Theater & Arts category, Page 12
Review: ‘Rent’ rocks at Pittsburgh Playhouse
“Rent” exploded onto Broadway in 1996 and became the musical of a generation. The rock opera, based on Giacomo Puccini’s iconic opera “La Boheme,” was a blockbuster hit that won the Tony Award for best musical and ran for more than 12 years. On Wednesday night, Point Park University’s Conservatory...
Review: Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s ‘Grease’ brings rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia to the Byham
“Grease” is one of the most well-known and beloved musicals in America, and Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s production, running through March 17 at the Byham Theater Downtown, is a great reminder of why. With book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, “Grease” premiered on Broadway in 1972. It...
‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ still going strong in Pittsburgh after decades
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was released almost 50 years ago, but the cult classic film still draws fans in Pittsburgh to interactive late-night showings. One such showing, this Saturday night at Lawrenceville’s Row House Cinema, will feature plenty of yelling at the screen, throwing of toast and playing cards,...
‘The Book of Mormon’ returns to the Benedum Center with nonstop laughs
Even after 13 years on Broadway and multiple national tours, the gleefully obscene musical comedy “The Book of Mormon” is still an undeniable crowd-pleaser. On opening night Tuesday at the Benedum Center, a buzzing audience whooped, laughed and cheered with each hilarious beat. “The Book of Mormon” is the delightfully...
Multigenerational ‘Snow White’ performance set at Geyer Performing Arts Center
A fairy tale favorite is coming to the Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale this month, with a cast that connects multiple generations. The musical production of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” will run at the theater from Friday to Sunday. The show is a twist on the familiar...
‘Rock of Ages’ musical a throwback to big guitar solos, bigger hair
Westmoreland Performing Arts Professional Theatre Company will transport theater fans back to a time of big guitar solos and even bigger hair as they present the musical “Rock of Ages” on Feb. 23-24. “It’s a party!” said director Tony Marino. “You’re going to sing along with pretty much every song,...
Shaler Area High School prepares for school musical
In July of 1918, Anastasia Romanov, historically known as Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, was assassinated with the rest of her family in a merchants home in Yekaterinburg by members of the White Army. During the aftermath, Anastasia’s body...
Franklin Regional Theatre Guild recognizes emotional weight of ‘West Side Story’
Last year, Franklin Regional student actors playing the leather-jacketed T-Birds in “Grease” called themselves a gang. But it’s quite a leap from the goofy high-school antics of “Grease” to the actual gang violence of this year’s musical, “West Side Story,” which opens March 7. “‘Grease’ is a fun, dumb show,”...
‘A celebration of what we bring to the community’: Westmoreland Cultural Trust hosts annual fundraising gala at Palace Theatre
Suits, ties and evening gowns will grace the stage of the Palace Theatre in Greensburg for the Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s “Party at the Palace” fundraising gala. The theme is “shaken, not stirred,” inspired by the way James Bond takes his martini cocktails. The trust has held the gala for 18...
‘Gentle Larceny’ a 1-man show featuring Ligonier actor will be staged at Unity hotel
When he started planning his nonprofit theater company, former University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg professor Stephen Schrum wanted to look for works that strayed from the traditional theater production. Without a dedicated venue to perform in, Schrum said he hoped to adapt the medium to fit into new and unique...
Prince musical ‘Purple Rain’ to premiere in Minneapolis before moving to Broadway
MINNEAPOLIS — The musical adaptation of Prince’s “Purple Rain” will have its first public performance in Minneapolis, Prince’s hometown, in spring 2025 before the show transfers to Broadway. The producers behind the live theater version of Prince’s iconic 1984 film announced Tuesday that the show will bow at the State...
Kevin Hart to make Pittsburgh stop at Benedum
Comedian and actor Kevin Hart has added a Pittsburgh stop on his latest tour. Hart will bring his “What Now” tour on April 14 at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. The comic is on the road with all-new material. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday on...
‘Non-stop sitcom with incredible music’: Split Stage Productions brings ‘Urinetown’ to Lamp Theatre
Split Stage Productions’ latest performance doesn’t take itself too seriously, said director Rob Jessup. The theater company, which opened in 2013, will perform the musical “Urinetown” Friday and Saturday and Feb. 8-10 at The Lamp Theatre in Irwin. The 16-person cast will tell the story of a post-apocalyptic world experiencing...
Tony Award-winner Hinton Battle, original Scarecrow in ‘The Wiz,’ dies at 67
Hinton Battle, who won Tony Awards (featured actor in a musical) for his performances in “Miss Saigon,” “Sophisticated Ladies” and “The Tap Dance Kid,” has died at 67. No cause of death was mentioned. A choreographer, director, actor and writer, Battle made his Broadway debut as the original Scarecrow at...
Chita Rivera, revered and pioneering Tony-winning dancer and singer, dies at 91Video
NEW YORK — Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident, died Tuesday. She was 91. Rivera’s death was announced by her daughter, Lisa...
Retired Pitt-Greensburg professor starts nonprofit theater group
Stephen Schrum’s goal is to direct 100 plays. He’s at 88. And while that wasn’t the sole reason behind his decision to form a local theater company, it certainly was a motivating factor for the Latrobe resident, who retired in 2022 after 17 years of teaching theater arts at the...
‘Dunkirk’ actor Barry Keoghan named Hasty Pudding’s Man of the Year
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals has named Barry Keoghan, best known for his roles in “Dunkirk,” “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “Eternals,” and “The Banshees of Inisherin,” as the recipient of its 2024 Man of the Year Award. Keoghan recently starred in the comedy psychological thriller...
‘It gives them the confidence to go beyond’: Stage Right aims to welcome students of all backgrounds with grant
Stage Right in Greensburg distributes $30,000 in scholarships and financial aid to its students each year. About a third of a $175,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation in Pittsburgh will help the nonprofit theater company continue supporting students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, Executive Director Anastasia Robinson said. Stage...
Point Park University hosting regional Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
Taking advantage of a site cancellation in Pittsburgh for the opening reception of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Point Park University not only hosted that reception, but some theater students became part of the event, too. “We said we would gladly host, and discovered an opportunity for our...
Review: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Crystal’ creates a hot performance on ice
It was an evening of dance, contortionist moves, high-flying jumps, aerial poses and gymnastic-inspired moves, choreographed to lively music, with bright lights and special effects. And it was all done on ice. Cirque du Soleil’s acrobatic performance — “Crystal” — deserved the standing ovation it received from the captivated audience...
‘South Side Stories’ updated at City Theatre for 10th anniversary
Ten years ago, Tami Dixon sat on the corner of a busy street in the South Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Next to her was an empty chair and a sign that read “Tell me a story about the South Side.” People did. They told her about their struggles, their successes,...
How Pittsburgh Public Theater brought ‘A Christmas Story’ to the stage
Tim Mackabee walked into the O’Reilly Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh and sat in the front row. The New York-based set designer looked at the space in front of him trying to envision a creative way to bring the show made for the screen, “A Christmas Story,” to life on the...
Award-winning costume designer Paul G. Tazewell to be honored at FashionAFRICANA’s inaugural gala
A costume is more than a piece of clothing to Paul G. Tazewell. The fabric is a part of the character. “I love the process, and I love collaborating with people,” said Tazewell, who has been designing costumes for Broadway, regional theater, film and television, dance, and opera productions for...
Franklin Regional Thespians will present Dickens’ classic ‘A Christmas Carol’
Abby Wingard has spent her time with the Franklin Regional Thespians club in the wings of the theater, as a longtime member of the stage crew. But for her senior year, Wingard, 18, wanted to step onstage for a change. The problem? “I am not an actor, at all,” she...
Antique props, colorful choreography shine in Geyer theater’s upcoming ‘Pirates of Penzance’
For director Martha Oliver, the Geyer Performing Arts Center’s upcoming performance of “Pirates of Penzance” was a long time coming. “I have wanted to do this since 1982. That’s 40 years,” Oliver said. As a young actress, Oliver performed in a Penn State Fayette rendition of the classic musical in...
