Things to do in Western Pa.: March 3, 2021

Looking for some live music from a big-time country music star? Trace Adkins is scheduled to play The Palace Theatre in Greensburg in January 2022.

In the meantime, many of the area’s entertainment options remain in the virtual realm. There’s music, magic, theater, film and book talk to choose from, along with opportunities for artists and writers to share their own work.

The details are here, in this week’s Big List.

Art

• Healing art: A free Pop-Up Upstreet Garage Gallery Exhibit is planned for 2-4 p.m. Sunday in the covered, heated garage of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh in Squirrel Hill. Hosted by the 10.27 Healing Partnership and Uncover Squirrel Hill, the show will feature work by artists of all ages, gathered from the windows of local small businesses that participate in the ongoing “No Space for Hate” campaign. Masks and social distancing are required.

Details: 1027healingpartnership.org

• Whimsical wedding: “Reign of Winter,” an animated video by Iranian artist Rokni Haerizadeh, is the latest installment in Carnegie Museum of Art’s online exhibition series. The 7-minute silent film uses rotoscope animation to transform thousands of still images taken from the televised 2011 British royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton into a hand-painted, fantastical moving dreamscape with a wedding party of wild creatures.

The film is accessible through May 16 at cmoa.org.

• Women’s stories: “We Are The Global Majority” a window installation by the #notwhite collective can be viewed through April 30 at SPACE, 812 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh. The work is by 13 women artists “whose mission is to use non-individualistic, multi-disciplinary art to make their stories visible as they relate, connect and belong to the Global Majority,” according to Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

The installation will culminate this spring with a full exhibition at SPACE featuring 26 women artists.

• Calling all artists: Entries are due by March 12 for Greensburg Art Center’s upcoming juried biennial. Juror is Kurt Shaw, a painter, art appraiser and former owner of Shaw Galleries in Pittsburgh.

Details: greensburgartcenter.org

Books

• Talk about books: Venture Outdoors is hosting a free book club monthly through May. At 10 a.m. March 17, the book to be discussed is “Nonbinary — Memoirs of Gender and Identity,” by various authors. Discussion leader is Nicole Peeler, urban fantasy author and director of the Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction Program.

To register for the virtual session, visit ventureoutdoors.org.

Film

• A dog’s life: Animal Friends is partnering with 360 Communications and Magnolia Films to host a private virtual release on Friday of the documentary, “Stray,” following a trio of canine outcasts roaming the streets of Istanbul, creating a portrait of the life of the city and its people through their eyes.

Tickets are $10, with $5 from each purchase being donated back to the Ben Avon Heights shelter. To purchase, visit thinkingoutsidethecage.org.

• Cinema at home: These titles are available for streaming through March 31 from Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Harris Theater @ Home virtual cinema: “Crock of Gold — A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan,” about the tortured Irish vocalist, best known as the lead singer/songwriter of the Pogues, who combined traditional Irish music with punk rock; “Stand Down Soldier,” the fictional story of Sgt. Stacy Armstrong who returns home from three deployments with PTSD; and “Two of Us,” about two retired women neighbors who have been secretly in love for decades.

For tickets, visit trustarts.org.

Kids’ stuff

• Nightmare: Gemini Children’s Theatre will stream “A Midsummer Actor’s Nightmare” at 7 p.m. Thursday on Facebook Live. The play, following a group of actors who are suddenly told to perform Shakespeare for a group of producers, is geared toward a middle and high school audience.

• Make some art: The Westmoreland Museum of American Art invites children ages 7-10 to a “Paint a Cartoon Animal” during a Children’s Saturday Studio session at 9:30 a.m. March 20. Registration deadline is March 6; fee includes materials kit. Cost is $15 to pick it up at the museum, or $23 to have it mailed.

Registration: 888-718-4253 or thewestmoreland.org

• Hands-on at home: The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is offering more than 100 virtual, hands-on workshops for age groups 3-6, 7-10 and 11-14, led by museum educators and focusing on art-making, engineering, science and other topics. The museum offers a sliding ticket price model to accommodate all learners.

Details: pittsburghkids.org

Magic

• Now you see it: Monday Night Magic: Live Online celebrates Women’s History Month with a new program premiering each Monday in March. The March 8 episode will feature Paige Thompson, a resident house magician of the Chicago Magic Lounge; and Alexandra Duvivier, a winner of the Mandrake d’Or magic competition in France.

The off-Broadway magic series is co-presented by Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Liberty Magic series.

Details: trustarts.org

Music

• Live on stage: The Derek Woods Band will play at 7 p.m. Thursday in Greensburg’s The Palace Theatre, as part of the weekly VIP Experience livestream concert series. The free concert will stream on The Palace Theatre and Westmoreland Cultural Trust Facebook pages.

Details: thepalacetheatre.org

• New release: The latest release in MCG Jazz’s Jazz Age Virtual Concert Series features Jared Sims and an all-star Pittsburgh band playing Sims’ new release, “Analogy of the Sun.” The program, recorded Feb. 21, is available through March 11.

Details: mcgjazz.org

• Choral music: Pittsburgh Camerata is offering a virtual musical program combining previous recordings of the ensemble alongside new recordings of soloists, available through March 28 on the group’s YouTube channel.

For information on other upcoming performances, visit pittsburghcamerata.org.

• Plan ahead: Country music icon Trace Adkins is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. Jan. 30, 2022, in The Palace Theatre in Greensburg. Tickets are $64-$94 at thepalacetheatre.org.

Theater

• ‘Red Scare’: Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Theater-by-the-Grove will present Topher Payne’s 2013 play, “Perfect Arrangement,” via livestream at 7:30 p.m. March 5, 11 and 13 and 2 p.m. March 7. The play begins as a comedy reflecting classic 1950s sitcoms, then becomes an examination of fear in the “Red Scare” era.

Livestream fee is $20 for group viewing, $10 per person or $7.50 per IUP student, available at 724-357-2787 or iup.edu.

• Spring plays: Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama’s spring plays will be streamed free online, beginning March 10 with the New Works Series of original plays from students in the Dramatic Writing graduate program, and Jacklyn Backhaus’ “Men On Boats,” directed by alumna Lavina Jadhwani. Streaming March 16-18 and 20 will be Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ “Everybody,” directed by Kyle Haden, senior associate head of the school.

For details and to register for viewing, visit drama.cmu.edu.

• Who’s scared?: The Yinzer Scared Team enlists the help of psychic medium Mystic Matt in their quest for Braddock’s gold in 12 Peers Theater’s new “Mythburgh Episode 6: Dooker’s Hollow.” The virtual program is available to stream any time at 12peers.org.

Writing

• Comeback: Ligonier Valley Writers will publish a 2021 edition of the literary magazine, “The Loyalhanna Review,” after a year’s hiatus due to the pandemic. Those interested in submitting writing or artwork can find guidelines at lvwonline.org.