Walnut Street Theatre to Celebrate 200th Anniversary on February 2

Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre will officially celebrate its 200th anniversary on Monday, February 2 with a special invitation-only performance featuring 50 performers and excerpts from two dozen past productions.

The theater is currently presenting Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire (through March 1) on its mainstage, to be followed by productions of Garson Kanin’s classic comedy Born Yesterday (March 10-April 26) and Mel Brooks’ The Producers (May 12-July 12).

At its Independence Studio on 3, the Walnut is presenting Oh Captain, My Captain (through February 8), followed by Honor and the River(February 24-March 15), Criminal Hearts (March 31-April 19), and Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits (May 5-July 28).

The 2009-2010 Mainstage season will open with the musical comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (September 8-October 25), the story of two confidence men who try to out con each other. Next up will be the classic musical Oliver! (November 10-January 10), which brings to life Charles Dickens’ timeless characters with its ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more. The New Year brings to the Walnut stage the world premiere production of Eric Conger’s The Eclectic Society (January 19-March 7), set in the 1960’s, and revolving around a fraternal society testing out its new recruits. It will be followed by Noel Coward’s Fallen Angels (March 16-May 2), about two upper-class society ladies, whose past catches up with them. The season will conclude with the musical Fiddler on the Roof (May 18-July 18).

For more information, visit www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org.