off the WALL productions at Carnegie Stage A Pittsburgh Theater

THE YEAR IN REVIEW We’re proud to produce 4 theater productions every season. It is always our goal to bring productions that challenge our audiences with thought-provoking works. Last year’s theater season was the year of plays by and about women. We introduced 4 acclaimed playwrights: Madeleine George, Lisa Kron, Sarah Treem, and Rinne Groff! We explored themes that impact lives of women and men alike, but most importantly, that bring another perspective to the challenges faced by real people. A lover whose love is not returned in the same way, the relationship between a mother and daughter when the mother has a chronic illness, the struggles of a young woman deciding between following her dreams or loving a man for none of the right reasons, and the trials and tribulations of a self-absorbed couple obsessed with material accomplishments. TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE GREAT MOMENTS FROM OUR 2013-2014 SEASON THE ZERO HOUR Daina Michelle Griffith & Erika Cuenca – Photo by...

An original work written and choreographed by fireWALL’s own Elisa Alaio, On the Rox transports its audience back to yesteryear through the medium of dance. The unusual and challenging combination of history and dance seems natural under Elisa’s direction and the dramatic style of off the WALL’s new and dynamic fireWALL dance company. The cross-generational story of On the Rox begins in the late ’30′s in a New York city hotel bar and transitions from one decade to the next. On the Rox intertwines and masterfully expresses the extremes of life: heartache and joy, tragedy and renewal, the ugliness of mankind and the beauty of mankind. One commonality throughout the decades is the local bar where people find consolation and camaraderie. After all, there are few things in life that help build relationships more than a drink “On the Rox.” Ohoto by Heather Mull Performances: May 23-24, 29-31 at 8 PM; May 25 matinee at 3 PM fireWALL dance theater: Elisa-Marie Alaio, Maria Gardner, ...

Inky, a young nanny caring for the children of a self-centered, pretentious couple bent on having it all, just happens to have an intense infatuation with Muhammad Ali. You’ll find her jabbing and sparring as she models the one and only great Muhammad Ali. But this play isn’t about boxing. Inky encompasses a complex array of traits: soft-spoken, maternal, intuitive; yet also driven, conniving, and ambitious. Yet her infatuation with Muhammad Ali and with boxing skews her outlook on life and her interactions with those around her. Inky’s skewed outlook on life leads to a lot of laughs. If you are a young girl and Inky is your nanny, you can be sure that other kids won’t pick on you more than once. But Inky doesn’t stop there, helping a young girl protect herself. She, like her idol, wants to fight! She wants to better her life and the lives of those she cares about, and she’s not afraid to use blackmail to achieve her goals. Inky Pittsburgh Theater off the wall Theater Abby Quattro...

“Striking…Inky packs a punch.” – Newsday Rinne Groff, playwright of several plays and musicals that have been produced and commissioned by Yale Rep, Playwrights Horizons, and the Manhattan Theatre Club, among others, is the playwright of our upcoming production Inky. Abby Quatro - photo by Heather Mull Inky is about a love-starved Manhattan couple bent on ‘having it all’ during the high rolling, morally skewed 1980s. Some might say they suffer an aversion of sorts when it comes to parenting. However, they are not only forced to face their limitations, they must learn the importance of fighting back after taking in a young Slavic nanny to care for their nine-year-old daughter and infant son. Young as she is, her years date her beyond innocence. In this dark comedy, Inky might just help you discover the fighter in you! Learn more or purchase tickets.  Rinne, a graduate of Yale (B.A) and NYU (M.F.A), teaches in the Department of Dramatic Writing at NYU Tisch School of...

If you’ve been yearning to relive your childhood days with a performance of the musical version of The Wizard of Oz, with the sweet mid-Western Dorothy and her caring bunch of supporters skipping down a lovely yellow brick road, then Dorothy in Oz may not be your cup of tea! However, if you’d like to saunter down a different road with Dorothy in a very different time, age and setting, then Dorothy in Oz by Rage of The Stage Players  will take you down that road, and beyond. Curious?  Here’s a look at the setting and characters. Setting :  Ozlin center – a facility for the mentally ill Dorothy : bi-polar and involuntarily committed by her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry Glinda : unhinged therapist who informs Dorothy she can only be released if she seeks the hospital’s mysterious administrat, the Great OZ Skarekrow ; a heroin-addicted goth-rocker Rusty : pierced, ax-wielding biker with several anger issues Mr. Lyons : a sexually frustrated deviant searching for a presc...

Andrew Wind - Photo by Heather Mull Meet Jack. Jack is an almost famous singer with a special star quality. What is this special star quality? He can make you think he’s singing to you! His manager says that a singer with a star quality can make each woman feel that he wants her. Our small, intimate theater is the perfect stage to find out if he’ll choose you. A Feminine Ending, ending this Saturday, is a bittersweet comedy about a young woman (Amanda) trying to make it in the man’s world of composing, when she finds herself torn between marrying the almost famous Jack, pursuing her high school sweetheart Billy, or following her dreams in music. Unknown to Amanda, her mother faced similar decisions in her younger days, and does not want to see Amanda throw it all away. The Doors will close.  If you haven’t seen this spectacular set yet, designed by Tony Ferrieri, hurry in to see it for yourself. With 79 doors on stage, and door #80 by the coffee bar, this is the last we...

Wendy Arons, associate professor of dramatic literature at Carnegie Mellon University, calls A Feminine Ending “ A Solid Production ” in this week’s review   in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  Keep reading to see why! Enjoy this visual of scenes from the play and all of the cast. All captions are quoted from Ms. Arons'  review . "The play centers on Amanda Blue (Erika Cuenca), an accomplished oboist and aspiring composer whose career begins to stall after she becomes engaged to Jack."  - Wendy Arons - Erika Cuenca - Photo by Heather Mull "Jack (Andrew Wind), a self-absorbed  pop vocalist  on the fast track to stardom (think Bieber:   Mr. Wind's costume and hair certainly invite the association)." - Wendy Arons - Andrew Wind -  Photo by Heather Mull "Amanda reunites with her high school sweetheart Billy  (portrayed with terrific charm and comic timing by Shaun  Cameron Hall), now a postal ca...

Erika Cuenca - Photo by Heather Mull In a review   by Pittsburgh City Paper, Ted Hoover takes a look at our local premiere of A Feminine Ending. He gets right down to the basics and ponders the need for the play. The play is based on the story of young Amanda Blue, an aspiring musician in the man’s world of composing. Amanda is torn between giving up her dreams to marry her almost famous fiancé, Jack.  Her mother, having had to face the same crossroads over twenty years prior, thinks Amanda is choosing the wrong road. As Mr. Hoover points out, it’s been 40 years since the feminist movement inundated society with movies, TV shows, and lots of print. So why is a play about a woman trying to have it all still compelling? Will this same storyline ring true a few decades from now? We would hope the answer is no, that women will be able to find their authentic selves without having to sacrifice a relationship or career. But in the meantime, you’ll find this play to not only be...

Ingrid Sonnichsen and Erika Cuenca Photo by Heather Mull Brian Edward of ‘Burgh Vivant’ sat down with Lonnie The Theater Lad y to discuss the sold out showing of A Feminine Ending at our Off The Wall Theater. Here’s Lonnie’s Top Three Reasons to see the show: Truly a thinking person’s comedy. Lonnie considers the play to be funny, and witty with very tight writing.   The wonderful energy between Amanda, played by Erika Cuenca, and her parents.  To see the set created by award winning Tony Ferrieri. Really genius! 79 doors make up the set. The doors are symbolic of the ins and outs of life, of life changes, mood changes, scene changes, and so on. “Electricity between them and the energy between them [Amanda and her parents] was just electrifying!  So real and so much emotion, but yet so funny.  Truly a thinking person’s comedy.” - Lonnie The Theater Lady There’s still time to catch the show, but only two weekends remain. Click here to learn more an...

Ingrid Sonnichsen and Weston Blakesley – photo by Heather Mull Off the Wall Theater was fortunate to have Tony Ferrieri create our current set. Besides being named Designer of the Year by the Pittsburgh City Paper and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tony has 35 years’ experience with City Theatre. So what can you expect when you enter through the front door of our theater? More doors! How many doors do you think Tony worked into this intricate set? 10, 20, 30, 50?  Keep going. We’re over halfway to the final count, but not quite there yet!  Keep reading for the answer. If you’re wondering why the focus on doors, you’ll catch yourself chuckling when you hear the line “There used to be doors everywhere. I’ve forgotten what doors look like.” A Feminine Ending, by Sarah Treem, is the story of a female composer trying to make it in a man’s world. As she works to advance her career as a female composer, it seems as there are no open doors; that all possible doors to her dreams ...

Erika Cuenca and   Ingrid Sonnichsen Photo by Heather Mull Do you have unrealized dreams?  Is so, you’re not alone. Come see the hilarious comedy that spans the generations.   A Feminine Ending , by Sarah Treem, is about the crossroads of life’s decisions and following, or not following, your dreams.  Amanda (Erika Cuenca), a young composer in a man’s world, is giving up her dreams in order to be the fiancé of the almost famous Jack, a soon to be music star! Could it be that Amanda’s mother (Ingrid Sonnichsen), when presented with similar life altering decisions at the same tender age, also gave up her dreams?  Is Amanda about to embark on a similar journey, thus repeating her mother’s life?  Enjoy an evening at the theater to find out the inspirational turn of events in the lives of each of these women.   Click here to purchase tickets or learn more. Appealingly outlandish humor.” – The New York Times If you haven’t been to our local Pitts...

Erika Cuenca and Shaun Cameron Hall - Photo by Heather Mull The suitor versus the plague!  What happens when a young woman finds herself putting her dreams on hold to support those of her almost famous fiancé, and is then thrown into the mix of her parents’ struggles AND also happens upon her high school sweetheart? Well, besides setting the stage for some both cantankerous and amusing scenes, the scenario also calls for some deep, heart-wrenching decisions.  The parents want to see their lovely daughter live an extraordinary life, a life that she deserves, but are concerned that she is making the wrong decision. A Feminine Ending , playing through March 15, is the story of Amanda, a young woman with dreams of being a great composer.  When she happens across her high school sweet heart Billy, whom her parents adored and refer to as the suitor, she is already engaged to Jack.  Jack is an aspiring artist with his own manager and big record deal.  Amanda’s ...

Think about the great composers across time. Mozart, Sebastian Bach, Handel, Strauss, Beethoven, Chopin, Verdi, Haydn, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, Gershwin… and the list goes on. What do each of these composers have in common? Is it the way they use harmony in their symphonies, their use of phrasing, the way they interweave melodic lines, the use of syncopated rhythms, their use of instrumentation? No. The single common factor is simply this: They are all men! So you can see why young Amanda, played by Erika Cuenca, is struggling to make it in a man’s world. She dreams of being a famous composer, but in her master’s level classes, not only is she the only woman in class, she is treated with a definitive lack of respect for her talents. Add to this her diminished role as the fiancé of an almost-famous musician and you can understand why the music in her head is a cacophony of irregular rhythms and dissonant half-steps. “Nothing makes sense t...

Andrew Wind & Erika Cuenca - Photo by Heather Mull Come join the fun that young love has to offer. In A Feminine Ending, Jack, the soon to be famous musician, struggles to understand the rules of the game! As Jack is courted by record deals, fancy meals, and directed in major life decisions by his new manager, he just doesn't seem to ‘get’ the nuances of his relationship with his fiancé, Amanda. Whether it’s all the attention Jack gets, his immaturity, self-centeredness or perhaps a mixture of all these ingredients, he is flustered by the rules of relationships. At the same time, Amanda is struggling with her own role in the relationship and choices she must make. These mingled complexities of young love set the stage for a fast paced comedy that will spark your imagination as to what could be, or perhaps what could have been. When one door shuts, as if often the case on this set with over 64 doors, will another open? A Feminine Ending: Plays February 28 to March 15,...

Weston Blakesley and Erika Cuenca  - Photo by Heather Mull A Feminine Ending is a play about a young woman, Amanda, who knows what she wants, but just isn’t sure how to go about getting it.  She finds herself torn between dreams.  Dreams of being in love with her almost-famous fiancé Jack, dreams of living a simple life with her high school sweetheart Billy, and dreams of becoming a famous composer. While Amanda struggles with those decisions common for many young women, her mother and father struggle with their own challenges in their long-term marriage.  Amanda begins to see her potential future, as her father, David, ruminates about the paradox of existence as it relates to aging.  We can’t avoid aging, yet as the years go by the aging process seems to sneak up on us.  Are we to act the age we feel or must we adapt to act the age that others perceive us to be? So whether you consider yourself young, old or somewhere in between, you'll be able ...

Ingrid Sonnichsen and Erika Cuenca - Photo by Heather Mull Amanda (Erika Cuenca), a 25-year-old woman trying to make it in a man’s world, finds herself giving up on her own dreams to support the dreams of her almost-famous fiancé Jack (Andrew Wind), while also dealing with the troubles in her parents’ marriage.  Though she may feel alone with her troubles, not only are her challenges similar to those of many women of her own generation, Amanda finds out that her struggles at this stage of her life are the same struggles that her mother dealt with at a similar age.  They are, no doubt, the challenges of womanhood. Amanda’s mother (Ingrid Sonnichsen), struggling with her own loss from neglecting her lifelong dreams, does not want to see Amanda suffer the same consequences.  She wants Amanda to be happy and fulfilled, and fears that if Amanda goes through with her marriage to the almost-famous Jack, Amanda will be in the same situation as herself in 25-30 years. ...

Photo by Peter Bellamy Here are some fascinating highlights about a female playwright.  See how far you need to read before you can guess who she is and why it matters. She’s  currently working on a new HBO comedy called HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA She is a writer/producer on the HBO drama IN TREATMENT She is working on a romantic-comedy screenplay for Miramax She’s a winner of the Reva Shiner Playwriting award She is working on two pilots for HBO  She was nominated for a Humanitas award She won a WGA award for her work on the HBO drama IN TREATMENT She has taught playwriting at Yale, where she also earned her B.A. and M.F.A. Her plays include HUMAN VOICES, EMPTY SKY, MIRROR MIRROR, AGAINST THE WALL, VIENNA’S AMAZING and ORPHAN ISLAND She loves country music From a teaching perspective, she recommends studying “who ever moves you and makes you want to write plays” If she were forbidden to write plays, she would want to win Top Chef So who is she and why...

This month is all about love! If you caught our cabaret show this Valentine’s weekend, you know the songs, humor, dances and poetry were all about love. Who knew a martini could make such a great date? If you missed it, you can catch an all-new cabaret show at our theater the weekend of April 18th ( cabaret tickets ). In the meantime, up next, is the Off The Wall Productions play “ A Feminine Ending ” by Sarah Treem. In this bittersweet comedy, a young woman is trying to make it in a profession largely dominated by men. She is living with her fiancé when her first love reappears into her life. Although she dreams of being a composer, the noise in her head is anything but sweet music. Will love prevail?   Click here to purchase tickets or to learn more. "Appealingly outlandish humor." - The New York Times A Feminine Ending by Sarah Treem February 28 to March 15, 201 4. Click here to learn more or to purchase tickets. Off The Wall | Pittsburgh Theater ...

Would you like to meet the Cabaret performers in person?   Then join us this Valentine’s weekend for our 7:00 PM show on the 14 th or our 8:00 PM show on the 15 th .   Click here to purchase your tickets today!  Enjoy a special Valentine's Dance! Members of our newest addition to the Off The Wall family, fireWALL dance theater, will perform a special dance in the spirit of Valentine's Day.  Elisa Alaio and Darren McArthur will show  the true, genuine love between a man and a woman, in their performance to ' Everything I Do ' by Bryan Adams.  Throughout our lives, we encounter several different relationships and types of love.  We hope that this dance helps you recognize and appreciate the love for those in your lives.   We expect that this Valentine's Dance will make you smile, but if not, one of the other performers below is sure to make you and yours smile, as you enjoy not only the dancing, but also the comedy, magic, poetry and mime!...

Brian Edward - 'Burgh Vivant The one and only Brian Edward of ‘Burgh Vivant will emcee our first Off The Wall Cabaret Show!  If you’re already familiar with Brian of ‘Burgh Vivant, you know you’re in for a hilarious, fun time.  If you’re not familiar with Brian, then join us this Valentine’s weekend and see what all the fuss is about. Come alone, bring a date, or join a group of friends. You'll be amazed at the talent we've brought together all under one roof and in one show!  Featured performers include Mr. Brian Edward (MC), Derek Minto (Comedy), Rebecca Covert (Vocalist), Hotep the Artist (Mime&Poetry), Off The Wall's own fireWALL Dance Theater (Dance). OFF THE WALL CABARET!! SHOWING VALENTINE'S WEEKEND:  February 14 at 7:00 & February 15 at 8:00.   Click here to learn more or to purchase tickets. Brian Edward is the host and executive producer of ‘Burgh Vivant, Pittsburgh’s cultural talk magazine. Learn more about Brian. Off The Wall ...

Looking for a great experience on Valentine’s Day without feeling like you’re participating in a Hallmark commercial? Then whether you’re planning a date or a night out with friends, our Off The Wall Cabaret is just what the doctor ordered. Funny! Entertaining! Magical! Comedic! Join us February 14th or 15th for our Cabaret Show. We’ve not only lined up an all-star group of local Pittsburgh talent who will entertain you and yours, but we’ll steal your heart with the introduction of the newest addition to our Off The Wall family, fireWALL Dance Theater! Off the Wall Cabaret – February 14 at 7:00 & February 15 at 8:00.  Click here to learn more or to purchase tickets. Featured entertainers: MC: Mr. Brian Edward  | Comedy: Derek Minto | Vocalist: Rebecca Covert |  Mime&Poetry: Hotep the Artist  | Off The Wall's own: fireWALL Dance Theater Off The Wall | Pittsburgh Theater - Broadway Magic Only 6 miles from downtown.  Parking is free....

Come spend part of your Valentine’s Day weekend with us and enjoy the kick-off of our new Off the Wall Cabaret series . Whether you’re in a relatively new relationship, a tried and true relationship, or looking to enjoy an evening out with a friend or two or with a group of your friends, we've got the show for you! Friday, February 14th is the opening night for our very first Cabaret show!  You’ll be amazed at the talent and will leave yearning for more.  We’ve lined up some of the best local entertainers.  You’ll enjoy first-rate comedy, magic, poetry, spectacular singing, mime and you’ll also get to preview a HOT new dance company, fireWALL Dance Theater.  MC Mr. Brian Edward will tie it all together with his own special blend of entertainment. Our small, intimate theater, where you’re only a few feet from the stage, is the perfect venue to enjoy this fabulous group of entertainers. Off the Wall Cabaret – February 14 at 7:00 & February 15 at 8:00. ...

Our first run of Straightening Combs by Kim El was this past weekend and was a BIG HIT with the audience.  If you missed this hit, don’t worry!  We have a great line up of new productions.  Here’s a look at what you can look forward to in the next few months: Off the Wall Cabaret – February 14 & 15 .  Come enjoy first-rate comedy, spectacular singing, and a HOT new dance company, all under one roof.  Tickets . A Feminine Ending by Sarah Treem – February 28 – March 15 .  A gentle, bittersweet comedy about a young woman who knows what she wants but not quite how to get it. Tickets . Dorothy in Oz by James Michael Shoberg – performed by Rage on the Stage – playing at our theater March 20 – 29 .  This play will feature a brand-new opening, many never-before-seen jokes and bits, and NINE new actors! Straightening Combs by Kim El –April 4 – 6 .  Second run of this great repertory play about coming to age in The Pittsburgh Hill District...

Kim El & Nia Washington - Photo by Heather Mull Join us this weekend for the first in a series of ‘in rep’ plays.  ‘In Rep’ refers to Repertory Theater, where works are presented regularly or in alternate sequence in one season. Straightening Combs , written by local actress-poet-playwright Kim El, will run this weekend, and again in April and August.  We’re excited to revive this type of theater production in Pittsburgh, along with other great cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Straightening Combs, starring Kim El and Nia Washington, is a heartfelt biographical story about growing up in the Pittsburgh Hill District and the repercussions of low self-esteem and resulting chronic depression. You will live through the challenges faced by many as you journey through the experience of coming to age in the Pittsburgh Hill District through the eyes of a young African-American female.    "...Kim El’s new work is a tour de force." C...