Philly theater, Caribbean food, and Camden celebrates Earth Day in this week’s ‘Things To Do’

Things are looking up, as the weather continues to improve and the vaccine rollout progresses. This week, we showcase opportunities to get outside and see family-friendly public art, immerse yourself in theater online and outside, and support immigrant-owned businesses while enjoying Caribbean cuisine.

Philly Theatre Week

The coronavirus pandemic has forced local theater companies to undergo transformations, and at this year’s Philly Theatre Week, those innovations will be on display. It comprises a combination of immersive digital theater events, films, audio plays, and outdoor shows. The festival has 75 events, celebrating the artists, organizations, and audiences that have made Greater Philadelphia one of the most vibrant theater regions in the nation. Highlights include Adam Rapp’s play “Nocture,” presented by EgoPo as a drive-in; an outdoor walking murder mystery-comedy called “Murder by Gaslight” presented by Without a Cue Productions; and a 10-minute piece of dance theater, meant to be seen through an open garage door in South Philadelphia, called “White Dress” and presented by Philly PACK.

• What: a series of virtual and in-person theater-based events
• Where: online and outdoors at various locations
• When: April 22 – May 2
• How much: Prices vary

Caribbean Restaurant Week

Philadelphia’s restaurant industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and the city’s small Black- and immigrant-owned businesses have especially suffered. Usually in the spring, Jamaican athletes in the Penn Relays bring a lot of business to Caribbean restaurants, but this year the race is limited to local schools and no spectators will be allowed. Team Jamaica Bickle, a nonprofit which supports athletes from the Caribbean, and the Young Caribbean Professional Network organized Caribbean Restaurant Week to support these small, local businesses dealing with the double-whammy of the pandemic reducing foot traffic and the Penn Relays being canceled. Fifteen restaurants are participating, including 48th Street Grille, Little Delicious, and Brown Sugar.  

• What: Opportunity to support restaurants owned by Caribbean Americans
• Where: 15 Philadelphia restaurants
• When: Through April 24
• How much: prices vary

Earth Day in Camden

For the next six months, Camden is using six new public art installations by nationally acclaimed artists to draw attention to the problem of illegal dumping in the city. The sculptures include a 36-foot long, 10-foot tall cat made out of repurposed car hoods; a machine that uses mealworms to digest styrofoam; and a 15-foot tall, trash-collecting robot. The sculptures will be placed throughout the city in places where illegal dumping has been a problem, including Whitman Park, Gateway, North Camden, Cramer Hill, and East Camden. You can watch the ribbon-cutting live at 10 a.m. on April 22 on A New View’s Facebook page.

• What: Six family-friendly public art installations
• Where: Camden, NJ
• When: April 22 – Oct. 31
• How much: Free