Weekly Entertainment Guide – ‘Magic Flute,’ KAWS, and South Pacific

    Looking for something to do this week? WHYY’s Robin Bloom has some recommendations on what’s happening in the Philadelphia region. Here are her picks:

     

    A Trip Back to the Original Woodstock

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    SHARP Dance Company presents “An Aquarian Exposition: A Trip Back to the Original Woodstock,” a night dedicated to the unique and controversial decades of the 60’s and ’70s, with some of the most prolific music in history performed live by Jennifer Hallman and Jason Andrew. Dancers Kate Rast, Sandra Davis, Carolyn Marcinkiewicz, Joe Cicala, Patrick Korstange and Caroline Butcher embody this time period through new and original choreography set by guest choreographer Joe Cotler of Koresh Dance Company and SHARP Artistic Director Diane Sharp-Nachsin, April 12-21, The Box, 2628 Martha Street, Philadelphia. Win a contest – dress as a hippie. The performance is part of the 2013 Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts.

     

    South Pacific at Delaware Theatre Company

    Onstage at Delaware Theatre Company is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific,” through Sunday, May 5. As the company’s first large-scale classic musical, the production features a cast of 26, with regional talent (including 5 local children) performing alongside Broadway veterans. Accompanied by a full 14 piece orchestra for timeless favorites such as “Some Enchanted Evening” and “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” the show is directed by Executive Director Bud Martin with clever set design by Dirk Durosette, incorporating both a functional jeep and the recreation of a World War II plane, 200 Water Street, Wilmington, Delaware.

     

    COMPANION (PASSING THROUGH)

    KAWS’ popular 16-feet-tall sculpture COMPANION (PASSING THROUGH) makes its Philadelphia debut at 30th Street Station. First seen in Hong Kong, the sculpture has been displayed in New York City, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, High Museum of Art and The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas. KAWS’ art subverts popular culture through re-imagining iconic cartoon characters, having begun his career as a graffiti artist and blurring the line between “low” and “high” art. The sculpture previews The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art’s new Sculpture Plinth Exhibition Program, opening October 2013 with a rotating series of site-specific, attention-catching sculptures above PAFA’s Historic Landmark Building. On view through May 14, 2955 Market Street, Philadelphia.

     

    Treasures of Armenia at IHP

    International House Philadelphia celebrates Armenian culture with an open-call, juried art exhibition, “Treasures of Armenia,” on display through June 30, featuring works in a variety of media by artists of at least partial Armenian descent. Artists include Vahe Ashodian (pictured), Luke Momjian, Ara Zeibarian, and more. All exhibited artwork will be for sale with proceeds benefiting Armenian students and scholars who are members of International House, a housing project in Vanadzor, Armenia, and the Armenian Sisters Academy, the only Armenian school in the Greater Philadelphia region. Also at IHP: screening of the film “Maya” by Dan Papa, premiering Sunday, April 14, 7pm, a local collaboration shot entirely on location in Philadelphia. The event includes music performances, free draft beer and more, 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.

     

    Tourettes: A Dancing Disorder

    Band of Artists presents “Tourettes: A Dancing Disorder,” a performance combining modern dance, live musical performance, and mixed media video art, Friday, April 12, 7:30pm, Penn State Campus, Sutherland Auditorium, 1600 Woodland Road, Abington, PA. Band of Artists is an arts collaborative where multiple artists with Tourettes Syndrome and/or Autism have discovered creative ways to explore their condition.

     

    “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” at Collingswood Shakespeare

    Collingswood Shakespeare Company presents “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” April 12-21, the story of two best friends who set out to pursue their dreams but their hopes are dashed when they become ensnared in a love triangle, worsened by the comical interference of their companions and the dog that can’t help getting into trouble, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 839 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ.

     

    Celebrate Cherry Blossoms in Philadelphia

    Morris Arboretum celebrates their collection of Japanese plants and gardens with a Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival, Saturday, April 13, 11am-3pm, with performances, archery demonstrations, tours and more, 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia. “Sakura Sunday” is Sunday, April 14, 10:30am-4pm, Horticulture Center, Montgomery Drive and Belmont Avenue, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.

     

    “Infinite Mirror: Images of American Identity” at Michener Art Museum

    “Infinite Mirror: Images of American Identity” opens Saturday, April 13 at the Michener Art Museum, showcasing 39 American artists of African, Arab, European, Asian, Latino and Native American descent. Re-examine the quintessential “American dream” through more than 50 personal and reflective multi-media works on heritage, patriotism, communication and acceptance, featuring artists Paul Keene, Tomie Arai, Luis Jimenez, Jacob Lawrence, Sungho Choi (pictured) and Faith Ringgold, through July 7, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Related programming includes a Sunday afternoon music program, “A Celebration of Gospel Music,” Sunday, April 14, 3pm.

     

    “Ruined” at Stagecrafters

    Opening this weekend at Stagecrafters is “Ruined,” Lynn Nottage’s passionate and powerful story of shrewdness and survival, based on true reports of conditions endured by those caught in the hell of civil war. The play, set during the conflict in today’s Democratic Republic of Congo, premiered in 2008 at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago and went on to production at Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City, where it ran for eight months. In addition to the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “Ruined” also won the Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards for Outstanding Play, and the Obie Award for Best New American Play and is onstage through April 28, 8130 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia. Meet the Cast and Director following the April 19 performance.

     

    “Altered Space” at Perkins Center for the Arts

    Perkins Center for the Arts Collingswood presents “Altered Space,” an exhibition of installations that range in media from clay, plastic bottles, to refined wooden architectural sculptures, April 13 through May 25, featuring the works of David Gamber, Phillip Rychert, and Jackie Sandro (pictured), 30 Irvin Avenue, Collingswood, NJ.

     

    Smokey Joe’s Café

    The Leiber and Stoller hit “Smokey Joe’s Café” comes to the State Theatre Sunday, April 14, 3pm, featuring nearly 40 of the greatest songs ever recorded including “On Broadway,” “Hound Dog,” “Stand By Me,” and more, as classic pop songs are transformed into compelling musical theatre, 453 Northampton Street, Philadelphia.

     

    Hugh Masekela at Annenberg Center

    Grammy award-winning trumpeter Hugh Masekela performs at the Annenberg Center, Sunday April 14, 7pm. Known for his traditional South African jazz inspired sound and his outspoken political voice, Masekela has collaborated with some of the world’s most celebrated artists including Paul Simon, Miriam Makeba, Dizzy Gillespie, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Herb Albert and Alvin Ailey during a 40-year career. His most recent Grammy-nominated album, Jabulani, recalls several generations of music from wedding ceremonies in South Africa as well as the joys and sorrows of marriage, 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia.

     

    Songs in the Key of Life

    Robert Glasper presents a Stevie Wonder Tribute “Songs in the Key of Life,” Sunday, April 14, 8pm, with the Experiment Band, dedicated to Stevie Wonder’s timeless body of work. This performance, commissioned by Harlem Stage, includes new arrangements and new compositions written by Glasper, inspired by Stevie Wonder, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia. The performance is part of the 2013 Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts.

     

    BalletX’s Spring Series 2013

    BalletX’s “Spring Series 2013,” Wednesday, April 17 through Sunday, April 21, features three world premieres by Whim W’him Dance Company founder Olivier Wevers, and former BalletX dancers, choreographers and filmmakers Gabrielle Lamb and Tobin Del Cuore. As Philadelphia’s “premier contemporary ballet company,” BalletX challenges the boundaries of classical ballet by encouraging formal experimentation while preserving rigorous technique, The Wilma Theater, 265 South Broad Street, Philadelphia.

     

    Philadanco

    Philadanco returns to their home city after a sold out season to perform “The Big Bang!” Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia. The performance is part of the 2013 Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia.

     

    Opera Philadelphia’s “The Magic Flute”

    Opera Philadelphia stages “The Magic Flute” (Die Zauberflöte) with five performances, Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 28 at the Academy of Music. Mozart’s masterpiece play-within-the-opera follows the adventures of Prince Tamino (Antonio Lozano) as he undergoes feats of heroism to rescue his love, Pamina (Elizabeth Zharoff), from the forces of evil. Music Director Corrado Rovaris conducts the production originally created by Diane Paulus in 2011 for the Canadian Opera Company. Performed in German with English supertitles, 240 South Broad Street, Philadelphia.

     

    The Artists Circle Annual Art Show and Sale

    The Artists Circle Annual Art Show and Sale is April 19-21, showcasing hundreds of original works and signed quality prints by members of one of the region’s largest professional artist’s collectives, along with live demonstrations of painting styles and media. Artists include Judy Antonelli, Lin Webber, Wendy Scheirer, Terri Morse (pictured), April D’Angelo, and more. A Meet-the-Artists reception, Friday, April 19, 6-9pm, honors artistic achievements. Free to the public, St. Luke Lutheran Church, 203 North Valley Forge Road, Devon, Pennsylvania.

     

    “Gond and Beyond” at Indigo Arts

    Indigo Arts, a gallery of Ethnographic, Folk and Contemporary Arts from Asia, Africa and the Americas presents “Gond and Beyond,” a selection of contemporary paintings by members of minority tribes in India. Artists include Gond painters Rajendra Shyam, Santosh Shyam, Anuj Tekam and Hiraman Urveti, Bhil painters Bhuribai (pictured) and Anil Bariya, patua scroll painters Montu Chitrakar and Gurupada Chitrakar, and Mithila painters Pushpa Kumari, Pradyumna Kumar and Baua Devi, through June 22, 1400 North American Street, #104, Philadelphia.

    Other events and listings throughout the region:

    Scribe Video Center hosts “Storyville: A Historical Approach to the Positive Music: Jazz in Philadelphia,” celebrating Philadelphia’s Jazz Appreciation Month with the work-in-progress documentary on the history of the Philly Jazz scene, from the 1940s to the present, through the recollections, opinions, and the music of local jazz artists. Documentary footage and interviews are interwoven with musical interludes that celebrate and display Philly’s rich jazz culture, Friday, April 12, 7pm, 4212 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Director Steven R. Berry will be on hand with musical performances by jazz musician Roy Richardson.

    The theater program of Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges presents “A Play of Hours: An Exploration of Space, Solitude, and Self,” Friday, April 12 through April 20. Alone but not lonely, a score of hermits find themselves together for a night of convocation. Each one hails from disparate times and distant places, but all draw together as kindred spirits to create within Goodhart Hall a labyrinth of havens and homes. Directed by Mark Lord, the production borrows words from Rainer Maria Rilke, Samuel Beckett, and e.e. cummings. Tickets are free and open to the public, Goodhart Hall, Bryn Mawr College, 101 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

    Please Touch Museum hosts “Dia Del Nino,” the Day of the Child, Saturday, April 13, 9am-5pm, a celebration of Latin culture with music, dance, theater, crafts, and more, Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.

    East Passyunk Business Improvement District’s largest Second Saturday takes place this Saturday, April 13, with a full roster of events including HOME’s photo and art exhibit based on the food of East Passyunk, Le Virtu’s photo exhibit, live music by Abruzzese folk group DisCanto, and more, East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia.

    The newly expanded “Philadelphia Antiques Show, Antiques & Art, 17th through the 20th Century” now includes exceptional paintings, sculpture, and works on paper through the 20th century. Celebrated for 52 years, patrons can explore and purchase pieces from the diverse collection of furnishings and decorative arts from over 65 of the most prominent antiques and art exhibitors in the country, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Saturday, April 13, 11am-8pm, Sunday, April 14, 11am-6pm and Monday, April 15, 11am-6pm, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia.

    The Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival is Saturday, April 13, 11am-5pm, as Main Street is lined with some of Philadelphia’s best food trucks with specialties ranging from ice cream to Asian delicacies, farmers markets, vendors, arts and crafts, and more, Main Street, Manayunk.

    Celebrate dinosaurs and insects while digging for fossils at the Camden Children’s Garden’s “Dino Day & Bug Bonanza Family Festival,” Saturday & Sunday, April 13-14, 1pm-4pm, 3 Riverside Drive, Camden, NJ.

    Choreographer and Pennsylvania Ballet alum Heidi Cruz-Austin unveils her new company “DanceSpora” to the Philadelphia arts community with a performance Saturday, April 13, 7pm, at the Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine Street, Philadelphia.

    The Free Library of Philadelphia hosts the 7th annual Philadelphia Book Festival, April 14-20, featuring Rachel Maddow, Baratunde Thurston, Tom Burgoyne, Karen Quinones Miller, Amy Ignatow, Solomon Jones, and more, now expanded to include every library location in the city (54 sites) during National Library Week.

    The annual production “Number the Stars,” takes to the stage at Haddonfield Plays and Players Tuesday, April 16-28, with music and lyrics by Sean Hartley, based on the book by Lois Lowry about the rescue of Danish Jews during World War II, 957 East Atlantic Avenue at Crows Woods, Haddonfield, NJ.

    Sarah Pike contributed reporting to this week’s guide.  To submit an event to be considered for the Weekly Entertainment Guide email Robin Bloom at artscalendar@whyy.org.

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