Pennsylvania has made an incredible contribution to the world of entertainment, and given us plenty of entertainers in the process. In this guide, we’re exploring a number of the best sources of entertainment to come from the state, including the impact this has had on culture all over the world.
The state has a number of cultural centers and an exciting film and music scene that is always evolving. Pennsylvania also has casinos, sports teams and many exciting ways to spend your time.
Let’s dive into the entertainment that Pennsylvania has provided us.
Films
There are some iconic movies either shot or set in the state of Pennsylvania. A lot of these center around Philadelphia too. Many of us have seen the Rocky movies, which focus on an underdog boxer who gets a shot at being world champ. The movie is shot in the state and some of the locations, such as the “Rocky Steps”, have become an attraction. The movie itself features the city very heavily, as creator Sylvester Stallone lived in the state for a long time. Rocky was a cultural phenomenon with several sequels and even a game.
There is an incredibly long list of films that have been shot, or set, in the state, including Silver Linings Playbook and RoboCop. Even parts of The Dark Knight Rises were shot in the state, which plays a large part in the US film industry.
There are also many actors stemming from the state who have given us countless hours of entertainment, including Bradley Cooper, Kevin Bacon and the icon Grace Kelly.
Comedians
A lot of people think that New York and LA are the hotspots in the US when it comes to comedy, but there are an incredible number of comedians that hail from Pennsylvania, and there are loads of incredible comedy clubs that constantly put on good shows and nurture talent.
Abbi Jacobson, Bob Saget and Kevin Hart all hail from the state. Many people also associate the state with Will Smith. In addition to being born in Philadelphia, he has often drawn on the city as part of his work, from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air to his rapping days, and even to modern work such as his acting.
Kevin Hart’s stories about the state were also dramatized when he played an exaggerated version of himself in the movie True Story. In the film, he comes back to Philadelphia to host promotional screenings for his latest movie, and the film follows his background in the city and the state. Hart’s career actually started at an amateur night in a local comedy club in the state.
Musicians
There are an incredible number of musicians that come from the state too, with varied backgrounds.
John Coltrane House is now a memorial to the iconic jazz musician stemming from the state and can be found at 1511 North 33rd Street in Philadelphia. Other jazz musicians, such as Rufus Harley, come from the state, as well as Billie Holiday. The state is known for jazz music and there are many great places you can go to see this kind of music if you visit Philadelphia, in particular.
In other aspects of music, Pennsylvania has an incredible influence and many stars who hail from the state, which has had a huge impact on music all over the world. Christina Aguilera, Frankie Avalon, Perry Como, Joan Jett, Meek Mill and Trent Reznor are just some of the names to come from the state, so you can see what an incredible impact on musical entertainment this part of America has made.
Daryl Hall, half of famous songwriting duo Hall and Oates, spoke about the state’s impact: “It was the biggest influence on me because I think the most important influences are your early ones, and boy, was I at the right place at the right time.”
Country and pop sensation Taylor Swift is also one of the many famous exports from the state.
Conclusion
These are just some examples of the entertainment and entertainers to come from this state. There’s a lot of excitement in the state, and cities such as Philly provide a great example of just how an area can nurture talent that goes on to have ripple effects on the rest of the world. There are so many household name entertainers before we even start to consider the sportspeople and writers who have also started life in this state.
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