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What to do in Philadelphia from Feb. 8 to 14

Indoor mini-golf, trippy movies, dramatic readings, fancy chairs, and more.

Through February 17, Philadelphia Theatre Week brings plays, musicals, improv shows, and more to stages citywide.
Through February 17, Philadelphia Theatre Week brings plays, musicals, improv shows, and more to stages citywide.Read moreCourtesy of Going Dark Theatre

THEATER

Philly Theatre Week

An 11-day, 100-plus-event celebration of onstage entertainment, Philly Theatre Week brings improv shows, musicals, classic plays, interactive productions, panel discussions, and more to venues citywide, all at eminently affordable prices. — Grace Dickinson

Through Feb. 17. Locations vary per show. Free, $15, or $30, depending on the show. theatrephiladelphia.org

MUSEUMS

The Art of Seating

Stickley and Eames aren’t the only big names in chairs — more than 40 culturally significant seats are the subject of the Michener Art Museum’s latest exhibit. The Doylestown institution explores the idea of the chair as art, showcasing designs by Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, Isamu Noguchi, and more. — Jenn Ladd

Opens Saturday. Through May 5. James A. Michener Art Museum, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown. $15, $13 for seniors, $8 for students with ID, $5 for ages 6-18, free for members and children under 6. michenerartmuseum.org

MINI-GOLF

Linvilla Mini Golf Tournament

Get ready to tee up and show off those putting skills — with beer in hand — at Linvilla’s adults-only indoor mini-golf tournament. Players can register as teams of two or four by calling 610-876-7116; prizes will be awarded to those who come in first, second, and third. Beverages from Ship Bottom Brewery and light fare will be for sale. — G.D.

7 to 9 p.m. Friday. Linvilla Orchards Garden Center, 137 W. Knowlton Rd. $30 to $60. 610-876-7116. linvilla.com/family-fun/mini-golf-tournament

BOOKS

‘Glory: A Life Among Legends’

Chicago-born Dr. Glory Van Scott performed on Broadway with the likes of Pearl Bailey and James Earl Jones; danced with the American Ballet Theatre and the Katherine Dunham Co.; acted in The Wiz; and taught theater at Bucknell University, Fordham University, and the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. Head to Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books in Germantown to catch a reading and book signing with the 71-year-old artist. — J.L.

7 p.m. Wednesday. Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books, 5445 Germantown Ave. Free. 215-403-7058. unclebobbies.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Opening of ‘Long Light: Photographs by David Lebe’

View close to 150 works from experimental photographer David Lebe, who began his career in Philadelphia after graduating from the Philadelphia College of Art in 1970. Lebe, known for his work with pinhole cameras and light drawing, draws heavily from his experiences as a gay man living with AIDS. “Long Light” — the first museum survey devoted to him — examines his wide artistic range across five decades. — G.D.

Opens Saturday. Perelman Building, 2525 Pennsylvania Ave. $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, $14 for students with ID and ages 13-18, free for 12 and under. philamuseum.org/exhibitions

TALKS

Criminal Justice Reform Conversation and Panel

In connection with One Book, One Philadelphia’s 2019 selection, Sing Unburied Sing, two of the city’s top-ranking lawyers — District Attorney Larry Krasner and Chief Public Defender Keir Bradford-Grey — share the Free Library’s stage. After their conversation about their offices’ work, a panel of once-incarcerated leaders will discuss topics including advocacy in juvenile justice, reentry services, and local policy. — J.L.

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday. Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St. Free. facebook.com/events/783438725324520

FILM

‘ORG’

An intricate, experimental horror film from 1979, ORG was inspired by an Indian legend and powered by the mind of Argentine writer-director Fernando Birri, who was exiled to Italy. Thousands of cuts and hundreds of audio tracks are incorporated into this three-hour-long epic, something that’s been experienced by only a few of even the most dedicated trippy/esoteric film fans. — Thea Applebaum Licht

7 to 10 p.m. Friday. Lightbox Film Center, 3701 Chestnut St. $10, $8 for students and seniors, free for members. 215-895-6590. lightboxfilmcenter.org

‘National Treasure’ - A Live Reading

After performing a sold-out dramatic reading of Die Hard last December, the folks behind Theatre Contra tackle another blockbuster-epic’s script, line by line. Tattooed Mom hosts this tongue-in-cheek fund-raiser, which benefits the young theater company’s 2019 season. Enjoy meatless Monday deals while you’re there. — J.L.

7 to 9 p.m. Monday. Tattooed Mom, 530 South St. Free, suggested $10 donation. theatrecontra.com/current

FOOD

Food Fight: Equality, Opportunity, and the Pursuit of Independence

At this lunchtime discussion at Jefferson University, all eyes will be on Kerry Brodie, founder of New York-based Emma’s Torch, which provides culinary training for refugees as a path to employment. Brodie will chat about the nonprofit’s mission and impact. The event is first-come, first-served with registration and includes complimentary refreshments. — G.D.

Noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday. Connelly Auditorium, Hamilton Building, 1001 Locust St. Free with registration. jefferson.edu

FAMILY

‘America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far’

Bring the family out to explore the Please Touch Museum’s newest — and first religious — exhibit, a celebration of modern and historic Muslim cultures. Filled with hands-on activities, the six-month feature invites little ones to weigh spices, trade goods, see an 1852 Quran, and watch demos from local and national Muslim artists, musicians, and storytellers. Find influences from Philadelphia’s own Muslim population, one of the largest in the United States. — G.D.

Through Sept. 2. Please Touch Museum, 4231 Ave. of the Republic. Free with admission. pleasetouchmuseum.org

OUTDOORS

Til’ Death Do Us Part

Let the romance of a Victorian cemetery and the mystique of long-lost love make your Valentine’s Day weekend hauntingly special. During a tour of Laurel Hill Cemetery, you’ll hear stories about love affairs that lingered after deaths. Afterward, you’ll sit down for wine and snacks by the fire. —T.A.L.

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Laurel Hill Cemetery, 3822 Ridge Ave. $20, $18 seniors and students, $17 members. 215-228-8200. thelaurelhillcemetery.org

Owl Prowl

These elusive nocturnal predators can be difficult to spot without some guidance. Join a group of avian enthusiasts and learn what to look for by observing the Schuylkill Center’s rehabilitated owls, then head out with flashlights to search for the birds in the wild. — T.A.L.

6 to 8 p.m. Saturday. The Schuylkill Center, 8480 Hagys Mill Rd. Register online. 215-482-7300. schuylkillcenter.org

FUND-RAISERS

Jinxed Broken Heart Show

For 11 years, beloved vintage/thrift store Jinxed has gotten dozens of artists to craft a Valentine’s heart reflecting their individual styles and methods. And each year, you can buy one for your or a loved one’s home. Unclaimed hearts from previous years will be available, as will roasted pig and refreshments. All proceeds from the show go to Planned Parenthood. — T.A.L.

5 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Jinxed Fishtown, 1331 Frankford Ave. 215-978-5469. jinxedphiladelphia.com

Fisherman’s Flea Market

The volunteer fire department in Palmyra, N.J., has organized this fishing-fueled fund-raiser for 22 years running, and it’s become a staple event in that time. A sold-out lineup of vendors will be hawking new and used gear for fresh- and saltwater fishing to the roughly 1,000 people (fishermen and not) expected to attend. — J.L.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Charles Street School, 100 W. Charles St., Palmyra, N.J. $4. palmyrafire.org

VALENTINE’S DAY

Tongue & Groove performs The Love Experiment

Back in 2015, the New York Times released a set of 36 questions that — when followed by a four-minute eye-contact session with your partner — are designed to make you instantly vulnerable (and more open to love). Come out and answer one of those questions, then watch as improv troupe Tongue & Groove adapts audience answers during this unrehearsed two-day performance. — G.D.

8 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Plays & Players Theater, 1714 Delancey St. $5-$18. tongue-groove.com

MUSIC

Herbie Hancock

Few jazz elders seem as young as Herbie Hancock. Although he started recording in the early ’60s with Miles Davis, the 78-year-old has maintained an ear for lively funk and youthful collaborations. His next album will be produced by hip-hop multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin and is rumored to include appearances by Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Kamasi Washington. Friday at Bensalem’s Xcite Center, Martin will be part of an intriguing quintet that includes longtime Hancock collaborators Lionel Loueke (guitar), James Genus (bass), and Vinnie Colaiuta (drums). Hancock is a legend, but expect this show to look forward rather than backward. — Steve Klinge

8 p.m. Friday. The Xcite Center at Parx Casino. 2999 Street Rd., Bensalem. $55-$110. 1-877-466-3404, parxcasino.com

The Bad Plus

A defining characteristic of jazz trio the Bad Plus has been their eagerness to explore pop and rock covers: It’s Hard, from 2016, included interpretations of Prince, Peter Gabriel, TV on the Radio, and Kraftwerk. But that was the last album with pianist Ethan Iverson. At the beginning of last year, Philadelphia pianist Orrin Evans stepped in to join his old friend, bassist Reid Anderson (a Curtis Institute grad), and drummer Dave King. Expect the set list at the Kimmel Center to lean on Never Stop II, last year’s album of originals by all three band members. But also expect surprises — which have been, and still are, another defining characteristic of the Bad Plus. — S.K.

8 p.m. Saturday. Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St. $39.50-$49.50. 215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org

Peter Murphy: 40 Years of Bauhaus featuring David J and Kevin Haskins

Along with reissuing its dark, dubbed-out debut single, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” in a new package as The Bela Sessions, Bauhaus’ lean-mean vocalist Peter Murphy — forever a solo artist — celebrates four decades of that quartet’s spidery post-punk vibe by inviting everybody BUT that Brit band’s guitarist (Daniel Ash, famed for Love & Rockets) to rock out ghoulishly. Weird, right? But what did you expect from the band that (inadvertently) started rock’s goth genre? — A.D. Amorosi

8 p.m. Tuesday. Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St. $40 to $240. utphilly.com

Empress Of

Empress Of is Los Angeles songwriter Lorely Rodriguez, the bilingual alt-pop and R&B songwriter who beat Philadelphia rapper Tierra Whack to the one-minute-song concept with Color Minutes — a 2012 release consisting of 13 60-second-long demos. Rodriguez built on that buzz with 2015’s acclaimed self-produced and introspective Me and last year’s poppier, more outward-looking Us. New York-based Colombian duo Salt Cathedral opens. — Dan DeLuca

8 p.m. Wednesday. Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St. $15. 267-639-4528. bootandsaddlephilly.com