On stage this season: A daring riff on 'Medea,' embattled Freedom Riders and a boisterous 'Ragtime'

The Los Angeles Times called playwright Michael Elyanow's contemporary riff on "Medea" a "breathtaking achievement." Characters navigate the treacherous terrain of family dysfunction in Noël Raymond's staging, with a cast that includes Tracey Maloney and Jim Lichtscheidl as well as Masanari Kawahara's humanoid puppets.

Sept. 16-Oct. 16, Pillsbury House Theatre, 3501 Chicago Av. S., Mpls. 612-825-0459 or pillsburyhousetheatre.org

Mike Wiley uses music, movement and ritual to illuminate the plight of Freedom Riders imprisoned at Mississippi's Parchman Farm. A specialist in documentary theater, Wiley debuted the work in 2011 at PlayMaker's Rep when it was run by Guthrie artistic director Joseph Haj.

Oct. 1-Nov. 6, Guthrie Theater proscenium, 818 S. 2nd St., Mpls. 612-377-2224 or guthrietheater.org

This 1996 musical is famous for launching the career of Tony winner Heather Headley as Sarah, a young black woman who suffers tragedies in this multicultural tapestry of early-1900s America. Traci Allen Shannon plays the role in Peter Rothstein's production.

Sept. 21-Oct. 23, Ritz Theater, 345 13th Av. NE., Mpls. 612-339-3003 or theaterlatteda.org

Lorraine Hansberry's classic play about African-American self-determination is always worth seeing. Warren Bowles directs a production featuring Darius Dotch, Greta Oglesby and Am'Ber Montgomery.

Oct. 28-Nov. 20, Park Square, 20 W. 7th Pl., St. Paul, 651-291-7005 or parksquaretheatre.org

Bobby Vee was the Fargo kid whose career was born in tragedy. He was 15 when promoters asked him to step in after Buddy Holly's death. Tyler Michaels will play the title character in a script by Bob Beverage, with orchestration by George Maurer.

Oct. 1-30, History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul, 651-292-4323 or historytheatre.com

Playwright Robert O'Hara has been highly praised for this savage sendup of stereotypes, replacing white trailer trash with black trailer trash. Jevetta Steele, Regina Marie Williams, Sue Scott and Stephen Yoakam star.

Sept. 30-Oct. 16, Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 E. 4th St., Mpls. 612-338-6131 or mixedblood.com

Arguably the most sublime interpreter of August Wilson, director Lou Bellamy has assembled a cast of heavyweights for this revival of Wilson's metaphor about conveyance and destiny, including Terry Bellamy, James Craven and Abdul Salaam El Razzac.

Oct. 11-Nov. 6, Penumbra Theatre, 270 N. Kent St., St Paul. 651-224-3180 or penumbratheatre.org.

Adapted by Kate Hamill, Jane Austen's comedy of manners centers on the love lives of sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Jungle artistic director Sarah Rasmussen directs, with Broadway actor Jolly Abraham and Alejandra Escalante.

Through Oct. 29, Guthrie Theater thrust stage

Rasmussen returns to her home base to stage Sarah Ruhl's play about an American mother (Christina Baldwin) whose son is believed to be the reincarnation of a Lama. When Buddhist monks arrive to bring him to an Indian monastery, the mother faces a dilemma. What's best for the child, for the family, for humanity?

Nov. 4-Dec. 18, Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. 612-822-7063 or jungletheater.com

This Tony winner already had a lot going for it, including a strong narrative spine from Mark Haddon's bestselling novel. But director Marianne Elliott stages it as an immersive tour-de-force, with a young man's thoughts bringing people and the environment to vivid life.

Nov. 29-Dec. 4, Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. 1-800-982-2787 or hennepintheatretrust.org

Rohan Preston and Graydon Royce