1. Jul 14, 2026

   City Council

   meeting page

   Passed · Adopted

..body
WHEREAS, Ms. Karla Boos grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, and went on to earn her Master of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute for the Arts; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Boos founded Quantum Theatre in 1990 to bring a version of the experimental theater she brought to life during her time in Los Angeles to the City of Pittsburgh's art ecosystem; and
 
WHEREAS, Quantum Theatre's first production was a low-budget staging of Harold Pinter's "The Collection" at The Artery, then a gallery and music venue in Shadyside that is now the home of the restaurant Soba; and

WHEREAS, during its early years Quantum Theatre produced one or two shows a season, many of which were staged at the old Pittsburgh Center for the Arts now known as the Pittsburgh Center For Arts & Media; and

WHEREAS, by 1997 Quantum Theatre had solidified its unique approach to environmental theater by creating new, enthralling, and unusual spaces for many productions; and

WHEREAS, Quantum Theatre stages its productions environmentally, bringing the works out of the typical theatre setting and into a variety of locations such as the One Oxford Centre in Downtown Pittsburgh, the swimming pool under Braddock Library, the Historic Carrie Blast Furnace Site, the Pittsburgh Zoo, abandoned buildings in Lawrenceville, and Mellon Park, to name a few, in an effort to transport the viewer, the staff, and the thespian to a unique environment that further enhances the company's fantastic theatrical experience while providing an appreciation for the location in question; and

WHEREAS, Karla Boos has produced all 106 of Quantum Theatre's works, directed 33, acted in 17, and wrote or adapted nine original productions of Quantum's 26 world premieres; and

WHEREAS, Quantum Theatre has become a fixture of Pittsburgh's art scene and has been recognized nationally and internationally for its innovative work; and
 
WHEREAS, Karla Boos is a member of the National Theatre Conference, the international Women's Forum, the recipient of the Carol R. Brown Award for Established Artist as well as its predecessor the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Creative Achievement Award for Emerging Artist; and
 
WHEREAS, the Theatre continues to support young playwrights, actors, and directors from the region and around the world; and

WHEREAS, Karla Boos will retire in December of 2026 after directing her final production for Quantum Theatre, William Shakespeare's final play "The Tempe

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