The Ides of March! What makes that so thrilling? Is it just "Julius Caesar" in high school? (My computer wants to correct it to "Ideas of March"; it's thinking basketball.)

And tomorrow is the end of the six weeks of winter Punxsutawney Phil predicted we would not have. Was he right? I was away the past week: It was frigid when I left and I read snow bulletins in the online PG, but it was sure pretty when I woke up in my own bed Tuesday morning. Maybe we brought London's spring weather back with us.

I returned just in time for a big weekend, with openings at City, Public and Playhouse Rep, plus Stage Right's "Tommy" in Greensburg.

I'm psyched.

London

As an experiment, I sent back daily entries and pictures for a London Diary, posted in my On Stage Journal at post-gazette.com/theater/onstage. I don't know if anyone read it, but it was fun to do -- though I can see evidence of exhaustion from leading the PG theater group, seeing plays, journal-writing and going to pubs and museums.

Buried in the March 8 entry is a quiz. Gillian, our London Walks guide to Westminster, trotted out these famous Churchillian retorts: "madam, tomorrow morning when I wake up, I'll be sober"; "if I were your husband, I'd drink it"; and "come back, I didn't know there was a choice." Can anyone (without benefit of Google) supply the set up for each?

High School Musicals

Our master list (some are already past) is now up to 115, listed three ways -- chronologically and alphabetically by school and show. But this does not mean that I have addresses or phone numbers for all those schools, so please don't ask; go to the Web or call information.

And don't be offended that I can't come see your school's show. I'm going to just five this year, extending my totals (to date) of 71 high school musicals reviewed in 15 years at 45 different schools.

Note, also, that the Post-Gazette doesn't "rank" musicals: that's the CLO's Gene Kelly Awards, on which we report. But we do keep up a steady stream of previews in the suburban editions, accessible on the High School Musicals Web page (link at A&E or Theater.)

High school musicals are wonderful. It's only the adults who sometimes make fools of themselves, just as in high school sports.

Pittsburgh Playwrights

The Staged Reading Series continues with a different play (or short plays) every day at the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, mezzanine level, 542 Penn Ave., around the corner from Heinz Hall; 8 p.m. unless noted; suggested donation $3-$5; info 412-288-0358.

Week Three

March 15: Scott Sickles, "Moonlight & Love Songs." March 16: J.P. Nickles, "Dibbs." March 17: Michael Swartz, "Rose." March 18: (3 p.m.) Sue Danks, "Benjamin Franklin" and "Hall of Famers"; (7 p.m.) J.R. Hall, "The Chimes of War."

Week Four

March 19: Amy Hartman, "Mad Honey." March 20: Christina Kukucka, "The Sisters of Zivena." March 21: Denise Pullen, "Switched at Birth," and Mel Packer, "Ramblings (1a)." March 22: James McManus, "Cherry Smoke." March 23: Tammy Ryan, "Pig." March 24: Brandon Siple, "The Art of Paring (1a)"; (9 p.m.) Rebecca Gorman, "South Star." March 25: (3 p.m.) Bob Gorczyca, "The Tree Grows Strong"; (7 p.m.) Corey Rieger, "Job."

The call board

The Duquesne University Medieval and Renaissance Players will present the famous "Gammer Gurton's Needle," tonight through Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Father Sean Hogan Dining Hall in Towers Dormitory.

Bricolage presents the first of its 2007 Staged Reading Performance Series: Christine Evans' "Weightless," a "darkly absurdist political satire about the cost of living high above the rest of the world." Jason Nodler directs Jett Canary, Deb Gordon, Dana Hardy, Matt Henderson and Varian Huddleston; March 18 and 19, 8 p.m., 937 Liberty Ave., Downtown; free, but reservations at 412-381-6999; www.webbricolage.org.

The bottom line

Paid admissions at city's pro theaters for the week ending March 11:

Doubt/Benedum (54%) ...... 12,423

LifeX3/Public (69%) ............. 2,073

Mezzulah/City (59%) ............... 606

Catechism/City (79%) ............. 411

Forb.BwaySVU/CLO (32%) ...... 422

Asparagus/Open (120%) ........ 189