off the WALL productions at Carnegie Stage A Pittsburgh Theater

Interview with the Playwright, Virginia Wall Gruenert and the Director Robyne Parrish. Oct. 7-8, 14-16, 20-22, 2011 Off The Wall Theater, Washington Oct. 26-29, 2011 Theatre 54, New York, NY. Tickets: Click Here

Written by:  Virginia Wall Gruenert Directed by:  Robyne Parrish With:  Karen Baum, Erika Cuenca, Virginia Wall Gruenert, Robyne Parrish  Off the Wall’s Theater’s highly successful debut production, Shaken & Stirred, is back! Voted Readers’ Choice “Best of 2007″ in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , Virginia Wall Gruenert’s powerful play recounts the stories of indomitable women struggling with the toll alcohol has taken on their lives, and the lives of those they love. Carrying all the despair, devastation, and fear that accompany addiction, these ladies valiantly attempt to summon up the strength to overcome. Don’t miss the re-staging of this compelling play before its New York City premiere at Theatre 54.

NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR Bowery Bum. That’s the politically incorrect term that could have applied to my paternal grandfather James, except that he didn’t come from the Bowery. He came, originally, from County Galway in Ireland to the great city of New York. His wife, my grandmother Catherine, came from County Monaghan. Grandpa James didn’t live in the Bowery, either. He and my grandmother settled into a tenement on West 51 st  St. in a neighborhood affectionately known to this day as Hell’s Kitchen, which at the time – the time being the late 19 th , early 20 th  century - was a bastion of poor and working class Irish immigrants. James, Catherine, and their three boys fell under the category of “poor.” In fact, I believe “dirt poor” would be a more accurate description. You see, James could not hold down a job to support his family – he was an active alcoholic. So when Catherine had finally had enough, she showed the iron backbone with which God blessed all Irish women an

Our fifth season is off to a great start. Stage construction is nearly finished, rehearsals are in full swing and the cast and crew are highly motivated. Stay tuned for upcoming interviews with the playwright and the director and cast. The stakes are high. After our three week run at Off The Wall Theater the play moves with the original cast and set to Theatre54 on 54 th Street and Broadway in NYC. Opening night in Washington is Oct.7 th and NYC Oct. 26 th . Go to our web site for ticket information.

The Theater Critics agree: ” John Shepard directs with careful attention…F.J. Hartland is both a mess of nerves and suprisingly matter-of-fact as John…, Dennis Schebetta…is just right…, James Masciovecchio…brings a suprising gift of acceptance and calm, and Karen Baum has an electric one scene role…, these professionals are well cast and tell a powerful story.” (Christopher Rawson, Post-Gazette) ,” The marvel is due in large part to the wonderful acting of F.J. Hartland and Dennis Schebetta, which must mean marvelous direction by John Shepard…”(Arlene Weiner, Coal Hill Blog - Performing Arts Reviews) “…well acted, provocative…an extraordinary, virtuosic performance by F.J. Hartland.” (Gordon Spencer on WRCT) “…perfect cast…Karen Baum plays a slighted lover with the full-on, even physical torment…the standout is F.J. Hartland…”(Robert Isenberg, City Paper) “…hilarious and tragic…Hartland commands the stage…Baum’s Neasa is an amazing portrayal…” (Michael Buzzelli, Outonline)

"Shining City"   May 6-7, 13-14, 19-21 at 8.00 pm,  May 15th at 3.00 pm

EXPLORE NEW THEATRICAL FRONTIERS AT OFF THE WALL PRODUCTIONS: If you sort of like theater, you visit the Cultural District now and then. If you really like theater, your frontiers expand to Oakland and South Side. But if you truly know your stuff, you may have discovered a hidden gem in Washington, Pa.: Off the Wall Productions. The company has been producing challenging, highly relevant dramas and comedies in an intimate 66-seat theater since 2007. Make an evening trip out of it for the company’s season-four finale, Shining City, in May. The play is an acclaimed story about faith and sin set in Dublin, but seeing the theater is worth the trip alone.

".. superb .. " ".. a joy .." "..provocative, intellectual...and mainly a lot of fun ." Michelle Pilecki, Pittsburgh City Paper - Full review " A wild and wacky script, full of laughs .." "..hysterically funny .." F.J. Hartland, Pittsburgh Out Magazine - Full review

Watch Lauren Michaels and Matt Henderson live on OUT TV A grad student’s online personal ad lures a mysterious journalism student to his subterranean research lab under the pretense of an evening of “no strings attached” sex. But when a major global catastrophic event strikes the planet, their date takes on evolutionary significance and the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Will they survive? What about the fish in the tank? And who is that woman pulling levers and playing the timpani? An epic and intimate comedy that spans over billions of years, boom explores the influences of fate versus randomness in the course of one’s life, and life as we know it on the planet. Directed by: Michael E. Moats Starring: Rachel Downie as Barbara Lauren Michaels as Jo Matt Henderson as Jules

Rehearsals for " boom "