It’s a crash course on the classics this week on Connecticut stages, and we do mean “crash.”
Oscar Wilde’s immortal comedy “The Importance of Being Earnest” is a collision of disguised identities and urban/rural lifestyles, “No Exit” is a hellish clash of personalities and “Comedy of Errors” doubles the slapstick crashes by involving two sets of identical twins — it’s also a double classic, a Shakespeare comedy based on an ancient Roman comedy by Plautus.
The ancient Jewish legend of the lumbering destructive Golem is among the creepy offerings on hand for Halloween week. “Twilight” gets the live classical ensemble soundtrack treatment, and Harriet Beecher Stowe is the subject of a ghost story.
In terms of classic rock/pop, you’ll find a tribute to the late George Michael, a musical about Tina Turner and the real-life Diana Ross on local stages.
Then there are classics in the making you can experience firsthand like Belly marking the anniversary of its underrated second album or Jeremy Jordan revisiting songs from his string of Broadway hits or Los Straitjackets whisking you back to the surf guitar pomp of the 1960s or the inimitable Ezra Furman.
Jeremy Jordan
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford
The boyish Broadway star of “Newsies,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Floyd Collins” and the film version of “The Last Five Years” brings his concert act to The Bushnell for two performances on Oct. 25. If Jordan’s Broadway side is not your bag, he’ll be returning to Hartford with his rock band Age of Madness in a few weeks at The Webster. The 3 p.m. Bushnell show is sold out, but there are still tickets available for the 8 p.m. show. $49-$297.50. bushnell.org.
Karen Mason
Legacy Theatre, 128 Thimble Islands Road, Branford
Karen Mason has done Broadway, tours, TV and movies but is particularly acclaimed as a cabaret performer. She is the final performer of the 2025 Sunday Broadway Concert series, accompanied by the series’ curator John McDaniel. Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. $36.50-$51.50. legacytheatrect.org.
‘Twilight’ in Concert
Oakdale Theatre, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford
The original “Twilight” film is accompanied by a live 12-piece classical/rock combo and illuminated by a thousand candles. Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. $42.70-$129.50. livenation.com.
Ezra Furman
Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St., Hamden
The exceptional singer/songwriter Ezra Furman, formerly of the Harpoons and a prolific solo artist for over a decade now, brings songs from her new album “Goodbye Small Head” and much more to Space Ballroom on Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. $32.34-$37.99. spaceballroom.com.
Belly
District Music Hall, 71 Wall St., Norwalk
The Rhode Island indie band is touring to honor the 30th anniversary of its second album “King,” which was also the band’s final album until it reunited 20 years later. Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. $49.32-$74.56. districtmusichall.com.
Infinity Song plays Hamden’s Space Ballroom on Oct. 27. (Courtesy of Space Ballroom)
Infinity Song
Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St., Hamden
The unique modern melodic soft rock act Infinity Song, aka the Boyd siblings Abraham, Angel, Israel and Momo, are at Space Ballroom on Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. with another sibling act, Americana faves The Burney Sisters, opening. $32.34-$37.99. spaceballroom.com.
Los Straitjackets
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
The phenomenal masked California surf rock band Los Straitjackets has often visited Connecticut as the propulsive backing band for Big Sandy or Nick Lowe, but they don’t need a famous name frontman, or a singer at all, to rock a room. Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. $39. thekate.org.
‘The Importance of Being Earnest’
Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, Westport
Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of deception, romance, country life vs. city life, a handbag and the art of “Bunburying” comes to Westport Country Playhouse directed by Melissa Rain Anderson. Oct. 28 through Nov. 15. Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. $50-$90. westportplayhouse.org.
Hirschfeld’s Broadway
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
David Leopold, creative director of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, talks about the unparalleled Broadway caricaturist and, because he’s at The Kate, specifically discusses and displays Hirschfeld’s drawings of some of Katharine Hepburn’s stage appearances. Leopold does these appearances, which also include sales of Hirschfeld prints, as benefits for small theaters that he feels Hirschfeld (who died in 2003 at the age of 99) would have appreciated. Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. $28. thekate.org.
Other People’s Scary Stories
Stowe Center for Literary Activism, 77 Forest St., Hartford
The Stowe Center gets scary with a night of storytelling about a haunted incident in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s life, enhanced by other tales shared by attendees. Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. Free. stowecenter.org.
‘The Golem: A Vision in Sound and Cinema’
Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield
The 1920 German silent film “Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam,” directed by Paul Wegener, is accompanied by the Avalon String Quartet and clarinet player Saerom Kim performing a live klezmer/classical musical score at the Quick Center at Fairfield University. Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. $30. events.fairfield.edu.
The tribute show “The Life and Music of George Michael” is at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven on Oct. 30. (Courtesy of Shubert Theatre)
‘The Life and Music of George Michael’
Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven
The George Michael tribute show which has played some of the bigger theaters in Connecticut over the past few years finds another one at The Shubert on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. $31.80-$79.90. shubert.com.
‘No Exit’
Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham St., Willimantic
Jean Paul Sartre’s iconic drama of psychological purgatory has a single performance on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at ECSU’s Delmonte Bernstein Studio Theater. $10. easternct.showare.com.
Gov’t Mule
College Street Music Hall, 238 College St., New Haven
The Southern jam rock band Gov’t Mule, founded and still led by guitarist/vocalist Warren Haynes, celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and release its most recent album “Peace… Like a River” the year before that. Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. $64.26-$115.76. collegestreetmusichall.com.
‘Misery’
Curtain Call, 1349 Newfield Ave., Stamford
The Stephen King thriller about a novelist held captive by his biggest fan was adapted for the stage by the same writer who wrote the screenplay for the movie version, William Goldman. “Misery” is getting done just in time for Halloween at the community-based Curtain Call theater complex, directed by Kevin McNair. Oct. 30 through Nov. 16. Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. $25-$100. curtaincallinc.com.
Will Wood
The Webster, 31 Webster St., Hartford
The New Jersey singer/songwriter/comedian Will Wood does a special Halloween show at The Webster with Human Zoo opening. Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. $49.15. thewebsterct.com.
Fran Drew and the Lucky Strikes
Black-Eyed Sally’s, 350 Asylum St., Hartford
The Hartford-based blues/rock/funk/”attitude” outfit Fran Drew and the Lucky Strikes is the Halloween night entertainment at Black-Eyed Sally’s. Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. blackeyedsallys.com.
Jurassic Quest with Brick Fest Live
Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville
Two things kids crave — plastic bricks and dinosaurs — are brought together in this weekend of activities at the Mohegan Sun’s Earth Expo and Convention Center. Jurassic Quest features giant prehistoric beasts, where Brick Fest is more about modern architecture and design. Oct. 31 at noon, 3 and 5 p.m.; Nov. 1 at 9 a.m., noon, 3 and 6 p.m.; Nov. 2 at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. $20.65-$75.65. mohegansun.com.
Gov’t Mule brings its Southern jams to College Street Music Hall on Oct. 30. (Emily Butler)
‘The Comedy of Errors’
Western Connecticut State University, 43 Lake Ave. Ext., Danbury
The Shakespeare play, which coined the term “comedy of errors” to mean mirthful mistaken identities, is adapted and directed by Pam McDaniel for the student theater program at WSCU. The play will be performed at the Studio Theatre at the Visual and Performing Arts Center. Oct. 31 through Nov. 9. Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. $37.05, $28.52 seniors. westrepstage.org.
‘Gabby’s Dollhouse’
Oakdale Theatre, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford
The Netflix kid’s show, which also became a full-length movie in September, also has a live tour on the road. Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. $41.25-$194.40. livenation.com.
Wallace Stevens Birthday Bash
Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St., Hartford
Peter Gizzi reads from and discusses the legendary Hartford poet/insurance company executive Wallace Steven. The event at Hartford Public Library’s Center for Contemporary Culture is labeled a “Birthday Bash” though Stevens’ actual birthdate was Oct. 2. Refreshments will be served. Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. $10 suggested donation. programs.hplct.org.
Carter Vail
The Webster, 21 Webster St., Hartford
The vaguely psychedelic folk/pop artist Carter Vail is on his “Coydog Tour,” appearing at The Webster with opening act Easy Honey. Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. $31.15. thewebsterct.com.
Diana Ross
Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Shoreline Trolley Blvd., Mashantucket
The divine former Supreme and ‘70s disco diva Diana Ross, who was also a major movie star for a while, has decades of hits to share at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater. Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. $102.25. foxwoods.com.
John Splithoff
Infinity Music Hall, 20 Greenwoods Road West, Norfolk
The singer/songwriter who had a hit with “Sing to You” is on tour with his eclectic new album “Far From Here.” Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. $41.24-$57.01. infinityhall.com.
‘Tina: The Tina Turner Musical’
Palace Theater, 100 East Main St., Waterbury
The Broadway musical about Tina Turner, with a book by playwright Katoria Hall (“The Mountaintop,” “The Hot Wing King”), makes a third trip to Connecticut on tour, this time at the Waterbury Palace. Nov. 1 at 8 p.m., Nov. 2 at 1 and 7 p.m. $49-$109. palacetheaterct.org.
