Featuring 30 international companies and artists from 20 countries, including representation from Pittsburgh’s own arts community, the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts (a production of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust) is electrifying downtown with never-before-seen theater, dance, music, visual arts and immersive experiences!
The last Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts was in 2013 (following Festivals in 2008 and 2004), and since then the Trust has doubled the Festival’s length and tripled its attractions, presenting more than 500 opportunities for everyone – locals and visitors alike – to experience groundbreaking international works in Pittsburgh… reinforcing our reputation as a premier global destination for arts, entertainment, and culture.
Among the Festival’s many must-see offerings this year are a number of very literary — and literature-inspired — performances and premieres: an acrobatic interpretation of the quintessential Georges Perec essay, “Species of Space”; a genre-bending look at The White Album by Joan Didion; a pulp-fiction secret agent star of more than 300 books (published in Israel from the 1960s through the 80s) brought to life with Foley sound effects… and more!
We recommend spending some time clicking through the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts’ full event listings, but we’ve also highlighted some of their more literary offerings right here on Littsburgh for your convenience!
This post is brought to you in partnership with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.
⭐️ Littsburgh Pick: First of all — and we can’t emphasize this enough — this is a show that you get to watch from a hammock beneath projections of a starry sky. We’ll give you a second to book your tickets. But seriously: Androcles and the Lion is a play that we’re most familiar with from George Bernard Shaw, originally published in 1912 and the subject of numerous adaptations (for film, stage, and radio — you might remember the recent BBC radio play from 2013, which got a lot of buzz). In all of its many iterations, though, we can’t remember hearing of any that are expressly intended for children… so this immersive North American premiere — complete with hammocks! — is worth checking out for adults and children alike! Be sure to watch the video preview below: the production is gorgeous.
A suspenseful tale as old as time itself. Even if you know the story, this version is a new experience that is told as the audience reclines in hammocks under a radiant sky. Androcles is a slave who must escape after being accused of theft. He flees to into the burning sun of the Libyan desert. So many creatures and sounds live in the desert. And in the middle of the pitch-dark night, a roar sounds so loudly that Androcles’ heart freezes.
Experience this tale of danger, deception and kindness in this unexpected and immersive story!
“A beautiful story, it is. And beautifully told by Bodil Alling – no one else in Danish children’s theatre has such a gentle, authoritative and adventurous voice… Everything – the music, the images and the sounds are attuned to the story” — Teateravisen
“… it is not only the room and the unerring authority and presence of Bodil Alling as a narrator who carry this performance, but also a very thorough composition of sound effects and illustrations being projected. In addition, of course – and perhaps most significant – the contact to the audience.” — Peripeti
Don’t miss out: The North American premiere of Androcles and The Lion will run from Friday, Nov 2nd – Sat, Nov 10th at the Trust Arts Education Center!
Content Information: Recommended for ages 7+. Children under 6 will not be admitted. The show contains moments of darkness and surprises. The show features acting, storytelling, projection, object theater, sound and lighting effects.
Please note: Due to the intimate nature of this production, there is no late seating, mid-performance re-entry or designated Partner Seating.
Accessibility: Wheelchair Seating, Assistive Listening
Note: All services may not be available at all performances. Click the links above for accessible performance schedule.
Run Time: 40 minutes (no intermission)
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