In the Wings: What’s on stage in October

Performances coming to San Diego this month include “Anastasia,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Heathers the Musical,” “The Last Five Years” and more.

10.1-6: ‘Anastasia’

Onetime Old Globe artistic ace Darko Tresnjak directs the musical adaptation of the animated movie about an orphan girl who could be the surviving daughter of Russia’s doomed Romanovs; it’s the Broadway production’s first local touring visit.

Broadway San Diego, San Diego Civic Theatre,. 1100 Third Ave., downtown, 619/858/760.570.1100, broadwaysd.com

10.3-27: ‘Bad Hombres/Good Wives’

Culture Clash co-founder and San Diego Rep resident playwright Herbert Sigüenza weaves present-day politics into this satirical world-premiere work, which draws on everything from Oscar Wilde to telenovelas.

San Diego Rep’s Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, downtown, 619.544.1000, sdrep.org

10.4-13: ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Shakespeare’s great story of romantic tragedy is the inspiration for Charles Gounod’s five-act opera; the Pacific Lyric Association presents the piece in French (including spoken narratives in English), with a full cast, 30-piece orchestra and ballet troupe.

California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, 800.988.4253, artcenter.org

10.11-11-17: ‘Ring Round the Moon’

Lamb’s revives Christopher Fry’s funny and romantic play (adapted from Jean Anouilh’s Invitation to the Castle), which centers on identical twin brothers who become rivals in matters of love and more.

Lamb’s Players Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.437.6000, lambsplayers.org

10.18-27: ‘Evil Dead the Musical’

Your favorite Halloween cult films are meshed into one outrageous show filled with stage blood, flying limbs, chainsaws and joke-telling demons. Even if you hate horror (or hate musicals) this satire is all about cheesy, B-movie fun. (Nina Garin)

Tenth Avenue Arts Center, 930 10th Ave., East Village, 619.920.8503, tenthavenuearts.com

10.18-11.17: ‘Heathers the Musical’

Based on the darkly comic ’80s movie about a high school lorded over by a trio of mean girls, Heathers hits the musical-theater stage, featuring such chipper songs as Prom or Hell?

OB Playhouse & Theatre Co., 4944 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach, 619.795.9305, obplayhouse.com

10.19-27: ‘Aida’

Michelle Bradley takes on the title role of Giuseppe Verdi’s enduring opera about a captured Ethiopian princess swept up into war, love and betrayal in ancient Egypt.

San Diego Opera, San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown, 619.533.7000, sdopera.org

10.19-28: Poefest

Why listen to regular ghost stories when you can hear truly terrifying tales by America’s most Goth writer? This two-weekend event features local actors performing Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tales like The Pit and the Pendulum, The Cask of Amontillado and, of course, The Raven. (Nina Garin)

Adobe Chapel, 3963 Conde St., Old Town, writeoutloudsd.com/poefest

10.19-11.17: ‘Handbagged’

Moira Buffini’s comic play pivots on the real-life pas de deux between Queen Elizabeth II and the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher – who each have to contend not only with each other but with younger versions of themselves.

Moxie Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Rolando District, 858.598.7620, moxietheatre.com

10.23-11.17: ‘The Last Five Years’

This intimate, time-bending musical by the Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Bridges of Madison County) focuses on the tumultuous relationship between a writer and an actress over the course of a half-decade.

Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town, 619.337.1525, cygnettheatre.com

10.23-11.17: ‘The Sunshine Boys’

North Coast Rep, a longtime champion of the late Neil Simon’s works, revives his 1972 play about two aging, ever-feuding vaudeville performers who try for one last reunion.

North Coast Rep, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, 858.481.1055, northcoastrep.org