The Public has become one of the preeminent theaters in America by providing a high-quality, artistically-diverse theatrical experience.

A seasonal average of 3,600 disadvantaged, economically challenged, and elderly citizens receive free tickets to Pittsburgh Public Theater productions. Five thousand additional people take advantage of the Public's multifaceted education and outreach programs, including playwriting, acting, directing and technical theater courses, creative dramatic programs with elementary school students, and the theater's annual Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest. Annually, close to 800 students representing 120 schools from across the region take part in the contest.

Pittsburgh Public Theater was founded in 1974 after major theater closings in the city which had left no suitable venues for road shows. These closings marked the end of Pittsburgh having been a primary stop on the major pre-Broadway circuit. This began a decade-long span in which Pittsburgh became nationally known as a negative theater town.

During this low time was when funding for a new theater was garnered by local Pittsburghers Joan Apt and Margaret Rieck and director Ben Shaktman.

The PPT performed its first 24 seasons in the Hazlett Theatre (the former Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall) on the North Side. A new venue, the a href="http://www.wpxi.com/events/1904178/detail.html">O'Reilly Theater, was built in Pittsburgh's Cultural District and the company moved into it in 2001.

For more information, visit Pittsburgh Public Theater's Web site at http://www.ppt.org.

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