Review of Pitt-Greensburg Theater Company’s Engaging Performance, “Mr. Burns”

Pitt-Greensburg Theater Company put on the three-act performance of “Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play” Thursday, April 3 through Sunday, April 6 in Ferguson Theater. I had the chance to see it on opening night. 

I have always been a fan of plays and musical theater, specifically that deal with fun themes that leave me thinking about the production for days afterward. The performance of “Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play” is one that definitely did this. With its variety of themes ranging from post-apocalyptic to pop culture, and a cast that seemed to go above and beyond, I was engaged throughout the entirety of the show. 

The first act starts with a group of survivors huddled around a campfire trying to remember a specific episode of “The Simpsons”: “Cape Feare.” Although I have never seen this specific episode, the delivery of the lines and acting skills allowed me to vividly capture the main ideas of the episode and follow along with what the actors were recounting. With that in mind, a keen attention to detail did seem necessary for this first act, and a quick slip of attention could lead to confusion. My suggestion: watch “Cape Feare” before a viewing of the show. This will allow for a better understanding of the references and details that are being discussed. 

Approximately seven years after the first act, act two begins. The campfire members created a traveling theater company to showcase different “The Simpsons” episodes. This theater company took audience members through a whirlwind of entertainment—through their acting out of commercial breaks, top music hits, and “The Simpsons” episodes.

Personally, this act was my favorite and several audience members agreed, with one stating, “It was very captivating and entertaining.”

This act dived into the inner workings of what it takes to put on a performance, and the cast created an environment that had audience members laughing and enjoying several different pop culture references. 

Act three took place 75 years after act two, and “The Simpsons” episode was performed as a musical for audience members. The transformation from a play to a musical gave viewers the chance to experience both the play and musical format, and showed the strength of the cast to be able to transition from one to the other. The use of references, ranging from stories first told in act one to this adaptation of “Cape Feare” brought all of the acts together in a way that left me thinking about the dynamic structure of this performance. 

“Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play” is a weird one. It’s a production like none I’ve seen before. The intertwining of references from pop-culture, “The Simpsons,” and the acts of the play itself left me, and still leave me, thinking about its complexity. The acting skills, entertaining references and plotline, and diversity of each of the acts left audience members captivated and enjoying the performance.

One said, “It was very funny and lively and it kept me intrigued,” and I couldn’t agree more. 

Congratulations to the Pitt-Greensburg Theater Company, and everyone involved in the portrayal of “Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play,” for a wonderful performance.

(Jen O’Donnell, Kate Cramer, Brielle Zimmerman, Brandon Farneth, Jordan Gilbert)

(Constance Taesch, Jen O’Donnell, Kate Cramer, Brielle Zimmerman, Jordan Gilbert, Abigail Coyne, Destiny Washington, Leigha Skelly, Jocelyn Andolina)

(Jordan Gilbert, Leigha Skelly, Destiny Washington, Constance Taesch, Jocelyn Andolina)