Shirley McMarlin stories, Page 44
Cartoon favorite ‘SpongeBob’ is Stage Right’s next musical
A talking yellow sponge took the cartoon world by storm when “SpongeBob SquarePants” debuted in 1999. “It was on in my house ad nauseum in both of my kids’ lives,” said Tony Marino, co-founder of Stage Right performing arts school and professional theater company in Greensburg. Stage Right’s Student Company...
Greensburg’s singing florist Gary Pratt has new album, record label
Greensburg’s singing florist Gary Pratt is celebrating two steps forward in his musical career. The owner of Le Jardin Florals and Home Accents has a new album and a new record label. With a March 26 release date, “Something Worth Remembering” will be the country singer’s third full-length album. The...
Gisele Fetterman introduces PA Kindness Poem ProjectVideo
The new PA Kindness Poem Project kicked off today with a video introduction from Pennsylvania’s second lady, Gisele Barreto Fetterman. The Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC) has partnered with Philadelphia poet laureate Trapeta B. Mayson on the project, which it describes as “a mission to help spread kindness throughout the state.”...
Things to do in Western Pa.: Feb. 17, 2021
Before February is over, take in some more Black History Month-inspired programming. Then look ahead to March, for an upcoming St. Patrick’s Day bash or spring-themed art classes. Details on those and other arts and educational opportunities are here, in this week’s Big List. Art • Where are they?: Carnegie...
Greensburg Civic Theatre takes comedic, poignant look at love
Two sets of actors will play a couple at different stages in their relationship in Greensburg Civic Theatre’s production of “I Do! I Do! I Do! I Do!”, which the group calls a portrait of “50 years of love, quarrels and marriage.” The musical will be staged Friday through Sunday...
Greensburg Garden Center offers spring ‘Tea-In’ or ‘Tea-Out’
Greensburg Garden Center will offer two ways for supporters to enjoy its annual spring tea on March 20. A “Tea-In” option includes a sit-down meal at Maplewood Presbyterian Church, while a “Tea-Out” option will allow people to pick up a box featuring the same meal to enjoy at home. “We...
Party at The Palace Theatre reimagined as livestream event
There’s no need to dress up and head to downtown Greensburg to enjoy this year’s Party at The Palace. The Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s signature fundraising event, held in the historic Greensburg theater, will be virtual this year. The event will stream live at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 from the theater...
Silver Eye Center for Photography creates list of artists worth watching
A Carnegie Mellon University student’s combined interests in photography and data science led to creation of the Silver List, comprising 47 artists from Pittsburgh and points beyond whose work deserves attention. Presented by Silver Eye Center for Photography in partnership with Carnegie Mellon and the Black List, the list features...
Contemporary Craft exhibition explores plight of global women refugees
Contemporary Craft is planning an exhibition focusing on women and girls affected by the global refugee crisis. “Searching for Home,” a solo exhibition by Seattle-based, Pakistan-born artist Humaira Abid, will open April 9 and run through Aug. 21 in the gallery at 5645 Butler St. in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. “This...
Board games provide low-tech alternative to online obsessionsVideo
A board game called Pandemic was a customer favorite early last year at Mr. Nice Guy Games in Monroeville. “It was our No. 1 seller in February and March,” said Christy Kotwica, who owns the store with her husband, Ron Kotwica. “We ordered four times what we’d normally order, and...
Quantum Theatre’s ‘Far Away’ presents cautionary tale of a dark future
Quantum Theatre’s upcoming production is “a surreal portrait of a descent into a hyper-partisan future we hope will never come to pass, but which has disturbing echoes of the present day,” the theater company says. That production is “Far Away,” a 2000 work by British playwright Caryl Churchill, which Quantum...
You Are Here’s ‘Portraits of Jeannette’ pays tribute to familiar city faces
Photographer John Howard is a familiar face around Jeannette, as he documents people, places and events for the local historical society and various publications. Now, Howard will pay tribute to some other familiar Jeannette residents in an exhibit opening Feb. 20 at You Are Here. “Portraits of Jeannette” will run...
Westmoreland Symphony’s Young Artist Competition winners to hit virtual stage
The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and its Academy of Music will present its 2021 Young Artists Competition winners’ recital as a virtual event this year. The program will premiere at 3 p.m. Feb. 21 on the symphony’s YouTube channel. The young artist competition is open to students who reside or take...
Student artwork at Ligonier museum created in unusual circumstances
The artwork in the annual “Artists of the 21st Century” student exhibition is always impressive, said Kristin Miller, site coordinator of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art-Ligonier Valley, where the show opens on Friday. The circumstances under which it was created this year make it even more so. “I give...
Things to do in Western Pa.: Feb. 10, 2021
The doldrums of February is a good time to hunker down at home and watch a movie. The Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival, Row House Cinema and Pittsburgh Cultural Trust have at-home streaming options, ranging from serious to silly. Also coming up are music livestreams, art and theater happenings and...
Pittsburgh’s Aris Paul Band wins national honor for best rock actVideo
Pittsburgh musician Aris Paul delved deep into family history for his song, “Better Man’s Shoes,” and ended up winning a national award for his band. The Aris Paul Band received best rock song honors in the recent Hollywood Music in Media Awards. “I had no expectations,” Paul said. “I was...
Pitt students find patterns for The Westmoreland’s new exhibitionVideo
In a first-ever collaboration, students from the University of Pittsburgh chose works for a new exhibition at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. “Pattern Makers” will be on view beginning Sunday, when the Greensburg museum reopens to the public. The exhibition “tracks the presence and meanings of patterns across a...
Pittsburgh Opera’s ‘COVID fan tutte’ documents pandemic production
With most of the performing arts world shut down by the pandemic, Pittsburgh Opera went ahead with its October production of Mozart’s “Còsi fan tutte.” “Every time we would tell folks we were having the performance, they would ask, ‘How are you going to do it?’” said Chris Cox, the...
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh plans safe, outdoor Valentine’s activities
Kids and their families can celebrate Valentine’s Day early with free, socially distanced, outdoor fun at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh in the North Side. Hearts in the Park, planned for 4-8 p.m. Feb. 13, will offer interactive outdoor exhibits and activities, along with drive-through elements. “While, sadly, our doors...
Pittsburgh Opera’s free February livestreams offer timely themes
Pittsburgh Opera will offer two timely programs during February. Six resident artists will perform in “Songs from the Heart: A Valentine from Pittsburgh Opera,” streaming free at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 14 on the opera’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Making for an even sweeter experience, viewers can order a five-piece...
Things to do in Western Pa.: Feb. 3, 2021Video
Feeling down after Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter? Maybe what you need is a good laugh. You’re in luck. Arcade Comedy Theater has a reading of classic Black sitcoms, South West Communities Chamber of Commerce has a comedy date night and Rowhouse Cinema has its annual “Sweded”...
Prime Stage production celebrates early activist Sojourner Truth
Prime Stage Theatre will return to its roots with a livestream performance of “Sojourner,” with Delana Flowers portraying the 19th-century women’s suffrage and abolition activist in a Black History Month production. The theater group’s inaugural production 25 years ago was another play about Sojourner Truth. ”Sojourner” is by Richard LaMonte...
High school musical season is again up in the air as pandemic continuesVideo
To stage or not to stage, that is the question for area high schools as musical season approaches. As many productions fell prey last year to the pandemic, school personnel and students didn’t think they would be facing the same challenge this year. But they are. With gathering size and...
Carnegie Museum’s 1st podcast series looks at pros, cons of AI
Carnegie Museum of Art today is launching its first-ever podcast series, investigating the intersection of photography, surveillance and artificial intelligence. Each episode of the free, six-part series, “Mirror with a Memory,” will feature artists, writers and academics exploring a different facet of the conversation surrounding AI and photography. The host...
Robinson man wins home theater system on ‘Let’s Make a Deal’
Michael Murray is going to feel like a king watching movies in his new home theater. The Robinson man dressed like royalty to appear on today’s episode of “Let’s Make a Deal.” Offered a choice between $1,000 and something concealed behind a door, he made the right choice. He came...
