Philadelphia has a rich history of performing arts, including at the Walnut Street Theatre, the oldest continuously operating theater in the United States.
Today the epicenter for live performances is the Avenue of the Arts, the stretch of South Broad Street between City Hall and South Street. There you can feel the energy each night as theatergoers, orchestra fans, and dance and opera lovers funnel into the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Academy of Music, The Wilma Theater and the Miller Theater. After performances, you can see throngs of arts aficionados themselves spill onto the street to make their way to their next stop: dinner, drinks, dancing, you name it.
Elsewhere, spaces devoted to experimental ventures in both the city and the surrounding region specialize in popular musicals, original creations, children’s theater and more.
For summer and fall 2023, don’t sleep on ordering tickets to performances of The Lion King, Wicked and Mary Poppins, as well as exciting intimate performances at the Plays and Players Theater, Penn Live Arts, Act II Playhouse and more. Plus, get excited for one of the city’s biggest annual theater events: the Fringe Festival and Opera Philadelphia’s Festival O23.
Read on for a guide to the best performing arts venues in Greater Philadelphia, as well as the can’t-miss shows and performances slated for summer and fall 2023.
Note: Venues in this article are arranged alphabetically by section.
