Suzi Nash

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been enjoying this summer! Despite what’s going on in the world, Philadelphia has been an oasis of international unity and joy. Just walking down the street, seeing people in brightly colored jerseys and hearing different languages being spoken makes me smile. The person responsible for much of what’s happening is a friend who always greets you with a smile: Philadelphia’s Director of 2026, Michael Newmuis.

The tri-state area has always been a great place for film and television creators. We have shows like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Servant,” “Mare of Easttown” and “Knock at the Cabin” — and now the new thriller “Death on the Brandywine,” a political murder mystery shot in Delaware.

For many of us, life has been a bit of a roller coaster this past year, but this week’s Portrait is down with roller coasters. Zach Rodriguez is the president of Scream Queens Coaster Community, an organization dedicated to the highs and lows that come not with life, but with several story-high roller coasters. Where do you hail from originally? I grew up in New York, but I haven’t lived there in 15 or 16 years. I’m currently located in Philly.