Creating genocide awareness in dance

Many Philadelphians do not go to the Arden Theatre expecting to learn about genocide.
For Rebecca Davis, founder of the Rebecca Davis Dance Company, that’s exactly her mission.
Through the power of her company’s newest original piece called Darfur, she hopes to leave an unexpected and meaningful impact on
the city.
“This genocide is a disease of a [...]

Bestselling author gives career advice

Jennifer Egan, bestselling author of The Keep, is no overnight success. The author, mother and journalist has spent upwards of 25 years writing, revising and developing her craft.
On March 6, as part of the Temple Poets and Writers Series, Egan spoke to the Temple literary community about the difficulty of supporting oneself as a writer, [...]

‘Darker Face’ takes on roots of race, gender

Temple’s next theater production – The Darker Face of the Earth – explores gender roles, race relations and tolerance in the context of a 19th-century American cotton plantation. Although the play is set more than 150 years ago, its message is still pertinent to Temple students and the Philadelphia community today.
Written by black poet Rita [...]

‘The Misanthrope’ gives Molière a techno twist

Mauckingbird Theater Company, founded by Temple professor Peter Reynolds and student Lindsay Mauck, premiered its first piece, The Misanthrope, on Jan. 10.
Reynolds, director of musical theater for Temple’s theater department, met Mauck, a senior music education major, through their work together in the theater department. In Reynolds’ recent productions of Ragtime and Into the Woods, [...]

Draught Horse of a new color

South Philly native Jolly Weldon is a veteran restaurateur. Ten years ago, he opened Prime Rib at the Warwick Hotel at 17th and Locust streets. In 2001, he opened Jolly’s American Bar at 17th and Moravian streets. And in 2003, he opened the Redhead Piano Lounge in Rittenhouse Square.
His latest project? Temple’s very own Draught [...]

BalletX brings new, edgy moves to classical ballet

BalletX debuted as the Wilma Theater’s newest resident company last Thursday. The performance was no Nutcracker Suite.
Christine Cox and Matthew Neenan, former members of the Pennsylvania Ballet, wanted to redefine ballet in Philadelphia. In 2005, they formed BalletX, a contemporary ballet company that combines classical ballet technique with edgy, modern choreography.
“Contemporary ballet is a different [...]

Gallery Night provides First Friday perks for grown-up crowd

Last Friday night, 23 art galleries in Center City participated in Gallery Night, a grown-up version of First Friday.
Gallery Night is a free, biannual event run by Center City District, Center City’s business improvement district, and Central Philadelphia Development Corporation, a non-profit that supports public efforts to renew Center City.
“Gallery Night is a spin-off of [...]

Former student performs at University of Indianapolis Jazz Artist Series

Although saxophonist Sophie Faught spent only one year in Temple’s Jazz Studies Program, she is a legend in Presser Hall – and Philadelphia.
“I started playing tenor saxophone the summer before seventh grade,” said Faught, an Indianapolis native. “One day in middle school band, I played a chromatic scale very quickly. That’s when my band director [...]

Pee Wee’s big adventure in art

The “World’s Ugliest Mutt” Pee Wee Martini was the special guest last Thursday at the opening of Amble Gallery and Books, Northern Liberties’ newest off-beat gallery. And Pee Wee earned the title – he has a natural Mohawk, crooked face, unusual spots, long claw-like nails, no fur and a tongue that just can’t stay in [...]

Get lit with yearly bookfest

Beth Nixon, Philly-based artist, asks some tough questions.
“Do geese see God? May a moody baby doom a yam?”
You may notice these sentences read the same forward and backward – these are palindromes.
On Sunday, Oct. 7, the closing day of the seventh-annual 215 Festival, Nixon will release “So Many Dynamos,” her new, illustrated palindrome calendar, published [...]

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