Stage

2012 Summer Guide

Current

First Voice Festival. A showcase for local and visiting African-American artists, performers and writers, through May 26 (August Wilson Center).

POP! A new musical about Andy Warhol and his Factory scene, starring Anthony Rapp as Warhol, through May 27 (City Theatre).

Silent Heroes. Linda Escalera Baggs' drama about military wives in 1975 awaiting word on a plane crash, through June 2 (South Park).

Girls Only — The Secret Comedy of Women. Two women discover their childhood diaries in Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein's combination of sketch comedy, improvisation and musical numbers, through Sept. 2 (CLO Cabaret). 412-456-6666

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Larry John Meyers performs in The Pitmen Painters (May 31-June 23) and the Chekhov festival (July 19-Aug. 26), both at Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre.

May

At Wit's End. Pittsburgh native actor Chuck Muckle plays that unlikeliest of Pittsburgh natives, author, wit and film actor Oscar Levant, in this one-man show, written by Joel Kimmel, May 24 only (Jewish Community Center, Squirrel Hill, 412-521-8010).

Fox on the Fairway. A new farce from popular favorite Ken Ludwig, this one set at a private country club, May 24-June 9 (Little Lake Theatre).

Private Lives. Noel Coward's classic romantic comedy, May 24-June 24 (Pittsburgh Public Theater).

How the Other Half Loves. Another of Alan Ayckbourn's cleverly wrought infidelity farces, with the same set containing the action of two living rooms, and likewise two dining tables, May 31-June 9 (Apple Hill Playhouse).

The Pitmen Painters. Lee Hall's acclaimed 2009 play based on the true story of a group of British miners who in the 1930s became celebrated painters, May 31-June 23 (Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre).

From left to right: Alan Bomar Jones, Jonathan Berry and Kevin Brown in August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean, at Pittsburgh Playwrights, June 1-24.

June

Gem of the Ocean. The second-to-last play written by August Wilson for his century-spanning Pittsburgh Cycle is a potent drama set in the Hill District in 1904, June 1-24 (Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Co.).

Come Fly Away. "Fly Me to the Moon," "My Way" and "Witchcraft" are among the Sinatra tunes sparking this Broadway musical revue, with Twyla Tharp choreography, 14 dancers and a live big band, June 5-10 (Pittsburgh CLO).

A Midsummer Night's Dream. Shakespeare's romantic comedy, performed a la 16^th-century practice with a prompter helping actors with their lines, June 6-23 (Unseam'd Shakespeare).

House of Blue Leaves. John Guare's dark 1966 comedy is set in Queens and revolves around a zookeeper who wants to make it big as a songwriter, despite his schizophrenic wife, June 7-16 (The Summer Company).

The Last Romance. A romantic comedy about a widower's second chance at love, by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), June 7-23 (South Park Theatre).

The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Shakespeare's romantic comedy, performed a la 16^th-century practice with a prompter helping actors with their lines, June 7-23 (Unseam'd).

Who Do You Love? Local playwright Shaunda Miles wrote this new play, inspired by the Biblical Book of Esther and set in the contemporary black church, June 8-10 (demaskus, inc.).

Book of Tricks. A husband learns that his wife's estranged father has Asperger's syndrome, the same condition that affects their son, in local playwright Alex Galatic's new drama, June 8-16 (Throughline Theatre).

A Chorus Line. The singular sensation of a 1975 musical about an audition for a musical, featuring music by Marvin Hamlisch, June 15–24. (Pittsburgh CLO).

And a Nightingale Sang. C.P. Taylor's bittersweet 1977 comedy set in England during World War II, June 14-30 (Little Lake).

The Last Romance. Joe DiPietro's romantic comedy about 80-year-old Ralph Bellini and his new crush, June 21-30 (Apple Hill).

Lettice and Lovage. Peter Shaffer's Tony-winning 1990 comedy about a British tour guide who lives to embellish, June 21-July 7 (Terra Nova Theatre).

Into the Moral Abyss. New Olde Bank Theatre's annual festival of one-acts, subtitled CSI: SVU: Moral Abyss / 3D includes disaster-movie spoof "Disaster! (The Play!)" and "Three Women in a Theater Auditioning," June 22-30 (New Olde Bank Theatre).

Next to Normal. Carnival Theatrics production of the Tony-winning 2008 musical by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, about an American family struggling with addiction and mental illness, June 22-July 1, www.newhazletttheater.org

The Bikinis. This "musical beach party" about a girl-group reunion features "Heat Wave," "Under the Boardwalk" and other classic oldies, June 28-July 14 (South Park).

Annie. The perennial-favorite musical about a plucky orphan, June 29-July 8 (Pittsburgh CLO).

Orange Flower Water. The Pittsburgh premiere of this acclaimed new drama about marital infidelity by Craig Wright (whose credits include TV's Six Feet Under), June 29-July 14 (No Name Players).

The Magic Flute. Opera Theater of Pittsburgh launches its brand-new SummerFest with this English-language version of Mozart's enchanted romance, June 29, July 1, 8 and 14 (Opera Theater).

Carmen — The Gypsy. Opera Theater's SummerFest continues with this English-language adaption of Bizet's fiery classic (including a "kid-friendly" version!), June 30, July 6, 12 and 14 (Opera Theater).

July

Reckless. A "very dark comedy" by Craig Lucas (Prelude to a Kiss), about a woman on the run from her husband who's aided by a series of problematic benefactors, dates TBD (New Olde Bank).

Taking Pictures. Horton Foote's acclaimed but little-seen 1987 drama, set in 1929 in small-town Texas, about a divorcee who plays piano to accompany silent films, July 5-21 (Little Lake).

Night Caps. Opera Theater's SummerFest presents a series of newly commissioned, adult-themed, 15-minute comic music dramas, all set in rooms at the same hotel, each by one of seven different composers, July 6-15 (Opera Theater).

Candide. SummerFest continues with a production of the Leonard Bernstein classic based on Voltaire's novel, July 7, 13 and 15 (Opera Theater).

Sweet Charity. The perennial-favorite Cy Coleman/Dorothy Fields/Neil Simon musical about a 1960s Times Square taxi-dancer, July 12-28 (Apple Hill).

Fiddler on the Roof. That crowd-pleasing musical about Jewish village life in the old country, July 13-22 (CLO).

Xanadu. Musical based on the infamous 1980 movie about a roller-boogie performer, with music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne, July 13-29 (Theatre Factory).

Suddenly Last Summer. Tennessee Williams' drama about a young woman driven mad by the death of her cousin whose mother threatens to lobotomize her, July 19-28 (Summer Company).

The Bakerloo Theater Project. Experimental theater project presents Shakespeare's Henry V and Clarissa and Septimus, an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, July 19-29 (Future Tenant).

Sweeney Todd. Sondheim's classic about a murderous barber in Victorian England, July 19-29 (Stage 62).

Shooting Star. Former college sweethearts have an accidental reunion in this play from Stephen Dietz, July 19-Aug. 4 (South Park).

Three Sisters. A festival of works by and related to Chekhov begins with this classic drama about a provincial family, July 19-Aug. 26 (PICT).

August: Osage County. Tracy Lett's 2007 Pulitzer-winning dark comedy about a severely dysfunctional family, July 20-28 (Throughline).

Sunset Boulevard. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation of the classic film, July 24-29 (CLO).

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The 50^th anniversary of Ken Kesey's landmark novel about life in a mental hospital is marked with this production of Dale Wasserman's adaptation, July 26-Aug. 11 (Little Lake).

The Addams Family. Touring version of the Broadway musical about the altogether-ooky comic-strip, TV and film clan, July 31-Aug. 12 (CLO).

August

Strata. The troupe describes this original show as "an immersive urban theatrical adventure," Aug. 1-Sept. 1 (Bricolage).

Ivanov. Chekhov's comedy about a man who can't act in the face of his life's woes, in the U.S. premiere of a new version written by Tom Stoppard, Aug. 2-26 (PICT).

Reasons to Be Pretty. The Pittsburgh premiere of Neil LaBute's (In the Company of Men) 2008 drama about four friends dissatisfied with their lives, Aug. 3-18 (No Name Players).

The Golden Dragon. Contemporary German playwright Roland Schimmelpfennig's tragicomic tale of globalization set in a Chinese-Vietnamese-Thai restaurant where a cook's pulled tooth ends up in the soup, Aug. 3-26 (Quantum Theatre).

Trespass Performance Residency. Future Tenant's annual performance-art festival, Aug. 6-26 (Future Tenant).

The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The Tony-winning musical about adolescents under competitive duress, Aug. 9-18 (Apple Hill).

Social Security. Andrew Bergman's comedy about husband-and-wife art-dealers whose lives are upended by their family, Aug. 9-25 (South Park).

After Chekhov. The Pittsburgh premiere of "The Yalta Game" and "Afterplay," two Chekhov-themed shorts by Brian Friel, Aug. 10-26 (PICT).

The Last Romance. Joe DiPietro's romantic comedy about 80-year-old Ralph Bellini and his new crush, Aug. 16-Sept. 1 (Little Lake).

Funny Chekhov. A program of short plays and "vaudevilles" by Chekhov include "The Bear," "The Proposal," "Swan Song," "Drama" and "On the Evils of Tobacco," Aug. 17-25 (PICT).

The Second City for President. Touring performers from Chicago's famed improv-comedy troupe perform an election-year show, Aug. 24 and 25 (Pittsburgh Public Theater).

A Talent for Murder. Comic murder mystery about a detective novelist whose family wants her dead, Aug. 30-Sept. 8 (Apple Hill).

Man From Earth. A retiring scholar reveals a peculiar secret in this drama from Jerome Bixby, a writer from the original Star Trek and Twilight Zone series, Aug. 30-Sept. 15 (South Park).

The Burnt Part Boys. In 1962, teen-agers deal with the fallout of the deaths of their fathers in a mining accident a decade earlier, in this bluegrass-accented musical by Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen and Mariana Elder, Aug. 31-Sept. 8 (Bald Theatre Co.).

September

Becky's New Car. A woman's midlife crisis is the basis for this Steven Dietz comedy, Sept. 6-22 (Little Lake).

Dixie's Tupperware Party. Southern kitsch, audience participation and re-sealable plasticware are the staples of this touring one-woman comedy show, Sept. 6-Oct. 14 (CLO Cabaret).

Cloud 9. Famed British playwright Caryl Churchill's take on sexual repression and politics in both Victorian Africa and 1970s England, Sept. 7-15 (New Olde Bank).

Kids' Theater - Current

Yo, Vikings! Point Park alum Marcus Stevens and composer Sam Willmot wrote this new musical about a contemporary girl on a quest to be a Viking, through Sun., May 27 (Playhouse Jr.).

The Outsiders. Christopher Sergel's stage adaptation of S.E. Hinton's classic young-adult novel about class conflict, honor and family, through May 27 (Playhouse Jr.).

May

13 Bells of Boglewood. Fantasy adventure about a teen-ager, a greedy prospector, gold in the forest and the fairies the treasure might rightfully belong to, May 26-June 10 (Playhouse Jr.).

June

Cool Suit. Musical adaptation of "The Emperor's New Clothes," by Lauren Mayer, June 19-29 (Johnny Appleseed Children's Theater).

I Can SO be a Princess! A girl who can't stay out of trouble strives to convince her family she is princess-worthy in Sunny Disney Fitchett's play, June 20-July 7 (Looking Glass Theatre).

July

The Golden Goose. Musical adaptation of the fairy tale, by Richard Kinter, July 10-20 (Johnny Appleseed).

Gooney Bird Green and Her Fabulous Animal Parade. Adapted by Kent R. Brown from Lois Lowry's book Gooney the Fabulous, July 11-28 (Looking Glass).

Straw Into Gold. Adaptation of the Rumplestiltskin tale, by Sally Netzel, July 24-Aug. 3 (Johnny Appleseed).

August

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Musical adaptation of Judith Viorst's popular kids' book, by Viorst and Shelly Markham, Aug. 1-18 (Looking Glass).

The Enchanted Sleeping Beauty. Musical adaptation of the fairy tale, by Bill Francoeur and Vera Morris, Aug. 7-17 (Johnny Appleseed).

Dance

Bodiography Center for Movement. Bodiography students perform alongside the troupe in its new collaboration with Cello Fury, June 9 at the Byham Theater. www.bodiographycbc.com

Carnegie Performing Arts Center. The center's Spring Recital, featuring student dancers, June 2 and 3. Carnegie Music Hall, Carnegie. 412-279-8887

Duquesne University Tamburitzans. The noted Eastern European folk-dance troupe performs at South Park Amphitheater, Aug. 24. 412-350-5929

Evolve the Intensive. The arts group Evolve presents two nights of dance at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre: theBEAT, featuring performers from its summer intensive, and Momentum, a night of new work by various artists from the Pittsburgh dance community. July 27 (theBEAT) and 28 (Momentum). www.evolveproductions.blogspot.com

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Spring Performance. Student and pre-professional divisions perform new and classic works, Fri., May 25 (Byham Theater). 412-281-6727

The Pillow Project. The troupe's Second Saturdays series of multimedia performance in a casual atmosphere continues June 8 and 9, July 14 and Aug. 11. (The Space Upstairs, Point Breeze). www.pillowproject.org

Texture Contemporary Ballet. First annual birthday party, July 7 (Space Upstairs, Point Breeze). Blur (new choreography), July 19-22 (New Hazlett). www.textureballet.org

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Shawn and Marlon Wayans at The Imrpov, May 24-27.

Comedy

Amish Monkeys. Improv comedy, June 9, July 14 and Aug. 11.

Benedum Center. Jim Gaffigan, Aug. 18.

Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead. Steven Wright, June 23

Cabaret at Theater Square. Pittsburgh Improv Jam, every Thursday. Sexting Nachos and a Chicken (an evening of original sketch comedy and monologues), June 2. Wunderstudies: An Improvised Musical, June 23.

Pittsburgh Comedy Showcase. Hosted by Mike Wysocki, every Friday. Corner Café, South Side .412-488-2995

Pittsburgh Improv. Shawn and Marlon Wayans, May 24-27. Moshe Kasher, May 31-June 3. Tommy Davidson, June 8-10. Craig Showmaker, June 15 and 16. Ralphie May, June 22-24. Skinner, June 13. Open mike, July 4. Doug Benson, July 28 and 29. The Waterfront, West Homestead. 412-462-5233

Slapsticks Productions. Rostraver Ice Garden Comedy Buffet (Greg Morton featuring David Kaye), July 1 (Belle Vernon; 724-379-7100). Monessen VFD #1 Funny Fundraiser (David Kaye, Mike Wysocki and David Michael), Aug. 10 (Monessen; 724-544-49970). Monessen Elks Funny Fundraiser (David Kaye, Mike Wysocki, John Evans), Sept. 8 (Monessen; 724-684-8286).

Steel City Improv Theater. Social improv jams every Saturday. Totally Free Mondays, weekly. Also: Blue Stocking Babes, May 25; The Nilesh Show, May 25; Irony City, May 25, June 29, July 27 and Aug. 31; The Lupones: Musical Improv, May 26; Epoch Live, May 26; Wunderstudies: Improvised Musicals, June 2, July 7, Aug. 4 and Sept. 1; Other Mammals, June 2, July 7, Aug. 4 and Sept. 1; The Death Show, June 8; Twoprov, June 22; and Madness in the Message: Start Talking (Ron Placone's one-man multimedia comedy show), June 23, July 21, Aug. 25 and Sept. 22.

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Nikki Finney at Cave Canem poetry reading, June 21. Photo courtesy of Rachel Eliza Griffiths.

Readings

Carnegie Library Sunday Poetry & Reading Series. Sally Rosen Kindred, June 17; Leslie Anne McIlroy, July 15; and Carolyne Whelan, Aug. 19. Carnegie Library, Oakland. 412-622-3114

Cave Canem. Cave Canem poets Nikky Finney, Terrance Hayes, Angela Jackson and Thomas Sayers Ellis, June 21. City of Asylum/Pittsburgh, North Side. [email protected]

Clowder & Pack — A Pop-Up Bookstore Benefiting Assemble. Readings by locals and guests and a book sale benefit the art/tech space, May 24-27. Cats and Dogs Coffee, Bloomfield. clowderandpack.blogspot.com

Equanimity: The Peacemakers Poetry Series. Joan Bauer, Marc Jampole and Mike Schneider, June 7; Angele Ellis, Roberta Hatcher, Jill Khoury and Liane Norman, June 14; and Renee Alberts, Nikki Allen, Gene Hirsch and Ed Murray, June 21. Organized by Romella Kitchens. Big Idea Bookstore, Bloomfield. 412-687-4323

Evolver Convergence. This gathering of the Evolver Society Movement features the opening-night "Electric Jesus Reading," June 1. The Wherehouse, Bloomfield. 724-822-8070

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Michael Sims at Writers LIVE, June 21.

Hemingway's Summer Poetry Series. Jan Beatty, Ed Ochester and Judith Vollmer, May 29; Squirrel Hill Poetry Workshop readers including Anthony Ciotoli, Ann Curran, Nancy Esther James, Randy Minnich, Pam O'Brien, Joanne Samraney and Shirley Stevens, June 5; David Adès, Kristopher Collins, Barbara Edelman and Ellen McGrath Smith, June 12; Jim Daniels, Rosaly DeMaios Roffman and Philip Terman, June 19; Mike James, Lori Wilson and Michael Wurster, June 26; Timons Esaias, Roberta Hatcher, Joseph Karasek, Jill Khoury and Richard St. John, July 3; Jay Carson, Walt Peterson and Judith Robinson, July 10; Joan E. Bauer, Robert Gibb and Michael Simms, July 17; Renée Alberts, Elizabeth Hoover, Marc Jampole and Sankar Roy, July 24; and Nour Abdelghani, Madalon Amenta, Marilyn Bates, Jerome Crooks, Victoria Dym, Gene Hirsch, Don Wentworth, Sarah Williams-Devereux and Jimmy Cvetic, July 31. Hemingway's Café, Oakland. [email protected]

Mystery Lovers Bookshop. Kathryn Miller Haines, July 7; Alafair Brooke and Andrew Gross, July 15; Allison Leotta, July 21; Francine Matthews, July 23; Alex Kava, July 28; Nancy Martin, Aug. 4; Kathleen George, Aug. 24. Oakmont. 412-828-4877

The New Yinzer Presents. G.M. Holder, Mike Knapps, Miles Budimir and Mark Mattern, May 24. ModernFormations Gallery, Garfield. tnypresents.blogspot.com

Outspoken Speakers Series. Spoken-word open mike hosted by Leslie "Ezra" Smith, May 26, June 23, July 28 and Aug. 25. Sandidge Photography Studio, Garfield. 412-607-2787

Short Story Month Reading. Jennifer Bannan, Sherrie Flick, Anjali Sachdeva and Jennifer Howard, May 31. ModernFormations, Garfield. 412-362-0274

South Side Presbyterian Church Coffee House. Judith Vollmer and Philip Terman (poetry), June 8. South Side. www.autumnhouse.org

Speaking Of. The multi-genre series presents opera singer Erica Olden, dance by Texture Contemporary Ballet, poetry by Khary Jackson, and more, June 16. New Hazlett.

Steel City Poetry Slam. Monthly spoken-word competition, June 19, July 17. Shadow Lounge, East Liberty. 412-362-8277

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Nora Zelevansky at Writers LIVE, July 26.

Writers LIVE. Ron Tanner (From Animal House to Our House: A Love Story), June 6; Michael Sims (The Story of Charlotte's Web), June 21; and Nora Zelevansky (Semi-Charmed Life), July 26. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Oakland. 412-622-8866

Index - Theater Companies and Venues

Amish Monkeys. Point Breeze. www.amishmonkeys.com

Apple Hill Playhouse. Delmont. 724-468-5050

August Wilson Center. Downtown. 412-258-2700

The Bald Theatre Co. Lawrenceville. www.baldtheatre.org

Benedum Center. Downtown. 412-456-6666

Bricolage Theatre. Downtown. 412-394-3353

Byham Theater. Downtown. 412-456-6666

Cabaret at Theater Square. Downtown. 412-456-6666

Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead. Munhall. 412-368-5225

City Theatre. South Side. 412-431-2489

demaskus, inc. North Side. www.demaskus.showclix.com