The merger of the former Pittsburgh Public Theater (PPT) and Pittsburgh CLO is official — and there are some marquee shows coming in 2027.
Pittsburgh’s CLO and PPT Merger Theater Company Announces First Shows for 2027
In an event for press and members of the theater community, board members and members of the organization’s interim staff confirmed that the new organization became an official entity on Friday afternoon. Representatives promised that the new organization would be the largest producing company in Pittsburgh.
“The actual plan of affiliation — the merger, for lack of a better word — is complete,” says Laura Greenawalt, the new organization’s transition operations manager. “Everything is approved and ready to move forward.”
Interim Artistic Director Kyle Haden confirmed that the company will present the Pittsburgh premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Purpose, as well as a production of Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, in 2027. “There’s so much more to come,” Haden said. “The full lineup will be announced before you know it — so stay tuned.”
What to Expect This Year
The first productions from the new entity will be the previously announced, three-show “prologue season,” set for early this winter: How Shakespeare Saved My Life, an autobiographical one-person show from Pittsburgh native Jacob Ming-Trent, to be presented November 11-25 at the O’Reilly Theater; the return of the popular, ribald Who’s Holiday, starring Lara Hayhurst, set for November 25-December 20 at the Greer Cabaret Theater; and the longtime favorite A Musical Christmas Carol, scheduled for December 11-23 at the Byham Theater.
Tickets for those shows went on sale Friday.
“We’re moving pretty quickly into production mode for the fall, then gearing up for a full calendar year of programming starting at the end of 2027,” says Greenawalt. “We will produce things that have been requested by both audiences, historically.
2027 will feature a six-show “mainstage” season, with runs beginning in late January, April, June, August, September and late October. A holiday show is also expected for late 2027. Those productions will take place at three Cultural District venues: the O’Reilly, traditionally home to the Public; the Byham, a frequent host for the CLO; and the Greer, which hosts productions from multiple organizations but had become a more frequent CLO stage in recent years. (The Benedum Center will still be engaged for the annual Gene Kelly Awards).
“We’re thinking about seasons a little bit differently, and how people come to see art today,” Greenawalt says. “A little less package-driven, and a little more taste or single-show driven.”
What’s Up Next for the Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater Merger
Several staff positions have been filled, and a nationwide search for the organization’s new president and executive producer will begin soon. “We’re really prioritizing Pittsburgh roots” in that search, Greenawalt says.
What’s not yet official: The name of the new organization. Greenawalt confirms that the merged organization will have a new name and says that a moniker had previously been decided, but — coincidentally — another arts organization announced an initiative with a similar name last week. The board met and decided moving forward with the new name could cause confusion.
Instead, the organization is asking the public for input, opening a survey for suggestions as options are considered. What’s official: That name will not be the Pittsburgh Public Theater or the Pittsburgh CLO.
“We felt like it was harder to get permission to move forward into something truly new if we [maintained] those two names in the future,” Greenawalt says. “As part of that idea — how do we unify everyone, how do we bring the teams together and help them feel some balance … we thought it was important to start with a clean slate.”
Story and Photo by Sean Collier
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