New York City’s theater scene is bursting with brilliance—and not just on Broadway. We’ve spotlighted two new shows you don’t want to miss. Summer also ushers in breathtaking ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House. Summer Streets returns this month, bigger and bolder than ever. Beyong the city buzz, there’s There’s the Hamptons and then there’s Montauk, the un-Hampton Hampton, and our roving photographer has captured its charm. And our Long Island reporter has the scoop on magnificent waterfront restaurants.

July 10-Aug. 2.  World Premiere of Transgression

What do you do with your heart when an artist you love does something terrible? That is the premise of a bold new drama by acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Terry Curtis Fox, directed by filmmaker Avra Fox Lerner, presented by HERE Arts Center Sublet Series.

After her husband dies in 2010, a great photographer’s widow goes through his studio in preparation for a major bequest/retrospective of his work. While doing so, she comes across a portfolio she has never seen – containing what she and the museum think may be the best work he ever did. These photos, taken in 1970, also happen to be nudes of an underaged woman that are very sexual. When the subject, now grown, becomes aware of them, she demands that they be destroyed. Forced to wrestle with the question of what you do with art that is both important and itself a violation, the widow must reconsider both her life and marriage.

The official opening on Friday, July 18 at 8:30 PM. Performances run through Saturday, August 2, 2025, at HERE Mainstage Theater (145 Sixth Avenue, NYC). Tickets are $10-$50 and available at https://here.org/shows/transgression/.

3-Nights Only. The Future is Female

Our very talented Tomato friend, Helene Galek has a new one-act play, “The Future is Female,” a comedy that is a cross between The Devil Wears Prada and Marvel while highlighting the ignored female power in our society. It’s part of the Chain Theater Summer Festival!

The Future is Female, (along with 4 other one acts) will be presented in Program 16:

• Sunday, July 13th @ 5pm
• Friday, July 18th @6:30pm
• Sunday, July 27th @5pm- Note: this performance will be livestreamed with a talkback.

The Chain Theater is located at 312 W 36th St (between 8th -9th Ave). Get tickets now.  Use code-   FEMALE25 – for discount.

In July. Sylvia and Swan Lake at the American Ballet Theatre

July at the American Ballet Theatre in NYC is a feast of storytelling through movement, with performances at the Metropolitan Opera House that span classic and contemporary works. Here’s what’s on:

 Sylvia — July 8–12. A mythic tale set in ancient Greece, featuring Léo Delibes’ score and lavish staging. Guest artist Reece Clarke joins Christine Shevchenko for select performances.

Swan Lake — July 14–19. ABT celebrates the 25th anniversary of Kevin McKenzie’s version of this iconic ballet. Gillian Murphy bids farewell in her final performances as Odette/Odile.

If you’re planning to attend, ABT’s master calendar has full casting and ticket info.

Four of Long Island’s Awesome Waterfront Restaurants

You don’t have to go to the Riveria for a wonderful waterfront dining experience. You can experience waterfront views, great food and awesome sunsets. Our Long Island reporter, Andrea Peponokis, shares four of her favorites. GET THE DETAILS. 

Montauk: The Real East End

Our roving photographer, Nicole Freezer Rubens writes: 

Montauk, at the easternmost end of the Hamptons is the un-Hampton Hampton of Long Island. Surrounded on its 3 shores by the salty Atlantic Ocean, its old-time beach town vibe feels more protected than its neighboring exclusive towns. Its distance and isolation has worked to preserve some great old pubs, shops, motels and beautiful cliffed beaches. It remains a fisherman’s and a surfer’s paradise.

One main attraction is New York State’s first lighthouse. The Montauk Point Light was commissioned by George Washington in 1796 and is a national landmark with incredible history and views.

Walking around Montauk one is immersed in a slower paced nostalgic scene, a pleasant reminder to let your ice cream drip and enjoy the basics of a summer at the beach. Throw on your coverup and explore!

~Nicole Freezer Rubens is the author of “The Long Pause and the Short Breath”

Saturdays, July 26-Aug. 3. NYC Summer Streets: “We Outside”

NYC Summer Streets 2025 is bigger and bolder than ever! This year’s theme, “We Outside,” celebrates NYC’s 400th anniversary by reclaiming public space for joy, movement, and connection. Whether you’re strolling through Harlem, biking down Park Avenue, or snapping selfies with art installations, Summer Streets invites you to experience the city in a whole new way.

This year marks the program’s largest expansion yet, with over 22 miles of car-free streets across all five boroughs, transforming the city into a vibrant playground for walkers, bikers, dancers, and dreamers.

Schedule & Locations

Summer Streets runs Saturdays from July 26 to August 23, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.:

• July 26: Queens
  • Vernon Boulevard (44th Drive to 30th Road)
  • Staten Island: Forest Avenue (Broadway to Bard Avenue) — a brand-new route!
•  August 2, 9, 16: Manhattan
  • From the Brooklyn Bridge to Dyckman Street in Inwood, via Lafayette Street, Park Avenue, and Broadway. Includes a special Harlem rest stop on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd (110th–125th St).
•  August 23: Bronx and Brooklyn
  • Bronx: Grand Concourse (East Tremont Ave to Mosholu Parkway)
  • Brooklyn: Eastern Parkway (Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue)

 Activities & Highlights

• Public Art Installations
  • “Friends and Follies” by Mookntaka — inflatable sculptures in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island
  • “Collective Bloom” by Acrylicize — interactive sculpture in Manhattan
• NYRR Start Line Series:
  • Free community races for beginner athletes in Queens (July 26) and Brooklyn (August 23)
• Citi Bike Perks:
  • Free 24-hour passes for classic bikes using code LYFTSUMMER25 in the Citi Bike app

GET MORE DETAILS.