March 27, 2024 - Pittsburgh City Paper

Incredible Shrinking Catholic Church The

Catholicism isn’t what it once was in Pittsburgh, but church leaders see potential for a renaissance among immigrants, diehards, and the youth.

BY: COLIN WILLIAMS // CWILLIAMS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING CATHOLIC CHURCH

Catholicism isn’t what it once was in Pittsburgh, but church leaders see potential for a renaissance among immigrants, diehards, and the youth.

BY: COLIN WILLIAMS // CWILLIAMS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Pittsburgh has long been a bastion of Catholicism. The metro area ranks among the top cities for those belonging to the Catholic Church, and Pittsburgh elected its first Catholic mayor, David L. Lawrence, some 14 years before John F. Kennedy won the presidency.

Yet shifting demographics, a drop in church and parochial-school attendance, and fallout from the church’s sex-abuse scandals in recent decades have lessened the Church’s prominence in local life. Some of the city’s most spectacular churches have sat vacant for years or been demolished due to unsafe conditions or redevelopment plans. In the past few years, a wave of parish consolidations seemed to further diminish the Diocese of Pittsburgh, giving local Catholics a sense of a church in retreat.

Ecclesiastical leaders say reports of the Church’s death have been greatly exaggerated. They say parish consolidation and the closure or relocation of religiously affiliated schools are necessary measures to shore up the diocese, and they point to immigrant enthusiasm, youth curiosity, and an evolving understanding of faith as signs that Catholicism is as critical a part of the local landscape as ever.

In fact, if Church leadership is to be believed, Catholicism in Pittsburgh has its best days ahead of it.

THE FLOOD RECEDES

“The Diocese of Pittsburgh looks a heck of a lot different today than it did 50 years ago,” Bishop of Pittsburgh David Zubik tells Pittsburgh City Paper. “When I was a kid growing up in Ambridge, Cranberry was farmland.”

with different nationalities and monastic orders each offering their own unique charisms, or ways of expressing the gospel through differing ecclesiastical traditions. Zubik points to the presence of Capuchins

“THE DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH LOOKS A HECK OF A LOT DIFFERENT TODAY THAN IT DID 50 YEARS AGO.”

Zubik, a grandson of Eastern European immigrants, remembers when the “river towns” teemed with newcomers, many of them devout Catholics. He says the landscape has, since the diocese was founded in 1843, consistently reflected a wide variety of Catholic belief systems,

in Lawrenceville and Benedictines in the North Hills as examples of this intra-Church diversity.

“Our diocese is very rich when it comes to an appreciation of faith,” Zubik says.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh was one of the first the Vatican founded in the

U.S. during a time when Catholics were viewed with intense suspicion.

At one point, anti-Catholic sentiment devolved into rioting in cities including Philadelphia. Still, the steel industry drew many thousands of devout immigrants to the region, and by the early 20th century, most neighborhoods in the city boasted at least one bustling Catholic church.

In some, locals erected grand houses of worship to represent their varied cultures and charisms and show off their increasing wealth.

At its height in the mid-20th century, the Diocese of Pittsburgh consisted of 188 parishes plus additional churches across western Pennsylvania, with around 40 parishes in the City of Pittsburgh alone. Many operated busy schools that

served an exploding population in the years following World War II.

The 1960s marked a time of great change in the city and the Catholic Church. A major part of this was Vatican II, a still-controversial ecumenical council convened by Pope John XXIII that paved the way for the end of Latin mass but doubled down on increasingly unpopular stances on topics including contraception. Following white flight to the suburbs, many urban churches fell into decline. Several were demolished as early as the 1960s owing to urban renewal, and many more had closed by the early 1990s.

And then came a long and painful reckoning with decades of sexual abuse.

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Father Peter Gruber, Director of Campus Ministry at The Pittsburgh Oratory, poses for a portrait inside the Catholic Newman Center.

A CRISIS OF FAITH

The global scope of the Church’s abuse crisis has been well-documented, though the full scope may never be clear. The Church has paid out billions to settle many thousands of claims, and locally, allegations of a coverup permanently damaged the reputation of Pittsburgh native Cardinal Donald Wuerl and likewise put Zubik in the hot seat.

Existing declines in church attendance got steeper following a wave of coverage that exposed systemic abuse within the Catholic Church.

One report found that the number of Pittsburgh locals identifying as Catholic had dropped by over 120,000 to a total around 632,000 between 2000 and 2016, while marriages, baptisms, confirmations, and

“WE CAN NO LONGER ACT IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE FOR THE PAST 1,500 YEARS.”

“Any, even if it was just one person, that was hurt by abuse, was tragic in and of itself,” Zubik says. He calls the scandal “a clarion call that we should take a look at policies and procedures to provide for safe environments.” Though the Bishop has defended changes in Church policy and pointed to broader societal problems as part of the equation, Zubik says the Church accepts responsibility and has worked to “be there” for victims.

the number of schools had fallen by nearly half during that time. Likewise, the number of diocesan priests was projected to fall from 338 in 2000 to just 112 by 2025. Following what Zubik describes as “an entire year in prayer and study,” the Church began a gradual drawdown of parishes in 2018, reducing the total number from 188 to 60 at the beginning of 2024.

“I think that, while the church has done a great deal, we could never do enough,” he adds.

Father Peter Gruber, who grew up in Whitehall and now directs campus ministry at the Pittsburgh Oratory & Catholic Newman Center in North Oakland, says the sex-abuse

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Saints Peter and Paul Church in East Liberty.

crisis likewise forced him and other members of his “large Catholic family” to ask themselves — and the Church — tough questions. Gruber was ordained in 2017 and says the fallout remains a fact of life for men of the cloth in 2024.

been publicly called a “pedophile.”)

Gruber sees the situation as a reminder to be “an instrument of healing” and says it’s also a sign of how the Church has been forced to reckon with its changing role in both local and global society — Gruber says

“WE’RE GOING TO SEE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH THAT WILL BE FAR BEYOND WHAT ANYONE COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED, ESPECIALLY SEEING HOW BLEAK THINGS ARE NOW.”

“That was a challenging experience and still is a challenging experience,” Gruber tells City Paper. “The amount of evil done by priests made [it so that] when I’m dressed as a priest, which is often, I have to be conscious of how others will receive that.”

(As one example, Gruber says he’s

he agrees with Pope Francis’ assessment that “we can no longer take being Christian for granted” and must move from a “Christendom mindset” to an “apostolic mindset.”

“We can no longer act in the same way that we have for the past 1,500 years,” Gruber says. “We have

to directly engage [the community] and primarily through relationships, through friendships, through heartto-heart, one-on-one encounters.”

Gruber has taken a “contra-modern” approach to his vocation, occasionally setting up chairs on Pitt’s and CMU’s campuses with a sign that says “Catholic priest available.” Through lots of conversations and a few sunburns, Gruber says the exercise has helped him be closer to both Christ and the laity.

The “conversation doesn’t have to be the most intellectually stimulating or theologically astute conversation. But just to meet people where they’re at and be a bridge to Christ, that goes a long way,” he says.

TENDER SHOOTS

Gruber says the Church’s best days are ahead of it. When it comes to declining attendance, he tells CP , “numbers do tell a story. But in those numbers, I would think there’s a much higher percentage of very serious practicing Catholic people.”

He also says he’s seen rising curiosity about the Church and growing interest among young men in seeking a priestly vocation because of, not in spite of, its challenges. In addition, he says, the chaos of the past few years has made this “a kind of fulcrum moment” for young Catholics and those curious about deepening their faith.

“We’re going to see explosive growth that will be far beyond what anyone could have anticipated, especially seeing how bleak things are now,” Gruber predicts.

While it may look like a sign of decline, consolidating parishes and switching to a regional school model has allowed the Church to better meet parishioners’ needs — “That’s the primary motivating factor for everything that we have done in terms of our parish life,” Zubik says.

Michelle Peduto, outgoing superintendent of schools at the diocese, tells CP the diocese has worked hard to keep parochial schools “accessible, affordable, and sustainable for our

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

A Callery Pear tree outside of The Pittsburgh Oratory and Catholic Newman Center

families.” She says Catholic schools have benefitted from Educational Improvement Tax Credit funding despite not having the same level of access to public money as charter schools. Zubik points out that enrollment at North Catholic High School has spiked from a low of 200 when the institution was in Troy Hill to almost 700 students today in it's newer suburban location.

Like Gruber, Zubik and the Diocese are working toward a greater emphasis on evangelization, which the Bishop has termed “firing up the faith.” Diocesan executive director of communications Jennifer Antkowiak says this consists of “hosting gatherings here at the pastoral center, for example, and inviting lay ecclesial ministers to come and to worship together.”

The Diocese hopes the fired-up faithful will reinvigorate parishes where numbers have slumped. Antkowiak and Zubik also say international arrivals to Pittsburgh,

including a burgeoning Hispanic population in the South Hills, have brought their faith with them. These populations are keen to get involved with an upcoming National Eucharistic Pilgrimage running from Connecticut to Indianapolis via Pittsburgh.

“The Latino community, the Vietnamese, the Korean community, have definitely reached out to say we want to be part of this. And so we’re looking forward to this all coming together in a really physical way,” Antkowiak says.

Zubik sees the diocese, now in its 181st year, moving forward. The Bishop says the decades of consolidation were necessary, but he doesn’t foresee another round in the future.

“We’ve done an awful lot of hard work to prepare for some of the challenges that we’re faced with now,” he tells CP. “We’[re] in a good spot for helping the Church of Pittsburgh to grow.”” •

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church in the Hill District

BY

Adam Charles Hart watched his first George A. Romero film as many fans of a certain age did — on a random VHS tape. The author and film studies educator recalls how, when he was a teen, his mother brought home a copy of Dawn of the Dead knowing nothing about it.

“I don’t think I was ready for what it was,” Hart, now 42, tells Pittsburgh City Paper with a laugh. “Not that I was too young, but I just wasn’t used to seeing that kind of in-your-face gore. But it really stuck with me.”

It wasn’t until years later in college, during a movie night with friends, that he experienced Night of the Living Dead , the 1968 work that launched Romero’s feature filmmaking career, invented a whole new subgenre of horror, and put Pittsburgh on the map as the unofficial zombie capital of the world.

“My friends just put it on wanting to laugh at a cheesy old horror movie,” he says. “And I just remember watching it and getting increasingly into the movie and into how stylish and weird and smart it was, while at the same time getting increasingly frustrated with my friends for not shutting up and just watching the movie.”

Based on his career path, the viewings left an impact on Hart, a West Coast native who settled in Pittsburgh to help create and build the University of Pittsburgh Library Systems Horror Studies Archive and the George A. Romero Archival Collection. The latter required Hart, then a visiting researcher, to spend several years sifting through the late filmmaker’s vast trove of unproduced scripts, notes, and other curiosities.

Now, Hart has set out to introduce a never-before-seen side of the influential filmmaker with Raising

the Dead: The Work of George A. Romero , a new book published by Oxford University Press. A description promises a comprehensive look at the “expansive, extraordinary body of work found in Romero’s archive, going beyond his iconic zombie movies into a deep and varied collection of writings that never made it to the big screen.”

The book shows how, despite Romero’s contributions to horror, the Pittsburgh-based filmmaker more than dabbled in other genres, and drew inspiration from art-house directors like Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman (as Hart explains, Romero even wrote his own Bergman-esque script called Whine of the Fawn).

Hart will discuss the book on Thu., March 28 during an event at Carnegie Mellon University, the school Romero attended back when it was the Carnegie Institute of Technology.

While the book comes from an academic background, Hart says he intended to write something that would resonate with a wider, movieloving audience.

“I’m really trying to find that balance, where I can do the kind of deep-dive, scholarly research, but make it accessible, make it so that anybody who’s interested in the topic can pick it up and understand it and hopefully enjoy it,” he says. “But it doesn’t have to be written just for film studies grad students, which, it’s fine if you want to do that, but even that is a very rapidly shrinking audience just on its own.”

Hart says Raising the Dead comes at a time when Romero’s unseen or underseen works have finally become more available. Once nearly impossible to find, the 1977 Braddock-shot vampire film Martin recently found new, 4K-restored life on Blu-ray,

and started streaming on Tubi and other platforms. The horror streaming service Shudder stepped in to showcase Romero’s other unsung releases, including the short film The Amusement Park and the occult-driven Season of the Witch . In 2022, Pitt also unearthed and screened Jacaranda Joe, a Bigfoot movie Romero made with students at a Florida college.

The timing of the book also coincides with the 45th anniversary of Dawn of the Dead, a milestone being celebrated with screenings across North America, including on Fri., April 12 at the Monroeville Mall, where most of the film was shot.

Hart points out that Romero’s filmography only scratches the surface of his creative output, as his archive illuminates the many genre-spanning ideas that never came to fruition. To that end, Hart wanted Raising the Dead to capture the enthusiasm and imagination that drove the Brooklyn-born filmmaker.

“Trying to convey just how delightful his personality is to readers was the thing that I spent the most time focusing on,” Hart says. “He’s got this chatty storyteller, get-a-loadof-this kind of tone. It’s really engaging, it’s really fun … I wanted to convey just how much joy he seemed to get out of writing, how much satisfaction he got out of it, but also how much of himself he put on the page.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ADAM CHARLES HART Bigfoot design for the George A. Romero film Jacaranda Joe

Overall, Hart’s approach to his book mirrors that of Romero, who commented on important topics, ranging from the civil rights movement to rampant consumerism, by packaging them in entertaining horror films.

“I think the thing that makes Romero so interesting is that he seems to have realized that very early on,” he says. “He realized he could use horror to explore these sorts of questions while still making accessible movies, while still making movies that people wanted to see.” .

Raising the Dead:

A Talk By Adam Charles Hart

5:30-7:30 p.m. Thu., March 28

Carnegie Mellon University. 4919 Frew St., College of Fine Arts Room 111. Oakland. Free. studioforcreativeinquiry.org

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ADAM CHARLES HART

Book cover for Raising the Dead: The Work of George A. Romero

BEARING IT ALL

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Don’t call Sad Bear GVNG’s events "concerts". Or even just "shows". The parties thrown by the local organization are an entire experience, from the moment someone purchases a ticket to long after venue doors close, for both guests and performers alike.

“As a community company, not only are we throwing parties, we’re trying to involve everyone to be part of it,” Wade Anthony, who co-founded Sad Bear GVNG (or SBG, for short) with Bria “DJ Femi” Thomas, tells Pittsburgh City Paper. “It’s about the perception. It’s not about the door fee. It’s about what we’re going to give you.”

And what is Sad Bear going to give you? Exposure to new sounds, art, culture, and forms of entertainment.

Anthony and Thomas launched Sad Bear GVNG (pronounced "gang") about two and a half years ago after discussing what makes a “better” artist and performance, and how to present that elevated experience to Pittsburgh’s music community.

“‘Better’ is highlighting artists that are really grinding out there, not just something that’s good today. You want something that’s going to last tomorrow,” says Anthony. “Music is timeless, so we want to get back to the basics and foundation.”

The pair, whose music ventures have taken them across the country, aim to not only provide a safe and lucid party atmosphere (Thomas has been sober for a few years now) but also a platform that delivers more diverse musical genres — like Afrobeat, amapiano, or Washington, D.C. go-go — to the City of Bridges.

“Surprisingly, there’s only like two [go-go] songs that I could play that only some people would recognize,” Anthony says of the funky music subgenre with origins dating back to the 1960s.

“[Pittsburgh] has been so wrapped up in hip-hop and R&B, part of our role in this scene here is exposing

people to new genres,” Thomas tells City Paper. “From traveling so much, we were able to get so much different exposure. That became part of the mission statement, to bring back a lot of our exposures and incorporate some of these new things into our own [local] culture of music and art. That became one of our biggest passions, exposing people to what things could be ... Bringing different worldly sounds to the actual party scene.”

Sad Bear GVNG works to deliver the music authentically; the way the tunes should be experienced. Recently, the pair, which curate DJ-centric events like the monthly UpBeat dance party at Brillobox in

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Wade Anthony Jr. and DJ Femi, founders of Sad Bear GVNG, pose for a portrait at Randyland on the Northside.

Bloomfield, started adding live elements to their shows. Pittsburghbased musician and composer Roger Rafael Romero, aka Feralcat, joined Sad Bear GVNG’s AFRO HAUS party on March 1, bringing along his saxophone for live accompaniment.

This summer marks the third annual Summa-Lumma DJ Festival, where Anthony and Thomas will invite performers from outside of Pittsburgh to play in the city, bringing even more of that musical exposure to a local level.

“That’s where the idea to bring in a violin or a saxophone player came in,” Anthony says. “That’s where the ‘better’ portion of that conversation

comes into play.”

In that vein, SBG also believes that an artist is better by selling their pain or various backgrounds.

“The pain comes from all the vulnerability that comes with performing on stage,” Thomas says. “It’s so vulnerable to share, with someone, your art, self-expression. It’s giving a lot of yourself. People expect you to be happy-go-lucky all day and give them your best self at all times, and it is kind of our job to do that, but we are also human beings, so acknowledging that Sad Bear is coming from a place of pain, it resonates with mostly everyone we talk to.”

Anthony expands on this, saying,

“PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO BE HAPPY-GO-LUCKY ALL DAY AND GIVE THEM YOUR BEST SELF AT ALL TIMES, AND IT IS KIND OF OUR JOB TO DO THAT, BUT WE ARE ALSO HUMAN BEINGS, SO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT SAD BEAR IS COMING FROM A PLACE OF PAIN, IT RESONATES WITH MOSTLY EVERYONE WE TALK TO.”

“Music triggers so many memories, so sometimes my empathy allows me to connect with a crowd at a specific moment. Not all those memories are great, not all those memories are sad, but a majority of my motivation comes from pain. My father passed, and he was a huge music person, so when I’m doing specific events, I think about what he would be listening to and do my best rendition of that.”

Off stage, fans can check out Sad Bear Radio, a streaming channel where Anthony and Thomas build upon previous shows, or entice potential partygoers to experience an upcoming event.

“Most of our parties will have a playlist, so even before you come to a show, you can listen and see if you really want to be there,” Anthony explains. “Because we really want to be there and want people who really want to be there, too ... We focus on local — community is going to make this bigger.”

.

Sad Bear GVNG sadbeargvng.art

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

Wade Anthony Jr. and DJ Femi, founders of Sad Bear GVNG pose for a portrait at Randyland.

EXHIBITION COPY TURNS TROY HILL INTO A PUBLIC GALLERY SPACE

BY SEAN BEAUFORD // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

A"man and a woman lived together. On one evening he did not come back from work, and she waited. She kept on waiting and she grew littler and littler. Later, a neighbor stopped by out of friendship and there he found her, in the armchair, the size of a pea.”

These words by Louise Bourgeois, as featured on her 1992 screenprint "She Lost It (2)", are currently displayed across six locations on Lowrie St. in Troy Hill as part of Gallery Closed’s Exhibition Copy , a series of solo exhibitions by internationally renowned artists.

Curated by Jon Rubin, Phillip

Andrew Lewis, and Lenka Clayton, Exhibition Copy features artwork by Bourgeois, and will eventually exhibit Roman Ondak (slated to be on view during April and May 2024), Roula Partheniou, Imin Yeh, Lyndon Barrois Jr., Ryan Gander, and Martin Creed, two months at a time, going through April 2025. Exhibited across

PHOTO: COURTESY OF GALLERY CLOSED A scarf by artist Louise Bourgeois hangs in the window of Ron’s Pizza Place as part of Exhibition Copy.

six unorthodox locations, each work can be viewed by looking into a street-level window.

The first iteration features a silk scarf screen-printed with the aforementioned Bourgeois text, displayed in street-facing windows at a home, art gallery, former beauty salon, pizza shop, notary, and school. The artwork is installed in collaboration with the site, and displayed in a way that aligns with the site’s pre-existing aesthetics.

Pittsburgh is perhaps most familiar with Bourgeois as the artist behind one of the city’s largest, most engaging public artworks. Downtown visitors have, since 1998, seen and interacted with her art installation — dubbed “Eyeball Park” for its collection of giant, disembodied ocular orbs — located in Agnes R. Katz Plaza at the corner of Penn Ave. and Seventh St.

While the phrase “art gallery” often evokes prestigious white cube

spaces reserved for established artists in formal exhibitions, public spaces, from coffee shops to libraries, also lend their walls and windows to artists. Exhibition Copy doesn’t reinvent that wheel but it does reconsider its capabilities and the terrain it can traverse. During a walkthrough with Rubin and Lewis, the curators mention how people who occupy the Lowrie St. site have, in some ways, become docents, providing additional context to the work for curious patrons, an aspect that speaks to the collaborative nature of the project. The Exhibition Copy curators planned displays that felt natural to each site. In the home, for example, the horizontally rectangular scarf hangs down like a curtain or banner. In the former beauty salon, the scarf features waves set delicately as if styled by a beautician. The pizza place scarf hangs underneath the business’ neon LED light sign, encased between

PHOTO: COURTESY OF GALLERY CLOSED Scarves photographed from inside Provident Charter School, one of the locations chosen for Exhibition Copy

THE PROJECT CREATES MOMENTS FOR ART TO BE ENCOUNTERED, AS WELL AS MOMENTS WHERE CURIOSITY MIGHT PROMPT AN UNPLANNED WALK OR SPONTANEOUS CONVERSATION.

plastic panels as if to protect it from potential staining via cooking fumes.

The notary displays a multi-sheet, black-and-white facsimile of the scarf lying at the base of the window to the right of the entrance. In the window to the left side of the entrance is a framed notarized acknowledgment of the project.

Provident Charter School, an institution dedicated to children with dyslexia, features several replicas of the scarf, all hanging from classroom windows, made by third-grade students. The Provident scarves are the same scale as the original, using its template as a model, but each piece remains unique to the student artist who created it. On fabrics similar to the original, the text is handwritten, sometimes with personal embellishments such as hearts or stars, or blotches from where a marker rested on the fabric in a contemplative hand.

Exhibition Copy draws inspiration from its host Gallery Closed, a small,

enclosed Troy Hill exhibition space visible only by looking through its windows, like a gallery after hours. Exhibition Copy functions similarly in that entry isn’t required for viewing, and works to demonstrate that there’s more to experiencing art than passively viewing it. The project creates moments for art to be encountered, as well as moments where curiosity might prompt an unplanned walk or spontaneous conversation. Not in the “art-creates-conversation” way that assumes an artwork is so deep that viewers must discuss its significance or its subject matter, but literal exchanges that might start with “What is that in the window?” It engages the neighborhood, and the community of people who uphold it.

The noteworthiness of the artists only matters to those who care about that sort of thing, which isn’t everyone. It’s cool that Bourgeois’ work is spread throughout a residential neighborhood. It’s cool that Troy Hill

residents don’t have to go downtown or to Oakland to see her work or the work of upcoming artists who often show in museums. Location doesn’t necessarily determine significance, but it can change the context in which work is interpreted, and its impact.

Exhibition Copy encourages consideration for how art normally shown in museums or traditional galleries might mean something different when displayed in nontraditional art spaces. It’s an example of how art can be public beyond a sculpture or mural. .

Gallery Closed presents Exhibition Copy

galleryclosed.org

PHOTO: COURTESY OF GALLERY CLOSED A scarf by artist Louise Bourgeois hangs in the window of a former Troy Hill beauty salon as part of Exhibition Copy .

FRI., MARCH 29

THU., MARCH 28

THEATER • GARFIELD

Uncumber Theatrics puts a modern twist on a Slavic folk figure with Ask Baba Yaga: Otherworldly Advice for Everyday Troubles. The Pittsburgh-based theater company uses puppets to act out Taisia Kitaiskaia’s column from The Hairpin’s now-defunct website, in which she answered reader questions as the dreaded forest witch. See the bizarre reading play out at the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination. 7 p.m. Continues through Sat., March 30. 5006 Penn Ave., Garfield. $10. Pay-what-you-can. Reservations required. irmafreeman.org

FILM • SEWICKLEY

Freedom House Ambulance: The FIRST Responders with Annette Banks, Phil Hallen, and John Moon 7 p.m. The Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center. 418 Walnut St., Sewickley. Free. Reservation required. thelindsaytheater.org

MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE

Gaza Benefit Show with Yotzeret Sheydim, ...by the deed, Planet Jackpot, Positive Thinking, and Sneeze Awfull. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Spirit. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $10-20. spiritpgh.com

FRI., MARCH 29

TOUR • OAKLAND

Women in the Windows Tour: Women Who Advocate for Fairness and Inclusion 10 a.m. Heinz Memorial Chapel. S. Bellefield Ave., Oakland. $5-10. heinzchapel.pitt.edu

ART • SOUTH SIDE

Neither Here nor There: University of Pittsburgh Studio Arts Department Faculty Exhibition. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Continues through Sat., April 20. Brew House Gallery. 711 South 21st St., South Side. Free. brewhousearts.org

COMEDY • DOWNTOWN

If you’ve never heard of Soo Ra, now is your chance to see the up-and-coming stand-up act live. Arcade Comedy Theater welcomes the Korean-American comedian whose credits include the Netflix is a Joke Sirius XM channel, several touring shows and podcasts, and more. Experience one of the emerging talents featured in the Comics to Watch showcase at the 2023 New York Comedy Festival. 7 p.m. 943 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $20. arcadecomedytheater.com

and Dave “Mac” Marquis, the new essay collection serves to illustrate the impact of prison book programs across the country and the dehumanizing nature of mass incarceration. The event includes a conversation with organizers who will cover carceral censorship and how to start or become involved with an existing prison book program. 7 p.m. 4812 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Free. facebook.com/ PittsburghPrisonBookProject

DRAG • MILLVALE

Jenny Sais Quoi presents The Last Supper 9 p.m. Harold’s Haunt. 142 Grant Ave., Millvale. $10. 21 and over. haroldshaunt.wixsite.com

SUN., MARCH 31

OPEN MIC • GARFIELD

MUSIC • MILLVALE

The Montvales with Rocket Loves Blu and Noa Jordan 8 p.m. Poetry Lounge. 313 North Ave., Millvale. $10. poetrymillvale.com

SAT., MARCH 30

MARKET • ALLENTOWN

Spring Fling Market. 1-7 p.m. Bottlerocket Social Hall. 1226 Arlington Ave., Allentown. Free. bottlerocketpgh.com

THEATER • DOWNTOWN

ARTfully UPlifting 2 p.m. Pittsburgh Playhouse. 350 Forbes Ave., Downtown. $10-25. playhouse.pointpark.edu

FILM • OAKMONT

Peter Rabbit and Egg Hunt

3 p.m. The Oaks Theater. 310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. $14. theoakstheater.com

LIT • BLOOMFIELD

The Pittsburgh Prison Book Project presents the launch of Books through Bars Stories from the Prison Books Movement at The Big Idea Bookstore. Edited by Moira

FRI., MARCH 29

MON., APRIL 1

ART • SEWICKLEY

Small Works, Big Impact. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sweetwater Center for the Arts. 200 Broad St., Sewickley. sweetwaterartcenter.org

TUE., APRIL 2

MUSIC • SOUTH SIDE

Kate Clover with Stereo Scandal and Caleb Kopta 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Club Cafe. 56-58 South 12th St., South Side. $15. ticketweb.com

The Montvales at Poetry Lounge

MUSIC • MCKEES ROCKS

Ross and Rocky Lynch of The Driver Era 8 p.m.

Doors at 7 p.m. Roxian Theatre. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. Tickets start at $77. roxiantheatre.com

WED., APRIL 3

MAGIC • DOWNTOWN

Naathan Phan & Hayden Allcorn in History of Magic: Part 1 7:30 p.m. Continues through May 12. Liberty Magic. 811 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $40-65. trustarts.org

MARCH 29 THU., MARCH 28

MUSIC • NORTH SIDE

The Government Center proudly presents its first noise show with a roster of local and national talent. The showcase includes Crank Sturgeon, a prolific artist known for his fish-themed antics and, according to SubMerge Magazine, “one of the most impressive oeuvres of any noise musician.” Also playing are the Los Angeles duo War Hippy, Pittsburgh’s own Rope Cosmetologist, and The Plush Velvet Pants Of Bern Nix. 8 p.m. 715 East St., North Side. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. thegovernmentcenter.com

PHOTO: COURTESY OF WQED Freedom House Ambulance: The FIRST Responders at The Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center

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NAME CHANGE

Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania:

No. GD-24-002128 In re petition of Max Goodwin for change of name to Maxamillion Goodwin Sr.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 24th day of April, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISEMENT, CONTACT SIERRA CLARY AT SIERRA@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

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NAME CHANGE IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-24-1273 In re petition of Shatia Deann Mims for change of name to Shaan Alo EL. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 17th day of April, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

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NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-24-003210, In re petition of Pamela Byers, parent and legal guardian of Gracie Lynn Byers, for change of name to Gracie Lynn Gernat. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 24th day of April 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF FODIAK, WILLIAM PAUL DECEASED OF PITTSBURGH, PA

William Paul Fodiak, deceased, of Pittsburgh, PA. No. 022401771 of 2024. Ann H. Fodiak, Ext. 143 Beaconview Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

ESTATE NOTICE ESTATE OF MULHOLLAND, DEBORAH J. DECEASED OF CARNEGIE, PA

Deborah J. Mulholland, deceased, of Carnegie, PA. No. 022401719 of 2024. Barbara J. McMullen, Ext. 115 N. Wren Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15243.

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ESTATE NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Letters of Administration in the Estate of James T. McElhany, Jr., late of the Township of Collier, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, who died on February 19, 2014, have been granted to Carolyn L. McElhany, Administratrix. All persons indebted to said Estate are requested to make payment and those having claims or demands are requested to present the same without delay to: David E. Schwager, Esquire 183 Market Street Suite 100 Kingston, PA 18704-5444

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ESTATE NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Letters of Administration in the Estate of Judith L. Brown Ames, late of the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, who died on February 15, 2018, have been granted to Candice Rachelle Scott, Administratrix. All persons indebted to said Estate are requested to make payment and those having claims or demands are requested to present the same without delay to: David E. Schwager, Esquire 183 Market Street Suite 100 Kingston, PA 187045444

STREAMERS

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on April 09, 2024, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

BRASHEAR HIGH SCHOOL

• Brashear Retaining Wall Replacement Project

• General Primes

Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on March 25, 2024, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

We are an equal rights and opportunity school district.

ACROSS

1.  Shuriken thrower

6.  Hoffman who cofounded LinkedIn and PayPal

10.  “This thing again!”

14.  Literary lion?

15.  Prefix with direction

16.  Nurse off 17.  Bartender’s drink mixed with fruit juices

19.  Some people watching Man U games at the pub, e.g.

20.  Producer Rae

21.  Iran of yesteryear

23.  Button down accessory

24.  MLB stat

26.  No longer in fashion

28.  No longer in fashion

34.  Where one can see the world

35.  ___ splints

36.  Pick up

39.  Uncontrollable sadness

40.  Houses with many tables

43.  Bad temper

44.  Go “ptui”

46.  Escapade

47.  Elizabeth of His Three Daughters

49.  Valley Girl’s “yuck!”

52.  Man in a “Strange Case” of 1886

54.  It’s got a little charge

55.  Male swan

56. Mad Man Don

60.  Tackles moguls

64.  Actors follow them

66.  Clue suspect

68.  Peace Prize city

69.  Brest bae

70.  Richard who was the longesttenured mayor in Chicago history

71.  Website with a flower in its logo

72.  Where Alphabet is listed as GOOG

73.  Tool in the shed

DOWN

1.  Language of Avatar

2.  Certain one-onone matchups in basketball, for short

3.  The Phillies and Diamondbacks won it in 2023

4.  Indonesia’s capital

5.  Santa ___, California

6.  Director’s assignment

7.  Abu Dhabi prince

8.  Some bed and breakfasts

9.  Big name in frozen pizza

10.  Duo of

Duolingo, e.g.

11.  Pagan’s belief

12.  Woman’s name that means “hope”

13.  Beginning

18.  Recreational drive

22.  He threw a “phantom punch” toward Lipton

25.  Kind of pear

27.  X missives

28.  Dog’s dogs

29.  Over

30.  Christmas jangler

31.  College application part

32.  Gambler’s loss?

33.  Commie

37.  Broca’s ___ (frontal lobe part)

38. The Breakfast

Club demographic

41.  Member of city council

42.  Piccadilly Circus’s neighborhood

45.  Give it a go

48.  Shot blocker?

50.  Peculiar

51.  Grow weary

52.  Shipmate of Spock and Kirk

53.  Stir up

57.  One-man ___

58.  Greek letters

59.  Foil at the Olympics

61.  Coffee bean

62.  Topped at the bakery

63.  Scottish island

65.  Gravy absorber

67.  They might cross the streams

BIDS REQUESTED FOR INSPECTION ACCESS/TRAFFIC CONTROL:

H.W. Lochner Inc. will accept electronic bids until 2:00 PM, Monday April 1, 2024. Bids are requested to provide equipment necessary for inspection access and traffic control for the inspection of the following bridges at the SR 376-Forest Hills/ Wilkinsburg and SR 376-Edgewood/Swissvale Interchanges in Allegheny County:

• SR 376 over Ardmore Boulevard

• SR 8012 (Ramp D) to SR 376 EB over Ardmore Boulevard

• SR 8012 (Ramp A) to SR 376 WB over Ardmore Boulevard

• SR 376 over Braddock Avenue

• SR 376 over Ramp B

• SR 8010 (Ramp E) to SR 376 WB over Braddock Avenue

• SR 8010 (Ramp B) from SR 376 EB over Braddock Avenue

Bid packages can be requested by emailing rjones@hwlochner.com.

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on April 16, 2024, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

GEORGE K. CUPPLES STADIUM

• Replace Fire Alarm System

• Electrical Primes

Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on March 25, 2024, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

We are an equal rights and opportunity school district.

(AAN CAN)