In 1983, Bob Lohrman signed a two-year contract to play Tony Whitcomb, the hairdresser in the Philadelphia production of "Shear Madness."
Little did he suspect that he had begun what would become his life's work.
A quarter of a century later, Lohrman is in Pittsburgh directing the latest production of "Shear Madness," which begins performances tonight at the CLO Cabaret, Downtown.
Lohrman is a Philadelphia-based actor and director and a charter member of The People's Light Theatre Company in Philadelphia, where he has played principal roles in more than 35 productions.
But he also enjoys a long-term relationship and continuing role in several areas of "Shear Madness." Over the years, he has played every one of the male roles in productions in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland.
In addition, he has directed more than a dozen productions of what is arguably the longest-running non-musical show in the history of American theater and watched or performed in literally thousands of performances across the county. He also is responsible for maintaining the quality of "Shear Madness" productions in this country and for training directors who then stage the show overseas.
"It kind of is my life's work -- for better or worse. It's one of those things that creeps up on you before you know it," says Lohrman, during an interview in a dressing room at the CLO Cabaret. "I love the show. I still laugh at the silly jokes and find it very entertaining and fun -- and especially to do. There is no show like it."
"Shear Madness" began in 1978 when Bruce Jordan discovered "Scherenschnitt," a play that had been written in 1963 by Paul Portner, a German writer and psychologist.
Set in a unisex hair salon and involving the off-stage murder of a concert pianist, Portner's play was intended to illustrate how people perceive or misperceive reality.
Jordan, a former high school teacher, joined creative talents with another former high school teacher, Marilyn Abrams, to stage the play in Lake George, N.Y.
"Shear Madness," like its predecessor "Scherenschnitt," invited the audience to solve the murder based on their interpretations and understanding of the events and the characters.
But what set "Shear Madness" apart was that it became a show that changed every time it was performed. It provided the ensemble of six performers with framework and dialogue but also allowed them to improvise and include audience responses in the play.
"The show is not an easy show to do because of the interaction with the audience and the uncertainty of that interaction," Lohrman says. "It does take some training to figure out how to do it."
The show also has kept itself fresh and up-to-date through the intervening decades by including references to national news and celebrity misdeeds as well as interjections of local quirks and topical references.
"The audience provides the fodder for the jokes, and we are always crafting jokes from today's papers," Lohrman explains. "Sometimes, (the audience) comes up with things you would not dream of being important or makes a comment that brings down the house."
In January 1980, "Shear Madness" began a run in Boston that continues and recently passed the 11,400-performance mark. A second production that runs at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., has had more than 9,000 performances, making it the country's second-longest-running non-musical show.
Lohrman believes one of the things that has kept the show popular is that the cast treats the action as seriously as they would if they were playing a Shakespearean tragedy.
"We play the stakes," Lohrman says. "If you don't take the murder seriously, (the show) is just a series of sophomoric gags that don't mean anything. The pace has to be based on something internal to the characters. They need to want something and want something desperately."
"Shear Madness" creators Abrams and Jordan also have exported their show to Rome; Athens; Budapest; Mexico City; Beijing; Johannesburg, South Africa; Lisbon; Tel Aviv; Buenos Aires; Madrid; and Iceland.
What makes it popular in such a wide variety of locations and cultures?
"It's a funny comedy. It's a murder mystery that engages the audience in trying to figure it out, and we directly break the fourth wall and engage the audience in solving its crime," Lohrman says. "And at the risk of sounding arrogant, we are the best." Additional Information:
'Shear Madness'
Produced by: CLO Cabaret
When: Today through Sept. 28, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; and 1 p.m. May 29, June 26, July 31, Aug. 28 and Sept. 25
Admission: $39.50 for evening performances, $34.50 for matinees
Where: CLO Cabaret Theater, 655 Penn Ave., Downtown
Details: 412-456-6666
