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Wednesday, Feb. 13

THEATER 


The Liar • Le Menteur, the 300-year-old farce by Pierre Corneille, has been adapted for modern audiences by brilliant comedic playwright David Ives. Expect a lot of hemming and hawing— and a considerable amount of rhyming. 7pm. $15-$20. Temple University Tomlinson Theatre,1301 W. Norris St. 215.204.7000. temple.edu


MUSIC 


Angel Snow and Amy Speace • Sometimes you just want to sit cross-legged and listen to slow, acoustic ballads while you ruminate 
on life. These two up-and-coming artists will weave a musical backdrop for your aimless wonderings. 9pm. $14. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. 215.222.1400. worldcafelive.com


TALK 


Financial Crisis! Economic 
Lessons from Ancient 
Athens • Join Edward Cohen, an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in a discussion about 
the financial crises occurring around the world and how the experience of the ancient Greeks might teach us how to not make the same mistakes. 6pm. Free. Penn Museum, 3260 South St. 
penn.museum


LITERATURE 


Speakeasy: Poetry, Prose, and Anything Goes! • 
Verbiage, not alcohol, flows freely at this monthly open mic event. 7:30pm. 
Free. Kelly Writers House Arts Cafe, 
3805 Locust Walk. 215.746.7636. 
writing.upenn.edu/wh

TALK 


The Future of Crime Writing • George Anastasia, a veteran reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, is the grandson of Sicilian immigrants who settled in South Philadelphia. He’s the author of five books of nonfiction—including Blood and Honor, which Jimmy Breslin called the “best gangster book ever written”—and an award-winning investigative journalist. Noon. Arts Café at 
Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk. 
writing.upenn.edu

ART 


Molly Hatch: Reverie • Art so good you’ll want to eat off of it, Molly Hatch’s first exhibit at the Art Alliance features images configured on a series of plates from the 18th and 19th centuries. 11am. $3-$5. Philadelphia Art Alliance, 
251 S. 18th St. 215.545.4302. 
philartalliance.org 


MUSIC 


Psychic Ills • A psychedelic rock group that’s spent too much time on the beach and in the sun; they’ll squint at their shoes and languidly mumble into mics as you get lost in the soothing, spacey melodies. 9pm. $10. Johnny 
Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave. 215.739.9684. johnnybrendas.com


ART 


Catch as Catch Can • The new contemporary art exhibition at this Washington Square gallery is all about respectfully toying with the edges of artistic mediums using at-hand items. 5:30pm. Free. Locks Gallery, 600 Washington Square South. 215.629.1000. 
locksgallery.com


THEATER 


Bad Cupid: An Anti-
Valentine’s Cabaret • For all of us who can’t make it down a greeting-card aisle this time of the year without wanting to puke, Diversion Productions is bringing back their raunchy 2011 hit show with new songs and characters to continue giving Valentine’s Day the middle finger, rather than roses. Rich Lee reprises his role of the jaded, chain-smoking, binge-drinking and porn-
loving cherub of love. 8pm. $15. 
L2, 2201 South St. 215.732.7878.
 diversionproductions.moonfruit.com


Thursday, Feb. 14

SPOKEN WORD 


First Person Arts StorySlam: The Ex-Files

Thanks to First Person Arts and their enormously popular monthly StorySlam series, you don’t have to sit and seeth amid cooing couples on Valentine’s Day when you’d rather be awash in disgust at the short-sighted idiots who either left you for less-worthy others or forced you to kick their sad, sorry selves to the proverbial curb. February’s StorySlam theme, “The Ex-Files,” is guaranteed to attract like-minded victims of Cupid’s poor aim, and the five-minute stories of love lost promise to reflect the indescribable joys, pains, hilarity and heartbreak that make each stumble worth the bruises. Got a story of your own to share? Bring it, baby. FPA StorySlams take place on the second Monday of each month at World Cafe Live and the fourth Tuesday of each month at L’Etage, but this Thursday night special, just for Valentine’s Day, has been kicked up to two sets. The early show is hosted by veteran storyteller Martha Cooney, the latter by acclaimed playwright R. Eric Thomas, where a special treat is planned: an original reading by Shmitten Kitchen founder Anna Goldfarb, author of the hysterical Clearly, I Didn’t Think This Through: The Story of One Tall Girl’s Impulsive, Ill-Conceived, and Borderline Irresponsible Life Decisions. KENYA BEVERLY


7pm and 9:30pm. $11. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. 1729 Chestnut St. 215.222.1400. firstpersonarts.org


FOOD & DRINK 


Moonshine and Valentines 
• Get tipsy with your partner on well-made whiskey cocktails and stumble through the history of Prohibition while listening to the energetic jazz of the era. 5:30pm. $30-$35. National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St. 215.409.6700. constitutioncenter.org


GEEK 



Mega-Bad Movie Night: 
One Million Years BC • Evade all the schmaltz tied to Valentine’s Day and watch a terrible movie get torn to shreds by a panel of experts. 6:30pm. $15. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. 215.299.1000. 
ansp.org



SUPERNATURAL 


Valentine’s Ghost Tour of 
Philadelphia: Love Never Dies 
• For the more macabre lovers out there, take a ghost tour by candlelight and see if you can detect the restless spirits of eternal soulmates. 8pm. $20. Powel House, 244 S. Third St. 215.413.1997. ghosttour.net


MUSIC 


The Smithereens • The Jersey-formed foursome who influenced so many of the alternative rockers of the early ’90s are back, their shine undimmed. 8pm. $25-$30. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. 215.222.1400. worldcafelive.com


FOOD & DRINK 


Valentine’s Aphrodisiac 
Dinner • Sex and food have always 
been intertwined; now City Food Tours 
presents a dinner featuring 18 different 
aphrodisiacs across three courses. If you believe food can be the gateway to a sensual experience, then this is a sure thing. 7pm. $75. Day By Day, 2101 Sansom St. 215.546.1234. daybydayinc.com


SPIRITUALITY 


Buddhist Love Panel and 
Dessert Party • Learn to separate your lofty loves from your earthly attachments at this Buddhist question-and answer-forum. Delicious desserts from local shops will also be served. 7pm. Amitayus Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1102 Pine St. 267.702.4083. 
meditationphiladelphia.org


DANCING 


Valentine’s Day Celebration: Dinner & Dancing • Dance your ass off with the Society Hill Dance Academy this Valentine’s Day. Rumba, Tango, shimmy and shake, and then settle down for a damn good meal. 5pm. $40. Society Hill Dance Academy, 409 S. Second St. 215.574.3574. societyhilldance.com


DANCE 


V-Day: One Billion Rising 
• Take part in a global dance gathering to help end violence against women around the world. More than 180 countries will participate in the event through a wide variety of programs. Noon. Free. Temple University Ambler Campus, Bright Hall, 580 Meetinghouse Rd., Ambler. temple.edu/ambler