A Century of Music Under the Stars: A History of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and Robin Hood Dell

A Century of Music Under the Stars: A History of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and Robin Hood Dell
presented by Jack McCarthy

Part of the 2026 Winter Speaker Series, Building Philadelphia via Zoom. 

$10 for Members. Be sure to log in at checkout for the discounted rates.

In this talk, Jack McCarthy highlights the fascinating stories behind Philadelphia’s two premier outdoor concert venues: the Robin Hood Dell, which opened in 1930, and the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1976. Based on his new book published by Temple University Press, A Century of Music Under the Stars: A History of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and Robin Hood Dell, McCarthy recounts how both venues were built as summer homes for The Philadelphia Orchestra, but the Mann Center evolved over the years to host the world’s top artists across many musical genres and to offer a wide range of educational and community engagement programs.  As city-owned and -supported performing arts institutions, the history of the venues provides a unique perspective on the intersection of Philadelphia’s cultural, political, civic, and philanthropic worlds. Jack McCarthy shares the inside stories of “the Dell” and “the Mann”—their founding, growth and development, challenges and triumphs, and the many milestone concerts and events they hosted.

Jack McCarthy is a longtime Philadelphia archivist and historian who has held leadership positions at several area historical institutions and directed a number of major archives and public history projects. He has written and lectured extensively on the history of Philadelphia music, industry, and Northeast Philadelphia. In addition to A Century of Music Under the Stars, he is the author of In the Cradle of Industry and Liberty: A History of Manufacturing in Philadelphia, numerous articles for the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, and was a major contributor to The Philadelphia Music Book: Sounds of a City. Jack has served as consulting archivist and historian for The Philadelphia Orchestra, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, and the Philadelphia Jazz Legacy Project, and currently directs Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Poquessing Trail of History project.

Complementary access available for current students and Art-Reach ACCESS card holders. Email [email protected] with valid student ID or ACCESS card to register.

The presentation link will be emailed to registrants on Tuesday, February 24 at 3pm. 

All lectures will be recorded and a replay will be available to registered participants.

Image Credits: Book Cover courtesy of Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts

Browse other lectures in this series