Prince Music Theater
A Philadelphia nonprofit theatrical producing organization known for new music theater, opera, musical drama, revivals, and experimental performance.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Prince Music Theater was a nonprofit theatrical producing organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It specialized in music theater in a broad sense, presenting opera, music drama, musical comedy, contemporary musical works, concert theater, and experimental forms that did not fit neatly into conventional commercial theater categories. The organization was founded in 1984 as the American Music Theater Festival by Marjorie Samoff, composer and artistic director Eric Salzman, and Ron Kaiserman. During its first fifteen years, the festival operated as a producing organization without a permanent home, staging productions in venues across Philadelphia. Its early locations included the Walnut Street Theatre, Trocadero Theatre, Port of History Museum Theater, Philadelphia College of Art, the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and Drexel University's Mandell Theater. The festival's initial program established an emphasis on ambitious new work and artistically adventurous reinterpretations. Its first season included six productions and had a reported budget of $1.2 million. Among its early projects were a revival of George and Ira Gershwin's Strike Up the Band, a music-theater adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones starring Cleavon Little, and the world premiere of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. The organization subsequently became associated with premieres and developmental productions by composers, directors, librettists, choreographers, and theater artists working across opera, musical theater, and contemporary performance. In March 1999, the organization moved into the renovated Midtown Theater in Philadelphia. The move gave it a permanent venue and was accompanied by a name change from American Music Theater Festival to Prince Music Theater, honoring Broadway producer and director Harold Prince. The renamed theater continued the festival's commissioning and producing mission while also presenting revivals and established works. Its repertory included productions connected with artists such as Julie Taymor, Elliot Goldenthal, Sidney Goldfarb, Duke Ellington, Emily Mann, Ntozake Shange, Baikida Carroll, David Henry Hwang, Philip Glass, Jerome Sirlin, Robert Xavier Rodriguez, Hillary Blecher, Migdalia Cruz, Adam Guettel, Tina Landau, Harry Partch, and Harold Prince. The organization reported producing 92 world premieres and transferring or sending 81 productions to theaters in New York and other locations worldwide. Its notable projects included The Transposed Heads, Queenie Pie, Betsy Brown, 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, Frida, Black Water, Floyd Collins, Hydrogen Jukebox in concert form, Revelation in the Courthouse Park, and Harold Prince's 3hree. It also mounted revivals such as Love Life, St. Louis Woman, Pal Joey, Lady in the Dark, Myths and Hymns, Dreamgirls, Annie Get Your Gun, Hair, and Ain't Misbehavin'. The original organization entered bankruptcy in 2010. The theater building was later sold at auction to a real-estate group, which leased it to a successor organization that also used the Prince Music Theater name. The 450-seat theater closed in November 2014. On March 5, 2015, the building was purchased by the Philadelphia Film Society and renamed Prince Theater. The site subsequently became part of the Film Society's operations as the Film Society Center. As a result, Prince Music Theater is best understood as a defunct Philadelphia performing-arts organization and former venue brand rather than an active theater company.
History
Prince Music Theater originated in 1984 as the American Music Theater Festival, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit founded by Marjorie Samoff, Eric Salzman, and Ron Kaiserman. Salzman served as artistic director from the first festival. Rather than beginning with a dedicated building, the organization produced work in a network of local venues. The first season presented six productions at the Walnut Street Theatre, Trocadero Theatre, Port of History Museum Theater, and Philadelphia College of Art. The following season expanded to the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Walnut Street Theatre, and Mandell Theater at Drexel University. The festival's identity was based on music theater as an expansive category. Its programs included opera, musical drama, musical comedy, concert theater, experimental works, and new pieces combining theater with contemporary music and visual performance. Early productions included a revival of Strike Up the Band, a music-theater adaptation of The Emperor Jones starring Cleavon Little, and the world premiere of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. Over time, the organization became a major Philadelphia outlet for new American music theater and commissioned or premiered works by prominent composers, writers, directors, and choreographers. In March 1999, the American Music Theater Festival moved into the renovated Midtown Theater. The permanent venue provided a stable home for the organization after its period of presenting in multiple locations. At the same time, it adopted the Prince Music Theater name to honor Broadway producer and director Harold Prince. Under the Prince name, the organization continued to combine premieres with revivals and other repertory projects. Its documented premieres included The Transposed Heads, Queenie Pie, Betsy Brown, 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, Frida, Black Water, Floyd Collins, Hydrogen Jukebox in concert form, Revelation in the Courthouse Park, 3hree, Chasing Nicolette, Gemini, The Musical, and The Green Violin. Revivals included Love Life, St. Louis Woman, Pal Joey, Lady in the Dark, Myths and Hymns, Dreamgirls, Annie Get Your Gun, Hair, and Ain't Misbehavin'. The organization stated that its producing history included 92 world premieres and that 81 productions subsequently reached theaters in New York and elsewhere around the world. This transfer activity reflected its role as both a local Philadelphia institution and a developer of work with broader theatrical lives. The original Prince Music Theater organization went bankrupt in 2010. The building was sold at auction to a real-estate group and leased to a successor organization that also operated under the Prince Music Theater name. The 450-seat venue closed in November 2014. On March 5, 2015, the Philadelphia Film Society bought the property and changed the venue's name to Prince Theater. The building later operated as the Film Society Center, separating the current site identity from the former Prince Music Theater producing organization.
- 2015
Philadelphia Film Society acquires the building
[1]The Philadelphia Film Society purchases the property on March 5 and renames it Prince Theater.
- 2014
Venue closes
[1]The 450-seat theater closes in November.
- 2010
Bankruptcy
[1]The original nonprofit organization enters bankruptcy; the building is subsequently sold at auction.
- 1999
Move to Midtown Theater and rebranding
[1]The organization moves into the renovated Midtown Theater and adopts the Prince Music Theater name in honor of Harold Prince.
- 1985
Festival expands its Philadelphia venue network
[1]The second season uses the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Walnut Street Theatre, and Drexel University's Mandell Theater.
- 1984
American Music Theater Festival is founded
[1]Marjorie Samoff, Eric Salzman, and Ron Kaiserman establish the Philadelphia nonprofit organization, which presents its first festival season in multiple local venues.
- 1984
First festival season
[1]The inaugural season presents six productions, including a Strike Up the Band revival, The Emperor Jones adaptation, and the world premiere of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X.
Products and positioning
An artistically adventurous nonprofit producer focused on developing and presenting new music theater, opera, musical drama, and hybrid performance while also revisiting significant twentieth-century musicals.
Original productions and world premieres · 1984
New music-theater productions
The organization's core offering was the development and presentation of new music theater. These works could combine dramatic theater, opera, musical comedy, concert performance, contemporary composition, choreography, and experimental staging. The repertory included projects by both emerging and established artists and was designed for presentation in Philadelphia, with selected productions later reaching New York and international theaters.
Opera and contemporary music theater · 1984
Opera and music drama
Prince Music Theater presented opera and music drama alongside conventional musicals. Its programming treated the theater as a venue for large-scale musical storytelling and contemporary hybrid works, including projects connected with composers such as Philip Glass and Robert Xavier Rodriguez.
Revival theater · 1984
Musical revivals
The organization also produced revivals of notable musicals and music-theater works. Documented examples include Love Life, St. Louis Woman, Pal Joey, Lady in the Dark, Dreamgirls, Annie Get Your Gun, Hair, and Ain't Misbehavin', as well as Adam Guettel's Myths and Hymns.
Brand decisions
2015
Building transferred to the Philadelphia Film SocietyM&ABackground
The Prince venue had closed in November 2014 after the earlier organizational and ownership transition.
Action taken
The Philadelphia Film Society purchased the building and renamed the venue Prince Theater.
Aftermath
The site became part of the Film Society's operations as the Film Society Center, ending the venue's operation under the Prince Music Theater brand.
2010
Bankruptcy and transition to a successor operationOtherBackground
The nonprofit organization faced bankruptcy after operating as a Philadelphia producing institution and venue.
Action taken
The organization entered bankruptcy; the building was later sold at auction and leased to a successor organization that also used the Prince Music Theater name.
Aftermath
The original organization ceased to operate as an independent producing entity, while the venue identity continued temporarily under successor management.
1999
Establish a permanent theater and adopt the Prince nameStrategyBackground
For its first fifteen years, the American Music Theater Festival presented work in different Philadelphia venues rather than operating from a permanent theater.
Action taken
The organization moved into the renovated Midtown Theater and changed its name to Prince Music Theater in honor of Harold Prince.
Aftermath
The move created a dedicated 450-seat home and continued the organization's producing and presenting activities under the Prince identity.
Recent events
- 2015
Philadelphia Film Society purchases theater building[1]
M&A · Other
The Philadelphia Film Society acquired the building on March 5, 2015, renamed it Prince Theater, and incorporated it into its film and cultural operations.
- 2014
450-seat Prince theater closes[1]
Other
The theater venue closed in November 2014, ending the site's operation under the Prince Music Theater identity.
- 2010
Prince Music Theater files for bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
The nonprofit organization entered bankruptcy, after which the theater building was sold at auction and leased to a successor organization using the Prince Music Theater name.
- 1999
Organization moves into renovated Midtown Theater and adopts Prince Music Theater name[1]
Other
After fifteen years of operating in different Philadelphia venues, the festival moved into a renovated permanent theater and changed its name in honor of Harold Prince.
- 1984
American Music Theater Festival launches in Philadelphia[1]
Other
The organization began operations under the name American Music Theater Festival, presenting six productions in several Philadelphia venues.
Sources1 sources
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