Opening
βThe Busy World is Hushedβ β Invisible Theatre. See story.
βIt Canβt Happen Hereβ β Sky Islands High School, 6000 E. 14th St. Staged reading. Based on Sinclair Lewisβ 1935 novel, this play is a dark satire about the fragility of democracy and the ease with which fascism can take hold, even in the land of liberty. This is part of Winding Road Theatre Ensembleβs βWinding Reads,β series. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26; 2 p.m. Oct. 28. $15. 401-3626, windingroadtheater.org.
βClue: On Stageβ β The Gregory School, 3231 N. Craycroft Road. Youβve played the game, seen the movie. Now itβs time to see βClue: On Stage.β The students at the school are staging the play that finds a host of familiar characters β Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock and Mustard β scrambling to find a murderer amongst them. 7 p.m. Oct. 25 and 26. $8. 327-6395, gregoryschool.org.
βThe Good Doctorβ β Tucson High Magnet School, 400 N. Second Ave. Neil Simonβs take on the stories of Anton Chekhov. An author with writerβs block takes to telling his stories to an audience in hopes of breaking through. 7-9:15 p.m. Oct. 26, 27, Nov. 2. $10. 225-5326.
Last chance
βEurydiceβ β The Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre, 738 N. Fifth Ave. Playwright Sarah Ruhl gives her version of the myth of the young bride, Eurydice, who dies on the day she weds Orpheus. He is so despondent he travels to the Underworld in hopes of persuading Hades to send her back to the land of the living. Claire Marie Mannle directs and the cast consists of Kathleen Cannon, Adam Denoyer, Gretchen Wirges, Leah Taylor, Julia Balestracci, Ryuto Adams and Bill Epstein. Ages 14 and up. This is a magical production. 7:30-9 p.m. Oct. 25-27; 2-3:30 p.m. Oct. 28. $15-$28. 448-3300, scoundrelandscamp.org.
βMen on Boatsβ β Temple of Music and Art Cabaret, 330 S. Scott Ave. Captain John Wesley Powell leads a raucous, dangerous expedition to discover the Grand Canyon. A mostly true, gender-bent historical comedy that misses the mark. Final performances are 7:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 25-27; 2-4 p.m. Oct. 28. $25. 468-6111. somethingsomethingtheatre.com.
βHaunted Ruins: The Magic of Dawnβ β Valley of the Moon, 2544 E. Allen Road. A fairy born without wings embarks on a journey where she must learn that the power of kindness is magical in and of itself. Final performances are every 20 minutes, 6-9 p.m. Oct. 26-28. $10. 323-1331, tucsonvalleyofthemoon.com.
Continuing
βErma Bombeck: At Witβs Endβ β Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Arizona Theatre Company stages this play about the humor columnist and her often-laugh-out-loud look at domestic life. Penned by Margaret Engel and Allison Engel, Casey Stengl directs and Jeanne Paulsen stars in the one-woman show. Preview at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26; opens at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27. Continues through Nov. 10. $25-$90. 622-2823, arizonatheatre.org.
βThe Vampire, or He Loved in Veinβ β The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway. Gaslight favorite David Fanning returns to reprise his role of the blood-sucking Count Dracula. The melodrama takes audiences from Transylvania to England, where heβs determined to make Mina β another manβs wife β his bride. Be prepared for bad puns and grand singing. Various times through Nov. 4. $22.95. 886-9428, thegaslighttheatre.com.
βSister Actβ β Marroney Theatre on UA Campus, 1025 N. Olive Road. Arizona Repertory Theatre does a very funny production of the musical based on the movie. Itβs about a lounge singer who hides out in a convent after she sees her boyfriend commit murder. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 25-27; 1:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 27, 28. Through Nov. 4. $20-$31. 621-1162, theatre.arizona.edu.
βDeath By Designβ β Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway. Set during a weekend at an English country manor in 1932, Edward Bennett, a playwright, and his wife, Sorel Bennett, an actress, flee London and head to Cookham after a disastrous opening night. They arenβt alone. Seduction, death, and a huge amount of laughter mark the play. Roberto Guajardo directs and the cast consists of Christopher Moseley, Missie Scheffman, Rhonda Hallquist, Jonathan Heras, Michael Woodson, Roxanne Harley, Tyler West and Emily Gates. Performances are 7:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 25-27, Nov. 1, 2; 3-5 p.m. Oct. 28. Through Nov. 17. $20. 327-4242, livetheatreworkshop.org.
βThe Real Machiavelliβ β Roadrunner Theatre, 8892 E. Tanque Verde Road. One part sex farce, one part Italian-style commedia, and one part commentary on politics, the Monica Bauer play is about the power of love and the love of power. 7-9 p.m. Oct. 26, 27, Nov. 2; 2-4 p.m. Oct. 28. Through Nov. 11. $20. 207-2491, roadrunnertheatrecompany.org.
βThe Grand Canyon Mysteryβ β Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway. The members of the Fraternal Order of the Great Northern Rim have gathered to make sure all is ready for the coming winter. And all is, but this: The food theyβve been saving has disappeared. And there are lots of likely suspects. Stephen Frankenfield and Kristian Kissel wrote the childrenβs play. The cast is made up of Karl Haas, Jon Heras, Kyleigh Sacco, Mike Saxon and Margaret Smith. 12:30-1:30 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 11. $10. 327-4242, livetheatreworkshop.org.