Took a break from work to go see Disclosure Day. Movie started 45 minutes after advertised start…read moretime. So many commercials. The theatre was warm. The sound was so loud it was uncomfortable (and I love to crank up the volume for music). The people who work there obviously loathe their job. WTF?!? Center City? Why can't we just have a great experience that begins on time in a comfortable environment. I go out to K of P for a much better experience. This is why we can't have anything nice in the city. No one cares. Gave it 2 stars because the seat was comfortable

This was our second time coming here. Since this was a late Friday night showing on the opening…read moreday/weekend of the movie (Jordan Peele's "Him"), it was much more crowded than the first time we came here (Sunday evening). Even though there were a lot of people, we didn't feel like we waited long for anything - coming in, ordering food and ordering drinks. General area and within the theater was kept decent. We like and enjoy the dine in your seats aspect. Food is decent and most people would be able to find something. They were low on stuff at the condiments bar, so we had to get some stuff from the staff working the concession stand. We got in the theater as previews were about to start and a staff member brought the food to our seats within minutes of us sitting down - so perfect timing. Good experience and we plan to see more movies here moving forward.

This was a nice attraction located in the Comcast building. Its around free and around 10 minutes…read morelong. Even without tickets, it's a short wait and virtually no line during the week when I went (10/2024). I'd recommend it if you want a quick burst of inspiration. Especially because the rest of the building is gorgeous.

I recently went for the Lunar New Year special. The video was really cute, as well as the activity…read moreto design your own lantern. The day I went, there was also a meet and greet with Po, a drawing lesson and other crafts downstairs. It was beautifully decorated for Lunar New Year.

Very courteous staff. Small intimate venue, not a bad seat in the whole place…read more The show was awesome! Soo quirky and funny! I hope it becomes the next Hamilton.

My first and only visit (so far) was so see a phenomenal performance by the Philadelphia Gay Men's…read moreChorus @ their 2022 Holiday show. Relating to the theatre venue itself, I was stunned by the lighting, special effects and sound technology. The show itself was fantastic, but was made better by the SRT acoustics and lighting. Count me in for the next show here as the experience was truly exceptional.

How is it possible no one has ever written a review of Secret Cinema? (I mean, aside from the fact…read morethat it is Secret)? I hope that by being the first to review Secret Cinema I'm not somehow violating some unwritten rule of Secret Cinema: "The First Rule of Secret Cinema is...you don't talk about Secret Cinema." Secret Cinema is a labor of love of its founder and his wife (?) who have been showing vintage movies (on film only, never video, as they will proudly tell you) for well nigh on 20 years, in various locations around Philly. However, their more-or-less permanent home seems to be the cinema at Moore College of Art and Design on 20th and Parkway in Center City. Their programs are typically 1.5 -3 hours long and feature a wide range of rare, obscure, and generally neglected but culturally significant movies, shorts and cartoons. I think they do maybe 10 showings a year, usually Friday nights, and admission is only $6-7 per show, making it probably one of the best cheap date opportunities around. The breadth of the programs is truly astounding. In the few years I've been attending, I've seen everything from classic cartoons from the 30's (the politically incorrect kind), corny educational films from decades past (including one sex-ed film from the early 80's featuring coitus between immense puppet genitalia which made everyone in the audience squirm), to almost-lost home movies of the Velvet Underground, to Saturday morning kid's programs, to a Philly premiere of the works of an almost totally unknown 50's-60's director, J. X. Williams: I am still searching for words to describe that show... Jay, its MC and creator, clearly loves rare cinema and is himself an encyclopedic resource on each of the programs he compiles. He prefaces the shows with his own (somewhat monotone and sometimes seemingly interminable) intros in which he provides the context of what you are about to see. That said, the selections can be somewhat hit-or-miss. One showing, which featured a documentary about Scottish agriculture in the 1940's, left me scratching my head to find the entertainment value: I guess it was a bit more 80's-style irony than I was willing to take. Some others leave me cold, as, apart from the historic value, the entertainment value of some of the programs can be very low for someone who is not specifically interested in that very subject. In other words, the selections can veer into arcana from time to time. But, you go there to have your horizons broadened, not to see more of what you would otherwise see in the mainstream media. So on balance I guess it's a good thing. So kudos to these folks for putting on consistently interesting (if not entertaining) programs which are clearly outside the mainstream. And kudos for being squarely in the Philly DIY tradition and staying true to that ethic all these years. Go and check it out.

I've been to about 4 or 5 of these underground film events hosted by curator and film nut Jay…read moreSchwarz. There is a certain ritual to it - paying $8, listening to Jay's informative droning introductions, not knowing what to expect. Secret cinema is a tribute to the dying medium of film. It's only film- no vhs or digital. He rescues film reels from flea markets, garages, libraries and cobbles them together with a theme. Some of what he shows is ironic, hilarious and cringeworthy in its racial stereotyping. It's a history and cultural studies lesson doled out in 5-7 minute chunks. I refer to Jay as a mad genius and hope he remains that way. His obsession with film and opening rare finds to the public is a great service. Secret Cinema isn't widely advertised. Getting on the e-mail list is the best way to catch these semi-frequent (every month or two) events.

One of the most vibrant and welcoming creative spaces. It offers a variety of art, performances,…read moreand community-driven activities that feel accessible to everyone. The programming is thoughtful and diverse, creating opportunities for both emerging and established artists to connect with the public. The Rotunda feels like a true gathering place. There's a sense of openness and care that makes people want to linger, engage, and return. It plays an essential role in nurturing creativity and fostering connection within the city.

I like this space. I've gone here to see the following: Mac…read moreand cheese cook off, craft fair, dancing/fire spinning, comedy show, play, lecture, and a few potlucks. It's nice that the space is available to the community. It's an alcohol venue, which is the only downside.

The group I was with spontaneously planned to see a show at FringeArts being performed by a local…read morecircus school (Circadium). I had never been to FA before and it was an experience. The pros: -Was pleasantly surprised by the show. The performer (who were about to graduate from Circadium) were extremely talented. Not sure how other shows are at FA but this one was great. -Tickets were $15, very reasonable -Seats were socially distanced, after each group three seats were left empty to allow for spacing. Also the audience was seated in every other row. -Masks and hand sanitizer were readily available. The cons: -If you are planning to see a show, buy your tickets in advance if you can. Or plan to pay in cash. If you want to buy tickets at the front desk, there is only one credit card machine and it is extremely slow. It took our group a solid 10 mins to get tickets. -With all the social distancing protocols, it would be convenient if one was seated on the end of a row to be able to cross the front row and climb up the stairs, versus having people get up to let you in. -When asked about the show we were going to see, none of the employees at the front desk knew anything about the show. I would advise having the people working to be able to give the show's general description. Overall I would recommend taking the time to catch a show at FA. Be prepared to be exposed to something new. Just buy your tickets online or have cash ready if you are buying at the front box office.

Well, we just got back from a fantastic weekend performing an interactive piece called "Life…read moreTraveler." The festival was supportive and so organized. In a culture of mass produced entertainment, this is the place to go for unique experiences. We hope to perform this work on bridges across the world! Thanks Philly Fringe.

The Kimmel Center has beautiful public space. I stopped in to wait for a friend. The atrium is…read morelarge and has seating with lots of natural light. It was a hot day but cool inside. I used the restroom which was very clean. A coffee shop/bar is in the lobby.

The large concert hall (Marian Anderson Hall) replacing the old Academy of Music. Parking is below,…read moreentrance on S. Broad St on the southbound side. The hall is HUGE, much larger than the old Academy. Orchestra floor level and 3 tiers. The top tier is very far away indeed. There is conductor's circle seating sometimes, behind the concert stage. But there is no speaker for announcements there, and the announcement plus the concert performer's talk at the end with a mic was completely muffled, echoed and inaudible. Suggestion to the management, put a speaker for the conductor's circle seating, please. It could be important for an emergency, let alone improving the concert experience. The seats on conductor's level have minimum under-thigh support or padding on the seat (like a stadium seat, more or less) so if you need a more comfortable seat, try a tier or the orchestra floor level. The lighting on stage flickered annoyingly --the spots were dimming and brightening. Can't imagine how delighted the pianist was with this. The upper level had no programs given out by the ushers. This was such a common occurrence that one of the concert-goers brought to her seat a few extra programs from the ground level and passed them around. She knew she wouldn't be getting them on her seat level. The ushers should have brought some bundles up with them but apparently they frequently do not. Since this was a rather complex concert (with six or so piano works strung together and played as a unit) the program was pretty important. We shared our program around. Plenty of elevators, to access the levels and parking--though some people were not aware that there was parking below the concert venue. Some of the elevators don't go down all the levels to parking, so pay attention. The side streets during rush hour are very crowded so plan your route to the parking carefully if you are not taking public transportation.

F and I attended a showing of the film Surviving Bokator for the Philadelphia Asian American Film…read moreand Filmmakers. This wonderful experience started as soon as we walked through the doors... We were greeted so warmly by the gentleman at the reception desk and he was helpful and informative. He really made an impression on us. Give that man a raise! The lobby area had seating as well as room to gather and/or meet and greet. The theater itself is very intimate but not tiny. The seats were comfortable and the sight lines seem to be good from anywhere in the house. The film Surviving Bokator was fantastic, and there was room on the stage for a live demonstration of the Cambodian martial art of Bokator.