Pittsburgh Public Theater

Life is truly worth living in this delightful re-imagining of the movie It's A Wonderful Life. The amazing Mark Setlock plays George Bailey, Clarence the Angel, Mary, Old Man Potter, Zuzu and twenty more of Bedford Falls' finest citizens in this theatrical twist on Frank Capra's timeless film. Brimming with hope and humor, This Wonderful Life is a must-see event that will provide the perfect start to your family's holiday festivities.

 
Mark Setlock Ted's Take: "A charismatic star and a heartwarming story. What more could a producer hope for? I was looking for something extra-special for all of us to do around the holidays and found this jewel of a play. It's a one-man show in the tradition of Fully Committed and The Chief. Bring the  whole family and make it a party." 

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITER

 

Single tickets for This Wonderful Life : $34 - $53 

26 or younger?:  Tickets are only $15.  Call 412.316.1600 for details.

Age Appropriateness: Ages ten and up

Run Time:  Approximately 80 minutes.  This performance contains no intermission.

 

 

More Celebrity Holiday Recipe Fun!

This month's PUBLICATION newsletter featured fun holiday recipes from Paul Newman and Katharine Hepburn. Here are even more culinary delights from your favorite stars to enjoy this holiday season.

 

Jackie Kennedy's International Coffee Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter

Cream butter; add sugar; cream together. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to first mixture, alternating with sour cream. Begin and end with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla extract. In small dish, mix sugars, pecans, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons butter. Pour 1/2 of batter in greased 10-inch tube pan. Top with 1/2 sugar mixture. Pour in rest of batter and top with rest of sugar mixture. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Meg Ryan's Cranberry Almond Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
3 eggs
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
3/4 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to mix. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, gradually beat sugar into butter. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in almond extract. Stir together cranberry sauce and sour cream. In several batches, add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with cranberry sour cream, beating until blended. Batter will be thick. Turn into Bundt pan; smooth top. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes, or until cake is nicely browned on top and beginning to pull away from sides of pan. Let cool 10 minutes, then run a dull knife around inside and outer edges of pan to loosen. Unmold onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Annette Funicello's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups unsifted flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Skippy creamy or chunky peanut butter

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.In small bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.In large bowl with mixer at low speed beat together margarine, peanut butter, eggs, water and vanilla extract just until blended. Add flour mixture, beat until blended. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes. Stir chocolate pieces into batter. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with floured bottom of glass. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.Store in tightly covered container.

 

Melanie Griffith's Macadamia Mini-Turnovers

2 cups smooth peanut butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup toasted and chopped macadamia nuts
2 sheets (one 17 ounce package) frozen puff pastry,
thawed according to the package directions
1 egg, lightly beaten
confectioner's sugar for garnish (optional)
Mint sprigs for garnish (optional)
Vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. If the turnovers are frozen, preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In a bowl, stir together the peanut butter, chocolate chips and macadamia nuts until well combined. Work with one sheet of puff pastry at a time. Lightly flour a work surface. Lay one sheet of pastry on the surface and gently roll it out in all directions to thin it slightly. With a sharp knife, cut the sheet into quarters, then cut each quarter into quarters, making 16 pieces total. Center one teaspoon of filling on each piece of pastry. Fold the pastry on the diagonal to form a triangle. Press the open edges of the pastry closed. (At this point the turnovers can be frozen. Arrange in layers, separated by sheets of wax paper, in a freezer container.) Brush the top of the turnover with the beaten egg and place on a baking sheet. Make more mini-turnovers with the remaining ingredient in the same manner and brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes. Bake the pastries on the baking sheet for five minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for 15 minutes. Serve at once, dusted with confectioner's sugar and garnished with a mint sprig, and the ice cream.

 

News About the Show

• November 28, 2007: Setlock a one-man wonder
  The Pitt News
• November 27, 2007: 'This Wonderful Life' reviewed
  Talkin' Broadway.com
• November 26, 2007: 'This Wonderful Life' a friendly retelling
  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• November 24, 2007: Stage Review: 'This Wonderful Life' a friendly retelling
  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• November 24, 2007: Actor shows impressive knowledge of 'Wonderful Life'
  Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
• November 22, 2007: Play evolves from actor's love of classic 'Life'
  Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
• November 18, 2007: Stage Preview: One man's 'Wonderful Life'
  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• November 8, 2007: Personality test: Theater director Ted Pappas
  Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
• November 4, 2007: One on One with Mark Setlock
  PUBLICATION