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

Apr 14, 2025 · Reviews · 3 minute read

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

Apr 08, 2025 · Reviews · 4 minute read

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

Apr 08, 2025 · Reviews · 3 minute read

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

Apr 08, 2025 · Reviews · 4 minute read

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

Apr 07, 2025 · Reviews · 4 minute read

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

Apr 07, 2025 · Reviews · 3 minute read

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

Apr 07, 2025 · Reviews · 3 minute read

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

Apr 01, 2025 · Reviews · 5 minute read

Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers presents Luna (月): Dance, Myth, and Nature

Philadelphia treasures

Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers reflected on the moon in Luna (月): Dance, Myth, and Nature, with vibrant repertory works and striking world premieres by Weiwei Ma, Evalina Carbonell, and Kun-Yang Lin. Melissa Strong reviews.

Melissa Strong

Apr 01, 2025 · Reviews · 4 minute read

Hedgerow Theatre Company presents Tim Crouch’s I, Banquo

What would you do with a powerful prophecy?

Tim Crouch’s I, Banquo, onstage at Media’s Hedgerow Theatre, asks us in the words of Macbeth’s slain best friend what we would do if someone gave us a prophecy of absolute power. Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer reviews.

Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer

Mar 31, 2025 · Reviews · 3 minute read