Monday, May 13, 2013
The Upper St. Clair High School grad and director of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' is working on a new project.
The author, screenwriter and director of The Perks of Being a Wallflower is working on a new book. Stephen Chbosky, an Upper St. Clair High School graduate, told the Post-Gazette that the book is his tribute to Stephen King, who is his favorite writer and storyteller. The unnamed novel is set in western Pennsylvania, like The Perks of Being a Wallflower was. King also used the Pittsburgh area as a backdrop, including his novels Christine, From a Buick 8 and various short stories. In the meantime, Chbosky is a member of the Hollywood Theater Board of Advisers and has "made it his mission" to raise enough money for a new $75,000 digital projector to keep the theater open and running. "It means so much to me," Chbosky told the newspaper. …
Sunday, February 24, 2013
'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' was filmed in Pittsburgh.
Upper St. Clair native Stephen Chbosky won the Film Independent Spirit Award for best first feature for The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Other nominees included Fill the Void, Safety Not Guaranteed, Sound of My Voice and Gimme the Loot. Chbosky, a 1988 Upper St. Clair High School graduate, was the screenwriter and director of the film, based off his novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The movie was shot in and around Upper St. Clair. Some of the familiar locations shown in the movie included Kings, Peters Township High School, Hollywood Theater and the Fort Pitt Tunnel. "When I wrote the novel, this (Pittsburgh and Upper St. Clair) is what I saw. There is no other place I would have wanted to film it," Chobsky told Upper St. Clair …
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Stephen Chbosky earned a nod in the Spirit Award nominations.
Upper St. Clair native Stephen Chbosky on Tuesday earned a 2013 Film Independent Spirit Award nomination. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a film Chbosky wrote and directed, is up for best first feature. The 1988 Upper St. Clair High School graduate recently visited to the school to speak to and inspire students. The movie, which features actress Emma Watson, was filmed in Upper St. Clair and the surrounding area in the summer of 2011. Winners of the Spirit Awards will be announced on Feb. 23. Click here to find a full list of the nominees.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Cast members and Steelers were among those who attended a fundraiser and film event at Dormont's Hollywood Theater on Friday.
With Emma Watson signing autographs on Potomac Avenue last year, and a Tom Cruise movie filming in town last December, Dormont is no stranger to celebrity visits. But Friday's special showing of "Christmas in Compton" brought celebrities to Dormont's Hollywood Theater with a purpose. The event served, in part, as a fundraiser for the Red Cross, to support survivors of Hurricane Sandy. "We didn't expect it to get this big," said Hollywood Theater manager Chad Hunter. "We're certainly not complaining that it did. It's definitely great for the theater, but it's supporting a good cause, too. We couldn't have asked for this. It's wonderful." The movie was co-produced by Paula Gregg and Susan Burig, both Pittsburgh natives, who chose Hollywood …
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Author, screenwriter and director of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' talks about hometown roots, fame and working with actress Emma Watson.
Stephen Chbosky, author, screenwriter and director of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, took a break from his busy schedule Friday to stop by Upper St. Clair High School. He held a question-and-answer session with students in the high school theater and—to his surprise—was introduced to the entire student body at the homecoming pep rally. "I'm very, very proud to be from this township and school," the 1988 graduate and valedictorian told the crowd. "It's the dream of my life to write this book and film it at home. "When I wrote the novel, this (Pittsburgh and Upper St. Clair) is what I saw. There is no other place I would have wanted to film it." Chbosky said it was "so cool" to be able to recreate Christmas on his street in the middle of …
Friday, September 28, 2012
The Panthers take on Baldwin Friday night. The dance is Saturday night.
Upper St. Clair High School has been celebrating Homecoming all week with spirit theme days like "Lumberjack Day" and "America Day" and the fun will amp up Friday afternoon with a pep rally, which will include The Perks of Being a Wallflower director Stephen Chbosky. However, the real reason for all of the Homecoming festivities will start when the Panthers host the Baldwin Highlanders for a Southeastern Conference battle. Kickoff's 7:30 p.m. USC is undefeated this season. Baldwin is 1-3, losing to Mt. Lebanon last week. Homecoming continues for students at 7:30 on Saturday night when the "Disco Inferno"-themed dance begins. No student will be admitted after 8:30 p.m. The cost at the door is $20 per person. Patch wants to see your photos! …
Friday, June 8, 2012
Familiar Pittsburgh scenes can be seen throughout.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower movie trailer is now available for viewing. Those familiar with Pittsburgh and the South Hills may recognize the city in the trailer. The Pittsburgh skyline can be seen throughout—and so can the Fort Pitt Tunnel in a goosebump-inducing scene. About 20 seconds into the trailer, the camera pans to the front of Peters Township High School—with the name front and center for a second or so. (The film company paid the school district $2,000 a day while shooting the movie on the campus.) Just 30 seconds later, Charlie, the main character played by Logan Lerman, attends his first-ever party at a mansion located on Merryoak Lane in the Upper St. Clair Deerfield Manor neighborhood. About 1:10 into the trailer, Sam, …
Thursday, May 24, 2012
MTV's Hollywood Crush reports 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' will debut in September.
A movie shot in Upper St. Clair and around Pittsburgh in the summer of 2011 will soon be coming to the big screen. MTV's Hollywood Crush reports The Perks of Being a Wallflower will open in limited release on Sept. 14. The USA release date listed on IMDb is Sept. 21. The movie trailer will debut during the MTV Movie Awards pre-show on June 3. Actress Emma Watson let the news loose on Twitter in May. The director of the movie is Upper St. Clair native Stephen Chbosky. The movie is based on a novel he wrote, also titled The Perks of Being a Wallflower, about an introvert high school freshman who learns things about drug use, sex and suicide. Some of the places the movie was shot in Upper St. Clair include Mill Grove Road, Merry Oak Lane in …
Monday, October 10, 2011
A famous actress secretly worked out at Mt. Lebanon dance studio while filming 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower.'
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Actress Emma Watson and director Stephen Chbosky dish on their movie filmed in Upper St. Clair.
Kathy Richardson
11:50 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
Kudos to Stephen Chbosky! His film is a classic in the spirit of Napoleon Dynamite, and "Perks" will touch the lives of countless young people in such a positive way. Makes me very proud to be from USC! more ›