Porter to headline benefit concert; Chbosky may direct film

Pittsburgh’s own Billy Porter, of TV’s “Pose” and “American Horror Story” and the Tony-winning star of “Kinky Boots,” will headline the Roots of Steel benefit concert for the congregations affected by the Tree of Life synagogue shootings.

The Dec. 27 concert at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland starts with a silent auction at 6 p.m. and the music begins at 7, with Mr. Porter joined by Joe Grushecky, Chris Jamison (“The Voice”), Erik Cavanaugh (“America’s Got Talent”) and more than a dozen musical theater actors, including Lenora Nemetz, Billy Hartung and Leigh Ann Larkin.

Members of the Tree of Life, Dor Hadash and New Light congregations were in the Squirrel Hill synagogue Oct. 27 when a gunman killed 11 people.

For concert tickets ($18$154) and a list of performers, visit rootsofsteel.org.

Stephen Chbosky reportedly is in talks to direct the screen adaptation of “Dear Evan Hansen,” the Tony Award-winning musical that should be right in the wheelhouse of the Upper St. Clair native.

Mr. Chbosky is the writerdirector of the filmed-inPittsburgh “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” which, like “Dear Evan Hansen,” deals with teenage angst and suicide. Mr. Chbosky most recently directed the box-office hit “Wonder,” about a fifth-grader with facial differences attending public school.

Mr. Chbosky’s involvement in the “Dear Evan Hansen” film was reported Thursday by The Hollywood Reporter. The Broadway show’s six Tonys include best musical, and the national tour is scheduled for the Broadway in Pittsburgh series May 21-26.