Everybody scream, everybody scream! (For live theater, to be clear.)
Local fans of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” are in for a treat this Sunday when barebones productions hosts a live musical reading of the 1993 stop-motion musical about one skeleton’s quest to conquer both Halloween and Christmas. This fundraiser in honor of the Braddock-based theater company’s 20th year is set for 6 p.m. Sunday at City Winery in the Strip District’s produce terminal.
This “Nightmare Before Christmas” will feature a cavalcade of local talent headlined by Huntington, West Virginia, native and two-time Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as confused pumpkin king Jack Skellington. Tickets to Sunday’s approximately hour-long concert and a pre-show reception with Cerveris are available at pittsburgh.citywinery.com.
“Looking forward to being back in Pittsburgh and especially to be supporting the great work that barebones does in the heart of Braddock,” the “Mindhunter” and “Fringe” actor said via a press release.
Cerveris also appeared last year on season one of HBO’s “The Gilded Age” and was soon after bumped up to series-regular status for its upcoming sophomore outing. He’s a longtime pal of barebones founder and artistic director Patrick Jordan, who helped out with another barebones benefit in 2018 and once called Jordan “the unofficial arts mayor of Pittsburgh” while in town filming the indie thriller “Basic Pysch” at barebones’ black box theater in 2021.
Jordan described Cerveris in that same press release as “an enormous talent” who remains “a Rust Belt guy at his core.” He was inspired by his 5-year-old daughter, Pepper, to put together this “Nightmare Before Christmas”-themed fundraiser.
“’Nightmare’ is her favorite musical film and has been since she was 2,” Jordan said in the release. “I have listened to the music so much over the past few years and thought Michael would make the most incredible Jack. He’s a complete rock star in every sense of the word. So, the stars have aligned, and here we are.”
Sunday’s musical reading will showcase band leader Rod Schwartz’s “Nightmare Before Christmas Band” and the piano prowess of composer Douglas Levine. Joining Cerveris in the cast will be Pittsburgh-based actors Missy Moreno, Dave Mansueto, Sophie Pollono, Liz Hammond, Saige Smith, Jacquea Mae, Jeffrey Carpenter, Sarah Siplak, Holly Bryant Scott and Caroline Nicolian.
“I’m glad to be back, live and a part of it all,” Mansueto said in that release. “Doesn’t hurt to get to rub shoulders with one of my favorite actors! barebones really knows how to put the fun in fundraiser.”
Jordan somehow managed to organize this event while also preparing for barebones’ upcoming run of the David Mamet play “American Buffalo” from Nov. 17-Dec. 10.
He thinks fans of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Broadway and “straight-up rock ‘n’ roll” will all get a kick out of Sunday’s festivities.
“We have a bunch of barebones’ most beloved performers and collaborators from over the years, stars of local powerhouse bands, longtime revered Pittsburgh-based musicians, and some surprise newcomers,” he said. “Gratitude isn’t a big enough word for how I feel about these artists coming together to support and showcase barebones.”
Joshua Axelrod: jaxelrod@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jaxelburgh.
First Published: October 23, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
