“These three, it’s like a powder keg going off.” — Patrick Jordan
Starring David Whalen, Simon Bradbury and Christine Weber, a and directed by Patrick Jordan, the dark comedy “ULSTER AMERICAN” is at barebones productions’ Braddock Black Box Theater October 9-25, 2026. A collision of Hollywood, theater and The Troubles, “It’s provocative, profane, unapologetically abrasive, and very, very funny.”
onStage Pittsburgh catches up with Joseph Hall, Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s co-Executive Director, as the Fall season at the East Liberty theater gets under way tonight with “AURA,” by Freshworks artist Mal MacKenzie.
“KST has always supported new performance that is in conversation with the present moment, even when the present moment is challenging, and that’s exactly what Mal is doing.”
Systemic racism, injustice, and rebuilding lives explored in plays by Pittsburgh natives Adrienne Kennedy and Leon Ford By SHARON EBERSON I had the recent experience of bearing witness to two one-act works about the tragic consequences of driving while Black… Read More ›
Kiesha Lalama’s vision as the head of Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park University is building for the future by staying relevant in the present, reviving cherished parts from the past, and launching the students of Point Park’s Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA) onto the global stage.
Michael McKelvey’s return to Pittsburgh includes producing and directing musicals with Pittsburgh theater artists, starting with “Assassins,” the Sondheim-Weidman show with Carnegie Mellon roots.
‘Hadestown’ Screen Splash Is a Sign for U.S. to Pick Up Pro Shot Pace
Ancient Greek mythology had a big weekend at the movies, and it wasn’t all about “The Odyssey.” A lot has been made about the debut pro shot of “Hadestown: The Musical” beating the box office of the cinematic release of “Hamilton,” which hit movie theaters in 2025, after it first streamed in 2020, as an at-home treat during the pandemic shutdown. More to the point, “Hadestown,” on limited screens, finished in fourth place on its opening weekend, behind the juggernaut that is “The Odyssey,” and family films “Moana” and “Toy Story 5.”
The cast of “Our Dear Dead Drug Lord,” the “ferocious, darkly funny” coming-of-age play opening this weekend at barebones productions, answer questions about their first professional production, women working with women in theater, and more. The Alexis Scheer drama at the Braddock Black Box theater, June 12-June 28, 2026 is set in a treehouse, where a quartet of teens tries to summon the ghost of Pablo Escobar.
Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park University has revealed key plans for the 2026-2027 season, including workshopping and premiering a new musical, and the return of legacy companies Playhouse REP and Playhouse Jr., that were stalwarts of the Pittsburgh theater scene when the venue was located in Oakland.
Chronic pain has invaded the bodies of every character in “Infinite Life,” a constant companion as they lounge in the sun, ruminating on their paths to a fasting clinic, sipping water, hungering for peace, conjuring distractions and supporting each other in their separate journeys. In a quietly compelling 110 minutes, the Annie Baker play now at barebones productions in Braddock, does not tick off any boxes of expectations; rather, it lives and breathes in a singular realm of slow-burn storytelling.
This story about besties Shannon Knapp and Hazel Leroy comes to onStage Pittsburgh as part of Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh’s “Picture This” advocacy campaign, to spotlight friendships across generations and celebrate intergenerational connections. The campaign culminates with an exhibition at the August Wilson Center, opening on November 8.
