Not the Poodle but Ernie Hawkins at PAE

Not the inspiration for "Mean Little Poodle."

See You in Pittsburgh Part 2

A few more reasons why Pittsburgh will welcome you with arms wide open for PAE 2010 with words from Ellis Finger of Lafayette College and the sounds of Ernie Hawkins … Part 2 of 3!

Squonk Opera! Mayhem and Majesty

Some of you may remember Squonk Opera from the PAE Opening Reception in Baltimore in 2006 (“Baltimore: The Operetta”).  Squonk is a “genre twisting art experience… crackpot modernists and cartooning Michelangelos,” wrote the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.  If you haven’t seen Squonk yet, they are an experience not to be missed.  If you’ve seen them before, you may be surprised by the direction of their new work.  They will be performing during the Mary Beth Treen Awards Luncheon this year, sponsored by Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT)!

Since 1992, Squonk Opera has created nine original shows and has performed in more than 200 venues across the United States. Bigsmorgasbordwunderwerk was an Off-Broadway hit in 1999, and received an American Theater Wing Special Effects Design Award. Squonk has received numerous awards over the years, including national grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Jim Henson Foundation and three grants from the NEA.

In Squonk’s newest production, Mayhem and Majesty, the sonic hooligans of Squonk Opera explore the poetry of music making and the power of sound with camera jibs, projection puppets and kinetic machines.  They will be offering up a sampler from this show during lunch – hope you can join us!