Week 2 of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival starts with a simmer and ends with a bang. With new plays, sometimes you get to find out along with the playwright what works on stage and what doesn't.

In Jacob Appel's "The Mistress of Wholesome," produced by The Summer Company, what works best is the quirky characters. Appel creates a smarter-than-she-seems wife who shows some moxie when confronted with her husband's off-kilter mistress and a beleaguered adoption agent who probably shouldn't be in charge of anything, let alone babies.

The dialogue is less interesting and, in its attempts at silliness, flat and unrealistic. It's not helped by weak performances from Thalia Snyder, as the wife, who leaves dead pauses between lines, and Susan Moran, as the mistress, who's hard to hear and gasps her words in a stab at breathy ditziness.

James Sievert's "The Hope and Heartbreak of the Day Trader" isn't trying to be silly, but I haven't decided what it is trying to be. It's something about two stockbrokers. One of them can work some magic, like turning back time. She calls it "trading days." There's some warning or lesson offered that may amount to "be careful what you wish for," but Sievert leaves it all frustratingly muddy.

Maybe there's an explanation buried in the inaudible lines by David Santiago. Not true of Kelly Marie McKenna, who stepped into the role of Sophie at the last minute and does a laudable job.

The best play by far is Chris Gavaler's "Man Woman/Hombre Mujer," produced by McKeesport Little Theater. It's a clever exploration of language and how much -- or how little -- we need it.

"Man Woman" is crisply directed by Chuck Penick, who keeps the action moving and has paid attention to the basics, like sightlines and audibility. He has wonderful actors to work with in Trent Wolfred, Jessica Kennedy and Zilda Alvez, who are all delightfully funny and sharp.

It's always good to end on a really high note because, now, who can help but look forward to the next two weeks? Six more plays and who knows what's coming -- that's the fun of the New Works Festival.

-- Anna Rosenstein, for the Post-Gazette

The River City Brass Band members produced a toe-tapping program (literally, with hoofer Shelley Oliver) at the Byham Theater Thursday night.

The "Shall We Dance" program was one of the better efforts from this always engaging group, and it played to just about all of its strengths -- popular selections ("Can Can," "The Three Mendez Polka" for a trio of cornets, a driving "Bill Bailey" finale), entertaining banter from the droll Denis Colwell (who writes his material?), and Lance LaDuke, with his hilarious sing-a-long ("Odin, Isis, Ulun" -- think about it) and expert technique from the players.

RCBB worked Oliver into no less than six selections. The "Stella By Starlight" number was a humdinger, with its percussive exchanges, but "Riverdance" could have used a few Celtic touches.

The real highlights of the night came when RCBB stepped out of the usual brass band box -- the "West Side Story" selections arranged by Eric Cree were top notch

Likewise, the world premiere of David Sanford's "Mongahela 1971," composed in conjunction with Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary. With industrial-strength accents playing in and around flowing musical patterns, a march giving way to looping echoes of a carousel or a religious-like hymn and jazz peacefully coexisting, Sanford captured a sound snapshot that effectively celebrated the diversity of this region.

The last performance will be 3 p.m. tomorrow at Bethel Park High School (1-800-292-7222 or www.rcbb.com).

-- Jane Vranish, Post-Gazette staff writer