Shubert soldiers on with new version of Pulitzer Prize-winning thriller

Here's a look at some happenings in Connecticut theater recently and during the next few (cold) months.

-- Our beloved hometown and historic venue The Shubert in New Haven will add a new show to its list of productions that either had their off-Broadway debut there or began a new tour there (the Shubert is hosting technical rehearsals and kickoff performances, in this case). The touring revival of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "A Soldier's Play" will run at the College Street theater Dec. 8-11. Tickets available here.

-- OK, this next one is not exactly a stage musical or play, but the Bushnell in Hartford (above photo) will light up for nerds, academics and TV devotees who have enjoyed the scientific explorations and explanations by Neil deGrasse Tyson. award-winning astrophysicist, author and host of Fox's Cosmos will appear on Dec. 1 at The Bushnell's Mortensen Hall at 7: 30 p.m.

-- Speaking of Hartford theater, the Hartford Stage (left) will present the live radio play of "It's a Wonderful Life," originally co-directed by New Haven theater ace Rachel Alderman with her boss Melia Bensussen but helmed this time by Zoe Golub-Sass, from Nov. 25-Dec. 24. Fun and moving, even with this stand-at-the-mic format.

-- We recently attended a performance of the world's longest-running play, Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" at Hartford Stage (a cozy, capable and convenient-to-exit-via-I-91 venue for you uninitiated New Haven County folks) next to the "Stilts Building" on Church Street in the capital city. The play was warmly received by a large, gracious crowd. Which was good to see after last season's productions that saw many empty seats. This version was directed by familiar name Jackson Gay, who directed Yale Rep productions such as "These Paper Bullets" and "The Moors." (Photo of "The Mousetrap" crowd above.)

-- Out east in Old Saybrook, The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, aka “The Kate,"will welcome the acoustic quartet Martha Redbone Roots Project (see photo) on Friday, November 18, at 8 p.m. in celebration of National Native American Heritage Month. Tickets are at TheKate.org.  (The Nov. 13-14 shows of "Majesty: The Queen Tribute" has been postponed, by the way. We'll keep an eye out for that reschedule.)

-- Connecticut native Joe McCarthy will return home in December with his Latin Grammy award-winning New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band to premiere the recently released 'The Pan American Nutcracker Suite' at The Kate Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The orchestrations and arrangements by McCarthy and Vince Norman, performed by an 18-piece jazz ensemble, represent a mix of Tchaikovsky's masterpiece at diverse musical traditions of the Americas and beyond.

-- We didn't make it to "Aladdin" recently at The Bushnell, but word from family members who did is it was a very good show, with Michael James Scott standing out (as you'd expect) as The Genie.

-- TheaterWorks Hartford has a season featuring four shows largely written and directed by women, including the recently successful "Fun Home." The next in that lineup is in February with "Queen of Basel" by Hilary Bettis. In the meantime, there is the annual holiday parody "Christmas on the Rocks," directed by Rob Ruggiero.