• Pat Kording, who died Sept. 12, just 69 years young, was an indefatigable theater lover who, over nearly five decades as actor, director, writer and producer, was one of the mainstays of Pittsburgh community theater. Professionally a benefits coordinator for Allegheny General Hospital, she worked for love at McKeesport Little Theater, Little Lake, Comtra, South Park, the JCC and more, all the way back to the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

I knew her mainly through her contributions to the New Works Festival, 1999-2004, but I'm a relative newcomer to Pittsburgh theater. Apparently she once auditioned for Joe Papp and was offered an opportunity in New York, but she turned it down to stay here and care for her parents.

Pat's niece, Diane Ruszala, is arranging a memorial gathering at McKeesport Little Theater, Oct. 12, 2-5 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to one of the theaters Pat supported with her talent (see above). Call Diane at 724-331-7994 for more information.

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• The annual musicomic spoof of Pittsburgh news and newsmakers is Oct. 2, a week from tonight, at the Byham, 8 p.m. (pre-show party 6:30). Pros in the cast include Chuck Aber (as America's oldest young mayor), Sheila McKenna, David Flick, Christine Laitta, David Early, Karen Prunczik, Michael E. Moats, Patrick Jordan, Laurie Klatscher, Dereck Walton, Daina Griffith, Americus Rocco, Erika Cuenka, Wali Jamal, Kathryn Spitz and Debra Gordon. They cavort along with Jeff Pollock, Lauren Bartholomae and the PG's Gene Collier, Dan Majors and Samantha Bennett, all to get us to laugh at ourselves and raise money for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Sponsors are AFTRA and the Newspaper Guild, the unions, respectively, of TV and radio performers and PG writers and artists. Mostly, the latter contribute as writers. The script is by Gary Rotstein and Dan Kamin, with lyrics by Sally Kalson, Sam Bennett, Mark Roth, Bill Toland and Mackenzie Carpenter. Me, I'm the producer, smoking big cigars and interviewing chorines. Mindy Rossi-Stabler directs, Deana Muro is musical director, and stage manager Jessica Haidet keeps everyone in line.

Of course, you could stay home that night and watch the VP debate. But better, you could record it and take refuge with "Off the Record," in which we promise Alaska's best-known hockey mom will make an appearance. Tickets at 412-456-6666; www.offtherecordpgh.com.

• Among the other events I'll have to miss next Thursday are City Theatre's Season Shake Up 2008, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Peter Karlovich and Steven Herforth's great Mount Washington party house with the stunning views of Pittsburgh -- not to mention a luscious little pool that sometimes attracts party-goers in the latter stages, as it did at a Quantum fundraiser last week.

Included will be a sneak peek at "Long Story Short," City's world premiere musical, and more, along with "cocktails inspired by City's 08/09 season from six of our city's hottest bartenders" -- I'll be sorry to miss that! The VIP ticket includes the presentation of the Frankel Award, which I'll also be sorry to miss, to Thomas Wesley Douglas, artistic director of the Bach Choir and sometime theatrical music director, and arts patron Gerri Kay. Tickets are $75, $100 and up (groups less); 412-431-4400, ext. 278, or dduursma@citytheatrecompany.org.

• Why can't we see more short plays? I'm reminded of this by the New Works Festival, just entering its final weekend, but also by a brilliant one-act I saw at the Shaw Festival, "The President." The Humana Festival has produced them for years, but they rarely go elsewhere. I wish theaters were willing to give evenings of one-acts, of which there are many, often by very good playwrights.

• Book now for the PG's fall Broadway ShowPlane, Nov. 19-23 -- four shows, four nights, lots more. Go to post-gazette.com/theater (scroll down on left) or call Gulliver's Travels, 412-441-3131.

• "Bubble Boy," a new musical by CMU alumnus Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked," "Godspell," "Working," etc.), will be workshopped by the Pittsburgh CLO/CMU New Works Program, Oct. 13-18, ending in a staged reading for invited guests. By Cinco Paul (book, music, lyrics) and Ken Daurio (book), "Bubble Boy" is the tale of a boy born without an immune system who builds a mobile bubble suit and sneaks off to save the woman he loves. Scott Schwartz ("Golda's Balcony" and "Bat Boy: The Musical") will direct, and project managers are CMU's Gary Kline and CLO's Jason Coll.

• Bricolage has an added staged reading, Sat.-Sun. 8 p.m.: Ernest Hemingway's "The 5th Column." (The Steelers' Monday night game pushed it back.) That's at 937 Liberty Ave., Downtown. Directed by Mladen Kiselov, who has just left CMU and is returning to Europe, Hemingway's only full-length play features Jack Erdie, Martin Giles, Randy Kovitz, Sharon McCune, Joel Ripka, Sam Turich, Tami Dixon, Jeff Carpenter and new Point Park grad students Daryll Heysham and Rita Reis.

• Bon voyage to Ayako Kuwahara, the engaging Japanese translator of August Wilson, who has been in Pittsburgh this week doing research on the Hill and in the PG files for a book on the playwright.

• Paid admissions at city's pro theaters for the week ending Sept. 24: