THEATER AND SHOWS: ‘Next to Normal’ on stage at Opera House Players | Time Out

Award-winning “Next to Normal” tells the story of a family coming to terms with crisis and mental illness.

Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., May 13-15 and 20-22, at the Enfield Annex, 124 North Maple St., Enfield.

On Sunday, May 15, there will be a panel discussion and Q&A after the show with the cast and production team about deaf inclusion in the arts.

Tickets are $23, adults; $19, youths younger than 12, adults older than 60, and students. Group discounts for 10 or more are available. There is priority seating for deaf/hard-of-hearing patrons and their friends and family.

All patrons must show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID test, and must wear masks. For information and to purchase tickets, call or text the box office at 860-292-6068 or go to: operahouseplayers.org/tickets

NEW WORKS TO DEBUT AT THEATERWORKS PLAY FESTIVAL

TheaterWorks Hartford will present a week of free plays, workshops, a panel discussion, and talk-backs at its “New Work Festival ’22” Monday, May 16, through Sunday, May 22.

Events will be both live and online.

• “The Drop Off” by James Anthony Tyler, directed by Shariffa Ali. This is a heartfelt and moving story of a mother/daughter relationship overcoming the challenges of Alzheimer’s, aging, and the past.

Streaming Monday, May 16, through Sunday, May 22, anytime; online talk-back Friday, May 20, 7 p.m.

• “Dearly Beloved” by Brooke Berman, directed by Michael Barakiva, a witty, Gen-X coming-of-age comedy set in the East Village when it was still the East Village.

Live on-stage reading Saturday, May 21, 2 p.m.; talk-back live on stage, 3:45 p.m.

• New work panel discussion. TheaterWorks Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero will be joined by new work commentators Tracy Brigden, former artistic director of Pittsburgh’s City Theatre; Michael Barakiva, former artistic director of Ithaca’s Hangar Theatre; and Jacob Padrón, artistic director of Long Wharf Theatre, in a lively discussion about what makes a great play, the crazy journey of a script from idea to production, and where the American theater is headed in a post-pandemic world.

Live on stage, Saturday, May 21, 4:30 p.m.; cocktails in the lobby, 5:30 p.m.

• “Egress” by Melissa Crespo and Sarah Saltwick, directed by Caitlin Sullivan. This provocative psychological thriller draws the audience into the mind of an architecture professor struggling to share her expertise while facing her own fears.

Streaming Monday, May 16, through Sunday, May 22, anytime; online talk-back, May 21, 7 p.m.

• “Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play” by Terry Guest, directed by Mikael Burke, a surreal and emotional examination of fame, art, beauty, love, and betrayal through the lens of Andy Warhol and friends, reimagined as Black characters.

Streaming Monday, May 16, through Sunday, May 22, anytime; online talk-back May 22, 1 p.m.

TheaterWorks is at 233 Pearl St., Hartford. For information, go to: twhartford.org

SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF COVENTRY

“Nimbus,” a new interdisciplinary work by Morgan Lee, music director at Second Congregational Church of Coventry, and multimedia artist Abigail Baird, will premiere tonight, May 12, at 8 p.m. at the church, 1746 Boston Turnpike.

“Nimbus” features original animation, sculpture, and the piano works of Johannes Brahms and Missy Mazzoli. The performance will be followed by an artists’ talk and audience Q&A.

The event is free and will be livestreamed via facebook.

For information about the performance, artists, and updates on the livestream, go to: fb.me/e/1LOgjgpC0

“9 to 5,” the musical based on the 1980 film that featured Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin as three unlikely friends who bond over their frustrating jobs, will be staged at the Majestic Theater, 131 Elm St., West Springfield, through May 29.

The cast includes Kaytlyn Vandeloecht of Ellington, who plays the part of Doralee.

Tickets range from $31-$37 and are available at the Majestic’s box office, open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; by phone at 413-747-7797.

The Majestic Theater requires masks and proof of vaccination.

“The Agitators,” a play about the enduring but tempestuous friendship of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, will run at Playhouse on Park through Sunday, June 12.

This is the story of their 45-year friendship, from its beginning in Rochester, New York, through a civil war, and to the highest halls of government. They agitated the nation, they agitated each other, and, in doing so, they helped shape the Constitution and the course of American history.

Tickets range from $40-$50. Group rates and student and senior discounts are available. Student rush tickets are $10, cash only, available 15 minutes prior to curtain. Previews are on Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26, with all tickets $20.

Matinees are at 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays and at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. There will be a talk-back with the cast after each Sunday matinee.

Playhouse on Park is at 244 Park Road, West Hartford.

Dionysus Theatre Company begins its 2022 season with Lucas Hnath’s play “A Doll’s House Part 2” May 27 through June 5 at Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon.

Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $18 general admission, $15 for members of the arts center, students, and seniors.

No worries if you haven’t seen Part 1l, the show stands on its own. This play follows Nora as she returns to the home she left 15 years earlier and the family she left behind.