Philadelphia - Art & Entertainment

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Philadelphia has a history of introducing new entertainment to the rest of the country. Broadway shows used to regularly try out their material here before moving on to New York. The popular television show, "American Bandstand" originated here and introduced rock and roll to millions of American homes. There are still lots of new plays and touring companies that perform here and this is still a town where they talk about the Philly Sound.

Museums

One of the world's best collections of Impressionist paintings is the Barnes collection, in the suburb of Merion. All of the pieces here are instantly recognizable from reproductions, but only a small number have ever traveled and then only recently. The Philadelphia Museum of Art and its small companion, the Rodin Museum represent a brief history of world art on the Ben Franklin Parkway: Ancient Egypt, Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism and Post-Modernism comes with guided tours and souvenir reproductions available in the gift shop.

Because of the city's rich history, there are plenty of museums chronicling national history, including the multicultural and technological innovations that came with democracy. These museums and historic sites are friendly to children and innovative in the way they educate and entertain at the same time. Be warned, however: Like many American museums, the ones in Philadelphia generally make few concessions to foreign visitors. It can be hard to non-English signs or tour materials. But Americans like to be helpful and it is always advisable to contact a place in advance to see what can be arranged.

Music

Every possible sound is available in Philadelphia on Wednesday through Saturday nights. On other nights, the choices are narrower, but if you look carefully there's always something going on.

Rock, Pop, Soul: Philadelphia has always been a popular stop for national acts. There are concert halls from the massive stadiums of the First Union Center and the Tweeter to the comfortably mid-size Trocadero, Tower, Electric Factory or Keswick, right down to the overheated and cramped rooms of the legendary bars where everyone from Bruce Springsteen to hiphop stars, the Roots paid their dues. Though you'd never know it from the local radio stations, the local talent is worth a listen too. The Roots, Will Smith, Patti LaBelle, Bruce Springsteen, Teddy Pendergrass, these are the famous names, but the range of local talent includes just about everything with a healthy mix of soul, hip-hop, Americana, alternative and even electric bluegrass. Some days it seems like everybody you bump into is in a band.

Dance Party: From disco to techno with a healthy dose of swing and mosh pit, there are a large and growing number of places to dance in town. Maybe the constantly expanding scene is due to the large student population here. Local DJs such as Josh Wink and Robbie Tronco mix so well that they spend half their time answering invitations from place from Miami to London.

There is a string of clubs along Delaware Avenue on piers jutting into the Delaware River. There are more clubs around South Street, such as Fluid, a place known as much for its no-right-angles design as for its techno mix. For swing or Latin, try a place like the Five Spot on Bank Street just off of Second and Chestnut. If you're looking for grunge metal, there are events weekly in West Philly.

Classical: It is possible to find a string quartet, opera or symphony performance every night of the week. With the Curtis Institute and Settlement Music School, plus the various college programs, the quality of street performers brightens the parks and sidewalks in the spring. There are two radio stations that broadcast classical music: 90.1 programs classics from 6am to 6pm and 106 is classical at all hours, but hard to pick up in some parts of town. The Philadelphia Orchestra is legendary for conductors like Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, Ricardo Muti and Sir Simon Rattle. Smaller classical groups fill the nights. Many of these include current or former Orchestra members.

Theater and Dance

For nearly a hundred years, Philadelphia was mainly known as a "tryout" town. New York producers would try out material here before opening on Broadway. These days it's more likely a play will originate here. The Wilma Theatre has produced the American premieres of two Tom Stoppard plays that were hits on London's West End, but have never played New York. InterAct hosts a new play reading every January which supplies work to regional theaters across the country. Keep an eye out for anything by Brat Productions, a young edgy company that often stages strong works in a bar.

The first ten days of September, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival takes over the Old City district with a mix of local acts and visiting troupes from the Edinburgh, Toronto and New York. There are still national touring companies that perform big Broadway musicals at the Merriam and the Forrest, maintaining a healthy balance of new and recognized work. From the Pennsylvania Ballet to The Philadelphia Dance Company (known as Philadanco), the dance performance scene here is low profile, but substantial. The city often acts as a lab for companies that are seen and celebrated in New York or Washington. Once again, because of the numerous collegiate dance programs, there are always visiting professional and resident performers to see.

Film

The good news is that Philadelphia gets as many blockbuster, independent and foreign films passing through as New York or Los Angeles. The bad news is that sometimes these films pass through six or eight months later than they appear in those other locations. There is an Omnimax theater at the Franklin Institute with a huge Imax-like screen that wraps around the audience.

Children

If you check under the category "Visiting the City/Children," you'll see that Philadelphia pays particular attention to its younger visitors. The National Park Service provides tours and multimedia, interactive, educational displays at Independence Hall. At the Please Touch Museum, children are encouraged to put their mitts on everything and the entire museum is scaled to kids. There are similar setups in the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Franklin Institute. Don't forget the popular petting pen at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Many of the larger chain bookstores around town have Saturday programs for children with readings and performances. The Free Library often has scheduled activities, including readings, films and performers. Then there are the children's theater programs at the Arden and Annenberg. To make your travels more convenient, children under the age of 12 ride free on SEPTA's buses and subways on Saturdays.







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InterAct Theatre Company


Cutting-Edge Drama Group
 The Adrienne
2030 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
+1 215 568 8077
http://www.interacttheatre.org/
InterAct Theatre Company
Pennsylvania Ballet


Nationally famed company
 1101 S Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
+1 215 551 7000
http://www.paballet.org
Pennsylvania Ballet
Arden Theatre Company


Popular plays and musicals
 40 N 2nd St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
+1 215 922 1122
http://www.ardentheatre.org/
Arden Theatre Company
Independence Hall


Birthplace of American Liberty
 500 Chestnut Street
(between 5th & 6th Streets)
Philadelphia, PA 19106
+1 215 965 7676 / +1 800 537 7676
http://www.nps.gov/inde/
Independence Hall
Trocadero Theatre


Rock life for old Burlesque house
 1003 Arch St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
+1 215 922 5483
http://www.thetroc.com/
Trocadero Theatre
Walnut Street Theatre


Plays, musicals
 825 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
+1 215 574 3550
http://www.wstonline.org
Walnut Street Theatre
Tuttleman IMAX Theater at the Franklin Institute


IMAX movies in a dome
 222 N 20th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
+1 215 448 1200
http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/info/omninow.html
Tuttleman IMAX Theater at the Franklin Institute
Tower Theater


Mid-size rock venue
 69th and Ludlow streets
Philadelphia, PA 19082
+1 215 568 3222
http://www.electricfactory.com/
Tower Theater
Curtis Institute of Music


Curtis Institute of Music
 1726 Locust St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
+1 215 893 5252
http://www.curtis.edu
Curtis Institute of Music
Five Spot


Swing and more...
 5 South Bank Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
+1 215 574 0070
http://www.thefivespot.com/
Five Spot
Fluid


Intimate hip-hop/techno nightclub
 613 South 4th St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
+1 215 629 0565
http://www.fluidnightclub.com/
Fluid
Philadelphia Museum of Art


Calder, Brancusi, etc.
 26th Street
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19130
+1 215 763 8100
http://www.philamuseum.org/
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Rodin Museum


Works of the sculptor Rodin
 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy at 22nd St
Philadelphia, PA 19101
+1 215 763 8100
http://www.rodinmuseum.org
Rodin Museum
Please Touch Museum


Multiple exhibits for children
 210 North 21st St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
+1 215 963 0667
http://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/
Please Touch Museum
Electric Factory


Moderate sized rock hall
 421 North 7th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
+1 215 569 9400
http://www.electricfactory.com/
Electric Factory
Academy of Natural Sciences


Dinosaur skeletons, ecological exhibits
 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Philadelphia, PA 19103
+1 215 299 1000
http://www.acnatsci.org
Academy of Natural Sciences
Forrest Theatre


Tony award-winning Broadway plays on tour
 1114 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
+1 215 923 1515
http://www.forrest-theatre.com/
Forrest Theatre
Free Library of Philadelphia


Most Abundant City Resource for Literature
 1901 Vine St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
+1 215 686 5322
http://www.library.phila.gov
Free Library of Philadelphia
Barnes Foundation


Excellent Impressionist collection
 300 N Latch's Ln
Philadelphia, PA 19066
+1 610 667 0290 (Reservations)
http://www.barnesfoundation.org/
Barnes Foundation
Philadelphia Zoo


Oldest American Zoological Society
 3400 W Girard Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19104
+1 215 243 1100
http://www.phillyzoo.org/
Philadelphia Zoo
Annenberg Center


Performing arts complex
 3680 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
+1 215 898 3900
http://www.AnnenbergCenter.org/
Annenberg Center
Philadelphia Orchestra


Philadelphia Orchestra
 Verizon Hall, The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Broad and Spruce Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19102
+1 215 893 1999
http://www.philorch.org
Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Fringe Festival


Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe
 32 N Front Street (Office)
Philadelphia, PA 19106
+1 215 413 9006
http://www.livearts-fringe.org/
Philadelphia Fringe Festival
Franklin Institute Science Museum


Science Museum
 222 North 20th Street
(at Benjamin Franklin Parkway)
Philadelphia, PA 19103
+1 215 448 1200
http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/
Franklin Institute Science Museum
Philadelphia
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