ARDEN CHILDREN’S THEATRE BRINGS BIG LAUGHS TO THE STAGE WITH THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES BEGINNING APRIL 8
Philadelphia, PA|March 20, 2026 – This spring, Arden Children’s Theatre (40 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA) invites families into a hilariously twisted world where classic fairy tales don’t go quite as expected in its next production of the 2025/26 season, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (The Stinky Cheese Man). Based on the beloved book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, adapted by John Glore, the production brings the book’s fractured fairy tales to life for kids and adults alike. Directed by Steve Pacek, the production runs on the Arden’s Arcadia stage with previews starting April 8, opening night on April 18, with performances running through May 31.
In this laugh-out-loud production, the imaginative set design transforms the theatre into a whimsical funhouse filled with playful surprises. Classic fairy tales get scrambled and turned upside down. The Ugly Duckling doesn’t become a beautiful swan, but a Really Ugly Duck. A Princess kisses a frog and ends up with a mouthful of slime. Familiar characters wander in and out of the wrong stories, narrators lose control of the plot, and the title character himself, a very smelly cheese, tries to steal the spotlight. The Stinky Cheese Man is perfect for kids ages five and up.
“We just want audiences to come into the theater, escape the world for a little while, and laugh,” said director Steve Pacek. “The Stinky Cheese Man takes stories you think you know and flips them completely upside down in the most wild, weird, and joyful way.”
Pacek has a long history with Arden Children’s Theatre, both on stage and behind the scenes, performing in productions such as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and A Year with Frog and Toad. Most recently, Pacek co-directed the Arden’s smash-hit production of RENT on the mainstage.
The production features an all–Philadelphia-based cast, showcasing some of the region’s most dynamic talent. Among them is Matteo Scammell, who returns to the stage after his standout performance in Arden Children’s Theatre’s production of The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant). Lee Minora also joins the cast, following her memorable turn as Smee, Captain Hook’s right-hand man, in Arden Children’s Theatre’s magical 2024 production of Peter Pan.
The cast and crew of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales include:
Taysha Marie Canales (Surgeon General/Ducky Lucky/King/Ugly Duckling/Little Red Running Shorts/Cinderella/ Fox/Stinky) is a three-time Barrymore Award nominee and F. Otto Haas Emerging Philadelphia Theater Artist Recipient. Canales has previously appeared at the Arden in Good Bones (Aisha), 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.
Robi Hager (Jack) is an actor, singer, and composer who has previously appeared on Broadway in Spring Awakening, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Bye Bye Birdie, and Doctor Zhivago. At the Arden, Hager has appeared in Assassins(Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald), Next to Normal (Gabe), and Parade (Frankie Epps). Hager is also the creator and composer of the LGBTQ musical Basic Witches, which earned a 2018 Barrymore nomination for Best Original Score.
Lee Minora (Chicken Licken/Princess/Frog/DJ Ugly Backup/Stepmother/Little Old Lady/Cow) returns to the Arden after most recently appearing in The Arden’s 2024 production of Peter Pan (Smee). Minora is a Philadelphia-based writer, performer, and theatre-maker whose solo work has been presented at Ars Nova, the Wilma Theater, and Edinburgh Fringe. A Barrymore nominee and Haas Finalist, Minora is a two-time recipient of The Jilline Ringle Performance Grant and has appeared in more than 20 productions regionally.
Matteo Scammell (Cocky Rocky; Prince; Princess; Rumplstiltskin; Rabbit; Stinky Cheese Man, Legal Guy) is well known to Arden mainstage and children’s theatre audiences for his roles in RENT (Roger), Holy Grail of Memphis (Newton Stover II), The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant)(Dad/The BFG), Assassins (Proprietor), and A Streetcar Named Desire (Stanley Kowalski). Scammell’s regional work includes performances at Theatre Exile, Wilma Theatre, Lantern Theatre Company, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and Walnut Street Theatre.
Leah Walton (Red Hen/Goosey Loosey/ Queen/Wolf/1st Stepsister/Owl/Little Old Man/Cow’s Hindquarters) is a Barrymore Award-wining actress who has previously appeared in Arden productions, including the 2003 production of The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) (Katherine/Meatripper/Mary), Peter Pan (Slightly/Smee), and Indecent (Halina), in which she earned a Barrymore nomination for Best Leading Performer in a Play. Walton has previously trained at the National Theatre Institute and holds an MFA from Temple University.
The production team includes Steve Pacek (Director), Kristin Finger (Assistant Director), Chris Haig (Scenic Designer), Alyssandra Docherty (Lighting Designer), Asaki Kuruma (Costume Designer), AJ Bloomfield (Sound Designer), and Robi Hager (Music Director).
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales begins April 8, opens April 18, and runs through May 31. Single ticket prices vary by performance and start at $35. 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).
Special performances and events for The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Tales include:
Smart Caption Glasses | Beginning Saturday, April 25, 2026
Wearable, customizable closed-captioning glasses are available to reserve for performances. Click here to learn more.
American Sign Language (ASL) Shadow Interpretation I Friday, May 15, at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday, May 16, at 4:00 p.m.
ASL Interpretation where signers follow/”shadow” cast movement.
Student Matinees I Available Weekdays at 10:30 a.m.through May 31.
Want to bring a school group? Click HERE.
Accessibility
The Arden is fully accessible and proudly named a Keystone of Accessibility by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Accessibility resources include assistive listening devices, sensory processing tools, smart caption glasses, large-print programs, and more. Learn more at ardentheatre.org.
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About Arden Theatre Company
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, our in-school arts education program for elementary level students; Arden Drama School, our on-site, tuition-based theatre classes for pre-K through 12th-grade students; Teen Arden, our theatre enrichment program for high school students; and the Arden Professional Apprentice program, a rigorous training program for young theatre professionals.