Streb: Force Comes to the Byham

 Streb: Force is a show with a little bit of everything.  Dancing, stunts, and acrobatics are just some of the performances included in this massive show.   Elizabeth Streb's choreography is called "Pop Action" as it combines circus arts with dance and stunt work.  This provides the audience with an amazing show that everyone should see at least once.

Elizabeth Streb is a mad scientist. 

How else would you describe a woman who devises diabolically dangerous-looking scenarios for her group of "action heroes" (a.k.a. "action engineers"), who dodge swinging cinder blocks, fall flat to the ground from multiple-story heights and run for their lives inside a monster-sized hamster wheel — all in the name of entertainment? 

In truth, Streb is an award-winning choreographer who has developed a unique movement form she calls "Pop Action." It combines science and human daring with elements of dance, the circus arts and Hollywood stuntwork. 

After a long absence, Streb and her self-named New York-based company return to Pittsburgh and the Byham Theater Sept. 28 and 29. Their latest "Action" spectacular, STREB: Forces, is the season-opener for the Pittsburgh Dance Council. 

The company is fresh off a stint at London's Cultural Olympiad, part of the festivities surrounding the London Olympics. There, STREB performed action events at seven London landmarks, including the Millennium Bridge and Trafalgar Square. Now, STREB brings to Pittsburgh perhaps its most theatrical multimedia production to date. 

For the all-ages STREB: Forces, the company is trucking in 15 tons of equipment, including machines designed to create artificial gravity and the illusion of flight for the performers.
Jam-packed with thrilling works and action events with names like "Crush," "Fall," "Invisible Forces" and "Roboto," STREB: Forces marries the scientific principles of motion with the adrenaline rush of a super coaster ride. 

Some elements of the show may be similar to past productions. For instance, there's "Spatial Rifts," a revamped version of Streb's popular vertical-wall piece "Run Up Walls," in which performers crash into, climb onto and throw themselves against a transparent wall. This time around, Streb says, the performers will be attached to one another in pairs to create a counterweight system: When one goes down, the other goes up. And much of show is new, including an action event that simulates moonwalking using a 30-feet-by-30-feet frictionless floor. 

 "These things burst into reality from playing around with new pieces of equipment at our Action Lab," says Streb by the phone from New York City, where the Lab is located. "They are the mad trajectories of what brings joy and action to people's lives."

For more information see The City Paper.

Up Modern Kitchen in Shadyside

 The new restaurant Up in Shadyside serves dinners with fresh and local aspects  in combination with international cuisine.    They have three three different sizes to choose from labeled bites, small plates, and plates.   The mid priced menu has everything from fish to soup, and there is something for everyone.

If the Midwest is the breadbasket of America, California is its vegetable garden, as well as its fruit orchard. In the 1970s, chefs in the Bay Area pioneered "California cuisine" through the simple yet revolutionary practice of frequenting nearby farms to get the best, freshest meat and produce in season. This was the birth of the foodie trifecta: fresh, local and seasonal. The style spread and, since the ability to prepare fresh, local, seasonal meals wasn't limited to California, the name of the resulting cuisine was updated to "contemporary American." But it didn't take long for that movement to meet the equally popular trend toward fusion cooking, in which salutary ingredients and techniques from a variety of cuisines are combined in new and (sometimes) exciting dishes. Although "American" is in some ways perfectly descriptive of a tempura shrimp tostada with jackfruit chutney, it doesn't seem all that accurate. 

Fortunately, there is nothing nearly so egregious on the menu of Up Modern Kitchen, the latest in Shadyside dining. The name "Up" seems to derive naturally from the second-floor location; as for "Modern Kitchen," this vague-sounding moniker is utterly exact to experienced diners. It suggests not only the fresh and local aspects, but also the combinations of international cuisines hovering in the broad middle ground between austere simplicity and baroque complexity: butternut squash soup spiced with fresh ginger, or meatballs served over taleggio polenta and sauced with a port wine demi-glace. Up's is a mid-length menu ranging from "bites" to "small plates" to "plates" (entrees), as well as soups, salads and sandwiches. The variety is so great that it's hard to imagine a diner unable to find something enticing, although vegetarian options are few.

Almost everything enticed us. The aforementioned soup made an excellent first impression, lush and velvety, yet with a crisp flavor edge from the ginger, which evoked Thai pumpkin curry without enlisting the full artillery of herbs and spices. A small plate of duck confit combined autumnal ingredients — richly meaty duck, firm little beans, astringent tomatoes and smoky bacon — that might suggest a hearty stew, but the execution contrasted bright components against heartier ones to create a perfect end-of-summer bowl.

 

Subsequently, a lobster and rock-shrimp roll turned out to be a fairly straight take on the traditional lobster roll, albeit with a thick salsa pantellaria, similar to a salsa verde, providing vegetal kick. It worked, but it was also extraordinarily expensive, and the accompanying shoestring fries were by the book. For the price, we felt entitled to something extraordinary. Piri piri wings represented a fresh take on standard chicken wings, crisply roasted and served atop a spicy-sweet African chili sauce. Spicy-wing aficionados might find the flavor a bit tentative, but the accompanying raita, flavored with blue cheese, and cucumber were a clever update of the traditional dressing and celery sticks.
Bolognese gratin should have been a slam dunk of a dish: radiatore noodles tossed with meaty Bolognese (made with short rib and pancetta), topped with cheesy bread crumbs, broiled, and finished with meatballs. But it didn't quite sing, mostly because the bland and starchy ingredients overwhelmed the savory and piquant — and those flavors were dominated by salt. Of all the seasonings, salt stood out as the predominant note. The rest of the dish wasn't cheesy enough to be creamy, nor was it tomatoey enough to be bright. The meatballs, at least, were top notch, meaty and almost juicy and seasoned so as not be one-note.

Alaskan halibut arrived, like the princess and the pea, atop more than one bed. Directly underneath the fish was a layer of garlic broccolini, which rested, in turn, upon a scoop of risotto nero, whose rather shocking near-black color and slightly pungent flavor derived from squid ink. It was mild enough to provide a suitable backdrop to the meaty halibut, however, as well as the rather assertive broccolini, a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli whose flavor is not unlike asparagus. Arugula pesto, drizzled around the edges of the dish, provided a peppery counterpoint to the other ingredients' bitter-sweet flavor profiles.

Up Modern Kitchen earns its name, capturing the combination of casual ambience, sophisticated sensibility and eclectic approach that seems to go hand-in-hand with the fresh-local-seasonal credo. It's an exciting place to dine, though we did expect more consistent excellence for the prices.

For more information see City Paper.

Affordable Opera Performances

Free and affordable performing arts events are happening in downtown Pittsburgh.  The Pittsburgh Opera strives to make opera accessible to all audiences with many of their shows throughout their season.   Keep reading to find out what the opera has in store for their upcoming season.

The Pittsburgh Opera is proving to our city that high caliber culture doesn’t always have to come with high ticket prices.

“As part of our ongoing mission to enrich Pittsburgh and the tri-state area, Pittsburgh Opera strives to make opera intellectually and financially accessible to a diverse audience, offering both high quality opera productions and several free community events throughout the season.”

In September of 2008, they moved their home to Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District into the building that was built as George Westinghouse’s original air brake factory in 1869. We caught a Brown Bag Concert Series performance last season and were lucky enough to get a personal tour of the massive facility thanks to Allison Ruppert, Marketing and Community Relations Manager at the Pittsburgh Opera. At 45,000 square feet, the building still manages to create an inviting sense of warmth and coziness, which is likely due to the pronounced “green” atmosphere. They are currently seeking LEED certification, and that should give us all yet one more reason to think that The Pittsburgh Opera rocks!

This is perhaps one of the best culture deals in the city, so do yourself a favor and check out some of these performances. You just can’t ask for a better ticket price!

Brown Bag Concert Series

In the George R. White Opera Studio at Pittsburgh Opera’s headquarters in the Strip District, friends, families and Pittsburghers of all ages are invited to enjoy intimate concerts of some of opera’s most popular arias as well as a mix of Broadway, musical theater and other surprises. These concerts are a wonderful opportunity for an informal introduction to opera. Guests can even meet the performers after the show!

Opera Up Close

An in-depth look at the upcoming production, with the artists that make them happen at Pittsburgh Opera’s headquarters in the Strip District, at 2:00 PM on Sundays before the opening of each production.

Art Song Recital Series

In the George R. White Opera Studio at Pittsburgh Opera, Art Song Recitals are high-level, one-hour performances of art song literature by the Resident Artists of Pittsburgh Opera. These recitals are free and open to the public. The Pittsburgh Opera Guilds from Sewickley, Fox Chapel, South Hills and the City serve as reception hosts at these events.

Pittsburgh Opera’s RISING STARS concert

You can say “I knew them when…” Meet the 2012-13 Resident Artists as they introduce themselves through their favorite arias.

Here is their full listing of FREE performances for the 2012-13 season.

For more information see Living Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Great Race Kick Off

The Pittsburgh Great Race will be starting soon, but first the kids of the city get their turn.  The Dollar Bank Junior Great Race will be happening this Sunday, September 23rd.  It is a great day full of activities for the whole family and a non-competitive race environment.  Make sure to register so you are eligible for the goodie bag that comes with racing.

With fall just around the corner, runners around the area are gearing up for the Great Race.

To kick off “Great Race Week” roughly 1,000 kids will participate in the 17th running of the Dollar Bank Junior Great Race on Sunday, Sept. 23.

“The Dollar Bank Junior Great Race is undeniably one of the most entertaining, non-competitive races for Pittsburgh’s kids,” Great Race Director Mike Radley said in a statement. “It’s a perfect family activity that combines health, fitness and fun.”

Events of the day are as follows:

10:30 a.m. – Packet pick up. Face painting and other activities will be available for the kids as well.
Noon – One-Mile Family Fun Run at Point State Park, 50-Yard Tot Trot & Diaper Dash

Registration for the Junior Great Race is $8 if done in advance and $10 on the day of the event.
Applications are online at www.RunGreatRace.com and you can also call Dollar Bank at (412)-255-2493.

A goodie bag containing a Junior Great Race and medal will be handed out to all registered kids.

For more information see CBS Local.

Steelers Honor Soldiers

Playing a game of football with the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field is something every Pittsburgher dreams of.  This past Tuesday the heroes of our nation got that opportunity of a lifetime. The military men and women played against the Steelers and showed off their impressive skills in all the elements of the game.

Some new faces at Heinz Field on Tuesday night caught passes with the Steelers.

 These weren’t your average football pros, but they’re heroes in their own way.

Soldiers fighting for freedom overseas took the spotlight at Heinz Field with their families.

“It’s amazing,” said Rob Stohan. “Your heart sinks; you just can’t believe it’s actually happening.”

The military men and women went head-to-head with their football heroes, showing off their touchdown dances and nailing their field goals.

“For us, it’s like a dream come true,” said Joshua Caskey. “Because in this city everybody bleeds black and gold, and I’m one of those huge fans, along with my son, who’s having a blast.”

The “Heroes at Heinz Field” event provided a unique way to honor those who sacrifice so much for their country.

Defensive end Brett Keisel, who usually pushes around offensive linemen, pushed one of his injured heroes to the team photo.

“They’re making the ultimate sacrifice for all of us in this country, and it’s great to be able to come down and personally thank them,” Keisel said. 

For more information see WTAE.

Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Park

Pittsburgh's Shakespeare in the Park has been around for years.  This year they are performing The Tempest at various parks around the area for every weekend in September.  The shows are free, and it is a great way to get out to the parks in September.  Keep reading for dates and details about the show.

 THE TEMPEST

Event: Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks’ THE TEMPEST
Location: See schedule below (various locations)
Date: Every weekend in September (see below for schedule and locations)
Time: 2pm
Cost: Free


 
Description: Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks celebrates its 8th season of offering FREE Shakespeare plays in city parks with THE TEMPEST, directed by Alan Irvine, the first 4 weekends in September 2012.
PSIP serves up rough-and-tumble, contemporary Shakespeare plays using the parks’ environs as the set and the audience as part of the action. Audience members are advised to bring a blanket and be prepared for the show to go on in any kind of weather. All shows are at 2 PM (Saturdays and Sundays).

Director Alan Irvine: “The Tempest is a revenge play – but also about family, and, of course, romance – with comical results. The enemies who stole Prospero’s kingdom from him are now in his power. Will Prospero succumb to the temptation for revenge? Or will forgiveness win out? And Prospero’s daughter Miranda falls in love at first sight – with the first human (besides her father) she’s ever seen.” Will true love triumph? And will the shipwrecked characters ever shake off the spell of the magical Ariel and get off the Island?

September 1,2: Frick Park, Beechwood Blvd. & Nicholson St., Squirrel Hill (map)
September 8,9: Arsenal Park, 39th St & Butler St, Lawrenceville (map)
September 15,16: Allegheny Commons West Park, W. North Ave & Brighton Rd, North Side (map)
September 22,23 Frick Park, Beechwood Blvd. & Nicholson St., Squirrel Hill (map)

For more information see Living Pittsburgh.

ALS Walk at the Zoo Tomorrow!

ALS also knows at Lou Gehrig's Disease is a degenerative neurological disorder that is fatal.  As many as 30,000 people in the United States have this disease at one time.  The disease is most common in people between the ages of 40-70.  It has affected thousands of people including celebrities like Lou Gehrig. 

The 11th Annual Walk to Defeat ALS will be held at the Pittsburgh Zoo this Saturday.  This one mile walk around the zoo helps raise money and awareness for this fatal disease.  Anyone can participate in the walk, and you get free admission to the zoo with participation in the walk. 


The 11th annual Walk to Defeat ALS event at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium will be held Saturday. The walk is less than a mile through the zoo to help raise money for research into the cause and cure of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a devastating and fatal neuromuscular disease. Open to the public, registration starts at 7 a.m. and the walk begins at 9 a.m. For more information, call 1-800-967-9296 or visit www.cure4als.org.

Read more at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Pittsburgh Irish Festival

 The Pittsburgh Irish festival is this weekend and is filled with music, entertainment, and delicious food.  The Irish Festival is a huge part of Pittsburgh due to the strong Irish ties in the region.  This festival serves to preserve and present the Irish Culture and heritage in the city.  It also is known for being the largest Irish festival in the state, and the only Irish festival in the region.

The Pittsburgh Irish Festival is back, and proudly celebrating its 21st year! Thanks to the rich Irish heritage that is an integral part of our city, this festival enjoys enormous popularity, and this year the entertainment promises to satisfy the crowds of ‘Burghers who have made it a family tradition. The organizers, the Irish Partnership, dedicate themselves to “preserving and presenting Irish culture and heritage in the area”, and the festival is the yearly feather in their tweed cap. It can boast being the largest Irish festival in the state, and is the only Irish festival in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. 

The PA tourism office designated the event a “Pennsylvania Preferred Festival.”
Children can enjoy special performances and activities, including sing-a-longs and storytelling. One of our favorite attractions is the Irish Dog tent, where you can encounter the regal (and gigantic) Irish Wolfhound. A special Gaelic Mass will also be held on Sunday, September 11th at 10am.

Of course, the centerpiece every year is the music, and the lineup that is planned is sure to not disappoint. National artists including Makem and Spain Brothers and Gaelic Storm will be sharing the stages with local Pittsburgh favorites like Corned Beef and Curry and Red Hand Paddy. Irish dance is always a popular attraction at the festival, and this year performing companies include Bell School of Irish Dance, Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance and the Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh. There is enough entertainment to send you reeling. To keep everything straight, check out the schedule here.

Tickets are $10 in advance for adults and $12 at the gate. Senior and students (with ID) are $8. Active and Retired Military Officers, and Public Safety Officers (with ID) are $5. Children under 12 are free. You can purchase tickets in advance by visiting the website.
Insider Tip: Special admission prices are featured on Friday from 4-6pm, when those 13 and over are admitted for $3. Also on Friday from 6-8pm, students (with ID) receive discounted admission of $5.

For more information see the CBS Pittsburgh.