Curtain Call! The Jewish Stars of the Pittsburgh Playhouse
Sunday, June 17 | Program at 10:30 a.m. | Open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Heinz History Center | 1212 Smallman Street
Before the Pittsburgh Playhouse officially "turns off the lights" at its Oakland campus and prepares to open its new theater complex downtown, join the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives in a celebration of the many Jewish actors, writers, directors, stagehands, patrons, and critics who have made the Pittsburgh Playhouse an iconic part of the cultural landscape of Pittsburgh for more than 80 years.
This program will feature classic photographs and behind the scenes materials from Nat Elbaum, Helen Wayne Rauh, Allen Pinsker, and many more.
Registration
This program is
free and open to the public but does not include museum admission. Please
register online.
Before he became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Gene Kelly was a dance instructor trying to eke out a living around his hometown of Pittsburgh. His most loyal patron during those years was the Jewish community of Squirrel Hill and particularly Beth Shalom Congregation. The congregation employed Kelly as a dance instructor, leading to dancing gigs and teaching opportunities throughout the community.
On
Thursday, June 21, Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives Director Eric Lidji will tell the story of this unexpected collaboration between a rising star and a growing community using rare materials from the archive.
This program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. For more information, please contact Eric Lidji at eslidji@heinzhistorycenter.org or 412-454-6406.
Join the History Center as a member and enjoy all the benefits, including FREE admission to the History Center, Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, Fort Pitt Museum, and Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village.
A proud affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the
Senator John Heinz History Center is the largest history museum in Pennsylvania and presents American history with a Western Pennsylvania connection.
