Weekly Entertainment Guide – William Glackens, ‘Red Speedo,’ and Chrysanthemums

Get clued in to “Watson,” see the Thousand Bloom Mum, pick up some crafts and antiques, enjoy jazz, funk, and choral masterpieces. Robin Bloom offers her suggestions on what to do this week.

What’s Happening

Longwood Gardens’ annual Chrysanthemum Festival

Longwood Gardens’ annual Chrysanthemum Festival is on view through November 23, offering more than 80,000 blooming mums, including the largest Thousand Bloom Mum outside of Asia (pictured), which showcases more than 1500 white blooms. Also, see the Garden Railway, take tours and more, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA.

Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show

The 38th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show returns November 6-9 to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Widely recognized as one of the leading shows of fine craft in the country, it features 195 artists from around the United States, selected from more than 1000 applicants. Regional participants include Theresa Chang, Liz Kinder, Rachel Fuld, Rachel Sherman, Claudia Mills, and Steven Ford and David Forlano (pictured), 12th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia. All work is for sale. Preview Party November 5.

The 51st annual Delaware Antiques Show

Winterthur’s 51st annual Delaware Antiques Show returns to the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, DE, this Friday, November 7 through Sunday, November 9. More than sixty dealers from around the country offer a wide array of antiques, including furniture, rugs, ceramics, jewelry, paintings, and more, including lectures by Jessica Fellowes, author, historian, and niece of Downtown Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, Philip D. Zimmerman, Museum and Decorative Arts Consultant, and Linda Eaton, John L. Marjorie P. McGraw Director of Collections and Senior Curator of Textiles at Winterthur.

Sherlock Holmes Weekend in Cape May

Sherlock Holmes Weekend returns to Cape May, November 7-9. Try and solve the mystery, “Sherlock Holmes: The Unforgiven” and win a variety of prizes. The weekend includes a “Search for Clues Tour” on Saturday that traverses the inns of Victorian Cape May in a hunt for clues. Also, on Friday and Saturday at 8pm, East Lynne Theater Company performs “Sherlock Holmes Adventure of the Copper Beeches,” as a vintage-style radio show complete with sound effects and commercials, the First Presbyterian Church, Cape May, NJ.

Onstage

Azuka Theatre’s “The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence”

Travel through time with four different “Watsons” in Azuka Theatre’s production of Madeleine George’s new work, The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence. The 2014 Pulitzer finalist focuses on the Sherlock Holmes sidekick, the associate to Alexander Graham Bell, the artificially intelligent computer that was developed to answer questions on the quiz show Jeopardy!, and Josh Watson, a fictional computer repairman, and questions the way people communicate and connect with the world at large and the people who are in it, as well as how technology helps and hinders.  The Philadelphia premiere is directed by Allison Heishman and stars David Bardeen, Corinna Burns, and Griffin Stanton-Ameisen as Watson. Set design by Dirk Durossette through November 23 at Off-Broad Street Theatre, 1636 Sansom Street, Philadelphia. Special “Geek Week” events include Quizzo, Geekadelphia Night, celebration of women in theater, and a talkback, November 12-16.

Theatre Exile’s “Red Speedo”

Theatre Exile brings you into the locker room and to an Olympic-sized pool with Lucas Hnath’s new dark comedy, Red Speedo. The Philadelphia premiere examines the dark side of the American Dream with the pool-side drama about winning at any cost and the struggle between morality, love, family, and elite sports. Starring Brian Ratcliffe, Keith Conallen, Leonard C. Haas, and Jaylene Clark Owens. Directed by Deborah Block, through November 23 at Theatre Exile’s Studio X, 1340 S. 13th Street, Philadelphia. Set features the edge of a pool with water and the smell of chlorine.

Luna Theater’s “Quills”

Luna Theater’s “Season of Seduction” kicks off with the darkly comic and sensual, Quills, by Doug Wright. Inspired by the life and work of the Marquis de Sade, the provocative production reimagines the last years of his time spent in the insane asylum, employing melodrama, Grand Guignol styles and underscoring. Directed by Gregory Scott Campbell, set design by Dirk Durossette, and starring Nell Bang-Jensen, Alan Holmes, Robb Hutter, Mark Knight, Ethan Lipkin, and Sonja Robson, through November 15 at Luna’s new theater space, 620 S. 8th Street (between South and Bainbridge), Philadelphia. Features graphic content including violence, sexual situations, and nudity. Under 18 not admitted.

“The Glass Menagerie” at Act II Playhouse

Catch The Glass Menagerie at Act II Playhouse, by Tennessee Williams, onstage through November 23. The classic play, with strong autobiographical elements, was the playwright’s first success, and is elegantly directed by James J. Christy with a cast of four including Carla Belver, Charlie DelMarcelle, Amanda Schoonover, and Sean Bradley, 56 E. Butler Avenue, Ambler, PA.

Hedgerow Theatre’s “Hamlet”

Onstage at Hedgerow Theatre is William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, through November 23. Directed by Dan Hodge who adapted the play, keeping the basic story the same while moving the setting to the early 1900s and eliminating several minor characters. Featuring Jared Reed (Hedgerow’s Artistic Director) in the title role, with John Lopes as Claudius, Jennifer Summerfield as Horatio, and Zoran Kovcic as Polonius, 64 Rose Valley Road, Media, PA. Special events include Sweet and Savory Night, Friday, November 7 and Pre-Show Music Mixer Saturday, November 8.

Art Appreciation

William Glackens at the Barnes Foundation

The first major exhibition in a half century of William Glackens is opening at the Barnes Foundation Saturday, November 8, spanning the artist’s career from the 1890s through the 1930s. More than 90 paintings and works on paper by the Philadelphia native, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts graduate, and lifelong friend of Dr. Albert Barnes will be on display, from private and public collections, many that are rarely seen or have not been publicly exhibited before, through February 2, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia. William James Glackens: An Artist and Friend, a small archival exhibition, runs in conjunction, showcasing the friendship between the two men. Related programs and events include a First Friday opening party “Vaudeville,” November 7 (SOLD OUT). Pictured: William Glackens, The Green Car, 1910, lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Celestial Shows

“Starstruck: The Fine Art of Astrophotography” at Michener Art Museum

Starstruck: The Fine Art of Astrophotography opens Saturday, November 8 at the Michener Art Museum. Among the first major exhibitions examining astrophotography as an evolving art genre, the display features an array of images by 35 artists from around the world. Scenes of landscapes, oceans, galaxies, moons and cavernous sky objects, curated by Anthony Shostak (of the Bates College Museum of Art in Lewiston, Maine) are on view through February 8, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA. Related programs and events include a lecture on space travel, curator gallery talk, educators open house, film screenings and more.

3rd Street Gallery on 2nd Street November Show

On display at 3rd Street Gallery on 2nd Street is new works by Sarah Kaizar, Mars Show (pictured), large and small scale drawings rendered in layers of vellum and acrylic resin to depict the construction and launch of Mars rovers. Also, Carol Wisker Wrapped & Unwrapped, sculpture and installation work (the artist’s sixth solo exhibition with the gallery), through November 30, 45 N. Second Street, Philadelphia. First Friday November 7, 5pm-9pm, and opening artist’s reception Sunday, November 9, 1pm-3pm.

Music

Andrew Lipke and the Aizuri Quartet

LiveConnections presents a fusion concert of indie rock, classical music, and spoken word poetry, Thursday, November 6, 7:30pm. Singer songwriter Andrew Lipke performs new music and is joined by the Aizuri Quartet (pictured), the string quartet in residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. Also, Denice Frohman, 2013 Women of the World Poetry Slam champion, performs her poem “Anniversary” set to new music by Lipke, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia.

The New Mastersounds at Ardmore Music Hall

British funk band the New Mastersounds bring their fun and playful sound to Ardmore Music Hall Friday, November 7. Doors open at 8pm, show at 9pm. The Heard opens, 23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA. On Sunday, November 9, New Orleans’ Bonerama performs a Led Zeppelin set, with New Sound Brass Band, 8pm (doors open at 7:30pm).

* The New Mastersounds’ music is used as the theme music for the audio version of the Entertainment Guide (as heard on WHYY-FM).  Audio at top of this page. *

Exit 0 Jazz Festival

Exit 0 International Jazz Festival returns to Cape May, New Jersey, November 7-9. Headline performers include multi Grammy Award nominated Monty Alexander (pictured), Jon Batiste and Stay Human, jazz super group The Cookers, and vocal sensation Rene Marie. The Festival POPSPASS SERIES includes over 30 sets of music in Festival club venues throughout the weekend.

Singing City’s “Choral Romance”

Singing City celebrates the music of two organists with Choral Romance – French and German Masterpieces, Saturday, November 8, 7:30pm, at the Church of the Holy Trinity. Program includes Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and a cappella works by Anton Bruckner, 1904 Walnut Street, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.

 

 

To submit an event to be considered for the Weekly Entertainment Guide email Robin Bloom at artscalendar@whyy.org.