Season Previews and Interviews.
COMMENTARY by SHARON EBERSON Another day, another bloodbath for arts criticism. The Washington Post on Wednesday wiped out 30% of its workforce, including chief theater critic Naveen Kumar, who in 2024 had replaced longtime critic Peter Marks. Leave it to… Read More ›
To herald its evolving developmental mission, the New Hazlett on Wednesday announced “a pivotal expansion of its commitment to the creative community, leading with a unified approach to growth and the already-active Resident Company Model (RCM),” including new co-presenting partnership with The Becoming Arts Collective, that demonstrates the theater’s immediate impact through a partner-focused approach.”
The exploration of a three-way consolidation process of Pittsburgh’s three largest producing theater companies is down to two. A letter by the leadership of the three theaters said, “After more than a year of careful exploration — grounded in data and informed by national best practices and input from all stakeholder groups … City Theatre chose to remain as an independent organization.” However, there remains “significant enthusiasm” among the respective board chairs of Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater “about the possibility of a two-way merger.”
Wicked’s popularity was not a foregone conclusion when it powered onto Broadway in 2003. The New York Times critic Ben Brantley came right out and wrote that only Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda deserved praise. “Wicked does not, alas, speak hopefully for the future of the Broadway musical. Ms. Chenoweth, on the other hand, definitely does,” he concluded. Critics. What do they know?
By GEORGE HOOVER Pittsburgh Opera has named William Powers as its next General Director, marking a homecoming for an arts administrator with deep roots in both the company and the city. Powers will assume the role on July 1, 2026,… Read More ›
Wirick is celebrating his 16th year on the Wicked national tour! By JESSICA NEU Flying into the Benedum Center for the first time since 2018, the mega-musical Wicked is prepared to ‘defy gravity’ from January 14th to February 15th. But before Glinda… Read More ›
onStage Pittsburgh presents the top 15 local theater stories that captured readers’ imaginations in 2025. Festivals and activities roundups were big draws, along with exits and entrances, legacy prospects, and bold, new experiences. A few late-in-the-year stories continue to have… Read More ›
In the year that was, the future of three companies takes center stage, Saige Smith hits a series of high notes, “The Shark Is Broken” goes swimmingly for barebones, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company delivers August Wilson triple play, Karla Boos announces Quantum exit, Arts Landing is readied for its closeup, and much, much more.
An effervescent brew of curiosity and creativity personified, Karla Boos is a risk-taker in the risky business of theater. For 35 years, the founder and artistic director of Quantum Theatre has been a driving force of originality for the region’s arts scene. Boos will be relinquishing her role at the end of 2026, after arriving in 1990 with Pedro Paramo, an anticipated one-off project, based on the short novel by Mexican author Juan Rulfo.
Oh, the places she would go, and take adventurous theaters along for the ride.
Reaching back and passing the torch was a running theme of Front Porch Theatricals 2026 season announced on Monday, where it was revealed that Working and Come From Away will be their summer shows. For the occasion of the annual fundraising cabaret and season reveal, a songfest of local talent onstage and in the audience, the incomparable Lenora Nemetz, a Pittsburgher and a member of the original Broadway cast of “Working” in 1978, told a funny story about how she got the role, then provided a heartfelt introduction for Marnie Quick, who sang the show’s waitress song, It’s an Art.
