Book Talk: Conversation with author Laura Gao, February 6 at Pitt.

via Wharton Magazine

The University Library System and Alliance of Queer and Underrepresented Asians in Recognition of Intersectionality to Uphold Solidarity (AQUARIUS) will host a conversation with Laura Gao on February 6.

This collaborative event, hosted by ULS and the Alliance of Queer and Underrepresented Asians in Recognition of Intersectionality to Uphold Solidarity (AQUARIUS), brings together a diverse community to engage in meaningful conversation and reflection.

4:30–5:00 PM:

Join our student representative for a book club session, featuring a group reading followed by a discussion. Faculty members and a librarian will facilitate the conversation, offering insights and fostering dialogue around the themes of the book.

5:00–6:00 PM:

Book Talk: A Conversation with Laura Gao

Engage in an intimate roundtable discussion with Laura Gao, moderated by faculty, students, and librarians. The conversation will explore crucial topics such as queer identity, Asian American experiences, and the intersectionality of these themes in contemporary society.

The event runs from 4:30 to 6:00 pm on the first floor of Hillman Library (map).

Kpop Club Night ft DJ CHEN, March 20 at Enclave.

Southside night club Enclave will host a Kpop Club Night with DJ Chen on March 20.

Don’t miss the best dance party on the planet when @kpopclubnight finally touches down in Pittsburgh with mixmaster @djchenofficial serving up the best in Korean music for the dance-floor on Thursday March 20th. Tickets on sale now, get yours now before they sell out!

Tickets are available online. Enclave is located at 1602 E. Carson St. (map).

Tickets go on sale today for Sailor Moon musical Sailor Moon: The Super Live in Pittsburgh, March 12.

A Sailor Moon musical Sailor Moon: The Super Live will play in Pittsburgh on March 12 as the first stop in this year's North American tour. Tickets go on sale today at 10:00 am EST.

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live, the groundbreaking 2.5D musical, is bringing the iconic “Sailor Moon” world to life across North America like never before. This stunning stage adaptation—based on the legendary manga and anime—transports audiences into a dazzling world of magic, friendship and justice with its electrifying performances, unforgettable choreography and show-stopping music.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust provides more detail:

Producers Makoto Matsuda (appare) and Kumiko Yoshii (Gorgeous Entertainment) announced that following its sensational month-long engagement in London, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live, the world-wide smash hit 2.5D musical sensation based on the wildly popular manga (comic book), will launch a North American tour this March with technical rehearsals and previews held in Pittsburgh, PA and an official opening on March 15 in Austin, TX and in partnership with SXSW (South by SouthWest). www.sailormoonsuperlive.com. With book, lyrics and direction by Kaori Miura (Musical: The Prince of Tennis, Tokyo Revengers The Musical), choreography by Satomi Toma, and music by Go Sakabe and KYOHEI, the visually stunning show follows the stories of Usagi Tsukino, a teenage girl who transforms into the heroic Sailor Moon. Together, with her fellow Sailor Guardians, she battles many dark forces to protect the Earth from evil.

With a mix of action, heartfelt moments, and iconic music, this production sees the manga characters brought to life on stage, in an epic story-telling live show experience guaranteed to wow audiences night after night, creating an unforgettable experience for fans and newcomers alike. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live will be performed in Japanese with English subtitles.

“At its very basic, ‘Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon’ is about 5 girlfriends banding together to fight for what they believe in... that’s timely,” said writer and director Kaori Miura. “Sailor Moon and her fellow guardians are equipped with powers that help them defeat evil and the characters are imbued with the self-determination to have agency and make their own confident decisions. In short, they are the ultimate example of ‘girl power.’”

It will play at the Byham Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map) and tickets will go on sale today, January, 31 at 12:00 pm EST.

New Chinese movie Detective Chinatown (唐探1900) in Pittsburgh, from January 31.

The 2025 Chinese movie Detective Chinatown (唐探1900) in Pittsburgh from January 31.

In 1900, a white woman was murdered in Chinatown in San Francisco, and the suspect was a Chinese man. The murder caused social shock, and people demanded the closure of Chinatown.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center hiring Engagement Coordinator.

The Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh is hiring an Engagement Coordinator.

The Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh is a global hub for research and education on Asia, as well as a regional center fostering Asian connections. Founded in 1969, the Center is renowned for its interdisciplinary scholarship and focus on regional and transnational studies. In partnership with over 100 affiliated faculty, we drive innovative research, community engagement, and impactful academic programming. We serve students, faculty, K-12 educators, and the wider community, promoting cultural understanding and global awareness.

We are seeking a dynamic and self-motivated Engagement Coordinator to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and executing comprehensive community engagement plans, collaborating with staff and external partners, and maintaining a presence at key community events. You will also support outreach initiatives tied to the National Resource Center (NRC) grant and help build lasting relationships across various stakeholders. This role offers the opportunity to significantly impact our outreach efforts and engage with diverse communities, including K-12 educators and schools.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement community engagement strategies aligned with the Center’s mission and goals and maintain an integrated event calendar while coordinating with staff and external partners to ensure effective outreach.
• Attend key community events, K-12 education outreach programs, and stakeholder meetings, ensuring visibility and active engagement. Plan event logistics, including volunteer coordination, to support outreach initiatives.
• Provide training and mentorship to staff, interns, volunteers, and community ambassadors to ensure consistent and effective messaging, while tracking engagement outcomes, proposing adjustments to strategies, and assessing resource needs.
• Participate in fundraising activities, create informational materials for donors, and assist in maintaining donor relationships. Carry out specific outreach and engagement activities related to the NRC grant, especially focusing on educational programming and partnerships.
• Support initiatives engaging K-12 educators and institutions to promote global awareness and cultural understanding in schools, while assisting with administrative duties such as scheduling, preparing reports, maintaining records, and supporting the daily operations of the community engagement efforts.

Pittsburgh Opera’s Madama Butterfly Panel Discussion: Women’s Role in Tech, Video Games, Manga, and Comic Books, March 13 in East Liberty.

Photo credit: Philip Groshon, Cincinnati Opera

The Carnegie Library branch in East Liberty will host "Pittsburgh Opera’s Madama Butterfly Panel Discussion: Women’s Role in Tech, Video Games, Manga, and Comic Books" on March 13.

Join us for a free panel discussion with RAD Pass participating organization Pittsburgh Opera where we will explore Women’s Role in Video Games, Anime, Manga, and Comic Books. Women have often been unrealistically represented in these art forms leading to detrimental outcomes in the real world. This discussion aims to unpack the origins of female representation in art and explore the fine line between fandom and fetish.

Pittsburgh Opera leads this discussion in anticipation of its groundbreaking new production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Created by an all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team, the story is set in a fantastical realm where reality and dreams intersect.

“The male protagonist, Pinkerton, puts on a VR headset and transports us into a vibrant virtual reality playground where he has ultimate control. As his avatar, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant, he can seduce and marry Cio-Cio San, his fantasy girl, and abandon her just as easily. But to Cio-Cio San, this is no game and the love and betrayal she feels is all too real.”

Attendees receive a discounted ticket offer to the performance of Madama Butterfly of their choice (March 22nd, 25th, 28th, and 30th) and will be entered into a raffle to receive a pair of free tickets. All performances of Madama Butterfly will take place downtown at the Benedum Center.

The event runs from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at 130 S. Whitfield St. in East Liberty (map). A reminder that Pittsburgh Opera is recruiting panelists for this event; those interested in participating should email Rebekah Diaz, Director, IDEA Initiatives/Community Engagement, at rdiaz@pittsburghopera.org.

2001 Japanese animated film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) in Pittsburgh, February 5, 6, and 9.

The 2001 Japanese animated film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) will play in Pittsburgh on February 5, 6, and 9, part of an Anime Expo Cinema Nights series.

Caught up in a world of dreams, lost in the cruelty of reality. What should have been an easy bounty turns into biological war after a terrorist gets hold of a deadly virus. Drawn in by the pretty price on the mastermind's head, Spike and the Bebop crew are ready to collect a much-needed reward. Unfortunately, the gang's about to find themselves in more trouble than money when the terrorist threatens to unleash the virus on Halloween--effectively killing everyone on Mars. With little time and leads that seem more dreamy than helpful, they'll have to use their own bag of tricks to stop a dangerous plot.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theater in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

1995 Wong Kar-wai film Fallen Angels (墮落天使) in Pittsburgh, from February 28.

The 1995 Wong Kar-wai film Fallen Angels (墮落天使) will play at the Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville from February 28 as part of its Big 3-0 film series of movies turning 30 years old.

Originally conceived as a segment of Chungking Express, Fallen Angels spun off into its own hallucinatory, neon-colored story of lost souls looking for human connection.

It runs through March 6 and tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Chinese movie Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force (封神第二部：战火西岐) in Pittsburgh, from January 29.

The Chinese movie Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force (封神第二部：战火西岐) will play in Pittsburgh from January 29.

Helmed by visionary director Wuershan, Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force continues the epic Fengshen Trilogy adapted from the classic 16th-century Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods. Jiang Ziya and Ji Fa, aided by the Kunlun immortals, lead Xiqi’s defense against the Shang Dynasty’s dark forces. As the battle for the Fengshen Bang intensifies, alliances shift, and secrets emerge in this stunning clash of mortals, gods, and monsters.

It plays locally at the AMC Lowes Waterfront and the Cinemark theater in Monroeville, and tickets are available online.

2019 Korean film Parasite (기생충) in Pittsburgh, from February 7.

The 2019 Korean film Parasite (기생충) will play in Pittsburgh from February 7.

Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.