The Wilma Theater

The Hard Problem at the Wilma now (January 2016 — February 6). Not only was the play smart and engaging, but the staging, the set, and the acting were all tremendously appealing and excellent. Add to that the gorgeous and evocative saxophone filling the space before and between. Great theater at a reasonable price, so just go.

I was really excited about seeing this after doing some background reading on its origin however, I feel a bit… well, haven’t found the word for it yet.
I made it early to attend the young friends reception – free wine and snacks are always a great idea… but the young friends «event» kinda leaves you with this «what’s the point» feeling afterwards. You don’t really meet new people — you see them but you don’t really MEET them. Everyone normally sticks with their clicks and you’re kinda left gliding across the room to refresh your glass or plate. Would be great if there were ice breakers (especially for introverts like me). Any-​hoo… it’s time for the play…
I always get front row seats because I like to feel like I’m in the play itself but twice already that has proven to be a big mistake at this theater. The first was at «the convert» AWESOME PLAY but they sprinkle water, round about that front row – and you’re just surprised lol. The second was «ANTIGONE» omg — into was a spit fest. I was more concentrated on spit getting on me than the actual play – AND THE BOX OFFICE DOESN’T WARN FIRST ROW BUYERS! I mean, i get the symbolism of the spitting… i do. I left early as the spit flying literally made me ill – it was a bit much and I’m not easily grossed out but this… well, I’ll just say everything isn’t for everyone. So if you go and you’re on the front row TAKE PLASTIC! …or you’ll be sorry. Lol

One of the best in town. Top quality all the way — as good as it gets. I could watch them read a phone book a The Wilma Theater!

A wonderfully intimate theater. Seats are cheap and easy to pick up if you buy online ($ 10 for students, plus $ 2 handling fee). Any seat in the theater is a good seat, based on how intimate the theater is! A group of 5 of us came for a showing of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and we could not stop laughing. A wonderful performance, we’d be sure to return!
The theater is also very decorated and fun, with cool posters everywhere, graffiti art on the walls, and chalk board with existential quotes.

Saw Shakespeare’s Hamlet directed by Blanka Zizka here and it was AMAZING! I loved every minute of it. The set was super cool with swords, graffiti walls and things falling out the ceiling!
The seats were comfortable and the sound system was great. Everything the actors said was easily heard (great acoustics). The only thing is the little counter for snacks and drinks were kinda lame. Which they offered a little more. But there was a prop in the lobby for audiences to write on that related to the play which seemed cool in that even though we were at intermission and in the lobby, we still were thinking of the play and characters. Super awesome!

not really a theatre person…
avenue q and phantom of the opera in ca left me feeling and thinking pretty meh about theatre…
it’s not until i moved to philly to really appreciate it… macbeth at the arden and hamlet at the wilma. although i can’t say that my experience at the wilma tonight was as great as the arden, i will say that i’ve begun to appreciate the art of theatre more since moving here.
i am a visual artist, who also loves street art… so my fav part of the show was the set. i was surprised to see it but it was def a pleasant surprise.
if this is theatre in philadelphia, i’m all about it. cali… sorry, you’re just not doing something right over there :/

Great facility, performances made with care and attention. I loved it. Not much in the refreshment department during intermission, but honestly, not the point. Support local theaters, people!

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet directed by Blanka Zizka running March 25-​April 26, 2015
Excellent production of Hamlet. You will not be disappointment with purchase of this ticket.

Bootycandy was amazing. Really well written, director must have been brilliant, and from set to costume design, it was all really creative and on point. It was a really awesome, halarious, dark (very dark) comedy with this post-​modern (or whatever) twist that I genuinely thought was great and totally worked.
The Convert, was a totally different type of thing but equally impressive. Historical and heavy but well written, directed and acting on point. (Sorry these reviews are old.)
Then I saw Body of American which had some of the most painfully twisted and frightening subject matter you could imagine. Yet this writer somehow managed to make the heavyness light at the same time. I was prepared to feel really depressed after that play but I actually left smiling, kind of in awe of how something so broken could show so much… light! The actors were amazing too. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to activily hold so many different characters in your head, each with different accents, mannerisms and lines (of course), and to be switching back and forth between them from one second to the next. Oh and set design and lighting was great. I loved the use of Google maps hopping from Brooklyn to Jakarta.
K, bye!

The Wilma is the most poorly-​organized, mean-​spirited, reprehensible theater company in Philadelphia. If people could see behind the scenes…

My second season subscribing here. So far we got a pretty good seat except twice. Once I sat behind really big guy and missed half of the play and ended up fall asleep haha. Since it is small theater with stadium style seat, secure good view is the must. They do have some great plays though. Seems like they have a lot of discount for student and young audience. So far pretty satisfied.

We love this theater — great prices, awesome shows. Not always the very best — but what is, and in comparison all shows have been enjoyable! We saw Bootycandy at the Wilma last night — OMG — so good, funny, challenging, serious, giddy — wonderful actors, great staging. If you can — do! After — a late bite at Jamonera — really perfect evening.

Boyfriend and I both enjoy coming to the Wilma, even if not every show is amazing. Angels in America blew us away, but Assistance not so much. My Wonderful Day still comes up in conversation, but Curse of the Starving Class was a little weak.
The plays themselves can be hit or miss, but sets are consistently fabulous, and the acting is mostly consistently fabulous.
The venue is small, seats are comfortable, acoustics are great. The staff all seems pleasant. Zero complaints about the space and the people employed in that space.
The Wilma focuses on producing plays that reach out and punch you in the face in one way or another. If the set isn’t revolving, someone may be cooking on the set at some point. There’s plenty of foul language, full frontal male nudity, and even *lowers voice to a whisper* gay people (why this still bothers anyone in 2013 is beyond me). These aren’t nice, cleaned up, family-​friendly musicals, but you can go to the Academy of Music for that.

This is a great place to learn about gay life in America as they always seem to work that topic into just about all of their performances, much of it somewhat strong ‘in your face’ sex scenes and picturesque dialogue. Other performances are excellent.

This is my second season subscribing to the WIlma, so far I am not sold.
The seating arrangements are not great, compared to places with history (Walnut/​Academy of the arts) or places where you are closer to the stage (Arden).
The shows so far have been hit and miss. I was not aware that one of the shows was a part 2 (Angels in America), so seeing the second half of the play on my season tickets was pointless. Didn’t enjoy the acting, or the writing, it seemed unfocused as a performance piece. Also, I showed up at 7pm on a Sunday not expecting a 4 hour show. Why wouldn’t you notify people of that in advance, I didn’t get home until midnight. It was clearly not a popular show, theater was half empty or more.
Other than that, splitting up the good shows they had a Shakespeare play (Macbeth: think about a theater full of uninterested highschool kids, all on their cell phones the entire time). Also, they gave these high-​school kids better seats than their subscribers, not fun given that subscribers are paying more, and in most other theaters get good seats.
The productions put on are sometimes nicely put together, and well acted, and professionally produced, but they rarely leave much of an impression, and rarely hit big and interesting issues in the way I would hope for.
I will not be subscribing here again (unless my wife really wants to), which is a shame because it’s very close to my house, and I want to support the arts in Philly.

A lovely venue!
Folks in their 20s always get ½ price tickets, and the Young Friends Night is always a great complement to a play :) Free drinks and snacks right before a good show? Always a treat.

I love that they have discounts for pretty much anyone! Kids, students, «ppl in their 20’s», rush tickets, etc.
Totally worth it — esp the student tix because they are $ 10 compared to almost $ 50 regular.
Theatre is nice, clean, large, and with stadium seating. I’m sad I didn’t take more advantage of this place even though I live so close to it!

Hmm, well I’m not going to go into the merits of the plays they produce and show here, they are sometimes lacking in my experience…
That said a yearly student deal for $ 8 a show. And it’s a really great little theater. You’re up close to the stage, the actors are all really really good. I may not always like the show, but I love coming here.

Spotted a flyer to the vibrator play while hanging at tria a few sundays back. Lboogs and I decide we should look into this a little more it could be an exciting event.
Went online and saw they offer discounts to pretty much anyone under 30 and older than 60! Most places only offer to students and seniors but I was very pleased to see that they help out us 20 somethings.
We chose Friday April 1 to go since tria could be in the building serving up wine and snacks and we all know how I feel about tria …
Cheap tix yummy wine and food count me in:)
the theatre has a nice set up and as other reviewers stated there isn’t a bad seat in the house:) they play was very entertaining and the laughs came from all over the house couples, singles and everyone else who thinks vibrators are fun/​funny would have liked this play .
During intermission there was a display of old school virbators I flip the switch and amazed at how powerful it was. :)))
the actors did a bang up job including one of the leads who shocked us all with his full frontal nudity !!! (bp indeed)
I would have to say I would def return to see future shows here.

This place still ranks #1 for theater venue and productions. The Zizka husband-​wife directing team know what they’re doing and there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. This theater attracts national talent of the first degree (for example, oscar nominee, David Strathairn is starring in their current production). They also support and cast a lot of great local actors, too.
Their staff all around is friendly and helpful. Student tickets are super affordable, and their under-​35 flex subscription can’t be beat. If you live in the city, you owe it to yourself to at least go to one play a year here. If you’re visiting, don’t fret, this theater is on par with those in New York.
Ballet X make their home here and they perform here, quarterly — and if you don’t know who they are or haven’t seen them perform yet, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket for their next show. You won’t be sorry.