Sights & Sounds – April 3
To close its “A Season of Celebrations,” The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) will present a birthday celebration for Fiddlesticks. Heinz Hall’s resident musical ambassador to children, Fiddlesticks will join resident Conductor Lawrence Loh and the PSO for a melodic adventure at Heinz Hall on April 6.
Clare Bradford, winner of the Duquesne Concert Competition, returns to the stage to play Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1. Stephanie Maloney also returns for the fun with a special “Cat Duet” with Katy Williams, and The Children’s Festival Chorus will perform “When I Sing” with PSO musicians Jeff Grubbs, bass, and Andrew Reamer, percussion.
Attendees can sing “Happy Birthday!” with Fiddlesticks and enjoy a birthday treat from Eat n’Park, which has donated 2,000 Smiley Cookies for the celebration.
“Happy Birthday Fiddlesticks!” begins at 11:15 a.m. Tickets are $12-$20, and can be purchased by calling the Heinz Hall box office at 412.392.4900, or by visiting the PSO online at www.pittsburghsymphony.org.
The Heritage Players, Bethel Park, is currently accepting online reservation for its murder mystery dinner theatre fundraiser “Till Death Do Us Part” at the Castle Shannon Borough Building.
Performances will be held at 7 p.m. May 18 and 2 p.m. May 19. Ticket price of $25 includes both Italian dinner and show.
For more information, call 412-254-4633 or visit www.heritageplayers.org.
The Washington Wild Things professional baseball team has engaged the services of Pohl Productions to audition and select the National Anthem singers for the upcoming season. Open auditions will be held from 10 a.m.-noon April 13 at Consol Energy Park – home of The Wild Things. Both individuals and groups are encouraged to audition.
While appointments are not required, those who do call to make appointments will be given priority for auditioning. All applicants should bring a recent photo and a resume if available. Those auditioning are asked to sing the traditional version of The National Anthem with absolutely minimal styling. It must be performed in a respectful manner.
To register, call Pohl Productions at 724-746-1178.
Music for Mt. Lebanon will present illusionist Jason Bishop at 7:30 p.m. April 6 at Mt. Lebanon High School. Bishop is an international award-winning illusionist and the youngest person to win the Magician’s Alliance of Eastern States Stage Award. For tickets, call 412-264-3354.
The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) South Campus Theatre, located in West Mifflin, presents the Ken Ludwig comedy “Lend Me a Tenor” at 8 p.m. April 4-6 and April 11-13 with a special matinee performance scheduled for 10 a.m. April 10.
Admission is free, with donations being accepted for the Kevin Dilworth Memorial Scholarship. Dilworth was a former CCAC-South Campus Theatre student who passed away from complications from cystic fibrosis.
For more information, call 412-469-6219 or email George Jaber at gjaber@ccac.edu.
The Salvation Army will hold its 25th Annual Fabric Fair from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. April 6 at the South Park Home Economics Building. Sponsored by the organization’s Greater Pittsburgh Women’s Auxiliary, the event will feature patterns, upholstery, fabric, yarns and notions at discount prices. Donations of fabric and notions are needed.
For more information, call 412-446-1534.
La Roche College graphic design students recently created an exposition that simulates being an undocumented immigrant in the United States. The exhibition, “Shared Border, Shared Dreams,” informs, raises awareness and promotes an understanding of the obstacles undocumented immigrants face in the United States when establishing and attaining personal goals.
The exposition displays a timeline, which shows the history of the U.S. and Mexico border, and students who walk through the simulation choose a persona and one dream card representing a goal they wish to accomplish.
“Shared Border, Shared Dreams” is on display through April 6, in the John J. Wright Library at the college’s main campus. For more information, visit designatlaroche.com.
“The Book of Mormon,” a musical written by “South Park” creators Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone, runs through April 7 at the Benedum Center. The show, presented by PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh, tells the story of two Utah teens and Mormon missionaries who are fed up with poverty, AIDS and other horrors that they encounter while in Uganda, and begin questioning their faith.
Tickets start at $41 and are available by calling 412-456-4800 or visiting www.trustarts.org.
LaRoche College presents New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas D. Kristof on April 9 as part of the college’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Kristof will speak on “A Call to Action: Encouraging Young People to Join the ‘World’s Fight’ and Take on a Cause Larger than Themselves.”
A seasoned journalist, Kristof has lived on four continents, reported on six and has traveled to 140 countries and all 50 states. He has won two Pulitzer Prizes.
The free presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Kerr Fitness and Sports Center on the La Roche campus. Preregistration is required. A book signing will follow the event. The event was originally scheduled for this past fall, but postponed. Those who registered for the postponed fall event must register again to be guaranteed a seat. To register, call 412-536-1097 or visit www.laroche.edu/kristof.
The Toonseum, Pittsburgh’s Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, presents Comics 4 Comics 4 at 8 p.m. April 4 at Little E’s book store. This fourth installment of this annual fundraiser brings headliner Michael Capozzola to Pittsburgh, and will be preceded by a VIP reception at the ToonSeum beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Joining Michael are the evening’s emcee, standup comedian and published author Michael Buzzelli, and local comedian Terry Jones.
Tickets are $20. VIP tickets, which include reserved seating and the reception, are $35. All proceeds benefit the ToonSeum, a nonprofit museum of comic and cartoon art.
For more information, email mandi@toonseum.org.
South Park Township Community Center Throughline Theatre will present “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” at 7 p.m. April 13. Cost is $10. To register, call 412-833-5585.
The Blues Society of Western PA will host its Ninth Annual Blues Challenge from 2-11 p.m. April 13 at the Clarion Hotel, Green Tree. Doors open at 1.
Fifteen bands/solos/duo acts will each give their best 20-minute performance that will be judged on musical talent, vocals, presentation, blues content and originality. A winning band will be awarded $1,000 and a winning solo or duo act will be awarded $500. Each winner will represent the BSWPA at the 2014 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn. A guitar award will also be presented to the guitarist that is judged the best overall guitarist in the competition that day.
Tickets will be available at the door and are $12 for the general public, $10 for BSWPA members, and $6 for students with valid ID.
A Blues Breakfast is planned for April 14. Ms. Freddye & Co. will entertain from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Renaissance & Baroque presents a special concert of popular songs and dances from late 18th century Peru at 8 p.m. April 13 in Synod Hall, 125 N. Craig St., Oakland.
Tickets are $20-$35, and student tickets are $10.
For more information and tickets, call 412-361-2048 or visit www.rbsp.org.
The Salvation Army and WTAE TV Channel 4’s Project Bundle-Up will host its fourth annual “Auction Kickoff Dinner – Night on the Town” beginning at 5 p.m. April 20 at LeMont Restaurant on Mt. Washington.
Festivities include live musical entertainment by Pittsburgh’s own Tom Watt, nationally acclaimed and award-winning vocal impersonator; fun photos courtesy of “Beautiful Day Photo Booth;” a live basket auction with themed baskets of $250-plus value; a gift card auction extravaganza; and appearances by local celebrities.
Admission is a donation of a new item(s) in its original packaging or a gift card with a minimum retail value of $100 per person. Monetary donations are also accepted. The gifts collected at the door will be auctioned at The Salvation Army and WTAE TV’s Annual Project Bundle-Up Online Auction in August 2013. For gift suggestions and reservations, visit www.projectbundleup.com. RSVPs must be received by April 24 to Project Bundle-Up Director Melissa Fereday at 412-446-1639.
Walt Maddox will return to the Crowne Plaza Cabaret Dinner Theatre with his one-man show, “Nat,” for a matinee performance on April 28.
NAT is Walt’s tribute to music legend Nat King Cole. He has presented this show both in the USA and around the world – including a performance with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall.
The show will begin at 3:30 p.m. with dinner served at 5. Price of the dinner-theatre package is $45, which includes both the tax and the tip.
The theatre is on Fort Couch Road in Bethel Park, across from South Hills Village.
For information or to make reservations (required), call Pohl Productions at 724-746-1178.
Washington Symphony Orchestra will present a Country Jamboree at 8 p.m. May 4 at Trinity High School. Conductor Yugo Ikach will feature hammered dulcimer musician Adam Sutch performing American folk songs such as “Whiskey Before Breakfast” and ” Blackberry Blossom.”
U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy will demonstrate his guitar playing and singing classics such as “Witchita Lineman.”
Tickets will be available at Citizens Library and all branches of Washington Financial or at the door.
The Meadows Racetrack & Casino announces its entertainment line-up for April. All concerts are free admission.
• Silks Lounge – all shows begin at 8 p.m.: Good Guys (Classic Rock), April 5; Jimbo & the Soupbones (Pop/Blues), April 6; Lee Gantt Band (Country), April 12; Elite Show Band (Dance Variety), April 13; The Elliotts (British Invasion), April 19; PGH Band (Pittsburgh Legends), April 20; Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers (Rock), April 26; Da Phunk (Dance/Funk), April 27.
• Pacers Lounge – all shows begin at 9 p.m.: Sputzy – Unplugged (Variety Solo), April 5; Mark Palmer (Variety Duo), April 6; Hewlett & Anderson (Variety Duo), April 12; AJ Fresh (Video Mix DJ), April 13; Short Brothers (Variety/Country), April 19 and 20; Good Guys Duo (Variety Duo), April 26; DJ Michael Joseph (Variety), April 27.
Reports of mysterious experiences and encounters are woven into the history of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall. On April 20 at 8 p.m., the lighter side of the paranormal is explored as the ACFL&MH presents Ghosts & Giggles, a frightfully funny fundraiser featuring comedienne Karen Rontkowski, pet psychic Sonya King and host comedian David Kaye. Proceeds benefit the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall. The $25 Donation includes two drink vouchers, “Spirits” courtesy of Duquesne Pilsner.
In keeping with the “spirit” of this fundraiser, the ACFL&MH is raffling off the opportunity to be part of a paranormal investigation at the library and music hall led by celebrity investigator TJ Porfeli. Four winners will join Porfeli and his team on June 22. Tickets are $10 each or three for $25 and are available at the ACFL&MH circulation desk during library hours or at the Ghosts & Giggles comedy event.
Guests over 21 admitted with valid ID. For tickets, call 412-276-3456 ext. 5 or visit www.carnegiecarnegie.org.