60 Can't-Miss Shows on Philly Stages for Fall 2025 & Winter 2025/2026

The gilded, crystal-chandeliered and velvet-curtained Academy of Music is a fixture of the Kimmel Cultural Campus, one of four venues now part of Ensemble Arts Philly. The 160-plus-year-old venue on Philly’s Avenue of the Arts plays host to Opera Philadelphia, Philadelphia Ballet (formerly The Pennsylvania Ballet), much of the annual Broadway Series and more.

• Six: The six wives of Henry VIII reclaim their history as modern-day, fiercely female pop stars in this fast-paced, Tony Award-winning musical. Expect audience participation as the divas battle each other in a singing competition where the wife with the worst experience wins (September 30 – October 5, 2025).

• Back to the Future: What if your teenage self could time travel to meet your parents on the day they met? Marty McFly finds out in this musical version of the popular ’80s movie. Will Doc Brown help Marty make it Back to the Future before he changes his family’s history forever? (November 18-30, 2025)

• George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker: Enter the Philadelphia Ballet’s enchanting world of dancing sugar plum fairies, waltzing flowers and marching toy soldiers set to Tchaikovsky in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. See the Academy of Music morph into the magical Land of Sweets in this beloved, annual holiday tradition (December 5-31, 2025).

• Suffs: Direct from Broadway, Suffs channels the vibe of Hamilton, taking the audience on a musical journey through the suffragettes’ struggles for women’s right to vote. Creator Shaina Taub made history when she became the first woman to independently win Tony Awards for best score and best book (January 6-18, 2026).

• Complications in Sue: Opera Philadelphia presents the world premiere of an opera libretto from Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright Michael R. Jackson. Complications ensue in this opera centered on Sue, a woman with a split personality. Even better: “Pick Your Price” ticketing returns for the 2025/26 season (February 4-8, 2026).

Opera soloists come from across the globe to train at the esteemed Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA). Graduates of the program have gone on to sing in places like La Scala in Milan and the Royal Opera House in London. AVA hosts regular opera performances at their historic home in Rittenhouse Square to showcase its student talent.

• Le nozze di Figaro: The Academy of Vocal Arts opens the season with a Mozart classic. The comic opera, Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), weaves the timeless story of competing love interests through a chaotic day full of misunderstandings. Mozart’s score shines throughout and amplifies the emotional turmoil on stage (November 8 – December 2, 2025).

• Capriccio: Returning to the Academy of Vocal Arts stage for the first time in 15 years, Capriccio showcases the age-old rivalry between words and music. In Strauss’s final opera, Countess Madeleine ponders the profound question of what is more beautiful, poetry or music, while choosing between two competing suitors, one a poet, the other a composer (January 17-25, 2026).

Noted for both world premieres and popular works, prominent regional Arden Theatre (and its eponymous theater company) presents diverse works on its main stage series for adults, as well as captivating productions for children. The troupe, established in 1988, has garnered much acclaim, including dozens of Barrymore Awards.

• Falsettos: When Marvin leaves his wife and child for his male lover, Whizzer, things get complicated quickly. A contemporary musical set in the early days of the AIDS epidemic, Falsettos explores themes of love, identity and family with humor and heartbreak (September 25 – October 26, 2025).

• The Mountaintop: It’s the evening before the unthinkable when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. returns to the Lorraine Motel after his I’ve Been to the Mountaintop sermon and strikes up a conversation with a mysterious maid. What starts as playful banter evolves into an intimate discussion over legacy and the battle for civil rights (October 30 – December 14).

• Good Bones: As a stadium project severs a community, urban planner Aisha buys a fixer-upper in her rapidly changing old neighborhood. The Philadelphia premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames’ play, Good Bones confronts issues of gentrification in a humorous yet biting one-act play (January 22 – March 8).

• Romeo & Juliet: After a chance meeting at the local dance, Romeo and Juliet fall hard for each other, despite the fact that their families hate each other. A timeless tale reimagined for a modern audience, this classic Shakespeare tragedy examines the costs of love and loyalty to family (March 5 – April 5).

On the first level of the historic Drake building, two renovated theaters — the intimate Louis Bluver Theatre and larger Proscenium Theatre — serve as home to InterAct Theatre Company and several resident companies, including PlayPenn, Simpatico Theatre Project, Azuka Theatre and Inis Nua Theatre under the “At The Drake” performance banner.

• Walden: In this Philadelphia premiere from the Interact Theatre Company, Walden takes the audience to a future on the verge of ecological collapse. Twin sisters reunite in an isolated cabin. One sister has just returned from a successful space mission while the other has abandoned her NASA career. Tensions simmer as the two debate whether to abandon Earth or fight to save it (October 31 – November 23).

• The Greatest Play in the History of the World: It’s the middle of the night when time literally stops for everyone except four neighbors. Harnessing the spirit of all four characters, a single narrator tells stories and shares other-worldly messages in a moving show with a dash of holiday joy (November 26 – December 14, 2025).

• One-Man Nutcracker: What would The Nutcracker look like if only one person acted out the entire thing? Find out in this reimagining of the holiday classic as Chris Davis embodies all of the ballerinas for a jam-packed hour of holiday magic back for a third year (December 8 – January 4, 2026).

The 220-seat waterfront FringeArts Theater — built inside a century-old former riverside pumping station — hosts contemporary out-of-the-mainstream Fringe performances, experimental concerts and other events throughout the year, including the annual Fringe Festival every fall. Before or after a show, visit the onsite restaurant Fringe Bar and its verdant outdoor Haas Biergarten space.

• Spiritual Experience: A theater production like no other, Spiritual Experience sets the stage for only two viewers per show. Secret content only revealed to audience members creates an intimate performance and immersive experience. No audience participation required (September 4-28, 2025).

• Around the World in 80 Toys: Around the World in 80 Toys bends genres by weaving together magic, puppetry, micro-cinema and live theater. The true story of cinema legend and founding father of special effects, Georges Melies, inspired the eclectic show where the toys take center stage (September 26-28, 2025).

One of just two Shubert Organization venues outside of New York City, the Forrest Theatre 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.

• Clue: This classic whodunit is based on the wildly popular board game and feature film spoof, Clue. Was it Miss Scarlett in the billiard room with the lead pipe? Or Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the wrench? With twists and turns, murder and mayhem, you may just die laughing (January 20-25, 2026).

Uruguayan-born architect Rafael Viñoly designed Philly’s most renowned theater space, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, a gem along the Avenue of the Arts, which plays host to The Philadelphia Orchestra, regional productions, and international masters of music and dance. Opened in 2001, the Kimmel is the cornerstone venue of Ensemble Arts Philly, previously known as Kimmel Cultural Campus. The building features two primary auditoriums: the Perelman Theater and Marian Anderson Hall, the former Verizon Hall recently renamed to honor the Philadelphia-born opera singer, humanitarian and Civil Rights icon.

• Yannick Conducts Tchaikovsky: The Philadelphia Orchestra presents an evening of hauntingly beautiful music starting with Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, featuring soloist Lisa Batiashvili. The show concludes with Yannick Conducts Tchaikovsky’s dark symphonic poem, Francesca da Rimini, the dramatic story of a doomed romance inspired by Dante’s Inferno (October 24-26, 2025).

• Handel’s Messiah: The Philadelphia Orchestra’s beloved holiday performance of Handel’s Messiah returns under Yannick’s jubilant direction. The soaring arias and Hallelujah chorus will no doubt get you in the holiday spirit (December 12-14, 2025).

• A Philly Holiday Spectacular (Philly Pops): The holiday spirit arrives in full force with the Philly Pops’ A Philly Holiday Spectacular. Under the direction of the Pops’ new music director, Chris Dragon, expect all of your favorite holiday tunes and maybe even a surprise visit from Santa. The popular show has two performances this year (December 13-14, 2025).

For almost two decades, St. Stephen’s Theater — an intimate 150-seat performance space located in the rear of a Center City church — has been the home of local theatrical powerhouse Lantern Theater Company. Staging contemporary works, classic plays and original shows during its season, the theater company has racked up a number of Barrymore Awards over the years.

• The Real Thing: Tom Stoppard’s emotional exploration of love and all of its complexities takes the stage in The Real Thing. A successful playwright falls in love with his wife, his lover and his writing. Lines blur between art and life as the characters try to figure out how you know when it’s truly the real thing (September 4 – October 5, 2025).

• A Christmas Carol: The transformative tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future celebrates the holiday season as only Charles Dickens can do. Tha Lantern Theater Company’s traditional interpretation of the holiday favorite returns for its seventh year (December 13-18, 2025).

• Blues for an Alabama Sky: In 1930s Harlem, a group of friends look for their big break when a stranger from the south appears. Will he help them realize their dreams or dash their hopes? Blues for an Alabama Sky captures the final days of the Harlem Renaissance as cultural shifts and economic uncertainty make for tough times (February 12 – March 15, 2026).

The versatile 1,840-seat, circa-1918 Miller Theater (previously known as the Merriam Theater) on the Avenue of the Arts hosts stand-up comedians, celebrity chefs, dance troupes, theater acts and much more. Intimate and enthusiastic crowds add to performances at the venue, one of the four Kimmel Cultural Campus locations now part of Ensemble Arts Philly.

• Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern: Dungeons & Dragons takes the stage for an interactive experience where the audience decides the best way to save the world. Part theater, part gaming, all adventure, no two shows will be the same (October 10-12, 2025).

• An Evening with Samara Joy: After selling out two years in a row, Grammy Award-winning singer Samara Joy returns to the Miller Theater for one night. The modern jazz performer channels Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday with her silky smooth voice. NPR calls her a “classic jazz singer from a new generation” (Tuesday, November 11, 2025).

• The Enchanted Nutcracker: The Rock School presents an all-ages, inclusive experience this holiday season. The Enchanted Nutcracker is a sensory-friendly, hour-long version of the beloved ballet (Thursday, December 4, 2025).

• Blue Man Group: Join the Blue Man Group as their Bluevolution World Tour stops in Philly for a family-friendly music and dance experience. Be prepared to get out of your seats and join in the fun (February 24 – March 1, 2026).

Penn Live Arts at the University of Pennsylvania is one of the nation’s top urban collegiate performing arts centers. The institution offers nearly all genres of cultural performance including jazz, world music, contemporary dance and touring plays in three spaces: the Harold L. Zellerbach, Harold Prince and Bruce Montgomery theatres.

• Jorge Luis Pacheco: Cuban sensation Jorge Luis Pacheco brings his sizzling Afro-Cuban modern-jazz mix to Penn Live Arts. A classically trained pianist, Pacheco blends his Cuban rhythms with masterful improvisation sure to electrify the audience (Saturday, October 11, 2025).

• Choir! Choir! Choir! presents Hallelujah: An Epic Anthems Sing-Along: If you are one of those people who can’t help but sing along, Choir! Choir! Choir! will bring you much joy. Intentionally interactive and coinciding with Penn’s homecoming weekend, the show welcomes you to become part of the show as you join together with your fellow audience members to belt out all the best tunes (Saturday, November 8, 2025).

• MOMIX presents Alice: Immerse yourself in the amazing abilities of the human body as you watch dancer-illusionists MOMIX recreate Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Sit back and enjoy Alice’s dreamlike journey down the rabbit hole with the Mad Hatter and White Rabbit, all interpreted through acrobatic dance (December 12-14, 2025).

One of the oldest continuously running theaters in the nation, the Plays & Players Theatre opened as The Little Theatre in 1913. Its location on quiet residential Delancey Place in Rittenhouse Square adds to its charm — as do the comedic antics of theater troupe 1812 Productions, whose annual romp This Is the Week That Is has been a Philly favorite for 20 years. Upstairs, black box Skinner Studio offers additional dance, music and theater programming and access to members-only late-night bar Quig’s Pub.

• The Thin Place: A grieving woman befriends a professional medium who can talk with spirits wandering around The Thin Place, or the veil between the living and dead. Chillingly sparse scenery adds to the emotional tension as the two women confront loss in the Fever Dream Repertory production (October 17-26, 2025).

• This is the Week That is – 20th Anniversary Special: Join 1812 Productions’ special anniversary edition of its political humor show, This is the Week That is. Guests can look forward to a rollicking good time full of hilarious sketches, biting satire and musical parodies. Expect audience participation (November 28 – December 3, 2025).

Don’t be afraid, Stephen King fans: That’s rūm as in “room.” One of Philly’s newest theaters and the brick-and-mortar home of Without A Cue Productions, Red Rūm Theater opened in early 2023. Focusing on interactive murder mystery dinner theater shows, the audience is just as involved in the production as the cast, all tasked to figure out whodunit.

• And Then They Were Dead: And Then They Were Dead adds a murderous twist to a choose-your-own-ending mystery cabaret. A wife inherits her husband’s beloved million-dollar sculpture after his suspicious death. He wants to be buried with it, but everyone wants to cash in. The audience decides who will get the possibly cursed art (September 6-14, 2025).

• Totally 80s Homecoming: Welcome to Homecoming, ’80s style! Grab your leggings, jelly bracelets and Aqua Net as participants become students at Mountain Ridge High for one night. Crown a Homecoming king and queen, hide your drinks from the principal and dance like no one’s watching in this interactive event dripping with Gen X attitude (September 20-28, 2025).

An iconic landmark in Philly’s Mt. Airy neighborhood, this former movie house has been home to Quintessence Theatre Group for more than a decade. Known for reimagining the classics, the company has staged ambitious battles, heroic journeys and epic romances within this equally grand Art Deco-style theater. Now, the troupe has made things official-official by purchasing the historic building, transforming the company’s longtime host venue into its permanent home.

• Fire!!: In 1927, a magazine called FIRE!! A Quarterly Devoted to Younger Negro Artists set out to incinerate old ideas and spark change. In this world-premiere adaptation, Quintessence Theatre weaves together the lives of Harlem Renaissance greats like Wallace Thurman, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes with stories, music and dance, as they set the literary world on fire (October 8 – November 2, 2025).

• The Hypochondriac: Argan receives a diagnosis he believes fatal. Worried about medical bills, he hatches a plan to marry off his daughter to a doctor so he can get free insurance and survive his sickness. A modern take on Moliere’s classic comedy, The Hypochondriac exudes biting satire and stinging wit, sure to resonate with contemporary audiences (October 8 – November 2, 2015).

The Suzanne Roberts Theatre along Philly’s Avenue of the Arts has been home to the half-century-old Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) since the venue opened in 2007. The theater — named for the actress, playwright, director and television host who is also matriarch of the Comcast-owning Roberts family — is a hotspot for contemporary plays and musicals for adult audiences.

• Primary Trust: When shy Kenneth loses his long-time job, he shares his struggles over nightly Mai Tais with his only friend, Bert. Winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the quietly intimate Primary Trust questions how to move on after loss and how to build the trust and confidence needed to start all over again (September 19 – October 5, 2025).

• Caesar: Strap in and prepare for a whirlwind adaptation of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, reimagined as a modern-day thriller. Tyler Dobrowsky’s take on the classic tale of overzealous ambition finds Brutus forming an assassination plot to save Rome. But the violent power struggle causes chaos and confusion tinged with authoritarianism (February 6-22, 2026).

What started as a small group of improvisers has grown into the SideQuest Theater. Expect live, unscripted shows that demand audience participation at the revitalized Adrienne Theater on Sansom Street. SideQuest performs more than 20 shows each year.

• Fellowship! The Musical: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring comes to life as a musical comedy with dancing hobbits and a sequin-studded demon singing cabaret in Fellowship! The Musical. The Broadway-style musical features 12 original songs and an unforgettable evening of Lord of the Rings adventures (November 13 – December 21, 2025).

South Philly-based nonprofit company Theatre Exile explores the human condition through timely and thought-provoking productions meant to raise social well-being and community consciousness. Established in 1996, the theater focuses on contemporary works and new plays featuring local talent performing in an intimate setting.

• Red: Abstract expressionist artist, Mark Rothko, has just landed a monumental commission to paint the walls of New York’s famed Four Seasons restaurant. As he and his assistant Ken work, fireworks erupt over issues of creativity and commercialism in the face of Pop Art’s popularity. Winner of several Tony Awards, Red presents an intimate portrait of an artist’s ambition and quest for authenticity (October 24 – November 17, 2025).

• PhillyGRIT: Theatre Exile presents its annual series showcasing daring theater. Productions include Koal, a one-woman, interactive show set during the 2019 Australian wildfires, told through the eyes of a baby koala bear, a trapped coal miner and an Indigenous girl with a dark past. A Heart Ripped Out Twice and So Can You! weaves a story of heartbreak and a health scare while making jokes about pain. The series wraps up with Camp Cookie, a cabaret featuring Philly drag performer Cookie D’iorio (February 26 – March 15, 2026).

Dating back to 1808, Philly’s Walnut Street Theatre is the oldest continuously operating theater in the entire English-speaking world. During its first years, the theater hosted a horse circus and horse dramas, with its first traditional performance an 1812 production of Rivals attended by President Thomas Jefferson. The first theater to offer air conditioning, gas footlights and electric chandeliers (as well as the term “curtain call”), the National Historic Landmark presents productions on three stages: the Mainstage, Independence Studio on 3 and Studio 5.

• Million Dollar Quartet: On December 4, 1956, music legends Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley all walked into the same recording studio and instinctively started to jam. Based on a true story, the Broadway sensation Million Dollar Quartet electrifies the stage with hits like Great Balls of Fire, Blue Suede Shoes, and Walk the Line (September 30 – November 2, 2025).

• A Christmas Story: The Musical: Ralphie wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas despite his mom’s warnings that he’ll shoot his eye out. A Christmas Story The Musical sets everyone’s favorite holiday movie to music complete with pink bunny pajamas, triple-dog-dares and a scintillating leg lamp (November 18, 2025 – January 4, 2026).

• A Delicate Balance: Edward Albee won his first Pulitzer with his darkly comic A Delicate Balance. When old friends show up unannounced and afraid, Agnes and Tobias welcome them to stay. Threatening to upend the delicate balance of their stable, suburban life, the couple must contend with secrets, existential dread and the power of hope (February 24 – March 29, 2026).

Proud winner of the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater is an independent theater located along Philly’s Avenue of the Arts. The stagehouse is known for its intimate setting and adventurous live art that engages audiences in imaginative reflections on the complexities of contemporary life.

• The Snow Queen: Before Elsa, there was The Snow Queen, the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale. Enter an enchanting world of ice and magic as a young girl named Gerda sets out on a journey to save her brother. The show is the Wilma’s first for an all-ages audience (November 11-30, 2026).

• Poor Judge (A Pig Iron Production): Back for another year, Poor Judge is a mashup of cabaret and experimental theater with the haunting music of Aimee Mann as the soundtrack. From the mind of Pig Iron co-creator Dito van Reigersberg, the mesmerizing show features seven Aimees singing and dancing while lamenting lost love and lonely LA highways (January 13-25, 2026).

• The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington: As she lay dying, First Lady Martha Washington can’t escape the wild visions holding her to account. She’s surrounded by the enslaved people who will be freed upon her death as they put her on trial. From the Wilma’s HotHouse Acting Company and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames, The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington explores history, race and power dynamics (March 17 – April 5, 2026).

Located in the Montgomery County borough of Ambler, vibrant and award-winning regional theater ACT II Playhouse regularly draws patrons from Philadelphia and beyond for its eclectic productions in an intimate setting. Founded in 1998, the venue — with dozens of Barrymore Awards nominations and wins in its coffers — churns out a broad range of performances including comedies, dramas, musicals and original works.

• Misery:  Perfect for spooky season, Stephen King’s psychological thriller Misery takes the stage for a tense night of theater. A famous author survives a car crash thanks to his No. 1 fan, Annie Wilkes. Seething about the author’s decision to kill off a beloved character, unhinged Annie holds novelist Paul Sheldon hostage and forces him to rewrite under threat of violence (October 7 – November 9, 2026).

• Proof: Catherine has cared for her brilliant, mathematician father for years. When a former student seeks her father’s lost notebooks in search of a special proof on the same weekend her sister visits, their fragile family bond comes undone. Winner of both a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, Proof explores the fine line between genius and madness (January 27 – March 1, 2026).

Housed in a former movie house overlooking the Delaware River, Bucks County’s 300-seat Bristol Riverside Theater stages hundreds of shows each year, including Mainstage productions, a summer music fest series, a Christmas show and special events. The theater is known for its commitment to inclusivity and fostering local talent.

• Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike: Brother and sister Vanya and Sonia live a quiet life in a quaint, Bucks County farmhouse when their self-absorbed, famous sister Marsha comes home with her much younger boyfriend, Spike. Dysfunctional family dynamics make for both heartfelt and hilarious moments in the Tony Award-winning play from Christopher Durang (September 16 – October 5, 2025).

• The Nice List: ​​Just in time for the holidays comes the world premiere of Alan Muraoka’s heartwarming, family-friendly play, The Nice List. When Santa needs to leave the North Pole for important business, he puts two elves in charge of managing the list of who’s been nice. As the elves struggle mightily to decide which children make the cut, the list shrinks until it seems that Christmas might just be canceled (December 9-28, 2026).

• The Net Will Appear: The perfect play to beat any February funk, The Net Will Appear tells the story of an unexpected friendship. Solitary retiree Bernard prefers to sip a cold one on his rooftop to ponder life’s complexities when his energetic 9-year-old neighbor Rory discovers him. Across the rooftop gap, the two toss barbs while unknowingly forging a strong friendship (February 3-22, 2026).

New Hope’s Bucks County Playhouse dates back to 1939, with performances taking place in a former 18th-century gristmill dating back to 1751. Since then, the riverside theater has seen the likes of Grace Kelly, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Redford, Liza Minnelli and more grace its stage. Professional Broadway producers took over the venue in 2012, returning to its roots incubating soon-to-be Broadway hits and staying open year-round for local and touring productions, world premieres, original plays, musicals, live music and more. Make it a full night at the Playhouse Deck restaurant and bar.

• The Rocky Horror Show: Grab your fishnets and campy costumes for Bucks County Playhouse’s annual October showing of The Rocky Horror Show. The musical came first and inspired the cult classic film that follows Brad and Janet’s adventures in a castle on a dark and stormy night (October 10 – November 2, 2025).

• Elf The Musical: After little orphan Buddy accidentally crawls into Santa’s bag, he’s whisked away to the North Pole where he grows up thinking he’s an elf. His cover gets blown when he grows too big and stinks at making toys, so he sets out on an epic journey to find his birth father. Heartwarming and hilarious, Elf The Musical’s catchy songs will have everyone singing loud for all to hear (November 21, 2025 – January 4, 2026).

The 440-seat Media Theatre opened in 1927 as Media’s largest movie theater and vaudeville house. Fast forward 100 years, and the theater now produces musicals, comedy shows and kid-friendly performances as the largest professional regional theater employing equity actors in Delaware County.

• Young Frankenstein: Dr. Frankenstein’s grandson Frederick inherits the family estate in Transylvania and tries to best his grandfather by making a better monster. Igor assists and hilarity ensues in this musical stage adaptation of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein (October 2-26, 2025).

• Annie: Seeing Annie never gets old. She’s still hoping the sun will come out tomorrow and change her hard-knock life, as evil Miss Hannigan tries to make a buck and destroy Annie’s dreams. With a little help from her new billionaire friend, Annie just might make it out (November 28, 2025 – January 4, 2026).

Since 1974, professional, regional theater People’s Light has produced an eclectic mix of shows, from Macbeth and Pride & Prejudice to the world premieres of Such Things as Vampires and The Harassment of Iris Malloy. The theater in Malvern, Chester County, also hosts classes for kids and other community engagement and educational programs.

• The Unexpected 3rd: In The Unexpected 3rd, award-winning theater artist Kathryn Grody confronts her third act as a human with humor and humility. Grody reflects on her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, friend and accidental influencer. This emotional solo piece explores the pitfalls and glimmers of aging and the impermanence of life (September 17 – October 19, 2025).

• Tommy and Me: Philly sports commentator Ray Didinger’s autobiographical play Tommy and Me recounts his friendship with former Eagles wide receiver Tommy McDonald. Tommy helped the Birds get some big wins and Ray helped Tommy get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After a sold-out run last year, the nostalgic show returns to People’s Light for two weeks (October 7-19, 2025).

Founded in 2005 in the heart of Norristown’s Arts Hill District, Theatre Horizon is a vibrant regional theater known for its intimate setting and bold, diverse productions. Home to the acclaimed Theatre Horizon company, the 123-seat black box regularly hosts a mix of musicals, plays, limited engagements and one-day events, with a strong focus on accessibility and community.

• Oedipus in Seattle: If Oedipus Rex and Sleepless in Seattle had a love child, Oedipus in Seattle would be the offspring. Each night, two new actors who have never read the script or rehearsed will portray split personalities, one Oedipus/Tom Hanks, the other Jocasta/Meg Ryan. Rom com meets mom com in this theatrical mashup (September 24 – October 5, 2025).

• Wishing to Grow Up Brightly: Inspired by the real-life story of Amanda Morton, Wishing to Grow Up Brightly follows the story of Korean-American adoptee Amanda Newton. Amanda returns home after her father’s death to help her mother sort through his things. When she discovers his memories preserved with new technology called reMemorex, her whirlwind musical journey of discovery begins (November 5-23, 2025).