With news on Billy Hartung and The Center for Theater Arts, Arts Advocacy Day, Quantum Theatre’s ’10 Out of 12′, Riverfront’s ‘[title of show],’ and more.
🎭 IN THE NEWS:
- Mark Fleischer Sets Exit From Pittsburgh CLO After 80th Summer Season
- Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater Unveil New Consolidation Plan; Board Votes to Come
- And For City Theatre’s ‘Next Act,’ An Expanded 2026-2027 Season
🎭 ICYMI from oSP:
- Review: Eva Noblezada Offers Wisdom and Talent Beyond Her Years
- Review: Pain and Endurance in barebones productions’ ‘Infinite Life’
- MCG Jazz Announces Landmark 40th Anniversary Season, ‘Because in Pittsburgh, Jazz is Life’
- Nick Traficante Brings Hometown Pride to the Legendary Musical ‘Chicago’
FROM BROADWAY TO MT. LEBANON, BILLY HARTUNG IS A MENSCH
Billy Hartung‘s rare stage appearances these days are causes for joy, and his work as leader of The Center for Theater Arts in Mt. Lebanon, which sustained him as a theater kid, should be celebrated. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s a social media post about Billy and the center’s March 6 gala fundraiser, from composer, arranger, vocalist and pianist Billy Stritch, who for many years has been the confidant, music director, and accompanist for Liza Minnelli. – Sharon Eberson
“WAY BACK IN 1999, I was the co–musical arranger for a Broadway show called Minnelli on Minnelli. It was Liza’s tribute to her brilliant director father, Vincente Minnelli, and the other arranger was a fellow named Marvin Hamlisch. That’s another story for another time! One of the talented performers in the show was a sweetheart of a guy named Billy Hartung, and we’ve been great friends ever since. Billy has since gone on to head up an extraordinary theater program in Pittsburgh called the Center for Theater Arts. They provide truly wonderful and inspiring opportunities for young people — whether they hope to pursue a career in theater or simply love the camaraderie that comes with being part of a show at that age. It’s really something you have to see for yourself.
“In any case, Jim Caruso and I, along with our talented pal Clint Holmes, were invited to take part in CTA’s big gala on Friday night. I’ll admit that while we did provide some entertainment (including a mini version of Cast Party featuring some terrific local talent), it was really the kids who made the evening so special. The joy and enthusiasm they brought to the stage while performing numbers from “Crazy for You”, “42nd Street” and more was truly awe-inspiring.
“What Dr. Hartung has created in his hometown of Pittsburgh is remarkable, and he’s supported by an incredible staff of teachers, volunteers and donors who help keep it thriving. It was a beautiful reminder of just how important the arts are —especially during those formative years. There’s nothing like finding your “tribe” at that age. It shapes you, teaches you how to work together, how to support one another, and prepares you for adulthood in the most meaningful way.
“We were so glad to be a part of it.“
2026 ARTS ADVOCACY DAY & ROAR CAMPAIGN
Via Patrick Fisher, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, on 2026 Arts Advocacy Day:
On March 24, artists, administrators of arts organizations, educators, and community members from across the Commonwealth will gather in Harrisburg to speak with one voice about why the arts matter in Pennsylvania, and what they need to thrive. This year, advocates across the state are aligned around several shared priorities, including recommitment to the Mission of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, as spelled out in Act 538 of 1965. Among the priorities is: “Increase the state arts grants line item from $9.59 million to $12.9 million to strengthen direct support for artists and arts organizations across Pennsylvania,” and “Restore the $1.7 million redirected from arts grants to economic development programs, ensuring these funds once again support the PCA’s core arts grantmaking.” In addition, grassroots organizers are developing collective responses to the changes at the state arts agency. On March 12, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., MAAP and Casa de Duende will officially launch the ROAR Campaign, which stands for Restoring Opportunities for Artists and Residents. Their goal is to ensure that our communities receive the public investment they deserve. Learn more about ROAR here.
📧 Sign up to receive GPAC newsletters here: https://www.pittsburghartscouncil.org/signup
GO BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF BEHIND-THE-SCENES QUANTUM SHOW
Among the special events for Quantum Theatre’s backstage/onstage immersive play, 10 Out of 12, are two preshow site tours, “Q Behind the Curtain,” of the Mellon Institute Library, April 4 and 5. You can choose that option when you buy tickets here. In 10 Out of 12, Quantum invites patrons to “Step backstage — without leaving your seat.” The title refers to the number of hours Actors’ Equity Association allows for tech rehearsal “capturing the magical chaos of [the day] lights, sound, and costumes collide with nerves (and personalities) in anticipation of opening night.” Director Andrew William Smith and sound designer Steve Shapiro navigate 10 Out of 12’s “jaw-dropping complexity so you can enjoy the ride in the dazzlingly gorgeous Art Deco gem of an auditorium, cozily nestled below ground level in the Mellon Institute on Fifth Avenue.”
🎟️ TICKETS AND DETAILS: https://www.quantumtheatre.com/10-12/
RIVERFRONT THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS [title of show]
Riverfront Theater Company has announced its upcoming production of the Tony-nominated musical [title of show], running from March 20 through March 28, 2026. In a special departure from its usual home in Aspinwall, RTC will bring this “musical about making a musical” to the Pittsburgh Cultural District at The Peirce Theater.
Written by Hunter Bell, with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen, [title of show], follows two struggling writers who decide to enter a new musical theater festival. With the deadline looming, they realize that their best subject matter is right in front of them: the story of their own friendship and the process of creating art from scratch. “[title of show] is an every-man journey for people in this industry,” says Caitlin Dobronz, director and RTC artistic director. “I’ve felt intimately connected with this soundtrack and story since I was in high school, and have often come back to its lessons, cautions and moments of pure, unfiltered laughter throughout my career. It’s a mystifying honor to watch every collaborator on this project find themselves in ways both new and familiar. I can only be so lucky that those watching come with us on a ‘way back to then.'”
🎟️ TICKETS AND DETAILS: Performances are March 20, 21, 26 – 28, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on March 22 at 2 p.m. Tickets: www.riverfronttheaterco.org
SENORY-FRIENDLY ARTFULLY UPLIFTING AT PITTSBURGH PLAYHOUSE
ARTfully UPlifting, a sensory-friendly performance co-directed by Danny Herman and Rocker Verastique, is a concert experience filled with music and movement in a relaxed theater environment, designed for all ages and abilities. At the Pittsburgh Playhouse’s PNC Theatre, 2 p.m. March 22, 2026. https://playhouse.culturaldistrict.org/production/101819
🎟️ Reminder: The discount ticket initiative Go See a Show! is ongoing, with 18 performing arts companies and Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama participating. Find tickets at https://www.goseeashowpgh.com/ and read all about via onStage Pittsburgh.
👉 Don’t forget—you can always explore the next two months of performances, organized by date or company, anytime at onStage Pittsburgh.
👉Did we miss your show? Send us your updates at info@onstagepittsburgh.com so we can share them in a future Call Board.
Categories: Arts and Ideas
Leave a Reply Cancel reply