By JESSICA NEU Something Rotten! is tagged as “the funniest musical in at least 400 years.” Given the sustained, uproarious response from the audience at Paragon’s production last night, that tagline might be true. Directed by Deborah Metzger, the 2015 musical is a… Read More ›
Arts and Ideas
Our thoughts on the state of the performing arts in Greater Pittsburgh and nationally.
Merger of CLO & Public Complete, With Name TBA
Announcement of new year-round company includes two productions for first season By SHARON EBERSON The history books will record that Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO made it legal on Friday, July 31, 2026, when they officially merged into a… Read More ›
Mark Fleischer Exits Along With Pittsburgh CLO: ‘It’s Been an Honor to Work Here’
MARK FLEISCHER AND PITTSBURGH CLO EXIT
“It’s been an honor to work here. I take a lot of pride in what we’ve done, and the people I’ve worked with, the staff, the donors, the crew, but I recognize that it’s a time of transition, and a time that’s scary for some. My hope is that the community pulls around and says, ‘We still want this.’ Ask for what you want, and you’ll ask for what you want by buying tickets. And I hope that those people know change is not easy. Someone once said, ‘Change is not a Pittsburgh virtue,’ but we have had change. It’s not Heinz Field anymore.” — Mark Fleischer, leaving Pittsburgh for Studio Tenn Theatre in Tennessee
Must-See Pittsburgh: Call Board for July 30, 2026
With news about Midnight Radio in 2026, Rage of the Stage Players’ 25th anniversary launch, the new work Andy Malone, Poor Yorick’s season finale, and more. 🎭 ICYMI MIDNIGHT RADIO X TWO, ON THE SOUTH SIDE Bricolage Productions has announced… Read More ›
Ode to a Grecian Earn: ‘Hadestown’ Screen Splash Is a Sign for U.S. to Pick Up Pro Shot Pace
‘Hadestown’ Screen Splash Is a Sign for U.S. to Pick Up Pro Shot Pace
Ancient Greek mythology had a big weekend at the movies, and it wasn’t all about “The Odyssey.” A lot has been made about the debut pro shot of “Hadestown: The Musical” beating the box office of the cinematic release of “Hamilton,” which hit movie theaters in 2025, after it first streamed in 2020, as an at-home treat during the pandemic shutdown. More to the point, “Hadestown,” on limited screens, finished in fourth place on its opening weekend, behind the juggernaut that is “The Odyssey,” and family films “Moana” and “Toy Story 5.”
Preview: ‘Book of Mormon’ Star Kim Exum Joins Alumni Theater for ‘Once on This Island’
‘BOOK OF MORMON’ BROADWAY STAR KIM EXUM MAKES PITTSBURGH DEBUT AS THE GODDESS OF LOVE IN ‘ONCE ON THIS ISLAND’
Exum joins her childhood friend Monteze Freeland in the Alumni Theater Company production.
What’s On Stage Pittsburgh: July 27th to the end of August, 2026
Here’s your guide to what’s happening on Pittsburgh area stages this week and through the end of August, from onStage Pittsburgh. Check back frequently as shows are being added regularly. Opening This Week Continuing Their Run Opening Next Week (August… Read More ›
Chantal Joseph Brings ‘Stars @ Riverview’ to Exciting Close
By JAMES LEWIS Chantal Joseph, the acclaimed jazz and soul vocalist, brought the Stars @ Riverview concert series to a thundering close Saturday evening at Riverview Park. Joseph is well-known to Pittsburgh audiences, having twice been named Best R&B Performer by Pittsburgh… Read More ›
New Hazlett Launches ForgeWorks, Names First Artistic Director
FORGING AHEAD: NEW HAZLETT THEATER REBRANDS FOR THE FUTURE
The New Hazlett Theater has appointed Melissa Cardello-Linton as the first Artistic Director in its 20-year history, in conjunction with the unveiling of ForgeWorks, “designed to partner with established producers, cultural institutions, and creative teams developing ambitious new projects.” A year in the planning, the programming of ForgeWorks will be announced in September.
Review: ‘SUFFS’ Marches Into the Benedum with Strength, Fortitude and Conviction
By JESSICA NEU Beginning with a 2022 run at the New York Public Theater, SUFFS, like Six and Hamilton, features fictionalized versions of historical figures. However, instead of Henry VIII’s ex-wives or the Founding Fathers, Suffs takes us to early 1900s America to explore the political drama surrounding… Read More ›
