Inside dish on interviews, editorials, events listings, musings from the minds of BV’s contributors, viewer mail, and other bits of fabulousness — It all goes into The Shaker, ‘Burgh Vivant’s bacchanalian bulletin board. Saddle up to the bar, and get ready for another round of what’s shakin’!
The Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall brought in Joshua (Mr.) Messado for a terrific evening of entertainment on Saturday, March 14.
Messado astonished audiences with a variety of card tricks. He performed the Shell Game, while teaching the history of magic. He selected several audience members to “aid” him with his magic (Hint: He didn’t need help, but the interactive portion of the show made it even more enjoyable).
While the magician lives in the Steel City, Messado is nationally known for his ring trick, an illusion or sleight of hand trick that defies logic, even while said volunteers from the audience stood next to him as he performed.
Messado delivered his tricks with style, grace, and a whole lot of humor. The show had a few groaners (the magician’s version of a Dad Joke), but Messado can be easily forgiven (he teaches magic to little ones).
Originally from Philly, Messado relocated to Pittsburgh, calling it his ‘forever home.’ It’s best not to ask where he stands on an Eagles/Steelers matchup.
The show ran a quick 90 minutes, with magic, jokes and shrimp cocktail.
The Saturday Soirees are intimate settings in the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall’s basement. The basement with exposed white brick, small circular tables covered in black cloth and adorned with flickering electric candles give the space a jazz nightclub vibe. The pre-paid tables each have an Arabic numeral to identify your seat, giving the jazz club a hint of the library above.
The ticket price includes a delightful collection of hors d’œuvres, including various cheeses, crackers, shrimp, fruit, nuts and a sample of desserts (cookies and cheesecake bites). For a small donation, you can select a red or white wine to go with your snacks.
The Carnegie Carnegie (so nice you say it twice) Library is doing a marvelous job bringing in talent for their soirees. Stay local and check out the library.
-MB
You can find out more information on the Saturday Soirees at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Blvd., Carnegie, PA 15106. For more information on upcoming Saturday Soirees click here.
The world is full of dummies. Despite the genocide I’ve recreationally waged against my brain cells, I like to think I’m not one of them. I mean, I can count the number of people who are smarter than me on one hand. Although that’s as high as I can count. We smart folk have all attempted to prove our intellectual superiority in various ways, some benign and some more dangerous. Decades before geniuses could show off by making random references in theatre reviews, one of our only outlets was crime. And it’s under these conditions that the scene is set for Hobnob Theatre Co’s production of Rope, directed by Duane Peters, now running at Hobnob Studio Theatre in Butler, PA.
Written in 1929 by playwright Patrick Hamilton, the long-lost brother of Alexander, and the writer who is often associated with being the scribe behind the play Gaslight, of which he is not the author. I wrote it. Everyone knows that—Rope follows Wyndham Brandon and Charles Granillo after they have murdered a younger classmate named Ronald Kentley. The duo of British Jeffrey Dahmers then hosts a buffet, which is served off a chest that contains Kentley’s body, in the first-ever Trunk or Treat event. Paranoia is stoked, and things get awfully tense in the presence of Kentley’s friends and family, which is expertly expressed by the cast.
Leading the charge is Sam Thinnes as Wyndham Brandon, who is marvelous in this malicious role. His accent and mannerisms creepily convey Brandon’s sense of superiority and misguided genius. Likewise, his movements are cautious and calculated until his manicured façade gives way to the frightened wretch within.
Second banana to Brandon is the fearful Charles Granillo, who has something to get off his chest, or rather, out of effortlessly embodied by Giancarlo Zingarelli. Granted, he’s great in concert with the other performers, but he really shines in his nonverbal moments of mounting madness, which are terrifically telegraphed.
The cast of “Rope.” From left are Laila Tyler, Cole Myers, Greg Crawford and Sam Thinnes. Photo Credit: Michael Dittman, The Butler Eagle
Greg Crawford is masterful as the cunning Rupert Cadell, a hobbled mentor to the two murderers who realizes something fishy is afoot. When not teaching or authoring poems (who likes doing that?), he enjoys reading Nietzsche, academia’s favorite misquoted syphilitic. Whether he’s monologuing, playing off his scene partners, or silently leafing through a book, Crawford commands the stage.
Leila Arden and Kenneth Raglan, two of the younger guests at the party, serve as refreshing foils to the suspicious and serious cohorts who invited them over. These spirited comic reliefs are respectively portrayed by Laila Tyler and Cole Myers, both of whom do a splendid job of lightening the mood when it’s dreadfully needed.
Rounding out the cast are Molly Miller as Sabot and John Heny Steelman as Sir Johnstone Kentley. The former brandishes a fun, French accent and accentuates tense dynamics with Brandon, while delighting in Cadell’s basic respect. The latter projects sincerity and innocence, making the crime committed against his character’s son all the more heartbreaking. Really chokes one up.
What would a show be without its technical elements? Costumes by Danyle Verzinskie, Elizabeth Smith, and the cast help bring the characters to life. Props and set decorations by Danyle Verzinskie, Alyna Sanchez, Steve Kalina, Ron Verzinskie, and Steve Kalina Sr. litter the land of make-believe with tangible tokens of terror. Director Duane Peters brilliantly conceives set Design, while Verzinskie and producer/sound designer Ken Smith expertly handle its construction.
Hobnob Studio Theatre’s intimate venue is perfectly immersive as Brandon and Granillo’s apartment, cloistered quarters that gradually become a little too claustrophobic for the characters inside. Hobnob not only knows how to curate shows that constitute tremendous seasons, but also productions that skillfully use their space.
-JS
Rope continues its sold-out run March 19th-21st at Hobnob Studio Theatre in Butler, PA. For tickets and additional information, click here.
Step right up, folks! The ever-spirited creative team at R-ACT Theatre delivers yet another delightful production with Murder Under the Big Top, an interactive show in which jokes and clues alike emerge like clowns from a tiny car.
Colorful balloons, calliope music, and a poster of Pickles the Clown render a properly carnivalesque atmosphere for the Segriff Stage as Ringmaster Larry Spinnenweber, the show’s playwright and director, prepares us to meet the principals of the once-beloved but now-imperiled Schnitzel Brothers’ Circus. These performers, who in time become suspects in a brutal homicide, include the romantically involved trapeze artists Danny Dubois (Calvin Brookins) and Bibi Bennett (Alexa Burak); the clairvoyant Magda Petrovsky (Joan Schwartz), whose insights seldom go beyond the patently obvious; the animal specialists Lillian Graham (Jenn Rian), who trains the elephants, and Rex Maxwell (Brian Shumaker), who tames the lions; Joey Grimaldi (Zack Mitrecic), the irascible roustabout; and the wisecracking Willie “Pickles” Emmett (Tom Abbot), who seeks mirth even in the direst of situations. Pickle’s merrymaking gets tested with the arrival of devil-hearted attorney Charlene Twitch (Apryl Peroney), a partner in the Amber, Grombie, & Twitch Law Firm, who gleefully delivers the news that the circus’s late owner died without a known heir – barring the reappearance of a Schnitzel family relative,
Twitch will auction off the circus, permanently dispossessing its performers. Because Twitch bullies and outrages each character, it is understandably difficult to discern who arranged for the lawyer’s hilariously performed off-stage death at the paws of a voracious lion. After the murder, and with each character under suspicion, both the cast and audience have an opportunity to interview each of the suspects.
The cast of “Murder in the Big Top.”
The ensemble works together superbly. Brookins demonstrates his talents for physical comedy as he crafts a likable counterpart for Burak’s guileless, sweet-voiced acrobat. Schwartz anchors several scenes with her unflagging attention to detail, particularly in the Eastern European accent she affects. Shumaker and Mitrecic execute their roles with appropriate emotional investment, and Abbott wonderfully blends the joie de vivre of Clarabell with the existential angst of an Albert Camus protagonist.
As Twitch, the always-exceptional Peroney strikes the sadistic lawyer chord perfectly. Jenn Rian gives an especially noteworthy performance, playing the long-heartbroken elephant handler with a terrific sense of a character who weaves between Blanche DuBois and Blanche Devereaux. Her dynamic interpretation, in concert with the other performances, sharpens the wit and elevates the heart of this new and highly enjoyable comedy. Praise also goes to Max Boffo for the technical features of the show, as both the lighting and sound design were superb. Consider also that the costuming and make-up prove impressive, particularly Charissa McMahon’s work in rendering a classically detailed appearance for Pickles. And Eric J McAnallen’s knife board certainly adds thrills to a very nicely designed show.
Despite several characters’ assertions that Schnitzel Brothers’ Circus offers “the most mediocre show on earth,” I found the goings-on there invariably fun and engaging, and the mystery presents an authentic challenge. Overall, “Murder Under the Big Top,” like cotton candy at a circus, is a splendid treat.
-TR
“Murder Under the Big Top” runs until March 20, with tickets available at R-ACT’s Segriff Stage, 134 Brighton Avenue, Rochester, PA 15074. For tickets and additional information, please visit
Tim Finnegan (Michael Patrick Trimm) is an Irish immigrant (now American citizen) who like multitudes before him came to the United States for a better life and more opportunities.
He resides on Amity Island in Massachusetts, hoping for the environment that will invigorate and release his artistic side. He’s a writer.
Finnegan relies on his income as a bartender to support his American-born wife and young son while pursuing his dream. When he loses his bartending job and his young son faces serious illness, he is faced with financial ruin.
A local car crash on Amity Island highlights the underlying theme of the play. Amity Island is a haven for wealthy people whose current inhabitants’ ancestors have lived there for generations. The crash involved two cars and two people. An illegal immigrant runs into a young, native Amity Island resident and kills him.
Tensions have already grown between the native islanders and immigrants in general, whether legal or not and this accident only amplifies their feelings.
Finnegan is exposed to a deeper look at the world of some illegal immigrants.
Ramifications of the car crash set the stage for Finnegan to take a different path in his life – one that could lead to financial stability. The choice is his!
Michael Patrick Trimm as Tim Finnegan in “The Smuggler”
Trimm is outstanding as the aspiring writer and Irish born American citizen. Although this is a one man show there are a multitude of unseen co-stars. Trimm plays all of those co-stars, telling his story through the conversations he has with them and they with him. Whether it’s his wife, or a Spanish-speaking man or woman or American brother-in-law, he takes on the accent, characteristics and nuances of each player. The tones, sex identity and accents he converts are excellent and often occur seconds apart. The transitions are seamless and smooth!
Occasionally Trimm interacts with the audience, either pulling them briefly into the conversation or mixing drinks at the bar and serving them. There is a lot of physical movement as he dashes around the stage.
Note: Trimm’s dialogues and narratives are delivered in rhyme.
The play is not all doom and gloom. Dark comedy is scattered throughout as we watch and listen to Finnegan’s tales.
“The Smuggler” exceeds all expectations! A tour-de-force performance and production.
Sound Designer Adam Davy’s sound effects, often subtle like the soft noises in the evening or more vigorous like a few lines of the Star-Spangled Banner at the opening and ending of the play are effective.
Dialect Coach Lisa Bansavage delivers as she guides Trimm through multiple accents throughout the play.
The set is dark but not gloomy. The main prop is the bar where Finnegan spends much of his time. Some of the theater patrons are seated in small circular tables on either side of the stage.
-CED
“The Smuggler” is a production of PICT (Pittsburgh International Classic Theatre). Performances run from March 13th to March 22nd at Carnegie Stage, 25 W Main St, Carnegie, PA 15106. For more information, click here.
In his first comedy special, Tyler Ray Kendrick proves that he is Pittsburgh Famous in “Pittsburgh Famous.”
For more than a decade, Kendrick has taught improv, stand-up, and comedy-based courses to over 300 students from all walks of life. He’s brought his sharp wit and commanding stage presence to comedy hubs like New York City, Los Angeles, and, naturally, the cultural capital of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania—a four-time member of Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best Improv Team, The Latchkey Kids, and two-time Best Comedian winner.
In 2025, he was named one of the New Pittsburgh Courier’s 40 Under 40, recognizing his impact both on and off the stage. Kendrick has built a reputation for clever writing, magnetic performances, and deeply human humor.
While Kendrick’s comedy has national, possibly international (there’s a joke about the Frankfurt Airport) appeal, there are many references to Pittsburgh (the Steel City is name-checked in the title). Kendrick opens with a bit about the Northside Giant Eagle, which is side-splitting. The localized laughs might get lost on some snooty suburbanites, but they should recognize the Giant Eagle employee’s desperate grasp for authority when Kendrick tries to buy fried chicken.
His punchlines are delivered in his deep baritone voice. He has confidence and swagger, even when delivering self-deprecating material. His self-effacing bit about Seth Rogan is hysterical. His storytelling ability is magnificent, filled with hyperbole; “With the force of a thousand Niagara Falls.”
He gets away with a lot because he doles out the jibes with such charm.
The cover of Tyler Ray Kendrick’s comedy special.
Kendrick filmed his special at the Glitterbox Theater in Homestead. The comedian stands on a stark stage, surrounded by darkness. There are no distracting props or scenery, allowing the audience to stay focused directly on the talent.
Director Dan Sweeney does a marvelous job keeping the camera tightly on the star, only zooming out for shots where Kendrick uses more of the space. Sweeney, who also edited the special, manages to keep a masterful eye on his subject, and Kendrick holds every minute of our attention. Sweeney only zooms all the way out for Kendrick’s standing O at the end of the show.
The only gripe is that Kendrick makes reference to his opening acts, Sean Collier (also Pittsburgh famous) and Don Arner, but their performances were cut from the final video, and we never quite catch set up for his punch (it helps if you are familiar with Collier and Arner’s appearance).
There are no other missteps in the video. His material is relatable and very funny. Stay for the end credits to hear Kid Mental’s rap, “Pittsburgh Famous.”
Pittsburgh is oozing with talent. If you’ve not seen Tyler Ray Kendrick at a local venue, you should (Editor’s note: The reviewer is a self-professed fan of the comedian).
The best part is that “Pittsburgh Famous” is available for free on Kendrick’s website.
-MB
To learn more about Tyler Ray Kendrick, or watch the full comedy special, you can click here.
The 20s are roaring! Roxie Hart (Ellie Roddy) and Velma Kelly (Claire Marshall) are at it again. These two ne’er-do-wells can’t get along.
When Roxie kills her lover, Fred Casely (the incredibly fit Tim Canali), she’s sent up the river to the Hoosegow. The prison is run by the corrupt Matron “Mama” Morton (Illeana “Illy” Kirven). Mama introduces Roxie to the prison’s most infamous jailbird, Velma.
Velma flaunts her lawyer, Billy Flynn (Max Cervantes), but Roxie, not to be one-upped, wants Flynn to represent her as well. The problem is that Flynn’s fee is exorbitant. Roxie cuddles up to her cuckhold of a husband, Amos (Marc Christopher), to get the money for Flynn’s billable hours.
Suddenly, Flynn, with the help of Mary Sunshine (Michael Mottram in the opening night performance), turns Roxie into front-page news, angering Velma.
Things are going swimmingly for Roxie until Go-to-Hell-Kitty (Amy Knips) shows up with a bigger, splashier murder, knocking Roxie to the backseat next to Velma.
Then, Roxie announces she’s pregnant, catapulting her back to the front page.
The inmates of the “Cell Block Tango.”
Marshall is a fabulous Velma Kelly. She struts across the Benedum stage as if she owns it. Her voice is flawless, and her moves are classic Fosse.
Roddy is the perfect foil. It’s not an easy role. Roxie is the immoral center of the show, and Roddy performs it with aplomb.
Marshall and Roddy are sensational together.
Cervantes is a sleazy Flynn, and that’s a good thing. He slithers across the stage like an ill-mannered snake. You can almost see the dollar signs in his eyes every time he hears about a sensationalized new murder.
Christopher plays the meek and mild husband, but surprises with “Mr. Cellophane,” knocking the number out of the park.
P.S. “Mr. Cellophane” was this reviewer’s least favorite number in the show until last night.
The ensemble burns with intensity and sizzles with lust. Their leave-nothing-to-the-imagination costumes by William Ivey Long are ogle-worthy.
“Chicago” is all about the music and the dancing. Andy Chen works magic with Kander and Ebb’s music. Gregory Butler recreates the original choreography and Ann Reinking creates fluid, jazzy movements using Bob Fosse’s extraordinary style.
“Chicago” comes around every few years, but it’s worth it to see Director David Hyslop’s stunning homage to the original. It’s time to paint the town again.
-MB
“Chicago” runs until March 15 at the Benedum Center, Seventh & Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets and additional information, click here.
Review by Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD, and Theron Raymond (7th grader)
Every magician who comes to Liberty Magic unfailingly remarks on what a special and intimate space it is. It’s one of a few venues nationwide that’s dedicated solely to magic. Pittsburghers know our city is special, but it’s always an affirming delight to hear that sense of wonder expressed by outsiders.
Jonathan Levit was no exception to this talk track. Levit is fresh from a residency at The Venetian in Las Vegas. As a powerhouse magical performer, he’s clearly not one to be wowed by the mere presence of a stage. This amplifies his reverence for the Liberty Magic space.
Levit opens his new show with a clip of his 12-year-old self performing a magic trick on Sally Jessy Raphael’s national daytime talk show back in the 1980’s. David Copperfield is in the front row, and Levit’s clip ends with the word MAGIC! splashed across a disparaging eyeroll from the young Copperfield. This moment of vulnerability both establishes Jonathan’s career arc and charms the audience, who are now rooting for the middle-aged Levit before he even starts the show.
Jonathan is so practiced that he appears to execute his tricks effortlessly. This allows him to banter and establish rapport with the audience. His show is clearly not a simple rinse-and-repeat. He personalizes the show, building the audience’s sense of trust and willingness to collaborate.
For example, Levit asked Theron his name when he had him assist with a trick, then guessed how to spell it – and got it correct. The next participant, Nicole, proactively offered up the spelling of her name, which Levit dryly noted was far less impressive than him guessing the spelling.
Levit’s dry, slightly self-effacing wit provides a throughline of authenticity. In fact, he opens the show by baselining that he’ll go from “the easy stuff to the hard stuff,” which he elaborates to define as “mind-reading and going from there.” This elicits easy laughter from the audience.
While initially a joke, mind-reading does prove to be the easy stuff. Levit consistently puts geological layers of choice in the hands of multiple audience members. This definitively illustrates how unplanned his tricks are and how he is unable to manipulate the outcome. And if he’s not manipulating the outcome, then it must be…magic?
The show’s narrative has a charmingly autobiographical bent that’s established with the childhood Sally Jessy Raphael clip. Levit’s origin story is cross-generational, as his father was a magician before Jonathan was born. When Jonathan discovered his dad’s magic trick box in a dresser drawer, the next-generation magician was inspired. Levit frequently references childhood memories. The focus on memories attunes the audience to the memories we are collectively making during this singularly unique show.
On the night we attended, the show ended with Levitt deftly conducting coin tricks with close-up cameras intent on his wide-set hands. His jaw-dropping feats of legerdemain were stunningly executed. Your blink is a slow roll compared to Levit’s hands.
Awaken your sense of awe. The show is rated for ages 12 and up and is astounding for teens and adults alike.
-TKR, Ph.D., & TR
Come (or come again) to Liberty Magic (811 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222) through March 29th and witness Jonathan Levit reinvent reality in Reality Reinvented. It’s well worth the VIP Skeleton Key experience. This allows you to go backstage with Levit after the show, where you can ask questions and see more magic in an even cozier space. Purchase tickets online here.
On Monday, March 2026, the Tony-nominated actor, Eva Noblezada, graced the Greer Cabaret stage with an evening of off-kilter cabaret.
Noblezada sang beautiful songs and spun zany tales of her life on Broadway and London’s West End, where she began her career. The singer was accompanied by Rodney Bush (founding member of Tony & the Kiki) on the piano.
At twenty-nine, soon-to-be-thirty, Noblezada has had an illustrious career. In 2017, she was nominated for her first Tony, for the title role in “Miss Saigon.” In her role as Eurydice in “Hadestown,” she was nominated for her second Tony and won a Grammy.
Noblezada didn’t just do Broadway; she included an Amy Winehouse song and a Jefferson Airplane song.
Noblezada showcased her talents. She has a delightful ear for accents and can sing like no one else. The singer is adorable. She is full of joy and gratitude for her vocal vocation.
She was candid and vulnerable, which made it hard not to like her.
Noblezada spent a little bit too much time between songs, discussing her mental health, and branched out on several tangents, possibly a symptom of her confessed ADHD.
There was an unnecessary whole bit about a Guardian Angel, which was mostly used to set up songs, including a fanny pack with an alleged magic mushroom inside, so she could go way back to the 60s and do an amazing rendition of Jefferson Airplane’s “Go Ask Alice.”
Toward the end of the show, she told the audience a hilarious story about a five-year-old who peed on her during the final act of “Miss Saigon.”
If she had peppered in a few more songs. and kept the chatter down a notch, the evening would have been flawless.
-MB
There is one more Trust Cabaret show in the 2025-2026 season. Broadway and TV star Cheyenne Jackson will perform on Monday, May 11. For tickets and additional information, click here.
At the start of Annie Baker’s “Infinite Life,” Sofi (Tami Dixon) is on a sun deck, in a lounge chair, reading George Eliot’s “Daniel Deronda.” When Eileen (Cary Anne Spear) goes out to catch some rays, she asks Sofi, “How’s the book?”
Sofi replies, “It’s good. It’s weird. It’s both.”
That’s Annie Baker peeking out from behind the script, letting you know that we’re in for a bit of weirdness right off the proverbial bat. That’s so meta!
Sofi, Eileen, Yvette (Sheila McKenna), Elaine (Karla C. Payne), and Ginnie (Helena Ruoti) are attending a sort of clinic (health spa, wellness center, starvation dungeon) where everyone is fasting. Some guests are restricted to water; others are allowed to have juice.
Everyone is there to treat their individual illnesses. The characters take a deep dive into their chronic pain. Fibromyalgia, cancer, a litany of medical conditions (eat dinner BEFORE the show).
After a few days, the women get a groove going. They begin to bond, when Nelson (Michael Tisdale) shows up. He’s attractive and around Sofi’s age (the other women are, as Sofi puts it “not much older than me”). Nelson’s mere presence sets off a disturbance in the “Force.”
The women have some lively discussions. Imagine a more intellectual “Golden Girls” getting deeper without the cheesecake (or any food). Sure, there’s sex talk, but there’s also a chat about CMBR (Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation), and a parable from the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.
Secrets spill out. Sofi tries to find pleasure through the pain (euphemism alert).
The cast of Infinite Life, from left: Tami Dixon, Sheila McKenna, Karla Payne, Helena Ruoti, Cary Anne Spear and Michael Tisdale: Photo courtesy of barebones productions.
Baker’s play is performed incredibly by the stacked cast (local theater legends). Tisdale’s character’s appearance is a shock on several levels. He’s the only newcomer to the barebones stage.
Dixon’s performance is courageous. Her Sofi is deeply flawed, vulnerable, and pulsating with anger and regret.
Spear plays another layered character, but Eileen is used sparingly. She is the moral center of the play, exuding love and kindness.
Each of the other characters get a literal and figurative moment in the sun. Every line carries a tremendous weight when delivered by this all-star cast.
Side note: While it happens in real life having an Elaine and Eileen is confusing, especially when the characters don’t refer to each other by name very often. Luckily, the two actors are very distinct.
Tisdale’s role is small but meaningful. He is full of charisma. He delivers the most horrifying speech with clinical precision (the functions of the human body are discussed throughout the play, if you’re squeamish, it’s best to cover your ears when his character discusses his colon issues).
It’s always ironic when a theater company calling itself barebones enlists the aid of Scenic Designer Tony Ferrieri. There is an elaborate motel style concrete lattice and properly placed lounge chairs.
Lighting Designer Andrew David Ostrowski orchestrates the lighting as the show slips from day into night and back again. The soft morning light is so realistic, you’ll want a cup of coffee every time it’s a new day on the stage.
The director, founder and artistic director Patrick Jordan knows how to create drama in moments writ small and large. While “Infinite Life” seems like an odd choice for the theater, he does a tremendous job with the material. He certainly couldn’t have chosen a better cast.
The show has long transitions between scenes because the actors stay in character when they shuffle on and off the stage. It’s the only lag time in the tight 100-minute show.
Baker’s script does emphasize on the weird. It’s hard to find the meaning “Infinite Life,” but there’s a point where Sofi and Nelson argue about comparable pain. Nelson claims his pain is worse, and Sofi challenges that notion. “How could you know?!?” It’s one of the most dramatic sections of the play because the characters finally have a real conflict. Like a Greek Tragedy, most of the other conflicts happen off stage.
It’s hard to watch people suffer, and the show isn’t for everyone, but there is an exquisite beauty in finding the moments of joy in the pain. It’s a grand metaphor for the nature of life in “Infinite Life.”
-MB
“Infinite Life” runs until March 22 at the Bingo O’Malley Stage, barebones, 1211 Braddock Avenue, Braddock, PA 15104. For tickets and additional information, click here.
“Forbidden Broadway” opened Off-Broadway in 1982 and continues to this day to delight and engage viewers. Usually presented in a cabaret-style environment, “Forbidden Broadway” aims parody and satire at Broadway musicals.
It’s a fluid musical that has been updated over the years to include more recent Broadway musicals that were not part of the original production. Older productions no longer prevalent or known to younger audiences were often eliminated.
Some of the Broadway musicals skewered in this production include “The Book of Mormon” (renamed the “Book of Morons”), “Chicago,” “Gypsy,” and “The Lion King.”
“Forbidden Broadway” – don’t miss this laugh-out-loud adventure!
What a talented cast! Whether they perform together in a parody or separately, their timing and coordination are superb. Their singing is top-notch.
None of these skits work if any one of the four is out of sync (whether performing solo or with the other members). They play a myriad of characters, quickly shifting from one personality to another (with quick, multiple costume changes, too).
Eric Acosta, Marshall Benton, Autumn Papczynski, and Jamie Spurrell are a well-balanced and unique group of talented actors. With perfect comedic timing and excellent vocals, they own the stage as they seamlessly transition from one unique character and parody to another.
The cast does a “Fiddler on the Roof” parody.
Papczynski turns our sweet little “Annie” into a smoker turning 30 “Tomorrow.” She hasn’t worked since “Annie.” She is still attired in the red dress and red curly wig. “Hamilton” doesn’t escape ridicule as Papczynski adds a variation of rap to her delivery.
Playing Mary Poppins as the upright, good English nanny, Spurrell blasts Disney with a smile on her face. As Liza, she adopts the characteristics and flamboyance of Liza Minnelli. Spurrell has a powerful voice.
Benton reaches the high notes brilliantly in “It’s Too High”, a parody of “Bring Him Home”. He manipulates two puppets while singing “You Gotta Get a Puppet” to the tune of “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” from “Gypsy.”
Acosta skillfully and comedically portrays a character from “The Lion King”. Initially beginning with an Africa-like chant, he segues into “The Circle of Mice,” a playful rendition of “The Circle of Life.” He is convincingly funny as the phantom in “Phantom of the Opera.”
Just as energetic is “Fiddler on the Roof,” where the group of four works together.
Note: So, did “Les Miz” face “Forbidden Broadway’s” innovative satire, even if the story centers on a character pursued by the police, a dying mother, and a revolution? Of course! Apparently, nothing is sacred.
“Forbidden Broadway” was created and written by Gerard Alessandrini.
The set has a cabaret-style setting. The only props are those held by the cast as they perform each skit.
Note: The one prop not handheld was the obligatory crystal chandelier from “Phantom” that made a brief appearance.
The fifth performer is Music Director Douglas Levine, whose piano accompaniment is the final touch.
Kalyn Parardis’ costume designs are stunning. Considering the many costume changes required for this production, they are detailed, creative, and unique.
-CED
“Forbidden Broadway” is a production of Point Park University Conservatory Theatre Company. Performances run from March 4th to March 8th at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 350 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets and additional information, clickhere.
