Theatre

Spring Musical

The annual OLSH Spring Musical is the department’s signature performance and a major highlight of the school year. Under the direction of Dolores Manuel, the production team creates large-scale musical theatre productions that allow students to develop their performance and production skills while showcasing their talents for the school and greater Pittsburgh community.

OLSH’s Spring Musical productions have earned significant recognition through the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater, a regional program celebrating achievement in high school theatre throughout the Pittsburgh area. Over the past 25 years, OLSH productions have received 104 Gene Kelly Award nominations in categories including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Musical, and Best Costume Design. The program has earned 28 Gene Kelly Awards, including four Outstanding/Best Musical Awards, the highest honor presented by the organization.

Past spring musical productions include: Hadestown (2026), Children of Eden (2025), Oklahoma! (2024), Big Fish (2023), Bye Bye Birdie (2022), Working (2021), Seussical (2020), Once Upon a Mattress (2019), Beauty and the Beast (2018), Footloose (2017), Thoroughly Modern Millie (2016), The Addams Family (2015), The Wiz (2014), Honk! (2013), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2012), Little Shop of Horrors (2011), Once on This Island (2010), Hello, Dolly! (2009), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2008), Working (2007), Seussical (2006), Bye Bye Birdie (2005), Once Upon a Mattress (2004), The Sound of Music (2003), Godspell (2002), Anything Goes (2001), and Working (2000).

Fall Theatre Festival

The annual OLSH Fall Theatre Festival is a seasonal theatre showcase featuring one-act plays, themed performances, monologues, short skits, and other theatrical pieces. Typically held in October, the festival provides students with the opportunity to explore a variety of performance styles while showcasing their acting and production skills.

The festival utilizes multiple spaces throughout campus, including the main stage, social commons, and courtyard, creating an immersive theatre experience for audiences.

Past productions include: Eerie Academy (2025), The Insanity of Mary Girard (2025), Pullman Car Hiawatha (2024), 15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play (2024), We Are the Sea (2023), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (2022), 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse (2021), The Spoon River Project (2020), The 39 Steps (2019), The Insanity of Mary Girard (2018), Up and Down Detective Agency (2017), The Great Ghost Chase (2016), Zombeo and Juliet (2015), Varney the Vampire (2014), and You Can’t Take It With You (2013).

Fall Play

The annual OLSH Fall Play provides students with the opportunity to participate in a non-musical theatrical production while developing skills in acting, directing, scenic design, costume design, stage management, lighting, sound, and other areas of technical theatre.

Through participation in the Prime Stage High School Drama Awards program, the OLSH Fall Play offers students a unique opportunity to lead all aspects of production. Prime Stage productions are entirely student-run, with students taking responsibility for their individual departments and overseeing the creative and technical elements of the performance. Students serve as directors, designers, stage managers, and department leaders while collaborating to bring the production from concept to completion.

This student-led model allows participants to gain hands-on experience in theatre production, strengthen leadership skills, and develop an understanding of the many roles required to create a successful theatrical performance.

The OLSH Theatre Department has participated in the Prime Stage High School Drama Awards, which recognize excellence in non-musical high school theatre productions throughout the region. OLSH productions have earned 21 Prime Stage nominations and six awards for outstanding achievement in areas including acting, directing, stage management, scenic design, costume design, and makeup design.

Award-winning student work includes:

• • • Best Supporting Actor: Isaac Jones
    • Best Stage Manager: Abigail Robinson
    • Best Director: Marin Reinhardt
    • Best Scenic Design: Jude Leddy
    • Best Student Costume Design: Kayleigh Scialabba-Meehan, Zoe Vesci, Katharina Ondercin, and Marena Miller
    • Best Student Makeup Design: Marena Miller

Recent fall play productions include: You Can’t Take It With You (2025), Steel Magnolias (2024), and We Are the Sea (2023).

Pennsylvania High School Speech League Drama Festival

The OLSH Theatre Department participated in the Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL) Drama Festival, a statewide competition recognizing excellence in high school theatre. The festival was discontinued in 2025 after decades of student participation.

OLSH productions earned multiple state-level honors, including:

• • • Pullman Car Hiawatha (2024–2025) — State Winner, 2nd Place; Best Technical Crew; Kayleigh Scialabba-Meehan ’26, Kieran Tyler ’25, and Zoe Vesci ’26 named to All-State Cast
    • 15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play (2023–2024) — State Winner, 1st Place
    • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (2022–2023) — State Winner, 3rd Place
    • We Are the Sea (2022–2023) — State Finalist; Nick Ewanco ’26, Marin Reinhardt ’26, and Leo Matthews ’25 named to All-State Cast
    • The Spoon River Project (2020–2021) — State Winner, 2nd Place; Andy Besong ’21 and Ellie Troiani ’21 named to All-State Cast
    • The 39 Steps — Margaret Matous ’20 named to All-State Cast
    • The Insanity of Mary Girard (2018–2019) — State Finalist; Alyssa Brinza ’19 and Xavier Moskala ’20 named to All-State Cast
    • Pullman Car Hiawatha (2017–2018) — State Winner, 3rd Place; Sophia Blake ’19 named to All-State Cast
    • The Happy Journey to Trenton & Camden (2016–2017) — State Qualifier; Evie Hoff ’17 named to All-State Cast