Press: Womenscene

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08136/881841-326.stm

In the Wings: 'Womenscene'
Thursday, May 15, 2008
By Christopher Rawson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Donna Rae, who once upon a time invented the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, is at it again, dreaming up "WOMENSCENE," an eclectic evening of 14 monologues and short scenes written for and about women, to benefit women.

Director Lora Oxenreiter suggested inviting local playwrights to participate. The assorted monologues and dialogues are mostly less than five minutes, and the whole program runs about 90 minutes. It will be staged tonight through Saturday, 7:30 p.m., at The Union Project, 801 N. Negley Ave., Highland Park; tickets $20 ($5 discount with student ID); reservations at 412-655-9530.

"It marks the culmination of two years of planning, cajoling and recruiting writers, staging volunteers and actors," says Rae, a noted cajoler. She credits Richard E. Rauh for underwriting the project so that all the money raised each night will go direct to these beneficiaries: The Union Project (tonight), Women in Film and Media (Friday) and LUPUS Pennsylvania (Saturday).

The program: John Stetor in F.J. Hartland's "Punkin"; Demetria Marsh in James Michael Shoberg's "Spellbound"; Rachel Noderer and Greg Caridi in Chris Gavaler's "Who's on First"; Tracey Taylor Perles in Kim Zelonis' "Retro Hottie"; Rachel Noderer, Diana Ifft and Donna Rae in Carol Mullen's "She Times Three"; Caridi in Zelonis' "Covered"; Barbara Russell in Paula Martinac's "The Tenants"; Diana Ifft in Chris Gavaler's "Cell Phone"; Jeannine McKelvia in Zelonis' "Unbred Mother"; John Stetor in Judy Meiksin's "Untitled No. 1"; Etta Cox in Marilyn Bates' "Untitled No. 2"; Rae in Bates' "Bombshell"; Marsh in Meiksin's "Mariam"; Vince Ventura in Sandy Boggs' "The Superhero."

Others who had hoped to participate include Bingo O'Malley, who got a movie, and Lenora Nemetz, who got a Broadway show. "The project was good for them," jokes Rae. It promises to be good for others, too.