Dear Members and Patrons of the King of Prussia Players, Supporters of Community Theater and Lovers of the Performing Arts,

As many of you know, two years ago we lost our two performing venues, the Performing Arts Theater at Shannondell at Valley Forge and the Upper Merion Area Middle School. The King of Prussia Players was proud to perform outstanding shows at the Shannondell Performing Arts Theater for ten years. The growth of the Arts within the Upper Merion Area School District precluded our ability to mount productions at either the Middle School or High School and our fifty-year production relationship with the District came to an end. As a community theater 501(c)(3) educational organization, part of our mission is the promotion and advancement of theater and the Fine and Performing Arts throughout the area and especially in the schools. Ultimately, we are proud of the part the Players have had in the growth of the Performing Arts within the King of Prussia area and surrounding communities.

In an effort to continue productions we mounted three shows at the Center Theater in Norristown. Although the shows were artistic successes we found that rental for storage space for all of our production materials, rental for both rehearsals and production space, purchase of equipment to produce high-quality shows, high royalties and rentals for first class Broadway shows and the small seating capacity led to unsustainable budgetary losses. A search for performance and storage space throughout Upper Merion, Bridgeport and Norristown produced no feasible results. With no financially viable venue for performance, the Board decided to suspend theatrical production.

As the Board of Directors of the King of Prussia Players works on the transition plans for the organization, we will continue to inform you of the progress as time and legal constraints allow. As a 501(c)(3) organization the Board found it mandatory to work with legal help to ensure continuation of our 501(c)(3) status as the Players restructure. We have to be cautious as to what is said during this period of structural fluidity and organizational change. The plan, at the moment, is to reveal the plans for King of Prussia Players at a gala celebration this coming fall.

We thank you for your continued support and patience as we work through this period of change.

Sincerely,
Dr. Lawrence A. Anderson,
Immediate Past President
King of Prussia Players