Theater Alliance of Greater Philadelphia ends its run

It’s curtains for the Theater Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.

The nonprofit organization that helps the city’s theater companies — and stages the annual Barrymore Awards — will discontinue operations on June 30.

But it may have a second act.

The Theater Alliance does many things outside of the Barrymore Awards. It offers a one-stop ticketing service, for instance, and directs audience-engagement initiatives. The plan is to farm out all of those functions to other organizations, such as the Cultural Alliance of Great Philadelphia and established theater companies.

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It will not dissolve its nonprofit status, but it will cease functioning and lay off its staff of eight. Executive director Margie Salvante has issued her resignation.

“The board voted last Thursday to take the bold and strategic step, consistent to what theater alliances are doing nationwide, to reinvent in a world of shrinking resources,” said board chair Wendy White. “The board took a step to support this extraordinary and vibrant theater industry in Philadelphia in the modern world.”

White says resources available for theatrical arts are better directed to theater companies rather than a stand-alone organization. The Theater Alliance is still in talks with theater and cultural organizations to negotiate how they can assume the alliance’s functions.

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