Shakespeare in Clark Park will return in July with five nights of Coriolanus. The company is continuing its commitment to “radical community engagement,” which for the past three years has seen the community become a part of its annual summer show.

Shakespeare in Clark Park community workshop (Photo courtesy SCP).

Since this fall, Shakespeare in Clark Park has been hosting free acting workshops for the community and private workshops at senior centers and youth groups.

On February 16 and 17, the company will host two workshops in West Philly, where community members can hone their acting skills, have a good time, and even prep for the upcoming community auditions for Coriolanus. Community members will receive training on voice, movement and scene work from professional actors.

Here’s more information on the workshops:  Continue Reading

Photo by Kyle Cassidy.

Starting this Wednesday, Curio Theatre will begin showing Madville, a new play written by West Philly playwright and Curio’s Artistic Director Paul Kuhn. This is his first original work produced by Curio since co-writing 2009’s A Funeral Farce.

Madville is the world created by children living in the Canadian woods who return as adults and struggle with memories of surviving in this remote location. They share stories from their experience trying to connect with or understand their shared past and disagreements arise over whose memories are more accurate. The audience will face this puzzle along with the characters.

“For me, it’s about madness,” says Kuhn. “It’s that time that you look back on your past and how crazy it was, that you weren’t even realizing you were steeped in madness at the time… Hopefully the audience will see something in their own childhood, that moment of, ‘Oh my God, why didn’t we die?’”

Madville is directed by Rosemary Fox who is making her directorial debut at Curio Theatre. The cast includes Jennifer Summerfield, Paul Kuhn, Rachel Gluck and Harry Slack of West Philadelphia.

Paul Kuhn’s “Madville”

March 20-April 13, 2013 
at the Calvary Center, 4740 Baltimore Avenue
Tickets: $15-20 ($5 off for preview tickets: March 20-21)
Thursday’s, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.

Here’s an assortment of events taking place in the neighborhood this weekend (May 3-6). For more events, visit our “Happenings” section.

• Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 4pm – “MAYA 2012: Lords of Time” Exhibition Opening Celebration, Penn Museum (3260 South Street)

This is one of the biggest and most anticipated exhibitions of the year. The opening celebration features Maya music and dance, arts and crafts and cultural traditions from Mexico and Central America. All celebration activities are open to the public with MAYA 2012 tickets or with general admission to the Penn Museum. Click here for more information on opening weekend programs.

•  Sunday, noon – 4pm – Dock Street BIG Bottle Release Party, Dock Street Brewery (50th & Baltimore)

Dock Street Brewery celebrates the release of an array of limited, naturally-carbonated beers in 750ml Champagne format. Only 12 cases will be released and available for sale on Sunday. Apart from the beer, there will be live music by Shakey Lyman (classic old school blues) and Dock Street will be preparing slices of pizza all afternoon. For more information, visit this page.

• Friday & Saturday, 10am – 3pm – Philadelphia Children’s Festival, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (3680 Walnut Street)

The 28th annual Philadelphia International Children’s Festival features family-friendly music, theatre and dance performances, as well as a host of fun and interactive activities in the Fun Zone on the Outdoor Plaza including crafts, face painting, jugglers and more. Individual tickets are $10 and include access to the Fun Zone. For more information on the shows and to buy tickets, click here.

• Thursday, Friday & Saturday – 8pm – The Tempest; Saturday – 1pm – Kid Curio and The Improv Avengers, Curio Theatre (4740 Baltimore Ave)

Curio Theatre presents shows for adults and children alike this weekend. The second week of Shakespeare’s The Tempest begins tonight at 8 p.m. and on Saturday bring your little ones to Kid Curio, an interactive show where kids don’t just come and watch the show, but are part of the action. Tickets for both shows are available here.

According to the announcement on the Curio Theatre Facebook page, tonight’s performance of Lord of the Flies in Clark Park has been canceled due to rainy weather and soggy ground conditions. Tomorrow’s and Friday performances are still on (scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.).

High school students ages 14-21 are invited to participate in the auditions for the high school version of the popular musical RENT to be staged in West Philly. The auditions will take place at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) on Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11, from 8 a.m. to noon, and Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (call backs are from 1:30 to 5 p.m.).

The audition requires two songs of approximately three minutes in length, preferably from the RENT soundtrack. Musical accompaniment can be provided. To make arrangements in advance email: projecttheaterproject [at] gmail.com.

Prior theater experience is not necessary, but parental permission is required. Students that are cast for roles in RENT will be required to attend sixteen three-hour rehearsals in September, October, and November. The shows are scheduled for December.

Local community theater group PROJECT THEATER PROJECT is working on this production. For more information on the production, auditions and rehearsals go here.