“Savannah and our surrounding counties deserve a world-class performing arts facility, and together as a community we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to dream of what is possible.”
Area 4th and 5th grade students packed into the Johnny Mercer Theatre for an education performance by the Savannah Philharmonic on Thursday, February 9, 2023
A letter to the editor from Dr. Amy Williams as published on May 25, 2023 in SavannahNow.com
Last spring, I had the good fortune to attend a Savannah City Council meeting where renowned architect and urban planner Christian Sottile presented a plan for the redevelopment of the Civic Center site downtown. My friend and colleague Gene Dobbs Bradford of the Savannah Music Festival was there with me and we immediately shared excitement over what could be, not only for our respective organizations, but for the city of Savannah and the surrounding southeast region.
The historic venue has so much to offer—and, if lost, the opportunity will be gone for decades to come, if not forever.
The plan Sottile & Sottile masterfully shared includes the largest restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan in Savannah’s history, where the Martin Luther King, Jr. Arena would be demolished and the Johnny Mercer Theatre would remain standing and undergo a full restoration to integrate contemporary technology and performance industry-standard acoustics, as well as a complete décor makeover.
Hearing this, my imagination ran wild with possibilities, so together we immediately set a meeting with city officials to understand more and discuss the possibilities, as both of our organizations and the community would greatly benefit from utilizing the iconic theatrical space.
While we understand the decision to move forward with the project will take time, exploration and a voting process, we are pleased to have a seat at the table and look forward to helping guide the planning and discussion toward fully realizing this instrumental project.
Amy Williams I Executive Director
Savannah Philharmonic
ABOUT THE SAVANNAH PHILHARMONIC:
The Savannah Philharmonic, a nonprofit 501©(3), is a community-focused arts organization which strives to present concert performances and music education of the highest caliber throughout the southeast. Comprised of a professional orchestra and community chorus, and led by the masterful baton of Keitaro Harada, the SavPhil performs a vast range of works from composers of the past and present, and in all genres from classical to contemporary. The organization focuses on fostering community and inspiring a true appreciation of music through equitable access to performances and education programs.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Coffey | Director of External Relationships | Savannah Philharmonic
[email protected] / (941) 350-5120