Current News
PA Cyber field trip: Pittsburgh’s innovative history told in song, skits
Gretchen Bluemle plays the part of a teen who gets a lesson in Pittsburgh history from rock star “Razor,” played by Ted Watts
PA Cyber field trip: Pittsburgh’s innovative history told in song, skits
Did you know that Pittsburgh spawned the Ferris Wheel (George Ferris, engineer), the first commercial radio station (KDKA), the environmental movement (“Silent Spring” author Rachel Carson) and the banana split?
A musical theater group called the Incredibly Innovative Innovators used songs, skits and video to tell the story of inventors and originators from Pittsburgh. The show was presented Thursday, Jan. 31, in the 750-seat theater at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland, Pa.
Erica Smith arranged the historical performance as a field trip for students in the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, and invited students from Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School to fill the theater.
The plot involves a teenage girl whose favorite rock band magically appears to help with her neglected social studies assignment on a report about historical innovators from Western Pennsylvania over the past 250 years. In an entertaining and engaging presentation, the show tells the stories of George Westinghouse and his electrical inventions, Dr. Jonas Salk and the polio vaccine, and how Lewis and Clark launched their expedition from Pittsburgh. The Klondyke bar, the Jeep, multiple organ transplants, advanced robotics, emoticons, bebop music and movie theaters all got their start in Pittsburgh. The first World Series game was here, and the first professional football game.
After the show, the young troupe of actors (ages 24-31) lined up onstage to interact with the audience, many of whom aspire to become entertainment professionals themselves. The troupe members answered questions about their show business careers and gave impromptu performances, much to the delight of the crowd. They said they will perform this show more than 100 times over a five-month period in locations as challenging as school hallways. Recognizing that the Lincoln Park theater is one of the most professional and spacious venues they’ll be in this year, the producers used the opportunity to stage publicity photos after the two-hour performance.
Innovative Innovators is a production by The Pittsburgh CLO Gallery of Heroes and is created in partnership with The Senator John Heinz History Center.