Marc Palombo, a Point Park alum who graduated last year with a B.F.A in acting, has recently started his own theater company right here in downtown Pittsburgh. 

Called Playbox, Palombo was inspired by group theater of the 30s and describes his company as “scrappy, resourceful and unafraid to take risks”.  

The Playbox is at the forefront of re-revolutionizing the group theater movement almost a decade later. Palombo wants to bring back emotional truth and social relevance to American drama. 

He started at Point Park in 2019 and was deeply involved throughout his four years. He founded the Chess Club, was Student Government president, and performed in almost any space, from the Pittsburgh Playhouse to his room. He credits many faculty members to his success, including Milia Ayache, Phil Winters and Samuel Muños. 

“They gave me the confidence, training, and community I needed to start this,” Palombo said. 

Palombo said the idea for the company came from his love of theater and his business-driven mind. With those two loves combined, it was obvious starting his own theater company was the right choice.  

Palombo trains every Wednesday in the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s 200-seat black box studio — the inspiration for the name Playbox. Since he started a year ago, over 100 artists have already walked through the doors and performed. 

Playbox is a space where everyone from actors to writers to directors can experiment. The company hosts innovative training labs and will be producing shows that speak to the future of Pittsburgh’s theater scene, and it’s only building from there. 

Playbox’s main focus is to emphasize and highlight the arts in Pittsburgh, mainly through theater. The company focuses on reimagining classics and producing bold new works that showcase the otherwise unknown talents of Pittsburgh. 

 “Through our innovative training programs, thought-provoking productions and community engagement, we foster an environment where creativity thrives, and artistic boundaries are unleashed,” as said on its website. 

Playbox is currently producing its first full production, George Orwell’s “1984.” It will be directed by M.A.C, a Texas-based director focusing on a bold Americanized vision and retelling of the original story. Everything is red, white and blue. There are 30 members in the cast and crew who are currently making this production a reality. 

“You are not going to want to miss this,” Palombo said, who is producing the performance along with the director M.A.C.  

The show runs from December 4-7 at the Three Stories Theater, located on Liberty Ave. Tickets are now on sale on the Playbox website, playbox.ticketspice.com/1984. 

If you are interested in becoming part of the team whether ensemble or behind the scenes, you can email the company directly at [email protected] or follow theInstagram, @playbox.pgh. It would be a great opportunity for anyone interested in theater.  

Point Park staff and faculty also get 10 dollars off their ticket if they use the code “PPU2025.” Palombo says this is a thank you to the wonderful people who work and make Point Park an amazing place to study.