Reviews

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Dozens of people on the floor of the planetarium watch a film of papers whirling in the sky onscreen above them.

The Franklin Institute and the Galleries at Moore College present Michelle Lopez: Pandemonium

Enter the twister of American history
Moore College and the Franklin Institute partner for Michelle Lopez: Pandemonium, an enveloping reminder that America has been here before, and it’s our turn to find a response in the wind. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.

Pamela J. Forsythe

Reviews 5 minute read
Munir, a Black man in a green tee, next to a utility pole with an orange Wawa crate on it, points in a dynamic pose.

Azuka and Simpatico present Khalil Munir’s 1 Pound 4 Ounces

A Philly playwright’s ode to the city that made him
For their new partnership, Azuka and Simpatico team with Khalil Munir for 1 Pound 4 Ounces, a “very Black Philly” world premiere that feels like a perfect synthesis of both companies. Josh Herren reviews.
Josh Herren

Josh Herren

Reviews 2 minute read
Higdon & Nézet-Séguin stand together on the podium, orchestra around them, smiling and raising their clasped hands.

The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Sibelius, Higdon, and Tchaikovsky

Homegrown classical
The Philadelphia Orchestra revisited Jennifer Higdon’s Concerto for Orchestra, written for them in 2002, in a thrilling program including soloist Lisa Batiashvili in the Violin Concerto of Jean Sibelius. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall

Reviews 2 minute read
Morrison, in her late 60s but dressed as a teen, smiles shyly at Gil, a young man, in front of blue school lockers.

Ensemble Arts Philly and the Shubert Organization present the national tour of Kimberly Akimbo

The oldest living girl in New Jersey
The quirky and endearing musical Kimberly Akimbo comes to Philadelphia through November 2, 2025 as part of a national tour. It fits surprisingly well into the Academy of Music. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall

Reviews 3 minute read
Book cover, shadows of two people in motion superimposed over the shadow of a horse. Book title, author name in large titles

MOUNTED: On Horses, Blackness, and Liberation by Bitter Kalli

Giddy on up
This new collection of essays looks into the history of Blackness and horses. Dr. Lindsay Gary previews.
Lindsay Gary

Lindsay Gary

Reviews 3 minute read
Closeup on the two actors, in lush period costumes, embracing in a wistful, romantic way.

OperaDelaware presents Puccini’s Tosca

An opera masterwork remains timeless
Puccini’s Tosca is a classic for a reason, and a new production by OperaDelaware proved that this masterwork remains timeless and stirring. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Reviews 5 minute read
Carter, in a sexy black lace shirt, speaks to Silano, who wears a satiny purple dress and looks perturbed.

Curio Theatre Company presents Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen’s Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors

Bite marks and belly laughs
Curio Theatre Company’s Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is a gleefully unhinged retelling of the Bram Stoker classic, in the spirit of Monty Python and Charles Ludlam. Josh Herren reviews.
Josh Herren

Josh Herren

Reviews 2 minute read
In a set like a 19th century home, Dolan, in green, holds an axe, facing forward. At right, her parents, in black, cower

Philadelphia Ballet presents An Evening of Horror

Ballet meets spooky season, for grownups
Philadelphia Ballet dances to the dark side in An Evening of Horror, featuring a resonant ballet about Lizzy Borden and the world premiere of Juliano Nunes’s Valley of Death. Melissa Strong reviews.
Melissa Strong

Melissa Strong

Reviews 3 minute read
Five cast members in 1920s formal wear pose together, on an Art Deco stage with giant human silhouettes behind.

Quintessence Theatre Group presents Marilyn Campbell-Lowe and Paul Oakley Stovall’s Fire!!

Celebrating America’s first all-Black literary magazine
Quintessence opens its new season with Fire!!, a world-premiere interdisciplinary show inspired by giants of the Harlem Renaissance and America’s first all-Black literary magazine. A. Lewis reviews.

A. Lewis

Reviews 4 minute read
Craig, in a snazzy brown suit, stands in a small, ornate Catholic nave with wooden pews, stone arches, and stained glass.

The 2025 Philadelphia Film Festival opens with Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Director Rian Johnson joins his new mystery at the revamped Film Society Center
The 34th Philadelphia Film Festival kicked off on October 16 at the newly renovated Film Society Center and runs through October 26. Stephen Silver reviews opening-night film Wake Up Dead Man.
Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver

Reviews 4 minute read