Courtesy of Carnegie Science Center.

Carnegie Science Center
January 15
6 – 10 p.m.

Contemporary theatre meets Space Age exploration this Friday night at Carnegie Science Center. Leave the kids with a sitter, or grab an adventurous group of friends, because this happening at the North Shore destination caters exclusively to fun for the 21 and up crowd. For its latest 21+ Night, the Science Center is teaming up City Theatre Company to host an evening of cosmic creativity.

Courtesy of Carnegie Science Center.
Courtesy of Carnegie Science Center.

Attendees will be the first in Pittsburgh to watch sneak peek scenes of an upcoming City Theatre production as it’s performed live under the stars in the Buhl Planetarium. Penned by award-winning contemporary playwright Keith Reddin, Some Brighter Distance chronicles the fascinating true story of Arthur Rudolph, a German rocket scientist who helped America win the space race before being cast out of the country.

Making its theatrical debut at the South Side-based theater on January 23rd, the new play explores Operation Paperclip, a covert initiative established by the Truman Administration after WWII that relocated some 1,500 German scientists to the U.S. to develop weapons and space technology.

Courtesy of City Theatre.
Courtesy of City Theatre.

Follow the preview, party-goers will participate in a Q&A with the play’s cast, crew—and even some actual astronomers—and will be treated to a planetarium show.

Next, channel your inner Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride as you design and launch your own straw-rocket, take a ride on a zero-gravity simulator and build a space shuttle glider. Pop into the Works Theater to watch explosive demonstrations right before your very eyes and then rock(et) out during live performances by Pittsburgh band The Virtuals.

What did earlier generations think space travel would be like in the future? Head over to the Science Stage to find out as you watch vintage films depicting past eras. Be sure to check out the Science Center’s four floors of hands-on exhibits and then fuel up on snacks and cocktails.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Open to ages 21 and up. Attendees will receive a discount on Omnimax movies and laser shows.

Looking for more events? Read our 10 Pittsburgh events not to miss in January feature.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.