Black Brilliance at Pittsburgh Public Theater centers Black mental health and wellness

The Pittsburgh Public Theater is championing Black wellness through its event Black Brilliance on Saturday.

This is the second year for the wellness celebration, which takes place between two productions about Black stories. Pittsburgh Public Theater has put on a production called “Trouble in Mind,” and New Horizon Theater is also utilizing Pittsburgh Public Theater’s space for its production “Feed the Beast.”

“The goal is to amplify the fact that having two Black productions happen simultaneously is a big deal, not only for the theater but also for Pittsburgh’s art scene,” said Morgan Overton, workforce director at Pittsburgh Public Theater and an interdisciplinary visual artist.

The “Black Brilliance” event at the O’Reilly Theater at 621 Penn Ave. will have a theme centered on Black mental health and wellness. The free event will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 22 and will include live jazz music and refreshments. The party will be followed by a ticketed showing of “Trouble In Mind.”

“Mental health is stigmatized, especially in Black culture,” Overton said. “We thought it was important that community organizations on the front lines of providing wellness and resources were welcomed.”

Organizations at the event will include the National Alliance on Mental Illness Keystone Chapter, Hand in Hand Counseling, Catapult Greater Pittsburgh, 1Hood Media, Artist Talk Mental Health and others.

Overton, who has a background in social work and psychology, will be facilitating a self-care kit-making room. The kits will include socks, journals, lip balm and other items to assist in the wellness journey.

“This is so important, especially now, at a time when our culture, identity and humanity are being threatened and erased… and art is healing,” she said.

Register for the event here.