Playbill Publisher Philip S. Birsh welcomes the Theatre Central website (http://www.theatre-central.com) as a component of Playbill On-Line.
Theatre Central is recognized throughout the theatre and online industries as "the hub of theatre on the internet" owing to its links to more than 1500 theatre-related websites throughout the world.
Theatre Central was founded in 1993 by Andrew Q. Kraft, who will continue as consultant. "It was time to take Theatre Central to the next level," Kraft said, "and Playbill was the clear choice for the company that could do that."
The Theatre Central website will continue to maintain its familiar URL and home page unchanged, though the "Journal" section will become a link to Playbill On Line's "Extra! Extra!" news section. As a part of Playbill On-Line, the site also will share in our sponsorship by American Express.
You can access Theatre Central easily by clicking the Theatre Central icon on Playbill On-Line's homepage, located in the same column as our main news headlines, just below information on the Playbill On-Line Club offers. The site's well-known flags of all nations denoting international listings have temporarily disappeared, but are expected to reappear shortly as we complete the process of integrating our software.
If your theatre-related site isn't already listed on Theatre Central, contact Andrea Prince at [email protected].
Playbill On-Line was launched in 1994 by Playbill Inc. the same company that has produced the familiar Broadway programs since 1884. Playbill On-Line offers a wide range of theatre-related listings and features, and functions as a seven-day-a-week theatre news service.
"The addition of Theatre Central helps us continue to expand the universe of information at the fingertips of theatre lovers everywhere," said Playbill On Line Managing Editor Robert Viagas. "We're proud to be associated with the fine work Andrew Kraft has done with this first class website."
Kraft is CEO of the New Jersey-based International Society of Internet Professionals, a worldwide trade association.
The merging of the two companies' databases is already underway, and expected to be completed by May 15.
