Those who are lionized as trailblazers by society are rarely granted any grace. “State of Firsts,” however, makes it abundantly clear that political heroes are still human.

A recently deceased patriarch exposed for a gay love affair with his financial advisor, an ailing mother with a redneck “rent boy,” and a pseudo-incestuous sexual encounter make up just the first scene of “Becky Shaw.” Coupled with acerbic dialogue, the outlandish situations posed in the Broadway show are sustained throughout the entire runtime.

Former “Saturday Night Live” cast member and New York City comedian Chloe Troast will be the headlining comic for the John Jay Memorial Annual Comedy Variety Show at the Ethel S. LeFrak ’41 and Samuel J. LeFrak Theatre on April 10, the student organizers announced Tuesday evening.

Entering the theater, it’s difficult to tell what you’ll be getting into at “Burnout Paradise.” Produced by No Guarantees Productions—led by Megan O’Keefe, Law ’17, Business ’17—the imaginative show opened on March 5 at the off-Broadway Astor Place Theatre, following its successful run at Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse.

Roald Dahl, though perhaps your favorite childhood author, was a complicated man. Known for capturing both the whimsical and solemn moments of childhood in classics like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Matilda,” Dahl also publicly declared himself antisemitic in a 1990 statement to British newspaper The Independent. Although Dahl has passed away, his literary legacy as a great artist, paired with his irreconcilable views, forms the basis of the new Broadway play, “Giant.”

Almost all Americans came from somewhere else. But as we become American, how and why do we choose to continue, abandon, or alter the traditions of our family?

Acting is artifice, or so many would say. In sharp contrast to most theatrical productions, “My Joy Is Heavy” revels in a married couple’s deeply personal experiences to explore themes of grief and joy. Its contents, like life, are a bit mixed.

One of the theatrical canon’s most lauded heroines, Antigone, is back on a major stage, now wearing a black leather jacket and a punk plaid skirt. The world premiere of Anna Ziegler’s adaptation of Sophocles’ tragedy doesn’t just bring the classic to the modern age but also exposes how Antigone and the politics of the female body have been with us all along.

In the Chain Theatre’s 99-seat black box, a tale about Irish spirits, a so-called priest, and a Bog Witch plays out live on stage.

With minimal scenery and a small cast of Broadway regulars, “Night Side Songs” invites its audience to explore life and love amid illness. The new musical opened Sunday at Lincoln Center Theater’s off-Broadway Claire Tow Theater.