By SHARON EBERSON

An event titled Pittsburgh Community Theater Showcase seemed like a good time to check out the Dollar Bank Lobby Series at the O’Reilly Theater. The three-day showcase illustrates the possibilities of the series, announced by Pittsburgh Public Theater in February as “intimate performances and community‑centered events designed to bring fresh artistic voices into the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh,”

The O’Reilly’s circular lobby was lined on the street side with representatives of 14 theaters, equipped with flyers and information, the preshow was something akin to speed dating, followed by live show tunes and play scenes.

The idea was submitted through an open call by Caitlin Young, a marketing and communications specialist for the University of Pittsburgh.

Young also organized the event, and said she was grateful that the 14 participating community theaters from Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, and Westmoreland counties were able to send representatives and/or performers for the event that finishes up on Wednesday, May 19. 

Among her contributions to showcasing community theaters in the region is an interactive popup map, available here.

Participating theaters for the Lobby Series event, with its finale from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, 2026, are: 

Alumni Theater Company (Homewood), Bobcat Players Community Theater (Beaver), Gemini Children’s Theater Company (McKees Rocks), Greensburg Civic Theatre, Heritage Players (Brookline), Iron Horse Theatre Company (Ambridge), Little Lake Theatre (Canonsburg), Old Schoolhouse Players (Hickory), Pittsburgh Savoyards (Carnegie/Bellevue), R-ACT Theatre Productions (Rochester), Riverfront Theater Company (Aspinwall), South Park Theatre, Stage 62 (Carnegie), and The Theatre Factory (Trafford; moving to New Kensington).

Young pointed out that the longest-running of the companies is Pittsburgh Savoyards, in its 89th year. Next up is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and the Web of Deceit, July 10-25 2026, at Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center in Bellevue. At the Showcase on Tuesday, Logan Newman sang selections from the spring 2027 show, Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.

The Greensburg Civic Theatre, nearly 50 miles from the home in visiting the O’Reilly, celebrates 75 years next season, which includes Come From Away and Dear Evan Hansen. The Bobcat Players are in their 25th year, and brought a scene from their production of William Inge’s Picnic, upcoming June 19-20, 25-27, 2026.

Several of the theaters have upcoming performances within the city limits: 

• Alumni Theater Company will make its Pittsburgh Cultural Trust debut with Once on This Island at the O’Reilly Theater, July 31-August 2, 2026
• Stage 62 returns to the neighboring Greer Cabaret, July 16-26, 2026, with Company. 
• In September, Iron Horse Theatre Company will make the trek from Ambridge to bring London Cain’s original play, Trapped, to the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty. 
• Not too far afield from Downtown, Little Lake Theater’s November run of The Wolves includes an outdoor performance at Highmark Stadium, in partnership with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds & Riveters.

Follow what is happening at the Dollar Bank Lobby Series at https://ppt.org/event/30826-2025/dollar-bank-lobby-series.

Categories: Arts and Ideas, Feature Stories, Our Posts

Tags: Allegheny County, Alumni Theater, Bobcat Players, Community Theaters, Dollar Bank, Gemini Children's Theater, Greensburg, Heritage Players, Iron Horse Theatre Company, Little Lake Theatre, Lobby Series, Map, O'Reilly Theater, Old Schoolhouse Players, Pittsburgh Public Theater, R-ACT, Riverfront Theater, Showcase, Theatre Factory