• South Park Theatre has just announced the retirement of executive director Audrey Castracane, effective at the end of the month. When Shirley Custer, the founding artistic director of what was then the South Park Conservatory Theater, died in 1995, South Park was in danger of being shuttered.

But Audrey stepped in, remembering her local acting debut there 15 years before and packing plenty of experience as an actress, director and producer at (among others) the Upstairs Theatre, Apple Hill Playhouse, New Voices, Little Lake and Stage 62.

In her 14 years, Audrey doubled South Park's annual productions and established it as one of Pittsburgh's solid semi-pro theaters. She will remain on the board of directors -- and maybe now she'll get to do more acting. As its new executive director, the theater has hired Kathleen Caliendo, a former IBM management consultant and currently the company's managing director.

Audrey's retirement party is set for Oct. 25, 5-10 p.m., at Al's Cafe in Bethel Park.

• City Theatre's Tracy Brigden and director of education Kristen Link announce six "amazing new voices" from local middle and high schools to be given staged readings during its Young Playwrights Festival, Jan. 6-11. Brigden places the festival "at the very core of City Theatre's mission and artistic vision," since the young voices are "quite literally the theater of tomorrow." Over 175 scripts were entered from some 20 local middle and high schools.

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• The middle school winners (written in grades 7-8): "Prove Him Wrong" by Ellen McCague, Rogers CAPA; "Appreciation" by Kelsey Miller, Rogers CAPA; "Picture Day" by Emily Valley, Keystone Oaks. The high school winners: "Sense and Senslessness" by Eli Diamond, Peters Township (now a CMU freshman); "Brother Have I Loved" by Leah Friedman, CAPA; "Eight Poems About Perry" by Sarah Rogers, Woodland Hills (now a Fordham freshman). For info, contact Link at 412-431-4400, Ext. 274.

• In addition to the celebratory words about Mario Melodia in his obituary last week, I've heard from two of his most famous students.

Broadway director-choreographer Jeff Calhoun remembered Mario as not just his first dance teacher but his first choreographer, who launched his career by taking him to Kenley Players to work with Tommy Tune. "Every time he'd come to New York, he'd give me notes on whatever I was doing," Jeff said. "You had to be a good listener -- he had a lot to say! He was one of the few people who stayed in my life since childhood." Jeff is dedicating his current Deaf West production of "Pippin" to Mario.

Calling from London, where he's directing the movie of "Nine," Rob Marshall spoke of Mario "whom I loved dearly and will miss terribly. He was truly my mentor. He took me under his wing and introduced me to the world of dance. He was unbelievably generous and endlessly supportive of me and my family -- a great family man, an inspired leader and a unique Pittsburgh icon who can never be replaced."

• The newspaper USA Weekend has named last spring's production of "Anything Goes" at Penn-Trafford High School in Harrison City as one of the four runners-up for its Showstopper of 2008 award. The winner was "Cats" at Arrowhead Union H.S. in Merton, Wis.; the other runners-up were J.J. Pearce H.S., Richardson, Texas; St. Joseph Regional H.S., Montvale, N.J.; and Upper Arlington H.S., Upper Arlington, Ohio. Penn-Trafford was nominated by Renee D'Alesio, whose son played Moon Face.

• Thanks to all who turned out for last week's evening of musical-satiric fun and fund-raising. I'll have the final figures to report next week. In the meantime, mark your calendars for "Off the Record IX," tentatively scheduled for Oct. 1, 2009, again at the Byham Theater.

• PIFOF is here! -- the Pittsburgh International Festival of First. It promises to be as good as an orgy of fireworks.

• Buy one, get one free!: Today, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., City Theatre is holding a one-day half-price sale on select shows and times for its 2008-09 season. Call 412-431-CITY.

• 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.

• Nick Ruggeri, who just finished "The Road to Washington" at Jennerstown's Mountain Playhouse, will play Dad in Alex Goldberg's "The Third Date," Oct 15 -19, in "The Goldberg Variations: An Evening of Short Plays" in NYC. It was one of the recent New Works Festival plays.

Paid admissions at city's pro theaters for the week ending Oct. 5: