It’s the day after Thanksgiving, which means it’s time for a NEast Philly tradition: our 12 Days of NEastmas holiday song.

This song, which first ran on Nov. 27, 2009, after we felt the Northeast really needed its own carol, has become a tradition.

You can click below for an instrumental version of the song, with our original NEast-y lyrics.  continue reading »

This is part of ongoing coverage in “District 172: The Politics of Change after State Rep. John Perzel,” a collaborative effort with Philadelphia Neighborhoods funded by J-Lab.

Kevin Boyle has made a conference room out of John Perzel’s closet.

The young freshman state representative from the 172nd district in the Northeast beat out the indicted former state Speaker of the House last fall and is settling in his first year of elected office. It’s just a matter of form that his constituent services are taking place in the same Frankford Avenue storefront that Perzel held dominion for a portion of his 32-year career. (Boyle is a Democrat; Perzel a Republican).

“We just needed another place to get work done,” Boyle told NEast Philly during an interview last month, standing in the small, undecorated, white room with a table and four chairs. Boyle’s chief of staff Seth Kaplan says the conference room was formerly a closet when Perzel had offices there.

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This is part of ongoing coverage in “District 172: The Politics of Change after State Rep. John Perzel,” a collaborative effort with Philadelphia Neighborhoods funded by J-Lab.

Change is relative. That seemed to be the message from long-time locals living and working near Frankford Avenue in Mayfair.

The heart of Mayfair, Frankford Avenue has certainly gained a few nail salons and lost a few retail outlets over the years, but not all locals believe these changes to be monumental — or even for the worse.

“People have all these memories of Mayfair as a golden age. It hasn’t really changed that much,” said Mike “Scoats” Scotese, president of the Mayfair Business Association and owner of Frankford Avenue’s Grey Lodge (as well as Fox Chase’s Hop Angel Brauhaus).

Joe Veneziale disagreed. “There’s no retail on the street anymore,” said the owner of Giggles Gifts. “Thirty, 35, 40 years ago, there was nothing but retail stores on the avenue. You could get anything you wanted.”
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It’s back! NEast Philly’s holiday song, the 12 Days of NEastmas, is back for a second year. In honor of the holiday season, we’re reviving the song — a spin on the classic 12 Days of Christmas. Enjoy the song, sing along and suggest any changes or additions you think we should make. Happy holidays! continue reading »

Matthew Morley Rusk as the title character in the Devon Theater's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which has been nominated for five Barrymore Awards. Photo credit Kim Reilly, Devon Theater.

UPDATE (10/5/10, 1:50 pm) — The Devon Theater’s production of Joseph did not win a Barrymore for any of its five nominations, but director Kim Reilly (who’s currently at Act II playhouse, which pulled in one win and six nominations) said in a previous conversation with NEast Philly: “The success of the show is really a tribute to the hard work of our amazing cast and crew.”

It’s closing in on a year since the now-shuttered Devon Theater put on its rendition of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The show debuted back in November 2009, the second of what was to be a five-show inaugural season for the Mayfair theater. But when arts funding ran out due to state budget constrictions, the Devon canceled its season after Joseph finished its run, and has since discontinued other performances.

Built in 1946, the Devon went through several transitions. What started as a movie theater did a stint as an adult theater, then back to a movie theater before becoming an abandoned eyesore along a main stretch of Frankford Avenue. The theater reopened as a 400-seat live arts venue, before shutting its doors once more early this year. continue reading »

Mayfair CDC Executive Director Brian Patrick King mentions some of the politicians who've helped the organization.

UPDATE [March 9] — Flash portion added.

For Kim Wilson and her 5-year-old daughter Marian, the STARS Program housed in Mayfair’s John M. Perzel Community Center provides a support system for facing the struggles of a disability.

“When you get a diagnosis for your child, there’s a whole process you go through in coming to terms with the diagnosis,” Wilson, whose daughter has been diagnosed with mild autism, a severe articulation disorder and a sensory integration dysfunction, said. “But then you also find out that there is this larger community of families going through that same process. Part of what STARS did for us was learning that we weren’t alone in what we were going through.”

Now, STARS, a sports program for disabled children, and more than 50 other groups that call the state-of-the-art John M. Perzel Community Center home, are facing possible program cuts, increases in fees or even facility shut downs due to recent and projected state funding cuts. continue reading »

Thanksgiving is over, and though many people had their holiday decorations up early this year, the NEast Philly staff wanted to wait for the official beginning of the season. So we give to you The 12 Days of NEastmas, a Northeast version of a classic holiday song.

You can click below for an instrumental version of the song, with our original NEast-y lyrics. Tip: start singing at about 17 seconds, and follow the lyrics to the tune and pattern of 12 Days of Christmas.

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Updated 11/16/09 @ 10:10 a.m. with a response from Devon staff; Updated 11/16/09 @ 1:42 p.m. with a response from the Mayfair CDC

The Devon Theater announced Friday it will cancel the three remaining shows in its inaugural season due to lack of funding, according to e-mails obtained by NEast Philly.

“I, too, am shocked and utterly heartbroken to hear the news.  I was not made aware that such a huge portion of our funding was in jeopardy until very, very recently, and I did not think the solution to the funding evaporation would be so severe,” said associate artistic director Kim Reilly. “Sadly, it doesn’t have anything to do with the great work going on at The Devon on the stage and behind the scenes.” [Update]

The sudden call came a day after an energetic opening night of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in front of a near capacity crowd, but just a month after founding artistic director Michael Pickering resigned without public explanation. The “Joseph” show is not in jeopardy and will continue, Reilly said.

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Photo by Christopher Wink

NEast Philly Exclusive: Michael Pickering, artistic director for Fuse Management and the Devon Theater, has stepped down from his position with the Mayfair venue. Kim Reilly, the newly appointed associate art director, has released the following statement:

“Michael has resigned for personal reasons.  It’s sad to see him go, but better for him and his family in the end.  I am stepping in as the Associate Artistic Director.”

The Devon’s next performance, which Reilly will co-direct, is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which opens Nov. 11 and run through Dec. 13.