Philly's Summer Theater Picks
Avenue Q + Dreamgirls
The Academy of Music is busy this June with two blockbuster Broadway musicals. First up on the Academy’s stage is irreverent Tony-winner Avenue Q (June 18-20). Although Rick Lyon’s saucy puppets have gotten all the buzz, the show’s real stars are Jeff Whitty, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, whose hilariously profane book and lyrics make the musical a must-see.
Following Q is the sensationally sassy Dreamgirls (June 22-27), the backstage story of a girl-group trio bearing a striking resemblance (personally and musically) to the Supremes. Featuring a scintillating R&B score and splashy dance numbers, the production stars the enticing Moya Angela as Effie.
$25-$100
Acadamy of Music
1420 Locust St.
215.893.1935
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
Over the summer, you can usually find much of Philly’s top theater talent an hour north of the city at DeSales University, home of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. It’s not all Shakespeare, though: PSF’s eight-show season includes Barrymore-winning director James J. Christy’s production of J.M. Synge’s subversive comedy The Playboy of the Western World (June 16-July 3) in the intimate Schubert Theatre and Stephen Sondheim’s vaudeville-inspired, Tony-winning musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (June 23-July 11) on the Main Stage. Following up Playboy in the Schubert Theatre is Shakespeare’s rowdy comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor (July 14-Aug. 8). Finally, street gangs, clueless parents and two very horny teenagers take to the Main Stage in PSF’s staging of Romeo and Juliet (July 21-Aug. 8). Fight choreographer Dennis Razze helms the production, so expect plenty of well-orchestrated duels to add a bit of action to the tragedy.
$25-$53
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
2755 Station Ave.
Center Valley
610.282.9455
Klass Klown
Hotshot solo artist John Leguizamo arrives in town with his new production Klass Klown (June 24-June 30) at Philadelphia Theatre Company’s Suzanne Roberts Theatre. An autobiographical look at Leguizamo’s life and career told with his usual energy and streetwise savvy, Klown is loaded with stories about Leguizamo’s early days in alternative theater, his daring solo shows Freak and Spic-O-Rama and his later Hollywood period.
$39
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