Author Archives
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The Benedum Center is Alive with ‘The Sound of Music’
By Jessica Neu Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved classic The Sound of Music returns to the Benedum Center as part of the Pittsburgh CLO‘s summer season. The production contains all the familiar songs and characters that have entered people’s hearts and homes for… Read More ›
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Jimmy Ichihana Deals Close-Up Card Magic and Tales of Humanity in ‘It’s in the Cards’ at Liberty Magic
By Jessica Neu Renowned magician Jimmy Ichihana used to be a math teacher. I am a writer who failed math in high school and took “Physics for Poets” as my science elective in undergrad. I’m pretty confident that if I had Mr…. Read More ›
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‘Spamalot’ Takes Audiences on a Hilarious Quest to Find the Holy Grail
By Jessica Neu The Strand Theater in Zelienople presents Monty Python’s Spamalot – the Especially Silly Revival June 23 – July 2, 2023. This 2005 musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical and had two successful runs in the West End…. Read More ›
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Grief, Relationships, Civility, and Mortality Explored in ‘For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday’ at Little Lake
By JESSICA NEU Sarah Ruhl’s play For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday does not actually look at the fictional character Peter Pan turning 70. Instead, it follows five siblings as they navigate the grief surrounding their father’s (Patrick Conner) death. The… Read More ›
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Big Fun and a Classic Musical Production Sail into Pittsburgh with CLO’s ‘Anything Goes’
By JESSICA NEU Nowadays, it seems that whenever you turn on the TV, open up social media, or read the news; you are apt to find more negativity or bad news than good news. In these times, we must remember… Read More ›
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‘Sondheim on Sondheim’ is the Perfect Sondheim Mixtape – Performed by the Immense Talent at Stage 62
By Jessica Neu Before Jonathan wrote Tick, Tick…Boom and Rent, and before Lin-Manuel Miranda gave us In the Heights and Hamilton, there was Stephen Sondheim. Hailing from the era of the big Broadway musical alongside the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Kander and Ebb, Leonard Bernstein, and… Read More ›
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Renee Elise Goldsberry ‘Satisfies’ Audiences, Delivering Personality, Memories, and Broadway Classics with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
By JESSICA NEU Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of seeing Norm Lewis at the Trust Cabaret, where he performed the Johnny Mathis version of the song “Misty.” Yesterday, backed by a 3-piece band and the incomparable Pittsburgh Symphony… Read More ›
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“Oh What A Show!” Classic Music and Raw Talent Highlight PMT’s Production of Jersey Boys
By JESSICA NEU “Oh What A Show!” Classic Music and Raw Talent Highlight PMT’s Production of Jersey Boys I have had the pleasure of attending several of Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s (PMT) shows this season. Besides incredible talent, all the shows have… Read More ›
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‘Dear Evan Hansen’ comes to the Benedum Center May 2-7, 2023
By JESSICA NEU The 2016 musical, Dear Evan Hansen, tells the story of Evan Hansen, a teenage boy with debilitating social anxiety disorder who desperately wants to be found. Evan Hansen’s therapist instructs him to write a letter to himself each day… Read More ›
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‘Tina: The Tina Turner Musical’ Simply is the Best
By Jessica Neu With movie remakes, classic TV reboots, and fashion trends, nostalgic content is becoming popular and profitable across mediums. The Broadway musical industry has also capitalized on the popularity of nostalgia with musicals based on the lives of… Read More ›
