Our Mission
At the PAC, we're dedicated to creating unique theatrical events that celebrate our humanity; through the lens of rare classical theatre, and through multidisciplinary collaboration. We stage our plays with engaging and visceral clarity, presenting classical stories full of human complexity that bring audiences to the edge of their seats. By collaborating with artists from other disciplines we seek to encourage the development of a common vocabulary, and to promote arts awareness in the Philadelphia community.
Our Beliefs
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Art Belongs To Everyone.
We do not believe in "high" art. We believe everyone should have access to art that feeds, enriches, and challenges us. At the PAC, this means affordable ticket prices and free public events. |
The Classics Belong to Everyone.
They are living, breathing events. They do not belong to scholarship or to museums. They belong to human experience: life, death, love, loss, and gain. We do not go to a Shakespeare play to learn about Shakespeare. We go to learn about ourselves. |
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Meaning is Not Created in Isolation.
The PAC aims to be an active breeding ground for artists of all disciplines. Our current Resident Artist Program creates a dialogue between performing and visual artists; the ultimate goal is to create a destination where painters, sculptors, musicians, dancers, writers, and performers can share time and space to inspire, illuminate, and challenge each other and the world around them. |
Art Builds a More Just and Equitable Society.
It demands curiosity, encourages empathy, and leaves questions unanswered. Good, we say. |
...But why rare classics?
The classics let us wonder over worlds that seem so foreign; worlds without smartphones and airplanes. But as a species, we haven't really changed. The technology changes, but the humanity stays the same.
We still love, dream, regret, and laugh the way we have for thousands of years.
And rare classics provide a useful naïveté. We know Romeo and Juliet won't make it through the night. But most of us don't know if Silvia and Harlequin are meant for each other, or if the Duchess of Malfi will see the light of day. We're surprised, challenged, delighted. If classic plays and literature feel like a lot of work, we say: good. Most things worth doing in this life aren't easy. We like a challenge. Especially ones that celebrate beauty, and make the world a better place.
We still love, dream, regret, and laugh the way we have for thousands of years.
And rare classics provide a useful naïveté. We know Romeo and Juliet won't make it through the night. But most of us don't know if Silvia and Harlequin are meant for each other, or if the Duchess of Malfi will see the light of day. We're surprised, challenged, delighted. If classic plays and literature feel like a lot of work, we say: good. Most things worth doing in this life aren't easy. We like a challenge. Especially ones that celebrate beauty, and make the world a better place.
