Penn Live Arts presents Benjamin Bagby’s Beowulf

Bagby mirrors the medieval bard

A thrilling performance from 21st-century bard Benjamin Bagby at Penn Live Arts brought the firelit mead hall of Beowulf to modern audiences. Gail Obenreder reviews.

Gail Obenreder

Jan 30, 2023 · Reviews · 5 minute read

Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes, by Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith speaks

Longtime Philly sports columnist Stephen A. Smith went from The Inquirer to the airwaves of ESPN, and his new memoir details a fascinating life. Stephen Silver reviews.

Stephen Silver

Jan 24, 2023 · Reviews · 4 minute read

Dance Theatre of Harlem presents premieres by William Forsythe and Robert Garland

Dance to take you higher

Dance Theatre of Harlem returns to Penn Live Arts with the world premiere of William Forsythe’s Blake Works IV (The Barre Project) and the Philly premiere of Robert Garland’s Higher Ground, set to music by Stevie Wonder. Melissa Strong reviews.

Melissa Strong

Jan 24, 2023 · Reviews · 4 minute read

Quintessence Theatre Group presents Clifford Odets’s Waiting for Lefty

Unite or die

Clifford Odets’s pro-labor drama remains relevant, despite a clumsily didactic production by Quintessence Theatre Group. Cameron Kelsall reviews.

Cameron Kelsall

Jan 23, 2023 · Reviews · 3 minute read

The Clay Studio presents Figuring Space

An American self-portrait

A new sculpture exhibition at the Clay Studio features diverse artists from across the country whose figurative works demand a deeper look. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.

Pamela J. Forsythe

Jan 23, 2023 · Reviews · 5 minute read

Theatre in the X and EgoPo Classic Theater present Langston Hughes’s The Ways of White Folks

Philly’s own Renaissance

Theatre in the X and EgoPo's immersive adaptation of The Ways of White Folks, a classic Langston Hughes story collection, deserves the buzz it’s been getting at Glen Foerd mansion. Jeannine Cook reviews.

Jeannine A. Cook

Jan 19, 2023 · Reviews · 5 minute read

Main Line Early Music presents The Publick Pleasure: Music of 18th-Century Philadelphia

The tunes of the Revolution

Philadelphia has a thriving and innovative musical scene, but that’s nothing new as The Publick Pleasure proved at a Main Line Early Music concert highlighting favorites of the 18th century that are almost unknown today. Gail Obenreder reviews.

Gail Obenreder

Jan 17, 2023 · Reviews · 4 minute read

UArts’s Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery presents Alex Da Corte’s The Street

An enigmatic trip

Expect the unexpected at a colorful and challenging new solo exhibition from internationally known interdisciplinary artist Alex Da Corte, a Camden native and UArts grad. Emily B. Schilling reviews.

Emily Schilling

Jan 16, 2023 · Reviews · 4 minute read

William Way LGBT Community Center presents Selections from the Archives: Rami George

The truth about family photos

This look at the William Way archives from Rami George highlights the artist's knack for curating material objects, which take on a fresh, interactive meaning in this gallery. Jake Foster reviews.

Jake Foster

Jan 16, 2023 · Reviews · 3 minute read

The New Jersey Symphony presents Daniil Trifonov Performs Brahms

Pure music

Star soloist Daniil Trifonov brought lyricism and weight to Brahms’s Second Piano Concerto in the New Jersey Symphony’s first concert program of 2023. Cameron Kelsall reviews.

Cameron Kelsall

Jan 10, 2023 · Reviews · 3 minute read