That downstage run! Watch RAGTIME’s thrilling “Prologue” finale after winning four 2026 Tony Awards. See Caissie Levy as Mother, Joshua Henry as Coalhouse Walker Jr. and Brandon Uranowitz as Tateh in the Tony Award-w…
We on the BSR team were devastated to hear about the passing this week of Dito van Reigersberg, an innovative, big-hearted, one-of-a-kind Philly artist. Editor Alaina Johns shares a memory a…
Each budget season, arts advocates rally to remind City Hall that Philly doesn’t run without funding for the creative sector. As the deadline for FY27 looms, we need to speak up for the Ph…
Three of the staff here at Broad Street Review offer their book recommendations in the spirit of the fourth annual BSR Book Week 2026.
If you love books, stay tuned. From May 17-23, we're celebrating our fourth annual BSR Book Week with reviews, giveaways, a virtual panel of bestselling authors, and staff recommendations.
The American Philosophical Society celebrates America’s 250th with the largest display of early copies of the Declarations ever assembled, but some of the show’s lesser-known artifacts a…
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales has been delighting readers of all ages for more than 30 years. Now it hits the Arden stage in a zany adaptation by John Glore. Alaina Joh…
See for yourself what BSR writers had to say when they learned we met our $10K goal to close a spring funding gap with our Readers Decide campaign in March.
On March 28, 2026, an estimated 40,000 people took to the Parkway for the third nationwide No Kings march. A fake image of the protest quickly went viral. Here's a real view, from Alaina Joh…
Neil and Alaina chat for 10 minutes about the latest on our Readers Decide campaign, including some interesting stats and what donors have been saying. You have until March 31 to join the ca…
Walk around Philly this spring and they are everywhere: anti-fascist stickers. They're angry, whimsical, artful, edgy, urgent, thoughtful, and funny. Check out this gallery spanning many cit…
A Vacation, a Philly GRIT solo show from local performer and director Bastion Carboni, follows a travel influencer who is in over his head at his latest controversial destination: Purgatory.…
Our Readers Decide campaign has been running for less than three weeks. Here's what you, our readers, have shown us in that time.
Nonprofit arts media is tough going these days, but this work is important, and we know Philly values it. If you have the means, BSR needs your support for our Readers Decide campaign, runni…
On February 19, President's House advocates rallied to celebrate a ruling that demands the return of signage about slavery, while a court case over their removal by the Trump administration …
Locals gathered in below-freezing temps on January 27 for the announcement of new "ICE OUT" legislation cosponsored by Councilmembers Rue Landau and Kendra Brooks. Alaina Johns reports.
Members of the BSR community were shocked when the exhibit documenting slavery at George Washington's Philly house was dismantled last week. We'll keep standing up for Black history at BSR.
Anti-ICE activists in Philly are organizing to protect our neighbors from unconstitutional abuses, and pressure Governor Shapiro into action. Alaina Johns was at their January 21 meeting in …
On January 15, the BSR community gathered for our biggest event yet, our Party with the Critics, in honor of our 20th anniversary. Here's a recap.
Darnelle takes the hot seat as BSR editor Alaina interviews him about his theater backstory, and where he's going as the new executive director of Theatre Philadelphia.
This will be a tumultuous year in Philly, with elections, global sports events, and the eyes of the world on America's 250th birthday. But we must brace for even bigger challenges. Alaina Jo…
If you love BSR, it's time to get your tickets to our 20th anniversary event, Party with the Critics, at Indy Hall on January 15, 2026.
With nearly 20 years as a journalist on Philly's arts and culture scene, Alaina Johns has a clear eye on its trends, including a worrying situation with arts PR that affects everyone, includ…
It's back! Our popular 90-minute webinar full of tips for reaching out to the media is back on Wednesday, December 10. Get the details and grab your ticket.
The Brandywine Museum of Art mounts its first solo presentation of an emerging artist, Baltimore luminary Jerrell Gibbs, who is getting his first solo exhibition, with echoes of Rockwell, Ho…
Hot takes are flying on the Philadelphia Museum of Art's rebrand and sudden firing of CEO Sasha Suda. Alaina Johns breaks it down.
Philly turned out for the second nationwide No Kings Day, with rallies throughout the region that showcased our creative flair and our refusal to show fear in the face of fascism. BSR was th…
After managing coverage for dozens of Fringe shows, Alaina Johns is proud of the BSR team's work, proud of Philly artists, and ready to share her top takeaways from this year's festival.
Terms of Use: A Millennial Farce, a new Fringe show promising to examine Millennials' relationship with the Internet, isn't quite ready for the stage. But it poses questions worth building o…
Lee Minora's new solo show, Baby Everything, takes aim at everyone melting down over the state of the world as seen through our screens. Alaina Johns reviews.
Lions, the latest Fringe entry from Lightning Rod Special, written and performed by Alice Yorke and Scott R. Sheppard, finds heartfelt laughs and reflection in "the business of letting our d…
An immersive theater experience from veteran Philly performer Nick Gillette and a large ensemble asks the audience pressing ethical questions about our American moment. Alaina Johns reviews.
If you want to get your butt to some art during this year's Fringe but don't know where to start, we're here for you. Editor-in-chief Alaina Johns shares some of her top picks for 2025.
A worsened healthcare crisis is about to hit Philadelphia. Artists are disproportionately affected, and they're speaking up on behalf of all of us in this year's Fringe. Alaina Johns helps y…
The Wanamaker Building in Center City has been standing empty since Macy's left, but the public is invited back soon for a new arts program, and the continuation of popular holiday events. A…
Are you an aspiring or emerging critic? Are you a journalist who is curious about getting started as a reviewer? Are you an arts-lover who wants an inside look at how critics work? These cla…
With partisan politics so toxically entrenched in America, it can be tough to admit that you're open to change. This Fourth of July, Alaina Johns is thinking about her conservative upbringin…
The June 14 No Kings Day, organized to reclaim the American flag and oppose unconstitutional actions by the Trump administration in favor of democracy and the rule of law, drew millions of m…
A "doomsday" budget that would slash SEPTA service by 45 percent and raise fares by more than 20 percent poses an existential threat to Philly's cultural sector. But if we all speak up now, …
In honor of our third annual BSR Book Week, the BSR team offers book recommendations on a theme: reading as an act of resistance. These books inspire us, help us focus and understand the wor…
The BSR team is excited for our third annual Book Week, running June 1-7, 2025. We have reviews, giveaways, recommendations, and a virtual panel event with awesome Philly authors. Here's eve…
When he first brought up pick-your-price tickets, Opera Philadelphia president Anthony Roth Costanzo says there were a lot of naysayers. He tells Alaina Johns how it all turned out, and why …
Recent reporting showed Philly's arts and culture budget is getting yet another proposed cut from the mayor, but arts leaders say the truth is more complicated, and they urge public advocacy…
Philly actors Jered McLenigan and Matteo Scammell trade off roles in Rift: or White Lies, now getting its rolling world premiere at InterAct, about two brothers with very different lives str…
Criticism or dismissals of the "Hands Off" protests sweeping the US this April aren't just coming from the right. Some left-wing voices are discounting the protest as well. Both sides are ig…
Philly author Liz Moore's bestselling novel Long Bright River, set in Kensington, is now a TV series streaming this week on Peacock. The show's stars and consultants joined a March 7 panel a…
Solidarity doesn't just mean supporting justice today. It means honoring the work of past activists and realizing that we stand with them. Alaina Johns asks if we will despair, or if we'll c…
Three hundred and sixty-four days a year, most of society puts romance above any other kind of relationship. Then, on Valentine's Day, the message gets even harder to escape. Alaina Johns lo…
Quixotic Professor Qiu, now getting its world premiere at InterAct, follows a Chinese American math professor targeted by the FBI in a satire with timely resonance for Philly. Alaina Johns r…
This is no time to wring your hands. If you care about US democracy and its role in our cultural sector, it's time to act. For some people, that means calling Congress for the first time. Al…
Two days after Trump was inaugurated again, City Council held a hearing on how Philly can protect vulnerable residents from the new administration, drawing testimony from civil-rights advoca…
