VivantAdmin, Author at 'Burgh Vivant

March 12, 2015March 12, 2015

Hiawatha Project debuts JH: MECHANICS OF A LEGEND at the New Hazlett

Pittsburgh – Hiawatha Project, a Pittsburgh-based theatre company in its fifth year dedicated to creating new and original performances exploring specific social questions, is proud to announce its next theatrical work: JH: Mechanics of a Legend – based on the haunting American Folk Tale of John Henry – is the story of a young, black veteran of the Union Army, caught in the confusion and fury of a nation still battling itself. A work-in-progress presentation will run one night only at the New Hazlett on Thursday, April 2nd at 8:00pm as part of their CSA (Community Supported Art) Series. The show is suitable for adults, and tickets can be purchased through the New Hazlett’s website and cost $20 (www.newhazletttheater.org).

JH: Mechanics of a Legend is written and directed by Hiawatha Project Artistic Director and co-founder, Anya Martin. “I first became interested in the legend of John Henry as a child – I remember singing the song in 4th grade – and thinking how sad it was that he died with a hammer in his hand – and yet we sang the song so triumphantly in class – belting out the “Lawd Lawds” above the piano in class.” Martin’s childhood fascination in the story of John Henry was rediscovered when she moved back to Pittsburgh in 2008, and heard a radio broadcast about the legend of John Henry. “Many versions of the legend tell that JH died at the Big Bend tunnel in WV just 90 miles away from Pittsburgh,” Martin recalls. “Ghost hunters say that you can still hear his hammer ring underneath the earth.” Through her original work exploring the story of John Henry, Martin seeks to measure the myth, the man, and the machine, revealing a poetic and dangerous truth inside the machinations of history, rooted in the economics of slavery.

Martin joined forces with a diverse group of Pittsburgh-based artists to create JH: Mechanics of a Legend, including a dynamic ensemble cast featuring Monteze Freeland, who plays the legendary man, John Henry. “I bring many people’s stories under the guise of John Henry because in many ways every man of color in this country is John Henry,” says Freeland, Founder and Artistic Director of The LAB Project, and JH: Mechanics of a Legend cast member. “Sometimes you just want to start from the beginning and build from the ground up. It makes me feel as though I have stake in what is being presented.”

The JH: Mechanics of a Legend ensemble also features Kyle Bostian, a theatre artist and educator who specializes in the development and staging of new works including work by Pulitzer finalist and Tony nominee Arthur Kopit and Oscar nominee Lucy Alibar, a dynamic vocalist and newcomer Delana Flowers from Lancaster, PA, and recent Point Park University graduate Tom Driscoll of Chicago, IL.

Carnegie Mellon scenic design MFA graduate Britton Mauke is the set designer, and Wendy Arons, an Associate Professor of Dramatic Literature at Carnegie Mellon University, serves as script advisor.

The New Hazlett Theater CSA presentation represents the culmination of an intense creative development process over the last year. JH: Mechanics of a Legend is not only supported by the New Hazlett Theater, but is also sponsored in part by Pennsylvania Council on the Arts as well as private donations through Hiawatha Project’s fiscal sponsors, the New Hazlett Theater and Fractured Atlas. Please contact Hiawatha Project about opportunities to cover and document this exciting and unique process—and mark your calendars for the performance on April 2nd, which will culminate in an artistic conversation after the show, inviting the audience to play the critical role of helping shape this compelling new work. For further information, please contact Hiawatha Project marketing at pr@hiawathaproject.org, or Anya Martin at anya.adel@gmail.com, 412-715-6968, www.hiawathaproject.org.

About JH: Mechanics of a Legend
The legend of John Henry, the only African American tall tale is based on the story of a real man. The truth imbedded in the dawn of a new nation and the American machine age. His legacy left to us in song by early American minstrels and echoed today by Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, and Bruce Springsteen; the mighty railroad man, John Henry, races a steam drill to his death and leaves his fabled hammer to Polly Ann, his mysterious lover. JH: Mechanics of a Legend melds the language of mechanics, century old ballads and primary historical records to explore the legend of John Henry.

JH: Mechanics of a Legend explanation from writer/director Anya Martin

“John Henry famously races a steam drill and wins – but then tragically dies – so how much does he win? The steam drills was the great technology of the time. So many modern interpretations of John Henry play upon the ideas of man vs. machine – and I wondered – what are we racing against now? What are the hammers in our hands that we are so happy to have – and yet may kill us – or at least we may die with?

At that time I envisioned the show to be about technology and modern life – schedules, iPhones and the pressure to produce in a capitalist system. However, while researching the show I came across Scott Reynolds Nelson’s groundbreaking best seller Steel Drivin’ Man: John Henry, The Untold Story of an American Legend and my work and the project took an about face. Nelson had ‘found’ the real John Henry. And the real John Henry was racing against machines more cruel and violent towards humanity than any steam drill…The play became about a man racing another kind of “machine” – the machinations of white power and privilege rooted in the economics of American slavery – a machine of oppression that was rebuilt during the Reconstruction era – and the silent gears of which still influence our economic and criminal justice system today.”

About Hiawatha Project

Hiawatha Project creates devised theatrical projects about specific social questions through the use of myth, movement and collective creation. Founded in 2010, Hiawatha Project’s inaugural work Camino, written and directed by Anya Martin, was a poetic exploration of current immigration policy and praised as “courageous” and “smart, sharp and witty” (Pittsburgh City Paper) with “scenes of imagination and poetic insight” (Pittsburgh Post Gazette).

About the New Hazlett’s CSA Series

The Hazlett Theater was transformed in 2004 into the New Hazlett Theater with the support of the local arts community. Today the nonprofit theater is a thriving and active community asset that presents a variety of performance art disciplines to the Pittsburgh community. The New Hazlett Theatre is located at Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.

The Community Supported Art (CSA) program is an exciting subscription series that supports local artists in the creation of new work and establishes new relationships with local patrons. Based on the Community Supported Agriculture model, New Hazlett’s CSA series allows patrons to support local artists by purchasing a ‘share’ and in turn receive access to fresh, new works of art.

March 9, 2015

The “Buzz” from Buzzelli: Pittsburgh’s Top To-Do’s THIS WEEKEND (3/13 – 3/15)

by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

Here are the Top Five Things to do in Pittsburgh the weekend of March 12 to15.

Bad Girls

Want to come face to face with history’s most duplicitous women? You can at Professor Eldritch’s Asylum for Uncanny and Extraordinary Women. Uncumber Theatrics and Devious Maid Productions present a new all-female immersive experience at an undisclosed location. The show runs from March 13to April 4^th….somewhere. For more information, go to http://www.deviousmaid.org/prof-eldritchs-asylum.html

Grown Man Business

Aaron Kleiber was voted Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best Comic in 2012 and 2013. This weekend you can see him headlining at the Pittsburgh Improv March 12 thru March 15. Two other local funny men, Sean Collier and Matt Light will be showing up as well. Everyone will be laughing at the Pittsburgh Improv, 166 East Bridge Street, Homestead, PA 15120. For more information, go to http://pittsburgh.improv.com/event.cfm?id=360220

Monster Mash

Pittsburgh based actor David Crawford portrays H. P. Lovecraft in a one man show, “Lovecraft’s Monsters.” It’s a must for any horror aficionado. Cthulhu demands your presence, at The Maker Theater, 5950 Ellsworth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232. For more information, go to http://www.12peerstheater.org/2015-season

Marxist Remarks

Long dead socialist Karl Marx comes back to see our super-capitalist (expialidocious) society in “Marx in Soho,” a one man, one-act play by Howard Zinn performed by American actor-activist Brian Jones. Philosophies clash at the Frick Fine Arts Building, 650 Schenley Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. For more information, go to http://isopittsburgh.blogspot.com/2015/01/heads-up-marx-in-soho-coming-march-21st.html

Artists and Models

An artist is creating a triptych of black womanhood tenement above the chaos of a Harlem race riot in “Wine in the Wilderness.” His muse will deconstruct his notions of black women in a discussion about race and women that ultimately changes his work. Head down to the Trust Arts Education Center, 805-807 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, go to http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/event/8503/wine-in-the-wilderness

-MB.

March 9, 2015

The ABCs of Elemeno Pea at City Theater

Review by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

A luxurious beach house becomes a battleground in Molly Smith Metzler’s “Elemeno Pea.” When Devon (Ariel Woodiwos) comes to visit her sister, Simone (Robin Abramson) at the aforementioned beach house on Martha’s Vineyard, the day after Labor Day, they chip away at the veneer, and we’re not talking about the original wainscoting.

Simone is enthusiastically grateful to her boss Michaela (Kimberly Parker Green) for lending her the home, but Devon is already suspicious of Michaela’s largess. When Simone dresses down a disgruntled handyman Hos-B (Tony Chiroldes), Devon sees that her sister has adopted the worst traits of her elitist employer. Simone then informs Devon that she is dating a 1 Percenter named Ethan (Anthony Comis). It’s almost more than Devon can bear. She watches her sister submerge herself into the lifestyles of the rich and affluent, unaware that she isn’t really one of them. Simone is secretly drowning at that glorious beach house and Devon doesn’t know how to save her.

Suddenly, Michaela’s life explodes and she runs to her assistant for help, ruining the sister’s weekend. Boy, does she ruin things! “Elemeno Pea” is a comedy of Schadenfreude, most of the humor comes from the laughing at the misfortune of the characters. There’s plenty of misfortune and, therefore, plenty of laughs. There’s also a cathartic moment when Hos-B sticks it to the “Man” or “Woman” in this case.

Michaela appears to be the biggest, richest villain this side of Cruella De Vil, but she has a soft, vulnerable center. Parker Green gives her the requisite nuanced performance the character deserves. It’s a blast watching her smack down Devon with backhanded compliments.

Though Devon quickly gets the upper hand. Woodiwiss is particularly adept at delivering sarcastic bon mots.

Abramson shines. The woman has charisma oozing from every pore. She’s even able to pull off a Shamrock green and Pepto pink ensemble. Costume Designer Robert C. T. Steele gets a good deal of jokes in with the wardrobe, particularly Ethan’s “Saved by the Bell: Bayside goes to the Beach” outfit.

This is mostly the women’s show. Comis and Chiroldes have minor roles, but they handle them with flair. Listen to Chiroldes carefully. Bilingual audience members are in for a special treat.

There is sort of Pop Culture Twitter-speak poetry to Metzler’s words, and Director Tracy Brigden does a superb job with them.

“Elemeno Pea” have a superior cast, but the real star of this show is the set. Scenic Designer Tony Ferrieri steals the show with the most beautiful beach house in Pittsburgh (probably the only beach house in Pittsburgh). An elegant pad with a wall of windows overlooking a turquoise sea and azure sky. After the show, many audience members remarked, “I want to live in that house.” It’s a true testament to Ferrieri’s talent.

This Cape Cod comedy is the perfect thing to break Pittsburgh free of the winter blues. You don’t even have to take a ferry to get there (just hop on the 48 Arlington/South Side).

(“Elemeno Pea” runs through March 22 at the City Theater, 1300 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203)

– MB.

March 2, 2015March 2, 2015

The “Buzz” from Buzzelli: Pittsburgh’s Top To-Do’s THIS WEEKEND (3/6 – 3/8)

by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

Here are the Top Five Things to do in Pittsburgh, March 5 through 8.

Posing with Posehn

Friday, March 6 comedian Brian Posehn will come to the Rex Theater on the South Side. Posehn was a series regular on “The Sarah Silverman Program” and was one of the original tour members of the “Comedians of Comedy.” Local comedian, Gio Attisano, will open. Funny things are happening at the Rex Theater, 1602 E. Carson Street, Pittsburgh. For tickets, go to http://bit.ly/BrianPosehnPGH

Learning Curve

August Wilson’s final work, “How I Learned what I Learned” comes home. The show explores Wilson’s days as a struggling young writer in Pittsburgh’s Hill District and how the neighborhood and its people inspired his amazing cycle of plays about the African-American experience. Learn about Pittsburgh’s greatest playwright at Pittsburgh Public’s O’Reilly Theater, 621 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh. For more information, go to http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/production/40795/how-i-learned-what-i-learned

Putting on the Ritz

Dr. Frankenstein aims to fulfill his grandfather’s legacy by bringing a corpse back to life in “Young Frankenstein!” With help and hindrance from servant Igor, buxom assistant Inga and needy fiancée Elizabeth, his experiment yields success and unexpected consequences. It’s a musical based on the hilarious Mel Brooks film of the same name. Put the candle back at the Byham Theater, 101 6^th Street, Pittsburgh. For more information, go to http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/production/42315/young-frankenstein

Quantum Leaping and Dancing

There are two ways to party on Saturday March 7 at the Quat’z Arts Q Ball. You can go for the $175 VIP ticket and sample delicious food from E2 and listen to the C Street Brass, OR you can fly economy class and get the $35 ($40 at the door) dance party tickets. Either way, it’s a going to be a guaranteed ball! Get your dance shoes and join us at the Energy Innovation Center, 1435 Bedford Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. For more information or tickets, go to https://quantumtheatre.secure.force.com/donate/?dfId=a0ni0000006l7TxAAI

Ladies who Lunch

March 6, marks the world premiere of “Lunch Lady Cabaret.” Friday night in the North Hinterland High School cafeteria, and lunch ladies Gladys, Agnes, Mavis, and Doris are letting their hairnets down for an evening of song, dance, and irreverent entertainment served up hot. The oven’s on until dawn, as Soapy the Janitor hosts an evening of hilarious musical satire sizzling with parodies of Broadway, Pop, and Rock & Roll favorites. The ladies will be serving laughs by the ladle at the McKeesport Little Theater, 1614 Coursin Street, McKeesport, PA. For more information, go to http://mckeesportlittletheater.com/

-MB.

March 2, 2015

No boos: A review of GHOSTS at Off The Wall Productions

by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

The ghosts of Ibsen’s “Ghosts” are metaphorical not ectoplasmic. They are the memories that haunt us. Those thoughts and feelings that creep sideways into our lives. For Helen Alving (Virginia Wall Gruenert), the ghosts surround her.

The widow Alving has chosen to build an orphanage in the memory of her late husband. For the grand occasion, her son, Oswald (Shaun Cameron Hall) returns to the Rosenvolde estate in Western Norway.

The play starts in a dubious manner. In theater, one usually fears a maid brandishing a feather duster. It invariably means that there’s going to be a huge info-dump at the top of the play, but Ibsen was a masterful craftsman. He eschews the cliché and goes for an abrasive confrontation between a father and daughter. He still manages to get out a good deal of exposition while the maid, Regina (Sarah Silk), argues with her devious dad, Jacob (Weston Blakesly), as she continues to clean.

A local religious leader, Reverend Manders (Ken Bolden) arrives to dot i’s and cross t’s. When he meets his old friend Helen, all hell breaks loose (the hell is metaphoric as well). There’s a whole thing about venereal disease that would have been believable in Ibsen’s time, but, now, not so much. It doesn’t matter. Just as you don’t have to believe in the Greek gods and goddess to enjoy “Medea” or “Antigone,” you don’t have to believe the antiquated notions in this play. Suffice to say, secrets and lies are revealed.

There’s a plethora of secrets and lies in “Ghosts.” Like Norway itself, play goes into some dark, dreary places. Don’t be afraid of it. It has a few, light moments. It’s commentary on morality is witty, subversive and downright genius. At one point, Mrs. Alving lays it all out to the uppity Reverend Manders, and I wanted to jump up and yell, “Stick it to him, girl!”

Ibsen exposes a barrage of hypocrisies with a Gatling gun of truth. It’s interesting to watch Bolden’s Reverend Manders twist and turn things so the outcome always favors the patriarchy. No matter where Alving goes, Manders counters her with pious platitudes all designed to keep women down.

The Off the Wall Theater has always championed female empowerment. Choosing to perform a play by a 19^th Century Norwegian playwright would, on the surface, appear to stray from their mission, but it does not. This is Helen Alving’s story and Gruenert is firmly planted at the steering wheel (Gruenert adapted the work as well as stars in it). She adds the requisite gravitas to the meaty role of Helen Alving.

Director Simm Landres does a magnificent job of keeping things moving. The play runs 95 minutes with no intermission. Though the play is dialogue heavy, it moves briskly.

Silk does a marvelous job playing Regina, a woman determined to guide her own fate. Spoiler alert: the odds are stacked against her. Oswald straddles the line between man and boy, and Hall plays him deftly.

While the entire cast performs admirably, special mention must be made of Blakesly. He is riveting as Engstrand. The actor commands the stage as a corrupt and contemptible man who easily gives in to his baser natures. He’s a joy to watch. There is a moment when Silk’s Regina verbally lacerates him and you almost begin to feel sorry for the wretch, but he smiles wryly and you know he’s almost indestructible in his villainy.

Aside from a terrific and talented cast, Rich Preffer makes the most of the set. The scenic designer’s Victorian drawing room seems expansive in the intimate space. The gorgeously rendered wooden lattice set goes a long way to making the space feel bigger and broader than it is.

(“Ghosts” runs through March 14 at the Off the Wall, 25 W. Main Street, Carnegie, PA 15106. For more information, go to www.insideoffthewall.com )

-MB.

February 25, 2015

SEX WITH STRANGERS from SUNSET to NIGHT: City Theatre announces first three plays of 2015 – 2016 season

Pittsburgh, PA – City Theatre Artistic Director Tracy Brigden has announced the first three plays of the 2015-2016 season, scheduled to kick-off October 10, 2015. City’s 41^st season will feature six exciting new works as well as one special event. New and returning subscribers can receive over 25% off regular prices and the first opportunity to purchase. “Our loyal subscribers continue to be the lifeblood of our organization,” commented Brigden. “They allow us to program boldly and bravely and they truly embrace the exciting journey of a full season of new plays. The three plays we are announcing today represent the best work of these terrific contemporary storytellers who have a keen pulse on the world around us. They are immediate, important, smart and very entertaining.”

The three regular season plays, all Pittsburgh premieres, are The Night Alive by Conor McPherson, Sunset Baby by Dominique Morisseau, and Sex With Strangers by Laura Eason. The remaining shows for next season will be announced in April. New and renewal subscriptions are currently on sale through the City Theatre box office.

THE NIGHT ALIVE by Conor McPherson

Tommy has made a mess of things: he’s living low in Dublin, just getting by on odd jobs, and doing his best to avoid his wife and kids. But when he rescues a mysterious woman, an escape out of the squalor is possible—if only they can shake their checkered pasts. This award-winning play from the author of The Seafarer (City 2008-09) ripples with humor and heart and wrestles with the complicated task of being human.

SUNSET BABY by Dominique Morisseau
For Nina, it’s easy to be hard. She’s a smart and sexy hustler who has rejected everything her parents fought for in the black liberation movement. When her estranged father wants to reconcile—but then tries to run a hustle of his own—negotiating her past and present becomes a revolutionary act. From one of the most exciting young voices in the American theatre, this dynamic new play about fathers and daughters sears with wit and wisdom and the brutal politics of freedom.

SEX WITH STRANGERS by Laura Eason

When 40(ish) Olivia, a talented but unrecognized novelist, gets snowbound at a writers’ retreat with 20-something Ethan, superstar sexcapade blogger and king of the Twitterverse, the chemistry is hot and the sex electric. But if each desires what the other has, and online and offline personas meet, how strong is the connection? This sensuous and provocative comedy about fame, cyber identity, and big ambitions asks: what would you do, and who would you become, to get what you want?

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TRACY BRIGDEN ON THE PLAYS:

“I am thrilled to bring these powerful new plays to Pittsburgh next year. All are captivating stories with gripping human moments—but also with lots of laughs as well. Choosing a season is one of the most important duties of an Artistic Director; it’s a responsibility I take seriously, but also with tremendous joy. I cannot wait to share them with our patrons.

“We had such success with Conor McPherson’s The Seafarer a few seasons ago, so I jumped at the opportunity to program The Night Alive and kick-off our 41^st season with it on our Main Stage. It’s a lyrical and riveting portrayal of a few down-and-out Dubliners. It has all that wonderful Irish sensibility—lots of laughs, startling events, and a dash of angst all bundled up in a gripping story with a lot of heart.

“We’ll be converting the Hamburg Studio into a gritty Brooklyn apartment with Sunset Baby—an edgy, sexy, absorbing drama from one of the most prolific and powerful emerging voices writing today. With Sunset Baby, she has created a character that is tough, smart, and on a mission to get her life in order, but the past just won’t let her escape. I’ve been tracking Dominique’s career for a while now and I cannot wait to produce her here at City. We’re in for a real treat—her plays pack a punch.

“And finally, we’re announcing Sex with Strangers. Despite its provocative title, the play is really a smart and funny take on human connection in the modern world. Laura Eason has given us a story about the art of writing with a unique and genuine voice in an era when it’s hard to be heard above all the noise of society and technology. Our audiences are really going to enjoy this sexy romp through the digital age.”

ALSO ANNOUNCING: A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT AND SPECIAL PRESENTATION:

SISTER’S EASTER CATECHISM: WILL MY BUNNY GO TO HEAVEN?
by Maripat Donovan, featuring Kimberly Richards

The next installment of this wildly popular series makes its Pittsburgh DEBUT and invites you to celebrate the Easter Season with Sister as she answers the time-worn questions of the season like “Why isn’t Easter the same day every year like Christmas?” and “Will My Bunny Go To Heaven?” Part pageant, and wHOLY hysterical, this latest of the sinfully funny Late Nite Catechism event unearths the origins of Easter… bunnies, eggs, bonnets, baskets, and, of course, those yummy Peeps. Classroom participation is a must, so don’t forget to wear your Easter bonnet and join Sister for this seasonal treat!

TICKET INFORMATION:

Season subscriptions are available beginning February 28, 2015. Customers who subscribe by March 22 have the chance to win a $500 Amazon gift card. All subscribers save 25% or more.

Three Ways to Purchase:

On-site: City Theatre Box Office, 1300 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203

By phone: 412.431.CITY (2489)

Mail-in order form: Available at CityTheatreCompany.org

Season Subscription Packages:

$162 (Tuesday 7:00pm; Wednesday 1:00pm or 7:00pm; Thursday 8:00pm)

$252 (Friday 8:00pm; Saturday 5:30pm)

$189 (Saturday 9:00pm; Sunday 2:00pm and 7:00pm)

Flex packages—choose your own schedule!:

$216 (six Basic Flex vouchers, good for Tuesday through Thursday performances)

$276 (six Premium Flex vouchers, good for any performance, any day)

Single tickets for season plays range from $36 to $56 and go on sale September 8, 2015.

City Event (Sister’s Easter Catechism: Will My Bunny Go to Heaven?) pre-sale for subscribers begins February 28, with $40 discounted tickets. Discounted group tickets will be available for sale starting April 1. Regular sales begin June 1, with $45 tickets.

City Theatre is now in its 40th anniversary season which has three productions remaining: Elemeno Pea by Molly Smith Metzler (now playing), Oblivion by Carly Mensch (March 21 – April 26), and Midsummer by David Greig & Gordon McIntyre (May 9 – 31). Its annual gala and silent auction is May 18 at the Heinz Club. Located on Pittsburgh’s historic South Side, City Theatre specializes in new plays, commissioning, and producing work by playwrights such as Daniel Beaty, Jessica Dickey, Christopher Durang, Michael Hollinger, Willy Holtzman, Tarell McCraney, and Madeleine George. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Tracy Brigden, Managing Director James McNeel, and a 40-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

February 24, 2015

Point Park University mourns the death of long-time dance professor Ron Tassone

PITTSBURGH – It is with profound sadness that Point Park University and the Conservatory of Performing Arts announce the passing of dance legend Ron Tassone.

Tassone, 76, a full-time professor of dance, died Tuesday. He started at Point Park in September 1974.

Tassone began his career in summer stock and upon graduation made his Broadway debut in “Gypsy,” followed by seven other Broadway shows, including “Subways are for Sleeping,” “No Strings,” “Here’s Love,” “Fade-Out, Fade-In”,”Funny Girl,” “George M.” and “Billy.” He has also appeared on various television shows and in films.

“Ron was beloved by students and faculty. He brought tremendous joy to his students and the university, and our world is less rich with his absence,” University President Paul Hennigan said. “Ron loved his students and helped launch many a dancer’s career. He started the jazz program at Point Park and his legacy will live on through the work of his students. We extend our sincerest condolences to his family.”

Tassone established the jazz major within the Point Park dance program and assumed the role of director of dance for 10 years. He choreographed more than 25 jazz dance works at Point Park University’s Pittsburgh Playhouse. He also choreographed and/or directed many musicals at theatres such as Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Kenley Players, Phoenix Star Theatre, Music Fairs, Inc., and West Virginia Public Theatre. He was the co-choreographer of the American College Theatre Festival award-winning Grand Hotel, performed at the Kennedy Center in April 2002.

Tassone served as adjudicator for Dance Masters of Pennsylvania, Dance Masters of America, Lucas & Co. and Headliners regional and national competitions.

“He created the dancer and human being that I am today,” said Kiesha Lalama, associate professor of dance. “Everything I am is because of that man.

“The legacy he has established is legendary, to say the least. He gave his heart and soul to this dance program and to the Conservatory,” she said. “All he wanted to do was put smiles on people’s faces through dance. He has touched thousands of dancers’ lives and launched so many careers. He is one of those teachers you will always remember because he is one of those who helped shape your career and who you are as a person.”

Funeral details will be announced at a later date.

February 22, 2015February 23, 2015

The “Buzz” from Buzzelli: Pittsburgh’s To To-Dos THIS WEEKEND (2/27 – 3/1)

by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

Here are the Top Five Things to do in Pittsburgh the last weekend of February.

Talk About It

Ten people will stand up and tell true stories at The Moth’s Pittsburgh GrandSLAM III. The theme is “When Worlds Collide” with host Alan Olifson and musical guests Sarah Siplak of the Wreckids. True stories told live on Thursday, February 26 at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh. For more information, go to http://themoth.org/events/event/pittsburgh-moth-grandslam-iii-when-worlds-collide/

Get on the Bus, Gus

The B.U.S. is back for its tenth year! The B.U.S. (Bricolage Urban Scrawl) is a fundraiser that puts theatre-making at the heart of the event. Bricolage will collaborate with over 40 local theatre artists, asking them to risk their creative necks for this unconventional and exhilarating fundraiser experience. Inspired by a 90-minute city bus ride, these daring artists have just 24 hours to write, direct, and memorize six new 10-minute plays. Made up stories told live Saturday, February 28 at New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh. For more information, go to http://www.bricolagepgh.org/

Boom, Boom, Boom, Let’s Go Back to My Room

Saturday, February 28, three impov troupes vie for the championship at “Make Nice Boom.” The champs, Well Known Strangers, take on two new contenders LGBTQ*Bert and Yeah Those Guys. Each team will vie for your votes while doing hilarious improvisational comedy. Taste the rainbow at Cativo, 14644^th Street, Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville). For more information, go to http://www.unplannedcomedy.com/

Sisters are doing it for themselves

The “Sisters Sorella, an original monthly sitcom” returns to the Arcade Comedy Theater. Three Italian sisters, played by Tressa Glover, Julianne Avolio, and Maggie Carr, are some spicy meatball makers. It’s a live sitcom and it’s hilarious. It happens Friday and Saturday at the Arcade Comedy Theater, 811 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh. For more information, go to http://www.nonameplayers.org/

Ghosts

On February 27^th Virginia Gruenert’s adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s “Ghosts” opens at the Off the Wall Theater in Carnegie. Mrs. Helen Alving has accepted her pastor’s counsel and endured her husband’s many infidelities in silence. Ten years after his death, she is about to dedicate an orphanage to his memory. Her son, Oswald, kept innocent after his father’s profligacy, returns home for the dedication. His attraction to the housemaid conjures up ghosts of his parents’ unhappy marriage. This disastrous romance, along with Oswald’s increasing symptoms of the venereal disease inherited from his father, force Mrs. Alving to confront her own “Ghosts.” Go haunt the Off the Wall Theater, 25 East Main Street, Carnegie. For more information, go to http://www.insideoffthewall.com/

-MB.

February 22, 2015February 23, 2015

Black Lives Matter in FOR THE TREE TO DROP

Review by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

Set Sophocles’ “Antigone” to the tune of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” and you get Lissa Brennan’s “For the Tree to Drop,” a dark, haunting microcosm of murder and injustice in the Deep South.

A slave, Henry (Justin Lonesome) attempts to escape his bonds and run away. Unfortunately, there is no escape for the doomed slave. He is brought down by a pack of dogs. Edgar (David Whalen) is compelled to set an example of Henry and hangs him from a tall tree yards away from the main house of his vast plantation.

Henry’s sister, Estella (Siovhan Christensen) stands vigil over the rotting corpse dangling from the tree. She forgoes her duties as a laundress in the main house and digs into the earth with her fingers, insisting on a proper burial for her brother’s body.

Another house slave, Theenie (Linda Haston), realizes that Estella’s defiance will have horrifying consequences for the other slaves at the plantation and seeks to dissuade the young girl from her course of action. Edgar is enraged by Estella’s disobedience, but cannot deter her from her mission. He is reluctant to inflict punishment on the girl. Suffice to say, he has his reasons.

From the window of the main house, Clarinda (Karen Baum), Edgar’s wife, is repulsed by Henry’s hanging body on her front lawn and wishes to aid Estella in burying him, even though it will incense her husband.

Aside from “Antigone” and Abel Meeropol’s poem (the original composition of Holiday’s song), “Strangefruit,” Brennan’s play reverberates with echoes of literary giants. It is peppered with Shakespearean references and allusions, and there is a familiar conceit from Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.”

The play is a brisk 65 minute opus, with no intermission. The dialogue smolders with intensity. It’s an important piece of work. Not only because reflects on the horrors of the Antebellum era, but it pulsates with commentary on contemporary society.

Best of all, it is a play written by a local playwright performed by local actors, and it is triumphant. Proving that Pittsburgh isn’t just for sports enthusiasts anymore. There is a plethora of local talent and director Alan Stanford mines that eponymous talent expertly.

Christensen is able to go toe-to-toe with Whalen. It’s no easy feat, but she accomplishes the Herculean task with aplomb. Her performance is heart-wrenching.

Ironically, I first encountered Lonesome in a local production of “Antigone” last season at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. He is charismatic and charming as the ill-fated slave.

Haston depicts Theenie with style and grace. At first, Theenie seems to be the comic relief, but Brennan (with Haston’s help) takes the character to darker and more mysterious places.

It should go without saying, but Whalen and Baum are treasures in Pittsburgh’s burgeoning theater scene. Praising them has become redundant. Whalen is frightening as the vengeful plantation owner, and Baum is luminescent as Clarinda. It would be gauche to say that Clarinda is equally trapped by her circumstances, but there is a deep sadness behind the bored belle’s eyes. Baum executes the unspoken anguish flawlessly.

The setting is sparse, picture Cosmo Kramer’s perfect apartment (it’s all about levels). The set, however, is enhanced by Jessi Sedon-Essad’s multi-media projection design, as well as the gorgeously crafted costumes from Joan Markert.

While Twitter and Facebook buzz with trendy aphorisms like “Black Lives Matter,” Brennan is pulling back the veil and remembering a time when black lives mattered even less, and the result is a powerful, thought-provoking play. “For the Tree to Drop” reminds us that we will someday transcend our cruelty and barbarism as we inch up the evolutionary ladder. There will always be heroes and heroines who strive for a more just and egalitarian society. Someone must make the first, painful step upward.

(“For the Tree to Drop” runs through February 28 at PICT’s new downtown location, inside the Trust Arts Education Center, 805-807 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh)

-MB.

February 17, 2015February 17, 2015

The “Buzz” from Buzzelli: Pittsburgh’s Top To-Do’s THIS WEEKEND (2/19 – 2/22)

by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

Here are the Top Five Things to do in Pittsburgh the weekend of February 19 – 22.

Don’t Stop the Motion

Alexis Gideon and a team of artistic collaborators present the world premiere of The Crumbling, a 21 minute narrative stop-motion animated opera that combines projected video with live music. Follow the trials of an apprentice librarian as she tries to save her city from crumbling down around her. I’m picturing Burgess Meredith and some broken spectacles, but I suspect it will be far different from that. It starts, stops, and starts again at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh (North Side). For more information, go to http://newhazletttheater.org/

Johnny Dangerously

John McIntire is about to get dangerous again. He’ll be talking about the First Amendment with panelists; Post-Gazette cartoonist Rob Rogers, ACLU dude Vic Walczak and Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner in the Freedom of Speech episode of the Dangerously Live Talk Show at the Cabaret Theater in Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh. For more information, go to https://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/event/3303/the-john-mcintire-dangerously-live-comedy-talk-show

Bet on Black

Race to the Coffin Comedy presents Comedy Roulette: Comedy with a Catch, featuring Jesse Irvin, Shannon Norman, Molly Sharrow, Holly Price, Ed Bailey, and Hosted by John Dick Winters at Club Café, 56-58 12^th Street, Pittsburgh (South Side) on Friday, February 22. For more information, go to ttp://www.ticketweb.com/clubcafe

Downtown!

PICT kicks off its new season of plays with its new Downtown Series with Lissa Brennan’s “For the Tree to Drop.” February 19 – 28, 2015 at The Peirce Studio inside the Trust Arts Education Center, 805 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 For more information, go to http://www.picttheatre.org/2015/02/10/for-the-tree-to-drop-is-a-breath-taking-world-premiere-by-a-pittsburgh-playwright/

Roll Over, Beethoven

Huzzah! This weekend it’s Beethovenfest: the Hero! Conducter Manfred Honeck brings you the music of Beethoven “Heroic” middle period, including symphony No. 3 in E-Flat major, Opus 55, and “Eroica.” It’s the second of three Beethoven symphonies from each of the three important periods of his life. You’ll find beautiful music at Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh (Downtown). For more information, go to http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/production/40185/beethovenfest-the-hero

– MB.