'Burgh Vivant

by Michael Buzzelli

A granddaughter, Sky II (Kat Bruce), uncovers a Black Queer past as she delves deeper into her family history in a.k. payne’s “BURNBABYBURN.”

Sapphic themes are abound. The play opens with Myrna (Aisha Jordan Gunter) singing Bessie Smith when her daughter, Sky (Hope Anthony), proclaims that she is moving to California with her husband, Will (Anthony Grace).  While Myrna sings about “not messing with no men,” it isn’t clear if Myrna likes a little sugar in her bowl like her daughter.

Sky is determined to find a new life outside of Pittsburgh, but she is reluctant to leave her “friend,” Char (Destiny Nwafor). There relationship, while taboo in their time, isn’t a secret, but Sky has a son with Will named, Joyner (DeVaughn Robinson), and she wants her child to have a better future.

Meanwhile, closer to the present, Sky II, Sky’s granddaughter, finds a box of photos from her departed grandmother and begins reconstructing the past as she looks to her own future.

Like the title, payne’s script burns with intensity. It is a lyrical exploration of Black Queerness, starting with Bessie Smith, the prominent blues singer often associated with themes of sexual freedom and empowerment. The playwright also weaves in the poetry of Phillis Wheatley, who is considered the first African American author of published Black poetry. One particular stanza is repeated throughout the play:

“Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there’s a God, that there’s a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
“Their colour is a diabolic dye.”
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.”

“BURNBABYBURN” is subtitled, “the american dream,” reflecting Sky’s journey from Pittsburgh to California to back again while chasing her dreams. The Pittsburgh Boomerang Effect is real. There is a magnetic pull to the denizens of the Steel City.

The cast in this production was outstanding.

Anthony is triumphant as Sky, a woman who is strong but sympathetic. She is aflame with desire to realize her dreams, but her passions are conflicted and nuanced.

Gunter’s portrayal of Myrna is powerful. While the character does not appear in many scenes, her presence looms large over the entire production.

Nwafor is terrific as Char, an equally multifaceted character who burns with desire and flares with anger as her dream is also deferred.

Grace and Robinson are equally strong in smaller roles.

Cheryl El-Walker’s costume, hair, and make-up are extraordinary. It’s as if the characters stepped out of time. Sky II’s look also has a timeless quality. Think: Granola, veganism, and Berkeley, California.

While the characters are shaded with varying gradations, the stage is not. Latrice Lovett’s lights are brilliantly bright. Depending on where you sit, there may be a little bit of glare (consider the advice of Corey Hart and wear your sunglasses at night).

While payne’s play moves fluidly through time and space, it’s important to pay strict attention to the proceedings. Sky II’s discovery can be viewed as metaphysical or, more simply, a reimagining of past events.  The message is important. One that should resonate more strongly with Black and/or queer people.

Side note: When notating a story about an American Dream deferred, another Black poet, Langston Hughes, comes to mind. His work inspired another Black playwright, Lorraine Hansberry, with her work “A Raisin in the Sun.”

While “BURNBABYBURN” could use a slight trim, especially in the first act, director Karla C. Payne keeps the action frenetic and fast-paced. The characters never stay in one spot too long, which works out perfectly because Mark Clayton Southers created a stage set smack dab in the middle of August Wilson’s backyard with the audience on every side.

August Wilson’s home has become hallowed ground. Setting “BURNBABYBURN” in his backyard is a magnificent tribute to Pittsburgh’s past. It’s the perfect place to set a play that looks back while pointing toward tomorrow.

-MB

“BURNBABYBURN” runs from August 25th to September 13th, 
Outdoors at August Wilson House, 1727 Bedford Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. For additional information, click here. 

By Michael Buzzelli

On August 22, an extravaganza of talent from Pennsylvania and Ohio merged in the middle (Youngstown, Ohio, barely across the PA border) with “Bang Bang,” a variety show starring sisters Ingrid and Jewel Ullrich and a plethora of performers.

“Bang Bang” is a Cabaret Soleil; part cabaret, part circus act, with a smidgen of burlesque. It’s bawdy and a bit risqué, but teeters on the line without going over it. However, the Emcee pushed the line as far as he could. 

The show opens with a Master of Ceremonies, Vaughn Man (Vaughn Hudspath, the aforementioned Emcee), who, throughout the evening, has more costume changes than the dancers. He was a cowboy, cop, and a leather daddy, practically all of the Village People. Hudspath has near-scandalous interactions with the audience, riffing with theatergoers, spitting out sometimes shocking off-the-cuff remarks. One well-timed barb could put him in the orbit with Lucy Darling, Jessica Kirson, and Matt Rife, making him nearly meme-worthy. One bad barb could put him in orbit with a punch in the mouth, especially when mocking Elliot Thornburg, Ullrich’s beau, a ju-jitsu instructor.

The show really begins when Ingrid Ullrich and Jennifer Milgram strut their stuff on the stage. The opening dance is beautifully choreographed.

Jewel Ullrich, Ingrid’s sister, is a powerhouse. Her voice is unmatched as she sings Broadway standards mixed with pop ballads. The Ullrich sisters sing a few duets that are highlights of the show.

Another dancing duo, Tycen Gardner and Judah Boyd, captivated the audience with their moves.

Featured guest artists (the Cleveland contingent) included Dr. Dan Wasdahl, a juggler balancing ten glass bowls on rods; aerial artist Julia Rabbit, gyrating above the ground on a spinning hoop; and Ayton Barrett and Erica Henrichsen, an acrobatic duo whose act incorporated hand-to-hand balancing and Icarian-style acrobatics.

Note: Icarian acrobatics is a traditional circus discipline in which one acrobat (the flyer) is tossed, caught, and juggled by another (the porter) using only their feet.

Multi-hyphenate producer Ingrid Ullrich selected an incredible bunch of performers, but make no mistake, she doesn’t just gather a coterie of talented performers; she shines as one herself.  Ullrich is a terrific dancer, whether she’s a solo star, teaming up with Rabbit, or partnering with Gardner and Boyd.

Her sister Jewel is a phenomenal Broadway belter. She sings “Big Spender,” songs from “Chicago,” and the titular song, “Bang Bang.”

Watching Wasdahl balancing glass bowls is thrilling. If he doesn’t get your heart racing, Barrett and Henrichsen’s act surely will. Rabbit may stir similar feelings as she writhes around on her hoop.

There are some priceless audience interactions, a chair dance, a dance off and various tricks and treats for attendees.

Note: While Saturday’s show had an all-ages audience, it’s probably best to leave the kids at home if you’re unsure about the content. Variety is the spice of life, and “Bang Bang” will keep things spicy.  

-MB

You can catch the next iteration of “Bang Bang” on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at The Strand Theater, 119 North Main Street, Zelienople, PA 16063. For tickets and additional information, click here.

 

by Michael Buzzelli

“Only Connect” – E. M.  Forster 

A Balladeer (Asher Alcantara) summons America’s most infamous ne’er-do-wells, presidential assassins (including some almost assassins), onto a stage as they recount their tales (manifestos) in Stephen Sondheim and John Weidner’s off-Broadway “Assassins.”

Playwright Charles Gilbert Jr. revolves his play around a malevolent cabal of notorious villains, which include John Wilkes Booth (Allan Snyder), Charles J. Guiteau (Connor Bahr), Giuseppe Zangara (Anthony Marino), John Hinckley, Jr. (Corwin Stoddard), Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme (Mae Ryness), Sam Byck (J. Alex Noble), Sara Jane Moore (Zanny Laird), Leon Czolgosz (Griffin Frye) and Lee Harvey Oswald (Alcantara in a duel role).

All of these sad assassins are looking to connect. Unfortunately, they use violence and murder instead of finding more socially acceptable ways to express their opinions. In the shooting gallery (our stage), the public enemies get to redress their issues through monologues and song. Not all of these crackpots were crack shots.

For example, Sam Byck, a South Philly dropout, sent recorded tapes to Leonard Bernstein delineating his plan to crash a plane into the White House in the hopes of killing then-president Richard M. Nixon. “Assassins” turns the recordings (or the idea of the recordings, since they aren’t completely canon) into madcap monologues, brilliantly recited by Noble. Byck was arrested before he could complete his mission.

In the song, “The Ballad of Booth,” wherein John Wilkes Booth, laying the entirety of the Civil War at Lincoln’s feet, laments, “Damn you, Lincoln,
And damn the day. You threw the ‘U’ out Of U.S.A!”

In “Assassins,” timelines converge and overlap, and Booth gives a speech to Oswald in the book depository. Squeaky Fromme and Sara Jane Moore bond over a shot-up bucket of KFC.

The actors are on point here, doing amazing work. Everyone in the ensemble gets their shot in the spotlight.  It’s a high-caliber cast, including the ensemble. If you rifle through the digital program, you can grab the names of your favorite cast or crew members.

Alacantara is shooting toward stardom with his nuanced portrayal of a conflicted Lee Harvey Oswald.  His job as the Balladeer is strong, resonant, and beautiful. His rendition (along with Snyder) of “The Ballad of Booth” is mesmerizing.

Snyder’s Booth is a stately, measured man who wants the world to regard him as a hero, but, sadly, he goes into the annals of history as a notorious gunman yelling “Sic Semper Tyrannis!” after slaying the Log Cabin Republican.

Noble is firing on all cylinders as Byck. He gets to have several rambunctious rants throughout the play, peppering his monologue with pop-culture aphorisms, all while dressed as a deranged Kris Kringle in a disheveled Santa suit. He’s killing it as the attempted murderer.

You can’t muzzle Bahr. His over-the-top rendition of Guiteau contains genius, madness, and magic. It’s a delightfully loony performance.

Laird brings the far-out hippie chick vibe to the proceedings as the granola-crunching attempted murderer Sara Jane Moore. Laird and Ryness have great chemistry together (both Moore and Fromme attempted to kill President Gerald Ford within days of one another).

Stoddard does his personal best as the Jodie Foster-loving Hinckley.

Frye gives an excellent performance as Leon Czolgosz. He, along with Alacantara, are faces to watch.

Without an intermission, the musical barrels to a conclusion with rapid-fire pacing from director Michael McKelvey. McKelvey designed sound. He draws out brilliant work from most of his actors.

The set is a beautifully constructed carnival arcade shooting gallery game, and the masterful period costumes from Sydney de Haan are exquisite touches to the whole production.

There are some Trigger warnings (figurative and literal); aside from the very loud gunshots, themes of child abuse, murder, racism, and suicide are woven into the DNA of “Assassins.” It’s no secret that John Wilkes Booth is a racist, but it’s easy (rightfully so) to recoil from the character when you hear a white man shouting racial epithets.  Please note: There are unnerving moments when the guns are pointed out into the audience.

Musicals like “1776” and “Hamilton” focus on America’s bloody history with people regarded as famous heroes. “Assassins” swings in the opposite direction and takes a deep dive into history’s villains. The show starts with a bang and never lets up. It’s a total blast.

Some people will tell you that the arts in Pittsburgh are diminishing. While some great venues may have been paved over, flowers are blooming between the cracks. Rogue Artists Theatre of Pittsburgh & Doctuh Mistuh Productions burst forth from the concrete with a beautiful, black bouquet.

If you like dark, mad musicals with a whimsical and sly sense of humor, you might be the target audience for “Assassins.” You should get a rea bang out of it.

-MB

“Assassins” runs until Sunday, August 23, at the Greer Cabaret Theatre, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For additional information and tickets, click here. 

Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD

South Park’s production of Marc Camoletti’s 1960 play, Boeing, Boeing, is a madcap farce that flies faster than the new Boeing jet that uproots the careful timetables Bernard (Johnny Terreri) has constructed his life around.

Director Jeanie Cygrymus leans into cheeky humor from the outset. The typical pre-show voiceovers about silencing one’s phone and emergency exits are given in the format of a pre-flight safety briefing as if we’re all aboard an aircraft. Thankfully, the journey is free of turbulence, at least for the audience, who gets plenty of opportunity to laugh out loud witnessing Bernard’s relationship hijinks.

Terreri brings a casual, ne’er-do-well confidence to Bernard, a Parisian playboy juggling three fiancées. Each one is an “air hostess” for a different international airline. All three of their names start with G, which Bernard proudly notes makes it easier for monogramming and that “fiancées are much friendlier than wives.”

The other male cast member is Robert (Brent Feitl), a friend of Bernard’s from Wisconsin who visits unexpectedly. Thanks to Cygrymus’ steadfast direction, Feitl’s initial country mouse vibes quickly fall away as he becomes an unwitting co-conspirator in managing misadventures with the fiancée trio.

Since Bernard juggles three fiancées, the views we get of them are superficial, as seen through his lens. The first fiancée we meet is Gloria (Carina Iannarelli). Iannarelli captures the confident, hair-tossing American whose red lipstick is as vibrant as her TWA uniform. Thanks to dialect coach Lisa Bansavage, Amanda Weber’s Italian accent never wavers as Gabriella from Atitalia Airlines, and Weber embodies fiery Italian beauty. Completing the fiancée trio is Lufthansa’s German air hostess, Gretchen (Jess Uhler). Uhler brings a no-nonsense, high-caliber German intensity to all of Gretchen’s actions.

Costume designer Casey Ciocco-Thompson keeps it simple for Bernard – and the audience – by relegating each fiancée’s wardrobe to the signature colors of her corresponding airline. Between TWA red, Atitalia blue, and Lufthansa yellow, the three women also represent the three primary colors. Interestingly, Ciocco-Thompson costumes both men in green.

There is one mainstay lady in Bernard’s life, his French housekeeper, Berthe (Stacey Rosleck). Rosleck imbues Berthe with exaggerated facial expressions that speak volumes. At the same time, she dutifully changes out framed photos and makes sure to purvey and serve the correct foods for each rotating lady of the house.

The fiancées are country-level stereotypes for Berthe. Gloria loves ketchup, which Berthe witheringly refers to as “red stuff,” while Gretchen requires sauerkraut. In keeping with Ciocco-Thompson’s differentiated color palette, Berthe is costumed in black and white, an outward marker of her disparaging view of Bernard’s life in the gray.

Berthe often refers to the fiancées by their countries with phrases like “America is flying out.” Bernard keeps it simple and strategic. His generically saccharine endearment of “darling” applies to all three, so he can’t go awry, regardless of which G he’s with.

The play’s comedic delights are structured around the anticipation, subsequent waver, and inevitable fall of Bernard’s carefully constructed house of cards. Set designer April Beiswenger makes the living room of Bernard’s flat singularly 60s with its mustard-colored sofa bookended by mid-century modern chairs. Beiswenger amps up the comedy with seven doors off of the living room. Thanks to Cygrymus’ Swiss-clock precision timing, seven holds as a lucky number, but no lucky number holds forever. The effortless timing of the doors opening and closing is heart-racing. Unlike the air hostess fiancée’s, the audience is in on the narrow escapes from discovery and experiences breathless moments as Bernard and Robert try to stave off mayhem.

Lest one fear the play’s plot line is dated, Camoletti’s play represents a 1960s version of today. 21st-century dating apps enable multiple relationships with more ease than the book of flight timetables Bernard must endlessly consult. In fact, one feels Bernard would surely thrive juggling multiple profiles and matches across Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble.

Buckle up, get to South Park, and see this lovable, laughable romp before it’s Boeing, Boeing gone!

-TKR, Ph.D.

South Park Theatre’s production of Boeing, Boeing runs through August 29, 2026, at South Park Theatre, South Park Township, PA 15129. Purchase tickets online here.

By Timothy Ruppert

After his flight was diverted in the hours following the September Eleventh attacks, legendary PSO Music Director Mariss Jansons journeyed from Canada to Pittsburgh in time to lead the orchestra in a memorably powerful performance of Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man. This anecdote occurred to me at the premiere of Front Porch Theatricals’ new production of

Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s Come From Away, not simply because the musical revisits those uncertain days of a quarter century ago but because the show sketches out a drama of resilience and fellow feeling, involving ordinary people under extraordinary pressures. Come From Away is a beautiful and complex play that requires empathetic performances from sophisticated storytellers. Front Porch Theatricals gives us that, and more, in this brilliant interpretation.

Strangely enough, a production as splendid as this one creates rather singular worries for a reviewer insofar as the superlatives necessary to discuss it may well reach the point of absurdity. Suffice it to say that if you hear the words “fantastic” or “magnificent” associated with this show, trust that such descriptors are indeed accurate. With Aaron Galligan-Stierle (director) and Douglas Levine (music director) at the helm, Come From Away delivers an authentically transformative experience, making it one of Pittsburgh theatre’s highlights of the year.

Whether evoking the claustrophobic environment of grounded airplanes or the seemingly limitless hearts of the townspeople of Gander, Newfoundland, this cast triumphs in a way that feels personal.

While everyone involved deserves accolades, my favorites include Richard McBride (Bob), whose comedic timing brings tears of laughter, and Mandie Patsy as Bonnie, the protector of several animals on the planes, including the rare bonobos Unga and Kosana. Drew Leigh Williams inspires as Captain Beverley Bass, who, in “Me and the Sky,” recounts her astonishing life as she comes to terms with the fact that “the one thing I loved more than anything was used as the bomb” on that fateful autumn day. Like Williams, Natalie Hatcher sings gorgeously in the role of Hannah, delivering an unforgettably lovely “I Am Here.”

Naturally, these performances impress because the entire cast fashions a milieu of excellence.

Marc Moritz (Claude) does superbly as the small-town mayor whose community suddenly finds a place in the international eye. Christy Rodibaugh (Diane) and Stefan Lingenfelter (Nick) play wonderfully together as two lonely people united by tragedy. Victor Aponte and Shawn Doremus provide a heartbreaking romantic counterexample as the two Kevins. Brad Smoak (Oz), Lisa Ann Goldsmith (Beulah), and Caroline Travers (Janice), who has familial connections to 9/11 in New York, complete this outstandingly talented group.

Conducted by Levine (keyboard), the orchestra distinguishes itself throughout the evening, rendering joyfulness and poignancy with equal success. While Rebecca Neukom (fiddle) and Rich Rayburg (bodhran) are especially prominent, all the musicians merit celebration, including R. J. Heid (percussion), George Hoydich (whistles), Ken Karsh (guitar), Bryce Rabideau (mandolin), and Paul Thompson (bass). A note of praise goes as well to Patsy’s choreography and to the work of dance captain Hope Johnson. As always, Andrew David Ostrowski delivers a perfect lighting design, and Josh Bruton’s sound work is accomplished. Stage manager Katy Click ensures that the evening proceeds to the best possible effect from start to finish.

On a personal note, I found myself fortunate enough to see this show with three of my ’Burgh Vivant colleagues: Lonnie Jantsch, Claire DeMarco, and Michael Buzzelli. Fittingly, a show concerned with people coming together occasioned this too-seldom chance to see so many friends at once. But such is the magic of Come From Away, and of this production in particular. For a superlative evening of top-tier storytelling, please see this show.

—TR

“Come From Away” plays at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square E, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, through 23 August. For tickets, please visit here.  

 

 

 

by Claire DeMarco

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would probably be a little more than surprised to see his most famous creations, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, reimagined as they’ve been over the years.

This latest erudite version of the great detective is Ms. Holmes (Chelsea Davis), a deductive consultant. Her cohort is Ms. Watson (Erin Berger), an American new to London and newly acquainted with Holmes.  Mrs. Hudson (Olivia Long) is the building’s landlady, and Holmes and Watson share a bathroom.

Holmes is determined to pry into Watson, trying to see how she ticks. She is also convincing and, at times, overbearing as she tries to entice Watson to become her deductive assistant in the pursuit of solving crimes.

Inspector Lestrade (Tony Bingham) approaches Holmes for help in a case.  Lestrade, Holmes, and a reluctant Watson reach the crime scene. Is this a crime or a suicide? Further investigation ties this incident to another, and Holmes’ analysis solves both cases.

Watson becomes proficient at participating in crime solving (and now seems to enjoy it totally).  As their work continues, Holmes goads Watson into confiding in her.  Why did she leave the States?  Why is she not practicing medicine?  As Watson discusses her rationale for moving to London, it portends a promising, ongoing relationship with Holmes, the well-known deductive consultant.

Davis is a whirlwind of talent, stamina, and comedic timing as she flits from one side of the stage to the other as the eccentric Holmes. She is frenetic, eccentric and energetic.

As Holmes’ “forced assistant,” Berger’s character changes drastically as she becomes more involved in Holmes’ work.  Many of her funniest moments involve no speech, but her facial expressions, carriage, and physical movements provide the loudest laughs.

As disguised nuns investigating a crime, Davis and Berger are a hilarious duo. Their timing, movement, and Irish brogues are exceptional.

Bingham takes on several characters, but as Lestrade he shines.  He is both timid when first meeting Holmes and Watson, and formal in carriage and interaction.  As he becomes more involved in crime-solving, he is at times enthusiastic, boisterous, and extremely funny.

Glyptis is terrific as Holmes’ enigmatic friend (and perhaps more than a friend) whose dislike of Watson is obvious.  Her actions portray Adler as artificial and cunning behind an ingratiating smile.

Long is both flustered and frustrated as Mrs. Hudson and devious as Mrs. Drebber, the charming widow.

Special recognition to:

• Director Dana Hardy Bingham
• Dialect/Accent Coach Lisa Ann Goldsmith
• Costume Designer Lilly Brown

“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt.2B,” .written by Kate Hamill,  elevates the terms slapstick, farce, and buffoonery to a new level.   Comedy and murder are an odd coupling, but in this production they fit comfortably together.

-CED

“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B” is a production of Little Lake Theatre Company.  Performances run from August 13th to August 30^th at Little Lake Theatre Company, 500 Lakeside Drive South, Canonsburg, PA. 15317. For more information, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD and Theron Raymond (8th grader)

At the post-show Skeleton Key experience at Liberty Magic, magician Jon Tai compared himself to a chef. Chefs didn’t create chicken or plums, but they invent by combining ingredients in unique ways. Tai’s core ingredients in Road Signs are dirt, wood, stones, and light, none of which he invented. However, a memorable culinary experience transcends and can linger long after it’s consumed. Tai’s show also exists in the here and now, but it resonates and reverberates long after the proverbial curtain closes. In the course of his show, Tai innovatively combines his ingredients in ways you’ve never seen, creating astonishment and shared awe.

Before entering the theatre, all attendees are instructed to write a single word on a piece of paper. Jon’s core ingredients are immediately visible when you enter the theatre. On the stage, there’s a mound of dirt with a small wooden platform rising up out of it. A semicircle of stones surrounds the platform. His set is immediately distinctive as it’s devoid of typical magician props. It sets a hushed temple-like mood, as if everyone is gathering in an inner sanctuary. With Christopher Nolan’s cinematic interpretation of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, currently setting box-office records, Tai engenders a similar feeling of gathering in Road Signs. He is the storyteller leading us on an epic adventure through his narrative, but we, too, as audience members are not there just to passively listen but to help guide the story.

Jon shares that the inspiration for the show was his desire to disappear and vanish, which he accomplished by traversing the country on an extended road trip. He references Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and sings a bit of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land,” placing himself as an artist alongside other artistic renditions that captured travel.

The theme of journeys is at the show’s heart, and those journeys are layered. While Tai is an artist, he is also a human and helps us reframe our own journeys by speaking of “walking down the street as missed connections.” More than other magic shows, the audience experiences a shared, time-bound journey of being in the theatre together as a completely unique set of audience members, and the show’s narrative connects us all to a journey of self.

Tai layers his show. What potentially feels random or unconnected early on is actually all part of a narrative build. Tai does an extraordinary job of bringing in a wide array of audience members to participate in small and large ways. He thoughtfully connects with each person, making them feel seen, ensuring connections are not missed. By consistently bringing in audience members whose choices guide the show, Tai ensures that we see the show’s outcomes are not pre-determined.

Tai feels like more of a mystic seer than a mentalist. He looks into the distance as he decodes different audience member memories, as if he can envision them forming out of a distant mist.

At one point, Jon asks the audience members to find their pulse and tap it out with their feet. It’s a staccato. After collectively breathing under his guidance, he asks the tapping to resume. It is both slower and synchronized. The rapid transformation is astonishing and fits Tai’s description of magic as “having reality break for a moment.” There is wonder in that transformation that makes you consider the power of human communities. When reality breaks is perhaps when we can break from reality.

Don’t miss Jon Tai in Road Signs through August 29, 2026 at Liberty Magic (811 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222).  While recommended for 18+, there is nothing inappropriate for the age 12 minimum. At 14, Theron was the only teen there, but loved the show.

Liberty Magic offers a Skeleton Key VIP experience to go backstage and meet Jon in an even cozier space after the show. When we attended, the show’s co-creator and director, Alex Gruhin, was there as well. Gruhin enhanced the experience, chiming in and making one think about magic beyond the individual magician and as a larger collective. Jon answered questions, performed a card trick, and offered some exclusive merch, making the Skeleton Key the perfect conclusion to a magical evening.

Purchase tickets online here.

 

 

By Timothy Ruppert

Given the myriad resources—digital, material, and financial—available to contemporary scientific research, the idea of world-altering discoveries made in a tiny room heated by coal (when provided) and lit by two miniscule windows may strike one as unlikely, even chimerical. Welcome to mid-1890s Paris, where the recently finished Eiffel Tower looks over a city at the height of the Belle Époque. Far from the Moulin Rouge and the Jardin du Luxembourg, Pierre Curie (Jordan Moore) and Gustave Bemont (William Lewis) toil in a frigid, ill-lit room to please their supervisor, the self-serving academic Rodolph Chevrier (Keith Kuzmovich), with dazzling steps forward in scientific accomplishment. Enter Maria Sklodowska (Sarah Brunner), a young Polish university student whose blend of perspicacity and persistence will position her one day to win international acclaim as the two-time Nobel Prize laureate, Marie Curie. Now playing at Iron Horse Theatre Company in Ambridge, Ron Clark’s Pierre and Marie explores the human dynamics behind the equations and experiments that, for better or worse, will so profoundly affect shared human knowledge and, consequently, the world’s future course.

Iron Horse’s creative team has some tightropes to walk with this show, principally because Clark’s script has a few notable flaws that occasionally undermine its many merits. Because it levitates between satire and science, particularly in the first act, Pierre and Marie must find ways to reconcile comedy with chemistry while maintaining a verisimilitude in keeping with conventional biographical storytelling. For the most part, Clark succeeds with this sort of narrative legerdemain, interspersing witty exchanges with slapstick-style physical humor (at which Moore especially excels). At times, though, the script settles for a questionable joke, including one early on that involves the topic of sexual violence. Although infrequent, such moments do detract from the script’s general effectiveness.

Cast:  Front row left to right:  Sarah Brunner, Joan Swartz

Second row left to right:  Jordan Moore, Keith Kuzmovitch, Will Lewis

That said, the cast and crew of Iron Horse’s Pierre and Marie, under the direction of Harley Allen and Eric Vollmer, show commitment and intelligence to a challenging undertaking. Brunner performs with élan in crafting a believably human representation of Marie Curie, never losing sight of her character’s imperfections. Moore and Lewis work nicely together, and Kuzmovich plays the jaded academic with a convincing mix of ambition and world-weariness. A special acknowledgement goes to Joan Schwartz as the outspokenly utilitarian nanny, Georgette, whose clearsighted and fearless interventions into the Curies’ talk of theoretical physics sparks immensely important realizations. Schwartz never fails to find the heart in her characters, and, in this latest appearance, she finds the heart of the entire show.

For all its sparseness, Pierre and Marie requires a talented technical crew; luckily, the Iron Horse team exceeds expectations. Credit technical director Alan Hayashi and board operator Lawrence Capozzolo for good lighting and terrific sound. Stage manager Amanda Orr and assistant stage manager Mark Beck anchor the show with joyful attentiveness; their precision ensures that nothing desultory sabotages the drama. Costumer Robin Reilly makes engaging choices, particularly with Lewis’s dandified Bemont in the second act. Note too that the props are superb.

In the hands of Iron Horse Theatre Company, Pierre and Marie proves edifying and thought-provoking. Despite my concerns with aspects of Clark’s text, I hold that this production will appeal to those interested not simply in history or science but in the human stories behind ambitious endeavors and paradigm shifts in knowledge. As this play shows, civilizations may be forever affected by what a handful of people once said and did in cold, poorly lit rooms.

—TR

 

“Pierre and Marie” runs at Iron Horse Theatre Company, 348 Maplewood Avenue, Ambridge, PA 15003, through 22 August.

For more information, click here.

 

 

by Claire DeMarco

Dr. James Sheppard (Christopher Kelly) is discussing the recent death of wealthy townsman Roger Ackroyd’s (Darren Eliker) fiancé with his sister Caroline Sheppard (Sheila McKenna). Caroline goes back and forth – suicide, murder, murder, suicide? She has logical answers for any scenario and is willing and wants to discuss the issue with anybody who’ll listen.

When Roger Ackroyd’s murder follows shortly thereafter, one can imagine Caroline Sheppard’s mind spinning narratives and conclusions.

The Sheppards live next door to recently retired detective, Hercule Poirot (Sam Tsoutsouvas).  His main goal in life is to grow vegetables.

But murder and intrigue seem to attract Poirot like a magnet.  He is pulled into the crime investigation by Flora Ackroyd (Mia Laverne), who pleads for his help. He reluctantly agrees (not really) and is determined that Dr. Sheppard work with him since the good doctor knows the village and its inhabitants.

The late Roger Ackroyd’s estate is the scene of the crime and it’s here that Poirot and Dr. Sheppard try to piece together clues.  What happened and who is responsible?

It is Dr. Sheppard who periodically interacts with the audience throughout the play, narrating and recapping pieces of information we need to know.

The estate’s inhabitants emerge: Parker (James Fitzgerald), Roger Ackroyd’s long time butler, Gertrude Ackroyd (Helena Ruoti), Flora’s mother and the widow of Roger’s brother, Helen Russell (Brandi Welle), maid Ursula Bourne (Jandi Linde) and Major Hector Blunt (David Whalen).

Ralph Paton (Nai’ron Arnett) appears briefly at the play’s beginning prior to his foster father, Roger Ackroyd’s murder.  His disappearance after the murder slants the interest in him as the possible killer.

Christopher Kelly, Simon Bradbury, David Whalen

Inspector Raglan (Simon Bradbury) is the person originally assigned to the case who proves to be inadequate for the job, ultimately relying on Poirot’s expertise.

The emphasis on a murderer shifts from person to person.  Poirot intuitively knows that a cloud of secrets hovers over the entire household and he is determined to expose them. It’s not only murder but blackmail, greed and deception.

With typical Poirot deduction, Hercule unravels each thread of the puzzling mystery, pulling each secret out of each potential suspect, finally identifying the murderer.

So, who did it?  Well, I’m not telling.  My lips are sealed.

This is a wonderful rendition of Mark Shanahan’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s most exciting mystery (and considering that she wrote about 66 of them, that is quite a feat).

Don’t miss this wonderful production!

Tsoutsouvas is delightful as the clever but odd Poirot as he carefully and deliberately analyzes every aspect of the crime scene and the members of the household, one of whom may be the murderer.  He does not deliver his version of Poirot as a parody of the person we’ve seen many times portrayed by different actors.  He creates a more moderate version that still maintains characteristics of the detective that we know and love.  Tsoutsouvas has a delightful Belgian accent and insight that draws us to this unique character.

It’s hard to limit one’s comments when discussing Helena Ruoti.  What a gem!  Her facial expressions, vocal inflections and eye movements provide any emotion she wants to convey.  Her timing is spot on.  One can almost envision daggers darting from her eyes as she delivers a retort to anyone who attempts to offend her.

McKenna perfectly portrays the town’s gossip.  She does a deep dive into what she believes happened to Roger Ackroyd and his fiancé.  She delivers her suppositions with great facial and comedic moves.

Kelly is both patient, believable and steady as the town’s doctor and Poirot’s assistant.  As the narrator he provides us with more detail and background on happenings before and after the deaths.

Whalen plays Blunt as the big game hunter, loud and forceful.

As his lack of intuition fails him, Bradbury delivers some funny lines as he tries (and fails) to keep up with Poirot.

Sweet and caring at first, Laverne’s self-serving side is on full display when her ultimate goal of financial security is in doubt.

Andrew Paul’s direction completes the package of this fine production.

Johnmichael Bohach’s set was exceptional.  It is beautifully done and extremely detailed.

Lighting by Andrew Ostrowski complements the set design.

Kimberly Brown adds to the production with great costumes specific to the time period.

“The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” was adapted by Mark Shanahan from the original work written by Agatha Christie.

 

-CED

“The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” is a production of Kinetic Theatre Company.  Performances run from August 6th to August 30^th at Carnegie Stage, 25 W. Main Street, Carnegie, PA 15106.

For more information, click here.