Regina Carter's Reverse Thread Presented by: Manchester Craftsmen's Guild A Jazz Collaboration with August Wilson Center for African American Culture. Reverse Thread consists of music from the African Diaspora including music from Mali and Senegal.  The program also includes traditional pieces from Uganda and a piece by Ayub Ogada (from the movie 'The Constant Gardener'). Date: 12/12/2009 Location: August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA website | map Duke Ellington's Beggar's Holiday Presented by: Manchester Craftsmen's Guild A Jazz Collaboration with the Opera Theater of Pittsburgh.  A landmark revival of Duke Ellington’s retelling of the Beggar’s Opera features musical arrangements by Pittsburgh’s own Billy Strayhorn and text by Dale Wasserman and John Latouche.  Broadway’s first racially-integrated musical, set in America, tells the story of the lovable rogue MacHeath who escapes the gallows and carries off his true love, Polly Peachum. Date: 12/18/2009 -          12/20/2009 1815 Metropolitan St. Pittsburgh, PA website | map