GOOD BONES
January 22 – March 15, 2026
Philadelphia Premiere!
By Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames
Directed by Akeem Davis
Arcadia Stage
Honorary Producers: Hether and Don Smith & Lee and Chris van de Velde
Synopsis
A new sports stadium is being built in the middle of a neighborhood. Aisha returns to her hometown to help the developers revitalize the place she grew up in and starts working with a local contractor who has a different vision for its future. The Philadelphia premiere of the newest play by James Ijames, 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Fat Ham, about community, change, and the soul of our cities.
Special Performance Information
– Smart Caption Glasses – wearable, customizable Closed Captioning
Available to reserve for performances starting on Tuesday, February 3, 2026
– Open Captioning – Live, on-stage text display of all words and sounds
Friday, February 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM
– Audio Description – Live verbal description of actions and visual effects
Friday, February 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Teen Night – $15 tickets and a post-show talkback for Teens 13 – 18 years old
Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Young Friends Night – Networking and pre-show talkback event for professionals 40 and under
Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 7:00 PM – Use code: YFARDEN
Student Matinee – Want to bring a school group? Submit a Group Inquiry.
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Post-Show Talkbacks – Join a member of Arden’s artist team for post-show talkbacks
Post-Show on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 2:00 PM and Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha) and Walter DeShields (Earl) in Arden Theatre Company’s 2026 production of GOOD BONES. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.
The cast of Arden Theatre Company’s 2026 production of GOOD BONES. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.
Newton Buchanan (Travis) and Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha) in Arden Theatre Company’s 2026 production of GOOD BONES. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.
Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha) and Kishia Nixon (Carmen) in Arden Theatre Company’s 2026 production of GOOD BONES. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.
Walter DeShields (Earl) in Arden Theatre Company’s 2026 production of GOOD BONES. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.
Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha) and Newton Buchanan (Travis) in Arden Theatre Company’s 2026 production of GOOD BONES. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.
Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha) in Arden Theatre Company’s 2026 production of GOOD BONES. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.
Cast
Newton Buchanan (Travis)
Taysha Marie Canales (Aisha)
Walter DeShields (Earl)
Kishia Nixon (Carmen)
Creative
Director
Akeem Davis
Assistant Director
Gabe Moses
Scenic Designer
Marie Laster
Lighting Designer
Shannon Zura
Costume Designer
Tiffany Bacon
Sound Designer
Jordan McCree
Stage Manager
Alec E. Ferrell