off the WALL productions at Carnegie Stage A Pittsburgh Theater

Virginia Wall Gruenert, Artistic Director of off the WALL productions, recently sat with playwright, Andrea Lepcio, and director, Melissa Maxwell, to discuss the development and production of Tunnel Vision.  Ms. Maxwell gave heartfelt reasons as to why she felt this play had to be developed and Ms. Lepcio discussed why she was happy that off the WALL productions is producing her play. Having read Ms. Lepcio’s script very early in its development, Ms. Maxwell immediately felt the raw energy. She felt the undeniable truth of the story and the need to help tell the story.  We invite you to experience the same undeniable, powerful story, told through the venue of a two women play.  Be sure to scroll down to watch the full video interview. “There’s a raw energy to it that is undeniable in terms of truth, in terms of human experience, existence, emotion…  that just resonated with me.” “It was just so powerful, and so palpable, the energy and the emotion that w...

Carnegie has been in the news a lot lately, and there are plenty of reasons why.  There are the established businesses that have been around for some time such as Papa J’s , Sunset Pizza and Riley’s Pour House .  There are those businesses who moved to town within the last few years, such as The Carnegie Coffee Company , Modern Mercantile PGH and 131 East Main Restaurant , to name just a few. And there are the latest additions such as Roosters & Rhinestones Resale Shop , The Flying Squirrel (who sells nostalgic toys and ice cream) and Bakn Restaurant , which can be summed up in a single word (yum!).  Those reasons alone are reason enough to visit Carnegie for a few hours or an entire afternoon or evening.  Add to the mix all the performances at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall and the Civil War Room and the work done by the Carnegie Arts Initiative , and you can see why Pittsburgh’s KDKA-TV morning news recently made the decision to do a we...

See the Best of the Best! Pittsburgh New Works Theater Festival Highlights Local Talent and Talent from Afar. Over the last several months, hundreds plays, all original works, were submitted by playwrights from near and far. Of those, a select 18 were chosen for production . Those 18 were whittled down even more to a selection of 12 original plays to be performed on stage. CARNEGIE STAGE , conveniently located six miles from downtown Pittsburgh, will provide the stage for the selected winners to showcase their original one-act productions. Three plays will performed on each of the selected dates during the month of September. Click here for an overview of the ticketing packages.  Click here to purchase tickets or to view dates, times and ticket prices. Keep scrolling for an overview of each program. Pittsburgh New Works Festival #PNWF *****Program A***** Prodigal Returns - by Garry Kluger - La Crescenta, CA – produced by CCAC South Empty Plots...

The Pittsburgh New Works Festival kicks off their 25th year in just a few days. Hundreds of playwrights have submitted original works, hoping to be selected as one of the 12 featured plays to be performed on stage during the festival. It’s an exciting time for theater in Pittsburgh, and we hope you’ll attend one or all of the performances. We’re so excited, that we’ve shared the top three reasons for attending the festival. The #3 reason to attend the Pittsburgh New Works Festival The #3 reason to attend the Pittsburgh New Works Festival is to dare to do something you have not done before . There’s a reason psychologists, neurologists and wellness advocates encourage new activities. Participating in new and mentally stimulating activities preserve cognitive skills and boost brain power. And it’s good for your health. ( And if are a returning attendee, you’ll still boost your brain power too! ) The #2 reason to attend the Pittsburgh New Works Festival Live theater is more engag...

"There’s a story inside all of us.” That’s the motto of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival and we couldn’t agree more. Our team here at off the WALL productions is committed to “enrich enliven, educate, amaze and entertain our audiences.” When selecting plays to produce, we look at many factors. One of the most important factors is that the play tells a story, a story that reflects the challenges and nuances of real life. A story that reflects the trials and tribulations that real people deal with. A story that needs to be heard. A story that can change perspectives. The Pittsburgh New Works Festival “is dedicated to fostering the development of original one-act plays.” Each September, 18 plays are selected from hundreds of submissions. Six of the plays are read on stage in special reading performances in August. The remaining twelve plays are performed on stage. This year, all Pittsburgh New Works Festival performances will be held on CARNEGIE STAGE. We believe it is impor...

There’s a lot happening at off the WALL!  As of July of 2015, Hans and Virginia Wall Gruenert, co-founders of off the WALL Performing Arts Center, have donated the building at 25 W. Main St., Carnegie to the off the WALL Charitable Trust. The not-for-profit venue will be renamed Carnegie Stage, as their nod to a supportive community.  The anchor tenants will continue to be off the WALL Productions, whose main theater season is October to May, fireWALL dance theater with two new works annually and the Pittsburgh New Works Festival. Season nine of “alternative theater for grownups” includes great plays, bold choices, and talented artists.  off the WALL Productions is excited to announce its 2015-16 season, featuring two World premieres and one Pittsburgh premiere in the Acting Company’s four-play program, including repertory theater. Not only will you see many established ensemble members on stage, but also several exciting artists new to off the WALL. Our 2015-201...

It’s no secret off the WALL Productions is a huge advocate for women playwrights. It’s a busy world we live in, and sometimes we fail to question the obvious as we go about our day-to-day lives. We accept ‘things’ for what they are. ‘Things’ become so ingrained within a culture that few bother to think about them, let alone ponder or question the reasoning behind the current status or possible solutions for change. And we get that. If you’ve been to our theater, you know we like to select productions that tell a meaningful story, productions they may in their own small way allow you to see life through the eyes of another. Another perspective per say. So when it comes to hearing the voices of women, we 100% support parity in theater. Parity as applied to playwrights would mean that 50% of the time, the audience is hearing the voice of a female playwright, and 50% of the time that of a male playwright. As it is, just one in five plays currently produced around the country are written ...