The theatre is presenting, rather than producing, the work.
The building is now owned by a group of business investors, 1412 Chestnut Street Corp., who are leasing it to the Prince. Philadelphia businessman Herb Lotman is both an investor and chairman of the board of the nonprofit.
The 2013-14 season will include Evil Dead: The Musical 4D, running Sept. 2-Oct. 20. The rock musical comedy is inspired by a series of horror films, and audience members in the first few rows are warned of stage blood splashing on them.
Potted Potter will play Dec. 10, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014. The two-man show covers all seven "Harry Potter" books in 70 minutes. The Suit, Peter Brook's musical adaptation of South African writer Can Themba's story of the same name, will run Feb. 26-March 8. I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Musik From The Weimar and Beyond, featuring cabaret artist Mark Nadler, will play April 2-12. Lotman's wife, Karen, is also a member of the Prince board, and her friendship with Nadler contributed to bringing in his show.
A cabaret series will be featured in the smaller of the two performance spaces, the 146-seat black-box theatre upstairs. Performers include Barbara Cook (Oct. 2-5); Patti LuPone in a program titled Far Away Places (Nov. 20-23); Steve Tyrell, I'll Take Romance (Feb. 5-8, 2014) and Karen Akers (April 30-May 3). Also booked are folk musician Laura Marling (Aug. 30), singer-songwriter Kat Edmonson (Sept. 14), Chazz Palminteri (Sept. 19-21) in A Bronx Tale, and actor/magician Justin Willman in his "Tricked Out Tour" (Nov. 29). A film series is also being developed for later in the season.
The Prince may produce shows in the future, as the group had done under former artistic chief Marjorie Samoff.
The theatre is undergoing physical renovations, such as new seats, rugs, furniture and drapes, as well as a high-definition projection system with 3-D capability. The lighting and sound systems are being upgraded, and a new HVAC system and enlarged orchestra are planned. The name of the theatre, which was in honor of producer and director Hal Prince, will also change.
The current schedule was put together by consultants Ed Kasses, president of Princeton Entertainment, and Lawrence J. Wilker, president and chief executive officer of TheatreDreams Inc.
Tickets and more information can be found by visiting princemusictheater.org.
