Weekend Mag Feedback: Opportunity to 'Burn'
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Why is it that we have an excellent play with top-notch actors, including a well-known television personality, at a great price, and it's far from sold out?
"Burn This," at the New Hazlett Theater, starring and directed by David Conrad of TV's "Ghost Whisperer," is raw, kinetic and frenetic in its presentation of grief and uneasy love. Pittsburghers have only to travel to the North Side, not all the way to Broadway, to see truly excellent theater, and yet there were so many seats left empty on Sunday it was embarrassing.
Honestly, it ought to be sold out. And the ones who are there should know it's rude to check text messages during the production. The only explanation I can think of is people are still recovering from their Penguins celebrations, and yet, we ought to be able to provide an audience for truly excellent theater.
Abby Morrison
Shadyside
Last Sunday afternoon, my father and I saw the remake of "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3." Sunday night, we watched the original version on television. As I expected, technology has enhanced the newer movie in terms of graphics and chase scenes. The Denzel Washington character also has a bit more depth than the Walter Matthau one. However, the biggest change lay in the language.
The hijackers (led by John Travolta) have a limited vocabulary that primarily consists of profanity. What does this say about today's culture that the film industry, which responds to what the public wants, feels the need to sully a classic movie with foul language?
Ronna L. Edelstein
Oakland
Perhaps from my viewpoint in my 80s, I am opinionated, but "Spring Awakening" at Heinz Hall was obscene.
All a good musical needs is good music, good lyrics, good singing and a simple story -- not explicit sex, profanity and vulgarity. In more than 60 years of theater-going I have attended a multitude of wonderful, entertaining musicals like "Showboat," "Oklahoma," "Camelot," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "A Chorus Line," where I came away humming a tune or with a lingering melody in my head.
Do some of you young people agree or is all lost?
Majorie Jones
Sewickley
First Published June 18, 2009 12:00 am
