'Burgh Vivant

by Michael Buzzelli

George Roth AKA Mr. Super (Dave Joseph), aging TV star,  has trouble coming to grips the loss of his celebrity status in Thomas B. Andrews play, “Up and Away.”

The former Hollywood actor is trying out for bit parts in small theaters and working in a call center.  His wife has died and his daughter, Chelsea (Chelsea Kikel) has moved away with her husband, David (Michael Church). His only real connection to the world is through his therapist, Amy (Joan Schwartz), who is prompting him to get out in the world and try some new things.

George would rather sit at home and relive his glory days, watching videotapes from his show, “Mr. Super.” He wears his old red cape everywhere, to work, to his favorite diner, and, even, to his therapist’s office, LARPing through life.

George’s grasp on reality slips and thinks he can fly.

Note: The first half of the play was performed as a one act in the 2023 Pittsburgh New Works Festival. Andrews won the Best Playwright Award that year and has added the second act. R-ACT’s production of “Up and Away” is the premiere of the full-length play.

The second act features Chelsea’s story.

Joseph is amazing as George in “Up and Away.” He’s also a very-convincing Mr. Super. The first act is a showcase of his talents. George cycles through every possible emotion, mania, rage and despair.

Kikel is very impressive as Chelsea. She runs through an gamut of emotions as well, the full spectrum of Kübler-Ross’s stages of grief.

The show has an interesting conceit. Most of the characters are voice overs. George’s interactions with his therapist, the waitress (Anna McAnallen), his boss (David Holderbaum), and his old rival, Jack (John C. R. Silbert) are unseen. It enhances George’s loneliness. It isolates him.

The stage is nearly barren with just a few props, a phone, a menu, and, of course, the iconic scarlet cape, but the scenes are enhanced by Jack Lefebvre’s art via projection design.

Barbara Burgess-Lefebvre, the show’s director, does an excellent job with the playwright’s prose and poetry, bringing George Roth and his estranged daughter to life.

Andrews wrote a provocative play about death and aging, and the ramifications for the survivors.

R-ACT Theatre Productions is tucked away off of a roundabout in Rochester, PA, but “Up and Away” is worth the drive. Unlike the central character of his first full-length premiere play,  the playwright’s future is bright.

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“Up and Away” runs from February 27 to March 2 at the Segriff Stage, 134 Brighton Avenue, Rochester, PA 15074. For more information, click here. 

By Michael Buzzelli

Spinsters Abby (Joyce Miller) and Martha (Cindy Berg) Brewster believe they’ve found the solution to curing loneliness by dispatching elderly gentlemen to the afterlife with their diabolical concoction, a  glass of home-made elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine, and “just a pinch” of cyanide, in Joseph Kesselring’s black comedy, “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

The Brewster women’s beleaguered nephew, Mortimer (Brian Ferris), returns to their Brooklyn home to pick up his sweetheart, Elaine (Chelsea Contino Eicher), to take her to the theater, when discovers a dead man in the window seat.

Mortimer learns that there are eleven bodies in the basement. Mr. Hoskins, the widower in the window seat, is the twelfth victim or the aunt’s loving charity work, i.e., the macabre murder spree.

He plans on pinning the murders on his loony brother, Teddy (Cassidee Knott Huey), because he already has the papers drawn up to send Teddy to a sanitarium because Teddy thinks he’s Theodore Roosevelt. Teddy’s been burying the bodies in the basement because he thinks he’s digging the Panama Canal and that the men are victims of Yellow Fever.

Meanwhile, Mortimer’s dastardly brother Jonathan (John Hermann) and his assistant, Dr. Einstein (Dennis Taylor) hightail it to Brooklyn to hide out in the Brewster home. They’re on the run for killing twelve men all over the world.

Realizing his sweet old aunt’s have the same body count, Jonathan decides it’s time to take out his brother, Mortimer, to get the higher score.

Director Erin Bock’s take on the timeless tale of murder, mayhem and madcap comedy is delightful. The director mines the show for all the comedy gold.

While the play takes a moment to get going, it speeds along once Ferris pops through the front door.  He is hilarious as the nervous nelly who keeps finding dead men in his childhood home. Ferris fidgets and fumbles with grace and style. “Arsenic and Old Lace” rests on the shoulders of the lead actor, and Ferris handles the responsibility with aplomb.

Miller and Berg are the perfect pair for Abby and Martha. They perform their characters with sweetness and  sincerity, ramping up the laughs.  Miller gets the first funny line of the show when she says, “I’m beginning to think that that Hitler person isn’t very Christian.”

Hermann is properly menacing as Jonathan Brewster, an escapee from the Home for the Criminally Insane in South Bend, Indiana. He delivers his lines in a slow, methodical way, devilishly calm.

Taylor’s Einstein is channeling Peter Lorre, who played the same character in the film adaptation of the play.

There are also some fun cameo roles by Alex Blair as O’Hara and Brian Kadlecik as Witherspoon.

Brian Nath’s set design is a true beauty to behold. He makes great use of the unique stage, which has several layers.

Berg also provided the costumes for the show. Martha and Abby’s funeral blacks are particularly impressive, replete with lacy high collars with brooches.

Side note: Unlike drama critic Mortimer Brewster, this review was not written on the way to the theater.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” is a frolicking romp with some laugh out loud moments. The play was originally performed during World War II to be a pleasant diversion from the ugliness of the outside world, and it remains to be a pleasant diversion from the ugliness of the outside world.

-MB

“Arsenic & Old Lace” runs until March 2 at 20 Wabash Ave, Hickory, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 15340. For more information, click here. 

by Michael Buzzelli

Director and former Point Park University graduate, Daina Michelle Griffith, returns to her alma mater  to gather an amazing cast of leading ladies to sing from Jerry Herman’s songbook in “Jerry’s Girls.”

“Jerry’s Girls” is a musical revue, or, to put in simpler terms, an extravaganza. It’s full of classic songs from Herman’s repertoire, highlighting Broadway favorites such as “Hello, Dolly!” “Mame,” and “La Cage Aux Folles.”

Reviews were everything is terrific are often very boring to read. Prepare to be lulled into a restful sleep as we heap mounds of praise on this amazing musical revue.

The cast is flawless.

The Leading Ladies included Jessica Carmona, Charlotte Jensen, Giavanna Marino, Julianna Ramos, Jamey Meske, Drew Dela Llana, Andrea Nalbandian, Daphne Riddle with ensemble members Camani Campbell, Lexi Casey, Andrea Robles and Bee Walker.

Carmona’s “Before the Parade Passes By” is a heartfelt moment. Her Super-Villain Team-Up with Charlotte Jensen for “Bosom Buddies” is a comedic high point in the show.

Meske belts out “I Am What I Am” from “La Cage Aux Folles” and nearly brought the house down. It was a beautiful moment of LGBTQ+ Pride (bringing joyous tears many audience members, including my seat mate, Lonnie the Theatre Lady).

Dela Llana performed a delightful rendition of “Gooch’s Song” from “Mame,” with a laugh out loud reveal at the end of the tune.

Riddle’s comic “Nelson” is a joy.

The ensemble moves with ease to some excellent choreography coordinated by Kristiann Menotiades. They dance beautifully to beautifully orchestrated Deana Muro and her all-star band which includes Doug Levine, RJ Heid, Paul Thompson, Kathleen Billie, George Hoydich and Dave Wingenbach.

The array of costumes by Claudia Brownlee is astonishing. “Jerry’s Girls.” The stunning clothes are fit for Broadway.

Emmaline Naud’s scenic and projection design is a whimsical addition to the show. The projections add context, flashing the title of the song and the name of the show it premiered in, saving patrons from flipping and fumbling around in their programs for context.

“Jerry’s Girls” is as big as Broadway but without the pocketbook breaking ticket prices.

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“Jerry’s Girls” runs until February 23 at the Point Park Playhouse’s Highmark Theatre, 350 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, click here. 

 

By Michael Buzzelli

“Girl, there’s going to be a reckoning…in the morning!”

The lyrics of the fictional 90s boy band go hard…for laughs in Kelly Trumbull’s  comedy/drama about the break up of a boy band fan group in “Morning Reckoning.”

Eight-grader Kandace (Lola Hodgins) is head of the Morning Reckoning Fan Club, Wayne, New Jersey chapter. Meetings are held in her mom’s basement, a laundry room decked out to look like set of “Saved by the Bell.” The room is littered with Morning Reckoning tchotchkes, t-shirts, pillows and a full-sized cardboard cutout of lead singer, Brandon Brixton.

Kandace does not take her presidency of the fan club lightly. She scrawls an agenda on a blackboard and takes attendance in “The Binder” (a Trapper Keeper with pictures of the boys in it). Latecomers will suffer the consequences of Kandace’s passive-aggressive wrath.

Members of the fan club included Trisha (Spade You), April (Ava Hartman), Emily (Maddie Colucci), Sue (Advika Ravishankar).

Like almost all 90s boy bands, Morning Reckoning is more style than substance. They’re mostly blond highlights and Axe body spray, but that doesn’t stop Kandace from crushing hard on Brandon Brixton. Let’s call it human nature.

Kandace rules the roost with an iron fist. She’s all angst and hormones. Tensions erupt when Trisha invites a new kid on the block to join the original five. A vote passes and in support of Nadia (Emi Prudhoe), with Kandace holding out against the newcomer.

“Morning Reckoning” is about friendships, fandom and obsession. There are revelations and reunions in the second act when the girls meet up again twenty years after their fan group disbanded.

Note: This reviewer saw the first act as part of the Community Supported Art (CSA) 2022-2023 season at the New Hazlett. The second act  takes the story in a thrilling new direction, and the girls reunite as adults to get back in synch.

Hodgins does a great job as Kandace. She makes the role her own (originally –  and brilliantly – played by Alex Manalo).

The cast does a great job inhabiting the preteens, and, with the help of costume designer Claire Stemmer, pass as thirty-year-old women in the second act.

Hartman gives off a strong mom vibe in the second act, helping Kandace bring the girls back together.

Ravishankar is a standout as the buoyant, bubbly Sue. She gets the best lines, and makes a simple “What’s up?” into a mantra.

Prudhoe has a smaller role, but makes the most of it. She resonates kindness and graciousness, foils for the bad-tempered, hard Kandy.

The buzzy boy band songs come straight out of the boyzone, composed by Brad Stephenson and Addi Twigg. The duo are genius-level goofy with lyrics that are delightfully daft, especially when singing about Adderall, love and other drugs. It’s hard not too bop along to the music, while laughing at the lyrics.

The girls lip-synch to the lyrics and memorize the band’s dance routines, brilliantly choreographed by Alex Manalo (the aforementioned original Kandace in  the CSA run).

Playwright Trumbull takes an event with low-key consequences such as the break up of a fan group and blows it up big, taking a moment in their young lives the characters adulthood. It is a brilliant work celebrating the complex intricacies of female friendships.

Ashley Martin does an excellent job directing the madness.

If you’ve ever nerded out over a boy band, or belonged to a fan club, it’s easy to get into the basement shenanigans of “Morning Reckoning.”

-MB

“Morning Reckoning” runs until February 23 at the Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre, in the sub-basement of the Cathedral of Learning, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. For more information, click here. 

 

 

 

 

By Lonnie the Theater Lady

Joshua Messado describes Mr. Messado’s School of Magic as a “play with magic”. As he relates his autobiographical story, he  traces his roots in magic back to his early teen years in Philadelphia, when he watched a David Copperfield magic special on television that sparked his strong interest in magic. Later in life he was both surprised and thrilled when he was invited to a house party at David Copperfield’s home in Las Vegas, thus launching his career in magic. Copperfield was impressed with Messado’s linking ring effect. The very same rings are now his signature effect and are known as “Messado Rings” in the magic community known as “Ringistry.”

It’s unsurprising “Mr. Messado’s School of Magic” is the longest running show in Liberty Magic’s history. Messado’s jokes, puns, ad libs, comedic timing, poignant storytelling, and amazing feats of prestidigitation enchant his young (and young at heart) audiences. His ability to relate to and engage children of all ages is a true gift. Posting some “rules” to be followed during the show give the feeling of a whimsical school lesson.

As he chronicles his autobiographical journey to success, Messado inserts inspirational lessons. One of which is, “Anything is possible–even the impossible, if you believe.” If a boy growing up in the mean streets of Philadelphia can achieve international fame, it can happen to anyone with enough practice and preparation. His lessons are motivational, practical, and not even a tiny bit preachy.

A bonus to this captivating show is much of the piped in low fi, chill hop background music is composed and performed by Messado himself. He’s both a talented magician and creative musician.

My twelve-year-old companion, Theron Raymond particularly liked the interactive parts of the show and loved being one of the many children who were part of the show. He also described the linking rings as “amazing” I must agree! This young at heart reviewer agrees with that and takes it a step further–the whole show was “amazing”. Also impressive are the useful, encouraging life lessons embedded in this wildly entertaining evening of magic! Every child will be thoroughly entertained by this enchanting show!

Note: Patrons can opt for the VIP Key Experience, after any Liberty Magic show.  You’ll be invited backstage for a small group, intimate Q  & A with the magician and be treated to more magic—maybe even learn a trick or two you can use to impress your friends and family! Either experience is fun and truly magical!

LJJ

“Mr. Messado’s School of Magic for the Young and Young at Heart” is at Liberty Magic, 811 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, click here.

 

 

By Michael Buzzelli

With a glass of bourbon in hand, Christopher Jackson stepped up to the mic in the gloriously restored Greer Cabaret and welcomed us to the “Age of Aquarius,” the opening number to his set.

If you’re not familiar with the Tony-nominated actor, Jackson played Washington in “Hamilton.”

Side note: Washington, Hamilton and Jackson sound like the current contents of my wallet (one each).

He regaled the packed cabaret audience with his journey from Cairo, Illinois, along the banks of the Ohio River (the other side of it) to his performances on Broadway. He particularly accentuated the part when he met Lin-Manuel Miranda over twenty years ago.

Jackson’s anecdotes centered on his Broadway career more than it did on his TV and film career. He’s probably most recognized for his iconic take on George Washington.

The actor also played to the audience, connecting with Pirates fans, and, oddly enough, Oakmont Bakery fans (who isn’t?).

While some of his song choices were odd, his rendition of “History Has It’s Eyes on You” was glorious. It even included some audience participation. Patrons sang the “Whoa oh oh” parts. Because the audience was loaded with cabaret regulars (and some local talent), it was beautiful.

Jackson was at his best when the songs required a lower, throatier register.

The cabaret audience got to see a different side of the man. He was personable and displayed a casual ease we didn’t see in the General.

Getting up in front of a live audience and revealing yourself – and singing cannot be an easy task. Jackson seemed genuinely excited to do it.

At one point, he talked about meeting his wife, Veronica. He said, I went to this audition, met her and married her. It would have been nice to hear a bit more about his courtship, learn a few details before skipping to the end.

It was nice to gather a crowd together and listen to Christopher Jackosn and reminisce about a wonderful moment in theatrical history.

The Greer Cabaret has two more shows in the 2024-2025 season. Stephanie J. Block performs on March 10th and Patina Miller will perform on May 5th,

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The Trust Arts Cabaret Series is held at the Greer Cabaret Theater, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information and other upcoming events, click here. 

by Michael Buzzelli

On a Broadway stage in 1957, Wiletta Mayer (Shinnerrie D. Jackson) prepares to trod the boards once more for the temperamental and unpredictable director, Al Manners (Joseph McGranaghan), in “Trouble in Mind.”

In the fifties, life for Black actors wasn’t easy. Wiletta accepts the part of the maid in a play set on a plantation. She meets John Nevins (Vandous Stripling, II), the young man who will be playing her son in the show. They form a fast friendship wherein Wiletta doles out unsolicited advice.

Slowly, the other actors trickle in, Mille Davis (Hope Anthony), Sheldon Forrester (Garbie Dukes) and Judy Sears (Emma Brown Baker). They are joined by Manner’s right-hand-man, Eddie (Anthony Marino) and the theatre’s custodian, Henry (Martin Giles).

Wiletta just wants to act, and when Manners challenges her to think about the character, new feelings of race and identity surface. She begins wrestling with bigger ideas and soon realizes that the self-aggrandizing director intentions were more about his own ego and not to garner heartfelt performances from his actors.

In the show-within-the-show, “Chaos in Belleville,” Wiletta’s characters gives up John’s character to the sheriff to be lynched. The idea doesn’t sit well with her.  She sums up the inner strength to stand up to Manners and try to fix the problem in the third act. Soon, Wiletta realizes that, even though the director seems liberal-leaning, he’s holding on to deep-seated racism.

She finally rages against the theatrical machine, describing her characters are not anything like real people but racial stereotypes – more like plot devices than people. Its a brilliant moment of theatre.

Jackson is flawless as Wiletta, a charming rose with prickly thorns. “Trouble in Mind” isn’t a musical, but Jackson gets a few moments to belt out a song, and those moments are big, bright and joyous.

Giles shines as the wise mentor character. He’s an Irish Dumbledore, showing up in Wiletta’s most desperate moments.

Dukes plays Forrester as the Tommiest of Uncle Tom’s. He’s always trying to placate the Caucasian characters. He’s not quite Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson’s character in “Django Unchained”), but his character is definitely trying to hard to impress the wrong people.

Stripling is wonderful as young John Nevins. He is charismatic and charming. He has a subplot where he seemingly flirts with the young, white girl, Judy much to the consternation of the other Black actors in the show. The older, wiser characters know that Nevins was putting himself in a no-win scenario.

Anthony is delightful as Millie Davis. She is also draped in KJ Gilmer’s best costumes.

Dan Krell joins the cast as Bill O’ Wray  in the second act with a flourish. He commands the stage with a lengthy monologue in a rehearsal scene for “Chaos in Belleville.”

Director Justin Emeka manages to mine every ounce of emotion without turning the play into a melodrama.

Playwright Alice Childress tells a powerful tale that, unfortunately (especially in today’s volatile political climate where Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are treated like curse words) is still relevant today. “Trouble in Mind” is surprisingly witty, considering the subject matter.

Note: All art is political. It should make you feel something. It should make you rage against injustice. It should resonate with your soul.

The play has a history rooted in racism. In 1955, Childress, a Black female playwright, refused to alter the play to appease the producers and it’s transfer to Broadway was canceled. It took 66 years before the play made it’s Broadway debut.

If you’re looking for a small way to protest our current administration in the White House, supporting art like “Trouble in Mind” is a gesture in the right direction.  It’s entertaining, informative and a reminder that under the skin, despite what anyone thinks, we are all human and we should all be treated humanely.

-MB

“Trouble in Mind” runs until February 23, 2025 at the O’Reilly Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, 621 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, click here. 

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

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Liberty Magic continue their 2025 show series with magical power couple Kalin and Jinger in Real Magic. The illusionists waste no time in validating their multi-year accolades as Magicians of the Year.

The show opens with an invitation from Mark Kalin to participate in an “experiment in trust” as he implores the audience to “trust me with your imagination.” Kalin channels the deliberateness of Mr. Rogers as he carefully removes his velvet blazer to start the show. After then rolling up his sleeves, he performs a series of astonishing illusions with white balls. Being sans blazer with exposed forearms heightens the effect as there’s literally no hiding place for physical objects. Kalin is leisurely in his sleight of hand, moving slowly, as if daring us to “catch” him, and yet, we can’t, even in the intimate space of Liberty Magic.

Like many magicians, Kalin and Jinger rely heavily on audience participation. While their show is appropriate for older children, their act demands adult participation. Having strangers negotiate the stage with the magicians provides interactive fun and moments of levity while also validating the show’s authenticity.

The love between Kalin and Jinger is no illusion; it’s palpable and authentic. Kalin always introduces wife Jinger Leigh as beautiful and talented. She is lovely, and her array of costumes and glittering high heels add sparkle beyond her personality to the show. Jinger’s talents include both illusionist and mentalist. Her feats of mentalism put Sherlock Holmes to shame. The audience collectively reacts aghast in wonder as she unveils facts about audience members.

The show opens promising we will “exit in astonishment,” which can’t help but feel like an overstatement. However, it is a promise fulfilled. Our imaginations partner with Kalin and Jinger to suspend disbelief.

Today’s world can feel markedly less astonishing when answers are an easy keyword search away on our phones. However, that makes finding and experiencing the power of astonishment even more enriching and impactful. Kalin and Jinger’s Real Magic is worth seeking out. While you will indeed exit in astonishment, you won’t want to exit but instead find a way to linger in amazement, delaying reentry to reality.

-TKR, Ph. D & TR

Liberty Magic is celebrating six years in Pittsburgh. Keep the magic alive in the steel city with Kalin and Jinger in Real Magic through March 2, 2025 at Liberty Magic, 811 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222.  Purchase tickets online here.

By Lonnie the Theater Lady

“Seussical” is a mashup of several Dr. Seuss characters and books. The somewhat convoluted plot finds Horton (Nate Perrin) in the difficult position of keeping the Whos (teeny, tiny people who live on a speck of dust) out of harm’s way. Simultaneously, he is tasked with reluctantly guarding the egg that Mayzie (Laura Barletta) has abandoned. Tough duty for poor Horton!

The show opens with a splashy rendition of “Oh, All the Thinks You Can Think”. It introduces the audience to the entire company, including the Bird Girls—glitzy, sequin draped, Vegas style backup singers. Their melodious harmonies charm throughout the show. The very active cast often performs in the aisles of the theater, to the delight of the children in the audience. One of the  many surprises includes an underwater scene featuring beautiful, lighted jellyfish, floating ethereally in the aisles.

The inspirational “It’s Possible” beautifully sung by Jojo (Piper Redford) might just be my next earworm!

The Cat in the Hat (Dixie Surewood) is the narrator/emcee. Her costume design (Patty Folmer) is spot on. (Perfect, as were all the vibrant costumes) This role gives her the chance to highlight her versatility as an actor.

Perrins sweetly shines and exposes his vulnerability in “Solla Solew,” a moving number.

Ivy Ferris plays Gertrude with a sweet, appealing  innocence. Her rich, smooth voice is lovely. As is the lesson that she learns–outward appearance is less important than character.

Laura Barletta’s Mayzie is saucy, flamboyant, and sultry. Her vocals and comedy chops are a sheer delight.

Sour Kangaroo (Myriah Cross) is a vocal dynamo. She belts out every number as she claims ownership of that stage! Move over Jennifer Hudson!

Sarah Barbisch (director) skillfully wrangles and energizes the huge cast.

The clever, versatile, Suess-like, multi-level set (Rob James) rolls, folds, and glides seamlessly off and on the stage to create several different settings.

Garth Shafer’s colorful lighting design adds movement and excitement in several scenes.

This very entertaining show shares themes that can be understood by and that resonate with children. Friendship, loyalty, fighting for your beliefs, and expressing one’s individuality are all addressed. My favorite inspirational Horton quote is, “Don’t give up! I believe in you all. A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Another Horton quote, somewhat topical–“And, you very small persons will not have to die if you make yourselves heard! So come on, now and TRY.”

Seussical is an engaging aesthetic treat, chock full of pleasing vocals, catchy songs, explosive colors, and joy. A few words of wisdom are scattered throughout– an unexpected gift and a perfect pick me up for the winter doldrums.

Quoting Seuss, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” So, steer yourself to Stage 62, and enjoy Seussical, and the Who!

-Lonnie

“Seussical the Musical” plays until February 16 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Avenue, Carnegie, PA 15106. For more information, click here.