Theatre Archives - Page 59 of 66

BARBARA RUSSELL – Actor, Educator

Known for her extensive career on the Pittsburgh stage and her roles on the iconic PBS show MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD, Barbara Russell sits down for a cocktail on this week’s ‘Burgh Vivant. From playing a zombie for George Romero to playing an elephant for Fred Rogers, Barbara covers it all – including tales from the road on working with Don Brockett and sharing scenes with Lady Elaine Fairchilde. Listen to “The Full Martini” – the complete interview in audio podcast for more, and don’t miss a rare opportunity to see Barbara on stage with Bingo O’Malley April 6th at the Carnegie Music Hall in Carnegie for WHAT’LL WE DO ABOUT SUE? produced by the Pittsburgh New Works Festival: www.pittsburghnewworks.org Continue reading “BARBARA RUSSELL – Actor, Educator”

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BARBARA RUSSELL - Actor, Educator

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March 24, 2014

DIXIE’S TUPPERWARE is back by popular demand at CLO Cabaret

Pittsburgh, PA • March 24, 2014 –Pittsburgh CLO is pleased to announce the return of the off-Broadway sensation, Dixie’s Tupperware Party, to the CLO Cabaret September 4 – October 12, 2014. Tickets go on sale Thursday, March 27 and start at $34.75. Purchase tickets online at pittsburghCLO.org, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square.

About the Show

Not Your Grandmother’s Tupperware Party!
Dixie Longate, the fast-talking Tupperware Lady, packed up her catalogues, left her children in an Alabama trailer park and took Pittsburgh by storm in 2012! Now, join Dixie as she returns to Pittsburgh to throw a good ol’ fashioned Tupperware Party filled with outrageously funny tales, heartfelt accounts, FREE giveaways, audience participation and the most fabulous assortment of Tupperware ever sold on a theater stage. Loaded with the most up-to-date products available for purchase, see for yourself how Ms. Longate became the #1 Tupperware seller in the U.S. & Canada as she educates her guests on the many alternative uses she has discovered for her plastic products! Recommended for adult audiences.

Group Sales & Special Events

Pittsburgh CLO has designed special group discounts and corporate ticket programs to accommodate any size group. Interested parties should call Group Sales at 412-325-1582 or email Groups@pittsburghCLO.org to learn more about these fantastic opportunities.

Dixie’s Tupperware Party Performance Schedule

Wednesdays    7:30pm
Thursdays        1:00pm* & 7:30pm * Thursday matinees – 9/25, 10/9
Fridays            7:30pm
Saturdays        2:00pm & 7:30pm
Sundays          2:00pm

Tickets

Tickets start at $34.75 and are available online at CLO Cabaret.com, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square. Groups of 10 or more can call the Group Sales Hotline at 412-325-1582 to learn more about special discounts, priority seating and corporate discounts. Visit CLOCabaret.com for more information.

2014 CLO Cabaret Series

Dixie’s Tupperware Party joins the world premiere of Judge Jackie Justice, Now – April 27 and Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash, May 22 – August 17 to complete the 2014 Cabaret Series. Three-Show Cabaret Series Subscriptions are on sale now and can be purchased for $100 by calling 412-281-2822.

Media members may also access photos and other show materials by visiting the Press Room at pittsburghCLO.org. When prompted, simply enter “pressroom” as the username and “pittstadium” as the password.

Review: TRIBES – City Theatre

“A thought provoking play” by Nina Raine, directed by Stuart Carden – Mike Buzzelli and Lonnie The Theatre Lady review TRIBES at City Theatre. Which actor made the set “shine,” and just whose story is it anyway? Listen to “The Full Martini” – the complete interview in audio podcast to hear more on TRIBES playing through March 30th at City Theatre. Continue reading “Review: TRIBES – City Theatre”

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Review: TRIBES - City Theatre

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March 21, 2014

The REP presents Hollywood satire, ‘By the Way, Meet Vera Stark’

Directed by Tomé Cousin, show previews March 20, runs March 21- April 6 at Pittsburgh Playhouse. Photo by Jeff Swensen.

PITTSBURGH – The REP, Point Park University’s professional theatre company, continues its compelling 2013-2014 season with Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage’s Hollywood satire, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.

Directed by Tome’ Cousin, the show previews Thursday, March 20, and runs Friday, March 21 – Sunday, April 6, in the Studio Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave. Performances are 8 p.m., Thursday – Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets range from $24 to $27; preview tickets are $15. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office at 412.392.8000, or online at www.pittsburghplayhouse.com. Patrons can take advantage of the “Pay what you will” performance at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 22, subject to availability. New in 2013-2014, The REP’s Talkback series, where the audience is invited to stay after the performance and discuss the show, has been moved to the matinee performance on the second Saturday of every show. For By The Way, Meet Vera Stark, the Talkback session will be held after the 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, March 29.

Vera Stark is a budding actress in an era where the only roles for African-American women are maids. When she is cast in the same Southern epic as her employer, an aging star grasping at her dwindling career, sparks fly. By the Way, Meet Vera Stark is a hilarious satire of race in the glamorous days of Old Hollywood.

The REP’s production of By the Way, Meet Vera Stark features Maria Becoates-Bey as Vera Stark, Kelly Trumbull as Gloria Mitchell, Bria Walker as Lottie/Carmen, Corinne Scott as Anna Mae/Afua Assata Ejobo, Tru Verret-Fleming as Leroy Barksdale/Herb Forrester, Jeff Howell as Fredrick Slasvick/Brad Donovan, and Andy Kirtland as Maxmillian Von Oster/Peter Rhys-Davies. Scenic design by Britton Mauk, lighting by Andrew David Ostrowski, sound design by Steve Shapiro, and costumes by Don DiFonso. Caitlin Roper is the stage manager.

Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined premiered at Manhattan Theatre Club and Goodman Theatre (OBIE, Lucille Lortel, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Audelco, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Play). She won the 2010 Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, Dramatists Guild Hull-Warriner Award, Horton Foote Prize for Outstanding New American Play (Ruined), and Helen Hayes Award (Ruined). Her other honors include the 2007 MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, National Black Theatre Festival’s August Wilson Playwriting Award, 2005 Guggenheim Grant for Playwriting, and the 2004 PEN/Laura Pels Award for Drama.

Point Park University graduate Tome’ Cousin is an internationally recognized director, choreographer, educator, performer and creator of musical theater works, ballets, films, new opera, song cycles and art installations, as well as a published author. Cousin has appeared on Broadway in Contact, A Free Man of Color, and Dreamgirls, national tours of Dreamgirls, My One and Only, and A Chorus Line, and internationally in Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity (Switzerland), The Who’s Tommy, La Cage aux Folles, Starlight Express, and Tabaluga und Lilli (Germany). He serves as the directing supervisor for original director/choreographer Susan Stroman’s Tony Award-winning musical Contact, having staged 12 companies worldwide including premieres in Hungary, Korea and Poland. In 2007-2008, he directed the revival of the Susan Stroman, David Thompson, Harry Connick Jr. musical, Thou Shalt Not, at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Last season, he co-directed/co-authored the workshop revival of June Havoc’s Marathon 33 (M33), at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Cousin teaches at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama and has been commissioned by the estate of the famed Harlem Renaissance photographer James VanDerZee to create and direct an original new multimedia opera based on his life and works.

March 17, 2014

City Theatre presents 2012 Smith Prize Winner GROUNDED

“Gripping” —The New York Times

“A searing piece of writing”—The Guardian

“Compelling and provocative” —San Francisco Chronicle

Directed by Jenn Thompson

March 29 – May 4, 2014

PITTSBURGH, PA (March 17, 2014)—City Theatre continues its 2013-2014 season with Grounded, a high-intensity drama by George Brant. Directed by Jenn Thompson, Grounded runs from March 29 to May 4, 2014 in City Theatre’s Hamburg Studio, with an Opening Night performance on Friday, April 4 at 8pm.

This powerful one-woman show follows a gutsy fighter pilot whose unexpected pregnancy puts her career on hold. When she gets back in the game, flying has a whole new meaning: operating remote-controlled drones in Afghanistan from an air-conditioned trailer near Las Vegas. Hunting terrorists by day and being a wife and mother by night, the pilot’s struggle to navigate her dual identities is her toughest mission yet.

“Grounded is a riveting drama filled with powerful storytelling about the dualities of war and family,” says Tracy Brigden, City Theatre’s Artistic Director. “Both relevant and original, George Brant’s award-winning script tackles issues of surveillance, drones, and the ambiguities of warfare in the twenty-first century. This vivid play demands a strong female actor who can own the show, and we’re thrilled to welcome Kelly McAndrew back to perform. Last seen at City in Precious Little, Kelly embraces commanding roles with intensity and authenticity.”

Kelly McAndrew returns to City Theatre, having last been seen in 2011’s Precious Little. Most recently she has been seen Off-Broadway in Almost, Maine (Transport Group) and Good Television (Atlantic Theatre Company). On Broadway, she played Maggie the Cat in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Additional Off-Broadway credits include: Still Life (MCC), The Cataract (The Women’s Project), and Book of Days (Signature Theatre). Other New York theatre credits include: My California (Here Arts), Greedy (Clubbed Thumb), Topsy Turvey Mouse (Cherry Lane Mentor Project), Trout Stanley (Culture Project), Lyric is Waiting (kef productions). Recent regional credits include: Other Desert Cities (The Guthrie), Good People (Pittsburgh Public), August: Osage County, Alive and Well, Dividing the Estate, and Sight Unseen (The Old Globe). Other regional theaters include: ART, Huntington, Cincinnati Playhouse, Denver Center, Shakespeare on the Sound, Arena Stage, Baltimore Centre Stage. TV: “Smash,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Gossip Girl.” Film: Appropriate Behavior (Sundance 2014), In the Family (2011 SPIRIT nomination), Everybody’s Fine (with Robert DeNiro), Superheroes, New Guy, Out of the Darkness. Training: UMKC. Member: TACT.

George Brant’s plays include Elephant’s Graveyard, The Mourners’ Bench, Any Other Name, Salvage, Grizzly Mama, Three Voyages of the Lobotomobile, and Dark Room. A Core Writer at the Playwright’s Center, his scripts have been produced internationally by Trinity Repertory Company, the Studio Theatre, the Gate Theatre of London, Cleveland Play House, Page 73, and the Traverse Theatre, among others. He has received a Kennedy Center National Playwriting Award, the Smith Prize, an Edinburgh Fringe First Award, a Creative Workforce Fellowship, an NNPN Rolling World Premiere, two OAC Individual Excellence Awards, and the Keene Prize for Literature. He has been awarded writing fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, the McCarter Theatre Center, Blue Mountain Center, the Djerassi Resident Artist’s Program, and the Michener Center for Writers. He is published by Samuel French, Oberon Books, and Smith & Kraus.

Grounded features Kelly McAndrew as the Pilot. The creative team includes Anne Mundell (Scenic), Sabrina Zain (Costume), Martin Vreeland (Lighting), Toby Algya (Sound), and Larry Shea (Projections).

CITY THEATRE PRESENTS

Grounded

By George Brant
Directed by Jenn Thompson

When: March 29 – May 4, 2014

Preview Schedule

Saturday, March 29 at 5:30pm

Sunday, March 30 at 7pm

Tuesday, April 1 at 7pm

Wednesday, April 2 at 7pm

Thursday, April 3 at 8pm

PRESS / OPENING NIGHT

Friday, April 4 at 8pm

Regular Run Schedule

Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7pm

Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm

Saturdays at 5:30 and 9pm

Sundays at 2pm

Weekday matinees will be performed on Wednesday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 16 at 1pm.

There will be no performances on Wednesday, April 30 and Thursday, May 1.

Where: City Theatre, 1300 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 (South Side)

Tickets: $35 to $55

Box Office: 412.431.CITY (2489) or citytheatrecompany.org

Audiences under 30 may reserve $15 tickets in advance for all performances except Fridays 8pm and Saturdays 5:30pm. On Fridays and Saturdays, rush tickets are available two hours prior to show time and based on availability.

Seniors age 62 and older may purchase $22 rush tickets at the Box Office beginning two hours before show time. Based on availability.

Groups of 10 or more are eligible for discounts. Call Kari Shaffer at 412.431.4400 x286.

As a participating Blue Star Theatre, City Theatre offers 25% off to U.S. military personnel, veterans, and their immediate families. Inquire for details.

City Theatre is now in its 39th season. Located on Pittsburgh’s historic South Side, City Theatre specializes in new plays, commissioning and producing work by playwrights including Daniel Beaty, Jessica Dickey, Christopher Durang, Michael Hollinger, Willy Holtzman, Tarell McCraney, and Theresa Rebeck. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Tracy Brigden, Managing Director Mark R. Power, and a 45-member Board of Directors, City Theatre’s mission is to provide an artistic home for the development and production of contemporary plays of substance and ideas that engage and challenge a diverse audience. CityTheatreCompany.org

SARI GRUBER – Soprano, Pittsburgh Opera

Pittsburgh Opera soprano Sari Gruber shatters the misconceptions of “opera divas” with the swig of a martini and plenty of laughs. Host Brian Edward talks with LA BOHEME’s leading lady about life upon the stage, musicals vs. operas, and more. Listen to “The Full Martini” – the complete interview in audio podcast for further cocktail hour stories including “bloopers with bloomers,” and the scandalous tale of how Brian and Sari first crossed paths on stage – over 15 years ago! After this high spirited interview, you won’t want to miss Sari and company in Pittsburgh Opera’s LA BOHEME, playing at The Benedum March 29th, April 1st, 4th, and 6th. Continue reading “SARI GRUBER – Soprano, Pittsburgh Opera”

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SARI GRUBER - Soprano, Pittsburgh Opera

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March 14, 2014March 14, 2014

“The Gods Must Be Crazy” – review of AN ILIAD at Pittsburgh Public Theater

by Michael Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant contributor

A one man show is a lot like eating an apple. If the first bite is mushy and tasteless, you’re stuck with it. It’s not going to get any better. The Pittsburgh Public Theater’s production of “An Iliad” is a crisp, clean bite. More than that, its ambrosia; it is the food of the gods.

The one man show rests on the shoulders of one performer, Teagle F. Bougere (always use the middle initial to distinguish him from all the other Teagle Bourgere’s out there). Luckily, Bougere has broad shoulders.

“An Iliad” was written by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, with a little help from Homer.

Teagle F. Bougere as The Poet in AN ILIAD. Photo: Pittsburgh Public Theater.

Homer is known by one name (like Cher). He may not have even been a real person, but the Iliad is attributed to the storyteller, real or fictitious. Peterson is a real, she is the former resident director to Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum. O’Hare is also a real, but he is best known for his fictitious identities such as the Vampire King of Mississippi, Russell Edgington, in television’s “True Blood,” and Dr. Sevard from the Oscar-nominated “Dallas Buyers Club.”

The playwriting duo worked from Robert Fagles translation of the Iliad, an epic poem of the horrors of war, written with lyrical beauty. Metaphors spill out like the blood of a freshly-stabbed Trojan soldier.

The show is directed by Jesse Berger, Artistic Director of NYC’s Red Bull Theater, and known to Pittsburgh audiences as the director of “Circle Mirror Transformation” and some other Public shows. Drachmas to donuts, “An Iliad” will be a defining moment in his career.

“An Iliad” is a story of war and remembrance. It’s a story of heroes and villains. Actually, it’s the story of the Olympian gods playing chess with living pieces. All the mortals suffer with trauma and grief, pain and death. The gods are most definitely crazy.

It begins on a near-barren stage. It looks like the Production Stage Manager, Fred Noel, and Assistant Stage Manager, Kelly Haywood, weren’t finished constructing the set. The Poet (Bougere) trod on a, dare I say, Spartan stage. After a while, the seemingly random location, a dilapidated warehouse, becomes an integral centerpiece.

Before he recants his tale, he invokes the Muses, and bids them to aid him in the telling of his story. After seeing the entirety of the play, it can be easily assumed that the Muses smiled upon him.

The Iliad is an epic poem, a story about the final days of the nine-year Trojan War. The protagonist does not take sides. He talks of heroes both Trojan and Greek; the virtuous Achilles and righteous Hector.

Our poet does not speak in dactylic hexameter, but the modern cadence of an American storyteller like Spalding Gray. This version of the Iliad is more Moth than myth. It’s both funny and tragic in a way all good stories are.

There is a long moment when the Poet recites the names of wars fought around the globe. It’s a somber diatribe about the human condition. It seems to go on for far too long, and then you realize, that’s exactly the point. Wars go on and on, from the sea of Troy to the French-Indian War, the Korean War, to Afghanistan and back again; a continual battle drum beating rhythmically as steady, constant and unknowable as the human heart.

The play is history and literature combined with masterful stagecraft. It is a stunning performance. Bougere is amazing, transforming into warriors, kings, gods and goddesses before your eyes. His Achilles is a commanding force of nature; his Priam is grief-stricken old man; his Hermes is fleet and fey. It is a song that should be sung in schools, educational and dramatic; a great work for the ages.

Go to “An Iliad” and let the Poet take you on a sensual odyssey.

“An Iliad” runs from April 6 at the O’Reilly Theater, 621 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA.

For more information, tickets and pricing contact the Pittsburgh Public Theater at www.ppt.org

Teagle F. Bougere as The Poet in AN ILIAD. Photo: Pittsburgh Public Theater.

March 12, 2014

Pittsburgh CLO announces RING OF FIRE cast

Pittsburgh CLO is proud to announce the cast for the rousing musical hit Ring of Fire, which will run May 22 through August 17 at the CLO Cabaret. Tickets start at $34.75 and are available at CLOCabaret.com, by calling 412-456-6666 or visiting the Box Office at Theater Square.

Cast (In Alphabetical Order)

Jay Hitt is a gifted singer/songwriter and accomplished guitarist who last appeared at the CLO Cabaret in Always…Patsy Cline. He was voted Best Acoustic Musician by the readers of Pittsburgh City Paper twice. His song, “Tracy Loves Ray” was named Best Song in the Canadian Narrative Music Contest, where he also received an Honorable Mention for “Through The Window.” Mr. Hitt is the recipient of Best Song awards on Broadjam.com, Songwriter Universe and Songoftheyear.com. With the release of his seventh CD, “Greetings from the Wilderness,” Mr. Hitt continues to “honor his gifts, work at his craft, respect his audience and achieve excellence,” as one reviewer put it.

Paul Koudouris is a graduate of Point Park University’s Conservatory Theatre Program making his Pittsburgh CLO debut. Regional Theatre: RENT (Roger), All Shook Up (Chad), Chess (Anatoly), Oklahoma! (Curly) and A Night with Janis Joplin (Guitarist/Singer). Mr. Koudouris has also released an original pop/folk music album which can be found at www.paulkmusic.com.

Mitch Marois just completed his BFA in Musical Theatre at Carnegie Mellon University. As a member of Theatre Plastique he appeared in Saints!, winning Best Musical at the 2013 New York Fringe Festival. A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Mr. Marois has appeared in productions of 4 Saints in 3 Acts, Romeo and Juliet, You Can’t Take it With You and The Wild Party (Lippa) while at CMU. He also choreographed and assisted on productions of The Drowsy Chaperone, Urinetown! The Musical, Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, Once on This Island, The Wild Party and various dance concerts.

Jon Rohlf is a Musical Theatre graduate from Point Park University where he last performed as “Band Leader” in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Other Point Park credits include “Huck” in Huck Finn and “Floyd” in Dark of the Moon. Other roles include “Antony” in Sweeney Todd and “Kyle” in Legally Blonde The Musical among others.

Nicole Stefonek is a Wisconsin native who holds a BFA in musical theater performance from St. Mary’s University of Winona, MN. After graduating and performing extensively throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, she moved to New York City where she wrote and performed for numerous Off-Broadway and cabaret venues. Favorite productions include: The Jamal Lullabies (P.S.122 NYC), What the Folk?! (The Duplex Cabaret), Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding (Minneapolis), The Rocky Horror Show (Minneapolis) and Side Show (St.Paul).

Erika Strasburg is a Carnegie Mellon University graduate making her Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret debut. Other Pittsburgh credits include A Musical Christmas Carol and Pittsburgh CLO’s Gallery of Heroes program, Quantum Theatre and City Theatre Company.

Santino Tomasetti is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Credits include “Holiday Songbook” at Lincoln Center (writer) and Vietnam at 50 for the New York Historical Society. Mr. Tomasetti is joining Pittsburgh CLO for the first time.

The Creative Team

Guy Stroman (Director & Choreographer) directed and choreographed Forever Plaid for the inaugural production of the CLO Cabaret. He also directed and choreographed that show for the fifth anniversary of the theater, as well as Plaid Tidings in 2007 and 2013. He has directed numerous productions of plays and musicals around the country and in New York, including: Driving Miss Daisy and The Glass Menagerie, both starring Sandy Duncan, The King and I, starring Lou Diamond Phillips (Best Director Award), Twelfth Night, Loot (Best Production Award), 1776 (Best Director Award), Man of La Mancha (Audience Favorite Award), and Shakespeare’s R&J, to name a few. Mr. Stroman originated the role of Frankie in the original Forever Plaid in New York, London’s West End, and Los Angeles, where he won the L.A. Drama Critics Award for Best Actor.

Chris “Red” Blisset (Music Director) is joining Pittsburgh CLO for the first time. Other credits include: Stand By Your Man (two national tours – Actor, MD), Ring of Fire (Director, MD, Actor, all over the country), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Director, MD, Actor, all over), Cotton Patch Gospel, The Full Monty, Twelfth Night, Keep on the Sunny Side, Smoke on the Mountain, Plaid Tidings, Honky-Tonk Highway and Civil War (Actor/Musical Director/Director in various projects). He can be seen coast-to-coast and on YouTube doing stand-up comedy. He comes from New York City where he is developing the new musical Basquiat.

The Story

“WALK THE LINE” IN AN EXPERIENCE SURE TO LIFT YOUR HEART & STIR YOUR SOUL!
Ring of Fire is a journey into the heart of America, courtesy of one of our most beloved musical poets–Johnny Cash. In Ring of Fire, a remarkable cast of performers and musicians will pay homage to his music with the strength, humor and honesty that made Cash one of the greatest songwriters and most revered storytellers in American music. Ring of Fire features over 30 of the music legend’s songs such as “Country Boy,” “A Thing Called Love,” “Five Feet High and Rising,” “Daddy Sang Bass,” “I Walk the Line,” “I’ve Been Everywhere,” “The Man in Black” and his final hit, “Hurt.”

Performance Schedule for Ring of Fire

Wednesdays   7:30pm
Thursdays      1:00pm* & 7:30pm * Thursday matinees – 6/26, 7/31, 8/14
Fridays           7:30pm
Saturdays       2:00pm & 7:30pm
Sundays          2:00pm

Tickets

Tickets start at $34.75 and are available online at CLOCabaret.com, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square. Groups of 10 or more can call the Group Sales Hotline at 412-325-1582 to learn more about special discounts, priority seating and corporate discounts. Visit pittsburghCLO.org for more information.

2014 CLO Cabaret Series

Ring of Fire will join the world premiere of Judge Jackie Justice and the hilarious return of Dixie’s Tupperware Party to complete the 2014 Cabaret Series. Three-Show Cabaret Series Subscriptions are on sale now and can be purchased for $100 (a 25% savings!) by calling 412-281-2822. Individual tickets for Dixie’s Tupperware Party will be on sale at a later date.

Pittsburgh CLO media members may access photos and other show materials by visiting the Press Room at pittsburghCLO.org. When prompted, simply enter “pressroom” as the username and “pittstadium” as the password.

March 12, 2014

University of Pittsburgh STAGES presents IN THE HEIGHTS

IN THE HEIGHTS at University of Pittsburgh Stages asks, “What does it mean to belong?”

Washington Heights is a tight-knit community where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. Find out what it takes to make a living, what it costs to have a dream, and what it means to be home in the heights.

Director Lisa Jackson-Schebetta is interested in moving away from the standard Broadway production staging, instead favoring a more abstract approach to the play’s themes. She says, “In the Heights characters identify primarily as Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican or African-American. Its score consists of hip-hop, latin jazz, merengue and salsa. The characters, story, music and dance communicate the rich and complex interplay of African, Hispanic, American and Caribbean histories. The show engages with the questions: How does a person belong . . . in a city, in a nation, to a family, to a history?”

UP Stages is collaborating with a number of professional artists, including musicians of diverse heritage, Pittsburgh-based actor Ricardo Vila-Roger, and the STAYCEE PEARL dance project (SPdp). Additionally, Jackson-Schebetta is collaborating with multiple departments at Pitt to host a research and practice symposium on April 4^th and 5^th that will examine many of the key themes addressed in In the Heights. The symposium is free and open to members of the university and larger Pittsburgh community.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Theatre Arts offers BA, MA, MFA and PhD degrees in Theatre Arts. All faculty members are active in teaching, research, and artistic projects. For more information about the University of Pittsburgh Stages visit www.play.pitt.edu

IN THE HEIGHTS

Written by QUIARA ALEGRíA HUDES,

Music & Lyrics by LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA,

Directed by LISA JACKSON-SCHEBETTA

Charity Randall Theatre, 4200 Fifth Ave

March 27, 2014 – April 6, 2014

Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8PM
Sunday Matinees at 2PM

TICKETS: Call 412-624-PLAY or visit www.play.pitt.edu

March 12, 2014March 12, 2014

Pittsburgh Opera presents one of the world’s most beloved operas, LA BOHÈME

photo by David Bachman.

Pittsburgh, PA… Pittsburgh Opera continues its 75th anniversary season with one of the world’s most beloved operas, Puccini’s LA BOHÈME. On stage at the Benedum Center March 29 – April 6, this story of Bohemian friends struggling through poverty and illness in 1830s Paris is cherished for its romantic, yet tragic story, and soaring music that includes many familiar melodies. A roster of outstanding singers leads the production, anchored by a marvelous set designed by Tony Award-winner Michael Yeargan (for Light in the Piazza, 2005).

LA BOHÈME brings the role and company debut of Leah Crocetto as Mimí; the 2010 Metropolitan National Council Auditions Grand Finals winner, she has been effusively praised for her “voice of size, beauty, and agility” (Chicago Tribune) and “gorgeous, well-supported sound” (San Francisco Chronicle). Due to scheduling issues, the role of Rodolfo will be shared by David Lomelí (Lucia di Lammermoor, 2011) and Eric Barry, in a company debut. (Mr. Lomelí appears March 29, April 1 and 4; Mr. Barry appears in the April 3 Student Matinee and April 6.) Pittsburgh Opera also welcomes Troy Cook, in his company debut as Marcello; Pittsburgher Sari Gruber (Don Giovanni, 2012) returns as Musetta, bringing “comedic grace and vulnerability to the role, as well as glorious vocal talent” (Austin Chronicle). Pittsburghers in the cast also include Kevin Glavin (The Barber of Seville, 2010) in a reprise of his hilarious dual role of Benoit/Alcindoro, and Dimitrie Lazich, who debuts as Schaunard. Resident Artist Phillip Gay appears as Colline.

Music Director Antony Walker returns to conduct the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Tomer Zvulun (debut) and Helena Binder (Fidelio, 2005) are co-directors on LA BOHÈME. Resident Artist George Cederquist is assistant director.

Pittsburgh Opera’s LA BOHÈME also brings the annual Student Matinee on Thursday, April 3 at the Benedum Center. In this performance, Resident Artists take lead roles and perform with Maestro Walker and the orchestra for about 2800 school children from around the region. Jasmine Muhammad appears as Mimí and Meredith Lustig appears as Musetta, alongside Eric Barry (Rodolfo), Kevin Glavin (Benoit/Alcindoro), Phillip Gay (Colline) and Dimitrie Lazich (Schaunard) from the mainstage cast. Resident Artist George Cederquist is stage director for the Student Matinee.

Tickets to LA BOHÈME start at $12, with all performances at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, 7th Street and Penn Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh. For additional information, videos, photos, musical samples, cast biographies, and the full story of LA BOHÈME, visit www.pittsburghopera.org. To purchase tickets, call 412-456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

Facts about the opera

LA BOHÈME was conducted at its premiere by a young Arturo Toscanini; he also conducted it 50 years later in a recording with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. It is the only recording of a Puccini opera by the original conductor.

In 1957, a missing act for LA BOHÈME was found among librettist Luigi Illica’s belongings. Between the second and third acts, Musetta’s patron Alcindoro has cut her off and moved her furnishings into the courtyard to be sold. The Bohemians throw a party in the courtyard, and Musetta introduces Mimí to a viscount there. Rodolfo
becomes jealous when Mimì dances with the man, explaining Rodolfo’s Act 3 remarks about Mimì’s flirtatiousness, and Mimì’s dismay at Rodolfo’s jealousness.

Modern interpretations of LA BOHÈME include Baz Luhrmann’s 1990 Tony Award-winning Broadway show, set in 1957; Jonathan Larson’s 1996 Broadway smash hit RENT, in which the characters deal with AIDS; and Robin Norton-Hale’s 2009 production, set in modern-day London and taking place in the very pub where the performances were given, using audience members as extras for the Café scene.

The story, in brief
In their Latin Quarter garret in Paris, the near-destitute painter Marcello and poet Rodolfo try to keep warm on Christmas Eve by burning pages from Rodolfo’s latest drama. Their roommates Colline, a philosopher, and Schaunard, a musician, bring food, fuel, and money. When the landlord Benoit comes to collect the rent, they ply him with wine, then throw him out. As his friends leave for the Café Momus, Rodolfo remains behind to write. A pretty neighbor, Mimì, knocks at the door: her candle has gone out on the stairway. Rodolfo relights it, but Mimì then realizes she has lost her key. In the confusion, both candles are blown out. As they search for the key in the dark, their hands meet. They instantly fall in love. Expressing their joy in finding each other, Mimì and Rodolfo embrace and join Rodolfo’s friends at the Café.

Marcello’s former sweetheart Musetta makes a noisy entrance at the café on the arm of the elderly but wealthy Alcindoro. Trying to regain Marcello’s attention, she sings about her popularity. Sending Alcindoro off on an errand, she falls into Marcello’s arms and tells the waiter to charge everything to Alcindoro.

At dawn by a tavern on the snowy outskirts of Paris, Mimì searches for the place where Marcello and Musetta now live. When the painter emerges, she tells him of her distress over Rodolfo’s incessant jealousy, and says she believes it’s best that they part. When Rodolfo appears, Mimì hides, though Marcello thinks she has gone. The poet tells Marcello that he wants to separate from Mimì, citing her fickleness. Pressed for the real reason, he breaks down, saying that her illness will only grow worse in the poverty they share; he’s desperately afraid she will die. Overcome with tears, Mimì comes forward to bid her lover farewell. While Mimì and Rodolfo recall past happiness, Musetta quarrels with Marcello, who has caught her flirting. The painter and his mistress part, hurling insults at each other, but Mimì and Rodolfo decide to remain together until spring.

Later, both of them separated from their sweethearts, Rodolfo and Marcello lament their loneliness. Colline and Schaunard bring a meager meal. To lighten their spirits, the four stage a dance, when suddenly Musetta bursts in to tell them that Mimì is outside, too weak to come in. Rodolfo carries her in, while Musetta asks Marcello to sell her earrings for medicine and Colline goes off to pawn his overcoat. Left alone, Mimì and Rodolfo recall their first meeting and their happy days, but she is seized with violent coughing. The others return and Mimì drifts into unconsciousness. When Rodolfo at last realizes that she is dead, he throws himself despairingly on her body, calling her name.

The 2013-14 Pittsburgh Opera season is generously supported by PNC.
Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield is the production sponsor.

American Eagle Outfitters is the Friday Night Sponsor.
Larrimor’s is our 75^th anniversary partner during LA BOHÈME.

Cast and Artistic Team (abbreviated list; cast is listed in order of vocal appearance)

Marcello Troy Cook +

Rodolfo David Lomelì (3/29; 4/1, 4/4)

Eric Barry (4/3, 4/6)

Colline Phillip Gay *

Schaunard Dimitrie Lazich +

Benoit Kevin Glavin **

Parpignol Christopher Toeller

Alcindoro Kevin Glavin **

Musetta Sari Gruber

Conductor Antony Walker

Co-Directors Tomer Zvulun +
Helena Binder

Set Designer Michael Yeargan

Costume Designer Martin Pakledinaz #

Lighting Designer Andrew Ostrowski

Asst. Conductor Glenn Lewis

Chorus Master Mark Trawka

Associate Coach/Pianist James Lesniak

Hair & Makeup Designer James Geier

LA BOHÈME set is owned by Pittsburgh Opera; costumes from Seattle Opera.

+ Pittsburgh Opera debut

* Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist

** Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni
# Deceased

Tickets and Group Discounts

Tickets for all performances of LA BOHÈME start at $12. Group discounts are available. For tickets, call (412) 456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org. For discounted group tickets (6 or more), contact Randy Adams at 412-281-0912, x 213.

Related Events

Opera Up Close: LA BOHÈME

Sunday, March 16 – 2:00 p.m.

George R. White Opera Studio, Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Ave.)

Opera Up Close: LA BOHÈME includes an in-depth musical analysis of the opera, with Maestro Walker and other directors and artists from the production. Admission is $5; free to members of FRIENDS of Pittsburgh Opera. For more information, call (412) 281-0912 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Thursday, March 20 – 5:30 p.m.
Larrimor’s Downtown, One PNC Plaza, 249 Fifth Ave.

Pittsburgh Opera and Larrimor’s celebrate their 75th anniversaries together in this fun and fashionable event. Highlights include French-inspired cocktails and foods; palm readers, fortune-tellers, can-can dancers reminiscent of Moulin Rouge, and music from La bohème by Pittsburgh Opera’s Resident Artists. Admission is free but RSVP is required: call Katie Gaines at 412-281-0912, ext. 225 or e-mail kgaines@pittsburghopera.org. For more information, visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

LA BOHÈME Previews on WQED-FM 89.3 and WQED.ORG

Saturday, March 22 – 12:30 p.m.; Friday, March 28 – 7:00 p.m.

Hosted by WQED’s Stephen Baum and Anna Singer, and broadcast over the airwaves as well as the WQED website, the LA BOHÈME preview gives listeners an engaging introduction to the singers, music and story of the opera. For more information, visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

FRIENDS of Pittsburgh Opera South Hills Chapter event
Sunday, March 23 – 4:00 p.m.

Private Home in the South Hills

Join FRIENDS of Pittsburgh Opera for a talk entitled “From the Floor to the Flyrail: Secrets of Scenery” given by Pittsburgh Opera Head Carpenter Sean West, at the home of South Hills Chapter members. Admission is free; a donation of hors d’oeuvres or wine is welcome. RSVP by March 21 at 412-563-3808. Directions to the home will be given at RSVP. For more information, call Marilyn Egan at (412) 281-0912, ext. 242 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

Pre-Opera Talks

Benedum Center Main Floor

Ticketholders are invited to attend a Pre-Opera Talk on LA BOHÈME one hour before each performance’s curtain in the Orchestra Section (Main Floor) of the Benedum Center. Learn about the composer and the story of the opera. Free to all ticketholders.

Audio Description: LA BOHÈME
Tuesday, April 1

Benedum Center Main Floor

Ticketholders with visual impairments are invited to use Pittsburgh Opera’s Audio Commentary service at our Tuesday performances. Trained volunteers describe the scenery, costumes, and stage action via headphones. Those wishing to use Audio Description should reserve seats to the Tuesday, April 1 performance: contact Randy Adams at 412-281-0912, ext. 213 or groups@pittsburghopera.org. Braille and large-print opera programs are also available in the Benedum Grand Lobby.

Meet the Artists of LA BOHÈME

Tuesday, April 1

Immediately following the opera, in the Benedum Lower Lobby

Ticketholders for the Tuesday, April 1 performance of LA BOHÈME are invited to gather in the Benedum Lower Lobby immediately following the performance for interviews with General Director Christopher Hahn and the stars of the opera. This event is free to all Tuesday performance ticketholders.