'Prophets of Funk' plants the seeds of soul

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "David Dorfman is planning on the audience having a good time at his dance company's upcoming show in the Cultural District. And not just because of his choreography. As people walk through the lobby toward their seats they'll be shown a style of line dancing. Then, toward the end of the show, members of the audience will be invited on stage to dance with the pros.

Play to recall the creation of Maxo Vanka murals at church

Post Gazette: "As the lights dim, actors begin the story of a famed Croatian artist who traveled to Pittsburgh to paint unusual murals in tiny St. Nicholas Church in Millvale. What makes the play unique is that it is being performed in that church, surrounded by the history, and the artworks, that inspired it.

Seton Hill University closes season with 'Cabaret'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Seton Hill University wraps up its theater and dance program season with a little bit of history and a lot of music and dance in its production of 'Cabaret.'Kellee Van Aken of Pittsburgh, an adjunct theater instructor at the university, directs the show that focuses on Berlin, Germany, in 1931 from the vantage point of the Kit Kat Klub, a seedy nightclub where English cabaret performer Sally Bowles begins her relationship with a young American writer, Cliff Bradshaw.

Theatre Factory's woos audiences with 'Always Patsy Cline'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Fans of entertainer Patsy Cline (1932-1963) will have a chance to hear her country music hits one more time at Theatre Factory's production of 'Always Patsy Cline.'The musical, directed by David Taylor Little, pays tribute to the Country Music Hall of Fame inductee who lost her life in an airplane crash in Tennessee in 1963. In addition to spotlighting her hit songs such as 'I Fall to Pieces,' 'Sweet Dreams' and 'Walkin' after Midnight,' the production focuses on Cline's endearing friendship with Louise Seger, a housewife from Texas.

City Theatre's season roams from tigers to Gershwin

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "A world premiere with music by Cole Porter and the Gershwins and two plays fresh from New York City productions complete City Theatre's plans for its six-play 2010-2011 season. City Theatre artistic director Tracy Brigden says the three plays 'represent compelling and entertaining new work by three exciting voices exploring wildly divergent worlds with diverse styles.'

Qlab Training Tutorial

On Stage Lighting: "Regular readers of On Stage Lighting will know that I am currently teaching Technical Theatre subjects at a UK university, leading modules in Lighting, Sound and Video in Theatre Production. Although my specialism is obviously stage lighting design and programming, I have been known to break rank occasionally in my professional life and my current gig requires the teaching of many areas of technical production in performance including sound and AV.

Candle, candle, burning bright

Berkeley Rep Blog: "When you come to Three Sisters, you may eventually catch a slight whiff of a particular scent in the air. Yes, that’s the scent of a candle lit by a real flame. These days, flames are often faked with electric light, but director Les Waters and the creative team wanted the authenticity of a real candle flame, often carried by Emily Kitchens, who plays Natasha. But what does it take to have fire on stage?

PTwo Important Lessons from My Much-Procrastinated Trip to the Dentist

Psychology Today: "Yesterday, I finally went to the dentist. I was due for a check-up in July, and for the last eight months, I've been moving the reminder card around my office and coming up with new excuses about why I couldn't make an appointment.

From New York City Opera to the Philadelphia Orchestra, April Is the Cruelest Month

WSJ.com: "Kansas City's Heart of America Shakespeare Festival says that unless it manages to raise $100,000 by next week, the company's production of 'Macbeth' will be canceled. Not so long ago, that would have been fairly big theater news. Now it's just another drop in the bottomless bucket of high-culture fiscal crisis.

Bill Would Raise Hawaii's Production Tax Credits by 20%

Backstage: "Legislation supported by the rapidly expanding Hollywood studio Relativity Media and Steve Bing's Shangri-La business group is before a conference committee of the Hawaii state legislature and may be forwarded for a final vote as soon as tonight. The state House of Representatives and Senate are expected to approve it by the end of June and the governor has already promised to sign it into law.

Public Theater's 'Superior Donuts' made with good ingredients

Post Gazette: "Arthur Przybyszewski has a lot in common with Joe Btfsplk. Aside from the hard-to-pronounce last names, there's a perpetual dark cloud over Arthur's head, just as it hangs over the Al Capp cartoon character, dragging the worn-out Chicagoan down like a 50-pound sack of flour in his Superior Donuts shop in a 'transitional' neighborhood called Uptown. My Windy City source makes it sound a bit like Lawrenceville -- pockets of gentrification among the old housing stock while a stagnant business district shows signs of renewal.

Dance troupe grooves to funky sound

Post Gazette: "To some people, dance is just footsteps, head jerks and arm motions. To David Dorfman, it's something more: a form of passive resistance. 'Time spent dancing is not time spent hurting. That's my theory,' said the New York City-based choreographer.

The 40th, and final, Schenley High School musical goes onstage

Post Gazette: "The 40 dancing and singing students gathered in the former Reizenstein Middle School cafeteria in Shadyside on a recent Friday look at first like any other high school students practicing for their spring musical. But although this annual rite plays out in hundreds of local schools, there are signs this group is different.

City Theatre fills out its 2011-12 season

Post Gazette: "City Theatre has announced its final three plays for the 2011-12 season, adding the world premiere of Keith Bunin's 'Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir' to the lineup, along with 'Through The Night,' Daniel Beaty's Lortel Award nominee for outstanding solo show, and Kim Rosenstock's smart new comedy, 'Tigers Be Still.'

'Dialogues des Carmelites' full of musical communication

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Among the transformations Christopher Hahn has accomplished as general director of Pittsburgh Opera is to build a base for expansion of the repertoire beyond the expected. The success of 'Billy Budd,' 'Dead Man Walking,' 'Street Scene' and 'Flight' prepares the way for the upcoming presentation of 'Dialogues of the Carmelites.' 'I'm very excited and grateful we've gotten to the stage where I could program it here,' Hahn says. 'There's always a journey you take with an audience. Ours has now experienced a wide range of styles and been exposed to a number of 20th-century pieces they have enjoyed.

Greensburg Civic Theatre tackles 'Three Musketeers'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "For Rob MacIntyre of Irwin, a local production of 'The Three Musketeers' was a long time coming, but well worth the wait. MacIntyre, who directs Greensburg Civic Theatre performances of the show this weekend at Greensburg Garden & Civic Center, has been trying to get a community theater group to stage this action comedy-drama for at least a decade.

'Fame' draws on the best of the Westmoreland County

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "To Stage Right artistic director Anthony Marino, the All-County Musical is 'an All-Star Game for local theater kids.' The lineup features 80 student actors from nearly every school district in Westmoreland County, along with home- and cyber-schooled students. This is the fifth year that Marino and Stage Right have presented an end-of-the-school-year show that involves students whose interests and talents are in singing, dancing and acting. This year's musical, 'Fame,' is a tribute to the young performers who -- by being selected for roles in the production -- feel they already have won the game.

'Who Killed the King?' takes murder mystery to the Middle Ages

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "There is no need to feel bad if your invitation to the Royal Wedding was lost in the mail. Armstrong Community Theater welcomes everyone to the coronation of King Ronald, Lord of the Ville, taking place at its annual mystery dinner theater production at Kittanning County Club. Unfortunately, not all will be proclaiming, 'Long live the king!' as suggested by the title, 'Who Killed the King?' It will be presented Friday and Saturday and May 6 and 7.

56th Annual Drama Desk Nominations Announced; Book of Mormon Scores 12 Nominations

Playbill.com: "Tony Award winners Audra McDonald and Liev Schreiber announced the nominations for the 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards, honoring productions that opened on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off Off-Broadway during the 2010-2011 New York theatre season, April 29 at the New York Friars Club. Awards will be presented May 23.

Cirque du Soleil Recreating Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch

Rolling Stone Music: "Cirque du Soleil have announced plans to recreate Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip. In a statement yesterday, Cirque du Soleil president Daniel Lamarre said that the hotel will open a large entertainment complex in 2013 that will include a Jackson-themed lounge, interactive memorabilia museum and a theater designed to replicate the singer's famous home.