And a five, six, seven, eight… “Off the Record” returns to the Byham Theater on Thursday, October 15, with “Off the Record: One Single Yinzer Nation,” a parody of “A Chorus Line.” The show, a benefit for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, celebrates Pittsburgh and all of its eccentricities. Performers will sing parody songs about the Steel City, gently mocking the parades, festivals, sports teams, and local cuisine. Pierogies, anyone?
In its 26th season, the show is led by Chris Liatta, actor, teacher, director, and choreographer, who collaborated with writers from across the city to craft it.
Liatta, an actor and choreographer on the show for years, began directing in 2020. The show features SAG/AFTRA actors, community actors, and novices.
Liatta said, “What I love about the show is that we have people acting for the first time. I love watching the actors when they let themselves get vulnerable, to open up and try new things. I love watching them make new friends with each other. We’re building communities, friendships.”
Originally written by a group of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalists, the show winks back at the newspaper by calling itself “Off the Record,” a phrase that signals information not meant to be shared publicly or officially. The show satirizes recent headlines and all things Pittsburgh.
Liatta said, “I love when I write a joke, and it gets a big laugh from the audience. It’s a personal high. You can’t beat it.”
Stage Manager Jessica Haidet Pedatella has been with the show since its inception, joining the crew as a junior at Point Park University. Pedatella said, “We are now 26 years in, and it has been an honor to be able to say that I have stage-managed every live show.”
Pedatella, who works full-time as an interior designer for La-Z-Boy Furniture, jumps back in every year, despite her taxing schedule. She added, “It’s really the production team, cast, and crew that brings me back every year; everyone brings so much to the show. Not only do they donate their time despite their busy schedules, but they’re also kind, funny, and hardworking.”
“I have met so many wonderful people during this process, from local singers, actors, and Post-Gazette writers to Pittsburgh personalities and TV hosts and celebrities. It’s like a family reunion every year,” Pedatella added.
Kathryn Spitz Cohan, the founder and former executive director of Film Pittsburgh, is producing the show after longtime producer Sharon Eberson stepped down. She said, “The Steering Committee knew that Sharon was leaving, and approached me about taking over.”
Spitz Cohan performed in the show over several iterations and three different directors, Greg Lehane, Mindy Rossi-Stabler, and Liatta.
Spitz Cohan is comfortable on and off the stage. She enjoys producing the show. She said, “I like to work behind the scenes. I like putting the puzzle together.” As the former executive director of Film Pittsburgh, where she organized festivals including the long-running JFilm, the Three Rivers Film Festival, and ReelAbilities Pittsburgh, she has plenty of experience. Spitz Cohan said, “This show builds community. It also supports artists. This year, we had an open audition to find actors of all types to join the show.”
Cohan’s reasons for keeping the show going were simple. She cited a September 22, 2026, report about the rise of food insecurity in the Commonwealth. The report states that more than 1.76 million Pennsylvanians, nearly 1 in 7 residents, faced food insecurity as of 2024, representing a 44% increase statewide since 2021.
She said, “Those double-digit increases in food insecurity because of the lack of resources and the food prices skyrocketing are a double whammy. The Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank provides us with an opportunity to help our neighbors in need.”
Kara Davidson, Event, Outreach and Education Specialist for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, said, “We have an employee resource group for the LGBTQ+ community at the Food Bank. We know that food insecurity disproportionately affects our LGBTQ+ community.”
According to a Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) study in 2023, 15 percent of LGBT adults reported not having enough to eat, compared to 10.4 percent among non-LGBT adults. Certain LGBTQIA+ people had heightened rates, with 27.6 percent of transgender adults and 19.3 percent of people who identified as another sexual orientation or gender identity reporting not having enough to eat.
The show is a labor of love for the producer, cast, and crew, volunteering their time to craft an engaging show with sketch and song.
For Liatta, it’s about finding a community. “We have people who haven’t sung since fifth grade, but they’re willing to get up and do it. I want to encourage everyone reading this article to audition next year. Sometimes, you have to do something that scares your pants off. Off the Record is a safe space where you can come and be your full silly self.”
In Off the Record’s inimitable way, the show parodied its open-call auditions. It frames the story around “A Chorus Line,” a show about an open-call audition, positing that nurses, Giant Eagle cashiers, sports fans, foodies, and steelworkers are trying out for a chance to be in the show.
Spitz Cohan said, “It’s so much silliness. In these recent times, we all need a little laughter.”
“Do you want to feel good? Come down, have a glass of wine, laugh with your neighbors and us, and know you’re helping your community at the same time. The ticket sales feed your community,” Liatta added.