Janera Solomon, creative writer, cultural strategist, and former executive director of the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, suggests a selection of innovative Pittsburgh theater companies. 

City Theatre

One of the city’s smartest contemporary theater companies, City Theatre constantly surprises with engaging and diverse performances. Expect a season full of relevant plays focused on current issues, all performed in the theater’s beautiful South Side venue. 

Pittsburgh Playwrights

Led by founder Marc Clayton Southers, Pittsburgh Playwrights prides itself on its African American roots with a mission to produce Pittsburgh-themed plays and works by local racially- and culturally-diverse playwrights. This year, the company is celebrating its 20th anniversary, with a lineup including August Wilson’s Tony-nominated drama Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, which will be performed outdoors at the August Wilson House in the Hill District. 

Quantum Theatre

This progressive company, founded by Karla Boos in 1990, produces intimate and trailblazing theatrical performances in unexpected places. Recent offerings included an immersive theatrical experience in a Downtown church, an edgy contemporary take on Faust in Frick Building’s Tenant Innovation Center, and a Shakespearean tragedy on the site of Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark. 

Story by Janera Solomon

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