Arden Children’s Theatre, located at 40 N 2nd St., Philadelphia, announces its 2025-2026 season, inviting families and children to experience live theatre magic through two imaginative and fun stories.
Starting on August 18, theatre lovers can purchase individual show tickets to see A Wrinkle in Time and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. Both productions promise to spark curiosity, laughter, and adventure for audiences of all ages. Buy-Both-and-Save subscription options are available now.
“We are thrilled to be staging new productions of A Wrinkle in Time and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, stories that inspire kids to see the world from new perspectives,” says Producing Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen. “Both of these beloved books have engaged readers’ imaginations for decades — and they have become exciting and funny new plays! Arden Children’s Theatre introduces so many kids to live theatre for the very first time, and we can’t wait to get young audiences laughing and cheering as they explore new worlds and some fairly stupid tales.”
Arden Children’s Theatre invites families to embark on an unforgettable adventure this holiday season with A Wrinkle in Time. Adapted by John Glore and directed by Arden favorite Rebecca Wright, this production brings Madeleine L’Engle’s celebrated novel to life. Audiences will follow Meg Murry, a girl who has always felt out of place—at school, at home, and especially since her father disappeared—until a mysterious visitor arrives on a dark and stormy night. Meg is then swept away on a thrilling journey through time and space, joined by her brilliant brother Charles Wallace, her friend Calvin, and three powerful guides. Together, they brave distant planets, confront a growing darkness, and discover that the key to saving the universe may lie within Meg herself. A Wrinkle in Time runs through January 25, 2026, and is recommended for ages six and up.
Spring brings silliness to the stage with The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith’s beloved book comes to life in a zany adaptation by John Glore, directed by Steve Pacek, who co-directed last season’s smash-hit production of RENT. This laugh-out-loud production scrambles classic fairy tales, featuring an Ugly Duckling who stays ugly, a princess’s kiss gone hilariously wrong, and the Stinky Cheese Man causing chaos. With quirky characters, funny twists, and enough stinky cheese to spread around, this hilarious adaptation of the beloved book will have kids and parents falling out of their seats. Recommended for ages five and up, the show runs through May 31, 2026.

Credit: Arden Children’s Theatre
Audiences can purchase tickets now for both productions at a special discounted rate with Arden’s Buy Both and Save offer, which includes exclusive benefits until individual tickets go on sale on August 18.
Along with the two new productions, other productions being shown for the 2025-2026 season including Falsettos, The Mountaintop , Romeo and Juliet, Good Bones, and Dear Evan Hansen with single ticket sales available now. Click here for tickets and more information on these productions.
Falsettos by William Finn and James Lapine, directed by Kevin Glaccum, is a contemporary musical that delves into love and its complexities during the early days of the AIDS epidemic. Performances run from September 25 to October 26, 2025, with opening night on Saturday, October 4, at 7 p.m
The Mountaintop is by Katori Hall and directed by Brett Ashley Robinson. After delivering his iconic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel. This intimate reimagining of King’s final night is a powerful and poetic meditation on legacy and the man behind the movement that shaped a nation. Runs from October 30 to December 14, 2025, with opening night on Wednesday, November 5, at 7 p.m.
The Philadelphia premiere of this new play Good Bones is by James Ijames, 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Fat Ham, and directed by Akeem Davis is about community, change, and the soul of our cities. Runs from January 22 to March 8, 2026 with opening night scheduled for Wednesday, January 28 at 7 p.m
Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare and directed by Amina Robinson reminds us of the risks we take for love and the cost of a world unwilling to change. Runs from March 5 to April 5, 2026, with opening night on Wednesday, March 11, at 7 p.m.
Dear Evan Hansen, written by Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul, is directed by Terrence J. Nolen and co-conceived with Jorge Consineau. Winner of six Tony Awards, Dear Evan Hansen is a deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical for anyone who has ever felt alone in a crowded room. It runs from May 21 to June 28, 2026, with opening night on Wednesday, May 27, at 7 p.m.
Don’t miss the magic and wonder of Arden Children’s Theatre this season. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here or call the box office at 215-922-1122.