PREVIEW: Birthday at Tiffany’s

Christine CMC Bethea’s production, Birthday at Tiffany’s, premieres at The New Hazlett Theater on November 20th and 21st. 1980s Homewood: A middle-class couple will do anything to keep their 7-year-old’s birthday on track—even if it means playing nice with the impossible. 

Click Here for Tickets!
______________________

Melissa Cardello-Linton: What drew you to the story of Birthday at Tiffany’s, and why is it important to set it in Homewood?

Christine CMC Bethea: Having the setting for Birthday at Tiffany’s in Homewood is significant, because in Pittsburgh’s history Homewood became the refuge for a lot of families in the Hill District. And I feel as though that’s significant in that August Wilson wrote a lot about the Hill District and how many of these families moved to Homewood. And this family that I’m writing about is in essence the next generation of people that moved from the Hill District, which was demolished.

MCL: The show is full of humor—what’s your favorite funny moment in rehearsal so far?

CB: To me, one of the most humorous moments in the play is when Pops sings “Amazing Grace” with the Cab Driver, and the reason I love that so much is because music has always been one of the keys that’s made people work together. It’s a crossover song, so I feel like every culture has enjoyed “Amazing Grace” – and the fact that they sing it together when it’s a period of tension, I think really works well to not only be humorous but to our humanity and our commonality as people.

MCL: Are there any moments where the humor really sneaks in a deeper emotional punch?

CB: There are a lot of moments in the play where I feel like there’s a lot of crossover between humor and a very serious message that I’m trying to get across to the audience. One of those moments is when Ed and his wife Elaine are discussing people that are not coming to the party, and the fact that they RSVP’d and I like people to think about what it means when you make a promise to someone, and how culturally that promise can be changed by certain pressures or certain expectations. And when you make a promise, how much of it is going to be done because of your own sense of morality? Or are you going to give away and capitulate your own ability to do something fair based on someone else’s say so or pressure?

MCL: If you were throwing a birthday party in the spirit of this show, what chaos would you expect?

CB: In writing Birthday at Tiffany’s, I had to separate myself from the characters in my own play, because what would happen in my life would be very different from what happened in the play. I mean, if it was my party, trust me, my mother would have showed up. I’d have called her. I would have wanted to know everything she had to say. You know, Pops would have probably been a little bit louder and a little bit more obnoxious. And Ed, I don’t know. He might have actually left the house or did a number of things. But luckily, I was the writer and not the characters.

______________________

 Birthday at Tiffany’s runs at the New Hazlett Theater: Nov 20 at 7:30 pm, November at 10am, 7:30 pm.

Click Here for Tickets!

______________________

Christine CMC Bethea CSA Artist 2025/26
Dominique Briggs Director

CAST
(in order of appearance)
Richard McBride- Ed Myers
Tanika Harris – Elaine Myers
Mils “M.J.” James – Pops
Mike Zolovich – Cabbie Herman
Jenny Malarkey- Cabbie’s Wife
Rhea Briggs – Tiffany Myers

CREATIVES
Lillie Tuck – Scenic Designer & Costume Designer
Matthew B. Russell –
Lighting Designer
Wayne Gaines – Sound Designer
Lindsay L. Barr – Dramaturg
Mils “M.J.” James –
Choreographer/Fight Coordinator
Alyse Hogan – Stage Manager
Livie Johnston – Assistant to Artistic Producer

______________________

Accessible seating and assistive listening devices are available for all CSA Season 13 productions.

The New Hazlett Theater is also eager to invite student groups to the theater, including talkbacks with the artists.

Please email Nathan Wagner with any questions.

______________________

Season art & design: Bootstrap Design Co. | CSA Season 13 Artist Portraits: Matt Dyak | Performance photos: Renee Rosensteel

______________________

About Community Support Art (CSA)
Since 2013, the New Hazlett Theater’s CSA Performance Series has brought emerging and mid-career performing artists to the stage. We’re passionate about providing a space for Pittsburgh’s amazing pool of creative talent to develop, collaborate, grow, and flourish. From dance to music and original plays to experimental animation, our CSA pushes the boundaries of performance at every show. For more information, visit https://newhazletttheater.org/csa 

About The New Hazlett Theater
The New Hazlett Theater is more than a beautifully restored historic building.  We’re a nonprofit organization working to nurture and promote art in Pittsburgh through innovation and collaboration. As a creative hub for a diverse range of artists, audiences, and performances, we provide vital resources to creators to enrich our cultural community. For more information on who we are and what we do, please visit www.newhazletttheater.org