The Kentucky Center's Whitney Hall and Brown Theatre Make Pollstar's Top Selling Theater Venues

The Kentucky Center's Whitney Hall and Brown Theatre have both been recognized among the top 200 theatre venues in the world, based on ticket sales. Whitney Hall ranked 32nd and the Brown Theatre ranked 162nd. The report was issued by Pollstar, considered to be the only trade publication covering the worldwide concert industry.

Whitney Hall sold 193,843 tickets during 2017, according to the report. The Brown Theatre sold 38,473 tickets during the same period. Other popular venues on the report included the Flamingo Las Vegas (#100), Hard Rock Live in Hollywood (#75), the Chicago Theatre (#15), Nashville's Rhyman Auditorium (#13), Atlanta's Fox Theatre (#5), London's Royal Albert Hall (#3), Radio City Music Hall (#2) and Mexico City's Auditorio Nacional which was ranked number one with 1,466,180 tickets sold in 2017.

"This report once again reminds us that places like Whitney Hall and The Brown Theatre play a critical role in the economic engine that supports our state's economy - along with so many other great arts attractions in our region," said Kim Baker, president of The Kentucky Center. "This recognition demonstrates the passion and enthusiasm Kentucky audiences have for the performing arts."

During 2017, Whitney Hall hosted a range of diverse performers and acts, including the holiday classic Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, famed a cappella group Straight No Chaser and magical Broadway show Finding Neverland. The Brown Theatre saw an equally varied field of performers, with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, improv comedy show Whose Live Anyway?, national dance tour Love on the Floor and public radio host Ira Flatow in "Science Friday" all taking the stage to entertain audiences there.

Upcoming performances in Whitney Hall include famed comedian and writer David Sedaris (April 24) and the PNC Broadway in Louisville show School of Rock (March 13-18). The Brown Theatre will host the family-friendly Peter and the Wolf (March 17) and musical satirist "Weird Al" Yankovic (March 28).

"With our new, standing room venue in the soon-to-be revitalized Paristown neighborhood, we will be reaching further into the community, expanding with greater programming appeal for younger, engaged audiences," said Baker.

Resident companies in both Whitney Hall and The Brown Theatre include The Louisville Orchestra, PNC Broadway in Louisville, The Louisville Ballet and other numerous local and touring performance organizations.

The two venues were among only three Kentucky venues to make the list (The Louisville Palace ranked 181st).

Pollstar supplies in-depth information to every professional concert promoter, booking agent, artist manager, facility executive and every other entity involved in the live entertainment business. It produces a weekly print magazine for professionals and publishes that information daily to the web.

For more information about upcoming shows and performances at Whitney Hall and The Brown Theatre, visit kentuckycenter.org.

The mission of The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is to lead and enrich the artistic, educational and economic vitality of the region by providing unparalleled programming and cultural events. As an integral member of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage cabinet, The Center, along with the other agencies, seek to preserve and promote the history, heritage and arts of the Commonwealth.

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