48 Best Performing Arts Venues in Pennsylvania, USA

Considered one of the world's best symphony orchestras, the Philadelphia Orchestra is overseen by the effervescent Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The orchestra's present home is the cello-shaped Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The 2,500-seat hall is the centerpiece of the performing-arts center at Broad and Spruce Streets—a dynamic complex housed under a glass-vaulted roof. Orchestra concerts during the September–May season are still among the city's premier social events. In summer the orchestra performs at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts.

Philadelphia and world premieres of works by contemporary American playwrights are performed here. In 2007 they moved to their new permanent home, the 365-seat Suzanne Roberts theater on the Avenue of the Arts.

The ballet appears at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, which also hosts many Broadway shows.

The opera performs at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts.

The Pittsburgh Public Theater consistently stages quality productions at the O'Reilly Theater, a downtown facility designed by Michael Graves.

The world-class orchestra appears at the Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts.

Owned and operated by the Philadelphia Film Society, the Prince has evolved into a regular venue for movie screenings, though it also hosts concerts, cabaret, opera, comedy, and more.

This annual festival of contemporary LGBTQ+ cinema takes place in a variety of venues around the city. qFLIX Philadelphia hosts other film-related events throughout the year.

A one-day free-for-all on the Festival Pier of the Delaware waterfront in early June, the Roots Picnic is hosted by Philly's own hip-hop legends, The Roots, and includes a slew of hip-hop, indie, and DJ performances, including previous performers TV on the Radio, Public Enemy, and Nas.

For more than 50 years, this small off-Broadway–style theater, just off South Street, has mounted original plays. The main stage is for contemporary works; the smaller Red Room features cabaret and musical comedies.

Across the Delaware River in Camden, New Jersey, the Susquehanna Bank Center programs everything from classical to rock and roll in an adaptable space. Between the outdoor and indoor areas, it can host crowds as large as 25,000, with the indoor facility able to accommodate 7,000.

A National Historic Landmark, the 1852 Fulton Opera House has been sumptuously renovated. It produces a mix of Broadway-style shows and musicals and also hosts the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra. Recent shows have included Annie Get Your Gun and Newsies.

Music director Michael Krajewski leads an orchestra of local musicians in programs that swing from Broadway to big band, or from ragtime to rock and roll, with ease. They perform at the Kimmel Center, as well as at other local venues, from October to May.

Founded in 1809, this is the oldest English-language theater in continuous use in the United States. The schedule includes musicals, comedies, and dramas in a lovely 1,052-seat auditorium where almost every seat is a good one. Smaller stages showcase workshop productions of new plays, and are rented by other theater companies.

In the days leading up to Independence Day (July 4), Welcome America! highlights Philly's history with patriotic happenings, from a massive block party on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to free museum access and historical tours. It all culminates with a concert and fireworks extravaganza held on the Parkway; past performers have included Hall and Oates, John Legend, and Sheryl Crow.

Philly's primary arena for big rock concerts on par with Bruce Springsteen and Beyoncé, the Wells Fargo is also home to the city's 76ers (NBA) and Flyers (NHL). Regular calendar events also include monster truck shows, professional wrestling, and circus shows.

Under founding artistic directors Blanka and Jiri Zizka, the Wilma has gained favorable critical notices for innovative presentations of American and European drama. Its season runs from September to June.