Happenings
June 25, 2003


1. American Shorts 4: War (Thurs)
2. The Transmogrification Of The Working Poor (Thurs)
3. O!pening (Fri)
4. Pittsburgh Platforms (opens Fri)
5. Pittsurgh Singles Volunteer Network (Fri)
6. Arty Party: TOLL ROAD (Sat)
7. The Stick-Figure Bathroom Art of Jason Petrovich (opens Sat)
8. Open Knitting Circle (Sat)
9. JohnsonsBigBand CD-release show (Sat)
10. Call for submissions: Pittsburgh New Play Festival (deadline July 
31)


1.-------------------------------------------------

American Shorts Reading Series #4
"War"
Featuring Chris Potter and Alexi Morrissey
Short films include Vintage Newsreels from 30' s-70's
Thursday June 26th 7:30-9:30 PM (doors open at 7)

The Hunt Armory
324 Emerson Street
Shadyside

It is with great excitement that I am writing to you regarding this 
months
installment of the American Shorts Reading Series to be held at The 
Hunt
Armory located at 324 Emerson Street (across the street from Sacred 
Heart
School) in Shadyside on Thursday, June 26th at 7:30PM (doors open at 
7:00).

If you have never been to the Hunt Armory, now is your opportunity to 
see
this truly amazing and historic space!

This month our theme is War (hence the Armory connection!) and our 
readers
and texts include Managing Editor of the Pittsburgh City Paper, Chris 
Potter
reading "Open Arms", from Robert Olen Butler's Pulitzer Prize winning
collection A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, and artist Alexi 
Morrissey
reading the modern classic "The Things They Carried" which received the
National Magazine Award, from the collection also entitled The Things 
They
Carried by author Tim O'Brian.

Additionally, we will screen vintage newsreels related to our texts and
theme.

The price of admission is $3.00 per person; delicious light snacks and 
cold
refreshments will be served. Please come and enjoy an evening of 
selected
shorts at the Hunt Armory space. For further information regarding the
readers, authors and the filmmakers, please visit our web site:
www.americanshorts.org <http://www.americanshorts.org/>.

Hope to see you there!

-American Shorts Staff

Contact Information:
Suzanne Pace
suzpace@hotmail.com
www.americanshorts.org <http://www.americanshorts.org/>

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2. ------------------------------------------------

MR. & MR$. FUNKY & MARTY are proud to invite you to their rock opera, 
THE
TRANSMOGRIFICATION OF THE WORKING POOR, this thursday, june 26th, 10 pm 
at
the 31st st. pub.

root for God's home team, THE WORKING POOR. bum out to the devil and 
his
band, SOILER. go to church with THE WHITE STRIPES OF JOY. shake your 
head in
astonishment as TOMMY AMOEBA springs from a can of pabst blue ribbon.

starring MR$. FUNKY as the deity, DAVE MANSUETO as the beast and TOMMY
AMOEBA as a can of beer.

one night only: this thursday. one place only: the 31st st. pub, where 
all
the operas operate. MR. & MR$. FUNKY & MARTY ride again. THE
TRANSMOGRIFICATION OF THE WORKING POOR.

ourtwocents@mindspring.com <mailto:ourtwocents@mindspring.com>

---------------------------------------------------

3. ------------------------------------------------

O!pening
947 Liberty Avenue - June 27, 2003

no wall productions and EDGE Studio present their sleek new downtown 
loft
building.
James Simon unveils his larger-than-life musicians in the courtyard.

Things to see & do:
9:30 Strolling accordion. Breakfast bites.
10:00 Lofts open. All day.
10:30 The Mayor. The press. The event.
4:00 Staying downtown. A conversation. Begler Group.
5:00 Music. Dance. Little bites. Beer. Until 9.

Jim & Deb Bogen 5:00 p
Hill Jordan 5:30 p
Attack Theatre 6:40 p
Jim & Deb Bogen 7:00 p
Barrett Black 7:30 p
Phat Man Dee 8:10 p
Danny O. Quartet 8:50 p

For more information: sarah@nowall.com

www.nowall.com
www.EDGE-studio.com
www.simonsculpture.com

---------------------------------------------------

4. ------------------------------------------------

Pittsburgh Platforms
Opening Celebration
Friday, June 27, 2003
6:30-8:30 p.m.

Free admission
Cash Bar

The Heinz Architectural Center at Carnegie Museum of Art is throwing a 
party
to celebrate the opening of Pittsburgh Platforms, an exhibition of 21st
century regional projects by 19 Pittsburgh-trained or Pittsburgh-based
architects and designers.

Pittsburgh Platforms, representing some of the most imaginative and
innovative plans around,  is on view June 28-October 5, 2003. For more
information on the exhibition visit www.cmoa.org 
<http://www.cmoa.org/>.

Get on the Bus!
Bus Tour of selected Pittsburgh Platforms
projects
Saturday, July 19

Fee includes lunch
For information and registration 412.622.3288

Heinz Architectural Center Curator Raymund Ryan guides a bus tour of
selected projects from the Pittsburgh Platforms exhibition. 
Participants
meet the architects and designers and are fed lunch.

Pittsburgh Platforms is an exhibition of 21st century regional projects 
by
19 Pittsburgh-trained or Pittsburgh-based architects and designers. The
exhibition is on view June 28-October 5, 20003 in the Heinz 
Architectural
Center at Carnegie Museum of Art.

---------------------------------------------------

5. ------------------------------------------------

Pittsurgh Singles Volunteer Network (PSVN) turns 500! 500 members, that 
is,
in less than four months time (whoo-hoo!), making PSVN (arguably) the
fastest growing organization in town.

Help us celebrate this milestone by coming to PSVN's special happy
hour/turning 500 party at Have a Nice Day Cafe on Friday, June 27th 
from
5-8:00 p.m.  Say you're with PSVN, and you get FREE cover.  The party 
is
also featuring $1 well drinks, $1 select bottled beer, and 
COMPLIMENTARY
hors d'oeuvres.

We'll also have a big "turning 500" cake, with candles to be blown out 
by
volunteers who have helped us along the way - from the first volunteer 
to
the 500th!

No RSVP needed, just show up that evening and look for the people with 
the
PSVN volunteer pins.  Information about PSVN will be available at the 
party,
including how you can sign up to volunteer.  Hope to see you there!


Singles. Volunteers. Mix well. Enjoy.  Volunteering with Pittsburgh 
Singles
Volunteer Network is one cocktail that offers more than an olive on a 
stick.
To find out more, visit http://www.psvn.org.

---------------------------------------------------

6. ------------------------------------------------

Gary Pletsch's Annual Arty Party
Saturday, June 28, 2003 from DAWN to DUSK
431 S. Trenton Ave, Wilkinsburg

Join Gary Pletsch's Annual Arty Party featuring the environmental, 
protest,
action art installation - TOLL ROAD, on Saturday June 28th from can see 
to
can't see.

TOLL ROAD calls attention to the proposed Mon Fayette Expressway. 
Gary's
enchanting garden will be a focal point of activities that will serve 
as a
metaphor for the Pittsburgh landscape that could be scarred by the
construction of the toll road. By building a concrete sidewalk through 
his
beautiful garden Gary hopes to shock and awe his guests and bring an
awareness that this same destruction is proposed on an even larger 
scale in
the Mon Valley.

Big deal. A sidewalk? So what - where's the art? Who knows? Come 
experience
this event for yourself.

Gary's pottery, garden planters and plants from the installation will 
be
available for purchase.

On hand will be representatives from Penn Future, GASP, Nine Mile Run
Watershed Project, Organics Garden Center, and a host of friends in the
neighborhood to generate a dialogue around this installation.

Don't miss it...TOLL ROAD will be part of the last Arty Party held at 
431
South Trenton Avenue.

Suggested TOLL: $1 (or take the Herman Pearl bypass to avoid the Toll)
For information and directions, contact Heather Sage at Penn Future
412.258.6681

---------------------------------------------------

7. ------------------------------------------------

The Stick-Figure Bathroom Art of Jason Petrovich

Rumshakers, a South Side drinking establishment on the corner of S. 
13th
Street and East Carson, announces the opening of "The Stick-Figure 
Bathroom
Art of Jason Petrovich" restroom exhibit, with a special reception 
scheduled
for Saturday, June 28, 2003.

"Everyone loves cartoons," says Petrovich, who has spent the past few 
months
painting various frames from his comic strip, Sticks N' Stoned, onto 
the
restroom walls at Rumshakers.  "It just gives people something to look 
at.
I mean, I hate going into a bathroom and just staring right at the 
wall."

A resident of the South Side, Petrovich considers his comic 
strip--which
features characters named Drunk Boy and Beer Dog--an off-shoot of his
environment.

"The inspiration for Sticks N' Stoned is really engrained in my
neighborhood," he says.  "I live in South Side, and there's a lot of 
bars
here so I get to see a lot of drunk people.  A lot of stoned people.  A 
lot
of people.  And people give me the inspiration."

The exhibit's opening reception will take place on Saturday, June 28, 
2003,
from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  In addition to tours of the restrooms and 
a
special portfolio viewing, a short documentary on the event, likewise
entitled "The Stick-Figure Bathroom Art of Jason Petrovich," will 
premier at
6:15 p.m. on Rumshakers' now-permanent big screen TV.  The bar will 
offer
cheese and vegetable platters as well as drink specials, which will be
served on napkins that Petrovich has personalized with stick-figure
drawings.

"The Stick-Figure Bathroom Art of Jason Petrovich" restroom exhibit 
runs
through Saturday, August 30, 2003.  The opening reception is free, but 
you
must be 21 or over.

For more information, contact: anthonyletizia@hotmail.com

Rumshakers is located at 1224 E. Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203, 
and
can be reached at (412) 431-5910.

---------------------------------------------------

8. ------------------------------------------------

Think knitting's just a winter-time activity? You have probably never 
been
so wrong in your life. This "summer", you can knit a rollneck sweater, 
you
can be optimistic and knit a halter top or bikini, or you can always 
start
on a scarf and actually give it to someone as a Christmas present, on
December 25th!


Open Knitting Circle
Saturdays 3-5pm at the Quiet Storm, Penn Avenue, Garfield
Beginners more than welcome.
Questions? judev2821@hotmail.com

---------------------------------------------------

9. ------------------------------------------------

JohnsonsBigBand CD-release show

Sat., June 28, 8pm, first band hits the stage at 8:30.
Brew House, 21st & Mary St., South Side
$10

Talk about one event having it all...three great bands, a huge
phantasmagoria of film, refreshing beverages, tasty food, and all for a 
good
cause. If you don't make it, you'll regret it. We'll hunt you down & 
make
sure you regret it.

The Johnsons Big Band (Pgh.-based large-scale eccentric rock)
Oneida (Brooklyn/internationally famed/ridiculously brilliant/recording 
live
CD this night)
Midnite Snake (members of Modey Lemon, Alexei & Justins, Pay Toilets)
MuleKicked Visions (creating live projected phantasmagoria to muss with 
yo
brain)

JohnsonsBigBand celebrates the release of "(Love Taps &) Soft Punches" 
on
Rickety Records.
Early show - 8pm, ending around Midnight - so don't come late!

Catering by Herbs & Spices; frothy beverages provided; 'nuff luvv fe 
all
ages.

for more info, check <www.rickety.org> or <www.johnsonsbigband.com> or 
email
juddy@telerama.com

Brew House <http://www.brewhouse.org/>
I.A.C. Performance Garage
2100 Mary Street
South Side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

---------------------------------------------------

10. ------------------------------------------------

Gemini Theater Company is currently accepting full-length plays for its 
6th
Annual Pittsburgh New Play Festival. Deadline for submissions: July 31,
2003. Call 1-866-243-6460 for complete submission guidelines.

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