MUSEUMS
Get up close to some friendly bugs at the Academy of Natural Science’s Bug Fest. / Will Klein
Bug Fest
Saturday and Sunday
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
$14-$16, 215-299-1000
www.ansp.org
Insects take over Drexel’s Academy of Natural Sciences at this annual event, with with special activities and exhibits: Some scientific, some artistic, all dedicated to the world of bugs, including the popular cockroach race, plenty of other live specimen, talks on the latest bug findings and even a little culinary preparation. Chocolate chirp cookies, anyone?
MUSIC
Bach Cello Suites No. 1 and No. 5: ‘Two Masterpieces Juxtaposed’
Thursday, 8 p.m.
Curtis Institute of Music
1726 Locust St.
$30, 215-882-9974
www.sjimf.com
The concert, which opens the 2014 Sejong International Music Festival, will contrast not only two of Bach’s cello suites, but also two different kinds of cello: the modern cello, played by Edward Aaron, and the baroque cello, played by James Wilson. The festival’s artistic director, Hsin-Yun Huang, will hold a short discussion with the performers afterward.
ART
Jennifer Bartlett: ‘In the Garden (1980-83)’
Through Sept. 27
Locks Gallery
600 Washington Sq. South
Free, 215-629-1000
www.locksgallery.com
This exhibition brings together acclaimed artist Jennifer Bartlett’s complete series of paintings made from drawings she created during her stay at a villa in Nice, France, in the early ’80s. We don’t see, here, the traditional vision of gardens as idyllic, harmonious little worlds. Bartlett’s garden is badly kept, seemingly abandoned, and it has a haunted, forsaken sort of beauty.
David Katz: Reaching ‘Higher’
Friday through Sept. 7
Twenty-Two Gallery
236 S. 22nd St.
Free, 215-772-1911
www.twenty-twogallery.com
Local artist David Katz has something of a split artistic personality, sometimes working from the muted stillness of everyday life, other times exploring a surreal, psychedelic pop dreamland. On his website he states that listening to music is essential to his process, and his goal is to have “the viewer feel the music and feel the life in each piece.”
MOVIES
‘The Babadook’
Friday, 11:59 p.m.
PFS Theater at the Roxy
2023 Sansom St.
$7, 267-639-9508
www.filmadelphia.org
The latest installment in the Philadelphia Film Society’s “Graveyard Shift” series is this 2013 Australian horror film, in which the monstrous villain of a mysterious, creepy children’s book wreaks supernatural havoc in the life of a single mother and her young son, who believes the monster is real. A few insane events later and she’s convinced too.
COMEDY
‘DTF: Darryl and Timaree Fun Hour’
Friday, 10:30 p.m.
Philly Improv Theater
2030 Sansom St.
$10-$12, 267-233-1556
www.phillyimprovtheater.com
Dr. Timaree Schmit is an honest-to-goodness sexpert with a Ph.D. in human sexuality education; Darryl Charles is a comedian who does not have a Ph.D. but is funny. Together they present this monthly mix of comedy and sex talk. This round’s guests are drag artist Icon Ebony-Fierce and comedians Steve Swan and Michael Kramer Casey.
FOOD
Stephen Starr-Garry Maddox Barbecue Challenge
Saturday, 4 to 7 p.m.
Citizens Bank Park
1 Citizens Bank Way
Free, 267-886-8233
www.garrysbbqchallenge.org
Local restaurants and pit masters face off to see who has the best barbecue, all to benefit Compete 360, an organization founded by Garry Maddox that helps urban youth. Admission is free, but samples cost $5 for a redeemable ticket or $10 for three. There’s also a pretty serious cornhole tournament — check the website for more details.
DRINK
100 Bottles of Beer on the River Craft Beer Festival
Saturday, 2 to 7 p.m.
Cavanaugh’s River Deck
417 N. Columbus Blvd.
$25, 21+, 215-629-7400
www.theriverdeck.com
Cavanaugh’s River Deck hosts this fest, with more 100 different craft beers for you to choose from for your unlimited sampling pleasure, and a complimentary glass to take home. Not much else to say really, but need we say more? Perhaps only that the lovely river view from the deck is a nice bonus, and that is also free — as are the very drunk people we expect at Cav’s.
THEATER
‘Crazyface’
Sunday through Aug. 24
Christ Church Neighborhood House
20 N. American St.
$25, 215-278-9504
www.brainspunktheater.com
BrainSpunk Theater presents this weird, dark comedy by horror master Clive Barker, written during his early days in the Liverpool theater world. It tells the story of Crazyface, a clown of sorts with a pet dead fish and occasional visions, who embarks on a “Candide”-esque journey from folly to wisdom, meeting all sorts of crazy characters along the way.
‘The Glass Menagerie’
Thursday through Aug. 24
Off-Broadstreet Theatre
1636 Sansom St.
$15-$20, 800-838-3006
www.off-broadstreet.com
Tennessee Williams’ 1944 breakthrough work, presented here by Commonwealth Classic Theater Company, peaks into a dark corner of the world, where a family is withering away. It’s narrated by the young aspiring writer Tom. He tells of his life with his mother and sister, who seem hopelessly lost in memories and fantasies. What will become of them?
DANCE
“Penumbra” blends dance, music and art. / Photo provided
‘Penumbra’
Saturday, 7 p.m.
AUX Performance Space
319 N. 11th St.
$8, 800-838-3006
www.voxpopuligallery.org
Unraveled presents a show mixing dance, live music and installation art into a multisensory spectacle exploring the darker instincts of its creators. Ballerinas Marina Kec, Jenna Frome, Caitlin Dagle and Nicole Battestilli will dance to three quite different sets of music from Ecstatic Vision, Entertainment and Canada, amidst a visual setting provided by Unraveled’s art director, Farida Amar.
