Diversions: Dec. 24-30

THEATER
Annie Media Theater presents the musical with comedian and out TV star Wanda Sykes starring as Miss Hannigan, Jan. 12-23, 104 E. State St., Media; (610) 891-0100.

Black Nativity Theatre Double presents Langston Hughes’ holiday gospel play, through Dec. 31 at St. Mary’s Chapel, 1831 Bainbridge St.; (267) 575-4888.

Blue Man Group The wildly popular musical and visual show returns, through Jan. 2 at Merriam Theatre, 250 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

The Borrowers Arden Theatre Company presents an adaptation of the beloved children’s novel, through Jan. 30 on the F. Otto Haas Stage, 40 N. Second St.; (215) 922-1122.

Caesar’s Palace O’ Fun The Walnut Street Theatre presents a musical variety show centered around an outrageous lounge lothario, through Jan. 2 at Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut St.; (215) 574-3550.

Cirque du Soleil: Dralion Cirque’s take on the ancient Chinese circus tradition hits town, through Jan. 2 at Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St.; (215) 204-2400.

I Capture The Castle The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents the romantic comedy about 17-year-old budding writer Cassandra and her eccentric family, who live in a crumbling 17th-century English castle, through Jan. 2, 36 Madison Ave., Madison, N.J.; (973) 408-5600.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Walnut Street Theatre presents an all-new production of the holiday Broadway musical, through Jan. 9, 825 Walnut St.; (215) 574-3550.

Jake Ehrenreich’s A Jew Grows in Brooklyn The multi-media comedy runs through Dec. 28 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theatre, 280 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

Parenting 101: The Musical! The musical comedy about the various stages of raising children is presented, through March 6 at Kimmel’s Innovation Studio, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

This is the Week That Is 1812 Productions presents the smash news comedy returning for its fifth year, through Dec. 31 at Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey St.; (215) 592-9560.

The Three Musketeers: A Musical Panto People’s Light and Theatre Company presents a swashbuckling musical, through Jan. 9, 39 Conestoga Road; (610) 644-3500.

The Very Merry Xmas Carol Holiday Adventure Show Theatre Horizon presents a comedic nontraditional vision of the holiday, through Dec. 31, 208 Dekalb St., Norristown; (610) 283-2230.

MUSIC
Sugartown DJ Sara Scherr and friends perform at 9 p.m. Dec. 25 at Tritone Bar, 1508 South St.; (215) 545–0475.

Real Diamond The Neil Diamond tribute band performs at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 30 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; (215) 257-5808.

Marvin Hamlisch and Michael Feinstein The acclaimed singers perform songs from the American Songbook at 3 p.m. Dec. 26 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

Splintered Sunlight The Grateful Dead tribute band performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 28 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; (215) 257-5808.

Gogol Bordello The gypsy punk band performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 29 at the Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St.; (610) 784-5400.

The Revivalists The rock band performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 29 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.

Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams The rock band performs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 30 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.

Flamingo The psychedelic rock band performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 30 at North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St.; (215) 787-0488.

Live Wire: Ultimate AC/DC Tribute The rock band performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 30 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; (215) 257-5808.

Wu Tang Clan The hip-hop group performs at 10 p.m. Dec. 30 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; (215) 922-6888.

EXHIBITS
Art of the American Soldier The National Constitution Center presents the world debut exhibition of over 15,000 paintings and sketches created by 1,300 American soldiers in the line of duty, through Jan. 10, 525 Arch St.; (215) 409-6895.

Between Now & Then AxD Gallery presents an exhibition of paintings by Matthew Ostroff and Amber Dubois, through Jan. 8, 265 S. 10th St.; (215) 627-6250.

Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt The Franklin Institute presents an exhibition of 150 artifacts from Egypt, through Jan. 2, 20th Street and the Parkway; (215) 448-1200.

Eakins on Paper: Drawings and Watercolors from the Collection Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of 10 rarely seen drawings and watercolors that survey the early work of Thomas Eakins, through Jan. 9, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.

A Glimpse of Paradise: Gold in Islamic Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring the unique status of gold in Islam through a small group of objects drawn from the museum’s collection, through April, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.

In My Body Wexler Gallery hosts a retrospective exhibition of works by photographer and mixed-media artist Leah Macdonald, celebrating the diversity and beauty of the female form, through Dec. 31, 201 N. Third St.; (215) 923-7030.

John Folinsbee and American Modernism Woodmere Art Museum presents a fresh look at the New Hope painter’s life and work, revealing the artist’s move from impressionism toward modernism, through March 6, 9201 Germantown Ave.; (215) 247-0476.

Listen to My Story, See Through My Eyes: Stories from the Robert R. Rosenbaum Oral History Project The William Way LGBT Community Center presents video recordings of over 40 oral histories from local activists, celebrities, and everyday people in the LGBT community, through Dec. 25, 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 732-2220. Mark Cohen: Strange Evidence Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of a select group of some 50 of Mark Cohen’s black-and-white and color photographs made over the past 40 years, through March 13, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.

Pleasures and Pastimes in Japanese Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of costumes, masks and poetry exploring the ways in which leisure time was interpreted across all social classes in Japanese art, through January, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.

Virtues and Vices: Moralizing Prints in the Low Countries, 1550-1600 Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of moralizing prints created between 1550 and 1600 in Antwerp and Haarlem, through Feb. 27, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.

DANCE George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker The Pennsylvania Ballet performs the holiday-themed show through Dec. 31 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

FILM
White Christmas The musical holiday film is screened 2 p.m. Dec. 26 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; (610) 917-0223.

Summer Wars The Japanese anime sci-fi/romance film is screened 8 p.m. Dec. 27, 4 p.m. Dec. 29 and 2 p.m. Jan. 1 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; (610) 917-0223.

Love Actually The romantic comedy is screened at 10 p.m. Dec. 28 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.

ETC
Winterfest ’10 Beer Tasting: Stouts, Porters, Winter Seasonals and Special Holiday Brews Try out a number of seasonal beers from noon-4 p.m. Dec. 19 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.

Morris Arboretum’s Holiday Garden Railway The holiday-themed quarter mile displays bustling model trains and buildings, through Jan. 2, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.; www.morrisarboretum.org.

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