Audience responds to TIME STANDS STILL

Audience members have been e-mailing us to share their thoughts about Donald Margulies’s Time Stands Still, directed by artistic director Tracy Brigden, designed by Tony Ferrieri (scenic), Robert C. T. Steele (costumes), Ann Wrightson, (lighting), and Joe Pino (sound), and featuring Robin Abramson as Mandy, Andrew May as James, Tim McGeever as Richard, and Angela Reed as Sarah. Here are some typical responses from the past few days:

Katie A. calls the play “delightful and provocative. I mentioned the dilemma [photographing vs helping] to a professional photographer friend and he said this subject was discussed extensively in his journalism program at Point Park. The acting was wonderful; set was perfect.”

Barbara C. says Time Stands Still “was the most riveting play I have seen in several seasons. Margulies’ writing is superb in this and all four actors are perfectly cast. What a great play to open the 2011/2012 season! Please, Ms. Brigden, more, more, more like Time Stands Still. Outstanding work all around and a story that will be on my mind for a long time. Bravo to all!”

Mary Anne J. lauded “the merits of the play. I think that Margulies achieved a remarkable balance, short of preaching, in exploring the dissonance arising out of war/atrocity/disaster photography and reporting. My attention was thoroughly commanded. The dialogue rang very true to my ear and the cast was excellent and very well balanced. Hats off to Ms. Brigden.”

Fore more information, see our website. And purchase tickets here or call the box office at 412-431-CITY.

What did you think? E-mail us to tell us your thoughts.

End of the VENGEFUL REDHEAD

posted by Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg

This weekend is your last chance to see Tony Award-winning Michele Pawk in a tour-de-force performance in The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead by Australian playwright Robert Hewett, who joined us for previews and opening night. Michele plays seven characters who offer their individual perspectives on the same event. The characters often contradict one another, at times obviously deceive themselves, and clearly manipulate some details to shine a better light on themselves. All of which means that the whole truth (whatever that is!) can never actually be known by the audience members, who must ultimately decide what they think the “truth” is.

What IS true is that Michele Pawk gives an outstanding performance and that director Lou Jacob and the designers—Tony Ferrieri (set), C.T. Steele (costumes), Andy Ostrowski (lights), and Jane Shaw (sound)—invite the audience in on the fun of watching Michele transition from one character to the next as the set revolves and she changes costumes and wigs. Sometimes we get just a peek and sometimes we get the full view but the transitions between monologues—which are all like complete short plays in themselves—are a blast to watch, and the character of the production would suffer greatly without them.

I don’t think the other designers will be insulted if I bring special attention to C.T. and the amazing costume design he has created, which includes the initial vision for the indispensible wigs and ongoing collaboration with wig designers Elsen Associates to develop them to their final looks. Thanks to him, Michele is able to change to a new and distinctive look for each character in a few seconds flat and, amazingly, those wigs actually make her face look different for each character.

Michele Pawk as Rhonda, the "redhead," wearing the first of C.T. Steele's craftily designed costumes and wigs. They're unique to the personality and style of each character but allow for lightning quick changes in the transitions between monologues, which are great fun to watch.

Catch Michele in performance through Sunday afternoon. Several performances are already sold out. Here is some press in case you missed it before:

Post-Gazette preview article.  Post-Gazette review by Chris Rawson.

Tribune-Review preview article. Tribune-Review review by Alice Carter.

And, for fun, here’s Michele’s “Personality Test” in today’s Tribune-Review.