Saturdays just got more interesting.
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(Courtesy of Usiloquy Dance Designs/Wide Eyed Studios)
Art dominates in the Delaware Valley this weekend as lower temperatures and daylight saving time kicks in. Among the highlights are an art crawl in Northern Liberties, special exhibitions at the Barnes and the Philadelphia Museum of Art respectively, and the Museum’s annual Contemporary Crafts show. On the cultural front, Diwali is celebrated through arts and music. And Actress/activist/comedian Amanda Seales and singer/songwriter Joan Osborne are both sharing their politically charged work onstage this weekend.
Arts & Culture | Community | Music | Delaware | New Jersey |
The 42nd Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival is back in-person, bringing seven Philadelphia premieres to the city, along with Jewish Shorts Night, and a presentation on the Jewish New Wave. Most of the seven-day fest takes place at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, with some screenings and events at venues across the city and suburbs. A brunch screening of “Funny Girl” is among the highlights.
Usiloquy Dance Designs presents Philadholphia, a dance and music performance celebrating the South Asian festival of Diwali. On the schedule is a performance of “Chaat” based on the classic Indian dance, Bharatanatyam, plus New Jersey-based, Chennai-born composer, vocalist, and violinist Rini will also perform what has been called “Carnatic electronic fusion.” An artist meet-and-greet follows each performance.
A family-friendly event, Artists at Work is an art crawl through Northern Liberties that allows aficionados to get up close and personal with working artists. Nineteen will be set up at various locations near N. 2nd St., both inside and outside, depending on their discipline. New to the event this year are Almanac Dance Circus Theater and Creative Coloring Box Learning Center.
The Barnes is hosting “Young Professional Night: Past/Forward” to showcase the 100th anniversary of founder Albert C. Barnes’s famed art collection and its “Modigliani Up Close” exhibition which runs through Sunday, Jan. 29. DJ Lil’ Dave will keep the party flowing, and up and coming R&B crooner Brandon Pain is performing.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe makes its return to Wakanda in “Wakanda Forever”, the second installment of the “Black Panther” series. Writer and director, Ryan Coogler, has said the movie was written in honor of the franchise’s original star, the late Chadwick Boseman, who passed away from cancer in 2021. Several special showings are scheduled this weekend across the Delaware Valley for the film starring Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, and Lupita Nyong’o. In Philadelphia, people at the Afrofuturism Ball will be treated to a special showing at Studio Grill, and in Flourtown screening tickets are being sold for $30 and come with a $10 concession credit. In Delaware, tickets for a screening at Penn Cinemas will cost you $20. And in South Jersey, tickets are $15 at the AMC Voorhees.
Actress and multifaceted entertainer Amanda Seales is heading to Broad Street for her “Black Outside” tour. The actress, likely best known for her work on Issa Rae’s “Insecure”, is also the founder of the “Smart, Funny & Black” touring game show and radio show. Seales also hosts “The Amanda Seales Show,” which made its debut on WRNB 100.3 in Philadelphia this week.
Over 195 artisans in multiple disciplines are participating in the 46th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show. The competition features 13 categories from emerging artists to jewelry, mixed media, and glass. Ticket sales will benefit the Philadelphia Museum of Art, while the money generated from art sold will go directly to the artists.
Mixed media artist King Saladeen, was forced to abandon basketball when an automobile accident derailed his athletic career. Fortunately, he also had a passion for the arts and has since worked with major brands like Lamborghini and Bugatti. Now, he’s returned to his hometown to debut his solo gallery exhibition, “No Middle Cla$$”.
It’s that time of year again… time to ‘spruce’ up Philadelphia parks. Over 70 are participating in “Love Your Park Fall Service Day.” Volunteers will be asked to rake leaves for composting, plant trees, and help prepare the parks for winter. You can volunteer as an individual, a group, or a family. Though the event is listed as all day, there are varying start times depending on location.
Veteran’s Day is Friday and several events have been scheduled to pay tribute to the servicemen and women who make sacrifices to keep us safe. There’s a free (with registration) Veteran’s Day Brunch at Beckett Life Center Friday. That same day the Cannstatter Volkfest Verein is hosting the “Let’s Support the Vets” comedy show with performances by Steff K, Jay Yoder, and Cay Fisher. The Museum of the American Revolution is offering free admission to veterans, active duty military, and Blue Star families all weekend long.
It’s been 25 years since singer/songwriter Joan Osborne’s massive hit “One of Us.” Though some consider her a ‘one-hit wonder,’ her longstanding music career has spanned ten studio albums and has secured her seven Grammy nominations. Osborne says her latest release, 2020’s “Trouble and Strife”, was inspired by what she called a “70s AM radio vibe” and is her most political project to date.
For most people, canceled flights are inconvenient and stressful. But House of Hamill wouldn’t exist without them. Rose Baldino, Brian Buchanan, and Caroline Browning were formed by an auspicious set of canceled flights that forced them to play together. After years on the festival circuit, the Pennsylvania-based trio known for their energetic Celtic folk music has drawn quite the devoted following. So much so that their third and latest album, “Folk Hero” is being entirely funded by fans.
Canadian cellist Zoë Keating received an Emmy nod along with fellow composer, Joe Russo for their work on the haunting theme for the HBO movie “Oslo.” You might also recognize Keating’s sound as the bumper music for NPR’s “Morning Edition.” Her latest solo project titled “Snowmelt.” was released in 2018.
Under the leadership of conductor Gary White,Orchestra Concordia, strives to uphold its stated mission to make classical music accessible to all. White will be joined this weekend by Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster and violinist David Kim for a program that features pieces from some of the great composers, like Dvorak, Handel, and Schubert.
Comedian, actor, and podcast host Maz Jobrani will be in Willimgton for a show at Copeland Hall titled “Live and Dry”. He co-founded the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour and is a regular on the NPR podcast “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me!” You can catch his latest standup special “Pandemic Warrior” on multiple streaming sites.
The Fantasticks has been around since 1960 and is the longest-running production in the history of American theatre, likely because its themes remain universal. When two fathers pretend to feud so that their children can fall in love, well, it has all the makings of a classic musical. This version is the first production at Burlington’s Lyceum Hall since the COVID pandemic shuttered the theater in 2020.
Saturdays just got more interesting.
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