Its latest installment went overboard with heavy-handed dialogue about the Importance of Cooking, but season one of The Bear remains an enthralling, realistic – and for many restaurant veterans, traumatizing – look into the chaos of the kitchen. Lex Okeke takes inspiration from the FX dramedy for her directorial debut The Grizzly, a monthlong show about the stress and intensity of improv performance. The cast’s real-time thought processes make up the production, highlighting the messiness of early-stage collaboration – when performers are still perfecting their comedic recipe, if you will. Let’s just hope Okeke learns from Carmy and doesn’t go for a star. – Carys Anderson
Aug. 16 through Sept. 14