East Marlborough Township in Kennett Square in Chester County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

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A Celebration of Art and Nature

Photographed by Pete Skillman, April 18, 2025

1. A Celebration of Art and Nature Marker

Inscription.

A Celebration of Art and Nature. . , Inspired by outdoor European theatres and his life-long love of music and drama, our founder Pierre S. du Pont designed and built the Open Air Theatre.

Over the last century the original design has been improved with upgrades to the stage, fountains, lighting, and sound. With these visionary additions, the Open Air Theatre has become one of the most magnificent and unique theatre gardens in the world.

1882: As a child Mr. du Pont played with a toy theatre designed by his boyhood friend, the celebrated artist Maxfield Parrish. Some think this was the beginning of his interest in theatres and the performing arts.
1913: Inspired by travels to Villa Gori in Italy, Mr. du Pont decided to design and build a theatre for his garden.
1914: The Open Air theatre opened with a dance spectacular at the annual Garden Party. It was Mr. du Pont's first dedicated performing arts space at Longwood.
1915: Mr. du Pont installed simple fountains into the stage, inspired by secret joke fountains in Italian gardens that would spring to life unexpectedly and soak unsuspecting guests. The fountains debuted at the 1915 Garden Party.
1916: The Savoy Company was the first theatrical company to perform in 1916 with Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, Patience. Since then musical theatre has become a Longwood tradition.
1926: From 1926-1927 underground dressing rooms and a pump room were added, the seating area was sloped, and the fountains were expanded to 750 jets and 600 lights allowing for a huge range of illuminated water displays.
1930: Mr. du Pont noted that "our theatre is not good for speaking; in fact, the spectacular is about all we can produce successfully." Today, modern amplification and lighting permit a wide range of productions.
1932: William Winder "Chick" Laird, Mr. du Pont's nephew, and Frederick W. Wyatt, a prominent local conductor, directed The Pirates of Penzance in the Theatre. Their group, The Brandywiners, has performed annually in the Theatre, except during World War II.
1933: Amber glass was added to the original red, green, blue, and clear glass lenses that color the fountains, allowing for and almost infinite array of colors in fountain displays.
1960s: American Ballet Theatre and the Pennsylvania Ballet performed on the Theatre stage.
1986: Computer control was added to the fountains, permitting sophisticated water and lighting effects synchronized to music.
2008: Musical talent has included Lyle Lovett, BB King, Tony Bennett, and many other jazz, classical, rock, folk, bluegrass, and world music performers.
2014: The Open Air Theatre Centennial season.

Mr. du Pont noted that, "our theatre is not good for speaking; in fact, the spectacular is about all we can produce successfully."

"…a fast friendship with a neighbor roughly the same age as Pierre, a boy named Frederick Parrish--soon-to-be-known as the celebrated illustrator and painter Maxfield Parrish. A favorite joint activity revolved around a miniature papier-mache' stage, about the size of a breadbox, which Parrish had built and then peopled with tiny puppet actors made out of paper and broomsticks. The boys spent untold hours ad-libbing performances together, and Pierre eventually grew so fond of his friend's creation that he offered to buy both the stage and the actors for the sum of one dollar. Parrish accepted the offer. It may well have been his first sale as an artist. Pierre, meanwhile, developed an ardent love of the theatre--an affection he would retain throughout his adult life."
- From A Rare Genius by Michelle Ferrari

[Captions:] , 1904 illustration of Villa Gori by Maxfield Parrish. Parrish painted this illustration of Gori for Italian Villas and Their Gardens by Edith Wharton. Coincidentally, Villa Gori inspired Mr. du Pont's Open Air Theatre.

Inspired by outdoor European theatres and his life-long love of music and drama, our founder Pierre S. du Pont designed and built the Open Air Theatre.

Over the last century the original design has been improved with upgrades to the stage, fountains, lighting, and sound. With these visionary additions, the Open Air Theatre has become one of the most magnificent and unique theatre gardens in the world.

1882: As a child Mr. du Pont played with a toy theatre designed by his boyhood friend, the celebrated artist Maxfield Parrish. Some think this was the beginning of his interest in theatres and the performing arts.
1913: Inspired by travels to Villa Gori in Italy, Mr. du Pont decided to design and build a theatre for his garden.
1914: The Open Air theatre opened with a dance spectacular at the annual Garden Party. It was Mr. du Pont's first dedicated performing arts space at Longwood.
1915: Mr. du Pont installed simple fountains into the stage, inspired by secret joke fountains in Italian gardens that would spring to life unexpectedly and soak unsuspecting guests. The fountains debuted at the 1915 Garden Party.
1916: The Savoy Company was the first theatrical company to perform in 1916 with Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, Patience. Since then musical theatre has become a Longwood tradition.
1926: From 1926-1927 underground dressing rooms and a pump room were added, the seating area was sloped, and the fountains were expanded to 750 jets and 600 lights allowing for a huge range of illuminated water displays.
1930: Mr. du Pont noted that "our theatre is not good for speaking; in fact, the spectacular is about all we can produce successfully." Today, modern amplification and lighting permit a wide range of productions.
1932: William Winder "Chick" Laird, Mr. du Pont's nephew, and Frederick W. Wyatt, a prominent local conductor, directed The Pirates of Penzance in the Theatre. Their group, The Brandywiners, has performed annually in the Theatre, except during World War II.
1933: Amber glass was added to the original red, green, blue, and clear glass lenses that color the fountains, allowing for and almost infinite array of colors in fountain displays.
1960s: American Ballet Theatre and the Pennsylvania Ballet performed on the Theatre stage.
1986: Computer control was added to the fountains, permitting sophisticated water and lighting effects synchronized to music.
2008: Musical talent has included Lyle Lovett, BB King, Tony Bennett, and many other jazz, classical, rock, folk, bluegrass, and world music performers.
2014: The Open Air Theatre Centennial season.

Mr.

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du Pont noted that, "our theatre is not good for speaking; in fact, the spectacular is about all we can produce successfully."

"…a fast friendship with a neighbor roughly the same age as Pierre, a boy named Frederick Parrish--soon-to-be-known as the celebrated illustrator and painter Maxfield Parrish. A favorite joint activity revolved around a miniature papier-mache' stage, about the size of a breadbox, which Parrish had built and then peopled with tiny puppet actors made out of paper and broomsticks. The boys spent untold hours ad-libbing performances together, and Pierre eventually grew so fond of his friend's creation that he offered to buy both the stage and the actors for the sum of one dollar. Parrish accepted the offer. It may well have been his first sale as an artist. Pierre, meanwhile, developed an ardent love of the theatre--an affection he would retain throughout his adult life."
- From A Rare Genius by Michelle Ferrari

[Captions:]
1904 illustration of Villa Gori by Maxfield Parrish. Parrish painted this illustration of Gori for Italian Villas and Their Gardens by Edith Wharton. Coincidentally, Villa Gori inspired Mr. du Pont's Open Air Theatre.

Erected by Longwood

A Celebration of Art and Nature Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Pete Skillman, April 18, 2025

2. A Celebration of Art and Nature Marker - wide view

Gardens.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Horticulture & Forestry. A significant historical year for this entry is 1914.

Location. Marker is missing. It was located near 39° 52.341′ N, 75° 40.489′ W. Marker was in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, in Chester County. It was in East Marlborough Township. It could be reached from Longwood Road. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 1001 Longwood Rd, Kennett Square PA 19348, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in Southeast Pennsylvania and in Greater Philadelphia.

It was also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: A Century of Great Art (here, next to this marker); Open Air Theatre (a few steps

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from this marker); Japanese Flowering Dogwood (within shouting distance of this marker); American Elm (within shouting distance of this marker); Flower Garden Walk (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Open Air Theatre (within shouting distance of this marker); Iron Snakes (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Peirce-du Pont House (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kennett Square.

Other markers no longer nearby. Fountains / Concerts (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing); a different marker also named American Elm (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Peirce - du Pont House (was about 400 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 19, 2025, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 135 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 19, 2025, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware.