LET THE MUSICAL MAGIC OF "HAIRSPRAY" ENVELOPE YOU AT THE PALACE THEATER

Can you imagine a whole generation being defined by its hair styles? If you can, then you are ready to make the acquaintance of a special teenager from Baltimore.

With a hairdo that looks like it was inflated by a bike tire pump, teenager Tracy Turnblad has a heart big enough to take over the whole world. She recognizes fairness and inequality and would ban prejudice if she had it in her power. When she gets a chance to dance as a regular on the Corny Collins TV Show, she ignores the fact that she doesn't fit the svelte image of the other kids already chosen and dances her Baltimore best.

The 1960's come alive in this sparkling musical comedy "Hairspray" based on the movie by John Waters, and the award-winning show has a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The Palace Theater in Waterbury will be injecting energy and enthusiasm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, January 16-18.

Even if you don’t have a weekly hair appointment at your local salon, you’re not a certified cosmetologist, you’ve never spent three hours teasing and pouffing your hair into a football helmet-like coif, you’ll still find a lot to love about the musical “Hairspray.” Caroline Wiseman is a terrific and tremendously talented Tracy Turnblad who may be just a teenager but one on the verge of big-sized discoveries about life.

Tracy and her teen friends, including her BFF Penny, an adorable Scarlett Jacques, will be dancing their bobby socks off and making their poodle skirts bark and howl. When Tracy, a plump dance queen wannabe, wins a coveted spot on the Corny Collins Show, a local television program, she becomes an overnight sensation. Her adoration for the show's teen heart throb Link Larkin, a hunky Skyler Shields, puts her in direct competition with the snobby star of the show Caroline Portner as the opinionated Amber Von Tussle. Amber with her mom Velma, a manipulative Sarah Hayes, have been in control of all the goings on and like it that way. Corny Collins, an open-minded Andrew Scoggin, and the show's sponsor, the owner of Ultra Clutch Hairspray, played by Micah Sauvageau in a variety of roles, are steam rolled by Velma's bossy attitude.

Tracy uses her new fifteen minutes of fame to launch a campaign to allow colored and white students to bogey on the show at the same time, an unheard of reality in 1960’s American society and one that Baltimore is not quickly or easily going to accept. Her friendship with a fellow student Seaweed, a versatile Josiah Rogers, and his impressive mom Motormouth Maybelle, a charismatic Deidre Lang, help her mount her platform against prejudice.

All kids should have supportive parents like Tracy, her mom Edna, portrayed with skillful fun by Greg Kalafatas, and her dad Wilbur, brought to life by a caring Ralph Prentice Daniel, are in direct contrast to Penny's worrisome mother who fears everything in her daughter's life, played by Emmanuelle Zeesman, who also tackles all the female authority figures. Jack O'Brien directs this bursting at the seams happy fest of a show that is stuffed with great songs like "Good Morning, Baltimore," "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now," "I Can Hear the Bells" and "You Can Hear the Beat.” Watch for Kaila Symone Crowder as Little Inez.

For tickets ($47and up), call the Palace Theater, 100 Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at palacetheaterct.org. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Follow this enthusiastic and principled girl as she questions the rules and is willing to risk everything, even being imprisoned, for her beliefs. With the help of her parents and her best friends, Tracy inspires a conga line of loyal followers as she makes all her dreams come true.

Let your hair down or bouffant it up, your choice, as you cha-cha to Waterbury for a turn around the dance floor with that most trustworthy and talented teen Tracy Turnblad.

"HIP HOP NUTCRACKER" JUMPS INTO THE PALACE THEATER IN WATERBURY

Are you ready to literally shake up your holiday season with something vibrant and new, unusual and different? If so, the Palace Theater in Waterbury has quite the surprise package for you to open. for one day only,Saturday, December 30 at 7 p.m.

Since 1892, “The Nutcracker,” a charming ballet by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, has had the ability to enchant families. But it wasn’t until the late 1960’s that it became a Christmas tradition, especially in North America. The magical tale of a young girl Clara is set on Christmas Eve when her godfather surprises everyone gathered around a beautiful Christmas tree with toys, including four life-size dolls who dance to the delight of the guests. He also has a special Nutcracker that Clara is drawn to, fascinated, but her brother Fritz accidentally breaks it.

Her godfather fixes it and Clara returns during the night to assure herself all is well. After an army of mice appear, the Christmas tree grows taller as well as the Nutcracker assumes a greater presence. A battle ensues, the Nutcracker becomes a Prince and he and Clara travel through the forest to the Land of the Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy and have wild adventures. That was then, this is now and “The Nutcracker” has gone to amazing new heights as it goes, are you ready, Hip Hop!

Be prepared to be wildly entertained as Tchaikovsky’s classic tale is reimaged into a contemporary dance spectacular with a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist and Mr. Kurtis “The Breaks” Blow, a founding father of hip hop and the first rapper to be signed to a major label in 1979. “I love taking this show on the road each year and creating lifelong memories for our audiences,” says Kurtis Walker, known professionally as Kurtis Blow. “And to be celebrating our 15th season this year is such a big accomplishment for the show.” It’s a big accomplishment for Blow as well; who on December 6, 2020, had a heart transplant that has given him a new life. He paved the way for generations of hip hop artists and fans after scoring the first certified gold record rap song in 1980, “The Breaks.”

Called an “electrifying dance experience,” this is "The Nutcracker” as you’ve never seen it before. Clara and her Nutcracker still go on a dream adventure, they battle the mice gang, travel to the Land of the Sweets and learn the lessons of the holiday season, all while transforming the 130 year old story from 19th century Germany to a diverse, colorful, and dramatic New York City in the most magical way possible.

If you are in the Waterbury area, head to the Palace Theater, 100 East Main Street, on Saturday, December 30 at 7 pm for tickets $39-69, by calling 203-346-2000 or online palacetheaterct.org. Bring a new tradition to the family holiday celebration by experiencing the magic of "The Nutcracker” in a unique and fantastic way as a dancing Hip Hop trip into time.

FLY INTO THE HARTFORD STAGE UNTIL DECEMBER 24 FOR A SPIRITED " A CHRISTMAS CAROL"

What would this time of year be without a retelling of Charles Dickens’ immortal tale about forgiveness, redemption and change of heart? Have no fear as the Hartford Stage is ready and most willing to welcome you with a spirited version for your family’s pleasure.

Christmas is a holiday for people who are open hearted and generous, joyful and grateful. But what if you are mean spirited, grumpy and greedy, with a heart as closed up tight as the Pharaoh of Egypt or a miserable miser who never learned how to share. The epitome of ingratitude and selfishness is surely Ebenezer Scrooge and he is ready and willing to defend his sullen attitude until Sunday, December 24 in the Hartford Stage’s glorious and ghostly adaptation by Michael Wilson of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol A Ghost Story of Christmas,” a family tradition since 1998. It is now back livelier then even after a three year absence due to the pandemic.

For the first time Allen Gilmore will be donning his night cap and assuming the persona of our favorite bah humbug curmudgeon, old Ebenezer Scrooge, who refuses to acknowledge the Christmas holiday and begrudges his faithful and hard working employee Bob Cratchit, the loyal Ryan Garbayo, even one day off a year with pay. This year, however, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge’s old partner in business Jacob Marley (Noble Shropshire), dead as a door nail lo these seven years, comes back to warn Scrooge to mend his ways or he is fated to join Marley in a place of deep regrets.

To help and encourage Scrooge to change, Marley is sending him three spirits, the Spirit of Christmas Past (Rebecca Jones), the Spirit of Christmas Present (John-Andrew Morrison) and the Spirit of Christmas Future on Christmas Eve at 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Scrooge will be given the opportunity to review his past life and see what he had in life and what he lost and what he can still regain if he is willing to change. The vendors like the inventor of watchworks (Mauricio Miranda) certainly hope Scrooge can mend his ways.

Along the way, our cranky businessman visits a former employer Mr. Fezziwig (Stuart Rider) and his wife (Sarah Killough), his fiancee Belle (Vanessa R. Butler), his nephew Fred (Erik Bloomquist) and the home of his clerk Bob who has a crippled son Tiny Tim (Calin “Cali” Butterfield or Aria Pierce). At each step of the journey, Scrooge has his eyes opened wider to see what the world has to offer if he only opens his heart to the possibilities. Meanwhile ghosts swirl and fly in a masked ball of supernatural steps. They are here to scare a little sense into Mr. Scrooge and help him to avoid Marley’s disasterous fate.

By the end of Christmas Eve, Scrooge declares “I am not the man I was. I will learn the lessons I have been told. I will dispel the shadows.” When he sends for the prize turkey, he has clearly come to his senses and begs forgiveness from the town’s people in general and his family in particular. Michael Wilson has returned to direct this heartwarming production that has so much to offer.

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 to Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Don’t let the holiday season escape without a visit to that most famous of cantankerous curmudgeons, Ebenezer Scrooge, who transforms himself into a new man thanks to the visitations of a trio of ghosts who help him see the errors of his ways.

FOR MYSTERY AND MAGIC GO SEE "A SHERLOCK CAROL" AT WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE

What do you get when you combine a mystery with some ghosts and a heartwarming family holiday story? Just ask writer and director Mark Shanahan of the Westport Country Playhouse where his new play “A Sherlock Carol” will be playing from Tuesday, December 19 to Saturday, December 23 how it all came to pass. To Shanahan, Charles Dickens wrote the best ghost story ever, calling it "astounding.” He combined that love with an admiration for the old Basil Rathbone movies starring that great detective Sherlock Holmes that his dad took him to when he was a child growing up in New York’s East Village.

Fortuitively, he has mixed these two favorite characters together into a holiday play for the whole family to enjoy. He likens it to "a dinner party, inviting friends from different social circles…and hoping like heck they’d get along.” To that end, he has placed these iconic characters by Doyle and Dickens in a new inventive stage mystery.

Come see such unique innovations as a talking door knocker, the spooky elements that resonate throughout, a reimagined holiday classic, a murder mystery set in London in 1894, the deaths of two famous characters like Holmes’ great enemy Professor James Moriarty and, unexpectedly, Ebenezer Scrooge. Can Holmes follow the clues to find the dastardly perpetrator or is he doomed to become the town's new miser himself? How will a grown-up Tiny Tim, now a doctor and Scrooge’s benefactor, influence the outcome?

Also playing a huge part in writing the play, Shanahan was intrigued by the mission of Paul Newman’s The Hole in the Wall Camp created in Ashford, Connecticut in 1988 to serve children with serious illnesses. Newman established a special place, a wonderful and free camping experience that is now in many places around the world. Donations to the camp and to the Westport Home with Hope food pantry drive will be benefactors from the production. Patrons are also encouraged to take a photo in the lobby at Sherlock Holmes' house, 211B Baker Street, London.

Shanahan was inspired to envision Tiny Tim as “someone with a little help from a certain benefactor, who battled illness and went on to help others do the same. Just like Scrooge did, we can all keep Christmas in our hearts throughout the year by donating to these remarkable organizations.”

For tickets ($35-70, students call the box office for $20 tickets), call the Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, Westport, off route 1 at 203-227-4177 or 888-927-7529 or online at www.westportplayhouse.org. Performances are Tuesday-Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Bring the family to the Westport Country Playhouse for a novel look at two classic tales with all the mystery and magic that the Christmas holiday demands.

PANTOCHINO PRODUCTIONS IS BAKING UP "CHRISTMAS COOKIES! THE MUSICAL" TIL DEC. 23

What better way to welcome the happy jolly season of Christmas then with a silver platter stacked with snow ball crinkles, candy cane cookies, rum balls, fruit cake bars, chocolate kisses, pinwheels and gingerbread men, or whatever confection rings your culinary bells. But what if your favorite bakery, Sweet’s. is facing hard times and the owner, Mrs Baker, a hard working Maria Berte, may be forced to end the generations of her family who have supplied the town of Mayfield with delicious treats.

Master chefs Bert Bernardi, for recipe book and clever lyrics, and Justin Rugg, for merry music, have concocted a delicious holiday surprise, with Pantochino Production's "Christmas Cookies! The Musical." The Milford Center for the Arts will be festooned in red and green and silver finery weekends until Saturday, December 23 and what an appetizing way to treat the family to some tasty fun.

For many years, Pantochino has been delivering original musicals and this one may be the most delectable ever. What do you do when a wonderful old-fashioned bakery falls on "crummy" times? A little girl Kris, a sweet Ella Bedenbaugh, writes a sincere letter to Santa asking for help and that assistance comes in the perfect package of a trio of gingerbread girls, Mary Mannix, Shelley Marsh Poggio and Rachelle Ianniello, who come to life to sing their way to save the bake shoppe. It doesn’t help that a villian Dexter Dell-Dubis, Jimmy Johansmeyer, the ambitious and meanly aggressive owner of a coffee empire wants to swoop in and buy the bakery for his own selfish desires, challenging the good intentions of George Spelvin’s Mister Kay and Justin Rugg’s Murray the Mailman.

Once again Jimmy Johansmeyer has gone fashionably wild to dress the cookie girls in holiday happiness, with colorful sets by Von Del Mar, sparkling lighting by Jeff Carr and smashing sound by Richard Ives, all under the careful care of stage manager Christina Ronquillo and cheerful direction by Bert Bernardi. Justin Rugg’s tunes like “Christmas Cookie Time,” “A Little Bit if Baking Powder,” The Best Little Bakery in Town,” and “This Christmas” make the action move happily along.

The ensemble cast also includes Wyatt Hughes, Katie Durham, Christy Chiaramonte, Valerie Solli, Aria Chiaramonte and Sydney Maher.

For tickets ($30), go online to www.pantochino.com or visit 40 Railroad Avenue South, Milford for performances Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. These are cabaret style with tables and chairs, so you can enjoy your own foods and drink during the show.

Come take a big bite out of this heavenly confection as a trio of adorable Christmas cookies Ginger, Blondie and Rosette come to the rescue in a most delicious and magically musical way.

THEATERWORKS HARTFORD SPREADS JOY FOR 11TH YEAR WITH "CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS"

Santa’s favorite characters from your childhood come to comical life, now all grown up and set in their ways, as TheaterWorks Hartford’s enduringly charming “”Christmas on the Rocks” flies into town until Saturday, December 23 You can do nothing better to prepare for a jolly holiday season then to fill your stocking with a bevy of original tales the likes of Ralphie of b-b-gun fame, Clara of the dynamic nutcracker phobia, Karen who has an extreme problem with Frosty the Snowman and Charlie Brown who is still pining for the little red headed girl.

More than a decade ago, Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero conceived the idea of inviting seven playwrights who had their works performed at TWH to write a scenario about a favorite Christmas character and it ism now a holiday classic, this year starring Richard Kline as the jovial and accommodating proprietor of a bar on Christmas Eve, who is visited not by Scrooge’s trio of ghosts but by Jen Cody and Harry Bouvy as your old childhood friends.

Have you ever cared how Hermie the Elf and Rudolph have fared? Have the years been kind or cruel? Are there any surprises in their life plans?

Come meet Midge, Barbie’s BFF, who is coping with multiple issues due to her most popular friend and her questionable role in her life. Now quite pregnant and alone, Midge, the creation of Edwin Sanchez and Jacques Lamarre, is uncerrtain whether she is still welcome in Barbie’s Dream House and just who the father of her baby might be.

In "All Grown Up" by John Cariani, meet Ralphie Parker from "A Christmas Story" and discover he is still obsessed with his dad’s lady leg lamp and his pink bunny suit. His marriage is in trouble and he turns to the bar’s friendly bartender to listen to his tale of woe. Ralphie just may want to be nine years old forever, or at least as long as his pink bunny suit fits.

Jenn Harris and Matthew Wilkas proclaim “My Name is KAREN!,” the cartoon girl Karen who enters the bar with a hair dryer and takes full credit for creating Frosty the Snowman and equally gleeful credit for his demise. The police are at the door and her arrest may be imminent.

To experience the quality of Jeffrey Hatcher's humor, come meet an elf who feels he is a misfit and just wants to belong in "Say It Glows.” Hermie wants to be a dentist and perform root canals, not be stuck in Santa’s workshop making toys. He clearly has a thing about Rudolph and his shiny nose and may just be heading for a breakdown over guilty deeds.

What child’s home doesn’t have that adorable Elf on the Shelf, this one named “Snitch” by Jenn Harris. how would you like to be relocated every night in impossible places and have no say about where or why. Apparently Snitch wants to sue Santa and take back his rights.

Judy Gold and Jacques Lamarre offer up a twist with the tale of “Drumsticks and Chill” as a beat of Chanukah enters the saloon.

"Still Nuts About Him" by Edwin Sanchez focuses his talents on Clara, the ballerina, who is now married to the Nutcracker, her personal and infuriating czar of love. She fears he is cheating on her and uses her toy nutcracker to annihilate all the bar nuts in the tavern.

Last but certainly not least, Jacques Lamarre is serving up "Merry Christmas, Blockhead.” Here he is the psychiatrist/coach/love counselor for Charlie Brown and the little red haired girl of his youth. Good grief, the evening ends on a sweet and sentimental note. Director Rob Ruggiero keeps the insanity and laughs rolling merrily along.

For tickets ($35-60), call Hartford TheaterWorks, 233 Pearl Street, Hartford at 860-527-7838 or online at www.twhartford.org. Performances are Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Come early and enjoy a viewing of the cartoon "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in the art gallery upstairs. Before or after the show, treat yourself to a cup of Mezzie’s ice cream. I personally recommend the Heath Bar Crunch that a kind theater patron insisted on treating me to.

For a cynical, quirky and sentimental look at Christmases past, let "Christmas on the Rocks" serve you a flavorful cocktail of tasty potent potables. Happy Holidays!

GET "ON YOUR FEET" AND LET THE RHYTHM GET YOU AT THE PALACE IN WATERBURY

Let the music of the Miami Sound Machine rev up your engines and ignite your feet and heart.

For a spicy salsa kick with a Latin-American chaser, look no further than the triumphant musical tale of Gloria Estefan and her producer husband Emilio. Join the winding conga line all the way to the Palace Theater in Waterbury for three performances Friday and Saturday, December 15 and 16 as “On Your Feet!” commands your exciting attention.

This immigrant story features a three year old Gloria moving with her family from Havana, Cuba to Miami, Florida. Along the way, she had to deal with a father battling an incurable disease, a mother who voiced her disapproval of Gloria’s hopes and dreams and an accident that almost destroyed everything she and her husband had worked decades to achieve.

“On Your Feet!” is energized by a book by Alexander Dinelaris, choreography by Sergio Trujillo and direction by Jerry Mitchell.

Combining an exploding juke box theme, with tunes like “Conga,” “1-2-3,” “Get On Your Feet,” “Anything For You,” “Turn the Beat Around" and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” with an inspiring autobiographical story, the audience is treated to highs of extreme joy contrasting with real obstacles to success. Their crossover music dreams are continually dismissed as impossible by record executives in the know as well as their refusal to release their hit singles in English.

In her home life, Gloria faces a heartfelt estrangement from her mother, the painful witnessing of her father’s illness and then the shattering reality of the tour bus crash one snowy night with a truck that leaves her severely injured with a broken back. Her triumphant return to the stage, after battling incredible odds, is showcased in her performance at the 1991 American Music Awards. Her resilience and spirit can be applauded at every step.

With Samuel Garnica as Emilio, Sophia Yacap as the young Gloria and Gaby Albo as the adult star, we are taken on a journey that showcases their life. With two dozen songs sprinkled throughout the drama, we witness how this immigrant child rose to become the winner of multiple Grammy Awards, racking up over 100 top ten hits, be honored with a 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom as well as, in 2017, receiving the Kennedy Center Honor.

For tickets ($47-87), call the Palace, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at www.palacetheaterct.org. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Follow the intriguing path to glory that Gloria and Emilio Estefan forge in the musical world. Get “on your feet” and let the rhythm catch you.

GET "ALL SHOOK UP" AT CENTER STAGE IN SHELTON

Elvis is definitely in the building and by building I mean Shelton’s Center Stage. If not Elvis himself, then his essence and spirit and his music so plan to rock 'n roll over to theCenter Stage sometime before Sunday, December 10. The play is "All Shook Up", with book by Joe DiPietro and the songs of Elvis Presley. When a black leather jacketed stranger rides into town on a motorcycle in 1955 that is exactly what he does: he shakes up that little Midwestern town from its foundations. The town is repressed and has been under the iron rule of the mayor. Think "Footloose" collides with Will Shakespeare.

Natalie, a sweet tomboy mechanic portrayed by Sandra Fernandez who works in her dad's garage, claims that she can fix anything that has wheels and when this stranger comes to town, Chad, she finds herself falling head over heels in love. Chad, a charismatic and slightly dangerous Scott Sheldon, however, looks at her and only sees a scruffy faced grease monkey. With crinolines and bobby sox, the town is ready to accept everything that Chad advocates. He is a roustabout, a drifter and a rover. His goal is to travel from town to town and to fix them, clearly evident by the fact that he's wearing blue suede shoes. He gets the town on its feet and ready to dance and magically repairs the jukebox that has been broken since forever.

The mayor, a mean spirited Maria Mongillo, is the moral compass of the town and she is angry when this rock 'n roll rebel interferes with her plans. She soon sees her own son Dean, an obedient Zachary Haywood, suddenly change his ways and take up with Lorraine, a fun loving Kira Gray , a girl Mayor Matilda finds unacceptable because she's an African-American. The mayor subscribes to the Mamie Eisenhower Decency Act and everything that Chad represents violates that. Elvis's music like "It's Now or Never,” “Love me Tender,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” " Burning Love" and " I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" punctuate the new feelings that Chad is advocating. True to Shakespeare's spirit, Natalie is in love with Chad, her best friend Dennis (Paul Keegan) has secret feelings for her, Chad is in love with the museum director Miss Sandra (Mel Byron), Natalie's dad (Chris Hetherington) thinks he's in love with Sandra too, and Lorraine's mom (Briana B.Dawson) fancies herself falling for Natalie's dad. When Natalie finds she can't get anywhere with Chad, she disguises herself as a boy, calls herself Ed and does a typical Shakespeare ploy trying to inveigle her way into Chad's heart.

The mayor makes her feelings known when she sings "Devil in Disguise" about Chad and soon all the romantic complications are tangled together. Everyone is willing to risk everything for love but you don't have to worry. By the end, wedding bells are ringing over and over and over again and even meek Sheriff Earl (Mike O'Mara) finds his gumption to put Matilda in her place, firmly in his arms. Kristen Santangelo does super duty as director, while Meghan Quinn handles all the jazzy choreography, and Liz Muller keeps the joint jumping musically.

For tickets ($18-36), call Center Stage, 54 Grove Street, Shelton at 203-225-6079 or online at www.centerstageshelton.org. Performances are Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Celebrate the holidays with Center Stage on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.and Sunday at 2 p.m., December 15-17 with “Christmas Carols and Cocktails." Tickets are $25 adults, $15 children.

Get your dancing shoes on and plan to visit Elvis's clone Chad and the gang as they put energy and spirit and heart into this wonderful musical "All Shook Up."

SALUTE THE TROOPS AT STIRRING MUSICAL "THE PIN-UP GIRLS" AT PLAYHOUSE ON PARK

Encouraging the troops, raising their spirits as they protect our freedoms, has always deserved a merry and musical salute to our veterans, a well deserved thank you for their heroic sacrifices. James Hindman and Jeffrey Lodin have fashioned a loving tribute to servicemen and women in “The Pin-Up Girls A Musical Love Letter” bopping into Playhouse on Park in West Hartford until Saturday, December 23 and you are invited for a seat up front for the tuneful action for the show’s New England premiere.

Dating all the way back to World War I and spanning the years to the conflict in Afghanistan, these composers have taken the real letters written to our troops and the ones sent back again to their families and covered the conflicts they endured. All branches of the military will have their words and sentiments revealed starting with the mailman’s favorite tune “Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.” This music and dance fest is courtesy of Artistic Director Darlene Zoller, with music direction by Kevin Barlowski.

Other favorites include “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “All the Single Ladies,” and “Abba-Abba Honeymoon” for romantic interludes, a sentimental love letter to our brave soldiers. Join the Playhouse’s letter writing campaign in Operation Gratitude.

Watch for the Weird and Wonderful World of Industrial Music by Steve Young on Sunday and Monday, December 10 and 11.

For tickets ($45 and $55), call Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, West Hartford at 860-523-5900, ext. 10, or online at www.playhouseonpark.org. Performances are 2 p.m Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a talk back after the Sunday matinee. A special author presentation from Lisa Franco will take place on Saturday, December 16 after the 2 p.m. matinee when Lisa will read from “My Dearest Darling,” letters written in World War II by naval man Donald Story to his sweetheart Margery.

Learn first hand how important writing letters was as intimate connection and communication across thousands of miles of separation, especially during wartime.

COME SEE THE HEAVENLY "DREAMGIRLS" AT GOODSPEED

A 2013 documentary film "20 Feet From Stardom” focused attention on the backup singers behind the stars, the women who gave their hearts and souls to the music but were rarely acknowledged. Their story could well be the story of a trio of girl singers from Chicago, The Dreamettes, who travel to the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York for their one big chance, to win an amateur talent show. Reading between the lines of the songs, it could also be the meteoric rise of Diana Ross and The Supremes, as they struggled with successes and sacrifices to make it to the top of the charts.

To follow the saga of Effie Melody White, Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson, bogey over to Goodspeed Musicals before Saturday, December 30 to enter the world of a Motown girl group in the 1960's and 1970's in the hit musical "Dreamgirls," with book and lyrics by Tom Eyan and music by Henry Krieger.

Effie (Trejah Bostic), Deena (Ta-Tynisa Wilson) and Lorrell (Keirsten Hodgens) are young and ambitious black women who desperately want to find fame and fortune. They tie their star to the coattails of a less than honorable promoter Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Evan Tyrone Martin) who promises them the moon. A used-car salesman, Curtis convinces a popular rhythm and blues star, James "Thunder" Early (Mykal Kilgore) and his manager Marty (Robert Cornelius) to hire the Dreamettes as his backup singers, to launch their career. Effie's brother CC (Jos N. Banks) is a great songwriter who writes tunes like "Cadillac Man," and Curtis convinces Early to branch out into the pop music market.

With Curtis' promptings and dishonest probings, the girls and Early undergo dramatic changes, and conflicts arise that threaten all the relationships on stage and off. Egos are bruised and the personalities involved explode. Great songs like "Cadillac Man,” "(And I'm Telling You) I'm Not Going," "One Night Only," "Steppin' to the Bad Side" and "Dreamgirls" propel the action through this powerhouse of a show. Lili-Anne Brown directs these mega-talented stars as they try to climb over each other to the top.

For tickets ($30-87), call the Goodspeed Musicals, 6 Main Street, East Haddam at 860-873-8668 or online at goodspeed.org. Performances are Wednesday and 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. and 6:30 p.m.

Follow the tempo, the tears, the trials and the triumphs as this trio of hopefuls takes on the music industry and how luck, prejudice and ambition color their legendary story. The costumes by Samantha C. Jones, the lighting by Jason Lynch and Adam Honore and wigs by Earon Chew Nealey alone make the trip to Goodspeed worthwhile.

BRANFORD'S LEGACY THEATRE ADDS MUSIC TO "A CHRISTMAS CAROL"

Ebenezer Scrooge really works hard to earn the titles as the crankiest, crabbiest curmudgeon during the Christmas season. As the "bah humbug king,” he reeks with mean spiritedness, that is until he is forced to reexamine his life and his deeds with the help of personages of a trio of ghosts. This is after a timely visit from his business partner Jacob Marley, who was dead as a doornail lo these last seven years.

The Legacy Theatre of Branford will joyfully welcome the holiday season with “A Christmas Carol” adapted from the classic by Charles Dickens, with original music by Keely Baisden Knudsen and David Bell until Sunday December 10. Gather the whole family for this traditional holiday favorite.

Come meet James Andreassi’s Ebenezer Scrooge as he happily counts his coins and denies giving charity to help the orphaned and poor, tries to deny his employee Bob Cratchit (Josiah Rowe) a proper day off to observe Christmas and refuses the kind invitation of his nephew Fred (Dan Frye) to spend dinner at his home. Andreassi is wonderfully awful as the dastardly downer of the delightful day.

When the ghosts appear to do their seemingly impossible magic, the Ghost of Christmas Past (Keely Baisden), the Ghost of Christmas Present ( Chris Lemieux), and the most fearful of all, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Melanie Martyn), Scrooge is forced to reckon with all the mistakes he made in his life. With the help of Fan (Kiersten Bjork) his love from the past, the heartfelt needs of Tiny Tim (Patrick Clifford), the musical skills of the Clock Chime Singer (Wynter Knudsen) and the happy arrival of the Boy who announces it is still Christmas Day (Emery Knudsen), the redemption of Ebenezer is complete.

For tickets ($25-60), call the Legacy, 128 Thimble Islands Road, Branford at 203-315-1901 or online at LegacyTheatreCT.org. Performances are Wednesday at 7 p.m., Thursday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Friday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Please bring new adult mittens and gloves to donate.

Witness the magical transformation of Ebenezer as he learns the true meaning of the holiday spirit and embraces it with a whole and grateful heart.

INTENSE WORLD PREMIERE OF "THE SALVAGERS" AT YALE REP

The frosty outdoors of a Chicago winter does not begin to measure up to the chilly conditions inside the home of Boseman Salvage Senior and his son Junior. No amount of fireplace heat or furnace generated gas or electrical air vents are likely to warm up the relationship of this parent and son unit. Emotions are ready to ignite as the generational pair are ready and able to bicker and explode over each and every family argument. As the snow piles grow, so does the antagonism. Baby, it’s cold inside.

The Yale Repertory Theatre suggests you get your scarf and gloves ready for the world premiere of “The Salvagers” by Harrison David Rivers until Saturday, December 16, an intense play commissioned by the Yale Rep, through the auspices of the Binger Center for New Theatre.

Issues heat up with the Salvagers as dad, Boseman Salvage Senior (Julian Elijah Martinez) and son (Taylor A. Blackman) disagreed about practically everything. Dad is a locksmith, one who ironically does not possess the magic key to unlock a meaningful relationship with his son. For his part the son wants to be recognized as a legitimate actor, one who ravels in reciting Shakespeare, but he doesn’t know the lines he must speak in dealing with his father.

Yet with his mother Nedra (Toni Martin), he has no problem expressing his love. His parents were too young, mere teens, when he brashly entered their lives. Even when father and son find comfort in a loving relationship, dad with a substitute teacher Elinor (McKenzie Chinn) and Junior with restaurant co-worker Paulina (Mikayla LeShae Bartholomew), the intriguing family differences do not dissipate. Can these fractured personalities be “salvaged”? Will their secrets and lies ever be healed?

For tickets ($15-65), call the Yale Rep, 1120 Chapel Street, New Haven at 203-432-1234 or online at www.yalerep.org. Performances are Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesdays at 2 p.m. (select) and 8 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Enter this involved family and discover the pains and promises as they struggle to survive and thrive much more than a brutally cold Chicago winter.

TAKE A MUSICAL "SLEIGH!" RIDE WITH THE CT GAY MEN'S CHORUS

Santa Claus is currently circling Connecticut with a magical gift for you to unwrap for the memorable holiday of Christmas. The Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus is all dressed up in its green, red and gold finery, they’ve rehearsed an advent calendar full of preparation and their sense of humor is bubbling to the rafters as “Sleigh!” comes merrily to town.

The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook is all aglow in its Christmas best for three performances on Saturday, December 2 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 3 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. while the Sacred Heart University Theatre in Fairfield is set to explode in fur and frolic on Saturday, December 16 at 8 p.m.

Rafters will surely ring with the joy filed music of the season as these talented men “slay” the dickens out of Santa’s special day. What would the day be without their unique blend of tunes spiced with their adorable sense of humor. Your favorites are sure to be on their nice, not naughty list, courtesy of Artistic Director Greg McMahon.

For tickets ($35), go online at www.ctgmc.org. Help celebrate 35 years of standing up tall for inclusion, activism, and diversity.

It’s not too early to plan for a sparkling spring happening when these clever guys perform “Pure Imagination: A Magical Musical Journey” at the Kate on Saturday, April 27 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Take a delightful dose of a delicious Christmas prescription, thanks to the CTGMC. You’ll feel all the better for the experience.

GET SET FOR "A MAGICAL CIRQUE CHRISTMAS" AT THE PALACE IN WATERBURY

Forget the tinsel, the gingerbread houses and the stockings hanging on the fireplace mantle. Put down the tumbler of egg nog and the Christmas tree shaped butter cookies. It’s time for a mystical introduction to the holiday that your family has never experienced before when “A Magical Cirque Christmas” flies into the Palace Theater in Waterbury for one sparkling and spectacular night, Tuesday, November 28 at 7 p.m.

Imagine Santa Claus on his gift-filled sleigh dropping off a bevy of high flying performers, like a circus dressed up for the holiday in awe-inspiring splendor. You won’t know where to look first as acrobats, high wire acts, dancers and singers astonish you with their talents. Spin your spirits to new heights, juggle your joy to new levels of fun. This is an incredible marriage of Christmas and circus designed to dazzle like you’ve never imagined before and you will find yourself enchanted by every jaw-dropping moment. What a wonderful gift for the whole family to celebrate during this season of happiness.

For tickets ($39-86), call the Palace Theater, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at https://www.palacetheaterct.org.

Wrap yourself in amazing splendor as you kick off the glorious holiday season with a hearty dose of magic and merriment.

LONG WHARF THEATRE PRESENTS A MOVING"THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING"

Tragedy doesn’t always give a warning when it is about to disrupt your life. Even if your partner has been ill for fourteen years, his death will still bea shock. The only way to prepare for these eventualities is to cherish every day, to balance the precious with the precarious, to feel gratitude for the moment and to live in the present…to not postpone joy.

Unthinkable things happen to people, even good people, like car crashes, chronic illnesses, and, the inevitable worst case scenario, death. Joan Didion, journalist, essayist and novelist, was all too familiar with the curses and tragedies of life as she received a double dose of devastation that was a painful reality in the two years from 2003 to 2005. Her husband and writing partner of forty years, John Gregory Dunne, died suddenly and her daughter, Quintana Roo, 39, died after an extended illness.

>p>To work through her grief, Didion penned a book “The Year of Magical Thinking,” which won the National Book Award and which she adapted into a one woman play. From now until Sunday, December 10, Long Wharf Theatre will be presenting this personal, poignant and powerful tale starring the legendary Kathleen Chalfant.

Didion, who has been hailed as “the finest woman prose stylist writing in English today” by novelist and poet James Dickey, used the written word as therapy to try and understand what went wrong in her world. This is a cautionary tale, as she wanted the audience to be aware that what happened to her could happen to you.

When her novelist, screenwriter and literary critic husband died unexpectedly on December 30, 2003 of a heart attack, at the same moment her beloved daughter was in an induced coma suffering from septic shock, Didion found that life can change in an instant, that grief has its place but also its limits, and that the writer’s instincts to constantly “revise” work unfortunately don’t apply to life. She wanted a “do over,” a new ending, so that even as she went through the rituals of a funeral she was preparing for John to return. She couldn’t give away his shoes because he would need them when he came back.

In an intimate setting, as if she is talking directly to you, Kathleen Chalfant is wonderfully convincing as she takes you through that unimaginable time when she tried to “see it straight,” when the sea went silent, when she attempted to correct the reversible error. Artistic director, who conceived the show through Keen Company, Jonathan Silverstein keeps a taut and sensitive hold on the personal, intensely familiar and internal exploration of feelings.

For tickets (free for students, at libraries, pay-it-forward, up to $125 at individual homes), go online to longwharf.org/shows-events/the-year-of-magical-thinking/ for the play’s performance dates and locations in and around New Haven in homes, gathering spaces and libraries.

Learn how Joan Didion used “magical thinking” to survive a time when everyone of importance in her life was snatched away in an instant. That she survives is a testament to her strength and resilience.

LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAY WITH "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET CHRISTMAS" AT IVORYTON

Do you need a little inspiration and motivation to get ready for the December 25th holiday that is just around the red, gold and green corner? Might you like to enthusiastically greet Santa Claus and even Rudolph? If you answered yes, then Ivoryton Playhouse has just the perfect solution for your energy and burst of excitement: “Million Dollar Quartet Christmas” lighting up the playhouse until Sunday, December 17. Wow, is it wonderful!

Are you still proud that your music tastes are stuck decades back in the 1950's? Do you delight in singers with singing guitars, champions of the ivory keys, swivel hips and wild gyrations? Is yesterday your favorite place for your listening and dancing pleasures? If so, then do I have a musical marathon designed just for you. The date is December 4, 1956 and the sacred place is Memphis, Tennessee at a small recording studio named Sun Records run by Sam Phillips. On that memorable day four icons of the music world wander in and Mr. Phillips, the Father of Rock 'n Roll, realizes the significance of that event.

Ivoryton Playhouse invites you to be front and center at Colin Escott's "Million Dollar Quartet Christmas" rocking the rafters when Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley perform an impromptu jam session, one that was smokin' hot and unforgettable. "Million Dollar Quartet Christmas" recreates that one and only legendary day in the history of rock 'n roll, this time around moving it seamlessly and memorably to the final days leading up to December 25.

Think of it as a personal playlist of your favorite holiday hits as these great tunes come tumbling out. Listen to “Home for the Holidays,” "Blue Christmas,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” “Santa Baby,” “Ring of Fire,” “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Run, Rudolph, Run” and so many more. Even when the show seems to be over, these guys return for a special additional Christmas concert, all dressed up in their holiday finest.

Carl Perkins (Sam Sherwoodl) had come to Sun Records that day with his brother Jay (Mark Gehret) and Fluke (Dakota Singerline) as back up and Sam Phillips, (Ben Hope) the owner of Sun, added Jerry Lee Lewis, (JP Coletta) a recent acquisition, to the mix as pianist. When Elvis Presley (Daniel Durston) dropped by with his girlfriend Dyanne (Margaret Dudasik), he added his voice to the kettle and it was the final arrival of Johnny Cash (Scott Moreau) that made the spicy cider's brew complete.

These phenomenally talented guys, all at different stages of musical success, sat down and stood up and sang like a group of old friends, without rehearsals or formal plans, and Cowboy Jack Clement, the engineer, was smart enough to record it. There were a few jealousies and recriminations among the four, but music was the uniting element that made the day so memorable. It happened that day and never again. Mixed in to the great music were the memories each had of the holiday, going way back to their childhoods, when getting an orange in their stocking was a blessing.

Country music, rockabilly and rock 'n roll merge and marry as these fellows sing just for the pure pleasure of the sound. For Sam Phillips, these four men were like his four sons and this show reveals a lot about their relationships, where they came from and where they were going. Sam gave each of them their chance and then promoted them to fame and success. On this day he even gives them each a personal gift. It is a sensational staged recreation of the actual event. Director Katie Barton wraps the excitement like a sacred Christmas present, with Ben Hope providing musical direction, on a realistic studio set designed by Martin Scott Marchitto. Jonathan White's sound rocks everything up to the star on the Christmas tree.

For tickets ($60, seniors $55, students and children $25), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or online at www.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.

Prepare for an explosion and fireworks as this quartet hits all the right notes, with fancy flying fingers on guitars, bass, drums and piano, and voices close to heaven. Come and enjoy every perfect sound. You will surely be ready to embrace that December holiday with happiness and joy and no one will ask you if you’ve been naughty or nice.

ENTER THE MAGICAL WORLD OF THE "MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL" AT THE BUSHNELL

Get ready for fantastic splashes of vibrant color, lavish costumes and sets, awe inspiring romance, an explosion of carnival proportions and a world where glamour and glitz are magically married. Whether you are an aristocrat or an up and coming Bohemian, you will glory in the extravagance and passion that abounds in the three rings of splendor erupting before your unbelieving eyes.

The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford will present “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” in all its dramatic splendor from Tuesday, November 21 to Sunday, December 3. Think of a gigantic kaleidoscope that explodes in brilliant hues. Think Paris, the can-can, the Eiffel Tower, and so much more. Follow the tale of Satine, the featured performer of the Moulin Rouge and a much desired courtesan. While she falls madly in love with an Englishman Christian, a poor poet, the club’s owner Harold Zidler, a master showman, has different plans. With his beloved club in danger of closing, he has planned to have a wealthy Duke fund his next season by forming a love match with Satine. Not aware of the Duke’s violent temper, Harold bravely puts his business saving plan in motion.

French for Red Windmill, Moulin Rouge encapsulates everything you could want in a musical with splendiferous acting, singing and choreography, not to mention drama and delectable puckers of love. With nods to Baz Luhrmann’s artistic film production, this gem with music from the Rolling Stones, Beyonce, Elton John, Queen, Madonna, and The Beatles focuses on freedom, love, truth and beauty as you’ve never experienced them before.

Plan an exciting visit to Montmartre where artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec delighted in painting the Bohemian life style he so adored in the early 1900’s. For tickets ($43 and up), call the Bushnell, 166 Capital Avenue, Hartford at 860-987-5900 or online at bushnell.org. Performances are Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday (not Thanksgiving) at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Get set for an exciting evening of romance and tragedy as you experience the grand epic that is the Moulin Rouge.

SQUARE ONE THEATRE HOSTS A TIMELY "THANKSGIVING PLAY"

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday when the family gathers to give prayers and gratitude for all the blessings we are thankful for enjoying. A golden glazed turkey with cranberry sauce and buttery mashed potatoes are followed by pumpkin pie and a televised football game or two. There is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on gifts and all the guests present are generally in a jovial mood. What could possibly go wrong?

Square One Theatre in Stratford is investigating what could possibly occur in the holiday happening in Larissa FastHorse’s probing satire "The Thanksgiving Day” weekends until Sunday, November 19 at the Stratford Academy. The playwright is the first Native American woman to bring a show to Broadway, as she pokes fun of how history and theater can get lost in the translation as Lillian Garcia’s Logan is challenged to create a forty-five minute holiday play for third graders that doesn’t offend anyone.

Logan enlists the aid of David Victor's Jaxton, J. Kevin Smith’s Caden and Lynnette Victoria’s Alicia to aid her with this thorny cornucopia of a problem. With this quartet of theatrical people in hand, why should it prove so problematic to improvise a script? Logan is afraid she will alienate all the generous donors who provided grants for the school project. Caden has come equipped with a set of possible scenarios that go back way before the Mayflower landed on Plymouth Rock. Jaxton enjoys a special relationship with Logan and they use yoga and meditation to inspire their movements while Alicia, the professional actress, has confidence she can play any role that is presented to her. Meanwhile at the center of the conumdrum are the indigenous people that they are trying to honor and not denigrate. What could possibly be a problem with four white clueless adults in charge?

For tickets ($22, students and seniors $20, reserved front row $25), call the Square One Theater Company, 719 Birdeye Street, Stratford at 203-375-8778 or online at squareonetheatre.com. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. A discussion of the play will take place at the Stratford Library in the Lovell Room on Tuesday, November 27 at noon.

Come see “The Thanksgiving Play,” one of the ten most produced plays in America this season, where you won’t find a new recipe for stuffing but where you might find some thought provoking ideas about Native Americans and their history.

HOLLYWOOD COMES TO CONNECTICUT WITH ILLEANA DOUGLAS AT THE KATE

Do you ever mention Hollywood and Connecticut in the same sentence? Is it possible that the two divergent places could ever be connected, not only once but hundreds of times? With the encouraging and energetic help of film historian and celebrated actress Illeana Douglas who was born and raised in the Nutmeg state and intimately knows the celebrated California location, who better to marry the two places in one revelatory and fascinating book?

On Wednesday, November 15 at 7 p.m, the Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center will invite the author to reveal the fantastic stories of Connecticut being the birthplace of noted film making: "Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia." Starting with the black and white world of silent movies, Illeana will guide us on the road to meet Sherlock Holmes, Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet.

Then its off for lighter fare, with comedies like “Bringing Up Baby.” The beauty of Connecticut under a snowy landscape is soon evident in such films as “Holiday Inn” and a whole stocking full of Christmas selections thanks to Hallmark, starting as early as mid-July for their festive offerings. The suburbs are covered with dream houses built by Mr. Blandings as well as sexier comedies disquised in tunnels of love and secret lives, not to mention mysterious goings on. In addition, films about Connecticut Yankees visiting King Arthur’s Court, the dramas of Eugene O’Neill and so many more to examine and explore through Illeana Douglas’s eyes and words. Colin McEnroe of Public Radio Show fame will lead the conversation and interview.

For tickets ($40, including a signed copy of her book), call the Kate, 300 Main Street, Old Saybrook at 860-510-0473 or online at thekate.org.

Get ready for a fascinating focus on Lights, Camera, Action with Illeana Douglas in the director’s chair.

"ABSOLUTE QUEEN" IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST AT BRIDGEPORT'S DOWNTOWN CABARET

In 1970 four young musicians, Freddie, Brian, Roger and John, met in London to form a band, a band that would guarantee them royalty status one day. Their early work landed them on a throne of hard rock, progressive rock and heavy metal, which led later to arena and pop rock. You might know the guys better as Queen, led on vocals and piano by Freddie Mercury. He teamed up with Brian May on guitar and vocals and Roger Taylor on drums and vocals, finally being completed with John Deacon on bass. They gained international success with their album “A Night at the Opera,” which had a catchy little number called “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Years later that would be the title of a movie focusing on Queen’s formative beginnings, leading up to the celebrated 1985 Live Aid concert where Queen dominated the stage with all the other great rockers.

Now you have the unique opportunity to celebrate Queen and their music when Absolute Queen comes to Bridgeport’s Downtown Cabaret for two performances at 3:30 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 11 for your listening and rafter-raising pleasure. Be prepared to relive the ecstatic joy of the 1980’s as lead singer Martyn Jenkins from Wales sets the bar as high as the castle walls. Jenkins toured Europe for years as front man for the European Touring Queen Show “Night at the Opera.” With Chris Kinder on percussion, he adds his extensive experience touring, playing and recording music for Jon Oliva as the genius behind the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This tribute band totals six members, with Jenkins inserting stories along with the music. Absolute Queen can also morph into a quartet of other tribute concert makers!

With attention to detail paramount, Absolute Queen has invested hundreds of hours in the studio perfecting their multitude of harmonies, producing incredible audience experiences.

For tickets ($48), call Downtown Cabaret, 263 Golden Hill Street, Bridgeport at 203-576-1636 or online at dtcab.com/show/absolute-queen/. Remember this is cabaret so bring your favorite foods and snacks.

Absolute Queen promises to perform every song from the film, including more like “We Are the Champions,” “Play the Game” and “Keep Yourself Alive.” Come hit the high notes and honor your loyalty with their royalty. They will definitely, positively, and absolutely Rock You!

EXPLORE THE TIME CHANGES OF LIFE AT "CLYBOURNE PARK"

A lot can happen to a neighborhood and the houses in it over five decades. Through the passage of time, changes can improve or decimate a community, making it unrecognizable to its former inhabitants.

Such is the case with the Chicago neighborhood at the center of Bruce Norris' Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play "Clybourne Park" now gracing the stage of Music Theatre of Connecticut in Norwalk until Sunday, November 19.

In 1959, Clybourne Park is a desirable white enclave that is visibly frightened by the prospect of a black family moving in to its sacred territory. While Bev (Susan Hefner) and Russ (Frank Matron) are eagerly awaiting their move to a new home, their neighbors are alarmed. Do they know who is purchasing #406? Bev and Russ are moving to escape their home's bad memories, for it is here their son Kenneth, a Korean War veteran, committed suicide.

Now close to moving day, and Russ' new job, their home has a revolving door policy. Jim (Matt Mancuso) drops in to offer some spiritual advice, Karl (Nick Roesler) and his deaf, very pregnant wife Betsy (Allie Seibold) arrive to question the suitability of the prospective new owners and the effect on the neighborhood, while Albert (SJ Hannah) stops by to pick up his wife Francine (Rae Jane) who has worked for years for the family. Albert and Francine are quickly called upon to offer their perspective as the only African-Americans present.

The turmoil and questions of 1959 are turned on their head fifty years later in 2009 when a white family dares to foray into what has become a clearly black neighborhood. Lindsey (Allie Seibold) and Steve (Nick Roesler) have grand architectural plans for #406 and they are meeting at their perspective new home to address a housing permit with friends and associates. With sharp witticisms and biting commentary, the thin veneer of civility is stripped from the racial questions not far from the surface. When Lena (Rae Janeil) introduces the subject of a suicide here fifty years before and a construction worker (Frank Mastrone) uncovers a footlocker buried in the backyard, all the suspicions and mistrust quickly surface. Pamela Hill directs this talented cast in this thought provoking exploration of racial prejudices with a truly skilled perspective.

For tickets ($45-60), call Music Theatre of CT, 509 Westport Avenue, Norwalk at 203-454-3883 or online at musictheatreofct.com. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Pick up the story where "A Raisin in the Sun" leaves off, as the Younger family prepares to move to their first real home, and bear witness to the racial and cultural clashes that can ensue over a prized piece of real estate.

TAKE AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY WITH "PRIVATE JONES"

Veteran’s Day is a deeply moving time to thank the selfless men and women who sacrifice so much, often life and limb, to protect us and our many freedoms. How fitting, therefore, to see the touching and emotional new musical “Private Jones” that just debuted at the Terris Theatre in Chester to great applause at this moment. We are all too aware of wars and conflict, the enormous toll they take on families and communities, and the disastrous truth that we do not learn from our mistakes and are destined to repeat them again and again throughout the ages.

“Private Jones” is a new musical written and directed by Marshall Pailet with Alexandria Wailes, Director of Artistic Sign Language. Come meet Johnny Link as Gomer Jones, a young and eager lad from Wales who wants desperately to help defend England in World War I. At his father’s knee he learned to shoot a rifle, even though it pained him to kill the feral dogs that ate the family’s livelihood of sheep.

When Gomer loses his hearing, he lies about his age and tries to enlist. Passing the physical without benefit of his ears is impossible the first time, but he is not easily discouraged. Once he succeeds, he is determined to be an excellent sniper as the rousing tune “Bastards” joyously illustrates. Training with his new comrades, he is able to hide his disability at first but ultimately Leanne Antonio’s Gwenolyn, a helpful nurse, and a fellow soldier, Claire Neumann’s King, discover his secret and work to protect him. Ultimately he is betrayed by Vincent Kempski’s Edmund from his home town and Gomer is slated to be disgraced and dismissed.

The realities of war and the cruelty of the fighting are portrayed with elaborate choreography by Misha Shields and dramatic musical direction by Myrna Cohn, with both American and British Sign Language sprinkled liberally within the action. Illusions to Gomer’s beloved home of Breconshire in Wales punctuate his conflicts, while Nicholas Mahon’s sweet dog puppet touches the heart.

“Private Jones” is moving in February 2024 to the Signature Theater in Virginia from theTerris. Watch how Gomer Jones takes all his years of practice with a rifle on the farm with his dad and transforms himself into a “bastard killer” against the Krauts, with honor and courage against all odds. His journey is well worth acknowledging as this “deaf as a dormouse” soldier defends all that is dear to him.

ELLA FITZGERALD IS BEING FETED IN STORY AND SONG AT WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE

Ella Fitzgerald was an iconic songstress who was at the top of her game when she sang like a songbird on stage. Ella was, is, and will forever be the “Queen of Jazz” and “Lady Ella” as well as “First Lady of Song” to the world. You have the unique opportunity to hear another mighty tribute to her powers when the Westport Country Playhouse presents the musical magic of Cherise Coaches until Sunday, November 5.

In a jazzy concert salute with sassy swing and juicy joy, you are invited to relax to the rhythms as “First Lady of Song: Cherise Coaches Sings Ella Fitzgerald” captures her style and scats. Cherise will reveal how after almost six decades of performing, Ella Fitzgerald established herself as a master of improvisation, perfect phasing and timing, with a pure tone, expert diction, and especially scat singing. Her childhood was marked by obstacles, with singing and dancing in church as well as performing for her classmates at lunchtime and on the way to school a welcome respite. She loved the jazz records her mom brought home to play, until a car accident took her mother away when Ella was only a teenager. Her step father is thought to have abused her.

Her jobs as a numbers runner and a lookout at a bordelo caused her to skip school and her good grades suffered. She spent time in an orphanage and reform school and later earned a living singing on Harlem streets. A talent show at the Apollo where she won first prize changed her future. Cherise Coaches will be up close and personal about Ella’s life. An Artists Lounge Live production, written and directed by Angela Ingersoll, with musical direction by Wiliam Kurk with his band Runere Brooks, Ryan Bennett, and Jay Flat, presents Cherise as she takes the audience on a lively and unique journey into her heroine Ella’s heart and soul. Along the way, Cherise adds touches about how her own life as a singer shares interesting similarities.

With personality plus, Cherise sings such favorites as “Summertime,” “The Lay Is a Tramp,” “A-Tisket A-Tasket,” “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” “Mack the Knife,” ”Our Love Is Here to Stay” and “It’s Too Darn Hot,” plus many others.

For tickets ($35 and up), call the Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off route 1 in Westport at 203-227-4177 or 888-927-7529 or online at www.westportplayhouse.org. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

Let Cherise take you from Ella’s childhood all the way to Carnegie Hall, and warbling with her outstanding songs all along the fascinating way.

"TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD" DRAMATIC EXCELLENCE AT PALACE IN WATERBURY

As a young lad with the gift of an air rifle in hand, Atticus Finch was told by his father that it was a crime against God, a sin, to kill a mockingbird. Why he asked? Because they are innocent, his father replied. Atticus Finch would grow up to become a lawyer.

As classical theatrical events are portrayed, few can be as emotionally captivating as Harper Lee’s outstanding vision of Southern life in the 1930’s as “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Since it went on national tour in March, over a million people in 44 cities have witnessed this emotional drama. You have the unique opportunity to recapture all of its dramatic impact in Aaron Sorkin’s new version, with an emphasis on race, justice and equality, with direction by Bartlett Sher, when it triumphantly enters the Palace Theater in Waterbury from Tuesday, November 3 to Sunday, November 5.

Fall under the spell of Richard Thomas’ Atticus Finch, a determined defender of truth, who wants to help a black man Tom Robinson, portrayed by Yaegel T. Welch. Tom has been accused of raping Maryella Ewell, a young white woman. It’s the time of the Great Depression, in 1933, and Attorney Finch is not applauded by many of the townsfolk for taking on this controversial case. His own children, Jean Louise Finch, all of six years old, and known as Scout (Maeve Moynihan) and her older brother Jeremy, called Jem (Justin Mark), are proud of their father for defending Tom’s rights and trying to prove his innocence. They are cared for by a black nanny, Calpurnia, portrayed by Jacqueline Williams, who watches over them like a mother hen with her brood.

Scout is the all-knowing narrator of the play who pals around with her brother Jem and with Dill (Steven Lee Johnson), a boy who comes to stay with his aunts every summer. The trio are especially fascinated with a recluse named “Boo” Radley (Ian Bedford) who hasn’t been seen for years. Many incidents in Harper Lee’s childhood parallel what happens in Maycomb, including her father being an attorney who himself defended two black men accused of murder who were convicted and hanged. He never tried a criminal case again.

She also had a friend who would become the novelist Truman Capote in Dill. They often wrote and acted out imaginative tales. For tickets ($45 to $125), call the Palace, 100 Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at palacetheaterct.org. Performances are 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.

Come experience Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece, called by 60 Minutes “the most successful play in Broadway history” and by Rolling Stones 5 stars and “an emotionally shattering landmark production of an American classic.” This is excellent dramatic theater that will stay with you long after the applause is but a mere echo.

"SUNSET BOULEVARD" DESCENDS A DRAMATIC STAIRCASE AT ACT IN RIDGEFIELD

When your shining star in the firmament no longer glows with glory, how devastating can be the descent out of the heavens? When the rarefied air no longer welcomes you in its warmth of the spotlight, what might you do to regain the top spot as a movie queen? ACT of Connecticut in Ridgefield is ready to reveal the astonishing answers one star may be willing to risk until Sunday, November 19 as “Sunset Boulevard” takes center stage in a royal production.

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 ACT for an up close and personal meeting with the former star herself Norma Desmond based on the Billy Wilder film, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.

Pearl Sun is exotically 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, to acknowledge her personal “sunset, b ” and when she meets an attractive young writer, Michael Burrell’s Joe Gillis, 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 Gary Harger, 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, Helen J. Shen'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, George Xavier’s Max, can save the ailing queen and restore her to glory.

Songs like “New Ways to Dream,” “Too Much in Love.” and “The Perfect Year” propel the action. Daniel C. Levine directs this intriguing tale of theater where the past tries to eclipse and change the present, on a beautiful set designed by David Goldstein, with exquisite costumes and wigs designed by Kurt Alger, with snazzy choreography by Sara Brians and melodramatic musical direction by Bryan Perri.

For tickets ($71-79), call ACT of Connecticut, 36 Old Quarry Road, Ridgefield, at 475-215-5497 or online at actofct.org. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Additional performances have been added for Sunday, November 5 at 7 p.m. and Friday, November 10 at 2 p.m.

Follow the former star as she dramatically emerges from behind the red velvet curtain to retake her well earned place center stage. Will this be her greatest role ever or a soul crushing defeat?

DANCE LIKE A QUEEN WITH A SUPER-DUPER ABBA TRIBUTE BAND AT THE PALACE

No one can help but smile and tap their toes when the memory of the iconic movies “Mamma Mia!” and “Mamma Mia Here We Go Again” cross your mind. The story of the fiercely independent Donna, played by Meryl Streep, who owns a hotel on a Greek island, is busy preparing for her daughter Sophie’s wedding. The surprise comes when the enterprising Sophie discovers that a trio of men might, could, possibly be, her biological dad. But which one?

You know the musical group. You know the spirited songs. Now you have the opportunity to embrace the sounds of “MANIA: The ABBA Tribute” who, since 1999, have been touring the world spreading their joy, with over 3000 concerts in 35 countries. For one night only they will light up the Palace Theater in Waterbury at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 2. Surely these talented musicians and performers will grace us with such sparkling tunes as “Super Trouper,” “Honey, Honey,” Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Lay All Your Love On Me,” "Gimme!, Gimme!, Gimme!.” “Waterloo,” “Take a Chance on Me," “Money, Money, Money,” and so many more.

With verve and vitality, polish and perkiness, this smooth quartet, clad in sequins and satin, will raise the Palace’s roof. Come meet Alison Ward as Agnatha, Amy Edwards as Anni-Frid (Frida), James Allen as Bjorn and Jeff Pike as Benny. Start your feet tapping now as this triumphant group makes themselves legendary.

For tickets ($42-62), call the Palace, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at www.palacetheaterct.org.

Let this tribute four of the 1970’s popular band from Sweden once again share its hit songs and energetic enthusiasm for your listening pleasure.

GET YOUR DANCE CARD READY FOR "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE" AT HARTFORD STAGE

Not that long ago marriages were arranged by a matchmaker and the bride and groom rarely met before they saw each other under a wedding canopy. Today couples meet online and in bars and at church and on blind dates. You can even meet someone in the vegetable aisle at the supermarket.

Yet far away, in the little town of Anatevka, Russia, Tevye the milkman and his wife Golde, from “Fiddler on the Roof” fame, struggled with the happy problem of having too many daughters to find husbands for, and, it wouldn’t hurt if the husbands brought some cows and chickens as a dowry. A romantic novel by Jane Austen, many decades later, deals with another husband and wife, the Bennets, who also are blessed with a quartet of daughters of marriageable age. For the Bennets, love is not an issue as much as the size of the prospective suitors’ pocketbooks.

Set in England in 1813, Hartford Stage has swept the world back in time to a new adaptation by Kate Hamill of Jane Austen’s work of “Pride and Prejudice” capturing the stage until Sunday, November 5. It is incumbent upon the eldest daughters Jane (Maria Gabriela Gonzalez) and Lizzy (Renata Eastlick) to save the family estate Longbourn by marrying well, to suitable men of great wealth, like the mysterious strangers Mr. Bingley (Sergio Mauritz Ang) and Mr. Darcy (Carman Lacivita), otherwise their home will be lost for lack of a sufficient male recipient since women cannot be heirs.

Mrs. Bennet (Lana Young) is determined to secure the financial future of the family, especially since her husband (Anne Scurria) seems more concerned with his newspaper than with the fate of their home should he die. The other daughters Mary (Madeleine Barker) and Lydia (Zoe Kim) do not seem too involved in the marriage game, but the youngest one Lydia, although only fourteen, soon gets caught up in the playing and acts rashly.

While Bingley and Jane seem to be attracted to each other, Darcy and Lizzy spark anger with the other and he admits after one dance that Lizzy is too plain to attract him. Other gentlemen in the running for the prize are Wickham and Mr. Collins (both portrayed by Sergio Mauritz Ang). The characters frequently cross roles from male to female with facility, aided by the clever costuming by Haydee Zelideth, on a sparkling stage designed by Sara Brown, with the uproarious direction of Tatyana-Marie Carlo.

As romances flare and flame, with disappointments and proposals flying through the rose petalled air, one wonders if anyone will find their true love match by play’s curtain. Interference and problems are created by Anne De Bourgh (Maria Gabriela Gonzalez), Lady Catherine (Zoe Kim), Miss Bingley (Madeleine Barker) and Charlotte (Anne Scurria) who are all clearly jealous and want to stop the courtships, usually to their own favor. 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 at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday at select 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Come watch Lizzy, who has pledged never to marry, and her sisters as they engage themselves in the game of wedlock with humorous and romantic results.

"RUMORS" ARE CIRCULATING AT CENTER STAGE THEATER IN SHELTON

You are cordially invited to attend a dinner party at the home of Charley and Myra Brock to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their marriage. Presents are optional.

Chaos, confusion, complications and comedy are clearly on the menu as Center Stage Theatre of Shelton has a rousing good time pulling off a farce, Neil Simon’s thoroughly engaging “Rumors” for your entertainment pleasure. Doors slamming, and doorbells and telephones ringing are just a hint of things to come. A lot can run amok with Neil Simon at the helm. Weekends until Sunday, October 22 consider yourself welcome for the festivities.

Eat dinner at home before you arrive because there are no servants to prepare the repast. There are not even canapés or chips to nibble. What’s even more alarming is the host and hostess are nowhere to be found. And whatever you do don’t be on time because you might be the lucky guests to find Charley with a gunshot wound. What would you do? Phone the police? Call an ambulance? Cause a scandal?

If you’re a doctor, are you prepared to handle the aforementioned gun shot wound-to the head-no less? whiplash? a sprained back? headache? shock? hearing loss? cut arms? hives? burnt fingers? Poor Chris (Maria Mongilo) and Ken (Kyle Alston) Gorman ring the doorbell first. They find Charley passed out and bleeding from the head. Is it a botched suicide attempt? Did the missing Myra do it? What should the Gormans do as other guests start to arrive? Why lie, of course. And so the rumors fly.

Claire and Lenny Ganz (Denise Piana and Stephen King) have problems of their own. They were involved in a car accident right before arriving, an incident that didn’t improve his two day old BMW. By the time Ernie and Cookie Cusack ( David Kaminski and Angela Mantero) show up, gossip and innuendoes are flying fast and furiously. Will the thunder cloud of scandal affect the chances of Glenn Cooper (Scott Sheldon) who is running for state senator or will he be sabotaged by the angry wind that is his wife Cassie, (Brianna B.Dawson) who is out for vengeance.

By the time the police officers (Joey Abate and Claire Fracasse) show up, it is anyone’s guess who is going to be arrested and on what charge. Not only does Ron Baldwin build a great set for the up and downstairs action, Rob Esposito directs this funny and fast race for the finish line. The theater is at 54 Grove Street, Shelton,and for tickets call 203-225-6079 or online at www.centerstageshelton.org. Performances are Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m.and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Come and try to figure out who’s on first in the living room, what’s on fire in the kitchen, and where the heck are Charley and Myra?

BEWARE OF THE PHANTOM AT PANTOCHINO PRODUCTIONS IN MILFORD

You’ve heard of “The Phantom of the Opera,” but have you ever wrapped your masked head around “The Panto of the Opera?” I doubt it as it is the newest musical brain child of Bert Bernardi and Justin Rugg of Pantochino Productions of Milford, weekends until almost Halloween Eve, Sunday, October 29, at the Milford Arts Council, at 40 Railroad Avenue.

Who is the man behind the mask and how dare any one make fun of Andrew Lloyd Webber? What cheek? What chutzpah? What chandelier? All bets are off as this wild reinterpreted version of the original goes zany and unfettered for your pleasure and amusement.

Justin Rugg stars as our mysterious hero who is desperately in pursuit of the lovely lady Christine, captured by Mary Mannix. This is British Panto at its funniest, “A wild topsy-turvy take on the phantom, “ states director Bert Bernardi. Co-producer Jimmy Johansmeyer, who also designs all the magnificent costumes, promises “There is something for everyone - both kids and adults will love it.”

Enter the Paris Deluxe Opera House at your own peril to witness the ambitious singer Christine from nearby Norwalk disarm with her charms the theater's Maestro, Jimmy Johansmeyer, and the manager, Don Poggio, much to the dismay of Madame Dreary, Rachelle Ianniello, and the show’s aging diva star Carlotta, Shelley Marsh Poggio. How will the Phantom react to the goings on? Will he succeed in replacing Carlotta with his new protege? Will the famous paranormal detective Madame Cherchez, fabulously portrayed by Victoria Sautee, succeed in ridding the theater of its nemesis? The rest of the cast, Killian Meehan, Lu DeJesus, Sydney Maher, and Leanne Onofrio are breathless with worry in case Madame Cherchez fails in her cause.

With cheery tunes like “The Baguette Song,” “Angel of Music,” “The Peripatetic Paranormal” and “The Phantom Situation,” the talented cast sings and dances through its terror of the Panto appearing.

For tickets, go online to www.pantochino.com. Performances are Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Remember this is cabaret so you can bring goodies to eat and drink at your table.

Get into the Halloween spirit with a visit with Pantochino Productions whether you are in costume or not. Clearly masks are optional!

"WISH YOU WERE HERE" A POSTCARD FROM IRAN AT YALE REP

Life is filled with challenges: getting an education, a job, finding a mate and raising a family, cooking meals, making a home, paying bills, dealing with illness and loss, creating joy with family and friends, and staying safe and thriving in freedom. Home and family are our heart. What happens when both are threatened? Playwright Sanaz Toossi takes you to an unimaginable place, Iran, from 1978 to 1991, in the midst of the Islamic Revolution, when the people in power controlled the citizens every move, dictating how to live and breathe in war and chaos.

From now until Saturday, October 28, the Yale Repertory Theatre will make you witness to the trauma of five girlhood friends, a sisterhood, in the complicated and intriguing tale “Wish You Were Here.” Eavesdrop as this close-knit cliche try to achieve normalcy in a world that embraces upheaval and has done so for over a decade. How do you plan weddings and cling to your friendships before your relationships exhibit clashes that signal change has invaded your lives as you once knew them?

Come make the acquaintance of Bahar Beihaghi’s Salme who is all aflutter as she prepares to marry, in a cirrus cloud of white satin. Surrounding her, offering advice stuffed with sexual innuendos and sincere concern for her welfare are the two pals united in the pledge never to marry or have children Anita Abdinezhad’s Nazanin and the only Jew in the group Vaneh Assadourian’s Rana, the medical school hopeful who wants to study in America but promises to return to her homeland Shadee Vossoughi’s Shideh, and the wildly joyful Zari in the personage of Ava Lalezarzadeh. Later a new friend joins the dwindling group, Sahar Bibiyan, who illustrates the changes that have invaded this conclave of friends.

The play, with joyfulness tucked into the trauma, explores how free you are inside your home if a revolution, like the Iran-Iraq War, is raging outside your doors. How do you decide whether to flee your homeland or stay and seek sanctuary amidst the sirens and bomb shelters? And if you disappear will any one try to find where you have gone?

Sam Skynner’s photos and projections underscore the closeness of these women, who are dressed in costumes by T. F. Dubois, on a set designed by Omid Akbari, all under the sensitive and skillful direction of Sivan Battat.

For tickets ($15-65), call the Yale Rep, 1120 Chapel Street, New Haven at 203-432-1234 or online at www.yalerep.org. Performances are Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Let this talented cast of “hilarious richly complicated women” show, in their own words, their need to fight for basic human rights as they cling to their need for normalcy, when all they truly desire is a safe place to call home.

"PRETTY WOMAN" LIVES UP TO ITS ROMANTIC PROMISE AT THE PALACE IN WATERBURY

How many women can carry off the challenge of looking glamorous in thigh high boots and little else? We know Julia Roberts could thirty years ago and Ellie Baker can today as Vivian Ward. To prove the fashion statement, Waterbury’s Palace Theater is rocking the house today, tomorrow and Thursday, October 10, 11, and 12 with the iconic romantic tale of the century “Pretty Woman” as a musical.

Romantic comedy surely sits in heaven on Cloud 9, thanks to an original score by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, with a book by Garry Marshall, showcasing the hit tune “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison and Bill Dee.

When wealthy business tycoon Chase Wolfe’s Edward Lewis needs a beautiful escort as his date for an important event, he hires a professional lady of the evening Vivian Ward. Their unusual relationship goes wild, much like an out of control roller coaster ride. How they adjust to their differences and find common ground and, unbelievably love, is a true charmer that has fascinated and thrilled millions in movie form with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere and now is in glorious musical form.

After a record breaking Broadway run, the National Tour is going around the globe across the USA and to London and Germany.

For tickets ($47-87), call the Palace, 100 Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at wwwlpalacetheaterct.com. Performances are tonight, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Do you believe in love? “Pretty Woman” will surely convince you that fairy tales do come true, with or without a knight in shining armor or a prince charming.

"THE COLOR PURPLE" GETTING A ROYAL RECEPTION AT THE IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE

Celie is a young black girl growing up in the South in the 1930’s who endures terrible obstacles to overcome her upbringing and realize her potential, to gain faith in herself and love for who she is, like a flower bud in bloom that finally reaches maturity. Her inspiring story from a book by Alice Walker, “The Color Purple,” is now a musical gracing the stage of the Ivoryton Playhouse until Sunday, October 15. Run to see this beautiful tale of self-love and redemption.

With music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, “The Color Purple,” with book by Marsha Norman, introduces us to Celie, brought beautifully to life by Andrea Fleming, who is raised to believe herself ugly, thanks to the abusive attention she receives from her step father Alfonso who rapes her when she is barely a teenager and then takes the babies she births and sells them. Later he trades Celie away in marriage, throwing a cow in for a dowry, to a mean spirited neighbor man, Christian McQueen’s Mister, who regularly beats her and makes her a servant for his children and himself. For Celie, parting with her younger sister Nettie, a lovely Mairys Joaquin, is a sacrifice to help her achieve her dream of being a teacher. Soon after Nettie is forced to flee their abusive stepfather herself and seek refuge with Celie. Mister, who really wanted to marry Nettie himself, takes the opportunity to force himself on her, causing her to run away to save herself. She promises to write to Celie but Mister, in his anger, never gives Celie her letters.

Caught in an intolerable situation, Celie seeks the friendship of Sheniqua Trotman’s Sofia who marries Mister’s son Harpo, Cedrick Ekra, and envies how his father keeps Celie in line. When he tries beating Sofia, he learns to his regret that will not work. The dramatic arrival of Renee Jackson’s Shug Avery, a singer with a reputation for sleeping around, allows Celie to, for the first time, experience real affection and to see herself as a beautiful person of value. A chorus of chatter chicks sing out how Celie triumphs over Mister and grows into the magical creature she was meant to be is worthy of your attention.

Songs such as “Big Dog,” “Lily of the Field,” “Brown Betty,” “Shug Avery Comin’ To Town,” “Push Da Button,” "I’m Here,” and “The Color Purple,” covering the genres of blues, jazz, gospel, ragtime and African tunes, propel the action with musical direction by Nygel D. Robinson and direction and choreography by Todd L. Underwood, scenic design by Cully Long and costumes and wigs by Elizabeth A. Taylor.

For tickets ($60, senior $55, student $25), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or online at info@ivorytonplayhouse.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 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Come cheer on Celie in her glorious triumph of four decades over adversities, with the healing power of love, as she soars to become all she was destined to be.

"JOAN JOYCE! A NEW MUSICAL" A HOME RUN AT SEVEN ANGELS IN WATERBURY

Author Tony Renzoni is on a mission to champion the athletic achievements of a fellow Waterbury, Connecticut native Joan Joyce, a woman who excelled in soft ball but also in any sport she tackled, like baseball, volleyball, golf, bowling and basketball. He has thoroughly researched her achievements in his books about Joanie and is currently working to get her acknowledged in more than the 21 Hall of Fames she currently enjoys. More than a fan, Tony was her friend, a friend he sadly lost last year, but not before she attended a performance at Branford’s Legacy Theatre of “Joan Joyce! A New Musical” about her incredible life.

Now Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury is continuing to hold the banner high for this beloved personality until Sunday, October 22 and you have the unique opportunity to marvel how this young girl only 8 with the encouragement of her parents, the mailman and countless others took on the challenge of fighting her way to the top of the sports world against her male competitors. Come witness how Seven Angels is putting proof to the legend that Joan deserves the crown as the “greatest female athlete of all times.”

Based on the book “Connecticut Softball Legend Joan Joyce,” Keely Baisden Knudsen and Lauren Salatto Rosenay have fashioned a captivating book and lyrics with music by Brad Ross, and with additional music by Matthew Harrison and David Bell, that tell her story of courage and determination and her uphill battle to succeed. It is an inspiring tale for all young hopeful girls who strive to hit their stride. With Al Bundonis as Tony the author, Joan is beautifully portrayed as a child by Rylee Maxwell, as a teenager by Kiersten Bjork, and as an adult by Keely Baisden who also designed the costumes and directed this extraordinary story. Memorable people in her life are well played by Mitchel Kawash, Dan Frye and Jillian Millette.

Come witness this woman who can honestly claim to have stuck out legends like Hank Aaron and Ted Williams, who could pitch at an amazing 115 mph, had 150 no hitters and 50 perfect games, setting records no one has yet broken. She set championships for the Raybestos Brakettes, the Lionettes, co-founded the Women’s Professional Softball League with Billie Jean King, coached the Connecticut Falcons and Florida Atlanta University teams, earning her 1000th career win in 2022, the year she died.

For tickets ($42), call Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Road, Waterbury at 203-757-4676 or online at SevenAngelsTheatre.org. Performances are Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Come bathe in the spotlight of this incredible woman and join this joyous salute to all her achievements. Perhaps pickle ball would have been next on her list of accomplishments.

ROCK ON WITH LIZZIE BORDEN AT THEATER WORKS HARTFORD

Time has proven again and again that musicals can be fashioned around any number of unusual and unlikely source materials: an ugly green ogre who lives in a swamp (Shrek), men and women who have tried and often succeeded in killing a president (Assassins), a Georgia factory owner Leo Frank accused of raping a teenage employee (Parade), an indestructible ship that sinks after striking an iceberg (Titanic), a trio of ethnic groups who are absorbed in the Great American Melting Pot (Ragtime) and a pair of scam artists who cleverly separate rich women from their wealth (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels).

Hold on to your trusty axe, there’s a new musical in town that is pushing that tool filled envelope even further afield with “Lizzie.” Already a ballet, opera, play, radio show, documentary, television program, novel, podcast, music and skipping rope nursery rhyme, “Lizzie” is now a rock concert in 40 whacks.” With music by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt, lyrics by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Tim Maner, and book by Tim Maner, Theater Works Hartford is now exploding with rage up to the rafters, and extending the show until October 29.

The critical question remains unanswered: who is Lizzie Andrew Borden and did she commit the horrendous crime of killing her father and step-mother with an axe? Did motivation of a stolen childhood, sexual abuse, a lose of her inheritance, a need for revenge, a troubled mind, a forbidden love all cause Lizzie to act? On August 4, 1892 in the family home, cast in shadows of black and white and grey, with a splash of alarming red blood, Mr. and Mrs. Borden met a grisly end.

A quartet of strong women belt out this tale: Nora Schell’s Bridget, the faithful and supportive family maid, Kim Onah’s Alice Russell, a neighboring friend of Lizzie’s and maybe much more, Courtney Bassett’s Emma Borden, the older sister who has lived behind locked doors the longest and can’t wait to escape and at the heart of the trouble Sydney Shepherd’s Lizzie who knows all too intimately that her pressure cooker life is bound to explode. Is Lizzie guilty or innocent of the crime she is accused of committing? Under the keen direction of Lainie Sakakura, you are invited to weigh the clues and evidence and determine the verdict for yourself, with startling musical direction by Erika R. Gamez, on a tight fitting stage designed by Brian Prather.

For tickets ($25-75), call Hartford Theater Works, 233 Pear Street, Hartford at 860-527-7838 or online at boxoffice@twhartford.org or twhartford.org. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Come early to view the gallery of artwork on Lizzie onsite.

Questions still swirl all these decades later about Lizzie’s role in this scenario of secrets, screams and scares. Perhaps it might inspire you to take a ride to Fall River, Massachusetts to visit the family museum and bed and breakfast. Maybe Lizzie’s ghost will make an appearance just in time for Halloween? Let this fine cast take you on a journey that will linger long after the last musical note punctures the ceiling.

OPEN YOUR HEARTS TO A NEW MUSICAL "THE 12" AT GOODSPEED

An extraordinary story, a moment in time, about a dozen ordinary people trapped in a monumental decision of crisis proportions, has been immortalized in a new musical at Goodspeed Musicals: “The 12.” Their beloved leader and teacher Jesus has been betrayed and put to death and now they are hiding in an abandoned factory, huddling in the dark, with troubled souls, trying to decide what path to take, what plan to follow.

No matter what religion you may or may not believe, “The 12” with book and lyrics by Robert Schenkkan and music and lyrics by Neil Berg will capture your imagination at that particular time and place, defining the world and the future. This very human story will grace the Goodspeed stage until Sunday, October 29, with direction and scenic design by John Doyle.

These dozen disciples, mostly humble fishermen, are angry, terrified and confused. Upon their shoulders rests the future of Jesus’s preachings: his messages of kindness and love. They are prepared to die for their beliefs and, if they live, are ready to travel to the ends of the earth: to Greece, India, Spain, Jerusalem, Israel, Italy, the Middle East, Africa, Syria, Samaria, Libya, Armenia and China, to insure Jesus’s words become universal.

Come witness Wonza Johnson (Andrew), Rob Morrison (Bart), Kelvin Moon Loh (James), Etai Benson (Jimmy), Kyle Scatliffe (John), F. Michael Haynie (Matt), Akron Lanier Watson (Pete). Brandon J. Ellis (Phil). Gregory Treco (Simon), Mel Johnson Jr. (Tee), Wesley Taylor (Tom) and two significant women in Jesus’s life Adrienne Walker (Mags) and Rema Webb (Mother Mary). Moving music like “Anyone But Me,” “Rise Up," “Do You Remember?,””Rain,” “Ordinary,” and “Our Love” capture the tension of the time, and their need to praise glory and take a stand, their mixture of fear and love and their desire for a new life.

For tickets ($38-84), call Goodspeed Musicals, 6 Main Street, on the Connecticut River in East Haddam at 860-873-8668 or online at goodspeed.org/ticket-onsale. 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. and 6:30 p.m. In honor of Goodspeed’s 60th anniversary, a donation of $60 would be most welcome.

Come learn how Jesus strived to greet the stranger, to encourage loving one another, fixing what is broken and performing miracles. His story is still being written.

ENTER THE LITERARY WORLD OF JANE AUSTEN AT PLAYHOUSE ON PARK

Devotees of the British author Jane Austen's novels are called Janeites and whether you fit in that category or are a newbie to her literary achievements, you are sure to find much to savor in West Hartford’s Playhouse on Park’s current clever and charming production of “The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged.” Written by Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast and Meghan Winch, and directed by Kathryn MacMillan, it is making its New England premiere until Sunday, October 22.

The show is sure to delight you with visitations by characters like the Dashwood sisters, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Emma, Elizabeth Bennet, George Knightley and William Collins and glimpses into Jane’s six primary novels as well as her lesser known ones. Writing at the end of the 18th century, when women were forced to publish anonymously, Jane was often referred to by her family as “good quiet Aunt Jane,” she penned honest explorations of women’s dependence on men and marriage and their need for financial security, since laws prohibited females from inheritance.

Come meet romantic heroes who are charming but rakish and females who are witty and intellectual and forced to survive by marrying even if they would prefer to remain a spinster. The Regency era is captured on every page of “Sense and Sensibility,” “Emma,” "Persuasion,” "Pride and Prejudice,"“Northanger Abbey" and “ Mansfield Park“. Thanks to a trio of talented actors - Charlotte Northeast, Brittany Onukwugha and Shannon Michael Wamser - the words and deeds of Jane’s unique personalities burst into life with spirit and affection, in the drawing room, at balls, with dance and music, and with laughter and tears. Courtships are lost and rekindled, inheritances are won and lost, friendships are cemented and crushed, and we learn again and again that love is not a game and men don’t want wives who are silly.

Jane’s lesser known works are not forgotten even though they are not as thoroughly examined. Even when our heroine is threatened with financial ruin, Jane manages to rescue them from their dreadful state. Johann Fitzpatrick’s lovely set is an inviting place for all the action to occur.

For tickets, call Playhouse on Park, 247 Park Road, West Hartford at 860- 523-5900 ext. 10 or online at playhouseonpark.org/web2/tickets.html. Performances areTuesday at 2 p.m., Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m, and Sunday at 2 p.m. followed by a talkback. A Young Professionals Night will be held Thursday, October 12 with a reception at 6 pm and show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for ages 21 to 35.

Brush up on any and all of these still popular novels, many of which are now films, and enjoy the writing talents of Jane Austen. Come early and glory in the lobby that is stuffed with books, games, and memorabilia of this era in time and even pause to color a poster devoted to Jane’s imagination. Hold on to your lace bonnet and black silk top hat for this 80 minute romp into Victorian England with the no-nonsense Jane as your guide.

'MRS DOUBTFIRE" SASHAYS INTO THE BUSHNELL WITH JOY

What might a man newly divorced, who has lost custody of his children, do to regain control of his life? If he is out-of-work, in this case an actor, do to gain precious moments with his children? If his name is Daniel Hillard, the answer is practically anything.

Based on a novel “Alias Madame Doubtfire” by Anne Fine penned in 1987, becoming a film in 1993, “Mrs. Doubtfire” graduated into a musical by Karey and Wayne Fitzpatrick for music and lyrics, with book by Karey Fitzpatrick and John O’Farrell in 2019. The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts will entertain the Hillard family from Tuesday, October 3 to Sunday, October 8 and you are invited to the interesting gathering.

Prepare to warm the cockles of your heart as you see the lengths one dad, Rob McClure’s Daniel Hillard, will go to to be with his children when his wife (in real life) Maggie Lakis’ Miranda is dedicated to stopping him from any contact with them. A messy divorce and a loss of custody forces Daniel to be creative and think way way outside the box. With his acting abilities in tact, and a good friend as a make-up artist/genius on board, he takes on an alter ego. He becomes Euphegenia Doubtfire, a kindly but firm nanny from Scotland, to enter the lives of his kids Lydia (Giselle Gutierrez), Christopher (Cody Sawyer Braverman/Axel Bernard Rimmele) and Natalie (Emerson Mae Chan/Kennedy Alexandra Pitney).

Ironically Mrs Doubtfire has the astonishing ability to teach Daniel how to be a better father, a more loving man than he was before. How do you prove you are a more responsible dad who can also become a devoted husband? Stand in line for some pretty informative and remarkable lessons on how to be both.

For tickets ($39 and up), call the Bushnell, 166 Capital Avenue, Hartford at 860-987-5900 or online at bushnell.org. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m, Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 pm. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday nights have special offers code KIDSNIGHT, buy one ticket and get one at 50% off for certain seats. For two hours prior to the show, a fall festival will offer games, refreshments, snacks, face painting and balloon animals.

Let Mrs. Doubtfire shower you with her parenting skills and expand your love for those nearest and dearest to your heart.