This post is sponsored by Quantum Theatre, a theatre company that has staged shows indoors and outdoors throughout Pittsburgh for 32 years and counting. For tickets and more information on the ’22–’23 season, go to https://www.quantumtheatre.com/.
Please describe your organization. What do you do, how do you do it, and why?
Quantum Theatre is a company of progressive, professional artists dedicated to producing intimate and sophisticated theatrical experiences in uncommon settings, exploring universal themes of truth, beauty, and human relationships in unexpected ways. Quantum is devoted to eclectic experimentation, staging its works in environmental sites that inspire directors, designers, and performers, and delight audiences. They reflect Pittsburgh’s character, history, and architecture, and are as diverse as a grand museum, an abandoned industrial site, a modern office tower, a beloved city lake, and a waterless indoor swimming pool. The company is influenced by theater artists working in new ways around the world, often bringing such artists to its Pittsburgh laboratory, where Quantum assembles unusual artistic teams, empowers creativity, and nurtures bold ideas.
How do you choose the neighborhoods you work in?
We are looking for specific sites, environments, that are great for the shows… and we find them in every neighborhood! So after all these years, the neighborhoods themselves have become old friends as we return many times, we have places, people, institutions we’re so happy to get back in proximity to, and those relationships have grown and strengthened over time. The stronger they are, the more we feel we can have an impact on the neighborhoods – that residents feel welcome, businesses want to promote our presence, and that we can direct our couple thousand attendees to also support their restaurants, bars, coffee shops, art galleries, you name it!
What inspires you?
The layers of our city, its history and present, the physical landscape, architecture.
What sets Quantum apart from everyone else?
There is no theater in the country that has made so many environmental projects, over so many years.
Tell us about any programming/events/new products/exciting announcements you have coming up.
We are very much looking forward to taking over the Byham Theater this October with the Baroque opera Idaspe, in collaboration with Chatham Baroque, and directed by Claire van Kampen. With the support of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, we will be bringing award-winning and international artists, like Vivica Genaux and John Holiday, to Pittsburgh. Idaspe only runs for five performances (Oct. 7, 9, 11, 13, 15) and tickets are available now.
What’s your org’s biggest challenge and how can Pittsburghers help?
Our biggest organizational challenge continues to be recovering our audiences and our pre-pandemic groove. Get out, be brave, go to theater, help your beloved performing arts organizations stay alive.
(Editor’s note: If you’re still taking it slow on indoor activities, The Cherry Orchard is staged outdoors, and Quantum checks vaccination status. You can check out our Reel for a look at our outdoor date night in Hazelwood.)
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