New York, NY (May 22, 2024) – The Tony Awards® Administration Committee has announced that, based on the recommendation by the American Theatre Critics Association, The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will be the recipient of the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The honor, recognizing a regional theatre company that has displayed a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theatre nationally, is accompanied by a grant of $25,000, made possible by City National Bank’s generous support.
“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. We are 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 want to celebrate with you! Join us for HILMA, our Tony Watch Party, and our annual Fete this June, then come back next year for an amazing season!
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“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 world-class 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, Executive Director of The City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy
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 Director (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 former Artistic Director at the Wilma
I’m so thrilled that Wilma has been awarded this tremendous honor! The Wilma has been part of every phase of my career in Philly. Theater continues to push boundaries and I’m so honored to have played even a small part of this monumental moment.
James Ijames, former Co-Artistic Director at the Wilma
The Wilma Theater has long been one of the most vital, exciting and groundbreaking in the nation. FAT HAM came to life at the Wilma before we took it up and brought it to Broadway; without regional stages like the Wilma, America would be an impoverished theatrical landscape.
Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director, Public Theater
The Wilma Theater is a world-class institution dedicated to nurturing, showcasing, and celebrating the arts and artists of Philly. Whatever we as a society are navigating, you can be sure the Wilma is engaging with it, too. Congratulations to the staff, the crew, the artists, and everyone involved. And congrats to Philly on being so lucky for this mighty artistic force
State Senator Nikil Saval
“As a midsized regional theater, the Wilma has had an outsized impact on the performing arts, leading in the experimental world of digital theater. We are proud to support their innovative work aimed at deepening experiences and reaching new audiences with their unique brand of storytelling.”
Knight Foundation
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