David Lyman

Cincinnati

Dance and Theater Writer, Critic at Freelance

Articles

Dinghy Discourse for Caribbean Cruising: What To Look For

3 weeks ago | cruisingworld.com | David Lyman

A dinghy is indispensable. It’s like the family car. It’ll take you shopping, to the chandlery, and to the bars and restaurants. Dinghies are good for exploring shallow creeks, visiting other cruisers, and running out to set a second anchor in the middle of the night when the wind pipes up. A dinghy can even save the day if the engine fails and you need to tow your big boat out of danger. My first dinghy was a plywood pram, 6 feet long, powered by two oars.
Action in Antigua: Caribbean Racing Season Finale

3 weeks ago | cruisingworld.com | David Lyman

Richard Thomas and I were off Pigeon Beach in Falmouth Bay, Antigua, when we dropped the hook from his Reliance 44, Strider. I climbed into the dinghy with my sea bag and camera gear, and headed ashore to English Harbour, at the east end of the bay. We had arrived in time to join the final chapter in the 2024 Caribbean yacht racing season: the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week. Richard was looking for a crew position on one of the classics.
StudioKroner: All else pales

1 month ago | moversmakers.org | David Lyman

Environment, Features, Visual Art Artist and gallery owner Paul Kroner and I were more than 15 minutes into our conversation before we touched on anything remotely dealing with the aesthetics of art. Rather, we chatted about things like climate change. And environmental sustainability. And building community. And the current political climate. But art? Not so much. Not directly, at least.
Get ready for the return of artistic boldness on Cincinnati stages this season

1 month ago | cincinnati.com | David Lyman

This is the season we’ve all been waiting for. As one after another of the area's major performing groups announced their 2025-2026 seasons in the past two weeks, I have been struck by their robustness and renewed sense of purpose. I’m not saying they are perfect seasons, but since the pandemic, most performing arts groups have had to be cautious with their programming. Uncertainty was rampant. Would audiences come back to live performances? Or had they been wooed by streaming options?
This Ursuline grad writes the script for Hollywood's biggest stars

1 month ago | yahoo.com | David Lyman

I can’t think of any other way to say it – playwright Theresa Rebeck is a star. Recently, she’s been here in Cincinnati directing her play, “I Need That,” at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. It’s likely that local theater aficionados are familiar with her. She was raised in Kenwood and graduated from Ursuline Academy in 1976. She went to college at Notre Dame, a member of one of the earliest classes to include women. There’s more to that resume.
This Ursuline grad writes the script for Hollywood's biggest stars

1 month ago | cincinnati.com | David Lyman

David Lyman | Special to Cincinnati EnquirerI can’t think of any other way to say it – playwright Theresa Rebeck is a star. Recently, she’s been here in Cincinnati directing her play, “I Need That,” at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. It’s likely that local theater aficionados are familiar with her. She was raised in Kenwood and graduated from Ursuline Academy in 1976. She went to college at Notre Dame, a member of one of the earliest classes to include women. There’s more to that resume.
OTR Film Festival and director tt stern-enzi challenge norms

1 month ago | moversmakers.org | David Lyman

It was a bewildering decision. It was 2018 and Cincinnati’s ReelAbilities Film Festival announced it was changing its name. Henceforth, it would be known as the Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival. What was the deal? Did it mean they were abandoning their central mission of showcasing films by and about people with disabilities? Were they just hoping to capitalize on the name of Cincinnati’s hippest neighborhood? Or maybe it was something else altogether.
From being 'that weird kid in college' to conducting the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

2 months ago | cincinnati.com | David Lyman

Cristian Macelaru is back. But just for the weekend. For many Cincinnatians, his is not a familiar name. Not yet, at least. That is about to change. In April, Macelaru (mah-che-LAH-roo) was introduced as the 14th music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, stepping into the position held for 11 years by Louis Langree. At the moment, Macelaru is the “music director designate.” He doesn’t move into the position full-time until the beginning of the orchestra’s 2025-2026 season.
Dinghy Defense 101

2 months ago | cruisingworld.com | David Lyman

Dinghies vanish in the night, leaving sailors stranded and furious. Whether it’s ransom demands or an engine gone missing, dinghy theft has become a costly headache in the Islands. But what if there were a way to outsmart the thieves? After some research and a quick test run, I found a simple, effective solution—and it works. The obvious way to protect a dinghy from being stolen is to haul it out of the water on a halyard.
Laundry Day in the Caribbean: Our Quest for Clean Clothes

2 months ago | cruisingworld.com | David Lyman

Searcher, our Bowman 57 ketch, was anchored off the Hermitage Resort in Five Island Bay, Antigua—a perfect day for a swim, some boat work, and a nap. But my wife had other plans. Her authoritative voice announced, “It’s laundry day.”“Didn’t we just have one of those a few days ago?” I asked. My wife, however, paid no heed. “You’ll wear out the clothes faster from washing them than from wearing them,” I tried, hoping to avoid what had become an all-morning exercise.