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Bicycle: People Ideas in Motion, is a must see exhibit that will get you stoked on the capabilities of your famed two wheeled wonder. Pair this exhibit up with Ryan Humphrey’s Fast Forward, which features beautiful custom made frames and rims, and you’ve got a wonderfully complete experience.

Also highlighted are the amazing efforts of local companies and groups, such as R.E. Load’s custom made bags, Pedal Power’s recycling and hauling, The Neighborhood Bike Work’s programs to get local kids into bikes, and the Kinetic Sculpture Derby’s eclectic races. They are all guarenteed to intrigue you with their work to promote the healthy, environmental, utilitarian, and even stylish perks that lie in the power of the bicycle.

While this exhibit runs through October 13th, on Saturday, July 18th, there’s a one off event in Aviator Park. Family Fun Day. Kids and their families are invited to participate in an afternoon of pedal-powered fun, complete with a bicycle beauty pageant and talent show where you are encouraged to show off your wheels. The Dufala Brothers will be entertaining with their locally famous Toilet Tricycles.

Come check it out!

Family Fun Day in Aviator Park
Saturday, July 18th 12pm-4pm
Aviator Park 20th and The Parkway

Bicycle: People Ideas in Motion
The Galleries at Moore
20th and The Parkway

The glorious 16MM reels at the Lawn Chair Drive-In

It’s that time of year again. We’ve struggled out of the gray doldrums of winter, through the bitter-sweet April rains, jumped right into the perfect days of May, and now we’ve fallen smack-dab into the middle of sultry summer.

Along with summer comes one of my favorite weekly events: The Lawn Chair Drive In in Liberty Lands Park, where every Tuesday at dusk you are invited to gather, lounge and enjoy films shown on 16mm. This year’s season opens June 16th with Lair of the White Worm and closes August 18th with a double feature of The Wizard of Oz. The first will be the kid’s version; the second the adult version… you know, shown to the soundtrack of Dark Side of the Moon.

Each week features vintage trailers and obscure cartoons before the main attraction and is always free. Grab your lawn-chair/ blanket and your favorite people, hit the Foodery for some refreshing beverages, and sit back to enjoy the show.

The Lawn Chair Drive-In
Every Tuesday from June 16-August 18 @ dusk
Liberty Lands Park- 3rd Street, above Poplar
www.lawnchairdrivein.com

Asher Lev is a gifted painter who struggles with pursuing his art in the midst of a strict Jewish upbringing. His father considers painting to be a sacrilege, while his mother is torn between her love for her son and her husband, her commitment to her community, and her own personal calling.

Amid his turbulent relationship with his father, young Asher learns from his mentor, a secular Jewish artist, that Judaism and art are too strong in their traditions for one to commit to both, and realizes that he must choose between them.

Aaron Posner, in his second adaptation of a Chaim Potok novel, brings the world premiere of My Name Is Asher Lev to the Arden Theater, of which he is a co-founder. The play opened on January 8th and will run through March 15th. Stay tuned for a review, as well as an interview with Aaron Posner, here on Uwish.

My Name is Asher Lev @ The Arden Theatre
January 8 – March 15

The Arden Theatre
40 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 922-1122
www.ardentheatre.org

Since 1996 The Neighborhood Bike Works has been helping kids and the community to learn about and obtain bicycles. NBW is a non-profit whose amazing youth programs include, “Earn a Bike”, a free opportunity for youths to take home a bike that they fix-up themselves after completing the bike maintenance and safety after school program. Not just for kids, the NBW runs the Bike Church, an adult repair co-op where one can go to use the tools that they may not have at home, and usually (but not guaranteed) get advice from the volunteers. For those still reaching to acquire their desired level of bike competence, they offer for a fee, classes in repair and urban cycling.

Today, September 12th, NBW invites you to their “Bike Part Art Show”. Bicycle-themed artwork including sculptures, functional furniture, jewelry, paintings, prints, t-shirts, greeting cards, and photographs will be sold in a silent auction. There will be live music courtesy of Shakey Lyman, a screening of the bicycle-themed films by Andre David Watson, food, and drinks. There will also be a raffle with items from local vendors. All proceeds raised from the silent auction and raffle will support the youth programs at Neighborhood Bike Works.

The 6th Annual Bike Part Art Show
Friday, September 12th, 2008

Studio 34
4522 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org
(215) 386-0316

“The Waitstaff”, who received the award of “Hardest Working Comedy Troupe” from the “ËœCity Paper’ in 2004, returns this year to the Philly Fringe Stage with “Waitstaff Wit”. The show consists of monologues about seemingly familiar topics that the writers and performers have turned into usually witty, sometimes satyrical comedy. Granted, in some of the pieces the wit and satire come across much funnier than in others, the show overall kept my attention and found me wincing only a few times for jokes that didn’t hit the audience in the way they were intended.

The troupe prides themselves in their tight fluidity that captivates their audience even in skit transitions, which in this performance can be accredited to Starzina Starfish-Browne, who serves as the show’s unique MC, while mostly remaining a part of the audience. There are nine monologues in all, but the show still only runs a total of 55 minutes, which seemed perfect.

So as not to ruin the surprise that is a necessary element of comedy, I will highlight the topics only of the 3 monolouges that I enjoyed the most. The first involves a newborn baby and a jealous cat-overgrown man in generic cat costume–hilarious! Later a middle-aged long island housewife drops her mis-knowledge about the current presidential campaign. Finally, my favorite– a 13 year old boy and his loss of virginity by the fault of his grandfather–well and of course a hooker. Perfect for the final monologue, I left feeling a little sore in the sides and mascara a tad smudged from laughter.

“Waitstaff Wit” @ L’Etage Cabaret
625 Bainbridge St, Philadelphia, PA
$15. tickets www.livearts-fringe.org
more about the troupe. www.thewaitstaff.com

Working themselves hard into the Philadelphia Comedy Scene over the past 5 years, “The Waitstaff”, who received the award of “Hardest Working Comedy Troupe” from the “ËœCity Paper’ in 2004, returns this year to the Philly Fringe Stage with “Waitstaff Wit”. The troupe prides themselves in their tight fluidity that captivates their audience even in skit transitions.

Though I’ve never personally experienced this captivation in a live performance, their clever website leads me to believe in its validity. A group who can make a mundane activity such as mouse clicking into kitschy fun AND boasts that their new show fashions itself in the witty style of “The Onion”– yes I am intrigued. Oh, and reportedly, there are guest stars.

Waitstaff Wit @ Philly Fringe
L’Etage Cabaret
625 Bainbridge St, Philadelphia, PA
9pm. 9/2, 9/3, 9/4, 9/7, 9/9, 9/10
$15. tickets www.livearts-fringe.org
more about the troupe. www.thewaitstaff.com

In Alexander Pushkin’s acclaimed short story, “The Queen of Spades”, tells the tale of a man driven to madness by his own avariciousness.

A Russianized German card player, Hermann becomes obsessed with finding the secret of three consecutive winning cards that he heard tell of an elderly countess using to win fame and fortune years prior. In his quest to divulge from her the secret combination, he ends up scaring her to death, after which he is haunted by her ghost whereupon the jinxed combo is revealed to him. Armed with the winning secret he takes his life savings to a card game, where on the third card, a mishap or some darker force intervenes. Thinking that he is playing the Ace to win it, he plays instead the Queen of Hearts. Penniless and crazed, he is committed to an asylum where he is doomed to a life of muttering, “Three, seven, ace, three seven queen”.

“Pushkin at Boldino“, a new play by Crescent Moon Entertainment Co. comes to the Fringe stage depicting Pushkin writing “The Queen of Spades” while stuck in Boldino. They say that one writing a tale of madness cannot help but to go a little mad himself. I look forward to seeing if this play will enlighten us as to whether or not this is true.

Pushkin at Boldino @ Philly Fringe Festival
www.livearts-fringe.org/2008/details.cfm?id=5818

Plays and Players Theater
1714 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 413-1318

Sun 8/31 through Sun 9/7
www.livearts-fringe.org

The Holiday Light Show at the Wanamaker building has been a Philadelphia tradition since 1955. Although the department store names have changed numerous times, the building remains the same, and the light show takes place atop the grand and mesmerizing organ. This year’s light show is narrated by Julie Andrews, kids climb about the eagle statue and parents crane their heads upward from their seats on the floor to see Frosty, Rudolph, and the Nutcracker come to light.

I went this past weekend with my parents, brother, sister and their combined 5 children, and the holiday magic brought a tear to my usually ‘cynical about Christmas’ eye. This year the event is coupled with the Dickens village on the 3rd floor. Scenes from “A Christmas Carol” are reenacted by mechanical dolls, which I find to be almost delightful in their creepiness! almost. Finally you can meet Tiny Tim, Old Ebenezer, and all of his ghosts up close in all of their eerie glory, some dancing- or more accurately- twitching in mechanical mayhem. It’s pretty amazing. Oh yes, and we must not forget Santa, waiting at the end of the English Village to grant the kiddies their wishes.

Apparently I missed out on this magical Wanamaker experience as a child, as 10 years separate me from my older siblings, but hey, better late then never! If you long for Christmases of yore go check this out! especially if you have kids, but even if you are just a big kid that never got to go.

Holiday Light Show – Now through Dec 31st
On the hour from 10AM
Dickens Village – 10AM – 8PM
Free!

Photos of the Dickens Village after the jump!

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For its final week running at the Arden, seats for “An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf” by Philadelphia playwright Michael Hollinger are being offered for only $10.

The year is 1961 and Victor, a rich expatriate and ex-journalist lives in Paris where he has created “the best restaurant in the world” that is opened 24/7, but only for him. Gaston, a world renowned chef has devoted his life to cooking for him, while Claude, a waiter du monde himself and his equally skillful wife Mimi live only to serve him. Antoine, recently saved from being a dishwasher at a despised restaurant down the street, has a stutter and is new to the staff who nervously await the arrival of their Monsieur, Victor; due to return with his Mademoiselle from one of his many trips, this time in Milan. To the surprise of them all, Monsieur returns from his trip to Madrid, not Milan, alone, with his life force gored to the core by an experience with a bullfight. He wants nothing of their delectable services except for to tell his life story before he starves himself to death.

What ensues is a tale full of Hemmingway romanticism and sensual culinary descriptions that would be on the empty plate of a self-martyring hero, had he not been starving himself to death. The play will whet your appetite, so bring a date, and don’t forget to ask for the $10 tickets. Then you can look like an extravagant monsieur or mademoiselle when you use your savings to treat for a full plate after.

$10 offer is valid for the following performances:

Thurs, Dec 6 @ 8pm
Fri, Dec 7 @ 8pm
Saturday, Dec 8 @ 8pm
Sunday, Dec 9 @ 2 and 7pm

Arden Theatre
40 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 922-8900
www.ardentheatre.org and enter the online discount code “plate” when prompted.

The Keswick Theater is a gem of a venue that is merely a train ride away from Philadelphia. Located in Glenside and designed by Horace Trumbauer, the same architect who graced our fair city with its breathtaking Art Museum, the historic theater opened its doors on Christmas night in 1928 as a vaudeville and movie house. In 1955, when blockbuster movies were booming out of Hollywood, it took on one of those totally 50′s neon movie theater signs, still there today.

After changing hands many times and being threatened by demolition, the Keswick stands today as one of the technologically best venues in the Philadelphia area. It is “nationally recognized by audiences and performing artists as the most comfortable, friendly, acoustically-perfect listening room in the Philadelphia area-presents a broad range of internationally acclaimed performers geared to virtually every entertainment taste and interest.”

I’m embarrassed to say, that I have never been there. But this Friday I am lucky enough to go and see a comedy show featuring Caroline Rhea and Colin Quinn. Caroline Rhea has had her own talk show, which she was handpicked by Rosie O’Donnell to replace herself. She was the aunt on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, and the host of the reality show, “The World’s Biggest Loser”. She gave up her role as host last January when she announced she would return to stand-up, and here she will be this Friday night!

Colin Quinn, come on! “Saturday Night Live”, “The Tough Crowd”, that video on MTV from the late 80′s, “Goin’ back to Brooklyn”, that spoofed L.L. Cool J’s “Goin’ back to Cali”. Sounds like a star-studded evening of hilarity to me. So hop on the train and get out of town! The Keswick is accessible by the R5, which runs every hour and every half hour during weekday rush hours. The last train from Glenside is at 11:52 on weeknights and 11:42 on weekends. To Glenside Station from Suburban Station is almost exactly 30 minutes, and from there it is a half mile walk to the theater- which for us city folk translates to 5.5 blocks! easy!

Keswick Theatre
291 N. Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA 19038
(215) 572-7650
www.keswicktheatre.com