By JESSICA NEU We first heard the opening lyrics to “The Circle of Life” in 1994. Immediately immortalized in the cultural zeitgeist, the a cappella opening chant, sung in Zulu, became a battle cry recognizable around the world. Three years… 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 MINGSI MA Since the musical’s premiere in 1997, Disney’s The Lion King has staged more than 11,000 performances. This poses an interesting challenge: After years of touring, the performers know the lines, songs, and dances by heart. The muscle memory is… Read More ›
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 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
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 ›
A CHAT WITH “SUFFS” TONY-NOMINATED DIRECTOR LEIGH SILVERMAN
The graduate of Carnegie Mellon’s BFA Directing and MFA Playwriting programs, and an intern for Pittsburgh CLO in 1994 — “We did The Music Man with Gary Sandy, and just a variety of really amazing musicals that we mounted in seven days,” she recalled — is known for the dozens of new works she has directed on and off Broadway.
Six things to know about the “Suffs” National Tour, presented by Pittsburgh CLO as the Benedum Center July 21-26, 2026.
“Mean Girls” Marks the Beginning of the End after 80 years of Pittsburgh CLO Summer Seasons
AN INSIDE VIEW TO THE FUTURE OF PITTSBURGH PUBLIC THEATER AND PITTSBURGH CLO
When their marriage becomes legal sometime this summer, only then will the new name and details of the Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO unification be fully revealed. Until that time, they are in the engagement period of a process that will culminate in the region’s two largest professional theater companies merging into one.
