May 23, 2012
This year’s eighth annual Wall Ball fundraiser for Mural Arts, Philadelphia’s unique non-profit organization uniting artists and communities through the tradition of mural-making, is set for a fun night of live entertainment, auctions and recognition, Thursday, May 31.
Held at Vie, which opened this past October on North Broad as the newest addition to the Cescaphe Event Group, the evening kicks off with a pre-event reception hosted by Chef Jose Garces and Marc Vetri for select ticket-holders, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
The main event, 6:30-9:30 p.m., sees an array of cocktail and dinner stations for all guests, music from DJ Statik of the Illvibe Collective, art-making and silent/live auctions.
In addition to honoring The Roots and their dedicated mural, which is expected to be completed this October at 6th and South Streets where the hometown heroes were formed, the Mayor’s Award will be presented to Steve and Christina Graham of Graham Partners, State Senator Vincent Hughes and actress/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, from the original cast of Dreamgirls for which she earned a Tony Award nomination.
The Wall Ball after party will be held at Route 6, Stephen Starr’s latest coastal cuisine inspired restaurant adjacent to Vie, for all event-goers to attend.
Ticket can be ordered online starting at $500 for the whole shebang and dropping to $40 for the Young Patrons Party featuring light bites, drinks and music from DJ Brendan Bring’Em, 9-10:30 p.m.
Mural Arts Wall Ball
Where: Vie, 600 N. Broad Street
When: Thursday, May 31, pre-event: 5:30 p.m., main event: 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Cost: Tickets start at $40
More info: www.muralarts.org
May 23, 2012
Longwood Gardens has commissioned acclaimed light artist Bruce Munro to transform the entire property into a fantastical illuminated wonderland. The exhibit, titled Light Installations By Bruce Munro, opens June 9. (Photo courtesy Longwood Gardens)
One of our 12 Great Reasons To Visit Philadelphia In 2012 is fast-approaching: Longwood Gardens has commissioned renowned UK light artist Bruce Munro to present a garden-wide exhibition, Light Installations by Bruce Munro, debuting in just a few weeks, and it’s going to be an absolute don’t-miss experience.
Starting June 9, experience Longwood Gardens in a whole new light (so to speak) through the evocative and imaginative art of Munro. The exhibit offers guests the rare opportunity to explore Longwood Gardens after hours. There will be awesome special events complementing the exhibition to take advantage of the nighttime setting; think fireworks shows, outdoor concerts and more.
And it’s already begun to be installed on the Longwood Gardens property.
Below, we have brand new intel on this very cool exhibition to prime you for its arrival.
The Exhibition
A recap: Light, a U.S. premiere, illuminates 23 acres of the Gardens with 11 large-scale, site-specific light installations, seven outside in areas not usually seen by the public, three inside the grand four-acre conservatory and a small collection of illuminated sculptures in Longwood’s historic Music Room. See images here.
Bonus: all materials will be low impact and will be repurposed, recycled or composted.
Longwood’s Meadow will play host to the Water Towers, a collection of 69 symmetric towers creating a glowing maze of light that changes hues to music. (Photo courtesy Longwood Gardens)
Opening Weekend: June 9-10
Be one of the first to see Light during its opening weekend. Featured events include a Culinary DeLIGHT Dinner, a late-summer feast using the freshest ingredients from the harvest season in the unparalleled setting of the Light exhibition outdoors; and Curtis Institute of Music Master Class, part of an ongoing collab between the Curtis Institute and Longwood.
Meet Director Paul B. Redman and Artist Bruce Munro in a special edition of “Branching Out Lecture Series: Gardens in a Whole New Light,” June 9.
Special Events
Those are just the tip of the iceberg. Check out a few of the exclusive events happening in conjunction with Light:
• SmART Nights: Thursdays, beginning at 7 p.m., hear some of the region’s brightest minds explore the science of light, then share your own bright ideas at StorySlams facilitated by First Person Arts. Light-inspired refreshments and cocktails will be available to purchase during SmART Nights. Check out who’s on the schedule online.
• Light Nights: Sing along at an outdoor concert, make an illuminating craft and enjoy other family-friendly activities. There’s a detailed schedule of this Friday event series online.
• Culinary DeLIGHT Dinners: Dine among the lights at one of the two special dining events. The first is part of Opening Weekend (see above); the second is scheduled for September 9. Both are four-course meals featuring local ingredients, set in the enchanting backdrop of the Light installations. September 9, have a sweet ending to your evening with a decadent dessert buffet on the Conservatory Terrace, with Longwood’s Illuminated Fountains providing the grand finale.
Mobile App
Download the free mobile Light app for exclusive installation details and more, available June 6. Upload your photos and experiences during the exhibit and browse the special exhibit catalog.
Tickets
Timed admission tickets are on sale now. Buy tickets online, in the Visitor Center, or by phone at (610) 388-1000 (additional fees apply for phone orders).
See a preview: Watch a video of Bruce Munro’s Field of Light on display at The Holburne Museum in Bath, below.
Light Installations by Bruce Munro at Longwood Gardens
When: June 9-September 29, 2012
Where: 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square
Cost: Tickets start at $11
More info: www.longwoodgardens.org
May 22, 2012
From October 5-7, the Philadelphia Orchestra will thrill music and movie fans alike with live performances of the West Side Story score as the newly digitally re-mastered, hi-definition film is screened above the orchestra in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center. (Photo courtesy West Side Story © 1961 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.)
It’s a legendary tale combining classic with contemporary. A romantic and tragic blending of Shakespeare with Bernstein. A dazzling dance fusion of ballet with jazz. And, of course, it’s East meets West.
It’s the celebrated and beloved Academy Award-winning film, West Side Story, accompanied live in concert by our very own Philadelphia Orchestra this fall.
From October 5-7, The Philadelphia Orchestra will thrill music and movie fans alike with live performances of the West Side Story score as the newly digitally re-mastered, hi-definition film is screened above the orchestra in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center.
More than 50 years after the debut of the timeless motion picture, the Philadelphia Orchestra will perform the entire original Leonard Bernstein score under the direction of David Newman, one of the most noted composers of music for film.
In order to allow a live performance of the score while keeping the vocals and dialogue intact, MGM and Chace Audio by Delux, a top film-restoration company, used state-of-the-art technology to separate the orchestral soundtrack from the vocals and dialogue.
West Side Story debuted in 1957 as a Broadway musical. The artistic collaboration of Jerome Robbins’s explosive choreography, Arthur Laurents’s modern Romeo and Juliet story line and the awe-inspiring score and lyrics by Broadway legends Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim quickly won over the hearts of audiences. The film, which opened in 1961 with Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer, took the Academy Awards® by storm, winning 10 awards.
This live orchestral presentation of this classic movie showcases The Philadelphia Orchestra’s versatility and offers an innovative program that celebrates the legacy of the ageless music and enduring theatrical styling of an American Broadway and Hollywood classic.
Tickets are already on sale online. Watch the West Side Story movie trailer below for a little cinematic nostalgia.
Philadelphia Orchestra Brings West Side Story To Life
When: October 5-7
Where: Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, 260 S. Broad Street
Cost: Tickets start at $40
More info: www.philorch.org
May 21, 2012
Philadelphia’s favorite “Drag Queen King of Philadelphia” (Philadelphia Inquirer), Martha Graham Cracker, is reprising the wildly popular show, “Martha Graham Cracker Undressed,” at Chez Colette at the Sofitel Hotel on Thursday, May 24.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show will begin at 8 p.m.
Martha Graham Cracker is the alter ego of Pig Iron Theatre Company’s co-founder Dito van Reigersberg. Martha performed the “Undressed” show to sold-out audiences this past winter.
This show will be a new edition of the “Undressed” theme that’s unplugged and even more stripped down to the, um, bare necessities. (To answer your burning question, no, Martha does not really get undressed.)
The show is a dazzling and bizarre assemblage of local musicians such as Andrew Nelson (bass), Victor Fiorillo (keyboards), Ned Sonstein (drums), and Rich Hill (guitar), actors, barflies, three-legged chickens, Hindu fakirs and, of course, Miss Martha Graham Cracker herself.
For a chance to win a pair of VIP reserved tickets along with a round of drinks to next Thursday’s show at the Sofitel, just “like” Theatre Confetti’s Facebook page and then, underneath Martha’s glamour shot, post what your drag queen name would be and why. In a contest such as this, originality is key.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase during the show and you must be at least 21 years old to enter.
Martha Graham Cracker Undressed
When: Thursday, May 24, doors open at 7 p.m., show begins at 8 p.m.
Where: Chez Colette, Sofitel Hotel, 120 S. 17th Street
Cost: $15
More info: www.facebook.com
May 21, 2012
The Barnes Foundation is officially open on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and will host round-the-clock programming throughout Memorial Day Weekend to cap off a week's worth of opening celebrations. (Top photos and bottom right © 2012 The Barnes Foundation, bottom left by M. Edlow for GPTMC)
The Benjamin Franklin Parkway officially has another cultural gem on its tree-lined landscape, as the Barnes Foundation opened its doors this past Saturday, May 19 with a special gala.
Now the general public can get in on the action with the official Opening Weekend celebration, May 26–28.
There’s member programming at the museum all week long, today through Friday, so if you’re a Barnes card holder you’re in luck. But if not, never fear.
First of all, you can get a detailed sneak peek inside the Barnes with our photo post right here (it’s a doozy). And over Memorial Day Weekend, the Barnes will be a free-for-all with round-the-clock activities, events and access to the world-renowned art collection.
Just be sure to register in advance to reserve your preferred time slot.
The Opening Weekend celebration is inspired by the mix of cultures represented in the Barnes’s collection and the 1920s, the decade when the Foundation began.
Here’s a rundown of the whirlwind of Memorial Day Weekend action at the Barnes:
Saturday, May 26
• 10 a.m.: Screening of The Collector, a documentary narrated by John Lithgow explores the life of Albert C. Barnes.
• 11:30 a.m.: Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra puts the power of the conductor’s baton in your hands with iConduct! Artistic Director Jeri Lynne Johnson leads the ensemble in a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Between each movement, audience members have the rare opportunity to step onto the podium for a conducting lesson from Johnson.
• 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.: ArtSee Activities.Craft your own flower inspired by Henri Rousseau’s fantastically fanciful flora. Collage a handy-dandy tote bag with Matisse’s colorful cutouts. Draw a super sensational still-life like Paul Cézanne.
• 4:30 p.m.: 1920s Food Tasting and Demonstration by First and Fresh.
• Midnight–6 a.m.: The Philadelphia Film Society puts on a Midnight Film Series.
Sunday, May 27
• 7 a.m.: Sunrise Meditative Yoga Class. Mats provided for the first 20 participants.
• 5:30 p.m.: Horticulture Walking Tour. Barnes horticulture staff or instructors point out plants of interest and explain how the arboretum in Merion influenced the planting structure and design of the landscape at the Philadelphia campus.
• 8–9:30 p.m.: Spoken Hand Percussion Orchestra. The orchestra unifies four percussion batteries into one distinct voice: north Indian tabla, Afro Cuban bata, Brazilian samba and West African djembe.
• 9 p.m.: Desserts of the 1920s tasting.
Monday, May 28
• 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.: La Colombe coffee tastings.
• 2:30 p.m.: Book Signing. Buy a copy of your own spectacular, portable version of the Barnes collection and have it signed by Barnes Chief Curator Judith Dolkart, one of the book’s authors.
• 3 p.m.: The Peter Tang Chinese Ensemble, led by Wu Peter Tang, former erhu (Chinese violin) soloist of Beijing Central Government’s Singing and Dancing Ensemble, plays traditional and contemporary Chinese music arts traditional instruments.
Check out the full event listings online.
Remember, click here to register (for free) online.
Barnes Foundation Opening Weekend Celebration: 56 Hours of Round-The-Clock Activities
When: May 26-28, 24 hours a day; last activity is 5:45 p.m. on Monday, May 28
Where: 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Cost: Free!
More info: www.barnesfoundation.org
May 21, 2012
A hopelessly romantic drama about the hopelessness of romance, Reasons To Be Pretty is the final installment (following The Shape of Things and Fat Pig) in Neil LaBute’s acclaimed trilogy focusing on America’s obsession with physical appearance.
In this last play, performed by the Philadelphia Theatre Company, when an off-handed remark disrupts the lives of two young couples, they confront self-deceit, treachery and their own willingness to change.
Hailed as “A juicy little hit” and “Ferociously funny,” Reasons To Be Pretty will make your jaw drop and your cheeks blush.
Get tickets online.
Philadelphia Theatre Company’s Reasons To Be Pretty
When: May 25-June 24
Where: Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad Street
Cost: $59
More info: www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org
May 18, 2012
Watch artists create paintings like this one outdoors during the 6th Annual Plein Air Festival and Exhibition. (Photo courtesy Wayne Art Center)
Returning for its sixth year, the Wayne Art Center’s Annual Plein Air Festival welcomes 34 national artists participating in a five-day landscape painting competition culminating in an art exhibition opening May 20.
Artists may paint anywhere within a 15-mile radius of the Wayne Art Center whose surrounding area is known for scenic beauty and historical landmarks.
Painting locations will include pastoral vistas, gardens, historic and unique architectural structures, charming towns, neighborhoods and downtown Philadelphia.
It’s a perfect weekend weather-wise to enjoy an outdoor arts event.
On May 19, the public will have a chance to observe the artists painting in downtown Wayne, before the brand new body of work makes its way into the Wayne Art Center for the May 20 exhibition opening.
For a list of participating artists and related programming, click here.
6th Annual Plein Air Festival and Exhibition
When: May 20-June 23
Whee: Wayne Art Center, 413 Maplewood Avenue, Wayne
Cost: Free
More info: www.waynepleinair.com
May 18, 2012
The Barnes Foundation houses one of the finest collections of 19th and 20th French painting in the entire world, and now it's located right here in Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. (Photograph © 2012 The Barnes Foundation)
The long-awaited opening of the newest addition to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is finally here.
The Barnes Foundation’s brand new Philadelphia campus opens its doors to the public tomorrow, May 19, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony today.
Tomorrow evening sees a grand gala inside the Barnes that’s sold out; but remember, the Barnes is hosting a protracted opening celebration with a 10-day series of exciting events from May 19-28, culminating with 60 hours of round-the-clock access over Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28. Think film screenings, dance performances, French food tastings and horticulture walking tours. More details on that to come.
In the meantime, check out the brand new With Art Philadelphia™ website to explore the Barnes and other art museums around the city.
As of today, along an approximately one-mile stretch, you can see one of the world’s greatest collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings (Barnes), the world’s largest number of Rodin works outside of Paris (Rodin Museum), along with treasured artworks, awe-inspiring artifacts and impressive architecture at more than a dozen museums and teaching institutions that line the acclaimed boulevard (Philadelphia Museum of Art, Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, Free Library, Moore College of Art and more).
It’s an amazing time to be in Philadelphia, with the eyes of the entire artistic world on the city. And that’s exactly how we like it.
The Barnes Foundation – Opening May 19, 2012
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
www.barnesfoundation.org
A View of a Gallery Room
We don't normally throw around terms like 'breathtaking' but there's simply no other way to describe the brand new Barnes Foundation on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. (Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC)
A View of the Reflecting Pool in the Garden
'A Gallery in a Garden and a Garden in a Gallery' was the theme of the design of the new campus and the garden surrounding the new Barnes is, in a word, stunning. (Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC)
May 17, 2012
The Galleries at Moore honor the grand opening of their fellow Benjamin Franklin Parkway art institution the Barnes Foundation with a special exhibition that spotlights Albert Barnes's distinctive wall ensembles. (Photo courtesy Moore)
Coinciding with the opening of the Barnes Foundation this weekend, the Galleries at Moore College of Art & Design present All Together Now, a special exhibition on view May 18 through July 28.
The exhibition reinterprets Albert Barnes’s distinctive “wall ensembles” through the work of 15 Philadelphia-based artists, including Hiro Sakaguchi (recently featured in one of our Philly 101 videos), Sarah Burgess, Nick Lenker, Stacey Webber, Mark Khaisman and others.
A free and open-to-the-public opening reception will be held tomorrow, Friday, May 18, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
This exhibition is one of the first to be curated by Kaytie Johnson, the new Rochelle F. Levy Director and Curator of The Galleries at Moore.
More information and a full list of participating artists is available online.
All Together Now at Moore College of Art & Design
When: May 18-July 28
Where: 20th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Cost: Free
More info: www.moore.edu
May 17, 2012
Follow brilliant musician Buddy Holly’s meteoric rise to fame, from his humble country music roots to the top of the record charts and his untimely death in 1959, in the Walnut Street Theatre’s The Buddy Holly Story, on stage now through July 15.
Buddy Holly changed the face of popular music and paved the way for the next generation of rock’n'rollers, which means we have him to thank for all our favorite artists of today.
Try not to dance in the aisles to fifties favorites like “Peggy Sue,” “Oh Boy,” “Maybe Baby,” “That’ll Be the Day,” “Raining In My Heart,” Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” and the Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace.”
This joyous celebration of a musical legend has been seen by more than 20 million people across the globe.
Tickets are available online.
The Walnut Street Theatre’s The Buddy Holly Story
When: Now-July 15
Where: 825 Walnut Street
Cost: Tickets range from $10-$85
More info: www.walnutstreettheatre.org
