Payne Directs Reimagined Hecuba

Conservatory Theatre Company brings fresh perspective to classic Greek tragedy ‘Hecuba’

Directed by Monica Payne, the show previews Nov. 7, runs Nov. 8-24  at the Pittsburgh Playhouse

PITTSBURGH – Point Park University’s Conservatory Theatre Company presents a refreshingly new take on Euripides’ classic Greek tragedy, Hecuba, directed by Monica Payne.

Hecuba opens Friday, Nov. 8, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 24, with a preview on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Studio Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Performances will be at 8 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets range from $18 to $20 and can be purchased by calling the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office at 412.392.8000, or at www.pittsburghplayhouse.com.

In Greek mythology, Hecuba was a queen, the wife of the King of Troy during the Trojan War, and mother of 19, many of whom became major players in The Iliad. In this fresh twist on Euripides' play, Hecuba is a tragic tale of a mother's grief and the power of revenge. Artfully reimagined, the Conservatory Theatre Company's production evokes striking images of more recent crimes against humanity.

Payne directs Hecuba, with scenic design by Jeff Fuga, costume design by Cathleen Crocker-Perry, lighting design by Cat Wilson, and sound design by Steve Shapiro. Nik Nemec is stage manager.

Payne directed the Playhouse Jr. production of Huck Finn in May. Her other directing projects include her own adaptation of The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Erendira and her Heartless Grandmother by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Elektra by Euripides, Gross Sales by Erica Jones, and Natural Affection by William Inge. As an actress, Payne appeared in several productions with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and worked with many off-loop companies in Chicago, including The Hypocrites, Famous Door, The Journeymen, and the Artistic Home. She is the recipient of the James Pendleton Foundation Prize and is a member of the 2008 Lincoln Center Director’s Lab, as well as the 2012 Director’s Lab West in Los Angeles.

Photo Credit:  Jeff Swensen

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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

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

Cassidy to Direct Oklahoma

For Immediate Release
June 18, 2013

Broadway star Patrick Cassidy to direct ‘Oklahoma!’ for Point Park University’s Conservatory Theatre Company

PITTSBURGH – Broadway star Patrick Cassidy will direct Oklahoma! for Point Park University’s Conservatory Theatre Company in October.

Oklahoma! opens Friday, Oct. 18 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Rockwell Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. The production opens the Conservatory Theatre Company’s season, which runs Oct. 18-April 19, 2014.

Cassidy recently played Professor Harold Hill opposite his mother, Shirley Jones, in sold-out performances of The Music Man at the Sacramento Music Circus. He also recreated the role his father, Jack Cassidy, originated in 1966, in the Dallas Theater Center's production of It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman. He then went on to star opposite Patti LuPone in Annie Get Your Gun for the Ravinia Theater Festival, directed by Lonny Price. On Broadway, Cassidy has been seen as Julian Marsh in 42nd Street, in Elton John’s Aida (as well as the national tour for which he won the 2002 National Broadway Theater Award for Best Actor in a Touring Musical), Annie Get Your Gun, The Pirates of Penzance,and Leader of the Pack. He originated the role of the Balladeer in Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at Playwrights Horizons and appeared in Lady in the Dark at City Center's Encores! He has toured nationally as Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2000 and again in 2006. His films include Longtime Companion, I'll Do Anything, I Won't Dance and Burning Love. He starred in the TV miniseries Dress Grey (Emmy nomination) and Napoleon & Josephine, as well as TV movies-of-the-week, Oklahoma City, Something in Common, Christmas Eve, How the West Was Fun, and Follow Your Heart. He has guest-starred on numerous TV shows, including The Neighbors, Law & Order SVU, Castle, Perception, Crossing Jordan, Without a Trace, According to Jim, CSI Miami andER. His one-man show, Just Act Normal, is an autobiographical look at what it was like growing up in a show-biz family. Cassidy recently opened up his own acting company, Hollywood Stage Academy.

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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

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 University Presents The School for Scandal

Point Park University’s Conservatory Theatre Co. presents Sheridan’s Restoration comedy, ‘The School for Scandal’

Directed by Alan Stanford, preview April 11, play runs April 12-21 at The Pittsburgh Playhouse

PITTSBURGH – Point Park University’s Conservatory Theatre Company presents Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s comedy of manners, The School for Scandal, directed by Alan Stanford.

The School for Scandal runs Friday, April 12-Sunday, April 21, in the Rauh Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Performances are 8 p.m., Thursday – Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $18-$20 (student, senior and group rates are available) and can be purchased by calling the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office at 412.392.8000, or online at www.pittsburghplayhouse.com. There will be a preview performance at 8 p.m., Thursday, April 11, with tickets discounted at $12. Patrons can take advantage of the “Pay what you will” performance at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 13, subject to availability.

Widely regarded as a comic masterpiece of the Restoration Period, The School for Scandal provides a witty look at the art of gossip, featuring trysts and elaborately fabricated stories as the pastime of 18th century Londoners.

The Conservatory Theatre Company’s production of the School for Scandal is directed by Alan Stanford, interim artistic director of the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, and features set design by Michael Essad, costume design by Joan Markert, lighting design by Andrew David Ostrowski, and sound design by Steve Shapiro. The stage manager is Rebecca Krall; assistant stage managers are Kelsey Bower, Brandon Martin and Nicole White.

Celebrating his 46th year as a professional actor, director and producer, Stanford has a memorable history with the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre over the past six years. He has directed Salome, Pinter’s Betrayal and Celebration, and The Mask of Moriarty by Hugh Leonard, and has appeared with them as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, as well as performances in The Pitmen Painters, Ivanov and Swansong. His adaptation of Jane Eyre has also been presented by the company. He initially trained for the theatre in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and has had a long and renowned career in the Irish theatre. He was a founder and Producing Artistic Director until 2012 of Ireland's Second Age Theatre Company, a theatre regularly funded by The Arts Council of Ireland and dedicated to the presentation of classical works and the development of a love and appreciation of theatre by younger audiences.

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

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