So it’s the not-too-distant future and an oppressive Christian theocracy has overthrown the U.S. government. Most women are not allowed to read. Things are fairly grim. That’s the setting for the opening performance of The Curio Theatre Company’s 11th season.

Curio is staging the Philadelphia premiere of Joe Stollenwerk’s The Handmaid’s Tale, a work based on the Margaret Atwood novel. The show previews on Oct. 15, and the opening is slated for Oct. 23.

In a solo work, Curio company member Isa St. Clair plays Offred, who takes us back to a world after a staged terrorist attack in a cautionary tale that predicts our worst fears of fundamentalism. Offred is a heroine who struggles to maintain her individuality, personhood, and hope for a better future.

The Handmaid’s Tale closes on November 14. Curio shows run on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15-$25 per person. Tickets and more information are available online at www.curiotheartre.org.

The annual Ethiopian Day Festival is Saturday. A photo from last year’s event. (From the Ethiopian Community Association website.)

The Ethiopian Community Association of Greater Philadelphia is putting on its annual Ethiopian Day Festival and free concert tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 44th and Chestnut.

Music, children’s games, food and poetry are on the schedule.

Halloween is less than a month away and the Woodlands Cemetery and Mansion (40th and Woodland) is once again presenting a series of fun and spooky events for kids and adults alike. More information is below. Also, Bindlestiff Books (4530 Baltimore Ave.) is accepting donations of children’s books for All Hallow’s Read: a spooky book swap that will be held at the Woodlands on Sunday, Oct. 25, from Noon to 4.

HollyWoodlands Movie Night featuring Ghostbusters
Saturday, Oct. 17
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., film starts at 7 p.m.
Requested donation: $10 for adults, $2 for children under 12yrs
Household Level Members and up: Free entry

The Woodlands will provide the firepits, you bring the s’mores, blankets and chairs. PB & Jams and Happy Hippy will be onsite to provide all your snacking needs.  Continue Reading

Philly Thriller dancers perform in front of The Rotunda near 40th and Walnut. (Facebook photo)

Halloween is approaching fast, and the super popular local dance group Philly Thriller is seeking performers for the 7th annual Thriller-inspired flash mob-style dance routine on Halloween night. Rehearsals will begin on Friday, Oct. 16. If you’re interested to join the group, check out this announcement from the Magic Bowl Dance Company:

Always wanted to do the Thriller dance? Saw us last year and want to join in on the fun this year? Be there for a night of performing a short Thriller-inspired dance routine in the streets of West Philly!

Rehearsals pre-registration is required as space is limited!
In full costume and zombie make-up! Four Rehearsals [will be held at University City Arts League]. Must be 18 or older.  Continue Reading

Apart from tonight’s Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, another big semi-annual event is happening this week in West Philly – Go West! Craft Fest at The Woodlands (40th and Woodland). More than 70 artists and crafters are expected to participate in the Fall edition of this popular event happening on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event also features live music, children’s activities, acrobatic performances by tinycircus, and food by local eateries. Go West! Craft Fest is open to the public and free to attend.

Festival guests can find unique treasures by local makers, including jewelry, ceramics, art, prints, stationery, home wares, children’s items, bags, candles, soaps, and more. Follow @gowestcraftfest on Instagram for sneak peeks of all the Festive finds. Also, visit the Go West! Craft Fest website for more information and performance schedule.

West Philly artists have an opportunity to exhibit their work at an upcoming Transformation exhibition presented by Flying Kite magazine. The exhibition, which will be on display from Oct. 2 through Oct. 30 at A Poet Art Gallery in the Parkside section of West Philadelphia, is being presented as part of Flying Kite’s On the Ground neighborhood engagement program. The program creates a temporary media hub in a vacant or under-utilized storefront or building and takes a deep dive on neighborhood transformation through coverage, events and social media. After 90 days it’s on to the next neighborhood.

Proposals are being excepted from artists who live or work in West Philadelphia. Works can be in any medium, but should be responsive to the theme of Transformation. The organizers hope to bring together artists in Parkside and West Philadelphia to celebrate the creativity and innovation that can serve as a catalyst for business and cultural development along the Girard Ave. corridor in Parkside. All artists will be highlighted in a preview article published in Flying Kite.  Continue Reading