Connecticut

BRIDGEPORT: Playhouse on the Green will present "Six Degrees of Separation" by John Guare, directed by Matt Schicker, Playhouse on the Green producing artistic director.  Performances: May 9-18, Fridays-Saturdays at 8PM; Sundays at 3PM; additional Thursday 8PM and Saturday 3PM the second weekend of each run.  Single ticket to "Six Degrees of Separation" $23; senior citizen $20.  Playhouse Pass: (1 admission to "Six Degrees of Separation," 1 admission to "Barnum") $45 (10% off the full ticket price); Senior Citizen Pass $38 Available by calling the box office or ordering online.  Playhouse on the Green, 177 State Street, Bridgeport. Free parking available. Box Office: (203) 333-3666. www.playhouseonthegreen.org. 

BROAD BROOK: PIECEMEAL - World Premiere of Original Musical, Opera House Players, Broad Brook Opera House, 107 Main Street, Broad Brook, CT. April 25, 26, 27, May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 2008. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm. Box Office: (860) 292-6068. Tickets $20 (adults) and $16 (under 12 and over 60). Website: www.operahouseplayers.org. Written by Western Massachusetts writer and composer Howard Odentz with orchestrations by Emmy Award-winning composer and Windsor resident Bruce Zimmerman. Directed by Sharon FitzHenry and music directed by Amy Crawford. PIECEMEAL is a wickedly twisted musical fantasy about the fabled character Igor and his underrated part in the strange series of events leading up to the creation of Frankenstein’s monster.

CHESTER: 5/9-6/8 - 13: A New Musical Comedy @ Norma Terris Theatre - (860) 873-8668; www.goodspeed.org

DARIEN: The Darien Players are pleased to present Durang 4.1 by Christopher Durang; Directed by Karina Ramsey.  Featuring John Amado, Caity Brown, Kathryn Browne, Sarah Farkas, Carin Freidag, Danielle Glick, Kristen Habacht, Mike Krysiuk, Barbara Lencheck, Laurel Lettieri, Bob Liftig, James Moran, Rob Nichols, & Katlyn Picard.  May 9, 10 at 8pm.  DAC Weatherstone Studio, 2 Renshaw Road.  Tickets: $20 adults, $15 seniors/students, $5 children under 12.  Presenting 4 comedic one act plays by the irrepressible Christopher Durang.  Some material contains strong language and adult themes and may be inappropriate for children under 12.  For tickets or more information please visit http://arts.darien.org  or call the box office at 203-655-5414.

EAST HADDAM: Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, has announced the cast of Happy Days: A New Musical. This tuneful smash hit comedy will delight Goodspeed audiences when the full scale musical celebration of 50’s nostalgia begins April 11 - June 29, 2008. Happy Days is based on the hit Paramount Pictures television series created by Garry Marshall who also wrote the book, with music and lyrics by Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning Hall of Fame songwriter Paul Williams. This musical comedy promises to be a treat for young and old alike. $26.00-$54.00 through the Goodspeed Box Office (860.873.8668) or on-line at www.goodspeed.org

NEW!! GROTON: Fitch Senior High School’s FALCON THEATER COMPANY presents The Rose & The Ring, A Musical Comedy Fairy Tale based on a novella by William Makepeace Thackery.  Book & Lyrics by Peter Charles Morris; Music by Michael Jeffrey.  Musical Direction by Jess Makela; Directed by Lee Rummel.  In the THE ROSE & THE RING, he or she who possesses the magic rose or the magic ring renders them as irresistble to the opposite sex and turns the mythical kingdoms of Paflagonia and Crimtartary topsy-turvy.  May 9th & 10th at 7:30pm; May 10th at 2:00pm.  Adults $10 / Students & Seniors $8 / Valid Military ID $5  At the Fitch Senior High School, 101 Groton Long Point Road.  For additional information, contact Lee: fitchhsftc@aol.com or call 860.884.5412

HARTFORD: Blackbird runs April 4th through May 11th at TheaterWorks, 233 Pearl Street in downtown Hartford (wheelchair accessible). Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. The show opens to the press on Friday, April 11th at 8 p.m.  Tickets are $37 for weeknights and matinees; $47 for Friday and Saturday evenings. Seating is general admission. Center reserved seats are $11 extra. College-age student rush tickets are $11 at show time with valid school ID (subject to availability). Special discounts are available for groups of 11 or more. A limited number of complimentary tickets for residents of downtown Hartford are available for select performances, courtesy of United Technologies (call for details).  For information and reservations, call TheaterWorks at (860) 527-7838. 3-play mini-subscriptions for the company’s current 2007-2008 season (which includes Blackbird, Rabbit Hole, and No Child…) are just $75. Additional schedule and production information  is available by visiting www.theaterworkshartford.org. 

HARTFORD: TheaterWorks, downtown Hartford’s home for contemporary plays, presents David Lindsay-Abaire’s touching family drama Rabbit Hole. This Pulitzer Prize-winning story of loss and hope has had audiences laughing through their tears since its Tony-nominated debut on Broadway. The production, directed by TheaterWorks’ Associate Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero, runs June 6 through July 20, 2008 (Press Opening is Wednesday, June 11, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.) at the company’s intimate venue located at 233 Pearl Street. Tickets are $37 for weeknights and matinees; $47 for Friday and Saturday evenings. Seating is general admission. Center reserved seats are $11 extra. College-age student rush tickets are $11 at show time with valid school ID (subject to availability). Special discounts are available for groups of 11 or more. A limited number of complimentary tickets for residents of downtown Hartford are available for select performances, courtesy of United Technologies (call (860) 560-3515 for details).

HEBRON: Comedy On Demand Show To Benefit Jordan Hyde. May 17, 2008. 7:00pm-9:00pm, RHAM High School, 85 Wall Street, Hebron, CT. AHM Youth and Family Services sponsors Comedy on Demand’s ‘Follygiggin’, which features improvised scenes, songs and parodies based on audience suggestion. Snacks and beverage at intermission; Proceeds to benefit Jordan Hyde, 10 yr old victim of burn accident. Tickets $20 by prepaid reservation. Tickets can be reserved by mailing a check to the Jordan Hyde Family Fund, Attn: Monique Simmons, c/o Rockville Bank, PO Box 622, South Glastonbury, CT. 06073. In the ‘memo’ section of the check, please write ‘C.O.D Benefit’ and indicate number of tickets. For questions regarding reservations call Rockville Bank at 860-291-3717. Once checks are received, names will be added to a list at the entrance of the auditorium. This show is for ages 15 years to adult.

IVORYTON: The Glass Menagerie starring Julia Kiley*, Peter Lockyer*, Catherine Domareki* and Andrew Sneed and directed by Jacqueline Hubbard runs May 7-25. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, $20 for students and $15 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting www.ivorytonplayhouse.org. (Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.  *Members of Actors Equity

MIDDLETOWN: 5/1-10 - The Laramie Project; 5/23 - A Thousand Cranes; 5/30-31 - Oddfellows Traveling Circus; 6/14 - OProm; 7/23-26 - The Taming of the Shrew/Measure for Measure; 8/1 - Children's Circus of Middletown @ Oddfellows Playhouse, 128 Washington St. - (860)347-6143; www.oddfellows.org

NEW!! NEW BRITAIN: Hole in the Wall Theater, winner of the Hartford Advocate's Best Community Theater award for the second year in a row, is pleased to announce its upcoming production of Edward Albee's 2002 Tony Award winning play "The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?" "The Goat" opens Friday, May 9, 2008, and runs Friday and Saturday nights May 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31 and June 6 and 7 at 8:00 p.m. Admission is by a $20.00 suggested donation. For reservations, call 860.229.3049. Further information about Hole in the Wall Theater can be found at www.hitw.org.  NOTICE: contains adult content; mature audiences only.

NEW HAVEN: YALE REPERTORY THEATRE presents the world premiere of BOLEROS FOR THE DISENCHANTED by two-time OBIE Award winner and Academy Award nominee José Rivera. Directed by Henry Godinez, BOLEROS FOR THE DISENCHANTED runs April 25 through May 17 at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street). Opening night is Thursday, May 1. Tickets for BOLEROS FOR THE DISENCHANTED are available online at www.yalerep.org, by phone at (203) 432-1234, and in person at the Yale Repertory Theatre Box Office (1120 Chapel Street). Tickets range from $35 to $58. Student, senior, and group discounts are also available.

NEW!! NEW HAVEN: New Haven Theater Company (NHTC) will present New Works New Haven, a festival of five new short plays featuring directors and actors from the New Haven Area. All five plays will be presented in a single performance, playing Friday May 9 and Saturday May 10, 2008 at 8pm and Sunday May 11, 2008 at 2pm at Long Wharf Theatre’s Stage II (222 Sargent Drive, New Haven). Tickets ($10 general admission) can be purchased at www.newhaventheatercompany.com.

NORWICH: The Norwich Arts Council Theater proudly presents “SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ, The Songs of Leiber and Stoller” at the Donald Oat Theater, 62 Broadway in Norwich, just across from City Hall. Directed by Christine Shogren, Choreographed by Erin Sousa-Stanley and Musical Direction by Nathanial Baker. Performance dates are May 8, 9, 10, 15 and 17 at 8:00pm and May 11 and 18 at 2:00pm. Opening night, Thursday, May 8 performance, will be a special dinner Gala Fundraiser for the Theater. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for seniors and students. For reservations contact the Norwich Arts Council Theater Box Office at (860) 887-2789. For additional information including directions and parking, call the theater or visit www.norwicharts.org

NORWICH: The musical, THE LAST SESSION by Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin with additional lyrics by John Bettis and Marie Cain, runs at the Spirit of Broadway Theater April 30-June 1, 2008.  THE LAST SESSION WEB PAGE.  Tickets are $30 for adults, $25. for students and seniors. Tickets can be reserved with a credit card by calling the Box Office at 860.886.2378. Ask about the special Dinner and Theater Package with The Norwich Inn & Spa. More information can be obtained by calling the Box Office during normal business hours or visiting on the web at www.spiritofbroadway.org. 

NEW!! OLD LYME: On Saturday, May 10 from 10am to 5pm, the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme opens free to everyone for this fifth annual community day. It is the only day each year the Museum is open without charge to celebrate spring and showcase its summer offerings to the public. A historic center for American art, the Florence Griswold Museum encompasses eleven acres along the Lieutenant River in Old Lyme. The Museum is open year round Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and students, $6 for 6-12. Visitors under 6 are free. The Museum is located at 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, exit 70 off I-95. For additional information contact the Museum at 860-434-5542 or www.FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org.

PUTNAM: 5/2-11 - Alice in Wonderland @ Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut, Bradley Playhouse, 30 Front St. - (860) 928-7887; www.bradleyplayhouse.org

STAMFORD: April 23 - May 11 - Stamford Theatre Works presents "An Infinite Ache" by David Schulner, a romantic comedy/drama directed by Steve Karp. Hope and Charles, a pair of lonely twenty-somethings, are about to end a supremely uninteresting first date when the myriad possibilities of their futures together come rushing to meet them. Performances Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; matinees Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.; first Sunday and first Tuesday at 7 p.m. Tickets $25 to $43. Stamford Theatre Works, 200 Strawberry Hill Ave. (campus of Sacred Heart Academy), Stamford. www.stamfordtheatreworks.org  Box Office: (203) 359-4414.

STAMFORD: Let your imagination soar at the Palace Theatre (61 Atlantic Street) on May 16 (2008) at 7PM when Stamford Center for the Arts presents, The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley LIVE. Tickets are $8 general admission and can purchased on the SCA website, www.scalive.org,  charged by phone by calling the SCA Box Office at 203-325-4466 or may also be purchased in person at the Palace Theatre box office in downtown Stamford, CT.

STAMFORD: June 11-29: Stamford Theatre Works presents "First Lady Suite," a musical by five-time Tony nominee Michael John LaChiusa, in which First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy and Mamie Eisenhower--and the people closest to them--reveal their true selves in song. An imaginative and irreverent look behind the scenes of the White House. Directed by Shawn Churchman; musical direction by David Bishop. Performances Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; matinees Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.; first Sunday and first Tuesday at 7 p.m. Tickets $25 to $43. Stamford Theatre Works, 200 Strawberry Hill Ave. (campus of Sacred Heart Academy), Stamford. www.stamfordtheatreworks.org Box Office: (203) 359-4414.

NEW!! STONINGTON: Before Law & Order, before CSI, there was Anatomy of a Murder. The Stonington Players, under the direction of Vic Panciera, perform the drame that inspired the current popular TV crime shows. Performance dates are May 8, 9, & 10 at the Stonington Community Center (the COMO) at 28 Cutler Street, Stonington. Doors open at 7:30; curtain is at 8. Admission is $10. Reservations can be made by calling (860) 536-8920. Seating is cabaret-style, with refreshments available.

SUFFIELD: Rob Lunde directs Kelly Seip, Brianna Stronk, Bruce Showalter, Becky Schoenfeld, Cynthia Lee Anderson, Chris Berrien and Rayah Martin in Noel Coward's fast paced & funny comedy classic from the '40s, Blithe Spirit. Show dates are May 9, 10, 16 & 17, 2008, at historic (and newly painted), Mapleton Hall in Suffield. Doors open at 7 PM, with curtain promptly at 8. Our opening Thursday, May 1, is only $12, and $15 for all other performances. Our discounts for students and seniors apply. So call us at 1-800.289.6148, 1-860.668.0837, or order & pay at www.suffieldplayers.org and see just what all the other-worldly fussing & fighting is about.

WATERFORD: The Intentional Theatre of Southeastern Connecticut opens their 2008 season with the World Premiere of a hilarious new comedy by Jay Huling, "Hard Luck Sings The Blues." The cast features Timothy Shrimplin, Courtney Leivers, Mary Zuzik and Jim Frank, all new-comers to Intentional Theatre's green room. We also welcome back Brian Olsen and William Hine, veterans of our stage and founding members. Also appearing onstage will be Becca Atkins and members of The Second Step Players.  Heinz Laughlin hungers - even thirsts - for the woman of his dreams. But his plans (for a Saturday night date) are upset by her boyfriend. With help from a well-meaning friend, Heinz woos his date with cards, candy, and conversation. Does boy get girl in the end? You'll find out when the curtain comes down on Act 2. What's the worst that could happen?  The show will be presented at 8 p.m. on May 9, 10, 16, and 17 at the Margaret W. Stacy Memorial Barn on the grounds of Jordan Green in Waterford at the corner of Route 156 and Avery Lane.  Doors open at 7:30 with pre-show refreshments available. Tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the box office on the night of the show, and reservations are encouraged. For further information, ticket reservations, map and directions, log on to http://intentionaltheatre.freehomepage.com.

NEW!! WATERFORD: Waterford High School proudly presents the third WATERFORDrama production of the season, the hilarious Cole Porter musical, ANYTHING GOES.  This very popular and award winning musical will take place at the Waterford High School Auditorium on May 8-10 at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students.  Advance reserved seating tickets for ANYTHING GOES may be purchased in the front lobby of Waterford High School on Mondays through Fridays between 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets can also be reserved by calling (860) 437-6956 x. 728. Advance tickets are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the door for 12.00 per adult and $7.00 per student. For more information please contact Waterford High School at (860) 437-6956.

WESTPORT: June 10–28 - Westport Country Playhouse stages “Hot ‘n Cole: A Cole Porter Celebration!,” a musical revue, words and music by Cole Porter, directed by Tony Award winner James Naughton. “Hot ‘n Cole” celebrates the life of one of the great songwriting masters in American musical history. The revue is jam-packed with fresh arrangements and contemporary twists on 48 Cole Porter standards, including “You’re the Top,” “It’s De-Lovely,” “Night and Day,” ”I Love Paris,” “Anything Goes,” “Just One of Those Things” and “In the Still of the Night.” $30 - $65. For more information and tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or for out-of-town callers toll-free at 888-927-7529, or visit the box office at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Information about the Playhouse is also available at www.westportplayhouse.org.

NEW!! WESTPORT: July 9–26 - Westport Country Playhouse stages “Scramble!,” a farce by David Wiltse, directed by Tracy Brigden. From Westport Country Playhouse’s playwright-in-residence David Wiltse comes a delicious office comedy about the howlingly incompetent staff of a golf magazine. When a rumor spreads that the magazine may be sold to a corporate publisher, the staff suspects a new hire is actually a “hatchetman,” brought in to decide whether or not certain employees are pulling their weight. As everyone fears that their job is on the line, office politics turn into farce with outlandish relationships, mistaken identities and hilarious situations. $30 - $65. For more information and tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or for out-of-town callers toll-free at 888-927-7529, or visit the box office at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Information about the Playhouse is also available at www.westportplayhouse.org.

NEW!! WESTPORT: Monday, July 14, 7 p.m. - Westport Country Playhouse presents “Funny Mondays,” a cheerful playreading series with a cast of professional actors. $15. For more information and tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or for out-of-town callers toll-free at 888-927-7529, or visit the box office at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Information about the Playhouse is also available at www.westportplayhouse.org.

NEW!! WESTPORT: Sunday, July 27, 1 and 4 p.m. - Westport Country Playhouse Family Festivities Series. “Cinderella’s Mice,” presented by Vital Theatre. Spencer is a little mouse with big dreams of attending the Royal Ball---just like his friend Cinderella. But when Cinderella’s fairy godmother shows up and turns Spencer and his sister Mitzi into the horses who pull Cinderella’s coach, mouse and human hopes collide! Will Spencer’s crazy plan make or break Cinderella’s chance to win the heart of the Prince? A fresh take on a classic that proves even the smallest person can make a big difference. Pre-show activity. Ages K-4. $16 per ticket; series packages available. For more information and tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or for out-of-town callers toll-free at 888-927-7529, or visit the box office at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Information about the Playhouse is also available at www.westportplayhouse.org.

WOODBRIDGE: Reserve tickets NOW for B’nai Jacob Players’ production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.  For the past 15 years, the BJ Players have been delighting audiences with outstanding performances of musicals, comedies, cabarets, Shabbat services, and special events. With a hilarious book by Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove, Forum is Stephen Sondheim’s first show as both composer and lyricist. Director Rachel Humphrey has assembled a fantastically talented cast and crew of children, teens and adults, who come from the towns of Woodbridge, Orange, Bethany, Hamden, Milford and Guilford. Choreography is by Jared Andrew off North Haven.  All performances will take place at Congregation B’nai Jacob Synagogue at 75 Rimmon Road, in Woodbridge, CT (203-389-2111). There will be three performances: Thursday evening May 8, at 7:30 pm/ Sunday, matinee May 11 at 2:00 pm ($20 for Adults, $18 for seniors and Children under 13); and Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 (Special Dinner Theater and Auction) $75.00 per person.  Includes hor d’oeuvres, full buffet, dessert, champagne, wine and beer and silent auction Seating for Saturday night will be allocated on a first-come first-serve basis! To purchase tickets/reservations, please contact Amy at amindell@optonline.net  or call Ros at (203) 795-8577, or log onto http://www.bnaijacob.org/content/publish/bj_players.shtml.

Maine

ARUNDEL: 6/10-21 - Babes in Hollywood; 6/24-7/12 - Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast; 7/15-8/2 - Thoroughly Modern Millie; 8/5-16 - Nunsensations: The Las Vegas Revue; 8/19-30 - Always...Patsy Cline @ Arundel barn Playhouse, 53 Old Post Rd. - www.arundelbarnplayhouse.com

ELLSWORTH: 5/9-18 - You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown @ 165 Main St. - (207) 667-9500; www.grandonline.org

KITTERY POINT: Harbor Light Stage, southern Maine’s professional theater company bringing provocative, contemporary American theater to the Seacoast, announces the launch of its Web site, www.harborlightstage.org.  There, details can be found for the company’s first full-production in its new Maine Stage series: “The Pavilion” by Craig Wright, coming to Kittery for a three-week run May 9-25. For reservations, email harborlight@bitstream.net or call (207) 439-5769, extension 1. Seating is general admission. Maine Stage tickets are $25 for Friday evenings and Sunday matinees; $30 Saturday and Sunday evenings. Students with school-issued I.D. can buy a ticket for any performance for $15, but should be sure to reserve in advance.

NEW!! LEWISTON: Prah/Unveiling - Bates College presents the American and English-language premiere of a work by Hungary's leading playwright, Gyorgy Spiro, in performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, May 15-17, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 18, in Gannett Theater, Pettigrew Hall, 2 Andrews Road.  Admission is $6 for the general public and $3 for children and seniors. For more information, please call 207-786-6161 or visit the Bates online box office at www.bates.edu/boxoffice.

PORTLAND: AIRE Presents “Philadelphia, Here I Come!”  The time is 1965. The place is the fictional town of Ballybeg in County Donegal.   The play is Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Brian Friel’s classic tale of the pleasure and pain of emigration.  In this touching play, the spotlight is on Gar O’Donnell, a young man preparing to leave his home in Ireland for a new start in America. On the night before Gar flies off to Philadelphia, his excitement about the future collides poignantly with his feelings about the past as he says goodbye to the people he loves, especially his silent father and the girl he loved and lost. Directed by AIRE’s Artistic Director Tony Reilly, the show features Nathan Amadon, David Butler, Maureen Butler, Ian Carlsen, Susan Reilly, Tony Reilly, JeffreyRoberts, and Stacy Strang. April 24-May 11 (Thursday: 7:30; Friday & Saturday: 8:00' Sunday: 2:00)  Post-show Discussion: Sunday, April 27, after 2:00 performance.  The Studio Theater at Portland Stage Company, 25A Forest Avenue in Portland.  Tickets: $17.  $13 Seniors/Students/Thursday.  Thursday, April 24, “Pay-what-you-can” night.  Reservations: 207-799-5327.  www.airetheater.com

PORTLAND (South): 4/25-5/18 - AIDA @ Lyric Music Theater, 176 Sawyer St. - (207) 799-1421; www.lyricmusictheater.org

Massachusetts

AMESBURY: Lovers and Other Strangers will be performed at the Amesbury Playhouse, 194 Main Street in Amesbury, Massachusetts through May 18. Saturday evenings at 8:30, Sunday matinees at 1:30, Sunday evenings at 6:30, and Wednesday evening at 7:30. Dinner is served an hour and a half before the show. Reservations are required and can be made by calling The Amesbury Playhouse @ 978-388-9444; www.TheAmesburyPlayhouse.com

BOSTON: 4/11-5/11 - Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse @ Wheelock Family Theatre, 200 The Riverway - (617) 879-2300; www.wheelock.edu/wft

BOSTON: The Gold Dust Orphans continues its 2008 season, with "Whizzin'!" which will be presented at the Machine Theater from April 24 through May 24 with performances Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM. Tickets are $28 for general seating, cash at the door. For credit card and pre-orders use Theater Mania online www.theatermania.com or call 1-866-811-4111. The theater is located at MACHINE, 1254 Boylston Street in Boston, MA. For more information, please call the Gold Dust Orphans box office at 617 265-6222 or visit our website at www.GoldDustOrphans.com.

BOSTON: 5/2-6/7 - The History Boys @ SpeakEasy Stage, Nancy & Edward Roberts Studio Theatre, Stanford Calderwood Pavilion, BCA, 527 Tremont St. - (617) 933-8600; www.SpeakEasyStage.com

BOSTON: Love, Janis goes behind the music and offers a glimpse at the soul of a legend through the letters she wrote home, interviews and the songs she made famous. Classics like “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Piece of My Heart,” and “Mercedes Benz” come to life in this hauntingly intimate portrayal inspired by the best-selling book by Laura Joplin. Love, Janis is a musical event so electric and full of energy that you don't need to be a Joplin fan (yet!) to see why this show rocked New York and San Francisco. Show contains loud music (of course.) Performances run May 7-11. Single Tickets are $45 - $65. The Cutler Majestic Theatre is located at 219 Tremont Street in Boston’s Historic Theatre District. For tickets or information call Telecharge.com at 1-800-233-3123 or visit www.maj.org.

BOSTON: The F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company presents Fuddy Meers, playing 5/8-10 at The Factory Theater at the Piano Factory, 791 Tremont St. For tickets, email csmith@fudgetheatre.com or call 617.921.4351. www.fudgetheatre.com 

BOSTON: The 10th Annual Boston Theater Marathon - A festival of new plays on May 11, from Noon to 10 PM. 51 ten-minute plays, each produced by one of 51 different theatre companies from A.R.T. to Zeitgeist Stage in 10 hours of non-stop excitement. Your $25 pass lets you come and go all day to see as much as you can. The Boston Herald called it “...an astonishing display of Boston area acting, playwriting, and directing talent.” Winner 2004 “Boston’s Best” from the Improper Bostonian. Net proceeds to benefit Theatre Community Benevolent Fund. Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA box office: 617-933-8600. www.bostonplaywrights.org

BOSTON: The Huntington Theatre Company presents “Ennio!” starring Ennio Marchetto, the quick-change artist who uses paper costumes and origami techniques to impersonate over 50 celebrities and pop culture icons—from Celine Dion to the Mona Lisa—in this one-man spectacle. “Ennio!” runs from May 13-Jun. 1 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. $15-50. Available online at www.huntingtontheatre.org; by phone at 617-266-0800; and in person at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA Box Office, 527 Tremont Street in Boston. Box office hours vary; call for schedule.

BOSTON: 5/16-18 - Jesus Chris Superstar @ The Opera House - (617) 931-2787; www.broadwayacrossamerica.com

BOSTON: The Comedy Connection, a landmark Boston club, celebrates its 30th Anniversary weekend May 16-18, with headliners Larry Miller, Steve Sweeney and Arnez J.  Debuting in 1978, the popular laughclub is the second-longest running venue of its kind in the country; with The Comedy Store in LA wining honors as the oldest-operating comedy club in the U.S.A. (opening in 1972). TICKETS: Fri. & Sun.-$25; Sat.,-$27; BOX-OFFICE: 617.248.9700.  ONLINE: www.comedyconnectionboston.com

BOSTON: "The Memory of Water" - Presented by NORTON-NOMINATED Way Theatre Artists at the BCA - May 16-31, 2008 at the BCA Calderwood Pavilion.  $14-$28 (certain discounts available). For more info, please visit www.wayplays.com for tickets or more info

BOSTON: A major new revival of the Joe Masteroff/Sheldon Harnick/Jerry Bock musical “She Loves Me,” directed by Nicholas Martin and featuring a cast of award-winning actors, runs May 16-June 15, 2008 at the B.U. Theatre—the Huntington’s main stage. This production marks the close of the Huntington’s 2007-2008 Season and the end of Martin’s tenure as Artistic Director. “She Loves Me” is presented in association with Williamstown Theatre Festival. Previews begin May 16; runs May 21-June 15, 2008. $15-$75. Available online at www.huntingtontheatre.org; by phone at 617-266-0800 or in person at the B.U. Theatre Box Office or the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA Box Office, 527 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End.

BOYLSTON: Calliope Productions is pleased to present TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS, a musical revue that celebrates the songs of Johnny Mercer, one of America's most prolific writers of popular music.  In a song-writing career that began in 1930 and spanned five decades, Johnny Mercer created the lyrics - and sometimes the music - to more than 1,000 popular songs, including the scores to six Broadway musicals and fifty Hollywood motion pictures, and earned himself nineteen Oscar nominations, four Oscar Awards and two Grammy Awards.  TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS will be performed on May 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18, with performances on Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday performances at 2 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for regular admission and $12 for students and senior citizens.  Tickets may be reserved by calling Calliope's Box Office at 508 869 6887 or by visiting www.calliopeproductions.org

BRIGHTON: 7/3-9/7 - The Seagull; 7/24-9/14 - Hay Fever; 10/23-11/22 - The Faith Healer @ Christian Herter Park - www.publicktheatre.com

BURLINGTON: Clever, light-hearted, and heart-felt, with a knock-out score, “Godspell” has been called “the greatest musical of the century based on the greatest story ever told.” The Burlington Players’ production runs May 2-17 at the Park Playhouse, One Edgemere Ave. Tickets are $16-19 with a $3 senior/student discount. The rock musical was an immediate hit when it opened in 1971 off-Broadway. It then moved to Broadway for a total of more than 2,600 performances. During the long run, productions opened in Los Angeles, London, Paris, Washington, D.C., Toronto, San Francisco, Melbourne, Sydney, Hamburg, and Berlin. Several songs from the show, including Day by Day, became chart hits. The show was written by then-college student John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz of Pippin, and more recently Pocahontas, and Prince of Egypt, fame – became one of the longest-running musicals in New York history and won a Grammy Award for Best Score. Call 781-229-2649 or www.burlingtonplayers.com.  Visa/Master Card accepted, parking, handicapped accessible.

CONCORD: Concord Youth Theatre Presents...Alice in Wonderland.  Alice Plunging down the rabbit hole for a madcap series of adventures. Bring the whole family and enjoy this lively adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classis tale. Concord Youth Theatre's performance company presents Alice in Wonderland on Saturday's, May 10th and May 17th at Thoreau School, 29 Prairie Street, West Concord, MA. Performances for for each date are at 2:00PM and 7:00PM  Tickets for Alice in Wonderland are $12 for reserved seating and $9 for unreserved seating. Tickets are available at the door or may be reserved in advance by calling the CYT office at 978-371-1482. The show is app for ages 4 and older.

DENNIS: 6/23-7/5 - Marc Smith's Mind Games; 7/7-19 - A Day In Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine; 7/21-8/2 - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; 8/4-16 - Leader of the Pack; 8/18-30 - Born Yesterday; 9/1-13 - The Devil's Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith @ Cape Playhouse, 820 Main St. - 877-385-3911; www.capeplayhouse.org

FOXBORO: Improv Soup, the teen improvisational troupe of The Un-Common Theatre Company, is delighted to announce the schedule for the remainder of it's tenth season of shows. The troupe performs long and short form Improv based on audience suggestions, at the Burrell Elementary School Auditorium on Morse St. in Foxboro, Ma.  Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and are available at the door.  For more information call (508)698-3098 or check the website at www.uncommontheatre.org.  Dates for the season's remaining Friday night shows are May 9th & June 13th, 2008.  Under the direction of Christa Crewdson from Watertown, Ma. this year's troupe includes: From Foxboro, Ma : Tyler Appel & Meg Lowey; From Mansfield, Ma : Mike Bougas, Emalie Clamage, Alex Grant, Ryan Kershaw, Dan Liddick, Anders Pederson, Eric Pederson, Josh Primiano, Sarah Shear & Jules Toback; From Sharon, Ma : Lee Cohen, David Getz & Abby Kopel

MAYNARD: Acme Theater announces the fun & endearing love story The Trading Post by Larry Ketron; Directed by Dave Sheppard.  Featuring: Andrea Hager, Gordon Ellis, Sabrina Cylie, Brian Sensale, Tom Powers, Deanna Swan.  Love comes in many forms, sometimes where you least expect it. right under your nose. This romantic comedy surrounds two best friends in the age-old story of, you don't know what you've got til it's gone. Wallace, the owner of a second-hand shop, is about to bid a reluctant farewell to his long-time lady friend, Claudia, who is going off to Canada to care for her ailing sister. Wallace and Claudia mature and wise, are in love but both are unwilling to admit it. Finding it easy to meddle in their adult children's love lives, neither recognizes the mirror reflection upon their own.  Set in a small town in eastern Tennessee, in the 70s, this lively, warm-hearted Off-Broadway success treats love among the young, and not so young, with gentle humor and perceptive understanding.  The Trading Post will be performed on: April 25, 26, May 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, and 17 - Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 8:00pm. Sunday show is at 3:00pm. Call (978) 823-0003 to make ticket reservations.  Acme Theater, 61 Summer St., Maynard, MA.  Visit www.acmetheater.com for more information.

MEDFIELD: 7/19-27 - Macbeth @ Medfield Public Library - www.gazeboplayers.com

MEDWAY: LOVE LETTERS: PRESENTED BY THE MEDWAY PLAYERS. MAY 2, 3, 9, 10. 8PM. MEDWAY LIBRARY, 26 HIGH STREET, MEDWAY. TICKETS: $14/ADULT, $12 SENIOR/STUDENT. CALL: 508-478-5525. THE PLAY WILL BE PERFORMED BY KIRSTEN RAYMOND AND MICHAEL SWEENEY ON MAY 2, CHERRY ZINGER AND MICHAEL SWEENEY ON MAY 3, KIRSTEN RAYMOND AND ERIC BORGMAN ON MAY 9, AND LORNA MCKENZIE AND MICHAEL LEGGE ON MAY 10.

NEW BEDFORD: 5/7-17 - Humble Boy @ Your Theatre - (508) 993-0772; www.yourtheatre.org

NEW!! NEW BEDFORD: A Festive evening including Dinner, dancing, and a silent auction will highlight Your Theatre Inc.’s, 2007 Gala Fund Raiser on June 14 at the Wamsutta Club, 427 County St. (at Union St.) The open-to-the-public event celebrates both the conclusion of YTI’s current 2007 - 2008 season and its move into production plans for the 62nd season. The gala fund raising event begins with cash bar cocktails at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. Gala Chairman James J. Perry says entrée choices include Broiled Swordfish or Roast Prime Rib au jus. Tickets are ($45 per person for current subscribers-active volunteers and $ 50 for guests) available by calling the theatre at 508/993-0772. Music will be by Joy Pereira. Mr. Perry notes. “this will be a fun filled evening of food ,drink, dancing and good company”. Founded in 1946, YTI is incorporated as a non-profit community theatre which seeks enhance the cultural life of New Bedford, Southeastern Massachusetts, and nearby communities through the study and regular presentation of dramatic productions and other programs of high quality and professional standards.  The company also develops and encourages artistic talent through the establishment and operation of workshops, theatre productions and other dramatic training opportunities.

NORTHAMPTON: Commonwealth Opera of Western Massachusetts' MAN OF LA MANCHA, fully staged musical conducted by Wayne Abercrombie.  Friday, May 9 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 10 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, May 11 at 2:00 p.m. (matinee) @ Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main Street.  Admission: $50 (with reception); $39, $30, $20 In advance or at the door.  Info: www.commonwealthopera.org / 413-587-0067

NORTON: Norton Singers presents "Anything Goes" by Cole Porter.  The classic musical comedy comes to life, this time with a few splashes of vodka thrown in, for good measure. The screwball plot takes place on a trans-Atlantic luxury liner headed for London, and contains a large assortment of colorful characters, including a sexy evangelist turned nightclub singer, a debutante, a stockbroker and his assistant, a British fop, beautiful showgirls, gangsters, and ditzy blonds. And, of course, those classic Cole Porter songs, which flow like... champagne.  When: Friday and Saturday evenings on May 31, June 6 and 7, starting at 7:30 p.m. Two Sunday matinees, on June 1 and 8, starting at 2 p.m.  Where: Wheaton College, Norton, MA.  Advance sale ticket prices, $20 general admission, $18 for seniors and children under 18. The price at the door is $23.  For more information, or to purchase tickets by credit card: www.nortonsingers.com or (508) 285-4049.

READING: 5/2-17 - True West @ Quannapowitt Players, 55 Hopkins St. - (781) 942-2212

SOUTHBRIDGE: Tickets are now available for “12 Angry Jurors”, presented by Gateway Players Theatre, Inc, 111 Main Street, Southbridge, MA on May 2,3,9 and 10 at the Gateway Arts Barn. Showtimes are 7:30pm. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and youth under age 18. There is a $2 discount for advance sale tickets. For more information, call Gateway at 508-764-4531, or go to www.gatewayplayers.org.

WAKEFIELD: Theatre To Go Presents Oliver! – May 2 – 4, 9 & 10, 2008 at the Greenwood Union Church, 4 Oak Street, Wakefield. Tickets: $15.00 adults, $12.00 students/seniors. Please note that our performance space involves stairs and is therefore not handicapped accessible. For more information, please visit www.theatretogo.com or call 781-279-0835.

WALPOLE: 8/2-3 - Macbeth @ Bird Park - www.gazeboplayers.com

WESTFORD: The Nashoba Players Presents John van Druten's classic comedy Bell, Book and Candle on May 2, 3, 9 & 10 ~ doors open at 7:30pm, show starts at 8pm. Westford Parish Center for the Arts. Online ticketing. For more information about this show or the Nashoba Players, please visit www.nashobaplayers.org.

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

CENTRAL FALLS: 4/18-5/10 - Bless Me, Father @ Mill River Theater, 499 High St. - (401) 721-0909; www.millrivertheater.com

PAWTUCKET: All Children’s Theatre (ACT), a non-profit, award-winning theatre company dedicated to the education and enrichment of Rhode Island youth, proudly presents “Rock n’ Roll Midsummer Night’s Dream” as part of the organization’s Mainstage Series for All Audiences. This production, under the direction of Dr. Wrenn Goodrum, performs May 10, 11, 17 & 18 at the Met School Theatre. Ticket information: $12. Group and scout discounts available. For more information or to make reservations, please call 401-728-1222 or email act@actinri.org.

PAWTUCKET: The Frankenstein Project, an original adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel previously scheduled for April 17th to the 27th will now be presented at Mixed Magic Theatre, 171 Main Street, Thursday through Saturday, May 22nd to May 31st at 7:30 PM. For further information please call 401-305-7333 or visit the Mixed Magic Theatre website at www.mixedmagictheatre.org

PROVIDENCE: 4/10-5/18 - Black Rep is extremely proud to be directing and premiering a wonderful new play this month: THE ETYMOLOGY OF BIRD, by Zakiyyah Alexander. Zakiyyah is a great talent and a playwright to watch, and while the play received a lot of interest from other theaters, no one had previously committed to a premiere due to the large cast  and important (some might say inflammatory) subject matter. The play was inspired by the 2004 fatal shooting of 19 year old Timothy Stansbury, Jr., by an NYPD housing officer. Stansbury, who had just completed his GED and worked at McDonalds, was taking a shortcut to a party over the roof of his Brooklyn apartment building when he startled the
officer, who later said he pulled the trigger unintentionally. By approaching the story as a tale of young love interrupted, the play deals with a constellation of complex issues around race, class, power, fear, and violence -- while also managing to be funny, surprising, and romantic. Please contact boxoffice@blackrep.org to reserve your tickets.

PROVIDENCE: 5/2-11 - High School Musical @ Rise on Broadway, Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway - (401) 621-9660; www.columbustheatre.com

PROVIDENCE: 5/6-11 - The Drowsy Chaperone. 6/20-21 - The Backyardigans: Live! Tickets for all performances are on sale now and may be purchased in person at the PPAC Box Office, located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence; online at www.ppacri.org; or by calling (401) 421-ARTS.

PROVIDENCE: Rise on Broadway presents Disney's High School Musical. Performances will be May 2, 3, 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m. and May 4 and 11 at 2 p.m. at the historic Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, Providence. Tickets are available at www.arttixri.com  or by calling (401) 621-6123. For more information please visit our homepage at www.riseonbroadway.org

Vermont

BRATTLEBORO: The REALLY BIG CIRCUS SHOW - May 16-18 (Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 2 & 7:30 pm, Sun 2pm).  $12 adults, $8 under 12, under 2 free at the New England Center for Circus Arts, Cotton Mill, Brattleboro, VT.  Reservations (802) 254-9780 or in advance at Verde Store for Home & Garden in downtown Brattleboro (cash or check only)
www.necenterforcircusarts.org

COLCHESTER: 6/17-28 - Barnum; 7/1-12 - Moonlight & Magnolias; 7/15-26 - Almost, Maine; 7/29-8/9 - Pump Boys & Dinettes - @ McCarthy Arts Ctr. Saint Michael's College, Winooski Park (802) 654-2281; www.saintmichaelsplayhouse.org

MONTPELIER: Lost Nation Theater’s Vermont Performers Showcase presents Jim Hogue as ethan allen, celebrating the spirit of liberty, and dedication to the freedom of all men - April 30 and May 6 at Montpelier City Hall.  Call 802-229-0492 or visit www.lostnationtheater.org for information and tickets.

ROCHESTER: The White River Valley Players of Rochester will present Eugene O'Neill's three-act comedy, "Ah, Wilderness!" May 2 and 3 at 8 p.m.; and May 4 at 2 p.m. at the Rochester High School auditorium. Tickets may be purchased in advance at Judy Jensen's Clay Studio in Rochester village and by calling 802-767-3271. They will also be sold at the door prior to each performance

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION: “The Full Monty” showcases an amazing array of the finest singers and dancers from New York and elsewhere, assembled here to present this hilarious and heartwarming musical, directed by Northern Stage Artistic Director Brooke Ciardelli. The show runs from April 23-May 18, with performances Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:30 (except for the Opening Night Gala on Fri., April 25, which starts at 6:30 p.m.), Saturdays at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 5:00 p.m., with a special Weekday Matinee Thursday, May 1 at 2:00 p.m.  For tickets and information, call 802-296-7000.  Tickets are also available through Northern Stage’s secure Web site, www.northernstage.org.

Connecticut

HARTFORD (East): 5/2 - Celtic Spring; 5/9 - Val Ramos Flamenco Ensemble; 5/23 - The Biscuit Burners; 5/24 - Amborsia Unplugged; 6/12 - Sam Allen Blues; 6/27 – Incendio; 7/25 - The Young Dubliners; 9/19 – Beoga @ E. Hartford Cultural Ctr., 50 Chapman Pl. – (860) 528-1458; www.ehcc.com

HARTFORD: The Hartford Symphony Orchestra will perform Ludwig van Beethoven's Mass in D Major, Op. 123, “Missa Solemnis” during the final concert of the 2007-2008 Masterworks Series on May 16 & 17 at 8:00 p.m. at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford. This will be the first performance of this work in Hartford in over a decade, and will feature Edward Cumming leading the Hartford Symphony with the Hartford Chorale, CONCORA, soprano Inna Dukach, mezzo soprano Janine Hawley, tenor Steven Tharp, and bass Kevin Deas. TICKETS for “Missa Solemnis” range from $10 to $62. EIGHT-CONCERT SUBSCRIPTIONS for the 2008-2009 Masterworks Series range from $216 to $440. Tickets are available in person at Hartford Symphony Orchestra Ticket Services, 99 Pratt Street, Suite 500 in Hartford, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, by calling (860) 244-2999, and online at www.hartfordsymphony.org  Student tickets are $10 for children and students with a valid I.D. Discounts on tickets are available for groups of 10 or more; for details call Kristen Blakely at (860) 246-8742 ext. 340.

HARTFORD: 5/30 (9:30pm) - Stanley Maxwell @ Black-Eyed Sally's, 350 Asylum Street. (860) 278-7427; www.blackeyedsallys.com.  Price: $6

Maine

NEW!! DAMARISCOTTA: Lincoln County Community Theater is proud to present Skip Gorman: Music of the Old West with The Oyster Creek Fiddlers, on May 16th at 7 p.m. - (207) 563-3424

ELLSWORTH: 5/8 - Big Brother & The Holding Company @ 165 Main St. - (207) 667-9500; www.grandonline.org

STONINGTON: Opera House Arts at the Stonington Opera House is proud to be bringing two young members of New Orleans’ Own Hot 8 Brass Band, tuba player and bandleader Bennie Pete and trumpeter emeritus Shamarr Allen, into residencies at the Deer Isle-Stonington Schools and George Stevens Academy May 21 and 22, 2008. The residencies will include assemblies with the musicians which will be free and open to the public. The Hot 8 Brass Band will be featured in the 8th Annual Deer Isle Jazz Festival at the Stonington Opera House July 25-27, 2008, conducting a clinic; performing a concert; and leading a traditional Second-Line parade down Stonington’s Main Street. Please call the Opera House box office, (207) 367-2788, go to www.operahousearts.org for more information.

STONINGTON: Opera House Arts at the Stonington Opera House is pleased to present a free community sing of traditional and reconstructed Shaker songs, lead by noted Shaker music scholar Mary Ann Haagen, on Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. at the Opera House. The two hour event will include group singing of Shaker songs, provided and taught to participants by Haagen; a short talk by her on Shaker music; a screening of a new documentary video short, “We Find No Harm in Dancing;” and more group singing. Time for socializing with Haagen, in the best of Shaker traditions, will be provided at the end of the evening. The event is free and open to the public. For further references to Shaker source material, and for links to recordings by the Enfield Shaker Singers, please go to www.operahousearts.org.

NEW!! UNCASVILLE: Double Fisted will be rocking out at Foxwoods Atrium Lounge from Sunday thru Wednesday, May 11-14 from 8:30-12:30. We'll be there for Mother's Day night and mock hotel, so we hope you'll come rock out with us. Never a cover. www.damngoodrock.com

Massachusetts

AMHERST: May 10 - 5TH ANNUAL UMASS AMHERST POPS GALA (Pops Orchestra, Studio Orchestra & UMass Dancers) Featuring music by the Beatles, Rossini & Tchaikovsky; tunes from Carousel & Hairspray.  7:30pm Campus Center Auditorium; doors open at 7pm Single tickets: $45.  Patrons are seated at tables of 8 where, for a charge, food & beverages will be served. To purchase tickets, please call the Fine Arts Center Box Office at 413-545-2511.  For a full listing of all of our Spring semester events, see our online calendar: www.umass.edu/music/calendarBOSTON: Join pianist/composer Plamen Karadonev as he celebrates his debut CD Crossing Lines, in concert on Wednesday, April 23rd at Wally's, 427 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. Joining Karadonev for this performance are bassist Dave Buda, drummer Austin McMahon and vocalist Elena Koleva. Music starts at 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.wallyscafe.com.  617-424-1408.

BOSTON: Steve Winwood at the Berklee Performance Center, May 8. Winwood, whose music with The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith, and
as a solo artist has influenced generations of musicians, will be performing a special concert of his career-spanning hits, in appreciation of receiving an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee on Saturday, May 10. http://www.berklee.edu/commencement/2008

BOSTON: 5/11 - The Boston Symphony Chamber Players perform the fourth and final program of the 2007-08 season at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, at Jordan Hall. The program of American music will include William Bolcom’s Serenata Notturna, for oboe and strings, Lukas Foss’s For Aaron, for chamber ensemble, Osvaldo Golijov’s Zhuang Zhou’s Dream, for chamber ensemble, and Michael Gandolfi’s Plain Song, Fantastic Dances, for chamber ensemble. The Foss and Golijov pieces will both be performed under the direction of BSO Assistant Conductor Julian Kuerti. For current program information, dial 617-CONCERT (617-266-2378).

BOSTON: MAY 13th 8 PM - Hildy & Eyran: Wait for Me, Baby CD Release at Scullers. Reserve your tickets online.  Phone orders: 617-562-4111 (for tickets to the show only or the show & dinner package).  SCULLERS IS LOCATED IN THE DOUBLETREE GUEST SUITES HOTEL-BOSTON, 400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston, MA - info@scullersjazz.com.  Also, you can listen to the songs on the CD by going to www.nimbitmusic.com/hildygrossman

BOSTON: 5/17 - Opus 10 @ Chameleon Arts Ensemble of Boston, Goethe-Institut, 170 Beacon St. - (617) 427-8200; www.chameleonarts.org

NEW!! BOSTON: 5/29 - Krysta Young: Stories CD Release @ SAINT, 90 Exeter St. - (617) 236-1134; www.saintnitery.com

BOSTON: 6/1 - Chorus Pro Musica @ Jordan Hall - (800) 658-4276; www.choruspromusica.org

BOSTON: The Rock and Blues Concert Cruise series returns to Boston Harbor for a fourth season on Wednesday, June 4, with The Radiators and the Wild and Free tour celebrating their 30th Anniversary. The full summer schedule is: June 4 The Radiators; June 7 The Ryan Montbleau Band; June 27 Rustic Overtones; June 28 Hyannis Sound & Firedrill; July 11 Ernie and The Automatics; July 25 deSoL; July 26 Booty Vortex/Evan Michael; August 8 Entrain; August 15 Ellis Paul and Band; August 23 Beatlejuice.  Tickets for the Rock and Blues Concert Series are available online now at www.rockandbluescruise.com or charge by phone at 1-866-468-7619. All cruises leave from the Boston Harbor Cruise terminal at Long Wharf (located between the New England Aquarium and the Long Wharf Marriott Hotel.) Boats board a half hour before departure time and ticket holders must be 21+ unless otherwise indicated.

BOSTON: 6/18 - Exsultemus @ First Lutheran Church of Boston, 299 Berkeley St. - (857) 998-0219; www.exsultemus.org

BOSTON: SummersDay Revels, a free outdoor intercultural celebration welcoming in the summer season, will take place along Fort Point Channel in Boston (near Boston Children’s Museum) June 20th through 22nd, with an array of activities and performances for all. The Congress Street and Moakley Bridges, framing the performance area, will be decked out with hundreds of silk flags. Children from Greater Boston will decorate the flags with Suns and Moons, lining the way of the SummersDay Revels grand procession that begins the activities on Saturday and Sunday.

BOSTON: 6/27 - Josh Ritter & Orchestra @ Symphony Hall - www.bso.org

CAMBRIDGE: Harvard Square’s The Charles Hotel, in partnership with Boston Magazine, has announced the lineup for its 2008 Regattabar Jazz Festival. This year’s festival is brought to you by Blue Note International and is sponsored by Grey Goose, Circle Furniture, Acqua Panna, and M. Steinert & Sons. The festival will continue thru May 10th.  Lionel Loueke // May 8 // 7:30pm - $24.  For additional listings and tickets for all Regattabar shows please visit www.regattabarjazz.com or call 617.395-7757.

CAMBRIDGE: 5/7 - Alex Cuba @ Regattabar, Charles Hotel - www.regattabarjazz.com

CAMBRIDGE: Jennie Mulqueen with Doug Hammer (piano) plus guest vocalists Pamela Enders, Miss Mary Mac, Will McMillan, Alexia Motley, and Mary Anne Slack.  A heartfelt and humorous evening of songs and stories with some audience interaction and conversation - Saturday, May 10th, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. @ Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 56 Brattle Street in Harvard Square. Cost: $15 ($13 BACA). 617-547-6789 x1; www.ccae.org and www.jenniemulqueen.com

CAMBRIDGE: Join Boston/Brooklyn based based tenor saxophonist/composer Mike Tucker as he returns to Ryles Jazz Club, 212 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, on Friday May 16th at 9 PM. For tickets call 617-876-9330 or visit www.ryles.com  Joining Tucker are bandmates Leo Genovese on keyboards, Lee Fish on drums and Hogyu Hwang on string bass.

CAMBRIDGE: Louisiana Red w/David Maxwell @ Regattabar @ the Charles Hotel, One Bennett St., Cambridge, MA 02138.  Date/Time: Wednesday, May 21, 7:30pm. Ticket Price: $18.  Event Information Contact: 617-661-5001; www.regattabarjazz.com

CAMBRIDGE: Youngsters and adults alike will enjoy the sounds of elephants playing in the forest, driving cars and dancing at a wedding in Francis Poulenc's musical setting of "The History of Babar" for piano and narrator to be performed Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day) at 1:30 p.m. in MIT's Killian Hall. The concert is a charity benefit, with proceeds benefiting organizations providing food assistance for the hungry. Suggested donation is $15 for general admission and $5 for students. The concert is co-sponsored by MIT Hillel and the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center.

CONCORD: JANIS IAN :: BENEFIT CONCERT for ANIMALS AS INTERMEDIARIES - Saturday, May 17 :: 8:00 PM.  EMERSON UMBRELLA THEATER (40 Stow Street, Concord, MA).  Tickets: $30 Concert/GA; $100 7:00 PM Reception with Janis Ian & Preferred Concert Seating.  Outlets: Concord Bookshop, Willow Books/Acton, The Minor Chord/Littleton, Wood & Strings/Arlington.  By Mail: Send SASE to Animals As Intermediaries, PO Box 155, Concord, MA 01742.  Online: www.aai-nature.org; FMI: 978-369-2585

COTUIT: Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Rte. 28 in Cotuit presents the band, Entrain on Saturday, May 10 at 9pm. The doors open at 8:30pm. This concert is for adults, 21 years and up, positive ID required. All tickets are $20 and must be paid for in advance. To reserve tickets, please call the box office at 508-428-0669.

GREAT BARRINGTON: 5/8 - Falcon Ridge Preview Tour; 5/9 - Bearfoot; 5/10 - Steve Forbert; 5/16 - Matt Smith; 5/18 - Natalia Zukerman at Club Helsinki. Tickets are available in advance at Club Helsinki or Helsinki Café (284 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA), by calling (413) 528 3394 or online at www.clubhelsinkiweb.com.

GREAT BARRINGTON: 5/24 - GYPSY! (Close Encounters with Music) @ Mahaiwe Performing Arts Ctr., 14 Castle St. - (413) 528-0100; www.cewm.org

JAMAICA PLAIN: Revels' Spring Pub Sing! - Thursday, May 15, 2008, 6:00 – 9:00 pm @ Doyle's Cafe, 3484 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, MA.  Cost: $15; Past Cast/Crew: $10 and includes soup and pub songbook. Drink and food are also available from the menu. Singing begins at 7:00 pm. Reservations are required. To reserve your space, contact Cristina Corwin at ccorwin@revels.org. www.revels.org

LEXINGTON: 5/18 - Come Hear a World Premiere @ Metropolitan Wind Symphony, National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Rd. - (617) 796-9990; www.mws-boston.org

NORTHAMPTON: An Evening of Jazz Featuring the Vocals of Laila Plamondon - Thursday, May 15, at 8 p.m. Where: Sweeney Concert Hall, Sage Hall, Smith College, Green St., Northampton, Mass. Tickets: Free and open to the public. Tel. 413.585.ARTS (2787).  Web Site: www.smith.edu/smitharts. 

NEW!! NORTHAMPTON: Smith College Commencement Chamber, Choral, and Orchestra Concerts. When: Chamber Concert: Friday, May 16 at 3 p.m.; Choral Concert: Saturday, May 17 at 12:30 p.m.; Orchestra Concert: Saturday, May 17 at 8 p.m. Where: Chamber Concert: Earle Recital Hall, Sage Hall; Choral and Orchestra Concerts: Sweeney Concert Hall, Sage Hall, Smith College, Green St., Northampton, Mass. Tickets: All events are free and open to the public. Tel. 413.585.ARTS (2787). Web site: www.smith.edu/smitharts 

PITTSFIELD: Fittingly set for Mother's Day, "Ancestors - a concert in honor of our loved ones, with Blood Drum Spirit: the Royal Hartigan Ensemble," will take place on Sunday, May 11, at 3pm at St. Stephens Church, Park Square in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The concert is dedicated to Mr. Hartigan's parents, James and Hazel Hartigan, and his Uncle Ray Hart, who taught tap dancing throughout the Berkshires from the 1930s to the 1960s. For concert details, background on the musicians, or other information, contact him at 508-999-8572, via email at royalthartigan@yahoo.com,  or www.royalhart.com. 

PLYMOUTH: The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra converts into a super-sized Big Band in “A Tribute to Tony Bennett,” a swingin’ Pops Concert celebrating a living legend in the entertainment business. Popular broadcast personality Ron Della Chiesa serves this exciting event as guest host and Master of Ceremonies, sharing many first-hand stories about his friend, Tony Bennett. Jazz vocalist and song stylist Steve Marvin joins the orchestra in a full program of Bennett hits including “Rags to Riches,” “The Best is Yet to Come,” and “For Once in My Life.” Steven Karidoyanes conducts. This much-anticipated event is being held in Plymouth’s Memorial Hall on Saturday evening, May 17th. The concert begins at 8 PM. Tickets are now on sale. Memorial Hall is fully accessible. Individual ticket prices are $50, $45, $35 and $20. Senior, Youth and Group discounts are offered. $5 student “rush” tickets sold at the door one hour before performance, as available. Advance tickets can be purchased from the Phil office by calling 508-746-8008.  Memorial Hall is located on 83 Court Street/Route 3A, Plymouth, MA.

SOMERVILLE: CHICK SINGER NIGHT (CSN) BOSTON CELEBRATES 4 YEARS OF KEEPING THE ARTS ALIVE IN OUR SCHOOLS - SPECIAL 4TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE EVENT
@ JOHNNY D’S, 17 HOLLAND STREET, DAVIS SQUARE. THURSDAY JUNE 5TH 2008 (8:30pm – 12am). For more information about Chick Singer Night Boston please visit www.ChickSingerNight.com 

WAKEFIELD: On Saturday, May 10th, the Linden Tree Coffeehouse audience will be treated to an amazing night featuring Jack Williams and Brooks Williams. Tickets to this special Linden Tree Coffeehouse show will be $20 at the door. Thanks to support in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Wakefield Council, advanced tickets will be $18. To reserve advanced tickets, a check made out to Linden Tree Coffeehouse and mailed to Freeman, 8 Dexters Lane, Wakefield, MA 01880. Mail should be postmarked by May 5th to be sure it is received in time. Best to include a phone number or email address as well. Home made baked goods and beverages will be sold prior to the show and during
intermission. For more information about the Linden Tree, www.LindentreeCoffeehouse.org, LindenTree85@comcast.net,
781-246-2836.

WEBSTER: 6/28 - Changes In Latitudes! Jimmy Buffett Tribute; 6/29 - Trent Tomlinson & Jeff Bates; 7/12 - Blackstone Valley Celtic Festival; 7/13 - Billy Currington & Eric Church; 7/20 - Phil Vassar; 7/27 - Honky Tonk Tailgate Party; 8/9 - Grand Funk Railroad; 8/10 - Kansas; 8/17 - Emerson Drive; 8/24 - Neal McCoy; 9/7 - Keith Anderson & Chris Young; 9/13 - The Charlie Daniels Band @ Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Rd. - (508) 943-3871; www.IndianRanch.com

WELLESLEY HILLS: None of the Above presents “Spring Fev-ah IV” on June 7, 2008 at 8:00pm at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills – 309 Washington Street Wellesley Hills, MA. The concert will also feature the vocal styling of two of the Boston area’s premier a-cappella groups: Boston Accent and Overboard. The program will be an eclectic mix of music styles ranging from early music to modern pieces, pop, rock, jazz and barbershop. Refreshments will be available. Tickets: Adults $12 advance, $15 door; Students/Seniors $12 advance, $10 door. Visit http://noneabove.org/sf  or call 617.314.6316 to reserve tickets.

NEW!! WORCESTER: An Evening With Legends of Jazz Featuring pianist RAMSEY LEWIS, saxophonist PAQUITO D’RIVERA and contemporary jazz supergroup FOURPLAY starring pianist BOB JAMES, bassist NATHAN EAST, guitarist LARRY CARLTON and drummer HARVEY MASON - Saturday, June 14, 7:30 pm @ Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge Street, Worcester, MA.  Tickets: $52, $45 and $30.  INFO & TICKETS: 877/571.7469

New Hampshire

DURHAM: UNH Department of Music presents 5/8 - Winter Percussion Ensemble; 5/11 - UNH Concert Choir @ Johnson Theatre, Paul Creative Arts Center. Free and open to the public.

EPPING: Leddy Center for the Performing Arts in Epping, New Hampshire, is proud to announce that singer-composer-pianist (and world-class oboist!) Mary Gatchell, originally from Epping, NH but now a full-time resident of New York City, will perform at Leddy Center on Saturday, May 10 at 7:30pm! Tickets are $16.00; $11.00 for students. No one under the age of 2 is allowed in the theater. Call 603-679-2781 or visit www.leddycenter.org  for more information and to order tickets!

PORTSMOUTH: The Music Hall presents Ozomatli Sunday, May 11 at 8:00 pm as part of its Intimately Yours concert series. An Evening with Ozomatli will appear at The Music Hall on Sunday, May 11, at 8pm. Tickets are $30 and $26 and can be purchased by at the Box Office at at the Box Office, (28 Chestnut Street) noon – 6:00pm Monday - Saturdayphone at 603.436.2400, or online at www.themusichall.org 

Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE: 5/16 (8pm) & 5/18 (3pm) - Die Fledermaus @ Opera Providence, Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway - www.operaprovidence.org

WESTERLY: 5/21 (raindates 6/22 & 23) - Chorus of Westerly's Summer Pops @ Wilcox Park. Performed by the Chorus of Westerly with the Boston Festival Orchestra, conducted by George Kent with special guest, vocalist Megan Besley. Concert concludes with the 1812 Overture complete with Newport Artillery and Grucci Fireworks. Bring a picnic and a blanket and enjoy! 8pm; pre-show at 6:30pm. Free. 401-596-8663; www.chorusofwesterly.org

Vermont

NEW!! BURLINGTON:5/30-6/8 - Burlington Discover Jazz Festival: 25 Years - (802) 86-FLYNN; www.discoverjazz.com

Connecticut

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Maine

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Massachusetts

BOSTON: Casa de la Cultura/Center for Latino Arts, IBA Presents: EL BEMBÉ - Boston’s best Latin dance party!  FRIDAY MAY 9.  Jorge Hernández Cultural Center, 85 West Newton Street, Boston.  General Admission: $15.  21+ event.  Shuttle Service available for parking!!  9:00 p.m. Dance Lesson; 10:00 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. Dance Party with DJ and Live Music.  For more information, please call 617-927-1717 or visit www.claboston.org

BOSTON: The ICA/Boston presents the Boston premiere of Far... by acclaimed French choreographer Rachid Ouramdane. In his Boston debut, Ouramdane draws upon his personal history to explore larger ideas of identity. Far...was inspired by a journey to Vietnam and Cambodia where the artist re-traced the wartime experience of his father, an Algerian conscript in the French Army. Ouramdane's use of masks, images, sounds, and movement electrify this solo performance with an effect that is hauntingly beautiful and complex. Friday, May 16, 2008 at 8:00 PM; Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 8:00 PM. Tickets: $25 for reserved seating and $20 for members, students, and seniors. For more information, call 617-478-3100 or visit our Web site at www.icaboston.org. 

NEW!! BROOKLINE: 5/15 - Lucinda Childs: A Documentary by Patrick Bensard @ Coolidge Corner Theater, 290 Harvard St. - (617) 864-3191

CAMBRIDGE: May 30 & 31: 8pm each night - Andary Dance @ Green Street Studios, 185 Green Street , Cambridge, MA 02139.  TO RESERVE YOUR TICKETS, CALL 617-864-3191.  TICKETS: $15 General Admission / $12 Students / Seniors / BDA.  Reserved tickets may be purchased at the door at 7:30pm on the night of the performance.  Cash and check only.  Visit www.greenstreetstudios.org for more information

New Hampshire

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Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE: On May 8*, 9 and 10, join The State Ballet of Rhode Island’s Artistic Director, Herci Marsden, in celebrating her 48th Spring Ballet Celebration with classic entertainment for families to enjoy. This Mother’s Day Weekend, you can experience the athleticism, drama and beauty that ballet has to offer with the eloquent “Swan Lake Divertissement” set to Tchaikovsky’s romantic score, the beautiful “Claire de Lune” by Debussy, and the humorously light hearted “Graduation Ball”, with music of Johann Strauss. Along with this program, The State Ballet of Rhode Island is excited to present the original ballet premiere of “Gansel & Hetal: A Sweet Family Fairytale”. With a magical forest, singing angels, and a sweet-making witch, this “for the family” ballet will fascinate your mind and boost your spirit. *Thursday, May 8, 10:00 am “Project Ballet in Education” performance. Friday, May 9, 7:30 pm evening performance, reserve seating. Saturday, May 10, 5:00 pm matinee performance, reserve seating. Roberts Auditorium, Rhode Island College in Providence, with convenient free parking. With the many gifted dancers performing this spring, come and discover the exciting and beautiful world of your region’s longest standing classical ballet company! For tickets call the RI College box office at 456.8144, order on line at www.ric.edu/pfa  or visit www.stateballet.com.  Adults are $25.00 and children ages 12 and under are $16.00. Roberts Auditorium is accessible to the handicapped and disabled. Group rates are available.

Vermont

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