Tribune-Review – In the world of musicals and plays, 2024 was a hilarious, heartfelt and enlightening year in the city of Pittsburgh. From eye-opening world premieres to fresh interpretations of old favorites to jaw-dropping touring productions, this was a great year in theater. Take a glimpse at some of the highlights.
Top 5 best overall productions
“Radio Golf” (Pittsburgh Playwrights): This awe-inspiring rendition of August Wilson’s final play was a triumph from beginning to end. From the small cast’s incredible intensity to the nostalgia-inducing accuracy of the 1997 office set, every aspect of the show was on point. “Radio Golf” takes place almost three decades ago in the Hill District, and its characters’ struggles between development and history remain relevant today.
“POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” (City Theatre Company): With a hilarious all-female cast, this election season charmer was searing, profane and uproariously funny. It perfectly encapsulated a sense of frustration and hope that many feel in the midst of current events while provoking nonstop laughter. Every member of the cast got her chance to shine as the plot of this West Wing-set farce careened toward international disaster.
“The Importance of Being Earnest” (Pittsburgh Public Theater): Throwing it back to the late 19th century, Pittsburgh Public Theater staged Oscar Wilde’s classic satire in the spring. The light-as-air comedy was flawlessly executed with excellent acting, directing and music. A standout production of a frequently staged play is always a treat, and PPT pulled this one off in 2024.
“Bandstand” (Front Porch Theatricals): This musical is already an emotional, delicate show to put on, but it also requires an extra layer of talent, upping its difficulty even more. In “Bandstand,” a group of returned American veterans from World War II — already facing difficulties readjusting to post-combat life — form a band to enter a patriotic song contest. Not only do the actors need to navigate anger, grief and PTSD, they need to be able to play their instruments onstage. The result of a lengthy casting process and some masterful music direction was a production that practically blew the doors off the New Hazlett Theater.
“A Moon for the Misbegotten” (Quantum Theatre): This show was immersive in a way that few others were this year, taking the quiet, rural setting of Eugene O’Neill’s play to the Long Vue Club and carrying out the character-driven scenes as the sky darkened and the moon rose. Getting to sit so realistically and viscerally within the world of the characters was a rare and lovely experience.
