Reviews

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Scammell, in a head bandage and orange jumpsuit, menaces McLenigan, in a plaid shirt, holding knuckles to his head like a gun

InterAct Theatre Company presents Gabriel Jason Dean’s Rift: or White Lies

Brothers, inside and out
Philly actors Jered McLenigan and Matteo Scammell trade off roles in Rift: or White Lies, now getting its rolling world premiere at InterAct, about two brothers with very different lives struggling to find common ground. Alaina Johns reviews.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Reviews 4 minute read
In contemporary clothes in different styles, the singers sit sideways in a row on chairs, gesturing up with their left hands.

Curtis Opera Theatre presents Leonard Bernstein’s Candide

Cultivating our own gardens at the Forrest
Curtis Opera Theatre took to the Forrest Theatre stage for a high-energy production of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, featuring jaw-dropping voices from the next generation of opera artists. Linda Holt reviews.
Linda Holt

Linda Holt

Reviews 4 minute read
6 actors in contemporary clothes on a set like a suburban kitchen make a toast to Lamm at center, wearing a blue jumper

People’s Light presents Noah Haidle’s Birthday Candles

Celebration of life
Superbly produced by People’s Light, Noah Haidle’s Birthday Candles sensitively balances the sentimental and the profound as it follows one extraordinary, ordinary woman through her long life. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall

Reviews 3 minute read
View from the audience in the church pews of six musicians playing period instruments on the chancel.

Tempesta di Mare presents Bach’s Trio Sonatas

Rearranging the Organ Sonatas—just like Bach used to do
Tempesta di Mare reimagined Bach’s Trio Sonatas, originally written for keyboards and often played on the organ, for chamber forces including recorder, violin, lute, harpsichord, and a surprise instrument. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Reviews 4 minute read
The three women sing in lavish sequined purple gowns that have capes lined with huge crinoline boas.

Walnut Street Theatre presents Tom Eyen and Henry Krieger’s Dreamgirls

Glitter, glam, and heart
A new production of Dreamgirls at the Walnut brings powerful vocals to a show that will offer fresh insights even for longtime fans of the story. Maya Arthur reviews.
Maya Arthur

Maya Arthur

Reviews 3 minute read
Two performers on a tall pole on stage in mid-movement. One in blue, the other red. Other performers in red and blue look on

The 7 Fingers and Penn Live Arts present Duel Reality

Taking Romeo and Juliet to new heights
The 7 Fingers offers a thrilling acrobatic take on a classic tragedy. Melissa Strong reviews.
Melissa Strong

Melissa Strong

Reviews 4 minute read
A woman nurse with pale skin and brown hair, wearing blue scrubs, looks calmly outward from a thicket of red spring branches

The Mütter Museum presents Trusted Messengers: Community, Confidence, and Covid-19

Five years later: remembering pandemic heroes
A new special exhibition at the Mütter Museum marks five years since the first Covid-19 shutdowns, honoring the healthcare workers, researchers, and truth-tellers who saved millions of lives. Erin Dohony reviews.
Erin Dohony

Erin Dohony

Reviews 4 minute read
Three PDP dancers, each on one leg in the middle of a dynamic tilting move, perform in a venue with an old gym floor.

Philadelphia Dance Projects presents Dance Up Close: Seeds and Sounds and Jumper Cables

Choreographic collaborations
Philadelphia Dance Projects’s Dance Up Close 2025 series kicked off with Jumper Cables and Seeds and Sounds, showcasing interdisciplinary collaborations at Christ Church Neighborhood House. Camille Bacon-Smith reviews.
Camille Bacon-Smith

Camille Bacon-Smith

Reviews 3 minute read
Kang, an Asian woman wearing a sleeveless patterned dress, plays the violin alongside the orchestra and conductor.

Philadelphia Orchestra presents Stravinsky’s The Firebird

Welcoming spring with Stravinsky, Bartók, and Assiginaak
Whether or not it was intended, a spring program including Stravinsky, Bartók, and contemporary Canadian composer Barbara Assiginaak was a welcome reflection on musicians who have faced or presaged tyranny. Linda Holt reviews.
Linda Holt

Linda Holt

Reviews 3 minute read
A man and a woman with dark, scruffy hair and casual clothes face each other soberly in a rural outdoor area.

The Israeli Film Festival of Philadelphia presents Highway 65 and Matchmaking 2

Movies celebrating the scope, diversity, and complexity of Israeli culture
The 29th annual Israeli Film Festival of Philadelphia highlighted artists rarely seen on American screens for a lineup with plenty to offer local Israeli Americans as well as the non-Jewish community. Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer reviews.
Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer

Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer

Reviews 5 minute read