EAT: It's Not About Food

EAT: It's Not About Food
Fairmount Center for the Arts
April 15-May 2, 2010

EAT (It’s Not About Food) is a humorous and poignant look at the dangerous and baffling world of eating disorders and our society’s obsession with food, appearance and body image. The play candidly explores causes and warning signs, and takes a hard look at the influences of society and the media. The play tells individual stories of teens and adults struggling with this epidemic and too often tragic problem. It candidly explores causes and warning signs, and takes a hard look at the influences of society and the media. The play also tells individual stories of young people struggling with this epidemic and too often tragic problem.

Cleveland Performing Arts Examiner Review "Amy Pawlukiewicz plays a number of roles that serve as a kind of guide or narrator through the show. She provides information and interludes with confidence and poise, stringing together different parts of the show."

Cool Cleveland Review by Roy Berko"Director Fred Sternfeld and his large cast of adults and teens do a very credible job of developing the play’s ideas. The staging is creative and meaningful. Especially strong performances are given by Amy Pawlukiewicz..."

News Herald Review by Bob Abelman "Regnier is particularly interesting as a calorie-conscious coffee drinker and an aging, long-suffering ballet dancer, as is Pawlukiewicz as the generic TV actress whose guiding philosophy is 'thin is not just in, it is imperative.'"

Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman
Lakeland Civic Theatre
February 4-21, 2010

Lakeland Civic Theatre presents Arthur Miller's classic of American Theatre that won the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Featuring Trad A Burns sets and lights and Mark Cipra as "Willy Loman," Lakeland's production looks directly into the heart of an ordinary American with depth and compassion. Willy Loman sees not only reflections of himself but also the harsh realities of the American Dream.

CPT Big [Box]: Microscopes & Megaphones

Microscopes and Megaphones
Cleveland Public Theatre
James Levin Theatre
January 29 - January 31 2010

Directed by Maura Haas

Microscopes & Megaphones is a collaborative project that uses dance, theatre, audio and visual arts to explore "the problem that has no name" plaguing the modern woman today. With progress made in reproductive choice, education, the workplace and at home, the modern Western woman's oppression manifests itself through subtlety, innuendo and the places you least expect.

Offbeat and stripped down, Microscopes & Megaphones explores slutty fat girls, an oral sex memoir, baking as foreplay, the power of punctuations, the hypocrisy of language, degrees of touch and why Mom is the sexiest woman you know.

Whisper to a Scream: a feminist performance art collective is a collaboration of local artists. Its mission is to use art, awareness, action and advocacy to help eradicate the barriers that keep women from being recognized as full, autonomous human beings in society. Whisper to a Scream is proud to make its debut with Cleveland Public Theatre.

For mature audiences only! Contains sexual content and adult language.

Pangs of the Messiah

PANGS OF THE MESSIAH

June 17-July 1, 2009
Brooks Theatre, The Cleveland Play House

“This exquisitely balanced play packs quite a formidable political punch. It will be of great interest to anyone concerned about Middle East geopolitics and the consequences of impending political change.” - The Chicago Tribune

“A pressure cooker of interfamilial and political tension.” - The Washington Post
Written by contemporary Israeli playwright Motti Lerner
Directed by Scott Plate

An emotionally charged drama set in 2012, PANGS OF THE MESSIAH portrays the struggles and conflict faced by a family of religious Zionist pioneers after the signing of a Peace Accord by the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority. This thought-provoking piece of theater encourages understanding of the wide-ranging convictions, passions and perspectives of the Israeli people and of the diversity and strife that exists in contemporary Israeli society.

Each performance will include a pre-performance talk one hour prior to curtain and a post performance discussion immediately following.

Christine Howey's Rave and Pan Review "...a stellar cast under the direction of Scott Plate delivers a powerful evening of theater."

Roy Berko's Review "Strong performances are put in by Charles Kartali as Shmuel, Jean Zarzour as his wife, Karon Sabo as his daughter-in-law, Amy Pawlukiewicz as his daughter, and Ryan Jagru, as Shmuel’s conflicted son-in-law."

Fran Heller's Cleveland Jewish News Review "Amy Pawlukiewicz shines as Benny’s worrisome pregnant wife Chava, who fears that her husband will turn to extremist tactics once again."

The Odd Couple

The Odd Couple
Fairmount Center for the Arts
April 16-May 1, 2009

Critical and Audience response...

"Carla Petroski and Amy Pawlukiewicz are delightful as the English Pigeon sisters." - Roy Berko, American Critics Association

“…each of the characters were superbly cast and played. It was a wonderful evening. Neil Simon's play is still on target for laughter from all ages.”


"FPAC's production of The Odd Couple was pure sardonic joy! This is a presentation that Neil Simon himself would be proud of - every actor is just perfect in their role and the comedy and timing rival that of anything you might find at Playhouse Square or any professional theater. If you are looking for a night of great theater, you have found it with FPAC's The Odd Couple."

Winner of a 'Times Newspaper Tribute Award for Outstanding Theatre 2009'

Roy Berko, Times Theatre Critic

CPT Big [Box]: Ictus

Big [Box] 2008: Ictus
Cleveland Public Theatre
February 22-24, 2008

Ictus is a journey through a foreign country and through the world of catastrophic illness. An athletic, healthy, thirty-five year old woman experiences a severe stroke or brain attack while traveling through Italy on vacation. In seconds her life is derailed. Unable to speak or swallow and paralyzed she must find a way to put her life back together as she struggles through rehabilitation of her paralyzed body. The brain is the center of the self. How do you put your life back together if everything that makes you you is damaged or out of commission?

A Loss of Roses

A Loss of Roses at Ensemble Theatre
Through Nov. 25, 2007
Cleveland Play House
8500 Euclid Ave.
216.321.2930

Helen Baird is a faded, disillusioned shadow of woman, whose husband left her years before. Since then, she's devoted all her energies to the upbringing of her son, Kenny. But Kenny is nearly a man and he's beginning to chafe under his mother's suffocating love and overprotectiveness.  Adding to the strain is the unexpected arrival of Lila Green, a member of a third-rate acting troupe passing through town in search of their next paying gig. Years before, Lila and Helen had been friends, with Lila even filling in from time to time as Kenny's babysitter. No great talent as an actress, Lila's looks have gotten her by thus far, but she's growing older and is no longer the stunning beauty she was in her heyday.  Disillusioned and unhappy, Lila decides to stay with her old friend and reexamine her life while the rest of the group goes on to the next big town to try their luck.  Lila quickly discovers that she's still attractive enough to catch Kenny's eye, and the two are soon having a torrid love affair. Realizing that Helen would not look kindly on their involvement, particularly in light of her strong religious convictions, the two decide to keep their relationship a secret -- a sure recipe for disaster.

Cleveland Free Times Review  "Amply embodying the author's vision of wounded female sexuality is Amy Pawlukiewicz's bruised baby-doll of a stand-in mother..."

AtTENtion Span

AtTENtion Span: A Festival of 10-Minute Plays
Cleveland Public Theatre
October 11-27, 2007

A series of 10-minute plays curated by Greg Vovos take over the Gordon Square Theatre. Featuring works by local and national writers, AtTENtion Span is sure to take hold of you! These works take theatrical risks to explore politics, relationships, personal awakenings and zombies! And the next piece is only moments away!

Other People's Money

Other People's Money
Lakeland Civic Theatre
February 2-28, 2007

Christine Howey, Cleveland Scene Review
It seems almost quaint, thinking back on the 1980s and the financial scandals involving shady brokers and arbitrageurs. They look like pikers compared to today's corporate and war-profiteering felons, who make off with billions of taxpayer dollars with a wink and nod from the government. But this play by Jerry Sterner, now at Lakeland Community College Theatre, captures that past era well. Just like in the movie, Larry "The Liquidator" Garfinkle is out to feed on the carcass of a failing wire and cable (back then, cable referred only to thick wire, not TV technology) company. But Larry is fought by the company's president, his longtime assistant Bea, and her daughter Kate. It's worth a trip out windswept Route 90 just to see Andrew Narten chew many donuts and a bit of the scenery as Larry. Sporting an eccentric Bronx accent and Santa padding to make him portly, Narten crafts a deliciously greedy, sexist, obnoxious pig. And Amy Pawlukiewicz is believable as Kate, his beauteous foe until the all too realistic conclusion. Director Martin Friedman keeps the pace lively and manages to keep a couple weaker performers from interrupting the flow.

The Rocky Horror Show

CPT makes history again with The Rocky Horror Show!

Not your Mama's Rocky Horror!

Cleveland Public Theatre announces The Rocky Horror Show by Richard O'Brien, opening Friday, December 1st and running through December 23rd! The show that put CPT on the map 20 years ago returns for an unbelievably twisted run!

The world's favorite rock and roll musical, The Rocky Horror Show will take place in the round in the Gordon Square Theatre. Directed by renowned actor and director Scott Plate and featuring Alison Garrigan as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, this gender-bending Rocky is sure to be something you've never experienced! Come join us and do the Time Warp again!

Featuring: Amy Bistok, Liz Conway, Carlos Cruz, Alison Garrigan, James Jones, Andy Marikis, Wendell McDowell, Monique MacGregor,Amy Pawlukiewicz, Elizabeth Wood

The Rocky Horror Band: Tim Keo, Rich Kline, David Maxson, Brad Wyner

Director: Scott Plate
Musical Director/Arrangements: Brad Wyner
Stage Manager: Eileen Arnold
Assistant Director: Pamela Clay
Costume Designer: Alison Garrigan
Choreographer: Amy Pawlukiewicz
Scenic Art/Properties Design: Lydia Chanenka
Lighting Designer: Kristina J. Ferencie
Sound Design: Erich Zombory-Sendovics, Brady Wyner, Pamela Clay
Assistant Stage Manager: Ben Karlin
Sound Operator: Liz Shinkle


Fran Heller's Cleveland Jewish News Review "...Amy Pawlukiewicz, who plays Rocky, also doubles as choreographer with some nifty bumps and grinds in the company number 'The Floor Show.'"