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The Tony Award-winning production of "Life of Pi" stops at the Benedum Center this weekend.
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'Life of Pi,' Papadosio, barebones and more things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend

Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

'Life of Pi,' Papadosio, barebones and more things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend

Curtains go up in Pittsburgh this weekend for new plays by Quantum Theatre and barebones productions, along with a Tony-award winning play with wild animals at the Benedum Center. 

‘Life of Pi’ (Thursday-Sunday)

PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh is presenting this Tony-winning play based on the best-selling novel about a shipwrecked teenager floating in the Pacific Ocean with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Royal Bengal tiger at Downtown’s Benedum Center. Deemed “an exhilarating evening of theater” by The Wall Street Journal, it promises “jaw-dropping visuals, world class puppetry and exquisite stagecraft.” It is recommended for ages 10-plus, as it contains some mature content and violence, smoke, haze, flashing lights, strobe lights and loud sounds throughout.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $38; trustarts.org.

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‘The Return of Benjamin Lay’ (Friday-Sunday)

This play, which premiered in London's Finborough Theatre in the summer of 2023, will make its American debut this weekend at Braddock Carnegie Library, presented by Quantum Theatre. Written by Naomi Wallace and the University of Pittsburgh historian Marcus Rediker, “The Return of Benjamin Lay” is the story of a fierce abolitionist who stood up for what he believed in the Quaker community, despite standing just four feet tall. Mark Povinelli stars, under the direction of Ron Daniels.

It opens Friday and runs through Feb. 23. Showtimes this weekend are 8 p.m. Friday (sold out) and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday (sold out). Opening Night features a post-show reception with champagne, sweets from Bistro to Go, and a chance to socialize with the actors and creative team. The Sunday matinee this week is followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew. Tickets are $68; $35 under 35; quantumtheatre.com.

Papadosio (Friday-Saturday)

The jamtronica band from Athens, Ohio, hits Pittsburgh early in its 2025 tour, stopping at the Thunderbird Music Hall in Lawrenceville for a two-night stand. Papadosio, which blends electronics, jazz and progressive rock, recently announced that, after 19 years of touring, it will take an indefinite hiatus after this year.

“We are deeply grateful for the experiences that we have had and for the amazing people who we have met along the way. We want to emphasize that we are not breaking up as a band. We will continue to write and record music, as well as explore other musical avenues that our constant touring may have previously hindered.”

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Shows begin at 8 p.m. Friday (with Grub) and Saturday (with Brahctopus). Tickets are $25; thunderbirdmusichall.com.

‘Unreconciled’ (Friday-Sunday)

Barebones productions launches its 22nd season with the Pittsburgh premiere of this play — written by Jay Sefton and Mark Basquill — that tells “the true story of an adolescent actor cast as Jesus in a school play directed by a parish priest. The story chronicles a survivor’s journey as he confronts his past, navigates a victims’ reparations program set up by the Catholic church and discovers the courage to use his voice.”

“We wanted to open this year with heart,” barebones artistic director Patrick Jordan said in a statement. “When I was introduced to Jay and Mark’s remarkable piece that’s just what I saw — pure heart and soul. This story centers around a really dark place but family, humanity, and humor shine through. I think we can all take something away from this, at this moment in time ... even if the topic isn’t our lived experience.”

Directed by Geraldine Hughes, it opens at the Barebones Black Box in Braddock and runs through Feb. 16.

Showtimes this weekend are 8 p.m. Friday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $40; barebonesproductions.com.

‘Armida’ (Friday and Sunday)

It’s the second and final weekend of this Pittsburgh Opera production at Pittsburgh CAPA School Theater, Downtown. The story follows the enchantress Armida as she attempts to seduce the Christian heroes of the First Crusade. Instead, she falls for the knight, Rinaldo. It features the opera’s resident artists performing music by Franz Joseph Haydn with a libretto from Antonio Tozzi’s “Rinaldo,” as amended by Nunziato Porta.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $32.50; pittsburghopera.org.

‘The Real James Bond... Was Dominican!’ (Through Sunday)

City Theatre is home to this 70-minute work written and performed by Chrisopher Rivas that explores the impact of learning that he, in fact, could play James Bond — in light of the character being partly inspired by Dominican diplomat and serial philanderer Porfirio Rubirosa.

The production features Rivas and percussionist Jonathan Gomez. It runs through Feb. 16 at the South Side theater. General admission tickets are $35; citytheatrecompany.com.

Sullivan King (Saturday)

The singer-guitarist-producer who fuses dubstep and rock has played to big crowds at Tomorrowland, Lollapalooza Paris and the 2024 tour supporting heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. He’s also worked with the likes of Excision, Aaron Gillespie (Underoath), Papa Roach, Jason Aalon (Fever 333) and Ice Nine Kills. He brings his tour to Stage AE with YOOKiE, Grabbitz and RZRKT. Doors open at 7 p.m. $29.50/$35’ axs.com.

Shane Smith & the Saints (Saturday)

The roots rock act that blends country, Celtic, Southern rock, folk and honky-tonk comes up from Austin for this show at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks. If you’ve seen the Paramount+ show “Landman,” you’ve heard “Lord Bury Me In Texas,” a song from their 2015 album “Geronimo.” Saving Country Music said of the band, "The epicness and weight that Shane Smith and the Saints evoke through their songs is something virtually unparalleled in the modern era of music." This tour supports “Norther,” their first album in five years.

The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $37; roxiantheatre.com.

Atmosphere (Sunday)

The alt-hip-hop pioneers from Minneapolis are set to arrive at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks on the Imagine The Fun Tour, evoking the name and vibe of their 2005 album “You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having.” Atmosphere’s Slug and Ant will capture that early 2000s nostalgia on this run with Sage Francis and Mr. Dibbs. It begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50; roxiantheatre.com.

Hippo Campus (Sunday)

The bubbly indie rock band from Minneapolis — once seen on the main stage of the Three Rivers Arts Festivals — pulls into Stage AE touring behind fourth album “Flood.” Bassist Zach Sutton called it their “guy-entering-his-thirties album,” saying, “Let's act our age for a second and think about the kind of songs we want to play as dudes turning 30. [Let’s look] at what we've done in the past and be like, ‘Dude, that's not who we are. That's some teenage [BS]. I want to be honest with where we are in life and have that reflect on stage so it feels earnest.”

Petey opens the show. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30/$35; axs.com.

First Published: January 30, 2025, 10:30 a.m.
Updated: January 30, 2025, 4:03 p.m.

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The Tony Award-winning production of "Life of Pi" stops at the Benedum Center this weekend.  (Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)
Jay Shefton stars in the barebones play "Unreconciled."  (barebones productions)
Atmosphere will bring its tour to the Roxian Theatre on Sunday.  (Marko Edge)
Shane Smith and the Saints are set to play the Roxian Theatre on Saturday.  (courtesy of the band)
Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
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