THE OUTSIDERS, SUFFS and More Set for Ensemble Arts 2025-2026 Season

Ensemble Arts Philly is kicking off its 2025–2026 season – one full of Broadway, jazz, comedy, speakers, a historic celebration of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 125th anniversary, and the 10th anniversary of the Family Discovery Series – with the fifth annual FREE Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest on Saturday, September 13, from 11 AM to 3 PM. Featuring a diverse sampling of festival-style performances on multiple stages inside the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, this event brings together 50+ arts organizations from around the region to shine a spotlight on the rich arts and culture community of the Philadelphia area.  

As a nonprofit institution, Ensemble Arts Philly relates everything it presents to the organization’s mission to share the transformative power of the performing arts and arts education with the widest possible audience, serving Philadelphia and the world. From ticketed performances to accessibility offerings to free community events and education partnerships, this year’s lineup embodies a commitment to amplifying local artistry while presenting global talent, continuing a legacy of bringing Philadelphia to the world, and the world to Philadelphia. Everyone is welcome to visit and be inspired.

Details of the 2025–2026 season can be found below: 

Broadway 

This season features 15 outstanding shows with a combined 36 Tony Awards, 24 Drama Desk™ Awards, 5 Olivier Awards, and 3 GRAMMY Awards. Season offerings include Broadway’s newest blockbusters, favorite revivals, exclusive touring shows, and lively musical performances.

The 2025–2026 Broadway Series includes: SIX (September 30–October 5, 2025); Kimberly Akimbo (October 21–November 2, 2025); Back to the Future: The Musical (November 18–30, 2025); Hadestown (December 2–7, 2025); Cirque Dreams Holidaze (December 23–28, 2025); Suffs (January 6–18, 2026); Clue (January 20–25, 2026); Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (February 11–22, 2026); Blue Man Group (February 25–March 1, 2026); Tina – The Tina Turner Musical (March 10–15, 2026); The Sound of Music (March 31–April 5, 2026); Shucked (April 21–May 3, 2026); Chicago (May 12–17, 2026); The Outsiders (May 26–June 7, 2026), and The Notebook (July 21–August 2, 2026).

Many shows on the Broadway season have American Sign Language, Audio Description, and Captioning performances. Dates are listed below.

Broadway productions take place at the Academy of Music and Miller Theater on Broad Street and The Shubert Organization’s Forrest Theatre on Walnut Street. 

Family Discovery Series 

Marking a decade of the Family Discovery Series, this season will feature the return of popular Broadway hits, interactive shows, and remarkable orchestral performances the entire family will enjoy.

The 2025–2026 Family Discovery Series includes: iLuminate (September 26, 2025); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ in Concert (September 26–28, 2025); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Children’s Halloween Spectacular (October 18, 2025); Blippi: Join the Band Tour (December 10, 2025); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Children’s Holiday Spectacular (December 20, 2025); Cirque Dreams Holidaze (December 23–28, 2025); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Disney’s Fantasia in Concert (January 2–4, 2026); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Peter and the Wolf (February 7, 2026); Step Afrika!: The Evolution Tour (February 7, 2026); Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (February 11–22, 2026); Blue Man Group (February 24–March 1, 2026); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (March 14, 2026); The Sound of Music (March 31–April 5, 2026); Peppa Pig: My First Concert (April 4, 2026); Dog Man: The Musical (April 25–26, 2026); and The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Hip-Hop Orchestra (May 2, 2026).

Multi-show packages for the Family Discovery Series start at just $27.00 per show. Select single tickets to Family Discovery Series shows are on sale now.

Jazz Series 

The 2025–2026 Jazz Series showcases a vibrant and diverse lineup of new and emerging talents. This season promises to bring fresh energy and innovative perspectives to the stage, offering audiences an opportunity to experience an array of performances that appeal to both classical enthusiasts and jazz aficionados alike.

The 2025–2026 Jazz Season includes: Nate Smith (October 11, 2025); An Evening with Samara Joy (November 11, 2025); Béla Fleck & The Flecktones: Jingle All the Way (December 12, 2025); Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martínez (January 22, 2026); Kurt Elling: Wildflowers (February 27, 2026); Emmet Cohen: Miles and Coltrane at 100 (March 20, 2026); Endea Owens & The Cookout (March 28, 2026); Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer (April 21, 2026); Rhiannon Giddens (May 5, 2026); and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (May 26, 2026).

All single tickets for shows in the Jazz Series are on sale now. 

Holiday Happenings

Celebrate the holidays with a festive lineup featuring beloved classics and spectacular performances that capture the spirit of the season. From whimsical tales to mesmerizing acrobatics and enchanting music, these performances promise to create magical memories and brighten the holiday season for audiences of all ages.

The holiday offerings include The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show (November 29, 2025); A Soulful Christmas (December 9, 2025); Béla Fleck & The Flecktones: Jingle All the Way (December 12, 2025); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Handel’s Messiah (December 12–14, 2025); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents The Glorious Sound of Christmas (December 18–20, 2025); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Children’s Holiday Spectacular (December 20, 2025); Cirque Dreams Holidaze (December 23–28, 2025); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents New Year’s Eve Celebration (December 31, 2025); and The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Disney’s Fantasia in Concert (January 2–4, 2026).

Ensemble Arts Philly Presents

Additional Ensemble Arts Philly shows—covering the best of comedy, dance, speakers, unique concert experiences, and more—are listed below. Highlights include An Evening with Phil Rosenthal of “Somebody Feed Phil” (September 12, 2025); Good Things: An Evening with Samin Nosrat (September 17, 2025); Nikki Glaser: Alive and Unwell Tour (September 19–20, 2025); MasterChef All-Stars Live! (September 25, 2025);  X & Los Lobos: 99 Years of Rock ’N’ Roll (September 28, 2025); Leanne Morgan: Just Getting Started (October 23–24, 2025); Guenther Steiner: Unfiltered Live (November 13, 2025); Whitney Cummings: Big Baby (November 22, 2025); Blippi: Join the Band Tour (December 10, 2025); Step Afrika!: The Evolution Tour (February 7, 2026); Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (February 27 - March 1, 2026); An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi (March 2, 2026); and Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare (March 20–21, 2026).

The Philadelphia Orchestra 

The Philadelphia Orchestra turns 125 on November 16, 2025, as America begins the celebration of its 250th anniversary. Throughout the 2025–2026 season, Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra will look to the past and future simultaneously, celebrating the Orchestra’s essential place in American musical life, and in the birthplace of American democracy, as well as its historic and contemporary role as a musical innovator. 

Nézet-Séguin will open the 2025–2026 season, his 14th with the Orchestra, on September 25, 2025, with a dazzling Opening Night Celebration that honors the Orchestra’s 125th anniversary and sets the stage for a season of legacy and innovation. The concert will feature superstar pianist Yuja Wang performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, a work that received its U.S. premiere by The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1932. The program also includes Márquez’s vibrant Danzón No. 2 and Julia Wolfe’s Pretty, a work co-commissioned by the Orchestra that the Philadelphia Inquirer said was “riveting—the work of a rich creative mind having a blast,” following its Philadelphia premiere in February 2025.

The Philadelphia Sound will be celebrated throughout the season with performances of works that the Orchestra introduced to American audiences. Nézet-Séguin will lead Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5 (November 29–30, 2025), Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 featuring Seong-Jin Cho, and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring (January 31–February 1, 2026), all of which had their U.S. premieres with the Orchestra. Principal Guest Conductor Marin Alsop will lead Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Yunchan Lim (October 3–5, 2025), and Haochen Zhang will perform Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (March 20–22, 2026).

Engagement with living composers remains central to the Orchestra’s mission. Nézet-Séguin will lead the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Tyshawn Sorey’s Piano Concerto, written for Aaron Diehl (May 15–16, 2026), and the Philadelphia premiere of Julia Wolfe’s Liberty Bell, paired with the world premiere of Wynton Marsalis’s Symphony No. 5 (“Liberty”) (May 28–31, 2026). Alsop will open the subscription season with the world premiere of John Adams’s The Rock You Stand On (October 3–5, 2025), and Elim Chan will conduct the Philadelphia premiere of Du Yun’s Ears of the Book, Concerto for Pipa and Orchestra (January 22–24, 2026).

The season will also spotlight American voices and underrepresented composers. Nézet-Séguin will lead the Orchestra’s first subscription performances of William Grant Still’s Wood Notes (October 30–November 2, 2025) and Amy Beach’s “Gaelic” Symphony (March 12 and 14, 2026). Julius Eastman’s Symphony No. 2 (January 16–17, 2026) and Louis Ballard’s Devil’s Promenade (February 5–7, 2026) will also receive their first Philadelphia Orchestra performances.

Following three sold-out performances in June 2025, famed composer and conductor Joe Hisaishi will return by popular demand for two performances of his works. The concerts will feature selections from two of Hisaishi’s Studio Ghibli film scores, Howl’s Moving Castle and Castle in the Sky, paired with his symphonic work DA-MA-SHI-E and Britten’s Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell (November 13–14, 2025).