McClanahan and Dvorsky Say Bye Bye Birdie in Pittsburgh June 15-17 TV's "Golden Girl" Rue McClanahan stars as Mae Peterson in the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera production of Bye Bye Birdie running June 15-27 at the Benedum Center. Encores! director Charles Repole (Dubarry Was a Lady, Call Me Madam) directs.
McClanahan won a 1987 Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Blanche on TV's "Golden Girls." Other television includes playing Vivian Harmon in 1972-78's "Maude."
Joining McClanahan are George Dvorsky as Albert Peterson, Jeff Trachta as Conrad Birdie and Lenora Nemetz as Rose Alvarez. Pittsburgh native Dvorsky's Broadway credits include stand-by for Percy in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Henry Spofford in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Private Augenti in Passion and Prince Charming in Into the Woods. Trachta portrays Thorne Forrester on CBS's "The Bold and the Beautiful" as well as past roles as Hunter Beldon on "Loving" and Boyce McDonald on "One Life to Live". Nemetz, a CLO regular with appearances in Sweet Charity, Funny Girl, Mame and Cabaret, appeared on Broadway in Chicago, Working, The Rink, The Pajama Game and Up in One.
Other cast members include Julie Ann Emery (Kim MacAfee), John Sloman (Mr. MacAfee), Susan Cella (Mrs. MacAfee), Justin Bohon (Hugo Peabody), Lesley Jennings (Ursula Merkle), Jacob George (Randolph MacAfee), Savannah Stevens (Gloria Rasputin), Beth Taylor-Ackelson (Mrs. Henkle), Steve Bulyga (the Mayor), Susan Chapek (Mrs. Merkle), Jeff Howell (Charles F. Maude) and Terry Wickline (the Mayor's Wife).
Tony Stevens (Wind in the Willows, Perfectly Frank, Rockabye Hamlet) choreographs. Michael Biagi is the musical director. For tickets ($38-$10) to Birdie, call (412) 456-6666. The Benedum Center is located at 719 Liberty Avenue. Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera is on the web at http://www.pittsburghclo.org.
