With the festive pomp of the holidays quickly fading away and the glory of spring painfully way off in the distance, we could all use something to look forward to in the cold months ahead. Thankfully, there are lots of amazing shows and exhibitions, as well as an impressive array of pop stars, comedians, bands and whatnot coming through town to make this one of the hottest winters we’ve seen in recent years.
Authors
Julie Otsuka The author of “The Buddha in the Attic” hosts a reading 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215-567-4341.
A Reading with Joanne Fleisher The author of “Living Two Lives: Married to a Man and in Love with a Woman” hosts a reading 5:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960.
Dave Barry The humorist and author of “Insane City” hosts a reading 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215-567-4341.
Classical/Opera/World Music
Ravel and Shostakovich The Philadelphia Orchestra performs Jan. 16-19 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Yannick and Bruckner The Philadelphia Orchestra performs Jan. 24-25 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
St. Lawrence Quartet The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society presents an evening of classical music 8 p.m. Jan. 28 at Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Silent Night The Opera Company of Philadelphia performs the acclaimed new opera Feb. 8-17 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Mostly Gershwin Peter Nero and the Philly Pops perform Feb. 8-10 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Beethoven’s Eroica The Philadelphia Orchestra performs March 8-10 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Comedy/Humor
Louis CK The comedian performs Jan. 16-17 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Wyatt Cenac The comedian from “The Daily Show” performs 8 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888.
Margaret Cho The comedian performs 8 p.m. Feb. 2 at Tropicana Showroom, 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 800-843-8767.
Anti-Social Comedy Tour Jim Norton, Amy Schumer and Dave Attell perform 9 p.m. Feb. 17 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.
Hannibal Buress The comedian seen on Comedy Central performs 8 p.m. Feb. 20 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.
Lisa Lampanelli The comedian performs 8 p.m. March 9 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.
Carlos Mencia The comedian performs 8 p.m. March 16 at Tropicana Showroom, 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 800- 843-8767.
Amy Schumer The comedian performs 8 p.m. March 22 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; 215-572-7650.
Dance
Pilobolus Dance Theatre The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the acclaimed dance company Jan. 17-20 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater The renowned dancers perform Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Balanchine/Wheeldon/Tharp The Pennsylvania Ballet performs Feb. 7-10 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Motionhouse The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the multimedia show featuring film and dance Feb. 7-9 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.
Parsons Dance The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the celebrated dance company Feb. 27-March 2 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream The Pennsylvania Ballet performs Shakespeare’s comedy classic March 7-17 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Exhibits Art Gallery: Works from the Center’s Permanent Art Collection The William Way LGBT Community Center hosts an exhibition of 100 pieces from its permanent collection of LGBT artists Jan. 11-Feb. 22, 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220.
John J. Wilcox, Jr. Archives: Intimately Preserved The William Way LGBT Community Center hosts a solo exhibition of works by Emmett Ramstad, Jan. 11-March 29, 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220.
The Mind’s Eye: 50 Years of Photography by Jerry Uelsmann The James A. Michener Art Museum hosts an exhibition of iconic photographs from the famed photographer Jan. 19-April 28, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215-340-9800.
Journeys to New Worlds Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of Spanish and Portuguese colonial art from the Roberta and Richard Huber Collection, Feb. 16-May 19, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.
Great and Mighty Things Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of outsider art from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Collection, March 3-June 9, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.
Music
Morrissey The out alt-rock singer performs 8 p.m. Jan. 12 at House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-343-4000.
Rob Thomas The singer performs Jan. 18-20 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.
Soundgarden The hard-rock band performs 8 p.m. Jan. 19 at Tower Theatre, 19 S. 69th St., Upper Darby; 610-352-2887.
Aiden James The out singer-songwriter performs 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St.; 215-928-0978.
Grace Potter And The Nocturnals The rock band performs 8 p.m. Feb. 1 at House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-343-4000.
Rufus Wainwright The out singer-songwriter performs 9 p.m. Feb. 8 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.
The Smithereens The rock band performs 8 p.m. Feb. 13 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.
Mumford & Sons The folk-rock band performs Feb. 16-17 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 856-365-1300.
Jill Sobule The singer-songwriter performs 7 p.m. Feb. 17 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St.; 215-928-0978.
Lady Gaga The pop singer performs 8 p.m. Feb. 19-20 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-389-9543.
Pentatonix The vocal group performs 8 p.m. Feb. 20 at The Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St.; 800-745-3000.
Sophie B. Hawkins The singer-songwriter performs 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St.; 215-928-0978.
Deftones The hard-rock band performs 8 p.m. March 8 at House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-343-4000.
Rihanna The pop singer performs 8 p.m. March 14 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-389-9543.
P!nk The pop singer performs 8 p.m. March 17 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-389-9543.
KMFDM The goth/industrial band performs 8 p.m. March 22 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888.
Theater
Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband Walnut Street Theatre presents the story of romance and scandal Jan. 15-March 3, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.
The Mountaintop Philadelphia Theatre Company presents a re-imagining of the events taking place the night before the assassination of civil-rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jan. 18-Feb. 17 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215-985-0420.
Monty Python’s Spamalot The wacky comedy hits the stage Jan. 19-20 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
American Idiot The rock opera inspired by the music of Green Day, Feb. 12-17 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Forever Plaid Media Theater presents the story of The Plaids, a classic 1950s all-male singing group returns from the Great Beyond to perform the show they never got to when they were alive, Feb. 20-March 31, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-891-0100.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert The story of drag queens journeying through the desert in a bus Feb. 26-March 3 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Blue Man Group The performance art troupe March 5-10 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Good People Walnut Street Theatre presents the story of people in a Boston community trying to find success, March 15-April 28, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.
Seminar Philadelphia Theatre Company presents a new comedy from the creators of “Smash,” March 15-April 14 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215-985-0420.
The Addams Family The morbidly off-beat family comes to life March 19-24 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Sister Act An R&B singer gets a group of nuns to branch out musically April 2-7 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Misc.
Peek-a-boo Revue The burlesque troupe performs 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.