LACKAWANNA BLUES Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s autobiographical play about growing up in a boardinghouse in upstate New York and the generous woman who raised him, features more than 20 characters, all portrayed by Santiago-Hudson, who also directs this Manhattan Theater Club season opener. The play is a companion piece to Joseph’s “ Animals Out of Paper” (in which Overbey also appeared). The cast includes Ali Ahn, Ramiz Monsef, Kellie Overbey and Thom Sesma. LETTERS OF SURESH Friends, strangers and family seek connection through letters sent across the world in Rajiv Joseph’s new play, directed by May Adrales, who is also the new artistic director of the play development lab The Lark.

Sarah Rose Kearns wrote the play, adapted from Austen’s novel, and Eric Tucker directs. PERSUASION The imaginative people at Bedlam return with an adaptation of Jane Austen’s romantic novel about a woman who turns away the man who may be the love of her life, and tries to win him back eight years later.

Newsies at detroit opera house