Student-run theater companies prep for Fall productions

Student-run productions have been announced for the semester, with the production companies gearing up for an exciting season.     

With on-campus organizations such as Ghostlight Theatre Company, Bridges Theatre Company, and Pinnacle Productions having breathtaking shows lined up for this semester, you surely do not want to miss out.  

While the Playhouse has wrapped up its casting process, these student-run organizations are just beginning their audition journey. With auditions running from September 1 to 13,in both the Boulevard Apartments as well as the Playhouse,  students wanting to try out may get a chance in the spotlight. 

When asked about the challenges of preparing for this production season, Esaí Martínez, senior theatre arts major and director of their very own production titled “OFRENDA”, shared that “student involvement” was their biggest hurdle, especially when it came to casting.  

Despite this, Martínez reflected on the rewarding experience of working with their peers to bring this show to life.  

“I definitely wrote the script to tell the stories of my family and who I am as a person,” Martínez said. “It is my capstone, and the point of a capstone is to embody the experience you’ve had here at Point Park and what you’ve learned. I also created the production to fit the needs of students and really give them a space to truly create.” 

Now for the shows themselves, this is what you can expect for this semester. 

Ghostlight Theatre Company 

Sep. 20, 2024: “Reaching for the Stars: A Miscast Cabaret“. Under the direction of Quinn Starrett, a sophomore musical theatre major, this one-night-only show is a cabaret that is different from the rest. An event filled with gender-swapped singing and performing in the roles you’ve always wanted to play! 

Oct. 18-20, 2024: “Orphans” by Lyle Kessler. Under the direction of Morgan Kivlan, a senior acting major, this show follows the lives of two grown orphan brothers in North Philadelphia, Phillip and Treat, whose relationship is rifted apart when, Harold, a Chicago gangster, shows up.   

Nov. 8, 2024: “Putting The Ghost In Ghostlight.” Brought to you by director August Carter, a sophomore theatre arts major, this show is a spooky cabaret filled with songs, dances, and scary stories. This show will provide an encore for the spookiest time of the year – Halloween won’t be over on November 1 

Dec. 6-8, 2024: “That Starling and the Sparrow” by Aryan Cheruvattath.” Written by Aryan Cheruvattath, a sophomore theatre arts major, and directed by Stella Frazer, a junior theatre production major, this musical story follows an ordinary family named the Montgomery’s. Upon the death of their son, Leanne and Eli Montgomery, must battle with their grief while still learning how to live their lives.  

Dec. 8-10, 2024: “Drive Thru” by Amy Rose Scoggins. Directed by Mady Thetard, a senior theatre arts major, this show is a workshopped solo performance that is set at a family meal with the show’s very own writer,  who must navigate their traumatic relationship with their mother.   

Bridges Theatre Company 

Nov. 1-3, 2024: “7 Stories” by Morris Panych. Directed by Eli Plummer, a senior theatre arts major, this dark comedy tells the story of a man standing on the seventh-story edge of an apartment building contemplating his life. The residents interrupted his plan, each telling a story. 

Nov. 15-17, 2024: “OFRENDA” by Esaí Martínez. Under the direction of Bridge’s Artistic Director and its very own writer, Esaí Martínez, a senior theatre arts major, this  show follows a woman who has found herself at an ofrenda. Her story gives a comedic yet dramatic recount about her family who have had their own struggles.  

Pinnacle Productions 

Sep. 15, 2024: “24 Hour Playwriting Festival.” This annual show is a performance that no one could expect. With the writers starting at 7 p.m. the night before, the entire production team is given 24 hours to put on multiple plays for a show that very same night.   

Oct. 11-14, 2024: “I am ophelia“ written by Paisley Kinch. Under the direction of Madeline Bedford and written and performed by Paisley Kinch, both senior theatre arts majors, this original show is a solo performance piece that dissects girlhood and everything that it encompasses. Specifically, looking at how the change from childhood to adolescence affects girls and how a Shakespearean character is connected to it. 

Oct. 25-27, 2024: “One Night: Ultimate Werewolf” by Mando Gonzalvez. Written by Mando Gonzalvez, a junior theatre arts major, this story follows a group of villagers in the town of Cliffton as they grapple with their own identities and a growing werewolf threat. With supernatural forces at play, the line between friend and foe blurs, leading to a dramatic confrontation where survival comes at a heartbreaking cost. 

Nov. 8-10, 2024: “Days without end“ by Eugene O’Neill. Under the direction of Nicole Brady, a senior theatre arts major, this show follows a man named John Loving who struggles with his psyche. This play, which takes place during World War II, explores how “crisis awareness” affects mankind.  

Nov. 16-17, 2024: “Macheteland” by Carissa J. Atter. Written and directed by senior theatre arts major Carissa J. Ater and co-directed by Amy Rose Scoggins. This show is a three-act post-apocalyptic family dramedy that explores how relationships change during hard times and what it means to grow up in a world you don’t recognize anymore. Three queer siblings and an ex-camp counselor take on grief, sickness, and a man who hallucinates people-eating sewer rats in this action-packed play. 

Sophomore musical theatre major Cate Velasquez is among the students auditioning this fall for the first time with a student-run company. She’s said that she found this production very close to their heart. 

“I think it’s very important to talk about culture, especially in the city of Pittsburgh. The Latinx community is very small, and I’m very blessed and grateful to be a part of it,” Velasquez said when asked about her motivation to audition.  

She also spoke about how she handles nerves during the audition process. 

“I always try to make sure that I’m focused on what needs to get done,” Velasquez said. “A lot of rehearsal and coaching with friends helps, and I give myself more grace, knowing that I improve every day.”  

Velasquez gave her excitement about potentially being part of a student-run production.  

“I just love being on the stage and being with people… creating something for everyone to enjoy.” 

For more information on these productions, students can visit the social media pages of each company to stay up to date on each project.