The 25th annual musical satire and fundraiser OFF THE RECORD is back in action at the Byham Theater on October 16, 2025, which is, by proclamation, OFF THE RECORD DAY in the City of Pittsburgh. Emcee Larry Richert, who was there in year No. 1, in 2001, returns, as United Steelworkers, SAG-AFTRA Ohio-Pittsburgh and the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh collaborate with regional performers, broadcasters and volunteers in an original spoof of Pittsburgh news and newsmakers. This year’s show time-travels to great moments of Pittsburgh’s past, and gazes into the future with hope, pride and lots of laughs. In 2025, OFF THE RECORD XXV: BURGH TO THE FUTURE! honors stalwart supporters Jon Delano, Ken Rice and David Johnson, and welcomes guest speaker Corey O’Connor (a former participant in the show). The annual fundraiser has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. In a year when $1 = 3 meals for our neighbors with food insecurities, you can help by donating at pittsburghfoodbank.org/record25 or by texting record25 to 50155. Get your tickets here, and head to the Byham for free bites and a paid bar, starting at 6:30 p.m. Showtime is 8 p.m.

By SHARON EBERSON

The countdown is on to year 25 of “laughter for a good cause.” OFF THE RECORD XXV: BURGH TO THE FUTURE! is less than a week away, and, as always, I’m feeling overwhelmed, anxious and proud. How much of each? Ask me again after Thursday, October 16, 2025, which is officially OFF THE RECORD DAY in the City of Pittsburgh.

It’s a personal countdown, too, because this is my final year as producer of the musical satire that has consumed a big chunk of my life for the past five years.

I have chosen to back away for many reasons, but definitely not because I don’t believe in the cause. When the show is over, I plan to take a long, deep breath, then volunteer at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s Duquesne facility.

I will miss the OFF THE RECORD family.

You know, we are not like most theater families. We are made up of volunteers from all walks of life, some of whom have never danced a step or who have sung only in the shower, but thought, “This might be fun.”

We are theater artists, musicians, broadcast and print journalists, educators, friends of friends, and folks who are here to support their unions (OTR is a partnership of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, SAG-AFTRA Ohio-Pittsburgh and United Steelworkers).

Every one of the people you will see on the Byham Theater stage, and many you don’t see, are giving up something to be there. Starting in September, when you are stuck in rush-hour/construction traffic, trying to get home in time for dinner, members of the OFF THE RECORD team are trying to get to rehearsal, before they can think about going home.

All of that is to say, I love these big-hearted folks who make this commitment every year. The result can be measured in the tens of thousands of dollars raised for the Food Bank, but also in the annual feat of putting on an entertaining show, and in the friendships forged doing it.

I will miss being a part of that, mostly as a facilitator, and the Jewish mother in me will always want to hug the weary, boost the dispirited, and enjoy celebrating their triumphs.

I am not a producer of longstanding, it must be said, but rather, of the post-pandemic phase.

The show began in 2001, when my former colleague at the Post-Gazette, Gary Rotstein, had an idea, brought it to theater critic Chris Rawson, and a really big show and fundraiser was born. 

The one-night-only musical required a lot of other partners to get off the ground, including those union partnerships and the support of community leaders, including the late Linda Dickerson, and politicians from both sides of the aisle. 

Does anyone else recall former U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan dressing up as a witch? Jim Roddy’s song and dance, with backup singers? Bill Peduto’s videos?

Allegheny County Controller and Democratic Party mayoral candidate Corey O’Connor was in the show a couple of times when he was a City Councilman. On October 16, he will be what we call the “prebuttalist,” having his say before the show delivers its own version of naughty and nice – remember, it’s off the record.

My story began as an executive committee member of the Newspaper Guild, serving on the scholarship committee (some funds raised by OFF THE RECORD and the Newspaper Guild used to go to journalism scholarships), then taking over the program layout from PG colleague and tenor Jim Heinrich (he’s back in the show this year!). I was later drafted onto OTR’s hard-working Steering Committee, and for the past five years, two during the pandemic, I have been the show’s co-producer.

Chris Rawson, the OG producer, had always said he was in it for 20 years, which would have ended OTR in 2020. Then the pandemic hit, and scenes of long lines waiting for food sparked the idea that we could do an online show. 

Chris R. and I spent hours on Zoom, working with PowerPoint, and the Steering Committee got to work, calling on celeb friends to send us videos that patted us on the back for 20 years of raising more than $800,000 for the Food Bank and other charities and scholarships, while we asked for donations to continue during this time of dire need.

We received videos from Mark Cuban, Billy Porter, Rob Marshall, Franco Harris, Michael Cerveris, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Mayor Peduto and more, with Ken Rice, our longtime emcee, rallying his broadcast colleagues and continuing his emcee duties.

The following year, Chris R. took a step back, and I began my partnership with Chris Laitta, our tireless director, choreographer and co-writer, filming musical numbers for our second virtual show. 

I hope you watched, and donated. Drew Leigh Williams channeling Dolly Parton to sing the satirical Vaccine, to the tune of Jolene, remains a highlight of my OTR years. (We were inspired by Dolly herself ).

Those two years, we raised $52,000 for our neighbors with food insecurities, and I couldn’t be prouder of the efforts of Chris L., our Steering Committee members, writers and performance team, including Deana Muro, Hope Anthony, Lisa Ann Goldsmith, Samantha Bennett, Jerreme Rodriguez, Drew Leigh Williams, Alex Noble, Wali Jamal, Chuck Timbers, Paul Thompson … I could go on.

Coming back to the Byham Theater in 2022, with COVID still a threat, folks who answered the call included Rick Sebak, Heather Abraham, Doug Oster, Sally Wiggin, and longtime OTR family member Jon Delano, who came out of his attic to perform for us, and who – like many of us – got COVID, possibly at our wrap party. 

Jon, my sincere gratitude, and apologies.

To commemorate our 25th year, I followed in Chris R.’s footsteps again (see: Pittsburgh on Broadway, 1994, 2005 and 2016), and sent out a “Calling all OTR alumni!” APB. In partnership with Riverlife’s Shore Thing!, 40 performers, creative team members, sponsors and volunteers came together for a little fun in the sun. The reunion included the return of New York-based actor and Pittsburgh native Robert Turano – he’s back in the show, too. The event was recorded by photographers John Beale and Matt Freed, with videos by Maria Sciullo, embedded here. (John Shepard, I’m sorry I forgot you were there when I saw you next. My mind was mush a week out.)

The day after the Shore Thing! reunion, a few of us gathered in the City-County Building to witness City Councilpersons Erika Strassburger and Bob Charland read a proclamation that declared October 16 as OFF THE RECORD DAY.

As the countdown continues, it has dawned on me that I can plan a getaway in September of 2026, or have coffee with friends in the first weeks of October. I can sleep late, and not go to bed worried about ticket sales, load-in at the Byham, water bottles for the cast, and did we thank all the people who should be thanked in the program …

Scratch that. I will always worry about my OFF THE RECORD family, and the people who should be thanked, getting their due. 

Categories: Arts and Ideas, Feature Stories, Our Posts

Tags: 2025, 25th Anniversary, Burgh to the Future, Corey O'Connor, David Johnson, Jon Delano, Ken Rice, Larry Richert, Off the Record, Sharon Eberson