Entertainment category, Page 211
Greensburg Civic Theatre kids’ troupe romps through ‘Matilda Jr.’
Matilda Wormwood is a precocious little English girl born to parents who are neglectful, anti-intellectual and possibly criminal. At school, her classmates and kindly teacher are bullied by the headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. When Matilda discovers that her angry feelings unleash telekinetic powers, she sets out to use them to teach...
Greensburg native will discuss directorial debut at virtual panelVideo
It’s been quite a year for Greensburg native Sujata Day, taking her directorial debut film, “Definition, Please,” to film festivals throughout the world. Most of those festivals were virtual for health and safety reasons, but that did not stop the film from racking up accolades. It earned Best Feature Film...
Parton, Oh, Biles and teachers named ‘People of the Year’
NEW YORK — People magazine has named Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, actor Sandra Oh, country icon Dolly Parton and the nation’s teachers as its “2021 People of the Year.” “This year has been a transformative one, pushing us all to create something new and hopefully better for our lives,” the...
TV Talk: Filmed-in-Pittsburgh ‘Archive 81’ gets Netflix premiere date
Netflix’s “Archive 81,” the first series to go into production in Pittsburgh after the onset of the covid-19 pandemic in November 2020, will premiere on the streaming service Jan. 14. The supernatural horror series follows archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie) who takes a job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes...
Q&A: With a new book out, Mel Brooks is still riffing at 95
NEW YORK — Leave it to Mel Brooks to blurb his own memoir. There, along with laudatory quotes from Billy Crystal, Norman Lear, Conan O’Brien and others is one from “M. Brooks,” who hails “All About Me!” as: “Not since the Bible have I read anything so powerful and poignant....
An almost complete listing of Christmas movies on television
DEC. 1 8 p.m. Christmas in Rockefeller Center: The 89th annual tree-lighting ceremony in New York features celebrity guests and live performances. NBC Four Christmases: (2008, Romance-Comedy) Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon. A couple must somehow fit in four holiday visits with family. AMC Office Christmas Party: (2016, Comedy) Jason Bateman,...
California home of Marilyn Manson searched in abuse investigation
LOS ANGELES — Authorities searched the home of rocker Marilyn Manson on Monday after allegations of physical and sexual abuse by several women. Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Eva Jimenez said a search warrant was served on the home of Manson, whose legal name is Brian Hugh Warner. She would...
1980s Pittsburgh rockers Haywire will reunite for acoustic show in ButlerVideo
The members of Haywire, a Pittsburgh-area rock band active in the 1980s, have fond memories of playing all over the region, but particularly in the Butler area. Howard “Hutch” Hockenberger said Butler fans at venues like Conley’s, John’s Bar, Ribit and Night People’s Place were always good to the group,...
Lindsay Lohan announces engagement in Instagram post
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Actress Lindsay Lohan has told her followers on Instagram that she’s engaged. Lohan announced her engagement to boyfriend Bader Shammas and showed off a traditional oval diamond ring with a photo of the couple looking happy, locked in an embrace. “My love. My life. My...
‘Encanto,’ ‘House of Gucci’ fuel Thanksgiving box office
NEW YORK — Thanksgiving weekend moviegoing was still far from the feast it normally is, but Disney’s “Encanto” and the Lady Gaga-led “House of Gucci” both gave a lift to two genres that have been particularly battered by the pandemic: family movies and adult dramas. “Encanto” led the box office...
Towering musical theater master Stephen Sondheim dies at 91
NEW YORK — Stephen Sondheim, the songwriter who reshaped the American musical theater in the second half of the 20th century with his intelligent, intricately rhymed lyrics, his use of evocative melodies and his willingness to tackle unusual subjects, has died. He was 91. Sondheim’s death was announced by Rick...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 26-28
Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to get out and do something after you are done shopping on Black Friday. Here are some choices. Light ‘em up The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium’s Zoo Lights Drive-Thru in Highland Park opens Friday. Guests stay in their cars as they make...
Legendary jazz trombonist, Jeannette native Slide Hampton dies at 89
Whenever legendary jazz musicians Slide Hampton and Harold Betters got together or spoke over the phone, the renowned trombonists frequently spoke of their Western Pennsylvania roots, said Betters’ daughter Cheryl Kelly. “Oh, Dad and Mr. Hampton were super close for a very long time. They were great friends and actually...
Comedian Frank Caliendo brings his many voices to Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
Frank Caliendo does impressions, not impersonations. The stand-up comedian’s performances include personalities such as Morgan Freeman, Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Robert De Niro; politicians George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald Trump; broadcasters John Madden, Charles Barkley and Jon Gruden; and talk show hosts Dr. Phil, Jay Leno and...
‘AGT’ winner, ventriloquist Terry Fator coming to The PalaceVideo
As a fifth grader working on a Valentine’s Day report, Terry Fator overshot the “Va” books in the school library and ended up at “Ve.” He pulled out a book on ventriloquism and forgot about his assignment. The rest, as they say, is history. An “America’s Got Talent” winner and...
2 Fox News contributors quit, citing ‘irresponsible’ voicesVideo
NEW YORK — Two writers who have been paid contributors to Fox News Channel have resigned, citing Tucker Carlson’s “Patriot Purge” documentary on last January’s U.S. Capitol insurrection as a last straw for them. Jonah Goldberg and Stephen Hayes, who put out a Substack newsletter on conservative news called The...
Marie Osmond promises to fill The Palace Theatre with holiday spirit
Marie Osmond is sure to have a busy holiday season, and it has nothing to do with decorating, baking and shopping. The veteran entertainer is looking forward to the debut of her new Lifetime movie, “A Fiancé for Christmas,” premiering at 8 p.m. Dec. 9. Her 17-track album, “Unexpected,” comes...
Pleasant Hills author Leckenby publishes Thanksgiving children’s book
For Pleasant Hills mother-daughter duo Nicole Leckenby and Mary Dunn, there is something new to be thankful for this holiday season. As of Nov. 1, Leckenby has been celebrating the Thanksgiving season with the release of her and Dunn’s newest book, “It’s Turkey Lurkey Time.” Here, Leckenby has continued to...
‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ captures $44 million in theaters
Busting ghosts is still a fairly lucrative business after almost 40 years. Heading into Thanksgiving weekend, the latest attempt to revive “Ghostbusters” drew a sizable audience to theaters, while the awards darling “King Richard,” like most dramas in the pandemic era, is struggling. With a reverence for nostalgia and a...
Dinosaurs will roam Pittsburgh when Jurassic Quest comes to townVideo
After millions of years, dinosaurs are again roaming North America in Jurassic Quest, an interactive dinosaur attraction coming to Pittsburgh in February. With more than 100 life-like dinosaur replicas, themed rides, live dinosaur shows, interactive science and art activities, a fossil dig, a “Triceratots” soft play area, inflatable attractions, photo...
‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ flying into Greensburg’s Palace Theatre
Some stories have a message that is evergreen, so to speak — especially when it comes to Christmas specials. That’s certainly true of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” a story that first came to television in stop-motion, animated form in 1964. “It’s all about accepting people and their differences and realizing...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Nov. 19-21
Rockin’ out The Lamp Theatre in Irwin will be rocking hard this weekend with two classic rock tribute shows. Broken Arrow: A Tribute to Neil Young kicks it off at 8 p.m. Friday, playing the rock legend’s softer country rock material and the hard-edge Crazy Horse-era electric tunes — offering...
Slippery Rock opens 1st live theater show since pre-pandemic days, ‘Techies’
Tyler Parsonage of Murrysville is grateful for the new opportunities that online theater productions offered during the covid-19 pandemic, “but I don’t think it’ll ever compare to a live show,” he said. The 21-year-old Slippery Rock University junior is part of a group that will bring the first live theater...
Frida Kahlo self-portrait sells for record $35M at auctionVideo
NEW YORK — A Frida Kahlo self-portrait that shows the artist with the face of her husband, Diego Rivera, in the middle of her forehead, sold Tuesday night at Sotheby’s in New York for $34.9 million, an auction record for a work by a Latin American artist. The 1949 painting,...
Carnegie Science Center unveils Gus & Yiayia’s cart in railroad display
With unseasonable temperatures climbing to 70 degrees, Wednesday was a perfect day for the unveiling of an ice ball cart. The Carnegie Science Center on Pittsburgh’s North Shore showcased its latest addition — Gus & Yiayia’s Ice Ball Cart — to be added to the Miniature Railroad & Village. The...
