Shakespeare in Love

To September 18 at Bard on the Beach

Way back in 1999, a film called Shakespeare in Love swept the Oscars with Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard’s smart and vibrant tale of writer’s block and the true love of a muse. Now Bard on the Beach is staging Lee Hall’s adaptation of the romantic comedy, throwing in music by Paddy Cunneen. Ghazal Azarbad steps into the role Gwyneth Paltrow made famous, Viola de Lesseps, while Charlie Gallant plays Will himself. At the helm is Daryl Cloran, who brought you last year’s Beatles-pumped hit As You Like It, and is also the director of a raucous and surreally fun Matilda: The Musical over at the Arts Club.

Dog Days

June 25 to September 1 at the Polygon Gallery

Here’s a fun outing for a summer day: an exhibit celebrating one of our world’s most photographed creatures. The North Shore landmark fetes man’s (and woman’s) best friend via contemporary shots mixed with classic and vintage photographs, as well as a few video works. Look for special events throughout the run. And as you probably expected, dogs are welcome—on a leash, please.