'Beautiful,' 'Fiddler' and 7 more must-see shows

Beloved Disney classics and familiar Tony winners will share Long Island stages in the coming months with some lesser-known, but no less intriguing, plays and musicals. Take your pick — you can sing along to old favorites one weekend, then discover a playwright the next. There’s even a musical adaptation of a well-known Shakespeare comedy.

“Rose and Walsh”

Oct. 19-Nov. 5, Hampton Theatre Company, Quogue Community Hall, 125 Jessup Ave., Quogue

The romantic comedies of Neil Simon are legendary, so how is it that this rarely performed work has managed to fly under the radar? Simon’s last play is set at a beach house on eastern Long Island, where two established writers talk about their work and confront their mortality. To say more would be a major spoiler.

INFO $20-$36; 631-653-8955, hamptontheatre.org

“References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot”

Oct. 20-Nov. 12, Westbury Arts, 255 Schenck Ave., Westbury

EastLine Theatre celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with this surrealistic fantasy by Long Island-raised playwright José Rivera, who was nominated for an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of “The Motorcycle Diaries.” Set in a California town, characters include a cat, a moon and a coyote, but the play is essentially an examination of a troubled marriage.

INFO $25; 516-749-5047, eastlinetheatre.org

“As You Like It”

Oct. 28-Nov. 5, Madison Theatre at Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

Shaina Taub’s musical adaptation of the Shakespeare comedy, which delighted audiences at the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park several years back, will be produced by CAP21, Molloy’s professional musical theater conservatory. The magical story — feuding families, lovers in disguise — is highlighted by Taub’s folk-pop score. And it’s been cut down to 90 minutes, so it’s perfect for audiences of all ages.

INFO $35; 516-323-4444, madisontheatreny.org

“Mary Poppins”

Nov. 9-Dec. 31, Argyle Theatre, 34 W. Main St., Babylon

Argyle takes on this beloved Disney classic, featuring songs like ”A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite.” The story of everyone’s favorite nanny ran for more than 2,500 performances on Broadway, getting seven 2007 Tony nominations including best musical. Time to start brushing up on your spelling — that’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

INFO $69-$84; 844-631-5483, argyletheatre.com

“Seascape”

Jan. 12-20, South Shore Theatre Experience, 115 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst

Complicated family relationships are the focus of this Edward Albee play, for which he won his second Pulitzer Prize. But this one has a little injection of fantasy — one of the couples at the heart of the action is a pair of sea-dwelling lizards (you read that right). The work was nominated for best play at the 1975 Tonys, and Frank Langella won for best featured actor in a play.

INFO $25; 631-669-0506, southshoretheatre.com

“The Gin Game”

Jan. 13-Feb. 3, Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson

Set around a card table, this gripping play stars Theatre Three stalwarts Bradlee and Marci Bing. What starts out as a friendly game of gin between two residents of a nursing home turns into something decidedly more combative. The Pulitzer-winning work by D.L. Coburn originally starred another couple — Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy (he was nominated for a Tony; she won) — who later appeared in a TV version on Showtime.

INFO $25-$40; 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com

“Fiddler on the Roof”

Jan. 26-Feb. 25, Gateway Playhouse, 215 S. Country Rd., Bellport

You’ll probably want to sing along to this enduring — and endearing — classic, with songs like “Tradition,” “To Life,” and “Sunrise, Sunset.” The musical’s original Broadway run played more than 3,000 performances and won nine Tonys, including best musical. A celebration of the bonds of home and family, “Fiddler” has been revived five times on Broadway and has played in countless productions all over the world.

INFO $55-$95, $27.50-$47.50 (ages 12-17); 631-286-1133, thegateway.org

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”

Feb. 9-25, Manes Studio Theatre, 141 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst

It’s hard to see anyone other than Jack Nicholson in this role. He won an Oscar for the 1971 film, playing a convict who pretends to be insane, thinking life will be easier in a psychiatric institution. But the stage play by Dale Wasserman has its merits, often centered on the battle of wills between the patients and nurse Mildred Ratched, who terrorizes with a frightening mixture of intimidation, punishment and a lot of pills.

INFO $30-$35; 631-226-8400, studiotheatrelongisland.com