Entertainment category, Page 199
Pittsburgh Festival Opera brings ‘Ho-Ho-Holiday Extravaganza’ to Edgeworth Club
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…” Mezzo-Soprano Marianne Cornetti started singing those words when asked about the inspiration of holiday music for her upcoming performance. “I could listen to Christmas music all year long,” said Cornetti, who will be Mrs. Claus at the Ho-Ho-Holiday Extravaganza on Dec. 19...
How Jim Morrison’s final sessions with the Doors produced an LA classic out of chaos
LOS ANGELES — During the period in late 1970 and early ‘71 when Jim Morrison and his bandmates in the Doors were recording their sixth and final studio album, “L.A. Woman,” at their West Hollywood rehearsal space, the singer was drowning in a booze-fueled bender: drunk nearly every night but...
WTAE promotes Elena LaQuatra
WTAE-TV reporter Elena LaQuatra, who has been filling in as morning traffic reporter since July, has been promoted to that position as well as noon weekday newscast anchor on Channel 4, effective next week. LaQuatra, a Mt. Lebanon native, first worked at WTAE in 2015 as a digital content creator....
From classic to jazzy, ‘Nutcracker’ fans have choice of several productions
For ballet fans, holiday productions of “The Nutcracker” are part of what makes this the most wonderful time of the year. Adapted from “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” an 1816 story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, the ballet tells the tale of a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to...
Pittsburgh Pop: Talia Kirkland hired at WPXI; details on ACC Network coming to Comcast this month
In this week’s episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including WPXI-TV hiring a new reporter. Originally from Penn Hills, Talia Kirkland is a Duquesne University grad (an undergraduate degree in journalism and a...
Krampus returns to Pittsburgh for concert, celebration
Krampus is coming back to Pittsburgh. Tonight. Krampus is a mythic cloven-footed figure known to appear on Dec. 5, who acts as an anti-Santa, punishing the naughty and sparing the nice. He’s known to appear on the streets Dec. 5 (Krampusnacht), the day before the Feast of St. Nicholas celebrated...
Here are 5 essential holiday movies to watch this season
Everyone loves a good holiday movie. But how many good ones are there, really? Well, enough at least to make a short list. There are the obvious choices, which the following list includes. But there are also ones that seem less obvious because the movie isn’t focused solely on a...
New York film critics name ‘Drive My Car’ best film of 2021
The New York Film Critics Circle on Friday named “Drive My Car,” Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s intimate three-hour epic and Haruki Murakami’s short story adaptation, the best film of the year. Hamaguchi’s film, about a widowed actor played by Hidetoshi Nishijima, has been widely hailed since its debut earlier in the year...
Nearing 100, Betty White’s life is a page-turner in new book
A photo of Betty White, with dimpled smile and guileless gaze, fills the cover of a coffee table book arriving the month before her 100th birthday. The image evokes the genuine White, according to the book’s author, Ray Richmond. After digging into her life and career, he concluded that she’s...
Broadway veterans sign on for Saint Vincent Summer Theatre holiday revue
Saint Vincent Summer Theatre will celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with “Celebrate the Season: A Christmas Show.” Four professional artists — including Broadway veterans and a winner of “The Great Race” — will be on stage, along with Greggory Brandt, SVST producing artistic director. They will be...
Mattress Factory executive director planning to leave position
The executive director of the Mattress Factory has announced plans to step down from her role in April. Hayley Haldeman began her tenure with the Pittsburgh North Side museum in February 2019 as interim director, following the 2018 death of Mattress Factory founder Barbara Luderowski. Haldeman had been serving on...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Dec. 3-5
Getting a message to you The music of the Bee Gees is stayin’ alive with a tribute group called The New York Bee Gees, playing at 8 p.m. Friday in The Palace Theatre in Greensburg. The New York-based band includes musicians who have played with renowned acts including The Alan...
World renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli has fond memories of Pittsburgh
Pittsburghers embraced Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli on his previous visit to the Steel City. “What I certainly remember is the warm welcome that I received here,” said Bocelli, who will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at PPG Paints Arena. “Many have also spoken enthusiastically about Pittsburgh — its history, imbued...
‘Laverne & Shirley’ star Eddie Mekka dead at 69
Longtime “Laverne & Shirley” actor Eddie Mekka was reportedly discovered dead last Saturday at his California home. He was 69. Mekka, who portrayed Carmine Ragusa on the popular sitcom, had battled blood clots recently, his brother told TMZ. Authorities went to Mekka’s home in Newhall after receiving reports that Mekka...
Lawyer backs up Alec Baldwin’s assertion he didn’t pull trigger
NEW YORK — The assistant director who handed Alec Baldwin a prop gun that went off on a New Mexico film set, killing a cinematographer, backs up the actor’s assertion that he did not pull the trigger. Lisa Torraco, a lawyer for assistant director David Halls, told ABC News that...
Late-night shows razz Dr. Oz for Pa. U.S. Senate bidVideo
The daytime television lovefest that has served the host of the “Dr. Oz Show” well for years apparently doesn’t continue into the darkness of night. Late-night show hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel this week both skewered celebrity heart surgeon, author and TV star Dr. Mehmet Oz. The 61-year-old announced...
Greensburg Civic Theatre kids’ troupe romps through ‘Matilda Jr.’
Matilda Wormwood is a precocious little English girl born to parents who are neglectful, anti-intellectual and possibly criminal. At school, her classmates and kindly teacher are bullied by the headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. When Matilda discovers that her angry feelings unleash telekinetic powers, she sets out to use them to teach...
Greensburg native will discuss directorial debut at virtual panelVideo
It’s been quite a year for Greensburg native Sujata Day, taking her directorial debut film, “Definition, Please,” to film festivals throughout the world. Most of those festivals were virtual for health and safety reasons, but that did not stop the film from racking up accolades. It earned Best Feature Film...
Parton, Oh, Biles and teachers named ‘People of the Year’
NEW YORK — People magazine has named Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, actor Sandra Oh, country icon Dolly Parton and the nation’s teachers as its “2021 People of the Year.” “This year has been a transformative one, pushing us all to create something new and hopefully better for our lives,” the...
TV Talk: Filmed-in-Pittsburgh ‘Archive 81’ gets Netflix premiere date
Netflix’s “Archive 81,” the first series to go into production in Pittsburgh after the onset of the covid-19 pandemic in November 2020, will premiere on the streaming service Jan. 14. The supernatural horror series follows archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie) who takes a job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes...
Q&A: With a new book out, Mel Brooks is still riffing at 95
NEW YORK — Leave it to Mel Brooks to blurb his own memoir. There, along with laudatory quotes from Billy Crystal, Norman Lear, Conan O’Brien and others is one from “M. Brooks,” who hails “All About Me!” as: “Not since the Bible have I read anything so powerful and poignant....
An almost complete listing of Christmas movies on television
DEC. 1 8 p.m. Christmas in Rockefeller Center: The 89th annual tree-lighting ceremony in New York features celebrity guests and live performances. NBC Four Christmases: (2008, Romance-Comedy) Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon. A couple must somehow fit in four holiday visits with family. AMC Office Christmas Party: (2016, Comedy) Jason Bateman,...
California home of Marilyn Manson searched in abuse investigation
LOS ANGELES — Authorities searched the home of rocker Marilyn Manson on Monday after allegations of physical and sexual abuse by several women. Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Eva Jimenez said a search warrant was served on the home of Manson, whose legal name is Brian Hugh Warner. She would...
1980s Pittsburgh rockers Haywire will reunite for acoustic show in ButlerVideo
The members of Haywire, a Pittsburgh-area rock band active in the 1980s, have fond memories of playing all over the region, but particularly in the Butler area. Howard “Hutch” Hockenberger said Butler fans at venues like Conley’s, John’s Bar, Ribit and Night People’s Place were always good to the group,...
Lindsay Lohan announces engagement in Instagram post
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Actress Lindsay Lohan has told her followers on Instagram that she’s engaged. Lohan announced her engagement to boyfriend Bader Shammas and showed off a traditional oval diamond ring with a photo of the couple looking happy, locked in an embrace. “My love. My life. My...
