M2 (MOLIÈRE SQUARED) | Imaginary Beasts doubles up with two 80-minute adaptations of Molière: A Doctor in Spite of Himself (Le medecin malgré lui), which these days offers a new wrinkle on health-care reform, and Amphitryon (in Richard Wilbur’s verse translation), yet another cautionary tale of what the rich and powerful (in this case, Jupiter) must endure to get what they want (a night with mortal beauty Alcmena). Matthew Woods directs. | Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Black Box Theatre, 539 Tremont St, Boston | 617.933.8600 | May 27–June 12 | Curtain this weekend: Amphitryon: 8 pm Fri-Sat | A Doctor in Spite of Himself: 7:30 pm Thurs + 4 pm Sat | double bill: 2 pm Sun | $15-$20; $20 double bill
THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL | Wellesley Summer Theatre follows elderly Carrie Watts back to her childhood home town in this 1953 TV drama from Horton Foote. It’s not so easy for Carrie; her son doesn’t want her to travel alone from Houston, and it turns out the train doesn’t go to Bountiful anymore. When the local sheriff finally drives Carrie there, we find out why. With Lisa Foley as Carrie, plus Hather Boas, Danny Bolton, John Davin, Derek Stone Nelson, Sarah Barton, and Lily Saffer; WSTC artistic director Nora Hussey helms it. | Schneider Center Theatre, Wellesley College campus, Wellesley | 781.283.2000 | June 3-27 | Curtain 7 pm Thurs | 8 pm Fri | 3 + 8 pm Sat | 3 pm Sun | $20; $10 students, seniors
WOMEN OF WILL | In preparation for the world premiere — August 25-27 — of the expanded, five-part version of Shakespeare & Company founder Tina Packer’s opus, which will be presented over the course of three days, we get this “tour de force of performance, discussion, and just a bit of crowd participation” in which Packer, with the help of Nigel Gore, presents scenes from the plays that illuminate what it means to be a woman, or to show “qualities traditionally considered feminine,” in Shakespeare’s world. Eric Tucker directs. | Shakespeare & Company, Founders Theatre, 70 Kemble St, Lenox | 413.637.3353 | May 28–July 24 | Curtain through June: 7:30 pm Thurs-Sat [May 28, 29; June 4, 5, 10, 12, 19, 25, 26] | 2 pm [May 30, June 20] or 7:30 pm [June 6, 27] | $35-$45
NOW PLAYING
BETRAYAL | Another Country Productions and the Factory Theatre team up for Harold Pinter’s 1978 play that, running backward in time, from 1977 to 1968, is less about Emma’s betrayal of husband Robert with married lover Jerry than it is about the lies with which we betray ourselves as well as others. Gail Phaneuf directs a cast of Wayne Fritsche, Lyralen Kaye, Robert Kropf, and James Wilcox. | Boston Center for the Arts, Calderwood Pavilion, Rehearsal Hall A, 527 Tremont St, Boston | 617.933.8600 | Through June 5 | Curtain 7:30 pm Wed-Thurs | 8 pm Fri | 3 pm [no May 29] + 8 pm Sat | 3 pm Sun | $28-$35; $27 students, seniors
