Arts and entertainment events in Pittsburgh keep our calendars full with some of the best creatives out there. Folk music, classical music, comedy on the stage, comedy on the screen and more — including Hedwig’s takeover of Downtown’s Greer Cabaret Theater — will make for a varied and exciting week in Pittsburgh from May 11-17.

Arts and Entertainment Events in Pittsburgh May 11-17

Michael Chabon with Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures

Monday, May 11, Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland

Any visit from Michael Chabon, who launched his career while studying at CMU and Pitt, is a homecoming. Monday’s appearance with Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, which will take place at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, is a rare opportunity to watch a writer return to the place where his stories (if not his story; he was born in the D.C. area) began. There’s added anticipation to this stop, though; Chabon’s next book, his first in 10 years, is expected this fall. Perhaps a brief preview is coming on Monday night?

Marc Broussard

Tuesday, May 12, Thunderbird

Marc Broussard makes the sort of soul-filled blues that can rock the foundations of a building. The second-generation bluesman, who plays Lawrenceville’s Thunderbird Music Hall this Tuesday night, brings Louisiana swagger to his songwriting — and full-throated reverence to standards and covers, another specialty. He’ll be joined Tuesday by Sway Wild.

A Celebration of Mel Brooks

Wednesday, May 13, Row House Hollywood

Few Hollywood luminaries — or people, for that matter — get to experience a celebration of their 100th birthday. Fewer still do so while still actively working. But Mel Brooks is exceptional; when he turns 100 this June, he’ll be in production on Spaceballs: The New One, the long-awaited sequel to his Star Wars parody. The original Spaceballs returns to the big screen at Row House Hollywood this week, along with Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, in a retrospective co-presented with the JFilm.

Penna Players

Thursday, May 14, The Roots Cellar

In its Local Folk Series, Calliope House (which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year) brings regional folk musicians to its intimate Roots Cellar stage, tucked underground in Shadyside. It’s a great way to get an up-close look at excellent musicians who might otherwise have escaped your notice. This week: the Penna Players, who focus on early jazz sounds and styles.

Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique

Friday, May 15, Heinz Hall

The first thing to know: “pathétique” is French for melancholic, not pathetic. So think of emotional resonance, not misery, when it comes to Tchaikovsky’s final completed work, premiered just weeks before the composer’s death. The PSO will present Pathétique as part of its “Symphony Starters” series on Friday night (and Sunday afternoon); Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is also on the bill. Edward Gardner conducts, with Behzod Abduraimov featured on the piano.

Ladies of Laughter Tour

Saturday, May 16, O’Reilly Theater

Part showcase of up-and-coming talent, part competition and part celebration, the Ladies of Laughter tour — deliberately named to fit the apt “LOL” acronym — brings rising stars of stand-up to theaters around the country. The Pittsburgh stop, set for Saturday night at Downtown’s O’Reilly Theater, features Dena Blizzard, Liz Glazer, Leighann Lord and Helen Wildy. The latter comic is no stranger to Pittsburgh stages; she developed her stand-up (and improv) skills here before relocating to New York. Welcome her back to town — and see some performers who could well be headliners in a matter of years.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Sunday, May 17, Greer Cabaret Theater

Twenty years after first glamming up Pittsburgh with an acclaimed South Side run, Hedwig has moved Downtown. City Theatre has revived the rock musical in an energetic, impactful production at Downtown’s Greer Cabaret Theater — with unforgettable performances by Treasure Treasure, as Hedwig, and Theo Allyn, as beleaguered backup singer Yitzhak, who both grab the audience by the lapels. Read more about the show’s triumphant return — and get your ticket before they sell out, as this show is going to be a hit.

Story Sean Collier
Photo by Laura Petrilla

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