Earth Day with ANSP, putting on pants for 1812, and a ‘Forever, Chinatown’ screening this weekend

I’m here to serve up another robust roundup for you, featuring museum tours and activities from the Women’s Mobile Museum, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Woodmere Art Museum, and the Brandywine River Museum of Art. Additionally, we’ve got a movie screening from PAAFF, an online open mic, and I’m starting something new—though you’ll have to scroll to the bottom for that bit.

Have a great weekend! Hope you’re all safe and healthy.

ANSP Earth Day Activities

It's Wednesday, April 22, and today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and the Academy of Natural Sciences has curated activities and resources for you to be kinder to the planet. ANSP posts new activities monthly, and April’s focus is on gardening. If I had a backyard to call my own, you’d best believe that now would be the time I’d finally get those green thumbs I’ve been dreaming of.

Women’s Mobile Museum screening

Tonight at 7pm, the Women’s Mobile Museum and the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center will screen Portraits of Visual Activism, a look at the year-long journey of the WMM. It goes live here, and find out more about WMM online—the folks there definitely should be on your radar.

African textiles and costumes at Woodmere

The Woodmere Art Museum is hosting an online lecture and Q&A on Thursday, April 23, at 1pm, in collaboration with the exhibition Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia. Textile and costume curator Jade Papa leads the free presentation featuring Thomas Jefferson University’s extensive collection of African textiles.

Putting on pants for 1812

Are you even quarantining right if you’re not wearing the same pants as yesterday (and the day before that)? Jen Childs, 1812’s producing artistic director, and her husband, Scott Greer, are hosting I Put on Pants for This, a weekly half-hour conversation on comedy. I guess someone’s got to wear the pants these days, right? The event is free, and attendants are encouraged to make a gift to support 1812 Productions. They’ll go live on Thursday, April 23, at 6pm, and you can catch the link here.

Paradise: A virtual open mic night

Writers Room Drexel isn’t putting the stop on their new open mic nights. Launching back in January (such a different time) with enthusiasm and support, WRD (get it? Word. I wonder if they did that on purpose.) is hosting another open mic on Thursday at 6pm. Come and listen and enjoy the words and music, or do your own reading. Sign up now, and look for the Zoom link on the Facebook event page shortly before the event begins. It’s free and open to all.

A Zoom opera

Renowned composer Kamala Sankaram teams up with librettist Rob Handel, Orange Is the New Black and The Last OG’s Joel Marsh Garland, and Philly’s own breakout opera star Zachary James for the world’s first Zoom opera, titled all decisions will be made by consensus. Premiering on Friday, April 24, at 1pm and playing again on April 25 at 7pm and April 26 at 3pm, the performance kicks off here.

Brandywine at Home

The Brandywine River Museum of Art is offering virtual tours, curator-led gallery talks, at-home art activities for all ages, and more. They’re updating with new content every week, so check it out if you haven’t gotten the chance yet!

Forever, Chinatown

CinéSPEAK and Philadelphia Asian American Film & Filmmakers are teaming up for an online watch party of the film Forever, Chinatown on Wednesday, April 29, at 7pm to benefit the PA Immigrant Workers Relief. Admission is free, but you’re encouraged to make a donation. Participants will also have to sign up for a Kanopy account—which is free with your library card—before watching the movie. Look out for the Zoom link on the Facebook page.

Film pick of the week: Fighting for Love

Let’s try something new: every week during quarantine, I’m going to pick a film that’s popped up on my radar that I think is worth checking out that you can’t find on the usual streaming services. For this week, I’ve got Fighting for Love, a locally produced short film about “lovers Marco and Trey trying to love one another without the tools to have a vulnerable conversation.” You can watch it here—there’s a $2 fee to view it.