Review: Womenscene

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08138/882523-42.stm

Stage Review: 'Womenscene' offers unusually diverse local skits
Saturday, May 17, 2008
By Samantha Bennett, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If your theatrical diet consists mainly of Broadway tours and flashy productions in the well-known venues Downtown, you may not be getting enough fiber.

For something locally grown, organic and beneficial to local organizations -- as well as being entertaining food for thought -- you could head out to the Union Project tonight for "Womenscene," "an evening of eclectic theatre written for women, about women and to benefit women."

There's a little something for everyone in the 90 minutes of short pieces (mostly monologues) written by local playwrights and performed by local actors. The evening begins with a birth, as a fond dad played by John Stetor recalls the years spent raising "Punkin' " (written by F. J. Hartland), and before the final love letter to a can-do single mom written by Sandy Boggs and performed by Vince Ventura, we've seen persecution, comedy, Internet porn, sexuality, culture, loss, political polemics, stalking and celebrity.

Standouts include Chris Gavaler's "Who's on First," a rapid-fire modern update on the old Abbott and Costello chestnut performed by Rachel Noderer and Greg Caridi, and Paula Martinac's "The Tenants," with the splendid Barbara Russell as a quintessentially Pittsburgh landlady.

Kim Zelonis' "Retro Hottie" explores a predicament that could happen to any woman who was young and needed the money, while her "Covered" is the playful confession of a man who can understand, if not entirely approve of, the utility of the burqa. A third Zelonis piece, "Unbred Mother," was dropped from the lineup Thursday night when I was there, but it should be back tonight.

"She Times Three" by Carol Mullen has a setup and rhythm that recalls "The Vagina Monologues," while Marilyn Bates' "Untitled No. 2," affectingly read by Etta Cox, is also reminiscent of some of the darker, hush-inducing material in Ensler's landmark work.

Founder and performer Donna Rae and director Lora Oxenreiter have stitched together a quirky, diverse, absorbing evening and informed it with infectious energy. All proceeds go to the Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania, Women and Film in Media, Pittsburgh, and the Union Project, a community and job-training center.

The acoustics of the former church venue aren't ideal; there's a lot of echo, partly controlled by microphones, and the occasional idling bus or passing motorcycle intrudes. On the other hand, there are hors d'oeuvres at every performance, and a coffee bar that helps create an informal, neighborhood coffeehouse ambience.

You can fill your plate with something you won't get just anywhere.

Samantha Bennett can be reached at sbennett@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3572.
First published on May 17, 2008 at 12:00 am

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.