SEPT. 25 – 27: CIRQUE US STORIES

Wheelock Family Theatre at 180 Riverway in Boston has had an ongoing collaboration with Cirque Us, a New England-based circus entertainment and education company that are the proud recipient of the 2023 Philadelphia Fringe Festival Award for “Best Circus” and the 2024 What the Fringe Award for “Best Kids Show.” This partnership had included Wheelock’s summer class offering titled “Under The Big Top”. Now, Wheelock and Cirque Us have joined to bring this thoughtfully curated show that flips through the pages of the troupe’s favorite stories to bring a touching as well as thrilling narrative about community and identity. These tales show jump off the page with twists, flips, rewrites, and retelling of stories audiences will surely love. The show features aerialists, jugglers, acrobats, contortionists, clowns, and more. It is charmingly curated for young audiences and is perfectly designed to partner with public schools and public libraries. Cirque Us’ mission is “to spread circus magic and build confident communities”. Tickets for this family friendly event may be obtained at www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org

Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre  at 54 Dunham Rd. in Beverly brings this Tony® and Olivier® Award-winning musical as well as worldwide phenomenon to their stage in the round.It is a moving and uplifting musical based on the true story of what happened in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001 when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in NYC and other sites. As such, thirty eight planes carrying nearly 7,000 passengers were unexpectedly diverted there. What began as a day of global tragedy transformed into a powerful tale of compassion, connection, and humanity as the residents of this isolated community opened their hearts and homes to feed, house, entertain and support the stranded travelers.

Carla Woods (Hannah) and Mary Callanan (Beulah) …many stories within this story that is filled with heroes at every turn: Photo © Paul Lyden  With a vibrant, folk-inspired score and a fast-paced, ensemble-driven narrative, the production captures the tensions, culture clashes, and eventual camaraderie that unfolded over several unforgettable days. It is full of upbeat moments as well as joyous and even tearful realities that resulted in weddings and life time friendships.

Forced to land  and staying in the plance with no explanation: Photo © Paul Lyden

THROUGH SEPT. 27: RHINOCEROS

The American Repertory Theater brings to the stage of the Loeb Drama Center at 64 Brattle Street in Cambridge Eugène Ionesco’s l1959 absurdist, landmark play. The story follows the residents of a small French town as they inexplicably transform into rhinoceroses,

PaulGiamatti(Jean)andJohnTurturro(Berenger): Credit: Hawver and Hall.  The protagonist is a flawed “everyman” named Bérenger, played by John Turturro. Finding himself thrust into the chaos of this irrational situation, he is faced with the struggle to maintain his individuality as friends, colleagues, and eventually even his love interest, Daisy (Tatiana Maslany) succumb to the mass hysteria.

Tatiana Maslany (Daisy) and John Turturro (Berenger) in performance for A.R.T.’s production of Rhinoceros. Credit: Hawver and Hall. What happens when one becomes the last human resisting the epidemic. This play is a marvelous reminder of the destructiveness surrounding social pressure and the dangers of mob mentality as the towns people were initially afraid of the first Rhino but joyously rationalize the power and simplicity of the beast. Just like when Hitler or other authoritarian leaders have controlled the populace.The cast also includes Harriett D. Foy (Housewife), Paul Giamatti (Jean), Peter Francis James (Grocer / Papillon), Kristine Nielsen (Grocer’s Wife / Mrs. Boeuf), Alex Ross (Dudard), and Clay Singer (Botard / Waiter). Britt Faulkner, David Mason, and Scott Stangland are understudies. The production features a scenic design by Obie Award winner Riccardo Hernández (Carmen at the Glyndebourne Opera UK; Jagged Little Pill; The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess; others at A.R.T.). The costume design is by Drama Desk Award winner Anita Yavich (Floyd Collins on Broadway; Snow in June at A.R.T.). The lighting design is by Tony Award winner Jen Schriever (Romeo and Juliet; 1776; others at A.R.T.), and the special effects design is by Markus Maurette (The Lost Boys, Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway). Hair and wig designs are by Tom Watson. Drama Desk Award winner.  Thomas Schall (Romeo and Juliet; 1776 at A.R.T.) is the fight director; and Jill Johnson (Crossing at A.R.T.) is the movement advisor. Ryan Gohsman is the Production Stage Manager. Casting is by ARC Casting/Duncan Stewart, CSA & Jarrett Reiche, CSA. Karina Cowperthwaite is the associate director, Omid Akbari and Jessie Baldinger are the associate scenic designers, Andrew Wehling is the associate costume designer, Aaron Tacy is the associate lighting designer, and Bailey Trierweiler is the associate sound designer. Tickets for this effective warning for today may be purchased at www.AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/Rhinoceros

SEPT. 25 – NOV 8: BAT BOY…THE MUSICAL

Umbrella Stage Company at the Umbrella Arts Center, 40 Stow St in Concord opens their season with this cult classic hit that won the award for best Off-Broadway musical ias well as the Lucille Lortel Award. In addition it captured two Richard Rodgers Awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Outer Critics Circle Award. Directed by T Jeremy Johnson (SpeakEasy Stage’s“Swept Away”), this is an American horror rock musical with a book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming and music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe. Johnny Shea, winner of the 2026 Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical (Umbrella Stage Company’s “tick,tick…BOOM!”), performs the lead role.. The horror story was inspired by a June 23, 1992 ‘fake news”article in the tabloid Weekly World News. They claimed that there had been discovered a half-boy, half-bat, wo they dubbed as “Bat Boy“,living in a cave. So,with tongue in cheek humor the horror-comedy was born. It opens with three teenagers crawling around some local caves near their small town, There they discover this part human boy. He is helped by the local Veterinarian and his wife, Meredith, but the town is threatened by his presence and think their cattle are under siege by the Bat Boy who has now been given the Christian name of Edgar. Everyone wants to kill him but Meredith patiently teaches him to speak while her husband, Dr. Parker feeds him blood. But when Julie, one of the teens dies, the town goes after Edgar. Meredith and her daughter Shelly flee into the woods to find and save him. But the plot continues to twist with unexpected revelations that result in a lot of very sad and violent occurrences. The production is recommended for ages 13 and up (or PG-13), although some regional theater guidelines can range to older teens. Tickets for this gruesome, Halloween tale may be purchased at www.theumbrellaarts.org

THROUGH OCT 4: WILLIAM TELL

The Boston Lyric Opera opens its landmark 50th Season with Rossini’s WILLIAM TELL at the Emerson Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St. In Boston. It is the first Boston production of WILLIAM TELL in nearly 150 years having last been performed in Boston in 1880 by the company known then as the Strakosch Opera Company. With BLO Music Director David Angus conducting, it is presented with cinematic, immersive projections to create a fantastical as well as historical period. The staging is by longtime collaborators Vita Tzykun and David Adam Moore.

BLO Cast for William Tell: Photo by Nile Scott Studios Rossini’s 1829 masterpiece explores tyranny, resistance and the price of freedom by telling a story of ordinary people uniting against authoritarian rule and pointing its arrow at the heart of our contemporary relevance.

Jemmy (Brianna J. Robinson) awaits her fate in Boston Lyric Opera’s WILLIAM TELL: Photo by Nile Scott Studios Tell is the legendary archer whose act of impossible courage has become one of cultural history’s enduring symbols of resistance. Rossini’s WILLIAM TELL follows the legendary hero who inspires his countrymen to rise against the tyrannical governor Gessler. As patriotism collides with personal loyalties, including the forbidden romance between Arnold and Mathilde, a movement for freedom gathers strength. When Tell refuses to bow to Gessler’s authority, he is forced to shoot an apple from atop his child’s head, a feat that makes him a hero.

Leuthold (r., played by Ilya Silchukou) warns William Tell (George Gagnidze) of approaching enemies:  Photo by Nile Scott Studios    Escaping execution, Tell ultimately leads his side to victory, transforming a story of courage, sacrifice and resistance into a stirring celebration of liberty. BLO Artistic Director Nina Yoshida Nelsen stated,  “William Tell is a patriot who chooses to fight back. At its heart, the opera asks what people are willing to risk for one another and for their freedom.” The Opera is best known for its iconic overture, made famous by generations of use in films and television, WILLIAM TELL features far more than one of classical music’s most recognizable melodies. This WILLIAM TELL is an epic undertaking, with 11 principals that include Metropolitan Opera baritone George Gagnidze takes on the role of Tell, BLO Artistic Director Nina Yoshida Nelsen is Hedwige, Anya Matanovič is Mathilde, Konu Kim is Arnold, Brianna J. Robinson is Jemmy, Yeghishe Manucharyan ia Rudolph, Hunter Enoch is Gessler, James Demler is Melchtal, Sergio Martinez is Walter, Morgan Mastrangelo is Ruod) and Ilya Silchukou is Leuthold. Fifty-four musicians will accompany the cast that includes 40 choristers. Dozens of additional artists will be behind-the-scenes. The creative team is streamlining Rossini’s opus (not uncommon) while adding narrative notes for modern audiences’s appeal. Sung in French with English supertitiles. Tickets for this exciting operatic production may be obtained at www.blo.org/tell

OCT. 6 (7:00pm): AN EVENING WITH TONY AWARD WINNING SARAH RUHL

BabsonARTS Co-presents with the Arts and Humanities division at the Carling-Sorenson Theater, 19 Babson College Drive, at Babson College in Wellesley. Sarah Ruhl is an award-winning American playwright, author, and teacher whose work has been produced on Broadway, across the United States, and internationally. Plays include In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) (Pulitzer Prize finalist; Tony Award nominee), The Clean House (Pulitzer Prize finalist; Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner), and Eurydice, named by The New York Times as one of the most impactful plays of the past 25 years. Her opera Eurydice (with composer Matthew Aucoin) debuted at the Metropolitan Opera and earned a Grammy nomination. Her musical Wonder with A Great Big World just finished a run at American Repertory Theater. She has authored Books such as Smile, a memoir, 100 Essays I Don’t Have Time to Write, and Lessons from my Teachers. She teaches at the Yale School of Drama and lives in Brooklyn with her family. The public is welcome to join us for an extraordinary evening with this Tony Award–nominated playwright, bestselling author, and one of the most influential voices in contemporary theater. Sarah Ruhl is renowned for her imaginative storytelling, emotional depth, and signature blend of wit and wonder, having captivated audiences around the world. In this unique conversation curated exclusively for Babson College, Ruhl will explore Melancholy Play, her beloved and whimsical meditation on longing, transformation, and human connection, alongside Lessons from My Teachers, her acclaimed reflection on creativity, mentorship, and the artistic life. A book signing and meet-and-greet will follow the event. The event is FREE to Babson students, staff, and faculty. $10-$15 Academic Admission (for students who do not attend Babson and $20 General Admission (Limited availability). Registration is required at www.babsonarts.org

OCT. 6–11: SPAMALOT

Lovingly ripped from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, this hysterically funny musical returns to Boston for the first time in nearly two decades. The Boch Center Wang Theatre at 270 Tremont Street brings this recipient of three Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, to Boston audiences. Reaffirming the enduring appeal of Monty Python’s distinctive British wit and comedic brilliance, this production coincides with the anniversary of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the 1975 British comedy film based on the Arthurian legend that was written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group. This all new musical production is filled with inventive staging, design, and exceptional performances that will bring old fans and introduce new converts into the wonderfully quirky world and enduring legacy of one of comedy’s most influential works. From flying cows to killer rabbits, British royalty to French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, and of course, the Lady of the Lake, SPAMALOT has everything that makes a great ‘knight’ at the theater. The musical features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, featuring such well-known songs as “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” “The Song That Goes Like This,” “Find Your Grail” and 19 other memorable tunes. The story surrounds King Arthur and his servant Patsy who provides Arthur’s horses hoof beats using coconuts. Arthur is on a quest to find knights for his round table encountering a non stop, bizarrely funny, unexpected cluster of absurd encounters throughout the show. It is tongue in cheek, British humor, filled with rib splitting humor at its best. Tickets may be obtained at www.bochcenter.org

OCT. 8 – NOV. 8: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

The Huntington brings to their stage at The Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave. in Boston, this new adaption of the 1965 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee. This play adaptation was written by Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, A Few Good Men, Moneyball) and was brought to Broadway in December 2018. It was nominated for 9 Tony Awards and went on to become the most successful American play on Broadway. The UK version in the West End captured 5 Olivier awards. Some recall the painful Christopher Sergel adaptation that was performed at Trinity Rep in Providence RI in the Spring of 2016. Director Brian McEleney took directorial license, mis-castting characters, and inserting personal monologue’s which all completely massacred Lee’s vision of this beloved American classic. Now directing this new production by Sorkin is Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco who artfully, with much humble respect and grace has created the first regional production of Sorkin’s soaring adaptation. For those many who read and also studied the novel in school, Sorkin, with permission from Harper Lee’s ‘Mockingbird Trust’, has made certain alterations. “When I was asked to write To Kill a Mockingbird  as a play, I knew I couldn’t try to do a Harper Lee impersonation and I knew I couldn’t pretend I was writing it in 1959.” Sorkin has chosen to start with the trial and then provide backstory through scenes going back in time. It is a very effective tool for transferring the book into a play format. The Playwright states, “It would have to be a new play and I’m thrilled that the first post-Broadway production is happening on the stage of The Huntington. I hope Boston audiences enjoy this new look at Harper Lee’s classic story.” The story, set in 1934 racially crippled Maycomb, Alabama surrounds the upstanding lawyer Atticus Finch (Karl Kenzler) who seeks justice for Tom Robinson (Rafael Jordan), a black man, falsely accused of raping Bob Ewell’s daughter Mayella.  He demonstrates unwavering optimism, insisting on finding “goodness” even in blatant racists. Tom Robinson and the Finch family housekeeper, Calpurnia (Patrice Jean-Baptiste) have been given more vocal license while “Scout” aka Jean Louise Finch (Karen Killeen), despite being tomboyish, is headstrong and smart but taken a step back as the central character. “Jem” aka Jeremy Atticus Finch (Benjamin Izaak) is Scout’s protective, thoughtful, and mature older brother. He is significantly grapples with the harsh realities of racism and injustice in their town of Maycomb, Alabama. The Finch children are friends with “Dill” aka Charles Baker Harris (Andrew Stevens Purdy). He is  a like minded summer play mate who is fascinated by their reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley. Boo has become a life time victim of societal abuse yet despite years of torture, displays empathetic conduct making him one of the story’s “mockingbirds”—an innocent soul harmed by the cruelty and prejudice of society. Boo as well as Mr. Cunningham, a local farmer are played by (Jesse Hinson). Additional cast members are Jesse Garlick (Horace Gilmer) the prosecuting attorney. Ken Cheeseman is Judge Taylor, the presiding Alabama judge. Jackie Scholl is Mayella Violet Ewell, a young woman who makes the accusation, and Liam Craig is Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father. Michael Poignand is the local Maycomb sheriff.Sherriff Heck Tate,while Kyle Cameron is Link Deas, Tom Robinson’s employer. Lewis D. Wheeler is Dr. Reynolds, the local Maycomb doctor as well as the Bailiff, while Ashley Frith is the musician and also the co-composer. The ensemble includes: Wyatt Anton, Liam Delaney, Bob Gallagher, Raissa Karim, Zach Kautter, James Milord, Cameron Mysliwicz, Alex W. Pollock, Scott Salley, Joanna Strapp, and Will Sheerin. Understudies include: Wyatt Anton, Raissa Karim, Zach Kautter, James Milord, Alex W. Pollock, Jackie Scholl, Joanna Strapp, and Lewis D. Wheeler.The creative team includes scenic design by Andrew Boyce ; costume design by Celeste Jennings ; lighting design by Christopher Akerlind , and the sound design / composition by Daniel Baker. The assistant director is Sarah Oakes Muirhead, the wig, hair, and makeup design is by J. Jared Janas and Cassie Williams, the dramaturg is Charles Haugland, the fight and intimacy consultant is Javier David, and the voice and text coach is Ashleigh Reade. The production stage manager is Kevin Schlagle and the stage managers are Athéna-Genesis Baptiste, Lauren J. Burke, and Kendyl Trott. NY Casting is by Janet Foster with the Local casting by Brett Duffy. Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel has resonated powerfully for over six decades. But what does it mean to revisit this beloved classic today with fresh eyes  — to consider how far we’ve come, and too, how far we still need to go? Loretta Greco stated,“I thought I knew To Kill a Mockingbird — its trenchant moral questions, its searing heartbreak, its fierce insistence on empathy at all costs. But in the hands of the rigorously idealistic Aaron Sorkin, this muscular adaptation reveals something new and urgent: excavating fresh pleasures and provocations. I can’t wait to share this production with you — it’s a chance to be reunited with a beloved story as if for the first time, with sharper eyes and all the heart — and hope — we can muster.” The New York Times called “a Mockingbird’ for our moment. Beautiful, elegiac, satisfying, even exhilarating”. This past summer, it was revived on the West End Blending courtroom drama with a well-known coming-of-age story, Sorkin’s Mockingbird delves into urgent and complex questions about justice, morality, and what it really means to take a stand in a divided world. The Chicago Tribune lauds this adaptation as “genuinely radical and thoroughly gripping.” Unique to this production, audience engagement programming for Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is presented in partnership with community partner the ACLU of Massachusetts. The ACLU of Massachusetts is a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal advocacy organization founded in 1920. As the first state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union, it works in the courts, legislature, and communities to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties across the Commonwealth. Together, The Huntington and the ACLU of Massachusetts will offer audience engagement experiences and community programming inspired by Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, enriching conversations sparked by the production. Tickets for this remarkably engaging, sould searching, and uniformly well-acted adaptation may be obtained at www.huntingtontheater.org

OCT 9 – NOV 22 : I AND YOU

Umbrella Stage Company at the Umbrella Arts Center, 40 Stow St in Concord brings this work by the noted playwright Lauren Gunderson and directed by Michelle Aguillon, the poignant play shines a positive light on youth, life, love, and the unique beauty of human connectedness. It has become one of the most produced plays across the country. The story surrounds two polar diverse teenagers. Caroline has been home bound for months because she has a serious liver disease and is in desperate need of a transplant. Anthony is the popular jock at their school. He knocks at her door while clutching a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves Of Grass . He insists that their English teacher has assignment this project and it urgently needs to be completes soon. As these two let down their guards and share their secrets, this seemingly mundane poetry project unlocks a much deeper mystery that has brought them together. Bu this unique poetry by Whitman begins to expands the teens’ sensibilities as they explore the depths of Whitman’s work. Whitman uniquely uses grass as a powerful metaphor. Just as individual blades of grass form a common field, individual humans make up a shared society and return equally to the earth in death The two ultimately travel hand in hand on an emotional trip of self discovery that proves itself to be not only funny and philosophical, but quite moving. as well Tickets for this production that beautifully explores the unseen bonds that unite people across experience and time may be obtained at www.theumbrellaarts.org

THROUGH OCT. 11: PURPOSE

“BRILLIANT!” is the key word to describe this play. It has a “Brilliant” plot, script, and dialogue! It is performed by a “Brilliant” cast who perfectly display their character’s depth and complexities! It has a “Brilliant”director whose gift to note and perfectly draw out and display every tiny nuance in each characters speech, movement, facial inflection, etc. All necessary to result in the “Brilliant”, laugh out loud, funny or soulfully painful moments that have been scripted. The Huntington at the Wimberly Theatre in the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St. in Boston’s South End presents this Tony Award WINNER for Best Play as well as the 2025 Pulitzer Prize WINNER for Drama that was written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Kudos to director Josiah Davis for highly polishing Jacobs-Jenkins’ stunningly explosive and wildly entertaining new play. The story dives headlong into the life of the Jasper family. They are a prominent, influential, political dynasty that supported and entertained prominent civil rights leaders, pastors, congressmen and even Nelson Mandela for decades making them the foundational pillar of Black American society. All seems perfect to the outside world. Their lives have been carefully curated to be one of love and moral perfection.

Ezra Knight as Solomon Jasper; photo by Marc J Franklin Ezra Knight as Solomon Jasper, plays an overbearing, self righteous, self centered, domineering father and husband who became a noted minister and prominent activist during the Civil Rights Movement. His wife is Claudine Jasper played by Phyllis Yyvonne Stickney. She is the prim, perfect hostess and supportive wife who has often secretively supported her two sons. Their oldest son, Solomon “Junior” Jasper, played by Ugo Chukwu. Is a former state senator who has just been released from a 24-month prison sentence for federal embezzlement of campaign funds and multiple counts of wire fraud. His wife Morgan, played by MarHadoo Effeh, who is angry and elusive, is the mother of their twins who she refused to bring to the Jasper family home. She is about to go into jail to serve for being involved with the families tax fraud. Her husband, “Junior” complains that he has an emotional disease that made him do the crime but gets no sympathy from his family.

Omari K. Chancellor, (Naz) & Kalyne Ashley Coleman: photo by Marc J Franklin When their youngest son, Nazareth Jasper, played by Omari K. Chancellor arrives, the perfect family truly begins to reveal itself. Nazareth, much to his father’s anger, left ministry school to pursue a career in photography. He revels in traveling solo and is content to be alone in the world while taking nature pictures of lakes. Thus, like his older brother, Nazareth’s father also has no use for him as he prefers hiding in forests and did not desire to follow in his father’s career steps becoming a minister. When his friend and neighbor, Aziza Houston, played by Kalyne Ashley Coleman, drops him off and he forgets his charger in her car, she rings the bell to return it to him and comes face to face with his mother. She assumes she and Nazareth are a couple, so due to an impending snow storm, mom insists that she stay.  Thus, she finds herself accidentally immersed in this initially impressive and famous family. But as the layers of neurosis and other secrets begin to be peeled back, including Naz being a sperm donor for Aziza, chaos increases and everyone’s world begins to fracture.

Cast of PURPOSE; Photo by Marc J Franklin  The creative team for  Purpose  includes a fabulous scenic design by Se Hyun Ohof of the Jasper’s ample and beautifully appointed pristine home, replete with several living room, office entrances, dinning room, kitchen and 3 bedrooms on the second floor . There is even an entrance to the basement. The costume designs are by Celeste Jennings including Solomon’s complete bee keeping suit. The lighting design is by Marika Kent, and the sound design plus original music is by  Kathy Ruvuna. The assistant director is Tasia A. Jones with the wig, hair, and makeup designs by  J. Jared Janas and Cassie Williams. The dramaturg is Ashley M. Thomas, the intimacy consultant is Dr. Ayshia Mackie-Stephenson, the voice and text coach is  Kim James Bey, the fight consultant is Omar Robinson, and the emerging artist observer is LaTasha Snider. The production stage manager is Ashley Pitchford and the stage manager is Ross Gray. NY Casting is by Danica Rodriguez with local casting by Brett Duffy.  Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco states, “There is no better way to launch this thrilling new season than with the brilliant Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, whom we are welcoming to The Huntington for the first time, with his stunning play Purpose! Branden has conjured a richly layered family in the throes of a seismic generational reckoning — one worthy of the greatest family dramas. Experiencing Purpose had me constantly trying to catch my breath I was laughing so hard — until its complex truths hit home. The play’s beating heart: a compelling reminder that we all need something larger and more impactful than ourselves to strive towards (being) in community with others. Perhaps now more than ever.” Director Joseph Davis states,  “Legacy is hard to build. But it’s even harder to escape. The journey of finding yourself is difficult when expectations of who you ought to be, who you were raised to be looks over your head. Is it possible to escape familial demands and carve out a space of your own?” The playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins: “For me, Purpose is a family story that’s trying to transcend, to be about the universal. It’s a play that’s really trying to connect people… it’s about taking stock of the community immediately around you and figuring out how to love deeper and better.” The New York Times stated that PURPOSE was, “A merciless dissection of hypocrisy – you may have trouble catching your breath from laughing so hard.” Tickets for this searing as well a hilarious exploration of faith, class, social attitudes, ambition, and eve a little genetic heritage my be obtained at www.huntingtontheatre.org

Central Square Theater 450 Mass Ave. in Cambridge brings this unique perspective of the mighty Eleanor Roosevelt. She became the wife of Frankline D. Roosevelt in 1905 and she became the first First Lady of an elected president to move into the White House. Directed by Elliot Norton Award recipient for Outstanding Director, Bryn Boice, this solo production stars the four time IRNE Award winner and three time Elliot Norton Award-winner, Paula Plumb. Written by the American playwright, author, film and television writer Mark St Germain, the audience is artfully introduced to this complex public woman whose private doubts and convictions illuminate an enduring and lasting legacy of courage, empathy, and service.  Performed with a magical blend of warmth, wit, and candor, Ms. Plumb embodies Eleanor  as she revisits her marriage to Franklin, her activism, and her role in shaping modern human rights. The Wall Street Journal praised ELEANORr as, “A great show, period!” Tickets for this intimate look at the heart and mind of this stunning historical figure may be obtained at www.centralsquaretheater.org.

OCT. 13 – 25: OPERATION MINCEMEAT

 Lexus Broadway In Boston 2026/2027 season brings to the Emerson Colonial Theatre the production  that Turned WWII into a critically acclaimed, fast-paced musical comedy. Based on the true story of a bizarre 1943 secret mission to fool the Nazis by using a stolen corpse, the production is known for its hilarious, high-energy style. The year is 1943 and right now the allies are losing the war. Luckily, or more like shakily, we are about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse. Bursting at the seams with the kind of chaos you couldn’t invent, the production prompts the question…how did a dead body, a fake love letter, and – of all people – Ian Fleming come together to “wrong-foot” Hitler? The show follows a group of British intelligence officers who “gambled all our futures on a stolen corpse” to trick the Nazis into shifting their troops, a plot described as “Singin’ in the Rain” meets “Strangers on a Train”.  It originally opened in the West End , quickly becoming a hit and winning the 2024 Olivier Award for Best New Musical. But, when it transferred to Broadway in 2025, Jak Malone won the Tony Award for Best Performer in a Featured Role. The principal cast consists of 5 outrageously funny actors. The book, music, and lyrics were written by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts. Olivier Award nominated Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre – Best New Musical Olivier Award winner) will reprise his work for the tour. The Choreographer continues with the Olivier Award nominated Jenny Arnold (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre). The creative team includes Olivier nominated Set and Costume Designer Ben Stones (Standing at the Sky’s Edge); Tony and Olivier winning Lighting Designer Mark Henderson (The History Boys); Tony nominated Sound Designer Mike Walker (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory); Tony nominated Orchestrator Steve Sidwell (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical); and Olivier nominated Music Supervisor Joe Bunker (Spring Awakening). Georgie Staight is Associate Director and Paul Isaiah Isles is Associate Choreographer. Production Stage Management is by Geoff Maus, Casting is by Carrie Gardner, CSA, and General Management is by TT Partners. Taffy Brodesser-Ackner from THE NEW YORK TIMES stated, “IT’S NOT JUST THE BEST MUSICAL I’VE EVER SEEN; IT’S THE MOST REWARDING THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE I’VE EVER HAD.” Tickets for this extraordinary and spectacularly funny tale are available at www.BroadwayInBoston.com

OCT. 14 – NOV. 1: DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE

Just in time for Halloween, this delightfully scary adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Novella comes to Lowell to fill patrons with chills and thrills. The Merrimack Repertory Theatre in the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre at Liberty Hall, 50 E. Merrimack Street in Lowell (Adjacent to Lowell Memorial Auditorium) takes audience to the the foggy streets of Victorian London. Dr. Henry Jekyll has been feverishly working on a daring experiment hoping to create a potion that would the evil side of man’s personality. He inadvertently unleashes the impulsive, seductive, terrifyingly, blood thirsty and insane Edward Hyde. Dr. Jekyll discovers that the good and evil in man cannot be separated and horrifyingly, Mr. Hyde’s personality becomes increasingly dominating as his acts of violence escalates. This fast-paced, electrifying thriller explores the darkness that may lie within us. The production is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service. www.concordtheatricals.com Tickets for this classically famous macabre tale may be obtained at www.mrt.org

OCT. 15 – 18: TAYLOR MAC and MAT RAY…SONGS FROM BARK OF MILLIONS

ArtsEmerson brings this co-presentation with The Huntington to their Robert J. Orchard Stage in the Emerson Paramount Center, at 559 Washington St. in Boston. This powerhouse collective of international artists will ignite an electrifying collision of performance, live music, and drag spectacle in the latest from theater-making renegades Taylor Mac, Matt Ray, and Machine Dazzle. Through Pomegranate Arts, USA, the team unleashes their creativity in a rock opera meditation on queerness, featuring 55 original songs by Mac and Ray and a bevy of costumes by Dazzle.

With the fierce elation of a pride parade, Bark of Millions is a luxuriant, provocative spectacle unlike any other. Taylor Mac (a MacArthur Fellow, Ibsen Award winner, and Pulitzer Prize finalist) as well as an Obie Award-winning composer …along with Matt Ray, are the masterminds behind this extraordinary event, which was commissioned and produced by Pomegranate Arts. Co-directed by visionaries Niegel Smith and Faye Driscoll and showcasing the extravagance of Machine Dazzle’s costume design, 

OCT 27 – NOV 22 : 1972… A ROCK OPERA

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University presents this world-premiere rock opera production to be performed as a heightened concert at Harvard’s Farkas Hall, 12 Holyoke Street in Cambridge. Written and composed by musician-activist Chadwick Stokes of the Boston-based indie bands DISPATCH and State Radio and Jessie Nelson (Waitress, I Am Sam), the production boasts a scenic design by Drama Desk nominee Amy Rubin (Romeo and Juliet, Gloria: A Life at A.R.T.); costume design by Drama Desk Award winner Nicole Jescinth Smith (“Ramy” and “Up Here” on Hulu); lighting design by Tony Award nominee Ben Stanton (Marjorie Prime, Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway); sound design by Tony Award nominee Justin Stasiw (Night Side Songs at A.R.T.; Lempicka on Broadway). Jacob Yates is the music director. Sarah Ford is the Production Stage Manager. Casting is by The Telsey Company. Claire Chrzan is the associate lighting designer. Director and playwright Jessie Nelson stated, “I am so happy to be back at A.R.T. exploring a story that lets us look at the extraordinary courage of people often overlooked and deemed ordinary,” said. “It’s a story that shines a light on an untold moment in history and helps us see the world through someone else’s eyes; it shifts our perspectives and pushes back against the things that tear us apart. We all look for theater that meets the moment—1972 does.” The story surrounds a pregnant Hannah who while fleeing an abusive relationship, finds unexpected camaraderie with three outcasts riding the rails of America. They are also outrunning ghosts of their own. After barely escaping an illegal abortion, she meets the Janes, an underground network of courageous women who risk everything to provide a choice to women with nowhere to turn. Inspired by true stories of these hidden heroes, this world-premiere rock opera fuels the ongoing fight for personal freedom. Select performances of 1972 will culminate in Act II events including talking circles and facilitated conversations with local civic leaders, scholars, and activists. Act II events invite audience members to move into dialogue with one another and to deepen their engagement with A.R.T. productions and themes. The Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America at the Harvard-Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study will curate a series of pop-up exhibitions to enhance audiences’ understanding and connection to the production. Archived writings, literature, posters, and news articles from early 1970s will be on view at 3 James St, Cambridge, MA. Production support of 1972 is provided by The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund and by Regina K. Scully and Artemis Rising Foundation. the pop-up exhibitions is free and open to the public. They will occur on Friday, October 30 (3 -5PM). Nov. 3 (1 – 3pm); and Nov. 10 (3 – 5pm). For more information and to obtain tickets, visit www.AmericanRepertoryTheater.org

OCT. 28 – NOV. 1: ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE…HOW SHAKESPEARE INVENTED THE VILLAIN

ArtsEmerson brings Octopus Theatricals, USA to the Robert J. Orchard Stage at their Paramount Center, 559 Washington St. in Boston. Dubbed “The villain of Broadway” by Playbill this production captured a Tony Award® Nominee as Grammy Award® Winner Patrick Page has never shied away from exploring his dark side. Now, with this solo  tour-de-force performance, he turns his attention to the twisted motivation and hidden humanity at the heart of Shakespeare’s greatest villains. Moving swiftly through the bard’s canon, Page illuminates the playwright’s ever-evolving conception of evil by delving into more than a dozen of his most wicked creations. Thrilling, biting, hilarious, and enlightening…Page delivers ia masterclass on the most terrifying subject of them all: human nature. Tickets for this event may be obtained at www.ArtsEmerson.org

OCT. 29 – NOV. 22: THE GETAWAY DRIVER

Central Square Theater 450 Mass Ave. in Cambridge brings Deborah Salem Smith & Charlie Thurston’s dramatic tale to their stage. Directed by Curt Columbus this Rolling World Premiere is a collaboration with Trinity Rep and Northern Stage. Based on the true story of Katherine Ann Power and Clare Schroeder, this gripping new drama follows two women bound by a single, life-altering moment. It’s 1970. College student Power joins an activist group to protest the war. When their resistance turns deadly, Schroeder must grow up in the shadow of her father’s murder while Power disappears and spends decades on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. Years later, when Power resurfaces seeking redemption, she must confront Schroeder and the past that shaped their lives. Unfolding like a true crime thriller, this remarkable story asks: How far is too far in the fight to do what’s right? Tickets may be obtained at www.centralsquaretheater.org

OCT. 31 – NOV. 22: THE WASH

The Front Porch Art Collective, Boston’s leading Black theater company, opens their 10th Season with this new production at the Roberts Theater, in the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End. Written by Kelundra Smith and Directed by Tasia A. Jones, who helmed The Porch’s well-received staged reading of THE WASH last winter. Inspired by a true story, in the 1880’s that surrounds a group of 20 African American washerwomen who formed a trade union in Atlanta, GA called the Washing Society. These laundresses worked long, grueling hours by hand—had to hail their water, make their own lye soap and scrub from dawn to dusk for just $4 to $8 a month. They fought for better wages, demanding a $1 per 12 pounds of wash. Within three weeks, with the help of ministers and Black churches as well as appealing directly to the public, those 20 women became three thousand. Despite overt persecution by the police and the city council, they prevailed and achieved higher wages and more control over their jobs. They also inspired support from multiple other domestic service workers. The cast includes MaConnia Chesser (“Jeanie”), Lindsey Colleli (“Anna”), Eliza Fichter (“Mozelle”), Kiera Prusmack (“Jewel”), Marhadoo Effeh (“Thomasine”), and Victoria Omeregie (“Charity”). Tickets for this heartfelt and stirring story of their rise to respect and autonomy may be purchased at www.frontporcharts.org

NOV. 12 – 22: THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE

The award-winning Theater Uncorked brings this drama that was nominated for Best New Play at the 1997 Laurence Olivier Awards, and nominated for six 1998 Tony Awards, winning four to the Calderwood Pavilion in the Boston center for the Arts at 527 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End. Set in a run-down, isolated cottage in Leenane, a mountainous village in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland Maureen Folan played by Parker Jennings, is a plain, isolated 40-year-old spinster. She is trapped caring for her aging mother, Mag Folan played by Sehnaz Dirik. Mag is 70-years-old, demanding, and a very manipulative woman who thrives on feigning helplessness.

Ray Dooley played by Peter Tone, who often serves as a messenger between neighbors stops by to extend an invitation to the Folans to a going-away party being held for a neighbor who is leaving. Mag deliberately withholds the invitation from Maureen. But, when Maureen finds out she decides to attend the party on her own. It is there that she meets Ray’s older brother, Pato Dooley played by Tim Hoover. He is a local construction worker who has been living in London. He is home, on holiday, visiting his family. At the party, Maureen and Pato realize they have known each other for years despite having never spoken before. They quickly begin to connect over their pasts and he offers to walk Maureen to her house. It is there that Pato calls her the “beauty queen of Leenane”.

Romance is sparked and Maureen invites him to spend the night with her. The next morning, when Mag discovers that Pato is in the house, she flies into a rage, viciously attempting to sabotage any possible relationship with Pato and her daughter. She lies, telling Pato that Maureen is mentally unstable and was previously in a psychiatric hospital. But Pato, undeterred, later writes a tender letter to Maureen asking her to move with him to Boston. But Mag stashes the letter in the stove to prevent Maureen from reading it. After Pato has sailed to America, Maureen discovers the letter and completely snaps, torturing her mother with hot oil and eventually bashing her mother to death with a fireplace poker. Maureen tells the police that her mother tripped and fell and Maureen in turn descends into complete madness, taking on the abusive personality of her mother. Tickets for this exquisitely poignant and perfectly performed tragedy may be obtained at www.bostontheatrescene.com

NOV. 13 – DEC. 31: PETER PAN GOES WRONG

The Lyric Stage Boston at 140 Clarendon Street, 2^nd Floor, in Boston, under the direction of Paul Melone, brings this fun, family friendly comedy to their stage. Fans of the Play That Goes Wrong will flock to see this new, utterly absurd, slapstick laden and completely zany comedy created by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields of the Mischief Theater. The Cornley Drama Society had now decided to boldy perform J.M. Barrie’s magical adventure tale, “Peter Pan”. As usual, the inept, egocentric cast manages to turn the play upside down amd throw it into chaos Technical hitches, flying mishaps and cast disputes occur with hilarious and disastrous results. Even the elaborate set begins to gradually.dsintergrate. Peter and Wendy suffer wardrobe malfunctions, experience a number of harrowing falls, mess up their lines, while Captain Hook has an epic meltdown courtesy of himself’. Add to the delightful insanity there is a love triangle going on and a tormented narrator. One may never see the “Peter Pan” we remember as a child. We may even dislike Peter and love Captain Hook. But we will certainly still be laughing all the way home. Tickets for this marvelous, messy, musical, mashup of “Peter Pan”may be purchased at www.lyricstage.com

THROUGH NOV. 15: WICKED

WICKED is outstandingly marvelous, magical, majestic, and memorable!!!   Lexus Broadway In Boston 2026/2027 season brings back to the Citizens Bank Opera House at 539 Washington Street in Boston this stunning musical that captured three Tony Awards as well as the hearts of theater goers around the world. Based on the Novel by Gregory Maguire, the Play Book is by Winnie Holzman and the unforgettable Score and Lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz. Directed by Joe Mantello with Choreography and Musical Staging by Wayne Cilento this is the untold prequel that prefaces many characters and happenings we all know from L Frank Baum’s 1900 novel titled The Wonderful Wizard of OZ. The audience visits Oz and experiences a time before Dorthy arrived. The still young and just novice witches that one knows from the original tale are sent to Shiz University to hone their witching skills.

Aline Mayagoitia as Elphaba and Claudia Bennett as Glinda  Photo by Joan Marcus The focus is on Galinda, a bubbly, happy girl who ultimately becomes known as the ‘Good Witch.’ She initially is horrified when she discovers that her roommate is the excruciatingly shy Elphaba that was cursed with green skin.

Drew McVety as Doctor Dillamond photo by Joan Marcus But after a bumpy start, Galinda and Elphaba become close friends and Galinda renames herself “Glinda” to honor their teacher, Dr. Dillamond who is removed from his job for being a goat. He is her animal professor who is being targeted by anti-animal discrimination.

Susan Cella as Madame Morrible: photo by Joan Marcus  Ironically, Elphaba begins exhibiting exceptionally unique magical skills that attract the interest of Madame Morrible, the head of the sorcery department. She arranges for Elphaba and Glinda to come to the Emerald City and meet the Great Wizard of Oz himself…who may not to be as great as we would assume.

Tom McGowan as The Wizard: photo by Matt Crockett  When meeting the Wizard, the young witches are shocked to discover that the Wizard has no magic in himself . Plus, he is the one who is responsible for stripping the Animals of having any rights including their ability to speak. From that moment on, we come to understand how the reticent and kind Elphaba evolves into becoming known as the feared Wicked Witch of the West. The transformation is astonishing! And yes, you heard it right, Elphaba actually can fly!

The North American Touring Company of WICKED: photo by Joan Marcus Time passes and Glinda becomes a political puppet for the Wizard while Elphaba has gone “underground” to champion for the rights of the animals. The Tornado that brings Dorothy over the rainbow to Oz is discovered to have been created by Madame Morrible. She hoped to draw Elphaba out of hiding by dropping Dorothy’s Kansas house on Nessarose Elphaba’s sister, originally referred to as Nessa. We discover that Nessa had fallen in love with Boq, a kind munchkin attending Shiz University who actually was in love with Glinda. Nessa had inherited her father’s position as the mayor of Munchkin Land and Boq had reluctantly stayed in Nessa’s service. But when Nessa discovers the truth that Boq never loved her it breaks her heart and she casts a spell on Boq to shrink his heart. He would have died if Elphaba had not saved him by turning him into a Tin Man who would not need a  heart. But Elphaba quickly learns that “no good deed goes unpunished” as Boq, discoving he is now metal, blames Elphaba and joins the crusade to destroy her.

Cristina Sastre as Nessarose and Pablo David Laucerica as Boq :Photo by Joan Marcus  Of course, every fairy tale needs a prince…and Prince Fiyero Tigelaar, a Winkie prince from the Arjiki tribe who is iintially is self centered, becomes the love interest of Glinda while they are at Shiz University,. 

Claudia Bennett as Glinda and Ethan Kirschbaum as Fiyero:: photo by Joan Marcus      But ultimately, Fiyero decides to join Elphaba’s cause. In turn, the evil Wizard encourages the people of Oz to find and capture Prince Fiyero, hopefully torturing him to reveal Elphaba’s location so the Wizard can destroy her. 

Ethan Kirschbaum as Fiyero and Aline Mayagoitia as Elphaba: photo by Joan Marcus  Our now famous Dorothy Gale from Kansas, so she can get back to Kansas, is thus manipulated by the Wizard to kill Elphaba for the Wizard of Oz  Hold your breath when that proverbial bucket of water is thrown at Elphaba and she melts on stage. But what happens next ????  This story is completely surprised filled. The outstanding cast for this touring production include Aline Mayagoitia as Elphaba; Claudia Bennett as Glinda; Ethan Kirschbaum as Prince Fiyero; Susan Cella as Madame Morrible; Tom McGowan as The Wizard; Pablo David Laucerica as the Munchkin, Boq; Cristina Sastre as Nessarose; Drew McVety as Doctor Dillamond; and Adelina Mitchel as Elphaba Standby. They are joined by 25 ensemble members, swings, and dance captains, creating a spectacularly plush production. The creative team includes Scenic Design by Eugene Lee,; Costume Design: Susan Hilferty; Lighting Design by Kenneth Posner; Sound Design by Tony Meola; Projection Design by Elaine J. McCarthy; Hair and Wig Design by Tom Watson; and Makeup Design by Joe Dulude II. Your heart will soar with this production of Wicked. Even if you have seen this a dozen times….the magic will always remain! Tickets are available here at www.BroadwayInBoston.com

NOV. 17 – 22: THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Concord Theatricals and NETworks Presentations, bring to the stage of the Boch Center Wang Theatre at 270 Tremont St. in Boston this new, critically acclaimed North American tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved musical. Directed by three-time Tony Award® winner Jack O’Brien, this production honors the 65th anniversary of the musical’s original stage debut in 1959. It captured five Tony Awards including Best Musical.  Director Jack O’Brien states, “A few years ago, I was part of a group of collaborative artists who, almost inadvertently, stumbled on original conceptions for the stage mounting of THE SOUND OF MUSIC that had never found their way into production. We felt as if we were awakening Sleeping Beauty herself, and the results exposed a version of this classic virtually unknown before, and yet more dramatic, more detailed, more rapturous and more touching than any we had experienced.” “It is with extreme enthusiasm and a keen sense of anticipation those same artists once more return to complete the work we began, and give this most beloved of all musicals the creative face-lift it deserves. We truly believe the original authors would be thrilled. And we believe you will be, too!” The 1965 motion picture won five Academy Awards including Best Picture to become one of the top grossing films of all time. This smash-hit musical classic will transport the next generation of Theatergoers will be transported to the hills of Austria, while ultimately being captivated by its universal themes of love, resilience and the power of music. It is the spirited, romantic and beloved story of Maria, a young novice the Nonnberg Abbey, a Benedictine nunnery located in Salzburg, Austria. She was a restless girl who loved to sing and hike in the mountains. The Mother Abbess assigned Maria to be a governess for the 7 children of a widowed naval captain Georg von Trapp. They were Liesl von Trapp (age 16), Friedrich von Trapp (age 14), Louisa von Trapp(age 13), Kurt von Trapp (age 11),Brigitta von Trapp (age 10), Marta von Trapp (age 7), and Gretl von Trapp (age 5). The musical features an unforgettable Tony, GRAMMY® and Academy Award®-winning Best Score, including legendary favorites “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Edelweiss” and “The Sound of Music.” Soundtrack ranked the album as Billboard’s #2 Greatest Album of All Time. Choreography is by Danny Mefford, Set Design is by Tony Award nominee Douglas Schmidt. ; Costume Design is by Jane Greenwood while Lighting Design is by eight time Tony Award-winner, Natasha Katz. Sound Design is by Kai Harada, with Musical Supervision is by Andy Einhorn. Hair/Wig Design are by Tom Watson. The Executive producers are Sean Patrick Flahaven for Concord Theatricals and Trinity Wheeler for NETworks Presentations. Producer Sean Patrick Flahaven, Chief Theatricals Executive of Concord, said, “It’s a great privilege to bring a new tour of this landmark musical to theaters across North America. People of all ages will discover or rediscover their love of this classic story that remains so appropriate for our time. Thanks to our distinguished team, led by the master Jack O’Brien, audiences can expect a truly magnificent production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC.” Tickets for this marvelous musical for the entire family may be obtained here at www.bochcenter.org

(*) Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States