Home >  Lifestyle

These people contribute to the richness of the Pittsburgh arts scene by continually presenting strong work to devoted audiences

Sunday, June 02, 2002

Barbara Luderowski
Founder/director Mattress Factory

It's an indication of her accomplishments that the installation art museum Luderowski founded 25 years ago has moved in the public consciousness from an alternative space to one of the community standards. While continuing to shake up notions of what art is, Mattress Factory has received substantial grants from such mainstream agencies as the Department of Community and Economic Development of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, AT&T and the Fisher Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation. A $300,000 challenge grant from the NEH -- one of three awarded nationwide to an art museum in 2002 -- will support a permanent endowment for humanities education.

Richard Armstrong
Director, Carnegie Museum of Art

The Museum of Art has shown that maintaining a standard of excellence doesn't mean shutting out the local, as with Diane Samuels' solo exhibition. A greater commitment to photography included a popular exhibition of Pittsburgh photographs taken in the 1950s by the famed W. Eugene Smith, and the acquisition of the archives of fine art photographer Duane Michals, a McKeesport native who lives in New York, and the late photojournalist Charles "Teenie" Harris, who documented the Pittsburgh African-American community from the 1930s to the '70s. A successful reception for Saturday art class students and alumni included reminiscences by noted realist and Pittsburgh native Philip Pearlstein.

Terrence Orr
Artistic director, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

To paraphrase Muhammed Ali, Orr and managing director Steven Libman can float like a butterfly, bolstering the PBT's classical repertoire with more sumptuous costumes and scenery and the announcement of a new Pittsburgh-inspired "Nutcracker." But they can also "Sting" like a bee, with a scintillating and intelligent foray into pop art, "Brand New Day."

Ted Pappas
Artistic director, Pittsburgh Public Theater.

In his second year at the helm of Pittsburgh's premier nonmusical theater (in tandem with managing director Stephen Klein), Pappas continues a standard mix of classics, established work and an occasional new play, such as "Paper Doll," which hopes to reach Broadway. Next year's inclusion of some frankly commercial hits is less standard than surprising.

Susan Corbett
Producer, Drue Heinz Lectures

Corbett started her third year as producer of the lectures with all of her ducks in a row -- a carefully put-together lineup of writers, commentators, scientists and even a rabbi, as well as a solid commitment from Heinz, the esteemed backer of literary causes. Then came Sept. 11. Corbett battled through the pall and cancellations to maintain the series' quality and its loyal audience base, the foundation of a program that attracts more than 20,000 for its eight events.

Van Kaplan
Executive producer, Pittsburgh CLO

The CLO continues to tend with taste and care to one of the great American cultural resources, musical comedy. Its attempts to launch new work ("Copacabana," "Casper") have been less successful, but soon Kaplan will have a new showcase, a cabaret theater in which to feature some of the popular small musicals that have done multiyear runs in other cities.