Women’s History Month gets off to great start this year with a wide variety of plays, concerts and musicals starring women.
Two strong modern singer/songwriters, Mothica and Diamante, are both on the bill when the Michigan electronicore band I See Stars plays The Webster. Of the two, Diamante is more of a conventional rock vocalist, while Mothica is more indie/alt-rock and deals in darker subject matter.
In theater, Eastern Connecticut State University’s theater department is staging a Russian classics with title roles for a trio of strong female actors: “Three Sisters.” The version being used here is by Sarah Ruhl, the contemporary playwright known for feminist dramas such as “Eurydice,” “In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play)” and “The Clean House.” The production also has a female director, Rachel Jett.
There’s another theater piece with “Three” in its title, women in all the leading roles, a female playwright/adaptor and a female director. “Three Musketeers: 1941” at UConn’s Connecticut Repertory Theatre takes the swashbuckling French adventure story and, while keeping the action in Paris, shifts it to the mid-20th century, with the musketeers being women in the French Resistance who are fighting the Nazis who have occupied the city. The adaptation, which premiered at the Women in Theater Festival in New York in 2019, was created by Megan Monaghan Rivas, who became artistic director of CT Rep and the head of UConn’s Dramatic Arts department in 2021. The production is directed by Michelle Polgar, CT Rep’s managing director.
Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s “Press Play” series, which brings chamber groups made up of the orchestra’s members to venues like J Under the Dome where patrons might be more accustomed to lounge pianists and drag brunches, calls its March concert “I’m Every Woman” and finds the musicians tackling works by Billie Eilish, Rhianna and others. The song that gives the concert its title was a hit for both Chaka Khan and Whitney Houston.
Natalie MacMaster and her daughter Mary Frances are among the Celtic All-Stars doing a special show at UConn’s Jorgensen Center. MacMaster, who is Canadian, is among the most accomplished female Celtic fiddlers in the world, with 16 solo albums to her name.
Yet another style of strings, neither classical nor Irish, can be found when the all-female bluegrass act Della Mae, from Boston, visit The Kate in Old Saybrook.
This week also brings the Broadway musical version of “Mrs. Doubtfire” back to Connecticut. As in the film it’s based on, the show’s male protagonist learns responsibility and humility after he decides to masquerade as a kindly Scottish female nanny.
Keb’ Mo’
Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London
Delta blues singer/songwriter Keb’ Mo’s previous visits to Connecticut over the decades have included writing an original score for a musical play at the Yale Rep and sitting in with Connecticut’s own Delta Blues star, Nate Simmons, at the “old Rudy’s” in New Haven. On March 1 at 7 p.m., Keb’ Mo’ brings his soulful traditional blues stylings to the Garde in New London. $45-$95. gardearts.org.
Maddox Batson
Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford
Country/pop star Maddox Batson is just 16 years old and has yet to release a full album, but he has become a major success story and is on a national tour. March 1 at 7 p.m. $62.95-$151.35. palacestamford.org.
Boy George and Culture Club
Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville
Boy George, the 1980s MTV icon who crooned the hit “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” has had a long and varied career that includes having a Broadway musical developed for him (“Taboo”), appearing onstage in other musicals (“Moulin Rouge,” “Jesus Christ Superstar”), and appearing on a slew of celebrity competition shows in his native England. He was releasing new music as recently as last year. March 1 at 7 p.m. $62.55-$151.35. mohegansun.com.
Nathan and Noah East
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
Jazz bassist Nathan East, a co-founder of the band Fourplay, is on tour with his pianist son Noah and drummer David Hawkins. March 3 at 7:30 p.m. $39. thekate.org.
Manuel Roque Bang Bang
Wien Experimental Theatre, Quick Center, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield
The hyperphysical dance/movement duo Manuel Roque Bang Bang rocks the Quick Center’s Wien Experimental Theatre space at Fairfield University on March 3 at 8 p.m. $35, $25 Quick Center members. quickcenter.fairfield.edu.
‘Three Sisters’
Delmonte Bernstein Studio, Fine Arts Instructional Center, 83 Windham St., Willimantic
This production of Anton Chekhov’s classic drama of three siblings who miss Moscow is presented by Eastern Connecticut State University’s Communications, Film and Theater Department & Drama Society. The play is directed by Rachel Jett and uses the recent version of the script crafted by playwright Sarah Ruhl from a literal translation by Elise Thoron. March 3-8. Performances are Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. $20. easternct.showare.com.
Matthew Morrison
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford
The actor who turned his Broadway musical successes into the long-running teacher role of Will Schuester on “Glee,” Matthew Morrison, returns to The Bushnell with his latest solo concert, “Rhythms and Revelations,” March 4 at 7:30 p.m. $49-$97. bushnell.org.
Del Water Gap
College Street Music Hall, 238 College St., New Haven
Del Water Gap, the songwriter/producer known for the viral hit “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat,” hails from Sharon, Connecticut. His show March 4 at 8 p.m. was postponed from a date in late January and is part of his “Chasing the Chimera” world tour. collegestreetmusichall.com.
I See Stars
The Webster, 31 Webster St., Hartford
The popular midwestern electronicore band I See Stars is on tour from their Michigan home base and hits The Webster on March 5 at 7 p.m. with three other acts on the bill: the Oklahoman singer/songwriter Mothica, the Boston-born L.A.-based singer/songwriter Diamante and the Buffalo, New York band Until I Wake. $34.15, $609.15 VIP booth, $1,209.15 VIP suite. thewebsterct.com.
Press Play: I’m Every Woman
J Under the Dome, 1 Sequassen St., Hartford
Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s “Press Play” series, which brings classical music to club settings, does a Women’s History Month set of string quartet arrangements of songs by Billie Eilish, Rhianna, Whitney Houston and others. March 5 at 7:30 p.m. $35. hartfordsymphony.org.
Shlump
The Webster, 31 Webster St., Hartford
The dubstep/freeform bass innovator Shlump (aka Michael Petzel) is on his “Chronicles of Shlump” tour with a stop on March 5 at 9 p.m. at The Webster. $31.15, $26.15 in advance, $159.15 VIP table. thewebsterct.com.
‘Mrs. Doubtfire’
Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven
The Shubert welcomes the national tour of the hit Broadway adaptation of the Robin Williams movie about a man who disguises himself as an outlandish nanny so he can spend time with his kids. March 5-8. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 1 and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. $29.80-$143.50. shubert.com.
Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy and the Celtic All-Stars
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, 2132 Hillside Road, Storrs
Big name Celtic fiddlers (and married couple) Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy are joined by their daughter Mary Frances and other talents for a special concert at UConn’s Jorgensen Center on March 6 at 8 p.m. $45-$50. jorgensen.uconn.edu.
Della Mae
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
The Boston-based female bluegrass ensemble Della Mae brings some spirited picking to The Kate on March 6 at 8 p.m. $39. thekate.org.
Henry Diltz
Sacred Heart Community Theater, 1420 Post Road, Fairfield
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
Legendary music photographer Henry Diltz, whose photos adorned album covers such as The Doors’ “Morrison Hotel,” James Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James” and the first Crosby, Stills & Nash LP and who was the official photographer at the Woodstock festival, makes appearances at two Connecticut venues this week discussing his art and selling and signing his prints. March 6 at 8 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Community Theater ($37-$42; shucommunitytheatre.org), then March 7 at 8 p.m. at The Kate ($40; thekate.org).
The acrobatic dance duo Manuel Roque Bang Bang is at Fairfield University’s Quick Center on March 3. (Courtesy of the Quick Center)
The One Good Thing or ‘Are Ya Patrick Swayze?’
Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Road, Waterbury
Joe Bravaco’s dark-yet-humorous play about two Irish brothers whose relationship is strained by a big revelation had a reading last year at Westport Country Playhouse. Seven Angels Theatre is now giving it a full production, March 6-12, the Irish themes nicely dovetailing with the month of St. Patrick. Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. $37, $32 military/first responders. sevenangelstheatre.org.
‘Three Musketeers: 1941’
Nafe Katter Theatre, 820 Bolton Road, Storrs
Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s managing director Michelle Polgar directs Megan Monaghan Rivas’ feminist adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ 1844 adventure novel “The Three Musketeers,” now set in 1941 and featuring female musketeers. March 6-14. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on March 8 and 14. $32-$42, $25-$35 seniors, $12-$15 students and children. March 12 is $5 Student Night. connecticutrep.uconn.edu.
‘The Mountaintop’
Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, West Hartford
Playhouse on Park stages Katori Hall’s resonant historical drama depicting Martin Luther King Jr. on the day before he was assassinated in 1968. March 6-22. Performances are Tuesday at 2 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., with preview performances March 4 at 7:30 p.m. and March 5 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. $28.50-$58.50. playhouseonpark.org.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Connecticut State Capitol, 210 Capitol Ave., Hartford
Hartford’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade happens March 7 at 11 a.m. It starts at the State Capitol building on Capitol Avenue, takes a left on Main Street, takes another left on Asylum, another left on Ford St. and ends at the Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park. irishamericanparade.com.
Maysa
Lyman Center for the Performing Arts, 501 Crescent St., New Haven
Jazz/soul vocalist Maysa, whose albums include “Music for Your Soul” and “Remix for Your Soul,” is at Southern Connecticut State University’s Lyman Center on March 7 at 7 p.m. $65. tickets.southernct.edu.
Saxsquatch
Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St., Hamden
Saxsquatch sightings are not quite as rare as Sasquatch sighting. Dean Mitchell, who blows saxophone while wearing a Bigfoot costume, is playing for two nights at Space Ballroom in Hamden, March 7 and 8 at 8 p.m. Father Figure is the opening act. $26.69. spaceballroom.com.