Author: VivantAdmin

CARNEGIE, PA — On August 23, 2015 the Pittsburgh New Works Festival kicks off their 25th anniversary season of producing world premiere plays.

The Pittsburgh New Works Festival (PNWF) is dedicated to fostering the development of original one-act plays. Each year, 18 new one-act plays are given world premiere productions by Pittsburgh region theater companies during the six weeks of the festival.

The on-going mission for the Festival is the encouragement and support of playwrights worldwide and production of original one-act plays. Since its founding in 1991, PNWF has served as a collaborative organization, pooling the talents and rich resources of western Pennsylvania’s emerging theater community and playwrights from around the world in a series of creative activities.

As it does each year, the Festival begins with two free evenings of “staged readings,” each at 7pm. Each evening of plays, during both the Staged Reading portion and Main Stage Festival, includes the performance of three one-act plays.

STAGED READINGS

August 23

1) Glue by John Seibel from Pittsburgh (produced by Industrial Gardens)

2) Extraordinary Lies by James Baden from Columbia, MO (produced by Comtra Theater)

3) Flabby Abby by J. Thalia Cunningham from Delmar, NY (produced by Prime Stage Theatre)

August 30

1. Girl In the Washroom by Bella Poynton from Williamsville, NY (produced by R-ACT)

2. Turning of the Screw by Warren Holleman from Houston, TX (produced by Pittsburgh New Works)

3. Town Hall Incident by Fred Perry from Roswell, GA (produced by University of Pittsburgh Stages)

MAIN STAGE PLAYS

PROGRAM A

1. Prodigal Returns by Garry Kluger from La Crescenta, CA (produced by CCAC South)

2. Empty Plots by Chris Gavaler from Lexington, VA (produced by Stage Right Boyd)

3. Two by Eugenie Carabatsos from Pittsburgh (produced by Thoreau, NM – – A Production Company)

PROGRAM B

1. Queen Steffi by Zac Thompson from Chicago, IL (produced by Actors Civic Theatre)

2. Sweet Tea and Cadillacs by Ben Torbush from Barcelona, Spain (produced by Cup-A-Jo Productions)

3. The Old Maid and Her Old Goose by Kyle John Schmidt from Austin, TX (produced by Theater Factory)

PROGRAM C

1. Gravity Between Us by Josie Rush from Pittsburgh (produced by Duquesne Red Masquers)

2. The Man Who Got Away by Jeffrey James from Ontario, CA (produced by Phase 3 Productions)

3. Rules of Discovery by Andrew Ade from New Wilmington, PA (produced by Duquesne The Summer Company)

PROGRAM D

1. Grim Tidings by Dennis Jones from Powhatan, VA (produced by Heritage Players)

2. Nana’s Home Movies by F.J. Hartland from Johnstown, PA (produced by McKeesport Little Theater)

3. The Green Eyed Monster by Michael Wolfson from Valley Village, CA (produced by South Hills Players)

The four programs of “Main Stage” plays are presented in a true festival format, alternating performances between programs A & B the first two weeks of September and C & D for the final two weeks.

[example: week 1, Thursday = A, Friday = B, Saturday @ 4 = A, Saturday @ 8 = B, Sunday = A… then the pattern continues with B starting off week 2]

All performances will be held at Carnegie Stage (formerly Off The Wall Theater), 25 W. Main Street, Carnegie, PA 15106. Main Stage performance times are 8pm Th-Sat with additional matinees at 4pm on Saturdays and 2pm Sundays.

Single tickets start at $12 and Festival Passes are available for $40. Tickets are available via PittsburghNewWorks.org or by calling ShowClix at 888-71-TICKETS.

2015 marks the 25th year of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, truly a landmark milestone for the organization. Leading up to the Festival, a variety of events such as monthly play reading programs and presentations of previously-produced works from over PNWF’s history have been presented in a variety of venues around the greater Pittsburgh area. This kind of year-long programming is an integral part of the Festival’s strategic plan.

The Pittsburgh New Works Festival is proud to be supported by WQED as Media Sponsor for the 25th anniversary season.

by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

 

When “Kinky Boots” comes to Pittsburgh, Broadway comes to the ‘Burgh. They even brought home their star player for the National tour, our own tour de force, Billy Porter.

“Kinky Boots” is based on a story of a real life shoe factory owner, Steve Pateman, who, in an attempt to save his struggling, family business, a shoe factory, began developing a line of ‘kinky boots’ in men’s sizes. The BBC documentary became a movie, which, in turn, became a Broadway musical.

When Charlie Price (Steve Booth) is about to lose his father’s factory, he realizes he has to do something drastic (dragstic?). When he meets a flamboyant drag diva, who breaks a heel (and almost breaks Charlie’s nose) in a back alley brawl, you can almost see the light bulb go off above his head. Plot A is established.  Charlie plans to fill a niche market and turn Price and Son into a purveyor of “Kinky Boots.”

Let’s pause a moment and discuss our drag diva:

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl, with a yellow wig masquerading as her hair, and a dress cut down to there, she stole every scene that she was in; I will declare her act a win. Lola/Simon (Billy Porter) sparkles in her/his opening number, “Land of Lola” (and not because her dress is bedazzled with a billion sequins). Porter channels Tina Turner, shimmying, shimmering and strutting on the stage. It’s no accident that this local man became a Broadway star. He’s loaded with charisma, shining through a sea of spangled drag dancers (his chorus of colorful queens, the Angels).

Things get dicey when Lola visits Charlie at his factory (note: the only chocolate at Charlie’s factory is the boring brown men’s shoe his family has been manufacturing for a century).  Lola encounters Don (Joe Coots) who, at first, is unaware that Lola is wolf in sheep’s clothing. Lola reveals her identity to the burly factory worker and Don moves quickly from shock to anger, which sets up a B plot.

There are a few additional plot threads about Charlie’s cold fish fiancée, Nicola (Grace Stockdale) and the lovelorn Lauren (Lindsay Nicole Chambers), but it’s really the story of two young boys who dream of bigger things. Both boys want to break free of their father’s expectations.

Technically, it’s really about big, showy Broadway numbers, full of pomp and circumstance, littered with a few breezy quips (every possible iteration of a shoe joke is made,  including a soul/soul song but, hey, that’s shoe biz).  I feel like a real heel for mentioning it, but Broadway musicals always have a painful pun or two, but some of those jokes are flatter than a pair of sandals.

Our love-struck Lauren does get one shining moment of her own, when she sings about her crush, Charlie, in “The History of Wrong Guys.” It’s a comical and fun song, and Chambers does a superb job.

Act One closes with a literal show-stopper, “Everybody Say Yeah,” where Charlie, Lola, the Angels and the ensemble strut around the factory and dance on conveyor belts. It seemed like an oddly upbeat spot to break for intermission, but wine and beer must be sold.

In Act Two, the plot lines start to tie up, like a size seven loafer. Lola/Simon goes into a boxing ring with Don. She’s in her satin tights, fighting for her rights and the red, white and blue (in this case, the Union Jack, not Old Glory).  Charlie breaks it off with his fiancée. Everyone frets about the big shoe show in Italy.

The show culminates at the aforementioned fashion show in Milan, “Raise You Up/Just Be” is a glorious anthem to letting your freak flag fly, with lovable lyrics like, “The ones you love, are gonna set you free! Feed your fire, to take you higher. We’ll light you up like a live wire. Celebrate you, to elevate you, when you struggle to step, we’ll take a helping hand.” It’s a joyous, momentous number that lifts the audience to their feet.

Who better than Harvey Fierstein (who wrote the book) and Cyndi Lauper (who wrote the music and lyrics) to remind you of your own uniqueness? They are no strangers to strange.

David Rockwell’s scenic design is a marvel. The warehouse set is a masterpiece of interlocking parts and swiveling pieces, complete with working conveyor belts.

The circus has come to town; it’s flashy, colorful, showy and spectacular. It’s a must-see show for any musical theater fan.

One last word about Porter, he enlivens every scene he’s in (especially when dressed in a dress), he plays a big, ballsy (ironically?) drag queen, with loud clothes and a loud mouth, who has a softer, quieter side (in men’s wear). Every scene is perfection. He really is a star.

“Kinky Boots” runs through the week, till August 9 at the Benedum Center, 7^th Street, between Penn and Liberty, Downtown Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets and additional information, go here.

-MB.

 

 

Pittsburgh, PA –  What if your ability to make personal connections helped you unlock a bigger story? Mingled, Uncumber Theatrics’ newest experimental immersive work, invites audiences to discover hidden connections and add their own stories to the mix.

Participants will be asked to “dress to impress” as they assume the role of speed-daters in this interactive experience mimicking the conventions of a speed-dating event. Patrons will be guided to form deeper connections with friends and strangers through intimate one-on-one interactions and challenging “ice-breaker” questions. Participants may not know at first which of their fellow minglers are actors and which are audience members like themselves. But as the evening progresses, the perceptive will notice that not everybody is who they seem. And while they attempt to uncover these secrets, patrons may discover few of their own.

Building off of the Stony Brook University study that developed 36 questions designed to foster deeper intimacy in dating couples, Mingled melds these bonding techniques with cold-reading and gamification elements in order to bring audience members into a story.  Part improvisation and part mentalism, this highly experimental micro-theater experience will change night after night, influenced by the information and interactions supplied by patrons.  While some participants who openly engage in the unfolding story will be rewarded, others may only brush the surface of the underlying narrative.

“Only open hearts can unlock this mystery,” says Creative Director and Story Creator Ayne Terceira, whose other immersive work includes serving as a cast member of immersive experience STRATA (Bricolage) and creative contributor to fear experience The Basement (ScareHouse), as well as Uncumber’s previous fully sold-out runs Her Things (Uncumber) and Prof. Eldritch’s Asylum for Uncanny & Extraordinary Women (Uncumber with Devious Maid Productions) . “Mingled invites everyone to form real connections with both actors and audience members alike. If you walk away with the sense you engaged deeply with a stranger, that is enough. But if you are brave enough to take hold of our outstretched hand, we will take you on a ride.”

Because of the intimate nature of this production, a limited number of tickets are available for each performance.  Mingled will open on July 31st at 8pm at ModernFormations Gallery in Bloomfield. The run will feature five performances: July 31st at 8pm, August 1st at 3pm & 8pm and August 2nd at 3pm & 8pm.  Tickets can be purchased online at the Uncumber Theatrics website (www.uncumbertheatrics.com). Depending on online sales, tickets may be available at the door for $20. In light each of the previous Uncumber Theatrics shows selling out, reservations are encouraged. Shows will be open to the public and are suitable for adults ages 21+.

Mingled is the third production of Uncumber Theatrics, under the creative direction of Ayne Terceira and the technical direction of Aaron Tarnow (whose experience in innovative, site-specific theatre includes two seasons as the Technical Director of Quantum Theatre). Uncumber Theatrics’ mission is to push the limits of improvisational actors and improvisational techniques to create new and innovative staged theatrical work. The cast therefore is drawn heavily from Pittsburgh’s booming improvisational community.

By Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant

On the coast of County Kerry, on the desolate cliffs of Southwest Ireland, an old man (John Henry Steelman) writhes in his deathbed in the final full day of life. Enter a thatcher, Peadar Minogue (Byron Anthony), who wanders in looking for work. He finds far more than he bargained for in John Brendan Keane’s gloomy, lyrical love story, “Sharon’s Grave.”

Minogue is immediately smitten with Trassie Conlee (Karen Baum), a mere slip of a lass, tending to her dying da. The beautiful young woman is so overwhelmed in her familial duties, caring for her sick father and looking after her younger brother Neelus (Alec Silberblatt), she doesn’t even notice the way Peadar looks at her…with fire in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Trassie’s brother spent the day cliff side, overlooking the Atlantic, staring into a churning abyss below, the eponymous Sharon’s Grave.  Neelus recounts the myth of Sharon and her crippled handmaiden and how the two perished in the dark waters below. Hint: The Gaelic folktale features prominently in the play, and not just metaphorically.

As Donal Conlee lay dying, his brother’s children, Dinzie (James FitzGerald) and Jack (J. Alex Noble) arrive to lay a claim to the Conlee domicile. Dinzie is a ruinous wreck of a human, deformed physically on the outside with a hump and useless legs. It doesn’t take long to learn that the crooked cousin far more twisted on the inside; devious, maniacal, murderous. Without the luxury of a wheelchair, he rides on his brother’s back, treating the sturdier Jack like his pet pony.

Dinzie terrorizes and taunts his cousins in the Conlee clan. Convinced that if he had a home to call his own, he can woo a woman to be his wife. His desperation and villainy grow once the Banshee wails and Donal shuffles off this mortal coil. His master plan involves institutionalizing feeble-minded Neelus and exiling Trassie to his parent’s home. However, Peadar’s timely arrival has thrown a wrench into his wicked plans.

Dinzie hires Pats Bo Bwee (Martin Giles), a Celtic Shaman, blustering about like Prospero with a hammer, to assess Neelus’s mind, and institutionalize the boy.  He gleefully harasses the lad.

Dinzie’s determination to take over the Conlee abode grows, and he vows to have the house by any means necessary. Villainy ensues.

PICT Classic Theater has a reputation for excellence, and the actors do a remarkable job, but special attention must be made.

FitzGerald is magnificent as the heinous hunchback, spewing vile epithets, swilling whiskey, and brandishing a dagger. He’s ready to slice anyone who stands in his way. FitzGerald plays against type, normally cast as comic relief. In “Sharon’s Grave,” the amiable actor is demanding, desperate and despicable. It’s a stunning performance from a man who played meek and mousy a merely a month ago in “How the Other Half Loves.” The juxtaposition is hilarious. He is so utterly immersed in his character, you want to rise up from your seat in the audience and smack him in the face with a shovel.

Giles is electrifying as the shamanistic charlatan. It’s another superb performance in a terrific cast.

To be fair, FitzGerald and Giles have the most boisterous and bellicose roles in the play, and they give blustery, full-bodied performances.

PICT keeps moving the bar higher with visual design. Johnmichael Bohach’s set is stunning. It is a rustic, earthy, unsophisticated and ancient Irish home plopped down in the middle of the Henry Heymann as if it landed there in Dorothy Gale’s Tornado. Moody lighting and sound design, from Keith A. Truax and Elizabeth Atkinson, respectively, add to the visual experience.  Director Aoife Spillane-Hinks makes great use of the sound and space.

If you can get past the off-putting title, “Sharon’s Grave” is actually a delight.

(“Sharon’s Grave” runs till August 1 at the Henry Heymann Theater, inside the Stephen Foster Memorial Theater, 4301 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213)

 

-MB.