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CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
City Theatre staff at Hazelwood Green, the location of this year’s Drive-in Arts Festival
When the pandemic hit earlier this year, City Theatre had to cancel, postpone, or move performances completely online. The immediate future for local theater was unknown. City Theatre’s annual fundraiser, originally scheduled for September, was also sidelined. But the South Side theater company came up with an inventive live experience this fall that brought joy to a city full of people who were stuck at home for months. For two weeks, City Theatre presented the
Drive-in Arts Festival at Hazelwood Green, bringing theater, comedy, music, magic, and dance to a giant stage in a parking lot, mimicking the experience of a drive-in movie theater. Audiences were able to enjoy a live in-person show in a pandemic-friendly fashion, from the comfort of their vehicles. City Theatre, in the meantime, was able to support fellow arts organizations and musicians from around Pittsburgh. Since the festival, City Theatre has continued to produce impressive online performances, including its recent show,
Claws Out: A Holiday Drag Musical, proving its ability to continue to adapt and entertain.
