Creative Productions Focus On Philadelphia’s Legacy
Over the past few years, films and plays with local ties have mixed history with art to portray the stories of Philadelphia. Recent and upcoming creative productions showcase our city and its people, inviting audiences to learn, reflect, and participate in the ongoing narrative of our communities and heritage.
Becoming American: Philadelphia’s Story
A local film released at the end of May highlights stories, some well-known and some all but lost, of Philadelphia and its people in the late 1700s. With Philadelphia as the center for political and social developments at the time of the American Revolution, Becoming American: Philadelphia’s Story dives into the tales of individuals and racially diverse communities, with special emphasis on the free Black community, as their actions shaped our country’s future.
Hosted by Oliver Saint Clair Franklin, former British Honorary Consul of Philadelphia and 2023 Lifetime Achievement Globy Awardee, the film also includes the insights of educators, researchers, and historians from across the country to provide the full picture of the period and the challenges and triumphs that marked it. Saint Clair Franklin heartily advocates that “[t]his is a story that must be told—not just for Philadelphia, but for America.”
Becoming American: Philadelphia’s Story first aired on WHYY on May 28th. Public screenings by the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts during World Heritage Month and the Philadelphia Film Society Center on Juneteenth allowed audiences to come together to watch the film, supplemented by additional discussions. It is now available to view at becomingamericanmovie.com, as well as on PBS as of June 15th.
In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America
Throughout the Summer, Philadelphians have gotten in-depth recounts of the city’s role in the fight for independence by experiencing In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America. This film series covers themes of early America, from land ownership and the fight for abolition to the international tensions leading to the revolution.
Co-Founder of the Histories Collaborative of Philadelphia and Founder of History Making Productions Sam Katz is the Executive Producer of the project, having worked with researchers, writers, archivists, and other producers from the area to best highlight Philadelphia’s heritage through this series. Katz is “hopeful that the series is seen and appreciated by Philadelphians and Americans.”
In June, the public was able to view newly released episodes at local locations. Penn Museum, Pennepack Baptist Church, Christ Church Neighborhood House, Mother Bethel AME Church, and Byberry Meeting House participated in the festival, allowing their communities to experience the struggles for justice and equality at this point in history, with open discussions accompanying the screenings. Upcoming screenings will take place throughout July at New Hope Church, Mother Bethel AME Church, and more.
FRANKLINLAND
FRANKLINLAND explores the development of science and technology through the lens of Benjamin Franklin’s son as he navigates the taught relationship with his father during the American Revolution. Lloyd Suh, nationally acclaimed playwright, constructed this unique perspective into the shaping of America and the rift between loyalists and revolutionaries, which first ran in 2024.
The play just wrapped up its most recent run with the Lantern Theater Company at St. Stephen’s Theatre in Center City, Philadelphia. Local audiences had the opportunity to revisit the origin stories of America ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary this July 4th, with Philadelphia remaining at the center of it all throughout this time. Director Charles McMahon explained that what audiences should “feel at the end of this play is that the future is wide open and is going to be what we make of it.”
Fletcher Street
250 years after the end of the American Revolution, Philadelphians still face troubles and obstacles to opportunity. Fletcher Street takes a different path to delve into Philadelphia’s modern heritage, documenting the work of the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club in North Philadelphia. The nonprofit was established over 40 years ago and serves at-risk youth by teaching horsemanship as a means to preserve legacy, facilitate positive relationships, and offer safe community spaces.
The documentary on this initiative offers a real, heartwarming look into the organization and the lives they have impacted, highlighting the unique ways communities can institute change. The century-long tradition of “Urban Black Cowboys” is also alive and well in Philadelphia thanks to their preservation efforts and community outreach.
Fletcher Street was produced in part by Questlove and screened in May at RootsCon, a music and culture festival thrown by The Roots each year in their home city of Philadelphia. It will also be shown at the Philadelphia Museum of Art this Fall.
