It's the way he sees how arts and cultural tourism can help support and revitalize his beloved neighborhoods that makes his new posting “a hoot.”

        Regarding his arts committee gig, Job One, says Mr. T., “is to articulate what we already have in our midst and what the city spends on the arts.”

        That amount is considerable, but its flow is dammed pretty high up the river. Cincinnati owns Music Hall and the Art Museum, so big bucks are dropped there, and a recent big chunk of change — $4 million — went to the new Center for Contemporary Arts. The Taft Museum of Art also is hoping the current economy won't prevent the city from coming through with $1 million in support of its rennovation now under way.

        Mr. Tarbell also counts the Recreation Commission and the Park Board as arts components. Which is why, despite a lot of money being spent, only a pittance trickles out of the hands of the big players.

        Job Two may just be holding on to that pittance, half of which is distributed by formula to a few groups chosen almost 15 years ago (and never revisited despite changes in the local arts scene in the '90s) and half through arts allocations to smaller groups and individual artists.

        “I'm going to fight to the death to keep the current arts allocations budget,” promises Mr. Tarbell, who realistically observes, “it's going to be everything I can do to keep it intact.” Arts supporters may want to be prepared to help him.

        It's no surprise, given the political and economic climate, that Mr. Tarbell will be putting a tight rein on his arts dreams for the near term.

        By January, he plans for his office to have rounded up information on arts and economic development, of which there is plenty, thanks to the work of the regional cultural plan, then getting the word out.

        “It's a big job and has to come first,” Mr. T. says, “to help frame things for where we need to go” once he's ready to start dreaming again. And the man who dreamed up and fought for Broadway Commons can dream big.

        Between now and spring, he says, he'll be “meeting with a lot of people, comparing notes, sharing ideas and goals.” He's not just interested in talk. He wants action. He wants to see events — “not city-sponsored, but city-assisted.”

        He sees part of his part-time arts role as “providing yet-to-be-defined opportunities” that will come out of all the talking and “helping provide tools” where the city can't provide funds.

        “It can't be about cash, but it can be about opening doors and making connections so people can combine resources. We need to show the folks with resources (read: the corporate community) that arts have a role to play in benefiting our community.”

        As the point-man when it comes to advising council on arts spending, his advice to arts advocates is practical:

        Have goals that are simple and achievable. Even though “more city funding is not an option,” he urges: “Stay the course.” (He does furrow his brow and acknowledge that “perhaps there should be a reorienting of funds” at some point in the future — a hopeful sign.)

        “There are so many people in the community who need to be involved, who need to be in the same room at the same time,” he says.

        So true. Arts activists can start the talk that leads to action Dec. 10 at a town meeting on the arts. Location will be the Aronoff's Fifth Third Bank Theater (entrance at Seventh and Main). The meeting convenes at 7 p.m., giving time to snack first at neighborhood restaurants.

        For more information about the town meeting, call Cathy Springfield at 745-3205.

        "Ace' in the hole: The World According to Fishman hasn't even started rehearsals at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va., and Clear Channel Entertainment, one of the musical's primary backers, has commissioned a new work by Cincinnati native Richard Oberacker and Michael Lazar, his fellow College-Conservatory of Music grad.

        Ace is about an 11-year-old boy in 1954, Mr. Oberacker says, who “escapes his troubled world of foster homes, anger and loneliness through his dreams,” where he's visited by his father and grandfather he never knew, both flying aces (WWII and WWI, respectively). “They teach him his family history, the reality of heroism, forgiveness, destiny and, ultimately, how to love.”

        Clear Channel, which owns many national touring series, including Broadway in Cincinnati, has a big investment in Fishman, about a young Jewish songwriter who gets involved in Civil Rights in the '60s. The show premieres at Signature in January.

        “One of the reasons that Clear Channel became interested in (Ace) was that Michael and I wanted to create a show that appealed to young boys the way Annie appealed to so many young girls nearly 25 years ago.

        “We want a show that has adventure and fantasy and danger and daring but at its heart is about love and the power of family.” All to the musical styles of the 'teens, '40s and '50s. After another Oberacker-Lazar collaboration, Dracula, premieres at CCM in February, Mr. Oberacker starts a new job. On Feb. 26 he begins rehearsals as associate conductor of the new national tour of The Lion King (which comes to Cincinnati in March 2003).

        “I've seen it five times, I love it,” he says.

        In the Know: Know Theatre Tribe presents its second annual Know Affair: Jingle Mingle from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Mr. Pitiful's (1323 Main St., Over-the-Rhine).

        Entertainment will be by magician Tommy Nugent, whose world premiere Burning Man is scheduled for Know production March 15-23. Know artistic director Jay Kalagayan promises free food and door prizes. Admission is free with a Know subscription ($45) or $10 at the door.

        In other Know news, the company holds auditions from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Gabriel's Corner (1425 Sycamore, at Liberty.)

        Know is particularly interested in African-American actors ages 20-40 and Asian-American and Hispanic performers ages 20-30. For a description of available roles, visit Know's Web site at www.knowtheatre.com.

        The theater is also seeking set designers, publicists, stage managers, house managers, costumers, lighting and sound designers, graphic designers, grant writers, ushers, editors, directors and a foreman (whatever that is). For more information contact Mr. Kalagayan at 871-1429.

        For reservations and information, call (859) 261-8500.

        Contact Jackie Demaline by phone: 768-8530; fax: 768-8330; e-mail: jdemaline@enquirer.com.
       

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