Pan Asian Dance Troupe: "Hot off the Wok"
Irvine Auditorium
3401 Spruce St.
Sat, 8 p.m., $5-8
dolphin.upenn.edu/~panasian
It's time for the annual show performed by the Pan-Asian Dance Troupe, which, despite the name, will not include food. Despite this little blow, it should still be a great show in which the group will perform modern, traditional and fusion dances from various nationalities, ranging from Chinese to Filipino. The show is in Irvine (you know, that big building where everything NSO-related is held) and if you want to get a deal, the tickets are cheaper if you buy them on the walk beforehand.
Philomathean Society presents Keats & Beats
College Hall
Fourth Floor (Use East Entrance)
3450 Woodland Walk
Thu, 7:30-9 p.m., free
dolphin.upenn.edu/~philo
Do you enjoy foie gras, caviar and fine wine? To win the heart of a lady, do you just quoth a line or two from Tennyson? Do you believe you were born in the wrong century? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, and you have a secret desire to drink in College Hall, then attendance at this Philomathean Society event is a must. It will undoubtedly fill your heart with all the poetry and pretentious discussion it desires.
Women's History Month Free Activities
National Liberty Museum
321 Chestnut St.
Tue-Sun, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $0-5,
until March 31
(215) 925-2800
www.libertymuseum.org
At the National Liberty Museum, you can celebrate all those women you used to do reports on in elementary school, like suffragette Susan B. Anthony and scientist Marie Curie. But since you are no longer using a Cold War era first grade history textbook, you can also celebrate newer heroines like Mia Hamm and Oprah. Games, quizzes, crafts and tours will be among the many opportunities to learn about all of your favorite female leaders.
Antigone
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
260 S. Broad St.
Thu- Fri, 7:30 p.m., $44-64
(215) 893-1999
www.kimmelcenter.org
The mere mention of Antigone should send latent repressed memories of middle school surging into your consciousness. Before you crumble into a weeping ball of adolescent angst and used oxypads, remember that Sophocles still loves you, awkwardness and all. So, celebrate this Greek playwright via this adventurous reinterpretation of Antigone as ballet, replete with an original score and choreography. And maybe, just maybe, all of those lithe dancers can teach you a few things that sex-ed never could.
Constitution Culture Club: Blogging ‹¨« The New Poor Richard's Almanac
National Constitution Center
525 Arch St.
Independence Mall
Thu, 6-7:30 p.m., free for members
(215) 409-6767 (Reservations Required)
www.constitutioncenter.org
What's the similarity between a whiny emo teenager, a self-obsessed twentysomething with an acting degree and a pompous political analyst-wannabe? Most importantly, all three probably have blogs! In an age where information is all-too-readily accessible, some have raised the concept of public forum to the nth-degree. Want to have an intellectual discussion of this new phenomena that isn't on somebody's Xanga or Livejournal? Well, head over to the Constitution Center and partake in the newest form of voyeurism and self-aggrandizement.
Penn Players Present: Glengarry Glen Ross
Prince Theatre
Annenberg Center
3680 Walnut St.
Thu, 8 p.m., Fri, 7 p.m., Sat, 2 p.m., 9 p.m., $7-10
(215) 898-3900
dolphin.upenn.edu/~players
The Penn Players take a look at the high stakes world of Chicago real estate in David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross. The Pulitzer-prize winning play takes a look at the dark side of American business when a sales contest takes an unexpected turn. The characters lie, cheat and steal in a world where moral standing is less important than closing the deal. Written by renowned playwright who wrote the screenplays of State and Main and Wag the Dog, the play is definitely worth seeing, whether you're a real estate major at Wharton or a theater enthusiast.
"For Richer or Poorer": Three One-Act Plays
The Stagecrafters Theatre
8130 Germantown Ave.
Thu-Sat, 8 p.m., Sun, 2 p.m., $15
(215) 247-8881
www.thestagecrafters.org
Eventually, when we pair off and marry, it will be for richer or for poorer. For a little insight into the poorer side of things, the three one-act plays that The Stagecrafters Theatre has put together are a perfect chance. In Trifles, a rural crime instigates a battle of the sexes and the women emerge on top. The Virtuous Burglar examines adultery and a few other crimes, while Lou Gehrig Did Not Die of Cancer leaves us with a hope that, though marital issues never go away, we always emerge from them stronger. If those last two don't tickle your fancy, just stay for Trifles; everyone loves a chance to see the women on top.
Artur Barrio: Actions after Actions
Goldie Paley Gallery
Moore College of Art and Design
20th St. and The Parkway
Thu-Fri, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat-Sun, 12-4 p.m., free, until March 19
(215) 965-4027
www.thegalleriesatmoore.org
Artur Barrio has been hard at work at the performance and documentation of provocative public acts for nearly 50 years, but it is not until now that his work is being shown in a major Unites States exhibition. Politically controversial, Barrio has managed to create work that evades the socio-economic international structures, while remaining invisible to the traditional art economy. Until now. Enjoy this opportunity to take in Artur Barrio's art for what is likely the first time. Everyone enjoys a little controversy once in a while.
Art in Chicago:
Resisting Regionalism, Transforming
Modernism
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Fisher Brooks Gallery, Hamilton Building
118-128 N. Broad St.
Tue-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., until April 2, $6-7
(215) 972-7600
www.pafa.org
Chicago. The Windy City. The home of the Magnificent Mile and the Sears Tower. Yet the city has more than bad weather, great shopping and Oprah -- it also is the birthplace of much visual media. This exhibit features art created by Chicagoans or those influenced by Chicago. Expand your East Coast-centered mind and experience the best the Midwest has to offer.
Light
Wilson Hall and Connector Galleries
Moore College of Art and Design
20th St. and The Parkway
Fri, 7:30-9:30, until March 19
(215) 964-4000
www.moore.edu
You may not have heard of it, but the Moore College of Art and Design is the first and only women's college of design in America (and only one of two in the world). Home to famous graduates such as Alice Neel and Adrienne Vittadini, the school offers a world-class education to talented artists. And now you can see how talented the graduates truly are. "Light" presents the work of alumni in a juried exhibition which is sure to impress. And if you love what you see, you can take home postcards of the artwork, which are on sale this weekend.
Nancy Breslin: "A
Pinhole Diary of
Eating Out"
St. Joseph's University
Boland Hall, University Gallery
5600 City Ave.
Fri, 5-8 p.m., until March 30
(610) 660-1840
www.sju.edu/gallery
For most people, a meal at Pizza Hut isn't the quintessence of art. But don't tell that to Nancy Breslin; for over two years, the photographer has been using a pinhole camera to take shots of her meals "out" at coffee shops, restaurants and even her friends' houses. The use of the pinhole camera blurs all moving objects but keeps the stationary ones in focus, leaving an interesting interpretation of the meal with the actual ritual as the focus. The result, entitled "Squaremeals," is a strikingly beautiful and -- dare we say? -- artistic view of eating that is worth a second look.
Fashion's Favorites: From Rococo to
Romantic
Philadelphia Museum of Art
26th St. and Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Tue-Sun, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri, 10 a.m.-8:45 p.m., $8-12
(215) 763-8100
www.philamuseum.org
No one has any style today. Just look at women's dresses. Where are the leg-of-mutton sleeves and the panniers? Does no one want a sleeve that's ridiculously large at one end and a small point at the other, or a wire framework that expands the skirt out to outrageous proportions? Why don't you head over to the art museum and check out some dresses from the 1730s to the 1830s? See what it really means to be stylish.
Lewis Black
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
One Borgata Way, Atlantic City, NJ
Fri-Sat, 9 p.m., $59.50
1-866-myborgata
www.theborgata.com
If you choose to watch The Daily Show just to get your news, then you're like everyone else in America. But if you watch the show for Lewis Black -- the comedian for whom "Nothing's Sacred" -- then you are part of the growing cult of Black-lovers. His blunt, acerbic, observational comedy and distinct angry voice make this comedian popular as he points out the ironies that surround us. His nothing-is-off-limits show is a must-see.
Penny Loafers: "HOW MUCH FOR AN EIGHTH NOTE"
Dunlop Auditorium
3450 Hamilton Walk
Fri-Sat, 8 p.m., $7
http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~loafers
If you can't sing and you go to Penn, chances are you feel a bit left out, what with the 7,000 a cappella groups on campus and everything. The Penny Loafers, for example, are a co-ed group that sings current pop and rock music. But even if you know every word to every song they sing, when you go to one of their
shows, try not to sing along. Instead, just listen and enjoy.
The Inspiration: "A Little Closer ..."
Houston Hall, 2nd Floor
3417 Spruce St.
Fri-Sat, 8 p.m., $6
http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~inspirat
Ever get the feeling that Penn doesn't perform enough a cappella? Okay, so maybe you don't, but that doesn't mean that the Inspiration isn't worth seeing. Formed in 1989 as an outlet for black music, the group has an amazingly eclectic repertoire of R&B, Soul, Reggae and Gospel. That's right; the Inspiration has everyone from Prince and Aaliyah to A Tribe Called Quest, Bob Marley and Marvin Gaye. So if you're looking for somewhere to get your music fix, stop by Houston Hall; it's what's goin' on.
Ferret Under the Gun Tour
Theatre of Living Arts
334 South St.
Thu, 9 p.m., $12
(215) 922-1011
www.thetla.com
So, you think you're a punk music junkie; you've got a Mohawk, tattoos and that piercing you're afraid to show your mom. But are you really legit? Well, this weekend, you've got a chance to prove your punk rock street cred. In celebration of its tenth anniversary, Ferret Records is presenting five of their top artists in their "Under the Gun" tour: Madball (seen on Fuse and MTV's Headbanger's Ball), Zao, Remembering Never, Scarlet and The Banner. And this weekend, at TLA, you can watch these hardcore/punk DIY artists rock hard on stage. Their dark chords and frightening lyrics will show you what punk's really about.
James Blunt
Tower Theatre
69th and Ludlow Sts., Upper Darby
Fri, 8 p.m., $25
(610) 784-5400
http://electricfactory.com
There's something so flattering about being told you're beautiful, even if its coming out of your iPod, so it's no mystery why James Blunt's romantic ballads
have caught on so quickly. Need an ego boost? Blunt will be playing tomorrow night at the Tower Theatre. Hey, it's not your fault you need more than a mirror to remind yourself that you're hot.
Billy Joel
Wachovia Center
3601 S. Broad St.
Mon, 8 p.m., $45-75
(215) 336-3600
www.comcast-spectacor.com
Everyone has a place in their heart for the original piano man, Billy Joel. Your baby boomer parents love him, but secretly, so do you. Whether you sing along to "Uptown Girl," pre-game to "Only the Good Die Young" or embrace your inner
child with the score of "Oliver & Company," the appeal of Joel's piano rock is undeniable. This latest tour offers a retrospective of the highs, lows and in-betweens of Joel's 35-year career in the music biz.
A.C.
Trocadero
1003 Arch St.
Fri, 6 p.m., $8-10
(215) 922-LIVE
www.thetroc.com
We shit you not, the band's abbreviation is short for "Anal Cunt." If you need more, A.C.'s rips through raunchy and inappropriate grindmetal songs without a single qualm about things like, well, decency. With riffs like "Recycling is Gay" and "Jack Kevorkian is Cool," the audience never really knows of this is just sensationalism, idiocy or art. Whatever the effect on the audience, the band may have succeeded in their initial goal of creating the most un-musical band in the world.
Philadelphia Orchestra's Birthday Party for Benjamin Franklin
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Verizon Hall
260 S. Broad St.
Sat, 11:30 a.m., $5-44
(215) 893-1999
www.philorch.org
It's still Ben Franklin's 300th birthday, and Philadelphia is still
celebrating. The renowned Philadelphia Orchestra is presenting this birthday soiree as a part of its educational Family Concert series. The shows are selling out quickly and it seems that everyone is pumped to whoop it up in honor of Philly's patron saint. A pre-show educational adventure kicks off the concert that's sure to illuminate yet another aspect of Ben Franklin's genius: in addition to everything else, he was crazy about music.
Motion City Soundtrack
Theatre of Living Arts
334 South St.
Sat, 6:45 p.m., $15
(215) 922-1011
www.thetla.com
Founded in 1999, Motion City Soundtrack seems younger than most of its counterparts. But that doesn't mean that they're less talented. Following up their debut album, I Am the Movie with the long-awaited Commit this to Memory, MCS follows in the vein of bands such as AFI and Jimmy Eat World with their pop harmonies and punk guitars. And since their newest album was produced by Blink-182 member Mark Hoppus, this new band may represent the future of American Top-100 pop/punk.
Phantoms vs. Wilkes- Barre Scranton Penguins
Wachovia Spectrum
3601 S. Broad St.
Fri, 7:05 p.m., $14-33
(215) 465-4522
www.phantomshockey.com
Hockey: it's fighting, on ice. If there's two players that hate each other, they might fight. Or if one player hurts someone on the other team, a teammate might exact some kind of revenge. Or if one player looks at another player funny, that might be grounds for dropping the stick, losing the gloves and trying to pull the other guy's shirt over his head and punch him a lot. They may also pass a puck around, but everybody knows you go to hockey games for the fights.
