October 2–17. Brandy Joe Plambeck directs local actors in Joseph Zettelmaier’s new gothic drama. Deep beneath the famed Palais Garnier Opera House, a mysterious masked man recalls the events of his ghoulish life, which is nearing its end. Adult topics. 8 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat.) & 7 p.m. (Sun.). Cahoots, 206 E. Huron St. Tickets $28 (students, $20; seniors, $25), in advance at pennyseats.org & (if available) at the door. (734) 926–5346, [email protected].

Oct. 8–11 & 14–18. Vincent Cardinal directs musical theater students in Irene Sankoff & David Hein’s award-winning 2017 upbeat musical set in the week following the September 11 attacks, when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from around the world, were diverted to the tiny town of Gander, Newfoundland. Despite culture clashes and language barriers, the local people encourage the stranded travelers with music and an open bar, forming lifelong friendships, and even sparking romances. 7:30 p.m. (Wed. & Thurs.), 8 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), & 2 p.m. (10 Sat. & Sun.), Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 911 North University. Tickets $34–$40 (students, $16) in advance at tickets.smtd.umich.edu & at the door. (734) 764–0583.

Oct. 1–4 & 8–11. Malcolm Tulip directs drama students in short works by this celebrated Irish playwright known for his verbal play, visual precision, and political imagination. The plays, written between the late 1950s and the early 1980s, include Act Without Words II, Play, Come and Go, Footfalls, Rockaby, Catastrophe, What Where, and Quad. 8 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), 2 p.m. (Sun.), & 7:30 p.m. (Thurs.), Arthur Miller Theatre, 1226 Murfin. Tickets $35 (students, $16) in advance at tickets.smtd.umich.edu & at the door. (734) 764–0583.

30th Annual Edgefest: Kerrytown Concert House. Oct. 7–10. One of the world’s 50 top jazz/avant music festivals, according to DownBeat, this annual event includes multiple shows over 4 days. Today: Experimental improvised electronic jazz duo Junk Jazz (2 p.m.) comprises drummer Djallo Djakate and vocalist-keyboardist Aya Sekine. Vinny Golia/Ken Filiano/Michael TA Thompson (3 p.m.) celebrate reed player Golia’s 80th birthday with multi-layered improvisations—“not just technical brilliance, but a raw, responsive musical empathy,” according to a Free Jazz Collective reviewer. Acclaimed Iraqi American composer, trumpeter, and multi-instrumentalist Amir ElSaffar’s New Quartet (4 p.m.) widens the musical parameters of jazz with microtonal tunings borrowed from Arabic maqam music. Pianist Craig Taborn (7:30 p.m.), known for modular improvising that builds on small units of melody and rhythm, gives a solo concert. Festival honoree and master Detroit saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell (8:30 p.m., see 8 Thursday listing) appears with a mix of featured Detroit-area musicians to round out the festival. 2, 3, 4, 7:30, & 8:30 p.m., Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. Fourth Ave. Tickets $20 per show (students, age 18 & under, $10) in advance at kerrytownconcerthouse.com & (if available) at the door. $70 day passes (Saturday, $100) and $240–$390 full festival passes in advance only online & by phone. (734) 769–2999. 

Oct. 10 & 24. Game show–style performance by experienced improvisers responding to prompts and challenges. 8:30–9:30 p.m., 2350 W. Liberty. $15 in advance at heardotsay.com/events & $18 (if available) at the door. 

Oct. 8–10. Known as a “clean” comic with a relaxed and homey style, Stevens features easygoing, observational comedy that ranges from the behavioral tendencies of older people to why Jesus was actually from Alabama. Opening acts TBA. 7:15 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat.) & 9:45 p.m. (Sat.), 212 S. Fourth Ave. $20 (Thurs., $15) in advance at aacomedy.com & (if available) at the door. (734) 996–9080. 

U-M Men’s Basketball vs. EMU. Exhibition game. The U-M plays another exhibition game this month against Oregon State (Oct. 16). Times TBA, Crisler Center. Tickets TBA at mgoblue.com in advance & at the gate. (734) 764–0247.