WILMINGTON, DE (CelebrityAccess) — The Grand Opera House has announced the purchase of the DuPont Theatre business, its related assets and lease of the building, bringing both venue operations under the flag of the Grand.
Following the sale, The DuPont will get a new moniker, being renamed to The Playhouse on Rodney Square, but the sale will have no impact on the remainder of the 2014-2015 Broadway Season.
However, going forward, Stephen Bailey, executive director for the two theaters told the Wilmington News-Journal that they intend to scale back on the DuPont's Broadway subscription series, from five productions to just three.
In their place, Bailey said the DuPont may present performances with appeal to the current Broadway subscribers, by artists such as Kristin Chenoweth, as well as speakers series and performances at both theaters by the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, First State Ballet Theatre and OperaDelaware. As well, combining the operations of the two venues will provide some economies of scale, offering greater leverage in negotiations and flexibility in bookings.
"We want to be much more active than DuPont was in the past with shows that live and breathe outside of the actual Broadway series," Bailey told the News-Journal.
Built in 1913, the 1,251-capacity DuPont claims the title of the oldest continually operating legitimate theatre in the nation. – Staff Writer
