That’s entertainment

There is music in the air as the new theater season opens in Philadelphia. The emphasis is on family entertainment, and you can’t beat the offerings in the first half of this season.

The King and I

Broadway at the Academy, Sept. 7-12

215-893-1955. www.kimmelcenter.org

The King and I received the 1952 Tony Award for Best Musical. Over the decades, the show has captivated millions with its delightful story of Anna Lowens, brought to the court of Siam as tutor to the king’s children. It is a story of love and joy set to one of the most beautiful and unforgettable scores ever written, including Shall We Dance?, Whistle a Happy Tune, Hello Young Lovers and Getting to Know You. It remains one of the most satisfying family shows ever written for the theater.

Annie Warbucks

Walnut Street Theatre, Sept. 7-Oct. 24

215-574-3550. www.wstonline.org

Annie Warbucks picks up right where the first musical left off.

All the ingredients that made Annie so successful are here once again, with an old-fashioned romance thrown in for good measure.

The production is both festive and family-oriented. To bring holiday cheer, the show starts with the last memorable scenes of Annie.

Annie and all her orphan friends have now been adopted by Daddy Warbucks and are living with him in his mansion. However, their happy life is tested when Oliver Warbucks is set to wed the money-hungry Miss Kelly. Annie wants Daddy Warbucks to marry his secretary, Grace Farrell, and have nothing to do with the gold-digger. There are secret plots, runaway orphans and brides around every corner. Who will marry Daddy and become Annie’s mom?

Cats

Walnut Street Theatre, Nov. 9-Jan. 9

215-574-3550. www.wstonline.org

Cats is the longest-running musical on London’s West End and in Broadway history. It won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It has entertained 60 million people in 26 countries and in 11 languages.

Based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a collection of poems by T.S. Eliot, Cats — which contains no spoken dialogue — revolves around the antics of its feline characters. As the Jellicle cats perform in the hope of winning eternal life from their leader, Old Deuteronomy, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s trademark operatic rock woos your sympathy. The likes of Rum Tum Tugger, Mungojerrie, Mr. Mistoffelees and Grizabella interact with the audience with the gusto of at least nine lives.

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Broadway at the Merriam, Nov. 16-21

215-732-5446. www.broadwayacrossamerica.com

Thoroughly Modem Millie is musical-comedy bliss. Like the 1967 film from which it was adapted, it is an affectionate pastiche of old-fashioned Broadway style, and is loaded with excuses to entertain. Boarders at the hotel where much of the action takes place must tap-dance to get the elevator moving, even though a sign warns "No tapping in lobby." While the film is now considered dated, the staged musical is far funnier and more enjoyable. Inventively staged, with 15 songs, it was 2002’s most winning show with six Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Big River

Broadway at the Academy, Nov. 23-28

215-893-1955. www.kimmelcenter.org

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the greatest creations in American fiction. This tale of adventure and self-discovery begins on a raft on the Mississippi River in the 1840s, where Huck, escaping from his drunken father, meets up with Jim, a runaway slave. The story of their journey downstream is an American classic that captures the rhythms, sounds and spirit of life on the big river.

This family show conveys a thin veneer of Victorian formality, but also has the restless, energetic feel of a nation on the move, running headlong toward an uncertain but golden future.

Rent

Broadway at the Merriam, Dec. 14-19

215-732-5446. www.broadwayacrossamerica.com

The musical Rent has earned a comparison to the 1970s musical Hair because of its similarly realistic plot, which addresses such ’90s issues as AIDS, homosexuality, casual sex, suicide, heroin addiction and poverty. It appeals to a younger generation’s sensibilities, offering a glimpse into a way of life that is both appealing and appalling.

On the Record

Broadway at the Academy, Jan. 4-9

215-893-1955. www.kimmelcenter.org

From the producers of the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast comes On the Record, a show-stopping new musical. It sparkles with more than 50 of the most beloved songs ever written, from some of the most popular films ever made, including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Tarzan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Sleeping Beauty, Dumbo, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Lady and the Tramp, Cinderella and Snow White.

The show takes the audience behind the scenes at one very magical recording session, where every song performed ends up on the record. It promises to be first-class family entertainment as only Disney can deliver. This national road tour is likely to end up on Broadway.