THEATRE PHILADELPHIA :
A C E L E B R AT I O N NOVEMBER 16, 2020 7PM WWW.THEATREPHILADELPHIA.ORG
A PROGRAM OF THEATRE PHILADELPHIA www.theatrephiladelphia.org
#theatrephilly #barrymores2019
ABOUT THEATRE PHILADELPHIA
ABOUT THEATRE PHILADELPHIA Founded in 2012, Theatre Philadelphia unites, celebrates, and promotes the Philadelphia region’s diverse and growing theatre community. We lead efforts that expand audiences and engage the public to participate in our community’s work. Theatre Philadelphia envisions an equitable and inclusive region that champions and nurtures local artists. We aim to raise our city’s profile as a world-class city and enrich the lives of Philadelphia-area citizens. LaNeshe Miller-White, Executive Director LaNeshe Miller White is a cultural producer, actress, and marketer. She is a graduate of Temple University's School of Communications and Theater. She believes in using art for social change and is the Executive Director and CoFounder of Theatre in the X, a West Philadelphia based theater company that produces accessible theater productions for Black audiences and provides opportunities for Black artists. She became the new Executive Director of Theatre Philadelphia in August 2020. Katherine Elisabeth Clark, Marketing & Communications Director Katherine joined Theatre Philadelphia in September 2017. As Theatre Philadelphia’s Marketing and Communications Director, she focuses on building audiences and awareness for Philadelphia’s thriving theatre community. In addition to her work at Theatre Philadelphia, Katherine is a filmmaker and local film screening series organizer. She earned her BA from UNC Asheville in mass communication and literature, with a minor in studio art. She earned her MFA in film directing from Columbia College Chicago.
LaNeshe Miller-White, Executive Director Katherine Clark, Marketing & Communications Director
COMMITTEES 2019/20 BARRYMORE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Jason Lindner, President Steve Pacek, Vice President Emily Zeck, Treasurer Deborah Block, Secretary Patreshettarlini Adams Rachel Camp Kash Goins Grace Grillet Leonard C. Haas Erlina Ortiz Daniel Perelstein
Rachel Camp, Chair Brandi Burgess Allison Heishman Stephanie Kyung Sun Walters Jessica Johnson Eli Lynn KC MacMillan Tanaquil Marquez Erin Read Melody Wong Natalia de la Torre LaNeshe Miller-White Dan O’Neil Paige Price
STAFF
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Leigh Goldenberg Katherine Clark James Haro Crys Clemente, Intern
Emily Zeck, Chair Grace Grillet Stacy Maria Dutton Fran Murphy
2019-20 SEASON BOARD OF DIRECTORS
WELCOME TO THE CELEBRATION
MEET THE CO-HOSTS Newton Buchanan
Co-Hosted by Jenna Kuerzi and Newton Buchanan Welcome Design, Eligible Productions, and an introduction from LaNeshe Miller-White Year of the Stage Manager From the 2019-20 Adjudicators Barrymore Recommended Work Play Musical Design New Work Victory Foundation Award for Outstanding Theatre Education Program Excerpts from Virtual and Alternative Work In Memoriam Spring/Summer: Philly Theatre in 2020 After-Party Celebration
Newton is a Barrymore Award Nominated performer and theatre producer based in Philadelphia. He’s a co-founder of New Light Theatre Company (newlighttheatre. com). New Light is dedicated to illuminating the human condition and providing opportunities for emerging young theatre artists to work in a professional setting. He’s a co-founder of the newly formed Black Theatre Alliance of Philadelphia. BTAP’s mission is geared toward the elevation and advocacy of black theatre artists in the Philadelphia area. He currently holds an associate artist position with Delaware Shakespeare Co, where, with two other artists and the artistic director, he devises continued educational and creative programming. He’s also the Director of Customer Experience with Markee, a virtual events platform centered on customers owning their own space. Jenna Kuerzi Jenna Kuerzi is an actor and singer making new work (and lifting old work!) in Philadelphia and NYC. She has worked regionally with the Arden Theatre Company, Tribe of Fools (Barrymore Nominee: Best Ensemble/New Play- Fishtown: A Hipster Noir), 11th Hour, Shakespeare in Clark Park, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Revolution Shakespeare, Act II Playhouse, and On the Rocks. Jenna's solo-ish show, Johnny Depp: A Retrospective on Late-Stage Capitalism, (co-created with Val Dunn) traveled to the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, played sold-out bar performances at Fergie's Pub, and has since spun off into a podcast titled Depp Impact, available on itunes, spotify, and wherever else one would listen to podcasts.
2019/20 CELEBRATION PARTICIPANTS ADJUDICATORS Linnea Bond Rebecca Bradbeer Emma Gibson Robert Golphin Daniel Guy Ardencie Hall-Karambe, PhD. Le Anne Lindsay Celeste Mann Kittson O'Neill Cassandra Lewis Slattery Tai Verley
STAGE MANAGERS Patreshettarlini Adams Tom Helmer Angela Jenkins Noelle Diane Johnson Kate McSorley Tom Shotkin Rebecca Smith
SUPPORTS THE BARRYMORE AWARDS
WE ARE PASSIONATE DIGITAL DESIGNERS AND DEVELOPERS WHO WILL MAKE YOUR PROJECT COUNT. CONTACT IAN CROSS TO DISCUSS YOUR NEXT WEBSITE OR MOBILE PROJECT IAN@I-SITE.COM | 215-413-3135 I-SITE.COM FOLLOW US @ISITEUNITED
ORGANIZATIONS & PRODUCERS 11th Hour Theatre Company Act II Playhouse After School Activities Partnerships Almanac Dance Circus Theatre Anastassia Vertjanova Arden Theatre Company Azuka Theatre Benjamin Behrend and Logan Gabriel Schulman Black Theatre Alliance of Philadelphia Bristol Riverside Theatre Bucks County Center for the Performing Arts Chris Davis CSz Philadelphia
Curio Theatre Company Delaware Shakespeare Delaware Theatre Company DigiRep / Coffee and a Play Directors Gathering Doriane Feinstein and Aimee Goldstein Dramatists Guild EgoPo Classic Theater Elephant Room Productions Eric Jaffe Productions First Person Arts First World Theatre Ensemble Free Fringe Philly FringeArts Green Light Group Productions Hedgerow Theatre Company Hella Fresh Theater Idiopathic Ridiculpathy Consortium ILL DOOTS Inis Nua Theatre Company InterAct Theatre Company Irish Heritage Theatre Jenkintown Music Theatre Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Collective Lantern Theater Company Light Thief Productions Masquerade Theatre Mauckingbird Theatre Company Michelle Pauls Née Danse/Theatre Nique'Works Entertainment Paper Doll Ensemble Passage Theatre Company
People's Light Philadelphia Theatre Company Philly Young Playwrights Pig Iron Theatre Company Power Street Theatre Quintessence Theatre Group REV Theatre Company Revolution Shakespeare Sewer Rats Productions Shakespeare in Clark Park Shoe Box Theatre Collective Simpatico Theatre South Camden Theatre Company Swim Pony Teatro del Sol The Bearded Ladies Cabaret The Bridge PHL The Hum'n'bards Theatre Troupe The Phoenix Theatre The Strides Collective Theatre Ariel Theatre Exile Theatre Horizon Theatre in the X Tiny Dynamite Tongue & Groove Spontaneous Theater Tribe of Fools Wilma Theater Wings of Paper Theatre Yes! And...Collaborative Arts
2019/20 BARRYMORE PARTICIPANTS Since 1994, the Barrymore Awards have served as a nationally recognized symbol of professional theatre in the Greater Philadelphia region. The Barrymore Awards honor local artists and theatre companies while increasing public awareness of the richness and diversity of our city’s thriving theatre community. The Barrymore Awards are a peeradjudicated program with nominators attending over 100 plays each year across our region to recommend to our judges for award consideration. Theatre Philadelphia works with local supporters to award grants to artists and organizations to strengthen their abilities to pursue artistic work in Philadelphia. Although our season was cut short this year, we look forward to celebrating and recognizing the work that was on stage.
2019/20 BARRYMORE PARTICIPANTS 11th Hour Theatre Company 1812 Productions Act II Playhouse Almanac Dance Circus Theatre Arden Theatre Company Azuka Theatre Brainchild Stageworkx Bristol Riverside Theatre Bucks County Center for the Performing Arts Bucks County Playhouse Chris Davis Curio Theatre Company Delaware Theatre Company EgoPo Classic Theater Eric Jaffe Productions Hedgerow Theatre Hella Fresh Theater Inis Nua Theatre Company InterAct Theatre Company Isis Productions Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Collective Lantern Theater Company Lawrence Theatre Company Mauckingbird Theatre Company Nick Jonczak
Paper Doll Ensemble Passage Theatre Company People's Light Philadelphia Theatre Company Philadelphia Young Playwrights Pig Iron Theatre Company Power Street Theatre Quintessence Theatre Group Raw Street Productions Ruth and Estelle Productions Shoe Box Theatre Collective Simpatico Theatre Teatro del Sol The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium The Irish Heritage Theatre The Philadelphia Artists' Collective The Phoenix Theatre Theatre Exile Theatre Horizon Theatre in the X Tiny Dynamite Tongue & Groove Spontaneous Theater Tribe of Fools Unveiled Faces Artist Collective Wilma Theater Wings of Paper
2019/20 BARRYMORE PARTICIPANTS
2019/20 NOMINATORS
Alexandria Hunter David Hutchison Emily Jenik Gil Johnson Lois Abdelmalek Cassandra Lewis Ginger Agnew Joe Lex A.D. Amorosi Le Anne Lindsay Tamara Anderson Courtney LyneĂŠ Jody Austin Eli Lynn Deborah Baer Mozes Brennen Malone Dorien Belle Megan McDermott Barbara Bellman Sheridan Merrick Jay Berkowitz CJ Miller Damon Bonetti Liam Mulshine Daniel Boulos Jennifer Nehila Rebecca Bradbeer Kathryn Osenlund Jamie Branagh Sarah Owens Melanie Breaux Jairous L. Parker Sr Rachel Brodeur Shelli Pentimall Jamie Brunson Bookler Peter Camp Katherine Perry Andrew Carroll Jenna Pinchbeck Sean Pierre Chambers Minou Pourshariati Lance Channing Ebony Pullum Natalia de la Torre Veronica Redd Tiffani Dean Gwendolyn Alyssandra Docherty Ricks-Spencer Lindsay Drucker Brad Rothbart Matthew Falance Rudy Schreiber Lucas Fendlay Keith Spencer Angela Fennell Jonathan Steadman Sara Garonzik Vanessa Sterling Emma Gibson Ryane Nicole Susan Giddings Studivant Robert Golphin Lisa Sullivan Kae Greenberg Jamie Talamo Lauren Hallenbeck Caitlin Thompson Chanta Harris Krista Thorp Robert Harris Mona Washington Emily Hayes Keith Watford Adiah Hicks Hannah Wolff CJ Higgins Kenny Zhuo
2019/20 JUDGES PLAY PANEL Linnea Bond Marisol Custodio Charlie DelMarcelle Leonard Kelly Teresa Miller Kittson O'Neill Tai Verley
MUSICAL PANEL Joel Guerrero Ardencie Hall-Karambe Jenna Kuerzi Celeste Mann Dan O'Neil Nicole Stacie Brian Anthony Wilson
DESIGN PANEL Angela Costigan Daniel Guy Ryk Lewis Brett Mapp Alison Roberts Anne Marie Scalies Robin Stamey
NEW WORKS PANEL Tanesha Ford Jeremy Gable Maurice Hall Stephanie Kyung Sun Walters Erin Washburn Paige Zubel
CREDITS & SPECIAL THANKS CELEBRATION EDITOR Michael Long
CELEBRATION CO-HOSTS Newton Buchanan Jenna Kuerzi
AWARD COMMITTEES Jay Berkowitz Anthony Martinez-Briggs Melanye Finister Terry Guerin Mydera Robinson
HONORARY COMMITTEE Abigail Adams Patreshettarlini Adams Mary Lee Bednarek Zak Berkman Rachel Camp Gene Dilks Geraldine Duclow Erica Ezold Leigh Goldenberg Jacqueline Goldfinger Grace Grillet Leonard Haas Jason Lindner Brett Mapp Erin Sheffield David Lloyd Olson Sarah Paulos Kristi Poling Paige Price Lee van de Velde
CELEBRATION SUPPORTERS Virginia Brown Martin Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation Victory Foundation
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Drexel University Westphal Arts Administration & Museum Leadership iSite MetroUS Rebecca Bradbeer Temple University
EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPORTERS 1812 Productions Charlotte Cushman Foundation CHG Charitable Trust June and Steve Wolfson Family Foundation Kauders Foundation Linda and David Glickstein Fund at The Philadelphia Foundation LTM Family Foundation The Victory Foundation Virginia Brown Martin Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation William Penn Foundation Matching Gifts Program Anonymous and Individual Contributors
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORTERS Arts Aid PHL Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania Dolfinger McMahon Foundation The National Endowment for the Arts Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Philadelphia Cultural Fund The Philadelphia Foundation William Penn Foundation Wyncote Foundation
To My Beloved Philadelphia Theatre Community, As one of your biggest and most passionate fans, it is my honor to recognize you, your immense strength and talent and most important, your resiliency as you face these extraordinary times of loss and heartache. It is my greatest hope and dream to one day be sharing space with all of you in a darkened room once again, as we celebrate the return of our world-class Philly theater scene! Until then, I salute you and am here for the long haul! All my love, Becky Bradbeer
YEAR OF THE STAGE MANAGER
REBECCA SMITH
ANGELA JENKINS
NOELLE DIANE JOHNSON
PAT ADAMS
TOM SHOTKIN
TOM HELMER
FROM THE ADJUDICATORS
KITTSON O'NEILL
CELESTE MANN
TAI VERLEY
ROBERT GOLPHIN
ARDENCIE HALLKARAMBE, PHD.
LINNEA BOND
LE ANNE LINDSAY
CASS LEWIS
EMMA GIBSON
DANIEL GUY
BARRYMORE ELIGIBLE WORK
BARRYMORE ELIGIBLE WORK
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY AZUKA THEATRE A STREETCAR ROOM AT THE NAMED DESIRE FLAMINGO HOTEL
EGOPO CLASSIC THEATER CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS
EGOPO CLASSIC THEATER BURIED CHILD
KALEIDOSCOPE CULTURAL IRISH HERITAGE THEATRE WOMAN AND SCARECROW ARTS COLLECTIVE KHEPERA
POWER STREET THEATRE MINORITYLAND
LANTERN THEATER COMPANY THE VERTICAL HOUR
BRISTOL RIVERSIDE THEATRE AN ACT OF GOD
THEATRE EXILE BABEL
THEATRE HORIZON ATHENA
TINY DYNAMITE DONNA ORBITS THE MOON
IDIOPATHIC RIDICULOPATHY CONSORTIUM COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA
TEATRO DEL SOL OEDIPUS EL REY
QUINTESSENCE THEATRE GROUP SYNGE TRIPTYCH
SIMPATICO THEATRE ESTHER CHOI AND THE FISH THAT DROWNED
LANTERN THEATER COMPANY OTHELLO
INIS NUA THEATRE COMPANY FOLK
PAPER DOLL ENSEMBLE MARRY MARRY, QUITE CONTRARY
THE PHOENIX THEATRE THE GLASS MENAGERIE
THE PHOENIX THEATRE THE TEMPEST
WILMA THEATER IS GOD IS
PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY THE WOLVES
BRISTOL RIVERSIDE THEATRE CABARET
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK LOOKING OVER THE PRESIDENT'S SHOULDER from Act II Playhouse Get a front row seat to history! The dramatic true story of the butler who saw four presidencies.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS from Arden Theatre Company Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things explores Strayed’s time as the anonymous advice columnist, Dear Sugar. While navigating her readers’ questions and pleas for advice, Strayed weaves together her own personal experiences and finds the courage to create a column full of light, laughter, and humanity.
GREATER TUNA from Act II Playhouse
AN ILIAD from Arden Theatre Company
A hilarious satire of small town life. 2 actors, 20 characters, and a barrel of laughs, y’all.
The infinite beauty of storytelling consumes this provocative adaptation of Homer’s classic. The Trojan War is placed beside our modern day, presenting the allure of wartime heroism and the inevitable cost of battle that overshadows all history. Mary Tuomanen returns to the Arden and will bring this epic event to the Bob & Selma Horan Studio Theatre this winter.
SOUVENIR from Act II Playhouse
RAGTIME from Arden Theatre Company
The amazing true story of the infamously bad singer who became a household name and a music legend. A hilarious and intimate hit show, starring April Woodall and Sonny Leo.
This Tony Award-winning tale follows the intersection of cultures, classes, and nationalities – all fighting for their American dream in New York City at the turn of the 20th century – reimagined for today’s audience.
THE EDGE from Almanac Dance Circus Theatre A kinetic exploration of the balance between vitality and decay, based on interviews with people suffering from chronic illnesses and their caretakers
MY GENERAL TUBMAN from Arden Theatre Company A world premiere by acclaimed Philadelphia author Lorene Cary, My General Tubman is a beautiful and exciting new play about the complex journey of Harriet Tubman and the impact she continues to have today.
THE SNOW QUEEN from Arden Theatre Company Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale, The Snow Queen transports audiences on a journey through the four seasons! When Gerda’s best friend is captured by the Snow Queen, it is up to her to rescue him from the icy palace. The Snow Queen celebrates the adventure of growing up and the magical power of friendship. SHIP from Azuka Theatre Fresh out of rehab, Nell returns to her hometown of Mystic, CT with two goals: track down her former classmate who tried and failed to grow the longest fingernails in the world, and be promoted to the most high profile job in town: tour guide at the Seaport. With the help and hindrance of her older sister, Nell grabs at her chance for hometown glory – but it’s not as easy as it looks.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK
SUNSET BABY from Azuka Theatre
ONE-MAN NUTCRACKER from Chris Davis
Sunset Baby revolves around the reunion of a former Black revolutionary and political prisoner with his estranged daughter, Nina. At the center of this fraught and broken relationship are the now historically significant and valuable letters Nina’s mother wrote to her father while he was in jail. Caught in a tug-of-war over these documents, father and daughter confront their shared past.
You know the Nutcracker the ballet, but what if the ballet was performed by only one man? If the daughter Marie, little boy Fritz, creepy uncle Drosselmeir, the mice, the Sugar Plumb fairy, were all channeled through one actor. Chris Davis is proud to bring you One-Man Nutcracker, a re-telling of the original E.T.A. Hoffman Nutcracker Story and the Ballet, retold within his unique theatrical lense.
KING LEAR from Bristol Riverside Theatre
I <3 ALICE <3 I from Curio Theatre Company
Considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written, King Lear is an epic tale of sorrow, forgiveness, madness, and reconciliation. Led by director Eric Tucker, New York’s acclaimed Bedlam Theatre comes to BRT with a fresh interpretation of this Shakespeare classic.
Two exceptional, opinionated women are spotted kissing each other in Dublin’s Crumlin Shopping Centre in this surprisingly funny and heartfelt new work. Now they’re in a show ... reluctantly. Defying stereotypes, they’re here to share with the audience something they’ve never dared show before. They are very nervous. And it shows.
NEXT TO NORMAL from Bristol Riverside Theatre One of Broadway’s biggest and most compelling hits, Next to Normal nabbed three Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize for its heartbreaking, humorous and unflinchingly authentic look at a seemingly normal modern family struggling with the effects of bipolar disorder.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL from Delaware Theatre Company A holiday story and tradition unlike any other returns. Gather your loved ones around the holidays and come see Ebenezer Scrooge at it again in this bold take on a holiday classic. Using nothing more than props, puppets, fresh physicality, and the power of imagination, five actors bring some of Dickens’ most beloved characters to life right before your eyes.
CABARET from Bucks County Center for the Performing Arts
ONE NOVEMBER YANKEE from Delaware Theatre Company
In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assured them they will forget all their troubles at the Cabaret. With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, ‘Cabaret’ explores the dark, heady, and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich.
One plane, two actors, and three intricately interwoven stories. Joshua Ravetch’s new play explores human connection brought on by tragedy in the aftermath of a plane crash that ripples across the lives of our characters. The Los Angeles Times calls One November Yankee a “haunting and poetic” flight that “unfolds like theatrical origami.”
THE PRODUCERS from Bucks County Center for the Performing Arts A down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, thereby bilking their backers out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit!
OUTSIDE MULLINGAR from Delaware Theatre Company Anthony and Rosemary are lovelorn farmers who haven’t got a clue when it comes to love. These hopeless singletons will need to overcome a bitter land feud, familial rivalries and their own romantic fears to find happiness. Full of dark humor and poetic prose, John Patrick Shanley’s tenderhearted portrait reminds us it’s never too late to take a chance on love.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK FOOL FOR LOVE from EgoPo Classic Theater Love and loathing. Desire and disgust. This is the eternal dance which Eddie and May are powerless to escape. Bound together by a pact from their youth, the two lovers chase each other across the desert, meeting in hotel rooms like atomic particles destined for collision.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK DRACULA, THE BLOODY TRUTH from Hedgerow Theatre This brand new comedy theatre show will take audiences on a journey across Europe from the dark and sinister Transylvanian mountains to the awkwardly charming seaside town of Whitby whilst the frantic Van Helsing and his three amateur actors try to stage a lifechanging, factual theatrical production of the events of Dracula.
GAY MIS from Eric Jaffe
OSCEOLA from Hella Fresh Theater
If you like Les Mis, then you'll LOVE Gay Mis! Come see everyone’s favorite farting fugitive, Parmesan, as he evades capture from arch-nemesis, Jabear. Joining in their adventures are all the classic characters you’ve come to know; desperate Fontina, lonely Epanini, and those beautiful young lovers, Marius and Baguette. Action! Romance! Ham! It’s all waiting for you at Gay Mis!
Anne is a housewife and mother of three in Eastern Nevada. Leland is her simple-minded brother-in-law who was kicked in the head by a horse. For Leland’s 40th birthday, Anne takes Leland hunting near the ghost town of Osceola on the Nevada / Utah border.
THE LIZARD OF OZ from Eric Jaffe
THE NIGHT ALIVE from Inis Nua Theatre Company
Good News! She’s Dead! The Bitch of West Philly is Dead! Follow Smelphaba and Linda as they journey to meet the Lizard of Oz. Join us as we parody THREE of your favorite musicals in one: Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, And The Wiz!
Tommy is barely scraping by - he lives in a filthy studio apartment and survives on odd jobs around Dublin. But when he rescues a young woman from her abusive boyfriend, Tommy’s dilapidated home becomes a safe haven from her violent past. And the tenuous friendship they build forever alters their lives.
THE HAUNTING from Hedgerow Theatre
A HUNDRED WORDS FOR SNOW from Inis Nua Theatre Company
When a young book dealer is employed by a former associate of his uncle to catalogue a private library, he finds an incredible array of rare and antiquated books. But as a series of strange and unexplained events conspires, he realises that if he is to convince his sceptical employer that the mysterious phenomena he is experiencing are real, they must journey together to the very edge of terror, and beyond…
When 15-year-old Rory’s geography teacher father dies suddenly, she decides to pursue his lifelong dream and journey to the North Pole. Following the route he planned and the advice of the great explorers before her, Rory packs a rucksack and her father’s ashes for a journey of love, loss, and endless snow.
TARTUFFE from Hedgerow Theatre
MAN OF GOD from InterAct Theatre Company
Tartuffe is lodging with Orgon and his family, ingratiating himself with both his host and his host’s mother to such a degree that both are blinded to his true – rather less virtuous – designs. Like marrying Orgon’s daughter Mariane, whilst seducing his wife, Elmire. The rest of the family, incensed by Orgon’s ignorance, set about trying to expose Tartuffe’s despicable design. When Orgon finally discovers the truth, it is too late.
Four Korean-American teenage girls are on a Christian mission in Bangkok. They have very different attitudes, and they made this trip for very different reasons. But when one of them discovers a hidden camera in their hotel bathroom, they are unified in imagining ghastly revenge on the person (or persons) spying on them. MAN OF GOD explores just how invasive, pervasive and perverse the male gaze can be.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK EUREKA DAY from InterAct Theatre Company At Eureka Day School in Berkeley, all decisions are made by consensus and diversity of opinion is valued. But when a mumps outbreak hits the school, it turns out that not everyone in this conscious community has the same definition of social justice. Now the board of parent-directors must confront one of the central questions of our time: how do you find consensus when you can’t agree on the facts? LYSISTRATA, CROSS YOUR LEGS SISTER! from Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Collective A musical adaptation of the classic story of a women’s sex strike to end war. Set during the late 60s-early 70s, “Lysistrata, Cross Your Legs Sister!” is bawdy and funny with musical styles reflective of the times.
THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI from Lantern Theater Company A shady businessman turns to politics, using gangster instincts to grab and hold power. He rapidly learns how to sway a crowd using fear and false promises. Will the people reject his appeal or succumb to his demands? In the midst of a world war, Bertolt Brecht brought forth this brilliant drama that remains an insightful parable for our time. SIGNIFICANT OTHER from Mauckingbird Theatre Company Four college friends search for relationship and commitment. As Jordan watches his best girlfriends get engaged and married, he is faced with his own circumstance as a single gay man. Will he ever find the one to marry?
CHURN from Nick Jonczak This original solo performance seeks the deep dark and exalted in human ingenuity through a queered historical sci fi epic. From the first test of an atomic bomb to the spread of white nationalism and our race to the stars, Churn reveals: You are every age you have ever been, and every age you will ever be.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK DAUPHIN ISLAND from Passage Theatre Company When Selwyn’s car breaks down in the middle of the Alabama woods, he is relieved to find Kendra’s home tucked away beneath the trees. Thrown together by circumstance and hiding from painful pasts, both Selwyn and Kendra learn what it means to find acceptance in a stranger
MUD ROW from People's Light Regine inherits a house she never wanted, while Toshi’s been squatting for three months. Elsie hopes to move up in the world; Frances fights to change it. Two generations of sisters protect and defy the legacy of their foremothers in this riveting, funny, and ultimately hopeful world premiere set in West Chester, PA.
DOT from People's Light Dotty's memory is slipping and her three children – an overwhelmed attorney, a gay playwright with marital problems, and an aspiring actress hoping to appear on Celebrity Mud Fight – clash over how best to care for the proud, lovable matriarch.
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A MUSICAL PANTO from People's Light Fairytales collide in our brand new holiday panto — Robin Hood is dead, his merry men are in hiding, and Nottinghamshire is taken over by a greedy villainess. (Gasp!) Can a new hero, or heroine, emerge from Sherwood Forest and save the day? Set in the 1940s with a dash of the medieval, this hilarious, musical mashup is our most inventive panto yet. OUR TOWN from People's Light Long after it won the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Our Town remains one of the most popular American plays of all time, reminding audiences across the country that there is beauty in the ordinary. Celebrate love, family, and community with our music-infused production of Wilder's masterwork.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE from People's Light Will Shakespeare has writer’s block. Low on funds and out of ideas, the young playwright finds his muse in Viola de Lesseps, a beautiful, intelligent noblewoman with dreams of the stage. Will and Viola begin a passionate affair that becomes inspiration for Shakespeare’s next play, Romeo and Juliet.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK SUPERTERRANEAN from Pig Iron Theatre Company On the outskirts of an unknown city, massive structures emerge from the murk. Here, nine performers embody our hunger for permanence, our dreams of utopia, and the melancholy contemplation of our skin, our organs, and our deepest urges.
THE CHILDREN from People's Light
THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD from Quintessence Theatre Group
Hazel and Robin, both retired nuclear physicists, live a quiet life in a cottage by the sea. Outside, the world is plagued by earthquakes, tsunamis, and a nuclear meltdown. When an old colleague turns up after forty years with a shocking request, the three friends must reckon with their shared culpability in this “astonishing and thrilling” (The New York Times) disaster drama.
The story of a young man who walks into a rural tavern and declares that he has murdered his abusive father in selfdefense. He is beloved by the locals and heralded as a hero until the truth of his past is revealed. J.M. Synge's timely tale looks at the power of personality over facts, challenges the wisdom of popular opinion, and asks us what separates criminality from heroism.
EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL from Philadelphia Theatre Company When an Amish couple’s two sons perish in a terrible accident, the family struggles to maintain their faith and cling to their way of life. The event brings home their eldest daughter, Miri, who was excommunicated five years earlier. When the driver of the car that killed the boys also appears, the community must seek to heal the deep wounds of the past, urging everyone into a new kind of reckoning. A SMALL FIRE from Philadelphia Theatre Company A Small Fire follows Emily Bridges, a woman used to running all the things – from her construction business to her family – until she suddenly and mysteriously starts losing her physical senses. As her world changes, her relationships shift in poignant and revelatory ways.
CANDLES from Phildelphia Young Playwrights The members of the Edgewater High school newspaper club are normal high school students. They're irresponsible, stressed, and they feel like they’re wandering through life in no particular direction. But then the unthinkable happens - their school is attacked by an armed student, changing their lives forever. As they try to navigate what comes next, they finally find the passion and drive to fight for something using what they know best: writing, reporting, and music.
RACHEL from Quintessence Theatre Group Haunted by her family's Southern past, Rachel, an ambitious high-school graduate, struggles to find a vocation, love and hope in the face of systemic racism, ultimately choosing to reject marriage and motherhood. Inspired by the writing of Chekhov, Grimke's Rachel opened in New York on April 25, 1917, and was the first play by an African-American author with an all-black cast to be performed before an integrated audience. WIZARD OF OZ from Quintessence Theatre Group Swept away from her Kansas farm by a tornado, Dorothy lands in Oz and on top of an evil witch. An epic adventure ensues as Dorothy tries to find the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and convince him to show her the way back to Kansas. On the way, she meets munchkins, flying monkeys, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion and discovers that she must help her friends first in order to face her fears and find her way home. THE MEDUSA PLAY from Shoebox Theatre Collective When Meddie joins the ensemble of a (white) wellintentioned devising collective, she is forced to deconstruct the myth of what it means to be a black artist.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK NATURAL SHOCKS from Simpatico Theatre Company Based on Hamlet’s “To be or not to be,” Natural Shocks is a new 65-minute, one-woman tour-de-force play that bursts to life when we meet a woman waiting out an imminent tornado in her basement. She overflows with quirks, stories, and a final secret that puts the reality of guns in America in your very lap.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED WORK YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING ON THAT LADDER from Tribe of Fools "You Shouldn't Be Doing What You're Doing on That LADDER" is a story about living with depression performed on a 12-ft ladder.
GOOD CUBAN GIRLS from Teatro del Sol
DANCE NATION from Wilma Theater
Marisol is a Cuban-American woman studying poetry at a liberal arts college. After a couple of days home for the summer, her gringo boyfriend visits to share in a traditional Cuban dinner and meet her family. Rice and beans are served up with an awkward argument about culture and politics. Marisol is left to choose between her family and her future, harboring a secret that may cause her grandmother's instantaneous death.
a competitive dance troupe of teenage girls - played by women of all ages - vie for the national trophy. Every plié and jeté hurdles them towards self-discovery. You’ll be moved to tears and laughter as you watch them learn about their bodies and desires, and witness their burgeoning strength through the lens of the women they’ll become.
ON THE EXHALE from Theatre Exile A liberal college professor searches for meaning after a terrible act of violence. She finds herself drawn to the power and control of the weapon that forever changed her life. Challenged by the inaction and corruption of the legislature she is faced with the opportunity to teach a lesson but she may have to learn one first.
DESCRIBE THE NIGHT from Wilma Theater When we say that something is true, it becomes true. When we say that something is false, it becomes false. This 2018 Obie Award Winner explores the blurred lines between lies, history and conspiracy theories, as it tracks back and forth across 90 years of Soviet and post-Soviet Russia.
THE AGITATORS from Theatre Horizon
THERE: IN THE LIGHT AND THE DARKNESS OF THE SELF AND OF THE OTHER from Wilma Theater
"Do you believe this can ever be a country for all?" Susan B. Anthony, a white suffragist, asks Frederick Douglass, a black statesman, on the day they first meet. It’s the question at the heart of The Agitators, a riveting new play about two rebels who became American icons.
Who are we, if not you and me? Renowned visual artist Rosa Barba and Artistic Director Blanka Zizka team up to create this world premiere adaptation of There by Lebanese poet Etel Adnan. Visual, poetic, and theatrical worlds collide in this wild journey through memory, history, identity, and fantasy.
INK from Tongue & Groove Spontaneous Theater
RENAISSANCE IN THE BELLY OF A KILLER WHALE from Wilma Theater
T&G’s improvised show is inspired by stories & pics of your tattoos - and other personal symbols. Whether you have a tattoo, want one, or would never get one, tell us the things that are so important they’re forever written on your heart - or skin.
OPERATION: WAWA ROADTRIP from Tribe of Fools In the wake of their father's death, siblings Lee & Joey embark on a road trip from Dayton to Philadelphia to carry out their father's final wish of being scattered in a meaningful place the Wawa parking lot. Driving on the turnpike at night, they meet a series of surreal characters who offer insight into their journey, while the brother & sister duo attempt to deal with their own grief and what the future of their family looks like.
Meet Bridget, Shayla, and Toni; three women who chronicle the gentrification of their beloved Harlem, journeying through the streets, history, landmarks, and changing culture of their neighborhood. Through a fusion of theatre, dance, song and spoken word poetry, Renaissance will draw you into these women’s youthful stories in deeply moving and uproariously funny ways. MUCH TO DO, MUCH TO FIX from Wings of Paper What can the God of Music do to stop climate change? How can the God of Stories impact electrical production? Why does the God of Creatures have little love for her brainiest children? This is a story told by rotating the observers through six sets built around the audience spinner.
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED: DESIGN
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED: DESIGN
ACT II PLAYHOUSE SOUVENIR
ARDEN THEATE COMPANY RAGTIME
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY THE SNOW QUEEN
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY AN ILLIAD
AZUKA THEATRE SUNSET BABY
BRISTOL RIVERSIDE THEATRE KING LEAR
BRISTOL RIVERSIDE THEATRE NEXT TO NORMAL
DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY ONE NOVEMBER YANKEE
DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY A CHRISTMAS CAROL
DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY OUTSIDE MULLINGAR
EGOPO CLASSIC THEATER FOOL FOR LOVE
ERIC JAFFE THE LIZARD OF OZ
HEDGEROW THEATRE A HAUNTING
HEDGEROW THEATRE TARTUFFE
INIS NUA THEATRE COMPANY A HUNDRED WORDS FOR SNOW
INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY MAN OF GOD
INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY EUREKA DAY
KALEIDOSCOPE CULTURAL ARTS COLLECTIVE LYSISTRATA, CROSS YOUR LEGS SISTER!
LANTERN THEATER COMPANY THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
LANTERN THEATER COMPANY THE LAST MATCH
NICK JONCZAK CHURN
PEOPLE'S LIGHT THE CHILDREN
PEOPLE'S LIGHT PEOPLE'S LIGHT LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: DOT A MUSICAL PANTO
PEOPLE'S LIGHT OUR TOWN
PEOPLE'S LIGHT SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL
PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY A SMALL FIRE
PIG IRON THEATRE COMPANY SUPERTERRANEAN
QUINTESSENCE THEATRE GROUP THE WIZARD OF OZ
QUINTESSENCE THEATRE GROUP RACHEL
SHOE BOX THEATRE COLLECTIVE THE MEDUSA PLAY
THEATRE HORIZON THE AGITATORS
WILMA THEATER DANCE NATION
WILMA THEATER DESCRIBE THE NIGHT
WILMA THEATER THERE
WILMA THEATER RENAISSANCE IN THE BELLY OF A KILLER WHALE
WINGS OF PAPER MUCH TO DO, MUCH TO FIX
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED: PLAY
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED: PLAY
ACT II PLAYHOUSE ACT II PLAYHOUSE LOOKING OVER THE GREATER TUNA PRESIDENT'S SHOULDER
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY THE SNOW QUEEN
CHRIS DAVIS ONE-MAN NUTCRACKER
HEDGEROW THEATRE TARTUFFE
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY MY GENERAL TUBMAN
CURIO THEATRE COMPANY I <3 ALICE <3 I
ACT II PLAYHOUSE SOUVENIR
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY AN ILLIAD
DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY A CHRISTMAS CAROL
ALMANAC DANCE CIRCUS THEATRE THE EDGE
AZUKA THEATRE SUNSET BABY
DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY OUTSIDE MULLINGAR
HEDGEROW THEATRE HELLA FRESH THEATER INIS NUA THEATRE DRACULA, THE BLOODY OSCEOLA COMPANY TRUTH THE NIGHT ALIVE
PASSAGE THEATRE COMPANY DAUPHIN ISLAND
INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY MAN OF GOD
LANTERN THEATER COMPANY THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
LANTERN THEATER COMPANY THE LAST MATCH
PEOPLE'S LIGHT DOT
PEOPLE'S LIGHT OUR TOWN
PEOPLE'S LIGHT PEOPLE'S LIGHT SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE MUD ROW
PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL
PHILADELPHIA YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS CANDLES
PIG IRON THEATRE COMPANY SUPERTERRANEAN
QUINTESSENCE THEATRE GROUP THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD
QUINTESSENCE THEATRE GROUP RACHEL
SIMPATICO THEATRE NATURAL SHOCKS
TEATRO DEL SOL GOOD CUBAN GIRLS
THEATRE EXILE ON THE EXHALE
THEATER HORIZON THE AGITATORS
TONGUE & GROOVE TRIBE OF FOOLS SPONTANEOUS THEATER OPERATION: WAWA INK ROADTRIP
TRIBE OF FOOLS YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING ON THAT LADDER
WILMA THEATER DANCE NATION
WILMA THEATER DESCRIBE THE NIGHT
WILMA THEATER THERE
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS
MAUCKINGBIRD THEATRE COMPANY SIGNIFICANT OTHER
AZUKA THEATRE SHIP
EGOPO CLASSIC THEATER FOOL FOR LO
INIS NUA THEATRE COMPANY A HUNDRED WORDS FOR SNOW
WILMA THEATER RENAISSANCE IN THE BELLY OF A KILLER WHALE
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED: MUSICAL
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY RAGTIME
BUCKS COUNTY CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS CABARET
ERIC JAFFE GAY MIS
KALEIDOSCOPE CULTURAL ARTS COLLECTIVE LYSISTRATA, CROSS YOUR LEGS SISTER!
BRISTOL RIVERSIDE THEATRE NEXT TO NORMAL
BUCKS COUNTY CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS THE PRODUCERS
ERIC JAFFE THE LIZARD OF OZ
QUINTESSENCE THEATRE GROUP THE WIZARD OF OZ
BARRYMORE RECOMMENDED: NEW WORK
ALMANAC DANCE CIRCUS THEATRE THE EDGE
ARDEN THEATRE AZUKA THEATRE COMPANY SHIP MY GENERAL TUBMAN
ERIC JAFFE THE LIZARD OF OZ
HELLA FRESH THEATER OSCEOLA
PEOPLE'S LIGHT LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A MUSICAL PANTO
TRIBE OF FOOLS OPERATION: WAWA ROADTRIP
KALEIDOSCOPE CULTURAL ARTS COLLECTIVE LYSISTRATA, CROSS YOUR LEGS SISTER!
PHILDELPHIA YOUNG PIG IRON THEATRE PLAYWRIGHTS COMPANY CANDLES SUPERTERRANEAN
CHRIS DAVIS ONE-MAN NUTCRACKER
ERIC JAFFE GAY MIS
NICK JONCZAK CHURN
PEOPLE'S LIGHT MUD ROW
SHOE BOX THEATRE COLLECTIVE THE MEDUSA PLAY
WILMA THEATER TRIBE OF FOOLS THERE YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING ON THAT LADDER
TEATRO DEL SOL GOOD CUBAN GIRLS
WINGS OF PAPER MUCH TO DO, MUCH TO FIX
THEATRE PHILADELPHIA Learn more about resources at Theatre Philadelphia WHAT’S ON STAGE A searchable, visual calendar of theatre, virtual shows, plays-by-mail, and more. Plus, receive a weekly e-newsletter delivered to your inbox. THEATRE NEWS Go behind the scenes with artists, adjudicators, or audience members. Plus, read criticism from our partnership with thINKingDANCE or catch the latest Letter from the ED. LIST-SERVE Share conversations with individuals working in theatre across the region. SPEAKER SERIES Events for artists and administrators to talk best practices in marketing and communications. EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM Apply for a sliding scale micro-grant or make a donation to support theatre workers during COVID-19.
LEARN M0RE: WWW.THEATREPHILADELPHIA.ORG
VICTORY FOUNDATION AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING THEATRE EDUCATION PROGRAM This award recognizes the diverse, rich, and impactful education programs in the Philadelphia theatre community, and seeks to put arts education and the future of the field front and center. Funded by the Victory Foundation, this special award includes a $5,000 cash prize for each finalist.
ASAP/AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES PARTNERSHIPS ASAP’s mission is to develop high quality after school activities and resources to empower youth and strengthen communities in Philadelphia. Through a variety of theatrical experiences and workshops led by professional teaching artists, ASAP Drama students are welcomed into Philadelphia’s vibrant arts community and exposed to a variety of artistic disciplines. PEOPLE’S LIGHT Our work with the New Voices Ensemble began in 1990, with students primarily from the city of Chester. Currently under the direction of Resident Teaching Artist and New Voices alum Nadira Beard, the program serves students ages 7-18. New Voices students receive scholarships for the Theatre’s full range of classes for youth, and transportation to and from those activities. PHILADELPHIA YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS Since 1987, Philadelphia Young Playwrights (PYP) has partnered with educators to bring the transformative power of playwriting into classrooms and community settings across Greater Philadelphia. Placing students at the center of their learning, PYP's intensive writing residencies advance writing-based literacy skills while developing critical 21st century skills like creativity, communication, and collaboration.
YES! AND...COLLABORATIVE ARTS Shadow Company is led by a “core” of 4 - 5 high school students. Shadow Company members are expected to learn about all aspects of the theatre-making process, including onstage and offstage roles. With an ensemblebased methodology the participants work with a director and professional artist to build their skills as artists, collaborators, leaders and citizens. This year round program meets at least once a month to take master classes, attend local theatre, go on field trips and participate in play building, weekends.
VIRTUAL WORK
VIRTUAL WORK
SOCIETY XI ONLINE from 11th Hour Theatre Company
MATCH GAME from CSz Philadelphia
3 Quarantine Cabarets featuring extraordinary singing duos, and 3 Musical Theatre Salons where members will be able to interact LIVE with some favorite Philly artists over Zoom. Quarantine Cabarets are evenings of stories and songs with some of Philly’s most entertaining performers, who just happen to be quarantined together. Musical Theatre Salons are curated, interactive discussions with talented artists who have worked on past 11th Hour productions.
Try and match the Players of ComedySportz in our version of the classic game show. Loyal Fans are chosen as contestants and can win prizes if they fill-in-the-blanks and match the panel of comedians. It's an hour of wit, silliness, and double entendres that as much fun to watch as it is to play.
VIRTUAL CARE-AOKE from 11th Hour Theatre Company
Reimagined for the virtual setting, MURDER MANOR brings together a group of suspects, victims and detectives all played by members of ComedySportz, Philly's longest running comedy show. You'll have the time of your life (or death) at MURDER MANOR, an improvised murder mystery that never ends the same way twice. Except with a lot of laughs.
11th Hour's Care-eoke - a Zoom karaoke event featuring our incredible community, and giving us all an opportunity to connect and have a great time. This is a karaoke event that is all about fun. If you are isolated together, duets and group numbers are welcome. If you are just looking to hang out and support others, we need that too! Give your vocal chords a workout, or come to spectate and dance along. Plus, enjoy topical trivia along the way! ELECTILE DYSFUNCTION from Act II Playhouse Fresh from the swing state of Pennsylvania and just in time for the mayhem of the election season. Tony Braithwaite leads a shameless cast of characters in an original sketch comedy revue. The troupe irreverently skewers the left, right and center with real voter interviews, press conference puns, pandemic parody, and BEST of all – a Trump vs. Nixon sing-off. Get ready for a riotous ride through America 2020! WE'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU ARE from Anastassia Vertjanova Wish upon a star, become pen-pals with the creature under your bed and wander the home of monsters on their lunch break. This show acts as a storybook gallery, filled with performance vignettes and a grown-up Mother Goose-style labyrinth. Explore the world of curious creatures at your own leisure, or log on during performance times to peek through live-streamed keyholes, learn spells, and get your spooky on! FEAST - LITTLE BOXES from Bearded Ladies Cabaret Late Night Snacks 2020: Feast is a 12-hour marathon of delicious cabaret goodness, hosted by John Jarboe and some far-flung friends from Philly to Melbourne. We’ll be live streaming this allyou-can-eat experience from noon to midnight. Tune in for a digital love bite or stick around for every mouth-watering course.
MURDER MANOR from CSz Philadelphia
COFFEE AND A PLAY from DigiRep DigiREP, produced by Coffee and a Play, is a BIPOC digital new work repertory festival, featuring new and up-andcoming Philadelphia playwrights, focused on the values of representation, workshopping, and development for the 2020 Philadelphia Fringe Festival! DG DIGITAL STUDIOS from Directors Gathering (DG) Directors Gathering (DG) is a Philadelphia-based service organization that through the power of community provides education, connections, and process-based opportunities for theatre directors. (DG) has offered several digital programs to our members and directors across the country and around the world. UNTOLD: A 10 MINUTE PLAYFEST from Doriane Feinstein and Aimee Goldstein Untold: A 10 Minute Playfest is a 2-day virtual play festival dedicated to showcasing new works by local Philadelphia artists. This festival is based around the theme of “Things that are Untold.” All 6 plays will be directed by Macie Poskarbiewicz: and include interviews with the playwrights.
WELCOME TO THE SHIVA HOUSE from Benjamin Behrend and Logan Gabriel Schulman
DG FOOTLIGHTS 10 MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL from Dramatists Guild
Shiva is the seven-day Jewish mourning period following the burial of a loved one; this traditionally involves joining the bereaved in their home for recollection and comfort. This hybrid experience utilizes digital performance, a guided walking meditation, and a companion booklet to help you follow along. Welcome, as we memorialize and celebrate the larger-than-life Sam Bloom on the the seventh and final day of Shiva.
Twenty-two playwrights. Four different programs of 10-minute plays. One great theatrical event!
COMEDY SPORTZ from CSz Philadelphia
A 7-part lecture series with EgoPo Classic Theater, including "Theater as Surprise Party: Making theater generous and audience-focused," which will discuss the idea as directors as radical hosts. They are givers of surprise parties. They can create unforgettable events, if they can learn to make the act of gift giving about the receiver and the audience.
ComedySportz is an improv comedy show unlike anything you've seen before: two teams of improvisers battle each other for points and laughs.
COFFEE AND CLASSICS from EgoPo Classic Theater
VIRTUAL WORK ALL STAR STORY SLAM from First Person Arts Four years ago, the greatest storytellers in the Philadelphia region came together to compete for the title of All-Star Champion. Expert storyteller, Nimisha Ladva, came out the victor that day with her story about grouping up as an “other” in England. The time has come for us to give storytellers another chance to win that title. FREE FRINGE 2020 from Free Fringe Philly Bringing back the spirit of making art accessible (free). Artists are encouraged to pass the hat at the end of their shows. All monies go directly to them. 2020 FRINGE FESTIVAL from Fringe Arts The Philadelphia Fringe Festival is a 4-week long, city-wide celebration of innovation and creativity in contemporary performance. Each September, the Festival explodes into every nook and cranny of Philadelphia with more than 1,000 artistically daring performances, including national and international performances curated by FringeArts, and works that are produced by independent artists and promoted by FringeArts.
VIRTUAL WORK KNIGHTLIFE from Hum'n'bards Theatre Troupe Hear ye, hear ye! The Renaissance has been transported to the digital realm! Join in the merriment from the comfort of your home as entertainers dazzle with music, art, dance, combat, and beyond. Tips will be split among the cast, so "toss a coin to your Witcher" throughout! TURN UP SHORTIES from Hum'n'bards Theatre Troupe We're putting together a big ol show to celebrate The Victoria Freehouse/Front Street Dive and raise some money to help the employees cope with loss of income. Help support one of the most fun venues for drag and burlesque events in Philly! INTO THE ABSURD from Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium Join Tina Brock, the IRC's Producing Artistic Director, for a weekly virtual dinner conversation, where she'll share the table with creators in the community and around the country. Saturdays at 5 pm, we'll dig into the Who, What, When, Where and Why of the existential challenges we face as artists and creators, illuminating the people and the stories in our backyard and beyond.
CROSSOVER from Green Light Group Productions
THE LET OUT from ILL DOOTS
Meet Crossover, the newest singing competition to hit the airwaves with a streaming-era twist: the competing artists must prove that they’re adept at both writing and performing across different genres in order to claim the title of CROSSOVER Champion.
ILL DOOTS' new album, "The Mess" is out on July 10th so we will be featuring our favorite bands/artists to celebrate in addition to performing a 30 minute set.
FRAUENSCHLLAECHTEREI from Hella Fresh Theater A German lawyer in 1933 Hollywood tries to make Brigette Helm an American star. A new play presented in weekly installments sent to you via the USPS mail culminating in a socially distant performance in your home. Starring Effie Kammer, written and directed by John Rosenberg. OSCEOLA from Hella Fresh Theater Anne is a housewife living in Eastern Nevada. Leland is her simple-minded brother-in-law who was kicked in the head by a horse. For Leland’s 40th birthday, Anne takes Leland hunting near the ghost town of Osceola. A film based on the 2019-20 Barrymore Recommended stage production. HERE WE ARE IN THE FUTURE from Hum'n'bards Theatre Troupe Enjoy a digital tribute to the colorful cartoon Steven Universe, performed by some of the best talents in Philadelphia.
ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'RE HAPPY from Inis Nua Theatre Company Our 4-part 2020-2021 Reading Series: Reconceiving Family. Abbie and Josh are adopting a little girl out of foster care. But the process is more challenging than they anticipated and an unexpected tragedy along the way forever shapes their young family. TUESDAY TALKS from Inis Nua Theatre Company Live interviews with Inis Nua artists. We'll discuss their work, their experience with Inis Nua, and some fun personal facts. We will also take questions from you! Including Rachel Brodeur, Jamison Foreman, Jerrell L. Henderson, and Mike Dees. HOPE & GRAVITY from Jenkintown Music Theatre All proceeds from this production will be donated in support of Black Lives Matter. When an elevator falls in a major city, nine lives intersect in surprising ways, both comic and tragic—through love and sex, poetry and dentistry; in offices, homes, and hotel rooms. Jill longs for Steve, who’s engaged to Barb, who hooks up with Peter, who’s already having an affair with Nan, who’s married to Marty, who subscribes to Elevator World. Meanwhile, nine stories off the ground, Douglas meets Tanya—who’s hoping to get pregnant with Hal—and a little miracle changes hands.
VIRTUAL WORK #ALLLIVESDONTMATTER from Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Collective #AllLivesDontMatter is a political piece. It is a social justice piece. It is a historical piece. It is current. It is creative expression. It is a laying on of hands. It is open. It is raw. It is cleansing. It is unapologetic. It is a theatrical tapestry that uses poetry, song, narrative, and dance to weave together episodic movements of what it is like being Black in America. #AllLivesDontMatter explores the conditions that many Blacks face as they try to navigate in a society that views them as expendable. #AllLivesDontMatter is a virtual event. PROOF from Masquerade Theatre Company “Proof” asks questions about universal human experience; How do we care for aging and sick parents? How do we deal with the death of a loved one? What do you do when you realize your life is stuck? Questions that became almost more relevant with the on-set of Covid-19. SPEAKING OF FAMILY from Michelle Pauls Shot entirely on Zoom with our phones, iPads and laptops. A miniweb series about a modern American family. Julia and Dick are married, for now. Julia takes care of her doddering dad, Kent. Greta helps her bi-racial son, Troy navigate a sometimes treacherous world. They all want the best for each other, but sometimes, that's hard.
VIRTUAL WORK DRIVE - IN CONCERT from People's Light IItching for live, outdoor music? Our (socially distant!) drive-in concert series continues into the Fall, featuring a wide variety of bands and genres. ZERO COST HOUSE from Pig Iron Theatre Company We reimagined Toshiki Okada’s Zero Cost House for Zoom. And...we liked it better than the original! So we are bringing it back–for five performances only. “Back in 2010, Pig Iron commissioned Japanese playwright Toshiki Okada to create a new play with us. As we began to work on the piece, the earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster reordered life in Japan, and Toshiki’s life as well. So Toshiki changed course–in life and in the script he was writing. And this was at a time when radiation levels, and contamination of food sources, in Tokyo were fairly unknown. So, like now, there was a lot of confusion and disagreement about safety, about responsibility to your family, and to your city. HENRY VI PART III from Phoenix Theatre A once stable nation is cast into chaos as families are torn apart and moral codes are overthrown in the pursuit of revenge and power. In Henry VI, Part III the battle for the crown between the Lancasters and Yorks continues. Who has the right? Who has the power? Who lives? Who dies? HAMLET from REV Theatre Company
UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK from Nique'Works Entertainment A virtual show centered on Black resilience, intersectionality and deconstructing allyship, coming to a digital stage near you! 20/20 VISION from People's Light A short film by Steve H. Broadnax III (Bayard Rustin: Inside Ashland, Mud Row), starring Eric B. Robinson Jr. (Mud Row). After witnessing on video the murder of George Floyd by police officers, a young Black father contemplates how he can participate in the Black Lives Matter movement and secure his family's safety. MR. FLOYD from People's Light A true story by Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr. "This. Was. The. Truth. All I did was tell a true story. I know. It feels like cheating. And yet. It's difficult to explain the cost for Black and Brown bodies telling the truth while living in the myth of white supremacy that is the United States. A family. A career. A reputation. A home. A life. Nothing is deemed by white folx as too precious to take away from you for telling your liberated truth. So the next time a Black or Brown body tells you that liberated truth that makes you squirm, hyperventilate, panic? Take it. Breathe deeply. Keep going." FOLK TALES IN THE GARDEN from People's Light Two storytellers lead families through a world creation story inspired by Korean and First Nations folk tales about curiosity, courage, and caring.
REV Theatre Company returns to Laurel Hill Cemetery to offer a site-specific, virtual reading of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy of love, betrayal, murder and revenge. When the ghost of his father appears, our legendary hero is faced with a dreadful quandary in Shakespeare’s classic play of love, murder and revenge. A skull, a poisoned sword, a villainous uncle/King, a funeral - or a wedding?- a drowned, insane girl and of course “To be or not to be” – all the familiar elements will be on hand. 154 REVISITED from Revolution Shakespeare Over 50 playwrights, poets, songwriters, creatives have adapted Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets, considered masterly textual representations of love, into their own uniquely voiced forms. These 154 adaptations, now embodied by over 100+ talented individuals in video/audio form, represent a way for us all to translate love into a new form — and perhaps, find and give love radically. WORLD HISTORY WITH CHARLIE from Sewer Rats Productions Local West Philly writer, historian and Fulbright scholar Charlie Allison presents four fresh history lectures. This selection of hilariously human stories spans the globe and the centuries, each with its own spin on the 2020 SoLow festival theme “Jump Ship.” EVERY EVERYMAN from Shakespeare in Clark Park An ancient morality tale transforms into a cabaret/pageant performance that speaks directly to the pandemic moment overwhelming all of us. Its fundamental question is: “What will travel with you to the land of death?” Fortunately, getting to the answers is a pretty funny journey – and a timely one.
VIRTUAL WORK PAUL from Shoe Box Theatre Collective Form. Content. Tradition. Revision. Paul is sort of about Paul, the framer of the gospels. Paul is really about Jaz and Leslie, two people lost in a virtual relation, desperate for a sense of certainty. VIRTUAL VARIETY SLAM — BLACK LIVES MATTER from South Camden Theatre Company This is a collection of 8 artists who are expressing themselves via words, songs, and art. Each artist is expressing their feelings around the Black Lives Matter movement. Raw, powerful, and inspiring. IGNITE from Strides Collective Sparks fly when ten students find themselves immersed in a fall semester full of new relationships, old secrets, and a shocking discovery that threatens to change campus life forever. With access to an online database of hidden audio recordings, voicemails, phone calls, video clips, and more, audience members have the ability to freely explore each student's story. And when a fire erupts on campus just days before winter break, it will be up to you to figure out how it all unraveled. IGNITE is a virtual theatre experience that explores what happens when we speak up, what happens when we stay quiet, and how one tiny spark can set everything ablaze. TRAILOFF - DEEPLY ROUTED BY DENISE VALENTINE from Swim Pony TrailOff is a transmedial walking performance, premiering September 2020 as a free-to-download mobile app. Central to the project are 10 original audio stories, inspired by paths within the region’s expansive Circuit Trail network. Each trail will feature an original drama that unfolds over a roughly 2 mile route, written by a local author. 5TH ANNUAL BRIDGE PHL THEATRE FESTIVAL from The Bridge PHL Annual performance festival that seeks to foster healing connections between diverse communities through powerful acts of theatre. SECRET THINGS from Theatre Ariel Delia, a Latinx journalist, receives a surprising package on her doorstep, containing articles about Latinx-Americans claiming hidden Jewish roots. Determined to show her editor that she can “transform this folktale into high stakes news,” Delia finds herself mysteriously drawn to an alluring Crypto-Jew, a mythical land, and surprising truth. THE SCRIBE from Theatre Ariel A long-dead Scribe begins his yearly recitation of the Torah to a host of angels. But even 2,500 years after he compiled that sacred text, the Scribe wrestles with its genesis: the stories and laws he almost left out; the pressure to meet Nehemiah's deadlines; the bickering of the Levites and Aaronites; all while his boss, Ezra, refuses to help (but is happy to take the credit). The Scribe tries to come to grips with the legacy of his work -- a bestseller, no less! -- and the consequences of his having been the human mind that organized the word of God.
VIRTUAL WORK HORIZON AT HOME from Theatre Horizon Horizon at Home is a free service provided by Theatre Horizon. All of the artists on camera are compensated for their work. If you love what you see, please help us keep the online show going by making a donation. SENSE PASS KING from Theatre in the X Sense Pass King is a children's story from Cameroon about a little girl who was so clever, she was smarter than even the King. A small scale version of our usual outdoor theater productions that was presented to West Philly blocks in collaboration with the Philly PlayStreets program. SECRETS: DUO STYLE from Tongue & Groove Spontaneous Theater Inspired by your anonymous submission of a true secret that you are keeping, the actors create a montage of improvised scenes and monologues exploring human relationships, hilarious and heartbreaking. The show is scored by live music. CODE BLUE from Wilma Theater Two men, caught in the chaos of contemporary America. One man, working inside a hospital during the COVID pandemic, comes to grasp the volatility of what it means to be “essential.” The other frantically parrots President Trump’s rhetoric. Its title, Code Blue, refers to the hospital code indicating an emergency when a patient enters cardiac arrest. I'M AN ACTRESS from Wings of Paper Chekhov’s beloved wannabe actress, turned self-proclaimed seagull, Nina, had quite the journey during the two year gap between Acts III and IV of the thespian favorite, The Seagull. So, what's the tea: is she a seagull or an actress? Find out in this one-woman show, written and performed by Angela Rose Longo as Nina. Join us on Youtube Live and discover what really went down in Moscow after Nina fled her family home to follow her much older, famous writer boy-toy, Trigorin.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
#OPEN YOUR LOBBY
HUM'N'BARDS THEATRE TROUPE PERFORMING ARTIST EMERGENCY FUND Taylor Plunkett-Clements The Philadelphia Performing Artists' Emergency Fund was created amid the COVID-19 outbreak to assist performing artists whose income has been impacted by show cancellations, slowing ticket sales, and/or low turnout during this pandemic. We are coming together as a community to lift each other up, and ensure we all make it through this together. Emergency Funds can be requested by any Cabaret, Drag, Burlesque, Theater, or performance artists facing a financial hardship caused by COVID-19. Visit the GoFundMe PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY LETTER TO CITY COUNCIL Paige Price This summer, Mayor Kenney announced a revised budget, one that eliminated arts funding, the OACCE, and the Cultural Fund. Theatre Philadelphia called on the greater theatre community to join together in signing a collective letter urging all City Council Members to oppose cuts to arts funding. The letter, authored by Paige Price of Philadelphia Theatre Company, was signed by theatres from nearly 100 performing arts organizations in 7 districts of the city. Read the Letter POWER STREET THEATRE DIGITAL RALLY FOR PHILLY ARTS Gabriela Sanchez For 24-hours over 2 days, a livestream of testimonials, performances, music, dance, and more was simulcast via the social media of Philadelphia arts organizations to oppose the defunding of arts and culture! The Digital Rally was conceived by Light Thief Productions, with the support of Power Street Theatre. Organizing support for the Digital Rally was offered by Big Picture Alliance, Girls Rock Philly, Rock to the Future, Spiral Q, Theatre in the X, and Vox Populi Gallery. Watch online with #SavePhillyArtsandCulture FIRST WORLD THEATRE ENSEMBLE TOWN HALL Zuhairah McGill First World Theatre administered a survey and convened leaders in the Greater Philadelphia's Black Arts community to come up with a strategic plan of action and implementation for Philly's theatre community. Town Halls included How the Arts Can Heal: A Community in Turbulent Times, and Inclusiveness 4All: Town Hall 2.0. Town halls continue to bring together African American and white theatre companies and artists to engage authentic solutions to address systemic racism in theatre in the Greater Philadelphia region. Learn More
DESIGN
EGOPO CLASSIC THEATER CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS
INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY THE NICETIES
INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY STEAL HER BONES
EGOPO CLASSIC THEATER CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS
INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY THE NICETIES
JENKINTOWN MUSIC THEATRE HOPE AND GRAVITY
DESIGN
JENKINTOWN MUSIC THEATRE HOPE AND GRAVITY
POWER STREET THEATRE KISS OF ADDIXION
POWER STREET THEATRE KISS OF ADDIXION
INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY STEAL HER BONES
SIMPATICO THEATRE ESTHER CHOI AND THE FISH THAT DROWNED
SIMPATICO THEATRE ESTHER CHOI AND THE FISH THAT DROWNED
SIMPATICO THEATRE ESTHER CHOI AND THE FISH THAT DROWNED
JENKINTOWN MUSIC THEATRE HOPE AND GRAVITY
SIMPATICO THEATRE ESTHER CHOI AND THE FISH THAT DROWNED
TEATRO DEL SOL OEDIPUS EL REY
WILMA THEATER IS GOD IS
INIS NUA THEATRE COMPANY FOLK
THEATRE PHILADELPHIA
EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM $300-$500 SLIDING SCALE MICRO-GRANTS Theatre Philadelphia Emergency Relief awards micro-grants with a sliding scale of $300-$500 to individuals who live in the Philadelphia region, work in theatre, and whose theatre income has been impacted by COVID-19. Individuals who live within a 35-mile radius of Philadelphia's City Hall are eligible to apply. Micro-grants are firstcome-first-serve. We welcome applications from all individuals who work in the theatre industry, including, but not limited to: performers, administrators, box office and event staff, choreographers, stage managers, designers, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, production staff, musicians, teaching artists, technicians, and service workers.
APPLY OR DONATE: WWW.THEATREPHILADELPHIA.ORG/ EMERGENCYRELIEF