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The Top 50
Sunday, June 03, 2001
2. SFX Music Pittsburgh
CLAIM TO FAME: SFX is the 800-pound gorilla of the entertainment industry and, sure enough, it's sitting smack on top of the Pittsburgh concert and Broadway touring scenes. Three summers ago, the New York conglomerate gobbled up DiCesare-Engler Productions as part of its acquisition of major concert promoters. The Post-Gazette Pavilion and the I.C. Light Amphi- theatre are only two of the 121 venues SFX owns and operates across the country. Emphasis is on major concerts, but SFX Music Pittsburgh books everything from 'N Sync at the stadium to a club show with Dexter Freebish. Also under the umbrella of SFX (itself owned by radio conglomerate Clear Channel: WDVE, The X, 3WS, etc.), is the former PACE Theatricals, which produces Broadway shows and their tours, booking and sometimes managing those tours for several dozen cities -- among them Pittsburgh, where its junior partners in the Pittsburgh Broadway Series are the Cultural Trust and the Symphony Society.
SFX also has a sports division, responsible for events like monster truck shows. For music, the faces of SFX in Pittsburgh are Lance Jones, executive director of the PG Pavilion and vice president of SFX Music Pittsburgh, and Rich Engler, still president and CEO of DiCesare-Engler. Jones books the Pavilion; Engler books the I.C. Light, Mellon Arena and stadium. Says Jones, even though SFX holds the power nationally, "it takes constant vigilance to make sure these tours come through the market and we're not bypassed." LAST YEAR: Newcomer
3. Richard Armstrong
AGE: 52 CLAIM TO FAME: Maintaining a standard of excellence has been a priority of Armstrong's since he took the helm of the Carnegie five years ago. More recently, he's worked to reassert Oakland's position as a major cultural district, culminating in the selection of the current exhibition, "Light! The Industrial Age, 1750-1900, Art & Science, Technology & Society," as the centerpiece of a Pittsburgh cultural tourism campaign. He's increased the visibility of the Carnegie by encouraging his able curatorial staff to develop important exhibitions -- often supplemented by significant symposia and reference catalogs -- such as Louise Lippincott's "Light!," Sarah Nichols' recent "Aluminum by Design" and "Folds, Blobs and Boxes: Architecture in the Digital Era," by Joseph Rosa, newly appointed curator of the renovated and expanded Heinz Architectural Center, as well as by continuing support for the film series overseen by Bill Judson. International attention has been drawn to the Carnegie and to Pittsburgh through these exhibitions. Museum attendance increased 10 percent in the past year, and the Carnegie continued audience development by establishing a Teen Ambassador program to assist visitors and by hosting its first Elderhostel program. LAST YEAR: No. 23
4. Mariss Jansons
AGE: 58 CLAIM TO FAME: Jansons' stock rose tremendously over the past 12 months. He was courted for numerous positions, including the New York Philharmonic, and eventually he took a second orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Locally, Jansons' impact was quantified by a write-in campaign organized by the orchestra, in which many patrons, musicians and community leaders pleaded with him to stay. This strategy certainly wouldn't work for every conductor, including the PSO's previous music directors, so it's clear Jansons has made an impact. He has drummed up serious excitement for the PSO at a time when passion for classical music continues to dwindle. LAST YEAR: No. 4
5. Many faces of money
Philanthropists
CLAIM TO FAME: Money matters. It is the energy that fuels exhibitions, performances and projects. This past year, grants from the Heinz Endowment; foundations including Benedum, Rich-ard King Mellon, Alcoa, McCune and others; corporate underwriting from stalwarts including PNC and Mellon; and generous individual gifts have kept the creative fires burning bright. For this reason, the many faces behind the money hold an important position among the Top 50. As program director for Arts and Culture of the Heinz Endowments, Janet Sarbaugh (above, No. 11 last year) distributes grants of significant sums to arts organizations in the Pittsburgh area and is one of the many faces of money. As she sees it, the philanthropic sector has a special interest and responsibility in furthering arts education, arts in community life, the significance of individual artists and the development of artists' living/work space. "I think there is a greater sense of the breadth of our cultural community and of the importance of artistry and creativity in all aspects of our community," Sarbaugh said. LAST YEAR: No. 3
6. Thomas Sokolowski
AGE: 51 CLAIM TO FAME: Capitalizing on his contacts in New York City, Sokolowski launched a performance art series last year in collaboration with P.S. 122, an avant-garde performance space in Manhattan. Sokolowski also voiced the private concerns of many when he spoke in favor of offering same-sex benefits at the Carnegie Institute and against the large pirate ship planned for the exterior of PNC Park. He is the most outspoken leader in a local arts community that tries hard not to make waves. But he is driven by a passionate concern for the future of the visual arts. LAST YEAR: No. 7
7. Bill Strickland
AGE: 53 CLAIM TO FAME: In the past year, Strickland, one of Pittsburgh's most effective arts ambassadors, has worked to replicate the success of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in other cities. The guild, founded by Strickland in 1966 to advance the academic and personal achievement of inner-city youths through hands-on art experiences, also furthered its national reach by managing the Denali Initiative -- a new program that teaches entrepreneurial skills to leaders of nonprofit organizations nationwide. LAST YEAR: No. 8
8. Ted Pappas
Artistic director, Pittsburgh Public Theater
AGE: 47
CLAIM TO FAME: For his finale as artistic director, Eddie Gilbert (No. 10 last year) accomplished the move into the O'Reilly Theater and the world premiere of August Wilson's "King Hedley II." Taking over just a year ago, and teamed with managing director Stephen Klein, Pappas hasn't skipped a beat. He's had a sort of premiere -- the Ayckbourn-Lloyd Webber "By Jeeves" -- and has continued to secure early post-New York rights ("Spinning Into Butter"). And though building the O'Reilly was difficult, living in it hasn't been easy: Pappas has adapted a difficult space into faux proscenium, vertical reach, environmental appropriation and Shakespearean thrust. Cabarets, a lecture series and extra attractions expand the Public's role. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
9. Gideon Toeplitz
AGE: 56 CLAIM TO FAME: What a time Toeplitz has had since we published the Top 50 last June. He found out that orchestras worldwide were courting his famed music director, Mariss Jansons. Toeplitz went into high gear, eventually securing Jansons' commitment here. He also helped the foundering Y Music Society, entering into a partnership with it. The PSO continues to evolve its repertoire and programs. Last October, Toeplitz was named president of the newly formed Greater Pittsburgh Arts, bringing his expertise to bear on the region's arts community. LAST YEAR: No. 13
10. Carol Brown
Former president, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
AGE: 67 CLAIM TO FAME: Brown is unlikely to disappear from the local arts scene now that she's stepped down from her 15-year perch atop the organization that built the Downtown Cultural District. Although she is vague about her future -- it might include teaching at a university -- her presence on the boards of the Heinz Endowments and City Theatre guarantees a continued commitment to Pittsburgh arts. Before she left the Trust, she secured $5 million from the state for a new district parking garage and persuaded the second-in-command at the Kennedy Center to be her successor. LAST YEAR: No. 1
11. Charlie Humphrey
AGE: 42 CLAIM TO FAME: It's a wonderful life out at the Melwood Avenue headquarters of Filmmakers. Its $2 million classroom expansion project is moving ahead, student enrollment is growing, and it's counting the cash from its most successful screening, the long-running "Pollock" at its refurbished Regent Square Theater. Under Humphrey's nine-year tutelage, the organization has grown from an independent instructional operation to a full-time, accredited film school with the latest equipment. And in its other role as chief exhibitor of independent and foreign films in Pittsburgh, it operates three theaters and will include a small fourth theater when expansion is complete. Humphrey also serves as president of the Artists and Cities and Quantum Theatre boards and as a board member of The Andy Warhol Museum and Greater Pittsburgh Arts Alliance. LAST YEAR: No. 12
12. Ground Zero
AGE: 1 CLAIM TO FAME: This nascent group was formed last year by a handful of young professionals intent on improving urban life in Pittsburgh. Now expanded, the group fosters artistic collaborations and supports urban renewal projects that incorporate the city's existing infrastructure. So far, Ground Zero has hosted three large, arts-based gatherings -- FLUX events -- in unique raw spaces around town; opposed the Downtown Fifth and Forbes project; launched trial runs of a proposed evening bus route that would link social and cultural destinations; and laid plans for a cable-access show on local artists. "It's all about getting stuff done," says Traci Jackson, one of the group's founders. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
AGE: 58 CLAIM TO FAME: Orr and managing director Steven B. Libman (No. 28 last year) put it all together this year, building momentum on the heels of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's hit jazz ballet "Indigo in Motion." Not a pair to rest on their laurels, they came up with Ben Stevenson's "Cleopatra" this season, a world premiere partnership with Houston Ballet and Boston Ballet. And the recent "Pittsburgh Choreographers" program, with works by Paul Taylor and Glen Tetley, served to underscore that this company is making an indelible mark on the national dance scene. LAST YEAR: No. 19
14. Loews Waterfront
Age: 1 CLAIM TO FAME: The $22 million centerpiece of the giant Water-front commercial development on the site of the old U.S. Steel Homestead Works is one of the most successful locations in the country for the large but struggling Loews chain, which is in bankruptcy and was recently sold. The theater's huge screens, stadium seating, flamboyant architecture and on-site restaurant and bar have changed the habits of many Pittsburgh moviegoers and lured customers away from some nearby cinemas, including another Loews location. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
15. Mark Weinstein
AGE: 45 CLAIM TO FAME: With the February announcement of Pitts-burgh Opera's 2001-02 season -- the first planned without former leader Tito Capobianco -- it became clear the company is on the upswing. There will be five productions instead of four, the company will use the Byham Theater along with the Benedum Center and it will enhance its Opera Center training program. Until we actually see next year's productions, we will keep artistic director Christopher Hahn and music director John Mauceri in a Top 50 holding pattern. But credit certainly goes to Weinstein, whose hand pushes the plans forward for a new and relevant Pittsburgh Opera. LAST YEAR: No. 16
16. Susan Corbett
AGE: 50 CLAIM TO FAME: With five sellouts last season, an upcoming schedule full of well-known speakers and a new family program in place, the Drue Heinz Lectures have become the region's major arena for the exchange of ideas. Corbett joined the program eight years ago when it was called the Three Rivers Lecture Series and founder Dennis Ciccone ran the shop. Corbett became co-producer in 1997, then took over two years later when Ciccone left. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
17. Barbara Luderowski
AGE: 70 CLAIM TO FAME: The museum's -- and Luderowski's -- propensity to probe contemporary ideas and unique means of expression continues to result in hip exhibitions like the current one, for which nine national and international artists were invited to explore the notion of "Visual Sounds." A new edgy events series that alternates performance and round-table discussions, "Music, Noise, lmprov, Art," has been well-attended. Major components of a half-million-dollar renovation project have been completed, including a window-wall view of the Winifred Lutz garden installation in the main building and a six-bedroom artist residence on Taylor Street, two blocks away. Audience development programming has resulted in a 10 percent increase in attendance in the past year and a 21 percent membership increase over two years. To aid the goal of long-term financial stability, an earned income committee was established. LAST YEAR: No. 18
18. Marilyn Coleman
AGE: 47 CLAIM TO FAME: Small and mid-sized arts groups had even more reason to be grateful for the tireless Coleman and her dedicated staff last year. ProArts, which provides technical assistance and marketing services to small-budget arts groups, launched ArtSource, the only arts calendar in Allegheny County that lists the events of both large and small groups. In addition, ProArts' ticket service was expanded to sell tickets for 36 groups, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts chose ProArts as the local administrator of a new funding program. Along the way, ProArts continued to provide basic services that, were they to disappear, would leave small arts organizations struggling and leave Pittsburgh with a less vibrant and diverse arts scene. LAST YEAR: No. 29
19. Cynthia Kernick
AGE: 48 CLAIM TO FAME: It took two years and 4,200 hours of pro bono work, but in early 2000, Kernick won a federal lawsuit on behalf of the family of Charles "Teenie" Harris, the late Pittsburgh Courier photographer who captured African-American life in mid-20th-century Pittsburgh. Settlement of the lawsuit required that Harris' negatives, which had been controlled by a businessman, be returned to the Harris family. As a result, the Westmoreland Museum of American Art this spring staged a major Harris exhibition and filmmaker Kenneth Love made a documentary about Harris, who died in 1998 and now is considered one of the country's important African-American photographers. Kernick, a lawyer with Reed Smith, says she considers herself "very, very blessed" to have worked on the case. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
20. Robin Fernandez
AGE: 45 CLAIM TO FAME: Where did Richard Gere go for fun when he was in town filming "The Mothman Prophecies"? Where could you find 'N Sync and Britney Spears hanging out with Motley Crue's Tommy Lee? At M (formerly Metropol). In an era when club entertainment is becoming increasingly more franchised, M and the adjoining Rosebud remain an independent jewel in the crown of the Strip. This year, Metropol changed its name and updated its image. Both clubs remain key venues for dancing, concerts (some promoted by Fernandez's Next Big Thing Productions) and benefits. LAST YEAR: Same
21. Van Kaplan
AGE: 44 CLAIM TO FAME: With an annual budget of more than $8 million and a seven-show mainstage season, a large academy, the Kelly Awards, original touring school musicals and other outreach programs, the CLO is the biggest theater in town. A year ago, Kaplan launched a national tour of "Barry Manilow's Copacabana" that proved disappointing, but he's back at it this year in a more limited way, mounting a summer tour of an American premiere, "Casper The Musical," complete with Chita Rivera. Kaplan continues as president of the National Alliance of Musical Theater Producers. LAST YEAR: No. 22
22. Anti-Flag
BAND MEMBERS: From left: Chris Barker, Pat Thetic, Chris Head, Justin Sane. CLAIM TO FAME: With sales of 1999's "A New Kind of Army" pushing 50,000, Pittsburgh's highest-profile punk-rock institution ever hit the Billboard "Independent Albums" chart at No. 23 in May with "Underground Network," its first release on San Francisco-based Fat Wreck Chords. Last year, Anti-Flag was hand-selected to open a series of arena dates for fellow political rockers Rage Against the Machine. Says Rage guitarist Tom Morello, "They are a fantastic band that combines the passion and politics of the Clash with a uniquely American punk-rock populist soul." Anti-Flag also has done the Warped Tour as a mainstage act and toured with Less Than Jake, in addition to mounting its own headlining tours. LAST YEAR: Newcomers
23. Marty Ashby
AGE: 40 CLAIM TO FAME: Ashby oversees the jazz education program and concerts series at the Guild and recently got national distribution for the Grammy-winning MCG Jazz label, which has released records by the likes of Paquito D'Rivera, Ivan Lins and the Count Basie Orchestra. On tap for late summer is a Nancy Wilson Christmas record he produced with his brother Jay, featuring members of the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band. Ashby performs in and was involved in the making of the A&E "Biography " program on Dizzy Gillespie. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
24. Ellsworth Brown
AGE: 58 CLAIM TO FAME: The corporation Brown runs includes The Carnegie Museum of Art, The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, The Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Science Center and the Car-negie Library. Under Brown's watch, more than $14 million was raised last year for programming and operational support of these institutions. An ongoing project to assess and redefine the use of space in each facility was completed, resulting in architectural master plans and guidelines. Amid some controversy, the second round of conceptual presentations for the new science center took place. Brown also hired Bill De Walt to replace Jay Apt as the director of the Museum of Natural History. LAST YEAR: No. 17
25. Dawn Keezer
AGE: 36 CLAIM TO FAME: Luring Richard Gere to your town never hurts, which is why Keezer has rebounded on this roster. Filmmakers were happy to credit Keezer with convincing them "The Mothman Prophe-cies," starring Gere and Laura Linney, had to be filmed in southwestern Pennsylvania locations. While Keezer lost her funding from the county hotel-room tax, she has kept her office afloat -- thanks largely to state grants and a series of fund-raisers culminating in an Oscar gala that raised $100,000. As head of Film US, she's leading the battle to keep production in the United States. LAST YEAR: No. 35
26. Janet McCall
AGE: 48 CLAIM TO FAME: Under McCall's guidance, the society, in its 30th year, is well on the way to achieving its goal of parity with similar national venues, such as New York's Amer-ican Craft Museum and the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery. Last month, a grand reopening celebrated renovations that increased the size of the facility from 7,000 to 16,000 square feet. Included is a 4,000-square-foot education center that will begin adult classes and workshops this month. Along with this expansion has come added staff. To support all this, funding has come from national sources as well as local agencies. A capital campaign, initially set at $1.5 million, is in the individual giving phase and close to completion at a revised $1.6 million. LAST YEAR: No. 38
27. Jon Rinaldo/Mike Elko
AGES: 32/39 CLAIM TO FAME: As New York-based SFX tightens its stranglehold on local entertainment, two independent promoters who actually live here, Rinaldo, left, and Elko, haven't budged. In fact, they've expanded into bigger venues. When Elko booked Ani DiFranco into the A.J. Palumbo Center, the concert sold out. Rinaldo formed a temporary partnership with Belkin Entertainment out of Cleveland, bringing Eminem and Dr. Dre to the Mellon Arena. In his 15th year of bringing touring acts to Pittsburgh, Elko books more venues in the market than any promoter -- SFX included. While the bulk of what Rinaldo does is based at Club Laga in Oakland -- bringing in such up-and-comers as the Donnas, Macy Gray, Jurassic 5 and Grandaddy -- he's doing more at Club Cafe and the 31st Street Pub. Elko's recent claims to fame include DiFranco, Guided by Voices, Susan Tedeschi, John Prine and a solo gig by former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus. LAST YEAR: Nos. 33/48
28. Laura WillumsenExecutive director, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
AGE: 45 CLAIM TO FAME: In recognition of the fact that it's an artist-founded organization, the PCA has intensified its focus on ways to "support and promote the regional artist community." This year, a retrospective exhibition, "Artist of the Year: 50 Years," honored all past participants in the prestigious exhibition. The "Pittsburgh Biennial" was a showcase for 19 others. The founding of an Artists-in-Community project to aid center artists working in schools led to the state's appointment of the center as its Arts in Education Partner for Southwestern Pennsylvania. The excellence of curator Vicky Clark's programming was acknowledged by the Warhol Foundation, New York, with a two-year $50,000 grant. Willumsen is an advisory committee member of Duquesne University's Nonprofit Leadership Institute, secretary and board member of the Homewood-based Afro-American Music Institute and chairwoman of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Alliance Breakfast Buddies group. Over the past year, the PCA's earned revenue increased 9 percent, net assets increased by approximately $1 million within a budget of $2.6 million, and public support increased 70 percent. LAST YEAR: No. 26
29. Gray Montague
AGE: 37 CLAIM TO FAME: It took only one season for Mont-
ague to show his true colors: He took a populist approach to luring subscribers with tried-and-true attractions like Mikhail Baryshnikov, the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Next year, Montague will go out on a limb with seven performers new to Pittsburgh (several with premieres). LAST YEAR: No. 39
30. T.J. Lubinsky
AGE: 29 CLAIM TO FAME: He's not even 30, but Lubinsky
has the musical taste of a 55-year-old, and that taste has become a profit center for WQED. Last month, he oversaw taping of "Rock, Rhythm and Doo Wop" at the Benedum, the third and final concert special for PBS (earlier editions raised record amounts of money). That followed a busy year in which he debuted a series, "The WQED Oldies Drive-In," that showcases performances by rockers of the '50s and '60s culled from old live television appearances. In September, he began hosting "Oldies in the Spotlight" (11 p.m. Sundays) on WWSW-FM (94.5). And in February, he produced "The Sounds of Pittsburgh," a documentary that combined new interviews with classic clips. At this rate, he may yet convince us Pittsburgh deserves to be called "oldies capital of the world." LAST YEAR: Newcomer
31. David Jobin
AGE: 38 CLAIM TO FAME: Longtime artistic director Marc Masterson (No. 15 last year) left for his new job last fall, but City has had a strong season -- artistically and at the box office -- thanks to interim leadership by core staff, board and Jobin. Having helped guide CLO through a similar transition, "I think I had a calming effect," he says. "People would be surprised how smoothly it's gone. I don't think the staff was aware of how good they are." Two years ago, City staged six shows; next season, it will be nine. In that same time, subscription income has doubled. Its small Hamburg Studio Theater is now used or rented 52 weeks of the year; its mainstage, all but two weeks. Jobin says City "had to become more professional" when the Public moved into its new Downtown home: This new professionalism "starts as soon as you enter the door." New artistic director Tracy Brigden, who makes her bow tomorrow at City's gala, takes over a flourishing company. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
32. Linda Benedict-Jones
AGE: 54 CLAIM TO FAME: In her second year, Benedict-Jones continues to raise the bar for visitors and members as she showcases a medium that is rapidly growing in popularity at museums and among collectors. Her expertise and experience within the photography community -- as well as continuing facility upgrading and grant support -- have snared loans of exhibition gems like the noted George Eastman House's "Digital Frontiers." Most significant was an exhibition of one-of-a-kind Ansel Adams images, which came out of her former affiliation with Polaroid (she was curator of the Polaroid Collection in Cambridge, Mass.), and had a record center attendance of almost 4,000. An education/membership coordinator position was created, and membership has almost tripled in the past two years. LAST YEAR: No. 37
33. Judith O'Toole
AGE: 47 CLAIM TO FAME: Since O'Toole took the reins of this small, refined museum in 1993, expanding audience and programming have been priorities. The current exhibition on the late photographer Teenie Harris has drawn crowds and national media attention. Wanting to reach beyond the visual arts, the museum formed The Jazz Society three years ago and attendance at its programs has reached capacity. Numerous awards have been received, including in the past month the NAACP public service award and one from the Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations in recognition of the museum's campaign for enriching the public experience. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
34. George Miles
AGE: 59 CLAIM TO FAME: In 2000, Miles saw the proposed sale of WQEX evaporate when Cornerstone TeleVision pulled out of a complicated three-way deal that also involved Pax TV. But then Miles struck a new deal predicated on a proposal that's now before the FCC (change the station's status from educational to commercial) and a new potential buyer: Diane Sutter's ShootingStar Inc. Whether this "Plan C" comes to fruition remains in question, but it's another attempt for Miles to do what he loves best: "Move the institution forward." On the downside, the sometimes amateurish magazine show "On Q" isn't living up to its potential, garnering little interest from viewers. LAST YEAR: No. 25
35. Chatham Baroque
MEMBERS: Julie Andrijeski and Emily Davidson (baroque violins), Patricia Halverson, (viola da gamba); Scott Pauley, (theorbo, baroque guitar) CLAIM TO FAME: In the 10 years since this quartet was founded, it has moved to the national forefront as a proponent of period dance music while invigorating the local early music scene. It has used a seven-CD contract with Dorian Recordings to promote a buoyant style of play and to reintroduce long-forgotten music to the world. Through international and national tours, in local concerts and with a preschool program, "Peanut Butter & Jam Sessions," Chatham Baroque spreads its joy of playing everywhere. It has received a Chamber Music America Residency Matching Grant and was named Best New Classical Artist, '99 by NPR. LAST YEAR: Newcomers
36. Barry Hannegan
AGE: 65 CLAIM TO FAME: Formerly PHLF's director of historic landscape preservation, Hannegan took on an expanded role and new title this year, acknowledging his involvement with a wide range of design decisions that have an impact on the historic fabric of Allegheny County. A member of the Urban Design Committee of the Pittsburgh Riverlife Task Force, Hannegan proposed this weekend's charrette (design workshop) on the redesign of Point State Park. He also organized PHLF's current competition for the redesign of eight Pittsburgh public spaces. LAST YEAR: No. 31
37. Ken Gargaro
AGE: 51 CLAIM TO FAME: Last September, when Gargaro Pro-ductions was re-christened Pitts-burgh Musical The-ater, Pittsburgh's second largest producer of popular musical theater was restructuring its internal staff, redoubling its solicitation efforts and launching an unconventional season of pop-music musicals. Since then, the company has steadied a bit. Founder Gargaro has delegated administrative duties to company stalwart Gavan Pamer, and Amy Heathcott has settled in as business manager. Gargaro is still a multitasking machine, serving as producer, artistic director, musical conductor and dean of the nonprofit's large school, the Richard E. Rauh Conservatory. "We still have in our vision [the goal of finding] someone to be a full-time managing director," says Gargaro, "but we've got things under control. Things are working." LAST YEAR: No. 32
38. Gary Kaboly
AGE: 48 CLAIM TO FAME: Kaboly books low-budget independent and foreign films into the Harris and Regent Square theaters and the Melwood Screening Room, all operated by Pittsburgh Film-makers. On Sunday nights, he offers older films on a specific theme, usually related to a particular genre or director. He also chooses the movies for the annual Three Rivers Film Festival. LAST YEAR: No. 36
39. Ronald Allan-Lindblom
AGE: 47 CLAIM TO FAME: The college's performing arts program continues to expand, fueling a hectic performance schedule in the historic, sprawling Playhouse. Allan-Lindblom has brought more adventuresome programming to both Playhouse Jr. and the undergraduate company. Having commissioned and staged a new play by Tammy Ryan, the professional company, Playhouse Rep, continues in its aggressively non-naturalistic style. Only audiences have been lacking. LAST YEAR: No. 30
40. Manny Theiner
AGE: 32 CLAIM TO FAME: It could be argued that the cutting edge in music in Pittsburgh is defined by Theiner's presence at the door. Last year, Theiner ended a 10-year affiliation with the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble but continues a commitment to avant-garde jazz. "I think it's the most important thing I do here," he says. Among the more significant shows this past year, Theiner cites Blonde Redhead, Peter Brotzman, Sorrow and a three-day Ultrasoniq Festival that focused on experimental electronic music. In addition to booking U.S. tours -- nonprofit -- for experimental groups from overseas, Theiner trumpets independent music in the pages of In Pittsburgh and releases music on his label, Pop Bus/SSS, whose most recent releases include a 7-inch single by Pittsburgh's Meisha and one by Japanese noise group MSBR. LAST YEAR: Rebounder; on the list previously in 1997 at No. 42
41. Andrew Paul
AGE: 31 CLAIM TO FAME: PICT, just 4 years old, has grown to occupy the City Theatre mainstage with quality productions of English language classics and new plays from Ireland, including, this year, such ambitious stuff as "The Cripple of Inishmaan" and "Portia Coughlan." Paul and company manager Stephanie Riso have just taken a major step, forging a contractual agreement with Actors Equity, only the sixth such in Pittsburgh. LAST YEAR: No. 50
42. Karla Boos
AGE: 39 CLAIM TO FAME: Quantum Theatre isn't homeless. It's an unconventional site-specific company that produces in strange places -- a museum basement, a cherry orchard, construction sites -- because that's where founder Boos wants them. It isn't even technically a company; it's Boos as producer, director and/or actor hiring colleagues and special guests for unusual theatrical projects. Since Quantum launched its first subscription season last year, Boos has left her day job to run it full time. The nonprofit, she says, has doubled in size of operating budget, community profile and ticket sales. This season's series has expanded to five shows. LAST YEAR: No. 34
43. Al Dowe
AGE: 55 CLAIM TO FAME: A little more than a year after opening his posh night spot, Dowe has nurtured a venue for jazz that's bold, visible and in some ways rivals those of New York and New Orleans. He presents a rotating roster of respected acts nightly, from local favorites to big names, and the music ranges from traditional jazz to salsa. This year, he introduced the "Dinner Theater" every Monday and started the Cotton Club Revisited. Now, if he could just start serving some Louisiana-style red beans and rice. LAST YEAR: One to Watch
44. Jen Saffron
AGE: 31 CLAIM TO FAME: These days, getting college students interested in the arts takes energy, creativity and a keen understanding of Generation Y. Saffron may be a few years out of college, but she's got all that. As a result, the program she runs has become a resource for Pitt students who want to try out local arts events. PittArts offers students free tickets, a bus ride to the theater, lectures, dinners, backstage tours and meet-the-artist receptions. Last year, 18,000 free or discounted tickets were distributed. Saffron's also got the respect of local arts groups, which are trying to attract younger patrons. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
45. Jonathan Eaton
AGE: 46 CLAIM TO FAME: Eaton's wide-ranging vision of what makes opera has brought a freshness to the local scene since he arrived last year to run both Opera Theater and also the CMU opera department. A hastily assembled Kurt Weill festival brought striking productions of "Der Jasager" and "Die Burgschaft," and he recently staged a genre-bending "mechanical" opera, "Limbus." Occasionally, Eaton has overbooked show performances, leading to low attendance and a reduced sense of event. But his artistic presence -- needed to shake up a largely conservative operatic town -- has certainly been felt in a short time. LAST YEAR: One to Watch
46. Tom Megalis
AGE: 41 CLAIM TO FAME: Two of his short films were exhibited this year at the Sundance Film Festival. Megalis has written a pilot episode for a proposed late-night comedy series on the FX cable channel and is negotiating for a pilot on Comedy Central. He creates animated pieces for shows on Nickelodeon and has lent his voice to animated characters. He makes a weekly comedy appearance on Jim Krenn's morning radio show on WDVE-FM. LAST YEAR: One to Watch
47. Rusted Root
BAND MEMBERS: From left: Michael Glabicki, John Buynak, Jenn Wertz, Patrick Norman, Liz Berlin, Jim DiSpirito, Jim Donovan, CLAIM TO FAME: Pittsburgh's biggest-selling band surprised fans by regrouping last summer after nearly a year off to play a sold-out benefit for the Midwife Center for Birth and Women's Health. They went on to play a small-college tour, open shows for the Allman Brothers and perform in a sold-out four-night stand at the Beehive in February. This month Root is beginning work on a new album for Island/Def Jam. Currently, the band's total sales are inching toward 3 million. LAST YEAR: Rebounder; on the list previously in 1998 at No. 40
48. Meg Cheever
AGE: 52 CLAIM TO FAME: Since launching the parks conservancy in 1996, Cheever hasn't let the grass grow under her feet. This year, she helped oversee, in partnership with the city Planning Department, the recently completed master plans for the city's four major parks: Schenley, Highland, Riverview and Frick. She also completed the first of four "showcase" projects (one for each park): the $475,000 restoration of architect John Russell Pope's rustic gatehouse at Frick Park's Homewood Avenue entrance. Under way is the $1 million-plus restoration of the Schenley Park nature center and its renovation into a visitors' center. LAST YEAR: No. 44
49. Evelynn Hawkins
AGE: 50 CLAIM TO FAME: As music director and daytime host for public station WDUQ, Hawkins plays a major role in shaping the sound of the city's only jazz station. She's active on the national jazz scene as well, serving on panels at the JazzTimes Convention, Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, Duke Ellington National Conference, Charlie Parker Symposium and the Society for American Music. She was a guest host at the 2000 Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival. Hawkins also is a strong supporter of the community, giving time to several organizations, including the monthly "Jazz at Emmanuel" services at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, North Side. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
50. Vivian Loftness
AGE: 49 CLAIM TO FAME: As an adviser to high-profile architectural competitions for expansions to the convention center and Carnegie Science Center, architect Loft-ness has played a significant role in shaping the dialogue around each project, consistently championing responsive and responsible design. Head of CMU's architect department since 1994, Loftness is an international leader, in partnership with CMU architecture professor (and husband) Volker Hartkopf, in the area of evaluating building performance for a range of building types, including museums, research laboratories, courthouses and offices. LAST YEAR: Newcomer
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