Tag: Culture

All those who have ever wanted to enjoy Carnegie Science Center without having to elbow 8-year-olds out of the way for a chance to compete against the Air Hockeybot or peer at the seahorses, will not want to miss 21+ Night at Carnegie Science Center.

It’s holiday party time! Listen to live music by the Nevin James Band or have a drink from our cash bar while you explore four floors of exhibits and our extra holiday-themed activities. We’ll be using poinsettias to measure acidity, creating fake snow out of polymers, making eggnog in the Kitchen Theater, and exploring circuits with Christmas lights. Wear your ugliest holiday sweater, check out the trains, and enjoy a holiday martini. For a few dollars more, watch the holiday classic The Polar Express on Pittsburgh’s biggest screen.For the special event price of just $10 if purchased by noon the day of the event ($15 if purchased later), adults ages 21 and up will have access to all four floors of exhibits, including SpacePlace, SeaScape, roboworld™, the Earthquake Café, the weather station, and scientific demos. There will be a cash bar, and snacks will be available for purchase.

Cost: Just $10 in advance, $15 day of event.
Get $15 in free slot play at Rivers Casino (just a short walk away!) when you register. You’ll receive a coupon upon check-in while supplies last.  www.carnegiesciencecenter.org  

‘Burgh Vivant will be there – we hope you will be too!

Here are five fun things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend, December 5 -8

Curly-Toed Toe Tag

Looking for a darker holiday experience? How about a murder-mystery with a Christmas theme? That’s “Elf’ed!” Christmas is underway at the North Pole, but when a newly hired toymaker is murdered everyone at Santa’s workshop is a suspect, including Mrs. Claus! I would bet my Christmas money that there will be a sleigh/slay joke in there somewhere.

Grab your flying reindeer and head over to “Elf’ed” at Gaetano’s Restaurant, 1617 Banksville Road, Pittsburgh, or go here:  www.eatdrinkmurder.org

Two Handed

Two pianists (hee hee. Pianists) vie for the same goal, concert pianist stardom in “2 Pianos 4 Hands.” It’s Ted and Richard’s excellent adventure.

You gotta hand it to artistic director, Tracy Brigden for NOT doing a holiday-themed show. Check out the “2 Pianos 4 Hands” at the City Theatre, 1300 Bingham Street, South Side.

For more information call 412-431-2489 or visit www.citytheatrecompany.org

Frick’n Christmas

Come down to the Frick Art & Historical Center and see an old-timey Christmas at the Clayton Holiday Tours – A Pittsburgh Christmas. Artifacts displayed in Clayton evoke the family’s celebrations, archival & newspaper materials will give an idea of seasonal activity in & around the city.

You can find the Frick Art & Historical Center at 7227 Reynolds Street, Pittsburgh.

A Lost Christmas Eve

Want your jingle bells to really rock this Christmas? Catch the holiday spirit with some laser light shows and the fusion of rock and classical at the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas concert here in Pittsburgh.

You can see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Consol Energy Center, 1001 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh.

Are we all Lit?

There’s a bright spot in Oakland this winter, literally and figuratively, at the Winter Light Garden and Flower Show at the Phipps Conservatory. Phipps is presenting a magical world of glass, light and blooms. With glowing evergreens, festive poinsettias, illuminated glass installations and their stuffing outdoors, Winter Light Garden, Phipps will sparkle and shine like never before.

You can find Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at One Schenley Park, Pittsburgh PA, or hit them up at their website at phipps.conservatory.org

And now…a Sixth Thing,…

Open Up

If you’re wanting a bit more diversity in your life, head down to the “Open Mind, Open Mic Night” at the  GLCC, 210 Grant Street, Pittsburgh. The GLCC (Gay & Lesbian Community Center) is offering a host of comedians, musicians and spoken word performers to its stage on December 5 at 7:00 p.m. Hosted by comedy’s tallest toddler Abby Denton (Last Comic Standing – third place, Pittsburgh edition). Denton said, “The Open Mind Open Mic is an attempt to make a safer space for young performers, queer performers, performers of color, and anyone else who might not feel welcome at other mics. We want to foster new voices.”

And that’s a wrap people. Come back next week for more fun things to do in Pittsburgh.

– MB

Christmas is in the air, and the local theater scene is putting the happy in Happy Holidays.

Elf off the Shelf

There’s a misfit in Toyland and his name is Buddy. He’s the elf that isn’t really an elf, but a human raised in the North Pole by one of Santa’s senior managers. Buddy goes off to America to find his real family and falls in love with a real girl. The movie is brought to stage (with added music) in “Elf – the Musical.”

Look for it at the Benedum Center, 719 Liberty Avenue Pittsburgh.

Get on the nice list and take the whole family! For more information go here; www.trustarts.org

You want a Frosty with that?

Midnight Radio is back on the list. The Bricolage presents “Midnight Radio: Animated Holidaze,” a “Fractured Fairy Tale” version of your favorite animated Christmas Classics.  Grinch, Frosty, Charlie Brown and friends aren’t safe from clutches of Tami Dixon and Jeffrey Carpenter and their troupe of talented radio (not on the radio) stars.

Jump on Santa’s sleigh and head down to the Bricolage, 937 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, or, you know, take the bus or something. You can learn more at www.bricolagepgh.org

Scrooged

It’s inevitable. You can’t deny it. You’re going to see at least one version of Charles Dickens’ miserly curmudgeon who undergoes a massive spiritual rebirth on Christmas Eve. You might as well see, “A Musical Christmas Carol.” Ebenezer himself might warm to this version at the Benedum Center, 719 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh.

Throw open your window and throw a schilling down to a boy in the street and get him to buy you tickets for the whole Cratchit family, or get tickets online here; www.pittsburghclo.org

Baby Jesus, Three Wise Men and a Cast of Hundreds

Every Christmas, at this time, the Carnegie Museum puts up its big crèche, the Neapolitan Presepio. The Nativity scene features more than 100 human and angelic figures, along with animals, accessories and architectural elements.

You don’t have to follow the star to find the newborn king; you can just go to the Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Oakland. For more information, go to www.cmoa.org

Bah Humbug!

Not in the holiday spirit? You can do the Truffle Shuffle over at the “Live Read: The Goonies.” It’s just like the movie, but read out loud by local actors and comedians. Chris Preksta (“Pittsburgh Dad,” “Mercury Men,” and much more) directs the live reading of the action/adventure comedy screenplay. These events usually sell out, so get your tickets early!

You can find the fun at the Arcade Comedy Theater, 811 Liberty Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh.

And that’s a wrap people. Come back next week for more fun things to do in Pittsburgh.

-MB

Rowling with Laughter

Don’t have enough time to read all of the Harry Potter books? Don’t even have enough time to see all of the movies? Do we have an evening for you! “Potted Potter, the Unauthorized Harry Experience,” sums up all of the books in one brisk show. Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner take a magic broom ride from the boy wizard’s first day of school till his last.

You can fall under their magic spell at the Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street, Downtown Pittsburgh.

For more information, get your owl to deliver the latest issue of The Daily Prophet or just go here; http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/production/39141/potted-potter-the-unauthorized-harry-experience-a-parody-by-dan-and-jeff

Hat’s off

There’s an effing good time to be had over at the New Hazlett from now until December 1. You can see “Motherf**ker with the Hat” Things are starting to look up for recovering alcoholic, Jackie and his girlfriend Veronica – until Jackie spots another man’s hat in their apartment. Jackie embarks on a sublimely incompetent quest for vengeance.

This MFing thing is playing from November 21 until December 7 over at the New Hazlett, 6 Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh, PA.

Grab your hat and coat and head over, or just check things out here:  www.newhazletttheater.org

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

You will find a lot of puns, jokes and just good times at WordPlay; Transit Tales. WordPlay is a themed storytelling event set to music. If you want to hear great stories about planes, trains or automobiles jump on the bus or drive down to the Bricolage.

Moth StorySlam host Alan Olifson presents WordPlay: Transit Tales at the Friday November 22 at the Bricolage Theater, 937 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh.

Burlesque is Back

RED CITY presents Express Burlesque – an exciting burlesque-style dance review that combines an old burlesque feel with a provocative, yet classy, modern twist.  Gorgeous professional dancers will take you on an exciting musical journey that’ll make you want to get up and dance, with a holiday ending that is sure to set your holiday spirit a blazing.  At Off the Wall Theatre in Carnegie:  www.insideoffthewall.com  TICKETS: HERE

Who’s Big Screen Adventure

A 50 year-old television show goes 3D this weekend when “Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor” is up on the silver screen this Saturday. The explosive anniversary episode will be simulcast in England and America at the same time at selected cinemas.

Grab your sonic screwdriver, fire up the TARDIS and join the Doctor for the special event.

Or just go here: www.eventcinemas.com.au/movie/3D-Dr-Whos-50Th-Anniversary-Episode

And now a sixth thing…

Light ‘em Up

Friday, November 22 is the 53^rd Annual Light Up Night. It’s Downtown Pittsburgh’s biggest party of the year.

Celebrate the upcoming holiday season with music, art, and fireworks. There’s a plethora of events in the city. For more information, go here: www.downtownpghholidays.com

And that’s a wrap people. Come back next week for more fun things to do in Pittsburgh.

Here are five fun things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend, November 14 – 17. I decided to wax nostalgia as I prepped this week’s list.

A Night at the Opera

A handsome young prince is given a magic flute and some silver bells and no one seems to realize it’s a phallic joke in “The Magic Flute.” Tamino, the aforementioned handsome prince, is lost in a distant land. It’s a lot like when Jimmy and his magic flute Freddy got trapped on the Living Island, but H.R. Puff N’ Stuff isn’t in this version (H.R. Puff N’ Stuff anyone?). The whole show is about witches, goddesses and true love. It’s just like a Sid and Marty Krofft production, but with better music. Actually, it’s Mozart and opera at its finest.

“The Magic Flute” is presented by the Pittsburgh Opera and runs from November 12 and runs through November 15 at the Benedum Center, 719 Liberty Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh.

But what’s the title of the show?

If you’re at the Grey Box between now and November 16 and you can see “title of show” here. But what’s the title of the show? Title of show. Is this starting to sound like an Abbott and Costello routine? “Title of show” is about two nobodies who write a completely original musical starring themselves and their two talented actress friends. It’s from the Company of Pittsburgh (which title also adds to the Who’s on First bit). Which company? The Company of Pittsburgh. But which company? Third base!

See the review elsewhere on this website!

The show continues through the weekend at the Grey Box Theatre, 3595 Butler Street, Lawrenceville.

One from the Neighborhood

Its music fit for a king. King Friday! Joe Negri takes the stage with Daniel May on Friday, November 15 (the puppet king’s favorite day). Negri bring his guitar, his good will, and big smile down to the Omni for some fun times. There will be no owl, pussycat or spinning museum-go-round, but there will be plenty of great music.

Take the trolley to the Omni William Penn, 530 William Penn Place; bypass the exit for Make Believe.

Artists United!

Come down to the James Gallery for Obscure/Reveal, a new show featuring contemporary works incorporating encaustic, the demanding and complex process of painting with hot wax.

See the work of Christine Aaron, Tracey Adams, Stephanie Armbruster, Karen Freedman and many more.

The show runs from November 16 to January 4 at the James Gallery. 413 South Main Street, Pittsburgh.

For more information, head to www.jamesgallery.net

Moving Pictures

Want to see movies from around the world right here in Pittsburgh? It’s not too late to catch some of the films from the Three Rivers Film Festival.  Last weekend they showcased movies from the Netherlands, Australia, Serbia and Poland all open Friday at the Waterworks Cinema, Harris Theater, Regent Square Theater and Melwood Screening Room respectively. There are more new premieres hitting Pittsburgh this week. It’s a movie lovers dream!

Catch director Ingrid Veniger’s funny, furry film about people in sheep’s clothing and other creatures in “The Animal Project.”  There are animated films, documentaries, old favorites and brand new films featuring everyone from Judi Dench to Jamel Shabazz.

Check out all the films here at www.3rff.com

And that’s a wrap people. Come back next week for more fun things to do in Pittsburgh.

-MB.

‘Burgh Vivant will film live on Friday, November 15th from Arcade Comedy Theater at 10pm, as a prelude to an evening performance of the short play HOTLINE, by Cheryl Navo, produced by Thoreau, NM.

Over cocktails, Brian Edward, host of ‘Burgh Vivant, will interview Thoreau, NM Artistic Director Lance Eric-Skapura before a live audience on topics of theatre, the development of HOTLINE, and bizarre telephone trivia.  Questions will also be taken from the audience.  The live episode of ‘Burgh Vivant will be immediately followed by a performance of HOTLINE, starring Joel Ambrose, Lisa Germ, and Ayne Terciera.

HOTLINE is an award winning one-act play, featured recently in the 2013 Pittsburgh New Works Festival.  It follows the exploits of Operator 72, who is training to be a Counselor for the SILT (Socially Inappropriate Language Therapy) Hotline. SILT is a method of therapy invented by Dr. Fergus Guggenheim whose years of research led him to conclude that subjects in stressful situations were able to lower their stress levels and deal with their problems more effectively when they used socially inappropriate language to release negative energy. Operator 72s last hurdle before accreditation as a SILT counselor is a monitored solo call. Caller Janine telephones with a unique problem that she is unable to “swear” away.

Playwright Cheryl Navo is a Department of Defense employee stationed in Germany. She has been involved in community theatre since December 2009 when she played Sister Margaretta in the KMC Onstage production of “Sound of Music.” Cheryl directed “101 Dalmatians” for KMC Onstage, which garnered seven awards, including ‘Best Debut Director,’ during the 2011 U.S. Army Europe Festival of One Act Plays. She costumed “Seussical” and “Greater Tuna” for the Baumholder Hilltop Theater and was charge artist for KMC Onstage’s “Frozen,” for which she won three U.S. Army IMCOM-Europe 2012 Tournament of Plays ‘Toppers’ Awards. She wrote the one-act play, “Parade of Queens,” which garnered four awards during the 2013 U.S. Army Europe Festival of One Act Plays. Cheryl is cast as Meredith in the upcoming production of “Batboy: the Musical” and is directing “God of Carnage,” both for the Baumholder Hilltop Theater. “Hotline” is her second one-act play.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/505932