Stage by major: The A.V. Club's back-to-school theater preview

Summer break is over, and the fall theater season is beginning just as the dorms open up. Theater tickets aren't cheap, though, and there's no use in plasma-selling college students blowing valuable beer money on something they might not love. With that in mind, The A.V. Club presents this helpful guide to plays opening soon, helpfully broken down by major. Sorry, undecideds.

English: Every English major will have to take a Shakespeare class, but only one of the Bard’s plays this season is directed by Sean Graney, whose last foray into Elizabethan drama involved characters’ heads getting crushed with hammers in Marlowe's Edward II. Court Theater’s The Comedy Of Errors features only six actors playing multiple parts, which should make the story of mistaken identity even more confusing. Last season’s The Mystery Of Irma Vep proved that the director can juggle multiple actors playing multiple roles, and with Graney’s penchant for audience participation, there are bound to be surprises in store. (Through Oct. 17)

Philosophy: When Voltaire published Candide in 1759, he asked questions about our existence that his optimistic contemporaries avoided, like, “Why is life so shitty?” and, “Why are people such assholes?” Leonard Bernstein’s operetta adaptation combines over-the-top comedy with depressing philosophical discourse, which would be pretty boring if it weren’t for the incredible creative team the Goodman Theater has assembled. Directed by Mary Zimmerman—no stranger to classical works with her Tony Award-winning adaptation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses—an A-list cast of Chicago and Broadway actors take on some of the most challenging arias ever written, including the absurd “Glitter And Be Gay.” (Through Oct. 24)

Atomic Physics: When assembling a nuclear reactor core, try not to let the screwdriver slip and cause a critical reaction, like Louis Slotin at Los Alamos Nuclear Lab does. In A Red Orchid Theater’s Louis Slotin Sonata, Slotin’s last nine days are chronicled as his mind and body are ravaged by radiation. Paul Mullin’s play explores the consequences of the 20th century’s huge scientific advancements, and questions whether the ends ultimately justified the means. The subject matter may be bleak, but it's a great fit for Red Orchid’s intimate space and meticulous ensemble, who have shown a remarkable talent for exploring the darkness in the human psyche without becoming heavy-handed. (Through Oct. 24)

Sociology: The man of the house just lost his job and the new next door neighbors are fresh out of rehab. Welcome to the suburbs of Steppenwolf Theatre's Detroit, Lisa D’Amour’s new play about a pair of married couples struggling to live under new circumstances without destroying each other. Steppenwolf has become synonymous with dysfunctional family dynamics since 2007’s August: Osage County, but Detroit introduces a socioeconomic factor that should give the disintegrating marriages extra weight. Director Austin Pendleton and his cast of actors are all ensemble members, with Laurie Metcalf returning to the Steppenwolf stage in her first appearance since 2004, making Detroit one of the highest-profile openings of the year. (Through Nov. 7)

Physical Education: For everyone who thinks Shakespeare’s Hamlet never had enough tumbling, Neo-Futurists’ Daredevils’ Hamlet pays tribute to the tragedy through wrestling, stunts, music… and striptease? It’s bizarre but will likely be extremely entertaining, as the Neo-Futurists rarely disappoint when they think outside the box. Plus, the poster is amazing. (Through Sept. 25) 

Political Science: One of America’s most devious political figures, Richard Nixon is the subject of Timeline Theatre’s Frost/Nixon. As David Frost’s infamous interview with the ex-president is recreated, playwright Peter Morgan reveals how Nixon’s egomania and paranoia pervaded his political career. It will be interesting to see how Timeline’s production compares to the 2008 film, especially when it comes to matching Frank Langella’s frighteningly uncanny Nixon; but Timeline’s reputation for impeccably researched historical theater portends that Frost/Nixon will be another success in its streak of recent Chicago premières. (Through Oct. 10)

Drinking: Bad decisions are the name of the game in Profiles Theatre’s Jailbait, a new play about two thirtysomethings trying to recapture the glory days of their college years with a night of hardcore clubbing. When the men meet two 15-year-old girls posing as college students, their night goes off the rails in glorious black comedy fashion, making this the perfect show for anyone who can’t remember what happened last night—or the night before. Profiles has been on a hot streak recently, with last season’s Killer Joe continuing an oft-extended run at Royal George Theater, and the company is fearless when it comes to sexual depravity, especially when paired with some good old-fashioned substance abuse. (Through Oct. 17)