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New exhibits at AAMP, Richard III, Group!, and more
The Weekly Roundup, May 4-11
Kyle V. Hiller
This week, the African American Museum in Philadelphia leaps into spring with a trio of new exhibits opening this weekend. Then, Intercultural Journeys honors the legacy of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Passage Theatre premieres its new musical, and Theatre in the X pays homage to the first Black American theater company. Al-Bustan also hosts its annual Philly Arab Community Day.
May the Fourth be with you!
Richard III
Through Saturday, May 7, 2022
Curio Theatre Company, 4740 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia
Theatre in the X interprets the Shakespearean classic in the spirit of the African Grove Theatre, the first Black theater company in the history of North America. African Grove was founded 44 years before the abolition of slavery, a time when literacy for Black people was illegal. The homage performance runs through this Saturday.
Group!
May 5-22, 2022
Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton
Passage Theatre Company debuts the new musical Group!, which tells the story of five women who have been court-ordered to attend group therapy. The performance explores themes around fear and celebration as they “grapple with their mental health in the face of sobriety.”
The Frances Suite
May 5-6, 7:30pm
Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine Street, Philadelphia
Intercultural Journeys hosts its first live performance in over two years with The Frances Suite, a musical work inspired by the life and work of abolitionist, suffragist, poet, and writer Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. Yolanda Wisher and Diane Monroe are featured artists of the performance composed by Ruth Naomi Floyd.
There’s a waitlist for the in-person performances, but you can catch it online, too.
New exhibits at the African American Museum in Philadelphia
Starting Friday, May 6, 7-9pm
701 Arch Street, Philadelphia
AAMP is opening three new exhibits for the season, kicking it all off with an opening reception on Friday, May 6, at 7pm. The new exhibits include Derrick Adams: Sanctuary, a mixed-media project that reimagines safe destinations for Black American travelers during the mid-20th century, inspired by the Negro Motorist Green Book; Taking Care: Recent Acquisitions & Conservation spotlights AAMP’s conservation processes; and Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow, which chronologically explores racial inequalities 50 years after the Civil War.
Philadelphia Arab Community Day
Saturday, May 7, 12-5pm
Penn Treaty Park, 1301 North Beech Street, Philadelphia
Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture and Philadelphia Arabs will host their annual Arab Community Day this weekend, featuring food trucks, arts and crafts activities, music, community resources, and more. Be sure to RSVP ahead of time!
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