Great theater is wont to incite rapid-fire debate and discussion. And—not to sound like a silence-your-cell phones and shut-the-fuck up announcement—everyone appreciates it when you save your insightful banter until after the thespians have taken their final bow. There’s nothing worse than being a Woody Allen to that pontificating blowhard in Annie Hall. We suppose the same could be said for bad theater, but you won’t find any of that among our cherry-picked productions ranging from “The Vagina Monologues” playwright Eve Ensler’s latest at the A.R.T. to the final show at the Factory Theatre. So with that in mind, we’ve rounded up notable forthcoming fall openings, and paired them up with some classic nearby post-show eateries and watering holes nearby where you can unleash the critique floodgates over bread and butter and beer (or whatever you want to eat, we’re not your mother). Also lassoed up are restaurant openings aiming for fall so you can treat yourself to a premiere performance-dining mash up. Tuck this away someplace safe—your stomach and eyeballs will thank you down the line.

SWEENEY TODD

Lyric Stage Company’s 2013-2014 season closer “Into The Woods” was so well received, they called for a month-long extension of the whimsical Stephen Sondheim production. But their dedication to excellence doesn’t begin or end with their last endeavor — the company celebrates four rich decades this year, and continues the tradition with yet another Sondheim musical to kick off the season. “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” the play turned mad-hatter-blockbuster via Tim Burton and his motley crew, is the macabre tale of a mad barber who’s out for vengeance. It’s dark, gross, and icky, but also damn funny. Still, next time someone asks you if you would you like another pie, sir, you’ll probably refuse.
[Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon St., Boston. Ongoing through SAT 10.11. lyricstage.com]

OG PAIRING:

This Back Bay mainstay of drool-inducing platters of salted cured meats and just-as-meaty beers is key for pre or post viewings of all demonic barber-related displays of thespian muscle. [130 Dartmouth St., Boston. 617-536-6200. thesaltypig.com]

Photo by Andrew Nguyen

WORLD PREMIERE PAIRING:

MAST. Should the team make good on their plans to be open in September, this new 4,000-square-foot cathedral of homemade pasta, wood-fired pizzas from a 20-year North End vet, and “Neapolitan street food” will be ready for you and calling your name. Loudly. [45 Province St., Boston. mastboston.com]

LANGUAGE OF ANGELS

Directed by Lizette M. Morris, “Language of Angels” follows a group of young adults after one of their friends goes missing at their local hookup spot. The somber tone of this tragedy is appropriate as Happy Medium Theatre’s production is the final work to be showcased at the Factory Theatre, a beloved space that’s served the fringe community for decades and has been forced to shut down by the building’s owners. As the black box will be shrouded in darkness to make it look like the group’s cavernous hang out, audience members will be encouraged to tag the walls to enhance the set design. The guidelines? Graffiti memories of the Factory. Yeah, we just wiped away a tear, too.
[Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont St., Boston. SAT 10.18 – FRI 10.30. happymediumtheatre.com]

OG PAIRING:

Around the corner from the Factory Theatre lies a neighborhood staple (and long history) of noir-esque live jazz, killer fried chicken, and brown liquors served over clinking ice.

Photo by Andrew Nguyen

WORLD PREMIERE PAIRING:

Candibar Boston. Take the old Underbar lounge. Give it a makeover. Add a bunch more LED lights, funky accent mirrors, and the models and bottles crowd. And a touch of Europe. Candibar. [279 Tremont St., Boston. 617-974-7082]

DISPLACED HINDU GODS TRILOGY

The shows churned out of Company One, a resident company at Boston Center for the Arts, continue to excite us, and the plays under the umbrella Displaced Hindu Gods Trilogy are no exception. In fact, the trifecta from playwright Aditi Brennan Kapil, which receives its New England premiere this October, epitomizes why this company is so important to the Hub. “Shiv,” “Brahman/I” and “The Chronicles of Kalki” collectively address themes such as gender, good versus evil, language, and displacement. Company One consistently presents works that offers unapologetic, bold, and often humorous insights into and criticisms of our society. And the talent they put front and center is damn good, too.
[BCA Black Box Plaza Theatre, 539 Tremont St., Boston. FRI 10.24 – SAT 11.22. companyone.org]

OG PAIRING:

Long-running as the de-facto South End subterranean enclave of exotic influences and flavors. See: the pictured rack of lamb with herb spatzale, sweet and sour purple cabbage, and lemon caper sauce, new to the menu this fall, you can finish an evening of engaging themes of good versus evil with a stiff Kentucky Orchard butter-infused bourbon, apple cider, and Allspice Dram sipper, also new for fall. [541 Tremont St., Boston. 617-423-0069. beehiveboston.com]

Photo by Andrew Nguyen

WORLD PREMIERE PAIRING:

Blackbird Doughnuts. Nearby favorite the Gallows is launching their first doughnut shop, which has been hush-hush on details other than that the owners are planning on just doing killer donuts (for a taste, check out instagram.com/blackbirddoughnuts) and just as killer coffee. Call it a reason to hope they open before the winter sets in. [492 Tremont St., Boston.]

CHOSEN CHILD

On the heels of Mad of America’s International Film Festival (10.9 -10.12) at the Regent Theatre —a festival which also acts as a forum for those interested in rethinking psychiatry, and our current drug-based model of care—Boston Playwright’s Theater presents “Chosen Child.” Delving into this important conversation, “Child” follows three generations of memories in an effort to change the fate of a schizophrenic man. Director Megan Schy Gleeson is no stranger to these heavy-on-the-heartstrings production — she steered “Absence,” a play about Alzheimer’s, with care earlier this year — so we have faith that the story won’t unravel into melodrama.
[Boston Playwright’s Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. THU 10.30 – SAT 11.22. bu.edu/bpt/)

OG PAIRING:

Ask any Allston-ite, or serious beer drinker, if heading to the Sunset Grill is worth all the hype, and if their response doesn’t convince you, the new fall offering of loaded cheeseburger nachos (yes, cheeseburgers and nachos, together) will. Pair it with a pumpkin beer. Because it’s right. [130 Brighton Ave., Allston. 617-254-1331. allstonsfinest.com]

Photo by Andrew Nguyen

WORLD PREMIERE PAIRING:

Hojoko. The new “high-energy izakaya” opening in mid-late fall by Tim and Nancy Cushman, famed pair behind the incredible O Ya restaurant, are going to be bringing Japanese pub-ishness to the old Howard Johnson’s restaurant space near Fenway in the recently opened rock-themed Verb hotel. [1271 Boylston St., Boston. 855-695-6678. theverbhotel.com]

NEVERMORE: AN EVENING WITH EDGAR ALLAN POE

Jeffrey Combs has described his one-man show as something of a séance, which makes its Halloween Boston debut all the more appropriate. Directed by Stuart Gordon, written by Dennis Paoli, and brought to Boston by filmmaker Izzy Lee and sculptor Bryan Moore, “Nevermore” compliments the unveiling of Moore’s long-awaited bronze bust of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe at the Boston Public Library. While Poe’s sculptured self will be pretty set in stone, he will very much be in the flesh at the Somerville Theatre, as Combs does not play Poe, he “inhabits his spirit.” Spooky. But we suppose that’s the point. Ranging from comedy to tragedy, the production uses Poe’s own words to tell his life’s story, a tale that is—and we may be baiting the literati here—debatably more interesting than some of his short stories.
[Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. FRI 10.31. Tickets available here.]

OG PAIRING:

Sure, there are ample options in the reinvigorated greater Davis Square area. But of those options, only one is a bona-fide Neapolitan wood-fired pizza house that’s been ordained as legit as those you find in the motherland by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana out of Naples, Italy. They know about these things. Trust them. [187 Elm St., Somerville. 617-625-0600. postoboston.com]

Photo by Andrew Nguyen

WORLD PREMIERE PAIRING:

Bibim. The mother-and-son run house of Korean deliciousness in Allston is expanding over to Davis Square with in late October/early November, which means getting killer (and cheap) pan-fried spicy squid before sculptures and paintings done by the matriarch of the pair will be available in a former McDonald’s. Bonus: full liquor license planned as well. Talk about an upgrade. [243 Elm St., Somerville. 617-787-5656.]

O.P.C.

We don’t have enough fingers and toes to point to as we rattle off the reasons why American Repertory Theater’s production of “O.P.C.” should be on your radar. But, lucky for you, we’ve just discovered that we are able to count without the help of our digits, so here it goes. For starters, “O.P.C.” is the new play from “The Vagina Monologues'” author Eve Ensler—if that means nothing to you, go home-—and regardless of how you feel towards vaginas, monologues, or Ensler, you can’t deny the production was a sensation. Additionally, the world premiere production stars Academy Award-winner Melissa Leo (think: Christians Bale and Mark Wahlberg’s ragged ma’ in The Fighter). And—as if we needed a cherry on this sundae—it happens to be about dumpster diving. Just go.
[Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge. FRI 11.29 – SUN 1.4. americanrepertorytheater.org]

OG PAIRING:

For some time now, this 19th-century structure has become a favorite for anyone seeking out fresh local oysters, Edison lightbulbs barely illuminating dark wood and leather accents, and numerous rounds of rotating cask ales hand pumped into proper glassware along with inventive seasonal dishes. This fall will be no different. [14 JFK St., Cambridge. 617-500-3055. russellhousecambridge.com]

Photo by Andrew Nguyen

WORLD PREMIERE PAIRING:

BISq. The Bergamot team is doubling down with their celebrated small plates and pates with a projected late-October opening of their Inman Square offshoot. With only 49-seats, an open kitchen, and claims of a stellar beer and wine list, by the time this show gets going you’ll probably finally be able to get in. [1071 Cambridge St., Cambridge. 617-576-7700. facebook.com/bisqrestaurant]