Arts picks for Oct. 31 to Nov. 6: Theater from ‘Doubt’ to ‘Rent’, Melissa Etheridge and Twain House gala

It’s an eclectic week in Connecticut entertainment: comedy from Jim Breuer to Fortune Feimster, theater from “Doubt” to “Rent” and a few nights that offer extraordinary diversity in one place at one time, like the 5x5 Dance Festival at the University of St. Joseph or multi-instrumentalist David Bromberg at Infinity Hall.

Medicine Show woman

Singer-songwriter, Broadway star, activist and all-around cool person Melissa Etheridge comes to your window Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. at the Warner Theatre, 68 Main St., Torrington. Her new album is “One Way Out.” $42-$82. warnertheatre.org

Doubtful

Westport Country Playhouse originally announced that its production of John Patrick Shanley’s well-known religious drama “Doubt: A Parable,” would be virtual like the rest of its 2021 season. Then a miracle occurred, and now “Doubt” is being performed live, Nov. 2-21 at the playhouse — and there’s still also a virtual version available, streaming Nov. 11-21. $30-$70 in-person, $25 ($100 for household) virtual. westportplayhouse.org.

Fits and starts

Fun-loving, buoyant, boyish New Jersey pop trio (of guitar, drums and cello) The Happy Fits bounce around Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. in the Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St, Hamden. $16. spaceballroom.com.

Twain’s World

For the Mark Twain House & Museum, making their annual gala fundraiser a virtual affair has meant it can bring in dozens of big-name guests and give the event a global “Mark Twain Around the World” theme. It will be broadcast live from the Twain House Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. Writer Rand Richards Cooper will host, with a slew of famous novelists as the special guests: David Baldacci, Kevin Kwan, Brad Meltzer, Nelson DeMille, Azar Nafisi, Adriana Trigiani, and the Agent Pendergast team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs, plus Harper’s Magazine president John R. MacArthur, singer/songwriter Jill Sobule, and two “Daily Show” veterans, Larry Wilmore and Roy Wood, Jr. The online auction aspect of the gala is already online. marktwainhouse.org/gala.

American symphonies

Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s second Masterworks concert of the season is an American odyssey: works by Aaron Copland (”Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes”), Leonard Bernstein (”'West Side Story’ Symphonic Dances”), Wynton Marsalis (“Blues” and “Hootenanny” from his Violin Concerto in D Major) and, to drive the theme home, Laura Karpman’s “All American.” HSO music director Carolyn Kuan conducts — the first time she’s conducted the orchestra in The Bushnell since COVID shut it down a year and a half ago. Nov. 5-7 in The Bushnell’s Belding Theater, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Sunday at 3 p.m. $38-$72. hartfordsymphony.org.

Season of Leave

It began as a 20th anniversary tour, then stayed on the road so long that it was renamed the 25th anniversary tour. Now, after a COVID hiatus, it is billing itself as the “Farewell Season of Love” tour, meaning that this production will finally retire. Based on the previous times it’s visited Connecticut, this is a solid staging of the beloved “La Vie Boheme” musical, in all its scruffy early ‘90s downtown NYC glory. Nov. 5-7 at The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford. $32-$122. bushnell.org.

5x5x20

The 20th annual 5x5 Contemporary Dance Festival brings together half a dozen professional dance troupes from Connecticut (or just over the Massachusetts border) and student dance ensembles from five Connecticut universities and a high school. There’s a free anniversary celebration, with a dance in an art gallery and a screening of past festival highlights Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., master classes from noon to 3 p.m. on Nov. 5 and the live showcase of the 12 dance troupes on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m., all at the University of St. Joseph’s Autorino Center, 1678 Asylum Ave., West Hartford. The Saturday classes and performances each cost $20; the Friday event is free. usj.edu.

Brombergiana

A pillar of the Americana and Newgrass movements and proficient in most other musical genres besides, guitarist/doboist/mandolinist David Bromberg and his quintet bring his raffish originals and creative interpretations of classic pop and blues tunes to Infinity Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. $49-$64. infinityhall.com.

Fortune’s folly

You’ve seen Fortune Feimster in oodles of funny TV series of the past few years, whether it’s a sitcom (”The Mindy Project”), a talk show (”Chelsea Lately,” where she was a writer and regular panelist) or a reality show. Now she’s Pam on “Kenan,” and also finding time to do her live stand-up act. Feimster’s College Street Music Hall, 238 College St. New Haven, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. $30-$40. collegestreetmusichall.com.

Goat Boy lives

Saturday Night Live veteran Jim Breuer starred in the iconic stoner movie “Half Baked,” and still does pot jokes in his stand-up act. Do those routines seem more topical and cutting-edge now since legalization? Find out when Breuer does a three night, five-set stand Nov. 5-7 at the Funnybone comedy club, 194 Buckland Hills Drive Suite #1054, Manchester. Nov. 5 and 6 at both 7 and 9:30 p.m. and Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. hartford.funnybone.com.

Christopher Arnott can be reached at carnott@courant.com.