THEATER
Watch a hit Broadway musical against a beach backdrop. / Anthony Smedile/ACA.
Broadway on the Boardwalk
Monday, 8 p.m.
Main Stage, Kennedy Plaza
Atlantic City Boardwalk
Free, 888-228-4748
www.atlanticcitynj.com
So it’s a Monday night, and you can’t decide whether you’d rather see a show or go to the beach? Why not do both? The DO AC Broadway on the Boardwalk series continues this Monday night, with tunes from “Chicago,” “Beautiful—The Carol King Musical,” “Bullets Over Broadway” and “Rock of Ages”. A different revue follows next Monday.
Life on the Fringe
Friday, times vary
Vox Populi
319 N. 11th St.
$10, 800-838-3006
www.brownpapertickets.com
This piece by multi-disciplinary artist Sebastian Cummings mixes electronic music, dance and theater to tell a sci-fi story of space aliens who land on earth and meet not an “average” human but someone on the fringe, someone almost as much of an alien as them. There will be five performances between 3:30 and 11:30 p.m.
ART
Street Trees
Through Sept. 30
International House Philadelphia
3701 Chestnut St.
Free, 215-387-5125
www.ihousephilly.org
There’s a psychedelic sci-fi vibe, a little reminiscent of the bulbous metallic visions of H.R Giger, in this multimedia exhibition from artist Ted Knighton, but these drawings, videos and installations are actually inspired by the everyday urban environment of Philadelphia. Filtered through Knighton’s imagination, tree-lined streets and forgotten back alleys reveal the weird ghosts that haunt them—and not always peacefully.
Wayne Higby: Infinite Place
Through Aug. 3
Philadelphia Art Alliance
251 S. 18th St.
$3-$5, 215-545-4302
www.philartalliance.org
This is a career retrospective of ceramic artist Wayne Higby, running from his raku-fired work in the 60’s to his later large wall installations. Though one can see connections with land art and environmentalism in his work, the artist claims his focus is “the relationship between spirit and matter,” suggesting, presumably, a more metaphorical, psychological interpretation of his landscapes.
MOVIES
Screenings Under the Stars: Gravity
Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
Great Plaza, Penn’s Landing
101 S. Columbus Blvd.
Free, 215-922-2386
www.delawareriverwaterfront.com
Neil DeGrasse Tyson may have had some gripes about the scientific inaccuracy of this 2013 outer space thriller—specifically its depiction of, uh, gravity—but while those details may be significant to the plot, they don’t exactly ruin it. This also feels like a really good movie to watch “under the stars,” since you can look up and imagine it all happening…
MUSIC
Mother Moses
Thursday, 8 p.m.
MilkBoy Philly
1100 Chestnut St.
$8-$10, 21+, 215-925-6455
www.milkboyphilly.com
This Boston folk/pop band, whose members met at the Berklee College of Music, has a slightly hippyish vibe and some really pleasant tunes reminiscent of groups like the Format. The spot-on boy-girl harmonies between singer-songwriter Jon Cox and singer Ellen Shultz are a definite highlight of their sound, which is unusually polished for a year-old band—chalk it up to their education.
Azar Lawrence is keeping it jazzy at the Lancaster Avenue fest on Saturday. / Provided.
Lancaster Avenue Jazz and Arts Festival
Saturday, 12 p.m.-7 p.m.
Saunders Park Greene
39th St. and Powelton Ave.
Free, 267-777-5893
www.lancasteravejazzfest.com
Now in its eighth year, this outdoor festival is sure to be very cool even if it’s hot out. Veteran multi-genre saxophonist Azar Laurence headlines. The lineup also includes, among others, singer Charlene Holloway, trumpeter Josh Lawrence and pianist Glenn Bryan. A wide range of vendors, info booths and food trucks will also be camped out for your perusal.
OUTDOORS
Lunar Stroll: Photographing Laurel Hill After Hours
Friday, 8 p.m.
Laurel Hill Cemetery
3822 Ridge Ave.
$20, 215-228-8200
www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org
Fancy yourself a photographer? Feeling gothic? Consider this after-dark tour, in which the Laurel Hill Cemetery’s Emma Stern will lead you to the historic burial ground’s best moonlight photo ops. All your Instagram friends will be like “woah, awesome” when they see these shots. Note: advance registration is required. Another tour will take place in August.
FESTIVALS
Summer Ale Festival
Saturday, 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m.
Philadelphia Zoo
3400 W. Girard Ave.
$55-$90, 21+, 215-243-1100
www.philadelphiazoo.org
With more than 30 participating breweries, this ought to be a beer aficionado’s Elysium. On top of the righteous selection you’ve got the whole zoo to check out, plus live music and several delicious food trucks to sop up all that liquid grain. Designated drivers pay only $25 admission, which is a nice compensation for drawing the short straw.
Dog Days of Summer
Saturday, 1-4 p.m., VIP entry at noon
Historic Headhouse Shambles
S. Second St. between Lombard and Pine
Free-$30, 215-413-3713
Dogdays14.eventbrite.com
Twenty restaurants and food trucks from around the area will compete for first prize in this hot dog and sausage cook-off. It will also very likely double as a force field repelling all vegans in a ten-mile radius. Among the judges, all chefs, media personalities or celebrities, will be, randomly enough, Marc Summers, former host of Nickelodeon’s “Double Dare”.
Sidewalk Sizzle and Ice Cream Freeze
Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Reading Terminal Market
12th and Arch Sts.
Free, 215-922-2317
www.readingterminalmarket.org
The poet Robert Frost famously couldn’t choose between fire and ice, but you won’t have to at this food fest, since you’ll be flanked on one side by a BBQ smorgasbord and on the other by an ice cream smorgasbord. There’s also live music from the Blackbird Society Orchestra, kids’ activities, a ice cream eating contest and ice cream shuffleboard.
The annual car show and street festival on East Passyunk Avenue is happening this weekend. / East Passyunk Avenue
Car Show & Street Festival
Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
East Passyunk Avenue
Free,215-336-1455
www.visiteastpassyunk.com
Rev up your engines and vroom down to East Passyunk Avenue for the9th Annual Car Show & Street Festival! OnSunday, July 27, 2014 from Noon to 5:00pmover 140 antique, classic and custom cars, trucks and motorcycles will line the Avenue from Broad to Dickinson Streets. There will also be live music on every block, food trucks, craft beer bars, vendors, circus performers, free activities for the kids including a moon bounce and face painting, and the Bang! Boom! CRAFT! Show. FREE for attendees, $15 for cars, food and drink are pay-as-you-go.
COMEDY
Comedy-gasm
Saturday, 8 p.m.
The Irish Pol
45 S. 3rd St.
$10, 21+, 267-761-9532
www.facebook.com/ComedyGasm
Rachel Fogletto hosts July’s installment of this monthly comedy night, which seems to never run out of extremely NSFW uses for microphones on its hilariously crude posters. This evening’s offerings include the highly politically incorrect comedy rapper KeithFromUpDaBlock and standup comics Shari Franklin, Mikey Garcia, Chris Whitehair and Katrina Braxton.
