Art of Activism, Peace with Network for New Music, and 'Hamilton’s' Phillipa Soo for the weekend

This weekend features a handful of events that celebrate the power of language and music. Mural Arts hosts Philadelphia Poet Laureate Trapeta Mayson for a conversation on poetry during social change, and Penn Museum features a talk on traditional languages and their impact for Native Americans. The Network of New Music strings together a concert for peace as their concert season comes to a close, and Rowan University hosts Hamilton star Phillipa Soo for a livestreamed concert supporting the New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund.

Art of Activism: Walking the Poetic Path

On Thursday, April 15 at 5:30pm, join Ginger Rudolph, Sonia Sanchez, and Philadelphia Poet Laureate Trapeta Mayson for a conversation on language, culture, and how poetry is an accessible route to social change. The event, hosted by Mural Arts, is free and open to the public online.

Phillipa Soo at Rowan University

Rowan University’s College of Performing Arts welcomes Phillipa Soo, the Tony-nominated star of Hamilton for a livestreamed concert on Friday, April 16 at 8pm. The performance will be passed on to the New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund to help provide relief to the state’s art sector in light of the pandemic.

Delaware Art Museum Drive-In

Back in the fall, the Delaware Art Museum had a successful drive-in movie series. The drive-in returns this weekend, running on Fridays beginning April 16. Films like The Birdcage, All About Eve, and The Cotton Club will be screened. Parking begins at 7:15pm and each movie starts at dusk. Tickets are $17 for members, $19 for non-members, and includes popcorn and soda.

Our Language Sits Alive Inside of Us

Penn Museum recently installed a new art piece by mixed media artist and language professor Dr. X’unei Lance Twitchell in their exhibit, Native American Voices: The People—Here and Now. The piece is an homage to Tlingit language speakers and considers how traditional cultural languages are instrumental to healing and pushing against the erasure of Alaska’s Native peoples. This weekend, the Museum is hosting an artist and curator talk with Dr. Twitchell and Dr. Lucy Fowler Williams. The talk, which streams on Friday, April 16 at 6pm, will highlight Indigenous perspectives. Admission is $5.

Peace in Extraordinary Times

The Network for New Music’s season finale streams this weekend on Saturday, April 17 at 7:30pm. The concert will feature four works for violin and piano performed by Network Ensemble musicians Hirono Oka and Charles Abramovic. Tickets start at $10 with the option to contribute more to support the Network for New Music.

How to Be Brave

Inis Nua Theatre will present the American premiere of How to Be Brave this week. Now through Sunday, April 25, How to Be Brave tells a story about single-parent motherhood. The show will available on-demand, with tickets running $10 for a single viewer to $15 for a household.

Image Description: Chinese American actress Phillipa Soo poses for a headshot. She's wearing an ivory sweater, standing in a profile stance, her head turned to face the camera.