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ListenUp: World Music Playlist

Posted May 13, 2020

World Music ListenUp

Listen up to the styles and rhythms of an array of different cultures reflected in this week’s world music playlist. We showcase outstanding artists we welcomed in our 19/20 season—Angélique Kidjo, Sweet Honey in the Rock and Danú, as well as 47SOUL, who made their Philadelphia debut, and Jesse Cook, who made his Annenberg Center debut. And we bring you the brilliant blend of traditional and contemporary Mexican music of Annenberg Center favorite Lila Downs and Jarana Beat (who would have made their Annenberg Center debut), artists we were sorry to miss hearing this spring. Get ready to experience this colorful mix of some of the best artists that cross our stages!

Celebrate our Philadelphia Children's Festival's 35th birthday from home

Posted May 7, 2020

Family Children's Festival Annenberg Center Recommends

Even though we can’t be together for our Philadelphia Children’s Festival’s 35th birthday, we’re still celebrating from home with some of the best virtual content from this year’s performers. We look forward to seeing you at the 2021 Children’s Festival. Please enjoy! Read more...

Spot Gourmet Burgers owner Josh Kim responds to the COVID-19 pandemic by giving back to communities in need

Katherine Blodgett  ·  Posted May 6, 2020

Special Features Children's Festival

If you’ve been to the Philadelphia Children’s Festival in recent years, you know the Spot Gourmet Burgers food cart, which serves up the best burgers, fries and hot dogs, hands-down. Spot Burgers is owned by Josh Kim, and his food cart is one of the most well-loved additions to the Festival. In fact, Spot (and Kim’s companion hot dog cart, Winky’s) quickly became the Annenberg Center’s official, exclusive food vendor of the Festival. While he opened an actual brick-and-mortar restaurant on Girard Avenue in 2016, Kim still continues going out to events and festivals because he loves the human and community connection that has always been part of his work. Read more...

ListenUp: Children's Festival playlist

Posted May 6, 2020

Music ListenUp Family Children's Festival

This week, listen to one of our most lively playlists yet. Every year, the excitement of our Children’s Festival goes beyond our theatres with a fun mix of popular, kid-friendly songs playing in our lobby and outdoor plaza all day. From “Can’t Stop the Feeling” to “I’m a Believer,” get on your feet and dance to some of the best songs you would have heard at this week’s event.

Discover the best virtual activities from our Children’s Festival plaza partners

Posted May 6, 2020

Family Children's Festival Annenberg Center Recommends

PlazaMania, the lively outdoor component of the Children’s Festival, allows kids to explore their own creativity with a feast of hands-on activities provided by arts partners from across Philadelphia. We invite you to visit them in their own online spaces, via the following list, where you’ll find a whole host of cool activities to keep the whole family busy. So take in a show, then fire up the playlist and have fun creating your own PlazaMania! Read more...

World music superstar Angélique Kidjo remains active on the virtual stage

Katherine Blodgett  ·  Posted April 30, 2020

World Music Annenberg Center Recommends

Chart-topping world music superstar Angélique Kidjo shone radiantly when she performed in the Zellerbach Theatre back in February (co-presented by World Café Live) and she remains a beacon of light since then, participating in multiple projects that push her incredible artistry out into the virtual space for us all to enjoy. This busy, four-time Grammy® Award winner recently performed on the new online series Live with Carnegie Hall, along with Nigerian Afropop star Yemi Alade, Senegalese singer-guitarist Baaba Maal, and another recent Annenberg Center performer, jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves. The session was moderated by John Schaefer of WNYC. 

Kidjo also performed Bella Bellow’s “Blewu” with Yo-Yo Ma as part of his #SongsofComfort series, appeared on Read more...

The ultimate resource for all things dance on the web

Posted April 29, 2020

Dance Annenberg Center Recommends

Countless dance companies have risen in quick and wonderful ways to help us through the pandemic. In addition to sharing their artistry through exclusive archival footage for all to enjoy watching, many of our favorite dancers and companies are teaching us, motivating us to stand up and move with classes for all ages. Following is a selection of the virtual dance that is flooding our feeds at the Annenberg Center.  Read more...

ListenUp: Jazz Playlist

Posted April 29, 2020

ListenUp Jazz

This week’s ListenUp playlist features artists from our jam-packed 19/20 jazz season. We kicked things off in October with the electrifying pianist Hiromi in a rare solo performance. In November, we welcomed drummer Ralph Peterson, who brought with him a group of elite alumni from the Jazz Messenger bands, in a show celebrating the 100th anniversary of Art Blakey’s birth. The following week, we were delighted to present the Philadelphia debut of vibraphonist Joel Ross. Two of today’s top jazz vocalists, Dianne Reeves and Alicia Olatuja graced our stages in December and February, and the sizzling hot salsa and Latin band Spanish Harlem Orchestra returned to the Annenberg Center on a cold night in January. Earlier this month, SFJAZZ Collective was slated to celebrate the 50th anniversary of two essential albums: Sly and Family Stone’s Stand! and Miles Davis’ In a Silent Way. Although we missed them this time, we can’t wait to have SFJAZZ Collective back next April.

The Pennchants present Social Distance-SING, in partnership with Philabundance

Posted April 29, 2020

Special Features

The Pennchants were formed in 1989 as an all-male subgroup of the Penn Glee Club with an interest in singing songs outside of the Glee Club’s standard barbershop and musical theatre repertoires. Opting to instead perform arrangements of the latest hit songs, The Pennchants became an overnight sensation within the campus music scene, leading them to a victory in the inter-Penn a cappella competition within a year of their inception. Praise rolled in from across the nation and The Pennchants eventually left the Glee Club in 2001. They have since experienced huge success as an award-winning, internationally touring ensemble. Read more...

Enjoy Enchantment Theatre Company's Peter Rabbit™ Tales with the family

Posted April 28, 2020

Theatre Family Children's Festival

If you’ve ever been to our annual, three-day Philadelphia Children’s Festival, you might have seen a delightful performance by Enchantment Theatre Company, who we have welcomed at our festival for numerous seasons. In 2017, Enchantment put on three sold-out performances of its charming Peter Rabbit™ Tales. Now, as an extension of its Enchantment Everywhere outreach initiative, the festival favorite has made the full-length video of Peter Rabbit™ Tales available for streaming on YouTube (see below). Read more...