11 Things to Do This Week in Movies, Comedy, Storytelling and More

Topics include: Tactical Urbanism, a SEPTA power plant and New Jack City

Tell Me A Story @ Shot Tower Coffee | Wednesday, March 22
Hillary Rea’s series gathers some of the city’s most engaging storytellers to make you laugh, think and maybe cry. Always a good time. This time the topic is Near and Far.

A Tactical Urbanism Guide @ Johnny Brenda’s | Wednesday, March 22
Subtitled “Starting, Scaling & Growing Small Neighborhood Projects,” this program is about “designing, crowdfunding, maintaining, and building political support for citizen-driven public space design and activism.”

Laughs on Philly: Unpasteurized @ Milkboy South Street | Wednesday, March 22
Free weekly comedy showcase. Tonight: Charles Blyzniuk, Nicole Yates, Lump Hamilton and Malakiah Ayres.

Finesse Mitchell @ Punchline | March 23-25
The SNL alum and actor returns to do standup. This book is real, BTW (NSFW):

Whites Confronting Racism: Lessons Learned @ First United Methodist Church of Germantown | Thursday, March 23
POWER (Philadelphians Organized to Witness Empower and Rebuild) members discuss what they learned after a year in the Whites Confronting Racism course.

Pack SEPTA’s Board Meeting: No Gas Plant in Nicetown @ SEPTA HQ | Thursday, March 23
Protest for those opposed to SEPTA’s plan to open a natural gas plant in Nicetown. Which, did you know a transit company could build a power plant?

One Book, One Philadelphia Grand Finale @ Free Library Main Branch | Thursday, March 23
First Person Arts gathers storytellers inspired by this year’s OB,OP book —The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon — in the Library’s fancy Skyline Room. Wine, words and music.

Brad Williams @ Helium | March 23-25
The actor/comedian returns. He’s funny and intense:

Stitched @ Paradigm Gallery + Studio | Friday, March 24
Part one of a group exhibition that focuses on “artwork that makes use of embroidery and stitching techniques.” Featuring the work of Emily Barletta, Kimika Hara, Kay Healy, Margaret Timbrell, Teresa of Teeteeheehee, Meghan Willis and lots more. Runs through April 22.

New Jack City @ Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse | Friday, March 24
The makers of the Serious Rap Shit Podcast will screen the star-studded 1991 thriller and then record a show about it. Is it business or is it personal?

#Read4Refugees Fundraiser @ Big Blue Marble Bookstore | Saturday, March 25
Includes a book fair and a screening of the animated movie Persepolis. Donations go to RefugePoint, a nonprofit that helps “refugees who have fallen through the cracks of humanitarian assistance and have no other options for survival, in particular women, children, and urban refugees.” Plus, if you haven’t checked out the Big Blue Marble yet, you really should.