In the heart of downtown Pittsburgh at the Benedum Center, audience members settled into their seats and found themselves swaying to the soulful and funky gospel and rock beats of the 1970s. Amidst the musical enchantment, emotions ran high laughter, gasps of amazement and even tears flowed freely as the performance of “The Wiz”.
Downtown Pittsburgh is a neighborhood of contrasts. Since the start of the pandemic, Western Pennsylvania’s busiest business district has seen tens of thousands of workers disappear as many companies have shifted to remote work, but it has gained thousands of residents. Violent crime arrests Downtown are dropping, but shootings and