Ever since he was 17, performing on stage in “Cinderella,” Benjamin Luczak has been a lifelong lover of the arts. Now, he’s back running the organization that manages the Palace Theatre, the place where he first trod the boards, as the Chief Executive Officer at the Westmoreland Cultural Trust (WCT) in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
The CEO holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre and a Master of Science in Performing Arts Leadership and Management from Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University, a Certificate of Fundraising Management from the University of Nebraska Omaha, and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida. In 2025, Luczak made Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40 list.
Luczak worked all over the country before returning to Pittsburgh with his husband Jimy to run the arts organization. He has a plethora of exciting programming coming up at Westmoreland venues, including a Centennial celebration for the Palace Theatre featuring a special guest, Pride events, and more.
Proving that the arts community is full of coincidences, Luczak once worked for Kendra Whitlock Ingram, the current CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, in Omaha, Nebraska. Both have returned to Pittsburgh to champion local arts organizations.
Luczak, who recently returned from a trip to Harrisburg, told the legislators that the arts bring money into the community. Luczak goes to Pennsylvania’s capital every six months to advocate for the arts. In 2025, the Westmoreland Cultural Trust, through its operation of the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, its other real estate holdings, and sponsored activities, had an economic impact of $13 million on the county. The Westmoreland Cultural Trust serves between 125,000 and 160,000 patrons and guests annually.
Luczak believes it’s his job to remind the Pennsylvania legislators, “Arts and culture are important to society.”
The Westmoreland Cultural Trust is giving back to the community with the Academy at the Westmoreland Cultural Trust. Nick Lenz, B.F.A., Education and Engagement Manager, is providing pre-professional arts training for growing artists. Lenz said, “Ben was a huge reason I jumped at this job opportunity when it came up. He’s the reason I came back home. He is full of innovation and energy.”
In the Academy’s inaugural year, Lenz brought Jessie Hooker-Bailey, a Broadway, TV/Film actor and educator, and Camille Johnson, a musical director currently conducting a run of “Evita,” in Sag Harbor, New York, as part of the “Broadway at the Palace” program. During this working retreat, twenty participants (ages 16-27) worked side by side with Bailey and Johnson and performed a public showcase alongside the guest educators.
Lenz, like Luczak, grew up on the Palace stage. He said, “Many of the executive staff at the Westmoreland Cultural Trust are native to the county.”
In September, the venerable Palace Theatre, which opened in September 1926, celebrates its Centennial anniversary with a black-tie event featuring Grammy Award-winning artist LeAnn Rimes. The historic Palace Theatre has hosted legends from Ella Fitzgerald to the Dalai Lama and Wiz Khalifa.
Lenz said, “We don’t even know how many famous artists came through on the Palace stage. In the early days, when Vaudeville came through, we didn’t have a list of those performers who later went on to become famous.” Lenz added, “It’s a jewel of a theater. We are building programming that will bring the community to the theater for the next one hundred years.”
Luczak said, “All of the Westmoreland Cultural Trust venues, the Palace Theater, the Greensburg Garden Civic Center, etc., are safe, inclusive spaces.” He added, “Greensburg has the largest Pride in the Laurel Highlands.”
Lenz said, “Last year, we held our first Pride, and we had an outpouring of love and support from our community.” Lenz is hoping everyone will come out, celebrate, and be visible. He said, “State legislators need to see the community support. It will be a big Pride this year, especially since the newly ratified bill to codify marriage equality.”
On March 25, 2026, in a bipartisan effort, the House passed Bill 1800, which repealed the section of Pennsylvania law defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. The bill is awaiting action, if any, in the Pennsylvania Senate.
On Friday, June 26, Pride will kick off with a movie night at the Palace Theatre, featuring appearances by leading Pittsburgh-based drag performers and a costume contest.
On Saturday, June 27, the Westmoreland Museum of American Art will host a Pride Prom, a community-centered celebration with activities, performances, and food, focused on fellowship and visibility for the LGBTQIA+ community in Westmoreland County.
On Sunday, June 28, the Pride Weekend festivities will close with a Drag Brunch with performances by Pittsburgh-based drag artists Alora Chateaux, Dixie Surewood, Kaydence McQueen, and Phoenix Fatale, and an endless supply of mimosas and Bloody Marys.
Dixie Surewood said, “I’m thrilled to be back in Greensburg this year! The welcome we got last year was so warm, and the event was an absolute blast. Getting to do it all at The Palace…well, that’s just the cherry on top!”
Do you know an LGBTQ-identifying leader of a non-profit, business, or organization doing the work every day for the community in Western Pennsylvania? Let us know about them at PrideAtWork@qburgh.com.