Opinion
98 results
Page 2
A University of the Arts professor speaks: “Knowing it’s the last time I’ll be here is unbearable.”
Students and faculty pledge to keep creating despite their school’s "unconscionable" demise
Philly novelist Elise Juska founded the creative writing program at UArts, where she taught for 24 years. She brings us inside her last days at the university, alongside her irrepressible students.
Essays
6 minute read
From Shanghai to Philadelphia: An international alum speaks on the closure of UArts
Because of UArts, Philly will always be part of me.
When Shanghai native Wenlu Bao wanted to continue her arts education, she came to UArts, which led her to museums throughout our region. She was shocked to see the news about its closing. She remembers her time there.
The Wilma’s Tony reminds us to keep fighting for Philly’s arts community
The future is collaborative
Philly’s theater community rejoiced at
hearing that the Wilma will receive the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award at
this year’s ceremony on Sunday, June 16. It’s a huge reason to keep fighting
for Philly arts, but certainly not the only one.
Editorials
5 minute read
Mural Arts and First Person Arts present Embracing the Light
Philly storytellers tackle suicide stigma
Mural Arts and First Person Arts teamed up for a show tackling stigma around mental illness and suicide—unusual topics for public storytelling. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Alaina Johns reviews.
Editorials
7 minute read
Six tips for news and social media sanity in the 2024 election cycle (you won’t believe #6)
The news is stressful. Here’s how to stay engaged while keeping your cool.
Our democracy, our climate, our rights, our health, our wars and protests—it’s hard to look at any news at all without feeling like the world is ending. Spend seven minutes with Alaina Johns now and get six tips to help you navigate today’s media.
Editorials
7 minute read
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Three free road trips from Philadelphia offer a treasure-hunting trifecta
Hit the road (or the river) to discover fossils, Jersey diamonds, and petroglyphs
Writer Bart Stump is a seasoned local adventurer. He recommends three summer destinations for all kinds of Philly-area treasure hunters, with itineraries in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Essays
4 minute read
I’m a Jewish dramaturg, and The Last Yiddish Speaker taught me a lot about the spaces we need to develop Jewish plays.
Why does culturally specific play development matter?
As Deborah Zoe Laufer’s The Last Yiddish Speaker premieres at InterAct, Philly dramaturg and writer Alix Rosenfeld shares her role in developing the play, and why culturally specific spaces matter for marginalized artists, including Jewish ones.
Essays
5 minute read
Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis could remind us to stop projecting our own fears of illness and death.
Before and after, for Kate and for me
Princess Kate’s cancer announcement brought up Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer’s own memories of fighting cancer as a mom in her late 30s. This news is an opportunity for us all to look inward and stop projecting our fears about illness and death.
Essays
5 minute read
The man who called me an optimist: remembering writer Tom Purdom
“This is my editor.”
In January, the BSR community lost one of our founding members: science-fiction and music writer Tom Purdom. Near the end of his career, he never balked at having a youngster for his editor. Alaina Johns remembers a treasured friend and colleague.
Editorials
7 minute read
I’m an editor, but I want 2024 to be the year we stop harping on typos
Everyone makes mistakes. Why are we so anxious to point them out?
One drawback of working in the media is that your smallest mistakes are extremely visible to the public. Everyone loves to point out typos and errors, but only some of us are helping. Alaina Johns wonders why it matters so much.
Editorials
5 minute read