Season Previews and Interviews.
At age 23, costume designer, wardrobe supervisor and entrepreneur Dylan A. Blussick’s resume reads like an accomplished retiree’s. The well-traveled Washington County native boasts extensive National Tour experience that will soon include the Tony Award-winning “The Outsiders.” But just now, he is at Little Lake Theater, proving the Ozian adage that there’s no place like home.
“Water For Elephants: The Musical,” coming to the Benedum Center March 31-April 5, is purposefully, unapologetically theatrical. The show that takes its inspiration from the 2006 novel by Sara Gruen, comes alive with circus performers and life-sized puppets, including the elephant Rosie, a horse named Silver Star, and a dog named Queenie.
“I’m focused on making great art,” says director Kyle Haden, as he, lead Monteze Freeland, and the rest of the cast and crew of Pulitzer-winning “PRIMARY TRUST” prepare the 51st season finale for Pittsburgh Public Theater.
In Quantum Theatre’s “10 Out of 12,” the audience is privy to what goes on onstage, behind the scenes and in the booth during the technical rehearsal for the play with the play.
PITTSBURGH CLO & PITTSBURGH PUBLIC THEATER ENTER INTO A COMBINED NEW MODEL
The first full season will debut in January of next year, with the programming lineup expected to be announced by early fall.
PITTSBURGH POWER OUTAGE ZAPS OPENING NIGHT OF CITY THEATRE’S “EUREKA DAY”
First there was light, and there was none. And then there was light again. And then none. And then it was light again. By that time, unfortunately, City Theatre had zapped enough electric power that it was impossible for the opening night of “Eureka Day “to go on. Managing Director James McNeel and Artistic Director Clare Drobot announced to the crowded lobby that a show would be added Tuesday, and ticket-holders would receive emails about that and other options.
Mark Fleischer will leave as executive producer of Pittsburgh CLO after its 80th summer season in 2026, and take a co-leadership role, with Patrick Cassidy, at Studio Teen Theatre Company in Franklin, Tennessee.
The board chairs of Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater have shared with subscribers a proposed plan for the creation of “a new, consolidated producing theater company, designed to anchor a broader destination theater experience in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District.” In a letter (see below) to “Dear Community,” sent on Monday, March 9, 2026, the exploration of shared resources may culminate in “not a merger, but the launch of something entirely new and exciting, built for Pittsburghers, by Pittsburghers.” Both boards are set to vote on the plan later this month
Pittsburgh Public Theater’s 32nd annual Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest had participants from grads 4-12 chanting, “Shakespeare! Shakespeare!,” as if the competition had been a sporting event. In naming the winners, It was much ado about a whole lot of love of language and performance, training and outcome, and good sportsmanship all around, at the O’Reilly Theater on Monday night.
Pittsburgh Public Theater’s 32nd annual Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest will crown winners in two divisions at 7 p.m., Monday, February 23, 2026, at the O’Reilly Theater. On Thursday, February 27, the Public kicks off its new Lobby Series, a community-driven initiative billed as “your chance to help transform the O’Reilly Theater lobby into a lively third place for connection and creativity.”
