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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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At noontime on Times Square 238 members of the New York theater community with Pittsburgh connections posed for a group photo. Click photo for a larger image, or click here for a really big version.
Times Square, Nov. 16, 2005 -- The Post-Gazette put out a call for Western Pennsylvanians working in New York City show business, and the following showed up to celebrate their shared Pittsburgh heritage.
They claim Pittsburgh in various ways. The preferred identification in our list is hometown or home neighborhood; second is college; third is theater companies. But there are many more Pittsburgh connections than we have room for, so for the final tallies of whether Point Park beat Carnegie Mellon or CLO beat them both, we await the eagle-eyed historians. And how many former Mini-Stars are there?
Who's who
In each grouping, names are listed either left to right or clockwise, always starting from the left unless otherwise noted. Some in the picture still grasp their identifying numbers. Further identifications will be added at www.post-gazette.com.
Abbreviations: CMU = Carnegie Tech or Carnegie Mellon University; PPU = Point Park College or University; Pitt = University of Pittsburgh; PSU = Penn State; PH = Pittsburgh Playhouse; CLO = Pittsburgh CLO; Public = Pittsburgh Public Theater; PMT = Pittsburgh Musical Theatre; City = City Theatre.
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VIDEO: University of Pittsburgh alums Caryn Ronis, Matt Messinger and Jane Rothman Ronis enjoyed a reunion at Times Square before the group photo.
Click photo for Windows format video.1 (top to bottom):
Peter Ackerman (Shadyside); J.T. Arbogast (Du Bois, Shadyside); Armand Anthony (Green Tree, CMU).
2 (top to bottom): Robert Kwiatkowski (Duquesne/Sewickley); Brendan Griffith (Point Breeze/Shadyside); Jim Athens (Churchill, PPU); Sarah Silk (Point Breeze).
3 (top to bottom): Kevin Flinn (North Hills); Alex Young (Beaver Falls); Sara-Ann Caputo (PH); Michael McElroy (CMU); Brett Kennedy (Shadyside, PPU).
4 (counterclockwise from top): Sam Turich (Point Breeze); April Uzarski (West End); Anne Wood (Baldwin-Whitehall); Diana DiCroce; Tim Altmeyer (Robinson).
5 (from left): Tom Rocco (North Side; PPU); Christopher Rawson (Squirrel Hill, Post-Gazette drama critic holding megaphone); Preston Simpson (Upper St. Clair; PPU); Ian Gould (Wilkinsburg/Churchill).
6 (clockwise from top): Doug Rees (Fox Chapel, much theater); Tina Benko (White Oak, CMU); Sam Johnson (Green Tree/Oakland); Carmel Vargyas (South Hills); Josh Jacobson (Cranberry); Janet Fanale (Chatham); Jason Speclard (CMU).
7 (from left): Jennifer Veltre Smith (Robinson, PPU); Brian Corey (Titusville, PMT); Joe Thompson (Titusville, Shadyside, CLO); Matthew Hydzik (Sewickley); Christina Sivrich (East McKeesport, PPU); Megan Arnoldy (Apollo); in Pirates hat, Bruce Moore (Green Oak, City); Amy Cannon (Irwin, PPU).
8 (from left): Helen Karloski (Braddock); Emily Erstling (Shadyside); Elizabeth Horn (Shadyside); Emily Wilbur (Glenshaw).
9 (clockwise): Nick Ruggeri (South Side/Squirrel Hill), obscuring Warren Freeman (Greensburg), part of cap showing left of Ruggeri; Unidentified; Peter Tedeschi (CMU); Joe Schulz (Broadhead Manor, Robert Morris).
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VIDEO: East Liberty native Billy Porter was overflowing with excitement about his upcoming appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
Click photo for Windows format video.10 (top to bottom):
Aaron Russell (North Side); Mike Cannon (Verona, PPU); Martha Garvey (Oakland, Pitt); Kevin Snipes (CMU); Dennis Hruska (Forest Hills, PPU).
11 (clockwise): Kim Steiner (Indiana, Pa., I.U.P.); Bob Buckler (Shaler); Jonathan Miller (Allison Park).
12 (clockwise from upper left): Paul Binotto (Canonsburg, Pitt); Craig Weiner (CMU); Jessica Bowser (Butler, PPU); Tom Viola (Bethel Park/Zelienople).
13 (from left): Kathy West (Mt. Lebanon, PSU); Stephen Wargo (McKeesport); Dave Eggar (Wilkinsburg, Attack Theatre); Carol Anne Hickey (PPU).
14 (clockwise from bottom): Tamara Tunie (Homestead, CMU); Marty Savolskis (Munhall); Dorothy Stanley (Fox Chapel/Squirrel Hill, CMU); Thomas Protulipac (Sarver, PPU); Scott Barnes (Churchill).
15 (from left): in bush hat, Garry Moorer (North Side); Pat Sheldon (Mount Washington/South Hills, Duquesne U.); Pam Bradley (PPU); Maura White (South Hills, PPU); Jeffrey Halpern (Squirrel Hill/Point Breeze).
16 (clockwise from top): Craig DiBiase (McMurray); Joyce Breach (South Hills); Unidentified; Ann Lauterbach (Upper St. Clair, CLO); Unidentified.
17 (clockwise from top): Pamela Brusoski (Bethel Park); Norman Roth (Squirrel Hill); Susan Lee (Wexford); Scott Sickles (Ross, Pitt, CMU); David Lander (Upper St. Clair).
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VIDEO: Carnegie Tech graduate William Herz made his acting debut at the Mercury Theater with Orson Wells 68 years ago.
Click photo for Windows format video.18 (from left):
Lili Arbogast (North Side, PPU); Jeff Paul (Castle Shannon, PPU); Unidentified.
19 (top to bottom): Matt Little (Beaver County); Lynn Pinto (CMU, "Carols for a Cure"); Dan Barnhill ("a yunzer," Pitt).
20 (clockwise): John Badovinac (Moon); Sage Young (Beaver Falls); Alexander Gemignani (grandparents; CLO); former state treasurer Barbara Hafer (Elizabeth -- politics are show business!).
21: Lenny Hirschfield (Hill District); Susannah Perlman (Shadyside); Meghan Heimbecker (PPU); Dave Droxler (PPU); Susan Jacks (Mt. Playhouse, Nick Ruggeri); Kristin Murphy (Cranberry, PPU).
22: under the hat, William Herz Jr. (CMU '37); Teddi Jacobson (Squirrel Hill); Chelsea Kolakowski (New Kensington); Brandee Sanders (PPU).
23: Angela Eckard (Gibsonia, PPU); Beth Hafer (Elizabeth/Mt. Lebanon); Caryn Ronis (Pitt); Jerry James (North Side/Elizabeth).
24 (clockwise): Jane Rothman Ronis (Duquesne U., Pitt); Mary Aufman (North Hills); Ken Bolden (Duquesne U., much theater); Chris Clavelli (New Castle); Ann Talman (Upper St. Clair); Matthew Messinger (Pitt).
25 (clockwise): Jim Wilhelm (City, PH, CLO); John Fahey (Mt. Lebanon); Ruth Flaherty (Duquesne); David Brunetti (Dormont, CMU); Chris Landis (Manchester).
26: Kristin Sell (Oakland); Mark Jacoby (Public, CLO); above, Viki Boyle (Ellwood City, WVU).
27: Bryan Camphire (Shadyside); Unidentified; Anthony Newfield (CMU); Caitlin Grater (Ben Avon; PBT); Howard Emanuel (Blairsville, Mini-Star).
28 (clockwise from upper left): Stephen Wilde (Penn Hills, CMU); Ricky Ritzel (Braddock, PPU); Gwen Orel (Pitt, City, PG freelance); hidden, Kelly Reed (Grove City); Kate Tellers (Mt. Lebanon, CMU); Leo Ash Evans (Wexford, CMU).
29 (clockwise): Tom Vail (PH); Aaron Lee Battle (Duquesne, Pitt); Joshua Reid (Mount Washington); Joy Claussen (Oakmont, CMU); Susan Grady (Freedom, CLO Academy).
30: Rosana DiMarzio (Ambridge); Eric Lewis Titielman (CLO); barely seen to right of baseball cap, Christopher Schram (South Park, PPU); Patricia Phillips (CMU, CLO, PSO); Kate Gaudio (Beaver Falls/Ambridge, Pitt, PH).
31 (counterclockwise from top): Corina Frerotte (Kittanning, Public); Unidentified; Kena Tangi Dorsey (Point Breeze, CMU); Charles Kindl (North Hills).
32 (clockwise from lower left): Sarah Zeitler (Wilkins, Mini-Star); Leigh Ann Wielgus (PMT, CLO); Missy Schmotzer (Mt. Lebanon, Mini-Star); Lindsay Erb (Pine-Richland HS).
33 (clockwise): Nili Bassman (PPU); Lisa Kicielinski (Whitehall, CMU); Stephanie D'Abruzzo (McMurray.).
34 (counter clockwise from top): Patrick Halloran (Pitt); Tom Berger (Monongahela); Cecilia Ceresa (Wexford, Duquesne U.).
35: Christine Summer (Midland, Carlow); Sarrah Strimel (Wexford, CLO); Julia Beardsley O'Brien (Saltworks, City); Erinjean Jewell (Wexford).
36: Unidentified passer-by.
37 (from left): Eddie Bamonte (Oakland/Squirrel Hill); Michael Moricz (Moon, "Mr. Rogers"); Mikaela Kafka (PPU); Scott Pearson (Churchill, PPU); Mary Ann Ivan (West Mifflin, Duquesne U.).
38: Donna Pelc-Robinson (North Versailles); Dale Robert McCausland (Moon, PH); Jonathan Fadoul (Wheeling, PPU).
39 (clockwise): Jason Brown (Squirrel Hill); Harry Bouvy (South Park, Pitt); Sharon Fallon (Oakland/Shadyside, Pitt); Kendra Ross (Banksville).
40 (clockwise from upper left): Michelle Massie (Homewood-Brushton); Tracey Goldblum (Squirrel Hill); Mollie O'Mara (Billy Conn's niece); Jessica Sell (Oakland); Susan Heyward (CMU); in the center, Michael McGurk (Bethel Park).
41 (top to bottom): Michael Goldsheft (CMU); Chris Peluso (Ross, CLO, PMT); Trevor Hardwick (Squirrel Hill/Dormont) with picture of Ted Brunetti, stuck in L.A.
42 (counterclockwise): Joshua Rothenburger (Churchill); Mark Myars (Penn Hills); Jerad Bortz (Latrobe/Greensburg).
43: Paul McGill (Bellevue, PMT); Michele Pawk (Butler); Billy Porter (Homewood, CMU); Sean McKnight (Mars).
44: Rebecca Greenberg (Squirrel Hill, PMT); Donna Lynne Champlin (CMU); Diana DiMarzio (Ambridge, CMU); Jordan Marinov (Stanton Heights).
45: Anna Malinoski (PPU); John-Luke Mete (Brookline/Mt. Lebanon).
46 (clockwise): Don Roy King (Monroeville); Molly-Kai Chandler (Friendship); Jamie deRoy (Squirrel Hill); Kathleen Marshall (Squirrel Hill).
47: Roberta Caplan (Squirrel Hill); Stephen Flaherty (Dormont); Heather Carino (Leechburg); Jo Flores Chase (Edgewood, CMU).
48 (top to bottom): Asmeret Ghebremichael (Churchill); Angelica Edwards (Oakland).
49 (clockwise): Beth Thompson (Upper St. Clair); Kat Barrett (Irwin); Christine Mild (Franklin Park).
50: Joan Marcus (Highland Park); Anne Kaufman Schneider (daughter of George S. Kaufman, East Liberty); Leah Small (Ellwood City); Margaret Allen (Penn Hills).
51 (clockwise): Jennifer Soltesz (Avella, Chatham); Andrew Leynse (CMU); Courtney Laine Mazza (Lincoln Place/West Mifflin, CLO); Cheryle Terry (Penn Hills).
52: Anne and Marvin Einhorn (both CMU); 53: Stephanie Adamczyk (PPU); 54: Krista Antonacci (Greensburg, PPU); 55: Daina Michelle Griffith (Oakland, PPU); 56: Erin Krom (Dormont, PPU).
57: Tim Colbert (Duquesne U., Public); 58: Jerielle Morwitz (Penn Hills, PPU); 59: John Magaro (father from Natrona, PPU); 60: Matt Stocke (Green Tree, CMU); 61: Gina Priano-Keyser (Baldwin, PPU); 62: Lori Faiella (Washington, Pa.).
63: Todd Cerveris (father from Dormont); 64: Lonnie Gaetano (East Liberty); 65: Michael Cerveris (father from Dormont, Squirrel Hill); 66: Gibson (Michael's dog); 67: Hugh Mack Dill Jr. (McKeesport);
68: Kerri Nowe (PPU); 69: Tiffany Ellis Butts (Hill District, Pitt -- with picture of sister Monica Ellis); 70: Vince DeGeorge (Pleasant Hills); 71: Alvin McCray (Johnstown, Pitt).
72: Melony McGant (Squirrel Hill/Shadyside, Pitt); 73: Jason Alan Carvell (Point Breeze, CMU); 74: Paul Greeno (South Side/Whitehall, PPU, CLO); 75: Lynn Battaglia (Point Breeze/East Liberty); 76: Jaime Markovich (McDonald/Moon, PPU).
Signed in but not yet identified: Claire Shanley (Squirrel Hill); Jacqueline Bayne (Upper St. Clair); Barry Frank; Susan Grady (Freedom, CLO Academy); Jody Koy Litman (Chatham, CMU, CLO). Everyone was given a white sign-in card, some of which can be seen in the photograph.
First Published: November 27, 2005, 5:00 a.m.