The Arden Theatre Company opens its 2026-27 season with Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about two brothers named Lincoln and Booth.
Arden Theatre Company opens its 2026-27 season with Top Dog/Underdog, Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, running from October 29 through December 13 at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia. It's a co-production with People's Light, so two of the area's companies are bringing this one to the stage together.
The play centers on two adult brothers who can't seem to shake their father's jocular and antagonistic decision to name them Lincoln and Booth. That one choice hangs over them for a lifetime, and the resentment they've carried since childhood eventually boils over in a dingy, single-room apartment. At its core, it asks whether a person's beginnings can seal their fate, and it does so through the friction between two brothers who have spent their whole lives defined by a joke they never signed up for.
If you're bringing a younger crowd, there's a specific deal to keep in mind: teens aged 13 to 18 get a discounted rate during the company's Teen Night performances. It's a good way to get a younger audience into the theater without paying full price, especially for a play that deals with family ties and the weight of the past.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Philadelphia and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
Top Dog/Underdog runs from October 29 through December 13 at the Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA.
