Free Open House Launches Citizens Bank Sponsorship of Broadway at the Academy
Citizens Bank Day at the Academy features Broadway performances, family entertainment and tours of the newly renovated Academy of Music
Students from the Girard Academic Music Program perform on the Academy of Music steps launching Citizens Bank Day
April 12, 2003
The historic Academy of Music opens its doors for a free, public open house today, launching Citizens Bank Broadway at the Academy, a new Kimmel Center Presents series that will bring national touring Broadway productions back to the Academy of Music stage for the first time in 20 years.
Citizens Bank Day at the Academy will kick off on the Academy of Music steps on the Avenue of the Arts at 10am with performances from the Philadelphia school district’s Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) student production of Mame, the last Broadway show staged at the Academy. The open house, from 10am to 2pm, will also feature performances by Broadway actors, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast storytelling, a costume try-on trunk and Broadway karaoke hosted by Philadelphia’s own Jerry Blavat. Visitors will also have a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes and tour the newly renovated Academy.
Citizens Bank Day at the Academy will also feature special one-day-only ticket discounts for upcoming Broadway shows at the Academy of Music. The inaugural season of Citizens Bank Broadway at the Academy begins on May 13 with the Tony Award-winning Elaine Stritch at Liberty.
"We are thrilled to have Citizens Bank as our title sponsor for Broadway at the Academy," said Kimmel Center, Inc. President and CEO Janice Price. "Citizens Bank Broadway at the Academy promises to be the most exciting new offering on Philadelphia’s performing arts scene and Citizens’ generous sponsorship will allow us to expand the education programs and community outreach we believe are fast becoming the hallmark of all Kimmel Center Presents programming. We thank Steve Steinour and everyone at Citizens Bank for their support. For members of the public who have never been to the Academy of Music, Citizens Bank Day at the Academy provides a unique opportunity to see this beautiful building and tour the recent backstage renovations that have made Broadway programming possible."
"Citizens Bank is delighted to sponsor Broadway at the Academy along with the exciting education and community programs at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts," said Stephen D. Steinour, Chairman & CEO of Citizens Bank. "We believe this new partnership is a rare opportunity and a natural fit because it solidifies our firm commitment to being a good corporate citizen and a neighborhood bank dedicated to the people and the communities we serve."
Operated by Kimmel Center, Inc. and owned by The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Academy of Music has undergone extensive renovations over the past several years. Part of the plan to renovate the 146-year-old building, which functioned as the home of The Philadelphia Orchestra for more than a century, was to improve the Academy’s capabilities to host a broad variety of events. New rigging equipment, changes in the Academy’s stage and pit areas, enhanced acoustics, backstage improvements and expansion of dressing rooms are just some of the upgrades completed or underway in an effort to enhance the Academy’s ability to host touring Broadway musicals, solo artists backed by extravagant stagings, and staged productions given by the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Ballet.
The inaugural season of Citizens Bank Broadway at the Academy will feature three special presentations this spring and summer: Elaine Stritch At Liberty (May 13-18), Grease (June 17-22) and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (July 23-August 3); plus a traditional fall/spring subscription season including Starlight Express (September 10-14), Urinetown (November 18-23), Oliver! (January 6-11, 2004) and Les Misérables (March 2-21, 2004).
Citizens Bank Broadway at the Academy subscription packages are on sale now. To order tickets or for more information call 215-893-1955 or visit www.kimmelcenter.org/broadway.
Kimmel Center, Inc., a charitable, not-for-profit organization, owns, manages, supports and maintains The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center. Kimmel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of Music, owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association. The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Academy of Music serve as home to eight Resident Company performing arts organizations, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, American Theater Arts for Youth, PHILADANCO, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops®. Kimmel Center, Inc.’s mission also includes arts in education, community outreach and a rich diversity of programming through its Kimmel Center Presents and Broadway at the Academy series of performances.
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a $22 billion bank with more than 390 branches, 640 ATMs and a convenient network of commercial banking offices throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates four retail branches and four ATMs in southern New Jersey. It has more than 5,000 employees. Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $64 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 850 offices and approximately 1,700 ATMs, operating as Citizens Bank in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Citizens is one of the 20 largest commercial banks in the United States. It is owned by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc. The Citizens Web site is at www.citizensbank.com.
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