Artistic Directors Blanka Zizka and Jiri Zizka are thrilled to announce the 2007-2008 season at The Wilma Theater. Following the Wilma's successful 2006-2007 season in which nearly 100 performances sold out, the upcoming season includes two U.S. Premieres, a Philadelphia Premiere, and a new version of a classic Broadway and London hit - taking theatergoers to Mozart's Vienna, to England at the rise of the Women's Suffrage Movement, behind the scenes of a groundbreaking 1950s British radio show, and deep into the mythic Greek underworld.

The season kicks off with a new production of Peter Shaffer's Broadway, London, and Academy Award®-winning hit, Amadeus, based on a script which includes newly added scenes and dialogue after the play's Broadway and film successes. Next, the Wilma presents the U.S. premiere of Linda Griffiths' Women's Suffrage-era play Age of Arousal, followed by the U.S. premiere of Roy Smiles' Ying Tong - A Walk With the Goons, a hysterically twisted look at one of the BBC's leading radio comedy shows. Finally, the season closes with the return of one of the fastest rising voices in American theater today, Sarah Ruhl, and the Philadelphia premiere of her retelling of the Orpheus myth, Eurydice.

"We are thrilled to introduce Linda Griffiths' and Roy Smiles' plays to American audiences," said Blanka Zizka. "We are also proud to bring Sarah Ruhl back to Philadelphia, after our exhilarating production of The Clean House in 2005, applauded by both our audiences and critics."

"It's tremendously exciting to take a fresh look at modern classics," said Jiri Zizka, "especially at one of the most fascinating and successful plays of the 20th century - Peter Shaffer's epic tale about the eccentric genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Salieri's tenacious struggle with God's will. A highly conceptual and re-imagined production of Amadeus will be a great way to start this season."

THE SEASON

Amadeus
September 19 - October 21, 2007
By Peter Shaffer
Directed by Jiri Zizka
One of the most acclaimed and popular productions of the 20th Century, Amadeus has been honored with five Tony Awards®, eight Academy Awards®, and extended London and Broadway runs. The Wilma opens its season with this modern masterpiece that The New York Times called "terrifically entertaining, highly theatrical," in a version rewritten since its original Broadway and film successes. What happens when mediocrity recognizes itself in the face of genius? Especially when genius comes in the form of a potty-mouthed former child prodigy? This is the challenge posed as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, perhaps the greatest composer of all time, unknowingly becomes the battleground of envious court composer Antonio Salieri's strife with God. From Peter Shaffer, the master storyteller behind Equus and Black Comedy (produced by the Wilma in 2000), Amadeus combines intrigue, suspense, comedy, and passion with some of the most stirring music ever written.

Age of Arousal (U.S. Premiere)
December 5, 2007 - January 6, 2008
By Linda Griffiths
Wildly inspired by The Odd Women by George Gissing
Directed by Blanka Zizka
Age of Arousal enters the boldly uncensored world of loosened corsets as five Victorian women pursue a new age where erotic freedom reigns supreme. It's 1885, and a population imbalance leaves England flooded with half a million more women than men. Invigorated by the rise in numbers, the Women's Suffrage Movement is now stronger than ever as non-married, or "Odd Women," advance towards sexual and financial independence. Determined to empower females with the technology of the workplace, an ex-Suffragette initiates a school for secretaries complete with an arsenal of Remington typewriters. Can she lead the way and see her vision of women as managers, business owners, even political world leaders come to fruition? Sexy, fresh, and funny, this is the U.S. Premiere of the newest work from one of Canada's leading playwrights that brought audiences to their feet at Calgary's 2007 Enbridge playRites Festival.

Ying Tong - A Walk With The Goons (U.S. Premiere)
February 13 - March 16, 2008
By Roy Smiles
Directed by Jiri Zizka
Before Monty Python invaded television, BBC's famous radio series, The Goon Show made an entire nation laugh week after week, greatly influencing Python, The Beatles, and Tom Stoppard, among others. With Ying Tong, which The Sunday Times described as having "an invigorating spirit of insanity," rising UK playwright Roy Smiles brilliantly chronicles the Goons' surge from cult status to raving success, showcasing the series' trademark surrealism and profound silliness. As the curtain rises, we find Goon writer and "godfather of alternative comedy" Spike Milligan losing his mind from the strain of creating genius. Wild fantasies of Jewish leprechauns, gay Vikings, and malevolent Morris Dancers are springing from his fragmented brain. Fellow Goons, including future Dr. Strangelove Peter Sellers, scramble to recover Milligan's missing marbles and save his sanity.

Eurydice (Philadelphia Premiere)
April 30 - June 1, 2008
By Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Blanka Zizka
After the success of Pulitzer Prize nominee Sarah Ruhl's The Clean House in Philadelphia at the Wilma and in New York, she returns with a modern tale of loss and love, heralded as "a magical play with gripping emotional potency" by The New York Times. With surprising plot twists, quirky humor, and an original musical score, Eurydice is the classic myth of Orpheus, retold from the heroine's point of view. On the day Eurydice is to marry her true love, Orpheus, a tragic misstep sends her plummeting to the surreal depths of the Underworld. Memories are forbidden in this world of the dead, but an unexpected reunion with her father vividly awakens Eurydice's mind with the love she felt in life. When Orpheus braves the gates of hell to find her, Eurydice must painfully decide whether to remain with her father or return to her Earthly loves.

Special Events
Throughout the season, the Wilma will announce special free readings which offer audiences previews of plays, chosen from the best new writing from the U.S. and abroad. Special series are also offered, including Stage Write, Coffee Chat, and Behind the Footlights - all of which are accompanied by a discussion with available Wilma directors, designers, actors and moderated by Wilma Dramaturg, Walter Bilderback.

Subscriptions & Tickets
Subscription prices range from $32-$200, with Flex Subscriptions available that give subscribers the flexibility to choose performance dates over the season. Special discounts are available on single tickets for seniors, students, educators, under-35 patrons, and groups of 10 or more. Subscriptions and tickets are available by calling (215) 546-7824, visiting The Wilma Theater box office located at 265 South Broad Street in Philadelphia, or online at www.wilmatheater.org. Single tickets for the 2007-2008 season go on sale August 1st.

2007-2008 sponsors are Season Sponsor The Sporting Club at The Bellevue and Media Sponsor WHYY.

To request more information and interviews, please contact: Megan Wendell, Canary Promotion office: 215.242.6393, email: megan@canarypromo.com