This week, Jared's reviews "Young Frankenstein" at North Shore Music Theatre, visits the deCordova for "Expanding Abstraction," and sits down with Joseph Maresca, author of "WPA Buildings: Architecture and Art of the New Deal."

Young Frankenstein, presented by North Shore Music Theatre through August 27

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Tommy Labanaris (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein) and the cast of "Young Frankenstein"
Paul Lyden, courtesy of North Shore Music Theatre

North Shore Music Theatre brings Mel Brooks' beloved black-and-white monster flick to life in “Young Frankenstein.” Re-imagined for the stage, this musical comedy tells the tale of the young Doctor Frankenstein, who sets out to complete his grandfather’s vision of reanimating a body. Head to the north shore to revisit all your favorite characters from this comedic classic.

Jared Says: "With a monster cast that knows how to keep its tongue firmly planted in cheek. Wait for it, wait for it, it's alive! And very funny."

Expanding Abstraction: New England Women Painters from 1950 to Now, on view at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum through Sept 17

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"Gold Coast II" by Maud Morgan
Courtesy of the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum

Pulling almost entirely from its own permanent collection, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum presents a retrospective of abstract works from New England female artists. Spanning from the 1950s to the present, “Expanding Abstraction” presents an art history often overlooked in the male-dominated post-war era of abstractionism.

Jared Says: "So vibrant, compelling, and seductive that it's really crushing to see how more inclusive art history could have been."

WPA Buildings: Architecture and Art of the New Deal, by Joseph Maresca

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The J. W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse
Carol M. Highsmith, courtesy of the Library of Congress

Give an American aesthetic its due. Joseph Maresca’s new book “WPA Buildings: Architecture and Art of the New Deal” takes an expansive look at the often underappreciated buildings and murals built by the Works Progress Administration during the New Deal era. Discover the modernist and Art Deco elements that shaped government projects around the country, including Boston’s own J. W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse.

Jared Says: "A thoughtful and expansive look at a revolution in architecture. Not to mention a fantastic reminder of the power of art when the government is willing to support it."

What buildings in your town do you think need love? Let Jared know on Facebook or Twitter!