FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION: https://theatreexile.org 

Broad Street Review, The Podcast

BSR_S06E02 - Theatre Exile - 25th Anniversary Season

Join us in The Wasp’s Nest, a devised sitcom-style presentation about a zany group of magical beings. A motley crew of Pearl, Fiorella, and unlucky Lucifer struggle with a seemingly simple task: what to do with a community garden? Spoiler Alert! It gets messy.Peppered with "commercials" of the most devilish sort, this show is the culmination of over a year of research, improvisations, writing exercises, and character development. Created almost entirely via Zoom, this digital presentation deals with themes including politics, power, the prison-industrial complex, sex and gardening. FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION: https://paperdollensemble.com and https://fringearts.com/event/the-wasps-nest/ 

BSR_S06E01 - The Wasp's Nest - Paper Doll Ensemble

Directed by Brett Ashley RobinsonFeaturing Kimie Muroya, Nathan Alford-Tate, Pax Ressler, Eleni Delopoulos, and Cathy SimpsonThe Ever Present, a fantastical, family-friendly new play written by award-winning playwright and author R. Eric Thomas, centers on a South Philly vacant lot that turns out to be more than meets the eye. Enter Pashmina Paredes (Kimie Muroya), a neighborhood resident collecting signatures for a petition to prevent the city from selling the lot to a devious developer, Vernal Belch (Pax Ressler). She quickly learns her neighbors all have a special connection to the house that once stood there. Follow a cast of hilarious, Philadelphia-inspired characters for a mystery adventure that spans decades and spins a constellation of awe-inspiring stories. The Ever Present asks the question: “How can we share and preserve our collective history as the world continues to change?”For each show, guests are invited to bring blankets and lawn seating. The Ever Present was made possible thanks to funding from The William Penn Foundation’s New Audiences New Places Grant, and National New Play Network’s Bridge Program Grant.Show Dates, Times, & Locations*: September 11-19, 2021Saturday, September 11, 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Columbus Square (1200 Wharton St)Sunday, September 12, 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Dickinson Square (1600 E. Moyamensing Ave)Wednesday, September 15, 5:30 p.m. at Wharton Square (2300 Wharton St)Friday, September 17, 5:30 p.m. at Stephen Girard Park (2101 Shunk St)Saturday, September 18, 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. – Columbus Square (1200 Wharton St)Sunday, September 19, 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. – Hawthorne Park (750 S 12th St)FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://theatreexile.org 

BSR_S05E12 - R.Eric Thomas - The Ever Present

Do you suck at trivia? Feel like you never get any questions right? Always down on yourself for being on a losing team? Then you’d fit right in at Gilligan Gigs Again, a trivia cabaret on radical self-acceptance. With former rock tambourinist Gilligan Gideon as your host, you can rest assured you won’t be the dumbest person in the room.Join us at the Victoria Freehouse in Old City, and you’ll learn the answers to questions like: When was D-Day? What’s that song I’m thinking of? And why are we so mean to ourselves?But hey! Don’t worry! At this gig, everyone will know the answer to something!Don’t know Gilligan? Well, that’s because he’s a loser. Gilligan just can’t catch a break! Kicked out of his band “The Gulags.” Ousted from his apartment by ex-girlfriend, Gloria. And completely unable to book a single gig—except this run-down trivia night. But the spotlight is what he wants and he’ll take it where he can get it.In Gilligan Gigs Again, audiences will learn that loving yourself isn’t always easy, and winning can’t be everything. Drink, laugh and take on trivia questions with this unhinged ginger who’s only trying to get by and get his next gig.Box Office Information:https://fringearts.com/event/gilligan-gigs-again/ 

BSR_S05E11 - Gilligan Gigs Again and a BSR Editorial Corner

Begin your journey in an 8,000 square foot abandoned laboratory building, at 2nd and Spring Garden streets, where expert researchers are trying to understand what the mysterious Dr. Livingston was working on and determine if there is anything to salvage before the building is demolished. You will quickly find clues from nonsensical scribblings that Dr. Livingston was not only a considerable genius, but also an impractical man teetering on insanity.Part video game, part escape room, and part performance, Dragonbutter takes you through multiple themed rooms filled with stunning light and sound arrangements. You and 11 of your companions will need to tackle riddles, hidden doors, and creative challenges leading up to the finale where you will come face-to-face with the “Boss.” Who will get out of the laboratory?Dragonbutter is recommended for children 13 and older. Performances have a limited capacity of 12 people and will run from July 9 through 26.FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.briansandersjunk.com/dragonbutter and https://www.facebook.com/events/263009785619426/ 

BSR_S05E10 - Brian Sanders' JUNK presents, "Dragonbutter"

OLD CITY JEWISH ARTS CENTER Presents: A Golem Sleeps and Wakes in the Mourning WHERE: Old City Jewish Arts Center, 119 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA WHEN: Opening is First Friday, June 4th, 2021 from 5:00pm - 9:00pm.Gallery open Thursdays 4pm - 8pm, Fridays 11am - 5pm, Saturdays 11am - 8pm, and Sundays 11:00am - 5:00pm and by appointment through July 2nd. Live gallery performances and artist talk on the evenings of Friday June 25th and July 2nd. Artist talks at 6pm, and Performances at 5:30pm and 7pm. An interactive exhibit of images, objects, video, and live performance from the theatrical practice of Logan Gabrielle Schulman and Benjamin Behrend will be presented at the Old City Jewish Arts Center (OCJAC) throughout June, and opens the First Friday of June (6/4) at 5pm. It features filmed performances and multimedia art objects from “the theatre of grief,” a series of four theatrical works created over the last three years in the wake of the Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting in Pittsburgh, PA in 2018. Additionally, OCJAC is ecstatic to present an original performance adapted from rituals within Schulman and Behrend’s theatrical practice over four showings, two per night, on Friday June 25th and July 2nd at 5:30pm and 7pm, featuring live musical accompaniment, dance, and puppetry. Between the two performances, at 6pm, there will be a conversation with the performer, artists Schulman and Behrend, and Aleida Garcia, a Philadelphia community leader, victim advocate, and the founder of the National Homicide Justice Alliance. In describing their aims, Schulman said they hope that their works function to both encourage active reflection in the viewer, as well as activate them to move towards justice and common sense gun legislation. “Sadly, gun violence has become so widespread and commonplace in the U.S. that it is almost too easy for someone to move on with their day after learning of an instance of violence,” says Schulman. “These performances and associated visual works seek to force the audience to reckon with the ripple-effect of each and every single loss — how a single family’s existence is irrevocably upended at the loss of a child.” Schulman and Behrend’s work prominently features the Golem, a mythical earthen creature from Jewish folk mythology, traditionally understood to be a protector of a persecuted people. In their contemporary take on the fable, “we see the Golem as a failed attempt at solving the problem of violence; what good is a clay hero against a bullet? What good is an old protector against a modern monstrosity?” asks Behrend. In their canon of works, the Golem has been relegated as a shepherd of lost souls, reassigned by G-d to live out the rest of its days in Sheol, the place where the lost souls of the dead are sent, in order to grieve for all the lives it couldn’t save. 

BSR_S05E09 - A Golem Sleeps and Wakes in the Mourning

Moses and Kitch stand around on the corner – talking shit, passing the time, and hoping that maybe today will be different. As they dream of their promised land, a stranger wanders into their space with his own agenda and derails their plans. Award-winning playwright Antoinette Nwandu purposely crafts language that many deem “profane” into poetic and humorous riffs, exposing the enduring human spirit of young men stuck in a cycle looking for a way out. A provocative riff on Waiting for Godot, Pass Over is a timely tale told by a bold American voice.FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION: http://theatreexile.org

BSR_S05E08 - Ozzie Jones - Pass Over

Theatre Philadelphia presents Philly Theatre Week: a celebration of artists, organizations, and audiences that have made Greater Philadelphia one of the most vibrant theatre regions in the nation. Audiences will have an opportunity to try unique events from our theatre community through a series of virtual and non-traditional productions, readings, and much more!This year, shows include 75 unique virtual performances, theatre films, audio plays, outdoor events, and more - all from Philly-based theaters and artists!Each show is unique! Whether it's all access or limited availability, an outdoor event or livestream, you'll find details on every show's page about how to register, how to access, and more!Follow www.phillytheatreweek.com for the latest news, shows, and updates.

BSR_S05E07 - Philly Theatre Week - LaNeshe Miller-White

ABOUT ZOO MOTELHow many secrets can one room hold?Step into this virtual odyssey that combines interactive live theater, gripping storytelling, cinematic illusions, and magic all in one creative hour of surprises.Theatre Exile invites you to check into ZOO MOTEL, devised by director, designer, and performer Thaddeus Phillips in 2020 as a quarantined experiment that offers a window into what’s possible for live performance — a world where audiences from around the globe can share a mind-bending adventure in the comfort of their own home.Broadcast live and online from one room in a South American village, ZOO MOTEL takes you on a journey to Spain, Japan, the Mojave Desert, and other parts of the world alongside fellow motel guests. One room, endless possibilities. ZOO MOTEL.FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION:www.theatreexile.orgwww.zoomotel.org

BSR_S05E06 - Zoo Motel - Thaddeus Phillips

Tired of figuring out what to cook for dinner? Bored with everything Netflix has to offer? Then Francesca Chilcote and Connor Hogan have just the show for you. In Dinner! Franny and Connor Write a Cookbook, two food-obsessed friends help you concoct a meal from the ingredients deep in your pantry while serving up a generous portion of laughs. And, as it is performed over Zoom, you don't even need to dress up to join us for Dinner! Folks can buy tickets at our Eventbrite page here. We've also been compiling pictures of all the dishes we create with our audiences on our Instagram page—@dinner.exclamation.pointAbout Us: Francesca Chilcote and Connor Hogan are devising artists based in DC and Philadelphia, respectively, who work in alterna-clown (clown how you least expect it). Life-long friends, they share a love for cooking, eating, sharing stories about food, and, most importantly, discussing what they want to eat next. Dinner! represents their combined love of food and theatre. Through this piece, they hope to share their friendship and their love of food with audiences everywhere. Contact: dinner.exclamation.point@gmail.com

BSR_S05E05 - Dinner! Franny and Connor Write a Cookbook!

ABOUT BRIYANA D. CLARELBriyana D. Clarel – is a Black queer theatre artist, writer, and educator passionate about musical theatre, mangoes, and memoirs. Briyana is the host of A Very Virgo Virtual Show and the founder of The Starfruit Project, a platform supporting radical healing and brilliant growth through creativity. Briyana’s poetry and prose are published in TAYO Literary Magazine, cavity, Black Youth Project, MELANINzine, and print anthologies. As a director, performer, and playwright, they have brought stories to life with the Painted Bride Art Center, Shoe Box Theatre Collective, Theatre Evolve, Dixon Place, Broad Views on Broadway, Cabernet Cabaret ATX, Philly Free Fringe, and more. Their solo show unboxed: a healing debuted at the 2018 OUTsider Festival. Briyana is a 2016 recipient of the Acts of Greatness LGBTQ Youth Community Award, a 2020-2021 Core Playwright with InterAct Theatre Company, and a 2020 Leeway Foundation Arts and Change Grantee. They are one-fourth of Philly sketch comedy team The Rhubarbs and a member of Ring of Keys. Born and raised in South Jersey, Briyana earned an AB in Sociology from Princeton University. They love sleep, ferns, and taro bubble tea. Keep up with their adventures at briyanaclarel.com and @briyanaclarel.ABOUT DIRECTORS GATHERING and JAMDirectors Gathering serves directors to serve the theatre.Directors Gathering (DG) is a membership organization that through the power of community consistently provides development, connections, and process-based opportunities for regional theatre directors.(DG) is committed to creating anti-racist, inclusive, equitable, safe, accessible, and transparent spaces in all facets of our gathering.JAM is a new approach to JAM. It's not just about the process of the director it's about directing as an experience. Directors can at times feel isolated so JAM this year is about bringing directors together to JAM! We've been affectionately calling JAM a mini residency this year.FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://directorsgathering.comTwitter: @DirectorsGatherInstagram: @DirectorsGather

BSR_S05E04 - Briyana D. Clarel - DG JAM 2021

ONE-MAN NUTCRACKERWRITTEN & PERFORMED BY CHRIS DAVISDIRECTED BY MARY TUOMANENSOUND DESIGN BY ADRIANO SHAPLINThe Nutcracker is back! Performed live at Plays & Players Theatre and streamed to your living room! Bring a little bit of holiday cheer to you and your family this December with a re-telling of the classic Nutcracker story, performed by only one man! What's Christmas without the Nutcracker?Marie, little boy Fritz, creepy uncle Drosselmeyer, the seven headed rat king, the Sugar Plum fairy, all channeled through one actor. Chris Davis is proud to bring you One-Man Nutcracker, an unconventional re-telling of the original E.T.A. Hoffman story and Ballet. FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION:http://RealChrisDavis.com 

BSR_S05E03 - Chris Davis - One Man Nutcracker

ABOUT D-PADD-Pad, which makes its world premiere at Theatre Exile,  explores the world of independent gaming through the lens of wunderkind developer Alex as she creates something beyond entertainment. Written with humor, thoughtfulness, and humanity, D-Pad follows Alex as she finds herself in a nightmare of production delays, self-doubt, and a rabid fan base. Interactions with real and virtual characters lead Alex into self-isolation as she struggles with family and in her male-dominated industry.FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://theatreexile.org 

BSR_S05E02 - D-Pad (Theatre Exile) Jeremy Gable

About The ArtistsSchulman and Behrend have been collaborating on bold new theater works since 2017, responding to and reflecting on questions of faith, loss, and the pep-zing-zap of life in between.For Tickets and Information: https://fringearts.com/event/welcome-to-the-shiva-house/

BSR_S05E01 - Welcome To The Shiva House

ABOUT JAMES JACKSONIndependent theatre producer: Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, James Jackson is a freelance artist of theatre direction, design, and production; as well as still & motion picture production.http://raveneyes.comABOUT LIGHT THIEF PRODUCTIONSLight Thief LLC is a production company serving the technical, creative, and equipment needs of business clients in the theatrical, live event, photography, film, advertising, video, and commercial production spaces.Light Thief on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtED0al8wzDitoOe27zefAg

BSR_S04E15 - James Jackson - Light Thief Productions

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