PGTheaterNOW

In the Wings: Pittsburgh-Broadway ties

2009-11-21T06:18:00Z

By Sharon Eberson / Nov. 20, 2009

NEW YORK -- It's extraordinary the ties you find to Pittsburgh during a theater trip to Broadway.

After seeing the exuberant show "Memphis" tonight with the PG ShowPlane group led by senior theater critic Chris Rawson, many of us gathered at Sardi's to discuss the plays they'd seen so far (I had been to "A Steady Rain" on my own and hadn't seen "Bye Bye Birdie" with them).

Late into the night, when just a few of us were left talking theater and such, an attractive young couple came rushing over, having spotted Chris' wife, Mary, and said, "What are you doing here?"

It turns out we got to be part of a big night for Drew Gehling, a Carnegie Mellon graduate who had just made his big-time Broadway debut -- as Bob Gaudio in "Jersey Boys." He was an original cast member from the Chicago production, but this was his opening night in New York. HIs wife, CMU's Sara Ford, was with him (that's a quick shot I snapped of Drew and Sara at right). We'll see her tomorrow night as part of the ensemble in "Finian's Rainbow," with Pittsburgher Tim Hartman.

Wait, there's more, and I can't come close to hitting all of the CMU and other Pittsburgh connections on Broadway and off and off-off . . .

Matthew Hydzik, a Quaker Valley High and Penn State graduate, has been the standby for Tony for the hit revival of "West Side Story." Like Drew, he's getting ready to step into the lead role. Matthew was previously seen on Broadway as Kenicke in "Grease."

And just the ot her day while in the audience at another show, a gentleman sat down next to me and started gabbing from the get-go. Turns out, he had been a long-ago CMU grad, Joseph Adler, who is now producing artistic director of GableStage, a theater in Coral Gables, Fla., that produces six shows a year.

PUBlog: The Little Foxes – Agamemnon Meets Hello Dolly

2009-11-17T19:14:00Z

Every demographic speaks in its own cultural shorthand. For instance, if a woman says, “I went on a date last night. He was very Mr. Spock,” a huge number of people will imagine the guy’s personality, (and maybe his ears), because they are familiar with the Star Wars phenomenon. More selective would be the understanding of the saucy riposte, “That’s what she said,” but it will be instantly recognizable to fans of Read More......(read more)

Closing this week: Transfer Lounge at Space Gallery

2009-11-17T15:33:00Z

T. Foley demonstrating Locally Toned Seeing a project come together is a rewarding experience and Carolina Loyola-Garcia, the curator of the "Transfer Lounge" exhibit at SPACE Gallery, could not be more pleased. The exhibit brings together artists from all over the world to present their ideas of transition and mobility. According to Carolina, a transfer lounge is a temporary space, a connecting point between two different places characterized Read More......(read more)

Zucco and Zambelli

2009-11-16T21:53:00Z

Phase 3 Productions will end the run of its current show, Roberto Zucco by Bernard-Marie Koltes this weekend with a bang! The group, who lost their home at the Brew House, relocated to a prime fireworks-viewing venue in the Cultural District Center downtown for the run of this show. To take advantage of the amazing view from their 6th floor digs on 7th Street, an intermission will be added to Friday night's show to allow audience members to watch Read More......(read more)

The Future of Bluegrass: Sierra Hull

2009-11-12T19:30:00Z

American Revival: Celebrating the New Stars of American Roots Music is another week closer. And despite her hectic schedule, Sierra Hull found some time to talk to me about her first time playing, the stress of pursuing music professionally and attending college, and what comes next for this immensely talented musician. Sierra and I spoke on the phone while she toured in Virginia. Despite professing to be sleepy, her spritely voice and eagerness to Read More......(read more)

Director Daniel Daniel on How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

2009-11-04T04:58:00Z

By Carolyn Kras Show business involves a lot of “trying,” Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama guest director Daniel Daniel says. “The work always continues in theatre. You’re always attempting to achieve some perfection that you’re trying to arrive at,” Daniel said. His production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, runs in the Philip Chosky Theatre November Read More......(read more)

Original Students Shows: A Summer Highlight Reel

2009-11-02T21:08:00Z

By Carolyn Kras Amy Claussen’s Quarterlife Cycle Quarterlife Cycle is solo performer Amy Claussen’s autobiographical piece about her childhood in Indonesia, growing up as a six-foot-tall, redheaded expatriate. The show examines classism and racism, and it ran at the Theatres at 45 Bleeker Street this August as part of The New York International Fringe Festival. “Quarterlife Cycle has been an extraordinary culminating experience Read More......(read more)

Bright Stars: The Musicians of American Revival

2009-11-01T17:20:00Z

Spend just a little time with the Wikipedia pages for country, bluegrass and other styles of American roots music, and you'll notice something that comes as no surprise to the student of American history: there are not too many women mentioned among the first generations of these genres. For instance, take a closer look at bluegrass: it is generally acknowledged that the first bluegrass group came together in the 40s was Bill Monroe and his four Read More......(read more)

Comic Love: Greg Behrendt & Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt at the Byham

2009-10-29T19:20:00Z

It has become the stuff of pop culture legend. While working as a consultant on the uber-popular Sex and the City , stand-up comic (and author and TV show host and sometimes actor) Greg Behrendt uttered the now famous words he's just not that into you to a co-worker and the world, or, at least, the world of relationship advice was never the same. The phrase ripped through the set of the show like a fire in California during the dry season, making Read More......(read more)

The senior theatre critic explains the world series (which is theater, too)

2009-10-29T15:19:00Z

I know, it's odd that I break my long silence (excuses below) to comment on the world series, but it is one of our great national dramas. And like any good drama, it involves the audience, which creates a crisis for us in Pittsburgh: How can we bring ourselves to root for a team from Philadelphia ? On the other hand -- and especially for a New England-bred Red Sox fan such as myself -- how could we bring ourselves to root for the Goldman Sachs Read More......(read more)