In honor of Pittsburgh's 250th birthday, you are invited to a special screening of "My Tale of Two Cities", a funny and heartfelt valentine to Pittsburgh, about coming home -- and one of America's great cities reinventing itself for a new age. Please join cast members Franco Harris, Joanne Rogers, Paul O' Neill, Dr. Thomas Starzl, and many other remarkable Pittsburgh neighbors as, after the movie, Mr. McFeely of "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" leads us in singing the city's unofficial theme song "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" The screening is at 7 p.m. at The Byham Theater in downtown PIttsburgh. Tickets for the screening are just $10. Buy tickets at www.pgharts.org or by calling 412-456-6666. Making your Thanksgiving weekend extra special by bringing your family and friends and celebrating Pittsburgh together.
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ABOUT THE EVENING:
The Byham lobby opens at 6 p.m. with musical performances by
The Newlanders and Mike Stout singing classic Pittsburgh songs.
For those who wish to celebrate further, after the movie, there is a "PIttsburgh Homecoming Party" featuring special Pittsburgh cuisine and music by former Rusted Root band member Jim Dispirito, the rising new band Donora, Dave Hanner, and Carol Lee Espy. Before the screening, there is also a VIP "Cast" Reception at Fifth Avenue Place starting at 5:30 where special outtakes from the film will be shown. Tickets to these events are limited and can be purchased at www.pgharts.org or by calling 412-456-6666.
The entire evening benefits the "Youth and Media Initiative" of Holy Family Institute and the Steeltown Entertainment Project which aims to help inspire young people, mentored by film and television professionals, to tell their own stories on film as they discover new career possibilities in the entertainment industry. Holy Family's Sister Linda Yankoski is featured in "My Tale of Two Cities" as part of its illustrious cast, talking about how the city of Pittsburgh can comeback as a city. See www.steeltown.org for tickets and more information.
Please note that tickets to these special events must be purchased by November 24th.
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ABOUT THE MOVIE:
"My Tale of Two Cities" is about a once great industrial giant that built America with its steel, conquered polio, and invented everything from aluminum to the Big Mac, which now, like so many cities across this country, is being challenged to reinvent itself. But it is also the story of coming home as told through the story of "St. Elmo's Fire" screenwriter Carl Kurlander, who acted on the fantasy of many Pittsburgh expatriates, and left Hollywood to move back to what was quite literally "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." Carl soon found himself on "The Oprah Winfrey Show", for of all things, moving to Pittsburgh. But just as he told Oprah how happy he and his wife were raising their daughter here, Fred Rogers passed away and the city declared itself "financially distressed."
Urged by his dermatologist, Dr. Doug Kress, to make a movie to help their hometown, Carl ended up going shopping in the Strip with Teresa Heinz Kerry, tossing a football with Franco Harris and his son Dok on the North Side, and having breakfast with Paul O' Neill at Ritters' diner, asking them and many more neighbors how Pittsburgh can once again become "The City Of Champions." But the journey brought up that age old question of "Can you go home again?" as Carl visited his old gym teacher at Shady Side Academy, Bob Grandizio; talked with the girl who first inspired "St. Elmo's Fire", Lynn Snyderman; and returned to the apartment he grew up with his brother Tom and his mother for a dramatic and surprising resolution.
But even more remarkable is the resolution for Pittsburgh as the film documents the recent resurgence of one of America's great cities, as while others around the country are now dealing with problems Pittsburgh has faced for years, Pittsburgh is poised to lead the way for another spectacular 250 years. It's no wonder that, for "My Tale of Two Cities", Pittsburghers from Times Square to Beverly Hills to The Point joined to together to sing "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" in tribute to Fred Rogers and their hometown. As "My Tale of Two Cities" shows, it is never too late to come back!"
See clips from the movie and a special "Pittsburgh Homecoming" screening trailer with Mr. McFeely inviting Pittsburghers everywhere to come back for this special event at www.mytaleoftwocities.com .
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ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS:
For more information about Pittsburgh Homecoming Weekend, go to www.imaginepittsburgh.com. For more information on Holy Family Institute, which has been helping young people in challenging situations for more than a century, go to www.hfi-pgh.org. For more information on the Steeltown Entertainment Project which is nurturing emerging talent, re-connecting the region's film and television expatriates with its rich local resources, and developing socially meaningful, commercially viable projects in Southwestern Pennsylvania, go to www.steeltown.org |
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