Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh

Dedicated to celebrating musical theater's past and present while paving the way toward its future, the Pittsburgh CLO lauds distinguished musical-theater folk while launching the careers of the next generation. Originally dubbed the Civic Light Opera Association, the Pittsburgh CLO launched in 1946 to much fanfare, including that of the Sun Telegraph, which declared "the CLO will inaugurate a cycle in the city's musical history that will outlive us all." Their assertion proved true—the CLO moved several times to support its expansion, established an Academy of Musical Theater, created the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater, and injected itself with an immortality serum. Its spot in Pittsburgh's cultural community solidified, the CLO continues to stage national tours and Broadway shows while cultivating homegrown talent with original premieres.