A Pride Month

A lot of historic cultural moments and deep-rooted traditions are captured on Connecticut stages this week.

Stonewall is celebrated at a pride-themed Hartford Symphony Orchestra concert. New Orleans keyboard funk fills Infinity Hall. The wonderfully quirky Go-Gos musical "Head Over Heels" gets a local production, while a different side of the 1980s is conveyed in "Angels in America."

The King of Queens is at a casino, while three women comics converge on Torrington. The Used and Pierce the Veil are touring together, and Manhattan Transfer, which presaged the recent a cappella boom, has turned 50.

There's something for every scene, mood and cultural revolution. Here are some of the top things to do and see in Connecticut arts.

The first Todd Rundgren sighting of summer is June 4 at 7 p.m. at Foxwoods Premier Theater, where the multi-faceted musician/producer/entertainer, whose hit range from "Hello It's Me" to "Bang the Drum All Day," is opening for Daryl Hall & the Daryl's House Band. Some might say "Where's Oates?" but Hall has had many solo turns and side projects throughout his long career and does just fine. $40-$100. foxwoods.com.

The Used has been around for over 20 years, Pierce the Veil for 17. They could be seen as vestiges of early 21st-century rock, yet they have persisted and prevailed, both releasing new albums in the past year or so. It makes for an inspired, alt-rocking double bill on June 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oakdale. $64. concerts.livenation.com.

The Manhattan Transfer, who revived interest in songs that were popular decades before they formed an a cappella quartet to sing them, has now been around for 50 years. There were lineup changes over the years, and group founder Tim Hauser died in 2014, but three of the four current members have been with Manhattan Transfer since the 1970s. They’re calling this their "50th Anniversary and Final World Tour," and it's at Ridgefield Playhouse on June 8 at 8 p.m. $45-$65. ridgefieldplayhouse.org.

He was the King of Queens. He was Paul Blart, Mall Cop. In his friend Adam Sandler's movies, he's been everything from Frankenstein to the President of the United States to a grown-up. Throughout it all, he's been a very popular stand-up comic. Kevin James is at Foxwoods Premier Theater on June 9 at 8 p.m. $54-$93. foxwoods.com.

John "Papa" Gros is carrying on the piano funk tradition of Dr. John and Alan Toussaint in New Orleans. On June 9 at 8 p.m. at Infinity Hall Hartford, he pairs up with a local New Orleans-inspired funk outfit, the UConn-rooted Funky Dawgz brass band. $25-$35. infinityhall.com.

"Angels in America," Tony Kushner's epic "fantasia" about cultural change and the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, comes in two colossal parts. "Part 1: Millennium Approaches" works as a freestanding drama and is often done on its own. Madison Lyric Stage is used to staging shows of operatic scope, though they are usually operas. They are doing "Angels in America, Part 1" in a tent on the grounds of the Deacon John Graves historic house in Madison June 9-18. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. $55. madisonlyricstage.org.

"Head Over Heels," which had a too-short Broadway run in 2018, cleverly combines Go-Gos songs with a 16th-century adventure play originally called "The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia." It's a fun fantasy adapted for modern times, plus it's got the beat. The community-based Connecticut Theatre Company is going head over heels June 9-25. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. (There is no Sunday show on June 11). $26.75; table for two $61.75. connecticuttheatrecompany.org.

Hartford Symphony Orchestra marks Pride Month with contemporary composers Quinn Mason (the inaugural recipient of the Joyce Willis Grant that allowed him to be in residency all season) and Iain Bell, plus a 19th-century composer widely presumed to have been gay, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The symphony, conducted by Carolyn Kuan, will be performing the premiere of Mason's "She Dreams of Flying," the symphonic suite version of Bell's opera "Stonewall ‘69," and Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique" symphony. There are three performances: June 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. and June 11 at 3 p.m. $38-$73. hartfordsymphony.org.

Jane Condon, Leighann Lord and Kelly MacFarland are the "Ladies of Laughter," three New England or New York comics touring together and talking amusingly about their troubles. June 10 at 8 p.m. in the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre, part of the Warner Theatre complex in Torrington. $35-$45. warnertheatre.org.

Thomas Rhett has had an insane number of country hits — nearly 20 of them hit No. 1 on the country airplay chart — and he's only 33. He certainly rates a rare two-night stand at Mohegan Sun Arena on June 9 and 10. Cole Swindell and Nate Smith open. 7:30 p.m. $59.50-$129.50. mohegansun.com.

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