In Bloom ... opens Friday

Orchids -- or kids? Both at Longwood Gardens Orchid Extravaganza opening Friday and on display through March 25. Well, kids aren't actually on display, but orchids are! The orchids bloom by the thousands -- cascading, flowing and reminding visitors that winter won't last forever. The display culminates with the annual International Orchid Show and Sale from March 23 to 25. The annual event features orchids showcased by the best collectors and growers from Hawaii to South America. The American Orchid Society-judged show also features guided tours, informative talks and a sales pavilion so you can take some of the beauty back home. But where do the kids fit in? Well, before that final weekend, Longwood is hosting a couple "OrKID Days," special days with kid-friendly concerts and hands-on activities for the family, that take inspiration from the dazzling orchid beauty. OrKID Days are scheduled for Saturdays, Feb. 25 and March 3 and are included in the gardens regular admission. Longwood Gardens is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $8 for students from 5-18 or with ID. Children 4 and under are admitted free. For more information, call (610) 388-1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org.

Transforming Stage ... Thursday and Jan. 28

Jemima, Peter, Othello, George and King were slaves owned by Benjamin Franklin, an abolitionist advocate. Their story will be told through music, movement and even humor when the Theatre for Transformation presents an evening of one-act plays at the Ware Center at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and again on Saturday, Jan. 28. A mixture of poetry, ritual and song, the play challenges viewers to consider to whom or what they are enslaved. It's the second offering of the evening, which begins with "Sister Friend," a play that examines the friendship between enslaved poet Phillis Wheatley and her best friend Obour Tanner. "Sister Friend" is filled with spirituals and gospel music. The performances are each about an hour and are appropriate for family audiences. The mission of Theatre of Transformation, led by Dr. Amanda Kemp, is "to create and tour plays about African-American history that inform and inspire diverse audiences to remember, forgive and create new possibilities." Thursday's production is pay what you can. Tickets are $15 on Jan. 28. For tickets, call 872-3811 or visit www.muticketsonline.com. For more information on Theatre of Transformation, visit www.theatrefortransformatio....

Sound of Music ... Friday through Jan. 28

Not only will the hills be alive with the sound of music, so will the Good Shepherd Chapel at Lancaster Bible College -- with Friday's opening of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "The Sound of Music." The musical, best known for the Academy Award winning film version starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, features much-loved songs that have become part of American culture, including "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain." It takes place in 1930s Austria and tells the story of a young nun who leaves the convent to take care of the seven children of naval officer Captain Von Trapp, a very orderly, rule-heavy widower whose use of strict discipline builds a wall between father and children. It interweaves the family's emotional rebuilding after the loss of wife and mother with the dangers of the political climate of the day - as Nazi rule closed in. "The Sound of Music" opens Friday and continues through Jan. 28 with performances at 7 p.m. Fridays and 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays. Advance tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students/children. Tickets at the door, if available, will be $25. For information or tickets call 569-7071 or visit www.lbc.edu/events.

Quips & Tricks ... Monday

Magic fans, it's time once more for the annual "Night of Comedy & Magic" at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, Monday at 7 p.m. Hosted by the Professional Magician's Club of Lancaster, the event will bring together some of the area's best magicians. That includes Scott Alexander, top, who appeared on "America's Got Talent" last year, where he advanced several rounds. He has headlined at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for seven years and offers a mixed bag of stand-up and magic. Also on the bill, second from top to bottom, are comedian Adam Ace --The Man in Red, who combines physical comedy with music and improvisation; Billy Diamond, who balances magic and humor and Rich Gerber, who founded Mingus Magic Shop in Reading and has loved magic since he was a kid. Admission is $35 for dinner, which begins at 5:30 p.m., and the show ($25 for children 12 and younger) and $20 for the show only. Call the Dutch Apple at 898-1900 or go to www.dutchapple.com for tickets. If you're inspired, the Professional Magician's Club of Lancaster meets most Mondays at 7 p.m. in the basement of St. Andrew's Church at North Lime and East New streets in Lancaster.