Dark History of Penn’s Woods by Jennifer L. Green

The folklore and the facts

In Dark History of Penn’s Woods, Jennifer L. Green shines a light on the little-known, real-life historical terrors of Chester and Delaware Counties, and how they inform our present. Josh Hitchens reviews.

Josh Hitchens

Feb 08, 2022 · Reviews · 3 minute read

InterAct Theatre Company presents Harrison David Rivers’s This Bitter Earth

A 21st-century love story

In This Bitter Earth, now onstage at InterAct, a Black playwright and a white activist see their relationship tested against police brutality and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Kirsten Bowen reviews.

Kirsten Bowen

Feb 07, 2022 · Reviews · 3 minute read

The Kimmel Cultural Campus presents Philadelphia Ballet’s New Work for a New World

Contemporary ballet at the Perelman

Philadelphia Ballet makes the Kimmel Cultural Campus’s Perelman Theater its new home for contemporary ballet performances, beginning with New Work for a New World. Camille Bacon-Smith reviews.

Camille Bacon-Smith

Feb 07, 2022 · Reviews · 4 minute read

Quintessence Theatre Group presents Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy

Something that's Greek

Quintessence Theatre offers a modern, vibrant riff on Sophocles with Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy. Cameron Kelsall reviews.

Cameron Kelsall

Feb 04, 2022 · Reviews · 4 minute read

True Crime Philadelphia: From America's First Bank Robbery to the Real-Life Killers Who Inspired Boardwalk Empire by Kathryn Canavan

Philly's not-so-proud pioneers

Kathryn Canavan’s latest book tackles the dark and grisly side of Philly’s true crime history, but it’s also a fascinating read about the ordinary folks who have been foiling criminals for centuries. Rob Laymon reviews.

Rob Laymon

Feb 01, 2022 · Reviews · 4 minute read

The Kimmel Cultural Campus presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

A triumphant and timely return

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrates a decade with artistic director Robert Battle in the company’s 2022 tour, which kicked off last week at the Academy of Music. Melissa Strong reviews.

Melissa Strong

Jan 31, 2022 · Reviews · 5 minute read

The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Daniele Rustioni

Cold nights, warm music

Mussorgsky’s vivid Pictures at an Exhibition and a remarkable concerto by local composer Ke-Chia Chen enlivened the Philadelphia Orchestra’s most recent concerts, led by debuting conductor Daniele Rustioni. Cameron Kelsall reviews.

Cameron Kelsall

Jan 31, 2022 · Reviews · 3 minute read

EgoPo Classic Theater presents Alice Childress’s Wine in the Wilderness

An artist’s perspective

EgoPo Classic Theater offers a rich portrait of connection through art in Alice Childress’s Wine in the Wilderness. Cameron Kelsall reviews.

Cameron Kelsall

Jan 24, 2022 · Reviews · 3 minute read

Arden Theatre Company presents Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire

The cluelessness of strangers

The Arden Theatre Company’s long-delayed staging of A Streetcar Named Desire lacks realism and magic. Cameron Kelsall reviews.

Cameron Kelsall

Jan 21, 2022 · Reviews · 4 minute read

The African American Museum in Philadelphia presents Portals + Revelations: Richard J. Watson Beyond Realities

Moving through time and space in Black America

AAMP brings us a collection of naturalistic and abstract representations of Black history through illustrations, found objects, collages, and more by artist-in-residence Richard J. Watson. Olivia J. B. Baxter reviews.

Olivia J. B. Baxter

Jan 18, 2022 · Reviews · 3 minute read