This Weekend: AIDS Quilt Songbook at William Way

Philly Poet Laureate Sonia Sanchez is performing at the William Way Center's AIDS Quilt Songbook.

Since its debut in 1992, at the Lincoln Center in New York, musician William Parker’s AIDS Quilt Songbook has gone through a variety of modifications —  much like the actual AIDS Memorial Quilt — and this weekend the William Way Community Center (WWCC) is sewing a few more patches into its evolving legacy. The WWCC remix (if you will), is being led by New York-based composer and pianist Gordon Beeferman, who has invited a handful of established New York and Philadelphia musicians and poets to perform, as he explains, “some older, some newer and some premiere songs.”

Among the musicians at tomorrow night’s concert will be soprano Elizabeth Weigle, tenor Michael Slattery, bassist Joe Damon and Tim Ribchester will play piano. The songs will be interspersed with poetry readings by Philadelphia Youth Poetry Movement‘s Jamarr Hall and Victor Jackson, and esteemed Philly Poet Laureate Sonia Sanchez, who lost her brother to AIDS.

After the show, you can join the performers and composers at a VIP reception at Pennsylvania 6 Restaurant at 114 S. 12th St., where there will be hors d’oeuvres and an open wine and beer bar. All proceeds from the ticket sales of AIDS Quilt Songbook will benefit WWCC’s LGBT Peer Counseling program.

AIDS Quilt Songbook is taking place tomorrow, Sat., May 11, at 7 p.m. For more information and to buy tickets, go here.

ALSO HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND:

FRIDAY

• This afternoon, custom menswear clothier from Vancouver Indochino launches their monthlong pop-up shop in Rittenhouse
• The two-day Center City Jazz Festival starts with an Art After 5 performance at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Get drunk on life (yea right) at the Philadelphia Wine and Food Festival
• The Ladyfest Film Festival rolls along with a screening of Ladies and Gentleman … The Fabulous Stains

SATURDAY

• You’ll find all kinds of local-made goodies at the 10th annual Art Star Craft Bazaar in NoLibs
• Martha Graham Cracker performs at the Center City Jazz Festival
• Pull out your floofliest prom dress, it’s Prom Queen GayBINGO!
• Cosmos For a Cause, anyone? Don’t mind if I do, dahhhling
• Notice a shortage of drag queens in the Gayborhood? They’re all at Voyeur for White Diamond Ball
• Vox Populi kicks off Uncanny Visions 3 with with performance artist Dynasty Handbag
• Get rough and tumble with Bears and Boxers at Bike Stop

SUNDAY

• Brittany Lynn’s trucking to Atlantic City for Sassy Second Sundays at Pro Bar AC
• Break out some “I’m Coming Out” Stevie Wonder + Motown Karaoke at Bob & Barbara’s
• It’s Mother’s Day. Do something nice for your mammy

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