The Merriam Theater keeps with the Broadway touring tradition by importing recent hits and long running musicals for runs of varying length in Philadelphia. The theater has been extensively restored so that one can get a sense of the more elaborate days of theatergoing in the early 20th Century.
The Merriam was opened in the early 20th Century under Schubert Management when Philadelphia had a large pre-Broadway and post-Broadway touring scene. It is now run under the auspices of The University of the Arts and serves as the University's major performance hall for students in the College of Performing Arts.
The 1,842-seat theater is also ''home'' to a number of regional performing arts organizations.