Billy Porter in Concert at Heinz Hall; OpenStreetsPGH Rolls Off (Sun., 5/28/23)

1) The multi-faceted entertainer Billy Porter returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh for his Black Mona Lisa: Volume I Tour. Porter is possibly best known for his Tony Award-winning role as Lola in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots as well as his fashion forward outfits. He attended Pittsburgh CAPA and then Carnegie Mellon University for drama. Porter has had a variety of roles over his career in Pittsburgh and New York. He started out with an ensemble called Flash, which performed during the summer at Kennywood Park. He went on to various roles in Pittsburgh and New York including one that he wrote and cast himself in, the autobiographical Ghetto Superstar (The Man That I Am). His love of singing has always been an important part of his life and career. His first album, Billy Porter, was released back in 1997. Porter’s fourth album, Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers, came out in 2017.  He returned to Pittsburgh in 2021 where he directed the film, Anything’s Possible. Porter also appeared in the 2023 movie, 80 for Brady. 7:30 p.m. Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District.

OpenStreetsPGH — Various dates and locations.

The Strip District was crowded with bikes, walkers, and shoppers during OpenStreetsPGH. (photo: Heather McCracken)

2) OpenStreetsPGH is a fun event during which neighborhood streets are closed to auto traffic in certain parts of the city, so people can roll on through, whether biking, walking, or skateboarding. There are plenty of activities along the way as well. Organized by the nonprofit BikePGH, the OpenStreetsPGH events are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on three Sundays this year: May 28, June 25, and July 30. Different routes are explored on each date. For more info, check out the OpenStreetsPGH website. (R.H.)

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