Plays & Players began in 1911 as a social club devoted to expanding and developing new theater experiences for and by its membership. The first President, Maud Durbin Skinner, was the wife of the famed American actor Otis Skinner.

The Plays & Players Theatre, then called the "Little Theatre of Philadelphia," was designed by architect Amos W. Barnes and first opened its doors in 1913. The theatre was founded by Beulah E. Jay and her husband, Edward G. Jay, Jr., with the assistance of acquaintance F.H. Shelton, in an effort to produce "American plays of ideas," an underrepresented genre at the time. 

A competition was held in 1918 at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts to determine who would create the murals for the auditorium.  Edith Emerson, a student of Violet Oakley, was the winner.  The panels depict the classical myth of Ariadne and Dionysos.

Plays and Players Theatre was the site of the First Korean Congress, from April 14-16, 1919, in support of Korean independence from Japan.

Plays & Players purchased the theatre in 1922. During its 114 years of performing, Plays & Players theater company has produced innumerable notable performances -- among them the world premiere of the acclaimed Broadway play Stalag 17 in 1949 and a childhood performance by actor Kevin Bacon in A Member of the Wedding in 1974. The first season of Plays & Players included An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde and The Learned Ladies by Moliere, both still popular plays today. 

In the 1960's, Plays & Players decided to grow from being a members-only performing club to an all-inclusive one. They opened their productions to the entire community. In the 70's, the Plays and Players Children's Theater was added to its busy schedule.

On March 14, 1973, Plays & Players Theatre was entered in the National Register of Historic Places. Over the course of the twentieth century, Plays & Players expanded its repertoire beyond community theater to include workshops and classes for theatre artists.

From the mid 1980's to the mid 2000's, Plays & Players Theatre was best known as the home of Philadelphia Theater Company, which produced Broadway-bound productions, including the World Premiere of Terrence McNally's Master Class, which went on to win the Tony Award for Best Play.

In 2009, Plays & Players transformed once more and has embraced its current mission: to work as a coalition of theatre artists and enthusiasts who strive to provide intelligent, inclusive, and diverse plays that engage and entertain audiences, to invest in local talent, and to preserve our historic landmark home. 

Our growing membership enjoys using P&P’s spaces, such as the popular Quig's Pub, as a gathering place for local artists. Plays & Players has become the home for 1812 Productions and also hosts a variety of other new and established rental groups throughout the season.