There is a new play festival in Pittsburgh this year!

Directors Jeremy Seghers and Olivia Hartle, and actor Johnny Patalano, talk about their work in the new Bridges and Stages Festival. The Becoming Arts Collective in partnership with Broken Arts Entertainment, bring these new 10-minute plays to life at the Carnegie Stage. The festival focuses on emerging playwrights from across the country, including Pittsburgh.

Olivia talks about the two shows she is directing. Both are very different plays, with one examining a family dynamic, and the other, a theoretical conversation between Sigmund Fried and Georgia O'Keefe. Johnny talks about the three shows his is a part of, two of which share a line with each other! Jeremy directs three plays from three different playwrights.  

Over the span of 2 nights, 24 plays are featured, with 44 actors, 13 directors, and 16 playwrights participating. Olivia likens the Bridges and Stages Festival to scrolling on TikTok in real life. Jeremy draws similarities to film festivals. Regardless, this grassroots festival embraces short rehearsal time, sparse sets, and embraces all the new plays.

You can see the Bridges and Stages Festival on September 19th and 20th at Carnegie Stage.

Visit https://www.thebecomingartscollective.com/bridges-and-stages-festival-2025#/productions-view to learn more.

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