PROMETHEUS DANCE 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT World Music/CRASHarts jumps on the celebration bandwagon to present this landmark concert by one of Boston’s most provocative and imaginative dance troupes. Led by Diane Arvanites and Tommy Neblett, the esteemed company performs the world premiere of the evening-length “Heart of the Matter.” May 17-18. $35. Boston Conservatory Theater. 617-876-4275, www.worldmusic.org  GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS This 1984 Pulitzer Prize winner represents the purest distillation of David Mamet’s trademark dialogue: those staccato exchanges, bursting with obscenities. Director Charles Towers sustains an atmosphere of high-stakes tension as Will LeBow and Todd Licea lead a skilled ensemble, playing bottom-feeding real-estate salesmen forced to compete to keep their jobs. Through May 19. Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Lowell. 978-654-4678, www.mrt.org  AMADEUS Jim Petosa’s robust production of Peter Shaffer’s tragicomedy about a scheming mediocrity, Antonio Salieri, who sets out to thwart a genius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Benjamin Evett’s multifaceted performance makes evident the paradoxical nature of Salieri, the only one who truly understands the scope of Mozart’s achievement. Through May 26. New Repertory Theatre. At Charles Mosesian Theatre, Arsenal Center for the Arts, Watertown. 617-923-8487, www.newrep.org  ON THE TOWN A production longer on wistful charm than effervescence, reflecting the innocence we associate with the 1940s but also flecked with traces of our contemporary ambivalence and our mistrust of happy endings. Directed by Spiro Veloudos and choreographed by Ilyse Robbins. Through June 8. Lyric Stage Company. 617-585-5678, www.lyricstage.com  IN THE HEIGHTS The title of this Tony Award-winning musical refers to an exhilarated state of mind as well as a vibrant New York City neighborhood. In this production, directed by Paul Daigneault and loaded with life and energy, a vivacious ensemble creates a community of absolutely irresistible characters. Through June 16. SpeakEasy Stage Company. At Roberts Studio Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-933-8600, www.speakeasystage.com  PUNK ROCK Playwright Simon Stephens’s portrait of teen angst takes a disturbing and violent turn, but the power of this production comes from the easy way the ensemble members inhabit their characters with grace and style. This tragedy may be a little too vivid for some audiences, but the playwright’s ear for teen conversations, shifting alliances, and fundamental fears is spot-on. Through May 25. Zeitgeist Stage Company. At Black Box Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-933-8600, www.zeitgeiststage.com  COPPÉLIA Boston Ballet performs Balanchine’s version of this charming classic. Set to a delicious score by Léo Delibes, it features a silly, sweet plot, based on an E.T.A. Hoffmann tale about a doll who seems to come to life. But it’s really about fantasizing the romantic ideal and coming to graceful terms with reality — oh, and dynamite choreography. Great for the whole family. May 16-26. $29-$142. Boston Opera House. 617-695-6955, www.bostonballet.org  ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER Under the leadership of Robert Battle, the beloved company is energized by some exciting new repertoire. In addition to Ailey classics, sprinkled throughout this Celebrity Series engagement are works by Battle, Naharin, Fagan, Kylián, and Ronald K. Brown, as well as the Boston premiere of “Another Night,” by hot young choreographer Kyle Abraham. May 16-19. $30-$75. Citi Wang Theatre. 866-348-9738, www.celebrityseries.org  JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ PROJECT In honor of National Tap Dance Day, Dance Inn Productions brings Billy Siegenfeld’s acclaimed Chicago-based troupe to Lexington for workshops, a full-length concert Friday night (8 p.m., National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Rd.), and an interactive family matinee Saturday (10 a.m., Cary Hall, 1605 Massachusetts Ave.). $25-$30. 781-863-5360, www.danceinn productions.org  PAUL PESCADOR: 6, 7 OR 9 This Los Angeles artist uses the logic of numbers to explore interpersonal relationships and group dynamics in a film, artist books, and photographs that feature edited and collaged dioramas made with quotidian objects and craft materials. Through June 15. Anthony Greaney, 450 Harrison Ave., 617-482-0055, www.anthonygreaney.com  CRAIG STOCKWELL: MINIMALISM AND NOT Stockwell, an abstract painter, has often plumbed the luscious possibilities opened by strict limitations. In one body of work here, he utilizes a careful system to explore an idea. In another, he cuts loose, painting spontaneously. Through June 1. Gallery Benoit, 4 Clarendon St., 617-309-7902, www.gallerybenoit.com  CATHERINE KEHOE: RADICAL ATTENTION Kehoe’s small, exquisite paintings — floral still lifes, unblinking self-portraits, a hanging blouse — display commanding balance, rousing tones, and a play between abstraction and representation that helps viewers to see how much we shape reality with our eyes. Through June 4. Howard Yezerski Gallery, 460 Harrison Ave., 617-262-0550. www.howardyezerskigallery.com  MICHELANGELO – SACRED AND PROFANE: MASTER DRAWINGS FROM THE CASA BUONARROTI Twenty-six Michelangelo drawings from his own collection, on loan from the museum in Florence that was once his home. Museum of Fine Arts. Through June 30. 617-267-9300, www.mfa.org  BARRY McGEE A mid-career survey of the popular San Francisco-based artist who has made a dynamic shift from street art into galleries and museums. Through Sept. 2. Institute of Contemporary Art. 617-478-3100, www.icaboston.org  ARTIST, REBEL, DANDY: MEN OF FASHION A bold, all-embracing survey of the figure of the dandy over 200 years, from Oscar Wilde to Sebastian Horsley. The show includes clothing, photographs, paintings, and caricatures. Through Aug. 18. Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence. 401-454-6500, www.risdmuseum.org  Painter, printmaker and draftsman Polonsky, now in his late 80s, is a Boston Expressionist with a mystical and metaphysical bent. His narrative paintings are marked by luminous tones and sprightly brushwork. His imagery has the surreal feeling of dreams.Pictured: “Descent.” Through June 28. Childs Gallery, 169 Newbury St., 617-266-1108, www.childsgallery.com
A guide to area performances, including “Glengarry Glen Ross,’’ “Amadeus,’’ “On the Town,’’ “In the Heights,’’ and “Punk Rock.’’