The Prologue
Bringing together the Sharks & the Jets for a night at the theater...
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 ;)