THE WORST CAFE IN THE WORLD Comes To Philadelphia This May

The Worst Cafe in the World is preparing for its North American premiere in Philadelphia (April 25-May 5, 2024). 

At The Worst Cafe In The World, guests will be seated and provided with a menu from which they'll "order" a series of theatrical moments from performer-servers (Anna Lieberman, Gabe Moses, and David Pica) - small bites, entrees for a table, or sharing platters for the whole cafe. From there, diners might enjoy a monologue, a digital experience, a full-audience improvisation, or something else entirely unexpected and thoroughly enjoyable. The gastro-theatrical delights may be salty, sweet, or completely unexpected, and diners get to choose all of their dramatic courses. Picture a dish arriving covered in a cloche, only to discover a mini-puppet theater on the plate.

There will be nightly specials in the form of pop-up guests, announced at a later date, who will share their delicious theatrical delights for lucky diners. And, of course, even the worst cafe in the world wouldn't send guests away hungry. Every ticket holder receives a complimentary beverage and snack.

Reservations for a table at The Worst Cafe first started in Belfast as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival in October 2019. It was such a success that the owners decided to pop up in top secret locations in towns throughout Northern Ireland in March 2021, including masquerading as a seafront café in Portstewart, followed by a covert operation in Armagh.

This special collaboration between Tiny Dynamite and Big Telly will be dished up by lead theatrical chefs (i.e., developed by) Kathryn "KC" MacMillan, Artistic Director of Tiny Dynamite, and Zoe Seaton, Artistic Director of Big Telly.

The Philadelphia engagement has service April 24-May 5 at Poth Brewery (3145 W Jefferson St.). Seatings are 6:30pm Wednesday to Saturday; 2:00pm Sunday. This prix fixe experience is $25 per guest. Reservations are available at tinydynamite.org.

About Tiny Dynamite: Tiny Dynamite welcomes new audiences for theater with our accessible approach to presenting plays. Since our founding in 2008, we have produced welcoming, empathetic, and community-based stories. All programs take place under the banner of A Play, a Pie, and a Pint, a unique theatrical experience where each moderately priced ticket includes a performance, food, and beverage, often with seating at communal tables. Our tagline is "brilliantly casual"; we reinvigorate the art form by dismantling the perception that theatre is only for "special occasions" and by breaking down barriers to participation. A Play, a Pie, and a Pint starts early, keeps costs low, and meets audiences where they are by moving productions around the city.

About Big Telly: We bring world class theatre to small communities in Northern Ireland, and we bring their voices to the world stage. We are a conduit between rural communities and urban platforms, providing a space for exchange, brokering wider conversations about the local, the global and our place in society. We are pioneering playmakers, using creativity as a catalyst, and placing people at the centre of our work to provoke thought and explore the possibility of change. We work closely with communities to establish frameworks which offer new ways to connect. All of our work is interactive, co-created and bespoke, addressing issues of sustainability, accessibility, and diversifying views on cultural identity. We hijack familiar stories and spaces such as houses, shops, cafes in order to make audiences feel both safe and brave, mixing up traditions with tech to make bold new story worlds with and for the wider community. We believe in the transformative power of the arts. We believe in this place, in the people who call it home.

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