By SHARON EBERSON
A sparkling production of Primary Trust, the story of a struggling man finding a supportive community, has come to an end at Pittsburgh Public Theater, which also ushers in the conclusion of its 51st season, and apparently its last.
A merger with Pittsburgh CLO, with naming and details in the planning stages, will take place in January 2027.
On Monday, the Public announced another collaboration, with Alumni Theater Company, where Monteze Freeland, star of Primary Trust, is artistic director. The Homewood-based theater, in its 18th season, will present Once on This Island at the Public’s Downtown home, the O’Reilly Theater, with dates and tickets sales TBA.
“This production is everything The Public stands for,” said Managing Director Shaunda McDill. “It is bold, it is beautiful, and it is powered by the next generation. Watching Alumni Theater Company on our stage is not just a curtain call for the season — it is a vision of what Pittsburgh’s cultural future can look like.”
“I am deeply grateful to bring the artists of Alumni Theater Company to the Pittsburgh Public Theater stage, the same stage where I recently had the honor of performing in Primary Trust,” Freeland said. “To return in this way and support our ensemble members as they tell such a timeless story is incredibly meaningful. As ATC celebrates its 18th season, our coming of age, it is powerful for our members to experience sharing their voices on one of Pittsburgh’s most revered stages. This moment speaks to the spirit of collaboration and community that makes Pittsburgh’s theater ecosystem so vibrant, unique, and transformative.”
Once on This Island boasts as its composer the award-winning Dormont native Stephen Flaherty, with lyricist Lynn Ahrens. The musical’s most recent local production was by Pittsburgh CLO, in 2023.
“One thing is unmistakably clear,” the Public’s announcement said, “The institution’s most important investment is in the people who will carry theater forward. From the youthful voices of Alumni Theater Company gracing the O’Reilly Theater stage to the students who will fill Summer Sessions classrooms this summer, The Public is ending its year with its eyes firmly fixed on the horizon — and its heart anchored in community.”
Also upcoming for the Public, on May 7 at the O’Reilly Theater, is “Turning the Page,” the 50th anniversary book launch and fundraiser. The evening will honor the artists and productions that are the Public’s legacy, and will “feature … a direct appeal to those gathered to invest in the future of Pittsburgh Public Theater’s youth and education programming.” Learn more at PPT.org/Launch.
Alumni Theater next event is Lessons Learned, a collection of one-act plays written and performed by company members and “exploring how to navigate time, truth, and justice in today’s world.”
The lineup, May 1-3, 2026: The Last Day On Earth, by Young Artist Ensemble Member Ka’Miaya Darwin and directed by Dominique Briggs; Bows & Ties by Young Artist Ensemble Member Emory Drain and directed by Hallie Donner; Gone Before Me by Teen Ensemble Member Cayah Leavy and directed by Karla Payne.
Tickets and details: https://www.alumnitheatercompany.org/tickets .
Categories: Arts Education, Arts Funding, Company, Our Posts, Show Previews
Leave a Reply