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‘Hamilton’ in Philly, summer Shakespeare, and so much more theater — in town and at the Shore

"Mud Row" world-premieres at People's Light. John Leguizamo brings his "Latin History for Morons" to town. PlayPenn has free staged readings of new works by rising stars.

The national tour of "Hamilton" comes to the Forrest Theatre Aug. 27-Nov. 17.
The national tour of "Hamilton" comes to the Forrest Theatre Aug. 27-Nov. 17.Read moreJoan Marcus

Alexander Hamilton, last here between 1782 and 1795, is coming back. Big-time. That aspirational immigrant and all his Philly frenemies will take over the town in the national tour of Hamilton, Aug. 27-Nov. 17 at the Forrest Theatre. No exaggeration: This is the most eagerly awaited arts event of the year.

But most of summer lies between now and Hamilton, and local theaters don’t take the summer off.

We have star sightings (Patti LuPone and John Leguizamo), a major world premiere (Dominique Morisseau’s Mud Row at People’s Light), a Nixon in China, three Center City new-play festivals, the Philadelphia Orchestra backing Broadway stars at the Mann, plenty of summer Shakespeare, and musicals from Asbury Park to Rehoboth Beach.

On now

The Book of Mormon (through June 9, Academy of Music). The adventures of the faithful as they put themselves in the missionary position. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

A Number (through June 9, People’s Light, Malvern). Caryl Churchill’s tingling drama about three identical sons who confront their father. (610-644-3500, peopleslight.org)

Dial M for Murder (through June 15, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope). He thinks he’s pulled off the perfect crime — but then the tables turn! Basis of the classic Hitchcock nail-biter. (215-862-2121, bcptheater.org)

Treasure Island (through June 16, Arden Theatre). In the Arden’s hands, a delightful, kid-friendly tribute to the young person’s imagination. (215-922-1122, ardentheatre.org)

Café Puttanesca (through June 16, Act II Playhouse, Ambler). In this musical comedy, ladies of the evening hang out and tell jokes in a dive in postwar Amsterdam. (215-654-0200, act2.org)

The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged (through June 16, Tiny Dynamite). A comic summary and satire of the oeuvre of one of the greatest novelists ever. (215-399-0088, tinydynamite.org)

Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida (through June 16, Axelrod Performing Arts Center). Community theater is alive and well in Asbury Park-adjacent Deal Park, where the Axelrod PAC packs the summer full, with Aida followed by Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (July 11-28), and Alice in Wonderland (Aug. 18-25) (732-531-9106, axelrodartscenter.com)

More community theater at the Shore (all summer). The Greater Ocean City Theatre Company launches Mamma Mia! (July 9-12, featuring the Ocean City Pops), a high school version of The Wedding Singer (July 26-27), Newsies (Aug. 6-9, featuring the Ocean City Pops), and a middle school version of Guys and Dolls (Aug. 23-24) (609-398-1118, oceancitytheatrecompany.com). In Margate, the Margate Players present Bye Bye Birdie (June 27-30). (margateplayers.com)

Heisenberg (through June 21, Cape May Stage). Following this production, Cape May Stage puts on Sylvia (June 26-Aug. 2) and a new play, Kim Powers’ Sidekicked (Aug. 7-Sept. 20), about Vivian Vance of I Love Lucy (609-770-8311, capemaystage.org). Also in Cape May: The East Lynne Theater Company stages Summerland (June 12-July 20) and then The Rainmaker (July 24-Aug. 31, 609-884-5898, eastlynnetheater.org). At Elaine’s, home of dinner theater, it’s Murder at the Moulin (through July 27) and, Tuesdays through Saturdays throughout August, Murder at the Mardi Gras. (609-884-1199, elainescapemay.com)

Cry It Out (through June 23, Simpatico Theatre Company). A stranger bursts into an intimate friendship between two mothers, and he asks whether they will include his wife. Awkward. (267-437-7529, simpaticotheatre.org)

The Game of Love and Chance (through June 23, Hedgerow Theatre). Marivaux’s classic love-comedy updated for 2019. Hedgerow’s intimate stage will be busy all summer long, with Noël Coward’s Private Lives (July 10-Aug. 4) and an extremely silly vampire comedy, Dracula: The Bloody Truth (Aug. 14-Sept. 1). (610-565-4211, hedgerowtheatre.org)

The Great Leap (through June 23, InterAct Theatre Company). China, basketball, and a young man’s ties to two countries. (215-568-8079, interacttheatre.org)

Holiday Inn (through June 23, Surflight Theatre, Beach Haven, N.J.). The Surflight gets summer singing and dancing and keeps it that way, with Flashdance (June 25-July 14), Mamma Mia! (July 16-Aug. 4), Matilda (Aug. 6-25), and Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Aug. 27-Sept. 8). (609-492-9477, surflight.org)

Indecent (through June 23, Arden Theatre Company). Paula Vogel’s brilliant drama about the 1920s court case over the controversial Yiddish play God of Vengeance. (215-922-1122, ardentheatre.org)

My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra (through June 23, Eagle Theatre, Hammonton, N.J.). Back by popular demand, Old Blue Eyes gets that summer feeling going. (609-704-5012, eagletheatre.org)

Minors (through June 30, Lantern Theater Company). Kittson O’Neill and Robert Kaplowitz’s roots-rock drama on the “kids for cash” scandal in Luzerne County. (215-829-0395, lanterntheater.org)

One Man, Two Guvnors (through June 30, Quintessence Theatre Group). A failed musician finds himself employed for two bosses with excruciatingly different aims in this comedy set in 1960s England. (215-987-4450, quintessencetheatre.org)

Say Goodnight, Gracie (through June 30, Montgomery Theater, Souderton). Rupert Holmes’ one-man, one-liner-stuffed celebration of George Burns and Gracie Allen. (215-723-9984, montgomerytheater.org)

Legally Blonde (through July 21, Walnut Street Theatre). The heady musical based on the popular comic flick. (215-574-3550, walnutstreettheatre.org)

On tap

City of Angels (June 7-8, 11th Hour Theatre Company/ Jeff Coon and the Summer Club, Suzanne Roberts Theatre). An epic production of the 1990 Best Musical Tony-winner, complete with 17-piece band. (267-987-9865, 11thhourtheatrecompany.org)

The Improvised Shakespeare Company (June 7-8, Perelman Theater). More Shakespeare, more crazy. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Patti LuPone, Don’t Monkey with Broadway (June 9, Kimmel Center). The Broadway veteran brings her one-woman show to town. It’s a concept concert, celebrating what has made Broadway great and questioning some recent goings-on. The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus will also be on hand. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

She Loves Me (June 8-30, Princeton Festival, 185 Nassau St., Princeton). The festival’s two musical offerings are as different as could be: the old-world charmer She Loves Me, and the postmodern geopolitics of Nixon in China (June 23 and 30, McCarter Theatre Center). (609-759-0379, princetonfestival.org)

Betty’s Summer Vacation (June 11-30, Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium). Christopher Durang’s surreal, funny, powerful comedy. (idiopathicridiculopathyconsortium.org)

SoLowFest 2019 (June 12-23, various locations). Experimental works including puppetry, dance, and theater, with the premiere of Jacqueline Goldfinger’s Queen of the Goths (June 12). (solowfest.com)

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (June 12-Aug. 4, DeSales University, Center Valley). It’s a madcap start, with Ken Ludwig’s Gershwin blowout Crazy for You (June 12-30) and The Mystery of Irma Vep — a Penny Dreadful (June 20-July 14), a slapstick send-up of Gothic pulp. Antony and Cleopatra (July 10-Aug. 4) then runs in repertory — with the same cast — with Coward’s Private Lives (July 18-Aug. 4). Last is the tour de force Henry IV Part 1 (July 24-Aug. 4). In family fare, there’s The Adventures of Robin Hood and Maid Marian (through Aug. 3) and Shakespeare for Kids (July 24-Aug. 3). (610-282-9455, pashakespeare.org)

Company (June 14-23, Gateway Playhouse, Somers Point). This production by the Shaken Not Stirred Players is the big summer show at the Gateway. The popular Broadway by Request is back after that (July 20-21 and 27-28), with songs spanning 80 years of shows. (609-653-0553, gatewaybythebay.org)

Cats (June 18-30, Forrest Theatre). Let the memory linger on! The slinky, tuneful tribute to old T.S. Eliot and his practical cats. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Oscar Hammerstein Festival (June 21-22, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope). Highlights of this two-day benefit weekend include a reading of Being Theo by Michael Patrick Walker (June 21) and Justin Guarini and other stars in “A Beautiful Morning: Oklahoma 75” concert (June 22). (215-862-2121, bcptheater.org)

Mamma Mia! (June 25-Aug. 31, Clear Space Theatre, Rehoboth Beach, Del.) Just a ferry ride from Cape May, the Clear Space offers a full summer of musicals, including Hello, Dolly! (June 28-Aug. 29) and The Wedding Singer (July 3-Aug. 27). (302-227-2270, clearspacetheatre.org)

Late Night Catechism (June 26-30, Bucks County Center for the Performing Arts, Doylestown). This comedy warms up the season for BCCPA, followed by Cabaret (July 17-28) and The Producers (Aug. 7-18). (215-297-8540, buckscountycenterfortheperformingarts.org)

Mud Row (June 26-July 28, People’s Light, Malvern). World-premiere of world-beating playwright Dominique Morisseau’s drama, set in West Chester, as two generations of sisters fight to assert and protect their legacies. (610-644-3500, peopleslight.org)

Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret (June 28-29, Wilma Theater). Philadelphia’s tallest, hairiest drag star, Dito van Reigersberg, inhabits his alter ego Martha Graham Cracker for two funny, tuneful shows. The second one is a matinee, for kids. (215-546-7824, wilmatheater.org)

Thoroughly Modern Millie (June 28-July 21, Broadway Theatre, Pitman, N.J.). As of 1922, that is. The hummable Broadway musical based on the 1967 film. (856-384-8381, thebroadwaytheatre.org)

The Tempest (July 5-21, Phoenix Theatre, SALT Performing Arts, Chester Springs). Brand-new theater begins life with one of Shakespeare’s best-loved romances. (610-703-1734, thephoenixtheatrepa.com)

Friday Night Off-Boardwalk Cabaret Series (July 5-Aug. 30, Showboat Hotel, Atlantic City). Philly talent all the way, every Friday in July and August. Joilet Harris has July Fridays all to herself (July 5, 12, 19, and 26). Then it’s drag performer Eric Jaffe (Aug. 2), followed by the great Bearded Ladies Cabaret ensemble with special guests (Aug. 9, 16, 23, and 30). (215-313-1575, off-boardwalkshowboat.com)

The Witch of Edmonton (July 12-13 and 19-20, REV Theatre Company, Laurel Hill Cemetery). This Jacobean horror story of possession, ghosts, corruption, and forgiveness is ideal for an “immersive” (shudder) performance in a graveyard. (215-228-8200, thelaurelhillcemetery.org/events)

The Merry Wives of Windsor (July 12-28, Delaware Shakespeare Festival, Rockwood Park, Wilmington). Bring your own lawn chair to watch Sir John Falstaff look for a wife. Directed by Barrymore winner Krista Apple. (302-415-3373, delshakes.org)

PlayPenn reading series (July 17-28, the Drake). Six hot new playwrights, selected from among hundreds of applicants nationally, will work over their scripts at PlayPenn, and then the plays go through two rounds of staged readings, free to the public. It’s a great entertainment value, and a glimpse at what’s new and exciting. (215-242-2813, playpenn.org)

Broadway’s Best (July 18, Mann Center). The Philadelphia Orchestra backs two Broadway stars, Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening) and Betsy Wolfe (Bullets Over Broadway), doing tunes from shows such as The Book of Mormon, The Lion King, and Dear Evan Hansen. (800-745-3000, manncenter.org)

John Leguizamo: Latin History for Morons (July 19-20, Merriam Theater). It’s been a Tony-winning Broadway smash and a Netflix documentary, and now this star of screens large and small is on a side-splitting national tour. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

King Lear (July 24-28, Clark Park). An old king, a terrible mistake — maybe Shakespeare’s greatest work. Directed by one of Philly’s finest, Kittson O’Neill. (215-764-5345, shakespeareinclarkpark.org/kinglear)

Our Town (July 31-Aug. 25, People’s Light, Malvern). In People’s Light’s summer production, executive artistic director Abigail Adams directs a music-infused version of Thornton Wilder’s drama of a small American community and the lives and souls of its people. (610-644-3500, peopleslight.org)

Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival (Aug. 1-5, Music Theatre Philly). Five world-premiere plays by women. (phillywomenstheatrefest.org)

Cats (Aug. 20-25, Hershey Theatre). Moonlight, in the land of the chocolate kiss. (717-534-3405, hersheyentertainment.com)

Hamilton (Aug. 27-Nov. 17, Forrest Theatre). Summer ends with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s big, big bang — as in the creation of the United States. Stay tuned for details on when individual tickets will go on sale, and how to get them (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)