FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
à Derek Scalzott | Pittsburgh Culturla Trust | Senior Director, Communications and Marketing Management
scalzott@trustarts.org / 412-471-8715
à Saul Markowitz, President, Markowitz Communications
saul@markowitzcommunications.com / 412-977-8517 (cell)
A new venue for Pittsburgh; a new era for the arts:
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust proudly announces
the Grand Reopening of the Greer Cabaret Theater
Cultural District venue boasts beautifully renovated theater
with state-of-art technology and elevated culinary experience
Pittsburgh, Sept. 19, 2023: Change can be a good thing, even in a city with a reputation for favoring tradition. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust had a vision to transform one of its popular venues into something more – on par with the best cabaret theaters in the country – and now you can see that change for yourself. The gorgeously renovated Greer Cabaret Theater opens to the public this Friday, September 22.
“For those of you who’ve attended events here during the last two decades, I know it’s hard to comprehend that we’re standing in the same venue,” says Nick Gigante, Senior Vice President of Development and Real Estate for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “I hope you’ll agree that the right mix of vision, ambition, and support transformed a good venue into an incredible one. We are so proud of this intimate, new, state-of-the-art theater that rivals any of its kind.
Big changes include:
- Kara Family Lobby for Theater Square | The former separate entrances for the Box Office at Theater Square and Greer Cabaret Theater are gone. Now, guests enter through a stunning chandelier-lit lobby designed not just with timeless elegance, but also improved function. The Kara Family Lobby for Theater Square will move crowds swiftly to their destinations, out of the elements, directly connecting the Theater Square Garage, Box Office, Lounge, Theater, and Meat & Potatoes.
- Lounge at the Greer Cabaret | An intimate haven for inventive cocktails and conversation, suffused with the energy of live entertainment, the brand-new Lounge at the Greer Cabaret features plush built-in seating and a beautifully appointed bar. Formerly known as Backstage Bar, the Lounge has an expanded view of Agnes R. Katz Plaza, where the famous eyeball-shaped benches of Louise Bourgeois watch Penn Avenue.
- Greer Cabaret Theater | Formerly a flexible black box-style theater with movable furniture, this incredible new space is a true cabaret theater with a permanent stage and fixed proscenium. Seating arrangements range from a drink rail at the foot of the stage to intimate date-night tables for two, to well-appointed booths and banquettes. Side walls feature beautifully detailed millwork with integrated lighting and decorative panels. Contemporary lighting technologies seamlessly blend with more traditional details. The tiered area below the control deck is now ADA accessible, offering booth seating as well as drink rail seats.
- Technology | The Greer Cabaret Theater has a new state-of-the-art technology package with vastly improved audio, video, and lighting capabilities that bring artists’ storytelling to life.
- Culinary Experience | Venue improvements aren’t limited to brick-and-mortar upgrades. Guests can now expect two elevated culinary experiences—dining in the Lounge at the Greer Cabaret or inside the Greer Cabaret Theater itself. Dining in the Lounge is open to everyone, with or without tickets to a performance, Tuesday-Saturday (5-9 pm weekdays; 12-9 pm Saturdays, and 12-5 pm Sundays). Expect upscale bistro fare and craft cocktails. Reservations are available. Dining inside the Greer Cabaret Theater is reserved for guests with tickets to a performance. Upscale comfort food and craft cocktails are delivered to guests’ seats. Starting in November, select performances will offer spectacular, show-themed, three-course prix fixe meals. This is the place where the performing and culinary arts meet. Sample menus can be found at TrustArts.org/Cabaret
Starting in October, the Cultural Trust will launch its own presentations in the Greer Cabaret Theater, starting with the popular Trust Cabaret Series. Underwritten by The Benter Foundation and Richard E. Rauh, this season’s attractions include performances by Mauricio Martinez, Meow Meow, Joe Iconis, Catherine Russell, and Matthew Morrison. Tickets are on sale at TrustArts.org/CabaretSeries.
Like most venues owned and operated by the Cultural Trust, the Greer Cabaret Theater will be home to a mix of arts and entertainment attractions presented not just by the Trust, but by partners in the community. Chief among the organizations presenting work here is long-time partner, the Pittsburgh CLO. The CLO will continue presenting shows in the Greer Cabaret Theater with Tick, Tick…Boom! on stage this this Friday, September 22 for the venue’s grand reopening. For more information about the show and the Pittsburgh CLO, please contact Sharon Goldstein (sgoldstein@pittsburghclo.org / 412-281-2823).
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust thanks the Eden Hall Foundation for their generous support of this project. The Eden Hall Foundation believes increasing access to high-quality artistic and cultural amenities is essential for building vibrant communities. Their support has allowed the Trust to realize the true potential of this venue.
The Trust also thanks Dolores and Michael Kara, integral supporters of the Cultural Trust’s recent capital campaign. The venue’s brand-new lobby space is named the Kara Family Lobby in recognition of their support.
The Trust acknowledges DLR Group, Moss Architects, and Guardian Construction for key roles on the project.
###
The Greer Cabaret Theater, a project and venue of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, is part of the Trust’s Theater Square Complex, located at 655 Penn Avenue in the heart of the Cultural District. This unique, intimate, state-of-the-art theater is named in honor of George C. Greer for his generous support. Year-round, guests can expect unforgettable arts experiences ranging from award-winning national and international artists to the best of Pittsburgh’s diverse and talented creative community. To elevate an evening at the theater, a vibrant menu offers local dishes, internationally inspired cuisine, craft cocktails, and light fare.The newly renovated Greer Cabaret Theater, Lounge at the Greer Cabaret, and Kara Family Lobby spaces feature upscale décor. The complex provides guests with the convenience of a centralized box office and adjacent 790-space parking garage, as well as another restaurant option at Meat & Potatoes. Theater Square opened in 2003 and was designed by Michael Graves in collaboration with WTW Architects of Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts-lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment/residential neighborhood called the Cultural District. The District is one of the country’s largest land masses “curated” by a single nonprofit arts organization. A major catalytic force in the city, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a unique model of how public-private partnerships can reinvent a city with authenticity, innovation, and creativity. Using the arts as an economic catalyst, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has holistically created a world-renowned Cultural District that is revitalizing the city, improving the regional economy, and enhancing Pittsburgh’s quality of life. Thanks to the support of foundations, corporations, government agencies and thousands of private citizens, the Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts.
TrustArts.org | @CulturalTrust on Facebook · Instagram · Twitter