"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.