Sights & Sounds May 15
Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra’s season finale takes place May 18 at the Upper St. Clair High School Theater. The season of “Tell Me A Story” concludes with tales from Hungary, Germany, Austria and a Czech’s interpretation of “the New World.”
The PCO will present Antonin Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9, From The New World.” Dvorak composed the piece in 1893, and it is one of the most popular pieces of music in the romantic repertoire. In addition, the PCO is proud to feature its own Alicia Whitney, bassoon, who will play the soulful “Andante e Rondo Ungarese, Op. 35” by the German Carl Maria von Weber. The orchestra will also perform “Serenade” by the Hungarian composer Gyula Beliczay along with the delightful “Wine, Women, and Song, Op. 333” by the Austrian waltz king, Johann Strauss.
Tickets are $5-$15 and can be purchased at the door. Children under 12 are free. For more information, call 412-279-4030 or visit www.pittsburghcivicorchestra.org.
Third Street Gallery, Carnegie, will present Furious Gypsy Jazz & Soulful Klezmer at 3 p.m. May 19. Featured will be Susanne Ortner-Roberts (Germany) on clarinet, John Marcinizyn (USA) on guitar and Vladimir Mollov (Bulgaria) on accordion. Admission is $15 at the door.
Off The Wall Productions will present “Without Ruth,” a world premiere play by Virginia Wall Gruenert, through May 18 at Off The Wall Theater in Carnegie. While it’s true that mothers and daughters often have contentious relationships that will keep therapists in business for decades to come, there is no denying the deep bond that exists between them. Based on the life of Ruth Haston, a long-time resident of Pittsburgh’s Hill District and inspired by the diaries of her daughter, “Without Ruth” deals with the end-of-life decisions that must be made by dutiful daughters, as well as the discord, conciliation, warfare and ultimate acceptance between strong, independent women bound by love and family.
Performances are 8 p.m. May 16-18. For tickets, call 1-877-71-TICKETS or visit www.showclix.com.
To close out its 52nd season, the South Hills Chorale will perform its spring concert Cantare Primavera (Singing of Spring). The program will feature a variety of works, including George Frederic Handel’s “Coronation Anthem No.4, Let Thy Hand be Strengthened,” which was composed for the coronation of King George II and Queen Caroline in October, 1727. Other pieces will include a medley from the Golden Globe and Oscar award-winning movie “Les Misérables,” and selections from what many consider to be America’s finest folk opera, “Porgy and Bess.”
The program will be performed at 7:30 p.m. May 17-18 in Upper St. Clair’s Westminster Presbyterian Church. It includes other lyrical favorites: Frederick Wetherby’s “Danny Boy,” Marvin Hamlisch’s “What I Did For Love” and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “It’s A Grand Night For Singing.”
Tickets, $15, are available from the chorale’s manager, Rick Smith at 412 220-4227 and at the door. For more information, visit www.southhillschorale.org.
Competitive marble shooting … it is alive and well, and local filmmakers, Justin A. Nixon and Jordan M. Serra, with a host of other collaborators, will premiere their documentary, “Mibsters: A Marble Story,” at 2 p.m. May 18 at the Senator John Heinz History Center in the Strip District.
“Mibsters: A Marble Story” follows three Pittsburgh boys on their quest to become champions of the National Marble Tournament. Through encouragement and practice, struggle becomes triumph. The documentary premier is included as part of admission to the Heinz History Center. Get a sneak peek at www.Mibsters.com.
Third Street Gallery, Carnegie, will present “Waterworks,” a Pittsburgh Watercolor Society membership show, through May 25.
For more information, call 412-276-5233 or visit www.pittsburghwatercolorsociety.com.
Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Lawrence Loh, will present its season finale free concert at 7:30 p.m. May 19 at Heinz Hall.Hannah Che, winner of the PYSO Concerto Competition, will perform the first movement of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor.
To download free tickets, visit www.pyso.us.
The ToonSeum, Pittsburgh’s Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, will hold a special VIP fundraising opening reception on May 23, as part of a weekend-long celebration of the comic and cartoon arts. Information on VIP event tickets can be found at comicvip.eventbrite.com. VIP tickets also include reserved seating for panel discussions on May 26, a signed limited edition print, meet and greet, and more.
The ToonSeum’s first annual Pittsburgh Comic Arts Festival will take place on May 26 featuring over 70 participating cartoonists. Admission to the ToonSeum is $5 for adults, $1 for children 6-12 and free to children up to age 5.
For more information, call 412-232-0199 or visit www.toonseum.org.
The Company of Pittsburgh begins its 2013 season with the Tony Award-winning, classic musical “Man of La Mancha,” May 30-June 8, at Off The Wall Theater in Carnegie.
Undertaking the massive role of Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote is Darrel R. Whitney, who, for three years, starred as Caiaphas in the Broadway national tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Zanna Fredland (“Camelot,” Pittsburgh Public Theater) stars as Aldonza/Dulcinea. Ricardo Vila-Roger (“The Other Place,” Off The Wall Theater) plays The Duke/Dr. Corrasco and Erich P. Lascek (“Next To Normal,” Carnivale Theatrics) is Padre. It is directed by Ted Watts Jr.
The Company’s intimate production features an orchestra of acoustic guitars under the musical direction of Tim Marquette, set and lighting design by Dan Kendgia, and fight choreography by Shaun Rolly.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students and can be purchased online at www.showclix.com/event/3755106.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/TheCompanyOfPittsburgh.
Opera Theater of Pittsburgh will perform “Shining Brow” June 7 and 8, the weekend of Frank Lloyd Wright’s 146th birthday. The American opera, with music by Daron Hagen and libretto by Paul Muldoon, will be performed on Fallingwater’s terraces.
Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with a reception starting at 6:30. A chartered bus will be available for the Saturday performance.
For details, call 412-326-9687.
The Meadows Racetrack & Casino announces its entertainment line-up for May. All concerts are free admission.
• Silks Lounge, 8 p.m.: May 17; Bon Journey (Journey/Bon Jovi), May 18; Tres Lads (pop/classic), May 24; The Buffettman (Jimmy Buffett), May 25; Velveeta (pop), May 31.
• Pacers Lounge, 9 p.m.: Twice as Nice (funk/dance trio), May 17; DJ Michael Joseph, May 18; Jeff Jimerson (variety duo), May 24; DJ AJ Fresh.
The Meadows also announces its 2013 outdoor concert line-up featuring Grammy and Emmy award-winning artists.
Performances include: “Weird Al” Yankovic, Alpocalypse Tour, June 1; The O’Jays with surprise guest, June 29; country icon Ronnie Dunn, Aug. 3 as part of the Mylan Classic Charity Contest; comedian and actor Bill Cosby, Aug. 17.
For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit www.meadowsgaming.com.
Watch as live sheep will be sheared the old fashioned way on May 19 at the Oliver Miller Homestead, Stone Mans Drive, South Park.
Members will explain the complex process of turning the fleece into cloth. The wool will be teased, carded and spun into yarn. The weaver will be at his loom working the yarn into cloth, and spinners will explain the dyeing processes.
For more information, visit call 412-835-1554 or visit www.olivermiller.org.