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Get the most interesting and important stories from the University of Pittsburgh.Lovers of music and theater, rejoice: This April, you can catch many free or budget friendly shows on or near the Pittsburgh campus. Here are six events the Pittwire team thought the community should know about.
For a full listing of offerings in April, check out Pitt’s events calendar.
Pitt Stages production of ‘Why We Have A Body’
April 1-10, various times
Nancy Drew meets “The L Word.”
Backstage.com describes this comedic play as a “lighthearted fable, centering on four women, about love in all its permutations. Lili is a private detective who specializes in investigating adulterous husbands yet falls in love with married woman Renee, whom she meets on an airplane. Lili’s sister, Mary, fantasizes about being Joan of Arc and dreams of female empowerment, which she seeks to achieve by robbing convenience stores until her life of crime catches up with her. The two sisters long for a close-knit family, but their mother, Eleanor, is too busy exploring exotic places to have time for maternal responsibilities.”
Where: Henry Heymann Theatre, 4301 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213
Tickets: Purchase tickets, $15
A night of gamelan music and dance
Friday, April 8, at 8 p.m.
A night of gongs and other percussive instruments await you. Don’t miss your chance to experience a musical tradition heralding from Southeast Asia.
Sundanese composer, performer and educator Ismet Ruchimat joins the University of Pittsburgh Gamelan Ensemble for an evening of contemporary music and dance from Indonesia, featuring traditional music and world premieres of new compositions by Ruchimat with dance choreographed and performed by guest artist Maya Caturistayu.
Where: Bellefield Hall, Auditorium, 315 South Bellefield Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15260
Tickets: Reserve tickets, free
A cappella choral performances
Saturday, April 9, at 8 p.m
You can bet these performances will be pitch-perfect.
Pitt Men's Glee Club presents a classical and popular repertoire.
Where: First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 531 North Neville St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213
Tickets: Purchase tickets, $10
Sunday, April 10, at 5 p.m.
Join the Women’s Choral Ensemble for a wide variety of a cappella music from popular, classical and folk traditions.
Where: Heinz Memorial Chapel, Fifth and Bellefield Avenues, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260
Tickets: Reserve tickets, free
Afropop Ensemble Spring Concert
Monday, April 18, at 8 p.m.
The word of the night is synthesis. Pitt’s Afropop Ensemble (pictured above) performs music in genres resulting from the fusion of African and Western music elements. Under the direction of Ben Barson, the ensemble examines the interconnections between African music and the music of the African diaspora such as reggae and jazz.
Where: Bellefield Hall, Auditorium, 315 South Bellefield Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15260
Tickets: Reserve tickets, free
Scenes from ‘On ne badine pas avec l’amour’
Saturday, April 23, 4-6 p.m
Ooh là là! Another reminder as to why French is the language of love. Students of the course FR 1023 (French Theater Workshop) will perform scenes from the play “On ne badine pas avec l’amour” (No trifling with love) by Alfred de Musset. The students have worked all semester studying and interpreting the play while practicing performance and theater.
The play follows the tragic love story of Perdican and Camille as their efforts to win the other over through jealousy ultimately backfire. The students designed all the costumes, sets and props.
Where: Wesley W. Posvar Hall, Global Hub (1st Floor), 230 South Bouquet St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15260
Tickets: This is an unticketed event
— Nichole Faina