Steel folklore lives on for SVC historical theater presentation
“The Legend of Joe Magarac and Steel Heritage,” a steel-working legend, will be the second performance in the second season of the history dinner theater series hosted by The Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery at the Fred M. Rogers Center at St. Vincent College at 6 p.m Nov. 11.
“When steel was king in Pittsburgh, a giant man forged of iron and steel worked the mills,” said Lauren Churilla, gallery curator and director of the series. “Storyteller Tim Hartman will breathe new life into the Legend of Joe Margarac.”
Joe Magarac was an imaginary folk hero, like Paul Bunyan, whose physical power and bravery are matched by his generosity and work ethic. As legend has it, he was born in an iron ore mine and raised in a furnace. Some versions offer legend of a man who was seven feet tall while others claim he was as tall as a smokestack and the greatest steelworker who ever lived. The folklore of Margarac (a Croatian word for donkey) came from eastern European immigrants working in Pittsburgh steel mills.
Hartman’s character will examine the ties that bind Pittsburgh and steel according to Churilla.
“Steel history and Pittsburgh are uniquely tied together. In 1873, Carnegie put all his money and effort into steel and began construction of the J. Edgar Thompson Steel mills. By 1898, Carnegie had purchased the Homestead Steel Works and the Carrie Blast Furnace,” she explained.
Through the eyes of the folklore legend, the story of a dynasty will unfold Churilla continues.
“When Carnegie purchased the Allegheny Bessemer Steel Works in Duquesne, Carnegie Steel had the three largest steel mills in the Pittsburgh area. Improvements and the development of the new open hearth furnace technology allowed Carnegie’s steel dynasty to produce more than 180,000 tons of steel a year,” she said.
The historical dinner theater presentation offers patrons a unique opportunity to dine and learn.
“Come and join us for our second season of theater and fun with our own historic take on dinner theater,” said Churilla. “Dine on a gourmet dinner of your choosing while you are regaled by the historic tales, music, poetry and personal accounts of some of the most fascinating historic figures in the United States. The series will run through May 2017 and will allow you to experience the past in a way that is tons of fun for everyone.”
Individual tickets for dinner and theater are $65 for adults and $25 for children under 12. All proceeds of the series support the Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery at Saint Vincent College. Tickets can be ordered by contacting Churilla at 724-805-2188, by visiting the gallery’s website at mccarlgallery.org or emailing info@mccarlgallery.org.
Upcoming presentations in the series include A Christmas Carol with Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk, Dec. 9; Clara Barton: Red Cross Angel, March 31, 2017; and Always Free! A Juneteenth Celebration, June 1.