Pittsburgh New Works Festival Continues; ‘Sleeping With Other People’ on Local Screens (Thurs., 9/24/15)

1) Why are some people big fans of one-act festivals? Because going to one, as opposed to seeing a full-length play, is like reading short stories versus reading a novel. You get a cross-section of stories in different styles and moods, which (a) is fun in itself, and (b) helps assure that you’ll see something you really like. The Pittsburgh New Works Festival, now in its 25th year, is one of the oldest and largest of its kind. During September, a total of 12 new one-acts are presented in four rotating evenings of three plays each; see the Festival website for schedules and details. This year’s entries come from playwrights living across the United States and beyond—there’s even one by an American expat in Barcelona—and the pieces range from high comedy to introspective drama. 8 p.m. Through Sunday. Carnegie Stage, 25 W. Main St., Carnegie. (MV)

2) Sleeping With Other People – The latest installment in the current fad of R-rated rom-coms. In this one Jason Sudeikis plays a serial womanizer and Alison Brie a compulsive cheater who, naturally, meet outside a sex addiction clinic. Actually they re-meet since they dated in college several years ago. They’ve ruined most of the relationships in their lives since neither can keep it in their pants for any length of time, but they’re now on the road to recovery and decide to begin a platonic relationship – they can’t cheat on each other if they’re not together in a sexual way.

It doesn’t make sense to me either, but Natasha Lyonne, Amanda Peet and Adam Scott are along for the ride. If writer/director Leslye Headland can get the proper blending of tone, it could be a quirky, funny movie. (TH)

3) Wonder Boys – Every year the city of Pittsburgh should get a check from Michael Chabon. Back in the 80’s he went to Pitt and worked at Jay’s Bookstall in Oakland. (Remember Jay’s Books? Remember books?) So he left town but took a piece of us with him and placed two of his biggest sellers in the land of the Golden Triangle: The Mysteries of Pittsburgh and Wonder Boys. We deserve a cut of the profits! In lieu of actual payment, we could all see the 2000 film adaptation of Wonder Boys, directed by Curtis Hanson and shot in Pittsburgh. Michael Douglas plays an extravagantly eccentric writer/professor making everyone’s life miserable, including his mistress played by local-girl-made-good Frances McDormand, Robert Downey, Jr. as his endlessly patient editor and Tobey Maguire, a writing student who may have just written the next big thing. By turns funny, sad and charming, Wonder Boys also features Katie Holmes, Rip Torn, Richard Thomas and many more. 5 p.m. Row House Cinema, 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. (TH)

Free Allegheny County RADical Days Events from their site:

Heinz Field

Free admission 10AM-3PM (tours only)
Tours of Heinz Field provide guests with a behind-the-scenes look into the FedEx Great Hall, Clubs, Luxury Suites, Press Box, Field, South Plaza, and much more! Tours on the hour; limit 50 guests per hour.
900 Art Rooney Ave. (North Shore) heinzfield.com/stadium/heinz-field-tours/

Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania: Owl Prowl

Free admission 7pm (Reservations required.)
Join Audubon for a naturalist-led evening walk throught he trails. We’ll listen for owls and other creatures that come out at night. Appropriate for all ages. Due to limited visibility conditions at night, please contact ASWP in advance for advice on wheelchair accessibility. Space limited, so register at aswp.org or 412-963-6100.
614 Dorseyville Rd. (Fox Chapel) aswp.org

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