1812 Productions to Present THIS IS THE WEEK THAT IS: 20th Anniversary Special
Expect a theme of "moviestar glamour" - a perfect way to celebrate the milestone anniversary of this Philadelphia tradition.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Nov. 10, 2025
1812 Productions, Philadelphia's all-comedy theatre company, will present the 20th year of its beloved political humor show, This Is The Week That Is: 20th Anniversary Special. Created and performed by the This Is The Week That Is ensemble, the show runs November 28 through December 31, 2025, at Plays & Players Theatre.
"Twenty years ago, This Is The Week That Is began as an experiment-a way to laugh at the headlines instead of crying over them," said Jennifer Childs, Producing Artistic Director. "This anniversary special is not just a celebration of the show, but of the community of artists and audiences who've embraced humor as a way to make sense of the world."
For two decades, This Is The Week That Is has been a Philadelphia theatrical tradition-an annual celebration of satire, song, and civic spirit that takes a smart, silly, and sharply funny look at the year's political and cultural landscape. This season's special anniversary edition will celebrate 20 years of finding joy amidst the madness.
Audiences can expect the show's signature over-the-top musical numbers, whip-smart social and political commentary, and the dynamic performances that have made it a must-see for Philadelphians every year for the last two decades. The 2025 cast includes Newton Buchanan, Pax Ressler, Lee Minora, Connor McAndrews, Lexi Thammavong, and Robyn Unger. The director is Melanie Cotton (who is also the Choreographer). Also, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show, 1812 Productions is presenting a one-night only reunion show on Monday, December 15, featuring 27 former cast members of previous year's productions.
The 20th Anniversary Special is part of The June & Steve Wolfson Family Foundation Series, and features special Spanish-captioned and Open-captioned performances to ensure accessibility for all audiences:
Spanish Captioned Performance: Friday, December 12th at 7 PM
Open Captioned Performance: Saturday, December 20th at 2 PM
Philadelphia Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
CATS (Shawnee Playhouse)
17.3% of votes
2.
INTO THE WOODS (The Milford Theater)
6.1% of votes
3.
NEWSIES (Viviana Theatre)
3.9% of votes
Videos