Arden Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia premiere of Good Bones, the newest play by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright James Ijames (Fat Ham), about gentrification and the consequences of change in a neighborhood and in a family. Directed by Philadelphia-based award-winning actor Akeem Davis, Good Bones begins performances Jan. 22, opens Jan. 28, and now runs through March 22.
Newton Buchanan (Travis) and Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha) in Arden
Theatre Company’s 2026 production of
“Good Bones”. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios
Good Bones follows Aisha as she returns to her childhood neighborhood with her husband to help developers “revitalize” the place she grew up. As they renovate their new home, her homecoming proves more complicated than expected. When their contractor learns that Aisha is involved in bringing a controversial sports arena to the community, tensions ignite around who gets to stay and who must go when cities change.
Featuring an all-Philadelphia cast and design team, Good Bones uses sharp humor and emotional depth to explore the tension between progress and preservation, asking who cities are built for and what gets lost in the name of change.
Set in a kitchen-mid-renovation, the play centers the notion of home and poses the incredibly personal conundrum we’ve all had to face: what to do with your roots? Explored through four wildly different characters, Good Bones operates on the edge of whether it’s right to hold tightly to roots – no matter how strained – or to sever the ties that bind in pursuit of a broader perspective. – Akeem Davis, Director of Good Bones
The cast features Newton Buchanan (Travis), Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha), Walter DeShields (Earl) and Kishia Nixon (Carmen).
If You Go:
- Previews Jan. 22, opens Jan. 28, and runs through March 22.
- Single ticket prices vary by performance and start at $37.
- Post-Show Talkback | Sunday, Feb. 15, at 2 p.m., and Thursday, March 5, at 7 p.m. Join a member of Arden’s artist team for post-show talkbacks.
- 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).
Post expires at 10:43am on Monday March 23rd, 2026