"GUYS AND DOLLS" A SUREFIRE HIT AT ACT OF RIDGEFIELD

Sky Masterson has been known to make a bet on which cockroach will reach a wedge of cheese first or whether Mindy’s Deli will sell more cheesecake or strudel on any given day. But when he makes a wager that he can convince a certain prim and proper Salvation Army recruiter to accompany him to Cuba for a lunch date, he may have overestimated his powers of persuasion and charm. To discover first hand how successful this influential gambler is take your dice, loaded or not, to ACT of Ridgefield for a quick lesson or three courtesy of Damon Runyon’s inspired characters in the classical musical comedy “Guys and Dolls” laying odds of success until Sunday, November 20, with book by Jo Sterling and Abe Burrows and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Get ready to love this show a bushel and a peck, one that has been plotting saints against sinners for over seven decades, thanks to the adorable and sympathetic entreaties of Donna Vivino’s Miss Adelaide. The epitome of patience, she has been standing at the altar for fourteen years, waiting for her fiancé Nathan Detroit, a reluctant and fast talking Phil Stoves. The fact that Miss Adelaide abhors gambling and Nathan can’t wait to make a quick buck running crap games make the chances of him being honorable in the next century about 100 to 1. Nathan plots to con the biggest bettor of them all, the smooth Matt Faucher as Sky Masterson, to finance his latest illegal endeavor by tricking him. He bets Sky he can’t get the pious and pure head of the Save-A-Soul Mission run by a dedicated to saving sinners Katherine Riddle as Miss Sarah Brown to fly off with him to Havana. Unexpectedly Sky accomplishes the impossible and ends up pledging one dozen genuine sinners to Sarah’s cause, like Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Izzy Figueroa) and Big Jule (Victor Hernandez), while the local constable (Mike Boland) tries unsuccessfully to catch all the gamblers in the act. Glorious Frank Loesser tunes propel this inspired musical like Adelaide’s perpetual cold in “Adelaide’s Lament" caused by Nathan’s irresponsibility, Sarah’s grandmother Arvide’s (Rebecca Hoodwin) tender love advice in “More I Cannot Wish You,” Nicely-Nicely’s fervent plea “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” and Sky’s determined prayer “Luck Be a Lady,“ among many others. Daniel C. Levine directs this colorful cast of characters on a rollicking set designed by Jack Mehler, with a rainbow of costumes created by Claudia Stefany, in a high powered production that's a sure crowd pleaser. For tickets ($63-152), call ACT (A Contemporary Theatre) 36 Old 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. (plus 2 p.m. on November 11), Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Masks are encouraged but not required. Resident music supervisor Bryan Perri will perform a special fundraiser of songs, stories and conversation, “Broadway Unplugged,“ on Monday, December 12 at 7 p.m. Come place your winning wager on a surefire and guaranteed bet!

COMEDIAN PAUL REISER TO SHINE WITH LAUGHTER AT THE BUSHNELL

Paul Reiser has written New York Times best selling books: Couplehood, Babyhood and Familyhood. In addition, he recently starred with Kevin Hart in the Netflix comedy Fatherhood. He is clearly enamored with “hoods.” Comedy Central has voted Reiser one of the “Top 100 Comedians of All Time” and you have the unique opportunity to learn about his obsession with hoods and his comedic career at the Belding Theater in Hartford’s Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, November 12 at 8 p.m. This prolific and talented stand up comedian has entertained us for eons with Helen Hunt on “Mad About You,” as the married couple Paul Buchman and his charming wife Jamie Stemple and their trials and triumphs living in New York City. From 1992 to 1999, we laughed at episodes like the saga of the Thanksgiving turkey dinner where they tried to please all their guests, Murray feasts on the guest of honor and a turkey literally flies out the window. To catch another side to this versatile performer, watch for him as Dr, Sam Owens in Hawkins, Indiana in the mid 1980’s in the Netflix science fiction horror drama television series “Stranger Things.” Previously he was a detective in “Beverly Hills Cop” and its sequels, a villain Carter Burke in “Aliens,” and more recently the boyfriend in “The Kominsky Method.” Starring in more than thirty films and more than twenty television shows and series, Paul Reiser is no stranger to the entertainment world. For tickets ($37-60), call the Bushnell, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford at 860–987-5900 or online at https;//bushnell.org. Check the website for Covid information. Let the multi-talented comedian and actor Paul Reiser share stories guaranteed to delight you and make you smile and laugh.

WATERBURY'S PALACE THEATER OFFERS A BEVY OF INTERESTING EVENTS

In addition to theater tours, concerts and Broadway national tours, Waterbury’s Palace Theater is sponsoring a collection of interesting events for your entertainment and enlightenment. For example, they offer “2nd Act” where people mostly over 50, delight audiences in their lovely Poli Club upstairs with stories of career changes made later in life. If you share a love of theater, for example, with Stuart Brown, who started his love affair with Broadway more than five decades ago, you were a captive audience on November 1 at the Palace for his intriguing new journey. Recently retired as director of student services at UCONN Waterbury Brown now has more time and energy to devote to his passion for performances, particularly musical theater. From the time he saw “Grease" in 1973, he has been fascinated by the Great White Way, as a theater critic member of the Outer Critics Circle and current president of the Connecticut Critics Circle and the creator of his own radio show TheSoundsofBroadway.com with 80,000 engaged listeners every month. In addition to “2nd Act” that highlights achievements of individuals of a certain age, the Palace also offers a series for authors entitled “I Wrote That!” Dr. Charles McNair, a primary care physician from Watertown, will discuss his two war novels on Veterans Day, November 11 at 2 p.m, “Soldiers of a Foreign War” and “In a Dark Wood.” On Thursday, November 17 at 7 p.m., the hilarious humorist Gina Barreca will showcase the latest anthology she edited “Fast Funny Women: 75 Essays of Flash Nonfiction.” Discover how humor and courage have played an integral part in getting women to survive and thrive during life’s challenging times. Next up on the Palace’s agenda is a table play reading “36” by actress and playwright Kate Katcher on Saturday, November 19 at 2 p.m. sponsored by the League of Professional Women, directed by Misti B. Wills and produced by Lauren Yarger of Gracewell Productions. It’s summer 1984, with Ronald Reagan in the White House, and it’s a watershed year for mom Maxine who is delicately balancing in the air all the demanding balls of her family’s life. What happens when the juggling act bounces in a dozen downward directions? This event is free but is by invitation only. Mary Jane Robinson, a 47 year old secretary, will tell her story on Tuesday, December 6 at 7 p.m. about putting aside her steno pad and applying to be a police officer. On Saturday, December 17 at 1 p.m. come with the kiddies to hear author Melissa Shapiro DVM read about her deaf blind pink puppy in “Piglet Comes Home.” For more information and reservations ($10-20) for these events call the Palace, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at www.palacetheaterct.org. Let the Palace widen your horizons as you learn about these intriguing adventures.

MARRIAGE IS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AT YALE REP

For George and Martha, the old adage “all’s fair in love and war” rings true. As a married couple of more than twenty-three years, they are quite versed in the buttons to push to set off each others’ alarm bells. Add in a more than modest amount of alcohol and a much younger couple, Nick and Honey, who are the discerning audience to witness their shenanigans, and you have quite the conversation starter. To enter the boxing ring that frames their verbal discourse, come meet George and Martha, the professional antagonists well-schooled in the pros and cons of a fist fight of words. Until Saturday, October 29, the Yale Repertory Theatre, 1120 Chapel Street, New Haven will referee the minute-by-minute confrontation of Edward Albee’s masterwork “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” all three hours of it, that will leave you devastated by the vitriol that saturates the fascinating 1960’s stage created by Miguel Urbino. Dan Donohue’s George at first appears mild-mannered but soon reveals his true colors as he parries and thrusts all the insults that Rene Augesen’s Martha flings in his face. He is a history professor and a disappointed author whose one and only novel was dismissed as inadequate by the president of the university, Martha’s esteemed father. It's 2 in the morning and they are just home to a place Martha refers to as a dump, after attending a party welcoming a new faculty member Nick and his wife Honey. George is not pleased that Martha has arranged this “party” but then he is rarely delighted with anything Martha says or does. When Nate Janis’ Nick and Emma Pfitzer Price’s Honey arrive, the alcohol and conversation flow freely, too freely. Soon it’s an Abbott and Costello routine gone mad as the older couple bray and hiss insults, spilling secrets and playing nasty word games, much to the confusion of the younger folk. The violence escalates as the humiliations pile up until words are replaced by physical attacks. It’s like witnessing a traffic accident that appalls you but you cannot look away. James Bundy directs this absorbing drama, one that hasn’t been staged in Connecticut in three decades. For tickets ($15-65), call the Yale Rep at 203-432-1234 or online at yalerep.org. Performances are Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday. Masks are required. Prepare yourself, with boxing gloves, so you can return any of the flying insults that may mistakenly land in the audience as you sit front and center to the often funny and unfair fight and eventual and temporary cease fire that ignites before your disbelieving eyes.

A LESSON IN RESILIANCE AT WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE

Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland was an American scholar, civil rights activist, teacher and playwright who rose from abject poverty, was raped at age eleven, was expelled from school and became a prostitute and eventually achieved a doctorate in American studies from the University of Minnesota. A trio of dedicated women-Claudia Logan, Tameishia Peterson and Erin Margaret Pettigrew-are bringing her incredible story to stirring life at Westport Country Playhouse until Sunday, October 30. With a string of spirituals like “We Shall Overcome,” “May the Circle Be Unbroken,” and “This Little Light of Mine” sprinkled throughout, we follow the devastating but ultimately triumphant tale of a young black girl who grew up in the south. “From the Mississippi Delta” was written by this inspiring woman, who was jailed thirteen times for her devoted civil rights work and is directed with sensitivity by Goldie E. Patrick. From her mother, she learned lessons like “I can be more than words” and “You don’t have to be gold to shine.” Her mother, known as “ain’t baby,” encouraged her to be somebody, to aim high as the birds and to keep her feet pointed to the top of the ladder. These pieces of philosophy served her well as she struggled up every rung of that ladder. She adopted Endesha, which means driver, as her first name to honor her African heritage. Her mama told her stories while she ironed other people’s clothes. After being expelled from school, she took to the streets and earned her way as a prostitute. Taking on the banner of the civil rights movement pushed her in a new and more honorable direction and she became a favored speaker at rallies. This important work led her to resume her education and enter the university. It took her more than a dozen years to earn her bachelor of Arts degree in black studies and then she went on to earn her doctorate to honor her mother, a midwife. For tickets ($40-70), call the Westport Country Playhouse, Route 1, Westport at 203-227-4177 or 888-927-7529. Performances are Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 8 p.m., Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Get a lesson in resilience and courage as you learn how Dr. Holland climbed a sturdy ladder and sang with the birds.

HARTFORD STAGE POISED TO CATCH YOUR "TALE" IN "THE MOUSETRAP"

Agatha Christie was the mistress of mystery, and one of her most intriguing tales was “The Mousetrap.” The Hartford Stage is inviting you to register as a guest at Monkswell Manor until Sunday, November 6 for a deadly game of cat and mouse. The play opened on London’s West End in 1952 and has now being playing for seven decades, with a brief hiatus during the pandemic. Ms. Christie predicted the play would run eight months. It is based on a true story and began life as a radio show, “Three Blind Mice,” and was written for Queen Mary’s birthday. The Guardian has stated “the play and the author are its stars.” The director Jackson Gay stated it is “super fun to direct this thriller on stage, getting scared and surprised together…a communal experience to feel like your life is in danger.” It is a dark and snowy night in 1947 and the residents of the Monkswell Guest House find themselves trapped by the storm. These strangers, or are they, soon find there may be a murderer in their midst as a woman has been strangled hereby and a Detective Sergeant Trotter (Brendan Dalton) has arrived on skis to warn the guests of imminent danger. The inn’s owners are novices as neither Mollie (Sam Morales) or her new husband Giles (Tobias Segal) have ever ventured into the bed and breakfast business before. Plunging through their doors are snow beset travelers Christopher Wren (Christopher Geary) a young man who loves exploring and cooking, Mrs. Boyle (Yvette Ganier) who takes criticism to a high art form, Major Metcalf (Greg Stuhr) who observes everything as he solemnly smokes his pipe, Miss Casewell (Ali Skamangas) who loves to act out with dramatic effect, and Mr. Paravicini (Jason O’Connell) who finds their dangerous situation a hoot as he arrives unexpectedly due to a car accident. What has brought these unique individuals together? Is someone plotting revenge? I am not allowed to tell, as you will be forewarned when you attend. The spooky set by Riw Rakkulchon and the glorious costuming by Fabian Fidel Aguilar are worth the price of admission alone, and the talented cast is superb. For tickets ($30 and up), call the Hartford Stage, 50 Church Street, Hartford at 860-527-5151 or online at www.HartfordStage.org. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Also Tuesday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, November 2 at 2 p.m.. Masks are encouraged but not required. Come play Sherlock Holmes and delight in the mystery surrounding Monkswell Manor and its intriguing bevy of occupants, one of whom could well be a murderer, and at least one of them is the quite dead victim.

CHESHIRE'S NELSON HALL THEATRE AT ELIM PARK HAS SLATED A QUARTET OF MUSICAL WONDERS

Elvis will be in the building at Cheshire’s Elim Park Place for two razzle dazzle performances on Friday, October 28 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Get your hips swiveling and your toes tapping as musician Travis LeDoyt brings this iconic and beloved singer to life in song, dance and personality plus. His likeness to “The King” has been deemed astonishing. Come witness the sequins and glitz and hear the super sounds that abound. Call 203-699-5495 or online at Nelsonhall.org for your hot spot. Prepare to be patriotic as the New Haven Symphony Orchestra Brass Quartet ushers in a fitting and well-deserved tribute to our military veterans on Thursday, November 3 at 2 p.m. The stirring melodies of WWII, the marches and jazz, will warm your heart in this military celebration of our proud defenders of democracy. For a full range of sensational musical selections from opera to rock, please welcome the Jersey Tenors to the Elim Park stage on Friday, November 11 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. These special performers will offer Frank Sinatra to Bruce Springsteen, Elton John to Bon Jovi, and so much more. Come on Thursday, December 8 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and let the acclaimed concert and recording artist Michelle Berting Brett channel the purity and joy of Karen Carpenter in this unique tribute concert: Carpenters’ Christmas. Holiday favorites such as “Winter Wonderland” will crown her greatest hits like “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Close to You”for your listening pleasure. Tickets are all the shows are $42 each, seniors 62 and over and students $40, military discount $38 with group rates for 10 and 30. Call 203-699-5495 or online at Nelsonhall.org. Proof of vaccination and a photo ID are required. Masks are strongly encouraged. Fill the season with the splendid selections Elim Park Place, 150 Cook Hill Road, Cheshire has to offer the community. You’ll be delighted you did.

MISTRESS AUTUMN

MISTRESS AUTUMN IS PLAYING COY THIS YEAR WITHHOLDING HER PALETTE OF COLORS AND USUAL CHEER. SHE KNOWS IT’S OCTOBER AND A TIME OF CHANGE BUT SHE IS RELUCTANT TO SEE HER HUES REARRANGED. SUBTLE IS THE WORD FOR HER ARTISTIC DISPLAY NOTHING TOO CRIMSON OR SAFFRON DOES SHE ARRAY. IMPATIENTLY I AWAIT THE GLORIOUS SCENERY I REMEMBER THAT MUST APPEAR SOON, BEFORE THE SNOWS OF DECEMBER. LEAVES WILL SOON DO A PIROUETTE AS THEY DANCE TO THE GROUND AND I WANT TO BE FRONT AND CENTER FOR THE BEAUTY THAT WILL SURELY ABOUND. COME ON LADY, LET DOWN YOUR GOLDEN LOCKS AND SHOW YOUR GOWN OF JEWELS IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TO PLEASE ME AND OTHER NEW ENGLAND FOOLS. BONNIE

MILFORD'S PANTOCHINO PRODUCTIONS PLANS TWO HOLIDAY HOOPLA EVENTS

Just in time for Halloween, Pantochino Productions in Milford is busy with a double header of shows. First up is “School Spirits,” filled with spooks and ghosts and lots of scary fun. An original musical by Bert Bernardi for book and lyrics, with music by Justin Rugg, and a bevy of red, white and black costumes by Jimmy Johansmeyer, it introduces the students of Mockingbird High School as they happily start their new school year and unhappily learn that their precious place of learning is scheduled for demolition to let another Super Value Plus Drugstore be built. Luckily the “misfit” students devise a plan to save their beloved school. Led by Crystal (Annabel Wardman) and her magic powers, she mobilizes her trio of ghost friends (Maya Barnes, Nathan Horne and Ali McLaren) to join her pals Shellac (Delia Canarie), Keen (Jamie Lamb), Liverwurst (Christopher Serrano), Ace (Connor Rizzo) and Spooki (Fiona Pasley) and determine a plan of action. Thus is born a Halloween Talent Show, directed by teacher Miss Raven (Hannah Duffy) with the full support of the principal Mr. Crow (Jeremy Ajdukiewicz). The only objector to the fundraiser is Miss Cassowary (Valerie Solli), who has a witch’s hat full of reasons why she wants the school closed. Bert Bernardi directs this fun and talented show where the good guys win all the jelly beans and peanut butter cups. For tickets ($25), go online to Pantochino Productions, 40 Railroad Avenue, Milford at www.pantochino.com. Shows are Sundays, October 23 and 30 at 2 p.m. Masks are optional. To keep up the creepy atmosphere, “The Rocky Horror Show” is also on the bill until Sunday, October 30. This classic spook show with book, music and lyrics by Richard O’Brien features a haunted castle owned by Dr. Frank “N” Furter (Jimmy Johansmeyer) that is visited one dark and stormy night by a young couple Brad (Dan Frye) and Janet (Skye Gillespie). Strange things keep happening in this cult favorite and is a fixture for Halloween. For tickets ($30), go online at www.pantochino.com. Shows are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. until the 30th of October. Masks are optional. Put the spook back into Halloween where it belongs and visit Pantochino Productions for a hearty dose of witchy magic. Then don your Santa cap for “Christmas Carol-A Panto!” from December 2-18 for a welcome cup of holiday cheer for the whole family to enjoy.

"MY CHILDREN, MY AFRICA" A GRIPPING SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL COMMENTARY

Athol Fugard is the impassioned voice of his native land of South Africa. At age 90, he is recognized as an outstanding playwright, director, actor and novelist, penning intense, political plays opposing the class system of apartheid, where Blacks have been suppressed by the white ruling leaders. In 1985, TIME named him “the greatest active playwright in the English-speaking world.” You now have the unique opportunity to be present at one of Athol Fugard’s intense dramas “My Children! My Africa!” until Sunday, October 9 at the Hartbeat Ensemble in Hartford. Melanie Dreyer directs this production that begins as a tiny flame of heat and slowly becomes a serious conflagration. A dedicated Black teacher known affectionately as Mr M., a masterful Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr., has finally found the student of his dreams, Thami Mbikwana, a bright and engaging Jelani Pitcher. Mr. M. has accepted that white people control the power and Blacks are forced to be racially segregated. The struggles have existed for decades as his people have been victims of white supremacy. In his own small way, Mr. M. wants to change the odds. As leader of his school’s debate team, where Thami is a rising star, he issues an invitation to a posh private white school to stage a debate. Brianna Joy Ford’s Isabel Dyson is the privileged and quick on her feet competitor to arrive, eager to defend women and their rights in the arena of words. As Isabel and Thami gain a friendship, the issue of apartheid grows larger and more dangerous until the three are swept into the gripping mouth of its destruction. For tickets ($25, students $20), call Hartbeat Ensemble, Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue, Hartford at 860-548-9144 or online at hartbeatensemble.org. Performances are Thursday Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 pm. Masks are required. On Wednesday, October 12 at 5:30 p.m., the theater will hold a free “special dialogue event.” Can democracy reign in a land where the oppressed are not allowed a voice in their own history? Come be swept up in this real and dramatic struggle as only Athol Fugard can tell it.

"THE GREAT GATSBY" WEAVES ITS MAGIC SPELL AT IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE

Being a man of mystery, one who has created lies and fabrications to hide his true identity, can be a burdensome responsibility. Just ask Jay Gatsby who during the Gilded Age, the Roaring Twenties, found himself creating a new persona for himself. He conveniently forgot his humble beginnings in the mid-west and is now a sophisticated gentleman, wealthy beyond imagination, possibly a graduate of Oxford, perhaps a decorated war hero, maybe the owner of a string of drug stores, and even, perhaps, a successful bootlegger during Prohibition. Why might Gatsby have established such a colorful version for himself? Five years before the love of his life, Daisy, a socialite, has rejected him because of his status in the world. Now he has declared his improved place in society and he is anxious to win Daisy’s love again. To witness the transformation of this complex character, hurry to the Ivoryton Playhouse until Sunday, October 23 to observe F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic "The Great Gatsby,” adapted for the stage by Simon Levy and directed with white glove care by Todd L. Underwood by a talented cast of performers. This dramatic saga is narrated by Gatsby’s near by neighbor and second cousin to Daisy, a modest and moral Nick Carroway (Joe Cordaro). He is often amazed and dismayed by the actions of the people who populate West Egg Long Island. He unwittingly is privy to Daisy’s (Katharina Schmidt) interactions with Gatsby and her husband Tom’s (Greg Brostrom) affair with Myrtle (Siobhan Fitzgerald), one Myrtle’s husband George (Daniel Rios, Jr.) is totally unaware exists. Meanwhile Jay (Erik Kochenberger) looms large in a swirl of shadows as he interacts with a business friend Meyer (Gabe Belyeu) and a professional golfer Jordan (Carlyn Connolly), both of whom conduct themselves in a less than admirable way. Gatsby’s hope for an American dream is ultimately swallowed in a series of tragedies. For tickets ($55, seniors $50, students $25), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or online at ivorytonplayhouse.org. Performances are Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Masks are recommended but not required. You will soon be caught up in the machinations and motives that surround these people who seem to party for a living and exist by a code of behavior that honorable folks would surely question. Danger and decadence and disillusionment are definitely present in th dramatic depiction of the destruction of the American dream.

BILLIE HOLIDAY EXPOSES HER PASSION AND PAIN AT PLAYHOUSE ON PARK

All Eleanora Fagan wanted in life was a house of her own, m some children to fill it, and a night club where she could sing for her friends. Her childhood, however, set her on a path of sadness where her mother was frequently absent, she left school at elevens as a teen a neighbor tried to rape herm and her mother sent her to be “a maid” at a house of prostitution. From this tragic beginning, Eleanora transformed herself into a gifted vocalist known for her style, tempo and phasing as well as her influence on jazz music and improvisational skills. Until Sunday October 16m you are cordially invited to make the acquaintance of Billie Holiday at West Hartford’s Playhouse on Park in the moving musical “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” by Lanie Robertson. In 1958, Frank Sinatra stated, “It is Billie Holiday who was, m and still remains, the greatest single musical influence on me. Lady Day’s unquestionably the most important influence on American popular singing in the last twenty years. Billie sang and recorded with such stellar bands as Count Basie, Pau Whitman, Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, among others, often finding the color of her skin an impediment to where she was allowed to perform. Her history with abusive men and her additions to drugs and alcohol pursued her at every step. Serving time in prison cost her dearly, but friends organized a comeback concert at Carnegie Hall to a sold out crowd The damage to her career and to her addictions dictated that she only earned $11 in royalties the year before her death in 1959. Danielle Herbert is sadly luminous as Bilie, as she tries to recapture the bloom on her trademark gardenias a flower she wore in her hair nightly performing. Musical director Nygel D. Robinson portrays her pianist and protector, her main man Jimy Powers, as she sings such classics as “God Bless the Child,” “Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do,” “When a Woman Loves a Man,” “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” and “Strange Fruit.” For tickets ($42.50-55, with special tickets to sit on stage with wine and chocolates), call Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, West hartford at 860-523-5900, ext. 10. or online at www.playhouseonpark.org 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 2p.m. Masks are encouraged but not required. Stephanie Pope Lofgren directs this heartfelt tale of a star, one whose difficult life tried to dim her sparkle. According to Billie Holiday, “Singing in a club is heaven,..,.and the best part of living to me.” She endured racial prejudice and and great odds to overcome and reach her goals. Let her velvet voice caress you and her silky sounds and glorious vocals astound you, so you can learn the price she paid former passion.

TRAVEL DOWN "SUNSET BOULEVARD" WITH MTC

The iconic silent film star Norma Desmond stands at the top of a staircase contemplating her incredible movie career and remembering her prior glories. Now she worries how she will capture those intoxicating times again. Can she reign as queen once more and, if so, how will she accomplish that marvel? To follow her disillusionment and story of fame, come to Music Theatre of Connecticut in Norwalk for an up close and personal meeting with the former star herself Norma Desmond in "Sunset Boulevard” based on the Billy Wilder film, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton until Sunday, October 2. . Elizabeth Ward Land is regal as Norma Desmond as she tries to recapture her famed youth, earning our admiration and pity, as she pens a play about Salome, picturing herself as the adventurous lead, a role she is sure will catapult her back to the top of her game. Norma Desmond refuses to fade into the shadows and when she meets an attractive young writer, Trevor Martin’s Joe Gilis, she seizes upon him as her last best chance to fulfill her wishes of stardom. All she has to do is wait for the call from the famed director Cecil B. DeMille, a disinterested Jeff Gurner, and her dreams will reach fruition. Joe Gillis is firmly trapped in her unrealistic scheme, whether he is her ghost writer or lover. When a film company employee, Sandra Marante's Betty, reaches out with a real chance for Joe to get his career on track, it results in unfortunate and tragic results. Not even Norma’s faithful servant and protector, James Patterson’s Max, can save the ailing queen and restore her to glory. Others in the cast include Paul Aguirre, Philip Callen, Helen Clare, Matt Grasso, Leigh Martha Klinger, Emily Solo and Jacob Sundlie. Songs like “New Ways to Dream,” “Too Much in Love.” and “The Perfect Year” propel the action. Kevin Connors directs this intriguing tale of theater where the past tries to eclipse and change the present. For tickets ($45-65), call Music Theatre of Connecticut, 509 Westport Avenue, Route 1, Norwalk, at 203-454-3883 or online at www.musictheatreofct.com. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Masks are required. Follow the former star as she dramatically emerges from behind the red velvet curtain to retake her well earned place center stage.

LET ALISON BECHDEL BE YOUR GUIDE FOR "FUN HOME" AT THEATER WORKS HARTFORD

Alison Bechdel did not grow up as a member of the Brady Bunch or the Partridge Family. It took her years to discover who she was and how she fit into her family unit, especially as it related to her enigmatic dad. To learn the answers to Alison’s past, please attend Theater Works Hartford’s amazing dramatic musical journey “Fun Home” now extended until Sunday, November 6, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron and music by Jeanine Tesori. “Fun Home” was adapted from Alison Bechdel’s cartoon driven graphic novel of the same name. In it you meet her at three distinct ages: childhood Skylar Lynn Matthews, her first year of college Julia Nightingale and as a middle-aged adult Sarah Beth Pfeifer. All are gifted in their portraits as they look back and evaluate the past. Imagine growing up in a funeral home and playing hide and seek with your siblings (Myles Low and Sam Duncan and after 10/16 Jasper Burger) among the caskets that crowd your living space. Memories, both pleasant and painful, populate her story. She fondly remembers her father Bruce, a conflicted Aaron Lazar, who lovingly restored their Victorian house, playing “airplane” with her and alternately how her mother Helen, a supportive Christiane Noll, would play the piano louder and louder to drown out the sounds of her husband seducing a young man in the room below. Her father hid his sexuality, even when Alison goes off to college and realizes she is a lesbian, after meeting her new partner Joan, the reflective Cameron Silliman. Songs like “It All Comes Back,” Not Too Bad,” “Come to the Fun Home,” ‘’Maps,” ‘’Raincoat of Love,” “Ring of Keys” and “Telephone Wire” reveal many of the stumbling blocks that Alison must overcome on her path of self-discovery. Various young men in the cast are portrayed by Ali Louis Bourzoui. Rob Ruggiero directs this passionate pouring out of self-power. For tickets ($25-60), call TWH, 233 Pearl Street, Hartford at 860-527-7838 or online at boxoffice@twhartford.org. Performances are Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. (with talk back), Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. (mask required), Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (mask required) and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Take a personal and poignant path along with Alison as she struggles to learn who her father was and how their lives interacted in this Tony Award-Winning Musical.

MARRIAGE IS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AT THE YALE REP

For George and Martha, the old adage “all’s fair in love and war” rings true. As a married couple of more than twenty-three years, they are quite versed in the buttons to push to set off each others’ alarm bells. Add in a more than modest amount of alcohol and a much younger couple, Nick and Honey, who are the discerning audience to witness their shenanigans, and you have quite the conversation starter. To enter the boxing ring that frames their verbal discourse, come meet George and Martha, the professional antagonists well-schooled in the pros and cons of a fist fight of words. Until Saturday, October 29, the Yale Repertory Theatre, 1120 Chapel Street, New Haven will referee the minute-by-minute confrontation of Edward Albee’s masterwork “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” all three hours of it, that will leave you devastated by the vitriol that saturates the fascinating 1960’s stage created by Miguel Urbino. Dan Donohue’s George at first appears mild-mannered but soon reveals his true colors as he parries and thrusts all the insults that Rene Augesen’s Martha flings in his face. He is a history professor and a disappointed author whose one and only novel was dismissed as inadequate by the president of the university, Martha’s esteemed father. It's 2 in the morning and they are just home to a place Martha refers to as a dump, after attending a party welcoming a new faculty member Nick and his wife Honey. George is not pleased that Martha has arranged this “party” but then he is rarely delighted with anything Martha says or does. When Nate Janis’ Nick and Emma Pfitzer Price’s Honey arrive, the alcohol and conversation flow freely, too freely. Soon it’s an Abbott and Costello routine gone mad as the older couple bray and hiss insults, spilling secrets and playing nasty word games, much to the confusion of the younger folk. The violence escalates as the humiliations pile up until words are replaced by physical attacks. It’s like witnessing a traffic accident that appalls you but you cannot look away. James Bundy directs this absorbing drama, one that hasn’t been staged in Connecticut in four decades. For tickets ($15-65), call the Yale Rep at 203-432-1234 or online at yalerep.org. Performances are Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday. Masks are required. Prepare yourself, with boxing gloves, so you can return any of the flying insults that may mistakenly land in the audience as you sit front and center to the often funny and unfair fight and eventual and temporary cease fire that ignites before your disbelieving eyes.

TAP YOUR WAY TO 42ND STREET AT GOODSPEED

Miss Peggy Sawyer, a wannabe dancer fresh off the bus from Allentown, Pennsylvania, is anxious to take a giant bite from the Big Apple. It’s time to don your tap dancing shoes and join her as she captures hearts on the Great White Way, after a few wrong turns. You’ll wish you had a gift certificate to an Arthur Murray studio when you experience the razzle-dazzle spectacular of “42nd Street,” the musical comedy powerhouse at the Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam until Sunday, November 6, with book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. Come meet Peggy Sawyer with all her eager enthusiasm and talented feet. The fact that she arrives too late for the dance audition for the new Julian Marsh musical “Pretty Girl” doesn’t stop her from landing a coveted spot in the chorus line. Being on Broadway means Peggy will put in twelve hour days, seven days a week, for five weeks of rehearsal, and earn the princely sum of $32 a week. Times are tough, but that doesn’t discourage this bright eyed optimist from practicing her shuffle, pivots, pull backs, wings and two steps with gusto. As luck would have it, Peggy, a bright as a new penny Carina-Kay Louchiey, accidentally bumps the leading lady, a fixture in show business, star Dorothy Brock (Kate Baldwin) and knocks her literally off her feet, breaking her ankle. With the help of Julisn Marsh (Max von Essen), and co-stars Billy Lawlor (Blake Stadnik) and Maggie Jones (Lisa Howard), Bert Barry (E. Clayton Cornelious) and Annie Reilly (Eloise Kropp), Peggy finds herself with thirty-six hours to learn the dance routines to take over for the lead. A little intrigue takes place when Ms. Brock’s sugar daddy (David Jennings) who is financing the show potentially bumps heads with Pat Denning (Patrick Oliver Jones), her lover. This pretty bright and bouncy show features such great numbers as “You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me,” “I Only Have Eyes for You,” “We’re in the Money,” “Forty-Second Street,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and “Lullaby of Broadway.” Come see how the newest star in the firmament comes through to save the day. The projection designs by Shawn Duan are amazing and add sparkle to every number. For tickets ($30-85), call Goodspeed Musicals on the Connecticut River in East Haddam at 860-873-8668 or online at goodspeed.org/ticket-onsale. Performances are Tuesday at 2 p.m., Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 pm. and 8 pm, and Sunday at 2 p;.m. and 6:30 p.m. Masks are encouraged but not required. Put on a pair of tap dancing shoes and hoof on over to the Goodspeed for a happy time of show business glitz and glamour when the shiny as a new constellation, Peggy Sawyer, uses her fancy frenetic frenzy flying footwork to get her name in lights.