WHYY presents:
Summer Reading Kicks Off with the Stars

The Free Library of Philadelphia will kick-off this year's Summer Reading programs with an event that brings the page to the stage. The kick-off event will take place on Wednesday, June 12, at 10:30 a.m. in the Kimmel Center, at Broad and Spruce Streets.

One of the main attractions of the event will be a performance of the play No Place Like Home, written by eighth grader Jade Meshesha from Philadelphia. The play was a Philadelphia Young Playwrights award winner and will be performed by local actors, among them Amina Robinson, who starred in Freedom Theater's production of Sparkle. Connie Norwood, well known in the area theater community, will direct.

In addition to the play, the young audience will be entertained by a performance by the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center. Point Breeze will give a varied dance presentation as a finale to the event.

The Philly Phanatic and Chipper from Herr's Foods will also be present to mingle with the children.

Sponsors of Summer Reading include First Union, AMETEK Foundation, Inc., Berwind Corporation, Coca-Cola, Herr Foods, Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Phillies, PKG Foundation, CRW Graphics, PECO Energy, Please Touch Museum, Sunoco, The Academy of Natural Sciences, The Kimmel Center, UGI Corporation /Amerigas, QVC, and Lockheed Martin.

The event is free and open to the public.