Kelly-Strayhorn Theater
A Pittsburgh performing arts center and community cultural hub named for Pittsburgh natives Gene Kelly and Billy Strayhorn.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Kelly-Strayhorn Theater is a performing arts center in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood. Its venue occupies a building that opened in 1914 as the Regent Theatre, a 1,100-seat silent-film theater designed by architect Harry S. Bair and equipped with a theater organ for live accompaniment. After periods of closure, renovation, and use primarily as a concert venue, the building reopened in 2001 under its present name, honoring two Pittsburgh-born artists: dancer and actor Gene Kelly and jazz composer and pianist Billy Strayhorn. Today, the theater operates as both a presenting venue and a producing and support organization. Its KST Presents program covers dance, theater, film, performance art, literary arts, and other forms of contemporary cultural expression. The organization has emphasized multicultural programming, emerging artists, new work, and connections between professional artists and Pittsburgh communities. Artists associated with its presenting, residency, or production activities have included Kyle Abraham, Suli Holum, Jaamil Kosoko, Camille A. Brown, Vanessa German, Kate Watson-Wallace, Bill Shannon, Luke Murphy, Stacey Pearl, Chris Ivey, Alisha Wormsley, and Joy KMT. The theater's community-facing work includes educational programs, family activities, artist workshops, master classes, and student matinees. The Alloy School, continued after the 2011 merger with Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, provides movement and performance education for children, families, and adults. Offerings have included pre-ballet, African dance, creative movement, hip-hop, family yoga, and acting. artSEEDS Student Matinees and other engagement programs introduce young audiences to live performance and creative practice. Kelly-Strayhorn Theater also supports artists and independent producers through its Producing Partners program, which provides production, programming, and fundraising assistance to local and community-based users of its spaces. FreshWorks offers Pittsburgh-based artists dedicated studio time at The Alloy Studios to research and develop work-in-progress performances. Creative Community residencies connect artists with neighborhood history and residents through meals, workshops, conversations, and other public activities. Penn Avenue Creative supports emerging artists and creative entrepreneurs through mentorship and network development, while Futuremakers convenes community members and leaders around the future of Pittsburgh's Penn Avenue corridor. The organization operates two principal spaces. The main Kelly-Strayhorn Theater is a smaller performance venue with seating for approximately 350 and a lobby used for receptions, conversations, and related events. The Alloy Studios, formerly associated with Dance Alloy, provides two professional dance studios with sprung, marley-covered floors for artistic creation, education, and partnership programs. Together, the spaces support performances, rehearsals, workshops, residencies, and neighborhood gatherings. Since original programming expanded under executive director Janera Solomon, appointed in 2008, the theater has developed a reputation as a progressive cultural center with local, national, and international connections. Its recurring programs have included the newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival, World Stage, My People Film Series, SUNSTAR Festival, Suite Life: A Tribute to Billy Strayhorn, Full Bloom Summer Dance Party, and East Liberty Live! In 2015, KST introduced Pay What Makes You Happy, allowing patrons to choose their own admission price for KST Presents performances and events. The theater's overall positioning combines contemporary performance, artist development, accessible ticketing, cultural equity, and neighborhood-based engagement.
History
The building now known as Kelly-Strayhorn Theater opened in 1914 as the Regent Theatre, a 1,100-seat silent-film house. Designed by Harry S. Bair, it included a large theater organ that supplied live accompaniment to silent films. The venue later closed during the mid-century period. Under Ernest Stern's Associated Theaters, it underwent a $175,000 renovation and reopened on July 18, 1965, with capacity reduced to approximately 850 seats. The Regent closed again in October 1979. During the mid-1980s it received further renovation and reopened in 1995. For much of this later period, the building functioned principally as a concert space before closing once more in 1997. It reopened in 2001 as the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, taking its name from Gene Kelly and Billy Strayhorn, two major artists born in Pittsburgh. A commemorative Walk of Stars at the entrance was curated by Teresa Trich to recognize artists, friends, fans, and family members connected with the theater. The organization began producing original programming in 2008, when Janera Solomon became executive director. Under her leadership, KST expanded its presenting work, artist support, fundraising, and community partnerships. Programs such as newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival and World Stage helped establish the theater as a venue for new dance, performance, and international artistic exchange. The organization also supported residencies and creative development for artists working in dance, theater, film, poetry, and visual art. A major institutional development occurred in 2011, when Kelly-Strayhorn Theater merged with Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, an organization based in Pittsburgh's Friendship neighborhood. The merger brought Dance Alloy's educational legacy into KST, including The Alloy School, and connected the theater's presenting work with additional studio and creation facilities. The Alloy Studios became a related site for rehearsals, residencies, classes, and community programs. KST's work has increasingly combined performance presentation with neighborhood-based cultural development. Through Producing Partners, the organization assists local and community producers using its venues. Creative Community residencies encourage artists to develop work connected to neighborhood history and identity while involving residents through gatherings, meals, workshops, and discussions. Penn Avenue Creative provides mentorship and network-building for emerging artists and entrepreneurs, and Futuremakers creates forums about the future of the Penn Avenue corridor and communities experiencing revitalization. The theater's programming includes contemporary performance and accessible public events. KST Presents has featured dance, theater, film, performance art, and literary arts. newMoves, launched in 2009, provides a recurring setting for local, national, and international dance artists to show new work and exchange ideas with audiences through performances, classes, workshops, conversations, and social events. Other programs have explored Black cultural history, queer people of color, independent female artists, family participation, and Pittsburgh neighborhood life. In 2015, KST adopted Pay What Makes You Happy, a self-determined pricing model for KST Presents events. The organization continues to function as a cultural hub for East Liberty and Pittsburgh's East End.
- 2015
Pay What Makes You Happy launches
[1]KST introduces a patron-selected pricing model for KST Presents performances and events.
- 2011
Merger with Pittsburgh Dance Alloy
[1]KST merges with Pittsburgh Dance Alloy and continues the Alloy School's community education work.
- 2009
newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival begins
[1]KST launches an annual contemporary dance festival focused on new ideas, new work, and exchange between artists and audiences.
- 2008
Original programming expands
[1]Janera Solomon becomes executive director, and the theater increases its original programming, artist support, fundraising, and community engagement.
- 2001
Venue reopens as Kelly-Strayhorn Theater
[1]The theater reopens under its current name, honoring Gene Kelly and Billy Strayhorn.
- 1995
Renovated venue reopens
[1]After renovation during the mid-1980s, the former Regent reopens and later operates largely as a concert venue.
- 1979
Regent closes again
[1]The theater closes in October after another period of operation.
- 1965
Regent reopens after major renovation
[1]Following a reported $175,000 renovation under Ernest Stern's Associated Theaters, the venue reopens on July 18 with approximately 850 seats.
- 1914
Regent Theatre opens
[1]The building opens as a 1,100-seat silent-film theater designed by Harry S. Bair, with a theater organ for live accompaniment.
Products and positioning
A progressive, community-rooted performing arts center that combines contemporary presentation with artist development, accessible participation, arts education, and neighborhood engagement.
Presenting program · 2008
KST Presents
The theater's principal original presenting series spans contemporary dance, theater, film, performance art, literary arts, and related interdisciplinary work. It is designed to provide culturally diverse experiences while creating opportunities for local, national, and international artists to perform and develop relationships with Pittsburgh audiences.
Arts education
The Alloy School
A community education program for children, families, and adults inherited and continued through the merger with Pittsburgh Dance Alloy. Its movement- and performance-oriented classes have included pre-ballet, African dance, creative movement, hip-hop, family yoga, and acting, with an emphasis on creative participation rather than competition.
Dance festival · 2009
newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival
An annual festival that presents emerging and established contemporary dance ideas and works by local, national, and international artists. In addition to performances, its programming has included dance parties, creative workshops, classes, and conversations intended to connect artistic experimentation with audience dialogue.
Artist residency
FreshWorks Artists in Residence
A creative-learning and development program for Pittsburgh-based artists. Participants receive studio access at The Alloy Studios to research, experiment, and build a work-in-progress performance, with opportunities to receive input from audiences during the development process.
Production support
Producing Partners
A support program for local and community producers and artists who rent KST venues. The theater can provide production, programming, and fundraising assistance, extending its role beyond that of a conventional presenter or rental facility.
Creative and education facility · 1995
The Alloy Studios
A two-studio facility on Penn Avenue used for artistic creation, education, rehearsals, and partnership programs. The studios originated as Dance Alloy's space and include professional dance floors with sprung construction and marley surfaces.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival
Pittsburgh · United States · International artist community
An annual contemporary dance platform combining performances with workshops, classes, conversations, and social events. It supports new work and dialogue among local, national, and international dance artists and audiences.
Outcome. The festival became one of KST's recurring programs and contributed to the theater's recognition as a venue for contemporary dance and artist development.
- My People Film Series
Pittsburgh
An annual series created in honor of Billy Strayhorn, combining film screenings, performances, and discussions focused on the lived experiences of queer people of color.
- SUNSTAR Festival
Pittsburgh
A multidisciplinary festival featuring contemporary independent female artists through concerts, performances, talks, workshops, and social events.
- Annual community celebrations
East Liberty · Pittsburgh's East End
Recurring public events include Suite Life: A Tribute to Billy Strayhorn, Full Bloom Summer Dance Party, East Liberty Live!, Let's Move! Family Dance Party, Halloween Mayhem, and East Liberty Celebrates MLK Day.
Outcome. These activities reinforce KST's role as a neighborhood cultural and gathering space.
Brand decisions
2015
Adoption of Pay What Makes You Happy pricingPrice changeBackground
KST sought to make its presenting program more accessible and give patrons greater control over admission pricing.
Action taken
The theater introduced a self-determined pricing system for KST Presents performances and events, allowing patrons to choose the amount they paid.
Aftermath
The model became a defining part of the theater's accessibility and audience-development positioning; specific financial results are not established in the supplied sources.
2011
Merger with Pittsburgh Dance AlloyM&ABackground
The merger connected KST's presenting and community programs with Dance Alloy's dance education and studio activities.
Action taken
Kelly-Strayhorn Theater merged with Pittsburgh Dance Alloy and continued operating The Alloy School while incorporating the related studio and development functions.
Aftermath
The organization expanded its capacity for dance creation, education, residencies, and community partnerships through The Alloy Studios and the Alloy School.
Recent events
- 2015
Kelly-Strayhorn Theater introduces Pay What Makes You Happy admission[1]
Pricing
The theater introduced a flexible ticketing model allowing patrons to determine the price they wished to pay for KST Presents performances and events.
- 2011
Kelly-Strayhorn Theater merges with Pittsburgh Dance Alloy[1]
M&A
The theater merged with Dance Alloy, bringing the Alloy School and associated studio and education activities into the organization.
- 2008
Theater expands original programming under Janera Solomon[1]
Leadership change
Janera Solomon became executive director as the organization expanded its original programming, fundraising, artist support, and community engagement.
Sources2 sources
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