Long Island fall theater preview: 'Beautiful,' 'Into the Woods,' 22 more must-see shows

Name dropping will be in full swing at Long Island theaters this fall. Carole King, Salvador Dali, Mary Poppins, and even Mr. Burns from "The Simpsons" have key roles in several of this season's productions.

The holidays will be an especially festive time this season with many shows the whole family can enjoy including, "Elf the Musical," "Beauty and the Beast," a double dose of "A Christmas Carol" and the return of Nancy Kerrigan in Gateway's "Holiday Spectacular on Ice."

Whether you're looking for a crowd-pleaser like "The Sound of Music" or obscurities like Neil Simon's final play, here are 24 shows that will fit the bill.

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL (John W. Engeman Theatre, 250 Main St., Northport, Sept. 14-Oct. 29) A tapestry of the singer-songwriter's hits ("It's Too Late," "So Far Away") are woven throughout this Tony Award-winning musical recounting her personal and professional ups and downs. 631-261-2900, engemantheater.com

THE PROM (Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson, Sept. 16-Oct. 21) It may not actually be prom season, but the party will be in full swing at Theatre Three with this offbeat high school musical. The plot concerns an Indiana teen who is banned from attending the titular dance because she wants to take her girlfriend. That then becomes a cue for a quartet of quirky actors to come to her aid. 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com

RENT (Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Sept. 16-Oct. 22) Jonathan Larson's musical based on "La Boheme" has been getting a new lease on life this year, most recently with a production at Five Towns College in Dix Hills directed by Adam Pascal from the original Broadway cast. The show, which is set on New York's Lower East Side against the backdrop of the HIV/AIDS crisis, marks the Smithtown theater's second main stage production since reopening last month. 631-724-3700, smithtownpac.org

INTO THE WOODS (CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Hwy., Oakdale, Sept. 16-30) Expect Grimm tidings for some fabled fairy tale folks who discover they should be careful what they wish for in this Stephen Sondheim musical. 631-218-2810, cmpac.com

EVERY BRILLIANT THING (Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson, Sept. 17, 23 and 30 and Oct. 1 and 7-8) Theatre Three executive artistic director Jeffrey Sanzel stars in this one-man play dealing with depression and suicide that is equal parts funny and heartwarming. As the theater did last year when this show was first presented, 50% of ticket sales will benefit Response Crisis Center. 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com

RED (South Shore Theatre Experience, 115 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Sept. 22-30) This two-person play is based on a true incident about Abstract artist Mark Rothko being commissioned to paint murals for Manhattan's Four Seasons restaurant. 631-669-0506, southshoretheatre.com

THE CRUCIBLE (Modern Classics Theatre Company of Long Island, BACCA Arts Center, 149 N. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Sept. 23-Oct. 8) The Arthur Miller classic about the Salem Witch Trials is back for a spell. 516-236-5838, modernclassicstheatrecompanyoflongisland.net

THE CHALK GARDEN (Boots on the Ground Theater, Southampton Cultural Center, 25 Pond Lane, Oct. 6-15) This offering from Enid Bagnold, author of "National Velvet," is a horse of a different color: a drawing-room comedy about a grandmother, her troubled granddaughter and a governess with a dark secret. bootsonthegroundtheater.com

ROSE AND WALSH (Hampton Theatre Company, Quogue Community Hall, 125 Jessup Ave., Oct. 19-Nov. 5) Neil Simon's swan song (previously titled "Rose's Dilemma") is a sentimental romcom about Rose, a prolific author suffering from writer's block, who is stirred into penning one last book after receiving nightly visits from her deceased lover. 631-653-8955, hamptontheatre.org

THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Merrick Theatre and Center for the Arts, 2222 Hewlett Ave., Oct. 20-Nov. 5) If you can't answer the musical question "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?," then you owe it to yourself to see this Rodgers & Hammerstein mainstay of musical theater. 516-665-3127, merricktheatreforthearts.com

REFERENCES TO SALVADOR DALI MAKE ME HOT (EastLine Theatre, Westbury Arts, 255 Schenck Ave., Oct. 21-Nov. 12) As if that title isn't intriguing enough, the plot by Long Island-raised playwright Jose Rivera features the wife of a Gulf War soldier who imagines the mating rituals between a coyote and a cat during his absences. eastline.ludus.com

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Hwy., Oakdale, Oct. 21-Nov. 5) They'll be "Puttin' on the Ritz" and going crackers in Mel Brooks' monster mash of a musical based on his popular 1974 movie. 631-218-2810, cmpac.com

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (John Cranford Adams Playhouse at Hofstra University, Hempstead, Oct. 27-Nov. 5) The Hofstra Shakespeare Festival celebrates its 75th anniversary with this romp that finds Falstaff trying to seduce two merchants' wives. Adding to the atmosphere: the theater will be redesigned to resemble the Globe. hofstra.edu

AS YOU LIKE IT (Madison Theatre at Molloy College, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre, Nov. 1-5) Fans of the Bard can also check out this comedy about friends, lovers and exiles in the Forest of Arden set to an original folk-pop score by Shaina Taub. 516-323-4444, madisontheatreny.org

MR. BURNS — A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY (Adelphi Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City, Nov. 1-5) Anne Washburn's dark comedy with music follows a post-apocalyptic theater troupe that specializes in performing episodes of "The Simpsons." As Bart Simpson would say, "Cowabunga!" 516-877-4000, adelphi.edu/pac

ENCHANTED APRIL (Clare Rose Playhouse at St. Joseph's University, 155 W. Roe Blvd., Patchogue, Nov. 3-18) Four London women of different classes and temperaments bond when they rent an Italian villa together. Then the men in their lives show up and spoil everything. 631-654-0199, sjny.edu 

MARY POPPINS (Argyle Theatre, 34 W. Main St., Babylon, Nov. 9-Dec. 31) This musical about everyone's favorite magical nanny is sure to be as sweet as that spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. 844-631-5483, argyletheatre.com

THE GINGERBREAD LADY (Modern Classics Theatre Company of Long Island, BACCA Arts Center, 149 N. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Nov. 4-19) Neil Simon seriocomic saga revolves around a cabaret singer whose drinking puts her relationships with her daughter and her friends on the rocks. 516-236-5838, modernclassicstheatrecompanyoflongisland.net

THE MUSIC MAN (Star Playhouse at Stage 74 at the Suffolk Y JCC, 74 Hauppauge Rd., Commack, Nov. 11-19) Star kicks off its 40th season and polishes up those "76 Trombones" with this Meredith Willson crowd-pleaser about the trouble that comes to River City in the form of slick con man Henry Hill. 631-462-9800, ext. 136, starplayhouse.com

UNDERMINED: MURDER IN THE SANDS (Landmark Radio Theater, Jeanne Rimsky Theater at the Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington, 4 p.m. Nov. 12) Director Pat Lyons penned this noirish throwback to old-time radio shows like "The Adventures of Sam Spade." Set on Long Island in the late 1940s, the plot about a private eye hired by a shady mining tycoon also sounds like a second cousin to "The Big Sleep." Adding to the fun will be a few musical numbers and station breaks. 516-767-6444, landmarkonmainstreet.org

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (John W. Engeman Theatre, 250 Main St., Northport, Nov. 16-Dec. 31) Opposites truly do attract in this tale as old as time that features favorite tunes like "Be Our Guest." 631-261-2900, engemantheater.com

ELF THE MUSICAL (Manes Studio Theatre, 141 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Nov. 24-Dec. 10 and CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Hwy., Oakdale, Dec. 2-17) Buddy the Elf leaves the North Pole for the Big Apple to meet his real Dad, who turns out to be a real Grinch. Spoiler alert: By the end of the show, Dad will become as warm as a cup of cocoa. Manes Studio: 631-226-8400, studiotheatrelongisland.com; CM: 631-218-2810, cmpac.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson, Nov. 12-Dec. 30 and The Minstrel Players, Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Main St., Northport, Dec. 8-10) It would be a humbug of a holiday season without this perennial. Jeffrey Sanzel, who has played Ebenezer Scrooge more than 1,500 times, returns as Ebenezer Scrooge at Theatre Three, while Paul Graf is back for his seventh year with Minstrel. Theatre Three: 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com; Minstrel: 516-361-7232, tickets.minstrelplayers@gmail.com

HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR ON ICE (The Gateway, 215 S. Country Rd., Bellport, Dec. 1-Jan. 1) Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan will be chilling on Long Island for the holidays as she again hosts Gateway's annual ice show. She also took part in some of the performance last year, so don't be surprised if she laces up her skates once more.