The events for the upcoming week in the area are as follows:
• Al Di Meola will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday and Todd Rundgren at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday at Keswick Theatre, Glenside. Rundgren, originally from Philadelphia, started playing guitar as a teenager and later became known for hit singles like “I Saw the Light” and “Hello It’s Me.” For tickets and more details, visit keswicktheatre.com.
• The Main Line Outdoor Beer & Wine Festival is scheduled for Saturday from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at Schauffele Plaza, near Ardmore Music Hall. The event will feature over 20 beer and local wine vendors, food trucks, and live music by the ’60s soul band York Street Hustle. General admission tickets are $50, including unlimited samples of over 50 craft brews. VIP tickets cost $85, which offers early access at noon and a food voucher for a VIP menu item. For tickets and more information, visit ardmoremusichall.com. ardmoremusichall.com.
• The Apple Dumpling Festival and Pageant takes place from Thursday to Saturday at Konopelski Katering’s Willow Glen Park, Sinking Spring. The festival features various food items, amusement rides, games, craft stands, and free entertainment. The pageant will include girls 4 to 17 competing in three age groups for scholarship prizes. Admission is free. For more information, visit appledumplingfest.com.
• Sellersville Theater presents Hell’s Belles, an all-female tribute to AC/DC, on Saturday at 8 p.m., and Real Diamond, a 12-piece band that recreates the Neil Diamond concert experience, on Sunday at 2 and 8 p.m. Then on Wednesday, May 15, John Hiatt headlines a concert at 8 p.m., with opener Matt Koelsch. Hiatt’s songs revolve around redemption, relationships, and surrendering on his own terms. His work has been recorded by various artists and has earned him a place in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, a BMI Troubadour award, and a lifetime achievement in songwriting designation from the Americana Music Association. For tickets and more information, visit st94.com.
• The Reading Theater Project is showing “Banshee” by Adam Richter on Thursday at 7 p.m. at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts’ Boscov Theatre, 200 Washington St., Reading. The play, directed by Sean Sassaman, is a ghost story exploring what we inherit from our ancestors when we know nothing about them. The story starts in 1798 when a woman may have caused a man's death. In 2023, her descendant is trying to unravel the mystery. The Pay What You Will Model allows audience members to choose their own price for a ticket, including $0, with a recommended price of $10. Visit readingtheaterproject.org for more information.
• Dr. Jordan B. Peterson’s “We Who Wrestle With God” tour comes to Santander Arena, Reading, on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Peterson is a best-selling author, psychologist, and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. The “Jordan B. Peterson Podcast” often tops the Education category charts. Peterson has written three books: “Maps of Meaning,” which presents a new theory of religious and political belief, and the best-selling “12 Rules for Life” and “Beyond Order,” selling over 12 million copies. Tickets start at $45 at santander-arena.com. santander-arena.com.
• The Santander Performing Arts Center, Reading, presents “Bluey’s Big Play” on Wednesday, May 15, and Thursday, May 16, at 6 p.m. The show is a theatrical adaptation of the Emmy Award-winning children’s television series, with an original story by “Bluey” creator Joe Brumm, and new music by “Bluey” composer Joff Bush. Join the Heelers in their first live theater show, featuring brilliantly created puppets. Tickets are on sale at santander-arena.com. santander-arena.com.
• Media Theatre is showing “Seussical Jr.” on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. through June 2. The Cat in the Hat narrates the story of Horton the Elephant, who discovers tiny people called the Whos on a speck of dust. Horton must protect the Whos and guard an abandoned egg left in his care by Mayzie La Bird. Despite facing ridicule, danger, and a trial, Gertrude McFuzz maintains her faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family, and community triumph. For tickets and more information, visit mediatheatre.org. mediatheatre.org.
• The Reading Symphony Orchestra presents “Symphonie Fantastique” on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Santander Performing Arts Center, Reading, under the direction of Andrew Constantine. Hector Berlioz’s masterpiece features an exhilarating blend of cackling witches, nightmarish waltzes, and haunting tolling bells. The symphony tells the story of an artist’s obsession with a woman, depicting his tumultuous emotions from infatuation to despair. Michelle Cann, a distinguished member of the piano faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music, interprets Frederic Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1. The concerto showcases the composer’s unique blend of lyrical melodies and virtuosic piano writing. For tickets and more information, see the event's website. readingsymphony.org.
• Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center in West Chester is showing “Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr.,” a musical version of the 2003 Pixar movie “Finding Nemo,” with new songs by award-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, from Friday through Sunday. The show times are 7 p.m. on Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. The story is about Marlin, an anxious clownfish living in the Great Barrier Reef with his son Nemo, who wants to explore the world outside their anemone home. When Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Marlin faces his fears and embarks on an epic journey across the ocean. With the help of lovable characters like optimistic Dory, laid-back sea turtle Crush, and the supportive Tank Gang, they all overcome challenges to reunite. Tickets are $14 for children 12 and under and $20 for adults at uptownwestchester.org.
• The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville is presenting Colonial 54: An Immersive Disco Experience on Saturday at 9 p.m. Audience members are encouraged to wear shiny outfits and pumps and step back into the glamour of 1970s New York. DJ Moshé and The Spin Therapist will keep the disco going, and there may be appearances by celebrities such as Liza Minelli, Andy Warhol, and Mayor Peter. Tickets are $25 at thecolonialtheatre.com.
• The historic Newtown Theatre is hosting its second annual Artistry of the Acoustic Guitar concert featuring internationally renowned guitarists Tim Farrell and Dirk Quinn on Thursday at 8 p.m. The one-night-only concert will showcase Farrell and Quinn playing acoustic versions of rock, pop, traditional, and original music on a variety of guitars. They will also share stories about the instruments, the music, and their experiences. Farrell has been honored as one of the 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists and has won Best Instrumental in the International Acoustic Music Awards. Quinn is known as the guitarist for the Philadelphia-based jazz/funk band named after him. Tickets are $32 at thenewtowntheatre.com.
• Nick De Paolo will be performing at SoulJoel’s Comedy Club at Sunnybrook Ballroom in Pottstown on Friday at 7 and 9:30 p.m., and Yamaneika Saunders will be there on Saturday at 7 p.m. De Paolo delivers brutally honest performances that are funny, socially relevant, and a little bit reckless. His strong political opinions and razor wit make him a perfect fit for talk radio. Saunders combines high-energy improvisational observations and stories with a unique and bold perspective on life. She has appeared on various TV shows and recently filmed a 30-minute special for Netflix. For tickets and more information, visit souljoels.com.
