Theater
LIGHT UP THE SKYThis 1948 comedy by Moss Hart about the turbulent opening night of a new play in Boston isn’t in the same league as Hart’s collaborations with George S. Kaufman (“The Man Who Came to Dinner,’’ “You Can’t Take It With You’’). But it’s quite enjoyable on its own period-piece terms, handing blue-chip performers like Paula Plum, Will LeBow, and Will McGarrahan an opportunity to ham it up under the brisk direction of Scott Edmiston. Through June 13. Lyric Stage Company of Boston. 617-585-5678, www.lyricstage.com
THE LAST TWO PEOPLE ON EARTH: AN APOCALYPTIC VAUDEVILLEIt’s the end of the world as we know it, and crooners Mandy Patinkin and Taylor Mac are feeling fine, thanks to a songbook that ranges from Celtic punk to show tune standards. The two unlikely collaborators — Patinkin is an icon of stage, film, and television while Mac is decidedly more downtown — are disarmingly charming as they sing and soft-shoe their way through Armageddon. Conceived by Paul Ford, Mac, Patinkin, and Susan Stroman, with direction by Stroman. Through May 31. American Repertory Theater, Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge. 617-547-8300, www.americanrepertorytheater.org
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYINGIlyse Robbins, the director and choreographer who re-energized “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in 2013, has taken another dated musical and infused it with movement, wit, and the effervescence of an ensemble enjoying every minute of their performances. Led by Ephie Aardema and newcomer Tyler Bradley Indyck, and supported by such local treasures as Sarah deLima, Robert Saoud, Aimee Doherty, and Neil A. Casey, this production provides a primer on how to succeed at breathing new life into an old musical. Through June 7. Stoneham Theatre, Stoneham. 781-729-2200, www.stonehamtheatre.org
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ALBATROSSAn adaptation of Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’’ that winningly references Freud and Margaret Thatcher? Yes. The seemingly anachronistic elements resonate with period-appropriate verisimilitude to round out the mysterious figure of Coleridge’s poem into a fully fleshed character. No matter how painful it is to share, this storyteller cannot resist his duty to tell it. And what artist couldn’t relate to that? Benjamin Evett’s portrayal and the production itself won Elliot Norton awards last week. May 21-24. Production by Michael Seiden and The Poets’ Theatre presented by New Repertory Theatre. At Charles Mosesian Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, Watertown. 617-923-8487, www.newrep.org
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HENRY VI, PART 2 The middle child of Shakespeare’s trilogy doesn’t get much love, so almost any production would be welcome, but this is a fine effort from Actors’ Shakespeare Project, a period-costume staging on the Modern Theatre’s intimate thrust stage in which 10 actors take 48 roles and make English history transparent and engaging. Some of the acting — particularly Allyn Burrows’s rebel Jack Cade — is over-the-top, but who’s to say that wasn’t the norm in Shakespeare’s time? Through June 7. Actors’ Shakespeare Project. Modern Theatre at Suffolk University. 866-811-4111, www.actorsshakespeareproject.org
MR GMIT professor Alan Lightman’s novel about how Mr g created the universe is funny as well as thought-provoking, and much of that comes through in Wesley Savick’s adaptation. Some may find Jordan Ahnquist, in the title role, to be over the top, and Obehi Janice as Mr g’s Aunt Penelope is a little hyper as well. But Savick’s introduction of a mysterious Neighbor Girl (Melissa Jesser) puts a new and intriguing spin on a subject that was already spinning pretty fast. Through May 24. Underground Railway Theater at Central Square Theater, Cambridge. 866-811-4111, www.centralsquaretheater.org
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THE SUBMISSIONDanny (Elliot Norton Award winner Victor L. Shopov) doesn’t think the Humana Festival wants a play about a black family written by a white gay man. So he submits his script under an alias and hires a black actress to masquerade as the playwright. What could go wrong? A lot, in Jeff Talbott’s drama. Through May 30. Zeitgeist Stage Company, Plaza Black Box Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-933-8600, www.zeitgeiststage.com
SHREK THE MUSICALHe doesn’t look like the one in the movie or on Broadway. But Christopher Chew’s hairy, unkempt ogre is still a good guide to the redemptive power of love and the sidekick value of a smart ass. An amiable production featuring a totally cool dragon and plenty of laughs. Through May 24. Wheelock Family Theatre, Boston. 617-879-2300, www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org
Dance
AGA COLLABORATIVEThe three dancer/dancemakers of this little troupe — Gretchen Alterowitz, Alison Bory, and Amanda Hamp — are spread out in three locations in New Mexico and North Carolina. But they come together to explore the synergy of creativity. Their program, titled “Inside, Outside, and Next To —” explores intimacy, connection, time, and space. May 22-23, $15-$20. Dance Complex, Cambridge. 617-547-9363, www.dancecomplex.org
ZOE DANCECallie Chapman Korn’s new multimedia “Becoming Undone” portrays both unraveling and weaving together, with dance, music, and visual installations in three studios. Light and video projections play across the dancers in motion, and the audience is invited to roam through the spaces for shifting perspectives. May 22-24, $15-$25. Green Street Studios, Cambridge. 617-864-3191, www.zoedance.org
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LITHIUM HINDSIGHTIn light of Mental Health Awareness Month, choreographer Eugenia Kim and dancers of Penumbra: RME use movement to explore the experiences of young people suffering from bipolar disorder in this work-in-progress. A facilitated discussion about bipolar disorder will follow the performance. May 21, 6:30 p.m., Free. Somerville Public Library main branch, 79 Highland Ave, Somerville. 617-623-5000, www.somervillepubliclibrary.org
QUICKSILVER DANCEMariah Steele’s contemporary troupe kicks off the Somerville Art Council’s “Dancing in the Streets” series with works ranging from the humorous “14 Variations,” which deconstructs ballroom dance, to “Star: Struck,” in which six dancers manipulate elastic bands emanating from an interactive sculpture designed by visual artist Annie Loyer. May 23, 5 p.m., Free. Union Square Plaza, Somerville. 617-625-6600, www.somervilleartscouncil.org
Galleries
SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICAN GOLDSMITHS EXHIBITION CRAWL There are 18 shows officially affiliated with this weekend’s SNAG conference, Impact: Looking Back, Forging Forward. The exhibits spotlight art jewelry and 3D work in metal. Many run beyond this weekend. Through May 23. Galleries throughout the Boston area (no phone). www.snagmetalsmith.org/conferences/impact-looking-back-forging-forward/home-2/
COLLISION: STEALING FROM THE REAL SIMULATION AND SENSE MAKING Ten digital artists explore gulfs between tech fantasy and reality. On view: Faith Holland’s “Visual Orgasms,” with no sexual imagery, and Erica Lincoln’s 3D prints, which fail to replicate perfectly. May 22-June 28.Boston Cyberarts Gallery, 141 Green St., Jamaica Plain. 617-522-6710, www.bostoncyberarts.org
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STEPHEN ST. FRANCIS DECKY: ESP FOR FRIENDS The characters in this artist’s sweet and unsettling paintings, sculpture, and films recall the benign demeanors of the Teletubbies and Barney, yet they are faced with existential challenges. Through June 19. Elizabeth A. Beland Gallery, Essex Art Center, 56 Island St., Lawrence. 978-685-2343, www.essexartcenter.com
Museums
HOKUSAI A survey of the legendary Japanese artist’s seven-decade career, including woodblock prints, paintings, and illustrated printed books, drawn from the MFA, which has the finest collection of Hokusai’s work outside of Japan. Through Aug. 9. Museum of Fine Arts. 617-267-9300, www.mfa.org
WALKING SCULPTURE 1967-2015 Can walking be art? You bet. And since it’s three dimensional and it moves, it’s a kind of kinetic sculpture. This group show traces the recent history of walking as a form of contemporary sculpture, with works by Francis Alys, William Pope L, and Michelangelo Pistoletto. Through Sept. 13. DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln. 781-259-8355, www.decordova.org
SAMURAI!An exhibition of work by contemporary artists inspired by samurai myths and representations. Includes work by Japanese and American illustrators and painters, and a diverse array of media, including prints and paper sculpture. Inspired by the recent acquisition of the Higgins Armory collection, which includes many samurai-related objects. Through Sept. 6. Worcester Art Museum, Worcester. 508-799-4406, www.worcesterart.org
J.C. LEYENDECKER AND THE SATURDAY EVENING POST Leyendecker (1874-1951) made 322 covers for the Saturday Evening Post, and was a mentor to Norman Rockwell. This show displays cover tear sheets for all of Leyendecker’s Post covers, as well as a selection of the celebrated illustrator’s original paintings. Through June 14. Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge. 413-298-4100, www.nrm.org
ALLISON BIANCO,A CURIOUS TIDE
The Rhode Island printmaker uses vampy color, jittery line, and fallible figures to reflect on her state’s coastal history and future, imagining the effects of rising waters brought on by climate change. Pictured: “Sunset Mast.’’ Through June 19. Cade Tompkins Projects, 198 Hope St., Providence. 401-751-4888, www.cadetompkins.com CATE McQUAID
Don Aucoin can be reached at aucoin@globe.com.