Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre ranks 104 in Top 200 worldwide theater list based on 2017 ticket sales
From a press release:
Pollstar, the concert tour industry’s primary trade publication, has released its 2017 year-end reports, and the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts ranks No. 104 worldwide on its list of the Top 200 theaters based on worldwide ticket sales for the 2017 calendar year.
This marks the Kirby Center’s highest year-end ranking after finishing No. 109 in 2016 and debuting on the list at No. 114 in 2015.
According to the publication, the downtown Wilkes-Barre venue sold 72,835 concert tickets in 2017, which is nearly 13,000 more than they sold in 2016 and approximately 20,000 more than they sold in 2015.
“For us, it’s about getting better at what we do,” said Will Beekman, the Kirby Center’s executive director. “We’ve done a nice job of staying aggressive in the concert industry while remaining true to our mission as a nonprofit performing arts center.”
The Kirby Center’s 2017 schedule included sold-out performances by “Mamma Mia,” Sebastian Maniscalco, Frankie Valli, Donny and Marie Osmond, Night Ranger and Loverboy, and Jennifer Nettles. The venue once again balanced its concert schedule by investing in its mission to bring the cultural arts and arts education into the community.
Among Pennsylvania-based theaters, the Kirby Center ranks behind only the Hershey Theatre (No. 90), Philadelphia’s Academy of Music (No. 79), and Pittsburgh’s Stage AE (No. 41).
Other Pennsylvania venues making the list include the Sands Bethlehem Event Center (No. 111), the Keswick Theatre in Glenside (No. 115), the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading (No. 126), the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Easton (No. 144), and the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia (No. 167).
The Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township finished at No. 126 among worldwide arenas, which ranks the venue third among Pennsylvania venues of its size.
“I think both venues have done a nice job working together and complementing each other,” Beekman added. “Together, we’re having a lot of fun bringing people to Wilkes-Barre.”
Watch or listen to Episode 10 of the NEPA Scene Podcast with Beekman and Kirby Center Director of Sales & Marketing Anne Rodella to learn more about the venue and its programming:
Photo by Jason Riedmiller Photography/NEPA Scene
