From Sting (a musician) to “Queen” (a play), from “The Summer Place” to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” things are not what they may seem this week in Connecticut culture. There’s also a week of new plays in Hartford and a weekend of youth ballet in New London. Spring is getting zingy finally.
A bridge to Sting
Sting released an album last year, “The Bridge,” that many fans consider a happy return to his pop/rock roots, though he throws some jazz and folk in there as well. At least it’s not another lute album. Sting’s on tour, stinging Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, on May 15 at 8 p.m. The “special guest” opening act is his son Joseph Sumner. $69-$149. mohegansun.com.
In the Works
The New Works Festival at TheaterWorks Hartford offers a chance to check out four brand new scripts. Three of the shows — “The Drop-Off” by James Anthony Taylor, “Egress” by Melissa Crespo and Sarah Saltwick and “Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play” by Terry Guest are pre-taped and streaming for the duration of the fest, May 16-22. A fourth, “Dearly Beloved” by Brooke Berman, will be performed live on May 21 at 2 p.m. at TheaterWorks 233 Pearl St., Hartford, followed by a talkback at 3:45 p.m., a panel discussion on new work at 4:30 p.m. and a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. All the events are free. twhartford.org.
Summer in the city
Novelist Jennifer Weiner, who grew in Simsbury and has written some of the best beach reads in recent years, has set her new book “The Summer Place” in Cape Cod. There’s a beach house in it, an impending wedding and lots of good and bad family interactions. Weiner appears live at the Mark Twain House, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford on May 17 at 7 p.m. to discuss “The Summer Place” and her other works. $35, $30 Mark Twain House members. marktwainhouse.org.
Queen bees
“Queen” by Madhuri Shekar is about women scientists, the environment and bees. The bees also serve as a metaphor for humans. May 17 through June 5 at the Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Dr., New Haven. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., plus a Wednesday matinee May 25 at 2 p.m. $59, $10 students. longwharf.org.
Osborne and Greene
Two accomplished singer-songwriters, each with over a dozen albums to their name — Anders Osborne (“Louisiana Gold”) and Jackie Greene (“Honey I Been Thinking About You”) — have teamed up for a pair of concerts, one at each of the two Infinity Halls May 18 at 8 p.m. at 20 Greenwoods Road West, Norfolk ($55-$75), and May 22 at 8 p.m. at 32 Front St., Hartford ($48-$58). infinityhall.com.
Spring jazz
Melinda Rose Rodriguez, a Miami-based jazz singer who’s appeared on “The Voice,” does two sets for the Spring Jazz series at the Palace Theater, 100 East Main St., Waterbury on May 20 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., $32. palacetheaterct.org.
Poetic chorale
It’s Hartford Chorale’s 50th anniversary, and the ensemble is marking the occasion by premiering a new work commissioned from Connecticut composer Scott Perkins called “Alive Poems: Stories of Our American Heritage.” Also being sung are works by Brahms and Vaughan Williams. The chorale will be accompanied by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. The show takes place May 20 at 8 p.m. at The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford. $33-$71. bushnell.org.
Funny times five
Foxwoods is the funniest place to be this week. On May 20 at 8 p.m., Mike Epps (from the “Friday” and “Hangover” movie series) and B. Simone are at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater ($32-$92) while Kareem Green is at the Centrale Fox Tower ($10), which has comedy from 8 to 10 p.m. On May 21 at 8 p.m., Nikki Glaser, who has a new reality show about moving back in with her parents, is at Foxwoods’ Great Cedar Showroom ($40), while both Kareem Green and John Moses are at Centrale Fox Tower. foxwoods.com.
Golden ticket
“Oompa loompa doompety doo! I’ve got a perfect puzzle for you.” The Broadway version of the musical “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which played The Bushnell back in early 2019, returns to Connecticut for a weekend May 20-22 at the Oakdale. Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 1 and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. $24.50-$89.50. concerts.livenation.com.
En pointe
There are two days of kid-friendly Eastern Ballet concerts, May 21 and 22, at the Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London. On Saturday, young dancers do “The Magic Doll Shop” at 1:30 p.m. ($15) and an “All-School Performance” at 5 p.m. ($30, $20 children). On Sunday at 1 p.m. is an adaptation of the children’s book “Ballerina Swan” ($22-$42). gardearts.org.
Christopher Arnott can be reached at carnott@courant.com.
