For those of us who remember glancing up from the bar and seeing a local band prancing across the tiny stage in aluminum foil fairy wings, it's still a bit of a shock to realize that this year Squonk Opera opened the World Music Festival in South Korea, toured its Broadway show through parts of Europe and premiered its most theatrical performance to date.

		'Squonk Opera's Rodeo Smackdown' Where: Charity Randall Theatre, University of Pittsburgh, Oakland When: 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 5:30 and 9 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; through Oct. 17 Tickets: $20, students $15, 412-624-PLAY

No longer a weirdo bar band, Squonk is a musical concept performance troupe with international exposure and the support of respected funding institutions. That said, they're still yinzers likely to make their own props out of Popsicle sticks and gum bands.

The new show, "Squonk Opera's Rodeo Smackdown," was unveiled in a single performance in June at the Byham Theater. With the help of director Rick Kemp, the less-than-gazelle-like musicians had figured out how to use sparse narration and visual story arc to help propel their musical tales, and had introduced fabulous new singer Christina Maria Acosta in a funny merger of the Greek Minotaur myth and timely political satire.

The first prolonged run of "Squonk Opera's Rodeo Smackdown" opens this week in Oakland in cooperation with the University of Pittsburgh Department of Theatre Arts.