As ‘Beautiful’ Opens the 80th Summer Season, A Look Back on the Release of ‘Tapestry’ and PCLO’s Arrival Downtown
As Pittsburgh CLO opens its 80th and final summer season with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, let’s take a look back to1971, a key year in both the history of the company, and one the most successful American songwriters, female or otherwise, of the mid-to-late 20th century.
Beautiful, at the Benedum Center June 23-28, 2026, covers starts in 1958, when 16-year-old New Yorker and pop music composer Carole Klein arrived at Aldon Studios (across the street from the Brill Building), and began a prolific partnership with lyricist Gerry Goffin. Their stormy relationship led to a string of hits throughout the 1960s. The musical culminates in 1971, when she found her voice as a solo performer, with the release of the seminal multiplatinum album Tapestry, and she famously made her debut at Carnegie Hall in June of that year.
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the 1971 World Series, with Robert Clemente as the MVP, and in November of that same year, Pittsburgh CLO made a dramatic comeback from near ruin.
The Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, which had its start at Pitt Stadium in 1946, had performed for 11 years in a seemingly modern marvel built with the organization’s summer seasons in mind: The Civic Arena. However, the retractable roof, opening to wind that swept through the circular venue, and sound unsuitable for musical theater were among the reasons that the CLO was forced to flee.
For two years, Pittsburgh CLO was dormant.
That’s almost enough for show for a season of Ed Sullivan, but there was more.
— George Anderson
Then, in 1971, the company performed a single show, but it was a doozy. Pittsburgh CLO moved Downtown, to a renovated Heinz Hall, and presented the gala revue Broadway Tonight. The performers included a who’s who of musical theater: Ethel Merman, Gwen Verdon, Joel Grey, Alfred Drake, Peter Gennaro, Jan Clayton, Brock Peters, Viviane Blaine, and Sally Ann Howes.
Conceived by Pittsburgh’s Don Brockett, with Jack Purcell as music director and conductor, the ensemble for the night included local favorites such as Joe Negri, Lenora Nemetz, and Barbara Russell. (Find a full roster here).
For those of us privileged to attend the Pittsburgh CLO 80 Anniversary Gala on June 12, 2026, at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, the all-local cast and musicians, including honoree Stephen Flaherty, may have had a similar vibe.
Back to the past, that night 55 years ago signaled that Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera was back. The company became a fixture in the Cultural District, later programming its summer season and other shows for venues under the auspices of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, which came along in 1984.
It seems fitting to take a look back, Pittsburgh CLO prepares to dissolve into a partnership with Pittsburgh Public Theater, while Beautiful looks back on an unprecedented career and the pop music explosion of the 1960s.
The King-Goffin hit collaborations include “Up on the Roof,” “One Fine Day, “Chains,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” King’s solo songs include “You’ve Got a Friend,” “It’s Too Late,” and “Beautiful.”
The large Pittsburgh CLO cast, directed by Dan Knechtges, with music direction by Catie Brown, includes a teen ensemble from the CLO Academy.
Kyra Kennedy, who played Carole King in Beautiful the Carole King Musical at the Paper Mill Playhouse, reprises the role for Pittsburgh CLO. She was previously seen in Steel Magnolias for Pittsburgh Public Theater. As Gerry Goffin, Dylan S. Wallach is a Carnegie Mellon graduate who appeared in the Beautiful National Tour.
CMU alum Lee Harrington (Cynthia Weil) joins Pittsburgh-based artists including J. Alex Noble as Don Kirscher and Christine Laitta as Genie Klein. Performers making their professional debuts include rising CMU sophomore Marina Brazendale (Marilyn), Samantha Allison Nelson (“Uptown” singer; Shirelle), in her third PCLO production.
“There’s no better way to begin our 2026 PNC Summer of Musicals than with the uplifting story and unforgettable music of Beautiful,” said Mark Fleischer, Pittsburgh CLO Executive Producer. “This production showcases the extraordinary depth of talent that defines Pittsburgh CLO, with Academy students, emerging professionals, accomplished local artists, and Broadway veterans sharing the stage together. Created right here in Pittsburgh for our community, Beautiful celebrates the power of music, mentorship, and storytelling to bring people together.”
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is at the Benedum Center, Downtown, June 23-28, 2026. Tickets and “More Than A Show” events: https://www.pittsburghclo.org/shows/beautiful-the-carole-king-musical1
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Feature Stories, Our Posts, Show Previews
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