BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CMU Drama - ECPv6.16.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://drama.cmu.edu X-WR-CALDESC:Events for CMU Drama REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:UTC BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:UTC DTSTART:20250101T000000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260501T160000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260501T170000 DTSTAMP:20260808T064111 CREATED:20260416T194307Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260416T194308Z UID:10000271-1777651200-1777654800@drama.cmu.edu SUMMARY:Impulse Festival: Happy Songs About Unhappy Things DESCRIPTION:Performance \n Midsummer!\n \n \n 07.31.2026\n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n \n \n\n \n Register\n \n \n \n \n \n Date: \n 07.31.2026\n \n \n Cost: \n 6 – 20 \n \n \n Time: \n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n\n \n Address: \n \n\n805 Liberty Avenue\n \n \n Pittsburgh\,\n\n Pennsylvania\n\n 15222\n\n United States\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\nHAPPY SONG ABOUT UNHAPPY THINGScreated by Nikki Lynettedirected by Nikki Lynette & Roger Ellisproduced by Jamie Foxx\, Datari Turner\, Qadree Holmes\, Brannon Bowers\, and Pamela Haydenexecutive produced by Ted Reilly\, Kelly Waller\, Mark Glassgow\, Ira Antelis\, Daryl Jones\, Matt Hennessy\, Chris Karabas\, Roger Ellis\, and Nikki Lynette \n\n\n\n1 in 4 people will be affected by mental health issues in their lifetime.In Happy Songs About Unhappy Things\, Nikki Lynette urges us to confront the stigma in ways we never have before. \n\n\n\nIn 2018\, a black female suicide survivor learning to live with a mental illness decided to shine a light on the parts of the mental health journey that nobody talks about. The resulting documusical creates its own lane with a unique combination of high concept\, visually arresting storytelling and an earworm-laden score used to highlight real lived experiences and two amazing mental health professionals who tell it like it is. Happy Songs About Unhappy Things is a groundbreaking new project that aims to disrupt the harmful narratives around mental health. By blending documentary footage\, statistics\, digital art\, and mental health expert testimonials with sensational theatrical performances\, indie artist Nikki Lynette invites us into a musical playground that allows audiences to explore the deepest parts of themselves while feeling empowered along the way. \n\n\n\nJoin the CMU Center for New Work for the Pittsburgh premiere of this cutting-edge short musical film followed by an exclusive talkback with the creator and co-director Nikki Lynette. This special event commemorates the start of Mental Health Awareness Month and is part of the Center’s spring Impulse Festival\, a collaboration between the CMU School of Drama\, Pittsburgh Public Theater\, and Pittsburgh CLO. \n\n\n\nWe are delighted to offer complimentary tickets to all Pittsburgh arts workers and students. Go to trustarts.org and click on “Promo Code” in the upper right corner. Type in HAPPYPARTNER to gain access to free tickets! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Nikki Lynette (she/her) is a suicide survivor and multi-hyphenate social impact artist who fuses mental health activism into her performance art\, film projects and visual art\, creating a lane that is uniquely her own. Her journey with mental health outreach began in 2016 when she returned to the public eye after a long hiatus with a confession: she’d secretly been battling mental health issues. In a time when being open about mental health struggles was taboo\, Nikki began writing articles about depression and suicide for prominent media like Afropunk and AllHipHop. As the opening act for Pussy Riot’s first American tour\, Nikki workshopped the material that would soon become her musical about depression\, GET OUT ALIVE. In 2019\, Nikki made history as the first black female playwright to be produced by American Music Theatre Project\, in 2022 she became the first Steppenwolf LookOut Series work and first female AMTP alum to be featured at NAMT’s Festival of New Musicals\, and in 2024 Nikki Lynette became the first American Playwright to be invited to Cove Park’s Musical Theatre Writing Residency in Scotland. GET OUT ALIVE is currently in development under the guidance of Tony & Grammy Award winning producers Octopus Theatricals. A proud ambassador and board member for the Chicago chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)\, seeing her music used to tell stories in tv shows led Nikki to an interest in filmmaking. Since adapting her musical to film during the pandemic\, GET OUT ALIVE has been invited into over a dozen film festivals and won three awards. Her zeal for crafting edgy multimedia theatrical experiences that center mental health is on full display in Nikki Lynette’s second film\, the new documusical entitled Happy Songs About Unhappy Things. \n \n \n\n Nikki’s WebsiteGet Out Alive\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Roger Ellis (he/they) is a director who works across screen and stage. Recent projects include the docu-musical Happy Songs About Unhappy Things (co-director)\, Natasha\, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at Writers Theatre (associate director)\, and the documentary Emergency Contact (director). Professor Ellis directed Nikki Lynette’s afrogoth musical Get Out Alive (Steppenwolf\, National Alliance for Musical Theatre\, film adaptation) and Ellis’ film work has screened internationally at festivals such as Black Harvest (Gene Siskel Center)\, Melbourne Lift-off (Australia)\, School of Sound (London\, UK)\, San Francisco IndieFest’s Decibels Music Film Festival\, African Diaspora International Film Festival (NYC)\, and Pan African Arts and Film Festival (Los Angeles). Other stage work includes Ephemera by Deborah Black\, Sophia Treanor\, and Mary Overlie (Dancer – Clurman MAD series at Stella Adler NYC)\, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (movement director – Horizon Theatre/Aurora Theatre)\, and AntigoneNOW (movement designer – Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre). Roger has worked across the US with Writers Theatre\, Sacramento Music Circus\, American Music Theatre Project\, California Center for the Arts\, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma\, Tuacahn Center for the Arts\, Paramount Theatre\, and San Diego Repertory. Ellis’ research in contemporary theatre explores the interplay between the synthetic and somatic through the mixed reality of Black-queer experience. The conceptual grit of Ellis’ work is anchored in xenoqueer and xenofeminist theory. Ellis has undergone extensive study with Fay Simpson (Lucid Body)\, Stephen Wangh (Acrobat of the Heart\, Grotowski)\, Mary Overlie\, Deborah Black\, Sophia Treanor (Six Viewpoints\, Hamilton Technique)\, Wendell Beavers (Developmental Movement)\, and Erika Berland (Experiential Anatomy). MFA San Diego State University; BA Oklahoma City University; and certified Lucid Body Teacher. Ellis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre at Northwestern University\, where they teach courses in movement\, music theatre\, physical theatre\, and directing for the musical. Ellis serves as the coordinator of the movement area for Northwestern’s MFA Acting Program. Professor Ellis is a member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA)\, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC)\, and National Alliance of Acting Teachers (NAAT). \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n Give Today \n Support the Center for New Work \n \n\n\n\n \n\n InstagramFacebookHappy Songs About Unhappy Things URL:https://drama.cmu.edu/event/impulse-festival-happy-songs-about-unhappy-things/ LOCATION:Harris Theater\, 809 Liberty Avenue\, Pittsburgh\, Pennsylvania\, 15222\, United States CATEGORIES:Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://drama.cmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CAF-premiere_image-3-e1772727277728.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260501T190000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260501T210000 DTSTAMP:20260808T064111 CREATED:20260306T163934Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260311T153848Z UID:10000256-1777662000-1777669200@drama.cmu.edu SUMMARY:Impulse Festival: I'll Be Mother DESCRIPTION:Performance \n Midsummer!\n \n \n 07.31.2026\n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n \n \n\n \n Register\n \n \n \n \n \n Date: \n 07.31.2026\n \n \n Cost: \n 6 – 20 \n \n \n Time: \n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n\n \n Address: \n \n\n805 Liberty Avenue\n \n \n Pittsburgh\,\n\n Pennsylvania\n\n 15222\n\n United States\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\nI’LL BE MOTHERwritten by Liggera Edmonds-Allendirected by Aurelia Clunie \n\n\n\nA Mother and Daughter agree to a “simple” therapy exercise: they must switch roles and speak as the other. \n\n\n\nI’ll Be Mother will have one presentation at Three Stories downtown. This reading is a part of the Center for New Work’s Impulse Festival\, a brand new event featuring new works from CMU’s MFA in Dramatic Writing program alongside plays & musicals in development at Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO. \n\n\n\nCASTSheridan FungYin Raquino \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Liggera Edmonds-Allen (they/them) is a playwright from Poughkeepsie\, New York. They were a finalist at Theatre Master’s Take Ten competition and at the 2025 Austin Film Festival. Their short film CARNIVAL premiered at The Disability Collective’s ‘No Body Left Behind’ festival. Their original play\, WEDNESDAY’S VOYEUR\, had its world premiere at the United Nation’s ‘Why It Matters’ summit where it received publication. Their work is influenced by poetry\, turtles\, and tiny chirping birdies. \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Aurelia Clunie is a first-year MFA director and John Wells Fellow at CMU. New works credits include The American Unicorn (Long Wharf Theatre)\, The Poppy (DePaul University)\, I Choose You\, Baby (InVersion Theatre at The Tank) and Good Meeting (Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater); ReImagine: New Plays in TYA Advisory Council founding member; produced six cycles of Hartford Stage’s Write On Young Playwrights’ Competition. \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n Give Today \n Support the Center for New Work \n \n\n\n\n \n\n InstagramFacebookDramatic Writing Program URL:https://drama.cmu.edu/event/impulse-festival-ill-be-mother/ LOCATION:Three Stories\, 937 Liberty Avenue\, Pittsburgh\, Pennsylvania\, 15222\, United States CATEGORIES:Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://drama.cmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ImpulseFestival_SODWeb_IBM.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260502T140000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260502T160000 DTSTAMP:20260808T064111 CREATED:20260312T202819Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260312T202820Z UID:10000264-1777730400-1777737600@drama.cmu.edu SUMMARY:Impulse Festival: New Work Slam DESCRIPTION:Performance \n Midsummer!\n \n \n 07.31.2026\n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n \n \n\n \n Register\n \n \n \n \n \n Date: \n 07.31.2026\n \n \n Cost: \n 6 – 20 \n \n \n Time: \n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n\n \n Address: \n \n\n805 Liberty Avenue\n \n \n Pittsburgh\,\n\n Pennsylvania\n\n 15222\n\n United States\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\nNEW WORK SLAMin partnership with City Theatre \n\n\n\nJoin the Center for New Work and City Theatre for another special local artist-focused new work slam! Come experience scenes\, songs\, and monologues from some of Pittsburgh’s up and coming playwrights\, and get a special preview of artists & shows being featured in that weekend’s Impulse Festival \n\n\n\nThis spring New Work Slam will take place at Three Stories downtown and is part of the Center for New Work’s Impulse Festival\, a brand new event featuring new plays & musicals in development at Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO alongside new works from CMU’s MFA in Dramatic Writing program. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Interested in being featured at the New Work Slam? \nThe application is now open! Please submit your idea no later than March 31st to be considered. \nQuestions? Email newwork@andrew.cmu.edu \n \n \n\n Submit Your Idea Here\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \nGive Today \n Support the Center for New Work \n \n\n\n\n \n\n InstagramFacebookCity Theatre URL:https://drama.cmu.edu/event/impulse-festival-new-work-slam/ LOCATION:Three Stories\, 937 Liberty Avenue\, Pittsburgh\, Pennsylvania\, 15222\, United States CATEGORIES:Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://drama.cmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/New-Work-Slam-Title.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260502T190000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260502T210000 DTSTAMP:20260808T064111 CREATED:20260406T175249Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260406T175250Z UID:10000262-1777748400-1777755600@drama.cmu.edu SUMMARY:Impulse Festival: Atlantic DESCRIPTION:Performance \n Midsummer!\n \n \n 07.31.2026\n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n \n \n\n \n Register\n \n \n \n \n \n Date: \n 07.31.2026\n \n \n Cost: \n 6 – 20 \n \n \n Time: \n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n\n \n Address: \n \n\n805 Liberty Avenue\n \n \n Pittsburgh\,\n\n Pennsylvania\n\n 15222\n\n United States\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\nATLANTICwritten by Scott Gilmour & Claire McKenziemusic directed by Robert Neumeyerdirected by Michael Herwitzin partnership with Pittsburgh CLO & Nancy Woodruff \n\n\n\nFar off the west coast of Scotland\, nearly 200 miles from the mainland\, lies the most remote and forgotten island in the Outer Hebrides; St Kilda (or Hirta\, in Gaelic). Hidden by mist and unforgiving waters\, it was once home to one of the most remarkable and self-sufficient community of islanders. For hundreds of years the people of the island endured brutal conditions and built a unique and precious society to survive; one that relied on every islander having their part to play. That was until August 29\, 1930 – when the entire community boarded a ship and left their home forever. Atlantic: A Scottish Story follows Evie McCormick\, a young woman of St Kilda\, and her childhood sweetheart\, Quinn Whyte. Each share dreams of a life beyond their island\, however\, when presented with the chance to leave – both are left with a choice that will change the course of their lives\, and their island\, forever. \n\n\n\nAtlantic will have two presentations at the Peirce Studio inside the Trust Arts Education Center. This reading is a part of the Center for New Work’s Impulse Festival\, a brand new event featuring new plays & musicals in development at Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO alongside new works from CMU’s MFA in Dramatic Writing program. \n\n\n\nCASTAllie DeMateoDamson Chola Jr.Elijah StrainFavor BuchiGriffin FryeJustus WheatleyKavan BhatiaMae RynessMarina BrazendaleMateo CortesSuri NoelleTamara Arad \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Scott Gilmour & Claire McKenzie are the award-winning musical theatre writing partnership also known as Noisemaker. Originally from Glasgow\, Scotland\, the pair formed their company in 2012 after discovering a shared passion for writing stories that bring folk together through music\, song\, humour and heart. Their work includes CEILIDH (Barbara Whitman Productions/ Grove Entertainment) Hi\, My Name Is Ben (Goodspeed Musicals/NAMT)\, SCOTS (Edinburgh Fringe/54 Below\, National Tour 2026); Oor Wullie (Selladoor Worldwide/Dundee Rep)\, Atlantic: A Scottish Story (Edinburgh Fringe/Big Light Podcast Series – Winner of British Podcast Award)\, My Left/Right Foot (National Theatre of Scotland/Birds of Paradise)\, Legend Trippers (National Youth Music Theatre)\, The Cook\, The Thief\, His Wife and Her Lover (Faena Theater\, Miami)\, The Girl Who (AMTP/Edinburgh Fringe)\, Little Red and the Wolf\, The Snow Queen\, A Christmas Carol (Dundee Rep). The pair are alumni of Johnny Mercer Writers Grove\, the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University\, Walt Disney Imagineering/NMI New Voices and are cultural ambassadors for The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the American-Scottish Foundation. Upcoming projects include the UK premiere of CEILIDH (Pitlochry Festival Theatre\, Fall 2026) The Snow Goose\, an adaptation of Paul Gallico’s novella commissioned by Goodspeed Musicals (Summer 2026); Big Noise with The National Theatre of Scotland; and a new collaboration between Fiasco Theater and Signature Theatre\, VA called Porter. For more on Noisemaker – www.noisemaker.org.uk \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Michael Herwitz was born and raised outside New York City\, and began his career as a child actor on Broadway. Inspired by the Broadway stage managers who entertained his every question\, Michael developed a passion for making the plays he wanted to see. After graduating from LaGuardia Arts High School\, he co-founded G45 Productions\, an ensemble-based collective dedicated to incubating new work. At Northwestern University\, Michael honed his craft directing musicals. Upon graduation\, Michael returned to New York to develop\, direct\, and occasionally general manage new work. His direction has been seen at Ars Nova\, HERE\, Ensemble Studio Theater\, JACK\, SoHo Playhouse\, Williamstown Theater Festival\, IRT Theater\, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse\, and the Pasadena Playhouse. Michael directed Max Wolf Friedlich’s JOB from its original festival run at SoHo Playhouse’s Lighthouse Series\, through two sold-out Off-Broadway engagements\, to its extended Broadway production. For more on Michael – www.michaelherwitz.com \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n Give Today \n Support the Center for New Work \n \n\n\n\n \n\n InstagramFacebookPittsburgh CLO URL:https://drama.cmu.edu/event/impulse-festival-atlantic/2026-05-02/ LOCATION:Trust Arts Education Center\, 805 Liberty Avenue\, Pittsburgh\, Pennsylvania\, 15222\, United States CATEGORIES:Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://drama.cmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ImpulseFestival_SODWeb_A.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260503T140000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260503T160000 DTSTAMP:20260808T064111 CREATED:20260306T162402Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260527T004651Z UID:10000270-1777816800-1777824000@drama.cmu.edu SUMMARY:Impulse Festival: We Fly DESCRIPTION:Performance \n Midsummer!\n \n \n 07.31.2026\n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n \n \n\n \n Register\n \n \n \n \n \n Date: \n 07.31.2026\n \n \n Cost: \n 6 – 20 \n \n \n Time: \n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n\n \n Address: \n \n\n805 Liberty Avenue\n \n \n Pittsburgh\,\n\n Pennsylvania\n\n 15222\n\n United States\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\nWE FLYwritten by TJ Youngdirected by Jade King Carrollin partnership with Pittsburgh Public Theater \n\n\n\nIn 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. \n\n\n\nWe Fly will have one presentation at the Rauh Rehearsal Hall inside the O’Reilly Theater. This reading is a part of the Center for New Work’s Impulse Festival\, a brand new event featuring new plays & musicals in development at Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO alongside new works from CMU’s MFA in Dramatic Writing program. \n\n\n\nCASTBrett Sullivan SantryBria Walker-RhozeCameron NickelCecilia StaggersCelia EvansChristian TrimminghamDaniel EvansMadelyn Streisfeld \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n TJ Young is a Texas-born playwright and dramaturg based in Pittsburgh\, where he serves as co-representative for the Dramatists Guild – Pittsburgh region. His plays include Employee of the Year\, Our Side of Midnight\, The Inseparables (Pittsburgh Public Theatre Commission)\, Isle of Noises (James Madison University Commission)\, No. 6 (2017 Harold and Mimi Steinberg Award Winner – KCACTF\, Indiana Rep)\, Lyon’s Den (2018 Harold and Mimi Steinberg Distinguished Achievement awardee)\, Ruby’s Baby Blue (2016 John Cauble Short Play Award Regional Finalist- KCACTF)\, Hell is Empty (2017 John Cauble Short Play Award Regional Finalist – KCACTF)\, Hop and Griz\, and Sperm Donor Wanted (2023 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award Finalist). He is the Book Writer for a new musical called Kill The Whale. He is the recipient of the 2017 Ken Ludwig Playwriting Scholarship. He was the 2019 Spotlight Artist of Throughline Theatre Company in Pittsburgh\, PA. He received his MFA in Dramatic Writing from Texas State University. He is also the National Playwriting Program Chair for Region 2 of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival\, where he also aids with the Playwriting Intensive and teaches workshops both at the regional and national levels. He was a part of the writing time of the critically acclaimed indie video game Date Everything! and is working on a few other projects in the video game space. He is currently an Associate Professor of Dramaturgy at Carnegie Mellon University. \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jade King Carroll is a freelance director based in NYC. She has directed numerous productions in NY and across the country including: The Light and The Dark (Primary Stages/Chautauqua Theater Company); A Jumping Off Point (Round House Theatre); Proof of Love (New York Theatre Workshop/Audible at Minetta Lane); New Age (Milwaukee Rep); Red Velvet (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Detroit ’67 (McCarter Theatre co-production with Hartford Stage); Intimate Apparel\, The Piano Lesson (McCarter Theatre\, Hartford Stage); Having Our Say (Hartford Stage co-production with Long Wharf Theatre); Autumn’s Harvest (Lincoln Center Institute); Stew (Ebony Rep Theater); Seven Deadly Sins – Wrath (Miami New Drama – Drama League Award); Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Syracuse Stage); Trouble in Mind (Two River Theater u0026amp; PlayMakers Rep); Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom\, The Whipping Man\, Native Gardens\, Skeleton Crew\, Bad Dates\, Perseverance\, How I Learned What I Learned (Portland Stage); The Revolutionists\, Sunset Baby (City Theatre); A Raisin In The Sun (Perseverance); Pride & Prejudice\, The Tempest (Chautauqua Theater Company); Seven Guitars\, The Persians (People’s Light and Theatre); Still Life (Ancram Opera House); King Hedley II (Portland Playhouse); Fat Ham (PlayMakers Rep); A Raisin the Sun\, Cardboard Piano (Juilliard); Laughing Wild\, Redeemed\, Skeleton Crew (Dorset Theatre Festival); Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money (Atlantic Theater – NYT Family Pick); New Golden Age (Primary Stages – Susan Smith Blackburn nominated). Audio Plays: Marvel’s Wastelanders: Doom (Ambies Nomination for Best Production); Proof of Love (Audible); Redeemed (Broadway Podcast Network/Dorset Theatre Festival); The Bleeding Class (Geva Theater); Isolated Incidents (Broadway Podcast Network). Associate Director for Broadway’s A Streetcar Named Desire with Blair Underwood and The Gin Game with Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones. Paul Green Award from the Estate of August Wilson. Producing Artistic Director for Chautauqua Theater Company. \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n Give Today \n Support the Center for New Work \n \n\n\n\n \n\n InstagramFacebookPittsburgh Public Theater URL:https://drama.cmu.edu/event/impulse-festival-we-fly/ LOCATION:O’Reilly Theater\, 621 Penn Ave.\, Pittsburgh\, Pennsylvania\, 15222\, United States CATEGORIES:Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://drama.cmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ImpulseFestival_SODWeb_WF.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260503T190000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260503T210000 DTSTAMP:20260808T064111 CREATED:20260406T175249Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260406T175250Z UID:10000263-1777834800-1777842000@drama.cmu.edu SUMMARY:Impulse Festival: Atlantic DESCRIPTION:Performance \n Midsummer!\n \n \n 07.31.2026\n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n \n \n\n \n Register\n \n \n \n \n \n Date: \n 07.31.2026\n \n \n Cost: \n 6 – 20 \n \n \n Time: \n 7:00pm – 8:30pm\n \n\n \n Address: \n \n\n805 Liberty Avenue\n \n \n Pittsburgh\,\n\n Pennsylvania\n\n 15222\n\n United States\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\nATLANTICwritten by Scott Gilmour & Claire McKenziemusic directed by Robert Neumeyerdirected by Michael Herwitzin partnership with Pittsburgh CLO & Nancy Woodruff \n\n\n\nFar off the west coast of Scotland\, nearly 200 miles from the mainland\, lies the most remote and forgotten island in the Outer Hebrides; St Kilda (or Hirta\, in Gaelic). Hidden by mist and unforgiving waters\, it was once home to one of the most remarkable and self-sufficient community of islanders. For hundreds of years the people of the island endured brutal conditions and built a unique and precious society to survive; one that relied on every islander having their part to play. That was until August 29\, 1930 – when the entire community boarded a ship and left their home forever. Atlantic: A Scottish Story follows Evie McCormick\, a young woman of St Kilda\, and her childhood sweetheart\, Quinn Whyte. Each share dreams of a life beyond their island\, however\, when presented with the chance to leave – both are left with a choice that will change the course of their lives\, and their island\, forever. \n\n\n\nAtlantic will have two presentations at the Peirce Studio inside the Trust Arts Education Center. This reading is a part of the Center for New Work’s Impulse Festival\, a brand new event featuring new plays & musicals in development at Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO alongside new works from CMU’s MFA in Dramatic Writing program. \n\n\n\nCASTAllie DeMateoDamson Chola Jr.Elijah StrainFavor BuchiGriffin FryeJustus WheatleyKavan BhatiaMae RynessMarina BrazendaleMateo CortesSuri NoelleTamara Arad \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Scott Gilmour & Claire McKenzie are the award-winning musical theatre writing partnership also known as Noisemaker. Originally from Glasgow\, Scotland\, the pair formed their company in 2012 after discovering a shared passion for writing stories that bring folk together through music\, song\, humour and heart. Their work includes CEILIDH (Barbara Whitman Productions/ Grove Entertainment) Hi\, My Name Is Ben (Goodspeed Musicals/NAMT)\, SCOTS (Edinburgh Fringe/54 Below\, National Tour 2026); Oor Wullie (Selladoor Worldwide/Dundee Rep)\, Atlantic: A Scottish Story (Edinburgh Fringe/Big Light Podcast Series – Winner of British Podcast Award)\, My Left/Right Foot (National Theatre of Scotland/Birds of Paradise)\, Legend Trippers (National Youth Music Theatre)\, The Cook\, The Thief\, His Wife and Her Lover (Faena Theater\, Miami)\, The Girl Who (AMTP/Edinburgh Fringe)\, Little Red and the Wolf\, The Snow Queen\, A Christmas Carol (Dundee Rep). The pair are alumni of Johnny Mercer Writers Grove\, the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University\, Walt Disney Imagineering/NMI New Voices and are cultural ambassadors for The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the American-Scottish Foundation. Upcoming projects include the UK premiere of CEILIDH (Pitlochry Festival Theatre\, Fall 2026) The Snow Goose\, an adaptation of Paul Gallico’s novella commissioned by Goodspeed Musicals (Summer 2026); Big Noise with The National Theatre of Scotland; and a new collaboration between Fiasco Theater and Signature Theatre\, VA called Porter. For more on Noisemaker – www.noisemaker.org.uk \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Michael Herwitz was born and raised outside New York City\, and began his career as a child actor on Broadway. Inspired by the Broadway stage managers who entertained his every question\, Michael developed a passion for making the plays he wanted to see. After graduating from LaGuardia Arts High School\, he co-founded G45 Productions\, an ensemble-based collective dedicated to incubating new work. At Northwestern University\, Michael honed his craft directing musicals. Upon graduation\, Michael returned to New York to develop\, direct\, and occasionally general manage new work. His direction has been seen at Ars Nova\, HERE\, Ensemble Studio Theater\, JACK\, SoHo Playhouse\, Williamstown Theater Festival\, IRT Theater\, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse\, and the Pasadena Playhouse. Michael directed Max Wolf Friedlich’s JOB from its original festival run at SoHo Playhouse’s Lighthouse Series\, through two sold-out Off-Broadway engagements\, to its extended Broadway production. For more on Michael – www.michaelherwitz.com \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n Give Today \n Support the Center for New Work \n \n\n\n\n \n\n InstagramFacebookPittsburgh CLO URL:https://drama.cmu.edu/event/impulse-festival-atlantic/2026-05-03/ LOCATION:Trust Arts Education Center\, 805 Liberty Avenue\, Pittsburgh\, Pennsylvania\, 15222\, United States CATEGORIES:Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://drama.cmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ImpulseFestival_SODWeb_A.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR