Amalgamation Theatre Collective To Make Philadelphia Debut With (& MEDEA)
Three performances to run November 22–23 at The Deep End Studios.
By: A.A. Cristi Nov. 07, 2025
Amalgamation Theatre Collective will present (& Medea), conceived by Arlo Howe, developed and written by Jess Shoemaker, and directed by Haley Arnold. Guided by a Greek chorus and surrounded by water and human-made soundscaping, the production follows Medea before she became the infamous character the world knows her as. (& Medea) will open on November 22 and run for three performances throughout the weekend at The Deep End Studios in Southwest Philadelphia.
In this retelling of Euripides’ classic tragedy, a Greek chorus leads audiences through Medea’s early life and love story, reconstructing the image of a woman history has largely defined as a villain. The piece aims to offer Medea what she was never afforded: context, family, and humanity.
“(& Medea) is so many things,” said director Haley Arnold. “Namely, it's a study in how we assess each other—how cycles of violence in domestic situations don't usually start that way, how we often decide who is a villain and who is a victim with minimal context and nuance. But also, this piece works really hard to make us hope that this time it could all end up differently, even when we know we are barreling toward some terrible fate.”
Performance Schedule and Ticket Information
(& Medea) will run at 2 pm and 7 pm (with the 7 pm show live-streamed) on November 22, and 2 pm (live-streamed) on November 23 at The Deep End Studios (1313 S 33rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19146). Doors will open 30 minutes before showtime.
Tickets are priced at $22 for in-person attendance and $12 for the live stream. The November 23 performance will be Pay-What-You-Will, with tickets starting at $5. Viewer discretion is advised. The production is recommended for ages 14 and up. Content notices include death, traumatic loss of a pregnancy, cursing, intimacy (a sex scene performed in blackout and kissing), grief, and discussions of war.
About Amalgamation Theatre Collective
Founded in 2024 after a year of collaborative work, Amalgamation Theatre Collective produces provocative new plays, inventive retellings, and interdisciplinary collaborations. The company operates without a permanent venue, staging work in a range of spaces and communities.
Following (& Medea), Amalgamation will produce Daughters, Wives, Mothers by Madeline Burk and Shira Holtz in New York City this winter, and an original production inspired by Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind in the Lehigh Valley this spring.
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17.3% of votes
2.
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6.1% of votes
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