Top 10 Things to Do in Pittsburgh in February
This month's best bets in the ‘Burgh.
LIFE IS A CABARET
Feb. 3/ There’s the story in a play and the story of a play. The former you can see only on stage. The latter you can learn at Know the Show Before You Go!, a free lecture (reservations required) for ticketholders as part of PNC Broadway Across America at the Trust Arts Education Center. This month, the series considers the Kander and Ebb classic “Cabaret.” (805-807 Liberty Ave., Downtown; 412/471-6070, trustarts.org)
Through Feb. 26/ When you visit an art gallery, most times what you see and expect is a fait accompli. The art’s there. Done. Here’s your chance to witness a work of art in progress. From now until the closing reception of Not Enough Time … Inside the Artists’ Studios on the last Friday of this month, gallery owner/director Ellen Chisdes Neuberg will have her easel up and will be painting on site. She’ll also be hosting Studio Saturdays for select guests to perform demonstrations. (GalleriE CHIZ, 5831 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside; 412/441-6005, galleriechiz.com)
Feb. 15/ The difference between reading Shakespeare and performing Shakespeare is the difference between watching a cooking show and eating dinner. For the past 20+ years, the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest has given tweens and teens the chance to reveal the liveliness of tough texts. They’ll perform some of the most famous segments from the bard’s plays in this showcase of finalists. (621 Penn Ave., Downtown; 412/316-1600, ppt.org)
Feb. 20/ The South Side Soup Contest resembles a bar crawl but without the risk of hangovers or regrettable decisions. During the annual winter event run by the Brashear Association and the South Side Chamber of Commerce, people walk the length of the neighborhood getting small tastes of soup from neighborhood restaurants at local retailers. By the end, you’re warm and full. (412/431-3360, southsidesoup.com)
Feb. 26-28/ Artists Simply Human is a dance competition. But really, it’s more of an intensive dance academy. The national touring event, coming to the Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square, pairs young dancers in each city it visits with renowned teachers from across the country. By the time dancers appear before the public, they’ve already made great personal and professional accomplishments behind the scenes. (300 W. Station Square Drive, Station Square; ashdance.com)
Feb. 27/ That hot zydeco of Louisiana originally evolved from boisterous musical styles at the colder end of the continent in Canada. The Quebecois band De Temps Antan (literally “of times long ago”) play songs and instruments of old French Canada with a modern joie de vivre. They’ll be sharing them as part of a Calliope main stage event at the Carnegie Lecture Hall. (4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland; 412/361-1915, calliopehouse.org)
Feb. 27/ As part of the “Year of the Humanities,” which aims to show how the concentration can enhance a broad range of human endeavors, the University of Pittsburgh is bringing George Lewis to The Andy Warhol Museum as part of its Sound Series. The trombonist and electronic music pioneer is best known for his programming system Voyager, which reacts to live performances to create “collaborations” between man and machine. (117 Sandusky St., North Shore; 412/237-8300, warhol.org)
Feb. 5-May 15/
Before photography and world travel, lifelike glass models were one of the best ways to enjoy the thrills of the natural world from remote locales. The craft started as a practicality but now is seen as an art form. Following up on a successful 2013 event, the Pittsburgh Glass Center is showing great recent contributions to the form with Lifeforms 2016. (5472 Penn Ave., Friendship; 412/365-2145, glasslifeform.org)
Feb. 19/ The way Zoso tells it, a tribute band should embody its subject. In this case, tribute is being paid to Led Zeppelin, which means three kinds of mastery: of musical instruments, of the persona of the musicians and of the stage presence of the band. When it works, the experience is almost akin to time travel. See them at Stage AE. (400 North Shore Drive, North Shore; 412/229-5483, stageae.com)
Feb. 26-27/ The growth of craft brewing in Pittsburgh is part of a national trend. The third annual Pittsburgh Winter Beerfest is an opportunity for locals to taste beers from other cities (as well as the best we have to offer). The two-night event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center features more than 300 beers from more than 100 breweries. (1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown; pittsburghbeerfest.com)
