Pitt Stages, the in-house theater company of the University’s Department of Theatre Arts, with open its spring season with Agnes Borinsky’s “The Trees,” from Feb. 20 to March 1 at the Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre in the basement of the Cathedral of Learning.
The play, a touching absurdist comedy, follows a newly formed community as they navigate the joys and frustrations of being part of a found family. The play reveals how humor, spirituality, and community become coping mechanisms in the face of unexpected circumstances. (“The Trees” contains profanity and mild sexual themes.)
ASL interpretation will be available during the Feb. 22 performance. Every performance will be presented in a relaxed performance method for audiences who prefer a more sensitive sensory experience.
Natasha Cole, a PhD student in the Department of Theatre Arts, directs the production. Cole has extensive theater experience spanning from Hofstra University to Washington University in St. Louis. The show is performed and produced by Pitt students, faculty, and staff.
“The Trees” and the other spring productions — “The Brown Overcoat” and “Head Over Heels the Musical” — challenge viewers to explore the ideas of identity and who they truly are. The themes of community and relationships are central to the selected shows this semester.
The 2025-2026 Pitt Stages season was dubbed “Transformations” by the Season Selection Committee. Committee Chair Kelly Trumbull shared that the driving force behind the theme of the season and the show selections, “invites audiences to engage (with Pitt Stages) through works that explore change, evolution and metamorphosis in all their forms — personal, social, and fantastical.”
Tickets are $15 to 25. Find more information and a link to purchase tickets at play.pitt.edu/trees.