Celebrating 33 Years of New Plays

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2024 Pittsburgh New Works Festival

and the winners are…

Outstanding contribution from a playwright.

Evie & Frannie Take a Detour

by scott gibson of evergreen, co

Produced by Stray cat theatre company

Scott Gibson has won a $500 prize for best script.

 Audience Favorite Production

January

by Sarah Schreck of New Haven, CT

Produced by r-act theatre productions

Lifetime Achievement Award

Every year, the Festival recognizes an outstanding individual for their impact and service to the Pittsburgh region's theatre community.  The 2024 honoree is Andrew David Ostrowski, Lighting Designer will Receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
National credits include The National High School Musical Theater Awards on Broadway (originator + 7 more years), The Asolo, Virginia Stage Company, North Shore Music Theatre, George Street Playhouse, TheatreWorks, Penn’s Landing Playhouse, New York Theater Institute, Merrimack Repertory Company, The Arden Theatre Company, The Blumenthal Center in Charlotte NC, Spoleto Festival USA, Madison Opera, Dallas Summer Musicals, Theater of the Stars at the fabulous Fox Theater as well as others.

Internationally his designs have appeared in France, Sweden, Scotland, and Ireland. From 1998-2003 Andy was the lighting director for an international tour of the Gershwin opera “Porgy and Bess”. In 2002, he was given a national merit award from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Local credits include Pittsburgh Symphony, Pittsburgh Public Theatre (7 shows), Pittsburgh Opera (18 MainStage), Pittsburgh Irish and Classical ((16 shows), Pittsburgh Ballet, City Theatre (90 shows), Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (50+shows), Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh (4 shows), Front Porch Theatricals (12 shows), Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble (80+ theatrical concerts), Quantum Theater (7 shows), The REP (33 shows), The Conservatory Company at the Playhouse (38 shows), Lincoln Park (10 shows), Barebones Productions (20 shows), as well as, many other smaller companies. His designs total over 400 productions. For 20 years he was an adjunct instructor at Point Park University. He was a guest speaker at Michigan State University, Colorado University and his alma mater Slippery Rock University. He has designed for Grove City College (8 shows).

As covid has affected our industry Andy has moved into helping the artist. Andy was the Theatrical Renovation Project Manager for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. He oversaw the multi-awarded renovation of the Greer Cabaret. He was also charged with the complete overhaul of the theatrical lighting system at the Benedum Center. Before moving on he was also shaping projects for the Trust with upcoming work at the Byham Theater, The Pierce Educational Facility, and Three Stories at 937 liberty avenue all venues for the Trust.

Recently he has taken on more responsibility working in Greenville South Carolina at the Peace Center. He now is the Vice President of Operations for the Peace Center. The center is going through a pretty extensive renovation/addition of 3 venues to their campus and he is the point person on these projects. He has still found time to do some additional design work.

If you would like to see more of his work go to www.tfpld.com.

Amy Joseph, President of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival Board, said, “we are thrilled to announce Andy as our Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.”

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, PNWF will hand out two festival awards at the Wrap Party: an award for Audience Favorite, voted on by patrons who have seen all 15 plays from this year’s festival, and a $500 award to the Best Playwright, selected by a panel of five judges.