I have been doing volunteer shifts doing court observing as masked ICE agents are snatching immigrants when they come to court for mandatory immigration court appointments. Volunteers help distribute information about immigrants’ rights, collect emergency contact information so we can let someone know if they are detained, and try to
This is an extra Philadelphia-heavy edition, because all of a sudden there are a ton of exciting events all clustered together happening here! And still no centralized place to find out about them, as far as I can tell, so please enjoy this cobbled together attempt to spread the word.
It's likely you've heard about the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) withdrawing project grants that had already been awarded, which happened Friday, May 2. Many, if not most, of the NEA's staff members have resigned, including the three hardworking and dedicated (and stylish)
Links Hall is a small performing arts venue in Chicago that has been a vital home for independent artists for the last 45 years or so. Last week the organization announced that they would be closing at the end of June due to ongoing financial troubles. When I heard the
Next week I’ll be traveling to Louisiana doing what I’m calling a roadtrip residency. Will probably share more about what’s behind that residency in a future newsletter but for now, I just wanted to share a few things my pre-trip research has turned up, both horrifying and
Woof, with so much news flooding the pipelines this week, I know I'm not alone in feeling just a mite overwhelmed. As a result, I'm going to share a half-dozen things I read on the internet this week that made me laugh, gave me a deeper
Hello! I know we're all up in arms about nonsense at the Kennedy Center and changes at the National Endowment for the Arts, and I have a few opinions too, but for this week, just keeping it mostly local. BigKid spotlight Last week I got to drop by
After the democracy-in-free-fall week we've had, this newsletter is only going to lift up a few moments of Philadelphia joy amongst the chaos. I think there is an overabundance of toxic positivity in our field, but also?, celebrating a few wins or refuges or window cats has its
The week felt full of horrors, small and large. A former student trying to update their passport and finding that there are now only two gender options. An immediate freeze on all foreign aid. The National Gallery of Art closing its Office of Belonging and Inclusion. A parade of jokers
So many passings in recent weeks. In addition to the three artists below, there's been Jimmy Carter, David Lynch, and my own sweet grandmother, who died at 98. I feel like holding onto their transitions in the maelstrom of whatever is coming next; may we use their spirits
My end of the year reflections have been centering on how much fun it is to learn things. A few weeks ago, my heat wasn't acting like it was supposed to and I got the chance to learn about how my heating system works. I saw a bunch
I'm meditating on time and tree rings and just how many things can change in 24 years after seeing the closing performance of this iteration of Team Sunshine Performance's Sincerity Project, which is #5 in the series. If you are outside of Philly, you may not
Last week I forgot to share a moment of Sisterly Affection. Did my appreciation for Philadelphia subconsciously swerve? Happy to report that it's back this week, hopefully not-to-be-forgotten in the future. I also forgot something important when I rounded up some of my favorite books of the year
Weeks ago, I wrote that I’d be reviewing this book from NCCAkron, Artists on Creative Administration, edited by Tonya Lockyer. That has not materialized as I’m going to be reviewing the book for an actual publication (spoiler alert: I liked it very much, as did this thINKingDANCE reviewer)
Extra-long and juicy edition this week because we have the second-ever New in town feature, with Dara Silverman of Agile Rascal Theatre, and some remembrances of Judith Jamison. (If you missed the first New in town, with Chels Fryer, you can catch it here.) New in town - welcome! One
Well friends, here we are. I hope you're taking care of your spirit and your body this week and in the weeks ahead of us. And if there are resources that you find especially helpful or invigorating or collective actions that seem especially effective or galvanizing or promising
Election Day is upon us and it's well nigh impossible to ignore here in the swingiest of swing states, Pennsylvania. As anxiety is just creeping around everywhere, I've found myself feeling grateful for so many things pushing against despair, including an extremely cute South Philly Halloween.
Hello, newsletter friends. Wow, so much happening every day... trying to sum up a week feels wild but here are a few things worth noticing. Still/Here gets a revival News from the concert dance world is that Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company is remounting Still/Here, originally premiered
Maybe because I was reading Margo's Got Money Troubles, a great novel with a young protagonist who makes a living through OnlyFans, or because I was listening to this absorbing podcast about how billionaires avoid paying taxes, or because I was able to attend a session at the
I was traveling last week, so here are a few items of interest that caught my attention over the last couple of weeks. Hope you are enjoying the full swing of fall wherever you are... A quick history of Philadelphia dance Megan Bridge is going to be writing about dance
This week I kept seeing artists do very impressive things. A beatboxer had 10 seconds left in a competition and instead of wrapping things up, he took it up a few notches and packed an entire tiny symphony into those 10 seconds. I saw an artist deliver a gorgeous, vulnerable
Hello! You can check out the 'about' page if you'd like a little context for where I'm coming from. Each newsletter closes with a Philadelphia moment, institution, or window cat of the week because I love it here. And I'm always open
Welcome, new readers! You can check out the 'about' page if you'd like a little context. Each newsletter closes with a Philadelphia moment, institution, or window cat of the week because I love it here. And I'm always open to suggestions, feedback, responses at
This week's dispatch will be a short one as I am home sick in bed instead of gallivanting about town seeing shows. 😢 Let me live vicariously through you and tell me what you're seeing and what you think about it! New FringeArts leadership If you are