Our thoughts on the state of the performing arts in Greater Pittsburgh and nationally.
By MINGSI MA Coconut Cake, staged by New Horizon Theater and part of the Public Presents series, is a delightful treat. Written by Chicago-based African American playwright Melda Beaty, it takes place in a setting that does not serve coconut cake despite its delicious title: a McDonald’s on… Read More ›
A CONVERSATION WITH “RAGTIME” COMPOSER AND DORMONT NATIVE STEPHEN FLAHERTY
Coming home to accept the Richard Rodgers Award is “a big, beautiful arc,” Stephen Flaherty was saying just the other day. Catching up with Flaherty was no easy task – he and his songwriting partner, lyricist Lynn Ahrens, have been on a seemingly endless red-carpet ride with the acclaimed revival of “Ragtime” ahead of the 2026 Tony Awards on June 7. Flaherty will then head home to the Pittsburgh CLO Gala on June 12, when he will become receive the award that has been bestowed on an impressive list of luminaries, starting with Mary Martin in 1988.
By Guilherme Meletti Yazbek Before the curtain rises, The Great Gatsby – A New Musical already begins to build its world. The sound of waves and distant seagulls drifts through the Benedum Center while the audience settles into their seats. Framed by the illuminated… Read More ›
By MINGSI MA South Park Theatre stages the second play of its 2026 season, Talley’s Folly, directed by Melissa Hill Grande. Playwright Lanford Wilson’s Talley’s Folly is a romantic comedy that one would not mistake for any other genre from the outset. The story follows… Read More ›
I have seen the fallout from mismanaging expectations and a lack of transparency when jobs are lost, and the rift it can create between people practicing their calling and those entrusted with their livelihoods. The team transitioning Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO into a single entity, as well as those performing a “strategic review” of Point Park University’s Pittsburgh Playhouse, chose to fire a whole bunch of people (three at the Playhouse) within a few days of each other, without providing any public-facing explanation.
Did they think no one would notice?
Here’s my plea: Le’s do better.
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 (June… Read More ›
By JESSICA NEU Onn Wednesday, students, teachers, families, and friends eagerly gathered at the Benedum Center for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Student Share Celebration of Disney Musicals in Schools. Each student, audience member, school staff member, and performer was full of… Read More ›
A Dark Day for Pittsburgh Professional Theater: All Staff Members of Pittsburgh Public Theater Receive Same-Day Layoff Notices
All 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.
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 Promotions Will Take Effect for the 2026-2027 Season Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) has announced the promotion of three PBT company artists. The artists were all promoted live onstage after the evening performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Saturday,… Read More ›
