I started this blog with one daughter, kept it up with the other, to spend time together doing something we enjoyed.
However, things change and people evolve. My daughters are older, busier, and not as interested in writing.
From now on this blog will be mostly mom with occasional contributions from my daughters and maybe even my husband.
Nothing else will change. We'll still focus on sharing fun places to go, fun things to do, and more, and we would  still love to hear your views too

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Sunday Scoop Week of of 7/12/26 WHat's Happening This Week and More

A) Beginning Performances

In New York

1) Crimes of the Heart
Theater 154 7/15 - 7/26

2) The Gin Game 
Housing Works Bookstore 7/15 - 8/9

B) Cast Changes

In New York

3) Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?
New York City Center Stage 1

C) Concert 

In New York

4) Corcoran Holt Quintet
Dante Park 7/15

D) Festivals & Celebrations

In Pennsylvania

5) Fishtown Under the El Bazaar Celebrates Christmas in July 
7/18

6) Gluten Free Food Fest
Greater Philadelphia Expo Center 7/18

7) Manayunk Stroll After Dark
7/9 - 7/30

E) Run Extension

In New York

8) Guilia: The Poison Queen of Palmero
Perelman Performing Arts Center, PAC NYC

F) What Else is Happening 

In New Jersey

9) American Theater Group & Sieminiski Theater Free Summer Theater Workshop
Sieminiski 7/27 - 8/30

10) Mercer Has Talent
Kelsey Theatre at Mercer 7/15 & 8/12

In New York

11) American Museum of Natural History Celebrates Latin and Caribbean Culture with “¡Vamos! 
7/17

12) Brooklyn Children's Museum presents Summer Scramble
Through 8/20

13) Buena Vista Social Club to Perform at World Cup Fan Event 
Telemundo Fan Village at Rockefeller Center 7/16

14) Flushing Town Hall presents Tree House Shakers Family Theater 
7/18 & 7/19

15) Gingold Group presents Noel Coward's This Was a Man
The Players 7/20

16) Pan Asian Repertory presents Sneak Peek of Fire in the New World
The Bruce Mitchell Room at Spaces@520 7/16

In Philadelphia

17) Philadelphia Area Upcoming Pride Events

Other

18) Camp Broadway Summer Reading List for Theater-Loving Kids 

A) Beginning Performances

In New York

1) Crimes of the Heart

It's been a bad few days for the Magrath sisters. The eldest, Lenny, is turning thirty alone in the family home in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. The middle one, Meg, has come back from Hollywood with broken dreams and old wounds. And the youngest, Babe, has just shot her husband and can't quite explain why. Over a few extraordinary days in their grandparents' kitchen, the three sisters reckon with the past, with each other, and with the particular madness of family love. Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play is devastating and hilarious in equal measure — often in the same breath.

Theater 154 (154 Christopher St.)
7/15 - 7/26
Opening Night 7/17


2) The Gin Game 

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The Gin Game is by turns funny and heartbreaking – the story of two nursing-home residents whose rounds of gin become a riveting duel of pride and self-preservation.

Starring Debra Winger and Arliss Howard

Housing Works Bookstore (126 Crosby St.)
7/15 - 8/9 

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/the-gin-game

B) Cast Changes

In New York

3) Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?

The third cycle of guest stars for the critically acclaimed production of Eric Bentley’s 1972 docudrama, ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN, will begin performances on Tuesday, July 14th.

Joining the cast from July 14 through August 2 will be two-time Tony Award-winner Norbert Leo Butz (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Catch Me If You Can) as “Abe Burrows,” Emmy nominee T.R. Knight (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, “Grey’s Anatomy”) as “Larry Parks,” Tony nominee Harry Lennix (Purpose, “The Blacklist”) as “Paul Robeson,” Emmy winner and Golden Globe nominee Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul,” Glengarry Glen Ross) as “Lionel Stander,” and Golden Globe nominee and Drama Desk Award-winner Molly Ringwald (“Yellowjackets,” One Night Only) as “Lillian Hellman.”

New York City Center Stage 1 (131 W. 55th St.)

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.areyounowplay.com

C) Concert 

In New York

4) Corcoran Holt Quintet

Holt is a bassist, composer, educator, and Assistant Professor of Jazz Bass at Arizona State University. A Washington, D.C. native, Holt has performed and recorded with many of today’s most respected voices while cultivating a sound rooted in lineage, groove, and fearless expression. He began playing djembe and other West African percussion at the age of four as a member of the Wose Dance Company under the tutelage of Baba Aidoo Holmes and Mahiri Fadjimba Keita and began studying upright bass at the age of ten with the renowned D.C. Youth Orchestra Program. He completed a B.A. in Jazz Studies from Shenandoah Conservatory in 2004 and earned his M.A. in Jazz Studies from Queens College in New York City in 2006. Holt appeared on three Grammy-nominated recordings, including Kenny Garrett’s “Pushing the World Away.” He also performs on Garrett’s “Sounds from the Ancestors,” which won the NAACP Image Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album in 2021.

Dante Park (Broadway & 64th St.)
July 15, 1:30 PM

D) Festivals & Celebrations

In Pennsylvania

Courtesy of Aversa PR

5) Fishtown Under the El Bazaar Celebrates Christmas in July

Who says you have to wait until December for holiday cheer? The Fishtown District is bringing the magic of the season to summer with a Christmas in July edition of the Under the El Bazaar. This no-charge, family-friendly event transforms the space under the El into a festive holiday marketplace featuring local artisans, makers, vintage vendors, food, drinks, music, games, and plenty of summer holiday spirit.

Visitors can browse unique vendors to get a head start on holiday shopping or simply treat themselves to something special. Whether you're checking names off your gift list months early or discovering one-of-a-kind finds just because, the Under the El Bazaar is the perfect place to shop local.

Guests can also enjoy:
* Photos with Santa from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
* Festive island-inspired holiday music
* Holiday decorations and cheerful summer décor
* Games and family-friendly activities
* Seasonal surprises throughout the day

Fishtown's favorite neighborhood businesses will be serving up food and drink specials all afternoon, making it easy to spend the day shopping, eating, and celebrating.

Beneath Market-Frankford El (along the 1700 block of North Front St.)
Saturday, July 18, 12:00pm to 6:00pm.

Visit the fishtowndistrict.com for more information.

Courtesy of Aversa PR

6) Gluten Free Food Fest

The largest gluten-free food festivals in the country is coming to the Greater Philadelphia region this summer for what organizers are calling the "best gluten-fr ee day ever." The Wicked Gluten Free Expo & Food Festival takes over the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. This year's festival is set to be the single largest gluten-fr ee event in the state of Pennsylvania, with organizers expecting to welcome 5,000 attendees. In honor of America's 250th, Wicked Gluten Fr ee will open the day with a "Freedom from Gluten" cake-cutting ceremony at 10:00am, featuring a specially designed, celiac-safe cake from The Happy Mixer Gluten Fr ee Bakery. The event will feature its largest lineup yet, including 110+ restaurants, bakeries, food trucks, brands, artisan food purveyors, health organizations, community groups and more. Every food vendor is gluten-fr ee and celiac-safe, individually vetted by the event organizer, with vegan and other allergen-sensitive options available throughout. Highlights include complimentary samples, products for purchase, food trucks, health organizations, cooking and food demonstrations, family-friendly fun, and complimentary parking. Vendors span national and local names, with eateries traveling from the Main Line, the Western Suburbs, Philadelphia, South Jersey, Central PA, Harrisburg, Lancaster, and beyond. Well-known local businesses include A&A Soft Pretzels, Burtons Grill & Bar, Scrumpshes, Harvest Seasonal Grill, Boardwalk Lemonade, SouthHouse, Nutty Novelties, Cynful Bliss, Honey Bear Ice Cream, The Happy Mixer Gluten Fr ee Bakery, Settantatre Pasta, Hope's Caramels, and many more.

Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Ave., Oaks, PA)
Saturday, July 18, 10:00am to 5:00pm

For more information or to purchase tickets, wickedglutenfree.com

Courtesy of Aversa PR
7) Manayunk Stroll After Dark

This summer, Main Street Manayunk is turning Thursday nights into a celebration of community, culture and entertainment. Stroll After Hours will bring residents and visitors together for four evenings filled with live music, local artists and vendors, food trucks, outdoor movies, interactive activities and special experiences from Manayunk's shops, restaurants, and businesses. Taking place on July 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2026, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm, the series offers a unique opportunity to experience the neighborhood in a lively after-hours atmosphere.

Throughout the month, Main Street will transform into an open-air destination where guests can enjoy a live summer concert series, browse local artists and makers, indulge in a rotating lineup of food trucks, and settle in for outdoor movie screenings at dusk. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs and enjoy family-friendly entertainment under the stars.

In addition to music and movies, attendees can participate in interactive art projects, kids activities, face painting, caricatures, soccer activations, axe throwing, and other rotating experiences throughout the district. Participating businesses will extend their hours and offer special promotions, creating an exciting and welcoming environment for visitors of all ages.

Main Street Manayunk
July 16, 23, 30 

For more information, visit manayunk.com.

E) Run Extension

In New York

Courtesy of Polk and Co. PR

8) Guilia: The Poison Queen of Palmero

 

What began as a single act of self-defense ripples through Palermo, creating a cascade of casualties and inspiring a secret sisterhood. But the path to safety is never safe. Can Giulia Tofana save them all without losing herself?


Perelman Center, PAC NYC (251 Fulton St.)

Now closing 8/2


For more information or to purchase tickets, visit pacnyc.org/whats-on/giulia


F) What Else is Happening 

In New Jersey

9) American Theater Group and Sieminski Theater Present

Summer Theater Workshop

Free Program Available to local teens and Adults

American Theater Group (ATG), in partnership with the Sieminski Theater, will collaborate to offer a Summer Theater Workshop for adults and high school and college students. The program will instruct students on using their own “lived experiences” to develop personal short plays. The workshops will be made possible thanks to a Somerset County 2026 Local Arts Program Grant.

Led by actor, playwright and Emmy Award nominee Jason Odell Williams, the workshops will be free of charge, open to the public, accessible to all and will teach the craft of playwriting as well as the fundamentals of theater producing. They will foster intergenerational learning by transforming the lived experiences of the students into 10-minute plays, culminating in a staged reading of their original pieces performed by other members of the workshop.

The six-week interactive workshop series will run from July 27 th through August 30 th, with classes meeting on Mondays from 1:30 – 3:30pm at the Sieminski theater located at 8000 Fellowship Road. The final presentations will take place at 2:30pm on Sun. Aug. 30 th. Participants can register for the workshop by emailing boxoffice@sieminskitheater.org or calling 908-580-3892.

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10) Mercer Has Talent

Join an evening full of entertainment, creativity, and hometown pride. Whether you perform or cheer from the audience, it’s a night you won’t want to miss! Join Mercer Has Talent—where voices are heard, stories come alive, and talent takes center stage. 


Good energy, great people, and unforgettable performances guaranteed. All are welcome. No judgment. Just creativity.


Featuring the House Band - Ernie White and Tommy Reock!


Kelsey Theatre at Mercer (1200 Old Trenton Rd., West Windsor)

7/5 & 8/12


For more information, visit 250.mercercountynj.gov/visit/event/mercer-has-talent.


In New York

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11) American Museum of Natural History to Host After-Hours Event “¡Vamos! A Celebration of Latin and Caribbean Cultures” on Friday, July 17

Evening event to feature music, games, local vendors, and cultural traditions

from Latin America and the Caribbean


Global tournaments are just one of the ways culture travels. As the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final approaches, the Museum invites visitors to celebrate Latin American and Caribbean cultures, highlighting the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Puerto Rico. ¡Vamos! A Celebration of Latin and Caribbean Cultures will feature the games, music, dance, and food that have carried cultural traditions across borders. 

In collaboration with Latin culture collectives Apt.78 and Qué Lo Que NYC, this evening program will include:

  • A dominoes tournament for visitors to explore traditions, meet new people, and connect with community in head-to-head competitions
  • A marketplace of local Latin and Caribbean vendors showcasing their goods, art, crafts, and foods, including Dominican ice cream from Say Helado NYC and art from Hatian artist Naderson Saint-Pierre.
  • Music from DJ Bembona, DJ Loco Bembé, DJ MitchFactorial, and DJ Papi Weli filling the space with Latin and Caribbean beats
  • An art installation by Mexican visual artist Betsabeé Romero exploring soccer as a universal language of culture, migration, and community
  • Lessons on Spades from Spades University
  • Live performances from Samba New York that will transport visitors to Brazil

The American Museum of Natural History, Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation
(Enter at 79th St. and Columbus)
Friday July 17, 7:00 - 10:00

This program is for ages 21+. Tickets are available on the Museum’s website and are $30 for the general public and $25 for Museum Members. Last entry will be at 9 pm. Drink tickets will be available for purchase on-site.

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12) Brooklyn Children's Museum

Summer Scramble


BCM’s original pop-up exhibit Summer Scramble invites children to step inside a larger-than-life breakfast plate built for full-body play. Kids can climb pancake towers, dive onto buttery pillows, slide down a milk carton, and hop into the Scrambler, a two-person fried egg ride where they can pedal and spin themselves silly.


Brooklyn Children's Museum (145 Brooklyn Ave.)

Through August 30


For a calendar of all BCM events, visit: www.brooklynkids.org/events.


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Courtesy of Polk and Co. PR

13) BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB and TELEMUNDO

Present Special World Cup Fan Event
Featuring Live Performances and Dance Experience at Telemundo Fan Village


Thursday, July 16 at 1:15 PM | The Rink at Rockefeller Center

 

Limited Number of Fan Tickets Available for This Free Concert


Broadway’s BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB is teaming up with Telemundo to celebrate the excitement of the World Cup with a free, live event featuring the hit Broadway musical’s Tony Award-winning band and choreography on Thursday, July 16 at 1:15pm at The Rink at Rockefeller Center turned Telemundo Fan Village.


The event is free and open to the public - to pre-register for access, fans can sign up at the link here: https://www.rockefellercenter.com/buy-tickets/buena-vista-social-club-performance-on-the-pitch/choose-quantity


The Telemundo Fan Village will take over Rockefeller Center, transforming the iconic Rink into ‘The Pitch’ – a playable soccer field, which will also be the home to a series of events to celebrate the 2026 World Cup. 


Hosted by Telemundo’s Lourdes Stephen, this special event will bring fans together for an afternoon celebrating Latin culture, music, dance, and the global spirit of the World Cup. Attendees will enjoy live performances by Buena Vista Social Club’s Tony Award-winning band and have the chance to learn some of the show's Tony Award-winning choreography alongside members of the Broadway company.


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Courtesy of Anat Gerstein 

14) Move and Groove! Flushing Town Hall Presents Treehouse Shakers with High-Energy Family Theater


On July 18 & 19, the New York City-based theater company will lead two performances with fun-filled music and dance activities for children aged 4-8 and their caregivers


On Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19, Flushing Town Hall (FTH) will bring back the popular Treehouse Shakers, the New York City-based children’s theater company, for two mornings of fun and engaging family performances designed for children aged 4-8 and their caregivers.


On Saturday, July 18, at 10:30 am, Treehouse Shakers Presents: Let’s Get Moving! will deliver a lively, immersive performance for young audiences and their caregivers, combining world folklore, live music, and the magic of soccer. Storyteller Mara McEwin and percussionist Roderick Jackson weave together tales from around the globe that celebrate teamwork, collaboration, and resilience. Drawing on the spirit of the beautiful game, the performance brings life to the lessons of the field—strategy, perseverance, and the joy of working together. As Queens welcomes soccer fans to the World's Borough for the World Cup, young participants will be invited to move like Messi and dance, and play alongside the performers, turning passive listening into an active, joyful experience.


On Sunday, July 19, at 10:30 am, Treehouse Shakers Presents: Let’s Work Together! which will provide an immersive, movement-filled performance that invites young audiences and their caregivers to explore the power of collaboration and resilience. Storyteller Mara McEwin and percussionist Roderick Jackson will combine world folklore and live percussion music, bringing to life stories of team spirit, shared goals, and the life lessons found in the games we play. Young participants will learn movement and dance inspired by soccer and team play, transforming a performance into a joyful, full-body experience.


For more information about the weekend activities and to purchase tickets, visit the event pages for Treehouse Shakers: Let’s Get Moving! (July 18, 10:30 AM) and Treehouse Shakers: Let’s Work Together! (July 19, 10:30 AM). Families are invited to join one or both of these programs. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for member adults, and $8 for children.


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15)


MARKING ITS FIRST NEW YORK PRESENTATION

SINCE ITS ORIGINAL 1926 PREMIERE

PROJECT SHAW CONTINUES WITH


Noël Coward’s

This Was a Man

MONDAY, JULY 20 AT 7 PM


Gingold Theatrical Group (David Staller, Artistic Director; Isaiah Josiah, Managing Producer) Due to popular demand, Gingold Theatrical Group is thrilled to announce an additional event in its celebrated Project Shaw series: a special presentation of Noël Coward’s This Was a Man. Remarkably, this marks the first known New York presentation of the play since its original 1926 premiere.


One of Coward’s rarely produced early dramas, This Was a Man explores themes that would come to define much of his work: social performance, morality, jealousy, repression, and the fragility beneath upper-class sophistication. The play follows Edward Churt, a successful painter whose carefully composed world begins to fracture as he confronts his wife Carol’s infidelity. While Edward attempts to maintain an air of elegant detachment, his closest friend becomes determined to force a reckoning that threatens to upend them all.


Sharp, psychologically probing, and surprisingly modern, This Was a Man asks enduring questions about masculinity, emotional repression, and the limits of civility. What happens when good manners become a mask for pain? Is it nobler to ignore betrayal or confront it directly? And what, ultimately, does it mean to be brave enough to confront oneself and to fully connect to another person?


This event features general seating. For reserved seats or season discounts, please contact the Gingold office: 212.355.7823 info@gingoldgroup.org.


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16) PAN ASIAN REPERTORY THEATRE

CONTINUES 49TH SEASON WITH STAGED READIN

FIRE IN THE NEW WORLD
A PLAY BY R. A. SHIOMI
DIRECTED BY RON NAKAHARA

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026 AT 5PM

THE BRUCE MITCHELL ROOM AT SPACES@520
(520 8TH AVENUE – 3rd FLR)

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, Tisa Chang, Founding Artistic Director, is pleased to present a sneak peek of Fire in the New World, a noir-style detective comedy by R. A. Shiomi, directed by Ron Nakahara, which will have its world premiere in February 2027. The reading will take place on Thursday, July 16 at 5pm in The Bruce Mitchell Room at Spaces@520 (520 8th Avenue – 3rd Floor). The reading is open to the public with a $20 suggested donation, and reservations are required here.And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for More Theater Monday.

Local PI, Sam Shikaze, finds himself embroiled in a fiery mystery. Femme fatales, corrupt developers, a community in turmoil. Romance, deceit and social injustice collide in this long-awaited prequel to the heralded Yellow Fever.

For additional information, visit the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre website at www.panasianrep.org, or via email at info@panasianrep.org

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In Philadelphia

17) Philadelphia Area Upcoming Pride Event

Berks Pride Fest
Sunday, July 19, 2026
11:00am to 5:00pm
By Reading Pride Celebration
At Jim Dietrich Park, 4899 Stoudts Ferry Bridge Rd, Reading, Pennsylvania 19605
Tickets required $4.58

Berks Pride Fest is the largest and longest-running LGBTQ+ Pride celebration in Berks County, hosted by Reading Pride Celebration. Since 2006, the festival has brought together thousands of community members and allies for a vibrant day of entertainment, education, advocacy, and connection. Featuring live performances, diverse vendors, food trucks, and community organizations, Berks Pride Fest creates an inclusive, welcoming space that celebrates authenticity, visibility, and pride for all.  
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Other

18) CAMP BROADWAY® LAUNCHES SUMMER 2026  

READING LIST FOR THEATER-LOVING KIDS 


 The Broadway Education Alliance Inc. proudly announces the introduction of Camp Broadway’s Summer 2026 Reading List, a carefully curated collection of books designed to encourage young theater enthusiasts to discover and enjoy the many books that celebrate the world of the performing arts and culture.  


Camp Broadway®, a leader in youth enrichment and experiential programming for young people, has invited the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts to select stories written by talented children’s book authors—many of whom are also accomplished Broadway performers including Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Tim Federle and Ali Stroker (a Camp Broadway alumna).  


Camp Broadway’s inaugural reading list has been designed for theater-loving readers ages 8–14 by Gabriella Steinberg, Theatre Circulating Librarian at the Library for the Performing Arts. The list celebrates the power of storytelling, performance, creativity, and self-expression while helping young people stay engaged in reading throughout the summer months. 


For more information or to see the list, visit www.nypl.org/blog/2026/06/11/summer-reading-kids-who-love-theater


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And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for More Theater Monday.

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