Radio host Ira Glass to speak at Pittsburgh Humanities Festival

Ira Glass, host and creator of the popular public radio program “This American Life,” will be among featured speakers at the upcoming Pittsburgh Humanities Festival.

Presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and The Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University, the fifth festival will take place March 20-22 at locations throughout the Downtown Cultural District.

“The Festival brings together internationally-renowned academics, artists and intellectual innovators offering interviews, intimate conversations and select performances focused on art, literature, music, science, policy, politics and more,” according to a release. “It’s smart talk about stuff that matters.”

In addition to three featured events, Core Conversations at this year’s festival will run the gamut from Rick Sebak and Brian Butko exploring Kennywood’s history, to an analysis of Donald Trump’s chances of winning reelection, to a drag queen discussing her journey as a performer and efforts to make drag mainstream in Pittsburgh.

An open call also gives members of the general public a chance to join the festival’s dialogue about the humanities. One presentation will be selected by a jury panel to appear in the Core Conversations lineup.

The open call is available to individuals or collectives of up to three people through Jan. 31. The final selection will be based on factors including the auditioning person’s stage presence and ability to articulate a suitable story or discussion points in a cohesive, compelling way.

Featured events

“Sh!tfaced Shakespeare,” 8 p.m. March 20, Byham Theater

The troupe provides a NSFW take on “Macbeth,” as the thane and his consort “take matters into their own hands and manage to burn down everything in their wake,” according to the release. “Fair is foul and foul is fair in this tale of prophecy gone slightly off the rails.”

“Ira Glass: Seven Things I’ve Learned,” 8 p.m. March 21, Byham Theater

The host and creator of an iconic public radio program, “This American Life,” will mix audio clips, music and video to tell stories and share lessons and insights gathered over his career. “This American Life” has won numerous broadcasting and journalistic accolades, including six Peabody awards.

“Making Our Way Home,” 7:30 p.m. March 22, Greer Cabaret Theater

Historian, advocate and activist Blair Imani will explore how the migration of black Americans from the South affected, and continues to affect, black identity and America as a whole, via issues such as voting rights, domestic terrorism, discrimination and segregation alongside the flourishing of arts and culture, activism and civil rights. Imani will discuss how these influences have shaped America’s workforce and wealth distribution through the stories of notable people and events, relevant data and family histories.

Core Conversations

These programs take place in the Trust Arts Education Center (some run concurrently).

• “Kennywood Behind the Screams: Rick Sebak and Brian Butko,” noon March 21

• “Janis Joplin: Her Life and Music,” with Holly George-Warren, 1:30 p.m. March 21

• “Becoming a Queen,” with Kierra Darshell, 1:30 p.m. March 21

• “Dance Maker: Blackness in White Spaces,” with Staycee Pearl, 3 p.m. March 21

• “Drinking with Shakespeare,” 3 p.m. March 21

• Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival, 4:30 p.m. March 21

• Public Open Call Winner, 4:30 p.m.March 21

• “Predicting Elections: Trump’s Chances of Winning in 2020,” with Jonathan Woon, noon March 22

• “Brewing Black Beer: A Conversation with Fresh Fest Founders and Black Frog Brewing,” 1:30 pm. March 22

• “Everyone Wants to Get to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die,” with Jonathan D. Moreno, 1:30 p.m. March 22

• “Sentences: The Amazing Journey of Walking Out of an American Prison,” with Robert “Faruq” Wideman, 3 p.m. March 22

• “Cookie Activism: Using Sugar as a Platform for Social Justice,” with Jasmine Cho, 3 p.m. March 22

Tickets for Core Conversations are $5 each; prices vary for featured events. Full listing and descriptions of all events and the open call are available on the Trust website.

Details: 412-456-6666 or trustArts.org/smarttalk