Wind down the Summer at this free outdoor performance on Sunday, August 25 

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre returns to Hartwood Acres Park for its annual Ballet Under the Stars performance on Sunday, August 25. The family-friendly event will take place at the Middle Road Concert Area. The free outdoor performance is part of Allegheny County’s 2024 Summer Concert Series. 

“It is always such a joy to perform Ballet Under the Stars on the beautiful outdoor stage at Hartwood Acres,” said Adam W. McKinney, PBT artistic director. “We absolutely love sharing our work with Pittsburgh audiences, and meeting them in person during this fun-filled, family event is a great start to our 55th anniversary season.”

The schedule of events for Ballet Under the Stars includes:

Free Pre-Show Family Activities – 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Arrive early to enjoy picnics, food trucks, and free children’s activities, including a grab-and-go ballet craft, face painting, balloon art, and a mini dance class led by a PBT teaching artist.

Picnic in the Park – 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Join fellow ballet enthusiasts and PBT’s artistic director, Adam W. McKinney, under the tent for drinks and dinner and the opportunity to meet and chat with PBT artists. Tickets are $100 for adults and $25 for children. Register online or call Associate Director of Development Aziza El Feil at 412-454-9127 for more information. 

Free Mixed Repertory Performance – 7:30 p.m.

As the sun sets, PBT will present a fantastic mixed repertory performance featuring classical and contemporary ballet works. The performance program is as follows, subject to change:

Allegro Brillante | Choreography by George Balanchine | © The George Balanchine Trust | Leads: Tommie Lin Kesten and Colin McCaslin 

Violin Pas de Deux | Choreography by Yoshiaki Nakano | Artists: Grace Rookstool and Corey Bourbonniere

The Wizard of Oz Excerpt | Choreography by Adam W. McKinney |Dorothy: Amanda Morgan, The Wicked Witch: Madeline Gradle

The Nutcracker Suite | Choreography by Terrence S. Orr and PBT’s Artistic Team 

• “Jubilation” |Artists: Magnoly Batista, Sam DerGregorian, Matthew Griffin, Abigail Huang, Jacob Miller and Madison Russo
• “Exuberance” Artists: Emry Amoky, Rylan Doty and Nathan Smith
• “Sugar Plum Fairy Pas de Deux ” Artists: Marisa Grywalski and Jack Hawn
• “Elegance” Artists: Diana Yohe and David O’Matz 
• The Rite of Spring Excerpt | Choreography by William Moore | Artists: Ariana Chernyshev and Emry Amoky  

Peter Pan Excerpt | Choreography by Adam W. McKinney and Raymond Rodriguez | Peter Pan: Jonathan Breight, Captain Hook: Jack Hawn, Tinkerbell: Grace Rookstool

Cinderella Pas de Deux | Choreography by Jayne Smeulders |Artists: Hannah Carter and Lucius Kirst

Bolero | Choreography by Susan Jaffe | Soloists: Grace Rookstool and Kurtis Sprowls

TICKETS AND DETAILS 

Ballet Under the Stars will take place at the Middle Road Concert Area of Hartwood Park on August 25, 2024. Tickets are free, in part due to generous funding from Allegheny County. 

Registration for the performance is recommended. To register and for additional information about Ballet Under the Stars, please visit pbt.org/hartwood.

Categories: Arts and Ideas, Show Previews

Tags: Adam W. McKinney, Ballet Under the Stars, Hartwood Acres Park, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre