Michael Patrick Trimm and Shannon Donovan in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea Don’t be fooled by the placid opening moment of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea , a tumultuous look into the mental makeup of two tortured souls. Playwright John Patrick Shanley wastes no time launching the two characters who sit alone and apart at opposite ends of a grungy Bronx bar into verbal fisticuffs that sometimes gets perilously close to physical assault. Roberta (Shannon Donovan) sits quietly munching on a bowl of pretzels while Danny (Michael Patrick Trimm) lounges agitatedly at another table mulling over a pitcher of beer with a foamy head that nearly fills half the pitcher. The two are the bar’s sole occupants, their isolation accented by lighting designer, Annmarie Duggan’s shadowy, low-level illumination. The conversational ice is broken when Danny asks if she’d like to share her salty snack. Instead of a polite no, he gets a rebuke as sharp as a slap in the face. Roberta, you see, is as ...
Andrew W. Mellon is a household name who is celebrated for his business acumen, philanthropy, and his impact on the arts and culture in Pittsburgh and beyond. This humorous one act play, by Frank Motz, tells a story passed down through three generations, of Mellon’s detainment and the unlikely friendship between this shrewd business man and a profoundly unbothered working-class Italian immigrant. This timely show asks us to consider the cult of celebrity, taxation of the ultra wealthy, and the influence of abruptly changing political winds. Andy Malone is paired with a bonus epilogue, written by Patricia Lowry, that provides a window into understanding this once-hated millionaire as our modern society struggles with similar themes regarding the funding of the arts and the appropriateness of amassing great wealth at a time when many are struggling to pay the bills. About Kaitlyn Wittig Menguc (Director) A graduate from the University of Pittsburgh’s theater program, ...