We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s a small world”… and growing up in Pittsburgh I always thought that statement rang very true when it came to the Pittsburgh Theatre Scene. There were the “Big Players”, the community theaters, the academic stage and the few bold and daring experimental theatre companies lurking somewhere in the fringe… all accessible… Well, it at least seemed like you could follow it all, almost predict it. The community was connected, neat, and felt like you could hold it in the palm of your hand. And then something happened… the city cracked open and theatre collaborations began to ooze out onto the sidewalk and into once abundant buildings, parks & festivals… it just plain exploded! I’m not sure when exactly this metamorphosis occurred, but during the six years that I lived out-of-town, this blue-collar city turned theatre crazy.
Upon my return, I felt myself almost overwhelmed by our theatre community’s growth and set out to find my place in it… what I found instead were hundreds of creative groups, raging in size and focus, specializing in everything from puppets to prose. I also discovered that with this exciting BOOM, came a sort of disconnect… an isolated detachment for both artist and audience. And so, I’ve decided to start this theatre communication network in attempt to sew together the edges of this city’s theatre fabric for the purpose of creating a concise, informational and entertaining dialogue for community-minded, theatre-loving souls.
When a Pittsburgh theatre company known for edgy and experimental works chooses to do an American Theater Classic, something happens to my insides... the feeling is similar to the stomach churning often associated with a fast roller coaster ride... not good, not bad... just intriguing.
