Theater & Arts

The reality competition series “RuPaul’s Drag Race” has enjoyed 16 regular seasons and a constellation of spin-offs since it premiered in 2009. Each season chronicles famous drag diva RuPaul’s search for “the next drag superstar.” If the regular seasons uplift one superstar, each season of “All Stars” produces supernovas. And...

“If music be the food of love, play on,” says Orsino in a famous line from Shakespeare’s comedy “Twelfth Night.” In Shakespeare in the Parks’ production of the play, they took him literally. Celebrating their 20th season, Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks kicked off the month-long run of the play...

It’s a busy weekend in Pittsburgh! With three days off to bask in the last of summer and football season right around the corner, the city has plenty of excitement and relaxation to offer. If you want to avoid the insanity of the North Shore, there are definitely other happenings...

There’s a great crop of events happening all over Pittsburgh this weekend. From pretty performances to delicious food to maybe something a little weird, it’s a great time to try something fun or a little out there. Here are some ideas. Pittsburgh Ballet Under the Stars Hartwood Acres Middle Road...

Caitlyn Mendicino has been dancing since she was 4 years old. The Penn Township native took lessons from the Ballet Westmoreland Academy in Murrysville. This weekend, she will take the Hartwood Acres stage as the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre kicks off its 55th season with a free performance Sunday that will...

August Wilson is a titan of modern theater and his legacy stands especially tall here in Pittsburgh, his hometown and the setting for most of his 10-play Century Cycle. “Radio Golf” represents both the final decade of that century — it’s set in 1997 — and Wilson’s final play. The...

Along with piping-hot swing music and dazzling choreography, the musical “Bandstand” offers an unflinching glimpse into the lives of United States military veterans coming home after World War II. Thanks to an incredible, multitalented cast and seamless direction, local company Front Porch Theatricals has crafted a production of which they...

After a long, rainy week, it’s time to relax and enjoy some downtime. From performances to parties, from celebrity appearances to festivals, Pittsburgh is jumping this weekend. Join in the fun with these events. Idina Menzel at the Benedum Center Broadway legend — and real-life Disney princess — Idina Menzel...

After driving through the peaceful Longue Vue Club in Verona and parking, audience members made their way to an array of chairs on risers in a clearing. Before them, with a copse of trees whispering in the breeze behind it, sat the cross-section of a simple shanty. Ushered into silence...

Many Sewickley Academy alums may spot a familiar name in the playbill at Front Porch Theatricals’ production of “Bandstand,” running Aug. 16-25 at the New Hazlett Theater on the North Side. Joe Jackson, who served as dance teacher and theatre arts director at the academy, returned to the region from...

Rounding out its 2024 summer season, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s “Seussical” opened Tuesday night at the Byham Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh. With its bright colors and whimsical songs, the show will undoubtedly be a hit with the next generation of theater lovers who are just being introduced to live performances....

On Tuesday night, popular podcast “Comedy Bang! Bang!” will bring its live show to the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks. The host of the show — which also spawned a five-season-long TV show on IFC and a bestselling book — is actor-writer-producer Scott Aukerman. “’Comedy Bang! Bang!’ is essentially a...

If you’re looking to fill your weekend with all things arts and culture, there is no shortage of events happening in and around the city this weekend. From performances that reflect the beauty of the African diaspora to the Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh’s Summer Picnic, start planning out your...

New York-based comedian and writer Natan Badalov will be bringing his one-man show — and his unique perspective on his Jewish identity — to Sunken Bus Studios in Pittsburgh this Saturday. Badalov, an Uzbek-American, debuted his one-man show “Connect the Dots” at the New York Comedy Festival last November. Now...

Fans of Mel Brooks, your ideal date night has arrived at the Greer Cabaret Theater downtown. Pittsburgh CLO’s production of “Young Frankenstein,” which opened Friday night, is a real crowd-pleaser. Based on the 1974 comedy film of the same name, penned by Brooks and Gene Wilder, who also starred in...

This Saturday, comedian and former Pittsburgher Steve Byrne will produce his third annual Comedy Jam to benefit the Mario Lemieux Foundation. The show, which boasts an impressive all-star lineup of national acts and Pittsburgh favorites, will be held at Rivers Casino Event Center. “I’d done stand up with Bill Burr...

Construction is underway for the new borough park in Sewickley that will be located in front of The Lindsay Theater & Cultural Center. The work is being done by Pittsburgh-based Vermont Stone & Horticulture at a cost of $93,424. The borough owns the land and the lawn that the theater...

Brad Williams, who has been working in comedy for two decades and has appeared in numerous films and television shows, was born with achondroplasia, a genetic disorder and cause of dwarfism. He’s done sets on late-night shows like “The Tonight Show” and released numerous stand-up comedy specials, including 2015’s “Brad...

Having just celebrated the Fourth of July holiday, it seems a perfect time for one of the quintessential American musicals: “The Music Man.” The final show in this season’s PNC Spotlight Series runs through Sunday at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. And Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera pulled out all...

Tony Award-winning actress, singer and songwriter Idina Menzel recalled performing in Pittsburgh around the time of the Tree of Life tragedy in 2018 in Squirrel Hill. “I remember that time, and I remember such a sense of responsibility and connection to my audience. So, years later, when the project of...

It’s not every day that actor Brandon Kerr gets excited to be a monster. But when the opportunity arose to play the role of the Beast in the Geyer Performing Arts Center’s upcoming performance of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” he jumped at the chance. “I’ve just always felt like...

On Sunday night, the theater community gathered to celebrate the 77th Tony Awards, which honor the best of the best from the past year’s Broadway season. Included among the nominees for competitive awards were six Carnegie Mellon University alumni, with a total of 11 nominations. In addition, Pittsburgh native and...

Tuesday night saw the opening of Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s production of a titan in the canon of American musicals: “West Side Story.” And this production will delight any fan of the show. Opening on Broadway in 1957, “West Side Story” is the work of legends, with a book by...

Some of Pittsburgh’s cultural institutions may be taking a break for the summer, but theater is still all around in the city. Many local companies know that “the show must go on” — and have planned a variety of exciting productions for the next couple of months. Here are a...

The world’s on fire — and John McIntire is here to make everyone laugh about it. Since 2007, McIntire has been hosting a comedy talk show with a panel of guests — often local political figures, sometimes comedians. The former host of PCNC’s “Night Talk” and KDKA radio voice has...