PHILADELPHIA, June 14, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Constitution Center's Sidney Kimmel Theater, presenting Freedom Rising will reopen today, Flag Day, Tuesday, June 14, after a six month long renovation project. Renovations to the Sidney Kimmel Theater include new seating, carpeting and major upgrades to the Theater's audio, visual and lighting systems. The renovations and technical upgrades were made possible thanks to a generous $2 million contribution from the Sidney Kimmel Foundation.
"The superb upgrades to the Sidney Kimmel Theater ensure that Freedom Rising, the longest running show in Philadelphia, will be a state-of-the art production for years to come," said Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center. "Freedom Rising tells the story of the American quest for liberty and it inspires Americans of all perspectives."
Sidney Kimmel said, "Caroline and I are thrilled with the success of this project. It was on time, on budget, and most importantly, achieved all of the goals we envisioned when I made this latest contribution. We are delighted."
The renovations and technology enhancements include greater accessibility for visitor with disabilities, including devices that offer closed captioning and assisted listening for visitors with hearing impairments, and audio descriptions for the visually impaired.
The technical audio and visual upgrades will also allow the Center to host a greater range of events in the Theater, including its America's Town Hall public programs and debates, museum programs, and other special events.
To accommodate the renovation work, the National Constitution Center suspended Freedom Rising performances in the beginning of January this year. The Theater reopens June 14 amidst the Center's Flag Day festivities, exactly 13 years after its public debut on June 14, 2003.
About the Sidney Kimmel Foundation
The Sidney Kimmel Foundation was established in 1993 with the goal of making contributions at moments and in places of great impact and possibility. Since that time the Foundation has committed hundreds of millions of dollars to cancer research, Philadelphia institutions, medical care and research, and Jewish continuity. From the Kimmel Scholars Program to the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University to the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and of course at the National Constitution Center, the Sidney Kimmel Foundation is Connecting Promise to Progress. For more information about the Foundation, visit kimmel.org.
About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia inspires active citizenship as the only place where people across America and around the world can come together to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America's leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its Congressional charter "to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a non-partisan basis." As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America's Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a center for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire, excite, and engage citizens about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.