7 Days: Regional arts and entertainment

Holiday music You don't need to wait for Christmas to hear Handel's Messiah. Jason Tramm conducts the Great Auditorium Choir and Orchestra in the choral masterpiece, with soloists Monica Ziglar, soprano, Martha Bartz, mezzo-soprano, Ronald Naldi, tenor, and Justin Beck, bass-baritone, and organist Gordon Turk, at 7 p.m. in the Great Auditorium, Pilgrim and Ocean Pathways, Ocean Grove, N.J. Admission is free. Call 800-590-4064.

As seen on TV Though best known for his turn on The Office and some truly funny commercials, comedian Craig Robinson is a deft stand-up, as he'll show at 7 and 9:15 p.m. at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St. Tickets are $30 and $38. Call 215-496-9001.

Fringe sample The Fringe Festival starts next week, but you can get an early look with Fringe Spotlight, featuring excerpts of works by the comic troupe Ombelico Mask Ensemble, actor Chris Davis, puppeteers Aaron Cromie and Mary Tuomanen, the Underbite Theater Company, and the dance troupe Katie Horton and Artists. The show goes on at 7 p.m. at FringeArts, 140 N. Columbus Blvd. Admission is free. Call 215-413-1318.

Eclectic jazz Powered by Ben Goldberg's mighty E-flat contra-alto clarinet lines, Wilco guitarist Nels Cline's shredding solos, and a twin saxophone attack, the Brooklyn combo Unfold Ordinary Mind blends free jazz, klezmer, and rock into a winning mix. They play at 8 p.m. at Boot and Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St. Tickets are $15. Call 267-639-4528.

Life calculations Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi's 1972 drama The Illumination uses a distinctive style mixing narrative and documentary to follow a young physicist trying to understand his place in the universe while balancing science and spirituality. The film screens at 7 p.m. at International House, 3701 Chestnut St. Tickets are $9; $7 for students. Call 215-387-5125.

Big band Part choir, part rock band, part happening, and all amazing, the Polyphonic Spree performs at 8 p.m. at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St. Tickets are $25. Call 215-972-1000.

Shore swashbuckler The adventure tale Zorro! is James Rana's stage adaptation of Johnston McCulley's stories of a masked swordsman doing battle against corruption in Old California. The East Lynne Theater Company's production goes on at First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, 500 Hughes St., Cape May, at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Tickets are $30; $25 seniors; $15 students; 12 and under free. Call 609-884-5898.

Thursday

On the edge As part of the Fringe/Fringe festival, the alternative theater ensemble She Is a Problem performs an eponymous work looking at the lives of five female artists at Vox Populi, third floor, 319 N. 11th St., at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Thursday, 10 p.m. Friday, and 7:30 and 10 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $3. Call 215-238-1236.

Play on Cult 1970s prog-rockers Crack the Sky perform at the Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville, at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $29.50. Call 215-257-5808.

Pop life In his show Confessions of a Teen Idol, singer and actor Rex Smith weaves a "musical autobiography" going from his days as a 1970s Tiger Beat cover boy to a 1980s TV career to Broadway stardom now. The show goes on at the Rrazz Room in the Ramada, 6426 Lower York Rd., New Hope, at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $35 and $45. Call 888-596-1027.