John Timpane is a freelance theater and fine arts reporter for the Inquirer.

Latest Stories
‘Mean Girls’ at the Academy of Music is as smart and delightful as Upper Darby’s own Tina Fey
Review

‘Mean Girls’ at the Academy of Music is as smart and delightful as Upper Darby’s own Tina Fey

November 20
Fey's musical is packed with great songs, sung by an impressive cast. The scenic design is breathtaking.
‘Sunset Baby’ at Azuka: A talent trove of acting in Dominique Morisseau’s small gem

‘Sunset Baby’ at Azuka: A talent trove of acting in Dominique Morisseau’s small gem

November 14
The Tony-winning playwright braids together her two great themes: love and revolution.
Steely Dan still beautiful, fresh and filthy at the Met Philly

Steely Dan still beautiful, fresh and filthy at the Met Philly

November 7
Wednesday, before a packed house, they did the masterpiece album Aja plus other hits. After a break Thursday, they’ll do Gaucho plus hits on Friday night (some tickets left), and on Saturday (sold out), it’s all hits.
How Twitter added cred to Milton’s Shakespeare annotations | Opinion
Opinion

How Twitter added cred to Milton’s Shakespeare annotations | Opinion

September 20
An example of social media at their best: crowd-sourcing knowledge, pooling evidence, linking minds across the world, verifying.
The fall book tour circuit brings Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Bill Bryson, Booker T. Jones to Philadelphia. Jon Dorenbos gives an author talk, too.

The fall book tour circuit brings Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Bill Bryson, Booker T. Jones to Philadelphia. Jon Dorenbos gives an author talk, too.

September 14
Plus: Tom Perrotta, a marathon reading of 'Moby-Dick,' and the stories of South Philly's Palizzi Social Club.
Fall 2019′s biggest books include new titles from Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Stephen King, and Ann Patchett

Fall 2019′s biggest books include new titles from Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Stephen King, and Ann Patchett

September 14
A flurry of fiction sequels, prequels, and remakes is rounded out by nonfiction works on country music, female Disney animators, 'Little Women', Harriet Tubman, and more.
‘Hot, Cold, Heavy, Light’: Essays on art by a poet with a keen eye
Review

‘Hot, Cold, Heavy, Light’: Essays on art by a poet with a keen eye

July 19
Witty, engaging, without the hauteur assumed by so many art critics, this collection of essays on everyone from Bronzino to Picasso, as well as several modern and postmodern female artists, is an engaging, wondrous read, with attentive, sometimes thrilling accounts of what the artworks actually do.
‘Late Migrations’ by Margaret Renkl: Nature, family, praise, in a book made of summer
Review

‘Late Migrations’ by Margaret Renkl: Nature, family, praise, in a book made of summer

July 19
In this lovely little book, the author interlaces brief, vivid celebrations of the natural world with stories of her family and upbringing in Alabama. She finds the whole world holy and is moved to praise at every turn.
Summer Shakespeare in Philly: Here’s what’s on stage now (and in parks)

Summer Shakespeare in Philly: Here’s what’s on stage now (and in parks)

July 17
There's a bumper crop right now of six productions: three indoors and three outdoors.
John Leguizamo on ‘Latin History for Morons’: ‘Courage to say what I want to say’

John Leguizamo on ‘Latin History for Morons’: ‘Courage to say what I want to say’

July 15
The Latin comic and media pioneer talks about his Bogota-to-Broadway life story, and the inspiration for his one-man Broadway shows. He comes to the Merriam Theater on July 19-20.