Core Company
Under the mentorship of The Public’s artistic leadership, guest directors, and resident artists, members of Pittsburgh Public Theater’s Core Company will understudy all the Public’s mainstage productions, train together throughout the year, and serve as artistic ambassadors to guest artists and the larger community.
2024-2025 Core Company
| Margot Allison is ecstatic to be joining The Public’s Core Company. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, she attributes her love and start to theater within her high school musical theater program. Being born half French, she made her way overseas to Paris to study at Cours Florent, an international theater school and graduated in 2022. Since then, she has produced theater in unconventional places all around the Rive Gauche, and starred in roles such as Masha (Stupid F**cking Bird), Ulysses (The Penelopiad), and Production Assistant (Venus in Fur). |
| June Alvilda Almonte is so excited to be a part of The Pittsburgh Public’s Core Company! She is an up and coming actress who graduated from Point Park University’s conservatory program with her BFA in acting back in 2022. You may have previously seen her at the Pittsburgh Public theatre as Helena in A Midsummer Nights Dream in Harlem, City Theatre’s New Playwright’s festival 2022, or as The bard in Perdita at The New Hazlett theatre! If you want to keep up with her, give her a follow on Instagram! @June_almonte |
| Brian Dzuban This is my first ever experience with the theater. I am extremely grateful that it is with The Public and I am excited to learn from so many talented people! |
| Amy B. Marsalis SAG-AFTRA. Actor/Producer/Teaching Artist. The Public’s Playwright's Collective Florence Hill (Cave of the Heart), and Staged Reading Series Llewie (The Slush). Theater - August Wilson Center, Pittsburgh Playwrights, Bricolage, Second City-Chicago. Numerous TV/Film credits- Seth Rogan’s American Pickle, Cinemax’s Banshee, and 2 upcoming Indy Films, Basic Psych and Validity. Amy has appeared in over 50 national and regional Ad Campaigns. |
| Michael McBurney is a Pittsburgh-based performer who has worked with a number of local groups including Bricolage, Throughline Theatre, Prime Stage, and Vigilance Theater. He has also been involved with Arcade Comedy Theater since 2014, performing both improv and sketch comedy. He is thrilled to join this inaugural cohort of the Public's Core Company. |
| Ryan M. Rattley grew up in Connecticut doing theater in school and the surrounding area. Ryan mysteriously vanished from the theater world circa 2017, but after meeting with Marya Sea Kaminski and Brian Pope, classes with Kelly Trumbull and Cotter Smith, and playing Moriarty in The Jester’s Guild production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, he’s thrilled to be back. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the purpose of the Core Company?
The Core Company is a training-first program for new and emerging actors to develop the skills and experience necessary to launch their careers. Members of the Core Company will train together throughout the year by attending free workshops hosted by industry professionals, serve as artistic ambassadors to guest artists and the larger community, and understudy in certain roles in The Public’s mainstage productions.
Does the Core Company require weekday day-time (9am-5pm) availability?
The program primarily takes place on Monday nights for workshops and then evenings for attending tech and previews when assigned to a production. The day-time requirements include first rehearsal and understudy rehearsals when assigned to a production. Core Company members will be invited to attend more rehearsals pending their own availability and interest.
Can Core Company members have full-time employment?
Yes! The planned day-time commitment is quite minimal and we will work with Core Company members in advance around scheduling that works with their jobs. As this is a training-first program, it is not intended to take the place of full-time or part-time employment.
Are Core Company members called for all performances?
No. Core Company members will understudy 2-3 roles throughout the entire PPT season. For productions where a member has been assigned to cover, they agree to be available and local (within 30 minutes) to Pittsburgh during scheduled performances but are not required to be at the theater each night. Schedule conflicts or travel that would make them unavailable to go on for a performance must be communicated in advance.
Do Core Company members pay for workshops? What types of trainings are included in this program?
No. The entire scope of educational trainings, workshops, and Play/Practice events are free to members of the Core Company. These workshops take place weekly on Monday nights and span topics such as Auditions, Solo Performance, Combat and Physical Training, Shakespeare, Devising, Textual Clarity, Vocal Coaching, etc. These workshops are taught by Public Artistic staff, visiting guest artists and resident artists, and other industry experts.
Will Core Company members be Teaching Artists?
No. One of the workshop offerings that Core Company will take is a Teaching Artist training with our Senior Educational Program Manager. This gives the Core Company a better understanding of the Public’s other educational programs and gives training in how to be a teaching artist, however the Company members will not have Teaching Artist responsibilities. They may be able to apply for a TA position in future seasons.
Will Core Company members be cast in the PublicWorks’ production of Twelfth Night?
Core Company members will have the opportunity – and will be encouraged – to participate in the community ensemble of Twelfth Night as a culmination of their time in the program based on their availability to attend rehearsals and performances.
What is the compensation for this program?
In addition to the free trainings and workshops, the Core Company members will receive a $5,000 stipend in recognition of their commitment and to cover personal costs, transportation, parking, etc.
When understudying, they will receive a payment of $168.50 (equivalent to the standard LORT C 1/6th AEA bump) for any time they go on for a public performance up to the weekly LORT C AEA salary of $1011.
If Core Company Members perform in the community ensemble of the PublicWorks’ Twelfth Night production, they will receive the same payment of $168.50 for each performance.
Does the Core Company replace union actors’ jobs?
Pittsburgh Public Theater will not cut any Equity jobs, and we can’t – the art we make isn’t possible without the incredible talent unions bring to our stages. The Core Company will provide more opportunities – not fewer – with a focus on providing education and growth opportunities for emerging artists who may one day pursue membership in actors’ unions.
Will The Public still have union understudies?
This season, The Public has more AEA principal contracts and an equal number of AEA understudy contracts as last season. The Public is committed to providing an abundance of opportunities for artists at all stages of their careers, including seasoned AEA members and fresh faces alike.
Why can’t AEA members participate in the Core Company?
The Core Company program is not covered under an AEA contract. AEA members can still audition and participate in the usual avenue through our AEA-contract covered principal, understudy, and stage management roles for our mainstage productions and developmental work.
Will Core Company members be able to audition for mainstage principal roles?
No, while serving in the Core Company, members will not be eligible to audition for principal roles in our productions but may audition in subsequent seasons.
How can I audition for The Public’s mainstage productions?
The Equity Principal Auditions (EPA) for the 2024-2025 season have already passed. Information about show-specific auditions will be announced here and on the AEA audition website on a rolling basis.