Kimmel Center

Exhibit at Leonard Pearlstein Gallery

by Meg Favreau

First, the disappointing news: This is not an exhibition about what the members of the different castes wore in Huxley's novel. It is, however, an opportunity to see original early 1900s dresses from Drexel's massive costume collection. Specially selected to go with PIFA's early 1900s Parisian theme, these dresses represent a decade when, according to PIFA, "the muted colors and the hourglass silhouettes of the late nineteenth century were abandoned in favor of short skirts, bright 'fauvist' col ... Continue

Kimmel Center

Out 'Til Midnight

by Meg Favreau

Okay, so PIFA's definition of "late night" is definitely "late night for people who need to go to relieve their babysitters"--the entertainment ends at midnight. But these free weekend evenings at the Kimmel Center do feature a nice selection of DJs and bands, including an apparent battle of sorts on April 30 that pits the raucous West Philadelphia Orchestra against a similar band from Chicago, Mucca Pazza. There’s a cash bar, too, in case you want to get sauced under that crazy fake Eiffel Towe ... Continue

Kimmel Center

Street Party Like No Other

by Meg Favreau

Philadelphia is a city of many street fairs. Events that boast bands, food, and vendors pop up all over as the weather gets warm. But PIFA is managing to put pretty much everything except Fourth of July on the Parkway to shame. On April 30, they're bringing food, yes. And vendors. And music, sure--but this street fair is headlined by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Oh, and that's not to mention the public garden, trampoline show, and giant ferris wheel that are rolling onto Broad Street. Hear a ... Continue

Kimmel Center

April 25: The Perfect Flower

by Meg Favreau

Are you ready for some festival-on-festival action? Because The Perfect Flower, a performance that combines dance with "steel motion sculptures" to illustrate "survival in the natural world" is part of both PIFA and the Philadelphia Science Festival (hey, we have a science festival!). And this isn't just some pretend-you're-a-flower-in-elementary-school dancing; the choreography was developed in collaboration with researchers from the California Academy of Sciences. The Perfect Flower has two pe ... Continue

Kimmel Center

New Play Festival

by Meg Favreau

One of the best things about PIFA is the amount of free content the festival has rolled out. And it's not just outdoor concerts and a couple of food samples--fairly standard free-event fare--but in some cases, full theater performances. The no-cost PIFA New Play Festival (running 4/20-4/23) features two one-acts created with PIFA's turn-of-the-century Parisian theme in mind. The winning selections are described as "experimental one-act plays that border on the grotesque," which is a description ... Continue

Kimmel Center

Eat Like The French

by Meg Favreau

There was a time when "French food" was pretty much synonymous with "the best food." And even though other cuisines have crept in and come to be held in as high regard, French food is still some of the most delicious, succulent, and expertly prepared stuff you can find in Philadelphia. But what if you want to eat French cuisine from France? Well, during PIFA, you can get about as close as you can without a plane ticket, as several local restaurants have paired up w ... Continue

Kimmel Center

Silent Films + Live Soundtracks

by Meg Favreau

I love it when people perform live soundtracks for silent films, which is why I love that one of PIFA's events is just that. At the Kimmel Center on April 29, you can check out Le Voyage dans la Lune (a 1902 French film that the Smashing Pumpkins's “Tonight Tonight” video was based on) and Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr. Music is courtesy of Martha Graham Cracker and "the kids of Independent Rock," which I assume is an organization that teaches music to children and not just a group ... Continue

Kimmel Center

Arts of the Circus

by Meg Favreau

There is the circus as many of us think of it: Garish clowns that terrify as many children as they amuse, sad elephants plodding along wearing tiny hats, mangy caged lions shuddering at whip cracks. But then, then there are the circus arts. This is where the true tradition and magic of the circus lives, with acrobats, jugglers, and other supremely talented physical performers. And lucky for us, the circus arts are a primary part of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, featuring e ... Continue