Anyone can go out with a bang. But how many of us can say we came back with a boom?
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust shut down the Greer Cabaret Theater more than a year ago to make more than $6 million worth of improvements to its main performance space, Backstage Bar and lobby area.
That renovation is now complete, and Pittsburghers can head Downtown to check out Greer Cabaret Theater 2.0 starting Friday when it officially reopens with a Pittsburgh CLO-produced rendition of “tick, tick...BOOM!,” the autobiographical rock musical written by and about “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson that was adapted into a 2021 film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The CLO’s “tick, tick...BOOM!” will run Friday through Oct. 22, with tickets available via pittsburghclo.org.
Cultural Trust and CLO leadership were on hand Tuesday for a sneak preview of the revamped Greer Cabaret Theater, Lounge at the Greer Cabaret and Kara Family Lobby that included a performance of “tick, tick...Boom!” opening number “30/90” by star Ethan Riordan to help demonstrate the Greer’s new sound system and multimedia capabilities.
“It’s absolutely spectacular,” Cultural Trust president and CEO Kendra Whitlock Ingram said to an audience packed with local theater and media luminaries.
“I’ve been to theaters around the country and in other countries, and this is truly a state-of-the-art, outstanding, elevated guest experience that’s still welcoming and inclusive.”
The Greer Cabaret Theater is located in Theater Square on the same block as the O’Reilly Theater and across the street from the Benedum Center. It’s a smaller space designed for more intimate events like cabaret nights with renowned performers or a musical like “tick, tick...Boom!” that only requires three actors and relatively minimal set design.
Ingram said that upgrading all aspects of the Greer had “been a goal of the Cultural Trust for many years.” Though nothing has changed post-renovation in terms of the Greer still offering Pittsburghers dinner, drinks and a show, it will now be doing so in a much shinier and more streamlined package.
“I know there’s a lot of pride in this room from folks who have been part of this project and are excited about the future of the Greer,” Nicholas J. Gigante, the Cultural Trust’s senior vice president of real estate and development, said before rattling off a list of enhancements to all three spaces.
As Gigante put it, the whole venue has been totally transformed into a “true cabaret theater” capable of seating 198 guests, which is actually slightly down from its previous capacity of 254
The Greer’s flexible black-box setup has been replaced by a bigger fixed stage and proscenium accompanied by a massive video wall that displayed Larson’s apartment during Riordan’s “30/90” performance. Gigante talked up the “beautifully detailed millwork” on each wall and the ADA-accessible tiered back rows of seating.
One can expect a selection of “upscale bistro fare and craft cocktails” in both the Lounge at the Greer Cabaret and the theater itself, according to Gigante. The lounge now seats about 80 people and contains a massive bar on its back wall. Gigante mentioned that certain Greer shows will feature themed three-course meals that can be reserved in advance.
There used to be a wall separating the Theater Square box office from the Greer that forced patrons to go outside before entering the lobby. That’s no longer the case now that the refurbished Kara Family Lobby is connected to both the box office and, even more notably, the adjoining Theater Square Parking Garage.
Pittsburgh CLO executive director Mark Fleischer expounded on the virtues of being able to park, eat, drink and enjoy a show all in one building.
“Imagine that during a Pittsburgh winter,” he quipped.
Fleishcer said that the CLO opened the original Greer Cabaret Theater in 2004 with a performance of the musical “Forever Plaid.” The CLO will continue operating regularly in the Greer with programming like its 2023-24 Trust Cabaret series and “Who’s Holiday!,” an R-Rated spin on “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” that’s set to run from Dec. 1-31.
Downtown around 7th Street and Penn Avenue may be particularly bustling come Sept. 27 as patrons flock to Theater Square to attend “tick tick...Boom!” at the Greer, “Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For” at the O’Reilly Theater and/or the national tour of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” at the Benedum.
Fleischer seemed confident that this overhaul was exactly what the Greer needed to continue supplementing the Cultural District’s live-entertainment capabilities for years to come.
“I know this revitalized space will not only continue that tradition,” he said, “but exceed expectations.”
Joshua Axelrod: jaxelrod@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jaxelburgh.
First Published: September 20, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: September 21, 2023, 9:29 a.m.
