Holiday festivities, interdisciplinary audio-visual arts, and This Is the Week That Is

The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, November 30-December 6, 2022

3 minute read
A man in a bright red Christmas sweater on stage speaks towards audience, an actor to his left is sitting, crying
CSz Philadelphia takes the stage for holiday laughs throughout December. (Photo by pauli reese.)

Coming up this week, as we close out November and welcome the final month of the year, the holiday season is in full swing. ComedySportz and the Morris Arboretum turn up the cheer with events this week while the Free Library hosts a free book and arts fair, Night Forms returns, an NYC quartet pays a visit to University City for soundscapes and meditations, and political satire staple This Is the Week That Is celebrates 17 years.

Peace and love to you and yours, Philly!

Hallmarkable
Through December 23
ComedySportz Philadelphia, 2030 Sansom Street, Philadelphia

ComedySportz Philly is getting into the holiday spirit with its new fully improvised show Hallmarkable, a “warm and toasty comedic tribute to your favorite made-for-TV holiday movies that star an abundance of former child actors.” The show runs weekly on Fridays at 8pm, with a pair of matinee performances on Saturday, December 10 and 17 at 2pm.

Holiday Garden Railway
Through December 23
Morris Arboretum, 100 East Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia

The Holiday Garden Railway returns, including its Nighttime Express, now through December 23. Be sure to check out other offerings at the Arboretum as well, including their Conifers Tour, ‘Light in the Dark,’ Winter Wellness Walks, and more.

Night Forms: Infinite Wave
Through April 2, 2023
Grounds for Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton Township, New Jersey

Grounds for Sculpture teams up with Klip Collective again with Night Forms: Infinite Wave, an immersive and interactive installation of light and sound in a sculpture park. The audio-visual artworks respond to the surrounding nature, and the patterns of light will be syncopated to original soundtracks and planned glitches to create dream-like visual scenes. We previewed Night Forms: dreamloop last year, so check it out for an expanded dive into this series.

This Is the Week That Is
December 1-31
Plays and Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place, Philadelphia

The annual political satire returns this weekend, kicking off 1812 Productions’s 2022-23 season. The mix of SNL, The Daily Show, and The Carol Burnett Show returns for its 17th year, with artistic director Jennifer Childs leading the way.

curvo totalitas
Friday, December 2, 8pm
University Lutheran Church, 3637 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia

Bowerbird welcomes New York percussion and piano quartet Yarn/Wire to Philly this weekend with curvo totalitas, a performance that creates a “sound world that is at once meditative and intense,” drawing attention to resonant metals, synthesizers, and keyboard players acting as live sound engineers.

Book Paper Scissors
Saturday, December 3, 10am-3pm
Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia

Head over to the Free Library for an artists’ book fair that’s free and open to the public. Marking its 13th year, the event features not just books, but paper-based art, like prints, zines, origami, paper sculpture and jewelry, and more.

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.

Join the Conversation