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’!
CARNEGIE, PA — Mayor Jack Kobistek and the Carnegie Borough Council issued a proclamation on August 10, for the Pittsburgh New Works Festival on its 25th year.
Kobistek and Council President Patrick J. Catena presented PNWF Board Chair, Claire DeMarco, PNWF Board Treasurer Nancy Batko and Board Member Mike Buzzelli proclaimed the month of September “Pittsburgh New Works Festival Month” in the city of Carnegie during a brief ceremony at the Carnegie Borough Public Meeting on Monday, August 10, 2015.
Kobistek praised the festival, noting its vision in supporting and encouraging the writing and production of original one-act plays from around the globe since its inaugural season in 1991.
In 2013, the Pittsburgh New Works Festival moved to their new home at the Carnegie Stage (formerly known as Off the Wall Theater) in Carnegie, PA.
Beginning August 23 and continuing through September 27, the Pittsburgh New Works Festival will celebrate its 25th season debuting 18 original one-act plays produced by Pittsburgh-area theater companies.
The Festival will culminate at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival Awards Gala October 4, 2015 at Carnegie’s own Cefalo’s Banquet and Event Center featuring the PNWF “Donna Awards” and the presentation of the coveted lifetime achievement award to playwright Eileen Enwright Hodgetts.
PITTSBURGH – On Saturday, September 12 at 7 p.m., be swept away to the Golden Age of the Silver Screen during “Cinema Serenade,” the gala opening of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s 2015-2016 season at Heinz Hall, featuring legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman and Music Director Manfred Honeck.
Perlman and the orchestra will perform selections from “Cinema Serenade,” a 1997 recording on which Perlman, the Pittsburgh Symphony and conductor John Williams collaborate. Selections will include “As Time Goes By” from “Casablanca,” the love theme from “Cinema Paradiso,” the tango from “Scent of a Woman” and more! The audience will also enjoy music from Offenbach, Liszt, Brahms and others during the concert. There will be no intermission.
The concert is preceded by a cocktail party at Heinz Hall, followed by a Gala dinner and the annual Soirée at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh.
The “Cinema Serenade” Gala is chaired by Ann and Christopher Donahue — along with Honorary Chairs Dick and Ginny Simmons and Brenda and Steve Schlotterbeck. The gala evening includes a pre-concert cocktail hour at Heinz Hall, valet parking, premium-level seating for the concert, a silent auction, a post-concert formal dinner and a dessert reception with Maestro Honeck at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh. Gala packages start at $750.
The “Cinema Serenade” Soirée includes valet parking, a pre-concert cocktail hour at Heinz Hall, concert tickets and a post-concert celebration with symphony musicians at the Wyndham Grand—including hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, a silent auction and live music. The “Cinema Serenade” Soiréeis chaired by Sarah and Kevin Eddy and Bonnie and Jay R. Mangold, along with honorary chairs Mike & Angela DeVanney, Michael J. Herald, Steve Hackman and Nicholas Varischetti. The Soirée Silent Auction Chairs are Christina and Cabot Earle and the Musician Chairs are Becky and Ed Stephan. Soirée packages start at $225.
Silent auction items for “Cinema Serenade” events include premium tickets to Pittsburgh sporting events, Marco Valente earrings from Henne Jewelers, a chef table at the Wyndham Grand, a week-long stay at an eight-bedroom home on Lake Chautauqua and many more fabulous items.
Gala packages and Soirée tickets can be purchased by contacting Kierstin Wilson, events coordinator, at 412-392-4830 and kwilson@pittsburghsymphony.org. All proceeds from the Gala concert and associated parties support the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Education and Community Engagement programs.
Tickets, ranging in price from $35 to $150 for the gala concert only, are on sale now and can be purchased through the Heinz Hall box office at 412-392-4900 or pittsburghsymphony.org. Ticket prices are subject to change.
Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for making music.
Having performed with every major orchestra and at venerable concert halls around the globe, Perlman was granted a Kennedy Center Honor in 2003 by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in celebration of his distinguished achievements and contributions to the cultural and educational life of the United States. He has performed multiple times at the White House, most recently in 2012 at the invitation of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama, for Israeli President and Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree Shimon Peres; and at a State Dinner in 2007, hosted by President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush, for Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. In 2009, Perlman was honored to take part in the inauguration of President Obama, premiering a piece written for the occasion by John Williams alongside cellist Yo-Yo Ma, clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Gabriela Montero, for an audience of nearly 40 million television viewers in the United States and millions more throughout the world.
Born in Israel in 1945, Perlman completed his initial training at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. He came to New York and soon was propelled to national recognition with an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1958. Following his studies at the Juilliard School with Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay, he won the prestigious Leventritt Competition in 1964, which led to a burgeoning worldwide career. Since then, Perlman has established himself as a cultural icon and household name in classical music.
Perlman has further delighted audiences through his frequent appearances on the conductor’s podium. He has performed as conductor with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, National Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the symphony orchestras of Dallas, Houston, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Montreal and Toronto, as well as at the Ravinia and Tanglewood festivals. He was music advisor of the St. Louis Symphony from 2002 to 2004 where he made regular conducting appearances, and he was principal guest conductor of the Detroit Symphony from 2001 to 2005. Internationally, Perlman has conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Philharmonic, English Chamber Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic.
Further to his engagements as violinist and conductor, Perlman is increasingly making more speaking appearances. Recent and upcoming engagements including the Salk Institute in San Diego on the centennial anniversary of Dr. Salk’s birth, Orlando at Rollins College, Greensboro at Guilford College, Palm Beach at the Society of the Four Arts and Chicago with the Jewish United Fund.
A major presence in the performing arts on television, Perlman has been honored with four Emmy Awards, most recently for the PBS documentary “Fiddling for the Future,” a film about Perlman’s work as a teacher and conductor for the Perlman Music Program. Perlman has entertained and enlightened millions of TV viewers of all ages on popular shows as diverse as “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “Sesame Street,” “The Frugal Gourmet,” “The Tonight Show” and various Grammy Awards telecasts. His PBS appearances have included “A Musical Toast” and “Mozart by the Masters,” as well as numerous “Live From Lincoln Center” broadcasts. During the 78th Annual Academy Awards in 2006, he performed a live medley from the five film scores nominated in the category of Best Original Score for a worldwide audience in the hundreds of millions. One of Perlman’s proudest achievements is his collaboration with film composer John Williams in Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-winning film “Schindler’s List,” in which he performed the violin solos. He can also be heard as the violin soloist on the soundtrack of Zhang Yimou’s film “Hero” (music by Tan Dun) and Rob Marshall’s “Memoirs of a Geisha” (music by John Williams).
In 2008, Perlman was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in the recording arts. His recordings regularly appear on the best-seller charts and have garnered 16 Grammy Awards. Perlman’s most recent releases include “Eternal Echoes: Songs & Dances for the Soul” (Sony), featuring a collaboration with acclaimed cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot in liturgical and traditional Jewish arrangements for chamber orchestra and klezmer musicians; a recording of Mendelssohn Piano Trios (Sony) with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emanuel Ax; and a recording for Deutsche Grammophon with Perlman conducting the Israel Philharmonic. Other recordings reveal Perlman’s devotion to education, including “Concertos from My Childhood” with the Juilliard Orchestra under Lawrence Foster (EMI) and “Marita and Her Heart’s Desire,” composed and conducted by Bruce Adolphe (Telarc). In 2004, EMI released The Perlman Edition, a limited-edition 15-CD box set featuring many of his finest EMI recordings as well as newly compiled material, and RCA Red Seal released a CD titled Perlman rediscovered, which includes material recorded in 1965 by a young Perlman.
Perlman has a long association with the Israel Philharmonic and has participated in many groundbreaking tours with this orchestra from his homeland. In 1987, he joined the IPO for history-making concerts in Warsaw and Budapest, representing the first performances by this orchestra and soloist in Eastern bloc countries. He again made history as he joined the orchestra for its first visit to the Soviet Union in 1990, and was cheered by audiences in Moscow and Leningrad who thronged to hear his recital and orchestral performances. This visit was captured on a PBS documentary entitled Perlman in Russia, which won an Emmy. In 1994, Perlman joined the Israel Philharmonic for their first visits to China and India.
Over the past decade, Perlman has become more actively involved in music education, using this opportunity to encourage gifted young string players. Alongside his wife, Toby, his close involvement in the Perlman Music Program has been a particularly rewarding experience, and he has taught full-time at the program each summer since its founding in 1993. Perlman currently holds the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Chair at the Juilliard School.
Numerous publications and institutions have paid tribute to Perlman for the unique place he occupies in the artistic and humanitarian fabric of our times. Harvard, Yale, Brandeis, Roosevelt, Yeshiva and Hebrew universities are among the institutions that have awarded him honorary degrees. He was awarded an honorary doctorate and a centennial medal on the occasion of Juilliard’s 100th commencement ceremony in May 2005. President Reagan honored Perlman with a Medal of Liberty in 1986, and in December 2000, President Clinton awarded Mr. Perlman the National Medal of Arts. His presence on stage, on camera and in personal appearances of all kinds speaks eloquently on behalf of the disabled, and his devotion to their cause is an integral part of Perlman’s life.
Manfred Honeck has served as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since the 2008-2009 season. After two extensions, his contract now runs until the end of the 2019-2020 season. To great acclaim, Honeck and his orchestra perform regularly for European audiences. Since 2010, annual tour performances have led them to numerous European music capitals and major music festivals, including Rheingau Musik Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Beethovenfest Bonn, Musikfest Berlin, Grafenegg Festival, Lucerne Festival and the BBC Proms. Several recordings, amongst them Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, which won a 2012 International Classical Music Award, are available on Japanese label Exton. Honeck’s successful work with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is now captured by Reference Recordings. The first SACD — of Strauss tone poems — was released in fall 2013 and received rave reviews. The second recording, of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 and the Symphonic Suite from Janaček’s opera Jenüfa, conceptualized by Honeck himself, followed in summer 2014 and received a Grammy Award nomination. Several additional recordings are completed, and Bruckner No. 4 was released in February 2015 to high critical praise. Born in Austria, Honeck received his musical training at the Academy of Music in Vienna. Many years of experience as a member of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and at the helm of the Vienna Jeunesse Orchestra have given his conducting a distinctive stamp. He began his career as assistant to Claudio Abbado in Vienna. Subsequently, he was engaged by the Zurich Opera House, where he was bestowed the prestigious European Conductor’s Award in 1993. Other early stations of his career include Leipzig, where he was one of three main conductors of the MDR Symphony Orchestra and Oslo, where he assumed the post of music director at the Norwegian National Opera on short notice for a year and was engaged as principal guest conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra for several years. From 2000 to 2006, he was music director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Stockholm and, from 2008 to 2011, principal guest conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he has resumed for another three years at the beginning of the 2013-2014 season. As a guest conductor, Honeck has worked with leading international orchestras such as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Accademia di Santa Cecilia Rome and the Vienna Philharmonic. Orchestras he conducted in the United States include New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra. He also is a regular guest at the Verbier Festival. In February 2013, he had his successful debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the direct result of which was a CD recording together with Anne-Sophie Mutter (works of Dvorak). The current season sees returns to Bamberg, Stuttgart, Rome and New York as well as to the Vienna Symphony (a CD of works by the Strauss family was released in summer 2013) and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He also will conduct Tonhalleorchester Zürich and Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, amongst others. Honeck has received honorary doctorates from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., and, most recently, from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He has been artistic director of the “International Concerts Wolfegg” in Germany for more than 15 years.
On Saturday, August 14, several Lawrenceville bars join forces to rock you all night long at the Rock All Night Tour; over 120 full bands and over 30 solo artists, craft vendors, art, classic cars, and a few surprises. Activities will begin at noon in Arsenal Park and last into the wee hours of the night in Lawrenceville. For more information, go here.
Cheeseburger in Burgettstown
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band comes to Pittsburgh (sort of). He’ll be at the First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown. He’s played there every year since the First Niagara Pavilion opened in 1990. It’s pretty simple to get to Margaritaville from there. Just go to the First Niagara Pavilion located on Route 18 and Route 22 W, Burgettstown, PA. For more information, go here.
If the shoe fits…
CLO is trying to get the girls to the ball with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. The show, running all week, August 11 – 16, features a Tony Award winning score. In addition to seeing a fabulous show, the CLO is collection formal and semi-formal gowns for Becca’s Closet, which donates formal attire to high school girls with financial need who would not otherwise be able to attend their school’s military balls, homecoming or proms. It’s a the Benedum Center, 237 7th Avenue, between Penn and Liberty, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, go here.
Play on Words
On Friday, August 14, Alan Olifson returns to the Bricolage with “WordPlay,” storytelling accompanied by a live DJ. Storytellers include, Olifson and Siovhan Christensen, Parag S. Gohel, Adam Tobias, and Bricolage’s own Tami Dixon. It’s at the Bricolage, 937 Liberty Avenue, 1st Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, go here.
A moving performance
William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” is in town (towns). The show will alternate between two locations, the Grand Theater in Elizabeth, PA and the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Castle Shannon. Come see the historical tragedy, in a town of your choosing. For locations, more information, and tickets, go here.
PITTSBURGH – Point Park University’s Conservatory Dance Company announces the 2015-2016 season, which features pieces by Sonya Tayeh of ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ all-male contemporary dance company MADBOOTS, and Artistic Director of the Washington Ballet, Septime Webre.
This season will also feature the world premiere of an evening-length production called Five, conceived and choreographed by department of dance chair, Rubén Graciani, and faculty member Kiesha Lalama.
The Conservatory Dance Company 2015-2016 season subscriptions, which save patrons up to 35% off single ticket prices, are available now and can be purchased for $72. Single tickets are $20-24 and will go on sale at 10 a.m., Tuesday, September 8. Those who purchase three subscriptions get the fourth free. To order a season subscription, contact the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office by phone 412.392.8000.
The 2015-2016 Conservatory Dance Company season:
Student Choreography Project Thursday, Oct. 1 – Saturday, Oct. 3
George Rowland White Performance Studio, Point Park University
A Conservatory Dance Company tradition, the Student Choreography Project opens the season with a showcase of original choreography by the Conservatory’s top students. Selections from the Student Choreography Project are annually chosen for national dance festivals, including 2013’s “Til the End,” choreographed and performed by John O’Neill and Jennifer Florentino at the National College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
This year, in addition to the ticketed performances Thursday – Saturday, there will be an open festival of additional student choreography staged in the GRW Performance Studio throughout the day on Sunday, October 4.
Contemporary Choreographers Choreographed by Gregory Dolbashian, Ori Flomin, Jessica Hendricks, and Septime Webre Friday, Nov. 13 – Sunday, Nov. 22
George Rowland White Performance Studio, Point Park University
Featuring four choreographers of current renown and diverse experiences, Contemporary Choreographers offers two weekends of cutting edge dance. Pieces by Dolbashian, Flomin, and Hendricks will emphasize each choreographer’s unique vision and style, while artistic director of the Washington Ballet, Septime Webre, will present his hit rock and roll ballet, “Fluctuating Hemlines.”
Point Park Connections Friday, Dec. 11 – Sunday, Dec. 13
George Rowland White Performance Studio, Point Park University
Point Park Connections features an array of dance styles as exciting and varied as our adjunct dance faculty. Working closely with the Conservatory students to teach and refine technique, the adjunct faculty members create a level of familiarity and collaboration that brings remarkable results to the stage. Choreographers and piece titles to be announced.
Five
Choreographed by Rubén Graciani and Kiesha Lalama Friday, Feb. 5 – Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016
Rockwell Theatre, Pittsburgh Playhouse
Department of Dance chair Rubén Graciani and faculty member Kiesha Lalama collaborate to debut a brand new work with the Conservatory Dance Company. Performed with a live choir on the Rockwell Theatre stage, Five takes us inside the minds and senses of the dancers to reflect on the difficult choices we make every day. In 2009, Lalama’s full-length, multimedia dance piece, The Bench premiered in the same theatre to critical acclaim, with a commercial production pending.
Conservatory Dance Company at Point Park University Thursday, Feb. 25 – Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016
George Rowland White Performance Studio, Point Park University
Point Park University faculty choreograph an eclectic and electric selection of pieces sure to entertain. Styles ranging from ballet to contemporary to Jazz illustrate the impressive talents of the Conservatory students. Choreographers and pieces to be announced.
Conservatory Dance Company at the Byham Theater Choreographed by Mad Boots, Larry Keigwin, Matthew Powell, and Sonya Tayeh
Thursday, April 14 – Saturday, April 16, 2016
Byham Theater, Cultural District
One of the biggest shows of the Conservatory Dance Company season, this performance at the Byham Theater in downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District features pieces by some of the hippest names in contemporary American dance. Sonya Tayeh of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ fame will choreograph a world-premiere piece alongside works by Matthew Powell and contemporary duo MADBOOTS. Larry Keigwin will present “Triptych,”a minimalist, abstract piece inspired by the classic triptychs of photography.
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.
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.”
Billy Porter and the Cast of the National Tour of KINKY BOOTS • August 4, 2015. Photo by Matt Polk
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).
Billy Porter in the original Broadway production of KINKY BOOTS | Photo: Matthew Murphy
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.
KINKY BOOTS National Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy
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.
Billy Porter and Steven Booth in the National Tour of KINKY BOOTS. August 4, 2015. Photo by Matt Polk
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, 7th Street, between Penn and Liberty, Downtown Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets and additional information, go here.
Broadway’s hit musical “Kinky Boots” comes to town. Pittsburgh native Billy Porter will reprise his Tony Award-winning role as Lola. Charlie Price wants to save his struggling shoe factory, and our boy/girl Lola comes up with a unique way to solve his problems. This is the must see event of the season. Get kinky at the Benedum Center, 7th Street between Liberty and Penn, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, go here.
After the Boots
Join Pittsburgh’s best drag queens (with some live singers) immediately following Broadway’s hit musical at the “Kierra Darshell’s Kinky Boots After Party!” C.J. Mitchell and Nick Bramlett, two local male vocalists, will sing. Kierra will welcome Jezebel D’Opulence, Milan Tre’Zur, Mahogany La’Piranha, Tamara Knight, and two more members of the D’Opulence family, FeFe and Delicia to the stage. It’s at the Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, click here.
Gab About It
A Pittsburgh-based musical comedy duo, Josh & Gab, best known for their winning anti-bullying school programs, take their act to the Andy Warhol Museum on Saturday, August 8 at 2 PM. Hear the group who are known to every pre-teen in Pittsburgh (Seriously, my cousins’ kids think they’re bigger than the Beetles). It’s at the Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. For more information, go here.
Pound of flesh
“Revenge” meets “Gossip Girl” in Urban Impact Shakes’ production of “The Merchant of Venice.” See a modern twist on Shakespeare’s classic tale of love and bitterness, free will and fate as the actors connect the stories to their own lives. Come eager to laugh, quick to empathize, ready to ask questions of faith and snap a selfie or two. “The Merchant of Venice” is at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. For more information, go here.
Sip it, Sip it good!
It’s the last weekend to catch “Sips, Shots & Gulps” s exhibition of finely crafted and artistic drinking vessels showcases a variety of styles, techniques and firing methods used in contemporary ceramics. When focusing on an everyday object such as a cup, an artist’s hand and eye can elevate even the most common, necessary and mundane routine of drinking into an uplifting experience. It’s at the Sweetwater Arts Center, 200 Broad Street, Sewickley, PA 15143. For more information, and a list of artists participating, go here.
To celebrate their 25 anniversary the Pittsburgh New Works Festival is rolling out some of its best shows from the past years. They will be featuring some Even More Awesome Plays from the Past with Eileen Enwright Hodgetts’ “Twilight,” Katherine Miller-Haines’ “The Fellowship of Actors and Directors,” C.P. Stancich’s “Just One Abiding Dearth,” and Kim (Zelonis) Dale’s “A Skewed Nude.” Come check them out at CCAC South Campus Theatre, 1750 Clairton Road, West Mifflin, PA 15122 . For more information and tickets go to here.
And a Child Shall Rock Them
Saturday, August 1 it’s time for Teenage Takeover on concert series that Pittsburgh punk rockers of all ages (especially those under 21) have been waiting for! Pittsburgh’s finest young bloods take over the in an explosion of sound and color. All are welcome to enjoy the music and wild, teenage atmosphere. See and hear the Yetis, The Nox Boys, Chase the Monkey, Pachyderm and The Summercamp. It’s at The Shop, 4314 Main Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. For more information and to hear a preview of some of the music go here.
Putting the B in Brunch
Brunch can be a real drag on Sunday mornings. Why not make it a drag brunch? Specifically, why not go to Kierra Darshell’s Drag Brunch? Sip a Mimosa and watch men and women dress up like women and men, respectively. There will be Kings, Queens and plenty of Jokers on Sunday, August 2 (every 1st and 3rd Sunday monthly) at the James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy, 422 Foreland Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. For more information, go here: http://jamesstreetgastropub.com/events-live-jazz-music-northside-pittsburgh-pa-dining-lunch-dinner-bar-restaurant/event.php?id=763
On the Outside
John Patrick Shanley’s quirky love story, “Outside Mullingar” is back. Rosemary Muldoon has been crushing on her neighbor Anthony for a long time. Anthony is buzzing around with his own problems. When a land dispute rises up, Rosemary is afraid to bumble things. It all goes down at the Little Lake Theatre, 500 Lakeside, Canonsburg, PA 15317. For more information, go here. http://www.littlelake.org/box-office/
Mingling
On July 1st, you can get lucky with “Mingled” a speed dating event. In this experimental, micro-theater experience, audience members will assume the role of speed-daters as they uncover hidden connections and add their own stories to the mix. Check it out at 4919 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. For more information, go here. http://www.uncumbertheatrics.com/#!mingled/c1wr0
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.
PITTSBURGH, PA – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre ushers in a new ballet season with an al fresco evening of picnicking, family fun and “Ballet Under the Stars” on Sunday, Aug. 16, at Hartwood Acres’ Middle Road Concert Area. “Ballet Under the Stars” begins at 5 p.m. with free family activities and a VIP dinner with the dancers before the free mixed repertory performance at 7:30 p.m.
As part of the Allegheny County Summer Concert series, “Ballet Under the Stars” gives audiences the first look at the 2015-2016 Season company roster – including new dancers Jessica McCann, Emily Simpson and Kurtis Sprowls – before the main-stage season officially opens in October.
This year’s program will debut an original work choreographed by PBT Principal Dancer Yoshiaki Nakano, a six-year company member. Set to Mozart music, the work marks Nakano’s first for the company. He has previously choreographed on the Pre-Professional students of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and for performances of the Dancers Trust, a local organization founded to support retiring dancers through career transitions.
“We are thrilled to feature new work by Yoshiaki Nakano, who is an emerging choreographic talent within our own ranks,” said PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr. “It will be an exciting challenge for him as an artist – and for the dancers he will be creating with – to originate a new work that is 100% our own. His style blends classical technique with an inventive, contemporary movement style. I’m looking forward to what is sure to be a high-energy work.”
Also on the program, PBT will reprise the virtuosic “Pas d’action” and the “Golden Idol” solo from the classical story ballet “La Bayadère,” which closed PBT’s 45th Anniversary Season in April. The scenes highlight high-caliber classical technique from some of the ballet’s leading characters: the warrior Solor, the Radjah’s daughter, Gamzatti, and the mysterious Golden Idol.
Finally, the program revisits another 45th Anniversary highlight: Mark Morris’ sunny “Sandpaper Ballet,” an ensemble work set to the cheerful tunes of “Sleigh Ride,” “The Typewriter” and nine other ‘40s and ‘50s classics by American composer LeRoy Anderson. The work features 25 dancers costumed in electric green jumpsuits with whimsical, blue-sky torsos.
Audience members also can take advantage of a special single ticket presale for PBT’s 2015-2016 Season, which opens Oct. 23-25, at the Benedum Center with Mixed Repertory #1 featuring George Balanchine’s “Western Symphony,” William Forsythe’s “In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated” and Jiří Kylián’s “Sinfonietta.”
Pre-Performance Activities
Free Family Activities (Free)- 5-7 p.m.
Audiences can arrive early for free family fun, including crafts, balloon animals, photo opportunities, ballerina dress-up and dance activities on the lawn. Concessions will be available from 5-7 p.m. from food trucks BRGR , vegan-friendly Randita’s and The Pop Stop.
Dinner with the Dancers – 5-7 p.m. (Ticket required)
PBT will host a pre-show barbecue dinner under the PBT tent with dancers and artistic staff to benefit PBT repertory, student scholarships and education programs. Guests will enjoy dinner, drinks and musical entertainment. Tickets are $75 for adults and $20 for children (ages 12+). For tickets, visit www.pbt.org or call 412-454-9138.
About the 2015-2016 Season From the choreography of George Balanchine to the music of Johnny Cash, PBT’s five-ballet lineup features major contemporary choreographers, audience favorite “Peter Pan,” holiday classic “The Nutcracker” and the company premiere of the full-length classic “Le Corsaire” with the PBT Orchestra. The five-ballet season runs October through April. Season ticket packages start at $69 and are available online at www.pbt.org or by calling 412-454-9107. Single ticket sales open Aug. 24, at www.pbt.org or 412-456-6666.
·Mixed Repertory #1: Western Symphony, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated and “Sinfonietta” Featuring the PBT Orchestra /Oct. 23-25, 2015 / Benedum Center
·The Nutcracker Dec. 4-27, 2015 / Benedum Center
·Peter Pan Feb. 12-21, 2016 / Benedum Center
·Mixed Repertory #2: Man in Black, Jardin Aux Lilas (Lilac Garden), Eternal Idol March 10-13, 2016 / Byham Theater
·Le Corsaire with the PBT Orchestra
April 15-17, 2016 / Benedum Center
About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre One of the most exciting ballet companies in the United States, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has built a legacy of excellence and innovation since its founding in 1969. Its eclectic style and irrepressible energy have been shaped by four distinguished artistic directors over four decades. In the 1980s, former New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Patricia Wilde led the Company to new heights and national acclaim with an emphasis on virtuosic technique and works by the modern masters, including her mentor, George Balanchine. Since 1997, the Company has flourished under the direction of Terrence S. Orr, former American Ballet Theatre ballet master and principal dancer. Mr. Orr has created a powerful repertoire, including fresh versions of traditional ballets, original works commissioned to contemporary American music and dramatic works that push the boundaries of ballet as an art form. Through more than 50 performances each year at home and on tour, PBT audiences discover the passion and joy of ballet.
