Mouthful Monologue Festival, remembering Willis Humphrey, dance theater, and more this weekend

This weekend in Philadelphia, we’ve got a handful of events that I think are important. I can’t shout out enough how excited I am for the Mouthful Monologue Festival. Young voices in this city—and all over our nation—are in dire need of elevation, because they are much more powerful than adults usually assume them to be. Kids are smart as hell, dang it! And it’s about time we start listening to them a lot more.

The city also honors a life gone far too soon and celebrates a staple in the dance community that is inspiring up-and-coming performers. Drexel University is hosting an annual hands-on, family-friendly event that promotes exploration and discovery.

Support the youth. Give back where you can. And let’s all try to be better listeners, yeah?

Mouthful Monologue Festival showcases inspirational Philly teens
If you haven’t listened to the Mouthful podcast yet, please get on it. It’s one of my favorite podcast discoveries in the past year, and the stories Mouthful features are invigorating, inspiring, heartbreaking, and powerful. On February 28, 18 young writers will have their work produced onstage for public audiences as part of the 2019 Mouthful Monologue Festival. The festival pulled from a diverse group of teenagers from across greater Philadelphia, and the show comes together as a storytelling mosaic that covers a full spectrum of identities and backgrounds. The festival takes place at Louis Bluver Theater at the Drake (302 S. Hicks Street). Admission is pay-what-you-can, and the show runs until March 9. Find out more about the performances online.

Seriously: If you can’t make it out, please listen to the podcast! Okay, I’m done writing in the first person.

Honoring the life of Willis “NOMO” Humphrey
An exhibition and silent auction fundraiser is being held at the Icebox Project Space in the Crane Arts Building (1400 N. American St.) March 1 and 2, with an opening reception on Friday at 6pm, in celebration of the late Willis Humphrey. Humphrey, a full-time staffer and muralist with Mural Arts Philadelphia who passed away this past November, was the founding member of Amber Art and Design Collective, an organization that uses art as an inclusive platform to start conversations and cultivate resources for community empowerment and public service.

Internationally acclaimed Dance Theatre of Harlem comes to Philly
Annenberg Center Live and NextMove Dance present Dance Theatre of Harlem, the 2018-19 artist-in-residence. The performance takes the floor March 1 and 2 with a world-premiere work by Philadelphia native and resident choreographer Robert Garland. Dance Theatre of Harlem is known for breathing new life into classic ballet and is sure to inspire audiences with its three shows this weekend. Tickets are available at Annenberg’s website or by calling (215) 898-3900.

Paleopalooza at the Academy of Natural Sciences
The annual festival stomps into the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway) on Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3. Examine rare fossils, pick the brains of paleontologists, and discover more about the Academy’s history of exploration and its collections. The family-friendly event is free with regular museum admission, and tickets and a full calendar of events can be found on the Academy’s website.