Month Impossible: Day Twenty-seven, Murderers, animated treadmills, and yet more writing

I’ve mentioned before that "Murderers," currently playing at City Theatre on Pittsburgh’s South Side, is a terrific play and well worth your time and money, yes? The play is three monologues, each by a different actor, each beginning with the sentence, "I am a murderer." The play is by Jeffrey Hatcher, a playwright with a …

Month Impossible: Day Fifteen

Thumbnail Originally uploaded by cynthiacloskey I’ve lost the concept of downtime. I still experience downtime, but not on purpose. That is, I’ll plan to spend an evening working — as I did tonight — and then I’ll start fixing dinner, wash dishes while it’s cooking and read an article or two, eat and keep reading …

City Theatre open house and new season

A few weeks ago, City Theatre in Pittsburgh held an open house, including backstage tours and previews of plays in production. Theater is all about illusion, so it’s interesting to me that City Theatre is willing to show what goes on literally behind the scenes. I have a little more information about the workings of …

“In Service” multimedia event premieres tonight

An important and interesting event is premiering tonight in Pittsburgh, involving Pittsburgh Filmmakers and the Bricolage Theatre group. The event is called In Service. It’s part documentary, part live oration, with several local Iraqi war veterans coming out onstage, live, to tell their stories to the audience firsthand because they’re frustrated with the way the …

To do: Open House at City Theatre

Next Friday will be a busy one in Pittsburgh. In addition to the Gist Street Readings and the Pirates playing Chicago Cubs at home (Vintage Cap Night!), there’s this very fun event at City Theatre on the South Side: Fun-Festive-FREE-Fifth Annual Open House at City Theatre Friday, September 7 from 5 to 10 pm Behind-the-Scenes …

Those who can’t do, blog

Here’s a thoughtful essay on criticism and the authority of the critic: “Just Who Is This Guy?” by Jerome Weeks. Weeks looks primarily at the authority of literary blogs, which have been under attack of late from print media, primarily the book reviews of the mass media. But the same issues come into play for …

Promoting people who are not me

Dear everyone, including visitors arriving here from the Burgh Blog: I’ve little time to make fresh content for you today, but that gives me extra space to tell you to go see "The Missionary Position" at City Theatre on Pittsburgh’s South Side. It’s a funny play, ostensibly a satiric comedy about politics but really a …

Let’s put on a play: “Act of Creation/Between the Lines” at City Theatre

An interesting event on April 1 at City Theatre: As part of its New American Trio programming, City Theatre will open rehearsal of The Missionary Position to the public on Sunday, April 1 from 5:30 to 6 pm. At 6 pm, engage in a discussion about new play dramaturgy with Carlyn Aquiline, City Theatre’s Literary …

Thoughts on “Mezzulah, 1946”

I saw "Mezzulah, 1946" at City Theatre recently. It’s a fun play, upbeat and entertaining. Crux of the plot: It’s 1946, and the men returning from World War II have reclaimed their jobs, displacing the women who filled them in the meantime. All except for a girl named Mezzulah, who is a crack electrician at …

What to do this weekend

Three activities this weekend that will make it worth your while to dig yourself out from the snow: 1. The Muckleman is playing at City Theatre through February 18. At the opening night party I asked some people at the bar to help me summarize the play in ten words. We came up with this: …