Positively Pittsburgh Live! News 06-03-14
Three Rivers Arts Festival and Summer Theater
Listen to the show online HERE
Stephanie Curtice
Creative Marketing and Writing Assistant
Classical Singer
NewGirlintheBurgh.blogspot.com
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS TECHNOGRANNY?
Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille, Celtic Woman, Andy Warhohl 20th Anniversary, Cocktails and Cuisine in Bradford Woods
Three Rivers Arts Festival | Singin’ in the Rain at Pittsburgh CLO | Pittsburgh Opera Presents FREE Concert at Oglebay Resort | Resonance Works Pittsburgh Announces 2014/2015 Season | Squonk is Back with the World Premiere of Pneumatica
BUSINESS BUZZ
Jazz Networking and Happy Hour by Jessica Lee | SBA Assistance Programs | ImaginePittsburgh Over 25,000 Open Jobs! | The 20 Best Postgrad Bars In America
HIGH SCHOOL and UNIVERSITY NEWS: Pittsburgh CLO’S 2014 Gene Kelly Awards Winners Announced
PITTSBURGH HISTORICAL STUFF
Open House: Restored Isaac Lightner House of 1833 | Reusing Manchester Bridge Artifacts in Wilkinsburg
NON-PROFIT EVENTS SPONSORED BY BLACKTIE PITTSBURGH
Shop Demo Depot by Ryan | Bands and Chinese Auction, 50/50 | YWCA Greater Pittsburgh 2014 Tribute to Women Leadership Awards | Volunteers of America Working Order Program Wins International Business Incubator Award
Pittsburgh's Commuters Are Walking the Walk | Big Art in Small Places: USA's 10 Best Museums in Unexpected Locations | CITIPARKS Summer Soul Line Dancing #2
ROVING PITTSBURGHER REPORT
PSO's Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Mozart, and Haydn | Singin' in the Rain | Chris Duarte | Gene Kelly - The Legacy | Celtic Woman Captivates
PITTSBURGH LOCAL SPORTS: Boxing Returns to the Hill District
PITTSBURGH GOOD NEWS FORUM
Full Bloom Summer Dance Party | 360 Degree Leadership Effective Practices - Lunch and Learn
VETERANS VET and MILITARY METTLE: Women Veterans Symposium and South Pointe Marcellus Shale Chamber
CULTURAL CLUES
10 Days of FREE Music and Art at Three Rivers Arts Festival
June 6-15, 2014 | Dollar Bank Stage in Point State Park
Additional music concerts, featuring touring and regional artists, will be announced in early May along with a full line-up of other performing art (theater, dance, and more), visual art (public art, Artist Market, gallery exhibitions, film, and more), and creative activities (hands-on activities and artist demonstrations). Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter for updates!
55th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival - Music Headliners
Jeff Tweedy - Friday, June 6 (7:30 pm)
Sam Bush - Saturday, June 7 (7:30 pm)
Trampled By Turtles - Sunday, June 8 (7:30 pm)
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Monday, June 9 (7 pm)
Kaiser Chiefs - Tuesday, June 10 (7:30 pm)
Amos Lee - Wednesday, June 11 (7:30 pm)
The Smithereens - Thursday, June 12 (7:30 pm)
Curtis Harding - Friday, June 13 (7:30 pm)
Lucinda Williams - Saturday, June 14 (7:30 pm)
Jake Bugg - Sunday, June 15 (7:30 pm)
My Recommendation is to explore 3 Rivers Arts Festival earlier and then see the show!
For more information about the Three Rivers Arts Festival click HERE
Singin’ in the Rain Makes a Splash at Pittsburgh CLO
May 30 - June 8, 2014 | Benedum Center
All the makings of a Tinseltown tabloid headline – the starlet, the leading man and a love affair that could change lives and make or break careers! In silent movies, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are a hot item, but behind the scenes things aren’t always as they appear on the big screen! Meanwhile, Lina’s squeaky voice might be the end of her career in “talking pictures” without the help of a talented young actress to do the talking and singing for her. This extraordinary score is a downright downpour of magical music - “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Make ‘Em Laugh” and “Good Mornin’.”
Tickets are available online at pittsburghCLO.org, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square. Tickets start at $35. Groups of 10 or more enjoy exclusive discounts and specialty packages. Call our Group Sales Hotline at 412-325-1582 for more information. Visit pittsburghCLO.org for further information.
Read the full press release at Dreamweaver Marketing Associates
Pittsburgh Opera Presents FREE Concert at Oglebay Resort
Thursday, June 12, 7:00 PM | Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, WV
Resonance Works | Pittsburgh Announces 2014/2015 Season
Music collaborative forges a season of chamber ensemble and opera projects
● L’elisir d’amore - Opera’s original love potion takes over the Strip District
● Amahl and the Night Visitors - Beloved holiday classic returns to Pittsburgh
● Lamentation - Andrey Nemzer and Amelia D’Arcy sing Pergolesi
● Flamenco Y Tango - A fiery and festive finale
RESONANCE WORKS, an innovative, multi-modal performing arts company announces a full 2014-2015 season of opera, choral, and chamber ensemble projects. With an eye to the alchemy between music, space, artist and audience, Resonance Works’ broad range of performances will offer moments of joy, love, jealousy, sorrow, contemplation, humor, and celebration.
“I’m excited to show the people of Pittsburgh what Resonance Works is really about through a complete season”, says Artistic Director and founder, Maria Sensi Sellner. “Our goal is to engage Pittsburgh audiences with a breadth of creative experiences through the performances of outstanding professional artists. Our projects have been designed to feature these artists and to thoughtfully re-consider the context of each work we present. This context includes the venue for each project, as well as the combination of repertoire and other collaborations. We are thrilled to bring performances to four neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and feature so many new and returning artists!”
For more information visit www.resonanceworks.org.
Pittsburburgh Cultural Trust Announces Squonk is Back with the World Premiere Installation of Pneumatica
10 Days of FREE Music and Art at Three Rivers Arts Festival
June 6-15, 2014 | Dollar Bank Stage in Point State Park
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents Squonk’s new outdoor work, Pneumatica, as part of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. Squonk’s Pneumatica will be made of air, powered by air, and about air. The Squonkers will pump up the volume with live original music while inflatables pump up and immerse the audience and permeate the air from June 13 – 15, 2014, at downtown Pittsburgh’s Point State Park.
Squonk has created seven new works since 1994 with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, which have toured Europe and Asia as well as Broadway and off-Broadway in Manhattan, New York. This successful 20-year history includes the premiere of the truck-mounted GO Roadshow in 2012 that has gone on to show in 14 cities in 10 states for a total of 100 shows.“We are thrilled to welcome Squonk back to the festival with such a special world premiere,” says Veronica Corpuz, Director of Festival Management and Special Projects, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “We hope that festivalgoers will see the beauty of this installation, which encompasses the theme of aesthetic creativity meeting environmental sustainability, as well as integrating both music and art.”
Pneumatica is a free public work that embraces new materials and technologies and a new sense of crowd-sourced dynamics and multi-sensory theater, responding to site, weather, audience, and neighborhood. Pneumatica takes theater out of the theater using novel elements of street theater, pop-up art installation, and solstice celebration. Squonk will hoot and whisper, bellow and caress, using the very medium of sound: air. Biomorphic shapes will grow, powered by blowers and vortex fans, and culminate in the 40-foot high Lady Pneumatica, blossoming and opening up to the sky. Squonk’s original music will incorporate the swoops and eddies of air with electronic bagpipes and a vertical accordion that will be Lady Pneumatica’s lungs, played like a piano while it rises and falls with her breath. Playing with visual puns, air will be used to activate costumes—the star costume will inflate like a blowfish, and head tubes will be activated musically with wild guitar and bass riffs.
For more information about the Three Rivers Arts Festival visit Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.
BUSINESS BUZZ
New Schedule for Jazz Networking and Happy Hour by Jessica Lee
Formally known as Entrepreneurial ThursdaysPre-show networking session 5:30 PM | Live music starts 6 PM
Beginning with June we go on the road. We are hopeful that the new venues will draw different audiences and the schedule will be adjusted once we see which venues are best suited to the show. We appreciate your ongoing support as we go through this transition.
SBA: Management & Technical Assistance Programs
Just like a class you’d attend in person, courses are taught by a live instructor on a scheduled day and time. The Web-enabled Instructor-Led training experience has much in common with the classroom equivalent. You will receive course materials in advance and participate in real time using a broadband connection. You will also interact directly with the instructor and peers from your computer, you’ll link to an instructor in a live, real-time, interactive learning experience. You’ll become part of a virtual classroom where you can ask questions, seek guidance and participate in class discussions and small group exercises.
Early June 2014 | On-Line Government Contracting Training - Developing Technical and Past Performance Volumes in Response to RFPs
June 16, 2014 | 1:00—4:00 pm EDT | Developing Price and Cost Volumes in Response to RFPs
June 17, 2014 | 1:00—3:00 pm EDT | Federal Contracting Basics
June 18, 2014 | 1:00—4:00 pm EDT | Managing and Administrating Government Contracts
June 19, 2014 | 1:00—4:00 pm EDT | Marketing to the Government Buyer
June 23, 2014 | 1:00—4:00 pm EDT | Capture Management
June 24, 2014 | 1:00—4:00 pm EDT | Construction Contracting
June 25, 2014 | 1:00—5:00 pm EDT | Developing and Managing Contractor Teams
June 26, 2014 | 1:00—3:00 pm EDT | Audits and Accounting Systems
For Course Details and to Register click HERE
There is no cost for 7(j) eligible businesses. Workshop information: Phyllis Embree or Chris Strudthoff , sbaworkshops@stoverteam.com (770) 423-9888. To find your local SBA Office, visit: (www.sba.gov/sba-direct) Training is provided by Stover & Associates, Inc.
ImaginePittsburgh.com – 900+ Websites – Over 25,000 Open Jobs!
Posted on May 21, 2014 by Bonnie Pfister
Pittsburgh’s got jobs — 25,781 open as of today in the 10-county region. The powerful job search aggregator on ImaginePittsburgh.com pulls listings from more than 900 jobs boards, corporate websites and search engines, including Monster, Career Builder, Craigslist and LinkedIn. Why spend time searching multiple sites when you can find what you’re looking for in one spot?
For more information visit imaginpittsburgh.com.
The 20 Best Postgrad Bars In America
From: postgradproblems.com
Written By: Brian McGannon | May 20, 2014
Written By: Brian McGannon | May 20, 2014
What makes a great bar? Rather, what makes a great postgrad bar? Great prices, good enough food (or no food at all), great happy hour, a classy decor or a place that looks like the dive bar to end all dive bars. People’s tastes in bars vary in their 20s and your preferences change from night to night. Do I want to throw a blazer on and order something that costs more than three dollars? Or do I want to put on a t-shirt and jeans and blackout like it’s freshman year?
So, which bar should you be going to in your city?
Bar: Olive Or Twist
Where: Pittsburgh, PA
What: Terrific happy hour bar for young and old professionals alike with fantastic appetizers and a great, open, lounge environment.
What To Drink: Stella Artois, or, for the ladies, super sweet martinis like Cake Batter, Key Lime Pie, or S’mores.
What To Eat: Buffalo Chicken Spread.
HIGH SCHOOL and UNIVERSITY NEWS
Pittsburgh CLO’S 2014 Gene Kelly Awards Winners Announced
A sold-out crowd gathered at the Benedum Center as Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh honored Allegheny County’s finest high school performers at the 24th Annual Pittsburgh CLO Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater on Saturday, May 24, 2014. Named for legendary performer and Pittsburgh native Gene Kelly, the annual celebration emphasizes the importance of arts education and recognizes the time, energy and dedication that local high schools devote to their musical productions each spring.
Patterned after the Tony Awards®, the ceremony included live performances by the Best Musical nominees and Best Actor/Actress nominees. Each nominated school performed a five-minute selection from their respective shows. Special guest presenters included local television personalities: KDKA’s Bob Pompeani, WPXI’s David Johnson and WQED’s Nancy Polinsky.
The Charles Gray Award for Special Achievement in Arts Education was presented to Northside Catholic, in recognition of its arts that are infused throughout the school’s curriculum. The students are exposed to the arts both inside and outside of the school environment. Earlier in the evening, Pittsburgh CLO presented Distinguished Alumni Awards to three former participants in the Gene Kelly Awards. The alumni awards were presented to Dustin Giffin - Theater Technical Designer and President of Giffin Interior and Fixture; Andrew Giffin - Lighting Designer for Justin Bieber’s “Believe” tour, the NAACP Image Awards and ESPN; and Sarrah Strimel - Broadway veteran whose credits include The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Catch Me If You Can and Big Fish. The awards were presented at a special reception prior to the Gene Kelly Awards ceremony.
This year, Pittsburgh CLO awarded $117,000 in scholarships to several college-bound seniors at the ceremony.
PITTSBURGH HISTORICAL STUFF
Open House: Restored Isaac Lightner House of 1833
Saturday, June 14, 2014 | 2 - 4 PM | $10 per person
Jeff Dreier, Tim and Sue's son, and Andrew Hyatt, one of the four PHLF Scholarship winners this year, were involved in restoring the house and its outbuildings; they will be on hand to talk about the restoration work.
Reservations are required: please contact Mary Lu Denny at marylu@phlf.org or 412-471-5808, ext. 527.
Reusing Manchester Bridge Artifacts in Wilkinsburg
When the Manchester Bridge (1915--1970) was demolished, PHLF acquired and saved some of the artifacts and relics that adorned it.
James Shipman, a longtime Pittsburgh artist and sculptor, recently took these pieces, cleaned and repainted them and installed them on PHLF's educational facility and meeting space, the Landmarks Preservation Resource Center in Wilkinsburg.
For more information visit phlf.org.
NON-PROFIT NEWS and EVENTS
SPONSORED BY BLACKTIE PITTSBURGH
Shop Demo Depot by RyanFrom: Spectrum Charter Schools
Using grants, Shop Demo Depot continues to grow by hiring new employees. Being a non-profit, funds are distributed into local community programs, such as Westmoreland Community Action.
For more information visit shopdemodepot.com.
Bands and Chinese Auction, 50/50
Join us for Shannon and the Merger, Ruby Red & the Dirty Devils, Laces Out, and more!
Shannon and the Merger drummer, Murray Perry, is without health insurance and in dire need of cataract surgery. This is a benefit to help offset the cost of this surgery so Murray can regain his eyesight.
Donations for the Chinese auction as well as monetary donations are welcome. Please message us for details.
This is an all ages show. $5.00 cover charge at the door. Kids 12 & under free. The club kitchen & bar will be open.
Band schedule:
Laces Out: 2:30 - 3:30
Ruby Red and the Dirty Devils: 4:00 - 5:00
Shannon and the Merger: 5:30 - 6:30
If there's interest at the end of the evening, there will be an open jam starting around 7:00/7:30. All musicians welcome.
Donations can also be sent to:
The Murray Perry Surgery Fund C/O Jeff Kessel
111 Countryview Drive, McKees Rocks, PA 15136
YWCA Greater Pittsburgh 2014 Tribute to Women Leadership Awards
The YWCA Greater Pittsburgh recognized seven extraordinary women for their demonstrated excellence and leadership in the workplace and in the community as part of the 32nd annual Tribute to Women Leadership Awards Luncheon held on Thursday, May 29, from noon to 1:30 p.m., at the Westin Hotel.
Awardees for 2014:
Allerton Lifetime Achievement Award
Mary Kay Poppenberg, Non-profit Management Consultant, Executive Director, The Jannetta Neuroscience Foundation, Inc.
Business & Professional Services
Lisa M. Kuzma, Senior Program Officer, Richard King Mellon Foundation
Civic & Community Service
Lucille Prater-Holliday, Founder, Black Women’s Empowerment Institute
Education
M.J. Tocci, Posthumous, Co-Founder & Former Director, Heinz Negotiation Academy for Women at Carnegie Mellon University
Health & Human Services
Kimberlee Evert, MPH, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania
Science & Technology
Shakita Trigg, CSSGB, Project Manager, FedEx Ground
Young Leader
La’Tasha D. Mayes, MSPPM, Founder and Executive Director, New Voices Pittsburgh
Proceeds from the event help create positive changes in the lives of thousands of Pittsburgh area women and families served by the YWCA.
For more information about Tribute to Women, call 412-255-1261 or go to www.ywcapgh.org.
Volunteers of America Working Order Program Wins International Business Incubator Award
Working Order, a program of the Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania, has been named National Business Incubation Association’s 2014 Dinah Adkins Incubator of the Year in the general and special focus category. The National Business Incubation Association is the world's leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship.
Working Order’s goal is to increase opportunity for self-employment for individuals with disadvantages and/or disabilities who find traditional employment requirements difficult due to acquired or developmental disabilities. Opportunities for traditional employment can be limited by transportation challenges, unpredictable changes in health, a life-long or newly acquired disability and/or the need for additional support on the job. Working Order has proven that the option of self-employment creates additional opportunities for meaningful community engagement and full inclusion in the workforce, for people with disabilities. The program provides coaching, training and referral to resources which help individuals become successful business owners resulting in increased independence and improved quality of life through entrepreneurship.
Randy Morris, director of Member Services for NBIA said, “Volunteers of America’s Working Order program was unique among our finalists this year. We are pleased to recognize this small business incubator for persons with disabilities and other disadvantages.”
Marty Stahl, director of Working Order said, “We are thrilled to be recognized by NBIA. Our success is in our ability to provide the tools and guidance to the people we serve which results in their individual success.”
Since 1996, Working Order has served 636 persons in the greater Pittsburgh area and helped 203 participants launch and/or grow their businesses in fields including graphic design, bookkeeping, tax preparation, grant writing, virtual office assistance, hair dressing, cleaning services, massage therapy, sculpture, portraiture, dog training, lawn care, accessibility construction, career transition coaching, golf instruction, event planning, care managing and more. Outcome metrics from Working Order’s 2013 survey of entrepreneurs reveal that through coaching, training and access to resources, participants have become more self-sufficient and more financially independent.
Volunteers of America has served Pennsylvanians since 1896. The agency currently serves more than 28,000 citizens annually across the commonwealth through programs located in Allentown, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Wilkes-Barre.
Pittsburgh's Commuters Are Walking the Walk
From: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Written By: Jon Schmitz | May 19, 2014
For a city where pedestrians and drivers seem to regard crosswalks as quaint decorations to be ignored at will, Pittsburgh has rated as one of America's safest metropolitan areas for walking.
In a study to be released today by groups that advocate safety improvements, the Pittsburgh metropolitan area was surpassed only by Boston among the 51 U.S. metro areas for its low danger rate for walkers. Three years ago, a similar study ranked Pittsburgh fourth safest of 52 metro areas.
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| Pedestrians walk through Market Square Photo Courtesy: Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette |
"And yet pedestrian deaths don't receive a corresponding sense of urgency," said Roger Millar, director of the National Complete Streets Coalition, which issued the report. He spoke with reporters on a conference call.
Children, the elderly and minorities are disproportionately represented in the fatality statistics, the report said.
The authors calculated what they called the Pedestrian Danger Index, using five years of pedestrian fatality statistics and census data on the percentage of people who walk to work in each metro area.
Pittsburgh's index was 25.1, less than half the national average of 52.2. Only the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Mass., metro area scored lower, at 18.65. The four most dangerous metro areas all were in Florida, and the authors speculated that wide streets designed to move traffic at high speeds were a factor. Pittsburgh also scored well on the percentage of all traffic deaths that were pedestrians from 2003 through 2012. Pedestrians here made up 10.2 percent of traffic fatalities, compared with the 15 percent national average. That rated Pittsburgh as fourth-lowest, after Birmingham, Ala., Nashville, Tenn., and Cincinnati.
Asked why Pittsburgh, which almost prides itself as a jaywalking mecca, scores so well in such studies, Mr. Millar said "the best way to save lives is to slow the traffic down." The city's older street grid and narrow lanes do that, he said.
Read the entire article HERE
Big Art in Small Places: USA's 10 Best Museums in Unexpected Locations
From: theculturetrip.com
Written By: Carly Minsky
From ancient indigenous craftsmanship now on display in Massachusetts to a strikingly contemporary Quaker modern art space in Texas, outstanding museum-worthy objects can be found in the most surprising of humble locations across the United States. Below is our selection of the best weird and wonderful stops on an alternative cultural tour of great artwork in the USA.
The Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh
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| The Andy Warhol Museum – entrance Photo Courtesy: Abby Warhola |
The collection includes thousands of Warhol’s paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, films and screen tests, showcasing a comprehensive range of his life’s work, with recognizable pieces such as Campbell’s Soup Cans, alongside lesser-known collaborations with young artists. Creating a dynamic social space with hands-on workshops, a vintage photobooth and the opportunity to direct and star in your very own screen test, the museum is committed to providing an immersive, interactive experience.
Read the entire article HERE
CITIPARKS Summer Soul Line Dancing #2
West End Elliott Overlook Park - via Rue Grande Vue St
Instructor Roland Ford incorporates R&B music in FREE classes that begin with basic steps and finish with more advanced moves.
POSITIVE PITTSBURGHERS
Catholic Academy Honors WQED with Prestigious Gabriel Award
Documentary tells story of Pittsburgh artist Elizabeth Black during WWII
For the third time, a documentary written and produced by WQED’s David Solomon with photography and editing by Paul Ruggieri has been recognized with a national Gabriel Award.
Solomon will accept the 2014 Gabriel Award for Portraits for the Homefront: The Story of Elizabeth Black in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 19. Presented by the Catholic Academy, The Gabriel is presented to films and programs throughout North America that uplift the human spirit by focusing on people who foster community, creativity, tolerance, justice and compassion.
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| American Red Cross girl, Elizabeth Black, 714 N. Dallas Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, has sketched hundreds of GIs in Britain. She travels with a Red Cross Clubmobile in the field. At home, she became famous for her pastels of children. Every soldier's picture is mailed home for him. "I love this work," she said, "and I dont mind how many critics look on." Photo Courtesy: Margaret Karch Zaimes/American Red Cross |
ROVING PITTSBURGHER REPORT
My Favorite PSO Concert!!!
Review of PSO's Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Mozart, and Haydn Concert, June 1st 2014 Performance
From: Roving Pittsburgher Report
Written By: Stephanie Curtice | June 02, 2014
I’ll lead this review off with the tweet that I sent right after the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Sunday, June 1st 2014 performance. “Today was my favorite @phgsymphony concert of the season! 3 great pieces. Ye-Eun Choi was stunning. Loved Loved Loved Nicholas McGegan!” And, that pretty much sums it up. In my first PSO concert and review on Jan. 17, 2014 I wrote, “Now of course, I should let on that I’m partial to this era of music and the one before it. So in my opinion Franz Joseph Haydn and his contemporaries of the first Viennese School hit that sweet spot.” So you can imagine my excitement about this concert. Vivaldi, Mozart, AND Haydn, it was like Christmas morning at the symphony.
Read the entire review at Roving Pittsburgher ReportReview of PSO's Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Mozart, and Haydn Concert, June 1st 2014 Performance
From: Roving Pittsburgher Report
Written By: Stephanie Curtice | June 02, 2014
May Showers Bring "Singin' in the Rain" to the Benedum - Lockwood and Lamont Grace Pittsburgh Stage Once More
Review of Pittsburgh CLO’s "Singin’ In the Rain" May 30, 2014 Performance
From: Roving Pittsburgher Report
Written By: Megan Grabowski | May 31, 2014
Review of Pittsburgh CLO’s "Singin’ In the Rain" May 30, 2014 Performance
From: Roving Pittsburgher Report
Written By: Megan Grabowski | May 31, 2014
The opulence of the historic Benedum Center is a perfect venue for Singin’ In The Rain. The theater’s original mirrors, woodwork and chandeliers recreate the atmosphere reminiscent of that which fans of the romantic team, Lockwood and Lamont, would have sat amid while witnessing the birth of the talkie.
Opening night for the 68th summer musical season of The Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, welcomed to stage David Elder as leading man Don Lockwood; Mary Michael Patterson as his true love, Kathy Selden and supporting cast, Ashley Spencer, starring as Lina Lamont, the beautiful actress opposite Lockwood, and Cary Tedder as Cosmo Brown, Lockwood’s comedic sidekick. The story begins with Lockwood and Lamont, 1920’s Hollywood silent film stars, at the height of their fame and success. In 1927 new technology allowing sound to be placed in film is introduced. The movie studio contracting Lockwood and Lamont, Monumental Pictures, must incorporate sound into their films to stay competitive. For leading lady Lamont, this is a problem. Her diction as well as the tone of her voice does not complement the pretty face her fans adore. Suddenly, Kathy Selden, an unknown girl who dreams of becoming an actress on stage in New York City stumbles into Lockwood‘s life, on the set of his next film and into his heart as a love interest.Read the entire review at Roving Pittsburgher Report
Can't Get Enough of Chris Duarte, The Ultimate Guitarist
Review of Chris Duarte Concert May 18th 2014 Performance
From: Roving Pittsburgher Report and PositivePittsburghLiveMagazine.com
Written By: Mike Van Stipdonk | May 18, 2014
Chris Duarte is a brilliant guitarist, songwriter, and singer originally from San Antonio; but I will always associate him with what was great about the Austin music scene in the early 1990s. Duarte plays in a Texas blues-rock style that reminds most people of another Texas legend, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan. Whether listening to Duarte’s guitar playing or the general style of his original songs, you certainly hear the influence of Vaughan. But you also hear so else, such as jazz influences and whispers of other guitar greats like Johnny Winter, John McLaughlin and Jimi Hendrix (more on that later). If you’re a fan of guitar, regardless of what style, devote three hours to Chris’ next show (we should all encourage a speedy return to Pittsburgh). You’ll walk away a convert. I swear it.
I remember saying to a friend who joined us that night, “He’s amazing. He does this one song that manages to blend Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, with a bit of Duane Allman.” These masterpieces leave you saying, “Good grief…is there anything, or anyone, this guy can’t do?” In return for the impromptu PR work, my honorary friend rewarded me by beginning the first encore with just that song (“Azul Ezell,” off the Love Is Greater Than Me album). When I slapped my friend on the shoulder as the song ended, all he could do was shake his head. Most likely that was part amazement, and part recognition that he just witnessed a performance by someone that is truly the best at his trade.
Read the entire review at Roving Pittsburgher Report
Review of Pittsburgh's Gift to the World of Dance - An evening with Patricia Ward Kelly
From: Roving Pittsburgher ReportWritten By: JoAnn R. Forrester | May 25, 2014
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Gene Kelly
Photo Courtesy: Gene Kelly: The Legacy,
An Evening with Patricia Ward Kelly
|
Gene Kelly, Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was a dancer, actor, singer, film director
producer and choreographer. Kelly was known for his energetic and athletic
dancing style, his good looks and the likeable characters that he played on
screen. Gene
was born in the Highland Park region of Pittsburgh during the heyday of steel
in Pittsburgh and always considered himself the “working man’s dancer.
The evening opened up with
an opening Film of Gene Kelly top song and dance routines including, "Singin' in the Rain,",
"For Me and My Gal," "It’s Always Fair Weather," "An American in Paris," "Anchors
Away" "The Pirate," Invitation to the Dance Words and Music and "Brigadoon."
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| Picture FreeWebs.com |
Read the entire review at Roving Pittsburgher Report
Celtic Woman Captivates Benedum Audience
From: Roving Pittsburgher Report
Written By: Carl Bromley | May 25, 2014
What started as a soft whisper of music turned into a crowd favorite as the lyrics of "Danny Boy" filled the Benedum Theater on Saturday evening. Sweet voices, seconded by the sweet smiles on the three female singers' faces, placed the audience under a hypnotic spell. Harmony swirled through the room. Time stood still.
But, as in all songs, Danny Boy has both a beginning and end. The end came much too soon for me.
Celtic Woman Captivates Benedum Audience
From: Roving Pittsburgher Report
Written By: Carl Bromley | May 25, 2014
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| Left to Right: Máiréad Carlin, Susan McFadden, Lisa Lambe, Máiréad Nesbitt. Photo by Lili Forberg. |
But, as in all songs, Danny Boy has both a beginning and end. The end came much too soon for me.
The percussionists in the Celtic Woman troop made the room come alive,
often using silence as an accent to their drum beat and somehow sounding as loud
as the drums. How? Just by being exceptional at what they do and I'm not the
one to figure it all out. Like everyone around me, including fellow reviewer
Joanne Quinn-Smith, I mostly sat back and enjoyed the show or clapped along
during a half dozen songs where audience clapping was encouraged.
OMG, the dancing!
Read the entire review at Roving Pittsburgher Report
If you would like to share your review and pictures of an event,
please email info@pplmag.com
PITTSBURGH LOCAL SPORTS
Boxing Returns to the Hill District
From: Pittsburgh Sports Line
With our Pittsburgh Sportsline show tonight we will have a great Boxing announcement! The First Event in the Hill district in 43 years!!!
They are a Faith based group and will give 30% back to the community... It will be afternoon boxing on June 7th @ 1pm at the Y on Center Ave.Goldie and Coach Rock will be there!
PITTSBURGH GOOD NEWS FORUM
Full Bloom Summer Dance Party
Saturday, June 7, 2014 | 7 PM–Midnight | Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave
For the young and the young at heart, for the people who want to meet people and hang with East Liberty’s finest, for your friends and ours, and for those of you that just want to dance – KST’s 6th Annual Full Bloom Summer Dance Party is all about getting down with your funky side and bringing East Liberty Live! into Full Bloom.
Be at KST on Saturday, June 7 to join in the spectacle. It’s the best place to celebrate, dance, and become a legendary supporter of the Kelly Strayhorn Theater.
VIP Reception (7–9PM) | Dance Party (9PM – 12AM)
For more information visit the PPLmag.com Forum
360's What's The Point? Experienced Panel: Pros/Cons and Effective Practices - Lunch and Learn
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
11:15 AM - 1:15 PM
Find out if/how the 360 degree leadership assessment tool is really relevant in today's business environments. This program will introduce a widely used and somewhat contested coaching assessment instrument. A panel of coaches will explain different 360s tools, and describe best use and application and challenges. You will have an opportunity to share your experience and ask specific questions as it relates to your client situations.
Panelists are: Dr. Ann Gatty, Dr. Barbara Schwarck, Mary Kwiatkowski and Joanne Martin. Moderator is Anne Papinchak
The learning objectives and takeaways for the audience will encompass the following:
- What is a 360 Degree Assessment?
- How do coaches use a 360 survey?
- How do you choose among the various instruments?
- What are the pros and cons of various instruments?
- What are the best practices and lessons learned when using a 360 degree survey successfully?
- How do you promote and gain commitment and action with your clients?
- How do you take the results and create an action plan for change?
For more information visit the PPLmag.com Forum
STEELTOWN HERO
If you would like to nominate someone as a Steel Town Hero,
please send us your stories of ordinary greater Pittsburgh area residents
doing good things that are Good News.
VETERANS VET and MILITARY METTLE
Women Veterans Symposium and South Pointe Marcellus Shale Chamber
Women veterans can register for the 2nd Annual PA Women Veterans Symposium June 6-8 at the Wyndham Grand Hotel at www.pawomenvets.state.pa.us. Last year there were about 250 women veterans from all branches of service and all over the state, and it was a fabulous event. Balanced Heart Healing Center will have a vendor table, please stop by our table.
South Pointe Chamber is adding a permanent web page honoring those who have served or are now serving in the military for our county. Please send pictures if you like along with name, rank and military occupational status to military@southpointe.net
Listen to the show HERE
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News Posted By: Stephanie Curtice
This was reported as a reproduction of PositivelyPittsburghLive news done by Joanne Quinn-Smith.
(c) Joanne Quinn-Smith and PositivelyPittsburghLive(TM) 2014 All rights reserved.
Live music starts 6 PM
Fran Treloar
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