IN MEMORAM: GEORGE B. PAROUS, OUR OPERA AND CLASSICAL MUSIC REVIEWER
George B. Parous, onStage Pittsburgh’s cherished contributor and reviewer of opera and classical music, passed away unexpectedly last week.
A Pittsburgh native, George first studied music and cello in grade school, but by his teens, his passion had shifted toward opera—its performers, repertoire, and history. He went on to contribute to and edit several published works, beginning with Rosa Raisa, A Biography of a Diva (Northeastern University Press, 2001). At the time of his passing, he was at work on a biography of German-American dramatic soprano Johanna Gadski, a Metropolitan Opera star of the “Golden Age of Opera.”
Following a career as an IT analyst for Highmark, George became a regular contributor to onStage Pittsburgh and its predecessor, Pittsburgh in the Round, beginning in 2014. His thoughtful opera reviews championed the work of both established and emerging artists, with several young singers crediting his writing as pivotal to their careers. In 2022, he realized a lifelong dream when the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra was added to his reviewing beat.
of Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Tale of Wall Street. (Image: Rocky Raco)
KINETIC THEATRE PRESENTS INTIMATE ‘BARTLEBY’
Kinetic Theatre returns this month with associate artist Sam Tsoutsouvas’s adaptation of Herman Melville’s Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Tale of Wall Street. The salon piece, performed by Tsoutsouvas and directed by Andrew Paul, will be performed in the homes of Kinetic patrons and donors before settling in for six public performances, October 8-12, 2025, among the fall exhibition artworks at Tomayko Foundation Gallery, 5173 Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield.
Though no great success at the time of publication, the absurdist and existentialist themes of Bartleby, the Scrivener eventually elevated it as among the most influential short stories by American writers. It takes place in 1843, when a legal firm hires “the forlorn-looking Bartleby in the hope that his calmness will soothe the … irascible temperament” of his coworkers. After producing a a volume of high-quality work, Bartleby suddenly answers every request with, “I would prefer not to,” to the annoyance of everyone.
NEXT FOR PPTC: A MUSICAL ‘Hallow-WHOA!’ + ‘SOLOS’
Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company is making exciting use of its new Cabaret space, created for the recent production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Madison Arts and Entertainment Center, with “a brand new theatrical endeavor I’m calling ‘Solos,’ ” said Mark Clayton Southers. “It’s a performance series of one-person shows from around the country and abroad.”
First up is three performances, November 8-9, 2025, of Sugar Ray, by Laurence Holder and performed by Reggie Wilson. The latter stepped in briefly for Kevin Brown as Troy in PPTC’s recent production of Fences. https://www.pghplaywrights.org/season-info/sugar-ray/sugar-ray-tickets/ .
Sugar Ray is followed in December by Delana Flowers in the title role of Dinah Washington Christmas, a premiere by Ernest McCarty, directed by Ashley Southers in Madison’s Carter Woodson Redwood Theater, December 11-22, 2025: https://www.pghplaywrights.org/season-info/crawford/ .
Both shows are preceded at the Cabaret by Hallow-WHOA!!! 2025!, on Halloween Night, featuring BrothaMANS and MANI MANI, aka Manny Walker (star of PPTC’s Sanctified and Two Trains Running) and Amani Howze (the company’s resident scenic carpenter). Tickets are $20.25, $30 at the door, and include light refreshments and open bar. https://www.pghplaywrights.org/season-info/hallow-whoa/
FOND FAREWELLS AT CITY THEATRE & PITTSBURGH PUBLIC
Longtime behind-the-scenes members of City Theatre and Pittsburgh Public Theater were showered with gratitude and love on the occasion of their retirements:
Leah the Painter – City scenic artist Leah Blackwood – has retired from the South Side company after 23 years. Among others, her work also has graced Front Porch Theatricals and barebones productions.
Fred Noel was a Pittsburgh Public stage manager for 34 seasons before shifting to IT services, for a total of 37 seasons of service at the Downtown company.
BEHIND THE SCENES AT BECOMING ARTS COLLECTIVE
The Becoming Arts Collective has had a rolling announcement of adding artistic associates: Nathan Wagner, Lillie Tuck and Err Shirley. The company also announced award-winners for the inaugural Bridges and Stages 10-minute Play Festival, including Familiar by Robert J. Blanc, best play and playwright. Best director was Mary Meyer; best actor and actress, Joyce Miller and Johnny Patalano.
ANN TALMAN RETURNS TO 412 FOR HEINZ BENEFIT
Pittsburgh native Ann Talman, who made her Broadway debut in 1981, opposite Elizabeth Taylor in The Little Foxes, returns to her hometown as the keynote speaker for Beyond History: Framing the Past, Shaping the Future, a celebration and fundraiser at the Heinz History Center. Talman, who performed her one-woman show, Woody’s Order!, here in 2007, was caretaker to her late brother, Woody, who had cerebral palsy and was a nonverbal quadriplegic. Talman’s solo show Elizabeth Taylor and The Shadow of Her Smile celebrates her longtime friendship with Taylor. The event “honors a decade of preserving and advancing disability history in Western Pennsylvania and looks ahead to a more inclusive future.” At Heinz History Center’s Mueller Center, fifth floor, October 22, 2025. GA tickets are $75 per person; limited reduced-price tickets are $35. There is no fee for caregivers or personal attendants. Tickets and details: https://www.wpdhac.org/beyond-history-2025/
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA EXTENDS BYRON STRIPLING’S TENURE AS PRINCIPAL PNC POPS CONDUCTOR THROUGH THE 2028-29 SEASON
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has announced that Byron Stripling will continue as its Principal Pops Conductor through the 2028–29 season. Stripling has led the PSO’s PNC Pops series since 2020 as holder of the Henry and Elsie Hillman Principal Pops Conductor Chair, infusing Heinz Hall with his signature blend of artistry, energy, and joy.
The PSO’s 2025-26 PNC Pops season launches this weekend, with Come Swing with Me, a high-energy tribute to the hits of the 1950s led by Stripling and featuring vocalist Paul Loren.
“Byron has an extraordinary gift for connecting with audiences of all ages,” said Melia Tourangeau, president & CEO of the PSO. “His impact goes far beyond the Pops stage. Whether leading Fiddlesticks, conducting a Pops concert, or inspiring students in classrooms and rehearsals, Byron embodies the Symphony’s mission to share music as a transformative force. I am thrilled to continue this partnership with him.”
“I am deeply honored to extend my time as Principal Pops Conductor with this incredible orchestra,” Stripling said. “The musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony are second to none, and together we’ve created concerts that uplift, celebrate, and bring people together. I look forward to making even more joyful music with this community.”
👉 And don’t forget—you can always explore the next two months of performances, organized by date or company, anytime at onStage Pittsburgh.
👉Did we miss your show? Send us your updates at info@onstagepittsburgh.com so we can share them in a future Call Board.
Categories: Arts and Ideas, CALL BOARD
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