Pittsburgh Dad giving ‘behind the scenes’ presentation at College

Posted February 16, 2017Communications and Marketing Department

GREENVILLE, Pa.—The creative team behind online sitcom “Pittsburgh Dad” will present a behind the scenes talk to the Thiel College community in Bly Auditorium in the Academic Center at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Star of “Pittsburgh Dad” Curt Wootton and co-creator and director Chris Preksta will talk to the College about the creation of their character and YouTube show that has gained a large following since its premiere in 2011. The event is free and open to the public and is co-sponsored by Student Life and the James Pedas Communication Center.

“Pittsburgh Dad” is a weekly video series that captures the funny phrases, nostalgia and frustrations of growing up with a blue collar father in western Pennsylvania. The show has logged more than 30 million views since it premiered.

“We grabbed a shirt and glasses from a thrift store and shot three episodes in 10 minutes on my iPhone, completely improvised by Curt,” said Preksta about the show’s creation. “We never set out to make a show, we just did it to make our parents laugh.”

“Pittsburgh Dad” now appears in promotional material for Pittsburgh-based professional sports teams and businesses.

The event part of an ongoing speaker series called “Pedas Presents” from the Department of Media, Communication and Public Relations. Previous speakers in the series have included communication experts from both on and off campus, and student groups.

About the James Pedas Communication Center

The $6.8 million James Pedas Communication Center is a collaborative learning community where students engage in film, TV, radio, news production and other multimedia-rich experiences preparing them for today’s information society. Students from all majors acquire communication literacy and presentation skills to prepare them for success in their careers and lives.

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About Thiel College

Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.



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Greenville, PA 16125
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