"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

When it was announced last year that the Pittsburgh Public Theater would be performing Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". I knew that I wanted to see it.   I had never seen the play performed, nor had I seen the 1966 film version, but I knew vaguely what it was about, and figured when you get the chance to see a classic American play performed, you grab on to it, so there we were last night in front row seats at the O'Reilly Theater.

The Plot: and older married couple, George and Martha, following a college faculty party (George teaches there, Martha's father is the college president), invite a younger couple, Nick (he's a new faculty member) and Honey, to there home for some post party cocktails and conversation.   It is two o'clock in the morning. What follows is a three hour drunken descent into the living Hell that is the marriage of George and Martha.  

If you want to go to the theater for an uplifting and "feel good" experience, this ain't the play for you.  However, at some point in my formal education, either in high school or college, I recall some teacher saying that good drama is supposed to challenge you to think about what it is you are seeing, and it might even make you uncomfortable on several levels.  Using that criteria, "WAOVW?" hits it out of the park.  Twelve or so hours after seeing it, I'm still not sure what it I that I am supposed to take away from it.  And I know that I will spend time over the next several days researching some critical commentary on the play and pondering its message.

What the play also is is an opportunity for good actors to sink their teeth into some very meaty roles  and deliver bravura performances.  Such was the case in this production starring Daniel Jenkins (George), Tasha Lawrence (Martha), Dylan Marquis Meyers (Nick), and Claire Sabatine (Honey).  They were great in roles that have to be very demanding for an actor.

Seeing the play is also prompting us to seek out and watch the 1966 film version that starred Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, George Segal, and Sandy Dennis, and that was directed by the great Mike Nichols.  Taylor and Dennis won Oscars for their performances and Burton, Segal, Nichols, and the movie itself were also Oscar nominated.  Yep, that's a movie that I want to see, but I think that I'll wait awhile after just seeing the play.

A funny aside.  During one of the intermissions (there are two them over the course of the three hour play), we were chatting about what we were seeing with a young late 20's/early 30's couple sitting next to us.  Had you seen the movie, we asked.  No, they said, and who played the leading roles in the movie, they asked.  When we said "Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton", we could immediately tell that they had absolutely no idea who Taylor and Burton were, never mind George Segal and Sandy Dennis.  Time marches on and fame is fleeting.

Three Stars from The Grandstander for this performance at the PPT, and I will once again say that there is no better venue to see a play anywhere than the O'Reilly Theater.

Two Nights At The Opera

Well, actually, it was two nights at the theater, but the title above is a play on a great Marx Brothers movie, so how can you pass that up?

Yes, twice in a seven day span, we took in a live theatrical performance, both of them straight plays.

The first show was part of the Broadway Pittsburgh series, "To Kill A Mockingham", Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of Harper Lee's landmark 1960 novel.  Just about everyone is familiar with the story of "To Kill A Mockingbird" either because it was assigned reading in high school or because of the 1962 movie that starred Gregory Peck as southern lawyer Atticus Finch.

Sorkin's play was highly acclaimed when it opened on Broadway a few years back, and this touring production was terrific as well.  The story and message of Lee's novel is timeless, and this adaptation is an excellent presentation of that story.  I imagine that it won't be long until high schools will be performing this play  as well.

One of the big hooks of this show was that Richard Thomas, young John-Boy Walton himself, starred as Atticus Finch.  Thomas is now 70 years old.  He looks at least 15 years younger, and was great in the role.  However, as I scanned the Playbill prior to the opening curtain, the name of one actor listed far down in the billing caught my eye: Mary Badham.  The name might be familiar to movie fans.  Badham, who will turn 70 later this year, was nine years old when she earned an Academy Award nomination for playing the role of Scout Finch in the "To Kill A Mockingbird" movie in 1962.  In this production, she played Mrs. Dubose, a crotchety old lady neighbor of the Finches.

Badham virtually retired from acting - IMDB shows only seven credits for her - after two single episode TV roles and two film roles after Mockingbird.  After 1966, she virtually disappeared from the profession when she then appeared in a 2005 and a 2019 featured film, both of which you never heard of.   What has she been doing all these years, what has prompted her to return to spotlight, and why wasn't her involvement in this production publicized in the press as the show came to town?

Four Stars from The Grandstander of this play.

The second show that we saw was an adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Murder On The Orient Express", presented at the O'Reilly Theater by the Pittsburgh Public Theater.  Just about everyone knows the story of MOTOE, if not from the book  then from two excellent movies that have been made of this great mystery.  The play has been pared down for the stage, out notably, eight suspects instead of twelve, but this mystery and the sheer fun of this classic whodunit remains the same.  

Martin Giles, a local Pittsburgh actor and director played the juicy role of Hercule Poirot with great gusto, but the two most interesting members of the cast were two venerable war horses (and I use that term with the utmost respect) of the Pittsburgh theatrical community, actresses Helena Ruoti and Lenora Nemetz.  Both of these women have national credits on their resumes, but they are Pittsburgh natives and based here, and if you have gone to PPT and Pittsburgh CLO productions, you have seen them many times.   Nemetz, who is now 72 years old, was the star of this show.  She played "Mrs Hubbard", the role that was played by Lauren Bacall and Michell Pfeiffer in the film versions, and she stole the show.

The Grandstander gave this one Three Stars.

Just as important as the show itself was being able to return to the Pittsburgh Public Theater and the O'Reilly.   I had not been there since pre-pandemic days when Marilyn and I saw "A Few Good Men" back in 2019.  The O'Reilly Theater remains one of the very best places anywhere to see a play.

As for the Broadway Pittsburgh series, here is how I rank the productions of this 2021-22 Season:

1. Hamilton
2. To Kill A Mockingbird
3. Summer, The Donna Summer Musical
4. Pretty Woman
5. Oklahoma
6. The Band's Visit

The season wraps up in two weeks with "Ain't Too Proud, The Life and Times of the Temptations."

"A Few Good Men"

After a one year absence, Marilyn and I returned to the Pittsburgh Public Theater last night to see their production of Aaron Sorkin's "A Few Good Men."

Before it was a hit movie starring Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, and Demi Moore, "A Few Good Men" was a hit Broadway play, and it was the introduction to the world of talented writer Aaron Sorkin. As is almost always the case, the Public's production was an excellent one.

It runs for two more weeks at the O'Reilly Theater in Pittsburgh, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Four Stars from The Grandstander.

Capsules of Critical Commentary...Two Books, A Play, and a Movie

I have been immersing myself in "The Arts" of late, so today's Critical Commentary will consist of Quickie Capsules of Commentary, served to you in chronological order....

David McCullough's 2011 book "The Greater Journey" tells the tale of expatriate Americans - artists, writers, and medical students - who traveled to Paris in the 19th century to absorb and learn from the culture that was (and remains to this day) that city.  Did you know that Samuel F.B. Morse, before he invented the electric telegraph, was a renowned artist? I didn't, but he was.  I learned a lot about Paris, French history, and American art from reading his book.  (If you decide to read this book, keep your Google Machine handy so you can look up and view some for the many famous paintings about which McCullough writes.  It will add to your enjoyment of the book.) It is a perfect book to read if you are, say, planning on taking trip to Paris in the near future.

Four Stars.

This 1962 Tony Award winning musical is currently being presented by the Pittsburgh Public Theater.  It has been described as the funniest American musical ever written.  I was anxious to see if the humor of a fifty-six year old play would hold up, and I am happy to say that indeed it does.  A con man Roman slave, beautiful courtesans in skimpy outfits, mistaken identity, and a wild chase scene proves that some kind of humor, if presented correctly, is indeed timeless. Another winner from the PPT.

Four Stars.

The newest entry in Jonathan Kellerman's "Alex Delaware" series was released this month, and I got through it only two days.  A horribly disfigured dead body is discovered in a suburban Los Angeles home.  The body can't be identified, and the home owners have no idea why someone would deposit a corpse in their living room.  LA police Lt. Milo Sturgis calls upon his psychologist friend Alex to consult and assist in solving the mystery.  As I said, four hundred pages that will go by in a flash as the whole case is unravelled.

Four Stars.

Yes, we took ourselves out to see the first big blockbuster movie of 2018 today.  I enjoyed the movie a lot.  It's a beautifully filmed movie, beautiful scenery, well acted, has a terrific musical score, and is an exciting story when you put it into the perspective that it's a "comic book, superhero" movie.   Marilyn and I enjoyed it, but we were certainly not in the same thrall of it that many in the theater today were, folks that obviously are more into comic books than are we.  

The movie starred Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'O, Danal Gurira, Angela Bassett, and Forrest Whittaker, Daniel Kaluuya, and Sterling K. Brown, and was directed by Ryan Coogler.  Some critics have said that this will be the best movie of 2018 and said that it was "Shakespearean" in scope.  I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it is a good movie, and well worth seeing.

Three Stars.

"The Humans" at the Pittsburgh Public Theater

Trivia Question: What won the Tony Award for Best Play the year that "Hamilton" won Tony Awards for everything else?

Answer (which you can tell from the photo above): "The Humans" by Steven Karam.

"The Humans" is currently playing at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, and Marilyn and I attended this show last night, and we both liked the play very much.

The concept of the play is not an unusual one for drama.  A family (a mother and father, a grandmother with dementia, two sisters, and one sister's live-in boyfriend) comes together for dinner, Thanksgiving dinner in this case, at the New York City apartment of the Brigid and Rich (the daughter and boyfriend).  All is light and jovial at first, but before long, animosities, some long-buried and some recent, come to the surface, followed by a  lot of "hey-she-knows-I'm-just-kidding" types of comments.  

It is a play that makes you laugh, makes you think, and sometimes makes you uncomfortable, which, I believe, is precisely what good drama is supposed to do.  As always, the production by the PPT is first rate, and the performances of the six actors are all terrific.

An interesting sidelight of this play revolves around the dinner itself.  One of the actors spends much of the time preparing the Thanksgiving meal itself...fixing and serving a vegetable tray, pouring drinks, and, finally, carving a fully cooked turkey.  Our seats were in the first balcony to the right of the stage, right above where the turkey was being carved, and I've got to tell you, it smelled really, really good!  Made us  really hungry as we watched.

"The Humans" at the PPT gets three stars from The Grandstander.

Bouquets, Brickbats, and Other Observations

Cleaning out the Mental In-Box.....

Saw the current Pittsburgh Public Theater's production of "Daddy Long Legs" on Sunday evening.  It might have been one of the very best shows we have ever seen at the PPT, and we have been attending productions there since the 1980's.

The show starred Danielle Bowen and Allan Snyder, both of whom were making their first appearance at the PPT.  One can only hope that they will be appearing there in many future productions.

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Speaking of the PPT, it was announced a few weeks back that Managing Director Ted Pappas would be leaving that position at the end of the 2018 season.  Apparently, it was Pappas' decision to move on, and one can only wish him the best.  In his eighteen years in that position, he has made the PPT one of the true gems in the Pittsburgh cultural scene.  Good luck to the person that the PPT brings in to replace him.  He or she will have some HUGE shoes to fill.

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"Feud: Bette and Jane" continues to be one of the most entertaining series on TV.  The scene on last Sunday's show wherein Joan Crawford, played by Jessica Lange, fires her William Morris Agency agents in one of the great scenes with one of the best lines ever delivered on series television, was an absolute classic.  

If you missed it, go to FX Network On Demand and click on Episode 4 of the series.  The scene I am talking about takes place in the first five minutes of the show - you'll know it when you hear it, believe me - so you won't have to invest a lot of time into it if you are not so inclined.

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And while we are talking about TV series on FX, we are now three episodes into Season Four of "The Americans".  So far, I'm disappointed, and I fear that unless things pick up quickly, we could be talking shark-jumping for what has been a really good series for the first three seasons.

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What was becoming a major embarrassment came to end last night when Duquesne University announced that Kevin Dambrot, late of Akron University, had accepted the position of Head Basketball Coach for the Dukes.  Apparently, Dambrot had originally turned down the job, and then so did everyone else the University approached about the job.  So, they went back to Dambrot and upped the ante considerably (seven years / $7 million), and he said yes.

For those of us who came of age when Duquesne was THE college basketball team in the city, and those of us who did are now all in our sixties and older now, we can only hope that, finally, things may turn around on The Bluff, and that Dukes basketball can be relevant once again.

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So, the NFL lodge brothers approve the relocation of the Raiders from Oakland to Las Vegas by a note of 31-1. The Raiders then say that the actual move won't take place until 2019 or 2020, and that, by the way, the lame duck team will be raising ticket prices for the chumps in Oakland to attend their games.

(Oakland and the State of California would not cough up any public funds for a new stadium for the Raiders.  Vegas and Nevada is forking over $750 million of their residents' tax payments.  Just the way the NFL and other pro leagues like it.)

Mike Wilbon is right: the arrogance and greed of the NFL owners knows no bounds, and the sad part is that those suckers in Oakland will no doubt continue to pony up for tickets when it would serve the Raiders right to play in front of empty houses for their remaining years in the Bay area.

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Has anything been more annoying than the  prominent role being sought out and granted to Lavar Ball, the father of UCLA basketball player Alonzo Ball, and two other hoops' prodigies.  The fact that the Bruins went down to Kentucky in the regional semis last week may have ruined a lot of peoples' bracket pools, but it spared the nation - for now, anyway - any further exposure to Lavar Ball.  By the way, Ball may well be the #1 pick in the NBA draft this summer, but in that game against Kentucky, he wasn't even the second best guard on the floor. Both of those kids from Kentucky were better, for that night at least.

I missed the Kentucky - North Carolina game on Sunday, but was somewhat surprised at the outcome.  I thought that Kentucky was the best team that I had seen play throughout the tournament up to that point.  Not completely surprised, though, because, after all, North Carolina IS North Carolina.

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For what it's worth, I'm calling North Carolina to beat Gonzaga for the Championship come Monday night.  As always, watch but don't bet.  And for the record, the bracket pool that I submitted at the outset of the tournament had UCLA over Arizona in that game.  

Shows you what I know.

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As for the movie scene, last week I pulled to favorites out of the DVD basket here at home, both from director and screenwriter Lawrence Kasden.  From 1981...

and from 1983...

I hadn't watched either one in several years, and both hold up well after all these years and are still terrific movies to watch.

It Was A Busy Weekend....

Some recollections of a busy weekend before it gets too far in the rear view mirror.....

• The weekend began for us on Friday afternoon when we took in the new, heavily promoted Ben Affleck movie, "The Accountant".  It was exciting, it was action packed, and it was somewhat original, and we enjoyed it a lot.  Both Marilyn and I are big fans of Affleck, so we were not disappointed.  However, when you leave the theater and reflect upon it, you can begin to see some of the elephant sized holes that were in the storyline, and you start asking questions like "Well, where did he learn how to do.....?" or "How did he know to go to....?"  You know what I mean.  Don't let that stop you, though, because as I said, it's really entertaining.  Also quote violent, so be forewarned. I give it two and one-half stars.
• Saturday afternoon gave us that amazing 45-31 Pitt victory over Virginia.  After a first half in which neither team could stop the other, a Jordan Whitehead 58 yard interception gave Pitt a 35-28 lead right before halftime.  And then, Pat Narduzzi and the defensive staff made some kind of miraculous adjustments at halftime and stopped UVA cold over the final two quarters.  This has seemed to me to be a hallmark of Narduzzi in his time at Pitt.  When adjustments are needed to be made at halftime, they make them.  Doesn't happen all the time, but it happens more often than not, it seems to me.
• Then came that Steelers 30-15 loss at Miami yesterday.  This highlights a disturbing trend over recent seasons of the Steelers losing to crummy teams, teams that the should be beating.   And make no mistake about it, the Dolphins are a bad team.  They will finish below .500 by a wide margin when all is said and done. the injury to 
• And as for the injury to Ben Roethlisberger.....  As I write this, it is not known how many games he will miss, but with each game that he doesn't play, the Steelers chances of that predicted Super Bowl win, or even a run in the playoffs, decrease exponentially.

• On a much happier note, we took in our first play of the 2016-17 Pittsburgh Public Theater season on Sunday night, "The Fantasticks".  Until last night, all I knew about this play was that it was the longest running musical play in American theater history (it has been running in New York City continuously since 1960), and the song "Try To Remember" came from it. A story about two young people falling in love, in sprite of the (seeming) objections of their fathers, overcoming the rough spots when the bloom is off the rose, and then cementing that love forever.  I thought it was delightful, and, as usual, the staging and presentation by the PPT was fabulous.  The show runs through October 30 at the O'Reilly, and I highly recommend it.
• The three leads in "The Fantasticks" were played by Mary Elizabeth Drake, Jamen Nanthakumar, and Josh Powell. Each of these young actors were making their debuts with the PPT, and I hope that we will see them again in the years to come.
• Theater Trivia: The part of El Gallo in "The Fantasticks" was originated way back in 1960 by Jerry Orbach.  Orbach was at the beginning of what would be a long career on Broadway (he would later win a Tony Award) and in the movies, but he will probably be best remembered for playing hardened and sardonic Detective Lennie Briscoe on TV's "Law and Order".
• The program gave a list of some of the actors who have played in "The Fantasticks" over the course of it's long history.  In addition to Orbach, you can also include folks like Liza Minelli, Elliott Gould, Richard Chamberain, and F. Murray Abraham.
• We got home Sunday evening in time to see the final five innings of the Dodgers 1-0 win over the Cubs, led by the dominating performance of Clayton Kershaw.  The performance of Kershaw both last night and in the NLDS against Washington has put to rest, it seems, the notion that "Kershaw stinks in the post season".  He's STILL not the "next Koufax", though.
• The Dodgers' win is going against the hoped for conclusion of a Cubs pennant.  The series now stands at 1-1 with three games now coming up in LA.   In the American League, the Indians have taken a 2-0 lead as that series now heads to Toronto.  You know that MLB and Fox, in spite of possibly losing a large chunk of that LA market, are dying for a Cubs-Indians World Series. Two teams that, between them, have not won a World Series for 176 years. It would be quite a story line, but pardon me if I am cheering for Joe Maddon to be dealt one giant dose of humility.  I am, however, rooting like hell for the Tribe!
• And on one final note, we stopped at Appleby's for dinner on the way into town for the play last night, and I had a cheeseburger, the "American Classic Burger" to be specific.  Long time readers know of my never ending quest for terrific burgers, and that search usually avoids chain restaurants, but I gotta be honest, that burger at Appleby's last night was absolutely terrific.  I can't recommend it highly enough!

"Venus in Fur" at the PPT

Last night we took in the final show on of the Pittsburgh Public Theater's 2015-16 season, "Venus in Fur" by playwright David Ives.

It was a different sort of play, showcasing an audition of a flaky actress (Whitney Maris Brown) by the author (Christian Conn) of a play, one with a somewhat kinky subject matter (sadomasochism), and soon the audition takes on an entirely different life of its own.

The play had its moments, and there were some funny lines in it, but, in the end, I am not sure exactly what point it was trying to make.

It is worth seeing, though, for the performance of Whitney Maris Brown.  She was thoroughly charming in what was a fairly demanding role.  I am unable to find an age for her in any online reference, but she appears to be quite young, late twenties/early thirties tops, and I am guessing that we will be hearing much of her in the future.  For maybe half of the play's ninety minutes, she appears on stage wearing only a bustier, panties, garter belt, and black stockings, and I salute her for having the guts to do that.  I don't care how pretty you are or how accomplished an actress, that can't be an easy thing to do.

Whitney Maris Brown

If you do go, however, be warned.  This is an adult show in both content and language, so leave the kiddies at home and don't say you haven't been warned.

The Grandstander and Mrs. Grandstander give this one two and one-stars.

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We have been subscribers, on and off, for many years to the Pittsburgh Public Theater, and we have enjoyed it a lot over the years and are looking forward to being back come the Fall for the 2016-17 season.  If you are looking for an organization from "the Arts" in Pittsburgh to support and attend, you wouldn't go wrong by choosing the PPT, and the O'Reilly Theater is one of he very best places to see a play anywhere.  Small, imitate, and not a bad seat in the house.

In looking back  over this season, here is how we rank the six plays that were presented:

1. The Diary of Anne Frank
2. Guys and Dolls
3. Disgraced
4. A Servant of Two Masters
5. Venus in Fur
6. Tru

"Tru" at the Pittsburgh Public Theater

The fifth offering of the Pittsburgh Public Theater season is Jay Presson Allen's "Tru", a one man play about author and society gadabout Truman Capote.  Broadway actor Eddie Korbich plays Capote with great gusto, and his performance is fine.  As for the play, meh.

It takes place over two days right before Christmas in 1975, shortly after a magazine article presenting a couple of chapters of Capote's upcoming novel was published.  The novel, which never was published, named names and dished dirt about many of Capote's society friends and turned him into a pariah among the High Society in which he reveled.  The play was pretty much Capote telling us to feel sorry for him.  The first act was entertaining, and set us up, I thought, for some sort of climax that never really came in Act Two.

After what has been a dynamic and entertaining season, this play was bit of a letdown.  Korbich was great, but his material just never seemed to go anywhere.

Can't win 'em all, PPT.

Two stars for this one from The Grandstander.

"Disgraced" at the Pittsburgh Public Theater

The fourth play of the season at the Pittsburgh Public Theater is Ayad Akthar's "Disgraced", the winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

This is not a "fun" play.  It is a pretty searing look at prejudices in American society in the post-9/11 world.  Terrifically staged by the PPT, and wonderfully acted by the small, five person cast.  This is a play that will make you uncomfortable, and it will make you think, and it might make you even squirm a little bit.  In other words, it will do exactly what great drama should do.

Another winner for the Pittsburgh Public Theater.

"A Servant To Two Masters" at the PPT

We took in the second play of the Pittsburgh Public Theater's 2015-16 season the other night.  It is "A Servant to Two Masters".  It is a comedy written in 1764 in Italy by a playwright named Carlo Goldoni.  It is an example of the type pf theatrical production called commedia dell'arte, a term that I remember from college literature classes, but which I could certainly not define today.  Anyway, if the idea of a European play written 251 years ago is turning you off, don't let it do so.  (The PPT program describes Carlo Goldoni as "a sort of 18th century Judd Apatow", so that should give you an idea of what you are in for.)

The plot of the play is kind of hard to summarize - mistaken identity, double dealing, sexual innuendo, and farce are just a few concepts that spring to mind.  The Sproule jury offered a split decision on the play.  Marilyn thought that it was "just okay". I thought it was very funny.  In fact, I was laughing out loud in several parts of the show.

As is usual with the PPT, this is excellently staged with a lively and attractive cast.  The central character, the "servant" of the title, is Truffaldino, as played by Jimmy Kieffer,

is loud, boisterous, funny, and a wonderful character.  This was Kieffer's first appearance with the PPT, and I hope that he will become a regular there in future productions.  He was really good in the role.

And the show ends with a rousing cast and audience sing-along of a song that will make you leave the theater feeling good. 

The play runs through December 6 at he O'Reilly Theater, and I would recommend it with three stars (out of four).

"The Diary of Anne Frank"

 Earlier this week, we attended a performance of the Pittsburgh Public Theater's initial presentation of its 2015-16 season, "The Diary of Anne Frank".  Like so many of you, I read this book in high school (no doubt before I could fully appreciate it) and had seen the movie many years ago, but this was the first time that I had ever seen a stage production of this play (a Tony Award winner for Best Play in 1955).

When telling someone about this the other night, I used the phrase "hope in the midst of horror" in describing this play.  The story of Anne Frank and her famous diary is well known, and it is still a story that is hard to grasp.  It is a story that cannot be told often enough.  There is a reason, I suppose, why "The Diary of Anne Frank" remains required reading in high schools today (or, at least, I hope it remains required reading).

We have been attending plays at the PPT, a jewel in the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's crown, since the 1980's, and I cannot recall having seen a better production than this one, nor one that captivated and moved the audience as did this one.  This is a production that should be seen by as many people as possible.

Here is a picture of Remy Zaken, the lovely twenty-six year old actress who plays Anne Frank on stage at the O'Reilly Theater.  She is wonderful in it, as is the rest of the cast.

"My Fair Lady" at the Pittsburgh Public Theater

Over the years, I cannot recall how many times I have seen a stage production of the classic Lerner and Lowe musical, "My Fair Lady".  Probably at least four times, ranging from a North Allegheny High School musical to a Civic Light Opera production that had the almost gimmicky casting of Noel (son of Rex) Harrison as Henry Higgins.  And, of course, let's not forget how many times I've seen the movie.

Anyway, we did it again last night at the Pittsburgh Public Theater's production of this venerable show, and I can't say enough about how wonderful it was (please note that I resisted the temptation to say how "loverly" it was) and how much we enjoyed it.  We have seen many shows at the Public over the years, and I cannot recall one that had such a lavish production...the sets, the costumes....just fabulous.  And the intimacy of the O'Reilly Theater makes you feel like you are right on the stage.  If you have never seen a show there, you are really missing something.

This show starred Kimberly Doreen Burns as Eliza Doolittle and Benjamin Howes as Henry Higgins, and they were terrific.

I am sure that everyone reading this knows the story of "My Fair Lady", so I won't repeat it here, but here are just a few of the highlights in my mind, and particularly in this production:

• "The Rain in Spain" scene, when Eliza "gets it".
• "I Could Have Danced All Night"
• The scene at the Ascot Races when Eliza has her conversation with the swells of English society.  "Gin was mother's milk to her, it was."  And don't forget how she cheered on the horse Dover in the race!
• When Eliza first appears all decked out for the Embassy Ball.  Beautiful.
• And is there a bigger showstopper in any musical than Alfie Doolittle singing "Get Me To The Church On Time"?  Actor Bill Nolte's rendition of this in the Public's production brought down the house.

The Public's "My Fair Lady" runs at the O'Reilly throughout February 22, so there is still time to see it if you are so inclined.  I can't recommend it highly enough.

"Noises Off" at the Pittsburgh Public Theater

Last night we took in the final show of the season at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, and it was great one - "Noises Off" by Michael Frayn.

It is a farce of a comedy is a "play within a play" about a third rate British theatrical company that is staging, or attempting to stage, a play that is a farce of a comedy.  You know the type of thing - people going in and out of rooms, which doors closing just as someone else walks into the room.  Sounds confusing, but, trust me, it was hilarious, and a perfect way to end the PPT season and also a perfect way to spend a pleasant summer evening.

"Noises Off" is running at the O'Reilly Theater through June 29, and both Marilyn and I would highly recommend it.

"Candida" at the Pittsburgh Public Theater

Marilyn and I took in the Pittsburgh Public Theater's production of George Bernard Shaw's "Candida" last night.  

I suppose it is a mortal sin among theatrical folks to not like anything written by GBS, but what can I say?  We didn't like it.  Where to begin....

• I know that this is a "period piece" set at the turn of the twentieth century, but did people actually talk that way?
• You could see how this play was going to end about ten minutes into the first act.
• The actors all gave it their best, so it wasn't their fault that we didn't like the play.  Except for the actor who played Mr. Marchbanks, who was real twit.  Or, perhaps he was directed to play the part that way, so maybe it's the Director who is at fault here.

We weren't alone.  There were two intermissions during the play, and after each one, the audience was smaller that prior to the intermission, and the house was only about half full to begin with.  The audience, as they say in show biz, spoke with their feet.

Oh, well, Public Theater, you can't his a home run every time up at the plate, and "Candida" was the theatrical equivalent of an infield fly rule pop up.

"1776" and a Burger to Remember

A busy bitter cold afternoon for Marilyn and me.

First, a visit to the terrific O'Reilly Theater for a matinee performance of the tony Award winning musical play, "1776".  This was the first time we had seen this play, and it was really, really good.  The title tells you what it's all about, of course, and the Pittsburgh Public Theater's production was first rate.  A wonderful theater going experience.

We topped off the day by having dinner at SoHo (home of the MOASP Draft and the SABR Hot Stove Nights!) right across from PNC Park.  This was my second visit to SoHo in three days, and I decided to make this visit a part of the Great Hamburger Quest of 2013.  I ordered a Mushroom-Swiss Burger and was not disappointed.  In fact, So Ho has reached Top Three status in the rankings:

The Rankings:

1. Tessaro's (Bloomfield)
2. The Rochester Inn Hardwood Grill (Ross)
3. SoHo Restaurant (North Shore)
4. Bella Ria's (West View)
5. The Tilted Kilt (North Shore)

Unranked:

• BZ Bar and Grill (North Shore)
• Sunny Jim's (Emsworth)

Marilyn had a tuna melt and raved about it, and combining this with the excellent chicken parm dinner I had at the MOASP Draft on Tuesday, well, I would say that SoHo becomes a highly recommended place to dine.  We have also enjoyed many quick meals there before Pirates games over the years.