The marquee Pittsburgh theater story of the past decade has been the growth of small and medium-sized professional companies.

But from the audience's point of view, which is what matters, one of the older sectors of the theater scene has been especially prolific. It includes Pittsburgh's oldest theater company and also a youthful giant, itself heir to a treasured Pittsburgh tradition.

I'm speaking, of course, of the colleges, but especially the three universities that among them provide such a large share of our theatrical smorgasbord -- Carnegie Mellon University, the oldest degree-granting college theater conservatory in the country; the University of Pittsburgh, which specializes in training theater leaders and teachers; and the new giant, Point Park University, with the biggest conservatory program and largest audience draw.

Granted, college theaters have an important constituency other than the general audience -- the students they train and those who make up a part of their audience with their own needs. College casting may have less to do with audience satisfaction than the training needs of one student, and play selection may have mainly to do with students' need to experience seminal classics.

But in the process, the general audience is also well served.

Carnegie Mellon

The CMU School of Drama season tackles the theme of the individual's struggle with a hostile society. Shows will be staged not only in the three theaters in the Purnell Center but also in various locations around the campus and the city.

The latter is what's most unusual about the CMU season. A touring commedia dell 'arte. wagon, designed and built by production students, will be the venue for this form of physical theater as students tour adaptations of Carlo Goldoni's "Servant of Two Masters" and Moliere's "Scapino" around the city. "We're proud through the touring Commedia project [to] pioneer a new relationship with the broader Pittsburgh community," says Elizabeth Bradley, head of CMU drama.

Notable on the main stage is "The Piano Lesson," CMU's first encounter with the work of August Wilson, taking his place beside Schiller, Ibsen, Chekhov and perhaps the greatest American musical, "Guys and Dolls."

CMU has also announced six productions to be directed and/or written by students.

Point Park

Performing in the three theaters at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, whose tradition informs its commitment to Pittsburgh audiences, the Point Park Conservatory Company outdraws even The REP, the university's professional company.

This is especially true when the student company turns to its forte, musicals, of which it will do three, starting with the world premiere of "Streets of America" by Matthew Riopelle and Michael Rupert, set to a 1960s folky rock score. Next comes the first university production of the 2001 Broadway musical, "Thou Shalt Not," Harry Connick, Jr.'s adaptation of Emile Zola's "Therese Raquin," which Point Park alum Tome Cousin returns to direct. The third musical is Stephen Sondheim's intense "Assassins."

Bookending these will be Caryl Churchill's feminist classic, "Top Girls," and Shakespeare's eternal "Romeo and Juliet," this time set in gold rush California.

Pitt

The Pitt Repertory Theatre season theme is "Playing with the Classics," and it celebrates the 25th year since the Theatre Arts Dept. achieved independence. "Commemorating the department's silver anniversary ... the Pitt Repertory Theatre season is revisiting our theatrical roots," says Bruce McConachie, department chair.

The season is determinedly eclectic not to say revisionist, featuring two contemporary takes on classics: "Desdemona, a Play about a Handkerchief," Paula Vogel's deconstruction of Shakespeare's "Othello," and "Big Love," Charles L. Mee's bloody/funny modernization of Aeschylus' ancient "Suppliants."

The other two shows are George Farquhar's 1704 comedy, "The Recruiting Officer," which mixes romantic comedy with a British defeat of the French in Ireland, and the Pittsburgh premiere of Arthur Miller's expansive survey of the effects of the Great Depression, "The American Clock." The latter will also serve as the occasion for a 25th anniversary reunion of Theatre Arts alumni.

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SCHEDULES

CMU

Oct. 5-13: Chekhov, "The Three Sisters," directed by Vladimir Mirodan of London's Drama Centre.

Nov. 29-Dec. 8: Swerling, Burrows and Loesser, "Guys and Dolls."

Dec. 5-8: Ibsen, "Ghosts," translated by (and staged to honor of the career of) Brian Johnston.

Feb. 22-March 1, 2008: August Wilson, "The Piano Lesson."

April 23-26: Friedrich Schiller, "Don Carlos."

April 11-26: Commedia Dell 'Arte project.

Student projects: Tom Griffin, "The Boys Next Door" (Nov. 7-9); Clifford Odets, "Golden Boy" (Nov. 7-9); Craig Lucas, "The Stranger" (Feb. 6-8); Dario Fo, "Accidental Death of an Anarchist" (March 26-28); TBA: Playground: A Festival of Independent Student Work, and New Works Festival.

Information at 412-268-2407 or cmu.edu/cfa.

Point Park

Oct. 4-21: Caryl Churchill, "Top Girls."

Nov. 1-11: Matthew Riopelle (book, lyrics) and Michael Rupert (book, lyrics, music), "Streets of America."

Jan. 31-Feb. 10: Harry Connick, Jr., "Thou Shalt Not."

March 13-20: Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, "Assassins."

April 3-13: Shakespeare, "Romeo and Juliet."

Information at 412-621-4445 or pittsburghplayhouse.com.

Pitt

Oct. 10-21: George Farquhar, "The Recruiting Officer."

Nov. 7-18: Paula Vogel, "Desdemona, a Play about a Handkerchief."

Feb. 20-March 2: Arthur Miller, "The American Clock."

April 2-13: Charles L. Mee, "Big Love."

Information at 412-624-PLAY or www.pitt.edu/~play/index.html.