8 minute read
Tip of the Hat to the Stars Behind the
Scenes
President
Kendra Whitlock Ingram, President and CEO
Executive Office
Rona L. Nesbit | Executive Vice President
Vanessa Braun | Manager of Employee Engagement and Director of Accessibility
Dana Love | Receptionist
Carroll de Vera Roberts | Manager of Board Engagement and Executive Special Projects
Cheryl Schnippert | Executive Assistant to the President
Maureen Shannon | Vice President of Human Resources and Legal Affairs
Kevin C. Wilkes | Vice President and Chief Security Officer
Education
Tracy L. Edmunds | Vice President, Arts Education
Julissa Bermea | Manager of Early Childhood Programs
Elizabeth Foster-Shaner | Director of Arts Education
Kalee George | Manager of Arts Education Programs
Shakirah Stephens | Manager of Arts Education and DMIS Programs
Strategic Partnerships and Community
Engagement
Theresa Bell | Vice President
Kristin Baker | Program Manager
Development
Nicholas Gigante | Senior Vice President of Development and Real Estate
Ryan Bromley | Donor Concierge Specialist
Kaylin Cranmer | Manager, Development Systems
Linda Fletcher | Manager of Foundation and Government Giving
James Hill | Manager of District Properties and Government Affairs
Timothy Kim | Manager of Corporate Giving
Heather Masterson | Senior Director of Individual Giving and the Capital Campaign
Kimberly Mauersberg | Senior Director of Institutional Giving and the Capital Campaign
Endicott Reindl | Senior Manager of Individual Giving
Rebecca Rickard | Assistant Director of Institutional Giving
Elliott Shuppy, | Assistant Manager, Development Systems
Caitlin Skaff | Manager of Individual Giving
Finance
Linda Jakubec | Vice President of Finance
Dana Agostinone | Accountant and Accounts
Payable Specialist
Timothy Baum | Risk and Finance Manager
Benjamin Boggio | Facilities, Operations and Real Estate Manager
MaryAnne Culleiton | Senior Manager, Finance –
Payroll and Benefits
Lisa Fisher | Controller
Casey Gnage | Senior Manager, Finance –Facilities and Programming
Christa Lerch | Finance Manager
Marketing and Communications
Marc Fleming | Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Broadway Programming
Emily Balawejder | Art Director
Morgan Barba | Senior Designer
Jamie Cuba | Show Marketing Director
Mitsuko Clarke-Verdery | Marketing Manager
Seth Culp-Ressler | Digital Marketing and Content Manager
Jonathan Fobear | Senior Designer
Madigan Greiner | Show Marketing Manager
Rebecca Hansborough | Integrated Communications Specialist
Ashley Kier | Marketing Coordinator
Brian Nichols | Senior Designer
Diana Roth | Senior Communications Manager
Derek Scalzott | Senior Director, Communications and Marketing Management
Andrea Sharfman | Marketing & Communications Engagement Manager
Programming
Scott Shiller | Senior Vice President of Artistic Planning and Venues
Sarah Aziz | Director of Three Rivers Arts Festival and Program Manager of Festivals and Special Projects
Bri Fallahee | Programming Manager
Tara Fay Coleman | Gallery Manager, Visual Arts
Heather Irwin | Programming Manager
Pamela J. Komar | Director of Theater, Music and Youth Programming and Executive Director, Children’s Theater Programming
Randal Miller | Director of Special Projects & Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts
Joseph Morrison | Venue Manager of the Harris Theater
Zoe Ruth Silberblatt | Venue Manager of Liberty Magic
Shared Services
Hannah Feldhues | Shared Services Associate
Linda Wagner | Advertising Sales Manager
Theater Operations
Eugene F. Ciavarra | Vice President Operations, Theaters and District Amenities
Lyla Bartman, | Production Manager
Bernard M. Bloom | Director of Production
Katelyn Colwell | Theater Operations Manager
Diane Hines | Production Manager
Joanna Obuzor | Director of Operations
Andrew Ostrowski | Theatrical Renovation Project Manager
Ashley Rieser | Director of Volunteer Services and Front of House Guest Experience
Vinay Thomas | Manager of Volunteer Services and Front of House Guest Experience
Information Strategy and Technology Services
Daniel Hoffer | Chief Information Officer
T.C. Brown | Tessitura Quality Assurance and Data Support Administrator
Craig Donavin | Ruby on Rails Full Stack Developer
Patrick FitzGerald | Director of eCommerce
Danielle Greaves | Lead Web Developer
Rebecca Harriman | Director of Projects and Enterprise Applications
Devin Loney | Network Administrator
John Mash | Network Administrator
Nancy Sheleheda | Sr. Director of Application Development and Support Services
Justin Snair | Director of Network and Cloud Infrastructure
Dale Snyder | Help Desk Manager
Katie Springer | Technology Manager
Michael Tiernan Jr. | Director of Network Operations and Security Technologies
Kevin Vetterly | Help Desk Analyst
Katina White | Tessitura Support Administrator
Christine Wingenfeld | Partnership Manager and Data Analyst
Guest Services
Albert Rodibaugh | Vice President of Guest Services and Patron Experience
Joi Brook | Senior Manager of Sales
Pamela Cain | Group Sales Manager
Arthur Diaz | Event Operations Coordinator
Rhonda Jones | Guest Services Supervisor
Maria McIntyre | Full Time Ticketseller
Julie Neal | Director, Guest Services Operations
Brenna Painter | Full Time Ticketseller
Aimee Plotz | Event Operations and Data Analysis Manager
Dennis Sen | Event Operations Coordinator
Karoline Smith | Full-Time Ticketseller
Timothy Smith | Lead Ticketseller
Eric Thomas | Director, Guest Experience
Benedum Technicians
Christopher Evans | Stage Technician, House Sound Engineer
Adolf Hundertmark | Stage Technician, House Carpenter
Benedum Engineers
Dennis Curry | Chief Engineer
Dustin Curry | Operating Engineer
Rick Jordan | Operating Engineer
Brett Melisko | Operating Engineer
Greer Cabaret Theater
Robert Bollman | Stage Technician, Houseman
Graham Fandrei | Director of Programming
Byham Administration
G. Bryan Briggs | Production Manager
John Mumper | Director of Theaters and Facilities
Ann Urwin | Operations Manager
Byham Technicians
Gregory Brooks | Stage Technician, House Sound Engineer
Steven Schultz | Stage Technician, Head Carpenter
Byham Engineers
Bernard Bacho | Operating Engineer
Todd Fedorek | Operating Engineer
Thomas Hatala | Operating Engineer
Christopher Kazar | Operating Engineer
Daniel O’Brien | Operating Engineer
Jeff O’Laughlin | Chief Engineer
Wood Street Galleries
George Dun | Gallery Attendant/Installer
Liberty Magic
Magic
2022-2023 Season Shows
n Lucy Darling in Indulgence
Wed, May 3 - Sun, Jun 11, 2023 n Jimmy Ichihana in The Cards
Wed, Jul 5 - Sun, Aug 13, 2023
Season Specials n Jon Tai in Road Signs
Wed, Apr 12 - Sun, Apr 30, 2023 n Mr. Messado’s School of Magic for the Young and Young at Heart — Family
Sun, Jan 8 - Sun, May 28, 2023 n Eric Jones in Immaculate Deception
Wed, Jun 14 - Sun, Jul 2, 2023
Lucy Darling in Indulgence
The playfully provocative Lucy Darling is just one character in the arsenal of endlessly talented performer, Carisa Hendrix. Her philosophy? “Why be just one fabulous person when you can be many fabulous people?” With cleverness, magnetism and exceptionally good hair, Lucy breaks all expectations in this character driven exploration of magic and scintillating banter. Her mastery over both subtle sleights and powerful visual magic has made Lucy the most beloved character in stand up magic.
Unbelievably hilarious, devastatingly clever, and powerfully magical, Lucy Darling is a rising star and award-winning entertainer featured in the Guinness Book of World Records and Ripley’s Believe It or Not. She is the star of the Super Channel documentary Carisa Hendrix: Girl on Fire, which tells the true story of the struggle to create her Las Vegas magic show. She was voted Stage Magician of the Year at the Magic Castle in 2019. Lucy’s creator, Carisa Hendrix, is a Canada-based touring variety artist known first for the character of Lucy Darling and second for her expertise in fire eating.
Jimmy Ichihana in The Cards
Few dare to test the limits of the most versatile prop in the magicians kit as tenaciously as Jimmy Ichihana. In this premier performance Jimmy brings his mastery of math to the art of intricate close up card magic, testing the laws of probability and transcending presumptions. A combination of time honored card classics and original creations, this brand new show uses little more than a deck of cards and a fervor for magic to create lasting memories of the impossible.
Jimmy has learned from some of the greatest magicians in the world—having even spent a year in Madrid to study the card techniques of the masters. He’ll use every trick in the book (and several not yet written) to deceive your senses. Innovative sleight of hand, misdirection and more undisclosed trickery will be debuted for the very first time on the Liberty Magic Stage in this interactive celebration of card conjuring and mechanics.
Jon Tai in Road Signs
In “Road Signs,” magician and storyteller Jon Tai recasts a quintessential American road trip as a voyage to unearth what dreams are really made of. Come with him on a journey that Sean Collier of Pittsburgh Magazine called a “remarkable” and “moving” experience. Inspired by the Ship of Theseus paradox, this play with magic transports audiences through a time warp and into the wilderness, backlit by lanterns and bonfires, where past and present blur and audience members become primary characters in the evening’s story. “Road Signs” explores questions about personal identity, reinvention, and escape through Tai’s quintessentially human brand of storytelling and magic, which the Chicago Sun-Times calls “beguiling” and “simply astonishing.”
Jon Tai is a celebrated magician and storyteller, whose mission is to foster connections between people through shared moments of astonishment. He performs magic across the country and around the world, in person and virtually, and has called the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Liberty Magic Theater his home base since its grand opening in early 2019. He is best known for having co-created and starred in “Missed Connections” Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theaters in New York City, following its premiere at Chicago’s MacArthur Award-winning A Red Orchid Theatre. Jon is a ten-year veteran of the medical software industry and is proud to support several health and human services nonprofit organizations through his magic including Hello Neighbor, the Cancer Caring Center, Beverly’s Birthdays, and Pace Schools. A graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Psychology, he lives with his wife Kate and tiny dog Nina in the Troy Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Mr. Messado’s School of Magic for the Young and Young at Heart
Forget everything you know about magicians pulling rabbits out of top hats. Mr. Messado brings a fresh new take on the age-old art of prestidigitation. Join superstar magician Mr. Messado for his new astonishing play designed exclusively for Liberty Magic. Time tested through thousands of performances at appearances around the world, schools, company events, private parties and more, Mr. Messado’s Magic School for the Young and Young at Heart will have both teens AND adults amazed from start to finish! This 60-minute spectacular, featuring a combination of stunning magic and clean comedy, is full of interactive wonder. Whether it be shouting the magic words from the comfort of your seats or by coming up on stage to be trained as a magical assistant, every member of your party will actively participate throughout the show. Mr. Messado’s story begins on the TV screen of his grandmother’s Philadelphia living room where global stars like Michael Jackson and David Copperfield ignited a love for entertainment and storytelling. In this deeply personal, hilarious and engaging performance you’ll get to know the mister behind the magic, the rabble-rousing raconteur behind the cape, the magic mentor who is Mr. Messado.
This unique family friendly matinee takes place each Sunday at Liberty Magic, our one-of-a-kind intimate speakeasy with only 67 seats in 4 rows, typically reserved only for adults. Mr. Messado’s Magic School for the Young and Young at Heart is recommended for ages 13+. Little brothers and sisters 6 years and older can tag along. No tattletales, snitches, or cheats.
FAQ: Age Requirements. We have found that kids 5 years of age and under won’t understand most of what is happening in this sophisticated magical play, and will probably start to wiggle in their seats because they don’t have the attention span to sit and watch
Eric Jones in Immaculate Deception
In December of 1972 something magical happened at Three Rivers Stadium. To this day spectators are unsure just how it transpired. Through some combination of skill, chance and miracle Steelers fullback, Franco Harris, recovered a fumbled ball and pulled the team from the depths of sure defeat, scoring a game-winning touchdown with 30 seconds on the clock. One of the greatest plays of all time – The Immaculate Reception.
Drawing inspiration from our city’s history of miraculous moments, Eric Jones, Liberty Magic’s Inaugural Magician and Artistic Advisor, returns to the Liberty Magic stage for a third residency to bring us a brand new show. Featuring perplexing prestidigitation created with Pittsburgh in mind, this premier production is sure to amaze and inspire. Don’t take your eye off the ball… or the card… or the coin… You just might catch The Immaculate Deception.