'Xmas Philes,' 'Passing Strange,' 'Modupúe | Ibaye,' and more for the weekend

This weekend, the greater Philadelphia area gets festive as it celebrates some deeply rooted art. Intercultural Journeys hosts The Philadelphia Yoruba Performance Project, a multimedia exhibit over two years in the works. Scribe Video Center brings a slice of Chicago to West Philly. PHILADANCO gets into the spirit ahead of its 50th birthday. Lightbox Film Center boogies down as it turns 40, and the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra continues to plant roots for the future of classical music.

With all these events, it's the perfect time to check in with your own Philly roots.

Modupúe | Ibaye: The Philadelphia Yoruba Performance Project

Intercultural Journeys brings the stories of the Yoruba people along with Modupúe | Ibaye: The Philadelphia Yoruba Performance Project in a multimedia exhibit on December 12-14. The project is a gathering of stories from over 100 participants and highlights them with community-generated images projected large scale alongside audio-visual media. Additional performances, dances, and lectures honor ancestors, guide dialogue, and more around the Yoruba-rooted community in Philadelphia. Check it out at the Icebox at Crane Arts at 1400 North American Street, and see a listing of events online.

South Side Home Movie Project

On Thursday, December 12 at 7pm, Scribe Video Center will screen the South Side Home Movie Project, an initiative to collect and exhibit home movies made by residents of Chicago’s South Side. The project is curated by Jacqueline Stewart, a professor at the University of Chicago and the first Black host of Turner Classic Movies’s Silent Sunday Nights, and will be in attendance. Tickets range from $5 for Scribe members, $8 for students and seniors, and $10 for general admission.

Xmas Philes

The truth is out there with PHILADANCO’s holiday tradition, the Xmas Philes. Hosted by the Annenberg Center and NextMove Dance, the performance pairs colorful contemporary dance with Christmas songs for a festive, joyous time for all ages and faiths. Celebrate the season on Thursday, December 12 through Saturday, December 14, and get your tickets ahead of time.

Lightbox: Rewind/Fast Forward

Lightbox Film Center is celebrating 40 years of film at International House Philadelphia this weekend. Light bites, an open bar, and an all-vinyl dance party set the course for a festive evening celebrating Lightbox Film Center’s past, present, and future. The get down is Thursday, December 12 at 7pm, and is free for members and $5 for non-members. Save your spot online.

Passing Strange

The rock musical Passing Strange by Stew passes through The Black Box in Wilmington with City Theater Company’s rendition. The coming-of-age story follows a young Black musician’s search for “The Real”—meaning and purpose through the creation of his art. The production runs Friday, December 13 through Saturday, December 21, and tickets are available online.

Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra

The Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra opens their 2019-20 season on Sunday, December 15, at 3pm at the Perelman Theater at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Maestra Rosalind Erwin, the PYAO conductor, leads the orchestra with music from the Romantic period lexicon of orchestral music. Tickets range from $10-$20, and are available online or by phone (215) 893-1999.