Category: Uncategorized

 

Gina McKlveen, Art Correspondent

“Imagine instead of posting your life on your social media, imagine you are a member of a community where you can print your photographs, and once a week, you come to an event where you can share those with other people. You can share the work you’ve made, which gives you time to really understand and learn what your work is. And you don’t have to come and say ‘I made this photograph with a Nikon this and that, with this lens, and F8 at 125’—all of that can fade away because the work is what matters now. The work is what matters, not how you made it. I want to see the work become what’s important.”

For Robert Ketcham, imagining a place to practice photography that focuses on seeing the photograph just as much as seeing the photographer, has been a work in progress. However, when Ketcham first entered the building located in downtown Braddock, he captured a vision of what this place could be.

“The building kind of chose me,” Ketcham said. “I was working for Gregg Kander, [who] was in the middle of the Ohringer building, and he bought another property up the street that everyone just knew of, which had been Woolworth’s. That’s as far back as anybody went. It took me a lot of digging to figure out that Andrew Carnegie, himself, in 1891, bought that piece of property where the building at 818 Braddock Ave, it’s called the Braddock Arts and Media building now, where Braddock Photo Works will be housed, was bought to move the Carnegie Cooperative Store.”

He described looking at the back of the first floor, which has a 15-foot ceiling, and he thought, “I could do a dark room here. This could be something related to photography, and this is in 2019 that I’m starting to have these ideas.”

He imagined it much like the former Pittsburgh Filmmakers, where people could use a traditional dark room or computers, including any editing software for digital photography.

“It was always not far from my mind that this would be a great photo center,” Ketcham stated. “I want to make sure that this space has what every photographer or aspiring photographer or retired photographer or anybody with even a casual interest in photography would want to visit and learn more about what we do.”

Eventually, Ketcham decided he needed to start a nonprofit focused on photography education. In naming the new nonprofit, Ketcham resolved on Braddock Photo Works. He had considered using “Cooperative” to tie into the building’s historical lineage. Still, he intentionally chose “Works” as a homage to Edgar Thomson Steel Works and the US Steel Mills of Pittsburgh, especially in Braddock.

“Works is a place where work is done, where things are made…It told the story in the name, which is what I wanted.”

Ketcham was just as intentional about selecting Braddock as the location for his photography nonprofit. As Ketcham describes it, when he first came to Pittsburgh in 2002, he asked to see the steel mills and was told that there weren’t any, except in Braddock, but he shouldn’t go there. “That’s all I needed to hear,” Ketcham reflected, “I was here [in Braddock] with a camera immediately and have been photographing Braddock ever since.”

This year, Braddock Photo Works has already engaged with the community in meaningful ways. From an introductory community gathering at Public House in February of this year to the first of many photo walks around Braddock, taking place just this past October, what happens inside the building is equally important to Ketcham as what happens to the community outside it.

 

“Our first event as Braddock Photo Works was recently a partnership with the American Society of Media Photographers, Pittsburgh branch, to do a photo walk in Braddock, and the response was overwhelming. We had a great group of photographers who were very enthusiastic about photography, but by the time they left, they were enthusiastic about Braddock.

“It was just so gratifying to watch as everyone just went off, they would see something, and they would go off to make a photograph that they wanted. And that’s exactly what I wanted to see. I wanted to see people immersed in photography, then come together with people they didn’t know, never met, to discuss things, introduce themselves, and talk about their work and their goals in photography. Over the course of 5-6 hours, that’s what happened.”

Ketcham’s own photography, which he primarily exhibits in black and white, also documents the changing landscape of Braddock and now seeks to share it with and contribute to the community he knows and honors so well.

“I had a camera firmly in my hand since I was 15 years old,” Ketcham continued, “My photography began in the dark room. I got tired of paying someone else to develop my film, so I took the photography classes. When I had a study hall, I would get a pass to go to the darkroom. After school, as long as I could stay, I would work in the dark room.

“There’s almost nowhere to go that you can use a dark room…where you can go and complete the process. While you’re developing the film, you’re learning to interpret your vision. What you have tried to make in the camera into a negative, and ultimately into a print…I want everybody to have the full experience of what making a photograph can be.

“Photography has been around for a long time. And a lot of the technique and process have come and gone. But a lot of those alternative, old processes like tin type, platinum printing…and all of these absolutely gorgeous and magnificent ways to make a print exist… For any of these processes, I want to be able to offer the education and facilities where they can be done.

“The educational component of [Braddock] Photo Works would also include the basics, looking at photographs. There are all kinds of different ways to, even people who are not photographers could take advantage of something like that—seeing, learning to see again. Part of the ultimate goal from doing classes with kids, local kids, summer programs, [is] you get to keep the camera we got you. Those are the things I look forward to seeing.”

In our modern society, teaching people to see again has become increasingly important, given the shortened attention spans caused by social media scrolling and the various risks posed by an onslaught of AI-generated images. Ketcham is rightfully concerned about how AI will affect the future of photography.

“From a generative standpoint, it’s a genie that you can’t put back in the bottle. It’s cheap, it’s the lazy way out as opposed to sending a photographer to use their brain and imagination and skills and talent, to make a photograph… I don’t want AI to doctor my photo. The idea is to get it right in the camera so that you don’t have to do that. And that goes all the way back to film: you’re spending less time in the darkroom trying to correct a print. Get it right in the camera, you don’t have to worry about it.”

For Braddock Photo Works’ role in a mainstream AI-dominated world, Ketcham stated, “All I want to do, in my own little piece of the world, is provide an alternative. Ketcham went on to quote one of his favorite quotes from Alfred Stieglitz, an early pioneer in the movement to make photography seen as art. The quote, “Photography is not just about capturing what’s in front of you; it’s about capturing what’s inside of you as well,” reflects much more about the process of making a photograph, and for Ketcham, “That’s something that I can’t imagine AI will ever do.”

Having stood in the place where Braddock Photo Works will eventually be filed with seasoned and budding photographers, I can say with confidence this space is much needed for the arts in Pittsburgh. Its interior mirrors the collaborative hub of any great artistic community, and Braddock is all the better for it. The exterior, adorned with colored lights and mural art painted by internationally recognized artists, is a beacon for the future of Braddock.

My conversation with Ketcham covered more subjects than this article can convey, including the current risks to investigative journalists, the return of Polaroid cameras among Gen Z, Ketcham’s personal pet peeve, his Henry Project, and much more. For the complete conversation, take a listen below. To stay updated on Braddock Photo Works, follow along on Instagram @braddock_photo_works. Any questions on how to get involved, please get in touch with Robert Ketcham directly through his website: https://rjketchamphotography.com/contact/

-GM

 

By Gina McKlveen

Tucked between greenery and hanging from the glass windows of The Frick Pittsburgh Greenhouse, Atticus Adams’ abstract sculptures are like cocoons waiting to birth something magical. “The Catching Sunbeams From The Porch Swing of Wisteria Castle” exhibition featuring Adams’ work is on display through October 26th.

Adams’ art captured the attention of the Frick Museums & Gardens after he shared his dream of exhibiting his artwork in a greenhouse atmosphere with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. The CEO of GPAC, Patrick Fisher, put Adams in touch with the Frick Museums & Gardens. “Atticus visited the Frick, and we visited his studio and [we] were utterly charmed by him and his work,” says Dawn R. Brean, Chief Curator & Director of Collections. “Atticus’ ethereal and nostalgic sculptures now hang from the windows and ceilings of our greenhouse and add a whimsical touch to the vibrant, flora-filled oasis. We love that our historic site continues to be a source of inspiration for artists working today.” Brean adds.

For his sculptures, Adams uses a variety of natural and industrial materials, including crystals, mesh, wire, and metals such as aluminum, copper, and steel. Describing his work, Atticus says, “I come from a tradition of using simple, easily available materials for creative expression. I like to think of my work as Neo-Appalachian folk art.”

Adams was raised in West Virginia, and much of his childhood there remains a part of the work he produces today as a Pittsburgh-based artist. He explores themes of childhood wonder and nostalgia through his choice of materials and artistic process, which are reminiscent of his childhood memories, such as spending hours on his grandmother’s porch swing, building forts out of quilt blankets, or watching a wisteria vine spill over the edges of a window sill in his grandmother’s home. Walking through the Frick Pittsburgh Greenhouse, you feel as though you’re stepping into your grandmother’s garden again, full of surprising trinkets and knick-knacks.

For this particular display, Adams’ art is primarily associated with the Frick family. Brean explains, “Atticus created a site-specific sculpture that was inspired by our history, collections, and founder, Helen Clay Frick. Before creating the sculpture, Atticus and I reviewed Helen’s collections and spent time in her room to give him a sense of what she liked as a child. From that, he created a pink mesh sculpture featuring a bird’s nest inside of it, with the different sections of the nest representing the members of the Frick family.”

For Adams, representation through sculpture is tied to memory, places, and the meaning of home. Much like Helen Clay Frick, who also had an affinity for her childhood home, Adams’ message is this: “Though grander houses existed, Clayton was home. This piece seeks to honor that sentiment—home not as grandeur, but as the quiet keeper of one’s deepest affections.”

If you’re feeling homesick for a place or person, catch some sunbeams at The Frick Pittsburgh Greenhouse and enjoy Adams’ airy, artistic sculptures amidst the array of plants.

GM

The Frick Pittsburgh Greenhouse is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:15 AM to 3:00 PM. Learn more about the artist by visiting: atticusadams.com

By Michael Buzzelli

Pittsburgh Musical Theater (PMT), literally and figuratively, made an announcement from on high as it declared its 25/26 season  with a stunning preview concert at the West End Overlook.

Ben Sheedy, joined by Brecken Newton Farrell, Elexa Lindsay Hanner, Kamilah Lay,  Dylan Pal and an phalanx of student singer, actors and dancers announced upcoming season by singing songs from their featured shows.  The shows include “Annie,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Disney’s Newsies,” “Evil Dead the Musical,” Beetlejuice JR.,” and “A Lyrical Christmas Carol.”

The “Broadway at the Overlook” show had some memorable moments. The students acted out a scene from “Newsies” before launching into a song. Their exaggerated New York accents were hilarious, especially listening to them mangle the word “oyster,” a bit from the original Disney movie, “Newsies.”

Farrell’s “For Forever” from “Dear Evan Hansen” was remarkable. It was a big swing and he knocked it out of the park.

Hanner was spectacular singing a solo from “Beetlejuice, Jr.,” a shortened kid-friendly version of the Movie-to-Broadway-Musical.

The pièce de résistance came when the entire assemble gyrated to “Do the Necronomicon,” the silliest song from the silliest of musicals, “Evil Dead – the Musical.” 

The show ended with a bright and buoyant rendition of “Tomorrow” from “Annie.”

‘Broadway at the Overlook’ is a free CitiParks event with a family-friendly, community atmosphere. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early and pack a picnic for an evening full of live music with the city skyline as the backdrop as professional performers alongside PMT Conservatory students bring the magic of Broadway to life.

Its not a fun-free evening, but a fun, free evening. Make sure you dress appropriately, Friday’s show was extremely chilly for the end of August, even in Pittsburgh.

-MB

“Broadway at the Overlook” runs the rest of the weekend at the West End Overlook. You can learn more about the concert and PMT’s upcoming season by please clicking here.

By Joseph Szalinski

Move over Chekhov, there’s a new gunslinger in town. Well, not necessarily new…his work has been around for quite some time, but no town in Western Pennsylvania is big enough for two pistoleros, so it seems that the “Scandinavian Shakespeare,” Henrik Ibsen, has found a home up north with Hobnob Theatre Company, and their production of Hedda Gabler, directed by Duane Peters, now running at their studio space in Butler, PA.

Made a legend from penning superb pieces of drama and kept relevant by references on the Netflix animated series Bojack Horseman, Ibsen has left quite a legacy, particularly with this trigger-happy tragedy. The true timelessness of his work is on full display with modified lines that don’t leave the story tied down to one era, being an example of the “theatre of here and now,” as director Duane Peters puts it.

Natalie Spanner is phenomenal as Hedda Gabler/Tesman, the show’s troubled titular character. Plagued by boredom, Hedda resorts to manipulating people like they are toys in a doll’s house. Employing expert prowess every time on stage makes Spanner’s performance so engaging. Her moments in the mirror, for instance, gradually become as sinister as her deceit over the course of the show. Beyond the malicious aspects of the character, she does a terrific job succumbing to sadness or reveling in rendezvous, showcasing her range.

Eilert Lovborg, Hedda’s former fling and an enemy of the people for his drunken antics, is brilliantly embodied by Jack Senske. Charming during spirited dialogue and wildly entertaining when enraptured by vicious vice when out with the “Brack Pack,” Senske’s interpretation of the genius scribe and wild duck of the bunch is incredible.

Daniel Williams delights as George Tesman, AKA Gabler’s knob, Hedda’s academically inclined husband who’s so caught up in his research, he fails to notice the machinations of those closest to him. Stimulated by his special interest: books, he cocoons himself in the glory of ghosts; triumphs of titans of the past while the pretenders amongst his friends actively conspire to ruin his life.

Judge Brack is brought to life by Kevin Vespaziani, who uses both voice and physicality to delve into the calculated creepiness of his character. An assumed pillar of society, Vespaziani slowly erodes that façade with a performance that enthralls and unsettles.

Jocelyn Hillen, Jennifer Sinatra, and Danyle Verzinskie are great as Juliana Tesman, Thea Elvsted, and Berta, respectively. This talented trio not only seamlessly supplement scenes, but they also have their own moments to shine. Hillen harnesses emotional vulnerability as a doting aunt who never recovered from her brother being stuffed inside a burial mound; Sinatra’s similar strength is her desperation; while Verzinskie offers advice and insight when not keeping the house in order.

Technical flourishes elevate this production. Jadelin Kirkvold serves as stage manager in addition to handling props and helming the lighting and sound consoles, helping to make the environment more immersive. There’s even a coziness the faux house has, despite the chaos within the walls, that lulls audiences into accepting the onstage events as reality.

While Hobnob does a fantastic job of putting on original productions and doing things outside of traditional theatre, they also excel in putting their spin on classic plays. Typically, their brand is The Bard, however, a few other public domain playwrights sneak in. As much as Hobnob loves comedy, as evidenced by their improv and stand-up events, drama is something they know how to do really well. The rest of their 2025 season will certainly serve as a testament to that.

 -JS

Hedda Gabler runs March 28-30; April 5-6 at Hobnob Studio Theatre in Butler, PA. For tickets and additional information, click here. 

By Michael Buzzelli

A charming beekeeper, Roland (Ethan Davis Butler), and a brilliant cosmologist, Marianne (Rebekah Hukill), grapple with love and death in a multitude of iterations in Nick Payne’s “Constellations.”

If you’ve been to a Marvel movie, you know that the term “multiverse” has been thrown around in media way too much lately, but the concept began with the ancient Greek Atomists, such as Leucippus, Democritus, Epicurus (father of hedonism), Lucretius and Chrysippus.

The Atomists believed that there is a new path for every decision we didn’t make. Simply stated, that in another universe, Robert Frost took the other road that they diverged in that yellow wood, and it presumably made a difference.  It’s the reason why Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland can all be different versions of the same Spider-Man.

Instead of Fate vs. Free Will, it’s more Free Will is Fate, because we are on the path where we made the decisions that put us on this path.

Confused?

Picture the improv game, “New Choice.” In that game an actor or improviser will say a line, “Can I pet your dog?” They will then bend over and pet the imaginary dog. The Gamemaster will yell out, “New Choice!” The actor must then say something else, such as “Can I pet your giraffe?” Instead of bending over to pet the imaginary dog, they will stretch up as high as they can reach, pantomiming petting a giraffe.

While “Constellations” creates a tapestry of choices, Roland and Marianne’s decisions are explored from many angles. It’s a fascinating idea, but the thesaurus cites that a synonym for repetition is monotony.  Payne’s play lies in some alleyway between fascinating and monotonous.

A meet-cute goes sideways in several versions, but, in many, they end up together – for a while – forever? Who’s to say.

The play is likely to start a debate on the ride home. A debate that, theoretically, will go every which way, depending on which universe you live in.  I hope you live in the universe where no one has to sleep on the couch.

Butler and Hukill are amazing. They have to open scenes with the same or similar lines over and over again. The task of getting it right each time seems to be astronomically difficult.

There is a palpable chemistry between them.

Intimacy coordinator Olivia Hartle navigates the duo through some very close, very romantic moments.

There is one additional character in the show, the Grim Keeper (Reed Callan), the world’s most ominous stage hand. He has no lines of dialogue but he is both hilarious and terrifying in a full beekeeper costume.

(Once again, Marvel made me afraid of beekeeper costumes (“WandaVision,” episode 2).

Director Caitlin Dobronz does an excellent job moving the characters around the stage in ways that keeps the action fresh – even after we’ve seen a few iterations of the same action and dialogue. She is also credited with set design, where she made equally beautiful and luminous choices.

There may have been a few too many costume changes, but the clothes probably helped the actors remember which version of the story they were on.

While the writing seems tedious at times, there is a strange emotional wallop by the end of the play (no spoilers). Overall, I’m glad I live in the universe where I saw this “Constellations.”

-MB

“Constellations” runs until November 23 at the Allegheny RiverTrail Park, 285 River Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15215. For more information, click here.

By Lonnie the Theatre Lady

Rogers and Hammerstein’s Tony Award winning “Cinderella” modernizes the well known plot with a couple additions that allude to social justice, unexpected alliances and benevolent leadership. To say more would be a spoiler. I know, spoiler? Cinderella, really? Yes, really!

The huge (too many to mention) cast and company is comprised of talented actors, strong vocalists, accomplished dancers and skillful musicians.

Cinderella (Maggie Brashear) is an engaging lead. Her heartfelt vocals ring rich and true in every number. Her eyes and facial expressions convey the sweet, kind nature of her character.

Marie (Joyce Hinnebusch), a stunning vocalist, shines in every one of her songs. Her comedic timing and body language are delightful.

Prince Topher (Ryan Hadbavny) looks his role as he strikes princely poses with his proud upright stance. His tender, emotional rendition of “Bring Her Home to Me,” is a crowd pleaser.

Sebastian (Brook Stanley), is entertainingly droll, smarmy, diabolical and foppish in equal measure.

Lavish, elaborate colorful costumes effectively support the show’s wondrous magical tone. (Michelle Nowakowski and Ivy Ferris)

The many well performed, imaginative dance numbers delight and entertain. (Cara McClaine and Nathan Hart)

Director Michael Newkirk orchestrates an extravagant production of sound, color, and movement resulting in a gleeful show.

This upbeat gorgeous show satisfies and uplifts on a visceral level. Need an infusion of cheerfulness? Then, this show is for you.

-LtTL

“Cinderella” runs through November 17 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Boulevard, Carnegie, PA 15106. For more information, click here.

 

By: Joseph Szalinski

Everyone, get your tickets for the most “hoppening” event to hit the North Boroughs since their Easter festivities a few months back. The wonderful folks over at Community Theatre Players have a fantastic production from directors Katie Abramowich-Good and Libby Larsen about a misunderstood man and his hallucinatory hare companion. And no, it’s not a stage adaptation of Donnie Darko. It’s the celebrated classic, Harvey, now running at Community Presbyterian Church in Ben Avon.

Often overshadowed by its cinematic counterpart, due in large part to the man behind the voice that haunts the streets of Indiana, PA, Mary Chase’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama is both hilarious and heartfelt; a poignant play about an unorthodox way mental illness can manifest in a person and a family.

Cast members do a terrific job of embodying their characters, particularly through humor. Christopher Franz dives headfirst into his role as Mr. Wilson by embracing comedic physicality. The other hospital personnel, Lyman Sanderson, M.D. (Alex Bowman); William R. Chumley, M.D. (Mark Spondike); and Ruth Kelly, R.N. (Kassaundra Rodriguez) have a funny and fantastic chemistry amongst themselves and with the other characters as well. Similarly, Judge Omar Gaffney (John Hayes), Myrtle Mae Simmons (Emma Kendrew), and Veta Louise Simmons (Ellen Kalik) are another group who bring plenty of laughs to the stage.

Matt Hartman delights as Elwood P. Dowd, the Benjamin Bunny to Harvey’s Peter Rabbit, but human. He’s a charming eccentric who isn’t afraid to attempt to show off his best friend, much to the chagrin of his relatives. Hartman is not only able to showcase his skill solo or alongside his castmates, but also “with Harvey,” an effortless and established connection that demonstrates his strengths as a performer. Keep a large ear or two perked up for when he imitates Harvey’s voice…

Technical elements are another highlight of this show. Jeff Cieslak masterfully handles lights and sound while an army of dedicated folks handle set construction and decoration. Speaking of sets, this one is relatively simple yet effective, and its interchanging pieces are brilliantly swapped out during scene changes to transport audiences to either the library or Chumley’s Rest. But perhaps the best display of technical prowess comes in the form of Harvey’s presence. Manipulating furniture, curtains, and the like is a phenomenal way of bringing the invisible animal to life.

The Community Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon is a marvelous venue. Not only is the theatre nice and cozy, but it’s just one room in a big, beautiful building. Nestled on the sleepy streets of Ben Avon, this is a quaint space to catch a performance.

Now in their 35th year/season as a company, Community Theatre Players continues to deliver quality productions to the Greater Pittsburgh Area, particularly the North Boroughs. Putting on larger shows in the fall, and producing smaller events in the months between them, CTP actively enriches the scene with dazzling dramas and captivating comedies. Unlike the titular lagomorph of their current show, they can be seen entertaining audiences throughout the year, and hopefully for many more to come.

-JS

“Harvey” continues its run Nov 1st & 2nd at Community Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon. For more information, click here. 

 

By Gina McKlveen 

Standing arm in arm outside Maser Galleries along Walnut Street in Shadyside, the Maser women, Brenda and her two daughters, Katie and Kristen, reminisced to a crowd of family, friends, former athletes, community members, city councilpersons, art lovers, and various spectators about what this business has meant to them since it first opened on September 27, 1974—50 years ago to the day.

Katie applauded her parents, noting that “50 years is huge accomplishment for a business, especially an art business.” She called Walnut Street “an extension of home,” and Kristen expressed similar sentiments, stating that her childhood “orbited around this gallery” and referred to it as her “home base.”

As the story goes, Maser Galleries begins with one man—Ronald Maser, affectionately known as “Lefty”—a Pittsburgh-area native, McKeesport High School graduate, former University of Pittsburgh student-athlete, and multi-talented visionary, whose baseball career aspirations with the Los Angeles Dodgers fell short because of an arm injury that led him to answer a newspaper advertisement promising “unlimited opportunity” with Arts International, which was the biggest chain of galleries in the country back then. According to Lefty, during the Arts International interview, he and the interviewer just talked about baseball. By the end of the interview, the guy pitched him the keys and drove back to Chicago, leaving Lefty to learn the art business on the fly.

Years later, Lefty branched out on his own, founding what is known today as Maser Galleries. The gallery started out at Seven Springs Resort in the Laurel Highlands, east of Pittsburgh. There was already a gallery at the ski resort and the space had become available for a new owner/occupant. Originally, Lefty says, he drove up to Seven Springs to express that he wasn’t interested, but whether it was the drive, the connection with ski and sport, or something else, after he got up there, he changed his mind and said yes. Like many things throughout Lefty’s life, he just went with his gut… and it worked.

Brenda, who grew up at Seven Springs and was working there had an art background, minoring in art, practicing in photography, and dabbling in painting, so when Lefty needed someone to work at his new gallery, Brenda became Lefty’s right-hand woman, so-to-speak.

“My part of business has changed over the years,” Brenda recounts. “I helped Lefty. Lefty was in charge. He made all the decisions.”

But as for Brenda’s part in the business, Kristen surmised, “Mom is the heart. Dad is driving force,” while Brenda refers to herself as “the people person.” She says, “I love people. I love talking about the art, I love being with the art, selling the art. Lefty was the person responsible for the success of that gallery without question. He could sense what people would love, what people would buy. He was not highly trained in art. I mean, he was a math student [at the University of Pittsburgh]. He had a sense of what was beautiful and what people would love to have in their homes.”

She adds, “Buying is the key to any business, and certainly to the art business. He just had a wonderful sense of the best pieces of an artist, he could pick them. I learned from him. I learned everything I know about that from him.”

Brenda’s own art background has, in her words, “worked out beautifully in this gallery.” She remembers, “I had a dark room for a while and did photography and that skill served me very well working in the gallery. There were so many things that needed photographed over the years that it was a really wonderful fit for me.”

Brenda also points out, “Lefty has an art background, too.” While maybe not as well-known as his baseball stats, “When he was a young student, he went to McKeesport High School, which was a huge high school at the time, booming, thriving, and there were only two students picked to take art classes at the Carnegie Museum and he was one of the students who was picked. So, he has some art talent, but he never developed that. But he had art talent, and he always had a love of beauty.”

Even as a baseball player, fans and friends described Lefty as “art in motion.” Brenda says, “When I think of Lefty running [this] business that was art in motion, watching him run [Maser Galleries]. He was in the flow in the same way that he was when he was pitching. He was a natural. The creativity, the ideas just flowed out of him.”

Eventually, once the gallery in Seven Springs was established, Lefty got the idea to move and open another Maser Galleries location in Shadyside. “The first time I came to Shadyside was 1974, right when we opened. It was the arts festival,” Brenda recalls.

The building, where Maser Galleries remains 50 years later, was a former dry cleaner when Lefty first rented it. “Lefty hammered every board on that wall. Those barn wood walls, every nail was hammered in by him… There was nothing he couldn’t do.” But back then people thought Lefty was out of his mind to open another gallery along Walnut Street, which ironically, was right across the street from an Arts International gallery, his former employer. Doubting Lefty’s can-do attitude, naysayers thought Maser Galleries would be out of business within six months, incapable of withstanding the competition of a powerful chain like Arts International. However, not long after Maser Galleries arrived on Walnut Street, it was Arts International that closed its doors, not Lefty.

Brenda describes what Maser Galleries was like on Walnut Street in the 1970s, “When we first opened, Walnut Street then was almost all, if not all, independent owners, many different types of shops, and a lot of hippies. We had lots of arts and crafts items, we had shelves and shelves of crafts and little metal sculptures, paintings on marble, paintings on fungi, we just had all different little things. And as the street evolved, we evolved. So as the more upscale shops came in, so did we. Also, the timing was so perfect because the 70s was a time when art was really exploding and graphics were just coming out like Normal Rockwell, Erte, Simbari, LeRoy Neiman. It was just an amazing time when these limited-edition graphics were available for the first time, and we were on the ground floor of that.”

She continues, “Lefty always loved illustrators. We loved Nat Youngblood. He did all the illustrations for the Pittsburgh Press for 30 years. We published a lot of works by him. Lefty published a number of local artists John Shryock and Thomas Mosser, and then he reached out to some nationally known artists, and we had a whole publishing division for many years. We went to the art expo in New York, and we were not only on the end of buying art for the gallery, but on the end of selling artwork to galleries.”

The artworks of many of these mentioned artists are still available at Maser Galleries, along with other Pittsburgh natives who’ve achieved reputable success with their art, like Burton Morris, Fritz Keck, and Linda Barnicott.

In its early days, the Maser Gallery at Seven Springs reflected the clientele there, Brenda recalls, “tons of ski posters, craft items, gift items, and oil paintings.” Nowadays, she says, “We reflect the people of Pittsburgh. We always want to have something for everyone.”

As for the Maser family, Brenda, like her daughters, admits, “Our lives revolve around the gallery.” Despite previously having galleries in Seven Springs, Oxford Center, and even Market Square over the years, Maser Galleries along Walnut Street in Shadyside has stood the test of time. “We were all over at the gallery as much as we were at home,” she says.

Brenda acknowledges, “The greatest honor of my life has been to work there. It’s been such an honor to be surrounded by this beauty and by wonderful people. I always feel that the door is a filter and only special people come through our door. I’m so grateful for having could spend my life here in this place. Everybody who comes in, they have an extra sensitivity and awareness and appreciation for art and for life.”

Stepping through the doors of Maser Galleries is an opportunity to experience art almost like a sports memorabilia collector, stumbling upon a rare, autographed baseball card, except here the signatures are of beloved artists upon artworks, each with a unique style and flare. Unlike an art museum, where the pieces must stay put on their walls, here, visitors are welcome to purchase the pieces that catch their eye and take them home. When it comes to art galleries in Pittsburgh, Maser Galleries is a grand slam.

-GM

To experience Maser Galleries, visit: https://www.masergalleries.com/ or stop in at 5427 Walnut Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 and explore their ongoing 50^th Anniversary Sale.

 

by Michael Buzzelli

When five college kids, led by Ash (Brett Goodnack), convinces his friends to sneak into a supposedly-abandoned cabin in the woods, he has no idea what sort of mayhem he’s about to unleash in “Evil Dead – The Musical,” a musical  based on the campy Sam Raimi horror-comedy franchise, “The Evil Dead.”

Ash takes his girlfriend, Linda (Kamilah Lay), his sister, Cheryl (Sabina May), his best friend, Scott (Brecken Newton Farrell) and a girl Scott picked up in a bar, the ditzy Shelly (Zanny Laird) to the haunted cabin.

The cabin’s previous occupant, Professor Knowby (Damon Oliver, Jr.) was secluded inside researching an ancient Sumerian text, the “Necronomicon Ex-Mortis,” when he recited an incantation in the book and all hell broke loose, literally and figuratively.

Somehow the mystical tome unleashes all sorts of carnage. It possesses people, it animates the trees in the forest to do its evil bidding, and even causes a mounted Moosehead to come alive and start talking trash.

The demons guarantee that the blood will flow. So much so, it gets all over the first couple of rows of the audience. There will be blood – and it will be hilarious.

Side note: Bring a poncho.

If any of this sounds insane, you’re absolutely correct.  The insanity is the fun of “Evil Dead – The Musical.”  The plot doesn’t matter.  Sit back, embrace the craziness and have fun.

Ash is a dim-witted, self-important S-Mart employee with a heart of gold.  Goodnack reprises the role he has played several years in a row for the Pittsburgh Musical Theater, and he is the perfect Ash.  Aside from Goodnack  (and the original actor, Bruce Campbell), it’s hard to imagine anyone else strutting around the stage, reciting the pithy tongue-in-cheek dialogue.

Laird, in a dual role as oversexualized bimbo Shelly and erudite, yet also oversexed, Annie, lights up the stage. The roles are vastly different, but Laird plays them with such verve.

Farrell’s Scott is a douche bag, but the actor manages to find his sensitive side, ironically,  in a song, “What the F*@k Was That?”

May’s Cheryl is a demonic delight. She is the first to turn to the dark side, and uses her evil powers to deliver groan-worthy puns that even the corniest dads would dad-joke about.

The thing about a show like this is that the whole cast has to go balls-to-the-wall and tits out, and they do. Nick Mitchell directs the show for the fifth time and hasn’t lost the enthusiasm for the show. It is as kinetic and frenetic as it was in the first sold-out run back in 2017.

There’s some terrific music by Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt. The tunes will haunt you…in a earwormy way.

Side note: This reviewer danced the Necronomicon all the way back to his car, and hummed it all the way home.

“Evil Dead – The Musical” is for any Halloween aficionado, horror fans, comedy fans, and people who want to be soaked in fake blood. Grab a poncho and head to the West End.

-MB

“Evil Dead – The Musical” runs until October 26 at the Pittsburgh Musical Theater,  The West End Canopy, 327 South Main Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15220. For more information, click here.

Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD and Theron Raymond (6 th grader)

The 2017 Tony-awarding winning musical Bandstand has its Pittsburgh Premiere thanks to Front Porch Theatricals. The music is by Richard Oberacker with book and lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker.

The musical is set in Pittsburgh-rival Cleveland in 1945 and follows a collective of WWII veterans who return home. This year’s 80^th anniversary of D-Day was the inspiration for Front Porch to showcase this musical.

Bandstand opens with visual strength that anchors us in the horrors of war. Nameless soldiers crouch in defense, and the cacophony of war is amplified. The opening scene culminates in the collapse of a woman transformed from wife to widow. Director (and choreographer) Joe Jackson positions her in center stage as the war rages around her. Costume designer Michelle Nowakowski outfits her in a red dress. When she collapses upon notice of her husband’s death, the red fabric puddles on the floor, reminiscent of a pool of blood, visually mirroring her husband’s death. She is both one grieving woman and all of those touched by wartime loss.

Pianist Donny Novitski (David Toole) is one of those men in the foxhole. He returns home without his best friend, Michael, whose wife Julia Trojan (Marnie Quick) is that widow. Toole is magnetic. He is both vulnerable and assertive, and his vocals are as strong as his acting. Quick’s captivating voice manifests the tension of life marching on in the shadow of loss.

While all of the songs are powerful, the play’s most significant song is the opener: “Just Like It Was Before.” This song is sung stateside when the end of the war is announced in anticipation of the soldiers’ homecoming. We are painfully aware that the optimistic refrain of “it’ll be just like it was before” is a fantasy – and this refrain becomes a touchstone through the musical. It’s not the same for Julia or Michael or even Donny who struggles with survivor guilt and finding employment.

Donny forms a 6-man band to compete in a nationwide swing band competition that’s a tribute to the troops. He strategizes that a band composed of veterans could be a competitive advantage given the theme. The bandmembers represents a spectrum of strategies in combatting PTSD from insomnia to rigid control to addiction in an era when mental health was not widely acknowledged, and everyone wanted it to “be just like it was before.”

However, the band provides these veterans with an outlet, shared experience, and hope in their quest to win the competition. Keeping six band members straight can be a challenge, but director Joe Jackson ensures all of them shine and contribute. The sax player, Jimmy Campbell (Patrick Breiner), is a logic-driven lawyer, and drummer Johnny Simpson (Kamran Mian) is lovably loopy. Strait-laced trombonist Wayne Wright (Dylan Pal) still relentlessly assembles and reassembles his gun.

As choreographer, Jackson puts the ensemble at the forefront for the swing dance sequences. Their movements are stunningly crisp. They bring high-volume energy and joy to the show with each step that leaves the audience wanting to jump up and join the Bandstand.

-TKR, Ph.D and TR

Front Porch Theatricals’ production of Bandstand runs through August 25, 2024 at the New Hazlett Theater (6 Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh, PA). Purchase tickets online at https://newhazletttheater.org/events/bandstand/.