Jayna Westcoatt, Miriam Navarrete and Gia Keddy in "Hadestown's" North American tour. (Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

The fall theater season looks to take a slight turn toward more serious material. But, as always, you’ll find some good laughs along the way.

Greater Portland

Portland Stage starts its 53^rd season off with one of the great plays of the last 50 years. Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia” is an intellectual delight and just plain fun to watch unfold (Sept. 30-Oct. 25). It will be followed by Deborah Zoe Laufer’s “Rooted,” a play which goes deep about difficulties in making human connections (Nov. 4-22). portlandstage.org

Mad Horse Theatre begins with “Eureka Day” (Oct. 1-25), a play that works through some difficult issues facing educators. Following that will be the award-winning play “The Humans” that will let you get to know a family almost too well (Dec. 3-20). madhorse.com

Good Theater starts the season with the ever-popular musical “The Little Shop of Horrors,” based on the film of the same title (Oct. 1-18). It should be perfect for all those who might cringe about the downside of their summer gardening experiences. Following that, an intimate yet funny play called “Conversations with Mother” (Nov. 5-22), may make you wish you had brought an extra handkerchief or two. goodtheater.com

Dramatic Repertory Company will offer the world premiere of Lynne Connor’s “Seven Sisters” (Oct. 2-11). With a cast filled with local stalwarts, the play about “sisterhood, love, loss and aging” could be quite powerful. dramaticrep.org

Portland Ovations opens its theater-heavy season with national tour musical productions of the warm and friendly “Mystic Pizza: A New Musical” (Oct. 28 and 29) and the myth-based musical romance “Hadestown” (Nov. 17-19). portlandovations.org

Portland Ovations opens its season with the national tour musical production of “Mystic Pizza: A New Musical.” (Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

Kevin O’Leary will premiere his new play “Alice’s Threshold” (Sept. 30-Oct. 10) at Coffee by Design at 1 Diamond St., Portland. The play revolves around the trials of an unhoused young mother.  For audiences ages 16+. eventbrite.com/e/alices-threshold-a-new-play-by-kevin-oleary-tickets-1997064602987

Sean Ramey, Marie Stewart Harmon, and Tyler Costigan in the world premiere of Portland playwright Kevin O’Leary’s “Alice’s Threshold.” (Photo by Kat Moraros Photography)

The Portland Players of South Portland will sing out in sandals in “Jesus Christ Superstar” from Sept. 11-27. portlandplayers.org

The Footlights at Falmouth announced an amazingly full schedule. Laughter and mystery will no doubt abound with “Between the Covers” from Sept. 17-Oct. 3. Next is an adaptation of “Miss Marple: Murder at the Vicarage” from Oct. 15-31, and then “The Porch” from Nov. 5-21. thefootlightstheatre.com 

The Lyric Music Theater of South Portland will begin with a likely stirring effort at “Finding Neverland” from Sept. 11-27 and then consider whether it’s true that “You Can’t Take It With You” from Nov. 6-15. lyricmusictheater.org

Elsewhere in Maine

The Public Theatre in Lewiston will let loose with “Steel Magnolias” (Oct. 23 – Nov. 8). Some will remember Dolly Parton in the movie version.  Lots of southern twangs will likely lead to many laughs. thepublictheatre.org

The Penobscot Theatre Company of Bangor takes us back “On Golden Pond” for a visit from Sept. 10-Oct. 4 and then gets spooky with “Broomstick” from Oct. 22-Nov. 8. penobscottheatre.org

The City Theater in Biddeford will pay another neighborly visit to Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” from Oct. 2-18. citytheater.org

The Originals will present “Playhouse Creatures,” a thoughtful, historical comedy, from Oct. 16-25 at the Saco River Theatre in Buxton. Go to sacorivertheatre.org

The Schoolhouse Arts Center will get all snarky when they present “Mean Girls: The Musical” from Oct. 9-18 in Standish. Go to schoolhousearts.org

The University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre will feature another Stoppard play.  His “The Real Inspector Hound” will likely gain some howls of laughter at Russell Hall on the Gorham campus from Oct. 23-Nov. 1. usm.maine.edu/department-theatre

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Some nostalgic touches will add to the blend of classics and newer pieces visited by some fine musicians this fall.

The Portland Symphony Orchestra begins its 102^nd season with “Resurgam” on Sept. 27 and 29.  The program includes a piece about the Great Fire of 1866 in Portland sharing the stage with Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring.” Choral Art Masterworks will fill out what’s likely to be a rich program of music devoted to “the spirit of community.” In another much-anticipated performance, superstar violinist Midori will join the PSO on Nov. 10. portlandsymphony.org

The Bangor Symphony Orchestra will have guest cellist Zuill Bailey on Oct. 18 headlining a program titled “Force of Nature,” and Maine-connected pianist Henry Kramer will take on the mighty Beethoven on Nov. 22 as part of the BSO’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis” program. bangorsymphony.org

The Portland Conservatory of Music will welcome pianist Diane Walsh on Sept. 20 for a rich program featuring work by heavyweights such as Tchaikovsky, Schumann, and Schubert. pcm.org

Ovations, in partnership with the USM School of Music and the Maine Jewish Museum will present “Twin Keys: A Love Story” at the Crewe Center for the Arts at USM on November 7. Through music, photos, and narration, the performance will seek to tell the “musical love story” of a famous duo-piano team. portlandovations.org

VentiCordi is back with an ambitious schedule of performances in October and November at The Portland Conservatory of Music and the Unitarian Universalist Church in Brunswick. The chamber music group’s focus on a blend of wind and string instruments is always intriguing. venticordi.com

DANCE

Grace and beauty are mixed into some interesting contexts for this coming season of dance.

Portland Ballet’s production of “Dracula.” (Photo by Erica Diesl, Portland Ballet)

Portland Ballet summons “Dracula” for a brief visit on Oct. 23 and 24 at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center.  He’s always a charmer. portlandballet.org

Maine State Ballet will dip their artistic toes in with “The Little Mermaid” from Oct. 9-17 at its theater in Falmouth. mainestateballet.org

Ovations will feature The American Ballet Theatre Studio Company on Nov. 5 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. This promises to be a major dance event. portlandovations.org

Steve Feeney is a freelance writer in Portland.

The American Ballet Theatre’s “Raymonda Pas de Deux,” featuring Kyra Coco and Finnian Carmeci. (Photo by Rosalie O’Connor)