IRL = In Real Life event; VIRTUAL = Streaming or Online-only event; HYBRID = Mix of In Real Life and Online event
Thu., Nov. 17
THEATER • IRL
Sure, Rudolph is for the children, but Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center will ensure in its latest production that the beloved reindeer is also performed by the children. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Jr. adapts the classic 1964 Rankin/Bass holiday special for the stage, bringing to life the adventures of Rudoph and his friends Hermey the Elf, Yukon Cornelius, and the denizens of the Island of Misfit Toys. See it all performed by young actors from grades 7-9, under the direction of Rosh Raines and choreographer Krista Shovlin. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Dec. 4. 1 Lincoln Park, Midland. $22-27. lincolnparkarts.org
Fri., Nov. 18
ART • IRL
SPACE Gallery’s newest exhibition, #notwhite collective 2016-2022, looks at the past six years through the lens of 13 women artists. Comprised of immigrants and descendants of immigrants, #notwhite collective’s website describes itself as a non-hierarchal group with the mission to “Excavate Histories, Expose Realities, and Exorcise Oppression.” The exhibition will feature multimedia work that explores immigrant perspectives and self-identity from people such as founding member Madame Dolores, Amber Epps, and Veronica Corpuz. Continues through Jan. 2023. 812 Liberty Ave., Downtown. Free. trustarts.org
EVENT • IRL
The Pittsburgh Pet Expo is back at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, and will feature a lost list of activities. Check out the grooming competitions, trick dog shows, reptile exhibits, adoption opportunities, and much more. The event will also have the latest pet products and services showcased by hundreds of exhibitors. Attendees are encouraged to bring their pets. 5-9 p.m. Continues through Sun., Nov. 20. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $6-12. pghpetexpo.com
MARKET • IRL
Start your holiday shopping early at Contemporary Craft. The gallery’s CRAFTED Holiday Shopping Event promises new and holiday merchandise, including an exclusive selection of mugs and drinkware from 30 national artists. The 2022 CRAFTED will also serve as the launch for an exclusive line of Penn/Fairmount drinkware created by the artists at Pittsburgh Glass Center, and available only at Contemporary Craft. Shoppers can also enjoy light snacks and refreshments, including a signature cocktail and mocktail.at 5:30-8 p.m. 5645 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $15. contemporarycraft.org
Sat., Nov. 19
DRAG • IRL
Gather around an old Pittsburgh tradition when Voodoo Brewing Co. presents Drag in the Light. Presented in conjunction with Pittsburgh's annual Light Up Night, the event will feature a dance party with DJ Nick@Nite, a drag pop-up performance, and a view of the big Downtown fireworks display from the patio. Be prepared for fabulous entertainment from drag queens Vivian Spice, Aurora, Glitter Devil, and Sienna. Food and beverages will be available for purchase all night. 5 p.m. 337 North Shore Drive, North Side. Free. facebook.com/voodoopittsburgh
LIT • IRL
White Whale Bookstore will host author Sara R. Burnett during a launch for her new poetry collection, Seed Celestial. Burnett will read alongside Pittsburgh writers Daniel M. Shapiro, author of (This is Not A) Mixtape for the End of the World, and Jan Beatty, author of the 2021 memoir American Bastard. Burnett, who also wrote Mother Tongue in 2019, frequently examines mother-daughter relationships and Cuban immigrant perspectives in her work. In Seed Celestial, Burnett widens the lens to explore Greek mythological mothers like Demeter, showing that to “fear and love where we are from and where we are going are enduring human traits.” 7-8 p.m. 4754 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Free. Registration required. whitewhalebookstore.com/events
Sun., Nov. 20
MUSIC • IRL
Anyone who had music class in elementary school most likely had a try at the recorder, that plastic, flute-like instrument that, in a child’s hands, sounded more annoying than pleasurable. Chatham Baroque has set out to prove that, in the hands of a master musician, the recorder can sound lovely. The Virtuoso Recorder promises a program of “sparkling concertos and sonatas from the Italian Baroque,” and includes work by Sammartini, Scarlatti and Vivaldi. It’s all led by guest artist and recorder player Judith Linsenberg. See it in the Hicks Memorial Chapel at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. 2:30 p.m. 616 North Highland Ave., East Liberty. $20-40. chathambaroque.org
Mon., Nov. 21
DRAG • IRL
Get lucky in Lawrenceville when New Amsterdam presents another round of Drag Bingo. Hosted by local drag queens Luna Skye and Indi Skies, the event will also feature special guest Calipso. Seating starts at 6 p.m., so you’ve got time to load up on New Amsterdam’s menu of finger foods and sample a selection of 20 drafts. Buy tickets online or at the door, Either way, you’re guaranteed four games of bingo. 6 p.m. 4421 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $20. facebook.com/ssproductionspgh
Tue., Nov. 22
LIT • VIRTUAL
City of Asylum welcomes two-time Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Russell Banks to discuss his new book The Magic Kingdom. The expansive story follows the recounted life story of Harley Mann across more than 50 years. Set in Florida’s muggy, pre-Disney World swamps, Mann’s family joins a community of Shakers, a religious sect led by the mysterious Elder John. What follows is a strange journey described by publisher Penguin Random House as “meditating on youth, Florida’s everchanging landscape, and the search for an American utopia.” Check out the book that Margaret Atwood called “eerily timely.” 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Registration required. cityofasylum.org/events
THEATER • IRL
The Benedum Center presents one of the world’s most popular musicals, Les Misérables. From producer Cameron Mackintosh, the Tony Award-winning musical transports audiences to 19th-century France to focus on unrequited love, broken dreams, passion, sacrifice, redemption, and freedom. Presented as part of PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh, the show will feature hit songs like “I Dreamed a Dream,” “One Day More,” and “Master of the House,” as well as incredible, period-specific costuming and sets. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Nov. 27. 237 Seventh St., Downtown. $35-155. trustarts.org
MUSIC • IRL
The international performance group Soweto Gospel Choir will grace Pittsburgh with its uplifting sound at the Byham Theater. Since 2002, the choir has traveled to countries throughout the world in an effort to highlight the power of African gospel music. It has since won multiple awards, including three Grammys, and performed for a long list of celebrities and global leaders, including as invited guests for the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former South African president and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela. 7:30 p.m. 101 Sixth St., Downtown. $30-40. trustarts.org
Wed., Nov. 23
ART • IRL
The Christine Frechard Gallery presents A COLLABORATION, an art show featuring work by Mark Muse and Annette Gloomis. The two artists met several years ago and discovered that they have similar aesthetics. Even though Gloomis is primarily a painter and Muse a photographer, both love local landscapes and are concerned with climate change. They decided to collaborate on this exhibit, which heavily features wild areas in West Virginia. Continues through Dec. 10. 5126 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Free. christinefrechardgallery.com
