Curio Theatre Company is celebrating 20 years of theatre in West Philadelphia this upcoming season and will present several great shows, both for adults and children, from October to May.

The company kicks off this anniversary season with the Philadelphia premiere of Larissa Fasthorse’s Broadway hit, The Thanksgiving Play. The play centers around a group of four well-meaning but culturally insensitive white theatre artists who attempt to create a politically correct elementary school play about the first Thanksgiving while struggling with their own biases and the lack of Native representation. Curio Theatre Co-Founder, Tim Martin, is directing this smart and funny premiere which runs October 23-November 9. Opening Night is Saturday, Oct. 26.

Next, in time for the holidays, Curio is bringing back its Make/Partake theatre experience. The next show is The Three Little Pigs, written by Company Co-Founder and Artistic Director Paul Kuhn.

As they did with Jack In The Beanstalk last year, children will begin by making theatre props, set pieces, voice recordings and more. All of these will then be incorporated into the story to create a magical theatre experience for all who attend. The Three Little Pigs runs December 12-29. Opening is Saturday, Dec. 14. Recommended for children 3-12 though the whole family will enjoy it!

In the New Year, Curio is welcoming Ingrid Griffith and her award-winning one-woman show Shirley Chisholm: Unbossed & Unbowed. This immersive and interactive solo show is about the first African-American woman to run for the presidency of the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. She was a Brooklyn-born daughter of Caribbean parents on a mission and called the Black Joan of Arc. This one-night only performance will be February 8.

The final show of the year is A Funeral Farce. To celebrate Curio’s 20th season in West Philly, the company is bringing back an original comedy, 2009’s A Funeral Farce. The plot promises to provide a very funny look at what is normally considered a grim business. When mistakes are made in some businesses, you hear the phrase “heads will roll!” But when mistakes happen at the Fasbow’s Funeral Home, entire bodies start rolling. This piece runs April 30-May 17. Opening Night is May 3.

For more details on each show and to reserve your tickets, go to: curiotheatre.org.

Children and youth are also invited to attend Curio’s popular Saturday theatre school (see image below), which kicks off September 21. Curio Theatre School is recognized regionally by Theatre Philadelphia with the 2017 Victory Foundation Award for Outstanding Theatre Education Program. Click here for more info.

And finally, Curio is hosting their annual Prom Fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 19, featuring music, dancing and great food from local businesses. This year’s theme is Prom or Halloween? All costumes are encouraged! More info and tickets are here.

Photo courtesy of Curio Theatre Company