Reviews

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Povinelli, a little person with wavy gray hair and beard, stands proudly on a windowed stage, wearing a black suit.

Quintessence Theater Group and Playhouse Creatures Theatre Company present Naomi Wallace and Marcus Rediker’s The Return of Benjamin Lay

Benjamin Lay’s life is a call to action for us today
Quintessence brings the story of a revolutionary Quaker activist back to Philadelphia with a powerful production of The Return of Benjamin Lay, especially timely as the federal government moves to defund the arts. Alix Rosenfeld reviews.
Alix Rosenfeld

Alix Rosenfeld

Reviews 3 minute read
A woman dancer with one leg extended up pulls against two male dancers who lean toward her, grabbing her hands.

PHILADANCO! presents Relentless Resident Visions

Two world-premiere dances meet earlier works that resonate today
PHILADANCO! marked its 55th anniversary with world premieres by Tommie-Waheed Evans and Ray Mercer, plus works from the early aughts that are relevant today, including a tribute to Alvin Ailey. Melissa J. Strong reviews.
Melissa Strong

Melissa Strong

Reviews 4 minute read
A delicate bureau-like wooden structure on long legs attaches to a complicated pulley and display system on the wall above.

The Museum for Art in Wood presents The Longest Distance Between Two Points

If wood could watch us
A new exhibition at the Museum for Art in Wood brings Wisconsin illustrator and woodworker Katie Hudnall to Philly for a delightful, mind-bending show. Anndee Hochman reviews.
Anndee Hochman

Anndee Hochman

Reviews 5 minute read
A yellowed fragment of 18th-century paper has 8 lines of fine ink cursive and a flourishing signature.

The American Philosophical Society presents Philadelphia, The Revolutionary City

A Revolution through ordinary citizens’ eyes
A new exhibition at the American Philosophical Society about the lives of ordinary people in the Revolutionary era brings an online history portal to life in the physical museum. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.

Pamela J. Forsythe

Reviews 6 minute read
Outlaw, a Black man in a gray suit, sings with one fist in the air next to a giant hand sculpture holding a white orb

Opera Philadelphia presents Mozart’s Don Giovanni

Not-so-dapper Don
Opera Philadelphia ends a successful season with a new production of Don Giovanni that lacks a point of view. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall

Reviews 4 minute read
Robinson & Rudd, two white men outside in jackets, look at a mushroom that Rudd is holding.

PFS SpringFest 2025 presents Friendship and The Threesome

Comedy cringe comes to SpringFest
The 2025 PFS SpringFest included screenings of I Think You Should Leave star Tim Robinson’s Friendship, which also stars Paul Rudd in his best performance in years. The fest continues through April 24. Stephen Silver reviews.
Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver

Reviews 6 minute read
In front of a huge vintage European map, Hulom, Gliko & Pierce look intently toward Rishard, who’s explaining something.

Wilma Theater presents Rajiv Joseph’s Archduke

Three boys enter a train car
Blanka Zizka returns to the Wilma for the regional premiere of Rajiv Joseph’s Archduke, a fast-moving, boldly designed meditation on an eerily relevant history and the choices we make to engage or resist violence. Josh Herren reviews.
Josh Herren

Josh Herren

Reviews 3 minute read
Orange, blue & yellow collage of a Black woman with long, fine locs wrapped in an elegant twist along the top of her head.

The TILT Institute presents Of Black Wombhood

An antidote to the erasure of Black bodies
A two-part exhibition, now getting its first installment at TILT, “explores the interiority of Black womb-bearing people” with a brilliant mix of photos and collage that are part of a larger oral history project. An Nichols reviews.
An Nichols

An Nichols

Reviews 5 minute read
The four Black musicians, each wearing a blue or black suit, sit on chairs and play their instruments onstage.

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society presents The Principal Brothers concert series

Celebrating Black excellence in classical music
Four notable wind players joined a PCMS program featuring a Philly premiere by James Lee III. Lowry Yankwich reviews.
Lowry Yankwich

Lowry Yankwich

Reviews 4 minute read
Fabiyi, a Black actor with an afro, wearing earthy yellow clothes, sits on a stool and speaks to Lally, who wears a blue robe

Arden Theatre Company presents J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, adapted by Greg Banks

Small stage, epic journey
Arden Children’s Theatre welcomes youngsters and families to The Hobbit, an ingenious ensemble show that proves we can do great things no matter how small we are—a message we all sorely need. Josh Herren reviews.
Josh Herren

Josh Herren

Reviews 2 minute read