Sunday Lunch at Girasole to Benefit Bach Choir

SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 1:00 - 3:00 PM
773 Copeland Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15232

Join members of the Bach Choir this Sunday for an afternoon of great Italian food and wine and help support the Bach Choir! The Pittsburgh choral organization said it is thrilled to partner with Girasole, one of Pittsburgh's most-beloved Italian restaurants, on this fundraising event.

1st COURSE: Aged provolone, fontina, olives, soppressata, oven roasted tomato
 2nd COURSE: Rigatoni Neapolitan ragu, and farfalle with pesto, potato and green beans, 
3rd COURSE: Chocolate and walnut torte from Capri or gelato. Each course will be paired with the perfect wine.

Tickets are $75.
BUY TICKETS

Join the choir for a memorable afternoon in support of the Bach Choir. 

Asere! A fiesta Cubana featuring musicians and dancers of the Havana Cuba All Stars

Tuesday, February 5 • 7:30 pm
Byham Theater

GET TICKETS

This high-energy group is a joyous celebration of Cuban music and dance styles. The Havana Cuba All-Stars are some of Cuba’s greatest musicians. With rhythms and melodies from the cha cha to the rumba, from “Son Cubano” style to the salsa, the All-Stars will showcase a wide variety of Cuban beats. The group is inspired by and dedicated to promoting the entire tapestry of Cuban music through a fresh, contemporary lens.


To Purchase Tickets:
Online at TrustArts.org
Call 412-456-6666
Box Office at Theater Square
Groups 10+ Call 412-471-6930

Mad Mex Winter Menu Heats Up

Mad Mex's first menu update of the year brings you three new dishes and two returning favorites.

Chicken Parmesan Tacos – Crispy buttermilk-marinated fried chicken tenders drizzled with a mild red pepper sauce then topped with Monterey Jack cheese, banana pepper rings and a sprinkling of fresh basil.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Bacon Quesadilla – Roasted Brussels sprouts, crispy black pepper bacon, cheddar cheese and jalapeño jelly.

Buffalo Chicken Empanadas – Mexican pierogies filled with grilled chicken, cream cheese, bleu cheese crumbles and our wild Buffalo wing sauce.

The Big Burrito – The most popular of last fall’s Plataversary dishes, this San Diego burrito returns with grilled chicken breast, flank steak, corn, Jack cheese, waffle fries and garlicky pepper sauce. Topped Nachos Grande-style with lettuce, pico, guacamole and sour cream.

Kale Salad – OK, OK, you can have your Kale Salad back. Sheesh. Baby kale with grilled corn, cherry tomatoes, Cotija cheese, avocado, pepitas and quinoa all tossed in lime-cilantro vinaigrette and topped with chicken breast, flank steak or portobello.
Mad Mex

HAMILTON’S CELEBRATED EDUCATION PROGRAM DEBUTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 25 IN PITTSBURGH

2,700 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WILL ATTEND PERFORMANCE
AT THE PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST’S BENEDUM CENTER

The innovative educational program that debuted at HAMILTON on Broadway will continue in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District on Friday, January 25 when over 2,700 students and teachers from 42 high schools attend the matinee performance of the musical at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Benedum Center.

The January 25 performance in Pittsburgh will provide more than 2,700 high school students the opportunity to experience the musical HAMILTON after having spent several weeks in their classrooms studying American history through a special integrated curriculum about Alexander Hamilton and the nation’s Founding Fathers.

In addition to seeing a performance of HAMILTON, students will participate in a Q&A with members of the HAMILTON company and students representing various schools in attendance will perform an original work they created based on their classroom studies – songs, rap, poetry, scenes, monologues – on the Benedum Center stage in front of their peers.

HAMILTON producer Jeffrey Seller says about the Pittsburgh program, “Our goal is to ensure students have a shot to see HAMILTON and use its words, music and staging to further their understanding and enjoyment of American history, music, and drama. We’ve had the pleasure of expanding the education program outside of New York in Los Angeles, Chicago, and multiple cities around the country.”

The Hamilton Education Program is one of several history education programs offered by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Its president, James G. Basker—who devised the education program in tandem with HAMILTON creator and producer, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeffrey Seller respectively, and The Rockefeller Foundation—adds, “This project is transformative. HAMILTON has struck a chord with our nation’s students because it embodies what great history education is all about: bringing the past to life and fostering connections with the exceptional individuals and moments that have made us who we are. This program empowers students to reclaim their own narrative and teachers to bridge classroom learning with the stage.”

Schools participating in the January 25 program include:
Albert Gallatin High School
Aliquippa Jr/Sr High School
Allderdice High School
Barack Obama Academy of International Studies
Beaver Local High School
Buckeye Local High School
Brentwood High School
Chestnut Ridge High School
Clayton Academy
Cleveland Heights High School
Cornell School District
Downingtown High School West Campus
DuBois Area High School
East Liverpool High School
Gateway High School
Greater Johnstown High School
Imani Christian Academy
Jefferson-Morgan High School
Laurel Highlands High School
McKinley Senior High (Timken Early College)
Nazareth Prep (formally Holy Family Academy)
New Castle Junior/Senior High School
Piketon Jr/Sr High School
Pittsburgh Brashear High School
Pittsburgh Carrick High School
Pittsburgh Milliones University Preparatory 6-12
Pittsburgh Perry High School
Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy
Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts Magnet (CAPA)
Pittsburgh Westinghouse High School
Propel Braddock Hills High School
Propel Montour High School
Sharon City High School
Southmoreland High School
The Art College Preparatory Academy
Tyler Consolidated High School
Uniontown Area High School
Urban Pathways 6-12 Charter School
Valley High School
Valley Junior Senior High School
Washington High School
Woodland Hills High School

The Rockefeller Foundation provided an initial grant of $1.46 million that funded the educational partnership in New York City. After the resounding success of the partnership, the Foundation committed an additional $6 million to the effort to support the program’s national expansion.

HAMILTON is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary.  Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.

With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

The HAMILTON creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award ® Winning Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS.

HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, casting by Telsey + Company, Bethany Knox, CSA, and General Management by Baseline Theatrical.

The musical is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater.

Launching April 2019 in Chicago, HAMILTON: THE EXHIBITION will take visitors deeper into the life and times of Alexander Hamilton through the immersive exhibit featuring a dynamic, interactive mix of in-depth scenography, lighting, sound, multimedia, music, and an audio tour narrated by Mr. Miranda. For more information and to sign up to be the first to receive news and ticket sales alerts about HAMILTON: THE EXHIBITION, please visit hamiltonexhibition.com.

The HAMILTON Original Broadway Cast Recording is available everywhere nationwide. The HAMILTON recording received a 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.

For information on HAMILTON, visit www.HamiltonMusical.com, www.Facebook.com/HamiltonMusical, www.Instagram.com/HamiltonMusical and www.Twitter.com/HamiltonMusical.

ABOUT THE GILDER LEHRMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN HISTORY
Founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. The Institute’s mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources.

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. Drawing on the 70,000 documents in the Gilder Lehrman Collection and an extensive network of eminent historians, the Institute provides teachers, students, and the general public with direct access to unique primary source materials.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, and the Council of Independent Colleges.

For information on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, visit www.gilderlehrman.org, www.Facebook.com/gilderlehrman, www.instagram.com/gilderlehrman and www.twitter.com/Gilder_Lehrman.

Straw Forward Art Installation on Display for a Limited Time at Carnegie Science Center

 A new, limited-time exhibit at Carnegie Science Center seeks to inspire meaningful dialogue around the global-scale issues of single-use plastic waste and plastic pollution. The Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurant program’s highly anticipated Straw Forward™ art installation is now on display in the Science Center’s RiverView Café through Fri., Feb. 15, 2019. 

Straw Forward demonstrates a community-wide, collaborative effort to accelerate an important message about the global issue of plastic pollution—from a local perspective. In addition to plastic straws – more than 25,000 plastic straws were collected from 37 Pittsburgh-based restaurants, nonprofits, and businesses between June and October 2018 – the installation also includes discarded plastic-based items pulled from the banks of the Allegheny River with Allegheny CleanWays, yarn from First Mile (of Thread International) that was upcycled from plastic bottles saved by citizens in developing countries, and other repurposed materials from Construction Junction and the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.

The concept, design, and construction of the installation was developed through a partnership with the creative team from Pittsburgh-based Shift Collaborative.

“We’re so excited to have Carnegie Science Center serve as the host location for the Straw Forward Art Installation,” says Rebecca Bykoski, Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurant Program Manager. “We appreciate their collaboration and partnership in helping to engage the community and draw attention to these issues.” 

“Carnegie Science Center strives to foster a scientifically literate community through all of our exhibits, and this inventive take on highlighting the issue of plastic pollution is a great way to get our visitors thinking about the impact that plastic has on our environment,” said Carnegie Science Center Interim Director Jason Brown. “We’re honored to host this exhibit, and we look forward to the conversations the sculpture will spark among our visitors and in our community.”

In addition to seeing the sculpture, the public is invited to the Science Center’s Café Scientifique on Mon., Feb. 4 from 7–9 pm in the Science Stage. An abridged version of the documentary A Plastic Ocean will be screened, providing a deeper look into these issues on a global scale. A panel discussion with local experts will follow. 

Single-use plastic straws represent one small component of the negative ecological impact of plastic pollution and overuse, ranging from disposable items like take-out containers and water bottles, to beach toys and commercial plastic waste (e.g. barrels, fishing line/nets). Straws also represent a challenge in the waste stream as they cannot be recycled by traditional means. For plastics that aren’t disposed of responsibly or can’t be recycled, they continually break up over time, turning into tiny bits of microplastics that clog the bellies of marine life and possibly ending up in the food humans eat. 

Sustainable Pittsburgh and Carnegie Science Center recognize the importance of keeping the needs of the disability rights community in these conversations as plastic straws and other single-use plastics improve the livability and access for people living with certain disabilities and medical conditions. Best Buddies Pennsylvania is a partner of the Straw Forward project.

EDDIE IZZARD: WUNDERBAR

Tickets Go On Sale Friday, January 18 at 10:00 AM Local Time

He'll Be At The Byham Theatre for One Night Only - May 28!
Eddie Izzard announces U.S. tour dates for his Eddie Izzard: Wunderbar international tour, opening May 8 in Nashville with his final U.S. performance on July 13 in Seattle.   For a full list of tour dates, on sale dates and links to tickets, visit EddieIzzard.com.


Five years after his last comedy tour, Force Majeure, made comedy history having played 45 countries including all 50 of the United States AND in four languages, making it the most extensive comedy show ever, Eddie is back to his roots with an all-new show which expands on his own very unique, totally surreal view of life, love, history and his ‘theory of the universe.’

Wunderbar is a delicious insight into the surreal and fantastical world of Eddie Izzard. This is intelligent Bunkum of the highest order.

Wunderbar began life at La Nouvelle Seine, a floating theatre in Paris on the Seine where Eddie began to improvise his new show in French. He then flipped countries and continued developing the show improvising in Berlin in German. Now after more development in English, Eddie is ready to share Wunderbar with the world… But will make sure the language fits the country!

Eddie Izzard is one of the World’s most respected comedians. He has performed sell out shows across the world from Shanghai to Mumbai including nights at Madison Square Garden and The Hollywood Bowl.

Released on June 13, 2017, Izzard’s first book, Believe Me, is a New York Times Best Seller and was chosen by Bill Gates as one of the “5 Amazing Books I Read This Year” - https://goo.gl/kXKzNM.  Writing with the same candor and insight evident in his comedy, he reflects on a childhood marked by the loss of his mother, boarding school, and alternative sexuality, as well as a life in comedy, film, politics, running, and philanthropy. Honest and generous, Izzard’s Believe Me is an inspired account of a very singular life thus far.

Izzard was seen co-starring opposite Judi Dench as her son Bertie, the King in waiting in the critically acclaimed film, Victoria and Abdul.  The film premiered at The Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2017 and opened to the public on September 22, 2017.

Over the course of a thirty-year career, Eddie Izzard has proved himself to be a creative chameleon, inhabiting the stage and film and television screen with an unbelievable fervor. Born in Yemen and raised in Northern Ireland, Wales, and England, he lost his mother at the age of six and that has affected the rest of his life. 

In his teens, he droppedout of university and took to the streets of London as part of a comedy double act.  When his partner went on vacation, Izzard kept busy by inventing a one-man escape act, and thus a solo career was ignited. As a stand-up comedian, Izzard has captivated audiences with his surreal, stream-of-consciousness comedy—lines such as “Cake or Death?” “Death Star Canteen,” and “Do You Have a Flag?” have the status of great rock lyrics. 

As a self-proclaimed “action transvestite,” Izzard broke a mold performing in makeup and heels, and has become as famous for his “total clothing” rights as he has for his art. In Believe Me, he recounts the dizzying rise he made from the streets of London to West End theaters, to Wembley Arena, Madison Square Garden, and the Hollywood Bowl.

Izzard is arguably one of today's top comedians. With his brand of keenly intelligent humor that ranges from world history to historical politics, sexual politics, mad ancient kings, and chickens with guns, he has built an extraordinary fan base that transcends age, gender, and race.

Pa Great Outdoors 2019 Welcome Guide Available Now

The Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce the release of the 2019 Welcome Guide, which contains feature articles, information on lodging, events, and attractions, business listings, photos, travel tips, and much more to help you plan your getaway to Jefferson, Elk, Clarion, Forest, and Cameron Counties.

This resource offers more than 100 pages of information, including articles on quirky attractions throughout the region, the full Groundhog Day experience, synchronous fireflies in and around Allegheny National Forest, the newly opened Climax Tunnel on the Redbank Valley Trail, water trails for paddlers and anglers, cultural and artistic attractions throughout the region, drag racing events at St. Marys Airport, the French and Indian War Encampment in Cook Forest State Park, and lots more.

Start looking for this publication at hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other tourist destinations throughout our five-county region, interstate rest stops and state welcome centers throughout Pennsylvania, and tourism, outdoor, and home shows throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic this spring.

Click here to view the digital edition of this magazine, or go to VisitPAGO.com/free-information to order your own FREE copy of the new Welcome Guide as well as other vacation-planning information on the region.

Learn more and plan your endless adventure in the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors region by going to VisitPAGO.com or calling (814) 849-5197.

The Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau is a membership-based travel promotion organization serving five counties in northwestern Pennsylvania: Jefferson, Elk, Clarion, Forest, and Cameron. The mission of the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau is to develop and initiate programs and marketing strategies with the specific intent of increasing overnight travel-related expenditures within its designated region and to create a cooperative effort to increase awareness of this region as an ultimate vacation destination.