Pittsburgh might not come to mind when you think about centers of entertainment, but the small city packs quite the roster of talent, along with a history of pushing the boundaries of the industry. Whether you are a first year starting college and living in Pittsburgh for the first time, or a returning student who’s been living here for a few years, it’s never a bad idea to brush up on the culture of your city.
There are also a lot of fun activities related to these artists and creatives, so be sure to check them out. So, to prevent you from getting caught without some essential Pittsburgh knowledge, I’ve put together a guide of some of the most important people in Pittsburgh entertainment.
Music
Pittsburgh has a vast history of music which developed over the city’s history. The small city consistently keeps up with the culture centers of the country. For example, Pittsburgh has an extraordinary jazz scene, dating back to the roots of the genre. Famous jazz musicians from Pittsburgh include Earl Hines, Mary Lou Williams, Erroll Garner and more. You can learn more about them at the Jazz Hall of Fame on the first floor of the William Pitt Union.
Carnegie Music Hall is also located in Pittsburgh. Built in 1895, this historic theater has hosted some of the greatest musicians in history, including Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Judy Garland and The Beatles. This theater is a must-visit, and hosts talented artists to this day.
Pittsburgh still produces talented artists like Wiz Khalifa, Christina Aguilera and, of course, Mac Miller. These artists have found great success in not just America, but the entire world. Before his untimely death, Miller released many albums and garnered a Grammy nomination in 2019.
Film and TV
This city has actually had quite the history in the film industry. The film and television industries really took off in the ‘60s and ‘70s with “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and George A. Romero. Taking place in the television station WQED, which is just down the road from Pitt on Fifth Avenue, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was an educational children’s show that ran for 31 seasons from 1968-2001. The show is beloved to this day.
Romero was a renowned horror filmmaker who attended Carnegie Mellon University. He created the film “Night of the Living Dead,” among many others.
Another film important to Pittsburgh, though it wasn’t made in the city, is “St. Elmo’s Fire.” This film was a hit in the ‘80s, and is important because it was written by Pittsburgh native and University of Pittsburgh professor Carl Kurlander.
Finally, many directors have used Pittsburgh to shoot their films. “Silence of the Lambs” was filmed in and around Pittsburgh, with notable scenes filmed in Soldiers and Sailors Museum located right on Pitt’s campus. Another film, “The Dark Knight Rises,” was filmed throughout the city. The coming-of-age film, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” was also filmed in Pittsburgh. The famous scene of the characters driving through tunnels was filmed in the Fort Pitt tunnel.
Art and theater
As is probably quite obvious by now, Pittsburgh is a center for creativity. It is a center which may seem unlikely to those unfamiliar with the city, but one nonetheless. One of the most important people from Pittsburgh is playwright August Wilson. Wilson is one of the greatest American playwrights. He is most famous for “The Pittsburgh Cycle,” a collection of 10 plays which depict life in America for the African-American community. Two of his plays have been made into full-length feature films. Wilson’s impact has been felt by many, and the August Wilson Center for African American Culture was created in his honor. Some of his most successful plays include “Fences” and “The Piano Lesson.”
Another important figure in Pittsburgh was the artist Andy Warhol. Warhol was a revolutionary artist who pushed the boundaries of what art was and how it was used due to his heavy use of celebrities, corporate iconography and the mass production of his art. Warhol essentially created “pop art,” and his work made waves across the art world. Much of his work is on display at the Andy Warhol Museum, located on the North Shore, which students can visit for free with their Pitt IDs.
The Warhol Museum is not the only Carnegie museum worth visiting. Some other museums worth visiting are the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Carnegie Science Center. If you want even more art, the Mattress Factory is located on the North Shore and features many fun exhibits.