The Musical Theatre Dramaturg

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The Musical Theatre Dramaturg

A musical theatre dramaturg.

08/29/2026

I’ve spent the past few days Zooming into rehearsals for TENNESSEE WALTZ, a new play by 𝕂𝕚𝕥 𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕞𝕤𝕠𝕟. Wes Drummond is directing a staged reading as his first project with Clear Space Theatre Company and asked me to tag along as the dramaturg.

This play is so gritty. It’s mean. But it’s also raw and profoundly human. There’s sprinkles of Tennessee Williams peppered throughout which, if you know me, is the easiest way to get me to say yes to a project. Our cast is fantastic and the way they bring these characters to life is inspiring to watch. Even more is getting to watch Kit’s mind work as a playwright in real time.

If you’re in the Rehoboth Beach area and need a great way to spend your afternoon, there’s a reading at 2pm today!

It’s been a minute since I’ve gotten to work on a new play and I’m so glad I got to dip my toes back in the waters with this one. Thanks, Wes, for having me.

08/26/2026

I’m heartbroken to hear the news of Anna Louizos’ passing yesterday. In addition to her work as a prolific scenic designer on Broadway and stages around the world, she also donated her time and talents to CVHS Musical Productions. Our program was fortunate to remount her Broadway and regional designs for CINDERELLA and MAMMA MIA! in 2021 and 2026. Anna was a constant presence, even from afar, advising and cheering us on. She was so humbled by our commitment to giving our students off and onstage the opportunity to work with professional theatre makers.

I regret not being able to interview her for my dissertation chapter on CV, but know that she will still be a part of it in many ways. She is and will forever be a member of our CV Musical family. ❤️

08/24/2026

I spent the last few days of summer diving through the archives at Theatre Harrisburg! Established in 1926, Theatre Harrisburg is the oldest community theatre in the capital region. It’s also where I got my start doing theatre as a freshman in high school.

I’ve been working with TH as their in-house dramaturg for the past year — and have fallen in love with the rich history of the theater. So much so that writing about them in my dissertation! But more on that later. 🤫

08/12/2026

The school year is upon us! I’m sharing some of my goals for this fall:

✏️ Dissertation writing is taking up the bulk of my time this fall, with chapters and revisions due to my chair. Thankfully, I have a good head start thanks to work done this summer.

📚 I’m teaching script analysis again, and because I’ve taught the class three times already, the syllabus is pretty much set in stone. I’m excited to meet a new group of students and discuss some great plays and musicals!

🎭 I have a number of shows this fall, including productions of COME FROM AWAY, INTO THE WOODS, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, HAIRSPRAY, and TITANIC. Materials have already been made, and now the fun part of making the theatre happen begins.

🎙️I’ll be sharing work at two conferences this fall - the Northeast Popular Culture Association in October and the American Society for Theatre Research in November. Prep for these papers have already begun, and I’m excited to attend two new (to me) conferences!

What are some of your goals for the fall? Let me know in the comments! ⬇️

08/10/2026

Say less. ✨

08/05/2026

A whole new batch of episodes of THE HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL PODCAST are coming your way! 🎙️

Season 3 launches Friday, September 4th and continues with a new episode every week. Seasons 1 and 2 are already streaming on Apple Music and Spotify, so go get caught up!

Thanks to generous funding from Pitt Stages, I’m able to keep this passion project alive. ✨

07/24/2026

Last night I had the chance to see a thrilling community forward production of COMPANY! This show might possibly be my favorite Sondheim (sorry SUNDAY and INTO THE WOODS) and Stage 62’s production delivered with charm, heart, and a good laugh!

Funnily enough, the only other production of COMPANY I’ve seen was the national tour in 2024 featuring a female Bobbie. COMPANY is one of those shows that you only really begin to understand with age - and like so much of Sondheim’s work, you are really rewarded with each repeat viewing.

There’s often some debate on whether or not COMPANY has retained its relevance in the modern age. As I sat in the Greer Cabaret last night, the piece seemingly justified its consistent revival. Maybe marriage isn’t at the forefront of all young people’s minds, but the desire for connection and whether or not to be passive spectators to life surely rings true for my generation and others — especially in a digital age where we might prefer to watch “influencer couples” through a screen rather than participating in a relationship ourselves.

If you can, COMPANY at Stage 62 runs through Sunday in the Greer Cabaret Theatre in downtown Pittsburgh! Grab a ticket, bring a friend, or even go solo — the connection brought upon by live theatre is company enough.

07/22/2026

Opening night of SUFFS at Pittsburgh CLO last evening!

The national tour rolls (or, marches) into town this week, capping off an amazing summer of musicals with the PCLO. This organization has endured for 80 years and will be beginning a new chapter this fall as it merges with the Pittsburgh Public.

If you can, make some time to catch this important show. As our country celebrates 250, this show is a stark reminder that it hasn’t always been perfect for everyone—and still requires additional work.

I can’t think of a better message to begin this next era of theatre in Pittsburgh - “Progress is possible, not guaranteed.”

07/10/2026

DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA opens tonight in the Richard Ruah Studio Theatre on Pitt’s campus! This INDEPENDENT, CROWD SOURCED production packs a punch (no pun intended) and is exactly the show for young adults (and adults of all ages). The violent whiplash of Danny and Roberta’s dance touches on something just as relevant today as it was in the 1980s when John Patrick Shanley wrote it.

I caught the preview last night, and let’s say this: Michael Patrick Trimm and Shannon Donovan deliver some of the finest performances I’ve seen in Pittsburgh. Kelly Trumbull’s direction is superb, guiding these two actors through the play’s energy filled 80 minutes.

My wish for Pittsburgh is more theatre like this. More projects fueled by artists for artists. It takes nothing away from the theatre being produced by our city’s producing organizations, either. When one succeeds, we all succeed.

Happy Opening, DannyDeepBlueSeaPGH 💙

07/08/2026

Last evening was the final opening night of “locally made for Pittsburgh by Pittsburgh” musicals with the Pittsburgh CLO. Over 80 years of high-quality musicals comes to a stunning end this summer. There was something especially beautiful about MEAN GIRLS being the final show - a show about youth, making mistakes, and hoping for a better tomorrow. Even though the PCLO is 80 years old, she feels very young again.

A truly heartfelt thank you to Mark Fleischer, whose leadership has led the PCLO out of the pandemic and prepped it for its next chapter. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Mark a little through my time in Pittsburgh and most recently, chatting with him for my dissertation (where, you guessed it, I’m writing about the PCLO). He is going to be missed, but I’m excited to see what he does as Executive Director at Studio Tenn.

The final show of the PCLO’s Summer of Musicals is SUFFS, a national tour being presented by the company. So - MEAN GIRLS is truly it. If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, go check this show out at the Benedum Center now through Sunday. You’ll be glad you did. It’s so fetch. 💕

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