WHAT’S NEWS IN PLUM
THRIVAL IS BACK!
Join in Sept. 18-20 for the seventh
annual Thrival Festival to explore the
impact of technology on business, society
and culture as well as the ever-changing
relationship of music and technology.
This year’s Thrival Festival will focus
on celebrating and supporting Pittsburgh
innovators and entrepreneurs with the
theme “By Pittsburgh. For Pittsburgh.
For the World.” It will feature Pittsburgh
innovators in business, research
and the arts.
This festival experience will take
place in Pittsburgh’s Innovation District
(Oakland), which is at the center
of research, talent, technology and
entrepreneurial spirit.
For more information on the festival,
visit thrivalfestival.com, and follow Thrival
on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
SISTERS OF DIVINE
PROVIDENCE
OFFERING $5,000
GRAND PRIZE FOR 2019
SUMMER SWEEPS
The Sisters of Divine Providence
announced the 2019 Sisters’ Summer
Sweeps. New this year, the grand prize
winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
The second and third place winners
will receive $500 and $100 cash prizes,
respectively.
To enter the Sisters’ Summer Sweeps,
visit cdpsisters.org/2019SummerSweeps
or call 412.635.5437. Proceeds benefit
the ministries and mission of the Sisters
6
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
❘
of Divine Providence. No purchase is
necessary to enter and winners need
not be present to win. Sweepstakes
ends Sept. 4.
PITTSBURGH BALLET
THEATRE’S TERRENCE
S. ORR TO RETIRE
AFTER 22 YEARS AS
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
After leading the company for 22
years, Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr
has announced he will retire in June
2020 after celebrating the Pittsburgh
Ballet Theatre’s upcoming 50th
Anniversary Season.
Over those two decades, Orr has grown
the company’s repertory with more
than 20 new commissions and dozens of
acquisitions. He has debuted ambitious
story ballets like “La Bayadère,” “Romeo
et Juliette” and “A Streetcar Named
Desire;” curated major masterworks by
dance giants like Jerome Robbins, Jiří
Kylián and Twyla Tharp; and provided a
platform for emerging choreographers,
including from within the company. His
original production of “The Nutcracker”
has been a Pittsburgh classic for close to
20 years.
Also during his tenure, the company
has grown its ticket sales, school
enrollment and campus. It has debuted
the country’s first professional sensory-
friendly production of “The Nutcracker”
and increased accessibility and
educational programming in the theater,
studio and community.
icmags.com
“I have made Pittsburgh my home
and certainly my life,” says Orr, who has
lived in Sewickley with his wife, PBT
Ballet Mistress Marianna Tcherkassky,
since becoming PBT artistic director
in 1997. “It has been exciting to
watch the company grow and rise to
incredible heights.”
He adds, “We’ve developed a distinct
voice and special place in the city where
you can experience the great classics, the
great choreographers and the emerging
voices moving this art form into the
future. It has been my honor to lead
this company for the past 22 years and
great privilege to lead it through its 50th
anniversary. I want to thank the dancers,
musicians and patrons who have become
like family. You have made my time here
something I will always cherish.”
Orr, a California native, began his dance
career at San Francisco Ballet, where he
became a principal dancer by age 17. He
went on to have a celebrated career at
New York City’s American Ballet Theatre
(ABT), rising from corps de ballet to
principal dancer. He joined ABT’s artistic
staff while he was still performing and
served as ballet master from 1978 to 1997.
He has staged works for ballet companies
worldwide, including the Royal Ballet at
Covent Garden, the Paris Opera Ballet,
La Scala, Australian Ballet and National
Ballet of Japan.
Orr will close his career with PBT by
leading celebrations for the company’s
50th Anniversary Season, which opens in
October at the Benedum Center.
The season will honor the company’s
history with a five-production lineup
featuring “Giselle” with the PBT
Orchestra (Oct. 25-27), “The Nutcracker”
(Dec. 6-29), PNC Presents “Beauty and
the Beast” (Feb. 14-23), “Here & Now”
at the August Wilson African American
Cultural Center (March 20-29) and
“Balanchine & Tchaikovsky” with the
PBT Orchestra (Apr. 17-19) as well
as exciting repertoire to be performed
on tour on prestigious national stages
including the Chautauqua Institution,
Northrop at University of Minnesota
and others. For ticketing and program
information, please visit pbt.org. n