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11/08/2017 11:01 PMClassic Novel: Yale Rep is presenting a stage adaptation of Richard Wright’s 20th-century classic novel Native Son from Friday, Nov. 24 to Saturday, Dec. 16. It’s a new play by Nambi E. Kelley that was developed at Yale with support of Yale’s Binger Center for New Theater. If you don’t recall the novel, Bigger Thomas struggles to overcome the prejudice that is pervasive in the 1930s on Chicago’s South Side. His new job in a wealthy white man’s house unleashes a series of events. Seret Scott is directing. For tickets, visit YaleRep.org or call 203-432-1234.
Two Boys Growing Up: Next at Long Wharf is the stage adaptation of Chaim Potok’s The Chosen from Friday, Nov. 17 through Sunday, Dec. 17. The story is set in Brooklyn where two young men from rival yeshivas meet and start a unique friendship. The press materials describes the play as a story of fathers and sons, tradition, modernity, and the difficult choices one must to make to achieve understanding. Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein directs. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit longwharf.org 203-787-4282.
Live from the National Theatre: My favorite Stephen Sondheim musical, Follies, has gotten a critically acclaimed production at England’s’ National Theatre. That production will be on the screen at The Kate on Wednesday, Nov. 29 in a NTLive broadcast. For more information, call 877-503-1286 or visit katharinehepburntheater.org.
A Connecticut Twist: Goodspeed’s Terris Theatre in Chester is finishing its season with a brand new musical with a local and a holiday twist. A Connecticut Christmas Carol takes the familiar story and sets it in Connecticut with various well-known Connecticut storytellers making appearances. It runs Friday, Nov. 17 to Sunday, Dec. 24. The music and lyrics are by Michael O’Flaherty, Goodspeed’s resident musical director. For tickets, call 860-873-8668 or visit goodspeed.org. A variety of special evenings and events are planned.
Lady Cora: Elizabeth McGovern, more recently best known as Lady Cora on Downton Abbey, is back on Broadway in J.B. Priestley’s fascinating play Time at the Conways at Roundabout’s American Airlines Theatre. The show may start like a typical drawing room comedy of the 1920s, but it soon moves beyond that to a fascinating look at the period and the concept of time. The entire cast is excellent with McGovern playing the mother of six—four young women and two sons, one just returned from World War I. For tickets, visit roundabouthteatre.org. It plays through Sunday, Nov. 26.
New York Notes: Just opened at Lincoln Center is Junk by Ayad Akhtar, the author of Disgraced and The Invisible Hand, both of which won audience and critical acclaim here in Connecticut. For tickets, visit lct.org. Now in previews are SpongeBob Squarepants, the musical based on the children’s cartoon series; The Parisian Woman, a political drama starring Uma Thurman; and the revival of the musical Once on This Island. Meteor Shower, the Steven Martin play that was at Long Wharf last year, seems to have difficulty with leading men. At Long Wharf, Craig Bierko left the cast during rehearsals; on Broadway, Alan Tudyk left the cast (he was playing the same role as Bierko was); Jeremy Stamos has replaced him. Amy Schuumer, Laura Benanti, and Keegan Michael-Key are the other members of the cast. The show is now in previews and will officially open later this month.
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.