BLACKBERRY WINTER Boston actress Adrianne Krstansky, who has few peers when it comes to crafting portraits of the Everywoman-in-extremis, excels as Vivienne, a middle-age baker forced to confront the decline of her mother from Alzheimer’s disease. Steve Yockey’s fine new drama is directed by Bridget Kathleen O’Leary and also features Paula Langton and Ken Cheeseman. Through April 17. New Repertory Theatre, Charles Mosesian Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, Watertown. 617-923-8487, www.newrep.org

MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY Anne Washburn’s fascinating, multilayered vision (pictured) of a post-apocalyptic future in which an episode of “The Simpsons’’ looms increasingly large as a cultural totem. Dynamically directed by A. Nora Long, “Mr. Burns’’ is about what we remember, how much we need to tell ourselves stories to survive, and the way that stories change their shape and their meaning over time. Through May 7. Lyric Stage Company of Boston. 617-585-5678, www.lyricstage.com

WE’RE GONNA DIE Obehi Janice stars in the New England premiere of Young Jean Lee’s cabaret-style song cycle, which blends pseudo-autobiographical storytelling with philosophical inquiries into the vagaries and mysteries of existence. Directed by Shawn LaCount, who has shown an astute touch with quirky plays like Annie Baker’s “The Flick’’ and Kristoffer Diaz’s “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.’’ April 20-29. Presented by Company One Theatre in collaboration with American Repertory Theater. At Oberon, Cambridge. 617-547-8300, www.americanrepertorytheater.org DON AUCOIN

Don Aucoin can be reached at aucoin@globe.com.