The Show Goes On

As the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its 50th anniversary season, its rebranding as Penn Live Arts signals a revitalization of cultural immersion through the range of activities under its umbrella.

“There is a tremendous amount of activity on campus, and there has been a demand for greater emphasis on the arts at Penn for decades,” says Chris Gruits, Executive and Artistic Director of Penn Live Arts. “This is a perfect time to invest not only in facilities and infrastructure, but also academic integration, student career development, and public programming.”

Key to the next act is a multiyear capital plan, including the first significant expansion to the Annenberg Center in its history. The centerpiece will be the Stuart Weitzman Theatre, a 3,000+-square-foot addition on the Annenberg Center Plaza.

The Weitzman Theatre will provide space for the 70+ student clubs and organizations that have long lobbied for more performance and rehearsal venues. Gruits envisions the theatre “in constant use from the moment its doors open, serving students, faculty, Philadelphia-area residents, and Penn alumni, families, and friends.”

The Stuart Weitzman Theatre’s indoor-outdoor spaces will provide flexibility for artists to stage innovative work. “I am thrilled on so many levels to be supporting this new project,” says Stuart Weitzman, W’63. “The performing arts have always been an essential element of the Penn experience. This new theatre will convey, in a very tangible way, to student and professional performers alike, that their craft is valued, supported, and nurtured by Penn.”

Additional elements of the capital plan include upgrading the Montgomery Theatre into a state-of-the-art film screening center and the creation of the Campus Gateway to the Arts—a welcoming nexus right off Locust Walk. In addition to the major capital projects, the theatre spaces will amplify visibility to audiences near and far thanks to investments in digital and livestreaming technology, made possible by generous donors.

The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts was initially conceived in tandem with the Annenberg School for Communication. That academic connection between the arts and exploration of media and innovation remains central to Penn Live Arts’ identity.

Penn Live Arts aims to better integrate performing arts into curricular activities, such as artist-in-residence programs. The Brownstein Residency for Artistic Innovation, established in 2020 by Board member Andrew Brownstein, C’75, W’75, WG’76, PAR’12, PAR’14, and Elise Jaffe Brownstein, CW’76, PAR’12, PAR’14, links notable visiting artists to the Penn and Philadelphia communities, with a focus on interdisciplinary work and experiences for broad audiences.

For 2022-2023, Penn Live Arts welcomes the Obie Award–winning Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) for the Brownstein Residency. The NEC staged a one-act play festival in October and will premiere a new multidisciplinary theater work, co-produced by Penn Live Arts, in the spring. Additionally, the residency includes collaborative community activities through Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships, as well as classroom visits to interact directly with students.

“The Annenberg Center has prominently promoted Black arts and artists over the years, including the Philadelphia debut of renowned playwright August Wilson,” says Herman Beavers, the Julie Beren Platt and Marc E. Platt President’s Distinguished Professor of English and Africana Studies at Penn Arts & Sciences. Beavers co-teaches a class on Wilson with Professor Suzana Berger, who also leads arts partnerships with local public schools through Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships. “Welcoming the Negro Ensemble Company to our class and our campus pays homage to the Center’s history, and signals its future in making performing arts accessible to both the Philadelphia community and Penn students in their daily and academic lives,” says Beavers.

Some students may have visions of stardom. Others may hope to apply their talents behind the scenes in the arts and entertainment industries. No matter their career path, a career support program—launched by Penn Live Arts in collaboration with Platt Student Performing Arts House/University Life—can help them achieve their dreams.

The Career Development Initiative amplifies professional development opportunities for interested students by supporting funding awards, facilitating internships and placements, and creating networks between students, alumni in the industry, and professional artists who perform on the stages at Penn. Over the coming year, Penn Live Arts will appoint a Director of Education and Engagement to further develop and advance the Initiative, as well as engage alumni and friends in arts and entertainment who wish to extend opportunities or serve as mentors for students.

Storytelling and performance have been vital to human understanding and connection for millennia. The Annenberg Center was built under the philosophy that performance is one of the most powerful communication tools that people have.”Chris Gruits, Executive and Artistic Director of Penn Live Arts

Penn Live Arts has always prioritized bringing diverse artists to Philadelphia, and the 2022-2023 season is no exception. With performances ranging from Finnish folk music and circus arts to continuations of its celebrated jazz and dance programs spanning an array of cultures, Penn Live Arts offers something for everyone.

“We have a long-standing commitment to showcasing artists of color and international artists people don’t typically have a chance to see,” Gruits says. “Giving these artists a platform to share their experiences and their stories helps to generate mutual understanding, empathy, and greater cultural awareness.”

The impact of Penn Live Arts radiates beyond campus. Community engagement and expanding access to exciting new experiences through performing arts remains a key part of Gruits’s vision.

“Cultural centers at Penn have a hybrid role, serving both the University and the community,” says Gruits. “It’s a really exciting role to play.”

For example, the Student Discovery Series welcomes up to 10,000 Philadelphia schoolchildren each year with subsidized tickets and organized busing, and West Philly Welcome offers significantly discounted tickets to make programming more accessible for neighboring residents.

While these activities bring people to Penn, Penn Live Arts often brings performances to sites across the city. Expanding beyond campus stages can offer the kind of flexibility that inspires innovative artists.

“Our first artist-in-residence, Mark Morris, gave dance classes in hospitals as part of the therapy process for patients with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders,” says Gruits. “And recently, we brought a piece on environmental impact called Ten Thousand Birds to the Morris Arboretum, where birdsong could be incorporated into the performance. These types of shows provide a great opportunity to connect with audiences in different and dynamic ways.”

The performing arts enrich lives and expand horizons, and everyone at Penn can experience them in some way. The next 50 years of Penn Live Arts will facilitate deeper involvement and exposure for students, friends, alumni, and donors alike.

“This is an exciting time,” says Gruits. “We welcome all to play a role in preserving the legacy of performing arts at Penn, and in building our future.”

Seize your moment and name a seat in one of the Annenberg Center’s theatres.