An Abrupt Close to our 45th Season
The 2019/20 Season has been abruptly shuttered, due to the coronavirus outbreak. I write this from my new home ‘office,’ reassured that our staff members are also home with their families, and taking the appropriate precautions in this truly unfathomable time.
Philadelphia Theatre Company had so much to celebrate this season, and we are endlessly grateful for the privilege of producing both Adam Bock’s A Small Fire, with its stellar cast led by Bebe Neuwirth, as well as Everything is Wonderful, Chelsea Marcantel’s gorgeous illumination of the best of humanity. Noah Himmelstein’s gorgeous production offered us the chance to end the season on a note of forgiveness, of reconciliation, of coming together in a way that underscores the notion of how theatre can nourish us in such times as these.
Our production of Sarah DeLappe’s triumphant debut The Wolves, will have a place in our future programming. It was a difficult decision to share news of the postponement to the company, which was set to start rehearsals March 16th. But we are committed to bringing all those artists to PTC as soon as it is safe, and we hope you will join us when the time comes.
Earlier this season, we spoke about how we wanted Philadelphia Theatre Company’s audiences to feel after our productions. We wanted you to walk away feeling better than when you came, even though both plays held difficult and serious themes, and even pushed us to uncomfortable places. But the stories ended on notes of hope and resilience, and that’s what we must hang onto now.
Communities across the world are having to work together now, by being apart. And we don’t know how long it will last – this new normal might last eight weeks or eight months. We will do our best to find inventive and imaginative ways of reaching out to you with artistic messages that continue to make you feel better. In a time of fear and uncertainty, we believe that that is our job – we artists can lift up our communities and we pledge to keep on doing just that.
We are continuing to pay our staff through this time, and are incredibly grateful to be in this position. We will continue planning for our next season, and look forward to opening the doors once again.
For now, we will follow instructions and try to rejuvenate our artistic souls.
Thank you for all your support this season.
Paige Price
Producing Artistic Director
