PITTSBURGH (Friday, September 30, 2005) KDKA's Ken Rice set the tone last night at the Byham Theater. He did a satiric warm-up like he never gets to do on TV, including a show-stopping version of Onorato, sung to the tune of the Eagles' Desperado. It was worth the price of admission itself and could have been improved only by having Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt as backup vocalists.

	John Burnett, Patrice King Brown, KDKA; Vince Sims, WPXI join the crowd at “Off the Record V”. Click for larger image.

What followed was the fifth edition of the Off the Record series, and by all accounts, one of the best. AFTRA's Chuck Aber seems to be making a career of playing Mayor Tom Murphy. His version may be truer than Murphy's. It certainly was funnier.

The premise was Dickensian. Outgoing Mayor Murphy takes his heir apparent Bob O'Connor (David Flick) on a series of Christmas Past-type visits to times and places that made Pittsburgh what it is today. All this to prepare O'Connor for his future as mayor.

This year's show was directed by Gregory Lehane and produced by Chris Rawson. Deana Munro served as Musical Director. The tightest, most hilarious writing in the series so far was provided by Gary Rotstein and Dan Kamin with Chris Rawson, Tim Menees and Samantha Bennett.

“Lots of figures come back to life,” the director said in a Post-Gazette interview, referring people like Mayor David L. Lawrence, industrialist Henry Clay Frick, composer Stephen Foster and Steelers founder Art Rooney.

The music really was terrific this year, from Sally Kalson's opener to Kamin's My Town. Samantha Bennett's Don't Cry for Me, Nongahela hit home, with David Early playing the mythical Chief Nongahela. Mark Roth, Gary Rotstein, Cindi Lash, Tim Menees and Mackenzie Carpenter provided the lyrics to a whole series of satirical tunes based very loosely on the area's history.

	AFTRA Members at Work, Selling Raffle Tickets for Original Artwork by Tim Menees and Rob Rogers. Click for larger image.

Most of those involved have been here before. Such Off the Record veterans as Aber, Johnna Pro, Michael Moats, Early, Christine Laitta, Menees, Tom Schaller, Nancy Mimless and Billy Hartung. And first-timers Bingo O'Malley (who looks great in a kilt), Sheila McKenna and 8-month-old Angelina Marie Moats, as well as musical director Deana Muro, who Lehane says “gives us a whole new spirit and energy.”

As is our tradition, the show was a benefit for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank with some proceeds going to the Newspaper Guild and AFTRA scholarship funds.

The shows thus far have raised over $100,000.00 for the Food Bank. Off the Record now rightfully takes its place as the social event of the season.