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,”
Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO have announced a “Prologue Season” of curated programming for the remainder of 2026, as they prepare to merge into one organization in January of 2027.
In a press release on Friday, May, 8, 2026, it was also announced that the O’Reilly Theater, home of Pittsburgh Public Theater since 1999, will undergo “significant renovations this fall.”
The lineup also includes the return of the Pittsburgh CLO holiday standard, “A Musical Christmas Carol,” at the Byham Theater, and “Who’s Holiday!” at the Greer Cabaret Theater.
The Impulse Festival, new this spring from Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for New Work, includes among its in-development offerings a musical collaboration with Pittsburgh CLO, and a new TJ Young play, with Pittsburgh Public Theater. In partnership with City Theatre, the festival also boasts a “local artist-focused” New Work Slam, with “scenes, songs, and monologues from some of Pittsburgh’s up and coming playwrights.” The Impulse Festival runs April 30-May 3, 2026 at various Pittsburgh Cultural Trust venues.
Pittsburgh Public Theater, following the finale of its 51st season, has announced that Homewood-based Alumni Theater Company will present “Once on This Island” at the Public’s Downtown home, the O’Reilly Theater, with dates and tickets sales TBA. “This production is everything The Public stands for,” said Managing Director Shaunda McDill.
Pittsburgh Public Theater’s heartwarming production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Primary Trust” illustrates how far simple acts of kindness and empathy can go in uplifting spirits, and perhaps, changing lives forever, for the better. A quartet of Pittsburgh’s most accomplished performers — Monteze Freeland, Malic Maat, Bria Walker-Rhoze and Sam Turich, the latter two in multiple roles — are so darn likable and engaging in their roles, the play feels like a warm embrace of hope for all of its 90 minutes.
“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.
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 PUBLIC THEATER’S SHAUNDA McDILL talks moving forward into an uncertain future. “What I know is, we’re ready, and that is my job, is to make sure that our team is ready with a full season, and a balanced budget … In that way, our staff and our team, we have done our job and done it well. And I’m very excited about what we could share, and what might be possible.”
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
