When Nikki (Anne Stockton) is grilled by a police detective, she turns the interrogation into her own personal therapy session in the world premiere of Anne Stockton’s “I won’t be in on Monday.”
Two expensive rings go missing in a large corporate firm in Manhattan, and administrative assistant Nikki Davis is among a short list of prime suspects. Nikki’s not worried. She knows she didn’t pinch the precious possessions. She is, however, quick to dish the office dirt. She’s also more than glad to discuss her sex life with the handsome detective.
Note: You have to imagine the detective as handsome as he is not physically represented in the show. He is unseen and unheard. It’s an odd conceit of the show that you cannot hear or see James or his partner, Detective Adams, but you can hear an occasional sound effect.
The play starts slowly, but ramps up rather quickly. As the story unravels, so does our protagonist. Her grip on reality loosens, and full-on crazy takes over. But did she do the crime? That is the central mystery to the plot.
Director Austin Pendleton (“What’s Up, Doc?”) has directed Elizabeth Taylor on Broadway and has been featured in films opposite big stars in the Hollywood pantheon, like Barbra Streisand and Shirley McLaine. He has previously collaborated with Stockton on her other one woman show, “Speed Queen,” that also premiered in Pittsburgh (at the very same venue). While there are some similarities between “I won’t be in on Monday” and “Speed Queen,” they are vastly different characters. There is more humor in “Monday. Nikki sits in a chair on a desolate stage, and there is little movement, leaving Pendleton to concentrate his talents on the nuances of the actor.
Stockton wrote and performed “I won’t be in on Monday.” The playwright and actor, who is a also practicing psychiatrist by day, knows crazy. “Monday” is smartly written. It’s a complex examination of a woman with serious deep-rooted problems. There’s something vulnerable about the crazed admin. She’s desperate for love and affection. Stockton conveys that desperation with her eyes. There are some powerful moments to her performance.
Pet Peeve: It’s an actor’s job to create a physical world on stage. Whether they have props or not, space work is an important ingredient to making an audience believe that world. It’s distracting when the actor haphazardly flips and flops her fingers down on the iPhone, hastily jamming them into the device. It’s a minor quibble but it breaks the willing suspension of disbelief.
Aside with a few minor complaints, its an intelligent piece of theater. Lighting Designer Betsy Chester adds another layer of whimsy to the show, especially when Nikki reminisces about her trip to the casino.
“I won’t be in on Monday” is an intense character study. If you loved “Speed Queen,” you can’t miss “Monday.”
“I won’t be in on Monday” runs this weekend at the Carnegie Stage, 25 W. Main Street, Carnegie, PA 15106. For more information, click here.
Attack Theatre presentsThe Down & Dirty Dance Party on October 20th, 2017 atThe Vault at Spirit Hall in Lawrenceville
With signature flair, Attack Theatre is taking over Spirit Hall on October 20th, 2017 for a one-night-only extravaganza. The Down & Dirty Dance Party will feature exclusive Attack Theatre performances, an immersive light experience by Ian Brill, a cash bar, and four different DJ’s throwing beats guaranteed to set your dancing shoes and grooves on fire. This event is for the “20-somethings, retirees, starving artists and bankers,” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) and it will all go down in The Hall at Spirit in Lawrenceville on Friday, October 20th, 2017.
In Attack Theatre fashion, this dance party would not be complete without exclusive dance performances. Pop-up performances will happen throughout the night, as the company showcases creative works from this season and beyond.
Attendees will revel to the sounds of four different DJs under the immersive light installation Vault by Ian Brill, on display in Spirit Hall through November 12th. The soundscape for the evening will flow through a fusion of global beats, soul and funk, gay power music, and italo-disco and new wave.
DJs to spin at the event are Pandemic Pete, DJ Gordy G of TITLE TOWN, DJ GBT and Purr Ubu
Check out the Facebook Event page here. This event is for ages 21 and older only
Attack Theatre invites audiences to join them in creating their most audacious event to date by breaking out their most daring outfits and leave-it-all-on-the-dance-floor moves to make the second Down & Dirty Dance Party an event not to forget. More information can be found here.
In the Roaring ‘20s and early 1930s conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton toured the US and UK. They took their song and dance routine from seedy novelty shows, through vaudeville, all the way to the silver screen. If that story doesn’t scream Broadway, nothing does! “Side Show the Musical” was born.
Split Stage Productions tackles “Side Show” with a bold perspective. Now in their fourth season, the Westmoreland County based company has made it their mission to produce important shows that other troupes in the region have found reasons to avoid.
The key to “Side Show” is the casting of the twins. Daisy (Rori Aiello Mull) and Violet (Victoria Buchtan) bring charm, sass, and vulnerability the second they make their entrance. In fact, our first look at the twins is the single biggest risk/reward of this production. Traditionally, two actresses similar in size and type are cast, then costumes and make-up take over to make the twins as identical as possible. The audience journey then becomes one of seeing the conjoined twins emerge as unique individuals. Director Jim Scriven has chosen to turn this concept on its head. Ms. Mull and Ms. Buchtan are not identical. More than the obvious height disparity, they play Daisy and Violet from the onset as sisters with different goals, styles, and feelings. The journey then becomes one of seeing each sister come to embrace their very tangible unity. Fortunately for the audience, one thing the actresses do have in common is a wealth of talent.
The linked ladies are supported by their romantic interests, Terry (Tyler Brignone) and Jake (Brady D. Patsy). Brignone plays talent agent Terry Connor with the look and air of a smarmy game-show host. Brignone has a powerful tenor voice perfectly showcased in the song “Private Conversation.” Patsy’s haunting rendition of “You Should Be Loved” melted even this cold-hearted reviewer. Rounding out the love triangle (square… pentagon…dodecahedron?) is Zakk Mannella as Buddy who adds the much-needed vaudevillian facet to the show.
The rest of the cast of Freaks and Roustabouts are led by Joe York as the exploitative side show owner, Sir. From Fortune Teller, to Bearded Lady, to Dog Boy, all seem to enjoy their roles and create memorable characters. As the fused femme’s story unfolds, these cast members fill the roles in the sister’s life. Because these performers created such singular “Freaks,” some of their later appearances as different characters can be a bit distracting.
The show is mounted at the Apple Hill Playhouse. The location lends itself to a carnival feel, complete with fire-juggling (the fire-juggler is part of an unannounced pre-show display). The utilitarian set, while adequate, lacked the polish displayed in much of the rest of the show, however Bill Jacka’s colorful period projections pulled focus in all the right ways.
This is the first local production of the recent revival of the Krieger/Russell musical which rewrote much of the show. The goal was to bring the real-life history of the Hilton’s into focus. It mostly works. An early flashback runs a little long, and aficionados of the original will miss “Tunnel of Love.” Ultimately though, the story wins.
Near the end of Act two, the twins beautifully and un-ironically sing “I Will Never Leave You” to each other. It’s simple, honest, and true. Such moments, images, and melodies are frequent in this production and, true to form, they really will never leave you.
You can see Split Stage’s Side Show through October 15th. For ticket info visit here.
In the summer of 1955, a colorful cast of characters comes out to drink some homemade hooch, feed the jukebox and play cards at a woodsy Jim Crow era “colored-only” bar in Eugene Lee’s “East Texas Hot Links.”
Charlesetta (Cheryl El-Walker) runs the Top O’ the Hill Café with verve, even while fending off advances from Roy (Monteze Freeland), and breaking up battling brothers-in-law, Columbus (Kevin Brown) and XL Dancer (Jonathan Berry).
The other Top O’ the Hill patrons include a loquacious blind poet, Adolph (Leslie Howard), a hot-tempered former inmate, Buckshot (Sam Lothard), a happy-go-lucky young buck, Delmus (Taylor Martin Moss) and an eerie prognosticator, Boochie (Charles Timbers).
The bar is abuzz with information about a horrific incident involving the Klan. A local boy turns up dead. His body is partially buried in the cement of a highway project cutting its way through town.
The news seems to have little effect on Delmus, who is bouncing around, buoyant with enthusiasm. He’s got a new girl and a new job lined up. Unfortunately, the denizens of the bar fear the events are connected, and that his new job is not the good news he believes it is.
“East Texas Hot Links” is a deceptive little play. It appears to be a humorous little concoction; a character study with men ruminating over the troubles of the day. Men seeking to fulfill simple desires on various points on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs; money, shelter, food and love. Then, Lee blows the roof off – literally and figuratively. It’s a pot-boiler that explodes on the stove in the final few minutes.
Note: There will be blood.
The cast (minus Taylor Martin Moss) of “East Texas Hot Links.” From left to right; Sam Lothard, Monteze Freeland, Kevin Brown, Charles Timbers, Cheryl El-Walker, Leslie Howard and Jonathan Berry.
The play is also about man’s inhumanity to man (regardless of skin color). While it’s set in 1955, it is sadly still relevant.
There is a large cast in Lee’s play. At first, some of the roles seem superfluous. The show, however, comes together like a large jigsaw. Each part becomes integral to the whole.
Mark Clayton Southers’ set is a masterpiece. While it’s packed with trinkets and gewgaws of a bygone era, it’s never cramped. Clayton Southers is aided by set painter, Diane Melchitzky.
Director Montae Russell blocks the show in such a way that the sizable cast never feels crowded on the small stage (not until the actors line up for their final bow).
Russell also wrangles some fine performances out of his cast. Freeland, Berry and Brown have always been strong actors, but they are so perfectly cast. They excel in this show. It must be noted, though, that there are no weak links in “Hot Links.”
Timbers oozes with gravitas. His presence is palpable the moment he steps onto the stage. He is also impeccably dressed by costume designer Anthony James Sirk.
In the last few years, Lothard has grown as an actor. He is at his best in this show, as if the role were written for him.
El-Walker’s Charlesetta is a joy. She is the lone distaff member, and she brings a brightness to the dingy bar. Her character rides a rollercoaster of emotions and El-Walker handles it with aplomb.
“East Texas Hot Links” is performed without an intermission. It’s a wise move not to break up the mounting tension in the ninety minute play. It’s a powerful play that packs a punch.
“East Texas Hot Links” runs till November 5, 2017. For more information, click here.
The Silver Theater Project is proud to announce their second in a monthly series of Salon Style play readings by local performers, 40 and over, of plays written by local playwrights, also 40 and over.The next play on the roster will be ‘Be Still My Beating Heart’ by Michael McGovern.
Cross Edgar Allan Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart” with “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?” and you’ve got a dark comedy that takes place in 1940’s New York. Broadway diva Veronica Price is in need of a new assistant; her servant, Alexa brings her estranged sister Helen to work for the great actress. One problem: Helen is a certified psychopath. The plot twists and turns all the up to the surprising heart-pounding ending! The cast reading are Lucia Metrailler, Colette Freiwald, Mary Randolph and Bruce Story-Camp.
Michael McGovern received his BFA in Theatre from Point Park College and his MFA in Playwriting from Carnegie-Mellon University. While at Carnegie-Mellon his play IRELAND’S SHAKESPEARE won the Bud Yorkin Award.
His work has been performed at such diverse theaters as the 13th Street Theatre and The Nat Horne Theatre in New York, the Pittsburgh Playhouse Jr., Bricolage, Prime Stage, and Rage of the Stage in Pittsburgh. His short play PREPARING BANQUO was a favorite in his Beat Cabaret series.
The Silver Theater Project is the brainchild of Michael McGovern, who felt that there is a need in Pittsburgh to create opportunities for older writers and performers to have their voices heard, both literally, and by the pen (or in this age, the computer word processing program). There is a lack of material that engages the older generations, as well as a lack of opportunities for the mature performer to show that they still have the chops, and The Silver Theater Project’s aim is to fill that void. The project has been accepted for fiscal sponsorship by New Sun Rising.
The reading will be held on October 22 at The Glitter Box Theater located at 460 Melwood Avenue, in Oakland. Doors will open at 7 pm, and the readings will begin at 7:30. As admission, the Salon readings have a suggested donation of $10.
For more information, connect with The Silver Theater Project here.
Welcome to Will Eno’s “Middletown.” A small but unusual hamlet in the middle of America. Apparently, everyone is invited. A local Public Speaker (Ned Salopek) hammers home this point at the start of the play by articulating a seemingly endless litany of various professions; stock brokers, dock workers, celebrities, nobodies, all comers, newcomers, the newly departed, the poorly depicted, et al. Everyone. It’s a lengthy preamble that stutters the opening like an old lawnmower on thick, wet grass.
Things do get moving when Mary Swanson (Mary Meyer) decides to make the bucolic community her new home. In the local library, she has a chance encounter with John Dodge (Eric Leslie). They bond over common traits; they are both profoundly lonely and socially awkward. Mary is a newlywed, but her husband is traveling. John, however, is divorced, between jobs (lots of jobs) and has plenty of time on his hands.
Along the way, Mary also meets a librarian (Charlotte Sonne), a cop (Jonathan Wilson), a mechanic (Bill Lyon) and scores of other denizens of this odd, little burg (the cast is a baker’s dozen clocking in with thirteen local performers).
Non-sequitur of the week: There’s an astronaut.
Middletown, it seems, is situated in a dark cranny between Emily Webb’s Grover’s Corners and Homer Simpsons’ Springfield (just like Springfield, the state is never named).
The mechanic is also the town drunk. Since Middletown isn’t Mayberry, the encounter between the town drunk and the cop is much more violent than any of Otis and Andy’s encounters.
It seems the citizens of Middletown are a little bit off. They are gloomy philosophers. Even the cop on patrol says, “People come. People go. Crying in both directions.” It’s a profound statement from such a ruffian. The play can be pretentious, but if you stick with it – especially to watch Mary and John’s unusual friendship unfold – it’s worth it.
“Middletown” is a surreal little play, but the humor comes when the character’s tilt at societal conventions, like Don Quixote at windmills. There are a lot of awkward conversations, lengthy pauses and inappropriate behavior, but that’s most of the fun. It is filled with very clever lines, dark humor and pithy wit. Unfortunately, “Middletown” gets bogged down by its loquacious characters. The townspeople wax philosophical a bit too much, and they all sound the same. Are all of these folks idiot savants?
The librarian is the spiritual centerpiece (you know she’s spiritual because she has a dream-catcher on her desk), but she’s also a bit daft. When Mary approaches the library desk and asks for a library card, the smiling librarian replies, “Good for you, dear. I think a lot of people figure, ‘Why bother? I’m just going to die, anyway.’ Let me just find the form.”
Later in the play, she encourages the mechanic to keep on living remembering verbatim an essay he wrote as a child.
There’s also a weird concept in the dead center of the play. It’s like a long-form improvisational bit that doesn’t work, a meta-commentary from an alleged audience, like Statler and Waldorf picking apart “The Muppet Show.”
The play has some terrific turns by the aforementioned local actors. Meyer has a luminescent smile. She lights up the entire stage. She uses the smile sparingly here, but to great effect. She handles the material adroitly.
Leslie is sardonic and funny, perfectly cast as the downtrodden Dodge.
Lyon shines here. He gets laughs from simple lines. His delivery is flawless. There is a pain in the playwright’s humor and you can see it etched on Lyon’s face. It’s a nuanced performance.
Fatu Sheriff is a newcomer to the Little Lake stage. She portrays a doctor in a scene with Lyon’s mechanic and it’s one of the best scenes in the play; one of the few that has a beginning, middle and end. There’s a nice twist.
Sonne’s librarian and Wilson’s cop should get honorable mentions, but – the fault is with the playwright here – the characters are so inconsistent. When the seemingly sadistic cop loses his mother we’re supposed to feel sympathy for him, even though he nearly strangled a pedestrian out for a stroll earlier in the show.
“Middletown” isn’t the worst show, but it isn’t the best. It lives up to its moniker by being squarely in the middle. A contingent of very fine actors saved the evening.
“Middletown” runs till October 7 at the Little Lake Theatre, 500 Lakeside Drive South, Canonsburg, PA 15317. For more information, click here.
When I noticed the Gateway Clipper was hosting an Alpine wine tasting as part of its monthly series of wine dinner cruises, it brought back memories of my youth, a time when I was exploring Europe and first encountered Fechy and Fendant, two Swiss wines whose names I remember to this day.
What could be more Alpine than Switzerland ? Maybe, thought I, the wine selections on the dinner cruise aboard the Empress would include one or both of the white wines I hadn’t had since my early 20s. Alas, the three selections featured at the dinner, while luscious, were from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy and foothills of the Alps in Austria Sans Fendant and Fechy, I decided to take the cruise anyway.
Boarding The Empress. Photo by Bill Rockwell.
The warm weather the Pittsburgh area was enjoying the evening of September 13 promised a chance to go up to the top deck after the tasting and take in the view of city’s sparkling downtown from its three river vantage points. Eager to get underway, my dining companion and I boarded the boat, and the first thing we saw was tray of glasses filled with Fred Loimer Gruner Veltliner LOIS from Austria.
Cory Hart, a wine consultant for the Winebow Group, selected the white wine as the accompaniment to the appetizer course set up on a buffet table in the center of the room. As the other patrons came on board, cruise directors Katie and Shayna gave them their table assignments and a glass of the white Austrian wine.
Wine consultant, Cory Hart. Photo by Bill Rockwell.
Between the time everyone made their way past the appetizer buffet and before the entrees arrived as the main part of the sit down dinner, Hart explained that the Alpine region had the advantage of a diurnal temperature flux the grapes favored that featured warm to hot days and cool nights. Off mountain breezes also helped control some of the fungal diseases that might have affected the vines and grape harvest.
He also explained the characteristics of the varietals sampled at the dinner, gave food pairing suggestions and walked from table to table to take questions.
On board, the dinner atmosphere was informal, the ambient music upbeat and accessible and the mood fairly festive. I noticed that a couple of tables sported birthday balloons, including one occupied by Caitlin and Mary Berardinelli of Jeanette, ages 22 and 52 respectively. Both women, daughter and mother, were celebrating their birthdays, only one day apart, on the 12th and 13th, and brought along their cousin, John Seber, also from Jeanette, as their designated driver.
Dinner setting. Photo by Bill Rockwell.
As a match for the entrees, a choice of either chicken and beef, Hart chose a versatile yet somewhat obscure Castello di Neive Grignolino from the Piedmont of Italy, home to better known varietals like Barbaresco, Barbera and Barolo.
“The winery produces only 4,000 bottles annually,” Hart said “As to the name Grignolino means many pips, which would give the wine too much tannin – if they didn’t do it in a rose-style with limited maceration.”
Just before the diners filed up to the dessert and cookie buffet, our waitress poured my favorite of the evening, a Maculan Brentino from the Veneto, a region known for powerhouse reds like Amarone and Valpolicella.
A 50-50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the Brentino’s full-bodied, rich flavors with green pepper notes went especially well with the soft and dense chocolate brownies, poised like dark, calorie-laden temptresses on the dessert table.
Chicken Entrée. Photo by Bill Rockwell.
After dinner, many of the diners took advantage of the clement weather and headed up to the top deck where the sparkle of the city lights and the buzz from the wines combined for a magical experience.
Pittsburgh at twilight. Photo by Bill Rockwell.
FYI: All of the wines feature at the Alpine tasting dinner are available through the Pennsylvania state store system.
Tasting notes for the Gruner Veltliner LOIS Pale yellow color, this wine is purely aromatic and lively! Lovely aromas of fresh apples and citrus, this wine surprises on the palate with great spice components as well as exotic fruit and a refreshing acidity.
Food Pairing: To be enjoyed either on its own, as an apéritif or with light dishes, crisp salads, vegetable dishes, seafood, Wiener Schnitzel, light fried foods such as tempura, Asian flavors. Also great with Thai.
Tasting Notes for the Castello di Neive Grignolino: Light ruby in color, aromas of red fruits and roses complement undertones of Bing cherries, strawberries, and hints of spice box. On the palate, crisp acidity and smooth tannins make for a food friendly wine.
Food Pairing: Pair this wine with fried seafood appetizers, Bagna Cauda, creamy veal-based dishes, and Italian cold cuts.
Tasting Notes for the Maculan Brentino: Deep ruby-red with garnet hues, the Brentino offers seductive aromas of blackberries and dark cherries, along with hints of cedar and forest due to the year spent aging in French barriques. On the palate, the wine is dry, full-bodied, and harmoniously balanced with firm tannic structure and a persistent finish.
Food Pairing: Recommended with roasted and grilled meat dishes like pancetta-wrapped beef tenderloin or with a hearty dish like spicy sausage ragù served over creamy polenta.
If you’d like to try some wines from Switzerland, consultant Andrew Ochs at the Village Square Premium Collection Store in Bethel Park found nine Swiss selections in the PLCB portfolio, including the following three reds currently stocked at the Bethel Park location.:
Cave des Tilleuls Pinot Noir Switzerland de Vetroz 2008 Pa code: 45858, Price: $22.84 Qty: 9 (Clearence was: $37.99)
Robert Gilliard S A Dole des Monts Pinot Noir Switzerland 2009 (blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay) Pa code: 45142, Price: $28.99 Qty: 5.
For descriptions of these wines, phone Ochs at 412-851-0403.
Staff at the Oxford Center location in Downtown Pittsburgh can also help securing Swiss wines through the PLCB system. Phone 412-565-7689.
Upcoming wine dinner cruises aboard the Gateway Clipper Fleet include one themed to the wines of Southeast Europe on October 18. The menu is as follows:
Appetizer Menu
Iberian Ham Croquettes with Smoke Paprika Aioli
Steam Black Mussels with Vinho Verde, Garlic and Cilantro
Domestic Cheese Assortment, Bread, Crackers and Grapes
Bouquet of Raw Vegetables, Herb Buttermilk Dressing
Entree Choices
Grilled Bavette Steak Assado
Sofrito Rice, Rapini and Mojo Rojo
or
Chorizo and Manchego Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Smashed Patatas Bravas, Spinach and Chick Peas with a Mushroom Ajillo Sauce
Dessert Menu
Fudge Brownies
Lemon Squares
Assorted Cookies
Seasonal Fresh Fruit Arrangement
A November tasting (date yet not announced) will compare Old and New World sparklers, reds, whites and roses. The plan is to have patrons move from station to station and sample and compare each of the Old and New World wines.
Cruise Details
Dining on the water features white glove plated dinner service with expertly paired wines for each course.
Learn about each of the wines served from a wine expert from the Winebow Group.
Sit back, relax, enjoy your wine and savor the beauty of the city as the cruise plies the waters of Pittsburgh’s three rivers.
The boat’s full service bars feature various brands of liquor, beer, wine and soda and are located on both decks of vessel.
Management want diners to have the time of their life from the moment they step onboard. The crew is happy to answer any questions about the Cruise on the Three Rivers! You can also refer to the onboard itinerary you will receive when you board the vessel!
All passengers aboard the boat MUST be 21 years of age.
Boarding time is 5:30 p.m. Sailing time is 6:30 to 9 p.m.. Tickets are $55.00
For reservations and more information, phone 412-355-7980 or visit www.gatewayclipper.com.
Prosecco from the Veneto, Pecorino cheese from Calabria, and Amedei Chocolate from Tuscany. Mama Mia! You can’t get much more Italian than that!
Smallman Galley co-owner, Ben Mantica, likes to change the focus of the wines featured in his monthly wine tasting. Italy got the spotlight in his latest tasting on Tuesday, August 29. This month, the wines of New York’s Finger Lakes District and Long Island ( yes, they’re making some great wines on Long Island) will be the headline offerings during the September 12 tasting.
Looking in on Wine Tasting Group at Smallman Galley. Photo: Bill Rockwell.
For the Italian tasting, Michel Mincin, owner and wine monger of the Allora Wine Group, brought along five Italian wines from boutique winery producers he discovered on visits to Italy. To compliment the wines, four Italian cheeses purchased from Pennsylvania Macaroni in the Strip District and three sweets from Mon Aimee Chocolat in the Strip completed the menu.
“Each patron gets 2.5 to 3 ounces of each wine,” Mincin said as he poured the first offering, a bubbly, pleasantly sweet Prosecco with citrus-y notes from the Veneto. I mentioned to the wine distributor that the bubbles seemed to last long in the glass, and he admitted that he tried the same bottle of Prosecco over a five day period to test its bubble longevity. Obviously it passed the test.
Amy Rosenfield of Mon Aimee Chocolat Preparing Sweets Plates. Photo: Bill Rockwell.
During the tasting close to 40, mostly young, wine enthusiasts sat around tables in the restaurant’s main dining room, a narrow room with brick walls painted white and a high ceiling. The tasters seemed to have a broad range of wine experience.
Lauren Fehl of Mt. Lebanon and Lauren Benny of Avonworth learned about the event on Facebook, and the tasting at the Smallman Galley was a first for both wine lovers. “I’d been to the Galley several times for lunch, but never for a tasting,” said Fell, who’d previously visited wineries in Italy and the Napa Valley.
Before the Crowd Arrives. Photo: Bill Rockwell.
In addition to a place mat that identified each of the five featured wines, each taster got two plates – one for the cheeses, one for the chocolates. The food pairings were a collaboration between Mincin, bar manager, Tim Garso and Amy Rosenfield of Mon Aimee Chocolat. The latter has an astounding inventory of chocolates from as many as 50 different countries around the globe.
Taylor Horkut of Baldwin and his partner for the evening, Keely Tague of Greenfield, admitted they were wine novices who also discovered the event on Facebook.
“When we saw that an Orange Blossom Moscato was one of the wines on the list, we were hooked and decided to come,” Tague said.
Eiana Shank of McCandless discovered the tasting on EventBrrite.com. “While wine is my beverage of choice, the only other tasting I did was at the Rivers Casino as well as several whiskey tastings at the Wigle Distillery,” Shank said.
Events Manager Heather Granader. Photo: Bill Rockwell.
Besides being an importer and distributor, Mincin also offers wine list consultation, corporate tastings and wine education events. After each pouring at the tasting, he explained the characteristics of the wine, the grape varietal, its place of origin, made food pairing suggestions and took questions from the tasters. Rosenfield did the same for the treats on the sweet plate.
Since the Smallman Galley opened 20 months ago, it has organized a series of between 12 to 15 public events each year. Considered a chef incubation restaurant, the Smallman Galley offers diners a unique experience with four fully outfitted kitchens. They’re manned by undiscovered chefs who use the restaurant as a forum to showcase their talents, hone their craft, develop business acumen and build a cult following behind their culinary concepts.
Before the tasting begins. Photo: Bill Rockwell.
Smallman Galley provides the infrastructure for the chefs over an 18 month period to bring their concepts to market at low risk and at low cost. Every 18 months, the Galley brings in four new chefs and the process begins all over again in the Galley’s four restaurants. Iron Born features hand-forged pizzas, Colonia is a culinary tribute to the countries of Latin America, Banhmiicious offers modern Vietnamese dishes and Brunoise features progressive American cuisine. Patrons can order from one or all of the four restaurants.
For Eva Tumiel Kozak of Point Breeze, the wine tasting was her first visit to the Smallman Galley. “I thought the tasting had a nice selection of wines and was well paired with high quality cheeses,” she said. “My only suggestion is that they use a microphone at future tasting because I was unable to hear some of the comments about the wines, cheeses and chocolates.”
Smallman Galley Co-Owner, Ben Mantica. Photo: Bill Rockwell.
To learn about upcoming wine tastings, go to the Smallman Galley Facebook page.
The Featured Italian Wines and Food Pairings:
1) Prosecco Revino DOC NV – Sparkling
2) Passenina Tenuta Spinelli “Eden” 2016 – White Cru di Capra Aged Goat Cheese (Piedmont)
3) Refosco Rodaro “Flower” 2014 – Red Piave 6 month aged cow’s milk cheese (Veneto) Sabadi Nella chocolate 60% with cinnamon flavors (Modica, Sicily)
4) Cabernet Sauvignon Conte Emo Capodilista Pecorino Calabreso Reserve, aged 12 months sheep’s milk (Calabria) Amadei Toscano Red Chocolate 70% with raspberries, strawberries and cherries. Amadei was once named the world’s best chocolate according to Rosenfield (Pisa, Tuscany)
Alan Stanford celebrates PICT Classic Theatre’s new season by staging his own death (every night the rest of the week and in a Sunday matinee) in a loosely structured murder mystery, “Murder at the Craft House: Who Killed Alan Stanford?”
When PICT Classic Theatre’s Artistic and Executive Director swigs a potent glass of Jamison (is there any other kind?), he discovers, far too late, that the Irish whiskey has been poisoned. He has been murdered! But now the game is afoot!
Is it Aloysius (James FitzGerald), the arrogant butler? Fergus (Martin Giles), the cantankerous caretaker? Or is it squeaky Cecile (Paige Borak), the house maid? Can it be the host and mistress of the house, Christina Craft (Sarah Wojdylak), or her twisted sister, Imogen (Ashley McKinney)? Even Detective McBurney (Michael McBurney) is a suspect in the crime he’s attempting to solve.
Guests traipse about the grand home seeking clues and munching on some tasty nibbles (the cupcakes outnumbered the clues by ten to one). Ironically, you could nosh on salmon while trying to decipher a red herring.
A simulacrum of the murder victim, Artistic and Creative Director Alan Stanford, is proudly displayed in the purple poster.
At one point it was difficult to ascertain the guests from the actors as some slightly eccentric characters were really just PICT supporters.
But the actors are delightful, improvising their alibis. Gee! It was fun watching McBurney and Giles verbally spar with gusto (and alliteration).
McKinney is absolutely looney as the unhinged Imogen. Imogen carries a doll also named Imogen, who she treats as real. The doll can’t seem to keep her underpants up. While the flesh and blood Imogen can’t seem to keep up hers around the distinguished yet difficult butler, Aloysius. Is it a clue? It doesn’t really matter. It’s silly and hilarious.
Each actor remained in character throughout the performance. During the big reveal Giles started to crack, but it was reminiscent of “The Carol Burnett Show,” where Harvey Korman couldn’t keep it in, while Tim Conway rambled.
The actors relied on detailed histories created for them by Gayle Pazerski. Each character had an elaborate tale to weave.
Are there enough clues laid out for you to solve “Murder at the Craft House: Who Killed Alan Stanford?” Probably not. You couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting a red herring (an intentional obfuscation). While Alan’s murder is eventually solved, the mystery of the poisoned pussy remained (someone offed a fictitious cat).
The true star of the evening was the illustrious setting. The Charles Craft House was built in 1900. The town of Crafton was named after the Charles Craft, son of the frontier attorney, James S. Craft. The junior Craft was the first burgess of the town that bears his family name. The stately home is elegantly appointed by the real hostess of the evening, Eileen Clancy.
“Murder at the Craft House: Who Killed Alan Stanford” is a delightful way for PICT Classic Theatre to introduce their new season.
“Murder at the Craft House: Who Killed Alan Stanford” runs all weekend at the Craft House, 8 Alice Street, Crafton, PA 15205. For more information, click here.
High in the Mirama Hills between Uganda and Rwanda, a young American, David (Scott Parkinson) encounters God’s Blessing (Patrick J. Ssenjovu) and their lives are forever changed in play “Red Hills” by Sean Christopher Lewis.
Years pass, but neither David nor God’s Blessing can put the life-altering events of their chance meeting behind them. David writes a book about his experiences, a tumultuous meeting with the Rwandan boy during the genocide of his people in 1994.
When God’s Blessing wanders into a bookstore, he discovers he is featured in the aforementioned book. He does not agree with the author’s depiction of the dark events and asks David to come to Rwanda to get the bigger picture.
David navigates his way to the African nation, and greets God’s Blessing with luggage in hand. The two men set off on a spiritual journey to discover the other’s perspective.
David recalls his earlier African visit. In 1994, he was a young man who stumbled into missionary work because of a pious and beautiful young woman named Mary (Ava Kepple). On the riverbanks, while washing the collective clothes of the other young missionaries, David and Mary meet God’s Blessing.
God’s Blessing (Patrick J. Ssenjovu) welcomes the audience to Rwanda, in “Red Hills.”
The young Rwandan hopped on a bike and hightailed it out of his country in the wake of the genocide. He begs Mary and David to help him find his parents. While David is reluctant, Mary charges into action. The three set out to reunite God’s Blessing with his family.
In the present, David and God’s Blessing reveal tragic secrets to one another. Each suffering in their own ways.
The story toggles between their diametrically opposed points of view.
A few audience members are singled out and fill in as extras (on opening night, Bruce Crocker filled in as a cab driver, and Ed Scheid played a Hutu, both in silent roles). The entire audience participated in several call-and-response moments.
The play hinges on the talents of its two main characters. Ssenjovu is charismatic and charming as the Rwandan. God’s Blessing is a happy-go-lucky tour guide on the surface, but a cauldron of boiling rage underneath. He’s ready to bubble over on David for his misrepresentation of the facts. He is more than a victim of the Tutsi massacre. His performance is visceral, enchanting.
Parkinson does a fine job as well. He vacillates between the two versions of the character; the frightened young missionary and the angry professor who studies, of all things, forgiveness. The final scene is heart-wrenching. It’s another skillful performance.
Kepple’s ephemeral Mary is dichotomous. She is sweet and brash. She is equal parts devout Christian and blossoming young woman. Her appearance in the play is handled in a unique way. It’s safe to say her performance throughout the run will be unwavering. No spoilers, sweetie.
Lewis has written a powerful work on love, hate and forgiveness, deftly directed by Katie Pearl.
As in all Quantum Theatre shows (in collaboration with En Garde Arts, New York), it’s an immersive theatrical experience in an unusual space. “Red Hills” is performed in a scrapyard, the Recycling Building in the Strip, red clay and rusted vehicles define the space. High marks for Deb O who handled scenic and costume design on the production.
Todd Brown’s lighting design and Steve Shapiro’s sound design add depth and resonance to the performances. Additional material is supplied by Joe Seamans and his media design which excellently creates character, mood and environment.
American author and humorist Mark Twain (Samuel Clemmons) once said, “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” The beautiful scent of “Red Hills” rises up from two shattered souls. While we revel in the exquisite aroma, we never forget where it comes from.
“Red Hills” reveals deep truths about love, hate and forgiveness. It’s also a glorious work of art.
You can see “Red Hills” on the corner of 32nd Street and Smallman in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, click here.
