Named for the year they were founded, 1962, Stage 62 is a thriving nonprofit community theater in residence at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie, PA. This season their shows have included Madagascar – A Musical Adventure by Noriega and Someillan, Dogfight by Pasek and Paul, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels by Yazbek. Coming up in November 2018, Stage 62’s final show for the season will be Guys and Dolls by Loesser.
It was board member Heather Friedman’s idea to honor the diverse composers of Stage 62’s current season by creating a cabaret performance featuring their work as part of this year’s fundraising gala. A relative newcomer to Pittsburgh and Stage 62, Heather is co-directing the gala cabaret with veteran member Amy DeHaven. The two met when they were cast in the group’s production of Annie last fall. The cabaret is being choreographed by Mikaela Kapeluck, and pianist Brian Knarr will lead a small band that includes percussion and guitar. The gala is being produced by Heather’s husband, Darrin Friedman, who is chair of the fundraising committee for Stage 62.
The 90-minute show will feature 14 company members: Jorie Bagnato, Nate Copeland, Cristy Crawshaw, Anna Gergerich, J’Quay Gibbs, Matt Keefer, Haley Koontz Donohue, Amy LaSota, Wyatt Mauti, Stephanie Ottey, Tyler Piper, Jed Reifer, Michael Tarasovich, and Sam Viggiano.
Following the cabaret performance, there will be a cocktail party with food and wine, raffles, and other fundraising events. The cabaret will be open to children 12 and older, but the cocktail party is a 21+ event.
“Intimate is the word I would use to describe the cabaret, not only because the shape of the auditorium puts the audience physically close to the performers, but also because the set includes songs with a lot of raw emotion, from heartwarming to hilarious to heartbreaking,” Heather explains. “I think people will be excited and surprised by the music they will hear.”
Tickets for the Stage 62’s Fundraising Gala are $25 each and can be purchased at https://stage62gala.brownpapertickets.com up to and including the day of the gala. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door. Further information about the gala can be found on Stage 62’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/239447173386694/.
Helen Meade got her first theater job at age 17. Over the many intervening years she has worked professionally as an actor, singer, director, producer, administrator, production manager, stage manager, lighting designer, technician, fundraiser, and board member. Through it all, one thing has always remained true: Helen loves live theater. Some of her favorite projects include her educational adaptation, Supernatural Shakespeare, for Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Arts Education Department, directing the world premiere of composer Jeremy Beck’s The Biddle Boys and Mrs. Soffel for Tuesday Musical Club, Assistant Directing Madama Butterfly under director Kay Walker Castaldo for Pittsburgh Opera, and working with amazing humans and theatre professionals including Dan Anderson, Chari Shanker, Amanda Foust, Diana Hossack, Maria Levy, Ron Allen, Attilio Favorini, and her mentor and friend, Tony Ferrieri.
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