OPENING
CARNY KNOWLEDGE | For this "dazzling array of carnival-inspired plays and carnival-style performances," Fort Point Theatre Channel is promising a "Carny Band, artistic installations enveloping audiences and performers alike, and popcorn." The plays have titles like "With You or Without You," Love Me, Leave Me," and "Wife of Bobbo"; the performers include Bella Curva, the Boston Hoop Troop, A Different Spin, and Honey Suckle Duvet. | Cambridge YMCA Family Theater, 820 Mass Ave, Cambridge | 800.838.3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com | January 29–February 6 | Curtain 8 pm Thurs-Sat | 7 pm Sun | $14
DREAMGIRLS | The 1981 six-Tony glitzmobile about the crossover dreams of a vocal trio reminiscent of the Supremes makes yet another Boston visit, with Moya Angela as Effie White, Syesha Mercado as Deena Jones, Adrienne Warren as Lorrell Robinson, Margaret Hoffman as Michelle Morris, Chaz Lamar Shepherd as Curtis Taylor Jr., Chester Gregory as James "Thunder" Early, Trevon Davis as C.C. White, and Milton Craig Nealy as Marty Madison. Robert Longbottom directs. | Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St, Boston | 800.982.ARTS or www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com/Boston| February 3-14 | Curtain 7:30 pm Tues-Thurs [7 pm February 3]| 8 pm Fri | 2 + 8 pm Sat | 2 + 7:30 pm Sun | $42.50-$91.50
HALF-MARRIED | F.U.D.G.E. (Friends United Developing Genuine Entertainment) Theatre Company presents the world premiere of this comedy from Charles Antin and Ryan Cunningham about two twentysomething couples, Soren and Stephanie and John and Amanda. Soren and Stephanie decide to live together in a ground-floor brownstone apartment. Then comes "the bombshell announcement." | Arsenal Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown | www.fudgetheatre.com | January 29–February 6 | Curtain 8 pm Thurs-Sat | 2 pm Sun | $20
HONK! | Wheelock Family Theatre essays the clever and charming musical from Brits George Stiles and Anthony Drewe that had its New England premiere from North Shore Music Theatre in 2000. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen tale of the ugly ducking, the Olivier Award–winning show is a dubious concept that, like its central character, turns out to be a swan, with bad puns and cute songs galore. Jane Staab directs this production; musical direction is by Jon Goldberg. | Wheelock Family Theatre, 200 the Riverway, Boston | 866.811.4111 or www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org| January 29–February 28 | Curtain 7 pm Fri [no February 19] | 3 pm Sat-Sun | 1 pm School Vacation Week matinees [February 16-19] | $20-$25
A SIMPLE ACT OF COURAGE | Oklahoma actress Vanessa Adams-Harris performs in what we gather is her own one-woman play about the life of civil-rights heroine Rosa Parks. | First Unitarian Church, 3 Church St, Cambridge | www.brownpapertickets.com| January 29 | Curtain 7:30 pm Sat | $10; children under 10 free
TWELFTH NIGHT | Trinity Rep is setting its production of Shakespeare's cross-dressing classic in something like "an elite members-only gentlemen's club," as created by set designer Eugene Lee, but director Brian McEleney — noting that, according to the Bard, "the rain its raineth every day" — promises there'll be "a lot of water involved as well." McEleney plays Malvolio in addition to directing Trinity regulars Cherie Corinne Rice (Viola and Sebastian), Joe Wilson Jr. (Orsino), Annie Worden (Olivia), Fred Sullivan Jr. (Sir Toby Belch), Stephen Thorne (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Anne Scurria (Maria), Stephen Berenson (Feste), and Mauro Hantman (Fabian). | Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington St, Providence, Rhode Island | 401.351.4242 or www.trinityrep.com| January 29–March 7 | Curtain 7:30 pm Tues [no February 9] | 2 pm [February 17, 24] + 7:30 pm [no February 3] Wed | 7:30 pm Thurs [no February 4] + Fri [no March 5] | 2 pm [February 6, March 6] + 7:30 pm Sat | 2 pm [no March 7] + 7:30 pm Sun | $20-$65
