What you need to know about Highmark First Night in Pittsburgh
Downtown Pittsburgh will put on its holiday best to host the annual Highmark First Night, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The Cultural District will be ringing in the new year with a jam-packed lineup of performances, activities, fireworks and a midnight ball-raising. Tens of thousands of people are expected...
Year in Review: The best of Pittsburgh theater in 2025
Despite funding struggles and numerous other challenges, including the construction in the Cultural District, Pittsburgh’s theater companies and arts organizations staged a stunning slate of productions in 2025. While we didn’t get to all of them, here are some highlights to remember. The Top 5 Shows City Theatre’s “The Real...
August Wilson Center raising funds with seat-naming opportunity
Theater-goers have a chance to make a visible investment in the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in Downtown Pittsburgh through new seat-naming opportunities. The initiative is a legacy-giving chance to support the center, which is among the nation’s largest Black multidisciplinary arts facilities. “A seat dedication is both deeply...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 19-21
The holidays are officially underway — Christmas is just days away, Hanukkah is lighting up the nights and the winter solstice is Sunday. Incorporate these events into your holidays for a little extra fun this weekend. Trans-Siberian Orchestra For almost three decades, progressive rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been turning...
Karla Boos, fonder and longime artistic director of Quantum Theatre, announces plans to retire
Quantum Theatre, a company that has challenged and delighted Pittsburgh theatergoers since its inception in 1990, will be looking for a new artistic director next year. Karla Boos, founder and current holder of that position, has announced she will retire in December 2026. Before departing, Boos will be directing Quantum’s...
Pittsburgh CLO’s ‘A Musical Christmas Carol’ keeps a holiday tradition singing
Charles Dickens penned a Christmas story for the ages in 1843, spawning dozens of adaptations on stage and in film across the world (the Muppet version is, in my opinion, unmatched). It’s so ubiquitous that “Scrooge” as a description for a cantankerous anti-holiday crank has become a part of our...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 12-14
The temperature just keeps dropping, but the ‘Burgh shows no sign of stopping! There’s lots to do and see this weekend all around town, so don’t miss out just because of a chill. Here are a few must-dos this weekend. Holiday storytelling show The holidays can be a complicated time...
City Theatre, CMU School of Drama partner for return of the Momentum Festival
This weekend, City Theatre and Carnegie Mellon University will partner for a celebration of new works for the stage. The Momentum Festival: New Plays at Different Stages will run Saturday and Sunday at City Theatre on the South Side. The four included works include “East Carson Street,” a jukebox musical...
Gateway High School’s ‘Almost, Maine’ production a fitting debut for director
The first time Kaylie Wallace saw her grandfather, Larry Cervi, direct a play was about a decade ago when Gateway High School performed “Almost, Maine” — the 2004 show written by John Cariani. Recently, Wallace stepped into Cervi’s (dancing) shoes as the artistic director and choreographer at the nonprofit East...
Pittsburgh CLO’s ‘Yippee Ki Yay’ a heartwarming, hilarious tribute to ‘Die Hard’
Let’s get this out of the way: I don’t buy into the whole “ ‘Die Hard’ is a Christmas movie” thing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy this 1988 action flick classic that (deservedly so) launched Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman into super-stardom. But “taking place at Christmas” does not,...
Local celebs to add extra sparkle to Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’
“The Nutcracker” is a Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre holiday tradition going back to the company’s inception in 1969. This year, they’re also continuing a more recent tradition of featuring local celebrities in cameos during the show. From football favorites to TV stars, PBT has tapped a wide variety of Pittsburgh’s famous...
Q&A with CMU grad Adam Brett, who is making his national tour debut as Wadsworth in ‘Clue’
Editor’s note: The following story was submitted for the Shaler Area Student Section, a collaboration between TribLive and The Oracle, the student newspaper of Shaler Area High School. Recently, The Oracle spoke with actor Adam Brett, who is making his national tour debut as Wadsworth in “Clue,” which is running...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 28-30
The leftovers are packed in the fridge and the family is still hanging around for a couple more days. What to do? You can show them how fun and bright Pittsburgh is with these events. Enjoy! Beers of the Burgh’s Winter Warmer Get ready for some fancy holiday cheer and...
‘Les Misérables’ is an epic tale of revolution at the Benedum Center
Other than “Wicked” (at the moment) and a handful of others, “Les Misérables” has to be one of the most well-known musicals in the modern canon. It’s the longest-running musical in the history of London’s West End, has won eight Tony Awards for its Broadway production — including Best Musical...
Your guide to Western Pa. holiday performances this season
It’s Christmastime in the city! The holidays are upon us, and the streets are bright with colorful lights and alive with festive music. While family visits, gift shopping and weekend afternoons of baking are filling up the calendar for the next few weeks, the holidays wouldn’t be quite as special...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 21-23
If Light Up Night isn’t your jam, that doesn’t mean having to hide in the house all weekend! Here are some other events to attend, sans twinkly trees and super-cold temps. Record Convention Fall Show Music collectors of Pittsburgh, here’s your chance to shop and meet like-minded people. The Record...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 14-16
Brrr! It’s been a chilly week and it’s only going to get colder from here. It’s tempting to just curl up with a blanket and the streaming show of the week, but wouldn’t it be more fun to attend some of these events? Check them out. Phipps Holiday Magic Gear...
Gainey, Black leaders launch August Wilson legacy brick fundraiser
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson was the 1994 commencement speaker at Morgan State University in Maryland, and one of the graduates in the audience was Ed Gainey. “I look back on this, years later, because here’s a gentleman … who wrote ‘Radio Golf,’ where he talked about the first Black...
Improv meets hypnosis in ‘Hyprov’ show starring Colin Mochrie of ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’
Asad Mecci had a theory that everyone was funny and creative — they just needed someone to unlock their mind. The famous master hypnotist decided to test this idea after taking several improv classes at Toronto’s Second City. “The instructors would always say, ‘get out of your head’ or ‘you’re...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 7-9
Before things really gear up for the holiday season, take advantage of this less-busy weekend with tons of happenings around the city. Try these out! Pet Expo Do you have a pet? Do you want a pet? Do you have family or friends with pets? This would be a great...
Actress, Fox Chapel Area alum Regina Gibson returns home for original 1-woman show
Actress and singer Regina Gibson returns to her Pittsburgh-area stomping grounds for a one-night show on a relatable topic – dating angst – heightened by the comedic addition of opera music. The Fox Chapel Area High School alum brings her “Divina: A Fantasy Cabaret,” a one-woman original opera-comedy-cabaret, to the...
Quaker Valley Middle School presents ‘Grease’ as this year’s musical
Quaker Valley Middle School musical producer Megan Mueller believes the power her student cast and crew are supplying will be electrifying when they present “Grease” later this month. “I’m extremely excited,” Mueller said on Oct. 29, nine days before opening night. “They’re very talented. I’ve enjoyed working with them. I’ve...
Fox Chapel Area High School performers prepare for fall play ‘Our Town’
Fox Chapel Area High School performers are gearing up for this year’s fall play production. Students in all grade levels have been working diligently to present the Thornton Wilder classic “Our Town.” The play explores the relationship between two young Grover’s Corners neighbors, George Gibbs and Emily Webb, whose childhood...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Oct 31-Nov. 2
While Halloween plans may dominate your Friday night, the rest of the post-spooky weekend still has a lot of treats to offer around Pittsburgh. Some events will keep the darker vibes going while others will be a respite for those sick of movie monsters and jack o’lanterns. Here are a...
Franklin Regional students prepare for battle in ‘Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe’
What’s the first rule when choreographing a sword battle between high-school freshmen? “No improvising,” said Shelby Hostetler, English teacher and co-director for the Franklin Regional Thespian Club. Hostetler is choreographing not one but multiple battles as the club prepares to stage a production of “The Lion, the Witch and the...
