Quintessence Theatre

Quintessence Theatre performs in our home, the Sedgwick Theater - an historic 1928 former movie palace. We configure our black box space to complement each production and perform under the original arches, chandeliers and ornate ceilings of the original structure. The Sedgwick Theater is in the Northwest corner of Philadelphia in the beautiful neighborhood of Mt. Airy, with tree-lined streets, original Belgian block roadways with embedded trolley tracks, and small shops, cafes and unique restaurants. The building is fully accessible from the sidewalk to the theater, and all performances offer accessible and companion seating including an accessible restroom. We offer fresh and local refreshments, including baked goods, fresh roasted coffee, locally brewed seasonal beers, and sommelier curated wine. We are committed to our efforts to reduce waste and single use plastics, and welcome guests to BYOC (bring-your-own-cup)!

We believe it is imperative that classical theatre remains a vibrant and present part of contemporary American culture. As part of our heritage, classic stories should be revisited and remembered so that we better understand our past and its relevance to our future. Quintessence is committed to exploring the classics through a contemporary lens. We call this “progressive classics” or “classics forward.” We do not modernize or rewrite the text. Rather, we allow for our contemporary aesthetics and social values to engage with the play.

Quintessence’s commitment to actor and text-driven plays and our use of seasoned actors alongside emerging actors has created a loyal ensemble that continually returns to work together. Our ensemble has not only embraced established local actors, but also brought a new group of talented actors to Philadelphia. Finally, Quintessence has become a home and training ground for a new generation of professional classical actors.