CMU School of Drama


Friday, May 22, 2026

Pittsburgh Public Theater Staff Members Laid Off Amid Merger Preparation

OnStage Blog: Several staff members at Pittsburgh Public Theater were informed this week that their positions had been eliminated as the organization continues preparations for its planned merger with Pittsburgh CLO.

Actors' Equity Association Reveals Results of 2026 Officer and Councilor Election

www.broadwayworld.com: Actors' Equity Association has revealed the results of its 2026 Officer and Councilor Election. In total, 43 positions across all three regions and representing four categories (principal actor, chorus actor, stage manager and at-large) were filled, effective immediately.

Pittsburgh Public Theater employees’ positions eliminated following CLO merger

triblive.com: A separation letter obtained by TribLive news partner WTAE stated the Public faces “ongoing financial constraints” and will forgo its fall season ahead of a forthcoming merger with the Pittsburgh CLO.

Tribeca Festival 2026 preview for theater lovers

New York Theater: The musical “Hadestown” is brought to the screen with the original Broadway cast, followed by a live concert. Broadway songwriters Sara Bareilles and Alicia Keys are each profiled. There’s a documentary about a drag theater company putting on a production of “The Rocky Horror Show” in Wyoming.

14 Community Theaters Featured in Downtown Pittsburgh Showcase

onstagepittsburgh.com: An event titled Pittsburgh Community Theater Showcase seemed like a good time to check out the Dollar Bank Lobby Series at the O’Reilly Theater. The three-day showcase illustrates the possibilities of the series, announced by Pittsburgh Public Theater in February as “intimate performances and community‑centered events designed to bring fresh artistic voices into the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh,”

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Pittsburgh Public Theater lays off staff as merger proceeds with Pittsburgh CLO

www.wtae.com: According to staff members with Pittsburgh Public Theater, all staff members have been terminated as of Tuesday. Staff members say they were told Tuesday that their positions have been eliminated and were told to prepare to leave the same day.

20 Schools Inducted Into Disney on Broadway School of Excellence Program

Playbill: Winners have been revealed for the third annual Disney on Broadway School of Excellence program, an initiative from the Educational Theatre Association, Disney Theatrical Group, and Music Theatre International. Winning schools receive a free license to produce a Disney stage musical—such as The Little Mermaid, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or Newsies—in the 2026-2027 school year.

Broadway Bets Raises Record-Breaking Sum for Broadway Cares at Edison Ballroom

Playbill: Broadway Bets, Broadway’s official game night produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares, was held May 18 at the Edison Ballroom and raised a record-breaking $989,528. A mix of Broadway talent, industry insiders, and theatre enthusiasts joined in the Texas Hold ’em tournament for all levels.

Claypaky Illuminates the Arsenale Water Show

LightSoundJournal.com: At the historic Arsenale of Venice, the vast Darsena Grande was transformed into a spectacular open-air stage for Arsenale Water Show 2026 – The Call of Olympia, one of the highlight events of the Venice Carnival. Blending myth, emotion and cutting-edge technology, the immersive production delivered a powerful visual and sonic experience set against the unique backdrop of the Venetian lagoon.

2026 Chita Rivera Awards winners: ‘Schmigadoon!’ dominates Broadway honors

www.broadwaynews.com: Winners are here for the 2026 Chita Rivera Awards, honoring the best in dance during the 2025-2026 theater and film seasons. This year’s ceremony was held on May 18 at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Interview: Dylan Godwin of DEAR ALIEN at ALLEY THEATRE

www.broadwayworld.com: The Alley is now presenting DEAR ALIEN, a show that'll be running through May 31st in the lower Neuhaus space. It is a world premiere by playwright Liz Duffy Adams. BROADWAY WORLD writer Brett Cullum got to sit down with Alley Company member Dylan Godwin and talk about the show, philosophy, and breaking the fourth wall.

What’s Next? Something Revealing!

AMERICAN THEATRE: The end of the year for any school is a whirlwind of end-of-the-year performances, spring musicals, dance shows, and music productions as we march toward graduation. It was only two weeks ago that the curtains closed on my school’s production of In the Heights; a week later, we produced the seniors’ one-person show festival, and this week my students are preparing for the Adrienne Arsht Center’s inaugural high school award showcase, as one student has moved into the next round of the Jimmy’s nominations.

Going to a show in Chicago? Be prepared to hand over your phone till it’s over

WBEZ Chicago: If you want a deep dive into Chicago arts and culture, check your phone at the door: The “unplugged” trend is growing locally among arts groups responding to a collective desire for more phone-free experiences. Organizers say they aim to deepen human connection and offer spaces for creating art.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres Cancels Performances Following Cyber Attack

www.broadwayworld.com: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres has alerted patrons that a cyber attack on its computer network may force the rescheduling of some upcoming performances.

DEATH BECOMES HER Is Closing- So What Happened?

www.broadwayworld.com: Death Becomes Her announced today they will be closing on Broadway on June 28 due to poor sales. This announcement comes as a relative surprise; had you asked anyone six months ago, they would have told you Death Becomes Her was more likely than not to have an extended run on Broadway.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

'There Is A Genuine Desire Across The Board To Do Things Right': The Successes And Challenges Of Working In DEI At A Games Studio

aftermath.site: My original plan this week was to run a single big feature on DEI at major games companies, interviewing a number of people who work or have worked in the field. But when the first two experts I spoke with provided such thorough and informative responses, I shelved that plan and decided to give each of them the full spotlight, two people who have worked on some of the world's biggest--and as a result, most challenging, in terms of public reaction and awareness--games series.

Radio Riot Brings Big Gig Sound To The UK Pub Circuit With Martin Audio

ProSoundWeb: Radio Riot, a UK-based three-piece pub and function band delivering Britpop and guitar-driven covers spanning five decades, traveling with a dynamic portable sound system assembled by lead signer and guitarist David Preston that’s headed by Martin Audio’s new BlacklineQ Series loudspeakers.

Category 2 vs Category 3 Safety Systems Explained

machinerysafety101.com: When engineers first encounter ISO 13849-1, one of the most common points of confusion is the practical difference between Category 2 and Category 3 architectures. On paper, the distinction can appear subtle. In practice, however, the differences are profound.

2026 Tony analysis, 'Ragtime' and 'Schmigadoon!' out in front

www.goldderby.com: Sam, since we offered our first reactions to the Tony nominations, there has been a lot of activity among the smaller voting bodies in the industry. Those kudos include the winners of the Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics' Circle, Drama League, and, just last night, Drama Desk Awards, plus the nominations for the Dorian Awards.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Announces Company Promotions

onstagepittsburgh.com: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) has announced the promotion of three PBT company artists. The artists were all promoted live onstage after the evening performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Saturday, May 16. The changes will take effect for the upcoming season, which runs from August 2026 to May 2027.

Monday, May 18, 2026

Why Cody Renard Richard Created a Scholarship to Diversify the Backstage of Broadway

Playbill: When stage manager Cody Renard Richard was first starting his career in New York, he remembered feeling alone. Even though he was working in an industry that emphasized community, he was also hyperaware of how, as a stage manager, he was often one of the only faces backstage that wasn't white.

Photos: Producers Jamie deRoy Receives Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree at Carnegie Mellon

www.broadwayworld.com: Last week, 1967 alumna and 15-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer Jamie deRoy received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

Their Play Was Cancelled By the University—These College Students Are Putting It On Anyway

Playbill: Maggie Lawson and Liberty Welch are best friends. They're roommates and they're both pursuing theatre education-performance majors at the University of Central Oklahoma. This fall, the two were particularly excited to direct a play together, as their student production for UCO's theatre department. The play was called Boy My Greatness by Zoe Senese-Grossberg, a historical drama about the young boys who played women in Shakespeare's Globe.

30 Broadway Professionals Share Their Training and Favorite Theatre Teachers

Playbill: As part of the ongoing Playbill feature series How Did I Get Here—which spotlights not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—numerous artists have shared their journeys to Broadway, including the many conservatories, colleges, and graduate schools that were pivotal to their eventual success. Some also learned through years of on-the-job training, and many continue to study privately.

The Girls Are Screaming

The New York Times: The scream begins as a ripple, starting with the most unlikely character first, and then crescendos from one teenage girl to the next, propelling them across the stage through sheer force of lung. Four voices rising and bodies contorting: aaaahAAAAAAHHHHH!

Friday, May 15, 2026

State funding changes hit Pittsburgh art, education programs

90.5 WESA: Sweeping changes in how the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts (PCA) funds arts initiatives in the state include the end of the Arts in Education program. And critics say other new policies taking effect this year will harm small arts groups around the state.

The National Theatre Launches Touring Partnership With 12 Theatre

www.broadwayworld.com: The National Theatre has announced National Theatre Nationwide: a new landmark partnership with 12 leading theatres in all nine regions of England dedicated to ensuring parity of access to art and culture, enriching people’s lives–wherever they live.

Ian McKellen Will Return to the Stage in LEAR at The Yard Theatre's New London Venue

www.broadwayworld.com: The Yard Theatre in Hackney Wick, London, has announced its first season in its new building. Six productions running from July 2026 to April 2027, including a 50th-anniversary revival of Ntozake Shange's for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf directed by Diane Page, Holly Robinson's adaptation of Mrs Dalloway, and Ian McKellen returning to the stage in Lear, reimagined by Artistic Director Jay Miller and playwright Simon Stephens.

TCG Reveals 2026 Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship Recipients

www.broadwayworld.com: Theatre Communications Group has announced Tianyu Lei and Viktoriia Shlenova as the 2026 recipients of the Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship.

Lowry's Creative Writing Challenge Celebrates Young Writers From Across the North West

www.broadwayworld.com: Children from across the North West stepped into the spotlight on Saturday 9 May for the Lowry's annual Creative Writing Challenge, performing on stage at a special event hosted by the popular CBeebies presenter Evie Pickerill.

Thursday, May 14, 2026

Immersive PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN Event is Coming to London Next Year

www.broadwayworld.com: Secret Cinema and TodayTix will present a new immersive production inspired by Disney's iconic blockbuster film franchise Pirates of the Caribbean, sailing into London in February 2027.

Tianyu Lei, Viktoriia Shlenova Receive 2026 Willa Kim Scholarships

AMERICAN THEATRE: Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for theatre and publisher of this magazine, has announced Tianyu Lei and Viktoriia Shlenova as the 2026 recipients of the Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship. Administered by TCG (the publisher of American Theatre) with support from the estate of costume designer Willa Kim, it provides talented costume designers in a university or professional training program with the opportunity to supplement their fine arts training in hand-drawing and painting. The scholarship honors Kim’s legacy and her life’s work as a pioneer, legend, and inspiration.

Details Revealed For New 594-Seat West End Venue The Arts at Marble Arch

www.broadwayworld.com: Further details have been revealed for The Arts at Marble Arch powered by TodayTix, a brand-new 594-seat theatre venue set beside the world-famous Marble Arch, between Oxford Street, Hyde Park and the West End.

Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards Adds Kehlani, Meagan Good as Honorees

www.thewrap.com: Hollywood Unlocked is stacking up its list of honorees for its sixth annual Impact Awards next month, announcing Wednesday that Kehlani, Meagan Good, RZA and Kirk Franklin will all be honored at the June 5 ceremony, TheWrap can exclusively reveal.

PortAventura World and Vekoma partner for new mixed reality company

InPark Magazine: PortAventura World and Vekoma have reached an agreement to drive the creation of WeRiseUp, a new independent company spun off from Adventure Labs by PortAventura World. The resort’s digital innovation unit is evolving into a studio specializing in mixed reality, with the aim of scaling the technology developed and validated at PortAventura Park over recent years.