OPENING
THE SALT GIRL Written and performed by John Kuntz, this play about a family black sheep named Quint is described as “a dark valentine, laced with humor, to all of us who have lost and found a family.’’ Nov. 5-22. Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. 866-811-4111, www.bostonplaywrights.org
NOW PLAYING
VALET OF THE DOLLS Ryan Landry borrows the basic plot, characters, and themes of Jacqueline Susann’s “Valley of the Dolls,’’ then pushes them to their illogical - and hilarious - extremes. Through Nov. 22. Gold Dust Orphans, at Machine. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/80205.
SHOOTING STAR Two former lovers, meeting by chance 25 years after their romance ended, grapple with the consequences of roads not taken and contemplate the possibilities of roads that still might be open. Through Nov. 22. Trinity Repertory Company, Providence. 401-351-4242, www.trinityrep.com.
SPEED-THE-PLOW David Mamet’s tale of two blockbuster-obsessed movie producers and the idealistic temp who upends their moral universe. Through Nov. 7. New Repertory Theatre, Watertown. 617-923-8487, www.newrep.org.
DEAD MAN’S CELL PHONE In Sarah Ruhl’s quirky comedy, a man drops dead in a cafe, and when his cellphone rings, the woman at the next table answers it - a move that plunges her into the man’s tangled life. Through Nov. 14. Lyric Stage Company of Boston. 617-585-5678, www.lyricstage.com
A LONG AND WINDING ROAD Maureen McGovern brings the polish of a seasoned theater performer to this greatest-hits overview of her personal history and the collective experience of the baby boom generation. Through Nov. 15. Huntington Theatre Company. Wimberly Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-266-0800, www.huntingtontheatre.org.
DON AUCOIN
