Shirley Jones and Richard E. Rauh were honored at Point Park University’s “The Playhouse Rocks Starmakers” gala last Saturday evening at Stage AE on the North Side.This event celebrated 75 years of the Pittsburgh Playhouse, and Jones attributes much of her success in her career as a stage, television and film to it.”I really owe my feeling of security in this business to the Playhouse,” Jones said.Jones was first introduced to the Playhouse at an early age. She starting coming to Pittsburgh, from Smithton, Pa., for private voice lessons and began spending summers working behind the scenes and on stage at the Playhouse. By 1952-1953, Jones showed she had knowledge of the theater and was cast in five plays which included “Dance for Joy” and “Three to One.” In addition, she appeared in three children’s plays: “Robin Hood,” “Rumpelstiltskin” and “Land of the Dragon.””They called me ‘the queen of the children’s theater,” Jones said. “I loved playing all the roles for children … they were very fun for me.”It did not take long for Jones to reach stardom outside of the Pittsburgh region. She was planning on going to college to become a veterinarian at Centenary Junior College in Hackettstown, NJ.  Still deciding if she wanted to pursue that career or try to make it in show business, she called an old friend and pianist she knew from the Playhouse on a summer trip to Pittsburgh.The pianist told her Rodgers and Hammerstein were holding open auditions for anyone willing to sing for them. The rest is history.”To make a long story short, I never made it to college because three weeks later I was in my first Broadway show,” Jones said.Jones continued her film career and starred in such films as “Oklahoma!” and “Carousel.”  In 1960, she won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role in “Elmer Gantry.” Jones was the underdog and beat out Janet Leigh in “Psycho,” Glynis Johns in “The Sundowners,” Shirley Knight in “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs,” and Mary Ure in “Sons and Lovers.””At that point I had been making musical movies, but if you were a singer they did not consider you an actress, which I don’t quite understand but that was the case,” Jones said. “So, when I had the opportunity to win it gave me longevity in my career. I was very grateful for that.”Jones’ career involved such roles in “South Pacific,” “The Music Man” and her well-known role on “The Partridge Family.”Starmakers was held for the second year at Stage AE and included a reception, dinner and performances by guest artists and Conservatory of the Performing Arts (COPA) students. Jones was not the only one excited for the weekend’s event.”We were thrilled to welcome Shirley back to Point Park and to Pittsburgh,” said Ronald Allan-Lindblom, associate vice president and artistic director of Point Park’s COPA department. “Having the opportunity to recognize and celebrate her robust career and contribution to the arts was a true honor.”Jones was not the only one recognized at the Starmakers Gala. Richard E. Rauh has long-standing connections to the Playhouse as well. He has appeared on the Playhouse stage, directed the Playhouse Film Series and is an educator to Point Park students.In 1999, he dedicated the Rauh Theatre at the Playhouse in honor of his parents for their commitment to the growth of the theater. Rauh provided seed funding for the future location of the Playhouse in downtown Pittsburgh.Rauh’s performances at the Playhouse include “Star Spangled Girl,” “You Can’t Take it With You,” Brecht on Brecht,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Krapp’s Last Tape” and “Little Shop of Horrors.”Jones hopes to be a part of the new Playhouse in its new location in downtown Pittsburgh by helping to raise money to build it and as well as be there for opening night. She also gave advice for anyone pursuing a career in performing arts.”The competition is very strong right now and you need to learn your craft,” Jones said. “Work as hard as you can [and] do as many roles as you can. Singing, acting, dancing: you have to know it all.”