'Open Air' arts performances set for May in Pittsburgh park

Flagstaff Hill, a popular gathering spot in Oakland, will be the site for two weeks of dance, music and arts programming in May.

More than 20 local performing arts organizations will perform on Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s mobile stage in the Schenley Park location during “Open Air: A Series in Celebration of the Performing Arts,” running May 18-31.

“This will really be a celebration of coming out again for all of the organizations and for ourselves,” said Susan Jaffe, PBT artistic director. “We’re so fortunate to be able to present this collaboration of all the creativity going on in Pittsburgh right now.”

The series will open at 7:30 p.m. May 18 with a program titled, “Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company Presents Vanessa German.” German is a Pittsburgh artist and performer.

Also on tap are performances by a number of dance and theater companies, along with music from groups including the PBT Orchestra, River City Brass, West Hills Symphonic Band and others.

The series will be “a much more extended version” of outdoor performances that PBT presented in September in the parking lot of its Strip District headquarters, Jaffe said.

PBT was able to acquire the mobile stage with funding from area foundations as part of its covid relief plan.

“The foundations said they wanted other arts organizations in Pittsburgh and around the area to be included, and we thought that was a great idea,” Jaffe said.

The complete schedule of events is available at pbt.org. Detailed information on performances and ticketing by the individual participants will be available on each organization’s website.

Reservations for PBT performances will be available to the general public beginning April 7.

“For PBT, we will have A and B programs, which will be completely different,” she said. “I urge people not to choose one or the other, but to come out for both.

“This will be a huge, joyful, emotional experience for people who have been secluded for a year,” she said. “We had smaller performances twice (during the pandemic) at the Carnegie Museum. People who had the opportunity to see them were moved to tears because they hadn’t seen any live performance in so long.”

State guidelines for masks and social distancing will be followed. No food, beverages or merchandise will be sold on site. Restrooms will be available nearby. There will be no rain dates.

Details: pbt.org