Arden for All, Mother’s Day at MoAR, and Love Your Park Week highlight a robust virtual weekend

With a pair of Shakespeare plays, cinéSPEAK streaming award-winning films, and InLiquid celebrating World Collage Day, the digital front of the weekend is looking rich. For those who have been wanting to stay away from the screen, the Arden, the MoAR, and Parks & Rec might have some activities you’d be into.

It’s another weekend of digital innovation. Have a great time, Philly!

Arden for All

Arden Theatre has launched online programming, activities, past performances, and more targeted for the young budding theater artists at home. They update regularly with a few installments already set to explore. Access is free—check it out online.

Film screenings with cinéSPEAK

cinéSPEAK is opening up the digital screens with a selection of films available for screening through mid-May. Each day, you can check out films like Nuestras Madres, Capital in the 21st Century, The Infiltrators, and more. The lineup is on Facebook, and each film is available for $12. Consider supporting cinéSPEAK this weekend, they’re looking to open a brick and mortar theater in the city soon—and Philly could use more cinema venues.

Othello with Quintessence

Getting ready for their 11th season, Quintessence Theatre Group is having a live reading of Othello on Wednesday, May 6, at 7:30pm. Stream it on Facebook, or the company’s website. The performance stars Jordan Barbour of Broadway’s The Inheritance as Othello.

Much Ado About Nothing

MacGruffin Theatre & Film Company opens its virtual spring production of another Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing. The performance will premiere over the course of five days, with one act per day, starting Wednesday, May 6, at 7pm and continuing through Sunday, May 10. See the Facebook event page for more, including tickets and stream links.

In Conversation with Jacqueline Woodson and Susan Choi

On Thursday, May 7, at 7:30pm, the Philadelphia Free Library is hosting a conversation with authors Susan Choi and Jacqueline Woodson. Choi is the winner of the 2019 National Book Award for fiction with Trust Exercise, and the celebrated Woodson just released her latest Red at the Bone (read our review here). Join in the free virtual conversation online.

Mother’s Day at the MoAR

Mother’s Day weekend is here, and the Museum of the American Revolution is hosting a weekend of celebration online. Learn about the women who played unsung roles during the Revolution War on Friday, May 8, through Sunday, May 10. Free events include a live embroidery demonstration, video presentations, crafting Mother’s Day cards, and more. Join in the festivities online.

Moore College Thesis

Tis the season for senior exhibits, and Moore College of Art & Design is hosting its annual Senior Show this weekend. On Friday, May 8, student artists will present their work to the public. The digital event is available to all, and those interested in supporting the artists’ work can shop online.

Uncle Bobbie’s Happy Hour

The staff over at Uncle Bobbie’s book shop is hosting a happy hour meetup on Friday, May 8, at 5pm. Book lovers unite for an exchange of thoughts, ideas, and conversation.

Philly Parks at Home

Love Your Park Week isn’t going away this year. The annual celebration of Philly parks is getting the virtual treatment as well from Saturday, May 9, through Sunday, May 17. Each day comes with free park-themed family activities, including virtual tours and gardening tutorials. See the full lineup of activities online, and be sure to check out the “Parks & Rec @ Home” daily video series on the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Facebook page all next week.

Virtual art with InLiquid

This Saturday is World Collage Day, and InLiquid is having an IGTV Collage Workshop, hosted by collage artist Constance Culpepper. The event is on May 9 at 2pm. Check it out, and be sure to visit the rest of InLiquid’s virtual online programs and exhibitions.

Stream of the Week

I was going to try to dig up some obscure film or documentary for you this week, but then I found out Michelle Obama is dropping a new doc and, well, she overrides everything. The documentary version of her memoir, Becoming, launched on Netflix this week, and I’m especially intrigued about this because it’s actually not reviewing very well, according to the handful of reviews that popped up the morning of its release. Cool, because neither did Knock Down the House at first, and I was simultaneously sobbing heartbroken tears while feeling energized by the end of it.

Becoming comes off the heels of Michelle Obama’s book tour last year, which made a stop at the African American Museum of Philadelphia (and they’re hosting a live watch-along on Wednesday, May 6, at 6pm). Looking forward to it!