'Burgh Vivant

By Michael Buzzelli

Clark (Patrick Jordan), Ellen (Tami Dixon), and their kids, Rusty (Jason McCune) and Audrey (Jamie Slavinsky), are planning the perfect holiday in “Midnight Radio Lampoons Christmas Vaca-Yinz,” a Midnight Radio parody of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

The family – and we won’t spoil their crude last name, but it’s not exactly spelled Griswold in this adaptation –  is joined by a slew of relatives (all played by Dave Masueto and the aforementioned actors above – only Jordan has a solo role, which he does with aplomb).

All the film’s best sequences are here: the oversized Christmas tree, the super slick sled ride, the….deposits from Cousin Eddie’s RV, the world’s driest turkey, the moose cups, the fricasseed pussy cat, the squirrel, and more.

There’s even a parody version of “Holiday Road,” which is delightful. Music Director Camille Rolla beautifully and hilariously renders this version.

How do you lampoon the National Lampoon? Easy call Tami Dixon to get the job done. The actor also adapted the film into a Midnight Radio show with a decidedly Yinzer flair.

Note: Midnight Radio is not shown at midnight, nor is it on the radio, but it has become a holiday tradition (Midnight Radio has skewered other Christmas cinematic favorites such as “Die Hard,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “A Christmas Story”).

The evening is clearly suited for people familiar with the film, but it’s easy to follow along. Audiences who have never seen the movie might miss one or two of the jokes (because the previous visual components are missing), but there are plenty of laughs that don’t require homework.

Jordan’s rant as Clark in the final act is off the chain. He embellishes the rant with a list of hilarious epithets; a string of nonsense words that – when joined together – surpass anything that Chevy Chase could have ever concocted, let alone said aloud. It contains all the usual hits, such as “cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit, ” and builds from there.

Dixon is marvelous, especially as Aunt Bethany, playing sweet, vulnerable, and clearly cuckoo!

Slavinsky goes full Yinzer in several parts of the performance, and it’s magnificent n’nat.

McCune and Masueto garner plenty of laughs as well.

All of the actors double as foley artists, creating raucous, rollicking special effects with the help of sound engineer Brendan Kepple.

Lighting designer Forrest Trimble keeps everything festive. He, literally and figuratively, shines when Clark plugs in the extension cord.

Director Jeffrey Carpenter leans into his cast’s natural talents. Letting Jordan be Jordan and giving the cast the freedom to go as wild as they want. The result is uproarious.

There’s a lot of crude and scatological humor, but if you’ve seen the original movie, you’re most likely aware that it’s coming. See: Cousin Eddie’s most famous line is a prime example.

Instead of watching the same old movies on TV, come out and see one of those Christmas perennials live and in person, or see the film and the Midnight Radio show.

Signing off in 3…2….1.

-MB

“Midnight Radio’s Christmas Vaca-Yinz” runs until December 21 on the Bingo O’Malley Stage at barebones productions, 1211 Braddock Avenue, Braddock, PA 15104. For tickets and additional information, click here.

 

 

By Claire DeMarco

“Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge” takes the classic Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and turns it upside down.

It starts with the traditional characters of the Ghost (Chelsea Davis) attempting to convince Ebenezer Scrooge (Tony Bingham) that goodness is a virtue and one he should embrace. He’s not convinced.

We’re introduced to some of those characters we’re familiar with from Dickens’ classic.  Bob Cratchit (Michael McBurney) is kind, poor, and family-oriented. Tiny Tim’s (Sami Sollon) upbeat personality prevails, and Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig (Gordon Robertson and Candice Fisher) are as charming as ever.

And then we meet Mrs. Bob Cratchit (Tonilyn Jackson), who is no longer the long-suffering, kind character we remember. She is miserable, mean, and constantly complains.  Now burdened with twenty children, she tends to indulge in a drink or two (or more) and continually threatens to throw herself off London Bridge.

Ghost attempts to redeem Scrooge, constantly zapping him with her ever-present wand as she takes him back to the past and into the future. Her strategy to see goodness often goes awry as her wand-driving inadvertently carries both timelines out of step with the story.

This hilarious parody takes on the components of the original classic, elevating it to a new height of absurdity.

Note: And that is the beauty and complete comedy of this production. If you think you hear references to a multitude of other Christmas-themed works, you are right!  Flashes from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Oliver Twist,” and many more are inserted subtly into the script.

If you’re wondering how this parody ends, I’m not telling.  My lips are sealed!

Davis delivers as the Ghost, balancing humor, determination, and constant pressure as she attempts to convince Scrooge to see the light.  She effectively manages a multitude of emotions.  She is witty, sassy, engaging, and sometimes perplexed.

Bingham is excellent as the grouchy Scrooge.  His facial expressions, gymnastics, and bent-over posture enhance his characterization of the “mean old man”.  His reaction and antics to children singing “Silent Night” are classic.

As Mrs. Cratchit’s husband, McBurney, constantly sees the positive side of his situation, which is bleak, but he’s too nice to see it. He is always happy and never stands up for himself.

Many of Jackson’s lines are sarcastic and mostly mean.  She delivers them with relish, often with a larger-than-life grin on her face. Her performance as a “meanie” is convincing.

There’s never been a Little Nell quite like Gallagher.  With long blonde braids and a large dress, and a straight face, he is side-splittingly funny.

Nackman plays Angel Clarence, a character not in Dickens’ original classic. Never smiling and with an enormous set of wings attached to his back, he is not angelic, but his comedy comes from his deadpan expressions, movements, and remarks.

Although appearing briefly, Robertson and Fisher sing a funny duet as one of the few genuinely happy people in the play.  Balancing their flamboyant wigs (almost a foot high) while cavorting around the stage is itself an accomplishment.

Sollon’s kind, gentle nature comes through as Tiny Tim.

“Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge” was written by Christopher Durang. with terrific costume design by Alex Righetti, and excellent direction by Nathan Walter.

-CED

“Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge” runs from December 4^th to December 21^st at Little Lake Theatre, 500 Lakeside Drive, Canonsburg, PA. For tickets and additional information, click here. 

 

By Michael Buzzelli

Richard Marsh is quite a bard; he’s written and performed a rhyming “Die Hard.”  You don’t need a formal invitation to his one-person show; know that, to the Greer, is the place you must go.  Most holiday tales are jolly and gay, but not the tale he’s calling, “Yippee Ki Yay.” 

This version of Gruber’s diabolical crime is told completely in meticulous rhyme.

Marsh is on stage alone; no one else has to get ready. It’s just Marsh, and a bear – a bear he calls Teddy.  The bear is a stand-in for a terrorist thug, but, honestly, you’ll just want to give it a hug.

It’s all quite insane, he plays all of the parts, including McClane.

“Die Hard” is an action flick and it gets pretty gory. Marsh also slides in a personal story. He spins a tale about his girlfriend-turned-wife. It starts out sweet, but it’s a tale full of strife. The two stories come together, they weave, in a way that you would have to see to believe.

It’s a sweet story of two toothsome lovebirds, they consider each other brilliant film nerds. The two meet and bond over the flick. There chemistry is good, they really click. In a year,  the couple’s love grows, soon he summons the strength to propose.

Between his story and “Die Hard” does our actor switch. Its quite a feat for the performer named Rich.

Fans all know what happens on the big screen, McClane’s a hero and  Hans Gruber is mean.  Meanwhile, if you want some new drama, wait till Rich’s wife becomes a mama.

The show’s got quite a kick, man. I loved his impression of Alan Rickman.

The show is amusing, but somewhat confusing. There’s ninety minutes of rhyme, but it goes by quick, a very fun time.

Another Christmas, another year, another rhyming show fills the Greer.

Robbie Butler’s lighting design, is terrific, definitely better than fine.

Voice and accent coach Alice White, keeps Rich’s American accent extremely tight. Marsh does his level best, though he has to explain the word ‘vest.’ Frankly, I hate the word American’s use for said sleeveless shirt. Hearing ‘wifebeater’ makes my heart hurt.

The team also has Hudson and Adams, both men named Ben. Hudson’s the composer and I’d score him ten out of ten. Ben Adams is the manager of the stage, he deserves a mention on this very page.

Who’s the director of this show you might ask? It’s Hal Chambers and he keeps Marsh on his task.

Another Christmas, another year, another rhyming show fills the Greer.

Marsh is terrific, you might even say groovy, but he confirms once and for all  that “Die Hard” is…a Christmas movie!

-MB

“Yippie Ki Yay (a parody of Die Hard) runs until December 21 at the Greer Cabaret Theater, 622 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets and more information, click here. 

 

By Michael Buzzelli

Playwright Caryl Churchill explores multiple facets of modern life, spinning Fortuna’s Wheel, and wrapping her play into the randomness of life in “Love and Information.”

Churchill devised the play so that scenes (or rather, individual short plays with a common theme of love, information, or both) can be mixed and told in different orders, with one character, Gray (McKenna Reiser), providing a sad throughline to hold it all together.

Imagine a play as a jigsaw puzzle: some pieces are beautiful on their own, like a corner of sky, such as “God’s Voice + Dance,” and others are but tiny fragments that don’t make much sense. Other pieces don’t seem to belong, like “Torture,” where a man is beaten for information he never provides (yes, technically on theme, because a recurring idea is the nature of pain, but seemingly brutal for little reason).

There’s a lyrical beauty to “Love and Information,” but there are times when an actor comes on stage, utters half a line of dialogue, and exits the stage. Other times, actors flit about on stage or perform a chaotic ballet that looks like a Stanislavski acting exercise.

You might be reminded of Yesmina Reza’s “Art.”  Watching the show, you might ponder such questions as “Is this art?” “Is this art for art’s sake?” “Is it pretentious bullshit?”

The play is, however, a beautiful showcase of a terrific ensemble, a grand experiment wherein actors must memorize material out of sequence (thanks to the aforementioned randomized order).

This ensemble of actors is exceptional. Each performer gets to play a variety of emotions; each had a moment to shine.

In “Facts” the final piece of the puzzle, Nai’Ron Arnett’s Lime was outstanding. 

There is a luminous quality to Alika Samora (who played Green). Her movements were sharp and crisp. Every line delivery was expressive, heartfelt. It was hard to take your eyes off of her when she was on stage.

Don’t count your chickens in front of Mustard (Benjamin Kucharski) and Yellow (Lexi Casey). The two are hilarious in “Lab.”

Jamie Spurrell and Lucas Lee deliver the most shocking scene in a vignette called, “Mother.” Spurrell delivers devastating dialogue with aplomb. Lee’s reaction to the news is also heartfelt and real.

Reiser carries the emotional weight of the show as Gray. She does it with superbly.

The set, by Jonmichael Bohach, is elegant and spartan, a series of polished slabs of squares and boxes, superbly lit by Katie Gordy to give them a futuristic gleam.

Director Carlos E. Martinez is a croupier with a poetic Roulette wheel. His direction is kinetic, visceral. He pushes his ensemble past their comfort zones (with the help of fight and intimacy director Tonya Lynn), and that’s a good thing. His actors are up for every challenge and that’s what makes “Love and Information” a joy to watch.

Because the kaleidoscopic cast members are playing a variety of characters, sexuality is fluid here, and representation matters.

“Love and Information” might not be your cup of tea, but if you want to see some excellent experimental theater in Pittsburgh, this is the ticket.

-MB

“Love and Information” runs through December 7 at the Highmark Theatre, inside the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 350 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For additional information and tickets, please click here.

By Lonnie the Theater Lady

In the Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall Jr, and William A. Miles Jr adaptation of “Orwell’s 1984,” every moment is an alarming wake-up call. Big Brother rails against “fake news” and constantly spouts propaganda over omnipresent two-way telescreens. He broadcasts a daily message of “Today’s Hate.” He touts a multitude of wartime “victories” he claims as his own. Those so-called “victories” are reminiscent of former empty promises heard in the U.S. Let’s not forget, “You will win so much you’ll get tired of winning.” The parallels to the present make this play frighteningly relevant.

In Orwell’s world, “If facts say otherwise, then the facts must be altered.” After all, “Who controls the past, controls the future and who controls the present, controls the past.” This leads to the dumbing down of the comrades living in Oceania. Citizens are living in constant fear in their world of no privacy, memory control, and fear-mongering. They’re bombarded with alternative facts. “Freedom is slavery,” and “Ignorance is strength” are two of the most relevant slogans today.

Winston (Ryan Rattley) works at the ironically named Ministry of Truth, where truth is destroyed and replaced with lies. He has in his possession a photograph that provides evidence of a past event that the party has erased. He falls in love with his co-worker, Julia (Veta Piscitella), and has a forbidden romantic relationship with her. The couple meets with O’Brien (Trent Wolfred), a trusted, high-ranking comrade in the privileged inner party. Winston makes the mistake of asking about the past and then acts on rumors of a conspiracy against Big Brother and the government. This lands him and his beloved Julia in a governmental facility where they’re tortured and ultimately brainwashed.

Rattley is a natural on stage. His curiosity, confusion, fear, courage, and pain are conveyed with convincing sincerity and a measure of innocence. Rattley gazes lovingly at Piscitella with a glowing warmth in his eyes.

Piscitella is a likable, sweet, feminine Julia. Her delight in shedding the drab uniform coveralls brings a lighthearted moment of normalcy to the colorless sameness of the world, where individuality is squashed. She has excellent chemistry with Rattley.

Wolfred is well cast as the party loyalist, O’Brien. He looks the part. His nuanced performance reveals a multidimensional O’Brien who is convincingly not who he seems to be — at least temporarily.

In the director’s notes, M.A.C. states, “I hope you don’t enjoy this, but rather wake up.” Mission accomplished. One can’t help but appreciate the talented cast, technical expertise, and the clever, versatile rolling set (Viscaya Wilson, designer). This show is meant to enlighten, shock, and provoke thought, not to provide enjoyment.

Cody Duke’s original musical compositions enhance the action on stage. In the scene where Winston is losing his grip on reality, the dissonant music is wildly effective at creating an eerily alarming mood.

Congratulations to Point Park graduate, Marc Palumbo, the founder of Playbox Productions and the Executive Producer of “1984”. This exceptionally well-done maiden voyage Playbox production is an auspicious start for this new company’s future successes.

-LtTL

Playbox Productions, at Three Stories, 937 Liberty Avenue, Runs December 4- 7. Burgh Vivant followers receive a $10 discount with code VIVANT. For tickets and additional information, click here. 

 

By Michael Buzzelli

Jean Valjean (Nick Cartell) and the people of France once more fight for life, love, and liberty in the hit musical adapted from Victor Hugo’s classic novel “Les Misérables.“

The French convict, Jean Valjean, AKA Prisoner 24601, is pursued by an inflexible, immutable, and ignominious Javert (played by David Thomas Walker, subbing for Nick Rehberger) throughout the decades of his life. Valjean escapes to start his life anew, thanks to the unexpected assistance of the Bishop of Digne (Randy Jeter).

In his new life, he meets Fantine (Lindsay Heather Pearce), who tells him about her daughter, Cosette (played as a child by Lillian Castner or Kayla Scola-Giampapa, depending on which night you see the play).  When Cosette dies, Valjean agrees to take her in as his own.

Years later, a rebel fighting for France’s independence, Marius (Peter Neureuther), falls for Valjean’s adopted daughter, now fully grown, Cosette (Alexa Lopez), as tensions mount days before the revolutionaries build a barricade to fight the monarchy (the Paris Uprising that took place during the 5th and 6th of June, 1832).

Marius is so busy making plans with the Friends of the ABC (from the French word abaissés), run by the charismatic Enjolras (Christian Mark Gibbs), that he doesn’t even realize the young Éponine (Kaitlyn Sumner, subbing in for Jaedynn Latter) is pining for him.

There’s a lot of plot in “Les Misérables,” and a great deal of essential characters drift in and out as it speeds through the years of Valjean’s life, especially the Masters of the House, Thenardier, and his wife (Matt Crowle and Victoria Huston-Elem respectively), who thwart Valjean at every turn.

Les Misérables, colloquially known as “Les Miz,” debuted way back in 1980, but we aren’t going to spoil it for the uninitiated.

Cartell makes a terrific Jean Valjean. His “Bring Him Home” was beautifully nuanced with perfect pitch. It’s a showstopping number!

Walker does a fabulous job as Javert. He is a big, bold, barrel-chested baritone with a magnetic charm.

Pearce is a proud and fierce Fantine.

Lopez is lovely as Cosette with another amazing voice.

Sumner does a terrific job as another understudy.

Additional Personal Note: As a sucker for unrequited love, Eponine is a favorite character. Her version of “On My Own” is glorious.

Crowle and Huston-Elem deliver almost all of the laughs in the tragic tale. They are a fine comedic duo of rapscallions, delighting the audience with their rendition of “Master of the House.”

The only other laugh comes from Young Gervais (the adorable Rocco Van Auken), who gets to flip the bird to Javert.

Personal note: I kept thinking, “If this dude is the understudy, I wonder what Rehberger was like that he was cast instead of Walker?!?”

Andrenae Neofitou’s bright, colorful costumes in the wedding scene starkly contrast with the drab, dark browns, maroons, and navies of the peasants. Neofitou is the original costume designer,

The set is dark and foreboding. The shadowy sepia tones are the perfect backdrop for the grimy 1830s France, wonderfully captured by Matt Kinley, enhanced by wondrous projection design (Javert’s plunge is a particular marvel).

Laurence Connor and James Powell keep everything moving at a brisk pace (excising some superfluous material from previous productions).

“Les Misérables” is, sadly, incredibly relevant centuries later. While freedom from tyranny is a recurring theme in novels and real life, their is a beautiful balance of dark and light inside the story. Despite a lifetime of tragedy, love wins in the end. In the novel (as well as on stage), Hugo wrote, “To love another is to touch the face of God.”

-MB

“Les Misérables” runs through Thanksgiving Weekend at the Benedum Theater, 237 Seventh Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets and additional information, click here.

 

 

By Lonnie the Theater Lady

“Refracted Light” centers on Penny’s (Maya Anabella) discomfort as she anticipates living away from home for her freshman year in college. She’s conflicted and uncertain if she’s ready for such a major life change. Her overprotective mother, Lucy (Rebecca Godlove), worries that her daughter’s mood disorder will make it difficult for Penny to function without her daily guidance. Penny’s father, Ted (Patrick Daniels), is confident that Penny will function well on her own.

When Penny runs away from home, her parents and her “cool” Aunt Becky (Kaitlin Marie Cliber) are unsure of how to best proceed. Their conflicting ideas make it clear that they must all learn ways to clearly state their opinions in order to successfully communicate with each other.

Therapist, Dr. Daker (Joe Eberle) provides helpful strategies that eventually allow both Penny and Lucy to achieve some clarity in approaching their interpersonal interactions.

Anabella depicts Penny’s angst authentically and sympathetically. Her struggles are a reminder of the difficulties everyone faces in their fragile teenage years.

Every mother can relate to Godlove’s anxiety filled Lucy. Her alcohol fueled unease exudes from every pore of her being. The audience fully feels her pain.

Photo:  Patrick Daniels, Kaitlin Cliber

Cliber is perfectly cast as the out of work actress. She creates a vibrant, glamorous, eccentric, yet damaged Aunt Becky. She telegraphs Becky’s raw suffering brought on by the generational dysfunction of her family.

Daniels embodies the likeable, long-suffering Ted. His skillful comedic timing, as he goes to war with a backyard squirrel, brings welcome comic relief.

Eberle’s Dr. Daker is the voice of sanity and reason amidst the chaos. His comforting demeanor and soothing voice exemplify the textbook approach expected of therapists.

Compliments to Ponny Conomos Jahn, director. Her astute casting choices assemble a cast of believable characters who share great chemistry in their every interaction.

Dana Hall (playwright) addresses themes of mental health, grief, alcohol addiction and drug dependency with sensitivity and respect for the characters. Her experience as a mental health therapist must certainly have influenced the genuine nature of the characters. By injecting bits of humor throughout, she makes it more palatable to digest the sensitive topics being discussed.

The actors’ strong performances as they navigate difficult challenges are both painful and inspirational. The Becoming Arts Collective, as part of their mission, states, “Through powerful storytelling, we invite audiences to experience theatre that sparks empathy, resilience, courage and most of all HOPE.” This poignant, achingly beautiful production successfully fulfills that lofty mission.

LTL

Runs November 20-23 at Carnegie Stage.  Produced by  Becoming Arts Collective.

By Michael Buzzelli

The titular character, Iphigenia (Mariya Dempsey), a new bride, is slain (or sent into exile on a deserted island…it’s a little bit confusing). In retaliation, Clytemnestra (Akisse Morton) slays her husband, setting off a cycle of blood and revenge among Iphigenia’s siblings in Ellen McLaughlin’s modern retelling of “The Fall of the House of Atreus” with her play, “Iphigenia and Other Daughters.”

Chrysothemis (Kiki Farrell) wants to be left alone in her garden. She wants no part of any revenge schemes that her feral sister, Electra (Abbie Siecinski), is cooking up. The problem is that the wild Electra can’t find the strength to plunge the dagger into her mother’s breast.  Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your point of view), when the prodigal son, Orestes (John Papadimitriou), returns from the war, Electra convinces him to commit matricide.

There’s death, human sacrifice, murder, and talk about suicide. The play is not for the squeamish. Most of the death scenes take place off stage, and the blood is represented with stains, dyes, and even silken threads (like a flower, see photograph below).

Thanksgiving dinner is going to be awkward at the House of Atreus this year.

It’s a soulful reimagining of the family’s plight, where death leads to more death. Of course, there are a lot of monologues. Every character gets a few paragraphs of lyric language about blood and violence.

Naturally, there’s a Chorus of young women watching as the events unfold (played by a group of female students).

The modern retelling has some curious anachronisms, such as Ritz crackers and the evening news. Modern touchstones that seemed out of place for this grand Greek tragedy.

Morton is a diabolical Clytemnestra. She excels in the role, posing regally as she traipses through the halls of the family estate.

Siecinski is an electrifying Electra. She struts around the stage like a caged animal (at some point, she is actually constrained by a thick rope, chained like a dog in the front yard).

The play is interesting, but it really doesn’t get going until Papadimitriou’s Orestes shows up. Before his arrival, there are many speeches and no action, but when Orestes shows up, things get done. The play finally has some forward momentum. Papadimitriou is the perfect actor to drive the plot. He is charismatic and bold on the Pitt Stage. It’s an excellent performance.

Payne Bannister gets the actors to envelop every part of Gianni Downs beautifully designed set. Downs set is Greek architectural marvel with columns and stairs, giving the actors multiple planes to perform on. It’s expertly lit by Annmarie Duggan with soft blue lights.

While it starts slow, “Iphigenia and Other Daughters” provides a powerful punch in the last twenty minutes of the 75-minute show.

-MB

“Iphigenia and Other Daughters” runs until November 21 at the Charity Randall Theater, inside the Stephen Foster Memorial Theater, 4129 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, click here.

By Joseph Szalinski

Unlike Millvale, West View, PA, is typically considered a pretty dry part of the Greater Pittsburgh Area. It’s been a little over a century since the town was swampy, and about half that amount of time since people could paddle around a glorified puddle. Residents and visitors are being offered the chance to embark on an aquatic odyssey—and no, it’s not my plan to flood the plaza, revive Lake Placid (with alligators), and bring the Gateway Clipper to the North Hills—but rather Steel City Shakespeare’s latest production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, directed and designed by Cat Aceto, now running at the Hubworks in West View, PA.

Shakespeare’s calamitous comedy kicks off with a dash of sibling rivalry. Sorcerer Prospero has been usurped by his brother Antonio. Who hasn’t been there? After giving his brother the Edmund Fitzgerald treatment, the story splinters into various humorous narratives. They eventually reconnect over the course of the play, culminating in hilarity, forgiveness, and applause.

Brimming with memorable characters, the cast does a commendable job bringing them to life, many times with just their voices. Jeffrey Chips mystifies as the sorcerer Prospero, one of the few performers to appear in the flesh. Bob Colbert goes all in as the creature Caliban, balanced by a comedic turn as the jester Trinculo, among other roles. Alexandra Hellinger and Lauren Scheller-Wolf both do double duty as Ariel and Boatswain, and Miranda and Alonso, respectively, and do so expertly. Music director Michael Kirk provides an acoustic soundtrack when not entertaining as Ferdinand, Stephano, or Sebastian. Anna Bop, Siena Forschein, and Sydney Forschein round out the cast as Spirits of the Island and Puppeteers.

This production boasts outstanding technical elements in addition to a terrific cast. For starters, the program is as incredible as it is invaluable. Inside, there is a ton of stuff, but most importantly, breakdowns of the plot, who each character is, and how each character figures into the story. Beyond this, music, lighting, and sound effects make the onstage action much more immersive, transporting audiences into a world where magic reigns.

Shadow puppetry is the cornerstone of this show. It’s really cool to see an ancient art still so relevant in our modern age. Cat Aceto and the cast do a marvelous job manipulating the puppets, providing animation to a play typically relegated to flesh-and-blood performers. This allows the cast and crew to indulge in the script’s more fantastical elements without the limitations of special effects and the like.

Steel City Shakespeare Center is a talented gaggle of creatives determined to put on incredible live theatre. Finding exciting ways to breathe life into the works of Shakespeare, they can always be counted on to deliver memorable productions. Whether they’re staging a play or providing a workshop, they manage to inspire future generations of thespians, which is the best way to honor the Bard’s legacy.

-JS

The Tempest continues its run on November 21^st, 22^nd, and 23^rd at Hubworks in West View, PA.

 

by Michael Buzzelli

“I always fall for the truly cold, cold people, cold men, because I decide their reserve and awkwardness is really bottled-up warmth that they’re waiting for me to release, an act for which they’ll repay me with extravagant love.”

-Thomas Mallon, “Fellow Travelers”

Timothy Laughlin (Logan Wagner) meets the cold, but confident Hawkins Fuller (Erik Nordstrom) in 1950s Washington, D.C. at the height of the Red Scare, when Senator Joe McCarthy (Daniel Teadt) and his ilk are rooting out Communists, intellectuals, and homosexuals in Gregory Spears and Greg Pearce’s adaptation of Thomas Mallon’s “Fellow Travelers.”

It’s a cautionary tale of forbidden love (like most all operas) brought into the 20th Century. Hawk and Tim’s love story is tragic (like most operas), and it’s filled with tumultuous ups and downs. Hawk helps Tim get a job working alongside Tommy McIntyre (Yazid Gray) for Senator Charles E. Potter (Joel Balzun). Tim repays Hawk by buying a book and gifting it to him. This leads Hawk to show up unexpectedly at his apartment and initiate a romantic relationship. It’s Timothy’s first, but Hawk has more experience.

Much more experience.

Both men are hiding their true natures from a society that hates and fears homosexuals. They risk being fired from their jobs and, possibly, blacklisted. At one point, Hawk has to take a lie-detector test to prove he’s not gay. His suave self-assurance helps him pass the test.

Both men have a confidant in Mary Johnson (Shannon Crowley), a secretary who also has her own problems.

Wagner is excellent as the timid Timmy, a shy and earnest Catholic boy who wants to defend America against Communism. When he falls for Hawk, he has to reconcile his passions with his faith. Wagner’s voice is amazing. It’s a star turn for the talented tenor.

Nordstrom is delightful as the cold, cocky Hawk, a player who doesn’t give away his hand. Yet, deep down, Hawk loves Timmy, even if he can’t admit it. Nordstrom can ride the line between detached and distraught. His voice resonates mellifluously.

Crowley is spectacular in her role as Mary. She looks longingly at both characters, Hawk and Tim, secretly loving each of them in the only ways that they will let her. She hits some incredibly high notes.

The set by Jacquelyn Scott is efficient, compact, and functional, aided by some clever projection design. There were sixteen scenes in the opera, but the audience was given just enough to imagine each new setting. Scene changes seemed laboriously slow, considering there weren’t that many extraneous props (beds, desks, chairs, etc.), but Conductor Antony Walker and the orchestra filled the time with transitional music.

Director Brian Staufenbiel staged a dynamic interpretation of the piece. There is a separate national touring version of the show that will traverse multiple cities, but Pittsburgh will not be one of them.

The production proves that opera doesn’t need to be some stuffy, seventeenth-century. The form, like all forms of art, can change with the times and tell iconic contemporary stories.

-MB

There are three exciting shows left in the season: “Curlew River” (January 24 to February 1, 2026), “Time to Act” (February 28 through March 8, 2026), and “Falstaff” (April 28 through March 3, 2026). For tickets and more information about Pittsburgh Opera, please click here.