‘The Royale’ Rings True at City Theatre; Mr. Smalls Hosts Arcane Haven (Sat., 2/4/17)

Ensemble from ‘The Royale’: L to R: Tony II Lorrich, Bria Walker, (down) Andrew William Smith, (up) Bernard Gilbert, Desean Kevin Terry, Siddiq Saunderson, and Tim Edward Rhoze. photo: Kristi Jan Hoover.

1) Jack Johnson, the first black boxer to win the world heavyweight championship (a title he held from 1908 to 1915), was a complex man living in difficult times. He cultivated superb skills and discipline in the ring but reveled in the high life outside it. He broke society’s color line by his romances with white women, thus further infuriating white Americans who rooted for a “great white hope” to come along and defeat him. Johnson’s tumultuous story was the basis for a Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the 1960s, ironically titled The Great White Hope—and now there’s a new Johnson-inspired play. Marco Ramirez’s The Royale, which premiered in Los Angeles four years ago, gets its first Pittsburgh staging at City Theatre. Whereas The Great White Hope was a sprawling, scene-shifting production with a big cast, The Royale gives its subject a more intimate fictionalized treatment. It builds dramatic tension and reveals character through up-close personal exchanges within the boxer’s inner circle. The fight scenes are done in a stylized manner that’s quite unlike typical stage fighting. The Royale has been praised for its fresh creativity; City Theatre aims to score a knockout with the play. 1 and 5:30 p.m. There are a limited amount of pay-what-you-want tickets available for the 1 p.m. show beginning two hours before start. Call the box office to check on availability. Performances continue through February 12. 1300 Bingham St., South Side. (MV)

2) Hey, kids! Did you ever want to be in a metal music video? Well, now is your chance! Pittsburgh metal outfit Arcane Haven will film a new live music video for their song “Hollow Bodies” as part of their performance at Mr. Smalls. The show will also be a homecoming, the last of an eight-city tour with St. Louis-based Polterguts. Arcane Haven are a quartet, who formed in early 2009. They have released two EPs since 2011. Be ready for a full-length debut sometime early this year. Until then, you can listen to the demo version of “Hollow Bodies” on YouTube, learn the words, and be ready to sing along at the show. Greywalker, Onyx Eye, and Ember’s Fall also open. 7 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (CM)

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