• Donna Rae, who once upon a time invented the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, is at it again, dreaming up "WOMENSCENE," an eclectic evening of 14 monologues and short scenes written for and about women, to benefit women.

Pittsburgh CLO

Kathleen (left) and Rob Marshall bracket Mary Rodgers Guettel, while the CLO's Van Kaplan beams at right; see "Marshall time," below

Rae traces the project back to a lunch two years ago with Demetria Marsh, Joyce Sterling and Barbara Russell. Director Lora Oxenreiter suggested inviting local playwrights to participate. The assorted monologues and dialogues are mostly less than five minutes, and the whole program runs about 90 minutes. It will be staged tonight through Saturday, 7:30 p.m., at The Union Project, 801 N. Negley Ave., Highland Park; tickets $20 ($5 discount with student ID); reservations at 412-655-9530.

"It marks the culmination of two years of planning, cajoling and recruiting writers, staging volunteers and actors," says Rae, a noted cajoler. She credits Richard E. Rauh for underwriting the project so that all the money raised each night will go direct to these beneficiaries: The Union Project (tonight), Women in Film and Media (Friday) and LUPUS Pennsylvania (Saturday).

The program: John Stetor in F.J. Hartland's "Punkin"; Demetria Marsh in James Michael Shoberg's "Spellbound"; Rachel Noderer and Greg Caridi in Chris Gavaler's "Who's on First"; Tracey Taylor Perles in Kim Zelonis' "Retro Hottie"; Rachel Noderer, Diana Ifft and Donna Rae in Carol Mullen's "She Times Three"; Caridi in Zelonis' "Covered"; Barbara Russell in Paula Martinac's "The Tenants"; Diana Ifft in Chris Gavaler's "Cell Phone"; Jeannine McKelvia in Zelonis' "Unbred Mother"; John Stetor in Judy Meiksin's "Untitled No. 1"; Etta Cox in Marilyn Bates' "Untitled No. 2"; Rae in Bates' "Bombshell"; Marsh in Meiksin's "Mariam"; Vince Ventura in Sandy Boggs' "The Superhero."

Others who had hoped to participate include Bingo O'Malley, who got a movie, and Lenora Nemetz, who got a Broadway show. "The project was good for them," jokes Rae. It promises to be good for others, too.

Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette

Proud parents: Bob and Anne Marshall at the Rodgers Award.
Click photo for larger version

• The CLO Guild did itself proud Saturday with its Pink Frolic at the William Penn, including the 10th Richard Rodgers Award, given to Rob and Kathleen Marshall. Make that 10th and 11th, since they were recognized for separate careers, Kathleen's mainly on Broadway, and Rob's there and in Hollywood. Singly or together, those careers are impressive, even though the two are just in their 40s. But as they both said, it's pretty astonishing to contemplate the previous winners: Mary Martin (1988), Julie Andrews (1989), Harold Prince (1991), Cameron Mackintosh (1992), Stephen Sondheim (1993), Andrew Lloyd Webber (1996), Gwen Verdon (2000), Bernadette Peters (2002) and Shirley Jones (2007).

Pittsburgh CLO

Surprise guest Harry Connick Jr. applauds the two Marshalls

The whole Marshall family came, including parents Bob and Anne and sister Maura, plus Kathleen's guy, Scott Landis. It was a wonderful party, with extra pleasure for those of us who knew the family well the many years they lived in Pittsburgh. I have a fuller description in my online On Stage Journal of the festivities, the remarks of the two awardees and the surprise participation of Harry Connick Jr.

It was such fun, I forgot to do any serious interviewing, except for a short session we videotaped -- click here. (You can also find it listed separately or linked to this story at www.post-gazette.com/theatre.

But the day after, Rob called and I had a chance to ask him about his next movie, "Nine," based on the Broadway musical and its source, Fellini's film "8 1/2."

Rob's in pre-production, working with the script completed by Anthony Minghella ("Truly Madly Deeply," "The English Patient") before he died in March. It "reinvents" the stage musical, Rob says, going back to the movie and adding three new songs.

Ken and Jane Gargaro (standing), with three Marshalls: Kathleen (left) and Maura (right), with father, Bob.

Rehearsals start the last week of July. Shooting will be on a giant soundstage in Montreal, from the last week in September until Christmas, with further shooting in Rome in January, where the giant Cinecitta Studio is an important location in the story of the burned-out movie director. If the PG sends me to report from the set (I can dream), I choose Rome.

As to who will play that director, Javier Bardem having pulled out because of exhaustion, Rob would only say that there were two "extraordinary" possibilities and we should know within a week. Meanwhile, he has a fabulous list of women signed up, led by Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz and Sophia Loren.

But as Mary Rodgers said in presenting his award, "Don't forget the theater, Rob. We need you, too."

• There's just too much stuff today to leave space for comments on the Tony nominations, announced Tuesday. So more on this later, along with the usual fearless predictions. But I will say I think the list looks pretty good. (Most of it was in yesterday's paper, with the whole list online; click here.) I've seen only about half the shows, but that doesn't stop me from having an opinion. There are certainly omissions I regret, such as Shuler Hensley in "Young Frankenstein," but that show got other nominations in those categories. I also think it deserved a best musical nomination ahead of "Cry-Baby," but that's moot, since "In the Heights" should be a lock for the Tony.

I'll have more quibbles later, when I've thought it over. If you read my review of 'Boeing-Boeing' Sunday and perhaps my online-only interview with Mark Rylance, you'll understand I'm especially pleased he's nominated for "Boeing-Boeing." Comedy performances don't usually get the respect they deserve -- though it's probably foolish to hope he'll actually win against his more "serious" competition.

• Here's a pendant to the Tony nominations, about lighting designer Howell Binkley, who just designed lights for City Theatre's very funny "A Marriage Minuet." Binkley is Tony-nominated for "In the Heights," but he also has five more shows running on Broadway: "Gypsy," "Cry-Baby," "Xanadu," "Avenue Q" and "Jersey Boys" (for which he already won a Tony).

• The other important theater nominations announced this past week were for the Gene Kelly Awards. That full list ran online, as well. OK, the Kellys don't have the heft of the Tonys, but when you multiply their significance by the proximity factor, they certainly rank higher hereabouts.

Although I was again a Kelly judge, I wasn't at the judges' final meeting, since it conflicted with the PG spring ShowPlane to Broadway. But the four Kelly shows I judged were well-represented by my scores, read in my absence, and I'm pleased with the nominations, especially those for Hampton's "Into the Woods," the best high school show I saw this spring.

I can't wait for the May 24 Benedum Center awards gala, one of my favorite theater evenings of the year. I'm taking two grandsons (and even their parents).

• I assume it's a coincidence, but all three of Pittsburgh's predominantly African-American theater companies open for review this weekend. Both Pittsburgh Playwrights' "Two Trains Running" and New Horizon's "Get Ready" actually opened last week, but for different reasons they declared those previews and asked the critics to wait. This week they're joined by Kuntu Rep's "Ain't Misbehavin'." I hope this overlap (which we've seen before) doesn't cut into their audience support.

• Two weeks ago, I published a list of some Pittsburgh CLO alumni in a recent selection of Broadway shows (scroll down). Ken Gargaro replied: "While we don't want to get into an arm-wrestling match with our venerable grandfather in the musicals family (CLO), the young whippersnapper (PMT/Rauh) hopes to claim equal time" -- with this list of alumni on Broadway:

"Gypsy": Leigh Ann Larkin, Lenora Nemetz; "Cry-Baby": Peter Matthew Smith; "A Chorus Line": Paul McGill, E. Clayton Cornelius, Mike Cannon; "South Pacific": Christian Delcroix; "Young Frankenstein": Sarrah Strimmel; "Little Mermaid": Tim Federle; "Hairspray": Lori Eve Marinacci, Kirsten Bracken; "Legally Blonde": Gaelen Gilliland; "Shrek" (upcoming): Jacob Trent.

• The next Bricolage staged reading is "Floating Under Water" by France Luce Benson. That's at 917 Liberty Ave., first floor, Sun.-Mon. 8 p.m. Directed by Kathleen Amshoff, it features France Luce Benson, Byron Easly, Kim Ellis, Nathan Hollabaugh, Sharon McCune, Doug Pona and Joshua Reese.

• Our Summer Times comes out Friday, and in it you'll see Little Lake Theater is tackling a big, big project, Alan Bennett's fine and funny "The History Boys." It requires a number of good actors not afraid of mature themes to play British high school seniors. The audition is Monday at 7:30 p.m.; call for appointment: 724-745-6300 and www.littlelake.org.

• Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks is hosting an unusual fund-raiser for its fourth season: Shakespeare Open Monologue Night, Saturday, 4-6 p.m., at Make Your Mark Art Space and Coffee Shop, 6736 Reynolds St., Point Breeze (412-365-2117). All ages and talent levels are invited, from pros to amateurs. There'll be prizes for funniest, sexiest, most-Pittsburghesque and other categories. E-mail queries to pittsburghshakespeare@yahoo.com. It should be fun to watch: donations accepted at the door.

• Tuesday, 7-11 p.m., Unseam'd Shakespeare Company presents Solidarity, a benefit concert for its "Out of This Furnace" project, at Elks Lodge #883, 424 Library St., Braddock. Featured are Anne Feeney, the post-folk ruckus of CALLAN and labor songs from Pittsburgh's Smokestack Lightening; $25; info 412-621-0244.

• Paid admissions at city's pro theaters for the week ending May 11: