Opening
SEQUENCE 8 The Montreal-based contemporary circus troupe Les 7 Doigts de la Main, last seen in Boston with the dazzling “PSY,’’ returns with a new piece that blends acrobatics, theater, and dance. Sept. 27-Oct. 7. ArtsEmerson. At Cutler Majestic Theatre. 617-824-8400, www.artsemerson.org
A BRIGHT NEW BOISE Set in a chain store called the Hobby Lobby, Samuel D. Hunter’s play focuses on a seemingly bland fellow who is intent on summoning the Rapture. Directed by David J. Miller. Sept. 28-Oct. 20. Zeitgeist Stage Company. At Plaza Black Box Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-933-8600, www.zeitgeist
stage.com
RAGTIME The musical adaptation of E.L. Doctorow’s best-selling historical novel won Tony Awards in 1998 for best score and best book. Meg Fofonoff directs a production that features a 42-member cast, backed by a 16-piece orchestra. Sept. 28-Oct. 7. Fiddlehead Theatre Company. At Strand Theatre, Boston. 866-811-4111, www.fiddlehead
theatre.com
Now playing
GOOD PEOPLE South Boston native David Lindsay-Abaire’s brilliant look homeward may seem like it’s about class issues, but there’s much more going on in his layered narrative of choices and personal integrity, beautifully directed by Kate Whoriskey. Johanna Day is wonderfully war-weary as the heroine, Margie, one of a cast of achingly imperfect characters. Through Oct. 14. Huntington Theatre Company. At Boston University Theatre. 617-266-0800, www.huntingtontheatre.org
HOMESTEAD CROSSING Massachusetts playwright William Donnelly has crafted a gem that celebrates connection within the confines of an upscale suburban living room. Wonderful actors breathe life into Donnelly’s quirky characters in this look at longtime relationships. Through Sept. 30. Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Lowell. 978-654-4678, www.mrt.org
THE [EXPLETIVE] WITH THE HAT Director David R. Gammons and his first-rate cast capture the jumpy rhythms of Stephen Adly Guirgis’s dark comedy about a paroled drug dealer who struggles to figure out the right way to live, even as he’s knocked for a loop by the discovery of a mysterious hat. Through Oct. 13. SpeakEasy Stage Company. At Roberts Studio Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-933-8600, www.speakeasystage.com
THE KITE RUNNER Directed by Elaine Vaan Hogue from Matthew Spangler’s adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s novel, and featuring an excellent performance by Nael Nacer, this is a compassionate, deeply moving, event-packed journey across eras, cultures, national boundaries, and the emotional terrain of tumultuous lives. Through Oct. 7. New Repertory Theatre. At Charles Mosesian Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, Watertown. 617-923-8487, www.newrep.org