What’s Happening In Philly | The Triangle

What’s Happening In Philly

Night Skies in the Observatory

Hosted by Derrick Pitts, chief astronomer at The Franklin Institute, the Joel N. Bloom Observatory is open late to the public and offers five different telescopes for you to view celestial objects in the sky, including stars, planets, nebulae, and if conditions are right, a galaxy or two. The evening includes a Fels Planetarium show and a lecture or presentation (appropriate for ages 5 and up) on an astronomical or space science topic. The observatory is staffed with knowledgeable observers, and free star maps are provided. Meet some big stars on the second Thursday of each month at The Franklin Institute! Advance reservations are not needed. Tickets are sold onsite when you arrive.

Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St.

Thursday, Sept. 13, 7-10 p.m.

Admission: $5; free for members

www2.fi.edu

 

Gender Reel 2012

The second annual Gender Reel Festival is just around the corner!

The first of its kind on the East Coast, Gender Reel is the only multimedia festival dedicated to enhancing the visibility of gender nonconforming and transgender artists in film, photography, art and performance. The 2012 festival features 20 films, eight artists and photographers, 10 performance artists, three panels and four workshops.

According to Gender Reel Chair Joe Ippolito, “Gender Reel 2012 is going to be another great year. The festival has grown in a number of ways, including expanding our venue location to the William Way Community Center, adding more performance art to the mix, and offering more hands-on art and film workshops to our patrons. I am happy to report that Gender Reel does exactly what we envisioned it doing when we came up with the idea in November 2010 in that it is providing a safe, supportive and empowering place where [gender nonconforming and transgender] people can display their multimedia art work.”

The William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.

Friday-Sunday, Sept. 7-9

Admission: $20 for All Festival Pass; $10 for Day Pass; $100 for Group Pass

www.genderreelfest.com

 

4 Lads From Liverpool: a tribute to The Beatles

Beatles fans from all over will be pleased that the Act II Playhouse is presenting “4 Lads From Liverpool.” The show takes audiences through an epic journey that begins in the early days in Hamburg, Germany, and the Cavern Club in Liverpool, then fast-forwards to the Sgt. Pepper era and beyond. Paired with an amazing multimedia experience, you get to see, hear and feel how it all got started. The running time is approximately two hours, including intermission.

Act II Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Ave.

Sept. 4-30

Admission: tickets start at $27

www.act2.org

 

The Lantern Theater Co.: New Jerusalem

Rediscover the smash hit that in 2011 became the best-selling production in the Lantern’s history, featuring the same cast and design team as the original production! As the Inquisition bears down on them, a small Jewish community flees Portugal to find a tenuous peace in seemingly liberal Amsterdam. But Spinoza, a favorite son of the community and the rabbi’s heir apparent, is a revolutionary thinker. When the boldness of his ideas strains the bounds of Amsterdam’s professed tolerance, it leads to a dangerous confrontation between powerful political forces and his own beloved community. Based on true events in the life of one of the greatest philosophers in history, David Ives’ engaging drama challenges traditional political and religious thinking with conviction, passion and wit.

St. Stephen’s Theater, 923 Ludlow St.

Sept. 4-23

Admission: $30-$38

www.lanterntheater.org

 

Philadelphia Art Alliance Presents Legends: Studio Jewelry By Emily Cobb

In her first solo exhibition in Philadelphia, artist Emily Cobb will transform the PAA’s ground-floor galleries into a surreal study collection for her studio jewelry, including brooches, neckpieces and rings — highly original pieces that illustrate modern fairy tales and fables. The title of the exhibition evokes both meanings of the word “legend”: the more common use, referring to stories of mythical beings or events, as well as the term used to describe an illustration or to explain symbols on a map. Cobb’s premise and installation concept reflect a desire to situate her work in the storied, wood-paneled galleries of the PAA with the aim of giving visitors the impression that they have been invited into an eccentric and wondrous library.

Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th St.

Thursday, Sept. 6 through Dec. 10

Cost: Adults $5, students and seniors $3; pay what you wish on Fridays

www.philartalliance.org