We’re sad to report that West Philly’s Curio Theatre Company has cancelled the final show of their 20th anniversary season due to unfortunate circumstances. The new production, A Funeral Farce, was scheduled to run from April 30 to May 17, but has been postponed indefinitely after a few key staff and family members were diagnosed with serious illnesses, according to an announcement posted on social media.

“After many hours of talks and weighing many options we must, with heavy hearts, cancel our last production of Season 20,” the announcement reads. “We have quite unexpectedly been hit with multiple serious family illnesses. Three of us who are deeply involved in many aspects of the show have been profoundly affected by cancer.”

The show is co-written by Jared Reed and Curio’s artistic director Paul Kuhn and directed by Curio’s managing director Gay Carducci-Kuhn. Curio members hope to do this show in the future, “hopefully with the same cast and crew.”

Purchased tickets will be reimbursed, but in its continuous effort to never turn away a child for financial reasons, Curio is asking to consider donating your purchased ticket to Curio’s Spotlight Fund which gives scholarships to children who cannot afford to attend Saturday classes and camp.

UPDATE: SEPTA has adjusted the schedule for the 42nd Street Trolley Track Renewal project, which will replace the tracks between Spruce Street and Woodland Avenue. The project is now expected to begin today (Tuesday, April 1) and continue until June 13.

Trolley tracks will be replaced along 42nd Street between Spruce Street and Woodland Avenue, which is a portion of the trolley diversion route usually used in the summer during trolley tunnel maintenance. The project will affect parking and vehicular traffic.

During the project’s pre-construction phase, parking will be restricted on the portions of 42nd Street affected by work. 42nd Street will be closed in segments as the project moves along. Only one block at a time will be closed. The intersections of 42nd and Spruce, 42nd and Baltimore, 42nd and Chester, and 42nd and Woodland will not be affected by the project.

Construction hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (sometimes later). Occasional weekend work may also take place.

Additional information about this project is available here.

The newly opened period pantry is open to all community members.

A new period pantry has opened at the Health Partners Plans Community Wellness Center, located at 6232 Market Street. This new hub addresses period poverty that impacts two in five people who menstruate. The pantry will provide free menstrual products, education on menstrual health, and access to community health workers who can assist with scheduling women’s health appointments.

Period poverty occurs when individuals cannot access or afford menstrual hygiene products and is often linked to limited access to basic facilities and running water. People facing period poverty frequently have to choose between basic needs, like buying food or paying for utilities, and purchasing menstrual products, which can lead to significant health and mental health challenges. This issue is particularly prevalent in large cities like Philadelphia and disproportionately impacts Black and Latina women.

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The City is moving forward with the 47th Street Repaving and Traffic Safety project, which includes a new 47th street layout. Today, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District) introduced legislation to move forward with the project that will improve traffic safety for pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists.

The project, which was introduced to the public in 2023 and underwent some revisions, will:

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Shepard Recreation Center is another West Philly public space that will be renovated thanks to the City’s Rebuild program. (Photo courtesy of Rebuild PHL).

Rebuild Philadelphia, the City’s program that invests in public spaces, will break ground on a renovation project at century-old Shepard Recreation Center located at 57th and Haverford. This is the latest in a series of renovation projects at local recreation centers, public libraries and playgrounds implemented through this program.

The groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Thursday, March 27, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Community members are welcome to attend.

The $17 million Shepard Rec transformation project will bring major renovations, including:

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A four-year project to improve the Market Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River is expected to begin this week, according to PennDOT. The project will be carried out in phases and will include a complete 14-month closure of the bridge to vehicular traffic.

The initial phase of the project includes construction activities by the general contractor on this project, Buckley & Company Inc., that will focus on extensive utility work to replace numerous electric, gas, water, fiber optic and other lines within the project area.

Further work will include structural work on the bridge. As part of this work, the superstructure on the existing Market Street bridge over Amtrak and I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) will be partially demolished and replaced. The deteriorated deck and sidewalks of the adjacent Market Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River will also be replaced, and the existing four-span Market Street bridge over the Schuylkill River Trail and CSX Railroad on the east side of the river will be replaced with a single-span bridge.

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