Tuesday, October 22, 2013

PICT Plays with Mystery and Mayhem

Contact: Michelle Belan
Sales & Marketing Director
412-561-6000 x. 203
mbelan@picttheatre.org
www.picttheatre.org
For Immediate Release



PICT Plays…with Mystery and Mayhem, a Costume Gala by PICT Theatre
*Awards ceremony honoring Sara Steelman and Ray Werner*
**Special Guest Host Jack Gleeson of Game of Thrones is
King of the AE Dance Party**

Pittsburgh, PA – October 16, 2013. PICT Theatre, presenting sponsors PNC Bank and Jones Day, and Dance Party sponsor American Eagle Outfitters are pleased to announce PICT’s reimagined annual fundraiser, a three-part celebration to be held at J. Verno Studios on the South Side.

AWARD RECEPTION, 6-7 PM: PICT is introducing two awards, the Anne D. Mullaney Inspiration Award, which will be presented to Ray Werner, and the Chosky-Rauh Theatre Award, presented to Sara Steelman. Cocktails and hors d’ouevre will be served.

DINNER and SILENT & LIVE AUCTION, 7-9 PM: Guests will dine with actors and directors from PICT’s family as well as special guest Jack Gleeson, star of HBO’s Game of Thrones. Producing Artistic Director Alan Stanford will serve as auctioneer for the live auction.

AE DANCE PARTY & COSTUME CONTEST, 9-11 PM: Jack Gleeson will be the guest host for the AE Dance Party beginning at 9pm. Gleeson will judge the costume contest, where cash prizes for the best Sherlock Holmes themed costume and the best overall costume will be awarded.


ABOUT JACK GLEESON:
PICT’S Producing Artistic Director Alan Stanford has known Jack Gleeson since he was a small boy, and he cast Jack as Tiny Tim in the Gate Theatre Dublin’s production of A Christmas Carol.

Jack also portrayed Young Pip in the Gate’s production of Great Expectations, a production which PICT will present in December of 2014.

“Jack Gleeson is an incredibly talented young actor and I’m extraordinarily pleased by his success. He first worked with me as a most heart-rending Tiny Tim and his natural ability to engage with audiences marked him at once as a natural actor with star quality. Apart from his stage work, which also includes his work in theater for children, he already has a considerable screen career. These credits include appearances in Batman Begins, Reign of Fire and All Good Children. He is also, and very much unlike the character he portrays on Game of Thrones, one of the nicest, most articulate young men you could ever hope to meet, and I’m glad the guests at the gala will get to enjoy his company all evening.”


Jack stars in HBO's Game of Thrones as Joffrey Baratheon. He is a student of Trinity College, Dublin as well as a founder and artistic director of Collapsing Horse Theatre Company, which is based in Dublin.

ABOUT THE AWARDS:
The Chosky-Rauh Theatre Award acknowledges distinguished service to and support of arts and culture. It has been created in honor of philanthropists Richard Rauh and the late Philip Chosky for their many years of leadership gifts. Stephanie Riso, PICT’s co-founder and Operations Director explains, “Philip Chosky and Richard Rauh have been stalwarts in the theatre community since before PICT ever came to be. They have always been passionate about encouraging and supporting all kinds of theatre as well as its professionals and artists. They have, in particular, been extremely generous to PICT over the years. We hope to honor their generosity and commitment and encourage to sustained and meaningful support of theatre with this award.”

The Anne D. Mullaney Inspiration Award has been established to honor the late PICT board member Anne D. Mullaney, a respected attorney and lover of the arts who inspired others with her support of great causes, not only for theatre, but a variety of well-deserved efforts in the Pittsburgh community and beyond. Stephanie Riso notes, “Anne served PICT during the critical years of 2003-2006. She represented kindness and generosity, a sense of humor and a positive attitude. She inspired those around her in countless ways, and PICT is pleased to honor her memory with this award.”

ABOUT SARA STEELMAN, CHOSKY-RAUH AWARD RECIPIENT:
Sara Steelman credits her daughter Amy’s interest in theatre as one of the primary reasons she became so active in theatre, and it was Amy who introduced her to PICT. Through the Indiana Players, the entire family was active in all facets of theatre, from acting and stage management to production and promotion. Both Sara and her husband John Henry serve on the board of the Indiana Players, and last year Sara began coaching the Indiana Players Shakespeare Contest Team. Her support of PICT has come in many forms; not only is she a significant financial supporter, but she has devoted a great deal of time writing articles and copy-editing the program books. Sara served seven terms as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1991 until 2002, and as a director of the Indiana Arts Council.

ABOUT RAY WERNER, ANNE D. MULLANEY INSPIRATION AWARD RECIPIENT:
Ray Werner has enjoyed a distinguished career in the marketing world, and he put his prodigious skills to use for PICT, first as a volunteer on the marketing committee. He joined the PICT board in 2002, taking on the role of President in 2003, and recruiting Anne Mullaney to the board that same year. Ray was selected for this award because of his ability to develop ideas and inspire enthusiastic support —  whether as PICT board president, or in creating a farmer’s market in the Strip District or building a community bread oven in Braddock. Among Ray’s passions is a talent for playwriting that has garnered awards and admiration, and also links him to Chosky-Rauh Theatre Award recipient Sara Steelman: Sara produced and directed Ray’s one-act play Night Song for the Indiana Players.

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

FACT SHEET -  PICT Plays…with Mystery & Mayhem
A Costume Gala with a Sherlock Holmes Theme

October 28, 2013 from 6- 11 PM
J. Verno Studios, 3030 Jane Street, Pittsburgh PA 15203
Presenting sponsors: PNC Bank and Jones Day
AE Dance Party sponsored by American Eagle Outfitters
Event Planners: Christine Ferguson and Evelyn Castillo

Catering by BIG Catering. Open bar all evening.

6:00 PM                               Award Reception with Cocktails and hors’ doeuvre
                                                Award presentations by Maurice Cohill and Richard Rauh

7:00 PM                               Seated dinner with PICT actors and special guest Jack Gleeson
                                                Silent and live auction
                                                Strolling dessert course

9:00 PM                               AE Dance Party with guest host Jack Gleeson
                                                Photo Booth
                                                Sweet and salty buffet with open bar
                                                Costume award presentation

Ticket Prices:                  Award Reception + Dinner + Dance Party - $250/person
Dinner + Dance Party - $200
Dance Party - $35/person or 2 for $60

Sponsorships and program book advertising available
Contact Terry Moss at tmoss@picttheatre.org.


Tickets and information available online at www.picttheatre.org,
or by calling 412-561-6000

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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

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