Things to Do in Philly in March

A black female Hamlet at The Wilma, Maroon 5, Marc Vetri at the Free Library and more things to do in Philly in March.

Zainab Jah plays Hamlet Blanka Ziska's gender-twisted take on Hamlet at The Wilma. Look below for more details. | Photo by Jauhien Sasnou

Zainab Jah plays eponymous king in Blanka Ziska’s gender-twisted take on Hamlet at The Wilma. More details below. | Photo by Jauhien Sasnou

March 3

Bobby Zankel’s Warriors of the Wonderful Sound at Painted Bride
Ars Nova Workshop presents the eccentric West Philadelphia band that will teach you that everything you know about jazz is wrong. The performance will feature renowned pianist Dave Burrell as special guest.

March 4-22

Moon Cave at Off-Broad Street Theater
Azuka Theatre’s Kevin Glaccum directs a contemplative world premiere by Philadelphia playwright Douglas Williams.

March 5-15

Swan Lake at Academy of Music
If you’ve never seen the Pennsylvania Ballet’s own version of the Tchaikovsky classic, do yourself a favor.

March 5-22

Field Hockey Hot at Adrienne Theater
A high-school field hockey team seems like the perfect target for satire from 11th Hour Theatre Company. Read our interview with lead Jennie Eisenhower here.

March 5-April 19

Macbeth at the Arden Theatre
Ian Merrill Peakes (you may have seen him in the indie film Lebanon, PA) plays the lead in Quintessence Theatre Group co-founder Alexander Burns’s first directorial gig at the Arden.

March 6

Murder By Death at Union Transfer
Liquor-drinking music from an Indiana quintet that somehow combines a little Johnny Cash, a dash of Radiohead and a cello into something you’d actually want to listen to. Check out their songs “As Long as There Is Whiskey in the World” and “I Came Around” for a primer.

March 7

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Battle of the Seasons at the The Trocadero
Live, totally mindless fun with your favorite duct-taped divas from the show.

March 7

Hozier at the Electric Factory
Thanks to a viral music video on YouTube and a seemingly from-out-of-nowhere performance on Saturday Night Live last year (most people were like, who the hell is this guy?), this Irish singer-songwriter is now on everyone’s list. As a result, this show sold out long ago, so you’ll have to buy secondhand. Tickets on StubHub start around $200.

March 7-Sept. 27

“Shelley Spector: Keep The Home Fires Burning”
Philadelphia museum of art Bella Vista-based sculptor Shelley Spector delved deep into the Museum’s sculpture and textile collections to create a one-of-a-kind installation collectively transforming pieces into new art.

March 9

Maroon 5  at Wells Fargo Center
We’re perhaps a little embarrassed to admit that we like them.

March 12

Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts at World Café Live
The former heroin addict, Courtney Love boyfriend and—oh yeah—lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver with his new band, the Wildabouts.

March 13

Slasher Movie Madness at the International House
Nearly five hours of the bloodiest, most gruesome 35mm horror films out there. The Exhumed Films event is not for the squeamish.

March 14

ZZ Top at the Electric Factory
Not many bands that formed in 1969 are still around—and with all their original members.

March 15

Neil Diamond at Wells Fargo Center
Even this guy is now sporting a beard. It’s weird.

March 17-22

Annie at the Academy of Music
Hey, the new musical version can’t be any worse than that 2014 Will Smith-produced remake, eh? Anyway, the kids will like it.

March 20-22

The Planets at the Kimmel Center
Under the guest baton of Italian conductor Gianandrea Noseda, the Philadelphia Orchestra tackles Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite, with the exhilarating Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg on violin.

March 21

Shut Up & Dance at the Forrest Theatre
The annual benefit for MANNA is always a good time, with the dancers of the Pennsylvania Ballet letting their hair down.

HIGHLIGHT: March 25 – April 19

Hamlet at the Wilma Theater
When Zainab Jah got the call from director Blanka Zizka to play the lead in the Wilma’s production of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, she was nervous. “I’ve never played this role, but who has as a black female?” says the Brooklynite, who got her Philadelphia introduction in the Wilma’s 2013 production of The Convert. “So it’s quite daunting.” But Jah wasn’t exactly unfamiliar with the material: Her grandmother had her reading Hamlet as a young girl in Sierra Leone, where Jah spent her early childhood, and she recently played Ophelia in a major West Coast production. “It is my favorite play, but I was still terrified,” she admits. “But the more I kept telling Blanka that I was scared, the more she kept saying, ‘That is exactly why you should do it.’”

March 26

Marc Vetri at the Central Library
Philadelphia’s most opinionated and outspoken chef visits the library in support of his latest cookbook. If you want to really get him started, ask him about Restaurant Week, or his recent tirade against food journalism.

March 27

Miranda Lambert at Boardwalk Hall
A.k.a. Mrs. Blake Shelton.

March 28

Ms. Lauryn Hill at the Keswick Theatre
Her live performances range from totally lame to totally awesome. Here’s hoping her appearance in Glenside leans toward the latter. Oh, and not funny.

March 28

East Coast Beard & Mustache Championship at the TLA
Exactly what it sounds like.