Theater and Dance Shows Coming to Boston in Spring 2016
March
Photo by Stratton McCrady
Richard II
Set in 1398, William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy follows the fall of King Richard II and the rise of his successor, Henry IV, in a performance filled with family drama, death, and politics.
February 17-March 13, Cambridge YMCA, 820 Massachusetts Ave., actorsshakespeareproject.org.
Rhinoceros
In this drama, a small town’s social order is shaken when a man rebels and decides he is a rhinoceros—and other townspeople follow.
February 25-March 13, Modern Theatre, 525 Washington St., Boston, bu.edu.
Three Sisters
Three Sisters is a Russian play that follows three women in a small town as they grow up in different life stages and learn about the world around them. It will be performed in Russian with English subtitles.
March 2-6, Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston, artsemerson.org.
How I Learned What I Learned
Award-winning playwright August Wilson chronicles his life story. From his family life, to his work, to experiences as a black artist, the memoir gives you a look into Wilson’s life.
March 5-April 3, Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave., Boston, huntingtontheatre.org.
Farruquito
Accomplished Spanish dancer Farruquito, along with a guest dancer Gema Moneo and several musicians, will perform flamenco puro, traditional southern Spanish dance.
March 6, Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, worldmusic.org.
Werther
In this French opera, Werther, a poet, and a young woman, Charlotte, fall in love. But when the man the Charlotte was promised to returns, their love is tested.
March 11-20, Citi Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont St., Boston, blo.org.
Fast Company
A crime story tying together comedy, game theory, and family.
March 4-27, Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon St., Boston, lyricstage.com.
Photo by Joan Marcus
Annie
Watch the story of orphan Annie as she’s adopted by a billionaire and wins his heart—all while singing favorites like “It’s the Hard Knock Life” and “Tomorrow.”
March 11-13, Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester, thehanovertheatre.org.
Compagnie Hervé Koubi
Applying elements of martial arts and hip-hop to modern dance, a group of French-Algerian and African male dancers, create an artistic show. The New York Times calls the blend of styles an “irresistible” combination.
March 11 and 12, 8 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, 100 Northern Ave., Boston, icaboston.org.
Bootycandy
In several short stories, Robert O’Hara’s Bootycandy leaves nothing out—touching on race, sex, and sexuality. The play is based in part on O’Hara’s experiences as a black, gay man. Bootycandy is as spicy as it sounds—be warned, there is adult language and nudity.
March 12-April 9, Roberts Studio Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., Boston, speakeasystage.com.
Photo by John Haynes
A Beckett Trilogy: Not I / Footfalls / Rockaby
Three short one-woman plays starring Lisa Dwan, who has received critical acclaim for her performance. In Not I, Lisa is a mouth trying to understand her inner dialogue, in Footfalls, she awaits her mother’s death, and in Rockaby, Lisa herself dies in a rocking chair.
March 16-20, Paramount Mainstage, 559 Washington St., Boston, artsemerson.org.
Courtesy Photo by Andrew Eccles
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Alvin Aliley American Dance Theater is a group dedicated to modern dance and the legacy of famed choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey. For their Boston appearances, their specific programs are different each night, including spicy modern tango, African dance, and a hip-hop inspired piece set to gospel music.
March 17-20, Citi Wang Theatre, 270 Tremont St., Boston, celebrityseries.org.
Can You Forgive Her?
Miranda is not having the best Halloween: she’s in serious debt and she’s on a date with a man who threatened to kill her. What happens when she accepts help from a stranger? Find out in the grim yet funny Can You Forgive Her?
March 25-April 24, Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont St., Boston, huntingtontheatre.org.
Blackberry Winter
A narrative play about a mother developing Alzheimer’s, and a daughter who cares for her.
March 26-April 17, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Boston, newrep.org.
Kaleidoscope
Much like the children’s toy, Kaleidoscope at the Boston Ballet combines several colorful pieces together in one. The show is made up of four separate features: Kammermusik No. 2, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, Pas de Quatre, and Gaîté Parisienne.
March 17-26, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, bostonballet.org.
Rocío Molina
Rocío Molina is a flamenco dancer with a modern, avant-garde approach who has been called “one of the finest soloists in the world today” by New York Times.
March 19, 8 p.m., Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, worldmusic.org.
Antigone Sr./Twenty Looks or Paris Is Burning at the Judson Church
This show combines modern dance with fashion, greek tragedies, and 1960s postmodernism to explore gender, sexuality, culture, and history. The fifth installment of choreographer Trajal Harrell’s seven-part series is performed by an all-male cast.
March 25 and 26, 8 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, 100 Northern Ave., Boston, ica.org.
Photo by Matthew Murphy
The Sound of Music
Experience Rogers and Hammerstein’s iconic musical, with its runaway nuns, singing family, narrow escape, and songs that have become classics.
March 29-April 10, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, boston.broadway.com.
Photo Provided
The Realish Housewives of Boston, A Parody
An original comedy that details the ridiculous lives, booze, and botox of a baroness, a neck model, and a business tycoon.
March 29-April 3, Citi Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont St., Boston, citicenter.org.
Arcadia
Set in the English countryside, Arcadia is a play that explores the connection between past and present. In the past, a bright young student discovers a scientific theory while her tutor is involved in a romance. In the present time, two scholars do historical research about a hermit who lived in the same grounds that the student and tutor did.
March 31-May 1, Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, centralsquaretheater.org.
April
Photo by Daniel A. Swalec
The Wizard of Oz
Follow the yellow brick road to see the Wizard of Oz at the Wang Theatre this April. There will be tornados, red slippers, wicked witches, and a singing band of misfits.
April 12-24, Citi Performing Arts Center, 270 Tremont St., Boston, citicenter.org.
Companhia Urbana de Dança
Hailing from the favelas, or slums, of Rio de Janeiro, the dancers of Companhia Urbana de Dança have a high-energy urban style in their show that the San Francisco Chronicle calls “a marvel of gritty physical energy.”
April 15 and 16, 8 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, 100 Northern Ave., Boston, icaboston.org.
Guys and Dolls
Set in 1940s New York City, Gambler Nathan Detroit is vying to win a bet while his girlfriend complains about their 14-year engagement. The absurd plot and iconic songs like “Luck Be a Lady” make it top musical comedy.
April 14-17, Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston, cutlermajestic.org.
Photograph courtesy of Alice Gebura/ICA Boston
Companhia Urbana de Dança
Young dancers from Rio’s favelas come to the ICA to perform their thrilling mix of free- flowing street styles and challenging contemporary dance.
April 15-16, Institute of Contemporary Art, 617-478-3100, icaboston.org.
Photo by Montserrat Quezada A
Historia de Amor
In a dark plot, a man abducts a woman as his victim, concubine, and mother. Teatrocinema, the art group presenting the play, uses digital animation and video effects mixed with a standard stage to create a unique piece of art. Performed in Spanish with English surtitles.
April 21-24, Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston, artsemerson.org.
Photo by Miranda Wright
Daughter of a Cuban Revolutionary
Marissa Chibas performs the lead role, using impassioned storytelling and long monologues to craft the stories of three people whose lives intertwine with the Cuban government and revolution: her father, uncle, and mother.
April 27-May 1, Paramount Center, Jackie Liebergott Black Box Theatre, 559 Washington St., Boston, artsemerson.org.
The Merry Widow
In this comedic operetta, Hana, a recent widow with a large fortune, is looking to remarry. Ambasador Baron Zeta tries set her up with someone in the country so her fortune will boost the ruined economy. What the ambassador didn’t plan for: a past history between Hana and the suitor.
April 29-May 8, Citi Performing Arts Center, 270 Tremont St., Boston, blo.org.
Freud’s Last Session
Christian C.S. Lewis meets psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, they converse about topics like love and God, and Lewis’s religion clashes with Freud’s faith in science.
April 30-May 22, Charles Mosesian Theatre, 321 Arsenal St., Boston, newrep.org.
Swan Lake
This beloved ballet tells the story of a princess cursed to live as a swan, weaving in elements of romance and tragedy. Mikko Nissinen updates one of Tchaikovsky’s greatest compositions with choreography from the original created by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.
April 29-May 26, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, bostonballet.org.
May
Photo by Ed Krieger
Premeditation
Performed by the LA Latino Theater Company, Premeditation takes you into the lives of women struggling in their marriages.
May 4-14, Paramount Mainstage, 559 Washington St., Boston, artsemerson.org.
Mirrors
Mirrors highlights contemporary ballet through two acts: Belong and Resonance. With choreography from the renowned Jose Martinez, 19 performers dance through light and shadow in Resonance. Belong is a romantic piece between two dancers accompanied by Syrinx’s “December Angel.”
May 6-28, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, bostonballet.org.
Photo by Glenn Perry Photography
Dogfight
It’s the 1960s, and Corporal Eddie Birdlace is about to go to war. When he and his fellow marines go out for one last night, they make a bet: whoever can get the ugliest date, wins. Birdlance invites waitress Rose hoping to win, but she ends up changing the game.
May 7-June 4, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St., Boston, speakeasystage.com.
Boston Theater Marathon XVII
In a ten-hour marathon, this annual event will put on 50 ten-minute plays, all written and produced by New England Theaters.
May 8, Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., Boston, bu.edu.
Photo by Jack Hartin
Riverdance
A show fusing together Irish dance and music celebrates the country’s culture and history. The show is on its 20th Anniversary World Tour that the New York Times calls a “phenomenon.”
May 10-15, Wang Theatre, 270 Tremont St., Boston, citicenter.org.
In the Body of the World
Eve Ensler, notably known for the Vagina Monologues, adapted her 2013 memoir In the Body of the World into a performance piece.
May 10-29, Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge, americanrepertorytheater.org.
Malpaso Dance Company with Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble
In their Boston debut, the Cuban contemporary dance company is performing at the Citi Shubert Theatre as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston. The group is one of few from Cuba that has no government ties.
May 14, 8 p.m., and May 15, 3 p.m., Citi Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont St., Boston, celebrityseries.org.
I Was Most Alive with You
In this Criag Lucas play, a deaf, gay, alcoholic protagonist and his family struggle after a tragic mishap. The play features deaf characters and actors who use both sign language and English in the performance.
May 27-June 26, Calderwood Pavilion is located at 527 Tremont St., Boston, huntingtontheatre.org.
Cirque Du Soleil, Kurios
In its 35th full-scale production, Cirque Du Soleil is themed “steampunk,” following a 19th-century inventor and the world-altering chaos that his inventions cause.
May 27-June 16, Grand Chapiteau at Suffolk Downs, 525 William F. McClellan Highway, Boston, cirquedusoleil.com.
And coming up in June…
Photograph courtesy of Joan Marcus/Boston Opera House
Funny Girl
Back in the ’60s, this vibrant musical about the life of comedienne Fanny Brice helped make a film star of Barbra Streisand. Now it’s being restaged in the round at Bill Hanney’s opulent Beverly playhouse.
June 7–19, North Shore Music Theatre, 978-232-7200, nsmt.org.
Matilda
Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book about a telekinetic British schoolgirl is now a musical. The show netted four Tony Awards on Broadway; now its plucky heroine graces our Theater District.
June 14–26, Boston Opera House, 866-523-7469, boston.broadway.com.
