Introduction

The Arden Theatre Company is a full-service professional regional theatre located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

, offering the highest quality theatrical and educational productions and programs to artists, audiences and students of the greater Philadelphia region. The company includes two theatres, which are the 175-seat Arcadia Stage and the 360-seat F. Otto Haas mainstage theatre. In addition the company also has a building at 40 North 2nd Street that is used to house classrooms and administrative and production offices.

History

Founded in 1988 by Terrence J. Nolen

Terrence J. Nolen

Terrence Nolen, usually called Terry Nolen, is an award-winning American theater director and the Producing Artistic Director of the Arden Theatre Company....

, Amy Murphy and Aaron Posner, Arden Theatre Company began producing at the Walnut Street Theatre

Walnut Street Theatre

The Walnut Street Theatre , located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 825 Walnut Street, is the oldest continuously operating theatre in the English-speaking world and the oldest in the United States...

 Studio and was immediately hailed as a welcome addition to the Philadelphia theatre community. After the second season, the St. Stephen's Performing Arts Center was co-founded to provide a larger theatre (150 seats) and a unified location for classes, education programs, administrative offices and production shops.
In 1995, Arden Theatre Company purchased a 50,000-square-foot building in Philadelphia's historic Old City neighborhood. The building has been renovated to contain a 360-seat mainstage theatre (F. Otto Haas Stage); the 175-seat studio theatre (Arcadia Stage); the Independence Foundation Studio; a bi-level lobby with box office, elevator and restrooms; rehearsal and classroom space; and administrative and production offices. The move to Old City has sparked more growth for the Arden, and played a significant role in the economic revitalization of the area. Former Philadelphia mayor (and former Governor of Pennsylvania) Ed Rendell

Ed Rendell

Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...

 has said of the Arden, “When I think of nonprofit organizations that are having a major economic impact on their neighborhoods, none comes to mind sooner than the Arden."
The company has produced over 90 professional productions with 24 world premiere productions among them. As part of its commitment to present new works, the Arden Theatre Company created the Independence Foundation New Play Showcase in 1999. This program aims to stage a new play every season as well as holding workshops and a free public reading of an additional new play. The theatre has also been awarded several grants for past and future development of the arts.

Award History

Since The Arden’s founding in 1988, the company has garnered numerous awards and honors from audiences alike. This includes eight Philadelphia Magazine “Best of Philly” Awards, four “Theatre Company of the Year”, citations from the Philadelphia Inquirer, and six Philadelphia City Paper

Philadelphia City Paper

Philadelphia City Paper is a free alternative news weekly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in November 1981 as a spin-off of the now defunct WXPN Express newsletter. New issues are released every Thursday....

 Reader’s choice Awards. Arden Theatre has also received 250 nominations and 53 awards from the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre

Arden Drama School

The Arden Theatre company also has an educational program included in the company’s Arden Drama School. Classes are designed to enhance the experience that audience members have at the Arden Children’s Theatre by providing theatre education and training to children of all ages. With diverse programming, taught by theatre professionals, the classes encourage collaboration and active imaginations.

Arden For All

Arden for All is a needs-based theatre access program that provides 5,000 tickets and show-related books to underserved students in Philadelphia, Camden, and Ridley Park each season. The cost to bring each of these students to the Arden is about $12. 2,900 children involved in AFA also receive free bus transportation to and from the theatre, as well as in-classroom visits from Arden professional teaching artists.

External links

• Arden Theatre Company website