Direction and Choreography by Raphaëlle Boitel. Artistic Collaboration, Lighting and Set Design by Tristan Baudoin; Original Music by Arthur Bison; Machinery, Rigging, Apparatus, Safety by Nicolas Lourdelle; Sound Design and Sound Management by Nicolas Gardel. Presented by Arts Emerson, Emerson Paramount Center, Boston through April 2nd.

by Shelley A. Sackett

I was not among those in the audience when Raphaëlle Boitel brought her production, ‘When Angels Fall,’ to Boston in February 2019. After viewing her latest, ‘Shadows Cast,’ at the packed house opening night performance on Thursday, I have mixed feelings about having missed it. On the one hand, I would add it to my long list of regrets. On the other hand, having no idea what to expect, I was utterly blown away in that yearned-for way that is so rare and so delicious.

‘Hadestown’ – Written by Anaïs Mitchell. Developed by director Rachel Chavkin. Presented by the Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester through April 2.

by Mike Hoban

Worcester – Anyone who’s been to New Orleans in the spring and summer can tell you that it can be brutally hot and sweaty, but who knew that it would be such a great stand-in for Hell? Hadestown, the mythical underworld industrial “community” that serves as the setting and title of the Broadway hit, is unmistakably N’awlins, from Rachel Hauck’s set to the smokin’ hot band playing the blues and gospel-influenced score. The national touring company of Hadestown, winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards (including Best Musical) and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, came marching into Worcester (through April 2^nd) and it’s every bit as good as advertised.

“This God Damned House” by Matthew MacLachlan. Directed by Ella Jane New. Set Design: David Henderson; Lighting Design: Michael Abrams; Sound Design: Greg Russ; Costume Design: Rica de Ocampo Presented by Chain Theatre, 312 W. 36^th Street, 3^rd floor, New York, New York through April 8.

by Nicole Jesson

This God Damn House is a play about missed opportunities. It begins with a successful playwright making an emergency unscheduled return to his family and childhood home in Florida because of a family crisis. His mother, a hoarder, is losing her home within the next 24 hours, and he and his brother need to pack up the mess, both literally and figuratively. Without giving away too much, the characters spend the night missing opportunities to right the wrongs in their relationships. Unfortunately, the production spends 100 minutes missing its own opportunities in this world premiere of Matthew McLachlan’s dramatically tense play.

The Great Leap – Written by Lauren Yee. Directed by Michael Hisamoto. Scenic Design by Baron E. Pugh. Costume Design by Seth Bodie. Lighting Design by Michael Clark Wonson. Sound Design by Elizabeth Cahill. Presented by Lyric Stage Company of Boston through March 19, 2023.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Award-winning playwright Lauren Yee has skin in the game with her play, ‘The Great Leap,’ now making its Boston premiere at Lyric Stage Company. Her father, a rare 6’1” Asian-American basketball player, was part of the 1981 team the US sent to China for a “friendship game” between Beijing University and the University of San Francisco. The Americans were demolished during the exhibition games.

Yee suspects the team, composed of non-NBA, non-college players, was hand-picked by the Chinese so the Americans would lose. Her father, who recounted his experiences to her as she wrote her play, was very helpful. “On stage, you’ll see a version of my father; it’s not pretending to be him,” Yee says in the program notes.