The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, June 18-24, 2026
Celebrating freedom on Juneteenth weekend
Rounding up Juneteenth events in the Philly area, with events from AAMP, Johnson House Historic Site, the Women’s Coalition for Empowerment, and more. Kyle V. Hiller previews.
Kyle V. Hillerand Walt Maguire
Previews
4 minute read
Philly’s Transcendent Choir welcomes trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive singers
“No matter what your voice sounds like, there’s a place for it.”
Trans and gender-expansive singers often face a rigid classical music performance tradition that makes it difficult to participate, but the Transcendent Choir of Philadelphia is changing that. Anndee Hochman listens.
Features
6 minute read
Pig Iron Theatre Company presents Dan Rothenberg and Robert Quillen Camp’s Franklin’s Key
A spectacular romp for families celebrating 250
After a successful premiere last year, Pig Iron revives Franklin’s Key, a fantastical, Philly-centric, family-friendly stage adventure about a pair of teens on a quest for Ben Franklin’s biggest secret. Walt Maguire reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
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Unity and community at the United We Heal Film Festival
Coming together through film and the arts
The United We Heal Film Festival amplifies the voices of Black and brown filmmakers and creates a space for Black and brown community members to be seen, heard. Mina Reinckens previews.
Previews
2 minute read
People’s Light presents Jennifer Childs and Scott Greer’s Two Outta Three
Exploring the constant evolution of artists and parents
At People’s Light, long-married actors Jennifer Childs and Scott Greer consider what it means to become empty nesters in their new original show, Two Outta Three. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
The Print Center presents America Today: Voices in Contemporary Print
Press on
Artist from across the country representing six historic print shops converge at The Print Center, exploring America’s past, present, and future in a reflection of where our nation stands after 250 years. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.
Reviews
5 minute read
Playhouse West Philadelphia presents Stephen Belber’s Tape
A 1990s drama holds up in the post-truth era
Playhouse West Philadelphia, an acting school that stages plays and other events, offers a darkly funny production of the 1996 play Tape, with hazardous morals that resonate in our current era. C.M. Crockford reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
Theatre Exile presents Nia Akilah Robinson’s The Great Privation (How to Flip Ten Cents into a Dollar)
A surreal and soulful look at Philly, 200 years ago and today
At Theatre Exile, The Great Privation (How to Flip Ten Cents into a Dollar) toggles between Philadelphia’s problematic past and imperfect present. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Delaware Art Museum presents Citizen Artist
Exploring the US government’s historic 20th-century arts investments
A notable new exhibition at Delaware Art Museum explores two eras of major government investment in the arts: the New Deal and the lesser-known Nixon-era Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Reviews
5 minute read
Hidden City presents Song of Lynchadelphia
Hosting conversations around David Lynch
The Song Of Philadelphia podcast dedicates season three to David Lynch, and Julien Suaudeau talks the reasons behind the theme. Rachel Bellwoar profiles.
Profiles
4 minute read
BSR Classical Interludes, more in June 2026
Summer tunes for you
Covering the second half of classical music in June as summer officially begins. Gail Obenreder previews.
Previews
3 minute read
The BSR Podcast: Dive into June theater with The Great Privation at Theatre Exile and Franklin's Key at Pig Iron
Go behind the scenes of two exciting early summer productions
Darnelle Radford dives into June 2026 theater with a pair of interviews featuring directors Ontaria Kim Wilson and Dan Rothenberg, and actor Jameka Monet Wilson.
Podcast
2 minute read
A remembrance of Martha Graham Cracker, in honor of Dito van Reigersberg
Philly grieves one our favorite artists
We on the BSR team were devastated to hear about the passing this week of Dito van Reigersberg, an innovative, big-hearted, one-of-a-kind Philly artist. Editor Alaina Johns shares a memory and revisits him in the pages of BSR.
Essays
4 minute read
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The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, June 11-17, 2026
Expressions about democracy, resistance, and storytelling
Creative conversations around the bicentennial, exploring community storytelling, and a few laughs and spooks peppered in between. Kyle V. Hiller rounds up.
Previews
3 minute read
ArtPhilly’s What Now festival: Theatre in the X presents Carlo Campbell’s Acknowledge Me
A community on the Semiquincentennial
A new play by Philly artist Carlo Campbell at Theatre in the X helps to kick off the inaugural ArtPhilly What Now: 2026 festival, but it needs more work to create a dramatic whole from community voices. Krista Mar reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Gershwin and Bernstein
An all-American season closer marks the 250th
The Philadelphians closed their 2025-26 season with a stirring program of Gershwin and Bernstein, featuring superstar French pianist Hélène Grimaud and the Philadelphia Orchestra debut of Canadian mezzo soprano Emily D’Angelo. Linda Holt reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival presents August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
A perfect staging of a play America needs
James Ijames helms a new production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and the show is worth the trip to Center Valley for anyone in the Philly area. An Nichols reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
The new Pride Arts Festival takes over Philly this June
Feeling PrideAF
Five local arts organizations join forces to launch PrideAF, the Pride Arts Festival; a Fringe-esque series of performances taking place all across the city in June. Mina Reinckens previews.
Previews
1 minute read
BSR Classical Interludes, June 2026
Listening to festive tunes
Gail Obenreder rounds up classical musical performances in and around the city, with a number of festivals decorating June.
Previews
3 minute read
BalletX presents the fifth annual Festival at Highmark Mann
Reimagining the seasons
BalletX returns to Fairmount Park with a new work inspired by Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Camille Bacon-Smith previews.
Previews
3 minute read
The Month in Philly Dance for June 2026
Dancing 9-5
Camille Bacon-Smith previews June dance events and performances, from BalletX, PHILADANCO!, Chocolate Ballerina Company, and more.
Previews
4 minute read
The past, present, and future of the ODUNDE festival
A joyous cultural fete
The ODUNDE festival has become one of Philadelphia’s largest celebrations, and as it celebrates 51 years, what about its origins and its future are important now more than ever? Constance Garcia-Barrio profiles.
Profiles
3 minute read
The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, June 4-10, 2026
Two Outta Three, summer series in the city, and My Bonnie
A pair of series return for the summer in Sistah Soul Series and the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival, Two Outta Three rediscovers love, and the Naked Comedy Show. Kyle V. Hiller rounds up.
Previews
3 minute read