185 stories by "Alaina Johns"
In our experience, some people opine that the critics are just dragging the cultural scene down"especially when a review is mixed or negative. But is that true? Not at all. Alaina Johns expl…
What does arts journalism have to do with PR? As arts writers and editors, we often work closely with PR people. How do we collaborate? And what are the boundaries between our roles? Alaina …
When we ask for your support, we want to be sure we're stepping up to explain our work. But whether or not you can donate, if you're a BSR reader, we bet you'll enjoy this window on how our …
Mean Girls has been a sensation since the original film premiered in 2004"but it's as funny as it is problematic. The Broadway musical, now on its national tour, is even more offensive, with…
BLACK WOOD, the latest from Gunnar Montana Productions, is an immersive, creepy, atmospheric experience perfect for spooky season. But we shouldn't view it without talking about the violence…
Festival O23's world-premiere production of composer Rene Orth and librettist Hannah Moscovitch's 10 Days in a Madhouse is fresh, urgent, and relevant. Alaina Johns reviews.
Solo performer Hannah Parke's new piece on navigating a devastating epilepsy diagnosis is exactly the kind of work that makes the Fringe exciting. If only the venue was bearable. Alaina John…
Editor-in-chief Alaina Johns has her picks for this year's Philadelphia Fringe Festival, including offerings from Cannonball, Free Fringe, and Digital Fringe.
Alaina Johns and Kyle V. Hiller curate a variety of books from a variety of writers living with disabilities for this year's BSR book week.
For the first time since BSR's founding 18 years ago (wow, we know), we're spotlighting books written by our contributors, who are some of the region's top critics, essayists, and arts journ…
Last week, the Museum of the American Revolution hosted a screening of Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia while protestors of an upcoming Moms for Liberty party at the museum …
We're celebrating summer with our first-ever BSR Book Week, July 10-16, 2023, packed with reviews and recommendations. And we want to hear from you, too! Here are all the ways you can join i…
The Philly Marriott and the Museum of the American Revolution are drawing criticism for hosting the anti-government, anti-education, anti-LGBTQ+ nonprofit Moms for Liberty. It's not just a d…
The Wilma's new Twelfth Night, from co-artistic director Yury Urnov, promises to "reimagine" Shakespeare (just like every theater company does). But this show has plenty to delight and surpr…
In Fiscal Year 2023, the Philadelphia Cultural Fund received $5.5 million in city funding"a lifeline for 275 PCF grantees this year (including BSR). But the mayor's 2024 budget proposes a $2…
If you missed our May 25 Power of Food Media panel conversation in person, now you can listen to it on the BSR pod! Our guests explain how they got into the biz, why the work matters, and of…
BSR is the media partner for the PVLA Arts Affair! Podcast host Darnelle sits down with PVLA leaders to find out how lawyers and artists empower each other, what services PVLA offers, and ho…
It's a great time whenever the BSR community gets together, and we're branching out to welcome some of the city's top food journalists for an exciting discussion panel (and delicious local f…
Jane Eyre gets a new stage treatment in this ambitious adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's classic novel, which showcases the inner life of the passionate and principled governess. Alaina Jo…
At last week's Philadelphia Orchestra concert, Yannick Nézet-Séguin was so frustrated by repeatedly ringing phones that he stopped the music. What's behind the growing smartphone scourge? …
As James Ijames's Pulitzer-winning and Tony-nominated FAT HAM continues on Broadway, his latest world premiere, Abandon, gets a stand-out cast at Theatre Exile. Alaina Johns reviews.
A fairly faithful adaptation of Judy Blume's classic 1970 novel is hitting theaters. It expands the stories of three generations of women, reminding us that it's not just tweens who are in t…
The new Tudor sensation is finally in Philly, as the national tour of SIX lands at the Academy of Music. Is it "a women's show"? And what does that really mean? Alaina Johns reviews.
At this Kimmel Center debate, nine candidates for mayor took questions about how our cultural sector fits into their platform. Alaina Johns was there.
The regional premiere of Empathitrax, now onstage at Suzanne Roberts, deals in troubling tropes of depression without preparing its audience. Alaina Johns considers.
