Here comes autumn, the advent of increasingly chilly temps and diminishing daylight. But don’t despair: just a short drive away, Northeastern cities are heating up.
After Labor Day, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York sizzle with spellbinding shows, arts performances, cultural festivals and exhibitions. To help get your travel plans started, we explored these electrifying urban landscapes and cherry-picked some of our favorites.
Washington, D.C.
Glenstone Museum reopens
The international art world hails the reopening of this 200-acre museum-estate — home to what’s considered one of the most important private post-World War II art collections. A new, 240,000-square-foot addition premieres a gallery, bookstore and two cafes.
Oct. 4. Free. Reservations recommended. 12002 Glen Road, Potomac. glenstone.org.
Beetlejuice, the musical
Tim Burton’s cult classic is transformed into a hilarious, adults-only musical. Director Alex Timbers, a self-proclaimed ‘lifelong Burton fan,’ aims this pre-Broadway world premiere to “be as clever, funny, dark and moving as the film itself.”
Oct. 14-Nov. 18. $54-$99. National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. thenationaldc.org.
Smithsonian African American Film Festival
The inaugural festival features discussions with filmmakers, cinematography classes and screenings of historical and contemporary productions highlighting black experiences in America.
Oct. 24-27. Free. Advance tickets recommended. National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. N.W. nmaahc.si.edu/smithsonian-african-american-film-festival.
Rafael Lozan-Hemmer: Pulse
Colossal rhythmic soundscapes, rippling waves and animated fingerprints interpret visitors’ vital signs in synchronicity at Hirshhorn’s largest interactive exhibition to date.
Oct. 26-April 28. Free. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue and 7th Street. hirshhorn.si.edu/exhibitions/rafael-lozano-hemmer-pulse.
Rodarte
Floating sculptural forms donning unconventional fashions by clothing designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy double as artwork. The sisters’ designs represent California landscape, nature, art history and literature.
Nov. 10-Feb. 10. $10. National Museum of Women in the Arts. 1250 New York Ave. nmwa.org.
Philadelphia
Sky On Swings
Opera Philadelphia’s 2018 festival opens with a powerful production ($85-$205.). World-renowned mezzo-sopranos Marietta Simpson and Frederica von Stade portray women in different stages of Alzheimer’s, facing fears of disintegration while sharing fleeting moments of happiness.
Sept. 20-29. $85-$205. Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 South Broad St., operaphila.org/festival.
Fabulous Fashion: Dior’s New Look to Now
The classic Chanel Suit. Geoffrey Beene’s silver lamé Mercury dress. This exhibition explores seven decades of fashion as an art form. Beginning with Christian Dior’s 1947 New Look collection, walk the runway through high-profile designers’ innovative uses of color, patterns, shape and embellishments.
Oct. 16-March 3. $20. Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. philamuseum.org.
Berthe Morisot, Woman Impressionist
Morisot’s first U.S. retrospective since 1987 highlights the only female artist named alongside Parisian modern impressionists Degas, Monet and Renoir. A working mother herself, Morisot’s 70 pieces portray then-contemporary women’s bourgeois lifestyles: fashion, the toilette and domestic work.
Oct. 20-Jan. 14. $30. The Barnes, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. barnesfoundation.org.
Craft Now Philadelphia
This festival features Philly’s leading institutions of fine American craft, including Pennsylvania Academy Of Fine Arts, Wexler Gallery and the Fabric Workshop and Museum, as well as its beloved artisans, like renowned potter Roberto Lugo Check out the workshops, symposiums and original works in glass, wood, fiber, clay and metal in galleries, studios, museums, universities and retailers around town.
Nov. 1-12, citywide. Prices vary by venue; many events are free. craftnowphila.org.
The Met Philadelphia opens
The long-shuttered former Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House (first opened in 1908) will soon reopen as a state-of-the-art live entertainment venue hosting big-name concerts, “cirque-type spectacles” and eSports events. Developer Live Nation promises the “ultimate experience” featuring “the best sight lines, crystal-clear sounds, remarkable food and unparalleled VIP guest experiences.” To date, two shows have been announced: James Bay (March 9) and Derek Hough (June 14)
December 2018. 858 N. Broad St. themetphilly.com.
New York
Broadway Week
As the 2018-2019 theater season begins, 24 participating shows offer two-for-one tickets. Among them are favorites like “Frozen,” “Wicked” and “My Fair Lady.”
Sept. 3-6, various venues. nycgo.com/broadway-week.
King Kong
The iconic movie monster that has been capturing imaginations since 1933 roars onto Broadway at last.
Previews begin Oct. 5. $114-$399. Broadway Theater, 1681 Broadway. kingkongbroadway.com.
To Kill A Mockingbird
Jeff Daniels stars in this world premiere of Aaron Sorkin’s stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel.
Previews begin Nov. 1. $39-$169. Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th St. tokillamockingbirdbroadway.com.
Harry Potter: A History of Magic
This exhibit journeys through the history of magic and myth, from medieval dragons to Azkaban’s Dementors.
Oct. 5-Jan. 27, $6-$21. New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West. nyhistory.org.
Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power
A bleeding flag and icons of the Black Power movement are among works spanning exhibits on 1963 to 1983, called “one of the most politically, socially, and revolutionary periods in American history.”
Sept. 14–Feb. 3. $16-$25. Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway. brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/soul_of_a_nation.
TEFAF New York
Curators of the world’s foremost fine and decorative art galleries join collectors and artisans at this fair showcasing furniture, paintings, glass, silver, textiles, tapestries and jewelry spanning antiquity to 1920.
Oct. 28–Nov. 1. $50 for a day pass, $75 for a multiday pass. Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Ave. tefaf.com.
New York Film Festival
“Bravery,” declares festival director Kent Jones, defines this year’s indie films from around the globe. “The Favourite,” starring Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, and Olivia Colman, debuts on opening night.
Sept. 11-Oct. 15. $15-$25. Various venues at Lincoln Center. filmlinc.org.
New York City Wine & Food Festival
Oodles of tastings, intimate chef dinners, newfangled kitchen gadgets, even dog brunches – the festival offers fine food events for every palate and budget.
Oct. 11-14, citywide. Prices vary by venue. nycwff.org.
