• Playwright Jim McManus wrote immediately to say: "A double yoi of sadness from NYC."

• The company of the touring "Drowsy Chaperone" will offer a special revue tonight (Thursday) at the Cabaret at Theater Square at about 10:15 p.m., following the conclusion of their show at the Benedum. It will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative.

(Posted after the show: I went back to see 'Drowsy Chaperone' again Thursday night -- that's how much fun it is -- and I stayed for the cabaret afterward. A small but loving audience had a great time and contributed more than $1,000. I'm too tired to write anything more tonight, but I'll try to post something in my On Stage Jorunal tomorrow.)

• We printed our big schedule Sunday, and as a result several more listings arrived, plus a few corrections. Keep those e-mails coming! The total on the chronological schedule that continues to live on our High School Musicals Web page is now up to 118 shows.

As last year, there are also two additional alphabetical lists online, one by school, the other by name of show. If you're interested in our coverage of high school musicals, you should bookmark the page. You can find it either by going to post-gazette.com/theater and clicking the link at upper left, or going directly to post-gazette.com/theater/hsmusicals.asp.

• A reader writes to find out the average ticket price for Pittsburgh-area high school musicals. (I can't help -- it may shock you, but I usually get free tickets.) She tells me Fox Chapel charges $12, plus $2.46 per ticket for electronic purchasing and a $4 mailing fee. She asks, "Is that in line with other high schools in our area?" I'd like to hear from others about this. And I'll pick the brain of our suburban theater reporter, Kate Luce Angell.

• I still do my regular (well, pretty regular) appearance each Thursday morning on KDKA-TV's "Pittsburgh Today Live," usually between 9 and 9:30. And most weeks I also record a podcast about current theater. The audio program files are loaded on iTunes and posted at post-gazette.com/podcast.

• Soon, we'll announce our spring trip to Broadway, April 30-May 4. The annual Shaw-Stratford trip will be July 9-13 and the Shaw-only trip, Sept. 10-13. You can always get the most timely info by calling Gulliver's Travels, 412-441-3131 (ask for Candi or Jackie). Or you can check the Theater Trips box at post-gazette.com/theater.

• The big month-long August Wilson Century project at Washington's Kennedy Center begins Tuesday. We have a preview story Sunday, in which you'll learn that Pittsburgh actors and directors Tamara Tunie, Montae Russell, Bill Nunn, Todd Kreidler and Derrick Sanders are heavily involved. But if you're hoping to go, you should call Kennedy Center yesterday -- some performances are already sold out.

• City Theatre's "Vagina Monologues" continues through March 9. Then "Late Nite Catechism" will be back for another whack, March 27-April 20. Returning as Sister (surprise!) will be the ineffable Kimberly Richards.

• Lynne Conner, author of "Pittsburgh in Stages," gives a slide-illustrated talk on Pittsburgh theater history, Sat. 3-4 p.m., in 208B Cathedral of Learning, Pitt.

• There's another "Vagina Monologues" at 7 p.m. this Sunday and next, staged by some Clarion grads as a benefit for Pittsburgh Action Against Rape and the women of New Orleans, at Royal Place, Library Road, at the intersection of Routes 51 and 88. For info, contact Allison Wagner at 1-814-931-8997 or vdaypgh@yahoo.com.

• Paid admissions at city's pro theaters for the week ending Feb. 24:

Amadeus/Public (90%) .................. 4,086
Mugabe/Quantum (81%) .................... 610
Vertical Hour/Playhouse Rep ....... not available V.Monologues (40%) ...................... 219