DG National Report: Philadelphia by Tom Tirney
The former ballroom in the beautiful Drake Building in Center City Philadelphia is being converted into a dual theatre facility that will soon house four companies—InterAct, Simpatico, Azuka, Inis Nua—as well as the new play development organization, PlayPenn. The as-yet-unnamed theatre space will represent the only multi-company space in the city and opens January 2016.
This is a boon for Center City and for writers. Together, these five companies produce over 80% of Philadelphia’s new work and premiers in any given year. While InterAct is the only theatre in the city that dedicates its entire season to new work, the partner theatres sharing the space generally have at least one premier as part of its programmed schedule. And PlayPenn’s professional readings are entirely devoted to new play development.
Fittingly, the first play to go up at the Drake is Guild member’s Kristoffer Diaz’s #the revolution, produced by InterAct. Premiering on January 22, 2016, this dark comedy skewers slacktivist politics by chronicling a social-media driven revolution that upends equality in America. This is Diaz’s second premier in Philadelphia following a 2009 production of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Diety.
InterAct, Simpatico, Azuka, and Inis Nua will present full seasons of work in both theatre spaces which have been designed so that two plays can run concurrently. Further, PlayPenn will hold its educational classes, seminars, and annual July summer conference at the Drake as well.
InterAct Theatre is spearheading this move into the 8,500 square foot performing space after eighteen years at the 106-seat Adrienne on Sansom Street. It is also a change in the approach to theatres and performing arts: the $5M capital campaign for the Drake is economical considering how many theatres will be housed under one roof and how many artists in turn will have an opportunity to participate in new work.
Seth Rozin, Artistic Director of InterAct, has a vision is to cultivate a “new play” community and make the space a social hub for artists in the city and the region. Rozin wants the new venue to be known not just for the theatres it houses but to be a place where theatre makers come to read, research, collobarate, and discuss.
“The Philadelphia theatre community has evolved to the point where a real and spiritual home for new plays and playwrights is not only needed but also possible. We hope the Drake becomes that place.”
Guild member playwrights should take note and investigate opportunities with the entities at the Drake. The organizations involved at the Drake have been responsible for several full-scale productions and professional readings Guild playwrights such as Michael Lew, David Robson, A. Zell Williams…and of course, Kristoffer Diaz.
Seth Rozin in the new performance space of the Drake Building
Blueprints of the new performance space in the Drake Building
Seth Rozin giving a tour of the new space
ttirney@dramatistsguild.com
