‘A Christmas Story’ Returns for the Holidays
Pittsburgh Public Theatre has announced three shows for the 2023-24 season, opening September 19 with the world-premiere production Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For.
The musical about the jazz legend who grew up in Pittsburgh features a creative team including playwright Rob Zellers (The Chief) and music direction by Matthew Whitaker, the 21-year phenom who has taken the jazz world by storm.
Something to Live For will be directed by Kent Gash (Paradise Blue at City Theatre). A “passion project” of Zellers, written with Gash, the musical explores Strayhorn’s struggles as a Black, queer man in middle America, as well as his artistic triumphs with Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday.”
A “60 Minutes” segment said of Whitaker last year, “Every so often, someone so young does something so amazing you can’t help but wonder, how do they do that? … Matthew is a jazz pianist who is blind, and since the age of 11, he’s been performing around the world. He’s been called a prodigy and his talent is so extraordinary he’s also caught the attention of scientists who are now studying his brain and trying to understand his vision of music.”
The Public also announced “the hilarious and humane” Tiny Beautiful Things by Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), an adaptation of stories from the life of advice columnist and memoirist Cheryl Strayed (Wild, Dear Sugar).
A Christmas Story: The Play, which was a holiday hit in 2022, will return to close out 2023.
The latter half of the Public’s season will be revealed at the company’s annual gala, The Spring Fling, to be held at the Heinz History Center on Thursday, April 13. For tickets and info, visit ppt.org or call 412-316-1600.
The First Half of the Pittsburgh Public Theater
2023-24 Schedule at the O’Reilly Theater
September 19-October 8 , 2023: Highmark Presents Billy Stayhorn: Something to Live For – Music and lyrics by Billy Strayhorn, written by Rob Zellers with Kent Gash, directed by Kent Gash, musical direction by Matthew Whitaker. Description: Famous for hits like Lush Life and Take the A Train, Strayhorn experienced hatred and heartbreak as a Black queer man in mid-century America. “Yet he persisted with a song in his heart while juggling his devotion to his work and to the love of his life.” The production includes a live band playing sonme of Strayhorn and Duke Ellington’s celebrated melodies.
November 1-19, 2023: Tiny Beautiful Things – Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed, adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos. Co-conceived by Marshall Heyman, Thomas Kail and Nia Vardalos. Anonymous advice columnist “Sugar” tends to readers who pour their hearts out to her with empathy, compassion and the courage to look back at her own experience, Sugar provides a unique brand of guidance and inspiration with humor and honesty. Tiny Beautiful Things weaves a tale that Variety calls “a theatrical hug in turbulent times.”
December 9-23, 2023: A Christmas Story: The Play – By Philip Grecian, based on the movie A Christmas Story by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark (Turner Entertainment Co., distributed by Warner Bros.) and In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash. — Creating a new Pittsburgh holiday tradition, the Public brings back the production that first delighted holiday audiences in 2022.
Categories: Preview, Season Listings
Leave a Reply Cancel reply