Saturdays just got more interesting.
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In this April 13, 2016 file photo, Kevin Hart addresses the audience during the Universal Pictures presentation at CinemaCon 2016 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Festivals remain abundant through October and the Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day Weekend. If you’d prefer to avoid crowds, there are several theater options as well, though some are limited runs. Music options this week: a tribute to Leonard Cohen by collaborator Sharon Robinson and the incomparable Rhiannon Giddens and her partner in music and life, Francesco Turrisi, head to Princeton.
The 1982 movie “Tootsie” starred Dustin Hoffman in the title role but won an Oscar for co-star Jessica Lange. In 2018, the musical debuted based on the movie’s storyline. In both versions, an actor named Michael Dorsey transforms into ‘Dorothy’ to secure roles despite his reputation as ‘difficult.’ In the musical version though, Dorsey is a theater actor, which would better lend itself to big song and dance numbers. “Tootsie” won two Tony Awards including Best Book for a Musical and Best Actor for Santino Fontana, who originated the role on Broadway.
Plants, anyone? Those seeking more meatless options should head to Camden this weekend for the second annual Camden Vegan Festival which includes panels as well as vegan and vegetarian offerings. Among the food and drink vendors are longtime vegan cook and restaurateur Atiya Ola, The Fabulous Fig, Juice Capitol and Other community organizations and vendors onsite include Bhakti’s Books and Art, Brown Baby Cakes, Community Doulas of South Jersey. There will also be performances by Trumpet Chics and DJ Aurelio Rodriguez.
The multitalented Rhiannon Giddens would be a star in any genre as she sings and plays banjo and fiddle. So far, she’s chosen to be most expressive in the loosely defined Americana genre, which encompasses many homegrown music forms including folk, bluegrass and country. In recent years, Giddens has collaborated with her equally gifted partner, singer/songwriter Francesco Turrisi. Their album “They’re Calling Me Home” won the Grammy for Best Folk Album earlier this year.
The Negro Ensemble Company has trained Black actors and playwrights since its fouding in New York City in 1967. Notable actors who have been associated with the ensemble include Angela Bassett, Samuel L. Jackson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Phylicia Rashad, Richard Roundtree, Debbie Allen, Bill Duke, Denzel Washington and more. “Our Voices, Our Time” is their one-act play festival in collaboration with Penn Arts’ Artist-in-Residence program.
What do we know about this play? It’s explicit in parts. There is nudity. And it’s listed as a takedown of patriarchy. But that’s pretty much all the official description includes except for “combination of drag, sketch and cabaret” performance. We do know it was created by three Philly-based artists called Tall Order who are Jess Conda, Jenn Kidwell and Mel Krodman. Oh, and it was nominated for three Barrymore Awards: Outstanding Ensemble In a Play, Outstanding New Play/Music, and Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play. Not only can you purchase onstage tickets, but there’s an “immersive, subversive and transformative” party afterward. Arts and culture reporter Peter Crimmins saw the show, so you can check out what he thought if you want a sneak peek.
The Museum of the American Revolution hosts its annual Indigenous People’s Day celebrating their contributions to the battle for U.S. independence. Living history interpreters representing the Tuscarora and Mohawk nations will showcase their culture and artifacts while indigenous dancers sponsored by the Oneida Indian Nation will perform. Scheduled informational talks and panels accompany the museum’s ongoing exhibit in the immersive gallery focused on the Oneida Nation.
For some folks, arts and crafts ended after middle school or whenever they were no longer a mandated part of the educational curriculum. For others, arts and crafts classes were the spark for a lifetime of creativity. Whichever camp you fall into, you should appreciate this weekend’s Fine Craft Fair, which brings together over 150 of the region’s most gifted artisans in a variety of disciplines from jewelry to woodworking. They showcase their work in an open-air market in the tony confines of Rittenhouse Square.
The annual marketplace of oddities has returned. This is your go-to fair if you like weird and one-of-a-kind objects, clothing, jewelry or artwork. A deejay will play suitably spooky music and The Long Losts are scheduled to perform at 3 p.m. The 2022 event will be held on the Yeadon side of the cemetery where there is no parking, so organizers strongly suggest arriving by public transportation. Also note: Mount Moriah is an abandoned cemetery staffed by volunteers and has overgrown, uneven, and rocky paths. While Halloween costumes and pets are welcomed, real and fake weapons are not.
After the success of his 2021 Netflix series “True Story” comedian Kevin Hart returns to Philly for an almost sold-out show. (Additional tix may be available via ticket resellers like Stubhub.) Although we’d love to see him sit down and discuss his business savvy and the steps he took to become one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, we’re pretty sure he’s telling jokes on this tour. To ensure they’re not taken out of context, phones will be Yondr’ed which means they’ll be placed in a locked bag until you leave.
Old City’s contribution to the festival circuit is Old City Fest, which takes place across several streets. Adventure Aquarium is sponsoring a Family Fun Zone, and vendors and area retailers will be hawking their wares. (Over 50 new businesses have moved to Old City in the last year and a half, so there will be some new ones.) Some of the city’s most popular restaurants are in Old City and several new to the festival including Oshii, Vista Peru, Riverwards Produce and Malooga will participate this year.
Not to be outdone, Dilworth Park adds to the list of fall festivals with a three-day series of activities for kids and adults. The Made In Philadelphia fall market brings 60 vendors to the area, who will be set up throughout the park. Activities for kids include pumpkin painting and cider making and for adults a stein holding contest is planned. Each day is hosted by a deejay and scheduled performances include Koser, Alyssa Garcia, Seraiah Nicole and Tomilola.
Sharon Robinson and Leonard Cohen had a three-decade musical relationship that culminated in them co-writing songs like “Everybody Knows,” “Boogie Street,” “Alexandra Leaving,” and “Waiting for the Miracle.” Though that collaboration proved fruitful, Robinson is also a Grammy-winning songwriter for the Patti Labelle song “New Attitude.” But on her current tour, Robinson talks and sings songs and shares stories about her work with Cohen, first as a background singer and then as a songwriter. She even married the producer of one of his videos.
The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia performs two works from two masters of their genre – composers Tchaikovsky and Mozart. Conducted by Dirk Brossé, Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme” Mozart’s Symphony #40 in G Minor and Brossé’s own “Elegy for Cello and String Orchestra” will be performed by Grammy-winning cellist Sara Sant’Ambrogio.
Saturdays just got more interesting.
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