Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova in First Métis Man of Odesa, Punctuate! Theatre. Photo by Alexis McKeown.

Dayna Lea Hoffman, A Hundred Words For Snow, Northern Light Theatre. Photo by Ian Jackson, Epic Photography.

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca

An all-star weekend of choices in Edmonton theatre. Here’s a selection.

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•At the Citadel, First Métis Man of Odesa, created by and starring real-life husband and wife theatre artists Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova, is a charming, very touching love story at heart — with obstacles you’d have to call major. It’s a version of their own experience as a couple whose path to happiness spans continents, includes a pandemic, and a baby — and is clouded by war, the horrific invasion of Ukraine by Russia and its continuing atrocities. Meet them in this 12thnight preview. And read the review here. Running through May 13. Tickets: 780-425-1820, citadeltheatre.com.

•Last chances to catch Dayna Lea Hoffmann, giving a luminous solo performance in A Hundred Words For Snow at Northern Light Theatre. A highly unusual coming-of-age story set in a sort of kingdom of ice, it’s an adventure into the unknown in every sense, and a journey toward the knowledge that grief is something that can be shared. 12thnight interviewed the star in this preview. And here’s the review of Trevor Schmidt’s production. Running through Saturday. Tickets: northernlighttheatre.com.

John Ullyatt and Gianna Vacirca in Sexual Misconduct Of The Middle Classes, Theatre Network. Photo by Eric Kozakiewicz

In her Governor General’s Award-winning Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, finally at Theatre Network after a two-year COVID-ian delay, the great playwright Hannah Moscovitch explores something disturbing — and mysterious — that lies in the murky corners of the issue of consent. What possesses a smart, presentable, talented man to do something he knows isn’t right? It’s all about responsibility and the imbalance of power (and age) as Marianne Copithorne’s crack production, with terrific performances by Gianna Vacirca and John Ullyatt, sets forth.  12thnight talked to the playwright in this preview; check out the review here.

Running through May 14. Tickets: 780-453-2440, theatrenetwork.com

Nathan Cuckow and Doug Mertz in 10 Funerals, Shadow Theatre. Photo by Ian Jackson, Epic Photography

•At Shadow Theatre Darrin Hagen’s 10 Funerals does something unusual (for which he has rare credentials as a comic writer and a queer history researcher). It’s a funny gay sitcom for an aging couple who have lived through nearly four decades against a dark backdrop of gay history, marginalization, and … death. Old-school gallows humour: COVID isn’t their first plague, after all. Doug Mertz and Nathan Cuckow play older versions of the couple, Jake Tkaczyk and Josh Travnik the younger ones. 12thnight talked to playwright Hagen in this preview, and reviewed the show here. Running through May 14. Tickets: shadowtheatre.org

The Penelopiad, Walterdale Theatre. Photo: Henderson Images

•Walterdale, Edmonton’s ever-adventurous community theatre, has just opened Kristen M. Finlay’s production of The Penelopiad. Margaret Atwood’s witty and insightful play is her take on Homer’s Odyssey, from the perspective of the great adventurer’s wife, the woman who waits and waits. It runs through May 13. Tickets: walterdaletheatre.com.

•AND: starting previews this weekend, Prison Dancer at the Citadel. Look for more about this new musical soon on 12thnight.ca. It runs through May 28, as part of this year’s Collider Festival. Tickets: 780-425-1820, citadeltheatre.com.