PICT Announces 2018-2019 Season

PICT Classic Theatre has announced its 2018-2019 Season, "Classics in our times." Having celebrated its 100th production last season with William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, PICT will present a collection of three plays beginning in the Fall of 2018 at WQED's Fred Rogers Studio in Oakland.

"Each year we offer some of the finest theatre in Pittsburgh, the finest of classic stories, and the finest of Pittsburgh theatre artists," said PICT Artistic and Executive Director Alan Stanford. "This year is no exception. Two of our productions are from the imaginations of a pair of genius story tellers from the 19th Century and the third from the mind of Pittsburgh's own finest living story teller."

The opening production of PICT's 22nd Season is The Old Curiosity Shop, adapted by Alan Stanford from the novel by Charles Dickens. It is the story of a journey made by Little Nell, a fourteen-year-old girl and her grandfather, the proprietor of the eponymous shop. The play follows them through England as they run from the evil moneylender, Quilp, who seeks the money he lent to the grandfather as investment, but whose addiction to gambling has brought about his ruin. On the journey, they meet with a mixture of kindness and ill fortune, and some of the most memorable characters drawn from the imagination of Charles Dickens. The Old Curiosity Shop will open on November 23rd and perform through December 15th, 2018.

On January 31st of 2019, PICT will premiere a new play by Pittsburgh playwright Ray Werner entitled Run the Rabbit Path. Werner's latest work takes place in the shadow of Pittsburgh's steel mills, where two Irish American brothers and their sister struggle through the trauma of planning their father's wake, in the kitchen where he died the day before. Their father's love guides them through the morass of emotions as they stumble onto the mystery of the rabbit path. Run the Rabbit path will have fifteen performances, concluding on February 15th, 2019.

The third and final installment of PICT's 2018-2019 Season will be The Heiress, written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, performing at WQED's Fred Rogers Studio April 4th through 27th. Adapted from the novel Washington Square by Henry James and set in the 1850s of New York City, The Heiress tells the story of a wealthy but insecure young woman, desperate for love, who meets a dashing but penniless bachelor. Despite the influence of her overly controlling father, she dreams and hopes. This chess match uncovers true motives, true feelings, and the self-discovery that turns a shy young girl into a woman.

Subscriptions to PICT Classic Theatre's 2018-2019 Season are currently available by calling 412-561-6000, or by visiting www.picttheatre.org. Individual ticket sales will begin in September of 2018. In addition to the plays themselves, PICT offers several special events coinciding with performance dates that are free to ticket holders, such as opening night celebrations, post-show question and answer sessions, pre-show lectures and interviews, and food truck Fridays. Dates and times can be found at PICT's website, www.picttheatre.org.

As a prelude to its Season opening, the company will present "Play with PICT" on September 21st, 2018 at The Pittsburgh Glass Center. The event will include gourmet hors d'oeuvre, fine wines, music, curiosities from past PICT productions, games, pop-up interactions, silent auctions, and wine and beer raffles, benefiting PICT Classic Theatre. PICT also continues its "Buy-A-Seat" campaign, through which patrons can personalize one of the new theatre seats at the WQED Fred Rogers Studio by making a contribution to the company. "Buy-A-Seat" pledges, and tickets and sponsorship opportunities for "Play with PICT" are available now by calling 412-561-6000, or by visiting www.picttheatre.org.

ABOUT PICT CLASSIC THEATRE

PICT Classic Theatre is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to produce innovative interpretations of dramatic literature in the classic and Irish traditions. PICT fulfills this mission by exploring current social issues through the lens of classic and timeless stories.

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