Every week, WGBH Arts Editor Jared Bowen sums up the exhibitions, theater, movies and music you should check out in and around Boston.
Hand to God, presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company through February 4
SpeakEasy's Synopsis: "Hand To God tells the story of an awkward Texas teen named Jason, who spends his afternoons at his local church, practicing for the Christian Puppet Ministry run by his widowed mother. All hell literally breaks loose, however, when Jason’s puppet Tyrone takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own."
Jared Says: "Some very on-the-nose social commentary packaged in puppet pandemonium & comedy bliss."
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Presented by the Lyric Stage company through February 12
Lyric Stage Company's Synopsis: "Following his thrilling revivals of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and My Fair Lady at the Lyric Stage, director Scott Edmiston turns to Edward Albee’s towering masterpiece, the fiercely funny and intensely painful Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. The play thrillingly examines the breakdown of a middle-aged couple, who mercilessly draw a naïve younger pair into the bitter psychological cage match of their frustrated marriage.”
Jared Says: "If you've never seen Albee's classic, this is the one to define it for you, and if you have, just go and marvel."
The Making of a Great Moment, presented by Merrimack Repertory Theatre through January 29
Merrimack Repertory Theatre's Synopsis: "Big dreams travel best on two wheels. Actors Mona and Terry are on an ambitious quest: tour their play Great Moments in Human Achievement across the country...by bicycle. Surely they’ll bring inspiration to millions! But as they pedal across the nation reenacting history’s high points, finding laundry facilities proves just as tough as their unruly audiences. When the day is done, can our heroes manage a great moment of their own? An exuberant comedy about all the potholes on the road to sheer brilliance."
Jared Says: "A world premiere that's just not ready for it's moment."
Paterson, in theaters January 20
Bleecker Street Media's Synopsis: "Paterson (Adam Driver) is a bus driver in the city of Paterson, New Jersey—they share the name. Every day, Paterson adheres to a simple routine: he drives his daily route, observing the city as it drifts across his windshield and overhearing fragments of conversation swirling around him; he writes poetry into a notebook; he walks his dog; he stops in a bar and drinks exactly one beer; he goes home to his wife, Laura (Golshifteh Farahani.) By contrast, Laura’s world is ever changing. New dreams come to her almost daily, each a different and inspired project. Paterson loves Laura and she loves him. He supports her newfound ambitions; she champions his gift for poetry. The film quietly observes the triumphs and defeats of daily life, along with the poetry evident in its smallest details."
Jared Says: "A serene and beautiful film."
What play, movie, or exhibtion are you looking forward seeing to this Spring? » Tell Jared about it on Facebook or Twitter
This post has been updated.
