The Wilma Theater Announces its 2017-18 Season

The Wilma Theater is pleased to announce its upcoming 2017/18 Season. The season will begin with Federico García Lorca's Blood Wedding, directed by Csaba Horváth and featuring the Wilma HotHouse Company of actors. It will be followed by a major revival of the Tony Award-winning musical Passing Strange by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, directed by Tea Alagi?. Closing the season will be the world premiere of Passage by Christopher Chen, directed by Wilma Artistic Director Blanka Zizka and featuring the HotHouse Company. All performances will take place at the newly renovated Wilma at Aurora. From the stage to the lobby, the 2017/18 Season ushers in a new era of the Wilma that is nothing short of transformative.

BLOOD WEDDING
by Federico García Lorca, translated by Nahuel Telleria
directed by Csaba Horváth

October 25 - November 19, 2017

On the morning of her wedding day, a young Bride is visited by a headstrong former lover, reigniting a family blood feud that has been simmering for years. Their isolated village is a pent-up powder keg of fury and desire, and when they escape together, all that repression is released - to destructive ends. Acclaimed Hungarian director-choreographer Csaba Horváth leads the Wilma's HotHouse Company of actors in a production combining athletic ensemble theater with Lorca's fiery language. Magical realism at its richest and most tragic, this reimagining of the Spanish classic is a searing investigation of passion in the Wilma's signature style.

PASSING STRANGE
book and lyrics by Stew, music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald
directed by Tea Alagi

January 10 - February 18, 2018

In this major revival of Stew and Heidi Rodewald's Tony Award-winning musical, a rebellious young black man journeys to Europe in search of something "real." Music takes center stage as we travel from gospel-soaked South Central LA through psychedelic Amsterdam to militant Berlin and back. Passing Strange is a rowdy salve for turbulent times: a young punk screaming in defiance of the void, with an onstage band that "might play all night."

PASSAGE
A World Premiere by Christopher Chen
directed by Blanka Zizka

April 18 - May 13, 2018

Imagine you're in an exotic new country; mysterious, picturesque-and occupied by your nation.
Now imagine you are a distinguished doctor, but you can't get a cab to stop for you.
Now you're in a cave so dark, so quiet, you lose track of who you are.
Suddenly, there's a sound and -

Welcome to Passage, a fantasia on E.M. Forster's A Passage to India that uses the theater's most primal evocative powers to examine the thorniest and most essential questions of our time. This World Premiere is a perfect vehicle for the Wilma HotHouse Company's passion and transformative prowess.

Special Events

The Wilma will hold Lobby Talks after each performance, and audiences are invited to stay, have a drink, and share their thoughts with cast members and Wilma staff. Audiences will also be able to take advantage of networking and social events like Beer Tasting Night and Young Friends Night, among others. The new full-service café in our lobby will host several additional arts events throughout the season.

Wilma WynTix

With the 2017/18 season, The Wilma Theater will continue the bold initiative to make theater affordable and available with Wilma WynTix. Season ticket buyers will be able to receive WynTix pricing with a full three-play season package at $75 or a preview package at $66. Students and theater industry member packages are only $30.

This initiative is based on the belief that artistic encounters are meant to be experienced by all; that arts organizations have a responsibility and a desire to reach more deeply into Philadelphia communities; that the makeup of Wilma audiences can and should more accurately reflect these communities; and that Wilma productions will continue to represent a range of voices, viewpoints, and styles. Wilma WynTix is a ticket subsidy program made possible by a generous grant from the Wyncote Foundation at the recommendation of Leonard C. Haas.

Season ticket holders will continue to enjoy the same exchange privileges and restaurant discount benefits. Packages are available by calling 215.546.7824, visiting The Wilma Theater box office located at 265 South Broad Street in Philadelphia, or online at wilmatheater.org.

Mission
The Wilma Theater creates living, adventurous art. We engage artists and audiences in imaginative reflection on the complexities of contemporary life. We present bold, original, well-crafted productions that represent a range of voices, viewpoints, and styles.

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