For approximately a century, Connecticut's six largest performing arts centers have operated independently, bringing musical theatre, concerts, lectures, dance, plays, family programming, and films to our state. All of these institutions, all architectural marvels, have been cultural beacons for their respective communities.

The Shubert Theatre in New Haven opened in 1914, quickly establishing itself as "The Birthplace of America's Greatest Hits," hosting the world premieres of numerous and legendary musicals, including "The Sound of Music" and "My Fair Lady." The Bushnell in Hartford, which made its debut in 1930, has presented everything from hometown girl Katharine Hepburn in "Coco" to presidential debates to the Hartford Symphony Orchestra to the hip-hop phenomenon "Hamilton."

The Warner Theatre in Torrington opened in 1931 as part of the Warner Bros. chain of movie houses, where audiences could see thrilling new releases like "42nd Street" and "Dark Victory" in Art Deco splendor. Garde Arts Center in New London was built by  Famous Players-Lasky (later Paramount Pictures), opening in 1926 to great acclaim with a screening of the silent film, "The Marriage Clause." Both theatres fell silent due to the arrival of the multiplex and, thanks to concerned citizens, were revived into multi-purpose arts centers.

The Palace Theatre in Stamford was acclaimed as "Connecticut's most magnificent" when it opened in 1927 as a vaudeville and movie house. It was restored to its original magnificence and reopened in 1983 for live theatre, opera, dance, comedy and concerts, plus an art gallery. The Palace Theater in Waterbury is readying for its 100th anniversary. The 1970s and 1980s saw many of the world's premier rock acts playing the venue with its superior acoustics. After a $30 million restoration, The Brass City's Palace is once again welcoming throngs of performing arts lovers.

Since their inception, Connecticut's performing arts centers have been vital for the cultural, emotional, educational, social and economic lives of our cities. When the marquee is lit, downtown restaurants, shops, cafes and bars are filled. When the tour buses and trucks pull into town, hotels and tourism attractions find delighted new patrons. When the curtain goes up, hearts and minds are transformed.

When the pandemic struck, we went very quickly from packed houses to empty theatres dimly lit by what is known as "a ghost light." Tours were canceled, subscriptions suspended, and, of course, hundreds of jobs were lost. These stunning buildings were not built to be empty, certainly not for a year and a half.

During this time, the executive directors of the state's six largest performing arts centers found a bond in our shared lot. We met regularly via video chats to sort out ways to work together for the good of our non-profits, patrons, cities, regions and the state.

Only good things could come out of our common purpose: reopening Connecticut's showplaces; putting everyone onstage, backstage, in the office, and the front of house back to work. Most important, we needed to put special nights out on people's calendars, for something to look forward to.

We have created the Connecticut Performing Arts Centers Coalition (CTPACC) to share knowledge, resources and a common message: we're back and, this fall, we are ready to once again welcome our beloved patrons (and new faces!) to our theatres safely. With gratitude for the invaluable support we have received from Connecticut's U.S. delegation — particularly Sen. Richard Blumenthal — Gov. Ned Lamont, the Connecticut Gneral Assembly, our corporate partners, and generous individual donors, we have been able to stabilize our businesses and weather this crisis. We all have booked exciting lineups of life-affirming, fun, hopeful, joyous, thoughtful, powerful and entertaining programming.

We urge Connecticut's residents to visit CTPACC's brand new website CTArtsCoalition.org to see what is in store and to learn the safety upgrades and protocols that put in place to make sure the only thing you leave the theatre with is happy memories. So, let's come together, again...It's Showtime, CT!

Rufus de Rham is the executive director, Warner Theatre; David Fay, executive director, The Bushnell; Anthony McDonald, executive director, Shubert Theatre; Michael E. Moran Jr., president and CEO, The Palace Theatre; Steve Sigel, executive director, Garde Arts Center; and Frank Tavera is CEO, The Palace Theater.