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It’s time to give a standing ovation. Greater Philadelphia’s venerable theaters and performing arts venues stage stellar productions all year long, but there’s something especially inviting about the warmth of the theater on a cold day. (Or the blast of AC on a particularly hot one.)
The epicenter for live performances in the city is the Avenue of the Arts, the stretch of South Broad Street between City Hall and South Street. There you can feel the energy each night as theatergoers, orchestra fans, and dance and opera lovers funnel into the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Academy of Music, The Wilma Theater and the Miller Theater. After performances, you can see throngs of arts aficionados themselves spill onto the street to make their way to their next stop: dinner, drinks, dancing, you name it.
Elsewhere, spaces devoted to experimental ventures in both the city and the surrounding region specialize in popular musicals, original creations, children’s theater and more.
Late 2023 and early 2024 promises a lineup of familiar stories, like Mrs. Doubtfire, Frozen and Legally Blonde, plus Broadway favorites like A Raisin in the Sun, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Hadestown. And don’t miss out on exciting shows in the countryside at Bristol Riverside Theater and The Media Theatre
Read on for a guide to the best performing arts venues in Greater Philadelphia, as well as the can’t-miss shows and performances slated for winter and spring 2024.
This gilded, crystal-chandeliered, velvet-curtained, 160-plus-year-old theater plays host to Opera Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, Broadway Series and others — and is always worth the price of admission.
Where: Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad Street
Noted for both premieres and popular works, the Arden presents a main stage series for adults, as well as captivating productions for children. The theater has garnered much acclaim, including dozens of Barrymore Awards.
Where: Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd Street
On the first level of the historic Drake building, two renovated theaters serve as home to InterAct Theatre Company and resident companies Azuka, Inis Nua, PlayPenn and Simpatico Theatre.
Where: The Drake, 1512 Spruce Street
A 220-seat theater, FringeArts hosts contemporary performances, experimental concerts and other events throughout the year. The onsite restaurant, Fringe Bar, makes for a great dinner-and-a-show experience.
Where: FringeArts, 140 N. Christopher Columbus Boulevard
This Shubert-owned theater bears the name of Edwin Forrest, a 19th-century Shakespearean actor and Philadelphia native. One of the city’s premier venues for more than 90 years, the Forrest frequently hosts touring productions of Broadway shows, winter through spring.
Where: Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut Street
Architect Rafael Viñoly designed this Avenue of the Arts’ gem, home to The Philadelphia Orchestra and more regional and international masters of world, pop, jazz, classical, theater and dance.
Where: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad Street
The 1,840-seat, circa 1918 Miller (formerly the Merriam) hosts stand-up comedians, celebrity chefs, dance troupes, theater acts and more. Intimate and enthusiastic crowds add to the performance.
Where: Miller Theater, 250 S. Broad Street
One of the nation’s most honored Black professional theater companies, New Freedom Theatre has staged productions from James Baldwin, Ossie Davis, Charles Fuller, Ntozake Shange, August Wilson and Leroi Jones, and been instrumental in the theatrical formation of hundreds of young Black Philadelphians, including Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. With producer, songwriter and entrepreneur CEO Karl “Dice Raw” Jenkins now at the helm, the theater heads into a new era.
Where: New Freedom Theatre, 1346 N. Broad Street
Formerly known as The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Penn Live Arts is one of the nation’s top urban university performing arts centers, putting on all genres of cultural performance. Jazz, world music, contemporary dance, touring theater and more make the venue a place to explore what the organization describes as “adventuresome perspectives on contemporary issues.”
Where: Penn Live Arts, 3680 Walnut Street
The Philadelphia Theatre Company is a hotspot for contemporary plays and musicals for adult audiences.
Where: Philadelphia Theatre Company at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad Street
One of the oldest continuously running theaters in the United States, the Plays & Players Theatre opened as The Little Theatre in 1913. Its location on a quiet, residential street adds to its charm — as do the comedic antics of theater troupe 1812 Productions, whose annual holiday romp, This Is the Week That Is, has been a Philly favorite for more than a decade. Upstairs, Skinner Studio offers additional programming and access to Quig’s Pub.
Where: Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place
The brick-and-mortar home of Without A Cue Productions, Red Rūm Theater opened in early 2023. Focusing on interactive murder mystery shows, the audience is just as involved in the production as the cast, investigating whodunnit.
Where: Red Rūm Theater, 601 Walnut Street
This South Philly-based nonprofit theater company explores the human condition through timely and thought-provoking productions meant to raise social wellbeing and community consciousness.
Where: Theatre Exile, 1340-48 S. 13th Street
Founded in 1808, the oldest continuously operating theater in the country is a National Historic Landmark that produces musicals on its main stage and indie productions in its Independence Studio.
Where: Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street
The Wilma is known for adventurous live art that engages audiences in imaginative reflections on the complexities of contemporary life.
Where: The Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad Street
Ambler’s award-winning ACT II Playhouse regularly draws patrons from Philadelphia and beyond for its eclectic theater productions in an intimate setting.
Where: Act II Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Avenue, Ambler
Overlooking the Delaware River, this 300-seat Bucks County theater, housed in a former movie theater, stages hundreds of shows each year, including Mainstage productions, a summer music fest series, a Christmas show and special events.
Where: Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol
Broadway producers have taken over this historic theater housed in an 18th-century gristmill. Together, they’ve revived the storied scene by opening year-round and arranging for original plays, world premieres, musicals, solo performances, live music, youth programs and more, including the Playhouse Deck Restaurant & Bar.
Where: Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main Street, New Hope
This nearly 500-capacity theater was built almost a century ago and served as Media’s largest movie theater. Fast forward 100 years, and The Media Theatre produces musicals and hosts comedy shows and kid-friendly performances.
Where: The Media Theatre, 104 E. State Street, Media
Since 1974, People’s Light has produced an eclectic mix of shows, from Macbeth and Pride and Prejudice to the world premieres of Such Things as Vampires and The Harassment of Iris Malloy. In addition to staged shows, People’s Light also hosts classes for kids.
Where: People's Light, 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks, including tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, or the National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package.
Which will you choose?
Big musical acts, festivals and more make up Philly's concert scene this year...