Pittsburgh Current, Volume 3, #5 by pittsburghcurrent

CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF MORE THAN 150 THINGS TO DO. VOL. 3 ISSUE 5

March 10, 2020 - March 23, 2020

PGHCURRENT

SUNSTAR FESTIVAL 2020 "IF YOU BUILD IT FOR BLACK WOMEN, YOU BUILD IT FOR EVERYONE."

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• Buy tickets online at PghHome.com • Purchase tickets at the door, Convention Center Lobby Box Office • Discount Coupons online at PghHome.com, or participating locations

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Fridays & Saturdays: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sundays: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Monday thru Thursday: 4-10 p.m. Adults: $10.00 • Children 6-12: $4.00 • Under 6: FREE

PARK AT HEINZ FIELD LOTS FOR $8.00 RIDE THE FREE CONTINUOUS SHUTTLE TO THE SHOW! 2 | MARCH 10, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT

The music, the passion, the drama... see why Carmen is impossible to resist! Benedum Center • Tickets $14+ • Kids half-price English supertitles projected above the stage

pittsburghopera.org/carmen

STAFF Publisher/Editor: Charlie Deitch Charlie@pittsburghcurrent.com Associate Publisher: Bethany Ruhe Bethany@pittsburghcurrent.com Advisory Board Chairman: Robert Malkin Robert@pittsburghcurrent.com EDITORIAL

Art Director: Larissa Mallon Larissa@pittsburghcurrent.com Music Editor: Margaret Welsh Margaret@pittsburghcurrent.com Visuals Editor: Jake Mysliwczyk Jake@pittsburghcurrent.com Craft Beer Writer: Day Bracey info@pittsburghcurrent.com Listings Clerk: Makinley Magill Makinley@pittsburghcurrent.com Contributing Writers: Jody DiPerna, Jessica Semler, Mike Shanley, Hugh Twyman, Emerson Andrews, Dan Savage, Larry Schweiger, info@pittsburghcurrent.com

contents

Vol. III Iss. V | March 10, 2020

Cry it Out This is your Life The Can't Miss Art Listings

FOOD 29 | Day Drinking EXTRA 30 | Savage Love

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COVER PHOTO BY: JAKE MSLYWCZYK The Fine Print The contents of the Pittsburgh Current are © 2019 by Pittsburgh Current, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this publication shall be duplicated or reprinted without the express-written consent of Pittsburgh Current LLC. One copy per person. The Pittsburgh Current is published twice monthly beginning August 2018. The opinions contained in columns and letters to the editors represent the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Pittsburgh Current ownership, management and staff. The Pittsburgh Current is an independently owned and operated print and online media company produced in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighborhood, 1665 Broadway Ave., Pittsburgh, PA., 15216. 412-204-7248. Email us or don’t: info@pittsburghcurrent.com.

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 3

NEWS FISH-FOR-ALL

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A FAN OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TO ENJOY A FISH FRY

f you enjoy a tasty fish sandwich but are conflicted about attending a fish fry at a Catholic Church because of the church’s history of sexual abuse at the hands of priests and the subsequent coverups, you’re not alone. The Lenten season and the fish fry-craze are often associated with the Catholic Church, but it doesn’t have to be. People from all religious and belief backgrounds look forward to what Pittsburghers call ‘fish fry Season’. There are brackets, maps, review websites and Facebook groups dedicated to the period of time from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday. Scot Fleming of Crafton, who runs Pittsburgh Fish Fry, a Facebook group dedicated to reviewing local efforts, with his girlfriend, Michelle Maust, has seen a lot in his years of attending and eating at Frys across the area. Although Fleming points out he doesn’t agree with boycotting Catholic Church Frys. “The fish frys are at the polar opposite of any scandals. The money that goes into collection plates (tithing) have mandatory percentages that go to the diocese and eventually back to Rome,” Fleming says. “But the fish frys are about the closest to on-the-ground fundraising that exists in a community parish. They are primarily run by parishioners, usually for associated school needs or physical repairs that the parish cannot afford.” Regardless of which side of the argument you fall on, you can’t swing a haluski noodle without

BY BETHANY RUHE - PITTSBURGH CURRENT ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER BETHANY@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

Fish Fry from the Rennerdale Volunteer Fire Department. (Photo Courtesy of Pittsburgh Fish Fry Facebook Page)

hitting a VFW, volunteer fire department, or other community club that doesn’t offer your fish-fry basics. Some get fancy. Some have beer. All have fish. And, in this list, none involve the Catholic Church. Before getting into the list, let’s discuss another debate that rolls through the fish-fry community: Do restaurants or commercial caterias count as fish frys?

4 | MARCH 10, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT

Fleming says it’s a resounding no. “For it to be a proper fish fry, it should be a bit of an effort. Places that maybe have cafeterias, but not a full-on commercial kitchen. It can't just be a grocery store or Arby's that just throws a fried fish sandwich on their menu, or one that already serves fish. It needs to be out of place - another reason it can't be a restaurant.”

He goes on to add it should be communal by nature and, for the Pittsburgh Fish Fry review criteria, they also give points for overly-brightly lit spaces that are tacky yet charming, no frozen fish, and, of course, they have to have Heinz ketchup. I posted a query on my Facebook page to poll my friends about their favorite non-church fish fry, and included the results

NEWS here (I took a page out of Fleming’s book and did not include restaurants). There are still five more chances to go out and get your fix of a giant plank of fried fish on a too small bun. If you aren’t sure that last year’s favorite fish fry is happening again, try a quick online search or call. In the cut-throat world of pop-up Lenten dinners, it is, as Fleming says, “A fish-eat-fish world.” Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Department 370 Commercial Street, Bridgeville, PA, 15017 March 27th, April 10th ONLY Of note: Do they also have cabbage and noodles? Haluski yes, the do. Elliot West End Athletic Association Candy Stand Herschel Field, Herschel and Hassler Streets, Pittsburgh Every Friday during Lent, 4 - 7 pm Of Note; This is the only fish fry that I have come across that is located in a Concession Stand. Or, as they call it, a candy stand. Elks Lodge #339 400 Cedar Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15212 Every Friday during Lent Of note: The Elks serve over 400 fish dishes during every Friday in Lent, sometimes resulting in an over 2 hour wait. The people there do not care. North Sider will straight up fight you if you try to say there is a better fish fry in Pittsburgh, possibly the world. Italian Independent Club 283 Muse Road, Canonsburg, 15317 Every Friday during Lent, 11 am - 7 pm Of Note: They also have a

chicken nugget dinner option, so if you have a child who’s a picky eater or ‘that’ friend who refuses to eat anything that appeals to actual adults, this could be a good pick for you! Monroeville Volunteer Fire Department #3 26013rd Street, Monroeville, PA, 15146 Of Note: Information available online was scant, but a photo posted to their Facebook page revealed they use shell pasta for their Mac and Cheese, which is the superior pasta for this dish.

PRESENTED BY THE PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST AND THE HUMANITIES CENTER AT CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

CORE CONVERSATIONS PITTSBURGH TRUST ARTS EDUCATION CENTER

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Swissvale Fire Department 7400 Irvine Street, Swissvale, Every Friday during Lent, 11 am - 7 pm Of Note: They have a BEER BATTERED GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH.

JANIS JOPLIN: LIFE AND MUSIC WITH HOLLY GEORGE-WARREN

Skyview Volunteer Fire Company 660 Noble Drive, West Mifflin, PA, 15122 Every Friday during Lent, 11 am - 7 pm Of Note: They have Deviled Crab and also deliver for orders of $20 or more!

CARNEGIE MELLON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Wilkins Township Volunteer Fire Department No. 3 109 Powell Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15112 Every Friday during Lent, 4 to 7 pm, Good Friday, noon - 7 pm Of Note: They have two standout menu items; tomato bisque and hushpuppies.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO HEAVEN BUT NOBODY WANTS TO DIE WITH JONATHAN D. MORENO

Editorial Disclosure: Scot Fleming serves on the Pittsburgh Current volunteer advisory board.

CORE CONVERSATIONS

BECOMING A QUEEN WITH KIERRA DARSHELL DRINKING WITH SHAKESPEARE

DANCE MAKER: BLACKNESS IN WHITE SPACES WITH STAYCEE PEARL PUBLIC OPEN CALL

Followed by ira Glass, Byham Theater

SUNDAY, MARCH 22 | 12–4 PM PREDICTING ELECTIONS: TRUMP’S CHANCES OF WINNING IN 2020 WITH JONATHAN WOON BREWING BLACK BEER: A CONVERSATION WITH FRESH FEST FOUNDERS AND BLACK FROG BREWING

LIFE SENTENCES: THE AMAZING JOURNEY OF WALKING OUT OF AN AMERICAN PRISON WITH ROBERT “FARUQ” WIDEMAN COOKIE ACTIVISM: USING SUGAR AS A PLATFORM FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE WITH JASMINE CHO Followed by Blair Imani, Greer Cabaret Theater

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PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 5

NEWS

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OPINION TIME FOR AN OIL CHANGE DESPITE ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE TO THE CONTRARY, CLEAN CARS ARE OUR FUTURE

BY LARRY SCHWEIGER - PITTSBURGH CURRENT COLUMNIST INFO@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

o clean Pittsburgh’s air, the 2030 District Initiative called for a 50 percent reduction in transportation emissions from commuters. This goal may be achievable only with the full implementation of 2012 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards that Trump is gutting. When an $8 trillion housing bubble burst in 2008, it caused GM and Chrysler to face complete financial failure. As president of the National Wildlife Federation, I stood with GM's CEO, Rick Wagoner supporting his request for a bailout. I was the only environmental leader to do so. I am sure others thought I was crazy. Still, we had been working through the BlueGreen Alliance, and with United Autoworkers, advocating for the administration to develop groundbreaking standards to nearly double fuel efficiency. I knew how important it was to keep GM and the other automakers alive to lead this transition. I also believed we need to work with the labor unions to create and maintain good-paying jobs while the industry transitions to clean transportation. We were proposing strong Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to cut auto fuel usage and carbon emissions by 50%. After the bailout, EPA and NHTSA issued a proposed rule that would increase fuel-efficient and reduce tailpipe emissions to a fleet average of 54.5 miles per gallon by the model year 2025. The proposed rule received broad support from Rick Wagoner and the other automobile manufacturers, organized labor, environmental advocates, and even some national security organizations. Bob King, president of the United Auto Workers and I were the lead witnesses in the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hearing held in Detroit, Michigan. We estimated that the entire program would save consumers more than $1.7 trillion at the pump. The proposed rule would trigger

many innovations leading to energy conservation at scale. It would also cause a long-overdue renewal to an industry that has stagnated by ending the internal combustion engine that has outlived its usefulness to society. This standard would save vehicle owners and operators $50 billion in fuel costs by reducing oil consumption by 530 million barrels. It would decrease carbon pollution emissions by 270 million metric tons over the life of vehicles produced in the 2014–2018 model years. A panel of the three American automaker CEOs followed us and supported the proposed regulations to create certainty in the market, improve fuel economy, and reduce greenhouse gases. With Trump taking over our government, the fight for clean cars is far from over. On Aug. 2, 2018, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and EPA jointly proposed rolling back the 2012 the CAFE rule by freezing standards at 2020 levels through 2026. This action was taken despite a Federal review in January 2017 that found that the auto rules were working and that "the auto industry is thriving and meeting the standards more quickly than required." This rule change ended requirements that caused automakers to build cleaner hybrids and electric vehicles. The auto industry was exceeding the annual reduction targets at a very reasonable cost. Trump also plans to end subsidies for electric vehicles, and for other renewable energy sources. So these decisions like the rest of his bad environmental decisions were unnecessary and irresponsible. In a blog post, Bill Ford, Executive Chairman, and Jim Hackett, President, and CEO of Ford Motor Company said, "Today, our planet faces increasing challenges, the implications of which are profound: greater congestion in cities, the rise of human population, the climate crisis, and all its implications. The cost of believing it is not real is just too high ... We support increasing clean

car standards through 2025, and are not asking for a rollback." It was a completely different story with the oil industry that lobbied for the rule change. A New York Times investigative piece by Hiroko Tabuchi revealed that Marathon Petroleum teamed up with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a secretive policy group financed by corporations including the Koch network to lobby for the rule changes. ALEC also passed a resolution describing CAFE rules as "a relic of a disproven narrative of resource scarcity", and says "unelected bureaucrats" shouldn't dictate the cars Americans drive." Oil interests have encouraged the Trump administration to walk back other critical environmental protections despite the impact on the climate crisis and energy security, forcing Americans to return to the unnecessary fuel consumption of the past. The rollback satisfies the oil industry's desire to sell more gasoline, but California and other states concerned with polluted air and climate change are fighting the changes. All of this contrived uncertainty is not helpful to the auto industry, to workers, or consumers. Trump’s CAFE decision has real consequences. Watching the pain on the faces of displaced Lordstown workers who were known for building compact cars including Vega, Monza, Cavalier, Cobalt, and ending with the Cruze. I remembered the conversation I had with GM's CEO. Rick Wagoner told me, “I don’t know whether to build a Hummer or a Volt.” He welcomed the fuel efficiency standards because it avoids automakers chasing a car market driven by the widely variable price of gasoline. It may be counter-intuitive, but by having CAFE standards helps the industry respond to a consistent signal and has allowed the industry to move faster towards clean electric vehicles. In a remarkable gift to the auto industry and to the world, Elon Musk announced on June 12, 2014, "Given that annual new vehicle production is approaching 100 million per year and the global fleet is approximately 2 billion cars, it is impossible for Tesla to build electric cars fast enough to address the carbon crisis…Yesterday, there was a wall of Tesla patents in the lobby of our Palo Alto headquar-

ters. That is no longer the case. They have been removed in the spirit of the open-source movement, for the advancement of electric vehicle technology... We believe that Tesla, other companies making electric cars, and the world would all benefit from a common, rapidly-evolving technology platform." Car buyers are not waiting for Washington. Tesla delivered 367,500 cars last year and is building two new factories to meet growing world demands. Witnessing Tesla’s stock price surge, other auto manufacturers have gotten the message and see the market changing fast. The surge of consumer demand for electrification has finally come to cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks as batteries have improved dramatically. Options for new electric vehicles are increasing in number and variety. The Chevy Volt, the plug-in hybrid sold 150,000 units over the past seven years, will now be a Bolt, which is fully electric. Ford is producing a Mustang muscle-car; it calls Mach-E as an all-electric crossover. A slew of new electric cars is coming to the market in 2020. Jaguar XJ Electric2, Mazda MX-30, BMW has its i4, Mercedes-Benz is producing its G-Class Electric, EQC, and EQS models. Other electric cars, including Nissan Ariya and Leaf, Mini Cooper SE, Mini Electric Hardtop, Polestar 2, Rivian R1T and R1S, and the Porsche Macan EV. As more EV models arrive, consumers will have a better chance to find one that fits their needs. Electric trucks are also on their way, including Tesla's Cybertruck, Ford F-150 electric-truck, and a new company operating out of Youngstown, Ohio will be producing the Lordstown Endurance, an electric truck. Cars and trucks cause nearly a quarter of Pittsburgh’s air quality issues and the pollution is much worse along busy arteries particularly with diesel exhaust. We all ought to be driving 21st-century electric cars and trucks powered by wind and solar to clean Pittsburgh’s air and curb climate pollution. The days of the internal combustion engine and big oil are numbered. The only question now is in the absence of the CAFÉ standards, how fast will we move away from the outdated engines, and move to electric motors powered by clean energy sources?

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 7

OPINION HEALTH CRISIS Like a lot of employers, Coronavirus doesn't care about your financial situation

BY JESSICA SEMLER - PITTSBURGH CURRENT COLUMNIST JESSICA@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

t would seem the coronavirus fear has reached a fever pitch. Disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and face masks have flown off the shelves. On March 6, Gov. Tom Wolf signed an emergency disaster declaration after the two presumptive positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed. Roughly 4,000 folks in New York have been quarantined, and… umm, coronavirus porn is now a thing. During this state of panic, I spent over a week sick on the couch. Hours of feverish chills, waking up soaked in sweat, and coughing non stop. Walking the distance to the bathroom from the couch was utterly exhausting, and I’d be in and out of sleep for several hours. My workplace was very understanding. I had plenty of sick days available, and when I touched base with my supervisors throughout the week, they were clear that I needed to stay home until I was well for my own sake but also the health of my coworkers. I am acutely aware of how damned lucky I am that these were my circumstances. I physically couldn’t have gone to work, even if I had wanted to. In between chugs of Nyquil and blowing my nose for the millionth time, I kept thinking of jobs I’ve had where this wasn’t the case. During my first year back in Pittsburgh, I served at a restaurant full time, and part time for a few years after that. There were no paid sick days. Calling off, especially for multiple days, would mean getting fired. There were many times when me or my coworkers came to work feeling like death warmed over, spewing germs everywhere, because we had to. Not going to work meant not making the money we needed for our rent, bills,

cars, gas, food, etc. With the fear of coronavirus in full effect, there is guidance everywhere from the CDC, WHO and more on how to protect yourself. Folks are uniformly advised to stay home if they are feeling sick. What none of these guidelines address is that our society isn’t economically or culturally equipped for people to do what they need to to stay healthy. I put out a call for folks in my network to share about their experiences with being sick in the workplace, and while there were some outliers, the responses painted an alarming picture. This is a structural issue. Many people lack access to affordable healthcare: Even many folks with health insurance provided through their employer can’t afford to go to the doctor, and that’s not a mistake. In January, I attended a training for newly elected officials about Public Sector HR Management. The presenter (who works for a union-busting firm) told my cohort that “offering healthcare plans with low copays to employees is encouraging bad behaviors.” What bad behaviors? Like actively seeking healthcare when they are in need of it? A friend who works in a healthcare center told me about a coworker who needed to bring in a doctor’s excuse after missing two days of work, and then overdrew her bank account when she tried to pay the copay. Now think about all of the servers and bartenders who make the minimum wage of $2.83 as tipped workers. Per another friend, who is currently working in the service industry, “I can't afford to lose the money, let alone pay upwards of $50 for a doctor’s note.”

8 | MARCH 10, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT

“In order to have your sick days excused while working at the scheduling center we were REQUIRED to bring a doctors note. Urgent care appointments through work insurance was $70 which was about 3/4 of a day's pay. It wasn’t financially feasible to take a sick day.” - Healthcare Worker, Nonprofit Sector. Employers often penalize employees formally for calling in sick in the form of demerits, write ups, or firing: “As a nurse, if the manager was there, you had to talk to them. The first thing my manager said was ‘you know this will be an occurrence.’ We can’t call off more than 3 times in a year because then it’ll be a verbal warning. Calling off always counts against you. Picking up hours never counts for you, in regards to ‘an occurrence”. A nurse got sick at work, was admitted through the ER, and later the manager gave her ‘an occurrence!’ She continued, ‘If that’s what they do to people with a BSN or FNP or MD after their name, can you imagine how awful it is for the technical and service workers?’” - Nurse, Case Manager. “I hate calling off because they threaten to fire me, ask for a doctors note (they don’t provide my health insurance, so that’s a ridiculous request) and act super put out even though I have no paid time off there anyway.” Restaurant Server. “I got hurt on the job at the hospital. I went to the ER and came back with a sling on and a pulled rotator. My Unit Director said, ‘well what about work?’ I knew they didn’t care. I wasn’t paid worker’s comp because I refused to go back to work the very next day.” Healthcare Worker, Public Sector. Employers penalizing employees informally in the form of comments or behavior: “They’d tell me I have to find someone to come in for me. If I didn’t show up I’d probably get points against me or

penalized with less shifts in the following weeks.” - Server. “I wouldn’t be penalized, but they would definitely make me feel bad and/ or make me find my replacement.” Social Worker. “The message was loud and clear that if you took sick days you were not a team player and you are probably lazy and just not as committed to the cause as you should be.” - Healthcare Worker, Nonprofit Sector. “When I worked at 7-11, it was almost like you were personally out to destroy the business if you called off.” Former 7-11 Employee. Many employers don’t offer paid sick time: “When I was a barista, I definitely worked when I shouldn’t have, based on how ill I was at times. But when I lived alone, I had to suck it up to stay afloat.” - Former Barista. “If I don't work, I don't get paid.” University Worker. “We can’t afford to call off. Ever. I mean we live on such a tight budget... really not a budget in any sense since we don’t make enough to save any money. A day off of work for us means a short paycheck which means we don’t meet our obligations.” - Postal Worker. Capitalist culture equates people’s worth with their productivity: “I feel uncomfortable calling off. I feel like it's been ingrained in us as a society that by doing so, you're "letting down the team." - Sales Associate “Our society normalizes working through illnesses as some sort of prized achievement.. There have been times I've taken or needed sick time, and have felt really bad about it.” - Program Manager. The City of Pittsburgh’s Paid Sick Days legislation goes into effect March 15th, but given the other factors above, will people feel empowered to use it when they need to? Notice a pattern here? People that work in the healthcare and service

OPINION industries have the least leniency when it comes to staying home sick. The people serving us food, and taking care of us when we’re sick, aren’t able to take care of themselves without losing their jobs or putting themselves in precarious financial situations. Our culture tells us that going to work when we’re sick is a badge of honor, showing how dedicated we are to our jobs. A contracted white collar worker told me “I can’t afford to call off, even if I had

the courage to. The stress gets so bad I’m clenching my jaw when I sleep. Late capitalism is bullshit.” This isn’t the fault of individuals who can’t afford to stay home. These circumstances are baked into the economic system that holds profits over people, even when this puts all of us at risk. So wash your hands. Rest when you can, and consider supporting the only presidential candidate left who is fighting for affordable healthcare for all.

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PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 9

MUSIC BACK TO THE ROOTS

THIS YEAR'S SUNSTAR FESTIVALCENTERS ON THE EXPERIENCES OF BLACK WOMEN MUSICIANS

he last time Sondra Woodruff was part of the Sunstar Festival was in 2011, as a performer. This year -- having returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh after a decade as a student and guitarist in New York City -she’s running the show. The festival, which is hosted by the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, was founded 11 years ago with the intention of creating a platform for women in music. Over time the programming expanded to include writers, visual artists, dancers, and other creatives. But this year, Woodruff says, “we wanted to bring it back to music, back to the roots of it.” This year’s two-day festival begins on Friday, March 13 with Classically Intimate, a program of classical music curated by Anqwenique, the stunningly accomplished vocalist, teaching artist, and founder of the multidisciplinary collective, Groove Aesthetic. The following afternoon, Pittsburgh-based podcast Girls Running Shit hosts a brunch and panel discussion centered on what it means to be a black woman making music in the city. Then that eventing the festival closes with Mic Check, featuring individual and collaborative performances by genre-melding hip-hop/r&b artist Clara Kent, soul/r&b powerhouse and multi-instrumentalist INEZ, hip-hop artist Brittney Chantele, and rapper and classically-trained dancer Rhyme. In the past, national touring acts were brought in to headline Sunstar. This year, Woodruff -- who works in production, engagement and social impact at the Kelly Strayhorn, wanted to focus on what’s happening on a local level.

BY MARGARET WELSH - PITTSBURGH CURRENT MUSIC EDITOR MARGARET@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

Girls Running Shit: Mia Marshall. Keea Hart, Janita Kilgore

“There’s such a vibrent ‘women x femme’ community that’s active right now [and I thought] ‘Lets make it all about them,’” she explains. “That’s what [Sunstar] is about. It’s about being based in Pittsburgh, how you’re navigating Pittsburgh as an artist, how you’re performing.” The fact that the lineup is made up entirely of black women and femmes wasn’t necessarily intentional: It just so happens that many of the city’s most exciting artists are women of color. But considering Pitt’s recent report ranking Pitts-

10 | MARCH 10, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT

burgh as the worst city for black women by nearly every metric, this year’s Sunstar offers an opportunity for discussions that should be considered crucial to anyone invested in the health of the Pittsburgh music scene, and of the city at large. The Girls Running Shit podcast, which launched in August of 2018, exists, in part, to help facilitate these sorts of conversations. The three hosts -- Keea Hart, Janita Kilgore and Mia Marshall -- keep the laughs coming, chatting about personal projects as well as current af-

fairs, celebrity gossip, and whatever else is on their minds. But they don’t shy from more serious topics like therapy, depression, and mental illness. Recent guests have included rapper Jordan Montgomery, and Khamil Scantling, founder of the business consultancy Cocoapreneur, and no matter who is visiting, self-worth, self-care, and mental health are always at the heart of the conversation. They also take things beyond the studio, putting together “We Care Kits,” full of helpful items for the city’s homeless popula-

MUSIC tion, and hosting a series of open mic events called Speak Your Truth. Hart, Kilgore and Marshall, who became friends while attending Edinboro University, in Northwestern, PA, are all in their late 20s, and all grew up in the Pittsburgh area. “We saw [the city] before the gentrification started to pop off, East Liberty was thriving with black businesses and it gave you hope that you could start your own business,” says Hart, who left the city for several years to pursue a social media marketing job in Washington, DC. “To come back to it ... and the only black-owned business that you see is Jamil’s, and then there’s a macaron station right next to it … ” She laughs, then continues: “I had a nice childhood, there were hubs for us to go to to keep us off the streets, and you don’t ever hear about that side. It plays a big part in recording the podcast … I have a great appreciation for the city because it morphed me into the woman I am.” INEZ, who introduced Woodruff to Girls Running Shit, first met the hosts at a women’s networking event. The interaction was so inspiring that as soon as she got home, INEZ wrote all three women’s names into a song she was working on. After that she was a guest on the show, and ended up using a sample from the podcast on her excellent 2019 record, Voicemails and Conversations. There are so many things that I love about what they’re doing, pretty much giving their platform for people like me, to tell my story as a woman,” she says. Music is a topic near and dear to GRS, and Kilgore recalls being part of a summer program with the Afro-American Music Institute as a kid. “I knew how Homewood and the Hill had that old school jazz, blues and r&b music,” she says. “And then in college, we knew about Wiz Khalifa … seeing that kind of rap and hip hop morph into

Inez performing live last year on the Pittsburgh Current Concert Series. (Current Photo: Jake Mysliwczyk)

what it is today, and seeing r&b with INEZ, Clara, Brittney and Rhyme, … [the presence of] black women in the music culture here has grown immensely. “We’re so excited to have all the women we’ve had so far on our podcast to talk about their art,” she adds. “And the panel is gonna bring a lot of focus to the music and I want us to grow from the conversations we have.” Hart adds that the discussion will be a mix of “the fun side” of music in Pittsburgh, as well as stories and statistics related to the more difficult aspects of being a black women working as a musician in the city: “We’re going to talk about what’s been perceived in the media and what

hasn’t been perceived.” Thinking of the Saturday evening performance, INEZ appreciates that, while the show features four women/ femmes of color, the event is meant for everyone. “Especially during Women’s History Month, we encourage all women to come out and support,” she says. “The kinds of things that we’re going to be performing and talking about in our pieces are definitely relative to black women first, but [also] to all femmes and women.” Towards the end of our phone conversation, Woodruff recalls something a colleague once told her. “‘If you build it for black women, you build it

for everyone.’ “In most design, most advertising, we’re unfortunately the last to be considered,” she says. “That's where I’m coming from at this point. It's for everyone. But there’s something about visibility and making sure everyone is included, and that does include black women. So we’re starting from there and moving our way out.”

SUNSTAR FESTIVAL

: WOMEN & MUSIC

8 p.m. Friday, March 13; 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 14. KST Alloy Studios, 5530 Penn Ave., Friendship. Pay what makes you happy. kelly-strayhorn.org

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 11

MUSIC LETTING IT FLY BY MIKE SHANLEY - PITTSBURGH CURRENT CONTRIBUTING WRITER INFO@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

Ken Vandermark estimates that he spends about six months a year performing and traveling. The saxophonist/clarinetist still calls Chicago his home, but many of his excursions take place in Europe, where his blend of composition and improvisation — rooted to, but not fully bound to, jazz — has a receptive audience. Several of the collaborators involved in his numerous projects reside across the ocean anyway. Spending that amount of time on the road can tax any musician, especially a 55-year old whose travel itinerary resembles a DIY indie rocker more than a veteran jazz player. But you won’t hear Vandermark complain. “I have to be honest, I’m very fortunate,” he says by phone from Chicago. “I love what I do. The people I get to work with are incredible and filled with ideas. It can get kind of exhausting but every job has its price. Lack of sleep is the price I pay for getting to do what I do. It’s definitely a fair tradeoff.” Vandermark — who taught himself tenor and baritone saxophone as well as B-flat and bass clarinets — returns to Pittsburgh with two collaborators that have factored heavily into his approach to music. Trumpeter Nate Wooley is a master of extended technique on his horn. He and Vandermark have been collaborating for at least five years. Drummer Paul Lytton was part of the free improvisation scene in England that sprouted up during the musical revolutions of the 1960s. In talking about Lytton, Vandermark recalls a conversation with the drummer about developing an individual voice on their instruments. During the ’60s, Lytton and his English bandmates realized they could never be the John Coltrane

Quartet so they embarked on their own path. “He looked at me and said, ‘What are you going to do,’” Vandermark says. “He was throwing down the gauntlet. That’s what I’ve been striving for – finding my own thing and being as rigorous as John Coltrane was about his work, or as Paul has been about his work.” He adds that Wooley has been one of the most significant collaborators in Vandermark’s career. They’ve worked as a duo (appearing at the Warhol Museum in 2015) and the trumpeter also plays in Vandermark’s large ensemble and in a collaborative quartet. “He’s a really deep thinker about music and creative philosophical ideas as well,” Vandermark says. The saxophonist’s career was already in high gear when he received a MacArthur Fellowship in 1999, which is often known as the “Genius Grant.” Being a relatively young recipient and someone who was still making a name for himself, the award came as a surprise to Vandermark, who received $500,000 paid over a fiveyear period. He used it to build on his already prolific discography, staging two US tours with the Peter Brötzmann Tentet, and creating his own Territory Band, a group made of European and American players. Two decades later, he says he’s still reaping benefits from the award. “The MacArthur kind of gave me the economic foundation to try a bunch of things that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise,” he says. “What I learned in that period still impacts what I’m doing now. A lot of relationships developed in that period, [which] completely inform what I’m doing now.” Although Vandermark and Wooley have blended compositions

12 | MARCH 10, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT

with free improvisation in their duo shows, the current tour with Lytton will be completely improvised each night. “They kind of wipe the slate clean every night and start, in a way, from zero,” Vandermark says. “It’s very inspiring to be around. It’s extremely hard to do that. They’ve very committed to the idea of, let’s say, true improvisation, which [is based on] as much surprise as possible, as much risk as possible.”

KEN VANDERMARK AND THE NATE WOOLEY TRIO. 7:30

p.m. Monday, March 16. Spirit Hall, 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $20-25. www.spiritpgh.com

D E N T O N S

C O H E N

Ken Vandermark

G R I G S B Y

T R U S T

P R E S E N T S

S E R I E S

SERGIO MENDES TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020 8:00PM • BYHAM THEATER BOX OFFICE AT THEATER SQUARE • 412-456-6666 GROUPS 10 + TICKETS 412-471-6930

TRUS TARTS. ORG

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BY

MUSIC FIRST/LAST: JORTS SEASON "JUST A QUEER PUNK FROM PITTSBURGHTRYING THEIR BEST" SELLING FAST!

BY HUGH TWYMAN - PITTSBURGH CURRENT CONTRIBUTING WRITER INFO@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

orts Season is the moniker for singer-songwriter Thomas (Guitar/Drum Machines/ Trumpet/Vocals) who performs lo-fi bedroom punk in the Pittsburgh DIY scene. They have one release entitled Rough Around the Edges, an acoustic collection recorded in one or two takes before they went to work in the morning. Keep an eye out on a basement show near you to see when they play out next. I want to thank Thomas for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last. The first album you ever bought? The first CD I ever bought was either Demon Days by Gorillaz or some Deadmau5 album in middle school at a Walmart. The first record I ever bought was Here Comes the Indian by Animal Collective at Soundcat Records, which was a record store in Bloomfield that’s since closed. Your last album bought? I just ordered a Diners 7” from Discogs (“It’s All True” in case you’re wondering) but before that I got the Microphone’s reissue series from Phil Elverum’s label that had their four albums and two compilations of tracks from various releases. Last I bought in a store, I want to say, was GEM by U.S. Girls. Favorite album of all time? For more recent records, WORRY. by Jeff Rosenstock, but for like a “classic record” I’d say Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys, to the point where I’ll occasionally just listen to the instrumentals

or isolated vocals from the 40th anniversary box set that came out. Least favorite/most disappointing album? Not sure I really have one. I remember whenever MGMT’s self-titled album came out when I was in high school I was really disappointed just because Congratulations is pretty fantastic and it really just didn’t live up to my expectations. Will also say Pacific Daydream by Weezer just because the two albums before it were both pretty good. But I kind of expected that from the singles so it wasn’t really devastating.

JULY 9 - REX THEATER

opener so they played a double set for some Odessey and Oracle anniversary tour. The second set where they played the album through was awesome, but the set before was mostly new material and most of it was kind of unmemorable or just bad.

First concert attended? Passion Pit. The opening band was Cults.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh? I was born and raised in Pittsburgh so I definitely have a huge connection with the city. One of my favorite things is the community and the people you meet through things like DIY. It’s not perfect and it isn’t always the best, but being in a place with so many people close to my heart is what draws me to the city and makes me feel like I have a home here.

Last concert? I go to a lot of basement shows, so the last one I went to was Mango Tree, Hospital Bracelet, Willow Hill Motel, and Baseball Dad at Lavender Town. Last non-DIY show was going to FEST last year in November.

Hugh’s Take: Thanks, Thomas. I have heard countless times about the wonderful support the DIY scene in Pittsburgh gives artists. Realistically, nothing is perfect but as long as there are some people willing to encourage and protect others, there is hope.

Favorite concert ever? Jeff Rosenstock, Laura Stevenson, and Great Grandpa at the Funhouse at Mr. Smalls was awesome. Sold out show, and happened at a low point in my life and it was great to get to see such a sick lineup, so it’s up there. I’m also a sucker for solo sets so seeing Insignificant Other at Deep Sea Fest or Xiu Xiu at the Warhol playing solo sets are also up there.

Support Jorts Season: https:// www.facebook.com/jortsseason420/

Least favorite concert? The Zombies live at the Carnegie Library in Homestead, specifically the first set. They had no

Hugh Twyman (AKA HughShows) has been documenting the Pittsburgh music scene since 2004. His website (www.hughshows.com) features a comprehensive Pittsburgh Concert Calendar, episodes of HughShowsTV, a newly launched public Pittsburgh music database, exclusive audio streams from local bands, thousands of his concert photos and his trademark First/ Last interview series.

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PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 13

JOIN US AS P I T T S B U R G H C E L E B R AT E S T H E 5 0 T H A N N I V E R S A RY O F E A R T H D AY C a l e n d a r o f E ve n t s ALL MONTH (APRIL) ECO Film Showcase WEDNESDAY APRIL, 22ND Ecolution Eco-Fashion Show at the Carnegie Museum of Art Music Hall Foyer FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH Sustainable Business Breakfast at the Fairmont FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH Sensi Magâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MMJ Educational Panel + CannaCurious Mixer FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH & SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH Go Green at Market Square SATURDAY, APRIL, 25TH Growing Up Green Festival at Schenley Plaza SUNDAY, APRIL 26TH Earth to Table Dinner, Kingfly Spirits more events to follow...

To list your event for free, purchase tickets, or to check out all of the Pittsburgh Earth Day events, visit: pittsburghearthday.org

14 | MARCH 10, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT

Current Comics Rob Jones

Andrew Schubert

Heroineburgh By H-burgh and Wayne Brown

Jim Benton

Sucks to be an Animal by Sienna Cittadino

CARTOONISTS WANTED pittsburgh current is looking for local artists who would like to have their comics featured on our twice-monthly funny pages.

email: charlie@pittsburghcurrent.com

MUSIC CHART TOPPERS

LIVE SHOWS YOU'LL WANT TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK BY MARGARET WELSH - PITTSBURGH CURRENT MUSIC EDITOR MARGARET@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

INDIE ROCK

On Saturday, March 14, Pittsburgh’s Merce Lemon celebrates the re-release of her first two recordings: both are included on a new cassette, Ride Every Sound, put out by Crafted Sounds. For Lemon, going back to those songs feels strange. “It's hard for me to listen to now,” she told the Current’s Justin Vellucci last month. “You feel how much you’ve grown since then.” We can probably all relate to that feeling, but for those of us who didn’t have to personally live it, Lemon’s gentle, lo-fi recordings are a treasure. Vulnerable yet confident, Ride Every Sound’s visceral chronicle of early adulthood haunts and enchants. As Crafted Sounds’ Conner Murray put it, “Where does she go from here? The sky is the limit.” Read more of Vellucci’s interview with Lemon on our website, and then head to Babyland for the gig. Totally Miguel and Silver Car Crash open. 8 p.m. 460 Melwood Ave., Oakland. $7-10. www.craftedsounds.net

COMEDY

Friendships with some higher-profile leftist podcasts helped the hosts of Street Fight Radio grow their listenership into something that allows the Columbus, Ohio-based duo to make something like a real living. But “Murder” Brian Quinby and Brett Payne have been doing this longer than most of their peers, having first launched the self-described “#1 Anarcho-comedy radio show on any station across the nation” in 2011. With their strong regional accents, hilarious personal stories, “street-level news,” and sharp political analysis, Quinby and Payne offer a uniquely palatable radical leftist perspective. Before their first Pittsburgh appearance in 2017, Quinby described it to me as “just two cool Joes, yellin’ at the government.” More than that, though, Street Fight is all about solidarity. On Wednesday, March 18, they bring their live show to Club Cafe. 6:30 p.m. 56 S. 12th St., South Side. $15. www.clubcafelive.com

POP

Mandy Moore always carried the most indie-rock cred of late-’90s/ early aughts pop stars. With that in mind, the ’70s a.m. radio-chill of new record, Silver Landings -- her first in 11 years -- feels like a natural (if perhaps long-awaited) progression. Free from a creativity-stifling and soul-crushing marriage, it’s good to see Moore back and making music on her own terms. On Friday, March 20, Moore launches her tour at the Benedum Center. She’ll be joined by Syria-born, LA-based singer-songerwriter Bedouine, who’s dreamy Laurel Canyon retro-folk sound goes hand-in-hand with Moore’s new work. 8 p.m. 803 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $29.50-99.50. www.trustarts.org

EXPERIMENTAL

Watererer, the latest musical endeavor captained by artistic jack-of-alltrades Dave Bernabo, releases its debut record, To Finding Out, on Friday, March 20 at the Government Center with Sneeze awfull and Astroturf Noise. Put out on Ongoing Box, the imprint umbrella under which all of Bernabo’s projects (and some of his friends’ projects) are gathered, the record carefully blends a noisey, field-sound aesthetic with rich instrumental arrangements. The record features a number of collaborators, including PJ Roduta and Matt Aelmore of Host Skull (another Bernabo project), Nadine Sherman of NAT 28, and Ben Barson of the Afro Yaquii Collective, among others. Reminiscent of experimental post-rock bands like Joan of Arc and low-key jazz-indie-rockers like Karate, To Finding Out is both curious and comforting. 8 p.m. 519 E. Ohio St., North Side. $7. www.thegovernmentcenter.com

The Way Down Wanderers with special guests The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers March 21, Carnegie Lecture Hall Tickets: calliopehouse.org

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 19

MUSIC MUSIC LISTINGS MARCH 10 KEITH HARKIN

SINGER/SONGWRITER Irish

singer-songwriter formerly of Celtic Thunder. 6:30:00 PM. Crafthouse Stage and Grill, 5024 Curry Rd., Baldwin. druskyent.com

MARCH 11 TWEED ALBUM RELEASE

ELECTRONIC, ROCK Tweed

releasing its new album "Moves," with support from Trailheads and Brahctopus 9:00:00 PM. Spirit Lodge, 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. spiritpgh.com

BAD OMENS

METALCORE Richmond, Va.

outfit with Oh, Sleeper, Thousand Below, Bloodline, Arcane Haven, A Moment in Pompeii 4:30:00 PM. Crafthouse Stage & Grill, 5024 Curry Rd., Baldwin. druskyent.com

GLASS MANSIONS

INDIE POP The altpop duo of

vocalist Jayna Doyle and multi-instrumentalist Blake Arambula, have been steadily winning over audiences across the country since day one. 6:00:00 AM. Smiling Moose - Upstairs, 1306 E. Carson St., South Side. druskyent.com

MELVIN SEALS AND JGB

JAM BAND The former keyboard-

ist and longtime member of the Jerry Garcia Band, Seals and JGB work to keep the legacy of the Jerry Garcia Band alive. 6:00:00 PM. Jergels, 102 Slade Drive, Warrendale. druskyent.com

MOTHERFOLK

FOLK, INDIE ROCK With Bad

Bad Hats 7:00:00 PM. Funhouse at Mr Smalls, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. mrsmalls.com

MARCH 12 JAUZ - DANGEROUS WATERS TOUR ELECTRONIC This event is all

ages. Doors open at 7:30pm, show

starts at 8:30pm. 7:30:00 PM. Roaxian Theatre, 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. jauzofficial.com

DARES (NYC)

Alt-rock, New York's Dares with Airbrake and Garage League 8:00:00 PM. Brillobox, 4104 Penn Ave., Garfield. brillobox.com

HOWARD JONES ACOUSTIC TRIO

ACOUSTIC Electronic music pio-

neer Howard Jones has been a constant presence on the international touring scene for the past three decades, playing live in a number of different configurations including intimate solo shows and dates with his full high-tech band set-up. His most recent album is TRANSFORM, his first new studio album in nearly a decade. 6:00:00 PM. Jergels, 103 SLade Lane, Warrendale. druskyent.com

TERROR

HARDCORE With Kublai Khan,

Magnitude, Restraining Order, Pure Heel 7:00:00 PM. Crafthouse Stage and Grill, 5024 Curry Rd., Baldwin. druskyent.com

TWIN PEAKS

ROCK With Rookie and James

Swanberg 7:00:00 PM. Mr Smalls Theatre, 400 Lincoln Ave.,Millvale. mrsmalls.com

MARCH 13 O.A.R. - SPRING FLING TOUR

POP, ROCK This event is all ages. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. 7:00:00 PM. Roxian Theatre, 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. roxianlive.com

RAW ACOUSTIC SHOWCASE AT KETCHUP CITY CREATIVE ACOUSTIC A completely raw

acoustic showcase highlighting the variety of local talent in Pittsburgh. Artists will be interviewed by Jay Michaels followed with an intimate performace. Artist are Less Victory, Espy, Lauren Elissie

20 | MARCH 10, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT

6:40:00 PM. Ketchup City Creative, 612 Main Street, Sharpsburg. https://ketchupcity.com/

PAUL JACOBS

ORGAN The Organ Artists Series

wildfire. With Kendall Street Company, Royce and Flubdub. 6:00:00 PM. Smiling Moose - Upstairs, 1306 E. Carson Street, South Side. druskyent.com

(OAS) of Pittsburgh will present Grammy Award-winning organist and Southwestern Pennsylvania native Paul Jacobs in concert on Sunday, March 15, 3 pm, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair.c 3:00:00 PM. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2040 Washington Rd, Upper St. Clair. , Upper St. Clair

WHEN PARTICLES COLLIDE

DIVERGENT MUSICALITIES: TEACHING, LEARNING, SHARING AND MAKING MUSIC ACROSS THE AUTISM SPECTRUM

FIT FOR A KING

part of life for many people on the autism spectrum. However, music teachers and other creative collaborators sometimes feel uncertain about how to teach, learn, and share music with people on the spectrum. At the two-day Divergent Musicalities symposium, we will gain experience with sharing music across the spectrum of neurological difference. Through presentations, performances, and workshops, attendees will learn from musicians on the autism spectrum, music educators, and researchers studying the connections between autism and music. Through March 14 *|Time|*. PNC Recital Hall and Lobby, Mary Pappert School of Music, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Ave., Uptown. https://duq.edu/academics/schools/liberal-arts/newsand-events/divergent-musicalities

CELINE DION

LECTURE Music is an important

HUNNYCOMB SINGLE RELEASE POP Come celebrate the release

of "Wait & See," hunnycomb's first single! Opening the party will be indie-pop favs Donora, and then after the hunny, DJ Buscrates will takeover, spinning grooves that make you move 9:00:00 PM. Spirit Lodge, 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. spiritpgh.com

CBDB

PROG-ROCK CBDB is a progressive rock, jam-band from Alabama and their music is spreading from the southeast across the nation like

ALT-ROCK When Particles

Collide return to Pittsburgh for an awesome night of music with Thom Hunter and The Rocket Surgeons AND Rowdy AND Tilted Shadows 6:30:00 PM. Roboto Project, 5106 Penn Ave,, Garfield. https://www.facebook.com/ events/159712008802241/

METALCORE With Chelsea Grin,

Crystal Lake and Alpha Wolf 6:00:00 AM. Mr. Smalls Theatre, 400 Lincoln Ave.,Millvale. mrsmalls.com

POP The pop icon known mostly

for her Titanic hit. 7:30:00 PM. PPG Paints Arena, 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. ppgpaintsarena.com

BIG PHILL DJ

9:00:00 PM. Thunderbird, 4053 Butler Street, Larenceville. roxianlive.com

MARCH 14 CODE ORANGE - THE UNDERNEATH RECORD RELEASE SHOW Pittsburgh's own Hardcore Heroes release their latest record before a hometown crowd. 5:00:00 PM. Roxian Theatre, 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. codeorangetoth.com

BLACKWATER

CELTIC The Hillman Performing

Arts Series at Shady Side Academy presents the Celtic band Blackwater. For more than 20 years, Blackwater has been performing its high-energy brand of Celtic music to audiences across North America from sessions and pubs to concert halls and festival stages. 7:30:00 PM. Hillman Center for Performing Arts, 423 Fox Chapel Rd., Fox Chapel. thehillman.org

THE SILENCERS REUNION SHOW NEW WAVE Pittsburgh based

"new wave" rock band...signed deal

MUSIC with Epic before they ever played a gig. Their video for Rock-and-roll Enforcers played on MTV on its first day of broadcasting. 6:00:00 PM. Jergels, 103 Slade Lane, Warrendale. druskyent.com

Ferreira 'Purple Moonlight Places Tour' with special guest Kaila Chare, Yours Truly, pvkvsv. 8:30:00 PM. Spirit Lodge, 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. spiritpgh.com

WELL WISHER

BLUES-ROCK Eric Gales grew

INDIE-PUNK With Willow Hill Motel / FlechÃ©tte / Lem 7:00:00 PM. Roboto Project, 5106 Penn Ave., Garfield. https://www.facebook.com/ events/2778268445557357/

THE DISTRICTS

ROCK With And the Kids

7:00:00 PM. Mr. Smalls Theatre, 400 Lincoln Ave.,Millvale. mrsmalls.com

THE CHEER'LY MEN & THE WOLF TONES CELEBRATE ST. PADDYS DAY! CELTIC, IRISH FOLK

7:00:00 PM. Funhouse at Mr. Smalls, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. mrsmalls.com

LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE FOLK SINGER-SONGWRITER

from a powerhouse musical family has carved out her own career with "a guitar, a deadpan sense of humor, killer songs, and a voice that makes tough guys cry." With Kalyani Singh 6:00:00 PM. Club Cafe, 56 S. 12th St., South Side. clubcafelive.com

BASTARD BEARDED IRISHMAN WITH 500 MILES TO MEMPHIS, BRAVE THE SEA

ROCK Pittsburgh's favorite "Irish"

band will play its patented kickedup Celtic-rock sound for Saint Paddy's Day weekend. 5:00:00 PM. Rex Theater, 1602 E Carson St., South Side. rextheater.net

MARCH 15 SPACE JESUS "MOON LANDING TOUR"

ELECTRONIC Doors at 7 p.m.,

$25-40. 7:00:00 PM. Roxian Theatre, 425 Chartiers Ave, McKees Rocks. roxianlive.com

RAP FERREIRA 'PURPLE MOONLIGHT PLACES TOUR HIP HOP Justin Strong Presents

with Oliver Booking Company, Ruby Yacht, and Bookoo Bread Co. R.A.P.

ERIC GALES WITH ACID CATS up in a musical family with four brothers, two of them who learned to play the guitar upside down and left handed in the same fashion that Eric does. Eric released his first record at Age 16 for Elektra records. Eric has developed a unique hybrid blues/rock sound that also draws upon influences as diverse as Albert King and Frank Gambale. A unique amalgam of styles, Eric Gales stands head and shoulders among other guitarists in his genre. 7:00:00 PM. Thunderbird Music Hall, 4053 Butler Street, Lawrenceville. roxianlive.com

MARCH 17 OSO OSO

INDIE ROCK Long Beach rock

outfit with Prince Daddy & The Hyena, Just Friends, and Sincere Engineer 6:00:00 PM. Spirit Hall, 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. spiritpgh.org

Dennis Childers, multi instrumentalist Steve Sciulli, and basses Hugh Watkins. The group debuted in 1993 5:30:00 PM. Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall, 4053 Butler Street, Larenceville. roxianlive.com

RAILROAD EARTH

MARCH 18

THE FULL COUNTS

AGAINST ME WITH STEF CHURA, ESSENTIAL MACHINE PUNK Against Me! began as an

anarchist solo act in Gainesville, Florida in 1997. After transforming into a traditional four-piece a few years later with the crucial addition of guitarist James Bowman, they quickly became a driving force in the punk scene 7:00:00 PM. Mr Smalls Theatre, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. mrsmalls.com

Droney 7:00:00 PM. Mr Smalls Theatre, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. mrsmalls.com

TAKEN WITH THE CONTORTIONISTS

METAL, PROG-ROCK Say hello

to your newest musical masturbation fantasy." This is how Outburn Magazine (USA) chooses to introduce Haken. The UK's PROG Magazine describes them as "one of the brightest young bands in the progressive sphere right now." 6:30:00 AM. Rex Theater, 1602 E Carson St., South Side. rextheater.net

PLOUGHMANS LUNCH REUNION

FOLK ROCK, CELTIC Celtic

folk-rock band the Ploughmans Lunch reunites for one more St. Patricks Day Celebration! Formed from the ashes of the Pittsburgh punk band Carsickness, assembling frontman Karl Mullen, drummer

MARCH 20 INDIE Thee Full Counts return to Pittsburgh with Alexei Plotnikov's Band at Gooski's in Polish Hill 10:00:00 PM. Gooski's, 3117 Brereton St., Polish Hill. https:// www.facebook.com/pages/ Gooskis/114747091913246

SNOWDONIA

INDIE POP With Goosetown, PM

Mirror, Living with Monsters 7:00:00 PM. Mr Smalls Theatre, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. mrsmalls.com

MARCH 19 CALL ME KARIZMA

HIP HOP Minneapolis singer/

songwriter/rapper Call Me Karizma makes visceral post-pop rooted in both hip-hop and punk. With his razor-sharp wordplay, the 23-yearold artist offers an unfiltered look into his inner life, 5:30:00 PM. Smiling Moose - Upstairs, 1306 E. Carson Street, South Side. druskyent.com

ZZ WARD

BLUES-ROCK With Patrick

7:00:00 PM. Rex Theater, 1602 E. Carson Street, South Side. rextheater.net

THE SONDER BOMBS

EMO, PUNK Cleveland-based

outfit with support from Elton John Cena, Go Home, Eddie, Bothersome 3:00:00 PM. Roboto Project, 5106 Penn Ave., Garfield. https://www.facebook.com/ events/493325964915687/

A NIGHT OF FINE ACOUSTIC COUNTRY MUSIC WITH BRENT COBB AND SPECIAL GUEST PAUL LUC

MARCH 21 MARK CHESTNUTT

NEO-TRAD COUNTRY 1990s

country singer whose early music was influenced by traditional country than the onslaught of modern radio country blossoming at the time. With Ashley Puckett 6:00:00 PM. Jergels, 103 Slade Lane, Warrendale. druskyent.com

D-JAM 2020

JAM BAND The Cause with Jeff

Mattson and Lisa Mackey will play to support Just Harvest, a non-profit dedicated that understands that hunger is a symptom of poverty, and poverty is a product of economic and political injustice. Public policies frame the structure of our society, and it is through changing these policies that we can best address hunger and poverty. 7:00:00 PM. Rex Theater, 1602 E Carson St., South Side. rextheater. net

COUNTRY With a GRAMMY

nomination under his belt and two major label albums to his credit, Brent Cobb is embarking this spring on a stripped back acoustic tour in seated venues with the assist of an accompanist. He decided that it was important for his fan base to hear the songs showcased the way they were written, giving his award winning lyrics their due. 6:30:00 PM. Club Cafe, 56 S. 12th Street, South Side. clubcafelive.com

MARCH 22 INSIGNIFICANT OTHER WITH HARMONY WOODS, SCRATCHY BLANKET DIY

7:00:00 AM. Roboto Project, 5106 Penn Ave., Garfield. https://www.facebook.com/ events/206372293885473/

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 21

ART PLAY DATE

CITY THEATRE'S 'CRY IT OUT IS 'HIGHLY ENJOYABLE, FAST, FUNNY BY TED HOOVER - PITTSBURGH CURRENT THEATER CRITIC INFO@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

God couldn’t be everywhere – so He invented mothers. Though there’s about 192 things wrong with the sentence, collectively it’s enough to make you want to throw up in your mouth a little bit. Perhaps the most treacherous supposition implied is that motherhood is the pre-ordained purpose of being a woman. And, further, if you’re not a “perfect” mother, you’ve probably made God cry. Molly Smith Metzler explores these maternal themes in her 2017 comedy/drama Cry It Out, now making its local premiere at City Theater. Cry It Out is one of the most-produced plays in America right now and it’s easy to see why. Four characters, one set, 90 minutes and brightly funny. In addition, there’s a bit more depth to the play than might meet the eye – which, oddly, Smith Metzler’s tendency toward the facile can sometimes smother. Jessie is a new mom just relocated to a Long Island suburb. On leave from her law firm in the City while her husband commutes every day, Jessie is, in other words, all alone in a new town friendless with a new baby. Until she meets up with a new neighbor. Lina’s also a new mom and, with her partner John, staying in John’s mother’s house to save money for a new home. Baby monitors in hand, the two spend nap time in Jessie’s back yard creating a sustaining friendship inside the craziness of being women with infants. Nearly half of Cry It Out is the relationship between Jessie and Lina. Smith Metzler’s ability to write fun, witty dialogue expertly balancing naturalism and theatricality is hugely entertaining. Her great love for these women, here played with pitch perfect precision and enormous humanity by Sarah Goeke and Julianne Avolio, immediately places us in their corner and

it’s impossible not to feel compassion, if not camaraderie. It may be true that Smith Metzler has written them, to a certain extent, as “types”: Lina is the same working class, hard-bitten New Yorker you’ve seen in dozens of sit-coms (and Avolio has a ball with Lina’s endless ability to crack wise) while Jessie is the familiar trope of a suddenly-staunched career woman, now only an observer of her own life. Goeke is particularly good playing the character’s conflict between intellect and emotion. Yeah, you may recognize the types … but it doesn’t diminish Smith Metzler’s point. Both are still measuring themselves against the same expectation of Perfect Motherdom and are both racked with feelings of inadequacy. Trying to achieve something rooted in fallacy is never a path to happiness. Smith Metzler also doesn’t ignore the additional turmoil of economic reality. The unrealistic concept of being a flawless mother presupposes a great deal of money … being perfect doesn’t come cheap. While Jessie is higher up the wealth ladder, both she and Lina are constantly juggling financial imperatives with familial expectations and it’s exhausting them. We demand that women have children and once they do we leave them to fend for themselves. It’s both sickening and maddening to think that when the Right finally achieves their goal next June in having the Supreme Court rule abortion illegal, they’ll have spent all their time up to that point eliminating health care, food assistance, pre-K, paid leave, after-school programs and environmental protections for pregnant women. Later in the work, the playwright introduces two additional characters; Mitchell and Adrienne. They are a couple from the filthy-rich section of town and also new parents dealing with the fallout. Up until this point City Theatre director Kim Weild has been very

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'Cry it Out' at City Theatre

clever about imbuing the production with a subtle, slyly meandering quality; at times we feel like residents from the house next door eavesdropping on Jessie and Lina’s backyard conversations. It takes a lot of skill to make it seem as if it just happened this naturally. But Cry It Out takes a turn with this new pair; the choices feel showy and overwrought. According to Mitchell, Adrienne has been unable to bond with their child and, as a result, both are at the edge of imminent collapse. Weild and exceptionally strong performers Rebecca Hirota and Tim McGeever attack, with vigor, the couple’s anxiety, but it feels less organic than it does telegraphed. But here again it might be Smith Metzler’s tendency to write “types.” And, here again, that shouldn’t obscure some of the scalding points she’s making with Adrienne and Mitchell. She calls attention to our differing presumptions of moth-

er- and fatherhood, namely that a woman, as a matter of course, gives up her life to her child, while a man just has to change a diaper now and then … and when he does he’s hailed as a Hero of the Enlightenment. But, and I can’t stress this enough, most of what I’ve written above exists below the surface and is there for you to pick up on or not. It’s something to think about on the car ride home; mostly, Cry It Out is a highly enjoyable, fast and funny comedy about some women and their lives. This program is part of the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival

CRY IT OUT.

Through March 22. City Theatre, 1300 Bingham St., South Side citytheatrecompany.net

ART THIS IS YOUR LIFE

POET ROBERT WALICKI WRITES WHAT HE KNOWS IN NEW COLLECTION

t is bracketed and held in place, solid. Turn on the faucet and water flows, steady and sure. Drains spin and sewage is whisked away because somebody laid pipe in hidden spaces, in the in-between spaces. Robert Walicki is the poet who recognizes the work and the beauty in the humble, the plain and the neglected. In his new collection, Fountain, (Main Street Rag Press, 2019), he celebrates the value in the drainage ditch and a Sunday drive. He highlights the essential humanity in the turn of a wrench and application of a clamp. He sees life in an accident on Route 28 and the love of alternative music. His poems are crafted in spite of the crunch of middle-aged knees worn through years of building and fixing, with hands that offer condolences. He roughs-in and builds connections through poetry. "What should I write about?" Walicki said over a cup o at Mechanic's Coffee, not far from his home in Verona. "And it struck me, you need to write about your work experiences. I had this pre-conceived notion of what poetry should be. It's where the friction, the energy, where life is. This is what I need to write about -- this is who I was." He writes to open a window to something bigger or more meaningful than the quotidian, even as he uses his everyday experiences as tools to excavate those spaces. He writes about his work day, the job site, the secrets we all keep, the things we tell, and the moments which are simultaneously unique and common. In "If a Tree Falls," he muses on the world of workers hiding in plain sight. "If a tree falls by Billy K's bar will anyone get up off of their bar stools to notice the excavator devouring earth outside, gutting grooves in the mud for plumbing? I'm here, laying white pipe down, like bones in a grave, all of us

CITY GROWS

BY JODY DIPERNA - PITTSBURGH CURRENT LIT WRITER JODY@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM We are an organic garden & gift shoppe in Lawrenceville providing grab onto -- We our offer physical bodies, organic gardening products fortocity dwellers. seeds, potted overlooked the river and I rememwork, zip code andand education. plants, soils, amendments, pots, tools, more. Othber staring out and the barges when

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I was in grade school. And how

We've also expanded our inventory to include decorative Joy Division or the carryingplants aroundlike dirty the city was. That made an succulents, cacti,Marie bonsai, and air plants! Howe's transformational impression on me."

book of poetry, 'What the Living Do,' until the color is worn off the cover and spine is held together with duct tape. MARCH ISabout SEED Walicki and I talk growing up in Pittsburgh inMONTH!!!! Reagan's AmerSTARTING ica. It felt like the entire city was a place apartup from the high times Stock on your seeds, insupplies, DC and Wall Street -- collateral grow lights, soil, etc. damage, overlooked and forgotten. "We were really struggling with our identity. At least I was," he said. 5208 Butler Pittsburgh "I have a lotStreet, of memories of15201 my 412-781-2082 Ιhouse citygrowspgh.com grandmother's -- I spent a lot of time there because both my parents worked. It was on Baker Street in Morningside. It burnt down. It

His work looks to lay bare his actual lived experience, all the moments when he felt out of touch and awkward and ill-fitting. And also the moments of reprieve, where even a parking lot rainbow of puddle water and brake fluid makes the universe magic. He writes about aspirational drives with his father that stuck with him and that he understood only in retrospect. Those were important for him and represent a strong feeling to write about what is around him. "No one is going to write that," he said. "That's unique to you."

addicts and has-beens have made it here before the rain, for the burial of elm, and maple, thicket of Sweet William …" Walicki has been a poetry dork for years, working his craft, work-shopping, reading at events, and amplifying other poets. For about five years, he ran the reading series Versify, but stepped away a few years ago. The last two years have been especially busy and productive, as Six Gallery Press published his collection, 'Black Angels,' in 2018 and this second collection hit quickly thereafter. "I hadn't even absorbed the first book's publication when this happened," he laughed. Fountain also contains work which mines childhood memories, feeling its way through some of the things that shaped him, like the punk and underground music he held tight to in some challenging years. "I felt wrapped up in that weirdness. I felt like I was weird, I felt like I didn't fit in anywhere and I was trying to find where my place was in the world," he explained. We define ourselves in all kinds of ways. This is me, and that is you. The boundaries are sometimes easy

CITY GROWS

We are an organic garden & gift shoppe in Lawrenceville providing organic gardening products for city dwellers. We offer seeds, potted plants, soils, amendments, pots, tools, and more. We've also expanded our inventory to include decorative plants like succulents, cacti, bonsai, and air plants!

MARCH IS SEED STARTING MONTH!!!! Stock up on your seeds, supplies, grow lights, soil, etc. 5208 Butler Street, Pittsburgh 15201 412-781-2082 Ι citygrowspgh.com

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 23

ART THE CAN’T MISS BY EMERSON ANDREWS PITTSBURGH CURRENT CONTRIBUTING WRITER INFO@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

FEATURED EVENTS IN AND AROUND THE PITTSBURGH REGION

MARCH 10 Pixar fans should head to the Hard Rock Cafe for a Trivia Night. Teams of up to six people can compete to win prizes and celebrate the studio’s latest release, Onward. Parking is free with $25 spent. Participating teams must reserve their spot. 7:30 p.m. 230 W. Station Square Dr. Free admission. 412-481-7625 The 14th Annual Farm to Table Food Expo comes to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Attendees can sample and purchase from local vendors while learning where to shop fresh all year long. The event will be held Mar. 6 through Mar. 15, though times vary. 4 p.m. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd. Free for kids 5 and under, $4.75 for kids 6 through 12, $10.75 general admission. premierhomeshows.com

MARCH 12 The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh celebrates the launch of CHUTZPOW! Volume IV: Women’s Stories, part of the ongoing comic-book anthology series depicting real-life stories of heroes of the Holocaust. Attendees may purchase advance copies of the latest volume and enjoy light refreshments. The event is free with registration. 6:30 p.m. 345 Kane Blvd. Free. jfedpgh.org/chutz-pow Bring a photo or have one taken at Small Mall that will then be turned into a portrait in featured artist Jegan Mones’ unique style. Pricing depends on the size of the portrait. 5 p.m. 5300 Butler St. Free admission. eriko@caseydroege.com

MARCH 13 The Carnegie Museum of Natural History holds a Speakeasy After Dark. Come dressed in 1920s fashion and learn about popular cocktails from the decade, banned books, scientific discoveries and more. Special Fast Pass, Season Pass and VIP pricing are available with corresponding benefits. 6 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave. $13.50 for members, $15 general admission in advance, $20 general admission at the door. carnegiemnh.org

MARCH 14 Make music with the whole family at the Center for Young Musicians 24 | MARCH 10, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT

March 21: Cinderella turns 70 (Walt Disney Co.)

on their Experience the Drummer in You evening. No experience necessary and all ages are welcome. 4 p.m. 437 Beaver St. Sewickley. Free for members, $5 for kids 12 and under, $10 for adults. 724-935-0505 or jniehl@youngmusicians.org Local artist Corrine Jasmin hosts a paper flower bouquet workshop at MuseumLab. Workshops are included in admission price. Discounts on tickets available online. 12 p.m. 6 Allegheny Square E. Free for kids 2 and under, $14 for kids 2 to 18, $16 for seniors, $18 for adults. 412322-5058 or museumlab.org The Classic Brew Band comes to The Oaks Theater for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. A special Happy Hour includes drink specials, raffle and games. 6 p.m. 310 Allegheny River Blvd. Oakmont. $15 auditorium seats, $20 table seats. 888-718-4253 or theoakstheater.com

MARCH 16 City of Asylum @ Alphabet City hosts choreographer and performer Dean Moss, composer Stephen Vitiello and poet Sandra Liu for their collaborative work “Your marks and surface”. Moss aims to explore the experience of assimilation through his dance and movement while accompanied by Vitiello’s music and a live reading of Liu’s original poetry. The event is free with reservation. 7 p.m. 40 W. North Ave. Free. 412-435-1110 or alphabetcity.org

MARCH 17

The Ulster Historical Society in Belfast’s Fintan Mullan and Gillian

ART Hunt return for the sixth annual Irish Genealogy Workshop at the Heinz History Center. The day-long session will include new innovations in electronic resources, a networking session between the attendees and tips from local genealogical societies. A curator will also be on hand for a guided tour of the History Center’s Irish American Collection. 9 a.m. 1212 Smallman St. $30 for members, $40 general admission. heinzhistorycenter.org

MARCH 19

The Center for African American Poetry and Poetics hosts award-winning poets Harryette Mullen and Dionne Brand at the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium. Attendees will hear readings of both poets’ works and listen to their conversation. 7 p.m. 650 Schenley Dr. Free. caapp.pitt.edu

MARCH 20

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Bugs Bunny at the Symphony concerts with a live performance of the music accompanied by the classic animations projected on the big screen. The concert will be repeated on Mar. 21 and 22, conducted by George Daugherty. 8 p.m. 600 Penn Ave. $22 - $104. pittsburghsymphony.org The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh celebrates Fred Rogers’ birthday with free admission all day long. Attendees can witness the opening of the new Kindness Gallery, make crayons in the Makeshop and even meet Mr. McFeely from 11 to 1 in the Theater. 10 a.m. 10 Childrens Way. Free. pittsburghkids.org

MARCH 22 The Creative Nonfiction Foundation hosts journalist and professor Amanda Little as part of their ongoing Science as Story lecture series. Little’s work, The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World, spans a dozen countries attempting to answer the question of how the world will continue to feed itself as populations grow and climate change continues. The event is free with reservation. 4:30 p.m. 805 Liberty Ave. creativenonfiction.org/science-story

MARCH 23 Dorit Sasson joins the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council for a workshop on Search Engine Optimization and keywords. Local artists and creatives can learn to use SEO to better promote themselves and their content online and further their careers. 6 p.m. 810 Penn Ave. $10. 412-391-2060 or pittsburghartscouncil.org

World-renowned pianist

Kenny Warner Trio

GRAMMY® nominated vocalist

Cyrille Aimée

MARCH 21 The South Hills Children’s Choir hosts their annual Bridges of Song event open to all local youth. Experience the friendships built by singing in a group under the direction of teaching artist Dr. Joy Hirokawa. Participants will receive lunch and a t-shirt as well as learn ASL to accompany the piece “Can You Hear Me?” by Bob Chilcott, one of three pieces performed in a free concert open to the public at the end of the day. 9 a.m. 905 E. McMurray Rd. Venetia. $35. 724-949-0048 or shcchoir.org/bridges Cub Scouts are invited to a Space Night Sleepover at Carnegie Science Center. Participants will build their own lunar lander and head into space themselves using virtual reality. A late night snack, continental breakfast and free admission to the Science Center the following day are included in ticket price. 6 p.m. One Allegheny Ave. $39. carnegiesciencecenter.org The Carnegie Science Center celebrates the 70th Anniversary of Walt Disney’s Cinderella with screenings in The Rango’s Giant Cinema on Mar. 21 and 22. 4 p.m. One Allegheny Ave. $7.95 for members, $9.95 general admission. 412-237-3400 or carnegiesciencecenter.org

+++

Saturday, March 14, 6:00 p.m. + 8:30 p.m.

For tickets, dinner reservations, or to learn more call 412.322.0800, or visit mcgjazz.org.

Introducing Dinner & A Show! Pre-show dinners are being served in the Bidwell Bistro dining hall.

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 25

ART

Unwrap Mummies of the World at the Carnegie Science Center before it leaves in April

ART LISTINGS MARCH 10 AMERICAN SON

STAGE Pittsburgh Public Theater takes on this highly charged 2018 drama by Christopher Demos-Brown. On a stormy night in a Miami police station, Kendra Ellis-Connor is waiting for a report on the whereabouts of her son Jamal, who has suddenly disappeared. Through April 5 Times Vary. O'REILLY THEATER, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. trustarts.com

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

STAGE Pittsburgh Musical Theater will present The Sound of Music, March 5 - 15 at the Byham Theater. Times Vary. Byham Theater, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. pittsburghmusicals.com

I CAME BY BOAT SO MEET ME AT THE BEACH

EXHIBITS Ayana M. Evans, New York-based performance artist, and Tsedaye Makonnen, multidisciplinary artist from Washington, DC, present new collaborative works and performances that explore the legacies of Black radical womanhood in relationship to well-being, ritual, and physical labor. Runs through March 29. Gallery Hours. The BNY Mellon Gallery, first floor, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. aacc-awc.org

VANISHING BLACK BARS AND LOUNGES

EXHIBITS New Orleans-based photographer L. Kasimu Harris documents disappearing social halls and leisure clubs that were safe gathering spaces for African Americans for entertainment, benevolent causes, and community activism. Runs through March 29. Gallery Hours. Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation Gallery, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. aacc-awc.org

THE CHELSEA GIRLS EXPLODED

EXHIBITS In celebration of the museum’s publication of Andy Warhol’s "The Chelsea Girls" and its ongoing film digitization project, The Chelsea Girls Exploded exhibition showcases the film and a selection of promotional material, photography, and art, while revealing the extent of the film’s influence on cinema and popular culture during its time. Runs through March 22. Museum Hours. The Andy Warhol Museum, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. warhol.org

HOARD

STAGE Viv is the lead character in Lissa Brennan's stunning new play from Off the Wall Productions, Hoard. Claire is the 'hired help' who has been employed by Viv's daughter to clean up her mom's house. And you guessed it, Viv's a hoarder. Weekends

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through March 21 8:00 PM. Carnegie Stage, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. insideoffthewall.com

THE OUTISDERS

STAGE S.E. Hinton's Classic novel about class war and friendship is presented by Prime Stage Theatre. Through March 15 Times Vary. New Hazlett Theater, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. primestage.com

THE BAND'S VISIT

STAGE The critically acclaimed smash-hit Broadway musical The Band’s Visit is the winner of 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, making it one of the most Tony-winning musicals in history. Through March 15 7:30 p.m.. Benedum Center, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. trustarts.org

CRY IT OUT

STAGE From City Theatre: When it comes to being a new parent, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Brilliantly funny and painfully true, Cry It Out confronts the pressure to have it all when having it all is a giant lie. Cry it Out is a Partner Event with the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival. Through March 22. Times Vary. City Theatre, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. citytheatrecompany.org

MUMMIES OF THE WORLD

EXHIBITS In it's final weeks! Explore 125 real mummies and related artifacts from across the globe in Mummies of the World: The Exhibition, on display at Carnegie Science Center’s PPG SCIENCE PAVILION™ now through April 19, 2020. Times Vary. Carnegie Science Center, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. carnegiesciencecenter.org

MARCH 12

CUSTOM PORTRAIT POP UP

OTHER Join us with Small Mall featured artist Jegan Mones for a custom digital portrait pop up! Portraits will be created on-site at our shop. Photos can be taken of guests. Guests are encouraged to bring in photos if they'd like a specific photo recreated in Jegan's style! 5:00 PM. Small Mall, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. smallmallpgh.com

MOSES STORM

COMEDY Moses is a talented comedian and actor who can be seen on the upcoming NBC comedy SUNNYSIDE, from Mike Schur and Kal Penn. You may have seen him in many different TV shows, but have you ever seen him in person? Come out and see Moses perform live.Through March 15 8:00 PM. Pittsburgh Improv, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. mosesstorm.com

ART MARCH 13

BOONDOCK SAINTS WITH BEER TASTING

FILM The McManus brothers have decided to enact God’s will on Earth. Violently. These Irish Catholic boys are cutting a path through Boston’s underworld. Will they be able to eliminate the mob, avoid FBI Agent Smecker, and survive the mysterious Il Duce? Staring Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flannery, and Norman Reedus in a film Written and Directed by Troy Duffy. General Admission $8. Movie starts at 7:30PM. Beer tasting for 21+ with valid ID at 6:30PM. 7:30 PM. Oaks Theater, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. theoakstheater.com

THE MIKADO

STAGE From the Pittsburgh SavoyardsNanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado (the Japanese emperor), has fled in disguise to avoid marrying a much older suitor (Katisha), and to find and marry his own beloved, the beautiful Yum-Yum. Yum-Yum, however, is the ward of Ko-Ko, the lord high executioner, and has become betrothed to him against her will. Through March 22 8:00 PM. Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. pittsburghsavoyards.org

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: BRAHMS FIRST: BEETHOVEN'S INHERITANCE CLASSICAL/ORCHESTRAL She stands among the top of the younger generation.

The moving First Violin Concerto of Shostakovich. Alina Ibragimova, says The New York Times, “makes familiar works sound both spontaneously conceived and inevitable. Her playing proclaims authority.” Experience the artistry of this young Russian virtuoso in the moving First Violin Concerto of Shostakovich. And guest conductor Jacob Hrusa leads Brahms’ powerful First Symphony. Through March 15. Times Vary. HEINZ HALL, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. pso.org

MARCH 16

ANNE ENRIGHT

LIT Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures presents Dublin-based author Anne Enright to discuss her newest novel, The Actress. Entry includes a copy of the novel. 7:00 PM. Carnegie Library Lecture Hall, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. www. pittsburghlectures.com

CHOREOGRAPHER DEAN MOSS: EXCAVATED MOVEMENTS

DANCE Choreographer Dean Moss will explore the experience of assimilation with gentle twisted dances, in this performance work titled Your marks and surface. Choreographed and performed by Moss, the various dance solos feature music from acclaimed composer, sound artist, and long-time collaborator Stephen Vitiello, and a live reading of original poetry by Sandra Liu. 7:00 PM. City of Asylum, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. alphabetcity.org

MARCH 17

BERNARDINE EVARISTO

LIT/LECTURE Reading, discussion, and book signing with winner of the 2019 Booker Prize Bernardine Evaristo! “Evaristo is known for narratives that weave through time and place with crackling originality. Girl, Woman, Other is no exception.”–Vogue (UK) Bernardine Evaristo is the award-winning British-Nigerian author of eight books. She is professor of creative writing at Brunel University London 7:00 PM. City of asylum, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. alphabetcity.org

7:00 PM. 25 Carrick Ave, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. https://25carrickave.com/

MARCH 19

KEVONSTAGE

COMEDY KevOnStage honed his comedic skills while growing up as a military kid. His humor and quick wit helped him make many friends while he had to move from city to city as a kid. And now he uses his comedic skills for his career. 7:00 PM. Pittsburgh Improv, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. kevonstage.com

DEBUT NOVELIST: GABRIEL BUMP

MARCH 18

STREET FIGHT RADIO: THE #1 ANARCHO-COMEDY SHOW ACROSS THE NATION

COMEDY The #1 anarcho-comedy show across the nation, Street Fight Radio is a pro-worker, anti-establishment comedy radio show and podcast that has been broadcasting on 92.7 WCRS in Columbus Ohio since 2010. Street Fight Radio is Brett Payne, radio personality, activist, and stay at home dad, and Bryan Quinby, radio host, comedian, and all around nice guy. 6:30 PM. Club Cafe, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. clubcafelive.com

THE TIPPING POINT

DANCE Multi-disciplinary, immersive production featuring local actors/dancers and a group of resettled refugees. Through March 29

LIT/LECTURE Join us for an evening of reading and discussion with debut novelist Gabriel Bump. In his alternately witty and heartbreaking debut novel, EVERYWHERE YOU DON’T BELONG, Gabriel Bump portrays the life of a young everyman. Claude McKay Love isn’t dangerous or brilliant—he’s just an average kid coping with abandonment, violence, riots, failed love, and societal pressures. 7:00 PM. City of Asylum, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. alphabetcity.org

MARCH 20

HERE + NOW

DANCE This mixed-repertory production brings together three celebrated choreographers to create stunning dance for the here and now in the August Wilson Cultural Center. Runs through March 29.

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 27

ART 8:00 PM. August Wilson African American Cultural Center, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. pbt.org

D.L. HUGHLEY

COMEDY One of the most popular and highly recognized standup comedians on the road, D.L. Hughley. Come see him perform live.Through March 22. 7:30 PM. Pittsburgh Improv, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. realdlhughley.com

BNY MELLON PRESENTS HERE & NOW STAGE This mixed-repertory production brings together celebrated choreographers to create stunning dance for the here and now in the August Wilson African A merican Cultural Center. Through March 29 Times Vary. August Wilson African American Cultural Center, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. trustarts.com

MARCH 21

LETTERKENNY LIVE

COMEDY The stars of the wildly popular award-winning Crave Original Series LETTERKENNY are bringing "LETTERKENNY LIVE!" to the U.S. for the first time in 2020. All new, the acclaimed 90-minute comedy experience will feature NINE of the beloved cast members along with never-before-seen sketches and more. 6:00 AM. Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. druskyent.com

WALT DISNEY'S CINDERELLA

FILM Take one wicked stepmother, two jealous stepsisters, one snobby house cat, one fairy godmother, and a bunch of mischievous

mice. Then put 'em together and what have you got? It’s Walt Disney’s classic Cinderella, the love story to end all love stories! Experience this timeless fairy tale on Pittsburgh’s largest screen at The Rangos Giant Cinema, just in time for the film’s 70th anniversary! Also March 22. 4:00 PM. Carnegie Science Center, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. carnegiesciencecenter.org

MARCH 22

big screen, while their exhilarating original scores are played live. Created by George Daugherty & David Ka Lik Wong. Through March 22 Times Vary. Heinz Hall, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. pso.org

MARCH 24

LATINX & PROUD! SERIES: MELISSA LOZADA-OLIVA, ANA PORTNOY PRIMER, ANGELA VELEZ

STAGE A monthly series of short plays telling the stories that make Pittsburgh unique, online and in person from 12 Perf Theater 8:00 PM. Brillobox, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. 12peers.org

LIT/LECTURE Join us for a reading celebrating the work of Latinx literary voices. This installment of the Latinx & Proud! Reading Series will feature Melissa Lozada-Oliva, Ana Portnoy Brimmer, and Angela Velez! 7:00 PM. City of Asylum, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. alphabetcity.org

AMANDA LITTLE - CLIMATE CHANGE AT HOME

MARCH 25

MYTHBURGH SEASON 4: EPISODE 1

LIT/LECTURE So how, really, will we feed nine billion people sustainably in the coming decades? Amanda Little, an award-winning journalist and professor, spent three years traveling through a dozen countries and as many US states in search of answers to this question. 4:40 PM. Trust Arts Education Center, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. trustarts.com

BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY

CLASSICAL/ORCHESTRAL "What's up, Doc?" An enormously fun blend of classical music and classic animation! Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes pals return for the 30th anniversary of the landmark Bugs Bunny at the Symphony concerts. The world's most iconic Looney Tunes – from What's Opera, Doc? to The Rabbit of Seville and a dozen others – will be projected on the

PGH PHOTO FAIR SPEAKER SERIES: MICHAEL HAWLEY

LECTURE The PGH Photo Fair provides informative talks on photography at a variety of venues in Pittsburgh leading up to each edition of the fair. The series aims to augment the already rich art and photography scene in Pittsburgh with speakers who will focus on the nuts and bolts of collecting including connoisseurship, the state of the art, and an insider's view of the market. 6:00 PM. Ace Hotel, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. https://www.pghphotofair.com

PITTSBURGH DANCE COUNCIL PRESENTS: ROCIO MOLINA

DANCE U.S. Premiere: Spanish choreographer Rocío Molina has coined her own artistic language based on a reinvented traditional flamenco style which respects its essence, but embraces the avant-garde. A graduate of the Royal Dance Conservatory in Madrid, Molina was awarded the National Award for Dance by the Spanish Ministry of Culture at age 26. Contains partial nudity. In Caida del Cielo (Fallen From Heaven), Molina contrasts light and darkness, celestial and savage. Accompanied by a live band, Molina’s dancing goes deep into her roots while pushing the norms of movement and gender, making a loud declaration that flamenco is an expression of freedom that cannot and should not be domesticated. 10:19 PM. BYHAM THEATER, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. trustarts.com

MARCH 26

THE DRAGON OF POLISH HILL

STAGE Presented by New Hazlett Theater: The Dragon of Polish Hill tells the story of two neighborhood residents who were destined never to know each other until Stanley Onion, a 115-year-old man with dementia, and Willy James, a rabbit-eared performance artist, are brought together by a chance encounter. From puppeteers Dave English and Will Schutze. Also March 27. 8:00 PM. New Hazlett Theater, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. newhazletttheater.org

MARCH 28

HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA AWARDS

March 28: Dr. Cyril Wecht presents Oliver Stone's JFK (Warner Brothers)

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AWARDS The Drama Awards honors and recognizes excellence of high school student designers, Stage Managers, actors, crew, and their non-musical productions from schools in Allegheny, Butler and Beaver counties. 7:00 PM. New Hazlett Theater Center for Performing Arts Arts, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. primestage.com

DR. CYRIL WECHT PRESENTS: OLIVER STONE’S JFK

FILM Join forensic pathologist and former Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Cyril Wecht for a screening of Director Oliver Stone’s critically acclaimed drama JFK, followed by a Q&A with Wecht about his long and storied career. Wecht, born March 20, 1931, was the first civilian ever given permission to examine the John F. Kennedy assassination evidence. It was Wecht who first discovered that Kennedy’s brain, and all related data in the killing, had gone missing. 3:00 PM. Carnegie Science Center, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. carnegiesciencecenter.org

MARCH 31

WILD WEST SHAKESPEARE

LIT/LECTURE Come and read your “dream roles” of Shakespeare’s characters- we all have a dream role we’d love to play! Typecasting? Traditional roles? Nah. Anybody can play anything! Unlike casting practices during Shakespeare’s time, when only men were permitted to grace the stage, PSIP is committed to non-traditional and equitable casting. Leave the stereotypes behind and strut your stuff upon our tiny “stage” at the Te Cafe! 7:00 PM. Te Café, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. https://www. google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwifyJS1qonoAhXTYDUKHWLyC-EQFjAAegQICRAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww. pittsburghshakespeare.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw1ZVTZ_qaqQBd1CD9pcMDzT

APRIL 2

PITTSBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL

PERFORMING ARTS The Pittsburgh Fringe is an all-out, no-holds-barred, inclusive multi-disciplinary performing arts festival featuring international, national and local artists. The annual festival will be in multiple venues in Pittsburgh's East End from Bloomfield to Garfield and East Liberty along Penn Avenue. Runs through April 5 Times Vary. Multiple, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. pittsburghfringe.org

APRIL 3

THE REVOLUTIONISTS BY LAUREN GUNDERSON

STAGE From Chatham University: Four beautiful, badass women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen (and fan of ribbons) Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in 1793 Paris. Also April 4. 8:00 PM. Eddy Theater at Chatham University, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. chatham.edu

APRIL 6

TEN EVENINGS SERIES: MICHAEL ONDAATJE

LIT/LECTURE Man Booker Prize-winning author of The English Patient and recipient of the Golden Booker, Michael Ondaatje’s newest novel is Warlight, a mesmerizing tale of violence and love, intrigue and desire. 7:30 PM. Carnegie Library Music Hall, *|Address: 400 Forbes Ave., Oakland|*. Pittsburghlectures.org

FOOD DAY DRINKING

KEEPING TABS ON THE CRAFT BEER SCENE IN PITTSBURGH AND BEYOND BY DAY BRACEY - PITTSBURGH CRAFT BEER WRITER INFO@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM

Feb. 11, 11 a.m: I’m still in Portland, ME. If you read my last entry you would know this. Try to keep up. Allagash has a sensory panel for quality control. Basically, it’s a white room full of cubicles for you to sit in, like in-school suspension or a call-center hellscape. Only instead of books or abusive clients, they give you beer. There’s a guide that lets you know what you should expect from the beer in terms of color, smell, taste, mouth feel, and even latticing -a fancy word for how the bubbles bubble. Employees from across the company are routinely invited to this room to test each batch before it hits the market. It takes about 30 employees to get the job done each time. Sometimes, the beer is purposefully spiked to teach folk how to spot various defects. It’s important that your sales team knows when a line at the bar is infected, or when a case has been sitting for too long. I’m given three samples to try. They all pass the test. I sit with Karl to discuss their quality control in depth. I ask him about a brewer that has been serving beer that tastes as if it were freshly squozen from a moldy sponge. He explains it is the result of an off-flavor called mercaptan, likely caused by dead yeast or bacterial infection. I now have a new word in my arsenal of extended pinky drinky talk. “Oh captain, mercaptan.” Feb. 11, Noon: Lunch is a lob-

ster flight from Bite into Maine, Allagash’s in-house lobsteria. The flight includes Connecticut style, just butter and bun – Picnic style, adding some cabbage for texture – Maine style, which is mayo and chives for flair and flavor. I wash it all down with Nocturna, because 9 percent beer at noon is perfectly normal in this industry. It’s Allagash Black aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla added. It’s by far my favorite of the lineup with dark flavors and a light body. Feb. 11, 2:30 p.m.: I’m invited to what is called the “Tiny House.” The name says it all. It’s a tiny house bought from what I assume is a tiny man and transported to the Allagash campus for the owner, Rob Tod, to entertain tiny guests. We sit at a tiny table next to a tiny fire and drink tiny, 12-oz beers. Tiny compared to the standard 16 oz, or even the soon to be released 19.3oz stadium cans. We conduct a tiny interview for the Drinking Partners podcast, short and sweet to keep the listeners entertained. And he hits me with a tiny bit of wisdom, “What’s good for the environment and good for people, can be good for business.” Feb. 12, 10 a.m.: My absolute favorite part of the tour is the pilot program. Patrick, one of the brewers, takes me through to show me how it’s all done. Get this. They allow every employee, 150+ total, to anonymously submit beer ideas daily. Each

A tiny house full of tiny beers makes Day Bracey happy

entry is reviewed and rated by a panel. The highest rated beers get brewed, about two per week. Those brews are then sent to the break room for employees to taste and rate. Yes, part of your job at Allagash is to drink beer on your lunch break! So then, the highest rated beers from the break room make it to the tasting room, usually about 8-10 beers per year. And if it makes a big enough splash in the taproom, it can see its way out the door and in the hands of folks across the country. How cool is that? Talk about utilizing the hive mind, and making each employee feel like they have a voice or part to play. If it weren’t for the ridiculously high cost of living in Portland, I’d consider applying for a job myself. Feb. 12, 1 p.m.: Last but not least I join Mike in the lab. So much science! This is where yeast strains are analyzed and developed, batches are tested for quality control, bottles conditioning is hashed out, and nerds get to nerd out. Chemistry, biology, engineering, it’s all here.

Most of the people working in the lab started in other departments and worked their way up. In fact, that seems to be the story of most of the employees here. It’s important and rare to find a company that allows growth in your career and seeks to promote from within. I learn about the devastating impact the beer industry has on water supplies around the country, and steps taken to mitigate their presence in the system. I even got to look at yeast in a microscope. All in all, it was a very informative and worthwhile trip. In the coming months, as you’re perusing the shelves for an easy-drinking picnic ale that’ll please both the beer nerds and novices, you should probably go with something local. But if you’ve got some room in your budget for exploration, Allagash White is a perfect Portland pour that prioritizes people over profits. Which is a concept that should foreign to no market. Cheers!

PITTSBURGH CURRENT | MARCH 10, 2020 | 29

EXTRA

Savage Love Love | sex | relationships BY DAN SAVAGE MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET

I’m a cis bi woman, and I mainly have sex with people with penises. I have a really gross problem, sorry. It’s been an issue for as long as I’ve been sexually active—but in the past few years, it seems to have gotten worse. If I am being penetrated vaginally, especially if it’s vigorous (which I prefer), and I orgasm, sometimes I poop accidentally. If I try to clench up to keep this from happening, it doesn’t work and I can’t orgasm. This used to happen once in a blue moon, only with particularly intense orgasms, but now it happens more frequently. One person I’ve been seeing really likes anal, and that makes the problem even worse. To be clear: I have no desire for poop in my sex life. It’s gross, it’s embarrassing, and my partners do not enjoy it. Nor do I. I’ve tried going to the bathroom before sex, but I can never seem to fully empty out. I even went to a doctor to talk about it, but all I got was a big shrug and no useful suggestions. I’ve looked online and found discussions of this happening to other people and them being understandably horrified, but nobody mentions it being a regular occurrence. This really sucks! Do you have any suggestions? Other than “give up sex completely,” which I would prefer not to do. Necessary Objective: Soothe Her Intestinal Tract “I’ve absolutely heard of this before, and as NOSHIT already knows from internet searches,

she’s not alone and needs help,” said Dr. Debby Herbenick. “And a ‘big shrug’ doesn’t sound like a helpful response from a physician who you’re asking for help in figuring out a complicated and extremely under-researched and therefore tricky sexual issue.” Dr. Herbenick is a professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health and author of Because It Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction and numerous other books. And what you’re going to need, according to Dr. Herbenick, is a doctor who’s actually prepared to help you. So that awkward conversation you had with your last doctor? A conversation you no doubt dreaded having? You’re going to have to have that conversation again, NOSHIT, maybe more than once, with other doctors. I know, I know: Talking with your doctor about a sexual issue— particularly a messy one—is difficult. And when we finally work up the nerve to speak with a doctor about something like this and that doctor isn’t helpful, our understandable desire to avoid having that conversation ever again can lead us to conclude that talking to doctors is a waste of time. But it isn’t, so long as you’re talking to the right doctor. “The letter writer should ask her health-care provider for a referral to an urogynecologist,” said Dr. Herbenick, “especially one

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who likes to get to the bottom (no pun intended) of challenging cases.” If this happens to you at other times—if you poop yourself when you fart or sneeze—be sure to share that information with the specialist. “There are lots of tests that health-care providers can use to examine her rectal function,” said Dr. Herbenick. “These tests can include a digital rectal exam, a sigmoidoscopy (insertion of a tiny tube with a camera to look for issues such as inflammation), an X-ray, an anal ultrasound, a colonoscopy, or other tests. In other words, there are things other than a big and completely useless shrug that can be done. And depending on what they find, they may suggest biofeedback, surgery, physical therapy/ pelvic-floor exercises, supplements, and so on.” But with all that said, NOSHIT, doctors aren’t all-powerful, and some problems can only be managed and not solved. “The fact is, our bodies don’t last forever in the ways we want them to,” said Dr. Herbenick. “And some research does point toward more frequent anal intercourse being associated with fecal incontinence.” (Aging, childbirth, and hormone-replacement therapy are very strongly associated with fecal incontinence.) Only a small percentage of women who regularly engaged in anal intercourse reported higher levels

of fecal incontinence, NOSHIT, so if this isn’t a problem for you generally—if this is only a problem during sex due to some tragically star-crossed neural wiring—you might want to steal a move from the squeaky clean gay bottoms out there. Instead of just “going to the bathroom” before sex and hoping you’re empty, treat yourself to an anal douche to make sure you’re empty. (Alexander Cheves wrote a great guide for receptive anal intercourse, “17 Tips for Happier, Healthier Bottoming,” for Out. Google it.) “But finding a health-care provider who’s willing to listen to what’s important to her in her sex life is the first step,” said Dr. Herbenick. “A sex-positive health-care provider—probably a urogynecologist or a proctologist—who’s willing to hear her out can help her figure out some good ways forward. It’s about listening to what quality of life means to her. That seems to include an active, pleasurable sex life involving vaginal and/ or anal sex with orgasm, and without pooping, or at least not nearly so often.” Follow Dr. Herbenick on Twitter @DebbyHerbenick. On the Lovecast, let’s think about same-sex animal behavior: savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net Follow Dan on Twitter @ fakedansavage

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