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.

Review of “Little Mermaid” by a Mermaid Character

Review of “Little Mermaid” by a Mermaid Character

Pixie Della Fiamma

Our first review was from a real, live human, but this review is brought to you by a "real, live Mermaid character."

Getting to see Disney’s “The Little Mermaid “Broadway Show was like seeing the animated film as a child for the first time all over again. Only with this show, there are added songs and scenes that give the audience an even deeper look at the story and sticks even more closely with the original Hans Christian Anderson tale of two star crossed lovers and a ‘fish out of water’. The element of dance as “Ariel’s” way to win “Prince Eric’s” affections is pulled from the original story and used in a song about dance being a way of conversation, when one is without the ability to speak. There were explanations in the play that we missed out on in the movie version, which added back story to these already rich characters we know and love. For example, we find out that “Ursula” the Sea Witch is, in fact, “King Triton’s” older sister, whom he banished.

Christian Probst as Flounder and ensemble in Disney's
 The Little Mermaid, Pittsburgh CLO,  Photo Billy Bustamante

The sets were expertly and seamlessly changed as the audience switches back and forth from the ocean to land. The “Merfolk” ‘swam’ on wires and were in a constant state of undulation to simulate being deep in the sea. They were even able to sing beautifully while swinging above the stage and swaying with the faux currents.  The costumes were sumptuously made of silks and feathers which made them look as though they were swirling in the fathoms below. Black light reactive fabrics were used to give the villains a more sinister appearance.

The entire cast was wonderfully talented but there were two absolute stand outs among them. Liz McCartney who donned an evening gown replete with tentacles was fabulously nasty as “Ursula the Sea Witch”. Ms. McCartney oozed all over the stage and absolutely brings this classic villain to life, her vocals were nearly spot on with the original voice talent. The other stand out was Alan Mingo Jr. in the role of “Sebastian the crab”,  after a rousing rendition of “Under the Sea” I believe the general audience feel was “Sebastian just brought it on home!”.

If you have ever looked out on the Ocean and had thoughts of “Merpeople” or that maybe the sea creatures are doing dance numbers, then this one is a must see for you. Kids of all ages can enjoy the heartwarming message of Love conquers all obstacles.

Dancing Nancy, twirler of things aflame at Self, Donsin' Munkee, Jingle Shaker, Cow Bell player. And Mermaid, complete with tail and a sea shell bikini top here.

Take a Trip Back to Childhood,Fun and Fantasy with “Little Mermaid"

Take a Trip Back to Childhood,Fun and Fantasy with

 “Little Mermaid.”

By Lauren Brutscher

Pittsburghers who attended the premier of Disney’s The Little Mermaid on July 9 got to experience a undersea adventure before the flooding.  This beloved tale of a teenage mermaid courageous enough to dream the impossible has been beautifully adapted to the stage and is a must-see event this summer, for children and adults alike. As it follows the familiar story we all know from the Disney version, many elements from the classic Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale are represented, making it a little darker of a tale than we all remember. 

Jessica Grove as Ariel/Courtesy of CLO 

The story begins with a young mermaid princess, Ariel, who longs for a home in the sun and a prince, Eric, who would rather be a sailor than a king who are so close to each other, yet so far.  Ariel, played by seasoned Broadway starlet Jessica Grové, feels like she just isn’t meant to fit in with her father, King Triton, and her six musical mersisters. She spends her time learning about humans and human things from her two best friends, Flounder the Fish (Christian Probst) and Scuttle the Seagull (Matt Allen), instead of staying below the surface with the rest of the merfolk.  In fact, her obsession with life out of the ocean causes her to miss a celebration, in which she was to honor the memory of her late mother for the whole underwater kingdom with her beautiful voice.  Her desire to live out of the ocean grows even stronger after she does the unthinkable: she saves a human from drowning and falls in love with him! No matter how much Sebastian the Crab (Alan Mingo Jr.) and the other sea creatures try to show her all of the wonderful things under the sea, she is still desperate to be with her prince.

She becomes so desperate that when the electric eel twins Flotsam and Jetsam, played by Scott Leiendecker and Sean Patrick Doyle, offer to take her to the sea witch, Ariel obliges.  When Ariel visits Ursula the sea witch (Liz McCartney), she is given the chance to bargain her soul in exchange for a fully human body for three sunsets.  The catch: Eric has to fall in love with her and prove it with a kiss.  The price: her voice.  Ariel makes the trade and takes the chance!  With her voice locked inside Poseidon’s magic shell, she washes up on shore near Prince Eric’s castle and is treated to a heartwarming pep-talk from her friends about staying positive.  The rest of the story is action-packed, dramatic, romantic and much different from the Disney take on it.  To catch all of those surprises, you’ll just have to see it for yourself!

The music in the show was spectacular, including all the familiar songs from the movie and new musical numbers which showcased the vocal talents of the entire cast.  Grové’s talents were showcased in the nostalgic number “Part of Your World” and in another song called “If Only”. 

Sebastian brought the house down with a visually stunning and all-around impressive rendition of everyone’s favorite Disney party song: “Under the Sea” and Scuttle had the audience laughing with the not so familiar song “Positoovity”, performed with a hilarious, tap-dancing, harmonizing, snazzy-dressed group of gulls!

The music in this production is without a doubt what one would expect from Broadway, and the costumes and the sets are just the same.  They did a really good job of setting the mood for each scene, especially of Ursula in her home during her ballad “Poor Unfortunate Souls”.  Ursula’s giant costume was controlled with the help of Flotsam and Jetsam.  And their costumes lit up in bright green flashes as they zipped around the stage in wheeled shoes.  The use of the stage rigging to elevate actors to simulate swimming or flying added so much to the show, making it an imaginative and unforgettable trip back to childhood.

The Pittsburgh CLO presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid played at the Benedum Center until July 21.  If you would like to revisit childhood for a couple hours, or if you’d like to make a new memory with the next generation, Little Mermaid Is perfect for the whole family.  Don’t miss this opportunity to see this beloved “tail” come to life!

Lauren Brutscher is a Pittsburgh based  Quality Assurance Inspector, graduate of Bidwell Training Center and West Mifflin Area High School.   

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.