Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini: boxer, film star, winemaker

Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini will be back in town this weekend for the first public screenings here of “The Good Son,” the documentary film about his life.

The former middleweight boxing champion, who grew up in Youngstown and now lives in Los Angeles, will attend all three screenings — noon, 3 and 6 p.m. Saturday at the Oakland Center for the Arts, 220 W. Boardman St., downtown. He will introduce the film and answer audience questions afterward.

Tickets are $10 and will be sold at the door. They also can be purchased in advance by calling Maria Meadors at 330-559-8891.

Mancini will be at Mooney High School, his alma mater, Friday morning to screen the film for English and drama students, but this appearance is not open to the public.

“The Good Son” is based on the book of the same name by Mark Kriegel. The film was directed by Jesse James Miller and features appearances by actors Mickey Rourke and Ed O’Neill, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and, of course, Mancini.

The film garnered a respectable 80 percent score from critics (86 percent from audiences) on movie website rottentomatoes.com.

The documentary was originally screened in Youngstown’s Ford Family Recital Hall to an invitation-only audience in September 2012. It was officially released in July of this year and is available on iTunes.

“The Good Son” depicts Mancini’s personal account of his family history, his father’s legacy and his rise to fame. It delves into the unsolved killing of his brother and the tragic Duk Koo Kim fight, after which the Korean boxer died of injuries. Members of Kim’s family, including the late boxer’s son, Jiwan Kim, appear in the film.

The documentary is being screened in theaters in major cities across the country this fall, with Mancini present at each location. Mancini plans to submit the film for consideration for major awards.

In addition to the film, Mancini might be gaining recognition in another venture.

The former champ is producing his own brand of wines, dubbed Southpaw. They are available now at rayboomboommancini.com and will be sold in stores soon.

“This wine represents a journey of passion — from selecting the grapes, creating the label, and choosing the name,” said Mancini. “The name Southpaw is derived from my ancestral last name of Mancino, which is Italian for left-handed. This creation has truly been a family effort. I am very proud to put my name on this bottle.”

An amusing art exhibition at magical Myrrdin Winery

“Hiccups,” an exhibition of art by Shannon Tesone of Lake Milton, opened Sunday at Myrrdin Winery and will run until at least Nov. 10.

The exhibition — a first for both Tesone and Myrrdin — includes roughly 40 pieces, each showcasing the whimsical, humorous and sometimes bizarre creatures created by Tesone.

Tesone’s art is inspired by animals, insects and nature. Some use exaggerated perspectives for a fun-house effect. Prints of all of the pieces — the originals are roughly 12 inches by 10 inches and done in chalk pastels — are available for purchase.

Tesone, a Pittsburgh native, is a graduate of Youngstown State University.

Myrddin Winery is tucked away in an enchanting wooded site overlooking Lake Milton. From Mahoning Avenue, take SE River Road southbound for a couple of miles. Turn right on to Scenic Avenue and follow the road to the end. The address is 3020 Scenic Ave.

Final concert of the season at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park

This weekend’s Gory At The Quarry, the annual Halloween party and costume camp-out, will close the concert season at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park.

The Friday-Sunday event features three tribute acts as headliners: Ball and Chain (Janis Joplin) on Friday; and the Next Doors (the Doors) and Dead Ahead (Grateful Dead) on Saturday.

Also on the bill are regional acts Sultans of Bing, Aliver Hall, BigEaR, Marnee, Mucklebuck and Well Worn Boot.

Halloween hoopla will include haunted campsites, pumpkin carving, the outrageous costume contest, a highly competitive chili cook-off and other shenanigans.

Admission is $50 for Friday through Sunday, or $40 for Saturday through Sunday. There is no extra charge for camping. Advance tickets are available at nlqp.com.

Hyper realistic sculpture exhibition at Butler museum

An exhibition of Marc Sijan’s hyper realistic — and very popular — sculptures is on display at the Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown, through Nov. 24.

It’s in the Flad Gallery, in the Beecher Center addition.

Sijan’s exhibits routinely set attendance records at the museum.

The Serbian-born artist uses ordinary people as subjects, which adds to their appeal. On first glance, you can’t tell his pieces from a real person.