Philly's Comeback: Philly Theatre Week kicks off April 22

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philly Theatre Week is back with 75 performances between April 22 through May 2.

LaNeshe Miller-White is the executive director of Theatre Philadelphia and says this year's shows might look a little different, but already she is seeing a lot of interest through ticket sales.

"Normally, it would've happened in February. That's the normal time slot, and what we were hoping was to push it to the warmer months when people are feeling more comfortable to produce work together," said Miller-White who is also part of an independent theatre company in the city.

"We still have the same amount of participating theatres. Theatre companies are still excited about being in theatre week and producing theatre even in these non-traditional formats."

Miller-White added that while performers may not be in-person inside the theatres, there are still some in-person performances.

"In-person outdoor performances include virtual performances that are live. There are virtual performances that are pre-recorded, and archival performances from different companies," she said.

The $4.1 billion industry was crippled by COVID-19 and shut down for a year. The theatre industry in Philadelphia saw a 63% decrease in jobs. Still, artists found creative ways to perform.

"Now that people have their hands on different technologies and are producing, I think it allows people to have another theatre. You have your main stage, your black box, and your virtual theatre. That might be a place people are doing more experimental work including showcasing, so I think virtual theatre is going to be in the mix from now on."