WE FLY To Have Staged Reading With Pittsburgh Public Theater
Playwright TJ Young's satirical mockumentary will be directed by Jade King Carroll at the O'Reilly Theater.
Pittsburgh Public Theater partners with Carnegie Mellon University Center for New Work Development to present a developmental reading of WE FLY, a new play by local playwright and Pittsburgh Public Theater Playwrights Collective member, TJ Young.
Lead by director Jade King Carroll, this team of local professionals and student actors will take audienes on a satirical journey with laughter, grief, and emotional honesty.
In this satirical mockumentary-style play, members of the Frankensburgh, Texas community have gathered to retell and recount the events that have transpired after the unexplained disappearance of Rashaad Powell and the "Great Gettin' Up". The ensemble has stitched together a narrative timeline led by journalist Travis Coleman, reenacting the individual voices, moments, and characters that have circled the inhabitants of this small town since the incident.
The cast includes Bria Walker-Rhoze, Christian Trimmingham, Moyo Ifafore, Daniel Evans, Celia Evans, Brett Sullivan Santry, Cameron Nickel, Cecilia Staggers and Madelyn Streisfeld.
This reading will take place on May 3 at the O'Reilly Theater, Helen Wayne Rauh Rehearsal Hall located at 621 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. Tickets can be purchased at the Carnegie Mellon University's Center For New Work's website.
About The Center For New Work
The Center for New Work connects the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama with Pittsburgh's established theaters and national partners to generate new work initiatives, creating a collaborative hub between higher education and regional theaters to sustain new live theatrical performance. Whether it be readings, masterclasses, workshops, or developmental productions, the Center provides students for-credit and extracurricular learning opportunities to engage with leading tastemakers as they develop their latest creations. These multilateral activities leverage individual organization's strengths and interests, building a collective effort to establish Pittsburgh as an epicenter of new work development.
The Center for New Work is funded by Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama and the Richard King Mellon Foundation with programming support from five artistic partners: City Theatre Company, Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and Play On Shakespeare. The Center operates out of the Victory building at 212 Ninth Street in downtown Pittsburgh through a partnership with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and utilizes venues across the city, including the Greer Cabaret, Three Stories, the Trust Arts Education Center, the Lillie Theatre, the PCLO Academy, and CMU's Purnell Center for the Arts.
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ABOUT PITTSBURGH PUBLIC THEATER
Pittsburgh Public Theater strives to be a true public theater to the Pittsburgh region and welcomes more than 70,000 guests through the doors of the O'Reilly Theater every year. The Public is renowned for its exceptional mix of programming, featuring American classics, world premieres, new adaptations, and favorite musicals. Its commitment to education and engagement initiatives is a cornerstone of its mission and includes the signature Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest and innovative community partnerships.
The O'Reilly Theater is a project of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Pittsburgh Public Theater is under the leadership of Managing Director Shaunda McDill and celebrates its 51st season in 2025/2026.
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