THE ETERNAL SUNSHINE BOY: GEORGE BURNS

When your time on earth is over and you find yourself at the Pearly Gates being interviewed by the big man (or woman), what might you say if you had to justify how you spent your days here. Would you be worthy to enter heaven? If you've lived over one hundred years and your name is George Burns, you might have quite a mouthful to say. The Ivoryton Playhouse will let you sit in on Mr. Burns' heartfelt confessions in a delightful and sincere one man play by Rupert Holmes entitled "Say Goodnight, Gracie," the line he always ended his routines with his partner and wife Gracie Allen. The show runs until Sunday, November 21. Don't miss R. Bruce Connolly's wonderful interpretation of this beloved comedian, with his trademark cigar, a twinkle in his eye, a witty quip and a self-deprecating smile. One of twelve children, the son of a coat presser and cantor in the synagogue, born Nathan Birnbaum in the lower East Side of New York in a tenement in 1897, he found himself trying to support the family at the age of seven when his father suddenly died. His creative skills finding employment were evident even then. In his vaudeville days, he changed his stage name as frequently as he changed his underwear and he didn't find any success until he teamed up with a petite pretty Irish Catholic girl with a funny voice and a unique sense of humor named Gracie Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen. Their comedy act, which he explains was based on "illogical logic," took them prominently from vaudeville to radio to the stage and to television. They talked, with George asking Gracie, “So, how's your brother?" and Gracie answering with convoluted tales that lasted 22 minutes. He became the classic straight man to her innate brand of humor. Their song and dance routine endured their whole married life, until Gracie's health problems forced her retirement. Now, after a century on this earth, George Burns justifies his place of prominence on this planet, dropping the names of his good friends like Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Duarante, in case God is impressed, and hopscotching happily through nine decades in show business. R. Bruce Connolly captures the spirit and heart of the man and shines a mirror on his soul, with a little soft shoe and a song. Jacqueline Hubbard directs this homage to George Burns with an affectionate and gentle hand. For tickets ($55, senior $50, student $25), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or go online for information to www.ivorytonplayhouse.org. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m. and Wednesday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Be sure to bring your vaccination card and a mask. You will be socially distanced for this 90 minute show without intermission. Let George Burns be the affable tour guide to his own life, as he tries to impress God, a role he played three times himself in the movies. Surely, you will be suitably delightful with everything he has to say and the wonderful pictures that illuminate his presentation.

"AH, WILDERNESS!" SERENADES AT HARTFORD STAGE

Playwright Eugene O’Neill did not write comedies. His main characters did not live happily ever after. There were no scenes of joyful family get togethers. His creations suffered long and hard into the night. The exception is his definitely different take on the Miller family in his one and only comic turn “Ah, Wilderness!,” a coming-of-age story at the turn of the century America that premiered on Broadway in 1933. On the Fourth of July in 1906, we meet the Millers and their precocious middle son Richard who at sixteen is experiencing growth pains and exploring controversial social ideas. Is he dealing with youthful idealism or is he truly a rebel bent on rebellion? Thought to be modeled after O’Neill himself, the play which was written in a single month examines a world quite different from his usual milieu. Here Richard, despite his wild actions as a would be poet, is part of a loving family who care for him deeply and are willing and able to pull him back from the cliff he seems ready to plunge over. The Hartford Stage is anxious for you to experience live theater again with Eugene O’Neill’s comedy “Ah Wilderness!” postponed from the 2019-2020 season. Until Sunday, November 7, you are invited to take a seat in James Noone’s delightfully detailed summer house in New London, Connecticut to celebrate Independence Day. Richard, a free thinking and philosophical Jaevon Williams, is ready to take on love and poetry as his unalienable rights. His father Nate, a concerned Michael Boatman, and his mother, a protective Antoinette LaVecchia, are notably concerned when their middle son shows signs of teenage mutiny. Who can blame Richard when he receives a letter of farewell from his new love Muriel (Brittany Anikka Liu), delivered personally by her irate father (Joseph Adams)? He is informed his fancy ideas and poetic outbursts are to stop immediately. What is a poor lad to do? With innocence on Richard’s side and indiscretion from an instigating friend Wint (Tanner Jones), Richard plows straight into trouble and has to be rescued from his worst enemy, himself. Heaven forbid he takes to alcohol like his Uncle Sid (McCaleb Burnett) who has been a disappointment to Lily (Natascia Diaz) who has been waiting in vain for Sid to reform. Additional members of this talented cast include Katerina McCrimmon, Myles Low, Stuart Rider, Antonio Jose Jeffries and Annie Jean Buckley. Artistic director Melia Bensussen has heightened the play’s enjoyment by sprinkling music in the production played by pianist Yan Li and sung by various cast members, with period costumes designed by Olivera Gajic. For tickets ($30 and up), call the Hartford Stage, 50 Church Street, Hartford at 860-527-5151 or online at HartfordStage.org. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinees at 2 p.m Saturday and Sunday, with select weekday matinees at 2 p.m. Remember your vaccination cards and masks. Settle back for a kinder, gentler world where one rebellious teen finds his way to adulthood, with old-fashioned charm laced with nostalgia.

THE KINGSTON TRIO ENTERTAINS AT THE KATE

Are you interested in nostalgia? Do you like remembering memorable musical moments from the past and reliving their glory? If your answers are yes, then do I have a treat for you. Sixty years ago, this group in question was described as the “most envied, the most imitated and the most successful singing group, folk or otherwise, in all show business.” They have also been called “the undisputed kings of the folk singing rage by every yardstick,” credited with launching the pop folk boom with their hit recording of “Tom Dooley.” That tune became a number one hit and as a single sold over three million copies. This dynamic group released nineteen albums that made the Billboard's Top 100, fourteen making the Top 10, and five that hit the spot at number one. If you guessed The Kingston Trio then you’re primed for a treat as they will entertain at The Kate in Old Saybrook in two concerts, Saturday, November 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 7 at 2 p.m. Over the years, a number of performing individuals and groups have credited The Kingston Trio with transforming the music world, like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, The Beach Boys and The Bee Gees, to name a few. Whether they sing protest songs, calypso numbers or Broadway tunes, The Kingston Trio will surely entertain in royal style. The original members in 1957 were Dave Guard, Bob Shane and Nick Reynolds, three class friends, in California. The current members Mike Marvin, Tim Gorelangston and Don Marovich have connections to the original three. Mike is the adopted son of founding member Nick Reynolds and credits Nick as his musical mentor. Tim has been a close friend since childhood and has recorded with Nick Reynolds. Don has performed with the trio and plays guitar, banjo and mandolin. In their trademark striped shirts, you may hear such classics as “Tom Dooley,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” “Greenback Dollar,” “A Worried Man,” “Raspberries Strawberries,” “Hard, Ain’t It Hard,” “They Call the Wind Maria,” “This Land Is Your Land,” “This Little Light of Mine” and “Desert Pete,” among others. For tickets ($65), call The Kate, 300 Main Street, Old Saybrook, at 860-510-0453 or online at katharinehepburntheater.secure.force.com. Gather your memories like flowers and create a musical bouquet thanks to The Kingston Trio at The Kate.

"THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW" COMES TO MILFORD

It is a dark and stormy night, a veritable storm, and an unfortunate time for a car to break down. Where is AAA when you need it? Brad (Jack Saleeby) and his sweetheart Janet (Elise Sullivan) are mere innocents when they stumble upon a mansion that conjures up nightmares of Halloween in its wildest and most wicked state. They naively knock on the uninviting door, merely seeking a telephone to get mechanical help. Unhappily for the hapless pair, the mansion is the home of Dr. Frank ’N’ Furter, a commanding and flamboyant Jimmy Johansmeyer, a mad scientist and a transvestite, not necessarily in that order of importance. The unusual home is already occupied by a bevy of creative customers, who range from the colorful house servants Riff Raff (Justin Rugg) and his sister Magenta (Shelley Marsh Poggio), a cute flower child with rainbow hair Columbia (Mary Mannix), a narrator who tries to make sense of the goings on (Don Poggio), a doctor who has more questions than answers (Steve Autore), a trio of phantoms who assist the action (Sherri Alfonso, Maria Berta and Michael Cavone) and the good doctor’s latest creation, a muscle man named Rocky, a spectacular specimen (Everton Ricketts). It’s clearly too late for Brad and Janet to escape the mad house so just start praying for their survival. Batten down the hatches as Pantochino Productions of Milford unleashes “The Rocky Horror Show” as a Halloween happening until Friday, October 29. This cult favorite from 1975 is a musical stuffed with songs and dances, such as “The Time Warp," “Over at the Frankenstein Place,” “I Can Make You a Man,” "Hot Patootie,” "Science Fiction,” and “Superheroes.” Audiences frequently dress in costumes and shout out dialogue with the performers. Credit for the play goes to Jim Sharman and Richard O’Brien, with clever direction by Bert Bernardi and costumes extraordinaire by Jimmy Johansmeyer. For tickets ($30), go online to pantochino.com. Performances are Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., and Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Milford Arts Council, 40 Railroad Avenue, Milford. Please bring your fully vaccinated card and a mask. No food is allowed and there is no intermission. Get on your black leather jackets and fish net stockings and be prepared for the unique form of hospitality waiting for you when the playmates at the asylum invite you in to party. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

ROB BARTLETT IS "MR. BIG SHOT" AT WATERBURY'S SEVEN ANGELS THEATRE

Rob Bartlett, actor, writer, comedian and Emmy and Drama Desk Award Winner, is taking his colorful multi-faceted act on the road. For a man who began his comic career in kindergarten, his autobiographical story is sure to engender laughter and fun with its honesty and candor. Let Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury introduce you to “Mr. Big Shot” from Thursday, November 3 to Saturday, November 13 for the true story, the unvarnished truth, the whole megillah, the essence of the man. A virtual barrel of laughs, Rob Bartlett tells it like it is as he sees the world. If you didn’t catch his act in elementary school, maybe you were privileged to see him in his thirty year adventure on the “Imus in the Morning” radio show from 1987 to 2018. He appeared as a regular writer and performer doing his classic shtick as such personalities as Tom Carvel Artonio Noriega, Shacky Bhula and Buddy Miyagi as well as The Godfather, Andrew Dice Clay, Dr. Phil McGraw, Rush Linbaugh, Larry King, Bill Clinton, Gary Busey, Hulk Hogan, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan and even Yoko Ono and Paula Dean. In addition to his long list of celebrity impressions, Bartlett has added a thirty year favorite Sal Monella whose Brooklyn accent injects a unique flavor into his “Night Before Christmas in Brooklyn” poem. Bartlett, who writes his own material, began his career as a stand-up comic at Richard M. Dixon’s White House Inn, a talent showcase on Long Island. There he fortuitously met Eddie Murphy and he was off and running. Appearing on stage, film and on television and writing television specials, this established professional has succeeded in all aspects of the entertainment world, as his on stage stories will tell in detail. The versatile Mr. Bartlett has done everything from being the voice of Marty the dog in the hit animated children’s show "Kenny the Shark" to being on Broadway in the dual roles of Twimble and Wally Womper in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” starring Daniel Radcliffe. For tickets ($30-35), call Seven Angels Theatre, Plank Road, Waterbury at 203-757-4575 or online at SevenAngelsTheatre.org or https://www.sevenangelstheatre.org/event/mr-big-shot/ Performances are Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Remember to bring your proof of vaccination and your mask. This multi-media “Robio Remembers” program covers Rob Bartlett’s professional career, the heights and the low points, and everything in-between. Prepare your funny bone and all the 205 other bones for laughter.

"THE CHINESE LADY" ON DISPLAY AT LONG WHARF THEATRE

Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven is proud to be offering live theatre once again, after such a long hiatus, with the intriguing true tale of a fourteen year old girl from the Guangzhou Province in China who comes to America in 1834. Afong Moy, the youngest of seven children, has no say in this momentous decision and soon finds herself a sideshow attraction. What was to be a two year commitment ultimately lasts for decades, more than five. Until October 31, you are invited into her intimate world as penned by Lloyd Suh and lyrically directed by Ralph B. Pena as you make the acquaintance of a luminous Shannon Tyo as Afong Moy. Living in a virtual box, she soon finds herself satisfying the curiosities of white visitors who have never seen a woman from China before. Afong May is thought to be the first person of Chinese origin to come here. She shows them how she dresses, what she eats, and, most especially, how she is able to walk on feet that have been crippled and bound with silken cord. Afong Moy is regarded as a curiosity, a figure to be studied, an object to be examined. The decades she is put on display as a celebrity take a toll on her image of herself and her exotic ways. In the beginning, she is delighted to share her uniqueness, her chopsticks instead of a fork, her distinctive and colorful clothing, all the vestiges of a life that is rich and culturally different. At her side over the years is her guardian and translator Atung played by Jon Norman Schneider, who cares for her and protects her, especially when she goes on a many city tour, even meeting President Andrew Jackson. She is never asked if this is what she wants with her new life, if she has ambitions that are never realized, whether she wishes to go home to see her family, that she is being exploited and never even paid. This is no grand mission of worldly understanding, This is not a joyful honor of which Afong should feel pride. The playwright skillfully inserts Chinese history into the story as more Chinese come to this country and are abused and mistreated. For tickets ($59), call Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven at 203-693-1486 or online at longwharf.org. Performances are Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Patrons must show a fully vaccinated card and wear a mask. Follow the fascinating journey of a young Chinese girl as she brings her culture and homeland to our shores.

"ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE" BRINGS FUN AND FROLIC TO THE BUSHNELL

Caribbean casual, coconuts, cheeseburgers, chilling out, charm, comedy, clever catchy tunes and cheer are all characterized in the newest national tour to populate the Bushnell Theater in Hartford. Grab your flip-flops, an island flowered shirt and a frothy frozen drink to get in the leisure mood, from Tuesday, October 12 to Sunday, October 17, as Jimmy Buffett’s “Escape to Margaritaville” lures you to forsake work and play, play, play. Punctuating Buffett’s chatty tunes, the musical comedy is by Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley and is semi-auto-biographical in nature. Buffett started out playing for drinks at a bar in Key West, Florida. Now the story is island-bound and revolves around Tully, successfully singing and playing the guitar part-time while he pursues women full-time, whether they want to be caught or not. His latest target is Rachel who is focused on her potato and volcano project and her career and is resistant to his charms. A lack of romantic chemistry and Rachel’s uptight manner do nothing to dissuade Tully from his goal. Meanwhile Rachel’s best friend Tammy is about to be married back home in Ohio and is using her island time to have a last fling and escape her culinary restrictions. She discovers Brick, the bartender, may be the salty rim to her drinking glass. Get your frozen drink, a beach ball, a comfy lounge chair and a Parrothead hat, if you dare, and you’ll be ready for some island time relaxation. Tunes like “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” “License to Chill,” "It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Margaritaville,” “It’s My Job,” “Fins” and “Son of a Son of a Sailor”are sure to have your juices flowing. Kelly Devine designed the fun choreography while Christopher Ashley directs the romantic action. For tickets ($31 and up), call the Bushnell, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford at 860-987-6000 or online at https://bushnell.org/Shows-Concerts/Escape-to-Margaritaville. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Your ticket to fun in the sun in the tropics awaits you.

"A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING" AT GOODSPEED UNTIL NOVEMBER 28

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well respected and successful team writing American musical theater, especially during the 1940’s and 1950’s, the “golden age” of that particular genre. They are credited with penning such glorious hits as “Oklahoma,” "Carousel,” “South Pacific,” “The King and I" and “The Sound of Music” as well as the television broadcast of “Cinderella.” Amassing thirty four Tony Awards, fifteen Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes and two Grammy Awards, Rodgers and Hammerstein created a partnership labelled the greatest of the twentieth century. Although Rodgers originally worked with Lorenz Hart and Hammerstein partnered with Jerome Kern, they began collaborating on “Oklahoma,” based on Lynn Riggs' “Green Grow the Lilacs” in 1943, creating what has been termed "a revolution in musical drama.” To be caught up in the magical moments musically created by this popular pair, plan to go to Goodspeed Opera House on the Connecticut River in East Haddam until Sunday, November 28 as the delightful and delicious cabaret “A Grand Night for Singing: A Celebration of Rodgers and Hammerstein” is being offered under a giant multi-colored moon, in a palette of colors to match the mood of the music. These timeless tunes are being reinvented, refreshed and reimagined for this moment, with a new spin and a novel perspective that is sure to engage the audience, one that is so anxious to be enjoying live theater once again. Thanks to director Rob Ruggiero, these old favorites are being redressed in new costumes and attitudes, with romance clearly in the air. The majesty of “This Nearly Was Mine” from “South Pacific” follows the new born joy of “Something Wonderful” from “The King and I” while the dilemma of “I Cain’t Say No” from "Oklahoma” is paired with “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria” from “The Sound of Music.” More than thirty grand songs are presented by Jasmine Forsberg, Mauricio Martinez, Mamie Parris, Jesse Nager and Diane Phelan, with Kathryn Boswell and Kevin Schuering as standbys. Tunes like “Hello, Young Lovers” from “The King and I” and “That’s the Way It Happens” from “Me and Juliet” and “All at Once You Love Her” from “Pipe Dream” will introduce you to some of the pairs’ best known and lesser known creations. Favorites like “Honey Bun” from “South Pacific,” "Kansas City” from “Oklahoma,” “Shall We Dance” from “The King and I” and “My Little Girl” from “Carousel” are sure to please. Adam Souza directs the orchestra while Lainie Sakakura is the mistress of choreography. For tickets ($29 and up), call the box office at 860-873-8668 or go online to goodspeed.org. Performances are Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.(with select performances at 6:30 p.m.). Patrons must show their fully vaccinated card and wear a mask. Seating will be socially distanced. Come visualize in your mind pumpkins becoming golden carriages, women washing annoying men out of their hair and surreys sailing by with fringe on top as the imaginative cast brings you into the incredible musical world of Rodgers and Hammerstein. You may want to dance all night.

DISCOVER AN AWESOME MUSICAL ADVENTURE IN “ANASTASIA”

Princess or pauper is the central puzzle swirling around an orphan girl known as Anya. Adventure, romance and mystery surround a penniless young girl who may just have a secret identity or does she? Is she the perfect and poised princess or the fanciful figment of a fruitful imagination? Come meet Anastasia, the lass whose family is assassinated in a revolt in czarist Russia at the turn of the twentieth century in a glorious musical at the Palace Theater in Waterbury Tuesday, October 19 until Thursday, October 21. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this splendid spectacle of a show. It is magical and momentous and marvelous. Anastasia, better known as Anya, is the delightfully spunky and devoted daughter whose story book childhood is disturbed violently when the peasants revolt and everyone in her family is killed, save for her and her grandmother, the Dowager Empress, who had fortunately traveled to Paris in advance of the siege. Anya is wonderfully charming as the young girl thrust out of her aristocratic upbringing to find herself suddenly sweeping streets, with an empty purse, all alone. Think Eliza Doolittle without the flowers. Two men, Dmitry, and Vlad come upon Anya in her reduced state and determine she would be an excellent candidate to pose as the lost princess, to learn the appropriate facts and pass herself off as The Dowager Empress’s missing heir. Think Professor Higgins and his mate Pickering without the language lessons. While the gentlemen are working to perfect their scheme, the ruthless Russians want to suppress any rumors that Anastasia survived the coup and proceed to plot her death. The Dowager in Paris is protected by her guardian Lily, who dismisses all the imposters who claim to be ready to assume the legacy. Lily’s past relationship with Vlad helps to open the door for Anya to make her claim, and the renewing of that courtship is a delight to witness…one of millions in the musical. One quickly runs out of superlatives to describe the elegant costuming, the elaborate scenic design, with amazing projections and video, the enchanting choreography and the exceptional direction. All the moving parts of this magical musical fit together in a masterful jigsaw puzzle of perfection. This musical boasts a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and the result is joyful. Tunes like “Once Upon a December,” “We’ll Go From There,” “In a Crowd of Thousands,” “Land of Yesterday” and “Everything to Win” swell with meaning. There is even a scene from the ballet “Swan Lake “ to admire and applaud. For tickets ($49 and up), call the Palace, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at www.palacetheaterct.org. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The show will move to the Shubert Theater in New Haven Friday, October 22 to Sunday, October 24. Call 203-562-5666 or https://my.shubert.com. Hop aboard for the white gloved elegant hit of the season as Anastasia takes you on a journey of adventure and romance that bridges decades and destiny.

"NUNSENSE WITH A TWIST" AT SEVEN ANGELS THEATRE

Are you ready for a little Catholic comedy and habit humor, served in heavenly happiness, then playwright Dan Goggin and Seven Angels Theatre have the perfect fare for you. Until Sunday, October 10, the Little Sisters of Hoboken are offering “Nunsense with a Twist!” and your favorite nuns are quickly off and running for every joke and laugh in the prayer book. The good Little Sisters of Hoboken are being forced to hold a talent show fundraiser as an emergency measure to stave off the imminent visit by the New Jersey Board of Health. As you may or may not remember, their dedicated Chef Sister Julia, Child of God, made an unfortunate soup that caused fifty two nuns to go to God prematurely. Only forty eight were buried properly and, because funds ran out, the last four were stored in the convent freezer. Actually the Reverend Mother bought a giant television and squandered the remaining funds. Hence, the need to quickly raise funds for burial plots. If this hooky and humorous plot line tickles your fancy, then you are prime candidates for Daniel Goggin's highly successful comedy "Nunsense" being irreverently presented at Waterbury's Seven Angels Theatre. He has called upon his memories of elementary religious school, clickers and rulers and all, to fashion his offerings. Come meet the Mother Superior who jealously guards all her chicks and her coterie which includes Sister Robert Anne who is Brooklyn street smart and the driver of the convent van, Sister Mary Leo who is literally always "on her toes" as a wannabe ballerina, the second-in-command Sister Mary Hubert who like Avis keeps trying harder, and, last but not least, Sister Amnesia who lost her marbles and memory when a crucifix fell on her head. These devoted ladies of the cloth will move heaven and earth to provide you with an angelic performance as they sing, dance, tell jokes, provide cooking lessons and even bring out Sister Marionette, all in the service of the Lord to entertain you. No doubt you might identify with this easily "habit forming" pastime. Come see Tom Chute as the esteemed Reverend Mother, Jimmy Donohue as the waiting to be head honcho Sister Mary Hubert, Marissa Follo Perry as the dancing Sister Mary Leo,, Mandy Leigh Thompson as the Brooklyn born Sister Robert Anne and Artistic Director Semina DeLaurentis as Sister Amnesia. Be prepared for a religious quiz or three, with appropriate prizes if you are correct, the perpetual understudy Sister Robert Anne vying for her turn in the spotlight, a country western singing session, a turn of fleet feet doing "Tackle That Temptation with a Time Step" and much much more. For tickets ($30), call Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Road, Waterbury at 203-757-4676 or online at www.sevenangelstheatre.org. Performances are Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Prepare to be thoroughly engaged as the Little Sisters of Hoboken kick up their heels and pull out all the stops (and corks from the sacramental wine) to entertain you in heavenly splendor. Be careful, you might be tempted to convert.

“SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE” IS SMOKING HOT FARE

Welcome back ACT, A Contemporary Theatre in Ridgefield, to the center stage with live theatre! The sensational sounds of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller are once again giving pleasure to local audiences and you’re invited to be front and present. Jerry Leiber has been accused of convincing his soulmate Mike Stoller into becoming a songwriter, something Stoller was not anxious to become. Whatever Jerry said, that unique partnership lasted for six decades, with Jerry as the witty lyricist and Mike as the talented composer. Along the way, they helped a little unknown singer like Elvis Presley find his voice, gifting him with tunes like "Loving You" and "Jailhouse Rock." Rock and roll was their forte and humor was often their trademark, although rhythm and blues crept into their extensive repertoire. This producing partnership wrote "Hound Dog" for Big Mama Thornton and a string of R and B tunes for Charles Brown, Jimmy Witherspoon and Floyd Dixon. Almost three dozen of their greatest hits are on display until Sunday, October 24 as the ACT of Ridgefield presents "Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller" for your sizzling listening pleasure. This musical revue is equal to Jack Benny’s age, 39, and the pair wrote lyrics for the likes of Elvis, Ben E. King, The Coasters and The Drifters, winning Grammys and Tony awards along the way. As the architects of rock and roll, Leiber and Stoller knew no rivals. If you’re looking for a good time that ping pongs back and forth from snappy scomebacks to mellow yellow, then “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” is the perfect place to park yourself for a musical interlude. A talented cast of eight - Albert Guerzon, Arnold Harper II, Avionce Hoyles, Jordan Fife Hunt, Keyonna Knight, Courtney Long, Kelly MacMillan and Juson Williams - is perfectly poised and polished to light up the skies with hits from the musical pens of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. In responding to the duo’s wild success, as two nice Jewish boys who met in 1950 and embraced black culture, Jerry Leiber noted “We don’t write songs. We write records." Turn up the heat for this retrospective of hits that are reminiscent of decades ago that swing and sway and shimmy into rhythmic magic land with such numbers as “Dance With Me,” “Searchin,’” “On Broadway,” “Yakety Yak,” and “I’m A Woman.” They will tickle your fancy with their comic twists performing “Poison Ivy,” “Don Juan,” “D. W. Washburn,” and “Love Potion #9.” Elvis will enter the building as they blast out “Hound Dog,” “Treat Me Nice,” and “Jailhouse Rock.” You’ll love the verbal Valentine of “Falling,” the fun of the dancing in “Teach Me How To Shimmy” and the power of “Stand By Me.” Their invitation to “Dance With Me” will be too hard to resist while you might be tempted to confess and repent just to be ”Saved.” No matter what the mood or tempo, this lively group will wrap you up with a slithery red boa as they dance and sing. They’ve got all the right moves and you might find yourself on your feet on stage helping them along the way. Stephanie Pope Lofgren is both director and choreographer. For tickets, call the ACT, 36 Quarry Road, Ridgefield at 475- 215-5497 or online at boxoffice@actofct.org. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Let the mighty spirit move you as you take a musical journey along this friendly and famous road paved by the good works of Leiber and Stoller. Discover first hand why Leiber and Stoller have been called the Rodgers and Hammerstein of Rock and Roll.