North Hills Monthly Magazine – The play’s the thing in Pittsburgh. This city is home to a plethora of theater companies that showcase incredible local talent in both traditional and nontraditional venues.
Quantum Theatre
Started in 1990 by Karla Boos, Quantum Theatre aims to bring international theater influences to Pittsburgh. “We’re explorers; Quantum is a bit like a laboratory,” said Boos.
Quantum Theatre brings plays both old and new to life. They want to expose Pittsburghers to shows they may have never seen before. “I’m always looking for what strikes me as new theatrical language, and I might find it in an old play, because we see something different in it, or because I haven’t explored that particular language. Or I’ve been moved and want others to experience, not exactly what I have, but their own version of that powerful emotion the play drew from me,” said Boos.
Quantum Theatre is one of the few theaters that isn’t performed in a traditional space. Boos picks her locations based on the nature of the play. “The site-specific nature, always choosing a site that will enfold the audience in a real space to experience the show in a specific way is quite different,” she said. Quantum Theatre’s most recent play, A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O’Neill, was performed outside at Longue Vue Club overlooking the Allegheny River. Their next play, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: An Out of the Box Theatrical Experience, will be performed at the Union Trust building in Downtown Pittsburgh November 1st-November 24th.
Running a theater company isn’t without its challenges, especially for a theater as unique as Quantum. Boos noted there are bigger challenges, but the day-to-day can be difficult too.
“Making a community of colleagues gel; compelling the audience through marketing—getting them there; finding the support needed beyond ticket sales; carving out the sacred space and time for artists to work, including me” are all difficulties Quantum faces, according to Boos.
Boos believes it is all worth it, though, to bring diverse, live entertainment to Pittsburgh. When asked how patrons can support Quantum, she said, “I want people to go joyfully and often to see live performance—Quantum and all the other things offered in town.”
