By SHARON EBERSON When actor Dihlon McManne reconnected with a friend over coffee and conversation, he was reminded of a play he had seen more than a decade ago. In its debut at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, where McManne had… Read More ›
David Whalen
Pittsburgh’s David Whalen Joins Dihlon McManne in ‘Years to the Day’ a Play About Friendship, Politics, and the Passage of Time at Carnegie Stage
Irish Riviera Productions and The Beverly Hills Playhouse present the Pittsburgh premiere of Years to the Day, written and directed by Allen Barton, opening February 6th. First presented in 2013 during the height of the Obama years, Years to the Day was named one of… Read More ›
Best of Pittsburgh Theater in 2024
By SHARON EBERSON It’s been a bumpy road to get to the best-of list, with a forecast of potholes and promise for the foreseeable future. So fasten your seatbelts, and let’s go. If achievement were assessed solely in artistry, then… Read More ›
Review: It’s Elementary – ‘A Sherlock Carol’ Mashup Is a Perfect Match for Kinetic Theatre
By SHARON EBERSON To begin with, descending into the depths of the Stephen Foster Memorial, I was immediately transported into the combined worlds of Dickens and Doyle. With immersive staging, moody music and heartfelt performances, the meticulously crafted production of… Read More ›
David Whalen and Kinetic’s Baker Street Regulars Are Back on the Case in ‘A Sherlock Carol’
By SHARON EBERSON Sherlock Holmes is the gift that keeps on giving to David Whalen and Andrew Paul, with another package about to be unwrapped for fans of both the timeless fictional detective and Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic. A Sherlock… Read More ›
Review: Sparks Fly in Kinetic’s ‘Oleanna,’ and Indelible Performances Deliver the Fireworks
By SHARON EBERSON Brace yourself for Oleanna. The David Mamet drama is not a pleasant diversion on a hot summer’s day, nor is it meant to be. The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and provocateur aims to challenge beliefs we may hold to… Read More ›
Kinetic Theatre in 2024: A Mamet Double Take and a Sherlock Holmes Christmas
Andrew Paul’s Kinetic Theatre returns to Pittsburgh with a mini-Mamet Festival, plus a holiday show that marks the return of David Whalen as Sherlock Holmes. Whalen, who recently completed a rep company marathon of the Shakespeare History Plays at the… Read More ›
The Best of Pittsburgh Theater 2023
By SHARON EBERSON So much Pittsburgh theater, so little time is among my top picks for the subtitle of my theater-going life. A good overall title might be: “There’s No Business Like Covering Show Business.” Combine those two, and you… Read More ›
REVIEW: Full-Throttle Mamet on Display in barebones’ ‘American Buffalo’
By SHARON EBERSON Even as hell breaks loose in the Mamet masterwork American Buffalo, it is funny as hell, and full of heart. How perfect, then, that Patrick Jordan’s barebones productions ends its 20th year with this actor’s actor piece,… Read More ›
Brenden Peifer Stands Tall in Latest Role for barebones’ ‘American Buffalo’
By SHARON EBERSON At a lanky 6 feet, 4 inches, Brenden Peifer is hard to miss, whether offstage or on. And this year, it has seemed he is always on. So far in 2023, Peifer could be seen in productions… Read More ›