On Stage Philadelphia

Philly Live Arts + Fringe Preview Nights at Plays and Players Theatre

Monday, August 17, 2009 at 8:00 PM

Monday, August 24, 2009 at 8:00 PM

Monday, August 31, 2009 at 8:00 PM
On Stage Philadelphia features ten minute sneak-peak performances of upcoming productions in the Philadelphia area representing a wide range of artistic disciplines. Following the performances, audiences will have an opportunity to meet and mingle with artists, and enjoy special offers to the upcoming productions at the post-show marketplace. Audiences are provided with an opportunity to see which performances are compatible to their interests, and frequently go on to attend the full versions of what they see at preview night.

Plays & Players Theatre

1714 Delancey Place
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 735-0630
Website: www.playsandplayers.org
Map & Directions

WHAT TO DO NEARBY?

As luck would have it, Plays and Players Theatre is centrally located in the Rittenhouse Sq area with lots and lots to do nearby. OnStage Philadelphia doesn’t start til 8pm, so you can hit up any of the local bars for happy hour or dinner. PhilaCulturati favorites include Tank Bar (upstairs at Friday, Saturday, Sunday), and the Black Sheep for a laid-back atmosphere with seriously good food. Rittenhouse also has some stellar window shopping opportunities. Check out all the cute boutiques and galleries, and specialty stores. Hello World, DiBruno Bros Gourmet Market, and Barney’s New York should top your list.

Receive 30% off tickets to La Sylphide and Barber Violin Concerto.

June 5-6 at 8 p.m.
June 6 at 12 p.m.
June 7 & 13 at 2 p.m.
June 11-12 at 8 p.m.

La Sylphide

Returning to Philadelphia for the first time in 21 years, the oldest ballet in existence is set in the Scottish Highlands. August Bournonville’s ethereal tale of love still enthralls audiences today with the captiviating romance and demanding choreography that made this work ahead of its time. 

Barber Violin Concerto

Company Premiere
Peter Martins explores the contrast between classical ballet and modern dance in this innovative work to Samuel Barber’s deeply expressive, romantic score.

Please use discount code LS30 when ordering.  For tickets click here.

Hidden City at Shiloh Baptist Church in Graduate Hospital neighborhood. FREE.

10% off food and drink total at The Sidecar Bar & Grille, when you bring your thank-you card from Hidden City. Please present card for offer when ordering. http://www.thesidecarbar.com/home.html  22nd and Christian Streets.

Hidden City  at Shiloh Baptist Church Saturdays 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM Sundays 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM May 30 – June 28, 2009 SONAMBULO – Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle’s Sonambulo (1998) is an 11-minute looping sound installation that resembles a field recording of a summer rainstorm. The work begins with a loud gunshot that quickly melds into thunder, subtly revealing the more threatening compositional elements of a seemingly benign soundscape. LIKE LAMBS – An almost Shakespearian space where a single preacher could teach many small, separated classrooms of children at once will be used by the artist to reconcile the differences between the religion that he was raised to believe in and the questions that he now faces as an adult.  Steven Earl Weber’s installation in the Shiloh Baptist Church includes multiple videos and sculptures that enables visitors to experience the Frank Furness-designed church.

Where am I? Welcome to the Graduate Hospital neighborhood of Philadelphia. Aptly named for the…wait for it…graduate hospital at 18th and Lombard, this neighborhood is mostly residential with a sprinkling of coffee shops (Check out The Beauty Shop Cafe at 21st and Fitzwater), boutiques (such as Loop at 19th and South St), and restaurants (like the Sidecar or Divan, a Turkish restaurant at 22nd and Catharine St). To get here can be a challenge. The 12 bus runs along Greys Ferry, the 17 goes south on 19th St, the 64 along Washington, or the 7 runs along 22nd. There are a few lots and some street parking.

The Sidecar Bar & Grille The Sidecar Bar & Grille is located at 22nd and Christian, less than two blocks west from the Shiloh Baptist Church. Open since 2006, the Sidecar offers good service, excellent food (American Bar food) and a well-rounded drink selection. Sidecar owner Adam Ritter lives in the neighborhood enhancing the local feel. One of the best thing about this bar is that it looks and often feels like a trendy, cosmopolitan hangout, but it has all the friendly down-home aspects of a neighborhood dive. The music is awesome, and in the nice weather you can get outside seating. Overall, a great place for brunch, drinks and good eats.

Tuesday, March 3rd: First Person Arts Story Slam at World Cafe Live and 10% off dinner at White Dog Cafe or at The Bubble House (University City).

Click here to buy tickets

First Person Arts Story Slams are 5-min improv sessions by ten volunteer storytellers who will recount a personal anecdote on a specific theme. This month First Person Arts presents a special “Hidden Talents” edition of their wildly popular StorySlams held at the World Cafe Live.

Jean-Michel Basquiat was best known for the graffiti work he did under the SAMO moniker until he was propelled into international recognition by gallery owner Annina Nosei. Nathaniel Ayers was a musical virtuoso hidden in plain sight on the streets of Skid Row until a fateful meeting with reporter Steve Lopez changed his life forever. Do you have a secret ability? Have you ever been surprised by someone else’s? Hosted by DJ Robert Drake and with featuring guest storytellers Ryan T. Barlow and Eun Strawser (in video to the right).

DINNER: Not far from World Cafe Live is the lovely, socially active White Dog Café. With both a magnificent bar & grill menu and full dinner menu, White Dog Café has something for everyone’s tastes and pocketbook. The bar menu has mouth-watering burgers, gourmet wraps and a free-range chicken cobb salad with avocadoes and apple smoked bacon that puts ‘salad’ on the dinner table as an entrée. Not to go unmentioned, the bar also has nachos, calamari and organic chicken wings that pair flawlessly with the reputable beer list, if you’re dropping in for a small bite.

Looking for something a little more substantial? Walk through the bar to be seated in the White Dog Café’s elegant dining room. Pepper Crusted Hawaiian Ahi Tuna, Maine Diver Scallops, Fennel Crusted Wild Striped Bass, Berkshire Pork Tenderloin, and Sesame Crusted Tofu top the menu of delectable favorites, but really I could list the whole menu for you because there’s no going wrong here. Supporting local, organic, sustainable farmers and paying employees a living wage, the White Dog Café is in a class of its own. And with entrées ranging from $17-$28 in the dining room (about $12 at the bar) its an affordable way to have gourmet food while being socially and environmentally concerned.

Another option: The Bubble House is a great place to stop for some Asian-inspired light fare, affordable entrees, or just a cup of exotic tea! Located at 3406 Sansom, its a short walk from the World Cafe Live and very close to other bars and hangouts.

The Bubble House also has a great bar with specialty drinks such as the Saketini (Nigori Sake, vodka and plum wine), a Snow Tiger (Bacardi Coco, Godiva, soy cream with a chocolate and coconut rim), and if that’s not decadent enough for you, try the Caramel Apple (Chilled Makers Mark, Apple Pucker and a hint of Buttershots). Bubble House is offering 10% off discount on checks at a total of $10 and abover. Just bring in or mention this post.

First Person Arts’ Story Slam @ L’Etage Cabaret, 6th and Bainbridge. Doors open at 7:30, slam starts at 8:30. $8 21+.

DINNER:  Little Fish, 6th and Catharine St. Reservations recommended, 215-413-3464.

Comical, entertaining and inspiring, First Person Arts’ StorySlams blend open mic comedy with performance art. What is a ‘Story Slam?’ Much like a poetry slam, a story slam is an open competition for people to tell their stories drawn from real life occurrences, performed sans-script, in front of a live audience. Each month has a different theme such as “bad ideas,” “I think we’re alone now,” or “baggage”.

Nestled on the border of Queen’s Village and Bella Vista neighborhoods, L’Etage Cabaret is an awesome venue for these performances. Directly above Beau Monde Creperie, on the northwest corner (think: to your right if you’re walking down 6th from South St) the entrance is marked with a tile mosaic, just after the Creperie’s outdoor seating. During the StorySlam, L’Etage will be offering $4 well drinks.

Still not sure what a story slam is? Check out some of last year’s performances on YouTube:

Make a night of it! Two blocks south from L’Etage at 6th and Catharine, is one of the best, most affordable seafood restaurants you will ever find. Period. AND it’s BYOB! The aptly named Little Fish is a small restaurant run by chef/owner Mike Stollernwerk and his wife, Marilyn. The almost one-room restaurant is open to the kitchen where you can see your fresh fish being prepared to order. Stollernwerk does incredible things with mahi mahi, diver scallops, skate, even surf and turf. And don’t get caught up in just the entrees, the calamari and mussels are superb starters, side dishes are paired with their entrees to perfection (butternut squash, braised collards, sweet potatoe puree), and I’ll be drooling on my keyboard as I list the desserts…star anise creme brulee, chocolate truffle torte… [sigh].

Please do make reservations, as the small restaurant fills quickly. Open 5:30 – 10. Call 215-413-3464 for reservations.  Make sure you stop by the Wine & Spirits store at 724 South Street for libations.

Stay tuned for other places in the vicinity to visit.