“Woman In Black At The Opera” (1879)
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
We will do the best we an to keep current,
but PLEASE confirm dates and times with the venues themselves – links are provided.
but PLEASE confirm dates and times with the venues themselves – links are provided.
Also, please remember that this is a selective, not a comprehensive, guide.
Entries are chosen by a combination of factors, and inclusion does not necessarily indicate a recommendation.
If there is already a review in Boston Arts Diary, we will provide a link.
Companies
The Piano Lesson
by August Wilson
Directed by Christopher V. Edwards
… Pittsburgh’s Hill District in the aftermath of The Great Depression… Doaker Charles’ household… his fast-talking nephew Boy Willie blows in from Mississippi with a scheme to set their descendants up for generations…sell the family’s ornate antique piano carved by an ancestor and use it to buy the land where his family had been enslaved. But half of the piano also belongs to Berniece, who refuses to let her brother pawn off the heirloom. Winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a 1990 Tony Award Nominee for Best Play…
Hibernian Hall
184 Dudley Street, Boston
January 23 – February 23, 2025
by August Wilson
Directed by Christopher V. Edwards
… Pittsburgh’s Hill District in the aftermath of The Great Depression… Doaker Charles’ household… his fast-talking nephew Boy Willie blows in from Mississippi with a scheme to set their descendants up for generations…sell the family’s ornate antique piano carved by an ancestor and use it to buy the land where his family had been enslaved. But half of the piano also belongs to Berniece, who refuses to let her brother pawn off the heirloom. Winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a 1990 Tony Award Nominee for Best Play…
Hibernian Hall
184 Dudley Street, Boston
January 23 – February 23, 2025
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent
…Join the Bard’s most colorful cast of characters as they flit, frolic, and stumble their way through the trees, aided by moonlight and magic…
Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown, MA
April 11 – May 4, 2025
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent
…Join the Bard’s most colorful cast of characters as they flit, frolic, and stumble their way through the trees, aided by moonlight and magic…
Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown, MA
April 11 – May 4, 2025
The Odyssey
by Kate Hamill
Directed by Shana Cooper
…a contemporary lens on Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ in this new play that reimagines the stories of both Odysseus and his wife, Penelope, and asks how we can learn to embrace healing and forgiveness in order to end cycles of violence and revenge.
Loeb Drama Center
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
February 9 – March 16, 2025
by Kate Hamill
Directed by Shana Cooper
…a contemporary lens on Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ in this new play that reimagines the stories of both Odysseus and his wife, Penelope, and asks how we can learn to embrace healing and forgiveness in order to end cycles of violence and revenge.
Loeb Drama Center
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
February 9 – March 16, 2025
189 Winnisimmet Street, Chelsea, MA 02150
Life & Times of Michael K
A Baxter Theatre Centre and Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus Production / from South Africa
Intricate marionettes come alive to depict the trials and tribulations faced by Michael K and his mother as they seek to escape political turmoil… the celebrated adaptation of J.M. Coetzee’s award-winning novel from South Africa’s Baxter Theatre. Through Handspring Puppet Company’s inventive, stunning creations, the incredible, poignant journey of Michael K is brought to life in ways that have made critics and audiences alike call this show an absolute must-see…
the story follows Michael K, a simple man who embarks on a journey through South Africa, ravaged by civil war, to return his mother to die on the farm where she was born.
Jan 31—Feb 09, 2025
A Baxter Theatre Centre and Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus Production / from South Africa
Intricate marionettes come alive to depict the trials and tribulations faced by Michael K and his mother as they seek to escape political turmoil… the celebrated adaptation of J.M. Coetzee’s award-winning novel from South Africa’s Baxter Theatre. Through Handspring Puppet Company’s inventive, stunning creations, the incredible, poignant journey of Michael K is brought to life in ways that have made critics and audiences alike call this show an absolute must-see…
the story follows Michael K, a simple man who embarks on a journey through South Africa, ravaged by civil war, to return his mother to die on the farm where she was born.
Jan 31—Feb 09, 2025
Die Tote Stadt
Music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Libretto by Paul Schott
Conducted by Andris Nelsons
Presented by Boston Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera
…”Die tote Stadt” (“The Dead City”) is an incredibly tender work, embodying the twilight of the Romantic era. Korngold, a remarkable prodigy who later became one of Hollywood’s most important composers, began the opera when he was only 19 and completed it at age 23. It opened simultaneously in December 1920 in Cologne and Hamburg and became one of the biggest operatic successes of the era. The opera’s theme of struggling with the memory of a lost loved one undoubtedly resonated with audiences still traumatized by the recent catastrophe of World War I.
Symphony Hall, Boston
Thursday, January 30, 2025 | 7:30pm
Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 8:00pm
Music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Libretto by Paul Schott
Conducted by Andris Nelsons
Presented by Boston Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera
…”Die tote Stadt” (“The Dead City”) is an incredibly tender work, embodying the twilight of the Romantic era. Korngold, a remarkable prodigy who later became one of Hollywood’s most important composers, began the opera when he was only 19 and completed it at age 23. It opened simultaneously in December 1920 in Cologne and Hamburg and became one of the biggest operatic successes of the era. The opera’s theme of struggling with the memory of a lost loved one undoubtedly resonated with audiences still traumatized by the recent catastrophe of World War I.
Symphony Hall, Boston
Thursday, January 30, 2025 | 7:30pm
Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 8:00pm
The Seasons
Music by Antonio Vivaldi, Based on The Four Seasons with additional arias and ensembles by Vivaldi
Libretto by Sarah Ruhl
Co-Conceived by Anthony Roth Costanzo and Sarah Ruhl
In collaboration with Pam Tanowitz and Zack Winokur
Directed by Zack Winokur, Choregraphed by Pam Tanowitz
Developed by SCENE and AMOC*
Co-Production with Boston Lyric Opera, SCENE, and AMOC*
Co-presented by ArtsEmerson
Five artists escape the city to a remote farm, seeking a creative retreat and the inspiration of nature. They paint, write, farm, and some even fall in love, but extreme weather upends their plans, altering their lives forever. The Seasons is set in a near future in which the seasons seem to be out of order.
Emerson Paramount Center, Robert J. Orchard Stage
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | 7:30PM
Thursday, March 13, 2025 | 7:30PM
Friday, March 14, 2025 | 7:30PM
Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 3:00PM
Sunday, March 16, 2025| 3:00PM
Music by Antonio Vivaldi, Based on The Four Seasons with additional arias and ensembles by Vivaldi
Libretto by Sarah Ruhl
Co-Conceived by Anthony Roth Costanzo and Sarah Ruhl
In collaboration with Pam Tanowitz and Zack Winokur
Directed by Zack Winokur, Choregraphed by Pam Tanowitz
Developed by SCENE and AMOC*
Co-Production with Boston Lyric Opera, SCENE, and AMOC*
Co-presented by ArtsEmerson
Five artists escape the city to a remote farm, seeking a creative retreat and the inspiration of nature. They paint, write, farm, and some even fall in love, but extreme weather upends their plans, altering their lives forever. The Seasons is set in a near future in which the seasons seem to be out of order.
Emerson Paramount Center, Robert J. Orchard Stage
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | 7:30PM
Thursday, March 13, 2025 | 7:30PM
Friday, March 14, 2025 | 7:30PM
Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 3:00PM
Sunday, March 16, 2025| 3:00PM
Carousel
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on Ferenc Molnar’s Play “Liliom“
As adapted by Benjamin F. Glazer
Original Choreography by Agnes de Mille
Conducted by David Angus
Directed by Anne Bogart
Production Choreography by Shura Baryshnikov
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Friday, April 4, 2025 | 7:30PM
Sunday, April 6, 2025 | 3:00PM
Friday, April 11, 2025 | 7:30PM
Sunday, April 13, 2025 | 3:00PM
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on Ferenc Molnar’s Play “Liliom“
As adapted by Benjamin F. Glazer
Original Choreography by Agnes de Mille
Conducted by David Angus
Directed by Anne Bogart
Production Choreography by Shura Baryshnikov
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Friday, April 4, 2025 | 7:30PM
Sunday, April 6, 2025 | 3:00PM
Friday, April 11, 2025 | 7:30PM
Sunday, April 13, 2025 | 3:00PM
Central Square Theatre
Central Square, Cambridge, MA
Central Square, Cambridge, MA
Space
by L. M. Feldman
Directed by Larissa Lury
At the dawn of two different Space Races, aviators traverse time, generations, Newtonian physics, governments, political bodies — and human bodies — to reach beyond our star system for a radical re-start… imagined scenes with Congressional transcripts, feats of endurance with the historical record, the story of the Mercury 13 female pilots and their ancestors — Bessie Coleman, Hazel Ying Lee — and descendants — Mae Jemison, Sally Ride — over the course of a national Civil Rights Space Race that has spanned our past century…
January 30 – February 23, 2025
by L. M. Feldman
Directed by Larissa Lury
At the dawn of two different Space Races, aviators traverse time, generations, Newtonian physics, governments, political bodies — and human bodies — to reach beyond our star system for a radical re-start… imagined scenes with Congressional transcripts, feats of endurance with the historical record, the story of the Mercury 13 female pilots and their ancestors — Bessie Coleman, Hazel Ying Lee — and descendants — Mae Jemison, Sally Ride — over the course of a national Civil Rights Space Race that has spanned our past century…
January 30 – February 23, 2025
Her Portmanteau
By Mfoniso Udofia
Directed by Tasia A. Jones
Co-produced with Front Porch Arts Collective
… one of an acclaimed nine-part play cycle by Massachusetts-raised and Wellesley-educated playwright Mfoniso Udofia …an explosive story of betrayal and forgiveness, centering on a Nigerian mother in the U.S. and her two daughters who lived very different lives. A reunion forces them to reconcile their past, full of clashing traditions and a family legacy that spans time, culture and generations.
March 27 – April 20, 2025
By Mfoniso Udofia
Directed by Tasia A. Jones
Co-produced with Front Porch Arts Collective
… one of an acclaimed nine-part play cycle by Massachusetts-raised and Wellesley-educated playwright Mfoniso Udofia …an explosive story of betrayal and forgiveness, centering on a Nigerian mother in the U.S. and her two daughters who lived very different lives. A reunion forces them to reconcile their past, full of clashing traditions and a family legacy that spans time, culture and generations.
March 27 – April 20, 2025
The Irish And How They Got That Way
A Musical Tribute to Ireland
by Frank McCourt
Original music arrangements by Rusty Magee
Directed by A. Nora Long
… the vibrant history and indomitable spirit of the Irish people through a captivating blend of music, storytelling, and humor… from traditional folk tunes to contemporary hits…
February 28 – March 16, 2025
A Musical Tribute to Ireland
by Frank McCourt
Original music arrangements by Rusty Magee
Directed by A. Nora Long
… the vibrant history and indomitable spirit of the Irish people through a captivating blend of music, storytelling, and humor… from traditional folk tunes to contemporary hits…
February 28 – March 16, 2025
The Play That Goes Wrong
By Henry Lewis, Henry Shields & Jonathan Sayer
Directed by Tyler Rosati
Welcome to opening night of ‘The Murder at Haversham Manor,’ where everything that can go wrong does. From an unconscious leading lady and a corpse that can’t stay dead to actors tripping over everything (including their lines)… perfect for fans of Clue and Sherlock Holmes…
March 28 – April 19, 2025
By Henry Lewis, Henry Shields & Jonathan Sayer
Directed by Tyler Rosati
Welcome to opening night of ‘The Murder at Haversham Manor,’ where everything that can go wrong does. From an unconscious leading lady and a corpse that can’t stay dead to actors tripping over everything (including their lines)… perfect for fans of Clue and Sherlock Holmes…
March 28 – April 19, 2025
The Grove
Ufot Family Cycle
Written By Mfoniso Udofia
Directed by Awoye Timpo
…the story of a family homecoming, asking how we draw on the wisdom and beauty of our ancestors when the bonds of family are stretched to the limit. Abasiama’s eldest daughter Adiaha believes that becoming a writer can make her family proud, but at her graduation party, she has to choose whether to fulfill her parents’ desires or stay true to her own dreams.
The Huntington Calderwood
Boston Center for the Arts
527 Tremont St., South End, Boston
February 7- March 9, 2025
Ufot Family Cycle
Written By Mfoniso Udofia
Directed by Awoye Timpo
…the story of a family homecoming, asking how we draw on the wisdom and beauty of our ancestors when the bonds of family are stretched to the limit. Abasiama’s eldest daughter Adiaha believes that becoming a writer can make her family proud, but at her graduation party, she has to choose whether to fulfill her parents’ desires or stay true to her own dreams.
The Huntington Calderwood
Boston Center for the Arts
527 Tremont St., South End, Boston
February 7- March 9, 2025
Lyric Stage Company of Boston
Copley Square area, Boston
Copley Square area, Boston
Crumbs from the Table of Joy
by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Tasia A. Jones
Two sisters and their recently widowed father struggle to find their place in the world while holding tight to the love they have for each other.
Central Square area, Boston
January 10 – February 2, 2025
by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Tasia A. Jones
Two sisters and their recently widowed father struggle to find their place in the world while holding tight to the love they have for each other.
Central Square area, Boston
January 10 – February 2, 2025
Speakeasy Stage Company
Boston Center for the Arts, South End, Boston
Boston Center for the Arts, South End, Boston
Ain’t No Mo’
by Jordan E. Cooper
A co-production with The Front Porch Arts Collective
…“The powers that be have reassured me there’s room for everyone” declares Miss Peaches, the drag queen flight attendant tasked with welcoming the entire Black population of the United States to Gate 1619 for a free one-way flight back to Africa. So begins an early scene in Jordan E. Cooper’s blisteringly funny satire, a series of sharp comic vignettes about Black American life, history, and identity…
Content Advisory: Discussion and depiction of anti-Black racism, lynching, and police brutality. Some strong language. Recommended for Ages 16+
January 22 – February 8, 2025
by Jordan E. Cooper
A co-production with The Front Porch Arts Collective
…“The powers that be have reassured me there’s room for everyone” declares Miss Peaches, the drag queen flight attendant tasked with welcoming the entire Black population of the United States to Gate 1619 for a free one-way flight back to Africa. So begins an early scene in Jordan E. Cooper’s blisteringly funny satire, a series of sharp comic vignettes about Black American life, history, and identity…
Content Advisory: Discussion and depiction of anti-Black racism, lynching, and police brutality. Some strong language. Recommended for Ages 16+
January 22 – February 8, 2025
Venues
Parade
Book by Alfred Uhry
Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Michael Arden
Leo and Lucille Frank are a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in the old red hills of Georgia. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion.
March 11-25, 2025
Book by Alfred Uhry
Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Michael Arden
Leo and Lucille Frank are a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in the old red hills of Georgia. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion.
March 11-25, 2025