Dreamweaver Marketing Associates News and Views: October 2012

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Pre Broadway Tour of Bernhardt on Broadway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Last Word LLC
2132 Pauline Blvd., Suite 208
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Telephone: 734.864.3244
Email: CDunitz@BernhardtOnBroadway.com
Web site: www.BernhardtOnBroadway.com
Contact: Carol Dunitz or Madame Sarah

Pre Broadway Tour of ‘Bernhardt On Broadway: The Musical’ Continues
Learn What Lady Gaga & Marilyn Monroe Learned from Sarah Bernhardt

‘Bernhardt on Broadway’ is a no holds barred exposé about the daughter of a courtesan who overcame countless obstacles to become the most famous woman in the world. Now, almost a century after her appearances in southeast Michigan, audiences can once again experience the wonder of Madame Sarah in the one-woman musical, ‘Bernhardt on Broadway.’ The show opens with Bernhardt welcoming the audience to her drawing room, a warm and cozy setting for the audience to become rapt in intimate self-disclosures via story and song about the actress’ legendary life. http://www.oscholars.com/Upstage/issue3/bernhardt.htm

Dunitz is currently in discussion with a major Broadway producer to take ‘Bernhardt on Broadway’ to New York. The show premiered at Maxims in Chicago in October 2010.

Before mass media and modern travel, Sarah Bernhardt ingeniously master marketed her meteoric rise to superstardom. She was the WORLD’S FIRST SUPERSTAR. Before LadyGaGa and Marilyn Monroe posed nude for national magazines, and Janet Jackson introduced the world to the concept of a wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, Sarah Bernhardt shamelessly posed nude for renowned 19th century photographer Felix Nadar while still in her teens.

Before Britney Spears and Madonna French-kissed at MTV’s 20th annual Video Music Awards, Bernhardt spread rumors that she studied her parts in a coffin and played croquet with human skulls. Before Elizabeth Taylor was led to the altar seven times and Zsa Zsa Gabor sampled marital bliss with nine men, Madame Sarah received over 1000 proposals of marriage.

Before Joan Crawford and Bette Davis endorsed Lucky Strikes, Sarah Bernhardt touted Ogden cigarettes as well as Vaseline, Pears soap, and Guerlain perfume and got paid handsomely to do it. She was an unrivaled success in the first full length silent film, ‘Queen Eliabeth,‘ before Cate Blanchett and Helen Mirren offered their interpretations of England’s great queen. Before Richard Burton and Sir Lawrence Olivier performed ‘Hamlet,’ Sarah Bernhardt played the young prince at Stratford on Avon in French.

Mark Twain punctuated Sarah Bernhardt’s Avant Garde status when he identified five kinds of actresses: “bad, fair, good, great – and then there is Sarah Bernhardt.” Nicknamed ‘The Divine Sarah’ by Oscar Wilde, Bernhardt was the undisputed queen of theatre during her lifetime. It is said she almost single-handedly revolutionized the place of women in the theater. Her bravery and bold abandon has become the archetype of successful women to this day.

Playwright, composer, lyricist and lead Carol Dunitz read over 100 books and articles on Sarah Bernhardt before writing ‘Bernhardt on Broadway.’ Dunitz received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and holds a Ph.D. in Speech Communication and Theater from Wayne State University. She is the author of several books in addition to ‘Bernhardt on Broadway.’ She has been writing music since she was a child. Her love of musicals dates to her childhood when her mother, who often told her she was ‘a little Sarah Bernhardt,’ took her to see Gypsy.

See video clips at www.YouTube.com or visit www.BernhardtOnBroadway.com. A media kit can be downloaded at http://www.bernhardtonbroadway.com/contact.html.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates. Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping. Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business. www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Buddy Valastro Live: The Cake Boss Homemade for the Holidays Tour

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Diana Roth / 412-471-8717 / roth@trustarts.org

Buddy Valastro Live: The Cake Boss

Homemade for the Holidays Tour

Benedum Center

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Pittsburgh, PA: Candy canes, carols, and the Cake Boss! Celebrate the holidays this season with America’s favorite baker, Buddy Valastro, at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, PA on Wednesday, November 28, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start as low as $26.50 and are now on sale at www.Trustarts.org, by calling (412) 456-6666, or in person: Theater Square Box Office, 655 Penn Avenue. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $85 which includes a post-show meet and greet, Cake Boss tour laminate, and special holiday surprise. This event is presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and is part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series.

Buddy Valastro, star of TLC’s “Cake Boss,” brings a special live holiday show the entire family will enjoy. Sharing the holiday traditions and stories from his family at Carlo’s Bakery, Buddy presents an all-new show full of holiday spirit and jingle bell rock. Demonstrating the techniques that have made him the most famous cake artist in the country, Buddy will share behind-the-scenes stories from his hit TV show, answer audience questions, and will bring several lucky members of the audience up on stage for cupcake and cake decorating. Pack up your sleigh and head on down to the show, ‘cause Buddy is coming to town!

One of the centerpiece shows of the TLC network, a fifth season of “Cake Boss” began airing on Memorial Day. Viewers continue to celebrate the mouthwatering desserts and not-to-be-missed Valastro family moments occurring in bustling Hoboken, NJ, home of Carlo’s Bakery, which celebrated its 102nd anniversary this summer. In addition, in December 2010, TLC premiered the spin-off series, “Cake Boss: Next Great Baker” where Buddy challenges bakers from around the country to compete for a chance to work alongside the Valastro family at Carlo’s. TLC’s “Next Great Baker” launches a new season on November 26th.

Buddy’s third and latest book, “Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss: Family Favorites as Only Buddy Can Serve Them Up” (November 6, 2012) introduces 100 of Buddy’s delicious, essential Italian-American recipes—from his grandmother’s secret dishes to his personal specialties he makes for his own children—with signature touches that make everyday meals into memorable family events. Buddy says, "Food is love, and my favorite family moments involve meals just like the ones I'm sharing here.”

The Homemade for the Holidays Tour is produced by Mills Entertainment based in Saratoga Springs, NY. An industry leader in alternative and branded live entertainment, Mills produces, promotes, and manages shows throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad. For more information, visit millsentertainment.com.

Other events:
Nationally renowned food specialist, TLC’s “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro, will make a holiday appearance that marks the release of his new book, Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss: Family Favorites as Only Buddy Can Serve Them Up, at the Settlers Ridge Market District store in Robinson Township on Wednesday, November 28, at 12 p.m. Valastro’s appearance is free to the public; however, tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Advance ticket registration is available online at marketdistrict.com. Media inquiries, please contact: Dan Donovan, Corporate Communications, (412) 963-5072; Daniel.Donovan@gianteagle.com and Dick Roberts, Roberts Communications, (412) 535-5000; droberts@rob-com.com

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Nigel Barksdale Earns Offensive Athlete of the Week Honor

Barksdale earns PSAC-West weekly honor

Rock junior quarterback Nigel Barksdale was named as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division football "Offensive Athlete of the Week" in recognition of his performance in leading SRU to a 28-26 upset of #13 California (Pa.) last Saturday

10/28/2012

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University junior quarterback Nigel Barksdale was named Sunday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division football “Offensive Athlete of the Week.”

Barksdale earned the honor for his effort in leading The Rock to a 28-26 upset win last Saturday over 13th-ranked California (Pa.) on the Vulcans' home field.

The win was SRU's second in as many seasons against the Vulcans (7-2, 5-1 PSAC-W) and extended their current win streak to three games.

A native of San Jacinto, Calif., Barksdale accumulated 402 yards in total offense against a California defense that ranked sixth in the PSAC in total yards allowed with a 368 per-game average.

Barksdale completed 15 of 22 passes for a season-high 283 yards and one touchdown and also rushed for 119 yards and one TD against a Vulcans' rushing defense that ranked third in the PSAC with a 113 yards per game allowance rate.

Saturday's game marked the fourth time in as many starts this fall Barksdale passed for more than 230 yards. He has now passed for 1,040 yards and nine TDs and rushed for 462 yards and six TDs as The Rock's starting signal caller.

The Athlete of the Week honor was Barksdale's second in the last three weeks. He also won the honor Oct. 14.

Barksdale's honor this week was the third received by a Rock football student-athlete in as many weeks and the fourth awarded to an SRU player this fall. Senior defensive end Jeff Thompson was the PSAC-West defensive selection Oct. 21, while redshirt sophomore free safety Isaiah Coleman was the Sept. 16 recipient of the defensive honor.

The Rock puts its three-game win streak and 5-4 overall, 4-2 PSAC-West records on the line Saturday when it hosts winless (0-9, 0-6) Lock Haven in a 1 p.m. game at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

SRU then closes out its 2012 schedule with a 1 p.m. game Nov. 10 against Bloomsburg (8-1). Seven Rock seniors will be honored prior to their final collegiate game.

--
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Salon with Sports Twist Now Open in Wexford

For Immediate Release

Sport Clips Haircuts Now Open in Wexford
Combination of sports and a haircut makes it good to be a guy

WEXFORD, Pa. (October 24, 2012) -- Sport Clips Haircuts, a place that makes it good to be a guy, recently opened at 11279 Perry Highway in Wexford. This is the first location in the city, adding to the more than 950 Sport Clips across the country. “What’s better than being in a relaxing environment, where sports are on TV everywhere you look, with well-trained stylists and no need for an appointment when it’s time for a haircut?” said Jeff Catanzarite, owner of the new Sport Clips and life-long Pittsburgh area resident. “Those are just a few reasons why we know Sport Clips will be a hit for the guys here Wexford.”

Sport Clips offers clients:
• The MVP Experience – precision haircut, massaging shampoo, hot steamed towel treatment, and neck and shoulder massage
• Stylists who specialize in male hair care and stay up-to-date on industry trends
• Haircut services without an appointment – walk-ins are welcome
• Large, flat-screen televisions playing sports programming at each haircut station and in the lobby, along with reading materials
• Special lighting and massaging chairs in the shampoo area to promote relaxation
• Male-focused hair care and styling products

Store hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit http://haircutmenwexfordpa.com/

Sport Clips Wexford
11279 Perry Highway, Suite 312
Wexford, PA 15090
724-934-3943
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Chicago Kicks Off Broadway at Heinz Hall Series

For Immediate Release
Oct. 26, 2012

‘CHICAGO’ KICKS OFF ‘BROADWAY AT HEINZ HALL’ SERIES
Performances run Thursday, Nov. 8 – Sunday, Nov.11

PITTSBURGH – The Tony Award-winning musical Chicago kicks off the “Broadway at Heinz Hall’ series with performances starting Thursday, Nov. 8.

Now in its 16th glorious year of girls, glitz and glamour on the Great White Way, the record-breaking smash hit musical Chicago is now the fourth longest-running production in Broadway history.

Chicago will play at Heinz Hall at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 8; 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 9; 2 & 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 10; and 1 & 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 11. Tickets, ranging from $20 to $85, can be purchased by calling the Heinz Hall box office at 412.392.4900, or visitingwww.pittsburghsymphony.org.
With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago's slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids.

The national tour is directed by Scott Faris and choreographed by Gary Chryst. Walter Bobbie is the director of the original New York Production and Ann Reinking was the original choreographer in the style of Bob Fosse. Chicago features set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington and sound design by Scott Lehrer. The production also features orchestrations by Ralph Burns, supervising music direction by Rob Fisher.

-30-
Contact: James Barthen, Vice President of Public Affairs
Phone: 412.392.4835 | email: jbarthen@pittsburghsymphony.org

Contact: Ramesh Santanam, Director of Media Relations
Phone: 412.392.4827 | email: rsantanam@pittsburghsymphony.org

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WAR HORSE Area Premiere at Benedum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: October 23, 2012
Contact: Diana Roth, 412-471-8717, roth@trustarts.org

PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh presents the area premiere of WAR HORSE
November 13-18, 2012, Benedum Center

Pittsburgh, PA: The National Theatre of Great Britain’s epic WAR HORSE, winner of five 2011 Tony® Awards including Best Play, will make its premiere in Pittsburgh from November 13-18, 2012, at the Benedum Center. “A landmark theater event.” – Time Magazine

The performance schedule is Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets for WAR HORSE begin at $24.00. Tickets are on sale at TrustArts.org and at the Box Office at Theater Square (655 Penn Avenue) and by calling 412-456-4800. Groups 10+ are available by calling 412-471-6930. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit warhorseonstage.com. or www.trustarts.org.

WAR HORSE is part of the PNC Broadway Across America – Pittsburgh series presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony and Broadway Across America.

Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, War Horse, is also the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s feature film of the same name, which earned six Oscar nominations including Best Picture.

Joey and the US National Tour of War Horse

Hailed by The New York Times as “theatrical magic,” WAR HORSE is the powerful story of young Albert’s beloved horse, Joey, who has been enlisted to fight for the English in World War I. In a tale the New York Daily News calls “spellbinding, by turns epic and intimate,” Joey is caught in enemy crossfire and ends up serving both sides of the war before landing in no man’s land. Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home. What follows is a remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship, filled with stirring music and songs and told with the some of the most innovative stagecraft of our time.

The tour of WAR HORSE, which was adapted from the book by Morpurgo by Nick Stafford, is directed by Bijan Sheibani based on the original Tony® Award-winning direction by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, and presented in association with Handspring Puppet Company. At the heart of the show are life-sized puppets which bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage.

Andrew Veenstra, John Riddleberger, Patrick Osteen, Jessica Krueger

In addition to Best Play, WAR HORSE received Tony® Awards for Best Direction of a Play (Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Rae Smith), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Paule Constable), and Best Sound Design of a Play (Christopher Shutt). A Special Tony Award was given to Handspring Puppet Company for their integral work on the production.

WAR HORSE received its World Premiere in a limited engagement at the National’s Olivier Theatre in 2007. The play returned to the National Theatre for a second run playing from in 2008-2009 before transferring to the West End’s New London Theatre in Spring 2009 where it continues to play an open-ended run. WAR HORSE has been seen by over 2 million people worldwide and is currently playing at New York’s Lincoln Center Theater, in London’s West End, and at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre. Future productions of WAR HORSE are planned for Australia, Berlin and South Africa, as well as a UK Tour. For more information, please visit www.WarHorseOnStage.com.

The lead producers of the National Tour of WAR HORSE are Bob Boyett and the National Theatre of Great Britain.

Lincoln Center Theater and the National Theatre of Great Britain in association with Bob Boyett and War Horse LP, are the producers of the American premiere of WAR HORSE, which opened in Spring 2011 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater where it is currently playing an open-ended run.

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WQED Receives Heinz Endowments Grant for Local Initiative

HEINZ ENDOWMENTS AWARDS MAJOR GRANT TO WQED FOR LOCAL INITIATIVE ON AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN & BOYS

PITTSBURGH – WQED Multimedia has been awarded a major grant from the Heinz Endowments to support the continuation of a multimedia initiative to increase awareness of portrayal and perception of African American men and boys.

“This unique partnership will help ensure positive stories and images of African American men and boys from our community provide a more balanced portrayal through mainstream media,” said Carmen Anderson, the Endowments senior program officer for Children, Youth & Families and chair of the foundation's African American Men and Boys Task Force. “This year a new component, modeled after a national initiative that allows the men and boys to tell their own stories, will be added to the program. Both the quality and content of the pilot series were very good; we anticipate building on this success to further this important agenda.”

“This project shares and advances the goals of both the Heinz Endowments and WQED: to educate and increase awareness of community issues, and to work through partnerships toward a community dialogue to deal with those issues,” said Deborah L. Acklin, president and chief executive officer of WQED.

This project has a special focus on the African American community and features stories of African American men and boys who are accomplished members or rising stars in the community.

Last year’s series, also made possible through a grant from The Heinz Endowments, included a televised town hall meeting and four episodes that focused on entrepreneurship, African American musical forms, and media images of African American men and boys.

“Our experience with Portrayal and Perception (the umbrella name for the series), was that the more we produced, the more we learned about the many uncelebrated men in a myriad of professional and academic settings,” said Darryl Ford Williams, WQED vice president of content. “The connection this series made with the audience was notable, and viewers asked for more stories and suggested topics to cover in future segments.”

Broadcast Component
This year’s Portrayal and Perception series will consist of four half-hour documentaries that illustrate stories of African American men and boys in urban, suburban and rural environments. The productions will air on multiple platforms and channels to reach the full range of WQED’s audience.

In addition to new episodes on WQED’s main television channel, the complete catalogue of episodes from years one and two of the project will air in a continuous block on WQED: The Neighborhood Channel. The Neighborhood Channel is one of WQED’s four digital channels available for free over-the-air and on local cable systems.

The initiative will culminate in a town hall meeting that assesses the accomplishments and challenges in the effort to reshape the image of African American men and boys, including a conversation on the importance of mentoring and the role of the church.

Online Component
WQED will partner with the BME (pronounced Be Me) project, a national engagement initiative to create an online portal for African American men and boys to share their positive portraits through a digital story corps. This aspect of the initiative will invite creative voices from the community to participate in the effort to alter perceptions. The Pittsburgh BME initiative will be similar to the BME projects launching in Philadelphia, Detroit and Baltimore.

About The Heinz Endowments

The Heinz Endowments supports efforts to make southwestern Pennsylvania a premier place to live and work, a center for learning and educational excellence, and a region that embraces diversity and inclusion. Its mission is to help southwestern Pennsylvania thrive economically, ecologically, educationally and culturally, while advancing the state of knowledge and practice in the foundation’s fields of emphasis. These include philanthropy in general and the disciplines represented by five grant-making programs: Arts & Culture; Children, Youth & Families; Community & Economic Development; Education; and Environment.

About WQED Multimedia
WQED Multimedia has a proud history of honors, including 134 National and Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards, an Academy Award, and many, many others, including two Emmy® Awards for Station Excellence. WQED was founded in 1954 as the nation’s first community-supported broadcaster. The people of WQED create, produce and distribute quality programs, products and services to engage, inform, educate and entertain the public within their community and around the world. WQED Pittsburgh is one of the first broadcasters in the country to be fully high-definition (HD) in its studio and field production capabilities. It is the parent company of WQED-TV (PBS); WQED: The Neighborhood Channel; WQED: The Create Channel; WQED Showcase; Classical WQED-FM 89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; the Pittsburgh Concert Channel at WQED-HD2 (89.3-2FM) and online at www.wqed.org/fm; local and national television and radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org) and iQ: smartmedia, WQED’s Educational initiative (www.wqed.org/edu).

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Blues Legend B. B. King to Perform at Benedum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: October 23, 2012
Contact: Diana Roth, (412) 471-8717, roth@trustarts.org

B.B. King, award winning, blues guitarist
performing at the Benedum Center, Wednesday, November 21, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh, PA: The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents award-winning, blues guitarist B.B. King at the Benedum Center on Wednesday, November 21, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. For information and tickets: visit www.Trustarts.org, call (412) 456-6666, or in person: Theater Square Box Office, 655 Penn Avenue. To purchase 10 or more tickets at discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930. The performance is a part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

Riley B. King, better known as B.B. King, has been enthralling audiences for more than fifty years. Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, King played on street corners for dimes and would sometimes play up to four towns in a night. His passion for music led him to Memphis, Tennessee where he got his big break performing on Sonny Boy Williamson's radio program on KWEM. This led to steady engagements at the Sixteenth Avenue Grill in West Memphis, and later to a ten-minute spot on Memphis radio station WDIA. "King's Spot," became so popular, it was expanded and became the "Sepia Swing Club."

In 1952, King had his first hit with “Three O’Clock Blues” which was followed by countless more. Over the years B.B. King has performed an estimated 15,000 shows and is one the most beloved blues musicians of all time. Known as the King of the Blues, he is credited with inventing the genre of the blues. President Obama recently declared at a B.B. King performance, "This music speaks to something universal. No one goes through life without both- joy and pain, triumph and sorrow. The blues gets all of that, sometimes with just one lyric or one note. "

King named his famous guitar Lucille after narrowly escaping a fire in a dance hall caused by two men fighting over a woman named Lucille. The beloved Gibson guitar has become an essential part of his identifiable guitar style. Borrowing from Blind Lemon Jefferson, T-Bone Walker and others, King integrated his precise and complex vocal-like string bends and his left hand vibrato, both of which have become indispensable components of rock guitarist's vocabulary. King has mixed traditional blues, jazz, swing, mainstream pop and jump into a totally unique sound. In King’s words, "When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille."

King released his 24th studio album, One Kind of Favor, in August, 2008. It went on to win a Grammy award for Best Traditional Blues Album at the 51st Grammy Awards. He also contributed to Cyndi Lauper's album Memphis Blues in 2010. He continues to tour playing many of his hit songs from over the years.

King has received many accolades and awards throughout his career. In 1984 he was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. That same year he received NARAS' Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. King also holds honorary doctorates from Tougaloo (MS) College in 1973; Yale University in 1977; Berklee College of Music in 1982; Rhodes College of Memphis in 1990; Mississippi Valley State University in 2002 and Brown University in 2007. In 1992, he received the National Award of Distinction from the University of Mississippi. He continues to tour extensively and his classic hits such as "Payin' The Cost to be the Boss," "The Thrill is Gone," How Blue Can You Get," "Everyday I Have The Blues," and "Why I Sing The Blues" continue to thrill audiences today.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit organization whose mission is the cultural and economic development of Pittsburgh’s 14-block Cultural District through public and private support. The Trust presents and encourages diverse performing and visual arts programs within the District, and is an impetus for additional development in downtown Pittsburgh.

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WQED Awarded Major Grants

WQED RECEIVES MAJOR GRANTS FROM PNC FOUNDATION AND HEINZ ENDOWMENTS

Funding will support August Wilson documentary to air on PBS

PITTSBURGH – WQED Multimedia has been awarded major grants from the PNC Foundation to support production and educational outreach and from The Heinz Endowments to support production of a national documentary on the life and work of Pittsburgh native and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson.

August Wilson: The Ground On Which I Stand will be a 90-minute high-definition television documentary and the first in-depth exploration of the life, work and cultural impact of the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning African American playwright and Pittsburgh native (1945 – 2005). The program will be a co-production of WQED and the PBS series American Masters and will air in late 2014.

PNC Foundation and The Heinz Endowments join the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in supporting this major national documentary.

“WQED has successfully reflected the American experience through its documentaries,” said Eva Blum, president and chair of the PNC Foundation. “We welcome the opportunity to work with them again as they explore the life of August Wilson and his dramatic depiction of African American heritage.”

Janet Sarbaugh, the Endowments’ senior program director for Arts & Culture, noted that the vital setting of Pittsburgh for all of Wilson’s plays also should be reflected in the production of his life story. “August Wilson once wrote ‘I left Pittsburgh but Pittsburgh never left me,’ We all share great pride that Pittsburgh was home to this treasured American artist, ” Sarbaugh said, “and it is fitting that his hometown provides support for his story to be told.”

“This documentary will be the definitive story of the most prolific playwright of the last half of the 20th century,” said Deborah L. Acklin, president and chief executive officer of WQED.

“We are deeply honored that two Pittsburgh foundations, PNC Foundation and The Heinz Endowments, will be a major part of this project. PNC has partnered with WQED in the past to promote projects that educate and enlighten children and families, and this documentary will expand that educational initiative to the entire country. The Heinz Endowments have provided major support to WQED for many years will support production of the documentary. ”

August Wilson was a Pittsburgh native who grew up in the Hill District. From the 1980s into the first decade of the 21st century, he was the most produced playwright both on Broadway and in regional theaters, creating his unprecedented ten-play Century Cycle, all but one of which take place in Pittsburgh. The series chronicles the economic, historical, social, and spiritual life of African Americans through each decade of the 20th century.

“This is the story not only of one man, but also of his success in putting the lives of ordinary, yet complex people on the national stage. It is a quintessential Pittsburgh story and we are delighted to have Heinz Endowments as a funder for the production and PNC Foundation as a partner to support the production and enhance the educational opportunities in the project,” said Darryl Ford Williams, vice president of content at WQED.

About WQED Multimedia
WQED Multimedia has a proud history of honors, including 134 National and Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards, an Academy Award, and many, many others, including two Emmy® Awards for Station Excellence. WQED was founded in 1954 as the nation’s first community-supported broadcaster. The people of WQED create, produce and distribute quality programs, products and services to engage, inform, educate and entertain the public within their community and around the world. WQED Pittsburgh is one of the first broadcasters in the country to be fully high-definition (HD) in its studio and field production capabilities. It is the parent company of WQED-TV (PBS); WQED: The Neighborhood Channel; WQED: The Create Channel; WQED Showcase; Classical WQED-FM 89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; the Pittsburgh Concert Channel at WQED-HD2 (89.3-2FM) and online at www.wqed.org/fm; local and national television and radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org) and iQ: smartmedia, WQED’s Educational initiative (www.wqed.org/edu).

About PNC Foundation
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE: PNC), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.

About The Heinz Endowments
The Heinz Endowments supports efforts to make southwestern Pennsylvania a premier place to live and work, a center for learning and educational excellence, and region that embraces diversity and inclusion. Its mission is to help southwestern Pennsylvania thrive economically, ecologically, educationally and culturally, while advancing the state of knowledge and practice in the foundation’s fields of emphasis. These include philanthropy in general and the disciplines represented by five grant-making programs: Arts & Culture; Children, Youth & Families; Community & Economic Development; Education; and Environment.

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Woodville Plantation Hosts 18th Century Military Re-enactment

October 24, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rob Windhorst
412-221-0348
rwindhorst19@comcast.net

QUICK FACTS:
Event: 18th Century Military Re-enactment
Date: Saturday, November 3, and Sunday, November 4, 2012
Time: Saturday - 5 to 8 pm; Sunday noon to 5 pm
Place: Woodville Plantation, 1375 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017
Cost: Sunday - $2.00 per Person; Sunday - $5.00 per Person

WOODVILLE PLANTATION HOSTS 18TH CENTURY MILITARY RE-ENACTMENT

BRIDGEVILLE, PA (October 24, 2012) - Step back in time with Woodville Plantation as this living history museum presents a special event. On the weekend of Saturday, November 3, and Sunday, November 4, visitors are invited to meet the soldiers of the Fourth Sub-Legion of the United States, the troops that defended John Neville's Bower hill mansion during the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794.

Visitors will experience 18th century camp military life as living history re-enactors set up camp and demonstrate Von Steuben's drills from 1794. Events of the day include tactical demonstrations, musket firing, marching and ceremonial drills. Soldiers will discuss what military camp life was like in the first United States Army, circa 1794.

Special hours for the event are Saturday, November 3, from 5 to 8 pm and Sunday, November 4, from noon to 5pm. Admission to the encampment on Saturday will be $2.00 per person. The house will not be open for tours on Saturday. Admission on Sunday is $5.00 per person and it includes a tour of the house.

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 pm to 4 pm.

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

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Mozart's Don Giovanni Opens on the 3rd

Pittsburgh Opera presents a Mozart favorite in a new production: Don Giovanni opens November 3

What: Wolfgang Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni

Where: Benedum Center for the Performing Arts
7th Street and Penn Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh

When: Saturday, November 3, 8:00 PM Tuesday, November 6, 7:00 PM
Friday, November 9, 8:00 PM Sunday, November 11, 2:00 PM

Run Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes, including 1 intermission

Language: Sung in Italian with English titles projected above the stage

Tickets: Start at $10 for all performances.
Call 412-456-6666 for more information or visit pittsburghopera.org

Pittsburgh, PA…Pittsburgh Opera presents the Mozart favorite Don Giovanni, November 3 – 11 at the Benedum Center. Based on the Don Juan legend and starring Michael Todd Simpson as Don Giovanni, the opera showcases a sterling ensemble cast and a new production built in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Opera presents at least one new production every season, but it is unusual that the company presents three new productions in a single season. Its Don Giovanni is the first built-in-Pittsburgh production for the 2012-13 season. At press time, the distinctive “bullring” set is near completion in Ambridge, PA, and costumes and wigs are being fitted at the company’s Strip District headquarters.

Don Giovanni is the story of a dissolute nobleman who chafes against the repressive culture of his native Seville, and pays the ultimate price for his philandering and lack of remorse. Featuring the popular duet “La ci darem la mano” and the humorous “Catalog” aria, the opera blends humor, drama, and the supernatural. Mozart and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte drew from an earlier Don Juan opera as well as Moliere’s play and other works to craft the opera. Mozart presumably worked on the overture right up to the night before the opera’s first performance. While it was obviously completed under some stress, the opera made a lasting impression on the likes of E.T. A. Hoffmann, Kirkegaard, Tchaikovsky, and Chopin, all of whom created homages to the opera: a popular classic.

The ensemble cast features debuts by Wayne Tigges as Leporello and Caitlin Lynch as Donna Anna, and returns for former Resident Artists Sean Panikkar (The Pearl Fishers, 2011) and Jennifer Holloway (Romeo & Juliet, 2006). Also returning are Michael Todd Simpson (The Marriage of Figaro, 2010; La bohème, 2009), Sari Gruber (The Marriage of Figaro, 2010; Cosi fan tutte, 2006) and Hao Jiang Tian (Turandot, 2011); Resident Artist Joseph Barron appears as Masetto. Music Director Antony Walker returns to conduct; Justin Way debuts as stage director. Mr. Way gives an overview of his vision for the opera in a video found at www.pittsburghopera.org.

Tickets to Don Giovanni start at $10, with all performances at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, 7th Street and Penn Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh. For additional information or to purchase tickets call 412-456-6666 or visitwww.pittsburghopera.org.

Facts about the opera

 The Don Giovanni libretto was written by Lorenzo da Ponte, who shared some characteristics with the title character: he was friends with Casanova, and trained for the priesthood before falling out with the establishment for his libertine leanings. He had affairs with married women, and declared bankruptcy. However, his legacy of 28 librettos and his passion for teaching came with him to the U.S. when he became the first professor of Italian Literature at Columbia College (now Columbia University).
 In rehearsals for the premiere, Mozart was dissatisfied with the scream given by his Zerlina when the Don makes advances to her. Mozart sneaked up behind her and gave her a hard pinch at the right moment. Zerlina gave a very realistic shriek, and Mozart said he was finally satisfied.

The story, in brief
Don Giovanni, a dissolute nobleman of Seville, kills the Commendatore in a duel after he tries to seduce the Commendatore’s daughter, Donna Anna. Giovanni escapes, and Anna makes her fiancé, Don Ottavio, swear vengeance on the killer. Outside a tavern, Giovanni flirts with Donna Elvira, whom he once seduced and who has been looking for him ever since. Giovanni’s servant Leporello distracts Elvira by reciting his master's long catalog of conquests. Peasants arrive, celebrating the wedding of Zerlina and Masetto; Giovanni joins in and applies his charm to the bride, but Elvira whisks the girl away. When Elvira returns to denounce Giovanni as a seducer, he is caught between her and Anna, now in mourning. Anna recognizes him as her attacker.

Preparing for the wedding feast he has planned for the peasants, Giovanni exuberantly downs champagne. Outside the palace, Zerlina begs Masetto to forgive her apparent infidelity. Giovanni manages to corner Zerlina again, and when the girl cries for help, Giovanni blames Leporello. No one is convinced, and Elvira, Anna and Ottavio confront the Don, who barely escapes Ottavio's challenge.

Later, at Elvira’s inn, Leporello exchanges clothes with Giovanni to woo the lady in his master's stead. Leporello leads Elvira off, leaving Giovanni free to serenade Elvira's maid. When Masetto comes by with a band of peasants bent on punishing the Don, the disguised rake gives them false directions and beats up Masetto. In a courtyard, Elvira and Leporello are surprised by Anna, Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto, who, mistaking servant for master, threaten Leporello. Frightened, he unmasks and escapes.

Leporello catches up with his master in a cemetery, where a voice from the Commendatore’s statue warns Giovanni of his doom. The Don proposes that Leporello invite the statue to dinner. When the servant stammers an invitation, the statue accepts. Leporello is serving Giovanni's dinner when Elvira rushes in, begging the Don, whom she still loves, to reform. But he waves her out, and her screams announce the arrival of the statue. Giovanni boldly refuses warnings to repent, Hell opens before him, and he is drawn in. Arriving too late, the others plan their future and recite the moral: such is the fate of a wrongdoer.
Don Giovanni opens Saturday, November 3 and continues November 6, 9, and 11, 2012. Tickets start at $10. Call 412-456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org .

The Pittsburgh Opera 2012-2013 season is generously sponsored by PNC Foundation.

Tickets and Group Discounts
Tickets for all performances of Don Giovanni start at $10. Group discounts are available. For tickets, call (412) 456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org. For discounted group tickets (6 or more), contact Randy Adams at 412-281-0912, x 213.

Gilberto Gil Performs at the Byham Theater

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: October 18, 2012
Contact: Diana Roth, (412) 471-8717, roth@trustarts.org

Gilberto Gil

Thursday, November 15, 2012, Byham Theater

Pittsburgh, PA: The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, Gilberto Gil, at the Byham Theater on Thursday, November 15, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. Gilberto Gil is known for both his musical innovation and political commitment. He is one of the first artists to lead the ‘Tropicalia’ music movement. Gil’s music has modernized Brazilian popular music and his style blends an eclectic range of influences including rock music and Brazilian genres like samba, salsa,bossa nova, and African music and reggae. His performance is highly praised by Variety, “There may have been one man onstage, but there was enough warmth, love, intelligence and sheer talent on display to power an orchestra.”

Gil’s For All Tour will feature the folkloric, celebratory, Baião music of Northeast Brazil; accompanied by guitarist Sergio Chiavazzolli, drums player Jorge Gomes, bass player Arthur Maia, accordionist Toninho Ferragutti, violin player Nicholas Krassik and percussionist Gustavo Di Dalva. Their performance reinvents old classics, and presents new songs such as "Fé na Festa", o "Livre Atiradore a Pegadora", from Gil’s new album (Fé na Festa) all dedicated to Baião. This tour has been greatly praised: The New York Times wrote, “He played delicate bossa novas, strummed rockers and intricate sambas; he crooned, whispered and whooped, equally at home in the fast patter of a samba or the curvaceous contours of a ballad…” While the LA Times said, “The prevailing tone of Gil’s songs is a ruminative sweetness, albeit one achieved via brainy harmonic and melodic gambats…”

For information and tickets ($30.00 - $53.00), visit www.Trustarts.org, call (412) 456-6666, or in person at Theater Square Box Office, 655 Penn Avenue. To purchase 10 or more tickets at discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930. The performance is a part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

With 52 albums released, Gilberto Gil has 12 gold records, 5 platinum albums, 7 Grammys and more than 4 million records sold. Gil has been honored by several entities and personalities and has also received many prizes in Brazil and abroad such as The Polar Prize in 2005. Gil’s recent album Fé na Festa was released in 2011. He is a unique composer powered by immense talent and curiosity, and a musical ambassador powered by firm cultural conviction.

Gil was born in Salvador, Brazil and was interested in music from a very young age. After experimenting musically during his teens, he settled on the guitar as his main instrument and wrote songs that reflected his focus on political awareness and social activism. He began collaborating with artist Caetano Veloso in 1963 and together they created the genre Tropicalism. This new music style was radically innovative-mixing native styles with rock and folk instruments. Because of Gil's experimenting with music and fusing samba, salsa, and bossa nova with rock and folk music, he's recognized today as one of the pioneers in the World Music genre.

Tropicalism expressed various artists’ deeply critical views of Brazilian politics. Eventually the movement was repressed by the authoritarian regime and resulted in Gil and Caetano being imprisoned and eventually exiled to England. While in England, Gil was influenced by several different genres including reggae, rock, and jazz. This exposure helped later in developing his distinctive musical style. Gil returned to Bahia in 1972 to focus on his musical career and environmental advocacy work. While serving as Salvador’s Secretary of Culture, Gil helped protect Brazilian waters by founding Onda Azul (Blue Wave). Additionally, Gil served as Brazil’s Minister of Cultural and during that time sponsored Culture Points- a program that provided music and educations grants to the underprivileged.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit organization whose mission is the cultural and economic development of Pittsburgh’s 14-block Cultural District through public and private support. The Trust presents and encourages diverse performing and visual arts programs within the District, and is an impetus for additional development in downtown Pittsburgh.

Photo Credit: Perfil Guitarra

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WQED Elects New Board Members

WQED MULTIMEDIA ELECTS FOUR NEW MEMBERS TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Annual Meeting Highlights Accomplishments

PITTSBURGH - At its annual meeting today, the WQED Multimedia Board of Directors named four key community leaders to its board and six new members to its Community Advisory Board.

WQED Chair Debra Caplan noted that WQED continued to break new ground in Fiscal Year 2012 by adding a new digital television channel (WQED Showcase); a new radio stream (WQED Concert Channel); and launching new initiatives of its iQ: smartmedia educational initiative: iQ Smart Parent and iQ Kids Radio.

“Despite the loss of state operating funding and the threat of federal funding cuts, WQED continues to serve the community by becoming more entrepreneurial and growing its membership base,” said Deborah L. Acklin, President and Chief Executive Officer.

“The retail arm of WQED hit a home run in 2011 and 2012 with the sale of Pittsburgh From the Air and Pittsburgh from the Air II, which generated more than 11,000 DVD and Blu-ray sales. WQED now rents Studio on Fifth for weddings and banquets and to advertising agencies and independent producers. Fiscal Year 2012 marked the 13th straight year that WQED generated net revenues from operations.”

Fiscal year 2012 also brought news of a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support production of a national documentary on the life and work of Pittsburgh native and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson.

August Wilson: The Ground On Which I Stand will be a 90-minute high-definition television documentary and the first in-depth exploration of the life, work and cultural impact of the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning African American playwright and Pittsburgh native (1945 – 2005). The program will be a co-production of WQED and the PBS series American Masters and will air in late 2014.

New board members elected to a three-year term today were:

- W. Thomas McGough, Jr., Chief Legal Officer, UPMC
- Darlene Motley, Ph.D., Associate Dean, School of Business, Robert Morris University
- Dr. Mildred S. Myers, Teaching Professor of Management Communications Emerita, Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business
- James Singer, Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP

Debra L. Caplan, Senior Vice President, Allegheny General Hospital, remains Chair of the Board of Directors and Michael Bryson, retired from BNY Mellon, remains Vice Chair of the Board.

Outgoing board member Clyde Jones was named a member of the WQED Honor Board.

WQED’s Board of Directors also approved six new members to its Community Advisory Board (CAB):

- Paul Homick, Director of Major Gifts, Carnegie Mellon University
- Chaz Kellem, Manager of Diversity Initiatives, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Laurie Mizrahi, President and CEO, Mizrahi, Inc.
- Suzi Neft, Owner, Suzi Neft Promotes
- Conor J. Platt, Founder, Confluence Capital Management
- Devon Smeal, Music Educator, West Mifflin Area School District

WQED Pittsburgh has a proud history of honors, including 134 National and Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards, an Academy Award, and many, many others, including two Emmy® Awards for Station Excellence. WQED was founded in 1954 as the nation’s first community-supported broadcaster. The people of WQED create, produce and distribute quality programs, products and services to engage, inform, educate and entertain the public within their community and around the world. WQED Pittsburgh is one of the first broadcasters in the country to be fully high-definition (HD) in its studio and field production capabilities. It is the parent company of WQED-TV (PBS); WQED: The Neighborhood Channel; WQED: The Create Channel; WQED Showcase; Classical WQED-FM 89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; the Pittsburgh Concert Channel at WQED-HD2 (89.3-2FM) and online at www.wqed.org/fm; local and national television and radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org) and iQ: smartmedia, WQED’s Educational initiative (www.wqed.org/edu).
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