Heat Wave
Philadelphia welcomes Spring Awakening June 23-28 to the Academy of Music. Part of its Broadway Series, this punchy, revealing musical raked in eight Tony Awards in 2007. It follows the teen-to-adult transition of three students in authoritarian 19th-century Germany. Battling parents, teachers, clergy and their own burgeoning sexuality, the characters search for insight and direction. Evocative rock lyrics and riveting scenes propel this adaptation of Frank Wedekind’s 1891 play into a timeless fight for freedom of expression. You won’t know what to expect moment to moment, but one thing’s for sure: This robust and racy production is a contemporary classic. Recommended for ages 13 and up. $25-$100. Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia. Call (215) 731-3333 or visit kimmelcenter.org.
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Dapper Flapper
Julie Andrews made it a popular film in 1967, and a Broadway version won a Tony Award for Best Musical in 2002. Now thru June 7, Thoroughly Modern Millie jazzes up Media Theatre with its entertaining barrage of flap, snap and tap. It’s 1922, and wide-eyed Kansas lass Millie Dillmount has found her way to the Big Apple in search of something different. Once in line with the fast-paced city-dwellers, Millie hits her stride, adding a bob to her hair and the Charleston to her step. After working to bring down a shadowy white slavery operation, she ends up in the arms of a (seemingly) penniless bachelor. Only in New York. $22-$42.50. 104 E. State St., Media. Call (610) 891-0100 or visit mediatheatre.org.
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In the Moment
Last month, 30 local and national painters and pastelers spent four days en plein air (in the open air) capturing Main Line life in motion within 15 miles of Wayne—from downtown bustle to nearby parks, gardens and farms. Wayne Art Center showcases as many as 200 of these colorful historical snapshots thru June 27 at its third annual Plein Air Festival, juried by respected landscape artist John Poon. Free workshops and lectures are offered throughout the exhibition. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. New Davenport Gallery, 413 Maplewood Ave., Wayne. Call (610) 688-3553 or visit waynepleinair.com.
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