Can’t Miss Events in Pittsburgh in May
Save the dates for concerts, art exhibits, dance performances & more.
PHOTOS BY DYMOND JEWELL
Best Bet
May 9
Benedum Center, Downtown
trustarts.org
Pittsburgh native Jau’mair Garland is returning home this month for a performance with the modern dance company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, showcasing contemporary works and a signature work of the theater, “Revelations.” Garland formally trained in ballet and modern dance at Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 and was named a National YoungArts winner in the Modern/Contemporary category in 2020.
While attending CAPA, Garland joined Reed Dance II, under the direction of Greer Reed, and Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh, under the direction of Steven and Lindsay Piper. He also participated in summer intensives at Dance Theatre of Harlem and The Ailey School.
Garland is currently a student at the University of Southern California Glorya Kaufman School of Dance set to graduate in 2024. This is Garland’s first season with the company, and he says he is excited for the professional experience. “I really aspired to be in the space and to experience what it is like to dance for a company that was rooted in so much Black excellence,” Garland says. “Once I was offered the job, I thought it was something that I could grow tremendously from and learn more about myself and then also myself as an artist.” — Maya Valletta
May 5-14
New Hazlett Theater
Boy meets girl. Girl is a spy. Girl ends up dead and the world spins out of control. Hitchcock’s suspenseful thriller “The 39 Steps” comes to the stage in this intriguing production with only four actors bringing 150 vastly different characters to life.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
May 12-14
Heinz Hall
You may best know her as Angelica Schuyler, so it’s time to introduce you to Renée Elise Goldsberry. The Tony Award-winning star of “Hamilton” and graduate of Carnegie Mellon University is joining the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for an evening of song with selections from “The Lion King,” “Rent” and some R&B classics.
STEVE SCHAPIRO, WARHOL, NICO, AND THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, 1966, © STEVE SCHAPIRO | PHOTO COURTESY OF FAHEY/KLEIN GALLERY
May 12-Sept. 25
The Andy Warhol Museum
To experience the first recording sessions of your favorite band is something most music geeks dream of. The Velvet Underground & Nico: Scepter Studio Sessions are the nine initial tracks recorded by the band in 1966, and this exhibit at The Andy Warhol Museum includes music from the tapes playing continuously in the gallery accompanied by a large selection of photographs by Steve Schapiro — with rare, unseen footage of the band performing live.
May 19-20
The Oaks Theater
During the weekend of May 5-7, Pittsburgh filmmakers were given a prop, a line of dialogue, a character, a genre and 48 hours to make a 4-to-7-minute film. Get out to The Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project Screenings to see the cinematic magic created by both professional and hobbyist filmmakers.
May 19-20
Millvale
Millvale Music Festival is returning for the sixth year with loads of activities to keep you entertained for the entire weekend. With more than 300 musical acts on nearly 30 stages — plus visual artists, performance artists, spoken word, comedy and food trucks — you won’t know where to start.
May 19-21
Downtown
For three days with the EQT Children’s Theater Festival, the Cultural District will be filled with sidewalk chalk, puppets and plenty of family-friendly fun. The event welcomes professional theater performers from around the world to showcase a world of imagination for kids of all ages.
May 27-28
Hartwood Acres
As the weather gets warmer, it’s a great time to start enjoying live music outdoors. The Wonderworks Music and Arts Festival will offer two days of both national and local musical artists as well as an array of food, arts/crafts, activities for all ages and a vendor village. Singer-songwriters Hozier and Jason Mraz will headline this inaugural festival.
