Another first lady
Tina Fabrique channels the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald in the Pittsburgh Public Theater production of "Ella," part concert part biographical conversation with the First Lady of Song, opening at 8 tonight. She was also known as the First Lady of Jazz, which give Fabrique some freedom to re-create songs such as "Night and Day," "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," "The Man I Love" and a "A-Tisket, A-Tasket,"
Fabrique, whose Broadway credits include "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk" and "Ragtime," returns to the Downtown Cultural District after playing Bloody Mary in Pittsburgh CLO's "South Pacific" in 1993. Fabrique and "Ella" are coming off an engagement at the Guthrie in Minneapolis that earned a 12-show extension.
Tickets for "Ella," which runs tonight through Nov. 1 at the Public's O'Reilly Theater, are $40-$60 ($15 for 26 and younger). Visit ppt.org or call 412-316-1600.
Greet the New
The 19th Pittsburgh New Works Festival is in its final week of presenting first-time, one-act plays before the presentation of the Donna Awards at its gala on Oct. 11.
This week's schedule includes "Vows" by Chris Gavaler of Lexington, Va., winner of three previous New Works awards. In "Vows," produced by Rage of the Stage Players, a brother-in-law and sister-in-law meet in a church to discuss their own and their spouses' infidelities. Other works are "Tics" by Kyle Zielinsky of Bethel Park (Cup-a-Jo Productions) and "Regrets" by Barbara Miller of Mount Pleasant (Greensburg Civic Theatre).
Show times at the Father Ryan Arts Center, 420 Chartiers Ave. (Route 51), McKees Rocks, are 8 p.m. tonight and tomorrow, 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $10 ($8 for students) at www.ProArtsTickets.org or 412-394-3353. More information: 412-881-6888 or www.pittsburghnewworks.org.
Soul band
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's fall Gallery Crawl gets some Soul Power from a former member of James Brown's band. Fred Wesley and the JB's is led by Brown's former music director, arranger and trombonist who went on to play with Parliament-Funkadelic and Bootsy's Rubber Band. The JB's, who also feature Pittsburgh bassist Dwayne Dolphin, will play an outdoor party from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Agnes R. Katz Plaza.
Among the other Crawl highlights:
• Wood Street Galleries, 601 Wood St., presents "Julien Marie: Matter and Memory," the U.S. debut of French Installation artist whose works are experimental forms of projection.
• Trust Arts Education Center, 805-807 Liberty Ave., presents Pittsburgh Playworks staged readings of "Bread of Angels" (5:30 p.m.) and "Stilling the Storm" (7:45 p.m.).
• Space, 812 Liberty Ave., opens Transfer Lounge, a project that involves art professionals from Spain and the United States Transfer Lounge exchanging views and ideas around issues of mobility and transition.
• Bricolage Space, 937 Liberty Ave., first floor, opens A Photography Exhibition featuring "The Object Rope," presented by The American Society of Media Photographers
• 937 Liberty Ave., second floor, presents flamenco dance by the Guitar Society of Fine Art and a sneak preview of the Handmade Arcade. On the third floor is the Pittsburgh Gospel Choir, merging gospel music, spoken word, hip-hop and dance at 8 p.m.
• Throughout the District, The Pillow Project will present a live, interactive-projection performance of everyday, organic actions "captured" in focused light.
The Crawl is free. For details, visit www.pgharts.org or call 412-456-6666.
Sounds of Africa
Two years ago Chatham changed its name from College to University to reflect its expanding outlook, and nowhere is this better seen than in its Global Focus program, which takes a yearlong, multifaceted look at a different region of the world. This year it's West Africa, and its music will be the focus in the Sounds of Africa Music Festival, with free events taking place at the school's James Laughlin Music Hall:
4 p.m. Friday: Jazz Imaginings of Africa: Aesthetics, Memory, and the African Cultural Continuum. A discussion and performance about creative connections between traditional African music and modern jazz.
2 p.m. Saturday: Composition in Africa: Transmission and Reception, a panel discussion.
3 p.m.: Chamber Music Concert with works by African composers Kwabena Nketia, Akin Euba, Vindu Bangambula, Joshua Uzoigwe and Ayodamope Oluranti. Performers include Kelly Lynch, Eric Moe, Roger Zahab, Robert Frankenberry, Oye Dosunmu, Ayodamope Oluranti, Richard Page, Pauline Rovkah and Alia Musica Sextet. For more information, call 412-365-1676.
Opera opportunities
Susanne Mentzer may have a small role in the Pittsburgh Opera's production of "Eugene Onegin," but she is a star singer, with multiple appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, with frequent lead roles. She gives a master class with the resident artists of Pittsburgh Opera at the company's Strip District headquarters (2425 Liberty Ave.) 7 p.m. Thursday. It is free and open to the public.
Oh, and about "Eugene Onegin" -- don't miss your chance to hear an opera that is not a regular in the repertoire in a fantastic production with some excellent singing by soprano Anna Samuil, Dwayne Croft and Mentzer, among others; 8 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Benedum Center, Downtown. Tickets: $10.50-$140.50. 412-456-6666.
Rock 'n' flamenco
The Guitar Society of Fine Art & Flamenco Pittsburgh join forces for "Spanish Day -- The Flamenco Rock Opera," a production that combines at least two or three media that don't generally go together.
"Spanish Day," at the New Hazlett Theater, features the Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company out of Seville, Spain, who will be familiar to Quantum Theater audiences; versatile San Diego flamenco rock band Sir Sultry; and famed gypsy singer Ines Bacan. It tells the story of a young American who travels to Spain and discovers the exotic world of Gypsy Flamenco. Along with the music and dancing, Bill Watterson, creator of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, has created a mix of scratchboard drawings depicting the characters that will be shown by projector during the performance.
It begins at 8 p.m. For tickets, For tickets, call 412 612 0499 or go to www.proartstickets.org.
Icons at Frick
A Family Day Celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Frick Art & Historical Center in Point Breeze, including a scavenger hunt, "crazy close-up collage" activity, wooden hoop rolling, a hands-on look at century-old household objects, souvenir photo booth portraits, and greenhouse and gardens exploration.
Be the first to see two new exhibitions, "Icons of American Photography: A Century of Photographs from the Cleveland Museum of Art" and "Children's Hospital 1951: Photographs by Esther Bubley." "Icons" illustrates the evolution of photography from the 1850s to the 20th century through 59 photographs of subjects ranging from the Western landscape to abstraction. Bubley (1921-1998) was commissioned in 1951 by the Pittsburgh Photographic Library to live at the hospital for several weeks and photograph doctors at work. Bubley curator Daniel Leers, of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, will share insights at 3 p.m. in the Frick Art Museum.
Because it's a RADical Day, it's all free, including docent tours of Clayton's first floor; 412-371-0600 or TheFrickPittsburgh.org.
Ohio row
Thousands of competitive rowers from around the United States and Canada will take to the rivers on Saturday for the 2009 Head of the Ohio. College and high school athletes, corporate rowing teams, individuals with disabilities and others will all take part in the 2.8-mile race. It coincides with the 25th anniversary of Three Rivers Rowing Association. The event is free and runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. along the banks of the Allegheny River, North Shore Riverfront Park. There is a benefit party aboard the RiverQuest's Explorer, 150-passenger hybrid boat. Tickets are $50. For details, visit www.headoftheohio.org or www.threeriversrowing.org or call 412-231-8772.
RenFest finale
The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival does its final huzzah this weekend with an Oktoberfest celebration that will feature music, dancing, lederhosen and tavern wenches plus traditional Bavarian favorites such as bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato salad and chocolates. Playing host will be the German Brothers, offering "Teutonic Humor brought to you by Teu Idiots." Their antics include their original rap songs in German accents with funny lyrics. The Festival also features an Artisan's Marketplace, jousting, games of skill, costumed performers and more.
It's located in the Laurel Highlands area, just southeast of Pittsburgh off I-70, Exit 51A, Route 31 East. Hours are 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $14.95; $6 children 5-12; children under 5 free. 724-872-1670 or www.PittsburghRenFest.com.
• Hang out at the local record stores this weekend and you might run into Mike Ness, who loves shopping for vinyl in Pittsburgh. You'll definitely see the veteran Orange County punk rocker when he fronts Social Distortion at Ches-A-Rena on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Asked about being in a punk band for 30 years, Ness told the Pitch in Kansas City, "I question all the time how do you do something for 30 years. I think you gotta be stubborn and really love what you're doing." Middle Class Rut opens. Tickets are $30. Call 1-800-745-3000.
• Larry the Cable Guy's new CD, "Tailgate Party," just dropped and now he's ready to "Git-r-Done" with two shows at the Benedum at 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Josh Wolf of E!'s "Chelsea Lately" is the opening act. Tickets are $44.25 at pgharts.org or 412-456-6666.
• Suspense builds to a stunning crescendo in "Wait Until Dark," the Fredrick Knott thriller at Little Lake Theatre Company. When a blind woman is terrorized by thugs in search of a drug-filled doll, she discovers that darkness can be her friend, putting her on equal footing with her pursuers. Sara Barbisch stars as Susy Hendrix, the role made famous by Audrey Hepburn in the 1967 film, and Art DeConciliis plays Harry Roat, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. It runs 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday through Oct. 17. Tickets $15 or $17; 724-745-6300 and www.littlelake.org.
• Musician and artist Evan Knauer will open an exhibition of new oil paintings with a reception at Garfield Artworks Friday from 7-10 p.m. It also features drawings by Becky Corrigan and tattoo designs by Josh Carter and Matt Lettau. Wine and beer will be served. It's part of the UnBlurred First Friday Gallery Crawl.
• WHIM will open its doors Friday at Station Square, pitching itself as a Las Vegas-style nightclub with "superior lighting and sound," seven bars, an outdoor deck, dance floor and 19 VIP areas. Friday's opening night, at 7 p.m. will feature DJ Fashen and DJ Zimmie. WHIM will be open Thursdays through Saturdays. Patrons must be 21 and over, and proper dress is required. Call 412-281-9888.
• A few years ago the Jonas Brothers played a club gig on the South Side. Now, the Jonas' recent opening band at Mellon Arena, The Honor Society, will do the same, when The Fashionably Late Tour hits Diesel Saturday at 7 p.m. The Honor Society, from New Jersey like the Jonases, is working a nerdy name and a pop-rock single called "Over You." Opening the show will be Esmee Denters. Tickets are $15. Call 1-800-745-3000.
• In Flames, recent winner of the Swedish Grammi for best metal band, headlines Mr. Small's in Millvale tonight, touring on its latest album, "A Sense of Purpose." It begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $28. Call 1-866-468-3401.
-- Compiled by Scott Mervis, Sharon Eberson, Mary Thomas and Andrew Druckenbrod
Correction/Clarification: (Published Oct. 2, 2009) The Chamber Music Concert that was scheduled for the Sounds of Africa Music Festival at Chatham University was to begin at 3 p.m. Oct. 3, 2009, following a panel discussion. An incorrect start time was listed in this Hot List as originally published Oct. 1, 2009.
First Published: October 1, 2009, 4:00 a.m.
