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04/13/2017 12:01 AMA Ghost Visits Madison: Madison’s Lyric Stage is presenting Nöel Coward’s comedy Blithe Spirit about a ghost who haunts her ex-husband and his new wife. It plays Friday, April 21 to Sunday, April 30 at the Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society. The play, originally written during World War II, is being set in 1964 when the classic TV sitcom Bewitched was popular. As director Marc Deaton says, “Imagine Samantha and Darrin Stephens inviting Larry and Louise Tate to their home for an evening of martinis and ghost stories. Since we will be magically transforming the space, the audience will feel that they, too, are attending Madame Arcati’s séance.” Tickets are available at madisonlyricstage.org, 203-215-6329, or at RJ Julia’s Bookstore in Madison.
Fugard, Shakespeare, and More: Hartford Stage has lined up an impressive schedule for the 2017-’18 season. The season will open with Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak directing Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (tentatively Sept. 7 to Oct. 8), then will come a world premiere Seder (Oct. 19 to Nov. 12). The new year will open with Feeding the Dragon, a memoir by Sharon Washington (Jan. 11 to Feb.4), Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express adapted by Ken Ludwig (Feb. 15 to March 18), a new adaptation of Edith Wharton’s novel Age of Innocence (March 29 to April 29) and the season closes with Tresnjak directing Athol Fugard’s Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act (May 10 to June 3.) In addition, A Christmas Carol–A Ghost Story of Christmas returns for an extended holiday run. Subscriptions are now available as are group sales. Tickets for individual productions go on sale in July. For subscriptions, call 860-527-5151 or visit hartfordstage.org/subscribe.
Following in Famous Footsteps: Taylor Quick will follow in the footsteps of Julie Andrews (in the film) and Sutton Foster (on Broadway) as the lead of Thoroughly Modern Millie, which is now in rehearsals at Goodspeed. It opens Friday, April 21 and will run through Sunday, July 2. She will be joined by a cast of experienced professionals, many of whom Goodspeed audiences will recognize. The musical about the small town girl who comes to New York City in the 1920s to marry the boss is directed and choreographed by Denis Jones, who served the same role in Goodspeed’s production of Holiday Inn. He also choreographed the Broadway production of the show. For tickets, call 860-873-8668 or visit goodspeed.org. There are a variety of special evenings from Kids’ Nights to Meet the Cast, dinner theater packages, and more.
Fun Musical that Kids Will Enjoy: The Connecticut Repertory Theater on the UConn campus in Storrs is presenting Shrek—The Musical from Thursday, April 20 to Sunday, April 30. The show had a good a run on Broadway and, of course, is based on the animated film. Will Mann, who played Bobby in the Broadway production of Memphis, plays Shrek. Desi Oakley, who has been in Wicked, plays Fiona, and Mark Boyett is Lord Farquaad. For tickets, visit crt.uconn.edu or call 860-486-2113.
Playing the Palace: Waterbury’s Palace Theater is offering five musicals in its 2017-’18 Broadway series. It will host touring companies of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Oct. 20 and 21), The Phantom of the Opera (Nov. 15 to 26), Jersey Boys (March 23 and 24), Rent (April 13 and 14), and Motown-the Musical (May 11 to 13). For subscriptions, call 203-346-2000 or visit palacetheatercct.org.
Two Plays to See on Broadway: I’ve recently seen two thought-provoking plays each featuring outstanding performances. Sweat involves a group of factory workers in Reading, Pennsylvania, who are being pressured by the owners to make major financial concessions; when they don’t, they are locked out and lose everything. The acting is terrific and the subject matter relevant. It’s at Roundabout’s Studio 54. The Price by Arthur Miller is getting a fine production at Roundabout’s American Airlines Theater. Mark Ruffalo and Tony Shalhoub play the estranged brothers. Jessica Hecht is Ruffalo’s wife and Danny DeVito is the antique dealer called in to appraise the father’s belongs. Both of these are limited runs. Tickets are available at roundabouttheatre.org.
Karen Isaacs is an East Haven resident. To check out her reviews for New York and Connecticut shows, visit 2ontheaisle.wordpress.com. She’s a member of both the Connecticut Critics Circle and New York’s Outer Critics Circle.