10 best shows paired with (more than) 10 best dinner spots to keep you busy this fall

Philadelphia stages will be home to a wide array of theater in coming months, from fun musicals both familiar (Hamilton) and brand new (Empire Records) to dark comedies about sisterhood (La Egoísta) and a high school reunion (The Comeuppance) to classics old (Cyrano de Bergerac) and contemporary (Jersey Boys). Plus, the Arden’s local premiere of political comedy POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive comes just in time for another unprecedented election season. These are the 10 shows we’re most excited to see this fall, complete with recommendations on where to eat or drink nearby.

The 1995 teen movie starring Liv Tyler and Renée Zellweger flopped before turning into a Gen X cult classic in the same realm as Clueless and Reality Bites. Now Empire Records will be adapted for the stage in this world premiere as a musical, with original screenwriter Carol Heikkinen behind the book. Princeton native Zoe Sarnak wrote the music and lyrics, which follow a ragtag group of record store employees over the course of one day.

Sept. 6 to Oct. 6, McCarter Theater Center, 91 University Place, Princeton, N.J., 609-258-2787 or mccarter.org

For dinner: Princeton is chock-full of dinner options. Try Kristine’s for a French-bistro vibe, elements for a modern American tasting menu (sit at the bar to order more casual à la carte offerings), and Conte’s Pizza for thin-crust pies.

Election season is in full swing, so it just might be the perfect time to watch a White House comedy about women in politics — and I don’t mean Veep. But like the unforgettable HBO series, POTUS follows the vulgar, hilarious antics behind the presidential podium, in this case with a cast of seven women in charge of a bumbling PR nightmare of a commander in chief. This Philadelphia premiere is directed by comic theater pro Jennifer Childs, head of 1812 Productions.

Sept. 12 to Oct. 13, Arden Theatre, 40 N. Second St., Philadelphia, 215-922-1122 or ardentheatre.org

For dinner: Old City offers pretty much any cuisine you could ask for. There’s Southern at Amina, Italian at Panorama, Yemeni at Malooga, French at Forsythia, Mexican at Las Bugambilias, Japanese at Tuna Bar, Korean at Buk Chon, and more.

Step inside live bluegrass jam sessions called pickin’ parties set in rural North Carolina where family drama takes center stage. With a lean cast of three actor-musicians, The Porch on Windy Hill follows a mixed race violinist and her music preservationist boyfriend as they visit her estranged racist grandfather, who ghosted his family after his daughter married a Korean man. Sherry Stregack Lutken — who cowrote the play with her husband, musical director David M. Lutken (who also plays the grandfather), and others — directs the production, which includes violins, banjos, and a Chinese fiddle called erhu.

Sept. 25 to Oct. 20, People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern, Pa., 610-644-3500 or peopleslight.org

For dinner: Sure, Malvern has big spots like Restaurant Alba and Brick & Brew, but dig just a little deeper and you’ll find more intimate venues with equally interesting fare: Order a Lebanese feast at Cafe Baladi, a hearty Mexican meal at El Charro Negro, or Indian Chinese specialties at Himalayan Exotic Indian Cuisine.

The classic 19th century romance that has spawned countless adaptations from operas to films (like the 2021 tearjerker starring Peter Dinklage) got a splashy reboot in 2019 from famed British playwright Martin Crimp that wowed audiences on both sides of the pond with a lauded performance from James McAvoy. Philadelphia actor J. Hernandez steps into the titular role in this modern, deconstructed production that sees a lovesick intellectual write lyrical letters to his crush on behalf of another (pretty-but-dumb) man.

Sept. 25 to Oct. 20, The Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, 215-987-4450 or quintessencetheatre.org

For dinner: Northwest Philly’s roster of restaurants changes far less frequently than downtown, so the go-tos on this stretch of Germantown Avenue — Jansen, Jyoti, La Trattoria — may sound familiar. Even relative newcomers like Toska and Bar Lizette are established by now. For something brand-new, head to Germantown’s Das Good Cafe, a Southeast Asian-influenced BYOB.

The Tony Award-winning jukebox musical celebrating the beloved quartet Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons brings their greatest hits back to Philadelphia, from “Beggin’” to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” The biographical show tracks Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, and Nick Massi from their start in Newark, N.J., in 1960 through their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Come for the unforgettable doo-wop harmonies, stay for the gossipy infighting.

Oct. 1 to Nov. 3, Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut St., Philadelphia, 215-574-3550 or walnutstreettheatre.org

For dinner: Three great choices within a stone’s throw: Georgian soup dumplings, cheese bread, and kebabs at Sakartvelo; seasonal pizzas and roast chicken for two at High Street; or rustic fare made special occasion-worthy at Talula’s Garden.

A stand-up comedian in Philadelphia finds success during a particularly difficult time in her personal life. Her sister struggles with chronic illness as both women grieve the death of their mother — all of which the comic channels into her sets throughout the play. The contemporary comedy’s Philadelphia premiere is a homecoming for local playwright Erlina Ortiz, coartistic director of Power Street Theatre, that aims to make audiences tear up from sorrow and laughter.

Oct. 4 to 20, Philadelphia Theatre Company at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, 215-985-0420 or philadelphiatheatrecompany.org

For dinner: Head west to enjoy classic Thai at Sawatdee or swanky vibes and Southern food at Rex at the Royal. Head east to go to Paulie Gee’s for Brooklyn-style pies and cheap drinks at Dirty Frank’s.

Just about everyone has had an imaginary friend at some point. But what if that were Robin Williams? That was the case for Delaware County native Dave Droxler, who penned an autobiographical one-man play about his obsession with the legendary comedian that helped him through childhood struggles. Following an off-Broadway premiere last year, the production comes to Pennsylvania for the first time, marking a bittersweet milestone for the actor-playwright who recently lost his father.

Oct. 9 to 27, Hedgerow Theatre, 64 Rose Valley Rd., Media, Pa., 610-565-4211 or hedgerowtheatre.org

For dinner: Rose Valley is slim on dinner spots, but thankfully nearby Media is rife with choices. Get steak house classics at Stephen’s on State, tikka and tandoori at Shere-E-Punjab, barbecue and beer at Sterling Pig, and your choice of wide-ranging pub fare at Towne House.

When Pulitzer winning playwright Lynn Nottage helped her grandmother move, she found a rare image of her great-grandmother Ethel, a seamstress who came to New York alone in the early 1900s. As she tried researching Ethel’s history, Nottage developed a play loosely based on her life about a Black business woman who sews lingerie for clients both rich and poor in the city’s Lower East Side. Directed by sharp local talent Amina Robinson, the production follows the Arden’s popular 2023 run of Nottage’s sandwich shop comedy, Clyde’s.

Oct. 24 to Dec. 1, Arden Theatre, 40 N. Second St., Philadelphia, 215-922-1122 or ardentheatre.org

For dinner: See above, under POTUS.

The blockbuster musical about once-overlooked Founding Father Alexander Hamilton returns to Philadelphia, the city where much of the real history happened — don’t let Lin-Manuel Miranda’s New York-centric book fool you. Hamilton’s salacious affair with Maria Reynolds and fiery debates with Thomas Jefferson all happened here, mere blocks from the Academy of Music, which is perfect fodder for any local trivia aficionado. The infectious harmonies, rapid raps, and jam-packed storytelling provide an enthralling show, whether it’s your first or fifth watch.

Oct. 29 to Nov. 23, Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, 215-893-1999 or ensembleartsphilly.org

For dinner: Pair this high-wattage play with an equally exciting dinner choice like Oloroso (opt for one of chef Jason Peabody’s tasting menus, plus lots of sherry), Oyster House (oysters of course but also snapper soup and grilled lobster), or Alpen Rose (clover rolls, creamed spinach, beef Wellington for two).

Fresh off winning the Tony Award for regional theater, the Wilma opens its season with MacArthur fellow Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ post-COVID lockdown comedy in this coproduction with Washington’s Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Four old classmates who bonded in high school calling themselves the “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group” come together to pregame their 20th reunion. Over the course of a night filled with jungle juice and weed, they laugh, fight, and reminisce until they’re visited by a figure from the beyond: Death.

Nov. 19 to Dec. 8, Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, 215-546-7824 or wilmatheater.org

For dinner: Center City’s your oyster here. A few options within a few blocks’ walk or less: Head east for vegan bar food and pasta with a moody/quirky atmosphere (Monster Vegan), west for eclectic gastropub fare in a swanky space (Enswell), north for Thai tapas and curries (Grandma’s Philly), and south for a vegetable-forward but not strictly vegetarian menu (Kiddo).