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Les Misérables, Springsteen's buddy and more things to do in Philadelphia, Jan. 5-11

What you should be doing in the city from Jan. 5 to 11.

Les Misérables, at the Academy of Music Jan. 9-21, 2018
Les Misérables, at the Academy of Music Jan. 9-21, 2018Read moreMatthew Murphy

COMEDY

Black History Monthly

Monthly variety show features poets, comedians, improvisers, sketch performers, dancers, and visual artists. This month's installment has comedy from Raquel Dominguez, a musical performance by Today, We Fight with Peace, and improv by Hotline. — Bethany Ao

9 to 10 p.m. Friday, Philly Improv Theater, 2030 Sansom St., $10, 267-233-1556, phitcomedy.com

CULTURE

Three Kings Day

The Mexican Consulate and the Mexican Cultural Center host this traditional celebration at the Kimmel Center. Come for a reenactment of the story of the three wise men, stay for an evening of piñatas, traditional "rosca de reyes" bread (the largest ever made in Philadelphia), and other festivities. — B.A.

5 p.m. Saturday, Kimmel Center, 15th and Spruce Streets, free, 215-790-5800, kimmelcenter.org

PARTY

EMO Pop Punk Party MKOClub

Relive the glory days of post-punk pop music at Philly's oldest emo dance party. It'll be all straightened hair, lip piercings, and emo music aficionados. DJ DEEJAY, who has hosted the party since it began in 2011, will lead the show.  — Thea Applebaum Licht

10 p.m. doors Friday, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N Front Street. $5, ages 21+. 215-291-4919, https://www.kungfunecktie.com.

HOW TO

Introduction to 3D Printing Workshop

3D printing, which brings digital designs to life through machines that lay down layers of plastic into solid shapes, is out of reach for most people. Costly machines and materials as well as complicated design software means that the opportunity to interact with this new tech is rare. This is a chance for kids, especially preteens and young teens, to try out 3D printing; they'll learn about 3D modeling and printing and then join together to make a collaborative printed art piece that will be shown in the Franklin Institute. Be sure to register in advance, since space in the workshop is limited.

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, The Franklin Institute, 222 N 20th St. $20 for members, $35 for the general public, ages 10-15. 215-448-1200, https://www.fi.edu/

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Brahms Symphony No. 2

The Orchestra's brilliant principal flute Jeffrey Khaner comes center stage to solo in the world premiere of Samuel Jones' Flute Concerto, written especially for him. Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado returns to also lead Schubert's Rosamunde Overture and Brahms' Second Symphony. — Tom Di Nardo

2 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall, Broad and Locust Streets, $51-$153, 215-893-1999, philorch.org.

Angela Meade

Another Academy of Vocal Arts alumna who has rocketed to stardom at the Met and internationally, soprano Meade returns with ideal piano accompanist Danielle Orlando. She's chosen works by Beethoven, Strauss, and Mahler to contrast with operatic arias by Handel, Verdi, Mozart, and Rachmaninoff.  — T.D.N.

8 p.m. Sunday at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater, Broad and Locust Streets, $25, 215-893-1999, pcmsconcerts.org.

Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia

Members of the orchestra, plus their esteemed conductor laureate and pianist Ignat Solzhenitsyn and many special guests, will play a special "Classical Jukebox" concert of Brahms, Vivaldi, Dvorak, and Bach. The concert will support a Musicians Fund in the name of the late cellist James Holesovsky, an original member from the 1960s, longtime personnel manager, and soul of the orchestra.

7 p.m. Thursday at the Church of the Holy Trinity, 1904 Walnut Streets, $25, 215-545-5451, chamberorchestra.org.

THEATER

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Philly's funniest duo, Tony Braithwaite and Jen Childs, will kick off 2018 with a brand-new show filled with sketches and songs, titled A Few of Our Favorite Things. This is the couple's fourth original comedy cabaret. — B.A.

7 p.m. Tuesday, 8 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday, Act II Playhouse, 56 East Butler Ave. Ambler, $29, 215-654-0200, act2.org

Philadelphia Moth StorySLAM

The Moth StorySLAMs are open-mic storytelling competitions held across the country, and they're open to anyone with a five-minute story on the night's theme. This month, World Cafe Live is hosting a StorySLAM on ambition, perfect for the new year. — B.A.

7:30 p.m. Monday, World Cafe Live, 31st and Walnut Streets, $10, 215-222-1400, themoth.org

Les Misérables

Cameron MacKintosh's Broadway version of this classic musical is coming to Philadelphia this week. Prepare yourself for a story of heartwarming romance and idealistic revolutionaries, set to one of the most timeless scores around. — B.A.

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Academy of Music, Locust and Broad Streets, $44 to $144, 215-893-1999, philadelphia-theater.com

KIDS

Stroller Tour at the Barnes Foundation

The Barnes Foundation is adding stroller tours this year to make the museum more accessible for parents with little ones. Visiting families can opt for a 45-minute guided tour through the galleries and learn new ways to explore and look at art with kids. This event is open for all parents with babies up to 18 months old in strollers or baby wraps. The museum can accommodate tandem or single strollers, but not side by side ones. — B.A.

10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Thursday, Barnes Foundation, 21st Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, $10 for adults, free for babies, 215-278-7000, barnesfoundation.org

Daniel Tiger Live!

The Kimmel Center is bringing Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: King for a Day! to families this weekend after the musical's success last year. The show is filled with new songs and dances, as Daniel learns what it means to be a king in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. — B.A.

6:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Merriam Theater, Manning and Broad Streets, $34.50 to $80, 215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org

MUSIC

The Dream Syndicate

How Did I Find Myself Here? is the first album of new material from the Dream Syndicate since 1988. The Steve Wynn-led band played a foundational role in post-punk college rock, marrying a Velvet Underground influence with psychedelia on droney and jammy records such as their 1982 debut Days of Wine and Roses. The Paisley Underground leaders split after 1988's Ghost Stories, but Wynn has gone on to a productive career with the Miracle 3, Gutterball, and the Baseball Project.  Now with guitarist Jason Victor (plus original bassist Kendra Smith back for the closing "Kendra's Dream"), How Did I Find Myself Here? finds the band in fine form, and they let it rip on new songs and oldies like "John Coltrane Stereo Blues" in their area shows last summer. Philadelphia guitarist Chris Forsyth, who was stellar opening for Television in Ardmore last week, also does the honors in Sellersville. — Dan DeLuca

8 p.m. Friday at the Sellersville Theater, 24 West Temple Ave. $25. 215-257-5808. st94.com

Frog Holler

For more than two decades now, Frog Holler has been delivering its Pennsylvania Dutch brand of Americana with distinction. A lot of the appeal of the band's mix of country, folk, and rock lies with front-man Darren Schlappich, the bard of Berks County, whose incisive yet accessible songs often convey a firm sense of place that gives Frog Holler its own firm identity. — Nick Cristiano

With Hezekiah Jones and Dem Hills, at 9 p.m. Friday, at Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Ave. Tickets: $10 and $12. 215-739-9684.

The Annual Light of Day Foundation Charity Showcase

If you see Springsteen pal Joe Grushecky, Willie Nile, and onetime E Street Band member Vini 'Mad Dog' Lopez in your neighborhood, don't panic. Bruce is not playing anywhere but Broadway. Rather, it's time for the now-annual Light of Day Foundation series of concerts that benefit Parkinson's research. The Philly iteration usually held at World Café Live continues that tradition with but two twists. First, locals such as Ben Arnold, Jim Boggia, and Lisa Bouchelle will join Grushecky, Nile and Lopez on both floors of WCL. Secondly, Nile and Grushecky (the latter a rarity at the Philly gig) will bring their bands, rather than do their usual lonesome songwriter's solo act. — A.D. Amorosi

 7 p.m. Saturday, World Café Live, Downstairs & Upstairs, Philadelphia, 3025 Walnut Street. $15-$30, worldcafelive.com

Syd Torchio Art Exhibition with S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D.

This is not the first time electric Philadelphia portraiture-iste has paired showing new work with the sound of local musicians. Philadelphia folk experimentalists, such as Bunny Savage (who opens this PhilaMOCA program) and Torchio's abstract Rockwell outlook just go well together. S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D., however, take things farther with a bugged-out, self-proclaimed brand of cyber rock that is both creepily primitive and modern. To go with its angular analog synthesizer-driven classicism and loops, the S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D. quintet like its presentation to be somewhat theatrical, risqué, and without warning. — A.D.A.

Art reception: 6 p.m.; Concert: 8 p.m. Saturday, PhilaMOCA: Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art., 531 N. 12th Street, art reception is free, concert is $10, philamoca.org

The Wombats

"Let's Dance to Joy Division," Liverpool's Wombats joyously proclaimed on 2007's A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation. It was an invitation, a tribute, and statement of intent. With their penchant for dance floor fillers and cathartic anthems, the trio has more in common with kinetic Britpop bands like the Libertines and the Arctic Monkeys than with Joy Division. They haven't quite translated their British popularity here in the States, but that doesn't diminish the thrill of songs such as "Your Body is a Weapon" and "Moving to New York." They come to Union Transfer in advance of the wonderfully titled Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, due next month. — Steve Klinge

8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St. $20-$25. 215-232-2100, utphilly.com