theatre

The infamous Tudor monarch King Henry VIII doesn’t have a great reputation. He’s remembered for having six wives, beheading two of them and for splitting up the country’s religion just to chase a mistress.

Anthony Williams’s “Urban Nutcracker” opens on the rowhouse streets of Boston with the iconic Citgo sign in the background and a cast of more than 150 mostly local performers. The reimagining of a classic tale on the streets of our city has been warming hearts in Boston for nearly 25 years. 

“Holiday Feast” is a live performance of holiday episodes from classic Black TV sitcoms of the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, serving up seasonal joy with a heavy dose of nostalgia.

Playwright Mfoniso Udofia has been telling the stories of her characters in the Ufot family since 2009. Now, for the first time, her Ufot Family Cycle of nine plays will be performed consecutively at The Huntington over the course of two years.

"Romeo and Juliet” has been shorthand for epic, tragic love for centuries. Whether it’s Shakespearean storytellers or Leonardo DiCaprio starring in the story, we’re all bracing ourselves for that familiar ending. The musical “& Juliet,” a Broadway tour production landing in Boston next month, flips this classic ending on its head. What if instead of ending it all over a boy, Juliet just moved on?

Prepare to giggle in whatever language suits you best during “Laughs in Spanish,” a telenovela-style comedy opening at Speakeasy Stage this month.

In celebration of its grand opening, new nonprofit arts space Arrow Street Arts in Cambridge will host ArrowFest, an 11-day festival featuring more than 40 performances and events by local artists.

This month, Plays in Place and The National Parks of Boston launch “Suffrage in Black and White,” a series of three site-specific plays addressing the intersection of race and citizenship through the lens of both the abolitionist and suffrage movements in Boston. Highlighting diverse local talent, one play will debut each year through 2026.

There is nothing new under the sun and that includes women’s rights and migrants seeking asylum. Both issues are currently at the forefront of news headlines and political discourse. They were also top of mind 2,500 years ago for the Greek dramatist, Aeschylus, when he wrote the tragic play “The Suppliants.” 

The arts in Massachusetts have taken on a new role from culture creator to healthcare solution. In June, Art Pharmacy and Mass Cultural Council, along with Mass General Brigham, announced the launch of the first statewide arts prescription in the nation.

Just like the people who wear them, hoop earrings come in endless shapes, sizes and colors. Beyond a fabulous fashion accessory, they are a means of ethnic and ancestral expression, particularly for Black, Latine and Indigenous communities.

A head of state believes he has been betrayed, despite all evidence to the contrary. He sets out to destroy his perceived rival and ruins many people in the process. So begins William Shakespeare’s late-career play, “The Winter’s Tale.”