PhilaCulturati

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.

Tuesday, Feb 10 through Wed, Feb 18^th, Buy One-Get One tickets ($24-$28) to The Rant, InterAct Theatre Company, 2030 Sansom St, Center City West,  www.InterActTheatre.org, Must use webcode RANT241, play starts at 7pm.   Recommended Dinner: Before theatre at Tampopo (on 21st St just north of Sansom) or after theatre at Melograno (2012 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, 215-875-8116)‎. Possible discounts coming soon…

If you like Law and Order, or any other crime show spin-off for that matter, you’ll enjoy The Rant by the InterAct Theatre Company. It’s not a particularly new story –unarmed black teenager shot by NY cops— nor a new way of telling a story –The Rant is very Rashomon-esque, told mostly via monologues through four different characters points of view. Yet, The Rant, which is skillfully performed and masterly directed, will keep you guessing (oh! Is there a twist?!) and entertained throughout its one easy-to-sit-through 90 minute act.

Based on different perspectives, The Rant demonstrates how personal agendas, loyalties, history, and bias shape what we perceive as “truth.” If you’re the kind of person who enjoys deciphering ‘who-dun-it,’ The Rant’s slowly unfolding story will really get in your head. It’s explorations of backgrounds and others’ misconceptions all have aspects to which we can relate, and will keep you thinking about your perceptions of race, bias, and reality.

InterAct Theatre Company is offering PhilaCulturati readers Buy-One-Get-One Free from Tuesday, February 10 – Wednesday, February 18. In order to get the discount, readers will have to book online through the website using the code “RANT241” (case sensitive). The following restrictions apply: Offer requires two ticket purchase minimum. Offer cannot be combined with other discounts, applied to previous purchases, and is subject to availability.

For dinner, if you will be hungry before theatre (say between 5-7) then Tampopo is a great choice. A small, hip Japanese restaurant, Tampopo has excellent quality food at affordable prices. The sushi is amazing (try the spicy tuna rolls!) and the bento boxes and noodle bowls hit the perfect balance between comfort food and light faire. The chicken katsu bento box gives you the choice of sides (broccoli, edamame, brown rice, gyoza…you can see the menu online here) with slender, fried-to-perfection, chicken breast strips. The only catch: they close by 9:30pm!

For a more upscale choice, Melograno (just doors down from the theatre) is a lovely Italian BYOB that accepts reservations Tues, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. They seat until about 10pm so you can definitely enjoy a post-theatre dinner at this fine establishment. Buon appetito!