Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation today announced a new partnership with the not-for-profit Theatre Development Fund (TDF) to bring world-renowned ticket booth service TKTS to Philadelphia. TKTS is famous for its iconic Times Square location in New York City. Its success has led to expansions, including a second New York City location at Lincoln Center, and outposts in Tokyo, London, and now Philadelphia.
The TKTS Philadelphia booth opens Thursday, November 21, 2024, at the Independence Visitor Center (599 Market Street, Philadelphia) and will offer 30-50% off tickets for live performances within 72 hours to 20 participating performing arts companies in Greater Philadelphia, including organizations from Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Like the TKTS booths in New York, all tickets are sold in person for Philadelphia’s dance, music, and other live performing arts.
While the number of participants is expected to grow, the arts and theatre organizations currently participating in TKTS Philadelphia include: 1812 Productions, Arden Theatre Company, BalletX, Bearded Ladies Cabaret, EgoPo Classic Theater, Ensemble Arts Philly, FringeArts, Hedgerow Theatre Company, Inis Nua Theatre Company, interACT Theatre Productions, Lantern Theater Company, The Media Theatre, Penn Live Arts, Philadelphia Ballet, Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Quintessence Theatre Group, Theatre Ariel, Theatre Exile, Theatre Horizon, The Wilma Theater.
“TKTS Philadelphia is a direct investment into our city’s robust arts and culture scene, amplifying our theatre and performing arts organizations and the wonderful, award-winning talents of artists, dancers, performers, musicians, and people behind the curtain that make Philadelphia shine on a global stage,” said Val Gay, Chief Cultural Officer for the City of Philadelphia’s Creative Philadelphia. “Continued public investment in the arts—including initiatives like TKTS—helps transform our city in meaningful ways. Not only will TKTS Philadelphia help build the arts and culture community’s reach to visitors, but it will also expand audiences with diverse communities by eliminating barriers to attendance.”
“In 2023, the Independence Visitor Center welcomed 1.3 million residents and visitors to connect them to memorable, authentic, and fun Philadelphia experiences,” said Kathryn Ott Lovell, President and CEO for the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation. “People know that the best trips to Philadelphia start at the Visitor Center, and we are thrilled to give our visitors this insider access and discounts to our world-class theatre and performing arts community with TKTS Philadelphia.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Visitor Center to introduce TKTS to Philadelphia, spotlighting our city’s diverse culture and dynamic performing arts scene,” said Angela Val, President and CEO of Visit Philadelphia. “This collaboration not only elevates our esteemed theatre community, but also underscores our commitment to investing in the City’s arts and culture scene that greatly contributes to making Philadelphia a premier destination. The TKTS booth will provide a high-profile platform to promote local and regional theatre and live performances, providing last-minute discounts that help move unsold inventory, reach new audiences, and increase accessibility to the arts.”
TKTS, operated by the non-for-profit TDF, opened for business on June 25, 1973, with a kiosk in Times Square and quickly became a mecca for theatregoers from all over the world. Making shows affordable with same-day discount tickets and fostering a community of theatre lovers on Duffy Square (47th Street and Broadway), TKTS is one of New York City’s most photographed landmarks. Housed under distinctive red glass steps, the current TKTS booth opened in 2008 and has garnered more than a dozen international design awards. The glowing red staircase above TKTS was the first public space to open in Times Square, and it quickly became a popular destination for locals and visitors 365 days a year. TKTS now operates two booths in NYC (Times Square and Lincoln Center) and has booths serving local markets in London, Tokyo, and now Philadelphia. In its 51 years, TKTS has sold 69,472,209 tickets to Broadway and NYC’s performing arts. TKTS’ service fees are used to support TDF’s mission to remove the financial, physical, and invisible barriers to attending the theatre.
“Having served nearly 70 million audience members over 51 years, TKTS is one of New York City’s most enduring and impactful accessibility programs for the performing arts, and a tremendous source of pride for all of us at TDF,” said Deeksha Gaur, Executive Director of TDF. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation to bring this transformative service to their vibrant performing arts community. Making the arts accessible for all is TDF’s chief mission, and the opening of TKTS Philadelphia marks a meaningful new step in our continued work toward that goal.”
“The TKTS program will be a tremendous boost to Philadelphia’s theatre and live performance venues as they continue their rebound from the pandemic,” said Patricia Wilson Aden, President and CEO for the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “The arts and culture sector has a combined $3.3 billion impact in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This new TKTS booth will grow that impact by supporting our performing arts community and generating additional revenue for Philadelphia’s restaurants, retail, and hotels.”
The arts and culture sector continues to make Philadelphia a more vibrant city by enriching visitors’ experiences and improving the well-being of the City’s residents. The five-county region is home to 4.2 million people, with Philadelphia being home to more than 1.6 million residents, making it the second-largest city on the East Coast and the sixth-largest city in the country. The City has become a destination for arts and culture, and its recognition is growing with the help and accolades of our talented artists and cultural organizations. Most recently in 2024, the Tony Awards® honored The Wilma Theater with the Regional Theatre Tony Award.
For more information, please visit phlvisitorcenter.com/TKTS.