Tag: Culture

Every week we pick Five Fun Things to do in Pittsburgh. Here’s the list for January 23 – 26

Sisters are doing it for themselves

Follow the lives of some Sister-Wives in “Dark Sisters.” An opera about Eliza and her quest to escape her life as a member of the FLDS Church (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamous sect based in the Southwestern United States).  Forget the Viking women, the queens and the goddesses, this opera is thoroughly modern. The story is derived from the 1953 raid at Short Creek, AZ and the 2008 raid at the yearning For Zion Ranch in Eldorado , TX.

The Pittsburgh Opera produced show will be held in the CAPA Theater, 9^th Street and Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh.

For more information, go to www.pittsburghopera.org

Side by Side by Sondheim

Been awhile since you heard Stephen Sondheim? Come to “Company,” and bring “Another Hundred People.” Watch a group of New Yorkers navigate married life and its alternatives. Check out the show that swept the Tony Awards back in 1970. Rediscover why Stephen Sondheim is an American treasure.

Head down, side by side, to the Pittsburgh Public Theater, the O’Reilly Theater, 621 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or visit www.ppt.org for more information.

Pride Goeth

There’s a new play being performed by Dreams of Hope youth theater ensemble. Follow the personal and historical journeys of the LGBT community at its inception in “Before Pride.” Inspired by the ensemble’s interviews with community leaders in Pittsburgh, historical research, and the troupe’s own experiences, “Before Pride” asks, “Where have we come from and where are we going?”

The Dreams of Hope Youth Ensemble worked with local artists Adil Mansoor, Paul Kruse, Monica Stephenson, and Maree ReMalia to develop original text, music, and dance for this hour-long performance.

Tickets are pay-what-you-can at the door. Seating is limited, so reserve your spot

Friday and Saturday, January 24th 25th, 2014 at 8pm
The Alloy Studios – 5530 Penn Avenue

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/before-pride-registration-9817417159

I love Rock and Roll

Thursday Jan 23, 2014, come out to honor Rich Engler for the thousands of concerts he brought to Pittsburgh as co-owner of DiCesare-Engler Productions. It’s the “Inaugural Pittsburgh Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Celebration for 2014 with Inaugural Inductee Rich Engler.”

Enjoy energetic performances by an All Star Rock’n Roll band with Donnie Iris, B.E. Taylor, The Clark’s Scott Blasey,J oe Grushecky, Frank Czuri, Rick Witkowski, Hermie Granati, Joffo Simmons & Art Nardini.

Buy autographed rock’n roll memorabilia at the silent auction. Proceeds will benefit the Cancer Caring Center

Tickets – General Admission $150 – Doors open at 6:30 PM with a VIP reception & tickets $200. Doors open at 5:30 Hard Rock Cafe Station Square Pittsburgh, or just hit them up on  the Internet at http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafe.aspx?LocationID=87&MIBenumID=3

Five, Six, Seven, NATE!

If you’ve got kids who are theatrically inclined, take them over to the South Hills Village and meet Tim Federele author of “Nate than Better Ever” and “Five, Six, Seven, Nate.” “Better Nate than Ever” is the story of a Pittsburgh kid who goes off to NYC to audition to be in “E.T. The Musical.” Is that a thing? That should be a thing!

Federele live in NYC but he’s an original Pittsburgher (and the story sounds slightly autobiographical).

Come to the launch party and bring your kids! He will also be signing copies of his cocktail book for adults, “Tequila Mockingbird.”

Details can be found here: http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/82521

And now a Sixth Thing….
Closet Free Comedy

Jason Dudey brings his friends, Dana Goldberg and Ian Harvie (Ian Harvie – Superhero) on a national tour showcasing LGBT comedy at its finest and funniest. You can find them Friday January, 24 at Cruze Bar, 1600 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh in the Strip.

For more information, Facebook them at www.facebook.com/events/352524584891243/?fref=ts

There’s always a lot do in Pittsburgh. Every week we pick five fun things for your weekend. Here’s the list for January 16 – 19.

For the Birds

Defy Gravity (that’s a hint for something later in the list) with Heather Henson’s “Flight: A Crane’s Story.” It’s an exploration of nature’s deepest mysteries alongside Awaken, a young crane learning to fly. Since it’s from Heather Henson, daughter of Muppet Master Jim Henson, expect puppetry, kites and music and expect the unexpected.

This weekend, you can migrate to the Charity Randall Theater, Forbes Ave., Pitt Campus. Tickets can be found here; https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=92fa16a19df76731bdf523ffd26a2755
Pop it!

The Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley had an opening reception Saturday January 18^th for their new exhibit, “Pop Explosion: The Artist and Popular Culture.” According to Pop King, Andy Warhol, “Once you ‘Got’ Pop, you could never see a sign the same way again. And once you thought ‘pop,’ you could never see America the same way again.”

The exhibition is juried by Nicholas Chambers, The Milton Fine Curator of Art at the Andy Warhol Museum, and Robert Beckman, Director at Artists Image Resource.

There is a special opening reception Saturday, January 18th. Pop up to the Sweetwater Center for the Arts, 200 Broad Street , Sewickley, PA 15143, or click here; http://www.sweetwaterartcenter.org/

Meet some Important People

Speaking of Andy Warhol, Pittsburgh’s celebrated garage-rock trio Meeting of Important People returns to the stage January 18th with special guests The Nox Boys, who will be releasing their debut vinyl album that evening on the Get Hip label!

This will be an ALL-AGES event as part of Warhol’s Winter Sound Series, unveiling the museum’s new entrance gallery with a special inaugural performance.

Bop down to the Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, or click the light fantastic at www.thewarhol.org

Something Wicked this way comes

Defy Gravity with the hit musical about Elphaba AKA the Wicked Witch of the West. Get her side of the Oz story with lots of singing and dancing along the way.  “Wicked” comes to the Benedum Center this weekend and continues through Feb. 9

Hop on your broom sticks and head to the Bendedum Center, 719 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh. Call 412-456-6666 or click www.trustarts.org.

Mountaintops

Celebrate MLK, Jr. Day early by attending “The Mountaintop,” Katori Hall’s fictionalized portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last night, set in a hotel room hours before his assassination.

The Mountaintop opens this weekend and plays through February 9.

Share the dream at the City Theatre 1300 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh. For more information, click www.citytheatrecompany.org.

Premier Pittsburgh public garden provides perfect cold weather escape.

Pittsburgh, Pa.—Opening on Jan. 18, the annual Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens will provide a welcome escape from the cold, chasing away the winter blues with a healthy dose of color, inspiration and beauty. Featuring elegant orchids planted in garden beds and hanging baskets, and offering a chance to view the public garden’s permanent collection of tropical bonsai, this treat-of-a-show is not to be missed.

Celebrated for their stunning appearance and delightful diversity (more than 25,000 species exist around the globe), orchids are truly special. The Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show features hundreds of these beloved flowers, and the Barbara Tisherman Slipper Orchid collection, curated in collaboration with the Orchid Society of Western Pennsylvania to be one of the world’s definitive slipper orchid resources, will also be on display for guests to explore and enjoy.

Offering a striking contrast, Phipps’ tropical bonsai — dwarfed trees trained to take on the shapes of their larger counterparts in nature — will also be showcased in many forms, from the iconic formal upright bonsai to the more dramatic slant bonsai that resemble windswept trees. Said to give those who practice the art a sense of well-being, this time-honored Japanese tradition classifies specimens by size and style based upon the shapes of their trunks, roots and branches.

For anyone looking to start their own orchid and bonsai collections at home, public programs, held free with paid admission throughout the duration of the show, will also be held on select Saturdays and  Sundays at 1:30 p.m. in the Tropical Forest Conservatory. Additionally, bonsai classes on a variety of topics for all skill levels are available through Phipps’ adult education program throughout the year.

Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show, designed by Phipps staff, runs from Jan. 18 – March 9 and is open daily from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Fridays. Admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors and students, and $11 for children (ages two-18). Members and kids under two enter for free.

About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, Pa. is a green leader among public gardens with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Learn more: phipps.conservatory.org.

There’s always a lot do in Pittsburgh. Every week we pick five fun things for your weekend. Here’s the list for January 9 – 12

Soussside n’ nat

Tami Dixon returns to the Southside for “South Side Stories,” her one-woman show where she inhabits the lives and stories of some of the residents in Pittsburgh’s busiest, booziest section. Yinz should come dahn to the City Theater n’nat.

South Side Stories are on the South Side at the City Theatre 1300 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh through Jan. 26.

Call 412-431-2489 or visit them at www.citytheatrecompany.org

A Tell Tale Heart

Dixon isn’t the only one-person show in town. David Crawford is Edgar Allan Poe in Explore the life and “Poe’s Last Night.”  Find out why the famous writer would exhale nevermore. The show continues through Jan. 18.

“Poe’s Last Night” is at the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre 937 Liberty Ave, 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh. More information can be found at www.pghplaywrights.com

An Unreal Reality Show

Ever wonder what would happen if a reality show went really wrong? You can find out in “Dating Can Be Murder,” an interactive murder mystery dinner theater. Solve the crime over a plate of Italian food.

Bring your magnifying glass and deerstalker cap to Gaetano’s Restaurant 1617 Banksville Rd., Pittsburgh.

For more information call 412-343-6640

Medium at Large

There’s a celebrity from an actual reality show in town. Theresa Caputo, the Long Island Medium. See Theresa Caputo Live in “Theresa Caputo Live the Experience.” Sunday, Jan 12 at 3:00 p.m. Caputo claims she can talk to your relatives on the other side. Find out if she’s a fake or the real deal at the Benedum. Theresa will give interactive readings to audience members throughout the show and will also share personal stories about her life and her unique gifts.

Don’t worry. It’s not like you can drop by unexpectedly. She knows you’re coming!

You can catch the medium at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, 237 7^th Street, Pittsburgh, PA. For more information go here: www.trustarts.org/visit/facilities/benedum

The plural for Beer is Beer

Saturday, January 11, 2014, at the Monroeville Convention Center you can get your eat, drink and be merry for a good cause. It’s the first annual Pittsburgh Brew and Chew (A portion of all proceeds will go to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Give Kids The World).

The Brew and Chew promises to not be your ordinary beer fest. They are bringing together pours from dozens of America’s favorite craft beers, bites from some of our region’s favorite restaurants and food vendors, and even stations featuring everyone’s favorite beer-drinking activities!

Legendary Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster, Garrett Oliver will be there. He’s one of the foremost authorities in the world on the subject of beer, Oliver will bring more than 20 years of experience to show fest-goers how to create the perfect pair when matching food with beer.

We’ll be there, how about you?

For more information go here: http://goodtastepittsburgh.com/pittsburgh-brew-n-chew/

That’s a wrap, kiddies. See you back here next week for five more fun events around Pittsburgh.

It’s the holiday season, but there are still plenty of things to do in Pittsburgh.   We have things to do from listening to George Bailey to hanging out on Bailey Avenue (on Mt. Washington). Here are Five Fun Things to do this weekend:

Packing them in

The mouse might not be stirring, but the Rat Pack is. If you never got a chance to see Frank, Sammy and Dean live; this is your chance to see them dead. Sort of.  A group of impersonators will be singing their most famous Christmas songs, along with some of their standards. Enjoy the songs they made famous, like ‘Fly Me To The Moon’, ‘The Lady Is A Tramp’, ‘Mr. Bojangles’, ‘That’s Amore’, along with seasonal favorites like: ‘Merry Little Christmas’, ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’, ‘Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer’ ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘Mistletoe and Holly’, ‘Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow’, ‘White Christmas’, ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Love To Keep Me Warm.’ The Rat Pack will be backed up by the Buelli Sisters and a live 123 piece big band.

You don’t have to fly to the moon, or Vegas, just head down to Heinz Hall and catch all the action.

For more information, go here; http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/production/37669/the-rat-pack-christmas

Another Bell Rings

If you’re up north, Butler way, check out “It’s a Wonderful Life: A live Radio Play,” at the Butler Little Theater.  See…wait…Hear…a live version of the Christmas classic (I don’t have to explain the plot of the “It’s a Wonderful Life,” do I?).  Get up there before George Bailey jumps off the bridge.

It’s at the Butler Little Theater, 1 Howard Street, Butler. Call 724-287-6781 for details. Or go here: http://www.bltgroup.org

Steel City Laughs

Christmas is over and it’s time to laugh. Come out December 28 to Club Café for the Steel City Comedy Tour. Come see local comedians; Chuck Krieger, Mike Wysocki, Carl Schimmel, Ray Zawandi, Tommy Kupiec. The show starts at 7:00 (early for comedians) at Club Café 56 S. 12th St., Pittsburgh, PA.

Call 412-431-4950 or hit the boys up on their Facebook page; https://www.facebook.com/pages/Steel-City-Comedy-Tour/217936028227905

Italy or Bust

If you’re looking to catch a movie during the holiday break, check out “The Great Beauty.” Palme d’Or nominee and Italy’s official candidate for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, this dazzling film is a Fellini-esque homage to the city of Rome.  It’s about a writer, Jep Gambardella (Toni Servillo, Il Divo), who gets a shock from his past on his 65^th birthday. He sees past the glitz to find Rome in all its glory: a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.

You can find “The Great Beauty” at the Regent Square Theater. Check out Pittsburgh Filmmakers for dates and times here; http://pfm.pittsburgharts.org

Masquerade Ball, Pittsburgh Style

This New Year’s Eve you can go to a classy and exclusive Masquerade Ball at one of the most elegant venues in the city at the Smart House (Peter and Steve’s place; 207 Bailey Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15211). What better way to enjoy your New Year countdown than by sipping champagne while overlooking one of the best views in Pittsburgh?  A portion of the proceeds will benefit Humble House. *Part of ticket proceeds with benefit the Humble House.

https://www.facebook.com/events/367568540055593/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

And now a Sixth Thing…

Ring in the New Year, Yinz Guys!

There is so much going on New Year’s Eve in Downtown Pittsburgh at First Night, an annual celebration of the holiday. It’s got music, magic, comedy and FIREWORKS (I love fireworks)! Some of the highlights include; Johnny Angel and the Halos singing oldies at the Benedum, Jason Hudy performing magic at CAPA, Player One, the Arcade Comedy Theater’s house team, improvising scenes at (you guessed) the Arcade Comedy Theater,  and a spectacular display of Zambelli fireworks over the city. Party till the ball drops, in Downtown Pittsburgh!

Details and a grid map of all the events can be found here; http://www.firstnightpgh.org

Here are five fun things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend, December 12 – 15.

Ebony and Ivory

The 10^th Annual Theatre Festival in Black & White: Holiday Edition is underway. Catch plays written by black playwrights directed by white directors, while black directors directed white playwrights, ten one-acts in all at the event.  You can see them at the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, 937 Liberty Avenue, 3^rd Floor, Downtown Pittsburgh.

Well, Well, Well

Come to Carnegie for “Well,” Lisa Kron’s insightful 2006 Tony Award-nominated play.  The play is a serio-comedy about the collision of art and life, exploring the dynamics of health, family and community.

You can find the play at the Off the Wall Theater, 25 W. Main Street, Carnegie. The play runs through December 22.

Call 724-873-3576 or visit www.insideoffthewall.com

Check back here for a review next week!

Nudey Show

You have one last chance to catch some naked men at the December 13 closing party for Ignudi: Drawings Based on the Nude Youths of Michelangelo.  See Richard Claraval’s imitable style in the charcoal drawings. You can find nude men on Friendship Avenue, at the Spinning Plate Gallery, 5720 Friendship Avenue, Pittsburgh, to be more precise. The Closing party runs from 7 – 10 p.m. 12/13/13.

Check out his work here: www.richardclaravalcontemporaryfigurativedrawingssculpture.com

Nude Man to Iron Man

If Ignudi is too much for you and you want to put clothes on the man. Check out Future Tenant, where the man in the artwork wears a full suit of armor!  In a group exhibition of 23 works of art, each a desconstruction of a single page of a 1984 comic book issue of “The Invincible Iron Man,” is on display in “Shame of the City: Deconstructing & Reconstructing Comic Narratives.” The opening reception is December 13 from 6 – 9 p.m. at Future Tenant, 819 Penn Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh.

See into the Future at  www.futuretenant.org/future.

More Comic Books!

You can check out that very issue of Invincible Iron Man over at the ToonSeum, while catching their show, “All That and a Bag of Chips: The 90s Animation Renaissance.” The show features original production art, sketches, storyboards and more.  The show continues through December 15.

Find it all at the ToonSeum, 945 Liberty Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh, and tell Executive Director Joe Wos that Burgh Vivant sent you.

And now a Sixth Thing…

Sparkle, Princess!

On Monday, just when you thought it was safe to stop partying and go back to work… The Carnegie Screenwriters and the Carnegie Arts Initiative invites you to celebrate the holidays at the first ever 3^rd on 3^rd Sparkle Party.  Bring a covered dish to Third Street Gallery  and hear three holiday themed stories;  Stage 62’s revered wunderkind Stephen Santa will read from the David Sedaris book, “The Santaland Diaries,” ‘Burgh Vivant’s biggest bon vivant Brian Edward will read his story, “How the Binch Improved Christmas” and some guy named Michael Buzzelli (see picture above) will read “Bad Santa” from his book, “Below Average Genius.”

By the way, if you don’t want to spend time in the kitchen, bring booze.

Join the festivities at The Third Street Gallery, 220 Third Street, Carnegie.

For more information, hit up the Facebook page www.facebook.com/events/1395307920711200/?fref=ts