Giving Thanks

Week 51: Pittsburgh, PA

Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.
--Marianne Williamson


As I mentioned before, I was born here in Pittsburgh, as was my older brother. My parents met in the drama department of Carnegie Tech (which later became Carnegie Mellon). After they married, they lived here for a few years and then moved us to Massachusetts. I don't have memories of Pittsburgh, aside from one summer I spent here in 1978 when my Dad was designing the scenery for the Civic Light Opera season at Heinz Hall. I remember hanging out in the paint studio with him as he worked, washing brushes and buckets, helping to size drops. I remember the majestic white, gilt and red velvet interior of Heinz Hall, and the wonderful productions, which included "Company," "Anything Goes," and a beautiful "Oliver!" starring Clive Revill, reprising the role of Fagin, which he created in the original London and Broadway casts of the show. I remember the remarkable sight of those three mighty rivers joining together in the city, and a trip to Kennywood amusement park; I also saw "Star Wars" on the big screen here that summer. Now that I have completely dated myself...


If you have read my bio on my website you will know that I spent several years impersonating the great Marlene Dietrich. Thus, the photo that launches this week's post. If you are looking for a fun flick for a snowy night in front of the fire this winter, check out 1942's "Pittsburgh." A tale of ambition in the steel industry, it stars John Wayne as "Pittsburgh," Randolph Scott as "Cash" and Marlene as Josie, whose nickname is, and no, I am dead serious--"Hunky." Dietrich's penultimate dramatic moment in this film is a harrowing scene in which she plummets to her death in a mine shaft elevator that comes detached from its cable. Dietrich always played women of easy virtue who had to die to keep the Hays office happy. But I digress.

Architectural grandeur highlights this visit to Pittsburgh, beginning with my hotel this week, the historic William Penn Hotel.
Built in 1916, this is one of the great American hotels, like the Plaza in New York. From the elegant lobby, with its sparkling chandeliers, presently swathed in garland, twinkling lights and an enormous Christmas tree, to the plush guest rooms and the stately ballrooms, this is definitely a swellagent place from a bygone era. It's been a delight to stay here, and the company threw us a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner in the Lawrence Welk Room (his band began it's rise to fame at the William Penn, and the famous bubble machine not only made its premiere here but is still stored somewhere in the hotel!).
The food was just delicious and it was a chance for the entire cast, crew and management to dress up a little and be family together on this festive holiday.

The grandeur continues at our venue this week, the Benedum Center.
Built in 1927 as The Stanley Theatre, it was originally a movie palace similar to Radio City Music Hall, presenting big screen entertainment and lavish stage shows. Beautifully restored, the venue is just breathtaking, with 90 crystal chandeliers and torchieres, gleaming brass railings, Florentine style friezes, and a mirrored lobby meant to emulate the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. It's a beautiful venue, and is home to the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera now, nearby Heinz Hall being used primarily for the symphony. Pittsburgh is an interesting city to stroll around, at once seedy and solid-- skyscrapers sharing the landscape with ornate 19th century buildings reflecting the ostentation of a city built on the wealth of the great steel magnates. I have enjoyed taking pictures of some of the architectural gems here.



Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.
--Andy Warhol

That quote just about encapsulates the commercial theatre! My one museum outing here was a real beaut. The Warhol Museum is a unique tribute to one of Pittsburgh's favorite sons, and with seven floors of art and archival material, it is a comprehensive overview of the art and life of the enigmatic Andy Warhol.
I never quite realized how diverse his talents were. Of course there are the famous Campbell's Soup cans and the celebrity portraits, from Liz Taylor to Marilyn. But he also did some striking abstract works, including mammoth Rorschach images in metallic inks and a large canvas on which he experimented with the effects achieved by urinating on to copper-based paint (sounds gross but the final result was rather pretty). From his work as a commercial artist and film maker, to the publisher of Interview magazine (he said he started the publication to get free tickets to events), Warhol was intensely aware of American culture and all its detail, which he collected in his consciousness and used to create art with a very particular and compelling point of view. He was a true aesthete in the tradition of Oscar Wilde, viewing life as art and the artist as art. His signature black Ray Ban glasses and wild blond wig made him as iconic as the images he used in his work. The museum also includes the work of some of his contemporaries and collaborators like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. But my favorite room was the one containing Warhol's "clouds:" silver foil pillows filled with helium being gently wafted around a white room by fans. I had a delightful time watching a little angel-haired child romping amongst these puffs of silver. It was a playful collision of art and life that I think Warhol would have found delightful.

The holiday this week, the time I have spent in Pittsburgh and the kindness of a new friend I made here have all reminded me how important it is to try and stay in a place of gratitude and appreciation of all that I have and the beauty that life has to offer. It is easy to get bogged down in concerns and anxieties, to fret about the economy and worry about money, to try and hold on to what one has for fear of losing it and being without. It's easy to lose perspective; to forget the gifts one has been granted--of health, of vitality, of meaningful work, of loved ones. There are some people in my circle and in the circles of my friends who are suffering, who are dealing with catastrophic illnesses; the death toll continued to rise this week in Mumbai, where innocent people have been the victims of hate and ignorance. In the face of despair, and our own feelings of helplessness, there is power in gratitude. I hope that this Thanksgiving brought great bounty to you and the feeling that you are blessed and have much to be thankful for. May we carry those feelings into the new year.

Sigrid is my Pittsburgh dresser.
She has the elegant carriage of a dancer, and used to work in the fashion industry, draping and tailoring--she says with pride that her specialty was creating suits and if you know anything about that kind of tailoring, you know it requires great skill and attention to detail. I have no doubt Sigrid was terrific at it. She has been a pleasure to work with here. The Pittsburgh audiences have been enthusiastic and generous. We are doing the annual holiday fund drive for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS right now. At each performance, cast members collect money in the lobby for this very worthy charity which has raised $100,000,000 through this kind of grass roots fundraising. If you are looking for a worthy cause to contribute to this season, I recommend BC/EFA. The money you contribute goes directly to those who need it, from all walks of life. And so, in closing this week, let me thank you for YOU. Your interest in my journey and your enthusiasm for the work I do lifts me up and makes me feel connected. So thank you for sticking with me! Sioux City is next...