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7Days: Regional arts and entertainment, by Michael Harrington

Sunday Beauty of the beast David Hirson's 1991 comedy La Bête is an inventive and wry look at theatrical craft, all in rhyming couplets, in which a fancy-pants producer in 17th-century France finds himself challenged when his royal patron foists a foppish, vulgar street clown upon his troupe. The show goes on at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday at the Arden Theatre, 20 N. Second St., and continues on a Tuesday-through-Sunday schedule to Oct. 12. Tickets are $36 to $50. Call 215-922-1122.

Bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding plays Thursday at Keswick. (Sandrine Lee)
Bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding plays Thursday at Keswick. (Sandrine Lee)Read more

Sunday

Beauty of the beast David Hirson's 1991 comedy La Bête is an inventive and wry look at theatrical craft, all in rhyming couplets, in which a fancy-pants producer in 17th-century France finds himself challenged when his royal patron foists a foppish, vulgar street clown upon his troupe. The show goes on at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday at the Arden Theatre, 20 N. Second St., and continues on a Tuesday-through-Sunday schedule to Oct. 12. Tickets are $36 to $50. Call 215-922-1122.

Two recitals Pianist Eric Zuber plays works of Beethoven, Schumann, Debussy, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff at 3 p.m. at Eastern University's McInnis Auditorium, 1300 Eagle Rd., St. Davids. Tickets are $20; $15 seniors; students free. Call 610-649-2517. . . . Pianist and harpsichordist Ilya Poletaev plays works by Rameau, Schumann, Bach, and Chopin at 7:30 p.m. at Swarthmore College's Lang Concert Hall, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore. Admission is free. Call 610-328-8000.

Monday

The limits of greatness Thomas Jefferson was one of the most intellectual men of his age and authored one of the enduring documents of human freedom - yet he could never have built or kept Monticello without slaves, and professed he could think of no way to do without them. Historian Annette Gordon-Reed lectures on The Contradictions of Jefferson at 6:30 p.m. at the National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St. Tickets are $15; reservations required. Call 215-409-6600.

Tuesday

Dance pop The thoughtful, winsome Canadian electronica star Kiesa Rae Ellestad, who does smash business as Kiesza, brings the house down at 8:30 p.m. at the Theatre of Living Arts, 334 South St. Tickets are $20. Call 215-922-1011.

Wednesday

The good word Cognitive scientist and linguist Steven Pinker, in his new book, A Sense of Style: A Writing Guide for the 21st Century, looks at the way texting and social media have diminished written communication and proposes practical guidelines for crafting useful, elegant prose in the age of LOL, ICYMI. He discusses his work at 7:30 p.m. at the Free Library, 1901 Vine St. Tickets are $15; $7 students. Call 215-567-4341.

Sounds like The Seattle producer duo Odesza presents textured soundscapes at 9 p.m. at Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave. Tickets are $15. Call 215-739-9684.

Thursday

Jazz time Grammy-winning bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding plays at 8 p.m. at the Keswick Theater, Easton Road and Keswick Avenue. Tickets are $39.50 and $47.50. Call 215-572-7650.

Friday & Saturday

By the sword Fringe vets Aaron Cromie and Mary Tuomanen present their drama Saint Joan Betrayed, a multimedia show that uses masks, puppets, and physical theatre to tell the story of Joan of Arc's downfall, at the Annenberg Center's Harold Prince Theater, 3680 Walnut St., at 8 p.m. Friday and 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20 and $30. Call 215-898-3900.

World beat Dynamite Barcelona rockers Jarabe de Palo play at District N9ne, 460 N. Ninth St., at 9 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $35. Call 215-769-2780. . . . The sensational Balkan brass band Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar mixes in some funk and blues with Gypsy rhythms at Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, at 9 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20. Call 610-649-8389.

Last of the Fringe The true finale of this year's Fringe Festival is Rosas danst Rosas, a revival of choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's seminal 1983 work, performed at FringeArts, 140 N. Columbus Blvd., at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. next Sunday. Tickets are $29. Call 215-413-1318.