Upcoming Events
Curtains Up On “Cato”
Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 from 6 to 7:30pm at the Museum of the American Revolution
Carpenters’ Hall and The Philadelphia Artists’ Collective (PAC) will partner to present a world premiere adaptation of “CATO (Remixed),”a new adaptation of “Cato, A Tragedy” written by Eli Lynn and directed by Damon Bonetti at Carpenters’ Hall in May 2025.
On April 9th from 6 to 7:30pm, the Museum of the American Revolution will join Carpenters’ Hall and PAC to discuss how re-staging historic plays can continue to inspire American audiences today and piece together ancient inspiration for Revolutionary ideals. The event will take place in the Museum of the American Revolution’s Alan B. Miller Theater.
This talk will be moderated by Peter Schmitz, host of the “Adventures in Theater History” podcast, faculty at Temple University and author of Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia. The panel will feature:
Eli Lynn, Barrymore Award-winning fight director and playwright, “CATO (Remixed)”
Chaz T. Martin, screenwriter and dramaturg, “CATO (Remixed)”
Dr. Shawn David McGhee, historian and author, No Longer Subjects of the British King: The Political Transformation of Royal Subjects to Republican Citizens, 1774-1776
Dr. Chelsea Phillips, associate professor at Villanova University and associate director for Villanova Theatre
Framing remarks by Museum Senior Manager of Gallery Interpretation Dr. Tyler Putman and Executive Director of The Carpenters’ Company Michael Norris
Click below to learn more and purchase tickets.
Spring Planting at Carpenters’ Hall
Friday, April 25th, 2025 at 10am at Carpenters’ Hall, 320 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Happy Earth Day! Join us at 10am on April 25th, 2025 at Carpenters' Hall at 320 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia: the Carpenters' Company, in partnership with OLIN, Bartram's Garden, and the National Park Service, will be planting two Franklin trees in front of Carpenters' Hall.
The Franklin tree was first discovered by John and William Bertram in 1765 and named in honor of Benjamin Franklin (who might also make an appearance at this event). We are also planting black chokeberry around each tree.
Are you able to attend this wonderful occasion and help us celebrate the week of Earth Day? Please indicate below.
Cato at Carpenters’ Hall
Running May 1st to May 18th at Carpenters’ Hall, 320 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Artists Collective returns to site-specific work as they present the world premiere, meta-theatrical adaptation of CATO (Remixed) in the historically significant site of Carpenters’ Hall.
Barrymore Award Winning Playwright Eli Lynn (The PAC's Citrus Andronicus) adapts Joseph Addison’s original text, exploring the similarities between the tumultuous political landscape of Ancient Rome, Revolutionary-era America, and our current divided nation. Written in 1712, Addison's play was frequently referenced by the Founding Fathers. The expressions “Give me liberty or give me death” and “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”, are paraphrased from Cato. Addison's play offers an ahistorical, almost melodramatic portrayal of history, with Cato as the saintly exemplar of Roman patriotism and virtue. Lynn's adaptation maintains much of Addison's original text, but breaks apart the seams of the play with new text and metatheatricality. It gives space for the other characters - particularly the women and African characters - to dig into the history and rhetoric of Cato, and draws a sharp line from the centuries-old adulation of Rome through our own modern myths of America.
Staged in the room where the First Continental Congress convened, PAC's original adaptation of Cato explores how political rhetoric has evolved (or not), and asks audiences to question who is worth putting on a pedestal, how we construct our own mythology, and whether we can build a future by looking backward.
Tickets are available now! Click below to learn more or purchase.
PAST EVENTS
300th Anniversary Gala & Awards Ceremony
On Saturday, October 26th, 2024, the Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia hosted its 300th Anniversary Gala & Awards Ceremony at the Bellevue Hotel.
That evening, the Master Builders' Award was awarded to the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA). Stemming from the Carpenters' Company of Philadelphia, GBCA was established in 1891 for the advancement of commercial construction in the Philadelphia region. As one of the nation's oldest trade associations they serve as as industry watchdog and resource.
During the ceremony, the 2024 McCullough Prize for Excellence in American Public History was presented to CBS Correspondent, Mo Rocca. Mr. Rocca has greatly contributed to the public's understanding and enjoyment of history through multiple mediums including, television, radio and multiple books. The recipient of our local teacher's McCullough Prize was Ms. Elizabeth Taylor, a local Philadelphia teacher at J.R. Masterman Laboratory & Demonstration School.
Public Reading of the First Prayer in Congress
On September 7, 1774, Rev. Jacob Duché delivered a rousing invocation/prayer at Carpenters' Hall before the Founding Fathers at the First Continental Congress. Exactly 250 years later, Carpenters' Hall marked this moment – which set a precedent for prayer in Congress that continues to this day – with a free public reading of the invocation by Reverend Palmer Hartl of Christ Church.
Watch the video below for a full recording of the reading.
building independence
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress, in September and October of 2024, the Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia, partnered with Historic Philadelphia Inc. on Building Independence. Actors in Carpenters' Hall performed vignettes featuring First Continental Congress delegates, their spouses, and even common folk of the time. Rather than a recreation or recitation of the Congress itself, the short scenes escorted visitors through the hard decisions that faced the delegates, educate them on the perspectives of the time, and place the First Continental Congress – and Carpenters’ Hall – into the wider timeline of American independence. This series was free and open to the public.
The below images are curtesy of Industry & Commerce Image Works.
Go 4th & Learn: Legos and Hands-On Learning at Carpenters’ Hall
On Tuesday, July 2nd from 11am to 3pm, Carpenters’ Hall, in partnership with the Franklin Institute, and Wawa Welcome America, welcomed the public to Carpenters’ Court for a free and fun day of interactive Lego building and science-learning related demonstrations. Selected Lego builds were judged by young professionals in the architecture, engineering and building trades at a cocktail hour reception following this event. The top three winning builds are now displayed in Carpenters’ Hall for the rest of the summer.
In addition to interactive Lego builds and food trucks and giveaways curtesy of Wawa Welcome America, Carpenters’ Hall unveiled a new Lego model of Carpenters’ Hall. Crafted from 50,000 Lego pieces, this model was created by Richard Paules, a lifelong Lego afficionado from Washington, DC. He has previously been commissioned to build large scale Lego replicas of buildings such as Dulles Airport.
This model depicts Carpenters’ Hall as it would have looked during the First Continental Congress in 1774. Note the view into the eastern half of the first floor of the building where the delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met. Also, peek into the second-floor library of Carpenters’ Hall, which then housed Benjamin Franklin’s Library Company. This collection was used by delegates during the First Continental Congress.
Paules can be found on Instagram @dclegoman.
This new permanent exhibit was made possible by a generous donation from McHugh Engineering Associates, Inc. & the Witkowski Family.
Interested in viewing footage from our previous programming or events? Visit us on YouTube @carpentershall1308.
Contact emilywinters@carpentershall.com with any questions.
Check back often for new programs and events!
