Wilma Theater News

Philadelphia Theatre Company announces the director and full cast for the Pennsylvania premiere of Lynn Nottage's Sweat. This Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner explores Reading Pennsylvania's shrinking industrial economy and shares the fear, tragedy and hopefulness of a community being forced to accept inevitable change. The production will kick-off the first produced season under new Producing Artistic Director Paige Price. Justin Emeka directs a cast filled with local stars and Barrymore Award-winners who have earned extensive theatre, film and television credits. Sweat will run from October 12 to November 4, 2018 at Philadelphia Theatre Company's stage at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad Street. Subscriptions and single tickets for the 2018-2019 season are already on sale and are available in person at the box office, online at philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420.

The power grid is gone (d'oh!), and disaster has plunged the world into darkness. In the aftermath, a group of survivors gather in the dead of winter, trying to brave their new reality by recounting an episode of The Simpsons. Under the direction of Yury Urnov, The Wilma Theater's HotHouse Company tackles Anne Washburn's wickedly smart dark comedy that charts life after lights, October 23 through November 11.

The Kesselring Prize, the annual $25,000 award to a rising U.S. playwright, will be given this year to the James Ijames, it has been announced by The National Arts Club, which has bestowed this prestigious honor since 1980. 

Juilliard's Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Zeger, opens its opera season with Britten's The Turn of the Screw, featuring Juilliard singers and the Juilliard Orchestra, conducted by Steven Osgood and directed by John Giampietro, on Wednesday, November 14 and Friday, November 16, 2018, at 7:30pm, and Sunday, November 18, 2018, at 2pm in Juilliard's Peter Jay Sharp Theater.

Philadelphia Theatre Company kicks off the 2018-2019 season with the Pennsylvania premiere of Lynn Nottage's Sweat.

Philadelphia Theatre Company kicks off the 2018-2019 with the Pennsylvania premiere of Lynn Nottage's Sweat. This Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner explores Reading, Pennsylvania's shrinking industrial economy and shares the fear, tragedy and hopefulness of a community on the verge of inevitable change. The production will kick-off the first produced season under new Producing Artistic Director Paige Price. Justin Emeka makes his Philadelphia debut directing a cast filled with local stars and Barrymore Award winners who have extensive theatre, film and television credits. Sweat will run from October 12 to November 4, 2018 at Philadelphia Theatre Company's stage at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad Street. Opening Night is Wednesday, October 17th at 7:00pm. Tickets range from $25-$69 and are available in person at the box office, online at philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420. Season subscriptions are also now available starting at $38.

Villanova Theatre presents Karen Zacarias's raucous romp, The Book Club Play, hailed as 'smart, light and pants-peeingly funny' (chicagocritic.com). Directed by Whiting and Barrymore Award winner James Ijames, this smart hit comedy about books and the people who love them runs September 18-30, 2018.

Broken Nose Theatre is pleased to announce it Seventh Season, featuring a world premiere and two Midwest premieres to presented at its resident home, The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

Soho Rep. announces its 2018-2019 season, with two world premieres that demonstrate the small but flexible space's 'indispensible' (New York Magazine) presence as 'a 70-seat house filled with big ideas' (Hilton Als, The New Yorker). Through singular and irreverent stylistic approaches, Kate Tarker's Thunderbodies,directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz (October 16-November 18, 2018), and Christopher Chen's Passage, directed by Saheem Ali (April 23-May 26, 2019),interrogate the staggering ramifications of U.S and global imperialism.

LiveConnections is proud to announce that Leonard Haas, professional actor, Vice Chair of the William Penn Foundation, and Trustee of the Wyncote Foundation, will receive the organization's 4th annual Connector Award at this year's Big Hurrah celebration on November 12, 2018.

Villanova Theatre presents Karen Zacarias's raucous romp, The Book Club Play, hailed as 'smart, light and pants-peeingly funny' (chicagocritic.com). Directed by Whiting and Barrymore Award winner James Ijames, this smart hit comedy about books and the people who love them runs September 18-30, 2018.

ATHENA is back by popular demand for a limited time only! Catch The Hearth's production of Gracie Gardner's 'fierce and lovely comedy' (The New York Times) -- a Critic's Pick in its debut at JACK this past winter.

The Comrades are pleased to launch their 2018-19 season with the Midwest premiere of Kenneth Lin's political drama WARRIOR CLASS, directed by Carol Ann Tan playing October 11 - November 11, 2018 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Avenue in Chicago. The press opening is Saturday, October 13 at 8 pm.

One year after its sold-out world premiere and on the heels of a successful crowdfunding campaign, Opera Philadelphia presents an encore engagement for We Shall Not Be Moved, "a rare work in the genre to be created by artists of color" (New York Times), in a free broadcast as part of the company's annual Opera on the Mall series at Independence National Historical Park.

Theatre Philadelphia, the region's marketing and leadership organization for theatre, proudly announces the 2018 nominees for the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre. Celebrating the rich, diverse professional theatre scene in the Greater Philadelphia region, the Barrymore Ceremony will be held on Monday, November 5th at 7pm at the Bok Building at 1901 S. 9th Street in South Philadelphia. Guests will continue the festivities with an after-party Celebration at the same location. Tickets for artists, supporters, and the general public are now on sale at www.theatrephiladelphia.org.

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.

Cast members from "The Understudy" will be guest speakers at Westport Country Playhouse's Sunday Symposium on August 19, following a 3 p.m. performance of the backstage comedy about a Hollywood action star making his Broadway debut amid tensions with his understudy.  The recent Off-Broadway hit is written by Theresa Rebeck, creator of NBC's show business drama "Smash."

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.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at BalletX's, Philadelphia's premier contemporary ballet company, Summer Series 2018 at The Wilma Theater, now on stage though July 22.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at BalletX's, Philadelphia's premier contemporary ballet company, Summer Series 2018 at The Wilma Theater, now on stage though July 22.