Henry Hewes, 1917-2006

	Hewes family photo
	Henry Hewes RELATED COVERAGE On Stage Journal: Honoring Henry Hewes

One of the leading citizens of the American theater died Tuesday. Henry Hewes was theater critic for Saturday Review, 1951-79, the first influential New York critic regularly to review the growing off-Broadway and regional theater movements and the only one to cover all four posthumous premieres of Eugene O'Neill in Sweden.

As a servant of the theater he was instrumental in the origins of Connecticut's O'Neill Theatre Center, American Theatre Critics Association, Theater Hall of Fame (into which he was inducted in 2002), theater at Lincoln Center, expansion of the Pulitzer Prize for drama beyond New York, Tony Award for regional theater, American Theatre Wing's "Working in the Theater" seminars and "Careers in the Theater" videotapes, Maharam theater design awards (now the Hewes Awards) and Drama Desk Awards.

His most repeated witticism was, "I'm sorry for every nasty thing I ever wrote. The fact that I was always right is no excuse." But in truth he was an erudite, funny, compassionate man and a very dear friend. He is survived by Jane, his wife of 61 years; his sons Henry, Tucker and Havelock; six grandchildren; and the institutions he nurtured, artists he encouraged and critics he mentored.

Ted Hoover

Good news from Pittsburgh playwright-critic-actor-producer Ted Hoover. "Welcome Home," his semi-autobiographical adaptation of Durenmatt's "The Visit," will be produced off-off-Broadway by the Unbound Theatre Company, opening Nov. 27 for 12 weeks. Depending on reviews, it's already anticipated to transfer to off-Broadway. There's more information at www.unboundtheatre.org.

They're billing it as a world premiere because it's much revised since it was staged at Pittsburgh's Acting Company in April 1998, starring Joe Schulz and Doug Mertz. Hoover writes: "I've been back and forth to New York over the last year workshopping the play and doing some PR stuff. ... The company now is in the fundraising stage (the budget makes my teeth chatter) and, in fact, I'm attending a big launch/cocktail/fundraising party in the Hamptons at the end of August ... . I usually only get invited to these types of things as the person passing the crudites, so this oughta be pretty funny."

Let's hope this is the breakthrough Hoover deserves.

PICT news

On the opening night of the elegantly comic "Boston Marriage," PICT's Andrew Paul announced that "Endgame" (Aug. 17-Sept. 9), the centerpiece of PICT's BeckettFest ("9 directors, 10 actors, 19 plays"), will be staged in the Charity Randall Theatre with both audience and show on stage -- the empty auditorium serving as backdrop and metaphor.

Paul also announced that PICT has struck a deal with the Cultural Trust, which is presenting the noted "Waiting for Godot" by the Gate Theatre of Dublin, Oct. 18-22. PICT had originally planned its own gala performance of "Godot" to complete its tour of all 19 Beckett plays, but now it will adopt the Gate's second night, Oct. 19.

Shaw Festival trip

I'm just back from my annual PG Critics Choice Tour to the Shaw and Stratford Festivals; reviews will come along soon. But don't wait to sign up for our six-show tour to the Shaw Festival, Sept. 12-15, because it's already three-fourths filled. For details, call Gulliver's Travels, 412-441-3131.

Comings and goings

The sharp-eyed may have noted that the Duquesne Light Co. spokesman quoted in Saturday's PG story about the Oakland power outage was Joseph Vallarian. That's the same Joey Vallarian who just moved on from several years of efficiently handling the media for the Pittsburgh Public Theater. The Duquesne Light spokesman he succeeded moved on to PNC Bank, so I'm sure it's a financially rewarding move. I wish Joey the best of luck. But now I'll have to break in someone new.

Leaving PICT in rather a hurry is marketing associate (p.r.) Michelle Zinger; interim marketing assistant Lisa Grande is being thrown into the breach in the middle of a busy season. Zinger is going to help Pandora's Box, making its debut in August.

Also departed suddenly is CLO p.r. manager Sarah Thurston, replaced by Jamie Phipps.

The Call Board

In the nick of time comes the schedule for Carnegie Mellon's 2006 Summer New Play Festival. These workshop productions of plays by CMU playwrights are at 8 p.m. in the Purnell Center's Rauh Studio Theater, free to the public; for tickets, call 412-268-2407.

Tonight: Jason Williamson, "Goat Song for Asa Jacobs."

Friday: Michael Scotto, "Three Ways to Tie a Noose."

Saturday: James McManus, "Sheena."

July 27: Jonathan Lincoln Auxier, "Shadow Play."

July 28: Matt Schatz, "The Tallest Building in the World."

July 29: Kirby Fields, "In the Sun of Their Absence."

"Violet Sharp," a new play by W&J theater professor William Cameron, deals with the Morrow family servant, a suspect in the 1932 Lindbergh baby kidnapping, who committed suicide. Featuring Theo Allyn, Mark Cox, Rachel Downie, Rob Gorman, Nikki McCrea, Chad McWreath, Mark Yochum and Chip Zelch, it will have a public reading Saturday at 8 p.m. at Wash Arts, 9 West Beau St., Washington, Pa.; 724-222-1475.

The 2006 Drama Desk Awards will air on WQED Sunday at 4 p.m. The two-hour special showcases the 51st annual awards, presented May 21 before a New York theater community audience. Harvey Fierstein hosts and presenters include Harry Connick, Jr., Barbara Cook, Jim Dale, Paige Davis, Fran Drescher, Hallie Foote, Victor Garber, Deborah Gibson, Richard Griffiths, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Cynthia Nixon, Kelli O'Hara and Jonathan Pryce. The Drama Desk Awards are distinctive in including both Broadway and off-Broadway shows.

The bottom line

Paid admissions at city's pro theaters for week ending July 16 :

42nd St./CLO (70%) ....... 13,583

Underpants/Mt.PH (55%) ......... 1,718

Forb.Bway/CLO (47%) .............. 877

Catechism2/City (84%) ............ 800

Bost.Marriage/PICT (98%) ......... 739