PHOENIXVILLE, PA (August 20, 2021) – – Association for the Colonial Theatre announces that Ken Metzner will be leaving his role as Executive Director. He has accepted a position as the Executive Director of Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (www.pvla.org).  PVLA provides pro-bono legal assistance to low-income artists and arts groups, and educational programs to support a thriving culture of creativity and innovation in the greater Philadelphia region. Ken’s last day at the Colonial Theatre will be September 3, 2021. 

The Board of Directors heartily thanks Ken for his service over the past three years. Suzanne Norris, Board President “extends our thanks to Ken Metzner for his dedication and service.  During his tenure as Executive Director, he has helped expand the Colonial’s mission and vision.  He has also nurtured a spirit of creativity which has enabled the theatre not only to weather this past, difficult year, but to flourish as a cultural entity.” 

In partnership with Ken, the dedicated team of Colonial staff, board, volunteers and generous members and supporters has accomplished much since 2018, including:  

  • A comprehensive re-branding including a new logo, website redesign, fresh marketing collateral, and re-aligned mission, organizational values, and vision.  
  • New programs aimed to make the Colonial’s offerings more experiential, relevant, and accessible to a broader demographic. These have included the Ovations program, which provides free movie tickets and concessions to neighbors otherwise unable to access the arts, and the Sparks program, which amplifies the missions and work of local nonprofits and service providers by subsidizing use of the Colonial’s facilities and other assets.   
  • Increasing the Colonial’s capacity to attract and present more and increasingly diverse live music performances through a new partnership with music promoter BRE and installation of an upgraded sound system in the Colonial’s 658-seat historic auditorium, which will significantly reduce concert expenses.  
  • Strengthening the Colonial’s financial condition through a tax-free loan refinancing and the liberation of funding for programs and facilities improvements via new grants and donations. 

The Colonial Theatre’s Executive Committee will lead the transition, which includes the creation of a search committee to identify a new Executive Director by early 2022. An interim Executive Director will also be named in the coming days.  

To build on the Colonial’s 119 years of storytelling and performance, the Executive Committee will lean on the Colonial’s mission, vision, and values to guide its search for a new community leader. Further, it will prioritize maintaining stability and flexibility through a persistently challenging time for arts and cultural venues.  

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Association for the Colonial Theatre nurtures community by celebrating the power of film and the performing arts to entertain, inform and reveal meaning. Learn more about current films and upcoming live concerts at www.thecolonialtheatre.com.