When you go to see a show, it goes without saying that you probably know at least something about what you’ll encounter, but what if you didn’t? What if the next time you arrived in front of the stage everyone in the audience was equally out of the loop? The Painted Bride Art Center is the ideal destination for curious culture connoisseurs this spring, as they kick off the second season of their Secret Show Series. Supported by Knight Foundation, these Secret Shows tantalize audiences by announcing only the artists involved in advance of the events (and maybe dropping a few clues), while leaving the rest to the imagination. To discover more, theatergoers must arrive, more or less in the dark, to witness the hourlong shows firsthand. “Anything can happen in an hour,” the series’ teaser reads. “Especially when you’re at the Bride.”

Every fourth Monday of the month, Painted Bride sets aside the evening for emerging and established local artists to take the reigns and steer the performance anywhere they please. This unrestricted action is a golden opportunity for most artists, but it does come with one caveat: the production will remain under wraps until showtime. By relying on cutting edge, adventurous talent and providing a mysterious premise, the Secret Shows aim to attract a somewhat younger subset of visitors into the theater.

In selecting the curators and project managers of the series, Painted Bride decided to tap into the creativity of years past by inviting veteran Secret Show presenters Phoebe Schaub and Christina May to oversee the events. The two have not only been on the performing end of the process, but they also hail from the age range of the target audience, so they seemed a perfect fit.

“We jumped at chance to work on the show,” says Schaub, who along with May will take on the title of ‘Art Doulas’ for the remainder of the season, as they help the visiting artists achieve their visions. “When an artist has the freedom and resources to work, unexpected, great things happen,” adds May. With the planning stages happening out of sight, the unexpected part will surely be the hook.

January’s installment came by way of The Tuesday Boys: Toni and Tabby Tuesday. Their Facebook page was littered with hints leading up to the performance, which ultimately centered on the duo’s farcical tribute to the daily work grind. Through a parody of commuting, charts, presentations and business jargon, the pair extolled the supposed excitement and adventure inherent in the productivity, focus and engagement of “mid-level mundanity.”

Leading up to each month’s Secret Show, Painted Bride’s Instagram account is subject to a takeover by the scheduled performers. For the week prior to each production, the Bride’s feed on the social platform is a trail of breadcrumbs meandering its way to showtime. The Tuesday Boys littered the account with rambunctious, psychedelic images of a “data entry zen interlude” and “workplace calisthenics,” among others.

On Feb. 27, the Bride will be in the hands of Doug Greene. Having just completed a month of installations at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in collaboration with The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, Greene’s foray into the Bride has an apparently darker slant. “It’s no secret that everybody dies,” the description reads. “But what Doug plans to reveal might just take your breath away.” With a promo like that, it’s probably worth glossing over the fact that curiosity might kill the cat. Besides, no audience members will be harmed in the making of any production at Painted Bride.

Tickets are on sale now for $10 general admission, with a savings of $10 if you purchase a Secret Show subscription. Performances begin at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month through May. Visit paintedbride.org or call 215-925-9914 for more information.