May is beautiful in Boston, and it is also a great month to spend quality time with the special mother in your life. Here are some pointers to get you started on planning your May weekend with Mom.
Week 1: Boston Theater Marathon (Sunday, May 3)
Attending this unique annual Boston theater event has become our family tradition! 50 ten-minute plays by New England playwrights are presented by New England theater companies. Tickets here (almost sold out). There are 5 blocks (each featuring ten plays and running approximately 100 minutes) and we are attending one of the mid-day blocks. Love it or hate it– it’s gone in 10 minutes and all you are left to do is compare notes afterwards. Be sure to put this event on your Boston May calendar.
Week 2: Spring Experience at Boston Ballet (May 7-17, Citizens Opera House)
Use my promo code Victoria45 for $45 tickets on May 7, 8, 14, 15 at 7:30
We celebrated Mother’s Day weekend with girlfriends at this mixed three-ballet program featuring two Boston Ballet premieres! Multiple Tony Awards winner Jerome Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering (created in 1969 and set to Frédéric Chopin’s piano concertos with a live pianist on stage), William Forsythe’s Herman Scherman (1992; set to electronic mix by Thom Willems) and Lia Cirio’s After (2024, to Lera Auerbach, with a live pianist and violinist).
“… It is exciting to see our dancers move between these works with such depth and versatility,” said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen.
The evening is indeed full of beautiful contrasts! The program opens with After by Boston Ballet’s Principal Dancer Lia Cirio- showcasing neoclassical pointe work, her personal style, and her ability to highlight the unique talents of her fellow dancers. The dancers move in and out of delicate formations in front of the custom-made sculpture by John Farrell. It felt like the most conceptually complex work of the evening.
Robbins’ work features 10 dancers in a series of solos, duets, and ensembles celebrating complex connections as friends come together. The dances are flowy – sometimes playful but mostly romantic and dreamy, to the point that we found ourselves under a spell (was it a dream?) Forsythe (one of the greatest living choreographers) is known for his innovations. In Herman Scherman he challenges traditional ballet while highlighting the extraordinary athleticism and musicality of its dancers (dressed in Versace-designed costumes, no less). Forsythe typically challenges my ballet stereotypes (I don’t love all of his works), but I was captivated by Herman Schmerman from the first to the last move—truly not a dull moment onstage.
On the Opening Night we were treated to the performances of our favorite Viktorina Kapitonova, Lia Cirio (it was her birthday!), Seo Hye Han, Ji Young Chae, Paul Craig and Jeffrey Cirio. See full casting info here.
Week 3: Oedipus el Rey at Huntington Theater (May 7-June 14) Calderwood Pavilion
527 Tremont St, Boston
We saw Oedipus el Ray last weekend and it was extraordinary theater experience. This modern retelling of Sophocles’ classic (written by Luis Alfaro) is staged by Loretta Greco, Artistic Director of the Huntington Theater. The production runs May 7–June 14 at the Calderwood Pavilion (Boston).
Set in the heart of Los Angeles and performed by native Chicano actors, the play explores destiny and liberation from the systems you are born into, with Chicano swagger and sly humor woven throughout. There is, of course, a search for love, and the character of Jocasta is placed at the center of the play (unlike in the original).
You know how it ends, of course, but the acting and staging are so captivating that they keep you hoping for a different outcome. I could not take my eyes off the intimate 250-degree stage or the actors, all of whom play multiple roles. (I spent the post-show evening searching for modern interpretations of Freud’s Oedipus complex).
Week 4: Road tripping to New York and Cape Cod
One of the May weekends we are headed to New York to meet with family and see some Broadway theater. We plan to stop at Greenwich, Connecticut for a walk because road trips aren’t just about the destination. We also plan to visit Cape Cod for some beach walks and lobster. (Check out my Cape Cod Beach guide.)
Week 5: Black Swan at American Repertory Theater (May 26-June 28)
We are making it a ladies’ night out to see this psychological thriller at ART’s Loeb Theater in Cambridge, directed by Tony Award winner Sonya Tayeh (Gatsby at A.R.T., Moulin Rouge! The Musical on Broadway). This genre-breaking choreography set to Tchaikovsky with a throbbing electronic soundscape is going to be bold and powerful – and possibly haunting. (For tickets and Discounts check the website).
Other events and performances not to be missed in Boston this May
- Lilac Sunday at the Arboretum is on May 10
- Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich on Cape Cod offers free admission to Mothers on May 10 (use code MOMS2026).
- Museum of Fine Arts Boston (MFA) $5 Third Thursday is on May 21 (featuring special lectures and events; 5-10pm).
- May 13:a Next Generation evening of Boston Ballet’s school recent graduates (link to tickets; one evening only)
- May 28-June 7: The Sleeping Beauty at Boston Ballet; use my promo code victoria45 for $45 tickets for 5/28, 5/29, 6/3, 6/4 at 7:30 performances.