The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces the EQT Children’s Theater Festival will be held May 16-19, 2019 in the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh.
For 33 years, the EQT Children’s Theater Festival has brought the community the diversity and culture of international arts and entertainment without having to leave the Pittsburgh area! This year, the festival features performing arts companies from Mexico, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and, the United States offering featured performances for kids and teens of all ages. Performances range from puppetry and storytelling to physical theater and music, sure to delight everyone in the family.
Families can make the most of their trip to the EQT Children’s Theater Festival by exploring the Festival grounds before or after the ticketed Featured Performances. More than 35 FREE activities, designed to complement featured performances, including hands-on activities, public art and music at numerous indoor and outdoor spaces will take place throughout the Cultural District.
The highlight of the free activities in the Festival grounds is the world premiere of circle, circle, circle by French artist Cyril Lancelin. Immerse yourself in a larger-than-life cube of colors. A 3D rainbow of circles create a 15-foot high maze that’s as fun to gaze at as it is to adventure inside. Artist Cyril Lancelin’s work has been shown around the world. Come discover and explore this fun for all ages!
Festival Guides will be stationed throughout the festival grounds, sporting green vests, in their special tents or roaming grounds and theater venues looking to help families navigate their way through the EQT Children’s Theater Festival. They can offer show recommendations, directions, help with activity planning, and more!
The Frog Stop Scavenger Hunt allow families to make the most of their visit to the festival, highlighting key activities throughout the grounds. Children and families can follow the Frog Stop guide, which is available onsite at the Festival, and collect stickers at key locations throughout the Festival grounds to win a special prize from Millie’s Ice Cream.
Featured Ticketed Performances
EMILY BROWN AND THE THING by Tall Stories (United Kingdom)
Part of the Citizens Bank Children’s Theater Series
Ages 3+ | 45 Minutes
Venue: August Wilson Center
One evening, Emily Brown and her old grey rabbit Stanley hear a Thing crying outside their window. He just can’t get to sleep. Emily Brown and Stanley set off on incredible adventures to the Dark and Scary Wood, the Whirling Wastes and beyond, to find the Thing’s cuddly, his bedtime milk and his medicine… But nothing seems to help him settle. What’s really troubling the Thing–and will anyone ever get to sleep? Find out in this magical, musical show based on the much-loved book by Cressida Cowell (writer of How to Train your Dragon) and Neal Layton.
MURIKAMIFICATION by Arch 8 (Netherlands)
Part of the EQT Bridge Theater Series
Ages 7+ | 45 Minutes
Venue: Throughout the Cultural District
Step into the daydream that unfolds before your eyes. Using the magical, surrealistic stories of Haruki Murakami as a source of inspiration, Arch 8 creates an intensely physical and absurd performance trail. In each new city, the work is adapted to the local context. In each version of Murikamification, a diverse and curious audience is overwhelmed by surprising scenery in the streets of their own city. Follow the action on this moving theater piece throughout Pittsburgh’s own Cultural District.
SKY AND STONE by Teatro Al Vacio (Mexico)
Ages 0-2 | 30 Minutes
Venue: Trust Arts Education Center
A stone falls from the sky and sparks curiosity, exploration, and play. Players explore with their bodies, playing to overcome gravity and investigate new possibilities, actions that imply a major challenge for children in their first years of life. Babies and toddlers are welcomed into a gentle and friendly experience with the invitation to explore and move with their bodies.
SONS OF MYSTRO by Sons of Mystro (United States)
All Ages | 45 Minutes
Venue: August Wilson Center
Sons of Mystro use their violins to interpret reggae classics, American pop songs and their own creations accompanied by beats, and sometimes a DJ & guitarist. They are winners of the Emerging Artist under 21yrs Old award at IRAWMA (International Reggae and World Music Awards). Mentored by Black Violin, these artists’ stars are on the rise.
FLY by Teater Patrasket (Denmark)
Ages 5+ | 45 Minutes
Venue: Trust Arts Education Center
FLY is a poetic journey into a circus universe with strange characters, big emotions and captivating puppet imagery. The poor orphan boy Max, is being bullied and suppressed – and is always longing to fly, even when he starts traveling with a circus. But one day he meets the giraffe woman Lily, and the great love that might give him wings.
AIR PLAY by Acrobuffos (United States)
All Ages | 60 Minutes
Venue: Byham Theater
Ride the wind and dream with Air Play, a modern spectacle that brings to life the very air we breathe. Flying umbrellas, larger-than-life balloons, giant kites floating over the audience, and the biggest snow glove you’ve ever seen will make you gasp in wonder and laugh until it hurts.
Air Play is a circus-style adventure of two siblings journeying through a surreal world, transforming ordinary objects into uncommon beauty. Fabrics dance in the wind, balloons have a mind of their own, confetti turns into the night sky, and an enormous canopy of hovering silk forever alters their future.
All Festival facilities are handicapped accessible, and ADA-compliant cable covers are used throughout the Festival footprint. Large print programs are available upon request and ASL interpreters are available if requested at least 2 weeks prior to your performance. A sensory-friendly performance of Air Play will be offered on Saturday, May 18, at 1:30 pm at the Byham Theater and will include reduced sound levels and gentle lighting for audiences on the Autism spectrum and with sensory sensitives.
All ticketed performances will take place in the Cultural District and tickets start at $12. Multi-buy discounts are available when tickets for multiple shows are purchased at the same time.
For tickets and information, please visit www.TrustArts.org/PGHKids, call 412-456-6666, or visit the Theater Square Box Office at 655 Penn Avenue. Groups of 10 or more, please call 412-471-6930 or visit: http://pghkids.trustarts.org/kids/groups.
