By SHARON EBERSON
Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO have announced a “Prologue Season” of curated programming for the remainder of 2026, as they prepare to merge into one organization in January of 2027.
In a press release on Friday, May, 8, 2026, it was also announced that the O’Reilly Theater, home of Pittsburgh Public Theater since 1999, will undergo “significant renovations this fall.”
The lineup also includes the return of the Pittsburgh CLO holiday standard, A Musical Christmas Carol, at the Byham Theater, and Who’s Holiday! at the Greer Cabaret Theater. Pittsburgh Public Theater’s A Christmas Story: The Play, which had become a holiday staple since debuting in 2022, will not be presented in 2026, as the organizations consider how to proceed, without competing legacy shows, under a single, rebranded title.
for the 2026 holiday season. Image: kgtunney)
“The collective CLO and PPT teams have come together to present an engaging calendar of shows and events,” the statement said. “Following the PNC Summer of Musicals, celebrating Pittsburgh CLO’s 80th Anniversary season – which continues as planned at the Benedum Center, June 23 through July 26 – this special lineup includes new opportunities designed to bring CLO and PPT audiences together.”
Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO are “in the process of coming together to form a unified organization — one designed to build the next 100 years of theater in Pittsburgh through a multigenerational, inclusive company made by and for the region’s artists and audiences,” the statement said. “The Prologue Season reflects the organizations’ shared commitment to playing a key role in the revitalization of Downtown Pittsburgh, currently taking shape and leading the way on a national level to proactively address challenges facing producing theaters across the country.”
The 51-year-old Public and Pittsburgh CLO are in the process of developing their inaugural 2027 season, with full programming information and ticket sales expected in July 2026, the statement said.
“Pittsburgh has never had an organization quite like what we are building,” said Dr. Brett Ashley Crawford, Teaching Professor and Faculty Chair of Carnegie Mellon University’s Master of Arts in Entertainment Management Program, who has been tapped to lead the transition on an accelerated time frame. “Two institutions with distinct and complementary strengths, coming together to reach more audiences, support more artists and produce more of the work this city deserves. Our Prologue Season is the first real glimpse of what that looks like.”
2026 PROLOGUE SEASON LINEUP
The following lineup has been presented as fall/winter programming highlights. Descriptions are via the joint Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO statement released on May 8:
September–October, 2026: SCRIPT TEASE (O’Reilly Rehearsal Hall): Two intimate, invite-only evenings for CLO and PPT subscribers and donors, featuring vocal performances and readings from works under consideration for the 2027 season.
November 11–25, 2026: HOW SHAKESPEARE SAVED MY LIFE (O’Reilly Theater): An autobiographical tour-de-force written and produced by the award-winning Pittsburgh native Jacob Ming-Trent. Presented as a co-production with Berkeley Rep, Folger Shakespeare Theatre and Red Bull Theater.
November 25–December 20, WHO’S HOLIDAY! (The Greer Cabaret Theater): A raunchy one-woman comedy reimagining Cindy Lou Who as a brassy, now-grown woman reflecting on her life after the Grinch incident.
December 11–23, A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL (Byham Theater): A festive musical that brings Dickens’ classic to life in a family-friendly holiday tradition filled with yuletide songs, spectacle and seasonal charm.
December 2026, STUDENT HOLIDAY PROGRAM (O’Reilly Rehearsal Hall): A celebration of holiday season carols and music, featuring students from CLO’s education programs and Mini Stars.
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