Our thoughts on the state of the performing arts in Greater Pittsburgh and nationally.
“RENT,” the smash hit rock musical that launched Sewickley native PETER MATTHEW SMITH to Broadway, brings him home later this month, to direct the show for the second time in his hometown. When BDE Productions’ Michael Greer and Vince Tresco (directed by Smith for PMT in 2010) asked him to direct “Rent” in its 30th anniversary year, Smith’s answer was a resounding, “Yes!”
Call Board for the first week in September 2026 includes news about the New Hazlett Theater’s 20th anniversary celebration, Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin $1.375 million gift to help Pittsburgh Festival Opera train the next generation; and the 16th annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.
Spring Awakening and the RTC ‘s 2027 season move to the Peirce Theater in the Cultural District. By JESSICA NEU Founded in 1965, the Riverfront Theater Company has become a staple in the Pittsburgh community theater environment. As many of Pittsburgh’s community… Read More ›
This story has been updated to include Pittsburgh’s Confluence Ballet Company. By SHARON EBERSON The new name is here — Confluence Theater of Pittsburgh — and with it, the hope for a fresh start and the creation of a sustainable,… Read More ›
By JESSICA NEU From the iconic opening lines of “Circle of Life” to the timeless story of Simba’s triumphant ascent to the leader of Pride Rock, Disney’s The Lion King has embedded its way into history since it originally premiered as an animated… Read More ›
By SHARON EBERSON a.k. payne sets the stage for their new play with a voiceover about the 2019 study that revealed Black women in Pittsburgh experience poverty at rates higher than in 85% of similar U.S. cities. Then they list… Read More ›
Here’s your guide to what’s happening on Pittsburgh area stages this week and through the end of October, from onStage Pittsburgh. Check back frequently as shows are being added regularly. Opening This Week Continuing Their Run Opening Next Week (September… Read More ›
Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks rings in fall 2026 by reimagining The Merry Wives of Windsor “as a joyful, flamboyant celebration of pride set against the vibrant gay club culture of the 1980s.” Directed by Catherine Aceto and opening September… Read More ›
onSTAGE PITTSBURGH CALL BOARD as summer 2026 comes to a close: With news about Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s fall 2026 schedule; Prime Stage rethinking program model at 30; and a welcome summer trend: sold out shows.
Kiesha Lalama’s vision as the head of Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park University is building for the future by staying relevant in the present, reviving cherished parts from the past, and launching the students of Point Park’s Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA) onto the global stage.
