Curator's Tour of
The Real Thing and Why It Matters
Atwater Kent Museum
of Philadelphia
15 S. 7th St.
Sat, 3 p.m., $5
(215) 685-4830
www.philadelphiahistory.org/akm/programs
Do you dream of making an impact on history? If so, attendance at The Real Thing and Why It Matters exhibit is a must. Not only will you get to see amazing objects from Philadelphia's rich history, but you will also be asked to vote for objects that should be collected now for historical exhibits of the future. Make your mark on history by choosing what future generations -- your great grandchildren, perhaps -- will learn about your lifetime.
Tania Isaac Dance ‹¨« Standpipe
Painted Bride Art Center
230 Vine Street
Thu, 7 p.m., Fri & Sat, 8 p.m., $20-$25
(215) 925-9914
www.paintedbride.org/
The word "dance" brings to mind the Macarena and my intense lack of rhythm, and I don't know what "Standpipe" is, so I've done some research. The standpipe is a source of water and gathering spot in rural Caribbean towns, so considering that Tania Isaac's production is based on Caribbean folk theater, the title makes sense. I've also learned that Standpipe combines reggae, Bach, and lullabies with contemporary dance and videos. So this is an opportunity to learn about Caribbean culture and see people with rhythm dance to Bach. That so beats the Macarena.
Body Worlds
The Franklin Institute
222 N. 20th St.
Sun ‹¨« Sat, 9:30 a.m. ‹¨« 9 p.m., through April 23, 2006
1-877-801-BODY
http://sln.fi.edu
Just when you thought that the giant beating heart exhibit at the Franklin Institute was the coolest the human body could get, they outdid themselves again. Body Worlds is an exhibit that features over 200 real human body parts, including entire bodies, organs and see-through body slices that have been kept intact through a procedure known as "plastination." Okay, so perhaps there's a gross-out factor in having someone's liver, but if you're a Quentin Tarantino fan (or if you loved Silence of the Lambs), it's still pretty awesome.
In Private Hands:
200 Years of
American Painting
Pennsylvania Academy of
the Fine Arts
118 N. Broad St.
Thu - Sat, 10 a.m. ‹¨« 5 p.m., Sun, 11 a.m. ‹¨« 5 p.m., through Jan. 8, 2006, $10-$15
(215) 972-7600
www.pafa.org
This art exhibit may be called In Private Hands, but it's not what you think. It's actually even better -- that is if you manage to get your head out of the toilet. The Academy has assembled 100 paintings from 55 private lenders into what is a remarkable visual representation of the history of American art. The exhibition coincides with the museum's 200th anniversary. I guess if you live to be 200, you're allowed to come up with ummm ... misguided names.
The Evolution of
Independent Film
Annenberg School, Room 109
3620 Walnut Street
Fri, 4:30 p.m., Free
(215) 898-7041
People like to toss the phrase "indie flick" around a lot, but does anyone know what it really means? Fess up. You've got no clue. Well, now is your chance to learn about independent film, the side of Hollywood that's TomKat-free. It's your chance to see that while, admittedly, discussing Brad Pitt's sex life has its pros, film is still an art form. Sundance Film Festival director and Penn alum Geoffrey Gilmore will be speaking. Who knows, suck up and you might get an invite.
Mostly Nosferatu: Herzog's Nosferatu the Vampyre
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
824 W. Lancaster Ave.
Fri, 12 a.m., $8.75
(610) 527-9898
Once again it's October, the time for dreary weather, midterms, and B-rate monster films. However, those of us feeling constrained by the University's dearth of movie channels can sleep easy! For just one simple payment of $6, you are invited to see Herzog's Nosferatu the Vampyre. Make sure you party early though, as powerful as this show will be independently, hitting up a frat beforehand could never hurt.
Postscripting Your Screenplay
Greater Philadelphia Film Office
100 S. Broad St.
Wed, 5:30 p.m., free
(215) 686-2668
Looking to fulfill your lifelong childhood dream of becoming a big shot Hollywood producer? Why not transfer to USC? Or for those of you who aren't willing to sacrifice your Ivy League education to chase a fantasy, the Greater Philadelphia Film Office has the venue for you. For no charge at all you can attend "Postscripting Your Screenplay"! Even if you aren't interested in film, check it out because it's free and, well, everybody loves free.
Conspirator
World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut Street
Fri, 10:30 p.m., $18
(215) 222-1400
Nothing is worse than letting an opportunity pass you by. This month at the World Cafe Live, you have the chance to not only catch the group Conspirator but also Pnuma -- an electro-jazz trio that is joining them. Conspirator, a trance-fusion group, will be playing music from their not-yet-debuted album. Pnuma is new on the scene but quickly rising. For a relaxing yet fun night out on the town, don't miss these two bands.
Pianist Spencer Myer - Philadelphia
Recital Debut
Trinity Center for Urban Life
2212 Spruce Street
Sun, 3 p.m., $16
(215) 735-6999
http://sln.fi.edu
Everyone seems to have his or her own traumatic story about childhood piano lessons. Mine is that when I was in grade school, my mom wrote a note to the principal and requested that I be allowed to stay inside during recess to practice piano. Actually, I wouldn't so much use the word "requested" as I would "demanded." So, I missed kickball, tag and playing on the tire swing, and I wasn't even that good! But if you want to see someone whose practice obviously paid off, check out Spencer Myer at his recital debut this weekend and see what you could have been.
Mindless Self
Indulgence
Trocadero
1003 Arch Street
Sun, 6 p.m., $18
(215) 922-LIVE
A rich kid going to college to major in philosophy because he doesn't need a job but does need something to talk about over wine and cheese: now that's mindless self-indulgence. This band is a mix of every genre that is edgier than Hanson. That includes video game themes -- Super Mario is way edgier than "Mmmbop," if not catchier. If you are now singing "Mmmbop" because our brains are wired that way, I apologize and suggest you look into this band. You will hear nothing like Hanson at their concert.
Buckethead
World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut Street
Tue, 7:30, $20 - $46
(215) 222-1400
You like unique combinations -- think mustard on vanilla ice cream or plaids with stripes. Now try the music of Buckethead, the semi-mythical musician and theme park owner, known for wearing a mask and a chicken bucket over his head -- even during performances. Having performed with the likes of Guns N' Roses and Cobra Strike, you know he will make for a good listen. Now experience this wonder at the World Cafe Live.
Clap Your Hands
Say Yeah
Theatre of Living Arts
334 South Street
Wed, 8 p.m., $15
(215) 922-1011
Despite their run-on sentence of a name, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is a band on the verge. How could you not shell out $15 to see these five Brooklynites that are being heralded as the next Arcade Fire? Considering that they released their successful self-titled album without a label, they must really be something. For you anti-establishment types, there's finally a band with no PR machine, no man behind the curtain. Enjoy.
The Emperor's New Clothes
Mum Puppettheatre
115 Arch Street
Sat, 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.,
Sun, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.,
$15 through Oct. 30
(215) 925-7686
www.mumpuppet.org
You know how sometimes (or all the time) you wish you could just walk up to someone and tell them exactly what you think of them? In this puppet adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen's classic The Emperor's New Clothes, a little boy does just that. He walks up to the emperor and is like "Hey dude, you're naked"-- only the kid isn't joking, the emperor really is naked. In this version, he's a pig, too. I wonder what my professor would look like as a puppet.
The Musical of Musicals--The Musical!
Prince Music Theater
1412 Chestnut Street
Sat, 8 p.m., Sun, 3 p.m.,
Tue, 7 p.m., Wed, 2 p.m. &
7 p.m., Thu, Oct. 27, 8 p.m.,
Sat, Oct. 29, 2 p.m.,
Sun, Oct. 30, 3 p.m.,
$40-$50
(215) 569-9700
www.princemusictheater.org
"The hills are alive with the sound of music." No, wait, scratch that. "Let me entertain you, let me make you smile." No, that's definitely not right. "Softly, deftly, music shall surround you. Feel it, hear it, closing in around you." Oh, these composers never get it. Can't they ever write songs that aren't either cloyingly sweet, overly melodramatic or just incredibly disturbing? If you've had enough of the one style fits all mantra, come see The Musical! One story, five ways, talk about The Musical of musicals!
Center City Opera
Theater Presents "Scenes from
Puccini's La Boheme"
James A. Michener Art Museum
138 S. Pine St.,
Doylestown, PA
Sun, 2 - 4 p.m., $18
(215) 340-9800
So you're back from fall break but you're already sick of Philly and its cheesesteaks. Not surprising. When I got back to the City of Brotherly Love, my cab driver asked me why anyone would even come here these days, and I responded with one word: opera. Frequenting the Center City Opera Theater is my favorite weekend activity, and now that it's performing outside of Philadelphia, it's all the more reason to see it perform "Scenes from Puccini's La Boheme." So, go! Get out of the city and listen to your favorite genre of music live.
