system works well for them and does not need to be changed.

• 92% of tipped employees say they are earning $20 per hour or more, while 76% of tipped employees say they are earning $25 to more than $40 per hour.

• If tipped wages are eliminated, 92% believe tipped employees will earn less money.

• 87% of servers and bartenders believe customers are unlikely to continue tipping on top of higher menu prices or any mandatory service charge.

Under existing law, Ohio’s tip credit allows the operator to pay a portion of the tipped employee’s hourly minimum wage, with the rest of their income being made up by tips. By law, no worker in an Ohio restaurant ever makes less than the state minimum wage for every hour they work.

One Fair Wage, a Massachusetts-based group, is attempting to place a measure on the fall ballot in Ohio that would eliminate the tipped wage and quickly increase the state minimum wage.

Pictured at top: Cast members of “The Other Side” during recording of the original musical’s score. From left are Z. Hunter, Sarah Robles, Brooke Jonas, Jenny Layfield and David Leach.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.