A childhood sleepover. When we were young, any night spent away from our own beds, even if it was only at grandma’s, was an adventure. Somehow amid new surroundings it was easier to let our imaginations run completely free. Carnival of Animals taps those familiar feelings and brings a wonderful world of fantasy to life through spectacular dance and over-the-top costumes. The ballet tells the story of Oliver Percy, a young boy who spends the night in New York’s Museum of Natural History. Throughout the night, the creatures of the museum come to life, and the animals oddly resemble people he knows in real life. Hyenas are his classmates; hens and cockerels, their parents; weasels and rats, their younger siblings. Carnival of Animals, June 6 through June 14, Academy of Music, Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia; 215-551-7000; www.paballet.org.

A woman’s touch. As significant as the strides have been as of late in bringing us closer to being an equal opportunity society, it remains a sort of utopian concept. The plain truth is that there are far more avenues that lead to potentially successful outlets for men than there are for women. But Black Lily is among an exciting generation of groundbreakers aiming to change all of that. The Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization supports both emerging and established female artists through a variety of ventures, including, most notably, its annual film and music festival, which will span four days in May and cover workshops, screenings, concerts and panel discussions. The second annual Black Lily Film & Music Festival, May 1 through May 4, various locations throughout Philadelphia; 215-765-3218; www.blacklilyfilm.org.

Don’t you cry no more. Kansas, the heartland rockers behind “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind,” among a host of others that you will likely never admit to knowing in public but overzealously sing along with after a couple glasses of wine and some prodding by friends who should know better, come to the Keswick Theatre on May 9. Kansas began its ascension to rock god status in 1972 behind some rather profound lyrics that also happened to sound quite melodic when put to driving guitar riffs. In a day when so many rock stars from yesteryear are judging or even starring in reality TV shows in order to try to remain relevant, it’s nice to see one band standing behind the commodity that got it there in the first place. Kansas, May 9, 8 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside; 215-572-7650; www.keswicktheatre.com.

Don‘t look back. In off-kilter, yet brilliant fashion, playwright Sarah Ruhl updates the Greek classic Eurydice by telling it through the perspective of the heroine. Eurydice’s world is flipped upside down on what should have been the happiest moment of her life, the day she was set to marry her true love, Orpheus. Instead, she finds herself in a surreal underworld, where memories are forbidden. An unexpected reunion with her father reawakens Eurydice to the vibrant love she once felt. When Orpheus arrives on the scene, she’s forced to choose between following her heart and remaining with her father. It’s a potent tale of love and loss in which every decision bears a remarkable consequence. Eurydice, continues through June 1, Wilma Theater, Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia; 215-893-9456; www.wilmatheater.org.

Love letters to your enemy. Love and idealism win out over materialism and greed in the musical fable Dear World. The quirky yet elegant production centers on an infamously wild Parisian woman, who, along with her eccentric band of friends, schemes to hinder profit-mongering businessmen from drilling oil near her home. While waging war on one front, humor and romance subtly take hold and eventually fuel what is at heart an age-old and rather innocent concept, that positive virtues will always prevail. Dear World is based on The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux. Dear World, continues through May 18, Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol; 215-785-0100; www.brtstage.com.

Small town grooves. The old mantra, “You can take the boy out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the boy,” rings true with the Bucks County Playhouse’s spring production of Footloose. This fish-out-of-water classic is based on the 1984 film of the same name. The musical unfolds as a Chicago-born boy relocates to a small town out West where he instantly feels trapped by its narrow views on dance and rock music. The story itself might seem a little cheesy for today’s teens, but the underlying theme of rebelling against adult-imposed repression is timeless and absolutely entertaining. Footloose, May 21 through June 8, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope; 215-862-2041; www.buckscountyplayhouse.com.

Peeling back the layers. If there’s one thing we all should have learned by the time we graduated from diapers to big boy/girl clothes, it’s that appearances can be deceiving. Fiber artist Bonnie Berkowitz operates under the idea that beauty begins on the surface but by no means ends there. Working with a variety of objects — jewelry, clothing, books, even puppets — Berkowitz lures the eye with dazzling designs. But those who take the time to examine her pieces even more closely receive the greatest reward. The richly textured surfaces and intricate stitching hide poetic narratives that, upon discovery, feel all the more intimate because they weren’t readily apparent. “Close Encounters: The Art of Bonnie Berkowitz,” continues through June 15, the Hunterdon Museum of Art, 7 Lower Center Street, Clinton, NJ; 908-735-8415; www.hunterdonartmuseum.org.

Naturally Inspired. Landscapes seem like they would be elementary work for an artist. We’re talking, after all, about ready-made scenes that simply need to be cropped and dropped onto a canvas. Of course, there’s so much more that goes into it than that. Aside from the technical know-how and even the talent, there needs to be an appreciation. An exhibition by Beatrice Bork and Taylor Oughton illustrates how a love of nature can transform seemingly straightforward landscapes into incredible works of art. “There is no verbal statement that could possibly convey just how much inspiration the natural world brings me,” Bork says. “Each subject and condition in itself is unique.” “Naturally,” June 6 through July 6, The Artists’ Gallery, 32 Coryell Street, Lambertville, NJ; 609-397-4588; www.lambertvillearts.com.

Doing the dishes. Unless you’re Martha Stewart, it’s hard to get all that excited over dinnerware, but that does not necessarily mean that dishes are dull. In fact, if you consider the history and craftsmanship that goes into it, tableware is one of the world’s oldest art forms. An exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art emphasizes this particular point. “Colonial Philadelphia Porcelain” showcases relics from the American China Manufactory, Philadelphia’s first commercially produced porcelain. The company operated in the Southwark section of Philadelphia between 1770 and 1772 under Gousse Bonnin and George Anthony Morris, after whom the surviving wares from the factory are named. “Colonial Philadelphia Porcelain: The Art of Bonnin and Morris,” continues through June 1, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street, Philadelphia; 215-763-8100;
www.philamuseum.org.

A Family Affair. As far as science has led us, much remains unknown about why we are who we are. Simply being exposed to a subject at an early age, even in mass quantities, does not guarantee a predilection for that subject later on in life. In fact, the exact opposite may occur. The Anthonisens, however, seemed to have unlocked that mystery. George, an internationally acclaimed sculptor, and his wife, Ellen, raised their children, Daniel and Rachel, in an environment where virtually every topic was fair game for dissection, but art was always the foundation upon which those discussions took place. As Daniel and Rachel grew into adulthood, art remained central in their lives. An exhibition at the Pennswood Art Gallery explores the diversity that grew out of this common ground through George’s sculpture, Daniel’s paintings and Rachel’s masks. “Three Anthonisens,” continues through June 1, Pennswood Art Gallery, 1382 Newtown-Langhorne Road, Newtown; 215-986-9110.

Chaotic Wings. The Butterfly Effect is the idea that repetitions within movement can reap significant consequence. In other words, what may seem like small deviations in the course of a routine can become quite dramatic over time. The phrase is derived from the notion that a butterfly’s wings might create changes to the atmosphere, however slight, that could spur a tornado. It might be wishful thinking as much as it is actual science, that we all are capable of having such an impact on the world and those around us, and, if you want to get really profound, that we’re all somehow connected. An exhibition at the Abington Arts Center titled “Metamorphosis” examines the beauty of the butterfly within the confines of all the aforementioned frames: butterfly as simple creature and as the perfect symbol of the fragility of life. “Metamorphosis,” continues through July 27, the Abington Arts Center, 515 Meetinghouse Road, Jenkintown; 215-887-1402;
www.abingtonartcenter.org.

The reality of fantasy. Folk artist Earl Cunningham exists in a world of blue trees, red skies and orange grass. His vibrant canvas paintings, like the nature of American life, are bewildering but ultimately beautiful. Electric colors take shape through Cunningham’s brilliant brushwork, spinning commonplace settings like the Maine shoreline into dreamscapes, freeing the imagination to run wild. A self-taught Modernist, Cunningham paved the way for the folk art revival in the 1920s and ‘30s. His perspective on life and the world around him was every bit as joyful as it comes across in his colorful interpretations of it. “Earl Cunningham’s America,” continues through August 31, the Lincoln Square Branch of the American Folk Art Museum, 2 Lincoln Square, New York, NY; 212-977-7170; www.folkartmuseum.org.