Arden Theatre Company – Theaters in Philadelphia

Arden Theatre - Theaters in Philadelphia

‘Kid Friendly Theater’

The Arden Theatre Company  is a smaller type of theater in Philadelphia which is located in Old City on the corner of 2nd and Filbert Streets.  This theatre is kid friendly and allows children to help usher.

History of the Arden Theatre Company

The Arden Theatre Company was founded in 1988 by Terrence J. Nolen, Amy Murphy and Aaron Posner and began producing in the Walnut Street Theatre.

It wasn’t until 1995, when the company purchased a 50,000 square-foot building in Philadelphia’s historic Old City neighborhood. The building was renovated to house 360-seat stage theatre on the main floor and a 175-seat studio theatre on the second floor. There is also the box office, administrative and production offices, and space for rehearsals and classroom activity.

The Arden Theatre Company has received numerous awards over the years, to include 53 awards from the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theater and four “Theatre Company of the Year” citations from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Arden Theatre Experience & Atmosphere

The Arden Theatre is small and cozy. The theater has preserved elements of the building by showing off exposed wood beams, pressed tin ceilings, steam pipes, and the original brick work.  These historic elements, mixing the old and the new, fits right in with the Old City neighborhhood which is surrounded by many art galleries in this section.

When it comes to seating, there really isn’t a bad seat in either of the two theaters. During intermission, there is more than just candy bars, soda, and bottled water. There is also the baked goods and other sweets.

The Arden Theatre Company has 5 adult productions and 2 children productions a year. They also have an educational program included in the company’s Arden Drama School. Having classes for children of all ages, not only teaching them the fundamentals, but allowing them to have roles in the adult productions. The major role would be to allow the children to be ushers during the shows, as well as being a part of the back stage after the show is over.

The Arden Theatre Company’s mission, directly from their web site, states that the company “is dedicated to bringing to life great stories by great storytellers – on the stage, in the classroom and in the community.” After moving to the Old City neighborhhood, the Arden Theatre Company has strong ties to the community

Location

40 North 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Hours

Office Hours  |  Monday – Friday  |  10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Phone

(215) 922-8900

(215) 922-1122  |  Tickets

Web Site

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