‘Crimes of the Heart’
7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress St., Portland, $30. goodtheater.com
Good Theater celebrates its 20th anniversary with “Crimes of the Heart,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Beth Henley. Heather Irish, Kat Moraros and Casey Turner portray the Magrath sisters in Mississippi. Against a backdrop of domestic violence, justifiable homicide and a long history of family problems, the show is surprisingly funny and bursts with imagination and humanity.
‘Wait Until Dark’
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Through Feb. 12. Lyric Music Theater, 176 Sawyer St., South Portland, $25, $20 seniors and children. lyricmusictheater.org
What happens in 1944 when a blind housewife in a Greenwich Village apartment winds up with a doll that’s packed full of drugs? You won’t have to wait too long to find out if you see “Wait Until Dark.” The Lyric Music Theater production tells Frederick Knott’s classic tale during which the housewife and her young neighbor put a trio of thugs out of business. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as the action unfolds, and you’ve got three weekends of shows to choose from.
Forest Emissaries
8 p.m. Saturday. Space, 538 Congress St., Portland, $12 in advance, $15 day of show. space538.org
Here’s a chance to submerge yourself in what promises to be an enthralling evening that fuses live music with puppetry. Forest Emissaries pairs the music of experimental rock band An Anderson with the puppetry and visual arts troupe Inventing Trees. The sounds and sites will be a voyage of discovery about thought and creativity through a forest lens. The Ashmatic will kick things off with some avant-garde tunes.
‘Memphis Jookin’: The Show’ featuring Lil Buck
7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan 31. Westbrook Performing Arts Center, 471 Stroudwater St., Westbrook, $25 to $50, $20 students. porttix.com
Portland Ovations presents a performance created by renowned dancer and choreographer Lil Buck. “Memphis Jookin'” is a nod to his hometown and a celebration of his signature hip-hop dance style. From your seat, you’ll venture to a city where the dance moves first began on the streets before gaining international attention. Lil Buck will be joined by 10 dancers along with a live DJ, and you can expect an exciting, innovative show.
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