As much as there is to like about summer (ice cream, water parks, exposed flesh, vacations, the outdoors, the Jersey Shore), it’s OK to hate it sometimes (the Jersey Shore, mosquitoes, long lines, heat waves, gas prices, abnormally hairy people wearing tank tops, sweat in inconvenient places, the Jersey Shore). And if you do: good news! It’s almost over.
And with the impending changing colors of the leaves, the squirrels socking away sustenance for the winter and, best of all, the kids going back to toil away at school, we are all free to roam the streets and hit theaters, clubs and museums to catch artists who otherwise have forsaken rounds during the summer or got swallowed up in package tours.
Even with the economy limping along, there is no shortage of entertainment options to carry connoisseurs of art, music, theater and other forms of live entertainment well through the high holy holidays (i.e. Halloween) and beyond. So get out your calendar and your Sharpie: These are the cultural events you do not want to miss this fall.
BOOKS Sam Tanenhaus The author of “The Death of Conservatism,” is interviewed live by Philadelphia Inquirer book critic Carlin Romano at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; (215) 686-5322.
Jeffrey Ross The comedian and author of “I Only Roast the Ones I Love” talks up his craft as an insult comic at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; (215) 686-5322.
Ralph Nader The former presidential candidate and author of “Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!” hosts a discussion at noon Sept. 22 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; (215) 686-5322.
Gil Robertson The author of “Family Affair: What It Means to Be African American Today” hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
Marjane Satrapi The author of “Persepolis,” an autobiographical graphic novel about growing up in Iran after the Shah is overthrown, hosts a discussion at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; (215) 686-5322.
Howard Dean The former presidential candidate and author of “Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Health Care Reform” hosts a discussion at noon Sept. 24 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; (215) 686-5322.
Frederick Herts The author of “Making It Legal: A Guide to Same-Sex Marriage, Domestic Partnerships, and Civil Unions” hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
Anne Shade The author of “Deepest Desire” hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
Cesar Millan The star of National Geographic Channel’s “Dog Whisperer” and author of “How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond” hosts a discussion at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; (215) 686-5322.
Edmund White The author of “City Boy: My Life in New York During the 1960s and ’70s” hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
William C. Harris The author of “Queer Externalities: Hazardous Encounters in American Culture” hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
CA Conrad, Nathaniel Siegel and Mark Bibbins The three out authors hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
Alix Dobkin The out musician and author of “My Red Blood: A Memoir of Growing Up Communist, Coming Onto the Greenwich Village Folk Scene, and Coming Out in the Feminist Movement” hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
Joyce Angela Jellison The author of “Black Apple,” an often-raw and poetic examination of the modern urban landscape, hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
Thomas Glave Celebrates Queer Caribbean Voices The author of “The Torturer’s Wife” hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
Ellen Lewin & Mary L. Gray The author of “Out in the Country: Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America” and the author of “Gay Fatherhood: Narratives of Family and Citizenship in America” host a reading at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; (215) 923-2960.
CABARET Menzie & Michael The jazzy duo performs at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at Harlans at The Nevermore, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; (215) 862- 5225.
DANCE Kun-Yang Lin Workshop New York City-based visual artist Jeff Sable leads this workshop exploring Tai Chi movement, voice and improvisation, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sept. 13, 20, 27 and Oct. 4 at Chi Movement Arts Center, 1316 S. Ninth St.; (267) 687-3739.
Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra Benefit Concert The Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra performs works by Debussy, Copland, Barber and more at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Thank You Gregory, A Tribute to the Legends of Tap Maurice Hines, renowned star of stage and screen and brother of the legendary Gregory Hines, leads an all-star cast of eight with Emmy Award-winner and tap phenom Jason Samuels Smith, as well as a live band and multimedia projections, Oct. 6-10 at Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Pennsylvania, 3680 Walnut St.; (215) 898-3900.
Danco on Dance Painted Bride Arts Center presents a performance by Philadanco’s junior company at 8 p.m. Oct. 22-23, 230 Vine St.; (215) 925-9144. Philadanco The dance company’s 40th-anniversary season begins with a world premiere by Christopher L. Huggins, as well as Jawole Willa Jo Zollar’s “Batty Moves,” Nov. 12-15 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847. Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company The Kimmel Center presents this spirited ensemble at 3 p.m. Nov. 22 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
THEATER Alegría Cirque du Soleil’s latest tour, an operatic introspection of the struggle for power and the invigorating energy of youth, relating the tale of power vs. weakness, the king vs. his jesters and age against youth, will be performed Oct. 13-16 at the Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St.; (215) 204-2400.
Billy Crystal: 700 Sundays Crystal brings his autobiographical Tony Award-winning blockbuster dealing with his youth, growing up in the jazz world of Manhattan, his teenage years and finally adulthood, to Philadelphia from Sept. 30-Oct. 11 at The Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Chicago TV-show host Jerry Springer stars in this tour of the hit musical, Sept. 15-20 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Fractured Fairy Tales B. Someday Productions presents a madcap interactive live performance for kids and adults, through Sept. 19 at the Walking Fish Theatre, 2509 Frankford Ave.; (215) 413-1318.
Missed Connections, A Craigslist Fantasia Philly Fringe and the Curio Theatre Company presents an ensemble piece created primarily from Philadelphia Craigslist personal and community forums, exploring the social dichotomy of anonymity and identity on the Internet using only found text, through Sept. 19 at Calvary Center Sanctuary, 4740 Baltimore Ave.; (215) 413-1318.
Welcome to Yuba City Pig Iron Theatre Company presents an absurd performance work of fragments of mythic America in an outpost on the edge of civilization, through Sept. 19 at The Festival Theatre at the Hub, 626 N. Fifth St.; (215) 413-1318.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels The Walnut Street Theater presents the story of two suave and shameless con-men with two very different styles, through Oct. 25, 825 Walnut St.; (215) 574-3550.
A History of Shit: Manson in Thebes Philly Fringe and Theater of the Evangelical Scientific Revolution present the North American premier of a play exploring and deconstructing the American obsession with Charles Manson as a counterculture icon, Sept. 17 at The Rotunda, 4014 Chestnut St.; (215) 573-3234.
Sex, Dreams & Self Control Philly Fringe presents out musician and actor Kevin Thornton performing his new one-man show, Sept. 11-17 at Walking Fish Theatre, 2509 Frankford Ave.; (215) 427-9255, and Sept. 18-19 at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 732-2220.
The History Boys The Arden Theatre presents the acclaimed drama chronicling the final school year of eight clever young British students in pursuit of sex, sport and admission into Oxford or Cambridge, Sept. 24-Nov. 1, 40 N. Second St.; (215) 922-1122.
Neil Simon’s Rumors, A Farce The Players Club of Swarthmore Theater presents a production full of evasions, lies, slamming doors and assumed identities, culminating in a wildly implausible explanation of the whole tangled plot to a skeptical policeman, through Sept. 26, 614 Fairview Road, Swarthmore; (610) 328-4271.
Menopause The Musical The hit musical about “the change” returns Sept. 29-Oct. 4 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Haunted Poe Brat Productions presents a theatrical take on a Halloween tradition, the haunted house, with an immersive, multi-sensory experience devoted to the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s birth, Oct. 1-Nov. 1 at Haunted Poe Warehouse, 38 Jackson St.; (800) 838-3006.
Rabbit Hole The Arden Theatre presents the story of a family in crisis facing the challenges of surviving great loss and making a life with the family that remains, Oct. 22-Dec. 20, 40 N. Second St.; (215) 922-1122.
Mamma Mia The hit musical loaded with ABBA songs returns Nov. 3-8 to Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The classic holiday tradition comes to the stage as a brand-new musical Nov. 24-29 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
The Santaland Diaries Flashpoint Theatre Company presents a production based on the hit book by out humorist David Sedaris, Dec. 3-20 at Second Stage at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St.; (215) 665-9720.
MUSIC classical Dutoit Conducts Saint-Saëns The Philadelphia Orchestra’s chief conductor and artistic adviser opens his second season with Saint-Saëns’s thunderous “Third Symphony” at 8 p.m. Sept. 24 and 29 and 2 p.m. Sept. 25 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Bronfman, Bartók and Brahms The Philadelphia Orchestra presents an evening of powerful concertos at 8 p.m. Oct. 1-3 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Beyond the Score: Truly Miraculous? The Philadelphia Orchestra presents the highly successful multimedia concert series developed by the Chicago Symphony, 7 p.m. Oct. 6 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
New York Philharmonic The Kimmel Center presents conductor Riccardo Muti leading a program inspired by the romantic Italian Riviera, a pair of Italian lovers and a symphonic poem based on Lamartine’s Poetic Meditations, 8 p.m. Nov. 20 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Symphonie Fantastique The Philadelphia Orchestra presents one of the most gigantic symphonies in history, at 8 p.m. Nov. 27 and 28 and 2 p.m. Nov. 29 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Mozart and Bruckner The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Berlioz’s hallucinogenic depiction of an opium trip using some of the most brilliant images and colors in the entire symphonic repertoire, at 8 p.m. Oct. 8 and 10 and 2 p.m. Oct. 9 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
MUSIC other The Sounds The alt-rock band with bi lead singer Maya Ivarsson performs at 8 p.m. Sept. 19 at TLA, 334 South St.; (215) 922-1011.
Moby The electronica songwriter performs at 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at TLA, 334 South St.; (215) 922-1011.
KMFDM The industrial-rock band performs at 8 p.m. Sept. 24 at TLA, 334 South St.; (215) 922-1011.
Porcupine Tree with King’s X The progressive rock bands perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Electric Factory 421 N. Seventh St.; (215) 627-1332.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs The rock band performs at 8 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; (609) 317-1000.
Arctic Monkeys The alternative rock band performs at 8 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St.; (215) 627-1332.
Pink The international pop star performs at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Wachovia Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; (215) 336-2000.
Gossip The pop-punk band with out members performs at 9 p.m. Oct. 8 at TLA, 334 South St.; (215) 922-1011.
Natalie Cole The R&B and pop singer performs at 8 p.m. Oct. 9 at Keswick Theater, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; (215) 572-7650.
The Bravery The alt-rock band performs at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 at TLA, 334 South St.; (215) 922-1011.
Kelly Clarkson The “American Idol” star performs at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Trump Taj Mahal, 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; (609) 449-1000.
Video Games Live The Kimmel Center presents an explosive entertainment experience featuring live music from the greatest video games of all time, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Kiss with Buckcherry The raucous rock bands perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Wachovia Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; (215) 336-2000.
Arturo Stable Quintet Painted Bride Arts Center presents a performance by the Latin jazz group, 8 p.m. Oct. 17, 230 Vine St.; (215) 925-9144.
Paramore The rock band performs at 8 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St.; (215) 627-1332.
Chris Pureka The openly lesbian singer-songwriter performs at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St.; (215) 928-0770.
Tabla Ecstacy Painted Bride Arts Center presents a performance composed by Pandit Divyang Vakil for the classical drums of North India, 7 p.m. Oct. 24, 230 Vine St.; (215) 925-9144.
Dead Milkmen The punk group performs at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; (215) 922-5483.
Rob Thomas The Matchbox 20 singer performs at 8 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; (609) 317-1000.
ABBA-MANIA The ABBA tribute group performs at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at Keswick Theater, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; (215) 572-7650.
Peaches The electro-rock gender-bending diva performs at 8 p.m. Nov. 13 at TLA, 334 South St.; (215) 922-1011.
Skinny Puppy The pioneering industrial group performs at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; (215) 922-5483.
Ani Difranco The bi singer-songwriter performs at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St.; (215) 627-1332.
Deadmau5 The electro-dance DJ performs at 9 p.m. Nov. 22 at TLA, 334 South St.; (215) 922-1011.
EXHIBITS Afterworlds Twenty-two Gallery presents an exhibition by Ed Marston featuring paintings of industrial sites, old neighborhoods and natural settings, through Oct. 4, 236 S. 22nd St.; (215) 772-1911.
The Art of Japanese Craft: 1875 to the Present The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition surveying the rich diversity of 20th-century Japanese craft, through Oct. 18, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 763-8100.
Autumnal Visions Edge Gallery presents an exhibition by artist Mike Watson exploring nature through an abstract filter, through Sept. 27, 72 N. Second St.; (215) 413-7072.
David Kube The William Way LGBT Community Center presents an exhibition celebrating the grand-prize winner of the center’s fourth annual Juried Art Exhibition, through Sept. 25, 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 732-2220.
Frederick Sommer Photographs The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of 40 images spanning the artist’s career, along with a small number of drawings and collages and a rare suite of macabre yet poignant photographs the artist made in 1939 using chicken parts collected from his local butcher, Oct. 3-Jan. 3, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 763-8100.
Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of art inspired by the Mediterranean vacation spot, through Oct. 25, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 763-8100.
Pleasures and Pastimes in Japanese Art The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition featuring Japanese masks and costumes, Nov. 9-Spring 2010, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 763-8100.
Say Good Morning Tiger Lily ArtStar Gallery hosts an exhibition of works from mixed-media artist Amy Rice, through Sept. 13, 623 N. Second St.; (215) 238-1557.
Shooting Men: A photographic journey of erotica, sexuality and gender AxD Gallery presents an exhibition of photographs by Vivienne Maricevic chronicling her life long journey to document exotic male dancers, live sex shows, porn stars, transsexuals (both male-to-female and female-to-male), transvestites, drag queens, androgynous women and, of course, the male nude, Oct. 9-Nov. 7, 265 S. 10th St.; (215) 627-6250.