With the merger between Pittsburgh Public Theater and the Civic Light Opera underway, Interim Board Chair Tom McGough speaks with Jim Cunningham about the process and future of both organizations.
With the merger between Pittsburgh Public Theater and the Civic Light Opera underway, Interim Board Chair Tom McGough speaks with Jim Cunningham about the process and future of both organizations.
Tom talks about how the merger came about, and how he came to lead the efforts to combine the two organizations. He stresses the challenges that the theater world faces today, citing the COVID-19 pandemic, aging audiences, and the advent of streaming services. He hopes to close the deal by July 31st, and estimates three shows and a sneak peek into the 2027 season by the end of this year.
The merger intends to continue the legacies of both organizations, combining the Public's work in classical theater and the CLO's commitment to developing and producing musical theater. Tom hopes the merger will foster a "theater ecology" in downtown Pittsburgh that will continue to grow and uplift the community.
Updates about the merger are available online from The Next Act.