Icepack: A.D. Amorosi on the news, nightlife and bitchiness beats
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
If April is truly the start of Philly’s party season — talking charitable bashes, not house shows with beer bongs — there’s nothing more meta than having a party called The Party. Yet, here we are, 12 years into National Donate Life Month (focusing on organ and tissue donation) and The Party, hosted by the Gift of Life and Donors are Heroes on April 4 at the Four Seasons hotel with founders Don and Renee Freeman and Fox 29’s Mike Jerrick greeting you at the door. More info at donorsareheroestheparty.com.
Normally anything called “gossip” spells trouble for the one getting snitched on, but in my mind, this is a great compliment: An expatriate sous chef from the employ of Kevin Sbraga (Fat Ham, Sbraga) is telling peeps how his onetime boss almost “never lets anyone else plate food or make sauces.” While that may be lousy for fellow chefs to express themselves, it’s a good thing for diners.
J. Andrew Greenblatt — exec director of the Philadelphia Film Society, boss of the Film Festival (this year starting Oct. 16) and the guy behind the newly remade/remodeled Roxy Theater on Sansom — thanks you for hitting the Roxy’s studio features like Cesar Chavez and indie docs like The Unknown Known. “PFS Theater at the Roxy is doing pretty well, and we’re hoping to have concession booths and lobby finishes done within weeks,” says Greenblatt. Sowhasamatta? “My wish would be that people turned out in the same droves for our indies as they do for the studio fare. They just don’t have the marketing presence and thereby the same awareness as big films.” To counter that — and to present flicks Greenblatt fell in love with while attending fests such as SXSW — he’s created the Spring Showcase at the Roxy starting April 11, featuring 17 Philly movie premieres. “Every year, we travel to these fests and find films we love but due to their release schedules, aren’t able to get [into] our October festival. Where the Roxy’s concerned, many people haven’t seen the incredible renovation job, and many others don’t even know we’re open. A special event like the Spring Showcase — with the PFS Theater at the Roxy as our home base — gives us the ability to highlight both.” Among Spring Showcase’s 17 is Obvious Child, a comedy starring Philly’s own Gabe Liedman and his Kroll Show co-star Jenny Slate. Greenblatt’s monthly Filmadelphia series at the Roxy is dedicated to work by local filmmakers.
Cut! There’s always more icepack at citypaper.net/nakedcity.
