Philadelphia's InterAct Transforms The Drake Ballroom Into New Theatre Hub

"I've always felt that when you go to a theatre, the lobbies are nice. But when you go by during the day they are empty," Seth Rozin, artistic director of Philadelphia's InterAct Theatre, explains to Newsworks. "For a lot of people, especially theatre people looking for a place to sit, have a coffee, look at a computer, it felt like a natural thing to create a space that would be that all the time, not just during performances."

Rosin's dream of a full-time lobby is now a reality, and the center of a new theatre hub in what was once the ballroom of his city's apartment tower, The Drake, a former hotel built in 1929, located near 16th and Spruce streets.

Original art deco windows framing black-painted glass now hold clear panes that fill the space with natural light.

Though the nearby Kimmel Center complex's full-time lobby has yet to attract substantial traffic, Rozin believes the four resident theatre companies he's invited to join InterArt in calling The Drake home will keep his space a bustling hotbed of creativity.

The quartet of Simpatico Theatre Project, Inis Nua, Azuka Theatre and PlayPenn are all small or mid-sized companies for whom it would be impossible to build theaters on their own. They'll receive discounted space for three productions annually; two in the small black box theater seating up to 80 people, and one on the main proscenium stage seating 120.

The rest of the time the theater will be rented to outside companies. During hours when performances are not happening, the all the space will be available for playwriting workshops and new play readings.

The Drake is already booked through July, and Rozin is now planning a series of play readings produced with the Philadelphia New Play Initiative. Philly Plays at the Drake will feature local playwrights.

"It's a signal to the both artistic community the public that this is what the building is about. It's about celebrating new plays, a home for plays and playwrights, a place where artists come to talk about new plays, read, write, devise, and attend new plays."

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