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Simpson, perhaps in a nod to Hamlet's mother Gertrude, looks regal in a red cloak. (Photo by Lauren Woodard.)

Arts organizations are reopening, but for now, we’re keeping our digital focus

It’s still about accessibility

Four months into the pandemic, here’s an update from editor Alaina Johns about BSR’s approach to a reopening Philadelphia.

Alaina Johns

Jul 21, 2020 Editorials 4 minute read

Quieter times: the 52nd Street Market-Frankford Line station on a July morning in 2013. (Photo by Kyle V. Hiller.)

With protests continuing and school on the horizon, whom can we trust?

Can we fight alone?

In the midst of civil unrest, spiking COVID cases, and preemptive reopenings, are we being primed to fend for ourselves? Kyle V. Hiller considers.

Kyle V. Hiller

Jul 21, 2020 Editorials 5 minute read

A drive-in summer concert, part of a new series at People’s Light, observes COVID safety guidelines. (Photo by Charles T. Brastow.)

Like it or not, you have a new job in the pandemic

When can you start?

Arts journalists in the pandemic—just like all of us, really—are doing a job we never thought we’d have to do. Can we handle our new responsibilities? Alaina Johns considers.

Alaina Johns

Jul 14, 2020 Editorials 4 minute read

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Phillipa Soo are Alexander and Eliza Hamilton in the original Broadway production. (Photo courtesy of Disney.)

What responsibility does 'Hamilton' have to hip-hop, theater, and the communities they represent?

Who tells your story?

Kyle V. Hiller finally had the chance to watch ‘Hamilton’ when it arrived on Disney+ last week. As the show reaches its widest audience yet, it’s time to consider its roots.

Kyle V. Hiller

Jul 07, 2020 Editorials 6 minute read

Is this the future of theatergoing in the COVID era? Wilma Globe original seating design by Sara Brown, Misha Kachman, and Matt Saunders. (Image courtesy of the Wilma.)

What does the proposed Wilma Globe say about accessibility in the arts?

Last week, the Wilma made a splash with plans for a post-COVID stage, but the local community raised concerns about safety and accessibility. Alaina Johns asks if the pandemic can drive new demands about arts access for all.

Alaina Johns

Jul 07, 2020 Editorials 6 minute read

Fireworks spark contemptuously now, and July 4 will hit differently this year—finally. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons.)

Unmasking the Fourth of July: whose independence are we celebrating?

Liberty just for me?

Folks who want to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday without observing COVID safety are joining a long American history of ignoring the facts. Could this year be a new opportunity for all of us? Kyle V. Hiller wonders.

Kyle V. Hiller

Jun 30, 2020 Editorials 4 minute read

Not everyone can join this crowd. (Photo by Alaina Johns.)

Chronic illness is not a barrier to standing up for justice

What have you learned from self-care?

Alaina Johns knows what it’s like to live with chronic illness and how it can make you feel like you have nothing left to give when others need you. Can we reframe this experience to promote a world in which more people can take action?

Alaina Johns

Jun 23, 2020 Editorials 5 minute read

A portrait of an Emancipation Day celebration in 1900. (Image via Wikimedia Commons, credited to Grace Murray.)

In the midst of civil unrest, Juneteenth is here. What does emancipation mean today?

Is this my freedom?

What is Juneteenth and what does it mean for the movement happening in our current sociopolitical climate? Kyle V. Hiller considers.

Kyle V. Hiller

Jun 16, 2020 Editorials 5 minute read

When this movement goes quiet, what will be left for Black people?

Wrestling with silence

Silence is complicity. But what happens when you’re Black and you’ve been silent? What are you being complicit about? Kyle V. Hiller considers a different kind of silence.

Kyle V. Hiller

Jun 09, 2020 Editorials 5 minute read