After four years of trying, Quintessence Theatre Group has finally completed the purchase of the historic Sedgwick Theater building, securing a permanent home for the classical repertory company and preserving a piece of the city's architectural heritage.

The $2.3 million acquisition marks a turning point for both the theater group and the Mt. Airy neighborhood where the Art Deco structure has stood since 1928. It is financed through Mid Penn Bank and private donors, and received significant support from State Sen. Art Haywood, who helped secure $1.75 million in state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grants. 

Alex Burns, artistic director of Quintessence, expressed disbelief at the accomplishment. "I'm more in shock than anything else, honestly," Burns said. "I can hardly believe that we got this across the finish line."

For Burns, who grew up in Mt. Airy, taking ownership of the theater is much more than just a business transaction. 

"This means the world," he said. "Now that we own it, and control it, we can really take steps to turn it into a world-class performing arts center – and a place for the community to gather, and to have events.

"On a personal level, as someone who grew up in Mt. Airy and has always believed in the magic of the place, the idea of bringing its main street back to life, to the grandeur it once had as a cultural center for Northwest Philadelphia is really exciting to me," he continued. 

The Sedgwick Theater, located at 7137 Germantown Ave., was built by the Tourison family and named after their son, Sedgwick Tourison. Designed by William Harold Lee, it opened in 1928 as an Art Deco movie palace with 1,636 seats in the auditorium. The venue operated until 1966, after which the main auditorium was closed off and used as a warehouse.

In 1994, local business leaders and developers David and Betty Ann Fellner acquired the building, operating it as the Sedgwick Cultural Center until 2006. The space hosted concerts, music workshops, films, gallery exhibitions, and children's programming.

Quintessence Theatre Group began renting the space in 2010 when Burns formed his company. Over the past 14 years, Quintessence has produced what Burns describes as "epic, award-winning classic theatre" at the Sedgwick while continually investing in upgrades and improvements.

Plans are already underway for extensive renovations to restore the theater to its former glory while adapting it for modern use. Philadelphia-based Voith & Mactavish Architects are working with Quintessence on the project.

The first phase will focus on restoring the original facade and marquee, though work is not expected to begin for at least eight months. 

Many original Art Deco features of the building have survived, including architectural arches, hand-painted plasterwork, glass chandeliers, and relief ceilings. The theater's original proscenium arch also remains intact, though much of the historic detail in the main auditorium was lost when it was converted to warehouse space in the 1960s.

One notable piece of history that didn't survive is the theater's organ. According to the Chestnut Hill Herald of Sept. 7, 1928, Helen Masters Shaplin was the first organist at The Sedgwick. When the theater closed in 1966, the Delaware Valley Chapter of what is now the American Theater Organ Society rescued the instrument.

In recent years, Philadelphia has lost several historic venues, including the Royal Theater on South Street, Society Hill Playhouse on 8th Street, and the Boyd Theater on Chestnut Street, all to demolition. The Uptown Theater on North Broad Street, while still standing, has remained largely vacant for decades despite numerous revival attempts.

To accommodate the renovation work, Quintessence will produce its 16th theater season off-site. The company anticipates a grand re-opening at the Sedgwick in late 2026 or early 2027.