ICON Magazine

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contents

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18 | Rachael Price

Lady of Montserrat.

Allentown Art Museum

Few violinists can juxtapose pop, classical and jazz as seamlessly as Dublin-born Harrington, who plays Gershwin, U2, and Beethoven with the same lyrical ease.

The intersection of art, entertainment, culture, nightlife and mad genius.

20 | Slouching Up Broad Street

Since 1992

In what historians consider America’s oldest authentic folk festival, the New Year’s Day Mummers Parade, fueled mostly by alcohol, moves slowly up Broad Street towards the Victorian monstrosity Philadelphians refer to as City Hall.

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To ICON readers from Bob Perkins “Due to a couple of health situations, I’ve been unable to fulfill my last couple of columns in ICON. I hope these physical conditions will lighten up and Ol’ BP will be able to continue his columns very soon.” We do, too, Bob.

Pat Moran, A Stroll in the Garden.

Monotype, 5.25” x 7.75” Cerulean Arts

ESSAY 5|

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Bob Beck

MORE FILM 24 |

OPINION 7|

Eugene Robinson Michael Gerson 26 |

ART EXHIBITIONS 6|

Holiday Pop-Up Shop The Baum School of Art

Heide Fasnacht: Past Imperfect Martin Art Gallery

Little Women.

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Allentown Art Museum 30 | 8|

Two By Two Cerulean Arts

Solo Exhibition: David Stier Silverman Gallery Femi J. Johnson: The Embodiment of Abstraction Gallery On Fourth

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Rachael Price.

REEL NEWS Chambermaid The Farewell Ad Astra Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

MUSIC FEATURE Unforgettable An epic look at Nat “King” Cole’s Early Years JAZZ/ ROCK/CLASSICAL/ALT Peter Eldridge/Kenny Werner Johnny Griffin & Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis Leon Lee Dorsey Marcus Shelby Orchestra POP The Rolling Stones Ronnie Wood & His Wild Five David Bowie FKA Twigs Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds The Flaming Lips

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NIGHTLIFE

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THEATER

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NEW BOOKS

ETCETERA

CINEMATTERS Dark Waters

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FILM

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FILM ROUNDUP Clemency A Hidden Life Little Women Uncut Gems

MUSIC

Evolution of the Spiritual: Europe to America

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ON THE COVER: Mummers Shouting. Photo by Dan Aubrey.

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HARPER’S FINDINGS HARPER’S INDEX L. A. TIMES CROSSWORD AGENDA

215-862-9558 icondv.com facebook.com/icondv PRESIDENT Trina McKenna trina@icondv.com EDITORIAL Editor / trina@icondv.com Raina Filipiak / Advertising filipiakr@comcast.net PRODUCTION Richard DeCosta Susan Danforth Rita Kaplan INTERNS Joey Fonseca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS A. D. Amorosi Robert Beck Jack Byer Peter Croatto Geoff Gehman Mark Keresman George Miller Susan Van Dongen Keith Uhlich

Subscription: $40 (12 issues) PO Box 120 • New Hope 18938 215-862-9558 ICON is published twelve times per year. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. ICON welcomes letters to the editor, editorial ideas and submissions, but assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material.

ICON is not responsible for claims made by advertisers. ©2019 Prime Time Publishing Co., Inc.

essay

STORY & PAINTING BY ROBERT BECK

California Getaway WE WOKE AT 4:30 TO dangerously strong winds that had been expected for days. There is no power in the town where we are staying, so we can’t see the limbs hitting the roof or the clouds of dry earth billowing across the highway, but we hear the pounding and the howling. Doreen says it sounds like the Wizard of Oz. Both of us feel tired and disoriented, but we have to get ready to go.

I turned on an LED lantern, which projects a harsh illumination in the room. Doreen’s mother gave it to us when we dropped her off last night. Mom doesn’t have power either, but she had an extra lamp we could take with us.

Good thing. The small rechargeable light I packed just-in-case had run out.

It’s all blackness out the windows except for headlights silhouetting the trees along Route 12.

Sirens go past, red lights reflecting in the branches. I count five. Winds are gusting to more than 80 mph not far up the road — certainly not far enough — carrying the flames with them. I can smell the smoke. We haven’t seen the eye of the fire yet, but it has always been just on the other side of someplace, behind a haze where the mountain should be, or down a closed road to a town we have to go around.

We are a couple of miles outside the mandatory evacuation zone, but I expect that designation to change soon. The urge is to leave as quickly as we can, but we will wait for daybreak unless told to leave beforehand. It’s dangerous without traffic signals and lights, and the high winds mean there will be fallen trees and debris. We haven’t decided where to go yet, but this is clearly not the place to be.

Doreen and I navigate the long-shadowed room, packing for what might come next.

Things we need if we have to move fast go in the small bags, everything else in the large. I can only find one loafer. When we returned from the wedding last night, the inn was already dark. I lost the shoe when I unpacked the car out front, or while carrying bags in the courtyard, or somewhere. I’ll look when I can see. If I can’t find it, I’ll have to decide between my fancy Italian dress shoes and my Crocs.

Every now and then an alert blasts from my phone, making me jump. I keep my eye on the

fire maps and messages while I pack. Doreen is the communication hub, checking with her mother, whose house is just up the road, relatives living nearby, people who have come from away and are staying in various towns under warnings and orders—some without cars—finding them ways to get out and places to go. She is also texting with her 16-year-old niece in Marin, who is very helpful in identifying the status of locations and checking news sources. The niece is also young enough not to have problems working her phone or iPad. Serious decisions are being made, and we need more than squishy or partial information. It’s not easy to get when infrastructure is breaking down. Anticipation, intelligence, resources, time; it all becomes very tactical.

Phone charging is a big issue with everyone.

The power was cut to most of Sonoma and all of Marin Counties to avoid having downed lines start more fires. Our phones are at 60 percent, and the iPad is at 80. We should be able to

recharge them in the car once we get on the road.

Others in our network have to conserve their batteries and search for charging sources. Many turn them off for long periods, complicating attempts at coordination when situations change. Some areas have limited all phone communication to emergency calls. Another siren just went past.

I’m glad I filled the tank yesterday.

Doreen takes the lamp into the bathroom, leaving me in the dark, making notes, and constantly checking for the first bit of light outside so I can search for my shoe. Next to my chair is a gas fireplace. I turned it on to ease the chill — and that tight feeling in my stomach. The Mission style room, with its heavy wood, plaster, and wrought iron, flickers in the glow as the wind stampedes through the vineyards outside.

Doreen hands me a breakfast bar. I zip my suitcase closed. Dawn will come soon, and we can begin our escape. A cup of coffee would be so nice right now. n

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exhibitions

Mystic Timbers, 2019, 48“ x 60“ Acrylic paint on manipulated photo, mounted on board

Heide Fasnacht: Past Imperfect Martin Art Gallery Muhlenberg College, Baker Center for the Arts 2400 Chew Street, Allentown, PA 484-664-3467 Muhlenberg.edu Artist Talk: January 23, 7pm Through February 8

Holiday Gallery 1: Artist James Pastore

Holiday Pop-Up Shop The Baum School of Art, the David E. Rodale and Rodale Family Galleries 510 Linden Street, Allentown, PA 610.433.0032 baumschool.org Mon–Thurs 9–9; Fri & Sat 9–2:30 December 2–21 Cookie and Coffee Opening Reception: December 7, 1–3pm

The first exhibition of a new body of mixed media work, Jungle Gyms and Swingsets explore the machinery of childhood through dreamscapes depicted in a mixture of paint and manipulated photographs, mounted on wood panels.

Heide Fasnacht has returned to painting after several decades. This return has ushered in a commensurate new area of interest: the depiction of neglected and long-forgotten playgrounds. This work is more personal in nature than her previous sculptures. The bodily feelings evoked by climbing and swinging include vertigo, confusion, excitement and mastery. All of this and more are explored through the direct and fluid medium of paint.

Wine and Cheese Reception: December 11, 6–8pm Throughout the month of December, our galleries feature a gorgeous array of pieces from local artists and artisans. You’ll find something for everyone on your list here. We have scarves and knitwear to keep you warm in the months ahead, greeting cards to send to a friend, ceramics to dress up your home, and jewelry to add sparkle to anyone’s day. New this year is fun Baum School merchandise for everyone.

These are just a few of the treasures in our shop this season. Pop in to check these out and so much more. Follow Walter Baum as he pops up on social media to help you find the perfect holiday gift.

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Turbulence (Red), 2019, 48“ x 60“ Acrylic paint on manipulated photo, mounted on board

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Biagio d’Antonio Tucci (Italian, 1446-1516), Madonna and Child with Saints, ca. 1490, tempera and gold leaf on panel.

Allentown Art Museum: Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1960

Evolution of the Spiritual: Europe to America Allentown Art Museum 31 N. 5th St., Allentown, PA 610-432-4333 AllentownArtMuseum.org Through March 29, 2020 This selection of works demonstrates connections between European and American art and tracks the evolution of an image and its cultural significance over time, from the Renaissance to modern and contemporary art of the United States. Featuring fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Italian and German paintings from the Allentown Art Museum’s famed Kress Collection, paired with seventeenth- to eighteenth-century Mexican and Peruvian paintings from the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s collection, the exhibition focuses on the Christian figure of the Virgin Mary. The complexity of such images and their histories points to the cross-cultural connections that undergird much of what we consider American art.

This is one in a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multiinstitutional partnership formed by the Philadelphia Museum of Art as part of the Art Bridges + Terra Foundation Initiative.

From the left

opinion

From the right

Republicans are reduced to fabricating an alternate reality

In the Trump era, it’s the survival of the unscrupulous

By EUGENE ROBINSON

By MICHAEL GERSON

After [the] impeachment testimony, if Republicans continue to insist that Dear Leader President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong—and they may do just that—then the GOP has surrendered any claim to being a political party. It would be a full-fledged cult of personality.

U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, who gave hours of riveting testimony, clearly was determined not to be the fall guy for Trump’s Ukraine bribery scheme. He saw the danger of being portrayed as some sort of rogue actor, and he was having none of that.

“We followed the president’s orders,” he testified. And in defining “we,” he implicated Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, among others, as knowing of or participating in the attempt to coerce Ukrainian officials into fabricating dirt on Trump’s potential Democratic opponent in the coming election, Joe Biden.

There was an actual rogue actor orchestrating this outrageous shakedown attempt—Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney. From Sondland and other witnesses, we learned that the officials whose job was managing relations with Ukraine resented having to follow Giuliani’s lead. But they did so anyway.

Sworn testimony before the House Intelligence Committee has revealed a clear quid pro quo that amounts to bribery: Newly elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would not get the release of nearly $400 million in military aid or a White House meeting with Trump unless Zelensky announced an investigation of Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

The most devastating part of Sondland’s testimony, for me, was when he said that Trump wasn’t actually interested in having the Ukrainians unearth any new information. He just wanted Biden smeared.

“I never heard … anyone say that the investigations had to start, or had to be completed,” Sondland testified. “The only thing I heard from Mr. Giuliani or otherwise was that they had to be announced in some form.”

Arms for dirt. That was the exchange Trump demanded, using as leverage taxpayer funds that had been appropriated to buttress U.S. national security. Explain to me how anyone can honestly believe that is an appropriate use of presidential power.

“The Republicans are in denial about the facts,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, in what had to be the understatement of the year.

The fact is that Republicans in the House, at least publicly, have performed heroic gyrations and contortions to remain in lock step with the president. As devastating fact after devastating fact has emerged in the testimony, Trump’s defenders are reduced to arguing, essentially, that Trump can do no wrong.

If reality is inconvenient for the president, Republicans ignore it and create their own faux reality. In her opening statement, submitted in advance to the intelligence committee, former National Security Council official Fiona Hill called the idea that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election a “fictional narrative.” But before she even got a chance to read her statement, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., used his time at the microphone to argue that the Ukraine fairytale was real. Perhaps if he closed his eyes and wished really hard, I suppose, his wish might come true.

“Secretary [Rick] Perry, Ambassador [Kurt] Volker and I worked with Mr. Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine matters at the express direction of the president of the United States. ... We followed the president’s orders. ... Everyone was in the loop.”

With these words, Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland did his country the favor of candor and clarity. This does not mean that elected Republicans will yield to reason and evidence. But it does change conditions on the ground in significant ways.

First, President Trump can no longer employ his go-to method of damage control—throwing subordinates beneath the presidential limousine.

Trump, according to Sondland’s testimony, personally directed the Ukraine squeeze. And if underlings are to be sacrificed, they would have to be underlings of the highest order. According to Sondland, Vice President Mike Pence was informed of the extortion attempt and said nothing. Both acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were closely involved in the effort. Trump would not hesitate to fire all three men if it would put him one point higher in the polls. But shedding your vice president, your chief of staff and your secretary of state is not a strategy of containment; it would be the complete collapse of the executive branch into recrimination and chaos.

The impeachment investigation has gained additional fuel by uncovering broad complicity at the highest levels of government. Some stories, such as the involvement of Attorney General William Barr, are yet to be fully told. Why did Justice Department prosecutors dismiss the possibility of campaign finance law violations after such a narrow and cursory examination? Why did Trump, according to the rough transcript of the July 25 phone call, say (twice) that Barr would be in touch with President Volodymyr Zelensky or his people to cooperate in a Burisma/Bidens investigation? Is it really plausible that the most politicized attorney general of recent memory was an innocent bystander in these events?

Congress now has every reason and right to hear directly from Barr, Pence, Mulvaney and Pompeo, given their implication in public corruption. And their refusal to testify compounds their apparent corruption with cowardice.

Second, we have once again seen evidence of Trump’s mobster mentality. The president surrounds himself with a bodyguard of rotters—fixers who are willing to do his dirty work based on hints delivered with all the subtlety of a silent film actor. Any leader who would depend on Rudy Giuliani, Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort and Roger Stone for service and counsel is not a bad judge of character; he is a good judge of useful knaves. As president, Trump has created an environment in which his fixers can work unchecked by institutions and individuals with ethical standards. Public servants such as Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and acting Ukraine Ambassador William Taylor raised concerns about corruption up the normal lines of authority. But at the top of those lines Trump has placed people such as Mulvaney, Barr, Pence and Pompeo, who are morally neutered. In a perverse form of political Darwinism, leaders in the executive branch have been selected for traits of turpitude and tractability. It is the survival of the unscrupulous.

Third, the Sondland testimony—along with the testimony of other wit-

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exhibitions

Upon Rising, 2019. Acrylic on canvas, 36” x 36”

Allison Syvertsen, Garden Community.

Gouache on Arches paper, 10” x 10”

Femi J. Johnson: The Embodiment of Abstraction

TWO BY TWO Cerulean Arts, 1355 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia 267-514-8647 ceruleanarts.com Wed – Fri 10am-6pm; Sat & Sun 12-6pm Through December 22 Associate Members Exhibition December 11 – January 12, 2020 TWO BY TWO is an exhibition of small works by ten artists: Sandy Cadwalader, Evan Fugazzi, Hugh Hamrick, Michael Kowbuz, Aubrey Levinthal, Michael Rossman, Bill Scott, Teresa Shields, Allison Syvertsen & Louise Vinueza. The paintings, drawings and mixed media works comprise a variety of subjects and aesthetic intents but are unified in their presentation with each artist exhibiting four same-sized works installed two over two. The challenge of the format creates intriguing conversations amongst the arrangements.

Also opening during December is an exhibition featuring paintings, sculpture and mixed media works by Cerulean Arts’ twelve Associate Members.

Bill Scott, Paper Flowers.

Watercolor and ink on paper, 10.25” x 14.25” 8

Untitled.

Solo Exhibition: David Stier Silverman Gallery Bucks County Impressionist Art 4920 York Rd., Holicong, PA (Buckingham Green, Rte. 202, just north of 413) 215-794-4300 Silvermangallery.com Through January 12, 2020 Opening receptions 12/7, 5-8pm & 12/8, 1-4pm Stier’s drawings and paintings are an exploration of the world through a variety of mediums, sizes, and subjects—an artistic unfolding born of moving through life with the soul of an artist from a very young age.

Stier is more concerned with form, space, and light than color, and he favors an “old world” palette—earth colors that lend themselves to the subtlety and mysteriousness of his art.

The gallery is open from 11-6, Monday through Sunday and by appointment.

The artist’s studio.

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Gallery On Fourth 401 Northampton Street, Easton, PA 610-905-4637 GalleryOnFourth.org W-Th 12-7; Fri-Sat 12-9; Sun 12-5 12/14/19 through 01/26/20 Opening Reception Sat. 12/14, 6-9 PM Closing Reception Sun. 01/26/20, 12-5 PM, featuring Artist Talk at 2 PM Gallery On Fourth is pleased to present Femi J. Johnson: The Embodiment of Abstraction, a solo exhibition of new works created by the artist. This exhibition celebrates Femi’s artistic return to the city of his youth.

Femi’s engagement with contemporary and modernist art inspires and informs his studio practice. He combines abstract, painterly, and figurative elements, interspersed with collage and other mixed media, to visually express the connections that exist between his everyday thoughts, feelings and memories—everything that exists somewhere between consciousness and dream. He envisions the universe, the physical world and his temporal existence within it as a continuum of collaged experiences which he expresses in canvases that explode with rich color and bold brushwork interspersed with delicate line drawing, text and photo fragments. He weaves childhood memories with his present-day self, his spirituality, and his personal and media-influenced worldview to tell stories that have no beginning and no end…just chapters. Above all, Femi’s art exalts life.

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nightlife DECEMBER 7–11 MADONNA

Maybe Madonna isn’t playing in the field of her younger nu-pop femme contemporaries with the dramatic tango epic, Madame X. Great. It’s that lack of competitive

CURATED BY A.D. AMOROSI

brother. (World Café Live, worldcafelivephilly.com)

tracks from his most recent solo album Still Striving. (Fillmore, thefillmorephilly.com)

and whatever it is they’re doing now. (The Met Philadelphia, themetphilly.com)

12–14 WYNTON MARSALIS’ BLUES SYMPHONY

15-17 PENTATONIX

11 TYLER CHILDERS

Few artists could make ‘purgatory’ seem nice. But, that’s just what folk-bluegrass singer Tyler Childers did with his 2017 breakthrough album of the same name.

The legendary, history-driven trumpeter and large ensemble leader gets low down, and sadeyed for the holiday season. Aw. (Kimmel Center, kimmelcenter.org)

The five-part harmony of the Grammy-winning act is always something to behold. Yet, during their annual holiday shows—with

13 DARLENE LOVE

One of Phil Spector’s girl group avatars brings her annual Christ-

edge that’s turned Maddie wild with experimentation and salty, swerving Latinx influences. The show promises to be a choreographic wonder, and rather than be exposed to her usual hockey arena chill, the warmth and intimacy of The Met makes this a rare event. (The Met Philadelphia, themetphilly.com) 7 SAM AMIDON

I can’t say whether or not Amidon will focus on his newly released Fatal Flower Garden (A Tribute To Harry Smith) EP, but, either way, you can expect a deeply personal bunch of folkbased song and improvisation.

(Boot & Saddle, bootandsaddlephilly.com) 8 DEVENDRA BANHART

The Venezuelan-American singersongwriter started his career in lo-fi avant pop before moving into mind-expanding psychedelia, all with a Tropicalian vibe. His newest album Ma, his best in some time, crams in all of those sounds and more refrigerator poetry with warbly vocals. (Union Transfer, utphilly.com) 11 HORTON HEAT HOLIDAY SLEIGH RIDE

The king of hellfire rockabilly comes around University City for his big Christmas show. Amen, 10

Now, several records and many tour miles later, he’s back with his most recent LP, Country Squire, and a show Fishtown.

(The Fillmore Philadelphia, thefillmorephilly.com)

mas show to Glenside. Ho ho ho.

(Keswick Theatre, keswicktheatre.com)

a platinum-plated album, A Pentatonix Christmas Deluxe to show for it—the quintet truly makes its merry mark. (The Met, themetphilly.com) 17 ANA GASTEYER

12 COLIN QUINN

The abrupt, gruff-voiced stand-up comedian and one-time Saturday Night Live “Weekend Update” news reporter has a second career as a theatrical, history, and geography mapper, a cross between Spalding Grey and David Attenborough. Who knows which performer Quinn will drag out in the Lehigh Valley?

(SteelStacks/Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest Center, steelstacks.org) 12, 13 ASAP FERG

Donald Trump's second favorite rapper after Kanye West, A$AP Rocky—the man he got released

from Swedish prison—couldn't make it. So, Ferg, the gentler, cooler, kinder of the A$AP Mob hits The Fillmore hard with

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14 THE CLASH’S LONDON CALLING: 40TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE PRESENTED BY THE KEY

Another Saturday Night Live alum comes to the Philly area.

WXPN’s The Key studies and exposes alternative music. So, why shouldn’t they capture poli-punk’s first stretch into outsider sounds with a handful of Philly’s finest acts? (World Café Live, worldcafelivephilly.com) 14 WEEN

The toast of all that is weird, wonky, and New Hope-ish can be found in the dreams of Deen and Gene Ween, their over 30-yearold brotherhood, their reunion,

Only this time, the comedian goes for a cabaret jazz vocal demeanor and a jazzy sense of Christmas cool. (World Café Live, worldcafelivephilly.com)

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valley theater

city theater

Annie. Based on a famous comic strip, this perennially popular musical revolves around an eternally optimistic escaped orphan, an ever-faithful runaway dog, and a surly mogul who discovers a heart of gold while the three of them defeat greedy nasties during the Great Depression, winning over none other than FDR. The production is staged by Sing for America Presents, which in eight years has raised more than $50,000 for military families by presenting 30-plus Broadway-style musicals ranging from “The School of Rock” to “Once on This Island.” The humanitarian, ecumenical non-profit is led by the Gilberts (Jewel, Jorne, Taryn, Tasia, Teara), who also teach dance, fitness, and theatrical design. Note: online buyers of an opening-night ticket receive a free ticket to another “Annie” performance.

(Mauch Chunk Opera House, 14 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe, Dec. 22, 2629, Jan. 1-5)

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. In a “clear and direct” adaptation, Philadelphia playwright, actor and part-time theologian Anthony Lawton brings to life all of its characters’ bitterness, greed, and isolation intact from its Dickens-ian origins. In collaboration with Barrymore Award-winning theater design practitioners Christopher Colucci and Thom Weaver, Lawton weaves weird, pragmatic magic over the text. (Lantern Theater Company, Proscenium Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks Street, through Dec. 29)

A Christmas Carol. English actor Guy Masterson, Richard Burton’s greatnephew, plays virtually everyone in his version of Dickens’ morality evergreen. Another solo, “Playing Burton,” was a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a Masterson repertory company for three decades. Oh yes, he’s also the second cousin of Marcello Mastroianni, Federico Fellini’s favorite leading man. (Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, 321 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem, Dec. 7)

The Gifts of the Magi. A merry holiday musical based on the witty and heartwarming stories of O. Henry makes for a rousing good time from author Mark St. Germain and composer Randy Courts, both of whom pen the lyrics to this show about a penniless, but happy couple. (Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut Street, through Dec. 22)

Christmas City Follies XX. Touchstone Theatre offers its 20th merry-mayhem circus of stories, songs, dances, and roasted chestnuts of wisdom from a shopping-cart sage. (321 E. 4th St., Bethlehem, Dec. 5-8, 12-15, 19-22) She Loves Me. Set during the Christmas season in a Budapest perfumerie, this musical includes an affair, a suicide attempt, a wrongful firing, numerous arguments, and a pen-pal romance between employees who can’t stand each other. Jack Cassidy, David’s father, won the 1964 featuredactor Tony. (Pennsylvania Playhouse, 390 Illick’s Mill Rd., Bethlehem, Dec. 6-8, 13-15, 20-22) Christmas Carole 1944. This Dickensian update features a colorful comeuppance for Carole Scrooge, a Manhattan cosmetic queen who learns that charity begins at home and continues at the office. (Civic Theatre of Allentown, 527 N. 19th St., Dec. 6-8, 12-15, 19-21) The Suicide Club. An upper-crust couple—bored, curious, on the cusp of desperation—infiltrates a secret society of people dying to die in good company. That’s the crux of Ara Barlieb’s savagely witty, wickedly provocative mystery, christened in October by his company, the Crowded Kitchen Players. Riffing off three short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson, he created a tangled web with Hitchcockian corners and Poe abysses.

Trish Cippoleti was compellingly chipper and chipped as a cross-dressing aristocrat whose life-threatening illness leaves her wanting to “rouse” her “withered soul” with a last “carouse.” At times she flashed the flinty feistiness of Rosalind, the cross-dressing heroine in “As You Like It.” David Oswald played her sleuthing husband with a dastardly dry-martini demeanor worthy of a film-noir Nick “The Thin Man” Charles. Donald M. Swan Jr. gave the club’s seductive, sinister director the velvety, stabbing attack of a Machiavellian Mephistopheles. Handicaps—muddy pacing, murky reactions, too much breezy banter—were offset by invigorating debates about fate vs. free will. From now on I will make it my mission to cheat the universe of glee at my inevitable decline. n — GEOFF GEHMAN 12

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SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical. Every child’s favorite purple phylum Porifera executes the music of Foo Fighters, David Bowie, and more in its quest to find fun and frolic at the depths of the ocean. (Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut Street, through Dec. 15)

An Illiad. When the Arden Theater’s Terry Nolen decided on staging Denis O’Hare’s adaptation of the Homer classic with fellow playwright Lisa Peterson, the Old City theater’s braintrust went to Applied Mechanics’ founders Rebecca Wright (director) and Mary Tuomanen (actor) to tell the vile, violent story of modern warfare and heroism. (Arden Theatre Company, Hamilton Family Arts Center, 62 N. 2nd Street, through Dec. 15) Natural Shocks. Local favorite Amanda Schoonover stars in this onewoman show from playwright Lauren Gunderson and director Elise D’Avella. Based on Shakespeare’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy from Hamlet, Gunderson’s tale finds a young woman waiting out a horrific tornado in her basement while considering the politics of gun ownership and rights in America in the time of Trump. (Simpatico Theatre, Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks Street, through Dec. 22) The Eighth Fish of Christmas. Raw Productions’ South Philly-based holiday story touches on the very Italian practice of making scrod, squid, and other fish before Christmas for friends and family. Only here, it’s a family in turmoil (a messy divorceand a new beau who’s Jewish) during the ’80s. Playwright Gianna Lozzi Wolf and director Madison Caudullo did this at the Italian Market’s Ric Rac last year, with some necessary changes for 2019. (Raw Productions, Connie’s Ric Rac, 1132 S 9th Street, Dec. 12–21) Souvenir. Everyone saw director Stephen Frears’ stately comedy ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’ with Hugh Grant as the doting husband and a genuinely odd Meryl Streep portraying the New York City multi-million dollar heiress known for her poor singing. In Philadelphia, April Woodall and Sonny Leo portray the hilarious and infamous husband and wife in what is promised to be a rapturous fantasia from director Tony Braithwaite and playwright Stephen Temperley. (Act II Playhouse, Act II Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Avenue, Dec. 10–Jan. 5) The Wizard of Oz. L. Frank Baum’s legendary tale of Dorothy, the hurricane, flying monkeys and munchkins takes on a modern political theme when the Quintessence group and director Lee Cortopassi moves the yellow brick road to Germantown Avenue’s Sedgwick Theater. So who is the Wizard supposed to be? Find out. (Quintessence Theatre Group, The Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Avenue, through Dec. 29) n — A.D. AMOROSI

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The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company Robert Iger Random House Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005, during a difficult time. Fourteen years later, Disney is the largest and most respected media company in the world, counting Lucasfilm, Pixar, 21st Century Fox, and Marvel among its properties. In The Ride of a Lifetime, Iger shares the lessons he’s learned while running Disney and leading its 200,000 employees, and he explores the principles that are necessary for true leadership.

This book is about the relentless curiosity that has driven Iger for forty-five years, since the day he started as the lowliest studio grunt at ABC. It’s also about thoughtfulness and respect, and a decency-over-dollars approach that has become the bedrock of every project and partnership Iger pursues, from a deep friendship with Steve Jobs in his final years to an abiding love of the Star Wars mythology.

new books

Agent Running in the Field John le Carré Viking

A veteran of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, Nat believes his years as an agent are over. He is back in London with his wife, Prue. However, with the threat from Moscow Centre, the office has one more job for him. Nat is to take over The Haven, a defunct substation of London General with a rag-tag band of spies. The only bright light is Florence, who has her eye on Russia Department and a Ukrainian oligarch with a finger in the Russia pie.

Nat is not only a spy, he is a passionate badminton player. His regular opponent is half his age: the introspective and solitary Ed. Ed hates Brexit, hates Trump and hates his job at some soulless media agency. And it is Ed who will take Prue, Florence and Nat himself down the path of political anger that will ensnare them all. Agent Running in the Field is a chilling portrait of our time, now heartbreaking, now darkly humorous, told to us with unflagging tension by the greatest chronicler of our age.

In Defense of Elitism: Why I'm Better Than You and You're Better Than Someone Who Didn't Buy This Book Joel Stein Grand Central Publishing In a defense of academia, the press, mediumrare steak, and civility, Stein fights against populism. He fears a new tribal elite will fend off expertise of all kinds and send the country hurtling backward to a time of wars, economic stagnation and the well-done steaks doused with ketchup that Trump eats.

To find out how this happened, Stein spends a week in Roberts County, Texas, which had the highest percentage of Trump voters in the country. He meets people who create fake news, and finds the new elitist organizations merging both right and left to fight the populists. All the while using the biggest words he knows.

“With this indispensable book, Joel Stein firmly establishes himself as the Ted Nugent of elitism.”―Andy Borowitz, New York Times bestselling author and writer of The Borowitz Report

Becoming Michelle Obama Clarkson Potter

The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Gregory Zuckerman Portfolio

The Water Dancer Ta-Nehisi Coates One World

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America, she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls around the world, changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters.

In this memoir, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped who she is— from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive having to balance the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address.

Jim Simons is the greatest money maker in modern financial history.

No other investor can touch his record. Since 1988, Renaissance’s signature Medallion fund has generated average annual returns of 66 percent.

Drawing on unprecedented access to Simons and current and former employees, Zuckerman, a Wall Street Journal investigative reporter, tells the story of how a worldclass mathematician and code breaker mastered the market.

As Renaissance became a market force, its executives began influencing the world beyond finance. Simons became a major figure in scientific research, education, and liberal politics. Senior executive Robert Mercer is more responsible than anyone else for the Trump presidency, placing Steve Bannon in the campaign and funding Trump’s victorious 2016 effort. Mercer also impacted the campaign behind Brexit.

Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage.

When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life. So begins an unexpected journey that takes Hiram from the grandeur of Virginia’s plantations to guerrilla cells in the wilderness, from the Deep South to dangerously idealistic movements in the North.

“Coates balances the horrors of slavery against the fantastical. He extends the idea of the gifts of the disenfranchised to include a kind of superpower. But The Water Dancer is very much its own book, and its gestures toward otherworldliness remain grounded. In the end, it is a novel interested in the psychological effects of slavery, a grief that Coates is especially adept at parsing. . . . In Coates’ world, an embrace can be a revelation, rare and astonishing.”— Esi Edugyan, The New York Times Book Review

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CHRISTKINDLMARKT HOT GLASS EXPERIENCE: ORNAMENT Thru Dec. 22. Work with an artist to create your own glass holiday ornament. Christkindlmarkt Glass Tent, PNC Plaza at SteelStacks, 645 East 1st St., Bethlehem. bananafactory.org . 610-332-1300

CHRISTMAS HUTS ON MAIN Thru Dec. 22. Wooden huts filled with unique gift ideas. Main St., Downtown Bethlehem. getdowntownbethlehem.com/huts-on-main2019. 484-280-3024

over 20 trees and vote for your favorite. For tickets and more info visit: HistoricBethlehem.org

HOLIDAY PUTZ TRAIL Thru Jan. 12. Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, 427 North New St., Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, 66 West Church St., Single Sisters' House, 50 West Church St., 1810 Goundie House, 501 Main St. https://historicbethlehem.org. 1-800-360-8687

CHRISTKINDLMARKT AT STEELSTACKS EDGEBORO MORAVIAN CHURCH CHRISTMAS PUTZ AND CHRISTMAS SHOP Thru Dec. 22. Edgeboro Moravian Church, 645 Hamilton Ave. edgeboromoravian.org. 610-866-8793

HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES Thru Dec. 24, experience “Christmas City, USA.” Horse-drawn carriage rides are the perfect way to enjoy the lights, sights, and sounds of Bethlehem. Purchase tickets today at HistoricBethlehem.org

Dec. 1 & Dec. 5-8, 12-15 & 19-22. One of the best holiday markets in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure. A one-of-a-kind family event . Aisles of handmade works by more than 150 of the nation’s finest artisans.

Enjoy live music, ice carving and glassblowing PNC Plaza at SteelStacks, 645 East First St., Bethlehem. Christmascity.org.

877-212-2463.

WHITE CHRISTMAS / CHRISTMAS CLASSIC MATINEES Dec. 5-7, 12:00 p.m. Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. steelstacks.org. 610-297-7100

CHRISTMAS CITY STROLL WALKING TOUR Thru Dec. 30. Walk thru Historic Bethlehem with a certified guide and learn the story of “Christmas City." Historic Bethlehem Visitor Center, 505 Main St., Bethlehem. historicbethlehem.org. 1-800-360-8687

CHRISTMAS CITY FOLLIES XX December 5-22. Touchstone’s holiday tradition has been singing, dancing, laughing and cart wheeling its way into the hearts of audiences. 321 East 4th St., Bethlehem. touchstone.org. 610-867-1689

BETHLEHEM BY NIGHT BUS TOUR Thru Dec. 30. Visit website to view the schedule. Historic Bethlehem Visitor Center, 505 Main St. historicbethlehem.org. 1-800-360-8687

54TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY ADVENT BREAKFAST

EAST HILLS MORAVIAN CHURCH CHRISTMAS PUTZ

Dec. 7, 8:30 - 9 a.m. This nondenominational Bethlehem tradition offers holiday music along with a generous served breakfast. Christmascity.org. 610-739-3385

Thru Dec. 30. East Hills Moravian Church, 1830 Butztown Rd. easthillsmc.org. 610-868-6481

THE TEN TENORS

CHRISTMAS PUTZ AND STAR & CANDLE SHOPPE

Dec. 7. Home for the Holidays, 7:30 PM. State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Statetheatre.org. 610-252-3132

Thru Dec. 31. A retelling of the story of Christ’s birth through narration and music. centralmoravianchurch.org. 610-866-5661

BEL CANTO YOUTH CHORUS WINTER CONCERT

COUTURE TREES OF HISTORIC BETHLEHEM

Dec. 7, 2 p.m. St. John’s Windish Evangelical Lutheran Church, 617 E. 4th St. bach.org/tickets. 610-866-4382

Thru Jan. 12. A world of beautifully decorated Christmas Trees inspired by famous fashion designers. Spanning across four historic sites, see

BREAKFAST WITH ST. NICHOLAS Dec. 7 & Dec. 14. Doors Open 8 a.m.; Breakfast 8:15 – 9:30 a.m.;

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Photos Begin 8:30 a.m. PNC Plaza at SteelStacks, 645 East First St., Bethlehem. christmascity.org. 610-332-3378

MOSCOW BALLET’S GREAT RUSSIAN NUTRCRACKER Dec. 8, 2 PM & 6 PM. State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton.

Statetheatre.org. 610-252-3132, 1-800-999-STATE.

BACH CHOIR OF BETHLEHEM CHRISTMAS CONCERT Dec. 8, 4 p.m. First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center St. bach.org/event/christmas-concert-bethlehem. 610-866-4382

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, . 610252-3132, 1-800-999-STATE. Statetheatre.org

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE CHRISTMAS CLASSIC MATINEES Dec. 19-21, 12:00 p.m. Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, 101 Founders Way. steelstacks.org. 610-297-7100

WHAT’S IN THE BOX: A HOLIDAY GAME SHOW/COMEDY AT STEELSTACKS

CONTEMPLATIVE WORSHIP SERVICE

Dec. 22, 9:45 p.m. Jon Lunger (Improvised Wikipedia Podcast) puts comedians through ridiculous challenges that test their minds and senses. ArtsQuest, 101 Founders Way. 610-332-3378. steelstacks.org

Dec. 9, 7 p.m. Central Moravian Church, Old Chapel, 412 Heckewelder Place. centralmoravianchurch.org. 610-866-5661

HOLIDAY SWING

A MUPPETS CHRISTMAS CAROL SECOND SATURDAY KIDS MOVIE SERIES

Dec. 22, 2:00 p.m. Swing with a big band of trumpets, trombones, saxophones and percussion. Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. 610-758-2787. Zoellnerartscenter.org

Dec. 14, 10:00 a.m. Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, 101 Founders Way. steelstacks.org. 610-297-7100

8 CRAZY NIGHTS/COMEDY AT STEELSTACKS

LUMINARIA NIGHT

Dec. 23, 8 p.m. A Hanukkah game show with Ben Youngerman and Aaron Alkasov. ArtsQuest, 101 Founders Way. 610-332-3378. steelstacks.org

Dec. 14, sundown, city-wide. A symbol of unity and caring for those less fortunate. All proceeds of Luminaria kits go to New Bethany Ministries, benefiting individuals and families in need. newbethanyministries.org. 610-691-5602

41ST ANNUAL BETHLEHEM CHRISTMAS PAGEANT Dec. 14 & 15, 1:45 p.m. Bethlehem Rose Garden Band Shell on 8th Ave. Goodwill offerings appreciated. facebook.com/BethlehemNativityPageant. 610-865-0274

BETHLEHEM MUNICIPAL BAND HOLIDAY CONCERT Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. Moravian College, Foy Concert Hall, 324 Main St. 610-984-2131

PEEPSFEST® Dec. 30, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Presented by Just Born Quality Confections. Annual two-day New Year’s Eve festival, SteelStacks, Bethlehem.

A PEEPS® Rising Ceremony, culminating with fireworks. steelstacks.org. 610-332-3378

PEEPSFEST® 5K Dec. 31, 1 p.m. (Registration/Packet pick up at 11 a.m.) Just Born Quality Confections. ArtsQuest Center, SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way. Run, jog, or walk your way into the New Year. peepsfest5k.itsyourrace.com. 610-332-3378

PEEPS® CHICK DROP NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION Dec. 18 & 19, 7:30 p.m. 30th Anniversary- Holiday Quote-Along Series. Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, 101 Founders Way. 610-2977100. Steelstacks.org

Dec. 31, 5:15 p.m. Just Born Quality Confections. A 4’, 9” tall, 400 lb. lit PEEPS® Chick that drop to mark the beginning of a new year. Fireworks display. Levitt Pavilion, SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way. steelstacks.org. 610-332-3378

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interview A.D. AMOROSI

R

achael

PRICE Lake Street Dive’s Price dives deep into the cool waters of jazz and Tin Pan Alley

RACHAEL & VILRAY IS THE debut album by Lake Street Dive cofounder and singer-songwriter Rachael Price and composer, singer, and guitarist Vilray. It features ten original songs by him, plus two covers from the pre-1950s jazz, show tune and pop era that inspired him as a writer and Price as a singer—Cuban composer Pedro Junco Jr.’s “Nosotros” (1943) and Peggy Lee’s “I Love the Way You’re Breaking My Heart.” To hear the duet on a song like “Do Friends Fall in Love” is to imagine guitarist Les Paul and singer Mary Ford in the present. Or the Boswell Sisters.

It is that sort of detail that Price—a one-time New England Conservatory of Music student who first met Vilray during school while he collaborated with Lake Street Dive bandmates, Mike Calabrese and Mike Olson—seems to thrive on. For Rachael, it’s the history of jazz and Tin Pan Alley’s roots—coolly passionate, vintage-feeling, but original pop with a curious edge.

ICON caught up with Price after Rachael & Vilray’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and in anticipation of their debut Philadelphia show on Friday, December 13, at the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater.

Are you working on anything while on tour as Rachael & Vilray?

Lake Street Dive is planning for its new record right now. We’re in a heavy writing stage. Being off the road with them allows me to spend some time with Vilray.

Does writing while on tour with Vilray influence the Lake Street Dive stuff? Or do you compartmentalize the music, keep it separate?

I would say pretty separate. Both are very definitely parts of my soul, but, in reality, there’s not a ton of overlap. Also, my role in Lake Street Dive requires me to sing and write. Here, with Vilray, I can be the singer.

Before you and Vilray hooked up for the album and tour, were you looking for something apart from Lake Street Dive to do? Something to express yourself differently?

I wasn’t. The project with Vilray came out of me seeing him play live.

I did, however, have a yearning to sing this sort of music again, this style.

That was present in me. Vilray did a show at this bar where he touched on the music I started with, originals including covers of songs from the ’30s and ’40s, and I was, ‘Well, here’s a person who I’m pretty sure is as obsessed with this music as I am.’ And like me, was obsessed with the idea of carrying it forward. It was just a great opportunity.

How was what he was doing on stage that night different?

It was very different. For me, watching him do it, I never felt as if he

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feature

SLOUCHING UP BROAD STREET All the way from Aphrodite’s squeaky golden slippers to Philadelphia

TWO AND A HALF miles long, upwards of 20,000 moving parts and fueled mostly by alcohol, it moves slowly up Broad Street towards the Victorian monstrosity Philadelphians refer to as City Hall.

It moves with a gait, devoid of rhythm and thereby uniquely appropriate to its parts known as ‘strutting.’

Indeed most of its parts are Anglo-Saxon Males.

The thing takes over twelve hours to run its course—makings its way to music made by accordions, banjos, and saxophones—a combination that should relegate the thing to a place in Hell.

Instead, however, the thing traces its roots back to the lofty gates of Olympus and the Greek word Momus which means to ridicule.

Legend says that Momus was a Greek god who was banished from Olympus for making fun of Aphrodite’s squeaky golden slippers.

Thousands of years later, the citizens of Philadelphia celebrate, in the name of this ridicule, what historians consider America’s oldest authentic folk festival, the New Year’s Day Mummers Parade. Its theme song: “Oh Dem Golden Slippers.”

The notion of raising Hell on New Year’s Eve is not unique to our century. History suggests that the Swedes brought this ritual of mummering to this country in the 1600s.

English and German immigrants also brought their version to New Year’s hellraising to Philadelphia in the 18th and 19th centuries.

By the mid-1900s, things had gotten pretty well THE THING IS A BEAST UNTO ITSELF. out of control, with drunken citizens shooting off firearms in the streets, wearing crazy costumes, and THE STENCH OF URINE AND STALE displaying drunken behavior. By the turn of the cenBEER JUXTAPOSE WITH THE BEAUTY tury, the city decided to get involved and finally organized the first modern New Year’s Mummers PaOF COLORFUL OSTRICH FEATHERS rade in 1901. The eminent American anthropologist GENTLY FLOWING IN THE WINTER WIND. Margaret Mead was born in Philadelphia that year.

It’s interesting to consider the possibility that an early exposure to the Mummers parade might have helped lead her to a life-long study of ritual human behavior.

The thing is a beast unto itself. The stench of urine and stale beer juxtapose with the beauty of colorful ostrich feathers gently flowing in the winter wind.

Rowdiness and debauchery of the comics co-exist with polished choreography of the fancy divisions. Burly blue-collar workers from South Philly put on dresses and drink to excess, staggering past steely-eyed cops who look the other way.

Television and the addition of more women and children have civilized much of the event. The different clubs compete in front of judges for city-sponsored prizes. The Beast seems tame when viewed through the lens of the television eye. Sanitary and civilized. Colorful. Polite. Even professional.

The television eye has not found its way to the streets of South Philly—down where the Beast is born.

Dan Aubrey, born in Philadelphia, learned about the Mummers when he was a child but didn’t think about them until he studied ancient literature and art. “The more I saw, the more the event spoke to me,” he says.

Attending the parade for the last two decades, he takes digital color photographs to capture a living event

[

]

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Mummers X 2—a photographic exploration of the Philadelphian Mummers Parade—is set for Trenton Free Public Library from January 11 through February 28.

The exhibition features 29 photographs of what is considered the oldest folkart event in the United States.

The photographs are by two New Jersey-based journalists: Bryan Grigsby and Dan Aubrey.

Grigsby is a retired newspaper photographer who spent the last 30 years of his career as a photo editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Aubrey, of Hamilton, is the arts editor of U.S. 1 Newspaper and editor of the monthly Trenton Downtowner.

They were brought together by a fellow journalist and united in their interest in the Mummers.

Grigsby, originally from Florida, discovered the Mummers Parade in the mid-1980s and says, “It was love at first sight. I thought this event was the most bizarre thing I had ever seen, and I was determined to bring an outsiders point of view to capturing the participants.”

Photo by Bryan Grigsby.

Photo by Dan Aubrey.

Photo by Bryan Grigsby.

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cinematters

A

PETE CROATTO

Dark Waters

AT FIRST GLANCE, TODD Haynes’ Dark Waters, a real-life corporate drama, is miles away from the director’s rich-hued character studies of lost souls in the 1930s and 1950s. Far from Heaven and Carol have painted Haynes as a nostalgist, when he’s a chronicler of people born ahead of their time. That makes attorney Rob Bilott (Mark Ruffalo) a perfect subject. After years defending chemical companies, Bilott sued DuPont during a time in American history when companies control everything. Haynes is comfortable, directing with verve and depth. He’s having a good time. We do, too.

In 1998, Bilott is a freshly minted partner at white-shoe Cincinnati law firm Taft, Stettinius, and Hollister. Two men in farm clothes, and work boots arrive with a box full of VHS cassettes and a complete lack of pretense. The more vociferous man, Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp), wants Rob’s help. Not only have they come from Rob’s old town in West Virginia, his grandmother sent them his way. The latter’s comfortable life is over.

Wilbur knows DuPont is dumping chemicals in Parkersburg, W.Va., home to one of its chemical plants. It’s why the rocks in the creek near his farm are white, why his cows keep dying.

Rob makes a couple of calls, gets a clean EPA report, and hopes to call it a day.

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No way, Wilbur says. He has lived this heartache day after day, videotaping the cows’ rotten teeth and swollen organs. Rob wants to give DuPont a break, but he can’t fathom why they need drums for a site that is apparently clean or why they won’t cooperate. So he pushes until the company gives him everything about the DuPont plant in Parkersburg. The boxes fill an entire office. Rob, armed with sticky notes and a pen, reads every word—and devotes nearly 20 years to a thankless pursuit for justice.

Rob and Wilbur are automatic pariahs.

When Bilott and his wife, Sarah (Anne Hathaway) talk outside a restaurant, a long shot reveals they’re outside a massive, neon-draped Benihana. A tour of suburban Cincinnati reveals the same strip malls with the same national brands we’ve seen everywhere else.

Parkersburg is a company town. DuPont has provided thousands of grateful residents their jobs and livelihoods. Its name is everywhere, even on garbage cans. Its investment in the town is superficial. Haynes shows us downtown Parkersburg with its citizens in front of sparse storefronts and congregating by the unemployment office. This is the kind of small-town life made famous by Springsteen, not Capra.

Haynes adds depth with his choices behind

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the camera. As Wilbur chases a helicopter from his farm, a bird’s eye shot reveals just how lonely his battle is. Bilott shakily puts his car key in the ignition after an important deposition; Rob’s explanation to Sarah about Teflon is edited with such taut precision—and a priceless reaction from Anne Hathaway—that you’re captivated.

Bilott gets a great phone call at home, and then the years tick off a black screen.

Dark Waters is vibrant and lithe, yet Haynes ramps the thrills without diminishing the people in it. The actors shine. Ruffalo,, who produced the movie, has a jittery passion that makes us question if Bilott will survive this ordeal. As Sarah, Hathaway has a small role, but her transition from suburban wife into a woman beaten by her husband’s sacrifices is captivating. Camp is just perfect as Wilbur. We can’t pick up everything he says, but we understand what’s important. The anger radiates off him. It’s a heartbreaking, authentic performance that gives Dark Waters more weight.

Rob’s last words are “still here,” the ultimate rallying cry in a world of unfathomable heartache. Sticking to our beliefs is an evergreen lesson. It worked for Carol, and it worked for Rob Bilott and Wilbur Tennant. It can work for us. [PG-13] n

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film roundup KEITH UHLICH

A Hidden Life

ters to her own quirky perspective, most notably in her achronological restructuring of the narrative. She also weaves in certain biographical details of Alcott’s own life so that author/spinster in training Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) gets a haveyour-cake-and-eat-it-too character arc that’s very 2019 in its metafeminism. The cleverness of Gerwig’s adaptational choices tend to overwhelm storytelling basics. Familiarity with the source material is presumed to a detrimental degree, while emotional beats are plowed through rather than permitted to linger. This is still a great yarn, even skeletally. And the cast—which includes Emma Watson as Meg, Timothée Chalamet as Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March—is so effusively committed that the film often works in spite of itself. [PG] HHH

Clemency (Dir. Chinonye Chukwu). Starring: Alfre Woodard, Aldis Hodge, Wendell Pierce. Alfre Woodard brings a multifaceted authority to the smallest role (see her defiant Mistress Shaw in 12 Years a Slave for one stellar example), so it’s wonderful to see this terrific and often underutilized performer take a plum leading role in writer-director Chinonye Chukwu’s death-row drama. As Bernadine Williams, an uber-professional prison warden nearing an emotional breaking point, Woodard is as initially chilly and stern as the movie that houses her. Cracks are beginning to show in her rigorously maintained facade now that she’s overseeing the execution of an inmate (Aldis Hodge) whose appeals for clemency are likely to fall on deaf ears. Chukwu’s direction is steady and confident, her screenwriting slightly less so (the film wears its indie-with-a-conscience bona fides a bit too boastfully at times). Regardless, Woodard never steps wrong, infusing each 24

word, look and gesture with a foundation-shaking power. It’s a shame that a spotlight vehicle such as this is the exception for the actress rather than the rule. [R] HHH1/2 A Hidden Life (Dir. Terrence Malick). Starring: August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, Bruno Ganz. How many filmmakers could claim a run as fertile as Terrence Malick with his four autobiographically-tinged, narratively improvisatory features of the last decade—The Tree of Life (2011), To the Wonder (2012), Knight of Cups (2015) and Song to Song (2017))? His latest, A Hidden Life, is by comparison merely excellent. The writer-director treats the true-life story of Franz Jägerstätter (August Diehl), an Austrian conscientious objector during WWII, as a straightforward, if still highly mystical moral tale. As Adolf Hitler comes to power, Jägerstätter’s lush mountain village is overrun by the Führer’s supporters and his irreligious ideology. With the ex-

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ception of his loving wife Franziska (Valerie Pachner), most of Jägerstätter’s friends and neighbors fall prey to their worst instincts. Jägerstätter, however, remains steadfast in his pacifism, even though his defiance will assuredly result in his execution.

Gorgeously photographed by Malick's long-time camera operator Jörg Widmer, this 172-minute epic proves as wearisome as it does enrapturing, though its transcendent moments (see in particular Jägerstätter’s discussion with a church muralist about the possibility of painting “the true Christ”) are like nothing else. [PG13] HHH1/2 Little Women (Dir. Greta Gerwig).

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet. Every generation gets the Little Women it deserves. That may come off harsher than Greta Gerwig’s clear labor of love warrants: The Lady Bird writer-director tailors Louisa May Alcott’s tale of the four March sis-

Uncut Gems (Dirs. Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie). Starring: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett.

Incessantly unpleasant, the latest film from Benny and Josh Safdie (Good Time) barrels through several feverish days in the life of NYC jeweler Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) as he attempts to score big with an illegally procured opal.

Everything and everyone seems to stand in the way of his personal gain, be it his nag of a wife (Idina Menzel), his dunderhead of a mistress (Julia Fox), his thug of a brother-in-law (Eric Bogosian), or—via the cheeky decision to set the action in 2012—the fiscal recklessness of America itself. Even NBA superstar Kevin Garnett and R&B artist The Weeknd, playing themselves, get in on obstructing Howard’s windfall; they’re both examples, in addition to the coveted opal’s African origins, of the Safdies’ queasy relationship to race. Sandler is as off-putting and aggressive as in any of his quickie comedies, while Darius Khondji’s seasick camerawork augments this monotonously frenetic project’s shallow sense of moral and ethical nausea. Gems is an anti-capitalist parable gone glibly dudebro. [R] H1/2 n

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reel news

Ad Astra

DVDS REVIEWED BY GEORGE OXFORD MILLER

Chambermaid (Director Lila Avilés. Stars Gabriela Cartol, Teresa Sánchez.) Like a submerged submarine or space station setting, the storyline of this deeply introspective character study never leaves the limited confines of a hotel. Eve (Cartol) is the invisible clean-up fairy in a posh international hotel in Mexico City.

She magically tidies up the messy rooms while the high-profile celebs and business people are out for the day. She lives in a far different universe from the guests, or from the hotel management who controls every minute of her life.

Every action, almost every step, follows an unforgiving schedule. She’s overworked and underappreciated and underpaid, but this is not a workers' exploitation rant. The tightly focused camera pulls us into Eve’s wormhole world where survival depends on swallowing emotions, smothering reactions, and becoming a non-person surrounded by opulence and extravagance. Yet the closely personal perspective reveals Eve as a fully dimensional person filled with love for her child (who we never see), aspirations for advancement (graduating from the 23th floor to the higher-paying 42nd), and with the whole constellation of feelings and emotional reactions, of hopes and disappointments, and the need for self-validation that define humans regardless of economic or class differences.

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Like brush strokes on a canvas, each scene adds a subtle color, a nuanced shade until a living, breathing portrait of an invisible woman emerges and steps into our reality. After seeing this understated slice-of-life drama, you’ll think twice about not leaving a tip after your next hotel stay. In Spanish with subtitles. [Not rated]

HHHH

The Farewell (Director Lulu Wang. Stars Awkwafina, Diana Lin, Shuzhen Zhou.) Lulu Wang rips this drama/comedy of family love and solidarity from her own life experiences and presents it with the poignancy, irony, and absurdities inevitable when cultural values crash headon. Billi (Awkwafina) is an American-Chinese, with an emphasis on the American part. Now in her thirties, she’s lived in the U. S. since age six and is thoroughly Americanized. When the hardships from trying to bridge the cultural gap and blaze her own path in New York overwhelm her, she always knows the unfailing love and support of her grandmother Nai Nai (Zhou) is only a phone call away. Then she discovers grandma has terminal cancer with three months to live. Following Chinese tradition, the older generation adamantly refuses to burden Nai Nai with the seriousness of her illness. They believe she should live her last days in peace

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and happiness, not distraught with worry and depression. So the family concocts a white lie to explain why they all come to China to visit her.

They claim they’ve come because her ChineseAmerican grandson and his bride want a Chinese wedding with all the traditional celebrations. Despite her illness, Nai Nai refuses to slacken her matriarchal duties as commanderin-chief of the family, or as the life of the party.

All the while Billi wrestles with the cultural conflicts and the ethics of perpetrating a lie for the greater good. Wang deftly balances cross-cultural humor with heartache and focuses on how family love and support can soften its inevitable loss of death. “The Farewell” could be the feelgood movie of the year. [PG] HHHH Ad Astra (Director James Gray. Stars Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga.) Astronaut Roy McBride (Pitt) has bigtime issues with his father, Clifford McBride (Jones). When Roy was a child, his father “abandoned” the family for a gambit to search the galaxy for life. When all communication was lost near Neptune, he and the crew were considered dead. Now Roy learns the authorities have changed their prognosis. They believe Clifford survived and is trying to destroy the Earth by bombarding it with anti-matter. Roy embarks

on a deep space mission to save humanity from his outraged and deranged father’s revenge. But like twinkling stars on a clear night, outer space is only the distant framework for the innerspace issues the story deeply explores. Literally and metaphorically, Roy’s hero’s journey takes him to the dark side of the moon, to Mars, then to Neptune to face his maker (father), and finally grounds him back on Earth. Along the way, he encounters more serious challenges than car-jacking moon pirates and a spaceship filled with killer baboons. He must conquer inner demons and the unanswered questions that have defined his life, his value system, and his identity. Roy plunges into an existential search for a new center of gravity that will stabilize the free-fall that has dominated his fatherless life and bring him into orbit around his true self.

Pitt’s nuanced performance, the most masterful of his career, mind-melds with Roy, while Gray’s understated glimpse of the future realistically gives us a Moon base with today’s fast-food chains instead bars filled with weird space aliens. From the first scene of a Roy plunging toward Earth in a spinning, out-of-control free fall, Gray and Pitt defy the sensationalist space thriller formula and present characters struggling with life’s central truths. [PG-13] HHHH Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Director Quentin Tarantino. Stars Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio.) The heart of this fairytale by Quentin Tarantino is a love story with a romanticized Hollywood that existed in the culture-shattering era of the 1960s. Tinseltown is living in its glory days, strutting its stuff on the big screen, the palm-lined boulevards, and in the million-dollar mansions in the hills. Celebs rule, that is until they age out of the glamor culture, and the next pretty face steps up. TV western actor Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) has peaked, and when his ratings head down the slippery slope, his ego avalanches over the precipice. Fortunately, his effervescent stunt double and best friend, Cliff Booth (a spectacular Pitt), is always there to keep the dream alive. Flip chitter-chatter and camaraderie reveal the endearing, no-holdsbarred friendship between the two. The wanton abandonment of Cliff contrasting with the selfdoubt of Rick keep the story bobbing like a cork, while Tarantino’s creative vision recreates the free-wheeling materialistic era with all is self-aggrandizing glitter. Then he masterfully floats a black cloud over the sunny skies that overshadow Rick's efforts to jump-start his sputtering career. Underneath the pearly smiles lives a vicious underbelly fueled by rumor, conflicting egos, and a violent, anarchical counterculture. The year is 1969, and Rick lives next door to Roman Polanski and his wife Sharon Tate. So like a runaway train, we know where history’s plotline is taking us. But not necessary where Tarantino’s is. His signature bloodbath violence finally arrives, but now the way you expect. [R] HHHH n ICON | DECEMBER 2019 | ICONDV.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/ICONDV

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music

MARK KERESMAN

Unforgettable

BEFORE SINATRA MADE THE ladies swoon, there was Nat “King” Cole. While it would be several years before Cole would be established as a solo jazz-tinged crooner, he first made his rep as a jazz pianist who also sang, his singing almost more of a secondary thing. Long before the recordings of sentimental songs with banks of lush strings, Cole was a hep cat, a piano fellow who learned from Earl “Fatha” Hines, who also sang in a mellow, slyly genial voice in an elegantly swinging small group context. This was when “the piano trio” was a somewhat paramount standard for small jazz groups playing at clubs: Piano, guitar, and bass.

Soon, Los Angeles beckoned. Nathaniel Coles (he would drop the “s”) was a piano-playing hipster, playing instrumental jazz in the club environs of LA and thereabouts. But Cole wanted his own outfit and so established a trio—Nat, guitarist Oscar Moore, and bassist Wesley Prince— playing blues- and pop-tinged jazz tunes. Nat would occasionally sing, often in tandem with the guitarist and bassist, sometimes on his own.

(Cole also found solo employment tickling the ivories for saxophone icons Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet, playing for some of Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts.) Time went by, and Cole, signed by Capitol Records, recorded pop songs, downplaying and often eliminating jazz content, and became a star, selling lots of records and getting his own short-lived TV show.

Hits like “Ramblin’ Rose” and “Unforgettable” are still staples of American radio wherever oldies are spun. Cole’s voice also joined those of Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, and Sinatra as one of the voices of romantic and Christmas songs.

Hittin’ the Ramp: The Early Years (19361943) on the Resonance label, is a seven-CD set (and there’s a 10-record limited edition for vinyl fanatics) featuring over 180 songs, recorded in small group context, mostly trios that would expand on occasion to include assorted instrumentalists and singers. These were studio recordings made for radio broadcasts that were not available commercially. This is where Cole began to make his rep, where his legend began. This multi-disc set contains some classy pop sounds and some dandy jazz, and some areas where they, believe it 28

An epic look at Nat “King” Cole’s early years

King Cole Trio featuring Oscar Moore, Nat King Cole, and Johnny Miller. Photo Courtesy of LaBudde Special Collections, UMKC University Libraries.

Nat with his wife Maria and their identical twins Casey and Timolin.

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or not, overlap and comingle. Stylistic barriers between jazz and pop, as well as hep and square, could and would be suggested, defined, and then entertainingly blurred, in the course of one song.

This package has a mix of vocal and instrumental selections, including some songs with group vocals—“Patty Cake, Patty Cake” and “Blue Skies” feature vocalizing from the whole trio, not just Cole, in a harmonious and jolly, jivey style. Some tracks are instrumental, such as “Liza” and “Rosetta,” where one can marvel at Cole’s piano wizardry, sly yet articulate, and the drum-head tightness of the group. (Cole would later be cited as an influence upon jazz piano icons Red Garland and Bill Evans, both pianists in Miles Davis’ band in the 1950s.) “Take ‘Em” and “Scatagoria” feature jaunty instrumental solos and breezy harmonies with the whole group. In “I’ll Gather Up My Memories,” the origin of doowop can be gleaned. “Lilla Mae” and “I Like To Riff” found the trio in their razzle-dazzle evening clothes, layin’ down the jive, Clive, and the snappy solos, transforming tunes that in lesser hands would be corny and transitory into classic American song.

If one is familiar with Cole only via his vocal hits, these discs will be revelatory. Cole was a badass at the keys—bright, breezy, witty, and swinging like there’s no tomorrow. Vocally, he could not only wax mellow and romantic, but had a hep cat impertinence, too. Oscar Moore and Johnny Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince and Johnny Miller on bass, were among those who comprised his trio, and they were occasionally augmented by no less than saxophonists Lester Young and Dexter Gordon and trumpeter Harry “Sweets” Edison (also featured on some of Sinatra’s classic Capitol dates). Those who sat in the producer’s chair included sonic parodist Spike Jones (!) and fabled Verve Records honcho Norman Granz.

The word “event” gets tossed around far too much for it to mean much anymore…yet Hittin’ the Ramp IS an event, albeit in handy, portable compact disc, long-playing record form. Granted, it’s a hefty investment, but for those fancying Cole in particular and pre-1950s jazz and pop in general, this is SO worth it. n

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jazz / classical / alt / rock MARK KERESMAN

Peter Eldridge/Kenny Werner HHHH Somewhere Rosebud Music Peter Eldridge is a member of jazz vocal group New York Voices, but here he steps out on his own, accompanied by piano wiz Kenny Werner, a small band, and a sizable string section. Yes, it’s one of those kinds of albums, superficially similar to those by Sinatra, Nat Cole, Tony Bennett, and others—but there are distinctions. For one thing, most of these songs were writ by Eldridge while sung in the romantic style of the great vocalists of yore. Eldridge has a smooth,

improvises classily (albeit briefly). “Less Than Lovers” goes for the kind of angst of “One for My Baby” and gets it, too. Here, Eldridge does a nice job of tugging at the heart-strings (helped by the rich, velvety strings) without overdoing it. The medley “Somewhere/A Time For Love” achieves the moving, musing grandeur heard on Sinatra’s Only The Lonely. (Yup, that good.) Eldridge & Werner aren’t merely maintaining the legacy of the great American vocalist—they’re enriching it, bless them. (11 tracks, 54 min.) petereldridge.com Johnny Griffin & Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis HHHH1/2 OW! Live at the Penthouse Reel To Real Back-when, jazz musicians had partnerships that were marked by friendly “dueling”—playing in tandem with a friendly aspect of “Top this, pal o’ mine!” In one case, two magnificent mainstream/hard bop tenor saxophonists had an on/off partnership in which they did just that: Johnny Griffin and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis. They

Peter Eldridge.

Kenny Werner.

Johnny Griffin and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis. Photo: Don Schlitten

supple voice slightly similar to that of Mel Torme, though deeper—he is most definitely a jazz singer. Werner gets some curt, but tasty solo bits and George Garzone gets a fleetingly hearty tenor sax solo (a touch of Sonny Rollins) on one track—but this is mainly Eldridge’s and Werner’s show, them and a decent-sized string section.

For another thing, most of these tunes are Eldridge and Werner originals in the manner of the Great American Songbook—so this isn’t just a stroll down that idealized Memory (or Retro) Lane. “That Which Can’t Be Explained” is a nifty example of writing and arranging an original in an old-school manner without coming off as imitative, hokey or corny. The strings swell (and tug at the old heartstrings)—the recording quality is wonderful—and Werner tinkles gracefully and 30

were bebop sax-wizards par excellence, and OW captures them in a live-at-a-club setting that was broadcast on a Seattle, Washington radio station in May and June of 1962. They were accompanied by pianist Horace Parlan, bassist Buddy Catlett, and bebop drumming legend Art Taylor.

This is not lost-in-thought contemplative jazz— this is two-guns-blazing away, let-‘er-rip goodtime jazz, motivated (in part) by some amiable one-upmanship. They start strong out of the gate with “Blues Up and Down,” each sax demi-god playing almost inhumanly fast yet without sacrificing nuance. Taylor is a boss at this kind of thing/swing, letting his bass drum boom and cymbals crash (albeit with a certain elegance

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throughout). Parlan is a masterful bebop keysmeister, saying the most-est while being economical (stingy, even, a bit) with his notes. But the main focus is on these sax-gents, and it’s a jolly good time in handy compact disc form. But get you not the notion it’s simply a couple of aces showing off—“Bahia” is a lilting bossa nova tune taken to Bluesville with some of the most urbane yet oozing-gusto saxophone-ing you’re likely to hear this year (yes, it’s that good) and the intro is pure Ellington-ian bliss with its minor key and crooning-like sections. The joy inherent here is the playfully competitive nature of these masters—Griffin fast and fluid (he played lots with Thelonious Monk), Davis darker-toned, more bluesy and robust (he was once a star of the Count Basie Big Band in the early/mid-’50s), each with a nigh-on irresistible joie de vivre.

“How Am I to Know” is so gripping, so swaggering and infectious with its energy it should be taught in assorted colleges of musical knowledge—and Parlan matches the tenor-bosses with a bright, ebullient solo. Anyone that claims jazz can’t “be fun” or is overly/terminally serious (let’s face it fans, there are lots of Serious Artistic Statements out there) needs to hear this, along with fans of great bop tenor. (15 tracks, 59 min.) cellarlive.com Leon Lee Dorsey HHHH1/2 MonkTime Jazz Avenue Bassist Leon Lee Dorsey (from Pittsburgh PA, as is your Humble Writer) has kept himself busy—he’s taught at the University of Pittsburgh and Boston’s Berklee College, and played with Art Blakey, Cassandra Wilson, James Carter, and Freddie Hubbard. Yet MonkTime is only his second platter as leader—no wine before its time, I guess. He’s come prepared with a fairly unique setup: No piano, no horn(s)—just acoustic bass, drums (Mike Clark from Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters), and electric guitar (Greg Skaff)— Dorsey has essayed some classic Monk tunes his way. “Little Rootie Tootie” has an almost rocklike intro (crashing, slightly dissonant chords) before Monk’s patent-pending quirky, elliptical theme. Skaff has a big/wide mainstream guitar sound (think Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, etc.) but he employs it in a slightly less mainstream manner (wide tone, in place of piano, very economical with his notes, chill approach), using it to squeeze out (and accent) Monk’s method ‘n’ melodies. Clark is crisp, mercurial, genteel yet earnest (occasionally sly) swing.

“Monk’s Mood” gets a leisurely-tempo-ed treat-

ment featuring Dorsey’s sinuous, wiry bass; Skaff’s plump-as-summertimeraindrops guitar notes, and Clark’s moderately cooking-on-back-burner drumming. “Ugly Beauty” is done-up as a classic romantic ballad—a leisurely-as-Saturday-afternoon-in-Levittown tempo, six-strings crystalline, bass subtle as a heartbeat, and judiciously simmering, buoyant drumming.

IMAGINE—a Monk tribute set without piano or sax! Then imagine it being as gosh-darn swell as this album. (8 tracks, 43 min.) leonleedorsey.com Marcus Shelby Orchestra HHHH1/2 Transitions MSO Those with extensive/music nerd memories might recall Marcus Shelby was the bassist for the jazz combo Black/Note in the early ‘90s. Shelby left LA for the damp beauty of the SF Bay Area in 1996, where a young fellow’s fancy can turn to big band jazz. The Shelby Orchestra looks back at big band history of more than one era—let us not forget the Duke Ellington’s was one of the few bands that thrived after the heyday of swing (and through the ’60s and beyond). (There was the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, among others, in the ’60s and ’70s, but I refer to the original performers of Swing-time.) Bassist/arranger/conductor Shelby pays tribute to then (and later timeframes) without becoming a purveyor of return-with-us-now nostalgia or cheesiness. There’s a ravishingly swell “Begin the Beguine,” that Artie Shaw hit from 1936 (also covered by Sinatra, Liberace, and Pete Townsend over the years) with the gorgeously husky, urbane vocals of Tiffany Austin, and the Duke Ellington chestnut “Solitude”), and about half

the tunes are originals. While Transitions include some classics in the modern swing-to-bebop-and-beyond dialectal, Shelby & company aren’t mired in yesteryear—there’s also Charles Mingus’ late-period gem “Remember Rockefeller (at Attica)” for added zing n’ tartness. There’s a semi-suite herein, composed by Shelby, that transfers/translates old-school big band tactics to le jazz moderne context with soloing that is, quite simply, Nows-ville.

Transitions pulls off a way-cool trick: It tips its cool-cat hat to bygone eras yet essays selections with contemporary verve and oomph in a way-classy and accessible mode. (11 tracks, 54 min.) marcusshelby.com n ICON | DECEMBER 2019 | ICONDV.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/ICONDV

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pop

A.D. AMOROSI

The Rolling Stones HHHH Bridges To Buenos Aires Eagle Vision Ronnie Wood With His Wild Five H Mad Lad: A Live Tribute to Chuck Berry Universal While the Stones’ second guitarist wastes his time on a long-awaited solo outing on the oldfashioned song stylings of Berry, his bosses and he show off the stirring sound (and vision, the package includes a hi-def concert film) from April 5 1998, the last date of the band’s fivenight sell-out residency at the River Plate Stadi-

bassist Billy Talbot—keeps up with the old man when it comes to righteous rage and ragged rock outs for an album that sounds stunning, impromptu, and not-so-subtle when it comes to issues of the earth, of sociopolitics and of Young’s own heart.

a sense of the melodic, on the first of two albums here. With bell tones and a swirling proggy synth line courtesy of Warren Ellis, Cave wearily tells a tale that touches on the King of Rock n’ Roll in life and death before pitching his

FKA Twigs HHHH Magdalene Young Turks Like Lorde with greater attitude and more exquisite sense of wrenching twitchiness, FKA twigs’ latest album also finds the Gloucestershire, UK-born artist using the talents of pro-

croon high and weightlessly into a line so simple and dear (“And I love you, and I love you, and I love you… A time will come, a time will come, a time will come for us”) that it breaks your heart to hear it but once.

The Flaming Lips HHH The Soft Bulletin Recorded Live at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra Warners Speaking of Bowie, along with releasing its own weird but earnest version of the former’s

um in Argentina’s capital city. Along with the fact that Bob Dylan joins the swaggering ensemble onstage for a rare performance of the Minneapolis bard’s “Like A Rolling Stone,” Jagger, Richards & Co. execute an epically shadowy “Gimme Shelter,” a bluesy slide guitar-filled “Sister Morphine,” and a cocksure “Thief In The Night” with big-time brio.

David Bowie HHHH Conversation Piece Parolophone/Rhino Rather than go forward into Bowie’s Tin Machine years, Parlophone/Rhino takes a worthwhile step back to his cabaret, folk, and garage pop beginnings and the 50th anniversary of the classic “Space Oddity” with this five-CD box of rarities, demos, and sketches of his airy, astronaut love song smash. Of particular interest is the home recordings and BBC radio sessions with guitarist John’ Hutch’ Hutchinson and the experimental music and mime group, Feathers.

Neil Young with Crazy Horse HHH Colorado Warners And speaking of the Rockies, for their first new record since 2011’s Psychedelic Pill, Neil Young’s Crazy Horse—featuring early Young collaborator/guitarist Nils Lofgren, along with elder Horse-men drummer Ralph Molina and 32

ducer/co-writer Jack Antonoff (as well as Skrillex, and Benny Blanco) to tell a vulnerable, torrid tale about breakups, heartache and the hell she’s gone through to put it all in experimental (yet catchy) song. In particular, “Mirrored Heart,” takes the rough with the sensitive, and the industrial with the cottony soft and silken to question if the love of her life sees and wants her. Both painful and glorious, Magdalene is a marvel of mood and epiphany.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds HHHHH Ghosteen Mute Ghosteen is Nick Cave’s song of wonder and woe at the thought of loss (the 2016 death of his son), what he calls “a migrating spirit,” moving across perhaps his most lush and lovely melodies in a voice that burrows deeper, shapes rounder, and goes higher than ever before. Sans a pulse or a rhythmic backdrop, Cave & Co seem freer than in the past, achieving an almost Scott Walker-like openness without ever losing

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holiday duet with Bing Crosby (“Little Drummer Boy”/ “Peace on Earth”), Wayne Coyne & Co, tackle the stony, 114-year-old venue/natural winder with a slow, dreamy, Zappa-esque strung-out take on its first true, epic and moody full-length psychedelic classic. n

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18 | RACHAEL PRICE

was imitating an older style; that, instead, he was the style. He was doing something unique with it all, yet, simultaneously, doing it all perfectly.

But it was not a museum piece. It was all alive. Very alive.

I can see that. A song like “Do Friends Fall in Love” has a vintage feel and a crisp jazz-pop edge. Were you able to hear your voice immediately?

No, definitely not. I don’t know that I thought we would ever sing a lot of stuff in two-part harmony when I first asked him. I just knew that he was doing these gigs and playing this type of music. I just asked if I could join him in singing some of these songs.

Can you define what this vibe is like for you?

I grew up singing jazz, but what got me most connected was old musicals with Judy Garland and Doris Day. There was, of course, all the classic recordings of Ella Fitzgerald, too, when she was singing “The Great American Songbook,” which mainly happened to be show tunes. These songs not only have a certain singular style to them, but they also have a particular depth. They’re also specific sorts of songs because they were used during specific parts of a show.

To move the story along?

Right. I studied jazz, but when I went to school for it, you’re studying a multitude of things. I don’t think that I had the opportunity there to focus on that passion or the interpretation of those songs in an authentic way. I certainly haven’t mastered it. For a while, I thought I couldn’t do it very well. Period. So I moved on from it. This is me, then, returning to an old flame.

When you approached Vilray to be part of this, was he intimidated by you? I mean, you’re the one with the recording contract and the fame?

I think that’s possible. Vilray is such a wonderful musician, but after we met at school and made music—well, he stopped for a solid 12 years.

He started playing again because he wanted to perform in the subways.

He felt so “heard” by playing in subways; he realized that people like hearing songs such as these, even if they’re unfamiliar with the styles.

There’s just something about them that attracts the ear. He might have been intimidated just by making music again regularly.

What was the first song of his that gave the album its mood?

I think “Do Friends Fall in Love?” was the first one we laid down. We saw the album in three parts. We had the duo songs, which was just us that we did live, sitting across from each other. Then we had the songs we did live in the studio, with a band, the trio, which had their own vibe.

Then we had the songs that we did with the band and a full horn section.

We took three different approaches.

These songs go back to the roots of your earliest performances. How are you approaching them songs differently than you could at the start?

That’s a very good question. The way that I thought about it in the past is that I was trying to copy it all as perfectly as I possibly could.

Therefore, I would be thinking of other singers as I was doing it. I wasn’t connecting to the material on a personal level. Now when I think about these songs and this style, sometimes my brain will think of things to do, such as do a run, put an inflection here or change the vibrato a certain way. I then thought that, well, this vibrato didn’t exist in the 1930s or ’40s. People didn’t sing like this then, and I realized that that isn’t the point. The point is that there was a singer in a bar in the 1930s, and this music was completely exciting and new to her, and the people listening.

And that is the important thing to remember, that this music is exciting and that there was, and is, discovery happening with the artistry of all this in real time. n 34

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20 | SLOUCHING UP BROAD STREET

willing to embrace the genders, ethnic groups, races, and sexual orientations of the greater community.

In his following statement, he says that the event is way more than what one sees:

HOPE IS A THING WITH FEATHERS AND BOOZE The Philadelphia Mummers Parade physical route masks the reality that this parade is part of a path that travels deep into antiquity.

For what seems an official and raucous way of closing the December holidays is actually a very human way of beginning anew.

For here, during one of the coldest and darkest times of the year, thousands of people abandon the comfort of their homes and join in an outdoor celebration that involves several elements that signify hope in ways easily overlooked—even by the participants.

First, there are the feathers. The most representative images of the Mummers show participants dressed in oversized costumes made of gleaming white or colored plumage and allow them to take on the visage of birds or, better still, angels. Either shows an unconscious urge for transcendence—over darkness, over cold, and, perhaps, over fortune.

Next, there is color. In a time when the colors of trees and flowers are gone, the Mummers arrive in spectacular and exaggerated outfits to turn one of the city’s main streets into a wild colored river—one that shimmers unworldly when enflamed by the sun.

Sound is also a key component, especially music from banjos and saxophones. And while the parade’s weather can be freezing and wet, the music tends to be bright and buoyant with a handful of traditional tunes. One is, “Oh! Dem Golden Slippers,” which exemplifies the Mummers in several ways: dance, color, and a possible reference to the mythic story of Momus, the Greek god of ridicule, and his insult regarding Aphrodite’s slippers.

Dance, just mentioned, is also a vital element. In many ways, the Mummers dance or skip through the parade and perform a unique “Mummers’ Strut” performed by both Mummers and the public when “Golden Slippers” is played, indicating a dance of life.

Then there is the blatant use of alcohol. And while its presence suggests a lack of personal regulation, there is also an argument that connects it to the use of substances that create altered states of mind while performing rituals—as shamans continue to do in other parts of the world.

The actual or perceived intoxication also provides Mummers an opportunity to hide their social identities, for the parade is an occasion where costumed participants can publically transform themselves into other genders or social strati. They can become solar entities, or strip themselves of dignity and become imperfect tricksters attempting to escape both social order and physical reality while inspiring the imaginations of onlookers.

And finally, there is a direct link between the Mummers and an ancient spiritual practice, one out of the public’s eye. It happens early on New Year’s Eve with the annual Mummers Mass at Saint Monica’s Church on Third and Wolf Streets in South Philadelphia, the heart of Mummerdom.

While Mummers’ symbols—small parasols used by Mummers during the parade—decorate the entrance, all seems normal inside. That is until the solemn moment when a small group of worshippers approaches the altar to present a pair of golden slippers that are, in turn, blessed by the priest.

Then to the sound of a small group of banjos, the congregants leave the warmth of Mother Church to face the dark night of a new year—but with an unconscious resolve to meet it with as much color, life, and energy that can be gathered.

No wonder the event has endured for so long. And may it continue to do so. n The Trenton Free Public Library is located at 120 Academy St. in Trenton and is in the developing Creek2Canal Trenton Arts District.

Hours: Mon. – Thurs., 9:00 to 8:00; Fri., Sat., 9:00 – 5:00 For more information on the library, call 609-392-7188.

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7 | IN THE TRUMP ERA, IT’S THE SURVIVAL OF THE UNSCRUPULOUS

nesses—has stripped away the last, semi-rational arguments advanced by Republican defenders of the president. No quid pro quo? No longer tenable. Secondhand hearsay? Not anymore. A deep-state plot? Tell that to Vindman and Taylor.

The president as anti-corruption crusader? Give me a break.

None of this is likely to change the minds of most elected Republicans on impeachment itself. It does, however, place their motivations out in the open. In the face of serious charges against the president, Republicans have no exculpatory evidence to offer. Their true appeal—their only appeal— is tribal. Republicans would certainly support impeachment for a Democratic president who sought foreign help in rigging an American presidential election, particularly in a manner that strengthened an international rival. But no matter. Tribalism dictates that Republicans stick together in their opposition to impeachment because, well, you can’t give aid and comfort to an enemy intent on ruining the country. The only thing that matters in the end? Using power to keep power.

Some, like Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, are surrendering their integrity eagerly, almost happily. Other Republicans will want to appear more reluctant. But anyone who puts power above truth and character is doing a nasty disservice to their country. And it won’t be forgotten. n Michael Gerson’s email address is michaelgerson@washpost.com. (c) 2019, Washington Post Writers Group

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7 | REPUBLICANS ARE REDUCED TO FABRICATING AN ALTERNATE REALITY

Republicans were unable to challenge the testimony of the witnesses called before the committee, so instead they tried to question their character and even their patriotism.

They questioned Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in such a way as to imply, but not come out and allege, that his loyalty was to Ukraine rather than the United States. They tried to portray career diplomats such as George Kent and Bill Taylor as part of the mythical and oh-so-scary “deep state.”

It would be one thing if Republicans were saying that what Trump did was wrong but does not rise to the level of impeachment. Instead, however, they continue to pretend that Trump is somehow infallible—that because of his vast presidential powers, or perhaps because of some imagined mandate of heaven, what he did must have been not just acceptable but entirely justified.

How glorious it was to send Giuliani to run a shadow foreign policy! How noble to be so concerned about corruption in a faraway land! How brilliant to squeeze Zelensky to besmirch a “rabid dog” like Biden.

Oops, sorry, it was North Korea’s Kim Jong Un who said Biden was a “rabid dog,” and it was Trump who said he wasn’t. Forgive me, but it was an honest mistake. Sometimes I get my “Dear Leaders” mixed up. n Eugene Robinson’s email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com. (c) 2019, Washington Post Writers Group

<

10 | NIGHTLIFE

18, 19 THE TENORS

Of the original ’90s opera superstars that made up The Three Tenors, one is dead, one is in deeply embarrassing trouble for multiple sexual harassment charges, and the other is mostly quiet—which is far better than being deceased or in trouble.

Now, another trio of opera vocalists, The Tenors—Clifton, Fraser, and Victor—Canadians all, approach Philly for their new Christmas popera program.

(Keswick Theatre, keswicktheatre.com) 19 SAMANTHA FISH

Fish is the nu-blues greatest hope, and her albums 2019’s Kill Or Be Kind and Run Run Rudolph / Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) prove her versatility. (World Café Live, worldcafelivephilly.com) 20 CEELO GREEN

Maybe the soulful vocalist of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and one of the original mentors of NBC’s The Voice is in the doghouse for bad behavior. He should be. And yet, he’s worked out an amazing Christmasthemed show that’s funky, funny, and chic. Torn about this one.

(Keswick Theatre, keswicktheatre.com) 21 LOW CUT CONNIE

The Philly/Brooklyn-based outfit with pianist-singer Adam Weiner at its front is America’s best old school rock n’ roll ensemble. Ignore their upwards trajectory at your peril. (Union Transfer, utphilly.com) 28, 29 THE STRUTS

These fortunate sons from Derbyshire, England, have created a combined churning punk-pop sound that is as dreamy as it is irresistible. (The Fillmore Philadelphia, thefillmorephilly.com) 29, 30 GRETA VAN FLEET

Robert Plant’s favorite Led Zep impersonators continue their upward trajectory through lemonsqueezing rock. (The Met Philadelphia, themetphilly.com) n ICON | DECEMBER 2019 | ICONDV.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/ICONDV

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harper’s FINDINGS

INDEX

Rising temperatures will make Muslims’ pilgrimages to Mecca increasingly dangerous, will cause Appalachian salamanders to use their regenerating ability as a heat buffer, will hurt New Hampshire salamanders by decreasing streamflow consistency, will kill most loggerhead turtle broods in the Cape Verde Islands before they hatch and make the hatchlings who survive almost entirely female, and will cause Brazilian loggerheads to flourish for a few generations and then begin to die off. Warming was already making lakes hotter at the top and colder at the bottom. A global media survey found that the news in rich countries tends to politicize climate change, while the news in poor countries treats it as an apolitical international problem; a new study, contradicting earlier findings, predicted that all countries, whether rich or poor, hot or cold, will be substantially harmed by global warming; and a group of scientists recommended, in lieu of a panicked response to future disasters, the orderly withdrawal of at-risk coastal populations. Icelanders held a funeral ceremony for the OkjÖkull glacier. “We know what is happening and what needs to be done,” read a memorial plaque placed at the site for humans of the future. “Only you know if we did it.” Plastic snow was falling on the Arctic.

Portion of Americans who wouldn’t be “at all surprised” if the genocide of a religious group occurred in the United States: 1/3 Who believe that society should be “burned to the ground”: 1/10 Rank of Brazil among countries with the highest amount of annual forest depletion: 2 Rank of Russia: 1 Number of species classified as threatened or endangered under Republican administrations since 1993: 77 Under Democratic administrations: 915 Est. number of Americans who were displaced by natural disasters last year: 1,200,000 Factor by which a French person is more likely than an American to believe that vaccines are unsafe: 3 Number of European countries that the W.H.O. no longer considers to have eradicated measles as of this year: 4 Percentage of cases in which parents or caregivers of children who die from being left in hot cars are charged with a crime: 55 Minimum number of U.S. sites at which parents can anonymously deposit a baby they are unable or unwilling to care for: 19 Percentage by which married mothers who work outside the home experience slower memory decline than those who do not: 61 Percentage of British adults who believe men have stronger sex drives than women: 42 Who believe women have stronger sex drives than men: 2 % of Power Five college fight songs that include the words “men,” “boys,” or “sons”: 36 Min. no. of Afghan civilians killed this year by Afghan military and int’l. forces: 577 By the Taliban: 423 Number of national border walls worldwide at the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall: 15 Today: 70 Number of individuals ICE has detained since 2012 whom the agency admits may have been U.S. citizens: 1,488 Number of days for which one citizen was detained: 1,273 Ave. number of times per week Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is mentioned on Fox News: 42 On CNN: 14 Number of states whose supreme court benches are all white: 24 No. of those states in which at least 1/4 of the population consists of people of color: 8 Number of sitting U.S. governors who are black: 0 Number of U.S. governors who have apologized this year for wearing blackface: 2 Total number of state-level recall elections from 1908 to 2009: 25 From 2010 to the present: 20 Percentage of Democratic voters who cite a personal characteristic as the most important factor in selecting a president: 28 Who cite a policy consideration: 27 Number of Democratic congresspeople with “A” ratings from the N.R.A. after the 2008 elections: 67 With “A” ratings after the 2018 midterms: 3 Number of states that prohibit local governments from enacting gun regulations beyond existing state laws: 43 Est. ave. % by which marijuana in California is more expensive if purchased legally: 77 Estimated percentage of California marijuana sales that were made through legal channels last year: 22 Minimum number of U.S. universities that have offered courses related to the marijuana industry: 14 Rank of subscription television services among forty-six major U.S. industries in terms of customer satisfaction: 46

The ecological impact of food waste was found to be less than that of overeating. Methane spikes in Los Angeles were linked to seasonal home heating, and methane spikes in the global atmosphere were linked to fracking. Special-education enrollment in Flint, Michigan, has increased by more than 50 percent since the onset of the city’s water crisis. The Centers for Disease Control, responding to Salmonella outbreaks, warned Americans against kissing and snuggling their chickens. Red deep-sea crabs were being lured to mate by scents emanating from the Deepwater Horizon spill, where they were turning black and sluggish and undergoing mutations. In a Texas lake, an alligator was observed basking with a knife in its head. DNA in the waters of Loch Ness suggested that the Monster may be a giant eel. Electrophorus voltai, a new species discovered in the Amazon Basin, was found to generate shocks of 860 volts, making it the most electric of all eels. Captive breeding was proving unable to offset the decline in the wild Japanese glass eel population. A diet of raw fish, frogs, and mollusks was suggested by the Bronze Age feces of the fen folk of Must Farm.

New rock cores from the Campeche Bank allowed scientists to construct a timeline of the twenty-four hours after the Chicxulub Impact, and supported the theory that the massive global cooling that followed was caused by the vaporization of sulfur at the impact site. Scientists identified an additional mass extinction at the end of the Guadalupian Period, likely caused by the Emeishan flood-basalt eruption, and making the current mass extinction the earth’s seventh. Climate change was exposing lost wrecks and ruins. Humans on the Pannonian Plain during the fifth and sixth centuries b.c. deliberately deformed their skulls, which, researchers assume, allowed them to more clearly identify as members of certain cultural groups. Archaeologists excavating the ruins of Pompeii, where recent discoveries include a skeleton crushed by a massive stone block and clutching twenty silver and two bronze coins to its chest, unveiled a trove of beads and figurines. Made of amethyst, bone, faience, glass, turquoise, and umber, and including phallic amulets, scarabs, a woman, a dancing satyr, and a head of Dionysus, they are thought to be the treasure box of a sorceress.

On the moon, in the Sea of Serenity, water bears that were traveling on Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft when it crashed in April are assumed to be alive, and on the dark side, China’s Jade Rabbit discovered an unidentified substance with a “mysterious luster.”

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ICON | DECEMBER 2019 | ICONDV.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/ICONDV

SOURCES:1 YouGov (NYC); 2 Kevin Arceneaux, Temple University (Philadelphia); 3,4 Global Forest Watch (Washington); 5,6 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Falls Church, Va.); 7 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (Geneva); 8 Gallup (Washington); 9 World Health Organization (Geneva); 10 Kids and Cars (Olathe, Kan.); 11 Safe Haven Baby Boxes (Woodburn, Ind.); 12 Elizabeth Rose Mayeda, University of California, Los Angeles; 13,14 End Violence Against Women International (London); 15 FiveThirtyEight (NYC); 16,17 United Nations Assistant Mission inAfghanistan (NYC); 18,19 Reece Jones, University of Hawaii (Honolulu); 20 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Washington); 21 National Immigrant Justice Center (Chicago); 22,23 Internet Archive (San Francisco); 24,25 Brennan Center for Justice (NYC); 26,27 Harper’s research; 28,29 Joshua Spivak, Wagner College (NYC); 30,31 Pew Research Center (Washington); 32,33 New York Times; 34 Adam Winkler, University of California, Los Angeles; 35,36 BDS Analytics (Monterey, Calif.); 37 Harper’s research; 38,39 American Customer Satisfaction Index (Ann Arbor, Mich.).

ICON | DECEMBER 2019 | ICONDV.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/ICONDV

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The Los Angeles Times SUNDAY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

PET SITTING

By Paul Coulter

ACROSS 1 4 8 14 18 19 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 31 32 37 38 40 44 48 49 50 51 53 55 57 59 60 61 63 64 65 66 68 71 74 76 77 81 83 84 86 88 90 91 92 95

Medical chart entry Author Janowitz Green eggs and ham promoter USPS deliveries Brown of jazz Beats it Thorny shrub “That’s not good” On easy street Beer buy Hall of Famers Put away Knife holder Demands Curtail “__ fair ... ” My Chemical Romance 2-Down Sedentary sort They pick up things Mailed Get ready to eat?

Muffin topping Battery terminal Assure Orchestra section leader Response in court Blues singer James Tiny lab subjects Maxwell competitor “If it’s handcrafted, ... it’s on __” Designing initials Airline to Stockholm Most Dresden residents H.S. class Medical suffix Anatomical canal Its “B” is sometimes turkey Lively musical piece 1993 Literature Nobelist Morrison Brings home Chart with branches Chaotic but appealing person Powerless motion?

Boosts, e.g.

Sneak off to Vegas, maybe Pinpoint Part of a Shakespearean soothsayer’s warning 97 Track foundation 99 Parenthesis, essentially 100 Film __ 101 To begin with 38

105 Bridge positions 110 Repair, as sewn-together edges 112 A in French 113 Excoriate 114 Queens’ __ Field 115 Opposite of commends 121 Choir voice 122 Conservative foe, in the U.K. 123 Suddenly paid attention 124 “Yo te __” 125 Stereotypical angst sufferer 126 Wears slowly 127 High-tech workers 128 Gymnast’s goal

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 24 25 30 32 33 34 35 36 39 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Adjust, as car wheels Category Cosmetician Lauder African menaces Orthopedic surgery targets, initially Kid’s cry For face value Longtime “The Avengers” comics artist Buscema Pressure lead-in Nth degree Post-OR area Affectations Perchance, old-style Hour in a pilot’s announcement Response to sad news Hebrew for “head” “__ Loves You”: Beatles hit Annual Jan. speech, in Twitter hashtags Ate Bog Ecuadoran gold region Holy scrolls Emailed a dupe to Bang-up “For shame!”

Outer: Pref.

Deerskin attire Aspirations Proficiency determiners 1992-’93 NBA Rookie of the Year Slight, as a chance Architect Saarinen Attendance count Penn, e.g.: Abbr.

Aching to a larger degree

ICON | DECEMBER 2019 | ICONDV.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/ICONDV

107 Fifth-century bishop Birds-feather link in Ireland, familiarly Staff builders 108 Most crosswords have one Dancer who played a scarecrow 109 Determined about Not yet on the sched.

110 Upset and then some Quintet 111 Photographer Dora who had Capt.’s inferiors a relationship with Picasso Fed. fiscal agency 113 Cottontail’s tail Acquire 114 One of six hidden in this puzzle, 1966 Michael Caine title role each sitting on an apt location Aloof 116 Certain corp. takeover Group of eight 117 Airport near Tel Aviv Wise start?

118 Go after, in a way Loot 119 Surg. sites 2006 Dunst title role 120 Ike’s WWII arena Big name in electric cars Soldier’s helmet Answer to November’s puzzle, FOWL PLAY R&B vocalist India.__ “Bill & __ Excellent Adventure” 80 ’50s political initials 82 Self-destruction 85 Charles River sch.

87 Like TV’s “Supernatural,” e.g.

88 Mother of the Titans 89 Former Fords 93 Harem room 94 “60 Minutes” network 96 Antarctic features 98 Expert in futures?

102 252 wine gallons 103 Unwanted workers 104 Detox program 106 Berne’s river 50 52 54 56 57 58 62 66 67 69 70 71 72 73 75 77 78 79

HOLIDAY ART & CRAFT MARKETS

12/2–21 Holiday Pop Up Shop, The Baum School Of Art. 510 W. Linden St., Allentown, . 610433-0032. Baumschool.org

12/7, 12/14 & 12/21 Holiday Boutique, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

New Hope Arts Center, 2 Stockton Ave., New Hope, .

Newhopearts.org 12/11–01/12/2020 Associate Members Exhibition, Artists’ Reception 12/14, 25pm. Cerulean Arts, 1355 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, PA. 267-524-8647. ceruleanarts.com ART

THRU 12/15 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Japanese prints from the Taubman Museum of Art’s Permanent Collection. Lafayette College Art Galleries, Easton, . 610-330-5361.

Galleries.lafayette.edu THRU 12/15 Margery Amdur: Blind Site, mixed-media installation. Also, George Shortess: Neural Hallway. Closing recep. both artists 12/15, 1-3:00. New Arts Program Gallery, 173 W. Main St, Kutztown. 610-683-6440. newartsprogram.org.

Thru 12/22 TWO BY TWO, Artists’ Talk 12/14, 1pm. Cerulean Arts, 1355 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia.

267-524-8647. ceruleanarts.com

THRU 12/22 Designing Hollywood, Golden Age Costumes from the Gene London Cinema Collection.

Free tours of Hollywood, most Sundays. Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. 5th St., Allentown, .

610-432-4333. AllentownArtMuseum.org THRU 12/22 Ray Hendershot, My World: Chapter Five. Opening reception 11/3, 1-5pm. The Snow

Goose Gallery, 470 Main St., Bethlehem, . 610-974-9099.

Thesnowgoosegallery.com

THRU 1/5/2020 A Forging Link, Metalsmiths Respond to the Mercer Collection. Mercer Museum, 84 South Pine St., Doylestown, . 215-3450210. Mercermuseum.org THRU 1/5/2020 Adam Diller: Project 02. Martin Art Gallery, Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew St., Allentown, . 484-664-3467.

Muhlenberg.edu THRU 1/5/2020 Love of the Loom. Boutique of fiber works opens 11/30. New Hope Arts, 2 Stockton Ave. New Hope, .

Opening Reception 9/7, 5-8 pm. Gallery Hours: Friday, Saturday & Sunday, Noon to 5 pm through 9/15. 215-8629606. Newhopearts.org THRU 1/11/2020 Holiday Show, closing reception 1/11/2020, 69pm. Bethlehem House Gallery. 459 Main St., Bethlehem, . 610-4196262. Bethlehemhousegallery.com

THRU 1/12 Silverman Gallery of Bucks County Impressionist Art presents, exhibition featuring David Stier. Receptions: 12/7, 5-8 p, and 12/8, 1-4 pm. Wed. - Sun. 11-6pm. 4920 York R., (Rte. 202), Buckingham Green Shopping Center, Holicong, . 215794-4300. Silvermangallery.com

THRU 2/8/2020 Heide Fasnacht, Past Imperfect.

Martin Art Gallery, Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew St., Allentown, . 484-664-3467. Muhlenberg.edu

THRU 2/9/2020 Pigskin Peanuts. Explore the world of football through Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip. Mercer Museum, 84 South Pine St., Doylestown, .

215-345-0210. Mercermuse-

um.org

agenda

THRU 3/29/2020 Evolution of the Spiritual | Europe to America, Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. 5th St., Allentown, . 610-432-4333. AllentownArtMuseum.org THRU 4/30/2020 Purseonality, A Stylish Handbag History, presented by Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites.

Showing at Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts and Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, PA. Tickets at 800-360-TOUR. HistoricBethlehem.org

University, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley, PA. 610-282-3192.

Desales.edu/act1 12/6-12/21 Christmas Carole 1944. Civic’s 19th St. Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown, PA. 610-4328943. Civictheatre.com

12/13-12/22 Who’s Holiday. For mature audiences. Civic’s Theatre 514, 514 N. 19th St., Allentown, PA. 610-432-8943.

Civictheatre.com LECTURES / TALKS

12/8 Celebrate the legend and legacy of Hess’s department store. Noon-4PM, Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. 5th St., Allentown, PA. 610-432-4333. AllentownArtMuseum.org MUSIC

12/14-1/26/2020 Femi J. Johnson: The Embodiment of Abstraction. Opening reception 12/14, 6-9pm, closing reception 1/26/2020, 12-5pm.

Gallery On Fourth, 401 Northampton St. (at the corner of Fourth & Northampton), Easton, PA. 610-905-4627.

Galleryonfourth.org 1/17/2020-3/1/2020 Beverlee Lehr: Late Ceramic Wall Works. New Arts Program Gallery, 173 W. Main St., Kutztown, PA. Fri-Sun 11–3:00.

Reception 1/17, 6–9:00; talk 7:30. 610-683-6440. newartsprogram.org.

THEATER

12/3-12/8 Miracle on 34th Street, A Live Musical Radio Play. Act 1 Performing Arts Center, DeSales

12/7 The Ten Tenors, Home for the Holidays. 7:30 PM, State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, PA. 610-252-3132, 800-999-STATE. Statetheatre.org 12/7- 12/8 The Bach Choir of Bethlehem presents, Magnificat & Messiah, Part One…glorious Bach & Handel for Christmas. 12/7, 8 pm, First Presbyterian Church of Allentown, 12/8, 4 pm, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem. 610-866-4382. Bach.org

12/22 Festival Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, 5 p.m. Cathedral Church of the Nativity, 321 Wyandotte St., Bethlehem, PA. 610-865-0727. Nativitycathedral.org 12/25 Organ Noëls with Stephen Williams and guests, 3 p.m.

Cathedral Church of the Nativity, 321 Wyandotte St., Bethle-

hem, PA. 610-865-0727. Nativitycathedral.org MUSIKFEST CAFÉ 101 Founders Way Bethlehem, PA 610-332-1300 Artsquest.org DECEMBER

12/2 WXPN Welcomes An Evening with Hot Tuna Acoustic w/ special guests Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams 12/8 The Squirrel Nut Zippers Holiday Caravan 12/12 Colin Quinn Live 12/22 Twelve Twenty-Four: The Holiiday Rock Orchestra JANUARY

1/4 Craig Thatcher Band performs an acoustic evening of Eric Clapton Retrospective 1/16 Everyone Orchestra 1/26 Bob Mould DINNER THEATER THRU 12/30 Murder Mystery Dinner Theater: What the Deadly Dickens?

7:30 pm – 10:00 pm, Peddler’s Village, routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, PA. 215-794-4000. Peddlersvillage.com

Every Thurs.-Sat., Dinner and a Show at SteelStacks, Bethlehem, PA. 5-10:00pm, table service and valet parking. For more information, menus and upcoming events visit SteelStacks.org EVENTS THRU 1/4/2020 Gingerbread House Competition & Display. Peddler’s Village, routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, PA. 215-794-4000.

Peddlersvillage.com 12/14 Author Event: Marie Lamba, 13pm. Lahaska Bookshop book signing. Peddler’s Village, routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, PA. 215794-4000. Peddlersvillage.com

ICON | DECEMBER 2019 | ICONDV.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/ICONDV

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