The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, October 9-15
Soulful Sounds, Grief, coming OUT, and more
Getting soulful in Philly, picturing the Anatomy of Grief, Cookbooks & Convos returns, and Inis Nua opens Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England. Kyle V. Hiller rounds up.
Previews
3 minute read
The Philadelphia Ballet presents Carmen and Boléro
Mayara Pineiro brings the passion
The Philadelphia Ballet opens its season with artistic director and choreographer Angel Corella’s Carmen and Boléro. Camille Bacon-Smith previews.
Previews
3 minute read
Delaware Shakespeare’s 2025 Community Tour presents Two Gentlemen of Verona
A spirited, accessible Shakespeare production goes on tour
For its eighth annual Community Tour production, visiting schools, prisons, libraries, and other unconventional spaces, Delaware Shakespeare tackles Two Gents with an ensemble of six. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
BSR Classical Interludes, more in October 2025
More classical music happening in the Philly area this month
Timeless Resonance Music Chamber, Piffaro, Pyxis Piano Trio, and more decorate the next two weeks in October. Gail Obenreder previews.
Previews
3 minute read
The Print Center presents False Dawn and Memory, Loss
Why memories matter
Iranian-born and New York-based artist Nazanin Noroozi explores history and memory with a multi-media Print Center exhibition plunging viewers into the journey of African migrants heading for Europe. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.
Reviews
5 minute read
The Philadelphia Orchestra presents John Adams’s The Rock You Stand On, Bartók, and Prokofiev
A Philly thing at the orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra and visiting conductor Marin Alsop premiered John Adams’s The Rock You Stand On, in a program including Bartók’s last concerto and selections of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. Peter Burwasser reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
The BSR October 2025 repertory movie roundup
Spooky screenings and a full-blown celebration of David Lynch
David Lynch, the PFF Vault, Rocky Horror, and other highlights in time for Halloween. Stephen Silver previews.
Previews
5 minute read
Arden Theater Company presents William Finn and James Lapine’s Falsettos
Dark complexities meet heartfelt music
The Arden kicks off its new season with a thoughtful production of the complex musical Falsettos, featuring a powerhouse cast directed by Kevin Glaccum. Mina Reinckens reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
People’s Light presents Kathryn Grody’s The Unexpected 3rd
The optimism of staying alive
Kathryn Grody premieres her third autobiographical play, kick-starting the 2025-2026 season at People’s Light with a brilliant marathon of a monologue. Emily Schilling reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Four big takeaways from the 2025 Philadelphia Fringe Festival
Theater attendance is on the rise. Here’s why it matters.
After managing coverage for dozens of Fringe shows, Alaina Johns is proud of the BSR team’s work, proud of Philly artists, and ready to share her top takeaways from this year’s festival.
Editorials
5 minute read
Bristol Riverside Theatre presents Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Nodding to Chekhov in New Hope
An unhappy family with Chekhovian undertones takes center stage in Bristol Riverside Theatre’s handsome production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
The Month in Philly Dance for October
Anniversaries and more take the stage in the fall
BalletX and Sharp Dance celebrate 20 years, and Kun-Yan Lin Dance makes a difficult decision. Camille Bacon-Smith previews.
Previews
4 minute read
Theatre Horizon presents Savannah Reich’s Oedipus in Seattle
Going off-script with Oedipus, Jocasta, Sam, and Annie
Playwright Savannah Reich pushes the boundaries of theatrical experience with her mashup of Oedipus and Sleepless in Seattle, two stories about fate, featuring new actors every night who have never seen the script. David Block reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
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Also on BSR
The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, October 2-8, 2025
Fall festivals, National Coming Out Day, and a special Mural Arts dedication
Previewing a variety of fall-inspired events, the Out and About Festival in Manayunk, and a block party to unveil a new mural in Africatown. Kyle V. Hiller rounds up.
Previews
4 minute read
BSR Classical Interludes, October 2025
A Feast of Festing, New World Recorders, and exploring Winnaretta Singer
New seasons begin with Brandywine Baroque, Philadelphia Orchestra, Tempesta di Mare, and the Parisian salon of Winnaretta Singer. Gail Obenreder previews.
Previews
3 minute read
Philly Fringe 2025: Cavelight Productions presents Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner’s Grape Culture
Coping with a crime that even the algorithm won’t acknowledge
Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner’s interdisciplinary duo performance Grape Culture held space in this year’s Fringe for experiences of domination without consent. Melissa Strong reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Philly Fringe 2025: The Lemonade Stand presents Julia VanderVeen’s Dentata
Fierce and fabulous clowning in honor of the pussy
Julia VanderVeen’s solo Fringe show, Dentata, incorporated wonderful production elements for a rich expression of female ferocity. Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Philly Fringe 2025: Thaddeus McWhinnie Phillips’s Around the World in 80 Toys
Georges Méliès and Jules Verne meet at the Fringe
The latest stage creation from Thaddeus McWhinnie Phillips, Around the World in 80 Toys, came to the FringeArts stage for the final weekend of the fest. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
Philly Fringe 2025: Flynn Faye, Adam Gloc, and Jenavive Banes present Catching Fireflies: A New Queer Musical
Rent for the pandemic era
Catching Fireflies: A New Queer Musical is set in Philly, but was developed in New York before getting its local premiere in this year’s Fringe. It celebrates joy and possibility for genderqueer characters. Anna Fiscarelli-Mintz reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Philadelphia Theatre Company presents Eboni Booth’s Primary Trust
Chronicle of a quiet life
Eboni Booth’s Primary Trust, a play about the quiet dignity of an ordinary bookstore worker, won the 2024 Pulitzer for drama. Now it makes its local debut at Philadelphia Theatre Company. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Philly Fringe 2025: Almanac Projects presents Rhonda Moore and Ben Grinberg’s Helpful Hints for Strength and Health for Busy People
When did you last feel pleasure and ease?
Rhonda Moore and Ben Grinberg’s Helpful Hints for Strength and Health for Busy People, part of the Cannonball Festival, is a unique and remarkable physical duet exploring how and why we inhabit our bodies. Melissa Strong reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Philly Fringe 2025: Leftovers Collective presents Angela Harmon’s Terms of Use: A Millennial Farce
Do you like logging in?
Terms of Use: A Millennial Farce, a new Fringe show promising to examine Millennials’ relationship with the Internet, isn’t quite ready for the stage. But it poses questions worth building on. Alaina Johns reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, September 25-October 1, 2025
Falsettos, pop art, Invasion Weekend, and more
Network for New Music and the Arden start their new seasons, getting spooky in Delco, and The Living Temple exhibit opens. Kyle V. Hiller rounds up.
Previews
2 minute read