Roving Pittsburgher Report, Learning to LIVE through PIPPIN

 Learning to LIVE through PIPPIN

A Roving Pittsburgher Review

by Sunita Pandit, Mrs. Cardiology

My husband and I got tickets at the last minute.  Its busy during the week but I thought 'you only live once!' oh what a cliche! Convinced my husband to treat me with 'us' time and off we went... oh my...

Photo by Joan Marcus & Bruce Glikas   Pippin, Kyle Dean Massey
and father John Rubenstein.

Did not know what we were going to see... we are both first generation Indians that are still getting culturally Americanized! While walking from the parking garage to the Benedum I was able to hear a lot of chatter from the audience that had seen the Original Pippin and were all without fail excited at the prospect of seeing the original lead for Pippin arrive here in our very own Pittsburgh to play the part of the father of Pippin...In 1972 the starring role of Pippin was played by a virtual unknown, John Rubenstein.  Now Mr. Rubenstein an actor, composer, director and educator is back as the royal father of Pippin. 

Even as we sat down, the people behind us were commenting the same... We were excited about seeing acrobats... but what we actually saw and experienced was just astounding - a feast for the eyes - a smorgasbord for all of the senses... we had trouble focusing on one performer for long as so much kept happening at the same time. The performers filled the stage inch to inch with color action style all choreographed to timely perfection by Tony Award nominee Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse and circus creation of breathtaking acrobatics by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main.

Pippin also has a unique connection to Pittsburgh.  According to Playwright, Stephen Schwartz,  PIPPIN began as a show for the Sotch 'n' Soda club at Cargnegie Mellon University in 1967.  At that time Scotch 'n' Soda produced an original musical every year and he had written songs for two previous musicals. Schwartz had a friend, Ron Strauss, who had an idea to write a story about Carlegmagne's son launcing a revolution agains this father and had begun to write a musical about the idea.  So Schwartz and Strauss collaborated right here in Pittsburgh to create PIPPIN which became the most nominated Broadway show of 2013, won four 2013 Tony® Awards including Best Revival of a Musical.  

Pippin a journey of self discovery that draws you in to wonder about your own life... And I will never be able to do justice to the performance of the cast in their singing... they all carried strength, clarity, but most important of all all of them were in the 'zone'. I could not help but be drawn in completely... IMPRESSIVE is an understatement... 

Pippin tells the story of a young prince who longs for a life filled with passion and adventure. Aided by an acting troupe headed by the Leading Player, the musical tells the story of Pippin’s pursuit of the extraordinary.

And as for the original Pippin -well at this age he has an impressive stage presence and voice - oh I wonder and wish I could have seen him in the original version... I firmly believe that Cirque de Soliel has fierce competition in this troupe!

My husband and I are honored to have witnessed this feat of performance brought from Broadway to the Benedum... allowing us to enjoy such excellence in the comfort of our home town! The show swings through the Benedum from January 20 – 25, so be sure to grab your tickets for this unforgettable show!

 Sunita Pandit, host of Mrs. Cardiology which is an anchor podcast at http://pplmag.com is also the practice manager for her husband Santosh Pandit's private cardiology practice in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, she is also the Health Director on the Board of NAWBO Greater Pittsburgh.

40 Years of Theater; PPT’s 2014 season opens with an American classic: The Glass Menagerie.

40 Years of Theater; PPT’s 2014 season opens with an American classic:  The Glass Menagerie.

Review by Megan Grabowski

Fall has officially arrived in Pittsburgh.  This means, the Pittsburgh Public Theater (PPT) is opening their doors for another season.   On October 9, 2014 I stepped inside the wide windowed atrium of the O’ Reilly Theater on Penn Avenue anticipating an evening of escapism at its’ finest.   This performance of the Tennessee Williams play The Glass Menagerie will surely clutch the strings of the collective hearts of Pittsburghers- expressly those who have supported the success of the PPT since its inception 40 years ago.  Yes, that’s right; this is the 40^th anniversary of the PPT.   What better way to commemorate the achievements of the theater than by producing, Menagerie, mirroring the theater’s first season.  

The evening began when  Producing Artistic Director, Ted Pappas, bestowed upon the eager audience an honorable introduction, which included a gracious recognition of PNC and their long withstanding commitment, not only to the achievements of PPT  but to the arts as a whole in our region. Then the lights dim-

The show begins with an overview of the period by Tom Wingfield, played by Fisher Neal. Neal, a

Fisher Neal as Tom and Lynne Wintersteller as Amanda.

seasoned actor is making his Pittsburgh debut in Menagerie.  Williams writing is a vessel for Neal’s eloquence. His voice grants the audience a glimpse into the lives of his family in 1937.  As narrator, Neal reminds us, with the reflective and introverted tone, utilizing the intellect of a poet, that this story is not real; it is a memory and intended to be interpreted as such.  The show proceeds with the remaining characters, Cathyrn Wake, as Laura Wingfield, Lynne Wintersteller staring as Amanda Wingfield and Jordan Whalen cast as Jim O’Connor. Each actor shares with the audience a moment in time, a snap chat of memory and most unfortunate, the immense cruelty and weight of disenchantment that can accompany said remembrances. 

Cathryn Wake as Laura and Jordan Whalen as Jim.

The plot, centers on Laura, a painfully shy and childish young woman.   She suffers from a defect causing her to walk with a pronounced limp. Tom, Laura’s brother, is obliged to play the role of family man since their father left 16 years prior.  Amanda, Tom and Laura’s mother, is a loquacious Southern woman who possesses a parenting style which is nearly suffocating both them both.  Amanda cannot accept her children for who they are. Tom, a poet at heart, works a dead end job in a warehouse, forced to, ‘rise and shine’ day after day, in order to earn a meager wage.  Laura suffers from disillusionment and appears perfectly content to live without ambition.  She spends her time tinkering with a collection of glass figurines, her menagerie, a tactic used to elude her future and any associations with the outside world.  With no plans and no prospects for life on her own, Laura is at the mercy of her mother.  Amanda is becoming increasingly desperate to secure some manner of care for her fragile daughter.  She schemes, and then introduces Tom to a plan to find Laura a gentleman caller.  Tom invites an acquaintance from the warehouse to dinner.  Amanda, irrationally optimistic, believes this gentleman caller, the dinner guest, is Laura’s opportunity to secure a husband. Jim O’Connor, the gentleman caller, accepts Tom’s dinner invitation; totally unaware of any ulterior motives.

Fisher Neal as Tom

Wintersteller’s performance as the high strung and excitable Amanda was unquestionably authentic. Amanda’s incessant criticisms of her children followed by over simplified solutions to their shortcomings in rapid and continuous chitchat was as natural as any neighbor. The rate of her dialogue is sometimes disorienting yet entrancing, as lifelike a character to ever stroll a stage.   Neal presents Tom as astute and withdrawn. His character personifies the struggling artist; a visionary who must break free from the familiar order in to enable the growth of his creativity. Neal naturally captures his place amidst the family dynamics through his portrayal of Tom. The arguments that swell between Tom and Amanda provoke a sense that is unique to familial conflict. His cool mannered narration preserves Laura’s memory and a minute of the past, for all to take in. 

Wake portrays the meek and innocent Laura.  She is quiet and reserved, and very aware of the future unfolding before her.  Nearly a hermit, she has no goals and no self-esteem.  When Amanda announces Laura is to open the door upon Jim’s arrival she is nearly paralyzed. The anguish in her voice as she pleads with her mother not make her open the door is gut wrenching.  Then dinner is served.  Laura is summoned to the table; she collapses in a heap onto the floor.  This moment, Wake’s finest scene in the play, produced gasps and compassionate sighs from the audience.   It was during this scene I felt the burden of humanness.  Wake’s depiction of Laura awakened the memory referred to in the opening narration- Laura’s display of anxiety rings true; it is something primal. Who hasn’t, at one time, frozen with fear?  She is petrified; stifled by her own self judgment and inadequacies.    Wake’s small stature helps give rise to the young Laura.  Her shakiness, limp and near inaudible single word responses to Jim’s inquisition further enhances the model of a weakly young woman. Whatever ails sweet Laura, Wake invokes.

Whalen, cast as Jim O’Connor, the handsome has-bin with natural magnetism, incites Laura.  As a man of many talents, O’Connor excels in reading people’s dispositions.  It is this particular skill that he uses to begin coaxing Laura out of her shell.   His voice and gestures communicate a man on a mission; he’s going places.  Not just in the role of Jim O’Connor the warehouse worker by day, public speaking student at night; destined for something bigger and better than the warehouse, but as a renowned actor sure to make many more appearances on stage across the country.

PPT’s 3^rd rendition of The Glass Menagerie reminds us, “Time is the longest distance between two places”. Pittsburgh in the 1970’s, and St. Louis, Missouri in the 1930’s couldn’t be more different, yet, the expertly attuned direction from Pamela Berlin captures the memory of the Wingfield’s troubles through moving dialogue and staging.  The actors make it easy for the audience to suspend their own feelings of disbelief and become swept up into the unfolding drama. But it is Williams’s words which give us an honest glance into the enduring complexities of humanity.

  The Glass Menagerie is a classic 20^th century American drama and can be seen from now through November 2, 2014. Purchase tickets here: http://publictheater.culturaldistrict.org/production/40790

Reviewed by Megan Grabowski

Professional writer, Social-Media Junkie, Community Fundraiser and Pittsburgh Enthusiast.

Lady Wildermere’s Fan Review

Lady Wildermere’s Fan

By Oscar Wilde,

Adapted and directed by Alan Stanford

Pittsburgh Irish Classical Theater at the Charity Randall Theatre

JoAnn R. Forrester

Empress of Biz, Listen, Learn & Prosper

S. I. Business Associates

The opening night presentation of Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde was a satirical delight.  Alan Stanford adaption of the play, changing the time period from the 1880’s to 1947 was just the right thing to do. It is still a time where the British upper class clings to the Victorian values with all its trappings and hypocrisy and yet the setting is a bridge to 70 years later in the 21st century.

In Lady Windermere’s Fan the “appearance “of things are so important.  Good women, like children, are to be seen, but not heard.  They are to play their part, hostess, mothers, daughters with the main goal of preserving and enhancing the family status…as the “right kind of family”.   Jodi Gage is delightful as Lady Windermere, the trusting, naïve, trusting, non-thinking wife who is dedicated to all the ideals of a proper upper class wife.  In the opening act everything is so perfect, so proper, so refined…you know her life is bound to be disrupted…and of course it is.or we would not have this tongue in cheek romp. 

Lady Windermere husband so aptly played by Leo Marks is rumored to spending a good bit of time and money with a certain woman, a Mrs. Erlynne, wonderfully played by Nike Doukas, a woman with an uncertain reputation.  Through a series of maneuvers Mrs. Erlynne and Lady Windermere meet and the turn of affairs is fascinating to watch.  The woman of questionable reputation and much “charm to men” and the ideal wife form a fascinating relationship where one”saves” the other.  You have to go and see it and immerse yourself in the sly wit and sharp insight of Oscar Wilde as he delves into “mores of high society”.  

A couple of notes on the clothing and scenery…. it is perfect for the period.   In our fashion less sense, too tight, too short, too low or too sloppy dress era it is a treat to see the clothing.  How I wish we could bring back some of the style and class of the dresses.  It is one thing the British upper class still have on us…they do know how to dress elegantly.  The scenery for each set is moved about so perfectly.  The men are dressed in tuxedos and project an elegant air as they move furniture and walls around to set the stage.  It was fun to watch. 

The Pittsburgh Irish Classical Theatre is an exception theater company and well deserving of our support.  Every time I have gone to a play by PICT, I have walked away saying to myself “Wow, what an excellent theatre company.  Go and enjoy Lady Windermere fan and be prepared to laugh and enjoy the insights to the human characters by Mr. Oscar Wilde. 

Roving Pittsburgher Good News Reporter, JoAnn Forrester is the Host of "Empress of Biz, Reinvent in Rugged Times," a business Talkcast syndicated on PPLMag, Pittsburgh's First Internet Radio and TV Network.  You can hear JoAnn and Business friends every Thursday at 9 AM on the TalkShoe network or archived later at:  http://pplmag.com  Jo Ann is also a regular business tip columnist at the Pittsburgh Business Times.

And the Angels Sang--Celtic Woman

And the Angels Sang!

Celtic Woman 

"A Christmas Celebration--The Symphony Tour"

by Roving Pittsburgher Zineb Outnouna

Celtic Woman “A Christmas Celebration--the Symphony Tour” was simply amazing. The concert was incredible. The presentation from the lighting to the sound to the instrumentation was flawless. This was beyond what I had hoped to experience.

The concert, as expected, was a collection of popular Christmas carols; but even though I had heard those thousands of times before, the angelic voices of Chloe, Lisa and Susan, accompanied by the sheer talent of Mairead breathed a new life in each song, and gave it a complete new dimension. Their performance of 

‘‘O Holy Night'' ended the first half of the show bringing the house down. In the second half, these amazing singers continued to stir our deepest emotions thanks to songs like “You Raise Me Up”, "Danny Boy” and of course the magical “Ave Maria”, which was absolutely breathtaking and won Chloe a sincere standing ovation.

The evening was PERFECT! Watching these ladies on PBS is nothing compared to watching them perform live. Their unbridled passion for singing is as captivating as it is powerful.

I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to enjoy such magnificent show, and would recommend it to anyone who has ever wondered about how angels might sound like.  

There are still some great seats available for tonight's performance, December 4, 2012 starting at 7:30 PM.

Celtic Woman is performing tonight at Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave in Downtown Pittsburgh,  For tickets: www.pittsburghsymphony.org/ 

If you cannot make it tonight, all is not lost, the ladies announced from the stage that they would return to Pittsburgh in June of 2013,

Zineb Outnouna

CEO and Founder

412-537-1525

zineb@atlasdreamslanguages.com

www.atlasdreamslanguages.com

Atlas Dreams Languages, LLC teaches foreign languages to clients of all ages and educational background. Whether it is for pleasure or business, ADL helps you become fluent in the foreign language of your choice. We tailor the content of the lessons to fit your purpose and skill level. For your convenience, we offer flexible hours and meeting locations.  

Halloween Night Stomp

“STOMP” left us speechless and wanting more. . .

by Jenn Carr, Roving Pittsburgher Reporter

                                                                    

What a great way to spend a cold, rainy evening in Pittsburgh…in fact, what an awesome way to spend any type of evening.  My 12 year old son and I saw the production of STOMP.  We went to the show with the expectation that we were about to see a lot of drumming and banging on stuff.  

Immensely entertaining!! We were intrigued, amused, and downright flabbergasted by the entire performance.

The show starts so quietly with a lone, spiky-haired, muscular man pushing a broom, in a spotlight.  The man begins a tapping out a rhythm with the broom, his feet scratching and tapping along the stage floor.  Slowly he is joined by other members of the troupe, pushing brooms, scratching the floor, flipping brooms upside down to rhythmically tap the floor. It becomes a choreographed chaos of movement across the full stage.  You don’t know where to watch first. Performers cross in front of each other as they hand off their broom to another person. It was watching a very complex juggling act.

A parade of fantastical situations are brought to the stage from kitchen sinks, inner tubes, scaffolding, and a fantastic cigarette lighter sequence.

From off-stage 4 guys walk out carrying what looks like a drum kit.  However, it turns be out to be different size stainless steel kitchen sinks hanging from chains around their necks. It is hard to even imagine how kitchen sinks, rubber gloves and water can become a composition of rhythm and musicality. 

As the lights come up, the performers are bouncing in synch on large, truck inner tubes.  The squeak of the rubber against the floor is the foundation for this next composition.  Then, they start drumming on the tube and reaching across to tap sticks with their performing neighbors.  Unbelievably inventive!!

As if we were not already in awe at the creativity of the show, the complete cast lines up in the dark across the front of the stage.  Soon we realize, in each hand, they are holding old-fashioned cigarette lighters.  Click and swish, we understand the display and music will be created as they flick open the lids, spin the lighter wheel, ignite a flame and slam the lid closed.  However, the audience starts to understand the visual sequencing as flames appear and disappear in syncopation with the rhythm

The normal person does not look at brown paper bags, tire rims and rubber piping and imagine a concerto.  The skills of the performers and the talent of the producers shine brilliantly from beginning to end.

You walk out of the concert hall with a better appreciation for ordinary, even mundane pieces of our everyday can bring music to life.  The only bad point of the whole evening is walking out of the concert hall with a 12 year old boy tapping and banging on everything in arm’s reach.


Jenn Carr, “Your Credit Mechanic”
                                                                                                      
“Let us help you get back on the road to better credit”

Three Sisters Sparkles as First Jewel in Chekhov Celebration Crown

The highly educated and cultured, Moscow-bred Three Sisters have seen the circumstances of their lives reduced. The First Act opens on the one year anniversary of their army father’s passing, which coincidentally is the youngest of the brood Irina’s birthday, the play shows a trio of sisters dissatisfied with their lot in life.  As a result of their father’s military life, the family has decamped to a town so disconnected it is miles from the nearest train station, and enlivened only by the temporary presence of a battalion of soldiers.   The sisters hunger for any contact that can bring their beloved Moscow back to them as cherished yet enlivened memories.

Their brother Andrei is on the fast track at the university and is poised to make a name for himself until he makes a bad choice in spouse, the initially silly then increasingly malevolent Natasha.  The rest of the cast is peopled with visiting soldiers, faithful family retainers and friends.

Fedotik (Adrian Blake Enscoe) delights Irina (Vera Varlamov)

The current Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre’s (PICT) performance sets Irina (Vera Varmalov) in the spotlight as the naïve young adult, relishing in her birthday gifts and cake at the outset to a disenchanted worker in menial positions until she ultimately triumphs by taking control of her fate and heading to Moscow with the impassioned announcement: "I'll go away tomorrow, by myself."

Olga (Nike Doukas), the oldest sister, is seen at first trying to rally the rest of the family with almost brittle chatter as she welcomes a steady stream of visitors and plays the role of gracious hostess.  As the performance moves from act to act, Olga seems to become even more visibly downtrodden, increasingly suffering from headaches as the burdens of her life wear her down.

Vershinin and Masha

Masha (Allison McLemore), the middle sister, is clearly in an unhappy marriage.  She appears to barely tolerate her older, teacher husband. When he gives Irina the same gift for her birthday as he had presented for a previous occasion, she can barely contain her derision.  Upon meeting the foolish romantic artillery battalion officer Vershinin (David Whalen), she and her sisters recall their childish nickname for him, “the Lovesick Major”.  As he drones on about his philosophy on the future, she experiences an attraction that is both dangerous and fruitless. In the end, Vershinin is transferred and Masha unhappily returns to the cuckolded Kulygin.

As dispossessed as the women characters are in Three Sisters, the men are portrayed as elitist, displaying juvenile romantic fantasies and hopelessly naïve and idealistic views of the future.  The gambling Andrei (Christian Conn) squanders the family fortune while Olga frets and Natasha (Megan McDermott)  moves in for the kill.  Baron Tuzenbach (Leo Marks) asserts his “Russianness” to try and woo Irina, while the annoyingly bizarre Solyony (Jonathan Visser) stalks through his scenes.  The most charming of the sycophants, the handsome Vershinin (David Whalen) and the playful Chebutykin (Larry John Meyers) provide the tragic-comedic relief to the male contingent of the play.

I confess the multiple names of any Russian work, and Chekhov is not immune to this, always present a problem for me to follow the storyline.  Chekhov’s style is certainly lighter and more subtle than many of his countrymen.  The decline of the Russian affluent middle class is poignantly portrayed in a story that resonates in any age.

The intimacy of the Henry Heymann Theatre enables the audience to feel as though they are eavesdropping on the family dynamic and the tiny community to which they have been exiled.

Three Sisters is playing at select dates and times at the Henry Heymann Theatre in the Stephen Foster Memorial, Oakland through August 26th.

Photo Credit:  Suellen Fitzsimmons

Reviewed by:
Joyce Kane

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Held Captive by the "Pitmen Painters"

Review:  The Pitmen Painters

Pittsburgh Irish Classical Theater

Professional Theater in Residence at the University of Pittsburgh

by Good News Reporter,  JoAnn R. Forrester, Empress of biz

J F Harrison

The Pony Putter

From:  http://www.ashingtongroup.co.uk/home.html

I have four words for the Pitmen Painters:  Riveting, Irreverent, Insightful and Amazing.  I thoroughly enjoyed the play “The Pitmen Painters” presented by the Pittsburgh Irish Classical Theater.  This is a play based on a true story of Robert Lyon, Master of Painting at Armstrong College, Newcastle and his relationship with the miners who desired to know more about the world through their organization, The Workers Education Association.

The play presents a series of classes spanning the 13 years from 1934 to 1947.  During that time the world was convulsed in a major depression, a horrific war and post war recovery.  The original members of the class, thirty of them, are depicted amazingly by five actors.  From the first class, I was captured by their interaction and how they fought with one another and the instructor to understand a world that was beyond their experience.  We forget how rigid the class system was in England, and how little they really interacted or understood one another.  The world was defined in a certain way, and, as Americans, it is difficult for us to really understand such a rigid system.  The play gives an insightful look into that world.  One technique used to draw one into their time, work and life circumstances was to portray scenes on a screen with a projector that was behind the actors. Through those pictures, and the actor’s dialogue in front, one gets immersed in their world

Harry Wilson

Ashington Colliery

From:  http://www.ashingtongroup.co.uk/exhibition.html 

Lyon quickly realizes that he cannot just lecture to the miners.  He must find a way to communicate and break down the class barriers.  He decides to teach the men to paint.  He challenges them to explain their world.  He asks them to paint men, women and children involved in hard, backbreaking, dangerous work and to explain their everyday lives through the pictures they paint of life above and below the ground.  And paint they did, marvelously!  Each scene one sees the men grow, open up and demonstrate their artistic gifts, become knowledgeable in art and be able to speak elegantly and insightfully about pieces of art.

The acting was superb.  I was entranced and felt I was a cat sitting in the corner, watching it all.  When the intermission came, I was surprised.  It took me a few seconds to bring myself back from the mid 1930’s in England.   When it ended I wanted to say, “Wait!  There’s more!  Tell me more.”

I invite you to go and see “The Pitmen Painters” and be captured as I was by the play.  It is a wonderful way to spend an evening!

JoAnn Forrester is the Host of Empress of Biz, Reinvent in Rugged Times, a business Talkcast syndicated on PPLMag, Pittsburgh's First Internet Radio and TV Network.  You can hear JoAnn at Business friends every Thursday at 9 AM on the TalkShoe network or archived later at:  http://pplmag.com 

Roving Pittsburgher Review, Anoushka Shankar, April 12, 2012

Roving Pittsburgher Review

Anoushka Shankar

April 12, 2012

by Good News Reporter, Joanne Quinn-Smith, aka Techno Granny

Cohen & Grigsby TRUST PRESENTS Series

I must admit that I am an old yuppie head.  I think I made a new term.  But I have every Ravi Shankar album (on vinyl) that was ever produced but I had not really paid much attention to Anoushka.  Just by mere name recognition I decided to attend the concert with some Indian clients and friends.  Great move on my part. Cohen Grisby Trust Presents and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust as usual did not disappoint  in their grand selection of artists.

What an evening.  I had no idea that flamenco had its roots in Indian classical music or that there were so many unusual instruments used in both Spanish and Indian music.  What a stroke of genius to combine Flamenco guitar, a Spanish Singer and classical Indian music.

It was a night of beautiful, relaxing and sometimes erotic Indian music combined with the haunting chords of the flamenco guitar.  Andalusian flamenco singer, Sandra Carrasco’s singing was both flawless and unforgettable.

Sanjeev Shankar was remarkable on the Shenal and flute taking you back hundreds of years with his renderings.  What a blending of the old and the new, the East and the West.  Who knew?  Obviously Anoushka as she smiled and moderated in between sets about the music.

And the percussion!  After this concert I am convinced there is no percussion or percussion instruments in the world that can rival Indian classical and flamenco rhythms.  Pirashanna Thevarajah and Bernhard Shimelsberger (not of course an Indian name) put the bong and the bang and bunches of other sounds in percussion as far as I am concerned.

And Melon Jimenez on flamenco guitar and solos in combination with Anoushka on sitar was simply genius.  I was so incredibly thankful for the close orchestra seats that we had because this truly was a smorgasbord of sight and sound as you watched the strumming and drumming and listened to the playing and singing.  Truly a night to remember!

Good News Reporter, Joanne Quinn-Smith is also the Host of PositivelyPittsburghLive Talkcast and the Publisher of PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com, Pittsburgh's first internet radio and TV network http://pplmag.com

Joanne is the Creative Energy Officer of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates a Pittsburgh Marketing firm which specializes in Web 2.0 Branding.  She is a speaker and author and prolific talkcaster.  Find her profile on LinkedIn at:  http://joannequinnsmith.com

(c) Joanne Quinn-Smith 2012 All Rights Reserved.

Roving Pittsburgher Report, Coppelia, Pittsburgh Ballet

Coppelia

April 13 to 15, 2012

Benedum Center

by Jo Ann Forrester

Alexandra Kochis and Christopher Budzynski
rehearse for Coppelia. Photo taken by Aimee Waltz

Friday the 13^th a lucky night for me to go see the world class Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre perfrom Coppelia with the Pittsburgh Symphony orchestra.  Unfortunately as we watched the ballet, our Pittsburgh Penguins were not winning and their performance was not as top notched  as the ballet. 

Now as I write this review you must understand I am not well versed in all the ballet terminology, I am just someone who likes to watch the ballet and follow the story line.  Coppelia is a  light hearted ballet, filled with excellent dancing, standard boy/ girl romance, usual mix up of boy & girl, then makeup and then marriage.. AND happily ever after, oh the happily ever after, my favorite part. 

Act 1 the hero (Franz) , found himself attracted to this quiet serious young woman who sits in the toymakers window (Dr. Coppelius) ,  Franz is engaged to Swanhilde a charming and captivating and somewhat rambunctious young woman..but finds himself intrigued by who is not responding to him.  The role of Franz was danced by Christopher Budzynski who is quite enjoyable to watch, has great body language and plays the  role with great enthusiasm, skill and a flair for comedy.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's Coppelia.
Photo by Rich Sofranko

Our heronine, Swanhilde, danced by Alexandra Kochis is delightful, not only for her dance expertise, but she has a personal spark that brings fun and charm to the role.    

So the mixup occurs..girl is mad at boy..boy tries to make up and is spurned. So of course, he has to go drinking and then decides to find out about this “unknown woman and sneak into the toymakers home.

There are two intermissions great for people watching.   During the first intermission I noticed men huddled off in a corner with their smart phones..getting the score for the Penguins game. They were happy…surely we would  win..right?

I enjoyed also watching the number of little girls who were there to see Coppelia. They get more dressed up than the adults.  Wish the adults would take a cue from them. 

Act 2. 

The toymaker is gone, Swanhilde  and girl friends are exploring his house and toy shop.  Franz is hidden.  Suddenly toymaker comes back and chaos breaks out.  Most of the friends escape except for Swanhilde and Franz.  The plot thickens  Dr. Coppelius tries to make his beloved toy doll(daughter in his heart) come alive through magical incantations.  Energy enthusiasm, comedy and  trickery abound.  Finally Franz and Swanhilde escape the clutches of Dr. Coppelius and a celebration occurs.

Intermission 2.. The little girls were all giggles and smiles…they loved it.

But those men who were huddled in the corner were not.  Penguins were now tied.  What happened?…Score was now Penguins 4  Flyers 5.  Bell rang ending intermission and our male audience returns reluctantly  and heavily sighs as they sit down. 

Act 3.  Wedding, celebration, fantastic dancing by troupe, principals, Dr. Coppelius good actor and dancer! 

Conclusion… a wonderful  ballet, orchestra outstanding, a treat for all ages and  a wonderful way to spend a winning evening!

Post conclusion:  Penguins lost 8 to 5.  Ballet much happier ending!

Moral of this story, guys you can tivo the game but you can’t tivo romance.  Your time would be better spent taking your wife, girlfriend or significant other to the ballet.  The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre is probably the most taken for granted and under-participated in cultural event in our city, we certainly need to change that. Even if you don’t know what a pirouette is you can watch one and it will probably make your heart sing.

JoAnn Forrester is the Host of Empress of Biz, Reinvent in Rugged Times, a business Talkcast syndicated on PPLMag, Pittsburgh's First Internet Radio and TV Network.  You can hear JoAnn at Business friends every Thursday at 9 AM on the TalkShoe network or archived later at:  http://pplmag.com

Roving Pittsburgher Review, "Do You Hear the People Sing?" Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Roving Pittsburgher Review, "Do You Hear the People Sing?" Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

by

Pittsburgh Good News Reporter, Al Levine

Last night, April, 12, 2012,  The Techno Granny, Good News Reporter, Joanne Quinn-Smith sent me to Heinz Hall for the opening performance of "Do You Hear the People Sing?" This was the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's PNC POPS! Thursday performance. Marvin Hamlisch is the Principal Pops Conductor.

Conductor Jack Everly returned to Heinz Hall with a talented group of vocalists. They included Eric Kunze, Terrence Mann, Jennifer Paz, Kathy Voytko (a Johnstown native), Marie Zamora, The Carnegie University Concert Choir and Director Robert Page.

Go to http://pso.culturaldistrict.org/production/27893/do-you-hear-the-people-sing you will enjoy their award winning resumes. I am sure that you will recognize these World Famous Performers.

They performed songs from the Tony Award winning Les Miserables. Broadway Legends, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boubil collaborated to create this great musical. A few of the songs from Les Misarables were "I Dreamed a Dream", "Bring Him Home" and "One Day More".

We also enjoyed the Tony-nominated Miss Saigon hits "I'd Give My Life for You" and "The American Dream". They also performed many of the other Broadway songs from Claude-Michel and Alain.

The Conversations that Conductor Everly and the Vocalists shared with us after almost every song provided great Insights and Information that the audience enjoyed. There is an intermission of fifteen minutes after the fourteenth song. After the Performance, there was a Post-Concert Pops Talk on Stage with Conductor Jack Everly.

There will be Performances on Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 8PM and Sunday at 2:30PM. If you haven't heard the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra lately, they also performed at their usual High Standard. The Carnegie Mellon Concert Choir was fantastic too. My Girlfriend and I enjoyed our great seats and the World Class performance. 

  

Al Levine, Better known as "The Talking Machine" is one of the hosts of Pittsburgh Sports Line on the Bethel Park Public Access Channel.  He is also the

webmaster and "Pittsburgh Gaming Guru" at http://pittsburghgamingnews.com

and Community Relations and Development Director for PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com's upcoming

Hug-A-Thon Pittsburgh on September 6, 2012.

Slatkin Leads PSO in Eclectic Performance of A Cinderella Suite

GUEST CONDUCTOR SLATKIN STORMS THE STAGE AT HEINZ HALL

Photo:  Donald Dietz/Detroit Symphony Orchestra

GUEST CONDUCTOR SLATKIN STORMS THE STAGE AT HEINZ HALL

The clouds were gathering for a forecasted downpour Friday evening as we made our way to Heinz Hall for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s eclectic performance of three distinctive works.  But the gathering storm had nothing on the tumult that was about to entrance us at this unique performance.

Guest conductor Leonard Slatkin took the stage with composer Steven Stucky to introduce “Son et Lumiere” (‘Sound and Light’).  This unique work, written in 1989, blended seemingly discordant elements into a cohesive whole.  Interestingly, in only nine minutes, the music spanned multiple twists and turns.  At one point, I was reminded of Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story”.  At another, the blend of melodies turned much more harmonious.  In the composer’s own words, “Throughout its brief nine minutes, therefore, the piece is built almost exclusively of short, busy ostinato figures – my attempt, I suppose, to achieve the rhythmic vitality of minimalism, but without giving in to the over-simple harmonic language that sometimes comes with it.”

With a brief interlude to reset the stage and introduce the magnificent Steinway piano, the orchestra regrouped for the performance of Concerto No. 5 in F major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 103 “Egyptian”, composed by Camille Saint-Saens in 1896.  Stephen Hough delivered a spirited rendition of the work, mastering the intricate notes.  For his virtuosity in delivering the essence of the piece, Mr. Hough was favored with a standing ovation from the enthusiastic and loyal audience.  

After the brief intermission, we were delighted with the beautiful music of Prokofiev’s Suite from Cinderella.  The opulence of the setting transported us to the Ball where we became willing voyeurs – envisioning the Prince and Cinderella waltzing in the confines of the magnificent Heinz Hall with its glittering chandeliers and gilt carvings. 

The denouement of ‘Midnight’, with its ticking clock and crescendo marking each hour, transported the audience to the fateful moment when Cinderella flees from the ball, leaving behind the evocative glass slipper.  The charm of the story is represented in the delicate notes of the string section as the Prince searches for Cinderella.  The final set, ‘Amoroso’ leaves the audience breathing a collective, romantic sigh. 

As Principal Guest Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin demonstrated his incredible mastery of the baton.  His energy and enthusiasm for the compositions clearly came through as he led the PSO on this journey of three distinctly different yet surprisingly cohesive works. 

The PSO is one of the many jewels in the crown of Pittsburgh’s classical heritage and cultural future.  We were astounded yet again with the plethora of art and culture that is there for the taking in the reborn Cultural District and the great riches that Pittsburgh has to offer residents and visitors alike.   Conductor Slatkin and A Cinderella Suite perform through Sunday April 1^st as part of the BNY Mellon Grand Classics.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh