The Dramateurs, Inc. at the Barn Playhouse’s 2025 Season opens with the Broadway’s tuneful and meaningful ‘The Prom’ opening on April 25.  ​

If you go:

The Barn Playhouse is at 1700 Christopher Lane, Jeffersonville
Performances : April 25, 26 and May 2, 3, 9 & 10 at 8 pm
April 27 and May 4 at 2 pm.

Tickets: $24, with a $2 discount for seniors/students

Is it possible to love someone whose beliefs you hate?

InterAct Theatre Company presents the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of RIFT, OR WHITE LIES, a gripping new drama by award-winning playwright Gabriel Jason Dean, running from April 4 – 27, 2025. Directed by Seth Rozin, this provocative play explores the deep and painful fractures within a family, the weight of shared trauma, and the search for reconciliation in an era of extreme ideological division.

Starring Barrymore Award-winning actors Matteo Scammell and Jered McLenigan, RIFT, OR WHITE LIES follows two estranged brothers—one a progressive novelist, the other a convicted murderer and high-ranking member of a white supremacist prison gang—who must confront their turbulent past and their irreconcilable differences. Each night, Scammell and McLenigan will alternate roles, offering audiences a chance to experience the play from two unique perspectives. Patrons who see one performance will have the opportunity to return for a special $12 ticket to witness the reversed casting.

We are thrilled to bring this powerful and urgent story to the stage. In a time when ideological divides seem wider than ever, RIFT, OR WHITE LIES asks: Can love bridge the chasm between us? Can we truly see one another beyond our beliefs? This production invites audiences to grapple with these complex questions through a deeply human lens. – Director Seth Rozin

If You Go

Performances of RIFT, OR WHITE LIES will take place at the Proscenium Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks Street, from April 4 – 27, 2025 (press opening April 10). Tickets are available at www.interacttheatre.org/rift-or-white-lies. Special $12 tickets are available for patrons who return to see the reversed casting. RIFT, OR WHITE LIES is also part of Philly Theatre Week, and a limited number of Pay What You Can tickets are available for performances April 4 – 13.

As a company dedicated to civic discourse, InterAct hosts discussions for audience members almost every day of the week after non-preview performances. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays are facilitated by Artistic Director Seth Rozin. Saturdays  are artist talkbacks with literary manager, Chaz T. Martin, and special guests including South Philly native, Frank Meeink (Author of “Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead”).

Adventure awaits as Arden Children’s Theatre invites families to embark on an unforgettable journey filled with courage, friendship, and excitement in Greg Banks’ lively stage adaptation of The Hobbit now through June 1. Directed by Rebecca Wright, the imaginative production brings Middle-earth to life in a magical, action-packed retelling of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved classic, designed for audiences ages seven and up. Through clever storytelling and dynamic staging, audiences are drawn into the journey of Bilbo Baggins, a humble hobbit who steps out of his comfort zone and embarks on an epic quest that tests his bravery, wit, and heart.

The Hobbit unfolds on the Arden’s intimate 175-seat Arcadia Stage (40 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA), where thrust seating arrangement immerses audiences into Bilbo’s journey.  

The Hobbit’s dynamic cast features five talented actors—Eliana Fabiyi, Kelly McCaughan, Nathan Alford-Tate, Ciera Gardne and Sean Lally — who, together, play more than 20 characters throughout the 90-minute production. 

This playful and whimsical adaptation of The Hobbit is perfect for young adventurers, highlighting the themes of friendship, courage, and loyalty that made Tolkien’s novel a classic of children’s literature – Rebecca Wright. 

With a minimalistic set that captures the woodsy, forested landscapes of Middle-earth, audiences are transported into a magical, colorful world populated by fantastical creatures, including trolls, goblins, eagles, and elves—staying true to the vivid descriptions in Tolkien’s original book. The play follows Bilbo, who would much rather be nestled in his cozy Hobbit Hole with a cup of tea and a plate of bacon and eggs. Instead, he’s swept into an unexpected adventure, journeying through freezing mountains and eerie forests, where he encounters both fearsome foes and loyal friends. Though hesitant at first, Bilbo discovers that his true strength lies not in physical power but in his cleverness, bravery, and heart—transforming him from a timid hobbit into an unexpected hero. With a cast of longtime Arden collaborators and fresh new voices, the production blends story and spectacle, bringing the audience along Bilbo’s extraordinary journey.

The stellar cast features Eliana Fabiyi (Bilbo), a Philadelphia-based actor, writer, and sound designer who has previously appeared at the Arden in Treasure Island (Jim Hawkins/Emily), The Bluest Eye (Maureen Peal), Peter Pan (Jane/Tootles), and A Midsummer’s Night Dream (Fairy/Musician). Fabiyi’s regional work includes roles at People’s Light, Orbiter 3, and Ninth Planet. 

If You Go:

The Hobbit  runs through June 1.

Single ticket prices vary by performance and start at $35. Tickets are available online at ardentheatre.org, by phone at 215.922.1122, or at the box office at Arden Theatre Company (40 N. 2nd Street). 

Special events/performances: 

• Student Matinees | Available Tuesdays through Fridays at 10:30 a.m.
• American Sign Language (ASL) Shadow Interpretation | Friday, May 16, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. & Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 4 p.m.

Beginning April 15, the Philadelphia-based theater company The  Wilma Theater (265 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107), recipient of the 2024 Tony Award for  Best Regional Theatre, presents the regional premiere of Archduke by award-winning playwright Rajiv  Joseph. The Wilma’s visionary Founding Artistic Director Blanka Zizka returns to direct the dark comedy  that imagines how three poor, sickly boys searching for meaning were manipulated into hate by a  bombastic ideologue and inspired to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The event is historically  viewed as the catalyst of World War I. The cast features Wilma HotHouse Acting Company members  Melanye Finister, Sarah Gliko, Suli Holum, Brandon J. Pierce, and Steven Rishard. The regional  premiere of Archduke runs from April 15 to May 4, with 21 performances presented in the Wilma’s 300- seat theater.  

Joseph is a Brooklyn-based Pulitzer Prize Finalist and two-time Obie Award-winning playwright whose  work has been hailed as “daring, magnificent, and virtuosic” by the Los Angeles Times. He quickly  became one of the leading American playwrights thanks to his critically acclaimed and award-winning  works, including Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Gruesome Playground Injuries, and Describe The  Night. In 2017, his play Archduke received its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles,  which was praised by the Los Angeles Times as “an ambitious mix of history, comedy, and tragedy.”  Since its world premiere, Joseph wrote a brand-new ending to Archduke provoked by Zizka that will  appear in its upcoming presentation at the Wilma. 

In Archduke, three destitute boys suffering from tuberculosis in Belgrade – Gavrilo Princip (Holum),  Trifko Grabež (Gliko), and Nedeljko Čabrinović (Pierce) – are recruited by a mysterious organization with  promises of glory, purpose, and a sandwich. Their depraved Captain (Rishard) sends the boys on a  mission he claims will restore order and justice to their struggling nation, avenging the unfairness of  their terminal illness. Their assignment? Assassinate the heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire, Archduke  Franz Ferdinand, and his wife, Sophie. Joseph’s play asks: What happens when a person feels they have  nothing left to lose? What methods are acceptable in the fight against oppression?  

Rajiv Joseph masterfully reinterprets a crucial historical event, creating an absurdist dark comedy that  is both funny and poignant. Set just two days before Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination in  Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, the play unveils the Serbian nationalist ideologies of the era—cries to reclaim  national pride and former glories, expansionist aspirations, a culture of masculinity and entitlement, grievances, cruelty, and misogyny. The similarities in the rhetoric from that time to today’s U.S. Christian  nationalism strike me as particularly provocative. – Blanka Zizka

The cast of Archduke comprises notable local stage actors and resident members of the Wilma’s  acclaimed, award-winning HotHouse Acting Company, which Zizka founded in 2011. The company  members meet weekly to train, read plays, and develop their artistry. Leading the cast of Archduke as  the play’s recruits are Sarah Gliko as Nedeljko Čabrinović, Suli Holum as Gravrilo Princip, and Brandon J.  Pierce as Trifko Grabež. Joining them are Steven Rishard, playing their debauched captain Apis, and  Melanye Finister, playing his obstinate associate Sladjana.  

Blanka Zizka served as the Founding Artistic Director of the Wilma Theater from 1981 to 2020. For  years, Zizka developed practices and programs for local theater artists to create working conditions  supporting creativity through continuity and experimentation. She has directed over 70 plays and  musicals at the Wilma, including the U.S. premiere of Tom Stoppard’s The Hard Problem, world premiere  of Paula Vogel’s Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq, Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, Sarah Ruhl’s In the  Next Room, and Macbeth, which included an original score by Czech composer and percussionist Pavel  Fajt. In  2020, Zizka became the theater’s Artistic Director Emeritus and passed the torch to the shared  leadership team, which currently comprises Co-Artistic Directors Morgan Green, Lindsay Smiling, and  Yury Urnov, and Managing Director Leigh Goldenberg. 

On-Demand Streaming Presentation 

Following the play’s in-person run, the Wilma offers an on-demand streaming presentation of  Archduke, available from May 8 to June 1. Single Digital Tickets will be available for sale toward the end  of the show’s in-person run and limited to audiences in Philadelphia. Tickets start at $35 and can be  purchased at www.wilmatheater.org or by calling the Wilma’s box office at 215-546-7824. 

If You Go

Archduke has an estimated 100-minute runtime with no intermission. The production is recommended  for audiences 15 years or older.

Preview performances for Archduke are from Tuesday, April 15, to Thursday, April 17. The production  opens with an invite-only performance on Friday, April 18, at 7 p.m. and runs through Sunday, May  4.

The Wilma also welcomes African  American audiences to attend the Black Affinity Night on Friday, April 25, which offers “Pay-What-You Wilma” ticket prices. 

The Wilma hosts a variety of ancillary events to further engage with audiences around its productions.  Families can attend the Childcare Matinee on Saturday, April 26, at 2 p.m., during which paid childcare  will be available in partnership with Music Theatre Philly (MTP). While patrons attend the matinee, MTP  leads children through a musical theatre workshop that includes theatre games, an arts and crafts  project, and a presentation of a whole production number.

Theatergoers can attend the Sunday, April 27 matinee for “The Let Out,” an insightful and lively post show conversation with production members held immediately after the performance. On Monday,  April 28, at 7 p.m., attendees can participate in an Open Mic Night, where a host and cast members  discuss the themes of Archduke. The April 24 and May 1 performances include a post-show Café Chat in  the lobby with the cast and crew led by members of the artistic team. 

Patrons can purchase single tickets at www.wilmatheater.org or by  calling the Wilma’s box office at 215-546-7824.  

“Plant Based” is a new video web series in the works. It was inspired by an idea Jess Stinson had for a stand-up comedy story about the impact a marijuana dispensary has on a conservative town. Tony Moore turned the idea into a 20-minute pilot for a video web series. The pilot was filmed in two locations: in Ms. Stinson’s Wallingford home and at the Blue Moon Theatre in Woodstown, N.J.

Jess Stinson at right, with John Paul Cappielo onstage in “The PlayMakers” at Colonial Playhouse in March 2024.

The creative team is asking for donations to edit the pilot and film future episodes. If you can help, donations can be made here: https://igg.me/at/plantbasedws

Is there a correct way to grieve? Five characters, each affected by a tragic accident, do their best to heal, each following their own path with humor, sensitivity and finally, grace. “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abaire
is directed by Suki.

If You Go

The Stagecrafters Theater, 8130 Germantown Ave, Phila, PA 19118

• Performance dates: April 11-12 8pm, April 13 2pm
  April 17-19 8pm (No show Apr 20)
  April 24-26 8pm, Apr 26,27 2pm
• Tickets $26 online, $30 at the door. Discounts available.

Visit:  http://www.thestagecrafters.org for more information or call 215-247-9913 for reservations

The electrifying rhythms of Washington Heights pulse through  Bristol Riverside Theatre (BRT) this spring as Lin-Manuel  Miranda’s groundbreaking musical, a genre-bending blend of hip-hop, salsa, merengue, and soul, In the  Heights, takes the stage March 25 through April 27. BRT’s production is directed by the visionary Carlos  Armesto, returning to BRT following his sensory-driven production Odd Man Out in 2023. This season,  Armesto brings the beloved hit musical set on the vibrant streets of New York to the stage.  

In the Heights celebrates community, and we feel like we are celebrating our own community by  inviting everyone over for a fiesta to celebrate the new theatre and the community that made building it  possible. – Co-Producing Director Ken Kaissar who serves as the show’s producer.  

Set over three transformative days, In the Heights captures the rhythm of a community on the brink of  change, where love, loss, and dreams collide under the sweltering summer sun. At the heart of it all is  Usnavi de la Vega, played by Daniel L. Melo, the neighborhood’s beloved bodega owner who dreams of  a better life while staying grounded by his love for his community.  

Usnavi’s bodega is the neighborhood’s heartbeat, where the colorful residents cross paths daily.  Vanessa (Sonya Hernández), Usnavi’s love interest, dreams of escaping her troubled home life to make it  downtown. Meanwhile, Benny (Wesley Hodges), who works for Kevin Rosario’s (Victor Rodríguez, Jr.) car service, fights for Nina’s (Paula Gaudier) love while navigating his place as an outsider in this close knit community. Suzanna Guzman brings to life the neighborhood’s matriarch, Abuela Claudia, who  embodies the community’s heart and history. The stakes rise with the summer heat, culminating in a  blackout that threatens to change everything. 

Since its Broadway debut at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (2008), following an Off-Broadway run at 37  Arts Theatre (2007), In the Heights has garnered critical acclaim, winning four Tony Awards in 2008,  including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography, and Best Orchestrations. The original  cast album later secured a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2009, cementing its place in  the American musical canon. 

Latino Theatre Night

In the Heights is complemented by a Latino Theatre Night (En Español) special event presentation of the musical on April 5. Ticket purchasers are invited to an evening celebrating Latino and Hispanic theatre-
makers, community, and culture. Included with an individual ticket to this show, guests will enjoy ligh refreshments at a pre-show social mixer and an optional post-show conversation with director Carlos
Armesto, community leaders, and the cast.

Tickets are available at 215-785-0100, brtstage.org. 

On stage March 25 through April 27.

Bristol Riverside Theatre is at 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, PA

Walnut Street Theatre (WST) is thrilled to bring the acclaimed award-winning musical “Dreamgirls” to life as they close their 216th season of dreams. This dazzling production begins previews on March 25, opens April 2, and runs through May 4. 

Stars rise and fall… but dreams live forever! This sensational Broadway musical tells the story of a 1960s Supremes-like girl group that catches its big break during an amateur competition. But will their friendship – and their music – survive the rapid rise from obscurity to pop super stardom? Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, “Dreamgirls” is a sweeping and inspirational journey with a dazzling production, powerhouse vocal performances, and an unforgettable score filled with pop, R&B, gospel, disco and more! 

First premiering on Broadway in 1981, “Dreamgirls” took the theatre world by storm, earning six Tony Awards, including Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Book. With book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger, the show’s infectious score and dazzling spectacle quickly cemented it as a Broadway classic. Following its acclaimed original run, “Dreamgirls” was reimagined for a new generation in a star-studded 2006 film adaptation, which won two Academy Awards. In 2016, the show made its long-awaited West End debut at London’s Savoy Theatre, where it played to sold-out crowds and earned critical acclaim, including two Olivier Awards for acting performances. Decades after its debut, “Dreamgirls” continues to shine as a beloved staple of musical theatre, capturing the soul and spirit of an era.

Leading the cast as The Dreams, the trio at the heart of the story, are AVEENA SAWYER as the powerhouse Effie White, GABRIELLE BECKFORD as the ambitious Deena Jones, and KHALIFA WHITE as the lively Lorrell Robinson; all three are making their Walnut debuts in these roles. CHALI COOKE (Beautiful – The Carole King Musical) joins as Michelle, rounding out the evolving girl group  as they navigate the music industry’s highs and lows.  

CLAYTON CORNELIOUS makes his Walnut debut as he takes on the role of the electrifying  James “Thunder” Early, with JARRAN MUSE also making his debut as the smooth yet ruthless  Curtis Taylor Jr. DEVIN L. ROBERTS (Hairspray) portrays C.C. White, the young songwriter with big  dreams, while Tony Award nominee (The Scottsboro Boys) FORREST MCCLENDON (Finian’s  Rainbow) brings to life Marty, the group’s steadfast advocate and mentor. 

If You Go:

Previews begin March 25, 2025 and the show runs through May 4, 2025. Open captioning will be available on Sunday, April 6 for the 7 pm  performance; audio description will be available on Thursday, April 17 for the 2pm performance.

Walnut Street Theatre at 825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107  PHONE: 215-574-3550  

TICKETS: walnutstreettheatre.org or ticketmaster.com