Good morning. It’s another soggy day in Philly and the Jersey Shore is reeling from a nor’easter battering the region this weekend.
As the fall season sets in, plenty of must-see theatrical performances are in store. We rounded up the ones we want to see that are coming to the region, complete with places to grab a bite before or after curtain call.
And a new poll reveals how Pa. voters feel about whether Gov. Josh Shapiro should pursue a bid for the White House.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Your theatergoing plans, dinner and drinks included
A variety of exciting productions are set to take center stage this autumn across the Philadelphia region.
As part of our fall arts guide, arts and culture reporters Rosa Cartagena and Jenn Ladd picked 10 shows, along with options to sip and dine nearby to help you plan your experience.
Here’s a preview of the pairings:
🎭 With “The Addams Family: The Musical” at the Walnut Street Theatre, consider tasty tacos and margs at Hi-Lo Taco Co. for a family- (and budget-) friendly option, or go for funky Thai dishes at Dara.
🎭 After “Horsegirl & Cowdaddy” at the Wilma Theater, stop by Kitchen & Kocktails for a Southern-tinged feast with favorites like fried green tomatoes and peach cobbler.
🎭 And “Mamma Mia!” at the Academy of Music may compel you to keep the dazzling night going at Mr. Edison in the Bellevue Hotel. Look out for Craig LaBan-approved items.
See The Inquirer’s list of 10 shows to look forward to, plus our recommendations for pre- or postshow dining near each respective theater.
Keep going: Classical music is pitching a bigger tent than ever this fall. Here are the best offerings.
A nearly even split
As Gov. Josh Shapiro tries to stay “laser-focused” on winning reelection this year, voters in the nation’s most contested swing state are weighing their interest in his presidential prospects.
A poll of likely voters by The Inquirer, the New York Times, and Siena University found:
Voters overall are just about evenly torn on personally wanting the first-term Democrat to run for president — 43% to 44%.
Almost two-thirds of Democrats support the governor seeking higher office.
More than one in five Republicans also support a potential run by Shapiro, a sign of his moderate appeal in a key battleground.
Michelle Baruchman, who reports on campaigns and elections, breaks down the data and explores the key issues that poll respondents said influenced their answers.
What you should know today
- A man was arrested and charged with ethnic intimidation after he allegedly trespassed at a Philadelphia synagogue, tried to open its doors, and made antisemitic statements.
- The Save the Academy Coalition hosted a protest Saturday to bolster efforts to save the Academy of Natural Sciences. Sunday may be the public’s last chance to visit the nearly 200-year-old museum.
- A Germantown housing and community center has begun to receive support it has long needed, but the building’s daily financial challenges remain.
- Delaware County launched a new initiative to provide women with support during and after pregnancy. It’s part of a network expanding patient resources in the Philly suburbs, where prenatal care options have dwindled since last year’s closure of Crozer Health.
- President Donald Trump said Saturday that he rejected Iran’s latest ceasefire proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart talks on the country’s nuclear program.
- Atlantic City’s top cannabis official is facing federal charges for a scheme to solicit cash bribes from a dispensary owner in exchange for fast-tracking their license and avoiding city fees.
- Two days before his 17th birthday, Union phenom Cavan Sullivan started for the U.S. men’s soccer team in his first game with the senior squad on Saturday. He’s now the second-youngest starter in USMNT history.
This week in history
🎤 Here’s Tommy Rowan with a look back at Pope Francis’ visit in 2015.
For the roughly 1 million people who descended upon Philly to try to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis over his two-day visit in September 2015, there was an unprecedented level of security.
Center City was wrapped in a safety cocoon. Vehicles were kept out, and pedestrians were ushered through serious-looking metal detectors.
Despite the restrictions, an overwhelming sense of joy permeated the city, as more than a million people united in celebration of a 78-year-old man and his relentless pursuit of a better world.
❓Pop quiz
A Philly woman won a NASA competition to design what for astronauts on Mars?
A) their space station
B) their food systems
C) their space suits
D) all of the above
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🍝 Hungry for: Candy-shaped pasta from Fiorella.
🕳️ Finding joy in: The unsuspecting beauty of a metal manhole cover.
🏡 Learning: What Inquirer reporter Abigail Covington got wrong when purchasing a home, despite her own extensive reporting for “How I Bought This House.”
🎧 Mixing: Music with Philly’s most famous barista during her perfect day in the city.
🖼 Discovering: How the Philadelphia Museum of Art became home to the world’s largest Duchamp collection.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Philadelphia-born auto service chain
BYE POPS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Kathy Wersinger, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Museum of the Philadelphian. This new micro museum in Fishtown celebrates quirky Philadelphia lore and the viral locals who embody the spirit of the city.
P.S. Kathy is also celebrating her 72nd birthday this weekend. Here’s to you! 🥳
Photo of the day
This is Zenos Frudakis, creator of one of Philly’s most beloved public artworks — and also its most divisive one. Inquirer columnist Stephanie Farr takes us inside his studio, where she spoke with him about his career.
🎶 Today’s track goes like this: “And the lady’s feeling like the moon that she loved / Don’t you know that the stars are a part of us?” I recently watched Practical Magic, so now this song is stuck in my head.
One more musical thing: Legends Willie Nelson, 93, and Neil Young, 80, rocked out in concert together to a packed house at the Mann this week. Read pop critic Dan DeLuca’s dispatch from what he dubbed a “one-of-a-kind evening.”
👋🏽 Thanks for reading. Have a great Sunday, and take care.
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