Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Dick Gregory's Celebrating Truth Tour in Pittsburgh

NATIONAL CONGRESS of BLACK WOMEN, INC.


Presents

The Celebrating Truth Tour With

Dick Gregory

Friday, July 29, 2011 at 8pm




at The Union Project



801 N. Negley Ave., Pgh, PA 15206

(Corner of N. Negley and Stanton Aves.)



$25.00 Reserved and $20.00 General Admission

Tickets are available at Dorsey's Record Shop

and Son of Stedefords

Or charge by phone at 202-678-6788

Tickets can also be purchased online at www.nationalcongressbw.org

Memo box: "Dick Gregory-Pittsburgh"



For more information call 412.423.8859

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Small Business Boot Camp Added to PA Conference for Women



For Immediate Release

Pennsylvania Conference for Women Adds Small Business Boot Camp

Philadelphia – June 27, 2011 – The Pennsylvania Conference for Women announces an additional day of programming specifically designed for current and aspiring small business owners —The Pennsylvania Conference for Women Spark & Hustle Small Business Boot Camp on Monday, Oct. 24.

The Boot Camp is brought to you through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Conference for Women and Tory Johnson, “Good Morning America” workplace contributor and CEO of Women For Hire and Spark & Hustle. The day will feature solo presenters, panel discussions, interactive exercises, structured networking and vendor exhibits.

“Spark & Hustle is proud to partner with the Pennsylvania Conference for Women to host an event specifically designed for women who are starting and growing small businesses,” said Johnson. “In this jam-packed day, we’ll provide practical tools, easy to implement tactics, peer networking and inspirational speakers—all designed to help attendees achieve their small business goals.”

Registration for the Small Business Boot Camp is $225 and includes a ticket to The Pennsylvania Conference for Women. The Boot Camp is sponsored by SurePayroll and sponsorship for the Small Business Boot Camp is still open. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Cutler at 781-454-7742 or ecutler@conferenceforwomen.org.

The eighth annual Pennsylvania Conference for Women will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Women’s rights pioneer Gloria Steinem; Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress America Ferrera; President and CEO of CARE USA, Helene Gayle; former Olympic athlete and WNBA player Marion Jones; life coach and O, The Oprah Magazine, columnist Martha Beck are keynote speakers.

The Pennsylvania Conference for Women features engaging workshops and panel discussions that cover a vast range of topics specifically designed for women, a new Health & Wellness Pavilion and networking opportunities at the Career Pavilion, which include community leader “Meet Ups,” Mentor Match program and one-on-one resume critiques.

To-date, AmeriHealth Mercy, Amtrak, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Clear Channel Radio, FedEx Ground, Highmark Blue Shield, PA Wine and Spirits, PECO, PNC Bank, Sunoco PA, Thomas Jefferson Hospital and Wells Fargo will serve as sponsors of the Conference. Sponsorship for the Pennsylvania Conference for Women is still open. For more information, please contact Lisa Alonge at 866-509-7242 or lalonge@conferenceforwomen.org.

Registration is $135 and can be completed online at https://www.event-registration.biz/pawc/introduction.asp. High school juniors and seniors and college students attending the Conference receive a rate of $65 with a valid student ID. Scholarships are available for high school students.

To register or learn more about the eighth annual Pennsylvania Conference for Women, visit http://www.paconferenceforwomen.org/.

Media Contacts:

Michelle McKenna and Anthea Holley
mmckenna@pstrategies.com
aholley@pstrategies.com
512-432-1915 and 940-704-0777

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Monday, June 27, 2011

Brownsville Celebrates the 4th in Style with Music and Fireworks



GREATER BROWNSVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


For immediate release:

June 27, 2011

Brownsville Civic Leaders Expand

Independence Day Celebration

11 bands, vocalists will perform at the July 3 fireworks display

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – Building on more than 20 consecutive years of past successes, the Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce is expanding its community fireworks display to include a mix of musical performances until dusk as a prelude for the July 3 pyrotechnics display.

The free festivities begin at 6 p.m. at Patsy Hillman Park, off High Street. "We're trying to get the crowd to come in a little bit earlier this year by offering entertainment," says Frank R. Ricco, president of the Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Ten bands and vocalists from the Brownsville Rotary Club's fourth annual talent show will perform until 7:30 p.m., when they turn over the stage to the Mon Valley Community Band.

The chamber's July 4 fireworks display historically draws nearly 2,000 people to the 452-acre park. This year, as in the past, the pyrotechnics show will be produced by Keystone Fireworks of Dunbar, Pa., and funded by the chamber. Also participating is the Hiller Volunteer Fire Co.'s Ladies Auxiliary, which will be selling refreshments at the concession stand to support future activities.

In keeping with past tradition, the Brownsville Rotary Club will host a free bounce house, underwritten by a local manufacturer, Senoj Enterprises. Eadi Zetty, the 2011-12 president of the local rotary, said the bounce house activity, like the fireworks, builds memories for families.

"We are concerned our children are growing up without a lot of the memories that we cherish," Zetty explains. "We want to give our children good things to recall about growing up in Brownsville."
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For additional information or interview:

Frank R. Ricco, chamber president, 724-785-3600

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

O'Jays and Friends Concert in Canton Featuring Patti LaBelle


Concert Party On The Run


O'JAYS and FRIENDS

Featuring:

Patti LaBelle, Johnny Gill, and Eric Benet!



SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2011

@ Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio

Doors Open @ 5 PM (Festival Seating)

The OJays and Friends featuring the legendary Patti Labelle, The OJays, Johnny Gill and Eric Benet perform in this star-studded concert of the hottest R and B acts on tour. Doors open @ 5 pm.


Buses Leaving Pittsburgh From 2 Locations

On Saturday August 13, 2011:

10:50 am @ Shop N Save, 8th Ave (Homestead)

11:15 am @ New Hope United Methodist Church, 114 W. North Ave. (North Side)



Cost: $75.00 Per Person

**Payment Plan Include $5.00 Charge

(Deposit $35 Due 7/01/11 - Balance Due $45 On 7/25/11)



Trip Includes:

Concert Ticket, Water, Pop, Beer and Transportation - BYOB Welcome

Pro Football Hall Of Fame

will be open when we arrive for those that wish to go at a discount cost

of $16.00 Per Person. (Limited Tickets Available)

For Ticket Information:


Robert (412) 462-5336 & Jerrilynne 412-401-2347

or Russell (412) 352-2485 & Linda 412-298-1153

*No Refund*



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

August Wilson Center Announces 2011-2012 Season

AUGUST WILSON CENTER HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING



2011-2012 SEASON & MAJOR PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES


WHO: August Wilson Center for African American Culture



WHAT: The August Wilson Center announces its 2011-2012 season, major programmatic changes; introduces Artistic Directors and new resident company, the August Wilson Center Theatre Ensemble.



WHEN: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 10:30 am



WHERE: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Education Center, August Wilson Center for African American Culture, 980 Liberty Avenue, Downtown


Treshea N. Wade

Manager, Marketing and Communications

August Wilson Center for African American Culture

980 Liberty Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3736

Direct: 412.338.8734

Cell: 412.716.8961

Fax: 412.258.2701



www.AugustWilsonCenter.org

Friday, June 17, 2011

Rev. Loran Mann Elevated to Bishop, Church of God in Christ

REV. LORAN MANN


ELEVATED TO BISHOP



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Ms. Darlene DiBenedetto
(412) 575-2235







The Rev. Loran E. Mann, Founder and Senior Pastor of Pentecostal Temple Church in Pittsburgh, has been named Bishop of Vermont for the Church of God in Christ. He succeeds Bishop Ivory Holden who died earlier this year.

In naming Rev. Mann to the position, the Most Rev. Charles E. Blake, Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, praised Rev. Mann for his exemplary love for God and His people, and for Mann's long-standing faithfulness to the church.

The Church of God in Christ is the oldest and fastest-growing predominantly black denomination in the United States. It has literally thousands of congregations in every state of the Union and 56 countries abroad with a global membership of a reported 6.5 million people.

Rev. Mann is to be consecrated November 7th during the denomination's 103rd Annual Holy Convocation in St. Louis, Mo.

Rev. Mann, a former television newsman, retired from broadcasting in 1996 after a more than 20 year career as anchor/reporter for WPXI-TV Channel 11, the NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh.

AAMI Boys Choir 20th Anniversary Reunion Weekend


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



MEDIA CONTACT:

Pamela Johnson
Afro-American Music Institute
412-241-6775 or 412-443-1770
aamusicin@aol.com
http://www.afroamericanmusic.org/

7131 Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15208







Photo: AAMI Boys Choir pictured with Dr. James Johnson (far left) and Howie Alexander (far right)


AAMI's Boys Choir 20th Anniversary Reunion Weekend

June 18-19 -- Pittsburgh Center for the Arts



PITTSBURGH, PA (PittsburghNewsWire.com) -- Twenty years ago Pamela Johnson, co-founder of the Afro American Music Institute, Inc. (AAMI), a nonprofit organization located in Homewood, started to honor fathers with the creation of a Father's Day Tribute concert. That one-day event, would lead to the creation of AAMI's Boys Choir of Pittsburgh. AAMI's Boys Choir, a community-based program, enables youth to experience the cultural richness and excitement of creative musical expressions. Hundreds of young men have been choir members, and now, twenty-one years later as of June 2011 the AAMI's Boys Choir is still the Institute's premier Performance Ensemble.

This year's Father's Day concert, features AAMI's Boys Choir alumni Tommy Parker. Tommy Parker started singing with AAMI's Boys Choir at the age of 10 years old; today, he is producer and songwriter for Darkchild, working with artists such as Janet Jackson, Usher, and many others. On June 19, at 4 PM, AAMI will hold a Dinner Concert at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts located at 6300 Fifth Ave. On Saturday, June 18, Tommy Parker will hold a community Music Industry workshop at AAMI, 7131 Hamilton Avenue in Homewood from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. He will be accompanied by other musicians including Jessica Lee, Roy Razika and Keith Moncrief.

The AAMI's Boys Choir has performed at festivals, churches, universities, civic affairs and social organizations throughout the metropolitan Pittsburgh Area. The Boys Choir toured and performed at Spellman College, (Atlanta, GA), St. Mark's Anglican Church, (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada), local churches in Milwaukee, WI and Six Flags Theme Park on the Great American Stage, (Gurnee, Il.). The Choir performed in Memphis, TN at the Civil Rights Museum and at Cannon Theatre in celebration of STAX Record's 50th Anniversary.

Proceeds from this year's concert will underwrite the costs for the Boys Choir Tour and performance at the 1st National Boys Choir, Invitational Convention at the University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, June 23-25, 2011. AAMI's Boys Choir will represent the City of Pittsburgh at the National Boys Choir competition.

A SHOUT OUT TO ALL YOUNG MEN WHO HAVE BEEN APART OF AAMI's BOYS' CHOIR

Please mail/email a brief personal biography for AAMI's Boys Choir Reunion Celebration. We would love to hear from you!

For more information, tickets or to donate to AAMI's Boys Choir Tour please contact AAMI at 412-241-6775 or visit us at www.afroamericanmusic.org.

**AAMI is a member agency of the United Way of Allegheny County -- Designation Code 927578**
###

Whiskey Rebellion Re-Enactment of Pittsburgh's Roots


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE




FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rob Windhorst
412-221-0348
rwindhorst19@comcast.net


QUICK FACTS:

Event: Whiskey Rebellion Weekend

Date: Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17, 2011

Time: Saturday, from 1 to 8 pm; and Sunday, from noon to 5 pm

Place: Woodville Plantation, 1375 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Cost: $3.00 per Person


WOODVILLE PLANTATION HOSTS WHISKEY REBELLION WEEKEND

COLLIER TOWNSHIP, PA (June 14, 2011, 2011) – Step back in time at Woodville Plantation, as this living history museum presents a special event to commemorate the Whiskey Rebellion. On the weekend of Saturday, July 16, and Sunday July 17, visitors are invited to meet historical re-enactors portraying the soldiers of Anthony Wayne’s Fourth Sub-Legion of the United States, the troops that defended John Neville’s Bower Hill mansion during the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.

July 16 - Walking Lecture: The Events of July 1794

Woodville Plantation and the Scott Conservancy will team up to present a unique walking lecture titled, “The Events of 1794”. Join the soldiers of the Fourth Sub-Legion as they return to Bower Hill to discuss and re-create the fateful events of the Whiskey Rebellion, as they occurred in July of 1794. This unique event will include an encampment from 1 pm until 7 pm along the “Tom the Tinker Trail.” Participants will experience camp life with cooking demonstrations, musket firings and tactical demonstrations. At 3 pm, a history walk will begin at the PA State Historical Marker on Bower Hill (near Kane Regional Center) and end at the Scrubgrass Run Trailhead. The walk covers approximately one mile along the newly restored trails of the Bower Hill. Topics covered include the Battle of Bower Hill, the soldiers that participated in the battle and the Whiskey Rebellion. The walk is free to the public. Following the walk, participants are invited to tour Woodville Plantation. Woodville Plantation will be open to the public on Saturday evening from 5 pm to 8 pm. Admission for this special opening is $3 per person.

July 17 - Whiskey Rebellion Day

Join the troops of the Fourth Sub-Legion as they make camp at Woodville Plantation. Experience 18th century military camp life and participate with the soldiers as they march and drill. Events of the day include tactical demonstrations, musket firing, marching and ceremonial drills. Soldiers will discuss what camp life was like in the army of 1794. Visitors will learn 18th century cooking techniques as Woodville’s cooks prepare dinner for the encamped troops. Special hours for the event will be from noon to 5 pm, with a special admission price of $3 per person.

Woodville Plantation, the home of John and Presley Neville, is Western Pennsylvania’s link to the late 18th century. Built in 1775, this living history museum interprets life during the period of 1780-1820, the Era of the New Republic. Guided tours of the house are available every Sunday from 1 to 4 pm.

Just 7 miles and 15 minutes south of Pittsburgh, Woodville is conveniently located 1/4 north of Interstate I-79 Exit 55 (Kirwin Heights Exit) on Route 50, near the intersection of Thoms Run Road in Collier Township. For further directions or for more information, please visit Woodville’s website at http://www.woodvilleplantation.org or call 412-221-0348.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Sing Off Winners Committed Perform Saturday


Kaufmann Center presents

COMMITTED

at The Kaufmann Center, Elsie H. Hillman Auditorium

1825 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15219

Saturday, June 18th at 8PM



ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, the six-man a capella group Committed, brings their spirit and style to the Elsie H. Hillman Auditorium for an evening of outstanding vocal performance! Committed began producing their debut self-titled album after winning first prize during the second season of NBC's The Sing Off.

Committed ends the 1st Annual Juneteenth Festival, a packed day of free activities and performances featuring a marketplace by the Ujamaa Collective at the Hill House.

See www.hillhouse.org for the complete schedule.

TICKETS

$10 Students, Seniors, Zip Code 15219

$15 Advance
$20 Door

For advance tickets visit www.hillhouse.org

or call 1.800.838.3006.

Questions? Please call 412.392.3149.

Produced by the Hill House Association

in partnership with the Kelly Strayhorn Theater.




Elsie H. Hillman Auditorium
Kaufmann Center

1825 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Music on the Mon Series Opens with The Jades

First Music on the Mon Concert of the Season: The Jades


BROWNSVILLE, Pa. - The first installment of this year's Music on the Mon concert series is approaching fast.

Join us on June 26 to enjoy a night of classic rock covers with The Jades. The Jades are four guys from the Monongahela Valley area who share a love of classic rock. Their basic lineup of guitar, bass, and drums is enhanced by the fact that all four members sing lead. The various talents and skills these four musicians bring to the table ensure a variety of music and fun. This free event will be held at 6 p.m. on the lawn at Nemacolin Castle, 136 Front St., Brownsville.

The Music on the Mon project is supported by the Fayette County Hotel Tax through the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts through its regional arts funding partnership, Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA). State government funding for the arts depends upon an annual appropriation by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. PPA is administered in this region by the Community Foundation of Fayette County.
###

For additional information:

Dennis Cremonese, 724.785.9331

PICT Delivers Theater Triumph with House & Garden


Media Contact:

Melissa Hill Grande

Associate Artistic Director and Director of Marketing
mgrande@picttheatre.org
412.561.6000 x203

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PICT produces theatrical event of the 2011 season!

House and Garden is two full-length comedies which are performed at the same time, in two different theatres for two different audiences, but with the SAME CAST!

Pittsburgh, PA – June 9, 2011. Alan Ayckbourn’s comic triumph House & Garden pits actors, directors and crew against the clock! The most clever duo ever written for the stage, House & Garden are two separate comedies that play in the Charity Randall and the Henry Heymann theatres simultaneously…with the SAME CAST! Actors run up and down a backstage stairwell that connects the two theatres, while audience members sit comfortably for two hours in one of the theatres and watch the play which is set in that location.

House is directed by Andrew S. Paul, and Garden is directed by Melissa Hill Grande. The plays can be seen singly, and in no particular order, and play June 23 through July 17. House will be performed in the Charity Randall, and Garden in the Henry Heymann theatre. Lighting design for House is by Christopher Popowich, and lighting design for Garden is by Cindy Limauro. Designing both shows are Gianni Downs (scenic), Jen Sturm and Steve Buechler (costumes), Zach Moore (sound and original music) and Ricardo Vila-Roger (properties).

The plays are both set in the household of Teddy Platt, a wealthy philanderer awaiting a visit from a Tory power-broker who can establish Platt’s political career. Everything that can go wrong on this most important of days is destined to occur, as Platt’s wife refuses to acknowledge his existence, his mistress (and best friend’s wife) becomes increasingly unhinged as he breaks up with her, his daughter is seduced and discarded by the visiting politico, and his head is turned by a glamorous French actress who is the celebrity guest star for the community fete at the bottom of his garden. Further down the social scale, ongoing conflict is coming to a head between the gardener, the housekeeper and her promiscuous daughter, and the couple who’ve come to set up the fete is headed for marital disaster. Boozers and cuckolds, insanity and depravity all come together for one fantastic story told in two hilarious plays. House primarily concerns Teddy’s pursuit of a political career and deteriorating marriage, while Garden primarily concerns the revelation of Teddy and Joanna’s affair to their spouses and children, and preparations for the neighborhood fete.

Martin Giles stars as Teddy Platt, and Helena Ruoti plays his wife Trish. Giles’ PICT credits include Pinter Celebration, What the Butler Saw, Synge Cycle, BeckettFest, Uncle Vanya and The Gigli Concert. Ruoti’s PICT credits include Antony & Cleopatra, Rock ‘n’ Roll, and What the Butler Saw.

PICT 2011 Actor-in-Residence Leo Marks plays the author and politico Gavin Ryng-Mayne. The OBIE award-winning actor was company member in PICT’s extraordinary Pinter Celebration last season, and he has appeared at some of the most respected theatres in the country, including South Coast Repertory, Actors Theater of Louisville, the Old Globe, and Intiman. He is a founding member of New York’s acclaimed Elevator Repair Service.

Beth Hylton and Nike Doukas return to PICT to play respectively Teddy’s jilted mistress Joanna Mace, and a glamorous French film star he becomes enamored of, Lucille Cadeau. Hylton’s credits include productions with Woolly Mammoth, Ford’s Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Delaware Theatre Company, Everyman Theatre, Olney Theater Center, Weston Playhouse, and PlayMakers Rep. Doukas was featured prominently in last season’s Pinter Celebration. She has an MFA from the American Conservatory Theatre and is a regular presence at theatres throughout Southern California including South Coast Rep and The Old Globe in San Diego. House & Garden reunites Hylton and Doukas with Anwen Darcy (Rock ‘n’ Roll) and Mary Rawson (Copenhagen). The four last appeared together in PICT’s 2008 production of Wilde’s An Ideal Husband.

British-born actors Sarah Manton and David Bryan Jackson bring authentic stiff-upper-lip to Ayckbourn’s comedies in their PICT debuts. Manton, a graduate of the Guildford School of Acting, London, plays the feisty young maid Pearl. Her credits include the world premiere of Tom Stoppard’s Coast of Utopia (National Theatre), the role of Baby in the West End production of Dirty Dancing, and the National Theatre production of South Pacific. She was recently seen in the Pittsburgh Public Theatre production of Ayckbourn’s Time of My Life. Jackson plays Giles Mace, Teddy’s best friend and Joanna’s husband. His credits include multiple productions with The Shakespeare Theatre, Folger Theatre, Studio Theatre, and Olney Theatre Center.

The acting company also features Jon Farris, Michael Fuller, Tressa Glover, Allison Scarlet Jaye, and Sean Mellott.

House director Andrew S. Paul is the co-founder and artistic director of PICT. Under his leadership, PICT has produced more than fifty main-stage productions and completed two successful international tours. His directing credits for PICT include the 2009 productions of The History Boys and Rock ‘n’Roll. Other PICT directing credits include Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Henry IV, and Julius Caesar; the world premiere of Thomas Kilroy’s Henry (after Pirandello); and David Hare’s Stuff Happens and Via Dolorosa. In 2008, Paul directed and collaborated with Hare on the non-English language premiere of Stuff Happens at the Slaski Teatr in Katowice, Poland.

Garden director Melissa Hill Grande is the associate artistic director and director of marketing for PICT. Her Pittsburgh-area directing credits include “When the Moon Has Set” in PICT’s acclaimed Synge Cycle, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing for Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks, and multiple productions for Phase 3 Productions. She has also directed in Bricolage’s B.U.S. 6, No Name Players’ SWAN Day 2010 and 2011, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater Festival in Black and White, and Pittsburgh PRIDE Theater Festival.

House & Garden play simultaneously June 23rd through July 17. House is in the Charity Randall Theatre and Garden is in the Henry Heymann Theatre. Both theatre spaces are located at the Stephen Foster Memorial, 4301 Forbes Avenue on the University of Pittsburgh campus in Oakland. Tickets are $20 to $50 and are available by calling ProArtsTickets at 412.394.3353 or online at www.proartstickets.org.

Free preshow discussions are scheduled for Wednesday June 29th and Thursday June 30th at 7 p.m., and a post-show talk-back with the company is scheduled for Sunday, June 25th following the 2 p.m. matinee performance.

For more information, visit the PICT website at www.picttheatre.org.

The Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre was founded in 1996 to diversify the region’s theatrical offerings by providing Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania audiences with high-quality, text-driven, affordable productions of classical theatre and the works of classical and contemporary Irish playwrights and to significantly improve employment opportunities for local talent in all facets of theatrical presentation and production. PICT is a Small Professional Theatre (SPT) affiliated with Actors’ Equity Association, and a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG) and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. PICT is the Professional Theatre in Residence at the University of Pittsburgh and PICT productions at the Charity Randall and Henry Heymann Theatres are presented in cooperation with the University of Pittsburgh – Department of Theatre Arts.

House & Garden FACT SHEET

House & Garden by Alan Ayckbourn

House directed by Andrew S. Paul, in The Charity Randall Theatre

Garden directed by Melissa Hill Grande, in the Henry Heymann Theatre

Both theatres located in the Stephen Foster Memorial, Oakland

4301 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Cast:.Anwen Darcy, Nike Doukas, Jon Farris, Michael Fuller, Martin Giles, Tressa Glover, Beth Hylton, David Bryan Jackson, Allison Scarlet Jaye, Sarah Manton, Leo Marks, Sean Mellott, Mary Rawson, and Helena Ruoti.

Design Team: Gianni Downs (scenic design); Christopher Popowich (House lighting design); Cindy Limauro (Garden lighting design); Jen Sturm and Steve Buechler (costume design); Zach Moore (sound design & original music), Ricardo Vila-Roger (properties)

Performance Dates and Times:

First Week:

Thursday -- Friday, June 23 and 24; 8 p.m. previews

Saturday, June 25; 8 p.m. opening night, followed by reception

Sunday, June 26; 2 p.m. matinee, followed by talk-back

Second Week:

Tuesday, June 28th, 7 p.m. performance

Wednesday – Saturday, June 29 – July 2; 8 p.m. performances*

*pre-performance discussion at 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday

Third Week:

Wednesday – Friday, July 6 - 8; 8 p.m. performances

Saturday, July 9; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. performances

Sunday, July 10, 2 p.m. performance

Fourth Week:

Wednesday – Friday, July 13 – 15, 8 p.m. performances

Saturday, July 16, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. performances

Saturday, July 17, 2 p.m. closing performance

Ticket Prices:

Fri. and Sat. nights: $50; Seniors $48

Tues., Wed., Thurs. nights, and Sat. & Sun. matinees $46, Seniors $44

Preview Thurs. and Fri.: $40 for all seats

$20 tickets available for youth under 25, with valid ID

Call ProArtsTickets at 412.394.3353 or visit www.picttheatre.org

Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre. Great Stories. Well Told.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Godfather of Soul James Brown Museum on Wheels Rolls into the AAMI



James Brown
Museum on Wheels
Afro American Music Institute
7131  Hamilton Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA  15208

Saturday, June 25  5PM
Free and Open to the Public


Fans of the late great Godfather of Soul can have a funky good time when the The James Brown Museum on Wheels rolls into the Afro American Music Institute on Saturday, June 25, 5 pm-8 pm.

This special Black Music Month celebration of the legacy and accomplishments of the "Hardest Working Man in Show Business" is free and open to the public, and will feature history, memorabilia, videos and first hand accounts from who knew the legendary performer. Memorabilia, provided by the James Brown Museum on Wheels includes vintage photographs, posters, 45 and LP covers, program books, James Brown replica outfit and cape, 1960s radio promo ads and much more.

Additional activities include a dance tribute to Soul Brother Number One, James Brown trivia contest, ticket giveaways for the Return of James Brown Tribute Concert on Saturday, July 9, 7 pm at the August Wilson Center performed by America's No. 1 James Brown Tribute Artist. Ty Stone honors the Godfather of Soul in a spectacular production as dazzling and elaborate as James' own performance.

The Saturday, June 25 special celebration, which includes free refreshments, is sponsored by Mon Media, Soul Pitt Media Group and Pittsburgh Next Generation of Music Legends.

Attendance is limited so RSVP is required.

For more information on this event or to purchase tickets for The Return of James Brown event, please contact Don Patterson at 412-377-4681 or at dantessoul@aol.com.

Earthing: The Original Energy Medicine




From the Wellness Desk of Suzen Sharda Segall
BodyArts Therapeutics

http://www.celebratingtheinnerhealer.blogspot.com/

412.656.4645



Earthing: the Original Energy Medicine

by Gregory Nicosia, Ph.D.

Our recent International conference, Portals to a Transformed World: Integrating Ancient Wisdom with Modern Practice was truly inspiring. For many years, I began the courses I taught by stating that Energy Psychology is a doorway into other dimensions of reality in which thought and intention are the key players. We pass through these portals to a transformed world every time we walk the walk of our field, making the path by increasing the unity in our life experience and in the experience of others. The ancient wisdom tells us that we need to restore our connection to the natural world that sustains our life energy, our health and wellbeing.

As we experience the increasing shift in the energies of the earth it has become clear that there is a new solution to the health crisis in the U.S. and the “civilized” world. In the U.S. the number one cause of death and disability is chronic disease that accounts for 75% of the nation’s the $2.5 trillion annual health care costs. The most common chronic diseases are: heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis and diabetes. Then comes: Alzheimer disease, asthma, bowel disorders, cystic fibrosis, lupus, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and arthritis. Diabetes alone accounts for 10% of all health care dollars spent, with age-related osteoporosis affecting about 28 million Americans. There has been an exponentials increase in these diseases in the last 50 years in the U.S. while no such change has occurred in third world countries. This paradox can be explained by our relationship with the natural world. For millions of years mankind developed as a grounded electromagnetic operating system. We walked in contact with the earth barefoot or in animal skin. We slept on the ground. We were synched to the earth’s energies.

Today our civilized lifestyle has disconnected us from our grounding life energy.

Our shoes, with soles made of plastic or rubber, our contemporary homes and buildings electrically insulate us cutting us off from a vital ‘‘nutrient’’ in the form of high energy state electrons from the earth.

THE SOLUTION is to reconnect with the earth and its life giving, healing energies. Go barefoot in the grass. The restorative effects of being grounded are dose dependent, which means that the longer you’re grounded the bigger the benefit. And therein lies the rub, the objection: “Oh no! Going barefoot, sleeping on the ground, that is totally out of the question, totally impractical for a modern, civilized man!

The Ancient Solution was known to kings who unlike the yogis did not want to sleep on the dirty ground and so instead slept upon sheets within which were woven copper wires that were bundled together and set into the earth. These sheets were said to be their secret to health and longevity. You can do what the Ancients did and sleep on a grounded bed sheet.

At last year’s ISSSEEM conference James Oschman, a friend and biophysicist, excitedly informed us that his research showed that that grounding the body produces a relaxation of the internal organs and a reduction in both inflammation and stress as well as a normalization of the functioning of the autonomic nervous system. Connecting the human body to the earth during sleep normalizes circadian cortisol profiles and reduces or eliminates various subjectively reported symptoms, including sleep dysfunction, pain and stress. Earthing neutralized the free radicals in our bodies.

I began to recommend earthing at night to my patients suffering chronic debilitating diseases that were not responding to traditional medical treatment. Earthing resulted in some rapid and astounding changes in reported level of pain and energy as well as dramatic changes in blood serum values measuring inflammation and accompanying measurable physical improvement.

My experiences with Earthing are supported by a new series of well designed double-blind physiologic studies showing measurable changes in a variety of stress-related parameters when people are conductively connected to the earth. This means that the electrical rhythms and high energy state electrons conducted over the surface of the earth can have beneficial effects on human physiology and health when the body is in contact with the earth. More specifically, Pawel and Karol Sokal have recently shown that Earthing for a single night reduced the primary indicators of osteoporosis as shown by a statistically significant reduction in blood levels and renal excretion of both calcium and phosphorus during a single 7- or 8-hour night of sleeping grounded. Earthing during rest and physical activity has a direct, beneficial effect on the regulation of blood glucose and thyroid function as documented by a significant decrease of free tri-iodothyronine and an increase of free thyroxin and thyroid stimulating hormone. which affect almost every physiologic process in the body, including growth and development, metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate.

These studies further demonstrated that Earthing the human body during rest has a significant beneficial effect on lowering the serum concentrations of minerals: (iron, ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and magnesium) and electrolytes in the blood serum. And finally, a significant beneficial effect on the immune system’s response, by earthing the human body during rest, is demonstrated by increases in gamma globulin concentration following vaccination.

Could earthing be the most important health discovery ever? Clinton Ober seems to think so and his book Earthing has rapidly become a best seller. My personal and professional experience with earthing have been so positive that I gave my children, siblings, in-laws and dear friends earthing products to use. And I recommend that you get grounded too and enjoy the benefits of the earth’s energy.

For more information and to order Earthing products see Are You Grounded ?  at http://www.earthenergies.net/ or phone Suzen at: 412 656 4645

Friday, June 10, 2011

Experience the Battle of Bull Run


Manassas National Battlefield Park



For Immediate Release




Contact:
George S.T. DeBolt
412-461-9125
gstd@deboltunlimited.com


Capture of Ricketts' Battery, Painting by Sidney E. King, National Park Service
 BATTLE of BULL RUN TOUR Announced from PITTSBURGH

Pittsburghers can commemorate the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War in the place where the struggle began. DeBolt Unlimited of Homestead, PA has announced an exciting trip to the reenactment of the Battle of Bull Run. Also known as “First Manassas”, the battle on July 21, 1861 has been called “The moment that changed America”. Explained filmmaker Ken Burns, “To understand who we are as Americans, we must understand the four horrible years in our national life when we tore each other in two.” Bull Run was the beginning of that ordeal.

This exclusive three-day experience will take guests to Manassas National Battlefield Park, the site of the Civil War’s first large-scale confrontation. The historically accurate battle reenactments on Sunday, July 24 have been named the Top Travel Event for 2011 by the American Bus Association. Displays and exhibits will include artillery firing demonstrations, lectures, book signings, a sutler’s row, living history vignettes, and children’s activities. Unlike most Civil War reenactments, the one at Manassas takes place only once every five years.

Leading up to the Sunday event will be visits to Arlington National Cemetery location of the home of Robert E. Lee, the Civil War Photographs exhibit at the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History with its three Civil War-related exhibitions. Saturday evening guests will stop at the illuminated Lincoln Memorial dedicated to the wartime president and displaying the words of two of his most famous speeches.

“This is a unique opportunity to stand on the hallowed ground where sacrifices were made, heroes emerged, and ultimately peace prevailed on American soil 150 years ago,” said company President George DeBolt. “And we have a special children’s price to encourage families to experience this chapter of history together.”

The tour departs Friday after-work July 22 from Downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland, Monroeville, and the South Hills. Reservations are limited. More information can be obtained at the company’s website deboltunlimited.com or by calling 412-461-9125.



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Day of Peace for Homestead Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:

Kalenah Winston-Williams

WDGA Homestead Program Chair

412-414-6920


Day of Peace Planned for Pittsburgh’s Homestead Community

PITTSBURGH (June 2, 2011) – All of the families of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh as well as the residents of Homestead and Munhall, PA are invited to participate in a community-wide “Day of Peace” on Saturday, June 25, 2011, at Frick Park. The Day of Peace event recently recognized and received a formal declaration from the Honorable Tom Corbett, Governor of the state of Pennsylvania.

This day-long activity is sponsored by Workforce Development Global Alliance (WDGA) and will include a peace march, a peace concert, and other peace activities that will include the entire family. The focus will be on activities designed to avert violence and promote peace which is part of WDGA’s 2STEPS2WORK program. In addition, the day will include a graduation ceremony for WDGA’s inaugural Dynamic Dozen Youth who will complete a Get Along to Get Ahead career training program for WDGA’s Waterfront summer internship program.

“Our goal is to create a better neighborhood by inspiring Youth to “Step out and Step into destiny” as well as economic opportunity through peace,” said Niecy Dennis, President and Founder of WDGA. “We want youth to find and take the path from peace to education to jobs to the prosperity that completes the circle and reinforces peace.”

The peace march begins at noon, and all participants are asked to wear white shirts. Activities will include a peace concert featuring local artists, beginning at 1 p.m. To conclude the day, a peace vigil will be held at 4 p.m. to honor families that have lost loved ones to violence. Sponsors of the day include UPMC's www.dignityandrespectcampaign.com - offering opportunities for individuals and families to "take the pledge" for upholding dignity and respect to others.

Featured celebrity speakers include former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Chuck Sanders, who is the CEO/Founder of Urban Lending Solutions; and U.S. Ambassador Daniel H. Simpson (retired), current Chief International Editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Chairman of WDGA’s 2STEPS2WORK Peace Ambassador Program.

For more information on the Day of Peace and WDGA’s 2STEPS2SWORK program, call 412-243-WDGA [9342] or visit www.2steps2work.org
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411 7th Avenue / Suite 925 / Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce Building / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219 (USA) or P.O. Box 14003-00800 (Nairobi Kenya)

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

LEGO KidsFest National Tour in Pittsburgh Brings 3 Acres of Family Fun


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Contact:

Aaron Wartner
awartner@LEGOkidsfest.com
860-967-5520



LEGO® KIDSFEST PITTSBURGH: JUNE 17 - 19

Three Acres of Hands-On Educational Fun for All Ages


PITTSBURGH (June 2, 2011) – The LEGO® KidsFest national tour stops at Pittsburgh’s David L. Lawrence Convention Center June 17-19, bringing all of the creative hands-on, minds-on fun of LEGO building and experiences together in this 125,000 square foot activity – and entertainment-packed family event for children of all ages and builders of all skills and interests.

Among the many LEGO attractions, families will find:

• LEGO Model Gallery: 40 life-sized models made entirely from LEGO bricks

• LEGO Master Builders: building tips, tricks and live demonstrations from the crew who get paid to play

• Creation Nation: build your own creation to add to a custom map of the U.S.

• Mystery Mural: build a piece of a giant mural to help reveal the image

• Race Ramps: build your own custom car, then race it down the ramp against friends and family

• LEGO Games Arena: roll the dice to play LEGO board games

• Construction Zones: creative free build, play and display area

• LEGO DUPLO®: younger visitors can explore imagination through building


• LEGO Retail and KidsFest Marketplace: purchase LEGO merchandise and official KidsFest tour goods

• LEGO Club Member Lounge: join fellow Club members for fun activities or sign-up for free

• Brick Bin: a gigantic bin just full of LEGO bricks for creative play and enjoyment

• Monochomatic Builds: Bricks of a single color to foster group creativity

• Brickscapes: fantastic displays that combine lots of LEGO and DUPLO sets

• MINDSTORMS: build an intelligent LEGO robot and have it perform different operations

• LEGO Universe: become a custom LEGO Minifigure in this multiplayer online game

The event also includes hands-on learning activities from local partners, including Pittsburgh Magazine, Y108 and Star 100.7, Pittsburgh Pirates, KDKA-TV, Boy Scouts of America, Snapology, PA Distance Learning Charter School, and Macaroni Kids. Plus, Kidsburgh brings rotating family fun from some of their partners, including the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and the Gateway Clipper Fleet.

“Any family who likes to be inspired, get hands-on and have fun together won’t want to miss LEGO KidsFest,” said Vince Rubino, LEGO events manager. “We’re bringing so many activities for Pittsburgh-area families to test and showcase their creativity and building skills in what is sure to be a family event to remember.”

Based on sell-out attendance in previous markets, advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged. Five sessions – all identical – are available for the June 17 - 19 tour stop. LEGO KidsFest tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for children and can be purchased online at www.LEGOKidsFest.com.

The LEGO KidsFest Pittsburgh tour stop is presented by Target, Your Official Stop for LEGO Toys.

Other 2011 tour stops include Raleigh (October 7-9), Cleveland (November 4-6) and Hartford (December 2 – 4). Tickets for all 2011 tour stops are now on sale.


PLAN YOUR LEGO KidsFest Visit

Directions & Parking: The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is located at 1000 Ft. Duquesne Boulevard in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, with easy access from all interstates. For parking and detailed directions, visit www.pittsburghcc.com.

Dining: David L. Lawrence Convention Center concessions offer a range of food choices for children and adults, including a LEGO KidsFest family special. There are other dining options nearby: check www.VisitPittsburgh.com for ideas.


Overnight Packages: Save on LEGO KidsFest tickets as well as hotels and admission tickets at Pittsburgh area attractions. And get a $25 gas card! Book your overnight LEGO KidsFest weekend package with Visit Pittsburgh's Kidsburgh hotel partners today for family-friendly savings. Go to www.visitpittsburgh.com/essentials/family-fun/


While in Town: There's so much to do in and around Pittsburgh. Make a day or a weekend of it!

· Gateway Clipper
www.gatewayclipper.org

· Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
www.pittsburghzoo.org

· Carnegie Museum of Art
www.cmoa.org

· Carnegie Museum of Natural History
www.carnegiemnh.org

· Carnegie Science Center
www.carnegiesciencecenter.org

· Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
www.pittsburghkids.org

For full details on what’s fun for families, check out Visit Pittsburgh at www.visitpittsburgh.com

Friday, June 3, 2011

Music on the Mon Concert Lineup for 2011

BARC Announces 2011 Music on the Mon Concert Lineup


BROWNSVILLE, Pa. - The Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation (BARC) has finalized its summer concert series Music on the Mon.

The free events are held on the lawn at Nemacolin Castle, 136 Front St., Brownsville. This year's schedule features:

June 26 - The Jades

The Mon Valley's own four piece classic rock cover band

July 17 - The Dave Iglar Trio

Well-known in the region, The Dave Iglar trio boasts a versatile song list of original material and creative adaptations of blues and rock classics.

Aug. 7 - Jill West and the Blues Attack

Voted "Best Band in Pittsburgh" for more than 10 years, the group is known for its edgy blues rock accompanied by the dynamic vocals of Miss Jill West.

Aug. 21 - The Tiger Maple String Band

Hailing from northwestern Pa., the Tiger Maple String Band is dedicated to continuing traditional and original music inspired by Appalachian fiddle tunes, mountain ballads and coal-mining songs.

The Music on the Mon project is supported by the Fayette County Hotel Tax through the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts through its regional arts funding partnership, Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA). State government funding for the arts depends upon an annual appropriation by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. PPA is administered in this region by the Community Foundation of Fayette County.
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For additional information:
Dennis Cremonese, 724.785.9331

JazzLive International Opens June 3rd with over 150 Artists in 30 Venues

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:

Veronica Corpuz
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
412-471-6082
corpuz@pgharts.org



The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s

PITTSBURGH JAZZLIVE INTERNATIONAL

Opens today, Friday, June 3, 2011

Cultural District

Sponsor Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield contributes to present over 150 artists in 30 venues



Pittsburgh, PA: Today The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust launches the first inaugural Pittsburgh JazzLive International Festival in the Cultural District. The weekend of music kicks off tonight with a JazzLive Crawl and continues on Saturday with national and internationally renowned musicians on the JazzLive Summer stages, concluding on Sunday with a visual art show, plus concert by soul legend Bettye LaVette. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Pittsburgh JazzLive International is produced in cooperation with Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, June 3-12th.

“Highmark supports JazzLive International because it will provide Pittsburgh residents, and those who are visiting from out of town, with the opportunity to enjoy the countless cultural amenities our city has to offer,” said Mary Anne Papale, Highmark’s director of community affairs.

On Friday, June 3rd, the JazzLive Crawl will feature two dozen venues in the Cultural District from 5:30-9pm, with a variety of regional acts. Downtown Cultural District restaurants, galleries, and coffee shops will participate. Entrance is free; however seating is available only for patrons dining at participating restaurants.

On Saturday, June 4th, the three JazzLive Summer Stages—located at 9th Street and Liberty, Liberty Avenue between 9th and 10th, Penn Avenue between 9th and 10th—will feature the following artists:

· Chelsea Baratz

· Center Of Life/Monterey Jazz Festival

· Roger Humphries

· Sean Jones

· Les Nubians

· Gretchen Parlato

· Gregory Porter

· Bobby Sanabria

· Soulive

On Sunday, June 5th, Showcase Noir, the African American artist and designer showcase will fill the halls of the Byham Theater with visual art and live jazz with Alton Merrell and DJ SMI. The evening of June 5th, the Cultural Trust has partnered with Grey Area Productions to present soul and blues diva, Bettye LaVette at Altar Bar in the Strip District. Tickets can be purchased through the Pittsburgh JazzLive International website.

The Pittsburgh JazzLive International weekend is presented with support from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Macy’s, Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Savoy Restaurant, the City of Pittsburgh and many in-kind sponsors. All artists and show times are subject to change. Please visit pittsburghjazzlive.com or call 412-456-6666 for updates and information.
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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

BARC on TAP Beer Tasting Event

For Immediate Release

Contact: Blake Fisher Phone: 724.785.9331


AmeriCorps VISTA Fax: 724.785.8626

E-mail: barcinfo@barcpa.org


BARC on TAP Tickets for Sale



BROWNSVILLE, Pa. - The Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC) will host a beer-tasting event June 11 at Hiller Fire Hall.

BARC on TAP will be held from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at 937 1st St. The event will feature beer from Church Brew Works, Duquesne Beer, Full Pint Brewing, Vecenie’s Distributing Co., Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale and select home brewers in addition to foods from Brownsville-area restaurants. Also featured will be a selection of prints of historic Brownsville from the Norman Patterson Collection.

Tickets are $30 per person. Tickets are available at the BARC office in the Flatiron Building, 69 Market St., Brownsville, 724.785.9331.

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For additional information:

Dennis Cremonese, 724.785.9331



_____________________________________________________________________________________



Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC) is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Its mission is to achieve economic development through historic preservation, heritage tourism, outdoor recreation, community stewardship, education, youth advancements and the arts. Contact the BARC office, 724.785.9331, for additional information about programs and upcoming events.