Content about Deborah Frauenholz

11.13.10

A scene from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is rehearsed by Avonworth High School students Caroline Schaper (Puck) and Chris Pendrak (Oberon), who stand over sleeping Jon Wattras (Demetrius) and Amy Templin (Helena). The Shakespeare classic indicates a new direction for the traditional fall theater-in-the-round production, but one teacher and director Deborah Frauenholz found students were well prepared to tackle. The play can be seen Nov.17, 18, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on the Nov. 20. The cast also will stage a dress rehearsal open to the public at 4 p.m. on Nov. 16.

04.08.11

Students introduced to the music of the harp

In an era when blaring guitars, pounding drums and bizarre videos rule the musical worlds of teen audiences, many people would have been surprised to find well over 100 Avonworth middle and high school students seated on a stage floor, spellbound at the playing of two young ladies who expanded their listeners’ cultural tastes to appreciate the sounds of a harp.

06.04.10

Broadway-bound

Named for the legendary Pittsburgh performer, Gene Kelly, the Kelly Awards brings a taste of Broadway’s Tony Awards to the city as they celebrate the best performances and achievements in high school musical productions for the current school year.

Last Saturday’s 20th annual ceremony highlighted the talents of hundreds of actors, actresses and production workers as “the best of the best” gathered at the Benedum Theater to offer samples of individual and full-cast production numbers.

04.09.10

Broadway musicals bound for local school stages

Broadway arrives in the North Boroughs this week, with the staging of two standards of American musical theater at local high schools.

Northgate students will take audiences back to the era of Elvis and the earliest days of rock 'n roll with its production of "Bye Bye Birdie," while Avonworth students will drop back a few years more, to the Roaring ‘20s, with its presentation of "Mame."