FYI Philly | The best of Broadway, celebrate 25 years of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- This week on FYI Philly, we pull the curtain back for the best of Broadway in Philadelphia. Get the scoop on every show coming to town. Plus, explore the scintillating sound of the fabulous Philadelphians, and celebrate 25 years of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
Paid Sponsorship: Ensemble Arts Philly
Ensemble Arts brings the best of Broadway to Philadelphia
The 2026-2027 Broadway season includes 14 shows and more than 150 performances. The shows will be staged in three iconic venues: The Academy of Music, The Miller Theater and the Forrest Theatre.
The catalogue of shows has amassed 39 Tony Awards, 39 Drama Desk Awards, 24 Olivier Awards and 5 Grammy Awards. There is a mix of huge Broadway productions, more intimate shows and a mix of musicals and plays.
There are 6 shows included in the subscription package for the 2026-2027 season. Five of the tiles are new to Philadelphia.
The Great Gatsby | October 20 - November 1, 2026 | Academy of Music
A dazzling musical that brings F. Scott Fitgerald's classic novel to life.
BOOP! The Musical | November 17 - 29, 2026 | Academy of Music
Betty Boop reimagined in a colorful new way.
Hell's Kitchen | January 5 - 17, 2027 | Academy of Music
Alicia Keys music narrates a coming-of-age story.
Maybe Happy Ending | March 23 - April 4, 2027 | Academy of Music
An inventive look at life and what it means to be alive.
Phantom of the Opera | June 9 - 27, 2027 | Academy of Music
The classic Andrew Llloyd Webber tale returns to Philadelphia.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child | July 28 - August 8, 2027 | Academy of Music
Illusions and magic grace the stage of the Academy of Music.
Ensemble Arts Broadway Series | Facebook | Instagram
Kimmel Center offers the ultimate audience and dining experience
The Kimmel Center prides itself on offering affordable ticket options and world-class performances, along with exceptional dining and vibrant gathering spaces that create a memorable experience.
Guests can enjoy a meal at Leo, the coastal Mediterranean restaurant located at the Spruce Street entrance. Led by Executive Chef Chris Cryer, the menu features fresh, seasonal ingredients inspired by flavors from across the Mediterranean. There you can enjoy a three-course prix fixe meal before heading to your seats.
For a quicker option, you can stop by Curtain Call for elevated grab-and-go fare. Located in Commonwealth Plaza, Curtain Call serves as a welcoming community hub with coffee, cocktails, small bites, free Wi-Fi, and even a public piano open for anyone to play. Guests can also enjoy happy hour offerings daily or head upstairs to the Balcony Bar on Wednesdays for Center City Sips, complete with city views, great food, and a lively atmosphere.
From the stage to the table, the Kimmel Center continues to bring people together through arts, culture, and unforgettable experiences in Philadelphia.
Curtain Call | Instagram | Facebook
300 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Philadelphia Orchestra marks major milestones with Mahler, new music & its famous Philadelphia Sound
The Philadelphia Orchestra is marking two major milestones: the start of its second 125 years and 25 years in the Kimmel Center.
Throughout the season, the ensemble will perform works that showcase its signature Philadelphia Sound, including Mahler's 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th symphonies.
The lineup also features Carmina Burana, films in concert such as the original Star Wars, and the world premiere of a new arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's MASS.
Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin is bringing the opera Lohengrin to the orchestra stage, while America's 250th will be marked with Julia Wolfe's new work, Liberty Bell.
Composer-in-residence Joe Hisaishi will premiere Orbis on opening night, September 24th.
The new work was written as a response to Beethoven's 9th Symphony, which will also be played.
Principal guest conductor Marin Alsop will lead concerts featuring Pianist Emmanuel Ax, back for his 51st season with the orchestra, and Yunchan Lim, the youngest piano player ever to win the coveted Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medal.
The Philadelphia Orchestra will also celebrate its own talent this season, with solo performances from First Associate concertmaster Juliette Kang, principal violist Choong-Jin (C.J.) Chang and principal oboist, Philippe Tondre.
The Philadelphia Orchestra 2026-27 Season| Facebook | Instagram
Ensemble Arts Broadway series includes a range of options
When subscribing for a season pass for the 2026-2027 Broadway season there is an option to swap up to 3 shows from the initial 6 show package. Guests can choose from an impressive list of 8 titles for swap-a-show options.
MAMMA MIA! | September 29 - October 4, 2026 | Academy of Music
The music of ABBA celebrates love, friendship and family.
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical | December 15 - 20, 2026 | Forrest Theatre
A fast-paced comedy based on true events from World War II.
STOMP | December 28, 2026 - January 3, 2027 | Miller Theater
An unforgettable percussion performance for all ages.
The Book of Mormon | January 26 - 31, 2027 | Forrest Theatre
An outrageous musical comedy that won 9 Tony Awards.
Waitress | February 9 - 14, 2027 | Academy of Music
The 10th anniversary of the feel-good story with music by Sara Bareilles.
Riverdance 30: The New Generation | March 4 - 7, 2027 | Miller Theater
The sensation continues with a new generation of performers.
Oh, Mary! | March 9 - 14, 2027 | Miller Theater
An original comedy with razor-sharp imagination.
The Who's Tommy | April 13 - 18, 2027 | Forrest Theatre
A legendary rock opera that won 5 Tony Awards.
Ensemble Arts Broadway Series | Facebook | Instagram
Arts education programs & discounted tickets expand access for all
Every year, the Kimmel Center welcomes 40,000 students from around the region, to participate in a variety of arts education programs-from Sound All Around for the littlest listeners to summer arts sessions for middle and high school students, to Jazz for Freedom concerts, and the All City Jazz Fellowship.
The School District of Philadelphia is the main partner for the Philadelphia Orchestra & Ensemble Arts, and the goal is to connect with every Philadelphia student at least three times throughout their K-12 years.
Through the Jazz Fellowship, bass player Lily Toner was able to study for free for a full year with world-class musicians. She also received a stipend, which she used to buy a new instrument. She's now studying music at the University of Miami on a full scholarship.
The organization is also partnering with the United Negro College Fund. This fall, they will award the first scholarship, for $5000, to a student pursuing a career in the arts.
To lower financial barriers, there are discounted Rush tickets for last minute performances. Broadway Bridges offers $10 tickets to students. There are group discounts for schools and organizations like the Girl Scouts.
And generous donors can give the gift of a show to school and community groups.
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts presents 1500 events a year, helping to generate $3.3 billion in economic activity and 55,000 jobs.
The venues also create community, hosting everything from mayoral debates and blood drives to graduation ceremonies and weddings.
The annual Fall Arts Festival is September 19th, from 11am-3pm. It is the unofficial kick off to the season and, this year, the official kickoff to the Kimmel Center's 25th birthday season.
Close to 60 arts and cultural organizations pack the building for a day full of free performances and activities for the kiddos.
Education & Community Engagement Programs| Facebook | Instagram
Ticket Discounts| Facebook | Instagram
Shakespeare in Clark Park Presents "Hamlet" July 29 - August 2
A new adaptation of "Hamlet" is coming to "The Bowl" of Clark Park.
"Shakespeare in Clark Park is a party in the park," says Shamus, producing artistic director of Shakespeare in Clark Park and director and producer of "Hamlet." "Shakespeare in Clark Park has been producing free theater in West Philadelphia for the last 21 years."
This year's production is a first-time collaboration with Revolution Shakespeare.
Tai Verley is the producing artistic director of Revolution Shakespeare and co-adapter of "Hamlet." Verley says Revolution Shakespeare, otherwise known as RevShakes, looks to express "all the things that are awesome about Shakespeare's work" through adaptations of all kinds.
This 90-minute version tells the story of Hamlet, considered to be "the everyman."
"We knew we had to do something radical with the text," says Cassandra Alexander, actor and co-adapter of "Hamlet."
And to do that, Alexander says they took the role of Hamlet, "the everyman," and made that "very literal."
"What that character experiences through the course of the play encapsulates all of human emotion," she says.
And when Hamlet's emotions overwhelm him, he splits.
Alexander says the role of Hamlet is shared between four actors, "human beings of all walks of life," who express Hamlet's innermost thoughts.
"Yeah, everybody's Hamlet! That's the whole thing. It's exciting!" says Shamus.
Claudius kicks off the chaos, after Hamlet's father dies.
"Hamlet's now pseudo-father, but really uncle who has married his mother and usurped the throne, is the ruler of Denmark," says Alexander.
"Hamlet's not in a good place," says Verley.
The family drama is led by the usual cast of characters, including Gertrude, Hamlet's mother.
"The people that you see on stage are playing different characters and then the ensemble embodies some of those characters through gesture work," says Alexander.
"They play his like, sometimes friend, sometimes frenemy, Laertes," says Shamus. "We have Polonius, who's an advisor to the king, and also like pulling all of the strings behind closed doors. And he's also Ophelia and Laertes' father."
And in true Shakespearean fashion, it ends in tragedy.
"This production of 'Hamlet' really focuses on grief and the futility of revenge," he says.
"Often someone's first encounter of these plays is reading it in high school," says Alexander. "And we invite audiences to come and allow your expectations of 'Hamlet' to be changed."
This free production of "Hamlet" runs July 29 through August 2 in "The Bowl" of Clark Park.
Shakespeare in Clark Park - "Hamlet" | Shakespeare in Clark Park
Revolution Shakespeare | Revolution Shakespeare
"The Bowl" in Clark Park
1101 S. 45th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104