From left to right: Chase Byrd, Nastassja Whitman, Trice Baldwin and Paul E Kuhn (Photo by Rebecca Gudelunas).

Curio Theatre Company is opening its 14th season this week with an American classic re-imagined. The West Philly-based theatre company will stage Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” beginning Wednesday, Oct. 10.

In this 1947 play, Miller portrays a couple, Joe and Kate Keller, living a comfortable suburban life with their son Chris. Their other son, Larry, went missing in action a few years earlier and Chris becomes involved with Larry’s former fiancée, Kate, who must finally accepts that Larry is gone forever, and face the horrible truth about what caused his death.  Continue Reading

The Philadelphia Artists’ Collective will present J.M. Barrie’s Mary Rose at The Woodlands as part of the 2018 Fringe Festival. (Photo by Ashley Smith)

September is here, which means it’s time to celebrate art and artists at the annual Fringe Festival. This year’s program kicks off Thursday, Sept. 6 and features more than 100 dance, theater, spoken word and visual art shows by local, national and international artists at venues around the city.

Many festival events and shows will be held in West Philly – at The Rotunda, The Woodlands, Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center, Art Church of West Philadelphia, Black Box Theater, and other venues.

Beginning this Wednesday, the Philadelphia Artists’ Collective will present Mary Rose, a play by J.M. Barrie (the author of Peter Pan) at the Woodlands Cemetery and Mansion (40th and Woodland). The historic cemetery is a perfect setting for the play, originally published shortly after World War I, that reckons with loss, love, and immortality. The performance takes place inside the mansion and outside on the grounds (in the event of rain the entire performance will be inside the mansion). Shows begin at 7 p.m. and will run through Sept. 22. More information and tickets are available here.  Continue Reading

The community theater group Theatre in the X will be back in Malcolm X. Park (52nd and Pine) over the next three Sundays to reimagine The Wiz. 

Theatre in the X’s staging of the African American classic will be an homage to Hip Hop and Black cinema of the 1980s and 90s.

“Our iconic characters will journey through Oz remixed with all the nuance and cultural swag of the Black experience in America,” according to their Facebook post for the event.  Continue Reading

Shakespeare in Clark Park’s new production, Twelfth Night, opened last night in the park’s “Bowl” near 45th and Chester. Although, the official opening night was on Wednesday, it was moved indoors due to rain. So, SCP’s actors and musicians participating in this glam rock-inspired production, presented the first outdoor show to a big crowd on Thursday (see more photos below).

Catch the remaining shows at Clark Park (or Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St., in case of inclement weather) through Sunday, July 29, beginning at 7 p.m. All shows are free and family-friendly.  Continue Reading

Pax Ressler (Viola) and Angela Bey (Duke Orsino). Photo by Kyle Cassidy.

Shakespeare in Clark Park returns this week with five performances of Twelfth Night in the park’s bowl near 45th and Chester. The first show of the well-known Shakespearean play is scheduled for Wednesday night.

This production by the popular outdoor theatre company will be filled with music. It’s inspired by Glam Rock (check out this review by WHYY’s Peter Crimmins), and will feature some of Philly’s finest actors (prepare for some cross-gender acting), student musicians, and local cabaret performer, Jess Conda.  Continue Reading

This weekend you can get a rare glimpse inside the Bushfire Theatre for the Performing Arts at 52nd and Locust (224 S. 52nd St.) for the staging of Thurgood, the acclaimed bio-play about the former Supreme Court justice and civil rights icon.

Written by television and film director and producer George Stevens Jr., Thurgood is a stripped down portrayal of Marshall’s life as told by him and includes seminal moments in American history (the announcement of the verdict in Brown vs. Board of Education in the play would regular elicit celebratory hoots and hollers from audiences on Broadway).

Bushfire founder Al Simpkins will direct.

Founded in 1977, the Bushfire stages a few performances a year. The theater itself dates back to 1909, when it served as a Vaudeville house called The Locust. It was later converted to a movie theater until it was abandoned and fell into disrepair.

Tickets for Thurgood range from $15 (for kids) to $30. The show starts at 7:30 tonight and Saturday night.