Wednesday, January 15, 2014

CLO Holds Auditions for 2014 Summer Season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Aja Jones
412-281-3973 x224
ajones@pittsburghCLO.org


Pittsburgh CLO to Hold Auditions For 2014 Summer Season

















What: Auditions for trained singers, dancers and character actors in Pittsburgh CLO’s 2014 Summer Season productions of Singin’ in the Rain, Legally Blonde The Musical, Footloose, CATS and Monty Python’s Spamalot.

Who: 2014 Summer Season                      
Trained singers, dancers and character actors

When: By appointment

2014 Summer Season                      
Thursday, February 6                    
Friday, February 7            
Saturday, February 8                      
Callbacks on Sunday, February 9

Where: The Benedum Center                        
719 Liberty Avenue                          
Pittsburgh, PA 15222                        
Please use the stage door entrance

Requirements: All performers must bring a headshot and typed resumed stapled together, and a completed audition application.

Trained Singers:                              
Age 18 and older                              
16 bars up-tempo and ballad musical theater song
   
Trained Dancers:                            
Age 18 and older      
Be prepared to perform a jazz, tap and ballet combination

Additional audition information:
For more information or to schedule an audition time, visit our website at pittsburghCLO.org. You can download an audition application and sign up for an audition appointment via email.  If you have additional questions or do not have Internet access, please call 412-281-3973 x217.  Appointments are now being taken.

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Since 1946, the Pittsburgh CLO has been the driving force behind live musical theater in Pittsburgh and the entire Southwestern Pennsylvania region. Under the direction of Van Kaplan since 1997, this not-for-profit arts organization appreciates the support of nearly 200,000 patrons each year and produces a subscription series, educational programs, national tours and develops and invests in new works, including 18 Broadway shows (24 Tony Awards®) featuring the current productions of Cinderella, Kinky Boots and Matilda. Its dedication to the musical theater art form extends to include such programs as the CLO Academy, the CLO Mini Stars, the Gene Kelly Awards, the Richard Rodgers Award, the National High School Musical Theater Awards, the Construction Center for the Arts and the CLO Cabaret.

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

2nd Brit Floyd Show Added

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Show Publicist: Diana Roth, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: 412-471-8717/Roth@TrustArts.org
Other Contact: Shaunda Miles, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: 412-471-1578/Miles@TrustArts.org
Electronic Images available:  TrustArts.org/press
Search: Brit Floyd 2014



TICKETS ON SALE
SECOND SHOW ADDED

A SPECTACULAR NEW LIVE PRODUCTION!
BRIT FLOYD
The World's Greatest Pink Floyd Show
DISCOVERY WORLD TOUR 2014
Saturday, March 8│8:00 p.m.│Benedum Center

PITTSBURGH, PA:  The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announced, a second show has been added, Saturday, March 8, at 8:00 p.m., to see BRIT FLOYD Discovery World Tour 2014, at the Benedum Center.


BRIT FLOYD’s Discovery World Tour 2014 will perform at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8, at the Benedum Center.  Tickets ($37.25 - $48.25) are on sale now at TrustArts.org, by calling 412-456-6666, or in person at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue.  Groups of 10+ call 412-471-6930.  This event is part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

Having performed to over one million fans around the world since it's first show in Liverpool, England in January 2011, BRIT FLOYD - The World's Greatest Pink Floyd Show, returns to North America from March to June 2014 to perform Discovery, a stunning new three hour chronological musical journey spanning the entire recording career of Pink Floyd from 1967 to 1994.


Don't miss the ultimate Pink Floyd light and sound experience including lasers and video and note-for-note performances from all 14 Pink Floyd studio albums including Meddle, Animals, and The Wall, as well as lesser known gems, from one of the most outstanding and enduring back catalogues in the history of recorded music.  Featuring the trademark Pink Floyd arch and circle light show, BRIT FLOYD’s musical performance will also be accompanied by amazing original video and brand new animation, inspired by the timelessly brilliant artwork designs of longtime Pink Floyd collaborator Storm Thorgerson.  With painstaking attention to detail, replicating every nuance of every Floydian moment both musically and visually, the band's execution of all Pink Floyd's greatest works will make each familiar track sound fresh and pristine. Québec Journal commented, “The total and perfect illusion.”


Discover BRIT FLOYD at www.Britfloyd.com.

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 Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts.
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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

PBS Kids Writers Contest in 20th Year

WQED PITTSBURGH ANNOUNCES ANNUAL PBS KIDS WRITERS CONTEST 20TH YEAR
WQED Contest Made Possible By the EQT Foundation for Five Years


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 7, 2014

CONTACT:
George Hazimanolis
412-622-1366
ghazimanolis@wqed.org

Maria Pisano
412-622-1459
mpisano@wqed.org

WQED PITTSBURGH ANNOUNCES ANNUAL PBS KIDS WRITERS CONTEST 20TH YEAR
WQED Contest Made Possible By the EQT Foundation for past Five Years

PITTSBURGH – Today, WQED Pittsburgh announced its annual PBS KIDS Writers Contest, designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. Partnering with WQED Pittsburgh this year are Penn State Public Broadcasting (WPSU) which serves central Pennsylvania, West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) and for the first time, witf which serves Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Contest, made possible by local financial support from the EQT Foundation empowers children in grades K-3 to celebrate creativity and build literacy skills by writing and illustrating their very own stories.

 “WQED Pittsburgh commitment to children, creativity, and storytelling is a signature of our work,” said Jennifer Stancil, Executive Director of Educational Partnerships, WQED Pittsburgh. “The Writers Contest emphasizes essential literacy skills; in today’s media rich environment we are thrilled to showcase the importance of a child’s developing reading and writing skills coupled with their wonderful imagination.”

How the Contest Works
Beginning January 6, 2014, children in western, central and eastern Pennsylvania and West Virginia can submit their entries to the PBS KIDS Writers Contest. WQED Pittsburgh will select local winners and award prizes including the opportunity to record their winning story. All finalists, past and present are broadcast on iQKidsRadio.org. This year’s winners will be featured on Saturday Light Brigade (SLB) Radio in the summer of 2014.

The local winners will then be entered into the national contest where a panel of esteemed judges will rank the top 12 entries. National winners will be announced during the summer of 2014 and the winning stories will be featured on pbskids.org/writerscontest.

The national winners will receive prizing courtesy of national prizing sponsor, LeapFrog®, makers of the LeapReader® Reading & Writing System. The contest is also made possible through national promotional support from Highlights for Children®. The PBS KIDS Writers Contest is produced by PBS and based on the Reading Rainbow® Young Writers and Illustrators Contest, a concept developed by WNED-TV, Buffalo. For two consecutive years (2012 and 2013), four students from WQED’s regional contest were recognized as winners in the national Contest including three second place winners and one first place winner. To learn more about these and all of WQED’s past winners click here.

Creative Writing Resources
The Contest is supported by a robust set of resources for children, parents and teachers. Story ideas, activity sheets, along with the previous winning entries are available on writeonkids.org, including curriculum standards for teachers in Grades K – 3.

 To enter the WQED Contest and for more information on entry rules and contest resources visit writeonkids.org.

About WQED Pittsburgh
WQED Pittsburgh has a proud history of honors, including 140 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. WQED changes lives by creating and sharing outstanding public media that educates, entertains and inspires. 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.wqedfm.org; local and national television and radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org) and iQ: smartmedia, WQED’s Educational initiative (www.wqed.org/edu).

About The EQT Foundation
EQT and the EQT Foundation are committed to the social and economic vitality of our operating regions. For the past decade, the EQT Foundation has made a difference by supporting local programs and initiatives that involve education, community and economic development, the arts, and the environment. Together with a variety of non-profit organizations, the EQT Foundation develops strong partnerships that enrich the diversity and viability of our communities, sustain the principles of continuous learning, and focus on environmental protection efforts.

About Penn State Public Broadcasting
Penn State Public Broadcasting serves central Pennsylvania with programming, educational services and community outreach. Its public media services produce, acquire and distribute programs that address local interests and reflect the diverse cultural, political, geographic and demographic characteristics of an audience within central Pennsylvania.

About West Virginia Public Broadcasting
West Virginia Public Broadcasting nurtures personal growth, promotes civic responsibility and inspires lifelong discovery through high-quality programming and services. West Virginia Public Radio, West Virginia PBS, wvpubcast.org and Ready To Learn® are all services of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Friends of West Virginia Public Broadcasting is a 501(c)3 organization responsible for receiving donated funds from individuals for annual membership to West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Friends serve as ambassadors in their communities on behalf of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

All of the licenses for West Virginia Public Broadcasting are held by the West Virginia Educational Broadcasting Authority, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, Kay Goodwin, Secretary.

About WITF
Based in Harrisburg, witf is a trusted, valued supplier of programs and services that both satisfy and stimulate curiosity for residents in every community in the central Pennsylvania region. witf broadcast services reach audiences in over 17 counties in central Pennsylvania. The company comprises public broadcasting stations witf TV, witf 89.5 & 93.3, the RadioPA Network , witf.org, witf Educational Services, Top Flight Media, Media Solutions and regional magazine Central PA (published by The Patriot-News in an association with witf). witf’s mission is to strengthen our communities by connecting us to each other and to opportunities for lifelong learning. Its vision is engaging minds, enriching lives, uniquely.

About Saturday Light Brigade
SLB Radio Productions, Inc. (SLB) uses radio and audio to encourage, amplify, share and archive the ideas, stories, and feelings of children, youth and families. SLB believes in radio and audio because these technologies enable a sense of intimacy, engagement and self-directed imagination that is often lacking in other media, while also promoting opportunities for privacy (given that children need not be photographed), equal access (audio has fewer barriers for participation than other media), and sharpening of important life skills (i.e., speaking and listening, imagination, creative expression, and critical thinking, respect for others, confidence and cooperation, and technical curiosity).

About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online, mobile and community-based programs. Kidscreen- and Webby-award winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including the PBS KIDS video player, now offering free streaming video accessible on computer- and mobile-device-based browsers. For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.

About WNED
Through WNED-TV, ThinkBright and Well/WORLD TV, WBFO-FM 88.7 and Classical 94.5 WNED, member-supported WNED Buffalo/Toronto provides high quality programming and services to local, regional and national audiences that enlighten, inspire, entertain and educate Western New York and Southern Ontario communities. Additional information about WNED can be found at wned.org.

About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is the leader in educational entertainment for children. For nearly 20 years, LeapFrog has created award-winning learning solutions that combine educational expertise, innovative technology and a child's love for fun. With experiences that are personalized to each child's level, LeapFrog helps children achieve their potential through LeapFrog's proprietary learning tablets, learn to read and write systems, interactive learning toys and more, all designed or approved by LeapFrog's full-time in-house team of learning experts. LeapFrog's Learning Path, the ultimate guide for parents on early childhood, is designed specifically to help support and guide their child's learning with personalized ideas and feedback, fun activities and expert advice. LeapFrog is based in Emeryville, California, and was founded in 1995 by a father who revolutionized technology-based learning solutions to help his child learn how to read. Learn more at www.leapfrog.com.

About Highlights for Children, Inc. (www.Highlights.com)
Devoted to "Fun with a Purpose," family media brand Highlights for Children, Inc. (Highlights.com) has helped children become their best selves for generations. Highlights magazines are the best-read children’s magazines in North America, and total more than 250 million impressions each year. In addition to the flagship magazine, Highlights’ other offerings include a preschool magazine (High Five), an infant and toddler magazine (Hello), a children’s book company (Boyds Mills Press), puzzle book clubs and a variety of digital products. Highlights can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and at its blog, Highlights Aha!

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

Dark Sisters

For Immediate Release: January 7, 2014

Contact: Debra L. Bell, Director of Marketing and Communications
Office: (412) 281-0912 ext 214 or dbell@pittsburghopera.org


Pittsburgh Opera presents Nico Muhly’s DARK SISTERS
Thirty-something composer; new production

What:              Nico Muhly’s opera DARK SISTERS

Where:           CAPA Theater
                        9th Street at Ft. Duquesne Blvd., Downtown Pittsburgh

When:             Saturday, January 25, 8:00 PM             Tuesday, January 28, 7:00 PM
                        Friday, January 31, 8:00 PM                 Sunday, February 2, 2:00 PM

Run Time:      1 hour and 45 minutes, including 1 intermission

Language:     Sung in English with English texts projected above the stage

Tickets:          $50 for all performances. Subscriber and group discounts available.
                  Call 412-456-6666 for more information or visit pittsburghopera.org

Of special      The Saturday, January 25 performance of DARK SISTERS
Note:              is sold out. Tickets are still available for other performances.

Related           FREE Brown Bag concert; WQED Preview; Meet the
Events:           Artists; Audio Description for those with visual impairments.
See page 5 of this release.


Pittsburgh, PA… Pittsburgh Opera continues its 75th anniversary season with Nico Muhly’s DARK SISTERS, a new production of a very new opera exploring issues ripped from the headlines and created by a thirty-something composer. The first work in Pittsburgh Opera’s American Opera Series,* DARK SISTERS stars the Resident Artists and is on stage at CAPA Theater January 25 – February 2.

Exploring issues of suppressed individuality and subservient women’s roles, the opera uses episodes from the media – most recently the 2004 raid on FLDS leader Warren Jeffs’s compound in West Texas – to tell the story of the women’s suffering, and how one woman tries to escape. Premiered in 2012, DARK SISTERS revolves around sister-wife Eliza, who has a profound self-discovery after the world comes to the gates of her family’s complex, run by The Prophet. During an appearance on national television to defend her way of life, Eliza makes a dramatic confession, and her world falls into chaos. Resolving to make her own way in the world, she faces the consequences of leaving everything she has ever known.

Pittsburgh Opera’s DARK SISTERS features Resident Artists in the roles of the sister-wives: Jasmine Muhammad is the rebellious Eliza; Meredith Lustig is the lovesick Zina; Nicole Rodin is the troubled Ruth; Samantha Korbey is Presendia; and former Resident Artist Alexandra Loutsion (Rinaldo, 2011) is Almera. Resident Artist Joseph Barron takes the dual role of The Prophet and the newscaster King. Rebecca Belczyk (The Magic Flute, 2013) portrays Eliza’s daughter Lucinda. Resident Artist George Cederquist is the stage director for DARK SISTERS. Head of Music Glenn Lewis conducts the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra. Composer Nico Muhly is expected to attend the opening night performance.

* Pittsburgh Opera’s American Opera Series is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and includes DARK SISTERS, PAUL’S CASE (Feb. 22 – Mar. 2) and ORPHÉE (Apr. 26 – May 4).

Facts about the opera and the composer
   DARK SISTERS premiered in 2012 at Gotham Chamber Opera in New York City, and was co-produced and co-commissioned by Opera Philadelphia.

   Nico Muhly, a 32 year-old “wunderkind” (Huffington Post) who defies convention and definitions, has worked with Philip Glass, Björk, Benjamin Millepied, and Grizzly Bear. He was recently featured on the cover of Opera News, in advance of the premiere of his Two Boys at The Met. Mr. Muhly composes film scores (The Reader, Joshua, Choking Man), liturgical music (an Our Father, a Nunc Dimittis, a setting of Psalm 139), and scored the ballet From Here on Out with Millepied for American Ballet Theater. Most recently, he appeared at New York City’s Le Poisson Rouge with violinist Pekka Kuuisto; the featured piece was a Bach Partita with other pieces interspersed between the original piece’s movements.

   In October 2013, Mr. Muhly’s opera Two Boys premiered at The Metropolitan Opera, with former Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Juan José de León in the cast. The opera revolves around a detective investigating a murder of a teenager that leads her to a trail of clues on the Internet.

   Nico Muhly has been researching the history of the Church of Latter Day Saints for many years. “I read the diaries of some of the wives of Brigham Young; you think you could be reading something from the Old Testament or from today. Similarly, once you get in the world of what constitutes marriage, it was always political, and about property, land. Marriage for love was a Victorian construct.”

   Nico Muhly has been quoted as saying that “I can’t think of one opera that isn’t political in some way. When you look at Rameau, Handel, Mozart, they were all looking at the world around them socially and politically. [Mozart’s] Cosi fan tutte is an incredibly political opera. Right now there is a flare-up of interest about Mormonism, but the politics and discussions around it aren’t new.”

The story, in brief
At a polygamist compound in the American Southwest, five mothers cry out in despair. State officials have just raided their homes and removed their children, under the suspicion that minors are being abused and forced to marry. The husband of the five women, a professed Prophet, discloses that he has received a revelation. He must journey into the desert, where he will receive guidance that will ensure the return of their children. The Prophet instructs his wives to “keep sweet” while he is away, explaining that total obedience is necessary to ensure their salvation and the safe return of their children.

Eliza, the fourth wife, has visions of her only child, Lucinda. She remembers her wedding: she was 16, afraid, an unwilling bride. Eliza does not want her daughter to suffer the same fate, but cannot imagine how they could ever leave this life. As night slowly turns to day, Eliza passes the time with her sister-wives. Almera is haunted by dreams of her mother and grandmother, while Presendia and Zina work diligently to pass the time, longing for their husband’s return. Ruth is tormented by mental illness and the memory of her two sons, both of whom died tragically.

Ruth discovers a letter in the Prophet's study and gives it to Eliza: the letter voices Lucinda’s concerns about being promised to a much older man. Eliza is shocked to learn that her daughter would be promised so soon, and resolves to leave the compound. The Prophet returns, and Eliza convinces him to spend the night with her. She needs his full trust so that she can travel with him the next day and enact a plan to share her own message with the world. Alone in their bedrooms, the other women seethe with jealousy, sadness and longing.

The next day, television personality King interviews the women via satellite. The women are careful to stay on message. Afraid and distraught, Ruth suffers a breakdown during the interview. Although paralyzed with fear, the women continue with the show.

Eliza, afraid that she may not have the courage to speak out, suddenly explodes with the announcement that she was indeed married underage. She also seizes the opportunity to speak to her daughter – she looks into the camera and begs Lucinda to have faith, and to relays her own divine message: “Don’t be afraid of what lies beyond the sharp cliffs, the red earth – blaze a trail beyond the canyons! This is my hope for you, Sisters of Zion! I promise you, kind hearts beat for all of us in the outside world!”

Chaos erupts. Eliza’s sister-wives cannot believe she would betray them. Later that night, Ruth sits atop the mesa near the compound, under a starlit sky. Praying for relief from her pain, and longing to be with her two children in heaven, she jumps to her death.

Back at the compound, a few days later, Ruth is buried. The children have been returned to the ranch. Eliza comes to the gate of the compound and is shunned by the other women. Lucinda approaches her mother, furious – she is sickened that Eliza lost her faith and will not gain eternal salvation. Lucinda refuses to leave with her mother. Eliza pledges that she will always be waiting for Lucinda, and will always love her. Heartbroken, she walks away from the compound and into the unknown.

Tickets to DARK SISTERS are $50, with all performances at CAPA Theater, 9th Street and Ft. Duquesne Blvd., Downtown Pittsburgh. For additional information, videos, photos, musical samples, cast biographies, and the full story of DARK SISTERS, visit www.pittsburghopera.org. To purchase tickets, call 412-456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

The 2013-14 Pittsburgh Opera season is generously supported by PNC.
American Eagle Outfitters is the Friday Night Sponsor.
Dark Sisters is generously sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Filstrup.
The National Endowment for the Arts provides project support for Pittsburgh Opera’s 2014 American Opera Series.
Giant Eagle Foundation is the Resident Artist Program Sponsor.
WQED is a media sponsor for the 2013-14 Pittsburgh Opera season.
WYEP and WESA are media sponsors for Dark Sisters.

Cast and Artistic Team (cast is listed in order of vocal appearance)

Zina                                                           Meredith Lustig *
Presendia                                                 Samantha Korbey *
Almera                                                      Alexandra Loutsion **
Ruth                                                          Nicole Rodin *
Eliza                                                          Jasmine Muhammad *
Prophet/King                                             Joseph Barron *
Lucinda                                                     Rebecca Belczyk
             
Conductor                                                 Glenn Lewis
Director                                                     George Cederquist *
Set Designer                                             Dan Daly
Costume Designer                                   Antonia West
Lighting Designer                                      Robert Figueira

Director of Musical Studies                      Mark Trawka
Associate Coach/Pianist                          James Lesniak
Hair & Makeup Designer                          James Geier

DARK SISTERS is a new production by Pittsburgh Opera.

+    Pittsburgh Opera debut
*     Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
**   Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni

Photo above  by Kelly & Massa for Opera Philadelphia.

Tickets and Group Discounts
Tickets for all performances of DARK SISTERS are $50. Group and subscriber 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.

Related Events

Brown Bag Concert
Saturday, January 11 – 12:00 p.m.
George R. White Opera Studio, Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue)
These casual, one-hour concerts feature our Resident Artists in the George R. White Opera Studio at Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters. January’s Brown Bag concert features an All-American program. Guests can meet the performers after the concert. Free and open to the public; no RSVP required. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. For more information, call (412) 281-0912 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org

Opera Up Close: DARK SISTERS
Sunday, January 12 – 2:00 p.m.
An in-depth look at the music and story of Nico Muhly's DARK SISTERS with singers and directors from the production, in the George R. White Opera Studio at Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters. Panelists include Resident Artist Jasmine Muhammad; stage director, Resident Artist George Cederquist; conductor Glenn Lewis; and Director of Artistic Operations Bill Powers. Admission is $5; the event is free to members of FRIENDS of Pittsburgh Opera and donors at $50 and above. For more information, visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

DARK SISTERS Previews on WQED-FM 89.3 and WQED.ORG
Saturday, January 18 – 1:00 p.m.; Friday, January 24 – 7:00 p.m.
Hosted by WQED’s Stephen Baum, and broadcast over the airwaves as well as the WQED website, the DARK SISTERS preview gives listeners an engaging introduction to the singers, music and story of the opera. For more information, visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

Pre-Opera Talks
CAPA Theater Black Box
Ticketholders are invited to attend a Pre-Opera Talk on DARK SISTERS one hour before each performance’s curtain in the Black Box at CAPA Theater. Learn about the composer and the story of the opera. Free to all ticketholders.

Audio Description: DARK SISTERS
Tuesday, January 28
Ticketholders with visual impairments are invited to use Pittsburgh Opera’s Audio Description service at our Tuesday performances. Trained volunteers describe the scenery, costumes, and stage action via headphones. Those wishing to use Audio Description should reserve seats to the Tuesday, January 28 performance: call Randy Adams at 412-281-0912, ext. 213 or groups@pittsburghopera.org. Braille and large-print opera programs are also available in the lobby.

Meet the Artists of DARK SISTERS
Tuesday, January 28
Immediately following the opera, in the CAPA Theater Black Box
Ticketholders for the Tuesday, January 28 performance of DARK SISTERS are invited to gather in the Black Box immediately following the performance for interviews with General Director Christopher Hahn and the stars of the opera. This event is free to all Tuesday performance ticketholders.

 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
DARK SISTERS •• 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

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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  
         
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

Mike Birbiglia Comedy Tour at Byham

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:  TrustArts.org/Press
Search Name:  Mike Birbiglia


TICKETS ON SALE TODAY!
 AWARD-WINNING COMEDIAN, AUTHOR AND FILMMAKER
MIKE BIRBIGLIA
BRINGS HIS COMEDY TOUR “THANK GOD FOR JOKES”
 TO THE BYHAM THEATER

Thursday, March 20, 2014 │7:30pm

PITTSBURGH, PA- The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announced award-winning comedian, author, and filmmaker Mike Birbigliabrings his all new comedy tour, Thank God For Jokes, to the Byham Theater on Thursday, March 20, at 7:30pm.  This tour is presented by Steve Litman Presents.

Tickets ($33.25 - $38.25) are on sale now and can be purchased online at TrustArts.org , by calling 412-456-6666, or in person at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue.  Groups of 10+, call 412-471-6930.
Photo Credit:  Kyle Ericksen

Mike Birbiglia returns to the stage with more painfully awkward stories in a show about jokes, and how they can get you in trouble. Join Birbiglia as he visits Cats-a-chusetts, argues with a stranger about her nut allergy, hosts an awards show for angry celebrities, and learns that Fozzie Bear is a tough act to follow. Ira Glass of public radio's This American Life writes "Birbiglia's stories are even funnier live than they are on the radio." Time Magazine calls Birbiglia "master of the personal, embarrassing tale."The New York Times describes him as a "supremely enjoyable monologist."

Mike Birbiglia       (Photo Credit:  Brian Friedman)
About Mike Birbiglia
Over the past 12 years comedian Mike Birbiglia has developed a one-of-a-kind storytelling style in the world of standup comedy. Birbiglia’s recent off-Broadway hit, My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show and was named a Critics Pick by The New York Times, New York Magazine, and Time Out New York.

Following a successful New York run, Mike brought the show to more than 70 cities worldwide, including the Sydney Opera House, London’s Soho Theatre, and Carnegie Hall. The show was filmed in Seattle and debuted on Netflix; it was recently released on CD/DVD and on iTunes. Mike has made more than 40 network television appearances on shows including Late Show With David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan O’Brien, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  He is a regular contributor to the Peabody Award winning radio show This American Life. Birbiglia has released four albums, and both The Onion and USA Today named My Secret Public Journal Live one of “The Best Comedy Albums of the Decade.”

In 2012, Mike directed and starred in the feature film adaptation of his one-man show Sleepwalk with Me. The film won an audience award at the Sundance Film Festival, was released in theaters nationwide by IFC Films and was one of the top 3 most critically acclaimed comedies of the year on Rotten Tomatoes, with top critics rating it 87%. Currently Birbiglia is touring the country with his all-new show and planning his follow-up feature film. For more information about Mike Birbiglia and his 2014 tour schedule, visit birbigs.com.

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 Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts.

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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

Music for the Spirit Concert Features PSO, Honeck

For Immediate Release
Jan. 8, 2014


MUSIC DIRECTOR MANFRED HONECK, PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CELEBRATE “MUSIC FOR THE SPIRIT” WITH FREE CONCERT

PITTSBURGH—Music has the power to touch the human spirit, transcending time, place, boundaries and language and spurring understanding and connection. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Manfred Honeck are deeply committed to music’s ability to promote and spread a spiritual and universal message, and to that end invite the public to a free “Music for the Spirit” concert on Feb. 13, 2014, at 7 p.m. at East Liberty Presbyterian Church.

The annual Music for the Spirit concerts are especially important to Maestro Honeck as he embraces music’s ability to promote dialogue among faiths. The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh is partnering with the Pittsburgh Symphony on this year’s concert. The program will include works by Schubert, Dvoøák, Schmidt, Ullmann and more.

“Music was such an integral part of the lives of so many of our survivors,” says Hilary Tyson, chair of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh. “Memories of favorite musical pieces helped get them through the darkest of their days during the Holocaust. Therefore, we are so pleased to be able to partner with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on the Music for the Spirit series community concert on Feb. 13 and on our Yom Hashoa/Holocaust Remembrance Day program in April where we will explore the art, music and literature from the Holocaust.”

Along with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, under the direction of Betsy Burleigh, and “Concentio” of Pittsburgh School for the Choral Arts, under the direction of Kathryn Barnard, will be featured during the performance. Associate Principal Viola Tatjana Mead Chamis will be the featured soloist on Boris Pigovat’s Requiem, “The Holocaust,” for Viola and Orchestra.

General admission tickets are free to the public and are available now. Tickets are limited and up to four are available per household. Ticket reservations can be made by calling the Heinz Hall box office at 412-392-4900 or visiting pittsburghsymphony.org.

Each season, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents two performances with spiritual roots — one at Heinz Hall as part of the BNY Mellon Grand Classics series and one in rotating venues in the community, such as churches, synagogues, mosques and community centers. These performances feature works with spirituality at their heart and that appeal to music lovers of all faiths. The Music for the Spirit concerts sprang from the Pittsburgh Symphony’s 2004 performance at the Vatican, the first American orchestra to perform for a pope. That powerful, monumental experience sparked a commitment between the Pittsburgh Symphony and faith communities in Pittsburgh to perform concerts that celebrate the spiritual and universal message of music. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Vatican concert on Jan. 17, 2004, and the inspiration for Music for the Spirit.


Generous support for Music for the Spirit is provided by Astorino, Mr. and Mrs. J. Christopher Donahue, Susan and Roy Dorrance, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Catharine M. Ryan and John T. Ryan III.

Editors Please Note:

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014, 7 p.m.
East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Ave.
MUSIC FOR THE SPIRIT
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MANFRED HONECK, conductor
TATJANA MEAD CHAMIS, viola
MENDELSSOHN CHOIR OF PITTSBURGH (Betsy Burleigh, director)
“CONCENTIO” OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL FOR THE CHORAL ARTS (Kathryn Barnard, director)

Franz Schubert               Mass No. 6 in E-flat major, D. 950
 I. Kyrie

Franz Schubert               Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759, [old No. 7] "Unfinished"
                                                I. Allegro moderato

Antonin Dvoøák              Stabat Mater, Opus 58
III. Eia, mater, fons amoris

Bohuslav Martinu           Memorial to Lidice
Viktor Ullmann              Three Hebrew Boys' Choruses
A'macha jissrael jibane
Haleluja! bezilzele schama
Hedad, hedad, gina ktana!

Franz Schmidt                Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The Book with Seven Seals)
                                                Und als das Lamm der Siegel zweites auftrat

Boris Pigovat                  Requiem, “The Holocaust,” for Viola and Orchestra
Lux Eterna

Gabriel-Urbain Fauré      Requiem, Opus 48
                                                VII. In paradisum

Franz Schmidt                Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The Book with Seven Seals)
                                                Hallelujah!

Franz Schmidt                Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The Book with Seven Seals)
Epilog

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 Photo Credit;  Felix Broede

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

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

Point Park Alum Nominated for Directors Guild Award

For Immediate Release
Jan. 10, 2014

Tony Award-winning Point Park alum Rob Ashford nominated for Directors Guild Award

PITTSBURGH – Point Park alumnus and Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford has received a Directors Guild Award nomination for directing The Sound of Music Live! on NBC last month.
Ashford and co-director Beth McCarthy-Miller were nominated in the category of Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series. This is Ashford’s first Directors Guild Award nomination.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Feb. 25.
The three-hour live telecast of The Sound of Music in December starred six-time Grammy Award-winner Carrie Underwood as Maria von Trapp, Stephen Moyer, star of HBO’s hit series True Blood, as Captain von Trapp, and five-time Tony Award-winner and two-time Grammy Award-winner Audra McDonald as Mother Abbess.
Ashford won a Tony Award in 2002 for choreographing Thoroughly Modern Millie. He has been nominated for a Tony Award eight times and for several Laurence Olivier awards, the British equivalent of the Tony. He won the Drama Desk, Fred Astaire Award, and Outer Critics Circle awards for Cry-Baby(2008) 
Ashford made his directorial debut with Parade (2008) on London’s West End. On Broadway, he directed revivals of the musicals Promises, Promises, starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth, and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, starring Daniel Radcliff. Ashford directed his first non-musical on Broadway, a revival of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, starring Scarlett Johansson, last year.
Ashford also directed the musical numbers for the film, Beyond the Sea, Kevin Spacey’s Bobby Darin biopic, and won a 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for the 81st Annual Academy Awards.


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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

After Tiller Benefit Screening



The Women and Girls Foundation and Women's Law Project
Present a benefit screening of the documentary

After Tiller

Saturday January 18th
Kelly Strayhorn Theater. 5941 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15206

Doors open at 6:00 PM    |     Screening to start at 6:30 PM
Serving wine, desserts, & music before the show
Panel Discussion will follow

Minimum Contribution $10 - Proceeds benefit the Women’s Law Project’s reproductive rights work in Western PA.

Seating is limited - click here to register now

 http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=7WBpZz0%2Bvg6VhU48Tzr0Ile1CXgKtnyQ

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

Pgh Cultural Trust Announces 3 Events


For Immediate Release

Media Contacts:
Jessica Warchall, Visual Arts Publicist, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
847-477-8714/Warchall@TrustArts.org
Shaunda Miles, Director of Public Relations, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
412-471-1578/Miles@TrustArts.org
Diana Roth, Communications Manger, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
412-471-8717/Roth@TrustArts.org

Images available: http://TrustArts.org/press
Search: Scenes 2014


PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST ANNOUNCES
CULTURAL DISTRICT EVENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH
BEHIND OUR SCENES

Pittsburgh, PA—The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces three events taking place in conjunction with the exhibition Behind Our Scenes at SPACE gallery in the Cultural District. The exhibition by five photographic artists exploring the relationship between the two-dimensional form and physical space through photographic installations and constructions is guest curated by Jen Saffron and is on view through January 26, 2014. SPACE (812 Liberty Avenue) is open during Gallery Crawl, the Trust’s quarterly showcase of art and entertainment throughout the Cultural District, Friday, January 24, 5:30–9 p.m.

Gadget Lab
Thursday, January 16, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
SPACE, 812 Liberty Avenue
Free and open to the public
For those new to eReaders, tablets, or other gadgets, drop-in on this Gadget Lab during lunchtime to speak with tech-savvy librarians and learn how to download free eBooks, eAudio, eVideo, digital magazines, music, and more.

Leo Hsu Free to the People

Artist Talk: Leo Hsu and the Free to the People Project
Saturday, January 18, 2:30–4 p.m.
Carnegie Library, 612 Smithfield Street
Free and open to the public
Artist Leo Hsu speaks about his artistic practice and current work included in the group photography exhibition Behind Our Scenes at SPACE. The artist talk is followed by a gallery tour at SPACE (812 Liberty Avenue).

Dennis Marsico Age Specific

Barbara Weissberger Collage Formation with Round Mirrors
Poetry and Play reading with Joy Katz and Rob Handel
Sunday, January 19, 3–5 p.m.
SPACE, 812 Liberty Avenue
Free and open to the public, with refreshments
Cozy up in the gallery with a glass of wine or coffee at this poetry and play reading by award-winning poet Joy Katz and award-winning playwright Rob Handel. Curator Jen Saffron will offer a tour of the current exhibition Behind Our Scenes, featuring the photographic work of Nancy Andrews, Leo Hsu, Dennis Marsico, Annie O’Neill, and Barbara Weissberger.

About SPACE
SPACE is located at 812 Liberty Avenue. Gallery Hours: Wed & Thurs: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Fri & Sat: 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. The gallery is free and open to the public. SPACE is a project of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. For more information about all gallery exhibitions featured in the Cultural District, please visit www.TrustArts.org.

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 landmasses 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 Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts.

###
Images Courtesy of the Artists

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