White Whale ‘Moby Dick’ Sighted at the Byham; Groundhog Day in Punsxy (Fri., 2/2/24)

MOBY DICK (theater, effects, big puppetry) created by Yngvild Aspeli, from Herman Melville’s novel. Touring company at The Byham. February 2 – 3. 

1) Only about 2,600 lucky Pittsburghers will see the stunning new stage version of Moby Dick, given the capacity of the Byham Theater and the touring show’s two-night run here. Of course the rest of us aren’t exactly left high and dry, since we can read the book, which remains the only way to get the full impact of this saga. Melville’s 1851 novel is much more than a tale of Ahab and the whale. It’s a kaleidoscope of the human comedy-slash-tragedy, weaving many tales together while it rambles wondrously through realms from biology to pre-existential philosophy, all of which defies being “captured” on stage or screen. But Norwegian theater artist Yngvild Aspeli has done what good adapters do. She created a work that takes flight on its own—drawn from passages in the book, infused with her childhood memories of the sea, and presented in a striking form. Aspeli’s Moby Dick uses eerie life-sized puppets, actors in death masks, and thunder-and-lightning stage effects combined with rock music and resonant chanting to conjure up a moving theater experience. The show comes to Pittsburgh as part of the Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents Series. 7 p.m. 101 Sixth St., Cultural District. (M.V.)

2) It’s quite possible that the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania will be the most happening spot in all of Pennsylvania today, mainly due to a much revered weather prognosticator named Phil. Accuracy aside, his mid-winter predictions regarding it’s remaining ferocity are captivating. After the morning ceremonies, and Phil and his wife Phyliss have gone out to eat, stick around to see rock band Black Ridge perform their original songs in Barclay Square from noon to 1 p.m. Plenty of other Groundhog Day events and attractions abound.

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