What the theater pros watched this year and what comes next

Slowly, very slowly in 2022, Philadelphia’s theater season began — but has yet to complete — its recovery from the pandemic. The Philadelphia Fringe Festival, which kicks off fall theater, staged hundreds of performances. Theater companies announced seasons, although often with fewer productions.

A highlight was the awarding of the Pulitzer Prize to Philadelphia playwright James Ijames for Fat Ham, staged digitally by the Wilma Project.

We asked Philadelphia theater professionals to tell us what they loved most about theater in 2022 and what they are looking forward to next year.

Actor, director, filmmaker, and producing artistic director of First World Theatre.

Working on: A TV series about four African American women finding themselves at the crossroads in life.

Favorite watch of 2022: The Glass Menagerie at the Arden Theatre Co. Arden Theatre is a place where I expect nothing less than beautiful, creative, moving, and powerful work. And The Glass Menagerie was absolutely brilliant!

2023′s most anticipated watch: Phillis at the Quintessence Theatre Group. I love their company because when they have African American stories that come to their theater, they get out of the way of the story and the production team. What is being told by African Americans is clearly from our perspective and not anyone else’s. The history and culture of it is told the way it should be told.

(May 10-June 4, “Phillis,” Quintessence Theatre Group, 7137 Germantown Ave., Phila. 215-987-4450 or quintessencetheatre.org)

Artist, choreographer, and creator of “Bath House,” “Motel Montana,” and other Philadelphia Fringe Festival productions.

Working on: I spend my offseason focusing on nonproduction-type projects, such as commissioned paintings, photo shoot installations, short film projects, and designing vivaria for tropical frogs.

Favorite watch of 2022: I really enjoy the queer nightlife scene of Philadelphia. Snatcherella 3000 at Franky Bradley’s was a highlight this year. It’s a competitive variety show that highlights performers from all walks of life in a very unapologetic way. The queer joy alone is worth the night out.

2023′s most anticipated watch: I always look forward to participating in and seeing what comes out of the Fringe Festival. Every year new artists come to light with brilliant new ideas to share. The energy is inspiring.

(Sept. 7-24, 2023 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, various locations, 215-413-1318 or fringearts.com)

Director, Media Arts and Culture, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development. An advocate for welcoming people with disabilities into theater as audience and artists.

Working on: I’ve been collaborating with an extraordinary team of artists and community archivists on a yearlong exploration of the archives of the Pennhurst State School and Hospital. Our community archivists are all people with disabilities and/or family members of people with disabilities. In fact, two of our archivists are former Pennhurst residents. They are working with creativity, heart, and purpose to respond artistically to their work in presentations in April 2023.

Favorite watch of 2022: I was blown away by Akeem Davis’ performance in Death of a Driver at InterAct. It was everything you would expect from Akeem — subtle, powerful, deeply human. I would watch him read the phone book. (Do we still have those?)

2023′s most anticipated watch: I’m really looking forward to the regional premiere of Good Grief by Ngozi Anyanwu at Hedgerow Theatre Company. The play’s themes of loss, remembering, and hope are personally resonating with me right now. Hedgerow is committed to accessibility, so Good Grief will be captioned, audio described, and will offer at least one relaxed performance — those values are really important to me.

(Feb. 8-26, “Good Grief,” Hedgerow Theatre Co., 64 Rose Valley Rd, Media. 610-565-4211 or hedgerowtheatre.org)

Director of External Relations, Theatre Horizon, Norristown

Working on: Although I love my directing and dramaturgy work, I’ve been working on my first full-length play: a bilingual, telenovela-inspired adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya that takes place on a remote beach in Costa Rica, where my dad’s family is from.

Favorite watch of 2022: I am still thinking about Naked Empire Bouffon Company’s production of The Most Important Place in the World! as part of Cannonball Festival. This biting satire interrogated the complex history of Puerto Rico’s colonization through a “diasporic Puerto Rican lens” and celebrated the people and culture that continue to influence U.S. and Latinx identities. Over the span of one hour, I laughed, cried, screamed, and danced and everything in between.

2023′s most anticipated watch: Azuka Theatre and Teatro del Sol’s production of All My Mothers Dream in Spanish this upcoming spring. Playwright AZ Espinoza is a phenomenal theatremaker, and I am really excited to see their multigenerational dream play inspired by Afro-Venezuelan folk history.

(March 1-19, “All My Mothers Dream in Spanish,” a world premiere, Proscenium Theatre at the Drake, 302 S. Hicks St., Phila. 215-563-1100 or azukatheatre.org)

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