From indie originals to Broadway musicals, April is chock-full of performances at Philadelphia theaters.
Audiences can sing along to “Dreamgirls” at the Walnut Street Theatre and “In the Heights” at Bristol Riverside Theatre. For book lovers, the Children’s Theatre at the Arden is diving into J.R.R. Tolkien’s world with a stage version of “The Hobbit,” and Ensemble Arts has a one-night-only performance of “The Screwtape Letters,” based on the C.S. Lewis novel.
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Spring also means the return Philadelphia Theater Week, the annual event honoring the city’s thespian community. The shows include a mixture of crowd favorites and original performances, and to increase accessibility, they’re pay-what-you-can.
Here’s a closer look at the shows coming to the stage in April:
In the Heights
Now-April 27 | Bristol Riverside Theatre | Bristol, Bucks County
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Tony Award-winning musical showcases life in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood, a predominately Dominican community. It’s told largely through the stories of a bodega owner, aspiring fashion designer, cab driver and an Ivy League dropout. Tickets start at $64.
Dreamgirls
April 2-May 4 | Walnut Street Theatre | 825 Walnut St.
This musical, which won six Tonys, follows a 1960s girl group reminiscent of The Supremes. After group is discovered in an amateur competition and rises to stardom, its story is full of “onstage joy and backstage drama.” Tickets start at $49.
The Hobbit
April 2- May 25 | Arden Theatre Co. | 40 N. 2nd St.
In this stage version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous book, hobbit Bilbo Baggins takes a journey with a wizard and a group of dwarves to confront a dragon named Smaug and reclaim their ancestral home. The show is being put on by the Arden’s Children’s Theatre program and recommended for people ages 7 and up. Tickets start at $25.
Philadelphia Theatre Week
April 3-13 | Various locations | Philadelphia
During this 10-day event, Philadelphia venues celebrate the world of theater with performances, workshops and readings. They include favorites like “110 in the Shade” and “Anthony and Cleopatra” and original productions like a comedy based on “The Book of Mormon” and a mother-daughter poetry show. Tickets for all shows are all pay-what you can.
Rift, or White Lies
April 4-27 | Interact Theatre | 302 S. Hicks St.
Two estranged brothers, one a progressive novelist and the other a convicted murderer in a white supremacist prison gang, reunite as adults and attempt to better understand one another and their traumatic upbringings. Based on a true story from the playwright, the show attempts to answer whether people can love someone who holds beliefs they despise. Tickets start at $38.
Birthday Candles
April 5-May 1 | People’s Light | Malvern, Chester County
This show follows the birthdays of Ernestine Ashwood from ages 17 to 101. Each year, she reflects on her existence while remembering the everyday moments that shaped her with the help of her mother’s golden butter cake. Tickets start at $54.
The Shadow of Her Smile
April 6 | Bucks County Playhouse | New Hope, Bucks County
After landing a role as Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter in “The Little Foxes” and co-starring with the Hollywood icon, Ann Talman created this show about their bond and stories about Taylor. The performance includes Broadway and Great American Songbook musical selections. Tickets are $65.
The Screwtape Letters
April 6 | Ensemble Arts | 250 S. Broad St.
Based on the C.S. Lewis novel of the same name, the show follows a demon named Screwtape who attempts to capture the soul of a human through temptation. The darkly comedic show is recommended for people 12 and older. Tickets start at $71.
Archduke
April 15-May 4 | Wilma Theater | 265 S. Broad St.
Three boys are sent on a mission to assassinate Austro-Hungarian empire heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in a fictionalized version of the event that sparked World War I. They’re recruited with the promise of glory, purpose and a sandwich in this show that ponders how far people will go in the fight against oppression. Tickets start at $65.
Broadway at the Colonial Theatre
April 27 | The Colonial Theatre | Phoenixville, Chester County
Broadway stars John Riddle (“Frozen,” “Phantom of the Opera”), Mary Kate Morrissey (“Wicked,” “Mean Girls”) and Noah Ricketts (“The Great Gatsby,” “Beautiful”), are at the Colonial Theater for a night of vocal stylings. Tickets start at $25.
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