The Wilma Theater creates living, adventurous art. We engage artists and audiences in imaginative reflection on the complexities of contemporary life. We present bold, original, well-crafted productions that represent a range of voices, viewpoints, and styles.
Artistic stAtement mission stAtement
The Wilma produces contemporary theater. We create visceral art that expands individual and communal identities. We lead with our hearts to create evocative, imperfect, awe-inspiring experiences.
To speak the language of theater, we embrace a cohesive world of elements that share equal importance: urgent text, embodied performance, visionary directing, bold design, and an authentic connection with the audience. We embrace the social contract between performers and audience, built on the vital need for active dialogue, and the acceptance and anticipation of the unknown.
Curiosity drives our artistic evolution. We embrace the vibrant interplay of cultures, languages, and ideas, recognizing the potency of divergent perspectives.
Collaboration is a superpower and the best friend of process. Our resident acting company, the HotHouse, rigorously trains to develop intimacy, openness, and expressiveness which has been a hallmark of the Wilma stage.
Our work is a catalyst for catharsis, a catalyst for conversation, and a catalyst for change.
orGAnIZAtIonAL VALUes
cUriosity
A willing, playful, open-minded approach to each encounter, each person, our work and ourselves with an inquisitive imagination about what may emerge.
coUrAGe
A desire to approach our work with boldness and openness, despite fear.
cAre
Thoughtfully considering the needs and wants of others with empathy.
riGor
Fostering an environment in which we individually and collectively continue to learn, practice, and deepen our craft.
Joy
Actively creating the conditions for presence, pleasure, and vitality.
coLLAborAtion
A mode of working towards a common goal dependent on trust, respect, active listening, and mutual support; in which the ideas and experiences of all participants inform the outcome.
LiberAtion
Inclusivity and equity in our work, ensuring a dynamic and productive environment in which everyone is empowered, heard, and valued.
DeAr frienDs & sUpporters,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Wilma Theater, I am so pleased to share this Annual Report for the Wilma’s 2023-24 season, which culminated in our first - and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s first! - Regional Theater Tony Award! Sitting in Lincoln Center last summer to witness Leigh, Morgan, Lindsay, Yury, and Blanka receive this highest artistic honor was the thrill of a lifetime. Since 1979, the Wilma’s amazing group of artists, actors, and staff have consistently created shows that are breathtaking and unexpected, heartbreaking and hopeful. We are more optimistic than ever about the transformative power of our work.
It is my honor to lead the Wilma’s Board of Directors as we work together to continue navigating a challenging funding environment and bring audiences back to pre-pandemic levels. I am proud to say that this was a year of milestones- including a world premiere opera! We welcomed a new Artistic Director, Lindsay Smiling, whose long history as a Hothouse acting company member strengthens the connection between our art and our artists. We added two new artists to the Hothouse, and obtained new funding to grow our digital presence with a new digital theater lab, and to invest in new work. We reached new audiences through local affinity nights and national co-productions. We continued development of our education and community programs, and are expanding accessibility throughout the organization.
Theater can be both a refuge and a way to keep ourselves challenged and focused. For this reason, regional theater – the Wilma Theater - has arguably never been more important as a means to bring diverse perspectives together, explore deep truths, and inspire conversation. As we kick off our 2024-25 season, I want to express my deepest thanks to you- our Tony award-winning audience members, donors, and sponsors! Your support of the Wilma is critical to our survival and our continued artistic success. I am so proud to be part of the amazing and diverse Wilma community, and I hope you will join me in investing in our work, to help maintain this valuable space for our community in Philadelphia and beyond. Together, we will write the next chapter in the Wilma Theater’s history.
With gratitude,
Katherine Kelton Chair, Board of Directors
phiLLy is the wiLmA
As we got to say on stage at the Tony Awards: We love regional theater. We love Philadelphia. In this Annual Report, you will see what that love can bring– four visionary mainstage productions, thirteen teaching artist residencies in Philly high schools, and one Tony Award, to name a few!
Last fall, FAT HAM far exceeded our hopes when it became the highest single ticket selling production in Wilma Theater history! After our digital production in 2021 and its Tony-nominated run on Broadway, it felt triumphant to finally produce FAT HAM at home. We loved welcoming everyone in to experience the pure joy radiating in the theater.
The rest of our season continued to astound our audiences, achieving new post-pandemic highs. MY MAMA AND THE FULL-SCALE INVASION, our first co-production with the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington DC, was a World Premiere and a fantastic exploration of a unique style of theater. The prodigious skill of the HotHouse acting company and director Justin Jain was on display during THE GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN, as they jumped between roles and maneuvered through the incredible set made entirely of recycled pieces. HILMA was as breath-taking as the impressive artworks which were the inspiration for the opera. This production was unlike anything we’ve done before and was a wonderful culmination to an outstanding season!
This year our shared leadership model once again proved to be a cornerstone of our success. We were excited to welcome Lindsay Smiling, long-time HotHouse company member and Wilma artist, to our Artistic Leadership Cohort. We are a stronger team with the shared artistic vision of Lindsay Smiling, Morgan Green, and Yury Urnov.
We continue to be so honored to have received the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award. It was a dream brought into reality through 45 years of hard work by everyone at the Wilma Theater, both on stage and behind the scenes. We thank those who came before us, including Founding Artistic Directors Jiri and Blanka Zizka and former Co-Artistic Director James Ijames. Those 45 years have only been possible through the dedicated support of our amazing audiences and donors. This win isn’t ours alone – Philly won a Tony this year!
The Wilma Theater is dedicated to producing vibrant and bold art that lives and breathes. This will continue to be our focus as we move into a new season at the theater. We invite you and all of Philadelphia to be a part of our artistic evolution and shape the future of our theater and our city!
See you at the theater, Leigh, Morgan, Lindsay, & Yury
Managing Director & Co-Artistic Directors
Photo by Johanna Austin.
phiLLy won A tony!
On Thursday, May 9, 2024, Managing Director Leigh Goldenberg received an unexpected phone call from the Broadway League offices. Upon seeing the caller ID, she and Co-Artistic Director Lindsay Smiling paused their meeting to answer. She didn’t expect to get word of the most momentous honor the Wilma Theater can receive!
“We are delighted to announce the Wilma Theater as the recipient of the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award,” said Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing and Jason Laks, interim president of the Broadway League. “The Wilma has made outstanding contributions to the world of theatre over the course of 45 years, maintaining an unwavering dedication to contemporary theatre and a commitment to the arts that began with
its visionary introduction of avant-garde theatre to Philadelphia in 1979.”
This is an honor that truly belongs to everyone in the Wilma community, both past and present. The Wilma is so grateful to be recognized for centering compassionate values and our mission of creating living, adventurous art. This Tony Award® celebrates all the actors, directors, designers, production crews, board members, staff, donors, volunteers, peer institutions, foundations, corporations, government officials, and the tens of thousands of audience members who attend our shows here on Broad Street and stream our productions worldwide – you are part of the Wilma and all that we do!
We are thrilled to join Philadelphia and the national theater community in celebrating this milestone achievement. The Wilma Theater makes it possible for local and worldclass artists, performers, and theatermakers to not only present in Philadelphia but thrive as creative professionals. It is only fitting that the Wilma is the first theater in Pennsylvania to receive the Tony Award for Best Regional Theatre and have its decades of work recognized at the highest level.
- Valerie Gay, Chief Cultural Office, City of Philadelphia
I am excited to see that the work of the Wilma is recognized and celebrated. We have invested in long-term training, exploration and experimentation that has become Wilma’s tenet by establishing the Hothouse, a company of resident actors. Over the years we have collaborated with world renowned directors (Dmitry Krymov, Csaba Horvath, and Terzopoulos Terzopoulos), who shared with us their unique theater aesthetic. We have supported many playwrights, lately, James Ijames (Kill Move Paradise, Fat Ham) and Rajiv Joseph (Describe the Night, Archduke). Wilma’s new Cohort of Artistic Directors (Yury Urnov, Morgan Green and Lindsay Smiling) has an expansive vision. All this work over the years into the present has gained energy and momentum. It is now seen and recognized. To receive a Tony is a blast!
- Blanka Zizka, Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Emeritus at the Wilma
Did you know?
- THE WILMA IS THE FIRST THEATER IN PHILADELPHIA AND PENNSYLVANIA TO RECEIVE A TONY AWARD.
phiLLy hAs A new co-Artistic Director!
LINDSAY SMILING JOINS THE WILMA’S LEADERSHIP COHORT
On August 1, 2023, we officially welcomed Lindsay Smiling into the Wilma’s Artistic Director Cohort – but he was already a familiar face. Lindsay had been in more than 20 Wilma productions (as well as countless others in the Philly area and beyond) was a founding member and leader in the Wilma’s HotHouse Acting Company, and was an adjunct professor at Temple University before accepting the position as a Co-Artistic Director.
“The HotHouse Acting Company is one of the most artistically nourishing environments to participate in. To bring this ensemble art making culture into a leadership position is truly a unique experience and I am excited to discover how we can continue the Wilma’s evolution.”
And Lindsay’s first year co-leading the Wilma was quite a ride! In his role as co-AD, Lindsay leads the Wilma’s Education and Community Practice Department, which includes our award-winning 300 student in-school residency program, Wilmagination, as well as other opportunities with non-profit partners from around the city. Lindsay’s first order of business was to hire a new Director of Education and Community Practice – Jess Conda – and then the two of them got to work prepping for this year’s programming while dreaming about what comes next. A longtime Philly resident, Lindsay cofounded Black Theatre Alliance of Philadelphia, is on the advisory board of PlayPenn, and serves as an adjudicator for the Independence Foundation. Lindsay helped bring in Affinity Nights, grow the HotHouse Summer Training Institute, reconceive the AllStars
Photos by Johanna Austin.
program, and bring back Cafe Chats to the Wilma, welcoming new folks and expanding our community.
Lindsay also serves as the connection between the Leadership cohort and the HotHouse Acting Company, of which he is still an active member. In this position, he is able to further integrate the artistic vision of our celebrated acting company with the organization’s work. Nowhere was this more evident than at our annual gala, which the strong involvement of the HotHouse turned into a magical evening under the stars.
And finally, Lindsay did not stop acting! He started the season in our co-production with Woolly Mammoth of the world premiere MY MAMA AND THE FULL-SCALE INVASION which played in DC in the fall and at the Wilma in winter 2024. In between, he returned to the role of Pap/Rev in James Ijames’ FAT HAM – a role he originated in the Wilma’s filmed version which led to the play receiving the Pulitzer.
“FAT HAM has made such a huge impact in the theater world. I’m proud that the work we do at the Wilma and will continue to look for ways to resonate with our communities near and far.”
Lindsay joins Morgan Green (heading new plays and marketing vision) and Yury Urnov (heading production and digital theater) to lead the Wilma alongside Managing Director Leigh Goldenberg. Our Co-Artistic Director leadership model reflects diverse viewpoints and artistic styles, and represents the audience that we serve.
I am very excited to see Lindsay Smiling in his new role as CoArtistic Director of the Wilma!
As a founding member of the HotHouse Company, it is fitting that he now stands at the helm of the theater that gave him an artistic home. I am honored and overjoyed to call him friend, actor, educator, dad, director, and now producer and Artistic Director. Congratulations to the Wilma, and to Lindsay!
- Patreshettarlini Adams, Resident Stage Manager
Next up for Lindsay:
Directing Inua Ellams’ THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL in winter 2025.
Photos by Johanna Austin.
phiLLy LoVes fAt hAm!
November 24 – December 30, 2023
Digital Streaming: December 26, 2024-January 28, 2024
After the Pulitzer Prize-winning digital production by the Wilma in 2021 and the five-time Tony Award-nominated run on Broadway, FAT HAM came home to Philadelphia in a joyous new production! James Ijames’s riff on Shakespeare’s HAMLET is set at a BBQ in the South, and centers Juicy, who is Black, queer, and soft – and learning to love himself. The transformation of the tragic ending of HAMLET into a “spirited” dance party both subverts audience expectations and breaks the lineage of violence. The production was nominated for eight 2024 Barrymore Awards, including Outstanding Overall Production of a Play and Outstanding Direction of a Play.
New Co-Artistic Director Lindsay Smiling reprised his role from the 2021 digital
production as Pap/Rev in a fantastically vicious performance. HotHouse members, Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Brandon J. Pierce also reprised their roles as Tio and Larry, respectively, to widespread acclaim. Anthony and Jessica Johnson (Opal) were both nominated for the Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play Barrymore Award – Anthony won the award in October 2024. Costume designer, Tiffany Brown, also won the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Costume Design.
The celebratory production was nearly sold out and was extended twice. FAT HAM sold the highest number of single tickets and earned the most revenue in the history of the Wilma Theater. The atmosphere at every performance was electric and the joy was palpable!
extenDeD by popULAr DemAnD!
Regional productions of FAT HAM have been produced throughout the United States, with additional productions in the works, including: the original Broadway production directed by Saheem Ali with the Broadway design team at Geffen Playhouse (Los Angeles, CA), as well as new productions at Playhouse on the Square (Memphis, TN), Huntington Theatre Company (Boston, MA), Studio Theatre (Washington, DC), PlayMakers Repertory Company (Chapel Hill, NC), City Theatre Company (Pittsburgh, PA), Seattle Rep (Seattle, WA), TheatreSquared (Fayetteville, AR), Alliance Theatre (Atlanta, GA), and more to come in 2025!
Did you know?
- THE WILMA SOLD 14,181 TICKETS TO FAT HAM! (INCLUDING DIGITAL SALES)
- FAT HAM HAS ONE PULITZER PRIZE, FIVE TONY AWARDNOMINATIONS, TWO BARRYMORE AWARDS, AND SIX BARRYMORE AWARD-NOMINATIONS!
Photos of Fat Ham cast by Johanna Austin.
phiLLy is cULtiVAtinG the next GenerAtion of Artists!
The Wilma Theater is proud of its longstanding commitment to engaging students through our art, and our 2023-24 season was a banner year for the Wilma’s education programs.
In August 2023, new Co-Artistic Director Lindsay Smiling began his tenure leading our Education and Community Practice Department. His first order of business was welcoming Jess Conda in the new position of Director of Education and Community Practice. Jess is a Philadelphia-based performer, producer, cultural connector, and teaching artist. She hit the ground running and quickly set up and staffed for Wilmagination, our award-winning in-school residency program at Philadelphia public high schools. Each year, the program focuses on one Wilma production – and this year it was FAT HAM, the first show of the season. This year the program included 13
in-school residencies for 314 students at eight partner high schools: Academy at Palumbo, Esperanza Preparatory Academy, John Bartram High School, Science Leadership Academy at Center City, Science Leadership Academy at Beeber, Carver High School of Engineering and Science, Vaux Big Picture High School) and the new-to-the-program Constitutional High School. As always, our Wilmagination program is free to the school district and the students, primarily underserved youth from the global majority. Wilmagination, which uses theater study and techniques to develop creative thinking, public speaking, and problem solving, culminates in student-created performances onstage at the Wilma’s 300-seat theater. Student performances of FAT HAM were joyful, engaged events; for 75% of students, this was their first experience with live theater.
This past year, we piloted new routes for students to get involved with the Wilma. For instance, during FAT HAM, we invited a group of 35 student-athletes to attend the show, have lunch in our studio, and work with two teaching artists who facilitated post-show conversation and discussion. The group was supported in their collaborative work to identify and discuss connections between theater and athletics, and expressed their desire to participate in future Wilma programs. The studentathletes were middle schoolers, a new age group for us as we traditionally engage high school students. This customized experience will serve as a model for future groups to get involved with the Wilma’s programming.
We also continued to grow and experiment with out of school time programming. The Wilma AllStars, our core afterschool program, took a break in the fall, and returned in the spring with a new focus. Teaching Artists worked with students to develop their presentation skills, and then they participated in the Wilma’s regular Open Mic program for the first time, presenting their own original spoken word performances to a public audience in the Wilma’s lobby. We also piloted exciting new after-school workshops in theater technology with our partner schools, beginning with sessions at the Science Leadership Academy on how to use the SLA’s lightboard.
phiLLy meets mAmA!
January 30 – February 18, 2024
Digital Streaming: February 19 – March 17, 2024
In our first co-production with Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington DC, an 82-year old mother living in modern war-torn Ukraine took the stage by storm. Played by lauded actor Holly Twyford, Mama has lived in Kyiv her whole life; when Russia invades Ukraine in 2022, her daughter, Sasha (Suli Holum), copes with her fears by imagining her mother in increasingly fantastical situations: strategizing with President Zelenskyy, striking Russian drones with jars of pickles, and even debating with God. Playwright Sasha Denisova created this semi-autobiographical reimagining of online chats with her mother in the style of Theater of Immediate Response, a term coined by Denisova to describe the unique way that she combines documentary elements, like
texts, speeches, and events, with the fantastical. The audiences at the Wilma often responded very emotionally to this technique, with tears frequently in the eyes of patrons as they left the theater. One audience member described the production aptly as “a beautiful juxtaposition of a global story and everyday life.”
The production opened first in Washington DC in September 2023 to critical acclaim and came to the Wilma Theater stage in January 2024. Right as rehearsals began in Philadelphia, on January 22, 2024, it was announced that MY MAMA AND THE FULL-SCALE INVASION was nominated in eight categories for the prestigious Helen Hayes Awards, an award ceremony specific to DC-area
A World Premiere Co-ProduCtion!
productions. The nominations covered nearly every aspect of the production, from Outstanding Director (Yury Urnov) and Lead Performer (Suli Holum) to Lighting (Venus Gulbranson), Sound (Michael Kiley), and Media/Projection Design (Kelly Colburn). Sasha Denisova was also nominated for the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical. It is no wonder that the production won the Hayes Award for Outstanding Production of a Play! Multitalented translator and designer Misha Kachman also won for Outstanding Set Design of a Play. Misha Kachman and Kelly Colburn were later nominated for Philadelphia’s Barrymore Awards in Outstanding Scenic Design and Outstanding Media Design, respectively.
Leading up to the Wilma premiere of the production, playwright Sasha Denisova came to Philadelphia to give several talks and host a workshop on Theater of Immediate Response. Funded by the Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation, we invited writers, directors, and theater-makers to apply to participate in the fiveday workshop. The participants practiced combining their personal experiences with larger socio-political events in playwrighting. Members of the HotHouse Acting Company provided invaluable support as actors performing the new works of the workshop’s seven participants.
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Photos of Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion cast by Johanna Austin.
phiLLy is ADVentUroUs!
One night Only – February 29. 2024
We were excited to expand our programming in 2023-24 by returning to our roots with a special reading of ARCHDUKE by Rajiv Joseph, directed by Blanka Zizka, and featuring members of our HotHouse Acting Company. This program grew out of the HotHouse’s weekly sessions, which are frequently utilized to explore new works. ARCHDUKE follows the young men who assassinated Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in 1914. Blanka worked with the HotHouse to explore whether changing certain aspects of the work, such as the gender of some characters,
could create a richer, more compelling text. Blanka began a consideration of ARCHDUKE during COVID, when the HotHouse continued to meet online. This reading was an opportunity to share changes Rajiv made to the script based on Blanka’s input. The evening started with a VIP reception, then continued on to a staged reading on the Wilma’s stage, followed by a Q&A with Blanka and Rajiv. In addition to raising funding for the HotHouse and the Wilma, the evening gave folks a sneak preview of a show that became part of our 2024-25 season.
We love to see the life of our art extended, so it was very exciting to see SCHOOL PICTURES by Milo Cramer have so much success in New York City at Playwright’s Horizons in November 2023. The show that was inspired by Milo’s real-life experiences as a private tutor premiered at the Wilma Theater in fall 2022, directed by Morgan Green. This was followed by a feature of the show as a segment on This American Life in February 2024 and a One-Night Only performance at Bard College in July 2024, directed once again by Morgan!
phiLLy is InnoVAtiVe!
The Wilma emerged from the pandemic as a leader in the creation of digital productions; our history with experimental, multimedia theater puts us in a strong position to successfully integrate digital producing into our work on a longterm basis. We believe digital transformation at the Wilma can spur transformation in our field at large.
In the fall of 2023, we were thrilled to receive notice that the Wilma was awarded a three year grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in support of the Wilma’s growing digital content and footprint. Hybrid producing is the Wilma’s response to a changed regional theater landscape, building intentional digital design into live theater to accommodate virtual and in-person viewership. This grant will support development and integration of hybrid producing at the Wilma, building capacity for digital work; extending the life of our productions; expanding our audience; deepening relationships with theater-makers and students locally and globally; and generating earned income. It will also support the creation of the John S. and James L. Knight Digital Lab right here in our theater on Broad Street to support our work onstage and online.
We kicked off this project with a summit in late 2023 with experts in digital production, marketing, and technology. We led conversations around our Digital
Theater Lab vision and implementation, as well as strategies for a refined online presence to support our digital content. To reimagine our physical space as aligning with the lab’s objectives, we engaged a local Philadelphia architectural firm, JacobsWyper, whose plans include the location of the new space within our building as well as a timeline for renovation. We have scheduled the build out of the Digital Theater Lab for Summer 2025, and the opening for the start of our 2025-26 season. This renovation of our space will also include upgrades to the building’s servers, wiring and internet capabilities, creating a workspace that is capable of handling high-end digital creation and editing.
And our work goes beyond our physical building! We are invested in embedding technology across our programs and better understanding how staged work translates as a digital production. We plan for branded websites, adaptable equipment for the lab and the theater, and increased technology on stage via sound design, projections, and accessibility offerings. We have already increased earned revenue to the theater from digital tickets by over 50%, and are investigating was to increase our ancillary digital programming. This new vision has encouraged us to consider the many forms of accessible programming, plan supplementary content, and reimagine a cohesive digital presence.
phiLLy is GooD peopLe!
April 2 – 21, 2024
Digital Streaming: April 22 – May 19, 2024
Working from an adaptation by playwright Tony Kushner, Bertolt Brecht’s classic parable is retold and radically reclaimed through the vision of director Justin Jain with original live music and, primarily, members of the Wilma HotHouse Acting Company. Three Gods, played by HotHouse company members Jered McLenigan, Ross Beschler, and Matteo Scammell, come to the city of Setzuan looking for one good person. They cross paths with Shen Te (Bi Jean Ngo, HotHouse), a downtrodden young woman trying to lead a “good” life amid the chaotic thrum and bustle of the shantytown. She offers the Gods shelter and, in return, they reward Shen Te with money that is intended as both a gift and a test. The
struggles Shen Te faces when pressed with the unending needs of her neighbors brings to life the uncompromising alter ego, Shui Ta. This production is the perfect vehicle for the HotHouse Acting Company to shine; the trust, knowledge, and skill required for the actors to jump from role to role, sometimes in the same scene, has been honed through their years of weekly sessions and productions together.
In Justin Jain’s directorial debut at the Wilma Theater, he sought to bring poignancy and relevance back to a play that had often been performed by non-Asian actors assuming Asian roles and costuming, in a manner which could be read more as racist than as distancing,
as Brecht’s Verfremdungseffekt intends. Jain brought his Filippino background together with other Asian cultures and languages to create, as he put it, “a pan-Asian Narnia.” Bi Jean Ngo spoke in both English and Vietnamese; the water seller, Wang (Jungwoong Kim), spoke exclusively in Korean with a translator; signs were written in Cantonese; the music incorporated many unique elements, including Indian bells. Without exploiting, but rather by celebrating, Asian culture and “otherness,” the production was able to bring about the feeling of distance from the foreign or alien that was present in the original productions in the 1940s. The representation of the three Gods took distancing even further by turning them into parodies of white, Western tourists. This combination of elements implicated much of the audience as complicit in the unrealistic test of the Gods while also inviting in Asian audience members to a unique position of recognition and inclusion. THE GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN dares audiences to question what it means to be good, who gets to adjudicate right from wrong, and whether they themselves sit in hypocritical judgement of others.
Instead of building a new set from scratch which ended up at a landfill, THE GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN brought the “landfill” to the stage first. Set designer Steven Dufala sourced much of the material for the set from Revolution Recovery, an industrial recycling center in Holmesburg on the Delaware River. Steven and his brother (and occasional artistic partner) Billy Dufala founded the artist-in-residence program, RAIR Philly, at the recycling center. There were broken bicycle parts, old boxes, broken fans, and the proscenium curtain was sewn together by hand from scraps of used fabric. After the production closed, most of the materials used were sent back into the recycling stream – hopefully, to be used in the future for a new art project!
Did you know?
- THE SET AND COSTUMES FOR THE PRODUCTION WERE ZERO WASTE!
- FIRST HOTHOUSE COMPANY MEMBER TO DIRECT AT THE WILMA
Photos of The Good Person of Setzuan cast by Johanna Austin.
phiLLy is commUnity
At the Wilma, we are dedicated to creating an artistic space that is welcoming to all. Our newly created Department of Education and Community Engagement is focused on accessibility and finding ways to eliminate barriers to art, be they financial, physical, or cultural. Lindsay Smiling and Jess Conda focused their year on ideation and planning with new staff who brought exciting, fresh perspectives to their roles. They worked on rekindling our relationships with ongoing partners including Philly House, Bearded Ladies Cabaret, and Broad Street Love. At the same time, we are excited to be cultivating relationships with newer partners like the Masculinity Action Partner, Opera Philadelphia, Rise Choir, Asian Arts Initiative, and Asian Americans United. Through these relationships, we will work hands-on to explore new forms of collaborative art making by and for unique audiences.
We also kicked off our first Accessible Production initiative, a program that invites a community group to have deeper engagement with a production each year, with HILMA. With increased accessibility as the goal, we expanded the scope
and reach of the dramaturgical resources, created a behind-the-scenes documentary, and invited Rise Choir to do a “sing-back” in the lobby after a performance of HILMA. Pax Ressler, leader of the Rise Choir group, was also hired as a vocal coach on the show itself, and instilled themes from HILMA into the Rise Choir singback. Bringing their own experiences, frame of references, and community connections to the lobby as someone who had worked on HILMA was a stronger frame to build connections between art, audience interpretation, and community. The new Accessible Production Initiative (API) will continue to develop the Wilma as an inclusive space by involving marginalized communities in our artmaking and working with participants to create new accessibility initiatives.
Rise Choir Community Practice event at the Wilma.
HILMA’s Queer Night.
The Wilma has increased our focus on accessibility during each of our productions. Each show included an Affinity Night, Relaxed Performances, Let Outs and Cafe Chats, Open Captions, and Audio Descriptions. We continued to record each production to offer productions as digital options for audiences who were unable to attend in person.
THE LET OUT
Engage with our productions on a deeper level at these talkbacks with special guest speakers!
OPEN MIC NIGHTS
Join HotHouse Company Member Jaylene Clark Owens for a night of spoken word inspired by Wilma productions!
AFFINITY NIGHTS
Celebrate community with special programming curated for you to engage with Wilma productions as your most authentic self!
CAFE CHATS
Join us after select performances and chat with our artists to get behind the scenes information about the show!
RELAXED PERFORMANCES
Enjoy the show in a shush-free environment! The theater experience includes modifications such as dimmed houselights and reduced sound.
PAY WHAT YOU WILMA PREVIEWS
Patrons name their own ticket price at these accessible performances.
OTHER ACCESSIBILITY OPTIONS
AVAILABLE INCLUDE:
Open Captioning
Audio Descriptions
Assisted Listening Devices
Wheelchair Seating
Adult education classes have expanded and flourished in the past year. Our Co-Artistic Directors, HotHouse Company members, and visiting artists have offered a wide variety of workshops for different talent and interest levels; directing, dramaturgy, and Dungeons & Dragons were only a few of the topics. These workshops bring together both members of the Wilma community and those who aren’t as familiar with our work. They also allow the artists of the Wilma to share their talents and knowledge with the wider community of artists in Philadelphia and beyond.
FAT HAM’s Black Affinity Night.
HILMA’s Queer Night.
HILMA’s Queer Night with DJ Robinette.
phiLLy is experimentAL!
In 2024, HotHouse continued its weekly Monday training sessions, focusing on activating the adventurous and embodied performance work at the heart of the Wilma’s mission. We provided a space for Wilma Artistic leadership to embark on single-day workshops and explorations of potential future Wilma productions, including but not limited to JURY DUTY, HALF GOD OF RAINFALL, and A SUMMER DAY. Their work continued to focus on expanded movement training and embodied practices, including sessions led by Jungwoong Kim, and a multi-day workshop with Will Robinson, exploring movement flow, expansion and physical care/repair.
HotHouse welcomed two new members to its company roster: Bi Jean Ngo and Kishia Nixon, both Wilma and Philadelphia theater veterans. HotHouse also welcomed two Acting Fellows, Logan Brooks and Chloe Knight, both then seniors at (now graduates of) University of the Arts, for the Spring sessions of the 2023-2024 season.
THE GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN was our HotHouse-centered production for this season. The trust developed through weekly training
sessions, for most of the actors for years, was on full display. Their deep relationships and shared movement training allowed for the company members to rely upon each other and gave them space to more completely embody their characters. Their work together was so impressive that students travelled from as far away as Seattle to attend the 2024 HotHouse Summer Training Intensive after seeing the digital version of the production!
HotHouse is not only essential to the boundary pushing, risk taking, adventurous art on the Wilma stage, but on stages across the theater ecosystem in Philadelphia. They are also ambassadors for the Wilma’s values regionally and on New York stages. As they look ahead, we are eager to continue welcoming new members into the cohort, as well as to expand access to their methodology through our HotHouse Professional Training offerings throughout the season, and their nationally recognized Summer Training Institute.
HotHouse Training Session.
Long time HotHouse member Keith Conallen was the very first recipient of the Sylvia Kauders Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor at the 2024 Barrymore Awards. We were thrilled that Keith’s decades of stellar work on stages across the city was recognized with this award and honored that he highlighted his work within the HotHouse as central to his artistic practice saying, “Through our rigorous practice of breath, physical strength and specificity, and attention to text, we the HotHouse find ourselves in an ever growing family that thrives on mutual respect and mental, emotional, and physical support.”
Congratulations, Keith!
“ Support is a part of everything we do ”
- Keith Conallen, HotHouse Company Member
HotHouse Company Members Matteo Scammell, Bi Jean Ngo, Jered McLenigan, Ross Beschler in The Good Person of Setzuan. Photo by Johanna Austin.
HotHouse Company Members Keith Conallen, Campbell O’Hare, Jered McLenigan, Suli Holum in Minor Character.
Photo by Johanna Austin.
phiLLy is reADy to receiVe!
June 4 – 23, 2024
Digital Streaming: June 24 – July 21, 2024
The early 20th century queer mystic and artist Hilma af Klint channeled messages from otherworldly forces through hundreds of paintings, hoping to communicate the mysteries of the universe. Only recently rediscovered and hailed as one of the first-ever abstract artists, she worked in obscurity during a time that was not yet ready to receive her message. The librettist, Kate Scelsa, and the composer, Robert M. Johanson, began work on what would become HILMA after seeing the exhibit of Hilma’s work at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. They felt drawn to create this contemporary opera in a way that mirrors the spirits calling Hilma and her group De
Fem to their “Great Commission.” HILMA – with a score that mixes genres including opera, rock, pop, and musical theater– wrestles with the hubris and humility that fueled one woman’s spiritual quest and how that ripples out to the future.
The triptych style of the three acts of HILMA draws a line from Hilma af Klint’s life and work at the turn of the century to our reception of her art today. The actors glide through their roles in each act; first, embodying Hilma (Kristin Sieh) and her cohort, then, drawing the audience into a meditative and immersive journey into the astral plane that echos Hilma’s work, and,
finally, bringing a meta-critique to the stage that addresses the modern reception of Hilma and her place in that oeuvre. The set design for HILMA was simply phenomenal and changed through each act. The set for Act 2 was so elaborate and awe-inspiring that it practically became a character itself; it took the shape of a giant eye, shifting and changing as the actors made their journey into the spiritual through the iris of the set.
Bringing HILMA to the stage and focusing on Hilma af Klint’s work allowed the Wilma to shine a light on local Philadelphia artists. As a queer, female artist, Hilma was struggling against societal expectations in her time; we chose to host two events that brought the art of marginalized groups to the forefront. The Queer Art Celebration brought together queer artists to
promote themselves and sell their art in our lobby. The Art Show & Silent Auction was a several week long event during which we showcased the art of female-, non-binary-, and/or queer-identifying local artists and sold it through an auction site. This art show both promoted the work of 15 artists and was an effective fundraiser.
Photos of Hilma cast by Johanna Austin.
phiLLy is fUn!
JUNE
18, 2024
Directly on the heels of receiving our Tony award, Fete 2024 was a particularly joyous occasion. We gathered at Ridgeland Mansion in Fairmount Park. It was our first time having Fete at the Mansion and our expectations for the space were far exceeded! The candlelit pathways, romantic gardens, and wide dance floor ensured that everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Beneath the tent and the stars, patrons delighted in delicious food and desserts, a complimentary Tito’s Vodka cocktail station, lawn games, and exciting entertainment. There was also a plethora of silent auction items, ranging from theater tickets and subscriptions to restaurant gift cards to a ceramics workshop.
The evening was a celebration of the HotHouse Acting Company. There were several performances throughout the night from HotHouse members or those related to the work of the HotHouse or Wilma Theater. Anthony Martinez-Briggs and STARFIRE performed musical
pieces from an upcoming ILL DOOTS release. Pax Resler (vocal coach for HILMA) sang and played the keyboard. Jaylene Clark Owens did a beautiful poetry reading of an original poem about the Wilma. Dito van Reigersberg and Alex Bechtel gave a preview of Pig Iron’s Amy Mann musical, POOR JUDGE. There was even a return of the tinikling dance from THE GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN!
Many attendees were able to snag a photo of themselves with the new Tony Award, which made its debut at the party. When the program for the evening was complete, everyone, including the Tony, took to the dance floor. Rounding out the celebration, HotHouse members led everyone in a Solstice ritual in Ridgeland Mansion’s Secret Garden. The delightful evening left everyone excited to celebrate the Wilma again in 2025!
Did you know?
- THIS MAGICAL EVENING WAS MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE SUPPORT OF EVENT SPONSORS BOTLD, TITO’S HANDMADE VODKA, VICTORY BREWING COMPANY, AND YARDS BREWING COMPANY.
phiLLy is GeneroUs!
thank yOu tO Our hOnOrary prOducers circle fOr their seasOn lOng suppOrt
Val Arkoosh & Jeff Harbison • Edward & Susan Hoffman • Tobey & Mark Dichter • Herman & Helen Fala • Linda & David Glickstein • Katherine Kelton & Troy Graham • Eva & Michael Leeds • Don & Barbara Parman • John & Theresa Rollins • Sharon & Irv Shapiro • Mari & Peter Shaw • Jeralyn Svanda • Gayle & David Smith • Dr. R. J. Wallner
by Knight Foundation
$250,000+: The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage; William Penn Foundation; Wyncote Foundation
$100,000 - $249,000: The Shubert Foundation; Venturous Theater Fund, a fund of Tides Foundation
$25,000 - $99,000: The Albert M. Greenfield Foundation; City National Bank; Hamilton Family Foundation; Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation; Independence Foundation; McLean Contributionship; The Patricia Kind Family Foundation; Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
$10,000 - $24,999: Anonymous; CHG Charitable Trust; Connelly Foundation; Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation; Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development Fund
$1,000 - $9,999: Charlotte Cushman Foundation; Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Fraser Advanced Information Systems; The Christopher Ludwick Foundation; Virginia Brown Martin Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation
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yOu tO
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Photo from The Good Person of Setzuan by Johanna Austin.
wiLmA theAter boArD
AnD stAff
bOard Of directOrs
Officers
Katherine Kelton, Chair
Jerry Goldberg, Vice Chair
Herman C. Fala, Treasurer
Mark S. Dichter, Secretary
Board Members
Siv Anantuni
Ross Beschler
Linda Glickstein
Caroline Hall
Jeff Harbison
Tamara Hobbs
Suli Holum
Kinohi Nishikawa
Jessica Rizzo
Mark Stewart
Lansie Sylvia
Ex-Officio
Leigh Goldenberg
Morgan Green
Lindsay Smiling
Yury Urnov
Emeritus
Harvey Kimmel
Sissie Lipton
James F. McGillin
John Rollins
Dianne Semingson
Mari Shaw
Evelyn G. Spritz
Dr. R. J. Wallner
Jeanne P. Wrobleski
staff members
Co-Artistic Directors Morgan Green, Lindsay Smiling, Yury Urnov
Managing Director: Leigh Goldenberg
Artistic Director Emeritus: Blanka Zizka
Artistic
Associate Artistic Director: Kellie Mecleary
Associate Producer: Brittany Onukwugha
HotHouse Company: Krista Apple, Ross Beschler, Taysha Marie Canales, Keith Conallen, Melanye Finister, Sarah Gliko, Suli Holum, Justin Jain, Anthony Martinez-Briggs, Jered McLenigan, Bi Jean Ngo, Kishia Nixon, Campbell O’Hare, Jaylene Clark Owens, Brandon Pierce, Steven Rishard, Brett Ashley Robinson, Matteo Scammell, Lindsay Smiling
Artistic Intern: Rose Farrell
Education
Director of Education and Community Practice: Jess Conda
Resident Teaching Artist: Lee Minora
Teaching Artists: Donovan Lockett, Chris Davis, Sunflower B Rose, Anthony Martinez Briggs, Taylor J Mitchell, Taj Rauch, Lee Minora, Elle Morris, Rebecca Posner, Sohrab Haghverdi, Carly Bodnar, Shamus McCarty, Joyous Whitfield
Development
Development Director: Jessica Betts
Individual Giving Associate: Brittney Anderson
Development and Executive Assistant: Danielle Pisechko
Institutional Giving Manager: Katherine Clark
Marketing
Director of Digital Marketing and Sales: Rachel Robbins
Marketing and Design Manager: Kristin Finger
PR Representative: En Route
Business/Administration
Business Associate: Minna Tran
Production
Production Manager: Matthew J. Zumbo
Resident Stage Manager: Patreshettarlini Adams
Technical Director: Benny Henry
Crew Head: Elliot Greer
Head Electrician: Victoria Sills
Head of Properties: Kimitha Cashin
Wardrobe Department Head: Michelle Biddle-Rowland
Head Audio Engineer: Eddie Smith
Operations and Facilities
Operations and Facilities Manager: Peter Escalada-Mastick
Box Office
Box Office Manager: Sarah Blask
Box Office Associates: Kylen Bailey, Francesca LaRosa, Grace Lazarz, Nicholas Perez-Hoop, Chelsea Haynes, Madelyn Owens
House Managers: Kylen Bailey, Rose Farrell, Gio Maneri, Javier Mojica, Nicholas PerezHoop, Rasheda Sesay, Kel Fleming
Impact report compiled by Danielle Pisechko and Jessica Betts, Designed by Kristin Finger