'Burgh Vivant

by Michael Buzzelli

Three couples have vastly different reactions when thoughts of pregnancy dance in their heads in “Baby.”

Danny (Branden Max Stroppel) and Lizzie (Saige Smith) are college kids who have just moved in together.

Pam (Lindsay Bayer Ray) and Nicki (Maria Bechtell) are trying various methods of insemination.

Alan (Allan Synder, with two L’s) and Arlene (Becki Toth) have four grown children, having Empty Nest Syndrome, when they have a whoopsie during a romantic getaway.

Each couple faces a variety of challenges, moving the story along over the next nine months of their lives.

While the musical first ran in 1983-84, this is a slightly revised version of the original musical, which includes (at some points tacked on) a wider range of diverse characters turning Pam and Nick (adding an i to the end of her name, changing the character’s sex) into a lesbian couple and adding some physical limitations to Danny and Lizzie.

Note: The revised version contains some inconsistences with Lizzie’s legally blind status, and Danny’s partially deaf status that could have been written with a bit more care. For example, in the noisy train station, Danny is the one who hears the last call for boarding, instead of Lizzie, more attention could have been placed on their needing to see each other’s faces when they speak, and the ASL is used inconsistently, etc.

The cast is phenomenal, especially our leading ladies, Smith, Toth, Bechtell, and Bayer Ray.

Smith shines in her role. She is quickly proving to be one of Pittsburgh’s brightest stars.

Toth is a powerhouse. She belts out some gorgeous lyrics and has natural comedic skills. She accomplishes more with an eyeroll or a facial expression than most actors.

Bechtell has a glorious singing voice, in solo numbers, and when harmonizing with Bayer Ray and the other cast members.

Stoppel is another stand out, fresh from Point Park’s “Arcadia.”

Synder gets a lot of laughs, mostly from various aches and pains his character suffers as an aging father-to-be.

The excellent cast is backed up by a superb band under Deana Muro’s musical direction. Her band included fan-favorite musicians such as Shelby Williams, Alex Weibel, Paule Thompson and Kamran Mian.

Johnmichael Bohach’s set is straight out of “Babes in Toyland,” a playful stack of colorful building blocks seen in every nursery around the world.

While the first act of the show is a bit long, director Kristiann Menotiades enlivens the scene changes cute interstitial bits from the chorus/crew as they set the stage. William Forrest Smith gets a few playful moments, and Isabella Corea and Sarah Hennessy provide amusing bits, particularly in “The Ladies Sing their Song.” Menotiades’ casting choices are excellent.

If you’re looking for a show with pathos, humor and heart, “Baby” delivers.

-MB

“Baby” runs until May 25 at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. For tickets and additional information, please go here.

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by Claire DeMarco

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” is not a traditional musical comedy with a plot, but rather a series of vignettes. These storylines cover the many stages of love and relationships, including, but not limited to, early dating, marriage, marriage with children, marriage forever, and divorce.

In this production, nine actors play multiple parts. The actors are Dylan Beasley, Christa Brook, Elena Falgione, Ivy Ferris, Rebecca Godlove, Mike Leahy, Kristin Pacelli, Brock Stanley, and Audrey Wells.

With nineteen scenes in a fast-paced show, we watch interpretations of love and life relationships and how they change and evolve over time.

“Funerals Are for Dating” finds two people alone in a funeral home, proving that love can be found in the most unexpected places.

“The Family that Drives…” features the song “On the Highway of Love.” It presents a madcap, yet probably not exaggerated, skit of a family traveling together – kids fighting in the back seat, mom carrying some precious concoction she’s made (in a plastic container, of course).

“Scared Straight” spoofs the dating game for those over 30 with a skit set in a prison. One of the inmates is a single person looking for love.

This is just a tease of the many comedic scenes in this entertaining and well-done production of a popular off-Broadway musical comedy.

Note:  The entire cast is excellent.  All nine actors play a multitude of characters of varying ages with unique personalities. Coordination between and among the players is critical and successful.  In addition to their acting chops, they are all excellent singers.

Elena Falgione is a dynamo in “The Very First Dating Video of Rosie Ritz!  Her characterization of a recently divorced woman recording a video with a dating service is comedy at its best.  Her timing, great comedic timing (and a little too much wine), makes this performance a showstopper.

Stanley’s facial expressions and mannerisms are excellent. His take as a prisoner in “Scared Straight” is both scary and funny. His smile becomes almost sinister, in a Jack Nicholson “Shining” sort of way, as he presents his credentials as a potential match in the dating game.

Ferris is delightful as the too-busy girl in ‘Not Tonight, I’m Busy, Busy, Busy,’ trying to justify why she wants to skip past the first date because she has ‘better things to do’.

Pacelli and Leahy complement one another in “Lasagna Incident”.  As a dating couple, both awkwardly attempt to take their relationship to the next level.  Leahy is convincing as the backward, clumsy suitor, while Pacelli offers a solution by inviting him to dinner for lasagna.  Pacelli sums up the upcoming evening with a beautifully sung version of “I Will Be Loved Tonight”.

Caught in a funeral home, Wells plays a shy woman who becomes the target of a flirtatious, talkative man (Stanley). As a widow, her demeanor is at first cautious. She rapidly warms up to the prospect of involvement with this talkative widower as they spend the afternoon in the funeral home.  The scene ends with them both singing “I Can Live with That” with gusto.,

The Studio of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall is a perfect location for this production.

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro—music by Jimmy Roberts.

The set is simplistic with a few handheld props and chair rearrangements when necessary.

Kudos to Director Connor McCanlus and Choreographer Victor Aponte.

-CED

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” runs May 9 to May 18th at The Studio of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Carnegie, PA.  For tickets and additional information, click here.

By Michael Buzzelli

When Winnifred (Katie Flanigan), an uncouth princess from the other side of the swamp, comes to the castle with marriage on her mind, she’s bound to aggravate Queen Aggravain (Stacie Paronish) in “Once Upon A Mattress.”

Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer took Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Princess and the Pea,” and fractured that fairy tale with a broad musical farce (with music by Mary Rodgers) back in 1953. Carol Burnett made her Broadway debut, originating the role.

Side note: The show premiered in Pennsylvania, in Pike County at Camp Tamiment, a theater camp.

There was a recent revival of the show on Broadway with Sutton Foster played Winnifred to Michael Urie’s Dauntless with revised material from Amy Sherman Palladino (“Gilmore Girls,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and “Etoile”).

To crib from “Six” this show has a queen of the castle and a bunch of dirty rascals.

Katie Flanigan does a fine job as Princess Winifred.

Paronish is a stand out as Aggravain. She swaggers on the stage, shooing peasants, shouting rapid-fire orders at her servants and generally being both aggravating and vain (hence the name).

Rich Ivaun is channeling Harpo Marx as King Sextimus the Silent, chasing women and pantomiming through most of the show.  Every Sextimus scene is like a rousing round of Charades where you’re paired up with some bad guessers.

Catherine Hayashi hands in a pleasing performance as Lady Larken. There’s a fun bit in the show where she disguises herself as a boy and fools absolutely no one (it always bothered me when Lucille Ball would dress up like a dude and keep her lipstick on).

On opening night, the rest of the cast seemed a little shy. While it’s not fair to compare a community theater production to a Broadway show, it was hard to get the original cast recording out of my head. On the plus side, this ticket is far less as expensive as a Broadway show and there are raffles during intermission.

There were two great elements to the show: Cindy Berg’s costumes (the Nightingale costume was outrageous and hilarious), and Joe Wagner’s set. Wagner’s set is fit for a king.

Ruth Ann Fox handled the music with aplomb. Her orchestra was top notch.

Even though the show had flaws, “Once Upon A Mattress” is a good place to expose your children to live theater. It’s a funny fairy tale with good songs that might encourage your kids to move  in a cultural direction.

-MB

“Once Upon a Mattress” runs until May 18th at the Bud Allison Memorial Auditorium at Mount Pleasant Community Center, 20 Wabash Ave, Hickory, PA 15340. For tickets and more information, click here. 

Liberty Magic: Joshua Jay makes magic in Making Magic

Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD and Theron Raymond (6th grader)

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Liberty Magic continue their 2025 show series with magician Joshua Jay in Making Magic.

Jay is a world-renowned magician who travels over 300 days a year performing his art. The fact he’s in Pittsburgh through June 1 to premiere his brand-new show is a boon for our fair city. On May 21, he’ll even be throwing out the first pitch with a magic trick at the Pirates game. If only he could bestow the magic of a winning season on the Buccos!

This award-winning, globetrotting magician is also neighborhood adjacent. He was born and raised in nearby Canton, Ohio. Immediately following the world premiere of his new show here in Pittsburgh, Joshua Jay will perform at the massive Kennedy Center.

In a meta-moment, a voiceover of Josh’s internal monologue deliberating how to start the show in fact opens the show. He establishes both his impeccable timing and ability to connect with the audience when he walks on stage just as the narration muses, “They scream with excitement.” The audience responds accordingly, and the hype energy is made real. He performs a series of illusions that rapidly raise the bar and reinforce his 2020 “Magician of the Year” accolades.

Jay shares “This is a show about the making of a show.” Accordingly, he talks about the process of creating this world premiere over the last eight months. His authenticity fosters a bond with the audience. As a magician, it’s his job to make his tricks look effortless – so effortless they’re breath-taking illusions. Like any profession, one doesn’t necessarily think about what it takes to achieve expertise. When Jay talks about practicing his tricks in front of a 3-way mirror to see what they look like from different angles, it’s a unique insight into the labor of creating effortlessness.

One piece of “show making” Jay shares is he started taking shadow puppet lessons during the pandemic. (I didn’t even know shadow puppet lessons were a thing.) He wanted to learn enough to do one trick he had conceptualized. His instructor refused to teach him for a single trick, and five years later, he’s still a student. This half-decade commitment is an inspiring testimony to his growth mindset and dedication to advancing his craft.

Subsequently, he treats the audience to an exquisite shadow puppet show. We live in a high tech world, yet Jay casts magic with the ordinary. It’s utterly transfixing to witness his hands become storytellers as they cascade through a panoply of animals. The creatures are accompanied by a gentle soundtrack of nature sounds, and his flawless timing matches each shadow to the appropriate animal sound. You find your eyes involuntarily darting from the screen of shadows to his actual hands to see the shapes and evolution of stag to elephant to owl. He brings it back to the trick in question, astonishing as his shadows interact with real objects.

Jay’s tricks are layered stories. He thoughtfully utilizes audience participation. This simultaneously builds engagement and allows him to remove himself from the magic, making the participants unexpected heroes. It also heightens the wow factor as he somehow didn’t touch a thing and yet, magic! This is particularly true with his card tricks, which are the mainstay of his show. He stabs cards with a sword and makes cards appear that triangulate data points from random audience members. His experimental show reminds us that making and telling stories is the magic of a collective experience.

Ages 12 and up are welcome, so don’t miss the chance to see Joshua Jay in Making Magic through June 1, 2025 at the wonderfully intimate Liberty Magic (811 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222).  Liberty Magic also offers a VIP experience to go backstage and connect with Josh after his show. You’ll see a few bonus magic tricks too. Purchase tickets online here.

-TKR, Ph. D. & TR

Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, Ph.D., and Theron Raymond (6th grader)

Prime Stage Theatre finishes its 28th season with Sherman L. Sergel’s adaptation of Reginald Rose’s 1955 play, Twelve Angry Men. The play was a fast-follow to Rose’s 1954 Emmy Award-winning TV movie of the same name. In 1957, legend Sidney Lumet directed the Academy Award-nominated film version. The story’s rapid adaptation across mediums is a testimony to its relevance in the cultural zeitgeist.

The show opens with the voice of God. The unseen presiding trial judge instructs the 12 jurors and reminds them to “deliberate honestly.” Director Shane Valenzi wisely freeze frames all 12 actors in the jury room during this speech. This not only heightens their deference but anchors the rule of law as the prevailing voice in the room. The judge’s voice is commanding and authoritative, reminiscent of the opening narration from Law & Order.

Costume designer Meg Kelly is true to the era with all dozen dressed in suits. However, it’s not a sea of sameness. Juror #4 (Keith Zagorski) wears a tailored pinstripe suit, distinguishing him as an authoritative executive and a man of means. The foreman (Mark Spondike) is hunched and dressed in a dated and worn looking suit with trousers a smidge too short that bespeak a working class life. These status subtleties are outward manifestations of how the assembled jurors differ in the deliberation process and deciding of a verdict. They may be 12 white men, but they’re hardly a homogenous group.

The play’s title is a little aggressive and off-putting but also inaccurate. Twelve Angry Men conjures a one-dimensional emotional valence. Anger is an emotion. However, there’s more frustration than anger. The jurors are motivated and distracted by highly relatable externalities. Juror #7 (Luke Hancock) wants a quick verdict so he can get to the Yankees game he has tickets for. Hancock imbues this with the modern equivalent of missing a Taylor Swift concert. The monetary and experiential costs of missing the game weigh more heavily on him than the fate of a man’s life.

As Juror #12, Marc Duchin paces, exuding the energy of an edgy, amped-up ad executive. He’s preemptively anxious about the prospect of a lengthy deliberation, worrying aloud that “my job could be gone.” Despite being a 70-year old play, the cutthroat concerns of employment security are remarkably resonant.

There’s also vulnerability in the emotional landscape. Juror #8 (Everett Lowe) asks thoughtful questions that force the jurors to dissect details of the trial’s timeline, which is unveiled over the course of the deliberation process. Lowe physically towers over the other actors, and his height becomes symbolic of his commanding wisdom.

Alex Barnhart’s mid-century set design is austere and brilliant. The wooden jury room floor is covered by an area rug that leaves a generous perimeter of exposed flooring. The area rug is shadowed by a rectangular table that’s uncomfortably small for 12 people. Barnhart’s concentric layering thoughtfully creates a sense of the walls closing in. His minimalist design also allows the people and their personalities to fill the set.

What director Shane Valenzi does miss is cigarettes and ashtrays. Smoking was the 1950s norm, including courtrooms and jury rooms. If you’ve ever seen Lumet’s film, the jurors smoke throughout the deliberation. Some full ashtrays and herbal cigarettes would have sharpened the era-specific feel and heightened the suffocation of small room claustrophobia.

Juror #11 (David Knackman) is a European immigrant. While Juror #11 is a naturalized citizen, Knackman leans into a lingering accent to earmark the immigrant. He echoes the omniscient, absent judge, making an impassioned speech for due process, the legal system, and democracy. He reminds the assembled that he came to America because it’s a place where “A man is entitled to unpopular opinions,” and it is “one of the reasons why we are strong.” With America’s courts and legal system currently under siege, that reminder of strength has never been more relevant.

-TKR, Ph.D. & TR

You can see Prime Stage’s production of Twelve Angry Men through May 11, 2025 at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212.  Purchase tickets online here.

By Michael Buzzelli

The 2024-2025 Trust Arts Cabaret closes out its season with the stunning CMU graduate, Patina Miller (“Power Book III: Raising Kanan”).

The star of stage and screen opened with a sultry rendition of “Fever.”

Miller went on to sing from the Broadway songbook, briefly stopping to share anecdotes about her time in Pittsburgh. At the 9:30 show, Miller’s former Carnegie Mellon University voice teachers were in attendance.

Miller nailed “Corner of the Sky” from the 2013 revival of “Pippin” in which she starred as the Leading Player, the show’s emcee/narrator character, a role originated by Ben Vereen.

Her set list included “Fabulous Baby!” from her star turn as Deloris Van Cartier in the stage adaptation of “Sister Act.”

Miller belted some of her favorite songs, including “No One is Alone” from “Into the Woods.”

Miller was accompanied by James Sampliner, a veteran music director for countless Broadway artists including Pittsburgh’s own Billy Porter.

The evening at the Cabaret  was, as the song states, “Fabulous Baby!”

-MB

The Trust Arts Cabaret series is at the Greer Cabaret Theatre, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets to the 2025-2026 Trust Arts Cabaret series click  here. 

Jenna (Zanny Laird) knows that her whole life is about to change when she learns that she’s pregnant in the blockbuster Broadway play, “Waitress.”

Jenna doesn’t love her husband, Earl (Corey Rieger), with good reason. The man is cruel, selfish and lazy. However, Jenna can’t figure out how to leave him.

Jenna’s personality is perfectly encapsulated in song, “She is messy, but she’s kind. She is lonely most of the time,” but she’s also an amazing pie maker.  Fellow waitresses, Becky (La’Nette Wallace), and Dawn (Catherine Baird) are  slinging hash and flinging barbs in Joe’s Diner alongside her. They are also her moral (and sometimes immoral) support system.

Jenna’s the overwhelmed one. Becky is the sassy one. Dawn is the ditzy one. It’s the 70s sitcom “Alice” with a Sara Bareilles soundtrack.

Her life changes when she meets Dr. Jim Pomatter (Brett Goodnack, everyone’s favorite chainsaw wielding Ash), her gynecologist.

Meanwhile Becky is knocking boots with the manager, Cal (Ben Sheedy),  the  Mel to Jenna’s Alice. Dawn gets a meet-cute with the goofy but lovable, Ogie (a hilarious Quinn Patrick Shannon, turning in a brilliant performance in a smaller role).

The diner owner, Joe (Danny Herman), is a tough curmudgeon, but he’s got a soft spot for Jenna, as long as she remembers to put his tomatoes on the side.

When putting the show together, Director Tim Seib picked the perfect ingredients, blending top notch actors, a superb band, with amazing music created a smash hit.

Laird has proven time and time again that she is a star on the Pittsburgh stage and would be welcome on any Broadway stage. Her rendition of “She Used To Be Mine” is a showstopper. There are not enough hyperboles to describe it.

Goodnack also has star quality. He has grown into a charismatic and dynamic leading man.

Side note: This critic recognized Goodnack’s burgeoning talent  in a musical theater improv group, the Wunderstudies, nearly fifteen years ago where he told a certain Patch reporter to “Try the funnel cakes!” at a fair in Oakdale, PA.

Wallace’s Becky is a blast. She absolutely slays with “I Didn’t Plan It,” a powerful number that opens up the second act.

“Waitress” is filled with extras. Diners need patrons and musicals need backup dancers and harmonizers. It’s a gifted class of background performers. Nurse Norma (Jeyni Ortiz-Valentin) dishes out some of the best lines of the show, spitting them out, under her breath, with candor and aplomb. Isabel Kruse has a silent role as Jenna’s deceased mom, but it is a poignant performance.

Tucker Topel’s scenic design emulates the Broadway stage version of the set with soft pinks and blues fit for Lulu’s nursery. It is perfectly complemented by Todd Nonn’s impeccable lighting design.

Excellent costumes by Jeremy Eiben, which includes, waitress costumes, street clothes, and some Revolutionary War cosplay.

One small side note: There are renovation plans in the works for PMT stages and that’s a good thing, because if you get stuck behind a tall or broad- shouldered person, you’re only seeing part of the performance.

The show runs a little long, especially when setting up all of the characters and their various storylines, but it gives all of the principle cast members their own moment to shine.

If you’re ready for a uplifting story of hope and redemption, “Waitress” is ready to serve you. It’s a must-see show.

-MB

“Waitress” runs until May 25 at the Gargaro Theater in Pittsburgh’s West End, 327 South Main Street, Pittsburgh, PA  15220. For more information, click here.

By Lonnie the Theater Lady

Ray Cooney’s wildly successful, nine-year run of the British farce “Run for Your Wife” prompted him to write the sequel, “Caught in the Net, “currently running (or more accurately zooming) across South Park Theatre’s stage.

The bigamist London taxi driver John Smith (Justin Mohr) is still married to Mary (Jocelyn Hillen) and Barbara (Misty Challingsworth). After eighteen years of duplicity, things have become more complicated because John now has two children: Barbara’s son, Gavin (Owen Stillwell), and Mary’s daughter Vickie (Josie Manculich).

Gavin and Vickie meet on the internet and are amazed at how much they have in common. They’re planning to get together for tea at Vickie’s parents’ apartment. (Teenagers–tea? Yes, after all, they live in London). Understandably, John is horrified that his years’ long subterfuge will be discovered, so he schemes to prevent the teenagers from meeting by using any means possible, including enlisting his friend Stanley (Noah Kendall) to keep the teens apart.

Stanley and John spin a series of increasingly ludicrous tall tales to stop the inevitable meeting of John’s offspring. The hilarious lies create farcical situations- ringing cell phones, doorbells, people frantically knocking on locked doors, mistaken identities, not-so-dead bodies, and silly disguises.

 

Mohr is frenetic from the beginning of the play until the end. The physicality, energy, and volume he summons must leave him exhausted after every performance.

Hillen skillfully plays the loving wife and mother. Her range of emotions ranges from patient, loving mother to rabid, maniacal anger. She is believable in every scene.

Challingsworth’s sweet new age concern for others is delivered with warmth and sincerity.

Kendall’s Stanley is wonderfully comical. His sincere, riotous efforts to support his friend, John, highlight his comedic timing, funny facial expressions, and high energy.

Manculich and Stillwell both give natural authentic performances as the likable, polite, yet frustrated teens who want nothing more than to meet each other.

Stanley’s dad is an amusing Bob Rak who makes the very best of all his laugh lines, “dirty old man” gestures and body gyrations.

The clever set design (Robert Hockenberry) adds to the comedy. Two nearly identical apartments, side by side on the stage set the scene for two simultaneous conversations, with similar dialogue in each apartment.

Director, Gavin Calgaro orchestrates these conversations with intricate timing thus engaging the audience.

The witty dialogue in “Caught in the Net” elicits hearty laughter throughout the show. This fast paced, slapstick. high energy show builds a compelling case for monogamy! If you enjoyed “Run for your Wife” you’ll not want to miss this show!

LtTL

“Caught in the Net” runs through May 17 at South Park Theatre, at the intersection of Corrigan Dr & Brownsville Road, South Park, PA. For tickets and more information, click here.

By Lonnie the Theater Lady

Henrick Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” premiered in Copenhagen in December of 1879, Since then numerous adaptations have been written for both stage and screen.

The Heritage Players chose Frank McGuinness’ adaptation with the plot focusing on Nora’s (Chelsea Kikel) increasing fear that her seemingly “doting”, somewhat oppressive husband (who treats her like a plaything–a doll), Torvald (Kieran Craft) will learn of the criminal means she employed to secure a bank loan to provide the medical care for him prescribed by their family friend, Dr. Rank (Reed Mack). The treatment was successful in saving the ailing Torvald’s life. Coincidently, the still unpaid loan originated from the same bank where he’s the newly appointed manager.

When bank employee Nils Krogstad (Kamran Mian) learns that he’s going to lose his position at the bank, he threatens to expose Nora’s forgery to Torvald unless she can convince him to keep him employed.

Several twists and turns lead to a surprising or maybe not so surprising ending.

Kikel gives a strong performance. She’s convincingly merry, flirtatious, loving, frightened. angry, frustrated and desperate. Her fluid emotions and mercurial mood swings are all very real. The strength of her work is consistent and her energy unflagging.

Craft comes across as a condescending and controlling man more concerned about his own reputation than his wife’s happiness.

Mian’s stuffy, cold, calculating  Kragstad later redeems himself.

Mack has a tender, moving scene with Kikel when he confesses his longtime love for her.

Director, Nancy Caronia makes an interesting choice. Between scenes when the actors exit the stage from the right side, they walk across the theater, from right to left, in front of  the audience, (and also in front of the continuing action on the stage), then they walk up the left aisle to exit the auditorium. It distracts from the onstage action.

Declan Hines’ lovely period costumes lend a historic, nostalgic tone. (Nostalgic? Wait — I wasn’t around in 1879, but still –the costumes provide a pleasant touch.)

“The Doll’s House” was inspired by a real life event. A friend of Ibsen’s was sent to an insane asylum by her husband after he learned that she  borrowed money to pay for his medical treatment. He was furious that she did something without his permission and had her committed. Ibsen was greatly disturbed by this event and was motivated to write a play that validates women and their need for autonomy, and individual freedom. He saw the need for women to escape the limiting expectations of a patriarchal society.

Seeing this interesting adaptation will surely provoke stimulating discussions about individualism, freedom, self-respect and fulfillment.

LtTL

“A Doll’s House” runs until May 4th at the Elizabeth Seton Center at 1900 Pioneer Avenue,  15226. For tickets and more information, click here.

By Michael Buzzelli

In Cleveland, Ohio, in 2004, Shawn (Robert Hunter) wants to buy season passes to LeBron James’s inaugural season with the Cavs, and, instead, gets a lifelong, yet unlikely, friend, in the ticketholder, Matt (Michael Patrick Trimm) in Rajiv Joseph’s play, “King James.”

The fast friends bond over LeBron. The play takes place over four quarters, like a basketball game, in 2004, 2010, 2014 and 2016. Their lives take roller coaster turns, up, down and sideways throughout the four significant years of their friendship.

Matt and Shawn go mano a mano in the pickup game of life.

Their lives become intwined in a variety of ways. When Shawn becomes friends with Matt’s parents, things get a bit awkward. Societal issues become a sticking point between them. Things get ugly in the second act, when Matt slips a comment out about LeBron that becomes a seismic quake in their friendship.

Ultimately, the story is about platonic friendship, a difficult feat to pull off in a two-hander.  Joseph keeps the text laser-focused on basketball, and the subtext on money, race and education.

Both of the male leads are charming to watch, especially when they’re geeking out over their favorite player, the titular King James (LeBron).

The nature of fandom is a core component of the show. Even though, LeBron James feels like a third character in the play, the subject of their bond could have easily been any iteration of fandom. The could have easily been Terrible Towel-waving Steeler fans, or light saber-wielding Star Wars fans.

Trimm brings a lot of sitcom energy to the work. His character is an over-the-top sports fan is meant to have a manic dynamic. It works, especially against Hunter’s more measured character (until things flip when LeBron returns to Cleveland).

Hunter does a terrific job as the more intellectual of the two. His character starts off as aloof, distant, but as the show progresses, he is the more open and passionate member of the duo.

Both characters have an arc, and the actors handle each of their respective changes with finesse.

Monteze Freeland directs the show with verve. Even though the story is “two men shooting the shit,” Freeland keeps the kinetic energy high, the actors are in constant motion.

Tony Ferrieri does another spectacular job with the set. Act one takes place in a church that is converted into a wine bar complete with ornate stain glass windows. Act two takes place in a curiosity shop, stuffed with vintage tchotchkes, including a standing globe, a human skull and a stuffed armadillo.

Side note: The Armadillo, Armand, is a plot point throughout the show.

Shout out to Howard Patterson’s sound design. Normally, when the actors are mic’ed, it’s riddled with feedback loops,  or that scruffy noise when the mic rubs up against facial hair or loose clothing. Patterson’s microphones elevated the actors voices without being noticeable or annoying.

“King James” doesn’t carry the dramatic weight of “Birthday Candles,” but it’s a delightful story about friendship. If you have a basketball enthusiast in your life, this could be the play that gets him or her into the theatre. You might be able to create a lifelong theatre fan. The theatre, every theatre in Pittsburgh, could benefit from having a few more fans. After all, sports and theater are nothing without fans.

-MB

“King James” runs until Sunday, May 11 at the City Theatre, 1300 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. For tickets and more information, click here.