A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets. UK researchers studying technology addiction are floating the idea that some devices like Blackberries should perhaps have labels on them warning that they may be addictive. (Via Jill, via Slashdot) CBS has just put up a bunch of episodes of their classic TV shows online, which can be streamed to your browser for free. This includes full-length episodes of Star Trek, Melrose Place,......

Phillyist has been known to run with an older crowd, maybe because inexplicably we were/are the youngest by at least 10 years at most of our places of employ. A fun game to play if you have a good decade to work with is “what was different?” This sometimes devolves into discussions of Slinky (yes, we are old enough to remember when they were exclusively made of metal). When working with a more serious bunch,......

Every weekday of December (except for December 25, that is), Phillyist will be counting down to 2008 with our highlights from the past year and our predictions for the next. If you have a list you'd like to submit, let us know! 5. After kidnapping her two children, Britney Spears goes on the lam before being finally caught in Old City, Philadelphia, attempting to stuff her sons into the Liberty Bell. Seems she thought it......

The cold weather - and holiday festivities - descended upon Gothamist. The Rockefeller Christmas tree was lit, Broadway stagehand finally ended their strike, and NASCAR decided to run their victory lap through Times Square. There were disturbing photographs revealing the working conditions in which many city manholes are produced and ninjas were also a hot topic, either robbing homes or entering into alibis. But the city was really rocked by how Rudy Giuliani's visits......

Philadelphia Theatre Workshop, as its name might suggest, is a local production company dedicated to new works of theatre. As such, the plays presented by PTW might sometimes seem a bit underdeveloped and in need of further workshopping before they're ready for the neon lights of Broadway. That's certainly the case with 50 West 50, PTW's current production. The show's plot, in a nutshell, loosely resembles the lyrics to J. Geils Band's classic "Love Stinks":......

This week's quote comes from the movie A Christmas Story, and is likely repeated in the play, opening next week at The Players Club of Swarthmore. It's what pretty much everybody tells Ralphie whenever he mentions that he wants a BB gun for Christmas. Now, on with the listings! A Christmas Carol - Marley was dead, to begin with. November 30-December 30. Tickets online. A Christmas Story - Now, about that BB gun... November 23-December......

One of the most common, and legitimate, criticisms of the music of Stephen Sondheim by performers and critics alike is that he's not tuneful enough. "Hummable," I think is the word most often used by these critics. And yet somehow, a week after seeing The Arden Theatre's production of Assassins, I simply can't get the music out of my head. It may not be hummable, but goddamn if it isn't memorable. That's a sure......

This week’s quote comes from the inimitable Lily Tomlin, original star of The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, which 1812 Productions is about to stage. The full quote reads: “For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” Amen to that! Now, on with the listings! The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe - We’ve ceased to believe in such things. September 21-October 28. Tickets online. Amadeus - We know it’s......

I love movies, but I'm generally a pretty passive movie viewer. By that, I mean that I don't usually get lost in the world of the film. I enjoy what I'm seeing, and I like to think I appreciate it on a pretty high artistic level. But I'm always very aware of the fact that what I'm watching is a movie. So I don't usually feel compelled to stand up and cheer at the end......

Wednesday The Chester County Concert Band will delight audiences with a program of patriotic, Broadway, and classical tunes. Rose Tree Park (Media); 7:30 PM; $8 Thursday Bring a lawn chair and a flashlight and head to the Delaware Valley Opera Company's Summer Festival performance of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Paul D. Osimo Outdoor Theater in back of the Hermitage Mansion (Fairmount Park); 7:30 PM; $20 Friday The Atlantic Coast Opera Festival presents "It's a......

Vacations stretching your budget too much? Fear not. Everything this week is free!Monday The Philadelphia Orchestra presents its second Free Neighborhood Concert of the summer, with works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Ives. Pastorius Park (Chestnut Hill); 7 PM; FREE Tuesday Venture across the Ben Franklin Bridge to hear pianist Andrew Willis as part of Rutgers-Camden's summer lunchtime series. Mallery Room (2nd floor Rutgers-Camden University's Fine Arts Complex); Noon; FREE Thursday The Brandywine Valley Association......

When you go to New York or Princeton, are you tired of taking the R7 to Trenton? Do you find the schedule isn’t always convenient or the train gets so delayed you miss the New Jersey Transit train? If you don’t want to risk life and limb on a Chinatown bus, there is another option that is much cheaper and runs more frequently, but the downside is that you have to go to Camden.......

...Ew: This... is... lovely... (Via What Would Tyler Durden Do?) ...Legal Troubles: When will celebrities learn that they are not above the law? (Via People.) ...Rehab: Clearly, it worked for Lindsay. (Via The Superficial.) ...Class: How much you wanna bet she thought she was buying FCUK? (Via Pink Is the New Blog.) ...Incarceration: We have a feeling that she'll have a reality show about this, too. (Via TMZ.) ...Awesome: As a follow-up to the above,......

We don't know about where you are, but it seems like spring can't decide whether or not to happen. Some days are warm, some days are cold, and sometimes you aren't sure which. Baseball may have started up (and soccer/football winding down) but it still seems cold out there. Unless it's not. Anyways, onto the -ists. Austinist happily anticipated fall's Austin City Limits, even though they're not fully recovered from South By Southwest. In other......

I have a serious literary crush on Tony Kushner. Blame Angels in America (yeah, both parts). So naturally, when I heard a few years ago that Tony Kushner had collaborated with composer Jeanine Tesori on a musical, I was intrigued. But I didn't catch it on Broadway, and then... well, embarrassingly enough, I just kind of forgot about the play until the Arden announced it as part of its 2006-2007 season. But then my......

This week’s quote comes from the inimitable Hank Azaria, who, shortly before the original cast of Spamalot began to perform on Broadway, said: “It's almost disgusting. We all love each other and the material so much. I can't believe we actually get paid, but they do pay us, which is nice.” Now, on with the listings! The Chosen - As in, “people.” March 22-April 7. Ticket information online. Fathers and Sons - Wild, wild west.......

...Ummmm: Has he actually looked at the baby? (Via The Superficial.) ...Stepford: Oh lookie, Tom Cruise is back at it again! (Via What Would Tyler Durden Do?) ...Oh No She Didn't! Actually, it's not surprising at all that she did. (Via I Don't Like You In That Way.) ...Crazy: Whether it's true or not, it's a damn funny story. (Via LAist.) ...Babies: That's a lot of diapers to change! (Via People.) ...Punishment: There are......

We know that over here at Phillyist, we're huge fans. That's why we're super-stoked for Philly Dares: Simply Irresistible, "an acting, burlesque, 80's inspired extravaganza to benefit The Sapphire Fund and Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS" that promises to take its inspiration from the likes of Ferris Bueller and The Breakfast Club, only with more sexy, shirtless, dancing gays (okay, and a few straights too—maybe). The show is one-night only, and like we told you,......

We love the Philadelphia Theatre Alliance, even if we did go to auditions and never got cast in anything. (Seriously, there were like a hundred people in that room. Someone had to like us. Right?) But what we like about the Theatre Alliance is all the cool stuff that they come up with, when they want to get people more involved in the local arts community. Like the Philadelphia New Play Festival, which will......

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. The History Boys - Uncle Vernon from the Harry Potter movies (Richard Griffiths) plays a lovable history teacher attempting the impossible task of getting his unruly students into Oxford or Cambridge - but more important to him is that they become better, more rounded human beings. Adapted from the Broadway play by the playwright himself (Alan Bennett), and featuring the Broadway cast, this one looks like......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Anna Lucasta: Free staged reading of the 1950's Broadway show, Anna Lucasta at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street) at 7PM. Discussion to follow. All Ages at the North Star: Let Go Beautiful (CD Release show), Wax On Radio & Celladeura at The North Star Bar (2639 Poplar Street). $10 At The Church: The Draft, Planes Mistaken for Stars, Fifth Hour Hero, & Order of Service at The First......

Altar Boyz takes two things that I generally hate—boy bands and Christian rock—and makes them, not only enjoyable, but actually likable! And lucky for you, you've still got till Sunday to catch a production at the Merriam Theater! Altar Boyz doesn't have a plot as much as a concept. You, the audience member, are in the audience of the Altar Boyz' final concert on their tour. They sing, they dance, they try to save your......

The best of the internet, chopped into tiny bits and grilled for your enjoyment. Have you heard of Spamusement? The concept - a web comic based on actual subject lines of spam emails - is pure genius, and the execution is often the same. Apparently it doesn't get updated as often as one might hope, but there have been a couple new ones in the past few weeks, and there's a nice archive for you......

What do you think of when you hear the word "Genesis?" A book of the Bible? A planet forbidden? Or a cheesy '80s and '90s pop group fronted by Phil Collins? If so, there's a whole other Genesis just waiting for you to discover. In the early '70s, the band Genesis was fronted by Peter Gabriel, and was writing and performing incredible, epic, complex, theatrical, beautifully orchestrated, metal-style progressive rock story-songs. Genesis in that......

This week’s quote comes from Bertolt Brecht, master of the stage himself. What you see above you is just the end of it; the full thing reads: “We need a type of theatre which not only releases the feelings, insights and impulses possible within the particular historical field of human relations in which the action takes place, but employs and encourages those thoughts and feelings which help transform the field itself.” Now, on with......

...Seriously? Oh, that Michael! He's so crazy! (Thanks to Editor Jim, via MSNBC.) ...Interesting Casting Choices: We always loved Chicago, but we'll gladly pass up this performance. (Via Broadway World.) ...Dumb dumb dumb duh-dumb: This story clearly make six different types of sense. (Via What Would Tyler Durden Do?) ...Schadenfreude: Yeah, but wouldn't it be fun to see Paris Hilton incarcerated? (Via The Superficial.) ...Logic: You mean a former drug addict was at risk......

Things will be quiet in these listings over the next few weeks, since Philadelphia’s theatre community will be all about the Fringe till mid-September. We’ll have extensive Fringe coverage here on Phillyist, but we didn’t want you to forget about the other shows going on, too. Now, on with the listings! By Grimm - It’s like Into the Woods, only without Stephen Sondheim. Through September 4. For more information, call 610.286.5567. Voices Underwater - Words......

This week's quote comes from the late great Charles Dickens: "It is a hopeless endeavour to attract people to a theatre unless they can be first brought to believe that they will never get in." Now, on with the listings! (And don’t be dismayed—just because it’s quiet, doesn’t mean there’s not some great theatre to catch. Besides, the summer’s almost over, which means Fringe is coming!) By Grimm - It’s like Into the Woods, only......

This week’s quote comes from the Bard himself – it’s found in Two Gentlemen of Verona, the play we start our listings with – and it’s also used as the subtitle in an Edward Albee play. The quote is, of course, all about love, and goes something like this: Who is Silvia? what is she, That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair and wise is she; The heaven such grace did lend her, That......

The idea of a stage is always tempting for Phillyist, so imagine how tempting it must have been for a master of the absurd like Eugene Ionesco, who once said: “I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragoon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the......