SembÈne: The Film & Arts
Festival
(Free African Cuisine and Meet Great People!!! Bring a friend!!!)
Sembène: The Film & Arts Festival is proud to announce its
fourth season of award-winning films from Senegal, South Africa, USA and Chad.
The Festival has expanded its programming and offers a diverse selection of
stunning, award-winning controversial films from a variety of genres. Many of
the films have never been shown on the big screen in Pittsburgh.
Friday,
November 30th - Ousmane Sembène's closes the the festival with his last film, MOOLAAD.
Like Us on
Facebook for updates on future films and evens
Click Here : https://www.facebook.com/sembenefilmfestival
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Pandora's Unforgettable Moments
Presents Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
by Chip Davis
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis has been America’s
favorite holiday celebration for over 25 years. Grammy Award winner Chip
Davis has created a show that features the beloved Christmas music of Mannheim
Steamroller along with dazzling multimedia effects performed in an intimate
setting. The spirit of the season comes alive with the signature sound of
Mannheim Steamroller. Don’t miss this ultimate holiday tradition from the
#1 Christmas music artist in history!
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| Manheim Steamroller |
Created and founded by Chip Davis, Mannheim Steamroller is
embarking on their 27th tour this Christmas season. Business
Week says, “Mannheim Steamroller Rules Christmas! It’s the top
selling act ever in the holiday music category.” And the Dallas
Morning News: "Mannheim Steamroller is the most popular
Christmas act of all times…..a lush version of "Deck The Halls" is
one of the act's most popular songs." Mannheim Steamroller’s music is best
described as 18th Century classical rock with a musical fusion of acoustic,
analog, digital and electronic sounds. Read the entire release here.
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“Know the Show Before You Go”
Renowned theater critic
will help audience know the show before the performance.
The Pittsburgh Cultural
Trust announces new pre-show talk “Know
the Show Before You Go” will be presented on select show performance
nights* for the 2012-2013 PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series.
‘Know the Show’ will be hosted by Chris Rawson, senior theater critic for
KDKA-TV and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Mr. Rawson will discuss various subjects such as: How do you prepare to see a
Broadway musical? What sort of information (and attitude) is useful, and what
might get in the way? What might help you enjoy the shows being presented in
the 2012-2013 PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series? How do you know
you've had a good time? Read the entire release here.
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Solar
Mamas
Thursday, November 29th at 5:30 pm, WQED Studios (4802 Fifth Avenue, Pgh, 15213)
by Jehane Noujaim
New innovations and opportunities to empower
women, and their communities by extension, occur in some of the most unique
ways. Big ideas and dreams can become reality, but not without
the perseverance to beat the odds. How can a young, barely literate woman become a
force for technological change in her community? Are women better at
getting out of poverty than men? These questions are at
the heart of Solar Mamas, which follows the path of a young Bedouin woman
and the obstacles she encounters in her effort to bring the benefits of
solar energy home.
Rafea Ehnad is a 32-year-old mother of four
who is among 27 women selected to learn how to wire and install solar
panels as part of the Barefoot College in Tilonia, India. The
group includes women from all around the world who develop a close camaraderie
despite their differences in language and culture. The story follows
their struggles, successes, and ongoing obstacles as they work to provide
bright futures through solar energy for their local communities.
To register for this
FREE event, please click HERE.
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Celebrate Holiday Traditions with
The Nutcracker
Onstage Dec. 7-30, at the Benedum Center, Pittsburgh Ballet
Theatre brings the magic of The Nutcrackerhome for the holidays with a
Pittsburgh-inspired production featuring more than 210 costumes, 190 performers
and turn-of-the-century Pittsburgh set design.
Recognized as one of the most popular ballets of all time, The Nutcracker is a
timeless holiday classic based on the German tale written by E.T.A. Hoffmann. PBT has performed The
Nutcracker since the company’s founding in 1969. Beginning in 2002, PBT
Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr created an entirely new production with an
enhanced storyline, new choreography and a unique Pittsburgh theme.Read the entire release here.
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Les Miserables
January 15-27 at the
Benedum Center
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| Les Miserables |
Cameron
Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil &
Schönberg’s legendary musical, LES MISÉRABLES, with glorious new staging and
dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.
This
new production has been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is
breaking box office records wherever it goes. The New York Times calls this LES
MISÉRABLES “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The
London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful.”
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Rick Sebak Celebrates 25 Years
Producer / Writer / Narrator
Rick
Sebak makes unusual television programs.
Rick
is producer and host of a magazine-style program called IT’S PITTSBURGH & A LOT
OF OTHER STUFF, seen regularly on WQED and on-line at wqed.org. His work in
public television goes back to the mid 1970s when he started working on a daily
children’s
show in South Carolina. Since then, he has created a number of very popular and
beloved non-fiction programs for public television locally as well as
nationally.
His
slightly wacky documentaries now celebrate various aspects of modern American
life and
the unexpected charms of Pittsburgh. Audiences have learned to recognize his friendly
narrative style and the unusual topics that he obviously loves.
Read the entire
release here.
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Children’s
Holiday Programming on WQED-TV
Visit their
website for the list.
***
Roving Pittsburgher Report
La Tavola Italiana Restaurant, Mt. Washington, 1 Boggs
Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15211
This is a family run restaurant, founded by
Joe and Carmela Giarameta, both immigrants from Sicily. They still run the restaurant today, along with their children, Jolena, Giovanna and Gabriella.
What a dining experience! Along
with the traditional Italian cuisines and many pasta dishes there are
always amazing specials. This was my belated birthday celebration, so
we went all out with the vegetable fritti platter of friend zucchini,
cauliflower, mushrooms and mozzarella sticks. My dining partner had Fresh jumbo sea scallops pan seared and finished
in the oven over porchini mushroom polenta. I had Veal Milenese topped with Wayngu Beef and Truffle Stuffed Ravioli
and an amazing tomato mushroom white wine sauce. Of course we had to have Jolena and Carmella’s freshly made wedding soup
and the dessert, swell!
This is
a feast all itself We shared Dolce Amore which is a delectable chocolate sponge
cake topped with a chocolate mousse, a special cream sauce and triple berry
blend. All of it just melts in your
mouth as the calories do not melt off your waistline.
Good People Review
by Helene Vidovich and Amy Caligaro
Life in a lace curtain world?
. . .like a cornucopia, leaving one with much to choose and digest.
"Good People" by David Lindsay-Abaire and aptly staged by Jeff Cowie,
captures life's little moments and situations and leaves one with much fodder
for future discussion. Kelly McAndrew, who portrayed Margaret, was exceptional.
The performance evokes a variety of iconic experiences--anger, love, fear,
deceit, laughter, social taboos and life's dichotomies.
Read the full review here.
War Horse Review
by Joanne Quinn-SmithWhat a multimedia event. This was just not a play but a rendering of musical interludes, hovering screen video scenes and amazing puppetry. Yes it was a puppet show for adults. As I looked around the room it was amazing to me how few children there were and that’s because the show was targeted for adults.
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| Albert and Joey, War Horse |
The poignant Tony Award winning play displays the ravages and unfairness of war while still allowing the theater audience a chance to revel in childhood fantasies, the memory of grandpa’s bedtime stories and the thrill of near real life adventure.
Joey, the protagonist stallion of "War Horse," is believable with every toss of his tale and shake of his head. For the length of the play I was transfixed by the beguiling eyes of a puppet and the very real and regal galloping steed. Read the full review here.
6th Annual Bhangra in the Burgh
Sponsored by the Department of Student
Affairs at the Carnegie Mellon University and benefiting Variety Children’s
Charity, the show was held on November 17 in Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in Oakland and was
packed by Bhangra fans and aficionados.
The colorful costumes and athletic dance kept the audience with their
arms in the air or clapping or tapping their feet. PPL Mag Videographer danced
with a group out of the University of Pittsburgh, First Class Banghra and
opened up the show. We had no idea how
any of the other teams would follow them for energy, precision or style.
For those of you who are not familiar with
Bhangra, it is an energetic folk dance usually performed in the Autumn as
Harvest Festival celebration. It is
native to the Northwest India and East Pakistan area. But the Bhangra that has taken over the
interest of colleges and universities in the United States and Canada is much
transformed fusing elements of hip hop, and reggae with the Punjabi music. This popular form of dance has not become competitive with more than 30 Bhangra competitions and more than 65 collegiate Bhangra teams.
This year the teams
competing were Toronto All Star Girls, GM Bhangra, Cornell Bhangra, UNC Bhangra
Elite,First Class Banghra, CAL Bhangra and Virginia Tech Bhangra. So far in its past five years the entirely
run student event has raised over $50,000.00 for charity.
***
This was reported as a
reproduction of PositvelyPittsburghLive news done by Joanne Quinn-Smith. (c)
Joanne Quinn-Smith and PositivelyPittsburghLive(TM) 2012 All rights reserved.
Tara Darazio is a
Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent copywriter, blogger,
article writer, and social media strategist. If you are in need of writing
assistance, or need help with your social media efforts connect
with Tara on LinkedIn here.
