Because our process had a lot of attention during the (typically quiet) feasibility phase, it has felt like the process has been going on forever. Really, though, we are less than 100 days “post-vote”!

We have received a lot of questions about the vision that got us here, and what comes next. We also know there’s a lot of curiosity about governance and structure, and especially around how we will preserve the legacies and investments of both organizations as we move forward. Starting next week, expect an update every Thursday, where we plan to address all of those questions and more.

But first, we wanted to acknowledge a dedicated group of leaders who have been keeping this process grounded in reality and humanity.

The Unification Team

For the last 6 weeks, every Wednesday morning, a group of leaders from PPT and CLO (and a few free agents like myself) have been meeting to prioritize which problems to solve first, set strategy, and identify opportunities for collaboration. We call ourselves the “Unification Team.”

We are still alllll the way at the left of this graphic: Forming!

There are obviously deep emotions involved this work. These leaders are carrying the torch for their organizations, their staff, and their audiences.

In that meeting, we pick a few issues to discuss, rumble with each other to solve them, and set clear tasks for next steps. It’s intense but also something I look forward to every week (I may be the only one).

The Unification Team is comprised of the following experts. Each person’s work is wide-ranging, but listed below is the one major item they’re focused on moving forward through the end of July.

• Dr. Brett Ashley Crawford, Executive — Finalize the business model for the combined organization

• Monica Bowin, Production (PPT) — Migrate the CLO Production Center to Dargan Street

• Wynne Fedele, Development (CLO) — Launch the Founders Campaign

• Laura Greenawalt, Operations — Stand up integrated operations and execute planning across both organizations

• Kyle Haden, Artistic — Finalize the core 2027 season shows

• Aja Jones, Marketing (PPT) — Launch the new brand identity and microsite

• Angela Langill, Finance (CLO) — Begin unifying finance processes & accounts

• Jim Scriven, Education (CLO) — Develop an education programming strategy for Fall 2026

• Kate Sphar, Foundations — Drive foundation engagement and funder communications

These are the stewards of the future entity. We’re lucky to have them at the table.

Behind the Curtain

A look at what’s moved over the last two weeks:

• We briefed our foundation partners on recent unification progress, and talked openly about both the opportunities ahead and the real challenges we’re working through.

• Pittsburgh CLO’s 80th Anniversary Gala was a triumph — a celebration of eight decades of musical theater that honored longtime supporter Carol Hefren Tillotson with the Chloe Award for her civic leadership and philanthropy.

• Our staffing and HR work advanced considerably. We’ve finalized our staff timeline, process, and approved retention and severance packages for currently employed staff. We have engaged an HR consultant through our Shared Services partnership with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. They are building a new set of staff policies and tools for us. They have also reached out to support our colleagues from PPT with benefits and Employee Assistance Programs.

• We’re standing up a new strategic communications strategy, being led by Aja Jones. This weekly update is part of that. Expect more opportunities to learn about our team and decisions.

• The brand work is on track, with significant progress against our timeline. We’re excited to share that soon!

• We’re forming wider staff working groups to bring more team members into major projects — including future office integration (IT and facilities planning) and our announcement events.

• Unions and critical industry memberships are a near horizon. We wanted to ensure we didn’t disrupt or confuse CLO’s operations before digging in with these essential partners.

In the Spotlight

A Night to Cherish: Pittsburgh CLO Concert Salutes 80 Years of Musical Theater onStage Pittsburgh A first-hand account of CLO’s 80th Anniversary Gala — the tributes, the alumni who returned to the stage, and the honoring of Carol Hefren Tillotson. The piece doesn’t shy away from the bittersweet note running through the night: the sense of one era closing as a new chapter with Pittsburgh Public Theater begins.

What Nonprofit Leaders Should Know About Mergers and Partnerships NonProfit PRO A clear walk-through of how nonprofit mergers actually unfold, laid out in five phases from early exploration through due diligence to integration. The article singles out integration planning — the work of figuring out how teams, systems, and fundraising will function together before any legal transition — as the stage leaders most often underestimate. This is a map of exactly where we are right now. The integration planning the article calls “the most overlooked stage” is precisely the work our Unification Team is doing this summer.

Before you go: Pittsburgh CLO’s summer season kicks off with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical — the start of the 80th-anniversary PNC Summer of Musicals. And there’s still time to sign up for Pittsburgh Public Theater’s summer education programs at the O’Reilly. Call 412-456-6666 for more information.

NextActPGH is published weekly during the merger of Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater.

First, we want to say thank you to the staff of Pittsburgh Public Theater. We’ve been in touch with almost everyone personally. They are handling an impossible moment with grace, kindness, and, in most cases, hope. We are so proud of you.

Second, to the community groups, parents, and students: we are committed to ensuring that Pittsburgh Public Theater’s programs continue this summer. New Horizon Theater will open this weekend as planned and the summer camps begin next month; we will see you at the O’Reilly.

For the audiences and subscribers and donors who have supported Pittsburgh Public Theater over the years: we will do our best to ensure that we honor the Public’s legacy by producing work that brings you joy and engages your curiosity.

Finally, for the artistic community in Pittsburgh: the ripple is reaching far and wide, and you might be ready to jump ship. If you can’t pursue your livelihood here, how can you stay?

That question has been at the heart of this conversation all along - even if it hasn’t felt like that publicly. For the last year, we have been making the argument to our funding community that without locally-produced professional theater at scale, Pittsburgh will lose a key part of it’s artistic identity.

We believe that our city needs performing arts organizations of all sizes to be successful. The larger ones should be resilient to absorb macroeconomic shocks, take artistic risks, and be a resource and thought partner to organizations across the region. They should also lead by example.

We intend to fulfill that one day soon - for artists and passionate administrators; audiences of all ages; and truly for a better Pittsburgh.

Just the facts, ma’am

A few things have come up this week (that’s an understatement) that we want to help clarify.

• There were 11 Pittsburgh Public Theater administrators affected by the layoff this week. We were able to provide them with one month’s severance, thanks to funds that were available from the unification project, though we know that does not erase the immediate hardship this action has caused.

• The union production staff at PPT are on seasonal furlough and have a call back date of September 1.

• At the beginning of PPT’s 2025-26 season, the administrative staff were asked to prepare for a 2 month furlough between seasons. This would have occurred from July-August this summer.

• The unification project has a timeline for hiring staff into a new org chart, however, there are still operational milestones to complete before we can share it. We will deliver this plan to the staffs of PPT and CLO at the same time and in the same format.

• Where possible, we are looking for ways to “bring aboard” PPT staff members into projects or contract work in support of summer programs and the business of unification.

• The Pittsburgh CLO was unable to immediately hire impacted PPT staff members. There are limited administrative roles open at the CLO at this time.

• All CLO programming, including the summer season, annual fundraiser, and Gene Kelly Awards, are continuing on track and will not change. The Prologue programming is continuing as planned.

• Programming in the new entity will cross genres and reflect the tastes of each organization’s legacy audiences. There will be both musicals and plays.

• Education and Academy programs from both organizations will continue, and we intend to preserve and celebrate marquee programs like the Gene Kelly Awards and Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest.

Last Friday, we made our first joint programming announcement. It started, as the best Pittsburgh stories do, with a kid from here. But there’s more to the season than one show — and more to say about what we’re building toward.

A Pittsburgh Kid Comes Home

Jacob Ming-Trent grew up in Pittsburgh. He went to CAPA & participated in the Gene Kelly Awards. He found Shakespeare not as a boring assignment, but as something that felt, in his telling, like a superpower. The rhythms and language unlocked something that astonished the people around him, and eventually set him on a path to becoming one of the country’s most exciting playwright-performers.

His autobiographical solo show, How Shakespeare Saved My Life, is being co-produced by Berkeley Rep, Folger Theatre, and Red Bull Theater. This fall, it plays the O’Reilly Theatre November 11–25.

It’s the anchor of our Prologue — the name we internally (and now externally) gave to the programming we’re presenting jointly in the back half of 2026. But it fits, right? It’s just enough of the story to make you want a little more.

We chose to lead with Jacob’s show because it says something true about what this organization is prioritizing. Theater made by Pittsburghers. Stories that deserve to be told. Artists that come home.

This is a moment built to introduce two audiences who have never (intentionally) been in the same room, with an experience we think they will both love. The Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater subscribers aren’t really the Sharks and the Jets, but they certainly reflect different habits and wants. We’re looking for the places where they’re more alike than apart. Lyrical, theatrical storytelling is a great place to start.

What we believe is that the organizations best positioned to succeed are the ones that can make a clear case for what they’re building, not just what they’ve survived. The Prologue selections are a testing ground, in that respect.

Behind the curtain…

A small sample of what progressed with the unification team this week:

• We’re narrowed down to some final decisions for 2027 planning and will be reaching out to our audiences for help selecting one more show. Follow here (or on our PPT & CLO email lists) to participate!

• We selected a partner for Brand, design, and website work. More soon on this.

• We met with a number of experienced arts leadership search firms to discuss our executive needs.

• We’re running a technology and software inventory and discussing what operational modernization is possible during this transition.

• The team is actively engaged in conversations with audiences, donors, and artists and we’re preparing answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

• Meetings, meetings, meetings. Lots of 1:1s with Brett and staff and close stakeholders across our community. This “listening tour” will continue over the next several weeks.

The Prologue

The O’Reilly is undergoing renovations this fall, which made a traditional full season impossible. It will be a more comfortable and beautiful home base for us - we’re grateful for that!

We also have the business (busy-ness) of uniting our organizations during that window, which includes a lot of work to unify team processes, align software and technology, move offices, hire leadership, programs, and build a stunning season for 2027. So instead of going totally dark, we built something simple and - to us - exciting. The result is a calendar that spans four venues and runs from September through December, mixing work already in development with new opportunities designed to bring CLO and PPT audiences together.

Here’s what the season includes:

• September–October — SCRIPT TEASE (O’Reilly Rehearsal Hall): Two intimate, invite-only weekends for subscribers and donors featuring vocal performances and readings from works under consideration for 2027. Details coming soon.

• November 11–25 — HOW SHAKESPEARE SAVED MY LIFE (O’Reilly Theater): Ming-Trent’s autobiographical solo show, co-produced by three major national theaters, makes its Pittsburgh debut. A CAPA kid & Kelly Award Winner on the O’Reilly stage.

• November 25–December 20 — WHO’S HOLIDAY! (The Greer Cabaret Theater): A sharp adult comedy reimagining Cindy Lou Who as a grown woman reckoning with life after the Grinch incident.

• December 11–23 — A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL (Byham Theater): Dickens’ classic, family-friendly, built for the holidays, packed with artists you love.

• December — HOLIDAY STUDENT PROGRAM (O’Reilly Rehearsal Hall): Holiday music featuring students from CLO’s education programs and Mini Stars.

The PNC Summer of Musicals — Pittsburgh CLO’s 80th Anniversary season at the Benedum, continues as planned, June 23 through July 26. We can’t wait to see you there.

In the Wings

For Starters: How to Launch a Theatre Company in 2026 American Theatre This week’s national trade feature on why artists are still founding new companies despite a turbulent funding landscape — tighter federal dollars, retreating foundations, and audiences still finding their way back. Founders describe having to plan for philanthropic volatility from day one. Why it matters for Pittsburgh: Newer companies are filling gaps that established institutions have left, but they will need time to grow to the level of opportunity that legacy orgs hold for artists and audiences. What we’re doing is hard and rare; building something new from the foundation of two existing ones, preserving legacy, and keeping a large roster of artistic and administrative opportunities alive.

The Fall and Rise of Private Funding for Theatre American Theatre A clear-eyed look at where theater philanthropy stands — uneven, with some foundations pulling back while others have significantly increased performing arts spending. Funders describe making longer-term bets on institutions they believe in, not just emergency support. Why it matters for Pittsburgh: The philanthropic field is actively deciding which organizations are worth doubling down on. We are making our capitalization case with a focus on audience growth, artistic opportunity, quality, education, and a vibrant Downtown.

People to Watch: Jacob Ming-Trent American Theatre Earlier this year, American Theatre named Ming-Trent a playwright to watch for How Shakespeare Saved My Life, tracing how growing up in Pittsburgh and finding Shakespeare as a teenager led to a show now co-produced by three major national institutions. Why it matters for Pittsburgh: Come see the show ;)

Two of the city’s longest-running theater companies - Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO - have decided to create a unified new organization. When it’s all said and done, we will be one company, with one mission, under one (still-TBD) name. We have remarkable legacies to build on, and are excited to share the future with you.

This newsletter exists to document what that actually looks like from the inside. Whether you’re our biggest fans or just a little nebby: Welcome to the process.

We are storytellers by trade, and want to share this one.

Mergers in the performing arts are complicated, emotional, and rare. There aren’t a lot of examples out there. We’ve shared relentlessly about the challenges that we have as an industry: shifting funding models, audience entertainment spending, and rising material and labor costs are a trifecta that is pushing many performing arts companies into a crisis.

We’re lucky to have board and staff leaders who saw this coming and wanted to pro-actively set us up for the next 100 years of creating great stories on stage. We have had to create this process from the ground up and it hasn’t been perfect. But we’ve heard from our communities loud and clear: they want to know what’s going on.

Our organizations have spent decades as collaborators. And speaking honestly, often as competitors. It’s made this a very tricky process to get right; it’s awkward at times.

For our combined 130 years, we’ve cultivated separate identities, patron bases, donor relationships, union contracts, and artistic philosophies. These don’t simply blend together.

There have been many spreadsheets that translate our challenges into hard data. There have been many hard conversations, and more certainly will happen. But there are also moments, when we are open to genuine discovery, that have created a true excitement for what’s possible.

It’s exciting to bring together some of the most talented people in our city (really, the industry) to start working on this problem together.

What You’ll Find Here

Every week (or as close to every week as the work allows) we’ll share an update on what’s happening in the integration of Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO.

Some weeks that will mean big news: a financial milestone, a key hire, a brand decision, a board vote. Some weeks it will be smaller or stranger: what does it look like when two different prop teams try to rationalize decades of kitchenware? How do two education departments bring together programs for learners from 6 to 86?

Some weeks, when things are quiet on the merger front, we’ll zoom out and look at what’s happening nationally in theater, arts nonprofits, and the creative economy.

We will do our best to be transparent and forthcoming. There is a delicate balance to strike with information at a moment like this, and our staff comes first.

Who’s Writing This?

This newsletter will be drafted & updated by members of the staff of the new combined organization, led by Dr. Brett Ashley Crawford, the Transition Executive Director. It’s typically posted by Laura Greenawalt, the Transition Operations Manager.

This is for our Community.

If you’ve ever sat in the O’Reilly or sent a kid to CLO Academy, this is for you.

If you work in the arts, this is for you.

If you are just curious what it looks like when two institutions decide to bet on each other, this is for you.

If you’re a Pittsburgher who cares about what culture looks like in this city, especially in and around downtown, this is absolutely for you.

You don’t need a background in theater management to follow along. We’ll try to keep things as interesting as the work actually is. Which, most weeks, is pretty interesting.

The Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater merger was approved by both boards in March 2026. The inaugural season under the new entity is expected to begin performances in January 2027. In the meantime, teams from both organizations are already working together: sharing spaces, aligning programs, and figuring out what it means to build something genuinely new from two genuinely great legacies.