What's Up This Weekend?

"Dr. Dolittle" The Musical
Fri-Sun, Benedum Center, Downtown
pgharts.org
Quantum Theatre's "Dark of the Moon"
Fri-Sun, Mellon Park, Shadyside
quantumtheatre.com
Unblurred - art, theater & music in the East End
Fri-Sat, various locations throughout Penn. Ave. corridor
pennavenuearts.org
Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble
Fri-Sat, City Theatre, South Side
pnme.org
Close Encounters of the Bird Kind
Fri-Sun, National Aviary, North Side
aviary.org or (412) 323-7235
"The Challenge" - Gary Bartz Quartet jazz concert to help raise funds for Jonny Gammage documentary
Sun, 2:30 pm, Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, East Liberty
proartstickets.org or (412) 361-3022
First Fridays "White Affair" party
Fri, 9 pm, Dowe's On Ninth, Downtown
firstfridayspgh.com
Paul Robeson
Fri-Sun, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater Co., Downtown
pgharts.org or (412) 288-0358
51st Annual Fayette County Fair
Fri-Sat, County Fairgrounds, Dunbar
fayettefair.com
Festival of Water - 6th Annual Scuba Tour
Fri-Sun, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Highland Park
pittsburghzoo.com or (412) 665-3640
Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre's "The False Servant"
Fri-Sun, Henry Heymann Theatre-Stephen Foster Memorial, Oakland
picttheatre.org
Greensburg Concert in the Park
Fri, 7 pm, St. Clair Park, Greensburg
greensburg.com
Lenora Nemetz
Fri-Sat, Late Night Cabaret at Theater Square, Downtown
CLOcabaret.com or (412) 281-1264 ext. 237
E! Red Carpet Fashion Show
Back-to-school looks; appearance by "Real World" Landon
Sat, 2 pm, The Mall at Robinson, Robinson Township
shoprobinsonmall.com or (412) 788-6530
"Candy Unwrapped" - interactive exhibits, guest chefs, candy-making demos
Fri-Sun, Carnegie Science Center, North Side
CarnegieScienceCenter.org
Venture Outdoors: Canoe Camping
Sat, 8 am-6 pm, Yough River (Connellsville to W. Newton)
ventureoutdoors.org
Carnegie Library Events - Dragon Island Challenge, Princess Stories & Songs, more
Fri-Sun, various branches throughout Pittsburgh
carnegielibrary.org
Children's Museum Events - Puppet Show, Brainstorm Challenge, Japanese Woodworking, Backyard Science
Fri-Sun, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side
pittsburghkids.org or (412) 322-5058
"Cinema In The Park" - Free Movies
Fri-Sun at Arsenal Park, Lawrenceville; Grandview Park, Mount Washington; Riverview Park, Observatory Hill; Schenley Park, Oakland
cityofpittsburgh.net
Gateway Clipper Cruises
gatewayclipper.com

A Theater Square A-fare Package

A Theater Square A-fare Package:
Dinner for 2 at Café Zao, Drinks & Parking

available exclusively to Cultural District Ticket Buyers
on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings

$79

Includes dinner for two*
Available for pre- or post-performance dining
3 course meal: Starter, Entrée, and Dessert

Plus 2 pre-paid drinks at the Backstage Bar†
located within the Cabaret at Theater Square
Plus guaranteed, pre-paid parking at the Theater Square garage

Visit or call the Box Office at Theater Square
(412) 456-6666
To order online, click here.

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Make the most of your evening out! The Theater Square A-Fare package can be ordered with the following Cultural District events.

• Dr. Dolittle, Benedum Center (Pittsburgh CLO)
• Paul Robeson, 542 Penn Avenue (The Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company)
• Kem, Byham Theater
• Chicago, Benedum Center (PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh - SPECIAL PRESENTATION)
• Salman Rushdie, Byham Theater (Trust Presents)
• Rigoletto, Benedum Center (Pittsburgh Opera)
• Carmen, Benedum Center (Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre)
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Heinz Hall (PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh)
• RolePlay, O'Reilly Theater (Pittsburgh Public Theater)
• A One Night Stand with Augusten Burroughs, Byham Theater (Trust Presents)
• Ariadne auf Naxos, Benedum Center (Pittsburgh Opera)
• Mellon Jazz presents Pat Metheny Trio with Christian McBride and Antonio Sanchez, Byham Theater (The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust)

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About Café Zao, the Backstage Bar, and the Garage at Theater Square

Café Zao, the latest restaurant from acclaimed Pittsburgh Chef of the Year, Toni Pais, features Portuguese cross-cultural cuisine in a sophisticated ambience. The Backstage Bar is the newest place to be—before a concert, after a show, or to just gather with friends. Café Zao, the Backstage Bar, and the Garage are all conveniently located within the Theater Square complex located on Penn Avenue.

Theater Square Garage, the Backstage Bar, and Café Zao are projects of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

*Dinner seating is limited and subject to availability. Tax, gratuity, and beverages not included with dinner. Valid for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings only. The package price does not include tickets to a performance. Only available with a new or previous ticket purchase at a Cultural District facility.

† The Backstage Bar is closed on Sundays. Backstage Bar drink vouchers may be redeemed at Café Zao on Sundays only.

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Café Zao Package Menu

Choice of a Starter

Shellfish Bisque
Cream based soup with Beirao Licor

Piquillo Peppers
Sweet red peppers stuffed with fresh goat cheese and apples

Shrimp Timor
Coconut shrimp served with bibb lettuce, onion, ginger, peanuts and hoisin sauce

Green Asparagus Salad
Green asparagus with pine nuts, endive, blue cheese and grape seed oil vinaigrette

Zao Salad
Spring mix with roasted red peppers, tomatoes, hearts of palm, artichokes and olive, dressed with Portuguese olive oil vinaigrette

Choice of Main Course

Salmon Portuguese
Filet roasted with ramini, farmer cheese cream

Shellfish Goa
Clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp and crayfish served over risotto with a mild curry sauce

Chicken Algarve
Semi-boneless chicken breast, with piri-piri oil and preserved green orange, tarragon sauce

Pork Alentajano
Pork medallions pan roasted with clams, red sweet pepper puree and cilantro

Filet Mignon Luso-Italiano
Grilled with porto-balsamic sauce

Daily Package Special

Vegetarian/vegan options are available.

Choice of Daily Dessert

Visit or call the Box Office at Theater Square at (412) 456-6666
To order online, click here.

August 1: Jeff Miller & Erina Dragan

Date(s) of event:
August 1, 2005
Event time(s):
8 p.m.
Where is the event?
Starbucks - Murray Avenue
2345 Murray Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Phone:412.422.6113

Vans Warped Tour

Date(s) of event: August 1, 2005
Event time(s): Noon
Where is the event? P-G Pavilion Pa. Route 18 South at Pa. Route 22 Burgettstown, PA 15021

City Paper Theater Preview: Paul Robeson

If, as the saying has it, some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them, Paul Robeson has the distinction of qualifying in all three categories.

The son of a former slave, Robeson (born in 1898) became the first black All-American athlete, a graduate of Rutgers and Columbia law school, a celebrated singer and actor, an internationally renowned fighter against racism and fascism, a victim of the McCarthy witch hunts and, finally, recognized in his own country as the astounding man of astonishing achievement that the rest of the world knew him to be.

And I feel like I’ve accomplished something if I get my laundry done in under three days.

Because running one theater group isn’t enough work, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company Artistic Director Mark Clayton Southers has started another group, the Griot Ensemble Theater, which is presenting Paul Robeson, written by Philip Hayes Dean.

As hagiography goes, Paul Robeson is pretty much by the book. We meet him at the end of his life, where his reminiscences soon give way to full-out re-enactments. We hit the highlights of Robeson’s remarkable life and finish up back where we started.

Robeson was at the center of the huge currents of change coursing through America in the 20^th century -- culturally, politically and socially. Without approaching Wagnerian length, Dean obviously can’t explore any of the details in Robeson’s life. So the script’s Cliff’s Notes feel is unavoidable. But then, seeing the play only makes you want to learn as much as you can about this inspiring giant of a man … which, really, is the goal of quality educational theater.

Having played the role several times before, Don Marshall knows the ins and outs of the character, down to the smallest detail. A man of no small talent himself, Marshall easily runs the huge gamut of emotions laid out in the script, and does a great job taking us from the young hopeful at the beginning to the aged warrior at the end.

Where Marshall needs to place his focus, and where director Mark Clayton Southers should have shown a stronger hand, is pace. Two hours and 40 minutes is a very long time to listen to one person talk -- even when the actor is as good as Marshall and the character as luminous as Robeson. At times the action just stops and Marshall doles … out … the … words … in … a … leaden … monotone. Other times he’s playing throwaway lines with the import of a first-act climax. Without any dramatic shape, the evening strains toward listless.

But I’ll tell you what -- Marshall’s too good an actor and both he and Southers have too much theater know-how to let the show stand as it is. And once they cut the running time by at least 35 minutes this is going to be an evening of scorching theater.

Paul Robeson continues through Aug. 6. Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, 542 Penn Ave., Downtown. 412-288-0358