(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Philadelphia Theatre Company closes out their season with Small Ball from June 6-29, 2025 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. Commissioned and co-produced by Daryl Morey, President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, Small Ball is an off-beat and surreal musical about a professional basketball team, a mysterious new recruit, a tiny island nation, and the big questions that bounce between them.
Philadelphia is a sports town, and Small Ball taps directly into that passion, while flipping the court upside-down in a journey to the fantastical beach of Lilliput. The musical follows Michael Jordan (no, not that Michael Jordan), a melancholy journeyman athlete who finds himself drafted by the Lilliput Existers, a team of six-inch-tall basketball players in an international league. With his dreams stalled and the weight of his new team’s fate on his shoulders, Michael must navigate bizarre post-game press conferences, cultural misunderstandings, and existential questions of greatness, all underscored by a vibrant, genre-bending score.
Small Ball features a book by Mickle Maher, an original score by Merel van Dijk and Anthony Barilla, and direction by PTC Co-Artistic Directors Taibi Magar and Tyler Dobrowsky. A special 50th Anniversary Gala will take place on opening night, Wednesday, June 11, at 7:30pm.
“This is exactly the kind of daring, idiosyncratic, and wildly entertaining show we love bringing to Philadelphia audiences,” says Tyler Dobrowsky, Co-Artistic Director of PTC. “Small Ball is hilarious and heartfelt—a musical that’s as much about humanity and purpose as it is about hoops. This city loves sports and even more importantly, an underdog story, and we’re thrilled to share it in our home city.”
Single tickets start at $25, plus applicable fees. Tickets are available at www.philatheatreco.org. They may also be purchased by phone at (215) 985-0420 or in person at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146. Please note: Small Ball contains strong language, adult themes, and surreal humor and is recommended for ages 13 and up.
Joining PTC for the East Coast premiere of Small Ball is a dynamic cast of nationally and internationally acclaimed performers whose work spans Broadway, major national tours, film, and award-winning regional theatre. The cast includes: Adam Chanler-Berat (Next to Normal, Peter and The Starcatcher, and Amélie on Broadway); Jordan Dobson (Hadestown, Bad Cinderella, A Beautiful Noise on Broadway); Sarah Gliko (Barrymore Award winner, The Bridges of Madison County at PTC); Nadina Hassan (Mean Girls 1st National Tour, We Live in Cairo at New York Theatre Workshop); Josh Totora (Barrymore Award winner, Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical in Man of La Mancha at Delaware Theatre Company); Lexi Thammavong (This Is the Week That Is at 1812 Productions); Rob Tucker (Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in Clark Park); and Amy Warren (August: Osage County and Act One on Broadway).
The creative team includes Katie Spelman (Choreographer), Christopher Ash (Scenic Designer), Olivera Gajic (Costume Designer), Thom Weaver (Lighting Designer), G Clausen (Sound Designer), Dan Espie (Music Director), Liz Forrester (Stage Manager), Chloe Kincade (Assistant Stage Manager), Taylor Williams, CSA (Casting Director) and Brenna Geffers (Additional Philadelphia Casting).
Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) is a vital civic institution dedicated to the creation of extraordinary theatrical experiences that reflect the essential issues and ideas of our time and that foster connection, understanding, and transformation. PTC engages and strengthens our community through exceptional productions of new and contemporary plays and musicals, inspiring education programs, and mutually beneficial civic partnerships. PTC develops exciting new work that resonates locally and nationally and upholds a deep commitment to be a fully inclusive, welcoming home for Philadelphia's artists, audiences, and people.
