While August’s biggest theater headlines are the return of “Mamma Mia!” to Broadway and the reopening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park with “Twelfth Night,” the month also brings 10 new Off-Broadway productions ranging from intimate solo pieces and star-driven dramas to a campy parody and a rock-fueled musical. Below are descriptions of each.
Can I Be Frank?: Morgan Bassichis channels the late queer comic Frank Maya, who was poised for mainstream success before his death from AIDS-related complications in 1995, in a 70-minute solo show directed by Tony winner Sam Pinkleton (“Oh, Mary!”) that blends Maya’s original material with Bassichis’s wry, self-aware sensibility to explore fame, father figures, and humor in times of crisis. Through Sept. 13 at Soho Playhouse, sohoplayhouse.com.
Amaze: British magician Jamie Allan makes his New York debut at New World Stages with a narrative-driven magic show that blends advanced technology and traditional sleight of hand. Through Nov. 2 at New World Stages, amazemagic.com.
The Day I Accidentally Went to War: Bill Posley mines his own military service in a sharp, heartfelt solo piece that spans childhood trauma, basic training, deployment, and the uneasy return home, mixing brutal truths with deep affection to honor veterans while celebrating resilience and the human spirit. Through Aug. 30 at Soho Playhouse, sohoplayhouse.com.
Ava: The Secret Conversations: Elizabeth McGovern (“Downton Abbey”) returns to the New York stage as Ava Gardner in this stage adaptation of the Hollywood icon’s late-in-life interviews with writer Peter Evans, charting her marriages, romances, and candid reflections on the Golden Age of Cinema, Through Sept. 14 at City Center, AvaGardnerPlay.com.
Well, I’ll Let You Go: Tony nominee Quincy Tyler Bernstine and Obie winner Michael Chernus (“Severance”) star in Bubba Weiler’s debut play, directed by Jack Serio (“Uncle Vanya”), which shifts through time to examine a Midwestern town and marriage in decline. Through Aug. 29 at the Space at Irondale, letyougonyc.com.
Gene & Gilda: Jordan Kai Burnett and Jonathan Randell Silver play Gilda Radner and Gene Wilder in Cary Gitter’s heartfelt portrait of the comedy legends’ romance, with Dick Cavett lending his voice as the Interviewer. Through Sept. 7 at 59E59, 59E59.org.
Ginger Twinsies: An 80-minute parody of the 1998 Lindsay Lohan film “The Parent Trap,” this reimagining follows long-lost twin girls scheming to reunite their parents, mixing nostalgia and over-the-top camp. Through Oct. 25 at the Orpheum Theatre, gingertwinsies.com.
ta-da!: Comedian Josh Sharp (“Dicks: The Musical”) takes the stage with a one-man show built around 2,000 rapid-fire PowerPoint slides, mixing absurdist humor with personal stories about grief, family, and everything in between, directed by Tony winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!). Through Sept. 11 at Greenwich House, joshsharptada.com.
The Weir: An evening of ghost stories in a rural Irish pub takes a chilling turn in Conor McPherson’s haunting drama, which is receiving its fourth production by the Irish Repertory Theatre. Through Aug. 31 at the Irish Repertory Theatre, irishrep.org.
Rolling Thunder: Mixing rock concert energy with documentary-style storytelling, this jukebox musical revisits the Vietnam War through the voices of soldiers, protesters, and loved ones and iconic ‘60s and ‘70s songs. Through Sept. 7 at New World Stages, rollingthunderus.com.
