A theater critic presents his picks for the fall season

The human condition hits the stage in many forms in 2025. 

The year isn’t over yet. In the area's live theater scene, the best is yet to come. What’s coming transcends time, genre and subject. Our stages will be home to a mélange of movie monsters, a Black preacher with dreams of freedom, stranded air travelers, a dead man on vacation, a 21st century Emma and a tribe of outsider artists from the 1990s. Comedy, satire, tragedy, magical realism, song-and-dance — it’s all deeply human. And all deliciously different. Here’s a taste of my five favorites:

'Purlie'

Through Nov. 9. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $54, $24 students under 25 and active military. Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org. 

Riotous laughter meets righteous anger in “Purlie” — Ossie Davis’ gospel-fueled satire of Jim Crow era repression. Davis joined forces with Philip Rose and Peter Udell for this musical theater adaptation of his original play. Their Broadway hit follows Purlie Victorious Judson, a fast-talking preacher who dreams of freeing his church from a bullying plantation boss. Expect a joyous mash-up of comedy, electrifying songs and revolutionary spirit. The show’s mix of humor and heart reminds us that faith can move mountains — especially when set to rhythm and blues. Directed by Nate Jacobs.

Photo by Sorcha Augustine

'Monsters of the American Cinema' 

Oct. 31 through Dec. 7. Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St. $5-$44. Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.

Christian St. Croix’ haunting play pulls a deft bait-and-switch. It begins as a sweet, coming-of-age tale — then unleashes the monsters of the American Id. But the protagonists are all-too human. Remy, a gay Black widower, is raising Pup, his late husband’s straight white teenage son. When he’s not refining his parenting skills, Remy runs the Good Time drive-in movie theater — one of the few remaining in the country. 

Outside of public showings, they can watch any movie they want at any time. Fortunately, they share the same tastes. They both dig old-school, scary monster flicks — starring unusual suspects like Dracula, the Mummy, Frankenstein and the Werewolf. Pup and Remy happily bond over classic creature features — until ghastly cinematic monsters seemingly escape the silver screen. Or are they monsters from within? This funny, frightening, magical realist romp lets you decide. Directed by Summer Dawn Wallace.

'Emma'

Nov. 7-23 at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail. $15-$30. Visit AsoloRep.org/Conservatory.

The protagonist of Jane Austen’s “Emma” has been matchmaking her way across time since 1815. Kate Hamill’s brisk, witty stage adaptation reinvents the Regency classic novel as a high-voltage comedy of manners for the 21st century. The Asolo Conservatory’s acting students will tackle Austen’s tangled web of love, class and self-deception with fresh eyes and sharp comic timing. Expect romance, mischief and a few lessons in the mysteries of the heart. Austen famously described Emma as “a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” How beautifully wrong she was. Directed by Ariel Bock.

Photo by Sorcha Augustine

'Lucky Stiff'

Nov. 7-Dec. 28. Florida Studio Theatre's Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $25-$59. Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Think your holiday weekend is on life support? Imagine spending it with a dead man in Monte Carlo. That’s the premise of this mirthfully morbid musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty — the creative team behind “Ragtime.” The dead man’s party begins in England. Harry, a mild-mannered shoe salesman, inherits a fortune when his long lost American uncle dies. 

The catch? To cash in, Harry must fulfill his uncle’s rudely interrupted vacation plans and escort his embalmed body to the French Riviera. If not, he doesn’t get a penny. The result is a mad mix of mistaken identities, dog lovers, diamond smugglers and heart-thumping chases, all propelled by Ahrens and Flaherty’s snappy score and wickedly absurd humor. Directed by Ben Liebert.

Courtesy image

'Come From Away'

Nov. 15 through Dec. 28 at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, $35-$120. AsoloRep.org.

Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s musical takes flight September 11, 2001. Its uplifting story is true — and a ray of light on that dark day. The United States had shut down its airspace after the terrorist attacks. Thousands of homecoming flights were diverted. Thousands of inbound travelers wound up stranded in the small town of Gander, Canada. 

A town of 11,000 people now had about 7,000 uninvited guests The townsfolk could’ve resented the burden. Instead, the Newfoundland locals dubbed the travelers “Come From Aways” — and welcomed them with open arms. With its driving Celtic-rock rhythms, quicksilver ensemble cast and heart-melting humor, this production by Asolo Repertory Theatre celebrates the power of humanity’s best instincts in the worst of times. Directed by Peter Rothstein. 

'Rent' 

Dec. 4-14. The Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail. $15-$35. Visit ThePlayers.org.

Jonathan Larson’s hipster musical lifts its plot and personas from Puccini’s opera, “La Bohème.” His characters are still aspiring artists — but they struggle in the 1990s in New York’s East Village, not 19th-century Paris. Instead of tuberculosis, AIDS is the disease plaguing their lives. The time-shift works like magic. In a fitting counterpoint to the original, Larson’s rock-infused score pulses with youthful defiance. 

The musical’s songs don’t remain the same. But they still tell the story of finding love and the courage to raise your voice in a world that’s not on your side. “No day but today,” is the credo of Larson’s angst-filled anthems. His musical stands as a time capsule of 1990s bohemia — and the timeless fight to create beauty in an ugly world. Directed by Brian Finnerty.