Rather flee Philadelphia than join the papal mass? There’s plenty to do

Local media coverage makes it seem like there’s nothing happening during the weekend of September 26 and 27 except the Pope’s visit to Philly. Not so! Are you papally pooped and looking for something else to do? Check out these events far from the Center City chaos.

Chester County

Feeling anxious with thoughts of traffic jams and millions of people clogging the Parkway? Serenity can be found at Longwood Gardens. Enjoy fountain shows (water displays set to music) and meadow birding hikes, or just stroll the grounds. On Saturday night, you also can experience Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience by Klip Collective. The gardens become a living canvas with dancing light and music.

Nearby at the Brandywine River Museum, along the banks of the Brandywine Creek, photography and artistic inspiration combine in Things Beyond Resemblance: James Welling Photographs. The photographer explores Andrew Wyeth’s influence on his work with pictures taken in Pennsylvania and Maine, where Wyeth liked to paint. The museum’s open from 9:30am to 4:30pm Saturday and Sunday.

Montgomery County

If you want to laugh (so you don’t cry?), Act II Playhouse offers local playwright Bruce Graham’s According To Goldman. The comedic drama skewers Hollywood as a screenwriter-turned-professor attempts a comeback in the biz. Shows are Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm.

Bucks County

Art’s on the move from 3 to 5pm Sunday at Doylestown’s Michener Art Museum sculpture garden. Dancers create movements based on their surroundings in Dance with Sculpture with Graffito Works. Inside, on Saturday and Sunday, see pictures of Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and more by a legendary photographer in Herman Leonard: Jazz Portraits.

Want to do your own dancing? Check out Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, which mixes classical, big band, swing, and jazz at 2pm and 8pm Saturday at New Hope’s Bucks County Playhouse. The group has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and other well-known groups. While in town, you can also experience the New Hope Outdoor Juried Arts & Crafts Festival. That event, on Saturday and Sunday, features paintings, etchings, mixed media, photography, sculpture, wood turning and rustic furniture, pottery, glassware, wearable art, jewelry, and more.

If you want to wax nostalgic, check out The Happenings at 7:30pm Sunday at Sellersville Theater. Their best known hit, See You in September, has been called one of the top 100 summer songs of all time.

Delaware County

Not even Pope Francis can stop Mama Rose in Gypsy. She’ll take the Media Theatre stage at 2pm and 8pm Saturday and 3pm Sunday. The theater’s offering a “Mass Discount” — tickets that weekend are only $30 for adults (down from $42-$50; kids’ tix are still $25). To get the discounted price, call 610-891-0100 and say the magic phrase.

Gettin’ out of dodge

If Philadelphia’s surrounding counties aren’t far enough away, Wilmington’s Delaware Theatre Company offers Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life Saturday at 2pm and 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Hines pays tribute to his brother, Gregory, as well as singers who inspired him, like Frank Sinatra and Lena Horne. He explores the history of American tap with the Diva Orchestra, a nine-piece all-female big band.

See? There are many other things to do during Philadelphia’s papal weekend. Praise the universal power of your choosing. And have fun!

For those interested in a wide range of faith-based exhibits, check out Pamela Forsythe’s round-up of papal-themed cultural offerings happing now in Philly.

At right: Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass. Image courtesy of the artists.

Below: Pope Francis is no match for Mama Rose. Anna Giordano and Krissy Fraelich star in Gypsy. Photo courtesy of Media Theatre.