In many ways, Odysseus Died From AIDS is like a poor man's Angels in America: They share the same setting—an AIDS ward—and a similar epic tone. The protagonist, a dying young writer who doubles as the titular warrior, and a saucy ethnic queen who dispenses little pearls of wisdom, explore the possibilities and limits of love. Not only does The Odyssey serve as the inspiration for this contemporary look at the ongoing AIDS crisis, at times it also becomes the text when the actors start speaking lines straight from the ancient poem. Though the conceit is often distracting and not fully developed, when it clicks—as in the final scene when an ordinary white hospital bed is transformed into a glorious sailboat returning our hero home—it's impressively breathtaking. —Sean Kennedy

• Where: The Schaeberle Studio Theatre
• When: Fri, Aug 13 at 8:45 p.m.; Sun, Aug 15 at noon; Wed, Aug 18 at 5 p.m.; Fri, Aug 20 at 4:15 p.m.; Sat, Aug 21 at 9 p.m.