What’s a Madrigal Dinner? A lot of fun, if you ask me. More specifically, it’s a Renaissance-style celebration with song, dance, stories, and great food. Don’t worry. They’ll leave the Bubonic Plague and Inquisition at home.

Seriously, if you’ve never been to one of these thingies, it’s time to go. The Drexel Chamber Singers will perform Elizabethan madrigals, French chansons and lute songs amidst a sumptuous feast fit for a king of mulled cider, osse bucco or poached salmon, potage Jacqueline with butternut squash, roasted turnips, peas, artisanal bread and upside down warm apple tart. For thirty-five cents more have your tart served right side up – just kidding. Come on, everyone knows they taste better upside down.

While non-meat eaters were widely (and rightfully) scorned in the Middle Ages, you’re in luck that you live in the 21st century. A vegetarian option is available if requested ahead of time. Speaking of requests, you need to make reservations to secure a seat and can do so by calling 215-895-1275.

The Madrigal Dinner has become one of Drexel’s most anticipated and popular traditions, drawing in an array of period enthusiasts who enjoy the captivating call of a King James I authentically prepared meal and Shakespearean oratory presented by fully costumed student performers.

The Great Court at Drexel is located in the Main Building on campus at 3141 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. You can learn more about the college here.

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Pomp and circumstance of medieval proportions: Madrigal Dinner

God lord, I thought Mama Mia was gone and gone for good. As a dude with at least a modicum of testosterone, it was downright offensive to hear there was a movie that had a former James Bond singing and dancing. Sure, he was probably the most metro of all the Bond actors but still.

Watch the whole sickly sweet trailer if you’ve the stomach for it.

Oh well, there’s little I can do to stop this runaway freight train. The movie musical hit Mama Mia is back at the Hiway Theatre on February 15, 2009, at 7 PM. This time it’s going to be done sing-a-long style. You read it right the first time. Sing Along with Mama Mia and, if you’re a dude, prepare to never look another dude in the eye the rest of your life if word gets out.

BUT…

Wanna score more brownie points than you can hold in a washtub? Ask your best girl if you can take her and act like you mean it.

This one night special event will be led by Philly’s own Chumley and Carlota Ttendant. Your ticket includes a dessert reception, dance contest, and party favors. All proceeds go to benefit the Hiway Theatre and its programs and services.

Purchase your tickets by clicking here. Only $40 unless you’re a Hiway member, then it’s only $35.The Hiway Theatre is located at 212 Old York Road, Jenkintown, PA 19046.

Guess what? Apparently, even Russian strongman Putin likes ABBA too, even though he won’t admit it.

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Prepare to dance, Mr. Bond: Sing Along Mama Mia

Regardless of your feelings toward the outcome of the recent presidential election, it should make us thankful for one thing. How about a peaceful transition of power, people! We don’t change our leaders at the barrel of a gun or by rioting in the streets – yet.

Valley Forge Historical Park invites everyone in the Philadelphia area to join them in celebrating the 277th Anniversary of Washington’s Birthday with two days of events.

Get some gunpowder in your face on Sunday, February 15, 2009, with a musket-firing program and cooking demonstration by the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment at the Muhlenberg Brigade from 10 AM to 4 PM. Join one of the ranger led walks to the Brigade at 10:20 AM, 12:50 PM, and 2:20 PM. Free and open to the public.

On Monday, February 16, 2009, from 11 AM to 3 PM you can meet General Washington and his wife, Martha. In case you’re not aware, these are only actors portraying real life, not the actual George and Martha Washington. They’re too old! I thought we already covered this. In any event, be at the Welcome Center for period music.  Kids can make tri-corner hats and design birthday cards for the actors pretending to be the Washingtons’.

Taste a birthday cake baked from Martha’s own original recipe. Enlist in the Continental Army for a review by George Washington, after which will be marching and drills executed by the book. Which book? General Von Steuben’s training manual of course.

The Valley Forge Historical Park is located at 1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406. You can learn more about this American treasure by clicking here.

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Dude still has game: Washington’s 277th Birthday

Philadelphia kids and adults alike will have fun while getting a brain full of cultural awareness at the same time. Special programs like traditional storytelling, electrifying African dance and music performances, workshops, children’s activities, and gallery tours will make the day pass all to quickly.

It’s likely that nowhere else on earth can you find such a diversity of culture than on the vast African continent. Africa was the birthplace of the human species between 8 and 5 million years ago.

As they say, not too shabby!

One aspect that has always set the African cultures apart is an intense focus on family and ethnic group. Down through history art, music, and oral storytelling have served to reinforce the social and religious patterns. Even the governments of most African nations foster national dance and music groups, museums, and artists and writers. The value of keeping a heritage alive is well ingrained.

Some particular program highlights from the Penn Museum celebration are:

• Performance by the Universal African & Drum Ensemble
• Benin storytelling by Queen Nur and Yomi Awodesu
• Tunisian dance performance and workshop by Habiba Studios.
• Plenty of games, crafts and even a marketplace to spend your loot

The Penn Museum is located at 3260 South Street in Philadelphia. You can learn more about this event by clicking here.

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The heart of Africa still beats: World Culture Day

You recollect what Mardi Gras is all about, right? The literal translation of the term is Fat Tuesday but Mardi Gras is usually meant to include all the activities leading up to the big day. And what a day it is, especially in cities like New Orleans, Rio De Janeiro, and even Mobile, Alabama.

Click here to read how it’s celebrated around the world. Here’s how it got started in the U.S.

Unrecognizable from the all out party that designates it today, Mardi Gras arrived in the United States as a sedate French Catholic tradition in the late 17th century when King Louis XIV sent the Le Moyne brothers to defend France’s claim on the territory of “Louisiane” in the New World.

The expedition arrived and settled a spot on the bank of the Mississippi River about 60 miles from present day New Orleans on March 3 1699. In honor of the holiday they named it Mardi Gras Point. By 1703, the Mardi Gras celebration had become a tradition observed by these French settlers.

The rest, as they say, it history. Keep your shirt on. Take your shirt off. It’s all good, though I’m sure the fine folks at the Wilmington Music School would prefer you keep yours on during their performance. This ain’t New Orleans, people.

Look for the mask and bead making workshop and a few other Mardi Gras surprises. The Wilmington School of Music is located at 4101 Washington Street, Wilmington, DE 19802. Learn more about the school here.

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Beads, beads, who wants some beads? Mardi Gras Celebration

But beneath it all is a serious issue focusing on the important relationship between fathers and daughters. Males are more comfortable raising sons and may not even realize what a critical role they play in their daughter’s present and future lives. Here are some grim statistics:

• Girls without fathers are more likely to become sexuallly active at a younger age and have a child outside of marriage.
• 76% of teenage girls said that their fathers was primary influence with sexual decisions.
• Fatherless children are at a dramatically greater risk of drug and alcohol abuse.
• Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.
• Girls without positive fathers are more likely to have social and relationship problems

Sit up and pay attention dads! You set the standard for the man your daughter is likely to become involved with. The more active you are in her life, the less likely she will be abused, suffer a teen pregnancy, or other social problems. The Daddy Daughter Dance is open to girls of all ages. It’s about relationship building and could be the catalyst to special new world of interacting with her.

The Urban Education Center is located at 7567 Haverford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19151. Click here to get registered and learn more about the event.

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Yes, you may have this dance: Daddy Daughter Dance

If you’re familiar with how these things go, then all you want to know is where to sign up? Follow the link here to sign up.

For the uninitiated, it goes like this. On the date and time indicated you show up with your ticket (purchased in advance) at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s west entrance, which is the one facing Fairmount Avenue. Be ready to go. Look for the crew wearing burgundy caps with “Watson Adventures” on them.

The Art Attack Family Scavenger Hunt is for ages 7 and up and pairs kids with adults to work together solving all kinds of art secrets. Gird your loins and prepare yourself for knights in armor, munching monks, puzzling jugs, dragons with bad breath, surprising sea monsters, twinkling tortoises, and goofy glasses. Is that enough alliteration for you in one sitting?

You might think you’ve landed in a foreign land with galleries that re-create an Indian temple, a Chinese palace, a Japanese village, a medieval courtyard, and loads of fancy mansions. Fortunately (or unfortunately) you will still be safe at home in the museum and not actually transported to locations distant in place and time. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.

No knowledge of the museum or art is required to have fun.

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Or you clueless or clue-full? Art Attack Family Scavenger Hunt

Heck, you can even bring Barney or Fifi along for the day. Yep, pets are welcome as long as they are leashed. Children are also welcome but should be leashed, sedated, handcuffed, and blindfolded. To some, this might seem overly strict. To others, not strict enough. It is a family event, after all, and everyone should feel welcome.

Okay. Down to brass tacks. There is no other event in the entire state of Pennsylvania that delivers more animal education and entertainment in one spot. This family event offers more than 100 exhibitors, and we can only say that some of them are highly unique. How about Ultimate Air Dogs, Elwood, the world’s ugliest dog, reptiles, monkeys, parrots, more.

I know what you’re thinking. How ugly can Elwood really be? There’s some dang ugly dogs just down the block too. I don’t know that it’s so much the sheer ugliness of Elwood as an extraordinary tongue disorder. Check out the video here.

The Valley Forge Convention Center is located is located at 1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406. The Super Pet Expo opens Friday at 4 PM, and Saturday and Sunday at 10 AM. Click here to read more about it.

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Somebody please get Elwood a tissue: Super Pet Expo

Bet you’ve never seen The Wizard of Oz done with…ta da…puppets! You have? Oh. Never mind then. Obviously you’re life is more exciting and self-actualized than the rest of us. But if you haven’t seen this classic tale spun in all its glory by professional puppeteers, get ready for a treat. The Hole in the Wall Puppet Theatre rolls out muppet style puppets for the following performances:

* Friday, February 6, 2009 @ 10:00 am
* Saturday, February 7, 2009 @ 10:00 am
* Friday, February 13, 2009 @ 10:00 am
* Saturday, February 14, 2009 @ 10:00 am
* Friday, February 20, 2009 @ 10:00 am
* Friday, February 27, 2009 @ 10:00 am
* Saturday, February 28, 2009 @ 10:00 am

Hope you’re a morning person!

For those unacquainted with the Hole in the Wall Puppet Theatre, this 60 seat Victorian style setting was established in 1990 to offer entertainment for all ages. Every puppet you see on stage was made right there in the Hole in the Wall workshop. Stop by before performances and other scheduled hours to view them, along with puppets from around the world, in the John Durang Puppet Museum.

Durang is credited with being the first American actor, dancer, and puppeteer and was born in the theatre in 1768. The Hole in the Wall Theatre is located at 126 North Water Street, Lancaster, PA 17603. You can learn more about the theatre by clicking here.

Click here to learn more about John Durang.

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The yellow brick road puppet style: Wizard Of Oz

If you’re looking for the official event name, it’s Pop Icons of Japan Film Series. The screening of Godzilla will be introduced by Linda Chance, Associate Professor of Japanese Studies at Penn.

Now when we say Godzilla, this refers to the original movie released in Japan in 1954 and NOT the lame-o American remake in 1998. This fire-breathing monster has been seen in a total of 28 films to date and is as true a Japanese pop culture icon as you’re going to find.

It was hydrogen bomb testing that originally awakened and mutated Godzilla. As one might expect, the monster was not in a good mood and went on a killing frenzy through Odo Island. At the end of the movie, we think Godzilla’s dead and the good guys win but – the cranky lizard/whale was to return again soon in another film creatively titled Godzilla Raids Again.

This led to Godzilla fighting other monsters, sometimes as the good guy and sometimes the bad. Remember Godzilla vs. Mothra or King Kong vs. Godzilla? But a battle with Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, established Godzillas the hero figure once and for all when we find that his anger towards humanity came about from the perception that we attacked him without provocation.

I could go on forever but what’s the point? Go see the film series!

The Center for East Asian Studies is located at 225 South 36th Street in Philadelphia.

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Godzilla – #1 bad ass: Japanese Pop Icon Film Series