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  • 2:00 PMLolita: Slave to Entertainment
  • 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Sea Shepherd Philadelphia presents a screening of the film "Lolita: Slave to Entertainment"Before Blackfish, there was Lolita........Man vs. Nature: In the summer of 1970 a barbaric hunt kills five orcas and destroys the lives of countless others. Six young orcas are ripped away from their families, sold to marine parks, and shipped across the world to a life of slavery. Three decades later, only one survives. And she just so happens to be Miami's biggest performer. This controversial independent documentary takes a disturbing look into the dark secrets of the multi billion dollar aquarium industry and questions human ethics in relationship to animals as entertainment. It is the tragic and compelling life story of Lolita, a 40 year old performing Killer Whale on display at Miami Seaquarium. This film is scheduled to coincide in January with the Miracle March for Lolita, where hundreds of people will march in Miami on January 17th to call for the release from captivity of the world's loneliest orca.  Admission is FREE
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  • 7:00 PMProject Arts pres. West Philadelphia’s Storytelling Slam Contest Benefit
  • 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM For Immediate ReleaseContact: Rich WexlerDirector Project Arts215-301-2914projecttheaterproject@gmail.comcontact Rich for jpegs or interviewsWest Philadelphia’s Storytelling Slam Contest Benefit At The RotundaProject Arts presents West Philadelphia’s Storytelling Slam Contest Benefit At The RotundaDate: Wednesday January 7th 2015Time: 7pm -10pmCost:  $5-15 sliding scaleInfo here http://projectarts.infoPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania:Project Arts presents West Philadelphia’s Storytelling Slam to benefit a free young adult storytelling class open to young adults without access to the arts, as well as teens from all backgrounds, genders, etc. We are sponsoring a contest in which we will give three cash prizes to the three best stories. The slam is open to ages 16 and up. The funds will go to help fund a free six-week storytelling class in January to support teens without access to such arts experiences. This project will teach young adults the skills to share their own stories in a performative nature. They will be given the chance to share their own personal stories, a chance to share and have their stories told, and have their voices be heard. The teacher for this class is Becca Trabin, a well known comic, storyteller, and improviser in the Philadelphia area. Our main sponsor for this project is Risk Podcast out of New York hosted by Kevin Allison (The State) and The Rotunda. This is Project Arts' first foray into smaller classes after producing “Avenue Q” in 2014, and “Rent” in 2011. We gear all classes and projects to young adults and teens without access to the arts. We incorporate educational curriculum into each of these projects as well. We keep them free in order to make sure those without means can have these experiences. 
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  • 8:00 PM
Goltzius and The Pelican Company (2012) and Blue (1993) - Andrew's Video Vault
  • 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM Andrew's Video VaultFREE Screenings Continuous From 8 PM
on the Second THURSDAY of Every Month!
 This program is made possible through the generous support of the
 Cinema Studies Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
  
January 8, 2015
GOLTZIUS AND THE PELICAN COMPANY (2012 / 128 minutes) The newest feature film from Peter Greenaway imagines 16th century Dutch engraver Hendrik Goltzius producing a “private edition” of the Old Testament for the Margrave of Alsace (F. Murray Abraham).
BLUE (1993 / 76 minutes) Derek Jarman’s final film is a perfect and unyielding blue screen complimented by soundtrack comprised of threads and fragments of sounds that chronicle the director’s own death.
 
February 12
Two long-lost “salt and pepper” action flicks from the 1980s never released on DVD. 
ENEMY TERRITORY (1987 / 89 minutes) Gary Frank and Ray Parker, Jr. star as an insurance salesman and a phone company worker trapped after dark in an apartment building that is terrorized by a street gang called “The Vampires.” Photographed by Ernest Dickerson (Do The Right Thing) and featuring early appearances by Tony Todd, Stacey Dash and Kadeem Hardison. Directed by Peter Manoogian.
CERTAIN FURY (1985 / 87 minutes) Tatum O’Neal and Irene Cara star in this New World Pictures rip-off of The Defiant Ones. Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal.
Guest Host and Curator: Mike Dennis of Reelblack Cinema
Co-presented with Irv Slifkin, author of Filmadelphia and Groovy Movies.
 
March 12
PERFECT LIVES (1984 / 175 minutes) An experimental opera for television in seven episodes, Perfect Lives premiered on Great Britain’s Channel Four, and has been called “the most influential music/theater/literary work of the 1980s.” At its center is the hypnotic voice of Robert Ashley, whose continuous song narrates the events of the story — a 1980s update of the mythology of small town America.
Guest Host and Curator: Megan Bridge of fidget 
April 9
LA VIE DE BOHÈME (1992 / 100 minutes)
 Finland’s Aki Kaurismäki’s black & white bittersweet comedy, loosely based on Henri Murger’s influential novel Scènes de la Vie de Bohème. A poet, a painter, and a playwright pool their limited means to pursue their art in this fable-like look at impoverished solidarity among friends.
AMERICAN JOB (1996 / 90 minutes) 
Writer/director Chris Smith’s (1999′s American Movie) debut is a hilariously straight-faced dark comedy about labor in the U.S. It follows the stork-like mumbler Randy as he undergoes training and orientation at a variety of low-paying, low-skilled jobs. The fictional film’s stark documentary style gives the boredom of modern work a strange urgency in this unique indie film.
Guest Host and Curator: Dan Buskirk of Phawker.com
 
May 14
DR. MABUSE, THE GAMBLER [DR. MABUSE, DER SPIELER – EIN BILD DER ZEIT] (1922 / 271 minutes)
 The most complete version of Fritz Lang’s two-part allegory, about a criminal mastermind who is both the cause (and product of) economic free-fall and social decadence in Weimar-era Berlin.
 
June 11
Two daring comedies that use blackface/whiteface to comment on race relations.
SOUL MAN (1986 / 104 minutes) New World Pictures high concept teen comedy about a white kid (C. Thomas Howell) who dons blackface in order to get a minority scholarship to Harvard would be completely reprehensible if it weren’t such an accurate snapshot of 1980s America. James Earl Jones slums it as a college professor, and stars Rae Dawn Chong and Howell would marry after working together on this film. Directed by Steve Miner.
WATERMELON MAN (1970 / 100 minutes) Melvin Van Peebles became the second African-American to direct at a Hollywood studio when he made this film about a bigoted white man (Godfrey Cambridge—in whiteface) who wakes up one morning to discover he has turned Black. Panned upon its initial release, it has became a true cult classic.
Guest Host and Curator: Mike Dennis of Reelblack Cinema 
July 9
CHAMELEON STREET (1989 / 94 minutes) Writer/director/actor Wendell B. Harris Jr’s first and only feature tells the true story of con man Douglas Street, a bored and ingenious African American male who passes himself off to white society as a journalist, doctor and scholar. A wicked and tragic satire on being black and brilliant in America.
UFOria (1985 / 93 minutes) Writer/Director John Binder’s satiric look at the Southwestern U.S. and religion follows a Waylon Jennings-loving drifter (Fred Ward) hooking up with a faith healer (Harry Dean Stanton) and a cashier who has visions of a UFO communion.
Guest Host and Curator: Dan Buskirk of Phawker.com
 
August 13
TIE XI QU: WEST OF TRACKS: PART ONE: RUST (2003 / 240 minutes) In part one of his three-part, nine hour documentary, Wang Bing hypnotically charts post-industrial decay and its effects on impoverished workers who live in northeast China. [Tie Xi Qu: West of Tracks part two, Remnants, and part three, Rails, will screen at subsequent seasons of Andrew’s Video Vault at The Rotunda.]
 
September 10
TO BE ANNOUNCED
Guest Host and Curator: Dan Buskirk of Phawker.com
 
October 8
THE INNOCENTS (1961 / 100 minutes) Perhaps the most beautifully photographed black & white horror film ever made, this suspenseful masterwork of Gothic atmosphere is an exquisite adaptation of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw featuring gripping performances by adult and child actors alike. An unforgettable tour-de-force of supernatural terror and psychological repression.
THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943 / 71 minutes) The sense of dread is palpable in this moody and nightmarish tale of urban devil worship from producer Val Lewton. Kim Hunter stars (in her debut performance) as a young woman searching for her missing sister on the menacing streets of 1940′s New York City, with plenty of striking chiaroscuro lighting.
Guest Host and Curator: Mike Zaleski
 
November 12
MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW (1937 / 91 minutes) Heart-rending in its truth and emotional beauty, Leo McCarey’s masterpiece and most personal film was created both as a love letter to his recently deceased father and as an exposé of what can happen to elderly Americans without the support of Social Security (or their children). Orson Welles said of the film: “It would make a stone cry.”
EVERYBODY’S FINE [STANNO TUTTI BENE] (1990 / 118 minutes) Marcello Mastroianni gives one of his best performances as an elderly widower who traverses Italy to visit his distant offspring, each of whom had given him an impression of their life which turns out to be very different from the actuality. A powerful and beautiful rumination on the relationship between elderly parents and their adult children.
Guest Host and Curator: Mike Zaleski
 
December 10
PERMISSIVE (1970 / 90 min) At the end of the hippie era, a broke young woman arrives in London and is initiated into the counter-culture and the seedy sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll lifestyle of a groupie. Psychedelic soundtrack by Comus and Forever More.
DUFFER (1971 / 75 minutes) Joseph Despins and William Dumaresq’s off-beat and lyrical character study of a British teenage boy shuttlecocking between a sadistic old man and motherly prostitute.Admission is FREE
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  • 7:30 PMBlind Games: a free workshop
  • 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Theatre of the Oppressed PhiladelphiaBlind Games: a free workshopNOW EXPANDED TO 3 PARTS—Come Friday at 7:30, then return for Sat. and/or Sun. if you can. These workshops are FREE! Blind Games are just what their name implies: games where some or all of the players cannot see. For one evening and two afternoons, we will explore these theatrical games and what they reveal about sightedness and blindness, ability and disability, power and privilege, as well as the nature of games and playfulness. We'll also look at cultural depictions of blindness and dis/ability with a critical eye as to how that ripples out in society and within ourselves.This fully experiential workshop will also serve as a launching point for a new theatrical work about vision loss made by two visually impaired artists. Anyone attending the first part on Friday evening can return for either or both of the other parts on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Look forward to:• Friday, 7:30-9:30 PM: We play several blind games that dynamize the other senses and prepare ourselves for the theatrical work on the following days.• Saturday, 3:00-6:00 PM: We examine depictions of blindness in film, theatre, art, mythology and elsewhere through re-enactment and re-imagination.• Sunday, 3:00-6:00 PM: We delve into disability within our own lives, how it affects us and our relationships to each other. Come and ((see)) what this is all about—RSVP to "tophilly@gmail.com"
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  • 3:00 PMBlind Games: a free workshop
  • 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Theatre of the Oppressed PhiladelphiaBlind Games: a free workshopNOW EXPANDED TO 3 PARTS—Come Friday at 7:30, then return for Sat. and/or Sun. if you can. These workshops are FREE! Blind Games are just what their name implies: games where some or all of the players cannot see. For one evening and two afternoons, we will explore these theatrical games and what they reveal about sightedness and blindness, ability and disability, power and privilege, as well as the nature of games and playfulness. We'll also look at cultural depictions of blindness and dis/ability with a critical eye as to how that ripples out in society and within ourselves.This fully experiential workshop will also serve as a launching point for a new theatrical work about vision loss made by two visually impaired artists. Anyone attending the first part on Friday evening can return for either or both of the other parts on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Look forward to:• Friday, 7:30-9:30 PM: We play several blind games that dynamize the other senses and prepare ourselves for the theatrical work on the following days.• Saturday, 3:00-6:00 PM: We examine depictions of blindness in film, theatre, art, mythology and elsewhere through re-enactment and re-imagination.• Sunday, 3:00-6:00 PM: We delve into disability within our own lives, how it affects us and our relationships to each other. Come and ((see)) what this is all about—RSVP to "tophilly@gmail.com"
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  • 3:00 PMBlind Games: a free workshop
  • 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Theatre of the Oppressed PhiladelphiaBlind Games: a free workshopNOW EXPANDED TO 3 PARTS—Come Friday at 7:30, then return for Sat. and/or Sun. if you can. These workshops are FREE! Blind Games are just what their name implies: games where some or all of the players cannot see. For one evening and two afternoons, we will explore these theatrical games and what they reveal about sightedness and blindness, ability and disability, power and privilege, as well as the nature of games and playfulness. We'll also look at cultural depictions of blindness and dis/ability with a critical eye as to how that ripples out in society and within ourselves.This fully experiential workshop will also serve as a launching point for a new theatrical work about vision loss made by two visually impaired artists. Anyone attending the first part on Friday evening can return for either or both of the other parts on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Look forward to:• Friday, 7:30-9:30 PM: We play several blind games that dynamize the other senses and prepare ourselves for the theatrical work on the following days.• Saturday, 3:00-6:00 PM: We examine depictions of blindness in film, theatre, art, mythology and elsewhere through re-enactment and re-imagination.• Sunday, 3:00-6:00 PM: We delve into disability within our own lives, how it affects us and our relationships to each other. Come and ((see)) what this is all about—RSVP to "tophilly@gmail.com"
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  • 4:30 PMCEASE THE FIRE: Peace in the Streets
  • 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM National Black Arts Spoken Word Tour                 &The Adelphia Repertory Touring Company             PresentsA Performance PEACE-A-THONThursday, January 15, 20154:30PM After-school program performance"CEASE THE FIRE: Peace in the Streets"A spoken word and dramatic staged adaptation about thecurrent trend in police brutality, violence againstchildren, youth and family and gang warfareDonation: $10.00  per person7PM  "BLACK LIFE MATTERS"A performance that chronicles the present day policehomicides and past harms done to black people andpeople of colorDonation: $10.00  per personFor more information contact:(215) 888-5285nationalblackartsspokenwordtour@yahoo.comwww.nationalblackauthorstour.com
  • 7:00 PMBlack Life Matters
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM National Black Arts Spoken Word Tour                 &The Adelphia Repertory Touring Company             PresentsA Performance PEACE-A-THONThursday, January 15, 20154:30PM After-school program performance"CEASE THE FIRE: Peace in the Streets"A spoken word and dramatic staged adaptation about thecurrent trend in police brutality, violence againstchildren, youth and family and gang warfareDonation: $10.00  per person7PM  "BLACK LIFE MATTERS"A performance that chronicles the present day policehomicides and past harms done to black people andpeople of colorDonation: $10.00  per personFor more information contact:(215) 888-5285nationalblackartsspokenwordtour@yahoo.comwww.nationalblackauthorstour.com
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  • 8:00 PMBowerbird pres. SPACE IS THE PLACE - Sun Ra sci-fi musical
  • 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    Rescheduled from November 21 

    SPACE IS THE PLACE 

    Film introduced by John F. Szwed

    On the centennial of bandleader Sun Ra's "birth or Earth arrival!" and the 40th anniversary of this cult classic featuring the mythic jazz figure, Bowerbird presents a special screening of the sci-fi musical. In Space Is the Place, Sun Ra (1914-1993) and his Intergalactic Myth-Science Arkestra land their yellow spaceship in Oakland; offer an alter-destiny; and battle the FBI, NASA, and a supernatural pimp named the Overseer. The film includes lively performances of such Arkestra favorites as "Watusi," "The Satellites Are Spinning," and "Outer Spaceways, Inc." Celebrate the legacy of Sun Ra's cosmic philosophies, complex persona, and innovative, otherworldly music. 

    We will be screening a newly restored digital version of the Sun Ra-approved version of this film (the version originally released on VHS). The evening will be opened by an introduction by Sun Ra biographer John F. Szwed.

    Admission is FREE

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  • 6:00 PMPhilly Youth Poetry Slam and Open Mic
  • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    YOUTH NIGHT OPEN MIC & POETRY SLAM

     (nearly) Every 3rd Saturday of the month, except August, PYPM hosts a youth-led open mic and poetry slam for teens to come and share their work in a safe, uncensored environment at The Rotunda. Young people from all over Philadelphia come to express themselves in front of a supportive audience where they can grab the microphone and be heard! 

    ***Interested in slamming or signing up for the open mic? See Slam Rules/Schedule, and Registration for full details. Date: Every 3rd Saturday from September through June Time: 6PM sharp (doors open at 5:45PM) PYPM YOUTH SLAM TEAM & BRAVE NEW VOICES Teens who participate in the slams earn points to qualify for the semi-final and final slams to make the PYPM Slam Team. Each year PYPM sends a Youth Slam Team to represent Philadelphia at The Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Festival to compete against over 50 other poetry teams from around the world. The festival is held in various cities across the U.S giving teens an opportunity to travel, from Los Angeles to Chicago. Youth poets earn their spot on the team by competing in Youth Night Slams. PYPM won first place at Brave New Voices in 2011 and 2007. Admission: $7 youth and Students with ID / $10 Adults / ($5 for students who attend workshop that day)

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  • 4:00 PMGian Carlo Menotti's Musical Fable AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS
  • 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Touch of Classics! Vocal EntertainmentpresentsAMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS A Musical Fable by Gian Carlo MenottiPhiladelphia's TOUCH OF CLASSICS!  is presenting the classic holiday opera AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS by Gian Carlo Menotti featuring a professional cast of Philadelphia performers and local South Jersey talent in a fully staged and costumed production at The Rotunda. The Opera will be performed at 4:00pm on January 18th. The production will feature Dorothy Cardella and James R. Longacre , Touch of Classics! co-founders, along with Casey Howell, Soprano in the title role of Amahl. The hour long opera will be performed in English and is the perfect venue for the entire family. FULL CAST: Casey Howell as Amahl, Dorothy Cardella as the Mother, Stephen Raytek as Melchior, James R Longacre as Kaspar, Edward Bogusz as Baltaszar, with Raja Vaidya  as the PageCHOREOGRAPHY: Patty NasutiSTAGE DIRECTOR: Michael TunneyMUSICAL DIRECTOR: Joseph Krupa Since 1951, the premiere year, AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS has been delighting audiences young and old with the story of the visit of the THREE KINGS on their way to pay homage to the Christ Child. The story focuses on the young crippled shepherd AMAHL and the miracle that ensues from the kingly visit. Admission: Adults: $10.00 and Children (12 and under): $5.00, Cash-Only. Come celebrate Epiphany with TOUCH OF CLASSICS and the wonderful music of composer Gian Carlo Menotti! Remember, THE THREE WISEMAN STOP IN UNIVERSITY CITY FOR ONE DAY ONLY! For a quarter of a century, Philadelphia's own TOUCH OF CLASSICS! MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT! has delighted audiences with the finest in vocal musical entertainment available in the Tri-State area. Dorothy Cardella and James R. Longacre, husband and wife duo have performed together in a variety of musical performances throughout the United States. Their specialties range from Opera to Operetta and Musical Theater, along with Cabaret and Popular Music. Individually, they have performed in productions with companies such as Opera Delaware, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Arden Theater and Walnut Street Theater, each having made a solo debut at Carnegie Hall in New York premieres. Dorothy has been soprano soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Delaware Symphony Orchestra, and James has performed a leading role with the Metropolitan Opera Guild, along with a solo debut at Avery Fisher Hall. Graduates of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, they are recognized together by their company name, Touch of Classics!Musical Entertainment and are available for concerts, parties and holiday events. ###
  • 7:00 PM#MLKMX Citywide Celebration on MLK Day Eve
  • 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM Celebration, artistry, and entertainment are as key to social change (and revolution). Let's have a ball.:: WHAT#MLKMX is a fundraiser in the form of an evening mixer featuring a live show. :: WHYWe aim to support the Philadelphia activist alliance "Coalition for REAL Justice" -- AKA ‘Ferguson to Philly’.♦ fergusontophilly.tumblr.com/We aim to energize and familiarize concerned citizens for the massive MLK Day DARE March in downtown Philly on Monday January 19th. ♦ facebook.com/ReclaimMLKPHL We aim to provide a comfortable, friendly, and rockin' environment in which to socialize and build bridges among various activist forces. We aim to help the public channel its justified rage, sadness, and anxieties through progressive, creative, and entertaining affairs.We aim to establish a fund for basic activist needs; bail funding, megaphones, t-shirts, food, light travel. And, for financially disrupted families of those killed by police. RIP to all.We will present young Black performance talent to an eager crowd. We will celebrate social justice accomplishments made so far, and gather energy for future successes.~ ~ ~$10 Minimum Offering / All Ages VENDORS WANTED$25 / table providedContact: LoveUsPhilly@gmail.com- - -#MLKMX
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  • 6:00 PMForks Over Knives film and Vegan Potluck
  • 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM The Humane League of Philadelphia hosts a screening of Forks Over Knives+ vegan potluckFilm running time is 90 minutes Film SynopsisWhat has happened to us? Despite the most advanced medical technology in the world, we are sicker than ever by nearly every measure.Two out of every three of us are overweight. Cases of diabetes are exploding, especially amongst our younger population. About half of us are taking at least one prescription drug. Major medical operations have become routine, helping to drive health care costs to astronomical levels. Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the country’s three leading causes of death, even though billions are spent each year to “battle” these very conditions. Millions suffer from a host of other degenerative diseases.Could it be there’s a single solution to all of these problems? A solution so comprehensive, but so straightforward, that it’s mind-boggling that more of us haven’t taken it seriously?Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering yet under-appreciated researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.Dr. Campbell, a nutritional scientist at Cornell University, was concerned in the late 1960’s with producing “high quality” animal protein to bring to the poor and malnourished areas of the third world. While in the Philippines, he made a life-changing discovery: the country’s wealthier children, who were consuming relatively high amounts of animal-based foods, were much more likely to get liver cancer. Dr. Esselstyn, a top surgeon and head of the Breast Cancer Task Force at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic, found that many of the diseases he routinely treated were virtually unknown in parts of the world where animal-based foods were rarely consumed.These discoveries inspired Campbell and Esselstyn, who didn’t know each other yet, to conduct several groundbreaking studies. One of them took place in China and is still among the most comprehensive health-related investigations ever undertaken. Their research led them to a startling conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole-foods, plant-based diet. Despite the profound implications of their findings, their work has remained relatively unknown to the public.The filmmakers travel with Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn on their separate but similar paths, from their childhood farms where they both produced “nature’s perfect food”; to China and Cleveland, where they explored ideas that challenged the established thinking and shook their own core beliefs.The idea of food as medicine is put to the test. Throughout the film, cameras follow “reality patients” who have chronic conditions from heart disease to diabetes. Doctors teach these patients how to adopt a whole-food, plant-based diet as the primary approach to treat their ailments—while the challenges and triumphs of their journeys are revealed.Forks Over Knives utilizes state of the art 3-D graphics and rare archival footage. The film features leading experts on health, examines the question “why we don’t know,” and tackles the issue of diet and disease in a way that will have people talking for years.Forks Over Knives was filmed all over the United States, and in Canada and China.WATCH THE TRAILER HERE Admission is FREE. Please bring a vegan dish or snack to share. Remember that vegan means NO animals products---no meat, dairy cheese, dairy milk, eggs, honey, etc.
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  • 7:30 PMPerformance Art for Social Change - part of 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 2015 Commemorative Symposium
  • 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM The University of Pennsylvania’s 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 2015 Commemorative SymposiumPresentsPerformance Art for Social Change Coming to you in Peace Love and Power“TheUnity”FeaturingBrother Robb Carter, Kitsi Watterson & Dominic Cartwright“TheUnity” Performance Art Ensemble honors the human spirit with improvisational meditative, soulful, spiritual, political jazzy music magic utilizing African rhythms, drums, percussion, wind, native instruments, spoken word and storytelling designed to enhance the light of our own true nature and heighten our distaste for racism, poverty, and injustice. Admission is FREE
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  • 10:00 AM17th annual Keystone Sacred Harp Convention
  • 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

    KEYSTONE SACRED HARP CONVENTION

    Please join us in singing from The Sacred Harp at the seventeenth annual session of the Keystone Sacred Harp Convention, Saturday and Sunday, January 24-25, 2015. There will be additional singings on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday evenings at other locations.

    All events are free and open to the public. The convention singing starts at 10:00 AM on Saturday and 9:30 AM on Sunday.  It runs until mid-afternoon with a break for dinner around noon. Please bring a dish to share (note that there are no kitchen facilities). 

    For a full schedule and more information: http://phillysacredharp.org/keystone-convention/

    To attend a free practice singing in Philadelphia: http://phillysacredharp.org

    Contact.

    Ben Cocchiaro, chair, (215) 285-2321, bencoandsons@gmail.com. Joel Bassett, vice-chair, (210) 296-7072, jbassett4@gmail.com.

    About.

    Shape-note singing descends from the singing-school movement of the 1700s. Though once widespread, it is an unbroken tradition only in the South. The Sacred Harp, which has been continuously in print since 1844, is the most commonly used shape-note book.  Since the 1960s, the shape-note singing revival has expanded across the United States and to several other countries. See Fasola.org for more on the history and practice of Sacred Harp and shape-note singing.

    “Shape notes” are the four symbols Fa, Sol, La, and Mi, which are used to aid in learning vocal parts. The pattern of shapes is the same in every major scale and every minor scale. We connect with the music first by “singing the shapes”—that is, singing the song with the shape names that represent scale degrees—before singing the lyrics.

    This is community, participatory singing with no instrumental accompaniment. Singers face each other in ranks of chairs forming a “hollow square” whose sides are tenors, trebles, altos, and basses. There is no audience. Each singer, regardless of experience, may choose a song from the book and take a turn standing in the middle of the square leading the group. Shape-note singers are not hesitant; we sing in full voice, with a strong, driving rhythm. Many of us move our arms to keep the beat.

    Many of the texts used in shape-note music are extraordinarily poetic. They deal with one’s relationship to God, life and death, and the human condition. Chorus songs are associated with the camp-meeting movement of the early 1800s. Although most of these texts have fallen out of favor in modern churches, they remain an essential part of shape-note singing practice, which participants, regardless of individual religious belief, often describe as a powerful spiritual experience. We welcome participants of all faiths, or none, and endeavor to create an atmosphere of tolerance and respect.

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  • 9:30 AM17th annual Keystone Sacred Harp Convention
  • 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM

    KEYSTONE SACRED HARP CONVENTION

    Please join us in singing from The Sacred Harp at the seventeenth annual session of the Keystone Sacred Harp Convention, Saturday and Sunday, January 24-25, 2015. There will be additional singings on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday evenings at other locations.

    All events are free and open to the public. The convention singing starts at 10:00 AM on Saturday and 9:30 AM on Sunday.  It runs until mid-afternoon with a break for dinner around noon. Please bring a dish to share (note that there are no kitchen facilities). 

    For a full schedule and more information: http://phillysacredharp.org/keystone-convention/

    To attend a free practice singing in Philadelphia: http://phillysacredharp.org

    Contact.

    Ben Cocchiaro, chair, (215) 285-2321, bencoandsons@gmail.com. Joel Bassett, vice-chair, (210) 296-7072, jbassett4@gmail.com.

    About.

    Shape-note singing descends from the singing-school movement of the 1700s. Though once widespread, it is an unbroken tradition only in the South. The Sacred Harp, which has been continuously in print since 1844, is the most commonly used shape-note book.  Since the 1960s, the shape-note singing revival has expanded across the United States and to several other countries. See Fasola.org for more on the history and practice of Sacred Harp and shape-note singing.

    “Shape notes” are the four symbols Fa, Sol, La, and Mi, which are used to aid in learning vocal parts. The pattern of shapes is the same in every major scale and every minor scale. We connect with the music first by “singing the shapes”—that is, singing the song with the shape names that represent scale degrees—before singing the lyrics.

    This is community, participatory singing with no instrumental accompaniment. Singers face each other in ranks of chairs forming a “hollow square” whose sides are tenors, trebles, altos, and basses. There is no audience. Each singer, regardless of experience, may choose a song from the book and take a turn standing in the middle of the square leading the group. Shape-note singers are not hesitant; we sing in full voice, with a strong, driving rhythm. Many of us move our arms to keep the beat.

    Many of the texts used in shape-note music are extraordinarily poetic. They deal with one’s relationship to God, life and death, and the human condition. Chorus songs are associated with the camp-meeting movement of the early 1800s. Although most of these texts have fallen out of favor in modern churches, they remain an essential part of shape-note singing practice, which participants, regardless of individual religious belief, often describe as a powerful spiritual experience. We welcome participants of all faiths, or none, and endeavor to create an atmosphere of tolerance and respect.

26
  • 6:00 PMMass Incarceration, Solitary Confinement and Torture: The Case of the Dallas 6!
  • 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Mass Incarceration, Solitary Confinement and Torture: The Case of the Dallas 6! On April 29, 2010, six courageous African American prisoners in solitary confinement at SCI Dallas engaged in a peaceful protest against the widespread abuse, violence and torture by guards which they had witnessed and endured, and helped to publicly document. The abuse included food starvation, urine and feces in their food, mail tampering and destruction, vicious beatings while electro-shock shields, taxers, fists, tear gas and pepper spray, medical neglect, use of torture chair, death threats and more. For being "whistleblowers" on this abuse, the state have charged these six men with "rioting".Please join us for a panel discussion on Mass Incarceration, Solitary Confinement and Torture. Presenters:• Shandre Delaney, Coordinator of Justice of the Dallas 6 and mother to Carrington Keys, one of the Dallas 6• Derrick Stanley, one of the Dallas 6• Theresa Shoatz, Activist and Daughter of Russell Maroon Shoatz• Luqman Abdullah, Activist and former prisoner who survived many years of Solitary Confinement.The event will be moderated by:Shesheena Bray, Sankofa Community Empowerment & We are Askia Coalition.**The Dallas 6 trial will begin on February 17th at the Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes Barre, PA. For more information on the case please contact sd4hrc@gmail.com and go to www.scidallas6.blogspot.comFor more information on the event please contact Iresha.Picot@gmail.com or Natasha.danielle86@gmail.com
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28
  • 7:00 PMWhat Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany, a powerful drama from emerging playwright Francine D. Miller, brings the struggles of 1970s Harlem to 2015 Philadelphia. CASTIan GrantNastalgia "The poet"JenkinsKeith HenleyCoby JackRobert MansellFrancine D. MillerTheodore IngramComing to us from Philadelphia playwright Francine D. Miller, author of My Husband Didn't Teach Me French and  My Man Stripped Me Down to the Ground, What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany is the story of a dignified, discontent, yet ambitious OTIS HENRY, a 36 year old man who has endured a life of setbacks, false starts and limitations that have kept him and his family in poverty. The son of parents who were part of the Great Migration, OTIS' overwhelming love and adoration for his wife ODESSA and their teenage son OTIS JR. motivates him to continue cooking up schemes to improve their lives and become their super-hero. Strangely, OTIS' deceased uncle BYRON HENRY, whom he has never met, suddenly creeps in from the dead, offering OTIS help through some old-fashioned witchcraft. Little does OTIS know that his ghostly uncle is seeking revenge against the Henry family, OTIS' now deceased relatives, who had abandoned BYRON decades ago. BYRON HENRY'S ghost is out to destroy, and this is when hell enters the Henry family, in Harlem, New York, 1974. WHY NOW? In the early 1900s, Harlem, New York was the epicenter of amazing African American arts and creative production, as well as the rise of entrepreneurs. However, after the Great Depression and the eventual death of industry in New York City, many African Americans resorted to a life of crime. Poverty was rampant due to job loss and racial discrimination. Some hopelessly resorted to dark, otherworldly, or forbidden sources in an attempt to rid themselves of poverty. THIS is where the story of OTIS HENRY begins. What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany is set in 1970s Harlem, New York. President Gerald Ford was in office and the nation was crying for jobs, particularly in the African American community. Instead of jobs, pride, and empowerment, government assistance in the form of welfare was forced upon many Harlem residents, which led to riots and protests. Once a booming, thriving dream place for African American, many of whom were transplants from the South, Harlem in the 1970s was filled with economic hardship. Consequently, scores of African American family men were left without any dignity, creating broken homes for their children. Says playwright Francine D. Miller, "As I have been taught in the past, and even find myself occasionally reflecting on, a period called the Harlem Renaissance--synonymous with African American culture during the early 20th century--- and my love and curiosity of this significant era, inspired me to write a play that has roots in this time." In 2015, we still see economic hardship in Harlem and other urban minority communities across the country. We can look to outsourcing, eminent domain, racism, cycles of abuse, poverty, addiction, and dis-empowerment. These issues put people in desperate situations--- ultimately triggering individuals to choose the wrong path in order to gain so-called success and comfort. Of course, this story is relevant to not only Harlem residents, but to all communities in the U.S that have fallen victim to such circumstances.SHOWTIMES:Wednesday January 28 at 7pmFriday January 30 at 7pmSaturday January 31 at 4pm and 8pmTickets are $8 General and $5 for Students with valid photo I.D. Advance tickets are recommended. Purchase HERE
29
  • 9:00 PMThe Gathering
  • 9:00 PM - 1:00 AM

    (nearly every last Thursday) 

     9pm-1am

     Established in 1996, The Gathering is the longest/strongest-running truly Hip Hop event in Philly. 

    The Gathering IS b-boys/b-girls, pop-lockers, emcees, graffiti writers, DJs, men, women, and children of all ages enjoying an organic, community-based celebration of The struggle, the Love, and the culture of Hip Hop. DJs spin Hiphop, breaks, and funk all night, and there are open cyphas, a tag wall, and a featured performance and graffiti panel each month. 

    Admission is $5

30
  • 7:00 PMWhat Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany, a powerful drama from emerging playwright Francine D. Miller, brings the struggles of 1970s Harlem to 2015 Philadelphia. CASTIan GrantNastalgia "The poet"JenkinsKeith HenleyCoby JackRobert MansellFrancine D. MillerTheodore IngramComing to us from Philadelphia playwright Francine D. Miller, author of My Husband Didn't Teach Me French and  My Man Stripped Me Down to the Ground, What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany is the story of a dignified, discontent, yet ambitious OTIS HENRY, a 36 year old man who has endured a life of setbacks, false starts and limitations that have kept him and his family in poverty. The son of parents who were part of the Great Migration, OTIS' overwhelming love and adoration for his wife ODESSA and their teenage son OTIS JR. motivates him to continue cooking up schemes to improve their lives and become their super-hero. Strangely, OTIS' deceased uncle BYRON HENRY, whom he has never met, suddenly creeps in from the dead, offering OTIS help through some old-fashioned witchcraft. Little does OTIS know that his ghostly uncle is seeking revenge against the Henry family, OTIS' now deceased relatives, who had abandoned BYRON decades ago. BYRON HENRY'S ghost is out to destroy, and this is when hell enters the Henry family, in Harlem, New York, 1974. WHY NOW? In the early 1900s, Harlem, New York was the epicenter of amazing African American arts and creative production, as well as the rise of entrepreneurs. However, after the Great Depression and the eventual death of industry in New York City, many African Americans resorted to a life of crime. Poverty was rampant due to job loss and racial discrimination. Some hopelessly resorted to dark, otherworldly, or forbidden sources in an attempt to rid themselves of poverty. THIS is where the story of OTIS HENRY begins. What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany is set in 1970s Harlem, New York. President Gerald Ford was in office and the nation was crying for jobs, particularly in the African American community. Instead of jobs, pride, and empowerment, government assistance in the form of welfare was forced upon many Harlem residents, which led to riots and protests. Once a booming, thriving dream place for African American, many of whom were transplants from the South, Harlem in the 1970s was filled with economic hardship. Consequently, scores of African American family men were left without any dignity, creating broken homes for their children. Says playwright Francine D. Miller, "As I have been taught in the past, and even find myself occasionally reflecting on, a period called the Harlem Renaissance--synonymous with African American culture during the early 20th century--- and my love and curiosity of this significant era, inspired me to write a play that has roots in this time." In 2015, we still see economic hardship in Harlem and other urban minority communities across the country. We can look to outsourcing, eminent domain, racism, cycles of abuse, poverty, addiction, and dis-empowerment. These issues put people in desperate situations--- ultimately triggering individuals to choose the wrong path in order to gain so-called success and comfort. Of course, this story is relevant to not only Harlem residents, but to all communities in the U.S that have fallen victim to such circumstances.SHOWTIMES:Wednesday January 28 at 7pmFriday January 30 at 7pmSaturday January 31 at 4pm and 8pmTickets are $8 General and $5 for Students with valid photo I.D. Advance tickets are recommended. Purchase HERE
31
  • 4:00 PMWhat Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany
  • 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany, a powerful drama from emerging playwright Francine D. Miller, brings the struggles of 1970s Harlem to 2015 Philadelphia. CASTIan GrantNastalgia "The poet"JenkinsKeith HenleyCoby JackRobert MansellFrancine D. MillerTheodore IngramComing to us from Philadelphia playwright Francine D. Miller, author of My Husband Didn't Teach Me French and  My Man Stripped Me Down to the Ground, What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany is the story of a dignified, discontent, yet ambitious OTIS HENRY, a 36 year old man who has endured a life of setbacks, false starts and limitations that have kept him and his family in poverty. The son of parents who were part of the Great Migration, OTIS' overwhelming love and adoration for his wife ODESSA and their teenage son OTIS JR. motivates him to continue cooking up schemes to improve their lives and become their super-hero. Strangely, OTIS' deceased uncle BYRON HENRY, whom he has never met, suddenly creeps in from the dead, offering OTIS help through some old-fashioned witchcraft. Little does OTIS know that his ghostly uncle is seeking revenge against the Henry family, OTIS' now deceased relatives, who had abandoned BYRON decades ago. BYRON HENRY'S ghost is out to destroy, and this is when hell enters the Henry family, in Harlem, New York, 1974. WHY NOW? In the early 1900s, Harlem, New York was the epicenter of amazing African American arts and creative production, as well as the rise of entrepreneurs. However, after the Great Depression and the eventual death of industry in New York City, many African Americans resorted to a life of crime. Poverty was rampant due to job loss and racial discrimination. Some hopelessly resorted to dark, otherworldly, or forbidden sources in an attempt to rid themselves of poverty. THIS is where the story of OTIS HENRY begins. What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany is set in 1970s Harlem, New York. President Gerald Ford was in office and the nation was crying for jobs, particularly in the African American community. Instead of jobs, pride, and empowerment, government assistance in the form of welfare was forced upon many Harlem residents, which led to riots and protests. Once a booming, thriving dream place for African American, many of whom were transplants from the South, Harlem in the 1970s was filled with economic hardship. Consequently, scores of African American family men were left without any dignity, creating broken homes for their children. Says playwright Francine D. Miller, "As I have been taught in the past, and even find myself occasionally reflecting on, a period called the Harlem Renaissance--synonymous with African American culture during the early 20th century--- and my love and curiosity of this significant era, inspired me to write a play that has roots in this time." In 2015, we still see economic hardship in Harlem and other urban minority communities across the country. We can look to outsourcing, eminent domain, racism, cycles of abuse, poverty, addiction, and dis-empowerment. These issues put people in desperate situations--- ultimately triggering individuals to choose the wrong path in order to gain so-called success and comfort. Of course, this story is relevant to not only Harlem residents, but to all communities in the U.S that have fallen victim to such circumstances.SHOWTIMES:Wednesday January 28 at 7pmFriday January 30 at 7pmSaturday January 31 at 4pm and 8pmTickets are $8 General and $5 for Students with valid photo I.D. Advance tickets are recommended. Purchase HERE
  • 8:00 PMWhat Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany
  • 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany, a powerful drama from emerging playwright Francine D. Miller, brings the struggles of 1970s Harlem to 2015 Philadelphia. CASTIan GrantNastalgia "The poet"JenkinsKeith HenleyCoby JackRobert MansellFrancine D. MillerTheodore IngramComing to us from Philadelphia playwright Francine D. Miller, author of My Husband Didn't Teach Me French and  My Man Stripped Me Down to the Ground, What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany is the story of a dignified, discontent, yet ambitious OTIS HENRY, a 36 year old man who has endured a life of setbacks, false starts and limitations that have kept him and his family in poverty. The son of parents who were part of the Great Migration, OTIS' overwhelming love and adoration for his wife ODESSA and their teenage son OTIS JR. motivates him to continue cooking up schemes to improve their lives and become their super-hero. Strangely, OTIS' deceased uncle BYRON HENRY, whom he has never met, suddenly creeps in from the dead, offering OTIS help through some old-fashioned witchcraft. Little does OTIS know that his ghostly uncle is seeking revenge against the Henry family, OTIS' now deceased relatives, who had abandoned BYRON decades ago. BYRON HENRY'S ghost is out to destroy, and this is when hell enters the Henry family, in Harlem, New York, 1974. WHY NOW? In the early 1900s, Harlem, New York was the epicenter of amazing African American arts and creative production, as well as the rise of entrepreneurs. However, after the Great Depression and the eventual death of industry in New York City, many African Americans resorted to a life of crime. Poverty was rampant due to job loss and racial discrimination. Some hopelessly resorted to dark, otherworldly, or forbidden sources in an attempt to rid themselves of poverty. THIS is where the story of OTIS HENRY begins. What Lies Underneath: Otis' Epiphany is set in 1970s Harlem, New York. President Gerald Ford was in office and the nation was crying for jobs, particularly in the African American community. Instead of jobs, pride, and empowerment, government assistance in the form of welfare was forced upon many Harlem residents, which led to riots and protests. Once a booming, thriving dream place for African American, many of whom were transplants from the South, Harlem in the 1970s was filled with economic hardship. Consequently, scores of African American family men were left without any dignity, creating broken homes for their children. Says playwright Francine D. Miller, "As I have been taught in the past, and even find myself occasionally reflecting on, a period called the Harlem Renaissance--synonymous with African American culture during the early 20th century--- and my love and curiosity of this significant era, inspired me to write a play that has roots in this time." In 2015, we still see economic hardship in Harlem and other urban minority communities across the country. We can look to outsourcing, eminent domain, racism, cycles of abuse, poverty, addiction, and dis-empowerment. These issues put people in desperate situations--- ultimately triggering individuals to choose the wrong path in order to gain so-called success and comfort. Of course, this story is relevant to not only Harlem residents, but to all communities in the U.S that have fallen victim to such circumstances.SHOWTIMES:Wednesday January 28 at 7pmFriday January 30 at 7pmSaturday January 31 at 4pm and 8pmTickets are $8 General and $5 for Students with valid photo I.D. Advance tickets are recommended. Purchase HERE
December 2014
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14 15 16 17 18 19 20
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28 29 30 31 1 2 3
February 2015
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8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28