Joseph Morrison, who booked films and managed the Hollywood Theater in Dormont, is the new director of programming for Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and began work this week.
Mr. Morrison, 52, of Wilkins Township, served as director of operations for PF/PCA from 2000 to 2010. After earning a film degree in 1989 from Temple University, he was a production supervisor for Pittsburgh Community Television. He also has done film production as a director and grip and taught classes in video at Pittsburgh Filmmakers.
Mr. Morrison’s task will be to present interesting films at the 284-seat Regent Square Theater on South Braddock Avenue in the city’s East End and at the 100-seat Harris Theater on Downtown’s Liberty Avenue. Since February 2017, the Harris and the Regent Square Theater have had limited screenings. The Regent Square Theater was closed for at least five months in 2017 after a bulb failed in a projector.
Dan Demicell, interim executive director of PF/PCA, said Mr. Morrison will increase the quantity and quality of films presented at both theaters.
Yasmeen Ariff-Sayed, president of the board of PF/PCA called the two theaters “community treasures.”
“We see tremendous opportunity to revitalize these two properties, with physical improvements, ... as well as more robust programming. Joseph will be instrumental in this process and we are delighted to welcome him back to the PF/PCA family,” Ms. Ariff-Sayed.
Mr. Morrison, whose programs at the Hollywood Theater sometimes featured a screening followed by lively discussions, is enthusiastic about his new duties.
“I’m really looking at ways to engage the public. People still like going to the movies. They like seeing each other. They like being with like minded folks in a place where they can talk, be heard and be listened to,” Mr. Morrison said.
The announcement was good news for a nonprofit that has struggled under the weight of a $500,000 debt, shed staff for the past three years and, in May, cancelled its fall classes at Pittsburgh Filmmakers. Also in May, PF/PCA announced it would sell its 32,000-square foot building on Melwood Avenue in Oakland. In July, the organization’s executive director, Germaine Williams, resigned after 15 months on the job and Mr. Demicell was hired. PF/PCA is consolidating the organization by moving to the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, a yellow mansion at Fifth and Shady avenues.
In a letter sent Wednesday, Ms. Arrif-Sayed said the Oakland building at 477 Melwood Ave. was “underutilized, presented considerable financial challenges and, as our educational offerings evolved away from servicing the needs of our local universities, the economics of a property of that size no longer made sense. “
Mr. Morrison believes a recent resurgence in fascinating documentaries is an opportunity to attract new audiences. He cited three examples -— “Three Identical Strangers,” “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and “RGB.”
“Those are all arthouse films. There’s a resurgence in arthouse films going on and I plan to take full advantage of it,” Mr. Morrison said.
M.A. Jackson, a former Hollywood Theater board member, said Mr. Morrison made that Dormont venue, “a destination for film geeks and people who wanted more than the same old, same old Hollywood superhero movie.”
“Joe brought a lot of funky films to the Hollywood that were not showing anywhere else in the Pittsburgh area, which is why — before the takeover — the Hollywood had more than 16,000 Facebook followers and thousands signed up for its weekly e-newsletter. Joe brought in some amazing documentaries about musicians and introduced a great horror festival that the Hollywood was doing in January. Thanks to Joe, the Hollywood got The Mads, from Mystery Science Theater 3000,” Ms. Jackson added.
The Mads are a comedy team made up of Trace Beaulieu and Frank Coniff. The duo appear at screenings of the television series called Mystery Science Theater 3000. Beaulieu and Coniff do live commentary on the shows.
“If anyone in the city could revive the vibrance of the Regent Square and the Harris Theater, it would be Joe Morrison,” said Gary Kaboly, a former PF/PCA employee who managed the Regent Square Theater and programmed it for decades.
Marylynne Pitz at mpitz@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1648 or on Twitter:@mpitzpg
First Published: September 5, 2018, 9:46 p.m.