City Theatre (Pittsburgh) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids City Theatre |
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| Location | 1300 Bingham Street in the South Side Flats neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Built | 1859 |
| Designated | 2000 |
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City Theatre is a special theater company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is located in the city's South Side area. This theater is known for putting on brand new plays. They often ask famous writers like Christopher Durang and Adam Rapp to create new shows just for them.
Contents
The Story of City Theatre
How It All Began
City Theatre started in 1975. It was first called the City Players. Marjorie Walker was in charge back then. Most of the actors were graduates from Carnegie Mellon University. The group was part of Pittsburgh's Parks and Recreation Department. They performed in many places like schools, parks, and housing projects.
At first, they shared a stage in the North Side with another group called Pittsburgh Public Theater. In 1979, the University of Pittsburgh invited them to be a resident theater. This meant they could stay and perform there. So, they changed their name to City Theatre.
Finding a Home
For a short time, the theater company did not have a permanent home. In 1980, the University of Pittsburgh's theater department offered to help. Attilo Favorini, who led the department, thought it was a great chance. He believed it would let Pitt students work with professional actors.
Around this time, special government funding helped the company grow even more. This funding also helped create the Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival in the summer of 1980.
Moving to New Stages
In 1981, Marc Masterson became the artistic director. The company moved to a new performance space on Bouquet Street in Oakland. They moved again in 1991 to a building that used to be a church. This new home was in the South Side. Besides their own shows, they also hosted early productions of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival there.
Marc Masterson later moved on to lead another theater company. In 2001, Tracy Brigden became the new artistic director for City Theatre.
What City Theatre Does Today
Besides their main shows, City Theatre also has cool programs for young people.
Young Playwrights Festival
One program is the Young Playwrights Festival. Students in middle school and high school can write their own plays. City Theatre then chooses some of these plays. Professional actors perform them on stage! It's a great way for young writers to see their ideas come to life.
City Theatre Playmakers
Another program is City Theatre Playmakers. This gives young people in Pittsburgh a chance to write radio dramas. These are like plays you listen to. The theater helps produce these dramas, and they are even broadcast for everyone to hear.
See also
- Theatre in Pittsburgh
