By SHARON EBERSON
Mark Fleischer will leave as executive producer of Pittsburgh CLO after its 80th summer season in 2026, and take a co-leadership role, with Patrick Cassidy, at Studio Tenn Theatre Company in Franklin, Tennessee.
The announcement comes as Pittsburgh CLO is headed toward partnering in “a new, consolidated producing theater company” with Pittsburgh Public Theater, pending a vote by the boards of directors of both companies.
“I know people will look at the timing, but I have been here 12 years, and I am very proud of what I’ve done here,” Fleischer said, adding he was particularly proud of initiatives coming out of the pandemic shutdown. “Serving Pittsburgh CLO has been one of the great honors of my life, but I think there is a need for new leadership in whatever comes next. Know that I will be here for the shows, for the gala, for the Gene Kelly Awards, and I’m planning to make sure it’s a great 80th celebration year.”
As merger talks were ongoing, initially to include City Theatre, Fleischer “put out feelers” to other organizations, but was surprised that an offer came so quickly, and one he felt he could not refuse.
With the future of Pittsburgh CLO as a partner with the Public unfolds, PCLO has put on hold the search for a full-time administrator to join the executive producer, and will instead name someone to seasonal position soon, Fleischer said.
Fleischer joined Pittsburgh CLO under the leadership of Van Kaplan, who stepped down in September of 2021 after 24 years at the helm.
Kaplan said at the time, “Over the past few years, and particularly in our partnership through the pandemic, it became clear that Mark was the right person to lead CLO into its next phase. With his leadership, we will put on a spectacular Summer Season this July at Heinz Field and a most celebratory Gala for PCLO’s 75th Anniversary.”
Fleischer said he was proud of that show, and other ways PCLO worked to come back from the devastating pandemic shutdown, including a YouTube talk show, broadcasting the annual A Musical Christmas Carol on WQED, and going on, book in hand, for Clay Aiken as Man in Chair during the run of The Drowsy Chaperone.
He had enjoyed getting back to directing recently (Camelot, The Rocky Horror Show), but he characterized the current climate in producing musical theater Downtown as, “Open is the new growth. [It means] we’re still here.”
In addition to rising costs of everything from union contracts to building materials, among the challenges that outsiders might not be aware of, in producing musical theater, is the practice of “warehousing” the rights to new musicals, while touring shows may go on for years.
“My own sense of legacy includes the partnerships we forged, like the Pittsburgh Symphony, and we have one coming up with River CIty Brass Band … our co-productions with City Theatre. Pittsburgh deserves locally produced music theater continues, and to make sure that continues, [the city] needs to cheer it on.”
Fleischer came to Pittsburgh after nine years at the Adirondack Theatre Festival. He previously was a freelance director, based in Chicago, after running the Plano Repertory Theater in Plano, Texas.
In his new role, he will be going back and forth at times to his new theater home, which he described as a relatively new theater in an affluent Tennessee community, without a lot of nearby competition.
“We have intentionally structured the transition to ensure near-term continuity, with Mark remaining actively engaged in his role at CLO through the completion of the summer season,” Pittsburgh CLO Board Chairman Joseph DeVito Jr. said in a letter to subscribers, on Thursday, March 12. “As the CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater work together towards an exciting new chapter for producing theater in Pittsburgh, we are fortunate that Mark will continue to lend his perspectives and institutional knowledge to that work.
“During his tenure at CLO, Mark’s leadership has been steady, innovative, and forward looking. From guiding CLO through the pandemic and returning us to live performance, to strengthening our education programs and forging strong partnerships, both within Pittsburgh and across the theater industry, he has been a transformational force and invaluable in helping to position the organization thoughtfully for its future.”
Fleischer said his role at Studio Tenn will include working with donors and strengthening its education programs.
In moving on from Pittsburgh CLO, Flesicher said, “I’m a builder, not a maintainer. I know that about myself. We did build a lot here.”
In his announcement of Fleischer’s impending departure, DeVito wrote, “In collaboration with CLO’s Board and senior leadership, Mark implemented strategic adjustments in pursuit of greater sustainability while continuing to deliver the musicals and education programs the community expects from Pittsburgh CLO.”
His list of accomplishments include the 2018 SPARK Festival of new small-cast musicals, CLO Academy of Musical Theater initiatives and local and national collaborations, DeVito said.
In 2024, PCLO tried something new to attract audiences back to the theater, spreading out across the Pittsburgh Cultural District with three productions at the Benedum Center (West Side Story, The Color Purple and The Music Man) and two (Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill and Young Frankenstein) at the Greer Cabaret. Other initiatives included “Removing Barriers”: Molly’s Trolleys shuttles from suburban locations and “Show Care” for kids at certain performances.
In September of 2024, Pittsburgh CLO presented “Shirley Jones: A Gala Celebration of Her Life, Career, and Legacy,” at the Byham Theater, to honor the Pittsburgh native and Oscar-winning actress as she turned 90. The fundraiser for PCLO’s education program featured Kelli O’Hara, Jessie Mueller, Sierra Boggess, Norm Lewis, and Adam Pascal, and was hosted by Shirley Jones’ sons — Shaun, Ryan and Patrick Cassidy.
Pittsburgh CLO returned solely to the Benedum Center for the summer of 2025, with a three-show season, with one solo production (Camelot) a co-pro of Disney’s Frozen and the Back to the Future tour. The three-show 2026 summer season opens in June with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, followed by Mean Girls, and the touring company of Suffs.
Fleischer, speaking by phone as he prepared to tell many of his Pittsburgh staff about taking the new position, said, “I have an amazing team here. They are so committed to the organization’s success, and they’re waiting to see what’s next. I am here to make sure that CLO is in the best position financially, artistically, and reputationally. That’s my commitment.”
He said the thrill of starting something new was tempered by the relationships he will be leaving behind. He expressed gratitude for the opportunities afforded him by Van Kaplan and by previous board chair Helen Hanna Casey, and current chair Joseph DeVito Jr.
Without giving much away about next steps, Fleischer said he has, from the start, been “very pro this exploration,” and he is “excited to see what happens,” as Pittsburgh CLO appears poised to enter a new phase, in partnership with the Public.
Since Marya Sea Kaminski left as artistic director at the end of July 2025, the Public has been operating with Kyle Haden in the role of “artistic consultant,” as the company heads into its season finale, Primary Trust, opening March 25. Pittsburgh CLO’s summer season opens June 23.
In his farewell statement, Fleischer said, “The past six years in particular required creative thinking, honest evaluation, and a willingness to adapt, always guided by CLO’s roots and its responsibility to Pittsburgh. My focus now is on delivering an extraordinary 80th Anniversary PNC Summer of Musicals, and helping set the stage for the company’s future.
“Pittsburgh and the CLO will always hold a special place for me, and I look forward to celebrating the 80th Anniversary season with our audiences, artists, and community members who have been part of this journey.”
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