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Synopsis

Cast

• LHS member: Mike Murphy | bio

  Mike Murphy holds a M.A. from Duquesne University, 2004 in History. and a B.A. from Duquesne University, 1986 in Sociology with a Minor in History.  He graduated Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh in 1981.  Mike is a passionate student of History - particularly Pittsburgh History.

  Mike has been employed by Allegheny County since 1992 in The Dept. of Court Records. Mike Murphy is a lifelong resident of the Bloomfield community of Pittsburgh. He has served for six years as Program Director of Lawrenceville Historical  Society. Mike is very familiar with Allegheny Cemetery. He has placed flags at veteran’s graves there in anticipation of Memorial Day for the past 25 years. Mike is married to Trisha Marner Murphy. They have two Children Marigrace and David.

• LHS docent: Martha Ressler | bio

  Martha Ressler is an artist who maintains an interest in history. She is the president of the Pittsburgh Society of Artists and a member of: the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh and the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh. Her home and her studio are in the Lawrenceville section, and she often draws her inspiration from the industrial facilities and row houses of that area. She works as an Administrative Assistant at McConway & Torley, an historic foundry in Lawrenceville.

  Ressler has a BA from Oberlin College in History and an MA from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in the History of Art. She has continued her art education and won awards for her painting and fiber art work.

  She is a member of the Lawrenceville Historical Society and enjoys the annual tours she gives of Allegheny Cemetery for Doo Dah Days.

  She is married to Jay Ressler, a photographer.

• President, Lawrenceville Historical Society: Dan Simkins | bio

  Dan Simkins has served as President of the Lawrenceville Historical Society since 2004. As president, his vision has been to help promote the historic Pittsburgh neighborhood as a destination for people living in the surrounding region.

  Simkins conceptualized The Stephen Foster Music and Heritage Festival aka Doo Dah Days - a free music festival honoring Stephen Foster which has been held near the composer’s grave in Allegheny Cemetery since 2006. Also, during Simkins tenor, the LHS has published two new books and republished another. Under Simkins’ leadership, the organization also hosts the annual Lawrenceville House Tour.

  Simkins holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Graphic Design from La Roche College. He works as an eLearning Specialist for McKesson PS&A.

  Dan Simkins has lived in Lawrenceville since 2000. He is married to Renee Simkins. They have two children, Roman and Olivia.

• author: Ellen Hunter Ulken | bio

  With roots in Hamilton County, Florida, Ellen moved from age 8 to 18, with her military family all over the United States and Germany.  She attended Piedmont Hospital School of Nursing in Atlanta, Georgia, and worked for several years as a nurse before becoming a flight attendant.  She lived for 40 years in the New Orleans area where her son, Eric, grew up.  Ellen now resides in Peachtree City, Georgia with her friend and companion, Jerry Watts M.D. (whom she’s known since nursing school), and his English setter, Luke.
   
  Ellen came to writing in her fifties, after a divorce, first to sort out feelings and gradually to satisfy her need to arrange words on the page.  She likes to write about things historical and musical.  Now retired from everything except writing, she thinks she had to get older to find her favorite occupation.
   
  She’s joined the local garden club, The Peachtree City Library Writer’s Circle, The Georgia Writer’s Association and three historical societies.

  Ellen Hunter Ulken’s publications include:

  Beautiful Dreamer:  The Life of Stephen Collins Foster, 2005: X-libris.  

  "The Pinwheel in the Storm.” The Southern Quarterly: A Journal of the Arts in the South, Voices of the Storm. Volume XLIII. Number 3: Spring, 2006.
   
   Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville 1785-1868: Statesman, Gambler, Founder of the City of Mandeville. Published through the St. Tammany Parish Historical Society, 2006:Covington, Louisiana.
   Peachtree City,  published in 2009 by Arcadia is one of their Images of America series.  Ellen Ulken, Clarence Lyons, and Rebecca Watts, Editor.
  She is currently working on a book called Silent Sisters:  Profiles of the Lives and Early Deaths of Ruby Elzy, Janis Joplin, Cass Elliot, Karen Carpenter, and Selena Quintanilla-Perez.

• Narrator: Dave Crawley | bio

  Throughout his career, Dave has visited many towns and has enjoyed learning about community activities and interests. He has taped more than 3,000 stories. Dave also wrote and produced a highly acclaimed documentary "Celebrating 50 Years in Our Hometowns." Before joining KDKA-TV, Dave was a news anchor/reporter for WMTV-TV in Madison, Wisconsin.
  Numerous awards have been given to Dave throughout his career. He has won twelve Emmy awards, including "Outstanding Feature Reporter" in the Mid-Atlantic states. Dave also won the Matrix "Printer's Devil" award as the Western Pennsylvania journalist who best exemplifies humor.

  The celebrity chairman of walkathons sponsored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Alzheimer's Association, Dave is active in many local organizations. He is also the author of a book titled Sidelights on Wisconsin.

  Known for his rhyming stories on KDKA-TV, Dave has branched out into children's literature. His most recent collection, Dog Poems, pays tribute to our devoted companions. Dave's first book, the critically-acclaimed Cat Poems honors our feline friends.  His third book, Reading, Rhyming, ‘Rithmetic is now in bookstores.

  Dave also has numerous poems in nine anthologies: Rolling in the Aisles, If Kids Ruled the School, Miles of Smiles, I Invited a Dragon to Dinner, Peter Peter Pizza Eater, My Teacher's In Detention, Lady Bug, Lady Bug, Pound A Poem, and What I Did On My Summer Vacation.

  In addition, he has published dozens of poems in 13 national children's magazines, including "Ranger Rick", "Cricket", and "Jack and Jill."

  A graduate of Washington and Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, Dave went on to receive a Master of Arts degree in Mass Communication from Emerson College in Boston. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, he now resides in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. Dave enjoys traveling and meeting people in the hometowns of the tri-state area.

• Abraham Lincoln: Rea Andrew Redd | bio

  Rea Andrew Redd is a History Professor and the Director of the Eberly Library at Waynesburg University. He is President of the Ninth Pennsylvania Reserves, Company C, a Civil War reenactment unit.

  Redd presents as Abraham Lincoln, American Civil War medicine, and other Civil War topics.  A Civil War reenactor since 1993, he has presented on Civil War era medicine at Gettysburg National Military Park, participated in the feature film Gods and Generals and is featured on the Historical New York Times website.

  Weblog: http:www.civilwarlibrarian.blogspot.

• banjo, vocals: Greg Adams | bio

  Greg C. Adams is a musician, archivist, and researcher studying the multicultural and early history of the banjo (ca 1620-1870). He holds a BA in Music History from Youngstown State University (2001) and a Masters of Library Science from the University of Maryland, College Park (2004). Currently, Greg is working on another Masters degree at the University of Maryland, this time in ethnomusicology. His banjo roots research includes fieldwork in West Africa (2006, 2008), developing a formal work plan as Project Director for the Banjo Sightings Database Project through an NEH Digital Humanities Start-Up Grant (2009), and the general study of early American blackface minstrelsy and early banjo performance practice. 

• guitar, vocals: Tom Crytzer | bio

  Tom is an avid student of Civil War history. Having visited many of the Civil War battlefields in the eastern US, Tom is our resident historical expert. Sharing his wealth of knowledge, Mr. Crytzer has given presentations on the battle of Gettysburg to classes at various local schools and scout groups. A longtime performer in several musical genres, Tom has combined his passions for history and music and now, performing with Home Front and the Pittsburgh Historical Music Society, includes historical music from the 18th, 19th and early 20 century in his repertoire.
  Mr. Crytzer has also been a long-time performer with the Alle-Kiski Showtime Chorus, a dynamic Barbershop men's singing group and has sung baritone in "The AK Connection" barbershop quartet.
  An enthusiastic outdoorsman, Tom enjoys plying the Western Pennsylvania lakes and waterways in his fishing boat and fishing kayak as well as saltwater fishing on the East Coast. Mr. Crytzer is a senior chemical technician for PPG Industries in Springdale, PA. He and his wife, Sherry, reside in New Kensington, Pennsylvania and are the proud parents of two daughters, a son and a grandson (whoo-hoo!).

• vocals: Nancy Egan | bio

  Nancy loves to help bring history alive through music with her passion for singing. A believer in Duke Ellington’s maxim “If it sounds good, it is good,” Nancy sings many styles. She has sung jazz with Kenny Blake, folk on the streets of Europe, rock in studio sessions, showtunes on the musical stage (while tap-dancing, no less!), traditional music in Irish pubs and commercial jingles. Active in the Sweet Adelines International organization for many years as a singer, chorus director, M.C., coach and teacher, Nancy currently sings tenor with medalist barbershop quartet “Reckless” www.recklessquartet.weebly.com. Her years with Home Front have been a continuing source of education and joy, and she is especially delighted when her son Colin sits in on fiddle, bones and his newest interest, standup bass.
  She is the faculty secretary at Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, a freelance voiceover artist and the mother of two teenage boys, Daragh and Colin. Having worked in radio in Pittsburgh, Johnstown and Limerick, Ireland as a production manager, on-air personality and copywriter, she also teaches a voiceover artist course at CCAC-Boyce. She loves reading, biking, historic buildings and clothing, and most of all singing. She lives in Murrysville, Pa. with her fiancé, Rob Conway.

• violin: Chuck Krepley | bio

  History and music are Chuck’s two great passions in life. An historical reenactor for over 30 years, Chuck is also a serious student of popular music of the 18th and 19th centuries. He has performed solo for many historical societies, presented on historical music at universities, and was the music director for the French and Indian War documentary film, "Washington's First War: The Battles for Fort Duquesne," by Paladin Communications.
  Chuck was also the driving force behind the creation of the music program at Old Economy Village, a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission site in Ambridge, PA. The program, involving over 30 musicians, recreates the complex musical life of the Harmony Society in the 1820s and 1830s. Mr. Krepley, a former chemist, has completed his apprenticeship as a luthier (stringed instrument maker) specializing in recreating historical instruments and now lives in Waynesboro, Pa.

• violin, cello: William Lockard | bio

  William Lockard has been a conductor, performer and string instrument teacher for over 30 years. He started the string program in the Fox Chapel Area School district where he taught for 33 years. He has recently retired in order to devote himself to his various musical interests. William has a degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Performance from Duquesne University.
  William is the Music Director at Old Economy Village conducting their period 1825 orchestra. He also performs on period instruments with the Pittsburgh Historical Music Society, which includes a 30 plus person classical orchestra and smaller ensembles representing the 18th and 19th centuries. He is a member of the Netchi-Lockard-Critser Trio and regularly performs solo and chamber music.
  William is the owner of “Old World Instruments” selling modern and baroque stringed instruments.

• harp, flute: Laura Mason Lockard | bio

  Laura Mason Lockard has a diverse musical background both as a singer and instrumentalist. She has extensive experience performing in many musical styles. She is currently devoting her instrumental studies to the flute in its many historical forms, the harp, the flageolet, and voice. Laura is member of the Tuesday Musical Club, the Pittsburgh Flute Club, The Historical Harp Society, and the American Harp Society.
  Laura plays Baroque flute with the Old Economy Orchestra, a period orchestra recreating the Harmonist Orchestra of 1825-1832, and the classical orchestra of the Pittsburgh Historical Music Society. She also performs on 18th and 19th century period instruments with smaller ensembles within the Pittsburgh Historical Music Society, focusing on popular 18th century music and Victorian parlor music. She has studied the Bel Canto method of singing (the dominant style taught in the 18th and 19th centuries) with Edmund Brownless and Gail Noullet. Laura has studied harp with Julia Scott and flute with Alberto Almarza and Stephen Schultz.
  Laura is a historical garment designer with over twenty years of experience. Her online shop, “Age of Antiquity” provides custom and readymade historical garments and specializes in machine reproduction of period embroidery.

• mountain dulcimer: Jeff Berman | bio

  Jeff Berman is a multi-instrumentalist and composer who has collaborated and recorded with artists across stylistic boundaries.

• banjo, vocals: Sue Powers | bio

  Sue Powers is an accomplished song writer and one of the founding members of Devilish Merry.

• dobro: Pete Freeman | bio

  Pete Freeman has toured and recorded with countless artists, including, among others, The Mavens.

• acoustic bass: Lindsey Horner | bio

  Lindsey Horner is a multi-instumentalist, composer and recording artist living in New York City.

• guitar, vocals: David Michael King | bio

  David Michael King writes songs about truck drivers and dancing, war and poverty, libraries and love. Clever, poetic and often satirical, his songs bring new insights and often a good laugh. A long-time union and community organizer, David has a music degree from the University of Pittsburgh and makes his living as a music librarian.

  Tunnel Vision (which now goes by the name of The Big Swan Kings) is an acoustic trio performing insightful original songs, catchy folk rock and early American music. They have appeared at Doo Dah Days three times since it began in 2006 and have songs on the last three Pittsburgh Songwriters Circle CDs.

• violin: Gil Bigenho, Jr | bio

  Originally from Pittsburgh, Gil Bigenho, Jr. is a classically trained violinist. He also plays guitar and mandolin. He studied at The Manhattan School of Music in New York City and freelanced as a violinist mainly on the East Coast.  Currently, Gil is Music instructor at Brashear High School in Pittsburgh.   Gil’s energies are focused on writing, teaching and performing.  Projects at this time include performing with the Big Swan Kings (formally known as Tunnel Vision). Gil also performs with the trio The Bay Chamber Players. Recently, Gil became involved in a new project advocating the performances of suppressed World War II composers. 

• bass: Keith Swan | bio

  Keith SWAN enjoys playing bass and singing. He is currently involved with the Pittsburgh Community Orchestra, the Savoyards, Harmony Singers of Pittsburgh and

• flute, banjo, guitar: Charles Anderson | bio

  Charles is a multi-instrumentalist, performing on banjo, guitar, autoharp, flutes and whistles. He is also a talented vocalist, songwriter, and teacher. He has served at area churches as organist and choir director for many years. His teaching includes classes for Calliope:the Pittsburgh Folk Music Society, and private lessons at the Melody Shop. He is the founder of Fluteseeds, a project in collaboration with flute maker Rob Yard, that includes bamboo flute making, sales, and workshops.
  In addition, Charles is a regular flute player and vocalist for the Taizé services at East Liberty Presbyterian Church. He also plays frequently with other local Irish musicians for the Pittsburgh Ceilidh Club Dances.

• vocals: Daphne Anderson | bio

  Daphne is a graduate of Point Park University's dance program. Her ongoing interest in dance has expanded to include many forms of popular dance, including Appalachian clogging and flatfooting, hip hop, tango, waltz, Greek folk dancing - all of which she shares with children through her work with Frets & Feet and also in the public schools, where she has works as a paraprofessional in special education.

• vocals: Stephanie Riso | bio

  Stephanie Riso is lead developer of the LIPLO™ (Live and In Person and Live and Online) live entertainment portal and founder of Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre (PICT). She currently serves as Operations Director of PICT, performs professionally as a member of Actors Equity Association, and is leading a movement to live stream professional theatrical performances over the Internet.

  She holds a degree in vocal performance from Carnegie Mellon University, and her credits include PICT’s James Joyce’s The Dead, Pittsburgh Public Theater’s
  productions of Sweeney Todd and Pirates of Penzance, and CLO’s Musical Christmas Carol.

• vocals: Kevin Brown | bio

  Kevin Brown has been featured in numerous Opera Theater of Pittsburgh productions including the recent Beggar’s Holiday, as well as Lost in the Stars and Carmen
  Jones. Other local credits include City Theater Company’s Flight, and in Pittsburgh Playwright’s Theater Company’s Nipoti.

• piano: Robert Frankenberry | bio

  Musician Robert Frankenberry, 40, lives in Lawrenceville and performs regularly as a tenor and pianist, and sometimes as a conductor. He previously played bassoon, saxophone, marimba and vibraphone.
  Frankenberry was born and raised in Coon Rapids, Minn., where both his parents made music. His father played by ear and made sure his son could read music. Frankenberry has worked for most of the major music organizations in Pittsburgh and frequently travels for rehearsals and performances across the United States.
  A person of wide ranging interests, Frankenberry loves to cook and finds it relaxing. His favorite cookbook is "The Silver Spoon," which might be described as an Italian "The Joy of Cooking." But he really likes to improvise in the kitchen, saying, "In music, I'm always concerned about professionalism. But when I cook, I don't have to worry if it's less than perfect."

• cello: Alana Roberson | bio

  Alena Roberson is a Freshman at Ellis School, is a member of the Glee Club, participates in school musicals and plays and studies cello through the Pittsburgh Music Academy with Nicole Myers.

• violin: Julia Roberson | bio

  Julia Roberson is a Senior at Ellis School, sings in the Glee Club and participates in the school musicals and plays. She studied violin with Michelle Vallier and Anne Jackovic.

Crew

• Production Company: Lawrenceville Historical Society | bio

  The Lawrenceville Historical Society takes pride in the richness of Lawrenceville's unique history, industry, architecture and traditions. The Society is dedicated to the continuing effort to preserve our heritage by educating the community through lively and enjoyable programs, exhibits and publications.

• Director: John Kirch | bio

  John Kirch has been a distinguished news editor and photographer for almost 30 years at KDKA-TV, the CBS-owned television station in Pittsburgh.  In addition to news editing, he specializes in feature editing, promotion production and documentaries.

  Kirch created the stylistic “look” of early television as editor of Pitt Parade, a weekly series featuring the news of the 1950’s using exclusively archival film. The popular series ran on KDKA for ten years. His other special projects include a prime time documentary about conductor Lorin Maazel’s ground-breaking diplomatic tour of China and the Far East with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  Another prime time special, shot in the cold war USSR, tells the story of Soviet citizens of Ukrainian and Jewish descent reaching out to their families in the Pittsburgh area.  Both documentaries won Emmy Awards. 

  Before KDKA, Kirch worked at WTAE Television News (ABC) and WQED-TV (PBS) in Pittsburgh.  He was assistant to Hyman Kaufmann at WQED, the well-know editor of National Geographic fame.  Kirch also worked at a number of film and television production houses, where he was editor and film negative cutter for hundreds of films, political campaign spots, and feature motion pictures. 

  Kirch has lectured on the art of editing at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Inc., and at the School of Communications at Point Park University.
   
  His student years were spent in the heart of the American film industry in Southern California.  He was honored to be the teaching assistant for Alexander Mackendrick, best remembered for the plucky English comedies he directed for Ealing Studios, and for his gritty American drama, The Sweet Smell of Success.
   
  Kirch has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Motion Picture Production from the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles.

  At the age of fifteen, John Kirch was thrilled to appear as one of the infamous zombies in the original cult classic Night of the Living Dead. Years later, he was hired to re-cut the sound track of the film for use in foreign language versions.
    
  In addition to his busy schedule of editing and photography, he is restoring a 19th century house in an historic section of the City of Pittsburgh. John Kirch has traveled extensively within the United States, Europe and Indonesia. He is married to Bernadette Lesko whom he met while they were both students at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh.

• Camera Operator: Tony Balko | bio

  Tony Balko is a media artist and educator living and working in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His films, videos and live projection performances have been seen across the United States and internationally.

• Camera Operator: Matthew Day

Bonus Features

• Theatrical Trailers
• Music Videos
• Deleted & Extended Scenes