WALNUT STREET THEATRE’S INDEPENDENCE STUDIO ON 3
PHILADELPHIA, PA: Walnut Street Theatre is thrilled to announce the 2014-2015 Independence Studio on 3 season. This 80 seat theatre gives Philadelphia audiences an intimate setting to experience World Premiere plays, delightful musicals and Walnut’s National Touring productions before they leave town. With every seat just inches away from amazing theatrical talent, the Independence Studio on 3 stage is Philadelphia’s premier space for theatre that’s up-close and personal.
The 2014-2015 Independence Studio on 3 season includes the Philadelphia Premiere of one of next season’s most-produced comedies in America, Bad Jews (October 7 – October 26); Pulitzer Prize-winner David Mamet’s comic-drama, A Life in the Theatre (January 13 – February 1); the World Premiere drama, Mickle Street (February 17 – March 8); a tribute to “Mr. Showmanship” himself, Liberace! (March 24 – April 12); and a musical celebration of the great Irving Berlin, I Love a Piano (April 28 – May 17).
THE SEASON
The hottest show in New York last season was the break-out comedy, Bad Jews (October 7 – October 26). It will be one of the most-produced new plays in America next year – and the Walnut is excited to produce the Philadelphia premiere! Audiences will meet Daphna Feygenbaum, a “Real Jew” with an Israeli boyfriend that she met on Birthright. When Daphna’s cousin Liam brings home his shiksa girlfriend Melody, he declares ownership of their grandfather’s Chai necklace. A vicious and hilarious brawl over family, faith and legacy ensues. Bad Jews - it’s about what you choose to believe when you’re chosen.
Next up is A Life in the Theatre (January 13 – February 1). In this behind-the-scenes comedy, Robert, an older experienced performer, and John, a newcomer to the stage, share both a dressing room and the spotlight. The play gives us a glimpse into the complex relationship that develops as the torch is passed from one generation to the next – a passing that wavers from love and mutual respect to impatience and resentment. Pulitzer Prize-winner David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre is a delightful theatrical experience for anyone who loves the world of Broadway. Philadelphia audiences can see the Walnut’s production here first, before its National Tour!
The World Premiere of Michael Whistler’s Mickle Street (February 17 – March 8) takes audiences to 1882, when the flamboyant, dashing, young Oscar Wilde created a sensation, touring the United States on an extensive lecture tour. While visiting Philadelphia, he planned one side trip, crossing the Delaware to Camden to meet with America’s own Great Grey Poet, Walt Whitman. Audiences will travel to Mickle Street and spend an afternoon with two great writers - one at the dawn of his career, the other enjoying his quiet fame. Over a glass of elderberry wine, two great men discuss man’s most aesthetical existence and discover a common sense of beauty.
Liberace! (March 24 – April 12) is a moving and highly entertaining tribute to “Mr. Showmanship,” the man who epitomized charm, glitz and glamour. On a stage set reminiscent of his celebrated TV program, audiences will re-live the highs and lows of Liberace’s famed life. Who was the real person behind the persona, one of the most talented and acclaimed performers of the 20th century? Interwoven with a piano score that spans classical music from Chopin to Chopsticks and Rachmaninoff to Ragtime, Liberace! will have audiences cheering the life of this unique American icon.
The 2014-2015 season finale, I Love a Piano (April 28 – May 17), will make audiences want to sing, dance, laugh, snuggle a little closer and shout with joy! This delightful musical follows the journey of a piano as it moves in and out of American lives from the turn of the century to the present. Irving Berlin’s classic songs include “Blue Skies,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “How Deep is the Ocean,” and, of course, “I Love a Piano.” Alternately heartbreaking and hilarious, I Love a Piano is a fitting tribute to the man Jerome Kern famously said had ‘no place in American music – he is American music.’
SUBSCRIPTIONS
The only way to guarantee seats to the 2014-2015 season is to subscribe. Subscriptions for all five shows are available for as little as $65. Single tickets are $30 - $40 each and go on sale in August. All show titles, dates and subscription prices are subject to change. For information on season subscriptions, call the Walnut at 215-574-3550 ext. 6 (10AM – 10PM) or visit our website at www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org.