Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

This looks to be a fascinating play with a powerful lesbian storyline making its Pittsburgh premiere at Pittsburgh Public Theater this weekend. The larger play is framed around an actual historical production of another play God of Vengeance. Our review will be posted early next week.

Pittsburgh Public Theater is proud to present the Pittsburgh premiere of Paula Vogel’s Tony Award-nominated play, Indecent, directed by Carnegie Mellon University graduate Risa Brainin. Indecent runs April 18 – May 19, 2019 at the O’Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater’s home in the heart of Downtown’s Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600, go to ppt.org, or visit the Box Office.

In Indecent, an ensemble of 10 actors and musicians follow the trajectory of Sholem Asch’s controversial God of Vengeance, the first play by a Jewish playwright to open on Broadway. It was created in 1906 when the Yiddish writer was 26 years old. As Indecent theatrically moves through time from Warsaw to Berlin, St. Petersburg to Constantinople, Bratislava to New York, brief scenes from God of Vengeance are performed and we learn the story of a Jewish brothel owner who uses his profits to arrange a marriage for his daughter, until she falls in love with one of his prostitutes.

God of Vengeance, which sketches the romance of these two young women and features a luminous scene of them dancing in an onstage rain, is a hit in Europe. But when it arrives on Broadway in 1923, the entire cast is arrested for obscenity. Writing from varied points of view and with a lot of humor, Ms. Vogel relates the impact this revolutionary play has on its stage manager, Lemml (Maury Ginsberg), acting troupe, and the audiences who witness it.

In addition to Mr. Ginsberg, actors playing multiple roles are Emily Daly, Laurie Klatscher, Meg Pryor, Robert Tendy, Ricardo Vila-Roger, and Robert Zukerman. The musicians are Pittsburgh’s own Janice Coppola, Erikka Walsh (Once on Broadway), and Spiff Wiegand (who toured with War Horse). Emmy and Grammy-winning John McDaniel is the Music Director. The design team includes Narelle Sissons (Scenic), Devon Painter (Costumes), Michael Klaers (Lighting), and Zach Moore (Sound and Projections). Mariel Greenlee is the Choreographer, John McManus is the Dialect Coach, Casting is by Pat McCorkle, Billie Stouter is the Assistant Director, Pamela Brusoski is the Stage Manager, and Phill Madore is the Assistant Stage Manager.

About the Playwright

Paula Vogel’s play How I Learned to Drive received the Pulitzer Prize. Indecent opened on Broadway in April of 2017 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play. Ms. Vogel’s other plays include The Long Christmas Ride Home, The Mineola Twins, The Baltimore Waltz, Hot ‘N’ Throbbing, Desdemona, And Baby Makes Seven, The Oldest Profession, A Civil War Christmas, and Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq. Among numerous other honors, she received the OBIE Award for Lifetime Achievement. paulavogelplaywright.com

Tickets start at $16. Get yours soon.

Performance Schedule

Tuesdays at 7 pm.

Wednesdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm (except Wed. May 1).

Saturdays at 2 pm (except April 20 & 27) plus 2 pm on Thurs. May 16.

Sundays at 2 & 7 pm (except May 19 when the final performance is at 2 pm).