Fever

Given Peggy Lee’s extensive and influential career spanning multiple decades, an assignment to write a piece inspired by her work could go in any number of directions. The three playwrights who’ve taken on this assignment–Molly Best Tinsley, Joanna Horowitz, and Jessica Chisum–have at least one common thread to their works: They’re all bizarre. Together, it’s an evening of hit-and-miss moments in tragicomedies accompanied by music. The most engaging play is Horowitz’s Miss End of the World, the tale of a post-apocalyptic beauty pageant in which the competitors vie for the last remaining sustenance in sight, a Snickers bar. I imagine this is what Samuel Beckett would have written if he’d been gay. Notable among the actors is newcomer Carrie McIntyre, who has a powerful voice and a clear knack for physical comedy I hope to see more of. The interludes between plays are filled with a guest musical artist performing Peggy Lee songs; the evening I attended, we had the pleasure of hearing Alyssa Keene, who obviously enjoys Miss Lee and does a beautiful job with her music. BRENT ARONOWITZ

Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 4 & 8 p.m.; Mon., Sept. 21, 8 p.m. Starts: Sept. 11. Continues through Sept. 26, 2009