It’s a flashback to the ‘80s with Billy Bragg and a freestyle extravaganza for the week of Oct. 2-8
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The 1980s figure heavily in this week’s picks of top art events around the state.
In the late ‘80s, Jay Mohr was turning away from high school and college sports and towards stand-up comedy and acting. The Mommyheads were formed at New York University in 1987. “Talking with the Taxman About Poetry,” released in ‘86, was Billy Bragg’s first No. 1 album in his native England. The musical theater version of Alison Bechdel’s award-winning memoir “Fun Home” focuses in large part on her years at Oberlin College, where she graduated from in 1981. Then there’s the Freestyle Extravaganza at Foxwoods, touting eight Latin hip-hop acts that collectively changed the face of music throughout the ‘80s.
Outside that rarefied decade, there’s the klatsch of American classical composers, most of them born in the 1890s, who kick off Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Masterworks series with their symphonic “American Adventures.”
From protest songs to Latin freestyle to the “Grand Canyon Suite” to the divine duo of Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi, it’s a week to listen to even if you don’t remember the ‘80s.
Abbie Barrett, Mommyheads, Jed Parish
Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven
The common theme of the triple bill at New Haven’s Cafe Nine on Oct. 2 is “acts more people should know about.” They’ve all been around a while and are uniformly cool, so there’s no excuse. There’s Boston-based singer/songwriter Abbie Barrett, the long-lived indie band Mommyheads, who originally formed in the late ‘80s and have taken a few long hiatuses, and Jed Parish, frontman of one of New Haven’s (and Boston’s) finest smart-rock acts, The Gravel Pit. 4 p.m. $8. cafenine.com.
‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’
Yale Repertory Theatre, 1120 Chapel St., New Haven
Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” is one of the great American dysfunctional marriage dramas. There was a production in Madison last month, and now a different George and Martha (Dan Donohue and René Augesen) are going at it, Oct. 6-29 at the Yale Repertory Theatre, 1120 Chapel St., New Haven. Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with 1:30 p.m. matinees on Oct. 15, 19, 22 and 29. $15-$65.
‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’
Hole in the Wall Theater, 116 Main St, New Britain
Shakespeare’s “pleasant conceited comedy” brings humor and romance to a dark time of year. Oct. 7-22 at downtown New Britain’s community-based Hole in the Wall Theater. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. plus a Sunday matinee Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. $25, $20 students and seniors. hitw.org.
Jay Mohr
Infinity Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford
Infinity Hall Hartford hasn’t had a whole lot of comedy bookings lately, but Jay Mohr makes up for it. He’s a seasoned stand-up who’s been performing since his teens, was the original host of TV’s “Last Comic Standing” and wrote one of the best books about the inner workings of “Saturday Night Live,” where he was a writer and performer for two seasons in the mid-1990s. Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. $38-$48. infinityhall.com.
Hartford Symphony ‘American Adventures’
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra opens its 2022-23 Masterworks season with another of its programs of all American composers. “American Adventures” features Valerine Coleman’s “Seven O’Clock Shout” (inspired by COVID-19 frontline workers), Ferde Grofé's sweeping “Grand Canyon Suite,” Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring Suite” and George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris.” Three performances: Oct. 7 and 8 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 9 at 3 p.m. at the Belding Theater at The Bushnell in Hartford. $38-$73. hartfordsymphony.org.
Billy Bragg
Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield
The supreme modern folksinger Billy Bragg came up through the British punk scene of the ‘70s and found his own voice of protest and insight. He’s at the Ridgefield Playhouse Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. $65-$75. ridgefieldplayhouse.org.
Rockin’ the Blues Away
Little Theater of Manchester, 177 Hartford Road, Manchester
You thought all the blues festivals happened in the summertime. Well, the Little Theater of Manchester is holding a three-band indoor Rockin’ the Blues Away concert at 6 p.m. on Oct. 7. And who’s rocking those blues? Rich Badowski Blues Band, In Deep and Patty Tuite. $22-$28, $20-$26 students and seniors. cheneyhall.org.
Freestyle Extravaganza
Foxwoods Premier Theater, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket
This year’s tour of ‘80s Freestyle Latin hip-hop pioneers includes three artists who go by one name each — Noel (“Silent Morning”), Shannon (“Let the Music Play”) and Cynthia (“Dreamboy/Dreamgirl”) — plus two who go by a first name and an initial (”Because I Love You” balladeer Stevie B and “Fantasy Girl” singer Johnny O), a trio whose name is made of their initials (TKA), the same-name-twice Lisa Lisa of Cult Jam fame as well as the relatively unexceptionally monikered George Lamond (”Que Te Vas”). The line-up is subject to change, but isn’t it overwhelming to begin with? Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. at Foxwoods Resort Casino’s Premier Theater. $68-$128. foxwoods.com.
Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi
Jorgensen Center, 2132 Hillside Road, Storrs
Two singer-songwriters — Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and world/jazz/classical pianist Francesco Turrisi — formed a musical bond a few years ago and, earlier this year, won a Grammy for Best Folk Album together. They play Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. at the University of Connecticut’s Jorgensen Center. $15-$45. jorgensen.uconn.edu.
‘Fun Home’
TheaterWorks, 233 Pearl St., Hartford
The musical comedy/drama is based on Alison Bechdel’s “family tragicomic” about her upbringing, her coming out as a lesbian and her relationship with her parents, who have deep compelling stories, too. TheaterWorks’ producing artistic director, Rob Ruggiero, directs, and the cast includes Sarah Beth Pfeifer, Aaron Lazar and Christiane Noll. Oct. 8-30. Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. $25-$60. twhartford.org.
