PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST
ANNOUNCES THE
2022– 2023 DENTONS COHEN & GRIGSBY TRUST PRESENTS SERIES
Lineup includes an array of family friendly and holiday programming!
2022 – 2023 Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents Series IMAGES
PITTSBURGH, PA – The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is excited to announce tickets are now on sale for the 2022-2023 Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents Series. Offering an array of live music from world-renowned performers, innovative theater, unforgettable dance showcases, uproarious comedy and parody shows, and holiday favorites. These performances include recurring favorites such as Hip Hop Nutcracker, A Very Electric Christmas, and more along with newcomers Soweto Gospel Choir, Lucy Loves Desi, and others!
Tickets are available at the following official Pittsburgh Cultural Trust ticket sources: online at TrustArts.org, by calling Guest Services at 412-456-6666, or in person at the temporary Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For groups of 10+ call 412-471-6930, online at TrustArts.org/GroupSales.
“Dentons Cohen and Grigsby is delighted to act as a continued sponsor for this series,” says Christine Mazza, Chief of Staff & Communications. “We believe in the Trust’s mission that art is for everyone, and this season of programming truly embodies that”.
Kicking off on November 15, 2022 with chart-topping jazz and R&B sax player, Boney James, the 2022-2023 Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents Series offers something for everyone:
2022 – 2023 Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents Series
Boney James
November 15, 2022 | 8 p.m. | Byham Theater
4-time GRAMMY nominee, iconic R&B saxman Boney James brings his dynamic show to Pittsburgh in support of his Detour album. Detour, on Concord Records, is chart-topping jazz/R&B sax player Boney James’ 18th studio album. Appropriately titled, this latest album is a subtle stylistic turn that builds on the commercial success of 2020’s Solid, his highest charting release ever on the pop charts, peaking in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.
Like Solid, Detour provides a welcome respite from an increasingly foreboding world filled with political strife. It’s a trip through James’ distinctive contemporary jazz/R&B landscapes, layered in quicksilver watercolor images and cinematic set pieces. Detour represents the next extension of Boney James’ trademark blend of genres which includes blues, soul, roots, classical, art-pop and hip-hop.
During his 30-year career, Boney has earned four GRAMMY nominations (“I’m not gonna lie... I’d still love a statue,” he says), two NAACP Image Award nominations and a Soul Train Award, while a dozen of his albums have landed at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart. His collaborators in the past include a who’s who of R&B and soul: Raheem DeVaughn, Faith Evans, George Benson, George Duke, Dwele, Al Jarreau, Philip Bailey, Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim, Eric Benét, Dave Hollister, Stokley Williams, Kenny Lattimore and Angie Stone.
Soweto Gospel Choir: HOPE - It's Been A Long Time Coming
November 22, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. | Byham Theater
Out of the darkness comes a new dawn! This all-new concert by 3-time GRAMMY-winning Soweto Gospel Choir commemorates South Africa’s Freedom Movement and the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Bringing joy to all, “HOPE” opens with a rousing program of South African freedom songs that inspired their Rainbow Nation. Then the choir’s uplifting performance moves to the United States with beautiful renditions of the music of the Civil Rights Movement, including works by legendary artists Billie Holiday, James Brown, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield and the one-and-only, Aretha Franklin. Get ready. “HOPE” is a concert that will live forever in your hearts!
Soweto Gospel Choir’s “HOPE – It’s Been a Long Time Coming” has been commissioned by the University of Iowa Hancher Auditorium.
A Very Electric Christmas
November 25 | 7:00 p.m. | Byham Theater
A young bird named Max gets blown off-course when flying south for the winter and lands himself at the North Pole. As Max tries to make his way home, he encounters friendly caroling worms, dancing poinsettias, Nutcracker soldiers, mischievous mice, and an evil Rat King! Brighten your holiday with this magical and captivating tale of family, friendship and hope set to timeless holiday hits, including Nat King Cole, Mariah Carey, and Tchaikovsky.
Charlie Ross in One Man Stranger Things
November 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Byham Theater
A one man parody of the Netflix smash series, Stranger Things. Comedian Charlie Ross will turn audiences' worlds upside down and right side up. This show will have guests laughing until they bleed out their nose, like the iconic character from Stranger Things, 11!
This show is recommended for those aged 14+. Contains adult language.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker
November 30 | 7:30 p.m. | Benedum Center
A holiday mash-up for the whole family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is celebrating its 10th anniversary this season as it returns for another spectacular tour. Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, this contemporary dance spectacle is a re-mixed and re-imagined version of the classic, smashing hip hop dance and Tchaikovksy’s timeless music together into a heart-stirring and inspirational holiday event. The Hip Hop Nutcracker is brought to life by a powerhouse cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, who opens the show with a short set.
Just like the original, in The Hip Hop Nutcracker, Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince go on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets and learning the lessons of the holiday season. Innovative digital graffiti and visuals transform the landscape of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s beloved story from traditional 19th Century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of contemporary New York City.
Candid Camera Unmasked Tour
January 27, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Byham Theater
Candid Camera’s Unmasked Tour has pleased audiences nationwide. Peter Funt’s hilarious stage comedy is blended with clips, quips and behind-the-scenes tales, plus sharp takes on our new, mask-free “normal.”
Candid Camera holds a unique place in entertainment history as the only show to have produced new episodes in eight different decades – from Allen Funt’s debut in 1948 through Peter’s run on TV Land. Peter’s latest show was a “Top Pick” in People Magazine and praised by The New York Times.
The stage show incorporates the best Candid Camera footage in a fast-paced, laugh-filled romp through the decades. Peter’s topical humor is blended with audience participation and special surprises to make the show a great night of fun. Highlights include Candid Camera clips about behavior — used in college psychology courses worldwide.
Peter has hosted more than 200 network episodes of Candid Camera. He also appears on numerous talk shows, authored the book “Self-Amused,” and writes opinion columns for The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
Step Afrika!
February 1 – 2, 2023 | Various Times | Byham Theater
Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional West and Southern African dances, and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows, they integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding.
Jazz at Lincoln Center
February 22, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. | Byham Theater
This new and highly anticipated touring project from Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents celebrates the Great American Songbook in all of its playful — and sophisticated — glory, brought to life by two of this generation’s brightest stars. Each armed with prodigious trumpet talent and vocal charm, Bria Skonberg and Benny Benack III will relive and re-imagine some of the classic partners in jazz and popular song, including Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland and Bing Crosby, and Dean Martin and Peggy Lee. Featuring songs by Gershwin, Ellington, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and many more, and joined by a who’s who of New York all-stars, this is an “unforgettable” evening of singin’ and swingin’ with Bria and Benny.
Lucy Loves Desi: A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Sitcom
February 27-28, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. | Byham Theater
Playwright Gregg Oppenheimer—son of I Love Lucy creator Jess Oppenheimer— spins this witty, fast-paced tale of Lucy and Desi’s battles with CBS over the pioneering ideas that changed the face of television forever: Lucy insisted on Desi Arnaz, her Cuban- born bandleader husband, as her TV co-star—instead of the “All-American” leading man preferred by the network. The couple wanted the show filmed in Hollywood, here they planned to raise a family—not broadcast live from New York like other major TV programs of the time. They demanded and won the right to own the show themselves. Their writers incorporated Lucy’s real-life pregnancy into the program’s story line—an absolute taboo in 1950s America— resulting in the highest audience share ever recorded. And they proposed the unheard-of notion of airing “reruns” on the network in order to accommodate Lucy’s mid-season maternity leave— an experiment that ultimately turned the entire TV industry’s business model on its head.
Lucy Loves Desi: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom tells all of these stories, and more, with as much heart and humor as an episode of I Love Lucy itself.
Taj Express
March 23, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Byham Theater
Taj Express explodes with the sounds of India and Bollywood, capturing the vibrant, expressive spirit of the world of Bollywood movies that have been entertaining billions of people in India for generations. Through a fusion of film, dance, and music, this dazzling international sensation will take audiences on a live cinematic journey through modern Indian culture and society during their US tour. The production is a high energy celebration of new India’s pop music, Bollywood culture, and deep traditions featuring colorful costumes, joyful dance, and thrilling live music.
Disney's Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation
April 15, 2023 | Various Times | Benedum Center
This spring, a new adventure is coming to Pittsburgh!
Disney's iconic Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and their best friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, and Owl (oh... and don't forget Tigger too!) have come to life in a beautifully crafted musical stage adaptation.
Featuring the Sherman Brothers' classic Grammy Award-winning music with further songs by A.A. Milne, this beautiful fresh stage adaptation is told with stunning life-sized puppetry through the eyes of the characters we all know and love, in a new story from the Hundred Acre Wood.
This production is created by renowned family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller, and made by Rockefeller Productions alongside Disney Theatrical Productions. Following a record-breaking New York premiere in 2021, The Hundred Acre Wood is heading across the United States in 2023!
Potted Potter
April 26, 2023 | 7:00 p.m | Byham Theater
Potted Potter, the New York and West End smash hit has garnered rave reviews from New York to Nashville, Chicago to Mexico City and Critics’ Picks from the New York Times, New York Magazine, Time Out London, Boston Globe, Chicago Daily Herald and the New York Post!
Potted Potter takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books (and a real life game of Quidditch) into seventy hilarious minutes. This fantastically funny show features all your favorite characters, a special appearance from a fire-breathing dragon, endless costumes, brilliant songs, ridiculous props and a generous helping of Hogwarts magic!
Even if you don’t know the difference between a Horcrux and a Hufflepuff, Potted Potter will make you roar with laughter. This brilliant family entertainment is perfect for ages six to Dumbledore (who is very old indeed).
###
The Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents Series features an exceptional season of dazzling area premieres, returning favorites, and one-of-a-kind performances for all ages. Featuring music, dance, comedy, theater, and everything in between, the Series brings an array of national and international award-winning performers to the Cultural Trust’s unique stages. Dentons Cohen & Grigsby has been the presenting sponsor of the Trust Presents Series since the 2008-2009 season.
Dentons is designed to be different. As the world's largest law firm with 20,000 professionals in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries, we can help you grow, protect, operate and finance your business. Our polycentric and purpose-driven approach, together with our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and ESG, ensures we challenge the status quo to stay focused on what matters most to you. www.dentons.com
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts-lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment and residential neighborhood called the Cultural District. The District is one of the country’s largest land masses “curated” by a single nonprofit arts organization. A major catalytic force in the city, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a unique model of how public-private partnerships can reinvent a city with authenticity, innovation, and creativity. Using the arts as an economic catalyst, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has holistically created a world-renowned Cultural District that is revitalizing the city, improving the regional economy and enhancing Pittsburgh’s quality of life. Thanks to the support of foundations, corporations, government agencies and thousands of private citizens, the Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts. TrustArts.org | @CulturalTrust on Facebook · Instagram · Twitter