Diversions
© 2007 Philadelphia Gay News

PGN Pick
See the Langhorne Players as they present “Manuscript,” the story of three friends and a dangerous journey that will quickly change everyone’s lives through July 21 at the Historic Spring Garden Mill in Tyler State Park, 101 Swamp Road, Newtown. The story unfolds in a bedroom of a Brooklyn Heights brownstone, where three ambitious college freshmen confront the discovery of an unpublished manuscript that can guarantee success. In their manipulative quest for fame and ultimately, revenge, little is what it seems, and no one can be trusted as plot twists pile up and the play hurtles toward a surprise ending. For more information, call (215) 860-0818 or visit www.langhorneplayers.org.

Theater

Disney’s High School Musical
Kimmel’s Academy of Music presents the irresistible story of two teenagers who try to navigate the tricky currents of peer pressure to follow their dream and score the leads in the big school show through July 22, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

Manuscript
The Langhorne Players present the story of three friends and a dangerous journey that will quickly change everyone’s lives through July 21 at the Historic Spring Garden Mill in Tyler State Park, 101 Swamp Road, Newtown; (215) 860-0818.

Measure for Measure
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents William Shakespeare’s complex and compelling tale of polar opposites through July 29 at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave., Madison; (973) 408-5600.

Menopause The Musical
Society Hill Playhouse presents a hilarious celebration of women and “The Change” Wednesdays through Sundays indefinitely at 507 S. Eighth St.; (215) 923-0210.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents a 90-minute version of the bard’s most popular and delightful comedy through July 22 at the Greek Theater, 2 Convent Road, Morris Township; (973) 408-5600.

Wicked
Kimmel’s Academy of Music presents the Tony Award-winning blockbuster musical about the untold story of the witches of Oz July 25-Sept. 9, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

Music classical Summer Organ Series: Ken Cowan
The Kimmel Center presents one of the most sought-after organists in North America and the rich sounds of the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ at 7 p.m. July 25 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

Music other

HAMMER OF THE GODDESSES: See Lez Zeppelin, the all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band, perform at 7:30 p.m. July 26 at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St. The New York City-based group promises a blistering performance recreating the aura of mystery and powerful fury of the iconic hard-rock band that was a legend in its own time. For information, call (215) 222-1710 or visit www.lezzeppelin.com.

Milkshake
Longwood Gardens presents the educational, humorous and upbeat group as part of its Family Ice Cream Concert series at 7:30 p.m. July 20, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square; (610) 388-1000.

Girlyman
The edgy, quirky and contemporary folk/country/rock/pop group performs at 7 p.m. July 20 at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1710.

The Pretenders
The ’80s rock group performs with ZZ Top and the Stray Cats at 7 p.m. July 23 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City; (609) 317-1000.

World Roots Performance featuring Kulu Mele
Longwood Gardens presents an exciting blend of West African ancestral tradition and African-American creativity including music and dance of Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Senegal, Brazil, Haiti and Cuba at 7:30 p.m. July 24, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square; (610) 388-1000.

Morrisey
The alternative rock icon performs at 8 p.m. July 24 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City; (609) 317-1000.

Lez Zeppelin
The all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band performs at 7:30 p.m. July 26 at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1710.

Opera

Witches, Saints and Villains
The Atlantic Coast Opera Festival presents its gala performance at 7 p.m. July 20 at the Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce St.; (215) 218-9977.

It’s a Grand Night for Singing
The Atlantic Coast Opera Festival presents its gala performance at 7 p.m. July 25 at Haddonfield High School, 401 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, N.J.; (215) 218-9977.

The Pirates of Penzance
Haddonfield Plays and Players presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera through Aug. 18, 957 E. Atlantic Ave., Haddonfield; (856) 429-8139.

Exhibits

Abundance
The Schuylkill Gallery at Sherman Mills presents an environment of sewn and knitted walls, various small sculptures and videos by Carole Loeffler through July 29, 3510 Scotts Lane; (215) 287-9963.

Different Strokes
Hunterdon County artist Mike Mann presents his newest collection of watercolor and acrylic paintings through July 23 at Marcella Nord Italian Restaurant, 7 E. Ferry St., New Hope; (609) 397-0632.

Fire & Ice
The James A. Michener Art Museum presents Marine Corps combat art from Afghanistan and Iraq through Oct. 21, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; (215) 340-9800.

The Garden Railway: 10-Year Anniversary
The Morris Arboretum presents replicas of some of our country’s original railroad stations including Gettysburg, where Lincoln arrived to deliver the Gettysburg Address, through Oct. 8, 100 Northwestern Ave., Chestnut Hill; (215) 247-5777.

Hagley at Fifty: Exploding with History
The Hagley Museum celebrates its 50th anniversary with a retrospective exhibit looking at Hagley’s evolution from an abandoned gunpowder mill to a museum and research library, on view through Dec. 31, Hagley Road, Wilmington, Del.; (302) 658-2400.

In The Beginning
The Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art presents a collection of paintings by Joshua Meyer through Aug. 10, 615 N. Broad St.; (215) 627-6747.

Kiefer, Polke, Richter
The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents works by several of the most significant painters to come of age in Germany during the aftermath of World War II July 21-Nov. 25 at 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.

Norman Rockwell: The Artist Behind the Image
Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia presents an exhibition exploring the artistry of Norman Rockwell’s “Saturday Evening Post” covers and his place in American illustration through Sept. 2, 15 S. Seventh St.; (215) 685-4830.

Old Head Young Head
CEREALART at the Project Room presents work by two Philadelphia artists capturing the city’s underbelly grittiness through Aug. 31, 149 N. Third St.; (215) 627-5060.

The Outdoor Sculpture Program
The Michener Art Museum presents stone carvings by Roger Loos through Oct. 21, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; (215) 340-9800.

Puppies are Biodegradable
The F.U.E.L. Collection presents an exhibition of original art created to raise awareness of the deplorable conditions facing thousands of dogs in Pennsylvania’s puppy mills through July 30, 249 Arch St.; (215) 592-8400.

Out Loud and Proud
The William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center presents the work of over 30 local GLBT artists that span the generations through July 30, 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 732-2220.

Soldier
The James A. Michener Art Museum presents photographer Suzanne Opton’s exhibit of portraits of military men and women shortly after each soldier’s return from Iraq or Afghanistan through Oct. 21, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; (215) 340-9800.

Style Tribes v5.0
The MYX Gallery in Old City presents an exhibit examining how the visual language of clothing makes us and our peers instantly recognizable to each other in today’s transient and global world through July 27, 110 Church St.; (215) 923-1415.

Tibetan Ritual Arts
The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of rarely seen Tibetan-Buddhist ritual images and implements through Nov. 30, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.

Trompe L’Oeil: The Art of Illusion
The Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College brings together the work of 14 leading contemporary still-life painters whose compositions meld traditional with abstract imagery in fresh and imaginative ways through July 29, 601 E. Main St., Collegeville; (610) 409-3500.

Ukrainian Riches
Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center features a variety of costumes, woodcarvings, pottery, jewelry and weavings brought from different regions in the Ukraine through Aug. 31, 1501 Glasstown Road, Millville, N.J.; (800) 998-4552.

The Wonderful World of Radio
Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia presents an exhibition of radios, a major product of the Philadelphia region in the first half of the 20th century, with early radio broadcasts to listen to, through Sept. 16, 15 S. Seventh St.; (215) 685-4830.

Yes, This is New Jersey
This exhibition of landscape paintings by Joe Kazimierczyk will be presented at Bell’s Tavern through Aug. 2, 183 N. Union St., Lambertville, N.J.; (609) 419-5590.

Auditions

Into the Woods
Haddonfield Plays and Players is holding appointment-only auditions for male and female actors 17 and over for Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” at 6 p.m. July 29 and 30, 957 E. Atlantic Ave., Haddonfield, N.J.; (856) 429-8139; www.haddonfieldplayers.com.

Books

Markisha Bunn
The author of “Entangled Hearts” hosts a poetry reading at 6 p.m. July 26 at Robin’s Bookstore, 108 S. 13th St.; (215) 735-9600.

Cabaret
An Evening of Cabaret
Jess Conda, Warren Hoffman, Jeffrey Lesser, Jeff McDonnell and Miriam White from Jeffrey Lesser’s Cabaret Performing Class perform a benefit show for Teal Ribbon Ovarian Cancer Research at 7:30 p.m. July 26 at the Ethical Society Building, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square; www.trocrf.org.

Etc.

Paul Hallasy
The gay comic, actor, singer and writer performs at 8 p.m. July 20 at Rainbow Mountain Resort, 210 Mount Nebo Road, East Stroudsburg; (570) 223-8484.

Celtic Heritage Festival
Bagpipers, balladeers, Celtic rock bands and crooners descend upon Graeme Park from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 21, 859 County Line Road, Horsham; (215) 343-0965.

Craig Ferguson
The funny talk-show host performs at 9 p.m. July 21 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City; (609) 317-1000.

Film Festival Closing Party
The 13th Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival comes to a close 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. July 24 at Twenty21, 2021 Market St.; (215) 851-6262.