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Austin’s Julie Fiore and her One Ounce Opera collective of stage-it-anywhere, stage-it-everywhere modern provocateurs take over the Eastside’s storied Museum of Human Achievement for their sixth annual (but first time since 2020!) mini-opera showcase, bringing four dynamic new works chosen from more than 40 submissions nationwide. Relevant to the here-and-now, redolent of sonic glory and classic style, the revelations of “An Artist’s Regrets,” “Bubbie and the Demon,” “I Am Worth Nothing,” and “What the Spirits Show” will touch your heart and wow your ears with the power of the human voice. – Wayne Alan Brenner

You’re a busy guy; you don’t have time to read all of War and Peace. But you’re also ashamed that you’ve not dug into the hottest Russian novel of 1869! Hark: A solution awaits at the Zach Theatre production of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy’s musical adaptation of a 70-page section of Tolstoy’s great tome. Described by the theatre as an “innovative electro-pop opera,” this two-hour-and-thirty-minute love triangle will be available as pay-what-you-will until Feb. 4. Heads-up to queers: Thursday, Feb. 1, is PRIDE night!– James Scott

If you’ve never seen or heard of Miklós László’s 1937 play Illatszertár, don’t worry: You know the story. Two colleagues who hate each other at work are dearest friends as anonymous pen pals. Sound familiar now? It’s Ernst Lubitsch’s The Shop Around the Corner, and In the Good Old Summertime starring Judy Garland, and the *other* Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan rom-com, You’ve Got Mail. But it’s also this delightful musical from Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, the duo behind Fiddler on the Roof, which only becomes more charming with every new staging. – Richard Whittaker

For generations of children, Arnold Lobel’s stories of amphibian best buds Frog and Toad have been a charming guide to the complexities and joys of friendship. Now the pair take to the stage for this delightful Tony-nominated musical. It’s truly a family affair, adapted by Lobel’s son-in-law Mark Linn-Baker with music by Robert Reale and book & lyrics by his brother, Willie. This new production, directed by Best of Austin winner Sara Burke, features Jillian Sainz and Victoria Brown donning the signature jackets and trousers of Frog and Toad, respectively. – Richard Whittaker