PITTSBURGH PLAYHOUSE

THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER OF POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

News

Ronald Allan-Lindblom

Artistic Director, Pittsburgh Playhouse
Dean, Conservatory of Performing Arts

In addition to producing, directing, and acting in over 500 theatre productions on three continents, Mr. Lindblom has produced international dance events and is published in Joan Schliach’s, The Art of Production. He has directed internationally at drama festivals in Shanghai, Edinburgh and Hong Kong. Other directing credits include Merlin by Tankred Dorst, recipient of 10 DramaLogue Critics Awards including Best Director and Best Production; Living After Midnight (DramaLogue Critics Award for Best Director); The Boys of Summer (DramaLogue Critics Special Mention); and the American premiere of Night Rehearsal. Mr. Lindblom has worked with Josef Svoboda of the prestigious Laterna Magika Theatre in Prague, and acted the lead role in the American premiere of Laterna Magika’s The Black Monk. He co-founded California Repertory Company, the professional company at California State University, Long Beach, in 1989, and served as its Associate Artistic Producing Director until 1998. He has served as Artistic Director of Stage West Theatre in San Luis Obispo, California and the Collective Artists Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Lindblom is the founder of The REP, Point Park University’s professional theater company.


Earl Hughes, Producing Director

Earl is in his fifth year with the Playhouse.  Prior to Point Park, Earl was Associate Producer of the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami where he did over 100 productions with 6 moving to Broadway (An Evening with Jerry Herman, The Gathering,The Sunshine Boys, Say Goodnight Gracie, I’m Not Rappaport, Urban Cowboy,).  Prior to Miami:  Associate Producer for The Ann-Margret Show (Las Vegas, World and National Tours, NYC Radio City Music Hall);  Production Supervisor/Stage Manager for The Shirley MacLaine Show (Las Vegas, North American tour, Paris, Mexico City, London Palladium, NYC Palace Theatre).  Earl started his professional career in NYC with Circle Repertory Company working with 5 time Tony nominated director Marshall W. Mason and Pulitzer Prize playwright Landford Wilson ( Hot L Baltimore, When You Comin’ Back Red Ryder, Knock Knock, Mound Builders, The Fifth of July).  In his 35 year career, Earl has done over 300 productions to date.


John Amplas, Associate Artistic Director, The REP

John has considered the Pittsburgh Playhouse of Point Park University his “artistic home” after taking his first acting class with the Playhouse School as a teenager in 1963.  John is an Associate Professor with the Conservatory of Performing Arts and has been teaching at Point Park since 1982.  He has served both as an actor and director in countless productions.  As an actor some of his most memorable work was in Ah, Wilderness!, The F.B.I. GirlThe VisitBreaker MorantLe BeteKnights of the Round Table,The Colonel BirdOn The BeachThe HeiressAmerican BuffaloBrecht on BrechtMarat/SadeA Life in the TheatreThe Lion in Winter and The Little Foxes.  On other stages, John has appeared in Bricklayers for The City Theatre, Appear and Show Cause for The Public Theatre, Glengarry Glen Ross for Axiom and Hair (l973-74) for The Odd Chair Playhouse.  John has also worked off-off Broadway in productions of Look Back in Anger and Streamers.  Directorial highlights at the Playhouse include:  No Place to be SomebodyThe Vertical Hourfor colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enoughThe RoverThe ExoneratedHairKimberly AkimboLe Liaisons DangereusesHard TimesArcadiaNine,The Threepenny OperaThe PrinceThe Third Lie (World Premiere), QuillsThe Time of Your LifeWho’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,Driving Miss DaisyThe Elephant ManSuburbiaBlue WindowSavage in LimboThe Day RoomLost in YonkersBrigadoonInto the WoodsThe Fifth of JulyGetting Out,When Ya Comin’ Back Red Ryder and Look Back in Anger.  John is also an accomplished film actor with over fifteen features to his credit, most notably the star in Romero’s classic Martin, Tony Buba’s No Pets, Brady Lewis’ Daddy Cool and a featured role in Melissa Martin’s The Bread My Sweet.  John is a founding member of Playhouse REP as well as its Associate Artistic Director.  Most recently in collaboration with actor Bill Nunn, John has been developing a Conservatory outreach program that brings theatre to underserved urban schools in and around Pittsburgh.  This will include establishing the August Wilson Monologue Competition for High School Students here in Pittsburgh, culminating in a national competition.  Point Park will join with the Atlanta-based Theatre Company, True Colors, the driving force of the competition, in New York City at The August Wilson Theatre to present awards and scholarships to the top three finalists.  John is very proud of his long standing with Point Park and looks forward to serving his students for many more years to come.


Kim Martin, Production Manager/Adjunct Faculty

Kim has been associated with the Pittsburgh Playhouse since her start as a student in 1983 at Point Park University.  In 1987, she graduated with a B.A. in Fine, Applied and Performing Arts.   She stayed on at the University to work in the Conservatory of Dance and Music where she assisted in the implementation of a number of programs.  She left Point Park to become Assistant to the Publisher at In Pittsburgh Newsweekly, Inc.  In the following year, Ms. Martin was appointed the first Executive Director of Pennsylvania Presenters.  In 1996, she became the Artistic Director at Apple Hill Playhouse.   In addition, Ms. Martin directed at various theatres in and around the Pittsburgh area including Pittsburgh Playhouse, Axiom Theatre, Apple Hill Playhouse, Pyramid Productions, Upstairs Theatre, The New Group Theatre, Red Barn Theatre, and Geneva College.  In 1999, Kim returned to the Playhouse and University to serve as Production Stage Manager and has since enjoyed the opportunity to build upon and utilize her abilities in the technical aspects of theatrical production.  After stage managing over 40 productions for The REP, she was promoted to Production Manager in 2007 and is currently serving in that capacity as well as being a member of the adjunct faculty at the University.   As a member of the teaching staff, Kim instructs beginning and advanced levels of stage management, script analysis, acting & directing for technical theatre majors, portfolio and senior project.