Dreamweaver Marketing Associates News and Views: September 2013

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Broadway and Beyond with Brian Stokes Mitchell, PNC Pops

Sept. 24, 2013

Calendar of Events Submission

TITLE: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra PNC Pops: Broadway and Beyond with Brian Stokes Mitchell

CATEGORY: Pops

DATE: Oct. 17-20, 2013

TIME: Oct. 17: 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 18 & 19: 8 p.m.; Oct. 20: 2:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222

Brian Stokes Mitchell

DESCRIPTION: Brian Stokes Mitchell, a Tony Award-winner for his performance in Kiss Me, Kate, joins your PSO for a concert filled with favorite songs from classic Broadway musicals. Dubbed the "Broadway Baritone Extraordinaire," Mitchell takes you on a journey as he becomes the characters of each musical with every new song. This is your chance to hear the best of Broadway from one of Broadway's best. Plus, enjoy a few non-Broadway selections hand-picked by Mitchell that are sure to delight.

TICKET COST: $25.75-119.75

INFO/TICKETS: 412-392-4900 or www.pittsburghsymphony.org

Conductor Ted Sperling

PHOTOS: Photos of vocalist Brian Stokes Mitchell and conductor Ted Sperling (photo credit: Laura Marie Duncan)

Please note: A press release with additional details will be sent closer to the event date.

Contact: Joyce DeFrancesco, Director of Media Relations
Phone: 412.392.4827 | email: jdefrancesco@pittsburghsymphony.org

Photo Credits: Laura Marie Duncan

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

PICT Announces 2014 Theme: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Contact: Michelle Belan
Marketing Director
412.561.6000 x203
mbelan@picttheatre.org
www.picttheatre.org
SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

PICT Theatre Announces a ‘Wicked’ Season for 2014
Six plays fit the theme: “Something Wicked This Way Comes”
A mixture of classic favorites and pure Irish genius.

Pittsburgh, PA – September 23, 2013. PICT Theatre (Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre) packs its eighteenth year of classic favorites and pure Irish genius, a return to its original mission under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Alan Stanford. The selection of plays all fit the theme, “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” a line taken from the fifth show of the season.

BLITHE SPIRIT – MAY 1-17, 2014 – THE CHARITY RANDALL THEATRE
PICT launches its season next May with Noel Coward’s immensely popular comedy Blithe Spirit. This play made its Pittsburgh premiere at the Nixon Theatre in 1942 and was produced again in 1943, and then the Pittsburgh Playhouse produced it in 1945, but since then, there have been no professional productions of this comic gem in Pittsburgh. The story is simple: after a séance gone bad, Charles Condomine is disturbed to find that he now has two wives occupying his home— one of which is his late wife, Elvira. Blithe Spirit playfully mocks the traditions of love and marriage through the machinations of spiritual folly and the fight between a wife living, a wife dead and the haunted husband stuck between them. Even the grim reaper has no rest. A darkly amusing comedy, Blithe Spirit will be directed by PICT Producing Artistic Director Alan Stanford.

WAITING FOR GODOT – JUNE 4-21, 2014 – THE CHARITY RANDALL THEATRE
Though PICT produced BeckettFest in 2006, the company only offered a staged reading of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. In October of that same year, Alan Stanford starred as Pozzo in the Gate Theatre Dublin’s touring production at the Byham. PICT is finally producing this work as the second production of the 2014 season. Waiting for Godot, considered by many to be one of most influential plays ever written. Of this play, Alan Stanford notes, “ Two men waiting on a road for someone who never arrives. Two other men on a journey that seems to have no purpose or end. In this simple tragic-comedy, Beckett has captured all life – the waiting and the journeying.” Aoife Spillane-Hinks, who directed PICT’s 2013 season opener Our Classwill return to PICT to direct.

WOMAN AND SCARECROW – JULY 10-AUGUST 20, 2014, THE HENRY HEYMANN THEATRE
First performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London and subsequently presented at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Woman and Scarecrow is Marina Carr’s perfect play about the last moments of a woman’s life. With great beauty and with clear Irish wit and wonder, this play tells the story of a life that was lived and the joy and sadness that comes that comes at journey’s end. The woman of the title is surrounded by colorful characters including her husband, her Auntie, her strange companion- and not forgetting the ‘thing’ in the closet. A wickedly wonderful plot for the adventurous spirit. Directed by Alan Stanford and starring Nike Doukas and Karen Baum,

OBSERVE THE SONS OF ULSTER MARCHING TOWARDS THE SOMME – SEPTEMBER 4-20, 2014, THE CHARITY RANDALL THEATRE
Almost legendary in Irish Theatre, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme was written in the height of “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland. It was one of the few plays from the Irish Republic which addressed the traditions and sense of Uster-ness of the Northern Protestants. Set during the First World War, the play follows a group of new recruits to the British army from basic training to the night before the Battle of the Somme where over 50,000 British troops died on the first day. Most of the Ulster contingent were killed in the first onslaught. Award-winning Irish playwright Frank McGuinness gives us a play which brilliantly demonstrates duty, loyalty, friendship, and above all, the effect of war on men. PICT’s production marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I.

MACBETH – OCTOBER 8-25, 2014 – THE CHARITY RANDALL THEATRE
One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, Macbeth chronicles the lust for power and the enticements that fate can offer. Macbeth, of all Shakespeare’s heroes, is the one on whom temptation and vanity wreak their most terrible revenge. He is the victim of his own delusions and of his own blind ambition. This is a play with no sub-plot. No deviations. No overtly intellectual debate. It is a play of action, power and passion. And there are three wicked witches! Alan Stanford will direct.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS – DECEMBER 3-20, 2014 – THE CHARITY RANDALL THEATRE
One of the best-known novels of England’s most prolific and loved Victorian writers, Great Expectations chronicles the life and loves of Philip Pirrip, known simply as Pip. Apprenticed to a blacksmith, kind to an escaped convict, sent to the home of an eccentric old woman (still in the bridal wear from her wedding day), Pip falls hopelessly in love with her ward. He is sent to London with great expectations of an inheritance. But the truth behind his expectations is far from anything he believed and the conclusion of his adventures is far from anything he dreamed. This classic of literature by Charles Dickens, which contains some of the author’s most colorful characters, was adapted by Hugh Leonard for Alan Stanford for production at the Gate Theatre Dublin. Alan Stanford will direct.

PICT IS NOW A BLUE STAR THEATRE
PICT Theatre is pleased to announce its participation in the Blue Star Theatre program, a program of Blue Star Families and Theatre Communications Group, with support from the MetLife Foundation. Through this program, military servicemembers and their families can receive discounted tickets. More information about the program can be found at the PICT website.

The Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre (PICT) 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 performs in The Charity Randall and Henry Heymann Theatres from April through December in cooperation with the University of Pittsburgh – Department of Theatre Arts.

PITTSBURGH IRISH & CLASSICAL THEATRE 2014 SEASON FACT SHEET

All performances in the Stephen Foster Memorial, 4301 Forbes Avenue, Oakland

Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward

Directed by Alan Stanford

The Charity Randall Theatre

May 1 – May 17, 2014

(10 a.m. Student Matinee on Tuesday, May 13)

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Directed by Aoife Spillane- Hinks

The Charity Randall Theatre

June 4 – June 21, 2014

(10 a.m. Student Matinee on Wednesday, June 4)

Woman and Scarecrow by Marina Carr

Directed by Alan Stanford

The Henry Heymann Theatre

July 10 – August 2, 2014

Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme by Frank McGuinness

Director TBA

The Charity Randall Theatre

September 4 – September 20, 2014

(10 a.m. Student Matinee on Tuesday, September 16)

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Directed by Alan Stanford

The Charity Randall Theatre

October 8 – 25, 2014

(10 a.m. student matinees on Tuesday, October 8 and Tuesday, October 21)

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (Adapted for the stage by Hugh Leonard)

Directed by Alan Stanford

The Charity Randall Theatre

December 3-20, 2014

(10 a.m. student matinees on Tuesday, December 3 and Tuesday, December 16)

Subscriptions

(wide range of packages and flex plans available-

Early Bird pricing in effect until December 21, 2014) $296-$188*

Single Tickets $55-$38*

Senior Tickets (60+) $44*

(Limited “grab bag” seating at $25; not available at all shows) $25*

Military and Youth Tickets:

Military Adult $24

Military Children (ages 18 and under)$5

Patrons ages 19-30 $20*

Children ages 18 and under $10*

* Prices do not include handling fees. Subscription handling fees waived for E-Subscribers.

Email tickethelp@picttheatre.org to become an E-Subscriber or for online purchasing options, or contact PICT at 412-561-6000 x.207.

###

National Women Veterans Speakers Bureau Launches

First –Ever National Women Veterans Speakers Bureau Launches

Veterans from All Military Branches, Poised for Corporate, Military and Educational Speaking Events

San Francisco, CA - Veteran-owned publishing and multicultural marketing firm Gracefully Global Group LLC announces the launch of a unique new speakers bureau featuring all women military veterans. With uniformed service spanning the years 1978 to 2009, this group of military women authors, entrepreneurs and leadership experts represent three generations of service. They offer important lessons gained globally, intriguing stories of combat and deployment, and fascinating insights not available elsewhere. In addition, these veterans all desire to bring authentic voices and relevant perspectives to the current national conversation about women in the military and to encourage girls and young women to pursue challenging areas of study and careers in technical fields.

These professional speakers are joining forces to bring their training, leadership experiences and powerful storytelling to audiences eager to hear from our nation’s military women.

Speaking topics available from this elite group of speakers include effective leadership in global organizations, cross-cultural management of resources, success and timing of life events in demanding and high intensity career fields, the art of prioritization - all transferable lessons to any organization today. In addition, those who have published books with specific areas of expertise speak on a variety of topics such as transitioning from military leadership to business leadership and entrepreneurship, balancing family life and career priorities, youth & women mentorship, multicultural marketing, women & non-traditional careers, green economy careers, wilderness adventures, self-confidence, grief, military sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress and volunteerism. Event planners will delight in the variety offered by this group of multi-faceted women.

Valerie Ormond

The Bureau will expand in the coming year, but presently the core group includes:

• Linda Maloney, Retired Navy aviator, Military Fly Moms [ISBN: 9780978736972], and founder of MMF Media Marketing, LLC

• Sandra Tibbs, Air Force veteran intelligence officer and soon-to-be Dr. Tibbs, founder of Neverest Solutions, LLC

• Karen Baetzel, Retired Navy aviator, featured in Stepping Stones to Success [ISBN: 9781600134739] and founder ofBattleAxe Consulting Services, LLC

• Miyoko Hikiji, Army veteran, All I Could Be: My Story as a Woman Warrior in Iraq [ISBN: 9781933909585]

• Graciela Tiscareño-Sato, Air Force veteran aviator, Good Night Captain Mama/ Buenas Noches Capitán Mamá, a bilingual children’s picture book [ISBN: 9780983476030], founder of Gracefully Global Group LLC

• Valerie Ormond, Retired Navy intelligence officer, Believing in Horses [ISBN: 9780973633023]

• Shannon Polson, Army veteran aviator, North of Hope: A Daughter's Arctic Journey [ISBN: 9780310328766]

• Kim Olson, Retired Air Force aviator, Iraq and Back: Inside the War to Win the Peace [ISBN: 9781591145271], Executive Director of Grace After Fire, a non-profit organization providing assistance to women veterans

“The United States military is the one of the greatest human transformational organizations in history – and an extraordinary place for women,” said Karen Baetzel. “As veterans, we bring inspiring messages and share lessons learned of honor, courage, leadership and grace.”

Sandra Tibbs said, “There is so much about effective leadership of men and women that we learn in the military, yet the vast majority of leaders in corporate organizations do not know these lessons. We can bring practical knowledge and experience to leaders and workgroups as individuals contemplate leaning in, leaning out or leaning some other way.”

“One of our most important roles as women and moms is mentorship and passing down a lasting legacy to young women and our youth to reach beyond the boundless ceiling of success,” said Linda Maloney.

“We are stepping out to put real faces and stories behind the phrase ‘women in the military,’ in order to address present day issues in the Armed Forces,” said Miyoko Hikiji. “We also want to write a representative history of the positive contributions women have made and continue to make, as members of our nation’s military. Our experiences, as told in our books, address the skewed views of women service members, while answering the questions of why we volunteered to serve and why, despite the hardships, we’d do it all over again.”

To request these speakers for your conference, association, educational event or corporate training session, please connect with Angel Picon below. Please find short speaker biographies, topics and book info at www.WomenVetsSpeak.com.

About Us

The National Women Veterans Speakers Bureau is the first organization of its kind, crafted by women veterans, to showcase the powerful voices of our nation’s servicewomen. These women draw from their military service, entrepreneurial, author and life experiences to train and invigorate team members at every level of your organization. Visit www.WomenVetsSpeak.com and find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WomenVetsSpeak.

CONTACT:

Angel Picon

209 688-0892

angel@WomenVetsSpeak.com

Point Park University Offers Master’s in Writing for Screen, Stage

For Immediate Release
Sept. 18, 2013

Point Park University to offer master’s degree in writing for screen, stage

Pittsburgh’s first low-residency graduate program in screenwriting, playwriting begins fall 2014, applications now being accepted

PITTSBURGH – Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts will offer a Master of Fine Arts degree in writing for the stage and screen, starting in fall 2014.

Pittsburgh’s first low-residency M.F.A. in screenwriting or playwriting, this is a rigorous and challenging program taught by nationally recognized, award-winning screenwriters and playwrights. The program provides flexibility in degree design and completion. The low-residency program requires students to take courses online during the fall and spring semesters, and attend three dynamic residencies of one to two weeks at Point Park's downtown Pittsburgh campus. The program includes temporary housing at no additional cost in close proximity to campus.

In the residencies, students will work with a core of talented faculty writers in an intimate workshop setting, engage in table reads with actors, directors, fellow students and visiting artists, and incorporate and offer feedback in an intensive collaborative environment.

"There is nothing else like this M.F.A. program regionally, specifically the focus on studying both stage and screen, with the ability to tailor your degree depending on your interests," said adjunct faculty member and award-winning playwright Tammy Ryan, who will be one of the program instructors.

"Today's media and stage writing avenues are ever-evolving, and the need to write across multiple visual areas of interest is a must," said Nelson Chipman, chair of the Department of Cinema and Digital Arts and director of the new M.F.A. program. "This program will help students focus on their primary area of interest, while exposing them to many other facets of writing for the screen and stage.

Students enrolled in the low-residency program can earn their M.F.A. degree in two years while balancing full-time employment and family responsibilities. Students interested in teaching will have the opportunity to explore instructional design, course preparation and mentoring during Point Park's playwriting and screenwriting summer camps for high school students.

Applicants are now being accepted for the fall 2014 term.

For additional information on this program, students can contact the Office of Graduate and Adult Enrollment at http://www.pointpark.edu/Admissions/GraduatePrograms, call 412.392.3808, or email ptenroll@pointpark.edu.

-30-

Contact:
Ramesh Santanam | Director of Marketing & Public Relations
rsantanam@pointpark.edu | 412.392.8106

Laura Greenawalt | Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator
lgreenawalt@pointpark.edu | 412.392.3175

PSO Announces Orchestra Program Fellow

For Immediate Release:
Sept. 19, 2013

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES 2013-2015 EQT ORCHESTRA TRAINING PROGRAM FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSICIANS FELLOW

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra named horn player Adedeji Bailes Ogunfolu as its fifth EQT Orchestra Training Program for African American Musicians (OTPAAM) Fellow. He begins his two-year fellowship this month.

Created in 2007 by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the National Repertory Orchestra, the EQT Orchestra Training Program for African American Musicians prepares a young African American musician for a career in a professional orchestra.

Ogunfolu, 26, of Washington, D.C., will spend two seasons immersed in the working environment of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, studying with orchestra members to train and prepare for professional auditions and performance opportunities. As a fellow, Ogunfolu’s time will include practice, education and community engagement initiatives, and audition training.

Ogunfolu earned a Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music, under the tutelage of Jennifer Montone, principal horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and a Master of Music from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He was a Tanglewood Music Center fellow in 2011 and 2013 and has been a soloist with the Colorado College Summer Music Festival Orchestra as a winner of the concerto competition. He also is a winner of the Northeast Horn Workshop’s solo competition and the Alexandria Symphony Mary Lasley Graham competition. As a freelance musician, he has held position with the Flint Symphony, Windsor Symphony and Symphony in C (Camden, N.J.).

EQT OTPAAM is part of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Diversity Plan which through leadership recruitment, professional development and programming promotes diversity in orchestra settings to better reflect the diverse communities and audiences that orchestras serve. OTPAAM is made possible in part by the generosity of Milton and Nancy Washington, and EQT Corporation.
–30–
Contact: Louise Sciannameo, Vice President of Public Affairs
Phone: 412.392.4866 | email: lsciannameo@pittsburghsymphony.org

Contact: Joyce DeFrancesco, Director of Media Relations
Phone: 412.392.4827 | email: jdefrancesco@pittsburghsymphony.org

Past Pgh Opera Directors Celebrate 75th Anniversary Season

For Immediate Release
September 19, 2013

Contact:
Melissa Franko, PR Associate
Office: (412) 281-0912 ext 217 or melissafranko@live.com

Past Pittsburgh Opera directors to help celebrate 75th anniversary season

Pittsburgh, PA… Pittsburgh Opera General Director Christopher Hahn has invited both living past company directors to join him in celebrating the company’s 75th anniversary season. Both Tito Capobianco (director 1983 – 2000) and Mark Weinstein (director 1999 – 2008) will be honored guests on opening weekend of AIDA, October 11-12. “I am thrilled that my two predecessors are able to help us celebrate the extraordinary achievement of 75 years of performances by Pittsburgh Opera. Each contributed enormously by building the strong foundation upon which we now stand. We can never find enough ways to thank them for their work, and look forward to welcoming them both.” Mr. Hahn said.

Mr. Capobianco and Mr. and Mrs. Weinstein will attend the Diamond Horseshoe Ball on Friday, October 11, greeting patrons with whom they formed friendships while in Pittsburgh, and enjoying the dinner, dancing, and entertainment for which the gala is known. On Saturday, October 12, they will again greet friends old and new in the lobby of the Benedum Center, and be honored on stage before the first notes of Verdi’s AIDA begin. No doubt they will also be among those applauding when Christopher Hahn makes a special 75th-anniversary event announcement from the Benedum stage.

Tickets to AIDA start at $12, with all performances at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, 7th Street and Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh. For additional information, videos, photos, musical samples, and cast biographies, visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

To purchase tickets, call 412-456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

Pittsburgh Opera celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2013-14 with OPERA FOR A NEW AGE, a mix of long-beloved operas and new favorites. Established by five intrepid women in 1939, Pittsburgh Opera is viewed as one of the most vibrant opera organizations in the U.S., with a rich artistic tradition, outstanding educational programs, an acclaimed artist training program, and a progressive outlook toward the future. Its green initiative culminated in LEED® Silver certification for its Strip District headquarters, and its capacity as a true community partner has increased significantly under General Director Christopher Hahn’s leadership. Tickets for the 2013-2014 season start at just $12.

2013-14 Season
AIDA •• October 12 – 20, 2013
THE MAGIC FLUTE •• November 9 – 17, 2013
DARK SISTERS •• January 25 – February 2, 2014
SECOND STAGE PROJECT: PAUL’S CASE •• February 22 – March 2, 2014
LA BOHÈME •• March 26 – April 6, 2014
ORPHÉE •• April 26 – May 4, 2014
For ticket information, visit our website www.pittsburghopera.org or call (412) 281-0912
Find us on Facebook and Twitter
###

Debra L. Bell
Director of Marketing and Communications
PITTSBURGHOPERA
2425 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15222
412.281.0912 x 214
412.281.4324 fax
www.pittsburghopera.org

Coming up:
75th anniversary season 2013-14: Opera for a new age
Support Pittsburgh Opera’s future. Make a secure online donation today.

JazzLive 2013/2014 Series Revealed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Shaunda Miles, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
(412) 471-1578, Miles@TrustArts.org
Diana Roth, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
(412) 471-8717, Roth@TrustArts.org
Images available: http://TrustArts.org/press
Search Name: JazzLive
THE PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST CELEBRATES
A DECADE OF JAZZ IN THE CULTURAL DISTRICT

BNY Mellon | Jazz Presents JazzLive

Tuesday Evenings | September 2013–May 2014 | Backstage Bar, 655 Penn Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA—The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust continues its tenth consecutive year of live jazz, moving the venue indoors for the winter and spring. Free and open to the public, this season’s BNY Mellon | Jazz Presents JazzLive series showcases some of the region’s finest musicians. Performances in this series are Tuesdays, September 2013–May 2014, from 5–9 p.m., at Backstage Bar (655 Penn Avenue), in the heart of the Cultural District, unless otherwise noted. The event moves indoors for the winter/spring season.
“We are pleased to continue to celebrate a decade-long tradition of live jazz in the Cultural District,” says Janis Burley Wilson, Vice President of Education and Community Engagement and Director of Jazz Programs for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “Thanks to BNY Mellon, our JazzLive series sponsor, we are able to bring excellent musicians to the Cultural District, where audiences can enjoy some of the region’s finest jazz performances.”

Photo by Martha Rial

2013 JAZZ SCHEDULE
BACKSTAGE BAR, 5–9 P.M.
September 17: Michele Bensen
September 24: Spanky Wilson
October 1: Roby Edwards
October 8: Mark Lucas
October 15: Jeff Bush
October 22: New View Trio
October 29: Erik Lawrence
November 5: Max Leake
November 12: Roger Humphries
November 19: Eric DeFade
November 26: Mark Strickland
December 3: Kevin Howard
December 10: Spanky Wilson
December 17: Benny Benack III
December 31: Highmark First Night Pittsburgh©

2014 JAZZ SCHEDULE
BACKSTAGE BAR, 5–9 P.M.
January 7: Roger Humphries
January 14: Dwayne Dolphin
January 21: Tom Wendt
January 28: Roby Edwards
February 4: Kevin Howard
February 11: Spanky Wilson
February 18: Kenia
February 25: Anquenique Wingfield
March 4: Erik Lawrence
March 11: Dwayne Dolphin
March 18: Salsamba
March 25: Don Aliquo
April 1: Mark Strickland*
April 8: Michele Bensen*
April 15: Tim Stevens*
April 16: Sean Jones Quartet CD Release Party*
April 22: Tony DePaolis*
April 29: Roger Humphries*
May 6: George Heid III
May 13: Dan Wasson
May 20: Nelson Harrison
May 27: Eric DeFade

Schedule is subject to change. For more information, please visit www.TrustArts.org/backstage.
In addition to the free performances at Backstage Bar, several ticketed performances are held at Cabaret at Theater Square (655 Penn Avenue) and August Wilson Center for African American Culture (980 Liberty Avenue).

2013/2014 TICKETED PERFORMANCES
*Denotes performances that are part of National Jazz Appreciation Month.

Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra
September 24, 2013, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $25, Cabaret at Theater Square

Mardi Gras with Wycliffe Gordon and Sean Jones
February 11, 2014, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $30, Cabaret at Theater Square

Gregory Porter*
April 1, 2014, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $30, Cabaret at Theater Square

Robert Glasper*
April 8, 2014, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $35, August Wilson Center for African American Culture

JazzLive Special Performance*
April 15, 2014, 9 p.m.
Tickets: $30, Cabaret at Theater Square

Christian McBride Trio*
April 22, 2014, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $30, Cabaret at Theater Square

JazzLive Special Performance*
April 29, 2014, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $30, Cabaret at Theater Square

JazzLive is presented by Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and BNY Mellon | Jazz Presents.
For additional information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.TrustArts.org/cabaret.

ABOUT THE PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment/residential neighborhood called the Cultural District. The District is one of the country’s largest land masses “curated” by a single nonprofit arts organization. A major catalytic force in the city, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a unique model of how public-private partnerships can reinvent a city with authenticity, innovation and creativity. Using the arts as an economic catalyst, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has holistically created a world-renowned Cultural District that is revitalizing the city, improving the regional economy and enhancing Pittsburgh’s quality of life. Thanks to the support of foundations, corporations, government agencies and thousands of private citizens, the Cultural Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts.

###

Touring Production of You Belong to Me

Prime Stage Theatre and YWCA Partner to Educate During Week Without Violence
Touring Production of You Belong to Me Educates through the arts

PITTSBURGH – Prime Stage Theatre is proud to announce the partnership with the YWCA of Pittsburgh and CCAC of Monroeville during the Week Without Violence. PST will present their Highmark sponsored Teen Dating Awareness Program that educates against teen dating violence. The multi-faceted platform raises awareness, encourages, and provides the tools and resources for teens, parents and educators through the arts.

The one-hour presentation will be held on Tuesday, October 15 from 10-1 at the CCAC Boyce Campus located at 595 Beatty Road, Monroeville. It includes the theatrical production of You Belong to Me, an original script written by Debbie Lamedman, in collaboration with Gary Shaw, a teacher at Pittsburg High School in Kansas and his high school students. It is a blend of a first-hand testimony from Ms. Jodi Cuccia, whose daughter was the victim of dating violence, and a theatrical experience.

The program concludes with a Q&A session where the audience gets the opportunity to share their thoughts and ask questions with the cast, teachers and Ms. Cuccia. The program includes local resources that the audience can contact immediately and confidentially.

TDA is partnered with the Domestic Violence Center of Southwestern PA and endorsed by Futures Without Violence, a national organization whose mission is to prevent and end violence against women and children around the world.

For more information about TDA or to schedule a presentation, contact Prime Stage at tda@primestage.com.

THE HIGHMARK FOUNDATION
Established in 2000, the Highmark Foundation is a charitable organization, a private foundation and an affiliate of Highmark Inc. that supports initiatives and programs aimed at improving community health. As a thought leader in public health and human service initiatives, the Foundation’s greatest success is uniting regional, national and global organizations with like missions to raise awareness and stimulate long-term and systemic change.

PRIME STAGE
Our mission is to entertain, educate and enrich families, students, and educators in the discovery of live theatre and literature.

Like us on Facebook (Prime Stage Theatre) and follow us on Twitter (Prime_Stage)
###
--
Samantha Stonebraker
Social Media Manager
Teen Dating Awareness Program
sstonebraker@primestage.com

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

New Staging of Our Town Invigorates Production

Contact Margie Romero, Communications Manager at Pittsburgh Public Theater
412.316.8200 ext. 707 or mromero@ppt.org

The Public’s MASTERPIECE SEASON Begins
Our Town
Tom Atkins as the Stage Manager leads a cast of 24 actors, all with Pittsburgh connections, in this colossal new staging by Ted Pappas.

Pittsburgh Public Theater’s MASTERPIECE SEASON begins with Our Town, the beloved American classic by Thornton Wilder, featuring an all-Pittsburgh cast. Directed by Ted Pappas, Our Town runs Sept. 26 – Oct. 27 at the O’Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater’s home in the heart of Downtown’s Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org. Our Town is presented by PNC. The engagement of Tom Atkins in the role of the Stage Manager in Our Town has been generously supported by Richard W. Moriarty, M.D. The engagements of Patrick Cannon and Erin Lindsey Krom in the roles of George Gibbs and Emily Webb have been generously supported by Jim and Electra Agras.

Replacing traditional props and scenery with gesture and movement, early 20th century Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire bursts to life in Our Town. The audience’s guide to this community is the Stage Manager, played by Tom Atkins, who comments on the townspeople as they go about their daily lives. He moves us forward and backwards through time to observe their fates.

cast credits: First row l to r (seated) Charlotte Bush, Julia Coblin, Elliot Pullen and Edgar O’Connell. Middle row l to r: James FitzGerald, Linda Haston, Bridget Connors, John Shepard, Patrick Cannon, Tom Atkins, Erin Lindsey Krom, Marc Epstein, Cary Anne Spear, Terry Wickline, Ryan Showalter. Back row l to r: Tony Bingham, Karen Merritt, Andy Kirtland, Ken Bolden, Andrew Swackhamer, Daniel Krell, Larry John Meyers, Wali Jamal, Weston Blakesley.

The population of Grover’s Corners includes George Gibbs and Emily Webb (Patrick Cannon and Erin Lindsey Krom), the doctor and his wife (John Shepard and Bridget Connors), the newspaper editor and his wife (Marc Epstein and Cary Anne Spear), her nephew (Tony Bingham), a neighbor (Terry Wickline), the milkman (Wali Jamal), the choirmaster (Daniel Krell), the professor (Ken Bolden), the policeman (Weston Blakesley), and the undertaker (Larry John Meyers). The citizens of the town are James FitzGerald, Linda Haston, Andy Kirtland, Karen Merritt, and Andrew Swackhamer. The children will be played by local students Charlotte Bush, Julia Coblin, Edgar O’Connell, Elliot Pullen, and Ryan Showalter.

Our Town is celebrating its 75th birthday this year, having premiered in 1938. With its unconventional staging and breadth of focus, from the commonplace to the cosmic, Our Town still inspires wonder.

The design team for Pittsburgh Public Theater’s production is Ted Pappas (Scenic), Gabriel Berry (Costumes), Kirk Bookman (Lighting), and Zach Moore (Sound). Casting is by McCorkle Casting. Ruth E. Kramer is the Production Stage Manager; Fredric H. Orner is the Assistant Stage Manager.

About the Playwright
Thornton Wilder (1897 – 1975) is best known as the author of seven novels and four major plays. He was born in Madison, Wisconsin and attended Yale and Princeton Universities. He received three Pulitzer Prizes – for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927) and his plays Our Town (1938) and The Skin of Our Teeth (1943) among numerous other awards. Other popular works by Wilder include the screenplay for the Alfred Hitchcock film Shadow of a Doubt and the play The Matchmaker, which was adapted into the musical Hello, Dolly!

Pittsburgh Public Theater Presents
Our Town
September 26 – October 27, 2013

Performance Schedule
Tues. at 7 pm; Wed. thru Sat. at 8 pm (except Wed., Oct. 9)
Sat. at 2 pm (except Sept. 28 & Oct. 5) also 2 pm on Thurs., Oct. 24
Sun. at 2 & 7 pm (except Sun., Oct. 27 when then final performance is at 2 pm)

Press Night is Thursday, Oct. 3. Opening Night is Friday, Oct. 4.
Ticket Prices: $29 to $60. Students and age 26 and younger $15.75 with valid ID.

For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

We Will Rock You At Benedum Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh
Shaunda Miles/Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, 412-471-1578/ Miles@TrustArts.org
Diana Roth/Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, 412-471-8717/ Roth@TrustArts.org

Electronic Images are available: http://TrustArts.org/press
Search Name: ROCK

BOHEMIANS, REJOICE!
CAST ANNOUNCED FOR NATIONAL TOUR
OF QUEEN AND BEN ELTON’S

WE WILL ROCK YOU

COMING TO PITTSBURGH
October 29 through November 3
AT THE BENEDUM CENTER

PITTSBURGH, PA: The worldwide smash hit ‘rock theatrical’, Queen and Ben Elton’s We Will Rock You, built around 24 of Queen’s biggest hits, opens at the Benedum Center on October 29, and runs through November 3, 2013. We Will Rock You is produced by Queen Theatrical Productions, Tribeca Theatrical Productions, Phil McIntyre Entertainment and NETworks Presentations.

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.; Sunday at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets begin at $20 and are available at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, by visiting www.TrustArts.org, or by calling (412) 456-4800. We Will Rock You is part of the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Broadway Across America and Pittsburgh Symphony.

Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor are musical supervisors to the show, taking an active role in casting the singer/actors and musicians for every production worldwide. The cast features Brian Justin Crum as Galileo, Ruby Lewis as Scaramouche, Jacqueline Arnold as Killer Queen,P.J. Griffith as Khashoggi, Ryan Knowles as Pop, Erica Peck as Oz and Jared Zirilli as Britney.

Rounding out the ensemble are Danny Balkwill, Samantha Berman, Bentley Black, Jessica Crouch, Saccha Dennis, Sam Digiuseppe, Suzanna Dupree, Daniel Greenberg, Stephen Hernandez, Nathan Keen, William Joseph Lewis, Brooke Morrison, Jennifer Mote, Katie Murphy,Jennifer Noble, Fred Odgaard, Patrick Ortiz, Jason Sermonia, Stephanie Sy and Kasey Walker.

The We Will Rock You band includes Rick Hip-Flores (Musical Director/Conductor), Brandon Ethridge (Assistant Conductor/Keyboards),Emily Marshall (Keyboards), Tristan Avakian (Guitar), Bob Wegner (Guitar), Mike Cohen (Bass), David Stevens (Percussion) and Danny Young (Drums).

This hilarious, multi-award-winning and record-breaking phenomenon is created by celebrated British comedian and writer Ben Elton (TV’s “Mr. Bean” and “The Young Ones”), and boasts a fantastic score of Queen’s biggest songs including “Another One Bites The Dust”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, “We Are The Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and, of course, “We Will Rock You.”

The show is in its 12th year at The Dominion in London’s West End, one of London Theatreland’s biggest theatres, making it the venue’s longest-running production ever. We Will Rock You is now officially the 9th longest running show in the West End and was crowned the UK’s favorite show at the 2011 Olivier Awards, the UK equivalent of the Tony Awards, in a category voted entirely by members of the public.
Outside of the UK, the show has now been seen in local productions in 17 countries, playing to an audience of over 15 million people.

ABOUT THE SHOW
We Will Rock You takes place in a future age on a planet once called Earth that is now controlled by a mighty corporation. Globalization is complete. Individuality is taboo. Everyone watches the same movies, wears the same clothes and thinks the same thoughts. Music is generated by the corporation’s computers, rock music is unheard and all musical instruments are banned. The hope of breaking free rests with an unlikely resistance – an alliance of rebel Bohemians, waiting for a hero to lead the battle to bring the power of rock back to the people.

“This show is all about legend,” says Ben Elton. “We take the legend of Queen and create our own fantastical story of young kids battling the mighty corporation who wants to suppress their individuality and their love of music. They need a hero who can help them in their struggle, and we have two – the dreamer Galileo, and the sassy rock chick Scaramouche. Guess who ends up winning?”

“Creating the show with Ben was very much a three-way thing,” says Roger Taylor. “It was great because he was a pleasure to work with and because he has such a fertile mind. He never stops churning out ideas.”
Elton updates his book regularly, keeping the satirical edge of his script totally relevant to the time and location of the production.

Brian May adds, “The amazing bonus is that Ben's script subtly works as a metaphor too. People definitely come out of the theatre feeling that in a strange way they now know us, Queen, and our struggle, our journey.”

ABOUT THE PRODUCERS
The original production of We Will Rock You is a Phil McIntyre Entertainment, Tribeca Theatrical Productions and Queen Theatrical Productions presentation. Book and direction by Ben Elton. Music and Music Supervision by Queen/Roger Taylor and Brian May. Musical staging and choreography by Arlene Phillips. Design and Lights by Mark Fisher and Willie Williams. Sound by Bobby Aitken. Costumes by Tim Goodchild. Tracey Flye is the Associate Director and Associate Choreographer of the North American tour.
Queen Theatrical Productions is a production entity created especially by the band’s parent company Queen Productions Ltd to handle the development and production of We Will Rock You.

Headquartered in New York, Tribeca Theatrical Productions was founded in 2001 by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, the acclaimed producers of the Meet the Parents franchise, Analyze This and Wag the Dog. Through Tribeca Theatrical Productions, De Niro and Rosenthal co-produced, along with Queen Theatrical Productions and Phil McIntyre Entertainment, the theatrical musical We Will Rock You, based on the music of Queen.

Since 1995, NETworks has produced and managed over 55 touring productions in the US., U.K. and internationally. Current productions include Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Blue Man Group National Tour, Elf The Musical, Flashdance the Musical, The National Theatre of Great Britain’s production of War Horse, Memphis the Musical, and Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera.

For more information about We Will Rock You, please visit wewillrockyou.com and schoolswillrockyou.com.

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA
A leading Broadway producer and the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America. BAA operates in 40 cities, bringing first-class touring musicals and plays to audiences across the US and Canada in markets such as Costa Mesa, Fort Lauderdale, Tempe, Boston, Minneapolis and New Orleans. As a producer, current and upcoming productions include Million Dollar Quartet, Pippin, Big Fish, Betrayal, Bullets Over Broadway, Little Miss Sunshine and Bull Durham. BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com

PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment/residential neighborhood called the Cultural District. The District is one of the country’s largest land masses “curated” by a single non-profit arts organization. A major catalytic force in the city, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a unique model of how public-private partnerships can reinvent a city with authenticity, innovation and creativity. Using the arts as an economic catalyst, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has holistically created a world-renowned Cultural District that is revitalizing the city, improving the regional economy and enhancing Pittsburgh’s quality of life. Thanks to the support of foundations, corporations, government agencies and thousands of private citizens, the Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts.
# # #

Carmina Burana

Sept. 9, 2013

TITLE: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra BNY Mellon Grand Classics: Carmina Burana

CATEGORY: Classical Music

DATE: Oct. 4-6, 2013

TIME: Oct. 4 & 5 at 8 p.m.; Oct. 6 at 2:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222

DESCRIPTION: The 2013-2014 BNY Mellon Grand Classics season opens with one of the most recognizable works of all time—Carmina Burana. Based on 24 of the poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana, this 20th-century choral masterpiece has been heard countless times in film, television and even at professional sports events. Also on this dynamic program: Acclaimed composer David Stock, one of the PSO's Pittsburgh Composers of the Year, premieres a work written specifically for his hometown orchestra.

TICKET COST: $30.75 - $124.75

INFO/TICKETS: 412-392-4900 or www.pittsburghsymphony.org

Lisette Oropesa Soprano (Photo Credit Jason Homa)

Tenor Andrey Nemzer

Baritone Hugh Russell (Photo Credit Larry Lapidus)

PHOTOS: Photos of the featured soloists [Lisette Oropesa (soprano), Andrey Nemzer (tenor) and Hugh Russell (baritone)] and composer David Stock are attached.

Composer David Stock

Please note: A press release with additional details will be sent closer to the event date.

Contact: Joyce DeFrancesco, Director of Media Relations
Phone: 412.392.4827 | email: jdefrancesco@pittsburghsymphony.org

Twentieth Century Club Opens Minerva Market

Media Contacts at New Place Collaborations
Lynette Asson 412.973.9828 lynette@newplace.us
Yvonne Hudson 412.512.0589 yvonne@newplace.us

Public Contact Information

Details: TheTwentiethCenturyClub.com

Phone: 412-621-2353 E-mail: pam.york@thetwentiethcenturyclub.com

Tickets on sale at the door or in advance via the TCC.

NEWS from THE TWENTIETH CENTURY CLUB
MINERVA MARKET OPENS DOORS FOR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
AT OAKLAND’S HISTORIC TWENTIETH CLUB

Art Deco Landmark opens its doors as a unique boutique
featuring regional designers, artists and more on Wednesday, September 25

Editors: Artist and event photos and interviews provided on request prior to, during and following the event.

PITTSBURGH, PA (9/10/2013) – One of Pittsburgh’s landmarks is transformed into a delightful boutique when the Twentieth Century Club opens its doors to everyone for the 16th MINERVA MARKET on Wednesday, September 25. Artists and vendors from throughout the region are on hand with jewelry, clothing, accessories, art, books and gifts for anyone seeking a unique and personalize shopping experience.
Minerva Market hours are 10:30 am to 2:30 pm in the beautiful Art Deco Ballroom. Admission is $10 at the door for shopping only. Reservations are requested for $25 for shopping and lunch package including lunch noon to 1:30 in the Art Noveau Dining Room. Reservations and information are available at 412-621-2353.

Minerva Market features:

• Jewelry: Ambage Jewelry by Susan, Colors By Michele, Deemina's, Divergence Design,
Maria Paul Kyros, Park Lane Jewelry, Rachel's Cure by Design, Silpada Designs, Tracy Lynn Jewelry
● Accessories Arbonne, Purse Cat, South Beach Gifts, HM Designs, La Perla, One Brilliant,
Me & My Shadow, Mishe Bags, Laverne Kemp Handwovens
● Art Catherine’s Collection, Chaz Letzkus, Chris Rush Designer Notes, Extra Impressions
● Books Mystery Lovers Bookshop
● Clothing H. Baskin Clothier, La Perla, Warm Wears,
● Gifts HM Designs, Tastefully Simple, Allison Yeske and more.
● Twentieth Century Club Treasures Table Some of the most exquisite gifts and collectibles in town.
● New Place Collaborations Cultural event and workshop admission give-aways.

About The Twentieth Century Club
The Twentieth Century Club, a landmark in the heat of Oakland, is a popular venue for regional events and weddings, but enjoys a history steeped in leadership and tradition as a private club whose membership has maintained the Beaux Arts building for more than a century. Founded in 1894 by leading Pittsburgh women, the TCC today provides members with a wide array of professional, educational, cultural, social and travel opportunities, including programs by well-known Pittsburghers such as broadcast personality Lynn Cullen, Warhol Museum director Eric Shiner, Pittsburgh Symphony Concertmaster Noah Bendix Balgley, real estate magnate Helen Hanna Casey, Gregory Kenney performing as Louis Armstrong, and nationally known mystery writer Kathleen George.

Current members of both women and men represent the region’s legal, financial, academic, and cultural fields, among others, contributing to the club’s present and future through leadership and their individual community profiles. Members enjoy benefits including programs, networking, and use of Club facilities. For membership information, contact Pam York at 412-621-2353 or pam.york@thetwentiethcenturyclub.com
###

Rat Pack Ticket Offer

December 24-29, 2013
Heinz Hall

Beat the winter blues with the holiday version of THE RAT PACK - LIVE AT THE SANDS, especially created to heat things up for the coolest kind of holiday cheer. This spectacular show celebrates the incredible talent of three of the world's most famous entertainers, singing some of the finest music ever recorded. Drift back to a glamorous era with Frank, Sammy & Dean, a live 12-piece big band and the fabulous Burelli Sisters. Enjoy the songs they made famous, like ‘Fly Me To The Moon’, ‘The Lady Is A Tramp’, ‘Mr. Bojangles’, ‘That's Amore’, along with seasonal favorites like: 'Merry Little Christmas', 'Baby It's Cold Outside', 'Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer' 'Jingle Bells', 'Silent Night', 'Mistletoe and Holly’, 'Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow’, 'White Christmas', 'Winter Wonderland' and 'Love To Keep Me Warm.'

Enter promo code SINATRA to purchase tickets before
they go on sale to the public on Friday, September 27.

To Purchase Tickets:
• Online at TrustArts.org
• Call 412-392-4900
• Box Office at Theater Square
• Groups 10+ Call 412-471-6930

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Broadway and Beyond with Brian Stokes Mitchell, PNC Pops

PICT Announces 2014 Theme: Something Wicked This Way Comes

National Women Veterans Speakers Bureau Launches

Point Park University Offers Master’s in Writing for Screen, Stage

PSO Announces Orchestra Program Fellow

Past Pgh Opera Directors Celebrate 75th Anniversary Season

JazzLive 2013/2014 Series Revealed

Touring Production of You Belong to Me

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

New Staging of Our Town Invigorates Production

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

We Will Rock You At Benedum Center

Carmina Burana

Twentieth Century Club Opens Minerva Market

Rat Pack Ticket Offer

Posiitve News, Issues and Facts About Pittsburgh, Pa.

Listen to Techno Granny Show as She Educates Baby Boomers About 21st Century Technology