Spring Arts Preview: Theatre

‘Some Men’
Through March 29
Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts
527 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Orange Line to Back Bay
$14 to $50, 617-933-8600
www.bostontheatrescene.com
The lives of gay men in America are followed from the end of World War I up to the present-day fight for gay marriage in this new play by Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally. If you like men, there’s a strong chance you’ll like this one.

‘Defending the Caveman’
Through March 16
Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts
527 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Orange Line to Back Bay
$54, 617-933-8600
www.bostontheatrescene.com
Michael Van Osch stars. Again, if you like men …

‘Shining City’
Friday through April 6
Boston University Theatre
264 Huntington Ave., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Symphony
$15 to $75, 617-266-0800
www.huntingtontheatre.org
A therapist treats a guy haunted by the ghost of his wife, while at the same time the therapist’s own relationship unravels. Not to downplay the guy-who-is-haunted-by-dead-wife’s situation, but therapists have problems, too.

‘Avenue Q’
March 11 through March 23
Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Boylston
$27.50 to $87.50, 617-931-2787
www.avenueq.com
“Sesame Street” meets “Rent” meets irony in the hit that won three Tony Awards in ’04, including Best Musical. With song titles like “The Internet Is for Porn” and “I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today,” this is an avenue worth rockin’ down to.

‘The Tempest’
March 13 through April 13
Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center
41 Second St., Cambridge
MBTA: Green Line to Lechmere
$30 to $42, 866-811-4111
www.actorsshakespeareproject.org
Alvin Epstein stars as the magician and former duke Prospero in director Patrick Swanson’s new production of Shakespeare’s
late-period play.

Edward Albee’s ‘Three Tall Women’
March 28 through April 26
140 Clarendon St., Boston
MBTA: Orange Line to Back Bay
$29 to $54, 617-585-5678
www.lyricstage.com
If Albee had any seeds, this would have just been a performance art piece where the said titular women just stand there mute for two hours. Instead, he had to go and make this humorous and inspiring story that is loosely based on his own life. Local fave Paula Plum stars.

‘Elections & Erections: A Chronicle of Fear and Fun’
April 3 through May 4
Loeb Drama Center
64 Brattle St., Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Harvard
$15 to $79, 617-547-8300
www.amrep.org
According to the A.R.T.’s description, South African political satirist and HIV/AIDS activist Pieter Dirk Uys’ latest performance piece is a “most outrageous attack on political outrage, which underlines the ‘mock’ in democracy and exposes the ‘con’ in reconciliation.” Political zinger No. 1!

‘The Drowsy Chaperone’
April 22 through May 4
The Opera House
539 Washington St., Boston
MBTA: Orange/Red Line to Downtown Crossing
$30 to $91, 617-931-2787
www.broadwayacrossamerica.com
This tale of a celebrity bride and her uproarious wedding day won the most 2006 Tony Awards of any Broadway musical. And you know you’re dying to find out why that chaperone is drowsy! If newspapers were allowed to do emoticons, we’d consider putting a winking one here.

‘David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion’
May 9 through May 11
The Opera House
539 Washington St., Boston
MBTA: Orange/Red Line to Downtown Crossing
$30 to $65, 617-931-2787
www.davidcopperfield.com
David Copperfield puts his pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us. Actually, he puts his pants on with evolved sleight-of-hand that makes the process look identical to ours, when in reality it is far more magical.

‘The Importance of Being Earnest’
May 9 through June 7
140 Clarendon St., Boston
MBTA: Orange Line to Back Bay
$29 to $54, 617-585-5678
www.lyricstage.com
Must resist urge to make joke about Oscar Wilde play really being about Jim Varney. Must resist ...

‘Cardenio’
May 10 through June 8
Loeb Drama Center
64 Brattle St., Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Harvard
$15 to $79, 617-547-8300
www.amrep.org
Supposedly written by Shakespeare, but lost after its first performance, “Cardenio” has been reconstructed into this tale of “crisscrossing” lovers at a wedding.