02/21/2022
A message from 11th Hour's founders...
After 17 incredible seasons, 11th Hour Theatre Company has fittingly reached its own eleventh hour. The 11th Hour team has decided that the previously announced pause will mark the end of Philadelphia’s only “all musicals, all the time” theatre company as a producing organization. The board of directors along with co-founders Michael Philip O’Brien, Megan Nicole O’Brien and Steve Pacek would like to thank the theatre community of Philadelphia, as well as our own 11th Hour theatre family for nearly two decades of support, belief, mentorship, collaboration, inspiring conversation and dedication to the power of live theatre. Although 11th Hour may no longer be a part of the ongoing work in the arts landscape of Philadelphia, we are proud to have been part of our city’s cultural legacy.
As a founder-based company, our original goal was to create work and opportunities for ourselves in ways that inspired us. Before long, we came to know SO MANY people who shared our dream of expanding the limits of what musical theatre could be. We quickly forged strong relationships with a whole generation of ground-breaking artists and our success as a company is a direct result of those relationships. We are forever indebted to the creativity, fellowship and friendship that our collaborators graciously extended to us over the years. It is the thing we will miss most of all. We are, however, certain that our paths will cross again on new projects and in new places. Our time as collaborators is far from finished! We look forward to the infusion of 11th Hour's energy into exciting new opportunities that are on the horizon!
We will, however, sorely miss the 11th Hour community: our artists, staff, Society XI members, supporters, board members and audiences who all became our family. YOU are what made 11th Hour so much more than just a theatre company and the reason why the journey was truly special. We know that whenever we see each other, we’ll share a history that only family can share and it will always feel like a homecoming!
As you know, this has been a very challenging time in our world, especially for theatre companies, live performance venues and artists who build careers on connecting and sharing space with other human beings. As we all continue to figure out how to safely navigate the new theatrical landscape in this city we love so dearly, we have only one request -- Please don’t stop the music! It was the heartbeat of 11th Hour and will always be a force that brings people together.
"Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens." -Maria von Trapp
So long, farewell, auf weidersehen, goodbye...
With love and eternal gratitude,
Michael, Megan & Steve
