Walnut Street Theatre Independence Theatre on 3

The Experience

A trip up the elevator at the Walnut can lead anywhere. Two small theaters on different floors present a wide variety of works all season. These theaters are the venues for many smaller and emerging companies in the area and, thus, a place to sample fresh work. Also, the Walnut Street Theatre Company presents its own “Independence Studio on 3” series here. It has produced intense contemporary plays like The Orphans, Someone to Watch Over Me, and The Normal Heart, new plays and often one-man shows on various cultural figures from Noel Coward to Shylock. Also, intimate musical revues like Forever Plaid or Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, are staged.

History

The” Independent Theatre on 3” series at the Walnut Street Theatre was started in 1985 by Bernard Havard. Philadelphia Magazine named this the best theater series of 2002. The theaters upstairs at the Walnut have been the originating homes for some of the established theaters in the city, like the Philadelphia Theatre Company and the Arden Theatre Company. They continue to host many smaller and emerging companies with a wide variety of fare. It is a good opportunity to see offbeat work by young groups defining their niche.