Vol. 25, No. 48
Workforce training program looks to increase the participation of minority workers in Pittsburgh’s construction boom
“To be able to say that I helped rebuild Pittsburgh is an amazing feeling.”
By Ryan Deto
Outspoken Pittsburgh school-board member Mark Brentley calls it quits after 16 years
“It is easier just to shut the hell up and look the other way. But that’s difficult for me.”
By Rebecca Nuttall
Attic Oasis: Edgewood man recreates the Turkish countryside of his youth
“Every time I come up here, I see something else I haven’t seen before.”
By Marty Levine
Dinner Conversation
Make climate change a part of your holiday meal discussions
By Em DeMarco
This Just In: A look at local news online and on the tube
November sweeps: the time when Pittsburgh news stations go that extra mile to tell you that you’re going to die
By Frances Sansig Rupp
Picking the Perfect Wine for Your Holiday Table
Is there one crowd-pleasing bottle that goes with everything?
By Drew Cranisky
Pallantia
Newly relocated from Greensburg, this cozy spot offers authentic Spanish tapas and paella
By Angelique Bamberg and Jason Roth
Allentown’s Sweet Peaches offers lively seasonal brunch items
Don’t miss the ceregi, fresh, hot doughnuts
By Al Hoff
Reviews of the first 50 pages of three new works
An epic poem, a paperboy’s memoir, and local ties to a space-age New York City landmark
By Bill O'Driscoll
A Pitt professor’s new book offers philosophy in bite-sized portions
Nicholas Rescher discusses his A Journey Through Philosophy in 101 Anecdotes
Perfect Pussy’s Ray McAndrew discusses the band’s next record, the Syracuse music scene, and what he does when he’s not on tour
“We’ve been working on this one for months now, and we still only have like one fully formed complete song.”
By Alex Gordon
Five Dan Bern songs to help Americans not succumb to madness
Good news — you might just get to hear them all live next Wednesday, when Dan Bern plays Club Cafe
By Stephen H. Segal
The members of Shaky Shrines offer up a new collection of psychedelic indie rock
Faisant’s voice and melodies — along with superb backing musicianship — keep Shaky at Best from sounding like a throwback album
By Seth Pfannenschmidt
Critics’ Picks, Nov. 26-Dec. 2
Concerts by Campfire Cassettes, Doomtree, Troxum and Iron Butterfly
By Andrew Woehrel and Margaret Welsh
New Releases
Reviews of records by Jimmy Adler and AppalAsia
By Margaret Welsh and Mike Shanley
Quantum Theatre’s Chickens in the Yard
Actors play a family — and its chickens — in a challenging new play
By Michelle Pilecki
Small Engine Repair at barebones
Think of the class hostility in Good Will Hunting, with generational tensions tossed in
The Grand Manner at Little Lake
Four actors rise to the occasion in a backstage drama
By Gwendolyn Kiste
Lord of the Flies at Carnegie Mellon Drama
While Manson’s disdain for Golding is amazing, his indifference to the audience is mystifying
By Ted Hoover
Spotlight
An excellent investigative docudrama that recounts how The Boston Globe uncovered the child-sex-abuse scandal in the Catholic Church
Creed
Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone elevate the material in this hackneyed but crowd-pleasing boxing pic
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II
The conclusion to this teen dystopian saga is finally here
The Assassin
Hsiao-Hsien Hou’s period drama has a fluid, poetic style, likely designed to be absorbed and savored by those who enjoy such pure cinema
Brooklyn
What this melodrama captures best is the bittersweet nature of the immigrant’s life
The Night Before
A welcome sense of nostalgia helps make this holiday comedy great
Secret in Their Eyes
This adaptation of the 2009 Argentine thriller never really catches fire
Steve McQueen: The Man & the LeMans
A new documentary looks behind the scenes at the troubled production of the actor’s racing film
By Charlie Deitch
The Wonders
This Italian dramedy mines several fertile grounds, including the dissolution of the “old ways” of rural life
Wysocki: Resilient Steelers need to keep winning for our safety
The reason for the shooting? Why, an argument over the Pittsburgh Steelers, of course.
By Mike Wysocki
Savage Love
“The old reliable butt-plug is still the best bet for anal-play newbies.”
By Dan Savage
Lynn Cullen 11/24/15
Audio & Video Archive
Lynn Cullen 11/25/15
Lynn Cullen 11/30/15
Pennsylvania Women Work and Crazy Mocha bring mentoring and coffee together
By Ashley Murray
CP Weekend Podcast - Nov. 27 - 29, 2015
By Celine Roberts, Aaron Warnick and Ashley Murray
“So often it’s not what you know but it’s who you know in terms of finding a job.”
Short List: November 25 - December 3
Food-sustainability author Simran Sethi; the Kill Tony comedy podcast; Suite Life, a Billy Strayhorn tribute; and Chinese dissident lawyer Chen Guangcheng
By CP Staff
By Mars Johnson
Big screen, little lies: Pittsburgh is being gaslit about IMAX theaters
By Rachel Wilkinson
Highwoods wants the Soul Food Festival out of PPG Place. Organizers say that's discrimination
By Matt Petras
Move over, Pittsburgh Dad, “Cig Mom” is here
By Kate Oczypok
Now Hiring in Pittsburgh: Marijuana Dispensary Associate, Tattoo Artist, Baker, and more
By Morgan Biddle