Blanka Zizka News

Mercutio raps. Tybalt bumps coke. This is not your grandmother's Romeo and Juliet.

Lean, vibrant, and rewired with a youthful jolt of energy and activism, this isn't the play your eighth grade teacher made you read. An age old feud, fueled by a cycle of violence and power, spiraling out of control. A generation seeking more meaning than their parents' world will allow. A burgeoning love that tries to defy it all. Artistic Director Blanka Zizka helms a refreshed re-telling of Shakespeare's famous love story, running at the Wilma from January 15 through February 9, 2019.

Half Key Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Behold Her by Arden Kass on September 7-23 as part of the 2018 Fringe Festival. Directed by Tori Mittelman, the production features Michaela Shuchman and Marcia Saunders in a performance with live music by Chana Rothman that reflects on changing images and definitions of feminine beauty through the prism of Jewish culture.

After a successful run at the National Black Theatre in Harlem, Kill Move Paradise makes its Philadelphia premiere at The Wilma Theater. Written by award-winning local playwright and HotHouse Affiliated Artist James Ijames, Kill Move Paradise follows Isa, Grif, Daz, and Tiny as they find themselves in an afterlife.

According to Philly.com, an audience member interrupted a performance of the play Passage at the Wilma Theater in Center City Thursday night. Jaylene Clark Owens, an actress in the production, was performing a scene that included a white actor (Ross Beschler) and Filipino actor (Justin Jain), when a man interrupted loudly, referencing Forrest Gump in a racially-charged comment.

The Wilma Theater will hold its annual Theater Lovers Fete on Monday, May 14 at 5:30pm, at the theater's home on 265 South Broad Street. The celebration honors the company's own Artistic Director Blanka Zizka, inspired by the Wilma's recent transformations under her leadership. For the last 37 years, Zizka has led the Wilma in its mission to "create living, adventurous art," and her vision continues to foster growth and fearless experimentation within the local and international theater community. The Fete celebrates the Wilma's new era of artistic exploration. 

Columbia University School of the Arts presents ten new plays written by the Columbia MFA Playwriting Students of 2018. The esteemed faculty who have nurtured these students, including Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and Charles L. Mee, invite you to experience these innovative new playwrights.

Obie Award-winning playwright Christopher Chen brings the World Premiere of Passage to The Wilma Theater in collaboration with Wilma Artistic Director Blanka Zizka and the Wilma HotHouse Company of actors. Praised by The New Yorker for his ability to find "ingenious ways to pull the rug out from under the audience's feet," Chen's new play uses the theater's primal evocative powers to examine the most essential questions of our time. Passage begins on Wednesday, April 18th, 2018, and opens on Wednesday, April 25th, 2018. 

Azuka Theatre continues its commitment to local playwrights with the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere and The Virginia & Harvey Kimmel New Professionals Production of Ready Steady Yeti Go by David Jacobi. Allison Heishman directs this uplifting, hilarious and tender comedy about young star-crossed lovers navigating the pitfalls of falling in love while dealing with prying eyes - and the 'White Guilt Perfect Storm' that threatens to drown their relationship.

The Wilma Theater is excited to announce Lee Minora in Residency in the latter half of its 2017-18 Season. A solo artist, comedian and current teaching artist at the Wilma, Minora will develop her second solo show White Feminist as a part of the three-month long residency. With White Feminist, Minora is exposing the ugly truth behind respectability politics, "leaning in', and self-serving feminist hypocrisy done all wrong. White Feminist will have its first public showing at the Wilma Theater as a part of the HotHouse Crush Series on March 24th, under the direction of Alice York, co-artistic director of Lightning Rod Special.

The Wilma Theater, in association with Evamere Entertainment, presents Stew and Heidi Rodewald's Tony Award-winning musical in this major Philadelphia revival.

The Wilma Theater, in association with Evamere Entertainment, presents Stew and Heidi Rodewald's Tony Award-winning musical in this major Philadelphia revival.

The Wilma Theater, in association with Evamere Entertainment, presents Stew and Heidi Rodewald's Tony Award-winning musical in this major Philadelphia revival.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, just presented its first annual 'SDC Foundation Awards: A Celebration of Excellence in Directing and Choreography.'

Philadelphia's Simpatico Theatre Project is proud to announce that Allison Heishman has joined the organization as the company's new Artistic Director. Heishman will lead the company's exciting evolution that will continue to explore stories that celebrate, challenge, and expand our definitions of community and compassion.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, announces its first annual 'SDC Foundation Awards: A Celebration of Excellence in Directing and Choreography.'

Acclaimed Hungarian director-choreographer Csaba Horv th leads the Wilma's HotHouse Company of actors in a production of Blood Wedding, combining athletic ensemble theater with Lorca's fiery language.

With the excitement of its sold-out series premiere, the New Feathers Playwright reading series at the Raven Resort is proud to announce the casting of Ian August's upcoming play, INTERVIEWESE set for Sunday, September 10th - casting is as follows:

The RAVEN RESORT proudly announces the sold-out success of hosting the August 6th series premiere and has officially scheduled its hosting of the next production on SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH, 6PM, featuring: The Interviewese by Princeton's award-winning Playwright, Ian August and directed by Allison Heishman. 

Theatre Philadelphia, the region's marketing and leadership organization for theatre, has announced the 2017 nominees for the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre.