On with the show
Curtain rises – for real – on Boston theater scene
Broadway is back. Great news for New York and the national theater scene. But you can stay put here in Massachusetts and get all the drama, comedy, opera and dance you want. After a year of virtual theater and Zoom experiences, in-the-flesh performances resume with twists on Shakespeare, Greek mythology, Italian operas and more.
“Midsummer Night’s Dream,” now through Dec. 4, Rockwell Theater, Somerville
Two pairs of lovers, traveling actors, a mischievous Puck and a few shots. (Expletive)-faced Shakespeare does for the Bard what Drunk History does for the Founding Fathers when one boozed-up actor mixes in with a sober cast. (therockwell.org)
“Go stop listen, Still wait go,” Sept. 23-25, South End neighborhood
Urbanity Dance celebrates the opening of its 10th anniversary season with its signature fall crawl event. Choreographed by Urbanity founder Betsi Graves, this immersive dance performance will take pods of one to six people through 10 spots in the South End where they will see dance numbers set to original scores by Massachusetts artists including Tim Hall, Akili Jamal Haynes, Tiniqua Patrick, Valerie Stephens and the Lotus Sound. (give.classy.org/gostoplisten)
“Cavalleria Rusticana,” Oct. 1 & 3, Leader Bank Pavilion
The Boston Lyric Opera takes its audience to a small Sicilian village. And also the Leader Bank Pavilion. The BLO recently secured the outdoor concert spot to put on its first production of composer Pietro Mascagni’s one-act tale of love, betrayal and death. The open-air venue will let the company return to live performances with a full orchestra and chorus. (blo.org)
“Rent,” Oct. 12-17. Shubert Theatre
“Rent” started with a big goal: Re-imagine Puccini’s “La Boheme” in a New York City knee-deep into the AIDS epidemic. Its legacy is even grander: It became a Broadway smash and iconic piece of theater (see its Tony Award for best musical and Pulitzer Prize for drama). Time to see it one last time, or for the first time, on the 25th anniversary tour. (bochcenter.org)
“La Traviata,” Oct. 17-24, Eustis Estate Museum, Milton
MassOpera returns with its first live production in nearly two years. And the company is going for something grand with an immersive production of the Verdi classic in this 150-year-old mansion that will have audiences moving to four locations throughout the estate. (massopera.org)
“Macbeth In Stride,” Oct. 23Nov. 14, Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge
Created by Obie Awardwinner Whitney White, this examination of Macbeth, Shakespeare and theater (and possibly the whole of society) is the first of White’s five-part series commissioned by the A.R.T. Part one makes use of pop, rock, gospel and R&B to follow the fate of Lady Macbeth while taking a hard, smart, passionate look at Black female power, femininity and desire. (americanrepertorytheater.org)
“Hadestown,” Nov. 2–14, Opera House The Cambridge/Somerville folk scene has longknown about the genius of Anais Mitchell (thanks again Anais for producing the best Session Americana album, “Pack Up the Circus”) The world got a look at that genius when she developed her album “Hadestown,” about Orpheus’ trip to the underworld to rescue his wife Eurydice, into a Broadway musical. It won eight 2019 Tony Awards including best new musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for best musical theater album.