In the Wings: 8/24/06
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Bricolage rocks
The young company's six-month Staged Reading Series (based at 937 Liberty Ave.) is now complete, with the online poll under way to determine which of the six will get a full production next year. (To vote, send a query to tami@webbricolage.org.)
I'd say the series got stronger in audience appeal as it went along, though I admit I missed two of the early shows. The fourth show, "Chicks with D!%ks," was a funny, ribald assault -- I'm not sure I need to see it fully staged, it was already so in-your-face electric. The fifth, David Turkel's "Key to the Field," was a surreal enigma, full of strong writing; I'd love to see it further developed, so it gets my vote.
This past weekend saw the sixth and last, "SCarrie!! The Musical" ("a tale of love, menstruation and telekinetic revenge"), a rollicking, raunchy parody of the Stephen King novel, better known through the movie than the notorious flop Broadway musical. Matt Morrow directed a very funny cast of Marcus Stevens (Carrie in drab drag), Chris Laitta (lesbian gym teacher), Ted Hoover (Carrie's religious obsessive mom), J.D. Daw (hunk Tommy), Theo Allen (witchy Chris), Seth Cassell (her horny guy), Dereck Walton (nerdiest school principal on the planet), Sara Canter (sweet Sue) and Christina Cataldo and Tiffany Hickman (Chris' two sidekicks). Doug Levine led a strong four-piece combo.
This, too, was more performance than reading. It was the liveliest, funniest Monday night since ... well, "Chicks."
Kudos also to the audience. Artistic director Jeff Carpenter and managing muscle Tami Dixon dreamed up the hottest small theater event of the summer, and a jazzed-up audience heavy on theater people responded with enthusiasm.
Who's afraid of "Virginia Woolf"?
Playhouse Rep was to follow its season-opening "The Real Thing" with Edward Albee's play; Greg Lehane was to direct John Shepard and Laurie Klatcher as George and Martha, the parents of us all. But suddenly the rights have been withdrawn: Kathleen Turner is going to tour in her recent Broadway/London hit revival, and she's coming to Washington, D.C., which is close enough to trump the Playhouse's plans.
It just doesn't make any sense.
No word yet on what the Rep will schedule in its place. But single tickets for the season just went on sale. If you go to the box office, check out the new (and long-anticipated) cafe in the Playhouse lobby, which was given a nice launch on Aug. 8. (Good coffee!)
The call board
Pittsburgh New Works Festival's 16th season continues its warm-ups with a second evening of free seated readings, Sunday at 7 p.m. at Dowe's on Ninth: Michael Wolfson's "The Art of Seduction" (directed by Jenine Peirce for Saints Productions), Dennis Boutsikaris' "The Party" (directed by Jeffrey Chips) and Jan O'Connor's "S.O.U.L.S. Inc." (David Minniefield for Theatre Factory).
By the way, Theatre Factory is holding auditions Sept. 6 for its own "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" -- which sounded like "Virginia Woolf" overload, until word came from the Playhouse (above). Will Theatre Factory lose its rights, too?
Here's another duplicate in the offine: Quantum just completed its successful "The Crucible" in Mellon Park, and Prime Stage is holding auditions for its own "Crucible" this weekend at the New Hazlett Theater; Nona Gerard will direct, which is great news. "The Crucible" will open Prime Stage's 10th season at the New Hazlett, Oct. 28-Nov. 5.
Jude Pohl reports huzzahs for Gorman Lowe's show at the Holiday Inn, Green Tree. He says "every night has been like a reunion" -- recent audiences have included Phyllis Stern (twice), Barbara Russell, Leslie Brockett (at a Jude Pohl show!), Joy and Joanne Pasquinelli, Karen Prunzcik (who danced with Gorman in the finale), Chuck Aber and Demetria Mellott.
Linda Escalera Baggs' "Harps and Harmonicas," running through Sept. 3 at the Mountain Playhouse in Jennerstown, is the first winning play from the theater's International Comedy Playwriting Contest to make its world premiere at the gristmill theater. That was to be the season finale, but two shows have now been added: Barbara Russell's "Looking Both Directions" (Sept. 20-Oct. 1) and "Sister Rita Mary's Bingo Extravaganza" (from the creators of "Late Nite Catechism"), Oct. 4-15.
Thank You, Felix is back at Bloomfield's Brillobox with Sam Shepard's great '70s play, "Fool for Love," with Adam Kukic directing Erica Highberg and Tony Bingham. But don't blink: it runs just next week, Aug. 29-Sept. 3.
Theater online
I'm just back from vacation and there's far too much news for In the Wings, so take a look at my revived On Stage Journal at www.post-gazette.com/theater.
City Theatre news
"Opus," the drama about a string quartet which had its world premiere at City and Philadelphia's Arden Theatre, has been nominated for seven Barrymore Awards, Philly's Tony. Individuals nominated are author Michael Hollinger, director Terrence Nolen, supporting actress Erika Cuenca and sound designer Jorge Cousineau. The awards are Oct. 23.
City no sooner announced "Late Nite Catechism 2" would close Sept. 3 than the box office was flooded with calls, so it's been extended again, to Sept. 24. Kim Richards is back as Sister, though a medical procedure kept her out of Bricolage's "SCarrie" -- she was at Monday's reading, admiring Chris Laitta's work in "her" role.
Tere Johns reports
The peripatetic Pittsburgh star-tracker (is she ever here?) logged the following celebs at the Broadway opening of "Martin Short's Fame Becomes Me" (which she calls, "Martin Short meets Forbidden Broadway"): Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Jerry Seinfeld (selected from the audience to participate in the show!), Bernadette Peters, Robert Kennedy Jr., Katie Couric, Chevy Chase, Lauren Bacall, Nathan Lane, Alec Baldwin, Craig Bierko, Paul Shaffer, Eugene Levy, Larry David, Kristen Johnson, Billy Crystal, Michael Feinstein, Phyllis Newman, Pittsburgh's Rob Ashford, Kathleen Marshall (who did some uncredited directing for the show) and her parents, plus "so many more. I think [Tere says] I was the only audience member who wasn't a celebrity."
The bottom line
Paid admissions at city's pro theaters for the week ending Aug. 20. Note that the following percentages set some sort of coincidence record:
Forbidden Broadway/CLO (63%) ............. 981
Crucible/Quantum (93%) ................... 793
Endgame/PICT (93%) ....................... 653
Late Nite Catechism 2/City (63%) ......... 464
Pandora's Box duo (37%) .................. 268
-- Post-Gazette theater editor Christopher Rawson can be reached at crawson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1666.
First Published August 24, 2006 12:00 am
