A multi-racial group of smiling colleagues posing together in a lofty coworking space. Alaina holds a tiny dog on the left.

BSR Behind the Scenes: Why do we need arts criticism?

Going backstage at BSR: The truth about reviewing
In our experience, some people opine that the critics are just dragging the cultural scene down—especially when a review is mixed or negative. But is that true? Not at all. Alaina Johns explains in this BSR Behind the Scenes editorial.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 6 minute read
Film still. A young girl in red, everything else in black and white, in front of a crowd of Jewish people and Nazi soldiers

The BSR December 2023 movie repertory roundup

Schindler’s List, It’s a Wonderful Life, and the five best films of all time
Holiday classics abound, a milestone anniversary for Spielberg, and wrapping up the Sight and Sound top 100 films of all-time. Stephen Silver previews.
Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver

Previews 5 minute read
Crisp photo of a small gray songbird perched alertly on a twig, with pink and green foliage a blur behind it.

The freedom on the bike, and the freedom in the weeds

Making magic in the ragweed
As a boy, Kile Smith knew there was no freedom like riding your own bike on your own time. But now, as he watches the world go by from his garden, a whole new kingdom opens up.
Kile Smith

Kile Smith

Essays 5 minute read
Advertisement
Bvs S Glenside BSR ad
Hetherington, a white woman, and Roberson, a Black woman, perform together, each dancing on their own low wooden platform.

Has Philly lost touch with the true musical roots of tap dance?

Tap dance is much more than learning the steps
The true art of tap, including historic Philly dancers, has its roots in collaboration and improvisation, not recorded music or memorized choreography. Philly tap dance leader Pamela Hetherington explains.
Pamela Hetherington

Pamela Hetherington

Essays 5 minute read
In profile, a young woman sits on the edge of a bed and leans over, clutching her head and stomach in pain.

Menstruation is a part of life, but pain doesn’t have to be

Why don’t we take women’s pain seriously?
Despite studies that show women experience pain more acutely, we wait longer for diagnosis and pain relief than men do—if we get relief at all. Isabel Soisson considers.
Isabel Soisson

Isabel Soisson

Essays 5 minute read
Robinson poses dramatically at center in a plaid dress; Hall & Debose, seen from behind with their hair in buns, look on.

The Lantern Theater presents Lynn Nottage’s Crumbs from the Table of Joy

Feasting on Crumbs
Crumbs from the Table of Joy, a lesser-known early work by Lynn Nottage, one of America’s most popular playwrights, still feels relevant in this Lantern Theater production. Krista Mar reviews.
Krista Mar

Krista Mar

Reviews 3 minute read
A smiling, sunny outdoor selfie of Alaina, a white woman, and Kyle, a Black man. They're both wearing sunglasses.

BSR Behind the Scenes: What does public relations have to do with arts journalism?

Going backstage at BSR: The PR connection
What does arts journalism have to do with PR? As arts writers and editors, we often work closely with PR people. How do we collaborate? And what are the boundaries between our roles? Alaina Johns explains in this BSR Behind the Scenes editorial.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 7 minute read
Four pale women surround one at center in a luxurious green robe; a Black child holds a burnished cup of pink roses at front.

The Delaware Art Museum presents The Rossettis

A new look at some old radicals
The Delaware Art Museum has the biggest collection of British Pre-Raphaelite artworks outside the UK, and this exhibition, which opened at Tate Britain and now lands stateside, honors the radical Rossettis. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Reviews 5 minute read
Berenstain Bears logo with the cartoon family of five light-brown bears in human clothes crowded happily together.

Remembering Stan and Jan Berenstain, the Philly artists who created the Berenstain Bears

The makers of America’s favorite bear family
Stanley Melvin Berenstain met Janice Marian Grant when they were both studying art in Philadelphia—ostensibly to join the army, but their career took a very different turn. Emily Zarevich considers.
Emily R. Zarevich

Emily R. Zarevich

Essays 3 minute read
Bedford, a white woman with brown hair wearing a green blazer, poses smiling next to a podium and US flag.

Arden Theatre Company presents Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me

Breathing in the grip of the framers
Arden Theatre Company presents Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me, a play that is as alternately illuminating and frustrating as our founding document. Kiran Pandey reviews.
Kiran Pandey

Kiran Pandey

Reviews 4 minute read
Backstage at a large theater: large white, red, and blue stage lights shine from the side through misty air.

As we close out 2023, BSR is taking you behind the scenes of our arts journalism

Going backstage at BSR
When we ask for your support, we want to be sure we’re stepping up to explain our work. But whether or not you can donate, if you’re a BSR reader, we bet you’ll enjoy this window on how our stories come to be.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 4 minute read
Film poster with the title in curly orange & purple letters below a photo of Wilder, black & white except for his blue irises

The Philadelphia Jewish Film + Media Fall Fest presents Remembering Gene Wilder

Who didn’t love Gene Wilder?
The 2023 Philadelphia Jewish Film + Media Fall Fest opened with the local premiere of director Ron Frank’s Remembering Gene Wilder, a hugely enjoyable walk through the legendary actor’s life and career. Stephen Silver reviews.
Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver

Reviews 3 minute read
Partner Content

Phillyfunguide logo in gray Phillyfunguide Operated by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance…your source for discount access to arts and cultural events.

View Phillyfunguide

Sign up for our newsletter

All of the week's new articles, all in one place. Sign up for the free weekly BSR newsletters, and don't miss a conversation.

Also on BSR

Jessica Beebe, Michele Kennedy, and Maren Montalbano sit together in formal gowns, posing for photo

BSR Classical Interludes November 2023, part 2

Market Street Music, Wister and More, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and more
Another serving of November classical music offerings popping up in the Greater Philadelphia area. Gail Obenreder previews.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Previews 3 minute read
Floyd, a Black woman, with an afro, at a podium with a flute.

The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, November 16-22, 2023

Table Sessions, local Philly films, and music with Ruth Naomi Floyd
A short film festival from cinéSPEAK, music at the Weitzman and Bartram’s Garden, new play Shoptalk, and more highlight the week. Kyle V. Hiller rounds up.
Kyle V. Hiller

Kyle V. Hiller

Previews 3 minute read
Graceful gold-toned metal bust of a beautiful woman’s face, against a blue backdrop in the gallery.

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts presents Determined to Be: The Sculpture of John Rhoden

A world at his fingertips
In 2017, PAFA became the preserver and promoter of globetrotting 20th-century American sculptor John Rhoden’s artistic legacy. Now, PAFA mounts the artist’s first comprehensive retrospective. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.

Pamela J. Forsythe

Reviews 5 minute read
Di Russo, an Argentinian conductor wearing a black suit with long tails, conducts the players around her with a thin baton.

The Delaware Symphony Orchestra presents ¡Música Bravo!

DSO goes around the world
The Delaware Symphony Orchestra continues its 2023-24 season with guest conductor Michelle Di Russo, who programmed her ideal concert with Joaquín Rodrigo, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and more. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Reviews 4 minute read
Book cover: title & author in plain black & brown text below an impressionistic painting of a cliff by the ocean.

Rinse, by Elaine Terranova

Making peace with enigma
Philly writer Elaine Terranova’s eighth book, Rinse, shows the author’s poetic sensibilities with lyrical language that captures emotional tones and thrumming silences. Anndee Hochman reviews.
Anndee Hochman

Anndee Hochman

Reviews 5 minute read
Williams, a Black woman with short blond hair, holds up a banner that says happy, with a doubtful, reticent expression.

Inis Nua Theatre Company presents Rosa Hesmondhalgh’s Madame Ovary

Comedy equals cancer plus time
Based on the lived experience of playwright Rosa Hesmondhalgh’s cancer diagnosis, Inis Nua’s Madame Ovary is equal parts funny and tragic. Jill Ivey reviews.
Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey

Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey

Reviews 2 minute read
Jones and Otake in motion, looks like they're running in a dance movement, on a stage with a dark backdrop

The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, November 9-15, 2023

Crushed Earth, Latin American folk music, CraftNOW, and more
Exploring the "Earth" with People's Light and the Academy of Natural Sciences, a legendary dancing legacy on display at Fabric Workshop and Museum, and more from PHonk!Philly, CraftNOW, and TIMBALONA. Kyle V. Hiller rounds up.
Kyle V. Hiller

Kyle V. Hiller

Previews 3 minute read
Eight dancers on stage in rehearsal, all lean forward on one leg, in mid-movement

Koresh Dance Company presents Ronen Koresh’s Aftershock

Where the journey home stands 25 years later
Koresh Dance Company reflects on choreographer Ronen Koresh’s emotional journey as an Israeli immigrant and an artist in Aftershock. Camille Bacon-Smith previews.
Camille Bacon-Smith

Camille Bacon-Smith

Previews 4 minute read
Gotch and Ernst, white men in police uniforms, appear to be questioning Tibbs, a Black man in a gray suit sitting at a table.

Resident Ensemble Players presents John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night

A cracking good detective story
Resident Ensemble Players at the University of Delaware continues its season with In the Heat of the Night, a world-class whodunit that doesn’t shy away from its story’s disturbing roots in 1962 Alabama. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Reviews 5 minute read
In a dressing room, Shetty grins excitedly and clutches a red fabric costume to her chest. She wears a black satin jacket

Azuka Theatre presents Priyanka Shetty’s The Elephant in the Room

A story as unique as the immigrant experience
Priyanka Shetty’s The Elephant in the Room, a solo autobiographical show about an Indian software engineer turned theater artist,
is proving the creator’s performance chops in its Philly debut at Azuka Theatre. Krista Mar reviews.
Krista Mar

Krista Mar

Reviews 2 minute read