President & Executive Producer

President & Executive Producer

About the Opportunity

Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO — together representing more than a century of service to the region — voted in March 2026 to merge into a single new organization centered on locally produced theater and educational programming, with a planned launch in January 2027.

Pittsburgh Public Theater has been a cornerstone of the city's cultural identity since 1974, producing acclaimed work at the O'Reilly Theater, including the complete ten-play August Wilson Century Cycle. Pittsburgh CLO has been the region's home for professional musical theater since 1939 and operates CLO Academy, one of the most respected youth theater education programs in the country, alongside the long-running Gene Kelly Awards.

Both organizations enter the merger from a position of mission focused strength while facing many of the same financial pressures common across the nonprofit theater field nationally. The merger offers a pathway to creating greater financial stability, but more importantly it is grounded in a civic case: theater as an irreplaceable community anchor. Locally produced theater keeps working artists living, teaching, and raising families in Pittsburgh;

sustains the region's creative economy; and provides shared cultural touchstones — like PPT's stewardship of August Wilson's work — that cannot be reconstructed once lost.

The two organizations concluded that Pittsburgh's theater community is better served by one stronger, more resourced institution than by two organizations competing for the same audiences, donors, venues, and talent. And while the economic numbers behind the decision are indeed compelling, the civic argument is powerfully inspiring and has generated the kind of excitement that comes from the community’s heartfelt investment in Pittsburgh’s cultural life.

The new PCLO/PPT merged company will launch as an approximately $8M organization. Programming will run across the O'Reilly, Byham, and Greer theaters downtown, with a 7-production inaugural season composed of musicians, classics, and contemporary works. The season is designed under a "MADE in Pittsburgh" framework (Meaningful, Artistically Excellent, Data-Led, Equitable) to create multiple points of entry for new and existing audiences.

• A unique role leading an organization with a plan, structure, and experienced staff in place, charged with building on the legacies of two significant organizations from whom it was formed.
• To build on an existing foundation of a credible financial model and strong support for this enterprise, with a cohort of committed board leadership and philanthropic investment.
• To serve the mission and vision of this project, rooted in civic commitment, expanded education opportunities, and a clear artistic vision while encompassing dedication to financial sustainability.
• The opportunity to execute a sustainable operating model for regional producing theaters — one other cities and companies may look to as a template.
• Strong history of working in the complexity of a multi-space, union artistic workforce
• The charge to honor the mission and legacy of two theaters with long, accomplished, and distinct institutional histories.
• Building trust with a local arts community that will be watching closely to see whether the merger strengthens and honors what each organization stood for.
• Establishing a clear identity and audience share in a market with competing cultural entities in the downtown core.

• Experienced arts leader capable of fulfilling the vision and mission of a newly unified theater company
• Operational and financial management at significant scale
• Organizational change management and/or start up experience
• Successful track record of fundraising in all forms:
  Individual, major gifts, foundations, corporations, government
• Artistic/programming leadership in performing arts; musical theater background valued
• Strong external relations skills and experience; with press, funders, community of supporters and artists
• Regional…