Arden Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia Premiere of “Good Bones”
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originally published: 01/02/2026
(PHILADELPHIA, PA) — Arden Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia premiere of Good Bones, the newest play by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright James Ijames (Fat Ham), about gentrification and the consequences of change in a neighborhood and in a family. Directed by Philadelphia-based award-winning actor Akeem Davis, the production begins performances January 22, opens January 28, and runs through March 8, 2026.
Good Bones follows Aisha as she returns to her childhood neighborhood with her husband to help developers “revitalize” the place she grew up. As they renovate their new home, her homecoming proves more complicated than expected. When their contractor learns that Aisha is involved in bringing a controversial sports arena to the community, tensions ignite around who gets to stay and who must go when cities change. Featuring an all-Philadelphia cast and design team, Good Bones uses sharp humor and emotional depth to explore the tension between progress and preservation, asking who cities are built for and what gets lost in the name of change.
“Drawing inspiration from Philadelphia’s own arena fiasco, Good Bones is a dynamic play by James Ijames that pulls audiences into a thrilling discussion of whether it’s possible to restore a community without reimagining it altogether, or is reinvention simply the cost of revitalization,” says Akeem Davis, Director of Good Bones. “Set in a kitchen-mid-renovation, the play centers the notion of home and poses the incredibly personal conundrum we’ve all had to face: what to do with your roots? Explored through four wildly different characters, Good Bones operates on the edge of whether it’s right to hold tightly to roots – no matter how strained – or to sever the ties that bind in pursuit of a broader perspective.”
Akeem Davis brings a deep connection to both the playwright and the Arden to the production. A Philadelphia-based, award-winning actor and director, Davis has appeared in numerous Arden productions, including The Mountaintop (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), King Hedley II (King Hedley II), Intimate Apparel (George Armstrong), The Lehman Trilogy (Mayer Lehman), and A Doll’s House (Krogstad), earning the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor. His work as a director continues to expand his artistic impact in the region, most recently directing A Raisin in the Sun at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.
Newton Buchanan (Travis), a Philadelphia-based actor, has previously appeared at the Arden in Holy Grail of Memphis (Derek Benoit) and The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) (Guy, Fleshlumpeater, Classmate, Ronald Simkins). Buchanan’s regional work includes roles at Philadelphia Theatre Company, New Light Theatre, Delaware Theater Company, Deep Blue Theatre, and Curio Theatre Company. Buchanan has also appeared in the HBO series Mare of Easttown.
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Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha) is a three-time Barrymore Award nominee and F. Otto Haas Emerging Philadelphia Theater Artist Recipient who has previously appeared at the Arden in King Hedley II (Tonya), A Streetcar Named Desire (Eunice Hubbell), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia, Tom Snout), The Jungle Book (Mother Wolf, Monkey, Kaa), and La Bête (Madeline Bejart). Canales’ regional work includes roles at People’s Light, the Wilma Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and the Azuka Theatre.
Walter DeShields (Earl) is an award-winning actor, director, and educator, as well as the co-founder/co- artistic director of Theatre in the X, a professional company dedicated to providing free, community- centered theatre in West Philadelphia. Previously, DeShields appeared in roles at the Arden, including Clyde’s (Montrellous) and A Streetcar Named Desire (Steve Hubbell). He currently serves as adjunct faculty at Rowan, Drexel, and Eastern Universities. Regionally, DeShields has appeared in roles at numerous theatres, including Bristol Riverside Theatre, Once Upon a Bridge, and the Lantern Theatre Company.
Kishia Nixon (Carmen) is a Barrymore Award-winning actress who previously appeared at the Arden in The Mountaintop (Camae), Holy Grail of Memphis (Gigi Robins), The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) (Sam, Bonecruncher, Classmate, Sam Simkins), and Clyde’s (Letita). Regionally, Nixon has appeared in roles at numerous theatres, including Theatre Exile, Delaware Theatre Company, Act II Playhouse, and the Lantern Theatre Company.
The production design team includes Gabe Moses (Assistant Director), Alec E. Ferrell (Stage Manager), Marie Laster (Scenic Designer), Shannon Zura (Lighting Designer), Ethan Paone (Assistant Lighting Designer), Tiffany Bacon (Costume Designer), and Jordan McCree (Sound Designer).
Good Bones begins previews January 22, opens January 28, and runs through March 10. Single ticket prices vary by performance and start at $37. Tickets are available online at ardentheatre.org, by phone at 215.922.1122, or at the box office at Arden Theatre Company (40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia, PA).
Special events and performances for Good Bones include:
Pay-What-You-Choose Night with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia | Wednesday, January 21, at 7:00pm. Join them for the final dress rehearsal performance with a pre-show reception including food and refreshments. All proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia’s mission to partner with families to build or improve a place to call home. Learn more here.
Post-Show Talkback | Sunday, February 15, at 2:00pm, and Thursday, March 5, at 7:00pm. Join a member of Arden’s artist team for post-show talkbacks.
Teen Night | Saturday, February 7, at 7:00pm. $15 tickets and a post-show talkback for Teens 13 – 18 years old.
Young Friends Night! | Thursday, February 12, at 7:00pm. Networking and pre-show talkback event for professionals 40 and under
Smart Caption Glasses | Starting Tuesday, February 3. Wearable, customizable Closed Captioning Glasses are available to reserve for performances. Click here to learn more.
Accessibility: The Arden is fully accessible to people with special needs and is named a Keystone of Accessibility by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Resources available for families include assistive listening devices, sensory processing tools, smart caption glasses, large print programs, and more.
Arden Theatre Company, founded in 1988, is a professional theatre company in Old City, dedicated to bringing to life great stories by great storytellers on the stage, in the classroom, and in the community. To date, the Arden has produced 46 World Premieres. The Arden has developed four distinct educational programs: Arden for All, their in-school arts education program for elementary level students; Arden Drama School, their on-site, tuition-based theatre classes for pre-K through 12th-grade students; Teen Arden, their theatre enrichment program for high school students; and the Arden Professional Apprentice program, a rigorous training program for young theatre professionals.
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