UPDATED with statement from Krystia Kubiak.
By SHARON EBERSON
Staff members of Pittsburgh Public Theater were laid off effective immediately, as of Tuesday, May 19, 2026, a sad day for local theater that was first reported by WTAE-TV and verified by an onStage Pittsburgh source.
The 51-year-old Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO, which turns 80 this summer, are merging in January 2027, due to the financial tailspin facing Pittsburgh’s largest professional theater companies.
Since 1999, The Public has been the resident company of the O’Reilly Theater, while Pittsburgh CLO has produced its summer seasons mostly at the Benedum Center since 1988, as well as creating shows for the Greer Cabaret Theater and Byham Theater, all venues of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.
The WTAE report by Sheldon Ingram, who recently left the station to concentrate on acting fulltime, stated that a termination letter was sent to all members of the staff by Board Chairperson Krystia Kubiak. The report included a photo of the letter that was shared with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. It stated:
“With the Pittsburgh Public Theater facing ongoing financial constraints and foregoing a traditional fall season as it prepares to create an entirely new, unified organization with Pittsburgh CLO, it is with sincere regret that we inform you that your position has been eliminated. Your final day of employment with the Public will be today, May 19, 2026.”
UPDATE: Krysia Kubiak later issued a statement that repeated some of the letter to the Public’s staff:
“With the Pittsburgh Public Theater facing ongoing financial constraints and foregoing a traditional fall season as it prepares to become part of an entirely new, unified organization with Pittsburgh CLO, it is unfortunately not possible for the Public to sustain normal staffing levels. As a result, we have had to say goodbye to some cherished colleagues whose talents and contributions have been invaluable.
“The new entity is expected to create additional staff positions over the next few months, and we hope to have the benefit of their talents in the future as we work toward the next bold chapter for extraordinary theater in Pittsburgh.”
Staff members of the Public have been administering the Dollar Bank Lobby Series, and the website still includes the Summer Sessions for ages 6-17 and adult classes for ages 18+. There was no word if those programs would continue.
There have been previous layoffs at the Public, whose 51st season ended on April 12, 2026, with the final performances of Primary Trust at the O’Reilly. The website staff listing currently shows more than 40 personnel, including Managing Director Shaunda McDill, and Lindsay Barr, Manager of Executive & Artistic Operations, along with technicians, educators, outreach, artists and more.
Pittsburgh CLO will hold the annual Gene Kelly Awards ceremony honoring high school musical theater excellence on Saturday, May 23, 2026, and its summer season opens with Beautiful, the Carole King Musical, on June 23.
When the merger was announced, it was said that there was “an initial funding commitment to support the first part of this next phase, and an interim board including Kubiak was named. The board includes: Joseph V. DiVito Jr.; Lesley Evancho; Edward Karlovich; Christine Kobus; Richard Lipovich; Thomas McGough; Jessica Priselac; Peter Robinson; Bal Srinivasan; LaShawnda Thomas; and TJ Young.
Dr. Brett Ashley Crawford, a teaching professor of Arts Management at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, and the faculty chair of the Masters of Arts & Entertainment Management programs, is leading the transition team.
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