Citywide James Ijames Pass Celebrates Philadelphia-Based Playwright

For the first time in the region, three leading theaters are launching a multi-theater pass dedicated to a single contemporary playwright. With each theaters performing a James Ijames work this season, The Citywide James Ijames Pass celebrates the Philadelphia-based Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony-nominated playwright with a three-play package spanning Arden Theatre Company, Wilma Theater, and Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC). The pass will be available for purchase online and in person exclusively at the TKTS Philadelphia ticket booth located at the Independence Visitor Center (599 Market Street, Philadelphia, 19106).

This groundbreaking collaboration, the first of its kind for a contemporary playwright, offers theatergoers three distinct opportunities to experience Ijames’ artistry across the city. The season begins at Arden Theatre Company with the Philadelphia premiere of Good Bones, a powerful reflection on community, change, and the soul of our cities. At the Wilma Theater, The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington delivers biting satire and theatrical daring. The season concludes at Philadelphia Theatre Company with the world premiere of Wilderness Generation, a sharp, funny, heartfelt new play about legacy, secrets, and the ties that bind.

James Ijames is a Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony-nominated playwright, director, and educator based in Philadelphia. His acclaimed play Fat Ham won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Drama and was nominated for the 2023 Tony Award for Best Play. Ijames began his career as an actor working in Philadelphia’s rich theater scene, where he later became co-artistic director of the Tony Award-winning Wilma Theater. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Artist, multiple Barrymore Awards, the Whiting Award, two Steinberg Prizes, and the Terrence McNally New Play Award.

Ijames’ works have been produced at leading theaters nationwide and internationally, including Broadway’s American Airlines Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, The Public Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Exile, Wilma Theater, and even the UK’s Royal Shakespeare Company. According to American Theatre, Fat Ham has been one of the top 10 most-produced shows across the country over the last three years.

“I’m really moved to have my work featured at three theaters in my artistic home of Philadelphia,” says Ijames. “It’s rare that audiences can look at a writer’s canon over time. All three of these plays were written in Philly, and having each play produced by theaters that have had such a massive impact on my career and practice makes this moment very special for me. I’m so honored.”

With an intentionally accessible price of $130 for three shows, The Citywide James Ijames Pass gives theater lovers the chance to follow one of Philadelphia’s most acclaimed playwrights across three iconic stages in a single season. In addition to substantial savings, pass holders will enjoy preferred seating, flexible exchanges, member benefits at all three theaters, parking discounts, and an exclusive piece of Ijames Philly swag. The Citywide James Ijames Pass is on sale now online or in person for $130.

“Philadelphia’s theater scene is one of the best in the country: bold, original, and deeply rooted in community,” says Maita Soukup, Vice President, Experience and Engagement, Philadelphia Visitor Center. “This exclusive pass is a powerful way to experience it, spotlighting the work of Pulitzer Prize-winner James Ijames across three premier stages. The Visitor Center is proud to offer this unique opportunity for visitors and locals alike to dive into his storytelling and feel the creative energy that makes our city a true arts destination.”