The Kimmel Cultural Campus Announces Reopening In Fall 2021
With positive news and reports from Broadway touring industry organizations, the Kimmel Cultural Campus is announcing the return of live Broadway programming to Philadelphia in the fall of 2021 after being closed for more than a year due to COVID-19. The Kimmel Cultural Campus kicks-off its season, presented in partnership with The Shubert Organization, with 13 magnificent shows that will finally bring audiences together again for the unparalleled live theater experience. In anticipation of reopening its doors safely and resuming mainstage performances, Campus management continues to work in consultation with health and safety experts and in accordance with City and Commonwealth guidelines in the development of its reopening plans. Additionally, the Kimmel Cultural Campus is working collaboratively with its esteemed Resident Companies to support their season plans which will be announced in the coming months.
The 2021/22 Broadway Philadelphia season premieres with the return of Hamilton and continues with an astounding lineup of Tony Award®-winning productions including fan favorites, an innovative reimagining, and beloved classics. The upcoming season boasts 42 Tony Awards and 37 Drama Desk Awards™, and several Philadelphia premieres.
- Hamilton (October 20 – November 28, 2021, Academy of Music)
- Rain – A Tribute to The Beatles (October 29 – 31, 2021, Merriam Theater)
- Anastasia (November 23 – 28, 2021, Merriam Theater)
- Stomp (December 28, 2021 – January 2, 2022, Merriam Theater)
- Pretty Woman: The Musical (January 4 – 16, 2022, Academy of Music)
- Hadestown (February 9 – 20, 2022, Academy of Music)
- Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (February 22 –27, 2022, Academy of Music)
- Rent: 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour (March 4 – 6, 2022, Merriam Theater)
- Oklahoma! (March 8 – 20, 2022, Forrest Theatre)
- Waitress (March 29 – April 3, 2022, Academy of Music)
- Hairspray (May 16 – 22, 2022, Merriam Theater)
- To Kill A Mockingbird (July 12 – 24, 2022, Academy of Music)
- Dear Evan Hansen (August 16 – 28, 2022, Forrest Theatre)
“Our donors and patrons have given us strength during our year-long closure for which we are exceedingly grateful. They have enabled us to continue to respond to the needs of the community: transforming our education programs to the online space, partnering with local charities for food and blood drives, serving as a polling place, and even opening our doors as a peaceful resting place for protesters and police last summer,” said Anne Ewers, President & CEO of the Kimmel Center. “What has struck us most, during this time, is the community’s need to be together. So now we eagerly prepare for a safe reopening, allowing us to gather around the healing power of the arts at last.”
Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO of The Shubert Organization, added, “It is hard to believe our stages have been shuttered for more than a year. We have persevered through these unprecedented times, never losing faith that live theater would return to lift our spirits and bring us together. I am excited to say that day is nearly upon us.”
“The intricate, and sometimes multi-year process of scheduling national tours across the country involves many elements affected by the pandemic: building sets and costumes, casting, and rehearsals. It’s part of the magic of theater,” said Frances Egler, Senior Director of Programming and Presentations at the Kimmel Cultural Campus. “We are grateful to the thousands of loyal subscribers who continued their commitment, support, and patience during these challenging times. Our subscribers know we’ve brought families and friends together for joyful experiences, year after year; and we’ve worked tirelessly to bring everyone together again with most of the titles from the affected seasons.”
As a result of COVID-19, and in compliance with city and state ordinances, the Kimmel Cultural Campus has been closed since March 2020 and forced to cancel and postpone all productions, concerts, classes, and events across the Campus. With 93% of the Kimmel’s revenue driven by ticket sales and venue rentals, the negative financial impact of COVID-19 has been dire with projected losses of more than $51-million in gross revenue. As a result, the Kimmel has launched an aggressive Road to Reopening Relief Fundraising Campaign.
“The Kimmel Cultural Campus attracts more than 1.5-million people annually across its three venues and is the anchor of the Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “The Kimmel is a driving force for the local economy, and I look forward to enjoying shows there again when it reopens this fall.”
A 2019 study by Econsult Solutions, Inc. found each dollar spent on a ticket generates $12 in economic activity for area businesses such as restaurants, retailers, and hoteliers. Building a plan to safely reopen the Kimmel would help the region’s economy by restoring 2,380 jobs, and $5.3-million in monthly household income.
With a commitment to prioritize guest safety, the Kimmel Cultural Campus partnered with 35 top performing arts venues across the nation in an in-depth study conducted by renowned industry researchers WolfBrown and AMS Analytics that measures five key areas around a return to live events. The data made available by this collaboration has allowed the Kimmel Cultural Campus to better understand the critical questions and concerns audiences have both universally and regionally as they consider the return to live events.
“We know comfort level around returning to the theater will be different for everyone when we reopen in the fall and we want audiences to have a clear understanding of the safety standards we are enacting,” said Crystal Brewe, Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Communication at Kimmel Cultural Campus. “Our participation in this comprehensive, nation-wide study has provided us rigorous data on patron expectations that has not only informed the timing of our reopening, but the ongoing research is also informing our specific health and safety guidelines.”
