WINNER OF THE 2025 TONYTM, DRAMA DESK, AND DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS | PITTSBURGH PREMIEREMAR 7–29by JONATHAN SPECTORdirected by ADIL MANSOOR
WHO'S WHOUP NEXT MAY 2–JUNE 7text by JOHN CAMERON MITCHELLmusic/lyrics by STEPHEN TRASKFirst staged at City Theatre in 2003, Hedwig and the Angry Inch will electrify the Greer Cabaret downtown in our first-ever revival of a legendary show adored by audiences and hailed by critics. Funny, inspiring, and brimming with energy, Hedwig is a love story to those who have too much fight in them to quit. directed by ROBERT RAMIREZmusic supervision by RICK EDINGERSTARRINGTREASURE TREASUREAS HEDWIG!Produced Downtown at the Greer Cabaret Theater, 655 Penn AvenuePRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST
CITY THEATRE COMPANY 3A NOTE FROM TEAM LEADERSHIP Dear Neighbors, As you may know, City Theatre recently completed a year-long planning process that considered a potential merger with Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater. After a careful review, our board of directors voted to remain independent, committing to determine our own destiny. It is no secret that the performing arts are struggling and we are wide-eyed to the complexity and challenges that must be navigated. We are confident about our future. In fact, we are inspired about what will come next. Over the last year, we have learned a great deal about ourselves as an organization. The process validated many known assumptions – our mission and brand invite enthusiastic passion and loyalty, our staff is second to none, and our location outside of downtown is an asset. We also heard how important our venue experience is to our patrons—from its intimacy to pleasant informality—and that our size is our strength. These reasons and others, plus the fact that our current season is proving to be one of our most successful ever, demonstrated that we should double-down on what makes City Theatre unique and special to this community. As you settle in to enjoy the Pittsburgh premiere of Eureka Day, I hope that you will reflect on why live theatre matters—especially now—and how this organization is an invaluable asset to our region. We believe deeply in world-class art existing and thriving in all of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods. We admire and appreciate the extraordinary breadth of programming that radiates from downtown and the Cultural District, but we are proud of our home on the South Side. Born and raised in this neighborhood, I cannot imagine living here without City Theatre. As we launch this exciting new chapter – we are calling it “Our Next Act” – I hope you will consider joining us. Continue to purchase tickets to see shows, be a subscriber, bring friends to a performance here on Bingham Street, make a donation if you are able, spread the word about your experience, and lend us your brainpower, too. Have you considered volunteering by sharing your professional expertise, or serving on a committee? Would you like to learn more about board service? What is it about City Theatre that makes you keep coming back—and what should be our future? What might we do differently? On behalf of my board colleagues, we want to hear from you. We love City Theatre and we know you do, too. Email [email protected] and help shape our story. Thank you for being here. Enjoy the show. Dr. Barbara Rudiak, Board President
WHO'S WHOCITY THEATRE COMPANY 5BOARD OF DIRECTORSCity Theatre is deeply grateful to the following community of volunteers who support City Theatre’s mission, programming, and artists by donating their time, wisdom, financial resources, and public advocacy. The work we do would not be possible without their ongoing leadership and support. PRESIDENTBarbara Rudiak, Ph.D †VICE PRESIDENTBeth Marcello †TREASURERBenjamin Luczak †SECRETARYKenneth A. Glick, MD †MEMBERSMichael T. BarnettDavid Betts Steve CarpenterBetty CruzMatthew J. GalandoCaitlin E. GreenCaitlin H. Green †Holly Hatcher-Frazier Emily K. LewisAnya MartinJoanna Obuzor Cori Parise †Richard SmithSandra Solomon †Frank Vitale Deepak WadhwaniNancy D. Washington, PhD †Karen Farmer White † Executive Committee Members In 2018, the board of directors established an honorary board to recognize past members who demonstrated extraordinary and long-standing support of City Theatre. HONORARY BOARD MEMBERSCarol R. Brown Tacy Byham, Ph.D.Judy CheteyanPhilip Chosky in memoriamAlex CondronNorbert J. Connors, Jr. in memoriamRobert M. Frankel, in memoriamIra H. Gordon, in memoriamEdward H. Harrell, in memoriamThomas Hollander, in memoriamClyde B. Jones IIIGerri Kay, in memoriamRoslyn Litman, in memoriamDavid E. Massaro Marc MastersonMarcia MortonBeth W. NewboldDee Jay OshryLeonard PerfidoDavid L. PorgesSusan SmerdJeffrey SolomonTamara TunieIris Amper Walker Marjorie WalkerFlorence Zeve, in memoriam
March 7-29, 2026Run Time: 2 hours including one 15-minute intermissionNYC Casting by Katja Zarolinski, CSA Originally commissioned and produced by Aurora Theatre Company (Tom Ross, Artistic Director; Julie Saltzman Kellner, Managing Director), Berkeley, CA PRESENTSCLARE DROBOTArtistic DirectorJAMES McNEELManaging DirectorAdil Mansoor†DirectorSasha Jin SchwartzScenic DesignJaime EricsonCostume Design Xuewei (Eva) HuLighting Design Stewart BlackwoodSound Design & Original MusicKolton CottonProjection Design Tonya LynnIntimacy Coordinator* Member, Actors’ Equity Association † Member, Stage Directors and Choreographers SocietyCASTDaina Michelle Griffith* | Desirée Mee Jung* | Jalina McClarinMax Pavel | John Shepard*Taylor K. Meszaros* Stage Managerby JONATHAN SPECTORdirected by ADIL MANSOORby JONATHAN SPECTORdirected by ADIL MANSOOR
But if you did read this ad, we’d say something like ... Hi! We’re your neighbors at Landesberg Design, and we’ve been proudly partnering with non-profit institutions like City Theatre since 1982. We’d be delighted to partner with you too.You don’t need to readthis ad. We’re just here to enjoy the play.Design for the common good from Pittsburgh’s South Side. landesbergdesign.comPEOPLE.P.PLL.PELLLPEOPLE.PINTS.PINBALL.PICKELBALLWE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITYSOUTH SIDENEIGHBORHOOD BREWERYSOUTH SIDENEIGHBORHOOD BREWERY2120 2120 JANE STREET PGH, PA 15203 JANE STREET PGH, PA 15203
WHO'S WHOCAST(In alphabetical order)Suzanne Daina Michelle GriffithMeiko Desirée Mee JungCarina Jalina McClarinEli Max PavelDon John ShepardSetting: The Eureka Day School, Berkeley, California. Fall 2018.City Theatre’s Vision, Mission, Core ValuesMission:To provide an artistic home for the development and production ofcontemporary plays that engage and challenge a diverse audience.Vision:To be the finest mid-sized theater in America.Core Values:Community | Collaboration | Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility | Creativity
Media Sponsor: Dozens of Theaters, One Place to See What’s On Stage.With dozens of theaters across our region, there’s hardly a dark night to be found in Pittsburgh. Go See a Show is your shortcut to our city’s thriving live performance scene: from stunning musicals to evergreen classics, family friendly comedies to bold new plays. There’s something for everybody — and every budget. Design:
WHO'S WHOCITY THEATRE COMPANY 11JONATHAN SPECTOR (Playwright) is a playwright based in Oakland, California. His plays include: Eureka Day (NY Times Critic’s Pick, Glickman Award, Theater Bay Area Award, Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Award, Rella Lossy Award), This Much I Know (Edgerton New Play Award), Best Available (Elizabeth George Commission), In From The Cold (Global Age Prize), Siesta Key, and Good. Better. Best. Bested. His work has been produced at theaters including Colt Coeur, Aurora Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Mosaic Theater, InterAct Theatre, The State Theatre of South Australia, Custom Made Theatre, and Just Theater. He has developed work with Manhattan Theater Club, Roundabout Underground, South Coast Rep, Portland Stage, Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, New Harmony Project, PlayPenn, SF Playhouse, and Crowded Fire among others. Jonathan is a Core Writer at the Playwrights’ Center, a MacDowell Fellow, and a former Resident Playwright at Playwrights Foundation. He is currently under commission from La Jolla Playhouse, Roundabout Theatre Company, and Manhattan Theatre Club. He is an alumnus of New College of Florida. ADIL MANSOOR (Director) is a Pittsburgh-based theater director and educator centering queer folks and people of color. He has developed new work with The Public, The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Playwrights' Center, Mercury Store, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and others. Directing projects include Daddies by Paul Kruse (Audible), Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Hatch Arts Collective), Kentucky by Leah Nanako Winkler (Pittsburgh Playhouse), and Planoby Will Arbery (Quantum). He often works as a dance dramaturg, having collaborated with choreographers Slowdanger, Staycee Pearl, Dahlia Nayar, and Maree ReMalia. Mansoor’s solo performance Amm(i)gone was produced Off-Broadway by PlayCo, The Flea, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST) as part of a national tour. Amm(i)gone is a National Performance Network Project co-commissioned by KST and The Theater Offensive. Mansoor is a founding member of Pittsburgh’s Hatch Arts Collective and the former Artistic Director of Dreams of Hope, an LGBTQA+ youth arts organization. He was part of the inaugural Artist Caucus gathered by Baltimore Center Stage, Long Wharf, St. Louis Rep, and Woolly Mammoth. He was a Sundance Art of Practice Fellow, a Gerri Kay New Voices Fellow with Quantum Theater, and received the 2024 Emerging Artist Carol R. Brown Award. Mansoor holds an MFA in Directing from Carnegie Mellon University. www.adilmansoor.com.DAINA MICHELLE GRIFFITH (Suzanne) is thrilled to be back at City Theatre! Past City Theatre credits: The Revolutionists (2018), The White Chip (2018), The Last Match (2016), Speak American (2009). Daina was most recently seen onstage at barebones in God of Carnage, and behind the table as Associate Director of A Christmas Story at Pittsburgh Public. Regional/NYC: The Gateway, Human Race Theatre, Kansas City Starlight, Merrimack Rep, Arizona Theatre Company, heXtc. Locally: PPT, Quantum, barebones, The REP, Off The Wall, Front Porch, PCLO, PMT, PICT. Select TV/Film: \"Outsiders\" (WGN), \"Manhunt\" (CBS, Spectrum), \"Archive 81\" (Netflix), The Dark Knight Rises, Where'd You Go, Bernadette, Hollidaysburg, Tender, Happiest Season, Unsinkable, and the upcoming Young Men staring David Duchovny. Daina was named the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Performer of the Year in 2014, is the founder of Griffith Coaching Acting Studio, will be directing Working for Front Porch in April, and feels super lucky to be spending time in a space with Adil and this amazing group of artists! dainagriffith.com @daina__griffith
WHO'S WHO12 EUREKA DAY DESIRÉE MEE JUNG (Meiko) (she/her) is thrilled to be making her City Theatre debut! Notable theatre credits include: Vietgone (Alley Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (Denver Center); Sense & Sensibility (South Coast Rep); POTUS u/s (Geffen Playhouse), Richard III, Comedy of Errors, Pericles (Utah Shakespeare Festival); Measure STILL for Measure (world premiere Boston Court Pasadena); All’s Well That Ends Well (A Noise Within); Letters of Suresh, Gloria, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide (Curious Theatre); As You Like It, Measure for Measure, Henry IV Part I, Cymbeline (Antaeus Theatre); Love’s Labour’s Lost (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); The Bonesetter’s Daughter (world premiere Book-It Rep). Film/TV: NCIS, Pluribus, The Winchesters, Monsters: Lyle & Eric Menendez, Death Name.JALINA MCCLARIN (Carina) (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist who can’t seem to dial in her capacity or her interests. She is incredibly grateful to Adil for trusting her with this role. You can catch Jalina: acting, devising, dancing, drawing, wrestling her pals, falling in love, writing, climbing, biking, backpacking, thrifting, doing improv, flexing in the mirror, and crying at the D&D table. None of us are free until all of us are free. MAX PAVEL (Eli) has performed with Barebones, Hatch Arts, Quantum, PICT, and now City Theatre. Notable roles: Billy Baird in The Sound Inside and The Devil in Witch. Producing credits: Orphans and Witch. Film/TV credits: A Man Called Otto, American Rust, Outsiders. Proud member of IATSE and SAG. Best coffee in PGH - The Garden Cafe.JOHN SHEPARD (Don) has performed in a number of productions for City Theatre. Most recently as Jerry in Downstairs. For the past four years he has played Adult Ralph in the Public’s A Christmas Story. John has also been seen in many shows for Quantum, REP and PICT. He was named the Pittsburgh PostGazette Performer of the Year for his performance of Willy Loman at the REP. He has also directed for the REP and Quantum. John has also performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at many of the country’s major regional theatres. He has worked in films and TV and the upcoming web series, “The Human, Will.” His book “Auditioning and Acting for the Camera” is used across the country. He taught at Point Park for 20 years and served as chair of its theatre department for 10 of those years.
CITY THEATRE COMPANY 13WHO'S WHOSASHA JIN SCHWARTZ (Scenic Design) is a theater scenic designer and artist driven by empathetic and collaborative processes. Selected Designs: Birthday Candles, Fat Ham, What the Constitution Means to Me (City Theatre Company), Twelfth Night, Dragon Lady (Pittsburgh Public Theater), Enron, The Devil is A Lie (Quantum Theatre), Kentucky (Pittsburgh Playhouse), A Wrinkle in Time (Arden Theatre Company), The Heart Sellers (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Little Shop of Horrors (Virginia Theatre Festival), DANCEFLOOR (The Voxel), Off Peak (59e59). Sasha is a 1/52 Project Grant Recipient, Prague Quadrennial Featured Emerging Designer, Pittsburgh Children's Museum F.I.N.E Artist-InResidence, and Theatre Communications Group Rising Leader of Color. Her understanding of space and how and where we feel 'at-home' is shaped heavily by her mixed immigrant family. BFA Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. www.sashaschwartzscenic.com JAIME ERICSON (Costume Design) is a Pittsburgh-based costume designer and technician. Originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, they attended James Madison University and George Mason University to study technical theatre and costuming. Jaime has worked at several theaters in the Pittsburgh area such as City Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, and the New Hazlett Theater. They are making their mainstage regional theatre debut as a costume designer on Eureka Day. XUEWEI (EVA) HU (Lighting Design) is a New York City-based lighting designer who is thrilled to return to City Theatre Company. Originally from China, Xuewei brings a global perspective to her artistry. Inspired by the boundless possibilities of light, she enjoys weaving the poetic nature of light into authentic narratives, enriching the human experience with storytelling, and sparking curiosity to explore the world that impacts us all. Selected credits include: The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley (City Theatre Company), The Glass Menagerie (Ocala Civic Theatre), South Side Stories Revisited (City Theatre Company). Learn more at xueweihu.com. STEWART BLACKWOOD (Sound Design & Original Music) is a composer, sound designer, and creative coder whose work has been experienced nationally. He is overjoyed to be joining City Theatre for this production of Eureka Day. He is an Assistant Professor of Composition and Sound Design at Carnegie Mellon University. Places his work has been shown/heard: Center Theatre Group, New York City Center, Cleveland Play House, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Island Shakespeare Festival, Phoenix Film Festival, Cygnet Theater, Hangar Theatre, and others. He holds a Master of Fine Arts from UC San Diego in Sound Design and Technology.
WHO'S WHO 14 KOLTON COTTON (Projection Design) is a projection designer and video engineer specializing in content creation and broadcast technologies for theatre and live events. His mixed media approach to motion design and asset creation utilizes real-time, 2D, and 3D compositing workflows. His video design credits include the 2025 Grammy Awards with DF Productions, City Theatre, Quantum Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, and Hatch Arts Collective. Kolton’s most recent projects range from devising new plays to producing interactive installations at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Another Kind of Silencewas his first collaboration with City Theatre, and he is excited to be returning as the projection designer for Eureka Day. IG: @cottonkolton koltoncotton.com.TONYA LYNN (Intimacy Coordinator) is a Pittsburgh-based intimacy and fight director, actor, and educator whose work centers on a consent-forward, choreography-driven approach to collaborative storytelling, actor agency, and embodied safety. Tonya is a recognized Fight Director and Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors, where she has taught stage combat workshops nationwide and currently serves as Fight Director Representative on the Governing Body. She is a Teaching Artist-in-Residence in Performance at the University of Pittsburgh and has previously served as an Adjunct Instructor at Carnegie Mellon University and Point Park University. She is delighted to make her City Theatre mainstage debut with Eureka Day, having previously collaborated with City Theatre’s Young Playwrights program as a Teaching Artist. Her recent honors include the 2024 ACTF Award for Distinguished Achievement in Fight and Intimacy Direction for ≈ [ALMOST EQUAL TO] at the Pittsburgh Playhouse and the 2025 award for The Inseparables at the University of Pittsburgh. More information about her work is available at www.eclecticmayhem.com. TAYLOR K. MESZAROS (Stage Manager) is in her 15th season at CTC. She spends her time as an AEA Stage Manager and as a Standardized Patient for local university medical programs. Select regional credits include King James (Cleveland Play House), Somewhere Over the Border (People’s Light), Fat Ham (TheatreSquared), White Christmas, The Skin of Our Teeth, Hair! (Berkshire Theatre Group), 12th Night, Frida… A Self Portrait, Young Americans, Two Trains Running, and Schoolgirls…(Pittsburgh Public Theatre), Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, Another Kind of Silence, POTUS, Native Gardens, The Garbologists, What the Constitution…, Cambodian Rock Band, The Burdens, Where Did We Sit…Bus?,The Absolute Brightness…, Wild With Happy, Feeding the Dragon, Smart Blonde, and Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir (City Theatre Company). She is eternally grateful for the Pittsburgh arts community and its patrons.EUREKA DAY
WHO'S WHOCITY THEATRE COMPANY 15CLARE DROBOT (Artistic Director) has been a member of City Theatre's Artistic Leadership since the fall of 2021. She joined the staff at the theater in 2015 serving as the Director of New Play Development and later as Associate Artistic Director, and then Co-Artistic Director. A dramaturg, playwright, and producer Clare has worked in various capacities at Premiere Stages at Kean University, Laura Stanczyk Casting, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The McCarter Theatre, The BE Company, Play Penn, and New Dramatists. Her credits as a playwright include work showcased in Ars Nova’s ANT FEST and through the New Hazlett Theatre’s CSA Series among others. She has dramaturged and developed work with Stephen Belber, Liza Birkenmeier and Jill Sobule, Chisa Hutchinson, Matt Schatz, Anna Ziegler and many more writers and directors. She serves on the boards of the National New Play Network and Brew House Arts and is a member of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s Generations Speakers program. She was a member of the inaugural Global Fellows Cohort through the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and is a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh (LPXXXVIII). BA/BFA Carnegie Mellon University, member of LMDA.JAMES MCNEEL (Managing Director) (he/him) has been managing director at City Theatre for 11 years, having joined the organization in 2015 and making him the longest-serving managing leader in the organization’s 50-year history. He previously served in the same position at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. James also worked as a literature specialist with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA); director of development and marketing at Off-Broadway's Cherry Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village; and general manager and development consultant for the Center for Creative Resources, an arts management firm in New York City. He holds a B.A. degree from Shepherd University and studied arts management in the Master of Arts program at American University. He currently serves on the board and multiple committees for the League of Resident Theaters (LORT); leads a monthly regional convening of arts and culture organizational leaders, hosted by City Theatre; is a community advisor for newly-constituted Regional Capacity Building Initiative; and continues to volunteer and advocate with industry entities such as the National New Play Network (NNPN), Theatre Communications Group (TCG), Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, and the Professional NonProfit Theater Coalition. Originally from West Virginia, James lives in Lawrenceville with Shannon and Lottie.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF Vby Amesh A. Adalja, MD, FACP, FACEP, FIDSASenior Scholar | Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security Attending Physician | Infectious Diseases, Critical Care & Emergency Medicine UPMC | VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System | Butler Memorial Hospital/Independence Health System Adjunct Faculty | University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health Adjunct Faculty | Carnegie Mellon University Mellon College of Science The dawn of the vaccine age began in 1796 when Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine. This seminal event made possible the eradication of this virus 184 years later. Jenner’s integration of knowledge known to farmers and country doctors about the protective effects of prior cowpox infection on smallpox occurred decades before Louis Pasteur developed the pathbreaking germ theory of disease. Jenner’s achievement was, however, followed by the genesis of an antithetical ideology: the anti-vaccine movement. Despite the incontrovertible benefits of vaccines in improving human life, an insidious countermovement against interfering with the natural course of events with, what were deemed, unnatural human technologies arose, growing in lockstep. The rhetoric employed by the anti-vaccine movement has encompassed a spectrum of positions. The early anti-vaccine advocates’ portrayed Jenner’s vaccine as poison derived from animals—cartoons depicted people growing cow parts after receiving the cow-derived vaccine. Later, anti-vaccine leagues formed in England, Europe and North America, one of which organized a riot in Montreal in 1885. The ideas originally invoked ranged from a rejection of all unnatural substances to the assertion of bodily autonomy—the term ‘conscientious objector’ originated with early anti-vaccine activists. Later arose the contention that the scientific method is only applicable from a specific individual’s standpoint and not a universal truth. It now includes conspiratorial assertions invoking a sinister cabal of pharmaceutical companies. In the world of Eureka Day, written in the pre-COVID pandemic era of 2018, the antivaccine movement is dramatized in the figures of what was traditionally the most common type of person associated with anti-vaccine sentiments in the 20th and early 21st century: a person with a “Berkeley” pedigree, progressive political leanings, a commitment to inclusivity, and a preference for things “natural”. In fact, at the time of Eureka Day’s writing, states such as Mississippi and West 16 EUREKA DAY
VACCINE HESITATION Virginia had the highest childhood vaccination rates. The public health community’s worry centered on places like Marin County, California; Oregon; and Washington. After COVID-19, a morphing of the anti-vaccine movement occurred. Opposition to COVID-era restrictions on movements and activities became erroneously bundled with the vaccine in the minds of many. Now, those of different political persuasions became the vanguard of the anti-vaccine movement. Political affiliation became a predictor of one’s position on vaccines, as tribalism engulfed what should have been an ideologically inert technological solution to a real problem. Throughout its history, the anti-vaccine movement has taken on many identities, but one overarching principle remains intact: an antipathy towards humans employing the tools of science to prevent infectious disease. Now, as the anti-vaccine movement is at its apotheosis wielding significant government power, the world of Eureka Day seems nostalgic, quaint, and manageable, but it would be foolish to believe that it is unconnected to what we are experiencing today. CITY THEATRE COMPANY 17
18 EUREKA DAY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSChad HermannDr. Todd WolynnDr. Amesh AdaljaHatch Arts CollectiveMandi Olack and Wei Wei Tao and the Pre-K students at PPS LindenMelanie MeyerPrincipal Maddex and the students at PPS Linden K-5Ronnie DasShadyside Academy Lower SchoolThe Ellis SchoolLisa Velten-SmithWinchester Thurston SchoolSPECIAL THANKS City Theatre receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.The Allegheny Regional Asset District, a county agency created to support and finance regional assets, including libraries, parks, cultural groups, sports, and civic facilities, and to distribute tax relief to the 128 municipalities of Allegheny County.Actors marked with * and the Stage Manager in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United StatesThe scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers in LORT Theatres are represented by the United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE.The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Inc., an independent national labor union.City Theatre is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre. City Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.CITY THEATRE COMPANY 19
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CITY THEATRE COMPANY 21COMMUNITY PARTNERSThe Allegheny County Immunization Coalition brings people together around one shared goal: helping communities make informed decisions about vaccines and disease prevention. ACIC connects healthcare professionals, public health leaders, educators, and community partners to share clear, evidence-based information and practical tools. The focus stays on access, trust, and real-world education across all ages. ACIC supports conversations rooted in science, transparency, and public health experience. Learn more at www.immunizeallegheny.org. The Allegheny County Health Department is dedicated to protecting, promoting, and preserving the health and wellbeing of the more than 1.2 million residents who call our community home. Immunizations are one of the safest and most effective ways to prevent serious disease and protect those most vulnerable. Our Immunization Clinic provides routine immunizations, recommended boosters, and select travel vaccines. Knowledgeable public health staff are available to answer questions, review immunization records, and help individuals and families stay up to date according to current guidelines. Casa San José connects, supports, and advocates with and for the Latino community. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden opened a resource center for Latino immigrants, Casa San José (House of St. Joseph), in 2013. Literacy Pittsburgh offers free educational programs for adults and families in Allegheny County and Beaver County. Each year, we help 4,000 people in the Greater Pittsburgh area improve their reading, writing, math, English language, digital literacy, and workplace skills. Adult literacy classes and tutoring move students from learning to earning and help them succeed as workers, parents, and neighbors. Pittsburgh Linden PreK–5 Lions is a vibrant Pittsburgh Public School located in the Point Breeze area with a proud Chinese Magnet Program that introduces students to Mandarin language and Chinese culture starting in the early grades. Through language instruction, students build global awareness and communication skills in an increasingly connected world. Linden also places a strong emphasis on the arts, using music, visual art, and creative expression to enrich learning. Together, language and arts create a well-rounded, engaging educational experience that nurtures curiosity, creativity, and cultural appreciation. Trusted Messenger Program, part of the non-profit Public Good Projects, teaches health care providers how to engage, support, and connect with patients through the practice of evidence-based communication. Season-Long Partnerships The Collaborative for Immigrant Impact In January of 2025, federal policy changes upended the lives of the immigrant and refugee community. With threats of deportation, the removal of birthright citizenship, and the dismantling of the social safety network across the country, we knew we had to act. In Pittsburgh, 18 immigrant-serving organizations responded by reaching out to one another to form The Collaborative for Immigrant Impact. We are organized to defend the international community in our region, support one another, and find innovative ways to preserve the diversity that enriches our neighborhoods, schools, and economy. You can help – scan the QR code or visit jfcspgh.org/donate to support our work.Youth Enrichment Services (YES) is a grassroots, community-based youth serving organization formed in 1994 to give young people from low-income and communities of color a portrait of themselves as successful, empowered, and confident leaders. YES has a long-standing presence as a community fixture in the East Liberty community. Since its inception, YES has served over 5,500 youth of color in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and has provided them with access to mentorship, enrichment, and employment experiences to support their post-secondary journeys. You can help – scan the QR code to support our work.
DONORSCITY THEATRE COMPANY 23Donors like you bring contemporary plays to life! Every gift made supports the Mission of City Theatre and makes a real impact on the plays you see on our stages—thank you. If you have questions about giving or would like to provide a correction to your listing, please contact Sarah Fryer, Annual Fund Manager, at [email protected] or by calling 412.431.4400 Ext. 226.Bolded names indicate increased giving over prior year. All lists are as of 2/9/26.CITY THEATRE CIRCLE($15,000+)Tonja & Alex CondronAnne Mundell & David BettsBarbara A. Rudiak, PhDHayes & Patricia StoverPatrick & Beth WinklerPLAYWRIGHTS CIRCLE($10,000 - $14,999)Dr. Kerry Bron & Mr. Robert C. LevinThe Burke FamilyTacy M. Byham, Ph.D.Adam & Lucy DrobotKathleen & Paul GabersonMarcia MortonWalter Limbach Family FundDIRECTORS CIRCLE($5,000-$9,999)The Apter/Mates Family FundJane & Bud KahnMatthew LoscalzoMichelle McCreeryLori McGeeSusan & James MorrisCeline & Paul O'NeillDee Jay Oshry & Bart RackThe Palmer/Rauterkus FamilySandra & Jeffrey SolomonFrancis M. VitaleJanet & Chuck VukotichCatherine & Deepak WadhwaniNEW PLAY CIRCLE($3,000-$4,999)AnonymousRussell & Kathy AyresDr. Andrew R. BlairMatthew J. GalandoCatherine & Kenneth A. Glick, MDJean Anne Hattler, PhDMary Ann HobsonDavid LeskoEmily Lewis & Eric ProbolaBeth Marcello & John RodellaPam & Ken McCroryJames McNeelMark T. PhillisLauren & Daniel ResnickJohn C. SchlottererGary & Carol SchurmanPeter & Susan SmerdSandra Block & John SuhrieM. Ellen Tarpey & John BattagliaTamara TunieCENTER STAGE($1,750-$2,999)Sharon Achilles & Stuart OlmstedRaymond N. BaumBetensky-Kraut Family FundLaura M. DegerClare Drobot & Scott KeatingRon DuursmaRhoda EligatorHolly Hatcher-Frazier, PhDLynn & Patrick GurrentzAndrew & Jodi HannahJanice HarrisonS&J Karas FundMark Kochvar & Vicki HelgesonJoseph KoscinskiJames & Benjamin LuczakCaitlin Green & Drew MartorellaDr. & Mrs. Ryan McMillenEileen & John OlmstedMark R. PowerK. Oliver ReaScott & Kerry ShillerPreston & Annette ShimerJanice VucicWoffington Pittsburgh Theaters FundSPOTLIGHT ($1,000-$1,749)Anonymous Carolyn Abraham & Jerome AptLaurie & Frank BrunsThe Burke FamilyAnnette Calgaro & Terrence LewisDianne & Stephen CarpenterEdwin and Kathryn Clarke Family FoundationCooper-Siegel Family FoundationTomé CousinDan Waldman & Giles DavidsonJim & Jennifer DeGoodJeanne & Robert DrennanDolly & Curt EllenbergLinda Argote & Dennis EppleLaryn & Moses FinderLeland FloydJoseph & Kathleen FoxSharon & James GoldbergChela Sanchez & Kyle HadenRhoda & David HartmannLinda & Brian HeeryJanet KaiserSusan & Greg KaminskiArthur J. Kerr, Jr.Stefi Kirschner & Gil SchneiderDr. Erin M. LopataJoan & Charles MarstillerMarc MastersonBrian & Sandra McInerneyMelissa McSwigan & Robert RaczkaChristina & David MichelmoreConnie & Kerry OzerJeff Neubauer & Kitty VagleyThe Thomas J. Phillis FamilyRichard Pietroski & Susan StuartKristi Rogers & Jody R. SchurmanRichard Scheines & Martha HartyPatricia SchroderLinda & Richard ShawMyrna & Lee SilvermanW. Henry & Mary Wynn Snyder
24Tom & Judy ThompsonDrs. Donna & Michael TranovichAnne Marie WarrenElaine WertheimThe Bruce & Barbara Wiegand Family FoundationSharyn & Herbert WolfsonDavid ZeveFRONT ROW($500-$999)AnonymousJoseph AuriaThe Barmen Moser Charitable FundPhyllis & Ron BianchettiLynette BrooksCarol R. BrownStephanie BucklewThomas J. BurgunderBahar Bazmi Campbell & Dean CampbellDr. Vicky A. ClarkBarbara DeRiso & Don NewmanMichael DietrichJoshua & Hallie DonnerSusie & George DullRobert Ferguson & Elizabeth EvansRuth & Mark FichmanJanis FinkJeffrey & Andrea FittingAnne & Bob FolletteRobert FormanEva & Gary FriedmanWilliam & Margaret GhristJane GilbertJake Goodman & Sean ShepherdJanice Gordon & Robert KraftowitzKarla GravesMaria GuyetteDonna Hansen & Ralph KempPaula & Howard HarrisJudith Yanowitz & Harry HochheiserSusan & Robert HoehlBetsy & Alan HohlfelderJohn D. Houston IIBonnie Isacke, PhD & Robert Isacke, Jr.Mary Ellen JohnsonDolores KaraPeggi KelleySandra LaPietra & Alan HelgermanBobbi Jo & Jeffrey LeberElsa LimbachVirginia ManceDavid D. MaxwellDarla McCormackDenise & William McNeelNiveditha Mohan & Arunkumar SanjeeviBarb & Jim MoyerMilena & Kamal NigamLourie & Eric NybergDr. William OttoRichard ParsakianLouise & John PaviaSally & Ned RuffinMindy & Zal SanjanaKaren L. ScansaroliEdward ScheidKaren & George SchnakenbergLarry SilvermanThomas & Deborah StackrowMona & EJ StrassburgerDaniel & Karen SwansonAlexandra WestArlene Carbone-Wiley & Clayton Wiley, MDSUPPORTERS($250-$499)AnonymousSusan BarclayNancy & Sean BarrettEdwin H. Beachler, IIIChristine & Beau BeardSandi & Peter BehrensJessica BenhamHillary BerglundLarry BeringJoyce Berman & Richard SpineSusan BonelloGregory Boris & Joan ReddyKevin Brewer & Jose Antonio LiconJan F. BrunoGail & John BuchananLourdes Castellanos & Charles O'HanlonSheila & Alvin CatzLynne & Alan ColkerEstelle Comay & Bruce RabinRene ConradKeene ConsultingNick & Judy DeGregorioEllen & Gilbert DeBenedettiSteven DoerflerThe Donner Charitable FundNicholas Dragga & Alena IlyushynaJohn A. DymunTricia & Brian EccherRachael EllisThomas Ferguson & Susan RyanTony & Annette FerrieriPaula & Bob FeyCarol FranklinRegina & Eric FreySarah & Alexandra FryerTerri & Thomas GalanteJohn & Therese GallagherRuth & Alan GarfinkelElaine GelbKevin GiederBarbara Broff GoldmanPamela GrabowskiElizabeth C. GrafMeyer & Mary GrinbergSusie GrossArlene & Alfred GrubbsJo Ann HallerLou & Roger HasketNancy HeastingsJudith & David HerzogEllen Sussna-Heyman & David HeymanJames HieberDonna Hoffman & Richard DumKathy & Jamie HoggDonna HomerJoan & Ken HorohoLiz KennonBrian & Michele KerrCaroline Komlenic & Louis Obradovich Jr.Theresa Brown & Arthur KosowskyCarol LampeProf. Hazel Carr LeroyHelena LeslieLinda LindenbaumKatherine & H. Lewis LobdellDebra & David LonghiniMr. Philip MazzoniAnn M. McHoes & Bob KleinmannNancy W. MerensteinSusan & Barry MerensteinBetty MinnotteShannon MusgraveElinor Nathanson & Peter KoganJanice Myers-NewburyAndrew David OstrowskiDONORSEUREKA DAY
CITY THEATRE COMPANY 25DONORSJohn Patzer & Mary DuQinnRita & Daniel PoljakRonald PoropatichSandra PreuhsJessie Ramey & John ZimmermanMary & Chris RawsonShannon ReedSusan Rossetti & Curt WoodheadDeborah RubinR. Douglas RumbargerJim & Janet RupertoKimberly Sachse & Joseph GrimesCity Theatre is grateful for our supporters at all levels. Please scan the code below to be taken to our website, where you can see all Friends of City Theatre gifts under $250Debra & Donald SalvinRobert SchurkoSara & Ken SegelKari ShafferBarbara & Larry ShumanAndrew Smith & Lisa Velten SmithHoward & Caren SnidermanDavid Sogg & Lisa ParkerElizabeth & Jonathan SpatzIrene & David TabishJane & Ron ThompsonDr. Edward T. Tomlinson & Dr. Carol WootenLinda Torres & Vincent PettiPatricia ProzziDonald VucmanicDavid WexlerAlma WisniewskiHarton WolfThomas Wyse & Robert NeftDavid E. YoungFred & Ronnie Cook Zuhlke
Laugh Harder, Not Smarter is a celebration of legendary American comedy 65 years in the making. Featuring a hilarious array of classic sketch comedy and songs from the company’s rich history, fresh new favorites, as well as the signature brand of irreverent improv that The Second City is famous for. This innovative and interactive performance, brought to life by the dynamic Second City Touring Company, is a celebration of the comedic genius that has graced stages for six and a half decades. With alumni such as Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, and Keegan-Michael Key, The Second City has an unmatched track record of launching the careers of comedy superstars.Contains mature content, recommended for 16+This production is sponsored in part by APRIL 9–18 2026
CITY THEATRE COMPANY 27'IN HONOR OF’ GIFTSHonor someone you love. Honor someone who loves theater.IN HONOR OF GREAT ACTINGGiven by:Mary & Chris RawsonIN HONOR OF CITY THEATRE STAFFGiven by:Kristen Link & Andrew MulkerinCatherine & Kenneth A. Glick, MD’IN MEMORY OF’ GIFTSMemorial tributes to honor theatre lovers.IN MEMORY OF REBECA REITER FRANKELGiven by:Rep. Aerion AbneyIN MEMORY OF CAROL E. KANEGiven by:Jeffrey JarzynkaDONORSCORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORTCity Theatre extends its sincere gratitude to the following businesses, foundations and public agencies for their leadership support.STEEL ($100,000 +)Allegheny Regional Asset DistrictAnonymousArthur J. & Betty F. Diskin Cultural Endowment FundThe Heinz EndowmentsThe Hillman FoundationThe Shubert FoundationDIAMOND ($50,000-$99,999)The McKinney Charitable FoundationDonald & Sylvia Robinson Family FoundationBarbara & Marcus Aaron FundVenturous Theater Fund of the Tides FoundationPLATINUM ($20,000-$49,999)Arts, Equity, & Education FundThe Benter FoundationJack Buncher FoundationThe Fisher FundThe Huntington National BankIrene C. Shea Charitable FoundationNational Endowment for the ArtsNational New Play NetworkPennsylvania Department of EducationThe Pittsburgh FoundationThe Grable FoundationHilda M. Willis FoundationGOLD ($10,000-$19,999)Byham Charitable FoundationThe Anne L. & George H. Clapp Charitable and Educational TrustOpportunity FundW. I. Patterson Charitable FundPennsylvania Council on the Arts, A state agency James M. and Lucy K. Schoonmaker FoundationUPMC/UPMC Health PlanSILVER ($1,000-$9,999)American Eagle Outfitters FoundationLewis A. and Donna M. Patterson Charitable FoundationSnee-Reinhardt Charitable FoundationBRONZE (Up to $999)Actors' Equity Foundation, Inc.Queequeg Foundation TrustAnonymous
We are proud to support City Theatre.NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A GREAT PERFORMANCE.
WHO'S WHOCITY THEATRE COMPANY 29VISIT CITYCity Theatre is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all patrons. Please identify any special seating needs to our Box Office staff when reserving your tickets in advance by calling 412.431.CITY (2489).Wheelchair accessible seating is available in both the Mainstage and Lillie Studio Theatres.Selected performances of each production feature open captioning, audio description, and pre-show introductory workshops for those who are hearing impaired, blind, or have low vision. In addition, select productions will include an American Sign Language Interpreted performance. Performance dates are available online or by contacting the Box Office.Assistive listening devices are available. Please see the House Manager for details.Programs are available in both Braille and large print. Please see the House Manager for details.SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONSEnhance your City Theatre experience and take advantage of discounted ticket prices by becoming a subscriber. Prorated and Flex packages are available to best fit your interests and schedule. To subscribe, visit the Box Office, call 412.431.2489, or order online at CityTheatreCompany.org.GROUP SALESSave when you bring friends! Groups of 10 or more are eligible for significant discounts. In addition, we are happy to help you plan your event or party. For more information, contact [email protected] & RUSH TICKETSPersons under 30 years of age may reserve $24.00 advance tickets by calling the Box Office. Seniors age 62 and older may take advantage of rush tickets, $29.50 each, available only on the day of the performances. All discounted/rush tickets are subject to availability.TICKET VALUESTickets prices vary by date and demand. In addition, pay-what-you-want performances are offered for each production. Call the box office for dates.PARKINGCity Theatre provides safe, convenient parking for $10 via lot access at 1317 Bingham St, across from the theatre entrance. Parking is subject to availability. On-street parking meters are monitored until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Visit www.pittsburghparking.com for more information.LATE SEATING POLICYOur theatres are very intimate. Out of respect for both the actors and audience, late arrivals will be seated only at the discretion of house management. Consider arriving early to enjoy a beverage in the Gordon Lounge or to visit South Side’s many eclectic shops and restaurants.ELECTRONIC DEVICESPlease turn off all electronic devices. Ringing or vibrating cell phones, pagers, and watches disrupt the performance and interfere with the theatre’s sound equipment. No photography or video recording permitted during the performance.
CITY THEATRE COMPANY 31WHO'S WHOSTAFFARTISTICClare Drobot Artistic DirectorKatie Trupiano Director of Education &AccessibilityMelva Graham Artistic AssociateMiso Wei Associate ProducerSpencer Byham-Carson Literary AssistantADMINISTRATIVEJames McNeel Managing DirectorJason Clark Director of OperationsKerry Shiller Director of FinanceNikki Battestilli Marketing DirectorSarah Fryer Annual Fund ManagerJoel Ambrose Director of Ticketing &Patron ServicesAmara Walls Ticketing ManagerAudrey Fennell Box Office AssociateJessica Hampton Box Office AssociateJay Chapman Patron Services ManagerMarissa Pezzuolo Assistant Patron Services ManagerAbi Cedeño House ManagerKaitlyn Clougherty House ManagerMel Holley House ManagerAllison Roup House ManagerAJ Sansonetti House ManagerShea Sweeney House ManagerJC Clark Parking AttendantAmy Falk Facilities ManagerTEACHING ARTISTSPRODUCTIONRachel D’Amboise Production ManagerSam Karas Technical DirectorBen Sexton Lead CarpenterCharlie Lovett-Dietrich CarpenterLea Pick Scenic ChargeAlexx Feather Properties ManagerMadison Michalko Costume ManagerJaime Ericson Costume Shop AssistantTyler Hieb Lighting ManagerBrad Peterson Sound & Media EngineerPatti Kelly Resident Production Stage ManagerTaylor K. Meszaros Resident Stage ManagerFOR THIS PRODUCTIONLauren Connolly Production AssistantAlly Tayag Ricarte Production AssistantJosh Burks CarpenterBob Follette Volunteer CarpenterChristina Dragan-Dima ElectricianShea Sweeney ElectricianTyler Parsonage Electrician andSound TechnicicanJim Ruperto Volunteer CarpenterJames Eaton Carpenter Nicholas Drake Props and Paint ArtisanMady Thetard Dramaturg/Assistant Director*CONSULTANTSLandesberg Design Graphic DesignMorgan Barba Freelance DesignerHuman Habits Website Development & VideoKristi Jan Hoover PhotographerKellee Van Aken Audio DescriberBenvenuti Arts Grantwriting Services*This position is sponsored by Hatch Arts Collective Emerging Artist FellowshipCassidy AdkinsJamie AgnelloCynthia DallasBritt DorazioRita DorschBrooke EchnatTy GreenwoodClaire SabatineMelannie TaylorColton Vazquez
WHO'S WHO32 ANOTHER KIND OF SILENCEpresent this ad after the showreceive 10% off drinksbrunch lunch dinner 13th streeteast carson streetyou are hereWe are hereLocated one block from the City Theatre on 12th & Carson