Holiday music and shopping — along with the ghostly appearance of William Shakespeare — are among events on tap this weekend in Pittsburgh.
Shakespeare’s ghost
Premiere performances of Pittsburgh playwright Nathan Wagner’s “Perdita” will be at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Friday in the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East on Pittsburgh’s North Side
The play follows Ethan Cole, a high school student struggling to navigate his senior year amid constant interruptions by the ghost of William Shakespeare.
“(Wagner’s) inclusion of ‘The Bard,’ whose witty commentary disrupts the ordinary in a high school classroom, is sure to delight audiences,” said Kristin Helfrich, New Hazlett’s director of programming. “At the same time, the play captures the emotional struggle of defining oneself against the pressures of the crowd during our teenage years.”
The production is part of the theater’s 2022-23 Community Supported Art Performance Series, which provides emerging artists the opportunity to develop new work for the New Hazlett stage.
General admission is $30, or $20 for students and artists. For information, visit newhazletttheater.org.
Dream connections
A free opening reception for Hong Kong and U.S.-based artist Doreen Chan’s “HalfDream: Another Room,” will be 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Mattress Factory, 500 Sampsonia Way on Pittsburgh’s North Side.
The new site-specific installation features Chan’s ongoing participatory art project, “HalfDream,” in which users around the world can describe their dreams, adding them to a database that matches common dreams of participants and connects “dreammates.” The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday and remain on view through the fall.
The reception will include activities and a conversation with the artist. “Dream drink” cocktails and light bites from Salem’s Grill will be available. To register, visit mattress.org.
Seasonal sounds
Pittsburgh Concert Chorale will present three weekend performances of its “Sounds of the Seasons” holiday program, featuring wintertime favorites, traditional classics and familiar carols.
The concerts are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday in Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Downtown Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church and 4 p.m. Sunday in Ingomar United Methodist Church in Franklin Park.
Tickets are $25, or $10 for students, at pccsing.org. Admission is free to children 12 and under.
Hip hop summit
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Hip Hop Summit is scheduled for 2:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday in the Trust Arts Education Center, 805-807 Liberty Ave.
The event will celebrate the four elements of hip hop culture — Emcee, DJ, Graffiti and Breaking — with free community workshops, a gallery showcasing some of the city’s top graffiti writers, a classic hip hop film screening, an all-styles dance battle with prizes and an emcee and DJ showcase.
The showcase, beginning at 8:30 p.m., will feature the dance battle finals and performances by DJ Nate Da Barber, DJ Inception, DJ Yamez and 1Hood Media artists Saïd, Treble NLS, JM the Poet, SpeciàlK and DJ QRX. This portion of the summit requires a $5 ticket.
For information or to purchase the ticket, visit trustarts.org.
Handmade for the holidays
The Handmade Arcade Holiday Market is set for 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The sale will feature handcrafted products including sustainable clothing and accessories, one-of-a-kind artworks, home decor, body products and more.
Maker demonstrations, make-and-take activities and community art projects are planned. The Pittsburgh Glass Center also will host its annual sale during the market.
Attendees at a happy hour planned for 5-7:30 p.m. Friday will be able to shop early and meet with sellers. Early bird shopping also is scheduled for 9:30-11 a.m. Saturday.
Happy hour tickets are $35; early bird tickets are $25. Admission to the main market is free, but attendees need to reserve a timed admission pass at handmadearcade.org.
